1. This week 10 years ago, Rural and Regional Health Australia was established to promote and develop better access to information about Commonwealth regional health and ageing programs for people living in regional Australia.
The Minister for Health, Nicola Roxon said the Agency would give people in rural and regional areas a stronger voice on funding priorities for health and ageing services.
Minister for Regional Australia, Simon Crean said the new Agency would also oversee significant rural health policy development and act as a strong advocate within Government to ensure health programs catered to working Australians living in rural and regional areas.
2. The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) was established as part of the Clean Energy Future package passed by Parliament, which included a price on carbon.
ARENA was designed to bring together a number of important bodies, such as the Australian Centre for Renewable Energy and the Australian Solar Institute, into a single Agency.
The new Agency was to start work on 1 July 2012 and comprised an independent Board and Chief Executive with staff from the Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism supporting their work.
3. Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and Urban Water, Senator Don Farrell described Australia’s first National Water Account, produced by the Bureau of Meteorology, as a landmark achievement in the accurate reporting on one of the nation’s most important natural resources.
Senator Farrell said it brought together more than 30 water Agencies and reporting partners to provide the most comprehensive snapshot of water information available in Australia.
“It is recognised around the world that water plays a key role in prosperity and wellbeing,” Senator Farrell said.
“The National Water Account gives Australia the ability to accurately monitor, assess, and forecast the availability, quality and use of water resources.”
4. In New South Wales, the new Agency for managing roads and maritime services came into force, replacing the Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) and the NSW Maritime Authority, which were disbanded.
Minister for Roads and Ports, Duncan Gay said NSW Roads and Maritime Services would focus on service delivery and concentrate on delivering the key tasks of building and maintaining road infrastructure and the day-to-day compliance and safety for roads and waterways.
Mr Gay said another new Agency, Transport for NSW, had also been created, to oversee integration across all modes of transport.
“Transport for NSW aims to promote a renewed focus on the customer experience, ensuring the customer is at the centre of everything we do,” Mr Gay said.
5. Victorian Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Peter Ryan announced new electronic bushfire warning signs for 26 locations around the State, as part of a $300,000 pilot program.
The new fixed signs had the capacity to be remotely updated and checked to ensure they were operating correctly.
“Under the pilot, 14 fixed signs will be placed in hard-to-access locations in high-risk areas and clearly display Fire Danger Ratings (FDR) from low to moderate fire risk through to code red, based upon fire weather forecasts,” Mr Ryan said.
“The new signs will use the latest technology including motorised or electronic indicator arrows and LED signs featuring illuminated, variable messages.”
6. Also in Victoria this week a decade ago, tough new fundraising rules were drawn up to clamp down on political fundraising. Premier, Ted Baillieu announced the new Code of Conduct, saying the reforms would apply to former Members of Parliament, senior staff and party officials who now worked as lobbyists.
“These are major reforms for transparency and accountability of Government members in Victoria,” Mr Baillieu said.
“The new Code will serve to provide confidence for the community and certainty for government members in performing their duties as Members of Parliament.”
