Archived News for Professionals in State Government - June, 2011

The Northern Territory Constitutional Convention Committee has announced arrangements to implement a  implement recommendations from the former Statehood Steering Committee to support the next steps towards Statehood, following agreement from the Territory Government. 

The New South Wales industrial relations bill is expected to pass the lower house today, in the wake of a major protest outside the NSW Parliament in Sydney's Macquarie Street yesterday.

The Queensland State Government has handed down its first post-natural disaster budget, offering major spending initiatives in health, recovery and education.

The Victorian Planning Minister Matthew Guy has established an expert advisory group to help overhaul the planning system in Victoria.

The Tasmanian Minister for Health, Michelle O’Byrne, has confirmed the state government’s decision to establish three Local Hospital Networks.

The Victorian State Government has passed its Equal Opportunity Amendment Bill which will allow faith-based institutions, such as schools and churches, to discriminate based on faith, marital status and sexual orientation.

State Treasurer Jack Snelling has blamed a lower than expected GST revenue on the state's financial situation, saying that  a net operating deficit was now forecast for 2011-12 but restrained spending would see the state return a net operating surplus in 2012-13 that would continue over the remainder of the forward estimates.

The South Australian Government has announced $276.3 million in spending on the state's regions, including infrastructure improvements to regional roads, government schools, hospitals and flood-affected areas.

The South Australian Government has announced a total of $4.7 billion in health spending in the state's 2011-12 budget, representing a four per cent, or $181 million, increase on the previous year.

South Australia has dropped its legal challenge to Victoria over trading caps in the Murray-Darling Basin.

The Collie South West Hub capture and storage (CCS) trial project in Western Australia is to receive up to $104 million in matching Federal and State funding for the completion of a detailed storage viability study.

Tens of thousands of Victorian construction workers are set to win wage increases of up to 7 per cent after Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) delegates backed a deal that would see a minimum wage increase of 5 per cent per annum.

The Victorian Government has announced the opening of the Advanced Manufacturing Precinct at RMIT University with an aim to assist Victorian companies develop sustainable products.

The Western Australian Government is providing $15.8 million over four years to iVEC’s Pawsey Supercomputing Centre, headquartered at Technology Park, Bentley.

Victorian Parliamentary Secretary for Regional and Rural Development Damian Drum has launched an investment strategy aimed at attracting over 10,000 jobs in Geelong.

The South Australian Government has announced it will cancel its planned $53 million in public sector worker entitlement cuts after a protracted dispute with unions.

The Tasmanian Government is planning to request the state’s Climate Action Council to review Tasmania’s current legislated target for Greenhouse Gas emissions, with a view to introducing interim targets.

Currently, the Tasmanian Government has committed to reducing Greenhouse gas emissions by 60 per cent below 1990 levels by 2050.

Announcing the planned review, the Minister for Climate Change, Cassy O’Connor, undertook to work with the Council and Tasmania’s Climate Change Office to develop an interim emissions reduction target for 2020.

“Policy shifts like those in the UK and the ACT show that we can both pursue economic growth while we cut our emissions.”

Ms O’Connor said that with the Commonwealth preparing to introduce a carbon tax, Tasmanians needed to work together to secure a sustainable future for the environment, the economy and local communities.

“As the Minister for Climate Change, I look forward to working with my Cabinet colleagues and fellow MPs on the establishment of an interim target for Tasmania so that we can show leadership on climate change mitigation and adaptation.”

The Climate Change Action Council’s advice on the setting of interim emission reduction targets is on the Tasmanian Climate Change Office’s website at www.climatechange.tas.gov.au

New appointments have been made to two advisory councils to the South Australian Government, the Premier’s Climate Change Council and the RenewablesSA Board.

The NSW Government has launched 'Digital Sydney', a new campaign promoting NSW as the Asia Pacific’s leading digital economy location.

Digital Sydney will market NSW as a hub for digital companies, promote digital collaborations between the ICT and creative sectors, and help expand the digital marketplace in NSW.

NSW will be promoted as the Asia Pacific's leading digital business and investment location, with Sydney its epicentre and supported by NSW's innovative regions.

The campaign will brand the City of Sydney as 'smart and sophisticated', helping to enable, facilitate and support activities that can create and sustain digital economy jobs.

It will also target new investment and the uptake of new technology.

Surry Hills agency Ascender Design was the winner of a $10,000 public design competition to develop the logo for Digital Sydney - a multi-coloured pixelated ribbon.

Digital Sydney Advisory Team leader Hael Kobayashi said a Digital Sydney website - www.digitalsydney.com - has been promoted virally through social media to encourage the digital and creative communities to participate.

"The website will highlight NSW strengths by profiling successful entrepreneurs, leaders, innovators and artists who have chosen this State as their base, promoting digital industry events, and serving as a platform to build new business collaborations across our creative and ICT sectors.

The Digital Sydney website includes an interactive map that geographically plots Sydney’s digital business hot-spots to raise awareness and encourage cluster investment.

A Digital Sydney showreel will showcase NSW digital strengths at local and international expos.

Mr Alan Bansemer, formerly the Western Australian Health Commissioner and deputy secretary to the Federal Department of Human Services and Health, has been appointed as the new chair of the Western Australian Technology and Industry Advisory Council (TIAC).