Industry News

Abigroup has announced it has secured a $76 contract from QR National to undertake the civil works for a 13km balloon rail loop for the new Wiggins Island Coal Export Terminal at the Port of Gladstone.

The Wiggins Island Balloon Loop (Segment 1) project involves carrying out the earthworks and drainage for the rail balloon loop and includes two million m3 of fill, a creek diversion and environmental management. 

Abigroup already has a major presence on Wiggins Island being currently involved in a joint venture to build part of the Wiggins Island Coal Export Terminal.

Abigroup’s Queensland General Manager Mick O’Dwyer said, “This major new project for QR National builds on the increasing amount of resources based infrastructure work we are carrying out in the Gladstone area. 

“We are already currently building part of the Wiggins Island Coal Export Terminal and recently we constructed 8kms of seawall bunds as part of the Port of Gladstone Western Basin expansion.”

Work is due to start shortly on the new rail balloon loop project which will form a key part of a new coal export supply chain for existing and future Queensland coal producers in the Surat and Bowen basins.

The New South Wales Government has passed controversial changes to its workers compensation through the State’s Lower House. In a bid to lower the company’s $4 billion budgetary blowout, the legislation will see major changes to out of work compensation allowances, including the removal of compensation for transit injuries.

“The reality is without these reforms NSW businesses were facing premium hikes of up to 28 per cent, an increase which would stall economic growth and job creation,” NSW Minister for Finance and Services Greg Pearce said.

“The Government is determined that we will have the best possible scheme to support injured workers and we also want to ensure the scheme is financially sustainable.”

The cuts to compensation entitlements will function retroactively if made into law, meaning that workers currently on compensation for accidents no longer covered will have their payments revoked. 

The Federal Government has passed legislation through Parliament that will further strengthen existing environmental protection and tourist in Antarctica.

The Antarctic Treaty (Environment Protection) Amendment Bill 2011 was introduced in November last year to implement three measures agreed to by nations under the Antarctic Treaty and its Madrid Protocol.

The passage of the legislation coincides with the hosting of the 35^th annual Antartic Treaty Consultative Meeting in Hobart.

The Antarctic Treaty system focuses international cooperation to protect the Antarctic environment, and treats the continent as a natural reserve devoted to peace and science,” Federal Minister for the Environment Tony Burke said.

"The passage of this Bill demonstrates Australia's continued willingness to implement the measures agreed by the Antarctic Treaty nations and encourage others to do the same.

"Tourists go to Antarctica to experience its magnificence and this legislation will help to ensure people are able to experience the wonder of Antarctica in a safe and environmentally responsible way."

The key objects of the legislation:

• Allow the Environment Minister to grant a safety approval or an environmental protection approval, and to impose conditions on such approvals
• Create new offences and civil penalties for unapproved activities, activities in contravention with the conditions under a safety or environmental protection approval, and offences and civil penalties related to environmental emergencies;
• Establish a liability regime for environmental emergencies that occur in the Antarctic
• Implement new offences and civil penalties applicable to tourist vessels operating in the Antarctic.

The Federal Government has invited the community to comment on the next phase of the Caring for our Country imitative.

Environment Minister Tony Burke and Agriculture Minister Senator Joe Ludwig released An Outline for the Future which sets out the broad framework for the next five years of Caring for our Country and will form the basis for community feedback over the coming eight weeks.

"An Outline for the Future document sets out the strategic objectives for the second five year phase of Caring for our Country to ensure Australia's environmental assets are conserved, resilient and healthy, and our agricultural base is sustainable, productive and resilient,” Mr Burke said.

"These objectives have been developed after extensive consultation with the community and reflect national and community priorities for natural resource management across Australia.

Consultation will run until 15 August, with the Government holding stakeholder meetings and forums coupled with the release of discussion papers.

The next five years of the program will see an emphasis on the marine environment and strengthening the connection between urban communities and the environment, as well as a continued focus on the Great Barrier Reef, regional delivery, competitive grants and Working on Country. Current intergovernmental activities relating to new incursions for weeds, pests and diseases will also be brought under Caring for our Country.

The next phase will also see the program complement other major investments including the Clean Energy Future's Land Sector Package, the Water for the Future Program and onshore biosecurity. Together these initiatives will form a comprehensive and integrated approach to natural resource management in Australia.

For information on the public consultation process or to download a copy of An Outline for the Future, visit www.caringforourcountryreview.com.au

The Federal Government has passed the National Water Commission Amendment Bill through Parliament, meaning the commission will continue its role of overseeing the Council of Australian Government’s (COAG) national water agenda.

“The NWC will continue in its role as an independent statutory body providing transparent assurance on all governments’ progress in meeting their commitments under the National Water Initiative(NWI) and other important water reforms, including our vital Murray-Darling Basin reforms,”  Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and Urban Water Senator Don Farrell said.

“With the passage of this legislation, the Commission will continue as an expert and independent agency, which brings a body of knowledge and experience to bear on addressing key challenges in the ongoing implementation of the COAG water reform agenda”.

An independent review of the NWC conducted last year – as required by the National Water Commission Act 2004 – recommended that the NWC should continue for the life of the National Water Initiative.

In April, COAG agreed to retain the NWC with a focus on the functions of audit, monitoring and assessment of water reform.

“The Australian Government remains firmly committed to national water reform, including the delivery and implementation of the Murray Darling Basin Plan and the full and effective implementation of the NWI,” Senator Farrell said.

“The continuation of the NWC means it will have an ongoing role in overseeing all governments’ progress on achieving water reforms under the NWI.

The Victorian Government has announced the formation of an independent advisory panel aimed at ensuring that the state’s TAFE network remains viable as the State proceeds with major cuts to the state’s vocational education and training model.

The four-strong TAFE Reform Panel will convene later this week and will oversee the transition to reforms outlined in the State’s Budget.

"Our reforms will ensure that Victorians undertaking government-subsidised training are more likely to graduate with a qualification and in-demand skills so they can find meaningful employment,” Higher Education Minister Peter Hall said.

"There is a significant opportunity for TAFE institutions to consolidate their prime place in Victoria's training system, capitalise on the TAFE brand and make positive changes in the form of greater collaboration between providers, sharing of services and delivery, innovative delivery modes, greater productivity in employment conditions and closer alignment with higher education programs.”

The Victorian Government has asked each TAFE institute to submit a plan outlining how it will transition to the new funding arrangements for vocational training, and is providing assistance to enable them to do this.

The TAFE Reform Panel will consider these transition plans and make recommendations to the government on structural and business reform in the TAFE sector.

The Tasmanian Economic Regulator has released its most recent modeling that indicates that household electricity prices for 2012-13 will rise by less than expected as a result of the Federal Government’s carbon tax.

The Regulator has found that the carbon price will add 5.6 per cent or less than $3 per week to average household electricity prices in Tasmania.

This is below the nine per cent average carbon price impact forecast by federal Treasury for Tasmania and the $3.30 a week national average impact in 2012-13.

Tasmanian households will receive $10.10 a week on average in assistance through tax cuts, higher family payments and increases in pensions and benefits.

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has released its national report card on health, finding that Australians are generally healthy, with the majority feeling positive about their quality of life.

However, the report found that most Australians have at least one health risk factor that is likely to contribute to poor health in the future.

AIHW Director and CEO David Kalisch said that while good health is always good news, there are challenges ahead to maintain an overall healthy population.

“Australia compares well internationally: we enjoy one of the highest life expectancies in the world—79.5 years for men and 84.0 years for women—our level of smoking continues to fall, and most children are fully immunised,” Mr Kalisch said.

“However, there are several areas where Australia compares less favourably. For example, among developed countries, Australia has relatively high death rates from heart disease, diabetes, and chronic lung disease.”

Australia’s health 2012 shows that all Australians have at least one risk factor for poor health, and about 1 in 7 people have five or more risk factors. The most common combination of risks was inadequate fruit and vegetable consumption with insufficient physical activity.

“Many Australians eat too few vegetables, fruit and wholegrain cereals, and eat too many foods high in fat, sugar and salt. And almost 60% of Australians over 15 don’t do enough physical activity to benefit their health,” Mr Kalisch said.

High levels of health risk factors are common among socially disadvantaged people, people with disabilities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and those living in rural areas.

The key findings of this year’s health report card are:

• Australians enjoy one of the highest life expectancies in the world. Among OECD countries, Australia has the sixth-longest life expectancy for males and females (page 122).
• Since the late 1970s until very recently, Australia’s fertility rate has been falling and the most recent rate (1.89 babies per woman) is still well below replacement level (page 52).
• As at December 2011, 91.8% of children aged 1 year and 92.6% of children aged 2 were fully immunised. Among older children (aged 5), 89.9% were fully immunised (page 156).
• In 2007–08, 46% of people aged 15–64 with severe or profound disability reported poor or fair health, compared with 5% for those without disability (page 110).
• Coronary heart disease was the leading cause of death for both males and females in 2009, followed by lung cancer for males and stroke for females (page 86).
• In 2008, about 112,500 new cases of cancer were diagnosed in Australia. In 2012, this is expected to rise to 121,500 (page 258).
• Cancer survival in Australia is generally high compared with most other countries and mortality rates have been decreasing over the past two decades. In the period 2006–2010, the 5-year relative survival in Australia for all cancers combined was 66% (page 262).
• There is a high prevalence of mental disorders in Australia—45% of Australians aged 16–85 have experienced a mental disorder sometime in their lives (page 273).
• In 2007–08, based on self-reports, an estimated 898,800 people had been diagnosed with diabetes at some time in their lives (page 298).
• An estimated 222,100 Australians (1.0%) had dementia in 2011; this is projected to increase to more than 464,000 (1.6%) by 2031 (page 317).
• Australia is the only developed country in the world to have endemic blinding trachoma (page 307).
• The most commonly used medicines in Australia are for reducing blood cholesterol, lowering stomach acid, lowering blood pressure, and antibiotics (page 404)
• Australia spent $121.4 billion on health in 2009–10, up from $72.2 billion a decade earlier (page 468). Of this, the Australian Government contributed 44% and state, territory and local governments 26%. The non-government sector (including individuals through out-of-pocket payments) funded the remaining 30% (pages 472, 473).The largest component of recurrent spending was for public hospital services (31%), followed by medical services (18%) and medications (14%) (page 478).
• Health accounted for 9.4% of total spending on all goods and services in the Australian economy in 2009–10, up from 7.9% a decade earlier (page 468). Australia’s health spending as a proportion of GDP was slightly lower than the OECD median (page 470).
• There were 737,400 workers in the health services industries in 2010, up from 599,000 in 2005, and employment grew faster in this sector than total employment for the same period (23% compared with 12%) (page 494).

The full report card can be found here

http://www.aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/?id=10737422172&tab=3

A new survey conducted by the Master Builders Association (MBA) has found that 88 per cent of the country’s builders believe the Federal Government’s carbon tax will hurt their businesses over the coming 12 months.

“Industry is trying to come to terms with a host of unknown factors. This includes how to deal with supply cost increases and how they can be recovered in new and existing building contracts,” MBA’s CEO Wilhelm Harnisch said.

“We are already getting loud and clear messages from the building industry, that work in the pipeline is at very low levels and profit margins are low to non-existent. Builders and contractors have no capacity to absorb any cost increases incurred as a consequence of the carbon tax.

The Sustainable Melbourne Fund (SMF) has released a series of fact sheets on the ongoing multi-million dollar building retrofits being funded through environmental upgrade finance. The fact sheets detail targeted energy and emissions savings and other key project details.

The retrofits have a total value of $4.9 million and are projected to save 5350 tonnes of CO2-e emissions per year, equivalent to taking more than 1200 cars off the road annually. The projects include installation of a trigeneration system, high efficiency chillers, cooling towers, lighting system upgrades, heating and air conditioning units and controls, occupancy sensors and double glazing.

Sustainable Melbourne Fund Chief Executive Scott Bocskay said the fact sheets demonstrated the financial and environmental benefits of retrofitting through an environmental upgrade agreement and would be produced for retrofit projects funded through the financial mechanism going forward.

“The fact sheets illustrate the types of buildings and retrofits that can be financed under an environmental upgrade agreement and provide information on service providers working in the commercial sustainability sector. They are a useful resource for building owners looking at opportunities to improve their own buildings,” Mr Bocskay said.

“The key missing ingredient for building owners making their buildings energy and water efficient to date has been access to capital. Environmental upgrade finance overcomes this barrier through a major rethink of how to approach financing a building upgrade – making it a powerful tool for cutting energy and water use and therefore costs.”

The fact sheets can be found here

The Federal Government has passed legislation that will create the Australian Workforce and Productivity Agency (AWPA), which will aim to strengthen Australia’s response to the nation’s skills challenge and boost productivity. The Agency, will be led by industry representatives, and will have a key role in the allocation of a $700 million industry training fund.

The Minister for Skills, Senator Chris Evans, said the new Agency marks a significant development in the partnership between industry and Government.

"The Agency is an extension of Skills Australia and will improve long-term workforce planning and development, address skills and labour shortages and contribute to improved industry and workplace productivity," Senator Evans said.

The Agency will be responsible for setting priorities, and providing oversight, of the $700 million National Workfoce Development Fund (NWDF), which has been established to support industry to develop and impove skills of their employees.

The NWDF is providing $700 million over five years to support businesses who want to up-skill and re-skill new and existing staff in priority industries and occupations.

"Putting industry at the heart of the system means we are not training people for training sake - we are training people for jobs. This is a fundamental difference from the traditional supply side system where an individual selects the training package they want," Senator Evans said.

"This fundamental reform ensures that the Government is training people in the skills that employers and economy needs.

"With industry co-investment, the NWDF will deliver training to 250,000 Australian workers.

"The Agency will be recognised as an authority on workforce development policy, research, advice and will direct skills funding to industry needs."

The Government will provide $25 million over three years to establish the Australian Workforce and Productivity Agency. This is in addition to the current Skills Australia budget. 

The Federal Government has announced the establishment of a Consumer Reference Group to assist the up the new National Mental Health Consumer Organisation.

Minister for Mental Health Mark Butler said the group will guide the establishment of the new organisation announced as part of the National Mental Health Reform package.

“I’ve appointed ten people to the Consumer Reference Group who have the necessary expertise and experience to make a profound impact on the responsiveness and accountability of the mental health system,” Mr Butler said.  

“Members were chosen by a selection panel made up of consumers, non-government and government representatives and bring a diverse set of skills, knowledge, sector diversity and networks.”

The Consumer Reference Group will be chaired by Mr Ian Watts who has an extensive health care background and substantial experience in leadership and organisational roles.

The members the Consumer Reference Group are:

Mr Ian Watts (Chair)
Dr Michelle Banfield
Mr Michael Burge
Ms Fay Jackson
Mr Darren Jiggins
Mr Keith Mahar
Mr Lei Ning
Ms Lorraine Powell
Ms Emily Todorov
Ms Lily Wu

The Queensland Government has announced an immediate halt to the Solar Hot Ware Rebate program, saying the move will save the state an estimated $10 million in savings. 

“Applications for the rebate have slowed over the last six months and the cost of delivering the service for a reduced number of applicants can’t be sustained,” State Minister for Energy and Water Supply Mark McArdle said.

Since the Solar Hot Water Rebate commenced on 1 July 2010, approximately $25.9 million in rebates has been paid to more than 35,000 eligible Queensland residents. 

Mr McArdle said getting rid of an old electric hot water system and replacing it with a solar hot water system would still make sense to many households, even without a rebate. 

“Switching to a solar system can save households up to 25 per cent on annual energy costs, so households should still consider the ongoing financial benefits,” he said. 

Applicants who have purchased or paid a deposit on a solar hot water system or heat pump before close of business today, will have until Friday 27 July 2012 to have their system installed, in order to receive the rebate. 

The Federal and Queensland Governments have reached a new cost-saving agreement that will enable councils to choose the option of using their own workforce to complete disaster reconstruction projects.

Minister for State Development Jeff Seeney said the agreement, reached with the Queensland Reconstruction Authority and Commonwealth representatives, will deliver better value-for-money and more timely and better quality outcomes.

Mr Seeney said the new agreement would save councils considerable sums of money and was a critical step forward to ensure value-for-money was achieved in the use of taxpayer funds for reconstruction projects. 

“Many councils felt disadvantaged under existing National Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA) guidelines, which did not allow them to claim the cost of using their internal workforce, even in instances where it was the cheaper and faster option. 

“This new agreement is clearly a common-sense approach that will lead to massive savings.” 

Mr Seeney said Councils would need to demonstrate they could deliver projects more efficiently and cost effectively using their own workers and the Queensland Reconstruction Authority would use its value-for-money checking process to ensure the savings were being delivered. 

“Getting this proposal up has been a team effort and I would like to acknowledge the close involvement and assistance of the Local Government Association of Queensland and also the numerous local councils who wrote to the Commonwealth outlining their individual circumstances and supporting the Queensland Government’s proposal,” he said. 

“The Queensland Reconstruction Authority will now work with the Commonwealth to finalise the details of the new arrangements so councils can incorporate them in their reconstruction planning as quickly as possible.” 

The Northern Territory Government has announced the formation of two new Governing Councils that will oversee the Top End and Central Australian Hospital Networks.

Territory Health Minister Kon Vatskalis welcomed the appointment of the members of the Hospital Network Governing Councils, which were established in accordance with the Commonwealth’s National Health Reform agenda.

“The NT Governing Councils will provide advice to me on the performance of the Top End Hospital Network, comprising Royal Darwin, Gove and Katherine Hospitals, and the Central Australian Hospital Network, covering Alice Springs and Tennant Creek Hospitals,” Mr Vatskalis said.

The NT’s Hospital Networks, which come in to effect on 1 July, are a key part of the Federal Government’s widespread reforms to the public health care sector.

“Governing Councils have the important role of overseeing hospital system performance and ensuring community representation in hospital governance,” Mr Vatskalis said.

As well as advising on the performance of the Hospital Networks, the Governing Councils will also lead clinical and community engagement to achieve more effective service provision. 

“This is an exciting part of the health reform process, ensuring network-wide representation in the planning and governance of our hospitals,” Mr Vatskalis said.

The Federal Government has announced $19.6 million in investment in professional development and training for school principals.

Minister for School Education Peter Garrett announced states and territories will receive the funding under the Principal Professional Development component of the Federal Government’s $550 million Improving Teacher quality National Partnership.

“Principals provide a crucial leadership and inspirational role in schools, and should have the tools they need to provide world class learning environments for Australian students,” Mr Garret said.

“Across Australia, principals will be supported to prepare teachers and students for the implementation of the new National Curriculum, which is being rolled out in schools around the nation.

 “Training and programs focused on supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and leaders are also being developed at schools right across Australia.”

 States are developing further individualised programs:

• NSW: School leaders will be supported to lead innovation in the use of information communication technology in classrooms, providing greater access to students and teachers.
• Victoria: Leaders of specialist schools will be equipped with the skills and knowledge necessary to manage people and to establish cultures that support collaboration with parents.
• Queensland: The Take the Lead Program has been extended, providing aspiring principals with a supported career pathway, as well as experience in small schools in rural and remote locations. 
• Western Australia: A principal advisory team will be established to support principals working in challenging circumstances to lift their leadership capabilities and improve results for students.
• South Australia: A leadership consultant with experience working with Aboriginal teachers and leaders will provide advice to other leaders, and will help develop resources and workshops.
• Tasmania: A spaced six-month principal induction program has been further developed, to combine workshops with individual coaching and mentoring in participant’s workplaces. 
• ACT: Leaders will access university studies and professional development programs, and national and international experts will be engaged to help improve school leadership capacity.
• Northern Territory: A school review mentoring program has been scoped to create high functioning teams that are able to provide appropriate mentoring and support to schools.

The Western Australian Government has passed legislation that aims to secure and strengthen Bankwest’s financial and operational commitments to Western Australia.

Premier and Treasurer Colin Barnett said the legislation was designed to enable Bankwest and the Commonwealth Bank (CBA) to comply with Federal regulations requiring them to operate under a single banking licence.

Mr Barnett said the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority required Bankwest (which has been owned by the CBA since 2008) to cease operating as a separate company and operate under the same banking licence as CBA, or raise funds under its own Authorised Deposit-taking Institution (ADI) licence.

The Treasurer said any change to allow Bankwest to operate under the CBA’s ADI licence meant amendments had to be made to the Bank of Western Australia Act 1995 in State Parliament.

The legislation also means that, for a period of at least five years, Bankwest will be required to:

• maintain a specified minimum number of points of presence (ie branches, business centres, etc) in WA, with no closure of regional branches except for amalgamations or relocations in a local area
• maintain four specified senior officers, in addition to the managing director, in WA
• maintain Bankwest sponsorship and community support activities in the State at no less than current levels.

The South Australian Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation Paul Caica has announced the release of the state’s first Low Emission Vehicle Strategy at the Rio +20 Conference.

According to Mr Caica, the strategy was developed in consultation with industry partners and promotes the use and development of fuel efficient and electric vehicles and renewable and low emission fuels.

“The strategy is designed to capture the opportunities offered by new vehicle technologies to both the South Australian automotive sector and our community,” Mr Caica said.

“Actions such as the development of this strategy are vital to achieving sustainable development, a topic central to our discussions in Rio de Janeiro ahead of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development.”

Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Patrick Conlon noted that the strategy complements other transport system initiatives aimed at reducing reliance on private passenger transport and increasing freight transport efficiency.

“The Government is delighted to support technologies that enable the transport system to reduce its reliance on conventional fuels while also delivering environmental benefits for South Australia,” Mr Conlon said.

The South Australian Government has announced it has committed $2 million for the Fight for The Murray campaign in its bid to bring the community’s opinion to the forefront of the national debate.

Premier Jay Weatherill said about 1,500 people have signed up to the campaign that enables them to share their stories regarding the Murray River.

Mr Weatherill said the funding for the campaign would come from existing resources in the Department of Premier and Cabinet as well as new funding.

“This decision has not been taken lightly - but if we believe the river is important, it is incumbent upon us to fight for it,” Mr Weatherill said.

“The choice is clear – we can either stand up for what we know and believe to be fair and right, or we can settle for second best.”

The Tasmanian Government has tabled a new act before Parliament that will see the introduction of a new Mental Health Act for the state.

The Mental Health Bill 2012 aims to bolster support for mental health consumers by ensuring their treatment is more line with a human rights approach.

"The Bill represents a significant improvement in the protection of the rights of mental health consumers in Tasmania," State Minister for Health Michelle O’Byrne said.

"It also has the potential to make Tasmania a leader in the development of mental health legislation.

"The Bill balances consumer rights with the need for the treatment and care of people with mental illness.  

"The important role played by carers and family members of people with a mental illness is also recognised."

Ms O’Byrne said the legislation would give greater freedom of choice to mental health consumers if they have decision making capacity, while enabling treatment to be given to those lacking in that capacity.

The new legislation would prevent a person with mental illness being treated or detained against their will if they have decision-making capacity," Ms O'Byrne said.

"It would also establish a single independent Tribunal with authority to make decisions about both treatment and the treatment setting.

"The Bill recognises the difficulty associated with making decisions of this kind and proposes that treatment and treatment setting decisions should be made by an independent Tribunal comprised of legal and medical experts.

"In addition, it proposes these decisions should also be regularly reviewed within mandated timeframes."

Ms O'Byrne said the Bill was developed with feedback from a wide range of stakeholders including consumers, carers and clinicians.