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SearchArchives for January 2012
25 January, 2012
Timely reminder on
flexible working
The Chief Executive of the State Services Authority, Karen Cleave has issued a reminder to public sector managers to regularly review flexible work arrangements in their work units.
Ms Cleave said an updated edition of the SSA’s Making Flexible Work a Success: A guide for public sector managers and employees was a thorough revamp of the original guide published in 2005.
“We no longer have to sell the benefits of flexible working arrangements,” Ms Cleave said.
“It is widely recognised that employers use arrangements such as part-time work or telecommuting to retain valued employees.”
She said what was more critical was the relationship between line managers and employees.
She said line managers and employees should have regular discussions of what’s working and what could be improved.
“It’s not a case of set-and-forget,” she said.
“Individual circumstances change.
“Managers and employees need to regularly review the mutual benefits of flexible arrangements.”
Ms Cleave said line managers needed to know the right course of action when dealing with requests for flexible arrangements.
“They have laws and agreements to comply with.
“Some managers dread having the conversation with their staff but they must also realise they have to balance the needs of all parties.”
She said the new Making Flexible Work a Success described the laws and agreements that managers must be aware of.
She said it also recommended a cyclical process of planning, assessing, implementing and reviewing arrangements and contained a comprehensive suite of tools providing practical help for managers and employees considering flexible arrangements.
The guide Making Flexible Work a Success can be accessed at this PS News link.
25 January, 2012
New week to encourage
working from home
The Federal Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy is to convene Australia’s first National Telework Week later this year to promote the benefits and advantages of working from home.
National Minister for the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy said the opportunities presented by increased telework were exciting for both employers and employees.
“An increase in telework can lead to benefits across the economy and community, from big business through to individual workers and families as well as the environment,” Senator Conroy said.
“These benefits include cost-savings and productivity gains, increased workforce flexibility, expanded supply of skilled labour, reduced impact on the environment, reduced stress from traffic congestion and increased time available to spend with family and the community.”
He said for the next generation of employers and workers, IT connectivity would need to be seamless to allow work from any location, be it at home, in the office or at their local cafe.
“Australia currently lags well behind the leading nations for telework rates.”
He said the Digital Economy Strategy had set a goal to double Australia’s telework rate by 2020.
Senator Conroy identified cultural barriers as some of the factors contributing to poor telework rates and said it was important to address them through education and awareness of telework’s benefits.
He said initial partners in National Telework Week included the Australian Human Resources Institute, the Australian Industry Group (AIG), Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA), the Australian Network for Disability and the Local Government Managers Australia.
“Cisco, the Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, Unity4, Telstra, BlackBerry, Polycom, Infrastructure Australia and the Green Building Council of Australia have also agreed to become partners,” Senator Conroy said.
He said the National Telework Week would be held in November and more information was available from this PS News link.
25 January, 2012
IPAA goes bush for
regional conference
Three State chapters of the Institute of Public Administration Australia (IPAA) are to join forces to host the Institute’s inaugural regional conference in Albury (NSW) in March.
Over two days 25 speakers will discuss a range of items including economic development and infrastructure, leadership in regional communities, rural service delivery, cross border issues, online collaboration and citizen engagement.
There will also be sessions on the environment and natural resources and building and retaining talent.
Keynote speakers are to include the Secretary of the Department of Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government, Glenys Beauchamp; Secretary of the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Peter Harris; Secretary of the Victorian Department of Premier and Cabinet, Helen Silver; and Assistant Commissioner of the Australian Taxation Office, Debra Unsworth.
Also speaking will be former Vice-Chancellor of Charles Sturt University, Ian Goulter; Secretary of the Victorian Department of Health and President of IPAA Victoria, Fran Thorn; former Secretary of Victoria’s Department of Planning and Community Development Victoria, and Vice President of IPAA National, Yehudi Blacher and Deputy Director-General of Policy and Cabinet in the ACT Chief Minister and Cabinet Directorate, Pam Davoren.
Breakout sessions will discuss issues including the problem of providing services in the regions when six out of 10 Australians live in just five sites, resulting in job opportunities and social amenities outside them being generally inferior.
The rapid expansion of technology will also be discussed, in particular how the development of social networking has informed and empowered individuals and is changing the relationships between Governments and citizens.
A Natural Resources and Environment session will hear speakers on water security and coal seam gas and the Murray Basin Case Study.
The conference will wrap up with a panel of keynote speakers on the topic of strategic leadership in regional communities.
More details about the conference can be accessed at this PS News link.
25 January, 2012
New website in to
help in emergency
A new emergency services information website has been released as a pilot by theMetropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board (MFB).
The Community Emergency Information website provides information to assist members of the community in making decisions relating to emergencies the MFB was attending.
Fire Services Commissioner, Craig Lapsley said the pilot site would enable people to see and understand what may be unfolding in their area.
“It will also allow us to examine and test new ways of providing real time emergency information and ultimately help individuals and communities quickly access information relative to their location and risk,” Commissioner Lapsley said.
“Testing new technology and improving the way emergency information is created, consumed and delivered is a critical part of the work we need to do now and continue doing as technology moves in the future.”
He said people would be welcome to provide feedback on the content, design, layout and functionality of the website.
He said it did not display any emergency event-related warnings or advice or information.
To obtain emergency event specific warnings or advice or information, Commissioner Lapsley said the place to go was to the website of the specific emergency services organisation or agency likely to be attending the event.
For example, he said it would be the MFB in the event of a fire or emergency in Metropolitan Melbourne.
He said the trial Community Emergency Information Website included links to State Emergency Services Organisations and agencies including Victoria State Emergency Services (SES), the Country Fire Authority, Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB) and the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE).
The pilot site will be operational through to April 2012 and it can be accessed at this PS News link.
25 January, 2012
Brightest graduates
to shine in class
Schools in disadvantaged areas of Victoria are to receive the services of some of Australia’s highest-achieving university graduates who have chosen a career in the teaching profession.
Federal Minister for School Education, Peter Garrett congratulated 28 graduates on their decision to help disadvantaged Victorian children get a good education.
Mr Garrett said the graduates had completed their initial training in the Teach for Australia program and would take up posts in 18 schools across the State.
“Teach for Australia gives high-calibre graduates from disciplines such as science and mathematics the opportunity to start their career in education, by offering a combination of university study and employment-based teacher education,” Mr Garrett said.
He said the Teach for Australia graduates would be placed in schools in Victoria, the ACT, and for the first time, the Northern Territory, starting their two-year placements in classrooms on day one, of term one this year.
He also announced funding for a fourth intake of the Teach for Australia program, for placement of up to 50 new graduates in schools during 2013 -2014.
“Through Teach for Australia we are giving some of Australia’s brightest and keenest graduates the chance to make a real difference in the lives of students who may be struggling because of their social circumstances,” Mr Garrett said.
He said that on completing the six-week intensive training program at the University of Melbourne, Teach for Australia graduates received a two-year supported placement in a disadvantaged secondary school, with a reduced teaching load, while at the same time completing their Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching.
25 January, 2012
Heavyweight warning
on gym membership
The Department of Justice has warned consumers to take care signing up for a gym or fitness membership.
The Department has issued an alert on its website urging gym users to consider their fitness goals, what they could afford and the type of membership that would suit them.
It said gym users should consider the location of the gym and its facilities and take the time to tour several Centres and try some out on a ‘pay-as-you-go’ basis to see if they meet their needs.
The Department said gym users should consider paying monthly and avoid paying large amounts up-front or signing long-term contracts which could be risky.
“Special offers are often used to attract new members,” the alert says.
“For example, a gym may offer ‘free’ use of facilities for two weeks – but only if you join as a member for three months.
“Make sure you understand the terms of the introductory offer, including when the offer will end; what services you can use during the period; and whether you will automatically switch to an ongoing membership price at the end of the period.”
The Department said that if there was no promotion running, consumers should ask if there were any value-adding benefits that could be offered to new customers.
It said the fitness centre must also give new starters a choice when they first sign up, whether they want their membership automatically renewed.
“If you do not want this, your membership should automatically terminate at the end of the minimum term,” the Department’s alert says.
It says more information was available from Consumer Affairs Victoria on 1300 55 81 81 or this PS News link.
25 January, 2012
Comment invited
on family violence
Community comment is being sought on a newly-released Action Plan that addresses violence against women and their children,
Minister for Women’s Affairs, Mary Wooldridge said consultations would be held to develop the three-year plan, which would set out objectives and areas of focus and action into the future.
“After taking on board the views of experts in the field and women who have experienced violence, the Action Plan will be a comprehensive framework to address what is the world’s most prevalent human rights abuse – violence against women and their children,” Ms Wooldridge said.
She said the new Action Plan would cover all forms of violence against women; ensure prevention work was done; early intervention occurred; effective responses were made; links to other government initiatives such as crime prevention, homelessness, Closing the Gap were in place; Department of Human Services (DHS) responses were connected; and practical and concrete areas for action were put forward.
She said more than $75 million would be spent this year to address violence against women and their children.
“While there has been significant reform and investment in family violence, we want to adopt a more co-ordinated and comprehensive approach to tackling all forms of violence against women,” Ms Wooldridge said.
“Under the new Action Plan, family violence and sexual assault will remain a key focus for the Government.
“However, we will also incorporate other very serious forms of violence against women such as cyber-bullying, stalking, sexting and sex trafficking, to have a comprehensive and whole-of-government approach.”
She said an Action Plan Consultation Framework had also been released seeking the views of organisations and individuals on all aspects of the framework.
The Action Plan Consultation Framework can be accessed at this PS News link.
25 January, 2012
Organ donors grind
out new record
New figures released by the Australia and New Zealand Organ Donation Registry (ANZOD) and the Organ and Tissue Authority show that Australia produced its highest ever number of organ donors in 2011.
Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Ageing, Catherine King said the outcomes in 2011 showed that efforts to boost organ and tissue donation rates continued to have an impact.
“As well as the national DonateLife community awareness program, the reform agenda includes a clinical network of specialist organ and tissue donation staff in 77 hospitals,” Ms King said.
She said all were working to improve organ and tissue donation rates and outcomes, providing specialised family support services and raising awareness in their clinical communities.
Chair of the ANZOD, Professor Graeme Russ said a total of 337 Australians who lost their lives in 2011 had saved or improved the lives of 1,001 people in need of an organ transplant.
“This is the highest annual total of deceased organ donors and transplant recipients in Australia’s history,” Professor Russ said.
“Australia’s 2011 donation outcome of 337 donors translates to an increase of an additional 28 donors for the year, above the 2010 outcome of 309 donors.”
He said that was a 9 per cent increase.
“The 2011 total of 1,001 transplant recipients translates to an increase of an additional 70 recipients for the year, above the 2010 outcome of 931 recipients,” he said.
“This is an 8 per cent increase above the previous year.”
National Medical Director of the Organ and Tissue Authority, Dr Jonathan Gillis said 2011 marked the second full year of implementation of the national reform agenda to increase organ and tissue donation.
“The 2011 outcomes lift Australia’s donor per million population (dpmp) rate to 14.9, an increase of 4.7 dpmp since the commencement of the national reform agenda,” Dr Gillis said.
“The majority of States reported increases in 2011, with the most significant rises being in Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland.”
25 January, 2012
Foxes outfoxed
for fox bounty
The fox bounty being offered to landowners by the Department of Primary Industries has received a strong response with 10,000 fox scalps collected in 11 weeks.
Minister for Agriculture and Food Security, Peter Walsh welcomed the success of the program.
“The overwhelming response of more than 10,000 scalps in such a short time shows just how much farmers needed this bounty as a long-term control measure for wild dogs and foxes,” Mr Walsh said.
He said the new bounty had quickly surpassed the FoxStop program, which only claimed about 6,000 foxes per year.
He said with the bounty set at $10 per fox and $50 per wild dog, more than $100,000 had flowed into hunters’ pockets already.
“Collections resumed on Monday and I expect to see large numbers of fox scalps delivered to Department of Primary Industries sites over the next few weeks,” Mr Walsh said.
He said Hunters needed to submit an entire fox scalp, including both ears and the skin surrounding the eyes and nose in an air-dried, fresh or frozen condition to collect the reward.
Regional MP, Terry Mulder said there had been a noticeable increase in spotlighting activity across the south west since the introduction of the fox bounty.
“Most farmers agree that the bounty is effective at reducing fox numbers and have welcomed the Victorian Government’s introduction of the scheme,” Mr Mulder said.
“There are lots of foxes around but some shooters have reported a reduction compared with the same time last year, which is being attributed to the bounty.”
25 January, 2012
Cann River staff win
can-do honour
Staff of the Department of Sustainability and Environment at the Department’s Cann River workcentre have received certificates of appreciation for their ongoing commitment to community safety.
Victoria Police Superintendent Geoff Newby said the certificates were in recognition of the support and dedication the DSE staff showed to their community and partner agencies in emergency responses and for their willingness to help out in areas other than fire management.
“The Cann River DSE team is exceptional in their commitment to their work and their community,” Superintendent Newby said.
“They are always available to turn out and help others, whether it’s for emergencies or at community events.
“We wanted to show our appreciation for that assistance.”
Coordinator of Fire and Operations with DSE at Cann River, James Pardew was recognised individually for his tireless work in the local community, his assistance and support on a range of community projects over the years, and his ongoing commitment to emergency response.
“James is obviously passionate about his community and that’s demonstrated by the number of local projects he’s been involved in and the numerous occasions he has helped and supported local groups and individuals,” Superintendent Newby said.
“We congratulate James and his DSE colleagues for their efforts in establishing and maintaining positive interagency partnerships and greater community safety for Cann River.”
Superintendent Newby said Mr Pardew and the crew’s ongoing support to community safety in Cann River was well documented and commended by former Police Commissioner Neil Comrie in his evidence to the Royal Commission in April 2010.
25 January, 2012
Bullying website
a hit online
A new website has been launched to tackle cyberbullying and help more young people stay safe online.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard said the Easy Guide to Socialising Online website had been developed in partnership with industry and young people to help parents, children and educators combat cyberbullying and inappropriate content online.
“The Easy Guide website is part of the Cybersafety Plan and has been developed following advice from the Government’s Youth Advisory Group on Cybersafety,” Ms Gillard said.
“The new website provides cybersafety information for 26 social networking sites, search engines and online games, and gives step by step instructions on how to report cyberbullying, abuse and inappropriate content on these sites.”
She said it also provided clear information for parents, educators and young people on how to adjust safety and privacy settings on websites as well as tips on how to stay safe when using any social media site.
Federal Minister for Communications, Senator for Victoria, Stephen Conroy said members of the Consultative Working Group on Cybersafety (CWG), including Facebook, Google, Microsoft, NineMSN, Yahoo!7 and the Interactive Games and Entertainment Association had worked closely with his Department to develop the website.
“Cyberbullying is a serious matter,” Senator Conroy said.
He said the Cybersafety Plan involved a number of important initiatives, including the Easy Guide, to combat online risks to children.
“The Cybersmart website www.cybersmart.gov.au launched two years ago, has received well over a million visits and provides access to KidsHelpline for confidential online counselling,” he said.
“It also provides access to the Cybersafety Help Button which is a ‘one stop shop’ for practical information and tips on how to deal with cyberbullying, unwanted contact and offensive or illegal content.”
The new Easy Guide website is available at this PS News link.
25 January, 2012
Mental health plan
for public comment
A draft 10-Year Roadmap for National Mental Health Reform has been released for public consultation.
Federal Minister for Mental Health, Mark Butler said the Roadmap would provide Governments, the community sector, workplaces and communities themselves with a measurable, long term national reform plan for mental health.
Mr Butler said the plan would help guide where attention and funding was focused over the next 10 years and ensure the nation’s mental health system ranked as one of the world’s best.
“While we’ve taken great strides in how we view and treat mental illness, more needs to be done to provide a system that provides all the levels of care people living with mental illness need, available in the right place and at the right time,” he said.
“We especially need to target our efforts at those who are hard-to-reach and vulnerable, and stop them from falling between the cracks and from being shunted from one service to another.”
He said more needed to be done to break down the stigma, discrimination and misunderstanding that surrounded mental illness.
“COAG agreed to develop the Roadmap in 2011 and the Australian Government, States and Territories have been working hard alongside mental health experts and consumer and carer representatives to develop this draft,” Mr Butler said.
“We want to get this Roadmap right and we want the community to be involved in the process which is why we are making it available for public comment.”
He said the public comments would be used to help finalise the Roadmap for COAG to consider in early 2012 and an online survey tool would be available until 1 February 2012 on the mental health page of the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing website this PS News link.
25 January, 2012
Fast progress on
slow program
Ten-thousand Victorians who signed upto slow down on the roads this summer have been applauded for showing their commitment to road safety.
Minister responsible for the Transport Accident Commission (TAC), Gordon Rich-Phillips said the Slow Ball Challenge was a Facebook campaign that called on sports fans everywhere to sign up to slow down on the roads, and share their commitment with their mates.
He said it was launched in December and was supported by Melbourne’s two Twenty20 Big Bash teams, the Stars and the Renegades.
He said over four weeks almost 10,000 Victorians – mainly young men – took part in the challenge.
At the end of the campaign two winners were rewarded for their efforts and presented with $5,000 each and given the chance to play a game of Slow Ball cricket on the MCG.
Mr Rich-Phillips congratulated the winners saying that all entrants had shown leadership and commitment to slowing down and looking after their mates.
“While this might seem like a fun, light-hearted campaign, every Victorian who entered the Slow Ball Challenge has taken a serious step towards helping reduce trauma on our roads,” Mr Rich-Phillips said.
He said in 79 Victorians aged 16 to 25 were killed on the roads in 2011, including 35 drivers and 29 passengers.
“We know young people are over-represented in road trauma and we must continue to try new ways to reach them with the road safety message,” he said.
“Empowering young people to speak up if they feel their mates are doing the wrong thing in a car is one of the most important steps we can take towards lowering the road toll.”
The Slow Ball Challenge was developed by the TAC to encourage young people to speak up and educate the wider community on the dangers of speeding.
“We are committed to saving lives on Victorian roads and we urge the wider community to share that commitment,” Mr Rich-Phillips said.
25 January, 2012
Auction warning a
bid to save money
Consumer Affairs Victoria has issued a warning to online traders to beware of auctions that charge a fee to bid.
CAV said it had received a number of complaints about ‘bidding fee auctions’, also known as ‘penny auctions’, pointing out that paying to bid in an online auction for heavily discounted goods did not necessarily guarantee a bargain.
It said websites that held ‘penny auctions’ included quibids.com.au, bidking.com.au, bidrivals.com.au and pennyauctiononline.com.
CAV said in these types of auctions participants paid a non-refundable fee each time they bid, whether they were the successful bidder or not.
It said the price of the item rose with each bid and the last participant to bid when the time limit expired gets the item.
“But the final bid is not the total cost,” CAV said.
“The total cost is the final bid price plus the cost of bidding (and) with each bid costing up to 95 cents on some sites, bidding can be an expensive exercise.”
CAV warned that if an online trader planned to take part in the auctions they should carefully read all of the terms and conditions and keep the true cost in mind.
For more information about bidding fee auctions, or to lodge a complaint, go to the Consumer Affairs Victoria website at this PS News link.
25 January, 2012
Property register on
stream this month
A new national register for personal property securities is to open for business on 30 January.
Federal Attorney-General, Nicola Roxon said the register would help Australian consumers and businesses ensure the property they bought did not have a security interest over it.
She said stakeholders in the register, including the major banks, had confirmed they were ready to proceed.
“The new national register will let you check that the used goods you are buying, like a car, boat or machinery - almost anything except real estate - doesn’t have a security interest over it,” Ms Roxon said.
“Nobody wants to risk repossession.”
She said the register would also provide additional protection for businesses that leased or supplied goods, in the event that a debtor defaulted or went bankrupt.
“The national register will replace more than 70 different Commonwealth, State and Territory Acts and Registers used to regulate personal property used as security,” Ms Roxon said.
“The simplification of all these different registers will help make secured financing more accessible and reduce transaction costs, making lenders more willing to accept different kinds of personal property as security for loans.”
She said advice from her Department was that the migration of over 4.7 million records from existing registers was progressing well with most of those records transferred to the new register with updates to follow.
“The existing registers transferring their data to the new register include the Australian Securities and investments Commission’s Register of Company Charges, the State Registers of Encumbered Vehicles and Vehicle Securities Registers, and various other Bills of Sale, stock mortgage and crop lien registers,” she said.
“Businesses and individuals that hold security interests will have up to two years to register their security.”
More information is available from this PS News link.
25 January, 2012
Foot patrols afoot
for local police
Victoria Police is conducting high visibility foot patrols around the suburbs and educating the local community to help prevent opportunistic thieves this summer.
Leading Senior Constable Scott Sutton said simple measures could be taken to improve people’s safety.
“When using public transport, valuables such as wallets, mobile phones, PSP’s and i-Pods should be kept secure and out of sight,” Senior Constable Sutton said.
“If you feel uncomfortable with a person near you then change carriages – always wait in well lit areas or areas under surveillance.”
He advised it was not a good idea to listen to i-Pods when walking around, as the listener would not hear if someone was sneaking up behind them.
“If you are arriving late at night to a train station, arrange to have someone waiting to collect you,” Senior Constable Sutton said.
Victoria Police also warned people not to leave valuables in sight no matter where they were, including in the car, on top of a shopping trolley, on a counter or hanging on the back of a seat in a restaurant, theatre, hall or on public transport.
“In restaurants put your bag on the floor between your feet and put your foot on or through the strap so that you can feel if the bag is moved,” Senior Constable Sutton said.
He said to report a crime or suspicious behaviour call Triple Zero (000) for police attendance.
25 January, 2012
Wage case to arbitration
Fair Work Australia is to determine the fate of the next Enterprise Agreement for the Victorian Public Service following failure of the Community and Public Sector Union and Government to agree during the 21 day compulsory conciliation period.
“Seven months is long enough for workers to wait for a real wage offer,” the CPSU said.
Fair Work Australia will now arbitrate on the wages claim.
This process could take some months.
Port reports record year
Container trade through the Port of Melbourne passed the 2.5 million container milestone in 2011, up 6.6 per cent on its 2010 result.
The two million milestone was reached four and a half years ago and growth has continued despite a brief lull during the global financial crisis in 2008-09.
The Corporation said the increases were due to population growth and good recent rainfall, which had helped boost commodity exports.
London office busy
The Victorian Government Business Office in London is to host an impressive program of events during 2012 to help foster professional links for Victorians living in that part of the world.
Associate Professor of Marketing with Melbourne Business School, Mark Ritson has visited the Office to help launch a new 4 SEASONS networking event designed to promote professional links between Victorians living in the United Kingdom and Europe.
Taskforce for eating disorders
A taskforce on eating disorders has been established to advise on effective treatment and support for people affected by an eating disorder.
MP, Christine Fyffe is to chair the taskforce which will make recommendations to the Government so it can meet its election promise and develop an eating disorder strategy.
The taskforce will seek public input and build on what has already been heard from people with a disorder, their families, carers and clinicians.
18 January, 2012
Vic leads nation on
phone alert scheme
The State Government has signed a contract with Telstra Corporation to enhance the national Emergency Alert telephone warning system with world-first technology.
Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Peter Ryan said the new technology had no national or international precedent.
“The Victorian Government has led negotiations with telecommunications carriers on behalf of all States and Territories, and negotiations are continuing with Optus and Vodafone,” Mr Ryan said.
He said the Location Based Solution was intended to be operational across Australia by November 2012.
“Telstra’s commitment is a major step forward in the development of a national system, and it means that location-based warnings will be delivered on Australia’s largest mobile network,” he said.
Federal Minister for Emergency Management, Robert McClelland said Victoria was leading the way by developing technology for a national location-based telephone emergency warning system.
“The Commonwealth Government, along with the Victorian Government, have ensured that this national project will happen by providing funding on behalf of the nation,” Mr McClelland said.
“The current Emergency Alert system provides warnings to landlines and mobile phones based on the customer’s registered service address.”
He said the new location-based solution would send warnings to mobile phones that were physically situated in an emergency zone when a disaster struck.
Mr McClelland said the current Emergency Alert system had already proven itself to be a valuable tool during emergency events since its introduction in 2009.
“The system has been used more than 300 times and has sent over 7 million warning messages nationally to Australians at times of disaster,” he said.
“I commend the Victorian Government for taking steps towards providing Australia with ground-breaking public safety technology that will help emergency services across the nation to warn communities about life-threatening emergencies.” he said.
Mr Ryan said that while the current and soon-to-be upgraded Emergency Alert systems were important, telephone alerts were only one way emergency services agencies could warn a community, and would not be used in all circumstances.
“Communities should not rely solely on receiving a telephone warning,” Mr Ryan said.
“People should also tune in to the radio, check the emergency services website and stay aware of the conditions.”
18 January, 2012
Inquiry gets power
on energy feed-ins
An inquiry by the Victorian Competition and Efficiency Commission (VCEC) has been set up to determine the most appropriate regulatory framework to encourage households and businesses to create and deliver renewable and low-emissions energy to the electricity grid.
Minister for Energy and Resources, Michael O’Brien announced the inquiry which would look into the design of Victoria’s electricity feed-in tariffs and the regulatory barriers to distributed power generation.
Mr O’Brien encouraged all interested parties to contribute.
“Existing feed-in tariffs have successfully encouraged many Victorians to feed solar and other renewable power back into the grid,” Mr O’Brien said.
He said the inquiry would assess existing tariff arrangements as well as investigate how the Government might reduce regulatory and commercial barriers that stopped business and industry from generating their own power.
He said the terms of reference would enable VCEC to examine the features of a feed-in tariff scheme that could provide a fair return and encourage the supply of renewable and low emissions energy into the grid.
Mr O’Brien said VCEC would be required to consider how efficient and effective feed-in tariffs were as a greenhouse gas reduction program; provide a recommendation as to whether feed-in tariffs should be continued, changed or phased out; and identify barriers to a network of distributed renewable and low emission generation in Victoria, including co-generation and tri-generation.
He said the outcomes of the inquiry would not be applied retrospectively to any customers on existing feed-in tariffs and VCEC would be consulting with industry, the community and other stakeholders.
The Minister said he expected to receive a final report in six months time.
18 January, 2012
States link up to
boost efficiencies
The Governments of Victoria and New South Wales have established a new partnership to drive joint reforms to improve the efficiency of their economies.
Premier, Ted Baillieu and NSW Premier, Barry O’Farrell have agreed to accelerate economy-boosting cooperative policies between the two largest States of Australia, especially in the areas of energy efficiency and skills.
The Premiers said they had established the Interstate Reform Partnership between Victoria and NSW, to get on and achieve cost-saving and investment-attracting measures quickly that otherwise could take years to accomplish through national structures.
Mr Baillieu said the two Premiers had agreed to jointly pursue skills reforms, particularly in the area of apprenticeships, to benefit employers and apprentices and improve productivity by matching qualified apprentices with areas of unmet demand.
“Both States affirmed their ongoing commitment to the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) and other national processes, but stressed that where there was an opportunity to achieve reform faster, together, they would take that opportunity,” Mr Baillieu said.
“Victoria and NSW welcome any other States or Territories who wish to participate in these reform initiatives,” he said.
Mr O’Farrell said the reforms were significant as the two States accounted for 57 per cent of Australia’s population and 54 per cent of the nation’s GDP, and both Governments had resolved to align their respective energy efficiency schemes.
“While the schemes are broadly similar, there are differences in their administration and other details which add costs for participants operating across both States,” Mr O’Farrell said.
“This move will place downward pressure on energy cost increases by reducing compliance costs for energy retailers among other measures.”
He said a joint taskforce would report back to both Mr Baillieu and himself with recommendations by late 2012.
18 January, 2012
Kids in cars warning
puts heat on parents
Parents are being urged not to leave their children in cars during hot weather to avoid the risk of death or serious injury.
Minister for Children and Early Childhood Development, Wendy Lovell said statistics from the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria (RACV) showed 1,574 children were rescued from cars in Victoria in the past 12 months.
Ms Lovell warned that over summer children’s lives could be endangered within a couple of minutes during a hot day.
“Due to their smaller body size and underdeveloped nervous system, children are unable to cool their body temperature down, leaving them more exposed to risks of dehydration, serious injury and death,” Ms Lovell said.
“The temperature inside a parked car during the Australian summer can be 20 to 30 degrees hotter than the outside temperature.”
She urged parents, grandparents and other carers to always take their children with them and never leave them in the car.
She said tests conducted by Ambulance Victoria on a 29 degree day with the car’s air conditioning having cooled the interior to 20 degrees showed it took just 10 minutes for the temperature to more than double to 44 degrees, and in a further 10 minutes it had tripled to a deadly 60.2 degrees.
She said Victorian legislation now made leaving a child unattended in a car a criminal offence, with penalties ranging from fines of up to $1,652 to three months in prison.
Victorian President of Kidsafe, Robert Caulfield also warned of the dangers of leaving children in hot cars.
“The clear message is take the children with you, even if you are just going to the shops for a few minutes,” Mr Caulfield said.
“It could save their life or avoid them suffering severe brain damage.”
18 January, 2012
Travellers targeted
in fire safety scheme
Electronic signs displaying fire safety messages are being rolled out in holiday destinations across Victoria this summer.
Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Peter Ryan said the two-month trial involved 15 mobile variable messaging LED signs to provide important safety information and advice for those travelling in and around regional Victoria.
“These mobile trailer signs will provide high-impact and visible fire safety messages to motorists who are potentially unfamiliar with the fire risk in some of Victoria’s popular holiday destinations,” Mr Ryan said.
“The mobile signs are another tool to help raise fire awareness for Victorian travellers and will also help local communities make informed decisions about their own bushfire risk.”
He said the signs would be trialled around the Great Ocean Road, Gippsland, Grampians, High Country, Daylesford, Dandenong Ranges and the Mornington Peninsula.
He said as part of the trial, the trailer signs could be used to advise travellers of a Total Fire Ban or the daily Fire Danger Rating, or act as a reminder to prepare a fire plan.
He said although the signs were designed to provide proactive safety messages, they could also be used to broadcast warnings for fire or flood in any area.
“The current sites chosen for the mobile signs are either in, or on the way to high-risk bushfire areas to attract the attention of travellers but they will be moved across the State, according to risk, if needed,” he said.
Mr Ryan said the trial was being led by the Fire Services Commissioner, Craig Lapsley in partnership with the Country Fire Authority.
18 January, 2012
Report released on
recognising Councils
An independent expert panel’s report on the recognition of Local Government in the Australian Constitution has been released by the Federal Minister for Local Government, Simon Crean.
A referendum on the issue is expected to coincide with the next Federal election.
Mr Crean said the panel was chaired by former Chief Justice of the NSW Supreme Court, James Spigelman, and was asked to identify options for the constitutional recognition of Local Government and report on the level of support for the proposal in the community.
Mr Crean said a majority of the panel members found that financial recognition was the only option with a reasonable chance of success at a referendum, provided steps were taken to secure the support of the States and achieve broader public awareness and engagement.
He said it was vital to protect the Commonwealth Government’s ability to directly fund Local Government.
“Our experience with programs like Roads to Recovery and the recent stimulus package demonstrate the importance, the appropriateness and the advantages of being able to provide funding directly to Local Government,” Mr Crean said.
“Local Government was in a unique position to provide shovel-ready projects and the ability to directly fund those projects was important to the success of the stimulus and the roads program in delivering jobs and much needed infrastructure.”
He said the ability of the Commonwealth to directly fund Local Government could create a relationship that supported, facilitated and drove collaboration among all three levels of government.
“It can also leverage additional investment in the regions which is good for local communities and for the country,” he said.
Mr Crean said the issue also had the support of the Federal Opposition.
“The Government will now take time to consider the community’s views and details of the report before providing comment in early 2012,” he said.
The Panel’s report can be accessed at this PS News link.
18 January, 2012
Dumpers rubbished
in charity message
Victorians are being reminded to think carefully before they dispose of unwanted, unusable household goods at charities and instead to use designated waste collection points across the State.
Minister for Environment and Climate Change, Ryan Smith said it was disappointing to see people unfairly dumping their waste on charities who were providing various welfare services to communities.
“Many Victorians simply aren’t aware that charities cannot sell various items,” Mr Smith said.
“When they do find out that items such as old analogue TVs aren’t accepted, it leaves people wondering how they can dispose of their waste guilt free.”
He said a number of options existed for people to rid their homes of items not useful to them or to the charities, but which might be useful as reusable raw material.
He said tips for disposing of materials which were unsuitable for donation to charities included considering a scrap metal merchant for large, unusable appliances and whitegoods; finding the nearest Resource Recovery Centre; arranging a hard rubbish collection through Local Councils; and recycling computers and accessories through the Government’s Byteback Program.
“We are actively working on longer term solutions to help charities reduce the illegal dumping of waste and non-recyclables on charity premises,” Mr Smith said.
18 January, 2012
Consumers rattled
by chain letter
The Director of Consumer Affairs Victoria has issued a warning to consumers not to respond to a letter promising them thousands of dollars in income for a minimal investment.
The Director, Claire Noone said respondents could find themselves breaking the law by inadvertently participating in a pyramid scheme and leading others to do the same.
Dr Noone said one scheme, known as the “David Rhodes letter”, asked recipients to send money to people on a list then add their own name to the list and forward the letter on to several friends or acquaintances.
She said the letter promised participants they could turn as little as $31 into returns of more than $77,000 if they followed the instructions.
She said the letter also contained testimonials from people who had allegedly made their fortune by participating in the scheme.
Dr Noone said anyone who received a letter like it should inform Consumer Affairs Victoria so others could be warned.
“Do not respond to this letter,” Dr Noone warned.
She said pyramid schemes were illegal under the Australian Consumer Law, and anyone who participated or persuaded others to participate in such a scheme might be breaking the law.
“Consumers should help themselves by ignoring these offers.
“(They) will only be cheated out of time and money if they forward it on to other people.
“People need to understand that there is no benefit from participating in this scam.”
She said there was no evidence to suggest ordinary people can make money out of chain letters.
Dr Noone said Consumer Affairs Victoria received around 40 calls about chain letters in 2011, five of which were about letters from a man purportedly named David Rhodes.
She said warning signs of pyramid scheme offers included receiving a letter or email promising you money or good luck if you copied it and sent it on to a number of other people, and the letter containing claims like “this is not a scam” or “this is not a pyramid scheme”.
18 January, 2012
More frontline police
join police frontline
An additional 275 frontline police are to be allocated across Victoria by 30 June this year.
Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Peter Ryan said the additional police would be allocated to 21 divisions across four police regions.
“North West Metro will get 74 additional police, Southern Metro will get 63, Western region will be allocated 55 and Eastern region will get an additional 47 police officers,” Mr Ryan said.
“The biggest boost will go to the division covering Frankston and Mornington Peninsula with an allocation of 29; Western region’s Division 3 (Ballarat and Moorabool) will receive 22 and Southern Metro region’s Division 3 (Cardinia, Casey and Greater Dandenong) will get 21.”
He said Divisional Superintendents would have responsibility for determining which areas and stations within their division would receive the additional resources.
“Victoria Police is best placed to make decisions about where additional police should be allocated and this system allows them the flexibility within each division to move police to where they are needed most.”
He said the allocation would also include four Regional Inspectors as well as supervisors and specialist roles such as highway patrol members.
“The volume of recruits coming through the Academy has enabled Victoria Police to create new supervisor and specialist positions across its policing regions that will support, mentor and guide police coming through the system,” Mr Ryan said.
18 January, 2012
New fishing guide
a great catch
The 2012 Victorian Recreational Fishing Guide has been released, providing updated information about catch limits, closed seasons and permitted equipment.
Minister for Agriculture and Food Security, Peter Walsh said more than 300,000 guides had been printed to help Victoria’s recreational anglers fish sustainably.
Mr Walsh said recreational fishing licence fees had funded the guide and other educational products such as plastic measures for abalone, rock lobster and freshwater spiny crayfish.
He said the 2012 Victorian Recreational Fishing Guide outlined rules that currently applied and new rules introduced since the last edition, including removal of the daily bag limit for redfin, which can now be taken in unlimited numbers from lakes and rivers; the removal of the 120cm slot limit for southern bluefin, yellowfin and big eye tuna; prohibition on the take of blue groper; and seasonal dates for the take of abalone from central Victorian marine waters.
“Recreational fishers are encouraged to read the new fishing guide so they are fully aware of the rules for their target species,” Mr Walsh said.
“We have also added new maps and more fish illustrations to help anglers understand important rules.”
He said copies of the guide were available free from Department of Primary Industries regional offices, selected tourism outlets and 900 recreational fishing licence sellers throughout Victoria.
18 January, 2012
Volunteer register
for online sign-up
A new Emergency Volunteer Register has been launched in Victoria.
Minister for Regional and Rural Development, Peter Ryan said the register would invite volunteers to list specific interests and skills that would help local Councils coordinate the use of volunteers by matching skills, interests and capacity to local tasks.
Mr Ryan said information from the register would be supplied to local Councils or emergency organisations in the event of an emergency or natural disaster.
“Volunteers from all over Victoria have shown enormous generosity and kindness in the wake of events like the 2009 bushfires and the 2010-11 floods, offering their skills, time or services to help people in need,” Mr Ryan said.
“The intention of the Emergency Volunteer Register is to harness that goodwill and provide a mechanism to better manage and direct the offers of assistance during emergency or disaster events.”
He said during an emergency people would be encouraged to register details and wait to be contacted, rather than call local Councils or travel straight to an affected area.
“In addition to regular volunteers, during emergency or natural disaster events we often see a large spike in spontaneous volunteers offering support which has in the past inadvertently added pressure on local resources to manage,” he said.
“The new register is designed to provide a system for local government to better manage volunteer resources and achieve better outcomes on the ground.”
He said the Register had been developed as part of Victoria’s Volunteering Portal, www.volunteer.vic.gov.au which was already a one-stop shop for volunteers.
18 January, 2012
Building site laws
being surveyed
A discussion paper on Better Practice Building Site Management has been released to examine the difficulties faced by the building industry due to inconsistent local laws applying to building sites.
Minister for Local Government, Jeanette Powell said the Local Government Act 1989 gave Local Governments the authority to make and enforce local laws relating to a range of matters, including building site management.
“Inconsistent local laws covering building site management are an unnecessary burden on the building industry and on consumers,” Mrs Powell said.
“Currently Victorian Councils have different legal requirements for the provision of safety fencing, hours of work, on-site-bins, Council asset protection, litter prevention and other matters.”
She said by harmonising and standardising local laws red tape could be reduced, delivering better outcomes for consumers and improving the effectiveness of the laws.
“Local Government Victoria (LGV) will use the enhanced stakeholder understanding resulting from the discussion paper to undertake consultation focused on implementing the preferred options,” she said.
“I urge all interested stakeholders to read the discussion paper and make a submission.”
She said LGV had undertaken a detailed analysis of building site management local laws, and had identified variations in local laws and Council enforcement practices.
She said the discussion paper was available on the LGV website at this PS News link and would be open for formal comment until 29 February 2012.
18 January, 2012
Water users warned
on water safety
Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Peter Ryan has urged Victorians to behave responsibly and take care while using all types of water craft this summer.
Mr Ryan said the Victoria Police Water Police Squad would be out in force to ensure all recreational and commercial vessels were properly equipped with safety gear, registered and operating within marine laws and regulations.
“Boating is a popular pastime for many Victorians,” Mr Ryan said, “and we want to ensure people take care and operate vessels with safety in mind, and abide by the laws so everyone can enjoy the waterways.
“We are lucky in Victoria to have a host of locations for recreational water activities and in some, such as Port Phillip Bay, there are commercial operations too.”
He said under hoon boating laws, police had the power to issue an embargo notice and affix it to a vessel to prohibit its use for 48 hours, and could immobilise and seize vessels as well as seek their forfeiture for second and subsequent offences.
He said the Water Police and the Search and Rescue squads were based at a state-of-the-art coordination centre at Williamstown, but they covered the whole State.
He said Water Police had introduced a number of strategies to ensure people’s safety on the water this summer including having the rescue command centre staffed at all times; a dedicated marine coordinator for every shift; Melbourne Port security patrolling at all times; and regular patrols in other waterways across the State.
He said there would also be two fully equipped strike teams deployed to rural waterways, such as Pikes Creek and Lake Eppalock.
18 January, 2012
Internet novices get
‘webinar’ practice
The Department of Primary Industries (DPI) is encouraging anyone from the agriculture sector to participate in a “webinar” trial day on Tuesday, 7 February 2012.
Climate Change Project Officer at DPI, Lucy Stott said the web seminar, or webinar trial day would allow participants to familiarise themselves with basic webinar interaction involving the host and other webinar beginners, in preparation to take part in future sessions.
“Webinars are basically a telephone meeting where all listeners view a presentation over the internet from an expert speaker,” Ms Stott said.
“With phone and internet connection, you can join in from your home or office, listen to guest speakers and ask questions.”
She said the trial day comprised of two half-hour sessions, at 10am and 6pm with each covering basic functions and including a seasonal climate update from Climate Adaptation Officer, Dale Grey as an example of information available through DPI webinars.
Ms Stott said webinars saved time for people who normally needed to travel to access this type of information.
“It’s an example of how the agriculture sector is embracing new technologies to share key information and knowledge with each other, which is of interest and importance to them,” she said.
“Participants contribute a great deal to the topics and let presenters know what is working and what isn’t, so DPI can constantly improve the service.”
She said DPI would be holding a series of sessions throughout 2012, the first at the end of February, which had secured journalist, editor and science communicator Julian Cribb.
“We encourage everyone in the agriculture sector who is interested in climate and emissions to give webinars a go,” Ms Stott said.
She said more information was available from this PS News link.
18 January, 2012
Businesses survive
consumer survey
The 2011 Australian Consumer Survey has revealed that most Victorians were confident that businesses did the right thing and would not mislead or cheat them.
However, respondents to the survey also reported difficulties in a number of sectors including utilities, mobile phones, electrical goods, internet service providers, banking or financial products and clothing and footwear.
Minister for Consumer Affairs, Michael O’Brien said the survey results were largely positive for Victoria.
Mr O’Brien said under the Australian Consumer Law, consumers had the right to remedies such as a refund, replacement or repair if goods or services were faulty or defective or otherwise did not meet guarantees.
“Victorians are savvy and informed consumers,” Mr O’Brien said.
“Ninety per cent of Victorians surveyed know that consumer protection laws are in place.
He said an “impressive” 97 per cent of Victorian businesses surveyed were aware of their legal obligations and responsibilities to protect consumers.
The survey sought views from more than 5,300 consumers and 1,200 businesses across the country.
Mr O’Brien said that in the 2010-11 financial year, Consumer Affairs Victoria received almost 142,000 queries from consumers seeking advice and information on shopping problems.
The 2011 Australian Consumer Survey can be accessed on the Australian Consumer Law website this PS News link.
18 January, 2012
Comment called
on cancer plan
The south-west Victorian community is being invited to comment on a new plan to improve services for people in the area with cancer.
Minister for Health, David Davis today said the Review of Cancer Services in South West Victoria: Service Plan had been developed in consultation with an advisory group.
“We are releasing this plan and seeking broad community comments on the findings of the review,” Mr Davis said.
“This review has shown challenges ahead, but confirms the need to improve access to radiotherapy for the people of Warrnambool and the whole of the south-west of Victoria.”
He said the Government was committed to providing radiotherapy services to the south-west Victorian community.
“This will be a very significant addition to the existing cancer services that are available,” Mr Davis said.
MP for South West Coast, Denis Napthine praised the local community for their efforts in gaining improved cancer services in the region.
“For many years the people of south-west Victoria, particularly those involved in Peter’s Project, campaigned tirelessly for the delivery of radiotherapy services to the region,” Dr Napthine said.
He said no decision had yet been made on the location of the new radiotherapy service.
18 January, 2012
Gov’t Directory out
The 36th Edition of the Victorian Government Contacts & Services Directory is now available from the Victorian Government Bookshop.
The Directory is a comprehensive guide to the Victorian Government, including information on all Departments, statutory bodies and other agencies.
It includes telephone numbers, email and web addresses, as well as an A to Z list of Government services.
Fire trucks upgraded
A $23 million upgrade of Country Fire Authority (CFA) trucks is to see 844 vehicles receiving safety upgrades.
About 170 of the vehicles had been completed so far at a cost of approximately $27,000 each.
Mayors elected
Fifty-four mayors of Local Governments have recently been elected as well as 24 who are continuing in the role in 2012.
Minister for Local Government, Jeanette Powell has thanked the retiring mayors for their contributions.
Bendigo museum opened
The redeveloped Bendigo Tram Depot and Museum has been officially opened.
The $3.1 million project significantly improved the work environment and tourism potential of Australia’s oldest operating tram depot.
The work was funded jointly by the Victorian and Federal Governments and the City of Greater Bendigo.
ATM crackdown at venues
New laws are to be introduced to extend the restriction on automatic teller machines (ATMs) in gaming venues.
Minister for Gaming, Michael O’Brien said the action was in response to indications that new cash dispensing machines were being marketed to gaming venue operators, ahead of the ban on ATMs coming into effect on 1 July 2012.
The new laws will require the customer to interact with venue staff before withdrawing cash.
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