Government project targets social isolation of seniors
Source: Queensland. Minister for Community Services. Media Release
"The Bligh Government is leading the push to reduce social isolation and help older people lead happier and healthier lives. Community Services Minister Karen Struthers released the findings of a comprehensive cross-government study undertaken to identify and develop innovative responses and policies to support vulnerable Queensland seniors. Ms Struthers said the Queensland Cross-Government Project to Reduce Social Isolation of Older People included community consultation, evaluating trial programs, and distributing project findings in a bid to bring about real change in communities. “Social isolation is an issue facing many older people, whether they live in the city or not, with studies linking it to depression and even suicide,” she said. Over the coming weeks a suite of products, including an evaluation report, DVD and best practice guidelines, will be distributed to help service providers develop and implement projects to reduce social isolation."

Bligh Government moves forward with SEQ water reforms
Source: Queesnland. Minister for Natural Resources, Mines and Energy. Media Release
"Natural Resources, Mines and Energy Minister Stephen Robertson said the Bligh Government has agreed in principle to adopting water reforms measures proposed by Councils in South East Queensland. “In May, the Government asked the Council of Mayor’s South East Queensland (CoMSEQ) to put forward an alternative water industry structure, after they suggested they could save money on implementing reforms. “The Government has now agreed in principle on a new framework for the institutional reform of urban water service delivery, specifically in respect of the delivery of retail and distribution services. “Councils have put their views forward and we have listened. “We have taken on board the key concerns of Councils and accepted their preference that retail functions, like customer management, should continue to be provided by the same business that maintains and operates the pipe network,” Mr Robertson said."

Queensland's World Class Emergency Services Training Hub Opens
Source: Queensland. Minister for Emergency Services. Media Release
"Emergency Services Minister Neil Roberts officially opened Queensland’s new state-of-the-art emergency services training facility at Whyte Island. The $20 million Queensland Combined Emergency Services Academy (QCESA) is a purpose-built facility designed to provide emergency personnel with multi-disciplinary training simulations and world-class teaching facilities. Mr Roberts said QCESA was the single most important training infrastructure project ever undertaken by the Department of Community Safety. “Every aspect of this cutting-edge facility has been constructed to provide emergency services personnel with the opportunity to experience firsthand the range of real-life crises that they will face in their working life,” Mr Roberts said. “The Academy is a unique concept in design and sits at the forefront of training facilities available to fire, ambulance and emergency services personnel anywhere in the world."

New program promotes health and well-being among frail aged
Source: Queensland. Minister for Disability Services. Media Release
"Disability Services Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk launched a new program aimed at improving the lives of many frail and older people in Brisbane by boosting their health and wellbeing.
Minister Annastacia Palaszczuk said the Strengthening Aged Care home visits program based in and around St Lucia was a partnership with the Bligh and Rudd Governments’ Home and Community Care (HACC) program and UQ Sport. “UQ Sport and HACC developed this project to give older and frail Queenslanders more independence and ease the burden on the health system by improving their fitness levels and overall health,” Ms Palaszczuk said. Accredited exercise physiologists will visit the homes of eligible frail and older people up to five times for free in St Lucia and surrounding suburbs to develop suitable exercise programs and monitor their progress."

New approach to domestic violence underway
Source: Queensland. Minister for Community Services and Housing. Media Release
"A five-year strategy will deal with domestic and family violence from every angle, providing new ways of responding to affected individuals and families, Community Services Minister Karen Struthers announced. In Rockhampton to launch the plan, Ms Struthers said a local $2.7 million trial was one of the key initiatives under the strategy – For our sons and daughters: A Queensland Government strategy to reduce domestic and family violence 2009-2014."

National Registration and Accreditation for Health Professionals a Step Closer
Source: Queensland. Minister for Health. Media Release
"Deputy Premier and Minister for Health Paul Lucas invited stakeholders to have their say on the proposed national registration and accreditation scheme for health professionals.
“This scheme seeks to establish for the first time ever a consistent set of national standards and processes for registering individual health professionals,” Mr Lucas said.
Queensland will be providing the model legislation all other Australian health jurisdictions will use to introduce the registration and accreditation scheme by 1 July 2010.”

Select Committee on Climate Policy. Report
Source: Australia. Senate
"A Senate economics committee has issued the report from its inquiry into the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme Bill 2009 and related bills and a climate committee has issued the report from its inquiry into climate policy.
The committee finds that the CPRS should not be passed in its current form, and that whilst the CPRS package has been revised on two occasions, the modelling continues to fail to take into account the impact of these changed economic circumstances. The committee considers the modelling undertaken by Treasury to be inadequate and recommends that the Government direct Treasury to undertake further modelling."

Independent review of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999: interim report
Source: Australia. Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
"This report, released by Dr Hawke, outlines the major themes raised in public submissions, the consultation process and the Senate committee inquiry. Dr Hawke is seeking further public comment on the interim report in general and in particular, on a number of specific areas identified in the report. The period for comment closes 5pm AEST Monday 3 August 2009."

Enhanced Experience for International Students
Source: Australia. Prime Minister. Media Release
"The Australian Government today agreed with State and Territory governments to develop a national International Student Strategy which will enhance the experience of international students in Australia. "

H1N1 Medical Research Projects Fast-Tracked
Source: Australia. Minister for Health and Ageing. Media Release
"Today approval and funding was given to 41 Australian medical research projects that will help ensure the Australian Government’s response to the evolving threat of H1N1 is based on the most up-to-date information available. The research will help the Government tailor its response to the spread and nature of the disease, and better equip the Government to help those most at risk from the disease."

Respectful Relationship Program to begin in 40 Northern Territory Schools
Source: Australia. Minister for the Status of Women. Media Release
"The Australian and Northern Territory Governments today announced that 40 schools will receive funding to roll out respectful relationship programs."

Early Years Learning Framework
Source: Australia. Dept of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations
"The Early Years Learning Framework is part of the Council of Australian Government’s (COAG) reform agenda for early childhood education and care and is a key component of the Australian Government’s National Quality Agenda for early childhood education and care. It will underpin universal access to early childhood education and be incorporated in the National Quality Standard in order to ensure delivery of nationally consistent and quality early childhood education across sectors and jurisdictions.
The Early Years Learning Framework describes the principles, practice and outcomes essential to support and enhance young children’s learning from birth to five years of age, as well as their transition to school. The Framework has a strong emphasis on play-based learning as play is the best vehicle for young children’s learning providing the most appropriate stimulus for brain development. The Framework also recognises the importance of communication and language (including early literacy and numeracy) and social and emotional development. "

National Early Childhood Development Strategy- Investing in the Early Years.
Source: Australia. Dept of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations
"On 2 July 2009, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) endorsed the National Early Childhood Development Strategy- Investing in the Early Years.
In jointly developing the Strategy, the Australian, state and territory governments have signalled their intention to take a leadership role in early childhood development now and into the future.
The Strategy will help all levels of government to build a more effective and better coordinated national early childhood development system to support the diverse needs of Australian children and their families. It covers children from before birth to eight years and aims to improve the health, safety, early learning and wellbeing of all children and better support disadvantaged children to reduce inequalities.
The Strategy provides the road map for action and for engaging effective partnerships across and between governments, with the non-government sector, and with families around the needs of young children."

DEFENCE CAPABILITY PLAN 2009
Source: Australia. Dept of Defence
"The DCP is a tool to allow industry to undertake strategic planning. Providing a public version of the DCP to Australian industry is a key part of ensuring that the ADF will continue to have the major equipment and systems it needs."

More Australian dairy cattle to be exported to China
Source: Australia. Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Media Release
"The Rudd Government has announced another step forward in our agricultural trade with China, with the signing of an agreement set to further expand our dairy cattle exports.
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke announced Australian and Chinese quarantine authorities had signed a new export protocol for breeding dairy cattle from Australia."

New plan to secure South Australia’s water future
Source: South Australia. Premier and Minister for Water Security. Joint Media Release.
"The State Government has today outlined its comprehensive plan Water for Good to guarantee South Australia’s future water security to 2050 and beyond, diversify our water supplies and reduce reliance on the River Murray."

New approaches to boost return to work
Source: South Australia. Minister for Industrial Relations. Media Release.
"The State Government has announced the start of a range of innovative projects designed to help people return to the workplace after they have been injured and off work for a long time."

Boost to industry skills in schools
Source: South Australia. Minister for Education. Media Release.
"New industry-endorsed training programs in areas of strategic importance to the State, such as defence and manufacturing, will be introduced in each of the State’s high schools. The move is part of the Rann Government’s new $19 million Industry Skills Program, the latest in a suite of ‘school to work’ initiatives to improve the job skills of high school students."

SA seniors get free public transport
Source: South Australia. Premier. Media Release.
"Premier Mike Rann today encouraged older South Australians to take advantage of the State Government’s free public transport during off-peak periods for holders of a State Seniors Card. Despite the current financial times, we want older South Australians to continue to get out and about." “It also helps us reach South Australia’s Strategic Plan target of increasing public transport use to 10 per cent of weekday passenger vehicle kilometres travelled by 2018."

Hotline for access to education and training places
Source: South Australia. Minister for Employment, Training and Further Education. Media Release.
"The State Government has set up a special information hotline to help 15 to 19 year olds in South Australia gain priority access to education or training places. Employment, Training and Further Education Minister Michael O’Brien said the move was part of the State Government’s implementation of the Compact with Young Australians recently announced by the Council of Australian Governments."

Ads aim to ease winter congestion
Source: South Australia. Minister for Health. Media Release.
"An advertising campaign encouraging South Australians to use ‘Emergency Departments for emergencies’ this winter. We want to remind South Australians that EDs are meant to deal with traumas and medical emergencies,” Minister Hill said." The additional workload of less serious illnesses such as colds and flu "puts increased pressure on our doctors, nurses and other hospital staff, who all work extremely hard, particularly during the winter months."

Victorian Schools A Step Closer to the Ultranet
Source: Victoria. Minister for Education. Media Release
"Education Minister Bronwyn Pike announced that CSG Services Pty Ltd will join forces with the Brumby Labor Government to deliver the Ultranet project to every Victorian government school and to secure more than 55 new jobs over the next year. Ms Pike said the Ultranet will provide parents, students and teachers with a 21st Century system to keep them connected, involved and informed about their childrens’ learning 24-hours a day.”The Ultranet will enhance student learning, support the work of teachers and allow parents to become more involved in their child’s education at the click of a button,” Ms Pike said."

Council Valuations Choice Would Save Ratepayer Money
Source: Victoria. Minister for Environment and Climate Change. Media Release
"Councils would save money and have greater flexibility in conducting municipal valuations under proposed amendments to the Valuation of Land Act, Environment and Climate Change Minister Gavin Jennings announced. The amendments, which follow a review last year of rating authority valuations and discussion paper The Future Direction of Rating Authority Valuations in Victoria, would give councils the option to transfer their two-yearly municipal valuations responsibilities to the Valuer-General of Victoria.“With the amendments to the Act the Brumby Labor Government is taking action to address concerns raised by councils in the review that at times excessive red tape could cause cost inefficiencies,” Mr Jennings said.“Councils would be able to opt out of valuations and voluntarily transfer their valuation responsibilities on to the Valuer-General.“This would be a great outcome for councils because they would have the flexibility to decide what best meets their needs and make an informed decision on the best use of ratepayer funds at a time when working families are under pressure to cope with the Global Financial Crisis."

Smart Funding Supports Smart Local Energy Solutions
Source: Victoria. Minister for Environment and Climate Change . Media Release
"Community facilities across Melbourne – including swimming pools, shopping centres and public housing buildings – will be given funding to create and share their own electricity, under an innovative Brumby Government program unveiled by Environment and Climate Change Minister Gavin Jennings. Mr Jennings announced the successful $2.57 million Smart Energy Zones projects at the Craig Family Centre in Ashburton, a funding recipient which will receive power from a gas-fired co-generation plant to be installed at the adjoining Ashburton Pool and Recreation Centre."

Energy Consumers Urged to Make Voice Heard on New Framework
Source: Victoria. Minister for Energy and Resources. Media Release
"Energy and Resources Minister Peter Batchelor has urged consumer groups to make their voices heard in the development of a new national framework that will regulate energy retailing and protect Australia’s energy consumers. “The Brumby Government supports the development of the National Energy Customer Framework (NECF), which will provide energy customers with a range of benefits including reduced costs and greater competition between energy retailers,” Mr Batchelor said. This national framework will strengthen energy governance in Australia and improve the efficiency of the energy sector, which is important to families, industry and businesses.”