New Signs Advise on Water Quality at Derwent Beaches
Source: Tasmania. Media Release.
"New signs are being installed at beaches and foreshore parks on the Derwent estuary to inform the public about water quality. The Director of the Derwent Estuary Program, Christine Coughanowr, said the water quality signage lets visitors make an informed decision about where and when to swim. “The water quality information is based on water monitoring over the past five years. Each week over summer Derwent Estuary Program partners regularly sample 38 sites along the Derwent estuary,” Ms Coughanowr said. “Water samples are analysed for specific bacteria which indicate the presence of contaminants such as sewage and storm water run-off. “The signs will show whether the long-term water quality is good, fair or poor. If water quality is found to be poor at a monitored site, the signs can be changed to advise the public not to swim until samples show improvement,” Ms Coughanowr said."

New Directory Delivering Savings for Seniors
Source: Tasmania. Media Release.
"Tasmanian seniors will receive even more savings and discounts through the new Seniors Card Directory launched by Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier Heather Butler. Ms Butler said almost 650 businesses around the State were listed in the 2009-10 directory including 130 new business who signed up this year. “The Seniors Card Directory is about making life a little easier for seniors and it’s terrific that so many businesses have supported the State Government’s program,” Ms Butler said. “I’d like to thank the businesses who have shown their support for older Tasmanians by providing discounts and savings on a huge range of products.”"

New Plan to Deliver Increased Support for Tasmanians Affected by Alcohol and Drugs
Source: Tasmania. Media Release.
"A new five year plan has been released paving the way for additional and improved services for Tasmanians affected by alcohol and drugs. The Chief Executive of Mental Health and Statewide Services, Dr John Crawshaw, said the plan would guide spending and set direction for the sector. Dr Crawshaw said the plan represented an important milestone in the reform process. “In recognition of the important role treatment services play for clients and society, the State Government announced more than $17 million over the next four years for services in this year’s budget. “The Plan released today provides us with a blueprint on how this money should be spent and priority areas for action. “It lays the groundwork for a world class treatment system that can offer real hope for Tasmanians living with alcohol and drug problems."

Safer Speeds Trial for Tasman
Source: Tasmania. Minister for Infrastructure. Media Release.
"The Tasman municipality is the second local government region in Tasmania to introduce a Safer Speeds Trial as a road safety measure. The Tasman Safer Speeds Trial (TSST) was launched by the Minister for Infrastructure, Graeme Sturges, when the first Tasman Community Road Safety Partnership was also formalised. He said research had shown that lowering speed limits not only reduced the severity of injuries in crashes, but also gave drivers more opportunity to avoid a crash in the first place. “There are many positive benefits for a municipality such as Tasman – lower speeds are more tourist-friendly, there is less impact on the environment with reduced fuel consumption/carbon emission and improved survival rates for native animals like the Tasmanian Devil,” Mr Sturges said."

Start For Quick Build Homes
Source: Tasmania. Minister for Human Services. Media Release.
"The Minister for Human Services, Lin Thorp, announced that work would start immediately on the construction of 50 Quick Build homes to help meet the State’s shortage of affordable housing. Ms Thorp said Tasmanian construction firm Eco-Fab Pty Ltd had won the $8 million tender for the first stage of the Quick Build project, part of the Government’s $60 million statewide investment in affordable housing innovation. She said the new homes would be delivered on Housing Tasmania land across the state - 21 in the south, 12 in the north and 17 in the north west – with completion expected from May next year. “This is great news for Tasmanians struggling with housing affordability,” Ms Thorp said."

New Water Compliance Powers Commence 1 Jan 2009
Source: NSW. Minister for Water. Media Release.
"NSW Water Minister Phil Costa reminded water users to familiarise themselves with new compliance powers that will come in to effect on 1 January 2009. “If you pump or capture water from a NSW water source or live along a NSW water way, make sure you familiarise yourself with the new rules before they commence on 1 January,” he said. “New offences and penalties will apply and there are improved powers for monitoring and enforcing compliance with NSW water laws." The Minister said that the new rules are designed to better protect NSW water sources from illegal activities, such as building a levee without a licence or pumping more water than allowed."

Illegal Fishing Blitz Underway in Sydney Waters
Source: NSW. Minister for Primary Industries. Media Release.
"The NSW Government is conducting a series of blitzes this summer targeting fisheries crime, with more than one quarter of people caught illegally fishing during the first operation in Sydney and the South Coast, Minister for Primary Industries Ian Macdonald said. "Illegal fishing is a serious crime, it’s stealing from a community resource, so our targeted blitzes and surveillance operations this summer will help stamp out illegal activity across Sydney and NSW," Minister Macdonald said. "During the latest operation fisheries officers checked 180 fishers, 33 people were apprehended with 39 offences committed, ranging from exceeding the daily bag limit to having illegal and unlawful fishing gear. "The fisheries patrol vessel Sydney Swan targeted offshore and estuarine waters between Port Jackson and Batemans Bay, including Botany Bay and the Georges and Hawkesbury Rivers."

Live Entertainment Coming to a Bar Near You
Source: NSW. Department of Planning. Media Release.
"Many famous singers and songwriters started out playing in their local pub, and the Government today (18/12/08) issued instructions to councils to make it easier to stage live performances such as these. Red tape which stalls small-scale live entertainment in pubs, bars, cafes and restaurants has been cut, according to directions sent from the NSW Government to all councils. This will cut back the time it takes for small venues to host live performances, and potentially save them hundreds of thousands of dollars in building changes that they would otherwise have to make. Planning Minister, Kristina Keneally, said development applications are in many cases not required for entertainment in these venues."

Minister Launches Customer Service Charter for Cityrail
Source: NSW. Trasnsport Minister. Media Release.
"Transport Minister David Campbell and RailCorp CEO Rob Mason visited Parramatta railway station to unveil a Customer Charter for CityRail, committing the organisation to improving customer service in seven vital areas. “Since taking on the Transport portfolio I have said that improving frontline services is my key goal and this charter formalises that goal,” Mr Campbell said. “The Charter outlines CityRail’s commitment to improvements in seven key areas:
* On-time running;
* Crowd management;
* Fast, accurate and useful information;
* Secure and safe travel;
* Clean trains and stations;
* Fast ticket sales; and
* Quick and fair complaints handling. "

New Directions in Detention - Restoring Integrity to Australia’s Immigration System
Source: Australia. Minister for Immigration and Citizenship.
Senator Chris Evans delivered this speech to Australia's Immigration System about detention policy and processing arrangements for offshore entry people on 29 July 2008. policy. The current policy is being progressively updated.
"The treatment of asylum seekers has been controversial in Australian political debate for many years. The length and conditions of their detention has been a particular focus of criticism. The Rudd Labor Government was elected on a platform that included a commitment to reform and a more humane treatment of those seeking our protection. We quickly ended the Pacific Solution – closing the offshore processing centres on Nauru and Manus Island. We abolished temporary protection visas – the symbol of the former government’s continued punishment of those found to be owed our protection."

National Aviation Policy Green Paper - December 2008
Source: Australia. Department of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics.
On 2 December 2008, the Government released an Aviation Green Paper which describes the initiatives and policy settings the Government is proposing to enable a vibrant and prosperous aviation industry; one that delivers the highest standards of safety and security, competitive aviation markets and services, investment in infrastructure and environmental responsibility.

Premier Decides School Student Travel to Remain Free
Source: NSW Premier. Media Release.
"NSW Premier, Nathan Rees has announced that he will restore the free school travel pass scheme. Plans for a small co-payment announced in the mini-budget have been scrapped. "I’ve attended many school speech days in the past few weeks and parents have told me that household budgets are stretched and this payment will add to that pressure. "I’ve heard those concerns and I agree that it’s wrong to put extra pressure on households budgets, particularly when families will be getting ready to send their children back to school."

Premier Announces Plan to Kick-start Housing Construction
Source: NSW Premier. Media Release.
"Premier Nathan Rees announced the Government’s plan to boost the NSW housing industry and improve housing affordability for families. Mr Rees said that the Government will deliver much needed reforms to infrastructure levies. "The Government will reduce levies that are charged on new developments by up to $64,000 per lot," Mr Rees said. “Water levies, state government levies and local government levies charged to new developments will all be reduced as part of the plan, including:
• Cutting state infrastructure charges in the south west and north west growth centres from $23,000 to around $11,000 per lot until June 2011.
• Abolishing infrastructure levies payable to Sydney Water Corporation and Hunter Water, saving up to $15,000 per lot.
• Capping infrastructure contributions payable to local councils at $20,000 per lot – with all contributions exceeding $20,000 requiring approval from the Planning Minister. "

Country Health Strategy Released
Source: South Australia. Health Minister. Media Release.
"The Strategy for planning Country Health in SA has been released, following a consultation period that drew around 1200 people to public meetings across the state and took in around 100 written submissions. The Strategy, which sets out the ten planning principles for future services in rural and regional South Australia, has been amended in response to the consultation. Welcoming the Strategy, Health Minister John Hill said, “country communities now have a tool to help plan how best to deliver the services they need – releasing this document is just the beginning of the work for Health Advisory Councils. They will be consulting with their communities and health professionals, and using the information supplied by CHSA and the Strategy to design health services for the next ten years.”"

Public Service Goes From Backroom to Frontline
Source: South Australia. Treasury. Media Release.
"Treasurer Kevin Foley today announced the profile of the State’s public service would be shifted, reinforcing the emphasis on frontline service delivery and away from backroom administration. He says the public service would continue to grow in number compared to the last election, but the emphasis would be on recruiting for key service delivery areas such as providing more doctors, nurses, emergency workers, child protection officers, teachers, and police."

Moves to Boost Voter Turnout at Local Government Elections
Source: South Australia. State/Local Government Relations Minister. Media Release.
"The State Government will reform the processes around local government elections in an effort to boost voter turnout at the next elections in October-November 2010. State/Local Government Relations Minister Gail Gago said the State Government had accepted 23 of the 27 recommendations made in the Independent Review of Local Government Elections earlier this year. “Many of the recommendations are aimed squarely at improving the participation of voters at local government elections – thereby strengthening democracy,” Ms Gago said."

Controls to Curb Youth Smoking
Source: South Australia. Substance Abuse Minister. Media Release.
"The promotion and display of tobacco products at youth-oriented events such as the Big Day Out will be restricted under changes to tobacco licence conditions, announced today (21/12/08). Substance Abuse Minister Jane Lomax-Smith says the changes will prevent all temporary tobacco stall vendors from engaging in practices that encourage young people to smoke. These include putting tobacco products out of sight and preventing inducements at the point of sale, such as playing music or having lounge areas available. Following on from this move, the Minister has requested Drug and Alcohol Services SA to investigate the possibility of similar controls on cigarette sales through fashion boutiques."

Solar Panels Exempt From Planning Approval
Source: South Australia. Minister for Urban Development and Planning. Media Release.
"Minister for Urban Development and Planning Paul Holloway said most households and small businesses will soon no longer need local council planning approval to fit solar panels. Mr Holloway says that from January 1 2009, South Australians installing an array of solar panels weighing less than 100 kilograms will no longer be required to apply to a local council for planning or building approval. For safety reasons, arrays weighing more than 100 kilograms will initially still require building approval before installation."

Year Long Closure to Protect Murray Cod
Source: South Australia. Agriculture, Food and Fisheries Minister. Media Release.
"Agriculture, Food and Fisheries Minister Rory McEwen has announced moves to further protect the iconic freshwater fish species, the Murray cod. A new closed season will now come into effect from January 1, 2009 and continue until July 31 when the existing seasonal closure comes into effect. “This is on top of the current annual closed season for Murray cod from August 1 to December 31 to protect the species during their breeding season. “The new arrangements will effectively close the Murray cod fishery for all of 2009,” Mr McEwen said."

New Rules for Transporting Dangerous Goods
Source: South Australia. Minister for Industrial Relations. Media Release.
"In line with nationally agreed legislation, important changes concerning the transport of dangerous goods by road and rail in South Australia will apply from the New Year. The SA Dangerous Substances (Dangerous Goods Transport) Regulations 2008 and a new edition of the Australian Dangerous Goods Code (ADG7), both come into effect on the 1st January 2009. However, Minister for Industrial Relations, Paul Caica, says that to assist industry comply with the required changes, there will be a transition period of 12 months to 31st December 2009. “Most organisations likely to be affected are already aware of these impending changes,” Mr Caica said."

Hard-hitting Quit Campaign to Reach Parents
Source: South Australia. Media Release.
A new hard-hitting, quit smoking campaign starting tomorrow (30/12/08) will challenge parents to think of the impact on their children if they die as a result of smoking. Premier Mike Rann and Substance Abuse Minister Jane Lomax-Smith today previewed the television advertisements, which are timed to coincide with the New Year when people set resolutions for lifestyle change. “Every year, 1200 South Australians die as a result of smoking,” Premier Rann says. “This is a heart-wrenching campaign that makes people think about the impact on a child of losing a parent."

Rann Government strengthens GLS
Source: South Australia. Media Release.
"The Rann Government is moving to further strengthen the Graduated Licensing Scheme (GLS) for young drivers in South Australia. Premier Mike Rann says despite the record low road toll in 2008, too many young South Australian drivers are still dying on our roads. “On average, 27 percent of all fatalities in SA each year are road users aged between 16 and 24,” Mr Rann said. “The new initiatives include legislating to increase the supervised driving time required by Learner drivers from 50 hours to 75 hours. “We also plan to increase the minimum time on a Learner’s permit from 6 to 12 months."

Mandatory Reporting of Child Sexual Abuse
Source: Western Australia. Minister for Child Protection. Media Release.
"Western Australian children will be better protected than ever before with doctors, nurses, teachers, police officers and midwives now required under law to report in writing suspicions of child sexual abuse. Child Protection Minister Robyn McSweeney said legislation governing the mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse had come into effect and professionals who failed to report concerns to the Department for Child Protection would face a $6,000 fine. “This is a very important child protection measure and will greatly improve the safety and protection of all children, particularly those vulnerable and at risk,” Mrs McSweeney said."

Plans to Give Police More Power to Deal With Alcohol Louts
Source: Western Australia. Media Release.
"The Liberal-National Government is set to give police more power to deal with alcohol fuelled anti-social behaviour. Racing and Gaming Minister Terry Waldron said he would draft changes to legislation to give police discretionary power to seize and dispose of unopened liquor from people drinking in public. “Currently, the unauthorised consumption of alcohol in a public place is an offence and police can seize and tip out liquor that has been opened,” Mr Waldron said. “But the police have no authority to seize and dispose of unopened liquor unless the person drinking it is a juvenile or the offence occurs at a designated special event such as the Australia Day Skyworks.”"

State Government Opens Door to Greater Domestic Gas Supplies
Source: Western Australia. Minister for Energy. Media Release.
"The State Government will introduce legislation to Parliament which aims to ultimately provide greater supply of gas to the domestic market at lower cost. Under the proposed legislation, the Government plans to regulate the make up of gas in the State pipeline network and subsequently broaden gas characteristics for the domestic market. The gas specification for pipelines in Western Australia is determined in commercial contracts. This follows extensive consultation with industry stakeholders after the release of an Issues Paper in October."