Industry News

The Queensland Government’s overhaul of the Department of Natural Resources and Mines will see the loss of 413 positions and around 360 retrenchments.

Minister for Natural Resources and Mines Andrew Cripps said the restructure minimises the impact on rural and regional Queensland and maintains investment in mine safety.

“I am satisfied that, in consultation with senior Departmental managers, our savings program will protect the frontline services this Department offers to all Queenslanders, and that we have minimised job losses in the bush.”

He said the majority of the job losses are in south-east Queensland.

“I’d also like to make it very clear there will be absolutely no loss of frontline mine safety and health officers from my Department, to ensure Queenslanders working in the resources sector remain protected by one of the world’s best mine safety systems.

“Instead we have identified savings in areas of the Department that had, under Labor, become fixated on over-regulating landholders in areas such as vegetation management and been drowning resource companies in red tape, rather than supporting sustainable economic growth.”

The Queensland Local Government Minister David Crisafulli has received 19 proposals from communities interested in resurrecting their former Councils.

Mr Crisafulli said the process was a valuable opportunity for residents still hurting from the forced amalgamations in 2008 to gauge the mood of their community.

“I commend the groups which have gone to a great deal of effort to put forward a case to de-amalgamate and we will now assess each of these according to the criteria we set out,” Mr Crisafulli said.

Successful submissions needed to provide a strong, evidence-based, community-backed proposal based on the pre-amalgamation local government boundaries.

They needed a petition signed by at least 20 per cent of the voting population that showed an understanding of all the cost implications.

They needed to provide a detailed estimate of the potential financial costs and demonstrate an understanding that the former shire wishing to de-amalgamate would have to meet all costs involved, including their own, and those of the Council they wished to break away from.

Strong submissions will be passed on to the Boundaries Commissioner who will work with Queensland Treasury Corp to determine the financial viability of both the shire wishing to break away and the remaining Council.

“This is more than just names on a piece of paper,” Mr Crisafulli said. “This will be a difficult and costly process, but if a proposal stacks up, the community will get to vote at a referendum.”

Mr Crisafulli said those groups who did the right thing and made their submissions on time deserved to know as soon as possible if they will go to the next stage.

A final report, including recommendations, will be given to the Minister by 28 November 2012.

The Queensland Government has approved the Strategic Plan 2012-2016 for the newly created National Parks, Recreation, Sport and Racing (NPRSR) department.

The Minister, Steven Dickson, said savings were essential to help the Government turn the State’s finances around. He said that approximately 130 positions had been identified which could not be supported.

“After careful deliberations, we have identified reforms across the department to reduce red tape and consolidate administrative services,” Mr Dickson said.

He said the Strategic Plan will guide the department’s key objectives of ensuring Queensland’s National Parks are well managed and can be enjoyed by all Queenslanders; increasing participation in sport and active recreation across the state and rejuvenating the Queensland racing industry.

Mr Dickson said senior NPRSR managers would hold a range of information sessions and meetings over coming weeks, providing in-depth briefings to staff, and giving them a clear understanding of the future shape of the department.

The Queensland  Government’s Skills and Training Taskforce has handed its interim report to the Minister for Education, Training and Employment John-Paul Langbroek.

The Taskforce, Chaired by  Chief Executive Officer of the Queensland Resources Council Michael Roche,  was created to take an in-depth look at TAFE and how it could be revitalised.

“This interim report contains the preliminary findings of the Taskforce, which will help us assess what actions should be taken to reinvigorate TAFE and ensure it is more responsive to the economic demands of the State,” Mr Langbroek said.

Minister Langbroek said Mr Roche had worked with members from key Queensland industry sectors including construction, agriculture and tourism to overhaul the State's training sector and meet current skills shortages and future skills needs.

He said the Taskforce was consulting interest groups and considering recent reviews and reports to assist them in developing recommendations for the future of Queensland’s VET sector.

“The Newman Government is determined to grow a four pillar economy and reduce the State's unemployment,” he said. “We’re not interested in whether or not people have certificates or diplomas if they don’t have jobs.

“That’s why we want to make sure TAFE courses align with Government priorities and meet demands in the marketplace.

“This is about making sure that there are real career outcomes for vocational education students and it’s not a case of training for training’s sake.”

Minister Langbroek said a full government response would be given after the final report is handed down.

The final report will be handed down by the end of November.

A new report by Geoscience Australia and the Northern Territory Geological Survey has identified potential uranium and geothermal energy-related resources in the southern part of the Northern Territory.

The assessment has been conducted in the region by combining newly acquired deep earth imaging, seismic data with geological and geochemical data. It identified potential for uranium-rich iron oxide-copper-gold deposits in the southern Aileron Province south of Tanami and Tennant Creek.

The area is currently being actively explored for iron oxide-copper-gold mineralisation and has potential as a future mineral province.

Analysis for geothermal energy systems revealed low to moderate potential across the assessment area with indications of moderate to high potential in the Pedirka Basin, on the border with South Australia.

Spending on mineral exploration in Australia continues at high levels. Mineral exploration expenditure in 2010-11 rose by A$718 million to A$2.95 billion, an increase of 32 percent.

Exploration expenditure increased for most commodities including coal (up 62 percent to A$520 million); copper (up 60percent to A$323 million); lead, zinc and silver (up 46 percent to A$76 million); nickel and cobalt (up 33 percent to A$271 million); iron ore (up 27 percent to A$665 million); uranium (up 27 percent to A$214 million); and gold (up 13 percent to A$652 million).

In addition to the report, associated maps and digital data have been prepared.

The report is available at:
https://www.ga.gov.au/products/servlet/controller?event=GEOCAT_DETAILS&catno=74118

The NSW Government is looking to appoint  Chief Executive Officers for its new agencies, NSW Trains and Sydney Trains.

The Government announced the creation of two new rail operators, NSW Trains and Sydney Trains, to replace RailCorp as part of its recent ‘Fixing the Trains’ initiative.

NSW Trains will serve intercity, regional and country customers.

Announcing the international search, Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian said businessmen David Gonski and Peter Coates had agreed to lead the hunt for no cost. Andrew McCusker, former director of operations for the Hong Kong Mass Transit Railways Corporation, will also assist in the recruitment process.

Abacus, the industry body for the Australian mutual financial services sector, has released figures which it claims show that the customer owned banking sector – credit unions, building societies and mutual banks - are in an even stronger position than the latest APRA data indicates.

The industry body has done its own performance modelling which includes data from mutual banks which weren't captured by APRA’s report.

Six institutions that became mutual banks were not included in the 2012 APRA data, but were previously part of the 2011 data, which led to results that prevented accurate year-on-year comparisons.

By including mutual banks, figures show that for the year to 30 June 2012, the customer owned banking sector has:

• Grown total assets by 4.5%;
• Recorded annual housing loan growth of 5.1%;
• Performed strongly in the deposit market, with 7.0% growth.
•  

Abacus Chief Executive Louise Petschler said credit unions, building societies and mutual banks have delivered a strong performance in a market that remains challenging.

"Our sector is delivering a customer driven alternative to the major banks and has recorded a stable and sustainable set of numbers," Ms Petschler said.

"It is important we report the performance of mutual banks so our industry can truly reflect its performance."

Abacus is continuing to work with APRA to enable mutual banks to be included in future quarterly reports.

The Institute of Public Accounts (IPA) has called on the Government to reconsider proposed changes to superannuation in relation to fund notification requirements. 

"It is unacceptable that employers should deny their employees their full superannuation entitlements, even if only a small number of employers.  The Government needs to address this issue.  However, the mechanisms proposed will be ineffective and costly to administer," said IPA chief executive officer, Andrew Conway.

Financial stress is the major reason why employers fail to pay superannuation entitlements to their employees.   As superannuation payments are separate from PAYG deductions, employers have greater latitude to hold on to money that should be put in their employee's superannuation fund.

To address this concern the Government has proposed that superannuation funds report actual contributions received either quarterly or half-yearly.  The expectation is that employees will notice any reduction in superannuation payments and contact the relevant regulator.

"This might sound simple in theory; however, it depends on employees being actually engaged in their superannuation.  Research indicates that the majority of Australians are disengaged with superannuation.  An email or SMS from your fund may not be sufficient to attract the attention of the employee," said Mr Conway. 

For superannuation funds these new requirements will be expensive to implement and will mean additional effort in ensuring that all personal details, including email addresses and mobile phone numbers, are always up to date.  

"As we believe the mechanisms will be ineffective, the regulations will merely increase the cost to funds and members without addressing the problem.

"There is an alternative; a simpler, lower cost and more effective mechanism.  By aligning the requirement to pay superannuation payments with PAYG payments and having these payments made direct into the fund or a clearing house, the problem will be more effectively and efficiently addressed. 

"Funds will not have to implement expensive changes.  Employees will be assured their superannuation entitlements are paid and employers will have one less different payment period to worry about.  Everyone wins," said Mr Conway. 

University of Sydney researchers will be looking for ways to slash energy consumption for the heating and cooling of buildings  at Australia's first comfort laboratory, a research facility that will also improve homes and workplaces in Australia and internationally.

Professor Richard de Dear, director of the laboratory, said that people now spend an average 90 percent of their time indoors.

“By helping us understand how humans react to temperature, light and sound in an office or at home, this laboratory will let us improve the quality and comfort of that time."

"While there is a widespread belief that the 'optimal temperature' for human productivity is 21.5 degrees, a figure that has been enshrined in many tenancy contracts, there is no scientific basis to this belief."

"By understanding the most efficient way to provide comfort, we can also lower energy and other resource costs. This has significant impacts on the sustainability of Australian businesses, drives productivity and increases our competitiveness in the low carbon future."

The laboratory consists of two rooms fitted with a multitude of sensors and controls, allowing researchers to control indoor conditions such as temperature, ventilation, air-flow and direction, acoustics and lighting level, direction and intensity. As these conditions change researchers will monitor occupants' impressions of comfort.

The comfort laboratory is the cornerstone of the University of Sydney's research into Indoor Environmental Quality, a field of architecture and design science that combines psychology, physiology, sustainability and architecture to investigate how sustainability and human experiences influence productivity at work and comfort at home.

The laboratory is located at the University of Sydney's Faculty of Architecture, Design and Planning.

Professor de Dear is an internationally recognised expert in Indoor Environmental Quality and the world's most cited researcher on thermal comfort. His work forms the backbone of national and international energy efficiency and building standards.

Ship engine exhaust emissions make up more than a quarter of nitrogen oxide emissions generated in the Australian region according to a recently-published study by CSIRO and the Australian Maritime College in Launceston. Nitrogen oxide is a non-greenhouse gas, unlike similarly named nitrous oxide.

The remainder comes from road and air transport, energy generation, and industrial processes. Global studies indicate that shipping emissions of nitrogen oxide and sulphur contribute to the formation of photochemical smog and particles near land and in ports.

"Shipping is a major driver in the Australian economy, with 753 Mt of international exports worth $202 billion passing through Australian ports in 2008-2009."

The authors, Dr Ian Galbally from CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research, and the Australian Maritime College’s Dr Laurie Goldsworthy estimate that approximately 30 per cent of anthropogenic nitrogen oxide emissions and 20 per cent of oxides of sulphur emissions generated in the Australian region may come from shipping.

These are non greenhouse gases which have the potential to affect the air quality near coastal regions, and have consequences for human health and amenity.

Dr Galbally said around 10 per cent of global shipping freight passes through Australian ports annually. “Shipping is a major driver in the Australian economy, with 753 Mt of international exports worth $202 billion passing through Australian ports in 2008-2009.”

“There is limited knowledge about the emissions from ships in coastal regions and ports in Australia, the effects of these emissions on air quality in the surrounding coastal and portside urban regions, or potential effects on human health” he said.

The ports of Perth, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane are located where seasonally-prevailing onshore winds dominate and the pollutants from shipping frequently will be carried into the air-sheds of these major urban population centres.

“We’re seeing increasing regulation of land-based emissions but limited regulation of shipping emissions and expect that in the near-future there will be a need to monitor more closely emissions from shipping,” Dr Galbally said.

The authors commenced this study with measurements of ship exhaust emissions on the coastal cement carrier MV Goliath.

Dr Goldsworthy said it is possible to quantify emissions generated based on knowledge of fuel type, fuel origin, engine size, cargo, and speed.

“We know from previous studies and the Australian Pollutant Inventory that ship emissions off the coast of Australia are substantially larger than in-port ship emissions.”

“Nitrogen oxide and sulphur oxide emissions at sea are comparable in magnitude with other national sources such as energy generation and industry. They are potentially significant contributors to the air-sheds of major coastal cities,” he said.

The study appeared recently in the journal Air Quality and Climate Change.

The final round of grants under the National Solar Schools Program has been announced, resulting in  nearly 60% of primary and secondary schools across Australia now having received more than $217 million to install renewable energy, rainwater tanks and boost energy efficiency on campus.

Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Mark Dreyfus, visited Earnshaw State College in Banyo, Queensland, to announce the final grants.

"In Queensland alone, more than 1,330 schools have shared close to $43 million in grant funding from the Federal Government to put in place 'energy smart' improvements while teaching students about consumption, conservation and different forms of energy generation," said Mr Dreyfus.

Earnshaw State College will use its $25,000 grant to install a new 6.5 kW solar power system and extend its existing solar system by a further 2 kW to improve energy efficiency and cut the school's energy bills.

"A web-based metering system will allow students to see the amount of electricity generated from the solar panels and monitor energy consumption. The school will incorporate the data into its classes including maths, science and society and environment studies," said Mr Dreyfus.

Mr Dreyfus said the National Solar Schools Program allows students, teachers and parents to learn from and enjoy the benefits first-hand.

Applications were assessed using merit-based criteria, with schools demonstrating value for money, as well as environmental and educational benefits. Schools applying from remote or low socio-economic areas received additional weighting.

The 2012-13 funding round was the final opportunity for schools to apply for an NSSP grant. Further information about the National Solar Schools Program, including a list of successful grant recipients, is available at www.climatechange.gov.au/nationalsolarschools/

The Chairman of the Australia Post Board, David Mortimer AO, has stepped down from the Board having served since 2001, including the past six years as Chairman.

Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy said Mr Mortimer has overseen significant changes at Australia Post during his time as Chairman, including the growth in eCommerce and digital communication, a marked increase in parcel volumes, and declining volumes of traditional letters.

“Under Mr Mortimer’s leadership, Australia Post has adapted to the pressures of a rapidly changing environment and come through the difficulties of the Global Financial Crisis as a stronger, more resilient organisation.

“During a period in which many overseas postal operators have lost money, Australia Post has continued as a successful and profitable business.”

Mr Mortimer’s term concludes on 11 September 2012. Until a successor is appointed,  Mark Darras, Deputy Chairman of the Board, will serve as Acting Chairman.

The Federal Minister for Local Government Simon Crean has announced a review into the Local Government Financial Assistance Grants program to be conducted by the Commonwealth Grants Commission.

The Australian Government has provided over $37 billion in Financial Assistance Grants to local government since 1974.

Mr Crean said the $2.1 billion allocated to the program this financial year is made up of a general purpose grant and local roads grant that are paid through the states and territories to local government and used by councils according to local priorities.

"Whilst the program has been a successful one and allowed local governments to invest in key local priorities, a comprehensive review of the Local Government Financial Assistance Grants program has not occurred for many years—a lot has changed since then," Mr Crean said.

"The review will identify tangible measures for improving the impact of Financial Assistance Grants on the effectiveness of local governments and their ability to provide an equitable level of service to their residents.

"The review will be conducted in two stages to allow time to take into account the Commissions other key activities.

"The initial stage will examine the policy and administration of the Financial Assistance Grants program to make the most of existing funding. 

"This will include making sure the National Principles that guide the distribution of Financial Assistance Grants to local governments are still valid.

"This review will take ongoing input from the States, Territories and local government as it progresses. 

"The Commission is expected to report to Government in December 2013."

The Reserve Bank has published a consultation paper on a proposal to determine new Financial Stability Standards (FSSs) for central counterparties and securities settlement facilities.

The proposed new FSSs aim to align the Australian regime for regulation of clearing and settlement facilities with new international standards, the Principles for Financial Market Infrastructures. These have been developed by the Committee on Payment and Settlement Systems and the Technical Committee of the International Organization of Securities Commissions.

Both the Bank and ASIC propose to implement the Principles within their respective regulatory mandates to ensure that financial market infrastructure providers operating in Australia conduct their affairs in accordance with international best practice.

In addition to alignment with the Principles, the proposed new FSSs uphold the standards to which licensed clearing and settlement facilities are held under the current FSSs. Where appropriate, they also reflect complementary standards applied in other relevant jurisdictions, and implement key elements of the Council of Financial Regulators' framework for ensuring that Australian regulators have appropriate influence over cross-border facilities. The Bank has the power to set FSSs for clearing and settlement facilities licensed under Part 7.3 of the Corporations Act 2001, with the objective of ensuring that these facilities conduct their affairs in a way that causes or promotes overall stability in the Australian financial system.

The consultation paper includes draft guidance, based on the Principles, to aid in interpreting the proposed FSSs, as well as details of the Bank's proposed approach to assessing facilities against the new FSSs.

Submissions from interested parties are invited by no later than 19 October 2012. The Bank will be conducting stakeholder meetings in early October. Those wishing to arrange a meeting should contact the Bank by 21 September.

Submissions and expressions of interest in attending a stakeholder meeting should be sent to:

Head of Payments Policy Department
Reserve Bank of Australia
GPO Box 3947
Sydney NSW 2001
or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Chief Investment Officer Index released by the Financial Services Council (FSC) shows CIO sentiment is improving, but remains weak.

The overall rating of CIO sentiment is five for the September quarter, up from minus two in the June quarter. Sentiment in the FSC CIO Index is measured on a scale of -100 to 100.

Mr Brogden said: “The FSC CIO Index strongly indicates that investment confidence amongst Australia’s CIOs has bounced back from its negative territory in the June quarter.”

“The positive sentiment can be attributed in part to the fact that the Euro crisis has continued for so long without a contagion effect to Australia or China and apparently stronger political will in Europe to keep the euro in tact,” he said.

However, he said with some critical economic decisions in Europe due in September, proof that the positive sentiment amongst CIOs can be sustained will be evidenced in the December quarter.

In the September quarter, Australia’s CIOs have continued to favour investment in equities over fixed income.

The CIOs surveyed by the FSC manage approximately $500 billion of Australia’s $1.8 trillion in investment funds. The majority of those surveyed expect international equities to outperform other asset classes. They also anticipate Australian equities to perform ‘well’ and international and domestic fixed income to perform ‘poorly’.

John Brogden, CEO of the FSC said: “The positive sentiment towards international and domestic equities indicates that CIOs are continuing to see them as good prospects for capital growth.”

CIO sentiment is also positive for domestic and international property. Both have moved from neutral in the June quarter to positive in September.

In the next 12 months, CIOs see the slower growth rate in China as the biggest risk to their investment decisions. In particular, some are concerned that the recent slower growth may indicate a longer-run trend.

In the longer term, CIOs see the most significant risk factors over the next five years as the deleveraging of sovereign debt in Europe and US as a precursor to a long period of slow growth, similar to the experience in Japan. There is also some concern that the current slow down in China may be the beginning of a downward shift and a sign of a maturing Chinese economy.

FSC’s Chief Investment Officer Index gauges the sentiment of Australia’s CIOs towards the investment environment and what they are investing in.

The New South Wales Wild Dog Management Strategy has been released by the State Minister for Primary Industries Katrina Hodgkinson.

Ms Hodgkinson said farmers and state agencies incur around $50 million every year in wild dog management costs and the Strategy aims to drive better outcomes from this expenditure.

“For too long wild dog control has suffered from being fragmented and non-strategic,” Ms Hodgkinson said.

“The best approach involves all parties in a local area contributing to the effort irrespective of tenures, titles and traditions.

“Now, for the first time, NSW has a high level framework to improve coordination between all the agencies and landholders for the next three years,” Ms Hodgkinson said.

The Wild Dog Management Strategy details the roles and responsibilities of Government agencies, industry and the community, and lists planning, surveillance, reporting and control actions to more effectively manage wild dogs.

“Importantly, the Strategy recognises that wild dog management plans should be developed for all affected regions, should be on a landscape scale and include all tenures, and should address the social, economic and environmental impacts of wild dogs.

The Strategy was produced with input from the Department of Primary Industries, Forests NSW, National Parks and Wildlife Service, the Livestock Health and Pest Authorities, NSW Farmers’ Association and individual farmers. The Strategy supports the goals of the NSW Invasive Species Plan 2008–2015 and the Government’s goal to effectively manage the risks posed by pest animals.

The NSW Government is also supporting state-wide wild dog control measures through:

· targeted aerial baiting programs;

· wild dog management planning workshops; and

· wild dog research undertaken by DPI, LHPA and the Invasive Animals CRC.

The strategy can be found here.

The Australian Industry Group (Ai Group) is to lead a $3.1 million support and mentoring project which aims to advise apprentices on their career choice and improve completion rates for apprentices in the manufacturing industry.

Minister for Skills, Senator Chris Evans, said the Ai Group would receive $2.3 million to establish a network of apprenticeship advisers that will help potential apprentices to choose the right Australian Apprenticeship for them.

The Ai Group will also receive $790,000 to improve retention rates for Australian Apprentices in the manufacturing sector with targeted mentoring and assistance.

The advisers will be based in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Wollongong, Newcastle, Albury/Wodonga, Ballarat and Bendigo.

Ai Group Chief Executive Innes Willox said the  Commonwealth-funded project, Engineering Excellence in Apprenticeships, seeks to drive the reform through implementing competency-based progression and completion arrangements for the engineering trades. Over 3,000 apprentices nationally will benefit from this rollout.

"For too long there has been much talk about improving Australia’s apprenticeship system but little more has been achieved than tinkering at the edges. Ai Group is creating a model whereby apprentices progress through all components of their apprenticeship both on-the-job and off-the-job by demonstrating competency and proficiency along the way.

Mr Willox said employers will have a key role in determining and confirming competency, thereby ensuring real work practices are embedded into the apprenticeship model.

"Industry confidence in the quality of assessment outcomes will be critical to achieving success. In order to clearly demonstrate achievement of the requisite standards, external assessment validation utilising tools developed by the National Quality Council will occur across all trial sites.

"This model will deliver the work-ready apprentices that are fundamental to addressing Australia's growing skills deficit.

"Ai Group has long advocated for competency progression arrangements in apprenticeships. We championed award changes in 2006 to the then Metals Industries Award (now the Modern Manufacturing Award) designed to allow apprentices to progress through their pay structure on the basis of competency achievement. This remains the only modern Award which provides for genuine competency based progression for apprentices.

"Ten registered training providers across six states will be involved in this project over a three year period. All Registered Training Organisations have committed to this new approach across their entire cohort of apprentices in the engineering trades. These trades typically include maintenance fitters, boilermakers, machinists, sheetmetal workers and foundry trades.

"This major project will be complemented by two further projects. The first project will provide nine Manufacturing Apprenticeship Advisers to promote and facilitate uptake in key trades in the manufacturing and engineering industries. New apprentices will be supported by four Apprenticeship Mentors, focusing upon supported and development of success strategies to assist successful outcomes for individuals, as well as lifting overall completion rates,” Mr Willox said.

Office workers from all professions are experiencing unprecedented levels of neck, back, shoulder and arm pain as an unintended consequence of the paperless office, according to new University of Sydney research.

The study, published in this month's edition of WORK: a Journal of Prevention, Assessment and Rehabilitation, found that moves since the 1980s to improve occupational health and safety and workstation design may have been completely reversed by changing work practices, including longer duration of computer work and less task variability.

The survey of more than 900 office workers found a direct correlation between the amount of time spent at a computer and the likelihood of experiencing musculoskeletal pain over a 12 month period.

Eighty-five percent of people who spent more than eight hours a day working with a computer experienced neck pain, 74 percent reported shoulder pain and 70 percent reported lower back pain.  

"Since I started assessing offices for computer workstation safety in the early 1980s, I've noticed massive changes with the amount of computer work now performed by office workers, particularly professional and executive workers," says Karin Griffiths, lead author of the research and doctoral candidate in the University's Faculty of Health Sciences.

"Better workstation design, seating and health education has not resulted in any observable decrease in the number of office workers reporting pain over the last 20 to 30 years. In fact, recent research shows that prolonged sitting and the lack of physical activity associated with computer work is the main problem, and may be contributing to cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity along with musculoskeletal pain," she says.

As part of her research, Griffiths, who also works as an occupational health and rehabilitation physiotherapist, compared office workers in different occupations, the number of hours of computer-based work they reported, and whether they experienced pain or other health problems.

While musculoskeletal symptoms affect all office workers, those who spent more time at their computers, including professionals and senior executives, were the hardest hit. 

"Though traditionally it was predominantly non-professional employees such as secretaries, data entry and call centre workers who were subjected to long hours of computer-based work, now all office workers, including more highly skilled or senior employees such as architects and engineers, tend to spend a longer day in front of the computer and so are more likely than ever before to experience musculoskeletal pain," Griffiths says.

"Non-professional groups have generally been the focus of research in this area, so I felt that the literature was neglecting managers and higher level employees. Anyone who works in an office knows that whatever your occupation and level of seniority, you're likely to be spending long hours every day at a computer."

According to Griffiths, with long computer-based work here to stay, the key to preventing musculoskeletal pain among office workers lies in changing workstation design and how we do our jobs so that we are obliged to stand and walk more often during work hours.

Activity-based workplaces, in which computer and non-computer work tasks can be completed at a variety of seated and standing workstations, are an example of an encouraging movement towards more mindful office design.

Other ways of reducing the risk of musculoskeletal symptoms at work could include discouraging internal emails on the same floor to encourage employees to walk to their colleagues instead, 'kitchen table' type meetings that encourage people to stand and walk, or work systems that require frequent standing breaks, such as placement of telephones on a standing bench.

"Offices need to be designed to stimulate physical activity among employees. We need to start including standing workstations and encourage more standing and walking within offices as a matter of course for everyone who uses a computer for most of their day," Griffiths says.

A researcher at the Queensland University of Technology is developing a solar cooling and heating system for the home that will run independently of the electricity grid and generate domestic hot water as a by-product.

Paolo Corrada, a PhD student in QUT's Faculty of Science and Engineering said the system he has designed cuts energy consumption by 90 per cent.

"My target is to make it 100 per cent so that the system is self-sufficient to run off the main grid, costing the home owners nothing to run," Mr Corrada said.

"Heating and cooling account for about 65 per cent of energy consumption in a house, whereas cooking accounts for only 6 per cent so it is easy to see why air conditioning devices are the main targets to reduce our energy consumption."

He said the system is based on the use of an absorption chiller which is a well-proven, efficient technology.

"An absorption chiller uses a chemical process to reject heat and, when using waste heat or heat generated by renewable energy, is more effective than the more common mechanical process of vapour compression at deflecting heat," he said.

"By using renewable energy from the sun we are providing an excellent technology to slash power consumption and the peak demand, especially in subtropical remote areas.

"The design is revolutionary because it incorporates also a desiccant wheel to remove moisture from the air and it uses the rejected heat from the absorption chiller to regenerate itself and to produce hot water for the house."

The combination of the two technologies together increases the unit's efficiency by 40 per cent when compared with the current solar cooling systems on the market, he said.

Mr Corrada said the system's innovative design meant it was also much quieter because it used a small pump instead of a compressor like the standard split systems.

He is completing his double PhD at QUT and at Politecnico di Milano in Italy.

A Senate Select Committee on Electricity Prices has been  formed by Parliament to undertake a detailed inquiry into the key causes of electricity price increases over recent years and those likely in the future.

The inquiry will examine legislative and regulatory arrangements and drivers in relation to network transmission and distribution investment decision making and the consequent  impacts on electricity bills, and on the long term interests of consumers. It will also look at options to reduce peak demand and improve the productivity of the national electricity system.

Another focus of the inquiry is mechanisms that could assist households and business to reduce their energy costs.

Submissions should be received by 14 September 2012. The reporting date is 01 November 2012. More information is here.