Re-energising Australia
Source: Green Senator Christine Milne. Greens Greenhouse Strategy
"The paper, Re-Energising Australia, sets out what we need to achieve, a suite of policy options and strategies to do so, and the array of opportunities that such action presents. The report sets out the current knowledge on climate change and oil depletion, using that to set targets and policies that will put Australia on a path to manage the transition to a low carbon economy. "

Reducing Red Tape for Patent Applications
Source: Australia. Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources. Media Release
"The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources, Bob Baldwin, has announced that consultations have commenced on removing a regulatory burden faced by applicants for Australian patents. IP Australia, the Government agency responsible for examining patent applications, has been reviewing the requirement for patent applicants to provide search results from foreign patent offices."

Apec Energy Ministers Launch the Darwin Declaration
Source: Australia. Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources. Media Release
"After two days of meetings, the eighth APEC Energy Ministers' Meeting in Darwin has concluded with the release of the 'Darwin Declaration', recognising the need to deploy cleaner, more efficient and sustainable energy technologies. This is a landmark achievement for the APEC member economies. Energy Ministers from across the 21 economies have agreed to a number of ways forward to achieve energy security and sustainable development, Australian Industry Minister and Chair of the meeting, Ian Macfarlane, said."

Howard Government Supporting Safe Australian Schools
Source: Australia. Minister for Education, Science and Training. Media Release
"The Minister for Education, Science and Training, the Hon Julie Bishop MP, launched National Safe Schools Week 2007, and announced funding of $200,000 for two important research projects into bullying."

New national pest animal strategy
Source: Australia. Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation. Media Release
"The first national strategy to tackle existing populations of wild pigs, foxes, dogs and other pests has been agreed. Minister for Conservation, Senator Eric Abetz, said the plan, agreed to at the recent Primary Industries Ministers’ Council meeting in Brisbane, was a major step forward in the fight against feral pests."

Grants to fund gourmet food production
Source: Australia. Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Media Release
"Gourmet food production in regional Australia has been further strengthened, with the Government announcing $2.3 million in grants for food processing projects. Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Peter McGauran, said the funding for 24 companies would build on rural Australia’s already strong food production capacity."

Information Session to Help Sports Combat the Challenge of Water Restrictions
Source: ACT. Chief Minister. Media Release
"“A Sport and Recreation Water Taskforce has been established to work directly with the industry and ACTEW. This Taskforce will seek to better inform the entire industry on the issue, inform any process for the granting of exemptions, and work with local venues and sporting organisations to help them manage and adapt their activities with the significantly reduced number of facilities available."

A New Partnership with Indigenous Australians
Source: Australian Labor Party. Policy
"The life expectancy gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians remains one of the starkest indicators of inequality in Australian society. Federal Labor commits to a comprehensive set of policies within the framework of an agreed national objective of closing the 17-year gap in life expectancy between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians within the next generation..."

Drought Report Will Inform National Energy Market
Source: Victoria. Minister for Energy and Resources. Media Release
"Victorian Minister for Energy and Resources Peter Batchelor said a contingency report on the potential impact of continuing drought on electricity supplies would enable the National Electricity Market to start planning for the possibility of constraints on supply. Mr Batchelor said today’s meeting of Commonwealth and State Energy Ministers in Melbourne agreed to release a National Electricity Market Management Company (NEMMCO) report so that market participants could make investment decisions and plan for contingencies with confidence. "

Boost for Victorian Industry with New Procurement Reforms
Source: Victoria. Minister for Industry and State Development. Media Release
"Minister for Industry and State Development, Theo Theophanous, announced that Victorian businesses would be the big winners from improvements to the Victorian Industry Participation Policy (VIPP). The Bracks Government introduced the VIPP in 2001 to help local businesses to benefit from public sector spending on procurement contracts, major projects, major events and industry and infrastructure grants while delivering value for money for taxpayers. "

New $10M Health Innovation Centre an Australian First
Source: Victoria. Minister for Innovation. Media Release
"The Minister for Innovation, John Brumby, officially opened Australia’s first purpose-built facility for testing and evaluating new healthcare products and services within a near clinical environment."

Innovative Boost for the Future of Kid's Playspaces
Source: Victoria. Minister for Youth Affairs. Media Release
"An innovative new guide to help local councils provide better playground spaces has been launched by the Minister for Sport, Recreation and Youth Affairs, James Merlino. Mr Merlino said The Good Play Space Guide: “I can play too” is the first of its kind and a one-stop resource to assist local councils in improving the quality and accessibility of playgrounds."

Targeting Bus Emissions in Victoria
Source: Victoria. Minister for Climate Change. Media Release
"The Bracks Government will invest in developing hybrid electric bus technology by funding the design, building and trial of a state of the art green bus to operate in Melbourne next year. The Minister for the Environment and Climate Change, John Thwaites, and Minister for Public Transport, Lynne Kosky, unveiled plans to build a trial hybrid electric bus that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent and will be powered by battery with a small diesel powered generator."

E-learning to boost workforce skills
Source: South Australia. Minister for Employment, Training and Further Education. Media Release
"Workplace training is being given a boost through a new strategy to promote the use of ‘e-learning’ with information technology such as the web, CD-ROM and computer-based learning resources. Minister for Employment, Training and Further Education Paul Caica will launch the South Australian e-learning strategy website, which harnesses e-learning as a tool to train and up-skill members of our workforce. "

Major shake-up of teacher recruitment practices recommended
Source: Western Australia. Minister for Education and Training. Media Release
"Sweeping changes will be made to teacher recruitment practices at the Department of Education and Training as a result of a report released by the State Government. Releasing the ‘Review of Teacher Recruitment Practices’ prepared by international recruitment company Gerard Daniels, Education and Training Minister Mark McGowan said the report recommended a major shake-up of recruitment procedures."

Industry to cover the cost of environmental compliance
Source: Western Australia. Minister for Environment. Media Release
"Fees for the State's 860 licensed premises will be increased over the next two years to ensure industry covers the cost of monitoring their environmental compliance - not the community. Environment and Climate Change Minister David Templeman said the licensing and works approval fees for licensed premises would rise on average about 50 per cent over the next two years according to the level of emissions and the amount of monitoring required."

New building standards to help save the environment and deliver savings
Source: Western Australia. Minister for Housing and Works. Media Release
"Western Australia’s booming building industry has thrown its support behind the State Government’s initiative to make houses more energy and water efficient. Outlining the new building standards, Housing and Works Minister Michelle Roberts said the new codes, known as Five Star Plus, would apply to all new houses approved for construction after September 1, 2007."

Students take a lesson in reality
Source: Western Australia. Minister for Education and Training. Media Release
"Every Western Australian student must now complete 20 hours of community service to graduate from high school. Launching the compulsory Community Service Program, Education and Training Minister Mark McGowan said the new policy would help instil discipline and standards in young people."

States agree to consider mandatory energy efficiency program
Source: Western Australia. Minister for Energy, Resources, Industry and Enterprise. Media Release
"All Australian States have agreed to investigate the implementation of a mandatory energy efficiency program for big and medium-sized power consumers. The move was adopted at last week’s meeting of State and Federal Energy Ministers in Melbourne. Western Australia will take a lead role in developing the design of the scheme, and investigation of the costs and benefits."

Wheat Decision the Right One for Growers and the Economy
Source: Australia. Minister for Transport and Regional Services. Media Release
"The Howard/Vaile Government announced a plan to secure Australia's multi-billion wheat industry into the future, the Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of The Nationals, Mark Vaile, said. Mr Vaile said the new arrangements for a single desk structure would best serve the interests of growers and the Australian economy. "Under the new arrangements, growers will be given until 1 March 2008 to establish a new entity to manage the single desk, completely separate from AWB Limited," Mr Vaile said. "

$5.5 Million to Identify Australia's Biodiversity
Source: Australia. Minister for the Environment and Water Resources. Media Release
"To mark the International Day for Biological Diversity the Minister for the Environment and
Water Resources, Malcolm Turnbull, announced $5.5 million funding to develop a national
approach to identifying Australia’s rich biological tapestry. Mr Turnbull said leading Australian scientists in the field of taxonomy - the science that identifies and names biodiversity - will form a network to help us better access and understand information about Australia’s biodiversity."

$9.8 Million Investment in Environmental Economics and Water Management
Source: Australia. Minister for Environment and Water Resources. Media Release
"The Australian Government will invest $9.8 million into economic and scientific research to help address Australia’s major environmental and water challenges, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Malcolm Turnbull announced. Mr Turnbull said $7 million would be used to establish an Environmental Economics Research Hub, through the Australian Government’s $100 million Commonwealth Environment Research Facilities (CERF) programme."

Progressing in the race to capture greenhouse gasses
Source: Australia. Minister for Education, Science and Training. Media Release
"The Minister for Education, Science and Training, the Hon Julie Bishop MP, today opened the new headquarters of a leading research centre focussed on the capture and geological storage of greenhouse gas emissions. The Australian Government is committed to investing in programmes that build on research, development and innovation capacity, and the CRC programme will contribute $27.9 million to the Centre over 2003-10. Total resources to the CO2CRC will be $160 million.”

Boost for industry-focused research
Source: Australia. Minister for Education, Science and Training. Media Release
"The Australian Government will provide $60 million over five years to 217 industry-focused research projects to commence this year under the Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage Projects funding scheme, the Minister for Education, Science and Training, the Hon Julie Bishop MP, announced."

World-leading Carbon Capture Project Planned
Source: Australia. Prime Minister. Media Release
"I welcome the announcement today that Hydrogen Energy, a new joint venture of BP Australia Pty Ltd and Rio Tinto Limited, will study the feasibility of a world-leading carbon capture and storage project in Western Australia. Carbon capture and storage projects such as this are crucial to the future of Australia's important coal industry, and to the national and global challenge of reducing our greenhouse gas emissions."

Papunya Celebrates New Laws To Combat Sniffing
Source: Northern Territory. Member for MacDonnell. Media Release
"People supplying petrol and other volatile substances into Papunya can now be punished under the NT Government’s laws as a result of the Community Management Plan which came into effect on May 1. Member for MacDonnell, Alison Anderson has worked with the community to develop a Community Management Plan under the groundbreaking Volatile Substance Abuse (VSA) legislation. "

Symposium to consult on fertiliser phase-out
Source: Western Australia. Minister for the Environment. Media Release
"The State Government will convene a symposium on July 3 to consult stakeholders on the plan to phase-out the use of damaging fertilisers along the Swan Coastal Catchment."

New Environmental Benchmarks Flagged for Homes
Source: Victoria. Minister for Planning. Media Release
"The State Government released an independent report showing that the 5-Star standard has meant that new homes are at least 20 per cent more energy efficient than they would have been without the standard. Mr Thwaites said that Victoria pioneered the 5-Star standard for new homes which have now been adopted nationally and the Bracks Government will now work with industry and stakeholders to improve the system and build on the environmental gains already achieved."

SA Initiative to boost workforce participation
Source: South Australia. Minister for Employment, Training and Further Education. Media Release
"The State Government has announced a new community-based, training model designed to boost the number of unemployed South Australians winning post-school qualifications and moving into skilled jobs. "

NSW establishes Clinical Trials Business Development Centre
Source: NSW. Department of State and Regional Development. Media Release
"The NSW Government has announced a major new initiative designed to encourage international pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to spend more of their research dollars in NSW. Minister for Science and Medical Research Verity Firth has announced the establishment of a Clinical Trials Business Development Centre to promote NSW internationally as the ideal location for conducting clinical trials."

Thwaites Launches $5 Million Solar Schools Program
Source: Victoria. Acting Premier. Media Release
"Acting Premier and Minister for Climate Change John Thwaites launched Victoria’s Solar in Schools program which offers grants of up to $15,000 for schools and community organisations to become solar powered. Mr Thwaites said the Solar in Schools initiative would cut schools’ energy bills by $75,000 per year and cut greenhouse pollution by more than 1000 tonnes per year, which is the equivalent of taking 230 cars permanently off our roads or saving 20 million black balloons of greenhouse gas."

Cyber Bullying Crackdown in Schools
Source: Victoria. Minister for Education Services. Media Release
"Minister for Education Services, Jacinta Allan, announced that all Victorian government schools will be required to include strategies to prevent and address cyber bullying in their updated Student Codes of Conduct. "

Architects Needed to Produce Affordable Green Homes
Source: Victoria. Minister for Planning. Media Release
"Up to four Victorian architects will be recruited to design Victoria’s homes of the future, setting new standards in affordability and sustainability. Minister for Major Projects, Theo Theophanous, said sustainable homes needed to be both affordable and environmentally friendly to ensure they were popular with Victorian families."

SA, Victoria strike new water trade agreement
Source: South Australia. Minister for the River Murray. Media Release
"A new agreement between South Australia and Victoria will expand permanent trading of River Murray water entitlements. The interim agreement – signed in Melbourne last week by River Murray Minister Karlene Maywald and Victorian Minister for Water John Thwaites – will allow South Australian water users to buy a Victorian allocation for use in South Australia, under a pilot tagged trading system. "

Gambling Minister welcomes IGA report
Source: South Australia. Minister for Gambling. Media Release
"Gambling Minister, Paul Caica, has welcomed the release of the Independent Gambling Authority’s Final Report on their Code Review 2006. The report presents how the IGA intends to alter the Responsible Gambling Codes of Practice, the Advertising Codes of Practice, the Game Approval Guidelines and the Gaming Machine Licensing Guidelines. "

Funding to improve wellbeing of children and families
Source: Western Australia. Minister for Child Protection. Media Release
"The State Government has awarded $198,000 in grants to organisations supporting its Early Years Strategy.Child Protection Minister Sue Ellery said the grants were targeted at the improvement of the wellbeing of children from birth to eight years by supporting their families, carers and communities."

More Red Tape Cut
Source: Australia. Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources. Media Release
"The Industry Statement will deliver further cuts to red tape with $89.2 million over ten years for an integrated online registration system for both the Australian Business Number (ABN) and state and territory business names."

$200 Million to Make Aussie Innovations Commercially Ready
Source: Australia. Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources. Media Release
"Australian innovators will continue to receive targeted assistance with a $200 million a year boost to the Howard Government's flagship innovation programme, Commercial Ready."

New grants and schools competition to tackle obesity
Source: Australia. Minister for Health and Ageing. Media Release
"The Australian Government has launched a new grants program and schools competition focused on preventing obesity and chronic disease. The $12 million ‘Healthy Active Australia’ community and schools program will provide grants of between $10,000 and $200,000 for local projects promoting healthy living among at-risk groups."

Free Trade Agreement Negotiations: Japan and China
Source: Australia. Minister for Trade. Media Release
"The Australian Government Budget has provided $17.0 million over two years for the negotiation of free trade agreements (FTAs) with Australia’s two largest trading partners, Japan and China."

$741 Million Additional Funding for Climate Change Measures
Source: Australia. Minister for Environment and Water Resources. Media Release
"The 2007–08 Budget includes a range of Australian Government measures to address climate change, at a cost of $741 million over five years. Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Malcolm Turnbull, said the funding would help reduce global greenhouse gas emissions, while assisting Australia to prepare for climate change."

$1 Billion Clean Coal Fund Welcomed
Source: Australia. Minister for Environment and Water Resources. Media Release
"The Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Malcolm Turnbull, welcomed the expansion of the COAL21 Fund to support research, development and demonstration of clean coal technologies. The Australian Coal Association announced it would increase its $300 million five-year COAL21 Fund to an estimated $1 billion over the next decade. The COAL21 Fund aims to raise the funds through a voluntary production levy on coal producers."

Australian Government Solar Rebate Start-Up
Source: Australia. Minister for Environment and Water Resources. Media Release
"Householders, schools and community organisations planning to take advantage of the Australian Government’s new $150 million solar power rebate can apply immediately for the increased rebate."

Building an Indigenous workforce in government service delivery
Source: Australia. Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations. Media Release
"The Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, the Hon Joe Hockey MP, announced $97.2 million, over four years, to create at least 825 jobs in government service delivery for Indigenous Australians participating in Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP)."

Education for life – realising our potential
Source: Australia. Minister for Education, Science and Training. Media Release
"The Australian Government will boost investment in the Education, Science and Training portfolio with an unprecedented $5 billion in a perpetual Higher Education Endowment Fund and additional spending of $4 billion over four years, including the $3.5 billion ‘Realising Our Potential’ package. This historic investment includes a major reform package which will fundamentally reshape the university landscape and drive quality improvements in Australian schooling."

Improved Access to Government Intellectual Property
Source: Australia. Attorney General. Media Release
"Business should have more opportunities to commercialise intellectual property (IP) developed under government contracts after the adoption of a new Government IP policy, Attorney-General Philip Ruddock said."

Don’t smoke with kids in the car
Source: South Australia. Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse. Media Release
"An advertising campaign has started alerting drivers to a new law banning smoking in cars where children under the age of 16 are passengers, which will take effect throughout the state from Thursday, May 31. South Australia will be the first state in Australia and one of only a few places in the world where smoking is banned in cars when children under 16 are present."

SA Innovation marketed to the world
Source: South Australia. Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries. Media Release
"The Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Rory McEwen, launched a tool developed by the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) that will assist horticulturists around the world deal with critical salinity management."

Joint statement - $112million reforms package announced for indigenous communities in WA
Source: Western Australia. Minister for Indigenous Affairs and Australia. Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. Media Release
"The State and Federal Governments have announced funding of more than $112million for a range of initiatives aimed at improving the living conditions of indigenous people in Western Australia."

Second seawater desalination plant to be State’s next major water source
Source: Western Australia. Premier. Media Release
"Premier Alan Carpenter has announced that a second seawater desalination plant powered by renewable energy will be Western Australia’s next major water source."

Traditional sports make a comeback in childhood obesity fight
Source: Western Australia. Minister for Education and Training. Media Release
"Traditional sports such as cricket, athletics, soccer, tag football and volleyball will make a comeback at schools throughout Western Australia as part of the Carpenter Government’s plan to combat childhood obesity."

WA leads the push to disclose harmful tobacco additives
Source: Western Australia. Attorney General. Media Release
"Western Australia has backed calls by health ministers across the country for tobacco companies to fully disclose the additives found in cigarettes."

New directions in VET: Trades Training Centres in Secondary Schools
Source: Australian Labor Party. Policy Statement
"A skilled workforce is essential for our long-term prosperous future, so we need to make vocational qualifications more attractive to all Australians, beginning with young people in schools..."

Government aims to end scandal of wasted food
Source: South Australia. Attorney General. Media Release
"Attorney-General Michael Atkinson announced that the Government is to change the law to make it easier donate food to charity to end what he called the scandal of wasted food. Mr Atkinson says he is disappointed by the amount of perfectly decent food that is thrown away by our supermarkets and shops every day."

Policy Review to Promote High Quality Retail Centres
Source: Victoria. Minister for Planning. Media Release
"The Bracks Government announced a planning review for the retail sector, which will result in clearer guidelines for locating and designing future retail developments. The Retail Policy Review is about clearly identifying what criteria retailers should be working to when planning, designing and locating their future investments across Victoria."

Teachers and Students to Reach their E-Potential
Source: Victoria. Acting Premier. Media Release
"A program to make digital technology a more effective learning tool was launched by Acting Premier John Thwaites. Mr Thwaites was at Glendal Primary School in Glen Waverley with Education Minister John Lenders to launch the $8.4 million e-Potential learning initiative, which teaches students to use online technology as part of the study of core curriculum subjects."

Holding Launches Australian-First Technology Market Reports
Source: Victoria. Minister for Information and Communication Technology. Media Release
"Minster for Information and Communication Technology, Tim Holding, launched the inaugural Victorian Government Technology Market Reports 2007 – the first of its kind in Australia. The Report, developed by Dandolo Partners in collaboration with the Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA), is now on sale to industry, giving them unprecedented detail on upcoming Victorian Government ICT contracts."

Thwaites Announces Biggest Single Building Program Under $510m Public Housing Boost
Source: Victoria. Minister for Housing. Media Release
"Acting Premier John Thwaites said Norlane would now be home to the biggest single project announced to date under the Bracks Government’s record $510 million boost to social and public housing."

State Budget 2007- 08: Decisions For Our future: More than $100million to fight climate change
Source: Western Australia. Treasurer. Media Release
"The Carpenter Government will invest more than $100million over the next five years on a comprehensive climate change package as part of this year’s State Budget. Treasurer Eric Ripper announced that the Office of Energy and the newly created Office of Climate Change would jointly manage the package."

$183.5million for agri-food industry in State Budget
Source: Western Australia. Minister for Agriculture and Food. Media Release
"The State Government has committed $183.5million to support the growth of Western Australia’s agri-food sector and minimise risks to the State’s natural resources. Agriculture and Food Minister Kim Chance said the Department of Agriculture and Food’s budget for 2007-08 included $41million for biosecurity initiatives and $54million for natural resource management."

$1million for food industry development
Source: Western Australia. Minister for Agriculture and Food. Media Release
"Agriculture and Food Minister Kim Chance said the State Government would spend $1million on food industry development as part of this year’s State Budget. The Department of Agriculture and Food will use the funds to work with food producers and processors to deliver products that meet specific consumer needs."

Federal Budget 2007-08:Government commits to $2 billion for sustainable future
Source: Australia. Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and Minister for Environment and Water Resources. Media Release
"The Australian Government announced it will spend almost $2 billion over five years from 2008-09 to continue the success of the largest environmental programme ever.
The Government will commit $395 million annually to extend the Government’s flagship, Natural Heritage Trust to 2013, providing for the continuation of thousands of natural resource protection, restoration and sustainable use activities across the nation."

Federal Budget 2007-08:$200 Million More to Help Communities Save Water
Source: Australia. Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation and Minister for Environment. Media Release
"The six year extension of the Australian Government’s Community Water Grants programme was announced by the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Malcolm Turnbull, and the Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation, Senator Eric Abetz. Community Water Grants is an extremely successful programme – it has provided vital funding that’s been the catalyst for groups to undertake important water saving projects,” Mr Turnbull said. "

Federal Budget 2007-08:$50.0 million for environmental stewardship
Source: Australia. Department of Agriculture. Media Release
"Farmers and other landholders across the country will be paid to help preserve and restore high-end environmental assets under a new long-term stewardship programme."

Federal Budget 2007-08:Helping hand extended for farm families
Source: Australia. Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Media Release
"Australian farmers in financial difficulty will benefit from an improved Farm Help programme that will provide an additional $92.3 million in assistance over the next four years. "

IR Plan: Forward With Fairness
Source: Australian Labor Party. Policy Statement
"A Rudd Labor Government will ensure a decent and relevant safety net of ten legislated national employment standards and modern simple industry awards for employees.
"Labor’s Forward with Fairness IR plan rewards hard work, gets the balance right between fairness and flexibility, and secures future prosperity…"

Minister Pike Launches Healthy Eating Schools Program
Source: Victoria. Minister for Health. Media Release
"Health Minister Bronwyn Pike says two new initiatives in the fight against child obesity are examples of the community-wide approach needed to combat the growing problem. Ms Pike, speaking at the launch of Nutrition Australia’s Healthy Eating Schools Program, said governments, the community and individuals needed to work together to help Victorian children adopt healthy eating habits. The Budget will commit $11.1 million to introduce free fruit for all primary school children from Prep to Grade 2 to improve their diet and encourage them to establish a lifetime habit of healthier eating."

New Water Recycling Projects for Industry
Source: Victoria. Office of the Premier. Media Release
"The 2007/08 State Budget delivers an extra $136 million for vital water projects around the State, including a number of recycling initiatives in and around Melbourne. Water Minister John Thwaites said the budget also contained new funding to reduce industry water use including initiatives to reduce water use in cooling towers, industrial laundries and to install smart water metres in industry – saving about three billion litres per year by 2008."

Premier Signs Climate Change MOU with Governor Schwarzenegger in California
Source: Victoria. Office of the Premier. Media Release
"Mr Bracks and Governor Schwarzenegger signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which will create practical links between the States in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to climate change. Governor Schwarzenegger has been a leader in the United States in addressing global warming, taking such initiatives as the global warming law which imposes the country's first mandatory statewide cap on greenhouse gas emissions."

$66 Million Boost to Innovation in Victoria
Source: Victoria. Office of the Premier. Media Release
"Victorian Premier, Steve Bracks, announced Victoria would be home to two new world-leading projects that will significantly boost the state’s innovation capabilities. During a visit to BIO2007 in Boston, Mr Bracks announced a $57 million Melbourne Centre for Nanofabrication (MCN) and a $9.5 million Metabolomics Australia Centre would be based in Melbourne. "

New school leaving age for South Australia
Source: South Australia. Premier and Minister for Education and Children's Services. Media Release
"Plans to lift the school leaving age from 16 to 17 in 2009 and open the first of 10 new Trade Schools for the Future were outlined by Premier Mike Rann as part of wide ranging measures to ensure all young South Australians are in school, training or work."

Statewide boost for problem gamblers
Source: South Australia. Minister for Families and Communities. Media Release
"Clinical therapy services for problem gamblers will be ramped up under a new statewide intervention program, Minister for Families and Communities Jay Weatherill has announced. The Statewide Problem Gambling Intensive Therapy Service will operate from four sites in Adelaide and provide a regular service to eight regional centres."

$500 000 funding boosts regional recycling
Source: South Australia. Minister for Environment and Conservation. Media Release
"Environment and Conservation Minister, Gail Gago announced State Government funding of nearly $500,000 for rural communities around the state to help improve their recycling efforts.
The Zero Waste SA grants have been allocated for a range of infrastructure and educational projects which focus on diverting recyclable items, such as paper and cardboard, from landfill, Minister Gago said."

Premier announces new Science and Innovation Council
Source: Western Australia. Minister for Science. Media Release
"Mr Carpenter said the council, to be chaired by Western Australia’s Chief Scientist Professor Lyn Beazley, would play a major role in positioning science and innovation as one of the key drivers of the State’s economy."

$54million package to transform Western Australia’s training sector
Source: Western Australia. Minister for Education and Training. Media Release
"The Minister unveiled the new package - Skills for Western Australia’s Future: Transforming the Training System - to deliver new and upgraded facilities and equipment for TAFEWA colleges and roll-out initiatives recommended by the Skills Formation Taskforce."

Smarter homes to tackle climate challenge
Source: Western Australia. Minister for Innovation. Media Release
"Western Australians are set to join the worldwide fight against climate change under a State Government plan to deliver massive savings in household water and energy consumption. Premier Alan Carpenter announced new building standards requiring all new homes to have water and energy saving devices, which have the potential to reduce consumption by approximately 50 per cent and nearly halve household water and energy bills. "

Innovative family and domestic violence prevention project in schools
Source: Western Australia. Minister for Child Protection. Media Release
"This week, 23 Western Australian high school students have embarked on a training camp where they will learn to deliver information to their classmates about teenage dating violence and family and domestic violence. "

State Water Plan released
Source: Western Australia. Minister for Water Resources. Media Release
"Water Resources Minister John Kobelke set new water efficiency and re-use targets under the State Water Plan 2007. The State Water Plan 2007 is the culmination of several years’ planning and consultation at all levels in the community, ensuring stakeholders and water users throughout the State help to secure our water future.”

$500,000 To Encourage Innovative Transsport Solutions
Source: Victoria. Minister for Roads and Ports. Media Release
"More than $500,000 will be given to councils throughout Victoria to help alleviate congestion on Victoria’s roads by developing initiatives to encourage the take up of more transport options including walking and cycling and public transport. Minister for Roads and Ports, Tim Pallas said the funding, through the Victorian Government’s Local Area Access Program (LAAP) and TravelSmart, would help seven councils complete small-scale infrastructure projects and allow them to develop innovative school travel plans."

A new challenge for SA’s school students
Source: South Australia. Minister for Education and Children's Services. Media Release
"The Rann Government has issued a new challenge to South Australia’s school children in a national first initiative to get children active and healthy. The $1.8 million Premier’s be active Challenge, is part of the Rann Government’s efforts to set South Australia’s children on the path to an active and healthy life."

Public to help stamp out hoons
Source: Western Australia. Minister for Police and Emergency Services. Media Release
"Community Safety Minister John Kobelke said the new laws would give police the ability to act on public evidence showing hoon activity. From midnight tonight police will be able to impound an alleged hoon’s vehicle for two days in order to put an immediate stop to their anti-social behaviour,” Mr Kobelke said."

Premier announces multi-million dollar package to boost housing affordability
Source: Western Australia. Minister for Federal State Relations. Media Release
"Premier Alan Carpenter has announced a $447million funding boost to help make housing more affordable in Western Australia. Mr Carpenter said subdivisions would be fast-tracked with the aim of halving the time taken for State Government approvals, meaning more land and housing developments would be available to homebuyers."

New initiative to combat depression in older people
Source: Western Australia. Minister for Seniors and Volunteering. Media Release
"A new initiative has been launched to combat depression in older people by increasing the awareness of the condition and where to seek help."