The Tasmanian Government has announced the state will now have a single new public Vocational Education and Training provider, to be called TasTAFE.

The announcement follows the release of the Report of the Review of the role and function of Tasmania’s public VET providers, which made 60 key recommendations, the majority of which the Tasmanian Government has accepted.

 "TasTAFE will be created for public sector VET in Tasmania, using the combined resources of the Tasmanian Skills Institute and the Tasmanian Polytechnic," State Minister for Education and Skills Nick McKim said.

The Victorian Government has announced it will roll out a ‘commonsense’ coastal planning framework after it released the Coastal Climate Change Advisory Committee Report.

The Western Australian Government has announced the appointment of a steering committee to oversee the development of the proposed Pilbara Maritime CUF (PMCUF) in the state’s North-West region.

The NSW Legislative Council’s State Development Committee has received terms of reference for an inquiry into the adequacy of water storages in NSW.

The Northern Territory Government has announced that the Western Desert Resources’ $180 millionRoper Bar Iron Ore project has been awarded major project status.

The Federal Government has announced $57.5 million in funding for aged care to be split between Victoria and New South Wales.

The New South Wales Government has announced it has awarded the contract for the design and construction of Sydney’s Inner West Light Rail Extension to John Holland. The company will be responsible for the detailed design and construction of the main infrastructure elements of the light rail project.

The Federal Government has warned ‘the clock is now ticking’ on up to 2000 Victorian jobs after the Victorian Government announced its plans to cut $300 million from the state’s training organisations.

The Western Australian Government has announced teachers working in the state’s non-government sector will flow-on benefits from the State Government’s recent Enterprise Bargaining Agreement with public school teachers.

The Western Australian Government has announced nearly $80 million in funding for the state’s nine ‘SuperTowns’ through the Royalties for Regions scheme. The funding will see the towns receive funding grants to upgrade community facilities, undertake environmental works and develop new investment opportunities.

The South Australian Government has handed down its Budget for 2012-13, with Treasurer Jack Snelling announcing broad cuts to the public service as his Government aims to restore surplus in 2015-16.

The South Australian Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department for Water will form a single agency after the State Government handed down its 2012-13 Budget.

The South Australian Government has announced it will cut 1000 full time equivalent positions from its public sector over the next three years, while setting greater efficiency targets.

The Victorian Government is urging the public to submit their comments on the future of the state’s water management fter a number of the sate’s water aurthorities released consultation papers on their draft water plans.

The Federal Government has announced ‘reward’ funding of more than $147 million for States and Territories for their progress in literacy and numeracy targets.

The Victorian Government has appointed Greg Garde QC as a judge of the Supreme Court and President of the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).

 

Attorney-General Robert Clark said Mr Garde's extensive legal background and wide experience made him an ideal candidate both to serve on the Supreme Court and to lead a large and diverse tribunal.

 

"Mr Garde has 37 years' experience at the Bar, practising in a broad range of commercial law areas as well as planning, environmental and local government law, and being appointed as Queen's Counsel in 1989," Mr Clark said.

 

"Mr Garde has also lectured in constitutional and administrative law and served as Chairman of the Environmental, Planning and Local Government Law Section of the Commercial Bar Association.

 

"In addition, Mr Garde has more than four decades of distinguished military service. He initially enlisted in the Melbourne University Regiment in 1967 and has undertaken a wide range of responsible and demanding roles, as well as service to veterans and their families," Mr Clark said.

 

Mr Garde rose to the rank of Major General and from 2001 to 2004 served as Chief of Reserves and Head of Reserve Policy, the highest position for a reserve officer in the Australian Defence Force.

 

Mr Garde was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 1995 for exceptional service to the Army Reserve, and was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2005 for distinguished service to the Australian Defence Force Reserves.

 

Mr Garde's appointment to the Supreme Court takes effect immediately. His appointment as President of VCAT will take effect from Friday 1 June.

 

Mr Clark also thanked Judge John Bowman for his contribution as the acting President of VCAT during the past three months.

The Federal Government has announced it will provide over $170 million in funding to state and territory governments in reward payments for their progress in national teacher quality reforms. The funding forms part of the $550 million Smarter Schools National Partnership for Improving Teacher Quality.

The Federal Government has announced $47 million in reward funding under the National Partnership on Youth Attainment and Transitions.

The Queensland Government has announced plans to significantly cut the state’s green tape, saying that the surrounding bureaucracy has ‘suffocated small business and cost taxpayers millions of dollars.”

The South Australian Government has announced $8.3 million over four years for the implementation of an Advanced Manufacturing Strategy. The State Government announced the move after recommendations were made in the Manufacturing into the future report compiled by Thinker-in-Residence Professor Göran Roos.

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