South Australia continues to lead in war on bikie gangs
Source: South Australia. Minister for Police. Media Release.
"Minister for Police Paul Holloway today welcomed the final report by the Outlaw Motor Cycle Gang National Working Group and its recommendations for coordination between jurisdictions on communication, intelligence, legislation and investigation. The report makes recommendations for jurisdictions to endorse minimum standards of legislation, and for jurisdictions to consider legislation that targets the ‘organisation’ of outlaw motorcycle gangs across all its levels of criminality.
The ability of agencies across Australia to communicate and exchange information across borders is critical to good coordination. This report recommends the implementation of a three-tiered communication and management framework.
Police Ministers agreed each jurisdiction should review its legislation pertaining to the disruption and dismantling of bikie gangs and serious and organised crime and consider enacting complimentary and harmonised legislation to achieve this outcome."

Teaching scholarships prove popular with university students
Source: Western Australia. Minister for Education and Training. Media Release
"University students are jumping at the chance to secure teaching careers in public schools, thanks to the Carpenter Government’s recently announced $19million scholarships program.
The program is an innovative longer-term solution to secure teachers for regional schools and for specialty learning areas experiencing shortages. It is expected that more than 1,300 scholarships will be awarded over five years.
For the first round of the program, 184 applications had been received from students. The Minister said a further 44 applications had been received from existing teachers for scholarships to re-train in specialty subject areas and from industry professionals for scholarships to study to become teachers.
Depending on the type and length of the course, successful applicants would receive generous scholarships worth up to $60,000. The scholarship recipients will be signed up for teaching careers in public schools.

New environmentally friendly taxis are now green and more easily seen
Source: Western Australia. Minister for Planning and Infrastructure. Media Statement
"The streets of Perth are turning green with the launch of the Western Australia’s distinctive ‘green’ taxi fleet. Patrons would be able to spot the environmentally friendly vehicles on city streets, through their markings and the slogan - ‘Give the Planet a Fare Go’.
Earlier this year it was announced that a $15,000 grant and a 20 per cent reduction in the lease rate would be available for up to 15 full-time taxis which met the fuel efficiency and emission standards of petrol-electric hybrid cars. This initiative will show whether five-star vehicles can operate viably as taxis in Perth."

Federal Labor To Boost The Aged Care Workforce
Source: Australian Labor Party. Media Release
"Federal Labor announced a plan to boost the number of qualified nurses and personal care workers in aged care services. Federal Labor will invest $6.6 million over five years to encourage 1,000 qualified nurses who have been out of the health workforce for more than 12 months to work into the aged care sector."

Innovation Future for Australian Industry
Source: Australian Labor Party. Policy Statement
"Innovation is a key driver of productivity and economic growth, particularly for advanced
economies such as Australia. Innovation drives the creation of new businesses and sectors
and revitalises existing industries. Problem solving, creative ideas and new technologies are also vital to meeting the social and environmental challenges we face as a nation – from population ageing to climate change.

A key initiative is Federal Labor’s $200 million Enterprise Connect network, aimed at
connecting businesses to new ideas and new technologies.
This will include a national network of Manufacturing Centres, a Clean Energy Innovation
Centre, a Creative Industries Innovation Centre and a Remote Enterprise Centre."

Labor's National Plan To Tackle The Water Crisis
Source: Australian Labor Party. Media Release
"A Rudd Labor Government will invest an additional $1.5 billion in water reforms and will bring forward $400 million under the $10 billion National Plan for Water Security to fast-track improvements in water efficiency, significantly invest in key water infrastructure projects and address over-allocation. "

Welcome to secureNSW
Source: NSW. PoliceForce. Web Site
"The Premier releases secureNSW a new counter terrorism website for NSW."

Making Government more inclusive of youth perspective
Source: South Australia. Minister for Youth. Media Release
"The South Australian Government will undertake statewide consultations with young people to feed their views into Government decision-making and achieving the State’s Strategic Plan goals. Youth Minister Paul Caica says the consultations, which have commenced in the State’s South East, are being undertaken by the Office for Youth over the next 12 months.“This is a new approach to making Government policy decisions more inclusive of young people and is part of our wider government reform agenda,” he said. "

Resources infrastructure taskforce to pave road to riches
Source: South Australia. Minister for Mineral Resources Development. Media Release
"A high level taskforce has been set up to ensure South Australia capitalises on a resource sector that is moving rapidly from exploration to extraction. Minister for Mineral Resources Development Paul Holloway said the new Resources and Energy Sectors Infrastructure Council (RESIC) has been established to plan and develop viable, fit-for-purpose infrastructure to support mining operations in South Australia. A focussed group of senior resource sector executives and public servants, this group will identify the issues and plan the way forward in what is an absolutely crucial sector for SA, Mr Holloway says."

Regional project fund tackles key growth areas
Source: South Australia. Minister for Regional Development. Media Release
"Minister for Regional Development Karlene Maywald announced funding for eight projects to support long-term sustainability and growth of regional economies. The $650,000 Regional Project Fund was established to provide a more strategic approach to investment of State Government funds through South Australia’s regional development boards. Projects supported through the fund will tackle issues such as drought and water security, strategic regional infrastructure, regional sustainability, skills development for mining, construction and engineering, and land supply.”

Classroom Technology Revolutionised for Students
Source: Victoria. Minister for Information and Communication Technology. Media Release
"An education revolution is on the mind of technology teachers over the next three days, as the use of iPods and digital video use across the school curriculum is debated at this year’s annual Victorian IT Teachers Association (VITTA) conference in Flemington. The Minister for Information and Communication Technology, Theo Theophanous, said the Brumby Government was keen to keep Victoria ahead of the game by exploring how today’s generation of ‘digital natives’ will keep pace with the technological revolution around them.“Schools are being kept at the cutting edge of ICT and it’s by working with agencies such as VITTA that we are ensuring our young people are literate in the high-tech skills businesses need,” Mr Theophanous said."

Brumby Government Introduces FOI Reforms
Source: Victoria. Office of the Premier. Media Release
"Freedom of Information applications will be free to lodge under reforms introduced in State Parliament today by the Brumby Government to make access to Government information easier. Premier John Brumby said the changes would dramatically increase the information freely provided on the internet about Government functions."

Supermarkets Opt for Suspension of Liquor Licences
Source: NT. Minister for Alcohol Policy. Media Release.
"The Alcohol Policy Minister Chris Burns has welcomed a Liquor Commission decision allowing two Darwin suburban supermarkets to voluntarily suspend their liquor licences. The voluntary suspensions follow recent amendments to the Liquor Act that prevent supermarkets from operating both a book-up service and a takeaway liquor licence at the same time. The long-term suspensions are in response to recent amendments to the NT Liquor Act. The amendments restrict premises with takeaway liquor licences from retaining debit or credit cards of customers for the use of “book-up”."

Offenders to Pay for Victims’ Services
Source: ACT. Attorney General. Media Release
"The Attorney General, Simon Corbell, introduced the Victims of Crime Amendment Bill 2007 into the ACT Legislative Assembly. “The Bill introduces a $10 levy on all offences where a court fine is imposed. The revenue raised via this levy will fund improved services for victims of crime in the ACT,” Mr Corbell said. Corresponding to this levy, the Department of Territory and Municipal Services (TAMS) will also increase all traffic infringement penalty amounts by $10. Neither amount will apply to parking offences. The revenue from these new measures will be used specifically to fund enhanced services for victims of crime. "

Government Investigates Possible Scheme to Redistribute Poker Machines
Source: ACT. Chief Minister. Media Release
"The Government is investigating how surplus or unwanted gaming machines can be redistributed between clubs, to lessen the pressure for an overall increase in machine numbers as Canberra expands geographically and a demand for new clubs emerges. “I want to spread the number of available machines more equitably, without generating pressure to increase the overall number of machines,” Mr Stanhope said."

$14.1M Committed to Indigenous Health and Education
Source: ACT. Chief Minister. Media Release
"The ACT Government has committed $14.1 million over the next four years towards Indigenous health and education initiatives, Chief Minister and Minister for Indigenous Affairs Jon Stanhope said in the Legislative Assembly. “The ACT Labor Government is committed to improving Indigenous disadvantage in the areas of health and education,” Mr Stanhope said. That’s why the ACT Government will be providing $10.8 million over four years to establish an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-specific alcohol and drug rehabilitation service."

Nurse Practitioners
Source: Tasmania. Minister for Health and Human Services. Media Release
" The Minister for Health and Human Services, Lara Giddings, has announced the go ahead for employment of Tasmania’s first Nurse Practitioners in the early part of the year.
The House of Assembly passed legislation to enable Nurse Practitioners to prescribe medication in their area of clinical expertise. Ms Giddings said Tasmania’s first Nurse Practitioners would be employed to offer extended clinical services in mental health. "

Better support for Carers
Source: Liberal Party of Australia. Media Release
"I am pleased to announce important measures to assist the thousands of Australians who provide care for older people and people with disabilities. The Coalition recognises that carers shoulder a heavy burden, both financially and emotionally, in their caring role and the care that they provide means that older Australians and those with disabilities can remain in their homes and in their community. We also recognise that carers need a break with the peace of mind that comes from knowing that the person they care for is being looked after by qualified and skilled staff in either their own home or a respite centre. "

Helping families provide more educational opportunities for their children
Source: Liberal Party of Australia. Media Release
" am pleased to announce that a re-elected Coalition Government will introduce a new refundable tax rebate for education expenses, including school fees and voluntary contributions and levies, for students from preschool until the end of secondary school. This will help Australian parents to increase education opportunities and invest in their children’s future. The rebate for secondary school will be up to $800 annually for each student. The rebate for primary and preschool (kindergarten in some states) will be up to $400 annually for each child.

Savings for the future
Source: Liberal Party of Australia. Media Release
"I am pleased to announce a comprehensive plan to make home ownership more affordable for young Australians by boosting their capacity to save for a home and by increasing the supply of affordable land. A re-elected Coalition Government will introduce Tax Free Home Saver Accounts from the 2008-09 financial year to provide a simple, tax effective way to help Australians to save for their first home. Contributions up to $1,000 a year to the accounts will be tax deductible. The contribution limits will be indexed each year. All interest and earnings from the accounts will be tax free. "

$128 million for ICT in Australian Schools
Source: Liberal Party of Australia. Media Release
"Australian schools have been able to apply for computer and technology equipment through the Howard Government’s $1.2 billion Investing in Our Schools Programme. To date, almost $130 million has been provided to schools who have listed computers as a priority for their school. "

The Coalition's plan for better Public Hospitals and Health Care
Source: Liberal Party of Australia. Media Release
"I am pleased to announce the Coalition’s plan to take the pressure off public hospitals and to provide better health care for all Australians. Australia has an excellent health system by international standards. Our plan includes the restoration of local hospital boards to make decisions about local hospitals; more Australian-trained doctors, nurses and specialists; more alternatives to help take the pressure off public hospitals and more public hospital beds. Local hospital management and more accountability. A re-elected Coalition Government will give local communities control of their local hospitals by requiring that the States and Territories restore local hospital boards for every public hospital with more than 50 beds. "

Tough on Drugs
Source: Liberal Party of Australia. Media Release
"I am announcing that a re-elected Coalition Government will introduce new laws to prevent welfare payments being used to buy illicit drugs by quarantining and managing 100 per cent of such benefits to people convicted of criminal drug offences. This will ensure that 6,000 people convicted of offences involving hard drugs such as heroin, cocaine and amphetamines cannot spend taxpayers’ money on illicit drugs, cigarettes and alcohol while still being able to pay the bills and buy food and other essentials."

Federal Labor's Clean Energy Plan To Help Tackle Climate Change
Source: Australian Labor Party. Media Release
"A Rudd Labor Government will implement a Clean Energy Plan to help Australian consumers and Australian businesses work together to tackle climate change. Federal Labor’s Clean Energy Plan will help ensure all Australians reap the benefits of the latest clean energy supplies and energy saving technologies. Expanding the cost effectiveness of clean energy will be critical to meet Federal Labor’s science based target to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 60 per cent by 2050. "

Federal Labor's Education Revolution - A School Computer For Every Student In Years 9-12
Source: Australian Labor Party. Media Release
"A Rudd Labor Government will invest $1 billion over four years to turn every secondary school in Australia into a digital school. Federal Labor’s National Secondary School Computer Fund will allow every Australian student in years 9-12 to have access to their own school computer.
Under Federal Labor’s plan, every secondary school in Australia, Government, Catholic and Independent will be equipped with the education tools of the 21st Century to teach the lessons of tomorrow. "