And in other news...

Flood entitlements explained
The Community and Public Sector Union has reminded PS staff in Queensland and NSW unable to get to work due to the floods that they are entitled to paid leave.
   The Australian Public Service Commission provides for paid leave in its Circular: WR 2010/2: Natural disaster warnings and agency leave arrangements.
   “In situations where an employee is prevented from attending work on the basis of a catastrophic emergency warning affecting their home or workplace or it would be too dangerous for an employee to travel to work as a result of the emergency, agencies should allow employees to access paid leave entitlements in accordance with the scale and nature of the emergency,” the Circular says.
   It can be accessed in full at PS News link.

Internet has safety day
The 10th annual Safer Internet Day is to be held on Tuesday.
   Coordinated since 2004 by Insafe, the European network for internet safety, the event is supported in Australia by Cybersmart - part of the Australian Communications and Media Authority.
   The theme for 2013, “online rights and responsibilities”, is to remind people of what it means to be a positive digital citizen.
   More information is available from PS News link.

Centenary coin minted
$5 Coin
2013 20c Centenary
of Canberra coin
The coin designed for the Centenary of Canberra has been revealed.
   The 20 cent coin shows the original blueprint for the city of Canberra, as designed by Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin.
   It was designed and produced by the Royal Australian Mint and used in the coin toss for the Prime Minister’s XI cricket match this week.

Firefighting high-fliers
Airservices is looking to recruit men and women to join its national elite Aviation Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) service.
   Successful applicants undertake an 11-week, nationally accredited training course through Airservices Learning Academy in Melbourne.
   On completion of the initial training, graduates are to be awarded a Certificate II in Public Safety Fire Fighting and Emergency Operations.
   More information is available from PS News link and applications close 24 February.

Agreement with Germany
Australia has entered into a strategic partnership with Germany to set up regular high-level policy dialogues between the two countries.
   Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Bob Carr joined Germany’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr Guido Westerwelle, to sign the bilateral strategic partnership during the week.
   Senator Carr said Australia and Germany were active regional leaders whose common interests would be advanced through regular policy discussion.

Trade office for Myanmar
Australia is to open an Austrade office in Myanmar this year to help businesses break into and expand in Asia’s emerging and growth markets.
   The office will be opened in Yangon, Myanmar’s commercial centre, and when fully operational it will be staffed by a Trade Commissioner supported by a number of locally engaged business development managers.

Previously this week... Royal Commission solicitor
The Australian Government Solicitor has been appointed as the solicitor assisting the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
   The Commission was formally announced earlier this month along with the appointment of a panel of six commissioners, to be led by Justice Peter McClellan.

Decisions listed
The Takeovers Panel has published an index of its decisions from 2006 to 2012.
   Since 13 March 2000, the Panel has considered more than 390 applications and it was working on another index for the earlier period from 2000 to 2005.
   The Panel is a peer review body that regulates corporate control transactions.
   The 2006-20012 index can be accessed in full at this PS News link.

Reef named
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) has named a reef after the marine science pioneer, Patricia Mather.
   Dr Mather, who worked for the Queensland Museum, helped in drafting a Bill that contributed to establishing the GBRMPA.
   A previously unnamed reef in the Tee Line Reefs now bears the name Patricia Mather Reef.
   It is located at Reef No 21-148 at Lat 21.082oS, Long 151.688oE.

Arthritis in the young
Hospitalisation rates for juvenile arthritis are increasing, according to a new report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).
   The report, A snapshot of juvenile arthritis, examined the prevalence, treatment and experience of arthritis in children aged zero to 15 years old.
   It showed that in the 10 years from 2000-01 to 2009-10, hospitalisations for children with juvenile arthritis tripled.
   The report can be accessed at this PS News link.

River Murray medal
The latest recipient of the River Murray Medal has been announced.
   Awarded by the Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA), the medal recognises service to the River Murray and was reserved for individuals.
   Commercial fisherman and campaigner for the Lower Lakes and River Murray, Henry Jones was awarded the honour, marking the first time the MDBA has awarded the medal to a community member since the medal was created in 1853.
   Previously the medal had been reserved for water professionals who had given more than a decade of dedicated service to the river.

Grants help
Free workshops across Australia are being held to help small businesses in the Textile, Clothing and Footwear (TCF) industries apply for grants to improve their business enterprise culture.
   The grants of up to $50,000 have been made available through the TCF Small Business Program.
   AusIndustry representatives will conduct the workshops to ensure the application process and eligibility requirements were well understood by TCF businesses.
Edition 346, 29 January 2013
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