The South Australian Government has released five regional implementation plans that map out the state’s long-term priorities for health services in regional and rural South Australia. The five plans outline the first three years of action on the recommendations of individual Health Advisory Councils across the state.

State Minister for Health and Ageing John Hill said each of the groups’ work would contribute to a customised health plan for each particular region.

“For some time now, Country Health SA has been working with local clinicians, community members and other interested parties, planning the most appropriate health services for each region,” Mr Hill said.

The Victorian Government has officially opened the state’s new $4.8 million biodiesel at Shell’s Newport Terminal.

The Queensland Government has given conditional approval for the $6.4 billion Alpha Coal Project in Queensland’s Galilee Basin, the first mine in the region.

The Tasmanian Government has granted a mining lease for the long awaited Livingstone project near Tullah, in the state’s north-west.

The Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) has released changes to its Basin Plan to ministers as part of the Authority’s process of developing the finalised plan.

The Federal Government has announced a one-off $20 million funding boost to assist Tasmania’s exporters reach international markets.

The Victorian Government has announced it has chosen a preferred framework for development contribution plans.

The Queensland Coordinator-General has announced the approval of Rio Tinto’s planned $1.45 billion South of the Embley bauxite mining extension on Cape York. The project is expected to enxtend the life of the bauxite mining operations for another 40 years.

Australia’s consulting engineering, architecture and associated industries are set to experience a chaotic next three years with continual restructures required in order to remain globally competitive, according to Consult Australia’s 2012 Economic Forecast report.


The Report, written by former BHP Chief Economist, Geoffrey Bills is considered one of the industry’s most valuable economic predictors and is used by many of Australia’s largest firms, including Parsons Brinkerhoff, SMEC, Hyder, GHD and AECOM.


In the short-term, the Report forecasts a fairly rosy future for the industry.


The backlog of work in engineering construction is set to sustain high levels of activity until 2016 with firms operating in this space expected to experience 22 per cent growth over the next 12 months.


Consult Australia CEO, Megan Motto said this signifies a welcome commitment to infrastructure development in the short-term but warned it wasn’t all good news.

The NSW Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Dubai International Finance Centre Authority Dubai to work closer together to grow their banking and financial services sectors.

The South Australian Government has passed its TAFE SA Statutory Authority Bill through the state’s House of Assembly, a major step in the state’s Skills for All reform.

The Victorian Government has outlined new planning controls for the state’s major ports in a bid to ensure future productivity in the sector.

The Victorian Minister for Innovation, Services and Small Business Louise Asher has called for applications for the 2012 Victoria Prize for Science and Innovation, and the 2012 Victoria Fellowships.

 

Ms Asher said the Victoria Prize for Science and Innovation will recognise two outstanding scientists this year for their lifelong commitment and achievements. Two individual awards of $50,000 each will be presented – one for work in life sciences and one for work in physical sciences.

 

As part of the Victoria Fellowships, the Government will provide $18,000 to up to twelve outstanding early-career researchers and innovators to enhance their careers with international study missions.

 

Applications close on Friday 29 June 2012. Application forms are available at www.business.vic.gov.au/vicprize or www.business.vic.gov.au/vicfellows 

 Eighteen local government councils have been awarded funding under the Federal Government’s $20 million Liveable Cities program, which aims to help make Australia's 18 major cities more productive, sustainable and liveable.

The South Australian Government and the SA Local Government Association have signed a State/Local Government Relations Agreement.

The Queensland Coordinator-General has declared the $2.2 billion coal terminal at Yarwun in the Port of Gladstone a ‘significant project’, meaning the project will now undergo an environmental assessment.

The Northern Territory Government has announced construction has started on the $34 billion liquefied natural gas (LNG) project.

The Western Australian Government has outlined a $26.4 billion capital works program to be rolled out over the next four years, with $7.6 billion expected to be spent in the 2012-13 year.

The Western Australian Government has posted a surplus of $196 million for the state’s 2012-13 Budget, with surpluses projected to continue for the period going to 2015-16.

The Queensland Government has announced the relaunch of Software Queensland as IT Queensland, with State Minister for Science and Information Technology Ros Bates saying the move will solidify the state’s ICT sector.

Leighton subsidiary Metronode has been selected by the New South Wales Government to consolidate its 130 data centres. The company will be contracted to construct two new centres to consolidate the state’s public sector data hosting requirements.

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