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SearchArchives for October 2009
28 October, 2009
Ombudsman lodges
own PS complaint
The NSW Ombudsman has called on the Public Service to “restore integrity” to the Government sector, saying too many of his investigations revealed lapses in ethics and honesty that only undermined confidence in PS processes.
Tabling his Annual Report for 2008-09 in Parliament, the Ombudsman, Bruce Barbour, said too many Public Servants saw professional integrity as an “old-fashioned concept” that could be considered optional.
“Integrity is essential to good public administration and is something the public demands,” the Ombudsman said.
“It isn’t out of style and it certainly isn’t optional.”
He said the failure of Public Servants to live up to the PS standards were often the cause of complaints to his office and served to discredit the Agency concerned and the broader Public Service generally.
Examples he cited included a Local Council that knowingly levied illegal charges, police lying to protect colleagues and Public Servants misleading people about FoI documents and deliberately processing applications incorrectly.
He said the level of unprofessionalism being uncovered could cost the NSW community dearly.
“We are never going to prosper as a State unless the public and our business community have confidence that officials do the right thing,” the Ombudsman said.
“Holding people accountable for their actions continues to be a critical element of good public administration.”
In his Annual Report, Mr Barbour noted that 2009 marked the 200th anniversary of the first Ombudsman being appointed in Sweden.
He said the case studies and investigations included in his 2008-09 report showed there was a continuing need for an Ombudsman in NSW to make sure the expected standards were met.
‘We provide an important public safety net when people are let down because of incompetence or unreasonable conduct’ Mr Barbour said.
“Overcoming delays, miscommunication and misunderstanding to achieve quick, positive outcomes for problems that should never have happened is a core part of what we do.”
The Ombudsman’s Annual Report shows that his office had received 32,994 complaints and notifications in 2008-09 of which 24,252 were informal and 8,742 formal.
He said his office audited over 10,000 Agency records and interviewed more than 1,300 people during the year.
A full copy of the Ombudsman’s report can be accessed at www.ombo.nsw.gov.au
28 October, 2009
Storm water deal
up and running
The City of Sydney and the State Government have joined forces to capture millions of litres of water from the streets of Sydney to protect drinking water supplies.
Premier, Nathan Rees said the partnership was the first of its kind between Sydney Water and Local Governments to harvest water from Sydney Water’s network.
Mr Rees said the project would start by capturing 50 million litres of water in and around Alexandria to be used to irrigate Sydney Park.
“Up to 440 million litres of runoff water will be saved from going down the drain,” he said.
“That is the size of 440 Olympic sized swimming pools or the total water used each year by around 2,200 families.”
Mr Rees said the City of Sydney Council would build the infrastructure for the initiative once the Government had given it access to Sydney Water’s network.
He said the State would commit $100,000 to monitor the scheme.
“I want to encourage other Councils to follow Sydney’s lead and adopt water saving programs like this,” Mr Rees said.
Minister for Water, Phil Costa said Sydney Water’s network received one quarter of Sydney’s total storm water runoff.
“I hope the Sydney Park project is the first of many more joint projects that will tap into this resource in the future,” Mr Costa said.
“New guidelines available from today will make it easier for Councils to adopt local harvesting projects through our existing network.”
Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore said Sydney Park was just one of several storm water harvesting projects the City had implemented or had in the pipeline to create a sustainable water supply.
Ms Moore said the Council had completed consultation on the scheme and aimed to have it operating by mid 2010.
“At Sydney Park the scheme will provide additional water to improve the health of the wetlands and ultimately to irrigate the park,” she said
“In the longer term, schemes such as the Sydney Park water harvesting proposal could be expanded so that recycled water would be available for other users, such as nearby local industries which may currently be using potable water.”
28 October, 2009
Newsletter opens door
to events in the House
A new publication summarising what took place in the NSW Legislative Council during the sitting week has been launched by the Clerk of the Parliaments, Lynn Lovelock.
Ms Lovelock said The House in Review would be particularly useful to Public Servants who were short on time but needed to know what was happening in the Parliament.
“It’s a great way to keep up to date with what’s happening in the Legislative Council without having to trawl through lots of different databases,” she said.
Ms Lovelock said The House in Review would be published at the end of each sitting week.
She said it would comprise of a summary of the business of the NSW Legislative Council for that week, including the progress of legislation and amendments to legislation, orders for papers made and documents tabled and the outcome of items of business debated by members.
Ms Lovelock said the publication would also include any petitions received and the topics of member’s adjournment speeches.
She said The House in Review would be available from the ‘What’s New’ section of the NSW Parliament’s website, www.parliament.nsw.gov.au, and would be published after 3pm on the Friday of each sitting week.
“If members of the public would like to have The House in Review emailed to them, they can send their email address to council@parliament.nsw.gov.au, with the subject heading ‘The House in Review’ and we’ll send it straight to their inbox,” Ms Lovelock said.
28 October, 2009
Union takes shot
at hunting plan
The Public Service Association has spoken out against recreational hunting in national parks following reports the Government has been negotiating with the Shooters Party on the issue.
General Secretary of the Association, John Cahill said allowing recreational hunting in the parks would compromise the safety of PSA members who worked in them and members of the community
Mr Cahill said feral animal control programs would also be compromised.
“Our members have been working very hard to control and manage feral animals on park,” he said.
“The National Parks and Wildlife Service spends a significant amount of its budget on feral animal control and has extensive programs to control these pest species on park.”
Mr Cahill said professional contractors were engaged to dispatch animals in a humane manner.
He said recreational hunters had inadvertently killed domestic animals in the past.
The PSA has directed any members working in national parks, including park rangers, not to participate in or assist with any support for the establishment of hunting in the parks.
“Without the support of the Park Rangers it is highly unlikely that this activity can be introduced into National Parks in New South Wales,” Mr Cahill said.
28 October, 2009
Council guidelines
pick up on tenders
New Guidelines to help Councils tender for goods and services have been released by the Minister for Local Government, Barbara Perry.
Ms Perry announced the Guidelines at the Local Government Association annual conference, saying they applied to all 152 NSW Councils.
“NSW Local Councils are responsible for a combined annual operating budget of $8 billion dollars,” she said.
“So it’s essential that they achieve the best value for their ratepayers at all times.”
Ms Perry said the Guidelines were designed to help Councils consistently apply proper tendering principals when purchasing goods and services.
“The Guidelines emphasise the need to obtain best value, promote the principles of fairness and competition, and make clear the necessity for Councils to be open and transparent in all their dealings,” she said.
“Big purchases need careful planning and a process to be followed.”
Ms Perry said all Councils should call tenders where the estimated expenditure or receipt exceeded $150,000 and were encouraged to consider using tendering processes when a lesser amount was involved.
She said Councils must not adopt practices such as contract splitting and that tendering processes should involve Councillors, managers and those responsible for the on-ground delivery of services.
Ms Perry said the Guidelines were developed in consultation with Councils, the Local Government and Shires Association, the Independent Commission Against Corruption, the Ombudsman, the Department of Commerce and other Departments and industry bodies.
28 October, 2009
Caring and work are
hard work for carers
A report on the challenges facing mature aged workers who have elder care responsibilities has been commissioned by NSW Industrial Relations.
The report, Taking Care: Mature age workers with elder care responsibilities, found caring for the elderly has significant economic impacts on the carer, the workplace and employers’ human resource agendas.
It found elder care is a gendered issue, with the vast majority of carers being women related to the older person who are in their peak working years of 35 to 54.
NSW Industrial Relations commissioned the report to look into Government policies to support ageing ‘at home’ with a reliance on informal care and policies to promote mature age workers’ increased labour force participation.
The report said workers’ elder care responsibilities were likely to increase significantly over the next few years which would impact further on the workplace. “The cost of informal elder care is substantial whether measured in terms of potential income foregone by carers due to caregiving or in terms of what it would cost to employ another to replace the informal caregiver,” the report said.
It said workers with caring responsibilities had adverse impacts on the workplace when they changed jobs, reduced their working hours or refused a promotion in order to provide care.
“Adverse financial effects, loss of workforce skills by those who reduce working hours or leave work to care, work-life imbalance resulting from caring responsibilities and adverse health and social impacts all affect mature age worker-carers,” the report said.
The report found a minority of working-age women and men who were not in the labour force as carers re-entered it once they no longer had caring responsibilities and that substantial numbers of carers not in paid employment would like to work.
It revealed carers faced barriers to work including difficulties in arranging work hours and a lack of alternative care arrangements.
“Workers’ elder care responsibilities are likely to increase significantly over the next few years, bringing new challenges for Governments, employers and workplace policy,” the report said.
The report highlighted the need for the increased availability of flexible working arrangements for carers and increased research to support targeted policy responses to address carer concerns.
The report recommended a policy be implemented to provide workers with elder care responsibilities with a right to request flexible work.
It suggested the policy consider which workers and employers should be covered, when an employer should be able to turn down a request for flexible work and if or when a worker could appeal against a refusal.
The report was conducted by the Women and Work Research Group at the University of Sydney.
28 October, 2009
Ombudsman’s report
no cause for complaint
The NSW Ombudsman has tabled its Annual Report for 2008-09, highlighting the number of complaints and notifications received by the office.
Ombudsman, Bruce Barbour said during 2008-09 the office received 32,994 complaints and notifications, 24,252 of which were informal and 8,742 which were formal.
Mr Barbour said the report emphasised the need to restore integrity to Government services, as well as some positive outcomes from projects aimed at fixing administrative problems.
“Too many Public Servants think integrity is an old fashioned, optional concept,” he said.
“Integrity is essential to good public administration and is something the public demands – it isn’t out of style and it certainly isn’t optional.”
Mr Barbour said one of the functions of the Ombudsman was to overcome delays, miscommunication and misunderstandings to achieve quick, positive outcomes for problems that should never have happened.
“We provide an important public safety net when people are let down because of incompetence or unreasonable conduct.”
“We are never going to prosper as a State unless the public and our business community have confidence that officials do the right thing.”
Mr Barbour said the Ombudsman’s “systematic investigations” allowed it to go beyond legislation, policy and procedure to see what was actually happening.
“Elaborate policies and procedures are of no use if they are not effective or are not being correctly applied,” he said.
Mr Barbour said Agencies needed to make sure they had good communication links with the public to ensure people were aware of what was happening within Government.
“People’s frustration and anger with Government Departments often stems from poor communication,” he said.
“Small problems should be dealt with quickly before they have the opportunity to escalate.”
Mr Barbour highlighted a number of incidents of poor behaviour among Police officers and landlords.
“Holding people accountable for their actions continues to be a critical element of good public administration and there is a continuing need for the Ombudsman to make sure this happens,” he said.
During the year the Ombudsman’s office audited over 10,000 Agency records and consulted over 1,300 people as part of its investigations and reviews
The NSW Ombudsman Annual Report 08-09 was available from www.ombo.nsw.gov.au
28 October, 2009
Tourist authorities
are fellow travellers
The NSW and Queensland tourist authorities have joined forces to attract more international visitors to the east coast.
NSW Premier, Nathan Rees said the three year, $8.8 million marketing partnership was between the two States and a number of international airlines including V Australia, Singapore Airlines, Jetstar and Emirates.
Mr Rees said the partnership would showcase the best of what NSW and Queensland had to offer international markets.
“It sends a very clear message to other States and the rest of the world that we are serious about international tourism,” he said.
Mr Rees said NSW and Queensland already commanded the greatest market share of international holiday visitors, nights and expenditure in Australia.
“Eight out of every 10 international holiday visitors visit NSW and/or Queensland during their time in Australia,” he said.
“That’s around 2.2 million people every year, from a total of 2.8 million international holiday visitors, injecting more than $3.9 billion annually into our economies.”
Mr Rees said the partnership would allow the States to “aggressively pursue” more and more international visitors and continue to dominate the tourism market.
The partnership is expected to initially target international consumers in Japan, the USA, China, the UK and Europe.
Queensland Premier, Anna Bligh said the partnership would offer significant new opportunities to the inbound tourism industry in NSW and Queensland, and throughout Australia.
“As far as tourism is concerned we’re on the same side. We want people to come from overseas and enjoy our two great States,” Ms Bligh said.
28 October, 2009
Food security plan
is on the boil
An action plan to tackle future food security has been announced by the Minister for Primary Industries, Ian Macdonald.
As part of the plan, Research for Action – Productivity and Food Security, Mr MacDonald urged NSW farmers to consider ways to produce more food while still using the same resources.
“Fortunately, consumers in NSW are unlikely to go hungry in the foreseeable future, however for the developing world - the food crisis has already arrived,” he said.
“NSW plays a vital role in directly feeding people in developing nations because we export around half of our agricultural produce and our research helps developing nations address food security issues.
“Global food output must increase by 75 per cent by the year 2025, and it must have doubled by 2050 to meet expected demand.”
Mr Macdonald said the action plan contained a number of strategies including developing new ways to increase productivity and efficiency; developing new crops; improving ways to feed livestock; enhancing breeding systems; identifying alternative markets for agricultural products; and establishing functional foods that reduce the risk of lifestyle diseases.
He unveiled the research plan as part of a food security forum in Sydney.
Mr Macdonald said food security was one of the biggest issues facing the planet and needed to be overcome.
“Providing food has been a challenge for society for centuries, but the primary industries sector is experiencing rapid change,” he said.
“World-wide food shortages, rising food prices, the global financial crisis, a changing climate, other environmental issues, skill shortages and increasing biosecurity threats are issues affecting food security right now.”
Mr MacDonald said research, improvements in technology and working with industry partners were some of the best ways to improve agriculture productivity and conquer the food shortage.
“Research is critical to our State’s agricultural industries, which are worth $7.7 billion and employ around 73,400 people across NSW,” he said.
“Industry & Investment NSW has more than 700 scientists and technicians working on more than 900 projects at any one time.”
Mr MacDonald said the projects included the adaptation of new technologies to improve resource use such as water efficiency.
“Now, more than ever, it’s time we start working on solutions to sustain our harvest,” he said.
28 October, 2009
RTA tickled by
feathered nest
The Roads and Traffic Authority has announced the artificial nesting site it organised for ospreys nesting on the Harwood Bridge has been successful.
The RTA said the resident Harwood ospreys had proven their satisfaction by hatching their chicks in the new structure rather than on the bridge.
A spokesperson for the RTA said observation showed the ospreys preferred to use their new nest over the existing natural habitat of the Harwood area.
“It is great to see the birds have taken to their new nests and are now breeding,” the spokesperson said.
The RTA erected the artificial nest following its 2007 plans to overhaul the lift span on the Harwood Bridge, which crosses the Clarence River.
“The RTA was aware that ospreys were using the bridge structure as a nesting site,” the RTA said in a statement.
“Unfortunately this was not an ideal situation for either the ospreys or the RTA.
“To improve the safety of the ospreys and their chicks the RTA started to look at alternative measures to deter the ospreys from using Harwood Bridge as a nest site.”
The artificial nest was erected in consultation with an osprey expert in 2008 and includes a nest cradle fixed to the top of a 30m pole.
The pole was installed on the riverbank on the southern side of the bridge.
The ospreys have also been using the Wardell and McFarlane bridge as nesting areas.
“The Ospreys are magnificent birds that have become a real fixture of these three communities,” the RTA spokesperson said.
“Over the years the RTA has been careful to look after our resident ospreys when maintaining the bridges and many of our work crews have developed a real affection and keen interest in the birds’ welfare.”
28 October, 2009
Police take shot at
firearm simulation
A state-of-the-art Virtual Firearm Training System has been unveiled at the NSW Police Force College in Goulburn.
Minister for Police, Michael Daley said the $2.38 million system used the latest computer technology to simulate situations police officers were likely to face and to help train new students and serving police officers.
Mr Daley said virtual firearms training systems were used internationally and by the Australian and US Armies to train students in the use of firearms, tasers and sprays.
“Every scenario can be presented to each student in exactly the same way, which provides an accurate method of comparing the performance of each student, and ensures no student is unfairly disadvantaged,” he said.
“This type of training also provides a safer environment, with less lead residues and noise, which can be issues with live fire training.
“This new system also allows for training 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, regardless of the weather or time of day.”
Police Commissioner, Andrew Scipione welcomed the new system.
“One of the most important aspects of this new system is that it also allows instructors to monitor a student’s performance and provide real time feedback to the students,” Mr Scipione said.
“This means that any issues can be identified earlier in the students’ training and be quickly fixed.”
He said the facility would not lead to a reduction in live fire training for officers as live fire training remained a necessary part of their qualifications.
“Training staff at the College are already using the Virtual Firearm Training System to develop training modules,” Mr Scipione said.
“Police Cadets and serving officers will get their first chance to use the state of the art system in January 2010.”
28 October, 2009
Pool laws open gate
to safer fences
Swimming pool regulations are to be revamped with the introduction of new laws into Parliament.
Minister for Local Government, Barbara Perry said the laws would require all backyard swimming pools in the State to have a four-sided barrier, regardless of the size or location of the property they are on.
Ms Perry said the changes to the Swimming Pools Act 1992 would remove previous automatic exemptions from four sided barriers for new pools on large (two hectare and over), small (less than 230 square metres), and waterfront properties.
“The reforms will streamline the Swimming Pools Act to ensure that the policy of four sided pool fences which isolate a pool from a house is consistently applied,” she said.
Ms Perry said other reforms included an increase to the maximum on-the-spot fine for pool owners if their backyard pool fence failed to meet safety requirements from $220 to $550, with the maximum court-imposed penalty increasing from $1,100 to $5,500.
She said Councils would be given the power to fix pool fencing if it posed an immediate risk to public safety and the owner refused to act.
Ms Perry said it would also be mandatory for Councils to investigate any complaints regarding potential breaches of backyard pool safety.
“Councils have previously followed up allegations of non-compliance at their discretion but these changes will mean each complaint is investigated,” she said.
“Limited exemptions from the requirements will still be available for those pools used by people with a disability or in circumstances where it would be impractical to install a fence.”
Ms Perry said the proposed laws were developed in consultation with the community and stakeholders and represented the biggest changes to the Act since its introduction.
“These proposed changes are the result of consultation and feedback from key stakeholders including the Royal Life Saving, Councils, community groups and pool owners, she said.
“But, even the toughest laws are no substitute for effective adult supervision at all times when children are in or around water.”
Ms Perry said the Government was also examining ways to have pools that were exempt from four sided fences, such as those built prior to 1990, to become compliant in the future.
28 October, 2009
Anti-violence trial to
have hit-out in Manly
A pilot program aimed at reducing alcohol related violence is to be trialled in Manly over the summer.
The Minister for Gaming and Racing, Kevin Greene and the Minister for Police, Michael Daley said the community-wide scheme would bring together local licensed venues and retailers to reduce alcohol-related violence around Manly hotspots.
Mr Greene said the trial was targeting areas such as Manly’s Corso, beachfront and wharf.
“There’s no better place in summer than Manly, with thousands of people drawn here to the beach and Corso every weekend,” he said.
“But it’s quite clear the community are fed up with the incidents of alcohol-related violence and public disturbances taking place here, especially at night.”
Mr Greene said of the 136 liquor licenses in the entire Local Government Area, 103 were situated in Manly.
“That’s why this needs to be a community-wide approach that brings together local police, licensed venues, Manly Council, transport operators, the Australian Hotels Association and local business and residents,” he said.
Mr Daley said taking a proactive approach to curbing violent assaults would help make the area safer.
“Police and the wider community have serious concerns about the levels of alcohol-related violence occurring here and that is totally unacceptable,” he said.
“Manly has twice the State average of assaults with around three quarters of incidents reported to police alcohol-related.”
Mr Daley reminded the public that police could “only do so much”.
“It’s also about individual responsibility – you have the choice to stop drinking when you’ve had enough and it’s your decision to throw a punch or walk away from a fight,” he said.
“So enjoy your night in Manly but please don’t over-do it.”
Mr Greene said the Manly Community Safety Partnership would manage crowds entering and leaving the area; improve late night transport to reduce loitering; increase police deployments; ensure bar and security staff are properly trained; and provide targeted enforcement around known hotspots.
Mr Greene said the scheme would also target repeat trouble makers, see an increase of health and safety messages, reduce glass and other litter and provide adequate public toilets and lighting.
Chief Executive Officer of Australian Hotels Association, Sally Fielke welcomed the plan.
“Manly needs a plan that deals with the issues specific to Manly and involves all of the stakeholders,” Ms Fielke said.
“The hotels have already been implementing a number of proactive ideas and we look forward to integrating this into a whole of precinct approach which amongst other things, addresses personal responsibility of the individual.”
28 October, 2009
School investment
gets top marks
A $175 million investment in schools in low socio-economic communities has been announced by the Premier, Nathan Rees.
Mr Rees said 107 schools and 170,000 students, including 19,000 Indigenous students, would benefit from the investment.
“This is the single largest commitment to disadvantaged schools ever seen in NSW,” he said.
“Every child deserves to be given an equal chance to reach their full potential at school. That is why the NSW Government is delivering more resources into those schools that need our help the most.”
Mr Rees said the initiative would expand the Low SES Schools National Partnerships, which included a $437 million investment from the Commonwealth and aimed to deliver improvements at 616 NSW public, independent and Catholic schools.
Under the partnership, schools will be able to hire a new category of teacher, known as the Highly Accomplished Teacher, who will be paid $98,000 a year.
Mr Rees said the initiative would see teachers trained in the use of assessment data to improve the literacy and numeracy results of students and would provide extra hours and after school programs linked to other services such as parenting skills programs.
Minister for Education and Training, Verity Firth said principals would work with their school communities to determine which initiatives best suited their needs.
“This is about driving real reform in our education system by getting more resources to the schools that need them most,” Ms Firth said.
“Schools serving disadvantaged communities will have greater access to high quality teachers, teaching resources and supports for the families they serve.”
She said the additional 107 schools were selected in consultation with education stakeholders.
President of the NSW Primary Principals’ Association, Geoff Scott welcomed the additional funding to expand the list of schools to benefit from the Partnership.
“Both the Commonwealth and NSW Governments are to be congratulated for this very substantial investment, which will make a real difference in schools serving disadvantaged communities,” Mr Scott said.
The full list of schools to receive funding under the national partnership was available from www.nationalpartnerships.nsw.edu.au
28 October, 2009
Court care circle trial
judged a success
Aboriginal Elders in Nowra are being trained to take part in a new Court process that helps decide the future of Aboriginal children at risk of abuse or neglect.
Attorney General, John Hatzistergos said Care Circles were concerned about the welfare and safety of Aboriginal children and with ensuring they didn’t lose their cultural identity.
Mr Hatzistergos said the Care Circle model for Indigenous communities was a joint initiative between the Department of Justice and Attorney General (DJAG) and Community Services.
“Elders from the community are screened by Community Services and DJAG for working with children and do not have a history with the people involved in the case,” he said.
MP for Kiama, Matt Brown said the five Care Circles held at Nowra Children’s Court as part of a trial of the program had encouraging results.
“The idea is that Aboriginal children are not taken away from their community or kinship system but raised in their culture,” Mr Brown said.
Minister for Community Services, Linda Burney said a Care Circle could only be ordered by a Children’s Court magistrate and was convened to formulate a care plan for an Aboriginal child who had been removed from their family.
“The Care Circle provides advice to the Children’s Court magistrate on matters such as where the child should live, contact with family and support services for the child and family,” Ms Burney said.
She said members of the Care Circle included the child’s parents and their lawyers, the child’s lawyer (usually from Legal Aid NSW), a representative from Community Services, the magistrate, three Aboriginal community representatives and any other important parties.
In a similar format to Circle Sentencing for Aboriginal offenders, the members sit in a circle to discuss the case.
Ms Burney said the first meeting was held to work out the care plan, appropriate placement options and support services.
“The participants then meet six weeks later to evaluate the plan and provide final feedback. The magistrate then makes orders for the care of the child,” she said.
The trial of the program in Nowra began in December and an evaluation of its progress will begin next month.
28 October, 2009
Performance changes
are music to venues’ ears
Local venues no longer require special licenses to play live music after the Government abolished the license requirement.
Minister for Planning, Kristina Keneally said the changes would make it easier and cheaper for clubs, pubs, cafés and restaurants to host live music.
Ms Keneally said the abolition of the Place of Public Entertainment (POPE) licenses meant local venues did not need a development approval to host live bands.
“These changes will help the State’s talented young performers get their careers going by opening up a host of new venues from which they can build a fan base,” she said.
Ms Keneally said the new legislation was designed to encourage live music to return to local venues.
The Minister Assisting the Premier on Arts, Virginia Judge said the new legislation was exciting news for musicians and venues.
Ms Judge said removing POPE license requirements would “breathe new life” into venues and communities across the State and provide musicians with more opportunities to showcase their talents.
“It will finally put live music on a level playing field with other types of entertainment, like sporting matches and trivia nights, giving venues and musicians a fair go,” she said.
“It means that it will be easier for our pubs, clubs, cafés or restaurants to feature a band, jazz trio, poetry reading or comedy act.
“I want NSW to be buzzing with the sound of live music this summer.”
Ms Keneally said the changes followed an extensive consultation process with Councils, Police, industry associations, venue operators, communities, venue patrons and musicians.
“The Government has established a Reference Group with representatives from the Department of Planning, Local Government and Shires Association and the Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing,” she said,
“This Reference Group will assist both Councils and venues to effectively implement the new legislation.”
28 October, 2009
Arts festival draws a crowd
Record crowds have made the City of Sydney’s Art and About Sydney’s biggest annual public arts festival.
The festival showcases the diversity and innovation of artworks by established and emerging artists.
As part of the festival 745,000 people a day passed by contemporary Indigenous artworks on street banners; 62,000 people explored temporary artworks in Sydney laneways; over 200 people crocheted and knitted for the project I ♥ Kings Cross; and 300,000 people perused the outdoor photography competition, Sydney Life.
The festival began on 1 October, and has been nominated in the FBi & TIME OUT Sydney Music, Arts & Culture (SMAC) awards.
Dummies recalled
A recall of 14 dangerous baby dummies has been announced by the Minister for Fair Trading, Virginia Judge.
Ms Judge said the dummies had failed safety tests and posed a potential choking hazard.
Fair Trading identified the dummies during a compliance blitz of discount stores in the Sydney metropolitan area.
Ms Judge urged consumers who had purchased one of the dummies to return it to the store. She said further information was available from www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au or www.recalls.gov.au
Concert tickets available
Tickets for the 2009 Premier’s Christmas Gala Concerts, Christmas in the Park, are now available free to people over 60.
The two concerts are held to thank seniors for the contribution they make to the community, and will be held at 10.30 am and 2.30 pm on 9 December at the Sydney Entertainment Centre.
Bookings for the concerts, which are in their 28th year and are funded by the State Government, could be made at www.ticketmaster.com.au or by phoning 1300 855 501.
Kangaroo meat plan
The Government has hosted a roundtable on ways to promote kangaroo meat in an attempt to counter the impact of a Russian ban on meat imports from 30 countries.
The roundtable included representatives from the Queensland Government, the kangaroo industry, meat and food suppliers and research groups and aimed to identify potential new markets for kangaroo meat.
Efforts will be made to tap into the local market by promoting the health and environmental benefits of kangaroo meat as a low fat and high protein food source with limited environment impacts.
Russia was previously the world’s major importer of kangaroo meat.
Centrelink moves
Centrelink’s Albury Customer Service Centre has relocated from Townsend Street to 430 Wilson Street.
Centrelink said the new modern building would allow staff to deliver a higher standard of customer service and would provide a more comfortable and private environment for clients.
The new-look Albury Centrelink features self-service facilities to enable clients to complete some of their Centrelink businesses on the computers and telephones provided.
Port hosts oil spill exercise
Sydney Ports Corporation has staged a simulated oil spill scenario to test the emergency response capabilities of the Corporation and Shell.
The two-day emergency simulation, Exercise Big Dipper, involved a crude oil tanker running aground at Gore Cove on Sydney Harbour and spilling 40 tonnes of crude oil.
The exercise also tested Sydney Ports’ communications with Shell and all supporting Agencies involved in the NSW State Waters Marine Oil and Chemical Spill Contingency Plan.
IBA moves at Grafton
Indigenous Business Australia has relocated its Grafton office in a move it says will allow it to improve customer access.
Its new home is in a more prominent position at the King Arcade on King Street in the Grafton CBD.
The IBA said it had approved over 30 business loans in excess of $3 million and spent a total of $1million on business support in the Grafton region.
Bike funding from Feds
Cycling infrastructure across Sydney is to be upgraded and expanded following a Federal investment of $5.4 million.
The 15 Local Councils to receive funding include Bankstown, Blacktown, Campbelltown, Botany Bay, Hunters Hill, Liverpool, Manly, Marrickville, Parramatta, Rockdale, Ryde, Sutherland Shire, Sydney, Waverley, and Wollondilly.
The project aims to help take cars off Sydney’s roads and reduce long term carbon emissions.
A list of projects was available from www.alp.org.au
21 October, 2009
Back room purchases
brought into the open
The Department of Premier and Cabinet has released a Circular setting out new expenditure approval processes for ICT contracts relating to corporate services.
Signed by the Acting Director General of DPC, Peter Duncan, the Circular says proposals are not to proceed without DPC approval and that corporate services should be consolidated wherever possible to support front line service delivery better.
The Circular says the new approval arrangement was necessary to ensure expenditure on corporate services was consistent with a direction from the Premier that it was to be consolidated sector-wide.
“The Department of Premier and Cabinet is working with Departments to develop a sector-wide approach to corporate service consolidation,” the Circular says.
“In addition, the Better Services and Values Taskforce is currently undertaking a review of ICT across the NSW public sector.”
Mr Duncan said in the Circular that the changes would help set the future direction for ICT expenditure for corporate services across the NSW Public Service.
“Accordingly, the Cabinet Standing Committee on Service Delivery has agreed that all expenditure proposals for ICT (goods and services) and consultancies related to corporate services must not proceed without prior approval by the Department of Premier and Cabinet.” The Circular says corporate services includes ‘back office’ services such as human resources, financial management, asset and facilities management, records and information management, office services and procurement, legal services and governance and executive services.
It says the new arrangement applies to all PS entities except State Owned Corporations and to all expenditure on consultancies and ICT goods and services related to corporate services, funded from internal or external sources and capital or recurrent expenditure.
“It is important to understand that approval is not required for expenditure on ICT or consultancies that are necessary for front line service delivery (“core business”),” it says.
Mr Duncan said entities seeking approval for corporate services ICT expenditure over $500,000 needed to provide a Business Case to the DPC which had been signed by the relevant Director General and was written in the format outlined in Treasury’s Guidelines for Capital Business Cases.
“Entities seeking approval for corporate services ICT expenditure where the total value of the contract is below $500,000 must provide a written application,” he said.
“It must be signed by the Director General of the relevant cluster, or an officer formally delegated to approve expenditure of that level.”
The Circular says approval is not required for peripherals, additional licences for office and core business applications, additional personal computers, and maintenance.
The Circular, C2009-34 which supersedes Circular 2003-25, is accessible at www.dpc.nsw.gov.au
21 October, 2009
Civil weddings leave
religious at the altar
Civil wedding ceremonies in NSW are being conducted almost twice as frequently as religious weddings, according to figures released by the NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages.
Attorney General, John Hatzistergos said the ceremonies were being held at a rate of almost two to one, with over 17,000 civil weddings being held so far in 2009 compared to just 9,000 religious weddings.
Mr Hatzistergos said the figures showed the number of civil marriages first overtook religious weddings in 2002 and had been steadily increasing since then.
“Last year more than 24,000 civil ceremonies were held in NSW, compared to 20,000 in 2005 and 19,000 in the year 2000,” he said.
Mr Hatzistergos said 15,000 religious weddings were held in 2008 compared to almost 16,000 in 2005 and 20,000 in 2000.
He said the steady increase in civil ceremonies was reflected in additional demand from couples to get married at the offices of the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, with wedding ceremonies held at the offices increasing by 37 per cent over the past five years.
“Registry office marriages are simple but elegant and growing in popularity every year,” Mr Hatzistergos said.
He said while traditionally the busiest weekend to get married on was the October long weekend, ‘lucky’ calendar dates were also popular.
“The busiest day ever for weddings held at the Registry’s offices was on August 8, last year, when 96 civil ceremonies took place,” Mr Hatzistergos said.
21 October, 2009
Work injuries a
pain in the neck
Six new reports based on the 2005-06 Work-Related Injuries Survey have been published by the Safe Work Australia Council.
The Survey, WRIS, is conducted every four years by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and looks at injuries sustained in the construction, health and community services, manufacturing, agriculture, forestry and fishing, transport and storage and retail trade industries.
Chair of the Safe Work Australia Council, Tom Phillips said the six reports explored they types and causes of work-related injury and provided information on workers who were not covered by workers’ compensation, such as self-employed workers.
Mr Phillips said the reports found agriculture, forestry and fishing workers experienced the highest rate of injuries, with 109 injuries per 1,000 workers.
He said part-time workers in the retail trade industry recorded a frequency rate of injury nearly double that of full-time workers while employees in the construction industry recorded a similar rate of injury to self-employed workers.
Young workers aged 15 to 24 in the manufacturing industry recorded an injury rate 44 per cent higher than the corresponding rate for young workers in the Australian workforce as a whole.
The reports also found transport and storage workers aged 35 to 44 years recorded an injury rate 75 per cent higher than the rate recorded by all Australian workers of the same age.
Mr Phillips said the reports provided information on the extent and frequency of work-related injuries that was not available using workers’ compensation data alone.
The next WRIS covering the period 2009-10 is currently being conducted, with the results expected to be published by Safe Work Australia in 2011.
WRIS is partially funded by Safe Work Australia.
The reports were available from www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au while an ABS report on the survey was available from www.abs.gov.au
21 October, 2009
Teachers pocket
12.48% pay rise
The NSW Industrial Relations Commission has finalised a payrise of 12.48 per cent over three years for NSW TAFE teachers, in line with an agreement the Department of Education and Training reached with the New South Wales Teachers Federation in February.
As the Department and union were unable to agree on the employee-related reforms required to fund the payrise in excess of 2.5% each year, the Commission was invited to do so as an independent umpire.
According to the Director-General of Education and Training and Managing Director of TAFE NSW, Michael Coutts-Trotter, the decision strikes a balance between the claims of the Union and the TAFE and is legally binding.
Mr Coutts-Trotter said the reforms included:
- Teaching hours to be increased by 36 hours a year to 720;
- Removal of the maximum limit for hours worked in a period;
- Hours of attendance to be 35 per week;
- Professional development time to be 20 hours per annum;
- Extended leave spanning vacation periods tol be deemed extended leave;
- All teachers will have an approved program meeting their Institute’s needs; and
- Managers to determine the teachers’ duties in consultation with them.
MR Coutts-Trotter said the new arrangements would commence from the first TAFE term in 2010.
“This has been a very difficult period for many of us,” he said in a memorandum to staff.
“I regret the conflict and ill-feeling that this protracted dispute has generated and hope that we can put it behind us.”
Full details of the Industrial Relations Commission decision can be found at www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au
21 October, 2009
Courthouse security
judged inadequate
Courthouse security procedures are to be revamped following the release of figures showing threats against judges doubled in the past financial year.
Attorney General, John Hatzistergos announced the overhaul, saying the safety of judges and magistrates was paramount to the “integrity of the justice system”.
Mr Hatzistergos said the “disturbing” jump in threats, which doubled from 10 to 20 over the past financial year, coincided with a rise in the number of security incidents in Courthouses, up from an average from 220 per month to 300.
“Sheriff’s officers must be adequately equipped and empowered to ensure they can protect judges and members of the public who frequent NSW Courthouses,” he said.
Mr Hatzistergos said standard operating procedures contained in the Sheriff’s Office Manual would be updated to reflect new legislation and emerging threats, while statutory reviews of the Sheriff’s Act and the Court Security Act would be conducted in 2010.
“The operating procedures will be updated to improve judicial officer security, intelligence gathering, incident reporting and handling of high risk security matters,” he said.
“I am concerned that a number of matters involving high profile defendants have attracted persons to Courthouses who have behaved anti-socially and shown disrespect for the judicial process.”
Mr Hatzistergos said the incidents included a death threat made by a defendant in September 2008, where he threatened to “slit the throat” of the magistrate before killing himself.
He said sheriffs already carried batons, pepper spray and handcuffs, and had the power to confiscate prohibited items, give directions, make arrests and use reasonable force.
“Major Courthouses now have metal detectors located inside their entrances, and mobile security screening equipment can be deployed to any courthouse in NSW in anticipation of a high risk matter,” Mr Hatzistergos said.
“As well as updating operating procedures, next year the powers of sheriffs will be examined as part of the statutory reviews of the relevant acts.”
21 October, 2009
Treasury consolidates
fund procedures
Treasury has issued a new Circular setting out the rules and procedures for approving payments to be made out of the Consolidated Fund.
Circular TC09/09, entitled Control over Payments from the Consolidated Fund, applies to all Budget-dependent Agencies.
Deputy Secretary of Treasury, Mark Ronsisvalle, said no liability should be incurred that would result in a Consolidated Fund appropriation being exceeded without prior approval from the Treasurer for the additional funding.
“Supplementary funding will only be approved by the Treasurer under exceptional circumstances,” Mr Ronsisvalle said.
“Any requests for supplementary funding must be submitted through Ministers with sufficient time being allowed for review and for the obtaining of all necessary approvals.”
He said all Budget-dependent Agencies must adhere to the Public Finance and Audit Act 1983 and that any officers approving expenditure being incurred must satisfy themselves that funds were available to meet the expenditure.
“In the event of Agencies wishing to incur expenditure for which funds are not available they should arrange for their Minister to seek the Treasurer’s approval for the provision of supplementary funding,” Mr Ronsisvalle said.
“Under no circumstances should liabilities be incurred prior to receipt of advice that the Treasurer’s approval has been given.”
He said as appropriations were set at an Agency level rather than a Service Group level, Agencies had the flexibility to manage changing priorities and to meet unforseen expenditure during the financial year.
Mr Ronsisvalle reminded Agencies that determinations by the Treasurer under Section 22 of the Public Finance and Audit Act 1983 could only be made with the prior approval of the Governor.
“Where it is necessary to seek approval for supplementary funding, sufficient lead time should be allowed for the review of the request by the Treasury, and for all necessary approvals to be obtained,” he said.
“Under no circumstances will funds be paid to Agencies from the Consolidated Fund in excess of appropriations, unless all approvals have been given as required by the legislation.”
Mr Ronsisvalle said the Circular was issued as part of the review of Treasury Circulars due to be automatically lapsed, and superseded the previous Circular of the same title, NSWTC 04/01.
21 October, 2009
Changes to transport
information afoot
A five-year Government contract for Transport Info 131500 services has been signed with international services company, Serco Australia.
Director General for NSW Transport and Infrastructure, Les Wielinga said the contract, which is due to commence on 1 July 2010, would bring transport information services to “the next level”.
“We will move forward to deliver transport information through a wide range of platforms, in addition to the 131500 phone line and the 131500.com.au website that have been in place since 1996 and 2003, respectively,” Mr Wielinga said.
“There is a clear customer movement towards new technologies and online networks, and a demand for public transport information for customers on the go.”
He said the new contract would help the Department advance Transport Info 131500 in the “right direction for passengers”.
“Our Global City will have transport information services similar to those now available in London, San Francisco, Vienna and Munich,” he said.
“We are positioning ourselves to quickly adapt and respond to technologies that haven’t been developed, by focusing on data and enabling application developers to get on with the job of innovating.”
He said the service was very popular and had achieved almost 12 million contacts via phone, email and web last year.
Mr Wielinga said the mobile service, mobile.131500.com.au, had been specifically set-up for web-enabled mobile phones and had seen a 189 per cent usage increase over the past year.
“Rural and regional passengers will also benefit from the new services, as data becomes available from the service providers,” he said.
Mr Wielinga said the contract would provide NSW residents with easier access to information and would result in improvements in transport integration and customer service.
“The NSW Government is committed to providing fast, frequent, reliable and integrated public transport to the people of NSW,” he said.
“Providing passengers with accurate, reliable and easy-to-use information will make it easier for them to make the decision to use public transport.”
21 October, 2009
Childcare study tots
up shortcomings
A targeted blitz on child care centres has found while the majority were doing the right thing, not all centres have been meeting Government regulations.
Minister for Community Services, Linda Burney said new legislation would be introduced to strengthen the Government’s power to crack down on the centres that did not meet standards or fulfil basic child care requirements.
Ms Burney said the Government would be given the power to shut down child care centres where there was an immediate threat to the health, safety and well-being of children.
“We take any breaches of our regulations seriously and a raft of regulatory changes will strengthen our powers in dealing with rogue centres,” she said.
“There is simply no excuse for child care centres to be breaching that trust and not meeting regulations.”
Ms Burney said current penalties included the addition of conditions to operators’ licences, licence suspension or revocation and prosecution with associated penalties of up to $22,000.
“Every single parent who places their child in a child care centre does so with an enormous amount of trust that their child is being properly looked after and is safe,” she said.
Ms Burney said the blitz was in addition to regular checks and focused on 37 centres that were the subject of complaints, reported incidents or monitoring.
The blitz found five services did not have procedures around dropping off and picking children up by authorised carers before and after attending the services and that seven did not have procedures in place to ensure no children remained on the premises past closing time.
Three services did not have fences designed to prevent children from climbing or crawling under them, 15 had fixtures such as trees and bushes that allowed for kids to potentially climb over a fence and 13 had fixtures that hindered proper supervision.
“Community Services inspectors around the State are reviewing these findings and will revisit these services to ensure they comply with regulations,” Ms Burney said.
“Most centres in NSW comply with the State’s tough regulations and deliver quality child care services to NSW families – it’s the ones that don’t that we will come down heavily on.”
21 October, 2009
Board guidelines
all above board
Treasury has released a Circular advising Government businesses that the Guidelines relating to their boards have been updated.
Treasury Secretary, Michael Schur said the Guidelines for Boards of Government Businesses (TPP 09-02) had been revised to reflect the removal or Rail Corporation New South Wales and Sydney Ferries from the State Owned Corporation Act 1989.
Mr Schur said the 2007 version (TPP 07-08) had been withdrawn in April of this year.
“The revised publication (TPP09-02) does not contain any significant amendments to the previous publication,” he said.
Mr Schur said the Guidelines outlined the key private sector good practice standards of corporate governance which were most appropriate to the practices and procedures for boards of Government businesses.
“The Guidelines are aimed at Government businesses (and their subsidiaries) with a governing board although some principles may also be relevant for advisory boards,” he said.
“The Guidelines provide advice on the development of charters and codes of conduct, the establishment of board committees, board membership requirements, induction and training, performance evaluation and annual report disclosure.”
Mr Schur said the recommendations contained in the Guidelines’ executive summary were not mandatory and need not be adopted if the governing board of a Government business considered they were inappropriate to its circumstances.
He said if this was the case, an explanation for the decision must be included in the business’s annual report.
“This is consistent with the requirement imposed on Australian listed companies to disclose the extent to which they have followed the recommendations set by the Australian Stock Exchange in the reporting period,” Mr Schur said.
He advised Agencies to familiarise themselves with the Guidelineswhich took effect from the release of the policy in April 2009.
“Government businesses must also be guided by the policies and guidelines of the Commercial Policy Framework,” Mr Schur said.
The Circular withdraws and supersedes Treasury Circular NSWTC 07/17 Guidelines for Boards of Government Businesses.
21 October, 2009
Australia Post staff
get stamp of approval
Australia Post is paying tribute to its employees by issuing a stamp series featuring 10 staff members.
In a statement, Australia Post said its employees played a vital role in serving customers and their local communities.
“This is the first time Australia Post has honoured its staff, contractors, licensees and agents on a stamp,” it said.
“The 10 people featured on these stamps are representative of all Australia Post employees, who, everyday, make important contributions to the wider community and the success of the business.”
The employees come from a wide range of roles and were selected from the 256 recipients of the Bicentenary Medal which is awarded to employees who have made an outstanding contribution to Australia Post’s businesses, community and customers.
“Representing every State and Territory*, they reflect Australia Post’s role in servicing all geographic areas of Australia,” the statement said.
“They are also the faces of their communities. Outside work hours they are to be found championing community causes and building a better future for all Australians.”
Those celebrated in the stamp series are:
- Patricia Crabb, Postal Manager, Virginia, Queensland;
- Shirley Freeman, Agent, Avoca, Tasmania;
- Vinko Romanik, Parcel Contractor, Netley, South Australia;
- Valda Knott, Licensed Post Office Manager, Trayning, Western Australia;
- Gordon Morgan, Postal Delivery Coordinator, Thornleigh DC, New South Wales;
- Vongpradith Phongsavan, Logistics Officer, Melbourne Parcels Facility, West Sunshine, Victoria;
- Norma Thomas, Mail contractor, Coraki Post Office, New South Wales;
- John Marsh, Manager M&ND, Northern Territory;
- Anne Brun, Marketing Manager, Financial and Agency Services Group, HQ, Melbourne, Victoria; and
- Russell Price, Delivery Operations, Perth airport, Western Australia.
21 October, 2009
OFT gets jump on
trampoline safety
A safety review of backyard trampolines has been ordered by the Minister for Fair Trading, Virginia Judge, after concerns were raised by child safety experts.
Ms Judge said an investigation by the Office of Fair Trading had found padding sold to cover the trampolines’ metal frames had not met the voluntary Australian Standard even though it was vital to the safety of trampolines.
“Fair Trading’s ongoing investigations also suggest net enclosures should be considered as an additional safety requirement,” she said.
“While I do not want to preempt the Products Safety Committee’s findings, I believe this is an option that merits serious consideration.”
Ms Judge said the number of trampoline injuries reported at Westmead Children’s Hospital had almost doubled over the past four years, from 86 in 2005 to 153 in 2008.
She said the majority of trampoline injuries were sustained by children under six, with the most common types being bruises, sprains and strains followed by fractures and lacerations.
“Around 15 per cent of children are admitted to hospital and 11 per cent undergo minor operations,” she said.
“While most injuries are the result of falling off the trampoline, 29 per cent of injuries relate to falls on the trampoline itself on areas such as the frame and springs.”
“No one wants to stop children having fun, but we need to make sure that trampolines are safe.”
Chair of Kidsafe NSW, Dr Elizabeth Cotterell has welcomed the review, saying Kidsafe was also concerned that the voluntary Australian Standard was not being met.
“I am very concerned at the increasing number of trampoline injuries presenting to emergency departments around NSW,” Dr Cotterell said.
“Our aim is to protect children by minimising the level of risk in the playground so I look forward to hearing the outcomes of the safety inquiry.”
Ms Judge said public submissions to the safety inquiry were welcome.
“I want NSW mums and dads to feel confident they are buying products that are safe for their children to use,” she said.
“Trampolines are a very popular Christmas present and a fun way for children to stay active over the summer holidays.
“Trampolines come with clear warnings and my message to parents is this – always supervise their use.”
Submissions close on 13 November 2009, with further information available from www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au
21 October, 2009
Crime pays for
smart designers
The Designing Out Crime Research Centre in Sydney has been officially opened by Parliamentary Secretary to the Attorney General, Barry Collier.
Mr Collier said the Centre was a joint project between the State Government and the University of Technology Sydney, and aimed to develop concepts to discourage crime.
He said such concepts included bomb-resistant bins, bus seating that discouraged vandalism and anti-graffiti laneways.
“Over the past 12 months, the research centre has been working on products and environmental designs that aim to deliver creative and cost effective solutions to crime problems,” Mr Collier said.
“Now the centre has a dedicated space, where academics and students from different disciplines including industrial design, fashion and law can collaborate on projects that pre-empt crime and deter criminal behaviour.”
He said students from the centre were currently developing a bin that would discourage people from depositing explosive devices in it and would minimise the impact of any explosions.
“The bomb squad would also be able to slide an x-ray into a separate section of the bin and scan its contents without disturbing any potentially explosive devices,” Mr Collier said.
He said the bin was expected to be more cost-effective than similar bins on streets and railway platforms of major cities overseas and had the potential to help Government Agencies and Local Councils keep their streets clean without compromising public safety.
Mr Collier said the Centre had also developed a new bus seating design to increase natural surveillance on public transport.
“With seats lining the perimeter of the bus, passengers would be facing one another and the increased visibility would help discourage vandalism and other criminal behaviour,” he said.
The NSW Government is funding the research centre over three years, providing annual grants of $450,000 until 2010.
21 October, 2009
Crystal clear guide
to water management
A practical field guide to help remote Indigenous communities better manage their drinking water supplies has been launched by the National Water Commission.
Chief Executive Officer of the Commission, Ken Matthews announced the Community Water Planner Field Guide at the launch of National Water Week 2009.
Mr Matthews said the theme of National Water Week 2009, Securing Our Water Future, was important and highlighted the Commission’s work in securing the water future for remote Indigenous communities.
“In Australia, our health and remote water supply Agencies have long recognised that the operational management of drinking water supplies for remote Indigenous communities is a significant factor contributing to poor health,” he said.
“That’s why the National Water Commission decided to fund a project to provide on-ground assistance to communities to help them maintain their water supply and minimise health risks.”
Mr Matthews said the guide included a series of posters and worksheets that could be adapted to suit the individual drinking water supply system for all remote Indigenous Communities within Australia.
“What’s really important about this resource is that it focuses on operational activities to prevent water supply contamination rather than corrective action after an event occurs,” he said.
Mr Matthews said the final field guide had been tested during field trials and reviewed by water industry experts.
The kits are to be mailed to every remote Indigenous community in Australia, with additional documentation and resources to be made available on the internet.
Mr Matthews said the National Water Commission was working with health and water management Agencies across Australia to promote the take up of the guides in almost 1,200 remote Indigenous communities over the next two years.
The Guide was developed by the Centre for Appropriate Technologies under guidance from Water Quality Research Australia.
Further information was available from www.nwc.gov.au
21 October, 2009
Road safety study
finishes journey
A landmark project assessing road safety in Aboriginal communities has wound up with the presentation of its 65th assessment in Kempsey.
The project was led by the Roads and Traffic Authority in partnership with the Department of Aboriginal Affairs, Local Councils, the Local Government and Shires Association, the NSW Aboriginal Land Council and local Aboriginal Land Councils.
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Paul Lynch said a multi-agency team led by the RTA had engaged with each local Aboriginal community to assess the safety of road infrastructure.
Mr Lynch said it was the first time such a project had been undertaken in Australia.
“An essential part of the assessment involves listening to the community in helping to assess local road safety infrastructure,” he said.
“It also involves identifying road improvements, line marking, traffic management measures, signage and road user behaviour.”
Mr Lynch said the team was working with communities to help reduce fatalities and the risk of road injury by providing expert road safety advice and assistance.
Chairperson of the NSW Aboriginal Land Council, Bev Manton welcomed the initiative, saying it would make a difference.
Ms Manton said the standard of roads and other infrastructure in many communities was appalling and “almost third world”.
“Any initiative genuinely designed, as this initiative is, to improve community infrastructure will be strongly endorsed by Aboriginal people,” she said.
“The NSWALC was pleased to have played a part in the consultative process and direction of this program.”
Mr Lynch said the assessment was part of a larger evaluation of infrastructure in Aboriginal communities that was being led by the Department of Aboriginal Affairs.
21 October, 2009
Cyber-groomers face
cyber crackdown
An online safety campaign to help crackdown on child ‘cyber-groomers’ has been launched by the Minister for Police, Michael Daley and Minister for Community Services, Linda Burney.
Mr Daley said in addition to the campaign, which aimed to help parents stop predators from preying on their children, the number of investigators in the NSW Police’s Child Exploitation and Internet Unit (CEIU) would be doubled to increase the detection of online predators.
“The sad fact is there are perverts who spend hours trawling the internet trying to lure innocent young kids into their web,” he said.
“The reality is you never know who you’re talking to when you’re online or what they’ll do with information you send them.”
Mr Daley said increased child engagement in social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace meant police and parents needed to be more vigilant than ever before.
“The increase in computer ownership in recent years – especially in the home – has led to the creation of online child grooming as a new crime type,” he said.
“Investigators have detected an increase in incidents of online grooming, which is why we’re adding an extra seven investigators to the Child Internet Exploitation Unit to catch predators before they have the chance to act.”
Ms Burney said the education campaign would give parents advice to help their children play it safe in cyberspace.
“It’s so easy for predators hiding behind a computer screen to prey on young people using sites like Facebook or MySpace, so parents need to know how to keep their kids safe online,” she said.
“Stranger danger is a reality in cyberspace – the Community Services Helpline has received reports about girls as young as 13 being exploited by online lurkers.”
Ms Burney advised parents to monitor their children’s internet use and talk to them about the dangers of cyber-stalking.
“Parents need to constantly remind their children not to share personal information, send photos or video footage to strangers,” she said.
“It is also crucial to learn online jargon. It may seem like a foreign language at first, but it will help you to understand the world your child is living in.”
Ms Burney said information fact sheets for parents had been created to offer parents advice and to help them decode internet jargon such as ‘PIR’ or ‘parents in room’.
Mr Daley said CEIU Investigators posed as children to make contact with suspected predators.
“Police also pose as children online and wait to be approached by potential offenders,” he said.
“While it’s important police can catch child groomers swiftly, the best result for everyone is if parents are vigilant in reducing the chances of their child being preyed upon.
“It’s clear that an increasing number of young people are getting themselves into trouble online and we want to give parents the tools to stop this from happening.”
The fact sheets and additional advice were available from www.community.nsw.gov.au or by phoning the Parent Line on 1300 1300 52.
21 October, 2009
One person’s trash is
another’s treasure
The Big Aussie Swap is being hosted by the City of Sydney and Planet Ark on 10 November as part of National Recycling Week celebrations.
Lord Mayor, Clover Moore said the idea behind the Big Aussie Swap was simple.
Ms Moore encouraged Sydney residents to bring up to three, easy to carry items they no longer wanted to Martin Place at 12:30pm on the 10th to allow them to exchange the items for tokens before browsing, choosing and swapping their tokens for someone else’s unwanted goods.
“This is an event where you can trade things you no longer need for things you do – all for free,” she said.
“This is a fun way to communicate a serious message. We need to start reducing what we consume as a priority, reuse things we already have and recycle as much as we can.”
Ms Moore said if two people wanted the same item the dispute would be settled by a “sudden death match” of Scissors, Paper, Rock.
She said the event would be one of a number of national swap events being help around Australia in Brisbane, Darwin, Perth, Sydney, Coffs Harbour, Parramatta and Wollongong.
“National Recycling Week is an opportune time to think about what we can all do to reduce our environmental footprint,” Ms Moore said.
“At last year’s event more than 500 people traded 2,000 items.”
The event is expected to include live entertainment with Monica Trapagar and the Bachelors, the return of the Live Green House, and collection stations for old mobile phones, toner cartridges, corks and eye-glasses.
National Recycling Week runs from 9 to 15 November 2009.
Further information was available from www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au
21 October, 2009
Records honoured by UNESCO
The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has honoured important NSW historical records by placing them on its Australian Memory of the World register.
NSW’s additions to the register are represented by the Old Registers from the Land and Property Management Authority and the First Fleet Journals from the State Library.
Other records on the UNESCO register include the Endeavour Journal of Captain Cook, the Mabo case transcriptions and the constitutional documents of the Commonwealth of Australia.
IPART proposes bus fare increase
The Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal’s draft determination on bus fares has suggested fares increase by an average of 3.5% (1.5% increase plus inflation) on 3 January 2010.
The determination, which looked at bus fares for 2010 to 2013, proposed they rise by a total of 6% plus inflation over the four-year period.
The fare rises cover 25 bus contract regions for Sydney metropolitan and outer metropolitan, including the Blue Mountains, Newcastle and Wollongong.
A final determination is to be announced in December 2009, with further information available from www.ipart.nsw.gov.au
Consultation on retirement villages open
Consumers have been urged to have their say on the rights and obligations of retirement village residents and operators in NSW.
The proposed Retirement Villages Regulation 2009 supports the introduction of the Retirement Villages Amendment Bill 2008 and includes amendments such as placing a $200 cap on legal contract costs for residents, procedures for postal ballots, payroll tax, capital maintenance and contingency costs.
Public consultation closes on 4 November 2009, with further information available from www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au
Firefighters interstate
More than 60 firefighters from the NSW Rural Fire Service have travelled to Queensland to join the fight against a number of bushfires raging around Rockhampton and Bundaberg.
Queensland Premier, Anna Bligh welcomed the support saying many of the NSW men and women had worked alongside Queensland firefighters during the devastating Victorian bushfires earlier this year.
“The firefighting fraternity is a close one,” Premier Bligh said, “and Queensland and New South Wales firefighters often work together.”
TAFE applications sought
Less than two weeks remain until applications close for some of the most popular TAFE courses that are due to commence in 2010.
Applications for high demand courses such as digital media, children’s services, fashion design, and fitness close on 30 October 2009.
Application forms and further information was available from www.tafensw.edu.au
Public schools more secure
Security fences are to be installed at another 42 public schools in 2009, bringing the total number of Government schools protected by the fencing to over 700.
Schools provided with security fencing have reported reductions in incidents of break and enter and vandalism, according to the Minister for Education and Training, Verity Firth.
Ms Firth said $10 million would be spent on installing the fences at the schools, a list of which was available from www.det.nsw.edu.au
Firefighter mourned by Community
A NSW Fire Brigades firefighter has died after fighting a grassfire at Fingal Head on the North Coast of NSW.
Andrew ‘Packy’ Turnbull, 35, was an experienced firefighter who had attended many fires, accidents and emergencies, and was known and admired in his local community.
His death occurred on 16 October when he collapsed shortly after the grassfire had been put out. Colleagues went to his aid and administered CPR before he was transported to hospital.
Home construction hits 1,000
Work has begun on the 1,000th house to be delivered in NSW under the Commonwealth’s National Building Economic Stimulus Plan.
The $5.5 million construction project underway in Murwillumbah will see 22 one-bedroom and six two-bedroom units made available for general housing in June 2010.
Construction is anticipated to commence on a further 1,000 dwellings over the next month.
Port posts growth
The Port of Newcastle has experienced a seven per cent increase in trade for the first quarter of the 2009-10 financial year.
Newcastle Port Corporation reported 25.64 million tones of throughput for the September quarter compared to 24.36 million tonnes in the same period for the 2008-2009 financial year.
14 October, 2009
Audit throws book
at Licence Project
An audit of the Government Licensing Project has found poor project management has led to the initiative being over budget and nine years behind schedule.
Auditor-General, Peter Achterstraat said the licensing project aimed to centralise licences for NSW residents by standardising and simplifying the licensing processes of all licensing Agencies except the Roads and Traffic Authority.
Mr Achterstraat said the IT project commenced in 2001 and was due to be completed in 2005 but was now unlikely to finish before 2014.
He said the project was initially expected to cost $63 million over four years with a net benefit of $69 million but would now cost $86 million over 12 years and return a net benefit of just $19 million.
“It is now 9 years late, $23 million over budget, and will return less than one third of the original estimated net savings,” he said.
“This is simply not good enough.”
Mr Achterstraat said while the Department of Information Technology and Management’s (now part of the Department of Services, Technology and Administration) project would make renewing and applying for licenses simpler, it had been managed poorly.
“A centralised licensing system is a good idea’ he said, “but this project has gone on for too long and should be completed as soon as possible.”
“The people of NSW deserve to have more flexibility and convenience in applying for, renewing, and paying for licences.
“It really is basic 21st Century technology and service.”
Mr Achterstraat called for change, saying the lessons learnt from the project’s history could be applied to any large scale whole-of-Government project.
“I recommend that all staff responsible for managing any large-scale projects read this report to learn from the problems encountered and mistakes made,” he said.
He said the licensing project was not all bad news and had had some success.
“To date it has been implemented in six Agencies responsible for 1.7 million licences.
“It has so far replaced 15 legacy systems and consolidated 102 licence types to 55.
“Customers now have more flexibility and convenience in applying for, renewing and paying for licences.”
He said the project failed to adequately address risk management, internal change management and training.
“It did, however, meet the former Premier’s Department Business Case Guidelines requirements for project management.”
The Auditor recommended the Department of Services, Technology and Administration (DSTA) clarify whether adoption of the project is mandatory for all Agencies, and publicly report on is progress at the end of each financial year.
He also suggested Agencies planning or implementing similar projects should ensure they complied with all relevant guidelines; had clearly defined responsibility for project oversight; provided regular reports and responded to any problems decisively.
14 October, 2009
Green slip calculator
adds up for MAA
The Motor Accident Authority has launched an advertising campaign to promote its Green Slip Calculator.
Minister for Finance, Joe Tripodi said the calculator allowed motorists to ‘shop around’ and compare Green Slip prices.
Mr Tripodi said the Authority was running an on-line, print and radio awareness campaign to inform motorists of the free comparative service.
“This service covers all seven Green Slip insurers and you can check Green Slip prices in just a few minutes on the internet or over the phone,” he said.
“The NSW Compulsory Third Party scheme has seven insurers all competing for your business.
“This competition leads to a range of prices depending on individual circumstances.”
Mr Tripodi said based on current prices the average Sydney motorist could save up to $50 on their Green Slip.
“Motorists simply have to answer a short series of questions about the vehicle and who drives it to get prices from all seven insurers without spending a lot of time searching different websites or making seven phone calls,” he said.
“Since the campaign commenced three weeks ago, the number of people accessing this service has increased by more than 25% to over 19,000 people each week.”
Mr Tripodi said feedback from motorists had been “overwhelmingly positive”, with more that 97 per cent saying they would use the service again.
To compare Green Slip prices visit www.greenslips.nsw.gov.au or phone 1300 137 600.
14 October, 2009
Watchdog unleashes
stinging attack
The NSW Ombudsman, Bruce Barbour has released his report into the death of the seven-year-old girl known as Ebony, who died of starvation and neglect in 2007.
Mr Barbour said his investigation found the five Government Agencies involved in Ebony’s case had failed to work together effectively when dealing with Ebony’s family.
“This lack of coordination meant vital information was not shared, and warning signs went unnoticed,” he said.
“This in turn led to missed opportunities for appropriate intervention to ensure the safety and wellbeing of Ebony and her siblings.”
Mr Barbour said the five Agencies were the Departments of Community Services; Education and Training; Ageing Disability and Home Care; Housing; and the NSW Police Force.
“It is important to be reminded about what can go wrong for children when Agencies fail to work effectively, fail to work together, and fail to take shared responsibility for the care and protection of children,” he said.
Mr Barbour’s report, The Death of Ebony: The need for an effective interagency response to children at risk, outlined improvements the involved Agencies had made following Ebony’s death.
“It is important to remember Ebony’s death was followed by a special commission of inquiry into child protection services in NSW,” he said.
“Many of the reforms recommended by that commission are aimed directly at the types of failings identified in this report and consistent with those identified through our previous child death review work.”
Mr Barbour said the current reforms carried “risks and challenges” as a more coordinated response to families at risk, effective information sharing and a change in culture were crucial for the system to work.
Minister for Community Services, Linda Burney said her Department had implemented or was in the process of implementing all recommendations made by Mr Barbour.
“The Ombudsman provided Government Agencies with an interim copy of this report some time ago, so that his recommendations could be actioned as soon as possible,” Ms Burney said.
She said the system had let Ebony down.
“It is clear that while several Government Agencies had worked to help this family, the full seriousness of the situation was not recognised and critical opportunities to intervene were missed,” Ms Burney said.
Ebony’s parents were charged with her death and in June this year her father was found guilty of manslaughter and her mother of murder.
The report was available from www.ombo.nsw.gov.au
14 October, 2009
Where there’s no will
there’s still a way
The NSW Trustee and Guardian distributed over $34 million from deceased estates to unsuspecting beneficiaries during the past financial year.
Attorney General, John Hatzistergos said the Agency had given the money to 957 beneficiaries who were named in wills or were relatives of people who had died without a will.
Mr Hatzistergos said the Agency was still holding around $87 million in trust that was yet to be claimed from deceased estates.
“The Trustee and Guardian makes exhaustive inquires to make sure that deceased estates go to rightful heirs and next of kin,” he said.
Mr Hatzistergos said the Agency had a special Genealogy Unit tasked with finding beneficiaries.
He said the Trustee and Guardian had previously tracked down next of kin as far away as Denmark, Scotland and Canada and recently made it easier to distribute estates by recognising cousins as eligible heirs to the estates of people who die without wills.
The entitlement of first cousins comes, in order of importance, after spouses and children; parents; siblings; grandparents; and aunts and uncles, he said.
“The new law widens the pool of people who can inherit in NSW and recognises that some other jurisdictions in Australia include first cousins in the distribution list under intestacy laws,” Mr Hatzistergos said.
He said the new laws also ensured spouses automatically inherited the estates of their partners when there was no will.
Mr Hatzistergos urged people who could be eligible to inherit to visit www.pt.nsw.gov.au to browse a full list of unclaimed estates from NSW.
14 October, 2009
NRL kicks goal with
promotion deal
The State Government has teamed up with the Commonwealth and the Australian and National Rugby Leagues to promote Rugby League at a grassroots level.
Premier, Nathan Rees said the Commonwealth and NSW would build a state-of-the-art rugby headquarters in Sydney to promote the sport.
“Not only will this be a first rate league headquarters, it will be a springboard for the future of the game,” Mr Rees said.
“Once completed this centre will be the home of Rugby League in Australia.”
He said the Rugby League Central: One Home One Community Project would include the construction of a multi-purpose education and learning facility to bring together the Game’s administrative arms at a national and NSW level; an Indigenous Dreamtime Centre; Living in Harmony programs; volunteer recognition programs; and a ‘Women in League’ unit.
Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Anthony Albanese said the Commonwealth would contribute $10.4 million to the project and that NSW would contribute $1 million.
“Rugby League Central will bring the sport together in one location, becoming a focal point for the delivery of its innovative youth education and development programs into communities around the country,” Mr Albanese said.
“The facility will also provide space for programs that advance reconciliation and Indigenous participation, support women’s participation in the game and promote the values of respect, acceptance and a fair go.”
Chief Executive of the National Rugby League, David Gallop thanked the State and Federal Governments for “supporting a project that will help both the game and the community.”
“Rugby League Central will create a unified administration area for the game as well as creating an important centre for the community – one that showcases the important role Rugby League and its One Community programs play in helping Australians,” Mr Gallop said.
“The Learning Centre will concentrate on educational opportunities for all students but will also include specific sessions to engage students who have disengaged from mainstream schooling.
Chairman of the ARL, Colin Love said having the various leagues working together in the building would be enormously beneficial.
“There is a tremendous working relationship between the leagues but the ability to work side by side and at the same time to work directly with the community will improve things even further,” Mr Love said.
Work on the project is expected to start by the end of this year.
14 October, 2009
New timetable is
ahead of its time
The new train and bus timetables have commenced, with the Minister for Transport, David Campbell saying they are off to a good start.
Mr Campbell said the first morning peak period had gone well, with 99.6 per cent of CityRail services running on time.
“The new timetable has started positively and I would like to thank CityRail staff and our State Transit and private bus workers, and ask them to keep up the good work,” he said.
“There is a long way to go yet – but so far our extensive preparations ahead of the new timetable are proving their worth.”
Mr Campbell said the new timetable saw more than 8,000 additional seats added to the rail morning and afternoon peak hour times.
“I anticipate that our frontline transport workers will be putting in extra effort to ensure that commuters have a seamless change to the new timetable,” he said.
Mr Campbell visited the Rail Management Centre following the first morning peak period to get an overview of how the trains and buses went in their first test under the new timetable.
“Arrival, departure and connection times for trains and buses are changing so this is no easy task,” he said.
“Teams of transport staff have been handing out timetable materials at transport interchanges across the CityRail network, preparing commuters for these changes.”
Mr Campbell said information packs outlining the key changes had been sent to schools, commuter groups, hospitals, Local Councils and disability groups.
Further information on the new timetables was available at www.131500.com.au or by phoning 131 500.
14 October, 2009
Feds face up to
identity fraud
The Federal Minister for Human Services, Chris Bowen has used National Identity Fraud Awareness Week to warn the public that the Government has tightened measures against fraud.
Mr Bowen said sophisticated technology was being used to target people defrauding the Government by claiming payments and benefits they were not entitled to.
He said Centrelink and Medicare had specialist teams using data matching technology to detect identity fraud.
“These Agencies work closely with other Agencies such as the Child Support Agency and Australian Taxation Office, as well as various State Departments, to regularly match information to detect inconsistencies,” Mr Bowen said.
“The message is clear: if you commit fraud against the Commonwealth, the sophisticated data matching detection system will catch up with you.”
He said recent fraud detection successes included a Sydney man who had been sentenced to 18 months in prison for receiving two separate Centrelink payments while using an alias to undertake full-time employment.
Mr Bowen said a 73-year-old woman had pleaded guilty to claiming payments under a false name from 2000 to 2006, valued at $61,972. She was sentenced to 12 months prison to serve a minimum of three months for welfare fraud.
He said another man from Sydney had been sentenced to 18 months prison for welfare fraud totalling overpayments of $96,878.
Mr Bowen said Centrelink undertook almost 4,000 investigations into identity related fraud during 2008-09, resulting in 166 cases being referred to the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions.
The investigations identified debts worth $13 million.
Mr Bowen said cooperation between the Commonwealth Fraud teams, the Australian Federal Police and the Director of Public Prosecutions meant anyone who committed identity fraud would face hefty fines and long prison sentences.
“Identity fraud is a growing trend throughout the world, but the Australian Government will continue to update its techniques to detect those who try and defraud the Australian taxpayer,” Mr Bowen said.
Mr Bowen said the public could report suspected cases of fraud by phoning the Australian Government Services Fraud Tip-off Line on 13 15 24.
14 October, 2009
Diabetes survey needs
injection of support
A recruitment campaign has been launched to attract an additional 1,000 people at risk of developing type 2 diabetes to participate in the Prevent Diabetes Live Life Well Pilot Program.
Premier, Nathan Rees said the campaign targeted people aged 50 to 65 from Central Sydney, Macarthur and the Southern Highlands.
Mr Rees said the program aimed to prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes by encouraging participants to stick to its motto, ‘eat better, move more’.
He said early results from the program showed it was working.
“We are seeing some very positive results from the first 349 people who are three months into the Program,” Mr Rees said.
“They have lost an average of two kilograms and two centimetres from around their waist.”
He said potential participants must be identified by their GP as being at high risk of type 2 diabetes.
“They then work over a 12-month period with teams of nurses, dieticians and exercise physiologists to improve their lifestyle,” Mr Rees said.
“We know that if we provide people with early intervention programs and education on healthier lifestyles we are improving their life and easing the burden on the health system.”
Participants focus on achieving five key goals: eating healthier, reducing their daily fat intake, setting personal fitness goals, reducing their weight by five percent; and overcoming personal barriers to change.
Mr Rees said almost half of the 2,750 people screened so far as part of the program were at high risk of developing diabetes and that across Australia around 275 people developed type 2 diabetes every day.
“Currently 7.9 per cent of men and 6.8 per cent of women in NSW report having diabetes or high blood glucose - a marked increase from 1997 when 4.7 per cent of men and 4 per cent of women said the same,” he said.
The Prevent Diabetes Live Life Well Program is being run in partnership with the NSW Government, the Institute of Obesity, Nutrition and Exercise based at the University of Sydney, and Diabetes Australia, NSW.
Potential participants could phone 1300 796 341 for further information.
14 October, 2009
Consumers drive hard
bargain on licences
The Office of Fair Trading has urged consumers to check trade licences to avoid home building and renovation disputes.
Minister for Fair Trading, Virginia Judge said consumers should always check the trader’s licence number before signing any paperwork.
Ms Judge said checking the licence would only take a few minutes and could end up saving consumer “thousands of dollars and a lifetime of heartbreak”.
“Your home is one of the biggest investments that you’ll ever make and it’s important that you do everything you can to protect it” she said.
“A licence check will enable you to obtain details about the validity of the licence.
“It will also give you a rundown on the contractor’s history of disciplinary action, insurance claims and Consumer, Trader and Tenancy Tribunal orders not complied with, if any.”
Ms Judge said trade licence checks could be conducted on the Office of Fair Trading’s website (www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au) or by phoning 13 32 20.
She said anyone carrying out residential building work worth over $1,000 in labour and materials must have a licence.
“By law, traders must display their licence number on all advertising, stationery and signage,” Ms Judge said.
“Any trader caught breaking the law can risk hefty fines and/or imprisonment.”
She said the licence register on her Office’s website included details about the licence; its expiry and inception date; any licence conditions’ trader names; details of penalty notices, insurance claims and disciplinary actions; cancellations or licence suspensions; and the number of Consumer, Trader and Tenancy Tribunal orders not complied with.
14 October, 2009
Garden blooms on
21st birthday
Mount Annan Botanic Garden has celebrated its 21st birthday with the opening of a new photographic exhibition documenting its transformation and ground-breaking scientific research.
Australia’s largest garden includes 416 hectares of former farmland and over 4,000 native species and opened in 1988 as a NSW Government Bicentenary project.
It was dedicated as a garden of native flora and was also a major expansion of the scientific and educational work of the Botanic Gardens Trust.
After 21 years of work, the Garden includes large thematic displays of native species, man-made lakes and a Stolen Generations Memorial Garden.
Director of Mount Annan Botanic Garden, Caz McCallum said the Garden had always been a little outside the ‘botanic garden’ box.
Ms McCallum said 10 years after the Gardens opened it broke from tradition by establishing a children’s playground, barbecues, cycling paths, movies-under-the-stars and sunset wallaby watching.
“Our most recent development in the Connections Garden is an extension to the water feature that completes the ‘Plants Through Time’ walk,” she said.
“It has been a stunning success with visitors and school groups.”
Ms McCallum said while recreation and education were important aspects of the Gardens, it was also pioneering science inside its horticultural laboratories and Seedbank.
She said the Seedbank was originally established to collect wild seeds for a new garden but that a major upgrade in 1999 and collaboration with the Millennium Seed Bank UK had transformed it into an internationally recognised centre for seed collecting, storage and research into conservation.
Executive Director of the Botanic Gardens Trust, Dr Tim Entwisle said almost 40 per cent of the State’s native plants have been collected for the Seedbank.
“Within a decade we should have seeds from nearly every plant in NSW, with duplicates held in the Millennium Seed Bank in the UK,” Dr Entwisle said.
The photography exhibition, Then and Now, documents Mount Annan Botanic Garden’s transformation and ground-breaking scientific research.
The photo exhibition, Then and Now closes on 16 October 2009.
14 October, 2009
Electoral change has
Commission on a roll
The Australian Electoral Commission has improved its online enrolment form, making it quicker and easier for voters to update their information.
The new form uses intelligent navigation to reduce the chance of unintended errors, although people enrolling to vote or updating their address details will still need to print, hand-sign and send the form to the Agency.
Electoral Commissioner, Ed Killesteyn said the revamped form was a “step forward” for the AEC.
“The AEC is committed to doing as much as it can to take advantage of new technologies and e-business methods in working with Australians and meeting their expectations,” Commissioner Killesteyn said.
“We know that in the lead-up to the last Federal Election around 2.6 million hits were received on our online verification facility that enables you to check your enrolment status on the AEC website.”
He said the AEC aimed to harness the online interest and encourage electors to make transactions with the Commission over the internet whenever possible.
Commissioner Killesteyn said a recent report on the 2007 Federal Election by the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters (JSCEM) recommended applicants complete and sign an enrolment paper form once only, with all subsequent address changes made over the internet through a secure AEC portal.
He said such an innovation would help people maintain their enrolment, especially after changing their address.
“While you still need to print out and sign the form, it is a first step towards modernising the enrolment process to meet growing expectations among the public to complete business online,” Commissioner Killesteyn said.
In a bid to reach the estimated 1.2 million Australians missing from the electoral roll, the AEC is also preparing a mass mail out of enrolment forms.
Over the coming weeks, the AEC plans to send over 843,000 letters and forms to where they believe missing eligible voters might be living.
“While this is a significant mail out it won’t reach everyone who is missing, or everybody who has recently turned 18 or moved address, so I urge any Australian who needs to act on their enrolment to do it now, so you don’t miss out on having your say on election day,” Commissioner Killesteyn said.
Figures released by the AEC show people aged between 18 and 34, and those who have moved house in the past three years, have the greatest likelihood of not being on the electoral roll.
14 October, 2009
Sports stamps
take a licking
Australia Post has released a series of stamps to encourage children to be more active and try new sports.
Six sports are featured in the ‘Let’s Get Active!’ stamp series: basketball, netball, Australian Rules football, soccer, cricket and tennis.
Philatelic Group Manager for Australia Post, Noel Leahy said the stamps featured some of Australia’s most popular ball sports and aimed to inspire children to lead a more active life.
“The launch of these stamps kicks off Stamp Collecting Month and the energetic stamps capture perfectly the enjoyment that playing your favourite sport can bring,” Mr Leahy said.
“Over the years Stamp Collecting Month has provided a great opportunity for Australia Post to play an active role in nurturing and educating primary school children through stamps.
“This year we’re thrilled to feature six stamps that highlight the ‘Let’s Get Active!’ message of participation and having fun.”
Mr Leahy said the ‘Let’s Get Active!’ message would also be promoted throughout 7,000 schools, with Australia Post staff visiting thousands of school children to present the new stamps and encourage sport through a fun quiz and a ‘Let’s Get Active!’ DVD.
Minister for Sport, Kate Ellis launched the stamps, saying sport was important not only for its role in helping kids stay fit and healthy, but also in boosting confidence and encouraging friendships.
“No matter which sport you choose, getting outdoors and staying active leads to a happier, healthier life and it’s a lot of fun too,” Ms Ellis said.
14 October, 2009
Dangerous drivers
facing red light
New laws to crackdown on dangerous motorists and unregistered ‘death traps’ have been announced by the Minister for Transport, David Campbell.
Mr Campbell said under the new laws, speed cameras would be used to catch speeding drivers and identify unregistered and uninsured vehicles.
“People who drive unregistered and uninsured vehicles are not paying their way and motorists who do the right thing are the ones who pay the price,” he said.
“Not only are they cheating the system but they’re also posing a major safety risk, with bald tyres, faulty brakes and dangerous car modifications going undetected.
“These laws will stop unregistered drivers in their tracks.”
Mr Campbell said the Roads and Traffic Authority estimated around 65,000 motor vehicles on NSW roads were unregistered and uninsured.
He said the new camera technology would photograph the number plates of cars caught speeding or running a red light and would check them to ensure they were registered.
Mr Campbell said dangerous drivers cheating the law, would not only face speeding fines, but also fines for unregistered an uninsured vehicles when caught by a camera.
“An unregistered motor vehicle is automatically not covered for Compulsory Third Party insurance and if it’s involved in a crash, it is not insured if someone is injured,” he said.
“Personal injury claims caused by unregistered motor vehicles cost more than $18.5 million a year in NSW.
“These people are pushing up the cost of insurance for everyone else.”
Mr Campbell said owners of unregistered or uninsured vehicles could be fined $486 for each breach of the law.
14 October, 2009
Injection of life for
health rego scheme
Plans to create a national registration and accreditation scheme for health professionals have taken an important step forward, with the Queensland Government setting up a framework.
Federal Minister for Health, Nicola Roxon said the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Bill 2009 would soon be passed in all States and Territories.
“The scheme will cover registration and accreditation, complaints, privacy and information sharing, and transitional arrangements,” Ms Roxon said.
She said the scheme would only require health practitioners to register once, with the registration being recognised in all Australian jurisdictions.
“No longer will a health practitioner wanting to work interstate be required to hold additional or multiple registrations,” she said.
“This will be of particular benefit in responding to national emergencies where a workforce can be mobilised quickly from across the country.”
Ms Roxon said the scheme would also help improve patient safety, as the register would identify whether a health practitioner was registered and highlight any conditions imposed on their registration.
“Professional standards will continue to be developed by the individual professions and will ensure that Australia continues to have a world class health system where patient safety is paramount,” she said.
The Bill was drafted in accordance with the Intergovernmental Agreement and signed by the Council of Australian Governments’ in March 2008 following consultation with consumers, practitioners and regulatory bodies.
Following its passage through the Queensland Parliament, the draft legislation will be progressively introduced in all Parliaments across Australia to adopt and apply the new national law.
“All Health Ministers have agreed that this legislation will form the basis for a national scheme to begin on 1 July 2010,” Ms Roxon said.
14 October, 2009
New gambling service
is sure thing
NSW has made the largest contribution to the new national online counselling service for problem gamblers and their families.
Minister for Gaming and Racing, Kevin Greene has joined with other State and Territory Governments across Australia to launch the new service.
Mr Greene said the NSW Government was the largest contributor to the service, committing over $500,000 of funding over three years.
“The Gambling Help Online service is funded by the State and Territory Governments to provide live online and email counselling 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week,” he said.
“This free online service allows anybody to seek help anonymously from anywhere at any time and it’s expected to reach many people who would not otherwise access help via more traditional methods like face-to-face and telephone counselling.”
Mr Greene said site users could register or remain anonymous when accessing the counselling.
“Interacting online is often a preferred method for young people and those suffering feelings of guilt and shame,” he said.
“An average counselling session is expected to last about 45 minutes. Or you can receive support via email and get answers to any questions you may have.”
Mr Greene said the website was a ‘one-stop-shop’ for gamblers and included information on how to cut down on gambling, manage money and regain financial control.
“There are also useful tools such as a risk assessment survey to work out the extent of your gambling and a gambling calculator which adds up your potential losses over a year,” he said.
“There’s also information about the NSW Government’s face-to-face and telephone help services.”
Mr Greene said the website also acted as a gateway to all State and Territory problem gambling help websites and provided useful information for friends and family members of gamblers.
The national service will be provided by the Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre in Victoria.
The site could be accessed from www.gamblinghelponline.org.au
14 October, 2009
Irrigators tap into
Federal funding
A pilot project to support more efficient irrigation for farmers has been launched by the State and Commonwealth Governments.
NSW Minister for Primary Industries, Ian Macdonald said the Federal Government was providing $21.7 million in funding to the Gwydir Valley Pilot project to improve on-farm modernisation projects.
Mr Macdonald said the project was the first activity to be funded under the Commonwealth’s commitment towards the NSW Farm Modernisation Program.
“This initial project will help inform the NSW Government’s approach in rolling out further on-farm investment under the program,” he said.
Federal Minister for Climate Change, Senator Penny Wong said the funding fell under the Government’s State Priority Projects in the Murray-Darling Basin
“Central to our plan to getting the Murray-Darling Basin back onto a sustainable footing is investing in irrigation infrastructure to help our farmers and regional communities and protect food security,” Senator Wong said.
Mr Macdonald said the Commonwealth funding would be supplemented by $4.8 million from irrigators.
He said The Gwydir Valley Pilot Project would return eight billion litres of water entitlement to the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder from total water savings of 16 billion litres.
The remaining water savings would stay with irrigators to boost farm productivity.
The Project is to be implemented by the NSW Department of Industry and Investment, with support from the Border Rivers-Gwydir Catchment Management Authority.
“This project will provide an opportunity for the Gwydir irrigation community to prepare for a future with reduced water availability, and through a training component, ensure irrigators are skilled to derive the best possible value from these investments,” Mr Macdonald said.
He urged irrigators operating as direct river diverters in the Gwydir Valley to contact their nearest NSW Department of Industry and Investment Office for more information or visit www.environment.nsw.gov.au
14 October, 2009
Lawyers meet for breakfast seminar
The Anti-Discrimination Board has launched a new breakfast seminar for lawyers, covering principles of equal opportunity, law relating to discrimination and harassment, Occupational Health and Safety, employment law and management of a legal practice.
The seminar will be presented by a Senior Workplace Relations Consultant with the Board, Margaret White.
The seminar will be held on 26 October at Hyde Park Forum. Further information was available from www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au
CTTT announces holiday hours
The Consumer, Trader and Tenancy Tribunal has released its hearing arrangements for the Christmas/New Year holiday period.
The last hearing for 2009 will be held on 18 December, with hearings recommencing on 11 January 2010.
Hurstville and Parramatta Registries will close on 23 December 2009 and reopen on 4 January 2010 while all other registries will remain open on all business days during the period.
Fire fighters recognised
The National Medal for long service to the community has been awarded to 15 local National Parks and Wildlife Service fire fighters at a ceremony in Sydney.
The fire fighters received their awards for serving with the NPWS for 15, 25 and 35 years.
The awards went to Garry Bull, Noel Chamberlain, Mark Dixon, Jenni Farrell, Mary Ghosn, Glenn Gifford, Greg Gowlland, Tony Horwood, Jeff Johnston, David Kelly, Richard Oswald, Annette Prehn, Paul Sandilands, Grahame Smith and Al Warry.
Bypass plans on show
An environmental assessment of the proposed Gwydir Highway connection for the Moree town bypass is to be displayed at the Roads and Traffic Authority office and other locations in Moree until 16 November.
The bypass is expected to remove heavy vehicle traffic from the shopping precinct of Moree.
The public has been encouraged to make submissions on the proposal, with further information available from www.planning.nsw.gov.au or www.rta.nsw.gov.au
Indigenous imprisonment up
The Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research has found the adult Indigenous imprisonment rate in NSW rose by 48 per cent between 2001 and 2008, compared to a rise of 37 per cent across Australia.
Over the same period, the non-Indigenous rate of imprisonment in NSW rose by just seven per cent.
The Bureau said one quarter of the increase in Indigenous imprisonment in NSW came from a growth in the number of people held on remand and the remaining growth was associated with an increase in the number of sentenced prisoners.
Employment figures out
Figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics have shown NSW has the second lowest unemployment rate in Australia.
The ABS figures revealed unemployment in NSW fell by 0.5 per cent - from 6.1 to 5.6 per cent.
NSW is below the national average of 5.7 per cent and is equal second with Victoria.
Partnership cuts salt from Murray
Over 1,500 tonnes of salt are to be removed from the Murray River catchment every year under a new partnership between the State Government and a paper manufacturing company based in Albury, Norske Skog.
Under the Billabong Creek Green Offsets project, the Norske Skog paper mill will discharge an average of three megalitres of treated water into the Murray River per day and in return will fund the operation of the nearby Billabong Creek Salt Interception Scheme.
The project is expected to prevent saline groundwater from the area entering the creek while also bringing in fresh water.
Strict water licence conditions will be put in place and Norske Skog will have to monitor the quantity, frequency and quality of water released into the Murray.
Homeless homes contract let
A new project to provide homeless people with their own apartment is to be delivered by Grocon Consortium.
The common ground style project will see homes for the homeless built on vacant land in Camperdown.
Grocon Consortium, which was chosen following the expressions of interest process, is currently involved in the construction of two other common ground style projects in Melbourne and Brisbane, and will hire homeless and Indigenous people to work on the project.
Drought worsens
The expanse of drought declared land in NSW has increased from 65.9 per cent to 67.7 per cent of land mass as the State continues to face dust storms, failed crops, dry paddocks and dwindling water supplies.
Despite heavy rain in coastal areas, many country regions did not receive the rain they needed during September to produce healthy crops.
Most farmers are feeling the full brunt of the record breaking drought with 27.4 per cent of NSW considered marginal (up from 24.3 per cent) and 4.9 per cent satisfactory (down from 9.8 per cent).
7 October, 2009
Women in pink over
anniversary of Act
The Minister for Women, Linda Burney has urged women to “do something special” to mark the 25th anniversary of the Sex Discrimination Act 1984.
Ms Burney said women had come a long way since the inception of the Act which helped them progress in education, the workforce, politics and other areas of society.
However, she said while women had “made great leaps in achieving equality” there was still some way to go.
“There are not enough women in politics, in the higher management levels of corporations or on boards of directors, and we still face discrimination in the workplace and society to some extent, despite the fact that Governments have legislated to make discrimination illegal,” Ms Burney said.
“For real equality to happen, women need the opportunities so that we can show what we are capable of.”
She said the anniversary gave women the chance to consider where they are today and compare it to how different things were before the legislation came in.
“It may be hard to believe but there was a time when job advertisements would have different wage rates for men and women. Same job, different wage,” Ms Burney said.
“Today, more than 50 per cent of students in higher education are women.
“We now make up 45 per cent of the labour force and, as at June 2009, 24 per cent of judges and 38 per cent of magistrates are women.”
Ms Burney said the Sex Discrimination Act Conference had been held in Canberra to help celebrate the anniversary.
She said the Government was committed to supporting women to overcome barriers through anti-discrimination legislation.
“Our Making the Public Sector Work Better For Women Strategy aims to improve women’s recruitment, development and retention in the sector,” Ms Burney said.
“Already, the number of women newly appointed to NSW Government boards and committees increased from 19 per cent in 1995 to 41 per cent in June 2009.”
7 October, 2009
DNA testing
passes the test
The State’s Chief Health Officer, Dr Greg Stewart has reassured the public that DNA testing is sound, after it was revealed an error had occurred that could affect a person convicted of breaking and entering
Dr Stewart said a review of DNA ‘cold links’ was undertaken in September after the error was discovered during the routine loading of profiles on the NSW deceased people database.
“During the review, an error was found that may affect the conviction of a person for break and enter with intent,” he said.
“Police have contacted this person and will commence proceedings to have the conviction annulled.”
Dr Stewart said the person had received a nine-month suspended sentence.
“To ensure the integrity of the DNA database, NSW Health has reviewed all 17,000 cold links dating back to 2001,” he said.
“Of those, we identified 2,400 samples that we decided to re-test.
Dr Steward said no errors had been found, with less than 100 remaining to be tested.
“With these results, I believe the public can have confidence that DNA testing and quality assurance procedures are sound,” he said.
“Discovering and rectifying this error reinforces our commitment to constant review and quality improvement.”
Dr Stewart said the Government would consult with key Agencies, including Legal Aid and Corrections, about providing advice to the public.
The Division of Analytical Laboratories (DAL) is the primary accredited provider of DNA analysis to the NSW Police Force.
DAL's Forensic DNA Laboratory is routinely audited by the independent National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) against national forensic standards and is regularly peer reviewed.
In addition to DAL's thorough internal review, it has initiated an independent, external review by a Professor of Forensic Science at Flinders University, Hilton Kobus.
7 October, 2009
Emergency relief
to relieve in Samoa
NSW Emergency Service personnel have headed to Samoa to join the tsunami relief effort.
Premier, Nathan Rees said the team of 30 doctors, nurses, paramedics and fire brigade officers would remain in Samoa for 10 days before their role was reassessed.
Mr Rees said the State was responding to a formal request by the Federal Government for assistance in Samoa and was “standing ready” if further help was needed for rescue efforts in Indonesia.
“On behalf of NSW, I thank all of our service men and women who put up their hands to help our neighbours in their time of need,” he said.
“Once again some of our most experienced professionals will help with the relief effort after the devastation caused by these natural disasters.
“Our deepest sympathies are with the victims and their families both overseas and here at home.”
Mr Rees said public health specialists trained in emergency medicine and anaesthetics would be supported by nurses and paramedics.
He said the State Emergency Operations centre would remain in contact with Emergency Management Australia to co-ordinate any further requests for assistance on behalf of NSW authorities.
Four Urban Search and Rescue Officers from the NSW Fire Brigade are in the team, as well as Ambulance staff including a Director of Medical Retrieval, two Special Casualty Access Paramedics and a Special Operations Intensive Care Paramedic.
Staff from Sydney South West Area Health Service including a general surgeon, anaesthetics, intensive care unit nurse and two emergency department nurses are on the team as well as an emergency staff specialist, anaesthetics, disaster coordinator nurse, theatre nurse and two emergence department nurses from Northern Sydney Central Coast Health.
Staff from Sydney West Area Health Service and Greater Western Area Health Service also form part of the team.
7 October, 2009
Excellent schools go
to top of the class
The first round of schools to become Centres for Excellence has been announced by the Minister for Education and Training, Verity Firth.
Ms Firth said the 13 schools chosen to be Centres of Excellence would develop high quality teaching and improve teacher training.
“Each Centre will form the ‘hub’ for a cluster of schools which will extend the benefits to a further 200 schools across the state through Connected Classroom technology,” she said.
“By 2011, 50 Centres for Excellence will be located in every region.”
Ms Firth said the first round of schools would be up and running as new Centres for Excellence by 2010.
She said the Centres would be similar to teaching hospitals and would allow the next generation of teachers to observe high quality teaching firsthand.
“Established staff at the school will also have their skills refreshed through the increased university presence and focus on teacher professional development,” Ms Firth said.
“The schools that have been selected are consistently achieving strong results which are an indication of high quality teaching.
“We want to ensure our teachers receive the best training possible.”
Ms Firth said schools would be linked to a university that would be able to send its teaching students to the school at any time during their course rather than the traditional internship.
She said Centre for Excellence schools would receive additional resources, including a Highly Accomplished Teacher and start-up funding.
The Centres are an initiative under the Federal Government’s Smarter Schools National Partnerships funding package worth $720 million over five years for NSW.
The first 13 schools chosen are: Ryde Nth PS and Epping BHS in Northern Sydney; Macarthur GHS and Carlingford West PS in Western Sydney; Lansvale PS and Macquarie Fields HS in South Western Sydney; Morisset PS and Merewether PS in Hunter/CC; Oxley HS in New England; Temora HS in Riverina; Eden Marine HS and Nowra HS in the Illawarra; and Mudgee HS in Western NSW.
7 October, 2009
Campaign to bite at
taxman’s share plan
An information campaign has been launched to educate the community on how the Commonwealth Grants Commission determines the distribution of GST income.
Treasurer, Eric Roozendaal announced the campaign which is being sponsored jointly by the Government and business and community organisations who believe a proposed change to the system would disadvantage NSW.
The campaign was kicked off with an open letter, signed by the sponsors, and published in newspapers.
“This is a campaign to get a better deal for NSW families,” Mr Roozendaal said.
“We believe that the proposal to change the way GST revenue is redistributed among the States will disadvantage NSW and direct additional funding to Queensland.”
He said modelling by NSW Treasury had shown that NSW was facing cuts of around $400 million in 2010-11, rising to around $900 million in 2012-13.
“The Commonwealth Grants Commission’s 2010 review, which is currently underway, is an historic opportunity to resolve once and for all the long standing inequities involving the GST and NSW,” Mr Roozendaal said.
He said the groups joining the Government in the campaign had met with him in September to promote the joint effort and included the NSW Business Chamber; Local Government and Shires Associations; Unions NSW; NCOSS; the NSW Minerals Council; Sydney Chamber of Commerce; and the Illawarra and Hunter Business Chambers.
He said he also put the State’s case to the Premier of Western Australia, Colin Barnett and would soon be doing so to the Treasurer of the Northern Territory, Delia Lawrie.
Mr Roozendaal said NSW would lodge a formal submission with the Commission outlining the State’s concerns prior to it making its determination early next year.
He said the final decision on allocating GST revenue by accepting the Grants Commission’s recommendations lay with the Federal Treasurer, Wayne Swan.
7 October, 2009
Fire campaign puts
heat on safety
A state-wide campaign informing people of how to protect their homes and families during the up-coming bushfire season has been unveiled.
Minister for Emergency Services, Steve Whan launched the Prepare. Act. Survive campaign, saying it was important for residents to know what to do in case of a bushfire.
“This summer is shaping up as one of our worst in some years and people right across NSW should be under no illusion that the potential for dangerous bush fires is very real,” Mr Whan said.
“We have already experienced significant fires in NSW in recent weeks, with many areas beginning their bush fire season early.”
He said the campaign was targeted at people living or travelling through bushfire prone areas.
“This campaign will tell people about the new national Severe, Extreme and Catastrophic Fire Danger Ratings and new bush fire alert messages to help them make safe and informed decisions in the event of a fire,” Mr Whan said.
“It also highlights the need for residents in bush fire prone areas to prepare a Bush Fire Survival Plan.
“We have all seen how destructive fires can be and that's why people should be taking steps now to Prepare. Act. Survive.”
Mr Whan said an online program to help residents assess their home’s bushfire risk was available on the Rural Fires Services’ website.
He said new bushfire alert messages would be ranked on a sliding scale depending on their threat level.
Mr Whan said ‘advice’ meant a fire had started but there was no immediate danger; ‘watch and act’ represented a heightened level of threat and time to start taking protective action; ‘emergency warning’ meant there was danger and action needed to be taken immediately.
NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner, Shane Fitzsimmons urged residents to do everything possible to prepare their homes and families for the summer.
“With about 90 per cent of NSW in drought or listed as marginal and record temperatures across the State in August, I have real concerns for this fire season,” Commissioner Fitzsimmons said.
“People should be taking the time now to prepare not only their homes, but also themselves, to give themselves the best chance of surviving a fire.”
Further information on the campaign was available from www.rfs.nsw.gov.au
7 October, 2009
Consumers have dig
at funeral industry
A confidential consumer hotline and online survey have been launched to allow the public to have their say on the funeral industry.
Minister for Fair Trading, Virginia Judge said the hotline and survey would run until the end of October to allow consumers to share their views and concerns on the industry.
Ms Judge said the survey and hotline would allow the Government to assess whether the funeral information standard introduced on 1 February 2009 was working.
“Consumers must now be given standardised information about funeral services and costs before entering into an agreement, and get an itemised bill before making a final payment,” she said.
“This is about protecting consumers against unscrupulous funeral operators and to ensure they know what they are paying for.”
Ms Judge said the Government had conducted a similar survey in 2005 which led to funeral information standard being introduced.
“Since the standard was introduced, Fair Trading has received two formal complaints about the funeral industry,” she said.
“One of these complaints was about a delay in receiving a death certificate while the other complaint was about invoicing.
“This latest survey will help us determine if community concerns have changed since 2005.”
Ms Judge said Fair Trading had carried out a compliance blitz, Operation Compassion, in May 2009, during which 61 funeral directors in Sydney, Newcastle, Orange and Wollongong areas had been targeted.
“Fair Trading officers found a high level of compliance with only seven funeral directors having limited or no knowledge of the new funeral information standard,” she said.
“Fair Trading issued these funeral directors with warning letters and provided them with a copy of the legislation.
“Traders found to be non-compliant in the future will face an on-the-spot fine of $550.”
Ms Judge urged consumers to have their say by phoning 1300 528 937 or by completing the survey at www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au
7 October, 2009
Women pressed to
get mammograms
NSW women have been urged to get regular mammograms following the launch of breast cancer awareness month at the beginning of October.
Minister Assisting on Health (Cancer), Barbara Perry said around one in four women aged 50 to 69 had not had a screening mammogram within the last two years despite the fact the age group had a high prevalence of breast cancer.
“Considering the fact that there is a 97 per cent five year survival rate if breast cancer is detected early, that’s not enough women having a screening mammogram,” Ms Perry said.
She said women could make use of free BreastScreen NSW clinics to keep up to date with their mammograms or could visit a private clinic.
“Regular screening significantly increases the likelihood that breast cancers are found as early as possible and treated most effectively,” Ms Perry said.
“These odds make a mammogram every two years one of the most important things a woman over 50 can do, particularly when you consider a screening only takes about an hour.”
She said women in the 50 to 69 age group benefited most from mammograms, but that all women over 40 were entitled to a free mammogram every two years.
“We want to remind women that good health and living cancer free should be a priority for women and their families,” Ms Perry said.
“The message is simple. If you are aged between 50 to 69 years old book your mammogram now - don’t put it off until it’s too late.”
She said breast cancer deaths in NSW had reduced by 14 per cent over the past 10 years due in part to improvements to breast screening mammography and breast cancer treatment.
“While these measures have been successful there is still more work we can do,” Ms Perry said.
“The Cancer Institute NSW estimates that last year alone there were 4,200 new cases of breast cancer diagnosed in NSW and more than 900 women who lost their lives to the disease.”
Further information on mammograms was available by phoning 13 20 50.
7 October, 2009
Fridge rebate gets
warm reception
Households have been encouraged to make the most of the $35 Fridge Buyback Scheme as the program expands to cover more locations around the State.
Minister for Climate Change and the Environment, John Robertson said the program was now available in the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Illawarra and Shellharbour.
Mr Robertson said the Scheme paid households $35 to remove and recycle any fridge over 10 years old and bigger than 250 litres.
“Through Fridge Buyback, you get the fridge taken away for free, you save money on your power bills, reduce your carbon footprint and get paid $35,” he said.
“Every fridge taken out of circulation saves one tonne of carbon pollution a year and about $210 on annual power bills.
“Expanding the program to the Blue Mountains, Central Coast and Shellharbour will give hundreds of thousands more NSW residents the chance to get rid of their old fridge and save money and greenhouse gas emissions.”
Mr Robertson said over 11,000 second fridges had been taken out of circulation since 2006 and had led to carbon pollution reductions equivalent to taking 2,750 cars off the road.
“Over the same period Fridge Buyback has saved consumers an estimated $2.3 million on their electricity bills,” he said.
“Fridges are one of the biggest power users in the home and because second fridges are usually older and less efficient, they can use up to three times the power of a new fridge.”
Mr Robertson said every fridge collected was professionally degassed under licence to destroy all damaging gases and all metals were recycled.
Fridge Buyback was expanded to the new regions in partnership with Local Councils this month.
Mr Robertson said the $35 rebate would be paid for collection from homes with less than six steps and that collection was free, but no rebate would be paid if collection involved between 6-20 steps.
The Fridge Buyback program is coordinated by Next Energy and funded through the State’s Climate Change Fund.
To book a collection, visit www.fridgebuyback.com.au
7 October, 2009
Green report on
river red gums
The Natural Resources Commission has released the first independent assessment report on the state of the River Red Gum and Woodland Forests.
Premier, Nathan Rees welcomed the report, saying it was the first step toward understanding the complex environmental, social and economic issues associated with the forests.
Mr Rees urged the public to have their say on the report to ensure and transparent and thorough community consultation process.
“The more engaged the community is in these issues, the better the outcome will be for the future of the River Red Gums,” he said.
“The Natural Resources Commission’s (NRC’s) role in producing this independent assessment is to bring a broader perspective to the debate, analysing what are complex environmental and ecological issues.”
Mr Rees said the Government would make a decision on the long term future of the region after taking the interests of local communities, industries and the environment into account.
Minister for Climate Change and the Environment, John Robertson said the wetland ecosystems in the River Red Gum forests were under threat from drought, reduced water flows and the effects of climate change.
“The NRC process will contribute to the protection of the some of the most environmentally significant areas of the state for years to come,” Mr Robertson said.
Minister for Primary Industries, Ian Macdonald said the NRC’s assessment would also make recommendations on a sustainable future for the forest industry and local communities.
“Forests NSW and other Industry and Investment Agencies have been working closely on the provision of information, providing expert contextual information and facilitating tours of the red gum forests with the NRC members, with FNSW staff, industry and Aboriginal organisations,” Mr Macdonald said.
The NRC called for public responses to the report to be submitted by 23 October.
The report was available from www.nrc.nsw.gov.au
7 October, 2009
Hospital rebuild gets
positive diagnosis
The Children’s Medical Research Institute at Westmead Hospital is to receive a $99 million redevelopment.
Minister for Planning, Kristina Keneally said the upgrade would see a state-of-the-art medical research facility located at the Westmead Hospital Precinct.
Ms Keneally said the facility would be a “valuable addition” to the Westmead Health Campus and would enhance the profile of the Institute.
“Over the last 51 years the Children’s Medical Research Institute has made significant breakthroughs in research that have led, and will continue to lead, to the prevention and treatment of childhood diseases,” she said.
“The Institute has decided to stage the redevelopment over a period of 10 to 15 years, to minimise disruption to research activities.”
Ms Keneally said the proposal involved the staged demolition of the existing research facility and the construction of a new five-storey building with laboratories, a library, staff canteen, bio-services area, conference hall, gymnasium and medical rooms.
She said the Institute’s proposal took just three months to move through the State’s planning system.
“That’s a great outcome for both the Institute and the community,” Ms Keneally said.
Director of the Institute, Professor Roger Reddel said the building approval meant Australia could expand its research capacity and international reputation.
“Having the proposal assessed in such an efficient manner has also allowed the institute to concentrate on ensuring research can continue un-interrupted before, during and after construction,” Professor Reddel said.
“The assessment process has been easy to use and has delivered a great outcome that allows the Institute to move from strength to strength.”
Minister Assisting on Health (Mental Health and Cancer), Barbara Perry said an increasing demand for high quality research facilities meant Westmead needed to expand.
Ms Perry said the new facility would deliver paediatric medical research facilities to support the growth and improvement of the entire campus.
“This facility will greatly assist the Institute to continue and expand on its world-leading research programs for, cancer, gene therapy, embryology and nerve cell signalling,” she said.
“It will also help to meet the growing demands for medical research facilities in NSW which is an important step in taking the pressure of the current Westmead facilities.”
7 October, 2009
New England wins
new campaign
A new campaign to attract visitors to the New England North West region has been launched by the Minister for Tourism, Jodi McKay.
Ms McKay said the campaign would target NSW and Queensland residents and would highlight the region’s many tourist attractions.
She said the campaign was currently in force and would run until 14 November.
“The New England North West region offers visitors a taste of Australia’s outdoor lifestyle, culture and history,” Ms McKay said.
“There is something for everyone in New England North West from farm stays and boutique hotels to budget accommodation.”
She said New England North West Tourism had partnered with Tourism NSW and CountryLink for the campaign.
Ms McKay said the campaign aimed to boost visitor numbers and support local tourism operators.
“Tourism is an important industry for the New England North West region,” she said.
“The New England North West region received more than 2.8 million domestic and international visitors who stayed more than 3.5 million nights and injected $596 million into the region’s economy last year.”
Ms McKay said the new campaign was not the only Government initiative currently promoting regional tourism.
She said the State’s Regional Flagship Events program had been set up to continue supporting regional tourism operators.
“The events supported through the program encourage visitors to experience the best of regional New South Wales, supporting jobs and local economies,” Ms McKay said.
Events in the New England North West region benefiting from the program included Inverell’s Opera in the Paddock and Boggabri Drovers Campfire Weekend, with each receiving $10,000 under the program.
7 October, 2009
Sydney lands new
aircraft technology
Sydney Airport is likely to become the first airport to receive new technology to improve aircraft positioning and landing accuracy.
Airservices will begin introducing the world’s first certified Ground Based Augmentation System (GBAS) at Australian airports from late 2009.
General Manager of Air Traffic Control at Airservices, Jason Harfield said GBAS could reliably guide aircraft along a predictable, precise landing path by correcting Global Positioning System (GPS) errors and transmitting data directly to an aircraft’s flight management system.
Mr Harfield said Airservices had used its experience in satellite navigation technology to partner with Honeywell, the world’s only GBAS supplier, to develop the Honeywell SmartPath Precision Landing System.
“GBAS is the 21st century alternative to the 1930s-era Instrument Landing Systems and offers major improvements in airport safety, efficiency and capacity,” he said.
Mr Harfield said GBAS was expected to be a critical feature of Australia's future satellite-based air navigation system and had been recognised as a key contributor to similar programs being run by the United States Federal Aviation Administration and European air navigation services provider Eurocontrol.
A combined Honeywell/Airservices' GBAS trial system has been operating at Sydney Airport since November 2006.
Mr Harfield said Qantas aircraft had made more than 2,000 GBAS approaches, with pilots consistently reporting extremely precise and smooth guidance for approach and landing.
“Airservices is now working with domestic and international airlines to encourage take-up of GBAS avionics and to work cooperatively on new, efficient GBAS procedures,” he said.
“We expect to complete the installation in Sydney by the end of the year and are working with the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority to achieve the GBAS service approval in 2010.
“By integrating GBAS and other GPS-based operations with air traffic management, Airservices is focused on transitioning to the satellite-based performance-driven air navigation system of the 21st century.”
Mr Harfield said Honeywell is the only GBAS supplier to have achieved system certification by the US Federal Aviation Administration.
7 October, 2009
Footballers tackle
violence head on
A State anti-domestic violence program has successfully reduced violence among Rugby League clubs, according to the Minister for Community Services and Women, Linda Burney.
Ms Burney said since she initiated Tackling Violence at the beginning of the football season, just one of the 230 Rugby League players who signed up had breached the code of conduct and been charged with a domestic violence assault.
“The Australian Rugby League (ARL) believes that Tackling Violence contributed to fewer appearances by participating teams before the judiciary this year, compared to 2008,” she said.
“Clubs have said the program has inspired the players to be more disciplined during training, games and in their off-field behaviour.”
Ms Burney said the Government was evaluating the program and planned to run it next season.
She timed her announcement to correspond with the International Day of Non-Violence.
“The United Nations declared International Day of non-Violence is a day where we can reflect on the unacceptability of violence, particularly violence against women,” Ms Burney said.
“Alarmingly, about one in three Australian women is physically assaulted and one in five is sexually assaulted over their lifetime.”
Secretary of the Tingha Tigers, Chris Curtain said the players’ commitment to Tackling Violence had brought a new level of discipline to their approach to football.
“I think this season has been one of the best for the club in overall discipline and commitment from the players,” Mr Curtain said.
“The profile of the club was raised by Tackling Violence and the commitment of the players to be role models in the community has helped the team stay focused.”
Crime Manager for New England, Detective Inspector Greig Stier said the program had been “very successful” and carried the strong message that domestic violence would not be tolerated.
“The Tingha Tigers set a standard in behaviour and attitude that young men in this community can look to and emulate,” Detective Inspector Stier said.
Ms Burney said Tackling Violence was delivered in partnership with the Australian Rugby League, Mudgin-Gal Aboriginal Women’s Corporation, National Indigenous TV and the National Rugby League, with support from the Department of Premier and Cabinet, Office for Women, Attorney General’s and the Department of Arts, Sport and Recreation.
“Over 200 players and club officials took part in domestic violence education workshops so that they understand that domestic violence is a serious crime and have the knowledge to talk about domestic violence with authority and lead by example in their communities,” she said.
The six clubs that took part were Tingha Tigers; Lower Clarence Magpies; Dubbo Cyms; Macquarie Raiders; Windsor Wolves; and the Bay and Basin United Sharks.
7 October, 2009
Building figures
are sky high
The Australian Bureau of Statistics has released figures showing NSW has recorded the strongest growth in residential building approvals out of all Australian States.
Treasurer, Eric Roozendaal said residential building approvals were up by 19.7 per cent (seasonally adjusted) for August 2009 compared to July 2009 and 7.4 per cent compared with August 2008.
Mr Roozendaal said the figures compared to -9.4 per cent in Victoria, 1.7 per cent growth in Queensland and -0.1 per cent for Australia.
“This is more good news for the NSW economy – the green shoots of recovery are starting to grow,” he said.
Mr Roozendaal said the ABS reported 2,474 residential buildings were approved in August in NSW and that there had been a 0.8 per cent rise in retail sales during the same period.
He said the latest data came on top of NSW Treasury data showing property and land sales in NSW had increased by over 25 per cent in the past two months compared to July and August 2008.
“In July and August 2009 there were 6,986 more property transactions than the same period last year, up 25.5 per cent,” Mr Roozendaal said.
He said dwellings worth over $220 million had been sold under the NSW Housing Construction Acceleration Plan since 1 July when the NSW Government cut stamp duty on newly-constructed dwellings priced up to $600,000.
“506 families, including investors, have taken advantage of the 50 per cent stamp duty cut, putting $3.8 million worth of stamp duty back into their pockets (as at September 13),” Mr Roozendaal said.
“First home buyers in NSW have received $725 million in grants for the first eight months of this year – compared to just $201 million for the same time in 2008.”
7 October, 2009
Defence bomb website
launched with a bang
The Department of Defence has revised its website that provides information and advice on unexploded bombs and other military weapons.
According to the Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support, Mike Kelly the website enhancements would provide a “one-stop shop” for members of the public seeking more information on Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) which is ammunition that has malfunctioned and is potentially dangerous.
“UXO is never too old to be dangerous, as such any item found that is suspected of being a UXO must not be disturbed; simply leave it alone and report it to local police who will arrange for Defence experts to attend and deal with it,” Dr Kelly said.
“This is a free service provided by Defence.
“Public safety is of paramount importance to Defence and all reasonable measures are taken to prevent unauthorised access to land which Defence controls and which it knows or suspects to be contaminated with UXO.”
Dr Kelly said if UXO were found on land not owned by the Government, Defence would consult with the appropriate controlling authority.
“Defence provides advice to land management authorities and landowners on the management of UXO sites and makes available specialist Defence personnel to render safe any items of UXO as they are discovered and notified to Defence,” he said.
Dr Kelly said an ongoing public information campaign on UXO was conducted by Defence, including the annual distribution of over 380,000 notices directed at the public, and in particular, child safety.
The updated site was available from www.defence.gov.au/uxo
7 October, 2009
Slater award announced
A scholarship in the name of former Deputy Commissioner of the State Emergency Service, Greg Slater has been announced.
The $5,000 award is to go to an SES volunteer to develop his or her leadership skills.
Deputy Commissioner Slater died during an endurance exercise on the South Coast last month.
Info Commissioner on track
The Information Commissioner’s office is being established by Privacy Commissioner Judge Ken Taylor who is acting as Information Commissioner.
Judge Taylor said a website was expected to be operational in the coming weeks and that a permanent Information Commissioner would be appointed by the end of 2009.
An implementation plan and timetable are expected to be made public shortly and will include plans for the development and publication of guidance on the new open government regime and advice for Agencies on how to prepare and to handle the transition from Freedom of Information.
Further information could be accessed from www.dpc.nsw.gov.au
TAFE is top class exporter
TAFE NSW has been nominated as one of four finalists in the Best Export Category for the 2009 Australian Event Awards.
TAFE NSW was nominated for establishing a formal cooperation with organisers of the Beijing 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and World Expo 2010 Shanghai China to provide them with training services and products.
The 2009 Australian Event Awards are a national program designed to reward innovation, recognise excellence and acknowledge high standards of expertise required to organise events.
Court to take AmEx
The Supreme Court of NSW has announced it will accept American Express and Diners cards in addition to Mastercard and Visa cards from 1 November 2009.
The cards will be able to be used for paying filing fees, fines, court costs and victims compensation levies.
Credit cards will not be accepted for bail and surety payments, security for costs and other payments into court.
New engine for Warragamba
Warragamba Fire Station, just west of Sydney, has received a new $350,000 fire engine.
Minister for Water and Regional Development and Member for Wollindilly, Phil Costa handed the keys of the new fire engine to fire fighters from the station on 6 October.
History awards make history
Seventeen print, audio and film works have been shortlisted for the 2009 NSW Premier’s History Awards.
The awards are worth a total of $75,000 across five categories and aim to honour the contribution of Australian historians to enriching the lives and knowledge of Australians.
The 2009 shortlisted works were selected from 182 nominations and cover topics such as disabled WWI veterans, Charles Darwin and the story of Australian surfing.
Winners will be announced on 27 October.
Tide turns for Cronulla Marina
The redevelopment of the Cronulla Marina has been approved by the Department of Planning.
The $1.5 million redevelopment was assessed by an independent maritime engineer and reviewed by the Planning Assessment Commission before being approved.
The marina redevelopment is expected to build on the existing infrastructure to accommodate 79 vessels; include a water recycling system; and include a recreational and commercial area.
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