|
|
SearchArchives for October 2011
26 October, 2011
Vote of approval for
PS Commissioner
The new law establishing a NSW Public Service Commissioner has been passed by Parliament.
Premier Barry O’Farrell said he was determined to make the NSW public sector the best in the nation and a leader in the world.
“A Public Service Commission will also assist the Public Service in a renewed focus on service delivery and value for the people of NSW,” Mr O’Farrell said.
“It will set unambiguous goals, clear policy directions, transparent processes and accountability.”
He said former senior NSW and Commonwealth Public Servant, Graeme Head had been appointed as the State’s inaugural Public Service Commissioner and had a strong track record of delivering complex reforms.
“The Public Service Commissioner’s role will be to promote the core values of integrity, trust, service and accountability,” Mr O’Farrell said.
“The passing of this legislation means Mr Head can get on with the job of driving reform in the NSW Public Service.”
He said the reforms were about strengthening the State’s Westminster system; upholding the proper separation between the professional and political arms of Government; and ending the political scapegoating which had become a feature of life in the Public Service.
“The Commissioner will help shape the Public Sector to the contemporary and future needs of NSW citizens and customers with independence, professionalism and integrity, and reward success and innovation by dedicated public servants,” Mr O’Farrell said.
26 October, 2011
Guidelines issued for
PS appearances
The Department of Premier and Cabinet has issued a Circular summarising the guidelines to be followed by PS staff giving evidence before Parliamentary Committees.
According to the Director General of DPC, Chris Eccles, the Circular was published because the General Purpose Standing Committees of the Legislative Council would shortly be holding hearings into the Budget Estimates and related papers.
“It is timely that I draw your attention to requirements applying to public officials who are required to attend and give evidence before Parliamentary Committees,” Mr Eccles said.
“These guidelines were last issued under Circular 2003-47 and, before that, under Circular 1999-52.”
He said the primary rule was that officers may only give evidence of a factual nature and should refer questions seeking opinions or judgements of a political nature to the Minister (when in attendance) or take them on notice for a written response from the Minister.
He said it was important to ensure that all officers who were required to appear before Parliamentary Committees were made aware of, and adhered to, the guidelines.
Mr Eccles said the guidelines governing oral evidence before committees included a direction that where a question fell within the administration of another portfolio, the officer should request it be referred to the appropriate body.
“The Committees only have power to ask ‘lawful questions’ under the Parliamentary Evidence Act,” the guidelines say.
“Failure to answer a question which is not a ‘lawful’ question cannot result in the punishment of the witness.”
They say a question may also not be ‘lawful’ if an officer is under a statutory obligation not to reveal information relating to it.
“Where an officer is in doubt whether a question is ‘lawful’ or how to respond, the officer should take the question on notice and seek legal advice from the Crown Solicitor’s Office,” the guidelines say.
They say the Houses of Parliament have the power to require the production of documents (other than Cabinet documents) regardless of claims for privilege and if a Committee required an officer to hand up documents in his or her possession at the hearing, the officer should request the Committee to refer the matter to the relevant House for a formal order.
The Circular C2011-27 Guidelines for Appearing Before Parliamentary Committees and the attached guidelines can be accessed at this PS News link.
26 October, 2011
PS call to spearhead
Indigenous jobs
Senior Public Service managers across Australia have been called on to copy their private sector counterparts and go into bat for Indigenous employment.
Writing in the new-look magazine of the Institute of Public Administration Australia, Public Administration Today, the National President of the IPAA, Percy Allan called on the senior echelons of the PS to pledge more jobs for Indigenous Australians.
“Indigenous success stories tell us those who find work have far fewer problems than those who don’t,” Mr Allan said.
“To find work, Indigenous Australians need skills and opportunities to escape the downward spiral of hopelessness and despair that many regrettably view as the natural fate for Australia’s original peoples.”
His plea echoes a similar call by Commonwealth’s Special Minister of State, Gary Gray for Federal Public Service Chiefs to lead by example in hiring more Indigenous employees.
Mr Gray said he expected the Australian Public Service to be doing more towards achieving the 2018 target of a further 100,000 private and public sector jobs for Indigenous Australians.
The IPAA magazine looks at other aspects of Indigenous affairs, including The Strategic Review of Indigenous Expenditure Report to the Australian Government, which recommended 25 existing Indigenous-specific programs across the Commonwealth be closed immediately, and 51 others be consolidated into 18.
The report said Commonwealth Government expenditure on its Indigenous-specific programs amounted to some $3.5 billion annually and that it had yielded dismally poor returns to date.
Public Administration Today also features articles supporting its Indigenous employment theme by Public Service Chiefs including Federal Auditor General, Ian McPhee, former Commonwealth and ACT Ombudsman, Allan Asher and the Australian Public Service Commission.
It is distributed nationally and read by public sector employees in all three tiers of Government, Statutory Authorities and not-for-profit organisations.
Mr Allan’s comments can be found in the PS News Feature pages at this PS News link.
26 October, 2011
State Tribunals
to be judged
The State Parliamentary Law and Justice Committee has been asked to review the number of Tribunals in NSW and look for opportunities for consolidation.
Attorney General, Greg Smith said he and the Minister for Finance and Services, Greg Pearce had referred the matter to the Committee which would consider a number of options and report back to Government early in the new year.
“The number of Tribunals in NSW had made dispute resolution in NSW complex for residents and created inefficiency and duplication across Government,” Mr Smith said.
“In 2002, the Ombudsman and Police Integrity Commission recommended that Tribunals in NSW be consolidated, but since this time only minor changes have occurred.”
He said the Law and Justice Committee had also been tasked with reviewing current Tribunal workloads; reviewing the operation of the Consumer, Trader and Tenancy Tribunal; and considering any consequential changes that may arise.
Mr Pearce said the inquiry would look at whether a single point of contact for all Tribunal-related dispute resolution functions could be of benefit, especially for NSW regional residents.
“We are determined to make any dealings with the NSW Government easier and seamless, including in matters of dispute resolution,” Mr Pearce said.
“With significant changes in the jurisdiction of the NSW Industrial Relations Commission, including the introduction of the Fair Work Act and the National Occupational Health and Safety system, opportunities already exist to allow the IRC to hear other matters”.
He said it made sense that NSW use its resources more effectively and create simpler services for its residents to use.
“This approach is tried and tested and has been operating in Victoria for some years,” Mr Pearce said.
Minister for Fair Trading, Anthony Roberts said a number of opportunities also existed to improve Fair Trading’s framework for resolving disputes between tenants, landlords, traders and consumers.
“The Consumer, Trader and Tenancy Tribunal is used by tens of thousands of NSW residents every year,” Mr Roberts said.
“This inquiry provides an opportunity to determine if or whether we can make any improvements.”
26 October, 2011
Car share plan to
share the glory
Sydney City’s car share policy has been judged the world’s best.
The City was awarded the first ever International CarSharing Association Award for Excellence at the association’s annual conference in Montreal, Canada.
Lord Mayor, Clover Moore said the policy met all the award criteria and set a benchmark for Local Governments around the globe.
Cr Moore said the award showed Sydney was leading the way in reducing congestion and air pollution by encouraging car sharing.
“Sydney residents have well and truly embraced the considerable benefits of car share with an average of 200 people joining each month, pushing membership close to 7,500,” Cr Moore said.
“One car share vehicle can replace up to nine private vehicles on our congested roads and research has shown that about a quarter of car share members have deferred the purchase of a car or have sold their vehicle since joining the scheme.”
She said the City would continue to extend car share parking spaces to new residential and commercial developments and carparks in a bid to increase the scheme’s membership to 15,000 (or one in 10 City households) by 2016.
“This is an important step in our Sustainable Sydney 2030 objective of reducing carbon emissions by 70 per cent,” Cr Moore said.
She said the City’s award, which was open to association-registered city Councils around the world, was based on three selection criteria: for results, not plans; for delivery, not intentions; the policy’s length, which had to be a minimum of three years, and that the policy was open, fair and transparent.
More information about car share is available from this PS News link.
26 October, 2011
Workplace safety
one step at a time
The State Government has taken the next step towards delivering on its commitment to national Work Health and Safety laws.
Attorney General, Greg Smith said the next stage of harmonising WHS laws involved transitioning work health and safety prosecutions from the Industrial Court to the District Court and Local Court.
“The Work Health and Safety Act 2011 was enacted in June this year,” Mr Smith said.
“The new laws will start on 1 January 2012.”
He said the laws would ensure that the State maintained its strong work, health and safety framework; kept businesses accountable; reduced red tape for employers; and simplified the laws for both employers and workers.
“One of the main changes under the new legislation will be that most work health and safety prosecutions will be heard in the District Court instead of the Industrial Court.”
Minister for Finance and Services, Greg Pearce said the transition from the Industrial Court to the District Court had been an important issue and one where the NSW Government wanted to provide certainty to affected parties.
“All Occupational Health & Safety matters currently before the Industrial Court, and all matters filed before 31 December 2011 are to remain with the Industrial Court,” Mr Pearce said.
“The only exception will be where the alleged offence was committed after 7 June 2011.”
He said it was estimated that about 200 prosecutions under the Occupational Health and Safety Act would be underway in the Industrial Court when the new laws came into effect.
“This announcement today means clarity for cases already underway,” he said.
“Allowing cases already in the Industrial Court to remain there until they are completed will save costs and is a win-win for all parties.”
Mr Pearce said a Bill would also be introduced into Parliament making amendments to industry-specific laws which dealt with workplace health and safety, such as the mine and rail safety schemes.
26 October, 2011
Legal Commissioner
to call NSW home
NSW is to be home for the new National Legal Services Board and National Legal Services Commissioner.
Announcement of the arrangement was made by Attorney General, Greg Smith who said the State had won the right to host the new national regulators in a ballot.
Mr Smith said the regulators would play the key role in reforms to the legal profession, a sector which generated around $13 billion in income a year.
“NSW will ensure that the Board is established on time, within budget and in premises that befits its role as the peak national regulator and the face of the Australian profession internationally,” he said.
“NSW, Queensland, Victoria and the Northern Territory are taking part in the reforms, covering around 85 per cent of Australia’s practising lawyers.”
He said there would be the same practice rules and entry requirements for all lawyers as well as a new complaint-handling processes that would benefit consumers.
He said the system would be overseen by the new national regulators, with the Board also developing the uniform national rules.
Mr Smith said NSW had a wealth of experience regulating Australia’s largest and most diverse legal services sector, which made up more than 40 per cent of all Australian legal practitioners.
“NSW has been a driving force behind national reforms to the legal profession over the past decade, but there has been a lot of collaboration with other States, and in particular Victoria,” he said.
“We hope to provide sound leadership and an inclusive approach that will benefit all the nation’s lawyers and legal consumers.”
26 October, 2011
Watchdog chases
privacy breach
The acting Privacy Commissioner, John McAteer has expressed concern about the security of personal information held by organisations following media reports of a data breach involving First State Super.
Mr McAteer said the information appearing in the media relating to the alleged
breach seemed to have similar parallels to a data breach in June this year at the University of Sydney.
In that instance, the University was found to have failed to protect students’ personal data during an information leak via its website.
“At the time, I warned organisations to be vigilant in checking the security of their client holdings, and to test for any flaws or patches required to prevent client details being accessed through their websites,” Mr McAteer said.
“That report advised that large corporations and agencies have available to them dedicated IT and information resources.”
He said that entitled the community to expect from them higher rates of awareness of information security risks.
Mr McAteer said First State Super’s privacy obligations were jointly overseen by the Australian Privacy Commissioner in respect of personal information under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), and the NSW Privacy Commissioner as far as personal health information was concerned under the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 (NSW).
“Without confirmed details of the First State Super data systems, I cannot comment on the exact incidents,” the acting Privacy Commissioner said.
“However from the allegations as outlined in the media reports, previous investigations have established that these types of errors can be reasonably detected with proper testing.”
Media reports revealed that First State Super, which has over $30 billion in funds under management, called the police on a private security consultant who demonstrated a flaw that had opened up allowing access to the company’s database of sensitive customer details.
It was reported that the only thing an identity thief would need to do to gain access to the personal data was to change numbers in the URL bar.
Mr McAteer said that where there was a potential for the data of any client to be compromised, it was important to ensure the client was advised.
26 October, 2011
Audit to drive
road safety
A performance audit of the rules and processes for managing young drivers on the State’s roads has found there is room for improvement and change.
In his report Improving Road Safety: Young Drivers, Auditor-General Peter Achterstraat found that despite fatal crashes involving young drivers plummeting since the introduction of the Graduated Licensing System, more could be done to keep them safe on the roads.
“Overall, young drivers are involved in 25 per cent of fatal crashes while they make up only 16 per cent of licenced drivers,” Mr Achterstraat said.
“Young drivers in the country are around three times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than those in metropolitan areas.”
He said the audit found the number of crashes involving young drivers rose sharply when a learner driver progressed to a provisional driver and there were many incidents of young drivers engaging in high-risk behaviour.
“Young drivers need to be better safeguarded from high-risk situations during the first year of unsupervised driving,” he said.
“Tighter restrictions on night driving and carrying peer passengers should be considered.”
Mr Achterstraat said psychological testing, particularly for serious and repeat offenders, should be considered.
He said the audit also found the pass rates for licence testing varied significantly between registries and he recommended the RTA look closely at the reasons.
He also recommended more training for parental supervisors; better access to safer vehicles; and subsidised instruction in poorer and remote communities.
“There is scope to better protect and support young people, particularly in rural areas”, Mr Achterstraat said.
“Those who do the wrong thing must be held accountable. We need to be tougher on those young people.”
The full text of the Auditor General’s report can be accessed at this PS News link.
26 October, 2011
New driving laws to
protect children
Drivers who commit serious offences with children in their vehicles are to face tougher sentences under new legislation.
Premier Barry O’Farrell said the changes would be made to the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 to make the presence of children an “aggravating” factor during the sentencing of drivers for a number of serious traffic offences.
“This means courts will be expected to impose tougher penalties on drivers convicted of major offences where a child under 16 years of age is in the vehicle,” Mr O’Farrell said.
He said he was sickened by reports that parents were drink driving and even driving under the influence of drugs while children were their passengers.
He said the tough new rules would apply to those convicted of a range of offences including drink and drug driving; engaging in a police pursuit; and failing or refusing to undergo breath analysis or provide a sample for drug or alcohol testing.
“It is bad enough when drivers commit serious offences – but it is simply intolerable when they have a young child in the vehicle,” Mr O’Farrell said.
“I am disgusted that some drivers are prepared to put young lives at risk.”
He said the Government intended taking action to ensure the courts considered such irresponsible behaviour when handing down sentences.
He said the changes could result in higher fines; longer sentences; or they could mean the difference between receiving a fine or a jail term.
Mr O’Farrell said that over the past five years at least 133 children under the age of 16 were injured or killed as passengers of drink drivers.
“As the parent of two teenage boys I cannot comprehend someone putting their children’s lives at risk by reckless, drunken or irresponsible driving,” the Premier said.
“The message is clear to drivers - if you commit a serious offence with a child in a car you can expect a tougher sentence from the courts.”
26 October, 2011
Plumbing Council
in the pipeline
A Plumbing Advisory Council is to be established to advise on industry regulation including the Plumbing and Drainage Bill 2011.
Minister for Fair Trading, Anthony Roberts made the announcement saying the Bill would deliver a clearer, simpler regulatory system for plumbers and greater certainty for consumers.
“The Plumbing Advisory Council will advise me and Fair Trading on important issues relating to plumbing regulation in NSW,” Mr Roberts said.
“I am committed to ensuring that the Council has broad cross-sectoral representation from across the industry and I look forward to working with stakeholders to create specific Terms of Reference for the Council.”
He said the important and essential changes heralded by the Plumbing and Drainage Bill 2011 would be discussed at a roundtable session with all stakeholders six months after the legislation’s commencement.
“The Government is pursuing significant reform of the plumbing industry,” he said.
“We are establishing Fair Trading as the single drainage and plumbing regulator and the sole point of contact for plumbers, builders and home owners.”
Mr Roberts said the Government would also apply one technical standard, the Plumbing Code of Australia, across NSW.
“This will allow plumbers to work more easily across a number of regions, without needing to be familiar with small, local variations,” he said.
“To ensure that plumbers, consumers and regulators are benefiting from the changes, the roundtable will carry out a review of the legislation.”
He said the roundtable and Advisory Council were practical measures which would help to ensure the legislation was working well and met the needs of all stakeholders, particularly consumers and plumbers.
26 October, 2011
Mountains aim high
for celebrations
The public has been invited to join in celebrations to mark the 25th anniversary of the Australian Alps National Parks program next month.
Coordinator of the Australian Alps National Parks program, Anthony Evans said the celebratory weekend would enlighten visitors and remind everyone that alpine flora and fauna knew no boundaries within the 1,678,715 hectares they inhabited in Australia.
“During the weekend of 19 and 20 November there will be public celebrations and educational events in all three alpine States and Territories to celebrate our quarter century of cooperation,” Mr Evans said.
“NSW celebrations will be based at the refurbished Kiandra Courthouse and walks, talks, tours and exhibitions will embrace the cultural heritage and natural aspects of this historic township.”
He said people were invited to come and enjoy displays of Aboriginal culture, explore an alpine herb field and view Kiandra artefacts loaned from community members.
“ACT rangers will guide long and short walks as well as a barbecue where old friends and new can enjoy the parkland of Namadgi,” he said.
“In Victoria, visit the Wallaces Hut Heritage Precinct, join a guided walk along the Baw Baw plateau, and come along to a family barbecue.”
Mr Evans said the Australian Alps were a single and unique bioregion larger than France, and NSW, ACT, Victorian and the Commonwealth governments had, for 25 years, shared knowledge and expertise so each agency could best manage their landscape and biodiversity.
“This program operates at all levels of management, from the listing of the Australian Alps as a National Heritage icon to engagement with Aboriginal community leaders to operational management issues like cross-border weed and pest animal control,” he said.
“Every three years, coordinating the Australian Alps National Parks Program moves between the States involved and I am delighted to have the role during this time of celebration” Mr Evans said.
He said more information was available from this PS News link.
26 October, 2011
Grown up approach
to juvenile laws
Public comment has been invited on a consultation paper outlining possible changes to laws governing juvenile and child offenders.
The paper was released by the Attorney General, Greg Smith who said it formed part of a review of the Young Offenders Act 1997 and the Children (Criminal Proceedings) Act 1987.
“The review will determine whether the laws are effective and consistent with the NSW Government’s commitment to reducing recidivism among young offenders,” Mr Smith said.
“It is also important that the laws are in line with community standards and I encourage members of the public, including victims of crime, to have their say.”
He said the issues raised included whether any changes were needed to the laws governing warnings and cautions and directing young offenders into youth conferencing; whether the Children’s Court should be responsible for hearing all traffic matters involving juvenile defendants; and whether the Young Offenders Act and the Children (Criminal Proceedings) Act should be amalgamated.
“The consultation paper gives the community the facts about youth offending and the law so that it can make up its own mind about the issues raised,” Mr Smith said.
He said the Young Offenders Act enabled children who committed certain offences to be dealt with outside court through the use of warnings, cautions and youth justice conferences.
He said the Children (Criminal Proceedings) Act governed the age of criminal responsibility; the jurisdiction of the Children’s Court; and the penalties that applied to children for criminal offences.
“The Department of Attorney General and Justice is conducting the review, with assistance from legal groups, criminologists, experts in young offending and advocates for victims of crime and people with a disability,” he said.
“Submissions can be sent to lpd_enquiries@agd.nsw.gov.au and must be made by 9 December 2011.”
The consultation paper is available at this PS News link.
26 October, 2011
Fire teams on fire
in hot competition
Teams from Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) have dominated competition at the recent Australasian Firefighters Championship.
Commissioner of FRNSW, Greg Mullins said he was very impressed by the standard of competition, and the high level of fitness and athleticism of firefighters from across Australasia.
“The skills they showed in these hard-fought events, such as extinguishing a fire in a multi-storey building when every second is critical, have a direct bearing on the work they perform every day to protect the public,” Mr Mullins said.
He said FRNSW teams secured the top three places, with Kelso (near Bathurst) winning the title of Australasian Champions.
He said Berry achieved second place, and Dorrigo came third.
“There was very strong competition from teams from interstate and from New Zealand,” Mr Mullins said.
“Our two nations can be proud that they are well-served by competent and highly-skilled firefighters.”
He said the team from Echuca in Victoria took out fourth place, and the Melbourne Metropolitan Fire Brigade 1 came in sixth.
“The smooth running of the Australasian Championships was a credit to FRNSW as the hosts of the event,” he said.
“The countless volunteers and officials, including the current chair of the Australasian Championships, FRNSW Assistant Commissioner Jim Hamilton, all deserve great credit for making the two-day event such a success.”
26 October, 2011
Forests log onto
log truck safety
A new safety initiative aimed at driving improvements in log truck driver safety and behaviour has been launched in Bathurst.
Regional Manager for Forests NSW, Gavin Jeffries said the community was being asked to contribute to road safety in the Central West region by calling 1800 LOGHAUL to comment on logging truck safety in the region.
“This new safety initiative, developed by Forests NSW and Forest Industry Council in South West NSW, will give other road users the opportunity to comment,” Mr Jeffries said.
“If you are driving behind a logging truck and notice any safety issues such as loose logs or speeding, or if you notice the driver is being particularly courteous, you can call 1800 LOGHAUL and quote the truck ID number.”
He said message would be passed onto the contractor and complaints would be investigated.
He said caller details would be kept confidential.
Mr Jeffries said the program was gradually being rolled out across the State and was already operating in Forests NSW Macquarie Region, which covered Oberon, Orange, Lithgow and Bathurst.
“It works by log trucks bearing 1800 LOGHAUL (which corresponds to 1800 564 4285 on phone keypads) on the rear of the trailer, as well as an individual truck identification number,” he said.
“The aim is to gather data on driver behaviour and other safety issues, as well as highlighting positive driving.”
He said a similar system was working well in New Zealand.
“We very much hope the public will support the initiative here too,” Mr Jeffries said.
“The Macquarie Region is a hub for forest activity and safety is foremost in the mind of the timber industry.
“It covers some 71,500 hectares of State-owned pine plantation, which together with 22,400 hectares of privately owned plantations supports a regional timber industry which provides almost 2,000 full-time equivalent jobs.”
He said the initiative had been introduced to reduce the number of vehicle accidents in the region and improve public perception of the industry.
26 October, 2011
Blacktown fit for
medical training
A new training centre in Blacktown has been opened to play a key role in training more doctors and nurses for Western Sydney.
The University of Western Sydney’s Blacktown Mt Druitt Clinical School was officially opened by the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard.
Ms Gillard said the world class Clinical School would offer more people the opportunity to train to become doctors, nurses and allied health professionals in Western Sydney, where they were most needed.
“The Blacktown Mt Druitt Clinical School has capacity for around 150 medical students that will train at both the Blacktown and Mt Druitt Hospital,” Ms Gillard said.
“This is a significant achievement compared to six years ago when there were no medical students training at either hospital.”
She said the Federal Government’s health reforms were delivering greater investment in hospitals including beds, surgery and emergency departments, more GP’s and specialists and higher investments in primary care.
She said Western Sydney residents were also benefiting from a new GP After-Hours telephone line that had handled more than 41,000 calls since it was launched on 1 July this year.
“Around a third of all calls have involved the care of children aged up to 5 years, providing parents with advice and peace of mind when they need it,” Ms Gillard said.
She said the school provided on-site education and research facilities for medical students including a library, theatrette, seminar rooms, a laboratory and space for clinical trials.
“Students will also have access to equipment such as human patient simulators, a training mannequin used for teaching CPR and an infant patient simulator,” she said.
“The new medical simulation technology is world class, comparable to equipment used at Harvard University,” the Prime Minister said.
26 October, 2011
And in Other News...
New Circular on tax issues
Treasury has issued a new Circular on Machinery of Government changes: Goods and Services Tax; Fringe Benefits Tax and income tax issues.
The Circular TC 11/13 discusses the issues associated with each matter and provides guidance on action needed by Agencies to comply with changes in GST and FBT responsibilities resulting from administrative and machinery of government changes.
The Circular can be accessed at this PS News link.
Credit rating confirmed
New South Wales’ AAA credit rating has been affirmed by Standard & Poor’s Rating Services.
The rating company reported that the State’s outlook was stable, saying that in their opinion its financial management was strong.
Treasurer, Mike Baird said the announcement was confirmation the State was on its way to being number one again.
Group buyers spark complaints
NSW Fair Trading has announced it was working with other Australian consumer protection regulators investigating a spike in complaints about group buying websites.
Fair Trading had received nearly 200 complaints, the majority of which involve non-supply or partial supply of goods and services; failure to provide refunds; or goods and services which were not fit for purpose.
More information is available from this PS News link.
Goulburn drought proofed
Goulburn residents are to benefit from a secure water supply in times of drought following completion of the emergency Wingecarribee to Goulburn pipeline.
The 81-kilometre underground pipeline links Goulburn to the Sydney Catchment Authority’s water supply and is capable of supplying the Goulburn community with up to 7.3 million litres of water a day during drought periods.
All clear for national park
A significant milestone towards the creation of the Dharawal National Park has been achieved.
BHP Billiton has modified its Bulli coal project to exclude the area of the proposed Dharawal National Park, allowing the park to covering 98.7% of the current Dharawal State Conservation Area apart from two small areas essential to BHP Billiton’s ongoing operations.
The area is home to 20 endangered or vulnerable animal species and also contains significant Aboriginal cultural values.
Members sought for panel
Nominations are being sought for positions on the new NSW Land and Water Advisory Panel.
The panel replaces the Natural Resources Advisory Council and will facilitate and communicate community and stakeholder advice on a broad range of natural resource management issues to the Minister for Primary Industries.
The Panel is expected to meet quarterly and would include among its appointed members the senior representatives from the Department of Primary Industries, the Office of Environment and Heritage, the Department of Aboriginal Affairs, the Department of Planning and Infrastructure, the NSW Office of Water, State Water (with input from Customer Service Committees) and Catchment Management Authorities.
19 October, 2011
Universities given a
degree of flexibility
Universities in NSW are to have greater flexibility determining their governance arrangements following new laws announced by the Minister for Education, Adrian Piccoli.
Mr Piccoli said the reforms would bring university governance into line with contemporary governance practice.
He said universities in NSW had been asking for changes in their governing body size and composition for some time.
“These reforms give universities the flexibility to operate in a more globalised and competitive educational environment,” Mr Piccoli said.
He said the new arrangements would allow universities to maintain the existing size and composition of their governing bodies if chose to.
He said currently governing bodies had between 17 and 22 members and while the new minimum was 11, a maximum of 22 had been retained.
“A key feature of the new model is the ability of universities to ‘opt in’ to the changes,” Mr Piccolo said.
“Universities can adopt the new arrangements at a time suitable to their needs by a two-thirds majority decision of their governing bodies.”
He said the legislation provided the capacity for universities to remunerate appropriate governing body members if they chose to do so.
He said it also helped reduce red tape by allowing for modernisations such as the ability to hold teleconferences and remove Chancellors or Deputy Chancellors who had lost the confidence of their governing body without resorting to Government intervention.
“The Parliamentary Secretary for Tertiary Education and Skills, Gabrielle Upton, led the consultations with the NSW Vice-Chancellors’ Committee,” Mr Piccoli said.
“I thank all the Chancellors and Vice Chancellors who have been part of this process – the Vice-Chancellors’ Committee has advised that all 10 of our public universities including their Chancellors and governing bodies support the model for legislative change.”
Ms Upton said the universities were a major economic driver for the State and should have a better chance to focus their resources on their important core activities such as teaching and research.
“We want to free them up from red tape,” Ms Upton said.
19 October, 2011
Ombudsman points bone
at Aboriginal support
An ombudsman’s report into Aboriginal disadvantage has found that years of spending on programs and services had failed to make any significant impact and the time had come for a new approach.
In his report Addressing Aboriginal disadvantage: the need to do things differently, the Ombudsman, Bruce Barbour described past programs as ineffective and fragmented and said they failed to make significant inroads into high levels of disadvantage in Aboriginal communities.
Mr Barbour highlighted the frustration expressed by many Aboriginal leaders who were “tired of seeing valuable resources wasted on poorly targeted ‘off the shelf’ programs and a lack of coordinated planning around the funding, design and delivery of critical services by government agencies”.
“It is our view that the uncoordinated funding of ever more services has become a poor substitute for failing to grapple with the more difficult and inter-related challenges associated with child abuse and neglect, youth offending, habitual non-attendance at school, high levels of substance misuse and unemployment in high-need Aboriginal communities in NSW,” Mr Barbour said.
“It is time for major reform in this State to the overall approach to Aboriginal affairs.”
He cautioned against simply imposing another plan on top of the many plans and initiatives that were already in place.
“There is an urgent need to rationalise the array of existing plans and strategies to determine what works and which current initiatives are likely to deliver real benefits,” Mr Barbour said.
“Aboriginal leaders – and the community generally – stress the need for much stronger accountability in relation to government spending on programs intended to benefit Aboriginal people.”
In his report the Ombudsman called for major reforms to the ‘infrastructure’ governing Aboriginal affairs in NSW, starting with new partnerships that gave Aboriginal leaders a real voice in decisions that impacted on their communities.
Mr Barbour welcomed the recent creation of a high-level taskforce.
“It is vital that any plan to address Aboriginal disadvantage is based on strengthening the capacity of individuals to take control of their own lives,” he said.
The report also called for independent scrutiny and more transparent reporting to ensure that agencies delivered on their commitments.
The NSW Aboriginal Land Council has welcomed the report.
The Ombudsman’s report can be accessed at this PS News link.
19 October, 2011
Speed cameras
slowed down
Work has started to remove fixed speed cameras found to be ineffective by the Auditor General.
Minister for Roads, Duncan Gay has announced that the first of the speed cameras switched off in July had been removed at Tilbuster on the New England Highway.
“A safety route review is progressing to examine alternate safety measures at the fixed speed camera locations that the Auditor General found had not delivered a road safety benefit,” Mr Gay said.
“We will review locations where fixed speed cameras were switched off to find what other road safety measures can be introduced to address the crash risks at these locations.”
He said the cameras were being removed first in locations with the lowest crash risk history.
“Fixed speed cameras will also be removed at Quirindi and Llangothlin on the New England Highway and at Angledale on the Princes Highway,” he said.
Mr Gay said in its route review, the Road and Traffic Authority’s Centre for Road Safety would be working with the NSW Police, NRMA and community members to find measures that would improve safety.
“This will include looking at the crash history, traffic volumes, road conditions, land use and high risk road user behaviour at each location,” he said.
“Alternate safety measures will include road improvements such as shoulder widening, realignment, safety barriers, line marking, signs and speed zone reviews.”
He said the review would continue into next year as all sites were assessed.
“A program of works is being developed as part of the review,” Mr Gay said.
“This action is about making sure we keep our roads as safe as possible.
“Speeding still remains a key factor in fatalities on NSW roads.”
The Minister said community consultation would be carried out as part of the reviews to gain an understanding of current road safety concerns at each location.
19 October, 2011
Governor to govern
from Gov’t House
The Governor of NSW is to move back to Government House.
Premier Barry O’Farrell said the public would continue to have access to Government House and its grounds under new arrangements agreed to by the Governor, Professor Marie Bashir.
Mr O’Farrell said Professor Bashir and her husband, Sir Nicholas Shehadie, had agreed to move into the “chalet” which adjoined the main Government House building.
He said that meant they would live on-site but Government House would still be available for use for concerts, charity, education and community events.
“This is an ideal solution because it retains public access to Government House for the 150,000 people who use the facility each year,” Mr O’Farrell said.
“A lot of people believe the Governor should live at Government House – that’s what it was built for.”
He said the Governor’s move into the chalet could proceed with minimal cost.
“Minor works will be undertaken to provide appropriate access and safety for Her Excellency and Sir Nicholas,” he said.
“It is hoped that they will be able to move into Government House by Christmas.”
Mr O’Farrell said the Government was also seeking quotes to refurbish a section of Government House, known as the Vernon Wing, as a long term solution to accommodate future Governors.
He said the cost could be largely offset by relocating support staff from the city office accommodation.
“At some stage a Governor from rural or regional NSW will be appointed and we will need to provide accommodation at Government House so it makes sense to provide appropriate living areas there.”
He said Government House had not been used as a residence for the Governor since 1996.
“In 1997, the Government identified the chalet as a possible residence if any future Governor returned as a resident at Government House,” Mr O’Farrell said.
19 October, 2011
Corrections needed at
corrections centre
The NSW Ombudsman has called for major changes to be made to the Kariong Juvenile Correctional Centre.
In his report Kariong Juvenile Correctional Centre: Meeting the challenges the Ombudsman, Bruce Barbour said Kariong was the only custodial facility for young people in NSW under the management of the adult correctional system and housed some of the State’s most challenging and troubled 16 to 21 year old adolescent boys and young men.
He said his special report drew on extensive work carried out by his office over a number of years, in particular a recent in-depth investigation into Kariong’s current management.
“Getting the management of inmates right at Kariong is crucial, not just for the inmates but for the wider community,” the Ombudsman said.
“Without significant intervention, the adolescent boys and young men in Kariong may well continue into the adult criminal justice system at considerable personal cost to themselves and cost to the community.”
Mr Barbour said his investigation revealed that what was happening in practice at Kariong fell short of what was required; there was a lack of case management; the extent of programs and activities was inadequate; and there was a lack of oversight.
“The extent of the change required at Kariong is significant,” he said.
“I anticipate working constructively with Corrective Services NSW to monitor implementation of the comprehensive changes which are being made.”
The Ombudsman’s special report can be accessed at this PS News link.
19 October, 2011
Plumbers tap into
new regulator
Plumbers, consumers and regulators are all set to benefit from new laws that give NSW Fair Trading greater power over the plumbing and draining industry.
Minister for Fair Trading, Anthony Roberts said reforms contained in the Plumbing and Drainage Bill 2011 would deliver greater certainty for plumbers and consumers by cutting red tape and updating regulations to bring NSW into line with national standards.
“Currently the NSW plumbing industry has over 100 separate regulators including Local Councils, Sydney Water and Hunter Water, each of which impose their own local requirements,” Mr Roberts said.
“The proposed changes will establish NSW Fair Trading as the single plumbing and drainage regulator in NSW.”
He said Fair Trading had been licensing plumbers and regulating the home building industry since 1996 and making the Agency the single point of contact for plumbers, builders and home owners was sensible and practical.
“A single regulator will improve efficiency and enable more effective compliance programs and prosecution of unlicensed plumbers,” he said.
Mr Roberts said NSW would also adopt the Plumbing Code of Australia as the industry technical standard, replacing the more prescriptive NSW Code of Practice for Plumbing and Drainage.
“Applying one technical standard for NSW will allow plumbers to work more easily across a number of regions, without needing to know small, local variations,” he said.
“It will result in greater consistency, increased mobility and more competition in the sector.”
He said plumbers in NSW would no longer need to remember a myriad of local variations to plumbing standards.
“A new exemption from some compliance and enforcement activities will also be created for minor plumbing and drainage works,” Mr Roberts said.
“The practical measures contained in the legislation mean that a plumber can change the washers on a tap or fix a broken pipe without having to lodge a lot of paperwork or have the job inspected by compliance officers.”
19 October, 2011
Country communities
hooked on Fisheries
Relocating the key services and facilities of the Cronulla Fisheries Research Centre to Port Stephens and the South Coast will provide a significant boost to local communities according to the Minister for Primary Industries, Katrina Hodgkinson.
Ms Hodgkinson said the move was part of the Decade of Decentralisation policy which worked towards ‘regionalisation’.
“The Port Stephens Fisheries Institute will become one of Australia’s largest research centres specialising in fisheries science and research,” Ms Hodgkinson said.
“I want to be clear that this is an ongoing process and open to staff who want to play a role in planning their future with the Department.”
She said Fisheries NSW staff were among the best in their field, anywhere in the world.
“At Port Stephens, we will have a number of research scientists working on local and international projects,” Ms Hodgkinson said.
“The Port Stephens Fisheries Institute is internationally recognised for the world class quality of our scientists as well as our Aquaculture and Aquatic ecosystems research projects.”
She said with well- planned additional construction at Port Stephens and transfer of existing equipment, all the research and activities currently conducted at Cronulla could be relocated.
“We are determined to maintain the level of services and research currently provided by the Cronulla Fisheries Research Centre, this will also secure more jobs and careers for regional NSW,” she said.
MP for Port Stephens, Craig Baumann, said the relocation process would be staged over the next 12-18 months and would prove to be a boom for the local community.
“Excellent facilities are already in place at our Institute including two mollusc hatcheries, a marine fish broodstock centre, nursery facilities and grow-out tanks and ponds for improving hatchery production methods for mulloway, Australian bass, yellowtail kingfish and southern bluefin tuna and an Aquatic Ecosystem Laboratory with specialist facilities for shark autopsies,” Mr Baumann said.
“The relocation of Fisheries NSW will enhance the relationships with regional fishing industries, which provide social and economic benefits to many communities across NSW.”
Ms Hodgkinson said the move to Nowra on the South Coast was also welcomed as the area was a haven for recreational fishing, and provided some of the best opportunities for anglers in NSW.
19 October, 2011
Bi-lingual service is
talk of the town
Migrant families in Sydney who speak a foreign language will now be able to access the free Home Power Savings Program in their own language.
Minister for the Environment, Robyn Parker said bi-lingual energy experts and newly translated information resources were now available for them.
“Arabic, Cantonese, Mandarin and Vietnamese speaking households can now contact the Home Power Savings Program and request that the program is delivered by an energy expert who speaks their language,” Ms Parker said.
“This means that households can get the information they need to reduce their bills in a culturally sensitive and appropriate manner.”
She said more than 45,000 low income pensioners and families had already benefited from the in-home energy assessments and fully installed Power Savings Kits on offer, helping them save an average of $230 a year on power bills.
She said Wentworthville resident and trained civil engineer, Emil Mathews was one of three Arabic speaking energy experts working in Sydney.
Ms Matthews said it was a very rewarding job, especially when she talked to families who were worried about their bills.
“I give them advice and point out the things that they can do around their home to reduce their electricity,” Ms Matthews said.
“A lot of people are really surprised when I do an assessment and tell them how much things cost to run.”
Ms Parker said that while Cantonese and Mandarin speaking energy experts were also available to service Sydney’s Chinese community, Vietnamese energy experts were being trained.
“Eligible households also get a free Power Savings Kit worth around $200,” she said.
“The kit comes fully installed and contains things such as a stand-by saver power board, energy efficient light globes, water efficient shower head, shower timer and draught-proofing.”
More information about the bi-lingual service and power saving measures is available from this PS News link.
19 October, 2011
Beach report draws
lines in the sand
The annual report on water quality at NSW’s most popular beaches and swimming spots has been released.
Minister for the Environment, Robyn Parker said the State of the Beaches Report 2010–11 was an annual scorecard of the water quality at 259 popular NSW beaches and swimming spots.
“After a long cool wet winter I’m sure people will be itching to get back into the water,” Ms Parker said.
“The good news is that our report shows that, even with this year’s major downpours, the beaches are as clean as ever.”
She said despite the wet conditions and major flooding events, 83 per cent of the swimming spots that were tested across the State were rated either good or very good.
“Heavy rainfall can have a significant effect on the water quality of beaches and harbour swimming spots,” she said.
“This year presented some of our wettest conditions yet but our results continue to be very good which is great news.”
She said of the 148 ocean beaches monitored over the past year, all but one (Malabar beach) was rated as very good or good.
Ms Parker said the work being undertaken at Malabar by Sydney Water and
Randwick City Council should mean a significant improvement in water quality at the beach.
“Sydney’s beaches are now up to 98 per cent cleaner than they were two decades ago, but we still have work to do to improve coastal lagoons and lakes, estuarine beaches and freshwater rivers,” she said.
“Variations in the performance between ocean beaches, ocean baths, coastal lakes/lagoons, estuarine beaches and freshwater swimming sites were due to the susceptibility of closed waters contaminated by stormwater.”
She said the poorer performers remained those with lower levels of ocean flushing, such as coastal lakes and lagoons, which collected runoff from urban areas following rainfall and could be periodically closed to the ocean.
More information about the state of the State’s beaches is available from this PS News link.
19 October, 2011
City judged top
of the world
Sydney has been voted the world’s number one city.
The Harbour City beat tough competition from other international favourites such as New York, Paris and Cape Town to take out the Conde Nast Traveller Reader’s Choice Award.
Minister for Tourism and Major Events, George Souris said it was the second major international award for Sydney in a week after it was named the world’s best festival and major events city by the International Festival and Events Association a few days earlier.
“Winning this latest award demonstrates Sydney’s position as a world leading destination and the gateway to Australia,” Mr Souris said.
“It’s a vote of confidence not by travel writers or agents, but by ordinary travellers.”
He said the awards made Sydney Australia’s leading tourism and events city and would help restore NSW to its position as the nation’s premiere State.
He said more than 8 million votes were cast in the Awards with readers rating cities according to ambience, friendliness, lodging, restaurants, culture, sight-seeing and shopping.
“The many readers of Conde Nast Traveller have given Sydney the top spot in their Awards with a score of 85.1, ahead of the next highest scoring city – Florence (85.0),” Mr Souris said.
“With its mix of world class events, cultural activities, stunning natural attractions and top-end food and shopping, Sydney and NSW continues to satisfy its visitors.”
He said NSW was Australia’s number one destination for international and domestic visitor numbers, visitor nights and visitor expenditure.
“Sydney hotels have also received award accolades at the ceremony, with 11 of the top 15 hotels in the Oceania region being from Sydney,” he said.
“It’s encouraging to see so many of our excellent hotels recognised by world-wide travellers.
“They certainly deserve recognition and have helped to put Sydney in the top spot.”
19 October, 2011
New laws nailed down
for home builders
New laws that clear up and simplify a range of rules and regulations affecting the home building industry have been announced by the Minister for Fair Trading, Anthony Roberts.
Mr Roberts said the Home Building Amendment Bill 2011 was a response to issues identified during industry consultation and borne out in recent statistics.
“The message from stakeholders from across the home building sector is that urgent action is needed to address a wide range of issues with the current legislation,” Mr Roberts said.
“The Home Building Act is stymieing investment in NSW and letting builders and homeowners down.”
He said home building as a percentage of total NSW building activity had been in decline since 2004 and a consultant’s report found it was at an 18 year low in 2010.
“The NSW Government believes the improvements contained in the legislation will be an important first step in re-energising the home building sector in this State,” Mr Roberts said.
“Closing loopholes, reducing paperwork, slashing red tape, ensuring appropriate consumer protection, improving consistency and enhancing dispute resolution procedures will help builders and homeowners.”
He said the initial changes to the act would be of particular benefit to small businesses and tradespeople.
He said key amendments put forward in the reform package included aligning the time periods for statutory warranties on home building work; raising the monetary threshold for insurance; raising the threshold above which a written contract for residential building work was required; and formally opening up Fair Trading’s effective dispute resolution process to trader-initiated disputes.
Mr Roberts said the changes would also clarify the time periods for home warranty insurance; halve the excess on home warranty insurance claims; increase the minimum level of home warranty insurance cover; and provide a single definition of when work was “complete”.
He said an interdepartmental working group was currently examining options for expanding alternative dispute resolution mechanisms for dealing with home building disputes, so that lengthy and expensive court cases could be avoided.
The working group is expected to report back next month.
19 October, 2011
Builders build deal
with WorkCover
WorkCover NSW has renewed its partnership agreement with the Master Builders Association to improve workplace safety and injury management across the NSW construction industry.
The agreement involves WorkCover and the MBA working in partnership to identify leading injury and illness types and their causes in targeted industry segments and developing responses to address them.
General Manager of WorkCover’s Work Health and Safety Division, John Watson said the partnership agreement committed both organisations to communication, consultation, cooperation and industry leadership.
“The construction industry is one of NSW’s highest risk industries with 4,392 injuries and 22 fatalities during 2008/09 which cost the WorkCover Scheme $291 million,” Mr Watson said.
“Through this partnership agreement, WorkCover NSW and the MBA are committed to reducing these figures by targeting the highest risk industry segments.”
He said the agreement would include site preparation services such as demolition; building structure services which include concrete construction services; building construction including residential and non-residential building construction; and roads and bridge construction.
“WorkCover acknowledges that those dealing with risks on a daily basis are well-placed to assist with the development of relevant and effective work health and safety solutions,” Mr Watson said.
“By working collaboratively with the construction industry, we aim to deliver practical, cost effective solutions which deliver sustainable improvements to work health and safety, injury management, return to work and workers compensation within the highest risk industry segments.”
He said the renewed partnership agreement would involve WorkCover and the MBA working together to ensure new national work health and safety laws which came into effect on 1 January 2011 were implemented effectively throughout the construction industry.
“WorkCover recognises the difficulties employers, particularly small businesses face in addressing safety and injury management issues,” Mr Watson said.
“Many employers in the construction industry work across jurisdictions and the new laws will reduce the regulatory burden as well as compliance costs, and enable workers holding licences to more easily work across jurisdictions.”
19 October, 2011
Council fears don’t
rate with Minister
The Minister for Local Government, Don Page has rejected claims from the United Services Union that proposed amendments to the Local Government Act would impact on the pay and conditions of employees in the Local Government sector.
Mr Page said the union’s fears that workers’ entitlements would be “frozen” because of the amendments were incorrect and based on inaccurate information.
“The proposed amendment to which the Union refers will not change the pay and conditions of workers in the local government sector at all,” Mr Page said.
“Any suggestion to the contrary is just incorrect.
“The proposed amendment in the Bill returns to Councils their status as `body corporate’, meaning they are corporations which will once again become eligible to apply for Federal Government funding, which was a move requested by the Local Government and Shires Associations (LGSA).”
He said the amendment would remove Councils’ status as ‘body politic’, which was previously placed on them to protect them from the former federal industrial relations policy, Work Choices, which applied to corporations.
“With Work Choices now obsolete, that protection is no longer required, because after an agreement in 2009 between the previous NSW Government and the Federal Government, it was decided that under the new Federal industrial relations system Fair Work Australia, the pay and conditions of NSW local government sector employees were to be considered part of the NSW industrial relations system and not the national one,” Mr Page said.
“So claims from the Union that redefining NSW Councils as `bodies corporate’ would mean Council employee entitlements would be transferred to the national system are just wrong.”
He said the proposed amendment would return Councils’ ability to seek extra sources of funding through Federal Government channels as corporations without changing any aspect of the current protections afforded to Local Government sector employees.
“The proposed amendment has the support of the LGSA, is an example of responsible government which is willing to listen and act, and is expected to lead to a more sustainable Local Government sector in the future – without changing any employee entitlements,” Mr Page said.
19 October, 2011
Horses put money
on Hendra studies
New research projects aimed at protecting NSW horses from the deadly Hendra virus have been announced by the Minister for Primary Industries, Katrina Hodgkinson.
Ms Hodgkinson said $5 million had been allocated to five research projects looking at vital issues such as how the virus was transmitted, vaccine development, flying fox dispersal, transmission in dogs and testing and risk management strategies.
“The research projects are being coordinated through the cross-border Hendra taskforce, which includes Chief Veterinary Officers, Chief Health Officers and Chief scientists from both NSW and Queensland as well as CSIRO representatives,” she said.
“The NSW Government’s world-renowned Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute will lead a $900,000 study looking at virology issues, including new state-of-the-art testing techniques and how various animals, including horses, dogs and cats, contract and respond to the deadly disease.”
She said the project would provide vital intelligence to both Government authorities and private veterinarians on the risk factors that led to transmission and how they could take steps to prevent infection of other horses, and importantly, humans.
“An epidemiologist from NSW’s Wollongbar Primary Industries Institute is also closely involved in research projects looking at the transmission of the virus from flying foxes to horses and the impact flying fox dispersal has on virus infection levels,” Ms Hodgkinson said.
“The research teams bring together some of the world’s leading thinkers in epidemiology, virology, veterinary science, and zoonotic and human health fields.”
She said the NSW and Queensland Governments had committed a total of $6 million, with submissions now being sought for the remaining funds.
She said this year had been the largest outbreak of Hendra the two States had seen.
“In NSW the virus claimed 10 horse deaths at eight properties, all on the NSW North Coast,” she said.
“Hendra is a deadly virus and the NSW Government is taking every precaution possible to protect the health of our community and the State’s valuable horse industries,” Ms Hodgkinson said.
19 October, 2011
Safety awards
in safe hands
The New South Wales winners of the 2011 Australian Safer Communities Awards have been announced.
Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Michael Gallacher said the Awards recognised innovative practices and achievements that made communities safer, stronger, more disaster resilient and better prepared to manage any emergency situation.
“Now in their 12th year, the Awards showcase our country’s expertise and experience in preventing, planning for and responding to natural disasters and other emergencies,” Mr Gallacher said.
“We have already seen and experienced the benefits of a coordinated, collaborative system in some of the natural disasters that recently hit the State.”
He said the 2011 NSW winners were the NSW Rural Fire Service, Campbelltown City Council, the Ambulance Service of NSW and NSW State Emergency Service.
“These organisations’ four projects are now the NSW finalists in the national competition to be announced later this year,” Mr Gallacher said.
“Canyonleigh Fire Brigade, Ambulance Service of NSW and Goodooga Community Working Party have also been commended for their projects.”
He said all the organisations were to be congratulated for their work to help develop and maintain sustainable communities.
“It’s also important to recognise the great work our emergency services agencies do to educate the public about disaster risks - ultimately making this State safer and more prepared for emergencies when they do occur,” he said.
The Australian Safer Communities Awards are sponsored by the Australian Government Attorney-General’s Department, in conjunction with States and Territories.
19 October, 2011
World all ears over
NSW wheat study
Results from the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) field trials have been praised by scientists at a recent international workshop in the United States.
For the first time in the world, trials at Cowra and Woodstock found that USA-bred perennial wheat could survive and successfully yield grain for three consecutive years.
DPI scientist, Richard Hayes said that seed from the Cowra Agricultural Research and Advisory Station was now destined for the USA, Canada, South Africa, Nepal and the United Kingdom as the quest to produce the first commercial perennial wheat intensifies.
Mr Hayes said the varieties that survived in Australia were developed by the Land Institute, Kansas and Washington State University, but had survived no more than two years in the USA.
“We are now collaborating with plant breeders across the world to study the key environmental factors enabling perennial crops to survive and find out what has inhibited their survival,” he said.
“Perennial grain crops that don’t require annual sowing would minimise inputs and offer environmental outcomes which could benefit farming systems in many countries.”
He said the NSW DPI perennial wheat trials were funded by the Future Farm Industries Cooperative Research Centre as part of a collaborative project with Charles Sturt University and CSIRO.
He said the project, which winds-up this year, had allowed Australian researchers to forge strong relationships with international research institutions and build on local research.
“Researchers from the University of Michigan are keen to use Australian agronomic data to underpin the economic models for perennial wheat - up until now they had no real agronomic data and we’re able to provide that,” Mr Hayes said.
“Our trials also found that most of the successful lines were highly resistant to leaf rust, stripe rust, stem rust and wheat streak mosaic virus.”
19 October, 2011
New IR deal for TAFE
NSW’s TAFE workers have been removed from the NSW Industrial Relations Commission and placed under the Federal Government’s Fair Work system.
The Public Service Association has criticised the move which it says will see TAFE workers with less job security, worse working conditions and less take home pay each week.
ICAC probes Councils
A public enquiry by the Independent Commission Against Corruption’s (ICAC) into corruption allegations involving employees of 110 NSW State and Local Council authorities has commenced.
The inquiry will begin by investigating alleged fraud involving Bathurst Regional Council and Yass Valley Council.
The current segment of the inquiry will examine allegations that a former storemen at the two Councils facilitated payment of fraudulent invoices totalling up to $1.5 million.
Open day crowded
NSW State Records’ Open Day activities have been fully booked.
The Open Day will be held on 28 October 2011 and regular visitors have been warned that researchers may experience some delays in accessing services due to high visitor numbers.
There will also be limited delivery of records to the reading room on the day and while every effort will be made to complete photocopies on the day they may need be posted at a later date.
Works win awards
NSW Public Works has won three awards at the Australian Institute of Project Management’s (AIPM) National Project Management Achievement Awards.
Lindsay Charles won the National Project Manager of the Year Award; Kevin Plummer won a Highly Commended Award for the National Project Director of the Year; and the Lismore Integrated Cancer Care Centre project won a Highly Commended Award in the Construction (less than $100M) category.
Rail bends ironed out
The elimination of sharp bends along the Interstate Rail Network between Newcastle and the Queensland border is continuing with another section of track between Rappville and Leeville now straightened.
The $170 million North Coast Curve Easing Project will allow trains to run at higher speeds along this busy part of the Network, shaving almost an hour off transit times along Australia’s east coast.
Regeneration saves community
An endangered ecological community in the Millewa precinct of the Murray Valley National Park has been boosted by a joint regeneration project between the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Murray Catchment Management Authority.
The project involves the direct seeding of some 200 kilometres and in total more than 110 hectares has been revegetated with the focus on re-establishing understorey species such as wattle, hopbush and local saltbushes.
12 October, 2011
New whistleblower
laws hit right note
Changes to the laws that protect public sector staff who disclose wrongdoing in the workplace are to come into effect on 1 November.
Premier Barry O’Farrell has issued a Ministerial Memorandum outlining the changes and directing Heads of Government agencies to ensure their agencies’ policies reflect them right from the start date.
“One of the changes may mean that Agencies’ public interest disclosures policies need to be updated,” Mr O’Farrell says in the Memorandum.
“From 1 November 2011, every public interest disclosures policy must require the agency to acknowledge receipt of a disclosure, and send a copy of its policy, to a person who makes a public interest disclosure, within 45 days.”
He said the changes would amend the Public Interest Disclosures Act 1994 and would apply to all public authorities including State Government Agencies; Local Councils; State-owned corporations; universities; and Parliamentary Departments.
He said the changes required the heads of public authorities to designate at least one officer of the authority as responsible for receiving disclosures on behalf of the authority; to ensure that staff were aware of the policy and the protections of the Act; and that the authority complied with the policy and the Act.
Mr O’Farrell said the changes also clarified to whom a public authority and an investigating authority must refer evidence relating to an offence of taking detrimental action against a whistleblower.
“In addition to public interest disclosures about serious and substantial waste of Local Government money, the Chief Executive, Local Government will be able to receive disclosures about corrupt conduct, maladministration, breaches of pecuniary interest obligations under the Local Government Act 1993 and a failure to exercise functions properly in accordance with the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 by Councils,” Mr O’Farrell said.
“Disclosures made in accordance with the Act will be known as public interest disclosures (formerly protected disclosures).”
The Ministerial Memorandum can be accessed at this PS News link.
12 October, 2011
Green crackdown
gets green light
The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) is to become an independent statutory authority under tough new pollution laws arising from the incident at the Orica plant at Kooragang Island near Newcastle on 8 August 2011.
Responding to a report into the incident by former Secretary of the Department of Premier and Cabinet, Brendan O’Reilly, the Government has also announced tighter notification laws for dangerous pollution events and a doubling of fines for reporting delays.
The new laws will also establish an environmental monitoring network for the Lower Hunter area.
Premier Barry O’Farrell and Minister for the Environment, Robyn Parker committed the Government to accepting all the recommendations of Mr O’Reilly’s report.
“The people of Stockton were let down and went through unnecessary worry and frustration as a result of this incident which is most regrettable,” Mr O’Farrell said.
“The incident highlighted weaknesses in the State’s environmental protection
Laws.”
He said the Government would take urgent action to correct the faults with the new laws among the toughest in the nation, designed to ensure companies could no longer flout pollution laws and put the public at risk.
He said the legislation would require improved public notification, community engagement and emergency planning and response exercises around pollution incidents.
Mr O’Farrell said the changes would also require the immediate notification of pollution incidents to the EPA, NSW Health, NSW Fire and Rescue, WorkCover, NSW Police and the Local Council.
He said the legislation would urgently establish an industry-funded network of environmental monitors for communities adjacent to the heavy industrial precinct of the Lower Hunter and expand the community’s ‘right to know’ by requiring industry to make its monitoring results available to the public.
Robyn Parker said she had also directed the EPA to establish a new community advisory and consultative committee in the Lower Hunter to help co-ordinate information between residents and local industry.
“While it’s important to remember that according to the Chief Health Officer the recent incidents involving Orica have not resulted in any health impacts to locals, they have highlighted the need for better community information - and the new laws will deliver it,” Ms Parker said.
The O’Reilly report can be accessed at this PS News link.
12 October, 2011
Slick response to
oil spill crisis
NSW is to send experts to New Zealand to help with the oil spill clean-up and recovery effort of container ship Rena, which ran aground on the Astrolabe Reef near Tauranga Harbour last week.
Heavy fuel oil has created a slick in the Bay of Plenty, off the country’s North Island, which has started to impact on local wildlife.
Minister for Ports, Duncan Gay said NSW had been asked to assist in the response, coordinated by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, by providing personnel and equipment as needed.
“Staff who will assist in the effort, from NSW Maritime and Sydney Ports Corporation, specialise in oil spill response efforts and have on-site experience in similar clean-up operations,” Mr Gay said.
“Three staff from Sydney Ports Corporation will leave for New Zealand tomorrow, with additional personnel from NSW Maritime and other agencies provided over coming weeks on a rotational program.
“A large oil skimmer will also be sent from NSW.”
He said the request for specialist personnel and equipment assistance was consistent with bilateral arrangements between Australia and New Zealand.
“NSW Maritime is responsible for ensuring NSW has an adequate marine oil spill response capability in NSW waters,” Mr Gay said.
“Port emergency response plans and equipment deployments are exercised regularly to ensure an appropriate level of preparedness and response is maintained,” he said.
12 October, 2011
WorkSafe Awards
in safe hands
WorkCover NSW has announced the finalists in the 2011 SafeWork Awards.
Chief Executive of WorkCover NSW, Lisa Hunt said each year more businesses across the State entered the awards, indicating that employers valued recognition for initiatives that put safety first.
“This year’s finalists come from a wide range of industries, large and small business, and the private and public sectors,” Ms Hunt said.
“I congratulate all of the finalists for their commitment to safety and we’re pleased to see some great innovation and focus on reducing injuries in workplaces during everyday operations.”
She said a panel of work health and safety experts who reviewed entries and conducted site visits had selected this year’s finalists.
The public sector was well represented in the Awards with the State Water Corporation; Orange City Council; The City of Newcastle; Lake Macquarie City Council; Lismore City Council; and Hornsby Shire Council among those nominated.
The Roads and Traffic Authority; Sydney Ferries; the State Transit Authority; Ballina Shire Council; Family and Community Services Ageing Disability and Home Care; and TAFE NSW were also recognised.
Ms Hunt said the annual WorkCover NSW SafeWork Awards were in their eighth year of recognising high standards of work health and safety from employers and workers across the State’s workplaces.
She said workplace safety challenges and injury management issues were faced by every business during their day-to-day operations.
“All of these finalists will make a significant difference to their work environment and will have a tangible effect on reducing injuries and saving lives,” she said.
“Winners will be announced at a ceremony on Thursday 27 Octoberat Darling Harbour during Safe Work Australia Week (23-29 October).”
12 October, 2011
First ‘virtual’ school
hits the airwaves
Australia’s first virtual selective high school has been established in NSW with students at 16 different schools using laptops, web streaming and online interactive learning to complete their studies.
The Department of Education and Training’s (DET) xsel program allows academically gifted students in rural and remote areas from Lithgow to Broken Hill to stay at home, close to their family and friends, instead of travelling to metropolitan areas to attend selective schools.
Regional Director for Western NSW at DET, Carole McDiarmid said unlike traditional distance education, the students study face-to-face with teachers and their peers even though they are hundreds of kilometres away.
Ms McDiarmid said students still went to their local high school but divided their time between the standard curriculum and the xsel program.
“Each student has a notebook with a built-in webcam, microphone and web conferencing software,” Ms McDiarmid said.
“This allows them to communicate with teachers remotely as individuals or within groups.”
She said the program won the Australian Telecommunications Users Group’s 2010 national education award for the effective use of broadband as an educational delivery medium.
“The program is a great example of technology changing education for the better and creating new opportunities for students in regional and rural areas.”
She said bright students now had the option of remaining in the environment of their family home and receiving unparalleled opportunities to develop their talents using industry-recognised leading-edge technology.
Manager of xsel, William Adams said the program was driven by a strong commitment to the values of equity and access.
“We are thrilled with how these gifted and talented students are using 21st century technology and communication styles to create a new learning paradigm in our vast region,” Mr Adams said.
“It is a very exciting project for our teachers and students to be involved in and has been incredibly well supported by our parents.”
12 October, 2011
Emails to check on
speed zone changes
An email update service to alert the community of upcoming changes to speed limits is a new feature being offered on the Safer Roads NSW website.
Minister for Roads, Duncan Gay said members of the public would now be able to sign up to receive updates about changes to permanent speed limits in their nominated area.
“We are encouraging everyone to keep logging onto the Safer Roads NSW website and have their say about annoying speed zones in their area,” Mr Gay said.
“We want to hear what people have to say about speed limits or speed limit signs so we can continue looking into the areas where people have concerns.”
He said since the website was launched in July more than 19,000 people had visited the site and 2,300 people had provided input on speed limits and speed limit signs throughout the State.
“The audit is about striking a balance between the right speed zone for the road conditions and not having an excessive number of speed changes,” he said.
“As part of the audit, the NSW Speed Zoning Guideline was reviewed.
“The revised guideline is now also available to view on the RTA website and will be used by the RTA for all speed zone reviews.”
Mr Gay said changes to the guidelines included a route based approach to assessing speed limits, ensuring greater consistency in speed zoning along a route; restricted use of 70km/h and 90km/h speed limits; use of shorter speed zones to address at-risk locations, supported by specific signs; and a more consistent application of the 50km/h general urban speed.
He said better community engagement through input from the Safer Roads NSW website was also part of the changes.
“Motorists have complained that there are too many confusing speed signs and we have listened to their concerns,” Mr Gay said.
“We want to ensure motorists can focus on the road when driving instead of constantly looking at changing speed signs.”
Comments on speed zones can be made at this PS News link and clicking on the Safer Roads NSW link.
12 October, 2011
Pressed is best for
breast health
Women across NSW are being urged to take their life in their own hands this October as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Minister for Health and Medical Research, Jillian Skinner has called on women to undertake regular breast screening.
“Women should be empowered throughout October to be ‘breast-aware’,” Ms Skinner said, “as early detection gives women up to a 98 per cent survival rate.”
She said mammograms, particularly for those aged 50 to 69, were the best defence against cancer.
“Latest figures from the Cancer Institute NSW predict more than 4,600 women across NSW will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011.”
Ms Skinner said breast cancer did not have to be the life-sentence it once was since there had been an 11 per cent decline in deaths from the disease over the past 10 years.
“Being breast aware is more than a month-long commitment,” she said.
“It is something that every woman should be vigilant about all the time, as it may save their life.”
She said while the Government was investing heavily in breast cancer research in the hope of finding a cure, women needed to know that breast screening was just as important to fighting the cancer as buying a ribbon.
“Women of all ages needed to be aware of the look and feel of their breasts to detect any changes,” she said.
Ms Skinner said that women aged between 50 and 69 should also use Breast Cancer Awareness Month as a reminder to book a free mammogram with the BreastScreen NSW service.
“Women in this age group have a higher incidence of breast cancer, so screening is essential every two years,” she said.
“It takes about 20 minutes to have a mammogram, and it could save your life.”
12 October, 2011
Concerted effort
against con men
New South Wales has joined Victoria in a cooperative effort to tackle travelling con men and groups who rip off consumers with dishonest offers of home improvements and repairs.
Minister for Fair Trading, Anthony Roberts and the Victorian Minister for Consumer Affairs Michael O’Brien launched a national travelling con men hotline saying the new resource would help jurisdictions across the country combat itinerant traders who took advantage of consumers.
Mr Roberts said the new hotline, 1300 133 408, would allow anyone across Australia to call up and report itinerant rip-offs.
“Each year, fair trading agencies across the country receive hundreds of reports about travelling con men ripping off consumers with cheap and dodgy home repairs,” Mr Roberts said.
“A New South Wales Fair Trading taskforce is leading a new national strategy against travelling con men.
“Information from the national hotline will be fed directly to the taskforce for analysis and follow-up.”
He said the hotline was an initiative that grew from a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that set out principles of co-operation between New South Wales and Victoria in the fight against travelling con men.
Mr Roberts said all Australian governments were supporting new initiatives to stamp out what for too long had been considered civil offences.
“We are asking the public, the media and every Australian to get behind the work of this taskforce and support government agencies across Australia as they combat these gangs,” he said.
Michael O’Brien said Consumer Affairs Victoria had achieved significant results from a travelling con men campaign that ran over the summer of 2009/10.
“When Consumer Affairs Victoria and Crime Stoppers worked together last year, the reports of travelling con men dropped, as they knew we were onto them and they moved on,” Mr O’Brien said.
“The implementation of Australian Consumer Law has helped build the capacity of fair trading agencies across the country to work in co-operation,” he said.
The Ministers said signs that an offer of home repairs may be dubious included uninvited visits and offers; cheap quotes on home improvement or repair work that are cash-only, and today only; pressure on the consumer into accepting immediately; and payment demanded before any work began.
12 October, 2011
Law court rebuild
sets benchmark
High-definition video has been installed in the Supreme Court as part of a range of renovations to the Law Courts Building in Sydney’s CBD.
Attorney General, Greg Smith said he was impressed with the latest improvements.
“All 10 courtrooms on levels 8 and 11 have received a technology upgrade as part of the renovations, and most are now equipped with high-definition cameras and 60-inch LCD monitors,” Mr Smith said.
“The technology is capable of delivering crystal-clear pictures and superior sound and will improve the transmission quality of recorded evidence and witness testimony via audio-visual links.”
He said it was the first time that high-definition technology had been installed in a NSW court and it would set a benchmark for future court upgrades.
He said levels eight and eleven had also been made more accessible to people with a disability.
“People using a wheelchair will now be able sit on a jury in defamation hearings at Queens Square, following the installation of ramps and a fully accessible jury box and deliberation room,” Mr Smith said.
“Twenty-four of the 32 courtrooms occupied by the Supreme Court in the building at Queens Square have been refurbished from floor-to-ceiling.”
He said nine of the courtrooms were now E-Court compatible, which would enable practitioners at the bar table to access real-time transcripts of proceedings on their laptop computers.
He said the renovations had also seen many of the previously windowless courtrooms filled with natural light.
“The courtrooms have been redesigned to create a more welcoming atmosphere in keeping with the NSW Government’s philosophy that the judicial system should be open and accessible,” Mr Smith said.
“Other areas to be refurbished include interview rooms for the legal profession, judge’s chambers and public amenities.”
Mr Smith said work would begin this month on refurbishing levels 10 and 13 with all ten floors occupied by the Supreme Court being upgraded at a cost of $94 million.
He said the project was due for completion in 2013/14.
12 October, 2011
Online tool to fix
compo costs
WorkCover NSW has announced an innovative new online tool to help businesses estimate their annual workers compensation costs.
Based on a concept similar to the Motor Accident Authority’s successful Green Slip Calculator, the Premium Estimator is located on the WorkCover NSW website.
Chief Executive of WorkCover NSW, Lisa Hunt said the Premium Estimator was designed to provide a service to employers where they were working – online.
“With highly mobile workforces, business owners and workers are spending more and more time working online,” Ms Hunt said.
“As any business owner will tell you, time is money and the ability to easily get an estimate of your workers compensation premium will save both time and money.”
She said WorkCover had sought feedback from employer groups and businesses during the development of the Premium Estimator.
“We acknowledge that managing workers compensation premiums can be a source of frustration and confusion for many small businesses,” she said.
“Businesses can identify their WorkCover Industry Classification using the Premium Estimator, which will help them to better understand their workers compensation premiums, while giving assurance they are properly classified.”
Ms Hunt said it also enabled businesses to plan for the future by testing what would happen to their workers compensation premiums if they added or changed business activities or staffing levels, or had a claim.
General Manager of Workplace Solutions at the NSW Business Chamber, Greg Pattison welcomed the Premium Estimator saying it was an important step in improving business understanding of workers compensation.
“Workers compensation premiums can be complex and difficult to understand,” Mr Pattison said.
“The Premium Estimator gets inside the black box of workers compensation premiums which isn’t generally available to the average employer.”
The Premium Estimator can be accessed at this PS News link.
12 October, 2011
Zoo opens gates to
celebrations
Taronga Zoo is celebrating its 95th birthday this month, with the official re-opening of the famous Edwardian Entrance building and a new visitors’ plaza.
The new entry is a Taronga Master Plan project and includes a heritage renovation of the copper-domed entrance building, brand new admissions offices and new visitor facilities incorporating a café and shop.
Director of Taronga Zoo, Cameron Kerr said the project was a joint initiative between the Government and the Zoo and added to what was already a world-class facility.
“If people don’t have time to spend exploring the Zoo they can pop in for a coffee and see some wildlife without paying to enter,” Mr Kerr said.
“The Plaza and the renovation were completed earlier this year after about 20 months of construction enabling the Zoo to gradually introduce the computerised admission systems.”
He said the whole project was designed to make the main entrance easy for everyone to use and the new development also incorporated a bus interchange to bring visitors quickly and easily from the Zoo Ferry or from the North Sydney transport hubs.
“The project is very green, incorporating recycled or plantation-grown timbers, an underground water catchment system in the green park around the car park to utilise rainwater at the top of the Zoo’s hillside site, and careful location of the car park to avoid the need for electrical ventilation,” he said.
“Visitors can now stroll through a green park to the main entrance, which also houses the upper Sky Safari Cable Car terminal and is close to many of the Zoo’s popular Australian wildlife exhibits, including koalas, the recently refurbished Rainforest Aviary, the Australian Walkthrough with its wallabies, kangaroos and emus, the Platypus exhibit and the Australia’s Nightlife nocturnal exhibit.”
Mr Kerr said the renovation of the heritage-listed main entrance had returned the building to its original 1916 glory.
12 October, 2011
Productivity slips
as wealth rises
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has found that on average, Australians were less productive in 2010 than they were 10 years earlier.
It also found they were living longer, were better educated and had higher incomes.
In its paper, Measures of Australia’s Progress: Summary Indicators 2011 the ABS says that the average life expectancy of Australians’ had improved by two to three years, higher education qualifications were held by more of the population and average incomes had grown by an extra $8,200 over the decade.
Against this it found that productivity - the efficiency with which an economy transforms inputs into outputs – had fallen by 2.1 percentage points.
There had also been progress in other areas with unemployment dropping from 6.3 per cent in 2000 to 5.2 per cent in 2010, and average household incomes for both low and middle income Australians growing by more than a third (38 per cent).
National wealth per person (real net worth) had risen from $285,700 in 2000 to $308,500 in 2010.
The ABS says however there was more to progress than economic factors - the number of Australian animal species threatened with extinction had increased from 332 in 2000 to 432 in 2010 and greenhouse gas emissions in 2009 were 13 per cent higher than they were in 1999.
Deputy Australian Statistician at the ABS, Trevor Sutton, said Measures of Australia’s Progress: Summary Indicators, presented reliable, easy-to-understand information that described how Australia was progressing across a range of social, economic and environmental measures.
“Measures of Australia’s Progress is one of the most important publications the ABS produces for the Australian public,” Mr Sutton said.
12 October, 2011
Education funding a
matter of principle
A discussion paper has been released as part of the review of funding for early childhood education, setting out possible directions for reform and details of how interested people can offer comments.
The review is being chaired by social policy academic Professor Deborah Brennan and has been charged with making recommendations for a funding system to help increase participation in early childhood education, particularly for disadvantaged children.
In the discussion paper Professor Brennan said the Government was committing around $260 million to the early childhood education sector in 2011/12 and was keen to ensure that the funding was being appropriately targeted and helping deliver the best outcomes.
She said public spending in the sector was delivering measurable improvements in the quality and extent of early childhood education in NSW, but some important challenges remained.
“New South Wales is making headway towards the goals of universal access,” Professor Brennan said.
“For example, the most recent published report of jurisdictional progress towards achieving the goals (for the year 2009) notes increases in the proportion of children enrolled in a preschool program for at least 15 hours per week, and a growing cohort of children receiving 12 - 15 hours per week; close to the 15- hour national target.”
She said the picture on access and affordability was less promising.
“The most recent Productivity Commission report on children’s services notes that the State has the highest median weekly cost of preschool per child in Australia” Professor Brennan said.
“We need to ensure that this investment is being targeted appropriately and that it is resulting in direct, measurable improvements in access for all children; affordability for their families; and the quality of programs offered across all services.”
She said the terms of reference for the review focused on common and consistent principles; clearer priorities for funding; better targeting of funding; better integration of Commonwealth and State approaches; accountability for funding; more effective delivery of early childhood education; and better support for rural and remote provision.
The closing date for submissions is Friday 18 November 2011 and the discussion paper could be accessed at this PS News link.
12 October, 2011
Snow report
no snow job
The Office of Environment and Heritage has released the first ever environment report into NSW alpine resorts.
The report details 12 months of collaborative resort stewardship over alpine regions in Kosciuszko National Park (KNP).
Manager of Visitor and Business Services at NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), Andrew Harrigan said the report was the first of its kind in Australia and provided a benchmark for environmental reporting in alpine resorts.
“The report demonstrates how resorts at Thredbo, Perisher, Charlotte Pass and Selwyn are implementing a ‘plan-do-check-act’ cycle to manage the impact of their operations on the sensitive alpine and subalpine regions of Kosciuszko National Park,” Mr Harrigan said.
“There were 42 major achievements during the reporting period, including an offset of nearly 2,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions by Thredbo and Perisher, planting 3,000 native trees and shrubs along the Thredbo River and Perisher Creek, and rehabilitating the Pygmy-possum habitat at Mount Blue Cow.”
He said Perisher had removed plastic bags from its retail outlets and Perisher Lodges had reduced water consumption by 7.7 per cent.
“Selwyn Resort reduced power consumption by 30 per cent and renovations began at Charlotte Pass Chalet consistent with the 1939 heritage aspects of the building,” he said.
“The KNP resorts cover a collective area of 2,926 hectares and have overnight accommodation for 9,992 guests and staff.”
Mr Harrigan said the release of the report coincided with the celebration of 150 years of skiing in Australia, and annual reporting should help ensure the sustainability of the snowsports industry while protecting the environment for future generations.
“The report outlines the environmental performance, achievements and initiatives of all the resort operators in KNP for the period of 1 March 2010 to 28 February 2011,” he said.
“This report is the culmination of a collaborative effort between the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the four main ski resort operators: Charlotte Pass Village Pty Ltd, Kosciuszko Thredbo Pty Ltd, Perisher Blue Pty Ltd and Selwyn Snowfields Pty Ltd.”
The report is available at this PS News link.
12 October, 2011
Disability reforms
make steady progress
Consultation sessions are to be held with culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities this month as part of the State Government’s disability reforms Stronger Together 2.
Minister for Disability Services, Andrew Constance said the consultations would involve 17 CALD communities to ensure people had a chance to have their say about the introduction of a person-centred approach for people with a disability.
“The consultations mark a further step in the consultation process which began with 500 people attending the Living Life My Waysummit in July,” Mr Constance said.
“Since that time more than 100 consultations have been held throughout the State.”
He said the Government was committed to the introduction of a person-centred approach which placed people with a disability at the centre of decision making.
“This important reform is key to giving people with a disability control over their own lives and futures,” Mr Constance said.
“Every individual has the right to choice, respect and the best support services that can be offered.”
Consultation sessions will be held on 13 October in Nepali and Hindi at Blacktown, and in Korean at St Leonards; and on 14 October in Russian at Mascot, in Tagalog at Granville, and Dinka at Blacktown.
Sessions will also be held in Shona at Blacktown, Cantonese at St Leonards, Arabic at Marrickville on 17 October; in Spanish at Mascot on 18 October; in Italian at St Leonards on 19 October; and in Greek at Marrickville on 20 October.
Submissions (verbal and written) will be received by 31 October 2011 and more information is available at this PS News link.
12 October, 2011
Beach strandings
could be sure signs
The recent spate of whales, dolphins and turtles becoming stranded ashore may be a sign of increasing populations according to the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS).
Marine Fauna Program Coordinator with NPWS, Geoff Ross said that as well as increased populations, better community reporting and intense onshore weather events were contributing to the increase in marine animal strandings.
“Thus far none of the examinations of dead whales, dolphins or seals on the NSW coast this season indicate any serious underlying reasons for the increase in strandings,” Mr Ross said.
South Coast Ranger with NPWS, Libby Shields said every effort was made to monitor and rescue stranded marine animals, but for whales and dolphins in particular, their chances of survival were often slim.
“This season NPWS has seen an unprecedented number of marine animal incidents on South Coast beaches and many are the result of natural occurrences including disease or injury,” Ms Shields said.
“Usually by the time a whale or dolphin ends up on a beach, it has been drifting with the current seriously unwell, and while we try our best to alleviate its suffering, a lot of the time there is not much anyone can do.”
She said the first thing a person should do if they saw a live stranded sea animal was ring NPWS on 1300 361 967 and the Organisation for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans in Australia (ORRCA) on 9415 3333.
“Trained NPWS staff respond to reports of marine animal strandings as quickly as possible, assess the animal’s situation and any safety issues, and then call in a veterinarian for expert advice if needed,” she said.
“If untrained people try to assist a stranded whale for example, they might accidentally damage the whale’s eyes or skin, they may be crushed under its weight, injured by its tail flukes, or become ill by breathing its expelled air.”
Ms Shields said it was important not to try and push animals back out to sea because they would almost certainly re-strand, often in a more inaccessible place or on rocks.
“We’re seeing a lot more marine animals coming onto beaches lately and while this can be distressing to observers, it’s a pretty good indication there is a larger population out there which is likely to be in good health,” she said.
12 October, 2011
Payrise processing
The Department of Premier and Cabinet has advised Departments and Agencies to process salary adjustments of 2.5 per cent backdated to 1 July following the Industrial Relations Commission’s variation to the Crown Employees (Public Sector - Salaries 2008) Award.
DPC Circular C2011-25 sets out the methods of adjustment and can be accessed at this PS News link.
IPART drops rent
The Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) has released its Draft Report on the review of rents for domestic waterfront tenancies.
IPART was asked by the Government to make recommendations to ensure that rents reflected market conditions and were fair to both occupants and the broader community.
The review has recommended that rents be reduced by an average of 32 per cent and among its recommendations was that the minimum rent be abolished and a $200 administration fee be set.
IPART’s draft Report is available at this PS News link.
OSR takes risk award
The Office of State Revenue (OSR) has been awarded the 2011 Treasury Managed Fund Risk Management Award.
The award was in recognition of the Office’s “mature and embedded risk management process and culture”.
This award rewards the significant work OSR has undertaken over the past 3 years in implementing a risk management framework, incorporating risk management practices into decision making and using risks to drive efficiency and planning activities within the organisation.
The awards were open to all public sector agencies and OSR along with the Rural Fire Service were the finalists in this category.
Call for maritime members
Expressions of interest have been called for membership of the Maritime Advisory Council.
The Council will advise the Minister on strategic matters concerning the promotion of boating and other waterways based activities, waterways safety, environment, navigation, regulation, infrastructure, community issues and the development of the maritime industry in NSW.
It will comprise up to nine members, appointed for a three-year term who will meet at least two times per year.
Written submission should be sent to the Office of Boating Safety at NSW Maritime by Friday 29 October 2011.
Ferry operators short listed
Three firms and consortiums have been shortlisted in the tender process for a new operator of Sydney Ferries.
The shortlisted companies of Harbour City Ferries (Transfield Services Australia and Veolia Transdev Australasia), Serco Australia and Transit Systems and Forgacs Engineering will receive tender documents soon, allowing them to prepare detailed proposals on why they should be selected.
The parties will have until early 2012 to submit their responses, with the successful operator to be in place by the end of next year.
Flood funds announced
A total of $16.18 million in grants for floodplain management across NSW has been announced.
The grants are being offered to 98 local Councils and other authorities for priority projects to mitigate the risks and impacts of flooding.
The funding comes from the 2011-2012 round of two programs; the NSW Floodplain Management Program and the Floodplain Risk Management Grants Scheme.
Patrol vessel sought
Tenders are now open for new patrol vessel for the NSW South Coast.
NSW Maritime is seeking an aluminium rigid hull inflatable vessel between 9.5m and 11m, powered by either outboard motors or diesel engines to replace an older vessel.
Tenders close on 27 October 2011 and more information is available from this PS News link or this PS News link.
New engine for Lakemba
A new $560,000 fire engine has been presented to Lakemba Fire Station.
Fire and Rescue NSW Commissioner (FRNSW), Greg Mullins said FRNSW continued to provide its firefighters with modern and safe vehicles for their vital work in protecting NSW families.
“This new fire engine continues the FRNSW commitment to increase our fire-fighting capability in western Sydney,” Mr Mullins said.
“The new vehicle is fitted with a GPS navigation unit and an electronic message board on the back to warn motorists of emergency operations.”
5 October, 2011
Tender advertising
ends in newspapers
Newspaper advertising of Government tenders is to cease this month with all notices being posted exclusively on the official tenders website.
Ministers and heads of Agencies have been informed of the move in Ministerial Memorandum M2011-16 NSW Government Tenders advertised on https://tenders.nsw.gov.au only, signed by the Premier, Barry O’Farrell.
Mr O’Farrell said that from 11 October, a small advertisement directing potential tenderers to the website would replace the current NSW Government tenders composite in the newspapers and potential tenderers would be encouraged to self-register a profile to receive a free email notification when future opportunities were published.
He said to advertise tenders on the website agencies would use the NSW eTendering solution managed by the Department of Finance and Services.
“There is a no-cost option and a fee-applicable option available,” Mr O’Farrell said.
“This policy applies to all Requests for Tender (RFT), Requests for Quote (RFQ), Requests for Information (RFI) and Expressions of Interest (EOI) and other notices relating to NSW Government procurement opportunities.
“The NSW Government Advertising Guidelines have been updated to reflect these changes.”
He said the updated Guidelines covered both advertising and social media use and included information about the appropriate use of NSW Government advertising; the inappropriate use of publicly funded advertising; the roles and responsibilities of Government Departments, Director Generals, Chief Executives and Ministers; as well as advertising categories and definitions; and the use of NSW Government logo and authorisation of advertisements.
They also contain Regulations regarding quarantine periods prior to State elections; communicating with culturally and linguistically diverse audiences; media placement and booking.
Mr O’Farrell said the review and approval of advertising; engagement of creative advertising agencies; recruitment advertising services; public information notices; evaluation and reporting of advertising; and monitoring and exemptions to the advertising policy were also covered.
The Guidelines are available from the Strategic Communications and Government Advertising website at this PS News link and the Memorandum could be accessed at this PS News link.
5 October, 2011
Consultants scheme
fails audit test
An investigation into the prequalification scheme for consultants conducted by the Auditor General has found “tangible improvements” in the time taken by Departments and Agencies to engage consultants but serious failures in other aspects of the process.
“The Prequalification Scheme cannot continue to operate in its current form,” the Auditor General Peter Achterstraat said in his report Prequalification Scheme for Consultants.
Mr Achterstraat said that over 300 service providers had been prequalified to be engaged under the scheme and had provided more than $300 million worth of consultancy services.
He found however that Agencies using the scheme were not making full use of its benefits.
“While the processes for engaging consultants have improved,” Mr Achterstraat said, “the Government does not know if it is getting value for money.
“The necessary competitive tension to achieve value for money is not being created.”
He said nearly 30 per cent of the contracts he reviewed worth more than $150,000 were entered on the basis of only one or two proposals.
“The rule to invite rather than obtain three proposals from consultants for work over $150,000 must be reviewed,” he said.
Mr Achterstraat said that ideally Agencies should know what assignments each consultant had won; for what services; what their rates were; and how well they had performed.
He said Agencies should then be free to contact other Agencies before engaging a consultant, which was not happening.
“The Department of Finance and Services and the Department of Premier and Cabinet are unable to assess the performance of consultants as Agencies generally do not report on the performance of consultants they have engaged,” he said.
“My review showed that only five per cent of the required reports were prepared.”
Mr Achterstraat said since the scheme commenced in February 2008 not one consultant had been removed or suspended.
He said the report found the Department of Finance and Services and the Department of Premier and Cabinet extended the scheme in February 2010 without reviewing the performance of the consultants or the overall performance of the scheme.
“An independent person should be appointed on the panel that prequalifies consultants”, he said.
The Auditor General made 27 recommendations many of which were not supported by the Agencies affected.
The full text of the Auditor General’s report can be found at this PS News link.
5 October, 2011
State Records files
new storage standard
State Records has released a new draft standard for storing records and has invited public comment.
The new Standard on the physical storage of State records proposes new arrangements for storage under the State Records Act 1998.
The original standard was issued in 2000.
The proposed revised standard has resulted from a review of current needs and expectations and establishes minimum requirements for the storage of State records. It would guide public sector organisations in decisions and actions for storing State records.
According to the new standard, minimum requirements needed to be cost effective and efficient as well as ensuring that records were secure, protected, and accessible for as long as they were required to meet business and accountability.
The revised Standard also sets out the minimum compliance requirements for the storage of records in a physical format, including paper files and documents; volumes and registers; as well as maps, plans, charts and drawings; photographic media including photographic prints and negatives, film, microforms, and x-rays.
It covers magnetic media such as digital tape, video and audio cassettes, and optical media such as CDs and DVDs but not the storage of digital records in online systems or network servers.
The new Standard says the storage of records was a key element in the records management program of all public offices.
It says the principles built into the new standard required NSW public offices to make decisions and take action to ensure that the storage of records was effective in protecting records from deterioration.
It lists the main issues to be considered as authorisation, location and buildings, environmental controls, shelving and packaging, maintenance, identification and control, and security.
The summary said each of these principles was supported by mandatory compliance requirements.
The draft standard is available at this PS News link and comments would be received until 8 November 2011.
5 October, 2011
Scammers stoop to
un-Fair Trading
Consumers are being warned be on the lookout for scammers using false Fair Trading credentials.
Fair Trading Commissioner, Rod Stowe said residents across the State should be wary after a number of scam calls from fake Fair Trading officers were reported.
“Fair Trading has received calls from a number of consumers in various parts of the State who have been contacted and told Fair Trading is arranging refunds for overcharged bank fees,” Mr Stowe said.
He said he was amazed at the audacity of scammers and their success rate in ripping off vulnerable and trusting people.
“These scammers are not giving up,” he said.
“They continue their assault in the knowledge that eventually they will find someone who is unaware of their lies and deceptive tactics.”
Mr Stowe said Fair Trading did not cold call consumers offering to arrange refunds.
“Instead, Fair Trading warns consumers about cold calling conmen and women whose only trade was taking people for a ride.”
He urged people to warn their family members and friends, particularly the elderly and infirm.
“Australians are a naturally trusting people and people from older generations just can’t fathom the insidious nature of scammers,” he said.
“They believe government representatives will be genuine and that is why scammers are claiming to be from agencies like Fair Trading.”
He said it was a sad reflection on society that so many people seemed to be able to earn a livelihood out of taking money dishonestly from those who could least afford it.
“Be scam smart,” Mr Stowe said.
“Hang up, call Fair Trading on 13 32 20 and warn others.”
5 October, 2011
Gardens blossom as
entry fees dry up
The abolition of entry fees at the State’s Botanic Gardens has proven a success.
Premier, Barry O’Farrell and Minister for the Environment, Robyn Parker claimed the success saying visitor numbers to both the Australian Botanic Gardens in Mount Annan, and the Blue Mountains Botanic Gardens at Mount Tomah, had increased by as much as 500 per cent since the fees were abolished.
The Ministers announced the attendance figures when they joined local State and Federal MPs to officially open the new $4.25 million entrance to the park at Mount Annan.
They said data collected by the Royal Botanic Gardens revealed the increases in visitor numbers for the five months since fees were abolished.
They said that at Mount Annan, visitor numbers in April 2011 were 21,851 compared to 13,094 in 2010.
They said that even during the winter months numbers remained high with 19,107 visitors in July 2011 compared to 5,204 the previous year.
The Botanic Gardens at Mouth Tomah showed a more modest increase with 12,569 visitors reported in April 2011, 1,481 more than for the same period in 2010.
During the month of June 2011 4,996 visitors to the Gardens were recorded with 6,974 more in July.
During the same time in 2010 numbers only reached 4,778 and 4,392 respectively.
5 October, 2011
Fisheries staff
on the rocks
Almost 150 staff from the Department of Primary Industries’ Cronulla Fisheries Research Centre took to the streets last week to protest against the relocation of their centre to Port Stephens.
Assistant Secretary of the Public Service Association, Shane O’Brien said closure of the Centre would leave almost all of them without a job, see the loss of a lot of research experience and cost taxpayers millions of dollars.
“While employees have been offered to relocate to Port Stephens, the solution is not practical for many with only about 20 employees affected outlining that this may be an option for their family,” Mr O’Brien said.
He said as a result, the Department would lose many very experienced staff members and knowledge invaluable to a world-class system.
“NSW deserves a world class system with experienced staff, yet this is probably the worst decision possible as far as retaining the valuable expertise of staff goes,” he said.
“In addition to the research centre relocating to Port Stephens, recreational fishing is being relocated to Nowra, while Commercial fishing is being relocated to Coffs Harbour.”
Mr O’Brien said that with 64 per cent of recreational fishers located in the Sydney metropolitan region, and 70 per cent of commercial fishers located in the Sydney and South Coast regions, the decision decisions created less accessibility to service for fishers.
“Basically, what we are seeing is a lot of experienced staff members being pushed out of their jobs for political gain at the expense of service and cost effectiveness,” he said.
He said the staff felt particularly let down due to the Government’s election promise that no jobs would be lost from the Department of Primary Industries, despite cuts to the public sector.
5 October, 2011
Cost-cutting course
on the money
The NSW division of the Institute of Public Administration Australia (IPAA) has announced a new workshop to help public sector managers reduce costs.
Cost Management Basics – 24 cost cutting tools for the public sector is a two-day program that has been endorsed by NSW Treasury.
Chief Executive of IPAA NSW, Paul Doorn said with the 2011–12 State Budget forecasting flat revenues and the NSW Government committed to rebuilding services and infrastructure, all Departments faced a huge task finding cost savings to meet the efficiency dividend targets, and to achieve financial sustainability for the State’s public services.
“The IPAA NSW short course on cost management will support staff facing this huge task,” Mr Doorn said.
“It provides a good overview of the cost saving tools that each public sector manager should be familiar with.”
He said Departments could register participants for the initial public workshop on 17-18 October 2011 or book a customised in-house version of the workshop for their agency, portfolio or business unit.
“To help facilitate sharing across the sector, IPAA NSW will be hosting a series of follow-up events so members can discuss and disseminate information and ideas relevant to achieving Departmental cost savings to meet efficiency dividend targets,” Mr Doorn said.
“The author and presenter of the course, Percy Allan AM, is well versed in cost management.
“He is a Visiting Professor at the Macquarie Graduate School of Management, was Secretary of the NSW Treasury (1985-94), Finance Director of the Boral Group (1994-96) and Chair of the Premier’s Council on the Cost & Quality of Government (1999-2007).”
Details regarding the workshop can be found at this PS News link.
5 October, 2011
Maritime campaign
sails into award
A NSW Maritime campaign promoting the safe use of Jetskis has won a water safety education award.
The Agency’s Take it Easy campaign was recognised in the 2011 NSW Water Safety Awards, named as the Community Education Project of the Year.
Minister for Sport and Recreation, Graham Annesley presented NSW Maritime with its award in Sydney.
According to NSW Maritime, Take it Easy was part of its efforts to promote safe and responsible use of personal watercraft and was run in the summer-autumn of 2011, aimed at young men who rode personal watercraft (PWC) such as Jet Skis, Seadoos and Waverunners.
“The Take it Easy campaign featured comedian Rob Shehadie and was noted for its community engagement activities that included safety ‘lightning strikes’ at local beaches, community media actions, community involvement, lifejacket promotions and use of social media such as YouTube,” NSW Maritime said in a statement.
“Take it Easy was a dedicated element of a wider education program called Ride Right which was aimed at people who use PWC Statewide.”
It said the entire campaign was launched in late 2010 and featured a safety DVD, flyer, compulsory behaviour sticker, advertising, booklet, waterproof licence card holder/ phone pouch with a mini-website featuring multi world surfing champion Tom Carroll and multi world PWC champion Kylie Ellmers.
The Agency said it would continue to promote both Take it Easy and Ride Right in the lead up to and throughout the coming summer boating season.
“Last year was the safest summer boating season since records began,” it said.
Mr Annesley congratulated NSW Maritime on its award which was sponsored by AUSTSWIM.
5 October, 2011
Firefighters on fire
in gold medal games
Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) firefighters have won 35 medals at the World Police and Fire Games held earlier this month in New York.
The games are the second-largest multi-sporting competition in the world and were held in New York in the lead up to the 10th anniversary of the 11 September terrorist attacks.
180 FRNSW firefighters joined an estimated 15,000 other competitors from around the world and brought home 10 gold medals.
Acting Deputy Commissioner of FRNSW, Jim Smith said the team competed in a number of events, including rugby (for which they won three gold medals), athletics, swimming, soccer, rowing, boxing and surfing.
Mr Smith said FRNSW also fielded two dodge ball teams that both came fourth in their respective divisions, despite the team members never having played the game before.
“This was FRNSW’s biggest contingent of fire and rescue officers to ever compete abroad at the World Police and Fire Games and it shows their dedication to sport,” Mr Smith said.
“We won medals in Rugby 7’s, swimming, boxing, rowing, surfing and track and field.”
He said fitness was an essential component to being a firefighter so it was only natural FRNSW attracted many men and women who had strong sporting backgrounds.
He said communities across New South Wales should be reassured that there were so many very fit firefighters.
“In what I hope will be an omen for the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, the New South Wales team won Rugby 7’s gold in the Over 45 Men’s and the Open Women’s, as well as picking up silver in the Over 35 Men’s,” he said.
“We also won gold medals in swimming and surfing and one of our part-time firefighters from Kariong on the NSW Central Coast won the 100 metres hurdles.”
Mr Smith said the games were an excellent preparation for the NSW team in the lead up to the World Firefighters Games being held in Sydney in October next year.
5 October, 2011
Farm research centre
planted on coast
A new Primary Industries Centre has been established on the Central Coast.
The new complex is part of a broader collaboration with the University of Newcastle, and is located at its Ourimbah campus.
A spokesperson for the Department of Primary Industries said the $6 million project would enhance science and research capabilities to drive productivity and support for farmers across NSW.
“NSW Department of Primary Industries and the University of Newcastle will work closely and bring together the expertise, strengths and skills from each organisation,” the spokesperson said.
“The purpose built laboratories and offices are home to a team of around 60 scientists, students and extension staff, including agricultural staff involved in advisory and extension work, and fisheries staff involved in compliance and investigations.”
The spokesperson said fisheries officers, both inland and along the coast, were now co-ordinated and managed from Ourimbah where the Fisheries NSW compliance unit was headquartered.
“Some of the brightest researchers and leaders in their fields are based on the Central Coast focused on addressing major issues such as productivity and food security, and biosecurity,” the spokesperson said.
“The new Primary Industries Centre represents a win not just for NSW farmers but Central Coast residents too.”
The new state-of-the-art facility meant that the Central Coast was now home to the leading horticulture research centre in Australia.
Vice-Chancellor of the University of Newcastle, Professor Nick Saunders said the strong collaboration between the Department of Primary Industries and the University’s Central Coast campus provided fantastic opportunities for researchers to work together on important projects to benefit the State’s primary producers.
“World-class researchers are based at this facility and will help to make new horticultural technology and best-practice more accessible to NSW farmers,” Professor Saunders said.
5 October, 2011
On-the-job reforms
for work training
Consultation on reforming the NSW vocational education and training sector (VET) has begun.
Minister for Education, Adrian Piccoli announced the start of the consultation period saying it was designed to make NSW the number one economy in the country.
Mr Piccoli said through the Council of Australian Governments, all States and Territories had agreed to principles of reform designed to support a more productive workforce and to give people the skills they needed to participate in work.
He said the consultation process would help guide the direction of reforms and he encouraged industry, students, community groups, as well as training organisations and their staff to provide feedback.
“We want to hear from those that use our vocational education and training system,” he said.
“We want NSW to lead the country in sustainable economic growth, and we can do this by ensuring we have a smart and skilled workforce to lead us into the future.”
Mr Piccoli said the Government had committed to creating 100,000 new jobs over the next four years and the consultation on VET was about making sure the State had a more productive and skilled workforce.
He said NSW had the largest VET system in the country with over 2,000 training organisations and an estimated 830,000 students, and TAFE NSW played an important role with more than 550,000 students across 10 Institutes and over 130 campuses.
“Skills reform is about strengthening our vocational education and training system,” the Minister said.
“It is about adapting the way we do things to meet future demand.”
He said the consultation process would be held throughout October with six community sessions in urban and regional locations, three forums with key stakeholders and a call for written submissions open until 4 November 2011.
More information about the reforms, including access to a consultation discussion paper, is available from this PS News link.
5 October, 2011
ALRC puts view
on viewing
The Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) has issued a discussion paper proposing fundamental reform of the classification system for media material.
The Commission is concerned that the increasing numbers of media platforms, often merging into each other, is confusing for industry and the wider community.
It wants Government regulation to concentrate on media contents that is of most concern to the general public.
ALRC Commissioner in charge of the National Classification Scheme Review, Terry Flew said the goals of classification in balancing individual rights with community standards and protection of children remained vitally important.
“But we need a new framework that minimises costs and regulatory burden, and does not penalise Australian digital content industries in a hyper-competitive global media environment,” Professor Flew said.
Drawing on more than 2,400 submissions responding to its May Issues Paper, the ALRC found that the existing classification framework was fragmented, approached content inconsistently across media platforms, and was confusing for industry and the wider community.
Its National Classification Scheme Review Discussion Paper puts forward 43 proposals for reform including the introduction of a new Classification of Media Content Act covering classification on all media platforms—online, offline and television.
The discussion paper suggests a greater role for industry in classifying content—allowing Government regulators to focus on the content that generates the most community concern, and ensure access to adult content is properly restricted.
It wants content to be classified using the same categories, guidelines and markings whether viewed on television, at the cinema, on DVD or online.
It also suggests changes to classification categories, with age references - PG 8+ and T 13+ (Teen) - to help parents choose content for their children.
Finally, it calls for the Federal Government to take full responsibility for administering and enforcing the new scheme.
The discussion paper can be accessed at this PS News link and the closing date for public submissions is 18 November.
5 October, 2011
New faces named on
IPAA Executive
The Institute of Public Administration Australia (IPAA) has appointed a new national Vice President and Treasurer.
The Institute has announced that Yehudi Blacher (Vice President - Journals and Partnerships) and Len Scanlan (Treasurer) would both join the Executive of the National Council.
National President of IPAA, Percy Allan welcomed both to the Council.
He said Mr Blacher would take over as Vice President from fellow Victorian Peter Allen, who had served on the IPAA National Executive from 2008.
He said until recently Mr Blacher was Secretary of the Department of Planning and Community Development.
“He has held senior management positions with the Department for Victorian Communities, Department of Premier and Cabinet, Department of Human Services and the Office of Local Government in Victoria,” Mr Allan said.
He said Mr Blacher served on six boards and had authored numerous articles and contributed to books such as Local Government Reform in Victoria and The Collaborative State.
“In his role as Vice President (Journals and Partnerships), Mr Blacher will be overseeing the Institute’s two publications, the Australian Journal of Public Administration (AJPA) and Public Administration Today (PAT),” Mr Allan said.
“He will also be fostering the affiliations IPAA has with national and international bodies such as the Institute of Public Administration of Canada, the Institute of Public Administration New Zealand, the Chinese Public Administration Society, and the Australia and New Zealand School of Government.”
He said Mr Scanlan’s career in the Queensland public sector had spanned more than 30 years.
“Len Scanlan was the Auditor-General of Queensland from December 1997 until December 2004,” Mr Allan said.
“He also served with the Premier’s Department working in inter-governmental relations, the Transport Department in policy and planning, and Queensland Treasury in the area of financial management policy.”
He said Mr Scanlan was Chair of the Audit Committees for Brisbane City Council, Queensland Health and Queensland Urban Utilities where he was also a Board member as a Non-Executive Director.
“Len brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the position of Treasurer and we are very happy to have him on board,” Mr Allan said.
He said Mr Scanlan would replace Barry Mewett who had stepped down after more than 20 years as Treasurer for the Institute.”
5 October, 2011
Ombudsman targets
clerical workers
The Fair Work Ombudsman has announced a national education and compliance campaign to focus on clerical workers.
The Ombudsman, Nicholas Wilson said the campaign provided a great opportunity for employers of clerical workers to improve their understanding of workplace laws.
“Most employers try to do the right thing by their employees, but we do receive about 2,000 complaints from clerical workers each year, so we believe this is an area that requires some attention,” Mr Wilson said.
“We have excellent resources available to assist the large number of employers of clerical workers to ensure they provide workers their full entitlements.”
Mr Wilson said the campaign was specifically focusing on the 40,000-plus businesses in the accountancy, bookkeeping, labour-hire, employment placement and recruitment services sectors.
“We are aiming to improve awareness and compliance of workplace laws in these sectors, thereby equipping employers to provide some guidance on workplace laws to the many businesses they interact with, and the response so far has been very positive,” he said.
The Fair Work Ombudsman is identifying 1,500 employers in the sectors throughout Australia and asking them to supply employment records for audit.
Inspectors will check that employers are paying workers correct minimum rates of pay, penalty rates, loadings and allowances and are complying with their record-keeping and pay slip obligations.
Key stakeholders, including employer groups and unions, have been briefed on the campaign and are assisting to promote it to their members.
5 October, 2011
Rapid response
to snail threat
The Department of Primary Industries (DPI) has established a 25km exclusion zone from the southern border town of Cobram to combat an invasive green snail found in northern Victoria.
Director of Plant Biosecurity at DPI, Satendra Kumar said the pest snail had not been previously found on the east coast until it was detected in a lucerne crop near Cobram.
“The snail can devastate crops and poses a significant risk to some agriculture industries,” Dr Kumar said.
“NSW is working closely with our Victorian counterparts to execute a response plan and prevent the spread of the snail.”
She said the restriction zone would apply to the known movement pathways of the pest.
“Over the coming days, NSW DPI authorities will visit affected producers in and around the restriction zone to discuss biosecurity controls,” she said.
“Surveillance and property inspections will be ramped up in the region, and any suspect cases will be quickly acted on.”
Dr Kumar said the green snail was first found in the Perth area and may have been introduced illegally by a traveller.
“The pest snail has been found infesting large areas of market gardens, suburban gardens and neighbouring bush areas near Perth,” she said.
“With up to 1,000 young snails found per square metre, green snails can breed very quickly and spread across agricultural areas.”
She said that near Perth, the pest snail had attacked cabbages, cauliflowers, lettuces, peas, beans, wheat, lupins, pasture grasses and native plants.
“The National Consultative Committee on Plant Pests and Diseases will meet this week to formulate a control plan,” Dr Kumar said.
“Mature green snails have an olive-green shell and white flesh, they are generally smaller than the brown, common garden snail.”
For further information on the green snail, or to report suspicious looking snails, contact the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline on 1800 084 881.
5 October, 2011
Feds urged to lift
school funding
The State Government has called for a boost in school funding in its final submission to a review being conducted by the Australian Government.
Releasing the submission, Minister for Education, Adrian Piccoli said the national Government needed to lift its level of commitment to education to help make Australia’s education system internationally competitive.
“Australia currently invests 3.5 per cent of GDP on early childhood and school education,” Mr Piccoli said.
“This significantly lags the OECD average of 4.2 per cent.”
He said the State’s submission called for the Commonwealth to recognise the changing needs of Australia’s economy and society by aiming for higher standards in any school funding model.
“The future will require students to have higher levels of literacy and numeracy as well as broader skills that equip them for further study,” he said.
“We must set more ambitious national targets and use existing data to better understand student performance across the range of achievement in order to raise expectations and address underachievement.”
Mr Piccoli said the State Government had put a number of recommendations to the Commonwealth including aiming funding at reaching higher standards; making Australia’s system of education internationally competitive; recognising different levels of need within the student body; and encouraging further reform and innovation.
“While Australia’s school system is among the world’s best, there is evidence that our performance is declining in comparison with other leading countries,” the submission said.
“This submission presents evidence that Australia has many low-performing students who are struggling to meet minimum benchmarks.”
It acknowledged that additional funding would lift low performance levels; reverse under-performance; and improve outcomes for all students.
It said such reforms would have a profound effect on the nation’s future.
The full submission can be accessed at this PS News link.
5 October, 2011
And in Other News...
Pay increase go-ahead
The Industrial Relations Commission has determined that the 2.5% pay increase for PS staff backdated to 1 July should be paid to employees who had left the Service before 10 August.
Payment of the rise was held up for all staff until the matter was clarified.
General Secretary of the Public Service Association, John Cahill, hailed the decision as a ‘great win’ for PS staff who had retired or took redundancy and whose final pay had been calculated without the 2.5% being included.
Mr Cahill said the PSA was still awaiting a decision from the Industrial Court on a claim that the Government’s wages policy legislation and regulation were invalid.
Barangaroo tender out
The tender process for the construction of Sydney’s newest harbourside park at Barangaroo has been launched.
The project will create a six hectare park inspired by Sydney Harbour’s 1836 sandstone shoreline as well as an estimated 200 on-site construction jobs.
Premier, Barry O’Farrell said the Headland Park was a significant project for Sydney.
He said the main works contract was expected to be awarded early next year with construction to commence in the first quarter of 2012.
Food supervisors in
Food Safety Supervisors are now required in the kitchens of retail food outlets across NSW to provide extra food safety protection.
Retail food businesses in NSW are now required to have a trained and notified Food Safety Supervisor on site (from 1 October) in order to comply with the new law or they risk a fine.
A Food Safety Supervisor is someone who holds a FSS certificate and is trained to prevent the hazards associated with the handling and preparation of food.
More information about the Food Safety Supervisor initiative can be found at this PS News link.
Alcohol laws in effect
New laws to crack down on intoxicated and disorderly conduct came into force over the long weekend.
The new laws are designed to targeting alcohol-related violence and anti-social behaviour.
Under the laws if a person is given a move-on direction for intoxicated and disorderly conduct, they will be committing an offence if they resume or continue that disorderly conduct while intoxicated and within 6 hours of the original direction.
Indigenous job boost
The Wiradjuri Study Centre in Condobolin has been opened.
The centre aims to boost employment prospects for the local Indigenous community in fields such as mining, construction, transport, and general administration.
It is owned and managed by the Wiradjuri Condobolin Corporation and was built using local materials and local Indigenous labour.
It will work with existing local health services to improve health and wellbeing among the Indigenous community by providing culturally-appropriate assistance to deal with drug and alcohol misuse.
Councils save power
Thirty-six local Councils have been awarded Government grants of up to $6,000, to help lower income pensioners and families’ access free help to save power.
The grants are part of NSW Government’s Home Power Savings Program.
Minister for the Environment, Robyn Parker said that while the free program was available to eligible households across NSW, by providing Councils with funds and resources to promote the program they were better equipped to help their local residents.
The Home Power Savings Program helps those most in need by offering a free in-home power assessment by a trained energy expert and the installation of energy saving devices worth around $200.
For more info call 1300 662 416 or visit this PS News link.
|
|