SearchArchives for October 2008
October 29, 2008Information off-load as FOI goes proactive
Premier, Nathan Rees has ordered the release to the public of Government information, particularly that which was often requested under Freedom on Information rules.
In a Ministerial Memorandum to all Ministers, Mr Rees called on them to work with their Departments and Agencies to see as much information released as soon as possible.
“The routine disclosure of Government-held information outside the scope of the Freedom of Information Act 1989 fosters openness and accountability in New South Wales,” Mr Rees said.
“It also reduces the selective and partial use of information accessed through FOI, as well as the cost of processing FOI applications.”
He acknowledged that Departments and Agencies already released large amounts of information to the public without the need to be required to by FOI applications but more could be done.
“There is always, however, more information held by Government which could be made available to the public at minimal cost and without compromising the public interest.”
Mr Rees said the more towards greater disclosure had already begun as he had issued a directive that Ministers lodge their Press Releases on their agencies’ websites earlier this month.
“As part of my ongoing commitment to improving access to information regarding the activities of the NSW Government, I ask Ministers to work with their Agencies to identify and release, as soon as practicable, information which can be made available to the public.
“In particular, Agencies should consider routinely releasing information that is sought regularly under the FOI Act.”
Mr Rees said these measures were only a first step.
“I have written to the Ombudsman seeking guidance, as part of his review of the FOI Act, on further measures which would promote proactive disclosure of Government information.”
The Ministerial Memorandum could be accessed at www.dpc.nsw.gov.au
October 29, 2008
School system fails performance test
A performance audit on the Department of Education and Training has recommended a major overhaul of literacy and numeracy skills in State schools.
The audit, conducted by the Audit Office of NSW was entitled Improving Literacy and Numeracy in NSW Public Schools, and examined how successful the Department had been in improving the literacy and numeracy of students.
Auditor General, Peter Achterstraat, said NSW students performed well overall in the national literacy and numeracy tests when compared to the rest of Australia, but in some schools and regions, one in five students were at risk of failing.
“Students in regional and rural areas achieve lower test results than students in metropolitan areas, and the gap is increasing,” the Auditor-General said.
“Compared to 10 years ago, the NSW Government has spent over three times more money on improving literacy and numeracy yet there has been little real improvement with our children.”
Mr Achterstraat said underperformance could be associated with a range of factors including disabilities, speaking English as a second language, having an Indigenous or low socio-economic background, learning difficulties and geographical locations.
He said while at-risk children were not being adequately identified and were difficult to track through the education system, the Department’s planned Student Administration and Learning Management system (SALM) should help it “sharpen its focus”.
Mr Achterstraat said SALM would strengthen the Department’s capacity to “consistently identify and support those students ‘at risk’ of not meeting literacy and numeracy expectations”.
“The Department has advised us that, while SALM may be some years off, the essential components of this capacity are included in the SMART software redevelopment due for implementation in 2009,” he said.
The Auditor-General made 19 recommendations in his report, including the Department develop a more systematic way of identifying at risk students; that it improve the skills of teachers working with at-risk children; that it undertake more extensive reviews of underperforming schools; strengthen the accountability of resource development and program delivery; and form partnerships with preschools and parents.
The Department of Education and Training welcomed the recommendations, saying the audit highlighted opportunities to “fine tune” its efforts to help every student achieve appropriate literacy and numeracy skills.
The audit looked at numeracy and literacy in NSW Public Schools from 1994 to 2008.
October 29, 2008
State taxes collect share of criticism
The Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal’s final report on the NSW tax system has recommended far-reaching reforms.
IPART Chief Executive Officer, Jim Cox, said NSW over-relied on transaction-type taxes on property, motor vehicles and insurance products and needed to move towards annual taxes on asset holdings or economic activity.
Mr Cox said while changes to the tax system were needed, there were limits to the reforms NSW could achieve on its own and the greatest gains would come from a national approach and increased cooperation between the States and the Commonwealth.
“The States have some very sound taxes – such as Payroll Tax – but on balance the Commonwealth taxes are more efficient and equitable,” Mr Cox said.
“If we can make greater use of these taxes and reduce or eliminate some of the more inefficient State taxes, then we can achieve real gains.”
Mr Cox said the report recommended NSW encourage the Commonwealth to develop options for further expanding efficient Commonwealth taxes to fund the reduction or abolition of inefficient State taxes.
However, he said the Commonwealth’s approach to sharing payments between the States was the source of problems which would need to be resolved before States could increase their reliance on Commonwealth taxes.
“In particular, the approach used for revenue sharing can discourage States from reforming taxes and distort Commonwealth and State Government expenditure priorities,” he said.
Mr Cox said the NSW tax system should be broader-based with simple and transparent taxes, which would be fairer to business and individuals.
He said half the tax revenue raised by NSW came from payroll tax and purchaser transfer duty.
He said the NSW tax system was expected to raise $18.5 billion in tax revenue in 2008-09, which would make up 39 per cent of the total revenue available to NSW.
The IPART report recommended the base for pay roll tax be broadened; the payroll tax exemption for Local Councils be replaced; the rate of stamp duty for general insurance and purchaser transfer duty be reduced; annual motor vehicle charges be implemented; the use of environmental levies be reconsidered; and NSW user fees be benchmarked with other States and linked to CPI increases.
The report was available from www.ipart.nsw.gov.au
October 29, 2008
Treasury surplus is money in the bank
Treasury has announcing a $73 million surplus for 2007-8 but warned of tougher economic times ahead.
Following the release of Treasury’s 2007-08 Budget result and the completion of the year-end audit, Treasurer Eric Roozendaal said despite the surplus, economic conditions had changed dramatically since July showing weaker property prices and fewer property transactions.
Mr Roozendaal said the monthly result for July 2008 was a year-to-date surplus of $109 million, but had turned around in August to a year-to-date deficit of $163 million.
He said the results highlighted the importance of the mini-Budget on 11 November and how conditions had changed since the Budget was delivered in June.
Mr Roozendaal said the Budget result for last year was forecast to be a surplus of $700 million in the most recent estimate which had been prepared for the 2008-09 Budget.
He said the main reasons it was only $73 million were a $160 million shortfall in transfer duty revenue; a $222 million shortfall in investment income from the NSW Self Insurance Corporation due to falls in share values; $320 million cost overruns in Health; and an additional $150 million grant to RailCorp.
Treasury said weak property prices and fewer property transactions meant Government revenue from property transfer duties was $90 million below forecasts in July, $103 million below forecasts in August and $77 million below forecasts in September.
October 29, 2008
Workplace campaign is perfect ‘10’
WorkCover NSW has called on all workers and employees to set aside 10 minutes every day for a week to reflect on safety issues in the workplace.
WorkCover CEO, Jon Blackwell, said the Take Time Out for Safety at Work initiative was designed to promote the importance of safety and the benefits of implementing healthy workplace practices.
“A safe and healthy workplace positively impacts employee morale, health and productivity,” Mr Blackwell said.
He announced the initiative as part of last week’s ‘Safe Work Australia Week’, which aimed to encourage all employers and workers to take ‘10 @ 10’ - 10 minutes at 10am - to discuss workplace safety and focus on reducing workplace incidents and injuries.
Workcover sponsored Paralympian and triple gold medalist, Heath Francis, who had his right arm amputated below the elbow after it was caught in a meat mincer, spoke to workers at an event in Sydney about the importance of safety and the impact his workplace injury had on him.
Mr Blackwell said everyone was responsible for workplace safety.
“Workplace safety is everybody’s business and WorkCover offers a range of free services such as advisory visits to workplaces, information workshops as well as financial rebates to help get businesses moving in the right direction,” he said.
“Workplace safety does not just affect you at work, it affects your whole family.”
Mr Blackwell also launched Workcover’s new portable trailer, which was a mobile resource Centre that would help deliver safety advice directly to businesses and events across the state.
October 29, 2008
Fine outcome for tribunal fines
The Administrative Decisions Tribunal would soon be able to award victims of unlawful discrimination up to $100,000 in compensation, more than double the current compensation cap.
Attorney General John Hatzistergos announced the amendments to the Administrative Decisions Tribunal Act 1997 that increased the compensation cap from its current level of $40,000.
“If the Tribunal finds someone has suffered from discrimination, such as on the basis of gender, sexuality, disability or race, up to $100,000 in compensation could be awarded,” Mr Hatzistergos said.
“This is a significant increase in the maximum amount of compensation that the Tribunal can award to victims.”
He said the increase would allow the Tribunal to make compensation payments that better reflected the seriousness of the discrimination’s consequences.
“It will also bring NSW more in line with damages available in other jurisdictions and reinforce the importance of the ADT’s jurisdiction in ensuring that discriminatory conduct will not be tolerated in NSW,” Mr Hatzistergos said.
He said other reforms included transferring the power to grant exemptions from the operation of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 from the Attorney General to the President of the Anti-Discrimination Board.
Mr Hatzistergos said a recent example was a Western Sydney bus company which received an exemption from the Act in order to advertise for female bus drivers only.
He said a range of miscellaneous amendments were made in relation to the operation, functions and constitution of the Administrative Decisions Tribunal to ensure it remained an independent, accessible and cost-effective forum residents.
October 29, 2008
Flexible workplaces told to limber up
More flexibility in workplaces to cater for the growing number of mature age workers, and those with caring responsibilities, has been recommended by the Minister for Industrial Relations, John Hatzistergos.
Speaking at a Caring works forum in Sydney, Mr Hatzistergos said employers should consider increasing workplace flexibility in light of the Government’s Mature Age Carers in the Workforce Project, which revealed that by the year 2016, 80 per cent of the labour market would be made up of people over 45.
“Our research highlights a growing need for workplace flexibility to assist mature aged workers in the workforce,” Mr Hatzistergos said.
“Over the next 20 years our economic wellbeing will depend on keeping older workers employed as an impending labour shortfall will need to be met by retaining mature age workers.”
He said while the State’s workforce grew by 170,000 during the 1980s and 90s, latest predictions indicated it would grow by only 125,000 for the entire 2020 decade.
Mr Hatzistergos said it was vital to consider how businesses could utilise the “over looked pool of labour” and to discuss ways which the Government could help them and their staff work together.
He launched a DVD featuring two workplaces that found success in employing mature aged workers with caring responsibilities.
Mr Hatzistergos also released a focus group report entitled Bringing out the Best that provided an insight into the experiences, motivations, aspirations and needs of mature aged carers in relation to work.
“The NSW Government is committed to raising awareness among employers about the business imperative for employing mature age workers and that caring responsibilities are inextricably linked to many of those workers,” Mr Hatzistergos said.
The Caring Works DVD and Bringing out the Best focus group report were available at www.industrialrelations.nsw.gov.au
October 29, 2008
Exemplary teachers awarded top marks
Sixteen NSW teachers have been named among the nation’s most inspirational.
The teachers, from a variety of public and private schools and preschools, were honoured in the 2008 Australian Scholarships Group Inspirational Teacher State and Territory Awards.
The awards were made in conjunction with NEiTA (National Excellence in Teaching Awards) and the announcement coincided with Australia’s celebration of World Teachers’ Day.
Showcasing the diversity of the teaching profession, the recognised inspirational teachers work across the spectrum of education sectors, teaching students with varied learning needs, in specialised subject areas using teaching processes that get results, according to NEiTA’s Chairman, Terry O’Connell.
“Teachers are at the heart of their students, centres or schools and communities and they are central in ensuring that young people achieve their potential,” Mr O’Connell said. “It is crucial work that deserves recognition at the very highest level in an increasingly complex, multicultural and technological society.
“Examples of the inspirational teachers’ work include taking their students and subjects into the wider community, contributing to the environment, re-engaging students, presenting real life learning experiences in the classroom, and connecting students to technological learning experiences.
Of the 60 Award recipients across the nation, 10 teach in early childhood, 30 in primary, and 20 in secondary school education.
The NSW winners were:
- Christy Beveridge from Bonville Public School;
- Susan Blyth of Valentine Public School;
- Rosemary Clifton, Tamworth Public School;
- Emma Cullen, Abbotsford Long Day Care Centre;
- Lynette Haley, Eglinton Public School;
- Klara Hollestelle-Watson, Mater Maria Catholic College, Warriewood;
- Bianca Jervis, Danebank Anglican School for Girls, Hurstville;
- Sean Kelleher, Abbotsleigh Secondary, Wahroonga;
- Brian McCallum, Central Coast Grammar School, Erina Heights;
- Celia Moncrieff, Avondale School, Cooranbong;
- Dennis Nguyen, Sarah Redfern High School, Minto;
- Amy Rayfield, Konomi Kindergarten International, Willoughby;
- Alison Shaw, Epping Boys' High School, Eastwood;
- Allan Thomas, Armidale High School, Armidale;
- Judi Wassink, Wycliffe Christian School, Warrimoo; and
- Jane Williams, Balgowlah North Public School.
“Like NEiTA, World Teachers’ Day celebrates the often-unsung contribution special teachers make to the lives of their students, parents, communities, and their profession,” said Mr O’Connell.
October 29, 2008
New childcare rules to share the care
Moves to improve the standard of care for babies and toddlers in day care will see child care service providers forced to provide one carer for every four children under the age of two.
Minister for Community Services, Linda Burney, said the proposed new law would ensure Centre-based and mobile child care services increased their carer to child ratio which currently stood at one to five.
Ms Burney said the move was approved by Cabinet following widespread consultation with the industry and in partnership with the Federal Government.
“The majority of parents have to work, and they have the right to know their child is receiving the best possible standard of care while they do,” she said.
“Research tells us that higher regulatory standards correlate with higher measured quality, and that good quality early childhood care can improve child development and school performance – especially for children from disadvantaged backgrounds.”
Ms Burney said individual care and nurturing received by babies was fundamental to their emotional wellbeing and safety.
She said economic analysis conducted for the Government by a consultant found the move would have a modest cost impact but it would be outweighed by the benefits to children and the community.
“However the Commonwealth’s commitment to making childcare more accessible to families, and a significant increase in the value of child care subsidies, will help minimise the impact on families,” Ms Burney said.
“No-one wants costs to go up, but we all want the best care possible for our children.
“Early childhood advocates in NSW have been seeking this change for a long time, and their arguments are extremely compelling.”
Ms Burney said 34 per cent of child care services already offered a 1:4 ratio for children under two and that the compulsory changes would come into force in 2010.
Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Early Childhood Education and Child Care, Maxine McKew welcomed the announcement.
Ms McKew said it was important that parents using child care services were confident their children were getting the best possible care and attention.
“I congratulate the Minister and the NSW Government for moving decisively to support families and improve the quality of care for very young children,” Ms McKew said.
October 29, 2008
Apprentice program forges scholarship
Country apprentices are to be given a “leg up” under a new $150,000 scholarship program to support trainees struggling to make ends meet.
Premier Nathan Rees said the Ben Chiefly Scholarship, named after the former Prime Minister, would be awarded to 30 first, second and third year apprentices in its first year.
Mr Rees said following the first year, 10 new scholarships of $15,000 would be offered annually, with apprentices receiving $5,000 each year for the first three years of their apprenticeship.
He said scholarship winners could use the money to buy tools, uniforms, petrol or to support their family.
“I want to give country kids who are showing real promise in their chosen field a leg up for their futures,” Mr Rees said.
“Financial hardship should not be a barrier to talented apprentices sticking at their trade and this will give them a much needed helping hand.”
He said the scholarships would be awarded on the basis of hardship and aptitude, with apprentices nominated jointly by their employer and trade teacher.
Mr Rees said eligible applicants had to live outside Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong, with at least two scholarships being awarded each year to Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders.
“We have a skills shortage in this country, a real shortage of trained trades people - plumbers, carpenters, hairdressers and motor mechanics, to name a few,” he said.
“Initiatives like this will make a tangible difference to rural apprentices who regularly have to travel significant distances to study and often rely on support from their families already hit by the prolonged drought.”
Mr Rees said it was appropriate for the Scholarship to be named after Mr Chifley as he had been a tradesman.
“Ben was a tradesman - a train driver and he became Prime Minister,” he said.
“His story is inspirational and it's only fitting that these scholarships are named in his honour.”
Further information was available from the Department of Education and Training at www.det.nsw.edu.au
October 29, 2008
Water thieves to be put through ringer
Water thieves could face two years imprisonment or fines up to $2.2 million following tough new laws passed by Parliament.
Minister for Water, Phil Costa, said the Government was getting tough on water theft with the new laws boosting penalties and strengthening compliance and enforcement powers.
Mr Costa said the Water Management (Amendment) Bill 2008 lifted the maximum penalties for water theft for individuals from $132,000 to $1.1 million and from $275,000 to $2.2 million for corporations.
“These are important measures to protect the State’s water supply, particularly in rural and regional NSW,” he said.
Mr Costa said the new laws would help “stamp out water theft”, provide more flexible water sharing arrangements and streamline administrative processes.
“Theft of bulk water supplies from rivers, creeks and dams can have devastating impacts on rural communities and the environment,” he said.
“The NSW Government is sending a strong message to potential water thieves – if you take water illegally we will investigate and we will act with the backing of very harsh penalties.”
Mr Costa said offenders could be issued with additional financial penalties on top of the maximum fines if they continued to offend.
He said the new penalties were approved during National Water Week which encouraged community members to stop water theft by reporting suspicious activities.
Mr Costa said current legislation on water sharing required the suspension of an entire water sharing plan, which limited the Government’s ability to effectively manage water supplies.
“The changes will enable the suspension of elements of a water sharing plan, which will provide greater flexibility in water sharing during times of drought,” he said.
Mr Costa said the Department had consulted key water user groups on the proposed changes during recent visits to Deniliquin, Dubbo and Moree, and found most irrigators and communities were supportive of the reforms.
October 29, 2008
No goodwill in Will survey
A survey by the Public Trustee has found that over half the NSW residents over the age of 18 did not have a will.
Attorney General, John Hatzistergos, said the survey, Inheritance: Do You Think You’ll Get What You Deserve?, found 30 per cent of people would write someone out of their will if they upset them, and that 16 per cent worried they would not inherit what they thought was ‘coming to them’.
“Most troubling was that the survey found that 93% of young people, aged between 18 and 24, do not have a will,” Mr Hatzistergos said.
The survey found 53 per cent of all participants had something in mind they would like to inherit, while almost 70 per cent of participants aged 18 to 24 wanted to inherit something in particular.
Mr Hatzistergos said the release of the survey, which included a sample size of 1,000 people, coincided with Good Will Week 2008.
“Good Will Week is a reminder that we should all make out a will, and make sure we update our will when our personal situation changes,” he said.
“If you want to make sure your estate is divided between your loved ones in the way you would like it to be, I urge people, no matter how young or old, to take this opportunity to make a will.”
The survey was conducted on behalf of the NSW Public Trustee, the organisers of Good Will Week.
It found relationship differences between participants aged 18 and 24 and those over 54, with younger people almost twice as likely to have a parent who had been married more than once or was in a long term de facto relationship.
Thirty-one per cent of adults considered a close friend a part of their extended family and 54 per cent of young people wanted to know more about their family history while 16 per cent of adults were satisfied with their knowledge of family history.
October 29, 2008
People everywhere is population tip
New research by the Department of Planning has found that NSW’s population was on track to increase by one third by 2036, reaching over 9 million people and 3.7 million households.
Minister for Planning, Kristina Keneally, said the NSW State and Regional Population Projections had set a big challenge for local and State planners.
Ms Keneally said the projections would help determine what type of infrastructure and services would be needed in the future and a timeframe for their implementation.
“It’s clear the increase in the NSW population and decline of our household size will impact on everything from the location of future housing estates to the type of buildings they include, to the rollout of public transport services, and location of schools,” she said.
“Our challenge is to keep working with the Federal Government, across the NSW Government, with the private housing sector and, in particular, with Local Councils to build the homes.”
Ms Keneally said Local Councils would be provided with projections for their area and would be expected to play a major role in planning to meet population changes.
The NSW State and Regional Population Projections forecast that:
- The NSW population would increase from 6.82 million in 2006 to 9.07 million by 2036 – up 2.25 million or 33%.
- Sydney’s population would increase from 4.28 million in 2006 to 5.98 million by 2036 – up 1.70 million, or 40%.
- The number of households would increase from 2.65 million in 2006 to 3.72 million by 2036 - up1.08 million, or 41%.
- The annual number of births would rise by 18% between 2006 and 2036, surpassing the 100,000 per year mark in the early 2020s.
- Life expectancy at birth would rise from 79.1 years for males and 83.9 years for females in 2006, to 85.6 years for males and 89.1 years for females in 2036.
- 31% of NSW’s projected population growth would result from migration.
She said the Government’s plans included the Sydney Metropolitan Strategy in 2005, 10 subsequent draft sub-regional strategies, and regional strategies in high-growth coastal regions from the Queensland border to the Victorian border, and along the Sydney to Canberra Corridor.
More information on the Projection was available from www.planning.nsw.gov.au
October 29, 2008
Detention scheme wins get-out-of-jail card
Public comment has been invited on a new style of community-based sentence which would see the end of periodic detention system in favour of some offenders completing their sentences through community service.
Attorney General, John Hatzistergos, released a consultation paper on the proposed sentencing option which was backed by victims’ groups and legal experts.
Mr Hatzistergos said the NSW Sentencing Council, which was headed by Justice James Wood and included three of the State’s key victims’ groups, recommended the abolition of periodic detention and the creation of the new Intensive Corrections Order (ICO).
“The proposed Intensive Corrections Order could force offenders to make changes to their lives which they would not do themselves,” Mr Hatzistergos said.
He said ICOs were already being used in Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia, as well as New Zealand, Europe and the United States.
He said under the new system, Courts would be able to impose a term of imprisonment to be served by way of an ICO with a number of components.
Following a suitability assessment by a Probation and Parole Officer, the offender would be subjected to strict monitoring and be forced to comply with a range of conditions that could include community work, rehabilitative programs, drug and alcohol testing, night curfews and electronic monitoring.
The State Parole Authority would have the power to revoke the Order and could place the offender in full-time imprisonment should he or she fail to comply with the conditions.
Orders would only be imposed on offenders sentenced to up to two years jail, and would not apply to serious violent offenders.
Mr Haztistergos said the Government would not be rushed into making the change.
“However, before we decide to introduce the new order, we want to hear from the judiciary, legal profession, victims support groups, Government Agencies, community groups who use periodic detainees and the wider public,” he said.
Vice President of the Victims of Crime Assistance League, Howard Brown, said one of the failings of the current periodic detention regime was that it did not address offending behaviour, while the new order would allow the offender to engage in programs that could reduce re-offending rates.
Submissions were due by 12 November and more information was available from www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au
October 29, 2008
Respite Centres give respite on fees
Respite Centres operated by the Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care are no longer to charge their users fees under a new policy aimed at reducing the financial burden on families caring for someone with a disability.
Minister, Paul Lynch, said the Government had taken immediate action to address community concerns about the system.
Mr Lynch said he had been made aware of inconsistent practices regarding respite fees when he took over the portfolio a month ago.
“It is current policy not to charge people with a disability aged under 16 years respite fees,” Mr Lynch said.
He said the Government would extend the policy to apply to all Department-operated Centre-based respite services.
Mr Lynch said the new policy addressed anomalies resulting from past restructures of the delivery of disability services.
“People caring for a family member with a disability have additional costs to pay for,” he said.
“If you are on a pension and need respite care, you can be charged around $25 per night – and that is a significant impact on your budget,” he said.
Mr Lynch said the Government was aware of the financial stress the current economic climate was placing on some families.
“The no-fees policy for planned respite stays at the Department’s facilities will provide relief for those carers and families of people with a disability,” he said.
Chief executive of Carers NSW, Elena Katrakis welcomed the announcement.
Ms Katrakis said it would provide welcome relief for many carers who were experiencing financial hardship.
October 29, 2008
Africans make move to Sydney jungle
A 12-month pilot program aimed at helping African migrants and refugees settle into their new Sydney communities was being conducted by the Department of Community Services.
Minister for Community Services, Linda Burney, said people from Africa could find the adjustment to Sydney-life very stressful and the new program would help them get settled.
“Learning a new language, getting used to a different culture and negotiating basic services like public transport, schools and hospitals can be a daunting process,” Ms Burney said.
“Understanding how our child protection system works also presents many challenges.”
Ms Burney said the pilot program being trialled in Western Sydney meant families recently arrived from Africa could access information and feel supported when it came to raising and protecting their children.
“Eight African workers from Sudanese, Sierra Leonean, Ethiopian, Somali and Liberian communities have been assisting Community Services staff to build positive relationships with African families in Sydney’s western suburbs,” Ms Burney said.
She said the workers spoke 12 African languages between them and were employed by the Parramatta/Baulkham Hills Migrant Resource Centre as part of the DoCS funded African Sessional Workers Pilot Project, which would run for 12 months.
“Significant cultural differences in parenting practices between Africa and Australia can lead to confusion and tension among newly-arrived African families,” Ms Burney said.
“In some communities in Africa, child rearing is a communal activity – everyone is responsible for bringing up a child, whereas in Australia, it is largely the responsibility of the parents or nominated carers.”
Ms Burney said many families who had experienced harsh conditions in refugee camps found it especially difficult to adjust to different expectations of parenting in a new country.
“An example of this is when parents, after spending years surviving on only one meal a day, do not understand why it is a problem when their child turns up to school here without having had breakfast,” she said.
“The African workers provide language and cultural support to caseworkers in explaining how the child protection system works in this state.”
October 29, 2008
Hawkins rewarded at Injury awards
WorkCover NSW’s Mary Hawkins has been recognised for her work with injured workers by taking out the award for Outstanding Contribution by an Individual in Australasia’s first personal injury awards.
The awards were established this year by the Personal Injury Education Foundation to celebrate and showcase the achievements made in personal injury management across Australasia and acknowledge the industry’s importance to the broader community.
The winners were selected by a judging panel that included representatives from the Australian and New Zealand Institute for Insurance and Finance, the Australian Council of Trade Unions, Deakin Prime and the NSW Business Chamber.
Community cabinet the place for CEOs
The Department of Premier and Cabinet has released a Circular reminding portfolio Chief Executive Officers of their obligation to attend Community Cabinet events.
The Circular said it was important they attended the events to ensure the best outcomes for the community and the Government.
The Circular reminded CEOs of the need to minimise costs when making arrangements to attend Community Cabinet Meetings.
Fuel bans announced
Solid Fuel Fire Bans in State forests in the central west of NSW from Lithgow to Orange and on the Oberon plateau are to be implemented from 3 November.
Forests NSW Fire Protection Officer, Russell Cowgill, said the ban would attempt to reduce the risk of a wildfire.
Mr Cowgill said the bans would apply every day throughout summer - not just on days of declared Total Fire Ban.
OFT staff RAP at coast
Office of Fair Trading Staff visited Nambucca Heads and Macksville last week to check up on retailers, home builders, petrol stations, clubs, hotels and travel agents.
Fair Trading Commissioner, Lyn Baker said the Regional Access Program (RAP) allowed Fair Trading officers to enter the community and carry out compliance checks.
Ms Baker said her office had joined forces with WorkCover NSW to provide information and services to the communities.
Comment call on buses
The Department of Transport has called for public comment on proposed route changes to some bus services.
The Department has worked with Busways, Westbus and Hawkesbury Valley Bus Service to develop a brochure explaining the changes to the Region One bus network.
Comments could be made at www.nswbusnetwork.com.au
Sydney No. 1 again
Sydney has been voted the number one city in the world at the Conde Nast Traveller Awards in New York.
Minister for Tourism, Jodi McKay said it was the 13th time Sydney had topped the list and that Conde Nast Traveller readers based their votes on a variety of criteria including ambience, friendliness, culture-sights, restaurants, lodging and shopping.
Ms McKay said the award reinforced Tourism NSW’s international marketing campaign, ‘There’s no place in the world like Sydney’.
AFP redraw Manly school
The Australian Federal Police has released a revised plan for its Australian Institute of Police Management in Manly, which sought to address the heritage and environmental issues of the planned redevelopment.
The revised design moved existing structures away from the shoreline to protect and enhance the surrounding environment and ensured that the Long Nosed Bandicoot foraging areas and the Little Penguin nesting areas were preserved.
Defence to leave Fort Wallace
Fort Wallace and the former Stockton Rifle Range in Newcastle have been identified as potential surplus to Defence Department requirements and may be sold in 2010 and 2011.
It is believed the sale of the 142 hectares of land at Stockton could create a building boom in the suburb.
The Newcastle Herald reported that much of the land, which would undergo remediation before being offered for sale, would provide beach access as well as ocean, harbour, river and city views.
Reactor shuts down
The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) has announced its OPAL research reactor at Lucas Heights would be shut down for two weeks for regular maintenance procedures.
The Agency said the monthly fuel change and the replacement of heavy water in its reflector vessel were major steps towards recommencing full nuclear medicine production and irradiation of silicon for the semiconductor industry.
The reactor was recently returned to full operation following a 10 month shut down due to a fuel design fault.
October 22, 2008
PS heads to roll in top-down cutbacks
Twenty per cent of the State's Senior and Chief Public Service Executives face the sack in a bid to wipe out the Government's $1 billion revenue shortfall.
The job cuts were announced by Premier Nathan Rees who was reported in the media as saying the NSWPS was “top heavy” and that 171 Senior Executive Service and Chief Executive Service jobs would have to go.
The jobs were at the top end of the salary range with entitlements averaging around $200,000 a year and the resultant savings $34 million.
Mr Rees said he would be “cutting fat from the top” and that the Government would “tighten its belt.”
“I've done it in my own office and I expect the Public Sector to do the same thing,” he said.
A Circular from the Department of Premier and Cabinet said the 171 jobs (out of 853 executive positions) needed to be shed by January next year and that Agencies that had already identified job reductions in their potential saving strategies could count them toward their 20 per cent target.
The Circular directed Agencies to prepare preliminary advice on the jobs they planned to cut for the Public Sector Workforce Office by 14 November.
It also placed a freeze on new Senior Officer positions until CEOs had received the OK from DPC.
Mr Rees told a Budget Estimates Committee hearing he had decided to cut the Executives’ jobs after he received inadequate recommendations on how to achieve savings in next month’s mini-budget.
He said the recommendations included cutting programs for underprivileged children, selling off sporting fields and cutting pensioner subsidies for travel.
“[It wasn't] the sort of innovative thinking I'm after,” Mr Rees said.
“I have decided to intervene.”
He said staff in support roles and those working in Human Resource Sections would be among the first to go should further job cuts be needed.
He said front line workers from police and education would be the last to go although “back of house savings” may be required.
“If ultimately there needs to be job losses in some Departments, then we won't shy away from making the hard decisions,” the Premier said.
Mr Rees’ announcement was the second indication of measures likely to be in the mini-budget being handed down by Treasurer Eric Roozendaal on 11 November.
Last month, Mr Rees said the $1.9 billion in payroll tax cuts promised in the June Budget would be honoured despite a projected fall in Government finances due to the sluggish property market.
The DPC said from the first quarter of 2009 it would implement a regular quarterly report on the reductions of SES numbers which would be posted on its website.
October 22, 2008
Ex-PS head has look of resignation
The top Public Servant in the NSWPS, Robyn Kruk has resigned as Director-General of the Department of Premier and Cabinet saying she did not think she could maintain the “level of energy” needed to lead the NSW Public Service until the next election.
Ms Kruk’s resignation came just two days after she was asked to break the news to every Government Department that they had to cut 20 per cent of their Senior Executive Staff positions as the PS’s contribution to the November mini-budget.
Mr Rees thanked Ms Kruk for her “candour” and described her as a “true public servant” who had given every waking hour to her profession.
He said he understood the demands of the job and did not begrudge her decision.
He said he would begin the search for a new Director General for DPC immediately.
“It is necessary for me to replace her with a new leader to take on the critical task of driving Public Sector reform and implementing my Government's policy agenda,” Mr Rees said.
“This task is urgent and requires a long-term commitment.”
He said he understood how difficult and exhausting the work Ms Kruk had been performing had been.
“These jobs take an enormous toll on people, physically and intellectually, and no one can sustain that level of effort indefinitely,” he said.
“I pay tribute to Robyn for the almost super-human efforts she has made up to now.”
Opposition Leader, Barry O’Farrell, praised Ms Kruk for being an honest and ethical Public Servant, saying she would be missed in the Service.
Ms Kruk was the first woman to head the NSW DPC and was appointed to the position by former Premier Morris Iemma in May 2007.
She spent almost 30 years in the Public Service during which she had been the head of NSW Health and the National Parks and Wildlife Service.
Her resignation followed that of Mr Iemma and Deputy Premier John Watkins and the sacking of former Treasurer Michael Costa.
With her replacement yet to be named, Ms Kruk’s resignation is due to come into effect on 27 October. ccountable for what it can control – its strategic policy decisions.”
October 22, 2008
PS shortchanged on pay increase
The recent wage increase for the NSW Public Service has been labelled a “stinker” by a reform group within the Public Service Association which planned to use the pay outcome to fuel a challenge in the union elections due for later this year.
Vice-President of the Public Service Association , Paul Petersen levelled the charge, saying the negotiated pay deal was not approved by the governing body of the PSA or put to members for a vote.
“The State wage case granted 4 per cent with no trade offs,” Mr Petersen said, “but the current General Secretary has agreed to let the employer claw back everything above 2.5 per cent.
“Is that the best they could do with a Government that is on its knees? We can’t sell this deal to our members.”
He said the payrise trade-off was in addition to the annual 1 per cent productivity savings and mini-Budget cuts and promised a “hotly contested” election.
Mr Petersen said the Progressive PSA was confident of leading regime change in the union and he confirmed he would be a candidate.
He accused the union of lodging its pay claim too late and accepting the efficiency savings trade-off after publicly opposing it.
“This deal is a real stinker” he said.
Progressive PSA candidate for General Secretary, Anne Gardiner said there was a groundswell of support for ending the culture of trading off conditions for pay
“We are going to build a union that is strong, transparent and accountable,” Ms Gardiner said.
“We have detailed knowledge of our industrial instruments and extensive experience with negotiations.
“We won’t allow the employer to walk all over our members.”
Voting in the PSA elections opens 11 November.
October 22, 2008
Security locked in by new Guidelines
New Guidelines have been issued for NSW Government Departments and Agencies that hold or access information of a national security nature.
Premier Nathan Rees has circulated a Ministerial Memorandum drawing the Guidelines to the attention of Ministers and directing that they be implemented by all relevant NSWPS Agencies and State-owned corporations.
He said the Guidelines did not apply to non-national security information.
The NSW Policy and Guidelines for Protecting National Security Information set out the responsibilities of affected Agencies, making them accountable for the protection of the national security information in their possession and requiring them to comply with the Commonwealth Government’s Protective Security Manual (PSM).
Mr Rees said NSW was bound by the Commonwealth PSM following its agreement to a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which was also agreed to by all other Australian Governments in recognition of the need for national cooperation regarding national security.
He said the PSM and MOU encouraged the effective sharing of intelligence and other national security information.
Mr Rees said the MOU required all national security information held by all jurisdictions be treated according to the minimum standards in the PSM and applicable State legislation, common law and administrative policy.
The Guidelines stated all NSWPS Agencies were responsible and accountable for the protection of any national security information in their possession.
The Commonwealth PSM defined national security information as including any official resource that had information about, among other things, Australia’s security from espionage; sabotage; politically motivated violence; communal violence; attacks on Australia’s defence system; acts of foreign interference; as well as economic, scientific or technological matters vital to Australia’s stability.
It said national security information also included information that was security classified by the Government as restricted, confidential, secret or top secret.
The guidelines also set out the procedures required to obtain national security clearances for NSW public sector employees, including staff of State Owned Corporations, Government contractors and Ministerial Advisors.
Under the Guidelines, all relevant Agencies would have to report annually to the Department of Premier and Cabinet on their compliance.
Copies of the Guidelines could be obtained by emailing CTDR@dpc.nsw.gov.au
October 22, 2008
Workplace week has safety pinned
This week is Safe Work Australia Week, a national initiative of the Australian Safety and Compensation Commission.
According to Federal Safety Commissioner Helen Marshall, the purpose of the week (SWAW) was to remind workers and their supervisors that workplace health and safety was everybody’s business.
Ms Marshall, a SWAW Safety Ambassador, said she would be using the week to 25 October to promote the message that everyone had the ability to influence safety regardless of where they worked or their position in an organisation.
“You can get involved by holding a safety event in your own workplace,” Ms Marshall said.
“This can be a fun way to get all staff thinking about safety.”
She said activities were only limited by the creativity in a workplace.
“Why not hold a safety-themed morning tea or schedule some interesting safety or health seminars?” she asked.
She said in the Office of the Federal Safety Commissioner, staff were being challenged to create artistic representations of ‘Safety’ and she expected an afternoon of celebrations to be entertaining as teams presented their artwork, dance routines or poetry recitals!
“Raising awareness of safety in your workplace may not only help decrease the number of injuries and serious incidents, but also boost staff morale and increase efficiency,” Ms Marshall said.
Already one small business in NSW had won acclaim for taking an active and creative approach to workplace safety.
A case study released by Ms Marshall’s office showed how Sharpe Bros had adopted a safety mascot to combat complacency and keep safety a top priority among employees.
The company has introduced “Safety Bro” a visual mascot for workplace safety that constantly reminded all employees to consider safety in their daily activities
For its initiative, Sharpe Bros was awarded the Best Workplace Health and Safety Practices in Small Business at the 2007 National Safe Work Australia Awards.
More information about safe Work Australia Week could be found at the Australian Safety and Compensation Commission’s website: www.ascc.gov.au
October 22, 2008
Audit plan to rate Councils
Internal audit guidelines for Councils and Country Councils have been released to ensure risk management processes become ‘business as usual’ and to improve Councils’ efficiency and effectiveness.
In a Circular to all Local Governments, the Director General of the Department of Local Government, Garry Payne, said the guidelines would ensure consistent internal audit practices were in place across the State, including the establishment of an audit committee in each Council.
Mr Payne said the combination of an effective audit committee and internal audit function would allow Councillors to formally obtain assurances that risk management and internal controls were working effectively.
He said while a number of Councils were “fully embracing” the concept, the Promoting Better Practice Program had shown there were still improvements to be made.
“I encourage all Councils and county Councils to use this guide to develop internal audit and risk management in Local Government on a collaborative basis,” Mr Payne said.
“The guidelines have been designed to assist Councils and County Councils develop and implement internal audit and risk management frameworks that will in turn build community confidence in their managerial performance.”
The guidelines strongly recommended all Councils adopt an internal audit function to support internal governance and to improve the effectiveness of risk management, control and governance processes.
The guidelines set out what an internal audit function was, how it should be set up, how internal audit fitted in with the accounting function and how to plan for internal audit.
“Internal audit is an essential component of a good governance framework for all Councils,” Mr Payne said
“At both a management and Councillor level, Councils must strive to ensure there is a culture directed towards realising opportunities and managing risks that challenge Local Government - internal audit can assist in this regard.”
The guidelines could be accessed from www.dlg.nsw.gov.au
October 22, 2008
Legal survey lays down the law
A survey on public attitudes towards the NSW justice system has found that most respondents believed the system respected the rights of accused persons but that harsher sentences were needed.
The survey of 2,002 people was conducted by the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research to measure the levels of public confidence in, and knowledge of, the justice system.
It found 66 per cent of respondents thought sentences imposed on convicted offenders were either ‘a little too lenient’ or ‘much too lenient’.
“Most were either ‘very’ or ‘fairly’ confident that the criminal justice system respects the rights of accused persons (72 per cent) and treats them fairly (75 per cent),” the BOCSAR report said.
The survey found public confidence in the system as a whole was lower with only 54.8 per cent of respondents being ‘very’ or ‘fairly’ confident it brought people to justice, 56.3 per cent thinking the system did not deal with cases efficiently and 70.3 per cent believing the system did not deal with cases promptly.
Over 65 per cent of respondents thought the justice system did not meet the needs of victims.
The survey found that higher levels of confidence in the system were prevalent among young people; those with a higher level of education; those with higher incomes; and those who were more knowledgeable about the system.
“Confidence in the criminal justice system is less prevalent among older people; those who are less well educated; those who are less well off; those who hold false assumptions about crime and justice; and those who report drawing information about the justice system from talk-back radio, the experiences of others and/or their own experiences,” the Bureau said.
The survey found while many people were not overly knowledgeable about the criminal justice system, 60 per cent of respondents wanted to learn more about Court processes.
“These findings are broadly consistent with the existing Australian and international research on confidence in sentencing and criminal justice administration,” the Bureau said.
October 22, 2008
Child protection about to grow up
A Parliamentary Estimates Committee has been told that 156 of the 601 children who died in 2007 had been reported or had a sibling reported to the Department of Community Services within the previous three years.
Minister for Community Services, Linda Burney made the admission saying she found the significant increase in last year’s figures very disturbing and believed her concern was shared by the whole community.
“Statistics appear cold and impersonal when we know each loss represents a precious human life,” Ms Burney said, “but they raise the important question about what we as a society and a Government can do to protect children from harm, abuse and neglect.”
She said the Government had commissioned Justice James Wood to investigate the child protection system, which included the definition of reviewable deaths.
“I await the recommendations of his Special Commission of Inquiry into Child Protection Services in NSW which are due by 31 December,” she said.
Ms Burney said each of the 156 deaths had been, or would be, examined by the NSW Ombudsman who would release the results of the investigation in the annual Reviewable Child Deaths Report.
“However I know how seriously our community views the number of child deaths in NSW, with stories of some of the deaths last year permanently etched in our memories,” she said.
“For this reason I am providing the earliest possible information.”
She said of the 156 deaths, 72 died of natural causes, including leukaemia and other illnesses; 24 died of extreme prematurity; 18 babies died of SIDS, some of which resulted from co-sleeping with a parent or carer; eight committed suicide or died from extreme risk-taking behavior; three from drug overdoses; eight died in motor vehicle accidents; five died from drowning; three from fire; three from accidental choking or smothering; two died of heat exhaustion; 11died in uncommon circumstances including snake bites; four died from severe physical assault; and 19 from unknown or undetermined causes.
Ms Burney said a death was reviewable if the child, or a sibling, was reported to DoCS at any time, and for any matter, in the three years prior to their death.
She said Community Services was implementing a series of strategies to address the problem, including a comprehensive early intervention program, better training for caseworkers, a parental drug testing trial, a Drug and Alcohol Expertise Unit, co-sleeping resources, and several programs supporting women and children experiencing domestic violence.
“But the social problems and the poverty, neglect and abuse facing families are issues we are all responsible for and which need to be grappled with by society as a whole,” she said.
October 22, 2008
Caring and sharing for carers’ week
Centrelink has hosted a special Celebrate Carers Week Expo to mark National Carers Week, on now.
Supported by the City of Sydney Council and the Babana Aboriginal Men’s Group, the event provided important information for carers and featured some of Australia’s top Indigenous performers including The Donovans, Sharnee Fenwyck and The Aloha Dancers.
Centrelink Indigenous Ambassador and Rugby League legend, Artie Beetson appeared as the guest of honour while St Andrew’s Choir also entertained guests at Sydney Town Hall.
Indigenous Community Development Officer at Centrelink, Mark Spinks said the theme of this year’s National Carers Week ‘because I care’ inspired him to organise the event.
Mr Spinks said Carers Week had a special significance and was important in helping carers gain recognition for the role they played in the community.
“There is a vein of unsung heroes that is the lifeblood of this city - they are our carers, and this Expo is dedicated to them,” he said.
“There are many people in the community caring for a loved one or family member who are not aware of the services and assistance available to them to help with their caring responsibilities.”
Mr Spinks said the Expo brought some of the biggest carer assistance providers and local, State and Federal Government organisations together to ensure carers were receiving all the help they needed.
“I recently held a health information workshop for men to discuss and identify major health issues like Diabetes, which is a growing concern,” he said.
“What I found was that 20 of the 112 men didn’t have a Medicare Card. It was this discovery that also prompted me to organise the expo.”
Chief Executive Officer of Carers Australia, Joan Hughes said Carers Week gave people an opportunity to come together to share their experiences and build their support networks.
“Anyone at anytime can become a carer,” Ms Hughes said.
“More than one in eight Australians currently provide carer support to a family member or friend.”
She said Carers Week had continued to grow every year as recognition of carers in our community increased.
National Carers Week will run to 25 October.
October 22, 2008
Motor Traders drive OHS in workplaces
WorkCover and the Motor Traders’ Association have joined forces to improve occupational health and safety and reduce injuries in the motor vehicle industry.
Chief Executive Officer of WorkCover NSW, Jon Blackwell said the new partnership agreement would cover over 5,000 car dealerships, mechanical repair and allied businesses that employed around 44,000 workers across the State.
Mr Blackwell said the agreement would promote the importance of effective workplace consultation in order to deliver sustainable workplace safety and injury management outcomes.
“The partnership demonstrates the commitment of the NSW Motor Traders’ Association to assist its members understand their workplace safety obligations,” Mr Blackwell said.
“This agreement will also build on the major contribution that the Motor Traders Association has made over the past five years to improving safety across the industry.”
He said since 2002, WorkCover’s Grants Assist Program had provided the Association with the funding to develop five safety-focused workplace education and training initiatives.
He said the safety improvement initiatives included the development of small business safety guidelines; an OH&S and workers’ compensation resource kit; a bullying and harassment awareness strategy; an industry induction program; and the establishment of an industry safety helpline.
“WorkCover and the Motor Traders Association will establish a productive relationship through regular consultation about safety and workers compensation issues,” he said.
“Under the partnership agreement, the Motor Traders Association has committed to taking a visible leadership role by promoting occupational health and safety and injury management performance improvements across the industry.”
October 22, 2008
Hot competition at firefighters’ games
Firefighters from across NSW, Queensland, Victoria and New Zealand have descended on Tamworth for the 2008 NSW Fire Brigades State Firefighter Championships.
The firefighters, who were tested on their ability to climb ladders, march in unison and extinguish a two-storey building fire, also set Tamworth alight with an array of other activities.
They held a fire safety display for the local community outside the Tamworth Regional Council Chambers and the NSWFB Band and Precision Drill Marching Team entertained the crowd.
Parliamentary Secretary for Emergency Services, Phil Koperberg, officially opened the Championships before the first events got underway.
The Discipline Event demonstrated the ability of a team of firefighters to carry out precision marching and correct presentation of uniforms and medals and was assessed during the opening ceremony.
The Ladder Event was a race between individuals who had to run 22 metres to a ladder, which was over six metres in height, and ascend it to strike a target, with the fastest competitor being declared the winner.
The Urban Pump Collector and Ladder Event had crews of four firefighters working as a team to use hydrant water relayed through a pump and into a hose to extinguish a fire in a two-storey building.
Residents from Tamworth also attended the spectacular Torchlight Parade, where firefighters from the 42 competing teams donned their uniforms and marched through the streets of the city carrying lanterns.
October 22, 2008
Employers sign up for force courses
A group of NSW employers has spent a weekend with the Defence Reserves at Holsworthy Barracks, aiming to gain some military skills to bring back to their workplaces.
Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support, Mike Kelly wished the 30 employers well as they joined the weekend Army to participate in Exercise Executive Stretch (EES).
Dr Kelly said EES was designed to show employers that the skills gained in the military that could also benefit the general workplace.
He expected the experience would give the group valuable insights into the military and the advantages of employing Reservists.
“This experience is a fantastic opportunity to witness the benefits that Reserve Service can have in the civilian workplace,” Dr Kelly said.
He said EES was coordinated by 21 Construction Regiment, a Reserve unit located at the Holsworthy Barracks, and provided employers with the opportunity to see Army Reservists conducting military construction, hydrographic survey and civil-military cooperation.
“Exercise Executive Stretch highlights the skills Reservists gain from being in the ADF and how those skills can benefit civilian employers,” Dr Kelly said.
He said the employers, including 15 from Wagga Wagga, tackled a range of tasks and leadership challenges including the use of basic infantry tactics and Army equipment such as Night Vision Goggles and navigation tools.
Dr Kelly said EES would also test their fitness and endurance over an army obstacle course under the supervision and guidance of Army Reservists.
October 22, 2008
In-flight phone plan gets sky-high OK
The installation of in-flight mobile phone systems in aircraft has been proposed by the Australian Communications and Media Authority.
ACMA Chairman, Chris Chapman, said the Authority supported the possession and installation of the in-flight phone services by Australian airlines for domestic and international flights.
“There is growing recognition by regulators worldwide that in-flight mobile phone services can be deployed without interference to existing telecommunications services,” Mr Chapman said.
He said ACMA was proposing amendments to the Mobile Phone Jammer Prohibition Notice which prohibited the use of mobile phone jammers in Australia.
Mr Chapman said the amendments would allow the pico cell technology used in in-flight mobile phone systems to be implemented.
He said pico cell technology trials carried out over the last 18 months had been labelled “highly successful” by the companies providing the service and had not resulted in any interference complaints to ACMA.
He said in 2007 ACMA had authorised a trial of in-flight Global System for Mobile communication (GSM) services on a Qantas aircraft for one year by amending the Prohibition Notice to allow the use of pico cell technology for trials under a scientific assigned apparatus licence.
“Australia led the world when it trialled in-flight GSM mobile phone services in 2007,” Mr Chapman said.
He said Qantas and V Australia had expressed interest in offering the services, but could not do so until regulatory arrangements had been approved and implemented.
Mr Chapman said ACMA had called for submissions on the proposed changes to the Mobile Phone Jammer Prohibition Notice to be submitted prior to 17 November.
He said ACMA was committed to protecting existing mobile phone services from interference and to enabling new technologies and services such as in-flight mobile phone services to progress.
Mr Chapman said Copies of the draft Prohibition Notice could be obtained from www.acma.gov.au
October 22, 2008
Artificial reef making waves
The artificial reef program run at Lake Macquarie is to be extended after a three-year trial to increase fish numbers in the area proved successful.
Minister for Primary Industries, Ian Macdonald, said the success of the six artificial reefs placed in the lake in 2005 had triggered recreational fishers to call for an extension to the program.
“An environmental report on the proposed expansion has been prepared and a development application will need to be approved by Lake Macquarie City Council,” Mr Macdonald said.
He said Lake Macquarie was the first recreational fishing haven in NSW to trial the artificial reefs and similar reefs had been deployed in Botany Bay in June 2006 and St Georges Basin in February 2007.
He said scientific monitoring of the artificial reefs over the past two years had shown they had created a valuable fish habitat, with over 40 species of fish found living in them.
“These include popular recreational fishing species such as yellowfin bream, snapper, whiting, flathead, yellowtail kingfish and amberjack.”
He said the reefs had been strongly supported by Lake Macquarie City Council, recreational fishers and fishing clubs and were made of moulded concrete balls and could be easily moved or removed if necessary.
Mr Macdonald said the program was funded by the Recreational Fishing Trust.
“Funds raised from the sale of the recreational fishing fee are placed into two trusts, one for saltwater and the other freshwater, and can only be spent on projects to improve recreational fishing in NSW,” he said.
He said new artificial reefs had been proposed for Lake Conjola and Merimbula Lake later this year and would be constructed following approval from consenting Authorities.
October 22, 2008
House-help grants find new home
Older Australians and those with disabilities should be able to remain independent in their own homes for longer following a boost of $546 million for the Home and Community Care program.
The jointly-run program between the Commonwealth and the State Governments was expected to benefit over 210,000 people by providing them with more help at home, personal and respite care, home modifications, community transport and social support.
The Federal Minister for Ageing, Justine Elliot said the HACC Program was a part of all the Governments’ vision for a world-class community care system that delivered affordable and accessible care for frail older people, younger people with a disability and their carers.
“We are constantly reminded that as people age they want to remain in their own homes and communities,” Mrs Elliot said.
“Without Home and Community Care services many people would have to move prematurely into residential care.”
NSW Minister for Ageing and Disability Services, Paul Lynch said the three year process had allowed NSW to develop a comprehensive plan to guide future reforms and developments in the HACC Program.
“We will be able to improve access to HACC services so we can better assist the frail aged and people with functional disabilities to live independently in their own homes and communities and enhance their quality of life,” Mr Lynch said.
“Extensive consultation has been conducted across the State with clients, carers, service providers and peak organisations before this plan was finalised.”
He said the plan would focus on expanding HACC’s services to improve independence at home through domestic assistance; social support; food delivery; respite; access to community transport; and the availability of centre-based day programs.
Mr Lynch said assessment, case management, counselling, support, information and advocacy would also be provided to those in need.
He said the $546 million funding was a 7.13 per cent increase on last financial year and was the first stage of an inaugural three year plan.
October 22, 2008
Crime crackdown has young at heart
A project launched in Sydney’s Leichhardt area would enable Government Agencies to share information in an effort to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour by young people.
Attorney General, John Hatzistergos, and MP for Balmain, Verity Firth, launched the project saying it would improve the way young people at risk of descending into crime were supported by Agencies and Police.
Mr Hatzistergos said the scheme recognised that no single Agency could manage the needs of young people who, for a variety of reasons, were a risk to themselves or the community.
“This is why we are cutting the red tape that exists between Agencies to provide more effective case management of a young offender or potential offender,” Mr Hatzistergos said.
“The key is reaching young people who are at risk of offending early on and providing the right support mechanisms to steer them away from the criminal justice system.”
He said the Anti-Social Behaviour Project would operate within the Leichhardt Local Area Command covering Glebe, Annandale, Leichhardt, Lilyfield, Rozelle and Balmain.
He said the program would increase the number of Agencies with the power to initiate information sharing about people under 16; broaden the criteria for allowing information exchange; and allow Agencies to share information when they believed a person aged 16 to 25 was at risk.
Mr Hatzistergos said the program was based on early intervention and allowed Agencies to respond rapidly at a local level and provide at-risk youths with multi-Agency support.
Ms Firth welcomed the project to the area and said it would prove particularly helpful in targeting anti-social behaviour in Glebe.
“I look forward to seeing some positive results delivered in our local community,” she said.
Ms Firth said the Glebe Chamber of Commerce, Glebe Society, Glebe Point Residents Group and Glebe Community Action Group had all given their support to the program.
Mr Hatzistergos said the Anti-Social Behaviour Project had been running successfully in Canoblas, Lake Macquarie, Eastern Beaches, Orana, Darling River and Wagga Wagga since 2006.
October 22, 2008
More press for Ministers
Premier Nathan Rees has called for all NSW Ministers to place a copy of every press release issued by them on their relevant Agency’s website.
Mr Rees said the move would improve public access to information about the Government’s activities and he ordered each Agency to place a link on its home page to ‘Ministerial Media Releases’ and to index releases by date of issue and title.
Mr Rees said Agencies would need to put all ministerial media releases from 5 September 2008 on the website.
PS encouraged to walk
The Government has encouraged all Public Service employees to participate in next Sunday’s Seven Bridges Walk, aimed at promoting an active lifestyle through walking.
The 25 kilometre walk would follow a circuit around Sydney Harbour and raise money for the Heart Foundation, the Cancer Council, beyondblue and Diabetes Australia.
The event was an initiative of the Pedestrian Council of Australia and more information, including how to register, was available from www.7bridgeswalk.com.au
Tizard leaves FTO
The Head of Development and Investment at the Film and Television Office, Linda Tizard, is set to retire early next month.
Ms Tizard had been at the FTO for two years but said she had decided to take up a “new and compelling” challenge.
Chief Executive of FTO, Tania Chambers said Ms Tizard had been a “greatly valued colleague” and wished her success in her new role.
NPWS calls for help
The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service has sought public cooperation to help native shorebird species whose numbers have been declining on South-coast beaches.
The Service has asked members of the public to respect some basic rules to give birds such as the endangered hooded plover and threatened Pied Oystercatchers a better chance at breeding this spring and summer.
Dog owners have been urged to keep their pets under control and residents asked to respect sign posted areas
CAPAM meets
The Commonwealth Association for Public Administration and Management (CAPAM) is holding its 8th Biennial Conference in Bridgetown Barbados this week.
The theme of the conference is “Continuing the Shared Journey: Achieving Public Service Excellence” exploringthe shared journey of achieving Public Service excellence and the development of a Public Service that actively responded to the needs of citizens in the current context.
A feature of the event would be the announcement of the 2008 CAPAM International Innovations Awards.
IPAA lunchtime talk
A special lunchtime seminar is to be put on by the Institute of Public Administration Australia on 30 October, featuring the Director General of the Senior Civil Service of the Netherlands, Jan William Weck.
Mr Weck is to address Professions in Perspective and give an overview of the development of the Dutch Civil Service, its founding, current issues facing it and the future of public management.
The seminar is to be held in Canberra, will be free of charge and include lunch.
More information can be obtained from (02) 6251 6060 or admin@act.ipaa.org.au
Legal Aid advises on caravan sales
Legal Aid is to host forums for people thinking of buying into or selling out of moveable dwellings in a caravan park.
Representative of the Northern Rivers Tenants Advice and Advocacy Service, Deirdre Dowsett, said many residents did not know their rights when they wanted to sell their caravan or relocatable home in a residential park.
“These forums will ensure people will be better informed before making a very important decision about their future,” Ms Dowsett said.
More information about the forums was available from www.legalaid.nsw.gov.au
DPI sets carbon record straight
The Department of Primary Industries is to hold a free information series for farmers to dispel some commonly held myths regarding soil carbon.
DPI soil scientist, David Waters, said the seminar series, ‘Carbon Myth Busters’, being held across the State, would help farmers manage their response to the soil carbon debate.
“We want to give farmers a clear view of where we are heading with soil carbon and what it may mean for their farming enterprises,” Mr Waters said.
He said the ‘Carbon Myth Busters’ seminars would take place in November in Coleambally, Armidale and Tamworth and that he could be contacted for further information on david.waters@dpi.nsw.gov.au
Immigration to New England
Officers from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship are to visit the New England region next week as a part of the Department’s outreach program.
A spokesman for DIAC said the outreach trips offered people in regional areas the opportunity to meet and discuss immigration related issues with officers face-to-face.
The spokesman said the visits attracted a range of people including farmers, small business owners and community groups and that the most popular topics related to citizenship, work visas, visas for family members and how to propose and sponsor refugees.
Appointments to discuss issues were necessary and further information could be obtained from www.immi.gov.au
Bird watchers welcome at Park
A free bird watching session has been held at Duck Pond in Centennial Park.
Centennial Parklands Rangers and participants witnessed the nesting and feeding behaviour of young cormorants and ibis.
They used the 60x zoom of a spotter scope to view the birds up close and personal.
Pest strategy comments welcome
Comments have been invited on the National Parks and Wildlife Service’s draft Pest Management Strategy for the Sydney region.
The Strategy identifies the negative impacts pest animals and weeds had on biodiversity, cultural heritage, amenity and other park values.
The draft would be on exhibition until 21 November, and could be found at www.environment.nsw.gov.au
Export awards announced
The 2008 Premier’s Export Awards have been held in Sydney.
The Premier’s NSW Exporter of the Year Award went to Appen, an information and communications technology company based in Sydney.
Bega Cheese won the Regional Exporter Award, Haltech Engine Management Systems won the Small Business Export Award, Seawind Catamarans in Illawarra won the Small to Medium Manufacturer Export Award while World Youth Day 2008 organisers received recognition for the event’s contribution to NSW’s export earnings.
October 15, 2008
River Office to come onstream
A new Office is to be set up to coordinate programs to improve the health of the Hawkesbury-Nepean River.
Announced by Premier Nathan Rees, the Office for the Hawkesbury-Nepean would be located in Penrith and preside over a $29 million program of weir modifications.
Mr Rees said the Office would be a one-stop-shop for community members by bringing all programs and Government expertise under the one roof.
He said the weir modification program would concentrate on 15 weirs which had been installed along the river during the last century to provide water for irrigation.
He said the modifications would allow fish passage and new, improved environmental flows.
“To make sure the environmental flows can make it all the way downstream, the Government first needs to make improvements to the weirs along the river so they don’t act as barriers to the flows,” he said.
“The Department of Water and Energy will be consulting with the owners of the weirs about modifying the structures so the new environmental flows can pass through unimpeded.”
Mr Rees said most of the weirs were owned by the Sydney Catchment Authority which had already started modifying two weirs downstream of its dams.
“The weirs will continue to be part of the water supply system or provide water for local irrigation,” he said.
Mr Rees said the Office would also be responsible for coordinating weed management in the river and simplifying application processes for people undertaking in-stream developments.
“The Office will also establish a stakeholder committee to advise the Government on the best way to manage the Hawkesbury-Nepean River’s health,” he said.
Mr Rees said the new Office would be operational by March 2009 and that the weir modifications would be finished by the end of 2009 in time for new environmental flows from the Upper Nepean Dams.
He said Cataract, Cordeaux, Avon and Nepean dams would all release new environmental flows at the beginning of 2010 to improve the river’s health.
October 15, 2008
IPART report steams into CityRail
The Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal has recommended a shake-up of the economic regulatory framework for CityRail, saying the current framework was ineffective, inefficient and lacked in transparency and accountability.
In its draft report, Improving CityRail’s accountability and incentives through stronger governance arrangements, IPART said it would revise its approach to determining 2009 fares.
“The revised approach will make an important contribution to encouraging CityRail to be more disciplined in its spending, and to improve its financial performance,” the report said.
IPART said it was concerned the economic regulatory framework for CityRail was ineffective and its costs were increasing at an unsustainable rate.
It said there were insufficient incentives for CityRail to rein in its costs and improve its efficiency.
“But the incentive properties of this revised approach to fare setting would be enhanced if complementary changes to RailCorp’s current institutional and governance arrangements were also adopted,” the report said.
It said IPART had found RailCorp’s current institutional and governance arrangements provided an appropriate framework, but were not detailed or transparent enough for the Government to set strategic direction, evaluate RailCorp’s performance or create incentives for it to improve its performance.
The report said the lack of transparency created confusion regarding the separate roles of Government and CityRail management, with the Government being held responsible for issues beyond its control such CityRail’s day-to-day operations.
It recommended a purchaser provider model where contracts between the Government and RailCorp would clearly set out the quantity and quality of rail service it would ‘purchase’ and the specific funding for these services.
“By setting these strategic policy objectives in detail, the Government will directly control what matters most to it and the traveling public – an improved level of performance from CityRail,” the report said.
“It also creates clearer lines of responsibility and accountability. Government is responsible and accountable for what it can control – its strategic policy decisions.”
October 15, 2008
New travel rates make allowances
The Department of Premier and Cabinet has issued a Circular setting out revised rates of Travelling Allowances for senior staff.
The changes apply to Chief Executive Officers, Senior Executive Service (SES) Officers and Statutory Office-holders.
The Circular, Australian and Overseas Travelling Allowances – Chief Executive Officers, Senior Executive Officers, Senior Officers, Statutory Officers, and Part-time Members of Boards, Committees, said the revisions were prompted by a Determination by the Australian Taxation Office.
The Determination reviewed travelling allowances for travel throughout Australia, giving senior staff between $182.45 and $454 per day to cover their living expenses.
It said meal allowances for domestic travel not involving an overnight stay had been increased to $21.10 for breakfast, $23.65 for lunch and $40.65 for dinner in capital cities and high cost country centres.
The Circular said overseas travel allowance daily rates had been calculated using cost of living information from the relevant country taking the cost of meals and incidentals into account, but did not cover the cost of accommodation, which was based on reasonable cost.
“If an Officer’s travelling allowance is insufficient to cover actual expenses, their Minister may approve the payment necessary to meet those expenses,” the Circular said.
“Where an Officer’s itinerary in Australia or overseas includes ‘free meals’, for example, meals provided at conferences and seminars, Departments are required to decide whether an Officer’s daily allowance should be discounted.”
It said the Department’s Minister must approve all official overseas travel by Public Officials and that Agencies should have consulted the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s travel advice before any overseas travel was approved.
The Circular reminded Agencies to purchase a set of global travel rates from human resources services provider ECA International, who compiled the lists annually.
The changes came into effect on 1 July 2008.
October 15, 2008
Writers’ review to show prose and cons
A review of NSW Writers’ Centres has been announced.
Executive Director of Arts NSW, Mary Darwell, said the review was recommended following this year’s examination of the Cultural Grants Program and was intended to develop a further understanding of the needs of professional, semi-professional, and emerging writers and the role of Writers’ Centres in meeting them.
Ms Darwell said the review would be conducted by independent consultant David Fishel of Positive Solutions.
She said as part of the review Mr Fishel would meet with representatives from each of the nine NSW writers’ Centres.
She said he would also meet with a range of stakeholders, including published and unpublished writers who accessed the Centres as well as those who did not, representatives from Government funding bodies and committees and other industry and regional representatives and organisations.
Ms Darwell said the review would include an analysis and mapping of each Writers’ Centre, including an examination of governance arrangements, objectives, funding sources, priorities, outcomes and membership.
She said it would also look at the operational environment of each Centre from a regional and state wide perspective and would compare NSW Writers’ Centres with interstate models.
Ms Darwell said the cost and operational structure of each Writers’ Centre would be reviewed.
The review was expected to be completed early next year.
October 15, 2008
Wildlife Service wild about vandals
The National Parks and Wildlife Service has issued a strong warning to troublemakers that they would not be welcome in national parks in the summer holidays.
Responding to reports of hooliganism in parks on the Far South Coast, NPWS Regional Manager, Tim Shepherd, said the Service would be targeting bad behaviour in the lead up to the holiday period.
Mr Shepherd said reports of hooliganism had come from Gillards Beach in Mimosa Rocks National Park south of Bermagui, where damage had been caused by a group of youths.
He said NPWS Officers would be looking to catch anyone “behaving badly” over the holiday period.
“We will be working closely with local police and conduct joint patrols within the park at random with the clear intention of making our presence more obvious to those planning ill intent,” Mr Shepherd said.
“I want trouble makers to feel unwelcome and to know that we are serious.”
Mr Shepherd said NPWS already had one Tathra man charged and fined in the Bega Court after he was caught causing malicious damage and driving recklessly at Gillards Beach.
He said the man was fined $500 and ordered to pay the NPWS $800 for the damage he caused.
“Many of our successful prosecutions are the result of information received from other park visitors and campers so hooligans be warned, we have many eyes and ears working for us,” he said.
“We'd encourage other visitors and campers to report any bad behaviour and vandalism to the NPWS on 4476 2888 or police as soon as possible so that we can take immediate action.”
Mr Shepherd said people seen vandalising should be reported because the damage would waste valuable public money.
“In the end we are all paying through our taxes for the damage caused by the vandals,” he said.
October 15, 2008
TV lights flash for Ambulance
The NSW Ambulance Service has starred in a French television program that compared the delivery of services in NSW with the way they did it in France.
The French show, Le Magazine de la santé, is popular among French people interested in topics such as health and medical care and was watched by over 3 million viewers.
The program, which often featured ‘ride alongs’ with ambulances staffed by doctors and nurses in France, was interested in how the NSW Ambulance Service delivered services in Sydney.
French documentary maker, Cecile, and a cameraman spent a day with a District Officer in each Sydney sector including the Operations Centre and the helicopter base at Bankstown.
Cecile and her cameraman attended routine cases seen by ambulance employees on a regular basis.
However, their interest welled when they filmed a call taker at the Sydney Operations Centre assisting with the delivery of a newborn and another providing CPR advice to an employee at a construction site.
The end result was a 35-minute feature documentary on the Ambulance Service which was aired with French subtitles and a French voice-over.
The Ambulance Service expressed its appreciation to Officers Murray Traynor, Sean Kearns, John Millevoi and Patrick Cantwell who helped the French crew organise their filming, and all the staff who allowed themselves to be filmed doing their regular duties.
October 15, 2008
Fair Trading cold on water testers
The Office of Fair Trading has warned Sydney residents to be wary of door-to-door salespeople offering to test the quality of their tap water.
Minister of Fair Trading, Virginia Judge, said such tests were usually the first step in a sales pitch to convince consumers to purchase expensive water filtration systems.
Ms Judge said the Office of Fair Trading had been advised by Sydney Water that such practices had recently been occurring in Penrith and surrounding areas.
“Apparently salespeople are asking residents to fill out a questionnaire that includes questions about their health,” Ms Judge said.
“They then come back with ‘test results’ claiming the tap water is not fit to drink and is the cause of those health problems.”
The Minister said she was concerned residents would feel pressured to purchase pricey filtration equipment as a result of the testing.
She said Sydney Water had not engaged salespeople to undertake the tests as there was no need for them to be done.
“These salespeople have no authority from Sydney Water to test your tap water,” she said. “Sydney Water employees and contractors must carry photo identification and present it on request.”
Ms Judge said Fair Trading investigators would examine the water testing practices and would take legal action if they found any illegal practices had taken place.
A spokesman for Sydney Water said water was treated to meet the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines and more information on water quality was available at its water website - www.sydneywater.com.au
October 15, 2008
Wham, bam, jam for Poetry Slam
The State Library of NSW has encouraged members of the community to compete in its poetry competition as a way of engaging more people in the arts.
In a joint program with ABC Local Radio, the Australian Poetry Slam 08 would bring the nation’s largest and richest spoken word competition to local stations nationally and online and allow more people than ever to compete.
State Librarian, Regina Sutton, said the Library was committed to the State Plan priority to engage more people in the arts.
“The State Library of NSW initiated this Poetry Slam competition to promote literacy across all ages, especially for young people, encouraging them to write and perform their own Australian stories,” Ms Sutton said.
She said ABC Local Radio would broadcast and stream all State finals and the national final, which was a first for the competition.
She said Local Radio had launched an online poetry slam to give budding poets and spoken word artists the chance to compete for a wild card entry into the national final.
Ms Sutton said performers who could not get to one of the regional or metro heats planned for libraries and cultural spaces around the country could upload a two-minute poetry slam video from the ABC site.
She said the website would include videos of slam performances from heats and finals as well as video entries in the online competition and forum discussions.
Ms Sutton said the online winner would be flown to Sydney to compete alongside State and Territory winners for $5,000 at the Sydney Opera House on Thursday 4 December.
Videos would be judged by Australian Poetry Slam co-creator and spoken word artist, Miles Merrill; poet, writer and musician, Alicia Sometimes; and Artistic Director and Chief Executive of the Sydney Writers’ Festival, Dr Wendy Were.
She said the online winner would be announced at the NSW State final at the Library on 21 November and that entries to the online slam would be received until Sunday 16 November.
October 15, 2008
Seniors’ brochures to iron out wrinkles
Legal Aid has released five brochures on Legal Issues for Older People to help them understand their legal rights and advise them on how to act in certain situations.
The brochures deal with the risks of providing financial assistance to family members, protection of interests when entering granny flat arrangements, preventing violence and abuse, planning ahead, substitute decision-making and the effect of changing accommodation arrangements.
They contain case studies and legal definitions as well as who to contact for more information or help.
According to legal Aid, the Are you experiencing violence or abuse brochure defined abuse, listed services that could help, explained legal situations and whether a person could be entitled for compensation and followed the idea that everyone had the right to feel safe.
It said the Changing your accommodation arrangements brochure dealt with how a change in a person’s accommodation arrangement could affect their pension entitlement.
It looked at selling a home to move into a retirement village, and the effects of giving a house to someone.
The Helping your family financially brochure warned people about the risks of losing their home in order to help family.
“They may own their home, which may be worth a considerable amount, but their only income may be the pension,” the brochure said. “If you are in this position you need to think seriously before you use your home as security to help your children.”
Moving in with the family explained the legal ramifications of moving into a ‘granny-flat arrangement’ and offered tips on setting up such an arrangement.
The Who will decide for you if you can’t decide for yourself brochure said the law presumed adults had the capacity to make their own decisions, but that their capacity could diminish with illness, injury or age.
It instructed readers on how to appoint a financial decision maker or a lifestyle decision maker, as well as decisions about medical treatment.
All the brochures were available from the Legal Aid website www.legalaid.nsw.gov.au from where they could be downloaded.
October 15, 2008
Climate resource kit warms up debate
The Department of Environment and Climate Change has published a resource kit to complement presentations made at regional climate forums held throughout NSW in 2008.
The resource kit explained what had changed since the 2005 Greenhouse Plan and why the NSW Government was developing a new Climate Change Action Plan.
“The plan will be designed to complement the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme and other Federal Government initiatives,” the kit said.
“The objectives of the plan are to reduce NSW greenhouse gas emissions, adapt to the impacts of unavoidable climate change and ensure the prosperity of NSW in a low carbon economy.”
It said DECC and the Department of Water and Energy would complete a preliminary assessment of the biophysical impacts of climate change across the NSW State Plan regions.
The resource kit said the assessment would be based on regional climate projections developed in partnership with the Climate Change Research Centre at the University of NSW.
It said the Government’s assessment used regional climate projections to determine the likely physical responses of sea level, runoff and floods.
“The project provides a preliminary assessment of possible biophysical changes in NSW by 2050 (and 2050 and 2100 for coastal hazards),” the resource kit said.
“It is based on the State Plan regions and considers the various climate zones in NSW.”
The kit said the impact of climate change would vary across regions and sectors, and Local Governments and regional planners would be expected to plan for their area.
It said industry and business would pay for their greenhouse gas emissions which would inevitably increase the cost of electricity and fuel, but that the State could also expect benefits.
“In pursuing this, the NSW Government is considering Sydney’s potential role as a hub for the evolving carbon trading market in the Asia-Pacific region and the services associated with it,” the resource kit said.
“This market is growing rapidly and will be worth billions of dollars in years to come.”
October 15, 2008
Anti-theft screws to screw robbers
The Minister for Police, Tony Kelly, has urged motorists to use anti-theft, one-way screws to secure their number plates to their cars and prevent them from being stolen.
Mr Kelly’s advice was given at the Police’s Campsie Local Area Command where a spate of number plate thefts had been reported recently.
He said a locking mechanism in the anti-theft screws made number plate theft more difficult by stopping thieves from being able to remove them with a screwdriver.
Campsie Local Area Commander, Superintendent Peter Lennon, said thieves stole number plates for a number of reasons.
“The stolen plates are fitted on other cars and these vehicles could then be used for fuel theft, run red lights or speeding offences as well as other criminal activities,” Superintendent Lennon said.
“People should take the time to replace the screws on their vehicle - they are easy to fit and cost effective, and it will reduce the risk of having their plates stolen.”
He said NSW Police would install anti-theft screws onto all motor vehicle makes and models free of charge, but that limited supplies were available.
Superintendent Lennon encouraged motorists to meet their local Police and have the anti-screws installed.
October 15, 2008
Teachers put to the testers
The NSW Institute of Teachers has called for applications from teachers interested in becoming external observers in the process of accreditation for Professional Accomplishment and Professional Leadership.
The Institute said external observers played a crucial role in the accreditation model.
It said external observers considered the candidate’s practice with reference to indicators described in the Evidence Guide.
It said this observation could provide an opportunity to review a candidate’s practice independently.
The Institute said external observers did not make accreditation decisions, but wrote a report to be included in the final accreditation document and process which was used as evidence of the candidate’s practice.
It said it was critical that external observers possess recent experience in mentoring teachers; an understanding of their own subject and Key Learning Area content; communication skills; the ability to give honest feedback; analytical skills, an excellent pedagogy and classroom practice record; knowledge of the Professional Teaching Standards; and teaching experience.
The Institute said it would train all external observers and would meet the cost of attendance at the training.
Interested people could find out more about the task, or apply, by emailing contactus@nswteachers.nsw.edu.au before the closing date of 3 November 2008.
October 15, 2008
DPI takes new angle on fishing devices
The Department of Primary Industries is to re-install devices that attract fish to recreational fishing grounds off the Far and Mid North coasts.
Minister for Primary Industries, Ian Macdonald said the fish attracting devices (FADs) would be re-installed in water off Ballina, Evans Head, Wooli, Coffs Harbour, South West Rocks and Port Macquarie following their annual winter maintenance.
“These devices are very popular amongst fishers - they are like magnets for attracting mahi-mahi or dolphin fish and even marlin,” Mr Macdonald said.
He said the FADs were yellow buoys marked with crosses and navigation lights on top that were moored to the ocean floor.
He said they would be installed between 6 and 32 kilometres offshore from October to June, although their locations would fluctuate slightly depending on wind, swell and current direction.
Mr Macdonald said the FAD program was funded by the Recreational Fishing Trust which collected money from recreational fishers.
“Funds raised from the recreational fishing licence fee are placed into two trusts, one for saltwater and one for freshwater, and can only be spent on projects to improve recreational fishing in NSW,” he said.
“This is another good example of fishers’ licence fees being put back into the water to improve recreational fishing in NSW.”
Mr Macdonald said people who used the FADs were expected to abide by a code of conduct which could be found on the Department’s website. He said the code included reporting missing buoys.
He said fines of up to $5,500 could be levied against anyone caught tying their boat to a FAD as they could cause damage to the mooring line and lead to the device breaking free and becoming lost.
He said GPS locations of the FADs would be posted on the DPI website once they were returned to the water.
October 15, 2008
Centrelink blood race not in vein
Centrelink staff in New South Wales and Queensland have signed up to give blood in a six-week challenge to boost local blood supplies and raise community awareness of the importance of blood donations.
The Centrelink initiative, Race to the Blood Bank has been supported by the Australian Red Cross Blood service and was set to coincide with the lead-up to the 30th annual Centrelink Games in Coffs Harbour this November.
Since the challenge began, hundreds of staff had registered to donate blood, with over 24 from Greater Newcastle and Hunter regions already fulfilling their promise.
One such member, Senior Executive for the Hunter Region, John Dorian, donated for the cause last week.
Mr Dorian said Centrelink’s involvement in Race to the Blood Bank demonstrated its commitment to the community and to encouraging staff to live active and healthy lifestyles.
“When Centrelink heard the Australian Red Cross Blood Service was desperately in need of blood donations, we were naturally up for the challenge with everybody getting on board,” Mr Dorian said.
“I’m proud to say the staff from the Greater Newcastle and Hunter regions are part of the 125 Centrelink offices that will be donating to this very worthy cause over the next six weeks.”
He challenged other organisations to get involved in a similar manner and hoped Centrelink’s participation would have a positive effect on the blood supply and local communities.
A spokesperson for the Red Cross, Garry Wolfe, said Centrelink’s involvement would be a great help as one in three people would need blood during their lifetime, but only one in 30 currently donated blood.
“Every donation can help up to three people who are in need of life saving blood products,” Mr Wolfe said.
“On behalf of the community we say thank you to all Centrelink staff for their enthusiastic and generous support of the Race to the Blood Bank campaign.”
October 15, 2008
Guide makes inroads into infrastructure
New guidelines to help Infrastructure Australia choose projects for the nation’s Priority List have been announced by the Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Anthony Albanese.
Mr Albanese said the guidelines outlined an evidence-based approach that would be taken to select the transport, water, energy and communications projects from across the country needed to secure Australia’s long-term prosperity.
He said all proposals would be assessed against certain criteria, including their ability to lift national productivity, strengthen Australia’s international competitiveness, develop cities and regions, improve Australians’ quality of life and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
He said the guidelines were developed by a team of experts led by the Chair of Infrastructure Australia, Sir Rod Eddington.
Mr Albanese said the team drew on national and international experience.
He said the announcement of the new guidelines provided the community with some insight into how Infrastructure Australia would develop the list.
“An interim report on the Infrastructure Priority List will be completed by the end of 2008 and will aim to guide investments from the private and Public Sectors, including allocations from the $20 billion Building Australia Fund,” Mr Albanese said.
He said the Commonwealth Government was reforming the way Australia planned, used finances and built infrastructure.
“Through a combination of national leadership, long term planning and genuine community engagement, we will reverse the decades of underinvestment in the nation’s critical economic infrastructure,” Mr Albanese said.
October 15, 2008
New alerts less alarming
A new Counter-Terrorism Alert System has been introduced across the country to allow more flexibility and dismantle the current ‘one-in, all-in’ States’ security approach.
Federal Attorney-General Robert McClelland announced the new regime which he said could apply an alert level nationwide or to a specific jurisdiction, industry, business sector or geographic location.
Mr McClelland said the system it replaced had required alert levels to change nationwide if one community or region’s risk was altered.
“The previous approach, while comprehensive, could be expensive and onerous for communities not impacted by a security situation,” he said.
“Through the experience gained in recent counter-terrorism exercises it has become apparent that the current system would benefit from a greater level of flexibility in order to avoid needlessly impacting those unaffected by a security event.”
Mr McClelland said the four alert levels (low, medium, high and extreme) would remain the same with the only difference being the way they would be applied.
He said the system, which came into force on 1 October, was more flexible and logical than its predecessor.
“Australia is a vast country - a security situation in Perth may have no impact on the people living in Sydney or Melbourne,” Mr McClelland said.
“This more targeted system of national counter-terrorism alert will help avoid unnecessary disruptions to everyday life.”
He said the program would also be more cost-efficient for the private sector, which had made a substantial investment in its security arrangements.
“It is another example of how Australian Governments are working together to help protect Australia from terrorism,” he said.
Mr McClelland said the current national counter-terrorism alert was ‘medium’, which meant that a terrorist attack within Australia ‘could’ occur.
October 15, 2008
Buses on trial
The Route 10 metrobus trial has started, with 13 bright red buses servicing the new route, five of which were high-capacity and could carry more passengers than a standard bus.
The buses were planned to service Parramatta Road and Anzac Parade via the city and be accessible to passengers every 10 minutes during peak travel times, every 15 minutes during off-peak weekday times and every 20 minutes on weekends.
The metrobuses were expected to take more cars off the road due to their large capacities.
Water plant building
Construction on a major recycled water plant in St Marys has commenced, with the plant expected to produce up to 50 million litres of high-quality recycled water daily by 2010.
Sydney Water said the $250 million Replacement Flows Project would increase the volume of water in Sydney by 75 per cent, from 25 billion litres a year to over 40 billion litres a year.
Sydney Water said the Penrith, St Marys and Quakers Hill sewage treatment plants would be connected by pipes to allow treated wastewater from all three plants to be further treated at the new plant, creating one of the largest recycled water schemes in Australia.
Filmmakers emerge
The Film and Television Office’s long-running Young Filmmakers Fund program has been renamed the Emerging Filmmakers Fund.
The Fund will no longer have an upper age limit instead giving preference to applicants who could demonstrate their commitment to a career in screen content creation.
Head of Development and Investment at the FTO, Linda Tizard, said the Office was committed to identifying career development pathways for talented filmmakers.
She said applications for the Fund would close on 3 November.
Wharf closed for repairs
Darling Harbour (Aquarium) Wharf is to be closed for repairs from Monday 27 October to Sunday 2 November.
According to Sydney Ferries no services would operate to the wharf for the duration of the repairs and commuters were asked to use alternate transport during the period.
Inspectors at Broken Hill
Staff from the Workplace Ombudsman’s Office have visited Broken Hill for the first time.
Two inspectors completed random time and wage audits of 19 businesses in industries such as real estate, retail, accommodation, heavy machinery, manufacturing and engineering and fabrication.
Minor breeches were discovered at seven businesses, with two still being investigated.
Land decision welcomed
The NSW Aboriginal Land Council has welcomed a High Court decision in a Wagga Wagga land claim case as a significant step towards allowing Indigenous people to pursue compensation for dispossession.
The Council said the case related to interpretation as to whether administrative steps in preparation of land for sale could be considered a lawful use of land for the purposes of denying Aboriginal land claims.
Evidence threatens position
The NSW Opposition has seized on evidence from a Budget Committee hearing that the Minister for Infrastructure had yet to consult with the Coordinator General, David Richmond, to claim that Mr Richmond’s position was under threat.
Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Brad Hazzard said the Minister’s admission to the Committee was “unbelievable.”
“Despite State infrastructure being the big issue for NSW, the Infrastructure Minister has had no discussions whatsoever with the most senior Public Servant responsible for delivery of infrastructure,” Mr Hazzard said.
“The answers from Minister Tripodi indicate David Richmond is on borrowed time.”
Maternity leave adopted
The Government of the Australian Capital Territory is to increase maternity leave to 18 weeks for ACT Public Servants by the middle of next year.
The extension from 14 weeks was promised by the reigning Labor Party in the current election campaign and was matched by the Liberal Opposition.
The plan would bring the ACT into line with recommendations made by the Productivity Commission last week.
Centrelink refurbished
Temporary changes to Centrelink services in Baulkham Hills have come into effect as the Office undergoes refurbishment until 29 October.
The office remains open for basic enquiries, however for more complex situations, Centrelink has requested customers visit Service Centres in Parramatta or Blacktown or contact them by phone on its 13 numbers listed in the phone book.
October 8, 2008
New tools issued to tighten Regulations
The Better Regulation Office has issued two new tools to supplement its Guide to Better Regulation.
The tools, Risk-Based Compliance and Assessment Against the Competition Test have been designed to assist Departments and Agencies preparing regulatory proposals for Cabinet or the Executive Council, which are required to demonstrate that the better regulation principles set out in the Guide had been applied.
A Circular from the Department of Premier and Cabinet says Agencies were required to plan for implementation of the regulatory proposal using a risk-based approach to compliance.
“Risk-Based Compliance provides a basic step-by-step guide to implementing a risk-based approach to compliance,” the Circular says.
“A risk-based approach enables compliance measures to be targeted to the areas where they are most needed and will prove most effective.”
It said the approach would lead to improved regulatory outcomes, more efficient use of Agency resources and lower compliance costs for business.
“This tool should also be used by Agencies to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of existing compliance programs which were not developed using risk analysis techniques,” it said.
The Circular said the Guide also required Agencies to consider the impacts of a regulatory proposal on competition.
It said the Assessment Against the Competition Test provided more detailed information on when and how to conduct a competition test.
“The tool assists Agencies to identify a competition restriction, assess the costs and benefits of the restriction and consider alternatives to the restriction,” the Circular said.
“This information will assist Agencies to determine whether a competition restriction is justified or not.”
Both the Risk-Based Compliance and Assessment Against the Competition Test could be found at the Better Regulation Office website: www.betterregulation.nsw.gov.au
October 8, 2008
Services list is long on experience
A list of pre-qualified service providers for performance and management reviews has been published jointly by the Departments of Premier and Cabinet and Commerce.
In a Circular to Agencies and statutory corporations, DPC said the Prequalification Scheme: Performance and Management Services would help organisations engage the best external expertise across a number of management and performance areas.
The Circular said areas to be covered by the Scheme included performance reviews, infrastructure and major projects, service delivery improvement, organisational capacity and general technical expertise.
It said the Scheme would operate for an initial two year period and be opened to applications for inclusion at regular intervals.
It said the Scheme would improve Agency procurement and its use of performance and management services by providing a streamlined and competitive tendering process, suggested fee rates and quality assurance.
The Department of Commerce would maintain the list of service providers and its website would provide information about the scheme.
For projects under $150,000, one written quote would be required from a pre-qualified supplier and for projects of $150,000 or more, three proposals from the listed suppliers would be needed.
“Agencies using the Scheme are responsible for making their own assessment of a service provider’s suitability for a particular engagement and to undertake appropriate due diligence checks according to the size of the engagement, the risks involved and the required value for money,” the Circular said.
“Admission to the Scheme is not a guarantee of work and no Agency of the NSW Government is obliged to provide any work opportunities to any service provider who is prequalified under the Scheme.”
It said a service provider’s engagement may result in the need for related ‘flow-on’ work which should be anticipated by the organisation and notified to the provider when they were first invited to submit a proposal. If the flow-on work was likely to exceed three times the value of the original work, or $500,000, three quotes should be obtained.
The Scheme did not cover areas of procurement already addressed by other prequalification schemes or panel contracts, including State Contracts Control Board (period) contracts, Construction-related consultant prequalification schemes and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capital Investment Process - Consultant Prequalification Scheme.
More information and copies of the Circular can be accessed at www.dpc.nsw.gov.au
October 8, 2008
Commission delivers on maternity scheme
The Productivity Commission has recommended a national maternity leave scheme be implemented to allow nursing mothers up to 18 weeks paid leave to stay home and look after their newborn children while fathers would get two.
The Commission said its proposed Commonwealth taxpayer-funded scheme would benefit around 140,000 mothers and 225,000 fathers each year.
The draft report said the scheme would pay mothers the adult minimum wage of $544 per week for the 18 weeks and would yield community-wide gains in the long term.
Commissioner Robert Fitzgerald said the proposal was designed to deliver better child and maternal welfare, greater workforce participation by women and improve work-family balance and gender equity.
“The proposed measures give immediate support to parents of newborn children in the paid workforce, but ultimately benefit all Australians,” Commissioner Fitzgerald said.
Commissioner Angela MacRae said the Productivity Commission wanted to enable mothers to stay at home for at least the first six months of their baby's life as that was the best time to nurture a child.
“Given that parents usually are able to take off some months on their own account, 18 weeks additional paid leave will allow six months at home for almost all parents - particularly low-wage mothers,” she said.
Commissioner MacRae said mothers who were not eligible for paid parental leave, would receive a new maternity allowance and other social security benefits as a replacement for the baby bonus.
Noting the report,the Federal Minister for Employment, Julia Gillard, and Treasurer, Wayne Swan said they were committed to a “child-centred approach to family policy”.
“We recognise the need to ensure strong and sustainable economic growth, promote early childhood development, encourage greater gender equity and support families in balancing work and family responsibilities,” the two Ministers said.
“The Government is committed to supporting all mothers, whether they are in a paid job or at home.”
The Productivity Commission said the proposed scheme would require proof of employment and a capped superannuation contribution from employers for most employees and would cover full time, part time and casual employees, as well as the self-employed and contractors.
It was expected to cost the Government around $450 million each year with businesses putting in a net $74 million a year through superannuation contributions.
Responses to the scheme have been sought by the Commission before it submits its final report in February 2009.
According to the Commission, Australia was one of only two developed countries that did not have a national system of paid maternity leave.
October 8, 2008
School’s in for new Education Authority
A new National Education Authority is to be established to bring together all State curriculum, assessment and reporting functions and manage them at the national level.
The Council of Australian Governments agreed to the move which would form part of the Commonwealth’s ‘Education Revolution’.
Federal Minister for Education, Julia Gillard said COAG’s decision was driven by an agreement between Education Ministers at all levels of Government to work together through the Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs.
She said the new national Authority would be responsible for delivering a national curriculum, new levels of transparency and the performance reporting agenda announced by the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, in September.
Ms Gillard said Australia had been debating the merits of a national curriculum for the past 30 years and it was now time to “go beyond debate and take national action.
“It is internationally recognised that achieving world class education standards requires the close alignment of curriculum, assessment and accountability systems to set high expectations for all students and enable a relentless focus on improving student outcomes,” Ms Gillard said.
She said the new Authority would provide more effective transparency and accountability mechanisms to meet the needs of students, parents, teachers and the wider community.
She said the National Curriculum Board, which was established by the Commonwealth in April to tackle community engagement in developing Australia’s first national curriculum, would form part of the new Authority.
Ms Gillard said COAG’s decision had shown that “education is now at the forefront of the national agenda.
“The Commonwealth, States and Territories will continue to work together to develop the legislation to establish the new Authority.”
October 8, 2008
Women’s program gets make-over
A program that provides women in the NSW PS with opportunities to develop their skills and networks and promote their work and career needs has been overhauled.
The Spokeswomen’s Program, which has raised the public sector profile of women since 1977 and improved the level of skills and management expertise in many Agencies, has been revised following extensive consultation with Women’s Liaison Officers across the PS.
The changes follow a 2004-05 review of the Program that recommended it would work best if customised by Agencies “to meet the specific needs of their female workforce”.
A Circular from the Department of Premier and Cabinet said the Spokeswomen’s Program would become one among a suite of initiatives available to all PS Agencies as part of the five-year women’s employment and development strategy Making the public sector work better for women which aimed to improve women’s recruitment, development and retention.
“In this context, Agencies are no longer required to operate a Spokeswomen’s Program,” the Circular said.
“The Register of Spokeswomen and Women’s Liaison Officers will continue to be maintained by the Public Sector Workforce Office (PSWO), however the centralised Spokeswomen’s Committee will no longer operate.”
It said the PSWO would continue to advise those Agencies that chose to refine or customise their own Spokeswomen’s programs.
The Circular said resources allocated to the Spokeswomen’s Program by the PSWO would now be redirected to implementing the five-year strategy.
“The PSWO will continue to work with Agencies to identify and address contemporary women’s employment issues that align to Agencies’ workforce capability and planning needs,” it said.
“It will also host a Women Building Their Careers Conference for women in Grades 1-8 in place of the Spokeswomen’s Conference.”
The Circular said the changes applied to all Public Sector Agencies, including all Agencies and employees in the Government Service (Public Service Departments, Non-Public Service Divisions and Special Employment Divisions), the Teaching Service, Police and the Health Service.
It said State Owned Corporations were encouraged to adopt consistent provisions.
Copies of the circular could be obtained from www.dpc.nsw.gov.au
October 8, 2008
Tribunal changes lift bench mark
Changes to the make-up and activities of the Consumer Trader and Tenancy Tribunal came into effect this month with the aim of improving its performance and capacity to deal with disputes.
Fair Trading Minister Virginia Judge said the changes were passed by Parliament in June and built on significant reviews of the Tribunal’s legislation and operations over the past few years.
Ms Judge said the changes would benefit people bringing their disputes to the Tribunal by creating a more efficient system, and accountability would be strengthened in a number of ways.
“Work is already underway to establish a Professional Practice and Review Committee that will bring an independent approach to member performance, education and professional development,” Ms Judge said.
“Members will now be required to have experience in alternative dispute resolution and this has already been incorporated into recent member recruitment in metropolitan and regional NSW.”
She said members with experience in dispute resolution would strengthen the Tribunal’s ability to conciliate and resolve disputes between parties.
Ms Judge said all proceedings would soon be sound recorded to increase transparency of Tribunal proceedings, and the recordings would be available to the parties involved.
She said enhanced accessibility was also a key feature of the reforms.
“The increase in the re-hearing limit from $25,000 to $30,000 and permitting second re-hearing applications in certain circumstances offers people greater scope to have their matters heard again by the Tribunal if they have suffered a substantial injustice,” she said.
“Another significant change is the introduction of a new specialist Social Housing Division to better meet the needs of social housing tenants and providers/landlords.”
Ms Judge said Tribunal members with specialist knowledge and experience would hear social housing matters, and information and education strategies would help guide public, community and Aboriginal housing tenants and their landlords through the Tribunal’s processes.
She said the Tribunal was set up in 2002 to provide an accessible and affordable dispute resolution forum for tenants, landlords, traders and consumers.
October 8, 2008
Children’s review comes of age
The Department of Community Services has launched a review of the Children’s Services Regulation 2004 in a bid todeliver better outcomes for children.
In a statement on its website, DoCS said the review was an opportunity to improve the Regulation to be more meaningful and useful to parents and ease the administrative burden for both children’s services providers and the Government.
It said a discussion paper had been prepared which outlined the major issues for consideration during the review.
It said DoCS would consult widely as part of the review, with the first step being the establishment of an industry reference group, with representatives from major providers, children’s services peak groups and relevant Agencies.
The statement said DoCS would also hold public consultations, including regional briefings, parent focus groups, an online survey and written submissions in response to the paper, all before the end of the year.
It said regional briefings were planned for 15 locations around the State, while parent focus groups would also be held in a number of urban and regional Centres.
The statement said comments and feedback from the consultations and submissions would be used to prepare a draft Regulation and an accompanying Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS).
It said the draft Regulation and RIS would be released for public comment next year, after which a final draft Regulation would be prepared. It said the new Regulation was expected to take effect during 2010.
More information, including the discussion paper could be found at www.community.nsw.gov.au
October 8, 2008
Park in drive for birthday memories
The users of Centennial Parklands have been invited to share their memories of the Park for a commemorative booklet and Open Day being launched to mark the 25th anniversary of the Centennial Park Trust, now known as the Centennial Park and Moore Park Trust.
The Parklands Office said Centennial Park was established back in 1888 when it was dubbed ‘The People's Park’, and it had remained so over the intervening 120 years.
It said the history of the Parklands was as much about the people as the place, and the Park’s varied uses included a venue for leaders’ speeches, Bob Dylan concerts, children spotlighting possums after dark as well as walkers and cyclists using the park daily.
The Parklands Office said 28 November was the 25th anniversary of the Trust's Act passing through the NSW Parliament and it would hold an Open Day to mark the occasion.
It said the open day would allow users to participate in an oral history program, and that old photos, newspaper clippings and verbal stories would be collected for a forthcoming souvenir booklet on the Parklands.
It said users could contact the Parklands Office to register their interest by calling the Office on (02) 9339 6699 or emailing info@centennialparklands.com.au
October 8, 2008
Mobile passengers dial up JetCat
A new SMS messaging service was soon to be introduced by Sydney Ferries to alert passengers on the Manly JetCat of important service information.
According to Sydney Ferries, the SMS service would be for regular passengers who would like updates automatically sent to their mobile phone advising them of service changes.
It said passengers could pre-register for the trial by sending an SMS with their first name and postcode to 0417 4 FERRY (0417 433 779).
“Sydney Ferries will then send you an SMS when the JetCat SMS trial goes live on Monday, 27 October 2008,” the Service said.
It said an additional on-demand option would also be offered to JetCat users who wanted to send an SMS to Sydney Ferries asking for an update with the next three services.
According to the terms and conditions, the cost of sending an SMS would be in line with the individual’s mobile phone carrier rates and there would be no additional charge to the passenger for a message sent by Sydney Ferries.
The terms and conditions said data obtained from a passenger in connection with the SMS service may include their first name, postcode and mobile phone number as well as their carrier’s name.
The terms and conditions said passengers may be contacted to provide services that had been requested by the passenger and to otherwise operate, develop and improve the service.
October 8, 2008
Ambulance warning could save lives
Car drivers have been warned to stay alert but calm when they hear emergency sirens or see flashing emergency lights behind them.
The NSW Ambulance Service issued the warning saying a recent television report highlighted the confusion some members of the public felt when required to give way to emergency vehicles.
The Service said drivers should plan in advance to move to the left side of the road to let emergency vehicles through but they needed to be careful not break any road rules in doing so.
It said Paramedics responded to medical emergencies every 30 seconds with much of their work driving to life threatening emergency cases with lights and sirens activated.
“Whilst it is the law that drivers must not deliberately obstruct emergency vehicles, drivers should also be aware that traffic rules must not be broken in doing so,” a statement issued by the Service said.
“This includes the running of red traffic lights.”
It said although drivers may have the best intentions in moving through red lights in order to let an emergency vehicle pass, they could inadvertently be risking the lives and safety of themselves and other road users.
“Drivers are urged to stay aware of all traffic all around them, not just the traffic in front,” the statement said.
“If you hear a siren or see flashing emergency lights behind you, plan well ahead to move to the left side in a safe and legal manner rather than leaving it to the last second.”
The statement said paramedics had tips for road users, including don’t panic, give way when you hear a siren or see the flashing lights, slow down once you have moved to the left, do not break any traffic rules, be aware another emergency vehicle may follow in close succession and keep car audio levels at a reasonable level.
October 8, 2008
Circular straightens out Services Plans
Treasury has released a Circular explaining the role and requirements of Results and Services Plans (RSPs).
It said all Departments and Agencies were required to submit monthly reports to Treasury and their performance was monitored by either an RSP or a Statements of Business Intent. The Circular related to those putting in RSPs.
Treasury Deputy Secretary, Mark Ronsisvalle said the RSP was a strategic medium term service delivery and funding plan which provided a “clear line of sight” between Agency funding and the achievement of Government priorities through results and services.
“All Agencies are required to submit a RSP once every four years, at the commencement of each new term of Government,” Mr Ronsisvalle said.
“Treasury may require selected Agencies to submit a revised RSP within the four year period following any significant changes to the operations of the Agency or identification of Agency service delivery and/or Budget compliance risks.”
He said all Agencies were required to update their RSP results indicators, service measures and service group expenses though the Budget Estimates preparation process.
Mr Ronsisvalle said fully revised and updated RSPs which reflected the focus of a new term of Government would be required as part of the 2011-2012 budget cycle.
He said Agencies required to submit their RSP under other circumstances would be notified.
“Ministers and Agencies required by Treasury to submit a revised RSP will be advised by letter, which will include instructions for RSP preparation,” he said.
“Revised RSPs are Cabinet-in-Confidence documents.”
Mr Ronsisvalle said the revised RSPs were required to be signed by the Chief Executive Officer/Director-General and Portfolio Minister/s before submission to Treasury on behalf of the Budget Committee of Cabinet.
The four-page Circular set out the role of the RSP in an Agency’s planning and the submission requirements for Treasury.
October 8, 2008
Water audit gives clean result
The first stage of an inter-Agency audit of water diversion structures in the Macquarie Marshes has found that most water licence holders were doing the right thing.
The Minister for Water, Phillip Costa said the Government was keeping a close eye on water diversion structures - such as banks, levees and channels - in the environmentally-significant Marshes, to ensure that they were legal and being operated in accordance with licence conditions.
Mr Costa said the Government was leading the audit to find out how the diversion structures affected water flow in the Marshes.
He said initial findings showed that the majority of licence holders were complying with their licence conditions and most structures were not damaging the Marshes – in fact he said some structures protected areas from soil erosion.
Mr Costa said of 24 water diversion structures investigated, only one was assessed as having a potentially negative effect on the water flow and that structure was not being operated in accordance with its licence conditions.
He said the Government took the illegal diversion of water seriously and had instructed the licence-holder to comply with their licence conditions.
Mr Costa said the audit was conducted by the Department of Water and Energy in partnership with other Agencies and was funded by the NSW and Commonwealth Governments’ NSW Wetland Recovery Program.
He said further detailed technical and compliance investigations would be undertaken to build on the knowledge already gained during the completed first phase.
Mr Costa said the audit findings would be used to address lawful and unlawful structures that were impacting on water flow, to ensure that water was delivered to key environmental assets such as breeding areas for native fish and birds, as well as to landholders for grazing, irrigation and stock and domestic purposes.
He said the Government was also preparing a Floodplain Harvesting Policy to manage water diversions on floodplains like the Macquarie Marshes better.
He said the new policy would end the “take as much as you want” attitude to the diversion of floodwaters and that no additional works would be considered for approval.
October 8, 2008
DPI scientist plants seeds of friendship
The Director of the Orange Agricultural Institute, Dr David Michalk has been awarded a 2008 Friendship Award from the Chinese Central Government.
One of just 50 recipients chosen from more than 300,000 foreign experts working in China, Dr Michalk was congratulated on his honour by the Minister for Primary Industries, Ian Macdonald.
Mr Macdonald said the Friendship Award was the highest level of honour to commend foreign experts for their contribution and dedication to China’s economic construction and social development.
He said Dr Michalk was the first NSW agricultural scientist working in China in the 1980s, when he conducted pioneer research at Gaopoling Model Cattle Farm under the NSW-Guangdong Sister State Relationship.
"Stylos legumes were introduced through Dr Michalk’s involvement in the project and continue to be grown in Southern China as a major source of stock feed," Mr Macdonald said.
"Additional research findings on tropical pastures for livestock production and land rehabilitation in south China, published in a series of landmark papers in Chinese and international journals, are still referenced today.”
Mr Macdonald said he had been advised that Dr Michalk’s contribution in China was so significant that it was recognised in 1991 by the China National Agriculture Museum as one of 2000 landmark achievements in agricultural science and technologies.
He said Dr Michalk’s most recent project was helping farmers boost sheep production and sustainability, particularly by using stall feeding production systems.
"Lucerne too is being grown in rotation with cereals to increase livestock forage and improve soil nitrogen levels, and now precision sheep performance management is being adopted to reduce stocking rates without reducing household profitability, thanks to Dr Michalk’s work in China,” he said.
Mr Macdonald said Dr Michalk was part of a DPI team writing a text book which would provide a comprehensive guide to achieving sustainable land use in western China.
He said the award was a testament to Dr Michalk’s outstanding contribution to the prosperous relationship between Australia and China.
"I commend Dr Michalk’s initiative in working in the Chinese agricultural sector as a pioneer scientist who planted seeds of trust and cooperation, which has led to a stronger relationship between NSW DPI and China and will continue to deliver substantial benefits to our State," he said.
"Dr Michalk continues to be an excellent ambassador, delivering messages of friendship and support between Australia and China."
October 8, 2008
Business name plan registered nationally
The Council of Australian Governments has decided to introduce a national business-name registration scheme that could save Australian businesses up to $1 billion over the next 10 years.
Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd said the nationwide scheme meant Australian businesses would only have to apply to register their name once.
“To register a business name nationally at present, businesses have to apply separately in eight States and Territories and pay a fee eight times at a total cost of around $900,” Mr Rudd said.
“COAG agreed it was absurd in the 21st century for businesses to have to go through such duplicated processes.”
He said the scheme would save businesses time and money, with a single application covering both a business name and Australian Business Number (ABN) and it would establish a one-stop online shop for businesses to interact with Government.
He said the national business name scheme was one of the 27 areas of regulatory reform identified by COAG earlier in the year and would bring Australia one step closer to a seamless national economy, as called for by the 2020 Summit and the Business Council of Australia.
Federal Minister for Small Business, Craig Emerson said the spread of the internet meant many small businesses were operating in more than one State or Territory.
“The new system will be much cheaper and quicker, enabling a single registration for a single fee,” Mr Emerson said.
“Those businesses that want to register a name in a single State or Territory (such as a local café, butcher or motel) will still be able to do so within the national system.”
Dr Emerson said Small Business Ministers gave in-principle support to the initiative at the Small Business Ministerial Conference in Christchurch, New Zealand, in May.
He said businesses would benefit from a national system to help them identify Government support and regulatory requirements regardless of where they were trading.
He said the new system would be established by 2011.
October 8, 2008
New laws laid down to beat fatigue
New laws governing fatigue in the heavy vehicle industry have come into effect with operators given a choice of three regimes to adhere to.
Part of a national package of reforms developed by the National Transport Commission, the new laws were intended to manage fatigue and speed in trucks on the State’s roads.
A spokesperson for the Roads and Traffic Authority said new Regulations would apply to heavy trucks or truck and trailer combinations over 12 tonnes, and buses that seated over 12 adults including the driver. Government contract buses were exempt along with bus and coach drivers who travelled within 100km of their driver’s base as well as emergency services vehicles.
The spokesperson said fatigue was one of the prime causes of crashes for heavy vehicle drivers.
“The new heavy vehicle laws focus on the cause of driver fatigue rather than just regulating hours,” the spokesperson said.
“Under chain of responsibility provisions, certain parties in the supply chain, not just the driver, have a duty to take all reasonable steps to ensure that the driver does not drive while fatigued or drive in breach of their work and rest option.”
The spokesperson said it was illegal to enter into a contract or make a request or demand that would result in a fatigue-related breach.
The three schemes available to the industry were a standard hour option with a maximum driving of 12 hours in any 24 hour period; a basic fatigue management option which allowed flexibility within a set minimum rest and maximum working hours (14 hours work in any 24 hour period); and an advanced fatigue management option based on a risk management approach with operating and outer limits of 15 hours work in any 24 hour period.
The RTA spokesperson said other exemptions had been introduced for 12 months to give the Authority time to consult with the industry and primary producers and included exempting primary producers from record keeping if they travelled less than 160km from their driver base or 100km for non-farm purposes.
October 8, 2008
New alerts less alarming
A new Counter-Terrorism Alert System has been introduced across the country to allow more flexibility and dismantle the current ‘one-in, all-in’ States’ security approach.
Federal Attorney-General Robert McClelland announced the new regime which he said could apply an alert level nationwide or to a specific jurisdiction, industry, business sector or geographic location.
Mr McClelland said the system it replaced had required alert levels to change nationwide if one community or region’s risk was altered.
“The previous approach, while comprehensive, could be expensive and onerous for communities not impacted by a security situation,” he said.
“Through the experience gained in recent counter-terrorism exercises it has become apparent that the current system would benefit from a greater level of flexibility in order to avoid needlessly impacting those unaffected by a security event.”
Mr McClelland said the four alert levels (low, medium, high and extreme) would remain the same with the only difference being the way they would be applied.
He said the system, which came into force on 1 October, was more flexible and logical than its predecessor.
“Australia is a vast country - a security situation in Perth may have no impact on the people living in Sydney or Melbourne,” Mr McClelland said.
“This more targeted system of national counter-terrorism alert will help avoid unnecessary disruptions to everyday life.”
He said the program would also be more cost-efficient for the private sector, which had made a substantial investment in its security arrangements.
“It is another example of how Australian Governments are working together to help protect Australia from terrorism,” he said.
Mr McClelland said the current national counter-terrorism alert was ‘medium’, which meant that a terrorist attack within Australia ‘could’ occur.
October 8, 2008
Safety in the park
Vehicle and bicycle safety in Centennial Park is being targeted as part of stage four of the Park’s Visitor Safety Program.
This part of the crackdown would focus on failure to comply with top signs, driving or overtaking in the shared lane around the perimeter of Grand Drive, motor vehicle speeding, cyclists on footpaths and cyclists without helmets.
Drivers and cyclists would be issued with an infringement for any violations of the Program once the monitoring and cautioning phase ended on the 12 November.
Extinct mouse found
A student supported by the Department of Environment and Climate Change has uncovered a small mammal that had been classified as "presumed extinct" in NSW.
University of NSW student, Ulrike Kloecker rediscovered the Desert Mouse last month in the state’s far-west Sturt Desert. It was the first time someone had seen the creature in NSW since 1857.
Holiday parks study
The Department of Fair Trading has called for people to provide feedback on laws governing holiday parks across NSW.
Fair Trading Minister, Virginia Judge said a discussion paper on the Holiday Parks (Long-Term Casual Occupation) Act 2002 had been released and submissions could be made until 24 October.
The discussion paper could be found at www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au
ACCC water paper
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has called for submissions on a paper it has produced on the development of water charge rules for irrigation infrastructure operators and bulk water operators.
The rules form part of the Water Act 2007, which created new arrangements for addressing the sustainability and management of water in the Murray Darling Basin.
Submissions were due by 24 November and more information was available from www.accc.gov.au
Taser makes debut
Police have used a Taser gun for the first time to disable a man involved in a harbour-side brawl in Pyrmont.
News service AAP reported that eight people were arrested when a 21st birthday celebration descended into violence, after the ferry docked at Pyrmont wharf.
Police were forced to use capsicum spray during the harbourside brawl, and shot one man with a Taser when he resisted arrest. The man was uninjured and did not require any medical treatment.
Bus tickets spread
Weekly bus tickets have started to become available on Sydney’s private bus services in areas including Hurstville, Sutherland, Miranda, Liverpool, Bankstown, Parramatta, Penrith, Richmond, Blacktown, Bonnyrigg, Riverwood and Punchbowl.
The tickets, which could be purchased from bus drivers, cost the equivalent of eight single tickets and would be valid for seven days.
October 1, 2008
PS mobility program is off and running
The Department of Premier and Cabinet has called for mid-career finance and accounting professionals in all Public Sector Agencies to participate in a pilot program to encourage mobility between Departments and Agencies.
In a statement on its website, the DPC said the trial Finance Career Mobility Program would pilot six month temporary assignments for finance and accounting staff within or across Agencies and would include structured professional development, training and coaching opportunities.
The Department said a maximum of 20 mid-career finance and accounting employees (from grades Clerk 5/6 and 7/8 or in the equivalent salary range $61,128 to $76,896) would participate in the pilot program, with half of the positions targeted for women.
It said the DPC would meet all costs of the program, including learning and development as a way of showing its commitment to developing and delivering the initiative, but Agencies would be required to continue to pay their staff at grade whilst on temporary assignment.
DPC would also help fill vacancies created if a staff member was selected on the program.
“If an Agency’s staff member is selected, DPC will work with the Agency to try to create a suitable Temporary Assignment for another program participant to be placed in,” the statement said.
“All efforts will be made to fill the vacancy created, however DPC cannot guarantee that a suitable Temporary Assignment will be found within the Agency.”
It said staff interested in joining the scheme needed to complete an Application Form by 9 October and managers needed to fill out a Temporary Assignment Template for the position that would become vacant.
It said participants would obtain a mix of training and work placement experience and gain greater awareness of the capabilities needed to move into more senior finance or accounting roles. The program would also enable them to extend their professional network.
More information about the program could be obtained at www.dpc.gov.au
October 1, 2008
Auditor finds health system unwell
The Auditor-General has called on the Government to increase funding for Out of Hospital health care, or pay to open 300 new hospital beds every year.
The Auditor, Peter Achterstraat, said in his report Delivering Health Care out of Hospitals that if the delivery of health care was not improved, the 300 beds would be needed just to keep up with patient demand.
“If we continue to deliver health care the same way we always have, then NSW
Health will have to open at least 300 new beds—equivalent to a new hospital the size of Hornsby or Wyong hospitals—every year,” Mr Achterstraat said.
He said Out of Hospital programs in NSW provided care to 45,000 patients each year and freed up about 500 hundred hospital beds for urgent cases.
He said it was important to provide a broader range of health services for patients and the community in order to release the pressure on the hospitals.
“The pressure needs to be taken off an already overworked system.”
He said NSW Health needed to play a stronger role and establish which Out of Hospital programs worked best and where to locate them.
“Their current approach is ad hoc and largely hospital based,” he said.
Mr Achterstraat said the health of patients was of paramount importance.
He said Out of Hospital care provided services to around three per cent of patients, but there was potential to reach 10 per cent, and the cost of caring for patients out of hospital was less than in hospital care.
He said modern society was measured by how it looked after its sick and elderly.
“We need to be more thoughtful about how we do this - providing more Out of Hospital programs for the right people is an innovative and cost effective way of ensuring the best possible health care for the people of NSW”.
Mr Achterstraat said Out of Hospital programs were voluntary and needed to meet the needs of individual patients.
He said they were not appropriate for all patients and could not replace hospitals altogether.
October 1, 2008
Train survey tracks attitudes
A survey of CityRail passengers has revealed that punctuality, security and communication with passengers had improved on Sydney’s trains, but crowding in peak hour was getting worse.
Commissioned by the Independent Transport Safety and Reliability Regulator (ITSRR) the survey covered 37 separate aspects of train service including crowding, journey time, punctuality and clarity of announcements.
ITSRR’s Chief Executive, Carolyn Walsh said it was the fifth annual survey and was aimed at measuring changes over time in the quality of CityRail Services from a customer’s perspective.
She said crowding was the number one issue for passengers, with a quarter of train users surveyed saying that at least once a month they were unable to board a train because of crowding.
“RailCorp has been working on improving its communication with passengers, particularly when there are delays and service disruptions,” Ms Walsh said.
“Crowding, however, remains a major challenge for RailCorp, particularly as patronage is expected to continue to increase.”
The survey found that more than half the passengers who responded were more than 10 minutes late at least once a month because of train delays, but noted this number was slightly lower than in 2007.
Fifty-three per cent of passengers said they queued for less than a minute to purchase their ticket but in 2007 it was 78 per cent. Twenty per cent had witnessed a crime or been a victim of crime on a train in the preceding six months, which was consistent with last year.
The survey also found almost three-quarters of passengers who travelled during the morning peak-hour would not change their travel time no matter what price incentives were given to them.
This year’s survey involved random telephone interviews conducted between May and July with 2,759 train users from suburban Sydney and the regional areas covered by CityRail such as the Central Coast, Blue Mountains, Wollongong and the Southern Highlands.
October 1, 2008
Salary survey pays out on gender gap
A survey conducted for the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency (EOWA) has revealed that most Australians believe in equal pay.
Conducted by Auspoll for EOWA and Diversity Council Australia, the survey of 3,000 people targeted business professionals, including human resource practitioners from some of Australia’s biggest companies, as well as 1,200 ordinary Australians.
The poll showed that 82 per cent of the general community and 94 per cent of the business community were aware Australian women, on average, earned less than Australian men and 80 per cent of the general community and 96 cent of the business community believed that action should be taken to close the gap between men and women’s earnings.
It also highlighted the finding that 88 per cent of the general community and 61 per cent of the business community didn’t have a full understanding of pay equity.
EOWA Director Anna McPhee and DCA Chief Executive Officer Nareen Young welcomed the poll, saying the results were proof that Australians now recognised there was an unfair gap between wages for men and women.
“Pay equity is not just about equal pay for equal work,” Ms McPhee said.
“The 15.6 per cent gender wage gap reveals the systemic discrimination in the under-valuation of women’s work.”
Ms Young urged the Federal Government to fund an urgent education campaign across the Australian business community.
“Now that people recognise there is pay inequity, the time is right for Government to examine what it can reasonably do to help change the status quo,” she said.
“One initiative could be to educate business on how women’s contributions in the workplace are under-recognised, undervalued and underpaid and then find ways to address these issues.”
October 1, 2008
Police Memorial day is Blue Ribbon event
National Police Remembrance Day has been held to honour all Police Officers who died in the line of duty.
NSW Police Commissioner, Andrew Scipione, said the Remembrance Day was the one time each year the community could come together to pay respect to the Officers who gave their lives in the line of duty.
“This is one of the most important days on the Policing calendar,” Commissioner Scipione said, “a day when all Police Officers and many members of the public pause to remember and reflect on those who have lost their lives in the execution of their duties.”
He said the Day reminds Police and the public that a safe community often came at a very high price, and Remembrance Day was a chance to honour the memory of the lives that had been lost.
Services were held in Sydney and other regional Centres to mark the 20th Anniversary of National Police Remembrance Day and to pay tribute to those who died on duty, along with all serving and retired officers who died in other circumstances over the past 12 months.
Commissioner Scipione attended a wreath-laying ceremony in The Domain, where he was joined by Governor, Marie Bashir; Premier, Nathan Rees; the Minister for Police, Tony Kelly; and Opposition Leader, Barry O’Farrell among others.
Police across the state wore blue and white National Police Remembrance Day ribbons as a mark of respect for fallen colleagues.
A statement on the NSW Police website said 249 Police Officers had been killed in the line of duty since 1803.
The statement said a National service was also held at the Police Memorial in Canberra, and other services were held throughout Australia and overseas.
October 1, 2008
Planners drawn into travelling roadshows
State-wide workshops providing information to Local Government about the State’s planning system are to be held this month, according to the Minister for Planning, Kristina Keneally.
Ms Keneally said senior staff from the Department of Planning would present the special ‘planning roadshows’ to newly elected Councillors, developers, Council staff, practitioners and consultants.
She said the sessions would include discussions about Part 3A of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act.
“There’s no point having legislation unless people understand it and decision makers know how the Act works,” Ms Keneally said.
She said Part 3A allowed the Government to approve State significant projects such as major road and transport networks, employment proposals, hospitals, universities and other key infrastructure.
Ms Keneally said it provided a tailor-made assessment system for the projects and was a way of ensuring key environmental and planning issues were properly identified and addressed.
She said the recent Council elections had seen many new Councillors enter Local Government and as such now was an excellent time to present information about the NSW planning system.
She said the roadshows would provide a forum for frank and open discussion about the Act.
Ms Keneally said they would be an opportunity for all interested and affected parties to ask questions, talk to experts and get the facts.
“I expect the roadshow will provide a lot of useful information for both people who lodge development applications and those who make planning decisions,” she said.
“It will include question and answer sessions, and given the legislation was first passed in 2005, there should be some detailed feedback,” she said.
She said forums would be held in Newcastle, Kiama, Grafton, Sydney, Parramatta and Erina.
October 1, 2008
Electoral Commission has numbers in poll
The NSW Electoral Commission has announced that all votes have been counted in the Local Government elections, with Council, mayoral, referendum and poll results now available in most seats.
Electoral Commissioner, Colin Barry said the counting of 332 individual elections for more than 140 Councils across the State finished three days earlier than expected and included a recount in Leeton A Ward and a recount in Manly.
“This has been an outstanding result given the complexity of the proportional
representation system that in many Council areas allows the voter to mark more than one preference above or below the line,” Commissioner Barry said.
Commissioner Barry said he was aware of criticism by a small number of Councils that the counting process was too slow.
“Our job is to distribute preferences accurately to reduce the likelihood of a recount and to do so within realistic timeframes instead of the arbitrary deadlines set by some commentators,” he said.
“We were able to speed up the counting process considerably by transferring 1.3million ballot papers to our Riverwood counting centre where a specially designed computer program distributed multiple preferences for the more complex ballot papers.”
Commissioner Barry said there had been no delay in the results and entire count finished ahead of the published deadline of Friday 26 September.
“Unfortunately people become frustrated while they wait for results despite our best efforts to manage those expectations.”
He said an observation team was established before the election to oversee the integrity and security of the new Riverwood counting centre, including representatives from the Victorian Electoral Commission, the Local Government and Shires Association and Department of Local Government.
“Its findings will be released as part of the individual reports we are preparing for each Council on the conduct of their election,” Commissioner Barry said.
He said the recount in Manly was paid for by the candidate disputing the result, while a Greens candidate in Tweed Heads considered whether to pay for a recount which the NSWEC said was unnecessary.
October 1, 2008
NSW dives in to water scheme
NSW has become the first State to pass legislation to empower the new Murray-Darling Basin Authority.
Minister for Water, Phillip Costa, said the legislation showed NSW was leading the nation in implementing water reforms.
Mr Costa said the Authority had been given the power to manage the Basin’s water resources in a holistic and sustainable manner, and called on all States to follow suit.
He said NSW would retain the majority of its water management power while the powers of the old Murray-Darling Basin Commission would be transferred to the new Authority, along with authorisation to meet the human water needs of the entire Basin.
Mr Costa said some water pricing and trade powers had been referred to the Commonwealth and would eventually be managed by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.
The Minister said this would ensure equitable and consistent rules were applied throughout the entire Basin to help minimise water trade barriers.
Mr Costa invited other States to make the necessary legislative changes before Federal Parliament sat in October so the Government could pass new water management rules.
He said this would enable the Murray-Darling Basin Agreement to commence on 1 November, the deadline agreed to by all States.
October 1, 2008
Measurement scheme shows weigh ahead
Legislation to establish a single, national system of weights and measures across all the States and Territories has been introduced into the national Parliament.
“The National Measurement Amendment Bill 2008 will give confidence to buyers and sellers that measurements are accurate,” said the Federal Minister for Small Business, Independent Contractors and the Service Economy, Dr Craig Emerson.
“The area of trade measurement is one of the 10 ‘hot spots’ identified by the Council of Australian Governments in need of urgent regulatory reform,” Dr Emerson said.
He said there were two key features of the legislation:
- A national trade measurement system to be administered by the Commonwealth from 1 July 2010; and
- Establishment of an Average Quantity System (AQS) – an internationally recognised system for confirming that pre-packaged items including food and beverages, contained the stated quantities.
Currently about 800 firms, employing more than 2,000 people, repaired and verified measuring instruments under trade measurement legislation.
Dr Emerson said if the companies operated across State borders they required different licences for each State, which were granted under different criteria, attracted different fees and had different reporting requirements.
“Under the new system, there will be one licence, one set of criteria and one fee for work nationwide,” he said.
“The new national system will slash red tape while maintaining the accuracy and reliability of trade measuring instruments such as scales, fuel dispensers and weighbridges.”
Commonwealth inspectors would monitor the system to make sure that it was fair to buyers and sellers.
The new legislation would allow producers and packers of pre-packaged goods to meet requirements at lower cost by using AQS.
AQS would introduce statistical sampling methods to show that the measured contents of pre-packed goods were accurate.
Dr Emerson said AQS had been welcomed by the wine industry and other major packers, with the wine industry alone estimating it would save wine producers up to $19 million a year.
He said AQS had already been adopted in New Zealand and by many of Australia’s major trading partners, including Japan, the European Union and the United States.
October 1, 2008
Compo a favourite in discrimination
The maximum compensation for victims of unlawful discrimination was to increase to $100,000 according to Attorney General, John Hatzistergos.
Mr Hatzistergos said reforms to the Administrative Decisions Tribunal Act 1997 had been introduced to Parliament last week and would more than double the previous maximum pay-out.
“This is a significant increase from the current cap of $40,000,” he said.
“People who are found to have suffered discrimination, whether it be on the basis of gender, sexuality, disability or racism, will benefit from the increase in the damages cap.”
Mr Hatzistergos said the increase would bring NSW more in line with compensation available to victims in other jurisdictions and would “better reflect the seriousness of the consequences of discrimination”.
He said the reforms followed moves by the Government to harmonise NSW’s antidiscrimination laws with the rest of the nation through the Standing Committee of Attorneys General.
He said other reforms had also been made, including transferring the power to grant exemptions from the operation of the Anti Discrimination Act 1977 from the Attorney General to the President of the Anti-Discrimination Board.
He said appeals would be heard in the Tribunal.
Further amendments relating to the operation, constitution and function of the Administrative Decisions Tribunal were also introduced.Mr Hatzistergos said the changes were prompted by a statutory review of the Act as well as consultation with Government Agencies, the legal profession and the Tribunal.
He said recommendations made to ensure the Tribunal had a balance between operational reform and maintaining an independent, cost-effective and accessible forum were being implemented.
October 1, 2008
Crime film frames warning to young
A short film warning young people about the dangers of being drawn into committing serious crimes has been produced by Legal Aid NSW.
Launched by Attorney General, John Hatzistergos, the film entitled Burn was part of a crime prevention program.
Mr Hatzistergos said the program had been running over the past year and aimed to educate young people about the consequences of group offending.
He said the initiative would make young people think twice before being drawn into a crime instigated by others.
The film highlighted the implications of crime and emphasised that no-one in a group would be exempt from facing serious charges.
“This may include jumping in to help during a fight, being present during a robbery or acting as a lookout,” Mr Hatzistergos said.
“Unfortunately, young people often don’t realise they can be held accountable for someone else’s actions if they participate in a crime as a group.”
He said Burn told the story of a robbery that escalated with terrible consequences and showed the risks of being associated with known offenders, groups or people who carried weapons.
Mr Hatzistergos said the film featured real young people rather than professional actors, had an improvised dialogue and story line and characters that were developed in collaboration with the young cast members.
“The result is a very powerful film that shows the tragic consequences for any person who becomes caught up in a serious crime,” he said.
Minister for Juvenile Justice, Graham West, said Burn built on the legal education workshops run by Legal Aid last year.
“More than 3,500 young people attended the workshops in schools, refuges and youth Centres across NSW,” Mr West said.
“We are pleased that Legal Aid NSW will now be able to take this message to young people throughout NSW through this short film.”
He said Burn would be screened throughout NSW as part of a widespread education campaign.
October 1, 2008
Appeal changes appeal to AG
Plans to change the rules governing appeals from the Local Court to the District Court are being considered as a way of discouraging defendants from using Local Courts for “test runs” before appealing in the District Court.
Attorney General, John Hatzistergos said he would consult on the proposed changes which were in response to 17 suggestions made by the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Local Court following a statutory review of the Crimes (Appeal and Review) Act 2001.
“I am concerned defendants too often use Local Courts to test their case, only to appeal if they don’t like the sentence handed down by a Magistrate,” Mr Hatzistergos said.
He said the Government would consult on the two most significant proposals raised in review of the Act, and the other 15 would be put before Parliament.
Mr Hatzistergos said the recommendations to be open for consultation related to the calling of fresh witnesses during the appeal and to the adequacy of penalties.
He said the purpose of the review had been to improve the way Court appeals and reviews were managed and it received submissions from a range of stakeholders including the Courts, the Bar Association, Legal Aid NSW, the Director of Public Prosecutions and NSW Police.
He said the 15 recommendations to be put before Parliament related to amendments to dismissal procedures for Apprehended Violence Orders.
Mr Hatzistergos said the Local Court heard cases where defendants faced penalties of up to two years in jail
October 1, 2008
Kangaroo meat a matter of taste
The Department of State and Regional Development has promoted the benefits of kangaroo meat at a special event at Parliament House.
The event, A Taste of Kangaroo, endorsed kangaroo as a red meat of choice to chefs, restaurateurs, caterers, hotel food managers, specialty butchers, food and hospitality training institutions and food media.
Kangaroo was uniquely Australian and offered economic, health and environmental benefits as an alternative source of meat.
Market research by the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC), found 77 per cent of Australians believed kangaroos were a valuable resource that should be utilised.
A Taste of Kangaroo was co-sponsored by the Kangaroo Industry Association of Australia and the RIRDC, and included a number of sessions and activities.
Participants were given a briefing on the meat, a masterclass and a tasting session while signature kangaroo dishes were prepared by Sydney chefs Tony Bilson, Jean-Paul Bruneteau, Sean Connolly, Darren Ho, John Leong and Raymond Kersh.
The Master of Ceremonies, Lyndey Milan led a panel discussion by industry experts including the President of the Kangaroo Industry Association of Australia, Michael Mulligan;
Principal of restaurant Edna's At Your Table, Jennice Kersh; the Dean of Science at the University of NSW, Michael Archer; and co-author of the book Consumer Attitudes to Kangaroo Meat Products, Peter Ampt.
The event also included an examination of kangaroo meat sourcing and processing, information on the sustainability, nutritional and functional benefits of kangaroo meat and a focus on current consumer and food trade perceptions of kangaroo meat.
RIRDC studies have shown consumption of kangaroo meat has doubled over the past five years, but that there was room for growth.
Organisers said the kangaroo industry had created around 4,000 jobs, exports to over 60 countries and was worth around $230 million a year.
October 1, 2008
Homeowners safer with new house laws
Changes to improve consumer benefits under the Home Warranty Insurance scheme are set to be debated in the Legislative Assembly this week, according to Fair Trading Minister, Virginia Judge.
Ms Judge said the Home Building Amendment Bill 2008 would strengthen consumer protection and make it easier for home owners to lodge home warranty insurance claims.
“The amendments being put forward by the NSW Government will give consumers an additional trigger to lodge insurance claims for defective or incomplete building work,” she said.
“Under the Home Building Act, builders contracting for residential building work worth more than $12,000 must take out cover under the scheme.”
Ms Judge said under current legislation, claims could only be lodged if a builder became insolvent, died, or disappeared.
She said this meant people pursuing builders who had not fulfilled their contracts were often forced to take Court action.
“Under the proposed legislation, any builder failing to comply with a monetary order of a Court or the Consumer, Trader and Tenancy Tribunal within 28 days will have their licence automatically suspended,” Ms Judge said.
“This will allow homeowners to make insurance claims more quickly so they can complete the construction of their home or have defective building work rectified, and get on with their lives.”
She said builders who had their licences suspended could also face disciplinary action.
Ms Judge said the reform would allow insurers to chase builders who ignored monetary orders to recover money paid out as part of the claim.
“These changes should serve as an incentive to builders to act appropriately when ordered to pay compensation to homeowners,” she said.
October 1, 2008
Sydney pencilled in as carbon hub
A Green Paper produced by the NSW Governments has called for Sydney to become the Asia-Pacific region’s carbon finance hub for any Carbon Pollution Reduction Schemes (CPRS).
The Green Paper said Sydney was already a regional financial hub, with the Australian Stock Exchange, the Sydney Futures Exchange, and the Australian head offices of major national and international banks, fund managers, and brokerage firms already in residence.
It said the knowledge and experience NSW had gained in administering such schemes, combined with the natural advantages of Sydney as a financial hub, made it the ideal location for the CPRS registry and regulator.
“The economic benefits of successfully developing a carbon trading hub in the Asia-Pacific region will be substantial,” the Green Paper said.
“The UK Government successfully helped position London as the financial hub of the global carbon market and London now captures over 70% of a global market presently worth around US$100 billion a year in traded emissions.’
It said Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo and even New Zealand were already taking decisive steps to try and position themselves for this role in the Asia Pacific and called on the Commonwealth to act fast in designating Sydney as CPRS headquarters.
“If we fail to consolidate our existing strengths and spread expertise across Australia, then Australia runs a strong risk of losing out to another city overseas,” it said.
The Green Paper said NSW, like the Commonwealth, had a greenhouse gas emissions reduction target of a 60% reduction on 2000 levels by 2050, which was formally adopted in the NSW State Plan in 2006.
It said the Government had some concerns about the economic risks associated with the implementation of the CPRS, especially in the energy sector, but it believed the risks could be managed with appropriate design.
It said new technology had an important part to play in the CPRS.
“In particular, maintaining market capacity to invest in new energy technologies will be essential to achieving a smooth transition to a low emission economy,” the Green Paper said.
“Delaying emissions reductions will increase the aggregate costs of achieving greenhouse emission reduction targets as well as increasing the risks of a carbon price shock in future decades.”
October 1, 2008
Photo success is pretty picture
A group of Sydney backyard photographers has been invited to display their images at the National Library in Canberra after posting them on YouTube.
The Curator of Pictures at the National Library, Linda Groom, spotted the images and was so impressed that she invited the 20 photographers to screen them as part of the Library’s Vivid photography festival.
The photographers, who were in various stages of their careers, first projected their images in a backyard in Miller Street in the Sydney suburb of Haberfield, in April for an audience of just family and friends.
Now their pictures have been shown at the festival, which would run in Canberra to 12 October.
The event has kept its Miller Street Soiree title, despite moving from Sydney to Canberra.
Ms Groom said most of the photographers had day jobs as photojournalists or commercial portrait photographers, including print journalism’s Andrew Quilty, Tanya Lake and Nick Moir, but in the Soiree they showed another side of their skills with the camera.
She said their images ranged from edgy interpretations of Australian inner-city life to close-ups of backyard fauna and travel shots from all over the world, and each projection was set to the photographer’s choice of music.
The Miller Street Soiree was the climax of a series of events that the National Library arranged to showcase the work of contemporary Australian photographers during the Vivid festival.
October 1, 2008
Video on in Court
Courts in NSW have set a new record in the use of video conferencing to hear bail applications and evidence from remote witnesses.
The use of video link technology in the justice system rose from 26,000 cases in 2006/07 to 39,000 in 2007/08, saving taxpayers around $6.5 million in transportation costs.
In 2007 the Government passed laws to create a presumption in favour of prisoners appearing in court via video link, and they would come into force on 1 January next year.
ICAC continues at RailCorp
The Independent Commission Against Corruption has found two former Railcorp employees received over $110,000 and $500,000 in corrupt payments in a number of separate incidents.
The Commission’s investigations found one employee had contracted with a friend’s company to do $3.7 million worth of work for RailCorp in return for payment, while the other had failed to declare a financial or personal interest in a company he owned that was working for the Agency.
The Commission held public inquiries in March and would release its remaining investigation reports and details of corruption prevention recommendations over the coming months.
ANSTO defends against media
The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, ANSTO has clarified media reports that it was planning to build a nuclear materials store on its site in Lucas Heights, NSW.
The Organisation said that while it did intend to build a new store, the facility would only consolidate nuclear materials already held in various locations on the existing site which were mainly materials that had been there for many years.
“In addition, the freed-up space in its existing facilities will also provide ANSTO with the capacity to accommodate waste generated on-site.”
The Organisation made the point that it had safely managed its nuclear and other radioactive material for more than 50 years and would continue to do so.
Ageing members sought
The Government has called for expressions of interest in joining the Ministerial Advising Committee on Ageing.
The Minister for Ageing, Paul Lynch said he was looking for people with expertise in population ageing, on matters affecting older people and on the impact of the ageing of the population to provide expert advice on ageing issues.
Applications closed 17 October and more information was available on www.maca.nsw.gov.au
Boost to roads funding
Local Councils and shires are to receive greater resources to maintain and improve local roads.
The national Parliament has passed the AusLink (National Land Transport) Amendment Bill 2008 which provides extra road funding to Local Government Authorities as well as facilitates the delivery of a $70 million Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program.
Legal Aid dumps encouragement fee
Legal Aid NSW has approved the abolition of the $80 Electronic Lodgement Fee following the increased use of electronic commerce in everyday life.
The fee was introduced in 2003 to encourage private practitioners in Commonwealth family law matters to lodge approved legal aid applications electronically.
The new policy would commence on 1 October but electronic applications submitted before that date would still earn the fee.
Speed king flies in
The fastest man on water, Australia’s Ken Warby, is to make a special presentation to the Australian National Maritime Museum on 8 October to mark the 30th anniversary of his setting the world water speed record at a still unconquered 511.11 km/hr.
Mr Warby will travel to Sydney from his adopted home in the United to be with his hydroplane Spirit of Australia on the anniversary and to present the National Maritime Museum with a wind tunnel test model used in the development of the boat.
Spirit of Australia was 8.2 metres long, built of plywood on a timber frame and powered by an ex-RAAF Lockheed-Neptune jet engine and was now a permanent exhibit at the Australian National maritime Museum.
Rat eater on show in Gardens
A plant that eats rats has been put on display at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney as part of a carnivorous plants display.
Executive Director of the Botanic Gardens Trust, Dr Tim Entwisle said the carnivorous plants were some of the most bizarre plants he had ever seen and the Nepenthes rajah which was big enough to take out a mouse or a baby rat.
Dog control in mountains
The National Parks and Wildlife Service has announced it would conduct aerial bating in parts of Kosciuszko National Park to help control wild dogs in the area.
NPWS Snowy Mountains regional Manager, Dave Darlington said baits would be dropped along baiting lines that totaled almost 165 kilometres of park estate.
He said baiting would be conducted in Kosciuszko National Park, Yaouk Nature Reserve and Scabby Range Nature Reserve.
Bike wheel into Parramatta
The Minister for Planning, Kristina Keneally has approved plans for a motorbike motocross event at Parramatta Stadium in November.
Ms Keneally said 20,000 people were expected to attend the event which would also provide a $1 million boost to the local economy.
She said a number of conditions had been imposed on the event, including a 9.30pm finish time and ensuring event organisers put plans into place to manage noise, traffic, pedestrian flow and clean up after the event.
Kids play for police shield
The NSW Police Force has given teenagers across the State the opportunity to compete in the Commissioner’s Shield, an under-16s sporting event.
The Shield was organised jointly by the Police and Community Youth Clubs, NSW Rugby League, National Rugby League and Australian Rugby League to give winning teams the chance to meet first grade rugby players at the finals in Sydney.
Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione said the tournament included a Rugby League 7s competition for boys and a League-Tag competition for girls and was an opportunity for teenagers to “come together in a unique competition that promotes self respect and self esteem”.
The commissioner said the grand final would be held on 31 October and more information could be obtained by contacting Matt Gillett from PCYC on 0439 020 333.
Filmmakers star
The Film and Television Office has congratulated Seven NSW film directors who received Awards at the Australian Directors’ Guild awards.
Elissa Down won the Award for Best Direction in a Feature Film, Peter Andrikidis an Award for Best Direction in a TV Mini-Series, Tom Murray received the Best Direction in a Documentary, Bruce Petty won the Outstanding Achievement Award, Tom Zubrycki received the Cecil Holmes Award, Kate Woods won the Award for Excellence in Television Drama Direction and Mark Turnbull was awarded the Outstanding Achievement Award for First Assistant Director.
Entomologists gather
Scientists from across Australia have gathered in Orange for the 39th Australian Entomological Society conference.
Research leader with the NSW Department of Primary Industries, Murray Fletcher said the conference would highlight biosecurity, the use of insects as environmental indicators and insect conservation.
