Inbox and Environment News: Issue 297

January 22 - 28, 2017: Issue 297

Four Men Fined $2000 For Illegal Lobster Harvest At Long Reef

19 January, 2017: NSW DPI
Department of Primary Industries Fisheries officers have issued $500 fines to four men caught harvesting Eastern Rock Lobsters from Sydney’s Northern Beaches.

The men took the nine lobsters from the Long Reef Aquatic Reserve in December, in contravention of the Marine Estate Management Act 2014.
DPI Fisheries Compliance Director Tony Andrews said the lobsters were photographed by officers and returned to the water unharmed.



“Illegal fishing activity will not be tolerated in any aquatic reserve,” he said.
“Fishers need to respect the rules that are in place to conserve our valuable marine biodiversity.”

Long Reef Aquatic Reserve is the oldest Aquatic Reserve in NSW. Established in 1980, it is centred on the extensive intertidal rocky shores that fringe the prominent Long Reef headland.

“A huge diversity of marine life is associated with the range of rocky shore habitats and different degrees of wave exposure around the headland,” Mr Andrews said.

“The Reserve is also an important site for educational activities and scientific research, it is popular with school groups, university students and marine researchers.”

Fishers are allowed to catch finfish with a hand-held line or spear, subject to other NSW fishing rules and regulations, but no invertebrate animals, cunjevoi or marine plants (whether alive or dead) can be taken or collected from the reserve.

“This means you cannot collect shellfish, fish for squid or cuttlefish, collect any marine animals including lobster and abalone, or plants from the shore, or collect empty shells,” Mr Andrews said.

“Long Reef Aquatic Reserve has been set aside for the protection of marine invertebrates and plants for more than 30 years. We would ask that all visitors respect the rules to ensure it does so for many years more.”

The removal of dead plants or animals is not permitted as they provide habitat and food for living organisms. Bait cannot be collected in the Aquatic Reserve.

Please report illegal or suspect fishing activities to the Fishers Watch Phoneline on 1800 043 536.

2017 Offshore Petroleum Exploration Acreage Release - Proposed Areas

Public Consultation Closes 7 Feb 2017

Overview
The annual Offshore Petroleum Exploration Acreage Release is a key part of the Australian Government's strategy to encourage petroleum exploration in Australia’s offshore waters.

The inclusion of an acreage release area means that companies can apply to explore in that area, it does not necessarily mean exploration will occur in that area in the future. Companies must apply for a release area and be assessed as a deserving applicant before decision-makers may award a petroleum exploration permit. Should a permit be awarded, it authorises the holder to apply to Australia's independent offshore petroleum regulator, NOPSEMA, for permission to undertake an activity.

The main steps in the acreage release cycle are:
  • nominations invited
  • shortlisting of nominated areas
  • consultation - undertaken in two phases:
  1. with agencies in Commonwealth and state/Northern Territory jurisdictions with direct responsibility for managing the marine environment
  2. a public consultation period on the proposed areas.
Following consultation, the final areas for the acreage release are announced by the responsible Commonwealth Minister and industry are invited to submit bids on the release areas.

Why We Are Consulting
This consultation process provides an opportunity for persons who have a specific interest in a proposed area to provide comments and/or information that may be useful to:
  • inform the acreage release
  • inform potential explorers of their particular interest.
A full set of maps for the proposed area below. These maps show the the proposed areas in relation to Commonwealth Marine Reserves, existing petroleum titles and infrastructure and bathymetry.

Give Us Your Views

Related

Humane Society International V Department Of The Environment And Energy

January 20, 2017: EDO NSW
Our client, Humane Society International (HSI), is seeking access to documents held by the Australian Department of the Environment and Energy on the adequacy of NSW’s biodiversity offsets policy for major projects ('the Policy').

HSI argues that the public has a right to know why the Australian Government believes, despite evidence to the contrary, that the NSW Policy meets national standards. On behalf of HSI, we are asking the Administrative Appeals Tribunal to find that it is in the public interest to release the documents under Freedom of Information laws. 

Background
Biodiversity offsets have become standard practice in the approval and assessment of major developments in Australia, even though there is little evidence that offset schemes achieve their intended purpose of protecting threatened species from extinction.

Biodiversity offsets allow developers such as mining companies to buy/manage land, or pay money into a fund, to compensate for the clearing of forests and areas containing threatened plants and animals.

Community groups such as HSI are concerned that the method for calculating biodiversity offsets in NSW, contained in the NSW Policy, does not properly protect the environment – including the plants and animals on the national list of threatened species and ecological communities.

The Australian Government, which is responsible for the national list of threatened species – and has international obligations to protect and conserve biodiversity in Australia – has stated that the NSW Policy meets national standards of environmental protection. However, analysis by EDOs of Australia shows clearly that the NSW policy provides weaker environmental protection than required under national environment policies.

With the Australian Government delegating more and more development approval powers to the states and territories under its ‘one stop shop’ policy, community groups fear that there will be fewer protections for our nationally threatened species and ecological communities.

HSI is therefore seeking access to documents detailing the Australian Government’s analysis of the NSW Policy. Access to this information is vital for the public to have confidence that important environmental protections are not being eroded.

Read more on EDO NSW webpage HERE

Native’s Natural Pest Control

19 January, 2017: NSW DPI
NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) scientists have taken the cue from a naturally occurring phenomenon to explore the potential of Australian eucalyptus to control major weeds and crop diseases.

DPI principal research scientist, Hanwen Wu, said research has identified eucalyptus essential oils which have the potential to address agrochemical resistance in these pests – one of the biggest challenges farmers face this decade.

“The allelopathic effect of eucalyptus trees, where chemicals they release suppress plant growth in the understorey, is commonly seen in the landscape and we applied a scientific approach to investigate that observation,” Dr Wu said.

“Laboratory tests showed that some eucalyptus oils, from a selection of 40 species, were able to completely suppress fungal growth of three major diseases, wheat yellow leaf spot and crown rot and canola sclerotina stem rot.

“We screened 300 eucalyptus species on weeds, including annual ryegrass, barley grass, fleabane, silverleaf nightshade and wild radish, to find that even at low concentrations some eucalyptus oils were able to prevent germination and growth of weed seeds.”

Dr Wu said there was huge potential to explore the use of eucalyptus essential oil as a bioherbicide for weed management.

“With rapidly growing herbicide resistance and no new molecules developed in the last 25 years, which could offer new modes of action to control weeds, these naturally occurring oils could be a gift from nature,” he said.

“We now need to find out how these oils work to inhibit weeds and diseases so we can adopt the technology for use in agricultural production and to safeguard the environment.”

Further study of other eucalyptus species, followed by the identification of bioactive compounds, could provide chemical leads for the development of new herbicides with new modes of action.

An estimated 800 plus eucalyptus species in Australia offer a unique opportunity to manage weeds and crop diseases.

The research was funded by the NSW Government Weeds Action Program 2014-2015, with support from Meat & Livestock Australia and the Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation – an alliance between DPI and Charles Sturt University.


This naturally occurring phenomenon of bare soil and suppressed plant growth in the understorey has inspired NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) scientists to investigate the potential of eucalyptus essential oil to control major weeds and crop diseases.

Myna Action Group 

Pittwater Natural Heritage Association (PNHA)
Indian Mynas - what a pest - like flying rats. 
Can you help distribute our new flyers about our Northern Beaches Indian Myna Action Group? 

They are for people in cafes and coffee shops, explaining why not to feed these birds and how to get involved in their control. Just take a few and hand out where ever you can. Cafe staff are usually glad of the help. Contact us on pnhainfo@gmail.com for more information and have a look athttps://www.facebook.com/MynaProblems/

Indian Mynas are displacing our native birds. 
They often nest in and around shops where their food source is. I took this one down this morning in Avalon (no chicks or eggs but I disturbed the female). There were literally hundreds of tiny bits of plastic in the nest which makes you think that all this plastic would be swilling down the stormwater drains into the sea.

Tomato Festival Sydney

February 18 – February 19
Feb 18 at 10 AM to Feb 19 at 4 PM
The Band Lawn at The Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney

The award-winning Tomato Festival Sydney returns for a fourth year on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 February, 10am – 4pm at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Bring along the whole family for an inspiring harbourside food festival celebrating all things tomato.

Set on the spectacular foreshore lawns of the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, the Festival Village will be buzzing with exciting, fun and delicious activities, with something for everyone.
  • Village market dedicated to local producers and artisans
  • Talks and cooking demonstrations
  • Relish pop-up café & bar
  • Free Garden tours
  • Children’s activities including pizza making
  • Tomato mandala
  • Home-grown tomato competitions
  • Free Diggers Heirloom Tomato Taste Test
  • Longest Tomato Lunch
Tomatoes are enjoyed all over the world, in all manner of ways. From salads to sauces, pizza to pastas, the fabulous tomato has become a key ingredient in all our lives. This is your chance to celebrate them!

In 2016 chillies spiced up the Festival, in 2017 it will be the fragrant and diverse world of herbs!

The Festival promotes local and seasonal produce, heirloom varieties, bush tucker as well as growing and preserving the season’s bounty in an imaginative and accessible way. This, in turn, can change behaviour and drive a passion for food, where it comes from and an understanding of the important role plants play in our lives

Planning Reforms To Boost Housing Supply

09.01.2017: Ministerial Media Release - The Hon. Rob Stokes MP, Minister for Planning
Making it simpler to build a home and enhancing community participation in key decisions will be now easier through a package of red tape-busting reforms released for consultation by the NSW Government today.

Planning Minister Rob Stokes said proposed amendments to the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 target delays in Development Application (DA) processing by councils, while also enhancing community confidence in the planning system.

The proposed changes include standardising the format of council’s development control plans to make them easier to understand and navigate, giving developers incentives to resolve objections before lodging DAs, and focusing councillor attention on strategic planning with greater numbers of DA assessments being processed by staff or local planning panels.

Local communities will have greater opportunity to participate in strategic planning for their neighbourhoods as early as practicable, with each planning authority required to prepare community participation plans. 

Other proposed changes include leveling the playing field for the assessment of major projects by ending transitional arrangements under Labor’s controversial Part 3A development assessment which will prevent the misuse of modifications. 

Mr Stokes said the state was experiencing the longest housing construction boom in NSW history with the latest figures for the 12 months to October showing 74,577 approvals, the second highest on record.

“However, there is still more work to do and these planning reforms build on our impressive results over the past five years by making it easier to build new homes,” Mr Stokes said.

“The NSW Government is determined to do everything it can, including making the planning system more efficient, to ensure housing supply gets to homebuyers fast.”

Mr Stokes said NSW Treasury estimated there is pent up demand for up to 100,000 new homes due to the former Labor Government failing to provide adequate supply.  

Proposed updates to the EP&A Act include:
• Investigating incentives for developers to consult with neighbours and the surrounding community to ensure disputes are resolved prior to a Development  Application proceeding to council;
• New powers for the Planning Minister to direct a council to establish a local planning panels of experts and community representatives;
• A standardised format for development control plans, produced in consultation with councils, to promote consistency across the confusing array of up to 400 formats currently used in NSW;
• Authority for the Department of Planning and Environment Secretary to ensure the efficient processing of developments that require separate approvals and advice under different NSW legislation;
• Measures to ensure that local environmental plans are kept up to date;
• Extending and improving the complying development assessment process that currently covers most new one or two storey dwellings, to include greenfield developments and terrace housing.
• Simplifying and consolidating building provisions to remove confusion for developers;
• Widening the availability of internal review options for proponents aggrieved by council decisions as a faster, low cost alternative to court action; and
• Introducing fair and consistent planning agreements between developers and councils to ensure there is more transparency on deals to fund public amenities, affordable housing, transport and other infrastructure.

Mr Stokes said the planning reforms would assist the NSW Government deliver the 725,000 new homes forecast to be required by 2036 to house an extra 1.7 million residents.

The community is encouraged to have its say on the proposed amendments to the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979. These updates are on public exhibition from 9 January – 10 March 2017, and can be viewed at www.planning.nsw.gov.au/legislative-updates. 

The consultation package comprises four documents:
2. Bill guide  
3. Draft Bill - Environmental Planning and Assessment
Amendment Bill 2017

Have your say on the draft updates to the EP&A Act 
Consultation is now underway on the draft amendments to the EP&A Act, details of which are at the ‘Key documents’ tab above.

The public consultation period for the Bill is from 10 January 2017 to 10 March 2017.

We encourage our stakeholders, interested community groups and individuals to review the reforms and respond:
• by mail to: 
Planning legislation updates 2017
NSW Department of Planning and Environment 
GPO Box 39
Sydney NSW 2001

CCAMLR Awarded FAO Medal For Exemplary Management Of Fisheries
FAO Margarita Lizárraga Medal 

CCAMLR has been awarded the 2016–2017 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Margarita Lizárraga Medal Award for serving with distinction in the application of the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (the Code).

The award, established in 1997, pays tribute to the late Ms Margarita Saucedo Lizárraga. Ms Lizárraga, originally from Mexico, worked in the field of fisheries for almost forty years – including at the FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department. During her time at FAO she was instrumental in promoting sustainable use of fisheries resources, especially in developing countries, and played a key role in promoting the Code. The medal is awarded biennially.

The criteria for selection, established in 1999 by the Selection Committee, address outstanding, practical hands-on contribution to the application of the Code, demonstrated by tangible, sustained effort with potential to catalyse similar and related efforts.

CCAMLR was selected in recognition of its conservation and management of marine living resources in the Convention Area (Southern Ocean), consistent with the Code, in particular for the precautionary and ecosystem-sensitive approach taken by the Commission to balance environmental conservation with the rational utilisation of resources. These achievements are considered by the selection committee to be a model for similar initiatives and could have a catalytic effect on other Regional Fishery Bodies. The contribution of CCAMLR to application of the Code is therefore deemed by the committee to be outstanding, practical, tangible and sustainable, as well as catalytic.

Based on nominations reviewed by a Selection Committee, the Award winner is chosen by a Committee consisting of the members of the Bureau of the FAO Committee on Fisheries (i.e. the Chairperson, the first Vice-Chairperson and the five other Vice-Chairpersons of the Committee), the Assistant Director-General, Fisheries and Aquaculture Department, and the Director-General, acting as Chairman of the Selection Committee.

The CCAMLR Secretariat congratulates all Members for this prestigious award which recognises their combined and sustained efforts in the conservation of marine living resources. A representative of CCAMLR will accept the award at a ceremony to be held in Rome later this year.

Draft NSW Marine Estate Threat And Risk Assessment Report Released

18 Jan 2017: Media Release - NSW DPI
The Marine Estate Management Authority has released the draft statewide Threat and Risk Assessment (TARA) Report for the NSW marine estate.
Authority Chair Dr Wendy Craik said the draft report summarises the first statewide evidence-based assessment of the threats to the social and economic benefits of the marine estate and the environmental assets that support them.

“The draft TARA report has been developed based on the best available scientific evidence and advice from experts, stakeholders and the community,” she said.

Dr Craik said the NSW community had helped identify the social and economic benefits our estuaries and coastline provide, and the importance of the environmental assets that underpin them, during a statewide survey in 2014.

“These benefits include recreational pursuits such as swimming or surfing at the beach, boating, fishing, and commercial and tourism opportunities such as shipping, commercial and charter fishing, SCUBA diving and others,” she said.

“Community members and stakeholders now have an opportunity to provide feedback on the draft report, which highlights potential threats to these benefits and the marine estate’s environmental assets.”

Dr Craik said short videos and an interactive tool are being provided to facilitate community feedback and discussion by presenting the report results in a user-friendly way.

“We are committed to managing our marine estate for the benefit of the community, and this report and the process is designed to support and encourage participation,” she said.

The final report will inform the ongoing management of the NSW marine estate through the drafting of a new 10-year Marine Estate Management Strategy.

It will also be considered in the creation of new management plans, starting with the Solitary Islands and Batemans Marine Parks.

The draft TARA report includes revised findings for the Hawkesbury Shelf marine bioregion, now called the ‘Central Region’.

The draft report delivers on a key commitment of the NSW Government, to provide evidence-based management of the NSW marine estate, and is a requirement of the Marine Estate Management Act 2014.

More information

The public comment period closes on Friday, 31 March 2017. Key marine estate stakeholders will be invited to participate in a series of workshops to be held along the coast in February and March

Environment Panel Advisory Paper For The Greater Sydney Commission

18 January 2017: National Trust (NSW)
Did you know that 99.94% of heritage conservation areas and 93.7% of buildings and gardens in NSW are currently unprotected from demolition.
Only items and areas listed on the NSW State Register are protected from demolition.

Heritage – it’s what you think of when you think of home. 
It’s the places, objects and views that you show your friends when they visit. It’s the things we value and want to keep for future generations.

If Heritage matters to you, visit http://bit.ly/NSWPlanning to download the Environment Panel Advisory Paper prepared by 18 consulting partners for the Greater Sydney Commission.

This independent Advisory Paper reflects the position of the Environment Panel established by the Greater Sydney Commission (GSC) and Total Environment Centre. The Panel is comprised of peak community, professional and academic organisations from a wide range of fields with an interest in a sustainable and liveable city.

These organisations appreciate the opportunity to be involved in helping articulate the community’s voice on the importance of the environment in metro and district planning and utilised science and planning research and practice to inform its considerations.

Panel members believe that the natural, heritage and local character environments of Sydney have not been given an adequate level of consideration in previous planning processes. In particular the lack of recognition of the multiple economic and social benefits provided by ecological services.

Panel members are also of the view that the creation of the GSC, with its unique structure of three Environment, Social and Economic Commissioners, underpinned by meaningful community consultation, and research offers an opportunity to remedy this situation.

The Paper aims to provide a key document to assist in benchmarking the draft District Plans, which will guide the future sustainable development and environmental management of Sydney. It provides strategic information and advice about the key environmental issues which Sydney faces, recognising the diversity of social and economic values associated with these issues, and provides suggested metrics by which to assess and review their outcomes over time.

These issues need to be considered at building, district and regional levels, when the planning policies and instruments, that will regulate new development, infrastructure projects and the retrofitting of the existing urban fabric are developed. The cumulative impacts of individual actions in relation to these issues must also be accounted for.

We understand this Paper is not the only input to the development of Sydney’s future planning and the direction towards ecologically sustainable development over a 20 year timeframe. However given the GSC’s principal objectives, of enabling environmental and social sustainability, we envisage the complementary involvement of other participants and contributions.

We look forward to an effective and forward looking result that achieves liveability and sustainability, as well as productivity. The Panel is available to continue to assist.


The document was prepared by the following Consulting Partners:

Sydney Peri-Urban Network (SPUN)
100 Resilient Cities
The National Trust of Australia (NSW)
CRC Low Carbon Living Ltd, University of NSW
Committee for Sydney
Sydney Coastal Councils Group Inc
202020
National Parks Association of NSW
Nature Conservation Council
Youth Action
Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA NSW)
Sydney Institute Marine Science, (SIMS)
Environmental Defenders Office NSW
Better Planning Network
Stormwater NSW
Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA)
Institute of Sustainable Futures
Total Environment Centre

Ensuring The Long-Term Sustainability Of South Pacific Regional Fisheries

19 January 2017: Media release from Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, The Hon. Anne Ruston
Australia is hosting around 150 international delegates for the fifth Commission Meeting of the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (SPRFMO), which continues today in Adelaide.

In welcoming delegates to the meeting, Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, Anne Ruston, said the occasion provided an opportunity to engage with delegations to discuss the continued management of SPRFMO fisheries resources, which are adjacent to Australia’s exclusive economic zone and reach to the coast of Chile and Peru.

“Australia works to ensure that our domestic fisheries management practices support the principles of economic development and environmental sustainability,” Minister Ruston said.

“Our commitment to establishing and maintaining responsible domestic fishing practices and policy also extends to our participation in international forums where we hope to achieve similar outcomes for those shared fishing resources.”

Concluding on 22 January, the meeting will focus on improving the management and reporting in this fishery for the benefit of all Members and our industry. Australia will also co-sponsor a proposal with Chile and New Zealand concerning improvements to vessel monitoring system requirements, which will help provide a key tool for combatting illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.

Minister Ruston said the work of SPRFMO is vital in ensuring fisheries resources in the South Pacific Ocean are managed sustainably and that any threats to this progress – such as illegal fishing – are met with ongoing vigilance and cooperation.

“Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing poses a key risk to undermine the hard work and objectives of regional fisheries management organisations,” Minister Ruston said.

“There has been a significant reduction in this illegal fishing activity in the Southern Ocean and other areas where a concerted effort has been made to combat offending vessels.

“The government is committed to combatting illegal fishing and I am delighted that this issue is receiving increasing global attention and action.”

National Trust Australia (NSW) Can Help Bring Birds To Your Backyards


Male Superb Fairy Wren calling out.. 
Booderee National Park, NSW
(16-Jan-2017) by Colin Silk

We're in awe of this 'superb' photograph of a male Superb Fairy Wren calling out taken by talented photographer, Colin Silk in Booderee National Park, NSW a few days ago.

If you'd like to welcome more birds to your property, the National Trust Australia (NSW) Bushland Management team offers a range of services to both public and private landowners in the Greater Sydney region.

We offer the knowledge and expertise to implement best practice in restoration and bush management and to assist in the management of conservation of bushland and biodiversity. 

Visit our website to volunteer or contact the National Trust BMS team http://bit.ly/BMSNTNSW 

Investigating The Hidden Depths Of East Antarctica

18 January 2017
Geoscience Australia marine geoscientist Dr Alix Post is heading to Antarctica aboard the Marine National Facility research vessel, the RV Investigator to further her work on the unique marine biodiversity of the Antarctic seafloor.


Geoscience Australia's Dr Alix Post has just set off on a two month voyage to explore the icy waters of East Antarctica

With an international team of scientists from Australia, Spain, Italy and America, the two month voyage is the RV Investigator's first trip to Antarctica, and will focus on the relatively under-explored area offshore of the Totten Glacier, the largest glacier in East Antarctica.

Dr Post's previous work in the area has already demonstrated that there is an amazing diversity of life on the seafloor, with the latest voyage aiming to build further understanding of this unique seabed environment.

The voyage aims to better understand the environmental history of the area, in particular, the response of the Totten Glacier to past climate cycles. Recent analysis indicates that the ice is thinning, and this melting has the potential to contribute to global sea-level rise by up to 3.5 metres.

A range of geophysical data and seafloor images, including seismic profiles and multibeam bathymetry, will be collected to help predict the nature and distribution of biological communities. Understanding the depth, shape and sediment characteristics of the seafloor is particularly important for characterising seabed habitats, and will help scientists to understand past and potential future changes in this system.

The significant biological value of these habitats has already been recognised by its inclusion in the proposed network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) for East Antarctica, now under consideration by theCommission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources(CCAMLR). The proposed MPAs contain a diverse array of seafloor habitats and if established would aim to protect a variety of ecological communities representative of the East Antarctic region.

Further information:

New Approach For Assessing The Social Impacts Of Mining

08.12.2016: Ministerial Media Release  - The Hon. Rob Stokes MP, Minister for Planning
The assessment of the social impacts of mining projects will be strengthened following the exhibition of draft social impact assessment guidelines.

The guidelines have been developed to improve the quality and utility of social impact assessments, which in turn will drive better project design and provide greater certainty to local communities and proponents.

Examples of positive social impacts may include increased employment opportunities and support for local businesses and organisations, whilst examples of negative social impacts may include community dislocation and amenity loss.

Planning Minister Rob Stokes said the new guidelines reflect the important principle that people are at the heart of planning decisions.

“It’s critical that impacts on communities are thoroughly considered and addressed in the assessment of mining projects,” Mr Stokes said.

“These guidelines will support consistency and fairness in decision making, while driving greater accountability and transparency with respect to the social impacts.”

The draft guidelines have been informed by:
  • meetings with local groups in eight locations across rural, regional and remote NSW;
  • advice on current leading practice from the University of Queensland’s Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining, a respected leader in the field of social impact assessment; and
  • consultation with peak community, environment, industry, local government and Aboriginal groups via the Department of Planning and Environment’s Resources Advisory Forum.
The draft guidelines have been released for an extended public exhibition and submission period of 12 weeks from 8 December 2016 until 3 March 2017. The Department will also conduct community workshops and stakeholder briefing sessions.

To view the draft guidelines or to make a submission, please visithttp://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/Policy-and-Legislation/Social-Impact-Assessment.

Invitation To Nominate Significant Places To The National Heritage List

Media release - The Hon. Josh Frydenberg MP, Minister for the Environment and Energy
All Australians are invited to nominate places of exceptional natural, Indigenous, or historic significance to the nation for possible inclusion in the National Heritage List.

Nominations are now open for the 2017-18 assessment period and all Australians are welcome to recommend a place that contributes to our national story.

The National Heritage List celebrates and protects places of outstanding heritage value to all Australians. It reflects the story of our development as a nation, our spirit and ingenuity, and our unique, living landscapes.

There are 107 sites in the National Heritage List, from well-known places such as Uluru and the Sydney Opera House to lesser-known but equally important sites such as the Dinosaur Stampede National Monument in Queensland or the Bonegilla Migrant Camp in Victoria.

Listed places are protected under the Australian Government’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and approval must be obtained before taking any action to ensure there is no significant impact on the national heritage values of the place.

Nominations for the National Heritage List should set out the qualities or values of the place that make it outstanding to the nation by indicating how it meets one or more of the heritage criteria. It is also important to ensure that the nomination is supported by all owners and occupiers and Indigenous people with rights or interests.

After consideration of all the places nominated and advice from the Australian Heritage Council on them the Government will decide on a final list of places for the Council to assess.  

The Australian Heritage Council will invite public comment on the places under assessment and consult extensively with everyone interested in the place, particularly owners and occupiers and Indigenous people with rights or interests.

Everyone is encouraged to get involved in this process and nominate places of outstanding significance to our nation.

The nomination period for the National Heritage List opens today (13 December 2016) and closes on 17 February 2017. For more information visit www.environment.gov.au/heritage/places/nominating-heritage-place



Have Your Say On A Modification To The Bulk Liquids Storage Facility At Port Botany

13.12.2016: Departmental Media Release - Department of Planning and Environment
A proposal by Vopak Terminals Pty Ltd to modify its bulk liquids storage facility at Port Botany will be on exhibition from today for community consultation.

The Department of Planning and Environment is keen to hear the community’s views on the proposal located at 1-9 and 20 Friendship Road, which seeks to increase the annual product throughput capacity at the facility from 3,950 Mega Litres (ML) to 7,800 ML and includes the following works at the site: 
  • construction of a new access road and driveway
  • construction of four new road tanker bays, driver amenities building and extension to existing warehouse
  • upgrade to the vapour recovery unit
  • installation of additional transfer pumps and pipelines and associated infrastructure.
A spokesperson for the Department of Planning and Environment said the local community always has an opportunity to share their views.

“Community consultation is an integral part of the planning process and the applicant will have to respond to the feedback we receive,” the spokesperson said.

“This feedback is taken into consideration as part of the assessment.
 
“It’s easy to participate by going online and we encourage everyone to take a look and have their say.” 

To make a submission or view the Modification Application and accompanying documents, visit www.majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au. 

Submissions can be made from Wednesday 14 December 2016 until Tuesday 14 February 2017.

People wishing to make a submission are encouraged to use the online form if possible. 


Written submissions can also be made to: 
Department of Planning and Environment
Attn: Director – Industry Assessments
GPO Box 39 
Sydney NSW 2001 

The Modification Application and accompanying documents are also available to view in person at: 
Department of Planning and Environment: Information Centre, Level 22, 320 Pitt Street, Sydney
Randwick City Council: Administration Building & Customer Service Centre, 30 Frances Street, Randwick
Eastgardens Library: 152 Bunnerong Road, Eastgardens.

Fuelling The Inspiration Of Australia’s Next Generation Of Technologists

Monday 16 January 2017 Media Release - Senator the Hon Simon Birmingham, Minister for Education and Training
More than 60 students from across Australia will converge on Macquarie University in Sydney today to kick off an advanced digital technology summer school backed by the Turnbull Government.
 
Federal Member for Gilmore Ann Sudmalis representing the Education and Training Minister for the launch said the digIT summer schools would receive $1 million through the National Innovation and Science Agenda to inspire students to follow their passion for digital technology studies.
 
“Many of the 60 students doing the inaugural digIT summer school come from regional, rural and disadvantaged backgrounds,” Ms Sudmalis said.
 
“These students are some of the brightest and most passionate technologists in Australia and the Turnbull Government’s funding for digIT will help students take their skills to the next level.
 
“These students have a proven passion for technology and they’re making Australia’s National Innovation and Science Agenda a reality. digIT will expand their critical thinking, programming and problem-solving skills – skills that will be vital for Australia’s future successes.
 
“Programs like digIT are critical for this and future generations of students because employment trends show that 75 per cent of Australia’s fastest growing careers demand skills in digital literacy, science, technology, engineering or mathematics.
 
Minister for Education and Training Simon Birmingham said the students would follow up their four-day residential summer school with a six-month program that includes another residential camp and professional mentoring.
 
“By fostering the skills and passion of these students through the digIT summer schools, residential camp and professional mentoring we expect those students will take what they’ve learned back to their classrooms to inspire and challenge their peers,” Minister Birmingham said.
 
“With the help of the Australian Mathematics Trust and Australian Science Innovations, digIT will run a hands-on extension and mentoring program to expose students to all aspects of technology through guest lectures, interactive sessions, practicals and field trips.
 
“Longer-term, digIT will help students build a network of new friends from all walks of life, learn from role models and practise new skills.”
 
Subsequent digIT summer schools will be held in a different capital city each year. They are open to secondary students from around Australia.
 

Inaugural Farm Safety Student Video Competition: What’s Your Farm Safety Story?

Issued by Australian Government  - Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation
Do you live on a farm? Is your family on a property? Are you working on a farm, or interested in a future in agriculture? Completing studies in the rural sector? Have a creative eye and a farm safety story to tell?

The Primary Industries Health and Safety Partnership (PIHSP) invites high school and university or agriculture college students aged between 13 and 21 to create and submit a video about an element of farm safety.

The competition aims to raise awareness about farm safety in agriculture’s next generation, using the words (and vision!) of 13 to 21 year old’s to encourage better safety behaviour among their peers, families and Australia’s broader farming sector.

The video clip can be about a personal experience, something close to your heart … or about something you’ve seen or heard about that you want to create some awareness around.

Does it annoy you that your brother never wears a helmet when he musters on the motorbike? Have you jumped in the back of a ute without thinking – and had a near miss? Did your friends ignore the floodway markers and try to drive through anyway?

Chairman of the PIHSP Advisory Panel, Patrick Murphy, said the judging panel wants to see video clips that will make the younger generation think twice about their actions and be safer on farm.

“When it comes to farm safety and ensuring the message cuts through with young people, there’s no better way to get that message across than by delivering it with the voices of their peers,” Mr Murphy said.

“This is the first time PIHSP has embarked on a video competition and we’re confident that it’s a great way to continue the conversation around farm safety, and to gain a better perspective of what’s important to the next generation of the agricultural sector.”

All videos will be judged on the following criteria:

Impact of message about farm safety
Public benefit
Research
Creativity
Originality
Your reasons for wanting to promote farm safety in Australia
The winning entry from each category (high school and tertiary) will be awarded a $1,000 cash prize, and the second best entry from each category will be awarded $500 each. The videos will be uploaded to the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation YouTube site, as well as other social media avenues.

Entries open on Monday, 16 January 2017 and close Tuesday, 18 April 2017.
Winners will be announced Friday, 28 April 2017.

For Terms & Conditions and Application Forms, please visit: www.rirdc.gov.au/pihsp

Remember: we want to see video clips that will make younger people think twice about their actions and be safer on farm! BUT you must not engage in dangerous activity to get this message across!

The goal of the Primary Industries Health and Safety Partnership is to improve the health and safety of workers and their families in farming industries across Australia. It is funded by the Cotton, Grains and Rural Industries Research and Development Corporations, as well as the Australian Meat Processor Corporation and Meat & Livestock Australia.

Head On Photo Awards Now Open For Entries!

Head On Foundation invites photographers, creatives, amateurs and enthusiasts to enter the Head On Photo Awards 2017. The prize pool is worth $50,000 in cash, equipment and software from a variety of industry leaders.
 
All finalists will be exhibited in Head On Photo Festival 2017, Australia’s premier event of its kind and one of the world’s leading photo festivals.
Entries Close: Sunday 26 February 2017, 11pm (AEDT)

Head On Portrait Prize
Open internationally. Finalists to be exhibited at Museum of Sydney.

Head On Mobile Prize
Open internationally. Finalists to be exhibited at Museum of Sydney.

Head On Landscape Prize
Including NSW Parliament Landscape Photography Prize.
Open internationally. Finalists to be exhibited at NSW Parliament House.

Head On Student Prize
Open to Australian school-age students (K-12). Finalists will be exhibited at Museum of Sydney and at #LitFest2444 in Port Macquarie.

Education Minister Urges Uni Students To Research Options As Completion Rates Dip

Wednesday 18 January 2017: Media Release - Senator the Hon Simon Birmingham, Minister for Education and Training
The Federal Education and Training Minister has urged students to research where they choose to study if they plan to go to university, as the Turnbull Government today released new data showing university student completion rates have dipped slightly.

Minister for Education and Training Simon Birmingham said he encouraged the thousands of prospective uni students being made offers this week to take advantage of all the information and tools the Turnbull Government offers to help students “make the right choice, first time” about which universities and courses would help them pursue their dreams.

“Around one in three Australian uni students don’t complete their studies within six years and a key way to boost those numbers is for students to know exactly what they’re signing up for,” Minister Birmingham said.

“We’ve heard too many stories about students who have changed courses, dropped out because they made the wrong choices about what to study, students who didn’t realise there were other entry pathways or who started a course with next to no idea of what they were signing themselves up for.

“To the thousands of students anxiously checking emails, text messages, newspapers and mail boxes this week to learn what your future study options might be, I urge you to take your time to understand those options.

“Students should be looking for feedback on the reputation of the university they want to attend, how well-known they are for particular courses, how satisfied current students are with the resources and teachers on offer and the employment outcomes of graduates from those universities and courses.

“To make university information easily accessible the Turnbull Government has also committed an additional $8.1 million to the popular Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching (QILT) website that details all those helpful indicators about university performance.

“QILT is a one-stop shop for students to better understand the university and course options that will help them pick the right courses to land a job or develop skills that will help them after they graduate.”

Minister Birmingham said empowering students was one way the Turnbull Government was helping students make the right study choices and that QILT complemented university entry transparency reforms announced late last year.

"While there will always be a number of students who don't complete university for a variety of reasons, our ambition to protect both students and taxpayers from a waste of time and money is to keep this number as low as practical,” Minister Birmingham said.

"Following on from our review of enrolment practices, which we are implementing, I have also asked the Higher Education Standards Panel to review attrition and completion rates, to consider what further reforms are required to help lift student success.

“The Turnbull Government is working with the higher education sector to rollout reforms that put the onus on universities and higher education providers to present comparable information that is easily understood to prospective students.

“We’re making university entry systems more transparent with better defined ATAR thresholds and clearer data on student experiences, outcomes and employment prospects so prospective students and their families have the information they need to match their interests and ambitions with their abilities and needs for their future studies.

“Australians expect full-disclosure from universities so they can make informed choices and the Turnbull Government is working hard to ensure consistent and clear data and information is easily available.

“I hope students getting offers this week get their first preference for where and what to study and I wish them all the best. However, they should also keep in mind that it's not too late to change their mind, should they wish to do so after appropriate research and consideration. With the university and course information we’re delivering and the reforms we’re implementing, we’re setting students up for future success from better informed choices.”

The Completion Rates of Higher Education Students - Cohort Analysis, 2005-2014 report will be available at  http://education.gov.au/completion-rates-cohort-analyses

Huonville High School - 2017 Global High Schools (Oceania) Category Winner

Published on 16 Jan 2017: by Zayed Future Energy Prize
Huonville High School, Tasmania, has won the Zayed Future Energy Prize in the Global High Schools category, Oceania region, at the annual awards ceremony in Abu Dhabi on Monday, 16 January.

Huonville High School was awarded the Zayed Future Energy Prize for incorporating solar, wind, pedal power systems, waste conversion technology and energy audit training into their submitted project proposal. Funds from the award will help raise the renewable energy generating capacity of the school to 60 percent, up from its current level of two and a half percent. Additionally, the school plans to develop the ‘Zayed Energy Hub,’ a laboratory run entirely on renewable energy, to demonstrate how solar, battery storage, insulation models, pellet heating, LED lighting, and data management work at the practical level.

Huonville High School is a co-educational comprehensive school offering secondary and senior-secondary education for students in Grades 7 to 12. It has 465 students and 35 teaching staff.

 It sits in an agricultural region of Tasmania in the rural municipality of the Huon Valley and lies 42 kilometres south of Hobart. Six primary schools feed into this high school. Huonville High School aims to be a renewable energy centre of innovation, utilising solar, wind, pedal power systems, waste conversion technology and energy auditing training.

Next Generation Geoscientists Help Solve Real-World Problems

13 January 2017
High-performing Year 11 and 12 students from across Australia will visit Geoscience Australia throughout January, offering a unique hands-on science experience to some of Australia's best and brightest science students.

Geoscience Australia's acting CEO, Dr Andy Barnicoat welcomed the students and explained that Earth science is a very diverse field with many opportunities to offer.

"By studying subjects such as geology, environmental systems, maths, chemistry, physics, computing and engineering, you have the potential to help solve some of Australia's major geoscience challenges. This is includes helping to unlock the secrets of Australia's ancient mineral systems, managing Australia's precious water resources and finding better ways to manage the impact of natural hazards."

During the 2017 National Youth Science Forum visits, students will carry out practical science scenarios to find and analyse a hidden heavy mineral sands deposit. They will work in teams to complete a magnetic survey, use laboratory equipment to separate out the minerals found, and then run a detailed data analysis of their samples.

"By challenging these students with real-world problems, they can experience the excitement and importance of scientific discovery," said Shona Blewett, coordinator of Geoscience Australia's Education Centre.

"There are some incredible career opportunities available in the Earth sciences, and we hope these students will further engage in science and ultimately follow a career in the geosciences."

Geoscience Australia will also host a visit from the top-performing Earth and Environmental Science students attending the Australian Science Olympiad Summer School. High-achieving students attend the summer school, and those who perform well in final selection exams, earn a spot on the Earth and Environmental Science Australian Olympiad team and will go on to compete at the 2017 International Earth Science Olympiad in Côte d'Azur, France in August.

And to support the teachers that inspire and extend these students, Geoscience Australia will also host several professional development workshops for Primary and Secondary teachers throughout January. This includes welcoming the Australian Science Teachers Association's STEM X Academyprogram being held in Canberra from 8-13 January, and the National Youth Science Forum summer school for teachers.


Students weighing mineral samples during their visit to Geoscience Australia.

Aarhus 2018 Qualification System Released

Monday 16 January 2017
Issued on behalf of World Sailing

The qualification system for the 2018 Sailing World Championships set to be held in Aarhus, Denmark from 30 July to 12 August 2018 has been released.


The Sailing World Championships are held every four years and is the largest gathering of Olympic class sailors. At the 2014 edition in Santander, Spain, more than 1,100 sailors from 82 nations attended with hundreds of thousands of spectators taking to the promenade and spectator dune.
 
Aarhus 2018 is the first and most significant qualification event for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games with 40% of the nation quotas places available across the ten Olympic events.
 
Second only to the Olympic Games, the 2018 Worlds, organised in collaboration between World Sailing, Dansk Sejlunion, Sailing Aarhus, Sport Event Denmark and the City of Aarhus aims to become a record breaker. More than 100 nations are predicted to compete in the 2017 European City of Culture with new standards to be set for both sailors and spectators.
 
Aarhus 2018 will also see Men's and Women's Kiteboarding introduced into the championships for the first time.
 
Alastair Fox, Director of Events at World Sailing commented, "Excellent progress continues to be made by the Aarhus 2018 Organising Committee and the local authorities. The team have set ambitious targets that will make the championships memorable not only for the attending sailors but also to spectators and those following the event around the world.
 
"The qualification system for the Aarhus 2018 Worlds offers every World Sailing Member National Authority one entry per event. This will enable Aarhus 2018 to attract a record number of nations.”
 
Klaus Natorp, Head of Aarhus 2018 Sailing World Championships added, "All four partners behind the event: The City of Aarhus, Sport Event Denmark, The Danish Sailing Association and Sailing Aarhus are setting all sails in their efforts to make the Aarhus 2018 Sailing World Championships a truly memorable event that will combine world class sailing and a maritime festival for thousands of sailors and spectators.
 
"Our teams of volunteers are fully engaged in their training and education programme and they are showing great enthusiasm and professionalism which reflect Denmark's long track record of executing world class sailing events.
 
"It will be fantastic to host teams from up to 100 different nations and share the celebration of the city's return to the sea with the brand new sailing centre at the tip of the urban development of the docklands of Aarhus.”
 
More on Aarhus 2018 at http://www.aarhus2018.com/

By Daniel Smith - World Sailing

Canberra Local Start-Up Quizling Makes International Finalist

16/01/2017: Media Release
The Royal Australian Mint (the Mint) extends its congratulations to Canberra-based education technology start-up Quizling on being selected as a finalist to participate in the 2017 SXSWedu Conference and Festival in Austin, Texas.

Quizling, a mobile application allowing users to create and play educational quizzes, has worked closely with the Mint over the past 15 months. The Mint invested as Quizling’s inaugural innovation partner in 2015, immediately embracing the app’s potential to take educational and cultural messages to a nationwide audience.

Acting Royal Australian Mint Chief Executive Officer Mr Sam Murthi said it is pleasing to see Quizling as the first Australian company to pitch at the SXSWedu Launch competition in Austin, Texas this March.

“On behalf of the Royal Australian Mint, I would like to congratulate Quizling for making it as a finalist in this international area and being recognised for the work it has done in connecting learners of all ages.” said Mr Murthi.

“The Mint saw the potential of this innovative education tech start-up over a year ago and it has proven to be an effective tool, helping to reach classrooms and coin buffs across the country.”

“There is no questioning the power of using digital technology to engage today’s learners and we look forward to engaging more school kids, visitors and collectors this year with Quizling.”

Since coming on board as an innovative partner, the Mint has utilised the Quizling app to release quizzes on topics that are both curriculum-linked and related to historical artefacts held in the National Coin Collection, garnering great interest through social media channels around Australia and internationally.

SXSWedu Launch competition showcases innovations in education with a fast-paced, live startup competition. The ten finalists will pitch and receive significant exposure to the SXSWedu community of around 14 000 potential investors, partners, and fellow edtech entrepreneurs. The sixth annual launch competition will take place at SXSWedu, March 6-9, 2017 in Austin, Texas. 

You can find more information here: http://www.sxswedu.com/launch
For further information on Quizling: https://www.ramint.gov.au/quizling

Australian Telescope Project Helps Unlock History And Secrets Of The Universe

16 January 2017
One of the world’s most powerful radio telescopes, based in the Western Australian outback, has begun processing mind-boggling amounts of data which will help scientists explore the secrets and history of the Universe.
The antennas of CSIRO’s $188 million Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) telescope are now processing 5.2 terabytes of data per second – the equivalent of around 15 per cent of global internet traffic.
ASKAP is a precursor of the global Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project involving 20 countries, to create the largest and most capable radio telescope ever constructed.

This will help scientists answer some of the most fundamental scientific questions about the origins of the universe, such as:
•How were the first black holes and stars formed?    
• How do galaxies evolve and what is dark energy?
• What generates giant magnetic fields in space?
• Are we alone in the universe?
• Was Einstein’s theory of general relativity right?

Turning data into images used to take weeks of toil but the revolutionary ASKAP technology does it overnight.

Astronomers are using these observations to look for hydrogen gas – the raw material for making stars – in and around galaxies. This is the first step in making a census of hydrogen in galaxies far back in the Universe’s history.

ASKAP is an incredibly exciting project and once again we see CSIRO research and technology leading the world.

Situated 300 kilometres inland from Geraldton at the one of the quietest places on earth, ASKAP is made of 36 identical 12-metre wide dish antennas that all work together, 12 of which are currently in operation.
The telescope’s antennas feature innovative ‘phased array feed’ technology, specialised radio ‘cameras’ that look at a large area of sky at once, developed by CSIRO for ASKAP. 

The phased array feed technology has attracted international interest with CSIRO recently building one under contract for a German institution (the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy) and will supply a second to Jodrell Bank Observatory in the UK.

Until now, CSIRO astronomers had been taking data mainly to test how ASKAP performs. Having shown the telescope’s technical excellence, they have now started to gather data that will be used by international project teams for science.

The telescope data is processed on-site by a special-purpose computer then streamed to the Pawsey Supercomputing Centre in Perth.

The data is then processed by CSIRO-developed software on the Galaxysupercomputer and recorded to disk, at the rate of 956 gigabytes for each 12-hour observation.

Thirty ASKAP antennas have been fitted with phased array feeds with the rest to follow in 2017.



In the second half of 2017, more than 350 astronomers from over 120 institutions will start to use ASKAP for ten major survey science projects.
Data from ASKAP will complement surveys carried out with Australia’s leading optical telescopes, a synergy that gets the best scientific value from all the projects.

For further information on the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder, visit: www.ska.gov.au

Big Breeding Season At Bongil For Endangered Shorebirds

Media release: 18 January 2017 - NPWS
The Bongil Spit at Sawtell has come alive this summer with endangered shorebirds nesting and busily tending to their new born chicks in numbers not seen in the area for years.

National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) Area Manager, Andrew Lugg, said over 30 pairs of endangered and migratory Little Terns nested on the site in Bongil Bongil National Park in comparison to only six last year.

“The Little Tern travels each spring from the northern hemisphere to our beaches to breed and this year’s results have well and truly exceeded expectations,” Mr Lugg said.

“There are about 30 new born chicks and another eight nests yet to hatch,” he said.


Little tern chicks - photo courtesy NSW Office of Environment and Heritage

The site is also an increasingly important breeding site for the endangered and unmistakable Pied Oystercatcher.  

“We recently counted 15 of these striking black and white birds on the Spit, which is phenomenal as these beautiful native shorebirds rarely occur in great numbers,” said Mr Lugg.

“This season four pairs of Pied Oystercatchers have nested on the site, producing five fledglings from eight eggs,” he said.

With only 14 breeding pairs of the critically endangered Beach Stone-curlew estimated to remain in NSW, the recent arrival of one in Bongil is also a good sign management practices are working.

“A young Beach Stone-curlew has been repeatedly sighted and appears to have taken up residence on the sand spit and is often seen mingling with the Pied Oystercatchers,” Mr Lugg said.

Shorebirds are threatened by predators such as foxes, wild dogs and cats, as well as high tides and big seas, which can inundate their nests.

“Each year we try to make the area as safe as possible for the endangered shorebirds by baiting for foxes and wild dogs, trapping feral cats, signposting and fencing off the nesting site and educating the park visitors about the importance and vulnerability of the area,” said Mr Lugg. 

“While the public is very welcome to visit the park and admire these rare birds, we are urging people to observe signposted advice and give plenty of space to any nesting birds,” Mr Lugg said.


The critically endangered Beach Stone-curlew - photo courtesy NSW Office of Environment and Heritage

Bongil Bongil National Park, near Coffs Harbour on the NSW north coast is a great spot for fishing and barbecues, great for a day trip or school excursions. It is also home to a large population of koalas.


CHANGES TO MINISTRY

18 January 2017
Commonwealth Parliamentary Offices, Sydney
Prime Minister

PRIME MINISTER:

Today I am announcing changes to the Ministry that I will be recommending to His Excellency the Governor-General.

I am pleased to announce that Greg Hunt will become the Minister for Health and the Minister for Sport.

Greg has previously served as Minister for the Environment, and Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science.

He has strong policy, analytical and communication skills developed over a very long front bench career.

During his time as the Environment Minister, he demonstrated an ability to grapple with extremely complex policy issues and engage a very diverse range of stakeholders and interest groups, including State and Territory Governments.

He is ideally suited to take on the very important, critically important front line portfolio of health and sport.

Senator Arthur Sinodinos will take over as Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science.

This portfolio is critical to generating the jobs of the future and Senator Sinodinos' extensive public policy experience over many, many years gives him a strong understanding of the key drivers of new sources of economic growth and how government can ensure that its policies deliver the innovation, the investment, the technology that will secure the future for our children and grandchildren.

As Cabinet Secretary, Arthur restored traditional cabinet processes. That being done, he can now turn his talents to a front line portfolio. And the Cabinet Secretary function can return to the Prime Minister's Office as has been the practice of Coalition Governments in the past.

This will reduce the size of the Cabinet by one.

The Special Minister of State, Senator Scott Ryan, will continue to support the work of the Cabinet as Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Cabinet.

There will be other changes to the outer ministry.

Ken Wyatt, who has been the Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care will become the Minister for Aged Care and the Minister for Indigenous Health.

Just as Ken was the first Indigenous person to be elected to the House of Representatives and the first to be appointed to the Executive of the Commonwealth Government, he is now the first Indigenous person appointed to the Commonwealth Ministry.

His extensive knowledge and experience as a senior public servant in Indigenous health, coupled with his work as an Assistant Minister in this portfolio, makes him an ideal Minister for this area.

As senior minister in the health portfolio, Mr Hunt will represent the aged care sector in the Cabinet.

Dr David Gillespie will continue to serve in the portfolio as Assistant Minister for Health.

Michael Sukkar will be appointed as Assistant Minister to the Treasurer.

These changes will further strengthen my Ministry by combining experience and new talent. It is a team that is focused on delivering for all Australians.

The new Ministers will be sworn in by the Governor-General in Canberra on Tuesday.

Appointment As Minister For Health And Sport

18 January 2017: Media Release - The Hon Greg Hunt MP
Health touches the lives of every Australian. It is essential that people can see a doctor when they need to and have medicine when they are not well.

For this reason, I am deeply honoured to take on this new and very important responsibility.

My mother was a nurse. My wife is a nurse. All my life I have witnessed the absolute dedication of Australia’s medical professionals.

I now look forward to working with our excellent nurses, doctors, researchers, and all our healthcare professionals.

Our scientists are recognised as some of the best in the world for their medical breakthroughs. 

I am passionate about turning what is done in the laboratory into better healthcare for patients, and more effectively preventing illness in the first place.

I believe deeply in the importance of Medicare. It is key to Australia’s successful healthcare system.

The Turnbull Government has a rock solid commitment to the fundamental role that Medicare plays in our health system.

Mental health is an issue that is very close to my heart. I want to be a strong advocate for greater understanding and community awareness, and to ensure we have the necessary resources to help deal with this very important issue.

And as a sports fan and sports Dad, I am also thrilled to be working towards getting more Australians, including indigenous Australians, involved in sport.

Our love of sport is quintessentially Australian. Sport improves our health, brings communities together and inspires us.

Lastly, I am pleased to be working with the Hon Ken Wyatt AM and the Hon Dr David Gillespie in their respective roles.

Humble Bee Among Australia's Most Lethal

January 17, 2017: University of Melbourne
An Australian-first national analysis of 13 years' data on bites and stings from venomous creatures reveals Australia's towns and cities are a hot-spot for encounters.

The stereotype-busting research also shows that of all Australia's venomous creatures, it is bees and other insects -- not snakes, spiders, or jellyfish -- that pose the biggest public health threat.

Including fatalities, venomous stings and bites resulted in almost 42,000 hospitalizations over the study period. Bees and wasps were responsible for just over one-third (33%) of hospital admissions, followed by spider bites (30%) and snake bites (15%).

Overall, 64 people were killed by a venomous sting or bite, with more than half of these deaths (34) due to an allergic reaction to an insect bite that caused anaphylactic shock.

Snake bites caused 27 deaths. Importantly, snake bite envenoming caused nearly twice as many deaths per hospital admission than other venomous creatures, making snake bite one of the most important venomous injuries to address.

Bees and wasps killed 27 people, Only one case of a beekeeper and one case of a snake catcher recorded. Tick bites caused three deaths and ant bites another two. And box jellyfish killed three people. There were two unknown insects. No spider bite fatalities were registered.

Public health expert at the Australian Venom Unit at the University of Melbourne, Dr Ronelle Welton, led the study, published in the Internal Medicine Journal. She says she was surprised to find so many deaths and hospitalisations up and down the populated coastal areas of Australia.

"More than half of deaths happened at home, and almost two-thirds (64%) occurred, not in the isolated areas we might expect, but rather, in major cities and inner-regional areas where healthcare is readily accessible," she said.

Researchers believe one of the reasons that anaphylaxis from insect bites and stings has proven deadly may be because people are complacent in seeking medical attention and anaphylaxis can kill quickly.

While three-quarters of snakebite fatalities at least made it to hospital, only 44 per cent of people who died from an allergic reaction to an insect sting got to hospital.

"Perhaps it's because bees are so innocuous that most people don't really fear them in the same way they fear snakes," Dr Welton says. "Without having a previous history of allergy, you might get bitten and although nothing happens the first time, you've still developed an allergic sensitivity."

Western Australia and South Australia were hot spots for stings and bites, and there were no deaths recorded in Tasmania over the decade. Bites and stings were much more likely to occur between April to October.

Dr Welton believes the current national guidelines for prevention and treatment of envenoming is inadequate because we actually know very little about the health burden of venomous creatures.

"From a public health perspective, we can't make informed decisions until we have a much clearer picture about what's going on," she says.

"For example, in South Australia, there are a lot more stings and anaphylaxis from bees. In Queensland there are more snake bites. In Tasmania, their biggest issue is jumper ant anaphylaxis. So the clinical management needs to vary for each state and territory."

Ronelle E Welton, David J Williams, Danny Liew. Injury trends from envenoming in Australia, 2000-2013. Internal Medicine Journal, 2016; DOI: 10.1111/imj.13297

One In Five Young People Lose Sleep Over Social Media

January 16, 2017
1 in 5 young people regularly wake up in the night to send or check messages on social media, according to new research published today in the Journal of Youth Studies. This night-time activity is making teenagers three times more likely to feel constantly tired at school than their peers who do not log on at night, and could be affecting their happiness and wellbeing.

Over 900 pupils, aged between 12-15 years, were recruited and asked to complete a questionnaire about how often they woke up at night to use social media and times of going to bed and waking. They were also asked about how happy they were with various aspects of their life including school life, friendships and appearance.

1 in 5 reported 'almost always' waking up to log on, with girls much more likely to access their social media accounts during the night than boys. Those who woke up to use social media nearly every night, or who didn't wake up at a regular time in the morning, were around three times as likely to say they were constantly tired at school compared to their peers who never log on at night or wake up at the same time every day. Moreover, pupils who said they were always tired at school were, on average, significantly less happy than other young people.

"Our research shows that a small but significant number of children and young people say that they often go to school feeling tired -- and these are the same young people who also have the lowest levels of wellbeing. One in five young people questioned woke up every night and over one third wake-up at least once a week to check for messages. Use of social media appears to be invading the 'sanctuary' of the bedroom." Said author Professor Sally Power, Co-Director (Cardiff) Wales Institute for Social & Economic Research, Data & Methods (WISERD).

The study findings support growing concerns about young people's night-time use of social media. However, because of the complex range of possible explanations for tiredness at school, further larger studies will be needed before any firm conclusions can be made about the social causes and consequences of sleep deprivation among today's youth.

Sally Power, Chris Taylor, Kim Horton. Sleepless in school? The social dimensions of young people’s bedtime rest and routines. Journal of Youth Studies, 2017; 1 DOI: 10.1080/13676261.2016.1273522

Now Drivers Can Hear Ambulances No Matter How Loud Their Music Is Playing

January 16, 2017: KTH The Royal Institute of Technology
If you've ever been startled by the sudden appearance of an ambulance while blasting music in your car, then you appreciate the value of a loud siren. Fortunately, your car is probably equipped already to receive warning signals on its audio system, thanks to a new solution developed by students in Sweden.

In Stockholm, ambulances will soon be piloting a system that interrupts whatever you're listening to -- be it CDs, Bluetooth or the radio -- and broadcasts a voice warning that an emergency vehicle is heading your way.

Developed by students at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, the solution involves a radio transmission from the emergency vehicle to nearby FM tuners that are equipped with Radio Data System (RDS).

The signal is sent over the FM band along with the transmission of a text message that appears in the tuner display, says Florian Curinga, one of three students at KTH who developed the solution -- called EVAM System.

Crashes involving motorists who didn't hear sirens are becoming more common thanks to improvements in sound insulation, Curinga says.

"Often drivers have only a few seconds to react and give way to emergency vehicles," says Curinga's partner, Mikael Erneberg, who also studies industrial engineering at KTH. "The optimal warning time is at least 10 to 15 seconds."

Stockholm will begin testing their system in a limited number of emergency vehicles beginning in Q1 2017. "We want to catch motorists' attention at an early stage, and mitigate stress that impairs road safety," Erneberg says.

As long as the tuner is turned on, a voice message will broadcast on the system. Unlike lights and sirens, the warning system anticipates how far in advance messages need to be heard depending on the speed of local traffic. On a highway, for example, the signal will broadcast earlier than in slow city traffic.

Curinga says that the EVAM System would reach two-thirds of all vehicles on the road, and it can also warn of accidents along the route.

"It fulfills three functions: improving accessibility for first responders, improving road safety and make the working environment in transport better for vulnerable professions," he says.

Materials provided by KTH The Royal Institute of Technology.

Maternal Micronutrients, Nurturing Environment Boost Child Development

January 16, 2017
Mothers who take multi-micronutrient supplements during pregnancy can add the equivalent of up to one full year of schooling to a child's cognitive abilities at age 9-12, says a new study.

Other essential ingredients in the recipe for smarter kids include early life nurturing, happy mums, and educated parents, according to the research conducted in Indonesia.

As well, the study finds that a child's nurturing environment is more strongly correlated than biological factors to brain development and general intellectual ability, declarative memory, procedural memory, executive function, academic achievement, fine motor dexterity, and socio-emotional health.

Funded by the Government of Canada through Grand Challenges Canada's Saving Brains program, the study appears January 16, 2017 in the journal, Lancet Global Health.

The research was conducted by international group of researchers from Indonesia (Summit Institute of Development, the study leader, and the Center for Research on Language and Culture, University of Mataram), the United States (Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the University of California, Davis, and Georgetown University) the United Kingdom (University of Lancaster) and Australia (Deakin University).

Between 2012 and 2014, the researchers tested extensively almost 3,000 Indonesian school children, then 9 to 12 years old, whose mothers had participated in an earlier study into the effects of consuming either multiple micronutrient (MMN) supplements or standard iron-folic acid (IFA) supplements during pregnancy.

In the earlier "Supplementation with Multiple Micronutrients Intervention Trial" (SUMMIT), conducted between 2001 and 2004, half of the 31,290 participating Indonesian mothers consumed MMN supplements; the other half received IFA supplements. The MMN supplements were similar to the pre-natal multivitamin supplements consumed by many women in Canada, the United States, and other countries during pregnancy.

The latest follow-up study revealed impressive long-term benefits to children whose mothers took MMN supplements, including better "procedural memory" equivalent to the increase in score typical after an additional half-year of schooling.

The procedural memory is tied to the learning of new skills and the processing of established perceptual, motor, and cognitive skills. Procedural memory is important for a child's academic performance and daily life, and is tied to activities such as driving, typing, reading, arithmetic, reading, speaking and understanding language, and learning sequences, rules, and categories.

Children of anemic mothers in the MMN group scored substantially higher in general intellectual ability, a difference comparable to the increase associated with an additional full year of schooling.

What further impressed and surprised the researchers: The strength of the relationship between cognitive abilities and early life social and environmental conditions.

Biological factors such as maternal nutritional status during pregnancy, low infant birth weight, premature birth, poor infant physical growth and nutritional status at follow-up were not as strongly linked to cognitive ability as the socio-environmental factors assessed during the study: home environment, maternal depression, parental education and socio-economic status.

This suggests that current public health programs focused only on biological factors may not sufficiently enhance child cognition, and that programs addressing socio-environmental factors are essential to achieve thriving populations, according to the study.

In Indonesia's West Nusa Tenggara province, where the study was carried out, officials are already taking action in light of the research results.

Says Provincial Secretary General Dr. Rosiady Sayuti: "The findings led us to create, with the Summit Institute of Development and colleagues, the inter-sectoral Golden Generation Program to enhance social interventions to foster early childhood development."

Adds Dr. Nurhandini Eka Dewi, Head of the Provincial Health Office of West Nusa Tenggara: "We are procuring multiple micronutrients and scaling-up the Golden Generation Program for family nurturing. These will inform efforts to scale the work nationally."

Elizabeth L Prado, Susy K Sebayang, Mandri Apriatni, Siti R Adawiyah, Nina Hidayati, Ayuniarti Islamiyah, Sudirman Siddiq, Benyamin Harefa, Jarrad Lum, Katherine J Alcock, Michael T Ullman, Husni Muadz, Anuraj H Shankar. Maternal multiple micronutrient supplementation and other biomedical and socioenvironmental influences on children's cognition at age 9–12 years in Indonesia: follow-up of the SUMMIT randomised trial. The Lancet Global Health, 2017; 5 (2): e217 DOI: 10.1016/S2214-109X(16)30354-0

Bega Cheese To Acquire One Of Australia's Most Iconic Food Brands

January 19, 2017
Vegemite will be Australian-owned once again after Bega Cheese agreed to buy the iconic spread and other well-known brands for $460 million.

Bega said today it will acquire Vegemite, ZoOSh mayonnaise and Bonox under the deal to buy most of Mondelez International’s Australia and New Zealand grocery and cheese business.

“The wonderful heritage and values that Vegemite represents and its importance to Australian culture makes its combination with Bega Cheese truly exciting,” Bega executive chairman Barry Irvin said in a statement.

“In addition to Vegemite and the other brands being undeniably iconic, the people we are taking on are very impressive and will play an important role in growing the merged business.”

Bega will also get the right to use the Kraft brand under licence for products including peanut butter, nut spreads, processed cheese slices, parmesan and others, as well as Mondelez’s Port Melbourne site.

Superannuation Funds To Start Disclosing Subplan Information On Websites From 1 July 2017

Thursday 19 January 2017
ASIC has written to trustees of superannuation funds with employer subplans reminding them of the requirement to publicly disclose transparency information for those subplans from 1 July 2017.

The requirement to report this information follows the expiry of transitional interim relief  on 30 June 2017 (refer 16-130MR Further update on Stronger Super regime and ASIC Class Order [CO 14/509]).

Under the interim relief, which has been available since 1 July 2013, trustees do not have to publish certain documents, or can redact information from documents, where the document or information relates solely to a standard employer subplan. The documents include the trust deed, governing rules, actuarial report for a defined benefit fund, product disclosure statement, annual report and summary of each significant event notice in the previous two years.

From 1 July 2017, trustees must make all transparency information available, even where it relates to a subplan but can still redact information that is personal to a beneficiary or former beneficiary of the fund.

Transparency information, including that relating to subplans, is intended to increase superannuation trustees and funds’ transparency and accountability to the wider market. Interested members may also use it and so contribute to industry accountability.


Background
Section 29QB Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993 requires the trustee of a superannuation fund to make certain information (transparency information) publicly available on the fund's website and keep it up to date.

Transparency information is prescribed by regulations 2.37 and 2.38 of the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Regulations 1994 and includes information about executive officers’ remuneration and trustee governance. It also includes documents such as product disclosure statements, annual reports, trust deeds and governing rules, actuarial reports and significant event notices.

Regulatory Guide 252 Keeping superannuation websites up to dateexplains how remuneration and other information on superannuation websites may be kept up to date under s29QB of the Supervision Industry (Supervision) Act 1993 (SIS Act).

Australia Post Celebrates The Year Of The Rooster

9th January 2017
To celebrate the Year of the Rooster, 28 January 2017 to 15 February 2018, Australia Post is releasing two Lunar New Year stamps.

As the tenth sign in the Chinese Zodiac, the Rooster symbolises confidence, resourcefulness, courage and persistence.


$1 - Christmas Island Lunar New Year - Year of the Rooster, 2017
Creating this year's Lunar New Year range in line with traditional Chinese design and customs, Australia Post Philatelic Manager Michael Zsolt said the products, including a postcard, give everyone an opportunity to send wishes of good fortune and health to family and friends, both here and overseas.

Completing her tenth stamp issue in the Lunar New Year series of twelve, Hong Kong-born Dani Poon said she used paper cut motifs, a popular form of Chinese art, to represent the Rooster in the $1 stamp. The Chinese calligraphic character for the Rooster is shown in the $3 stamp.

"The Chinese assign the Rooster as a proverbial mascot to the five virtues – civil responsibility, marital fidelity, courage, kindness and confidence. Those qualities are illustrated in the minisheet story – the Rooster coaxes the fearful hidden sun out from her hiding place. The puffed-up chest of the Rooster in the $1 stamp sums up the Rooster's positive personalities. The Rooster is also traditionally related to the chasing away of evil spirits, by calling the sun out and bringing the light to life," Dani said.

Famous people born in the Year of the Rooster include Britney Spears, Cate Blanchett and former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.

A highlight of this stamp issue is a special silk minisheet pack, finished with purple foil detailing and where one of the three sheets in the pack is printed on silk. A 24 carat gold Year of the Rooster minisheet in a presentation case is also a highly collectable part of the range.

Collectors and those celebrating the Chinese New Year will be interested in a limited edition (8,888) Chinese New Year Dragon postal and numismatic cover featuring a $1 Perth Mint coloured coin.

Other products associated with this stamp issue are a minisheet, zodiac sheetlet, first day cover, stamp pack, postcard, prestige booklet, customisable $1 stamp in the Personalised Stamps™ range, gutter strip of 10 x $1 stamps with design, domestic and international postage paid envelopes and a Lunar New Year of the Rooster postal and numismatic cover.

The Christmas Island Lunar New Year: Year of the Rooster 2017 stamp issue is available from 10 January 2017 at participating Post Offices, via mail order on 1800 331 794 and online at auspost.com.au/stamps while stocks last. Personalised Stamps™ can be ordered atauspost.com.au/pstamps. The Christmas Island Lunar New Year: Year of the Rooster 2017 stamps are valid for postage in Australia.

For an interview with designer Dani Poon, visit the Australia Post Collectables website auspostcollectables.com.au. The Australia Post Collectables website is a central resource for stamp collectors and philatelic enthusiasts across the globe.

Surf Photo And Surf Video Of The Year 

Entries are open for the Nikon Surf Photo and Surf Video of the Year categories for the 2017 Australian Surfing Awards incorporating the Hall of Fame. There is a heap of Nikon Camera gear to be won. Click through below to enter NOW! 

Photo: 2016 Nikon Surf Photo of the Year by Leroy Bellet

Have Your Say On The Redevelopment Of Cockle Bay Wharf

15.12.2016: Departmental Media Release - Department of Planning and Environment
A concept proposal for the redevelopment of Cockle Bay Wharf will be on exhibition from today for community consultation.

The Department of Planning and Environment is keen to hear the community’s views on DPT & DPPT Operator Pty Ltd’s proposal for 241-249 Wheat Road, Cockle Bay.

Key elements of the proposal for a concept plan and demolition works include:
  • demolition of existing site improvements
  • up to 12,000m2 of public domain space
  • building envelopes for a tower base and a tower up to 235 metres high
  • a maximum gross floor area of 85,000m2 for commercial and 25,000m2 for retail development.
A spokesperson for the Department of Planning and Environment said the local community always has an opportunity to share their views.

“Community consultation is an integral part of the planning process and the applicant will have to respond to the feedback we receive,” the spokesperson said.

“This feedback is taken into consideration as part of the assessment.
 
“It’s easy to participate by going online and we encourage everyone to take a look and have their say.” 

To make a submission or view the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), visit www.majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au. 

Submissions can be made from Thursday 15 December 2016 until Tuesday 14 February 2017.

People wishing to make a submission are encouraged to use the online form if possible. 


Written submissions can also be made to: 

Department of Planning and Environment
Attn: Director – Key Site Assessments
GPO Box 39 
Sydney NSW 2001 

The application and EIS are also available to view in person at: 
Department of Planning and Environment: Information Centre, Level 22, 320 Pitt Street, Sydney
City of Sydney Council: Customer Service Centre, Level 2, Town Hall House, 456 Kent Street, Sydney.

New International Market Access For NSW Blueberries

20 January, 2017: NSW DPI
NSW and Australian blueberries are destined for new international markets following recent changes to the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code to allow a new quarantine treatment of blueberries and raspberries to overcome export trade barriers.

NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Director of Horticulture Dr Shane Hetherington said NSW DPI initiated and completed postharvest disinfestation research at the Centre of Excellence for Market Access at Ourimbah to underpin this change.

“The presence of quarantine pests such as Queensland fruit fly requires fruit to be treated or certified before accessing a number of important markets nationally and internationally.

“Low-dose irradiation treatment effectively eradicates Queensland fruit fly without affecting fruit quality or nutritional value. It is a safe proven technology which allows treated produce to access new export markets, like Indonesia, where the treatment is accepted,” Dr Hetherington said.

“Results from the research demonstrated that postharvest disinfestation did not affect fruit quality or nutritional content of Australian blueberries and raspberries.

“These results have been accepted and published in international scientific journals and helped with the approval of this treatment.”

Northern NSW is the blueberry capital of Australia. Blueberries are an important and growing horticultural industry in NSW which continues to expand with around 6,900 tonnes grown each year, valued at around $140 million.

The Australian Blueberry Growers Association estimates that the value of the industry will be $200 million in 2016-17.

Dr Hetherington said to expand into new market access is a key priority for the future profitability of the NSW and Australian blueberry industry.

“This treatment is welcomed by industry as it is a much quicker process for fresh, perishable produce compared to the current cold treatment where the produce is required to be stored at 2ºC for 14 days prior to export,” Dr Hetherington said.”

This initiative was co-funded by NSW DPI in partnership with Australian Blueberry Growers Association, Raspberries and Blackberries Australia and Horticulture Innovation Australia. The research was undertaken in collaboration with the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation.



Blueberries are being analysed - NSW DPI technical assistant, Mark Bullot conducting blueberry assessment for fruit quality and firmness

Aboriginal Ancestors Welcomed Home To Wellington

Media release: 16 January 2017
Five sets of Aboriginal remains have been returned to the Wellington Aboriginal community for reburial at Blacks Camp and at Wellington Caves.

The reburial of these remains last month completed the repatriation of nine sets of Aboriginal remains taken from the Wellington district from late 1800s to the 1970s.

John Duggan, Heritage Conservation Officer at the Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) said the remains re-buried this month were those of three men, one woman and a lower jawbone of an unknown sex. 

“Little is known of the histories of these old people, but we do know that the three men lived off a traditional diet and that two of those men were put through the traditional practice of initiation,” Mr Duggan said.

“One of the initiated men was very large and robust, he was originally found within one of the caves with a stone axe beside him.”

The process to return these remains to Country began in 2015 when the Wellington Local Aboriginal Land Council (LALC) and OEH requested their return from the Australian Museum.

When the request was granted, OEH representative John Duggan, Wellington LALC CEO Leanne Stanley and five other Community representatives travelled to the Museum to bring the Ancestors home.

Wellington LALC CEO Leanne Stanley said before the Ancestors left the Australian Museum a Cleansing Ceremony was performed by Community representatives. 

“Once returned to Wellington, consultation with various landholders began and four sets of those remains were reburied in 2015 at their original burial locations, Black Rock and Buckinbah Station, Yeoval,” said Ms Stanley.

“The remaining five sets were buried this month at Blacks Camp and Wellington Caves.

“Local man Paul West led the Burial Ceremony at both sites and constructed large bark caskets for each set of remains to be wrapped in before their burial,” Ms Stanley said.

OEH supports Aboriginal Communities to make sure that remains and cultural material is returned to Country in a culturally appropriate way. For repatriation matters please visit the OEH website.


40th Anniversary Of The Granville Train Disaster Memorial Service 

18 January 2017
Granville, NSW
Prime Minister

PRIME MINISTER:

We are here today to grieve and to remember. We are here, all of us, assembled with you who have lost so much.

The Governor, Mrs Hurley, the Premier, so many of our state and federal parliamentary colleagues.

All of us here, standing with you, sharing your loss.

It was an ordinary day forty years ago when the 6.09 from Mt Victoria set off for the city, picking up nearly 500 busy commuters along the way.

An unremarkable journey it seemed, passengers chatting, reading the papers, planning the day ahead.

And then the unthinkable. Here at Granville the train left the tracks, crashed into the bridge which then collapsed.

Eighty-three people were killed. Their names are inscribed on the monument behind us. Many more injured, many more still left grieving to this day, lives changed in an instant of horror, an accident which should never have happened, bringing forty years of pain and loss.

Alexander Pederson is with us today, he is 103. His son Bruce was one of those killed. Bruce was 26. Alexander’s love for his boy is as intense today as it was forty years ago.

Just as June Ollerenshaw’s love for her girls is that intense today as it was forty years ago when their lives were lost in this tragedy.

We grieve with you and all of those who lost loved ones - children, wives, husbands, brothers and sisters, grandfathers.

We mourn with Anthony Ball whose father Eric was killed in this tragedy. Anthony never met his dad. He was seven months in his mother’s womb. He turns 40 in just a little while.

We put our arms around you in love and solidarity but know we will never truly understand the burden you bear and the pain that you endure.

But you are not alone. Not today, and not then.

Forty years ago, the nation wept with you, shared your horror, admired the courage of the victims, survivors and those who rushed to their aid. 

To those who survived, we offer our heartfelt admiration for the grace and the strength you have shown.

Many of you still suffer terribly from the ongoing physical effects and the emotional scars of your loss.

And while what was lost that day will never heal, lessons were learned, safety regulation was improved. A reminder that the first duty of every government is ensuring the safety of the people and being always vigilant in making it better assured.

Today, we honour and remember the heroism of the first responders, the men and women of the New South Wales police and emergency services.

Every police officer and emergency services worker was forever affected by what they saw that day.

Today, we thank them as we should thank them every day.

Our police, security and emergency services, like the men and women of the Australian Defence Force are the best in the world - they keep us safe from many dangers, and when disaster strikes, as it did here, they throw themselves into the breach - selfless in their service to our nation and its people.

This year, we also mourn the passing of John Hennessey and Dick Lamb.

John founded the Granville Memorial Trust and worked tirelessly to establish a permanent memorial to ensure we never forget the victims of this tragedy.

Dick Lamb was an off-duty police officer and one of the first responders on the scene. He is remembered as one of the unsung heroes of this disaster.

On behalf of the Government and the people of Australia – we remember you and those you lost, we grieve with you, we are with you forever in your sorrow and in your solidarity.

Education Minister Urges Uni Students To Research Options As Completion Rates Dip

Wednesday 18 January 2017: Media Release - Senator the Hon Simon Birmingham, Minister for Education and Training
The Federal Education and Training Minister has urged students to research where they choose to study if they plan to go to university, as the Turnbull Government today released new data showing university student completion rates have dipped slightly.

Minister for Education and Training Simon Birmingham said he encouraged the thousands of prospective uni students being made offers this week to take advantage of all the information and tools the Turnbull Government offers to help students “make the right choice, first time” about which universities and courses would help them pursue their dreams.

“Around one in three Australian uni students don’t complete their studies within six years and a key way to boost those numbers is for students to know exactly what they’re signing up for,” Minister Birmingham said.

“We’ve heard too many stories about students who have changed courses, dropped out because they made the wrong choices about what to study, students who didn’t realise there were other entry pathways or who started a course with next to no idea of what they were signing themselves up for.

“To the thousands of students anxiously checking emails, text messages, newspapers and mail boxes this week to learn what your future study options might be, I urge you to take your time to understand those options.

“Students should be looking for feedback on the reputation of the university they want to attend, how well-known they are for particular courses, how satisfied current students are with the resources and teachers on offer and the employment outcomes of graduates from those universities and courses.

“To make university information easily accessible the Turnbull Government has also committed an additional $8.1 million to the popular Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching (QILT) website that details all those helpful indicators about university performance.

“QILT is a one-stop shop for students to better understand the university and course options that will help them pick the right courses to land a job or develop skills that will help them after they graduate.”

Minister Birmingham said empowering students was one way the Turnbull Government was helping students make the right study choices and that QILT complemented university entry transparency reforms announced late last year.

"While there will always be a number of students who don't complete university for a variety of reasons, our ambition to protect both students and taxpayers from a waste of time and money is to keep this number as low as practical,” Minister Birmingham said.

"Following on from our review of enrolment practices, which we are implementing, I have also asked the Higher Education Standards Panel to review attrition and completion rates, to consider what further reforms are required to help lift student success.

“The Turnbull Government is working with the higher education sector to rollout reforms that put the onus on universities and higher education providers to present comparable information that is easily understood to prospective students.

“We’re making university entry systems more transparent with better defined ATAR thresholds and clearer data on student experiences, outcomes and employment prospects so prospective students and their families have the information they need to match their interests and ambitions with their abilities and needs for their future studies.

“Australians expect full-disclosure from universities so they can make informed choices and the Turnbull Government is working hard to ensure consistent and clear data and information is easily available.

“I hope students getting offers this week get their first preference for where and what to study and I wish them all the best. However, they should also keep in mind that it's not too late to change their mind, should they wish to do so after appropriate research and consideration. With the university and course information we’re delivering and the reforms we’re implementing, we’re setting students up for future success from better informed choices.”

The Completion Rates of Higher Education Students - Cohort Analysis, 2005-2014 report will be available at http://education.gov.au/completion-rates-cohort-analyses

Australian Telescope Project Helps Unlock History And Secrets Of The Universe

16 January 2017
One of the world’s most powerful radio telescopes, based in the Western Australian outback, has begun processing mind-boggling amounts of data which will help scientists explore the secrets and history of the Universe.
The antennas of CSIRO’s $188 million Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) telescope are now processing 5.2 terabytes of data per second – the equivalent of around 15 per cent of global internet traffic.
ASKAP is a precursor of the global Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project involving 20 countries, to create the largest and most capable radio telescope ever constructed.

This will help scientists answer some of the most fundamental scientific questions about the origins of the universe, such as:
•How were the first black holes and stars formed?    
• How do galaxies evolve and what is dark energy?
• What generates giant magnetic fields in space?
• Are we alone in the universe?
• Was Einstein’s theory of general relativity right?

Turning data into images used to take weeks of toil but the revolutionary ASKAP technology does it overnight.

Astronomers are using these observations to look for hydrogen gas – the raw material for making stars – in and around galaxies. This is the first step in making a census of hydrogen in galaxies far back in the Universe’s history.

ASKAP is an incredibly exciting project and once again we see CSIRO research and technology leading the world.

Situated 300 kilometres inland from Geraldton at the one of the quietest places on earth, ASKAP is made of 36 identical 12-metre wide dish antennas that all work together, 12 of which are currently in operation.
The telescope’s antennas feature innovative ‘phased array feed’ technology, specialised radio ‘cameras’ that look at a large area of sky at once, developed by CSIRO for ASKAP. 

The phased array feed technology has attracted international interest with CSIRO recently building one under contract for a German institution (the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy) and will supply a second to Jodrell Bank Observatory in the UK.

Until now, CSIRO astronomers had been taking data mainly to test how ASKAP performs. Having shown the telescope’s technical excellence, they have now started to gather data that will be used by international project teams for science.

The telescope data is processed on-site by a special-purpose computer then streamed to the Pawsey Supercomputing Centre in Perth.

The data is then processed by CSIRO-developed software on the Galaxysupercomputer and recorded to disk, at the rate of 956 gigabytes for each 12-hour observation.

Thirty ASKAP antennas have been fitted with phased array feeds with the rest to follow in 2017.

In the second half of 2017, more than 350 astronomers from over 120 institutions will start to use ASKAP for ten major survey science projects.
Data from ASKAP will complement surveys carried out with Australia’s leading optical telescopes, a synergy that gets the best scientific value from all the projects.

Further information on the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder, visit: www.ska.gov.au

Memorial Service For 2/22nd Battalion / Lark Force

15 January 2017: The Hon Dan Tehan MP, Minister for Veterans' Affairs
Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Dan Tehan will today lay a wreath at a memorial service commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Japanese invasion of New Britain at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne.

"We recognise the service and sacrifice of those who defended Rabaul, and the more than 1,000 Australian military personnel and civilians who died in the following months," Mr Tehan said.

"Of the 1,400-strong Lark Force, which mostly comprised the 2/22nd Infantry Battalion, only about 400 made it back to Australia, having escaped overland and by sea in the most desperate of circumstances.

"There is no doubting the courage and fighting spirit of the Australians who defended the town against overwhelming odds."

The Australian garrison at Rabaul, on the island of New Britain, was known as Lark Force. It was comprised of the 2/22nd Infantry Battalion, members of the New Guinea Volunteer Rifles, an Australian coastal defence battery, an anti-aircraft battery, an anti-tank battery and a detachment of the 2/10th Field Ambulance, which included six nurses. Members of No. 24 Squadron RAAF, also part of Lark Force, were withdrawn following a devastating Japanese air attack on 20 January 1942.

On 23 January 1942, about 5,000 Japanese troops landed in the vicinity of Rabaul and took the town in a matter of hours. Most of Lark Force were captured and all but a handful subsequently died. About 160 were massacred by the Japanese at the Tol Plantation. Most of the remainder drowned, along with about 200 civilian internees, later that year when a US submarine sunk the Japanese transport ship, the Montevideo Maru, off the Philippines.

Norm Furness OAM and Andy Bishop, two surviving members of the 2/22nd, will be present at the service. The day also marks Mr Furness’s 95th birthday.
_____________
Veterans and Veterans Families Counselling Service (VVCS) can be reached 24 hours a day across Australia for crisis support and free confidential counselling. Phone 1800 011 046 (international: +61 8 8241 4546). VVCS is a service founded by Vietnam veterans.

Escape From Pompeii - The Untold Roman Rescue 
New International Exhibition Opening March 2017

A new international exhibition coming to Sydney in 2017 will reveal the untold story of the dramatic rescue attempt following one of history’s most famous and devastating natural disasters – the eruption of Mt Vesuvius and the destruction of Pompeii in 79 AD.

While many know of the tragic eruption that buried the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum under huge waves of volcanic ash and debris, preserving them and their residents for 2000 years, very few would know that the Roman navy attempted to evacuate people affected by the eruption or its important role in the success of the Roman Empire.

Told through the words of the Roman Navy’s commander of the fleet Pliny the Elder and his nephew, Roman politician and author Pliny the Younger who witnessed the event and created the only surviving firsthand account of the disaster, the exhibition brings to Australia rare artefacts from Pompeii, Herculaneum and from sites around the Bay of Naples.

It also draws on the collections of some of Italy’s leading institutions, including Museo Archaeologico Nazionale in Naples, Soprintendenza Archeologica di Pompei, Soprintendenza del Mare, to tell the fascinating story of the Roman Navy and its evacuation attempt.

Visitors will see a rostrum (used to ram other vessels) from a Roman warship recovered from the site of a famous sea battle, reliefs celebrating Rome’s naval victories, and objects that reflect the results of its control of the seas which show how by 79 AD the entire Mediterranean Sea was under the control of one state – Rome – for the first and only time in history.

Established on a permanent basis by the first emperor of Rome, Augustus, the Roman Navy dominated the Mediterranean, guaranteeing the safe movement of goods, people and ideas and creating a maritime trade boom not seen again for a thousand years.

Pliny the Elder was the commander of the Roman naval base across the Bay of Naples at Misenum. Interestingly, the 55-year-old philosopher had no naval experience but was in charge of the largest and most important fleet in the Roman Empire at the time of the eruption. On 24 August 79 AD, as Mt Vesuvius exploded, spewing ash and pumice into the air, Pliny received a desperate message for help from a friend whose villa was at the foot of the mountain. He immediately sent out his largest warships, endangering himself and his crew, to rescue as many people as possible.

Through the words of his nephew, Pliny the Younger, who was staying with his uncle at the time of the eruption alongside a short 3D film experience, visitors will experience the formidable force of the volcano which destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum, and tragically took the life of rescuer Pliny the Elder.

Visitors will also see everyday objects recovered from Pompeii thousands of years later, including beautiful jewellery, lamps, tableware, a mirror, and even food items such as bread, wheat and figs, all remarkably preserved in the ash and debris.

Five haunting body casts of victims of the eruption are also included, capturing their final moments which were also preserved in the ash.
Escape from Pompeii has been developed by the Australian National Maritime Museum in association with Expona and Contemporanea Progetti.
Escape from Pompeii – the untold Roman rescue opens to the public on 31 March 2017. 

Tickets are adults $32, child/concession $20 and families $79. Pre-purchase your ticket online before 31 March to receive 20% off. 
For more information visit www.anmm.gov.au/pompeii or call 02 9298 3777.

$12 Million Boost For Positioning Technology In Australia

17 January 2017: Media Release - Senator the Hon Matt Canavan, Minister for Resources and Northern Australia, Joint release with the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, the Hon Darren Chester MP

  • Testing of Satellite Based Augmentation Systems (SBAS) to be undertaken
  • Future applications for all four major modes of transport in Australia
  • Potential safety, productivity, efficiency and environmental benefits
The Australian Government will invest $12 million in a two-year program looking into the future of positioning technology in Australia.

From using Google Maps on your smartphone to emergency management and farming, most Australians use and benefit from positioning technology every day without realising it.

The funding will be used to test instant, accurate and reliable positioning technology that could provide future safety, productivity, efficiency and environmental benefits across many industries in Australia, including transport, agriculture, construction, and resources.

Research has shown that the wide-spread adoption of improved positioning technology has the potential to generate upwards of $73 billion of value to Australia by 2030.

Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester said the program could test the potential of SBAS technology in the four transport sectors - aviation, maritime, rail and road.

“SBAS utilises space-based and ground-based infrastructure to improve and augment the accuracy, integrity and availability of basic Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals, such as those currently provided by the USA Global Positioning System (GPS).

“The future use of SBAS technology was strongly supported by the aviation industry to assist in high accuracy GPS-dependent aircraft navigation.

“Positioning data can also be used in a range of other transport applications including maritime navigation, automated train management systems and in the future, driverless and connected cars.”

Minister for Resources and Northern Australia Matt Canavan said access to more accurate data about the Australian landscape would also help unlock the potential of the North.

“This technology has potential uses in a range of sectors, including agriculture and mining, which have always played an important role in our economy, and will also be at the heart of future growth in Northern Australia,” Senator Canavan said.

“Access to this type of technology can help industry and Government make informed decisions about future investments.”

The two-year project will test SBAS technology that has the potential to improve positioning accuracy in Australia to less than five centimetres. Currently, positioning in Australia is usually accurate to five to 10 metres.

The SBAS test-bed is Australia’s first step towards joining countries such as the US, Russia, India, Japan and many across Europe in investing in SBAS technology and capitalising on the link between precise positioning, productivity and innovation.

Early this year, Geoscience Australia with the Collaborative Research Centre for Spatial Information (CRCSI) will call for organisations from a number of industries including agriculture, aviation, construction, mining, maritime, rail, road, spatial, and utilities to participate in the test-bed.

For more information about the SBAS test-bed and National Positioning Infrastructure Capability visit the Geoscience Australia website.

Have Your Say On The Redevelopment Of Harbourside Shopping Centre

15.12.2016: Departmental Media Release - Department of Planning and Environment
A concept proposal by Mirvac Projects Pty Ltd to redevelop the Harbourside Shopping Centre in Sydney is on exhibition for community consultation.

The Department of Planning and Environment is keen to hear the community’s views on the proposal, which seeks to provide a new retail shopping centre, residential apartment tower and public domain improvements at 2-10 Darling Drive.

Key elements of the proposal include:
  • a network of open space areas and pedestrian links
  • building envelopes for the base of a tower and a tower up to 166.35 metres above sea level
  • a maximum gross floor area of 87,000m2 for residential and non-residential uses.
This concept proposal does not seek approval for any construction works on site.

A spokesperson for the Department of Planning and Environment said the local community always has an opportunity to share their views.

“Community consultation is an integral part of the planning process and the applicant will have to respond to the feedback we receive,” the spokesperson said.

“This feedback is taken into consideration as part of the assessment.
 
“It’s easy to participate by going online and we encourage everyone to take a look and have their say.” 

To make a submission or view the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), visit www.majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au. 

Submissions can be made from Thursday 15 December 2016 until Tuesday 14 February 2017. People wishing to make a submission are encouraged to use the online form if possible. 

Department of Planning and Environment
Attn: Director – Key Site Assessments
GPO Box 39 
Sydney NSW 2001 

The application and EIS are also available to view in person at: 
Department of Planning and Environment: Information Centre, Level 22, 320 Pitt Street, Sydney
City of Sydney Council: Customer Service Centre, Level 2, Town Hall House, 456 Kent Street, Sydney.

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