Australian Government Media Releases

Centrelink Indigenous Ambassador and Olympic Hurdler, Kyle Vander-Kuyp, today officially opened the refurbished Centrelink Customer Service Centre at Port Augusta. Kyle said the new Port Augusta Centrelink continues to offer the full range of Centrelink services for families, older Australians, young people and students, jobseekers as well as to people with a disability and their carers. The Port Augusta Customer Service Centre is located at 99 Commercial Road, Port Augusta and is open Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5pm.

Today I joined with Brisbane Broncos coach Wayne Bennett to launch a national campaign to combat child abuse at Suncorp Stadium. Wayne and I have known each other for a long time and we both thought it was fitting to use Fathers' Day to work with Tereasa Scott, National President of the National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (NAPCAN) to launch this campaign. During National Child Protection Week we want parents and other adults to set a good example for children so they will be far less likely to become violent, aggressive or abusive themselves.

I have today agreed to a request by the Honourable John Clarke QC for an extension of the reporting date for the Clarke Inquiry into the case of Dr Mohamed Haneef until 14 November 2008. By letter dated 3 September 2008, Mr Clarke has indicated that he requires additional time to complete his enquiries and provide his report. The Government accepts that the extension requested by Mr Clarke is appropriate to enable Mr Clarke to complete his important work.

Attorney-General Robert McClelland today announced that the Rudd Government will provide $17 million over the next three years to help fund eighteen new services, which will support children dealing with the breakdown of their parents' relationship. Supporting Children After Separation Program. Lifeline Community Care Queensland.

You are here: » Transcripts. Waratah Coal wanted to build a rail line and a port at Shoalwater Bay to export 10 billion dollars of coal to international markets. I rejected this project on the basis that the impact of the rail line and the proposed port location on the ecological values of the Shoalwater Bay training area and the Shoalwater Bay Corio area were clearly unacceptable.

Subscribe to our RSS feed to receive the latest updates from Human Services. Minister for Human Services, Senator Joe Ludwig, has congratulated Centrelinks Port Macquarie Call Centre for taking out the Award for Excellence for Employers of Australian Apprentices for the Hunter and North Coast NSW region. Senator Ludwig said Centrelinks Indigenous employment rate is above the Australian Public Service average, and the Indigenous Apprenticeship Program will continue to build on these results.

The Minister for Ageing, Justine Elliot, today announced that the first 500 of 2,000 training places for community aged care workers from culturally-diverse or indigenous backgrounds will soon be available. The Australian Government's aged care workforce initiatives include:. Community Aged Care Packages provides support services for older people who would otherwise require low-level residential aged care.

The Kirralee Residential Aged Care Facility in East Ballarat is compliant with all 44 accreditation outcomes. But the Department of Health and Ageing and the Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency will continue to monitor for the welfare and safety of residents. In July, the Department of Health and Ageing imposed tough sanctions on Kirralee Residential Aged Care Facility - following the identification of serious risk to residents.

Next year, 180 scholarships valued at up to $10,000 will be available for community aged care nurses to improve their skills - as part of the Australian Government's commitment to improving the skills in nursing. It is part of the $4.5 million Postgraduate Community Aged Care Nursing Scholarships Scheme - administered by the Royal College of Nursing Australia. Other Australian Government aged care workforce initiatives include: providing scholarships to encourage more people to enter or re-enter aged care nursing, especially in rural and regional areas through the Aged Care Nursing Scholarship Scheme assisting enrolled nurses to access recognised and approved medication administration education and training programs and funding the Diploma in Nursing (Enrolled Nurse Qualifications) for residential aged care workers through the Better Skills Better For Better Care program.

Subscribe to the RSS feed to receive the latest updates from the Minister for Human Services. Minister for Human Services, Senator Joe Ludwig, has congratulated Centrelinks Port Macquarie Call Centre for taking out the Award for Excellence for Employers of Australian Apprentices for the Hunter and North Coast NSW region. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, the Hon Julia Gillard MP, presented the Ministers Award to Port Macquarie Call.

Thank you to Cary for your kind introduction and for the invitation to close, what has been by all accounts, a vibrant conference. We think that the time is right to think about how the sector can have a better regulatory regime. We think that a Compact is a very respectful way of providing a platform for discussion and agreement between the Government and the sector on a range of issues.

Parliamentary Secretary for the Voluntary Sector, Senator Ursula Stephens, today addressed the Volunteering Australia Conference on the Gold Coast, reaffirming the Rudd Government's commitment to supporting and promoting volunteering. More than 500 people attended the three day Volunteering Australia Conference from 3 to 5 September, which had the theme Catching the new Wave '. The year 2011 will mark the tenth anniversary of the United Nations International Year for Volunteers in 2001, and Australia will join countries around the world in developing fresh ideas and proposals for volunteering to celebrate this occasion.

Thursday, 4 September 2008. Africa is increasingly receiving investment from the global business community and major agencies are pushing to integrate Africa into the world economy. Austrade Africa Trade Mission Leader Garry Mahlberg said that Austrade had made a strategic decision to target the areas with the most opportunities for Australian busineses with specific expertise.

DRAFT JOINT MEDIA RELEASE The Hon Peter Garrett, MP Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts PG/133 THREATENED SPECIES IT'S TIME TO TAKE ACTION Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett today joined WWF Threatened Species Network program manager Kat Miller to urge Australians to use National Threatened Species Day, Sunday September 7, to learn more about our threatened species and how they can be protected. 'This year's theme `Threatened today, extinct tomorrow' underlines how important it is to conserve our native birds and animals and their habitat before it's too late,' Mr Garrett said.

MEDIA RELEASE The Hon Peter Garrett MP Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts PG /136 5 September 2008 MINISTER SAYS NO TO SHOALWATER BAY RAIL & PORT Environment Minister Peter Garrett has acted to preserve the unique biodiversity values at Shoalwater Bay north of Rockhampton in Queensland, rejecting a proposal by Waratah Coal Inc. to establish a rail line and coal port in the Shoalwater Bay Training Area. The Minister has found the proposal to be 'clearly unacceptable' under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

MEDIA RELEASE The Hon Peter Garrett MP Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts PG /132 5 September 2008 ARTS MINISTER APPOINTS FIRST CEO OF NATIONAL FILM AND SOUND ARCHIVE Arts Minister Peter Garrett today announced the appointment of Dr Darryl McIntyre as the first Chief Executive Officer of the National Film and Sound Archive in Canberra, completing the final phase in the establishment of the Archive as an independent statutory authority. 'I'm pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Darryl McIntyre as inaugural CEO of the newly independent National Film and Sound Archive.

PW 165/08 5 September 2008 TRANSCRIPT OF DOORSTOP INTERVIEW, PARLIAMENT HOUSE, CANBERRA SUBJECT: CLIMATE CHANGE, PROFESSOR GARNAUT'S REPORT E & O E PROOF ONLY WONG: Thanks very much for coming. We welcome, the Government welcomes the release today of Professor Garnaut's latest report, which sets out a whole range of economic data and other issues around climate change. We welcome Professor Garnaut's contribution. Can I just say this latest report confirms yet again why this country must act on climate change.

You are here: » Media releases. Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett today joined WWF Threatened Species Network program manager Kat Miller to urge Australians to use National Threatened Species Day, Sunday September 7, to learn more about our threatened species and how they can be protected. All Threatened Species Network Community Grants projects are funded by the Australian Government's Caring for our Country initiative.

You are here: » Media releases. to establish a rail line and coal port in the Shoalwater Bay Training Area. Waratah Coal Inc referred the proposal to the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts on the 30th July this year.

You are here: » Media releases. Arts Minister Peter Garrett today announced the appointment of Dr Darryl McIntyre as the first Chief Executive Officer of the National Film and Sound Archive in Canberra, completing the final phase in the establishment of the Archive as an independent statutory authority. 'I'm pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Darryl McIntyre as inaugural CEO of the newly independent National Film and Sound Archive.'.

You are here: » Transcripts. This is a policy suggestion that Professor Garnaut raised in his draft report - his previous report - and certainly it's one of the contributions from Professor Garnaut. : We've been very clear that our commitment is to a 60 per cent reduction by 2050 and I think what Professor Garnaut's report today confirms is that is a significant target.

NEW CHIEF DEFENCE SCIENTIST APPOINTED. Warren Snowdon MP, announced today that Professor Robert Clark will be appointed as Chief Defence Scientist and head the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO). Professor Clark is also a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science and was an inaugural Australian Government Federation Fellow, said Mr Snowdon.

DEFENCE 2020 YOUTH CHALLENGES SHOWCASING TALENT. Warren Snowdon MP, said Defence 2020 aims to raise awareness of the values of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) amongst senior school students and to encourage discussion about Defence issues through such subjects as history, economics, geography, politics and citizenship.. For further information on Defence 2020 visit.

DSTO RENEWS INDUSTRY ALLIANCE AGREEMENT WITH IBM. The Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) has renewed an important Industry Alliance agreement with IBM for a further three years, the Minister for Defence Science and Personnel, the Hon Warren Snowdon MP, announced today. The agreement was recently signed in Adelaide by the Deputy Chief Defence Scientist (Information and Weapon Systems), Dr Warren Harch, and the General Manager, Defence & National Security, IBM Australia Ltd, Mr Murray Bruce.

DEFENCE HONOURS AND AWARDS TRIBUNAL INQUIRY into recognition for service with the united states army small ships section during world war ii. Defence Honours and Awards Tribunal. The Defence Honours and Awards Tribunal shall inquire into and report on the eligibility of Australian civilian personnel who served in the United States Army Small Ships Section, between 1942 to 1945, to receive Australian or Imperial recognition for that service..

Morris Iemma has made a substantial contribution to public life in NSW over two decades. Morris achieved much for NSW, both as a Senior Minister and Premier of Australia's largest state. Morris also recently oversaw a highly successful World Youth Day festival.

Timely and comprehensive election results for the Mayo by-election will be available on election night via the Virtual Tally Room (VTR) on the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) website at . The VTR for the Mayo by-election will operate until all results are finalised. On election night only ordinary votes are counted and the results will be available as first preferences and as a two-candidate-preferred (TCP) count on the VTR.

Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy. The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, today encouraged people from the Kununurra region to attend a free event to find out how the Australian Government is improving access to broadband. Representatives from the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy are attending to provide information and advice on the Australian Broadband Guarantee, Satellite Phone Subsidy Scheme, Do Not Call Register and e-security.

Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy. The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, today encouraged people from Darwin to attend a free event on how the Australian Government is improving access to broadband. Representatives from the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy are attending to provide information and advice on the Australian Broadband Guarantee, Satellite Phone Subsidy Scheme, Do Not Call Register and e-security.

Lyne electors are reminded that this Saturday 6 September is election day. There will be no polling places open outside the Lyne electorate on election day. The majority of the 87,951 Australians on the electoral roll for the Lyne electorate will vote on election day.

Subject(s): Luxury car tax, Economy, Belinda Neal, US elections. SPEERS: Prime Minister good morning, you suffered your first big defeat in the Senate yesterday when the Coalition and Family First's Steve Fielding voted against your increase in the luxury car tax. In Bali last year - this was your first trip as Prime Minister - you agreed that developed countries including Australia should adopt a goal of cutting emissions by between 25-40% by 2020.

Subject(s): Economy, Budget, Senate, Luxury Car tax, Injured Australian troops, Pakistan. UHLMANN: Prime Minister good morning. UHLMANN: Prime Minister just a couple of quick things do you have any more information on the health of the Australian troops that were injured earlier this week?.

Subject(s): Quentin Bryce, Governor General Michael Jeffery, Luxury Car Tax. DOYLE: Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, good morning to you. Like the departing Governor-General, Major General Michael Jeffery, is patron of 200 organisations in Australia.

The regional outreach officer from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) will be Geraldton and Moora next week. 'While the department has a great deal of information available over the phone or online, some people prefer to speak to officers face-to-face and these visits are about meeting that need.'. Appointments will be held in Moora at the Wheatbelt Development Commission's Central Midlands office on September 9 and in Geraldton at the Mid West Development Commission office on September 11.

Sydney artist Bill Nix clearly has fond memories of an earlier career when he worked in the shipbuilding yard on Sydney's Cockatoo Island. In 2002 he revisited his early career with a painting he titled The boys from Cockatoo It showed a crowd of workers disembarking from a Sydney ferry for a day's work on the industrial island. His subjects are from his memories..

Your Excellencies, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen. This is the first time we have had a welcome to country on behalf of the Ngunnawal people as part of the official swearing in ceremonies associated with the installation of a new Governor-General. Your Excellency, your service in your new role will take you to all corners of our great nation.

Coverage of the Swearing-in Australia's First Female. The ABC will screen live on ABC1 tomorrow the historic swearing-in ceremony of Australia's first female Governor-General. 'In keeping with the ABC's past practice of screening the swearing-in of a new Governor-General, we have decided to show tomorrow's ceremony on ABC1, and expect there will be additional interest given the historic appointment of Australia's first female Governor-General'.

Sydney artist Bill Nix clearly has fond memories of an earlier career when he worked in the shipbuilding yard on Sydney's Cockatoo Island. In 2002 he revisited his early career with a painting he titled The boys from Cockatoo It showed a crowd of workers disembarking from a Sydney ferry for a day's work on the industrial island. His subjects are from his memories..

MEDIA RELEASE Thursday, 4 September 2008 Wentworth's Lock 10 to re-open in October Lock 10 at Wentworth which closed in May this year for major refurbishment will re-open to boat navigation the week beginning 27 October. Murray-Darling Basin Commission Chief Executive Dr Wendy Craik said the works were part of planned, necessary maintenance and upgrading of structures along the Murray. 'Some components of the lock had been in place since it was built in 1929 and were nearing the end of their useful life.

The findings are contained in the report Financial performance of Australian sugar cane producers, 2005-06 to 2007-08 , released today by Dr Don Gunasekera, ABARE's acting Executive Director. The decline in sugar cane profitability is estimated to have resulted in the number of sugar cane growers falling from 4800 farms in 2005-06 to around 4100 in 2007-08. There is evidence of economies of scale in the Australian sugar cane industry.

Minister for Immigration and Citizenship. The Workplace Ombudsman's investigation into McDermott Industries (Australia) highlights the vulnerability of overseas workers and the need to ensure that they are not used to undermine local wages and conditions. This will ensure that overseas workers employed within the Australian Migration Zone are properly paid and Australian wages and conditions are not undermined.

Vic: Personal appointment service for CSA customers in Hastings. Child Support Agency (CSA) customers will be able to make personal appointments with CSA Frankston Regional Service Centre staff in Hastings on Tuesday 16 September, 2008. Hastings Community Information & Support Centre, 30 King St, Hastings Vic.

Vic: Separated parents can learn more about child support services at the Werribee Community Information Session. For more information on the session parents should call and ask to speak to someone about the Werribee Community Information Session or go to the CSA website at. FREE PARENT INFORMATION SESSION.

Vic: Personal appointment service for CSA customers in Seymour. Child Support Agency (CSA) customers will be able to make personal appointments with CSA Bendigo Regional Service Centre staff in Seymour on Tuesday 16 September 2008. Customers can also make an appointment at the CSA Bendigo Regional Service Centre, 231-235 Lyttleton Tce, Bendigo.

On 6 September I will travel to Xiamen in China's Fujian Province, to represent Australia at the China-Pacific Island Countries Economic Development and Cooperation Forum on 7-10 September. Australia has a flourishing trade relationship with China and we look forward to assisting Pacific island countries to form similar relationships. Australia now exports three times as much to China as to the UK, twice as much to China as to the US, and more to China than to the entire European Union.

Minister for Trade, Simon Crean today launched the export of GM Holden's Veritas to the Republic of Korea (ROK), while visiting the company's Port Melbourne plant.. The Veritas is GM Holden's new all-Australian made vehicle.. This will contribute to the Government's efforts to promote trade reform at the border and complement efforts underway through multilateral trade negotiations, regional institutions such as APEC, and bilateral Free Trade Agreements..

Tax Commissioner Michael D'Ascenzo today received advice from the Government that it intends to reintroduce the proposed luxury car tax bill. Where a luxury car is ordered but not delivered before 1 July, the supplier is entitled to include the extra luxury car tax in the price of the vehicle. 'Alternatively, motor vehicle suppliers may choose to account for their additional luxury car tax liability by requesting the Tax Office to amend their BAS for the period in which they originally accounted for their luxury car tax.'.

From Monday 8 September, 19 new officers will join the Customs ranks at Cairns International Airport. The new officers will officially graduate from the Customs Trainee Program in a ceremony held today in Cairns. Customs Media (02) 6275 6793.

AUSTRALIAN MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS. The Ambassador for Counter-Terrorism will be responsible for developing and implementing Australia's international counter-terrorism efforts. Mr Paterson will be Australia's fourth Ambassador for Counter-Terrorism. The position was established in March 2003 and has played a critical role coordinating and promoting Australia's international counter-terrorism. Previous Ambassadors for Counter-Terrorism were Mr Nick Warner, Mr Les Luck and Mr Mike Smith. The strong work of Australia's Counter-Terrorism Ambassadors was underlined by the appointment of the previous Ambassador, Mike Smith, as the Executive-Director of the UN Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate in November 2007..

AUSTRALIAN MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS. Australia is an active partner of ASEAN through the ASEAN Regional Forum, the East Asia Summit, the ASEAN-Australia Post Ministerial Conference, the ASEAN Economic Ministers Closer Economic Relations Consultations, the ASEAN-Australia Forum, and the ASEAN-Australia Development Cooperation Program Joint Planning Committee. Ms Bird previously served as First Assistant Secretary, International Division, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Prior to this appointment, she was Head, Foreign and Trade Policy White Paper Task Force (Advancing the National Interest), within the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.