Archived News for Professionals in Federal Government - May, 2012
Economist, business-owner and environmentalist, Peter Whish-Wilson has been selected by the Tasmanian Greens to replace Bob Brown in the Senate.
"Peter will be a superb representative for Tasmania. As an economist, business owner and campaigner to stop a polluting pulp mill in the Tamar Valley, he brings great experience and an excellent skills-set to the Senate and the Greens party room,” Australian Greens Leader, Senator Christine Milne, said.
Mr Whish-Wilson said "I feel honoured to have been chosen by the Greens to be their new Tasmanian Senator, and I'm very excited to be working with Christine Milne.”
Australia has potential to become food superpower: PM
Prime Minister Julia Gillard says Australia has the potential to become a future food superpower in an address to the Global Foundation in Melbourne.
Australian Clean Technologies Competion now open
Parliamentary Secretary for Industry and Innovation, Mark Dreyfus, announced the 2012 Australian Clean Technologies Competition open for nominations.
"This year's Australian Clean Technologies Competition is a unique opportunity for Australian clean technology firms to develop their capabilities and gain market exposure for their innovations."
Through the Competition, entrants will link with business mentors, access training opportunities and showcase their capabilities to potential customers, investors and the media.
Competition finalists are given access to the Cleantech Business Accelerator Program through which they are provided with mentoring on commercialisation pathways, business modelling, funding solutions and successful techniques for pitch delivery.
2011 Competition winner, SMAC Technologies, with its innovative air-conditioning technology that reduces energy consumption, represented Australia at the International Global Ideas Competition in the USA.
For further information on how you can participate in the Australian Clean Technologies Competition visit www.cleantechopen.com.au
Dept of Health and Aging appoints new National Manager
The Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) has appointed Dr John Skerritt as the new National Manager of the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) which is responsible for regulating therapeutic goods including medicines, medical devices, blood and blood products.
In making the announcement today, the Secretary of the DoHA, Professor Jane Halton, said Dr John Skerritt, who has a PhD in Pharmacology and is an adjunct Professor at the University of Queensland, is currently the Deputy Secretary of the Department of Primary Industries in the Victorian Government and will come to the TGA with extensive experience in medical, agricultural and environmental policy, regulation, research, research management, technology application and commercialisation.
Dr Skerritt is the former Deputy CEO of the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (a commonwealth statutory authority) and a two term Ministerial appointee on the Gene Technology Technical Advisory Committee (Office of Gene Technology Regulator). He has experience on Boards of international and national organisations and more than 25 years experience in negotiating, leading major technical and commercial collaborations with OECD and Asia-Pacific countries.
Early Development Index 2012-2014 launched
Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth Peter Garrett visited the Mount Rogers Early Links to Learning Playgroup in Canberra to launch the second data collection for the Australian Early Development Index (AEDI).
Government warns of hidden costs in satellite phones
The Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy is aware of satellite phone carriers promoting zero up-front payment schemes for satellite phones in Australia.
Ministers to give tourism a push
Australia’s tourism ministers have pushed ahead with efforts to streamline regulation in order to stimulate investment and future growth in tourism.
ALRC releases mature aged workers issues paper
The Australian Law Reform Council (ALRC) has released an Issues Paper for its inquiry into the legal barriers to mature aged participation in the workforce.
Government forms expert groups to help form NDIS
The Federal Government has announced the formation of three expert groups to help inform the design of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
Privacy reform to target credit reporting
Attorney-General Nicola Roxon has announced the Federal Government’s intentions to reform the country’s privacy laws, with an aim to simplify credit reporting arrangements, give new enforcement powers to the Privacy Commissioner and better protect people’s personal information.
We're a nation of spendthrifts: report
Australian households are better off than they have ever been before, but our lifestyle aspirations are compromising our disposable income, according to the latest AMP.NATSEM Income and Wealth Report.