1. This week 10 years ago, the Australian Road Rules were changed to require the drivers of taxis and minibuses to ensure children were properly restrained while travelling in their vehicles.
Chief Executive of the National Transport Commission, Nick Dimopoulos said the changes were vital to ensure the Rules kept pace with best practice in road safety and continued to meet the needs of all road users.
He said some of the major changes included the required use of seatbelts in taxis and minibuses for children who were covered by existing exemptions and new requirements relating to the use of warning triangles for heavy vehicles and fallen loads (reflecting the findings of a NSW Coroner’s inquiry into a fatal crash involving a disabled heavy vehicle).
2. Minister for Mental Health and Ageing, Mark Butler launched Australia’s first National Mental Health Commission, calling it a significant milestone that would give mental health the prominence it deserved at the national level.
Mr Butler said the Commission would be chaired by Professor Allan Fels and had already begun work on Australia’s first National Report Card on Mental Health and Suicide Prevention.
“[The Commission] will bring much needed transparency to our system — it will give us insights into service gaps, where we need to do more and where services are working and working well,” Mr Butler said.
3. Minister for Defence, Stephen Smith announced the new Australia–New Zealand Defence Relationship Framework, which he said built on the ANZAC tradition and the longstanding Defence relationship that already existed between the two nations.
Mr Smith said the Framework would enhance understanding of the mutual security challenges facing Australia and New Zealand, particularly in the immediate region.
He said it included closer cooperation on capability development and procurement and more efficient burden-sharing in the region as well as introducing regular strategic discussions between senior civilian and military personnel.
4. Queensland’s first biodiversity offset area was declared to protect koala habitat on the Sunshine Coast.
Minister for Local Government, Paul Lucas said the move, which required developers to hand over privately owned land to public ownership if a development application was approved, would see a swap of 140 hectares to effectively extend Noosa National Park, providing a missing link to connect Local and State Government–owned land.
“By working with developers and coming to these sorts of arrangements, we can protect our native flora and fauna and maintain and build environmental corridors in South East Queensland,” Mr Lucas said.
5. Also in Queensland a decade ago, the Safety in Mines Testing and Research Station developed the world’s most advanced mobile mine gas laboratory that could be rapidly deployed in the event of a mine emergency.
Minister for Mining, Stirling Hinchliffe said the fully automated mobile laboratory was recognised internationally as cutting-edge technology.
“Mine disasters such as the Pike River incident in New Zealand show how the presence of dangerous mine gases can hinder rescue or recovery efforts after an underground mine collapse or explosion,” Mr Hinchliffe said.
“Ultra fast mine gas sampling and analysis can vastly improve decision-making and save lives during a mine emergency,” he said.
6. In Western Australia, Premier and Minister for State Development, Colin Barnett unveiled plans for the biggest reform of the State’s ports in decades under which seven of the eight port authorities would be consolidated into four regional authorities to improve efficiency and reduce red tape.
Mr Barnett said the move would ensure the wealth generated by increasing commodity exports delivered greater benefits to the WA community.
He said the growing demand for WA commodities meant it was time to ensure the State’s ports were given the most effective framework for the future.
