|
|
SearchArchives for December 2007
18 December, 2007
APSC Report Finds
PS in Good State
The Australian Public Service grew by 5.9 per cent in the past year to 155,482 with the greatest number of staff at the APS 6 level.
These facts and many others, are contained in the 2006-07 State of the Service report, released recently by Public Service Commissioner, Lynelle Briggs.
Commissioner Briggs said the growth in personnel was part of an ongoing trend, driven by new initiatives introduced by the previous Government. She said it reflected complex new working requirements in such areas as defence, national security, health, aged care and supporting Australian families.
She said the State of the Service Report also revealed that the APS was a “great place to work” with 81 per cent of staff reporting they were satisfied, on average, with the workplace attributes they saw as important.
“Four out five Australian Public Servants would recommend the APS as a good place to work,” Commissioner Briggs said. “Just as many employees are proud to work in the APS.”
She said these findings were “really positive results,” especially in a tight labour market where the APS was competing with the private sector for quality staff.
Commissioner Briggs reported that the number of women employed in the APS had risen to 57 per cent, that 11.2 per cent of the PS workforce was over 55, that five per cent were under 25 and 2.1 per cent were Indigenous.
“Women now compose 36 per cent of the Senior Executive Service,” Commissioner Briggs said.
If the current trend continues, women’s representation in the SES will equal that of men in a decade.”
She said the number of staff over 55 had more than doubled in the past year and those under 25 had also increased from 4 per cent two years ago.
She said the increase in older workers meant some staff were returning to the APS after resignation or retirement on more flexible, non-ongoing bases.
“It’s too early to say that the long term decline in the employment of young people has been reversed, but I’m optimistic that we may have turned the corner.
“Employees aged under 25 years were the fastest growing age group in the APS.”
Commissioner Briggs said that while the numbers of Indigenous employees increased during the year, there was no such increase in numbers of staff with disabilities.
“We have had no success with the employment of people with a disability,” she said.
“We need to improve our performance.”
The report outlined five major challenges facing the APS, Commissioner Briggs said.
“These are the need for a greater focus on agency health and culture; building organisational capacity to support new ways of working; modernising APS employment; interactions with Government; and developing and sustaining the capacity of APS leaders.”
More information from the State of the Service Report can be obtained by visiting the Public Service Commission website: www.apsc.gov.au
18 December, 2007
Report on Sickies Blows Ill Wind
Staff in smaller Agencies took fewer days off on sick leave or other unplanned leave than those in larger Agencies during 2006-07 and the APS generally recorded significantly more absences than the private sector.
The recently-released State of the Service Report included measurements of unplanned absences for the first time, revealing that across the APS they ranged from 1.2 days per employee to 16.4 days. The median rate was 9.4 days per employee.
According to the report, the staff of small Agencies were absent for a median average of 7.2 days, medium Agencies 9.4 days and large Agencies 11.0 days with the majority taken as sick leave.
It said that high levels of absence were often indicators of poor organisational cultures, and management practices and urged Agencies to monitor and analyse them regularly to identify trends and patterns and address underlying causes.
“Reducing workplace absence can be one of the most effective ways that Agencies can improve their productivity,” the report says.
“Studies have found that for organisations with high levels of workplace absence, up to half may be avoidable.”
It says Agency managers could reduce levels of workplace absence and increase productivity by creating positive workplace environments and adopting good management practices.
The report says that despite a study by the Australian National Audit Office in 2003 and the publication of two Better Practice Guides on managing absence in the APS, the rates of absence had failed to move.
“There does not appear to have been any overall improvement in levels of absence in the APS over that period. A similar level of absence was recorded in 2001-02 and 2006-07.”
The report also drew comparisons with the private sector.
“Traditionally, the public sector has reported higher absence rates than the private sector,” it says.
“A 2003 survey conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics found that for a given two-week period, 9.5 per cent of public sector workers reported that they were absent from the workplace due to illness or injury compared to 6.1 per cent of private sector workers.”
It said this might be because the public sector offered a wider range of leave provisions or that in times of skills shortages, flexible leave arrangements in the PS helped attract and retain talented staff.
18 December, 2007
ATO Shakes Down Reconciliation Plan
The Australian Taxation Office has launched a Reconciliation Action Plan as part of its way to help improve the wellbeing of Indigenous Australians through employment, cultural awareness and education.
The plan, unveiled in Canberra, is part of Reconciliation Australia’s National Program of Action involving organisations throughout Australia.
The Tax Office Reconciliation action plan focuses on three areas:
* employment, career development and access
* assisting Indigenous taxpayers, and
* cultural awareness and education.
First Assistant Commissioner at the ATO, Anne Ellison said the plan would improve Tax Office employment strategies for Indigenous Australians, provide more help for Indigenous taxpayers, and improve education programs so our staff can provide better help for Indigenous communities.
She said the plan complemented the Tax Office’s current work with Indigenous communities.
“We were the first Agency to sponsor Indigenous students through the Queensland School to Work Program,” Ms Ellison said.
“The Program provides high school students with financial assistance, a Tax Office mentor and practical support in the form of work experience over three years.”
She said students undertook their work experience with the Tax Office during years 11 and 12, which improved their options for further education and employment after completing high school.
The Tax Office planned to extend the program to all States and is to sponsor an additional 10 Indigenous students by February 2009.
Ms Ellison said the ATO was also committed to increasing the number of Indigenous tax officers by working to further develop and retain current staff.
“We offer an Indigenous undergraduate scholarship each year to help Indigenous tax officers gain relevant qualifications in tax, and encourage opportunities for career development through workshops and leadership programs,” she said.
More information about the Tax Office Reconciliation action plan was available on the Tax Office website at www.ato.gov.au
18 December, 2007
CSA Pays Out With
GM’s Staff Awards
The General Manager of the Child Support Agency, Matt Miller has presented his annual awards for achievements by Agency staff.
The staff were selected from 114 nationwide nominations.
The awards recognised excellence in delivering on the agency goals as staff work to ensure parents provide financial and emotional support to their children after separation.
“I’m proud of the committed, passionate and
professional team at the CSA who work tirelessly for separated families in this country,” Mr Miller said.
“It was wonderful to acknowledge the important contributions of staff through these well deserved awards.”
The winners were, by category:
Improved collection:
Individual: Dean Batten, Bunbury, WA:
Since transferring to Bunbury more than a year ago, Mr Batten has combined hard work and strong negotiation skills to consistently find ways to collect more child support money for kids. He has managed to build positive relationships with parents who had previously limited their contact with the CSA and has changed the CSA experience for many of his customers.
Manager: Sean Ritchie, Perth.
Capacity to Pay Team: Perth.
Customer service:
Individual: Alex Travis, Geelong, Victoria:
A Customer Service Officer from Geelong, Mr Travis was nominated for his impressive contribution to a team that reconciles estimates for child support payments. He has developed several innovative methods to streamline the team workload, which has enabled them to better serve separated parents.
Manager: Andrew Hennell, Canberra.
New Customers Team: Perth.
Effective stakeholder relations and engagement:
Individual: Toni Brown- Newcastle, NSW.
Ms Brown has been instrumental in encouraging major Australian organisations to take on the award-winning workplace-based Staying Connected program as well as forging new partnerships for the CSA with support groups like beyondblue and the Starlight Foundation. Staying Connected is an important outreach program that saves businesses money, while helping to ease the personal stress of separation among participating employees.
Manager: Vicky Divett, Canberra.
Procurement and Contract Management Team: Canberra.
Informed customers and community:
Individual: Derek Bateman, Perth:
Mr Bateman was nominated for his valuable work resolving customer issues and dealing with a wide range of organisations in the Family Law arena to promote correct understanding of the Child Support Scheme and the CSA.
Manager: Madeleine Samuels, Canberra.
Communication Strategy Team: Canberra.
Excellence in service delivery capability:
Individual: Bruce Duffy, Brisbane:
Mr Duffy was a leading member of the Customer First Team in Brisbane and had led the development of the CSA’s new Customer Focus Principles and Customer Service Commitment. These two important sets of principles were developed based on feedback from separated parents – our customers – and they were introduced across the CSA earlier this year. These two projects will take customer service to a new level, through listening and responding to what customers say.
Manager: Ms Olsen, Adelaide.
Business Support Team (Customer Services): Melbourne.
18 December, 2007
Cadets March Out At
ADFA Graduation
More than 200 Navy, Army and Air Force cadets have graduated from the Australian Defence Force Academy in Canberra.
The Graduating Class of 2007 joined more than 500 of their colleagues on the Academy Parade Ground to celebrate in front of family and friends at the Graduation Parade.
The Commandant of the Australian Defence Force Academy, Captain Peter Murray (RAN), said, “Since joining the Australian Defence Force Academy these men and women have successfully completed a three-year academic and military training program.
“Their military and leadership training, combined with undergraduate studies through the University of NSW at ADFA, has developed the fundamental knowledge, professional skills and qualities of character they will need as young officers in the Australian Defence Force.”
Captain Murray said the cadets had matured into exemplary young adults who demonstrated high levels of professionalism, integrity and leadership.
“They should be proud of their achievements,” he said.
During what was the Academy’s 21st anniversary Graduation Parade, its most prestigious award, the Commander in Chief Medal, was awarded to Midshipman Daniel Boettger by the Governor-General, His Excellency, Major General Michael Jeffery, AC, CVO, MC (Retd). This Medal is awarded to the most outstanding graduate in the fields of military and academic achievement as well as leadership, personal example and performance of duty.
Chief of Air Force, Air Marshall Geoff Shepherd, AO, representing the Chief of the Defence Force, presented the Chief of the Defence Force Sword of Honour for Leadership to Army Officer Cadet Roger Pilton. OCDT Pilton displayed the highest standard of leadership and officer development amongst the graduating class. Midshipman Ashleigh Payne, Officer Cadet Nathan Williams and Officer Cadet Aaron Thompson were awarded the Chief of Navy, Chief of Army and Chief of Air Force prizes respectively.
18 December, 2007
Farm Support Grows
At Vic Centrelink
Centrelink staff in Northern Victoria have banded together to donate a van-load of food to assist farming families affected by drought this Christmas.
Centrelink Business Manager for Murray, Ovens and Goulburn, Julie Tyndall, said staff at 19 country and city-based Centrelink offices had donated the food.
“While Centrelink provides financial assistance to drought-affected farmers and small businesses, many of our staff wanted to do something personally to help out,” Ms Tyndall said.
“We know there are many rural families who are struggling to buy basic food and personal care items, let alone celebrate Christmas.”
The food collected for the farmers was presented to the Vic Relief Foodbank at the Shepparton Centrelink office, and Yarrawonga Foodbank would distribute it to farming families via local schools.
Although volunteer Sparra Wheygood often uses his carriage drawn by two Clydesdale horses to deliver drought relief packs, this time, he would take the food in the refrigerated Foodbank van to schools in Kattamatite, Waai, Nathalia and Barmah.
Drought Project Coordinator with Vic Relief Foodbank and volunteer coordinator of Yarrawonga Foodbank, Trevor Barker, welcomed the Centrelink donation.
“Efforts like this one from Centrelink staff add real value to the ongoing work of volunteer emergency relief agencies like the Yarrawonga Foodbank,” Mr Barker said.
“Over the past 12 months, the Yarrawonga Foodbank van has picked up donations of food worth more than $300 000, which has been distributed directly to needy families in our region.
“It’s generous donations like this and the work of our dedicated volunteers that help our program remain sustainable, even through the challenges of the worst drought on record.”
Ms Tyndall said Centrelink staff were very caring and regularly did their bit for charity. For example, she said, Victorian staff recently collected $2500 for a health service in East Timor, knitted jumpers for children in Malawi and donated baby goods for newly-arrived Burmese refugees.
Anyone needing help to cope with either the financial or emotional impact of the drought is advised to call the Murray-Darling Basin Assistance and Referral Line on 1800 050 015.
18 December, 2007
Age Doesn’t Weary
Governor General
The Governor General, Major General Michael Jeffery, has celebrated his 70th birthday.
The 24th Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, Major General Jeffery took the opportunity of his birthday milestone to look back on his time as GG and recount his duties and achievements in that time.
His Excellency reported that since 11 August 2003 when he was sworn into office, he has delivered more than 850 speeches, attended around 1100 separate events throughout Australia, hosted more than 750 official functions and received the credentials of more than 130 Ambassadors and High Commissioners.
Since becoming Governor General of Australia, Major General Jeffery has also presided over 121 meetings of the Federal Executive Council, which has considered some 2540 agenda items, assented to more than 760 pieces of legislation and received more than 500 callers, many of whom were representatives of the approximately 180 organisations for which the Governor-General and Mrs Jeffery are patrons.
He has also represented the Government and people of Australia at the Royal Weddings of The Prince of Wales and Mrs Parker-Bowles in London, Crown Prince Frederik and Mary Donaldson in Denmark; State Funerals for President Reagan, His Holiness Pope John Paul II, His Majesty Taufa’ahau Tupou IV King of Tonga, His Highness Malietoa Tanumafili II Head of State of Samoa; Anniversary commemorations to mark the 60th VE Day in Moscow; the 30th Anniversary of Papua New Guinea independence, 400 years of bilateral relations between Australia and The Netherlands, the 50th Anniversary of Malaysia’s Independence and the 90th anniversary of a range of significant WW1 battles on the Western Front.
The Governor-General and Mrs Jeffery have also found time to host Christmas parties for nearly 4000 special needs children and their carers, travel along the Birdsville Track, and dote over seven grandchildren.
18 December, 2007
Customs DVD Takes
Hold Off Cargo
The Australian Customs Service has released an educational DVD aimed at assisting exporters and Customs brokers eliminate common errors made in export cargo reporting.
The DVD, Exports Reporting, targets five common export compliance and reporting errors, and provides step-by-step guidance on how to report export information correctly the first time round. Customs’ National Director Compliance, Peter White said it was extremely important for the Service to find innovative ways of delivering business improvements.
“The launch of today’s educational DVD will provide a resource that is designed to assist industry efforts with voluntary compliance in their export reporting process,” Mr White said.
He said by following the principles laid out in the DVD, exporters could avoid the delays that occurred when Customs had to verify data.
“Reducing errors will increase productivity and allow Customs greater opportunities to target high risk non compliance.
He said a preview of the DVD in October was enthusiastically received at the national conference of the Customs Brokers and Forwarders Council of Australia.
Council Executive Director, Stephen Morris said it was a great direction for Customs to take in training, both for CBFCA members and exporters.
“Training staff is one of the biggest challenges for companies in this sector and with such technical data entry and reporting requirements, it's fantastic to now have an easily accessible and effective product that our members and exporters can show their staff,” Mr Morris said.
Request for copies of the Exports Reporting DVD can be sent by email to stan.pragnell@customs.gov.au; or phone (02) 8339 6379.
18 December, 2007
No Dismissal At NAA
For Whitlam Note
The National Archives has been presented with an historic note, written in the heat of the 1975 Constitutional crisis.
Former Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam presented the Archives with the note, which was a handwritten notice of motion drafted in the hour following his dismissal by Governor-General Sir John Kerr.
“This is an important document from a time that still inspires heated debates among Australians,” said Archives Director-General, Ross Gibbs.
“It will help future generations understand the timeline of events on 11 November 1975 and also the passions that the day aroused within the community.”
In an attempt to overturn his dismissal, Mr Whitlam drafted the motion to read to the House of Representatives that afternoon. At the time he didn’t realise that the Governor-General had already sworn in the Leader of the Opposition, Malcolm Fraser as caretaker Prime Minister.
“Auspiciously, this handwritten document is part of the 100th series of Whitlam’s personal records held by the National Archives,” said Mr Gibbs. “It has such significance that it has inspired us to develop a new online feature 100 Great Stories in the National Archives, forthcoming in 2008.”
The document, on Prime Ministerial letterhead, was written at the Lodge by Mr Whitlam at 1.50pm on 11 November 1975, according to notes on the back made by speech-writer Graham Freudenberg. His notes also indicate those present during the drafting included Frank Crean, Fred Daly, Kep Enderby, John Menadue, John Mant, Graham Freudenberg and David Combe.
Still creased where Mr Whitlam folded it to fit in his breast pocket, the motion reads: that this House declares that it has confidence in the Whitlam govt and that this House informs HM the Queen that, if HE the G-G purports to commission the hon member for Wannon as PM, the House does not have confidence in him or in any govt he forms.
“Because Mr Fraser had already been sworn in as caretaker Prime Minister, Mr Whitlam’s actual speech to the House varied slightly,” said Mr Gibbs. “That makes this original such a treasure. We can see how the events of the day were changing hour by hour.”
The National Archives has published the first of its 100 great stories based on Mr Whitlam’s notice of motion. The document itself and the background to its drafting can be seen at www.naa.gov.au.
18 December, 2007
Health Worker Audit
Heads for the Bush
The Minister for Health, Nicola Roxon, has ordered an audit of health professionals in rural and regional Australia.
She said the audit would be conducted by her Department and examine the reasons for shortages. It would ensure a thorough picture was presented of what she said was a ‘far-reaching’ problem.
“The audit will build on the work already conducted, but not released, by the previous Government,” Ms Roxon said.
She said the Department would also provide advice on a range of options for attracting and retaining health professionals in rural and regional Australia.
“We know that there are medical workforce shortages across 74 per cent of Australia, affecting 59 per cent of the population,” she said.
She has asked that the audit be completed and advice provided by the end of February 2008.
“This audit is in addition to our commitments to reform the health and hospital system across the country, plus our detailed election commitments to improve services to rural and regional Australia.”
Ms Roxon said the Government’s election commitments included providing at least 400 of an additional 1000 nursing places to be provided each year; additional support for medical specialists delivering outreach services to rural and remote communities; doubling the number of scholarships for medical students undertaking clinical placements in rural areas; a Specialist Obstetrician Locum Scheme; a rural and remote clinical placement scheme for allied health students; and upfront investments under the National Health Reform Plan to target areas of high need.
Ms Roxon said the Government was committed to delivering better health care across Australia – “and that is why we have already taken these first steps towards ensuring families in rural and regional Australia get the health care they deserve.”
18 December, 2007
Campaign Found For Missing Persons
The Australian Federal Police has launched a national campaign to encourage missing persons to call home this Christmas.
The campaign is being conducted jointly with State and Territory Police Forces to reconnect missing persons with someone they trust.
Television commercials, which began airing nationally last week, sent a simple message to missing people - make contact.
AFP National Manager, Economic and Special Operations, Peter Drennan said about two-thirds of the 30,000 people reported missing each year were under the age of 18, while many others were elderly and often incapable of finding their way home.
“Christmas is a time of reconnection and the best gift families and friends could wish for is to know that their missing loved one is safe and well,” Assistant Commissioner Drennan said.
“This does not necessarily mean that the missing person has to physically return home, rather we’d just like them to let someone they know and trust hear that they are okay.”
More than 99.5 per cent of people reported missing are located within a short period of time but some 1600 people have been missing in Australia for more than six months.
Sarah Wayland, project officer with the AFP’s National Missing Persons Coordination Centre, said Christmas was often a difficult time of year for families and friends of missing persons and for missing people themselves.
“There are often very compelling reasons for a person not wanting to be found but the message of this campaign is to make contact with somebody who can be trusted whether that be the Police, a friend or a family member,” Ms Wayland said.
Woman’s Day magazine and Foxtel are supporting this campaign. Woman’s Day featured the Make Contact campaign in its 25 November edition and Foxtel is airing the commercial on its Crime and Investigation Network.
For more information, call the National Missing Persons Coordination Centre on 1800 000 634 or visit the website www.afp.gov.au/national/missing.
18 December, 2007
Parting Parents to
Pay Up or Prop
The Child Support Agency has warned parents with child support debts to catch up on their arrears or they could be stopped from leaving the country for their holidays.
General Manager, Matt Miller said parents who had not met their child support obligations could generally be prevented from leaving Australia through a Departure Prohibition Order issued by the CSA.
“Parents not doing the right thing by their children this Christmas will find it even harder to escape their responsibilities,” Mr Miller said.
“The CSA now uses data matching technology provided by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship to target non-paying parents who historically travel during the Christmas holiday period.”
During the 2006-07 financial year 474 separated parents were issued with DPOs, preventing them from leaving Australia.
Mr Miller said this action resulted in the reduction of more than $5.9 million in overdue child support.
“Parents need to know that they can’t leave their child support debt behind when they leave the country. If you can afford to travel overseas for a holiday, you can afford to financially support your children,” he said.
The travel ban can be lifted when the affected parent pays all their outstanding child support or makes satisfactory arrangements to pay it off over time.
“You’d be surprised how many parents who have cried poor can access thousands of dollars within hours of being stopped at the airport,” he said.
“DPOs are only used when multiple attempts to get the paying parent to meet their financial obligations have not resulted in any significant repayments.
“Don’t wait till it’s too late to sort out your overdue child support ahead of the holidays.”
The CSA recognises that there could be some circumstances, for example family illness, where urgent overseas travel is necessary on compassionate grounds. Mr Miller said that where DPOs might affect such travel, the CSA considers these cases on their merit.
18 December, 2007
Magazine Brings Home Aboriginal Message
A magazine commemorating the 10th Anniversary of the Bringing them home report has been launched by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Tom Calma and Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Jenny Macklin.
Commissioner Calma said the Us Taken-Away Kids magazine represented artwork and stories from members of the Stolen Generations throughout Australia, and would serve as a testament to the resilience of Aboriginal people and their ability to triumph in the face of despair.
“While there has been some improvements since the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission’s Bringing them home report was released in 1997, including the Indigenous child placement principle in child protection, greater funding for organisations supporting Stolen Generations members and a national Sorry Day, we still need to do so much more,” Commissioner Calma said.
Commissioner Calma also launched HREOC’s updated educational materials about the Bringing them home report aimed at secondary schools. This is linked to national educational curricula and was available online at www.humanrights.gov.au
He also used his launch speech to deliver the first of a series of headline speeches setting out an agenda for change in Indigenous affairs.
In the series, titled Essentials for Social Justice, the first speech - “Sorry” - identified the essential ingredients for a national apology to the Stolen Generations.
Commissioner Calma argued for an apology which, he said, must be done in a consultative and respectful manner, and one which is specifically about forcible removals.
He called for the apology to be made in such a way that it unified the nation, rather than divided it and for it to be one that was forward-looking and aspirational for a united future for all Australians. He said the timing of the apology should not be rushed, and should provide a catalyst for the States and Territories to be held accountable for their responsibilities in implementing Bringing them home.
Other speeches in the series to be delivered over the next four months included: Reform - about whole-of-Government approaches; Health - about health equality, close the gap and overcoming disadvantage; Land and culture - where he will discuss economic development and 99-year leases; and Justice - looking at family violence, child abuse and criminal justice issues. Commissioner Calma said the final speech would be delivered in early April and be titled The Future. It would review the first months of Indigenous policy of the new Federal Government and pull together the essentials for achieving true social justice for Indigenous people.
The Us Taken-Away Kids magazine is available online at www.humanrights.gov.au or can be ordered from the HREOC publications officer on 02 9284 9600.
18 December, 2007
Food Regulators Cook Up Changes to Code
Individuals and organisations with an interest in food regulation have been invited to offer information and comment on plans to amend the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.
The invitation has been extended by Food Standards Australia New Zealand.
In addition, FSANZ is releasing a “consultation paper” on nutrition and health claims to obtain community feedback on three issues before its Board makes a final decision on the rules governing the use of these claims by food manufacturers.
Among the items being considered are possible labelling of alcoholic beverages with a pregnancy health statement, revised residue limits in food, the addition of calcium to some chewing gum, food from genetically modified cotton and corn, and food safety programs for catering to the general public.
The Alcohol Advisory Council of New Zealand is seeking to require a health advisory label on alcoholic beverage containers advising of the risks of consuming alcohol when planning to become pregnant and during pregnancy.
ALAC’s reasons include the view that health advisory labels would enhance national strategies for discouraging drinking while pregnant and that no level of alcohol consumption had been determined to be safe for the foetus.
The move to revise residue limits has arisen after the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority notified FSANZ that it wanted to amend the maximum residue limits for a number of chemicals in the Code, including the antibiotic dimetridazole. FSANZ has reviewed the estimated dietary exposure assessments for these applications and has determined that the residues associated with the proposed MRLs do not present any public health and safety concerns.
FSANZ is in the final stages of developing a regulatory framework within which manufacturers would be able to make nutrition and health claims about their food products. It is holding a seven-week public consultation on three outstanding issues: vitamin and minerals claims; the substantiation framework for all levels of claims; and criteria for some fatty acid claims.
Public comment is welcomes on the issues from industry, public health professionals, Government agencies and consumers. More details can be found at www.foodstandards.gov.au
and submissions will be received until Wednesday, 6 February 2008, except for the nutrition and health claims consultation which closes on Friday, 1 February 2008.
18 December, 2007
Longer Line For Fishing Approval
A six-month extension of export approval for a New South Wales fishery has been made subject to the State introducing protection measures for the endangered grey nurse shark
Minister for the Environment, Peter Garrett announced a six-month extension, saying he was “very concerned” about the impact of NSW’s Ocean Trap and Line Fishery on the future of the shark.
“I have agreed to allow an extension of export approval until June 30, but this is conditional upon NSW closing additional sensitive areas to fishing by May 2008,” Mr Garrett said.
“In particular, NSW must implement fishery closures of appropriate areas for grey nurse sharks at Fish Rock and Green Island, Manta Arch and the Steps/Anemone Bay.”
He said that in July 2006, the OTLF received export approval under Commonwealth environment legislation – the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 – until 14 December this year. That approval was conditional upon the NSW Government implementing fishery closures around key aggregation sites.
While significant progress had been made, Mr Garrett said he continued to be concerned about the level of protection for grey nurse sharks around the Solitary Islands, Fish Rock and Green Island.
“I have discussed the need for additional closures with the NSW Minister, Ian Macdonald, and he agrees to take action by May next year,” Mr Garrett said
“This decision is in the best interests of improving the ecological sustainability of this fishery and increasing of protection for grey nurse sharks.
“By the New South Wales Government’s own expert’s estimates, the east coast population of grey nurse sharks is between 460 and 760 individuals, following a period of severe decline over recent decades. My Department is conducting an independent population estimate in 2008.”
The Australian Government was also reviewing the adequacy of protection for the grey nurse shark in Commonwealth waters around the Cod Grounds Marine Reserve and Pimpernel Rock as a result of proceedings in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal earlier this year.
18 December, 2007
Life’s a Beach For Customs Officers
Customs Officers are visiting coastal communities to encourage residents to report suspicious border activities.
The latest area to receive attention is Victoria’s 90-mile beach, where Officers have been patrolling between Port Albert and Loch Sport showing how to identify and report suspicious activity.
The visits took in Yarram, Sale, Woodside, Seaspray, Robertsons Beach, Manns Beach, McLoughlins Beach, Woodside Beach, McGaurans Beach, Golden Beach, Paradise Beach and Ocean Grange.
Local residents were being encouraged to help protect Australia by reporting suspicious border activities to the 24-hour Customs Hotline, 1800 06 1800.
Customs Hotline Coordinator for Victoria, Paul Smyth, said information provided by local communities and businesses around Australia had proven instrumental in the detection of a range of activities including the smuggling of weapons, drugs and wildlife.
“Communities know their area best and they know what looks or sounds suspicious on land, at sea, or in the air,” Mr Smyth said.
He said officers would be in the area to provide information on the type of activity that local residents should be on the lookout for.
He invited local people to come down and “have a chat” about what Customs did and how they could play a part in protecting Australia.
He said officers might also visit local yacht clubs and marinas to talk with small craft operators, charter boat companies and local fishermen.
18 December, 2007
FOI hits five-year low
Freedom of Information requests to the Commonwealth fell to a five-year low last financial year according to figures obtained by Australian associated Press.
Figures reportedly released by former Attorney-General, Philip Ruddock, revealed that 38,787 requests were received by Commonwealth Government Departments, down from 41,430 the previous year and the lowest number since 2001-032.
Of 34,158 rulings made on the requests, 27,531 were granted in full, 5,128 were partially granted and 1499 refused. The number of refusals was lower than the year before.
Over 75 per cent of the applications were answered within 30 days but 2400 waited more than three months.
One hundred and twenty applicants took their refusal to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.
AAP reported that Centrelink, Immigration and Veterans’ Affairs matters made up the bulk of applications with most from people seeking information from their own files.
Digital comment at ACMA
The Australian Communications and Media Authority is seeking the views of interested parties on how ACMA and the industry should approach the development of codes and standards for digital television.
Details of how to make submissions are in the discussion paper, Digital Television – Codes and Standards, available on the ACMA website.
Human Rights Medal to Jones
The 2007 Human Rights Medal has been awarded to Jeremy Jones, an advocate who has dedicated his life to promoting freedom from racial discrimination, persecution, harassment and freedom of religion.
During his 30 year career, Mr Jones has undertaken voluntary work within Indigenous, Jewish and Muslim communities as well as other minority groups.
The judges also recognized the achievements of Mark Bin Bakar who was highly commended. Through his radio broadcasting and volunteer work, Mr Bin Bakar has had a wide impact, working for betterment of Indigenous peoples in Australia, increasing cultural understanding, and educating people in remote areas about alcohol and drug abuse, domestic violence and health care.
Police Graduate
Fifty-five new members of the Australian Federal Police have graduated from recruit training at the Federal Police College at Barton, ACT.
Fourteen of the recruits will be sent to ACT policing where they’ll contribute a diverse range of languages, life experiences and skills to the force.
The other recruits will begin careers in Protective Services and National Policing around Australia.
Cartoons tickle at Museum
The National Museum of Australia’s exhibition Behind the Lines: The Year’s Best Cartoons captures the twists and turns of another eventful year in Australian politics through the eyes of Australia’s top cartoonists.
In 2007, the dominant issue for many cartoonists was leadership; whether it was the emergence of Kevin Rudd as a possible leader or the former Government’s Howard-Costello leadership battle drawing to a close.
12 December, 2007
New Look PS To Face the Future
Major changes to the structure of the Australian Public Service have been introduced by the incoming Rudd Labor Government.
Administrative Arrangements Orders have been issued setting out the machinery of Government changes that allocate functions and responsibilities across the Public Service as well as which Agencies take carriage of which Acts of Parliament.
The changes impact on a number of Departments and Agencies and will lead to the movement and transfer of many APS staff.
While most Agencies will be affected by the change, those that are not include the Departments of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Immigration and Citizenship, Foreign Affairs, and Veterans’ Affairs.
The greatest impacts are to be felt at the former Departments of DEST, DEWR, DEW and DITR.
The transfer and movement of APS staff are managed according to the provisions of the Public Service Act and Regulations, with affected staff guaranteed that their payrates will not fall in the move.
The Community and Public Sector Union has warned staff however that maintenance of working conditions was not guaranteed.
“Although the Department has the discretion to maintain all your current conditions, it may also be that the new Department will have different conditions,” the Union says on its website.
The CPSU expects to be involved in consultations relating to the moves and cites past experience as a guide.
“Based on previous Machinery of Government changes, issues such as relocation arrangements and accommodation usually need to be worked through,” the Union said.
“Some Departments will also establish committees to assist in planning the changes.”
The Union has promised members it will be analysing the impact of the changes on staff and that it was available to help resolve concerns.
12 December, 2007
Super Returns for Super Schemes
The main Australian Public Sector Superannuation Funds returned healthy profits in the 2006-07 financial year, the Chairman of the Australian Reward Investment Alliance describing the year as “challenging and rewarding.”
In her annual report, Susan Doyle said the CSS Default Fund returned 16.5 per cent after fees and taxes and the PSS Default fund, 17.7 per cent.
Both the CSS and PSS Cash Investement Options achieved a net return of 5.4 per cent.
“In its second year the PSSap also performed strongly in all investment choice options with the Trustee Choice default fund returning 16.7 per cent after fees and taxes, well above its long term target return of seven per cent per annum,” Ms Doyle said.
She said superannuation reforms announced in the last two Federal Budgets continued to impact on the investment and superannuation industries, making the task of educating members so they can make informed choices even more important.
“The superannuation reforms announced in the 2006-07 Budget (were) now in effect,” she said.
“Further reforms to the Public Sector schemes were also announced as part of the 2007-08 Budget.
“These new arrangements will have a material impact on the superannuation arrangements of scheme members.”
Ms Doyle said ARIA’s new policy covering the application of interest to members’ accounts meant that from 1 July 2007, earnings would be allocated on a continuing basis rather than when a member left the scheme.
12 December, 2007
Heads Make Headlines
The Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, has announced the appointment of Departmental Secretaries following the reallocation of functions and responsibilities under the Administrative Arrangements Orders.
“To reduce unnecessary disruption to my Government’s program of work, most Secretaries will remain in their existing portfolios,” Mr Rudd said.
He announced that the newly established Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research would be headed by former DITR Secretary, Mark Paterson; that the Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism would come under Dr Peter Boxall who was with DEWR; and that the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy would be lead by Patricia Scott.
Mr Rudd also announced that Lisa Paul would be Secretary of the super Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations and Treasury Deputy Secretary, Dr Martin Parkinson would take on the new Department of Climate Change and Water.
He said an Associate Secretary for Employment and Workplace Relations would be added to Ms Paul’s line-up.
“In line with our pre-election commitments, all Departmental Secretary appointments will be for five years,” Mr Rudd said.
12 December, 2007
Tax Locks In Security Review
The Australian Taxation Office has announced an independent review into its information security practices.
The Office said the review was timely given recent international concerns relating to information security and isolated incidents that raised security issues.
The incidents included the theft of a briefcase, containing limited information about two taxpayers, from a hotel room, and a computer disk security issue that did not result in any privacy concerns for any taxpayers.
Tax Commissioner Michael D’Ascenzo said he wanted to assure himself and the community that current information security procedures were rigorous, up to date and reflected changes in work practices as technology evolved.
“I take security of taxpayer information very seriously,” Mr D’Ascenzo said.
“Nothing is more fundamental to good tax administration than the security of taxpayer information.
“While our security systems are sound, experience has shown that people will sometimes make mistakes. Where we can eliminate those possibilities, we will.”
PricewaterhouseCoopers have been commissioned to conduct the review, that will look at information security issues and how they related to the Tax Office including:
* current protections, policies, practices and assurance processes
* how the office compares with industry best practice
* the effectiveness of staff awareness programs
* classification of information
* different work areas and their needs
* emerging trends such as flexible, home-based working arrangements
* the differences between electronic and paper forms of information, and
* protocols for the movement and exchange of information.
“I hope to have a final report with PricewaterhouseCoopers’ findings and recommendations by March next year, at which time I will share the report and our future plans with the community,” Mr D’Ascenzo said.
12 December, 2007
Home Truths at Heart Of Welfare Report
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has issued a report questioning whether increasing prosperity has translated into a better life for most Australians.
The report, Australia’s Welfare 2007, shows that median weekly disposable household income rose by 34 per cent in the 10 years from 1995-96.
“This does not automatically translate into a guarantee of wellbeing for all members of society,” said AIHW Director Dr Penny Allbon.
“Australia is a very diverse society, from diverse backgrounds and with diverse needs, as our report shows.”
Dr Allbon said there were some universal needs, such as having a home, that had important social, emotional, and health benefits, as well as economic benefits for everyone.
“But housing stress is becoming more common and it is now harder to own a home - outright home ownership levels are down, and it takes longer to pay off home mortgages.”
She said for as many as 100,000 people in Australia, homelessness was a problem with the most common reason given by homeless people seeking assistance was interpersonal relationships, including domestic violence and relationship breakdown and conflict, and the need for time-out from family.
Indigenous Australians in particular suffer from higher levels of sub-standard housing, overcrowding and homelessness.
Dr Allbon said that the Australia’s Welfare report described the wellbeing of Indigenous people wherever possible.
“It is important to note there have been improvements in recent years - for example in school enrolments, mainstream employment, and the number of Indigenous home owners and mortgagees.”
Labour force participation among the Indigenous population was 59 per cent compared with 78 per cent for the non-Indigenous population, and Indigenous children are over-represented in child protection arrangements or juvenile justice supervision.
The Head of the AIHW’s Welfare and Housing Group, Dr Diane Gibson,said that families and children (covered in the report) were increasingly being recognised by Governments as a core policy area. The fertility rate may now be rising after many years of falls, and children under 15 comprised 20 per cent of the population.
“But a considerable number of children are subject to violence and abuse,” Dr Gibson said.
“Between 2002 and 2006 the number of children on care and protection orders rose by 32 per cent, from 20,557 to 27,188.
“Some of this can be explained by greater community awareness of child abuse and neglect, and the cumulative effect of children who enter the system at a young age and remain there for some years. But it’s not the entire explanation.”
Australia’s Welfare 2007 marks 15 years since the AIHW began reporting on the nation’s welfare.
12 December, 2007
Efficiency Expert Makes Clean Getaway
Former Public Servant turned prominent businessman, Tony D'Arcy is to leave Canberra for Brisbane, but has assured his company's many clients and supporters that PEPWorldwide will continue to service the APS in Canberra.
After an HR career in a number of Departments, culminating with the Public Service Board, Mr D'Arcy set up the D'Arcy Consulting group in 1992 and has developed it into the multi-state, multi-national training and consulting organisation PEPWorldwide, employing 75 staff and counting many of the most dynamic and progressive public and private organisations across the ANZ and Asia Pacific regions on its client list.
"People see us as being useful to them in assisting their organisations with re-aligning in new directions after periods of rapid change, and helping people to be more productive in getting things done," Mr D'Arcy said.
"Our basic work is to get more things done and more of the important, big ticket things done, to quality and on time."
In the past 12 years, PEP Worldwide has assisted the full range of Departments and Agencies reach their goals and improved the personal work performance of many senior staff who had gone on to PS prominence.
"We've currently got four Secretaries or Secretary-equivalents who have gone through our program as well as innumerable Dep Secs, Division heads and Branch heads," Mr D'Arcy said.
"We've 'Pepped' better than 6000 people in the past 12 years and that's in Canberra alone."
Mr D'Arcy said the D'Arcy name would not be lost to PEP Worldwide when he relocates as brother Tim, who has been with the company eight years, will be stepping into his shoes, assisted by Canberra Regional Sales Manager, Paul Turner.
"I really want to thank all the many friends and close colleagues I've met in the Public Service over the years,” Mr D’Arcy said. “It's been a genuine privilege to serve them.”
He said his wife Gaye and he would continue their involvement with the Canberra office of PEP Worldwide from Brisbane, visiting Canberra as often as the opportunity presented itself.
Mr D'Arcy also revealed he was battling a rare form of cancer and the move to Brisbane would take him closer to his grandchildren.
He expects to have left Canberra by Christmas.
12 December, 2007
Child Support Plays With Broken Records
An audit of records kept by the Child Support Agency has uncovered a number of areas requiring improvement, but not enough to threaten the integrity and accuracy of the Agency’s overall operations.
In his report Data Integrity ion the Child Support Agency Auditor-General, Ian McPhee found that the majority of records held by the Agency were “sufficiently accurate, complete and reliable” to support the administration of the Child Support Scheme, but the discovery of incorrect records “indicated a weakness in effective control systems.”
He said his audit uncovered a number of areas in which the CSA could
significantly improve the quality and reliability of its data.
These included:
* More consistent and accurate recording of dates, names and addresses;
* removing redundant and training records from the database;
* less fragmenting of information across multiple client records;
* correct Tax File Numbers and Centrelink Reference Numbers; and
* correcting corrupt records that arose from a data conversion in 2002.
The Auditor noted that the Agency had introduced a Data Quality Improvement Program to test the entries on its database and said it should draw on its findings to improve data entry controls.
“The inclusion of some controls should be relatively straightforward,” the Auditor General said. “Such as a technical level control to ensure that an ‘end date’ does not precede a ‘start date.
“Other controls, such as enforcing a standardised approach to recording names and addresses, may present more of a challenge.”
He said most of the errors and weaknesses uncovered during the audit posed a minimal risk to the CSA’s effective operation.
“However, particular errors or anomalies on individual records can result in an inaccurate calculation of child support liability.
“For the families involved, the effects can be significant.”
The Auditor-General said incorrect records which led to incorrect calculations of child support liabilities also posed a risk to the ability of the Agency to achieve one of its main objectives, which was to ensure parents shared the cost of supporting their children according to their capacity to do so.
12 December, 2007
Nuclear Waste Shines As Community Issue
The treatment of radioactive waste has been identified as a key community issue in research conducted by the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, ANSTO.
As a result, waste management is to be a key topic at this week’s bi-annual community discussion meeting to be independently facilitated in Sydney. A second topic will be how nuclear science is being used to tackle atmospheric pollution.
“It is important that residents have the opportunity to know how safely ANSTO manages its waste and publicly raise concerns,” said Andrew Humpherson, ANSTO’s General Manager, Public Affairs.
“ANSTO also wants to explain to people how nuclear science is being utilised to combat serious environmental issues like pollution and this is a key forum in which to do so.”
Mr Humpherson said one of the reasons for conducting the community market research was to find out what people wanted to know about ANSTO.
“ANSTO seeks always to be open and honest about how it operates and wants to provide the community the opportunity to come along and hear more about waste and pollution management as well as have their questions answered.
“There are many misconceptions about the nature of ANSTO’s waste and how it is handled so we hope that this forum helps alleviate any concerns and enlighten people about the stringent methods we use to ensure waste is stored and managed safely.”
To open the night, ANSTO’s Manager, Waste Operations, Lubi Dimitrovski, is to outline the kind of waste ANSTO creates, what the radioactivity levels were and how it was safely managed and monitored. This will be followed by a presentation by Dr John Dodson, Head of ANSTO’s Institute for Environmental Research, on the key role nuclear science plays in tackling atmospheric pollution.
After the presentations the audience will be invited to ask questions.
12 December, 2007
ASIC Hits Note With Unclaimed Melody
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission is urging individuals to claim old bank deposits, superannuation benefits and other moneys sitting in a $458 million account of unclaimed funds.
According to ASIC, money owed to individuals and businesses ranges from $1 to more than $3 million – and searching for it has never been easier.
ASIC’s Deputy Executive Director of Consumer Protection, Delia Rickard said the Commission had recently expanded the options available to people to locate their lost funds and the range of unclaimed funds for which people can search has also increased.
“Now people can ring or email ASIC’s Infoline and speak to one of our customer service consultants who can conduct a comprehensive search for forgotten funds, including unclaimed money from shareholdings where the company has been unable to contact a shareholder, old bank accounts and forgotten insurance policies,” Ms Rickard said.
“Until recently, many Australians searching for forgotten money have done so by logging onto ASIC’s free online database at www.fido.gov.au and typing in their name, which they can still do.
“However, there is some information we are unable to publish online for privacy reasons, so we encourage people to use the Infoline service to check whether they are entitled to any unclaimed funds.”
Ms Rickard said ASIC wanted to make it as easy as possible for people to be reunited with their lost funds and encouraged anyone who suspected they may be entitled to unclaimed money to contact ASIC’s Infoline directly on 1300 300 630 or email infoline@asic.gov.au during business hours.
“Searching is free and there’s no cost involved in claiming your lost money – the only thing you need to do is provide proof that you are the owner or beneficiary.”
Ms Rickard said that Sydney resident and expectant father, Joseph Belbin, was reunited with $11,200 in October after discovering his name in the ASIC Gazette on the Internet. After contacting ASIC to stake his claim, Mr Belbin received his money within two weeks.
He said he was left shares in an airline by his father and was thrilled to find his name listed in the Gazette.
“I’ve used some of the money to pay a little off our home loan and the remainder has gone towards our new baby due at Christmas time,” Mr Belbin said.
Ms Rickard said in the last financial year, ASIC paid out $54 million in claims. The largest amounts waiting to be claimed are $428,000 from an HSBC Bank Australia Ltd bank account in NSW, $105,000 for a life insurance policy and $3 million from a company takeover.
For more information about unclaimed money, go to www.fido.gov.au/unclaimedmoney
12 December, 2007
Army Intelligence Hits 100 with Plaque
The Australian Army’s Intelligence Corps has celebrated 100 years by dedicating a plaque in Canberra.
The Corps has seen service in both World Wars, Korea, Malaya, Vietnam and more recently Somalia, Rwanda, Timor-Leste, the Solomon Islands, Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Corps has been represented on duties in various United Nations and multilateral peacekeeping and humanitarian operations.
The contribution and professionalism of the Australian Intelligence Corps was officially recognised by Chief of Army, Lieutenant General Peter Leahy who watched as Honorary Colonel of Australian Intelligence Corps, retired Major General John Hartley, and serving soldier, Sergeant Donna Haigh, unveiled the plaque.
“The activities of the Australian Intelligence Corps are critical to the Army and will remain so in the future,” Lieutenant General Leahy said.
“The battle space we operate in is complex and its threats numerous, lethal and often unbound by international laws and norms.
“I commend the Corps for its efforts in the past 100 years and charge it to continue to ensure the Army is forewarned and forearmed.”
The Australian Intelligence Corps was formed on the recommendation of the first Chief of Intelligence, Lieutenant Colonel W.T Bridges, who went on to become Major General Bridges and was later fatally wounded in Gallipoli.
The AIC was officially founded on 6 December 1907 and Corps headquarters were located at Victoria Barracks in Melbourne, with sections established in each of the six states.
Although the Intelligence Corps was administratively disbanded in September 1914, many former corps members, including Generals William Bridges, John Monash, and James M’Cay, served in the AIF in World War I. And before the disbanding had taken effect, Captain Reginald Travers of the Intelligence Corps left the country with the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force where he fought with distinction in New Britain and accepted the surrender of several German establishments in the area.
The Australian Intelligence Corps was re-established in October 1939 and in the early stage of World War II came to prominence when Lieutenant Matthew Bigge was responsible for the recapture of a high-profile escaped German internee.
12 December, 2007
Fisheries Authority Hooks Risk Award
The Australian Fisheries Management Authority has been awarded first place in the Comcover Awards for Excellence in Risk Management 2007.
The Awards acknowledge Agencies that excel in risk management or have contributed to Government reform through the use of risk management.
They also promote the benefits of risk management in guiding the implementation of Government policy and achieving Agency outcomes.
AFMA has responsibility for ensuring the harvest from Commonwealth fisheries is ecologically and economically sustainable.
According to the Operations General Manager at AFMA, Paul Murphy managing compliance in Australia’s fisheries could be a difficult business, but the application of risk management principles had helped make them sustainable.
“We’ve developed a risk based structure to allocate resources to managing the risks associated with domestic non-compliance across all fisheries and specifically focusing on the ones with the highest risk,” Mr Murphy said.
“In simple terms, the project asks, ‘What is the risk to the fishery if people fail to comply?’
“If the answer is unacceptable to AFMA as the regulator, then we apply resourcs to mitigate that risk’,
He accepted the award on behalf of the many people in Government and the industry who worked on implementing the risk management application project.
12 December, 2007
Movember Charity Given Lip Service
Thousands of Public Servants, Defence staff and others embraced the men’s health initiative of Movember with a stiff upper lip, but few did so with as much gusto as the personnel at RAAF base, Richmond, NSW.
The initiative was informally supported by several groups at the base, including Air Lift Systems Project Office, maintainers from 33 Squadron, and members of the RAAF Base Richmond Officers’ Mess.
Leading the charge was highest ranking Officer on the base, Air Commodore Jack Plenty, who regrew his moustache after a 14-year absence.
Chief Movember organiser for the Officers’ Mess, Flight Lieutenant Andrew Miller, said, “This was our first year supporting the Movember charities, and with over $2000 raised before the end of the month, it has been a successful showing.”
About 30 members of the Mess each donated $5 for the honour of growing a moustache for the month.
“All of the boys approached Movember with great enthusiasm and maintained a strong incentive to keep their moustache growing, not only for their fellow ‘Mo Bros’, but also for the hefty fine against anyone who shaved off their moustache prematurely,” Flight Lieutenant Miller said.
More money was raised through the Officers’ Mess “Farewell Dining In Night” on November 16, along with a final “Movember Wrap Party” on November 29.
“Throughout the month, Mo Bros were also encouraged to collect a fine from anyone who criticised the quality or appearance of their moustache,” Flight Lieutenant Miller said.
“The pure shock value of the Mos, coupled with stagnant growth from several Mo Bros, ensured a plethora of criticisms from our peers and a steady flow of donations ensued.”
The men grew their moustaches to raise money for the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia, and depression group Beyond Blue.
12 December, 2007
Research Reigns at New Weather Centre
The Bureau of Meteorology and the CSIRO have joined forces to pool their research into weather and the climate by setting up a joint research centre.
The Centre for Australian Weather and Climate Research will provide a coordinated approach to the critically important areas of weather and climate research in Australia.
Weather and climate researchers from both organisations are to work side-by-side to unlock the mysteries of climate change and investigate the resulting challenges and opportunities. Staff will be located primarily in Melbourne, Canberra and Hobart, as well as Perth, Brisbane and Darwin
According to the Centre’s first Director, Dr Chris Mitchell, it is set to become an important centre of research excellence.
“Australia has been at the forefront of climate and weather research and the evolving science of Earth systems for many years,” Dr Mitchell said.
“The new joint approach provides a strong focus for climate research that will be absolutely critical for the future of Australia and the world.”
He said the Centre would combine the vast climate expertise of the Bureau and CSIRO and apply its science across a wide variety of areas beyond climate change such as ocean prediction, seasonal climate prediction, air quality, severe weather and water management.
He said researchers from the Centre would have access to new super-computing facilities and would develop an Australian Community Climate and Earth-System Simulator.
“These new facilities will provide weather and climate researchers with the opportunity to take a holistic approach to their research to better capture climate processes involving the ocean, carbon cycle, sea-ice, and cloud chemistry,” Dr Mitchell said.
The Centre’s researchers would also work with the UK Met Office’s high-powered computer-based weather and climate prediction program and adapt it to Australian conditions.
12 December, 2007
Camels No Burden At National Library
The National Library of Australia is to stage an exhibition of records that chronicle the contribution of Australia’s cameleers to the opening of the inland.
Pioneers of the Inland: Australia’s Muslim Cameleers 1860s-1930s tells the stories of the Muslim explorers and pioneers who unlocked the deserts, opening crucial lines of supply and communication between coastal and inland towns, remote settlements, mines and mission stations.
The travelling exhibition from the South Australian Museum has been co-curated by Anna Kenny and Dr Philip Jones and allows visitors to gain an appreciation – through photographs, camel saddles, historic clothing, textiles and original documents – of a distinctive and largely forgotten way of life. “Cameleers assisted all major expeditions into Australia’s uncharted interior, starting with the Burke and Wills expedition in 1860, and have contributed significantly to Australia’s economic and cultural development,” Dr Jones said.
“In the era of heroic exploration, the Muslim cameleers were rarely given adequate credit for their achievements. Expedition diaries confirm that several cameleers deserve the status of explorers.
“This exhibition brings together previously unrecognised and dispersed heritage objects and images, confirming the pioneering role of the cameleers throughout inland Australia.”
From 1870 to 1900, as many as 2,000 cameleers, known as “Afghans” in Australia, and 15,000 camels arrived from Afghanistan and northern India (today’s Pakistan), and a vast network of camel routes spread across the interior.
As well as carting goods and assisting with inland exploration, the cameleers also played an important role in the construction of the Overland Telegraph Line.
Many cameleers returned home after their work contracts ended but others stayed, establishing communities in outback towns. Some cameleers married European and Indigenous women, raising their children in the Islamic faith.
The exhibition also investigates relations between the cameleers and Europeans in Australia, and uses works of art and documents, including items from the Library’s collection, to chart the cameleers’ place in our collective memory.
It will be accompanied by a 192-page, fully illustrated book, published by Wakefield Press.
Pioneers of the Inland: Australia’s Muslim Cameleers 1860 –1930s, will run from 12 December 2007 to 17 February 2008 at the Library between 9am and 5pm daily and admission is free.
12 December, 2007
CASA’s English Is Anyone’s Language
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority is to adopt international language standards for Australian pilots and air traffic controllers in an attempt to improve communication in the air.
Proposed new rules issued by CASA set out English language proficiency standards and require holders of Australian flight crew licenses who fly internationally to obtain at least a level four English language proficiency.
Domestic pilots need not take any action.
To assist implementing the changes, CASA is to provide approved language assessors at, or close to, locations where pilots work or train.
The new language standards are proposed to take effect from March 2008 and include six levels of English proficiency, ranging from pre-elementary to expert.
It is proposed that all flight crew applying for a private pilots licence or above from 5 March 2008 will need to obtain at least a level four proficiency in English.
People applying for a student pilot licence would need to prove their general English proficiency under the proposed requirements.
The International Civil Aviation Organisation has directed all member nations to assess and certify that all flight crew and air traffic controllers are competent in radiotelephony communications by 5 March 2008.
CASA is supporting these international standards and is committed to making the changes as simple as possible for the aviation industry.
A notice of proposed rule making has been issued putting forward details of the changes and people in the aviation industry are being invited to provide comment.
12 December, 2007
Life’s a Beach For Customs Officers
Customs Officers are visiting coastal communities to encourage residents to report suspicious border activities.
The latest area to receive attention is Victoria’s 90-mile beach, where Officers have been patrolling between Port Albert and Loch Sport showing how to identify and report suspicious activity.
The visits took in Yarram, Sale, Woodside, Seaspray, Robertsons Beach, Manns Beach, McLoughlins Beach, Woodside Beach, McGaurans Beach, Golden Beach, Paradise Beach and Ocean Grange.
Local residents were being encouraged to help protect Australia by reporting suspicious border activities to the 24-hour Customs Hotline, 1800 06 1800.
Customs Hotline Coordinator for Victoria, Paul Smyth, said information provided by local communities and businesses around Australia had proven instrumental in the detection of a range of activities including the smuggling of weapons, drugs and wildlife.
“Communities know their area best and they know what looks or sounds suspicious on land, at sea, or in the air,” Mr Smyth said.
He said officers would be in the area to provide information on the type of activity that local residents should be on the lookout for.
He invited local people to come down and “have a chat” about what Customs did and how they could play a part in protecting Australia.
He said officers might also visit local yacht clubs and marinas to talk with small craft operators, charter boat companies and local fishermen.
12 December, 2007
Virginia Hickey has been appointed Chairman of the Council of the Telecommunications
Industry Ombudsman scheme.
Ms Hickey replaces former Communications Minister Tony Staley, who held the position for 11 years.
The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman is a free and independent dispute resolution service for consumers and small businesses experiencing problems with their
telecommunications or internet service provider.
12 December, 2007
ABC on desktops
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation has introduced a new desktop application for its radio and television programs.
ABC NOW allows users to access a broad range of ABC News, Radio, Television and Sport and is the first desktop application of its kind in Australia – and possibly the world.
It allows audiences to aggregate TV, Radio and News content within a single player downloaded to their desktop and can be downloaded at abc.net.au/now
FOI artform
The former Government has been criticised from within for its stance on Freedom of Information.
Former Liberal Party treasurer but now Chairman of Fairfax Media, Ron Walker said in Government, the Liberal/National Party Coalition had failed to live up to the spirit of the Freedom of Information laws.
"In the past 11 years of the previous Government they have made the suppression of public information an absolute art form,” Mr Walker said.
Gap year has gaps
The Australian Defence Force Gap Year Program still has a number of vacancies for school leavers between 17 and 24, but they will have to act fast to secure a spot.
While opportunities in the Navy and Air Force have been filled there are still some positions available in the Army, with a range of employment streams available from rifleman and gunners to clerical and logistics trades.
The ADF Gap Year Program aims to develop its participants by giving them an edge in terms of character, confidence and value to future employers, while providing unique lifestyle experiences not available to the general public.
More space for Music Board
The Music Board of the Australia Council for the Arts has launched its own MySpace page.
The Council encourages internet users to go to www.myspace.com/australiacouncilmusic and add that site to their friends list for updates on grants, projects and other initiatives from the Music Board.
21 million standing in it
Australia’s population reached a milestone 21 million during the June quarter 2007 fuelled by the highest population growth rate since 1989, according to figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
The increase of 315,700 people resulted in an estimated 1.5 per cent growth rate. Net overseas migration contributed to more than half (56 per cent or 177,600 people) of Australia’s growth, while natural increase contributed 44 per cent (272,900 births minus 134,800 deaths).
Reserve to talk
The Board of the Reserve Bank has announced that it intends to release a short statement each month explaining its decision on whether or not to change the cash rate.
A more detailed treatment of the Bank’s views on the economy and policy issues would continue to be provided through the quarterly Statement on Monetary Policy.
The Board’s decision is now to be announced shortly after the conclusion of the meeting, doing away with the traditional custom of waiting nearly 24 hours before making the decision public.
The Board is also to release the minutes of its monetary policy meeting each month, two weeks following the meeting.
Defence Treaty on-line
The text of the Treaty between Australia and the United States concerning Defence Trade Cooperation has been released by the Australian and US Governments.
The Treaty represents a significant step forward in defence cooperation with the United States and will provide substantial operational benefits to the Australian Defence Force through better access to US capability development and support.
The text of the Agreement can be accessed at www.defence.gov.au/publications.cfm
APRA overhauls reports
The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority has released new reporting standards and guidance for life insurers and friendly societies.
APRA has made its data collection more efficient by updating and streamlining the data specifications and improving the technology used to transfer the data to APRA.
Life companies and friendly societies were involved in the development of the new framework, and supported the move to a modern system that was more consistent with other APRA-regulated industries.
Coral study unlocks bleach key
A new paper co-authored by the Institute of Marine Science and published in the The American Naturalist, investigates the potential for corals to evolve greater resistance to bleaching.
The AIM study, carried out jointly with scientists from Queen’s University in Canada presents a new way of examining how coral reefs may respond to climate change.
The mutual relationship between corals and the algae that live within their tissues can break down in response to stress, leaving the white calcium carbonate skeleton of the coral visible and hence a bleached appearance.
In this new study, population genetic models were developed that explore factors that could affect the rate at which resistance to bleaching might evolve.
Boats called in
The Australian National Maritime Museum is inviting vessel registrations for the colourful Classic & Wooden Boat Festival in March next year.
With “restoration” as its central theme, the festival on the weekend of 8-9 March would offer live entertainment, maritime activities and demonstrations, and talks by maritime heritage experts.
By registering, owners have the opportunity to showcase their boats in front of thousands of interested visitors and boating enthusiasts.
Credit gone at finance manager
The Australian Office of Financial Management has issued new information memoranda for Treasury Notes and Treasury Bonds.
The new memoranda differ from those issued on 17 October 2006 in that they no longer include references to credit ratings.
4 December, 2007
Rudd Complexion For New Government Faces
Incoming Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, has announced the administrative arrangements for the new Government following the election of 24 November.
Mr Rudd said the main emphasis for the Government in its first term would be on education and created a super-Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations to be guided by Deputy Prime Minister, Julia Gillard.
Mr Rudd said the Department would drive the Government’s ‘Education Revolution’ as well as bring fairness and flexibility back into the workplace as well as dealing with the nation’s productivity and participation agenda.
He said the war on bureaucratic red tape had been stepped up with a new Department of Finance and Deregulation created under Lindsay Tanner, the first time, Australian businesses would benefit from a Cabinet Minister responsible for reducing regulations, “not just creating them.”
Mr Rudd said the important issue of global warming would be addressed by the creation of a Department of Climate Change under South Australian Senator Penny Wong who would be a member of Cabinet and Minister for Climate Change and Water.
Mr Rudd said the Department would be responsible for Australia’s international climate change negotiations and the establishment of the nation’s first national emissions trading scheme.
Environment, Heritage and The Arts would be amalgamated under Peter Garrett MP and the task of stepping up investment in infrastructure and broadband entrusted to Victorian Senator Stephen Conroy and NSW MP, Anthony Albanese. Mr Albanese has been appointed Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government and Senator Conroy, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy.
Mr Rudd announced that Senator Kim Carr would be Australia’s first ever Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, ensuring that Australian business had the support it needed to deliver an innovative future.
He announced that Chris Bowen MP would be Assistant Treasurer to Wayne Swan as well as Minister for Competition Policy and Consumer Affairs and Dr Craig Emerson would be Minister for Small Business, Independent Contractors and the Service Economy.
The Minister Assisting the Finance Minister on Deregulation would be Senator Nick Sherry who would also be Minister for Superannuation and Corporate Governance.
The Minister for Resources and Energy and Minister for Tourism would be Martin Ferguson MP and Brendan O’Connor would be Minister for Employment Participation.
Mr Rudd said Nicola Roxon would be Minister for Health and Ageing and Jenny Macklin Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. Tanya Plibersek is to be Minister for Housing and the Status of Women and Senator Joe Ludwig would become Minister for Human Services.
Defence and Foreign Affairs would be in the hands of Joel Fitzgibbon MP as Defence Minister and Stephen Smith as Minister for Foreign Affairs with Senator Chris Evans Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Robert McClelland Attorney-General and Bob Debus Minister for Home Affairs.
Alan Griffin is to be Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and Warren Snowdon Minister for Defence Science and Personnel.
Senator John Faulkner has been appointed Special Minister of State and to the new position of Cabinet Secretary.
Mr Rudd also announced that Justine Elliot would be Minister for Ageing and Kate Ellis the Minister for Youth and Sport and he named 12 Members and Senators as Parliamentary Secretaries: Maxine McKew, Greg Combet, Mike Kelly, Gary Gray, Bill Shorten, Bob McMullan, Duncan Kerr, Anthony Byrne, Senator Ursula Stephens, John Murphy, Laurie Ferguson and Senator Jan McLucas.
“During the election campaign I outlined our plans for Australia’s future - plans on education, climate change, the water crisis, the state of our hospitals, infrastructure bottlenecks and fair and flexible workplace laws,” Mr Rudd said.
“(This) team ….will deliver those plans.”
4 December, 2007
Freedom of Fees Is Vic FOI Reform
The State Government of Victoria has abolished application fees for Freedom of Information enquiries and ordered Departments and Agencies to place far more information on the internet for public access.
Premier, John Brumby, said new FOI laws in his State would put the “free” back into freedom of information.
Mr Brumby said under that under the changes, Victoria would be the only jurisdiction in the country to have abolished FoI application fees and that by providing more information on the internet, the Government hoped fewer people would need to use Freedom-of-Information avenues.
“The FoI Act was written long before the internet was a daily part of modern life,” Mr Brumby said.
“These reforms will bring Freedom-of-Information laws into the 21st Century and result in easier, cheaper access to a lot more information.”
Victorian Attorney-General, Rob Hulls said 10 Victorian Government Departments and the Victoria Police currently accepted FoI applications over the internet and the changes would add another 25 agencies, such as statutory authorities and hospitals.
Mr Hulls said under the new legislation Departments and Agencies would not only be required to publish certain information on the internet, they would also be required to keep it current.
He said the State’s $22 application fee would be abolished and Agencies would have the discretion to waive access charges of less than $11 that cover processing costs. He said however that Agencies would be given up to 30 days more to provide the information, enabling them more time to consult with other parties involved.
Mr Hulls said this was in line with recommendations from the Ombudsman.
In another move, Mr Hulls said Ministers would also open themselves to greater scrutiny because Conclusive Certificates, which were used by Governments to automatically exempt Cabinet documents from access under FoI, had been abolished except in cases of national security.
He said this meant independent umpires, such as Victoria’s Civil and Administrative Tribunal and the Courts, would decide whether documents could be released or not.
He said the Tribunal would also be able to declare an FoI applicant vexatious, and stop them from making further applications without specific permission.
“This will stop prisoners, for example, making questionable FoI requests for no apparent purpose other than whiling away their time in jail and abusing the FoI regime,” Mr Hulls said.
He said Victoria received over 20,000 FOI applications a year, 97 per cent of which were granted in full or part.
4 December, 2007
Auditor Performs For Performance Audits
Auditor-General, Ian McPhee has given a spirited defence of Performance Auditing during a panel discussion on the subject at a recent accountants’ congress in Canberra.
Mr McPhee said that while the more traditional financial audits and the newer performance audits differed in their reporting frameworks, the principles adopted to conduct the audits were the same.
Delivering the message that ‘performance audits provide a stimulus for better public administration’ Mr McPhee said the Australian National Audit Office had been conducting performance audits since 1978 when it staved off challenges from bodies like the (then) Public Service Board and Treasury to be given responsibility for the task.
He said the ANAO was favoured over those bodies because it was independent of Departments and was better placed to make comparisons and “generally to judge and report on performance.”
“The adoption of performance auditing in the public sector in Australia was one of the more significant new additions to the traditional auditing role,” Mr McPhee said.
“The other change we have seen within the profession has been the expansion of other assurance services to include sustainability reports.”
He said there had not been much demand for sustainability audits in the PS context but expected that to change as the focus on environmental and sustainability issues sharpened.
Mr McPhee pointed out that in a standard financial audit of documents and accounts, the auditor could refer to two statements of accounting concepts and 48 accounting standards
“For a performance audit, the (public sector) management framework or model is only broadly defined (and certainly not to the same extent as financial reporting frameworks).”
He said while Australian standards for financial audits were based on international standards, “There are no international standards which define management frameworks or relate directly to performance auditing.”
He said, in addition, that while a financial auditor was encouraged to discuss significant accounting policies and practices with the people he was auditing, a performance auditor was forbidden from commenting on the policies adopted by the executive Government.
“That said, performance audits can influence Governments to change policies, particularly those bearing on public administration, or to inform decisions in relation to budget allocations.”
Mr McPhee said the ANOA was now conducting 50 performance audits a year, the recommendations from which were overwhelmingly agreed to by the audited agencies.
“Performance audits are an accepted and important component of the landscape of public administration,” he concluded.
“They are a ready source of public information to aid the understanding of public administration, and, importantly, they provide a stimulus for agencies to improve their performance. “
4 December, 2007
Drought Bus Showered With PS Acclamation
Centrelink’s drought assistance bus project has won the Gold Award in the 2007 Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Public Sector Management.
Conducted by the Institute of Public Administration, and presented in Canberra, the Awards aim to encourage and recognise better practice and innovation in all levels of Government.
President of the ACT Division of the IPAA, Lisa Paul, said they were also designed to honour the achievements of public sector work groups, units and teams rather than individuals.
The bus project is a mobile service that takes staff from Government Agencies direct to farming communities, allowing farmers, who may find it hard to get into town, to learn about the range of drought assistance measures they might be eligible for.
The Prime Minister’s Silver Award went to the Department of Health and Ageing and Medicare Australia for their transformation of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme project
The Child Support Agency received a commendation in the Awards for its CSA Online project and the Northern Territory Department of Health and Community Services also recognized for its development of NT Renal Services through the Renal Clinical Reference Group and Renal Services Strategy 2005-2009.
There were 19 nominations from Commonwealth, State and Local Government organisations throughout Australia for the Awards this year.
The judging panel commented that the quality of nominations was very high and demonstrated some innovative and exciting projects across a wide spectrum of initiatives and change processes.
Ms Paul congratulated all winners and nominating organisations on behalf of the IPAA for the quality and innovation of their projects and for the teamwork required to bring them to fruition.
4 December, 2007
Army in Pink Over Female Major-General
Elizabeth Cosson has become the first woman promoted to Major-General in The Australian Army.
Major-General Cosson is head of National Operations with the Defence Support Group and to mark her promotion was presented with a ceremonial sword by the Chief of Army, Lieutenant-General Peter Leahy in Canberra recently.
Lt-Gen Leahy said Maj-Gen Cosson’s promotion was a first for the Army.
“More importantly and broadly, what we are seeing today is recognition of a fine career,” Lt-Gen Leahy was reported as saying in Army News.
“When I look at Liz’s career I see a woman who has applied herself very carefully, assiduously and with a great deal of passion for her profession.”
He said Maj-Gen Cosson was a fine example, not only for females in the Army but for every soldier.
“She has lived the life of the Army and has made sure that she has applied herself.”
He said in a small Army like Australia’s, high rank was not something people expected but really had to work for.
Maj-Gen Cosson said she was proud and honoured by her promotion.
“I am very passionate about DSG and the National Operations Division,” she said.
“I am very proud to be able to perform this roles as a Major-General.”
She also thanked her parents, including her father who is a retired Brigadier, as well as the Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal, Angus Houston for giving her the opportunity.
4 December, 2007
Sports Commission Picks Media Winners
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation was among the winners at the 2007 Australian Sports Commission Media Awards announced in Sydney recently.
The ABC won its award for the Best Profiling of an Athlete, Team or Coach by Broadcast Media following its Australian Story television program entitled Man of the Century which explored the relationship between Barry “Nugget” Rees and the Australian Cricket Team.
Australian Story also received a high commendation for its feature A Red Hot Go profiling V8 racing car driver Craig Lowndes.
Now in its sixth year, the ASC Media Awards focus on analytical, insightful reporting in the presentation of sport and sporting issues by journalists, broadcasters and photographers.
Journalist and sports presenter Mike Gibson was awarded the ASC’s Lifetime Achievement Award for his dedication and tireless contribution to sports journalism spanning more than 40 years. Gibson, who currently hosts Fox Sports sports wrap program, The Back Page is well-known for hosting the Nine Network’s Wide World of Sports program in the 1980s.
Inside Sport’s Robert Drane won the major award, Best Reporting of an Issue in Australian Sport, for his excellent story Goodbye Grassroots which explored the damage the ongoing drought is causing to Australia’s sporting fabric and future at the community level. Inside Sport writer Travis Cranley also won the Best Journalism on Community Sport category.
The Nine Network won the award for Best Contribution to the Coverage of Sport by an Organisation for their comprehensive and innovative coverage of the Ashes Test cricket series, highlighted by Nine’s broadcast of Australia’s thrilling win in the third Test in Adelaide.
Herald Sun photographer Michael Dodge won the award for Best Contribution to the Coverage of Sport by an Individual for his consistently excellent sports photography covering a number of events and individuals throughout the nomination period. Dodge also shared the award for Best Sports Photography for Dream Catchers with Sunday Herald Sun photographer Alex Coppel’s Tiwi Magpies.
The ASC says its Media Awards are Australia’s premier sports media awards. The only ones dedicated to recognising sports journalism, broadcasting and photography.
It says they attract a quality field of entries from sport and sport affairs journalists, broadcasters and photographers and also attract non-sports media such as news, current affairs and business media.
4 December, 2007
ASIO Takes Chance With Risk Managers
The Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation, ASIO, sees an ongoing role for itself in assisting corporate risk managers inform their Boards and management of the security risks they face as the worldwide security situation continues to be volatile.
Speaking to a meeting of the Risk Management Institution of Australia, ASIO chief, Paul O’Sullivan said while his organisation continued to be impressed by the proactive approach to risk mitigation within the Australian business community there were new issues to be dealt with.
“Australia has traditionally placed great weight on its continental geography as a formidable line of security,” Mr O’Sullivan said. “Yet, in a globalised world, more of our interests lie, or are affected by circumstances and events, offshore.”
Mr O’Sullivan said recent reports had shown that the globalisation of insecurity associated with the rise of militant, non-State actors, had brought the catalysts of new forms of extremism, formerly confined to overseas locations, to Australia’s own shores.
“ASIO’s mission is to identify and investigate threats to national security, both in Australia and overseas, and to provide advice to protect Australia, its people and its interests.”
He said while ASIO had principally provided advice to the Australian Government from its establishment in 1949 to the early 1990s, since the end of the Cold War, and with the rise of trans-national terrorism, there had been two striking changes to its work.
“First, while counter-espionage remains important, and we have boosted the resources devoted to this function, our major focus now is counter-terrorism,” he said.
“And second, given there are more people in more agencies dealing with the threat and implications of terrorism, we now work with, and provide advice to, a much broader range of clients - not only within Government, but also, significantly, within the private sector.”
Mr O’Sullivan cautioned the risk managers against complacency.
“Six years on from September 11, and five years on from the first Bali attack, there is a risk of ‘security fatigue’ - the risk that, as the memory of major terrorist attacks in New York, Washington, Bali, Madrid, and London recedes, we become complacent.”
He said such terror attacks presented significant challenges for risk management strategies, for Australia as a nation, for particular sectors of the economy, and for individual businesses.
“Risk management, as this audience well knows, involves identifying and assessing events that, should they occur, will impact on activities and objectives; and then assessing and ranking these events within an order of risk, from those with the greatest probability of occurrence and the highest potential cost, through to those with the lowest probability of occurrence and the lowest potential cost,” he said.
“Such an enterprise is never straightforward, and is not itself without risk.”
4 December, 2007
Income Survey Shows Canberra Is Capital
Residents of Canberra live longer and earn more than their fellow Australians according to a report issued recently by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
The report Australian Capital Territory in Focus, 2007, also found that ACT residents had fewer children, enjoyed the second highest labour force participation rate and were the most sporting in the nation.
It found that Canberra women had the lowest total fertility rate in the country at 1.65 births per woman in 2005, compared with 1.81 births per woman nationally and that the average Canberra life expectancy at birth was 79.9 years for boys compared to 78.5 years nationally and 84.0 years for girls (83.3 years nationally).
It reported that at 72.5 per cent, ACT residents had the second highest labour force participation rate of any State or Territory compared to 65.0 per cent nationally and just behind the Northern Territory, at 73.5 per cent.
Full-time employees in the ACT enjoyed the highest average weekly earnings in the country, a full $200 a week higher than their counterparts elsewhere - $1288 in trend terms in May 2007, compared with $1088 nationally and more than 88 per cent of employing businesses in the ACT had fewer than 20 staff on their payrolls and a full 14,200 businesses (59 per cent of the total of 24,000) did not employ anyone.
Canberra also suffered from the highest median weekly rent for three bedroom houses of any capital city ($330) during the December quarter 2006.
According to the report, nine out of 10 ACT residents aged 15 or over attended at least one cultural venue or event in 2005-06 - the highest attendance rates of the nation (90 per cent in the ACT compared to 85 per cent nationally) with going to the cinema the most favourite activity - 71 per cent attendance rate compared to 65 per cent nationally.
The Bureau also reported that 2006 year was the hottest on record for the ACT and was sunnier than usual, with an average of 8.5 hours of sunshine per day, compared with a long-term average of 7.6 hours.
4 December, 2007
Pension Position Pays Dividends
Deputy Chairman of the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority, Ross Jones, has been elected President of the International Organisation of Pension Supervisors.
He was elected to the honorary position for a term of three years at the recent IOPS 2007 annual general meeting in Beijing, China.
IOPS is an independent international body representing countries involved in the supervision of private pension/superannuation funds and was established in 2004.
It currently has around 50 member countries and territories worldwide
IOPS elected Mr Jones as its second President to guide it through a growth phase to codify and harmonise guidelines about the regulation and supervision of private pension/superannuation systems internationally.
Mr Jones said IOPS was embarking on a substantial program of work reflecting its role as the global organisation setting standards for pension/superannuation supervisory matters.
“IOPS has recently completed major work on licensing guidelines for pension/superannuation entities and is currently developing guidelines for supervision and examining a range of issues including pension fund investment in alternative assets, fund governance and costs and fees,” Mr Jones said .
He said his election followed considerable effort by APRA over recent years to successfully introduce a comprehensive licensing and supervision system for the Australian superannuation industry, apart from self managed funds, in order to provide better protection and oversight of fund members’ retirement savings.
“Election to this position is a reflection on the good work of APRA over the past three to four years and I look forward to continuing my work with IOPS to help develop good practices globally in the interests of protecting pensions’ beneficiaries worldwide,” Mr Jones said.
4 December, 2007
Park Users’ Survey No Picnic for NCA
The National Capital Authority is conducting an online survey to find out how people use and enjoy Commonwealth and Kings Parks in Canberra.
NCA director of major projects, Andrew Smith said the NCA had a lot of anecdotal evidence about how people used the parklands, but the survey would provide figures.
“The online survey will help evaluate parklands management and facilities as well as inform improvements to the park such as lighting, toilets and seating,” Mr Smith said.
“It has been some years since a comprehensive study of parkland visitors was undertaken and we have designed this online survey so that the NCA can better understand how people use and enjoy the parklands.”
Mr Smith said the NCA was consulting with the community on the RG Menzies Walk on the northern shore of Lake Burley Griffin.
“As we consider improvements to the parklands we would like to receive feedback from community as to how they use the parks, what improvements they would like to see and why they consider the parks important.”
Mr Smith said the NCA valued the community’s feedback and that the NCA looked forward to placing any proposed improvements to the parklands on display for public comment in 2008.
The survey was accessible to the public at www.parklands.nationalcapital.gov.au and forms part of the RG Menzies Walk consultation process.
4 December, 2007
Telstra Crosses Line On IR Agreements
The Community and Public Sector Union has accused telecommunications carrier Telstra of pressuring staff to sign long-term Workplace Agreements despite the likelihood that they will be overtaken by other industrial agreements following the change of Government.
In what the union described as a “cynical and renegade” move, it alleged Telstra management was pressuring staff on existing AWAs to sign new five-year contracts, regardless of how long their current agreement had to run.
According to the CPSU, Telstra was also urging staff to sign up immediately and forgo the usual seven day “cooling off” period.
CPSU National Secretary, Stephen Jones has advised Telstra staff to proceed with “extreme caution” with any new contracts.
“It is obvious Telstra is doing everything it can to lock in the Howard Government’s discredited work laws for as long as possible,” Mr Jones said.
“The union is providing technical analysis of the proposed AWAs for members, but we urging people not to be hasty in signing a new agreement.”
Mr Jones said signing a new AWA would meant staff would be locked out of the new collective agreement due to be negotiated with unions next year.
“Telstra’s cynical AWA push flies in the face of the strong, anti-WorkChoices sentiment expressed by the Australian community at the election,” he said.
“Voters have sent a clear and unmistakable message about workplace fairness to the Government. It is a message that big business would be unwise to ignore.”
Mr Jones said Telstra remained “hell-bent” on moving as many staff as possible onto WorkChoices agreements.
4 December, 2007
Customs Call Police For Joint Operation
A joint operation between the Australian Customs Service and NSW Police off the east coast has seen 26 vessels stopped and inspected for compliance with State and Federal laws.
Operation Sirius targeted all vessels in the Australian Exclusive Economic Zone within 200 nautical miles of the coast between Ballina and Tweed Heads in NSW.
Similar operations were carried out during Operation Baker in September 2006 and Operation Imagist in April 2007.
During the operation, merchant vessels, small craft and fishing boats were stopped and boarded at sea.
Operation Sirius involved the Customs Vessel, Roebuck Bay andPolice Launch Aler. A Coastwatch Dash 8 surveillance aircraft also provided assistance.
Customs’ Manager of Enforcement Operations, Peter Hughes, said Customs Officers had the power to board a range of vessels, whether Australian-registered or foreign-registered, under the Customs Act 1901.
“This operation highlights the commitment of law enforcement agencies to work together in investigating a broad range of illegal activity in Australian waters,” Mr Hughes said.
NSW Police Marine Area Command’s Inspector, Joe McNulty, said these operations strengthened the operational capacity of agencies involved in the policing and enforcement of Australia’s offshore maritime zones.
“The execution of the operation reinforced the effectiveness of the established relationship between the various agencies’ intelligence teams,” Inspector McNulty said.
The Police and Customs teams made three arrests for illegal firearms and the possession of prohibited drugs (cannabis). Numerous fishing breaches were detected and would be investigated by fisheries authorities.
Operation Sirius was coordinated by NSW Police Marine Area Command and supported by Customs, NSW Police Tweed Local Area Command, Australian Fisheries Management Authority, NSW Department of Primary Industries, Australian Federal Police, NSW Maritime Authority, QLD Water Police and QLD Fisheries.
4 December, 2007
Police Cast Net To Fight Cyber Crime
The Australian Federal Police has hosted an international forum on high-tech crime.
Delegates from six countries and several Australian agencies attended the gathering which was held in Canberra at the end of last month.
The forum was designed to promote open discussion aimed at preventing and resolving crime in the virtual world. It followed a decision by the AFP to create a new operational area focusing on emerging crime types and future technology.
Director of the Australian High Tech Crime Centre, James McCormack, said the AFP was working closely with industry, local and international law enforcement partners to counter illegal activity online.
“This colloquium is an important step in the ongoing process of ensuring a cooperative and comprehensive approach is taken towards identifying and combating crime trends,” Mr McCormack said.
“One recently identified area of concern is the way in which some criminals are beginning to specialise in particular aspects of online crime, such as money laundering, phishing and credit card fraud.”
Among the topics discussed was the way in which organised crime syndicates were using the internet to conduct their business, and the threats and opportunities presented by online social networking sites.
The two-day conference involved workshops for participants, as well as presentations from international organisations including Europol and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
4 December, 2007
RAN Adds Weight To Surfboat Marathon
The Royal Australian Navy is to sponsor the biannual George Bass Surfboat Marathon which is run along a 180km course from Batemans Bay to Eden on the south coast of NSW.
According to Captain Mark Hill from the Navy’s Personnel and Training unit, the event was a natural fit for Navy with its emphasis on teamwork, courage and challenge.
“It is also an ideal way in which we can raise awareness about the Navy, and build interest amongst young men and women about taking up a career with us,” Captain Hill said.
The marathon is a biannual event in which both male and female surfboat crews compete over a consecutive period of seven days.
President of the Support Surf Life Saving group, Bert Hunt, said the SSLS was excited and proud to have Navy on board for the event.
“This is very much a volunteer effort and involves thousands of people helping us stage the Marathon, but we couldn’t make it happen without our sponsors,” Mr Hunt said.
This year’s Marathon is due to start in Batemans Bay at 9am on 30 December 2007 and finish on 5 January 2008 in Eden.
4 December, 2007
Explosives Centre Goes Off Like Bomb
A new Research Centre to study explosives and other “energetic materials” is to be established in a partnership between the Defence Science and Technology Organisation and Flinders University.
The new Centre of Expertise in Energetic Materials will study the chemistry of energetic materials to support the Australian Defence Force with new and improved explosives, pyrotechnics and propellants and methods for their handling and safe storage.
DSTO’s Deputy Chief Defence Scientist (Information and Weapons Systems), Dr Warren Harch said the Organisation already conducted a great deal of research into explosives, but the collaboration with Flinders University would provide it and the ADF with additional capabilities.
“The Centre’s focus will be on defence and national security and will enable us to undertake further fundamental and specialised research with an emphasis on the chemistry of energetic materials,” Dr Harch said.
He said the venture brought together the energetic materials expertise and infrastructure of DSTO with the synthetic and characterisation capabilities of Flinders University.
“This research is not just about explosives, but all energetic materials including pyrotechnics such as those used in flares, and propellants used to fire weapons from small arms to artillery.”
He said the new Centre would have key focus areas including safety and environment, materials and properties, and detection and analysis. It would be based within Flinders University’s School of Chemistry, Physics and Earth Sciences and would provide opportunities for staff exchanges between the two organisations.
DSTO would sponsor the centre with $200,000 over three years and would also fund the university to undertake additional, focused research tasks.
4 December, 2007
AAO Astronomer Looks Into Universe’s Past
An astronomer from the Anglo-Australian Observatory at Siding Spring, NSW, was one of a team of international scientists who detected faint light from the earliest times of the Universe.
Dr Andy Bunker, the Head of Astronomy at the Observatory, said it was the first time that “building blocks” from age-old galaxies had been detected.
He said the “building blocks” were clouds of hydrogen gas that existed when the Universe was about 2.7 billion years old - a fifth of its present age. Until now, such clouds had been known only by the “shadows” they cast as they absorbed light from even more distant quasars.
“For the first time we can tell that there were stars in at least some of these gas clouds,” Dr Bunker said.
“And for the first time we can estimate the sizes of the clouds.”
The team of international astronomers described their work as the most sensitive observations ever made of the Universe.
Using the 8-m VLT telescopes of the European Southern Observatory in Chile, they repeatedly observed the same small patch of sky for a total of 92 hours.
They found 27 gas clouds, at a distance of 11 billion light years.
They said that because light took time to travel through the Universe, looking far out into space was the equivalent of looking back in time, and so the clouds existed about 11 billion years ago, or about 2.7 billion years after the Universe formed.
“The number of clouds we’ve found is in line with our theory of how galaxies form - small proto-galaxies merging over time to build up big ones,” Dr Bunker said.
“This discovery opens the door to finding large numbers of these building blocks and so being able to study in detail how galaxies like our own have come together.”
4 December, 2007
Shergold moving on
The Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Dr Peter Shergold, is to leave the position in the new year.
His contract expires in February and he has decided not to seek renewal.
Incoming Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd said Dr Shergold’s decision was “regretful” because he had been a very good Secretary of the Department.
A replacement has yet to be named.
Super statements online
ComSuper has announced that Annual Member Statements for the PSS superannuation scheme were now available for viewing online at www.pss.gov.au
Members are required to use their Access Number to view Statements.
ComSuper says members who have forgotten their Access numbers should contact https://member.comsuper.gov.au and if they don’t have one, call 1300 000 377.
Members requiring a manually calculated statement will have to wait until they have received a printed copy in the mail before viewing it online.
APRA updates standards
The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority has released a package of new and amended prudential standards, including actuarial standards, for life companies (including friendly societies) and standards on governance for authorised deposit-taking institutions and life insurers.
The changes will come into effect on 1 January 2008 and will increase APRA’s flexibility when dealing with the relevant issues.
Maritime author booked
The Australian National Maritime Museum is celebrating renowned novelist Joseph Conrad’s 150th birthday with a special display exploring his maritime links to Australia.
Conrad in Australia looks at his fascination with the sea and the magnificent clipper ships which traversed the oceans, and recounts his vivid impressions of Australian ports.
He visited Sydney four times in the decade from 1878, describing it as a “fair city” and “one of the finest, most beautiful, vast and safe bays the sun ever shone upon” in his memoir The Mirror of the Sea.
FaCSIA gets Smart
The Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs has added Smart to its panel of advertising agencies.
It is the first Federal Government appointment for Smart which has experience dealing with NSW Government programs.
Smart’s other clients include Jeans West, Food Works and ANZ’s One Direct. |
|