27 November, 2007
Seats Change Hands For New Government
The Australian Public Service is to report to a new Government following the Federal election of 24 November 2007.
   The Australian Labor Party was elected with a majority in the House of Representatives and will be naming its new Ministers, Assistants and Parliamentary Secretaries in the coming days.
The Party’s strong result which turned a deficit of 15 seats into a majority of similar size has given it a clear authority to introduce the policies it took to the election, including planned cuts to APS staff and activities.
   Incoming Finance Minister, Lindsay Tanner identified savings of up to $10 billion in the lead-up to the election and was expected to introduce cost-cutting measures as a priority for the new Government.
   High on the list of initiatives to affect the PS will be a one-off increase of two per cent in the annual efficiency dividend to be returned in the Budget process, taking the dividend to 3.25 per cent.   Mr Tanner said this measure would save $1.5 billion but would exclude the operational areas of Defence and Agencies such as the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations and the Australian Securities and Investment Commission which were already the subject of policy cutbacks.
   He said it would also provide the taxpayer with better value for money.
   He said Departments and Agencies would also be targeted to save $860 million by cutbacks and careful management of advertising expenditure, engagement of consultancies, non-Defence recruitment, the costs of opinion polls and market research; as well as expenditure on media monitoring.
   He said common purchasing arrangements would be introduced to save $150 million a year and dismantling the former Government’s WorkChoices program would save $258 million in staffing costs.
   The threat of the cuts prompted the Community and Public Sector Union to call for the changes to be made without job losses.
   CPSU National Secretary Stephen Jones said that while most Public Servants would welcome reductions on advertising and consultancies, they wanted assurances there would be no redundancies as a result.
   He said the incoming Government was going to need qualified and experienced staff to implement their policies at a time of skills shortages.
   “There is a tight labour market and the Commonwealth is not immune from that,” Mr Jones said. “One of the biggest challenges of a Labor government would be finding staff, not getting rid of them.”
   He said discussions about the shape and direction of the Public Service should begin with the question: “What needs to be done?” not “What size should it be?”     “Arbitrary jobs cuts don't work and ignore the complexities of service delivery and good governance in a dynamic economy,” he said.
   “A more sophisticated approach is needed."
   Mr Tanner assured displaced staff that redundancies would not be needed to achieve the cuts as current vacancy rates, turnover, and natural attrition would combine to deliver the savings without resorting to job losses.
   He said a crackdown on tax avoidance would also deliver an extra $740 million a year.

27 November, 2007
ARIA Out of Tune On Super Statements
The Australian Reward Investment Alliance has apologised to Public Sector superannuation members for continuing delays in distributing Member Statements for 2006-07.
ARIA said the delay could be put down to unforeseen delays in implementing systems upgrades for the Government’s Better Super reforms and the new way of allocating Fund earnings.  It said it would update members when a firm date for the finalisation and distribution of statements was clearer.
   The Alliance said, once available, the majority of statements would be available online, through Member Services Online, even before they were mailed out.
   It advised that an Access Number would be needed to use the service and that could be obtained by phoning 1300 000 377.
   Member Services Online gives access to a range of convenient services to help manage superannuation. Members could  
   * Use the i-Estimator to project their potential final benefits
   * update their address
   * choose how they want to receive news about their Super    
   * view and print their member statement
   * pay surcharge and Leave Without Pay contributions via BPAY    
   * change their Access Number
   ARIA said members who required a manually calculated statement would only be able to view statements once they had received their printed copy in the mail.
   It said members who would like a benefit estimate would need to complete an Estimate Request Form.
   A written estimate could usually be provided within 10 working days.

27 November, 2007
Pressure Turns Up In PM&C Report
The Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Dr Peter Shergold, has admitted that working for the nation’s premiere Government Department may be satisfying but it does have a downside.
   Writing in his 2006-07 Annual Report, Dr Shergold said that in comparison to the wider APS, last year’s State of the Service report revealed PM&C employees were particularly satisfied with their jobs, their work groups and senior management.
   “Relative to others, our staff had a good understanding of their roles, felt valued and perceived that the Department operated with a high level of integrity and respect,” Dr Shergold said.
   “Not unexpectedly, PM&C employees were less satisfied than their colleagues elsewhere in the APS that they had an opportunity to achieve a work-life balance.”
   But he was unapologetic.
   “Workplace pressure is an inherent part of working in PM&C,” he said. “That has not stopped nine out of 10 of our staff saying they enjoy their job and are proud to work in the Department.
   “We offer public service with a purpose.”
   Dr Shergold said the Department had achieved good results in sustaining its capabilities with many staff attracted to PM&C for the training and experience it provided. He said however hat many left for other jobs after having gained valuable experience there.
   “Our turnover rate is too high,” he said.
   Despite this, the Department would increase from 14 to 20 the number of young graduates it would take on next year, including a couple who would be Indigenous.
   Dr Shergold reported that the Department had successfully moved into new headquarters at One National Circuit, Canberra, a building designed specifically for the Department’s needs.
   “It has more conference rooms, a variety of break-out areas, facilities for nursing mothers, and an in-house cafeteria open to the public from early morning,” he said.
   “The new building was also designed with sufficient space to accommodate a number of temporary task forces.”
   He said it had 326 car parking spaces and eligibility for access had been determined by length of service with the Department.
   “After 5pm, any staff member can move their car into an empty space. This makes leaving work later much safer.”
   Dr Shergold said increased use of IT across the Department had reduced even further the use of paper and the home PM&C website recorded almost 400,000 hits in 2006-07.

27 November, 2007
ABC at Home in New Brisbane Offices
The Australia Broadcasting Corporation has announced it has found new office and studio accommodation for its Brisbane staff.
   Managing Director, Mark Scott said an exhaustive search had identified a site in the Brisbane suburb of Newstead as the best option to house the ABC’s Brisbane operations.
The ABC’s former premises in Toowong were evacuated in January when an unexplained cluster of breast cancer cases was discovered among female staff.
   “From the moment the decision was taken to relocate staff from Toowong, we began the extensive search to find the best long-term accommodation solution that would ensure all ABC Brisbane staff were located in the one place, working as a team again,” Mr Scott said.
   “The ABC had considerable demands for a collocated site which included accommodation size; power needs, transmission and IT capacity; transport; visibility and close access to the city. The Newstead site meets all of these requirements for ABC Brisbane in the long term, and importantly provides us with the opportunity to create purpose-built accommodation in what will be a vibrant and rapidly developing neighbourhood.”
   Mr Scott said the ABC’s aim was to design an environmentally responsible and sustainable building, guided by the ABC Green Futures policy. He said staff would have the opportunity to make suggestions and recommendations on the new site.
   “A Brisbane Accommodation Project team, coordinated by Mike McGowan, will work with the Project Reference Group that will comprise of representatives from ABC News, ABC Radio, ABC Television, Innovation and the other ABC divisions,” Mr Scott said.
   “This group will take responsibility for implementing an effective staff consultation process throughout the construction of the new facility.”
   He said the next step would be appointing design consultants to develop a schematic design for the new facility.
   “If the current project program is maintained, we can expect to see the accommodation project completed in June 2010.”
   He thanked all ABC staff for their hard work since the relocation from Toowong almost 12 months ago.
   “Working in these challenging circumstances has not been easy and I acknowledge their professionalism and commitment to the ABC. We can now move forward with a sense of optimism for the creation of the ABC’s new home in Brisbane.”
   He acknowledged the Parliamentary Public Works Committee and the Federal Parliament for its support of the ABC in what he called unusual and challenging circumstances.
   Mr Scott said the new offices were at the corner of Breakfast Creek Road and Durong Street.

27 November, 2007
ANAO Goes For Broke With Glossy Leaflet
The Australian National Audit Office has published a glossy information leaflet outlining its services, role, duties and philosophy.
   Entitled Australian National Audit Office: It Stands for More Than You Think, the leaflet describes the ANAO’s financial and performance audit functions and the unique place it holds in the governance of the nation.
“The ANAO has a dual role in reporting on the financial management and overall performance of the Public Sector,” Auditor-General, Ian McPhee, says in the leaflet.
   “Our first aim is to provide independent assurance audits in or more traditional role as ‘watchdog.’
   “Our second is to identify improvements to public administration through performance audits.”
   He says the second area of activity was growing in impact as the public sector was challenged by increasingly complex and diverse issues.
   “We are integral to the changing governance environment,” he says.
   Mr McPhee says the ANAO’s independent position gave it particular responsibilities and obligations and its work was based on four principles: transparency, integrity, accountability and stewardship.
   “We follow these principles strictly.”
   The leaflet explains how the ANAO worked with its clients, the importance of its staff, the reason it was an interesting place to work and why stakeholders could have confidence in its work.
   “This brochure outlines how we support Federal Parliament and Public Sector administration, the impact of our work and the skills and expertise of our people who carry this work out.”
   The ANAO provides an audit service for almost 250 Government Agencies and publishes better practice guides to assist those agencies improve their efficiency and performance.
    “As well as benchmarking and analysing public sector performance, we also compare our own performance to that of our peers in Australia and internationally,” the leaflet says.

27 November, 2007
Women Go Further With Motor Man
The head of a company manufacturing diesel engines in Melbourne has been named as the leading CEO for the Advancement for Women in Australia.
   Gino Butera, of Cummins South Pacific, received the honour at a business awards event hosted by the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency, EOWA.
The EOWA Business Achievement Awards highlight Australia’s business leaders and organisations at the forefront of driving change for a more equitable workplace.
   “Smart business leaders, like those acknowledged today, are realising that it takes more than offering part-time work to attract and retain women,” said EOWA Director, Anna McPhee at the ceremony.
   “By consulting their female staff about what is important to them, these businesses have found innovative and simple ways to make it easier for all women to participate effectively in the workplace – regardless of their life situation.    
   “Whether a woman is a truck driver, CEO, teacher or engineer she needs to be working in an environment of equity and flexibility.”
   Mr Butera was recognised for his company’s proactive approach to achieving greater female representation in both traditional and non-traditional roles at all levels of the organisation. As a result of a comprehensive strategy, female representation had increased to 17 per cent and high potential women to 31 per cent.
   More than 64 per cent of leadership positions had females identified as part of succession plans.
   The Cancer Council New South Wales won the Leading Organisation for the Advancement of Women (under 500 employees) because it provided up to eight weeks paid leave per annum for employees with cancer or who were primary caregivers of someone with cancer including up to five days paid leave per annum for casual staff. A gradual return to work approach was available, together with an employer-funded cancer specific counselling program for staff.
   Other awards went to legal firm Mallesons Stephen Jaques as Leading Organisation for the Advancement of Women (more than 500 employees); Rio Tinto’s Hail Creek Mine, for Outstanding EEO Practice for the Advancement of Women in a Non-Traditional Area or Role; and Busways, for Outstanding EEO Practice for the Advancement of Women.
   The winner of the Minister’s Award for Outstanding Workplace Flexibility achieved through Job Redesign was Campbell Arnott’s, which put in place a number of successful flexible working arrangements to assist women at all levels of the organisation.
   The Outstanding Initiative/Result for the Advancement of Women Award was won by UBS AG’s Australian Branch. UBS designed and hosted the “UBS Young Women’s Leadership Academy”, a four-day residential course run in conjunction with Women’s College, Sydney University and the NSW Secondary Schools Association, to give 40 female students from public high schools in ACT, NSW and Victoria the chance to explore the possibilities of further education and a career in business.

27 November, 2007
Health Workers Spear Indigenous Awards
The Department of Health and Ageing has announced the inaugural winners of its National Excellence Awards in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health.
The Department’s Deputy Secretary, Philip Davies said the awards highlighted excellence, innovation and leadership in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health sector and were designed to showcase the achievements of individuals and organisations in bridging the gulf between the health status of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and other Australians.
   “The number and quality of nominations are a clear indication of the growing strength of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health services across Australia, and augur well for the future,” Mr Davies said.
   “The awards also present a rare opportunity to bring together many of the people responsible for the wonderful work being done in Indigenous health so that they may share experiences, information, aspirations and outcomes. I congratulate all the finalists.”
   Mr Davies announced the winners in the six award categories as:
   *Mary Martin, Lifetime Achievement in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health;
   * Matthew Cooke, Young Leader in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health;
   * Bernadette Shields, Individual Contribution to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health;
   * WA’s Broome Regional Aboriginal Medical Service (Kimberley Satellite Dialysis Service), Excellence and Innovation in Service Delivery;
   * The ACT’s Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health Service (Youth Diversion Program), Excellence and Innovation in Community Health Outcomes; and
   * Maari Ma (Lower Western Sector Agreement), Working Together – Partnering for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health.
A total of 77 individuals and organisations submitted nominations for the awards. An eight member expert panel judged the nominations.

27 November, 2007
Hands-Free Research Picks Up Medal
A team of CSIRO scientists who developed the world’s fastest wireless link has been awarded the highest honour the Organisation can bestow on its own.
   The 2007 CSIRO Chairman’s Medal has been awarded to CSIRO’s ICT Centre Gigabit Wireless Team for its work in producing the world’s first six gigabit per second (Gbps) wireless communications link at millimetre-wave frequencies.
The process employs innovative system architecture, high performance monolithic millimetre-wave integrated circuits (MMIC) and novel signal processing techniques.
   Operating at 80GHz, the communications link can transfer data much faster than other wireless technologies, operate in cloudy, foggy or smoky conditions and was much easier and cheaper to deploy than fibre optics in many circumstances.
   CSIRO Chairman, Dr John Stocker, said the team’s success was another example of CSIRO’s ability to lead the world in the development of cutting-edge technology.
   “Under the leadership of Val Dyadyuk, the team showed that with dedication and support CSIRO’s scientists can compete successfully against the world’s leading public and private research institutions,” Dr Stocker said.
    “The development of this ‘next-generation’, super-fast, super-efficient communications link technology is an exciting development with considerable commercial potential.”
   The presentation ceremony also honoured one of Australia’s leading astronomers, Dr Richard Manchester, with a CSIRO’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
   Presenting the award, CSIRO Chief Executive Dr Geoff Garrett said Dr Manchester had spent the past 40 years contributing to the discovery and study of pulsars in the Galaxy.
   “One of the highlights of Dr Manchester’s distinguished career was playing a major role in the 2003 world-first discovery of a double-pulsar system – a discovery which provides unprecedented insights into fundamental physics. His dedication not just to leading groundbreaking research in this fascinating area of science but also to mentoring and inspiring his colleagues, makes Dr Manchester a worthy winner of this prestigious award,’’ Dr Garrett said.
   Other CSIRO Medal winners were:
   * The John Philip Award for the Promotion of Excellence in Young Scientists: was awarded to Dr David Newth for significant advances in massive agent-based modelling and its application to Australia’s response to infectious disease outbreaks, bio-terrorism, climate change and national security issues.
   * The CSIRO Medal for Business Excellence went to CSIRO’s T-Mag Technology Commercialisation Team for establishing a joint venture (T-Mag Pty Ltd) with an SME consortium which plans to use the T-Mag technology to develop and commercialise a new magnesium alloy casting machine designed to produce strong, lightweight, cost-competitive automotive components that will reduce overall vehicle weight.
   * CSIRO Medals for Research Achievement to the Water for a Healthy Country Flagship Irrigation Team for research that had significantly advanced the sustainable management of Australia’s irrigative water resources; CSIRO’s Bee Team for raising awareness of biosecurity threats to Australia’s pollination services and the viability of key agricultural industries; and the LANDTEM Team for developing a new system of minerals exploration (LANDTEM) based on high-temperature superconducting devices.

27 November, 2007
Second is First in CEO Awards
The Chief Executive of Reconciliation Australia, Barbara Livesey has been honoured as runner up in the 2007 Equity Trustees’ Not for Profit CEO Awards.Named in the Significant Innovation category of the awards, Ms Livesey was recognised for her work throughout the year.
Now in their sixth year, the awards reward outstanding achievements of Chief Executives working in the not-for-profit and charitable sector.
   Ms Livesey was recognised for two significant innovations during the year, both of them associated with the 40th anniversary of the 1967 referendum.    
   * The Reconciliation Action Plan program, a nation building program which is signing up organisations in all sectors to specific, measurable, action-oriented plans towards closing the 17-year life expectancy gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous children.
   * Reconcile.org.au - the new online community conversation campaign featuring high profile and everyday Australians talking frankly about reconciliation.
   Both activities were devised as forward-looking aspects of the anniversary to stimulate engagement in reconciliation across the community.
   “It’s a real honour for Reconciliation Australia to be recognised alongside high profile not-for-profits like the Starlight Foundation [this year’s overall winner],” said Ms Livesey.
   “I lead a highly professional, highly motivated team of Indigenous and non-Indigenous people who work side by side to achieve our shared goal of reconciliation. We innovate every day in a complex environment.”
   She said that for next year’s Equity Trustees’ Not for Profit CEO Awards, Reconciliation Australia would be encouraging CEOs from a growing range of high-achieving Indigenous organisations to nominate.

27 November, 2007
Reverse Mortgages The Way Forward
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has issued a report into the growing trend towards reverse mortgages, revealing a number of factors that inhibited good consumer decision-making.
   The report, entitled All We Have Is The House, shows several factors had the potential to hinder informed decisions and increase the risk of future problems.
   It said these problems included:
   * a lack of familiarity with reverse mortgages;
   * the complex nature of these financial products and their dissimilarity to other credit products,
   * difficulties budgeting for the long-term with access to a large amount of credit, and estimating how much equity might be available at any time in the future;
   * a reluctance to consider the risk of declining health in the future and the impact of this on their financial needs; and
   * children encouraging their older parents to take out a reverse mortgage or use the funds for the benefit of these children, in inappropriate circumstances.
   ASIC’s Executive Director of Consumer Protection, Greg Tanzer said very few of the borrowers interviewed were aware of all the conditions of their loan and the serious consequences of not meeting these obligations.
   “Many of those ASIC spoke to did not know how much the loan was likely to cost them over time, and more than half did not know what would happen if they breached a loan condition,” Mr Tanzer said.
   “Most people did not have tailored projections about the likely long-term cost of a reverse mortgage.”
   He said very few borrowers appeared to have considered how their financial needs might change over the next 10 or 15 years.
   “When borrowers looked forward, they usually only looked two to three years ahead,” he said.
   “The average life expectancy for a 65 year old is about 20 years. Therefore, planning needs to cover a much longer time period than most borrowers had considered.”
   The report noted that several borrowers commented about how difficult it had been to resist the constant availability of credit.
   “A small number were already expressing regrets about how they had used their reverse mortgage and how quickly they had exhausted the funds they had borrowed.”
   Mr Tanzer said the report included recommendations encouraging industry to tailor their practices to the consumer issues around these new and developing products, improve information for consumers, and improve consumer access to advice.
   “While reverse mortgages can be a useful way for older people to access the equity in their homes, the products have significant risks,” Mr Tanzer said.
   “In the right circumstances, a reverse mortgage might assist an older person. However, these products have unusual features. People should think carefully about their situation before using an equity release product. They need to select a suitable product and use it in the way that suits their overall needs.”
   ASIC undertook the research to more clearly understand the factors that can influence consumer decision making.
Specifically, the work sought to identify where these products had worked well, how borrowers might be vulnerable or easily misled and what changes could help consumers make better, more informed decisions.

27 November, 2007
Forecasters Fine With Cancer Plan
The Bureau of Meteorology has joined the fight against skin cancer by entering a partnership with the Cancer Council of South Australia.
   The Bureau is encouraging South Australians to check the SunSmart UV Alert daily before planning their outdoor activities to ensure they are protecting their skin.
The Bureau’s SunSmart UV Alert is published daily on the Bureau website and in The Advertiser newspaper. UV alerts are also included in the daily Adelaide and Major Centres forecast.
   Regional Director of the Bureau in South Australia, Andrew Watson said the Bureau had made information on the UV index available as part of its forecast for a number of years.
    “By combining traditional forecasts with the SunSmart message we can remind people they need to check the UV Alert as well as the temperature forecast before they head outdoors over the summer break,” Mr Watson said.
   He said, to be SunSmart, a combination of sun protection measures was recommended, including:
   * Seek shade,
   * Wear protective clothing that covers the arms and legs as well as the body,    * Wear a hat that shades the face and neck,
   * Wear wrap-around sunglasses,    
   * Use SPF30+ broad spectrum sunscreen and re-apply every two hours. Never use sunscreen to extend the time you spend in the sun.
   Chief Executive of the Cancer Council SA, Associate Professor Brenda Wilson, said about 25,000 South Australians were diagnosed with skin cancer each year.
   “The fact that so many South Australians are still getting skin cancer shows that despite the SunSmart messages, people are continuing to take risks with their health,” Associate Professor Wilson said.
   “UV levels tend to be higher between 10am and 3pm, but UV radiation is often at alert levels outside of those times, doing damage to people’s skin in as little as 10 minutes.”
   She said when UV radiation reached an index of 3 it was strong enough to cause skin damage.
   Associate Professor Wilson said many people relied on the Bureau of Meteorology for their weather information and using the SunSmart UV Alert to plan outdoor activities and skin protection would potentially save lives.

27 November, 2007
Super Survey Shows Satisfying Results
Satisfaction levels among members of APS superannuation funds have remained high with ComSuper announcing the latest client satisfaction survey returned a ‘Quality Service Index’ of 83.6.
   ComSuper said this QSI was “high in historical terms” and “consistent with the positive trend in satisfaction observed since the start of the survey process in 1997.
   The latest survey was conducted between December 2006 and May 2007
   “The period also saw modest improvements to client satisfaction levels with PSS/CSS and military benefit payment services, although there were some declines in satisfaction with the email enquiry service for PSS/CSS members, CSS member servicesonline and military seminars.
   “Overall satisfaction results among ComSuper’s client groups (PSS/CSS, PSSap, military and superannuant members) were strong.
   ComSuper said the QSI for PSSap members exceeded 85 for the first time in the latest survey with satisfaction among military members and superannuants increasing to over 85 and 90 respectively.
   “PSS/CSS members’ satisfaction remained high with a QSI of 80,” ComSuper said, “although their satisfaction level since the last period decreased.”
   It said the long-term trends in overall satisfaction for the client groups were positive, as the trend for PSS/CSS members since the start of the survey in 1997- 98 has been positive;  satisfaction for military members had strengthened in recent years, and superannuants’ overall satisfaction had remained high since 2000-01.

27 November, 2007
Workshops Nailing Down Partnerships
Workshops that brought together museums in Australia and the Pacific Islands were leading to new understandings and new partnerships in this part of the world, according to the Director of the National Museum of Australia, Craddock Morton.
   R Morton said the Australian and Pacific Museums Workshops provided an opportunity for engagement with representatives of the major cultural institutions of the nations in Australia’s immediate neighbourhood – Timor Leste, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and New Caledonia, as well as New Zealand, Samoa, Tonga and Fiji.
   He said the workshops covered two complementary topics, “Pacific Partnerships” and “Pacific Cultural Heritage in Australian Museums and Galleries: A Regional Dialogue”.
   Mr Morton said the program launched an initiative for Australian museums to move forward with a greater commitment to raising the profile of the Pacific collections and to review their role as custodians of such collections.
   Delegates representing national museums and cultural centres of New Zealand, eight Pacific Islands nations and Timor Leste joined high-level professionals from Australian museums, art galleries and archives, scholars and community representatives for the two-day event.
   The workshops were convened by Dr Susan Cochrane, Research Fellow at the National Museum’s Centre for Historical Research.
   Mr Morton said the National Museum of Australia established the Centre for Historical Research in 2006 to foster new thinking about Australian history and the Australian historical experience.
   He said the Centre helped the Museum in the development of substantive national research and academic interpretation of the subject areas represented by the Museums collections.
   More information about the Australian and Pacific Museums Workshops was available from www.nma.gov.au

27 November, 2007
Police Credited With College Knowledge
Officers of the Australian Federal Police are to receive credits for their AFP College studies against courses at NSW’s Charles Sturt University AFP Learning and Development Manager, Will Jamieson said a Memorandum of Agreement between CSU and the AFP would create a qualifications pathway for AFP members.
   “Members at various stages of their AFP career will have access to more learning opportunities at institutes of higher learning such as CSU,” Commander Jamieson said.
   “This agreement will enhance the existing partnership between the AFP College and CSU, and build on the options available through the college.  The framework will also support the AFP’s commitment to developing future leaders.”
   CSU Associate Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Professor Tracey Green said the agreement would provide attractive credit packages for courses undertaken at the Police College.
   Senior officers with five years or more policing service in the AFP would also be granted credit towards undergraduate programs, such as CSU’s Bachelor of Policing (Investigations) Degree.
   “Courses such as this are designed to enhance investigation capabilities by building on existing skills and knowledge through university studies,” Professor Green said.
   Members would also have access to postgraduate study at CSU in investigations, intelligence, terrorism, leadership and other areas.   “This represents a great opportunity for AFP members looking to further their education as well as enhancing the capabilities of the organisation,” Commander Jamieson said.

27 November, 2007
Forces Join Forces For Road Raid
The Police Forces of NSW, South Australia, Victoria and the ACT have teamed up to launch the nation’s largest multi-jurisdictional Police traffic campaign: Operation RAID (Remove All Impaired Drivers).
Operation RAID is aimed at detecting and/or removing all alcohol and/or drug-impaired drivers from the roads of the four police jurisdictions in the crucial period leading up to the busy Christmas-New Year holiday driving season.
   At specific times during the three-week Operation RAID program, Police are planning to combine their efforts for border “lockdowns”, in which all drivers and motorcycle riders travelling across State and Territory borders will be subject to random breath tests.
   Police see Operation RAID as a valuable tool for focusing the motoring public on safer driving practices and specifically to curb dangerous drink-driving in the lead-up to the festive season.
   A 30-second television commercial has been produced featuring Police from all four jurisdictions and will be aired on networks across all the States and Territories involved over the next four weeks.
   Superintendent Michael Chew, in charge of ACT Policing’s Traffic Operations team, said that the slogan for this year’s Operation RAID is “Nowhere to Hide”.
   “That slogan sums up the focussed approach by Police in detecting those people who are impaired by alcohol or drugs and yet flaunt the law and endanger other road users by driving a car or riding a motorcycle,” Superintendent Chew said.
   “This operation combines the efforts of hundreds of traffic police across four States and Territories.
   “We are putting the motoring public on notice that if they choose to break the law, they will be caught.
   “We won’t say when and where, but we will be there, on those lonely country roads, at the borders, and in the cities and towns, to detect and apprehend those offenders,” Superintendent Chew said.

27 November, 2007
Training Ship Sails Into Practice Award
The youth training ship Young Endeavour has won an international award for best practice in training.
   A partnership between the Royal Australian Navy and the Young Endeavour Youth Scheme (YEYS), the training program received the award from Sail Training International.
Running since 1988, YEYS is a unique development program, which conducts more than 20 voyages a year for youths aged 16 to 23 onboard the tall ship Young Endeavour.  Participants learn all aspects of sailing a 44 metre square rigged tall ship, developing leadership and teamwork skills at the same time.
   RAN Rear Admiral Nigel Coates welcomed the award saying it was  testament to the hard work and dedication of those involved in making YEYS a world-class training scheme.
   “I congratulate the highly skilled personnel for providing quality training, from which young Australians continue to benefit.  The challenges and experiences offered by YEYS are life changing,” Rear Admiral Coates said.
   “Young Endeavour is manned entirely by Royal Australian Navy personnel.  The Commanding Officer and his crew exemplify the finest traditions of the RAN.”
   Rear Admiral Coates said since its inception, YEYS has embarked more than 8500 young people and all applicants were selected by ballot. 
   Applications for a youth crew berth could be entered online at www.youngendeavour.gov.au or by phoning 1800 020 444.

27 November, 2007
Interest in finance training
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has released an updated version of Regulatory Guide 146 which sets out the minimum training standards for financial product advisers.
   The main issues raised following a review noted that training standards were sometimes not appropriate for services provided and that previously RG 146 may not have adequately recognised prior study and training.

Cash trackers tighten grip
Businesses which deliver services outlined under the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006 have been reminded they will need to have in place an anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing program by 12 December.
   The Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre AUSTRAC, is working collaboratively with industry to help businesses meet their compliance obligations but would also use its enforcement powers, particularly in circumstances where businesses are recalcitrant or dishonest regarding their legal requirements.

OzCo to survey clients
The Australia Council for the Arts has invited tenders to undertake a user satisfaction survey. 
   The survey will be of applicants for Australia Council funding to determine how satisfied they were with the current funding process and how the Australia Council might improve it in the future.  Tenders close on 21 December and the  project is to be completed by April 2008.

CASA down at Christmas
All offices of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority will be closed from Christmas Day to 2 January 2008. 
   To ensure the aviation industry continues to receive the services provided by CASA, the Authority’s Licensing and Registration Centre would provide “holiday level” service during the shutdown period for flight crew and maintenance licences, aviation medicals and aircraft registrations. 
   CASA staff will be available to help only with urgent aviation safety matters.

Anniversary wishes
Governor General, Michael Jeffery has congratulated Her Majesty the Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh on their 60th wedding anniversary.
   Speaking on behalf of the Australian people, Major General Jeffery said it was only fitting to look back over their remarkable journey together and wished them continuing good health and happiness.

20 November, 2007
Auditor Goes to Town On Rural Program
The Auditor General has made 19 recommendations following an audit of the controversial Regional Partnerships Program.
   The Program was established in 2003 to stimulate growth in rural areas, improve access to services, support planning and help regional communities adjust to structural change.
   The $400 million program had been criticised for its potential for misuse for political purposes.
   In his audit of the first three years of the program, the Auditor-General found that the processes it adopted for approving grants “created challenges” in ensuring a transparent, accountable  and cost-effective administration and that the manner in which the program was administered by the Department of Transport and Regional Services, fell short of accepted standards.
   The Auditor reported however that during the course of his audit, the Department introduced a number of changes to both the approval process and the administration of the program
   “Nevertheless, challenges remain in respect to key aspects of the Program,” he said.
   He said that during his audit he uncovered examples of grants being approved without the benefit of a grant application; Ministerial approvals that were inconsistent with the published guidelines and criteria; Departmental assessments of grants being “fast-tracked’ and consequently inadequate; and projects being approved when important criteria were not met.
   “Perceptions that funding decisions were not merit-based arise in such circumstances,” The Auditor- General said.
   “Departures from the documented program assessment criteria and procedures in the period examined by the Australian National Audit Office resulted in funding being approved for projects that have either not proceeded as planned or which did not result in the anticipated community benefits.”
   He said during the first three years of the program, three out of four applications (73%) were from rural communities which were predominantly represented by Coalition Government MPs.
   “Consistent with this pattern of applications, rural electorates received 77 per cent of the funding approved to 30 June 2007.”
   Among the Auditor- General’s recommendations were proposals that DOTARS strengthen its administration of the grants program; that the Department of Finance and Administration issue an FMA Regulations requiring approvals of grants to be supported with reasons; that DOTARS advise approving Ministers if an assessment has been fast-tracked and that the published guidelines for the Program set out the circumstances under which the eligibility and assessment requirements may be waived.
   Both DOTARS and DoFA agreed with the Auditor’s recommendations.

November 20, 2007
Shortlist Long On Pro-Female Work
A shortlist for business awards being run by the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency has revealed the best places for women to work in Australia.
   According to the Agency, the shortlist shows that many organisations are
responding to the skills shortage by offering increasingly attractive incentives to lure and keep workers.
   “The EOWA Business Achievement Awards program highlights Australia’s business leaders and organisations at the forefront of driving change for a more equitable workplace,” the Agency said in a statement.
   It said some of the most outstanding practices included recognising that there was an untapped market of mature aged women with skills and life credentials, and a company called the Busways Group had set out to attract staff from that group, appointing 10 new female staff over 45 in the past 12 months.
   The shortlist also shows that both Rio Tinto Coal’s Hail Creek Mine and Veolia Transport Perth made special efforts to recruit women to their male dominated industries and that Deutsche Bank’s introduction of a $10,000 per annum return to work payment for women taking time off to have a baby produced a 100 per cent parental retention rate.
   Other finalists to make the shortlist include Accenture, the BT Financial Group, the Cancer Council of NSW, Cummins South Pacific, Uniting Care Ageing (South Eastern Region), Loreto College Marryatville (SA), GM Holden and Heidelberg Graphic Equipment.
   “The winners of the eight award categories, including Leading CEO for the Advancement of Women and Leading Organisation (above and below 500 employees) for the Advancement of Women will be announced this week.
   The EOWA statement said finalists were selected by an independent judging panel which included Australian Industry Group’s Mark Goodsell, Macquarie University’s Professor Ed Davis, Sydney University’s Dr Marion Baird as well as South Australian Equal Opportunity Commissioner, Linda Matthews.

November 20, 2007
AEC Election Guide Wins Disabled Vote
The Australian Electoral Commissioner has unveiled a range of information and services to support electors with a disability to vote in the 2007 Federal election.
   Electoral Commissioner, Ian Campbell, said that the publication Your Official Guide to the 2007 Federal Election provided essential and practical information about the election and could be accessed in a number of formats.
   He said the Guide included information on when and where to vote, how to vote if you can’t get to a polling place on election day and how to complete the ballot papers correctly.
   It was available as a free audio CD and cassette, large print or Braille copy, or a CD which contained e-text, large print PDF, audio MP3 and Word versions.
   He said any of the versions were available by phoning the AEC on 13 23 26 or an audio MP3, e-text or large print PDF version could be downloaded from the AEC website at www.aec.gov.au
   Electors who were unable to enter a polling place because of a physical disability or other condition, or who needed help to vote, were reminded that polling officials were trained to help or they could bring a friend or family member to assist them.
   “Make sure your vote counts by asking for help if you need it,” Mr Campbell said.
   He said electronically assisted voting was now available in 29 locations across Australia, allowing people who were blind or had low vision to cast a secret and independent vote.
   He said to find out which early voting centres and polling places had full or assisted disabled access, electronic voting locations and other election information, voters could call the AEC on 13 23 26 or visit the AEC website and go to “Information for Electors with a Disability.”
   Callers who were deaf or had a hearing or speech impairments could call through the National Relay Service: TTY users phone 13 36 77 and ask for 13 23 26; Speak and Listen (speech-to-speech relay) voice only users can phone 1300 555 727 and ask for 13 23 26.  

November 20, 2007
New AIRC Website is Industrial Strength
The Australian Industrial Relations Commission has launched its revised website with a new look and greater usability.
   A major redesign of the site has seen the design overhauled with a concentration on improved navigation and the reorganisation of information based on users’ needs.
   President of the Commission, Justice Geoffrey Giudice, said the AIRC was constantly reviewing its website to ensure it was at the forefront of available technology and meeting the needs of users.
   “When we first established the AIRC website almost 10 years ago we could not have imagined how important the site would become in our general communications with AIRC users and the public,” Jiustice Giudice said.
   “It is now the main information gateway to both those who use AIRC services and those who want to learn more about the tribunal and its work.”
   He said just as technology was constantly evolving, so too must this site.
   Justice Guidice said the redesign involved a thorough review of the existing site and consultation with both regular and infrequent users.
   He said among the new features were:
   * an improved navigation system with information accessible through a single, left-hand menu;
   * the reorganisation of information into subject areas, with greater prominence given to key facts and tasks; and
   * dedicated pages dealing with the areas of unfair and unlawful dismissal, and dispute resolution and industrial action.
   He said the website address remained unchanged at www.airc.gov.au but advised users to update their ‘bookmarks’ and ‘favorites’ to particular pages such as the daily hearings list.
   “Feedback on the new site is welcome,” Justice Guidice said.
   He said comments and suggestions could be sent to aircinfo@airc.gov.au.

November 20, 2007
Leading MBA School Graduates to Sydney
A leading on-line Graduate School, U21 Global has set up an office in Sydney.
   The Singapore-based organisation plans to expand the availability of its post graduate products, responding to the fact that already many Australians were among the 4000 students enrolled in its MBA programs.
   The Australian arm of U21 Global will be operated by a company associated with travel industry leader John Verhelst.
   Mr Verhelst has 30 years experience travel, airline and hospitality groups in Australia, the United Kingdom, the Middle East and Asia.
   He has most recently been working out of Singapore.
   U21Global was established in 2001 and has grown to become the world's premier online Graduate School and is backed by an international network of 20 Universities in 12 countries.    The school combines the quality of its network partners with innovative delivery modes on the Internet, allowing students to take prestigious courses while balancing work, travel and family life.
   U21Global has already enrolled students from over 60 countries in Asia, Australasia, Africa, Europe and the Americas. Its graduate programs draw upon the best practices in online learning and are independently approved for quality assurance. The school’s curriculum is required to meet the academic standards of all 20 affiliated universities. It is accredited with the European Foundation for Management Development.
   Among the Universities that have affiliated with U21Global are McGill University, Tecnológico de Monterrey, University of British Columbia and the University of Virginia in North America, Lund University ; University College Dublin, University of Birmingham,  University of Edinburgh, University of Glasgow and the University of Nottingham in Europe;  Fudan University, Korea University, National University of Singapore, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, University of Hong Kong and Waseda University in East Asia and in Australasia the  Universities of  Auckland, Melbourne,  New South Wales and Queensland.
   More information about U21Global is available from  www.u21global.edu.sg or its new Australian office on 0437 212121

November 20, 2007
Cricket Comp Puts Runs on the Board
The inaugural International Defence Cricket Challenge is being played this week in Canberra.
   An eight-team competition between the Australian Army, Navy and Air Force; the Australian Services Cricket Association President's XI; the New Zealand Army and Air Force; and the United Kingdom Adjunct General’s Corps and Royal Engineers, the tournament would provide an opportunity for the Defence Forces of Australia, New Zealand and the UK to enhance their partnerships through cricket.
    According to the president of the Australian Services Cricket Association, Brigadier Stephen Dunn, it would also provide an opportunity for members of visiting teams to experience some Australian culture and gain an understanding of the Australian Defence Force.
   Brigadier Dunn said the Challenge was being played on a number of grounds around the national capital until Friday when a grand final would be played at Manuka Oval in the presence of a number of dignitaries including the Governor-General, Major General Michael Jeffery and  Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston. 
   Brigadier Dunn said there would also be a reunion of past and present Australian Services cricketers and officials on the day, including the Commanding Officer of the 1945 Australian Services side.
   Tournament Director, Lieutenant Colonel James Brownlie said cricket was a game of
fair play, teamwork, social interaction and fierce rivalry between nations – especially
Australia, New Zealand and Great Britain. 
   “This tournament will be no exception,” Lieutenant Colonel James Brownlie said.
   For more information on the Challenge visit www.ascacricket.net.au/IDCC.htm
   A gold coin entry fee for the grand final will be donated to Legacy.

November 20, 2007
She’ll Be Rights At Awards Ceremony
The nominations for the 2007 Human Rights Awards have been released by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission.
   To be presented on Human Rights Day, 10 December, the Awards honour those women, men and organisations in Australian society who have shown an extraordinary commitment to human rights, social justice and equality over the past year.
   The 2007 ceremony will be the 20th anniversary of the Awards which are conducted by HREOC every year.
   The nominations have been made across seven categories, including Law, Arts, Print Media, Radio and Television, and Community Awards for an individual and an organisation.
    HREOC President, John von Doussa said the people on the shortlists identified those who worked tirelessly and without fanfare to protect and promote human rights every day.
   “The Human Rights Medal and Awards are an extremely important and prestigious forum through which we can acknowledge these people and organisations for their contribution and commitment to the betterment of our society,” Mr von Doussa said.
   He said the Awards would be presented at a gala lunch in Sydney on Human Rights Day which would be compered by radio and television personality Julie McCrossin.
   The winner of the Human Rights Medal would also be announced at the ceremony and Mr von Doussa would deliver the annual Human Rights Day oration..
Radio and television personality Julie McCrossin will MC the awards, and HREOC President,
   Human Rights Day has been celebrated around the world on 10 December since 1950 and marks the United Nations General Assembly’s adoption and proclamation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which took place on 10 December 1948.
   A list of nominations for the awards are on the HREOC website at www.humanrights.gov.au

November 20, 2007
Christmas Advice is Gift From Customs
The Australian Customs Service has reminded all Australians to be aware of the types of goods that could not be brought or mailed into Australia this Christmas.
   National Director of Cargo, Jaclyne Fisher, said strict rules applied at all times but at this time of year, Customs seized a greater number of restricted and prohibited goods being mailed as gifts.
   "People, and their overseas friends or relatives, are often unaware of the type of goods that are not permitted into Australia,” Ms Fisher said.
   “Customs urges people to check if they are unsure about an item they know is being mailed to them as a gift."
   She advised anyone thinking of buying goods from overseas to recognise that websites and mail-order brochures were not reliable sources of information on whether an item would be permitted into the country.
   "Many products that are legal in other countries, or legally available for sale overseas, are in fact prohibited or restricted in Australia.”
   She said the penalties for bringing prohibited items into Australia were not only the loss of the item, but fines and in some cases imprisonment.
   She said such items as electric fly-swatters and BB guns could not be imported and others
such as firearms, knives and some martial arts gear required import permits.
   She said Customs screened every piece of international mail entering the country and used a variety of technology and other resources to identify prohibited goods.
   “Gifts imported through the international mail system may also be subject to import duties and GST,” Ms Fisher said.
   She said more information on what goods could and could not be brought into Australia was available on the Customs website at www.customs.gov.au or by phone to the Customs Information and Support Centre on 1300 363 263.

November 20, 2007
Kids’ TV Station Easy as ABC
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation has announced plans to launch a dedicated free-to-air children’s TV channel by April 2008.
   The channel will provide commercial-free children’s programming and be funded with $82 million over four years, following a proposal put to Government by both the ABC and the Australian Children's Television Foundation.
    Director of Television at the ABC, Kim Dalton said the new channel would be known as ABC3 and represented a “tremendous addition” to the entertainment choices for Australian families.
   “Australian parents know and trust the ABC brand because of the quality and educational value of ABC Children's TV,” Mr Dalton said.
   “We will build on that reputation in providing this dedicated commercial-free children's channel. It will be available to Australian children of all ages across the country.”
   He said the new channel would offer potential for the education sector in Australia and allow the ABC to rebuild its schools and educational services.
   “Without a dedicated free-to-air children's channel, with a high level of Australian content, Australian children will continue to drift to the commercial and overseas content provided on subscription children's channels,” Mr Dalton said.
    “We believe a balance is needed, and we need to ensure that future generations of Australian children can still see and hear Australian stories, and Australian voices, on children's television.”
   He said ABC3 would be a digital channel, available free to viewers with a digital television or set-top box.
   Mr Dalton said he hoped the funds would be approved by Government soon after the election.

November 20, 2007
Investiture Shows Good Returns
The accomplishments and bravery of 92 Australian Federal Police have been acknowledged at an investiture ceremony at Parliament House, Canberra.
   AFP Commissioner Mick Keelty said the investiture was one of the largest held by the AFP this year, a reflection of the excellent work being carried out by the AFP in its role of policing the Australian Capital Territory and its work interstate and overseas.
   Among the award recipients from the ACT were two constables who disarmed and arrested a tomahawk-wielding offender in May 2005.
   “Other officers showed exceptional bravery while serving at overseas missions in the Solomon Islands, East Timor and the Middle East, performed outstandingly on major national investigations or have reached important milestones in their career,” Commissioner Keelty said.
   He said more than 65 officers, including recently appointed Deputy Commissioner Tony Negus,  received the AFP Service Medal and clasp for 20 and 25 years service.
   “The value of these experienced officers to the AFP is immeasurable,” Commissioner Keelty said.
   He also awarded bronze Royal Humane Society awards to NSW Rural Fire Service Officer Roy Ferguson and volunteers Geoff Crumblin and Robert Pinter for helping save the victims of a head-on car collision on the Monaro Highway in July 2005.
   Commissioner Keelty said the Australian Federal Police Honours and Awards Program was established in 2004 to formally recognise employees who made outstanding contributions to the organisation, the Government and the community.

November 20, 2007
Australian Brand Puts Irons in Fire
Australia has been ranked the top country “brand” for the third year in a row.
   Conducted by a London-based marketing firm Future Brand, the annual Country Brand Index places Australia ahead the United States, United Kingdom, France and Italy who came second to fifth respectively.
   Chief Economist at Austrade, Tim Harcourt said the Index result was great news for Australian exporters.
   “Australia’s ranking means our country is on ‘top of mind’ with consumers around the world,” Mr Harcourt said. “Now is the time for Australian businesses to consider exporting – or if already exporting, to think about market expansion.”
   He said Australia was considered the easiest country to do business with across the Asia Pacific.
   “Our sound economy is widely admired globally and Australia’s regarded as a place that ‘works’– a good place to travel and do business in.”
   He said Australia’s friendliness, work ethic and service culture were also highly regarded but its business strengths and export successes were relatively unknown.
   “We need to leverage ‘Brand Australia’ to boost trade and investment,” Mr Harcourt said.
   The CBI study was made up of quantitative research and expert opinions and accessed statistics that linked brand equity to assets, growth and expansion.
   More than 2,600 respondents from seven countries participated in the survey and of the 23 CBI categories covered, Australia ranked in the top 10 in 14 of them.
   It was judged the best country brand for outdoor activities/sports and the best country brand for friendly local people.
   Managing Director of Future Brand in Australia, Tim Riches said Australia was clearly recognised as a travel destination of choice.
   “There is real brand strength here that is underleveraged, in the main, in terms of Australia’s economic benefit,” Mr Riches said.

November 20, 2007
Millar to local radio
Jeremy Millar has been appointed the new Local Radio and Online Manager for ABC Local Radio NSW.
   Mr Miller comes from the Australian Radio Network.

Farr in at Defence
   Greg Farr has been appointed Chief Information Officer at the Department of Defence.
   Mr Farr joins Defence from the Australian Taxation Office where he led reform of the ATO's information and communications technology operations.
   He will take up is position in November.
  
Joint Operations Chief
   Lieutenant-General David Hurley has been appointed the first Chief of Joint Operations at Joint Operations Command near Bungendore NSW.
   Lt-Gen Hurley will take up the three-star position after his role at the Chief Capability Development Group.

New Head at ABC
   Amanda Duthie has been appointed Head of Arts, Entertainment and Comedy at ABC TV.
   She has been a Commissioning Editor and an Executive Producer for Arts, Entertainment and Comedy for the past four years and will report to Courtney Gibson, the Executive Head of Content Creation.
  
Pair to Arts Board
   Patrick Corrigan and Annette Larkin have been appointed to the Committee on Taxation Incentives for the Arts.
   Mr Corrigan is a businessman and art collector and Ms Larkin is the founder of Annette Larkin Fine Art.
    The Committee on Taxation Incentives for the Arts oversees the administration of the Cultural Gifts program
   Both Mr Corrigan and Ms Larkin have been appointed for three years.

OzCo boards
   Appointments have been announced to a number of boards of the Australia Council.
   Kim Mooney has been appointed to the Music Board, Stephen Peoples to the Dance Board, and Steven Alderton and Michael Zavros to the Visual Arts Board.
   Mr Mooney is a former musical director at the Australian Opera Studio; Mr Peoples is a policy maker at the Tourism and Transport Forum; Mr Alderton is a regional art gallery director and Mr Zavros is a visual artist who has reached the finals of the Archibald Prize in each of the past three years.
   All have been appointed for three years.

Negus to Deputy Commissioner
   Assistant Commissioner Tony Negus has been appointed as the second Deputy Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police. 
   Deputy Commissioner Negus will assume responsibility for the AFP’s National Operations, which includes the organisation’s border, economic and special investigative activities.
   A career police officer of 25 years, Deputy Commissioner Negus has worked in numerous disciplines within the AFP, including community policing, major fraud and drug operations, protection activities and human resources.
  
Proctor Ambassador
    Murray Proctor has been named as Australia’s new Ambassador for HIV/AIDS. 
   Mr Proctor will take up his role as Ambassador on World Aids Day, 1 December 2007 following the departure of inaugural Ambassador, Annmaree O’Keeffe, to work on global indigenous issues.
   As Ambassador for HIV/AIDS, Mr Proctor will coordinate efforts in combating HIV, as well as promoting collaboration and innovation.
   He is concurrently Deputy Director General, Asia Division at AusAID.
  
Callinan to Council
   Former High Court Judge, Ian Callinan QC has been appointed to the National Gallery of Australia Council for three years.
   Mr Callinan has been Honorary Chairman and Trustee of the Brisbane Community Arts Centre and Chairman of the Trustees of the Queensland Art Gallery and is a published novelist. He has had several plays produced in Brisbane.
  
Griggs to DG
   The Royal Australian Navy’s Commodore Ray Griggs has been appointed Director General of Navy Strategic Policy and Futures.
   He will now be responsible to the Deputy Chief of Navy for the development of policy, planning and guidance on military strategies and assessments.
   His role as Deputy Fleet Commander has been assumed by Commodore Simon Cullen.

November 20, 2007
Tourism successes
The National Museum of Australia, National Capital Exhibition and Questacon have won recognition in the Canberra and Capital Region's Tourism Awards.
   The Museum was judged the best Major Tourist Attraction for the fifth year running, the National Capital Exhibition won the Heritage and Cultural Award and the National Science and Technology Centre – Questacon, received the Tourist Attraction Award.
   The institutions now represent the Canberra and Capital Region at the Australian Tourism Awards in February 2008.

Safety in auditing
The Office of the Federal Safety Commissioner is calling for OHS auditors to join a panel under the Australian Government Building and Construction OHS Accreditation Scheme.
   Companies and individuals are encouraged to apply and OHS auditors would be engaged as consultants to the Federal Safety Commissioner and appointed as Federal Safety Officers until 19 December 2009.
   More information is available from www.fsc.gov.au

PS News for Queensland
PS News has extended its coverage of Australia’s Public Services by launching a new edition for Queensland.
   The new edition takes to four the number of Public Services served by PS News and is expected to follow the same pattern of growth and acceptance its sister-sites have achieved all levels of the Public Service.
   PS News now has more than 27,500 weekly subscribers across the nation who recorded 700,000 hits last month alone.
   The new Queensland Public Service site can be accessed by the navigation button on the main index of PS news or direct at
www.psnews.com.au/index.html

Flightwatch shift
The Chief Executive of Airservices Australia, Greg Russell has assured the aviation industry that the Flightwatch service was not closing but simply shifting to new radio frequencies.
   Mr Russell said the procedures for accessing Flightwatch, which provided an on-request weather and other service to pilots, would remain unchanged.
   He said the transfer of frequencies would not affect safety.

Coo-ee for Indigenous artists
The Australia Council for the Arts is looking for Indigenous dancers, musicians, actors, writers and visual artists to take part in the 2008 Festival of Pacific Arts.
   The tenth annual festival, in American Samoa from 20 July 2008, will showcase the diversity and strength of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, joining participants from 27 Pacific Island nations in a 10-day program of events.
   Applications to join close on 19 December 2007 and more information is at www.ozco.gov.au/fopa or phone (02) 9215 9065.

Darwin history Award
The National Archives’s 2007 Frederick Watson Fellowship has been won by Dr Mickey Dewar for her history of Darwin in the post-war period through a detailed study of the Commonwealth public housing policy of the 1950s.
   The $15,000 award will help Dr Dewar investigate the active integration of ethnic groups within the mainstream and determine how the policy contributed to a multi-racial social environment that was unique in Australia at the time.
    The Frederick Watson Fellowship was established to encourage and facilitate the use of the Archives’ collection of files, photos, films and other records dating from Federation.

November 6, 2007
Reversal Policy for Reversionary Pension
ComSuper has announced that the widows and widowers of Australian Public Service staff who lost their pension when they remarried will be able to have it restored after 1 January 2008.
   According to ComSuper, the law changes on that date, clearing the way for remarried widows and widowers to receive the reversionary pension from the date on or after 1 January when their application is received.
   The Superannuation Act 1922, the Defence Forces Retirement Benefits Act 1948 and the Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits Act 1973 have all been amnded to allow the changes to proceed.
   The new arrangement will affect widows and widowers whose spouses died before 1976 (1977 in the Defence schemes) and whose pensions were cancelled when they remarried.
   ComSuper encouraged applicants to come forward and claim their pension.
    “If you, or someone you know, lost their pension as a result of remarrying, we encourage you to find out more about applying to restore that pension by calling ComSuper on 1300 001 877 as soon as possible.”
   “People who have previously had their pension partially restored should also contact ComSuper so that their benefit can be fully restored.
   It said the amount of pension would be calculated with regard to adjustments in the consumer price index that have occurred since cancellation.
   In view of the length of time since the pensions were cancelled ComSuper expects that  the approval process for some applications may take some time but it has designed an application form  which will assist it in determining the eligibility of claimants.
   “It is important that all details and documents requested be provided where held or available.”
   A number of facts sheets have been prepared relating to the reversal of the policy and these – and the application forms - can be accessed on the ComSuper website at www.comsuper.gov.au

November 6, 2007
Leave Decision Not Fine for DEWR
The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations has been fined $30,000 by the Federal Court for denying employees the right to use their annual leave to attend an industrial relations rally.
   Justice Catherine Branson ordered the Department to pay the fine to the Community and Public Sector Union.
   In November 2005 the Department had advised other Commonwealth Agencies not to grant leave to staff to attend an anti-Workchoices rally, which the Judge found to be a “serious contravention” of the Workplace Relations Act which the Department had a duty to uphold.
   National Secretary of the CPSU, Stephen Jones said the union was delighted with the decision which followed a two-year legal battle.
   “It confirms that public sector employees are entitled to freedom of political expression, in their own time,” Mr Jones said.
   “It also confirms employers have no right to tell their employees what they can or can’t do on their day off.”
   The CPSU had argued that the Commonwealth had breached the freedom of association provisions under the Workplace Relations Act by refusing employees leave on the basis of their union membership.
    “Basically, the Court has found that senior people in DEWR instructed Public Service line managers to put the Government’s political interests ahead of their legal obligations under the Workplace Relations Act,” he said.
   Mr Jones said the union would use some of the penalty to pay its legal costs and some for would be contributed to the ACTU’s Your Rights at Work advertising campaign.
   A spokesman for the Department was quoted in the media as saying the Department was disappointed with the decision but had regrets about its conduct.
   “The advice was issued to the Australian Public Service at large” the spokesman was reported as saying in the Sydney Morning Herald.
   “It dealt with rights and obligations in granting leave under the Workplace Relations Act.
   “We submitted to the Court that, in hindsight, it would have been better if the advice was misconstrued, it was clarified.”
   Mr Jones thanked the CPSU members who took part in this case.

November 6, 2007
Safety Awards Are Secure at Defence
The Australian Defence Force has won two categories in the 2007 Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission Safety Awards.
   A ccording to the Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, the
   SRCC Safety Awards recognised A gencies and individuals who had achieved excellence in occupational health, safety, rehabilitation, and return-to-work practices.
   The awards this year attracted 43 entries across five categories with four Defence entries making the final s and two selected as winners.
   These were:
   + Best Solution to an Identified Workplace Health and Safety Issue
   Winner - Marine Boarding Party Ladder, Royal Australian Navy
   + Best Individual Contribution to Health and Safety
   Winner - Inorganic Lead Awareness Package, Captain Sharryn Batt, Army
   Air Chief Marshal Houston said the RAN's Boarding Party Ladder was a proactive response to an identified hazard and reflected a sound safety management system.
   "The broad application of this ladder has already been demonstrated, with a number of agencies including the NSW Water Police and Australian Customs adopting its use for boarding operations, " Air Chief Marshal Houston said.
   He said Captain Batt's Inorganic Lead Awareness package "combines all lead risk-controls into an integrated package.
   "The efforts of all Defence entrants in this year's SRCC Safety Awards and their contribution to health and safety are highly valued.
   "The dedication of these individuals and groups demonstrate the growing commitment to improving OHS performance within Defence."

November 6, 2007
Departments Tag Election Promises
The Departments of the Treasury and Finance are charged with costing the election promises of the Government and Opposition in the lead-up to the current Federal election and have issued a joint statement of promises referred for consideration so far.
   The Departments will issue further statements when the promises have been costed.
   According to the Departments, the following election promises have been referred to them to date:
   Government
   * Emerging Renewable Energy: Part of our Clean Energy Plan for Australia
   * Better Cancer Care for Teenagers and Young Adults
   * Australian National Council on Mental Health.
   * Tackling the Feral Pest Menace
   * Better Cancer Care and Support for Women
   * Stronger Dental Workforce for Northern Australia
   * Safety in our Waters
   Opposition
   * Labor's Tax Plan for Australia's Future.
   * Labor's Education Revolution
   * Savings for Labor's Better Priorities
   * Securing the Future of Tasmania's Forestry Industry

November 6, 2007
Remembrance Show Is Grave Awareness
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is hosting Remembered, a photographic exhibition that commemorates the 90th anniversary of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
   The 52 photographs depict sites of significance for Australia in the First and Second World Wars.
   Taken by British photographer Brian Harris, the pictures "capture the poignancy and timelessness of the war graves maintained by the Commission", a statement from DFAT said.
   They included images from CWGC sites in Turkey (1915), France and Belgium (1916-1918), Greece (1941), Egypt (1942), Singapore (1942-45) and Thailand (1942-45).
   Founded as the Imperial War Graves Commission in 1917, the CWGC honoured 1, 700, 000 men and women of the Commonwealth F orces who died in the First and Second World Wars.
   The Commission maintained their graves and memorials at 23,000 military and civil sites in 150 countries.
   "The total number of Australian war dead commemorated by name and in the care of the CWGC was approximately 12,460," the DFAT statement said.
   Vice Chairman of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (London), Air Chief Marshal Sir Peter Squire, opened the exhibition in the atrium of the R G Casey Building in Canberra.
   The pictures would be on display until 23 November.

November 6, 2007
Defence Closes in On Financial Target
The Auditor-General has signed off on almost all the 2006-07 financial statements of the Department of Defence as being ‘true and fair’ records, a move welcomed by the Department in it annual report, tabled in the Senate recently.
   The Auditor did not approve the Department’s general stores inventory.
   Departmental Secretary, Nick Warner said improvements in the Department’s financial results were a “significant achievement” and  proof that reforms being made were working.
   "The Chief Finance Officer has done an outstanding job in getting the statements to this position,” Mr Warner said, “particularly in eliminating uncertainty around $2.2 billion worth of repairable items."
He said the Annual Report also highlighted the success of the Australian Defence Force's  recruitment initiative, showing that 8,924 Australians had joined the ADF as either full-time or reserve members over 2006-07,  an improvement of 1,125 over the figures from the previous year.
 The Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston joined Mr Warner in
   Commenting on the turnaround.
   The pair said that while Defence has made significant improvements in financial management and recruitment, the reform program had only just begun.
   "The improvements over 2006-07 mark the beginning of a much broader process of change that we will implement over the coming years,” Mr Warner and Air Chief Marshal Houston said.
   “This will include, but not be limited to, the Defence Management Review, which provides an opportunity for reform, not a blueprint.
   "We are strongly committed to improving our business systems, governance and accountability, people management and our support to the Minister and the ADF and its operations, and that will be the focus of our change agenda over 2007-08 and into the future."
The Defence Materiel Organisation also tabled its Annual Report for 2006-07, the  financial statements of which were also endorsed by the Auditor-General without qualification.

November 6, 2007
Pruning on Cards At Botanic Gardens
The Australian National Botanic Gardens is undertaking an organisational review.
   Climate change, rising costs of water and electricity, and dwindling water supplies had led to the review.,
   The ANBG said in a statement that the urgent challenge was to develop strategies for climate change mitigation and adaptation and to assist with the conservation of Australia's plants under threat.
   It said the price of water had doubled in the past three years, with the bill for 07-08 expected to be over $600,000.
   It said e lectricity use had remained the same, but charges had risen 140 per cent in five years, increasing the annual electricity bill by $90,000 in the last financial year.
   "The Gardens philosophy took shape in the 1930s, long before global warming and climate change threatened Australia's plant biodiversity," the statement said.
   "Where once the ANBG was the only major botanic gardens focused on living collections of Australian native plants, several other major botanic gardens and numerous regional botanic gardens now have large living collections of Australian plants."
   The ANBG would maintain its general commitment to grow and exhibit Australian native plants and would continue to generate high quality botanical information.
   However, it was now time to "reflect these new pressures in the ANBG's national role and priorities.
   "As native habitats vanish, Australia's botanic gardens can offer bio-insurance for the future survival of Australian plants," the ANBG said.
   "ANBG is working with all Australia's major botanic gardens to develop a national approach to species conservation in the face of climate change."
   The statement said that the high quality botanical research being conducted in its Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research would not change.
   "This is a high priority.”
   "The Gardens will not 'reduce plant propagation to a minimum'.
   "On the contrary, we will be building our horticultural expertise, focusing on propagating and growing native plants threatened by climate change, to support the conservation of Australian species in the wild."
   The free summer concert series would be reduced to two weekends as part of addressing costs but there had been no Budget cuts.
   "Like all organisations, farmers and householders in the Murray-Darling Basin and around the country, we must address dwindling water supplies."
   "The Gardens will continue to hold an extensive living collection, but where the climate and soils of other botanic gardens are more suitable for the national conservation effort, we may no longer focus on preserving certain plants," the ANBG said.

November 6, 2007
Library Pulls Out 100,000th Digit
The National Library of Australia had "reached a significant milestone" with the digitisation of its 100, 000th picture, according to the Library.
   The picture was a "delightful” black and white photograph of a kangaroo’s joey, snugly wrapped in an overcoat improvised from the sleeve of an old jumper.
   The photograph was taken in 1968 by Australian photojournalist Jeff Carter.
   The Library had received the picture as part of an ongoing program of acquisitions from Carter, whose work had been published in National Geographic, Paris Match, Life and in all Australian national magazines.
   The Library had begun digitising its collection in 2001to improve access.
   Assistant Director-General, Collections Management at the Library, Pam Gatenby  said the aim was to digitise all new picture acquisitions, as well as materials already in the collection,  on the basis of their historical and cultural significance and likely demand.
   Ms Gatenby said o ther digitised items included rare maps, sheet music, manuscripts, printed works and audio recordings.
   "This is an important milestone marking the Library's efforts to make its collection accessible to the widest possible number of people, both in Australia and around the world," Ms Gatenby said.
   "The digitisation program has transformed the way the Library works."
   She said p reviously, researchers and others who had wanted to see material were required to come to Canberra.
   "Now they can go online and access important parts of the collection.
   "In addition, the digitisation program enhances the conservation of the collection by reducing handling of old or fragile materials, while also increasing access to them."

November 6, 2007
ACCC Brought To ACCCount
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has launched a new quarterly publication, ACCCount, which will detail its activities.
   According to ACCC Chairman, Graham Samuel, ACCCount would report on the Commission’s activities in the enforcement of the Trade Practices Act, merger reviews, compliance initiatives, adjudication issues, economic regulation, international cooperation and interaction with other Australian competition, consumer protection and regulatory agencies   "The ACCC promotes competition and informed markets, encouraging fair trading; and protecting consumers," Mr Samuel said .
   “ Its actions affect almost every aspect of Australian life.
   "It is appropriate that reports of its activities are readily accessible to the Australian public on a regular basis."
   He said the new publication would build on the ACCC's commitment to an open and transparent agency and increased the Commission's accountability to the Australian community.   
   "It will provide a regular briefing on whole-of-Commission work for any given quarter,” Mr Samuel said.
   "ACCCount will be widely distributed and available online on the ACCC website.
   He said anyone wishing to subscribe to the new publication t could do so on the ACCC website www.accc.gov.au.

November 6, 2007
Holt Family Flicks Films to Archives
Former Prime Minister, Harold Holt's family has donated a selection of his films to the National Archives of Australia for safekeeping.
   Mr Holt’s son, Sam Holt, presented several canisters of film to the Archives Director-General, Ross Gibbs recently.
   "We are delighted that the Holt family has decided to ensure the preservation of these films for future generations of Australians by depositing them with the National Archives," Mr Gibbs said.
   The canisters contained eight films, including a fishing trip to the Great Barrier Reef on the Mr Holt's birthday in 1967, with television’s Pick-a-Box hosts Bob and Dolly Dyer and other friends.
   A handwritten note on the canister read: Hope you enjoy it, Harold, Regards Bob Dyer.
   According to Mr Gibbs, t he film included footage of Mr Holt collecting shells with Dolly Dyer, enjoying a picnic, collecting plants for his wife Zara, spearfishing, being smothered in suntan oil and risking his life to save a speargun given to him as a gift by American President Lyndon B Johnson.
   Other films included underwater skin diving sequences, a Cabinet meeting during the 1960s, various aspects of a visit by the Prime Minister to South East Asia, and a copy of the television film The Seekers Downunder which featured Mr Holt escorting the singing group around Canberra.
   "The National Archives is fortunate to have in its collection a wide range of personal items which belonged to Harold Holt, including his briefcase and its contents which are on display in our Memory of a Nation exhibition," Mr Gibbs said.
   "We are very pleased to have these extra films which were in his personal collection.
   "They will be a welcome addition to the films we already hold that feature Mr Holt and the other items that portray his life, both as a P rime M inister and an Australian, " He said.

November 6, 2007
Arm of AFP Law Reaches to China
The Australian Federal Police have further strengthened ties with their counterparts in China, with an official delegation launching the first Management of Serious Crime program in the country and opening the AFP's third post.
   The AFP said in a statement that during a four-day visit, Commissioner Mick Keelty had joined members of the Chinese Ministry of Public Security "to enhance the joint strategy to combat transnational crime, particularly in the area of drug trafficking with these two key initiatives.
   "The MOSC program – the first of its kind to be delivered in China - is the AFP's highest level training course for the sharing of skills, information and strategies needed to deal with serious crime," the statement said.
   It said it focused on creating collaborative national and international networks between law enforcement agencies in South East Asia.
   AFP officers at the Hangzhou Training College in Zhejiang Province would train 18 Chinese police officers over a three-week period.
   "The AFP believes that the MOSC program, along with the opening of the AFP's third China post in Guangzhou, will be integral for future cooperation between Australia and China in the area of law enforcement," the statement said.
   "The Guangzhou office is strategically placed to enhance the ability of officers to target transnational crime syndicates and limit the illegal importation of illicit drugs into Australia."
   The office had begun operations earlier this year. An AFP officer was working with Chinese officials on projects, including proposed training programs for police on identifying and dismantling clandestine laboratories.

November 6, 2007
Customs Fishing Trip Nets Indonesia
Australian Customs and Indonesian Fisheries vessels have completed a coordinated fisheries patrol in the Arafura Sea in a cooperative effort to combat illegal fishing.
   The Australian Customs Service said in a statement that its vessel Arnhem Bay and Indonesian Fisheries department vessels Hiu Macan 003 and Hiu Macan 004 had jointly patrolled their respective sides of the Australia-Indonesia maritime border and a  Customs Coastwatch aircraft provided daily aerial surveillance of the region.
   Commander of Border Protection Command, Rear Admiral James Goldrick welcomed the cooperative approach to combat illegal fishing.
   "This patrol signifies greater cooperation between Australia and Indonesia for a more coordinated approach to reducing illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in the region," Rear Admiral Goldrick said.
   He said t he operational patrol followed an exercise earlier this year conducted to "fine tune communication protocols.”
   "This is the first time that the two nations have rendezvoused at sea to undertake civil cooperative patrol activity," he said.
  
   "The patrol is part of a range of measures to enable Australian Customs vessels to work more closely with Indonesian fisheries patrol vessels and increase our ability to apprehend illegal foreign fishing vessels in Australian waters. "
   Rear Admiral Goldrick said Australia and Indonesia had agreed to conduct coordinated patrols at the Australia-Indonesia Fisheries Surveillance Forum held earlier this year.
   The forum had established measures for cooperation on fisheries surveillance and response activities, information sharing, coordinated activity, information networks, technical assistance as well as options for funding of these activities.
   He said that between July 2006 and June 2007 there had been a 58 per cent reduction in sightings of illegal foreign fishing vessels "in the high risk areas" of Australia's northern waters compared with the previous year.
   At the same time, surveillance had increased by around eight per cent, and the rate of apprehension of foreign fishing vessels to those sighted was up by more than 40 per cent.
   "Foreign fishing vessels continue to operate just beyond the boundaries of the Australian Exclusive Economic Zone and a reduction in our border protection efforts could result in a resurgence of foreign fishing vessel activity in our waters," Rear Admiral Goldrick said.
   "Therefore border protection operations are continuing in order to provide ongoing strong deterrence to these potential illegal foreign fishing threats, " He said.

November 6, 2007
Crime Study Reveals Crook Jury Outcome
Studies by the Australian Institute of Criminology have revealed that jurors in rape trials have generally made up their minds before hearing the evidence.
   Two recent studies conducted by the Institute found that jurors were influenced more by their attitudes, beliefs and biases than by the objective facts presented.
   "Stereotypical beliefs about rape and victims of it still exist within the community," the Institute said in releasing the findings of two recent studies.
   Institute Director, Dr Toni Makkai said increasing conviction rates for sexual assault was a key issue for the criminal justice system.
   More than 70 percent of sexual assault incidents were not reported to police and only about one in 10 reported incidents results in a guilty finding.
   "Sexual assault is one of the hardest offences to prosecute," Dr Makkai said.
   "Primarily this is because these offences are often committed in private, where there is little or no corroborating evidence and it is usually one person's word against another."
   Whether a juror perceived a complainant as credible "is not simply related to the consistency of her story or the manner in which the testimony is presented", he said.
   The studies had found jurors had different opinions about the complainant's credibility and the plausibility of her story.
   Other findings included that lower income and politically conservative males had less favourable attitudes towards rape victims and believed the defendant was probably not guilty and that higher levels of education, personal knowledge of sexual assault victims, and positive attitudes toward rape victims in general were associated with higher perceptions of claimant credibility, and low empathy with the defendant.
   Dr Makkai said that the second study of a random sample of the Victorian population found that  one in 10 respondents believed that women were more likely to be raped by strangers; about a quarter disagreed that false claims of rape were rare; 15 per cent agreed that women often said 'no' when they meant 'yes' and seven per cent of males and four per cent of females agreed that women who were raped often ask for it.
   The study also found that 44 per cent of males and 32 per cent of females believed that rape resulted from men not being able to control their need for sex and therefore they were not responsible.
   “As jurors are members of the community and are randomly drawn in order to be representative of it, the two studies together indicate that successful prosecution of sexual assault will remain low until we acknowledge that jurors interpret what they see in light of their own beliefs, experience and expectations”, Dr Makkai said.

November 6, 2007
Missing Persons’ Framework is Hit
The Australian Federal Police have launched a new national support framework and training package for professionals working with families of missing persons.
   AFP Assistant Commissioner, Peter Drennan said police officers would now be better able to respond to missing person reports.
   The national missing persons support framework – Supporting those who are left behind – provided counsellors with new skills in understanding the trauma and impact experienced by the families of missing persons.
   Assistant Commissioner Drennan said the framework "provides counsellors and health professionals with tools they need to better support the needs of families.”
   "The framework was established in response to an overwhelming need for this kind of support and training," he said.
   Each year, 30,000 people were reported missing to police - one every 18 minutes.
   "For every missing person reported to police, at least 12 other people are affected emotionally, financially, physically or psychologically," Assistant Commissioner Drennan said.
   "That's a significant number of people who experience the trauma of unresolved loss."
   Coordinator of the National Missing Persons Coordination Centre , Leonie Jacques said that previously there had been no model of counselling that addressed the specific needs of people left behind when a loved one went missing.
   "As well as providing an understanding of the trauma experienced by families who are left behind, providing such a framework to counsellors will allow law enforcement agencies to focus on and better respond to their main objective of loca