January 30, 2007
Ombudsman Puts Police
Through DNA Testing
A review of police DNA sampling by the NSW Ombudsman has found irregularities and inaccuracies in procedures and records that in at least one case led to an innocent man being sent to jail.
Following a four-year review, Ombudsman Bruce Barbour found however that the police generally exercised their powers with due regard to individual rights but that the complexity of the law had led to some mistakes being made
“The complexity of the legislation means that it can be difficult for police officers to comply with their obligations,” Mr Barbour said.
“While thousands of police officers are accredited, a lack of practice means many are unfamiliar with some of the requirements.”
He recommended simplifying some aspects of the law and creating specialist cells within police command areas to deal with DNA sampling on a more regular basis.
In his review the Ombudsman also uncovered examples of inconsistencies between police records and laboratory records, resulting in the wrong people being charged with offences.
“In one case this led to a man being convicted for offences he did not commit,” The Ombudsman said.
“Having inaccurate information on the DNA database or the police computer system can have serious implications for the administration of justice.
“It will also dent public confidence in the use of DNA evidence in the investigation and prosecution of crime.’
Mr Barbour also reflected on the growing importance of DNA testing in the administration of justice, pointing out an “ever increasing” number of samples being required by police which was leading to long delays in analysis.
“This has resulted in a large backlog, court delays, and concerns about evidence of potential significance remaining unexamined.”
He said while outsourcing and other strategies were being trialled to counter the delays, Mr Barbour recommended the Government give some thought to the future of DNA analysis and consider the appropriate level of funding, independence and research.
The Ombudsman’s full report can be access at www.nswombudsman.nsw.gov.au
January 30, 2007
PS Chimes in For Gongs
on Honours List
Distinguished Public Servants once again featured prominently in the Queen’s Australia Day Honours list.
A summary of those who were rewarded for their public service, including officers to receive the Public Service Medal, are listed below.
PS News congratulates each on on their awards:
MEMBER OF THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA (AM)
Christopher Richard BONNOR AM
Cherrybrook
For service to education through significant contributions to the development of educational policy and practice in New South Wales, the promotion of excellence in school leadership, and advocacy for public education.
William Gingell LAWRENCE AM
Maroubra
For service to medical administration through executive roles in health management organisations in rural and urban areas, to professional training and education of health administrators, and to research support organisations.
Arthur Allanby VINEY AM
Narrabeen
For service to the community through rural fire and service organisations, and to the New South Wales Parliament.
MEDAL OF THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA (OAM)
Janis Louise GERARD OAM
Bathurst
For service to education, particularly as Principal of Bathurst High School, and as a contributor to the New South Wales Secondary Principals' Council.
John Whyte THOMSON OAM
North Sydney
For service to architecture in New South Wales, particularly through the design and development of government schools and significant public buildings and spaces, and to the community.
PUBLIC SERVICE MEDAL (PSM)
Margaret Jane BARROW PSM
Nyngan, NSW
For outstanding public service in the provision of home care to the Western Plains community.
Christian Henry BARWICK PSM
Ararat, Victoria
For outstanding public service, particularly to young people within the Ararat community.
John Leonard BASKERVILLE PSM
lice Springs, NT
For outstanding public service to the Central Australian community.
Peter Noel BERRY PSM
Mount Riverview , NSW
For outstanding public service in the development and implementation of Government policies and strategies for consumer protection in strata schemes and residential parks.
Roderick Charles BEST PSM
Beecroft, NSW
For outstanding public service in the provision of legal services within the New South Wales Department of Community Services.
Shiela Margaret BIRD PSM
Wanniassa, ACT
For outstanding public service in the development and implementation of reforms to child support policy and administration.
Colin Francis BLACK PSM
The Gap, QLD
For outstanding public service in the field of public housing.
Neil Duncan BLACK PSM
Port Macquarie, NSW
For outstanding public service to education in New South Wales.
Christopher David BLANCH PSM
Charleville, QLD
For outstanding public service to the towns and communities of western Queensland.
Martin BREUKER PSM
Port Lincoln, SA
For outstanding public service, particularly to the Eyre Peninsula community.
Neville John BRYAN PSM
Campbell, ACT
For outstanding public service in the monitoring and review of the Australian intelligence community.
Martin Leslie CHARMAN PSM
Port Lincoln, SA
For outstanding public service, particularly for his contribution to the development of emergency management arrangements for the Eyre Peninsula.
Ian Herbert COUSINS PSM
Canberra, ACT
For outstanding public service in the delivery of Australia's security policy framework and critical infrastructure protection initiatives.
Elaine Gai CUNNINGHAM PSM
Bilinga, QLD
For outstanding public service to education, particularly to the community of the Tweed River region.
Robert John DELANE PSM
Doubleview, WA
For outstanding public service to the agriculture industries and the community of Western Australia.
Gary Robert DOWLING PSM
Seymour, VIC
For outstanding public service in the management of the Department of Defence's warehousing and maintenance outsourcing program at Puckapunyal.
Mark DUCKWORTH PSM
Coburg, VIC
For outstanding public service to the development of the national counter-terrorism policy and response arrangements.
Kym Francis DUGGAN PSM
Campbell, ACT
For outstanding public service in the development and implementation of major reforms to the family law system.
Terrence Leo GALLAGHER PSM
Kambah, ACT
For outstanding public service in the development and implementation of bankruptcy law reform.
Margaret Ruth GODING PSM
Fitzroy North, VIC
For outstanding public service in the provision of public mental health to the Victoria community.
Rodney Maxwell GOWANS PSM
Rosanna, VIC
For outstanding public service to the conservation of biodiversity and to the management of national parks.
Robert George HARVEY PSM
Pearce, ACT
For outstanding public service in implementing reforms to the Community Development Employment Projects program for Indigenous Australians.
Colin John HEGARTY PSM
Wakerley, QLD
For outstanding public service in the field of ICT procurement and contracting.
Allan Douglas HENDERSON PSM
Neutral Bay, NSW
For outstanding public service to Sydney Water, particularly in the field of construction project management.
Alastair Hamilton HOWARD PSM
Castle Hill, NSW
For outstanding public service to Forests New South Wales.
Barry David INGLIS PSM
Lane Cove, NSW
For outstanding public service in the field of measurement science, particularly his leadership role in the establishment of the National Measurement Institute.
Burton Frank JOHNSON PSM
Atherton, QLD
For outstanding public service in the field of civil construction and commitment to the environment.
Lynnita Mary MADDOCK PSM
Sydney, NSW
For outstanding public service to the communications sector, particularly in the regulation of telecommunications, broadcasting, radio communications and online content.
John Francis MAHER PSM
Turramurra, NSW
For outstanding public service to the construction industry, in particular the development of the Sydney transport infrastructure.
Alan McCORMACK PSM
Parkes, NSW
For outstanding public service to the communities of Parkes and surrounding areas.
Ian Bruce MUNRO PSM
Nutfield, VIC
For outstanding public service, particularly in the provision of an investment facilitation model and in the continued economic development of Victoria.
Peter John NEVILLE PSM
Burleigh Waters, QLD
For outstanding public service and contribution to primary industries, especially fisheries.
Mirah NURYATI PSM
Not available
For outstanding public service in the development of collaborative agricultural research projects between Australia and Indonesia.
James Edmond PASCAL PSM
Bunbartha, VIC
For outstanding public service in the development and delivery of 'English as a Second Language' programs and refugee settlement in rural and regional Victoria.
Robert William PECK PSM
Lyons, ACT
For outstanding public service in improving medication outcomes for the Australian veteran community.
Anthony John PRESSLAND PSM
Kenmore, QLD
For outstanding public service in the field of sustainable management of natural resources in Queensland.
Jan Louise REDFERN PSM
Sydney, NSW
For outstanding public service in the field of corporate and financial services regulation and enforcement.
Rose Siew Kim RHODES PSM
Larrakeyah, NT
For outstanding public service within the Department of Health and Community Services, Northern Territory.
Suzanne Marie RYAN PSM
Monash, ACT
For outstanding public service, particularly to the younger community in the Australian Capital Territory.
Roderick Richard SMITH PSM
Barton, ACT
For outstanding public service in leading Australia's consular service.
Paul Anthony TALONI PSM
Canberra, ACT
For outstanding public service as Deputy Director of the Defence Intelligence Organisation.
John Purvis THOMPSON PSM
Toowoomba, QLD
For outstanding public service in the field of agricultural research and contribution to the grain industry.
Thomas james THOROGOOD PSM
Allawah, NSW
For outstanding public service as a driver within the New South Wales Premier's Department.
Roger Samuel TURNER PSM
Dubbo, NSW
For outstanding public service in leading significant cultural and operational changes in the Australian meat export industry.
Douglas John VICKERS PSM
Bairnsdale, VIC
For outstanding public service, particularly to the Indigenous community and children with special needs.
Michael David WALLWORK PSM
Claremont, WA
Citation: For outstanding public service, particularly in the development of the road network within Western Australia.
Richard Howard WHERRITT PSM
Tamworth, NSW
For outstanding public service, particularly in the field of construction project management.
Roger Barrington WICKES PSM
Murray Bridge, SA
For outstanding public service, particularly for his contribution in the field of natural resource management.
AUSTRALIAN FIRE SERVICE MEDAL
Trevor James ANDERSON
Kellyville
Ronald John ASHTON
Lake Tabourie
Kam Daryl BAKER
Gloucester
Michael John BELTRAN
Granville
Keith David FERGUSON
Faulconbridge
Michael Stanley GUYMER
Dolls Point
John Edwin HARVEY
Ashby
Donald LUSCOMBE
Winmalee
Raymond Joseph McTIERNAN
Dubbo
Leslie Graham STEWART
Bucketty
EMERGENCY SERVICE MEDAL
Graeme Charles CRAIG
West Ryde
Grace Marjorie MATTS
Bankstown
Craig James RONAN
Bathurst
.
Kim SALTON
Captains Flat
Steven Garry STRANKS
Revesby
Wilfred John THOMPSON
Corlette
January 30, 2007
PSA At Work to
Save Job Lot
The Public Service Association has launched a petition to save 20,000 positions slated to be abolished if the Opposition wins the March election.
Arguing that job cuts means service cuts, the Association says it had already forced the Liberal/National Party coalition to reduce its job cut target from 29,000 to 20,000 but wants to see the policy scrapped completely.
“We are asking our members and the public to sign the petition.”
Organisers of the petition say the era of disparaging, downsizing and privatising the public sector must end.
“At a time when more pressure is being placed on the delivery of public services, policies that reduce the number of workers in the public sector and drive down their conditions is not a solution – it is part of the problem,” they say.
The peptition drafted by the Association calls on all candidates in the State election to commit to:
* protect the NSW industrial relations system from the Commonwealth’s Work Choices laws;
* Commit to maintain essential Public Services and the workers who provide them;
* Commit to maintain public sector job levels in real terms as they were when the 2006 State Budget was brought down;
*. Guarantee to protect public sector delivery of services for NSW and the workers providing these services
* Commit to career development opportunities and meaningful careers;
* Maximise Departmental stability and focus on service delivery to benefit the community; and
* Protect workers affected by workplace change through redeployment and reskilling.
* Avoid the use of forced redundancy.
The petition can be downloaded from the PSA site at www.psa.labor.net.au and returned to the Association by 12 March.
January 30, 2007
Police Graduates
Cop It Sweet
NSW Police Commissioner Ken Moroney has dismissed criticism of the recently graduated class from the Goulburn Police College.
Mr Moroney said the graduating class of January 2007 has matched its predecessors in every assessable area despite not completing the two-week work placement component.
The police service was criticised by the NSW Opposition for cutting the formerly compulsory work experience component of the training course.
“Work placement is a useful familiarisation tool but it is not a formal part of training or assessment,” Mr Moroney said.
“It allows students to observe how police stations operate, but they are not assessed during this placement and do not undertake any operational activities.”
He said the quality of any class was judged by assessment in all areas of training.
“Work placement does not form any part of their assessment and our expert educational advice indicates there would be no adverse effect if the class was not placed in this instance.”
Mr Moroney said the current group did not undertake work placement given the size of the group and the later starting date of their class.
“Staff at the College did a wonderful job processing, checking and assessing this very large group.
“To place that many students in the field during the busy Christmas period would have caused major logistical issues at Local Area Commands so the sensible decision was taken not to place them.”
He said however that students did have significant contact with a large contingent of operational police who were engaged as assessors in the training programs at the College.
“At the College, students are exposed to simulated policing scenarios which were assessed by operational police.”
Mr Moroney said the graduates had performed to the standard expected of them and had achieved the standards set by previous classes in every measurable area.
The Commissioner used the fact that about 975 students began the program in June 2006 and 856 made it the most recent rounds of examinations.
“A fact that only serves to demonstrate that high standards are in place,” he said
January 30, 2007
Readers and Analysts in
the Frame at Film Office
The NSW Film and Television Office has issued a call for experienced people to become external readers or budget analysts for film projects submitted to the Office for funding.
The FTO funds script development and production investment for film and television in NSW.
Among the skills required for the job are the ability to convey honest critical analysis in a sensitive and professional manner with a responsible tone; to present a clear and concise assessment of the qualities and potential of a script or treatment; to be able to think visually and without prejudice when reading scripts; and to be able to work within short time frames when required.
Readers for the FTO must have a range of qualifications and experience, including some or all of the following:
Recent credits or significant experience as a screenwriter, script editor, director or producer
Recognised degree in film theory, cinema study, screenwriting
Recent relevant script analysis experience for successful distribution/production companies, or for State or Federal film funding agencies
Published film reviews or critical writing for a recognised publication or journal
Budget analysts must have significant experience as a producer or production manager in film or television.
The FTO encourages applications from readers with an understanding or experience of a range of cultures and communities and Indigenous filmmakers.
The deadline for Expressions of Interest is Friday 2 March, 2007. Enquiries can be addressed to Angelique Edmonds on (02) 9264 6400.
January 30, 2007
Anti-Violence Calendar
a Hit
An anti-violence calendar has been to educate Indigenous children about the importance of a safe family and community environment.
Showcasing the artistic talents of Aboriginal children across NSW the Our Kids: Stay Safe, Stay Strong calendar features the 12 best entries from a State-wide competition.
According to the Executive Officer of the Aboriginal Justice Advisory Council, Terry Chenery, the competition was designed to raise awareness amongst Indigenous children about their right to equality and protection from family violence.
“Indigenous students from a host of NSW primary schools were invited to creatively express their understanding of what it means to stay safe and strong,” Mr Chenery said.
“We received more than 130 high quality entries ranging from drawings and photographs to descriptive writing pieces.”
Walgett Community College students Ted Murphy, 12, Mervyn Hagan, 9, and Arthur Murphy, 11, were the overall winners with their colourful artwork featured on the front cover of the calendar. The trio attended the launch of the calendar, before cruising Sydney Harbour on the historic Tribal Warrior and visiting Taronga Zoo.
The overall winning school, Walgett Community College, was awarded a collection of books while the children whose work was featured on the calendar received iPods. All teachers and students involved in the competition were given merit certificates.
The calendar competition was developed by AJAC and funded by the Australia Council for the Arts with the support of the NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group Inc.
AJAC and OzCo will develop a children’s activity and information booklet this year as part of a campaign to denounce family violence in Indigenous communities.
“The level of violence in some Aboriginal communities is unacceptable and if we are to break the vicious cycle, children need to be able to grow up in a safe and positive family environment,” said AJAC Policy Officer, Jacqueline Gerber.
“Until now, there has been a lack of culturally appropriate information to educate young Indigenous people about these important issues.”
The 12 schools involved in the competition included Gorokan Primary, Crawford Primary, Green Hill Primary, Forster Primary, Nowra East Primary, Eden Primary, Wilcannia Central Primary, Walgett Community College Primary School, Condobolin Primary, Dareton Primary, Minimbah Primary and Toomelah Primary.
January 30, 2007
Electoral Commission Has
Jobs For Vote People
The NSW Electoral Commission is preparing a register of people interested in temporary employment as election officials and clerical assistants at the upcoming March State Election.
According to NSWEC, conducting a State election was a large-scale logistical exercise within a legal environment and with strict timeframes. The Commission had to ensure that the 4.2 million NSW electors were able to vote at 2500 polling places established right across the State.
Election officials work at polling places on election day and 93 returning officers manage the election. Extensive administrative arrangements were necessary to recruit, train, equip, supervise and pay the election workforce at election time.
The first step towards being appointed to the NSWEC team to assist with the election is to submit an Expression of Interest which goes to the local returning officer for assessment.
Prior electoral experience is not necessary and people recruited to work in polling places should have excellent customer service skills and the patience to undertake repetitive duties over a long period.
Clerical assistants who work in a Returning Officer’s office should have experience in an office environment, the ability to undertake tasks quickly and accurately and the ability to work under minimum supervision. Clerical assistants must also be experienced in the use of Microsoft Office.
For more information contact the NSW electoral Office
The NSWEC says that employment will only be offered to persons enrolled to vote in NSW.
January 30, 2007
Mountain Centres Tenth
as Parks Throw Party
Two well known National Park landmarks celebrated their 10th birthdays over the Australia Day weekend, opening their gates free to the public.
The Snowy Region Visitor Centre in Jindabyne, built and managed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service, and the Kosciuszko Education Centre achieved the 10-year milestone together.
The Jindabyne Visitor Centre was constructed to replace the old NPWS office and Visitor Centre at Sawpit Creek because staff numbers had grown beyond the capacity of the old stone building, which was built in the 1960s. The Sawpit Creek office then became the Kosciuszko Education Centre.
NPWS Snowy Mountains Region Manager, Dave Darlington said that when the new Visitor Centre was opened it was always envisaged that it would act as a focal point for tourism promotion within the region as well as being a community asset.
“The centre has now hosted almost 1.9 million visitors since it opened in 17,” Mr Darlington said.
“I think this figure alone speaks volumes about its relevance and usefulness as a centre for promotion of the Snowy Mountains region.”
He said almost 200,000 people a year came to the centre to “stop, look, listen and learn,” as well as purchase something in the shop or cafe.
Mr Darlington said almost 113,000 school students had visited the Kosciuszko Education Centre since it opened.
January 30, 2007
Beamer Takes Aim
At Feds and Banks
The Fair Trading Minister, Diane Beamer has blasted a proposal by the Commonwealth that would see bank customers responsible for on-line banking security.
The plan by Australian Securities and Investment Commission would see the onus placed on customers to install security software instead of relying on the banks to provide a secure environment for internet contact.
Under current arrangements the banks reimburse their online customers if they suffer from internet fraud.
Ms Beamer has been vocal in her condemnation of the new plan.
“Banks are responsible for providing these online services and so they should be totally responsible for the security of those systems,” Ms Beamer said.
“The banks heavily promote their online banking. Consumers should be confident those online services are secure and that the bank will cover any losses when customers are caught out by scams through no fault of their own.
She said the proposal was being made at a time the big banks were reaping record profits from their customers.
“They are making considerable savings in staffing costs and business processing through increased online banking. That service should not be offered unless they can guarantee its security.”
Ms Beamer said the banks provided security at local branches and should therefore have the same responsibility to their online customers.
“Demanding customers guarantee their own online security at a cost, is like demanding you take your own security guard when you visit the bank or ATM,” she said.
She said Australian families were already being hit by interest rate rises, high petrol costs and higher prices because of the drought. “They certainly don’t need to pay an extra $60 a year so they can do their online banking in confidence.”
Ms Beamer said consumers need to be aware of their bank’s terms and conditions for online banking and if they were suspicious about any transactions they should contact the Banking and Financial Services Ombudsman.
January 30, 2007
Rural Women Invited
to
Big Day Out
The Department of Primary Industries has invited drought-affected women including those living on farms or working in the rural sector to a free celebration of International Women’s Day at the Dubbo RSL on 7 March.
The event has been designed as a break from the drought and a chance to celebrate women’s achievements locally and globally.
Coordinator of the DPI’s Rural Women’s Network and brainchild behind the Dubbo get-together, Sonia Muir, said an impressive diversity of speakers has been engaged to help to make the 2007 celebration a day to remember.
“We want this day to be one of celebration and sharing of stories to give rural women who are struggling some time out from the everyday pressures of drought,” Ms Muir said.
The Keynote speaker will be Robyn Moore, the renowned entertainer who was one of the original members of Australia’s longest running radio comedy How Green Was My Cactus. Ms Moore will share some of her life experiences during her 30 years as a presenter and radio talent, as well as her country childhood.
The celebration is being sponsored by DPI’s drought support program and Rural Women’s Network in partnership with Women Out West and the Premier’s Department’s Office for Women.
The event starts at 10.30am and includes a free morning tea and lunch. DPI also plans to fund free buses from key locations to make it easier for women to travel to Dubbo for the day.
Buses to the event are planned from Orange, Coonamble, Harden, Blayney, West Wyalong, Wee Waa, Crookwell and Nyngan. Many of these will also pick up along the way so contact the RWN to book a seat.
All rural women from across the state are invited but bookings are essential. More information is available from the RWN on (02) 6391 3620, or by email at rural.women@dpi.nsw.gov.au
January 30, 2007
NSW Shines in Glitter City
The Acting Chief Executive of the NSW Film and Television Office, Linda Tizard, has congratulated the makers of several films whose post production was carried out in NSW and whose work has been nominated for major Hollywood awards.
Ms Tizard said the nominations confirmed NSW as the home of world-class facilities in post production with some of the world’s best digital effects practitioners.
The films Happy Feet and Superman Returns were two to win nominations for Academy Awards for visual effects while NSW post production companies also received nominations in the annual US VES Awards for work on Blood Diamond, Charlotte’s Web and Happy Feet.
Ms Tizard said Happy Feet had been nominated for Best Animated feature64 and Superman Returns for Best Achievement in Digital Effects. Animation on Happy Feet was produced by Animal Logic. Rising Sun Pictures and Frantic Films both worked on digital effects for Superman Returns.
In the VES Awards, Rising Sun Pictures VFX supervisors Tim Crosbie and has been nominated with his teams for Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Motion Picture for Blood Diamond and Rising Sun Pictures VFX supervisor John Dietz has been nominated with his team for the Outstanding Visual Effects in a Visual Effects Driven Motion Picture for his work on Charlotte’s Web.
Animal Logic received a VES Award nomination in the Outstanding Animated Character in an Animated Motion Picture category for Happy Feet. The nominees at Animal Logic are artists Damien Gray, Carl Prud’Homme and Tim Gibson.
Another NSW company - Fuel - also created many of the visual effects in Charlotte’s Web.
“The NSW Film and Television Office congratulated Rising Sun Pictures, Animal Logic and Fuel, Ms Tizard said.
“It is very exciting for NSW to be at the forefront of such a dynamic and creative growth industry,” she said.
January 30, 2007
Building Reforms
Nailed Down
A package of planning reforms that promise an overhaul of the building certification industry, cuts to Government red tape and a boost to consumer protection has been announced by Planning Minister, Frank Sartor.
Mr Sartor said the reforms, which were foreshadowed under the NSW State Plan, included strengthening the skills requirements and accreditation process for certifiers, clarifying fire safety requirements and streamlining the complaints process.
“This is part of the NSW Government’s commitment to cut red tape, improve services for consumers and ensure NSW remains open for business,” Mr Sartor said.
The reforms would be overseen by a new Building Professionals Board, to be chaired by John Murray, former CEO of the Master Builders Association of Australia.
Mr Sartor said key reforms included:
Stronger deterrents for breaches of building regulations. The Building Professionals Board will be able to issue fines of up to $11,000 and authorised staff could impose $1100 on-the-spot fines. Accredited certifiers would continue to face a maximum penalty of $110,000 if a complaint was made to the Administrative Decisions Tribunal.
Changes to fire safety requirements would place an extra safeguard around the fire safety certification process. Under the reforms, only accredited “fire safety” certifiers will be able to approve non-standard solutions to fire safety.
Skills for certifiers have been standardised with common skills training required for each of the 20 grades of certifiers. The highest grade of building inspectors will be required to have three specific university degrees.
Consumer complaints will be centralised for investigation with all complaints in relation to building standards required to be logged and investigated by the independent Building Professionals Board..
“All accredited certifiers will now be required to operate under a single code of conduct and ethics, reinforcing their duty to act in the public interest at all times,” Mr Sartor said.
The changes will take effect through:
the transfer of accreditation for certifiers from the Environmental Planning & Assessment Act to the Building Professionals Act;
commencement of the Building Professionals Regulation
commencement of the Environmental Planning & Assessment Amendment(Compliance Certificates) Regulation; and
the introduction of a new Building Professionals Board Accreditation Scheme.
The Building Professionals Board Accreditation Scheme was publicly exhibited in July and August 2006 with workshops held with industry, Local Government and key stakeholders.
January 30, 2007
New Deal For Seniors Card
in Anyone’s language
NSW Seniors Card has released a new multilingual brochure aimed at the large percentage of NSW seniors who come from a non-English speaking background.
The Government introduced the Seniors Card in 12 to encourage older people to enjoy an active and healthy retirement. It is a free discount card providing business discounts and Government transport concessions.
Almost one in five holders of the Seniors Card have difficulty with English
Seniors Card manager Ian Henderson said the new multilingual brochure answered common questions about the Card, such as eligibility requirements, how to apply, and the benefits of the scheme in 14 languages.
“These and a further six languages are also listed on the Seniors Card website at www.seniorscard.nsw.gov.au,” Mr Henderson said.
The languages listed in the brochure represented the largest non-English speaking communities of seniors, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics census data and included Arabic, Chinese, Croatian, Greek, Italian, Korean, Macedonian, Maltese, Polish, Russian, Serbian, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
The NSW Seniors Card scheme is free to join, it is not assets-tested and does not require seniors to disclose their income. To qualify, seniors must be permanent residents of NSW, aged 60 or over and work no more than 20 hours a week in paid employment.
NSW Seniors Card currently has 900,000 members and thousands of business partners who offer discounts to members.
The scheme is funded and administered by the NSW Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care and mirrors similar schemes in all other States and Territories.
To complement the new brochure, NSW Seniors Card was offering free presentations about the program to groups of 30 or more seniors from non-English speaking backgrounds in Sydney and surrounding areas.
More information, or for a copy of the brochure, contact Belinda Allen, at NSW Seniors Card, on 02 8270 2336.
A complete list of the thousands of discounts available to Card holders can be found at www.seniorscard.nsw.gov.au
January 30, 2007
TAFE Library Collects
National Award
NSW TAFE’s Riverina Institute Library Service has won a national award for excellence in integrating Australian Bureau of Statistics information into its learning environment.
The Riverina Institute Library Service, which operates eight libraries across 19 campuses in the Riverina, was awarded the Australian Bureau of Statistics Library Extension Program Excellence Award, which recognised and rewarded eligible libraries for excellence in raising their community’s awareness, understanding and use of ABS information.
The Bureau of Statistics’ National Information Skills Program Manager, Michael Janssen-Gibson congratulated Riverina Institute on winning the award, saying the judges were particularly impressed with the Institute’s initiative to provide intranet Quicklinks to ABS regional census data and collaborative efforts with teaching staff to promote the census process to students.
“The ABS is one of the most important providers of reliable information,” Mr Janssen-Gibson said.
“(It) collects, compiles, analyses and disseminates a wide range of information such as statistics on the performance of our economy, the well-being of our population, the condition of our environment, and the challenges faced by regional and rural communities.”
He said it was vital for the ABS to find trusted conduits to connect the Australian community to its information.
“We appreciate the guiding role librarians play in helping their communities to find and use reliable information,” he said.
“Libraries and librarians are trusted as independent, objective conduits to this information. They make the commitment to learn about and understand ABS information so that they can provide the best service possible to their clients.”
He said the Library Services team would be presented with their award and prize at a ceremony to be held during the “20:20 Vision” TAFE NSW Library Conference in Darling Harbour on Friday 2 February.
January 30, 2007
Policemen Booked
for School Duty
Forty School Liaison Police Officers have gone back to school with the State’s returning students under a new program to crack down on juvenile crime and deal with community issues.
NSW Police Corporate Spokesperson for Crime Prevention, Assistant Commissioner Reg Mahoney said the creation of the new School Liaison Police was a positive step in addressing youth issues before they manifested into more serious crime and anti-social behaviours.
“The launch of the School Liaison Police further indicates NSW Police commitment to working with the community to reduce crime and build a safer, greater NSW state,” Assistant Commissioner Manoney said.
He said the SLP would work with parents, students and teachers at high schools to address local issues and, in cooperation with the school community, would develop innovative approaches to addressing youth crime issues.
Trained in implementing crime prevention workshops and other educational programs, School Liaison Police would provide support to school Principals and students alike.
School Liaison Police would operate at all Government, Catholic and independent schools throughout the State.
More information is available at www.police.nsw.gov.au, including the new School Liaison Police Fact Sheet and other crime prevention information.
January 30, 2007
Monorail Offer to Put
Advertising on Track
Billing itself as a travelling billboard, Sydney Monorail has launched a drive to attract advertising and branding opportunities which can be tailored to meet the needs of convention, tradeshow and meeting organisers and sponsors.
Seen by thousands a day throughout the City and Darling Harbour, Sydney Monorail also “wrapping” of a Monorail vehicle, as well as opportunities for themeing and branding Monorail stations, for impact or even events.
According to Sydney Monorail’s Marketing Director, Michelle Silberman, the possibilities are limited only by imagination.
“A fully wrapped Monorail vehicle makes a huge impression on delegates and has a great impact from anywhere in Darling Harbour,” Ms Silberman said.
Taking only seven minutes from the CBD to the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre, she said the Monorail was a conduit between the City Centre and Darling Harbour experience.
The Monorail also offered delegates travel passes making daily travel between hotels and conference, exhibition and dinner venues very easy.
January 30, 2007
New Contract Disclosure
Guidelines a Telling Tale
The State Government has introduced revised guidelines for Public Servants disclosing information about tenders and contracts to members of the public.
The new arrangements are outlined in a Ministerial Memorandum from the Premier, explaining what, how and when specific information relating to a tender or contract should be disclosed and what should remain confidential.
The provisions came into effect on 1 January
The new rules apply to all Government Departments as well as Government Trading Enterprises but not State Owned Corporations and certain contracts involving industry support.
According to the Memorandum the guidelines provide greater consistency and transparency in Government contracting and apply to a wide range of contracts between the Government and the private sector including contracts for construction, infrastructure, property development, property transfers, goods and services, information technology, and leases.
“They apply irrespective of the method of tendering or negotiation, and include contracts awarded to suppliers from established standing offer panels and contracts for privately financed projects.”
In essence, the new guidelines require Agencies to disclose routine information relating to the contract or tender on the Government tendering website as well as other information that may be required under the Freedom of Information Act.
Among the matters that may not be disclosed are certain commercial-in-confidence information; details of unsuccessful tenders; matters that might affect public safety or security; and information which would be exempt from disclosure under the FOI Act.
The Memorandum reminds Public Servants that they must explain to the requesting person why they refuse to disclose the information and make clear that access to the information may be sought under the FOI Act.
The revised disclosure requirements also apply to privately financed projects.
More information about the new arrangements can be obtained from https://tenders.nsw.gov.au/guidelines and Agencies are expected to be compliant by 31 March.
January 23, 2007
New Contract Disclosure
Guidelines a Telling Tale
The State Government has introduced revised guidelines for Public Servants disclosing information about tenders and contracts to members of the public.
The new arrangements are outlined in a Ministerial Memorandum from the Premier, explaining what, how and when specific information relating to a tender or contract should be disclosed and what should remain confidential.
The provisions came into effect on 1 January
The new rules apply to all Government Departments as well as Government Trading Enterprises but not State Owned Corporations and certain contracts involving industry support.
According to the Memorandum the guidelines provide greater consistency and transparency in Government contracting and apply to a wide range of contracts between the Government and the private sector including contracts for construction, infrastructure, property development, property transfers, goods and services, information technology, and leases.
“They apply irrespective of the method of tendering or negotiation, and include contracts awarded to suppliers from established standing offer panels and contracts for privately financed projects.”
In essence, the new guidelines require Agencies to disclose routine information relating to the contract or tender on the Government tendering website as well as other information that may be required under the Freedom of Information Act.
Among the matters that may not be disclosed are certain commercial-in-confidence information; details of unsuccessful tenders; matters that might affect public safety or security; and information which would be exempt from disclosure under the FOI Act.
The Memorandum reminds Public Servants that they must explain to the requesting person why they refuse to disclose the information and make clear that access to the information may be sought under the FOI Act.
The revised disclosure requirements also apply to privately financed projects.
More information about the new arrangements can be obtained from https://tenders.nsw.gov.au/guidelines and Agencies are expected to be compliant by 31 March.
January 23, 2007
Capabilities in the
Frame at PEO
The Public Employment Office is working with a number of agencies to develop a “Capability Framework” or core set of Public Service capabilities.
The latest edition of PEO Connections says agencies which already have a framework in place are reaping a variety of benefits including clearer employee feedback, better recognition of technical skills, better methods of describing and evaluating jobs and greater workforce flexibility.
It says although some agencies are further advanced than others, many say their framework offers a more transparent approach to defining, supporting and promoting positive capabilities and behaviours across the organisation.
“Employees also have a clearer idea of what they need to reach the next level,” PEO Connections says.
It says under a capability framework, each capability is briefly described and a range of behavioural descriptors provided.
“The balance is in providing a description that means something to the employee and describe it across levels in the organisation.”
It gives as examples a capability that might be to ‘Achieve Results’ or ‘Plan and Organise’.
The PEO says the actual words and concepts behind capabilities across pilot organisations have been remarkably similar so it intends drawing on those similarities to develop a common language for describing capabilities which will assist mobility and consistency across the Public Service.
The Office plans to expand the process to include more agencies as a way of confirming the usefulness of capability frameworks as management tools and to validate the findings of the pilot group.
According to the PEO, capabilities can be used in recruitment and selection;
workforce planning and development; leadership development; performance management; and in the job evaluation process.
When complete, agencies will be free to adopt the PEO framework or adapt it to suit their own needs.
More information about capability frameworks can be obtained from the Public Employment office in the Premier’s Department or by visiting www.eeo.nsw.gov.au/peoconnections/newsletter06.
January 30, 2007
Forest Managers Log
Certification Win
The management of Forests NSW has been granted certification under the internationally recognised Australian Forestry Standard. AFS certification is an independent endorsement of the sustainable forest management of NSW State forests.
Forests NSW acting Chief Eexecutive, Alastair Howard, welcomed the certification saying it was based on a rigorous assessment of forest management practices to meet customer and community expectations.
“Increasingly consumers want more information about the goods and services they buy and use”, Mr Howard said.
“People want to use environmentally friendly and sustainably produced products.
He said AFS certification demonstrated to home builders and renovators that timber products from State forests were exactly that.
“Timber harvested from sustainably managed forests is indeed a renewable and environmentally friendly choice for construction.”
Mr Howard said AFS set a benchmark for the management of Australian forests and meeting that standard demonstrated that timber production in NSW public forests was conducted in an environmentally friendly, socially aware and economically viable manner.
He said that internationally, the market preference for sustainable products had increased the pressure for forest industries to gain forest management certification.
“We can now verify in the international arena that our forests are being sustainably managed,” he said. “The Australian Forestry Standard is recognised under the Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes (which) has the most certified forests in the world, so we are going with the strength.”
He said when customers in Australia or overseas asked for timber from sustainably managed forests, Forests NSW can assure them that it met those standards.
“It also means that our customers can seek a chain of custody certification from independent accredited bodies to stamp their products showing that they meet the Australian Forestry Standard.”
January 23, 2007
Canberra ACTs Up
in Illawarra
The Illawarra is to be the next area targeted by Canberra to attract workers to ease the capital’s skills shortage.
Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory, Jon Stanhope announced the push into the Illawarra as part of his Government’s “Live in Canberra” campaign.
Mr Stanhope said many people in the area were already interested in moving to the ACT
“Since we launched this campaign in April 2006, we have already had considerable interest in the opportunities to live and work here from people living in the Wollongong area and the South Coast,” Mr Stanhope said.
“With the Illawarra experiencing some of Australia’s highest unemployment figures in the nation, we see this as a win-win opportunity.
He said recent unemployment figures had shown areas within the Illawarra suffering a jobless rate around double the national average and youth unemployment as high as 40 per cent.
Mr Stanhope said there were many jobs in Canberra that would appeal to residents of the Illawarra, in a range of fields including construction, hospitality, engineering, the public sector and retail.
He said the drive into the Illawarra would use a similar model to that which showcased Canberra to Sydney’s west and south-west last May.
An extensive print and radio marketing campaign would be supported by eight seminars at the end of February in Wollongong, Shellharbour, Kiama and the Shoalhaven.
He said once again, Canberra would “sell” its lifestyle advantages as well as the range of highly paid jobs available there.
“There is great potential for us to attract new skills to the national capital,” Mr Stanhope said.
“In addition, there are thousands of people living in the Illawarra who commute to work each day in Sydney. Compare this to our 15-20 minute Canberra commute.”
The Live in Canberra campaign would commence in the Illawarra on 10 February and seminar sessions held at the end of the month.
January 23, 2007
Opposition Up Front About
Front Line Work
Ministers in a Liberal/National State Government after the March election would work at least five days a year on the frontline in their portfolio.
That’s the promise of Opposition Leader, Peter Debnam, who said there was no better way for Ministers to understand what happened on the front line than for them to spend time with the workers there.
“It’s important Ministers have first hand experience of the issues confronting frontline workers every day,” Mr Debnam said.
He said under a Liberal/Nationals Government he would work at least five days every year on the frontline in different portfolio areas – with at least one being in rural and regional NSW - and all Ministers would work at least five days every year on the frontline in their portfolio or an organisation related to their portfolio.
“As I confirmed during my Get NSW Back in Front – Living the Issues Tour, there’s nothing better than living the issues to get a real understanding of what’s happening,” Mr Debnam said.
“And that’s exactly what I want my Ministers doing. I want Transport spokeswoman Gladys Berejiklian out spending a day with a bus driver, another day with a train guard and then a ferry captain.
“I want Jillian Skinner in hospitals with physiotherapists, doctors and nurses, I want Treasury spokesman Barry O'Farrell meeting with small and large businesses on state taxes, I want Mike Gallacher walking the beat with our police, I want Andrew Stoner in roads behind the counter of the motor registry, and I want Brad Hazzard in classes for special needs school students.”
Mr Debnam said the experience gained on the front line would give his Ministers a better understanding when it came time to make important decisions.
“They’ll have spent time aboard a train, in an emergency ward or in a group home,” he said.
“I know many large companies, such as McDonalds and Optus, require executives to work behind the counter, on the factory floor or out on the road.
“I don't just want my Ministers sitting around a boardroom table making decisions, I want to know they’ve experienced it themselves.”
He said he would also introduce performance pay for Ministers.
“It’s all about ensuring greater accountability by those who make decisions affecting the lives of millions of people in NSW everyday,” he said.
January 23, 2007
Health Plan to Give
HIV the Needle
An ambitious plan to reduce HIV infections by a quarter by 2009 has been unveiled by the Government.
Under a three-year plan, $300,000 would be spent on a campaign to educate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities about HIV and there would be additional funding to the AIDS Council of NSW to increase HIV prevention messages, and work would be done with general practitioners to improve testing.
According to the Parliamentary Secretary for health, Paul McLeay, NSW has had a steady infection rate while other states have reported increases.
Mr McLeay said there would also be more research into factors surrounding the disease.
“What we do want to do is find out what are the type of factors which influence patterns of HIV infection and what are the type of things people are doing,” he said.
“What is encouraging, where do we see the outbreaks and where do we see the growth happening and what we can do to stop it from going further.”
January 23, 2007
Intersection at
Employment
Crossroads
Planning for a giant employment precinct at the intersection of the M4 and M7 has taken a major step forward with the approval of a concept plan for a key parcel of land in Western Sydney.
Planning Minister, Frank Sartor has given approval for the subdivision of a 61-hectare site at Huntingwood West within the Western Sydney Employment Hub.
“The Employment Hub is a vital part of the Iemma Government’s plan to create more jobs closer to home for Western Sydney families,” Mr Sartor said.
“This fast-growing industrial precinct is eventually forecast to house 36,000 jobs.”
He said the new employment estate at Huntingwood West would generate 800 permanent jobs for Western Sydney.”
The concept plan - lodged by Landcom - includes:
The subdivision of the land into 47 lots;
The construction of new intersections on the Great Western Highway;
A new pedestrian and cycle crossing connecting Parklands areas located north and south of the highway.
Construction of a wetland feature64 for the Western Sydney Parklands;
A 14.5-metre wide vegetated median strip to provide a transition between the employment estate and the Parklands.
Mr Sartor said the site was in a prime location near Western Sydney’s transport crossroads and the new Western Sydney Parklands.
“The subdivision will have direct motorway access to the airport, Port Botany and the national highway network.
“It will offer a diverse range of job opportunities, from small to large-scale enterprises. The design of the estate will also deliver an attractive working environment with easy access to Parkland facilities.”
He said detailed planning applications now needed to be submitted for each stage of the proposed development.
A Design Review Panel will be established, including representatives from the Department of Planning, Blacktown City Council and Landcom, to assess future development proposals.
The concept plan for the land, which is owned by the Department of Planning, was exhibited to the public between September and October last year.
Landcom proposes to offer the land for the sale by public tender and proceeds would help fund the new Western Sydney Parklands Trust, as well as the acquisition of more land for regional open space.
January 23, 2007
Orange Waste Disposal
Goes Green
A $15.5 million waste processing facility to be built in the Central West has received planning approval.
. Planning Minister Frank Sartor said the Hub project north-east of Molong was a key plank in the long-term waste management strategies for the Orange and Cabonne local government areas.
“Both councils are proposing to significantly boost waste reuse and recycling rates,” Mr Sartor said. “However, existing landfill sites in the region are reaching capacity.
He said the new facility would help process and recycle waste generated by both Local Government Areas for the next 40 years.
Mr Sartor said the facility would also allow some of the existing landfills in the region to be closed and rehabilitated as well as help reduce the amount of waste going to landfill and cut greenhouse gas emissions by up to 60,000 tonnes a year.
After a visit to the site to get a first-hand look at the issues, Mr Sartor also imposed a range of conditions on the project to address community concerns.
Under the first stage of the project the Hub would only accept waste from Cabonne LGA and its capacity would be limited to 50,000 tonnes.
Waste from the Orange LGA would not be delivered until approximately 2015 when a resource reprocessing facility was built.
The RRF would help reduce the amount of waste going to landfill by allowing organic materials to be separated and broken down via composting and other processes.
Details of the final proposed design of the RRF had yet to be lodged with the Department of Planning for approval.
Mr Sartor said plans for a public waste receiving area would not be allowed to proceed.
“Both Councils are also required to prepare and implement a comprehensive waste minimisation strategy which will be reviewed by an independent team of experts,” he said.
Mr Sartor said expected odour emissions from the site were found to be well below the acceptable limits set by the Department of Environment and Conservation.
“Overall, I am confident this new facility is an important step in delivering sustainable waste management for this part of the State,” he said
January 23, 2007
Police to Win if Coalition
Marches In
The NSW Opposition has promised $450 million over four years to boost police numbers if it wins the March election.
Opposition Leader, Peter Debnam said he may also boost his police expansion plans even further once the State Government reveals its policy for the upcoming poll.
He said his funding package would provide an extra 800 general duties and 300 highway patrol police officers and keep an extra 20 police stations open 24 hours a day.
The promise falls short of a NSW Police Association call for an extra 3000 officers to be recruited, association secretary Peter Remfrey welcoming the Opposition’s promise but saying even more officers were needed.
“Week after week, the politicians announce another new policing initiative, crime prevention program, or road safety strategy but all of them are doomed to fail unless we have a commitment to 3000 extra police,” Mr Remfrey said.
Police Minister, John Watkins played down the Opposition promise saying Mr Debnam’s plan to cut 20,000 positions from the Public service would lead to many more police, including the extra 1100 officers, being tied up with paperwork.
“The people of NSW will never see any of these police that Peter Debnam has promised,” Mr Watkins said.
“Because his plan to cut 20,000 workers from vital public services will, in fact, take about 1000 police off the frontline, making them do administrative tasks.”
Mr Debnam would not rule out promising to hire even more police if the Government matched or bettered his policy when it releases its response to the Police Association demand.
“If they (the police) need more resources they’re going to get them from me,” Mr Debnam said.
Greens upper house MP Lee Rhiannon criticised both the Government and Opposition for failing to focus on the causes of youth crime instead of police numbers.
“NSW is shaping up as the ‘police state’, with the major parties’ race to out-bid each other with more police, who will be armed with unprecedented new powers and weapons,” Ms Rhiannon said.
“The community deserves more intelligent and strategic policing and preventative measures to tackle family stress, economic disadvantage, drug and alcohol abuse.”
January 23, 2007
Clouds Lifted on
Dust Claims
Submissions are being invited into a Government review of the claims resolution process for dust diseases.
A review of the legal and administrative costs in dust diseases compensation claims was set up in November 2004 to consider the issue of improving the efficiency with which dust diseases compensation claims were resolved and the final report recommended the process be reviewed after 12 months.
The current review relates to that recommendation.
A report has been prepared outlining the Review’s current position and while no major changes are proposed to the claims resolution process, a number of recommendations are made for minor amendments to improve its operation.
Submissions are invited on a new Dust Diseases Tribunal Regulation, on changes recommended in the Report and the associated Regulatory Impact Statement.
Copies of the Report, the draft Regulation and the RIS can be accessed from the following links:
Review of the Dust Diseases Claims Resolution Process
Draft Dust Diseases Tribunal Regulation 2007
Regulatory Impact Statement
January 23, 2007
Liaison Officers Beachy
Keen at Cronulla
Community liaison officers who helped calm community tension in Cronulla last summer have returned to the shire’s beaches.
The teams, made up people of Arabic-speaking background (both Muslim and Christian faiths) and non-Arabic speaking people from Sutherland or St George community organisations, are to patrol the beaches, parks and shopping mall at Cronulla seven days a week.
The return of the teams was announced by the Chair of the Community Relations Commission for a multicultural NSW, Stepan Kerkyasharian.
“This project reflects the NSW Government’s commitment to ensuring Sydney’s beaches are safe and comfortable places for all NSW families during this summer,” Mr Kerkyasharian said.
“The riots in December 2005 were a wake-up call for the whole society and the CLO program is just one of the Government’s responses to that call.”
The program, which is being run by the Community Relations Commission, seeks to promote community harmony and social cohesion in the Cronulla area. The community liaison officers would provide the community with a point of contact to discuss issues and where necessary diffuse potentially volatile situations.
“The teams will talk with picnickers, beach-goers, businesses, ministers of religion and local residents and at the end of each shift write a report about issues relating to community harmony, anti-social behaviour and community perceptions,” Mr Kerkyasharian said.
“The program which will run until after the Easter long weekend is an attempt to diffuse potentially volatile conflicts that could arise between groups in the area by dissuading beach goers from anti-social behaviour and increasing effective communication between the diverse communities in the Cronulla area.”
January 23, 2007
New Surfers’ Code
No Wipe Out
NSW Sport and Recreation has issued a code of conduct for surfers on the Central Coast in an effort to promote safer surfing and foster a culture of respect and responsibility.
The Central Coast is renowned for its magnificent beaches and surfing culture and has become a popular destination for tourists who visit to enjoy the beaches and surfing lifestyle.
Launched at Soldiers Beach, the Central Coast Surfers’ Code aims to educate and inform the surfing community, especially new surfers and visitors about the etiquette and customs associated with surfing.
Brochures and posters containing “The Surfers Code” are to be distributed locally to school children, novice surfers, tourists, surf stores, surf club members, board riders clubs, surfboard hirers and surf school students.
The brochure also contains tips for staying safe in the surf, common warning signs and flags and a map of Central Coast patrolled beaches.
NSW Sport and Recreation and surfing bodies from across the Central Coast worked together to frame the Code and raise awareness of the rules of “surfing etiquette.” The code arose out of work done on a similar surf education pilot program conducted last year in Byron Bay.
January 23, 2007
Kids’ Services All Grown
Up in Tamworth
A new headquarters for Tamworth’s Joint Investigation Response Team is expected to boost the Government’s response to serious crimes against children in the area.
JIRT teams – made up of caseworkers from the Department of Community Services and NSW Police detectives – work as a single unit to investigate the most serious reports of child abuse and related criminal offences. Previously the Tamworth staff worked in two different offices.
DoCS Northern Regional Director, Susan Priivald said the new JIRT Tamworth office would be staffed by five DoCS caseworkers and six NSW Police.
“Interview rooms have been designed to help put children, their parents and carers at ease when discussing difficult topics such as sexual and physical abuse,” Ms Priivald said.
“By March 2007 video recording suites should be in operation to allow children’s evidence to be recorded without adding additional trauma to an already distressing situation. This will also assist the child’s court proceedings.”
Joint investigations happen when a DoCS caseworker and a police officer investigate a report into child abuse where there is a possibility the abuse is a criminal offence.
“The ongoing partnership allows NSW Police to coordinate the criminal investigation while DoCS seeks to ensure the children are safe from further harm,” Ms Priivald said.
“We are all responsible for protecting children from abuse and neglect. The close links between child protection agencies is vital to ensuring a timely and coordinated service. Children, young people and families experience better outcomes from joint investigation.”
NSW Health was also involved with joint teams and provided medical examination and counselling in cases involving sexual assault.
Tamworth JIRT covers an area from Walcha to Guyra to Barraba, down to Singleton in the Hunter Region.
There are 21 JIRT teams across NSW in Albury, Ballina, Bankstown, Bathurst, Broken Hill, Chatswood, Coffs Harbour, Dubbo, Griffith, Inverell, Kogarah, Liverpool, Newcastle, Parramatta, Penrith, Port Macquarie, Queanbeyan, Tamworth, The Entrance, Wagga Wagga and Wollongong.
In late 2002 the Government announced $1.2 billion over five years to build and improve DoCS’s capacity to help the community. Of this, JIRT programs received a total boost of $18.1 million.
Members of the public concerned about a child’s well-being can contact the DoCS Helpline on 132 111
January 23, 2007
Funds and Games in
Harbour
Grants
Scheme
Applications are being sought from local Councils and community organisations for funds in the Sharing Sydney Harbour Program.
The $10 million, five-year initiative aims to improve public access to and enhance the recreational enjoyment of Sydney Harbour and was launched by former Premier, Bob Carr, last February.
Each year up to $2 million is distributed on a dollar-for-dollar basis for specific capital works projects such as walking tracks, cycle paths, new public waterfront parks, jetties, pontoons and boat launching facilities. With matching funds from applicants, the program is expected to lead to at least $20 million worth of access improvements.
The main funding agencies are the Department of Planning, Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority and the NSW Maritime Authority.
The 26 local councils and registered recreational organisations (e.g. boating or cycling clubs) in the Sydney Harbour catchment are all eligible applicants for grant funding and recreational organisations wanting to apply must have the written support of their local Council. While priority would be given to local Councils and clubs, State agencies may also be eligible for funding of “strategic projects”.
Applications for the 2007 funding round will be open from March.
To date, 96 projects across 17 council areas have received grant funds including:
22 km of new or improved walking/cycling paths
improvements to two boat ramps
open space improvements at 15 locations
new or improved small boat access facilities at 22 locations
Dinghy storage facilities at 27 locations
13 new or improved pick-up and set-down wharves and jetties.
More information on applying under the funding scheme is available from harbour@planning.nsw.gov.au.
January 23, 2007
New Site Offers Vision
of a Better PS
A new website has been developed to help streamline customer service and responsiveness in the NSW Public Service.
Aimed at encouraging and facilitating a high standard of public administration and improved accessibility and responsiveness, the new Service Principles & Obligations (SP&O) website has been designed to help NSW public sector employees achieve the key aims of the NSW State Plan.
It will do this, the Premier’s Department says, by summarising and bringing together information on the key NSW Public Sector service principles and obligations. It will also provide links to relevant source documents, guidelines and tools, and give advice on where to go for further information and help.
The SP&O website is a whole-of-government initiative and was developed by the Premier’s Department after extensive consultation with agencies such as: Attorney General’s, the Commission for Children and Young People, the Community Relations Commission for a Multicultural NSW, the Department of Aboriginal Affairs, Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care, the Department of Commerce, Department of Community Services, Department of Lands, Department of Local Government, the Audit Office, the Ombudsman, NSW Treasury and The Independent Commission Against Corruption.
The website can be accessed from the Premier’s Department homepage - www.premiers.nsw.gov.au.
A circular has been issued urging CEOs to ensure staff are advised about the site and encouraged to use it.
Each agency contributing to the website has committed to keeping it up-to-date so that it reflected developments in customer service/service delivery, particularly those related to the State Plan.
January 23, 2007
Verdict In On Jury Attitudes
A ground-breaking study of jurors in NSWhas uncovered important insights into the jury process and shed light on the attitudes and preferences of those called up to be jurors.
Conducted by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, the study was based on responses from 277 jurors from 25 juries hearing child sexual assault trials in the NSW District Court between May 2004 and December 2005.
Its major finding was that CCTV and pre-recorded evidence was very helpful to juries in coming to a verdict and was a fair way of gathering and presenting evidence.
The first-ever study of its kind in NSW and only the second ever conducted in Australia, the study required the Bureau to be granted permission to interview the jurors – a rare occurrence under Australian law – with the aim of exploring their perceptions of the fairness of the trial process where CCTV and pre-recorded evidence were used to reduce the stress on the child of either seeing the defendant or being in the courtroom.
The Bureau found that most jurors (84.0 per cent) stated that the pre-recorded tape of the child’s evidence in chief either helped “a lot” (44.6 per cent) or “quite a lot” (39.4 per cent) in understanding the child’s evidence and allowing them to see the child give a first-hand account closer to the time of the alleged offence/s.
A strong majority of jurors also said that the use of CCTV was either “quite fair” or “very fair” both to the child complainants (90.3 per cent) and to the defendants (88.0 per cent).
Jurors, however, reported more difficulty seeing and/or hearing the videotaped pre-recorded statement than seeing and/or hearing the child via CCTV. Nearly a third (32 per cent overall) said that they had problems seeing (17 per cent) or hearing (23 per cent) the pre-recorded statement because of poor quality sound or visuals.
A sizeable number of jurors (40 or 14.5 per cent) across 23 of the 25 trials nonetheless also reported problems with the CCTV equipment, including problems with the microphones and the child complainant being unable to see or hear those in the courtroom.
Nearly all the jurors (97.4 per cent) perceived that the defendants were treated either “very fairly” (59.9 per cent) or “quite fairly” (37.6 per cent) in court. However, whereas 85.1 per cent of judges were seen as “very fair” to child complainants, only 58 per cent of prosecution lawyers and 33.9 per cent of defence lawyers were seen as “very fair”.
Jurors had both positive and negative views about being a juror on a child sexual assault trial: 64 per cent of the 277 jurors made favourable comments about their experience; 65 per cent made negative comments.
The positive comments referred to the value of learning how the legal system operated, seeing justice done and “making the right decision”. The negative comments included having to make a decision based on uncertain evidence, general frustration with the legal process including concerns about the “completeness” of the evidence they were allowed to hear, and the stressful, unpleasant and emotional nature of the subject matter
January 23, 2007
Working Together
is Planner’s Plan
The Department of Planning has made clear its intention to work closely with local councils to manage future housing and employment capacities across Sydney.
According to Director General of Planning, Sam Haddad 10 subregional strategies were being developed in consultation with local councils to ensure a coordinated approach to managing Sydney’s growth over the next 25 years as part of the Government’s Metropolitan Strategy,.
Mr Haddad said that the combination of employment and housing planning will help to deliver jobs closer to home, consistent with the State Plan.
“The subregional strategies will indicate how the Metropolitan Strategy applies at a local level,” Mr Haddad said.
“We have invited councils to provide their important local input during the very early stages of the process rather than waiting until the plans are released for public comment.
“Including employment and housing capacity in this consultation process will help us to design communities which provide local employment opportunities as well as other important factors such as good access to public transport.”
Mr Haddad said that the Department has so far provided indicative, unofficial figures to councils as a starting point for discussion about long-term subregional housing needs.
“The housing figures have been developed using the Department’s METRIX subregional planning tool.”
He said it was important to remember that the figures were indicative only and had no official status but the process allowed the Department to get feedback from councils.
“It’s all part of the ongoing consultation that is central to the delivery of the subregional strategies.”
Mr Haddad also said that following requests from councils, additional time has been allocated for this process.
“The subregional planning process is critical in planning for the future of metropolitan Sydney and it should not be rushed.
“We need to work together to ensure Sydney grows in a sustainable and coordinated way,” he said.
January 16 2007
New Site Offers Vision
of a Better PS
A new website has been developed to help streamline customer service and responsiveness in the NSW Public Service.
Aimed at encouraging and facilitating a high standard of public administration and improved accessibility and responsiveness, the new Service Principles & Obligations (SP&O) website has been designed to help NSW public sector employees achieve the key aims of the NSW State Plan.
It will do this, the Premier’s Department says, by summarising and bringing together information on the key NSW Public Sector service principles and obligations. It will also provide links to relevant source documents, guidelines and tools, and give advice on where to go for further information and help.
The SP&O website is a whole-of-government initiative and was developed by the Premier’s Department after extensive consultation with agencies such as: Attorney General’s, the Commission for Children and Young People, the Community Relations Commission for a Multicultural NSW, the Department of Aboriginal Affairs, Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care, the Department of Commerce, Department of Community Services, Department of Lands, Department of Local Government, the Audit Office, the Ombudsman, NSW Treasury and The Independent Commission Against Corruption.
The website can be accessed from the Premier’s Department homepage - www.premiers.nsw.gov.au.
A circular has been issued urging CEOs to ensure staff are advised about the site and encouraged to use it.
Each agency contributing to the website has committed to keeping it up-to-date so that it reflected developments in customer service/service delivery, particularly those related to the State Plan.
January 16 2007
Premier Says Answer
to Violence Not Blue
A new plan to tackle community violence is to concentrate on initiatives such as a revamped Neighbourhood Watch and better late night transport rather than increased numbers of police.
Following a spate of vicious street crimes across the State, Premier Morris Iemma has not ruled out more police but said effective policing was about quality not quantity.
While police numbers would be boosted by 750 in a few weeks time, Mr Iemma said the Government had yet to decide whether to respond to the Police Association’s call for even more police.
“Policing is not just about numbers,” Mr Iemma said. “Policing is also about intelligence and using the latest in technology, the equipment and the powers, all of which the Government has provided.”
NSW Police Commissioner Ken Moroney agreed with the Premier.
Mr Moroney said that while numbers were important, the way in which police responded to the community’s needs was crucial to tackling crime in the future.
“It’s not just about blue shirts,” Mr Moroney said. “Important as police numbers are, ... over and above that is the importance of having the right mix of personnel.”
Mr Moroney dismissed suggestions NSW was lagging behind London and New York, which have about twice the number of police per capita.
January 16 2007
Service a Winner
at
Home and Away
The Minister for Ageing and Disability Services, John Della Bosca, has praised the efforts of the Home Care Service during the past year and in the lead up to the holiday period.
“It is important at this time of year to recognise the wonderful job the Home Care Service does in enabling people with a disability and the frail aged to remain in their own homes among their own communities over the holiday season,” Mr Della Bosca said.
He said the festive season was a time when families and friends were able to provide additional assistance to Home Care clients.
“For others, however, it is the time of year when the need for Home Care is even more critical, as their informal supports may not be available.”
Mr Della Bosca said the Home Care Service helped more than 40,000 clients on average, with 8000 new recipients in the past six months.
A recent survey of Home Care recipients has revealed the service had been greatly improved.
“Ninety-four per cent of survey respondents cited a high standard of service, with promptness, reliability and quality of staff as the main reasons for their satisfaction with the service,” Mr Della Bosca said.
“Importantly, significant numbers of both carers and those being cared for said the assistance provided by Home Care enabled them to continue to live at home rather than enter residential aged care.”
The survey reflected the improvements made by Home Care to its organisational structure, which had resulted in improved services throughout the State.
“One such example is the Referral Assessment Centre, which is the state-wide referral intake point for Home Care services,” Mr Della Bosca said.
“It is equipped with a call centre and email facilities for the receipt of referrals from a wide range of sources such as hospitals, community health centres, Aged Care Assessment Teams, individuals and carers.”
Mr Della Bosca said the time it took for new requests to be assessed had been considerably reduced and as a result more quality care was being provided to those who needed it, when they needed it.
Home Care had also implemented a comprehensive communication strategy to ensure the contribution of stakeholders in the design, management and delivery of services. This strategy included:
direct and continued involvement of clients in assessing their service needs;
the involvement of appropriate health and allied health professionals;
regular meetings with peak bodies such as NCOSS and Carers NSW;
and regular monitoring of services.
“The Home Care Service of NSW has done a tremendous job in providing an increasingly growing number of people with quality care services and the workers over the past few months,” Mr Della Bosca said.
January 16 2007
5-Year Plan to Beat Aboriginal Child Abuse
The NSW Government has unveiled a 5-year plan to combat child abuse in the State’s Aboriginal communities.
Under the plan, NSW police would boost their surveillance and gathering of evidence in remote communities in a stepped-up effort to crack paedophile rings and Aboriginal men accused of sexually molesting children would face tough bail restrictions to prevent them bullying their victims into silence.
The plan includes 88 “circuit breakers” to combat “endemic and intergenerational” child abuse in NSW indigenous communities and deal with “one of the most pressing social issues.”
The measures were in response to a report last year by a taskforce that found low levels of reporting of child sexual assault in Aboriginal communities and high rates of victims and witnesses withdrawing from prosecutions.
According to Deputy Premier, John Watkins the plan would ensure Aboriginal people had better access to services and would reduce disadvantage and dysfunction in Aboriginal communities.
Mr Watkins said the new measures would foster leadership in Aboriginal communities and make them safer.
“There is no easy solution to the terrible scourge of child sexual abuse, so the response in each location will be different,” Mr Watkins said.
“It will require a balance of law enforcement, child protection, community leadership, early intervention and prevention initiatives.”
For Aboriginal girls under the age of 16 the rate of sexual abuse is more than double the rate of non-Aboriginal females in the same age group, he said.
The Aboriginal Child Sexual Assault Taskforce visited 29 metropolitan and remote indigenous communities in NSW and found child sexual assault was a huge issue in each of them.
January 16 2007
Verdict In On Jury
Attitudes
A ground-breaking study of jurors in NSW has uncovered important insights into the jury process and shed light on the attitudes and preferences of those called up to be jurors.
Conducted by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, the study was based on responses from 277 jurors from 25 juries hearing child sexual assault trials in the NSW District Court between May 2004 and December 2005.
Its major finding was that CCTV and pre-recorded evidence was very helpful to juries in coming to a verdict and was a fair way of gathering and presenting evidence.
The first-ever study of its kind in NSW and only the second ever conducted in Australia, the study required the Bureau to be granted permission to interview the jurors – a rare occurrence under Australian law – with the aim of exploring their perceptions of the fairness of the trial process where CCTV and pre-recorded evidence were used to reduce the stress on the child of either seeing the defendant or being in the courtroom.
The Bureau found that most jurors (84.0 per cent) stated that the pre-recorded tape of the child’s evidence in chief either helped “a lot” (44.6 per cent) or “quite a lot” (39.4 per cent) in understanding the child’s evidence and allowing them to see the child give a first-hand account closer to the time of the alleged offence/s.
A strong majority of jurors also said that the use of CCTV was either “quite fair” or “very fair” both to the child complainants (90.3 per cent) and to the defendants (88.0 per cent).
Jurors, however, reported more difficulty seeing and/or hearing the videotaped pre-recorded statement than seeing and/or hearing the child via CCTV. Nearly a third (32 per cent overall) said that they had problems seeing (17 per cent) or hearing (23 per cent) the pre-recorded statement because of poor quality sound or visuals.
A sizeable number of jurors (40 or 14.5 per cent) across 23 of the 25 trials nonetheless also reported problems with the CCTV equipment, including problems with the microphones and the child complainant being unable to see or hear those in the courtroom.
Nearly all the jurors (97.4 per cent) perceived that the defendants were treated either “very fairly” (59.9 per cent) or “quite fairly” (37.6 per cent) in court. However, whereas 85.1 per cent of judges were seen as “very fair” to child complainants, only 58 per cent of prosecution lawyers and 33.9 per cent of defence lawyers were seen as “very fair”.
Jurors had both positive and negative views about being a juror on a child sexual assault trial: 64 per cent of the 277 jurors made favourable comments about their experience; 65 per cent made negative comments.
The positive comments referred to the value of learning how the legal system operated, seeing justice done and “making the right decision”. The negative comments included having to make a decision based on uncertain evidence, general frustration with the legal process including concerns about the “completeness” of the evidence they were allowed to hear, and the stressful, unpleasant and emotional nature of the subject matter.
January 16 2007
RTA Victim of Highway
Robbery
The Independent Commission Against Corruption has found a former officer of the Roads and Traffic Authority and a friend conspired to defraud the RTA and RailCorp.
In an investigation report tabled in Parliament, ICAC alleged that fraudulent schemes were set up by RTA employee Damien Job and businessman Terence Stepto, to claim payments from the RTA and RailCorp by Mr Stepto’s businesses when they were not entitled to those payments. The Commission also examined payments made by Mr Stepto to bank accounts it believed were controlled by Mr and Mrs Job.
Until his resignation in March 2006, Mr Job was employed by the RTA as its Traffic Operations Manager. His duties included responsibility for tidal flow operations, which are services to regulate traffic flow at peak periods. He was also responsible for clearway tidal contracts.
According to ICAC, Mr Stepto was a personal friend of Mr Job of 20 years and a businessman who operated a number of business entities which conducted work for the RTA.
The investigation, known as Operation Quilla, examined the conduct of Mr Job and Mr Stepto in relation to the awarding of RTA tidal flow contracts, alleging that payments for one of the tidal flow sites continued long after work had ceased at that site. It said the RTA paid $214, 000 on the basis of invoices submitted by Mr Stepto and approved by Mr Job.
In addition, ICAC examined the conduct of Mr Job and Mr Stepto in relation to invoices submitted to the RTA for repairs of “candy bars” (moveable traffic lane markers) and socket cleaning. It said there were fraudulent invoices sent to the RTA for the supply of new candy bars. These invoices, submitted between May 2003 and May 2005, resulted in the RTA paying more than $92, 000 for new candy bars which ICAC said did not exist.
RailCorp also made payments to two businesses operated by Mr Stepto for work claimed to have been done in response to 19 rail shutdowns. However, ICAC has alleged the work was actually done by the RTA or RTA contractors. RailCorp’s payments to Mr Stepto’s business for this work totalled more than $257,000.
The investigation also identified systemic weaknesses and made 16 recommendations to the RTA and 14 recommendations to RailCorp to minimise or prevent corrupt conduct and improper work practices.
The ICAC made corrupt conduct findings against Mr Job and Mr Stepto.
The Commission is seeking the advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions in relation to the prosecution of Mr Job and Mr Stepto for criminal offences including obtaining money by false or misleading statements, inducing persons to enter into certain arrangements by misleading statements, and bribery. Advice was also being sought in relation to the prosecution of Mr Stepto for giving false and misleading evidence to the Commission under the ICAC Act.
January 16 2007
Speedy Diploma Just the
Business at TAFE
Business administration students at TAFE NSW Riverina Institute’s Wagga Wagga Campus would be able to complete a Diploma in just 12 months from this year.
This opportunity has never been offered before at Wagga Wagga and would enable students who enrolled in and completed the Certificate III in Business Administration in first semester to then go on to enrol in the Diploma level course.
According to the head teacher of Business Administration and Technology at Wagga Wagga, Shirley Durigo, this is an exciting concept because no one had ever offered a full-time Business Administration Diploma in the Riverina before.
“The way this program is set up, students integrate straight from the Certificate III into the Diploma and they can study full time to be course complete within just 12 months,” Ms Durigo said
She said the skills students learned over the year would set them in good stead to work in any business environment.
“In the first six months they will develop their skills using MS Office applications as well as finance, written communication and customer service skills.”
The second half of the year would be spent taking their computer skills to much higher level in word processing, spreadsheets and database technologies. Students would also learn project management, administration and chairing of meetings, leadership and professional development of staff.
“This is a really exciting opportunity, particularly for people who are looking for real job outcomes in areas such as office management and executive assistant roles,” Ms Durigo said.
For more information about this full-time one-year Diploma in Business Administration call TAFE NSW Riverina Institute Wagga Wagga Campus on 02 6938 1300 or attend an information session on Wednesday 24 January at 11am or 6pm.
The Diploma in Business Administration would also be offered at the Albury, Cootamundra, Leeton, Tumut, Temora, West Wyalong and Young Campuses in 2007.
More information is available from 1300 138 318.
January 16 2007
Summer Holiday Tips
Take Pressure Off
With the summer school holidays now well underway the Department of Community Services is at the ready to support parents finding the going tough.
DoCS’ Central Coast Regional Director, Anne Maree Gleeson said parenting was a tough job at the best of times and could be even harder during the school holidays.
“With the excitement of Christmas and new year celebrations now over, parents may start to hear their children say, ‘I’m bored’,” Ms Gleeson said.
“Parents are encouraged to look at DoCS’ School Holiday Parent Kit for tips on a range of topics including water safety, keeping the kids entertained and how to cope with stress during the holidays.”
She said that keeping children entertained when they had so much free time on their hands could be very costly but there were many inexpensive and free activities to keep in mind.
“Building a cubby house or obstacle course, going for a family bike ride, flying a kite, cooking together, listening to music and dancing, having a family picnic or barbeque and visiting the local library are just some of the practical ideas in the kit,” she said.
The kit contains 10 fact sheets, covering topics including:
Activities – great ideas to keep kids active and entertained
TV, computers and the internet – tips for monitoring time and content
Home alone – information to help you decide whether your children are ready to be left at home on their own
Child safety – suggestions for the home, neighbourhood and when driving
Farm safety – important guidelines if you live on or are visiting a farm
Sun safety – information so families can play safely outdoors
Water safety – guidelines to make sure everyone plays safely in the water
Kids in cars – tips to take the hassle out of travelling with children and warnings about leaving them alone in parked cars
Tackling holiday stress – hints to help parents deal with the combination of the festive season and kids being on school holidays
Preparing for school – planning so parents and children are ready for the step up to “big school”.
In NSW the school holidays began on Friday 22 December and finish on Sunday 28 January.
The kit is is a free resource available online at www.community.nsw.gov.au/html/parenting/survival_kit.htm
The kit was prepared by DoCS with information from the following agencies: Kidsafe, Roads and Traffic Authority, NSW Sport and Recreation, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, YMCA, Country Public Libraries Association, Metropolitan Public Libraries Association, Tourism NSW, Office of Fair Trading, Surf Life Saving Australia, PCYC NSW, Network of Community Activities, NSW Health, Cancer Council NSW, Australian Communication and Media Authority, Farmsafe NSW, Kids Health – The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Department of Education and Training, Royal Life Saving Society Australia.
Parents needing help during the school holidays could also call specially trained staff at the DoCS-funded Parent Line on 132 055 for advice and assistance.
January 16 2007
Working Together
is Planner’s Plan
The Department of Planning has made clear its intention to work closely with local councils to manage future housing and employment capacities across Sydney.
According to Director General of Planning, Sam Haddad 10 subregional strategies were being developed in consultation with local councils to ensure a coordinated approach to managing Sydney’s growth over the next 25 years as part of the Government’s Metropolitan Strategy,.
Mr Haddad said that the combination of employment and housing planning will help to deliver jobs closer to home, consistent with the State Plan.
“The subregional strategies will indicate how the Metropolitan Strategy applies at a local level,” Mr Haddad said.
“We have invited councils to provide their important local input during the very early stages of the process rather than waiting until the plans are released for public comment.
“Including employment and housing capacity in this consultation process will help us to design communities which provide local employment opportunities as well as other important factors such as good access to public transport.”
Mr Haddad said that the Department has so far provided indicative, unofficial figures to councils as a starting point for discussion about long-term subregional housing needs.
“The housing figures have been developed using the Department’s METRIX subregional planning tool.”
He said it was important to remember that the figures were indicative only and had no official status but the process allowed the Department to get feedback from councils.
“It’s all part of the ongoing consultation that is central to the delivery of the subregional strategies.”
Mr Haddad also said that following requests from councils, additional time has been allocated for this process.
“The subregional planning process is critical in planning for the future of metropolitan Sydney and it should not be rushed.
“We need to work together to ensure Sydney grows in a sustainable and coordinated way,” he said.
January 16 2007
National Parks Brought
to Book in New Guide
The National Parks and Wildlife Service has released its 2007 Guide to NSW National Parks, a free 68-page, full colour booklet packed with information on more than 200 parks and reserves
Head of NPWS, Dr Tony Fleming, said the publication featured a fantastic array of parks and activities around Sydney and across NSW, what to see in each park and how to get there.
“Whether looking for waterfalls or Aboriginal rock art, beaches or snow capped mountains, the 2007 Guide is an excellent resource,” Dr Fleming said.
“It’s great for people planning holidays, camping trips or just a picnic in their local national park.”
Dr Fleming said the guide was user friendly with a straightforward design that made it simple for people to locate their favourite park or reserve.
“It is also easy to find a new park and reserve to explore for the first time using state and regional maps.
“Each listing details park highlights, access information, available facilities and contact details for further information. The guide includes great camping spots, bushfire safety tips, Aboriginal and historic sites and locations for watching whales and finding native animals.”
Dr Fleming said highlights of the Guide included:
the beaches, rolling dunes and lush rainforests of the Northern Rivers;
the wild rivers and granite gorges of the New England Tablelands;
the wilderness and coastal lakes of the Hunter and Mid North Coast;
Sydney’s harbour parks and rugged bushlands;
the quiet waterways and winter snowfields of the South Coast and Highlands;
the open plains and rock outcrops of the state’s Centre; and
the red deserts and glittering dry lakes of the Outback.
The Guide to NSW National Parks 2007 can be picked up from national parks visitor centres and outlets or can be requested from the Environment Line on 1300 361 967. Further information on national parks and the activities available in them can be found at on the www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au.
January 16 2007
Nothing Fishy About New
Research Centre
The Department of Primary Industries is to play a major role in a Seafood Cooperative Research Centre which aims to increase the supply and value of seafood to meet increasing demands.
DPI Senior Research Scientist, Dr Wayne O’Connor said the CRC had been formed after two years of intensive collaboration between the seafood industry, Government agencies and research providers.
“In total 39 companies, industry bodies, research institutions and Government agencies across the country have pledged their cash or in-kind support to the $135 million program,” Dr O’Connor said.
The Australian seafood industry is the sixth most valuable of Australia’s food-based primary industries, with a gross value of production of $2.05 billion in 2004/05.
Dr O’Connor said the benefits to Australia and NSW would be great.
“The main benefit of the CRC to NSW will be increased supply and value of seafood to meet increasing demands as the population grows and, more importantly as the health benefits of seafood are increasingly recognised.
“The increases will come from greater aquaculture production, improved supply chain management and increased public awareness of the benefits of seafood.”
Dr O’Connor said the NSW per capita consumption of seafood was increasing rapidly – more than 15kg per person per year.
With supply from wild-caught fisheries decreasing to help ensure sustainability, aquaculture production needed to increase to meet the growing demand.
“The Seafood CRC will concentrate on a number of key areas in NSW including, improving the value and production of oysters, developing commercial inland saline aquaculture, adding value to irrigation water used for cotton farming in NSW by producing a crop of fish before it is used on crops, developing marine fish aquaculture and improving the supply chain and management to overcome problems with quality assurance and distribution,” Dr O’Connor said.