31 January, 2008
PS Chimes in For Gongs on Honours List
Distinguished Public Servants once again featured prominently in the Queen’s Australia Day Honours list.
   A summary of those who were rewarded for their public service, including officers to receive the Public Service Medal, are listed below.
   PS News congratulates each on their awards:

Rebecca Jane Allnutt
   Alice Springs, NT
   For outstanding public service in the delivery of improved hearing health in the Northern Territory, particularly amongst Indigenous communities.

Fadwa Musa Al-Yaman
   Weetangera, ACT
   For outstanding public service in improving the accuracy and reliability of the data on Indigenous Australians contained in information collections for health, housing and community services.

Barry James Blaney
   Ashgrove, Qld
   For outstanding public service in the research and the development of enhanced production processes in primary industries.

Noel Humphrey Bowden
   Mount Victoria, NSW
   For outstanding public service in promoting the rights of people with an intellectual disability.

Robert Aubrey Bradshaw
   Stuart Park, NT
   For outstanding public service to the development of public sector administration in the Northern Territory.

Nancye Margaret Burkevics
   Weston, ACT
   For outstanding public service within the Australian Capital Territory Department of Education and Training.

Louise Anne Bye
   NSW
   For outstanding public service in enhancing the quality of education to Indigenous people in New South Wales.

Denis Arthur Byrnes
   Albany Creek, Qld
   For outstanding public service to local government.

Robert Ian Campbell
   Monash, ACT
   For outstanding public service in the administration of electoral processes in Australia and in the development and implementation of improved entitlements for Australia's veteran community.

Dermot David Casey
   Hughes, ACT
   For outstanding public service in improving medical and psychological health services for people in immigration detention.

Andrew Frank Close
   Curtin, ACT
   For outstanding public service in the development and use of computer-based systems to model water quality and water supply management within the Murray Darling Basin.

Colleen Dorn Dreis
   Oatley, NSW
   For outstanding public service to the Legal Service Branch of the New South Wales Department of Housing.

Sophie Mary Dwyer
   Alderley, Qld
   For outstanding public service in the field of environmental health.

John Herbert Eddy
   Watsonia, Vic
   For outstanding public service to education in Victoria, particularly in mentoring of staff and classroom teaching.

David Roy Filby
   Highgate, SA
   For outstanding public service to the Australian health care system.

Judith Elizabeth Flanagan
   Hackett, ACT
   For outstanding public service in the development and implementation of the Active After School Communities Program.

Andrew Forster
   Ngunnawal, ACT
   For outstanding public service in the provision of floral displays throughout Canberra, particularly the annual Floriade.

Brian Alexander Given
   Lane Cove, NSW
   For outstanding public service to the Office of Fair Trading within the New South Wales Department of Commerce.

Annette Maree Godfrey-Magee
   For outstanding public service in the education of students with vision impairments.

Margaret Emily Hughes
   Dubbo, NSW
   For outstanding public service to education in New South Wales, particularly to the Dubbo School of Distance Education.

Mark Kevin Johnston
   NSW
   For outstanding public service to the National Parks and Wildlife Service of New South Wales, particularly on issues involving Indigenous communities.

Colin Arthur Judge
   Panania, NSW
   For outstanding public service to Sydney Water, particularly in media relations.

Gregory Stuart Martin
   Duncraig, WA
   For outstanding public service in Western Australia, particularly in the areas of planning and road infrastructure.

Graeme Allan Matthew
   Monash, ACT
   For outstanding public service to teaching and student welfare, particularly at the Alfred Deakin High School.

Joslene Mazel
   Kingswood, SA
   For outstanding public service to Indigenous communities in South Australia.

Deirdre Anne O’Donnell
   Kew East, Vic
   For outstanding public service as the State Ombudsman for Western Australia.

Martin Lee Parkinson
   Yarralumla, ACT
   For outstanding public service as a key contributor to the 2007 Report of the Task Group on Emissions Trading and, more broadly, to Australia's economic and financial relations.

Susan Joy Pidgeon
   Reid, ACT
   For outstanding public service in the development and implementation of a range of Government funded services that assist families to build stronger relationships or those who are affected by family separation, particularly the establishment of Family Relationship Centres across Australia.

Finn Axel Pratt
   Chapman, ACT
   For outstanding public service in the development and implementation of significant and innovative reforms to public employment services and workplace relations in Australia.

Peter Alan Quiggin
   Cook, ACT
   For outstanding public service in delivering the Government's legislative agenda at a time of significant legislative change and in a number of critical areas.

Robert Bruce Read
   Boronia, Vic
   For outstanding public service in assisting victims of crime, particularly for providing a direct and supportive environment at the time of crisis and in the long term.

Barbara Ann Richardson
   Harbord, NSW
   For outstanding public service to natural resource management and environment protection in New South Wales.

Geoffrey Graham Rowbotham
   Ripley, Qld
   For outstanding public service to the development of adult education initiatives within Training and Further Education.

Peter Gregory Rowley
   Heathcote, NSW
   For outstanding public service to the State Transit Authority in New South Wales.

John Anthony Ryan
   Kambah, ACT
   For outstanding public service as head of the Secretariat for the Prime Minister's Review of Uranium Mining, Processing and Nuclear Energy and in the development of policy in a range of critical areas, including energy reform, climate change and resources development.

Joan Beatrice Savic
   Gordon, ACT
   For outstanding public service in the promotion and facilitation of best practice in privacy and freedom of information in Centrelink and throughout the Australian Public Service.

David Gordon Southgate
   Torrens, ACT
   For outstanding public service in the development and management of the Australian Government's aviation environment reform initiatives, in particular the Transparent Noise Information Package software.

David Spiteri
   Baulkham Hills, NSW
   For outstanding public service to rail transport in New South Wales, particularly to safety and consumer service.

Leonie Stokes
   NT
   For outstanding public service to Human Resource management within the Northern Territory Police, Fire and Emergency Services.

George Ernest Veitch
   McKellar, ACT
   For outstanding public service in the field of financial management and budgeting.

David Waterford
   Torrensville, SA
   For outstanding public service, particularly towards social issues affecting the community of South Australia.

John Richard Watkinson
   Samford, Qld
   For outstanding public service to the maritime industry and maritime safety.

Ruth Evelyn Weston
   Glen Iris, Vic
   For outstanding public service as a researcher and contributor to policy development, particularly in the areas of separation and divorce, family law, family relationships, fertility decision making and child support.

William Kenneth Woonton
   Benalla, Vic
   For outstanding public service to Victoria's livestock industries and animal health.

31 January, 2008
Women Short Changed On Equal Payrates
A survey conducted for the Federal Government’s Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency (EOWA) has discovered that serious deficiencies still exist in the achievement of equal pay for women workers.
   The new research was based on data collected for EOWA by Macquarie University and showed that even the most senior female executives in the top 200 companies in Australia were paid less than their male equivalents.
   Released by the Commonwealth’s Minister for Women, Tanya Plibersek, the report, entitled Gender Income Distribution of Top Earners, showed that women occupied just 7% of the Top Earner positions in the big companies.
   It showed that female Chief Financial Officers and Chief Operating Officers earned just half the wage of their male counterparts, and in human resource positions where women were more numerous, the pay gap was 43 per cent.  
    “In CEO positions a female CEO earns two thirds of the salary earned by her male counterpart,” Ms Plibersek said.
   She said in nine out of 10 industry sectors, the female median salary was less than the male median salary and there was no industry in which women are more likely to be top earners than men.
   “Australian Bureau of Statistics data reveals that a full time working woman will earn, on average, 84 per cent of a full time working man’s wage,” Ms Plibersek said.
   The Director of EOWA, Anna McPhee said the research showed that pay inequity started in a women’s first job and put her on the back foot for the rest of her career.
   “The gaps between women’s and men’s earnings reflect a number of obstacles women still battle,” Ms McPhee said, “such as the undervaluation of women’s skills, women’s lower share of payments like overtime and bonuses, occupational and industrial segregation and lack of access to education.”
   She said recent data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed a pay gap of 34.9 per cent between men and women’s average weekly earnings and another showed male graduates earned a higher starting salary and their salaries increased at a greater rate than women.
   Ms Plibersek said the Government recognised the importance of women’s participation in the labour market to the nation’s productivity as well as the importance of paid work to the independence of women and the security of their families.
   She said the Government was committed to reducing and eventually eliminating the earnings gap between male and female workers.

31 January, 2008
McGowan in Control At Emergency Services
Jim McGowan has been appointed Director-General of the Department of Emergency Services.
   Minister for Emergency Services, Neil Roberts announced the appointment saying Mr McGowan had been acting in the position since September 2007.
   “Jim McGowan is a widely respected Public Servant who came to the Department of Emergency Services after serving as Director-General of the Department of Justice and Attorney-General,” Mr Roberts said.
   “I am delighted Mr McGowan will remain with the Department of Emergency Services.”
   He said under Mr McGowan’s leadership, Emergency Services was helping communities and residents prepare for and respond to the recent floods.  
   Mr Roberts said the Department was also implementing the Government’s response to the ambulance audit and reviewing the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service.
   He said Mr McGowan had extensive experience in the public sector including as Deputy Director-General of the Department of Industrial Relations and as General Manager of Public Sector Industrial and Employee Relations with the Department of Industrial Relations.
   He started his career as a teacher and holds a Bachelor’s Degree of Economics, Diploma of Education and is Commissioner of Declarations.
   Between 1974 and 1999, Mr McGowan taught at a number of State high schools and held the positions of Principal and Deputy Principal.  During that time he also held senior positions in the Queensland Teachers’ Union and the Department of Education.

31 January, 2008
Health Workers Get Healthy Increases
Payrises of 18 to 39 per cent have been granted to a range of Queensland health workers.
   Health professionals in line for the increases include radiographers, physiotherapists, dieticians, medical scientists and other technical professionals.
    Minister for Health, Stephen Robertson said the rises would be paid over the life of a new three-year enterprise bargaining agreement which was certified this month but backdated to 1 September 2007.
   Mr Robertson said the EB would serve as a major attraction to lure interstate and overseas health practitioners to Queensland.
   “The new EB covers around 7,800 health practitioners across 42 professions including podiatrists, speech pathologists, social workers, pharmacists and occupational therapists,” Mr Robertson said.
   “Since our landmark nursing and medical EBs of 2006, we have seen thousands of nurses and doctors attracted to Queensland Health – I expect this new agreement to do the same for our allied health and scientific workforce.”
   He said the Government invested $345 million towards the new EB to ensure the Queensland allied health, public health and medical scientific workforce were among the highest paid in the country.
   “Since June 2005, we have increased the number of allied health professionals we employ from 5,806 to 7,200,” Mr Robertson said.
   “The new EB makes Queensland Health a very competitive employer to recruit and retain more radiographers, sonographers and other key personnel to the public system.”
   He said as well as significant pay increases, health practitioners would benefit from better professional development allowance, a higher education incentive, improved on-call arrangements, a new career structure to provide more professional opportunities and a review of rural and remote incentives.
   “I expect the positive results of the EB to flow through the health system in the next few years as more health practitioners are recruited to deliver services across the whole allied health and technical spectrum,” Mr Robertson said.

31 January, 2008
Drought Bus Bogged in Floods
The award-winning Centrelink Drought Bus, has been diverted from the drought-affected farmers of Raymond Terrace, Cessnock, Peats Ridge and Mangrove Mountain in NSW and is instead helping the flood-affected communities of South-West Queensland.
   Cooordinator of the Drought Bus program, Megan Gerrish of Centrelink “sincerely apologised” to the people of NSW affected by the diversion but hoped they understood why.
   Ms Gerrish said the Commonwealth Government needed to mobilise support as quickly as possible to help the people affected by the floods.
   "Driving into flood-affected areas will be a new challenge for staff on board the bus,” Ms Gerrish said, “(we) are used to providing support to people trying to cope with the drought.”
   She said however, the professional team of specialist staff on the bus would take with them a wealth of experience in dealing with people facing difficult times.
   "The mobile nature of the vehicle allows us to take Australian Government services to those most in need.
   "We hope to bring the Drought Bus back to the Hunter and Central Coast regions in the future," Ms Gerrish said.
   Federal Minister for Human Services, and Senator for Queensland, Joe Ludwig said the Centrelink staff aboard the bus would be able to provide general Centrelink assistance, advice and information about help in exceptional circumstances.
   “There is also a Social Worker on the Bus who is available to talk to people confidentially,” Senator Ludwig said.
   The Minister congratulated the Centrelink staff who worked over the Australia Day weekend providing services every day at Recovery Centres and on the bus.
   “I’d encourage anyone who thinks they may be eligible for assistance to contact Centrelink,” he said.

31 January, 2008
New Aussies Call Queensland Home
Queensland welcomed more than 3000 new citizens on Australia day at 60 citizenship ceremonies around the State.
    Federal Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans said taking the citizenship pledge was an important step for people from other countries who had elected to become Australians.
   "Becoming an Australian citizen shows commitment and loyalty to this country and a desire to share in our common future," Senator Evans said.
   He said the new citizens in Queensland were among more than 14,000 people who became citizens at over 320 Australia Day ceremonies around the nation.  
   The events in Queensland ranged from a Brisbane City Council ceremony for more than 600 people to a ceremony for one person on Thursday Island.
    Among the new citizens was the Abishev family of circus performers who came to Australia from Kazakstan in 1996 and became permanent residents in July 2005.
    Senator Evans said Australia had been enriched by the cultures and traditions of the people from more than 200 countries who had come to Australia.
   "The common bond that unites us all is citizenship," Senator Evans said.

31 January, 2008
Builders Line Up For Back-To-School Duty
QBuild has been busy in the school holidays, visiting about 640 schools across the State and repairing, maintaining and updating their floors.
    Part of the plan was to remove asbestos in time for the start of the 2008 school year as well as seal any splits, cracks or holes in vinyl or lino flooring materials.
    Minister for Education, Rod Welford said the repair and maintenance efforts had been stepped up with principals asked at the end of last year to identify any vinyl flooring which could require attention.
   “In line with the maintenance program I instigated last year, where schools identify damage to flooring that may contain asbestos, immediate steps are taken to seal or replace flooring to ensure all classrooms are safe for students and staff,” Mr Welford said.
   “I would like to thank principals for helping accelerate this program and QBuild for promptly attending to them to ensure the continued safety of our staff and students.”
   He said where necessary, a range of longer term solutions would be put in place including new floor covering or removing floors entirely.
   “It’s important that parents, students and staff are assured our schools are safe places to work and learn,” Mr Welford said.
   He said student safety would remain the highest priority so maintenance would continue on weekends or when staff and students were not present.

31 January, 2008
Police Service Nabs New Recruits
The Queensland Police Service has welcomed new recruits from interstate and international jurisdictions.
   The recruits come from New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia the Northern Territory and even London, Lancashire, United States, New Zealand and the Cayman Islands.
   Minister for Police, Judy Spence said recruiting officers from other jurisdictions was a bonus to the Service.
   “Combined, they have decades of policing experience which is a great benefit and they are able to hit the ground running,” Ms Spence said.
   “Graduates range in age from 20 to 46 and bring a wide range of experience to the job.”
   She said aside from the interstate and overseas police officers, new recruits came from diverse careers including a Customs Officer, plumber, teacher, personal trainer, nurse, an animal attendant and even a barista.
   “It takes people from different backgrounds and experience to make a great police service,” Ms Spence said.
    “We also welcome a new police dog Shilo into the Service. Shilo will work with the drug detection team.”
    Police Commissioner, Bob Atkinson said serving the community as a police officer was a rewarding career.
   “I am sure each of our new officers will bring the skills and professionalism necessary to undertake this career,” Commissioner Atkinson said.
   “Modern policing requires that we provide a service that is highly specialised.
   “We are pleased they have chosen this as their new career and I am sure they will work well with our existing members who strive to meet the needs of this vast State.”

31 January, 2008
Violence Awards To Be A Hit
Nominations are being called for the 2008 Queensland Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Awards.
   Minister for Communities, Lindy Nelson-Carr announced the opening of nominations saying the awards recognised and promoted the work of individuals and organisations in helping reduce the incidence of violence in homes and amongst families.
   “It is important to acknowledge and reward those who are making a difference in preventing domestic and family violence,” Ms Nelson-Carr said.
   “These people and the initiatives stand out and serve as an example for others to follow.”
   Innovative projects, activities and events undertaken by individuals, groups, communities, schools, organisations and Governments can be nominated under six award categories including individual, partnership, community organisation, school-based, Government and Indigenous.
“Too many families are affected by violence, and the effects are long lasting and carry across generations,” Ms Nelson-Carr said.
“We not only want to recognise violence prevention achievements, but also to give hope to people affected by domestic and family violence, by showing that people do care and that help is available.”
   “I strongly encourage all people involved in helping to prevent domestic and family violence, to lodge a nomination before the closing date on 10 March 2008.”
   The Awards will be presented in Brisbane at the end of May as part of Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month from 1 to 31 May.

31 January, 2008
Database a Find For Lost and Founds
The Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries has created a database for lost and found livestock and requests for emergency fodder drops.
   Minister for Primary Industries and Fisheries, Tim Mulherin announced the operational database saying it was initiated in the wake of the State’s major floods.
   “Immediate assistance will be provided through the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries by calling the Disaster Recovery Hotline 1800 440 074,”Mr Mulherin said.
   “The Department’s biosecurity officers will also assist with stock identification using the Brands Registrar and National Livestock Identification System.”
   He said he had seen first-hand from aerial sweeps over the region that there were stock losses as a result of major flooding of the Nogoa River and the upper reaches of the Belyando River system.
    “But although the aerial surveillance is well underway, it is still too soon to assess how many cattle have died or to gain an appreciation of the significant numbers of surviving cattle that had been washed kilometres downstream,” Mr Mulherin said.
   Biosecurity Queensland NLIS officer, Doug McNought is on call to help stockowners to put the relocation of cattle into the NLIS database at a time when there are heightened livestock disease and health risks.
    The DPI&F Business Information Centre is also on stand-by to handle requests for fodder drops to flood bound livestock.
    Emergency Management Queensland is co-ordinating the fodder drop operations. 

31 January, 2008
OFT Draws Line on ‘Phishing’ Scam
The Office of Fair Trading has warned consumers and businesses to be aware of the latest online “phishing” scam based on a fake email purporting to be from a major bank.
   Attorney-General, Kerry Shine said the email used the name, logo and Australian Business Number of a major bank trying to convince people it was a genuine request for personal information.
  “The email looks official and informs the recipient that the bank's scheduled account maintenance and verification procedures have detected an error in their billing information,” Mr Shine said.
   “The recipient is told to open the link to a website and provide personal and bank account details on an interactive form.
   “Anyone who receives this email should not respond but rather delete it immediately, preferably before opening it.”  
   He said none of Australia's major banks or financial institutions contacted their customers via personal email.
   “Neither consumers nor businesses should ever provide their online banking information to anyone - even if the request comes in an email that appears to be from their bank,” Mr Shine said.
   Mr Shine said consumers should never disclose internet banking or other passwords to anyone and if consumers suspected a scam or their password had been compromised to contact their bank immediately.
   He said to report a scam, or for more information, go to www.fairtrading.qld.gov.au or www.scamwatch.gov.au.

31 January, 2008
Seaside Survey Has Coast of a Chance
Queenslanders are being invited to have their say on the future management of the State’s coastline.
   The call for public submissions was made by the Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation, Andrew McNamara and follows his announcement that the State Coastal Management Plan would be reviewed.
   “The coastal management plan, which commenced more than five years ago, is the framework for managing our sensitive coastline,” Mr McNamara said.
   “This review will ensure the plan continues to address the major challenge of protecting our coastline.”
   He said more than 85 percent of the State’s population lived along the 9,500km coastline and the impacts of urban development, climate change and so on needed to be addressed.
   “It is important that we continue to develop smart and sustainable strategies to cope with these demands,” Mr McNamara said.
   “At the same time we must maintain a balance to ensure that Queenslanders can continue to enjoy the lifestyle our coast offers.
    “Queenslanders can play an active part in the review of the State Coastal Management Plan by taking an opportunity to make their views known about coastal issues of concern.”
    Mr McNamara said public submissions would be received until 31 March and could be made directly online at www.epa.qld.gov.au

31 January, 2008
Centrelink Floats Flood Payment Plan
Centrelink has put in place special arrangements for flood-affected clients to ensure they can continue accessing their welfare payments during the flood emergency.
   Centrelink’s Area Manager, Paul McNae has organised phone lodgement for customers living in various postcodes in the Charleville, Emerald and Longreach regions.
    “The temporary arrangements mean customers who usually lodge their forms in person today can do so over the phone,” Mr McNae said.
    “The flooding and road closures may make it difficult for some customers living in these areas to visit their Centrelink office for appointments or to lodge forms.”
    He said Centrelink's office in Emerald was closed.
   “I'd encourage anyone in this region with a Centrelink enquiry to contact us by telephone,” Mr McNae said.
   “Centrelink has put in place these special arrangements to ensure customers aren't disadvantaged by the flooding.”
    He said Centrelink would continue assessing the situation and would advise customers if the arrangements needed to be extended.
   “Staff on the ground will be doing all they can to offer assistance,” Mr McNae said.
   Form lodgements can be made over the phone by calling Centrelink.  The relevant numbers are available at www.centrelink.gov.au

31 January, 2008
Speedboat Review Is Plain Sailing
Maritime Safety Queensland has finalised its review of speed limits on Gold Coast waterways with new speed zones and tighter controls on vessel wash among key proposals.
   Minister for Transport, John Mickel announced that MSQ had finalised its proposals following consideration of public submissions on a discussion paper released in July 2007.
   "Input from the community, including boaties and waterside property owners, is that any changes should focus on controlling damaging and dangerous wash and keeping boaties safe," Mr Mickel said.
   "The input of Marine Queensland as one of the key industry bodies representing local industry and recreational boaties was very helpful.
    "The thrust of the proposals is to control the negative impacts of speed without pushing out travel times excessively for the boating community."
   Mr Mickel said key proposals from the review included:
   * retaining the current speed limit of six knots in canals, creeks, lakes, boat harbours and marinas, but requiring no wash;
   * retaining the six knot speed limit for vessels 8 metres or over in some rivers and other narrow waterways:
   * introducing a six knot speed limit for vessels 8 metres and over in length within 30 metres of vessels under way
   * introducing new or extended speed zones at Cabbage Tree Point, Jacobs Well, Tipplers Passage, McKenzies Channel, Wasp Creek, the Coomera and Nerang Rivers, and The Broadwater south of Wavebreak Island.
   Mr Mickel said more than 250 submissions were submitted to the review.
      Copies of the report are available at www.msq.qld.gov.au and Maritime Safety Queensland is to implement changes from mid 2008.

31 January, 2008
Grocery Report To Be Top Shelf
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is to hold an inquiry into grocery prices.
   The newly-elected Federal Government has ordered the inquiry which will be open to submissions from the public.
   The ACCC is to produce an issues paper soon on matters relevant to the inquiry and expects to hold a series of public hearings across the nation when comments on those issues are received.
   Chairman of the ACCC, Graeme Samuel will lead the project assisted by Commissioners John Martin and Stephen King.
   Mr Samuel said the inquiry was being conducted under the prices surveillance provisions of the Commonwealth  Trade Practices Act 1974 which meant it would have powers to gather information and take evidence from witnesses under oath.
   Among the issues to be examined by the inquiry would be the structure of the Australian grocery industry; the nature of competition in the industry; the pricing practices of the national grocery chains; the position of small retailers; factors influencing prices; and impediments to efficent pricing of inputs.
   The ACCC is currently giving notice of the inquiry in the Gazette and in newspaper advertisements in every State and Territory.
   The Commission is due to report its findings to the Federal Government by 31 July 2008 and more information, including requirements for submissions, is available from the ACCC website www.accc.gov.au

31 January, 2008
Production art
Arts Queensland and the Australia Council for the Arts have invited proposals to deliver managing and producing services to Queensland theatre and dance groups.
   Managing and producing services (MAPS) is a project to develop a support structure which would produce and manage selected theatre and dance companies to create, present and tour more effectively nationally and internationally.
   Proposals should cover the period from 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2011 and close 5pm Thursday, 20 March.

Flood shock
The Electrical Safety Office has warned Queenslanders in flood affected areas to have a licensed electrician inspect their electrical equipment, wiring and appliances if they have had contact with water.
   The call follows ESO inspectors investigating a number of incidents in which serious shocks or fires had been started from water-damaged electrical goods.
   The Office advised homeowners to dispose of any items which had been water damaged to avoid incidents.

Milestone for BSA
The Building Services Authority has reached an important milestone with the number of licensed tradespeople reaching 70,000.
   Minister for Public Works and Housing, Robert Schwarten said the latest figure compared to that of five years ago in which 52,000 individuals and companies were licensed with the BSA.
   The BSA’s licensing regime was introduced in 1991 to ensure tradespeople demonstrated the necessary managerial and technical skills and met experience and financial requirements to perform building work.

Avenger tackles floods
Two new major ambulance incident response vehicles have been moved to Rockhampton to deal with rising Fitzroy River floodwaters.
   Included is the Argo Avenger, an eight-wheel amphibious vehicle which can travel any terrain.
   The vehicles are to be operated by a seven-member Special Operations Response Team, a manager and logistics operator.

24 January, 2008
Flood Relief Work Is Inundating PS
The skills and talents of Queensland Government agencies have come to the fore as many work round the clock to assist communities affected by the devastating floods.
   Premier Anna Bligh has travelled to flood affected areas and has pledged the ongoing support of public Agencies, which, she said, would continue to ensure the safety of tens of thousands of people affected by the widespread flooding.
    “With many homes inundated and many more isolated, yet again Queenslanders have proved how resourceful and community minded they can be,” Ms Bligh said.
   She said the State Government had already distributed made more than 225 emergency assistance payments totalling over $85,000 and had accepted around 80 applications for Essential Household Contents Grants and about 15 applications for Structural Assistance Grants.
   “The Department of Communities has visited more than 780 households across the State to check on the welfare of families,” Ms Bligh said.
   “Some 250 calls have been received by the Disaster Relief Hotline, which connects people in need to their regional office for assistance.
   She said areas requesting the most assistance were those in which flood waters had receded.
   She said the extent of damage in some ares would not be known until flood waters cleared.
   “When this happens, Community Recovery outreach teams will be out in force to offer much-needed emotional and financial assistance,” she said.
   “Outreach teams are already active is many areas across the state, where flood waters have subsided and access is available.”
   Ms Bligh said One Stop Shops would also be set-up with the Department of Communities and Centrelink staff on-hand to provide information about available Government assistance.
   Ms Bligh said that in addition to marshalling its own resources, the Government was working with non-Government organisations, such as Lifeline, the Salvation Army, St Vincent de Paul and the Red Cross, to ensure Queenslanders had access to a range of practical assistance as well as counselling.
   She committed all Government agencies to continue to “work around the clock to predict flood impacts, plan for inundation and protect communities as the flood waters move through Queensland’s swollen river systems.
   “We’re also doing the work to ensure that recovery and rebuilding work can get underway as soon as the flood water recede across the affected region.’
   She said the State Disaster Management Group was continuing to meet to ensure all Government Agencies were doing everything they could to help people suffering due to the flood.
   More information is available from  www.communities.qld.gov.au or the Disaster Relief Hotline on 1800 440 074. 

24 January, 2008
Child Workers Win Grown-Up Awards
Thirty-five child protection “champions” have been awarded Australia Day honours by Child Safety Minister, Margaret Keech.
   Mrs Keech  announced the awards and presented them at a special ceremony at Parliament House, Brisbane.
   She said the recipients were some of Queensland’s true heroes.
   Those honoured included staff of the Department of Child Safety as well as community agencies, along with support staff who played a vital role in ensuring frontline officers could carry out their duties effectively.
   “Today we recognise the driving forces behind the thousands of Child Safety success stories that often go unnoticed.” Mrs Keech said.
   “We have over 6,000 children in care and it is thanks to the dedicated efforts of our child protection workers that these children will sleep safely tonight.”
   She said Australia Day was a celebration of pride in our country: “and these workers are people Australia should be proud of.”
   Mrs Keech also announced that a new award scheme would be introduced to recognise people at the frontline of child protection.
   "Child Safety workers will be honoured for their dedication, professionalism and hard work through the Annual Child Safety Practice Awards." she said.
   “The importance of their work cannot be over-stated, but it is often unrecognised.”
   She said by establishing the new awards she hoped to raise the profile, recognition and appreciation of Child Safety Officers within the community.
   Those honoured with the Australia Day awards included Eden Wells, John Clifford,
Jennifer Brown, Karen Wah Day, Jodie Drummond, Lemm Ex, Steve Habermann, Michelle Duckworth, Fiona Trenear, Chris Buchanan, Graham Douglas, Louise Witte, Diane Robinson,
Patrick Palmer, Matthew Lupi, Anna Ahfock, Maureen Brosnan, Airoleene Hamilton, Nirupa Wickremasinghe, Hayley Nolan, Santina Winterkorn, Jessica McLeish, Brett Ambrum, Carol Phillips, Vina Duplock, Marie Lynham, Alwynne Andrulis, Christine Heisner, Wendy Dreger, Mandy Dexter and Kylie Wilson from the Department, and  Jodie Lucarini, Annette Murray and Karen Dini-Paul from community agencies.

24 January, 2008
Water Website Makes Splash
The latest information on Queensland’s water is now available on the internet.
   Water Minister, Craig Wallace has announced that the Department of Natural Resources and Water’s website had been upgraded to allow public access to latest statistics on water monitoring.
   He said it would provide up-to-the-hour water monitoring information to anyone who visited.
   He said the Department operated a Statewide network of approximately 400 monitoring stations to collect, manage and deliver data on the quantity and quality of freshwater in Queensland’s streams and aquifers.
   "The data from most of these stations can be remotely accessed via telemetry systems and includes stream height, flow and water quality information,” Mr Wallace said.
   "For example, Brisbane residents can access the latest data from the Brisbane River gauging station at Savages Crossing and find out that by midnight last night the river had reached a daily volume of 380 megalitres.
   "On a larger scale, the Mary River shows 27,000 megalitres passed the Mary River stream gauging station at Home Park over a 24 hour period on 15 January 2008. This compares with 400 megalitres at the same gauging station on 27 December 2007.”
   Mr Wallace said vistors could search by region, catchment, stream or water resource plan.
   "Local Governments, regional management bodies, agricultural groups, service providers and the public have been seeking greater access to water monitoring data," Mr Wallace said.
   "This new on-line service delivers on this request."
   He said the data could be found at www.nrw.qld.gov.au/water/monitoring/current_data/

24 January, 2008
In Unity is Division As QPSU Votes
Voting in elections for the Queensland Public Sector Union senior executive is to commence on 30 January and run to 3 March with a newly-formed QPSU Unity Team lobbying for change.
   QPSU Unity is fielding six candidates in the ballot, with a campaign launch scheduled for the Australia Day weekend.
   The current QPSU Executive is also fielding a full team of candidates.
   According to the leader of the QPSU Unity Team, Ross Buchanan, the team stands for modernisation, decentralisation and support for disadvantaged employee groups.
   “A key issue for us is the proposal for the Queensland public Sector Union to adopt the slogan ‘Protector of the Public Sector’ and take on Public Sector integrity issues,” Mr Buchanan said.
   “Our detailed policies will be progressively released on our website from 21 January.”
   According to the QPSU Unity Team’s election statement, it wants to see democratic processes enhanced with power sharing to stimulate membership participation in campaigns and activities.
   The Team’s statement says the since the Queensland Government has positioned Queensland as The Smart State, the union needs to become “really smart” if it is to engage it.
   “The globalised economy is leading us into a substantially different industrial relations world than existed in the 20th century,” the statement says.
   “To respond to change, we need to develop ways to operate more smartly and strategically.”
   Information about the QPSU Unity Team and the coming elections is available from www.qpsuunity.org.au

24 January, 2008
Transition Plans Show Way Forward
The Minister for Local Government, Warren Pitt has congratulated Local Transition Committees for completing Transition Action Plans which will ensure smooth movement to the new Local Government Council arrangements.
   He described the LTC’s work as ‘outstanding.”
   “Thirty-four LTCs, established last August, have now finalised the first draft of their Transition Action Plans,” Mr Pitt said, “which will ensure the newly formed Councils have a smooth transition to new arrangements.”
   He said the Committees had submitted their progress reports and draft plans to meet a 21 December deadline.
   “I commend each of these Committees for helping to keep the reform process on track and their efforts in developing their Transition Action Plans,” Mr Pitt said.
   “These plans lay the foundation for the integration of Budgets, the merging of financial systems and staff structures, and other operations imperative to the smooth running of the new Councils.
   “As well as providing blueprints to allow each Council to operate effectively from day one, they will also capture any unique service delivery arrangements, priorities and local issues.”
   Mr Pitt said the information collated by the LTCs would be invaluable source material for the new Council.
   “In Toowoomba, where eight councils will be amalgamated to form the new Toowoomba Regional Council, the LTC has developed a risk management plan and mapped out strategies to ensure all major tasks were completed.
   “It also has developed a range of innovative ways of informing and educating the community about the change process.”
   He said every plan had been reviewed by his Department and feedback had been provided to the LTCs so that they could complete their plans by 7 March, prior to the elections.
   “The State Government’s focus is to now work with councils to implement the new boundaries, which will create stronger, more sustainable local governments that will benefit all Queenslanders,” Mr Pitt said.

24 January, 2008
Changing Face In Facts and Figures
Details of Queensland’s population derived from the latest national census show a changing demographic face of the State according to Treasurer, Andrew Fraser.
   In particular, Mr Fraser said, they show how the State will look after the Local Government elections, due to be held on 15 March.
    Mr Fraser said the figures, which showed population distribution under the new boundaries, would be critical for strategic planning.
   “The new figures give us a clear picture of what Queensland will look like after March,” he said. “The data will also give the new Councils a clearer insight into the make-up of their new local areas.”
   He said the information showed that Brisbane and the Gold Coast were still the top two growth areas, accounting for over a third of Queensland’s entire population.
   “But the data shows, for instance, that the new Moreton Bay Regional Council, made up of Pine Rivers, Caboolture and Redcliffe, is now the third largest Local Government Area in terms of population - larger than the Sunshine Coast, which will become the fourth largest,” Mr Fraser said.
   “Not far behind is Logan City in the number five spot - its population has increased significantly now with nearly 260,000 residents.
   “The new Toowoomba Regional Council now comes in at number seven and would previously have never received a mention on the top 10 list.”
   Mr Fraser said the data would be valuable in providing planners with a blueprint for development and infrastructure delivery.
   Minister for Local Government, Warren Pitt said regional Local Government Areas would play an increasingly important role in the growth of the State’s economy.
   “Growth is phenomenal in our regional cities,” Mr Pitt said.
   “Regional Queensland is yet to reach its full economic potential and will continue to attract people looking for new jobs and better lifestyles, plus growth opportunities for business.”

24 January, 2008
Prisoners’ Porridge Mixed with Water
It has been revealed that prisoners are playing an important role in assisting in flood recovery.
   Acting Premier Robert Schwarten said two Work Camp crews made up of 24 low-risk prisoners and two supervisors have been assisting stricken communities recover from the effects of flooding.
   He said the crews were assigned to urgent tasks nominated by the Department of Emergency Services and other Agencies.
   “Prisoners travelling to Charleville have already been providing substantial assistance to the people of flood-affected Beaudesert during the past week,” Mr Schwarten said, “where they have removed mud and silt from homes, repaired bridges, repaired boundary fences to prevent livestock losses, restacked wet hay, and removed mud and rubble from a community hall.”
   He said other prisoners from the Palen Creek Correctional Centre assisted in the clean-up of the Beaudesert area, while two Darling Downs Correctional Centre crews were deployed to the Charleville work camp.”
   Mr Schwarten said a prisoner work camp has been operating in the Charleville area for 17 years.
   “The Queensland prisoner work camp program was in fact borne out of the need for community assistance during the 1990 Charleville floods, when prisoner labour was first used to help a community recover from a natural disaster,” he said.
   “Since then, the program has developed into a network of men’s and women’s camps across Queensland, contributing around $1 million each year in labour costs to rural and regional towns.”
   He said the work done by the prisoners was important and allowed residents to start the recovery process and get back on their feet sooner.
   “The program also gives low-risk prisoners important opportunities to give something back to communities and develop skills and a work ethic.”
   Mr Schwarten made clear that prisoners with sexual offence backgrounds were not eligible to participate in the program.

24 January, 2008
Posties Compete for Stamp of Approval
Australia Post has begun the search for three Olympic champion posties to represent the organisation at this year’s Beijing Olympic Games.
   The roles involve sorting and delivering mail for Australian athletes in the official Olympic village and is part of Australia Post’s overall sponsorship of the Australian Olympic team.
   National Sponsorship Manager for Australia Post, Terry Hearity, said the corporation first introduced the program at the Barcelona Olympic Games in 1992.
   “In that first year, our posties sorted and delivered about 50,000 letters,” Mr Hearity said.
“At the last Olympics in Athens in 2004, volumes had grown to around 250,000 letters and cards.”
   He said a lot of the mail was generated by the LetterLink program which encouraged children and young people from primary, secondary and special schools to write letters of encouragement to athletes.
“We then provide a postcard for team members so that they can acknowledge the letters they receive.”
   Mr Hearity said that the competition was open to all of Australia Post’s 35,000 staff - not just existing posties.
   “It’s a rigorous judging process that involves a written application, interviews at a State and Territory level; and then a final set of interviews at Post’s headquarters in Melbourne. The three posties we select are effectively ambassadors for the entire organisation.
“Once the people are selected, we run them through a special training program so that they can handle the job once they arrive in Beijing,” he said.
   Entries close on 8 February 2008.
The official launch of the LetterLink program will take place in July this year when special letter writing kits will be delivered to 10,000 schools around Australia.
   In a separate deal, Australia Post also sponsors the Boomers basketball team which qualified for the Olympics last year.

24 January, 2008
State Develops Into Film blockbuster
The Queensland film industry has been identified as one of the nation’s strongest in a survey conducted for the Australian Film Commission.
   The finding has been welcomed by Arts Minister, Rod Welford.
   Mr Welford said the AFC’s National Production Survey of feature film and television drama production for 2006-07 showed Queensland vying with Victoria for second place, after New South Wales.
   “It’s been a bumper year for film and television production in Queensland,” Mr Welford said.
   “The Queensland feature film and television drama slate totalled $146 million in the 2006-07 financial year. That’s just below Victoria’s total of $150 million, and almost triple the previous year, which is quite an achievement.”
   He said Queensland was ‘punching well above our weight” considering that Victoria and New South Wales were home to many more production companies.
   “We’ve welcomed many international films to Queensland in recent times and the quality of these productions is really putting our state on the world stage,” Mr Welford said.
   “However, what I’m particularly proud of is the level of production that has been locally grown and made here.”
   He said productions by Queensland-based companies increased to $17 million in 2006-07, well above the State’s five-year average of $9 million.
   “Of the 24 Australian feature films made last financial year, four were shot in Queensland.
   “Three of those were generated by local companies.”
   Mr Welford said the findings validated the strategy of supporting filmmakers with the  necessary creative, marketing and financing skills to make things happen.
   He said the survey also showed Queensland at the forefront of children’s television production with four of the nine Australian children’s series made in Queensland.

24 January, 2008
Health Centre a One-Stop Hub
A new and innovative model of health care is to be launched at Hillcrest and serve as a one-stop shop for a range of health services.
   Health Minister, Stephen Robertson and MP for Logan, John Mickel inspected the site of the $26.4 million health hub saying residents in Browns Plains and surrounding areas would be among the first in Queensland to enjoy the new service.
    “This new health Centre will ensure we can provide the best health services for this fast-growing community in the Mt Lindesay Highway corridor,” Mr Robertson said.
   “The Centre will give local residents access to almost all their health needs at one location, providing a one-stop shop for local health services.
   He said services to be provided from the Centre would include aged care and rehabilitation, children’s health, adult community mental health, drug and alcohol, dental clinics, antenatal clinics, chronic disease prevention and management, and a range of specialist medical, allied health and nursing outpatient clinics.
   He said more patients would be able to be treated closer to home without having to attend a hospital.
   “The new Centre will help tackle the increasing need for chronic disease management and preventative health care.
   “It will involve a partnership between numerous parties including Government, non-Government, and private sector bodies.”
   Mr Robertson said the Centre had been specifically designed to support new models of care which reflected the latest thinking in promoting good health, managing chronic disease and reducing the need for hospital treatment through early intervention.
   He said about 120 staff would work from the new Centre, 80 of whom would be filling new positions.
   “New positions include eight nursing, seven medical, 16 allied health, 22 mental health and six dental staff.”
   Mr Mickel said he was very pleased the Department of Communities had decided to co-locate an Early Years Centre on the site.
   “The Browns Plains Health Precinct will service one of the fastest growing populations in Australia, stretching from Calamvale and Browns Plains in the north, to Park Ridge and Jimboomba in the south, including rapid growth areas such as Boronia Heights and Regents Park.
   He said construction was expected to be completed by the end of this year and Centre should open early 2009.”

24 January, 2008
New Bus Service Takes to the Streets
A new, user-friendly bus service has been launched in Cairns as part of the State Government's regional transport initiative, qconnect.
    Transport Minister John Mickel said that under qconnnect, Cairns bus passengers would enjoy an improved service including standardised fares based on new travel zones.
    "I am committed to providing smart ways to move about within regional Queensland” Mr Mickel said.
   He said a majority of Cairns bus passengers would now pay less for their normal trip.
   “Under qconnect, for example, the fare from Palm Cove to Cairns City will fall from $6.80 to $4.60.”
   Mr Mickel said a number of new, low floor accessible buses would be introduced to deliver the improved services, provide a more comfortable ride in air conditioned comfort and be wheelchair accessible.
   "Information packs containing the new timetables, fare information and zone maps have been delivered to homes throughout Cairns,’ he said.
   "qconnect will deliver to regional cities the kind of benefits south-east Queenslanders enjoy from TransLink.
   He said the Government was determined to ensure that adequate public transport services were available to all Queenslanders, no matter where they lived.
   "We want people to leave their cars at home and choose a public transport option instead. Fewer cars on our roads means less congestion and less exhaust fumes."
   Mr Mickel said that after Cairns, qconnect transport improvements would be rolled out progressively to other major regional centres by mid-2008.

24 January, 2008
Cash Watchdog Doesn’t Mint Words
The Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre, AUSTRAC, has issued a warning to people travelling overseas for Chinese New Year that they needed to know and understand new laws governing the taking of funds into and out of Australia.
   AUSTRAC Chief Executive Officer, Neil Jensen said that under the new law there were now two different requirements to report the movement of funds.
   “Up to 110,000 travellers come to Australia from China, Hong Kong and Taipei during Chinese New Year,” Mr Jensen said. “Some of those travellers may be carrying gifts of ‘lucky money’.”
   He said it was important they know the law about bringing funds into and out of Australia and they should also make sure family members visiting them in Australia know about it.
   Mr Jensen said the new requirements were:
* When entering or leaving Australia travelers asked by a Customs or police officer if they were  carrying travelers cheques, personal cheques, money orders, postal orders, promissory notes or any other bearer negotiable instruments of any amount were required to say so; and .
* they still needed to always declare amounts of $10,000 cash or more, or the equivalent in foreign currency.
Mr Jensen said the need to declare this amount of cash money applied to anyone entering or leaving Australia and they should do so without waiting to be asked by a Customs or police officer.
   The new reporting requirements were introduced under the Commonwealth’s Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006.
   “This law is already playing a vital role in preventing money laundering, the funding of terrorism and major crime,” Mr Jensen said.
   If travellers do declare they are carrying $10,000 or more (or foreign currency equivalent) they will be asked to complete a Cross-Border Movement - Physical Currency $10,000 or More form. They will be given this form at the Customs examination area.
   If they are asked to report their bearer negotiable instruments, they may be asked to fill out a Cross Border Movement - Bearer Negotiable Instrument Declaration form. A Customs officer or Police Officer will hand over the form at the Customs examination area.
   There are no fees charged by AUSTRAC, Customs or the police for carrying, disclosing or reporting cash or bearer negotiable instruments. There is no limit to the funds that can be brought into or out of Australia.
   Mr Jensen said reporting the funds did not mean they would be confiscated.
   He said it was important the Government knew of the movement of funds into and out of Australia.

24 January, 2008
Rail Network Link On Right Track
The connection of two major coal rail networks in northern and central Queensland has taken a major step forward with the acquisition, by the State Government, of the land it needs to complete it.
   Previously privately-owned, the properties were needed for the proposed corridor for the "Northern Missing Link" between the Goonyella and Newlands systems. The link would afford exporters more flexibility in getting their coal to port.
   Transport Minister, John Mickel said the  69km Northern Missing Link would provide a vital connection between the rail systems in the northern Bowen Basin coalfields.
   “Seven coal companies have underwritten the $27 million cost that the Government has injected for the detailed engineering design phase of the project,” Mr Mickel said.
   "This is on top of an earlier $19 million commitment by the Government.”
   He said the Government was now in a position to begin detailed design work and He chnical investigations, as well as develop design costs for the civil component of the project and pre-construction works such as line corridor fencing.
   He announced that Leighton Contractors was QR’s preferred construction partner for the  Alliance.
   "These early works will allow us to ensure the scope, cost and schedule of the project are accurate,” Mr Mickell said.
   "We are continuing to work with indigenous stakeholders to finalise cultural heritage management plans.”
   He desribed the project as one of the most significant rail infrastructure projects undertaken in Australia in the past decade.
   He said the Northern Missing Link could also prompt the electrification of the Newlands system which was currently restricted to diesel locomotives.
  “The State Government has indicated it hopes coal will be moving along the corridor by 2010,” Mr Mickel said.

24 January, 2008
New Food Laws Going Down
The Minister for Health has warned licensed food businesses they have just 30 days to comply with new food safety laws designed to protect the public.
   Minister, Stephen Robertson said all businesses involved in the manufacture, preparation and sale of food had until 22 February 2008 to nominate a Food Safety Supervisor but an amnesty would apply until 1 July to allow for training and other transitional processes to occur.
   Mr Robertson said the rules would apply to all licensed food businesses including mobile food vans selling sandwiches; restaurants; food manufacturers, suppliers, caterers and other organisations that prepare or sell food.
   He said community and not-for-profit organisations that were exempt from requiring a food licence would also be exempt from nominating a food safety supervisor.
   “Food-borne illness is an issue that affects large numbers of Queenslanders,” Mr Robertson said, “and is especially serious for the elderly and young children.”
   He said food contamination led to an average of 10 deaths and 750 hospitalisations in Queensland every year.
   “The mandatory appointment of food safety supervisors by all licensed food businesses will provide an added level of on-site protection for the day-to-day preparation of food,” he said.
   “Food safety supervisors will have the expertise and responsibility to supervise and give directions about food safety to staff in their business.
   “This will be a really effective way to achieve food safety best practice and reduce the number of food contamination instances in Queensland.”
   Mr Robertson said food businesses fall into three categories - low, medium and high risk.
   “The maximum penalty for failing to appoint a food safety supervisor is currently $3750; while businesses which fail to develop and implement an accredited food safety program would be liable to a possible maximum penalty of $75,000,” he said.

24 January, 2008
Rules Set Tone for Mobile Phone Content
New rules that introduce a uniform approach to restricting access to MA15+ and R18+ content on the internet or via mobile phones have been determined by the Australian Communications and Media Authority.
   It is the first time such access has been regulated.
    The new Restricted Access Systems Declaration  places obligations on all content service providers to check that individuals accessing restricted content provided in Australia are at least 15 years of age for MA15+ content or 18 years of age for R18+ content.
The new rules come into effect on 20 January 2008 and arise from legislation passed in July 2007.
   According to ACMA Chairman, Chris Chapman, the new rules are similar to previous obligations governing stored content by providing that after receiving a complaint and investigating internet or mobile content, ACMA may require the service provider to either remove the content or place the content behind specified access restrictions.
   “In developing these new content rules, ACMA was guided by its disposition to allow adults to continue to read, hear and see what they want, while protecting children from exposure to inappropriate content, regardless of the delivery mechanism,” Mr Chapman said.
   “At the same time, ACMA has been conscious of avoiding unnecessary red tape for Australian businesses providing content.”
   He said ACMA undertook extensive public consultation in developing the new rules and carefully considered concerns raised about their application to new types of online services such as user-generated content. The Authority would continue to liaise and consult with industry on those matters.
   Mr Chapman said ACMA also made two associated changes to other legal instruments.
   Existing rules about mobile premium services had been amended to remove content-related provisions, as those would be covered by the new legislation; and the Telecommunications Numbering Plan had also been varied to ensure that requirements for the use of particular phone numbers to assist consumers in recognising age restricted content supplied by premium SMS and MMS continued to operate.
   He said those requirements had been removed from the mobile premium service rules by the amendment above.

24 January, 2008
Paper Floats Boat Safety Standards
Maritime Safety Queensland has released an information paper targeting safety standards and legal requirements for buying into boat share schemes.
   The information paper proposes that safety be improved for the increasing number of people buying into share schemes.
   Minister for Transport, John Mickel reassured ordinary boat owners who jointly owned and operated private vessels that they were already complying with the law.
   Mr Mickel said the new proposal would also ensure fair and equitable requirements across the boating community.
    “Over the past five years, percentage growth in boating registration has outstripped population growth in Queensland by more than two to one,” Mr Mickel said, “vessels over 10 metres growing at a rate of more than 10 per cent annually.”
    He said boat share schemes were an increasingly popular choice for people wanting to use high end, luxury vessels, either through ownership or by buying regular usage rights.
    He said bareboat and hire and drive industries were subject to stringent commercial registration and operating requirements which were underpinned by safety.
   “It is important that these requirements also apply to all commercial operations to ensure these same high levels of safety are met,” Mr Mickel said.
    The Boat Share Policy Information Paper is available at www.msq.qld.gov.au or by phoning 3120 7345.
   Comments would be received until 29 February.

24 January, 2008
Hospital complex
Construction has begun on a $9.5 million staff accommodation complex at Roma Hospital.
   Health Minister Stephen Robertson said the new complex would accommodate doctors, nurses and allied health staff working at the hospital and would comprise seven free standing buildings on the north west side of the campus.
   The complex was scheduled for completion by December this year.

Floodboats sail
Six floodboats from the Darling Downs have been redeployed to the State’s south-west to deal with rising floodwaters.
   Emergency Management Queensland sent the boats to Charleville and Roma where they will play an essential role in evacuating or re-supplying residents.
   They were moved from the Darling Downs because communities there were not being affected by the floods.

Horses to move freely
Equestrian events are set to resume in the south east of the State as the threats of Equine Influenza ease.
   With no new cases reported since Christmas, there were now fewer than 300 infected properties in the Red Zone and the number was dropping each day.
   The Chief Inspector of Stock with the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, Dr Allison Crook, said details of all approved events, the necessary protocols, biosecurity plans and contingency plans in the event of a lockdown were now available at www.dpi.qld.gov.au  

Law week coming
Queensland Law Week is to be held from 10 to 16 may.
   The week will promotes greater understanding of the law, the legal system and the legal profession and aims to improve access to the Courts, police and legal and Government service providers.
   An interagency working group is planning activities for Law Week 2008 which are expected to include an open day at the Brisbane Magistrates Court, education packs and regional activities.
   More information, including an events calendar, will be added to the website www.justice.qld.gov.au in March.
 
Bay displays
A series of displays and discussions is being held on the Moreton Bay Marine Park Draft Zoning plan.
   Staff from the Environmental Protection Agency are talking to people in detail about the plan at meetings being held on Bribie Island, Russell Island, and at Redcliffe, Sandgate, Cleveland and Wynnum.
   More information is available from www.epa.qld.gov.au/moretonbay or by calling the EPA toll-free on 1800 105 789. The closing date for submissions is 7 March.

Forms updated
A number of forms have been updated following the move of the Office of Fair Trading to the Department of Justice and Attorney-General.
   While a transitional period of two months will be allowed during which the previous forms may be used, they will be revoked on 1 April 2008.
   Affected people are advised to check the Office of Fair Trading website for updates.

17 January, 2008
New Faces Needed On Seniors’ Panel
Expressions of Interest in becoming a member of the selection panel for the Premier’s Awards for Queensland Seniors are being called.
   Minister for Seniors, Lindy Nelson-Carr said three of the six current committee members were retiring which meant three seats would need replacing.
    “Appointments to the selection panel last for three years,” Ms Nelson-Carr said, “and now that half the panel has finished their term we would love to get some new members in.
  “I know the members of the selection committee enjoy their role immensely.”
    She said the panel selected winners for the Premier’s Awards from hundreds of nominations.
    “They meet up to three times each year and their primary task is to read through the many nominations received for the Premier’s Awards for Queensland Seniors each year and select the winners,” Ms Nelson-Carr said.
    “Presently, committee members are asked to serve a three-year term, so the newly selected members will sit on the committee until 2010.”
    Ms Nelson-Carr said she was looking for people who had experience working as  volunteers for community organisations and who had an interest in promoting the role of older people and the issues that affect them.
    “Seniors make an invaluable contribution to the community in a variety of ways, and the Premier’s Awards for Queensland Seniors is just one way we can acknowledge this and let the public know what a great job older people throughout the state are doing,” Ms Nelson-Carr said.
    Expressions of interest close Monday 4 February 2008. Further information is available at www.communities.qld.gov.au.

17 January, 2008
Making History Is Name of the Game
The Department of Natural Resources and Water has called on the public to submit new names for a number of geographic features and areas of land in Queensland.
   Minister for Natural Resources, Craig Wallace said Queenslanders could make history if they lodged name applications with the Department.
   “I invite people throughout Queensland to make their mark on the map,” Mr Wallace said.
   “We do not accept place names honouring living people, or duplicate or commercial names, but otherwise people are free to make history by suggesting new names.”
   He said there were more than 40,000 official place names in Queensland including over 622 suburbs and 2742 localities.
    About 110 new and amended place names were added to the official names database in the past year.
    Mr Wallace said some of the newest names included the new suburb of Springfield Central (near Ipswich) and the new locality of Mungallala (in Booringa Shire, near Charleville).
    Some areas had received unusual names including Baking Board (Chinchilla Shire), Yorkeys Knob (Cairns), Macaroni Creek (Carpentaria Shire), Hell Hole Gorge National Park (Quilpie Shire), Silver Spur (Inglewood Shire), Beer Creek (Esk Shire) and Ginger Beer Creek (Calliope Shire).
   Mr Wallace said community views, cultural and historical significance and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander customs would be taken into account when he exercised his power to make the final decision on the suggested names.
    He said name change applications could be made on the Department’s website at  www.nrw.qld.gov.au

17 January, 2008
Heritage Window in Pane-full Recovery
A stained glass window at Government House featuring a life-size figure of Scottish legend Robert the Bruce has been reinstalled.
   Minister for Public Works, Robert Schwarten said the $108,000 restoration of the main hallway window was a meticulous and highly skilled process.
   “The restoration was badly needed as the lead matrix holding the glass pieces together was buckling and some pieces of glass were broken,” Mr Schwarten said.
    Sunshine Coast stained glass window restorers Gerry Cummins and Jill Stehn won the tender to carry out the restoration work, which began in September last year.
    “Gerry and Jill are very experienced restorers of Australia’s priceless culturally and historically significant stained glass windows,” Mr Schwarten said.
    Restorer, Gerry Cummings, said the window would not need any other restoration for 100 to 150 years.
    “This was one of the most difficult and demanding projects we have done in 33 years in the business,” Mr Cummings said.
    “We cleaned 1,000 pieces of glass on both sides under a microscope using cotton buds and deionised water.”
    He said some of the glass was so fragile that they could not touch it without taking paint off.
    “This was an important project to us as this window is unique in Queensland stained glass history and we hope to have set a benchmark for stained glass window restoration in Queensland and Australia”
    The Robert the Bruce window was installed in Government House in 1891.
    Parliamentarian, John Stevenson, a Scottish patriot, is believed to have purchased the window on a trip back to Scotland.        

17 January, 2008
Electors Warned To Get on a Roll
The Queensland Electoral Commission has urged voters in the coming Local Government Elections to make sure they are correctly enrolled.
   Rolls for the elections will close on 31 January with the elections to be held on 15 March.
   Queensland Electoral Commissioner, David Kerslake said local issues were just as important to people as State and Federal issues.
    “Quite a few electors could miss out on having their say if they don’t move quickly to update their enrolment,” Mr Kerslake said.
   He said electors could check whether their current enrolment wasup-to-date at www.ecq.qld.gov.au 
   Mr Kerslake said the 40,000 young Queenslanders who reached 18 years of age during last year should make sure they were enrolled before the deadline.
    He said electoral enrolment forms could be downloaded from the website or picked up at any Post Office.   
    “The one form can be used to update your enrolment for all Local Government, State and Federal elections.”
    Mr Kerslake said more than 600,000 Queenslanders changed addresses each year with  many choosing to move house over the Christmas New Year period.  
     He urged anyone needing assistance in these matters to aall the Electoral Commission on 1300 881 665.

17 January, 2008
Schools Step Up To Meet Walk Challenge
San Sisto College, Carina and Texas State School were among the winners of the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing’s “Around Australia in 40 Days Challenge”.
   Federal Minister for Health, Nicola Roxon congratulated the schools saying the event was open to teams of high school students in years 7, 8 and 9, and attracted about 35,000 students from more than 300 schools.
   San Sisto College won the Queensland division of the Awards while Texas State School was runner up.
   “For 40 days they recorded the number of steps they took each day and entered them online,” Ms Roxon said. “(This) let students see how far they had travelled on a virtual route around Australia.”  
   She said a quarter of Australian children were overweight or obese and physical activity – along with healthy eating – could help to maintain a healthy weight and reduce the risk of poor health later in life.
   “Promoting a healthy relationship with food and exercise early in a child’s life is part of our plan to tackle the obesity problem in Australia,” Ms Roxon said.
   “As a major first step, we will raise the status of obesity to a National Health Priority Area, ensuring it is at the forefront of the national health agenda”
   She said healthy and active children were more likely to grow into healthy and active adults, reducing the burden on their loved ones and on the health system.
   Ms Roxon congratulated all the students and schools who took part in the Challenge, the winner from each State and Territory receiving $10,000 in sporting equipment from Hart Sport, and the runners-up received $2500 in sporting equipment.
   Other winning schools were:

ACT:
Winner - Brindabella Christian College, Lyneham;
Runner-up - Merici College, Braddon.
NSW:
Winner - St Paul’s College, Walla Walla;
Runner-up - Bulli High School, Bulli.
VIC:
Winner - Matthew Flinders Girls Secondary College, Geelong;
Runner-up - Wesley College, Glen Waverley.

SA:
Winner - Loreto College, Marryatville;
Runner-up - Tyndale Christian School, Salisbury East.

WA:
Winner - Mount Lawley Senior High School, Mt Lawley;
Runner-up - Christmas Island District High School, Christmas Island.

TAS:
Winner - Flinders Island District High School, Whitemark;
Runner-up - Clarence High School, Bellerive.

NT:
Winner - St Philips College, Alice Springs;
Runner-up - Taminmin High School, Humpty Doo.

17 January, 2008
Healthy Start For Hospital Jobs
Graduate nurses are to begin work at public hospitals in record numbers over the coming weeks, according to Minister for Health, Stephen Robertson.
   Mr Robertson said a record 911 graduates had already accepted positions as registered nurses.
   “That’s 153 more graduate nurses than started in January 2006 at the beginning of the State Government’s $10 billion Health Action Plan,” Mr Robertson said.
    “In addition, a further 12 nurses with Queensland Health Rural Scholarship Scheme grants will also start work at rural and remote public hospitals in coming weeks.”
    He said recruitment and retention of nursing staff was a key priority.
    “Queensland Health has already increased its nursing workforce by 3,887 staff in the past two years to the current 25,798 nurses,” Mr Robertson said.
    “We will continue to recruit more to ensure our public hospitals have the nursing staff to meet the needs of a growing and aging population.”
    He said Queensland Health would invest $1.7 million during 2008 to support graduate nurses.  An extra $100,000 would also be provided each year for scholarships for former nurses to undertake re-entry programs to restore their registration.
    “We’re also investing an additional $2 million to develop new strategies to improve nursing and midwifery clinical education, training, recruitment and retention,” Mr Robertson said.
    “And we continue to improve career pathways for our nursing staff to upgrade their clinical skills or pursue training for new careers as Nurse Practitioners.
    “There are already 18 nurse practitioners practising in Queensland, including 10 working for Queensland Health, and we have granted 24 Nurse Practitioner scholarships for 2008.”
    Mr Robertson said public hospitals in rural and remote areas would also receive a boost this year with an extra 76 doctors, nurses and allied health professionals to start this month.
    He said 46 new doctors, 12 nurses and 18 allied health staff had been given rural scholarships specifically to work in rural, remote and regional hospitals.

17 January, 2008
ID Is Easy as ABC For School Starters
The Department of Justice is calling on parents whose children start school this year to order their children’s Birth Certificates before it is too late.
   Minister for Justice, John Mickel said parents enrolling children for the first time are required to provide proof of their child’s age before they can be enrolled.
     “The start of the school year is always a hectic time, organising uniforms, books, transport and after-school care,” Mr Mickel said.
    “It is important that parents don’t forget their child’s birth certificate, as it is needed for children beginning their first year of school.
   “This time of year is one of the busiest for the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, so I urge all parents to get in as soon as possible to avoid any last minute stress.”
   He said application forms were available from Courthouses, the Registry’s website or by phoning the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages on 1300 366 430.
    “Parents who submit a completed form in person at the registry at 110 George Street Brisbane can usually collect the birth certificate the same day, if their child is registered,” Mr Mickel said.
    “They can also submit an application at their local Courthouse or by mail and should receive the certificate within four weeks.”
    He said parents would need to provide identifying documents such as a current driver’s licence or passport.
   “Certified copies of these documents will need to be provided if applying by mail,” Mr Mickel said.
   “The cost of a birth certificate is $26.”
   More information is available at www.justice.qld.gov.au

17 January, 2008
New Trains on Track for QR
A fleet of 44 new trains for Queensland Rail will mean an extra 30,000 seats for customers each day, according to Minister for Infrastructure and Planning, Paul Lucas.
   Mr Lucas said 11 of the new QR Citytrain passenger trains had already been delivered with the others expected to be progressively rolled out over the next two to three years.
   “The Government has invested more than $500 million dollars in 44 new trains and new yards,” Mr Lucas said.
   “This represents a 30 per cent increase in QR’s fleet and a significant investment in improving the reliability and frequency of services for Citytrain passengers.”
   He said the new trains would improve the frequency of services and provide a more comfortable journey for passengers.
    “Public transport patronage growth in south-east Queensland over the last three years has outstripped population growth five to one, which is why we’re making the investment in these new carriages,” Mr Lucas said.
    He said $7 billion had been allocated to improve the urban rail network and deliver 144 kilometres of new track.
    “QR Citytrain patronage increased by 9 per cent in the 2006/07 financial year with 58.8 million passenger journeys recorded,” Mr Lucas said.
   “This demand will continue as south-east Queensland’s population continues to rise.”
   He said to satisfy the increase in service demand, the Government would progressively roll out the new trains, additional tracks, signalling, station infrastructure and rollingstock.
    “The trains will be placed on tracks on a priority basis according to passenger loading information to ensure the areas that need them most will get them first,” Mr Lucas said.     
    He said Gold Coast passengers were already benefiting from the new rollingstock.
   “Since the first train was rolled out in May last year, QR has introduced three new peak hour services and upgraded five services from three to six-cars,” Mr Lucas said.
    “An altered Citytrain timetable, due to take effect from March, will include an additional four, three-car trains on the Gold Coast corridor offering more than 8,000 additional passenger seats from Monday to Friday.”

17 January, 2008
Tourism Marshalls Art for Japan
A new website has been launched in Japan by tourism Queensland to attract Japanese visitors to the State.
   The site - www.queensland-colors.jp – was designed to showcase Queensland’s many colours by enticing Japanese tourists with evocative images of various destinations and experiences through colour.
   Minister for Tourism, Desley Boyle said the State was an obvious candidate for a colourful campaign, showcasing its many assets.
    “Rather than talking about our blue skies and white beaches, this campaign moves into more detail, looking at the Legend Blue of the Great Barrier Reef, the Eternal Violet dyed into a Gold Coast sunrise, and the Seashell White of Fraser Island,” Ms Boyle said.
    “In total, there are 130 colours and the combination of these stunning colours and strong imagery brings Queensland’s destinations to life.
    “The “Queensland palette” is an innovative way to present the state to potential Japanese tourists.”
    She said Japan was Queensland’s second largest tourism source market.
    “Almost 400,000 Japanese visitors came to Queensland last year, spending more than $407 million,” Ms Boyle said.
    “While we have experienced a softening in the Japanese market in recent years, Tourism Queensland is working hard to attract visitors from this market with fresh and innovative ideas.”
    She said media and marketing initiatives included working closely with major airlines to increase affordable access from Japan.
   “This new website helps to showcase the range of colourful holiday experiences available to Japanese tourists in Queensland,” Ms Boyle said.

17 January, 2008
Union Council has Industrial Strength
Seven staff members of the Department of Communities have been elected to the Department’s QPSU Council.
   The Queensland Public Sector Union has congratulated the members who included Anna Beere and Jeremy Grant Hore from Smart Services Queensland;  Chris Peacey and Helen Hamley from Service Delivery; Michael Commens from the Brisbane Youth Detention Centre; Stuart Roberts from Cleveland YDC in Townsville and Colleen Reisener from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships in Townsville.
   The QPSU is also calling for nominations to the Local Consultative Forums and the Agency Consultative Committee.
   According to the Union, the LCC gives QPSU members the opportunity to raise local issues and the ACC deals with generic issues across communities or matters which could not be resolved by the LCC process.
   Union members interested in becoming involved in the LCC can fill out a form which is available from the QPSU website. 
   The Union said that current representatives of the LCC wishing to remain in their current role would still need to re-nominate.
   Consultative Committee training would be available to nominees through the Industrial Relations Training leave provisions of Enterprise Agreements. This avoids them needing to use  personal leave.
    Training dates can be obtained by contacting Kate Flanders at kcf@qpsu.org.au
   Enquiries about nominations should be directed to the QPSU on 1800 177 244.

17 January, 2008
Scanner Scan Shows Price is Right
An Office of Fair Trading check on retail scanners has revealed that the accuracy of computer pricing systems has improved.
   Attorney-General, John Mickel announced the results of a January survey saying OFT inspectors checked the accuracy of computerised pricing systems in 16 stores across the State.
    “I asked the Office of Fair Trading to check the accuracy of scanners in Queensland retail chains after recent national media coverage suggested consumers may not be getting the discounts they bargained for,” Mr Mickel said.
   “They compared the scanner price with the shelf price of more than 450 individual items, and found that more than 98 per cent of the items checked in Queensland mainstream department stores scanned accurately.
   “While some inaccuracies left customers worse off, others were actually in the buyer's favour.”
   Mr Mickel said although the overall results were positive, he was still concerned by the number of stores returning at least one inaccurate price during the survey.
    “Of the stores audited this month, 46 per cent had at least one inaccurate item,” Mr Mickel said.
   “This is an improvement on 2007, when 56 per cent of stores checked throughout the year had at least one inaccurate item.”
    He said stores still had work to do in managing their electronic scanning processes.
    “Most retailers use computerised scanners at the checkouts, and customers depend on the accuracy of scanners to charge them the correct price for each item,” Mr Mickel said.
    “Queensland’s trade measurement inspectors conduct regular random audits throughout the year to monitor computerised pricing systems and ensure retailers are complying with the Fair Trading Act 1989.”
   He said in 2006-07, 512 stores were inspected and almost 20,000 items were scanned and checked against their price.
   “Four per cent of these items scanned incorrectly,” he said.
  “If stores fail to sort their systems out after an initial inspection, they will be prosecuted. In 2007, stores were prosecuted and fined between $3000 and $3500.”
     He has urged customers to watch carefully when their items were scanned at the checkout and to question prices which appeared incorrect.
    “Keep your eyes on the scanner, check your dockets while you are still in the store, and if you find a problem, talk to the salesperson,” Mr Mickel said.
    “If you can't resolve the problem with the store, contact the Office of Fair Trading at www.fairtrading.qld.gov.au or call 13 13 04.”

17 January, 2008
Disability Centre is Excellence Idea
The Government has joined with the University of Queensland to create and operate Australia’s first Centre of Excellence for Behaviour Support.
   Minister for Disability Services, Lindy Nelson-Carr said the multi-million dollar hub would be based at the University’s Ipswich campus.
   “UQ’s track record in research leadership and its international reputation will ensure Queensland leads the way in developing world’s best practice in services and support for some of our most vulnerable citizens – people with an intellectual disability and severely challenging behaviours,” Ms Nelson-Carr said.
    She said Disability Services Queensland was also recruiting for a Director of the centre and other key leadership positions.     
    The Centre is part of the Government’s $113 million four-year response to the Carter Report.
   “I congratulate the University of Queensland and welcome its enthusiasm to make a difference for some of our most marginalised citizens,” Ms Nelson-Carr said.
    “Not only will the Centre play a significant role in developing cutting-edge research and policy, it will also put into practice improvements which will enhance the quality of life for people with an intellectual disability and challenging behaviours.
    She said the Centre would be responsive and proactive to ensure services met the needs of clients at a grassroots level.
    “It will become a place of innovation and excellence — a base for teaching best practice skills to Queensland’s service providers.”
    UQ Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), Professor David Siddle welcomed the decision saying the Centre would translate UQ’s world-class social science research and teaching into benefits for people with disabilities, their families and communities.
  “It will build on research at UQ’s new Institute for Social Science Research, and in the Schools of Education, Psychology, Social Work and Applied Human Sciences, Medicine and Health and Rehabilitation Sciences,” Professor Siddle said.
     “The research to be undertaken will then provide the bases for innovative approaches to training for those who are on the critical front line of providing support to those with intellectual disabilities.”

17 January, 2008
TAFE Choice Is First Class
Minister for Education and Training, Rod Welford has urged school leavers to explore TAFE training options if they are undecided about their futures.
   Mr Welford said TAFE was a great option for young people to set themselves up for rewarding careers.
    “TAFE is an efficient way to get the practical skills and qualifications required to meet the demands of the modern workplace,” Mr Welford said.
   “TAFE also offers an excellent pathway to university.”
    He said young people keen to explore a broad range of job options should pick up the latest TAFE Queensland guide and check out the career possibilities.
    “There are more than 800 programs on offer across 14 study areas at Queensland’s 13 TAFE institutes,” Mr Welford said. “The practical courses offered at TAFE ensure graduates are job-ready or well equipped to take up further study.”
    He said TAFE Queensland could offer innovative study options which were developed with industry and designed to meet current skills shortages.
    “TAFE programs range from Certificate to Diploma and Advanced Diploma level and students can access a range of flexible study options, with programs available full-time, part-time, online or in a combination of these,” Mr Welford said.
    “TAFE Queensland, through its trade and technician skills institute, SkillsTech Australia, also offers a number of pre-apprenticeship and trade programs in skills shortage areas including the construction, engineering and automotive industries.
    “TAFE Queensland has also developed a number of partnerships with universities, providing further study options to students who wish to expand their education.”

17 January, 2008
ASIC Resolution for New Year Campaign
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission is using the concept of New Year resolutions as a means of improving people’s financial positions.
   Acting Executive Director of Consumer Protection, Delia Rickard outlined six financial resolutions she said could make a big impact on personal finances.
   “Just a little effort can make a big impact on your finances,” Ms Rickard said. “Add some, or all, of these six simple financial resolutions to your list for 2008 and see what progress you can make in a year.”
   The resolutions are:
   * Work out your financial goals and objectives:
   Once you know what you’re trying to achieve with your savings and investments, it will make it much easier to work out a plan and stick to it. You may want to set up a more secure or comfortable retirement, pay for your children’s education, or just want to open up more choices about how you spend your life.
   A financial adviser can help you work out your financial goals - make sure your financial adviser is licensed by ASIC.

   * Take stock of your financial situation and consider diversification:
   Most Australians have money invested in one or more super funds, and many also own shares or an investment property. It’s important to take stock of your financial situation from time to time and the new year is a good opportunity to do that.
   By working out what you own and what you owe, you can work out how much you can afford to invest.
   You should also consider diversification, which is spreading your investments so you don’t have “all your eggs in the one basket”.

   * Control your debts:
   Getting your debts under control is the first step to taking charge of your finances, and credit cards are one of the most expensive ways you can borrow money. Use ASIC’s online budget planner to work out a budget that allows you to make more than the minimum payment, and stop using your card.
   Use alternatives to credit such as cash, EFTPOS or debit cards and lay-by for the post-Christmas sales.

   * Learn more about investing:
   Investing can be fun, and there are many organisations running courses ranging from lunchtime information sessions run by the Australian Securities Exchange through to university courses. Many adult education centres and evening colleges run courses on investing basics.
   There are also some excellent websites with information about investing.

   *Watch out for financial scams:
   While most Australians invest confidently and successfully, it’s always good to know how to spot, and avoid, a financial scam.
   Warning signs include offers that are urgent, secret or something involving less risk and effort than real investments.  Remember the golden rule, if it sounds too good to be true, it’s probably a lie.

   * Get the most from your superannuation:
   Keep as few super accounts as possible. Combining your super accounts could save you fees and charges, and help you keep track of your super.
   Make sure your fund knows your Tax File Number. It helps you make sure your super is taxed at the special low rate and ensures you are not subject to extra restrictions on making contributions.
   Find out about what investment options your super fund offers. You may find you can select an investment option that is better suited to your stage in life.

17 January, 2008
Guide Shows Way For Tourism Businesses
Tourism Queensland has launched a new step-by-step guide to starting a new tourism business.
   Minister for Tourism, Desley Boyle officially launched the Guide saying tourism was a major industry right across the State.
   “The hard facts are that, because of the expanding number of appealing destinations across Queensland, we need to expand the number of domestic and international tourists coming to Queensland every year,” Ms Boyle said.
    “That means we need new and exciting tourism experiences.”
    She said the 28-page guide was practical and valuable in helping to grow the tourism industry.
    “The Tourism Project Feasibility Guide is targeted at local communities, potential investors and tourism operators, with an emphasis on smaller visitor attractions,” Ms Boyle said.
    “Most tourism businesses are run by small teams and this guide gives step-by-step advice to starting a business in the tourism industry.”
    She said the guide included a checklist of key steps to be considered before establishing or investing in a visitor attraction.
    “There is advice on project development including feasibility work, financing and project management,” Ms Boyle said.
    “The new guide also includes case studies of successful tourism infrastructure development projects.
    “The guide will also be useful for Local Governments, State Government Agency Regional Directors, investors and developers.”

17 January, 2008
Paper Floats Boat Safety Standards
Maritime Safety Queensland has released an information paper targeting safety standards and legal requirements for buying into boat share schemes.
   The information paper proposes that safety be improved for the increasing number of people buying into share schemes.
   Minister for Transport, John Mickel reassured ordinary boat owners who jointly owned and operated private vessels that they were already complying with the law.
   Mr Mickel said the new proposal would also ensure fair and equitable requirements across the boating community.
    “Over the past five years, percentage growth in boating registration has outstripped population growth in Queensland by more than two to one,” Mr Mickel said, “vessels over 10 metres growing at a rate of more than 10 per cent annually.”
    He said boat share schemes were an increasingly popular choice for people wanting to use high end, luxury vessels, either through ownership or by buying regular usage rights.
    He said bareboat and hire and drive industries were subject to stringent commercial registration and operating requirements which were underpinned by safety.
   “It is important that these requirements also apply to all commercial operations to ensure these same high levels of safety are met,” Mr Mickel said.
    The Boat Share Policy Information Paper is available at www.msq.qld.gov.au or by phoning 3120 7345.
   Comments would be received until 29 February.

17 January, 2008
Bargaining brings 4.4%
The Trends in Federal Enterprise Bargaining report for the September quarter has been released showing an average annualised wage increase for Australian Public Service agreements lodged between 1 October 2006 and 30 September 2007 as 4.4 per cent.
   This was up from 4.2 per cent in the previous 12 months and compares with the private sector equivalent of 3.8 per cent year on year.
   The report prompted the public sector unions to declare that public servants were getting above average pay increases.

Rescuers save tax
Emergency services volunteers are to receive a tax-break from the State Government.
   Volunteers for services including the State Emergency Service and Rural Fire Service are to be exempt from paying pay-roll tax for the hours they spend away from their jobs in the field.
   The exemption is to take effect from 1 July 2008.

Ticket blitz a fare cop
 Citytrain has conducted a blitz on fare evaders, issuing $150 penalty notices during the crackdown.
   Passengers were warned that if they tried to catch a ride for free, they would be fined.
    The crackdown follows a Translink survey last November which found fare evaders cost the system about $10 million each year.

Art show success
The Andy Warhol retrospective at the Gallery of Modern Art has been declared a success by Minister for the Arts, Rod Welford.
   The exhibition attracted more than 36,000 visitors in its first few weeks and runs ‘til 30 March.

Jail work extended
Upgrades at the Brisbane and Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centres are to take longer than expected following difficulties in the commissioning of sophisticated electronic security systems.
   Minister for Public Works, Robert Schwarten said although he was unhappy with the delays, it would be irresponsible to open the Centres without operational state-of-the-art security systems. Both completion dates have been moved from February to April.