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Renewable Energy Target. Enhancing the Renewable Energy Target
Source: Australia. Department of Climate Change and and Energy Efficiency.
"On 26 February 2010, the Government announced changes to be made to the RET scheme to provide greater certainty for households, large-scale renewable energy projects and installers of small-scale renewable energy systems like solar panels and solar water heaters. The Government has released a discussion paper on the new RET design and seeking feedback on the implementation aspects."

Criminal law guide to speed up trials and reduce delays
Source: Victoria. Attorney General.
"A comprehensive guide to Victoria's new criminal procedure laws that will speed up court processes and reduce delays has been launched. The Criminal Procedure Legislative Guide is available free online."

New era of recycling and new jobs for Victoria
Source: Victoria. Department of Environment and Climate Change.
"Almost $54 million will be spent over the next five years to assist councils, community and industry to adapt to increased recycling opportunities."

$1.9 Million available for childcare providers
Source: Victoria. Department for Children and Early Childhood Development.
Grants are being provided to enable childcare providers to comply with new children's services regulations.

Government to take over domestic building insurance
Source: Victoria. Victorian Managed Insurance Authority.
"The Victorian Government will takeover domestic building insurance to ensure builders and consumers have access to adequate and affordable insurance. The Government's intervention follows a number of private insurers no longer providing this vital insurance, leaving only two private insurers."

Online Campaign targets young driver behaviours
Source: Victoria. Department for Roads and Ports.
"A progressive new Vic Roads campaign is targeting bad driving behaviour in young motorists through online viral advertising. Its a progressive new social media campaign of nine video clips."

Carbon Down
Source: Victoria. Department of Environment and Climate Change.
A new website - Carbon Compass has been launched to help small and medium businesses reduce their carbon footprint.

Carbon Down website.

Building a highly qualified early childhood workforce
Source: Victoria. Department for Children & Early Childhood Development
As part of the Early Childhood Workforce Strategy, financial assistance is being offered to build qualifications and expertise for people in the childcare industry.

Australia's Farming Future
Source: Australia. Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.
"Australia’s Farming Future is the Australian Government’s climate change initiative for primary industries. It provides funding over four years to help primary producers adapt and respond to climate change. The objective of Australia’s Farming Future is to equip primary producers to adapt and adjust to the impacts of climate change."

Australian Government Data Centre Strategy 2010 - 2025
Sourec: Australia. Department of Finance and Deregulation, Australian Government Information Management Office.
"... This Strategy is the proposed whole-of-government approach to future data centre requirements. It contains initiatives and actions to achieve the recommendations of the Review including the avoidance of $1 billion in costs... Data centre requirements will be planned, procured and managed on a whole-of-government basis. Data centre facilities and services will be available via a whole-of-government panel. The panel will be set up in accordance with the normal practices of coordinated procurement policy..."

Funding allocated to CMC for phone-tapping capabilities
Source: Queensland. Attorney General. Media Release.
"The Bligh Government has demonstrated its commitment to fighting serious organised crime, corruption and paedophilia in Queensland by providing significant new funding to the Crime and Misconduct Commission for phone-tapping capabilities. Attorney-General Cameron Dick said the government had allocated $14 million over five years to the CMC for telecommunication interception capacity, including $605,000 this financial year to implement the system. He said the funding would allow the CMC to use telephone interception powers on three main operational areas: corruption and serious misconduct; organised crime such as drug trafficking, extortion and fraud; and paedophilia and child sex offences."

New payment options for land tax
Source: Queensland. Treasurer. Media Release.
"Treasurer Andrew Fraser said legislation introduced into parliament would rewrite Queensland’s land tax laws, including the implementation of new payment and capping arrangements. “Land tax is only paid by 0.5% of Queensland residents, and it can be very complicated when dealing with old legislation. It makes sense to make it a lot easier to understand, administer and comply with,” Mr Fraser said. “From the 2010-11 financial year, land taxpayers will be able to either pay their entire amount of tax 90 days after they are given their assessment or in three equal instalments at 45, 90 and then 150 days after assessment."

New laws draw a line in the sand
Source: Queensland. Minister for Natural Resources. Media Release.
" Public access to Queensland’s beaches has been protected after new laws were passed in State Parliament. Natural Resources Minister, Stephen Robertson said new surveying rules would clear up uncertainty about where coastal boundaries lie. “We’ve set clear boundaries about who owns what along our beaches,” Mr Robertson said. The Natural Resources and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2010 clarifies the location of land boundaries that, by nature, shift with the movement of the sea, rivers and creeks. “One of the main catalyst for change was growing concern that beaches could be taken into private ownership,” he said."

Truck industry to take greater responsibility for speeding and driver fatigue
Source: Queensland. Minister for Transport. Media Release.
"New laws that require the truck industry to take greater responsibility to address issues of speeding and driver fatigue were passed by the Queensland Parliament.Transport Minister Rachel Nolan said road safety must be a focus for all levels of the truck industry, not just drivers.Under the Transport and Other Legislation Amendment Bill employers, schedulers, operators, prime contractors and/or other parties should take reasonable steps to improve safety."

Alcohol ignition interlocks set for high risk drink drivers
Source: Queensland. Minister for Transport. Media Release.
" By the end of the year, high-risk drink drivers will be made to install an alcohol ignition interlock device or be prohibited from driving for two years under new legislation. Transport Minister Rachel Nolan said new laws within the Transport and Other Legislation Amendment Bill had the potential to affect more than 12,000 drink driving offenders each year."

New energy efficient standard on way
Source: Queensland. Minister for Infrastructure and Planning. Media Release. " Queensland’s sub-tropical and tropical climate will be taken into account when the State adopts a new national code for a 6-star (or equivalent) energy efficiency standard. Minister for Infrastructure and Planning Stirling Hinchliffe said the changes, to take effect for new houses and townhouses and major renovations from 1 May 2010, will be made through an amendment to the Queensland Development Code (QDC) 4.1 – Sustainable buildings."

Government announces review into CTP scheme
Source: Queensland. Treasurer. Media Release.
"Treasurer Andrew Fraser said the Government has directed the scheme regulator Motor Accident Insurance Commission (MAIC) to conduct a review into the state’s Compulsory Third Party (CTP) scheme. Mr Fraser said CTP levels today were lower than those of 2003, but a review would seek to examine the model."

Far North Queensland Regional Water Supply Strategy
Source: Queensland. Minister for Natural Resources. Media Release.
" In the lead up to Queensland’s Growth Management Summit, Natural Resources Minister Stephen Robertson has announced plans to secure a long-term water strategy for far north Queensland. The Far North Queensland Regional Water Supply Strategy will focus on the future water needs for urban, rural and industrial water users in the wider Cairns area, up to Port Douglas, out to Ravenshoe and west to Dimbulah."

Draft Queensland Greenspace Strategy
Source: Queensland. Premier. Media Release.
" Premier Anna Bligh has announced plans for a major new park and released a Draft Queensland Greenspace Strategy in the lead up to the Queensland Growth Management Summit on March 30 and 31. “Opening up and creating more greenspace for Queenslanders to enjoy is part of our growth management strategy,” said the Premier. “More greenspace is essential if South East Queensland is to retain the lifestyle we are famous for."

Family Referral Services
Source: New South Wales. Minister for Communities. Media Release.
Three pilot Family Referral Services have been announced as part of the NSW strategy of Keep Them Safe.

Aboriginal Impact Statements
Source: New South Wales. Minister for Communities. Media Release.
"The New South Wales government has developed an Aboriginal Impact Statement to assess its effect of reforms to the child protection system will have on Aboriginal children, young families, families and communities."

Boost for renewable energy in regional WA - media release
Source: WA. Minister for Energy
"Two new solar powered stations will be built in regional WA, building on the Liberal-National Government’s commitment to renewable energy supplies. Energy Minister Peter Collier said the stations would be built at Marble Bar and Nullagine at a total cost of $27.7million. This will be funded largely by Horizon Power with a welcome $4.9million injection from the Commonwealth’s Renewable Remote Power Generation Program (RRPGP). Mr Collier said they would be the world’s first high penetration solar photovoltaic and diesel power stations. The projects will include 2,250 solar panels, with a total of 500 kilowatt solar photovoltaic tracking arrays, and will each operate in conjunction with diesel power stations."

Drug Driving in the Territory: an overview of issues and options—March 2010
Source: ACT. Dept of Territory and Municipal Services
"Random roadside drug testing is far from being a straightforward process, and the ACT Government has issued a discussion paper on the subject. It is crucial that Canberrans are aware of the complexities and understand the importance of getting any legislation right.
It is important to understood that random roadside drug testing is much more expensive than breath-testing for alcohol—as much as $40 per driver tested, compared with a few cents for a breath test—and much more time-consuming—potentially delaying motorists by the roadside for at least several minutes. Nor can any current tests be used to test for a full range of illicit substances."

Initiatives to Help Improve Kinder Management
Source: Victoria. Minister for Children & Early Childhood Development. Media Release
"An improved approach to kindergarten management will help deliver better services for children and help relieve pressure on parent led kindergarten committees of management. Minister for Children and Early Childhood Development Maxine Morand launched the Brumby Labor Government’s new Kindergarten Cluster Management Policy Framework and funding of $520,000 to assist develop cluster management in Victoria.Opening the Kindergarten Cluster Management Forum in Melbourne, Ms Morand said cluster management relieves the administrative burden on parents involved in their kindergarten management and kindergarten teachers, freeing them up to focus on teaching. Kindergarten cluster management brings together a group of kindergartens under the management of a single organisation, such as the local council. They can then appoint someone to manage the administrative and professional development requirements for a number of centres.“A recent review of kindergarten cluster management in Victoria found that cluster management has resulted in significant benefits to families, kindergarten staff and the community,” Ms Morand said."