1. This week 10 years ago, the Australia Council for the Arts signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to promote cultural diversity across the Asia-Pacific.
Minister for the Arts, Simon Crean said the MOU would build on strong cultural links that already existed with Australia’s Asia-Pacific neighbours by supporting new international collaborations between artists, partnerships and research.
“Relationships built on cultural understanding and a shared appreciation of the arts and creativity are the basis for building economic, political, security and trade links,” Mr Crean said.
2. Attorney-General, Nicola Roxon and Minister for Communications, Senator Stephen Conroy announced the setting aside of a dedicated radio channel for emergency services to provide greater access to effective communication during disasters.
Ms Roxon said ensuring authorities could communicate effectively on a reliable network during a disaster was critical and the Australian Communications and Media Authority had agreed to dedicate part of the communications network to emergency services.
Ms Roxon said the long-term project would allow State and Territory emergency services to respond faster and more effectively to disasters.
3. In Queensland, a Uranium Implementation Committee was appointed to implement the recommencement of uranium mining in the State after sustained public debate and support for the uranium industry from the Federal Government.
Premier, Campbell Newman said it had been 30 years since uranium was mined in Queensland and during that period, the Northern Territory, South Australia and Western Australia had carved out successful uranium industries that delivered jobs and prosperity.
Minister for Natural Resources and Mines, Andrew Cripps said Queensland’s known uranium deposits were worth an estimated $10 billion but the plans did not include producing nuclear energy or waste disposal plants.
4. A three-year study of Queensland’s coastal ecosystems found their management must be improved to boost the health and resilience of the Great Barrier Reef.
Chairman of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, Dr Russell Reichelt said the report detailed coastal land use changes and their impact on water quality, habitats and inshore biodiversity and provided land managers, the State and Federal Governments and researchers with a better understanding of the extent to which sensitive and complex coastal ecosystems had changed.
“This latest study confirms that if we want to protect one of the world’s best-known natural icons and improve its ability to withstand multiple pressures, we all need to act faster,” Dr Reichelt said.
5. In South Australia, Premier, Jay Weatherill announced changes to the State’s Workers’ Rehabilitation and Compensation Scheme to ensure injured workers were treated with greater dignity.
Mr Weatherill said while the scheme worked well, the WorkCover Improvement Project would address the problem of a small number of workers getting stuck in the scheme for a long time.
“The scheme is effective in compensating workers with very serious injuries who are totally incapacitated and also in the 86 per cent of claims that are resolved inside three months,” Mr Weatherill said.
“Ninety per cent of the cost of the scheme, however, is attributed to the 10 per cent of injured workers with moderate injuries who often spend many years involved in the scheme.”
6. And a decade ago in Western Australia, Premier, Colin Barnett announced new biodiversity legislation to significantly increase the penalties associated with harming threatened species to up to $500,000. Mr Barnett said the new legislation would be introduced as a matter of priority if the Government won the State Election in March 2013.
“A new Act will provide clarification and standardisation of assessments, process and decision-making, including timelines,” Minister for the Environment, Bill Marmion said.
