Sunday, February 28, 2021

Super sleuth Ulf shows why he’s top dog

  • In 2020 the detector dog fleet intercepted approximately 13,500 risk items nationally and screened 15,706,488 million mail items
  • Detector dog Ulf, the winner of top dog for 2020 had made 400 detections, 27 of which were African swine fever (ASF) risk detections, and 27 which resulted in infringements.
  • In response to the changed risk due to COVID-19 and less international flights, dogs were redeployed to primarily screen the mail pathway in 2020.

In 2020 the biosecurity detector dog fleet intercepted approximately 13,500 risk items and screened 15,706,488 million mail items nationally but only one dog could be crowned Top Dog of 2020.

Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management David Littleproud said any one of those items could have threatened Australia's $61 billion agricultural industries, the environment and community health.

“Detector dogs are a vital part of Australia’s defence against damaging biosecurity threats,” Minister Littleproud said. 

“With detector dogs redeployed to primarily screen the mail pathway in 2020, biosecurity risks at ports without a dog continued to be effectively managed through alternative screening methods.

“Top dog Ulf worked at Brisbane airport, Brisbane mail facilities and Port of Brisbane and detected over 80 different commodities last year.

“Ulf made over 400 detections, 27 of which were ASF risk detections and 27 which resulted in infringements.

“The most common items found by the detector dogs in 2020 included seeds and nuts, fruit and meat.

“Some unusual finds included concealed seeds that were taped to the inside of a booklet, brown marmorated stink bugs on an imported forklift and cactus seeds mis-declared as window decorations.

“The detector dogs also detected meat products which could carry a range of exotic diseases including foot and mouth disease, a highly contagious virus disease of animals and one of the most serious livestock diseases.

“There are currently 42 biosecurity detector dogs working across our international airports, mail facilities and wharves to screen incoming passengers and goods for potential biosecurity risks, including those that carry exotic pests and diseases.

"Dogs are man's best friend and detector dogs are agriculture's best friend, protecting our valuable industries from foreign pests."

Fast Facts:

Ulf’s information: 

  • Male Yellow Labrador
  • DOB: 7/10/2014 
  • Graduated: 10/06/2016 
  • Transferred SYD to BNE 23/10/2019 

2020 Stats:

  • 400 detections
  • 80 different commodities detected 
  • 27 infringements
  • 47 ASF risk detections 
  • Most detected commodities: fruit (157 detections), meat and meat products (99 detections), vegetables (37 detections).
  • Worked at Brisbane airport, Brisbane mail facilities and Port of Brisbane

Fun Facts:

  • Ulf is an extremely robust detector dog. He loves to go to work and is not phased by screaming kids, changing environments or load noises. He gets bored on his days off. He will look longingly for anyone to take him to work.
  • He loves water and will play in the pool and sprinklers. Unfortunately, he also loves digging and rolling in the sandpit immediately after which makes him very hard to keep clean.
  • Once Ulf masters something he is extremely reliable.  It's hard to think of his best detections because he is more of an allrounder that will find a wide range of items in varying quantities, strength of odour and locations.  Such items included seed pods in agricultural machinery, live potted plants, small pieces of plant material in people’s pockets, concealed seeds in clothes lining and of course he loves finding meat.

Honouring a Tasmanian AFL legend

As a staunch football fan, I was both proud and honoured to join Peter Hudson in New Norfolk today to officially unveil his new statue which will serve as a fitting tribute to the footballing great.

The Tasmanian Government was happy to provide $20,000 towards the construction of the statue.

Considered one of the greatest full-forwards to ever

Digital hub to revolutionise strata management

The NSW Government is opening consultation on a proposed centralised digital strata hub to make it easier for anyone who builds, owns, lives or works in a strata scheme to get the information they need.

Minister for Better Regulation and Innovation Kevin Anderson said the hub is being built as part of the Government’s commitment to transform the building and construction sector into the transparent, consumer-centric industry it needs to be.

“In the last twelve months we have delivered

ARMY CELEBRATES 120 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE NATION

Today the Australian Army celebrates its 120th birthday and soldiers around the nation and overseas will reflect on Army’s past and future.


Chief of the Australian Army, Lieutenant General Rick Burr, AO, DSC, MVO, said the birthday celebrations marked Army’s service to the Nation in war and peace, since 1901.

“Today we recognise those two million Australians who

Expanding access to life changing medicines for thousands of Australians

Thousands of Australians with multiple sclerosis, asthma and diabetes will benefit from the listing or extension of several medications on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), bringing further support to patients and their families.


Thousands of Australians with multiple sclerosis, asthma and diabetes will benefit from the listing or extension of several medications on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), bringing further support to patients and their families.

From March 1, Zeposia® and Atecture

$270 million for new medicine to benefit thousands of Australians with severe eczema

Australians suffering from a severe form of eczema will now have access to a life changing medicine through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) which will provide hope and relief to many young Australians and their families.


Australians suffering from a severe form of eczema will now have access to a life changing medicine through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) which will provide hope and relief to many young Australians and their families.

From Monday 1 March 2021 the medicine

300,000 ASTRAZENECA VACCINE DOSES ARRIVE IN AUSTRALIA

Signalling yet another major milestone in Australia’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, 300,000 doses of the University of Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine have arrived in Sydney today.

Australia has secured 53.8 million doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine. The first doses of this vaccine have arrived from overseas ahead of 50 million doses to be manufactured by CSL here in Australia on behalf of AstraZeneca.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) will now batch test the vaccines to ensure they meet Australia’s strict quality standards.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said today was a

MUSIC AND ART HEAD SOUTH FOR THE AUSTRALIAN ANTARCTIC ARTS FELLOWSHIP

The 2021 Antarctic Arts Fellowship has been awarded to David Bridie and Keith Deverell.

Multi-award winning Australian musician and composer David Bridie and renowned visual artist and photographer Keith Deverell have been awarded the 2021 Australian Antarctic Arts Fellowship.

Together, Bridie and Deverell will record and film the continent’s natural soundscapes and stories to create an immersive audio-visual art installation and accompanying music album that captures and embodies Antarctica.

The installation will involve multi-screen floor

Sports Alliance Uniting Netball And The Community

The Andrews Labor Government is teaming up with Netball Victoria to teach sporting and life skills to young people, with $150,000 in funding through the Sports Alliance.

Minister for Crime Prevention Natalie Hutchins launched the Community Action Netball Project at Kensington YMCA today – which will work with children aged 12 to 17 at risk of contact with the criminal justice system in the Kensington and Shepparton areas.

Combining netball skills training with personal

Mordialloc Fwy Recycled Plastic Noise Walls A World First

In a world first, noise walls along the Mordialloc Freeway will be made from 75 per cent recycled plastic collected from households across the state, as part of a drive to build Australia’s greenest freeway.

The 32,000 square metres of noise walls required for the project will be made from more than 570 tonnes of plastic waste – half of which is plastic disposed in kerbside recycling such as milk and soft drink bottles.

The other half of the recycled content will be

Nominations Now Open For Victorian Training Awards

Outstanding individuals and organisations in the TAFE and training sector can now be nominated for a Victorian Training Award.

The prestigious event is now in its 67th year and recognises the achievements of apprentices, students, teachers and employers.

Minister for Training and Skills Gayle Tierney today opened nominations while visiting Rose City Vets in Benalla to present the VTA Trophy to 2020 Trainee of the Year winner Nicole Barrow.

There are six award categories for individuals,

Better Apartment Designs For Our Neighbourhoods

The Andrews Labor Government is improving the design of apartments and ensuring they provide more open green space for residents.

Minister for Planning Richard Wynne today announced new planning rules make sure new apartment designs are attractive, built from durable materials and don’t exacerbate windy conditions for the street and public spaces.  

With more people working from home, it

Windermere candidate

Congratulations to Nick Duigan who has been endorsed as the Liberal Party’s candidate for the 2021 Windermere Legislative Council election.


Nick is well-known in the electorate, having worked in television and media for over 30 years and been involved in a number of community and sporting organisations.


As we continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, having a strong local representative that backs jobs and growing our economy is more important than ever and Liberal candidates like Nick will be vital in our plan to rebuild a stronger Tasmania.


We are already seeing our plan working, with jobs returning to pre-pandemic levels, and the lowest unemployment rate of any State, but we know more needs to be done and we must continue the momentum.


I am confident Nick will be a great addition to the Liberal team, and a fantastic advocate for the Windermere electorate, should he be successful at the May election.

Navy and Army mark 120 years of service

TODAY the Royal Australian Navy and the Australian Army mark 120 years of service to the country, with personnel and veterans around the country commemorating all they have achieved.


Minister for Defence Personnel Darren Chester congratulated the two Services on this significant milestone and acknowledged the almost two million Australians who had served throughout history, many of who were in the Navy or Army.


“Since 1901, the men and women of the Navy

Find out when it’s your turn with new advertisements to inform Australians about the COVID-19 vaccination rollout

The next phase of the Australian Government’s $31 million public information campaign begins today to inform Australians, with the vaccination program underway.


The next phase of the Australian Government’s $31 million public information campaign begins today to inform Australians, with the vaccination program underway.

At the end of Friday after four full days of

Tasmania welcomes HMAS Sheean

On behalf of all Tasmanians, I am delighted to welcome the Royal Australian Navy submarine HMAS Sheean and her crew to Tasmania.

HMAS Sheean is named after Ordinary Seaman Edward ‘Teddy’ Sheean of Latrobe.

Following a decades long campaign by the

Resourcefully boosting our economy

Tasmania’s next major mineral discovery may be just around the corner with the opening of Round 5 of the Tasmanian Liberal Government’s Exploration Drilling Grant Initiative (EDGI).

The Initiative provides co-funding to help industry find new mining opportunities around the State.

The program has now also been expanded and will

Digging deep at Central Station

A major milestone has been reached in the construction of Sydney Metro under Australia’s busiest railway station. 

Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Minister for Transport and Roads Andrew Constance today visited Central Station where excavation has reached the bottom of the new Sydney Metro station box which is 27 metres below ground level.

“This has been an extraordinary engineering and

Saturday, February 27, 2021

Silica Health Assessments Reach One Thousand

More than 1,000 workers from the stonemason industry have now registered for a free health check-up as part of the Andrews Labor Government’s action plan to protect workers from deadly silica dust.

The free health screenings were established in May 2019 for an estimated 1,400 past and present workers in the Victorian stonemason industry.

Stonemasons are at a high risk due to the

More Labor scaremongering

Tasmanians all over the state can be assured that if they require Ambulance Tasmania’s assistance, assistance will be provided.


The New Norfolk station was temporarily offline overnight due to unexpected sick leave, with coverage supported by neighbouring areas.


It is important to note that Ambulance

Deer hunting season open

The opening of the 2021 Tasmanian deer hunting season today provides many Tasmanian hunters and shooters the opportunity to pursue an important tradition and way of life.


We recognise recreational hunters also help manage wild fallow deer populations on both private and public land.


The 2021 deer game season has two parts –

Friday, February 26, 2021

Generous Aussies gave life and sight in 2020

A 2020 report on organ and tissue donation and transplantation shows that despite the significant impact of COVID-19, around 4,000 Australians benefitted from the gift of organ, eye, and tissue donation from a deceased donor.

The Minister responsible for the Organ and Tissue Authority, Mark Coulton, said the 2020 Australian Donation and Transplantation Activity Report confirms Australian generosity and willingness to give complete strangers a second chance through organ and tissue donation.

“This report shows that even when the chips are

Inland rail signals regional growth

The design and construction of Inland Rail is providing stimulus to companies right across the nation with investments in services and supplies driving employment and growth in regional Australia.

The Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) has awarded a contract worth more than $30 million for signalling design and the delivery of rail safety systems for the Inland Rail project north of Illabo in New South Wales, through to Acacia Ridge and Bromelton in Queensland.

Leading global design and consultancy firm

Concept designs for Mitcham Hills corridor upgrades released

The Morrison and Marshall governments have released concept designs for vital junction upgrades along the Mitcham Hills corridor that will improve road safety and traffic flow through the Adelaide foothills.

The Australian Government has committed $20 million to works on the Old Belair Road and James Road T-Junction and improvements along Old Belair Road between Sheoak and Blythewood roads.

The South Australian Government is funding

Hit television series The Wilds set to film in Queensland Starring Rachel Griffiths, Mia Healey, and Shannon Berry

The Morrison Government will provide $9.8 million to ABC Signature to film the second season of the hit Amazon Prime Video series The Wilds: set to commence filming on the Gold Coast in April. 

The Wilds centres around a group of teenagers who are unexpectedly marooned on a deserted island while en-route to a weekend empowerment retreat.

Minister for Communications, Urban

NSW prepares for vaccine rollout across the state

Five major vaccination hubs and 99 regional satellite sites will open progressively across NSW starting from Monday 15 March, as the COVID-19 vaccination rollout stretches across the state. 

These vaccination hubs and satellite sites will initially focus on frontline healthcare and border workers, and will eventually be followed by a wider rollout of the vaccine to the general public through the GP network. 

The five major hubs and their linked satellite

Commemorating Australia’s service in the Gulf War

Tomorrow we commemorate the 30th anniversary of the United States-led coalition declaring victory in ‘Operation Desert Storm’, marking the official end of the First Gulf War, and we honour the sacrifices of those who served to liberate Kuwait.

Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Darren Chester said following Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in August 1990, the international community responded quickly, with the United Nation’s Security Council imposing sanctions on Iraq, giving them until 15 January 1991 to withdraw from Kuwait.

“Operation Desert Storm, the combat phase of the Gulf War,

ENTRIES OPEN FOR PRIME MINISTER'S LITERARY AWARDS

The 2021 Prime Minister's Literary Awards, which recognize Australia’s outstanding literary talent, are now open for entries.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison strongly encouraged writers to put their unique stories forward for this year’s Awards,

“Last year’s Prime Minister’s Literary Awards again highlighted the diverse literary contributions we have in Australia,” the Prime Minister said.

“The Awards provide us with the opportunity

PRIME MINISTER'S SPELLING BEE

Schools are being encouraged to get involved in this year’s Prime Minister’s Spelling Bee to promote literacy in an entertaining and engaging way.


This year the spelling bee, hosted by Kids News, will be conducted through a digital format rather than face to face.


Prime Minister Scott Morrison urged all

Vaccine rollout in full swing

Nearly 12 months on from the start of the pandemic, Tasmanians can look to the future with optimism with the vaccine rollout now in full swing and proceeding well.

The first week of the rollout went as planned, with 1159 people from priority groups receiving their vaccination at the Royal Hobart Hospital, including frontline health workers, quarantine and border control staff. 

This has been a fantastic effort and I thank our highly-

Improving mental health in Tasmanian workplaces

A new free online tool designed to help employers across Australia create mentally healthy workplaces and meet their responsibilities under work health and safety laws has been launched today.

‘People at Work’ is Australia’s only validated psychosocial risk assessment tool and will help Tasmanian businesses identify, assess and manage work-related psychosocial hazards and factors, without the need for an expert to interpret the assessment results.

The free tool enables employers to send a clear

No stone must be left unturned in protecting our most vulnerable

As Premier of Tasmania, I am offering my deepest and most heartfelt apology to all victims of past crimes that occurred in relation to agencies of the State.

We must always learn from the past and areas for improvement, and there is no room for complacency. We must do everything possible to eradicate the threat of abuse to our children.

There is no higher responsibility than to protect

Tasmania Prison service further bolstered by new Correctional Officers

The Tasmanian Government is delivering on our commitment to increase Correctional Officer numbers, with 12 new Tasmania Prison Service (TPS) recruits graduating at a special ceremony in Hobart today. 

This latest batch of recruits follows the 23 new Correctional Officers who joined the TPS late last year, bringing the total number of new recruits since 2016 to more than 200. 

I was pleased to attend the ceremony along with the

Great outcome for Tasmania on IA Priority List with record infrastructure investment leading our recovery

Tasmania’s post-COVID recovery and economic future continues to build with the latest Tasmanian Infrastructure Pipeline forecasting $17.4 billion in planned public economic and social infrastructure investment over the next 10 years.

The Tasmanian Infrastructure Pipeline maps out the longer-term plans for the provision or upgrading of important public building projects including roads, schools, hospitals, bridges and irrigation networks.

This includes our unprecedented $5 billion

Protecting Victorians And Staying COVIDSafe

The Andrews Labor Government is ensuring Victoria’s contact tracers have access to the information they need, fast, to keep Victorians safe.

The Labor Government’s free QR Code Service has been made available to all businesses, enabling contact tracers to immediately access the information they need in the event of an outbreak. However, many businesses are using private electronic record keeping systems that don’t connect seamlessly to the Government’s system.

This is a highly-infectious, rapidly changing

Backing Victorian Kids To Play The Sports They Love

A Victorian-first program to provide vouchers of up to $200 each for sporting equipment, uniforms and memberships will open within days, providing a major boost to the budgets of thousands of families.

Minister for Community Sport Ros Spence today confirmed that applications for the Get Active Kids program will open at 10am on Monday, 1 March, with the first of up to 100,000 vouchers to be made available.

The Andrews Labor Government provided $21

Victoria Taking Action On Single-Use Plastics

The Andrews Labor Government will ban specific single-use plastics – like straws, cutlery, plates and polystyrene containers – across Victoria to reduce the significant amount of plastic waste going to landfill each year.

Minister for Environment Lily D’Ambrosio today announced a phase out and ban of specific single-use plastics by 2023, which will include single-use plastic straws, cutlery, plates, drink stirrers, polystyrene food and drink containers, and plastic cotton bud sticks. 

In many cases, these single-use plastics can be

HMAS Sheean tours Tasmania

Royal Australian Navy submarine HMAS Sheean will visit Beauty Point in northern Tasmania later this week, the first in a series of port visits to the state.


Navy Commander of Submarines, Captain Doug Theobald CSC RAN, said the Collins Class submarine would visit four Tasmanian ports in coming months, including Hobart, Burnie and Devonport.


“This is a significant event for Navy and for

US officials visit domestic manufacturing of explosive ordnance facilities

Representatives from the United States Department of Defense have this week visited the Australian-owned munitions production factories in Mulwala in NSW, and Benalla in VIC.

Head Land Systems, Major General Andrew Bottrell said senior Defence representatives from the Australian Army and the Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group hosted representatives from the US Embassy’s Office of Defense Co-operation at the two Government-owned munitions factories over two days.

“This visit builds on the outcomes we agreed at the

Thursday, February 25, 2021

New Bus Services Connecting The South East

Minister for Public Transport Ben Carroll today announced the Andrews Labor Government is delivering a new bus route 881, while two other new bus routes 888 and 889 will soon start taking passengers.

Route 881 – Clyde North to Merinda Park Station will connect the fast-growing St Germain estate in Clyde North to destinations such as The Avenue Shopping Centre and Springhill Shopping Centre before finishing at Merinda Park Station in Lyndhurst.

The bus will run to a minimum 40-minute

Improving Training In Disability Support

An innovative new $1.5 million training package funded by the Andrews Labor Government will give disability and aged care students real-life skills to prepare them for the workforce.

The package is part of the Developing the Growing new NDIS (psychosocial disability) Workforce Project and includes virtual reality learning tools, videos and podcasts that place users in a series of realistic scenarios.

Psychosocial disabilities sometimes arise from

Uniforms Influence Girls’ Participation In Sport

The Andrews Labor Government is encouraging sporting clubs and schools to consider the findings of a new study that highlights the importance of uniforms in making girls feel comfortable and more likely to participate in sport.

Minister for Community Sport Ros Spence today launched the study by Victoria University, which was supported by a $20,000 Change Our Game research grant.

The study examines the role that uniforms play

Rural health group providing expert advice on bush vaccine rollout

Rural and Indigenous health experts are meeting regularly to ensure rural communities continue to be central to the phased rollout of Australia’s COVID-19 vaccine.


Rural and Indigenous health experts are meeting regularly to ensure rural communities continue to be central to the phased rollout of Australia’s COVID-19 vaccine.


The Remote Vaccine Working Group will

$100 million for major advances in medical research technology

The Australian Government is investing $100 million into the development of new technologies to improve diagnosis and treatment of stroke, epilepsy and lung disease, including COVID-19.


The Morrison Government is investing $100 million into the development of new technologies to improve diagnosis and treatment of stroke, epilepsy and lung disease, including COVID-19.

The funding will be split across three research

Australia regains freedom from high pathogenicity avian influenza

  • On 26 February 2021 Australia regained freedom from high pathogenicity avian influenza
  • The outbreaks in Victoria were successfully eradicated and ongoing surveillance shows no further evidence of this disease in Australian poultry.

Following a significant response effort, Australia has regained freedom from high pathogenicity avian influenza.

Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency

Frontier health outcomes for stroke and epilepsy patients

MRFF
The University has received $70 million in Federal Government funding for stroke and epilepsy research.

The University of Melbourne has welcomed a Federal Government announcement of more than $70 million from the Medical Research Future Fund for two major research projects to transform diagnosis and treatment of stroke and epilepsy.

The funding, provided as the first ever Stage

Vice-Chancellor welcomes renewed focus on research translation

Tudge consultation paper
Left to right: University of Melbourne Chancellor Allan Myers AC; Minister for Education and Youth, Alan Tudge; CEO of Siemens Jeff Connolly; and University of Melbourne Vice-Chancellor Duncan Maskell.

Vice-Chancellor Duncan Maskell joined the Federal Minister for Education and Youth, Alan Tudge, at the University of Melbourne’s Parkville campus on Friday for the launch of the Better Commercialising University Research Consultation Paper.

The Consultation Paper is a Federal

Support for COVID-19 policy response and willingness to get vaccinated high, according to new survey

Woman wearing a mask
The ‘Public attitudes to COVID-19 policies and vaccination’ survey found strong public approval of COVID-19 policies. Picture: Pexels

Support among Australians for the policy response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and willingness to get vaccinated is high, according to new University of Melbourne research.

In January 2021, the Policy Lab — based in the Faculty of Arts — surveyed over 1,000 Australians to gauge their attitudes to various COVID-19 policies, including vaccination.

The Public attitudes to COVID-19 policies and vaccination survey found strong public approval of COVID-19 policies and high levels of trust in information coming from the federal government, the Chief Medical Officer and medical scientists.  The survey also found many Australians (76 per cent) reporting that they are likely to get vaccinated.

Co-director of the Policy Lab, Associate

Monarto Zoo safari roars ahead

Today’s sod turning at regional South Australia’s Monarto Zoo officially marks the start of construction on a new state-of-the-art Safari Gateway Visitors Centre.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said the $16.7 million project would provide enormous economic benefits to Monarto and neighbouring regions.

“With this investment, the Visitors Centre will be

Major funding announced for innovative train management system

The Australian Government is investing a further $220 million for an innovative signalling technology that is increasing the safety and reliability of Australia’s freight rail network and generating hundreds of jobs.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack and Minister for Finance Simon Birmingham today announced the funding for the next major planning phase of the Advanced Train Management Systems (ATMS) following its successful deployment and commissioning on the freight rail line between Port Augusta and Whyalla.

"After more than a decade of intense

Funding flows to drought-affected regions

Drought-affected regions are continuing to benefit from Australian Government funding support, with 24 projects sharing in more than $1.1 million under the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal’s award-winning Tackling Tough Times Together program.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said the Government’s commitment to supporting drought-affected regions was all the more important following the economic shock of natural disasters and the COVID-19 pandemic.

“While we’ve seen good rainfall in some parts of

$100 million to bolster road safety in South Australia

Fifteen new road safety projects are about to start rolling out across South Australia as part of the first tranche of a road safety package worth more than $100 million, designed to reduce road trauma and save lives.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said tranche one works would start imminently and be completed by June to improve safety and support jobs as soon as possible.

“This funding is part of our national $2 billion

Infrastructure Australia's 2021 Priority List welcomed

The Australian Government has welcomed today’s release of Infrastructure Australia’s (IA) 2021 update to its Infrastructure Priority List, showcasing the Government’s commitment to deliver nation-defining infrastructure while helping inform future investment priorities for all levels of government.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said the Priority List seamlessly couples with Australia’s infrastructure-led economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The Priority List drew on 124 new submissions

Search begins for 25th NSW emerging visual artist

The NSW Government is calling for visual artists at the start of their careers to apply for the Create NSW and Artspace 2021 NSW Visual Arts Fellowship (Emerging). 

The 2021 fellowship program is seeking up to eight artists who will be selected to receive curatorial support and mentorship from Artspace as they develop new works for an exhibition. From the eight artists a finalist will be awarded $30,000 from the NSW Government to progress a self-directed program of professional development. 

Minister for the Arts Don Harwin said the

Major milestone for Campbelltown Hospital

The $632 million Campbelltown Hospital redevelopment has reached a major construction milestone, with the 12-storey Clinical Services Building reaching its highest point. 
 

Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Health Minister Brad Hazzard visited the new building and met with nursing graduates who are among 264 nursing and midwife graduates starting at hospitals across Sydney’s south-west next month.

“The new Clinical Services Building will be the

Multi-factor authentication for stronger cyber protection

Australians are being urged to strengthen proof of identity protections to help stop cybercriminals gaining unauthorised access to online information and accounts.

Assistant Minister for Defence, the Hon Andrew Hastie MP, warned that cybercriminals are always looking for new ways to steal money and personal data from Australians, and multi-factor authentication is an effective way to protect against these cyber threats.

Multi-factor authentication, or MFA, is a cyber security

STEM skills opportunities boosted through School Pathways Program

Tens of thousands of Australian school students will have more opportunities to experience Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) related activities following the extension of a vital Morrison Government schools program.


Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price said the Schools Pathway Program – a critical initiative aimed at boosting interest in STEM subjects – would continue until 2021-22 following a $5.2 million funding boost.


“The Schools Pathways Program is a key

Economic recovery continues according to new data

New ABS data released today has confirmed our economy is continuing its recovery from COVID-19 and our plan to rebuild a stronger Tasmania is working.


Private new capital expenditure for the December 2020 quarter grew 17.2 per cent in real seasonally adjusted terms, the highest growth of any State, and over five times higher than the national growth of just 3 per cent.


Incredibly, and despite still recovering from the pandemic, private investment grew 10.2 per cent over the year, bucking the national trend that saw nearly all other states and territories decline over the same period.


Private investment was underpinned by the

Women’s football to kick goals in 2021

I welcome today’s announcement from AFL Tasmania of a new competition model for women’s football across the State. 

This model will provide for more teams, and importantly more opportunities for women to play football in Tasmania.

Despite the challenges of 2020, female football

Treasury review of costs and function of Tasracing

An independent review into the costs and functions of Tasracing is a welcome benchmarking of the performance of the State-owned company against comparable organisations in other jurisdictions.

The review, conducted by the Department of Treasury and Finance, was made public today and is available at www.treasury.tas.gov.au/government-businesses/strategic-reviews/tasracing-2020-review

This public release of the review demonstrates

ANZAC Day Parade to proceed

I am extremely pleased to hear that Hobart’s ANZAC Day parade will proceed this year.


ANZAC Day is one of our nation’s most significant commemorative days and an opportunity to honour the courage and sacrifice of our servicemen and women.


This year will mark the 106th anniversary of the Gallipoli campaign and the birth of the ANZAC spirit of mateship, bravery and sacrifice.


While the format of this year’s events will be different to that of previous years, I am confident that Tasmanian veterans, their families and the broader community will appreciate the opportunity to take part in our treasured ANZAC Day traditions.


Our Government will continue to work with RSL Tasmania and their sub-branches as they arrange commemorative events this ANZAC Day.


I thank them for their efforts in honouring our ANZAC heritage.

Pushing the pedals to fight diabetes

We are ready to ride once again for the annual Diabetes Tasmania Tasmanian Pollie Pedal - the 16th edition of the important charity ride.

The unique event raises awareness and funds to support the important work of Diabetes Tasmania.

I have been proud to take part in the ride since its inception in 2006 and am pleased to announce that to date, it has raised over $740,000 to support Tasmanians with diabetes and their families.

As someone with type 1 diabetes and as a Diabetes Australia Ambassador, I am thrilled to continue supporting the Pollie Pedal.

Starting in St Helens and finishing in Richmond, cyclists on this year’s ride will cover more than 250 kilometres and experience some of the stunning scenery and community spirit that Tasmania has to offer.

The 16th annual Pollie Pedal begins this Friday 26 February and concludes on Sunday 28 February 2021.

I would like to thank all of those who continue to support this very worthy cause, and if anyone would like to learn more about this initiative please visit https://diabetestas.org.au/pollie-pedal/

NDIS supporting Tasmanians with disability

New data reveals the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) continued to support Tasmanians during 2020 despite the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The NDIS Quarterly Report showed that 92 per cent of respondents found their individual NDIS plan was helping them progress to their goals, which was up six per cent on the previous quarter.

It also found that the number of younger people

Investing in our youngest students

A new Kindergarten at the Moonah Primary School has officially opened as part of the Tasmanian Government’s plan to improve educational outcomes and rebuild a stronger Tasmania.


The $1.4 million project introduces a contemporary and inspiring learning space for the school’s students and features two new rooms.


The design uses elements of the school’s existing buildings of red brick and gable roof, with the landscaping of the playground complementing the school’s new bushfood garden.


The southern wall of the Kindergarten will feature a piece of public art by artist Jackson Wells, who worked closely with architects to bring the vision to life.


The Tasmanian Government is committed to ensuring our students have the school environments needed to learn, grow and thrive, and we recognise the importance of early years education.


The State Budget includes the biggest ever commitment into education infrastructure in Tasmania’s history with $204.1 million targeted at new schools, school upgrades, school farms and Child and Family Learning Centres.


We are proud of our record investment to ensure our students can grow into creative and curious thinkers, as well as future leaders.

Wednesday, February 24, 2021

STEP FORWARD FOR SOUTH EAST QUEENSLAND 2032 OLYMPIC BID

Queensland is a step closer to hosting an Olympic and Paralympic Games for the first time in the state’s history following a decision by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to enter into exclusive negotiations for the 2032 event.


The decision is a game-changing development for the Bid which has long been supported by all levels of government.


Prime Minister Scott Morrison has

Now is the time to move regional

Australians are turning the dream of a tree change into reality, with the largest quarterly shift on record of city dwellers making the move to regional Australia.


Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said metropolitan Australians are finally waking up to countless opportunities present in regional, rural in remote Australia that accompany an unparalleled lifestyle.


“Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic,

BRISBANE AND AOC INVITED TO TARGETED DIALOGUE FOR THE OLYMPIC GAMES 2032

THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE (IOC) EXECUTIVE BOARD (EB) TODAY DECIDED TO FOLLOW THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE FUTURE HOST COMMISSION FOR THE GAMES OF THE OLYMPIAD TO ENTER INTO A TARGETED DIALOGUE FOR THE GAMES OF THE XXXV OLYMPIAD. THE IOC WILL START MORE DETAILED DISCUSSIONS WITH THE BRISBANE 2032 COMMITTEE AND THE AUSTRALIAN OLYMPIC COMMITTEE (AOC) ABOUT THEIR POTENTIAL TO HOST THE OLYMPIC GAMES 2032.

Under the IOC’s new, more targeted and flexible approach to future host elections, the two Future Host Commissions (Summer and Winter) are permanently open to exploratory, non-committal continuous dialogue with interested parties and National Olympic Committees (NOCs) on their ambitions to host future Games. The Future Host Commission gave the opportunity of a presentation and a discussion to the interested parties in the continuous dialogue, which resulted in meetings on 3, 8 and 9 February 2021. The Commission has also engaged with those NOCs that have chosen not to be in the continuous dialogue at this stage.

As noted during the reports of the Future Hosts Commissions to the IOC Session last year, the IOC is

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