Training the Key to Growing Victoria's Textiles and Fibre Industry
Source: Victoria. Minister for Skills and Workforce Participation. Media Release
"Skills and Workforce Participation Minister Jacinta Allan unveiled a new funding plan for training to boost Victoria’s textiles and fibre industry. Ms Allan said investing in skills development and training was essential to the future of the industry, which contributes $1.2 billion annually to the Victorian economy.“This Brumby Government is taking action to help Victoria’s key industries become more globally competitive,” Ms Allan said.“Under this announcement, it will be easier for companies to access the $8 million the Brumby Government has provided for training programs.” The funding is distributed through the Geelong-based International Fibre Centre (IFC), the only organisation in Australia that provides funding for skills development for the textile industry."

WA gears up for mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse
Source: Western Australia. Department of Child Protection. Media Release
"The State Government’s $68million investment in tough new child protection legislation making it compulsory for doctors, nurses, midwives, police officers and teachers to report suspected cases of child sexual abuse is now set to take effect. Child Protection Minister Sue Ellery said the legislation, which passed through the Upper House of Parliament, made it compulsory for those professions to report, if they believed on reasonable grounds that a child had been sexually abused. “The Government is well-resourced and prepared to handle the expected increase in the number of reports,” Ms Ellery said. “We have committed $68million for implementation of the legislation in the 2008-09 Budget, including $43.9million for a special unit at the Department for Child Protection to deal with reports of child sexual abuse and extra case workers to conduct assessment and investigations."

Launch of $75million affordable housing program
Source: Western Australia. Minister for Housing and Works. Media Release
"Housing and Works Minister Michelle Roberts launched the $75million community housing construction program for 2008-09. Mrs Roberts said the State Government has embarked on an significant building program to deliver more affordable housing for Western Australians through the community housing sector. “The construction of more than 1,000 social housing units are expected to start this year, with at least 340 to be delivered through community housing partnerships,” she said. The Minister said the State Government is investing $210million in the State Community Housing Investment Program (SCHIP) and $60million of that funding would be spent in 2008-09. “The State Government expects the program will generate private equity contributions to the value of $15million in 2008-09,” she said."

WA Government leads the way in tackling climate change
Source: Western Australia. Minister for Forestry. Media Release
"Forestry Minister Kim Chance said a joint project between the State Government and the BP Kwinana Refinery had been enormously successful in tackling the impacts of climate change. Mr Chance said BP became the first energy company in Australia to engage in carbon emissions trading by joining forces with Western Australia’s Forest Products Commission 10 years ago.
Speaking at a ceremony to mark the 10th anniversary of the agreement, the Minister said almost four million trees had been planted in the Katanning area to offset greenhouse gas emissions while at the same time addressing land degradation. BP Kwinana Refinery’s managing director Thys Heyns said these trees had stored 187,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide, which was the equivalent of taking 43,000 cars off the road for a year."

New laws increase the opportunity to be an organ donor
Source: Western Australia. Minister for Health. Media Release
"An extra 15 dangerously ill Western Australians could receive lifesaving transplants each year under new laws expected to pass State Parliament this week that will bring WA into line with other Australian States and Territories. Health Minister Jim McGinty said the ‘Living Wills’ legislation would remove legal uncertainties in obtaining consent from patients and their families for organ donation to occur after the heart had stopped. “The laws will give Western Australian doctors the same legal protection that their colleagues in other parts of Australia have, enabling them to raise the matter of organ donation when it has become clear that a patient is no longer benefitting from medical care and is about to die,” Mr McGinty said."

New campaign to keep ‘Graffidiots’ away from public transport
Source: Western Australia. Minister for Planning and Infrastructure and the Premier. Media Release
"Graffiti vandalism on public transport will be targeted with a new campaign aimed at ‘Graffidiots’. Premier Alan Carpenter launched the campaign emphasising the anti-social aspects and serious consequences of graffiti vandalism - and the penalties which could include jail. Mr Carpenter said the campaign, which used posters and decals on board buses and trains, encouraged people to report graffiti vandalism to the 1800 442 255 graffiti hotline when they saw it happening. In addition, Transit officers and the Police Rail Unit would start targeted blitzes at key hotspots on the public transport network."

Cycling: Getting Australia moving
Source: Australian Policy Online
"This report has been developed to assist practitioners, policy makers and planners to increase adult physical activity levels through bicycle riding. It does this by first setting the scene on Australian cycling and then outlines current barriers and facilitators to greater participation. "

Sustainable options for Australia's new national Indigenous representative body
Source: Australian Policy Online
"This paper argues that a national Indigenous representative body has to be a fundamental component of the Indigenous policy landscape if we are to make lasting progress in improving the conditions of Indigenous people and our communities."

Not seeing justice done: Suppression orders in Australian law and practice
Source: Australian Policy Online
"There are varied Australian approaches to suppression orders under common law and statute. This article outlines notable aspects of the law and examines concerns that have been raised by commentators about practices in Australia. "

Review of Australian Higher Education, Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations
Source: Australian Policy online
"The federal government's review of Australia’s higher education system will examine and report on the future direction of the higher education sector, its fitness for purpose in meeting the needs of the Australian community and economy and the options for ongoing reform. This paper has been released to outline issues and invite input on the key issues identified in the review's terms of reference. "

Rigour and relevance: Extending the role of the social sciences and humanities in public policy research
Source: Council for the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences. CHASS occasional paper, 4
"Australia needs to encourage a new form of research that contributes directly to the formulation of policy in government. Such research is initiated by the end user rather than the researcher. It is characterised by being strategically driven, problem oriented and cross-disciplinary.
It is becoming increasingly necessary to draw on knowledge from many disciplines in meeting the challenges and opportunities of the modern economy and society. Scientific or technological research, in particular, benefits from the inclusion of complementary work in the social sciences and humanities. We need to think about ways the practice of interdisciplinary research can be encouraged and facilitated."

More money for care
Source: Tasmania. Minister for Health and Welfare. Media release
" Federal Minister for Ageing, Mrs Justine Elliot and Tasmanian Deputy Premier, Ms Lara Giddings today announced an extra $4 million next year for improved care for the elderly, younger people with a disability, and their carers – in Tasmania.
Ms Giddings said that last year more than 29,000 Tasmanians benefited from the Home and Community Care program.
Among the services the Program provides are: Meals on Wheels, transport assistance, help at home and respite for carers.
"This is about helping people to remain independent in their own homes. "

New Property Management Systems Framework for Tasmania
Source: Tasmania. Minister for Primary Industries and Water.Media release
" The Minister for Primary Industries and Water, David Llewellyn; the President of the Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association, Roger Swain; and Andrew Colvin from NRM North, jointly announced today the development of a Property Management Systems Framework for Tasmania.
In a sign of collaboration and cooperation, the Tasmanian Government, the Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association and the three Tasmanian Regional Natural Resource Management bodies joined forces to sign a Memorandum of Understanding to develop and implement the new Framework."

Funding Boost for People Living with Disabilities
Source: Tasmania. Minister for Health and Human Services
"People with disabilities living on the North West Coast received a major boost today with Health and Human Services Minister Lara Giddings committing an extra $825,000 a year for accommodation in the region.
Ms Giddings said the recurrent funding was part of the North West Accommodation initiative and would provide residential support for an additional 12 people.
Ms Giddings was in Burnie to officially open Multicap Tasmania’s Panorama Project, an innovative new concept in family-based supported accommodation."

New Software to Cut Government’s Carbon Footprint
Source: Tasmania. Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier.Media release
"New software to be used by the Tasmanian Government will improve the efficiency of current IT infrastructure, reduce operating costs and use less energy, Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier, Lisa Singh said today.
The special virtualisation technology will be supplied by VMWare, a global leader in the technology, and its Hobart-based company AlphaWest, under a $1.2 million contract.
“This is a clever investment as it will result in a huge improvement in the efficiency of the Government’s IT infrastructure,” Ms Singh said."

Connecting With All Tasmanians
Source: Tasmania. Premier.Media release
"Premier David Bartlett today announced a plan for the State Government to establish better connections with Tasmanians from all walks of life.
Mr Bartlett said the Government would initiate a series of community forums, giving people direct access to ministers and heads of government departments to raise their ideas and concerns."

Access To Early Childhood Education For Tasmania
Source: Tasmania. Premier. Media release
"The Parliamentary Secretary for Early Childhood Education and Child Care, Maxine McKew, and the Tasmanian Premier and Minister for Education and Skills David Bartlett today announced a partnership to make early childhood education more accessible for families in Tasmania.
The Rudd Government will increase Tasmania’s substantial investment in early childhood education by $400 000 over the next year. "

Tackling Climate Change Together
Source: Northern Territory. Minister for Information, Communications, and Technology Policy. Media release
"Chief Minister and Minister for Climate Change Paul Henderson said the unique conditions and challenges faced in the Northern Territory will be key considerations in developing the Northern Territory’s first Climate Change Policy.
Launching the Government’s discussion paper on NT Climate Change Issues on World Environment Day 2008, Mr Henderson said the paper and community feedback would help shape the Territory’s first Climate Change policy. "

Hundreds of Jobs at New Resort
Source: Northern Territory. Chief Minister. Media release
"A Darwin-first tropical beachside resort and park reserve will create hundreds of jobs for Territorians and a new recreation area for families, Chief Minister Paul Henderson said today.
Mr Henderson has joined SKYCITY to sign an agreement finalising the sale of the area known as Little Mindil that will allow the development of a new $50 million beachside resort on the SKYCITY lawns."

Increased Penalties for Remote Drug Trafficking
Source: Northern Territory. Attorney General. Media release
"The Northern Territory Parliament has passed tougher drug laws aimed at making the Territory’s remote communities safer.
The Attorney-General Chris Burns said under the new legislation it is now an aggravated trafficking offence to take cannabis into remote communities.
The Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill increases the penalty for trafficking drugs into remote communities from five years to a maximum nine years imprisonment."

Minister Launches Financial Literacy Package for Teachers
Source: Australia. Minister for Superannuation and Corporate Law. Media Release
"Senator the Hon Nick Sherry, Minister for Superannuation and Corporate Law and Mr Paul Clitheroe, Chairman of the Financial Literacy Advisory Board, have launched a package of support materials and resources to help teachers deliver consumer and financial literacy education in schools.
Over 2008, consumer and financial literacy will be incorporated into core subjects, including English and maths, and across all years from Kindergarten to Year 10. Topics for study include basic budgeting, banking, credit cards and mobile phone plans."

New Service Helps People with Dementia, Carers and Families
Source: Australia. Minister for Ageing. Media Release
"The Australian Government has provided funding of $2.6 million over two years for the Dementia Behaviour Management Advisory Service in Queensland. This is part of $22 million committed for dementia behaviour advisory services across Australia."

Garrett backs national cycling program
Source: Australia. Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts. Media Release
"On the eve of World Environment Day, Environment Minister Peter Garrett today (4/6/08) announced a $45,000 grant for the development of a national cycling training scheme, to encourage more people to choose two wheeled transportation over four."

INDIGENOUS PROTECTION OF CAPE YORK
Source: Australia. Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts. Media Release
"Almost 2,000 square kilometres of lush tropical habitat on Cape York will be protected from today (4/6/08) in Australia’s 25th Indigenous Protected Area (IPA) – the Kaanju Ngaachi Wenlock and Pascoe Rivers IPA."

New measures tackle spiralling energy consumption in homes
Source: Australia. Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts. Media Release
"Celebrating World Environment Day, Environment Minister Peter Garrett today (5/6/06) announced three new initiatives to help householders save energy and money while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
“Today we are announcing three new measures:
· a new television labelling scheme to enable consumers to identify the most energy efficient
sets at point of sale;
· a new guide to help householders and in particular renovators identify ways to incorporate
energy saving measures into their homes; and
· the accelerated phase-out of traditional incandescent light bulbs"