Industry News

NSW employers have been saved from a 28 per cent increase in their insurance premiums following a deciion by the WorkCover Board to leave the target premium collection rate at 1.68 per cent.

WorkCover Advisory Board Chairman Michael Carapiet said the scheme has a deficit of more than $4 billion and needed to improve the support and services for injured workers it was set up to care for and protect.

“The NSW Government has acted by gazetting a regulation ensuring that the existing premium rates will stay the same.

“This means that employers who have not had major change in their business, for example growth in wages or expansion into new industries or poor claims experience, will not experience an increase in their worker’s compensation premiums in from 1 July 2012.

“WorkCover reforms enacted by Parliament last week mean increases to premiums are no longer necessary and can remain at their current level.

“Had these reforms not happened, employers were facing premium hikes of 28 per cent, which according to figures previously released by the NSW Business Chamber had the potential to see the loss of more than 12,000 jobs.

“Existing premiums paid by NSW employers are already between 20 and 60 per cent higher than in Victoria and Queensland – and any further increase would have had a adverse impact on the economy.

“We can now get on with the job of rehabilitating injured workers and, where possible, getting them back to work.” Mr Carapiet said.

Mr Carapiet said up until the reforms were passed, seriously injured workers were receiving payments barely above the poverty line but the changes mean workers will now be eligible for higher benefits.

“For example, the most severely injured workers receiving weekly payments of $432.50 will now receive a new rate of $725 a week,” he said.

“The NSW Government introduced the Workers Compensation Legislation Bill on June 19 2012 and on June 22 the Parliament passed laws that made key changes to the scheme.

“Some of these changes have already begun while others will come into effect gradually over the next 12 to 18 months,” Mr Carapiet said.

For further information on the reforms go to www.workcover.nsw.gov.au

The South Australian Government has called on all users of the Murray-Darling River Basin to support the sustainable use of the water system, with State Water Minister Paul Caica saying that the time for resolving the over-allocation is fast approaching.

"We have just experienced the worst drought on record which revealed the devastating legacy of over-allocation," Mr Caica said.

"In South Australia we are still dealing with the problem of salinity and acid sulphate soils – more than two years after the drought broke.”

Mr Caica reiterated the State Government’s opposition to the findings of the Murray-Darling Basin Authority which concluded that 2,750 gigalitres is sufficient environmental flows, citing independent findings.

Mr Caica’s calls come after Premier Jay Weatherill addressed the Irrigation Australia’s 7^th Asian Regional Conference, saying that upstream irrigators need to ensure more is left for environmental flow and that wastage is minimised. 

The Commonwealth Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism (DRET) together with the Energy Users Association of Australia (EUAA) has developed an energy procurement and demand management resource for large Australian energy users.

The online resource provides information on procuring energy and managing energy demand cost effectively including:

• understanding Australian energy markets;
• negotiating energy procurement contracts;
• optimising demand response opportunities and energy efficiency savings through procurement contracts; and
• utilising demand response opportunities.

The resource focusses on the challenges organisations face when addressing these issues and provides pragmatic suggestions on how they can be overcome.

Case studies from three companies are included demonstrating successful implementation of innovative and efficient energy procurement, management or demand response strategies.

The expertise of the EUAA and its membership has been utilised for this project to ensure that the completed guide is useful and applicable to large energy users.

The resource is now available via the Energy Efficiency Exchange website (see http://eex.gov.au/energy-management)

eex.gov.au was jointly created by Australian, state and territory governments to suport the implementation of energy efficiency practices within medium and large energy users. It shares best practice information on energy efficiency, case studies and resource materials from Australia and overseas. The website can be accessed via http://eex.gov.au/

AGL Energy Limited has completed the purchase of the remaining 67.46 % of shares and loan notes issued by Great Energy Alliance Corporation Pty Limited (GEAC) that it did not already own, for a value of $448 million.

AGL has also confirmed that GEAC has received from the Federal Government a cash payment of $240.1 million as part of the carbon assistance arrangements.

This transaction makes AGL the owner of the 2,210 MW Loy Yang A power station and a brown coal mine which supplies all the coal required to meet the current and future operating requirements of the power station. It brings AGL’s owned or controlled generation capacity to 6,000 MW.1

Managing Director and CEO, Michael Fraser, said: “Loy Yang gives AGL strategic benefits that will underpin the company’s growth in the years ahead. The power station provides 30 per cent of Victoria’s energy needs and is one of the lowest cost generators in the National Electricity Market.

“Loy Yang does not change AGL’s commitment to a sustainable energy future. We will continue to invest in renewable energy generation projects to retain our leadership position in the renewable industry,” said Mr Fraser.

In May the Federal Court of Australia ordered that the undertakings given in 2004 in connection with AGL's acquisition of its interests in GEAC be discharged with effect from 22 June 2012.

Western Australian Premier Colin Barnett has revealed the State Government’s new Cabinet, announcing three new ministers and three new parliamentary secretaries to take the Government to the next election.

Promoted into Cabinet are Scarborough MLA Liza Harvey, Murray-Wellington MLA Murray Cowper and North Metropolitan Region MLC Michael Mischin.

Mrs Harvey will take on the portfolios of Police and Road Safety, Mr Cowper has been appointed the Minister for Training and Workforce Development and Corrective Services and Mr Mischin will become the new Attorney General.

Mr Barnett has made a range of other changes to the Cabinet, Peter Collier will become the Education Minister, Troy Buswell will become the Treasurer and Terry Redman takes over Housing.

Mr Collier will retain Energy and Indigenous Affairs, Troy Buswell will keep Transport and Emergency Services and Terry Redman will combine his new responsibility with Agriculture and Food and Forestry.

The Premier has also announced the appointment of three new parliamentary secretaries, Riverton MLA Mike Nahan, Jandakot MLA Joe Francis and Ocean Reef MLA Albert Jacob.

The Clean Energy Council has welcomed the commencement of the carbon price, saying it represents a key step in the transformation of Australia’s energy sector.

Clean Energy Council acting Chief Executive Kane Thornton said investor appetite for cleaner energy sources had been growing as the costs of energy efficiency and renewable energy continue to fall rapidly in contrast to fossil-fuel-based forms of energy generation.

“A price on carbon will provide a long term investment signal that will further accelerate this trend toward clean energy,” Mr Thornton said.

“Last year global investment in clean energy sources exceeded $260 billion, eclipsing the level of investment for fossil fuel based generation. A carbon price will play a crucial role in ensuring Australia doesn’t get left behind in the race to clean energy and that this global trend toward renewable energy is replicated on our shores.

“Despite the intense political debate over the issue, it is widely recognised that putting a price on carbon is the most efficient way to reduce carbon pollution in the national economy.

“The Australia Government is to be congratulated for proceeding with this transformational economic reform and also recognising the importance of additional targeted measures to accelerate the transformation of the energy sector. 

“For the first time, Australia has a comprehensive set of policies to nurture new clean energy technology from the first light bulb moment of inspiration all the way through to maturity.

“Another initiative made possible by a price on carbon is the $10 billion Clean Energy Finance Corporation, which will use revenue from the country’s biggest polluters to unlock up to $100 billion worth of private capital.

“The carbon price and Clean Energy Finance Corporation will support the achievement of Australia’s 20 per cent Renewable Energy Target, and set us up to go beyond that target in decades to come at the lowest possible cost,” he said.

Mr Thornton said a carbon price would also encourage investment in more efficient use of energy in the industrial, commercial and household sectors.

“Many companies are seeing the commercial opportunities available under a carbon price. Pricing carbon has been part of the public debate for years and those companies that have had the foresight and agility to embrace change will flourish.

“Increasing the use of energy efficiency technology is an easy way for companies and individuals to save on their power bills while moving to a more efficient way of doing business.

“I would like to congratulate the Federal Government on recognising the need for change and putting a system in place that will drive the transition to a strong, lower carbon economy,” he said.

The Queensland Government has accepted the Queensland Competition Authority’s final report and recommendation for Sunwater’s new five-year rural irrigation price path.

State Minister for Energy and Water Supply Mark McArdle said the Government had reached the decision to approve the final report after careful consideration and consultation with peak irrigation bodies.

Mr McArdle said the QCA identified significant savings in determining the prudent and efficient costs of supplying irrigation services - $98 million in past and future capital expenditure and $14 million in operating expenditure. 

Mr McArdle said the QCA recommended prices in the majority of bulk water schemes should only increase at the same level as inflation. 

In eight channel schemes, increases above inflation will be limited to $2 per mega litre/year, which is consistent with the existing price path. 

A copy of the plan is to be submitted to the Department of Energy and Water Supply by 30 September 2012 for its consideration. 

The Queensland Government has announced the formation of a new standalone unit aimed at fostering investment partnerships that deliver positive infrastructure outcomes across the state has been set up in the Department of treasury and Trade.

Treasurer Tim Nicholls today announced the establishment of Projects Queensland, a body which will focus on driving cooperative funding models that maximise private investment. 

Mr Nicholls said Projects Queensland would ensure major projects were built on time and to budget. 

Projects Queensland’s key responsibilities will be: 

• Preparation, evaluation and management of public-private partnership projects; 
• Active engagement with the private sector to develop funding models to encourage private investment in infrastructure; 
• Preparation of business cases and contract negotiations for government financed infrastructure where the expected cost is greater than $100 million; 
• Acting in an advisory role assisting line agencies in the delivery of projects with an estimated capital cost below $100 million; and 
• Review and maintenance of the government’s key infrastructure policies 

The Queensland Government has announced the Board Members for the State’s Hospital and Health Boards, which it says forms a major stop in restoring local control of hospitals and health services.

Health Minister Lawrence Springborg says this is the final link in the process to restore local Health Boards to run their own services in communities across Queensland. 

Mr Springborg said the appointments were the outcome of a transparent public recruitment process endorsed by the Governor in Council.

The Board Members endorsed by the government are: 

• Metro North Hospital and Health Board: Dr Dianne Ball, Mr Michael Denton, Mr Vaughan Howell, Dr Margaret Steinberg AM 
• Metro South Hospital and Health Board: Mr Peter Dowling, Dr John Kastrissios, Dr Marion Tower, Professor Andrew Wilson, Professor John Prins 
• Children’s Health Queensland Hospital and Health Board: Mr Paul Cooper, Ms Eileen Jones, Dr Leanne Johnston, Dr David Wood 
• Gold Coast Hospital and Health Board: Mr Kenneth Brown, Professor Allan Cripps, Ms Colette McCool, Mrs Pauline Ross 
• Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Board: Mr Bradley Elms, Dr Lorraine Ferguson AM, Dr Martine Pop, Dr Mason Stevenson 
• West Moreton Hospital and Health Board: Mr Paul Casos, Mr Timothy Eltham, Dr Robert (Bob) McGregor, Ms Melinda Parcell 
• Darling Downs Hospital and Health Board: Dr Dennis Campbell, Ms Cheryl Dalton, Dr Ross Hetherington, Dr Ian Keys, Dr Jeff Prebble, Ms Marie Pietsch, Mr Terry Fleischfresser, Ms Danielle Causer 
• Central Queensland Hospital and Health Board: Mrs Bronwyn Christensen, Mr Kurt Keidecker, Dr Leone Hinton, Mr Roy (Charles) Ware 
• Wide Bay Hospital and Health Board: Ms Deborah Carroll, Mr Adrian Daniel, Mrs Barbara Hovard, Associate Professor Brad Murphy 
• Townsville Hospital and Health Board: Dr Kevin Arlett, Mr Glen Cerutti, Dr Eric Guazzo, Mrs Michelle Moreton, Dr Ian Wronski 
• Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Board: Ms Leanne Bou-Samra, Dr Henry Glennie, Ms Margaret Cochrane, Ms Carolyn Eagle 
• Mackay Hospital and Health Board: Mr David Aprile, Mr Darryl Camilleri, Mr Tom McMillan, Professor Richard Murray 
• South West Hospital and Health Board: Mr Michael Cowley, Mr Richard Moore, Mrs Karen Prentis, Ms Lyn Kajewski 
• Central West Hospital and Health Board: Mr David Arnold, Mr William Ringrose, Mr Peter Skewes, Ms Jane Williams 
• North West Hospital and Health Board: Dr Don Bowley, Dr Stephanie De La Rue, Ms Rowena McNally, Mr Richard Stevens 
• Cape York Hospital and Health Board: Mr Darryl Hill, Mr Thomas Hudson, Mrs Tracey Jia, Ms Louise Pearce, Associate Professor Ruth Stewart, Ms Angela Jarkiewicz 
• Torres and Northern Peninsula: an administrator will be appointed to the Torres Strait and Northern Peninsula Hospital and Health Board, pending further assessment of suitable candidates 

The Queensland Government has announced the formation of a new review group within the state’s public service that will be responsible for identifying reform options to create a ‘renewed, refocused and more efficient public service, realise significant savings for all agencies and drive cultural change.’

State Minister Assisting the Premier, Glen Elmes, said the Public Sector Renewal Program would refocus the public service on government priorities, and support the delivery of front line services in a constrained fiscal environment. 

“The Program confirms the government’s commitment to returning the budget to surplus and restoring Queensland’s AAA credit rating, and finding savings to fund election commitments,” Mr Elmes said. 

“A key component of the program includes a review of the roles and functions of agencies, including government owned corporations, to ensure that expenditure is focused on delivering better services.” 

A Public Sector Renewal Board will be established to oversee the delivery of the Program. 

Membership of the board is: 

• Director-General, Department of the Premier and Cabinet 
• Under-Treasurer 
• Chairman of the Public Service Commission 
•  Director-General or CEO of the agency or government owned corporation being reviewed 
• two external appointments: Dr Peter Shergold AC and Ms Jude Munro AO 

“The two external appointments bring proven experience in public sector management and leading change in government agencies to the Public Sector Renewal Board,” Mr Elmes said. 

“The Renewal Program will analyse what the agencies do and how efficiently and effectively they do it, to re-focuses agencies on core services and programs, and eliminate waste.” 

The newly established advisory group, Infrastructure Queensland, has met for the first time last week, with Deputy Premier and group chairman Jeff Seeney acknowledging that that state faces a ‘serious deficit of critical infrastructure’, and that more spending was vital to ensure the state’s continued growth, prosperity and reducing unemployment.

“This government knows the scale of the task ahead, but we also know that we have a responsibility to Queenslanders to manage the State budget and be prudent with taxpayer’s money,” Mr Seeney said. 

“Infrastructure Queensland is an advisory group drawing expert advice from highly regarded private sector representatives and heads of key government departments to drive the State’s infrastructure projects. 

“Infrastructure Queensland will provide advice to the State Government on long-term planning and priorities for infrastructure and help the government make the hard choices that need to be made. 

Infrastructure Queensland is made up of prominent experts from the private sector, including: 

• David Thomas, partner with Minter Ellison Lawyers 
• Paul Fennelly, director of Infrastructure Originations with Hastings Fund Management 
• Warren Traves, Operating Centre Manager for South East Queensland with GHD 
• Russell Smith, CEO of the Port of Brisbane Corporation 
• Leith Boully, Chair of the Wide Bay Water Corporation 
• Robert Row, Queensland CEO of the Civil Contractors Federation
•  Dr Michael Regan, Professor of Project and Infrastructure Management from Bond University 
• Paul Clauson, CEO of the Infrastructure Association of Queensland 
• Greg Hallam CEO of the Local Government Association of Queensland. 

The Queensland Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Jarrod Bleijie has announced new appointees to the boards of WorkCover Queensland and Q-COMP.

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WorkCover Queensland is a statutory body that provides and manages workers compensation insurance in Queensland. It is funded by industry and operates as an independent commercial enterprise that is owned by the State Government.

Q-COMP is also an independent statutory authority primarily funded through contributions from insurers. Its role is to oversee and regulate the functions of WorkCover Queensland.

Mr Bleijie confirmed the WorkCover Queensland board would be chaired by former Law Council of Australia President Glenn Ferguson, while the Q-COMP board would be led by Telstra legal counsel Flavia Gobbo.

The new board members are:

WorkCover Queensland

·Mr Glenn Ferguson – Chairperson
·Mr Justin O’Connor – Deputy Chairperson
·Mr Ian Winterburn – Director
·Mr John Crittall – Director
·Mr Ian Leavers – Director
·Mr Barry Leahy – Director
·Ms Melinda Bailey – Director

Q-COMP

·Ms Flavia Gobbo – Chairperson
·Mr Peter Dowling – Deputy Chairperson
·Dr Beres Wenck – Director
·Mr Stephen Tait – Director
·Mr David Harrison – Director
·Dr Simon Blackwood - Director

The Federal and Tasmanian Governments have agreed to requests by the Tasmanian Forestry Agreement Signatories for additional time through to 23 July.

State Minister for Energy and resources, Bryan Green, said the time was needed to finalsie negotiations in relation to the Tasmanian Forests Intergovernmental Agreement.

"In agreeing to this request both Governments recognised that this will extend the negotiations beyond the period covered by the current Conservation Agreement which was signed by both Governments and Forestry Tasmania," Mr Green said.

"To avoid any uncertainty about the conservation status of the areas protected under the Conservation Agreement, it has been agreed to extend the existing agreement through to 31 August 2012.

"It is important that the TFA process be given every chance of reaching a successful negotiated outcome, and it is a sensible decision to extend the agreement to 31 August to allow this to occur."

Smelting giant Pacific Aluminium has reaffirmed its long-term commitment to maintaining operations in its Bell Bay smelter following a successful renegotiation of power contracts with Hydro Tasmania.

"This announcement lifts the cloud of uncertainty that has been hanging over this region and gives the people of George Town and Northern Tasmania renewed hope that they have turned a corner," Premier Lara Giddings said.

"The fact that contracts have been secured until 2025 shows that Pacific Aluminium is here to stay and is an important sign of confidence for the Tasmanian economy.

"It is also great news for the jobs of 500 Tasmanians, while I recognise that around 30 employees will be affected by the restructure.

"I am advised these workers will be offered alternate roles or redundancies and that the restructure is necessary to secure the long-term future of the smelter against a backdrop of low commodity prices and the high Australian dollar.

Safe Work Australia has released for public comment six draft model work health and safety codes of practice and two guides.

The recently released draft codes include Managing Risks in Forestry Operations, Industrial Lift Trucks, Cranes, Amusement Devices, Managing Risks of Plant used in Rural Workplaces and Managing Security Risks in the Cash-in-Transit Industry.

The draft guides include Guide for Managing Risks in Cable Logging and Guide for Tunnelling. Public comment on these codes and guides closes on 24 August.

Meanwhile the draft codes Preventing and Managing Fatigue in the Workplace and Preventing and Responding to Workplace Bullying are being revised based on public comment and are expected to be finalised later this year.

Several codes are awaiting approval by the Select Council on Workplace Relations.

Eleven codes have already been approved, such as How to Manage Workplace Health and Safety Risks.

For more details, visit Safe Work Australia.

Deakin University has outlined a ‘radical new approach’ to student engagement after it outlined its new Strategic Plan, which will focus heavily on ‘driving the new digital frontier.’

The Live the Future: Agenda 2020 university plan outline’s the university’s ambitious drive to become the country’s leading digital education driver, with an aim to enable globaly connected education for the jobs of the future and drive research that makes a difference to the community it serves.

Increasingly, Deakin will provide opportunities for students to engage with the university and each other via digital technology and mobile devices so that education is provided anywhere and at any time.

As well as off-campus students engaging via the internet, education resources will be provided for all students to learn and interact via the “cloud.” Students will also have the option to participate at one of Deakin’s Victorian campuses or in workplaces, hospitals, schools, in fieldwork placements either in Australia or overseas.

Deakin Vice-Chancellor, Professor Jane den Hollander, said the new plan responded to the rapidly changing landscape of tertiary education and harnessed the power and opportunities of the new digital economy.

“Learning at Deakin will be personalised and unchained from location,” she said.

“Today’s students rightly expect a premium learning experience which is user-friendly, self-service and available 24 hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week as they have come to expect in all other aspects of their lives such as banking and retail services.

“These changes force us to think about university credentials in a new way and to embrace the opportunities that they provide to deliver greater value in our own marketplace – and particularly to our students,” she said.

Deakin’s new Strategic plan is built on four key themes:

• Learning – offering brilliant education wherever students are geographically or academically;
• Ideas – making a difference through world-class innovation and research;
• Value – strengthening communities, enabling partners and enhancing the university’s enterprise
• Experience – delighting students, staff, alumni and partners.

 The Victorian Government has appointed Dr Pradeep Philip as the Secretary of the Department of Health.

Dr Philip has been Deputy Secretary with the Department of Premier and Cabinet since 2010. Prior to joining the Victorian Public Service, Dr Philip worked with the Commonwealth and Queensland Governments.  He replaces Ms Fran Thorn and Lance Wallace who has been Acting Secretary for several months.

A $3 million partnership between the University of Melbourne and The Fred Hollows Foundation will help reduce diabetes related blindness and combat chronic disease amongst Indigenous Australians.

The program, TEAMSnet, will use internet and mobile technologies such as iPads and mobile phones to provide accurate, low cost eye exams and coordinated diabetes and heart care to Indigenous people in remote parts of the Northern Territory and Central Australia.

TEAMSnet will be led by Associate Professor Sven-Erik Bursell, from the University of Melbourne’s Eastern Hill Academic Centre, who ran a successful diabetes tele-health trial in the US and Canada.

“Telehealth has already significantly reduced diabetes related blindness in the US and Canada,” Associate Professor Bursell said.

“Over the past four years, 21,000 telemedicine eye exams have been conducted in 17 US states, which has led to a 51 per cent increase in laser treatments to prevent blindness.

“Results of the program conducted in the US revealed this approach cost less and saves significantly more sight than traditional eye care services.”

The Fred Hollows Foundation’s CEO, Brian Doolan, said investing in a diabetes telehealth program would provide huge benefits for Aboriginal Australians.

“Aboriginal Australian adults are three times more likely to have diabetes than other Australians, which means there is a higher risk they will develop diabetes related vision loss if the condition is not managed properly" he said.

“However, the good news is that blindness caused by diabetes can be prevented. Coordinated management and care of chronic conditions such as diabetes can reduce severe vision loss by more than 95 per cent.

“One of the biggest challenges we face in combating diabetes vision loss is that some people living in remote Australia don’t have access to regular eye exams or health care, which is why TEAMSnet will play a vital role in ensuring we get to these remote patients before it is too late.”

TEAMSnet will be trialed at four remote Indigenous sites in the Northern Territory and Central Australia. If the trial is successful, the service could be rolled out across other remote communities.

The Foundation and The University of Melbourne are working in collaboration with the Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory (AMSANT), Centre for Eye Research Australia, and the University of Sydney Clinical Trials Centre and is additionally funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council.

The Research Data Storage Infrastructure (RDSI) Project, a $50 million Federal Government project that aims to transform the storage of research data has revealed the location of its first five nodes in Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra, Adelaide and Hobart.

The University of Queensland (UQ) is leading the program on behalf of the Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education (DIISRTE).

Dr Nick Tate, RDSI Project Director who is based at UQ, said each of the five nodes would receive funding under the Research Data Storage Infrastructure scheme. He announced that:

• Intersect  will establish a primary node in Sydney

• Queensland Cyber Infrastructure Foundation (QCIF) will establish a primary node in Brisbane

• Australian National University will establish a primary node in Canberra

• eResearch SA (eRSA) will establish a primary node in Adelaide

• The University of Tasmania will establish an additional node in Hobart

The department funds the program from the Education Investment Fund under the Super Science (Future Industries) initiative.

Professor Max Lu, UQ's Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor, said further nodes would be announced in the near future.

“The project will be a significant boost for researchers around Australia who are capturing and processing of enormous data sets,” Professor Lu said.

“The powerful potential of ‘big data', combined with the significant computing capability that the Government is also investing in, will transform research in many areas, including astronomy, genomics, physics and environmental studies.

“The recent announcement of Australia's involvement in the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) is an example of this rapidly growing area. SKA's dishes will produce data each day equal to about 10 times the current global internet traffic.”

Dr Tate said the RDSI project's storage capacity was expected to grow to 100 petabytes.

“This is many times the size of existing systems,” he said.

The RDSI project aimed to develop a national network of distributed data stores where research data could be readily accessed, analysed and re-used and to support the retention and integration of nationally significant data assets.

It aims to:

• Identify, strengthen and develop research data centres, or nodes, that can hold and process high data volumes

• Identify research data holdings of lasting value and importance and contribute funding to their development at the most appropriate nodes

• Provide the widest possible range of general data sharing and movement infrastructure suitable for data-intensive research activities.

“The project's goal is to develop a coherent and integrated national research data environment, building on the strengths of different providers,” Dr Tate said.

“It aims to ensure a co-ordinated and collaborative use of these resources. This will support enhanced research outcomes through greater access to, and sharing of, research data.”

Dr Tate said consultations with the sector were held during 2010 and 2011, and the project office was established at UQ in 2011.

“Feedback revealed a preference for a distributed model for the RDSI in which services would be developed on the basis of existing local strengths, and the decisions on the location of the first five nodes reflect this,” Dr Tate said.

More information is at http://www.rdsi.uq.edu.au/

The Australian and Victorian Government has announced a $40 million investment package to assist in the restructure of Alcoa’s Point Henry aluminium smelter in Geelong to ensure its long term economic sustainability and support over 500 local jobs.

Alcoa will use the funding to improve efficiency of the Point Henry works, including boosting workforce skills and training, capital expenditure such as maintenance and repairs while boosting competitiveness of the smelter.

Minister for Industry and Innovation, Greg Combet, said the $40 million in Federal funding recognised the challenges to the aluminium sector from the high Australian dollar and low world aluminium prices.

"The aluminium industry is under significant pressure due to a substantial decline in world aluminium prices and the high value of the Australian dollar," Mr Combet said.

"Together with the Victorian Government, the Australian Government will provide strategic support to Alcoa so it can restructure its Point Henry operations and help put them on a sustainable footing for the future.