8 August 2006
Welfare Watchdog to Sink Teeth into Cheats
Centrelink is on a recruiting drive to hire up to 380 new staffto crackdown on welfare fraud.
         Human Services Minister Joe Hockey said Centrelink would take on the new starters across Australia over the next 12 months to help detect and investigate welfare fraud and the first round of jobs for 40 analysts and project staff had been published in newspapers around Australia.
   "These new staff are part of the Australian Government's $282 million 2006-07 Budget Measure to combat fraud in the welfare and health sectors," Mr Hockey said.
They included fraud investigators, review officers, analysts and intelligence specialists to be based in Canberra and other Australian capitals.
   Mr Hockey said the Government already invested significant resources in detecting and investigating welfare fraud, with last financial year's compliance programs saving taxpayers more than $1.24 billion.
   "But fraudsters are using increasingly sophisticated methods to try and rip off the system, which means we need to keep up with their game," Mr Hockey said.
   "These positions will focus on addressing new areas of exposure, including high-profile, complex and international investigations.”
   He said  the new staff would work closely with the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre in tracking and data-mining financial intelligence. They would also work to uncover elaborate scams and complex cases including identity fraud.
   "Australians understand the need to provide a financial safety net for people in need, but they don't tolerate people ripping off the system," Mr Hockey said.
   "Centrelink refers serious cases of fraud to the Director of Public Prosecutions, which not only results in the recovery of significant amounts of money, it also acts as a clear deterrent," he said.

8 August 2006
Big Spenders Cash In on Joint Contracts 
State, Territory and the Commonwealth Governments have agreed to common procurement policies to buy ICT and disability aids.
   It was expected the goods and services they buy would become cheaper as a result.
           Art a recent meeting in Sydney of Ministers with responsibility for procurement, the Governments agreed to develop a national contractual framework and a common approach for liability levels, .
   They said the new arrangement could reduce overheads and create economies in the multi-billion-dollar procurement sector.
   Chief Minister of the ACT, Jon Stanhope said ICT procurement was a major expenditure for all Governments, the total bill for ICT in 2005-06 coming to more than $5 billion..
   He said that many of the suppliers the State and Territory Governments dealt with also dealt with the Commonwealth.
   "There was the potential for consistent contractual frameworks to reduce transaction costs and deliver better value for money," Mr Stanhope said.
   He said adopting a common approach nationally could deliver greater efficiencies and savings across the board.
   While the ICT deal has been signed off, State and Territory Ministers are still investigating national contracts to buy disability aids for hospital patients and outpatients.
Contracts could cover equipment such as hoists, beds, wheelchairs, continence products, catheters, bandages and walking frames.
   Mr Stanhope said there were real prospects for savings if the jurisdictions combined their purchasing power, as well as potential benefits in the form of greater standardisation across the jurisdictions.

8 August 2006
Workplace Office into Bat Against Spin
The Office of Workplace Services has defended itself against claims of politicisation and bias levelled by the Australia Institute.
   The left-wing Institute had accused the Federal Government of politicising the Office and thereby undermining the non-partisan nature of the Australian Public Service.
   Assistant Director of the Institute, Andrew Macintosh said that by leaking the Office’s comments on a union-instigated media campaign critical of new industrial relations laws the Government had raised questions about its independence.
   According to Mr Macintosh, the Office branded the advertisements misleading because they didn’t give full details of the events surrounding the sacking of five workers.
           He said the incident has raised questions about the independence of the OWS.
           The director of OWS, Nicholas Wilson, rejected the criticism saying the Office had not conducted a specific investigation into the advertising campaign but was concerned that individual employees had been singled out.
   He said the role of the OWS was to ensure that the rights and obligations of both workers and employers were understood and enforced fairly under the Workplace Relations Act 16.
   “Since its establishment on 27 March 2006, OWS inspectors have recovered approximately $1.5 million on behalf of 745 workers around Australia,’’ Mr Wilson said.  "Any allegations that the OWS is not interested in protecting workers’ rights are false.”
   He said having to respond to allegations raised in the media was not the way the OWS wanted to operate and he urged employees with grievances against their employers to contact the OWS where they could be sure their allegations would be investigated thoroughly, expeditiously and discreetly.

8 August 2006
Post Office Funds Clean as a Whistle
Australia Post’s postal services were not being cross-subsidised from other activities a report by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has found.
   ACCC Chair, Graeme Samuel announced the finding and said Australia Post's 2004–05 regulatory accounts did not provide any evidence of cross-subsidy from its reserved services to its non-reserved services.
    While only some parts of the report have been made public, Mr Samuel said the ACCC had not finalised its views on the appropriate level of disclosure and was not necessarily satisfied that all of the information it had collected was confidential. The ACCC's preliminary views on the principles for disclosure of information contained in Australia Post's regulatory accounts were also released.
            "The ACCC now invites interested parties to submit their views in light of the level of disclosure contained in the first cross-subsidy report," Mr Samuel said. "If the ACCC determines, after it has finalised its consultations with interested parties, that any of the excluded information should be disclosed, it will re-release the cross-subsidy report and disclose that information," he said.
   The 2004–05 cross-subsidy monitoring report and the ACCC's preliminary views on the principles for disclosure were available from the ACCC website.
   The ACCC has three specific responsibilities in the regulation of postal services. These were:
           * monitoring for the presence of cross-subsidies between Australia Post's reserved and non-reserved services;
           * assessing proposed price increases of Australia Post's reserved services; and
           * inquiring into certain disputes regarding the terms and conditions on which Australia Post supplies its bulk mail services
   To assist it in undertaking these roles, the ACCC can issue “record keeping rules” to Australia Post, requiring the organisation to keep the records specified and provide them to the ACCC.

8 August 2006
SBS Rates in Newspoll Survey
Popular support for multicultural broadcaster, SBS is strong according to recent Newspoll which showed almost 90 per cent of respondents believed it was important the network provide an alternative to commercial television.
   The survey found that a further 79 per cent believed SBS should be available to provide an alternative to ABC Television.
   The Newspoll telephone survey of 1200 people over the age of 18, from capital city and regional centres, was conducted in June.
   The results found 91 per cent agree that SBS screened the types of programs viewers would not see on the other TV stations.
   Eighty-six per cent agreed that SBS (television, radio and online) played an important role in today’s culturally diverse society, while 79 per cent found value in SBS television, radio and online.
   Eighty-nine per cent believed it was important that SBS be available to provide an alternative to the commercial TV stations.
   Seventy-nine per cent believed SBS should be available to provide an alternative to ABC Television and 73 per cent agree that SBS has better coverage of overseas news than other TV stations.
   SBS Managing Director, Shaun Brown, said the figures were overwhelming.
   "People want and expect SBS to be different from other broadcasters and they also see SBS as an important bridge to understanding Australia’s unique cultural diversity," Mr Brown.

8 August 2006
New IT Reports Unlock Security
The Information Technology Security Expert Advisory Group has issued two reports into the security of Information Technology governance and Denial of Service attacks.
   The reports, Leading Practices and Guidelines for Enterprise Security Governance and Managing DoS Attacks were welcomed by the Government, the advisory group a part of the Attorney General’s-led “Trusted Information Sharing Network.”
   The Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Senator Helen Coonan said the new reports provided business executives with essential information about effective risk mitigation measures and management strategies to address IT security issues.
   She said corporate leaders were facing major challenges around IT security as their use of converging technologies increased.
   "This rapidly changing environment means IT security must be part of any business’s mainstream corporate governance," Senator Coonan said. "It must be viewed as a business decision and not simply an IT decision."
   Denial of Service attacks prevented legitimate access to a computer or to information services such as email, web sites or online accounts.
   “They are a serious issue as a concerted attack could lead to major disruption of services, particularly in sectors such as financial services which exchange large volumes of data,” the Minister said.
   Although primarily developed for critical infrastructure sectors, the advice was also relevant to large organisations in business and Government.
   Executive summaries were also produced for Chief Executive Officers and Chief Information Officers, including strategies and practical tools for addressing IT security issues.
   The reports are available at www.tisn.gov.au and www.dcita.gov.au/ie.

8 August 2006
No-Go Zone to be a Goer
The Woomera Prohibited Area is to be opened up to mining, the company Oxiana given permission to exploit the area for commercial purposes.
           According to a report in Air Force News, the area would be prospected in the hope that its natural resources would realise economic returns.
   Air Force Deputy Chief, Air Vice Marshal John Blackburn said the WPA covered 127,000 sq km of South Australia – roughly twice the size of Tasmania – making it the largest land test facility in the world.
   “The WPA’s primary role is as a test and evaluation range for Air Force capability development. It is an essential asset that is being utilised at an increasing rate each year,” AVM Blackburn said.
   “It also has potential to provide significant economic revenue due to its reserves of natural resources."
   He said a deed of access signed between the company and the Commonwealth would allow Oxiana access to a Defence area for ongoing commercial operations.
   AVM Blackburn said open and effective communication between Oxiana and Defence had ensured the economic value of the land in the Woomera area could be exploited without any negative effects on a significant Defence capability.
   He said the agreement ensured Oxiana enjoyed adequate access to maintain an economically supportable mine without affecting Defence operations in the area.
   The safety of personnel was paramount and formed a fundamental part of the agreement. During preparation for testing items such as weapons, risk levels for personnel on the ground would be determined.
   AVM Blackburn said Defence had undertaken extensive environmental studies and consultation with indigenous communities. An Indigenous Heritage Management Plan was being developed to guide the processes for managing Defence’s activities in the Prohibited Area.
   An Environmental Management Plan was also being developed for sustainable management.

8 August 2006
Aussie Films Projected Overseas
Three more Australian films have been invited to screen at the Toronto International Film Festival, taking the total to five.
   The invitations were welcomed by the Australian Film Commission, which said that Macbeth, directed by Geoffrey Wright, Suburban Mayhem, directed by Paul Goldman and 2:37, directed by Murali K. Thalluri, would screen in the inaugural Vanguard section of the festival.
   Jindabyne had already been selected to screen in the Contemporary World Cinema program, and Ten Canoes in the Visions section - a program spotlighting works whose artistry challenged the confines and conventions of mainstream cinema.
   Chief executive of the Australian Film Commission, Chris Fitchett said the inclusion of the additional films was a wonderful result for Australian films.
   “Toronto is not only an excellent North American launch pad for films, but a leading international festival with distinctive programming,” Mr Fitchett said.
   He said the new Vanguard section would showcase stylistically bold and structurally playful films that appealed to adventurous, risk-taking audiences.        
   These screenings would mark a world premiere for Macbeth, which stars Sam Worthington and Victoria Hill, and North American premieres for Suburban Mayhem and 2:37, both of which had world premieres in Un Certain Regard at Cannes in May.
   Co-director of the Toronto festival, Noah Cowan visited Australia in March this year to watch films for pre-selection, supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Cultural Awards Scheme and the AFC Festival Visitors program.
   The Toronto International Film Festival will run from 7 to 16 September, 2006.

8 August 2006
ASIC Takes Interest in Superannuation Trustees
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has released new information for superannuation trustees to ensure they meet their legal obligations to members for reporting material changes and significant events.
   ASIC's “Question” 163 titled "I am a superannuation trustee. Do I need to notify members about member transfers without consent?" aims to improve the clarity and timeliness of significant event reporting.
   Any decision that fundamentally affects a member’s investment, including a decision to transfer a member’s benefits without their consent, is a material change or significant event that must be disclosed to that member, said ASIC Executive Director of Compliance, Jennifer O’Donnell.
   "It is imperative members are advised of these decisions clearly, early, and in a manner which will come to their attention, for example in a personally addressed letter," she said.
   "Delayed or obscure notices significantly affect a member’s ability to make an informed decision about whether to exercise their right to exit the fund."
   Ms O’Donnell also warned that communicating potential changes via product disclosure statements (PDS) was insufficient.
   "The ongoing obligation to disclose material changes and significant events is an additional requirement to the PDS disclosure obligations," she said. "This is to ensure that members have clear information at the time that a decision affects them."
   Trustees should also be aware they may need to provide members with comparative information that helped them understand the nature and effect of the decision. For example, where fees changed, including fee rebates, or insurance cover or cost was affected, the trustee needed to explain the differences.
      Trustees should also take care not to drip-feed information about particular changes or individual events without explaining the consequences of the changes or events as a whole, she said.
   Currently, member benefits could be transferred without the member’s consent in a number of ways including into a successor fund, eligible rollover fund, or another category within the same fund.
      Different terms may be used to describe different categories within a fund such as plans, divisions, or sections.
    Ms O’Donnell said that a common source of member transfers was when a person changed jobs and decided to stay with their former employer’s default fund.
   She said that unless the new employer was also an employer sponsor of the fund, the member was likely to be transferred into the personal division of the fund which may have quite different fees from their old division.

8 August 2006
Government Lawyer Gives Quotes
A Government lawyer at the centre of some of the nation's biggest privatisation projects has been interviewed about his work by the legal community magazine, Lawyers Week.
   Chief Counsel, Commercial, with the Australian Government Solicitor, John Scala was the subject of the interview after 20 years experience high profile projects
   Mr Scala joined the AGS from private practice and in his career to date has also advised the Government on its negotiation of the tsunami relief package with Indonesia and on the collapse of the Australian Magnesium Corporation.
   In his interview, Mr Scala said privatisations could be achieved in two ways – a trade sale or by way of a public share float.
   He said examples of public floats were Qantas, the Commonwealth Bank and CSL Limited, “and the sale I’m currently involved in advancing – that of Telstra."
   He said both types of sale had complex issues for a lawyer.
           "You usually start with a scoping study – a sort of mini due diligence on the company that will undergo sale,” he said. "Then if it was a trade sale exercise your role could be as broad as advising on the necessary legislation to effect the sale or regulate the company’s activities once it becomes a privately owned company."
   He said both types of privatisation required due diligence, but in different forms.
   A public float, like the sale of Qantas, required due diligence for a prospectus or an offer memo instead of an information memorandum.
   "You have a much greater involvement in advising on Corporations Act issues, and driving the negotiations with ASIC and the stock exchange."
           He said the team of lawyers engaged on the Qantas float numbered eight to ten at  partner level, but sometimes included 35 to 40 other lawyers.
   Mr Scala defended using the term “partner” because it was the common jargon of the industry when quoting fees.
   “It’s a very, very competitive environment,” he said. "All our major commercial projects we won through competitive tender process against private law firms. Our client base is the Commonwealth, and we’re competing against firms whose client base is the world."
     Since 19 Commonwealth clients could engage any firm they liked for their legal services.
           "We had already been charging, but that was when we came into full competition with private law firms and our entire market was opened up."
   Mr Scala said the change was a big cone, particularly for AGS staff who had never worked in private practice, but AGS had remained culturally different from a private firm.
   "Many people like to work here because of a belief that they are effectively doing something for the country."
   "Although we are answerable to budgets, they are not as aggressive as in a private firm – that doesn’t mean people don’t work as hard here.
   He said AGS enjoyed a reasonably low level of turnover and credited that to the enjoyment staff showed in their work.
    "It tends to be very challenging and quite varied,’’ he said. "We are there to provide a service to the client, not to consider whether they are right or wrong or whether we agree or not.”
   He said the task of the Government lawyer was to facilitate the implementation of Government policies.
   "AGS lawyers tend to have a very low profile, and it’s something that we’re happy about. While a number of us speak at conferences from time to time, you don’t see us quoted in the papers."
            Mr Scala said the highlights of his work included being the lead legal adviser on the privatisation of Qantas.
   "We were breaking a lot of new ground in terms of the Corporations Act."
   The Telstra sale would be the largest privatisation in terms of value and in terms of share offer ever conducted in Australia, he said.
           "From a commercial lawyer’s point of view, you’re not going to get any more complex, larger projects anywhere in Australia.

8 August 2006
Defence Shoots Down Cost of Living for Some
Living-in Accommodation contributions for single Defence Force members are to be lower following the introduction of a new method of calculation.
   The Minister Assisting the Minister for Defence, Bruce Billson, said the new method took effect from 27 July 2006 and personnel would see a corresponding increase in their disposable income from 10 August.
   Mr Billson said the new method was based on the assessed average market rent for Living-In Accommodation using valuations produced by the Australian Valuation Office.
   He said members would pay a rate for their accommodation that was a proportion of the national average rental cost of similar accommodation in the private sector.
   "Using a national average protects ADF members from regional differences in rental markets as they move on posting,” Mr Billson said.
   The new method applied the same principle used to calculate contributions paid by members with dependants who lived in Service residences.
           "A long-standing Defence policy is that members with dependants should pay 50 per cent of the Defence Rent Bill for Service Residences," Mr Billson said. "We are now applying this principle to members without dependants, who will pay 50 per cent of the nationally-assessed average market rent if they occupy Level 3, 4 or 5 accommodation."
    He said members who occupied Level 1 or 2 LIA would only pay 40 per cent of the assessed averaged market rent.
   This recognises the age and lower quality of this accommodation, which is usually occupied by the most junior ranks of the Defence Force, he said.
    The degree of difference between the LIA rates last year and the rates this year is a result of the change to the new method of calculating the rates, Mr Billson said.
   Contributions would fall for all members by between $2.80 and $34.15 per week.

New Contribution Rates for LIA FY 2006-07
($ decrease from current contribution rates provided in brackets)

* No rates are provided for Senior Officers below Level 5 as this accommodation is not considered suitable for these ranks. If a Senior Officer does occupy LIA below Level 5, they pay the Junior Officers contribution rate.

8 August 2006
DNA Match-Making to go National
The Justice Minister, Senator Chris Ellison is happywith progress made by the Standing Committee of Attorneys General (SCAG) on the national DNA matching system.
   The SCAG Working Group has agreed to prepare a report addressing all outstanding matters for its November meeting.
   Senator Ellison said the national DNA database system had the capacity to allow all Australian jurisdictions to collect and share DNA to facilitate the detection and prosecution of serious crime and to locate missing persons.
   “The use of a national DNA database will allow DNA information to be exchanged between State, Territory and Commonwealth jurisdictions, ensuring a coordinated national forensic process and enhanced national law enforcement,’’ Senator Ellison said.
   He said so far, only Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia were able to exchange DNA information on the National Criminal Investigation DNA Database (NCIDD), due to various legislative difficulties. This has led to delays in the full operation of system.
   The Commonwealth had introduced a Bill in June 2006 to ensure there were no legal impediments in Commonwealth law to inter-jurisdictional matching between the States and the Commonwealth, and in July this year the Commonwealth also reached agreement with Western Australia and Queensland to start matching.
         The States and Territories had agreed to review their legislation to see whether legislative change would be required for the national approach and bilateral Ministerial Arrangements would be negotiated.

8 August 2006
Class Act for Bureau of Stats
The Australian Bureau of Statistics has entered a major collaboration with a number of partners which promises to lead to a world-first study of statistical literacy in the classroom.
   StatSmart was a three-year initiative aimed at showing students how data could be acquired and used to make informed judgements in their lives, said Australian Statistician, Dennis Trewin.
   "Student participation should generate enthusiasm for statistics and encourage their future studies and careers in the field," Mr Trewin said.
   The ABS will undertake the project with partners from the Universities of Tasmania and New England, the Noel Baker Centre for School Mathematics and Key Curriculum Press.
            The project is partly funded by the Australian Research Council under its Linkage Scheme.
            As part of the study, teachers would develop a professional learning plan appropriate to their own school that would include teaching a unit of work to students. The study would encourage school projects, foster collaboration among teachers, provide professional development providers and researchers over three years and commit to increasing and reporting change in the understanding of teachers and students.
   Mr Trewin said considerable support would be provided to teachers through attendance at three specialist conferences; ongoing contact with a dedicated researcher; school visits by researchers; and electronic support such as email lists and discussion boards.
Schools would commit at least two teachers to the program.
   Also at the Bureau of Statistics, Census collectors in the Jindabyne area had donated their pays to the self-help organisation Disabled Wintersports Australia, founded by Australia's first Paralympic skier, Ron Finneran and Canadian instructor Bruce Abel.
   The organisation helped people with disabilities enjoy winter sports and share Australia's Snowy Mountains with fellow skiers.
   The collectors’ donations would go towards purchasing special ski equipment.

8 August 2006
Every Poster a Winner at Archives
The Australian National Archives has launcheda new exhibition - Patriotism Persuasion Propaganda – American War Posters,
Skilfully designed posters could be a powerful weapon, particularly in wartime and the exhibition has been described as thought-provoking.
   Aviator and adventurer Dick Smith launched the exhibition at the Archives headquarters in Canberra. It focuses on America’s strategic use of poster art in times of conflict, supplemented by a collection of Australian wartime posters numbering over 50.
   Director-General of the Archives, Ross Gibbs said the Australian Government produced many propaganda posters during World War Two to gain public support for a variety of programs.
   "A set of 10 propaganda posters our curators were looking at had been commissioned by the Beaufort Division of the Department of Aircraft Production to motivate their factory workers," Mr Gibbs said.
   Head of the Beaufort Division, John Storey, commissioned a commercial artist, James Northfield, to produce a series of posters for the factory floor.
   "Judging by the posters in the Archives collection, he did a beautiful job of creating images that tugged at the heartstrings while delivering a corporate and patriotic message," Mr Gibbs said.
           One poster reads: "There is no absenteeism in the firing line, let there be none in our production line."
   Patriotism Persuasion Propaganda is a travelling exhibition from the Australian National Maritime Museum, supplemented by material from the National Archives collection.  It will remain on show at the National Archives until 22 October.

8 August 2006
Weather Station Settles In At 50
The legendary Giles weather station, in Western Australia has turned 50.
   Famed among Weather Bureau staff for its isolation and popular with thousands of Central Australia four-wheel drive tourists as a stopping point along the remote Gunbarrel Highway, the weather station  was set up in 1956 to provide data for the British atomic weapon tests and later the rocket trials from Woomera.
   Parliamentary secretary for the Bureau of Meteorology, Greg Hunt, said the station had been a Bureau responsibility since 1972 and was administered from the South Australian Regional Office in Adelaide.
   "Meteorological observations have continued since then thanks to close cooperation between the Bureau and the Ngaanyatjarra people of the Central Lands," Mr Hunt said.
   Four weather observers coordinate the release of weather balloons, monitor temperature, rainfall, humidity, pressure, evaporation, sunshine and other elements from the remote site with long-term data forming valuable baseline information in helping to improve  understanding of the atmosphere.
   Local MP Barry Haase said continuing the record of unbroken observations from Giles was just as important as safeguarding the past 50 years of observations.
             The station is 330km west of Uluru, making it a popular stopover for several thousand tourists a year.
   Weather observers spend six months at a time at the Giles site, which ranks in Bureau folklore with Willis Island in the Coral Sea as among  the most isolated weather observation points in Australia.

8 August 2006
Crime Commission Goes Bush
The Australian Crime Commission has formally agreed with the Northern Territory Police to appoint a permanent representative in the NT.
             The agreement coincided with a visit to the Territory by ACC Chief Executive Officer, Alastair Milroy and Executive Director, National Criminal Intelligence, Kevin Kitson.
   Mr Milroy and NT Police Commissioner Paul White said the appointment was an important step forward in collaboration between the NT Police and the Australian Crime Commission.
   ACC representation would be in the form of an Intelligence Collection Coordinator (ICC) and the police had selected an officer - Senior Constable Matthew Allen - to undertake the duties.
    The new ICC is one of five nationally.
           Commissioner White said the position would build on the links forged between the two agencies over the past three and a half years.
   “The level of cooperation between NT Police and the ACC has seen some very good results for the Territory and there are matters that have been brought before the courts, or are before the courts now as a direct result of the outcomes of that collaborative approach,” Mr White said.
   Mr Milroy said the work the agencies had done had brought significant advances in regional and national efforts to combat organised crime.
           “The establishment of the ICC position in Darwin will increase the efficiency of the exchange of information and intelligence and will ensure that Northern Territory jurisdictional concerns are fully reflected in the national assessments of criminality,” he said.
   He said the network brought significant benefit to the national collection of intelligence about the harms and threats posed by serious and organised crime.

8 August 2006
Senior appointments
Who’s who and who's moving in the PS
Jamieson joins Arts Board
Brian Jamieson has been appointed to the Australia Council’s Major Performing Arts Board. Mr Jamieson is a director and treasurer for The Bionic Ear Institute, the Menzies Foundation, and CARE Australia.

Military justice appointments
Two important military justice appointments have been made.
   Lieutenant Colonel Lyn McDade has been appointed first Director of Military Prosecutions.  She will be promoted to the rank of Brigadier and  hold the DMP appointment for five years as well as transferring from the Army Reserve to full-time service.
   Lieutenant Colonel Geoff Cameron has been appointedthe first Registrar of Military Justice.
    Lt Col Cameron has served in the Army for nearly 20 years and is the Director ADF Military Law Centre and Deputy Director Asia Pacific Centre for Military Law. 

8 August 2006
PS Briefs
Mountains make Heritage List
Queensland’s Glass House Mountains have been added to the National Heritage List.
   Prime Minister John Howard announced the listing saying the mountains had outstanding value to the nation, were distinctive and spectacular.
   Formed 24-27 million years ago, the mountains were recorded by Captain Cook in 1770 and had inspired the works of Australian artists across a range of media including  Lawrence Daws, Judith Wright, Conrad Martens, Peter Kennedy, David Malouf and Fred Williams.

Emergencies get $13M help
Three hundred and sixty five projects, valued at $13.1 million are to be funded through the Local Grants Scheme (LGS) and National Emergency Volunteer Support Fund (NEVSF).
   Introduced in 2004 as part of the "Working Together to Manage Emergencies" initiative to train and recruit emergency volunteers, the funds will pay for projects as small as $1000 to purchase tabards to use in an Emergency Operations Centre to $360,000 for the development of the Australian Disaster Information Network (AusDIN) web portal.
   Applications for the next round of funding under the programs will be called in mid-December and close in March next year.
 
Artists get $30,000
Three grants of $30,000 each are to be made by the Australia Council for the Arts to designers and craftspeople to bring art into Australian homes and the public space.
   Made from the Council’s Maker to Manufacturer to Market (MMM) initiative, the grants will assist in making a prototype, manufacturing and packaging works for a range of commercial markets.
   Recipients of the 2006 MMM grants are Forlano Design of  Western Australia;
   Greg Healey of South Australia and Print Ink of Melbourne.

Arts get $1.1M
The Australia Business Arts Foundation is to receive additional funding of $1.1 million to boost private sector support for the arts and add resources to the visual arts sector.
   Arts Minister, Senator Rod Kemp said the funds would allow the Foundation to extend its successful Partnering program that connects business with the arts and cultural sector as well as its Volunteering program that creates opportunities for people from business and the arts to work together and its Giving program that promotes private donations to the arts.

New Guide for Families
The Child Support Agency has published a booklet to help stepfamilies build better relationships.
   The booklet,  Me and My Changing Family, is free and full of practical tips and hints, including stepfamily members sharing their experiences on what to expect and what worked for them including, setting ground rules, family meetings, discipline and routines.
   The booklet can be ordered from the Agency website www.csa.gov.au or by calling 1800 040 972.

Defence Housing Buys up in Darwin
The Defence Housing Authority has bought 152.6 hectares of land at Muirhead in Darwin for residential development.
           The homes will be for the use of Defence Force personnel in Darwin where Parliamentary Secretary for Defence, Senator Sandy Macdonald said, demand was increasing.
   Senator Macdonald said over 800 new homs could be built on the land, a portion of which would be made available to members of the Darwin community.

Deakin Institute for Deakin Uni
The 150th anniversary of the birth of Australia’s second Prime Minister, Alfred Deakin, would be marked by a $4 million contribution from the Australian Government to the set up costs of an Alfred Deakin Institute at Deakin University in Geelong, Victoria.
         The new institute would house the Alfred Deakin Prime Ministerial Library and serve as a centre for teaching and research in political science, public policy and governance, international relations and globalisation, journalism and communication.

Electoral changes draw objections
Plans to redraw electoral boundaries in NSW have attracted 1,989 formal objections.
          The Australian Electoral Office has collected the objections and posted them on its website www.aec.gov.au

8 August 2006
Talking Point
Secretary of the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, Andrew Metcalfe explains how he’s gone about restoring the fortunes of his Department in the second of a two-part Talking Point. This week: The Framework for Change

Picking Yourself Up When
You’re Down: Part 2
An overview of organisational change within the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs and its implications for other agencies
By Andrew Metcalfe

The framework for change
   Implementing change within any business context needs very clear objectives and a simple framework, one that will stand the test of time and meet the needs of all our stakeholders.
   While I had around 10 weeks to develop the implementation plan, I had much less time to get my staff on board and get across to them what we needed to do together. I also needed to convince the broader range of stakeholders that I was serious about change.
    While the Taskforce concentrated on developing the Palmer Plus package, I was able to concentrate on reaching out to our key stakeholders – the Minister and Government, staff, central agencies, key critics and agencies who scrutinise us – talking about the change agenda. I have continued to engage with all of our stakeholders and I have encouraged all of my staff to do the same. We have a better chance of success if people know and understand what we are trying to do.
    We decided very early on that we needed to do three key things to meet the expectations placed on us, we needed to:
         * develop and maintain an open and accountable culture;
         * promote fair and reasonable dealings with clients; and
         * ensure well trained and supported staff.

    All of the work we have done since last July can be mapped to these strategic themes and our tagline – people are our business.
    We represented this through “the Triangle” which we use as a key way to articulate our change agenda. It’s a framework that is grounded in our three main stakeholder groups – the Government and wider community, our direct clients and our staff.
    It is simple, but its beauty is that all of the Palmer and Comrie recommendations can be mapped back to these themes. All of the suggestions for improvement and change from staff and our critics – and there have been many – map back to the themes. All of the projects and developmental work we initiated as part of the Palmer response will contribute to achieving these outcomes for the Department and Government.

What’s in Palmer Plus?
    The Palmer Plus package comprises well over 60 separate initiatives split into those we made a commitment to achieve in the first 100 days - effectively by the end of 2005 - and initiatives that we would develop in that time and implement in 2006 and beyond.
    The 100 day initiatives included a number of things I clearly needed to do.
    I needed to restructure our National Office to ensure that there were clearer lines of responsibility and accountability. I needed to ensure that those areas which posed the highest levels of risk to organisational outcomes were restructured to provide more realistic spans of control.  
    For years there had been virtually no external SES appointments to the Department. Late last year, over 40 appointments, promotions and transfer were made to our SES ranks, including many from outside the Department: there was the need to fill the existing positions that were substantially vacant and quite a few positions established in recognition of the huge agenda in front of us. External appointees brought with them new skills and perspectives to add to the experience within the Department.
    As an organisation, we needed to focus on rebuilding our public image, so an early priority was to strengthen our communications capability. A new National Communications Manager and an expanded communications team mean that we are on the front foot more often and we can focus equally on internal communications.
    Improved governance also needed to be a priority.
    We established an Executive Management Committee (EMC) which meets weekly and comprises myself, the Deputy Secretaries, and four key division heads – in strategic policy, national communications, finance and the Chief Lawyer. The EMC has a strong governance role around whole of department strategic planning and integration.
    The Corporate Leadership Group meets monthly and comprises the EMC members, all of our division heads plus all of our State and Territory Directors. This group discusses and agrees on key governance issues across DIMA’s entire range of policy, programmes and service delivery.
    An expanded Audit and Evaluation Committee, with an independent chairman and a second external member, is rigorously overseeing an enhanced internal audit program. The audit program is focusing on making sure that we are making decisions in line with our legislation and instructions.
     I have also established a Values and Standards Committee which includes four external members – the Deputy Commonwealth Ombudsman, the Deputy Australian Public Service Commissioner and two community members. This committee is well placed to ensure that DIMA is meeting the expectations of the wider community.
    I placed a very high priority on implementation planning, not least because we were committed to tabling an implementation plan in Parliament. Project management principles and a strong governance framework are key tools we are using to maximise the success of the projects.
    We established a Program Office to monitor progress, mentor project management and report on a regular basis to me and the senior executive, the Minister and quarterly to Government through the Cabinet Implementation Unit. We also have a commitment to deliver, through the Minister, a progress report to Parliament in September this year.
    These measures, and the strong commitment of the Minister, the Parliamentary Secretary and the DIMA senior executive, mean that we have already achieved much. But there is still very much more to do.
    2006 is a year where we are consolidating the change agenda and implementing some of the major initiatives – those around case management, systems improvements through the Systems for People program; staff training and the College of Immigration, Border Security and Compliance; improvements to detention infrastructure – things like the Baxter Plan; and service delivery to immigration detainees especially comprehensive health services. We also have much work ahead of us to improve the client service focus and client service delivery options.        
    While many of these issues may be specifically relevant to us, I know that many are applicable in the wider sense to many other public sector agencies. These lessons we in DIMA are learning are lessons for us all.

The future – the new “DIMA Plan”
    There is a great deal of change underway.
    We are “on the move to improve”.
    There is a very big business to run. We are re-engineering the way we do much of our work, and how we lead and govern the Department.
    We are taking all that, together with the ongoing feedback from staff, clients and other stakeholders as key inputs to developing a new corporate plan – the DIMA Plan.
    This high-level plan will set out our purpose, our key strategic themes and priorities, our core business processes and outcomes, a leadership model and the Department’s core values – established to complement the Australian Public Service Values.
    I have been working closely with the Deputy Secretaries on the planning framework and the Department’s SES have now met as a group to start putting some flesh on the bones of the Plan. The strategic themes are already in place:
          * develop and maintain an open and accountable culture;
          * promote fair and reasonable dealings with clients; and
          * ensure well trained and supported staff.

    I am already testing with all staff the proposed leadership model – I expect all leaders in the Department at all levels to:
          * provide vision and meaningful direction;
                   * operate consistently with our core values;
          * communicate constantly and meaningfully (in other words, listen!);
          * create an environment for success;
          * function as team players; and
          * persist to achieve good outcomes.

    I have asked teams to get together and discuss the kind of behaviours that will demonstrate these capabilities and our core values, which (in their draft form) are:
          * teamwork;
          * service excellence;
          * respect;
          * openness;
          * commitment;
                   * professionalism.

    My SES officers are now discussing these issues with their staff and will provide me with feedback so that the Plan can be taken to the next stage, which will happen at a further all SES meeting in mid-May.
             We will then establish Divisional business plans, and State and Territory and overseas regional service delivery plans. All will come to EMC for discussion and endorsement.
    This process will provide the clarity of goals that all staff need; allow us to flush out and resolve ambiguity, gaps or overlaps; and establish individual plans making clear people’s responsibilities and accountabilities. We will then move into an annual planning cycle, with periodic and detailed reviews, to ensure ongoing effective performance management. SES performance agreements will be closely linked to our planning framework.

Teamwork – a key marker of cultural change
    You will have noticed that a core part of the leadership model and the core values is working effectively in teams. I am using it as a key marker of cultural change and a way to underpin the substantial changes we have had to make to ensure better governance and leadership.        
    In an organisation the size of DIMA there are hundreds – thousands - of teams who have to work together every day if we are to achieve the outcomes the Government expects of us. And we all know that teamwork can be difficult.It takes time to build trust and confidence and to understand the different skills and capabilities people bring to a team.
    We are working hard together to form the kind of leadership team that DIMA needs.
    The way we are doing this is by being open and honest with each other, being constructive in the way we work together and to recognise we have different strengths and perspectives that are complementary. Teams are always much stronger than the sum of their parts, but it can be hard work. I’m absolutely confident we will succeed.

In summary
    When I arrived as Secretary of the Department on 18 July last year, I didn’t have a blueprint for change in my briefcase. I couldn’t have told you then where we would be in May 2006, but I did have a sense of the course we needed to chart.
    It was important to recognise the best of DIMA, while acknowledging the grave mistakes that had been made.
    I had to disabuse people of some key myths:
          * that our change agenda was a passing whim and I’d “get over” it – it’s not a fad, it’s leading to permanent climate change;
          *  that the mistakes were just bad luck – they weren’t, they were key markers of some underlying problems;
          * that everything in the past was bad – it clearly wasn’t; and          
          * that the change agenda was about just some of us – and clearly it isn’t, it’s for the whole department.

    I also thought I wanted a “10 point plan” for change – but I sought some professional advice which indicated that this was too complicated if I, and my leadership team, were going to stay “on message”. At the most, we needed three strategic themes – and I’ve mentioned them a couple of times today.
    I believe that the events of the last year – the damning reports we have received - mean that we are very conscious of our faults. We’re now addressing them – we have a strong improvement programme. That is cause for some pride.
    If we are going to continue to deliver on the strong policies and programs that the Government has set for us, we cannot afford to be down on ourselves all of the time.

Wider Implications
    The implications for the wider Australian Public Service – for each of use here in this room – are broad.
             As leaders, none of us can ever be complacent.
    While we respond to crises or unanticipated events we cannot afford to lose sight of our core business and our key clients and stakeholders. We have to manage both the urgent as well as the day-to-day – it’s all important.
    We need to be flexible enough to weather the ups and downs and respond to a changing national and international policy environment.
    We need to make sure our staff are given all of the skills and support they need to do their jobs properly – to get the best out of our teams.
    We need to make sure we have systems which are robust, aligned with our business processes and able to respond to change.
    We can’t forget the basics, like records management, strong financial management including sound contracting and procurement practices, and refresher training.
    We need to persist to achieve our goals. In modern Australia leading large complex organisations is not easy. It can be hard, very hard. That’s exactly why leaders – we – have to step up to the mark, and keep our goals in mind always.
    We should constantly question our assumptions - self assessment and change are the key signs of a healthy organisation.
    Finally, we must talk, we must listen, we must think. We must keep things in perspective; we must – always – stay positive and committed.

* This is the second part of an edited version of a speech given by Andrew Metcalfe, Secretary, Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, at the SES breakfast series on 2  May, 2006. The first part can be viewed as last week’s PS News’ Talking point

1 August 2006
IT to Get Image Makeover In Push For Skilled Staff
The image of Public Service careers in information and communications technology is to receive a makeover in a bid to attract more young people to join the APS and avoid existing and predicted skills shortages in the sector.
   Special Minister of State, Gary Nairn said the Government was looking at a range of initiatives to increase the profile of ICT careers in the APS and promoting their attractiveness to young people was one of the strategies under consideration.
   "Those initiatives aren’t restricted to traditional sources such as university graduates," Mr Nairn said. "We are looking at alternative options to traditional university recruitment.”
   Mr Nairn said the Government was encouraging young people to consider a number of options including a possible apprenticeship scheme with opportunities to obtain a qualification leading a diploma in IT and a career in the Public Service.
    The Australian Government Information Management Office (AGIMO) was the lead agency in developing initiatives to enhance skills in ICT.
   “AGIMO is also investigating an ICT cadetships scheme for university students who have not completed their studies, to encourage them to complete their studies in ICT and consider a career in the APS," Mr Nairn said.
   Another possibility was mentoring programs in the APS to provide leadership and career guidance to new recruits and existing staff.
   Mr Nairn said much had been written about the skills shortage and its contributing factors such as the slump in activity following the huge amount of work leading up to Y2K and the dot com crash.
   "We are now seeing a huge resurgence in activity in the industry with major projects such as the Health and Access Card and Immigration’s Systems for People project – just some of the $2.7bn of projects with a large proportion of ICT work involved announced in this year’s budget.”
   “We have a healthy mix of Australian and overseas companies operating in Australia, with many Australians enjoying tremendous success and satisfying careers in Australia.”
           Mr Nairn said ICT skills were very portable and provided young people with opportunities to travel and develop extremely interesting careers.

1 August 2006
Net Worth of E-Government Increasing
E-Government is alive and well according to a recent report which found that four in 10 Australians used the internet to contact an Australian government in the past 12 months. This figure included more than half the adults who used the internet.
   The report published by the Australian Government Information Management Office (AGIMO) looked at how people were using different channels to contact the three levels of Government in Australia and also examined satisfaction levels, preferences and expectations.
   The report found that service complexity and ambiguity were more likely to determine the means by which people contacted the Government than the sophistication of the service they used.
   It found this particularly true of standard transactions such as registration payments but as a general rule, the more ambiguous the task, the less likely it was to be performed online. Complex and ambiguous issues were increasingly raised face-to-face or on the telephone, raising important new issues for recruitment and staff training.
   The study found that while there were significant differences in the profile of e-Government users, they could not be easily typified, creating challenges for Governments wanting to encourage internet and telephone services.
   The report said the internet had obvious advantages over other channels of contact as it could be accessed at any time, and from any place with a connection.
   However it said, these advantages might not be enough lure a new generation of e-Government users and Governments would need to develop increasingly sophisticated and compelling arguments to encourage its use.
   The report said overcoming geographic barriers motivated people to contact Government via the internet, but lack of awareness about available services was a barrier to greater uptake. Concerns about personal privacy are only seen as a minor barrier.
   It said the challenge for Governments was to raise awareness while bearing in mind expensive advertising strategies would rarely be justified financially.
    The report found there were high levels of satisfaction with telephone services, with many people preferring to speak to a real person.
   It also found attempts to migrate all users to the internet for all Government services were too simplistic and had the potential to reduce uptake in the longer term. This finding was based on evidence that suggested the internet was not always the best channel to access Government services.
           People contacting the Government still preferred to front up to an office, with the most common approach being in person (52 per cent), the next most popular was contact by telephone (26 per cent), the internet next (15 per cent) and then mail.
   Popular services to be accessed on the internet included income or personal tax (16 per cent of all services reported), land rates or tax (10 per cent), and car, boat, vehicle registration and licences (eight per cent).
   People accessing Government services by internet were more likely to be male (57 per cent), live in metropolitan areas, under 50 years old, university educated and professionals.
   Internet users in metropolitan areas were more likely to contact Government online (57 per cent) than those outside capital cities.

1 August 2006
Importers Excise Compo From Customs
The Australian Customs Service has agreed to pay $492,000 in compensation for delays experienced by importers during the troubled introduction of its Integrated Cargo System (ICS) last year.
            Chief Executive, Michael Carmody said Customs reviewed 320 out of 433 claims received and would shortly begin responding to claimants about their cases.
   Mr Carmody said Customs had accepted there were problems early in the implementation of the ICS that contributed to delays in cargo clearance, especially shipping containers through seaports in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne.
   "On the evidence available to Customs, these problems would appear to have been largely resolved by late November 2005," he said.
   "Customs has therefore decided to meet storage and transport-related costs where these were the result of a problem with the implementation of ICS that was attributable to Customs.”
           He said the Service had agreed to offer full compensation to 196 claimants and part-compensation to 72 claimants – a total of $492,000. It knocked back 52 claims, although those claimants would have further chances to substantiate their claims.
   Claims still under review fell into two categories – claims incorporating staff-related costs such as overtime and a few larger, more complex claims worth $8.4 million that required detailed discussions with claimants.
   "Customs is keen to resolve all these claims as quickly as possible," Mr Carmody said.

1 August 2006
Talking Census
The Bureau of Statistics has added three new topics to this year’s Census, as well as
another question that has not been asked for 10 years.
   The new questions are:
        • Questions about unpaid work to help understand the contribution of unpaid
work in Australian society;
        • A question on whether a person needs assistance with day to day
activities.
        • A question on the type of Internet connection households have; and
        • A question that is being asked for the first time since the 16 Census
- the number of children ever born to females over 15.  This question is asked every
10 years.
            A spokesperson for the Bureau said the reason the once-every-10-years question about children being born is asked is because measuring the lifetime fertility of women was essential for estimating Australia's future population figures and had implications for social and economic planning.
           He said the questions about the need for assistance with day to day activities was necessary to supply Government and community groups with information  to allow them to plan the delivery of appropriate services and the allocation of resources.
           “Our community needs to know whether people need help or supervision with certain day to day activities,’’ the spokesperson said. “And when you combine these answers with answers from other Census questions, it helps build a picture of the need for assistance with activities across Australia.
           The questions about voluntary or unpaid work would provide answers that would  help in understanding the contribution of unpaid work to Australian society, particularly the work done by unpaid carers of children and work done through voluntary organisations.
   Census night is next Tuesday, August 8

1 August 2006
Glowing Report for Nuclear Body
Research has shown that 90per cent of the stakeholders in Australia’s Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) believed the organisation operated safely and was both socially and environmentally responsible.
    The research study to assess whether ANSTO’s corporate social responsibility reporting met stakeholder needs revealed the figure showing the same 90 per cent believed its reporting was also credible.
    Executive director of ANSTO, Ian Smith, said it was gratifying to see that the orginisation’s corporate social responsibility was having an impact and diverse stakeholders recognised the proactive way it communicated on issues such as safety and the environment.
   “Undertaking the market research itself reflects the commitment we have to identifying, understanding and meeting stakeholder needs,” Dr Smith said.
    He said 84 per cent of stakeholders indicated they would probably read information on ANSTO's science, underlining how crucial their work is.
   "Science, safety and the environment seem to be our stakeholders’ key areas of
interest,” Dr Smith said.
   However, while the organisation’s CSR reporting was perceived favourably, ANSTO still had room for improvement in meeting overall stakeholder needs on a number of issues.
   “Our social responsibility is not something that is looked at once a year," Dr Smith said. "It is embedded into our operating procedures and as rigorous as those procedures are, they are constantly being improved.”
            Sixty-seven per cent of stakeholders believed they were getting the “full story” through ANSTO’s CSR reporting all or most of the time, with 25 per cent believing they were getting it some of the time.
   "Whilst not perfect, this is still a strong result that we intend to improve on," Dr Smith said.
   "Similarly, even though overall perceptions towards our performance on perceptions of supposed organisational secrecy are satisfactory, there is work to be done to improve our rating in this area.”
   ANSTO was one of the first Government bodies to undertake CSR reporting and had published two CSR reports to date.

1 August 2006
Have TV, Will Travel
The ABC’s international television service ABC Asia Pacificis to be relaunched as Australia Network on August 7, offering an upgraded selection of news, documentaries, drama and lifestyle programs across the countries of Asia and the Pacific.
   The service would continue to broadcast the programs viewers loved, with some additions, including a new current affairs show called Focus on Tuesdays and Thursdays after the news at 9pm (Hong Kong time).
   Featuring live coverage from around the region, Focus would be produced for Australia Network by the ABC TV news and current affairs division and look at matters relevant to the region with analysis of the day's events.
   Evening news bulletins would be aired three times each night, at 5pm, 7pm and 9pm (Hong Kong time) with reports from Australia Network correspondents in Delhi, Beijing, South Pacific and Jakarta in addition to ABC correspondents around the world.
   The ABC said news was the key to Australia Network's schedule which focused on news in the Breakfast Zone. Mornings from 6am to 9am (Hong Kong time) would be filled with news and views from around the region and the world as well as business reports and interviews.
   A program called Study English hosted by Margot Politis, would help students prepare for study overseas or improve their career prospects. Business English focuses on helping people improve their career prospects by learning the world's global language of business.
   Australia Network's dramas would be uniquely Australian and include Home and Away, All Saints, Blue Heelers, Love My Way, Getaway and many more.
   Australia Network would carry just about every sport, from horse racing to V8 Supercars to surfing and football.
   Chief Executive of Australia Network, Ian Carroll, said service would offer audiences a different view from that presented by other networks.
.    "Our news and current affairs programs provide more than the headlines,’’ Mr Carroll said.
   “It's quality, world class journalism offering a different view from the London and US-centric networks."
   Australia Network would broadcast to 10 million homes and 200,000 hotel rooms in 41 countries with a minimum of one million viewers a month.
   The satellite footprint covered the Cook Islands to the east, Mongolia to the north, India to the west and Papua New Guinea to the south

1 August 2006
Centrelink Waves Down Taxi Fraud
Human Services Minister Joe Hockey praised Centrelink's New South Wales Fraud Investigation Team for a crackdown on the taxi industry estimated to have saved taxpayers more than $1 million.
   Operation Cornelius was conducted at Sydney Airport as part of investigations into the Sydney taxi industry.
   There were also field investigations focusing on welfare fraud concentrating on the NSW harvesting and hospitality industries.
   "During July, Centrelink's NSW Fraud Investigation Team, working with other federal and State agencies, has undertaken six field operations at Sydney Airport, Mudgee, Nimbin, and the Hunter Valley," Mr Hockey said.
   More than 130 people had welfare payments cancelled or suspended, saving taxpayers $917,000, he said.
   Investigators expected further savings as more complex cases were reviewed, debts calculated and serious cases referred to the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions.
   Other activities in July included Operation Dutchman in the Mudgee vineyard pruning industry, Operation Volsce in Nimbin's hospitality and harvesting sector, Operation Plebians in the Hunter Valley harvesting sector and Operations Barnardo and Ophelia in Sydney's Darlinghurst and Auburn, focusing on the tow truck industry.
   Mr Hockey said welfare fraud could exist in almost any industry, but some cash-in-hand businesses had been identified as particularly at risk, including the harvesting, transport and hospitality industries.
   "Most industries want to stamp out welfare fraud and work cooperatively with the government to this end," he said.
   "We know the majority of Centrelink customers are doing the right thing, but I've instructed my agencies to re-double their efforts to detect those customers who are undermining the system.
   He commended Centrelink investigators for their dedication in stamping out welfare fraud and encouraged those who suspect welfare fraud is being committed to phone the Australian Government Services Fraud Tip-off Line on 13 1524.

1 August 2006
New Centre For Whale Life Study
A new research Centre is to be establishedfor the study and conservation of whales and dolphins.
   The Australian Centre for Applied Marine Mammal Science is to be set up in Hobart, Tasmania, to build on existing knowledge of the animals and address critical gaps in understanding about our 40 species of whales and dolphins, 10 species of seals and Australia’s dugongs.
   Environment Minister, Senator Ian Campbell said the Centre would be an Australian first and provide a much-needed boost to the conservation of Australia’s marine mammals.
   "We have long held much of the world's expertise in the protection of marine mammals and this centre will provide us with the wherewithal to bring that expertise together," Senator Campbell said.
   The government is to provide $2.5 million over four years for the Centre.
   Senator Campbell said having a dedicated research facility would formalise and strengthen links within Australia's marine mammal research community and create better communication and information sharing as well as help develop strong industry partnerships.
   "The information it gathers will be critical for developing and implementing government policy and management decisions."
   He said the Centre's work would be especially important as Australia continued efforts to convince pro-whaling nations of the benefits of non-lethal scientific research on whales.
   "Non-lethal study techniques, the effect of noise on whales, improved methods to estimate population numbers and human interaction impacts are just some priorities for the new facility."
   The centre will be based at the Department of Environment’s Australian Antarctic Division and funded through the Commonwealth Environment Research Facility program.

1 August 2006
DIMA Staff Go Bananas for Rescuers
The national office of the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs has kicked in to help the Innisfail (QLD) State Emergency Service raise funds for a new headquarters following the devastation of Cyclone Larry earlier this year.
   The SES’s goal of raising $300,000 for the facility is $1140 closer after DIMA staff ran a fundraising raffle as their way of offering support.
           Department Secretary, Andrew Metcalfe, presented a cheque from the Canberra staff to Cairns SES group leader Jie Spence while in Cairns recently to open a DIMA office.
   Mr Metcalfe said the people of Innisfail and surrounding areas had been through a very rough time as a result of the cyclone.
   “Even though Canberra is a long way from Innisfail, we wanted local people to know we are thinking of them as they rebuild their lives and businesses after one of the most powerful cyclones to ever hit Queensland," Mr Metcalfe said.
           “We know from talking with people in the Innisfail area that the SES needs a new headquarters and equipment, and we thought the proceeds of the raffle would be a good way to show practical support for the local community.”
   Mr Metcalfe said his Department, particularly its Cairns office, had developed an excellent relationship with Innisfail over many years, including working with local businesses on working holiday visas and helping refugees make the area their home.
   “Local DIMA officers tell me that Innisfail is a good example of a community working together to get back to some sort of normality after a devastating natural disaster,” Mr Metcalfe said.

1 August 2006
Vodcasting Easy At ABC
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation has launched a vodcasting trial of its new jtv programming and TV's The Chaser's War on Everything.
   Introduced through ABC TV and the Corporation’s New Media and Digital Services, vodcasting is the video cousin of audio podcasting.
   Under the new service, a special jtv vodcast would be available from 6pm each Friday and the entire show of The Chaser's War on Everything would be vodcast prior to the program's weekly show on Friday evening.
   ABC TV director Kim Dalton said the Corporation was thrilled to be making ABC content more accessible to a broader audience who could now access it at times more convenient to them.
   "These programs can be downloaded onto mobile viewing devices hours before the program is transmitted on television," Mr Dalton said.
   Lynley Marshall, Director New Media and Digital Services said the vodcast services would build on the ABC’s market position with audio podcasts in Australia.
   "This initiative continues our commitment to providing audiences with ABC content anywhere and anytime and on every available platform."
   Vodcasting for jtv could be accessed through www.jtv.com.au and for The Chaser's War on Everything through abc.net.au/tv/chaser/war. The trial will continue for the run of both programs this year.

1 August 2006
Treasury Banks on Money Campaign
A national campaign has been launched to encourage Australians to put themselves in charge of their money.
   Assistant Treasurer, Peter Dutton said the Understanding Money campaign was part of the Government’s commitment to helping all Australians improve their financial knowledge and better manage their money.
   “Understanding money can pay off – no matter what your age or income,” Mr Dutton said. “It allows us to save and make sound spending and investment decisions.”
   "Most importantly, it allows us to feel more in control of our money."
    He said improved financial knowledge and understanding could increase people’s choices and help them get more out of life.
    The campaign included the Understanding Money website and handbook showing people how to take control of their money and make their money work better.
    Most Australians saw the value of better managing their money but often didn’t know where to start, he said.
   “The website and handbook provide practical, easy-to-understand information about money matters."
   "They outline the simple things that people can do regularly to make a real difference to their bottom line."
   Chairman of the Financial Literacy Foundation, Paul Clitheroe, said the campaign will run until mid-December.
   “I’m excited to be involved in a campaign that will encourage Australians to take control of their money by getting into some good, basic habits and sticking to them,” Mr Clitheroe said.
           “A few simple things done regularly can make a difference."
   He said Australians could put themselves in charge by preparing a budget plan – work out how much you earn and what you spend it on, to help you see where you could make changes.
   He said people should set financial goals – “they don’t have to be big” - but they would help them see what they could gain by being better with your money;
   He urged people to “get into the savings habit” by setting some goals and trying to save regularly to meet them.
   “To take further control of your money, you can take a hard look at your loans and credit cards and see what scope there may be to consolidate them or adjust your spending habits.
   "Look for opportunities to make your money work harder by investing and check that you’re contributing enough to your superannuation and think about how you can protect your money, such as making sure that you have the right insurance," Mr Clitheroe said.
   The Understanding Money handbook is available in English, Arabic, Chinese, Greek, Korean, Spanish, Vietnamese and Italian.
   Order from 1800 236 235, via www.australia.gov.au/understandingmoney or pick up from Centrelink, Medicare and Job Network offices and members of Certified Practising Accountants Australia (CPAA).

1 August 2006
ASIC Fine Tunes Money Message on Radio
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has launched a new six-part radio series, Your Money to help people manage their finances better.
    To be aired on community and local radio stations across Australia, the series will also be featured on ASIC’s consumer website, FIDO and can be downloaded as an audio file.
    ASIC Executive Director of Consumer Protection, Greg Tanzer said the program built on ASIC’s range of tools aimed at educating consumers about financial issues and their rights and responsibilities.
   "We’re delighted that radio stations are helping protect consumers from everyday financial traps and scams,’’ Mr Tanzer said, “and giving them skills to take control of their financial future."
   He said consumers were often dazzled by offers of high returns from supposedly secure investments and it was important that ASIC provide accurate and accessible information to help them make informed decisions about their money.
   "This radio series is an innovative way of helping with those decisions,” Mr Tanzer said.
   Your Money will broadcast the voices and stories of everyday Australians and  feature64 a range of experts including financial counsellors and consumer advocates.
    Mr Tanzer said the series covered budgeting and savings tips; managing bank accounts, loans and credit cards; superannuation; understanding insurance; starting to invest, including risk and avoiding financial scams; planning for retirement, including income streams and reverse mortgages.
    He said that finding the right investments among a bewildering array of investment products required careful thought.
    "These programs will give more Australian consumers a better idea of what they need to know when making important financial decisions and where they can go to get independent, unbiased information," Mr Tanzer said.

1 August 2006
Austrade Banking on Westpac for Advice
Austrade has entered an alliance with banking company Westpac to promote the benefits of exporting and boost competitiveness of Australian businesses looking to expand into international markets.
   The alliance builds on an existing relationship between Austrade and the bank that has tapped its expertise and global networks to assist Australian businesses in the international marketplace.
   The new alliance will help new and existing exporters increase their capacity by expanding their support network, increasing their understanding of global markets and offering practical advice.
   Austrade Chief Executive Officer, Peter O’Byrne, said Austrade provided Australian businesses with valuable advice, expertise and support through its global network in more than 60 countries and specialist industry teams.
   "Austrade and Westpac will draw on their respective experience dealing in international markets to help the clients of both organisations and the wider Australian business community expand internationally,” Mr O’Byrne said.
   Westpac’s General Manager, Working Capital and Trade Solutions, Alex Holcomb, said Westpac had a long history of providing international product banking solutions to Australian businesses.
   “The Westpac Austrade alliance allows us to build on our ongoing support for Australian exporters and further expand our strong and growing working relationship with Austrade,” Mr Holcomb said.
   The agreement between Austrade and Westpac is a part of Austrade's Corporate Partnerships Program.

1 August 2006
New Deal for Cards at Defence
The Defence Travel Card can now be used for over-the-counter cash withdrawals and repayment facilities through customer branches of the Australian Defence Force Credit Union and Defcredit.
   The expanded facility provides DTC holders with increased flexibility and convenience when they require approved cash for travel in addition to ATMs and Travelex locations.
   To complete a transaction, a cardholder must present their card to either credit union and enter their PIN as they would at an ATM. Travellers need not be a member of the credit union to use the facility.
    The Domestic Budget Calculator has been updated and is available at http://intranet.defence.gov.au/travel/.
    Re-payments via the credit unions do not incur a fee. Cash obtained through ATMs or Travelex will retain the current two per cent cash fee.
    The DTC can only be used for approved travel expenses. Cash should only be used for travel expenses other than meals and incidentals where the DTC is not accepted. A receipt must be kept.
   Members are also encouraged to use the DTC to cover meals and incidentals where possible to maximise GST credit available to Defence.
            However a warning has been issued to users that the system was under constant surveillance and that dubious transactions would be identified and followed up.
   According to Army news, Deputy Provost Marshal, Major Nick Rose issued the warning saying the nature of DTC fraud was such that all transactions were recorded and available for scrutiny to investigators at any time.
    “Therefore,’’ said Major Rose, “it’s not a matter of if they will get caught but when.”
   He said Army Military Police, which oversaw fraud investigations of less than $20,000, received very few reports of DTC fraud compared with the amount of travel conducted by personnel.Personnel would be liable for any inappropriate costs incurred on the DTC, with the current average amount of each alleged fraud offence being $3200.
   “Most offenders use DTC in a haphazard fashion, suggesting it is a crime of opportunity,” Major Rose said.
   He said some members with prior financial problems said they found unrestricted access to the card a problem
   “Members should consider notifying the chain of command if they believe they have personal circumstances that may warrant closer supervision, prior to obtaining a DTC,” he said.
            He said the easiest way to avoid dilemmas late at night was not to carry the card for personal social events or during other high risk-situations.
            Uses who accidentally overdrew on the card should report the incident to their immediate supervisor.

1 August 2006
Defence On Early Learning Curve
Defence families in Williamtown, NSW have a new child care centre opened recently by the Minister Assisting the Minister for Defence, Bruce Billson.
   The Williamtown Early Learning Centre, operated on behalf of Defence by ABC Corporate Care, will cater for up to 90 children up to five years of age, with educational programs designed for each age group. 
   Mr Billson said the Australian Government recognised the importance of providing access to high quality child care facilities to Defence families.
   “Centres such as the Williamtown Early Learning Centre demonstrate the importance we place on supporting our Defence families,” Mr Billson said.
   The Defence Child Care Program now had 34 Defence-owned and corporate long day centres in or near to military establishments across the country. 
   “Additionally, under the new Defence Childcare Expansion Program, more child care places for Defence children will be identified around Australia over the coming years,” Mr Billson said. 
          “Defence members can be assured that their children are being cared for in high quality facilities that meet the most stringent requirements.” 

1 August 2006
Readers Booked for Industry Promotion
Australians are being encouraged to explore the world of books with the nation’s biggest promotion of books and reading - Books Alive 2006 – launched by Arts Minister, Senator Rod Kemp at the recent Australian Book Industry Awards in Sydney.
   This year’s Books Alive ambassador, Australian author Monica McInerney, attended ahead of a national five-week tour to promote the campaign. Her specially-commissioned novel, Odd One Out, is free in August when you buy any of the 50 titles in the Great Read Guide.
   Senatpr Kemp said the 52-page 2006 Books Alive Great Read Guide is the cornerstone of this year's program. More than 2.5 million copies of the guide will be distributed around Australia during August, including through The Australian Women’s Weekly, bookstores, department stores, shopping centres, transport hubs and public libraries.
   The Great Read Guide featured 50 titles chosen by an industry panel, covering fiction, crime, thrillers, history, science, travel and biography.
   For the first time, there is also a special children’s edition of the Great Read Guide with 15 great reads for children of all ages, from picture books to teen fiction.
   Books Alive chair Sandra Yates said Books Alive was an invitation to all Australians, young and old, to take a journey into the imaginary world of the written word.
   "This year readers can travel to medieval Europe, colonial Sydney, modern day Italy and Afghanistan or fantasy worlds in books included in the Great Read Guide," Ms Yates said.
   Books Alive is an Australian Government initiative that aims to encourage all Australians to experience the joys of reading. It is funded by the Government, developed through the Australia Council for the Arts and supported by the local book industry.
   To read the 2006 Books Alive Great Read Guide, visit www.booksalive.com.au

1 August 2006
Senior appointments
Who’s who and who's moving in the PS
  
European academic sails into Maritime College
Professor Malek Pourzanjani has been appointed President and Principal of the Australian Maritime College following an international search.
   Professor Pourzanjani is currently the Professor of Maritime Education and Training at the World Maritime University in Sweden. The Australian Maritime College offered high-quality education, training and research in the maritime sector.

Patent links to New Zealand
Julie Ballance, a patent attorney from New Zealand, and David Webber, a patent attorney from Victoria, have been appointed to the Professional Standards Board for Patent and Trade Marks Attorneys for three years.
   The appointment recognised the importance of the New Zealand practitioners registered in Australia under the Trans Tasman Mutual Recognition Arrangement, as well as the development of closer cooperation with New Zealand in patent matters.
   Mr Webber’s appointment was significant as he would bring particular expertise to the Board in IT - one of the more difficult areas in assessment of suitable qualifications.

National Museum reappointments
Dr John Hirst and Dr John Fleming have been reappointed to the Council of the National Museum of Australia for a further three years.
   Dr Hirst is the Reader in History at La Trobe University and has lectured at the University since 1968. His expertise and experience in the application of Australian history is expected to continue to be of significant benefit to Council and the NMA.
   Dr Fleming is the President of Campion College Australia and his involvement in social and community issues and expertise in the area of bioethics will bring a valuable perspective to the Council.

Jamieson joins Arts Board
Brian Jamieson has been appointed to the Australia Council’s Major Performing Arts Board. Mr Jamieson is a director and treasurer for The Bionic Ear Institute, the Menzies Foundation, and CARE Australia.

Military justice appointments
Two important military justice appointments have been made.
   Lieutenant Colonel Lyn McDade has been appointed first Director of Military Prosecutions.  She will be promoted to the rank of Brigadier and  hold the DMP appointment for five years as well as transferring from the Army Reserve to full-time service.
   Lieutenant Colonel Geoff Cameron has been appointedthe first Registrar of Military Justice.
    Lt Col Cameron has served in the Army for nearly 20 years and is the Director ADF Military Law Centre and Deputy Director Asia Pacific Centre for Military Law. 

1 August 2006
PS Briefs
Contest for Human Writers
The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission is calling for young Australians between 11 and 18 to enter the 'Human Writes' personal essay and 'Rights in Perspective' art competitions.
     Prizes of iPods and digital cameras are on offer for the national winners and the Australian Red Cross has prizes for State and Territory winners. Entries close 11 August and more information is available from www.humanrights.gov.au/competitions/index.html

ACMA Service hits the Charter
The Australian Communications and Media Authority has published a new service charter setting out its strategic intentions, service commitments and contact details.
           The charter says the Authority has the intention of being forward looking and flexible and the goal of enabling the communications and media industries to meet community expectations.

Women wanted for sports leadership
The Federal Government has set aside $400,000 to encourage more women to pursue sports leadership opportunities in 2006-07.
     The Women’s Sports Leadership Grants Programme is jointly funded by the Australian Sports Commission and the Office for Women and is aimed at improving the involvement and status of women in Australian sport.
    The scheme is in its fifth year and in that time has provided opportunities for women to gain accredited training and development in coaching, officiating, governance and management with more than 11,000 women benefiting.

Office tragedy in Melbourne
 A troubled war veteran died following apparent self-inflicted injuries in an incident at a Department of Veterans Affairs office in Melbourne.
   Minister, Bruce Billson expressed condolences to the man’s family and DVA staff received counselling. Mr Billson said the incident came as a great shock to everyone in the Department.

Electoral Boundaries draw comment
A total of 189 objections have been  received by the Australian Electoral Office to proposed new electoral boundaries in Queensland.
    Twenty-seven local councils lodged objections as did 14 Members of Parliament and other politicians, 16 community organisations and all three major political parties.
    All objections appear on the AEC website.

Cyclone Victims Guided
The Tax Office has issued a guide to people and businesses affected by Cyclones Larry and Monica explaining how they should treat any payments they received to help with recovery.
   The Guide also includes information on additional relief available.

Maritime school opens
A new educational and research institute has been officially opened at Geraldton in Western Australia at a cost of $10 million
   The Batavia Coast Maritime Institute would specialise in maritime vocational and technical training and was expected to attract 200 students. Minister for Vocational and Technical Education, Gary Hardgrave, performed the ceremony.

1 August 2006
Talking Point
Economic Independence for Indigenous people
    By Kevin Andrews

One of the most difficult and most significant challenges for public administration and all citizens of many developed countries is the achievement of economic independence for Indigenous people.
   For most of the 20th century, nation states did not define Indigenous people into their own wellbeing and future. Indeed, Indigenous people were defined out.
            In the case of Australia, political equality was formally reached in 1967.  The Indigenous movement has understandably been working to define itself politically and culturally within the nation state which had poorly served them in the past.
            This left the difficult issue of economic development behind issues of representation, reconciliation and access to traditional lands.
           To say this does not diminish those achievements, but to realistically acknowledge that the task at hand in this country is as belated as it is enormous.
           We lag behind the comparable countries of New Zealand, Canada and the United States in almost every social and economic indicator including employment, self employment, homeownership and income levels.
   In an attempt to address these issues, the Government took decisive action. In 19 it developed the Indigenous Employment Policy, which introduced a suite of initiatives to support Indigenous Australians into employment and to boost employer demand.
   Since the transfer of key Indigenous specific programmes into my portfolio in 2004, the Australian Government decided to make economic development and independence for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australia a key part of its fourth term agenda.
   Two of these key programmes and agencies are:

•  the Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) programme, the largest Indigenous specific programme in Australia, which operates within the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations; and
• Indigenous Business Australia, which has responsibility for a small business program, an investment program and two Indigenous home ownership programs.

CDEP
   CDEP is an Indigenous specific “work for the dole” program intended to help people move from unemployment into jobs.
   While the recent changes to the CDEP program have been building on its success, success had not been achieved in a uniform manner.
   Over 35,000 Indigenous jobseekers of a working age population of around 240,000 are involved in this program at any one time.
   The Government wishes to capture the original intent of a 30-year-old program, which is to provide a stepping stone into paid employment and to contribute to community wellbeing constructively; to align welfare policies with real economic development.
   Over the years, CDEP has become critical to the ongoing viability of many remote communities.  It is CDEP participants who often collect the garbage, maintain the generators, ensure the water supply and take care of the sewerage. They work in health services, education and art centres.
   They do real jobs that in other places are recognised and remunerated as real jobs; that provide opportunities to move beyond an entry level position
   Unlocking the potential of these jobs, and, where appropriate, building businesses around the services delivered through CDEP are the type of opportunities which can contribute to building real labour markets in remote Indigenous communities.
   In terms of business development, the programme is yet to reach the critical mass where viable businesses without subsidised jobs will generate substantial non-Government income.
   CDEP has the potential to support business development and grow incubators for investing in the human capital of Indigenous people - administration skills, business skills, conflict management skills, language and numeracy skills, as well as imparting the purposefulness arising from a basic work ethic.

IBA
           Indigenous Business Australia, once neglected, has been elevated into a key policy and service delivery agency, whose prime focus is on wealth creation for Indigenous individuals and communities.
           As a statutory authority with a mandate to strategically invest in joint ventures, its modest $50 million Equity and Investments portfolio in 11 has grown to over $125 million.
   In 2004, the Government moved two significant programmes into IBA, namely the Indigenous Business Development Program (now known as IBA Enterprises) and the Home Ownership Program (now known as IBA Homes).
   IBA Enterprises has achieved significant outcomes for Indigenous people seeking to participate in commercially viable small business opportunities.
   Some of the highlights during 2005-06 include the provision of in excess of $14 million in small business loans and providing over 450 Indigenous people with business support to progress and develop their business proposals.
   Both the Enterprise and Investment activities in IBA are critical to increasing economic activity, wealth creation and employment opportunities for Indigenous Australians.
   In order to tie all these and other developments together, the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, the Chairman of IBA and I launched an overarching Indigenous Economic Development Strategy (IEDS) with clear objectives to achieve these goals.
   It has a focus on ensuring local Indigenous Australians have the opportunity to compete for and win local jobs and are supported to develop self employment opportunities.
   What we find in Australia is that jobs are often filled by people from outside the region, or by non-indigenous Australians. Our objectives also include identifying business opportunities, both current and future, and ways to maximise those opportunities.
   While this overarching strategy sits within my portfolio it works within the new arrangements in Indigenous Affairs, whereby other portfolios, as well as State and Territories Governments, are involved.
   The successes in New Zealand, Canada and the United States have been particularly instructive for us.  It is estimated Australia is at least a decade behind these countries in Indigenous economic development.
   However to further galvanise governments, business and other stakeholders, we have to continue to work to change our collective views about First Nation economic development.
   It is facile to say that Indigenous economic development benefits Indigenous communities and organisations and individuals: Indigenous economic development benefits all Australians and the nation’s position in the global economy.

Partnerships with private sector
   Economic development isn’t something that can be driven by Government; it requires entrepreneurship.
   Government can provide support to get new businesses off the ground and can invest in developing the skills of unemployed Indigenous people But the real driver will be the private sector.
   The role of Government is to help private enterprises achieve outcomes where through partnerships with communities and bringing their resources to bear in complementary ways.
   For example, the Australian Government and the Minerals Council of Australia signed an agreement in June last year to work together with Indigenous communities to increase jobs and business enterprises for Indigenous Australians.
   One of the key objectives of the agreement was to ensure the benefits of mining ventures continue to endure beyond the life of the mining in a region.
   We have agreed to work initially in five regions across Australia.  This will involve a joint approach to providing training to Indigenous Australians in order for them to win positions in mining operations.
   The opportunities of higher wages to remote Indigenous communities are obvious. The opportunities of a skilled ready-to-work labour force are equally obvious to mining companies.
   Australia needs Indigenous employment and economic development to underpin the ongoing strength of the general economy.
   We collectively need to educate, skill up and motivate Indigenous jobseekers for our vital sectors such as mining, transport, tourism and social services, most obviously in remote and regional areas but also in the urban areas where there are skilled and low-skilled employment opportunities arising from labour shortages and an ageing population.
Indeed the general population growth of Indigenous Australians means it is more relevant to local economies in the future than what they have ever been in the past.
   In the 1971 Census there were only 125,000 Indigenous Australians; today there is about half a million.
   In many of our cities and regional towns the Indigenous populations are growing - just look at Broome, Darwin, Cairns, Alice Springs, Kununurra, Dubbo and even in Western Sydney where around 40,000 First Australians from a variety of backgrounds now reside.
   If demography is destiny, then the destiny of these places will need to accommodate Indigenous engagement within the open labour market and with the kind of asset and wealth creation the rest of Australians enjoy.
   We need to realise that Indigenous people acquire their key asset at birth, namely their natural endowment of human capital.This endowment is nurtured through early childhood development, education, training and later work experience.
   Since one of the legacies of dispossession was the low level of material wealth that an individual can inherit, the significance of human resource development cannot, I believe, be underestimated.
   Think about it: most Australian families finance their assets over the working life of parents from wages and rely on self reliance in retirement on assets.
   All the indicators demonstrate most young Indigenous people, although nominally wealthy in communal assets, do not have these same advantages.
   In turn, this also means Indigenous people are more reliant on the quality of organisations that act on their behalf and deliver services.
   Land councils, land trusts, Aboriginal corporations and Indigenous companies are designed to pursue the interests of beneficial owners.
   That is why good governance is so critical, as the responsibilities are often higher than those of other types of organisations in non Indigenous Australia.
   I believe the focus has been too much on Indigenous people as legal concepts entitled to protection by complex laws.  We have relied too much on statute and not enough on transparent management.
   The pendulum, I believe, is swinging towards Indigenous people as principal economic agencies, whether as consumers, producers, directors, or shareholders – and that is to be welcomed.
   In this way, governance will become more responsive to the requirements of individuals as well as the law.
   In saying this I am not suggesting that Indigenous people should become less altruistic or uninterested in the role of elders, or country and language.
   Altruism is the absence of opportunism within a relationship, and sadly, not all transactions are conducted in good faith whether they are among Indigenous Australians or between Indigenous Australians and non-Indigenous Australians.
   In short, we need an Indigenous shareholder democracy built on more trust if we are to move communities onto a better footing.
           First Nations’ economic development will only prosper if Indigenous communities can participate more fully in the mainstream economy life through jobs and businesses and that requires accountability.
   Achieving widespread economic independence by building up the capacity for good governance and strategic vision will take some time.
   It requires the involvement of individuals, families, organisation, the private sector and all levels of Government.
   And perhaps, in time, the Canadians, the New Zealanders and others will look to Australia more often for inspiration than they might today.
   I think this is achievable, and achievable in our lifetime.

Mr Andrews is Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service This is an edited version of a speech he gave on 18 July at the First Nations Economic Opportunities Conference