31 March, 2009

Official records file for early release

Government files and official records are to be released to the Public after 20 years instead of 30.
   Special Minister of State, Senator John Faulkner announced the proposed change at a Right to Know conference in Sydney, saying the Archives Act would be amended to facilitate it and other reforms.
   Senator Faulkner said however that any records with privacy or national security implications, or which contained other sensitive information, would continue to be withheld in line with exemptions under the Act.
   He said another change to be made to the Act would be a reduction in the time restriction on notes made at Cabinet meetings to allow Cabinet notebooks to be released after 30 years instead of the current 50. The notebooks contained handwritten notes of discussions and decisions made at Cabinet meetings.
   The new arrangements have been welcomed by the National Archives of Australia Advisory Council which said they would lead to increased accessibility to Government information.
   Chair of the Council, Paul Santamaria said the changes would bring “significant advantages” to all sections of the community, especially researchers and people interested in the workings of Government.
   “Government information is a national resource,” Mr Santamaria said, “and should be available to the Australian community in the interests of public participation in decision making.”
   “The National Archives Advisory Council has encouraged Government for many years to consider amendments to the Archives Act along (these) lines.”
   He noted that Senator Faulkner was a member of the Council for 12 years until 2008 and that increasing access to information was a key focus during his term.
   Mr Santamaria said the proposed changes would put Australia at the leading edge of a worldwide trend to increase access to information.
   Once introduced, the National Archives is expected to begin a 10-year accelerated access program with the first multi-year release planned for 1 January 2011.

31 March, 2009

New payments plan to cash in on technology

A Discussion Paper has been released on ways the Government can deliver payments to the community.
   Minister for Human Services, Senator Joe Ludwig, issued the paper saying the Government would welcome ideas and options for working with the Information Technology industry on reforms to the payment delivery system.
   He said the potential for reform had important implications.
   “My portfolio comprises about 35,000 Public Servants, co-coordinating more than seven billion transactions and making $100 billion in payments each year,” Senator Ludwig said.
   “More efficient ways to transfer Government payments to Australians will mean improved services for customers and a better spend for the taxpayer.”
   Senator Ludwig said the Paper would help identify opportunities where the industry could help Governments deliver better services to Australians.
   “The Government is looking forward to hearing about the options and working with industry,” he said.
   Senator Ludwig said the Paper built on the foundations laid out by the BasicsCard, a card which was introduced to build efficiency in income management.
   “The BasicsCard was introduced last September and is a magnetic stripe, PIN-protected card that operates across the EFTPOS network,” he said.
   “At present, more than 16,000 customers have been issued with a BasicsCard and more than $50 million spent on priority goods and services at over 800 approved stores.”
   Senator Ludwig has called for tenders within the IT industry for a new BasicsCard, for which contractual arrangements will expire mid 2010.
   He said the Government was exploring new point-of-sale solutions to support income management delivery.
   “Income management is a crucial element in ensuring welfare payments are spent in the interests of children,” he said.
   “The Government will incorporate the feedback received from BasicsCard customers into the development of the new solution.”
   The Department of Human Services is expected to approach the market through an open procurement process by the middle of this year, with pre-tender industry briefings being held next month to ensure all potential solutions are considered.
   Further information was available by contacting POSproject@humanservices.gov.au

31 March, 2009

Free information in FOI overhaul

Far-reaching reforms have been proposed to the Commonwealth’s Freedom of Information laws.
   Special Minister of State, Senator John Faulkner has released exposure drafts of two Bills he said would modernise the FOI Act and promote an entirely new system and a culture shift towards disclosure of Government information.
   Senator Faulkner said the planned changes represented the most significant overhaul of the Freedom of Information Act 1982 since its introduction.
   “These draft Bills form a cornerstone of the Government’s commitment to enhancing accountability and transparency in Government,” Senator Faulkner said.
   “The FOI Act has been fundamentally unchanged for 27 years.”
   He said the main features of the overhaul included the creation of two new statutory positions of Information Commissioner and FOI Commissioner which would be brought together with the Privacy Commissioner in a new Office of the Information Commissioner.
   He said it would be this Office that would promote the culture of pro-disclosure across Government.
   Senator Faulkner said the Information Commissioner would have the power to conduct merits-based reviews of FOI decisions by Agencies and to use alternative dispute resolution tools if needed.
   He said a new information publication scheme would also be introduced requiring
Agencies to proactively disclose more information to the public and the Information Commissioner would play a major role in assisting Agencies publish their holdings. The Commissioner would also monitor their compliance.
   “The bulk of this material will be published on-line,” Senator Faulkner said.
   “Information that is ‘public’ but only available to those with the time and resources to search it out is effectively sequestered, in practice if not in law.”
   He said the public sphere now included the internet “just as surely as it once included street-corner orators on soap-boxes.”
   In other planned changes, application fees would be done away with; charges for people seeking access to their own information would be abolished; the first hour of decision making time for all requests would be charge-free except for requests from not-for-profit organisations and journalists which would be free for the first five hours.
   Senator Faulkner said a single, clear pro-disclosure public interest test would be used to determine whether information could be released
   “Factors such as embarrassment to the Government, orcausing confusion and unnecessary debate, can no longer be relied on to withhold access to documents,” he said.
   He also said the FOI Act would be extended to cover documents held by service providers contracted to the Government.
   Senator Faulkner recognised that the changes would have implications for the Public Service.
   “FOI reforms are not universally supported by Public Servants,” he said.
   “I know that some in the Australian Public Service feel that FOI reforms may inhibit their ability to provide frank and fearless advice, but I believe that the tradition of frank and fearless advice is more robust than that.
   “I believe that our Public Servants will work professionally within the new FOI framework as they do within other accountability mechanisms.
   Senator Faulkner said the new Act would include an objects clause emphasising that information held by Government was a national resource and the aim of FOI was to give the Australian community access to that information.
   He invited comment on the exposure drafts from all sections of the community and said they could be made on the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet website www.pmc.gov.au by 15 May.
   Following public consultation, the Bills were expected to be introduced into Parliament later this year.

31 March, 2009

PS Commission takes stock of finance crisis

The Australian Public Service Commission has identified the global financial crisis as the most significant challenge for public sector agencies operating in an interconnected world.
   APS Commissioner Lynelle Briggs has told readers of the Commission’s SES Notes that a recently conducted “scan of our environment” had found the GCF to be the “overwhelming environmental factor” impacting on the broad political and policy landscape.
   “Recent upheavals in financial markets across the world provide a vivid example of the interconnected global context in which we must now operate,” Commissioner Briggs said.
   “In the interconnected world, Governments need to be able to work with their international counterparts to tackle issues that require global solutions, such as climate change, security threats and nuclear proliferation.”
   She said many responses would require mobilisation by citizens and organisations outside the government.
   “The key challenges are to work across country and organisational boundaries to implement Government agendas, and to be cognisant of increasing citizen demands upon Government.”
   “The APS was expected to be responsive to Government in a policy hothouse with higher workloads, reducing resources and shorter acceptable turnaround times.”
   Commissioner Briggs said that as the same time as global issues were looming, the new role being adopted by the Council of Australian Governments was leading to an increased reliance on COAG to progress national reforms and a need for collective whole-of-Government approaches.
   “There is no doubt that the pressures on the APS to perform efficiently and effectively will intensify even further,” she said.
   “In this environment we will need to work collaboratively, and grow leaders who are nimble, entrepreneurial, networked, and who are good at brokering deals across organisational boundaries and different sectors.”
   SES Notes can be accessed at the APSC website www.apsc.gov.au

31 March, 2009

Anti-arson plan forged by Forum

A national Action Plan to stamp out arson has been developed by a National Forum on the Reduction of Deliberate Bushfires in Australia.
   Convened by Commonwealth Attorney-General, Robert McClelland, the Forum was attended by more than 30 police, fire agency officers and arson specialists from around the country.
   It considered a range of measures to ensure the strongest possible deterrents were put in place to prevent and discourage arson.
   Forum representatives said the key to reducing and preventing bushfire arson was maximising cooperation between fire agencies, police, social services, the criminal justice system, and all levels of Government.
   The Forum committed itself to developing a National Action Plan on Arson, which included consideration of nationally consistent laws; national best practice arson prevention measures; establishing programs to target known arsonists; and law enforcement collaboration.
   Forum participants discussed updating nationally accredited training programs to include arson prevention strategies; incorporating arson fuel reduction strategies into State and Territory land management; community education; and developing a national website to facilitate information flows.
   Other initiatives to be progressed included a national framework for data collection on bushfire arson, nationally recognised training in investigatory techniques, research into the bushfire season and the development of evaluation tools to measure the success of public communication and education strategies.
   The outcomes of the Forum are to be discussed by the Australian Emergency Management Committee and the Ministerial Council on Police and Emergency Management in April.
   The Forum reported that up to 50 per cent of bushfires in Australia were deliberately lit, causing an estimated $1.6 billion in damages each year.

31 March, 2009

Tax Office cashes in on overdue debts

The Australian Taxation Office has agreed to a seven-year-limit on overdue tax debts following an investigation by the Commonwealth Ombudsman.
   The Ombudsman’s report Australian Tax Office: Re-raising written-off tax debts, looked into the ATO’s practice of resurrecting income tax debts that had been ‘written off’ many years earlier.
   The Ombudsman found that in some cases taxpayers were unaware they still had a collectable debt.
   “The term ‘write-off’ is confusing for taxpayers,” the Ombudsman, Professor John McMillan, said.
   “Unlike the commercial meaning of the term, it only reflects a decision not to pursue the debt for a period of time and can be reversed if and when the ATO considers that the person’s circumstances have changed.”
   He said his Office had received complaints that tax debts written off many years earlier had been resurrected.
   “In one case a person returned to part-time work after being on a disability pension for over 27 years,”he said, “and her income tax return yielded a credit of over $800 from income of about $6,000.
   “Instead of receiving this amount, her credit was offset against a tax debt she had incurred some 20 years earlier.”
   He said his investigation indicated there was scope for the ATO to improve its administration of resurrected debts as well as its notification to taxpayers and recordkeeping practices.
   “The quality of the ATO’s initial approach to management of debt cases and administration of write-off decisions is also relevant,” he said.
   “The ATO’s current approach to more actively manage debts earlier is a positive way to enhance the decision making.”
   The Ombudsman recommended a number of measures to keep taxpayers better informed of their tax debts and ensure more appropriate outcomes.
   “I acknowledge the ATO’s willingness to enhance its administration of debt re-raise policies and procedures and am pleased that the ATO has substantially accepted my recommendations,” Professor McMillan said.
   He said among its concessions, the ATO had agreed to change its procedures to provide taxpayers with more information about the source of the debt and the basis for it being re-raised.
   “The ATO has also said that debts written-off more than seven years ago will not generally be re-raised and that it will implement more structured guidelines to ensure that debt re-raise outcomes are appropriate to taxpayers’ individual circumstances,” he said.
   “The ATO also recognised the need to ensure that criteria for deciding to re-raise a debt are clearly related to whether it is economical, efficient, effective and ethical to do so.”
   The Ombudsman acknowledged that relatively few complaints were made against the ATO from about 2,700 written off cases each year.

31 March, 2009

Family benefits breed changes

Changes to the way the Family Tax Benefit can be claimed are to apply from1 July.
   Minister for Human Services, Senator Joe Ludwig said the benefit would no longer be able to be claimed through the Australian Taxation Office but would instead be delivered via the Family Assistance Office at Centrelink and Medicare Australia.
   Senator Ludwig said the changes, announced in the last Budget, would provide a more consistent and fairer approach to determining eligibility for family benefits.
   “The changes will have little impact on most families, who will still be able to claim FTB as a fortnightly payment or a lump sum payment through the Family Assistance Office,” Senator Ludwig said.
   He said Centrelink would send letters to customers who claimed the FTB through the ATO during the 2006/07 financial year to alert them of the changes.
   “Just seven per cent of all FTB claims are made through the Australian Taxation Office,” he said.
   “So these changes won’t affect the 1.7 million Australians who receive FTB as a fortnightly payment or as a lump sum payment through the Family Assistance Office.”
   He said families could lodge claims for FTB with the Family Assistance Office at all Centrelink Customer Service Centres or Medicare Australia offices.
   More information was available from www.familyassist.gov.au

31 March, 2009

Support for loans is life or debt issue

The Australian Government has announced it will guarantee borrowings by the States to help deal with the fall-out from the global financial crisis.
   Treasurer, Wayne Swan gave the commitment saying the guarantee would support jobs and protect vital infrastructure plans.
   Mr Swan said it would be time-limited.
   “This important measure recognises that pulling back on critical nation-building infrastructure investment now would mean ever slower growth and higher unemployment into the future,” he said.
   He said just as bond markets around the world had been impacted by the global recession, so had State Government bond markets.
   “This has threatened the capacity of State and Territory Governments to deliver critical infrastructure projects that will support jobs in the face of the global recession, as well as boost productivity and improve living standards in the medium and long-term,” Mr Swan said.
   He said the guarantee would be available for existing and new issues of securities but would not be extended to those issued in foreign currencies.
   “The guarantee will be available over a range of maturities.”
   He said the initiative would allow the States to structure their finance requirements to meet longer-term infrastructure plans and prevent crowding, which could occur if the maturity of eligible securities was limited to shorter term issues.
   “States will have the option to determine whether any eligible issuance is subject to the guarantee,” he said.
   “The guarantee also extends to the existing stock, should States choose to take up the guarantee for those securities.”
   A fee for the use of the guarantee will apply so that States with a AAA credit rating would pay a fee of 15 basis points for existing stock and 30 for new issues.
   States with a AA+ rating would have to pay a fee of 20 basis points for existing stock and 35 for new issues.
   “This approach will provide an appropriate set of incentives for those States which choose to use the guarantee,” Mr Swan said.
   “The guarantee fee needs to provide a balance between facilitating access to the market whilst also providing a disincentive to use the guarantee once market conditions have normalised.”
   Mr Swan said the fees would be reviewed on an ongoing basis and revised in necessary.
   He said a website would be established to display information on guaranteed securities and related scheme details while the Loan Council would provide an additional level of transparency by continuing to consider State borrowing requirements.
   “In particular, scrutiny via the Loan Council will ensure that the States have to account for their infrastructure spending,” Mr Swan said.
   “The Commonwealth views the likelihood of State default as remote and unquantifiable.
   “Nevertheless, should any payment be required under the guarantee it will be handled in a timely fashion.”

31 March, 2009

Interpreter report translates as change

The Commonwealth Ombudsman has found that interpreter services provided by Government Agencies were not always accessible, responsive or given in a fair manner.
   In his report Use of interpreters the Ombudsman, Professor John McMillan, examined interpreter services provided by the Australian Federal Police, Centrelink, the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations and the Department of Immigration and Citizenship and looked at whether they had clear and comprehensive policies in place to guide staff in the use of interpreters.
   “Centrelink’s policies generally align with best practice principles in the use of interpreters,” the Ombudsman concluded.
   “The AFP, DIAC and DEEWR need to improve their policies.”
   He said the Government’s aim was to provide accessible services for all citizens and there were times when people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds required an interpreter to ensure that aim was met.
   He said many Agencies used independent interpreters and multilingual staff to communicate with such people but there was a need for greater collaboration and coordination to develop joint strategies and solutions to address the challenges that providing timely, high quality interpreter services posed.
   He said the issues examined during the investigation included the provision of staff training, a community language scheme for multilingual staff, recordkeeping, complaint handling mechanisms and the way in which Agencies addressed the challenges of using interpreters.
   “This report is relevant to all Australian Government Agencies providing services to the public,” he said.
   “(It) sets out eight best practice principles against which Agencies can assess their own policies and procedures.
   These principles are:
   1. Policies should be in place;
   2. Access to services should be promoted;
   3. Services should be fair, accessible and responsive;
   4. Interpreters should be specified;
   5. Staff should be trained
   6. Good records should be kept;
   7. A complaint handling system should be in place; an
   8. Qualified interpreters should be promoted.
   The Ombudsman said the four Agencies included in the investigation responded positively to his findings with DIAC agreeing to take a lead role in encouraging interagency cooperation and updating a set of guidelines for use by all Agencies.
   He said the full report could be accessed at the Ombudsman’s website www.ombudsman.gov.au

31 March, 2009

Carbon storage is black & white issue

The approval of areas off Australia’s coast as potential greenhouse gas stores has been claimed as a world first.
   Minister for Resources and Energy, Martin Ferguson, announced the commercial release of the offshore areas, saying they would be explored and assessed for their potential to store the greenhouse gases.
   Mr Ferguson said 10 areas had been supported as having the best potential in terms of geological suitability and current industry needs by Geoscience Australia.
  “Geoscience Australia’s technical expertise will be made available to potential applicants through my Department's website (www.ret.gov.au) and meetings with interested parties,” Mr Ferguson said.
   He said the initiative would help reduce Australia’s carbon emissions and maintain economic growth.
   “Advancing storage technology and capacity is vital to the future of Australia's coal industry and to coal's future as part of the world's transition to cleaner energy pathways,” he said.
   “It is also important for the oil and gas industry and our energy intensive industries.”
   Mr Ferguson said many projects, such as Gorgon LNG in Western Australia, had the potential to create jobs, exports and long-term economic growth but that carbon capture and storage (CCS) was crucial to its success.
   “The release of 10 offshore areas for assessment of their commercially viable greenhouse gas storage formations provides industry with the opportunity to plan for CCS businesses in Australia as industrial CO2 streams become available for storage through the deployment of capture technologies over time,” he said.
   The areas released were located across five offshore basins adjacent to Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory.
   Mr Ferguson said the release complemented legislation for greenhouse gas storage implemented last year, Government investment in low emissions coal technology, and the establishment of the Global Carbon Capture and Storage Institute.
   “I am pleased to say the Institute now includes dozens of countries and companies around the world and I welcome the announcement this week that the United States will also participate in the Institute,” he said.
   Regulations and guidelines to support the new legislation are being developed and are expected to be finalised in the third quarter of 2009.

31 March, 2009

Child Agency dials up Helpline deal

The Child Support Agency has joined forces with the Kids Helpline to support children having trouble coping when their parents split up.
   General Manager of the CSA, Matt Miller said the arrangement coincided with Youth Week which was an ideal time to highlight the issues and feelings children might experience when their parents separated.
   Mr Miller said a new booklet, Family Separation – a guide for teens, offered advice for teenagers on how to cope with parental separation.
   “The guide helps teenagers to identify their rights and it contains a list of contacts that teens can approach for help,” he said.
   “We encourage those who feel they need support to ask for it and for them to reach out to friends and professionals if they need to.”
   Mr Miller said while more parents were working together for the benefit of their children, the initiative would encourage parents and children to seek help if they needed it
   “Independent research conducted by the Open Mind Research Group in August 2008 showed that only 17 per cent of receiving parents and 14 per cent of paying parents surveyed said they were extremely unlikely to be able to liaise with their ex-partner in a businesslike way,” he said.
   “This is significantly fewer compared to the previous wave of research conducted in early 2008 (37 per cent receiving parents and 31 per cent paying parents).”
   General Manager of Kids Helpline, Wendy Protheroe, said the most common reason children called the Helpline was to discuss family relationships, conflict and separation.
   “Last year we undertook almost 9,000 counselling sessions about family relationships and almost three-quarters of those related to frequent or major family conflict and family breakdown, separation or divorce,” Ms Protheroe said.
   “Many parents don’t realise that even minor conflict can be harmful for their children, so it’s important for families to be aware of the range of support services available.”
   Mr Miller said parents needed to put the wellbeing of the children first, and encouraged them to make use of available resources.
   “When parents separate, young people often say they feel isolated so it’s important that they know they’re not alone, and that there are people they can talk to,” he said.
   Mr Miller said the CSA was in the process of developing products specifically for children under 12 who were experiencing family separation
   He said the teen booklet was available from www.youth.csa.gov.au

31 March, 2009

High-flying racers cleared for take-off

A team of air traffic controllers from Airservices Australia were on hand and on duty over the past two weekends safeguarding the skies over Melbourne’s Formula One Grand Prix and Adelaide’s Clipsal 500 motor race.
   Portable air traffic control towers were installed at the races to ensure the safe operation of the aerial components of the events.
   The control tower at the Grand Prix was staffed by Airservices controllers from the Essendon and Moorabbin airport control towers while the tower at the Clipsal 500 was staffed by controllers from the Adelaide Airport control tower.
   The temporary towers managed hundreds of helicopter movements and high-speed flying displays by the RAAF Roulettes, an FA-18 Hornet, and Black Hawk and Sea Hawk helicopters.
   Between the two events, over 1,500 race-related aircraft movements were coordinated by Airservices staff.
   Airservices controllers were on duty at all times to ensure separation between the events’ aerial activities and regular services into Melbourne and Adelaide airports were maintained and regular passenger and cargo services were unaffected.
   Air traffic controllers coordinated with event managers in Race Control during the aerial components of the event to ensure flying displays ran smoothly.
   The services were a culmination of months of preparation and liaison between Airservices, race oganisers, emergency services and aviation representatives.

31 March, 2009

Aid Agency gets helping hand

Australia’s international aid effort has been bolstered by the signing of a partnership agreement between the Australian Government and the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID).
   ACFID is the peak body of non-profit international development agencies and the agreement recognises the important role both it and the Government sector play in international development activities.
   According to the Parliamentary Secretary for International Development, Bob McMullan, the agreement will better coordinate and maximise Australia’s efforts to reduce world poverty and suffering.
   Mr McMullan said the agreement committed the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) and ACFID to shared principles for providing development assistance in policy and program areas such as sustainability, gender, people with a disability, participation, good governance and the involvement of the Australian community.
   He said the agreement would support efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and build capacity in countries of key interest to Australia.
   “By working together, Australia’s efforts are stronger and we can work more strategically with the Governments and people of developing nations in our region, and with other donor countries,” Mr McMullan said.
   Parliamentary Secretary for Social Inclusion and the Voluntary Sector, Senator Ursula Stephens, said coordinating Australian Government Agencies and non-Government
organisations would increase the strength of the nation’s efforts in the region and at home.
   “The Government and non-Government sectors each bring to the partnership their individual strengths and expertise, enabling Australia’s efforts to be much more productive and sustainable,” Senator Stephens said.
   “There are lessons to learn from the development of this partnership agreement and its implementation as the Government develops a compact with the wider Australian non-profit sector.”
   She said the agreement outlined how the two sectors would work together to improve and strengthen their relationship.
   Mr McMullan said the Executive Director of ACFID, Paul O’Callaghan, had worked hard to develop the agreement before leaving the organisation to head up Reconciliation Australia.
   “We wish Paul well and look forward to welcoming the new head of ACFID,” he said.

31 March, 2009

Campaign embraces same sex couples

A campaign to inform same-sex couples about reforms that could impact on their Centrelink payments has been launched by the Minister for Human Services, Senator Joe Ludwig.
   Senator Ludwig said the Couples are Couples advertising campaign would help provide equal treatment for same-sex and opposite-sex couples.
   “Same-sex couples are entitled to be treated with dignity, just the same as any other Australian,” he said.
   “This reform brings with it both rights and responsibilities – this advertising campaign is about communicating that to people who might be affected.”
   Senator Ludwig said the changes would affect Commonwealth laws that previously denied same-sex couples and their children basic financial and work-related entitlements in areas such as superannuation, taxation, social security, health benefits and child support.
   He said the reforms would remove unfair discrimination from same-sex couples and their children.
   “Because this is the first time that Centrelink has been required to identify customers in same-sex relationships it is not possible to write directly to all those who may be affected,” Senator Ludwig said.
   “The advertising campaign will run in a wide variety of media to ensure maximum exposure.”
   He said the campaign would include mainstream newspapers, specialist gay and lesbian, Indigenous and multicultural media, online news sites and other publications.
   The changes to social security laws on same-sex couples take effect from 1 July, with couples able to disclose their relationship anytime from the 30th of March.
   Senator Ludwig reminded anyone in a de facto relationship who was receiving Centrelink or Family Assistance payments to declare their relationship to Centrelink, regardless of sexual orientation.
   “We want to reach as many people as possible, including those who aren’t currently Centrelink customers, but who may qualify for an entitlement as a result of the changes,” he said.
   The reforms will be a major theme in Centrelink Customer Service Centres throughout June.
   “Centrelink has carried out extensive research and consulted with community groups about the changes and the implementation,” Senator Ludwig said.
   “Community Information Kits have been sent out to advocacy groups and welfare and community organisations across the country.”

31 March, 2009

No-work option is working for a third

The Australian Bureau of Statistics has released a report revealing that one in three Australians over 15 years of age were not in the labour force in September 2008.
   The ABS report, Persons Not in the Labour Force, Australia, September 2008, found 61 per cent (3.3 million) of people without work were women, 30 per cent were 70 years and over and 15 per cent were between 15 and 24.
   Of those not in the labour force, 85 per cent (4.7 million people) either did not want to work, were unable to work or wanted to work but were not looking for employment and could not start within four weeks.
   Just 15 per cent (820,300) of people surveyed wanted to work, with 9 per cent looking for work.
   The report found that 91 per cent of that number who wanted to work were not actively looking for a job but were able to begin employment within four weeks.
   It found people who wanted to work tended to be in younger age groups, with over a quarter aged 15 to 24 and almost 20 per cent aged 25 to 34.
   Almost two out of three people who wanted to work were women, with 66 per cent of these preferring to work part-time.
   Women who wanted to work said their main duties when not in the labour force were home duties (36 per cent) and caring for children (23 per cent).
   Men said their main activities were ‘attending an educational institution (38 per cent) or 'retired or voluntarily inactive' (14 per cent).
   73,900 people who wanted to work said they had been discouraged from seeking employment.
   Sixty-six per cent were 55 and over, 53 per cent were women, and 49 per cent said they were considered too old by employers.

31 March, 2009

No arguments about disputes paper

An issues paper promoting the use of non-Court methods for resolving disputes has been released by the National Alternative Dispute Resolution Advisory Council (NADRAC).
   Attorney General, Robert McClelland, welcomed the paper entitled Alternative Dispute Resolution in the Civil Justice System, saying it would provide incentive to use Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).
   Mr McClelland said the paper was an important step towards removing barriers to the use of ADR rather than the Courts, before and after the commencement of civil proceedings.
   “Access to justice is a critical issue and ADR is a key mechanism to deliver just that,” he said.
   “The legal system must be able to provide a framework that allows people to resolve their legal disputes in a simple, fair and cost-effective manner.”
   Mr McClelland said the paper examined how to increase public awareness of ADR; changes to civil procedure, costs and fees to provide greater incentives to use ADR; mandating ADR prior to litigation; improving assessment and referral services; and using ADR techniques to improve Court and tribunal hearings.
   Mr McClelland encouraged the public to comment on the issues raised by the paper, including the use of ADR by the Government and its Agencies.
   He said comments on improving data collection and research, professional education and training and standard setting for ADR services would also be welcomed.
   Further information and a copy of the paper were available from www.nadrac.gov.au
   Submissions closed 15 May, with NADRAC due to report back to Mr McClelland by 30 September 2009.

31 March, 2009
Fair Pay in comment case
The Australian Fair Pay Commission has responded to media reports that it was planning to cancel the 2009 Minimum Wage Review, currently in progress.
   The Commission denied the reports saying a number of issues had been raised with it by stakeholders, including the new minimum wage-setting arrangements under Fair Work Australia and the separate process of Award Modernisation being undertaken by the Australian Industrial Relations Commission.
   “Consistent with past practice, the Commission sought the views of all stakeholders on these and other matters, to ensure the full range of views was canvassed and all parties had the opportunity to comment.”
   It said it would announce its decision in July.

Dividend fails in the West
The Western Australian Government has announced that its 3% efficiency dividend has failed to generate the savings it had hoped.
   State Treasurer, Troy Buswell said a number of Government Agencies had been unable to deliver the cuts and the Budget would be affected as a result.
   He said it was “pointless” of the Government to plan on achieving the savings if they couldn’t be achieved.
   PS unionists said it was unwise to cut public sector jobs to fund election promises.

Air Force celebrates 88
The Royal Australian Air Force has celebrated its 88th birthday, making it the second oldest Air force in the world.
   Two celebratory events were held in Canberra.
   The RAAF Ensign was raised at Regatta Point to represent a bond of service, while a commemorative service, which included a flypast of two F/A-18 Hornet fighters, was held at the RAAF Memorial Grove on the Federal Highway.

Stimulus headed for bank
The average Australian is likely to use $783 of the coming stimulus package payment to pay off debt according to researchers from the Australian Centre for Retail Studies.
   A survey conducted by the non-Government body found that half the recipients intended using all the payment on debt while a third said they would put it on the bank and save it.
   The researchers expected 46% of the full package to find its way into the retail sector over time.

Stamps mark Post Office’s 200th
Australia Post has released 10 new stamps to celebrate 200 years of postal services in Australia.
   The stamps highlight the contribution Australia Post has made to the lives of Australians since it was established in 1809.
   The stamps, designed by Lynette Traynor of the Australia Post Design Studio, feature key historic moments such as the appointment of Australia’s first postmaster, photographs of early regional post offices, early air mail services and the importance of the postie.

Housework stats
The Australian Bureau of Statistics has released figures showing while Australians were more likely to live in de facto relationships, women still did most of the housework.
   The ABS said in 2006 women did two-thirds of the housework while men did two-thirds of paid work.
   While men are doing more household work than in the past, in 2006 women still did nearly twice as much as men.
   Further information was available from http://www.abs.gov.au

Intellectual reforms proposed
Comments have been invited on proposed reforms to Australia's intellectual property system.
   Designed to help Australian inventors take their bright ideas to the world and to encourage foreign investors to bring their new technology to Australia, the reforms reduce barriers for researchers and inventors, allow patent claims to be resolved faster and strengthen penalties for counterfeiting and other serious forms of trade mark infringement.
   Information on providing submissions along with the released reform proposals can be found on IP Australia’s website at www.ipaustralia.gov.au

Hospital transition plan
The Government’s Transition Care Plan helped over 10,000 older Australians regain their independence after a hospital stay during the 2007/08 financial year.
   Minister for Ageing, Justine Elliot, announced 470 additional transition care places would be available from 1 July 2009.
   Research from the Department of Health and Ageing found 78 per cent of transition care participants improved or maintained their level of functioning and almost half were able to return to the community.

Kirby Cup taking acceptors
The Australian Law Reform Commission and the Australian Law Students’ Association have called on law students to register for the 2009 Kirby Cup.
   The 2009 Kirby Cup, one of Australia’s most prestigious law reform competitions, will focus on animal rights, with teams asked to consider key issues raised in Federal regulatory framework.
   Registrations close 10 April 2009, with further information available from www.alrc.gov.au

24 March, 2009

PS gets red card for green management

Australian Government Agencies have a long way to go if they are to show leadership in environmentally sustainable procurement practices according to the Australian Auditor-General.
   Following an audit of 63 APS Agencies, the Auditor-General reported that while some Agencies had made some progress, “the Australian Government public sector has considerable work to do.”
   In his audit report Green Office Procurement and Sustainable Office Management, the Auditor found there had been some improvements since 2005 when he investigated the same issues.
   “As was the case in 2005, there is a wide disparity of performance across agencies from very poor to better practice,” the Auditor-General said.
   “Measuring performance in waste management and water conservation is also still problematic because of the lack of consistency in measurement and gaps in performance information.”
   He said the absence of a comprehensive sustainability framework, which was recommended in his 2005 report, was constraining progress and while some departments and agencies had introduced environmental management systems, they were not of a particularly high standard.
   “The design and quality of the majority of environmental management systems could be significantly improved,” he said, “particularly in the application of measurable targets.”
   He said despite the progress made in some areas, the Government and APS had yet to achieve their goal of being at the forefront of sustainable procurement practice.
   “Many of the issues raised in the 2005 audit remain unresolved and many of the recommendations have yet to be fully implemented,” he said.
   “More action is required from agencies if leadership is to be demonstrated in energy efficiency, water conservation and waste management.”
   He said energy efficiency was particularly important since energy use accounted for over 95 per cent of greenhouse emissions from Australian Government agencies.
   He said there was considerable scope to reduce the ‘ecological footprint’ of the Government’s operations but it would require stronger leadership than was evident at the moment.
   “Positive results will not be achieved without a stronger effort from all Australian Government agencies that builds on the success of those agencies that have already integrated sustainable practices into their business operations,” he said.
   He called on individual agencies to develop their own integrated sustainability frameworks that identified improvement opportunities.
   “The automated shutdown of monitors and computers when not in use will provide immediate energy and cost reductions,” the Auditor said.
   “Setting printers to print double-sided as a default and reducing the weight of paper used for external publications will also offer immediate savings.”
   He said while there would be a cost for implementing energy saving initiatives, the resultant savings would be ongoing and increase over time as energy costs increased.
   He said his audit report contained examples and practical initiatives for agencies to consider. It can be be downloaded from www.anao.gov.au

24 March, 2009

Air quality issues find second wind

A second air contamination scare relating to accommodation is facing staff of the Northern Territory Intervention
   The latest scare follows the major evacuation of staff last year when formaldehyde and other chemicals were found in shipping containers the Intervention staff were calling their temporary homes.
   Now, Intervention staff in 10 remote communities have again been evacuated following air quality tests that revealed more problems with formaldehyde in 48 of the demountables installed to replace the containers.
   Officials attached to the Intervention said the problem related to bench tops but staff would not be allowed back into the houses until it was fixed.
   Lisa Newman from the Community and Public Sector Union said staff deserved an explanation, particularly in light of last year’s events.
   "It really raises serious issues about the risk assessment,” Ms Newman said.
   "We'll be seeking information from the Department on exactly what the impact of this is on staff as a matter of urgency."
   The Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs said the wellbeing, health and safety of its staff were paramount.
   In a statement it said concerns were first raised about the complexes in just two areas, Robinson River and Galiwinku.
   "FaHCSIA acted as soon as concerns were raised," the Department’s statement said.
   “We immediately relocated ... staff in the two identified communities to alternative accommodation in the communities and started testing the air quality of the demountables.
   "Assessments carried out across all other new demountables indicated concerns in.... other communities."
   Minister for FaHCSIA, Jenny Macklin said the housing was checked for safety before the latest scare emerged but any staff who were concerned had been moved out of the accommodation and offered health checks.
   “The Department does advise me that before these demountables were purchased, proper testing was done," Ms Macklin said.
   "When the demountables were brought to the Northern Territory, occupational health and safety testing was done."
   The CPSU’s Lisa Newman said she was amazed that the Intervention staff were facing another air quality issue.

24 March, 2009

Red tape report is neat package

The Productivity Commission has issued its second report on reducing the burden of bureaucratic regulation and red tape on Australian business, this time covering the manufacturing sector and distributive trades.
The Commission’s Annual Review of Regulatory Burdens on Business: Manufacturing and Distributive Trades was presented to the Government in September last year and made 23 recommendations. The Government has accepted 19, noted two and rejected two.
   According to the Minister for Finance and Deregulation, Lindsay Tanner, action was already being taken on 16 of the recommendations with three to be acted on in the future.
   He said the PC reviews were designed to ensure that all Commonwealth Government regulations were efficient and effective and to recommend reforms which could offer net benefits to business and the community without compromising underlying policy goals.
   “The Government’s response to the Productivity Commission report not only sets out the action that will be taken, but also highlights initiatives that this Government has already undertaken,” Mr Tanner said.
   “The Government is committed to reducing the level of unnecessary or poorly designed regulation, while ensuring that appropriate and responsible protections are in place.”
   He said the annual PC reviews, which began in 2007, helped the Government identify opportunities to address unnecessary red tape in specific sectors of the economy, improve productivity and support jobs and future living standards.
   Mr Tanner said an example of the work being undertaken as a result of the report was the Review of Health Technology Assessment (HTA) processes which was jointly announced with the Minister for Health and Ageing, Nicola Roxon in December.
   “The HTA Review will consider ways of streamlining, improving timeliness and better coordinating arrangements for approving new health technology, to support innovation without compromising consumer safety,” he said.
   “The Government is also working through the Council of Australian Governments to address issues such as improving food standards and food labelling regulations and ensuring the cost of chemicals assessments are commensurate with the risks posed by those chemicals.”
   Another result of the report was a joint exercise between the Australian Taxation Office and Australian Customs and Border Protection Service to develop options to reduce administrative duplication in the collection of excise revenues.
   Recommendations of the report that were not supported by the Government included a proposal that the Australian Building Codes Board determine whether compliance programs on structural plywood were effective and one that would allow businesses to report and pay excise and customs duties on a monthly basis.
   The first was rejected because it was a State and Territory responsibility and the second because similar measures to reduce business compliance costs had already been announced.
   The full text of the Government’s response to the report could be accessed at www.finance.gov.au

24 March, 2009

Attorney buys into purchasing policy

The procurement of legal services by APS Departments and Agencies is to be reviewed following a spike in expenditure in the 2007-08 financial year.
   Attorney-General, Robert McClelland announced the move, describing the jump in payments as “significant” and that more needed to be done to control it.
   Mr McClelland said the total expenditure of Agencies regulated by the Financial Management and Accountability (FMA) Act 1997 increased by around 25 per cent, from $408 million in 2006-07 to $510 million in 2007-08.
   He said 55 per cent of the increase was due to the inclusion of new Agencies which had not previously reported their expenditure under the Act.
   “Even after accounting for the inclusion of new Agencies reporting their expenditure for the first time, it is clear that we need to do more to control the legal expenses of Commonwealth Agencies,” Mr McClelland said.
“This review will look at the existing arrangements for the procurement of legal services and provide advice on how the Commonwealth can most efficiently purchase legal services to deliver value for money for taxpayers.”
   He said the review would also look at how the Commonwealth could utilise in-house legal services more effectively.
   The review is to be conducted by former Clayton Utz partner, Sibylle Krieger and former senior Public Servant, Tony Blunn.
   It is expected to be completed for consideration by Mr McClelland by the end of October this year.
   Mr McClelland said until recently, comparable legal expenditure data was not available as Agencies had not been required to report on it in a standard form.
   He said the Government had introduced reforms on mandatory reporting of legal expenditure following the receipt of 2006-07 figures.
   He said the reforms aimed to improve transparency; implement common tender arrangements for service procurement; increase competition; and emphasise the use of dispute resolution services other than the Courts.
   He said as the reforms were introduced from June 2008 they were not in place during the 2007-08 financial year.

24 March, 2009

Best employers are ladies’ choice

The Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency (EOWA) has issued its 2009 list of “Employer of Choice for Women” workplaces.
   According to the Minister for the Status of Women, Tanya Plibersek, the 111 organisations on the list had workplaces that encouraged women to contribute to their full potential.
   “These 111 organisations recognise the challenges women face in the workplace and are responding,” Ms Plibersek said.
   “I hope that Employer of Choice for Women organisations will inspire and encourage other businesses to promote diversity and create female-friendly conditions.”
   She said addressing inequities in the workplace wasn’t just the right thing to do - it also made business sense.
   Ms Plibersek said Australia had made advancements towards women and men sharing life at work and home better but women still faced challenges in being fully valued in the workplace.
   “Significant improvements in gender equality require a shift in attitude from the entire community, including businesses, and that’s why these awards are so important,” Ms Plibersek said.
   She said the Government was pursuing three key priority areas for advancing gender equality:

improving women's economic outcomes and financial independence;
ensuring women’s voices are heard at all levels of decision-making; and,
reducing violence against women.

   Australia’s accession to the United Nations Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) came into effect two weeks ago.
   Ms Plibersek said the Government had a comprehensive agenda for women that attempted to address the challenges working women grappled with every day.
   She said a full list of the Employer of Choice organisations could be accessed at www.eowa.gov.au

24 March, 2009

Report says bullies don’t beef enough

A recent survey of workplaces has found a majority of people bullied and sexually harassed at work did not report the incidents because they feared ruining their career.
   Of 788 respondents surveyed by recruitment company CareerOne, 62 per cent had been bullied and 29 per cent had been sexually harassed but most of the respondents who had been bullied (59 per cent) or sexually harassed (74 per cent) didn’t report the incident.
   CareerOne spokeswoman Kate Southam said workers could find themselves more vulnerable in this cost cutting climate.
   “In the current climate where thousands of jobs are being slashed, employers have more power and workers suffering poor conditions such as bullying fear losing their job if they complain,” Ms Southam said.
   “Redundancies also create greater workloads for those left behind adding to the stress already caused by the challenging economic conditions.
   “Poorly trained managers who can’t cope can resort to bullying.”
   The survey, conducted in partnership with research company CoreData, also found

37 per cent of people sexually harassed at work were women compared to the 19 per cent men;
Most (77 per cent) of those sexually harassed at work were harassed by more senior staff;
Of the respondents who reported being bullied, 64 per cent were female and 60 per cent male; and
Most of them (74 per cent) said they were bullied by a more senior person.

   Ms Southam said employers who turned a blind eye to bad behaviour at work were failing to realise how much bullying and sexual harassment was costing them in lost productivity and staff loyalty.
   “Not only is the target of the bullying and/or harassment focused on what is going on instead of on their work, so is the perpetrator and their respective support groups,” she said.
   “Bullying also silences people so employers are only hearing one set of ideas – and they may not be the best ones.”
   She said such employers risked litigation and damaging their reputation with potential future employees and clients.
   “Tolerating bullying and harassment is just bad business practice,” she said.
   The organisation, Beyond Bullying, defines workplace bullying s repeated unreasonable behaviour where there is some kind of power imbalance between the individuals involved.
   It said bullying behaviours included name calling, public humiliation, deliberately leaving someone out of a communication loop such as an email list, assigning someone meaningless tasks, stealing ideas, taking credit for another person’s work and spreading rumours.

24 March, 2009

Sports Institute goes for brains

The Australian Institute of Sport has called on Australia’s university academics to help athletes win gold at future international sporting competitions.
   The AIS has invited academics from a range of disciplines to register their sports science research projects with it.
   Director of the AIS, Professor Peter Fricker said the universities that registered their projects would help link academics, coaches and athletes with similar interests, and allow them to work together to overcome practical sporting problems.
   “With an eye on the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, we want to show our competitors that we are still at the pinnacle of world sport,” Professor Fricker said.
   “The cooperative nature of this project offers academics the chance to roll up their sleeves and work alongside athletes, coaches and fellow researchers.”
   “They will be able to share knowledge they would otherwise have been unaware of, and pool their expertise to find the next breakthrough for Australian sport.”
   Professor Fricker said the call was not limited to the “usual suspects” in sports science research and encouraged academics from mathematics, computer science, engineering and industrial design, as well as human movement and exercise science departments to register.
   He said the AIS was no stranger to successful partnerships as it was currently working with the CSIRO, National Information and Communication Technology Australia and the Defence Science and Technology Organisation.
   He said it had also worked with RMIT in Melbourne - a collaboration that led to the development of the much celebrated Superbike whose aerodynamic and lightweight frame helped Australian cyclists win three Commonwealth Games gold medals, five world championships and two Olympic bronze medals in the 1990s.
   Professor Fricker said the academics could register their projects at www.ausport.gov.au/ais/innovation

24 March, 2009

Support for charities begins at home

A commitment to slashing bureaucratic red tape for the charities and non-profit sector has emerged from the Council of Australian Governments’ Business Regulation and Competition Working Group meeting in Melbourne recently.
   The Commonwealth has thrown its weight behind the multi-billion dollar sector which it says provides valuable community services for those in need.
   A Senate Inquiry has found that overlapping and inconsistent regulation of the sector created an unnecessary compliance burden as well as hindered efforts to increase its transparency and accountability.
   The senate found the sector is subject to 178 State and Federal statutes and reports to 19 Government entities and 74 other Agencies.
   Parliamentary Secretary for the Voluntary Sector, Senator Ursula Stephens, attended the first BRCWG meeting for 2009 to discuss reform options with the States and Territories. This latest push to slash red tape in the non-profit sector follows a meeting between 40 non-profit groups and Senator Stephens last December.
   Senator Stephens said the current inefficient and unproductive arrangements put extra pressure on charities and other non-profit organisations that were wasting valuable resources on dealing with cumbersome red tape.
   “For example, when a charity wishes to pursue a fundraising drive across Australia, it is required to comply with six fundraising laws, including seeking a licence from six different Ministers or regulators,” Senator Stephens said.
   Minister for Finance and Deregulation Lindsay Tanner, who co-chaired the meeting with the Minister for the Service Economy, Dr Craig Emerson, said he was very pleased to learn the States and Territories had already been thinking and acting on reducing red tape in the non-profit sector.
   “Today’s agreement means that we are all moving in the same direction,” Mr Tanner said.
   “As a nation we’ve got a national economy that is under enormous pressure at the moment from the effects of the global recession.”
   “Productivity is the key to long-term sustainable growth. This makes the wider task of deregulation even more important now. Good regulation is also central to what I’d call social productivity.”
   Senator Stephens said the BRCWG would also look at further reform opportunities following completion of current reviews in the sector.

24 March, 2009

Tax packs facts into stats tract

The Australian Taxation Office has released the latest edition of its taxation statistics covering the year 2006-07.
   Commissioner for Taxation, Michael D’Ascenzo said Taxation Statistics 2006-07, was the Tax Office’s most comprehensive statistical publication and the latest edition provided even more detailed information about Australia’s tax, superannuation and excise systems.
   Mr D’Ascenzo said the statistics provided a “high level of transparency” regarding the operation of tax, super and excise laws.
   “This year taxation statistics has been further improved to include new chapters on the cost of compliance, pay as you go withholding as well as more detailed HELP/HECS tables,” he said.
   Mr D’Ascenzo said taxation statistics was developed in consultation with the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the Department of Treasury and academic and professional bodies.
   He said 11.8 million people lodged income tax returns during the 2006-07 financial year, resulting in $34.1 billion in total deductions.
   He said individuals claimed a total of $14.2 billion in work-related expenses, an increase of 8.4 per cent on the previous year’s $13.1 million.
   “Around 72 per cent of individuals lodged their tax return via a tax agent, however the number of people lodging their tax return via e-tax, increased to around 15.8 per cent in 2007,” he said.
   Mr D’Ascenzo said companies reported a total income of $2,044 billion, a 13.4 per cent increase from 2005-06.
   Companies with a total income of $250 million or more represented 0.1 per cent of the total number of companies but accounted for 60.3 per cent of total company net tax.
   Mr D’Ascenzo said self managed super funds remained the most common kind of fund, making up 97.8 per cent of all superannuation funds.
   He said the publication also included information about the release of a one per cent individual sample file for 2005-06 and 2006-07 that could be used for research and modeling purposes.
   The publication was available at www.ato.gov.au

24 March, 2009

Poster gives notice for Anzac Day

The 2009 Anzac Day ceremonies are to be commemorated with a souvenir poster, depicting Australian efforts to restore peace to East Timor.
   Unveiled by the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Alan Griffin, the poster features an image of Australian soldiers patrolling in the streets of Dili, taken on 2 October 1999.
   One of the soldiers featured in the poster, former Private Paul Everett, was with Mr Griffin at the unveiling at the Australian War Memorial.
   “This year marks 10 years since Australia led the INTERFET operation in East Timor - restoring peace to a territory torn apart by political violence,” Mr Griffin said.
   “East Timor was a milestone in Australia’s military history. It is there that the work of people like Paul Everett made a real difference to the lives of our near neighbours.”
   Mr Griffin said he was pleased the poster would draw attention to the service of Australia’s younger veterans.
   “These young Australians may not yet see themselves as veterans, but with more than 25,000 troops having deployed overseas since 1999, the number of younger veterans is growing,” Mr Griffin said.
   “It is clear that our proud Anzac traditions are in good hands.”
   Mr Griffin also noted the 93rd anniversary since the first Anzacs arrived on the Western Front from Gallipoli.
   This year the Government would again hold an official Anzac Day Dawn Service on the Western Front. This now annual service would join those also organised in Gallipoli, Hellfire Pass, Sandakan and Isurava.
   “I encourage all Australians to attend a local Anzac Day service or march. If they are travelling abroad, I ask them to consider attending a service in the country they are visiting,” Mr Griffin said.
   He said more than 85,000 copies of the poster would be distributed around Australia and overseas.
   For information about Anzac Day services in Australia and overseas, or to download a copy of the poster, visit www.dva.gov.au

24 March, 2009

Interest shown in bank regulator

The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority has been invited to join the world’s peak organisation for setting global standards for regulating the banking industry.
   The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision has asked the Chairman of APRA and the Governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia to join an enlarged governance body.
   The core mandate of the Basel Committee is to strengthen bank regulatory practices and standards worldwide. It is best known for its international standards on bank capital adequacy (the Basel II Capital Framework, replacing the Basel Capital Accord); the Core Principles for Effective Banking Supervision; and the “Concordat” on cross-border banking supervision.
   Other countries invited to join the Basel Committee were Brazil, China, India, Korea, Mexico and Russia.
   Chairman of APRA, Dr John Laker welcomed the inclusion of APRA in the Basel Committee.
   “The invitation to become a member is an acknowledgement of the high regard in which Australia’s financial regulatory regime is held in international circles,” Dr laker said, “and confirmation that Australian regulatory authorities can make a significant contribution to global standard-setting in the future.”
   “Since its formation in 1998, APRA has built up strong relations with key international bodies like the Basel Committee.”
   He said membership of the Basel Committee would ensure Australia had a strong voice in global banking reform initiatives being developed in response to the global financial crisis.
   Dr Laker said the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision was the international standard-setting body for prudential regulation of banks.
   He said the Committee provided a forum for regular cooperation on banking supervision matters and its objective was to enhance understanding of key supervisory issues and improve the quality of banking supervision worldwide.
   It seeks to do so by exchanging information on national supervisory issues, approaches and techniques, with a view to promoting common understanding. The committee uses this common understanding to develop guidelines and supervisory standards in areas where they are considered desirable.
   Dr Laker said the Basel Committee’s members came from Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States.
   The Chairman of the Committee is Nout Wellink, President of the Netherlands Bank.

24 March, 2009

Leaders hit front in AusAID awards

The Australian aid Agency, AusAID has announced the recipients of its 2009 Allison Sudradjat Awards.
   Ms Sudradjat, the former head of the Australian aid program in Indonesia, was killed in a plane crash in March 2007 and the awards made in her memory are to further leadership skills in the Asia-Pacific region.
   Six scholars, two from PNG and four from Indonesia, are receiving awards.
   They were chosen from among the highest-ranked recipients of the Australian Leadership Awards Scholarships, which offer post-graduate scholarships at Australian universities to outstanding individuals.
   The scholarship recipients will undertake Masters or PhD level courses in a range of areas including health, climate change, business administration and law and justice. They will also receive additional funding for research or a professional work placement.
   The six award winners joined more than 150 ALA Scholars at the 2009 Leadership Development Conference in Canberra recently.
   The Conference aimed at increasing their leadership skills and enhancing their understanding of development challenges at a national, regional and global level.
   The 2009 Allison Sudradjat Awardees are Sugeng Prayudi from Indonesia who will study at the University of Melbourne; Muhammad Yusfidli Adhyaksana from Indonesia who will go to the University of Wollongong; Meuthia Alvernia Naim from Indonesia off to Griffith University; Puspasari Rahayu from Indonesia to go to Curtin University; Paula Kongua from PNG to study at Curtin University; and Nick Mawe Dala from PNG who will study at the University of Sydney.

24 March, 2009

Air traffic upgrade cleared to take off

A major upgrade has been announced for Airservices Australia’s air traffic control towers around the nation.
   New towers to be built in Melbourne, Adelaide and Rockhampton would be the first to receive the state-of-the- art equipment where the display adopts the “glass cockpit” concept of modern jet aircraft, featuring customisable touch screens to provide information and allow controllers to perform operational tasks.
   According to the Chief Executive of Airservices Australia, Greg Russell the new system combines flight and operational data, surveillance and voice communications into a single integrated, tower-specific layout.
   He said it would replace manual systems dating back to the construction of many towers, in some cases as long as 40 years ago.
   Airservices has appointed a consortium of Sensis Corporation (US) and Canada’s air navigation services provider, NAV CANADA to project manage, install and support the technology. The consortium would also provide system design, integration testing and training.
   Mr Russell said the upgrade was critical to ensure that Airservices, as the nation’s air navigation services provider (ANSP) could meet its obligations to provide safe, efficient air traffic operations well into the future.
   “We are determined to invest in our infrastructure to ensure Airservices is well positioned to maintain its reputation as a world-leader in the provision of air navigation services,” Mr Russell said.
   “Providing our controllers with the equipment to make immediate use of all available data and enhance their awareness and control of airport ground operations and those in the surrounding airspace is a key part of that plan.”
   He said the system would provide each tower controller with up to four screens displaying electronic flight strips, operational information, weather, terminal area and where available surface surveillance (radar) data.
   They would also be able to control functions including airport ground lighting from the same console.
   New training consoles would also be installed at the Airservices Learning Academy in Melbourne, where Australia’s next-generation air traffic controllers received intensive and ongoing training.
   Mr Russell said the new equipment would be rolled out progressively to all 26 air traffic control towers run by Airservices as they were refurbished or rebuilt in coming years.

24 March, 2009

Weather Bureau settled on computer

The Bureau of Meteorology has joined the Australian National University in ordering a pair of new supercomputers that can deliver 12 times the power of its previous supercomputing models.
   The new equipment promises to keep Australia at the forefront of international weather forecasting and climate modelling.
   The Bureau and ANU have selected Sun Microsystems to deliver two state-of-the-art supercomputers that will provide an interoperable computing environment able to deliver the processing capability needed to model complex weather and climate dynamics. They will be located in Canberra and Melbourne.
   Acting Director of the Bureau, Dr Neville Smith said the time was right for a new supercomputer that could improve weather prediction as well as provide Australian climate researchers with the processing power needed to undertake more demanding climate forecasts.
   “Together the new supercomputers will provide the computer power needed to develop the Australian Community Climate and Earth System Simulator – a new project to tie together weather forecasting as well as climate and ocean forecasts,” Dr Smith said.
   Vice-Chancellor of the ANU, Professor Ian Chubb said that building capacity for the future research needs of the nation was critically important and he was pleased the climate and earth systems sciences research community would be better able to rise to national challenges with the new supercomputers. He also said working with the Bureau, CSIRO and others to this end had been very constructive.
   “For more than two decades ANU has supported computationally intensive research across national research communities,” Professor Chubb said.
   “The new acquisition will ensure that Australia becomes internationally competitive again in this important area, lifting capability by a factor of 10.”
   “In addition to climate modelling and weather prediction, the renewed capability will serve a wide range of other cutting edge research for the nation.”
   Funding for the ANU-led National Collaborative Infrastructure Project, comes primarily from ANU, CSIRO and the Commonwealth’s National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy. The new supercomputers were expected to be operational this year.

24 March, 2009

Trans Tasman plan for Insolvency solution

Australia and New Zealand have agreed to boost their cooperative trans-Tasman cross-border insolvency arrangements with officials starting work on further business law reform between the two countries.
   Minister for Corporate Law, Senator Nick Sherry met with the NZ Minister of Commerce, Simon Power last week to progress the reform, announcing work would begin immediately.
   Senator Sherry said the two countries were committed to aligning their insolvency laws.
   “Such an alignment is firmly in the interests of clear and streamlined cross-border insolvency proceedings and in the interest of creditors on both sides of the Tasman,” Senator Sherry said.
   Mr Power said the global financial crisis made the work particularly relevant as there were “likely to be more companies with interests on both sides of the Tasman under financial distress.”
   “An enhanced cross-border framework will allow insolvency processes to be dealt with more effectively, and avoid complexities and costs associated with multiple insolvency proceedings,” he said.
   Senator Sherry said the examination would cover all aspects of Australia and NZ’s insolvency regimes.
   He said it would include streamlining the recognition of cross-border insolvency proceedings; the possibility of forum-shopping, facilitate information gathering; and facilitate the securing and realisation of property.
   Senator Sherry said the examination would look at corporate reorganisation; improving coordination between concurrent administrations; providing Court and administrative assistance to practitioners; improving dispute resolution; regulatory gaps; and improving transparency.
   He said the agreement followed the passage of the Cross-Border Insolvency Act 2008 and New Zealand's earlier legislation, Insolvency (Cross-border) Act 2006.
Both Acts implemented the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law's Model Law on Cross-Border Insolvency, which provided a generic regime for trans-national insolvency cooperation without changing substantive laws.
   “It is anticipated that any possible reforms would augment the operation of the Model Law between our countries without altering the underlying operation of our respective regimes,” Mr Power said.
   Senator Sherry said previous agreements had smoothed the way for businesses to raise capital and for the public to invest with greater ease in both countries.
   “Today we’ve seen yet again just how our ongoing Business Law Reform program can deliver real progress,” he said.

24 March, 2009

Mobile services easy as ABC

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation has announced the launch of a new “mobile platform” that would make many ABC services available to people through their mobile phones.
   Managing Director of the ABC, Mark Scott said ABC Mobile, at m.abc.net.au, had been developed specifically for mobile phone screen sizes so content was fast to load and easy to navigate.
   “The ABC is already a leading provider of digital media content in Australia,” Mr Scott said.
   “But we are now delivering even more with this significant move onto the mobile platform.”
   He said ABC Mobile provided another way for Australians to access reliable, quality content wherever and whenever they chose.
   Mr Scott said content on the mobile site would include news, sport and entertainment stories; localised information including weather forecasts and radio schedules; movie reviews and session times; TV guides for ABC1 and ABC2; music news from triple j; and much more.
   In addition to the mobile site, Mr Scott also announced the launch of the ABC iPhone application and a news application for the new G1 Android handsets. He said both applications would be available online as free downloads and a basic Java application for use on all other high end handsets would be coming soon.
   The site has launched with a text and image service to keep data charges low however users could look forward to ABC video and audio when more content was added to the site later this year.
The site can be accessed by typing m.abc.net.au into any internet enabled mobile phone browser or by SMSing the word “ABC” to 19 712 111 to receive a live link to the site.

24 March, 2009
PS invited to try for awards
Public Service Departments and Agencies have been invited to apply for the third annual Australian Community ICT Awards.
   The Awards are designed to promote Australia’s most innovative use of ICT by nonprofit organisations, Government Agencies and companies working with nonprofit organisations.
   The awards will be presented on 11 May 2009, and more information is available from www.connectingup.org

Women present violence plan
The National Council to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children has provided the government with a national plan to overcome violence against women.
   Time for Action will be considered by the Government before being released to the public.
   The Council has consulted with over 2,000 Australians including educators, survivors and perpetrators of violence since being commissioned to establish a plan in May 2008.

New online forum launched
An online forum focusing on early childhood learning and development has been launched by the Parliamentary Secretary for Early Childhood Education and Child Care, Maxine McKew, and the Minister for Finance and Deregulation, Lindsay Tanner.
   The forum concentrates on the Early Years Learning Framework, and encourages the early childhood sector and people interested in early childhood education to trial the draft framework, participate in discussions and provide feedback.
   Further information was available from www.deewr.gov.au/Earlychildhood

PC to look into payrates
The Productivity Commission is to undertake an examination of pay practices and frameworks for company directors and executives.
   The examination comes following community concern over excessive pay for CEOs and directors during the current economic climate.
   It will consider existing regulatory arrangements applying to director and executive remuneration for companies that are disclosing entities under the Corporations Act 2001 and international trends of excessive risk taking and corporate greed.
   Further information was available from www.pc.gov.au

Digital conference
The Get Ready for Digital TV conference, to be held in Sydney on 30-31 March, will bring together the entire broadcasting sector and international experts to discuss the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead as Australia gets set to switch to digital television.
   A clear deadline has been set the switchover to national digital transition on 31 December, 2013.
   A progressive timetable has been established to ensure all Australian television viewers were able to make the switch.

Migrants cut
The 2008-09 permanent skilled migration program is expected to be cut by 14 per cent.
   The reason is to protect local jobs while ensuring employers can access skilled professionals in industries still experiencing skills shortages.
   The message from business and industry was that Australia still needed to maintain a skilled migration program but one that was more targeted so that migrant workers were meeting skills shortages and not competing with locals for jobs.

Breastfeeding helpine
A 24-hour helpline for breastfeeding mothers has been launched .
   1800 mum 2 mum (1800 686 2 686) is the helpline contact number which would be run by the Australian Breastfeeding Association, utilising the real-life experiences of more than 200 trained volunteer counsellors each week who help other mums with issues including the early days with a new baby, expressing and storing milk, weaning, supply and what to do when baby simply says no.

CGT changes for homeowners
Taxpayers will not have to pay capital gains tax on compulsory acquisitions of part of their main residence.
   Assistant Treasure, Chris Bowen, announced the Government would extend the CGT main residence exemption to compulsory acquisitions and other involuntary events to ensure taxpayers were not worse off as a result of compulsory acquisitions, compared to if they had never occurred.
   A consultation paper providing further information was available from www.treasury.gov.au, with a draft of the legislation to be released at a later date.

Awards for museums
Australia’s regional museums have been invited to show off their best attributes to a national audience by entering the 2009 ABC Radio National Regional Museums Award.
   This year the spotlight will be on the smallest museums in regional Australia - those that are run by volunteers.
   Museums can now find out more about eligibility and how to register by visiting the Regional Museums Award website atabc.net.au/rn/museums
   Expressions of interest must be received by Friday 3 April 2009.

ACIAR presents fellowships
The John Dillon Memorial Fellowship award has been presented to nine talented agricultural scientists and economists from the across the Asia-Pacific region.
   The Fellowships were provided by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, for short-term leadership development opportunities in the area of agricultural research management, agricultural policy and extension technologies to people who were participating in ACIAR-funded programs.

RFT for service providers
The Minister for Defence, Joel Fitzgibbon, has called for tenders for a project to provide the Defence Material Organisation with streamlined access to service providers.
   “This request for tender allows the DMO to approach the market for new skill sets as required and allows companies to tender for additional skill sets whenever their capacity/capability allows,” Mr Fitzgibbon said.
   He said the request for tender had been released through AusTender (www.tenders.gov.au) and had a closing date of 21 April 2009.

Indigenous students up
The number of Indigenous school students enrolled in Year 12 has doubled since 1999, according to the National Schools Census released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
   In 2008, there were 4,779 Indigenous school students enrolled in Year 12, compared with 2,206 enrolled in 1999.
   Overall in 2008, 151,669 school students were identified as Indigenous, a 42 per cent increase on the 1999 total of 106,628 students.

Charity review
The Productivity Commission is to examine the contribution of the not-for-profit sector to Australian society.
   The Commission has been asked to assess how the sector’s contributions to Australian society were currently measured and whether these measures could be improved.
   The Commission has also been asked to identify ways to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of community organisations, and to consider options for improving the delivery of Government-funded services by these organisations.

17 March, 2009

Dividend is paying dividends: Tanner

Finance Minister, Lindsay Tanner has foreshadowed a reduced efficiency dividend, special consideration for small Agencies and a less vigorous approach to PS staff cuts in an address he gave to the National Press Club in Canberra last week.
   Answering a question from a Sydney Morning Herald journalist, Mr Tanner delivered a spirited defence of Public Service efficiency dividends but indicated this year’s extra two per cent was a “one-off” that was achieving what it was introduced for.
   “On the question of the efficiency dividend, there’s a lot of misunderstanding about,” Mr Tanner said.
   He said it had been introduced years ago as an incentive to encourage Agencies to take-up of new technology that would lead to increased efficiencies.
   “We can’t fund (Public Service organisations) on the basis that they don’t have to look for improvements in how they work,” Mr Tanner said.
   “So the efficiency dividend - the ongoing dividend - is designed to continually put pressure on managers to exploit new technologies, to exploit new ways of working to get better outcomes. And I’d argue that it’s worked.”
   He said the extra two per cent added to the efficiency dividend this year reflected the fact that the APS had grown significantly in recent years and had the fat to lose.
   “Where the complication arises is that on top of the ordinary efficiency dividend, when we came to office we were committed to a one-off, two per cent efficiency dividend .... pretty much across the vast bulk of Government.
   “It’s been wearable because, over the past five or six years ... we had four Federal Budgets in a row with virtually no savings. So there was a lot of stuff to be extracted.”
   Commenting on the findings of the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit that smaller Agencies were suffering from the across-the board dividend, Mr Tanner said the Government was considering its response.
   “Individual problems have emerged in one or two instances,” he said, “and we’re happy to deal with those specifically.
   “But we are committed to maintaining the position that now applies.”
   On the prospect of further Public Service job losses, the Minister said the there was no policy of slashing the size of the Public Service.
   “I won’t speculate on the prospect of anything further but I would say that we don’t have a specific aggregate target for the total size of the Public Service,” he said.
   “We’re not about trying to slash jobs in the Public Service.”
   “In fact, effectively what’s occurred is that the rapid increase, out of proportion to what’s going on - was going on in the overall economy, has been reined in.
   He said the “basic benchmark” the Government would pay attention to was to make sure public sector jobs didn’t increase in number out of proportion to what was happening in the overall economy.
   The Government has been urged by the Community and Public Sector Union to add the impact of the global economic crisis to its consideration of staff levels in the APS.
   National Secretary of the CPSU, Stephen Jones said the number of Australians demanding services from the Government was likely to increase during the crisis.
   “This is no time for the Federal Government to be making cuts to essential public sector jobs and services,” Mr Jones said.

17 March, 2009

Women’s health gets new lease on life

The first steps toward developing a new National Women's Health policy have been taken in Canberra with the Department of Health and Ageing hosting a roundtable discussion with women's health experts.
   A discussion paper, New National Women's Health Policy: Consultation Discussion Paper 2009, encouraged discussion between Government, women’s health groups, welfare groups and the public on the content of the Women’s Health Policy.
   Submissions have also been invited from the roundtable participants, health service providers and advocacy groups.
   The roundtable was the first of a number of opportunities for women to help shape the new policy, and brought together representatives from key women’s health groups.
   While there have been improvements to the current women’s health policy which is over 20 years old, many women are still at risk of chronic illness, injury and premature death due to excessive alcohol intake and smoking.
   The new health policy aims to improve health outcomes for women, encourages the health system to be more responsive to women’s needs, promotes health equity among women and encourages women to participate in health decision making and management.
   Consultations on the policy are to be held in every State and Territory during 2009, with the policy due to be delivered in 2010.
   Copies of the discussion paper were available from www.health.gov.au

17 March, 2009

Minister buys into purchasing changes

The Minister for Finance has foreshadowed a continued push for centralising procurement processes for goods and services in the months ahead identifying travel and property as two areas where major savings could be made.
   Speaking at the National Press Club in Canberra, the Minister, Lindsay Tanner described the Public Service at the time the Government came to power as ‘inefficient, wasteful and disorganised” but said the current program of cost-saving and belt-tightening would lead to savings of $4 billion over five years.
   He said the savings had come about “simply by making the operations of Government much leaner.”
   “That’s $4 billion that can be invested in education, or in infrastructure, or in health,” Mr Tanner said.
   “It’s $4 billion we don’t have to raise from Australian taxpayers or cover with borrowings.”
   But he said there was more to come and high on the target list was Government travel.
   “The Government spends over $500 million a year on travel services, but we do this in a very haphazard inefficient way,” he said.
   “The existing methods, the existing structure of our travel procurement, in the Federal Government, is a mess.”
   He said a consultant’s report revealed the Government was not using practices adopted by big Australian companies which were more efficient and cost-effective.
   “We don’t use online buying enough,” he said.
   “We do our accommodation deals at the wrong time.
   “We don’t use cheaper, restricted airfares enough.
   “And we don’t exercise our buying power collectively, effectively.”
   Mr Tanner said the Government was “well-advanced” in reforming travel procurement.
   “We’re now putting in place a coordinated travel strategy on procurement,” he said.
   “We intend to conduct open market tenders for framework contractual arrangements in domestic and international air travel, car hire, accommodation and travel management services.”
   He said the savings were expected to reach $26 million a year.
   Mr Tanner said similar issues arose with Government property which the Government owned a lot of, but rented a very large amount of too.
   “Because the existing arrangements are so decentralised and there is no overarching coordination, the quality of deals entered into by different agencies varies enormously,” he said.
   “They sometimes can even be competing with each other for the same space.”
   He said a great deal of money was being wasted.
   According to Mr Tanner, the need for more efficiency was clear.
   “Australia has just lived through a decade of lost opportunities,” he said. “The sun has been shining and we’ve spent most of the time sunbaking, not making hay.”

17 March, 2009

Privacy rules open up at Tax

A draft amendment to the Taxation Law simplifying the rules for disclosure of personal tax information has been released for public comment.
   Assistant Treasurer, Chris Bowen issued the exposure draft of the new law saying it would implement a single framework to govern the protection and disclosure of taxpayer information received and held by the Australian Taxation Office.
   Mr Bowen said the secrecy and disclosure provisions of 18 different taxation Acts would be brought together in the new consolidated framework which was outlined in a Treasury discussion paper in 2006.
   He said the amendment, Tax Laws Amendment (Confidentiality of Taxpayer Information) Bill 2009, addressed inconsistencies and ambiguities with the current provisions.
   “The new framework will provide greater clarity and certainty to taxpayers, the ATO and users of taxpayer information and will reduce the volume and complexity of the taxation law,” Mr Bowen said.
   He said the new framework made it clear that the future disclosure of taxpayer information should only be permitted where public benefit from the disclosure would outweigh taxpayer privacy.
   Mr Bowen said the amendment would maintain current levels of disclosures made by the ATO to other Government Agencies; introduce new disclosure provisions; include rules governing non-disclosure of taxpayer information; and ensure consent by a taxpayer could not in itself authorise the disclosure of their information.
   He said the Government was seeking submissions on the Bill, with further information available from www.treasury.gov.au
   Submissions close on 17 April 2009.

17 March, 2009

Web users urged to log onto safety

A report released by the Australian Communications and Media Authority has warned internet users they need to be more pro-active protecting themselves online.
   The report, Australia in the Digital Economy: Trust and Confidence summarises a national survey of consumer attitudes and behavior which found most people were not protecting themselves adequately from the dangers of the net.
   Chairman of ACMA, Chris Chapman, said the report had examined internet users’ levels of trust and confidence in the internet and indicated there may be a need for more formal education about internet security.
   Mr Chapman said the report looked at perceptions of the internet as a trusted source of information, the type of online protection adopted by internet users, levels of internet competency, sources of internet training, awareness of internet security and how age, education level, frequency of internet use and online competency influenced the above factors.
   “The report clearly shows that Australians see the internet as having a positive effect on their lives,” Mr Chapman said.
   “However, internet users are either not taking or only taking limited measures to ensure their online security.”
   He said the report suggested the lack of action, both behavioural and technical, could be linked to a high reliance by internet users on informal methods of training and acquiring knowledge about the internet.
   He said this could impact on users’ awareness of available technical measures to protect home computers from online risks.
   “These concerns do not currently form a barrier to participation in the online environment- as evidenced by the increasing numbers of people using the internet for a wide range of activities, including e-commerce and social networking,” Mr Chapman said.
   ‘While more than 80 per cent of Australian internet users consider themselves to have average or above average internet skills, these survey results highlight the need for more formal and continuing education for on-line users.”
   He said proficient skill levels were critical for the public to be able to maximise the benefits of the internet.
   “Such education could also raise awareness of e-security and address knowledge gaps about the appropriate measures that can be implemented to mitigate online risks,” Mr Chapman said.
   A full copy of the report was available from www.acma.gov.au

17 March, 2009

Taxpaying businesses having taxing time

The Secretary of the Treasury, Dr Ken Henry has acknowledged that the business community has issues with the operations and performance of the Australian Taxation Office.
   Speaking to the Taxation Institute of Australia in Sydney recently, Dr Henry referred to the outcome of a roundtable discussion among some of Australia’s largest companies which identified a number of shortcomings in the system and way the ATO should operate.
   “There is obviously some discontent with the performance of the Tax Office in helping businesses manage the complexity and uncertainty of the tax system,” Dr Henry said.   “In particular, large businesses have told us they are concerned there are inadequate checks against the Tax Office's compliance responsibilities influencing their advice.”
   “In other words,” he said, “they are concerned that the Tax Office's advice is motivated, at least at the margins, by a pro-revenue bias.”
   Dr Henry said perceptions that the Tax Office was out to maximise it tax take had been around for as long as he had had an involvement with taxation.
   “The Inspector-General of Taxation examined allegations of a pro-revenue bias last year and found no evidence,” he said.
   “Even so, it is clear that perceptions of bias are firmly held in some quarters.”
   He said other countries had tried to separate the interpretation of the tax law from revenue collection with mixed results.
   “It seems likely also that an independent rulings body might not be as flexible and responsive as taxpayers have demanded the Tax Office to be,” Dr Henry.
   “While the Tax Office is sometimes criticised for being too legalistic and pro-revenue, it needs to be recognised that the Commissioner often exercises his powers to make it easier for taxpayers to comply (and) arguably, a more independent body - divorced from the practical implementation of its rulings - would have less of an appreciation of the impacts of its decisions.”
   Dr Henry said the belief that the Tax Office was pro-revenue may be fuelled by the practice of appointing Commissioners for Taxation from within the ranks of the Tax Office.
   “To some extent, this may have contributed to perceptions that the Tax Office could be more ‘outward looking',” he said.
   He said the tax matters raised by business and industry would be considered by the panel conducting the Review into Australia's Future Tax System.
   “The existing governance arrangements for the Tax Office were developed in response to the changing nature of the tax system and the changing expectations of the Tax Office,” he said.
   “It is important to acknowledge these features of the current system and understand how they are performing before we make changes.”
   The full text of Dr Henry’s speech can be accessed at www.treasury.gov.au

17 March, 2009

Compo compendium is good insurance

The Australian Safety and Compensation Council has released its 16th Annual Compendium of Workers' Compensation Statistics report.
   Council Chairman, Bill Scales said the 2006-07 Compendium provided a detailed analysis of compensated work-related injury and disease among employees in Australia.
   Mr Scales said preliminary data in the Compendium showed in 2006-07 there were 236 compensated fatalities and 132,055 serious workers’ compensation claims in Australia.
   “This equates to 2.5 fatalities per 100,000 employees and 14 serious workers’ compensation claims per 1,000 employees,” he said.
   “Even one work-related death is one too many,” Mr Scales said.
   “However as a nation we are continuing to reduce workplace fatalities.”
   He said the number of workplace fatalities fell from 320 to 254 during 200-01 to 2005-06, a drop of 21 per cent.
   “In this period, incidence rates also fell by 29 per cent, from 4 fatalities per 100,000 employees down to 2.8,” he said.
   Mr Scales urged workers and managers to be continually vigilant with workplace safety.
   “We all have a responsibility for safety in our workplaces,” he said.
   “And with a continued focus by workers, employers and Governments we can continue to reduce death, injury and disease in Australian workplaces.”
   Mr Scales said the Compendium revealed that 73 per cent of serious claims involved injury while the remaining 27 per cent were disease related.
   He said the most common injury (accounting for 41 per cent) leading to a serious claim was sprains and strains of joints and muscles.
   According to the Compendium, men accounted for 68 per cent of all serious workers’ compensation claims with incidence rates almost twice that of females.
   Mr Scales said all industries recorded falls in incidence rates over the period, though the wholesale trade industry only recorded a 1 per cent decrease.
   He said the electricity, gas and water supply industry recorded the greatest percentage improvement with rates falling 43 per cent.
   The construction industry recorded the highest number of fatalities (50) followed by the transport and storage industry (45).
   The most common cause of death was vehicle accidents, causing one third of the 236 fatalities.
   Thirty-one deaths occurred due to long term contact with chemicals or substances.
   The Compendiumwas available from www.ascc.gov.au

17 March, 2009

New DVD records soldier records

The Australian Army has released a DVD containing information on every Australian soldier to die on duty.
   Compiled by the Central Army Records Office (CARO), the DVD has the service details of more than 88,000 Army personnel to die in active service between 1885 and 1972.
   Operations Officer at CARO in Melbourne, Jim Rouse, said the records covered nine different wars from Sudan to Vietnam and was an initiative of the Victorian Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages.
   Mr Rouse said the Registrar had approached CARO in 2002 with the idea of capturing the records of all Victorians who had died on operational service.
   However, he said the project was quickly expanded to include all Australians who died while serving with the Army, whether they were on duty or not.
   Mr Rouse said for privacy reasons, the DVD being released to the public only included those who had died on duty.
   He said three Army agencies had helped collate the data.
   CARO provided raw data references, with five personnel in the Records Cell of the Office managing the loan of the reference material and interpretation of military jargon.
   Mr Rouse said Army Headquarters had approved the project and the use of the rising sun logo and the Army History Unit had provided a brief on the nine wartime operations covered in the DVD.
   Seventy volunteers from the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages spent over seven years to input the data and complete the DVD for release.
   A copy of the DVD was available for purchase from www.online.justice.vic.gov.au

17 March, 2009

Gov’t splashes out on water trust

The Federal Government has put up $1 million to establish a new environmental trust to honour former National Water Commissioner, Professor Peter Cullen.
   Minister for Climate Change and Water, Senator Penny Wong, announced the funding saying establishing the Peter Cullen Water and Environment Trust was a “fitting tribute” to Professor Cullen on the first anniversary of his death.
   “Professor Cullen made an enormous contribution to the management of natural resources in Australia, most of all around rivers and freshwater ecology,” Senator Wong said.
   “As a founding National Water Commissioner, a leading member of the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists, and in his many other roles, Professor Cullen was an inspiring and influential leader in the important debate about water in this country.”
   She said the Trust would “honour and continue” his legacy by building water science knowledge and skills in Australia, promoting informed exchange and debate on national water issues and helping to improve water management.
   Senator Wong said the Trust aimed to protect and enhance the aquatic environments and their catchments and provide learning, communications and informed debate about water environments.
   “The Trust is expected to support early career researchers, and people who can 'speak for the rivers' with clarity and credibility - something Professor Cullen was passionate about,” she said.
   Senator Wong said contributions from the public and private sectors would be welcomed.
   She said the Government had provided funding from the Raising National Water Standards Program, managed by the National Water Commission.
   “This is a most appropriate gesture given Peter Cullen's contribution to water reform in Australia as a founding National Water Commissioner,” Senator Wong said.

17 March, 2009

Agency plan joins separated parents

The Child Support Agency is soon to launch a trial program to help separated parents resolve disputes around their children’s care arrangements.
   Announced by the Minister for Human Services, Senator Joe Ludwig, the trial would refer parents in dispute over a matter relating to care to a Family Relationship Centre for mediation.
   Speaking at the Annual Family Law Conference in Melbourne, Senator Ludwig said the trial would provide crucial early intervention and prevention strategies for separated families.
   “Family separation is difficult for everyone involved, particularly deciding which parent has care of the children and when,” Senator Ludwig said.
   “In the past six months, the CSA made about 111,000 care decisions — 18,500 decisions a month — and while most decisions are straightforward and not disputed, approximately 700 decisions each month are considered ‘contentious’ or ‘complex’ because parents cannot agree.”
   Senator Ludwig said under the program, separated parents would work with a qualified family dispute practitioner to develop a sustainable, workable parenting plan with their children’s best interests in mind.
   “It means parents won’t have to go through the Courts and get solicitors involved, and the process can help them to work together for the benefit of their kids,” he said.
   Senator Ludwig said the Government would focus on strategies to identify and support families at risk of separation or experiencing violence or abuse.
   He said organisations within the family law system would need to work together to share information about high risk families.
   “By identifying high risk cases, we can help the families who could benefit from investment in early intervention,” Senator Ludwig said.
   “While separation is unfortunately a fact of life, we can do more to provide families with the support they need, when they need it, before relationship breakdown becomes their only option.”

17 March, 2009

Airservices training takes off at TAFE

Airservices Australia has invested $2.8 million in a new training course at the NSW TAFE’s Riverina Institute to teach students the skills needed to maintain Australia’s high-tech air traffic control equipment.
   The first intake of 18 trainees is to complete a two-year Diploma of Electrical Engineering to allow them to work as technical engineers with Airservices Australia upon graduation.
   Chief Executive Officer of Airservices, Greg Russell, said they were committed to developing regional skills and ensuring the future of Australia’s air navigation system.
   Mr Russell said over the next five years, up to one-third of Airservices’ technical maintenance staff were expected to retire.
   “This partnership with TAFE, the Regional Development Board and the Wagga Wagga City Council ensures we can meet that challenge and provide regional training opportunities at the same time,” he said.
   Mr Russell said Airservices would cover all training costs for trainees, who would also gain work experience with Airservices throughout their course.
   “They will learn about communications, surveillance, navigation aids and data systems and how to maintain the world’s best aviation equipment,” he said.
   Head Teacher of Electro-technology at Riverina Institute, John Bond, said students would also develop a strong grounding in electro-technology theory and practice.
   Mr Bond said the Institute had customised the course to ensure students had underpinning knowledge and industry standard practical skills that they could apply to a range of settings.
   He said the course included a trade-specific curriculum developed to ensure students received practical training.
   Two highly-experienced instructors from Airservices will partner with Riverina Institute teachers to help the trainees with the technology.
   Mr Russell said Airservices expected to see between 18 and 36 people undertake the program every year for the next five years.
   “Our goal is to ensure Airservices has the highly skilled staff essential to the future implementation and maintenance of aviation technology,” Mr Russell said.
   The first intake of students was selected from over 100 applicants around Australia.
   Successful candidate, Saurabh Jhorar of Armidale said while there was “a lot of information to take in” the course was a great opportunity to learn while completing practical work.
   The course was designed by Riverina Institute trainers and will be delivered at the Wagga Wagga Campus.

17 March, 2009

X-ray system shows vision

Scientists from the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation and the University of Canberra have unveiled a world-first system for testing equipment used to examine large cargo objects.
   ANSTO’s Ned Blagojevic said it was the first time an independent scientific standard had been set to determine the best X-ray equipment for air and sea cargo examination around the world.
   Mr Blagojevic said the key role of the project was to test manufacturers' claims about how good their machines were, thus leading to improvements to equipment and border security.
   "Bearing in mind that the United States Government will require 100 percent inspection of cargo entering the country by 2012, having the correct standards for X-ray machines is vital,” Mr Blagojevic said.
   “Currently only about 10 per cent or less of all maritime cargo is examined by any technology so throughput is a major challenge facing cargo security."
   He said the standards, which were currently in the patent process, were being tested in the United States and China and Customs authorities worldwide were expected to follow their lead to ensure the operational condition of their equipment was well-maintained.
   He said the ANSTO-University of Canberra collaboration designed two test pieces called AUS1 and AUS2 which contained materials mimicking shapes and composition of what might normally be found in cargo as well as contraband and security threats, such as narcotics and explosives.
   The Commonwealth Scientific Advisor for the project, Professor Dudley Creagh from the University of Canberra, said recognising contraband and threats using X-rays relied on the sharp imaging of the object under examination so that anomalies could be readily recognised.
   “A good X-ray system will highlight shapes that are inconsistent with shapes of items expected to be in the container: for example cartons of cigarettes mixed in with cartons of ceramic items,” Professor Creagh said.
   “Clear images make it easier for Customs officers to detect anomalies in a shipment. To maintain the required excellent performance regular testing is essential.”
   He said ANSTO’s standards substantially reduced the amount of time Customs Officers had to take to ensure their X-ray equipment was working properly.
   “In the past it would take a working shift to undertake the performance testing. Now it takes only a matter of minutes,” Professor Creagh said.
   “Any time lost in testing is time lost from the essential activity of container examination: the detection of contraband and explosives.”
   He said ANSTO had built 15 test standards, with 10 currently in use by Australian Customs Services, but expected demand would increase.
   The project involved collaboration with the Australian Customs Service and a number of parcel and freight forwarding firms, such as QANTAS and DHL, with the standards designed to test X-ray equipment used to scan air cargo, shipping pallets and large shipping containers.
   Professor Creagh designed the original standards while working on a project to evaluate the performance of large scale X-ray equipment used in major Australian ports and airports for the Office of Transport Security.

17 March, 2009

Teacher swap is lesson in schools

A joint education program to build partnerships between Australia and Indonesia is to see 180 teachers swap schools for several weeks.
   Thirty teachers from Indonesia have arrived in Australia for the launch of the program, Building Relationships through Intercultural Dialogue and Growing Engagement (BRIDGE).
   Foreign Minister, Stephen Smith, announced the project in August 2008, saying it was an initiative of the Australia-Indonesia Institute and would be funded by AusAID and the Myer Foundation.
   Mr Smith said the Indonesian teachers would spend several weeks in Australian classrooms developing curricula with their Australian counterparts in a mix of metropolitan, regional and rural schools across all States and Territories.
   The three year project is expected to boost Indonesian language study in Australia and the study of English in Indonesia, complementing the Government’s goal of having 12 per cent of year 12 graduates fluent in an Asian language by 2020.
   Mr Smith said BRIDGE aimed to create strong links between teachers, schools and communities and to equip Australians to live and work with some of the nation’s closest neighbours better.
   He said trough the relationships formed and the provision of IT training and computer hardware, it was hoped future generations would overcome what Indonesia’s President, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono described as the “tyranny of stereotypes”.
   One hundred and eighty teachers from 80 schools are to be involved in the project, including around 10 Indonesian schools from the Federal Government’s Basic Education Program which is building 2,000 schools and education services in Indonesia.
   The BRIDGE program is being managed by the Asian Education Foundation at the University of Melbourne.

17 March, 2009

Warranty review is guarantee of quality

The Commonwealth Consumer Affairs Advisory Council is to conduct a review of product guarantees and warranties.
   Consumer Affairs Minister, Chris Bowen announced the review saying the Government was committed to giving Australian consumers the best warranty protection when they purchased goods and services.
   Mr Bowen said many consumers were unsure of their rights and obligations in consumer transactions and were often denied the full benefits of implied conditions and warranties.
   “Some businesses have attempted to take advantage of consumers’ lack of awareness by denying their rights and/or selling them extended warranty protections that, in many cases, the law already offers,” he said.
   Mr Bowen said the review would examine existing laws on conditions and warranties implied into contracts for goods or services under the Trade Practices Act 1974, State and Territory fair trading legislation and would propose enhancements where necessary.
   He said it would also look at the need for a ‘lemon law’ in Australia, which would allow consumers to seek reimbursement for motor vehicles that failed to meet reasonable expectations
   “This review will explore the issue of whether or not 'lemon laws' are the best way to help consumers respond to motor vehicles they may have purchased, that repeatedly fail to meet expected standards of performance and quality,” Mr Bowen said.
   “That’s why I have asked CCAAC to carefully examine the costs and benefits of introducing 'lemon laws', the experience of other jurisdictions that already have these laws in place, and to consult closely with the key stakeholders.”
   The CCAAC will look at the adequacy of current laws on implied conditions and warranties, the need for amendments to the current laws, lemon laws, extended warranties and other ways of improving statutory conditions.
   Following consultations with industry stakeholders, CCAAC is to provide a report to Mr Bowen by 31 July 2009.

17 March, 2009

Dr Ray shines for Fulbright award

Research analyst at the Australian Institute of Criminology, Dr Raymond Choo has been awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to study in the United States.
   The 2009 Fulbright Professional Australia-U.S. Alliance Studies Scholarship, sponsored by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, will allow Dr Choo to study the future cybercrime threat environment.
   Dr Kim Kwang Choo, known as Raymond at the Institute, will spend three months at the Rutgers University's School of Criminal Justice and the Palo Alto Research Center to undertake his studies.
   Acting Director of the AIC, Tony Marks, congratulated him on winning the scholarship.
   “This is welcome recognition of the calibre of the AIC's researchers and their commitment to high-quality, forward-looking research, particularly in new and emerging types of crime,” Mr Marks said.
   “Raymond’s US studies will complement his research at the Institute in identifying cybercrime risks and the development of responses for law enforcement agencies and policy makers in neutralising those risks and preventing harm to the community.”
   He said Dr Choo’s visit would help strengthen ties and develop cooperative arrangements between Australia and its international criminological research partners.
   Dr Choo has authored a number of AIC reports in the areas of cybercrime and anti-money laundering, including Future directions in technology-enabled crime: 2007-09.
   He has a PhD in information technology from the Queensland University of Technology and joined the Institute in 2006.
   He is a Visiting Fellow at the Australian National University's ARC Centre of Excellence in Policing and Security and a member of the International Consultant Group (Research) in the joint United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and Korean Institute of Criminology ‘Virtual Forum against Cybercrime’ Program.

17 March, 2009

Heritage grants for old times’ sake

The National Library is calling for applications for its 2009 Community Heritage Grants.
   Community groups and representatives across Australia have been encouraged to apply for the grants to help them preserve nationally significant cultural heritage collections of documents and objects.
   The grants are worth up to $15,000 and can be used to support significant assessments, preservation needs assessments, the purchase of archival storage materials, digitisation, conservation treatments and environmental controls.
   The grant money could also be used to improve staff training by funding community organisation staff and volunteers’ participation in collection management workshops to help them improve their skills when working with heritage collections.
   Over $2.8 million in funding has been provided to 661 projects since 1994.
   Representatives from historical societies, museums, public libraries, archives and Indigenous and migrant community groups have been urged to apply, with applications due to close on 5 June 2009.
   The 2009 Community Heritage Grants Program is funded by the National Library of Australia; the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts; the National Archives of Australia; the National Film and Sound Archive; and the National Museum of Australia.
   Further information, guidelines and application forms were available from www.nla.gov.au

17 March, 2009
Sunlight briefing
The Department of Finance and Deregulation has invited staff from across the APS to attend a special briefing on Operation Sunlight, the Government’s reform agenda aimed at improving the transparency of Public Service budgetary and financial management.
   The briefing would look at the implementation of the reforms and the policy and process implications for the Government’s financial operations.
   Details of the briefing are yet to be determined, with information updates available from www.finance.gov.au

Taylor makes tracks
The Secretary of the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Mike Taylor, has resigned from his position after working in the APS for over nine years.
   Minister for Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Anthony Albanese, thanked Mr Taylor for his work, saying he embodied the “finest traditions of the Public Service.”
   “During my tenure as Minister Mike Taylor has been integral in overseeing the establishment of the Department of Infrastructure, Infrastructure Australia, the Australian Council of Local Government and the Office of Northern Australia,” Mr Albanese said.

APRA reports on super
The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority has released its Annual Superannuation Bulletin, which found total superannuation assets fell by $25.1 billion (2.1 per cent) over the financial year ending 30 June 2008.
   APRA found small funds with less than five members were the only funds to experience an increase in assets with 6.7 per cent growth.
   Contributions to all superannuation entities totalled $120.4 billion for the year, with employers contributing $69.4 billion and members contributing $49.8 billion.

Electoral submissions online
Submissions received in response to the Green Paper on the reform of the Australian electoral system have been released by the Special Minister of State.
   SMOS Senator John Faulkner welcomed their publication, which followed the Electoral Reform Green Paper – Donations, Funding and Expenditure published in December last year.
   Senator Faulkner said almost 50 submissions were received on the Paper and they could be viewed at www.pmc.gov.au. He said a second Green paper, not associated with political funding would be released later in the year.

ASIC taking applications online
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission is now taking applications from businesses for the registration of managed investment schemes online.
   The Commission said the requirements for registering a scheme had not changed but that the online registration system would provide more accessible lodgement services for businesses.
   Further information was available from www.asic.gov.au

Income support quicker
Proposed changes to legislation have been announced to allow people with modest savings to enjoy quicker access to income support. The plan would relax the ‘Liquid Access Waiting Period.’
   Under current legislation, people wishing to access income support but have assets above $2,500 (if single and without dependents) or $5,000 (otherwise) generally have to serve a waiting period.
   The proposed amendment would double the threshold from April 2009 to March 2011, with reviews to take place after a year.

DSTO Board meets
The Defence Science and Technology Organisation Advisory Board has held its first meeting.
   Established to help DSTO maintain and enhance the Defence Force’s capabilities, the Board aims to strengthen the quality and diversity of ideas and perspectives the Organisation offers to the Government and Defence.
   The Board is chaired by the former Chancellor of the Australian National University and former Secretary of the Department of Defence, Dr Allan Hawke.

AUSTRAC in the money
The Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC) is set to receive a funding boost of $3 million to improve its financial intelligence capabilities.
   Minister for Home Affairs, Bob Debus, said the money would be used to update AUSTRAC’s database system to help it analyse the intelligence it collects, provide early warnings on emerging threats and help other Agencies investigate criminal and terrorist enterprises.
   The funding was provided under the Proceeds of Crime Act, which prevents criminals from using the money obtained through legal activities.

ACMA reports on business net
The Australian Communications and Media Authority has released a report showing 98 per cent of small to medium enterprises with an internet connection in Australia use it to communicate with customers and suppliers.
   The report, Take-up and use of communications by small and medium enterprises, also showed over 95 per cent were connected to some form of broadband service.
   Chairman of ACMA, Chris Chapman, said the enterprises saw the internet as a critical business tool for communicating with customers.
   A copy of the report was available from www.acma.gov.au

Earth hour stamps
Australia Post has released three new stamps to mark Earth Hour 2009.
   The stamp designs feature simple graphic representations of animals - a Leadbeater’s possum, an owl and an orangutan, two of which are an endangered.
   The stamps also carry the date and time of Earth Hour to encourage people to turn their lights out, switch off and save energy for an hour on 28 March.

Sailors welcomed aboard
One-hundred and twenty-eight new sailors have been welcomed into the Royal Australian Navy by the Deputy Chief if the Navy, Rear Admiral Davyd Thomas.
   Enlistment ceremonies were held across Australia to recruit new members.
   The new recruits will receive 11 weeks inital training at HMAS Cerberus on Mornington Peninsular, Victoria, before commencing their individual trade training.

Prizes measure up
The National Measurement Institute is to award two prizes to World Metrology Day on 20 May 2009.
   The prizes would recognise outstanding achievement in measurement research and reward excellence in practical measurements in Australia.
   Nominations close on 31 March, and more information is available from www.measurement.gov.au

Foreign Court rules
The Chief Justice of the Federal Court of Australia has issued a Practice Note dealing with cooperation between Australian and foreign Courts and representatives.
   The Practice Note, No. 29: Cross-Border Insolvency – Cooperation with Foreign Courts or Foreign Representatives, said the Model Law on Cross-Border Insolvency of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law had the force of law in Australia.
   Under the law the Court “shall cooperate to the maximum extent possible” with foreign Courts and representatives and is entitled to communicate directly with or request information from the foreign Courts and representatives.
   Further information was available from www.fedcourt.gov.au

10 March, 2009

New policy models to fashion new PS

A discussion paper proposing an overhaul of the Australian Public Service’s accountability and performance management practices has been published by the Australian Public Service Commission.
   Entitled Contemporary Government Challenges: Delivering performance and accountability the paper examines how current accountability and performance management arrangements across the APS are dealing with new modes of policy implementation.
   It says accountability gaps have sprung up as the new models of policy implementation have fallen short in also delivering the transparency and accountability the public expects and contends that the current arrangements may be constraining innovation.
   The paper says Public Servants are being forced back into traditional problem solving techniques at a time when they are being asked to be more adaptive and inclusive.
   “Though accountability arrangements have evolved over the years, they still reflect the techniques and values of the industrial era in which they were developed,” the paper says.
   “They are based on hierarchical modes of decision-making and sequential approaches to problem solving, and they require single points of accountability.”
   It says while these arrangements served Australia well and remained appropriate for many functions of Government, challenges on the policymakers’ doorstep called for new models of implementation which were having a hard time being adopted.
   It quotes the Prime Minister as saying a “business as usual approach … is not working. Most old approaches are not working. We need a new beginning.”
   The paper points to the imaginative ways public policymakers have attempted to resolve the major issues facing the community.
   “Examples include whole-of-Government arrangements, the use of networks of public and private sector providers working together to deliver services, and the application of market mechanisms to achieve public policy objectives,” it says.
   “These models, which tend to work more through networks than linear approaches, often include social processes in distributed decision-making rather than hierarchical authority.”
   It says however that to many Public Servants the new approaches seemed “unstructured or messy.”
   “They require levels of risk taking, experimentation and engagement with communities that do not fit comfortably within current accountability and performance management arrangements.”
   The paper puts forward options for reforming the APS frameworks for accountability and performance management but argues for a gradual approach by targetting specific programs and policy initiatives to start with.
   “The paper acknowledges the obstacles to be overcome in realising a more varied model of accountability,” it says “and offers a framework to assist in designing fit-for-purpose accountability and performance management arrangements.”
   It also makes some suggestions for modifying the current framework.
   In a foreword to the paper, Public Service Commissioner, Lynelle Briggs expressed the hope that the points it raises would stimulate discussion in the APS and she encouraged PS managers to reflect on the challenges it posed. Ms Briggs acknowledged Roger Fisher’s contribution to the document.
   The full text of the paper can be accessed at www.apsc.gov.au

10 March, 2009

Builders nail down new bushfire code

The Australian Building Codes Board has unanimously agreed to adopt new national bushfire standards for residential buildings.
   The new standard would replace a 1999 Standard referred to in the Building Code of Australia.
   The ABCB is a joint initiative of all levels of Government in Australia with the building industry and through its national Building Code of Australia requires residential buildings in bushfire-prone areas to be constructed in such a way that the risk of catching fire from a bushfire is minimized.
   The new standard ‘AS 3959-2009’ aligns construction requirements more closely to the assessed level of bushfire exposure for new building work and introduces a science-based method for assessing the potential level of bushfire attack at a building site.
   Chairman of the ABCB, Graham Huxley confirmed the Board's intent to have the stringency of the new standard set at the highest option considered in a recently developed Regulatory Impact Statement.
   Mr Huxley said the RIS found that the strictest option would provide a positive net benefit and be more cost effective than current arrangements.
   The final RIS is available on the board's website at www.abcb.gov.au
   Mr Huxley has written to the Standards Australia asking that the new standard be published as soon as possible.
   The ABCB also welcomed the Victorian Government's recent announcement that a Royal Commission would inquire into all aspects of that State’s recent bushfires, including questions relating to improving fire safety of housing and other buildings, and materials used in construction.
   Mr Huxley said while the Board recognised that construction standards for new houses are important, it also accepted that they were only one factor in addressing bushfire risks.
   “Other actions can be very important and a holistic approach to bushfire risk is essential,” Mr Huxley said.
   He said examples of other strategies included planning controls, vegetation management, community education, evacuation procedures and emergency response.
   A formal change to the national Code was not expected to be made until 2010 but Mr Huxley said the ABCB was ready to assist any State or Territory Government that wanted to adopt the new standard prior to the change.

10 March, 2009

PS absenteeism has a day out

Absenteeism levels in the Public Service have increased over the past year, with the Australian Public Service Commission blaming an ageing workforce and a particularly difficult winter.
   Public Service Commissioner, Lynelle Briggs, told a senate Estimates Committee hearing recently that APS staff took an average of 10.1 days leave in 2007-08 compared to 9.4 in 2006-07.
   Commissioner Briggs said the rise was largely driven by increased levels of sick leave which rose from 7.3 days in 2006-07 to 7.7 days in 2007-08.
   “If you had been working, as I was, over the course of much of last year, you would have been struck by how many people had that terrible series of influenzas,” Commissioner Briggs said.
   “People who had not taken any sick leave in 20 years were off for several weeks.”
   Queensland Senator Brett Mason, raised the point that despite efforts to reduce sick leave in the PS, Public Servants continued to take days off.
   “We have spent money and time trying to draft innovative policies to address this issue, but it is getting worse and not better,” Senator Mason said.
   He said there were differences in the number of days taken off by staff in different Agencies, and that rates of absenteeism could not be due to “hard work” as Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet staff were absent for 6 to 7.9 days a year while Health Department Staff “didn’t seem very healthy” as they took 14 to 17 days off a year.
   Deputy Public Service Commissioner, Carmel McGregor, said there was a distinction between small and large Agencies.
   “There is something about the job design, the work design and ... that alignment, commitment, focus and staff members’ feelings that they are working on something meaningful,” Ms McGregor said.
   “There are certainly factors that influence that sort of attendance pattern.”
   Commissioner Briggs said an ageing workforce could also be a factor.
   “Agencies are also talking about their ageing work profile and that having some impact on the ability of their employees to withstand issues of illness when they go through the workplace,” she said.
   Commissioner Briggs said the APSC would continue to collect data this year to see if the trend continued.

10 March, 2009

Redundancy rules OK in new package deal

The Australian Public Service Commission has announced new rules for re-employing former staff who have received redundancy payments.
   In an amendment to the Public Service Commissioner’s Directions, the Commission has linked the period that they may not be re-hired to the amount of redundancy payments received and has lifted the restriction from most non-APS employees.
   Under the changes, the former 12-month restriction on employment within the APS will no longer apply.
   Instead, a period linked to the number of weeks’ pay the former employee was paid will.
   Announcing the new rules via a Circular, the APSC said the new arrangements would apply to staff who received a redundancy payment from an APS agency or the Australian Parliamentary Service.
   It said former employees of other, non-APS Commonwealth bodies who received a redundancy benefit would not be affected by the restriction as there was no scope for them to be redeployed into the APS prior to retrenchment.
   “The ‘redundancy benefit period’ is to be calculated by dividing the amount of the person’s redundancy benefit (gross amount in dollars) by the person’s weekly salary that was used to calculate the benefit,” the Circular says.
   “Other amounts that a person might receive on separation, such as payment for accrued entitlements and payment in lieu of notice of termination, are not taken into account.”
   It defines a redundancy payment as any one or more severance payment; payment made to an employee on cessation of their employment; or as a result of shortening a retention period; or an incentive payment to retire.
   According to the Circular, staff who would be excluded under the 12 month rule could now be employed earlier if the new rule didn’t exclude them.
   The Circular also says the arrangements for engaging some staff during the exclusion period have been simplified.
   “Arrangements relating to the engagement of a redundancy benefit recipient as an ongoing APS employee (both SES and non-SES), or as a non-ongoing APS employee at an SES classification, have not changed,” the Circular says.
   “In these circumstances an agency head is required to seek the approval of the Commissioner before engaging the person.”
   However, it is now no longer necessary to consult the Commissioner before engaging a redundancy benefit recipient as a non-ongoing employee for a specified term or task, up to six months.
   The Circular came into effect on 1 March, provided it is not disallowed by Parliament.
   “Further advice will be issued should, disallowance occur,” it says.
   The full text of the Circular is available on the APSC website www.apsc.gov.au

10 March, 2009

Pensions policy paid out by Ombudsman

The Commonwealth Ombudsman has recommended changes to the system of allocating disability support pensions to seriously ill people.
   In his report entitled Assessment of Claims for Disability Support Pension from People with Acute or Terminal Illness The Ombudsman, Professor John McMillan called for less strict application of the social security law and policy.
   He said his Office had received complaints from people with illnesses such as advanced or aggressive cancer who had been denied the DSP despite the fact that they were undergoing intensive treatment or recovering from the long term side effects of a previous treatment.
   “They were unable to work as a result, but were also unable to satisfy Centrelink that their condition was permanent for the purposes of qualifying for DSP,” The Ombudsman said.
   “This report highlights the difficulties that can occur by a strict application of social security law and policy.”
   He said people being treated for cancer, or recovering from the treatment, were already finding the going difficult and were then required to satisfy “onerous” activity or reporting requirements for other Centrelink benefits.
   “In one case Centrelink refused an application for DSP from a person undergoing aggressive chemotherapy and radiation therapy because they did not consider her condition permanent,” The Ombudsman said.
   “She was granted newstart allowance with an exemption from activity testing, but was still required to lodge a request for payment form to Centrelink every 10 weeks, and a new medical certificate each quarter.’
   He said the main problems he uncovered were a lack of guidance for doctors in answering questions about a patient’s long term prognosis; the unavailability of DSP for people suffering from an acute illness of uncertain duration, and in some cases the inadequate assessment of the impact of the acute illness by Job Capacity Assessment assessors.
   Professor McMillan made a number of recommendations including changes to administrative measures to ensure more appropriate outcomes for seriously ill social security applicants.
   He said the recommendations were accepted by the relevant agencies which included Centrelink; the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations; the Department of Human Services, and the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA).
   “They indicated their commitment to ensuring that policy and program settings and service delivery make appropriate allowance for people who are acutely or terminally ill, and that they have appropriate income support,” he said.
   The Agencies did not agree with Professor McMillan’s recommendation that a new category of payment be considered for people requiring a lengthy period of treatment or recovery.
   The full text of the Ombudsman’s report can be found at www.ombudsman.gov.au

10 March, 2009

Private rulings to stay public

The Australian Taxation Office is to continue to publish its register of private rulings in its current form.
   Commissioner of Taxation, Michael D’Ascenzo announced the decision following consultation with tax professionals.
   Mr D’Ascenzo said the register was an historical record of private rulings he had issued and published on the ATO website, but was edited to remove details that could identify individual taxpayers.
   “Last November, I informed our peak tax professional consultative forum, the National Tax Liaison Group (NTLG) I was considering reducing the content of the register to the subject heading and reference number,” Mr D’Ascenzo said.
   “This proposal was put forward after I found the register was being relied upon for advice, which was never the original intention.”
   He said he was concerned that the information on the register could be out of date.
   “Private rulings are specific to an individual taxpayer’s circumstances at a point in time,’ he said. “(They) should never be relied upon as a precedent.”
   He said he decided to retain the status quo after professional associations and the Inspector-General of Taxation raised their concerns and he had held further discussions with the NTLG.
   “These discussions have been very helpful and I am reassured that the NTLG now better understands the limitations and risks associated with the register, as well as the opportunity costs associated with its retention,” Mr D’Ascenzo said.
   “The NTLG has also said they will work with us to reinforce this understanding and the role played by more authoritative ATO guidance material such as interpretative decisions, across the tax profession.”
   He said the ATO produced a range of advice and guidance products, such as interpretative decisions and public rulings, to help tax practitioners in their decision making.
   “I have asked the NTLG to help us ensure practitioners are aware of these products and can make the most of them,” he said.
   He also invited the Inspector-General of Taxation to review the private rulings system.

10 March, 2009

Family Court takes aim at violence

The Family Court of Australia has adopted its final initiative in a suite of reforms aimed at combatting family violence.
   Attorney-General, Robert McClelland formally introduced the Family Violence Best Practice Principles and commended them to the Judges of the Family Court.
   He said the Government was pleased to see the Court’s commitment to tackling the
issue.
   “I commend these Best Practice Principles to all members of the Family Court judiciary,” Mr McClelland said, “and am confident they will be of significant assistance to you in your decision making.”
   He said the best practice principles were the last part of the Family Violence Strategy to be implemented by the Court and were the result of extensive work by a Court-based committee.
   Chief Justice Diana Bryant said that the principles had been developed to provide decision makers with practical guidance when dealing with matters where family violence, or the risk of it, had been alleged.
   “Family violence, or the threat of it, has devastating effects not only on the victims of the abuse but also on those who witness it,” Chief Justice Bryant said.
   “Sadly, in the Family Court many of those who experience or witness family violence and abuse or fear its presence, are the most vulnerable citizens – children.”
   She said the best practice principles would be relevant to any dispute in which violence was alleged, even when forms usually filed to notify the Court of concerns about violence had been omitted.
   She said Judges would now have the benefit of a checklist of matters they could consider when deciding the next step in a case or making final orders.
   “I cannot overstate how seriously Family Court Judges take the issue of violence, actual or threatened,” Chief Justice Bryant said.
   “The legislation takes a similarly strong line.
   She said where there were reasonable grounds to believe that family violence or abuse had occurred or was threatened the presumption of equal shared parental responsibility in the Act does not apply.
   The Chief Justice thanked the Attorney-General for launching the best practice principles.

10 March, 2009

Advertising audit puts persuasive case

An audit of Government advertising practices prior to the change of Government in November 2007 has revealed a number of shortcomings.
   Conducted by the Australian National Audit Office the audit entitled Administration of Contracting Arrangements in relation to Government Advertising to November 2007 assessed the effectiveness of procurement and contracting practices associated with three sample campaigns and concluded that Departments faced ‘significant challenges’ managing them.
   At that time, a Ministerial Committee on Government Communications (MCGC) which was chaired by the Special Minister of State oversaw the conduct of major advertising and other information campaigns while financial and operational responsibility for them lay with Departments and Agencies. The MCGC was supported by a Government Communications Unit within the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.
   According to the Audit report, Government expenditure on advertising campaigns amounted to $368 million in the 2007 calendar year but the system did not work effectively.
   The audit found that responsibility for decisionmaking was “not well aligned” with the requirements of the Government’s financial framework and responsibility for making decisions was fragmented between the MCGC and Departments.
   It discovered that the MCGC did not take full account of the rules for spending public money and that Departmental officers whose responsibility it was to ensure those rules were followed “regarded the MCGC decisions and directions to be binding on them.”
   It also found that contracts were finalised well after consultants had started work, that due diligence was not always undertaken by contracting Departments and risks were not adequately assessed.
   It made four recommendations.
   The results of the audit were welcomed by the current Special Minister of State and the Minister for Finance who pointed out that systems had changed since the new Government came to power and the MCGC had been disbanded.
   The Ministers said the audit vindicated the new Government’s reform of the advertising system.
   Special Minister of State, Senator John Faulkner said under guidelines introduced last July, Ministers now play a much-reduced role in the content and conduct of Government advertising campaigns with major responsibility now resting with the Department or Agency concerned.
   “These new procedures have been put in place to ensure campaigns are now legitimately authorised, properly targeted and non-political in nature,” Senator Faulkner said.
   He said campaigns over $250,000 were reviewed by the Auditor-General.
   Minister for Finance, Lindsay Tanner said Departments that came under the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997 spent $254 million on campaign advertising in 2007 but the new Government spent just $82 million in 2008.
   He said the new arrangements call for the Government to release twice-yearly reports on advertising expenditure and the first, which covered 2008, was due to be tabled in Parliament in the next few weeks.

10 March, 2009

Special Circular for Special Accounts

The Department of Finance and Deregulation has issued its first Finance Circular for the year updating its advice on the management of Special Accounts in agencies covered by the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997
   A Special Account is a device by which money can be set aside in the Consolidated Revenue Fund for later spending on a specific purpose.
   The Circular says only the Finance Minister or Parliament can establish a Special Account and each one must be accompanied by purpose clauses.
   The Department of Finance and Deregulation has posted a Chart of Special Accounts on its website which is updated each time a new Special Account is created and in its advice to Chief Financial Officers, says that setting up a Special Account should only be considered when other types of appropriations are not suitable.
   “Under the Australian Government’s financial framework, agencies’ operations are ordinarily funded through annual appropriations, and an agency should start from this premise,” it says.
   “Agencies should consult with Finance at an early stage when considering the establishment of a Special Account.”
   It urged departments and agencies to review its need for Special accounts periodically and to abolish those that have fulfilled their purpose.

“For example, if a zero balance is reported against a Special Account for more than one financial year, this may signal the need to review the Special Account,” it says.
Finance also reminds agencies with Special Accounts that they must report on them in its their Portfolio Budget Statements and in notes to Financial statements.
“At a whole-of-government level, Special Accounts are reported in the annual Budget Paper No. 4 - Agency Resourcing and in the notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements (CFS).”
Finance also reminds agencies that they will normally not earn interest on the Special Account balances unless special arrangements are in place.
According to the Finance Circular, an example of a special need that would justify a Special Account could be where increased transparency was an issue, for example where activities are funded jointly with other Governments.
It said its financial management policy guidelines provided further advice on justification.

The full Finance Circular 2009/01 An Introduction to Special Accounts can be accessed at the Department of Finance and Deregulation website www.finance.gov.au

10 March, 2009

Postal surveys not delivering

Australia Post has been urged to change its method of assessing community attitudes to proposed changes to postal services.
   The Postal Industry Ombudsman, Professor John McMillan, who is also the Commonwealth Ombudsman, investigated the Agency’s method of judging community support for service changes and found it could be improved.
   According to the Ombudsman, Australia Post often conducted ‘community polls’ to gauge public support for a new mail delivery service or increase in frequency of an existing service.
   It contacts the households affected by the proposed change to establish how many of them would support the possible change.
   “Each year my Office receives complaints about Australia Post’s community polling,” The Ombudsman said.
   “Many communities, particularly in rural and regional areas, rely heavily on regular postal delivery services for maintaining business and family contacts.”
   He said more than 70 communities across Australia had been polled in the last five years and decided, in light of the complaints, that an investigation would be in order.
   “Changes to mail delivery services affect communities across Australia,” Professor McMillan said.
   “There can be an impact on local businesses, including general stores and local Post Offices and agents, where people collect mail. It is important that Australia Post takes community views into account.”
   He said he was concerned that the polling method used by Australia Post might not accurately capture community views about plans to change postal delivery services.   “Specifically, Australia Post considers that the non-return of a polling form indicates lack of support for the proposed change.
   “There may in fact be a different explanation.”
   The Ombudsman said that treating a non-response as a lack of support for change had the potential to misrepresent community views.
   “For example,” he said, “a person may be ill or away, may not receive the polling form, or may not realise the importance of the form.”
   He recommended that Australia Post review the way it carries out its community polls and make other changes that would give them more credence.
   “Australia Post has responded positively to the report,” the Ombudsman said.
   “It advised that it would review the way in which it gauges community support for changes to local mail delivery arrangements.”
   It promised to share the findings of the review with the Ombudsman.
   The full text of the Ombudsman’s report can be found at www.ombudsman.gov.au

10 March, 2009

ABC points finger at digital date

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation has confirmed it will switch on its digital radio service in July.
   The ABC announced it would not meet the 1 May start-up date due to a delay in funding confirmation. The 1 May date had already been extended from 1 January.
   Acting Director of ABC Radio, Kate Dundas, said the ABC was working with the Special Broadcasting Service and the commercial sector to manage any potential interference issues when the service was rolled out to Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth.
   Ms Dundas said from 1 July, ABC Radio would offer its five current analogue services - ABC Local Radio stations, ABC Radio National, ABC Classic FM, ABC NewsRadio and triple j, plus its three music services currently on the internet - dig Music, Jazz and Country to the five cities in digital.
   “We are keen for these digital radio offerings to be media rich services that take advantage of a new medium,” she said.
   “We’ll take some time to see how our first eight services are received in the market following the July launch.”
   Ms Dundas said the ABC was keen to look at audience preferences and to provide high quality services to the public.
   “Following the outcome of the ABC’s overall triennial funding submission, we will be in a clearer position to progressively look at the kind of additional digital radio services we can put to air,” she said.
   “The mix of future offerings to be developed would play to ABC Radio’s programming and content strengths.”
   ABC Radio is expected to join SBS and the commercial radio sector in a major listener event to be held in early August once full services are available in all markets.

10 March, 2009

Online safety program hung out for kids

A pilot program to keep children safe online has been announced jointly by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).
   The Agencies said with the involvement of software company Microsoft, the ThinkUKnow program has already been introduced into a number of schools, resulting in over 500 teachers, carers and parents being educated about online safety issues.
   During the pilot phase of the program, volunteers from the AFP, ACMA and Microsoft ran education programs at over 100 schools across NSW, Victoria and the ACT.
   ThinkUKnow aims to educate adults on how to ensure children have a positive online experience and give them tools to manage their online safety.
   Program participants learnt about the types of activities young people were involved in online, and were given guidance on how to minimise risks and address issues as they arose.
   Acting National Manager of High Tech Crime Operations at the AFP, Commander Neil Gaughan, said while the internet was a fun place where kids could interact with the world, it also had many hidden threats.
   “Every time an Australian child logs onto the internet to use instant messaging or social networking sites, they and their parents and teachers need to be aware of some of the negative aspects,” Commander Gaughan said.
   “They need to understand that the people they are chatting to may not be who they say they are.”
   He said the program originated in the UK and was founded by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre.
   Commander Gaughan said a pilot study carried out by the Virtual Global Taskforce and Microsoft revealed that one in 12 young people in the UK had met someone in the real world who they first met online – someone they didn’t know if they could trust.
   “The AFP’s child protection team finds and prosecutes online offenders,” he said.
   “ThinkUKnow is another proactive piece of the puzzle with the aim to ensure children have a positive online experience.”
   Chairman of ACMA, Chris Chapman, said as part of the Government’s cybersafety policy, ACMA provided a national program of cybersafety initiatives including research of current cybersafety trends, information campaigns and activities and the development of cybersafety education materials.
   ”The ThinkUKnow program and partnership is a welcome addition in helping young Australians to stay safe online,” Mr Chapman said.
   Regional Director of Online Safety for Microsoft, Julie Inman-Grant, said over 60 volunteers from Microsoft had committed their time to the program.
   “Our volunteers feel passionately about harnessing their professional skills to help others to be more involved in their children’s online experiences,” Ms Inman-Grant said.
   “Many adults trail behind children when it comes to technology, but children may lack real-world experience and sound judgment, making them more vulnerable to online risks.”
   She said Microsoft had commissioned a survey that found even though a quarter of children said they had been cyber-bullied, 83 per cent of parents did not know what to do about it.
   “We believe that the strength of the ThinkUKnow partnership will bring significant and tangible benefits to communities around Australia,” Ms Inman-Grant said.
   For further information, visit www.thinkuknow.org.au

10 March, 2009

Emergency callers on safe ground

The Federal Government is to amend its Telecommunications Act to allow States and Territories to introduce telephone-based emergency warning systems.
   The emergency warning systems which would be used for bushfire, floods and other threatening conditions have been the subject of discussions between the Commonwealth, States and Territories since 2004 with an agreement reached in November 2008.
   The proposed amendments would allow emergency services to access telephone numbers while protecting the identity of individuals.
   Access to the Integrated Public Number Database (IPND) would be provided through a new secure database allowing real-time access to telephone numbers
   Following the bushfire emergency in Victoria, the Government sought advice from the Solicitor-General on an interim measure to allow access to the IPND before draft legislation, which commenced in 2008, was finalised.
   Based on the advice, the Government made a regulation under the Telecommunications Act 1997 to allow immediate access by States and Territories wishing to implement a more limited system as soon as possible.
   Attorney-General, Robert McClelland said the interim solution was not a substitute for future amendments to the Act, but simply a temporary measure.
   He said if the States and Territories could agree on a national system at the next Council of Australian Governments meeting, the Commonwealth would make increased financial contributions to establish it.
   Under the COAG agreement reached in November last year, States and Territories would retain autonomy over the warning systems they chose to implement.
   Mr McClelland said current technologies were limited to communicating with fixed landlines and mobiles on the basis of billing addresses, meaning it would be a challenge to communicate with all telephones in a threatened area.
   It said individuals in an at-risk area may not receive a warning, while others outside the area did.
   The Attorney-General said at the next COAG meeting the Commonwealth would offer the States and Territories financial help to research improved location-based emergency warning systems.
   He said the public the phone-based emergency warning systems would not replace other warning systems such as media, sirens, signage and doorknocking.
   The Federal Government is to provide $11.3 million in funding towards the project, with a Request for Tender to build the database to be issued shortly.

10 March, 2009

Cold hard facts on Antarctic rubbish

A working group of officers from Biosecurity Australia, the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) and the Australian Antarctic Division of the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts has been putting its mind to the challenges of dealing with rubbish and waste in the pristine territory of Antarctica.
   Required to be dealt with carefully under the protocol to the Antarctic Treaty on environmental protection, the waste has built up over years of scientific expeditions to the region.
   Senior Environmental Policy Advisor for the Australian Antarctic Division, Sandra Potter, said under the Madrid Protocol to the Treaty, established in 1991, the waste had to be cleaned up and returned to its host country.
   Ms Potter said while Australia did not have a timeframe for the waste removal project, the three Agencies hoped to have it completed within the next few years.
   She said before the rubbish was removed, research was being conducted to identify the best way to do so without causing harm to the environment.
   “I think it would be fair to say that Australia has been a leader in research into the remediation of contaminated sites in Antarctica - and taking positive clean-up action,” Ms Potter said.
   She said historical waste would be removed from Australia’s Casey Station, where it had amassed since the station was constructed in 1964.
   “Up to the mid 1980s waste was disposed of locally like municipal tips in Australia,” Ms Potter said.
   “In the case of this station, waste was disposed of in a gully.”
   She said the waste to be removed included bitumen, fuel drums, old vehicle parts, plastics, household rubbish, batteries, cement sheeting, rubber and insulation batts.
   “The Australian Government has removed similar waste before,” Ms Potter said.
   “Subject to advice from AQIS and Biosecurity, the easiest way to handle the waste is to bring it back as it is and dispose of it in Australia.
“The waste does contain heavy metal content which will need to be stabilised before it is buried.”
   Agency representatives recently visited the Thala Valley - 500 metres north-east of Casey station - and the abandoned Wilkes Station to examine the rubbish and assess how to best manage its disposal after it has returned to Australia.
   Ms Potter said while set procedures had not yet been developed, members from AQIS, Biosecurity Australia and the Australian Antarctic Division visited sites, followed up sample analysis and conducted regular meetings.
   “Further down the track we will be talking again with State Governments including State quarantine about bringing the waste into Tasmania,” she said.
   Waste currently generated by Australia and other countries with stations in Antarctica is required to be incinerated or removed to protect the local environment, however up to the mid 1980s this had led to the contamination of sites used for vehicle maintenance and fuel storage, and was often floated out to sea on chunks of ice.

10 March, 2009

CSA goes into bat for community

The Child Support Agency notched up its maiden victory in an annual cricket challenge match against the Australian Capital Territory’s blind cricket side.
   In the third annual blind cricket challenge, played in Canberra last week, CSA finally took revenge after losing to the representative side, VISACT, in its previous two encounters.
   The CSA team scored 6-132 in reply to VISACT’s total of 129.
   According to organisers from the CSA, the annual match gives staff the chance to experience first hand what it’s like for people with disabilities to engage in activities many of us take for granted.
   Although victorious, CSA captain Rudy Sharma said he had great respect for his team’s rivals.
   “To be placed in a position where I lost my sight was one of the most daunting experiences of my life,” Mr Sharma said.
   “Especially after seeing a team-mate hit squarely in the chest by a ball that he was unable to see.
   He said the match was a testament to triumph over adversity.
   “I doubt whether Ricky Ponting himself would be able to reach out with all his senses, except his eyesight, to play in the manner that we were privileged to witness,” Mr Sharma said.
   “Our personal thanks to all involved who made the day such a sweet success.”
   Captian of the VISACT team, Nick Haydar said blind cricket is more than just a game.   “Blind cricket is about building networks within the blind community,” Mr Haydar said.
“It can also become an avenue for visually impaired people to achieve other things in life.”
   Beyond the boundary, the event is a fun family day, where CSA employees and the blind community come together to spend a fun family day out.
   CSA General Manager, Matt Miller takes the field each year with team CSA, now well known as the GM's XI.
   Mr Sharma said the blind cricket ball was hollow and emitted a sound. It is bowled underarm but otherwise the game is similar to conventional cricket with a few modified rules.
   For part of the game, the CSA players wear glasses which simulate certain vision conditions to experience first hand what the blind cricketers experience.
   The match was presided over by two qualified umpires provided by the ACT Cricket Scorers and Umpires Council.

10 March, 2009
Commonwealth congratulated
The Queen has congratulated the Commonwealth on its 60th anniversary.
   Queen Elizabeth said the Commonwealth was “a family of nations and peoples” that believe in freedom, democracy and human rights; equality and equity; development and prosperity.
   “As the Commonwealth celebrates its sixtieth birthday, its governments, communities and we as individuals should welcome that achievement,” she said.

Forces get pay audit
An independent audit into the pay of Special Forces soldiers is to be undertaken following concerns surrounding the fairness of pay for the soldiers.
   Minister for Defence, Joel Fitzgibbon, requested the Chief of the Defence Force, Air Marshall Angus Houston, and the Secretary of Defence, Nick Warner, engage a financial auditor to complete the task.
   Mr Fitzgibbon said the audit would be conducted by KPMG for $100,000 and would settle “whether any soldier had his pay deducted after my October directive that recovery action cease.”

Credit ratings discussed
Minister for Superannuation and Corporate Law, Senator Nick Sherry, has held a number of roundtable discussions with the banking and finance industries to discuss how to improve the usefulness and quality of ratings issued by credit rating agencies.
   Senator Sherry said from 1 July, the supervision of all ratings agencies would be upgraded, and all agencies must be licensed and issue an Annual Compliance Report.
   “It is completely unacceptable to have such a systemically important set of entities such as ratings agencies operating in Australia but sitting entirely outside our regulatory system,” he said.

Canberra pressures Feds
The Government of the Australian Capital Territory has increased pressure on the Federal Government to go easy on PS job cuts as new figures show the ACT to b the only community e in Australia to record two consecutive quarters of negative growth.
   ACT Treasurer, Katy Gallagher and Greens Convenor, Meredith Hunter, said the Government needed to recognise the importance of the Commonwealth Public Service on the Canberra economy.
   Ms Hunter said the Government needed to “advocate against any cuts to the Public Service” to minimise job losses in the State.

Landlines disconnected
Increased numbers of young Australians have chosen not to connect a fixed phone line when moving out of home, according to a report by the Australian Communications and Media Authority.
   The Australian household consumers’ take-up and use of voice communication services report found many youths aged 18 to 24 were abandoning the traditional phone, preferring to rely on mobile phone technology.
   Further information was available from www.acma.gov.au

Deeming down
Further reductions to the deeming rates have been announced to reflect lower returns available to pensioners from financial investors due to the financial downturn.
   The upper deeming rate will decrease from four per cent to three per cent for financial investments over $41,000 for single pensioners or $68,200 for couples from 20 March.
   The lower deeming rate will decrease from three to two per cent.
   This is the third reduction in the deeming rates since November 2008.

Hall to Oxford
ABC Journalist, Eleanor Hall, has been awarded the 2009 Donald McDonald ABC Scholarship to the Reuters Institute of Oxford.
   Ms Hall is the presenter of The World Today on ABC Radio had has worked at ABC TV News, the 7:30 report, Lateline, Foreign Correspondent and ABC Radio Current Affairs.
   The ABC has awarded the scholarship since 1999, with its name changing in 2006 to commemorate the retirement of the Chairman of the ABC, Donald McDonald.

Finance Statements out
The Government Monthly Financial Statements for January 2009 have been released.
   The underlying cash balance for the 2008-09 year to 31 January 2009 was a deficit of $14,248 million while the fiscal balance for the same period was a deficit of $6,262 million.
   The net worth balance of the General Government sector is a positive net asset position of $53,097 million at 31 January 2009.

More power to APRA
The powers of the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority are to be strengthened.
   New legislation has been announced to regulate the non-operating holding companies (NOHCs) of life insurers and to enhance the Federal Court of Australia’s ability to issue injunctions on prudential matters.
   The changes were announced by Assistant Treasurer, Chris Bowen, and Minister for Superannuation and Corporate Law, Senator Nick Sherry.
   The new rules are expected to remove gaps in the prudential regulation regime.

New recruits on course
A Defence Indigenous Pre Recruitment Course has commenced in Newcastle, NSW.
   Minister for Defence Science and Personnel, Warren Snowdon, said the course was one of the first initiatives to be rolled out as part of the Australian Defence Force Indigenous Employment Strategy.
   Mr Snowdon said 20 Indigenous trainees would participate in an eight week course to help them prepare for an ADF career.

Airservices to show off
Airservices Australia is to showcase a range of aviation career opportunities at this year’s Australian International Airshow, Avalon 09, to address industry wide skills shortages.
   The showcase will highlight opportunities in the aerospace, maritime and defence industries, with a program of displays, briefings and presentations scheduled.
   Around 50 Airservices personnel will also volunteer at Avalon to keep visitors and participants safe.
   Further information was available from www.airservicesaustralia.com or www.airshow.net.au

Artist dies
Former ACT policeman and accomplished artist, Graham Shinnick has died.
   Mr Shinnick came to prominence in the 1990s when one of his paintings was chosen as the first in a collection of local artworks being established by the ACT Government. He was 64.

3 March, 2009

Whistleblower report hits positive note

New laws to protect employees of the Australian Public Service who ‘blow the whistle’ on their colleagues have been recommended by the House of Representatives Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee.
   Chair of the Committee, Mark Dreyfus MP, said legislation on whistleblowing was long overdue.
   “The current legal framework and organisational culture discourages Public Servants from speaking out against what they consider to be illegal or improper conduct in the workplace,” Mr Dreyfus said.
   “The Commonwealth is the only Australian jurisdiction that does not have legislation to encourage public interest disclosures.”
   He said the Committee’s report, Whistleblower protection: a comprehensive scheme for the Commonwealth Public Sector, recommended that a scheme covering all APS employees, contractors and consultants be implemented to provide “statutory protection against detrimental action, and immunities from civil and criminal liability.”
“Public interest disclosure legislation should play a central role in identifying and addressing wrongdoing in the Public Sector”, Mr Dreyfus said.
   “While some limited protections are available to whistleblowers employed by Australian Public Service Agencies, evidence to the inquiry indicates that those protections are grossly inadequate.”
   Special Minister of State, Senator John Faulkner, welcomed the Committee’s report, saying he was eager to examine its recommendations.
   Senator Faulkner said ensuring corruption and misconduct within the APS was revealed was an important step towards improving Government transparency, accountability and openness.
   “I look forward to progressing this issue through Government, developing legislation later this year and introducing legislation in this term of the Parliament,” he said.
   Similarly, the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) congratulated the Committee on the effort they put into the report.
   Deputy Secretary of the CPSU, Nadine Flood, welcomed the recommendation that the Commonwealth Ombudsman be the scheme administrator, saying it was the only generalist agency with extensive experience in investigations.
   Ms Flood said the report also recognised the help the CPSU could provide to members who had whistleblowing concerns.
   “Public Sector workers have for too long had to make the choice between disclosing matters in the public interest and their job security and careers,” she said.
   She said if the report’s recommendations were legislated they would enhance the accountability and integrity of the APS and ensure matters of “critical public interest” were heard.
   Mr Dreyfus said the report recommended the new legislation be called the Public Interest Disclosure Act.
   He said the whistleblower system should include a two stage process of internal and external reporting, with Agencies being obliged to act on any disclosures they received.
   Mr Dreyfus said the Committee also recommended any disclosures made to third parties such as the media and legal advisors be protected.
   Further information and a copy of the report were available from www.aph.gov.au/laca

3 March, 2009

Far-sighted plan for teleconferencing

Installation of an across-Government teleconferencing system is to begin in Melbourne in the coming months with Parliament House Canberra to be second cab off the rank shortly afterwards.
   Minister for Finance, Lindsay Tanner has announced the Government was working with Telstra to introduce the system as part of its national teleconferencing project designed to save money on Public Service travel.
  Mr Tanner said the system being installed would be the Cisco TelePresence system.
   He said the teleconferencing project, for which funding was announced in November 2008, would cost $13.8 million over four years.
   “The purpose of the teleconferencing project is to reduce the need for travel for hundreds of meetings that Government officials are required to attend each year,” Mr Tanner said.
   “It is expected to deliver a significant reduction in travel costs, improve productivity and lower the impact of carbon emissions.”
   He said the TelePresence project would provide secure, life-size high-definition video facilities connecting Government locations around Australia.
   “Gone are the days of poor sound quality and fuzzy images making video conferencing more trouble than it’s worth,” Mr Tanner said.
   “TelePresence offers big screens, with high definition sound making the option of actually choosing to hold a meeting using this technology a real and cost-effective alternative to getting on a plane.”
   He said the system would be used in inter-jurisdictional meetings, including Council of Australian Governments (COAG) and Ministerial Council meetings.
   Mr Tanner said the plan would eventually see TelePresence facilities rolled out across more than 20 Government locations across Australia.
   “Of course, TelePresence is not a suitable replacement for all face-to-face meetings,” he said.
   Mr Tanner said given the current economic downturn, the Government was exploring ways to reduce “wasteful, inefficient spending practices.”
   “The implementation of TelePresence facilities across Australia is another way in which we are delivering on that promise,” he said.

3 March, 2009

Union strikes blow to keep PS jobs

The Community and Public Sector Union has launched a television advertising campaign in Canberra and Tasmania urging the Federal Government not to cut PS jobs as the economy slows.
   Aimed at drawing attention to the spike in demand for essential public services that rising unemployment and economic hardship brings, the CPSU Essential services campaign warns that without adequate PS staff, the services may not be there when the community needs them.
   National Secretary of the CPSU, Stephen Jones said agencies such as Centrelink, Medicare and the Job Network were already noticing increases in demand.
   “An economic crisis is no time to cut essential jobs and services,” Mr Jones said.
   “Now, more than ever, Australians need a strong, stable and effective public sector.”
   He said unless the Government’s policy of arbitrary Budget cuts on agencies was reversed, the increased demand for essential services may not be met.
   He said the Prime Minister was right to urge business leaders to try to prevent job losses, but to be meaningful the call must also apply to the PM’s own workforce.
   “In the current economic climate, every job matters," Mr Jones said.
   He also pointed out the role the Commonwealth played as a major employer in rural and regional Australia.
   "There is a global consensus that Governments need stimulate the economy and get people spending,” Mr Jones said.
   He said if that strategy is accepted, it made “no sense” for the Government to continue to put pressure on jobs.
   Mr Jones was particularly critical of the efficiency dividend which requires Departments and Agencies to find savings of 3.25% this financial year.
   He expected the “blunt instrument” to take $400 million out of the APS and cost around 3,000 jobs in its first year.
   The television campaign is being supported with leaflets and public and workplace meetings and the Union has launched a web page containing more information.
   The website can be visited at www.cpsu.org.au

3 March, 2009

Army returns fire on SAS pay claims

The Chief of the Australian Army has issued a statement correcting media reports relating to pay issues involving the Army’s Special Forces.
   In his statement, Lieutenant General Ken Gillespie denied that SAS soldiers had seen their take-home pay slashed.
   He said under transition arrangements currently in place, all SF soldiers would remain at their pay group level while time was allowed for them to become properly qualified.
   “There will be no reduction in pay, or any debt recovery related to the Defence Force Remuneration Tribunal’s decision during this transition process,” Lt-Gen Gillespie said.
   “There will be a transition period in which members will be able to reach milestones to remediate all SF trade competencies.”
   He said he had ordered a 100 per cent audit of the competencies of SF personnel and had determined all affected personnel would be paid for the level they were performing, regardless of their formally attained proficiencies.
   Lt-Gen Gillespie said soldiers had received an email asking them not to operate outside the chain of command to ensure the matter was arranged in an “appropriate way.”
   “The important parts of the e-mail deal with identifying single points of contact, and of a genuine desire for soldiers to raise their concerns in an appropriate manner,” he said.
   “Because of the lack of a current information communications technology solution to integrating Army’s pay with its human resources tracking, the progress in resolving this issue has not been as rapid or as precise as I would have wished.”
   Lt-Gen Gillespie assured the public that Defence was working to resolve the issue.
   “Defence understands the concerns that some members may have and will ensure that their specific circumstances are addressed as quickly as possible,” he said.
   Lt-Gen Gillespie said details of the transition period were described in the Chief of Army’s Directive 06/09, which was available from www.defence.gov.au

3 March, 2009

Land sales policy is down to earth

New guidelines for the sale of surplus Commonwealth land to support the construction of housing have been released.
   Minister for Finance and Deregulation, Lindsay Tanner, and Minister for Housing, Tanya Plibersek, announced the new policy jointly saying the disposal of surplus Commonwealth land suitable for housing would support the construction industry, improve community amenity, cut red tape and create new jobs.
   Mr Tanner said surplus properties not being sold for housing would continue to be sold on the open market.
   “The revamped Commonwealth Property Disposals Policy delivers on an election commitment to expedite the sale of surplus Commonwealth land,” Mr Tanner said.
   Ms Plibersek said the Government was taking practical action to increase the supply of housing in Australia.
   “The new guidelines will mean that surplus Commonwealth land is released in a manner that aids the Government's objectives to increase housing supply,” she said.
   Ms Plibersek said the increased land supply and new housing affordability measures would boost jobs in the construction sector, increase the number of affordable rental homes, help more people save for their first home and lower housing infrastructure costs for some entry level housing.
   She said under the new CPDP guidelines, State and Local Governments would still be able to put forward requests for a priority sale of surplus Commonwealth land, provided the sale offered the best outcome for Government objectives.
   Ms Plibersek said a number of surplus Commonwealth properties were being considered for disposal, including a 7.2 hectare CSIRO site at Indooroopilly in Brisbane.
   The guidelines could be assessed from www.finance.gov.au

3 March, 2009

Gap coordinator to fill vacant space

A Coordinator General is to be appointed to oversee and drive the Government's commitment to closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
   The national position is to be responsible for implementing major reforms in housing, infrastructure and employment in remote communities to help address disparities in living conditions.
   The Coordinator General will be expected to deliver results in providing decent housing; adequate infrastructure; improving health, education and employment; protecting children; and rebuilding community norms.
   The role will report directly to the Minister for Indigenous Affairs and will involve working with Indigenous people, community groups, industry and Government organisations and make inroads towards meeting national targets for ‘closing the gap’.
   The Coordinator General will have the authority to coordinate across Agencies, cut through bureaucratic blockages and red tape, and ensure effective service delivery.
   The new position will build on the Council of Australian Government's agreement to reform remote service delivery.
   The new model of remote service delivery is expected to be rolled out from 2009 in 26 communities across Cape York in Queensland, South Australia’s APY Lands, the Western Australian Kimberley region and 15 communities in the Northern Territory.
   The model will be extended to other communities once it has been successfully implemented in the first 26.
   The Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, said the new model and position came under part of the package of initiatives announced at COAG to close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.

3 March, 2009

Advertising list to be publicised

A list of advertising agencies and other communications specialists eligible to tender for Government campaigning work is to be set up by the Department of Finance and Deregulation.
   From 31 March, Departments and Agencies undertaking major advertising campaigns will be required to draw their advisers and consultants from the list, which will include companies and individuals with experience in advertising, public relations, market and social research, communicating with Indigenous Australians and with people from non-English speaking backgrounds.
   Minister for Finance and Deregulation, Lindsay Tanner, said the list, which would be made public for the first time, would enhance accountability and transparency within Government.
   Mr Tanner said any supplier who could demonstrate the necessary experience or capacity to undertake the advertising work could apply to be included on the Communications Multi-Use List.
   “The Department of Finance and Deregulation has now started to publish the details of the first organisations that have satisfied the conditions for inclusion on the Communications Multi-Use List,” he said.
   “I expect that this will be an ongoing process and that the total numbers of participants will grow over time as more interested organisations submit their applications for inclusion.”
   Mr Tanner said the list would provide Departments with access to a wide pool of suppliers for consideration for the tender process.
   “Unlike a roster or panel, new suppliers will be added progressively, ensuring that the field of suppliers is not static, creating an open and highly competitive process,” he said.
   Mr Tanner said greater disclosure regarding procurement arrangements for Government campaigns was part of Labor’s commitment to ensure publicly-funded advertising and information campaigns were conducted without partisan promotion of the Government’s political position.

3 March, 2009

Tellers told in ATM reforms

A range of reforms to Australia’s automatic teller system come into effect this week.
   Ordered by the Reserve Bank of Australia, the reforms include greater disclosure and transparency between the ATM provider and users, incentives to expand the network and promote competition between financial institutions.
   According to the RBA, the reforms will make the cost of cash withdrawals more transparent by ensuring banks display any costs to the customer for using an ATM not belonging to their bank on the screen before the transaction is finalised.
   The RBA Board has called for foreign fees to be abolished, saying they were unjustified and “against the spirit of the reforms”, particularly as most banks already charged a monthly account-keeping fee and it did not cost banks much when their customers used another institution’s ATM.
   It said most banks did not charge customers to use their own ATMs and that many smaller financial institutions had entered into agreements with larger networks to provide fee-free access to ATMs for their customers.
   Chief Executive of the Australian Bankers’ Association, David Bell, has advised customers to locate free ATMs before the changes commence.
   Mr Bell said customers could minimise fees by using ATMs which belonged to their bank or a fee-free network, by using eftpos or getting cash out with a purchase.
   “If customers use an ATM which belongs to another financial institution or company and is not in a network arrangement with their bank, then the customer will pay a fee charged directly by the ATM operator,” he said.
   “Depending on which bank they use, they could also face a foreign ATM fee.”
   Mr Bell said the best way to find free ATMs was to visit online bank sites or use the SMS locator tools offered by some banks.
   “If you do use an ATM which does not belong to your bank or is not in a networked arrangement, then the ATM operator must disclose on the screen the amount it will cost the customer to use the machine,” he said.
   “If the customer decides it is too high, the customer can cancel the transaction at no cost.”
   The RBA’s final Access Regime is similar to the one released for consultation in December 2008 and sets a cap on the connect cost that could be charged to new entrants to the ATM system and prohibits interchange fees except in specific circumstances.
   In response to the consultation process, the Access Regime also includes a prohibition on charging fees for establishing direct clearing/settlement arrangements and allows the Bank to exempt certain arrangements from compliance where it was in the public interest.
   The RBA will monitor developments in foreign fees and direct charges over the next few months and will report publicly on their movements.

3 March, 2009

Union talks tough on conference spending

The Community and Public Sector Union has hit out at Government spending on high-priced conferences and called instead for the funds to be used on essential services.
   Assistant National Secretary of the CPSU, Mark Gepp, made the call following reports that $1 million had been spent on ‘happiness’ conferences for senior education officials and teachers.
   Mr Gepp said although the demand for services such as Centrelink were going up due to the economic crisis, PS budgets and staff were still facing cuts.
   “The Government needs to choose: frontline staff delivering essential services, or happiness conferences,” he said.
   “They cost the same, but only one delivers the essential services Australians expect and support.”
   Mr Gepp said the spending was “inappropriate” and reflected poorly on the majority of Public Servants who were doing the right thing.
   “If they really want to make Public Sector workers happy, they could put this money into employing a few more frontline staff,” he said.
   Mr Gepp said Public Servants were working hard to keep essential services going, keep communities safe and to execute the stimulus package.
   "Million-dollar, feel-good conferences don't help get these jobs done,” he said.
   “During an economic crisis, Australians expect essential services they can depend on.”
   Mr Gepp’s comments come not long after the Special Minister of State, Senator John Faulkner, defended Government spending on contracts awarded to consultancies.
   Estimates by the Australian Financial Review showed that the Government had spent $553 million on contracts since it came to power in late 2007.
   Senator Faulkner said the Government valued the APS highly and had reduced the funding available for outside consultants.
   National Secretary of the CPSU, Stephen Jones, said the Union believed consultants “deliver less, cost more and lack the objectivity of a professional and independent Public Service.”
   “The increased use of contractors and outsourcing reduces the capacity to research and develop policy, diminishes the corporate knowledge of the Public Service and makes the task of maintaining effective oversight and accountability more difficult,” Mr Jones said.
   Finance Minister, Lindsay Tanner, said it was appropriate for the Government to use consultants in some circumstances.
   “They do have a specific purpose - there are particular kinds of expertise that no Government can ever have on their books all the time, that you need to use from time to time,” Mr Tanner said.
   “The Government has significantly reduced available funding for use on consultancies by increasing the efficiency dividend.”

3 March, 2009

Transport Minister hooks into piracy

The Minister for Transport has commissioned a comprehensive inquiry into piracy on the high seas.
   The Minister, Anthony Albanese, said he had asked the Inspector of Transport Security, Mick Palmer, to undertake an inquiry into maritime piracy in response to the recent increase in piracy incidents.
   Mr Albanese said the inquiry would assess the current security arrangements covering Australian crews and ships and would investigate the impact, or potential impact, of piracy on Australian registered and international trading ships, passengers and crew.
   “It will also examine the effect of piracy on Australian maritime trade,” he said.
   “The Australian economy is particularly reliant on the global maritime industry, with 99 per cent of its exports transported by sea.”
   Mr Albanese said in 2008 there had been 293 reported cases of piracy worldwide, 66 per cent of which occurred in South East Asia.
   “The Government is acting to make sure Australia has an appropriate framework in place to safeguard our maritime industry, our international trade effort and the many Australians who travel through international waters every year,” he said.
   Mr Albanese said the inquiry demonstrated the Government's commitment to addressing the worldwide problem of piracy and armed robbery at sea.
   “Last December we co-sponsored a resolution at the United Nations to strengthen international efforts to fight piracy,” he said.
   Mr Albanese said Mr Palmer would liaise with the United Nations, the International Maritime Organisation and other international maritime bodies to make sure Australia's efforts fitted in with wider international initiatives.
   Mr Palmer is expected to present his report by the end of September.

3 March, 2009

Safety net out for children on web

A major review of research relating to the safety of the internet for children has been announced by the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy.
   Senator Conroy said the review would be undertaken by Edith Cowan University and would look at the risks facing children in the online environment.
   He said the research project would be undertaken through the Child Health Promotion Research Centre and overseen by Professor Donna Cross, a prominent researcher into child health.
   “The project will review current research on matters such as the nature and prevalence of cyber-safety issues, such as cyber-bullying, online predators and the disclosure of personal information,” Senator Conroy said.
   “The Government has always recognised that there is no silver bullet to improve cyber-safety and this research will help us to implement the range of measures put forward in our comprehensive cyber-safety plan.”
   He said the University would also explore what technical and behavioural measures could be used by children, parents and teachers to help reduce online risks.
   Senator Conroy said the Government had announced a $125.8 million cyber safety plan in the last Budget.
   He said the plan would include education and information measures; law enforcement; resources such as help-lines and websites; ISP-level content filtering; consultation with industry, child protection bodies and children; and research to identify areas for further action.
   Senator Conroy said further information about all the Governnment’s cyber-safety policies was available from www.dbcde.gov.au

3 March, 2009

ASIO Chief steals away

The outgoing Director General of Security, Paul O’Sullivan, has congratulated ASIO on some “genuine successes” achieved in the past three and half years while he was in the post.
   In his farewell address to staff, Mr O’Sullivan thanked ASIO staff for providing the support that helped the organisation “enlarge and strengthen” the nation’s security intelligence capabilities.
   “Everyone, no matter what you do, has contributed to this genuine, worthwhile, and I hope enduring, achievement for ASIO,” Mr O’Sullivan said.
   “This work, together with the significant investment the Government has made in the organisation, has put the organisation on the front foot for the first time in a long while.”
   Mr O’Sullivan said he believed the prevention of a terrorist attack in Australia was evidence of the superior work conducted by ASIO staff.
   “This outcome, I believe, is directly attributable to action taken by ASIO and our partners over the past several years,” he said.
   “In this context, I am particularly proud of the enhanced relationship with the law enforcement community, and in particular with the Australian Federal Police.”
   Since Mr O’Sullivan commenced as Director General in July 2005, ASIO had grown from just over 950 staff to 1,650 in 2009.
   “It's no small achievement for an organisation to have recruited 700 new staff in this amount of time,” he said.
   “As part of this period of growth, we've developed and bedded down much more effective management structures resulting in the creation of high level strategic leadership.”
   Mr O’Sullivan said while much of what was achieved at ASIO would” never make it into the news cycle,” considerable effort was put into explaining its role to the public through publications, Parliamentary Committee hearings and community contact.
   He said while there was always the risk of media and other public commentary being biased by stereotypes, he found media coverage to be “fair and balanced” during his tenure.
   Mr O’Sullivan said working in the intelligence industry could be “gritty, tough and psychologically demanding” which was why leading ASIO involved unique challenges.
   He congratulated staff for remaining committed to their work despite being unable to tell people where they worked or what they did.
   “[It] is a real credit to this organisation, and especially to those officers who work in difficult environments, and see some of the darker aspects of life,” Mr O’Sullivan said.
   His decision to leave ASIO comes as the organisation approaches its 60th birthday.
   “At 60, ASIO is confident in its capacities; professional in its judgments; and relevant with its advice,” Mr O’Sullivan said.
   “It is well placed to meet new challenges and find new ways to achieve good results.
   “As my ASIO journey comes to an end, I am confident I leave this organisation in good shape.”
   Mr O’Sullivan has been appointed as Australia’s High Commissioner to New Zealand and will be succeeded by David Irvine.

3 March, 2009

Part-time workers in full-time need

One in five part-time workers in Australia wanted to work longer hours and were available to do so according to figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
   The ABS found there were 655,100 underemployed workers across Australia, who were available to work additional hours but unable to find them.
   The Bureau said 92 per cent of the underemployed workers were employed part-time while the remainders were full-time workers who worked less than 35 hours a week due to economic reasons such as being stood down or having insufficient work.
   It said while there were more underemployed part-time women (389,800) than underemployed part-time men (213,900), the incidence of underemployment among part-time workers was higher for men (25 per cent) than for women (18 per cent).
   Just over half (51 per cent) of the underemployed part-time workers would prefer to work full-time hours (35 hours or more a week).
   The ABS said 45 per cent of underemployed part-time workers were actively looking for additional work by asking current employers for more work, contacting prospective employers and looking in newspapers.
   It reported those who took steps to find extra hours of work were most often told there were ‘no vacancies in that line of work’.
   Women were more likely to report ‘unsuitable hours’ as their main difficulty than men (13 per cent compared to 6 per cent).
   Further information on the study was available in Underemployed Workers, Australia, 2008 located at www.abs.gov.au

3 March, 2009

Sarah sinks teeth into animal welfare

Centrelink staff member, Sarah Frew, has been collecting donations of a very different nature to help the animals affected by the bushfires in Victoria.
   Ms Frew, from Centrelink’s National Support Office in Tuggeranong in the ACT, has collected a truck full of pet food, bandages and blankets over the past few weeks.
   She coordinated the drive among Canberra staff, saying she received a phenomenal level of support.
   “Centrelink already has hundreds of staff on the ground helping people who have lost everything and I thought it would be nice to do something for the little critters who cannot speak for themselves,” Ms Frew said.
   “We have received overwhelming support for the drive and the staff in Canberra have been very generous with donations.”
   She said she was hoping to fill 10 to 15 boxes, but had managed to collect enough donations to deliver 28 boxes to animal rescue charities.
   Ms Frew said her husband, Pat, and son, Connor, had hired an enclosed trailer and transported the donations from Canberra to Victoria.
   “It became a bit of a family affair,” she said.
   “My sister-in-law lives in Victoria so we just wanted to do our bit to help out.”
   The donations were divided between Wildlife Victoria, Animal Aid and the RSPCA.
   Centrelink staff in Canberra also raised over $10,000 for the Red Cross Victorian Bushfire Appeal, with donations continuing to come in.

3 March, 2009

Electoral Commission voted a success at 25

The Australian Electoral Commission has been congratulated on its 25th anniversary.
   Special Minister of State, Senator John Faulkner praised the Commission, saying it had served the Australian community well since 21 February 1984.
   Senator Faulkner said the AEC had been established following major amendments to the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 and that a number of activities had been planned for the 2009 anniversary celebration, with details yet to be released.
   He aid between 1973 and 1984 the AEC was known as the Australian Electoral Office after being originally established as a branch of the Department of Home Affairs in 1902.
   Senator Faulkner said in 1983 the Hawke Labor Government established the Joint Select Committee on Electoral Reform (now the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters) which became the focal point for changes to the electoral system.
   He said the Committee’s work led to changes such as the printing of party affiliations on ballot papers, the introduction of party financing laws and the creation of the independent Australian Electoral Commission.
   He said since its creation, the AEC had conducted nine Federal elections, referenda, numerous by-elections and a wide range of other electoral activities.
   It has also been active overseas and has provided assistance with landmark elections in South Africa and East Timor.
   Among its many successes, the AEC has helped emerging democracies build electoral knowledge and election management capabilities.
   Senator Faulkner said further details of anniversary activities would be placed on the AEC website (www.aec.gov.au) in the coming weeks.

3 March, 2009

Crime Commission throws book at crooks

The Australian Crime Commission has published a new report outlining the real extent of organised crime in Australia and its impact on business and communities.
   Entitled Organised Crime in Australia 2009 the publication includes current issues and future trends and explores the efforts of law enforcement to disrupt and dismantle organised crime groups.
   Chief Executive Officer of the ACC, Alastair Milroy, said changes in the Australian and global environment affected organised crime.
   “The dynamics of the Australian economy and advances in technology continue to create opportunities for exploitation by organised crime,” Mr Milroy said.
   He said the publication found although drugs were likely to remain the primary source of criminal proceeds for many organised crime groups, new sectors and activities were becoming more appealing or profitable.
   “New technologies and changes to drug markets present opportunities for organised crime groups,” Mr Milroy said.
   “More and more organised crime groups are becoming involved in money laundering.
   “While the global financial crisis is creating a more cautious investor market, it also presents opportunities for organised crime to exploit the financial sector.”
   Mr Milroy said organised crime operated within and alongside legitimate business, making industry and the public potential targets.
   “Awareness and understanding of the threats of organised criminal activity continues to be a key component in the fight against organised crime in Australia,” he said.
Mr Milroy said other illicit markets outlined in the report included environmental crime, firearms trafficking and intellectual property crime and that understanding the nature of high-threat organised crime groups was essential for law enforcement agencies.
   He said the ACC worked with Commonwealth, State and Territory Agencies to collect and share information about the criminal environment.
   Mr Milroy said while the strategies and methods organised crime groups used to carry out serious crime were largely consistent, their ability to adapt presented a major challenge.
   “Knowledge of these changes in the social and criminal environments assists law enforcement and Governments to determine future planning and operational activity,” he said.
   “Collaboration between law enforcement and Government is vital, but so is collaboration with industry and between sectors.
   “These partnerships will offer the tools and knowledge needed to improve crime fighting capabilities”.

3 March, 2009
Ministerial moves
The Prime Minister has announced changes to the Federal Ministry.
   Among the changes, Senator Mark Arbib has been appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Government Service Delivery; Mike Kelly adds Water to his responsibilities as Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support; Bill Shorten becomes Parliamentary Secretary for Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction in addition to his role in Disabilities and Children's Services; Greg Combet becomes Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change with his Defence role taken on by the Minister for Defence; Anthony Byrne adds Trade to his current roles as Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister; and Senator Ursula Stephens is to administer the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs as part of her duties as Parliamentary Secretary for Social Inclusion and the Voluntary Sector.
   A printable list of the new Ministry is available here.

Tas cuts denied
The Premier of Tasmania, David Bartlett, has denied media reports that up to 2,000 Public Service jobs could be cut by the State Government.
Mr Bartlett said there would be no wholesale redundancies but that he would meet with unions to look at phased in retirements, wage restraints and asking workers to take leave without pay.
He has quarantined funding for schools, hospitals, police and infrastructure projects and closed the Premier’s office in Canberra in a bid to cut back on spending.

Bonus payments getting closer
Families are set to begin receiving bonus payments of up to $950 under the Household Stimulus Package from 11 March.
   Family Tax Benefit customers do not need to do anything to receive the payment as Centrelink will have all necessary information after the family claims FTB.
Further information was available from www.centrelink.gov.au or www.familyasist.gov.au

Subs not for sale
The Australian Submarine Corporation will not be sold in the near future due to uncertainty in the global financial markets.
   Minister for Finance Lindsay Tanner, said selling the ASC now could also complicate things as the company was currently building the Royal Australian Navy’s Air Warfare Destroyers.
   Mr Tanner thanked all legal and process advisers, the business and its Board of Directors and management teams for their cooperation to date.

MPs get chance to join Defence
The 2009 Australian Defence Force Parliamentary Program has been launched by Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support, Mike Kelly.
   He said 83 parliamentarians had participated in the program since its inception in 2001, getting involved in the Special Air Service Regiment Selection Course, working on a Collins Class Submarine and spending time at the RAAF’s largest operational base at Amberley.
   Dr Kelly said the initiative gave Senators and MPs a taste of what it was like to serve in the ADF

New memorials for Canberra
Two national memorials to honour the Australian service men and women who served in the First and Second World Wars are to be designed by competition winners, Brisbane-based firm, Richard Kirk Architects Pty Ltd.
   The memorials will be built on the shore of Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra and will be symbolic of the spirit, sacrifice and commitment of Australians during the wars.
   The Government has encouraged the public to make a donation to finance the construction of the memorials, with more information available from www.mdc.org.au

ABC loses news anchor
The Director of News at the Australian Broadcast Cooperation, John Cameron, has resigned after 25 years at the public broadcaster.
   Managing Director, Mark Scott, thanked Mr Cameron for his dedication and passion for ABC news, saying he had worked in leadership roles for the past nine years.
   “John leaves with our thanks and warm wishes for the future,” Mr Scott said.

Helpers program expanded
The Personal Helpers and Mentors program is to be expanded from 76 sites to 155, allowing it to deliver more services to people with severe mental illnesses.
   The expansion will create around 400 additional full-time jobs, with staff targeting people unable to manage daily activities or to live independently due to mental illness.
   The new services, to be managed by an additional 39 non-Government organisations, are expected to commence from April.

More money for refugees
The Government has pledged to strengthen its international humanitarian commitments by providing an increase of $4.4 million in funding to the United Nation’s refugee agency.
   Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans, made the announcement, saying the additional funding would help the UN allow for longer term planning and flexible responses to emerging situations.
   “As a sign of our increased commitment to this partnership, Australia is increasing its core funding to the UNHCR by $4.4 million to $14.3 million,” Senator Evans said.

Battersby dies
The first Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Council for the Arts, Dr Jean Battersby, has died.
   Chief Executive of the Australia Council, Kathy Keele, paid tribute to Dr Battersby, saying she was a pioneering influence on the arts in Australia and worked to create the Federal Government’s arts funding agency.
   “She was a true visionary who inspired an entire generation of arts administrators to continue her work in underpinning the creation of great Australian art,” Ms Keele said.

Two take out Roni Ellis awards
Two Indigenous students from the University of Canberra have been presented with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Roni Ellis Indigenous Study Award.
   Kiyah Missen and Shane Kim received the awards, which aim to help Indigenous students who have come to tertiary studies late or who are looking to improve their qualifications before embarking on a career.
   Ms Missen and Mr Kim each received a bursary of $1,000.

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