Archived News for Professionals in State Government - August, 2011

The Tasmanian Premier, Lara Giddings, has released the Preliminary Outcomes Report 2010-11 which shows that the Net Operating Balance for the state is expected to be a deficit of $29 million.

The Victorian Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional and Rural Development Peter Ryan has announced the appointment of Lachlan Bruce as the new Chief Executive of Regional Development Victoria (RDV).

The Western Australian Government has established five Local Health Networks to guide and oversee hospitals and health services across the State.

A new government services facility is to be built on the former QUT Carseldine Campus that will house up to 1000 Queensland public servants relocated from inner city Brisbane from the end of 2012.

"The Metropolitan Waste Management Group will work closely with local government to help identify practical projects that will enable councils to tackle waste reduction and improved resource recovery in their communities," he said.

The Federal Government has announced that it will start work immediately with states and territories on measures that will build the foundations for a National Disability Insurance Scheme, following the release of the Productivity Commission's final report into the matter.

Funding of  $4.5 million has been awarded to the Defence Teaming Centre to create 2,300 new training places to boost skills and qualifications for South Australia's defence industries.

The South Australian Government has announced a ten-year funding agreement for the state’s libraries after Minister Assisting the Premier in the Arts John Hill and Local Government Association President Major Kym McHugh signed a co-funding agreement.

A nine-member Reference Group has been established by the Tasmanian Government to investigate the viability of Tasmanian Government schools.

The Tasmanian Minister for Health, Michelle O’Byrne, has announced a further $25 million in health budget savings measures as part of the $100 million of required savings from the state’s $1.7 billion health and human services budget. The latest cost cutting takes the the savings announced since the State Budget to more than $70 million.

An inquiry into improving the economic and social development in Central Western NSW Communities is being conducted by the State Development Committee of the NSW Legislative Council.

A public consultation process has been opened  on a draft bill to set up new Tasmanian Health Organisations.

A new ministerial-level Maritime Advisory Council is to be established in NSW under legislation introduced by Minister for Roads and Ports, Duncan Gay.

Mr Gay said the Council would provide expert and independent advice to the Minister on boating safety, as well as monitoring boating crash statistics and trends, and advising on expenditure priorities.

The Council will be independently chaired, and will include representation from the major recreational boating and commercial vessel sectors.

"Sitting under the new integrated transport agency, Transport for NSW, this new advisory council will set new standards for transparency and accountability," the Minister said.

"One of the first priorities for the Council will be to help develop a policy agenda for safety reforms, access to waterways, and boat storage.

"These three challenges have been squarely laid at our door and I'm looking to the Council, key boating groups, and everyone who enjoys boating of any kind to help solve these problems," Mr Gay said.

Full details of the council are expected to be announced before October.

The Queensland Government and Energy Skills Queensland (ESQ) are working together to prepare 100 jobseekers in South East Queensland for work on the National Broadband Network roll out and the Digital TV switch-over.

Almost two thirds of the New South Wales public servants on the so-called unattached list have accepted an incentive payment to leave the public service.

The Western Australian Government will retain its 15 per cent domestic gas reservation requirement for all gas projects, and implement measures to improve transparency in the gas market.

The Federal Minister for Sustainability, Tony Burke, has released the final national heritage assessment of the West Kimberly region by the Australian Heritage Council (AHC).

Global recruitment agency Hays has published a research white paper into the skills shortage in Australia, finding that the public sector is suffering the largest shortage in the country.

Proponents for the Australia Pacific Liquefied Natural Gas (APLNG) project have made their final investment decision.


The US $20 billion Final Investment Decision for an initial train and common facilities of a two train 9.0 million tonnes per annum coal seam gas to LNG project will secure 6000 jobs in the state.


The APLNG project comprises the development of coal seam gas fields in the Surat and Bowen Basins, a 450 km transmission pipeline to Gladstone and a LNG facility on Curtis Island, near Gladstone.


The APLNG project has already invested $2.4 billion in Queensland in its first two and a half years as a joint venture project.

The Australian and South Australian Governments have finalised an agreement for Australian Government funding of $228 million towards the expansion of the Adelaide Desalination Plant to 100 gigalitres, as part of its total commitment of $328 million towards the plant.

Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and Urban Water, Senator Don Farrell and South Australian Minister for Water and the River Murray Paul Caica, said the funding will provide a substantial benefit for South Australia's security of domestic supply while also supplying environmental benefits.

"The agreement ensures a six gigalitre environmental water entitlement for the River Murray every year, and will also provide between 12 and 24 gigalitres as an environmental allocation during favourable years—capped at 120 gigalitres over a 10 year rolling period," Senator Farrell said.


"It's a landmark step in creating a sustainable future for Adelaide—balancing the needs of a growing population and the need to secure environmental flows for the iconic River Murray.


"This investment illustrates the government's commitment to water security in Adelaide, along with the more than $230 million already committed to a range of urban water projects in South Australia such as stormwater harvesting and water recycling."


Environmental water delivery and use will be confirmed by the Murray Darling Basin Authority and will be open and publicly reported. Once an appropriate accounting methodology has been agreed with the MDBA, the environmental water will be available to offset any sustainable diversion limit that may be established by the Basin Plan for South Australia.