Archived News for Professionals in Federal Government

The Federal Government has passed its Consumer Credit Legislation Amendment (Enhancements) Bill 2012 through Parliament, clamping down on what it calls loan sharks by capping the limits on what lenders can charge.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics has announced it has commenced the largest Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health survey in its history, aimed at improving knowledge of the health issues affecting this group of Australians.

Cooperative Research Centres (CRCS) will have a combined total value of $14.5 billion to the Australian economy by 2017, with their technologies, products and processes equating to substantial boosts for the country.

The Federal Government has welcomed the release of the long awaited Manufacturing Taskforce Report, which has found that the sector can continue to prosper and grow if it takes advantage of key emerging opportunities in the Asian region.

The Federal Government has announced tha the giant kelp forests of the south east coast of Australia will be protected under Australian law.

The Federal Government has welcomed Colin Neave’s formal appointment as the Commonwealth Ombudsman, following months of having the position vacant following Allan Asher’s resignation late last year.

Australian Universities have taken a larger stake of the world’s top 500 universities, with five universities taking top 100 places.

The Westpac-Melbounre Institute Index of Consumer Sentiment has fallen 2.5 per cent in the August period, down to 96.6 from 99.1 in July.

The Federal Government has welcomed the decision by the High Court of Australia to reject the legal challenge against its plain packaging laws.

Despite a vehement resistance by the Federal Greens, legislation that will reinstate offshore processing looks likely to pass the Senate.

Melbourne has once again been named the world’s most liveable city by the Economist Intelligence Unit for the second year running.

Move to mitigate to reduce carbon emissions can significantly improve the health of the country’s population and could save billions of dollars and thousands of lives each year, a new report has found.

Despite the breakdown of traditional barriers in the workplace, many women are increasingly encountering structural barriers that prevent them from entering management positions, a Women in Leadership Forum has heard.

The Federal Government has confirmed the appointment of Jillian Broadbent as the chair of the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) Board for a five-year term. Also announced were the appointments of Michael Carapiet, Ian Moor, Anna Karbek and Andrew Stock as the inaugural members of the Board.

Logistics specialist DHL has published its 2012 DHL Export Barometer, showing a recovering business outlook for exporters, despite the strong Australian dollar.

The National Broadband Network Co (NBN Co) has released its Corporate Plan for 2012-15, outlining an expected $1.4 billion increase to its capital expenditure over that period. The plan also outlines a $3.2 billion overall increase over the life of the rollout of the network.

The Federal Government has outlined $42.5 million in funding to deliver nine innovative stormwater harvesting and re-use projects in a bid to secure water supplies in urban areas around the country.

The Australian Social Inclusion Board has published the second edition of its How Australia is faring report, finding that the country is making solid progress in a number of key social inclusion indices.

Australia's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was at 5.2 per cent in July, as announced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). 

An unclear contribution to broader society and a generally strong private result means graduates should pay more for their courses, according to a report released by the Grattan Institute.