Parents: please talk to your kids about drugs
Source: Australia. Minister for Ageing. Media Release
"Parents are being called on by the Australian Government to talk with their children about drugs – especially the latest drug threats. An updated booklet, Talking with Your Kids about Drugs, is being mailed to all Australian households."

Consultations open for Disability Supported Accommodation options
Source: Australia. Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. Media Release
"The Howard Government is opening consultations to establish the best options for providing 1750 new supported accommodation places for people with disabilities.Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Mal Brough, today said these consultations are part of the Prime Minister's announcement of an extra $962 million to help older carers and their families as part of the Government's $1.8 billion disability package announced in late June."

$16 Million Boost to River Health
Source: Australia. Minister for the Environment and Water Resources. Media Release
"Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Malcolm Turnbull, announced the Australian Government will provide more than $16 million for seven projects that will improve the health of NewSouth Wales’ rivers."

$14.6 million for Indigenous environmental projects
Source: Australia. Minister for Environment and Water Resources. Media Release
"The Australian Government will provide $14.6 million over three years to 10 Indigenous projects delivering environmental services in remote and regional Australia, the Minister for the
Environment and Water Resources, Malcolm Turnbull, announced. This is the first payment of a four-year $47 million Working on Country programme announced in the Budget to create properly paid jobs for Indigenous people looking after country, Mr Turnbull said."

Getting Young People “Mine Ready”
Source: Australia. Minister for Vocational and Further Education. Media Release
"A new mining industry project will provide training opportunities for Indigenous and unemployed young people in the Mackay region. The Australian Government is investing $154,000 for the Mine Readiness project, which will provide a range of basic skills that will enable participants to gain employment in the mining industry, said Andrew Robb AO MP, Minister for Vocational and Further Education."

$140 million boost for state government schools across Australia
Source: Australia. Minister for Education. Media Release
"The Minister for Education, Science and Training, the Hon Julie Bishop MP, announced the State Governments schools which have been successful in the fourth round of the $1.2 billion Investing in Our Schools Programme. “I am delighted to announce that a further $140 million has been approved to State Government schools, which builds on the $656 million that has already been approved under the Programme, Minister Bishop said."

Making victims feel safe
Source: Northern Territory. Minister for Justice and Attorney General. Media Release
"Laws to protect victims from intimidation and further violence have been introduced to Territory Parliament. Amendments to the Bail Act will make it harder for alleged serious sexual offenders to be released on bail. Attorney-General Syd Stirling said victims, whether they live in remote communities or urban areas, have the right to feel safe."

Police get tools to fight new breed of criminals
Northern Territory. Minister for Justice and Attorney General. Media Release
"Police will receive more powers to investigate serious criminal activity and track offenders across borders, in new laws passed by Territory Parliament. Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Syd Stirling said the Surveillance Devices Act 2007 will ensure the law keeps pace with the newest technology, and the criminals who use it. "

Government to Look at Grandparental Leave
Source: ACT. Chief Minister. Media Release
"The ACT Government will look at formalising grandparental leave for its public servants, Chief Minister Jon Stanhope said.“As part of its strategy of retaining mature-age workers and improving family-friendly conditions and flexibility I have asked the Commissioner for Public Administration to examine the possibility of granting unpaid leave to enable grandparents to look after grandchildren up to the age of two,” Mr Stanhope said."

Next Stage of Mental Health Act Review
Source: Tasmania. Minister for Health and Human Services. Media Release
" Better laws affecting people with a mental illness moved a step closer today with the release of a Discussion Paper inviting Tasmanians to have their say. The Minister for Health and Human Services, Lara Giddings, released the Discussion Paper, which forms the next stage of the State Government’s major review of the Mental Health Act 1996. "

Education Reforms To Boost Tasmanian Economy
Source: Tasmania. Minister for Education. Media Release
"Ground-breaking new education reforms will help revitalise Tasmania’s economy, the Minister for Education, David Bartlett, said. Speaking at the Telstra Business Awards, Mr Bartlett said that improving retention rates through the Tasmania Tomorrow post-grade 10 strategy would have direct economic benefits for the State. Mr Bartlett said that currently 86 per cent of jobs in Australia require a post-school qualification – in Tasmania only 47 per cent of the workforce has that level of qualification. "

Forward With Fairness - Policy Implementation Plan
Source: Australian Labor Party. Policy Statement
"A Rudd Labor Government will replace Mr Howard’s Work Choices laws, and his unfair AWAs, with a fairer and more flexible system. Federal Labor will foster a strong productive national economy, but an economy which also protects Australian working families. Federal Labor’s industrial relations plan for Australia’s future will balance two core principles:1. Providing flexibility for business, to keep our economy strong and productive. 2. Ensuring fair laws exist which protect Australian working families."

Labor's GP Super Clinics In The Community
Source: Australian Labor Party. Policy Statement
"Federal Labor will invest $220 million in the health system to establish GP Super Clinics in local communities – bolstering frontline health care for Australian families.Labor’s investment will ensure more Australian families have access to doctors, nurses, specialists and allied health professionals, such as physiotherapists, podiatrists, dieticians and psychologists, all in one centre, in their local community where they need them."

Hulls Announces Review of Equal Opportunity Act
Source: Victoria. Office of the Attorney General. Media Release
"Victoria’s equal opportunity laws will be reviewed with a view to tackling discrimination more effectively, Deputy Premier and Attorney-General Rob Hulls said. “The Equal Opportunity Act 1977 was landmark legislation when it was introduced, outlawing discrimination because of marital status and gender in employment, education, accommodation and the provision of goods and services,” Mr Hulls said.“Since then the scope of the Act has been expanded to prohibit discrimination on many other grounds, including race, impairment, age, and religious or political belief or activity."

Victorians Asked to Save Hot Water and Save the Planet
Source: Victoria. Minister for Environment and Climate Change. Media Release
"The Brumby Government launched a new drive encouraging people to ‘wash clothes in cold water’ to help cut household energy use. Minister for Climate Change Gavin Jennings said it was important to encourage cold water washing as heating water accounted for around 20 per cent of the average home’s greenhouse gas emissions."

Working Families Council Meets for the First Time
Source: Victoria. Minister for Industrial Relations. Media Release
"The Brumby Government will support Victorian families trying to balance their work and home lives with the establishment of Victoria’s first Working Families Council. It will work with industry and community groups to champion the issues of working families and help employers with strategies to improve work and family balance."

Schools prepare for healthier canteens
South Australia. Minister for Education and Children's Services. Media Release
"The healthy eating message is being taken to schools around the State as South Australia prepares for a ban on junk food in school canteens from 2008. Twenty-three ‘healthy eating’ workshops are being held this school term for canteen managers, principals, teachers and parents to reinforce the importance of diet and healthy eating."

Credit laws earmarked for overhaul
South Australia. Minister for Consumer Affairs. Media Release
"Pay day lenders and Credit Providers who exploit people through unfair practices face a crackdown via proposed amendments to the Uniform Consumer Credit Code and the Consumer Credit Regulations. Minister for Consumer Affairs, Jennifer Rankine, said reforms are long overdue and, if enacted, will address practices considered unjust and exploitative."

New strategy to tackle alcohol problems in the community
Source: Western Australia. Minister for Health. Media Release
"A strategy designed to help Western Australia’s 142 local governments reduce problems caused by alcohol in their communities has been launched. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health, John Hyde, said the Local Government Alcohol Management Package would assist each area to develop a strategy tailored to its own unique alcohol issues."

Telecommunications project to save WA lives
Source: Western Australia. Minister for Industry and Enterprise. Media Release
"All emergency services in Western Australia will soon be linked by one of the biggest and most comprehensive telecommunications networks of its kind in Australia. Industry and Enterprise Minister Francis Logan announced that the Emergency Connect WA project would use state-of-the-art technology to improve the telecommunications capabilities of police, ambulance, fire and rescue services."

Business and community groups win $1million in waste reduction grants
Source: Western Australia. Minister for the Environment. Media Release
"The Carpenter Government has awarded more than $1million in funding to industry and community groups who are joining the frontline on the WARR on waste. Environment Minister David Templeman announced 14 businesses and organisations from around the State would receive more than $900,000 in funding under the Strategic Waste Initiatives Scheme (SWIS) for projects to reduce waste and promote recycling."

Taking Responsibility - Federal Labor's $2 Billion National Health And Hospitals Reform Plan
Source: Australian Labor Party. Media Release
"Federal Labor will establish a $2 billion National Health Reform Plan over four years to improve Australia’s health system and ensure better health services for patients in hospitals. Federal Labor’s National Health Reform Plan will have two central elements:
1. $2 billion in investments to deliver improved health outcomes for patients in Australia’s health care and hospital system.
2. A commitment that a Rudd Labor Government will seek to take financial control of Australia’s 750 public hospitals if State and Territory Governments have not begun implementing an agreed National Health Reform Plan by mid-2009."

Rego reforms to save NSW families money and time
Source: NSW. Road and Traffic Authority. Media Release
"Roads Minister Eric Roozendaal announced major reforms to the car and light vehicle registration process which will save NSW families money and time."

Review of NSW tax system announced
Source: NSW. Premier. Media Release
" NSW Premier Morris Iemma has announced a wide-ranging review of state taxation that would deliver recommendations on how to make NSW taxes simpler and more efficient and competitive with other states. The Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) will conduct the review which will include the expertise of noted tax economist Professor Neil Warren. A final report is due next May."

Funding to help patients manage their medication
Source: Australia. Minister for Health and Ageing. Media Release
"Older patients and people taking multiple medications are set to benefit from better packaging of their medicines by pharmacists. The Commonwealth Government has provided up to $72.9 million to the Pharmacy Guild of Australia through the Fourth Pharmacy Agreement for the Dose Administration Aids program."