Archived News for Professionals in State Government - February, 2012

The Federal Government has reportedly struck a deal with the Northern Territory Opposition that could result in the country’s first ever Nuclear Waste Dump likely being constructed in the territory.

Senior British corrections specialist, Mr Brian Edwards OBE, has been appointed as Director, Change Management for the Tasmania Prison Service.

The Queensland Government has allocated $6.3 million for two initiatives that will boost the number of people working in communities to support people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

The Community Action for a Multicultural Society (CAMS) initiative funds organisations to employ community based workers to support the needs of people through capacity building and group advocacy to strengthen multiculturalism in the local area.

$1.429 million will be invested per annum in CAMS for the next three years, which will see community workers employed in 14 parts of the state.

The Corporation of the Trustees of the Order of the Sisters of Mercy in Queensland (Toowoomba), the Kenalwyn Bundaberg and District Neighbourhood Centre Inc and the Hervey Bay Neighbourhood Centre Inc will received the CAMS funding to employ community workers.

The Local Area Multicultural Partnerships (LAMP) initiative provides funds to local councils to employ a multicultural policy officer to strengthen multiculturalism in the region.

Funding of $680,000 per annum over three years through the LAMP initiative, matched by funding from thirteen local governments will enable them to employ a multicultural policy officer.

The Queensland Government is also providing funding for a program coordinator to be employed at the Local Government Association of Queensland.

Among the local governments receiving funding under LAMP over the next three years are the Gold Coast City Council, Gladstone Regional Council and Lockyer Valley Regional Council.

More information is at www.communities.qld.gov.au/multicultural

The Queensland Minister for Information and Communication Technology Simon Finn has launched the Queensland NBN strategic plan: The Queensland Government’s plan for making the most of the National Broadband Network.

Seqwater has advised the Queensland Department of Environment and Resource Management that two of its senior flood engineers involved in the operations of the Wivenhoe Dam during the 2011 flood.

The NSW Minister for Finance & Services, Greg Pearce, has stated that the Government will fast track reforms to WorkCover and the Compensation Authorities following the resignations of the Chairman, Greg McCarthy and CEO Lisa Hunt. The reforms will be aimed at checking WorkCover’s deficit, which in the six months to June 30 the deficit had blown out from $994 million to $2360 million.

"I have made it clear that the WorkCover scheme in its current form is untenable - the deficit is growing and WorkCover must be reformed to get it back in the black," Mr Pearce said.

"Both Mr McCarthy and Ms Hunt agreed there was a need to reform WorkCover and the government will now move to press ahead with the reforms under a new leadership team," he said.

"The reforms will be fast-tracked with Deputy Chair, Nicholas Whitlam, acting as Chair and current Chief Financial Officer, Julie Newman, acting as CEO until replacements are appointed.

"One of the possible reform options, developed by Mr McCarthy, includes merging WorkCover and the four other compensation authorities - the Motor Accidents Authority, Dust and Diseases Tribunal, Sporting Injuries Committee and Lifetime Care and Support Authority to achieve savings.

Mr McCarthy has been a member of the Board of WorkCover since 2002, including the position of Chair since 2005, and was in the process of developing the reforms to turn the scheme around.

Ms Hunt has been CEO since 2010 and was instrumental in driving change in the workplace including the implementation of the new Work, Health and Safety regime.

The NSW Treasurer Mike Baird has announced the government will invest $175 million in Reliance Rail in 2018 in return for 100 per cent of the equity in the company.

The NSW Minister for Transport Gladys Berejiklian has announced a comprehensive reform of RailCorp, to be led by David Callahan, the former CEO of Sydney Ferries. 

The Western Australian Minister for Mines and Petroleum, Fisheries and Electoral Affairs Norman Moore has announced his decision to not seek pre-selection by the Liberal Party for the next State Election due in March 2013.

The Western Australian Government has announced the membership of the inaugural board of the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA).

The Minister for Manufacturing, Exports and Trade Richard Dalla-Riva has announced the formation of a new Victorian Submarine Industry Project Team to grow the economic benefit to Victoria from submarine work.

The Tasmanian Government has paid tribute to outgoing Tasmanian Ombudsman Simon Allston, who is departing the role after six years to pursue a range of private interests.

The Northern Territory Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has announced the establishment of two active watching briefs into incidents in the Edith River in December last year.

Mining giant Xstrata has released a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for its planned $270 million expansion of its McArthur River Mining (NRM) operations, with the company saying the project will ‘deliver more benefits for the Northern Territory than first thought’.

Fair Work Australia has ruled in favour of a large number of community sector workers, ordering a pay rise of between 19 and 41 per cent.

Work on the Perth City Link has taken a major step after a ceremony saw the commencement of the tunneling to sink the Fremantle train line west of the Horseshoe Bridge.

The Victorian Minister for Health David Davis has released the Victorian Population Health Survey 2009 which provides a snapshot, based on a detailed survey of around 7,500 adults, of the general health and physical fitness of Victorians.             

The Western Australian Government has awarded Telstra $39.2 million in Royalties for Regions funding to provide s regional, rural and remote communities and businesses with access to a self-sustainable and affordable mobile voice and wireless broadband service.