AUSTRALIA TO HOST LUXURY TRAVEL SYMPOSIUM
Source: Australia. The Minister for Tourism. Media Release
"The Minister for Tourism, Martin Ferguson AM MP, says Australia's tourism industry is set to benefit from Sydney winning the right to host a highly prized international symposium focussing on the luxury travel sector.
The symposium – facilitated by the invitation-only luxury retail travel consortia, Virtuoso – will increase Australia's profile and appeal amongst high-spending international travellers."

Australian government uses footy to deepen sport and business links with India
Source: Minister for Trade. Media Release
"The Australian government through its trade promotion arm Austrade is working with the AFL to use Aussie Rules to do business with India.
A record 15 countries are participating in the Australian Footy International Cup in Warnambool, Melbourne between August 27 and September 6, including for the first time an Indian team.
Austrade and the AFL promoted a footy match in Abu Dhabi earlier this year, which brought Australian and local companies together in a business networking function. Austrade and the AFL hope to take this model to other countries, including India and South Africa."

School Enrolment and Attendance Legislation to be Introduced
Source: Australia. Minister for Education. Media Release
"This week the Deputy Prime Minister will introduce legislation to Parliament on Wednesday, 27/8/08, that will link welfare payments to school enrolment and attendance."

Education Revolution in our Schools
Source: Australia. Prime Minister and Minister for Education. Joint Media Release
"The Rudd Government today (27/8/08) launched the next chapter in its Education Revolution to help build a stronger economy for Australia’s future.
Australia needs a world class education system to face the challenges presented by a rapidly changing world.
The Rudd Government’s Quality Education plan represents the biggest school reform agenda in recent history. "

National Literacy And Numeracy Week 2008: $40 Million For Literacy And Numeracy Pilot Projects
Source: Australia. Prime Minister and the Minister for Education. Media Release
"Today (28/8/08) the Prime Minister and the Minister for Education officially launched National Literacy and Numeracy Week 2008 by announcing a $40 million literacy and numeracy initiative.
The Rudd Government will invest $40.2 million in 29 literacy and numeracy pilot projects in schools across Australia.
These pilots will trial or expand initiatives that exemplify strategies to improve literacy and numeracy outcomes for those students most in need of support, in government and non-government schools. "

Feedback Sought on Cutting Red Tape and Helping the Environment
Source: Victoria. Minister for Environment and Climate Change. Media Release
"The Brumby Government has encouraged businesses and the community to make submissions to an Inquiry by the Victorian Competition and Efficiency Commission (VCEC) into environmental regulation. Environment and Climate Change Minister Gavin Jennings said VCEC released an Issues Paper seeking public submissions, as part of the Inquiry process."

Partnership to Improve Goulburn Valley's Indigenous Businesses
Source: Victoria. Minister for Small Business. Media Release
"The Brumby Government entered an historic partnership to give Indigenous Victorians in the Goulburn Valley better access to business support. In Shepparton, Small Business Minister Joe Helper witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the government’s Koori Business Network (KBN) and local organisation, Koori Employment Enterprises (KEE).It is the first time the KBN has signed an understanding with a private enterprise.“This partnership will provide targeted services to help emerging Indigenous businesses across the Goulburn Valley grow and develop,,” Mr Helper said."

$3.5 Million Boost to Expand Rural Financial Counsellors
Source: Victoria. Minister for Agriculture. Media Release
"Farm families and businesses will soon have access to targeted case management support and additional rural financial counsellors in priority areas after a $3.5 million Brumby Government funding boost. Speaking at Murchison, Agriculture Minister Joe Helper said the magnitude of the changes farm families were facing suggested a more sophisticated response was required.“The new targeted program delivers on the Brumby Government’s $205 million Future Farming Strategy, which aims to provide a more coordinated case management approach in supporting farm families,” Mr Helper said."

Broader Powers Strengthen State Teaching Regulator
Source: Victoria. Minister for Education. Media Release
"The Victorian Institute of Teaching’s role in regulating the teaching profession will be strengthened under a series of reforms being introduced by the Brumby Government.
Responding to recommendations made following a review of the structure an operation of the VIT, Education Minister Bronwyn Pike will give the institute the power to investigate allegations below the level of serious misconduct and to impose a new range of sanctions. “It is vital that the Victorian Institute of Teaching continues to meet community expectations and we maintain high standards of professional conduct and expertise across the teaching profession,” Ms Pike said."

Call to Action: New Victorian Tobacco Control Strategy
Source: Victoria. Premier. Media Release
"Victorians have been invited to have their say on the next steps in tobacco reform.
Releasing the Victorian Tobacco Control Strategy 2008-2013 with Health Minister Daniel Andrews, Premier John Brumby said the strategy sets ambitious targets to reduce adult smoking rates by 20 per cent and significantly reduce smoking in vulnerable and high-risk groups like pregnant women and Indigenous Victorians. Mr Andrews said the release of the proposed strategy for public consultation was timely because of the effectiveness of the most recent tobacco reforms."

$316 Million Training Guarantee for Victoria
Source: Victoria. Premier. Media Release
"Students and the training sector will be the big winners in the announcement of a $316 million Victorian Government overhaul of the sector. Premier John Brumby said the investment would create 172,000 new training places and deliver a massive boost to TAFE infrastructure right across the state.“We will provide a Government supported training place for every eligible Victorian who wants one,” Mr Brumby said.“We will also make the training and education sector fairer by giving students at diploma and advanced diploma level access to a university-style loan for fees, giving them the option to defer upfront payment for training.“In a national first, the Commonwealth has agreed to extend its FEE HELP structure to cover Victoria’s training sector.” Mr Brumby said Securing Jobs for Your Future is the largest ever single investment in our VET system."

$20 Million Broadband Boost for Tafe
Source: Victoria. Premier. Media Release
"Regional and rural Victoria will get a major boost to broadband delivery as part of a massive $316 million overhaul of the training sector unveiled by Premier John Brumby. Premier John Brumby said the landmark announcement would drive growth across regional and rural Victoria by improving infrastructure and facilities at TAFE institutes. The upgrade of broadband is part of the biggest investment in Victoria’s history in to the state’s training sector, 172,000 extra Government funded training places would be created and in a landmark deal with the Commonwealth, university-style loans made available to students."

State Plan - A New Direction for NSW
Source: New South Wales. The Premier
The State Plan is about shaping the State's future. It reflects the hopes and goals of people across NSW and the priorities for the public sector. The State Plan is the foundation document for my commitment to delivering better services. It is the first step in changing the culture of government in NSW. The Plan sets out clear targets for improved outcomes and service delivery to which the community will hold us accountable.

The Property, Stock and Business Agents Act 2002: Statutory review
Source: New South Wales. Office of Fair Trading
The purpose of the review was to determine whether the policy objectives of the Act remain valid and whether the terms of the Act remain appropriate for securing those objectives.

Media Statement - Queensland water
Source: South Australia. The Premier
"What’s happening in Queensland, may well be legal, but that doesn’t mean to say its right,” Premier Mike Rann said. In the 21st century, in an era of climate change, Australia should be moving to sustainable crops, particularly in the Murray Darling that’s enduring a one-in-one thousand year record low inflow. This situation is a poignant legacy of decades of mismanagement of the River System, when one region can take so much water when other communities are in a desperate situation."

Government beats red tape target
Source: South Australia. The Premier
An independent assessment by consultants Deloitte found that the Government’s red tape reduction initiatives are on track to save South Australian businesses more than $170 million per year.

First phase of novice driver reforms
Source: Tasmania. Minister for Infrastructure
"This first phase of the reforms will reinforce good driving practices and compliance with road rules by rewarding offence-free driving during the provisional period and imposing additional penalties for illegal and unsafe driving behaviour,” Mr Sturges said.
“Provisional drivers who progress through the system without breaking the road rules will not only gain their full licence but will also receive a refund of their provisional licence fees.
“By contrast, novice drivers who disobey driving laws - such as driving at excessive speed or driving while affected by alcohol - will find themselves penalised. "

Major water security projects under way
Source: ACT. Chief Minister
Chief Minister Jon Stanhope has officially opened the new Water Security Major Projects site office at Mt Stromlo Water and inspected Australia's largest ultraviolet water treatment facility.
Operating since December 2007, the UV system has treated over 18 gigalitres (GL) of water for town supply, including 1.6 GL from the Murrumbidgee River or 9 per cent of all water produced via Mt Stromlo.

Mandatory Sentences for Assaults on Police and Public Officers
Source: Western Australia. Liberal Party Election Policy
" The Liberal Party will introduce minimum mandatory sentences for assaults on Police and Public Officers."

Labor's Plan to Support Young People with Disabilities
Source: Western Australia. ALP Election Policy. Media Release
"Over the next four years Labor will continue to increase funding to disability support services and supported accommodation for people with disabilities.
Labor will:
1. Double the support provided to school leavers and young people with disabilities.
2. Quarantine 10 places of each CAP round for carers aged over 70.
3. Provide accommodation support to at least 450 new people with disabilities over the next four years.
4. Continue to increase disability support services funding.
5. Provide free public transport to disability support pensioners during weekday off-peak periods and on weekends."

Labor's Plan to Support Families
Source: Western Australia. ALP Election Policy. Media Release
"Labor recognises that families are under financial pressure in meeting the everyday cost of living. That’s why we introduced the “It Pays to Learn” allowance to support families with 16 or 17 year olds in education or training.
Labor is committed to helping families with the cost of education and training and will:
1. Double the It Pays to Learn allowance for 16 and 17 year olds in school.
2. Increase the It Pays to Learn allowance for 16 and 17 year olds in training.
3. Double the clothing allowance for eligible Year 8 to 12 students."

Labor's Plan to Support School P&C's
Source: Western Australia. ALP Election Policy. Media Release
"Schools work hard to deliver a quality education to young Western Australians.
Labor will:
1. Provide grants of up to $2,500 per year to P&C’s for school improvement projects.
2. Establish a Web based ‘one stop shop’ for grants, financial assistance and other parent information."

Labour's Plan for More Nurses
Source: Western Australia ALP Election Policy. Media Release
"Over the next four years Labor will employ an additional 800 nurses and an additional 60 doctor interns. As part of a range of new attraction and retention initiatives, Labor will
provide child care facilities on hospital sites with priority for health care staff. These child care facilities will help nurses balance work and family commitments."

$50 MILL GEOTHERMAL DRILLING PROGRAM LAUNCHED
Source: Australia. Minister for Resources and Energy. Media Release
"The Minister for Resources and Energy, the Hon Martin Ferguson AM MP, has launched the $50 million Geothermal Drilling Program and told the Australian Geothermal Energy Conference the industry has a significant role to play in securing Australia's energy future.

The Geothermal Drilling Program will provide grants of up to $7 million on a matching funding basis to support the high cost of drilling deep geothermal wells and help finance proof-of-concept projects."

Schoolkids to Fight Obesity
Source: Australia. Minister for Health and Ageing . Media Release
"Minister for Health Nicola Roxon launched the national Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program. Interested schools can apply to take part in the initiative.The $12.8 million Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program will teach kids in Government primary schools, in years 3-6, to grow, harvest, cook and share fresh food."