Industry News

  Joyce Phillips, CEO, Global Wealth & Private, ANZ, has been appointed a director of the Financial Services Council (FSC).

A snapshot of ASIC’s surveillance work has been published for the first time, as part of its commitment to improving transparency and increasing the public’s understanding of how ASIC operates.

The Victorian Public Accounts and Estimates Committee has released the second of its two-part Report on the 2012‑13 Budget Estimates, revealing that there is over $1 billion difference between the State Government’s estimates for revenue from GST and the Commonwealth Government’s estimates for the next four years.

The Australian Local Government Association has appointed Felicity-Ann Lewis, Mayor of the City of Marion in Adelaide, South Australia, to replace Genia McCaffery as President.

Academic and bureaucrat Dr Bill Freeland has been appointed to chair the revamped Northern Territory Environment Protection Authority.

Chief Minister, Terry Mills, has announced two new senior appointments to key Government agencies, the new Northern Territory Planning Commission and the Environment Protection Authority.

The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Joe Ludwig, has announced a major review of Australian fisheries policy and legislation.

The Australian Medical Association has released two new Position Statements outlining the role of GPs in emergencies and natural disasters and how best to support GPs in these situations.

The Queensland Health Minister, Lawrence Springborg, has announced the corporate restructure of Queensland Health which will see the loss of 2,754 jobs, including 1217 full-time-equivalent jobs from the corporate head office and 1537 from Queensland Health's 17 regions, now run by hospital and health boards.

The Queensland Treasurer, Tim Nichols has brought down a 2013-14 budget which aims for a return to operating surplus in 2013-14 and a surplus of $652 million in 2014-15.

The mining industry has reacted angrily to the Queensland Government's decision to increase state taxes on coal from 10% to 12.5% for every tonne of coal sold between $100 and $150. Coal traded over that price will be taxed 15%. The Government hopes to raise $1.6 billion over the next four years from the increased taxes to help address the state deficit of nearly $11 billion.

The Queensland budget has allocated $148.5 million in capital grants for councils.

Queensland Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney will chair a special cabinet committee to examine the impacts of government regulation on the mining industry.
 
The Resources Cabinet Committee, announced in this week’s budget, will comprise:

• The Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning, Jeff Seeney
• The Treasurer and Minister for Trade, Tim Nicholls
• The Minister for Natural Resources and Mines, Andrew Cripps
• The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, John McVeigh
• The Minister for Environment and Heritage Protection, Andrew Powell
• The Minister for National Parks, Recreation, Sport and Racing, Steven Dickson

 
The Resources Cabinet Committee will report back to the full Cabinet within 100 days on proposals to reduce approval times, cut red tape and lessen the regulatory burden.
 
Cabinet has asked the committee to:

• Identify and remove impediments to project assessments and approvals
• Review existing polices and legislation to cut red tape
• Identify ways to fast-track investment in the resources sector
• Maximise local business opportunities as a result of resource developments
• Ensure a co-ordination and integrated Queensland Government approval regime
• Mobilise resources to accommodate timely Queensland Government approvals
• Give directions as necessary to meet resource proponent critical timeframes
• Ensure approvals are provided through an environmentally sustainable framework.

The Gold Coast City Council Governance and Finance Committee has  recommended that Council approve a scaled back ICT program, following a blowout in its cost from an initial $40 million to over $100 million.

The Chief Executive Officer of Hobsons Bay City Council, Bill Jaboor has resigned to take up the CEO position at neighbouring Brimbank City Council.

Chinese company Guohua Energy has signed an agreement to purchase a 75 per cent stake in the Musselroe Wind Farm in Tasmania.

Australia is performing only slightly above the OECD average in areas such as student to teacher ratios and secondary school completion rates, according to the OECD’s new report Education at a Glance.

The Senate Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Committees is to undertake an inquiry into ‘Teaching and learning - maximising our investment in Australian schools.

The NSW Government’s plans to sell the State’s electricity generators are being developed and the sale or lease of the Cobbora coal mine development is well underway, according to the Treasurer Mike Baird.

NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell has announced that Treasurer Mike Baird has had industrial relations added to his portfolio responsibilities.