1. This week 10 years ago, Assistant Treasurer, Bill Shorten announced the establishment of a tax advisory board to keep watch on the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). Mr Shorten said the new board would have an independent chair and would make the ATO more responsible, accountable and accessible for Australians, which were key recommendations of the Australia’s 2010 Future Tax System review.
Mr Shorten said he expected the tax system advisory board to add value to the administration of the tax system.
2. In the same year The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) found that 78 per cent of Australians aged 18 years and over were satisfied with their lives, which was similar to the 76 per cent figure reported in 2001.
The ABS said those who were married (82 per cent), widowed (78 per cent) or never married (76 per cent) were more likely to be satisfied with their lives than those who were divorced (66 per cent) or separated (56 per cent).
It said people who had contact with friends and family outside their household at least weekly were much more likely to be satisfied with their lives (78 per cent) than those who either had no recent contact (33 per cent) or had no friends or family outside their immediate household (28 per cent).
3. NSW Maritime’s Take it Easy campaign promoting the safe use of jet-skis was named the Community Education Project of the Year in the 2011 NSW Water Safety Awards. NSW Maritime said the campaign featured comedian Rob Shehadie and was noted for its community engagement activities that included safety “lightning strikes” at local beaches, community involvement, lifejacket promotions and use of social media such as YouTube.
“Last year was the safest summer boating season since records began,” NSW Maritime said. NSW Minister for Sport and Recreation, Graham Annesley congratulated NSW Maritime on its award, which was sponsored by Austswim.
4. Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) firefighters won 35 medals, including 10 gold, at the World Police and Fire Games in New York. Acting Deputy Commissioner of FRNSW, Jim Smith said the 180 FRNSW firefighters joined an estimated 15,000 competitors from around the world for the games, which were the second-largest multisporting competition in the world.
“This was FRNSW’s biggest contingent of fire and rescue officers to ever compete … and it shows their dedication to sport,” Mr Smith said. “We won medals in Rugby 7s, swimming, boxing, rowing, surfing and track and field.” He said communities across New South Wales should be reassured that there were so many very fit firefighters.
5. Federal Minister for the Status of Women, Kate Ellis announced that two community organisations in Victoria would be the first in Australia to receive funding under the National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and their Children. Ms Ellis said the inTouch Multicultural Centre against Family Violence and the Spectrum Migrant Resource Centre would share in $472,000 over the next three years under the plan.
“All forms of violence against women are unacceptable in any community and in any culture and it is everyone’s responsibility to reject and prevent violence,” Ms Ellis said. “These grants will support activities that prevent, respond to, and speak out against violence, change community attitudes and behaviours, and encourage community responsibility to support the reduction of violence against women.”
6. And also a decade ago this week, Victorian Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Peter Ryan announced 400 more frontline police across the State before 30 June 2012. Mr Ryan said Victoria Police would first assign 125 to areas in Melbourne and regional Victoria by the end of December 2011. He said Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Shepparton, La Trobe, Mildura and other regional communities would also benefit from the extra police.
“Putting more police on the beat will boost community safety and serve as a visual reminder that crime, violence and antisocial behaviour will not be tolerated,” Mr Ryan said.
