Government moves to ‘Design out Crime’
Source: Western Australia. Minister for Police and Emergency Services. Media Release
"The State Government has unveiled the latest strategy to combat crime in residential areas through the use of smart urban design principles. Community Safety Minister John Kobelke released the ‘Designing out Crime: Designing in People’ strategy at the Woodbridge Lakes residential precinct in Midland, describing the design of this community as a role model for others to follow.The strategy would be incorporated in all appropriate Statements of Planning Policy as applied by the Western Australian Planning Commission, and would influence the development of regional, district and local structure plans throughout the State."

Community response helps Government’s graffiti crackdown
Source: Western Australia. Premier and Minister for Police and Emergency Services. Media Release
"The State Government is helping to ensure graffiti around Perth is being removed quickly with more than 400 calls to the new Goodbye Graffiti hotline since its launch last month. Premier Alan Carpenter said the Goodbye Graffiti hotline (1800 44 22 55 or 1800 GG CALL) was a key part of the $3.6million anti-graffiti strategy.Mr Carpenter said the hotline’s value was already being proven with clean-up teams deployed more quickly to remove graffiti."

Support for Innovative Renewable Energy
Source: Liberal Party of Australia. Media Release
"I am pleased to announce, as part of the Coalition’s plan to address climate change and a clean energy future, that a re-elected Coalition Government will strongly support innovative renewable energy, through a dedicated $75 million competitive grants programme for new and emerging renewable energy technologies. "

More than 3 million Australians to benefit from Increased Support
Source: Liberal Party of Australia. Media Release
" I am pleased to announce that a re-elected Coalition Government will ensure older Australians, people with disabilities and carers share in the benefits of Australia’s strongly growing economy. "

Skills Training for the Future
Source: Liberal Party of Australia. Media Release
"I am pleased to announce a detailed plan to further encourage the skills training of Australians. A re-elected Coalition Government will commit an additional $392.9 million to skills training which will allow Work Skills Vouchers to be provided on a demand driven basis. This will provide opportunities for thousands of Australians to enter the workforce with practical and marketable skills. "

Federal Labor - New Laws On Freedom Of Information, Whistleblower Protection - Open Government After 11 Years
Source: Australian Labor Party. Media Release
"Federal Labor released its plan to reform freedom of information (FOI), journalist privilege, whistleblower protection and privacy laws – under a major plan to foster “open government”.
A Freedom of Information Commissioner will replace the Administrative Appeals Tribunal in the FOI review process. Federal Labor will preserve the role of Privacy Commissioner and also complete the existing review of the operation of the Privacy Act so that protection and access to personal information across both the Privacy Act and FOI Act regimes are consistent. "

Federal Labor's National Solar Schools Plan
Source: Australian Labor Party. Media Release
"A Rudd Labor Government will invest up to $489 million in a National Solar Schools Plan to make all of Australia’s 9,612 private and public schools “Solar Schools” within eight years. Federal Labor’s National Solar Schools Plan will invest up to $50,000 in every school across Australia."

Federal Labor's Low Emission Plan: Fighting Climate Change In Rental Properties
Source: Australian Labor Party. Media Release
"A Rudd Labor Government will provide a rebate of up to $500 to help landlords install energy-efficient insulation in 300,000 Australian rental homes in a practical measure to help fight climate change. Federal Labor’s $150 million Low Emission Plan for Renters will reduce the power bills and greenhouse gas emissions of 300,000 rental properties."

Federal Labor's $200 Million Great Barrier Reef Rescue Plan
Source: Australian Labor Party. Media Release
" Rudd Labor Govern ment will implement a $200 million Great Barrier Reef Rescue Plan to help secure the Reef fro m climate change and declining water quality.
Federal Labor’s $200 million Plan will be the largest ever single financial contribution to help secure the long term future of the Great Barrier Reef."

A Tax Plan For Australia's Future - Labor's $2.3 Billion Education Tax Refund
Source: Australian Labor Party. Media Release
"A Rudd Labor Government’s Tax Plan for Australia’s Future will invest $2.3 billion in financial support to help working families meet the growing costs of educating their children. A Rudd Labor Government will provide a new 50% Education Tax Refund to help families of around 2.3 million school-age children meet the costs of education."

Federal Labor's $1 Billion National Urban Water And Desalination Plan
Source: Australian Labor Party. Media Release
"A Rudd Labor Government will implement a $1 Billion National Urban Water and Desalination Plan to help secure the water supplies of Australia’s major cities. This $1 billion plan will drive major desalination projects across Australia. It will also support water recycling and major stormwater capturing projects nationwide."

Schools to Be More Accountable for Student Results
Source: Northern Territory. Minister for Employment,Education and Training. Media Release
"School principals and teachers will be held accountable for the results of their students under a new plan released by Education Minister Paul Henderson. Mr Henderson said the Accountability and Performance Improvement Framework was about ensuring schools were delivering the best possible education."

Novice Driver Reforms Launched
Source: Tasmania. Minister for Infrastructure. Media Release
" The State Government announced its latest reforms to Tasmania’s novice driver licensing system. The Minister for Infrastructure, Jim Cox, said the reforms would ensure young drivers got as much driving experience as possible before progressing to their full car licence.
“Young Driver Safety is a strategic direction of the new Tasmanian Road Safety Strategy. Reforms to the novice driver licensing system are a key initiative of the first 3-year Action Plan,” Mr Cox said."

New Script for Future of Victoria's Screen Industry
Source: Victoria. Minister for Innovation. Media Release
"Innovation Minister Gavin Jennings called for tenders to undertake the Victorian Screen Industry Review, the first step in developing a major new strategy to keep growing Victoria’s thriving screen industry. Mr Jennings said the review would explore how the Victorian screen industry is changing and dealing with the impact of factors like digital media, new Commonwealth funding policies, changes in consumer behaviour and shifting global markets."

Victorian Government Backs Water Harvesting Project
Source: Victoria. Office of the Premier. Media Release
"Warracknabeal Leisure Centre will install four 25,000-litre tanks to harvest, store and use rain water for its public amenities, thanks to a $47,018 Victorian Government grant announced by the Premier, John Brumby. It is one of a number of new water saving infrastructure projects that are being supported by the Victorian Government in small towns across Victoria."

Premier Announces $100 Million Drought Relief Package
Source: Victoria. Office of the Premier. Media Release
"Premier John Brumby announced a further $100 million in assistance to help rural communities battling the worst drought on record. Mr Brumby said the package included water rebates for irrigators worth $55 million, a new $10 million program to assist farmers to undertake drought proofing works and to boost future productivity, and further support for mental health services."

Preparing Business for National Emissions Trading
Source: Victoria. Minister for Environment and Climate Change. Media Release
"Victorian businesses will benefit from a Brumby Government funding boost to encourage financially sustainable and innovative ways to help business meet the challenges of climate change. Speaking at the United Nations Environment Program Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) Global Roundtable in Melbourne this morning Environment Minister Gavin Jennings said the Brumby Government would fund $250,000 to help Victorian business prepare for a national emissions trading scheme. "

Paedophile register comes in to force
Source: South Australia. Attorney General. Media Release
"Attorney-General Michael Atkinson says South Australia’s paedophile register will come into operation, giving police a powerful new tool to monitor child sex offenders. Under the Child Sex Offenders Registration Act, police will have access to information about where offenders live, what car they drive, where they work, if they change their appearance in anyway and if they are affiliated to any clubs with child membership."

New statewide gambling therapy service is rolled out
Source: South Australia. Minister for Families and Communities. Media Release
"A new statewide intervention program targeting problem gamblers has been launched by Families and Communities Minister Jay Weatherill – with a new service opening in Adelaide’s north. The Statewide Gambling Therapy Service is funded by the Gamblers’ Rehabilitation Fund - a joint initiative of the State Government, Australian Hotels Association (SA), Clubs SA and SkyCity."

New rights for victims in sentencing
Source: South Australia. Attorney General. Media Release
"Individual victims and entire neighbourhoods will have the right to have the impact of crimes on them heard in court for a wider range of offences under new legislation being introduced into Parliament by Attorney-General Michael Atkinson.For the first time in the State’s legal history, the Government is giving victim-of-crime advocates the absolute right to make victim impact statements at sentencing hearings in summary offences in which there has been a death or total permanent incapacity of a victim."

SA’s schools going ‘green’
Source: South Australia. Minister for Education and Children's Services. Media Release
"From 2008, all education sites will be required to reduce water use by 10% and energy use by 25%, based on targets in South Australia’s Strategic Plan. Schools and preschools have been working hard to reduce their impact on the environment by adopting sustainable water and energy saving strategies,” Dr Lomax-Smith says. "

Food suppliers to learn about new canteen rules
Source: South Australia. Minister for Education and Children's Services. Media Release
"The Rann Government's plans to ban junk food in school canteens from next year will be outlined to businesses that supply food and drink to the State's schools and preschools. The Rann Government is investing $1.55m phasing out junk food in canteens and promoting healthier eating by children. Education Minister Jane Lomax-Smith says suppliers will learn how they can work with schools to provide healthy menu options for school students."

New scholarships to boost teacher numbers in the bush
Source: Western Australia. Minister Education and Training. Media Release
"The Carpenter Government will offer 240 new scholarships to the State’s 6,565 education assistants (EAs) and 579 Aboriginal and Islander Education Officers (AIEOs) to retrain as early childhood or primary school teachers. Mr McGowan said the scholarships, worth $4.8million over four years, would help boost teacher numbers in key regional areas."

Western Australian teachers at the cutting edge of science
Source: Western Australia. Minister for Education and Training. Media Release
"A multi-million dollar program has seen a group of science teachers return to university to research and develop new classroom resources for all public secondary schools across Western Australia. Education and Training Minister Mark McGowan said the State Government’s $5million SPICE program had given select public school science teachers the opportunity to work with leading scientists at the University of Western Australia (UWA)."

First independent commissioner appointed to protect the rights of children
Source: West Australia. Minister for Child Protection. Media Release
"Western Australia has taken a major step forward in the protection of children with the appointment of the State’s first Commissioner for Children and Young People. Child Protection and Communities Minister Sue Ellery said the Premier had appointed Public Advocate Michelle Scott for a five-year term."