Invest In Australia News
Coalition own goal confirms modest carbon price impact
The Coalition's carbon price scare campaign has scored another own goal by confirming the modest impact of the carbon price on schools, hospitals, universities and TAFEs.
An analysis provided by Opposition Climate Action spokesperson Greg Hunt to News Ltd this morning reveals the carbon price impact on schools, hospitals, universities and TAFEs is just 0.15 per cent - less than Treasury estimates.
Mr Hunt's analysis takes estimates of electricity and natural gas usage in these sectors and extrapolates the carbon price impact over the first three years of the carbon price.New program helps Indigenous students aim high
A new pilot program will help young Indigenous high school students set their sights on university.
The Indigenous Academic Enrichment Program (IAEP) will provide residential program and ongoing support for Indigenous Year 9 and 10 students, as well as teacher training, in schools across Victoria and Southern New South Wales.
Visiting Bendigo Senior Secondary College today, Minister for Higher Education and Skills Sharon Bird announced $428,000 for the program, which will be run by University of Melbourne.
"The Labor Government believes every Australian, rich or poor, no matter where they live or where they come from, can go to university if they have the ability and are prepared to work," Minister Bird said.$59 million for La Trobe Rural Health School
Rural Victorians will benefit from up to 1700 extra health professionals over the next four years, thanks to La Trobe University's Rural Health School.
Opening the new facilities at the La Trobe Rural Health School today Minister for Higher Education and Skills Sharon Bird said the Gillard Government was investing more than $59 million into the school.
"This School is a boost for the local community, and for regional Victoria. In the short term it will bring new students to the area. Longer term it will help address regional Victoria's need for more allied health professionals," Minister Bird said.Ongoing funding for successful jobs initiatives
The Hon Bill Shorten MP
Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Financial Services and Superannuation
The Hon Kate Ellis MP
Minister for Employment Participation
Minister for Early Childhood and Child Care
The Gillard Government will invest $15.7 million to continue two successful programs that have connected thousands of Australians to jobs.
Employment and Workplace Relations Minister Bill Shorten and Employment Participation Minister Kate Ellis said this year’s Budget would ensure the great work of 20 Local Employment Coordinators based in Priority Employment Areas across Australia continues.Employment hits a record high
Labour force figures released today by the ABS show that seasonally adjusted employment surged by 50,100 in April, exceeding market expectations, to stand at a record high of 11,663,200.
Seasonally adjusted full-time employment increased by 34,500 in April 2013, to stand at 8,159,700, also a record high. Part-time employment also rose, by 15,600 to 3,503,500.
Reflecting today’s positive employment results, the unemployment rate in Australia decreased to 5.5 per cent in April, while the labour force participation rate rose to 65.3 per cent as more Australians were encouraged to join the labour force and look for work.South Australia welcomes draft laws on Woomera access
Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy Tom Koutsantonis today welcomed the release of draft Commonwealth legislation that will enable the development of an estimated $35 billion of mineral resources in the Woomera Prohibited Area.
Mr Koutsantonis said the South Australian Government has been working closely with the Commonwealth and industry to develop an appropriate access regime to the WPA.
"This draft legislation is the result of extensive consultation with industry stakeholders including resource companies, pastoralists and others seeking to access this area," he said.Hon Michael Kirby's UN appointment
Foreign Minister Bob Carr today welcomed the appointment of the Hon Michael Kirby AC CMG as chair of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) Commission of Inquiry to investigate human rights violations in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), announced in Geneva.
Senator Carr congratulated Mr Kirby and expressed hope the inquiry will provide definitive information on the nature of human rights abuses in North Korea.
"The Honourable Michael Kirby's strong legal credentials and previous experience in the UN system make him an ideal candidate for the position," Senator Carr said.International students choose Australia for quality
Students from overseas remain satisfied with their study experience even though the strong Australian dollar has made it more expensive, a new survey shows.
The 2012 International Student Survey found that 87 per cent of international students in Australia were satisfied or very satisfied with their study and living experience here, up from 86 per cent in 2010.
More than 90 per cent of over 50,000 respondents indicated that personal safety was one of their main reasons for choosing to study in Australia. However, satisfaction with living costs has fallen 10 percentage points since 2010.NBN to pilot new models of health care for 2500 patients
The Gillard Government is providing $20.3 million to nine cutting edge telehealth projects that will use the National Broadband Network to pilot new methods of health care delivery.
“These exciting initiatives will help demonstrate how important high-speed broadband is to the future of healthcare and highlight why it should be rolled out to all Australians,” Senator Conroy said.
The projects, to be implemented by some of Australia's leading healthcare and research organisations, will reach around 2500 patients in 50 NBN communities, and include:Tonsley open for business
Manufacturing, Innovation and Trade Minister, Tom Kenyon has declared the former Mitsubishi site at Tonsley 'open for business' with an initial release of 35,000m2 of commercial and industrial land available to potential investors from today.
Mr Kenyon says the 61 hectare site will be the catalyst for new thinking, new systems and new business in Adelaide's south.
"Colliers International - a global leader in property sales and services - will be responsible for promoting and discussing opportunities with investors and developers around the world.Construction Costs Not Affected by Carbon Price
New official figures confirm that the Carbon Price has had little if any impact on the cost of the materials used in the building of roads and bridges.
In fact these construction costs are now rising at a slower pace than that recorded prior to the introduction of the Carbon Price - the very opposite of what Tony Abbott and his National Party sidekick Warren Truss said would happen.
During the first nine months of the Carbon Price (July 2012 to March 2013), the average quarterly rise was just 0.6 per cent, significantly smaller than the average for the past decade (1.1 per cent).Carbon price cuts timber sawmill emissions and grows profits
Queensland sawmilling company, Allied Timber Products Pty Ltd, will use $202,275 of carbon price revenue from the Gillard Labor Government to reduce energy consumption at its Burpengary sawmill.
The grant will be used to assist the installation of energy efficient motors and controllers at the sawmill. This equipment upgrade is expected to reduce the carbon emissions intensity of the site by around 16 per cent.
Announcing the Clean Technology Investment Program grant, Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change, Industry and Innovation, Yvette D'Ath, said it would help Allied Timber Products transform its operations while at the same time become more profitable.New centre to transform education through science
Researchers and educators will work together to improve the quality and methods of teaching used in schools as part of a new national Science of Learning Research Centre established by the Gillard Government.
Tertiary Education Minister Craig Emerson today said the Government would invest $16 million in the Centre, which will be led by the University of Queensland.
The Centre is a key recommendation of the Prime Minister's Science, Engineering and Innovation Council Expert Working Group report, Transforming Learning and the Transmission of Knowledge.
The project will help Australia build a solid scientific evidence base that directly informs teaching practices.$1 billion for 10,000 new affordable rental homes
The Gillard Government today opened a new round of incentives worth $1 billion over 10 years to build 10,000 new affordable rental homes under the National Rental Affordability Scheme (NRAS).
“We know that housing affordability is a concern for many Australians and we’re investing heavily to address that concern,” Minster for Housing and Homelessness Mark Butler said.
“This new round opening today will deliver about 10,000 new affordable rental homes across Australia by 2015–16.
“Through this NRAS round, the Government will look to preference projects that embrace universal design principles, which helps support independent living for older people and people with a disability.”More than 2400 locals connect to jobs at Launceston expo
More than 2400 local job seekers have been connected with jobs and training at the Australian Government Jobs and Skills Expo in Launceston today.
Local Member for Bass, Geoff Lyons, said the Launceston Jobs and Skills Expo was a great success with more than 300 jobs on offer.
"People took advantage of the many local full-time and part-time job opportunities, submitting 585 resumes to the 60 exhibitors—with many more interviews still to take place,” Mr Lyons said.
“Exhibitors have told us more than 210 of the full-time and part-time job vacancies on display at the Expo are likely to be filled by people who attended the event.Engagement with Asia helps trade balance back into surplus
Australia recorded a seasonally-adjusted trade surplus of $307 million in March, as strong demand from Asia helped deliver the first positive balance since December 2011.
The March figure, released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, represents a $418 million improvement on the revised $111 million deficit in February.
The ABS reported that total exports of goods and services for March were worth $25.7 billion, 0.6 per cent higher than the total in February. Imports fell 1.1 per cent to $25.4 billion.Australian and Polish Foreign Ministers discuss bilateral relations
Foreign Minister Bob Carr held talks in Sydney last night with the Polish Foreign Minister, Mr Radoslaw Sikorski.
Senator Carr and Mr Sikorski discussed a range of international economic and security matters, including current developments in Europe and the Eurozone, the challenges posed by North Korea, Afghanistan, Syria, and Mali as well as reforms in Myanmar.
"Despite the geographic distance between Australia and Poland, our views on major international security matters are aligned, including in our condemnation of North Korea's nuclear weapons and missile program," Senator Carr said.Launceston expo brings work and training opportunities
Hundreds of work and training opportunities will be on offer at tomorrow’s Jobs and Skills Expo in Launceston.
It’s the latest in the series of highly successful Australian Government Jobs and Skills Expos held across the country since 2009 and will be officially opened by the Minister for Indigenous Employment and Economic Development, Julie Collins.
Ms Collins and Federal Member for Bass, Geoff Lyons, are encouraging local job seekers, employers and training organisations to get behind the expo.
"We know this formula works—bringing employers, job seekers and training providers together in a single location,” Ms Collins said.Big Savings Through Energy Efficiency Improvements
An independent review has found the Australian Government's Energy Efficiency Opportunities (EEO) program is saving participants millions of dollars in energy costs each year.
The review also recommends streamlining the reporting process to address industry concerns around compliance costs, which the Government will start implementing immediately.
These changes follow an external review conducted by ACIL Tasman, released today, which found the EEO program has ongoing value under a carbon price as it addresses information failures around energy usage.
Minister for Resources and Energy, Gary Gray, has welcomed the findings of the independent review.2013 Defence White Paper: Sustaining And Strengthening Strategic Reform
An effectively functioning Australian Defence Organisation is a critical part of protecting and defending Australia’s national security interests.
The 2013 White Paper outlines an integrated and comprehensive reform program which will embed in Defence the significant and wide ranging reforms the Government has introduced.
The reform program builds on the Strategic Reform Program (SRP), which was announced in the 2009 Defence White Paper to underpin the modernisation of the Australian Defence Organisation.
This reform program has now been expanded to include the areas of individual personal and institutional accountability, budget processes, procurement and capability and Defence conduct and culture.Carbon price revenue helps CSR reduce pollution and lower energy costs
Joint media release with the Federal Member for Deakin, Mike Symon MP.
Revenue from the carbon price will help CSR Building Products Limited, one of Australia's largest manufacturers, to reduce its energy use and cut pollution.
The carbon emissions intensity of CSR's roof tile production facility in Vermont, Victoria, will be cut thanks to two energy efficiency grants under the Clean Technology Investment Program.$24.5 million to progress Cape York Welfare Reform
The Australian Government will invest $24.5 million over two years to build on the significant gains that have been made in improving Aboriginal people’s lives in the four communities participating in the Cape York Welfare Reform trial.
This funding injection in the 2013-14 Budget will continue the Family Responsibilities Commission (FRC) and other key parts of the program, as well as introducing new measures to further support school enrolment and attendance, and re-engage disengaged youth with education, jobs and life skills in the communities of Aurukun, Coen, Hope Vale and Mossman Gorge.Labor's NBN completed in Northern Territory by the end of 2015
The Australian Government today confirmed that the rollout of the National Broadband Network in the Northern Territory will be complete by the end of 2015.
Minister for Broadband, Communications, and the Digital Economy, Stephen Conroy, today released the updated NBN 3 year rollout plan, which will see Labor's world class broadband network rolled out across the territory.
"We are connecting all households to the NBN for free because we believe all Northern Territory households deserve access to the NBN's fast, reliable and affordable broadband.Visit to Papua New Guinea
Foreign Minister Bob Carr will visit Papua New Guinea (PNG) from 3 to 4 May for talks with the PNG Government on regional, bilateral and development issues.
Senator Carr will meet with Foreign Minister Rimbink Pato, Minister for National Planning Charles Abel, and other senior members of PNG's Government.
Senator Carr said Australia's trade and investment links with PNG are growing.
"We are working together to address challenges in our region such as people smuggling and encouraging Fiji on its path back to democracy," Senator Carr said.
Senator Carr will also address the Burnet Institute's "Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies" Fundraising dinner in Port Moresby.
