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.

Historic Day for Victorian Workers
Source: Victoria. Minister for Workcover. Media Release
"Victoria will become the first place in Australia to provide eligible injured workers with superannuation payments, after the Accident Compensation Amendment Bill 2009 passed through Parliament. The $90 million package, the biggest package ever provided for injured workers, will deliver improved benefits to workers suffering from permanent injuries and the families of workers who tragically lose their lives at work. WorkSafe Minister Tim Holding said the legislation would also support injured workers’ return to work and provide increased flexibility for employers."

Government launches new Disability Employment Services
SOURCE: Australia. Minister for Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. Media Release.
"Minister for Employment Participation Mark Arbib today launched the Rudd Government's new $1.2 billion Disability Employment Services.. The new Disability Employment Services will operate under two new programs:. In addition to the new Disability Employment Services, Senator Arbib also announced a Disability Employment Services Reference Group would be established to provide strategic advice on the future of Disability Employment Services."

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY BILL TO TACKLE SYSTEMIC DISCRIMINATION
Source: Victoria. Attorney General. Media Release
"Efforts to stamp out entrenched and systemic discrimination against minority groups will be boosted through upcoming reforms to equal opportunity laws, Deputy Premier and Attorney-General Rob Hulls said.
Mr Hulls said a new Equal Opportunity Bill, to be introduced into Parliament, would give the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission the ability to investigate persistent and systemic discrimination without first requiring a complaint to be made. “This reform puts the emphasis on prevention and early intervention to eliminate systemic discrimination, and ensures that when the Commission becomes aware of a serious possible contravention of the Equal Opportunity Act, it will have the ability to investigate without a complaint being made,” Mr Hulls said. This will mean the Commission can act on pervasive and systemic discrimination on a range of issues, such as widespread sexual harassment in a particular industry or older workers being denied opportunities for promotion or training."

NEW SAFETY TECHNOLOGY TO MAKE ROADS SAFER
Source: NSW. Minister for Transport and Roads. Media release.
"New heavy vehicle safety measures, including point to point speed cameras and increased speeding fines for heavy vehicle users, come into effect this month to make regional roads safer.
Minister for Transport and Roads David Campbell said the new cameras will target speeding heavy vehicles that weigh over 4.5 tonnes by measuring the time it takes a heavy vehicle to travel a length of road."

$10 MILLION PROGRAM TO SKILL WORKERS FOR CSG-LNG INDUSTRY
Source: Queensland. Premier. Media Release
"Premier Anna Bligh has announced a flagship partnership with industry to develop a $10 million program to train thousands of workers needed for the new Coal Seam Gas and Liquefied Natural Gas industries. Premier Anna Bligh said the program would cater for the up to 18,000 direct and indirect jobs and was part of the Government’s election commitment to create 100,000 new jobs in this term of government. "If Queenslanders are to see the full benefits of the opportunities this new industry will create we need to make sure they can develop the skills they need to harness the boom," she said. The eight proposed CSG-LNG projects under consideration across the state will generate unprecedented demand for workers with specific technical skills.
It’s essential that our training system is geared to meet industry demand – that’s why we’re developing this program hand in hand with industry."

New programs to provide jobs, infrastructure and a healthier Queensland
Source: Queensland. Minister for Child Safety and Minister for Sport. Media Release
"The Bligh Government announced a new package of sport and recreation funding programs to deliver more than $138 million to create jobs, help build infrastructure and deliver initiatives to encourage Queenslanders to take part in sport and recreation activities. Sports Minister Phil Reeves said the sports funding programs would generate more than 500 jobs over the next three years. “Four new programs will fund sporting clubs and recreation organisations, councils and schools to help them increase participation, recruit volunteers, and encourage disadvantaged communities to participate in sport,” Mr Reeves said."

Aboriginal Economic Development Officer Program
Source: NSW. Minister for Aboriginal Affairs. Media Release.
"The NSW and Federal governments are getting behind a new initiative to create small business opportunities for Aboriginal people in Western Sydney. NSW Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Paul Lynch and Federal Member for Parramatta Julie Owens today launched the Aboriginal Economic Development Officer Program at the Western Sydney Business Centre in Parramatta.
The Federal and NSW governments have provided almost $1.5 million to create 10 new positions under the program."

Stronger Together
Source: NSW. Minister for Disability Services. Media Release.
" More than 1000 people have filled out job applications to work in the disability and community care sector following a television advertising campaign launched two weeks ago. The carecareers campaign is a partnership between the NSW Government and National Disability Services (NDS) to meet the challenges of an ageing population."

RESPECT AT WORK TO HELP STAMP OUT BULLYING
Source: Victoria. Minister for Workcover. Media Release
"The Brumby Government will step up an education, awareness and enforcement campaign aimed at stamping out bullying in Victorian workplaces. The new Respect at Work campaign will include a renewed focus on bullying from WorkSafe Inspectors, who undertake 40,000 workplace visits a year, as well as a dedicated team of specially trained professionals to focus on the most vulnerable workers and complex cases. WorkSafe Minister Tim Holding said the Government and WorkSafe will join forces with workers, employers, unions, industry groups and community organisations in implementing the campaign."

NEW PROCUREMENT MODEL FOR ENGAGING ICT CONTRACTORS
Source: Queensland. Minister for Public Works and Information and Communication Technology. Media Release
"Government recruitment of ICT contractors will now be centrally coordinated as part of a new whole-of-Government agreement, Information and Communication Technology Minister Robert Schwarten announced. Mr Schwarten said after extensive industry engagement, the Government Chief Procurement Office would coordinate all ICT contract labour requirements. “This includes managing recruitment agency requests for contractor placements, levels of payment, required skills, and contractor management and performance,” Mr Schwarten said. “The new model will provide a more transparent engagement process including simpler, standardised processes and contracts as well as making government spending on ICT contractors more transparent."

Productive Ageing Package announcement
Source: Australia. Minister for Employment Participation. Treasurer. Joint Media Release
"The Rudd Government today launched a new $43.3 million Productive Ageing Package to provide vital training and support for older Australians who want to stay in the workforce. Treasurer Wayne Swan and Minister for Employment Participation Mark Arbib today announced the new measures which harness the tremendous skills and experience of older Australians. Australia’s mature age participation rate is below that in other comparable economies like the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and New Zealand. The 2010 Intergenerational Report, Australia to 2050: Future Challenges, highlights the importance of addressing this issue and the need to make the most of a proportionately smaller workforce as the workforce ages."

Commencement of the Australian Government Fair Work Principles
Australia. Minister for Education. Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations. Minister for Social Inclusion. Deputy Prime Minister. Media release
"The Acting Minister for Workplace Relations, Kim Carr, today released a comprehensive User Guide for the Australian Government’s new Fair Work Principles which commence on 1 January 2010. The Fair Work Principles support the creation of quality jobs and decent work by ensuring that Commonwealth procurement decisions are consistent with the aims of the Fair Work Act 2009 and promote fair, cooperative and productive workplaces...The Fair Work Principles User Guide has been developed following consultation with industry, unions and community representatives via the Australian Government’s Procurement Consultation Committee. The User Guide contains material to assist Commonwealth agencies and suppliers to the Commonwealth implement and comply with the Fair Work Principles."

JOBS BOOST FOR VICTORIAN SMALL AND MEDIUM BUSINESSES
Sources: Victoria. Minister for Regional & Rural Development. Media Release
"A program linking regional and rural businesses to major infrastructure projects will be rolled out across Victoria beginning this month after the Brumby Labor Government committed $150,000 to the project. Regional and Rural Development Minister Jacinta Allan said the extension of the government’s Regional Industry Link program would offer more jobs for Victorians employed by small and medium businesses across the state.“The pilot connected 3000 businesses from 26 regional and rural councils to $9 billion worth of private and public building projects across Victoria during its 18 month trial period,” Ms Allan said."

Learn or earn law takes effect today
Source: ACT. Minister for Education and Training
Young Canberrans will be required to be in school, training or work until the age of 17 under a new law which takes effect today. Since 1943 the school leaving age has been 15. This plan is part of a national drive to ensure Australians have the skills they need for good careers and to keep the economy strong.

$109m in tailored support for vulnerable job seekers and redundant workers
Source: Australia. Minister for Education. Media Release
"The Minister for Education, Julia Gillard, today announced continued support for vulnerable job seekers and redundant workers by awarding new contracts worth $109m to 12 organisations to deliver the Australian Apprenticeships Access Program."

Education partnership to boost regional job outcomes
Source: Western Australia. Training and Workforce Development
"A unique partnership between Murdoch University and Challenger TAFE announced today is set to increase the number of people in the Rockingham and Peel regions undertaking tertiary studies.Training and Workforce Development Minister Peter Collier said the partnership would allow Challenger students completing selected diplomas to transfer straight into the second year of a related degree at Murdoch University. Mr Collier said this would provide an opportunity for local students to receive a full bachelor degree that had an emphasis on practical skills with a solid theoretical foundation. "

National workplace relations system to commence on 1 January 2010
Source: Australia. Minister for Employment & Workplace Relations. Media Release
"The Minister for Employment & Workplace Relations, Julia Gillard, today welcomed New South Wales and Queensland into the new national workplace relations system, Fair Work.
New South Wales and Queensland today joined Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia by referring their workplace relations powers to the Commonwealth in relation to the private sector."

Government delivers national IR system
Source: Australia. Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations. Media Release
"The Rudd Government has today delivered on its election commitment to create a fair and balanced national workplace relations system for the private sector.
Today, the Australian Parliament passed the Fair Work Amendment (State Referral and Other Measures) Bill 2009 without amendment."

States and territories endorse National Green Skills Agreement
Source: Australia. Minister for Education.
The Minister for Education, Julia Gillard, welcomed the decision by State and Territory Ministers to endorse a new National Green Skills Agreement at today’s meeting of the Ministerial Council for Tertiary Education and Employment (MCTEE) in Canberra. The agreement will give businesses and individuals a valuable opportunity to contribute to a sustainable, low-carbon economy in their workplaces and communities. MCTEE has recommended the agreement to the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) for consideration at its meeting in Brisbane on 7 December 2009. The agreement is an important milestone on the road to a sustainable, low-carbon economy."