Albanese Government publishes eSafety's Roadmap for Age Verification

The Albanese Government has today published the eSafety Commissioner’s Roadmap for age verification and complementary measures to prevent and mitigate harms to children from online pornography, along with the Government’s response. The Roadmap considers the feasibility of implementing a regime of mandatory age verification to address risks and harms associated with children’s encounters with online pornography.

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Sara Johnston
Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water | Survey - Environmentally Sustainable Procurement Policy

On behalf of the Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, you are invited to participate in draft Environmentally Sustainable Procurement Policy.

The purpose of this survey is to understand suppliers’ views on the draft Policy and its requirements with to feedback to be considered in future stages of the draft Policy development. 

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Sara Johnston
Putting words into action to safeguard Indigenous languages

The Albanese Labor Government has reaffirmed its commitment to preserving and promoting First Nations languages with the release today of Australia’s Action Plan for the International Decade of Indigenous Languages 2022-2032.

The Plan was jointly launched by First Nations leaders on the Directions Group for the International Decade and Minister for the Arts, Tony Burke, at the PULiiMA Indigenous Language and Technology Conference on Larrakia Country in Darwin.

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Sara Johnston
Cyber Wardens Pilot event held in Wagga Wagga

Cyber Wardens pilot event was held in Wagga Wagga in 4 August 2023.

Cyber Wardens helps small business owners improve their cyber security skills and provides training to defend against digital break-ins and keep cyber criminals out of their business. With cyber-crime on the rise, it is essential that small business review their current cyber security. This program provides free training and a simple education tool to build a cyber-smart small business workforce.

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Sara Johnston
Murray Region Forestry Hub celebrates National Forestry Day

This year’s National Forestry Day was celebrated at National Foresters’ Grove, Lavington, today Tuesday 22 August.

The day was hosted by the Murray Region Forestry Hub (MRFH) and Softwoods Working Group (SWG) and marked by a tree-planting ceremony followed by morning tea at National Foresters’ Grove, Wagga Road, Lavington.

A dinner was held at Huon Hill, Wodonga, last night (Monday), which the chair of MRFH and SWG Peter Crowe OAM, said provided a great opportunity for the forestry industry to engage in insightful conversations and foster connections within the industry.

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Sara Johnston
High Speed Rail Authority Board meets in Newcastle

The Australian Government’s vision for an east coast high-speed rail network has taken another important step forward today, with the Board of the High Speed Rail Authority (HSRA) meeting in Newcastle for the first time. 

The Board’s meeting in Newcastle follows on from its detailed briefing with New South Wales transport officials yesterday regarding the existing rail corridor between Sydney and Newcastle.

HSRA commenced operations on 13 June 2023 to lead, plan, develop, coordinate, oversee and monitor the construction and operation of a high-speed rail network in Australia.

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Sara Johnston
Hyne Timber Partners to Support Ngarigo Culture Reserve

Hyne Timber is pleased to announce, a 12-month partnership with the Ngarigo Toomaroombah Kunama Namadgi Indigenous Corporation to support the development of the Ngarigo Culture Reserve in Tumbarumba.

The Ngarigo Culture Reserve is the first of its kind for the town and is already attracting busses of visitors despite the development being in early stages.

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Sara Johnston
Guidelines release for transformative regional partnerships program

The Australian Government’s $400 million regional Precincts and Partnerships grants program is now open for applications.

The regional Precincts and Partnerships Program (rPPP) will provide grant funding for precincts that seek to deliver transformative investment in regional, rural and remote Australia based on the aims of unifying regional places, growing their economies and serving their communities.

The program will focus on a partnership approach, bringing together governments and communities to deliver regional precincts that are tailored to local needs and have a shared vision for how that precinct connects to the region.

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Sara Johnston
Commonwealth Changing Places Initiative

The Department of Social Services is offering up to one-third of the cost to build Changing Places facilities in Local Government Areas (LGAs) that currently do not have one.

 

Changing Places are accessible toilets with extra features and more space to meet the needs of people with disability and their carers.

This funding offer can supplement other sources of funding, including from various levels of government, community grants and private enterprises.

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Sara Johnston
Industry projects to drive heavy vehicle safety with $5.5 million investment

Twenty-one new industry-led projects will receive vital funding from the Australian Government through the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator’s (NHVR) Heavy Vehicle Safety Initiative (HVSI).

$3.8 million will be invested into 12 heavy vehicle safety initiatives through Round 8 of the HVSI program, including for roadside health and wellness screening, driver training and increasing vulnerable road user safety.

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Sara Johnston
Public release of submissions to postal services modernisation consultation

The Albanese Government has today released submissions received as part of its public consultation on modernising of postal services and supporting the long-term financial stability of Australia Post.
 
Over 1,000 submissions – including from individuals, community organisations, charities, businesses, and all levels of government – outlined views and opinions on how postal services are currently used and what is needed for the postal service in the future.

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Sara Johnston
The Barrel is back! | McWilliam’s Wines reopens the doors of its newly refurbished Hanwood Cellar Door

One of Australia’s most recognised wine names, McWilliam’s Wines, has just announced the grand reopening of its newly refreshed Hanwood Cellar Door, with doors of the iconic ‘barrel’ opening on August 11. As one of an exclusive few oversized tourist landmarks around Australia, McWilliam’s expansive barrel-shaped cellar door was first opened in 1973, and this year celebrates its 50th anniversary.

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Sara Johnston
Thousands take up new uncapped satellite broadband in rural and regional Australia

Almost half of all Sky Muster Plus customers in rural and regional areas have taken up new uncapped satellite broadband made possible by the Albanese Government’s investments to deliver a better NBN.
 
Since its launch on 1 June, more than 21,000 homes and businesses have signed up to the new Sky Muster Plus Premium service which offers customers uncapped data 24 hours a day and faster speeds of up to 100 Mbps.

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Sara Johnston
National Housing and Homelessness Plan | Issues Paper

The Australian Government, in collaboration with state and territory governments, is developing the  National Housing and Homelessness Plan (the Plan) to help more Australians access safe and affordable housing.

The Plan will set out a shared national vision to improve housing outcomes and help address homelessness  in Australia, and identify reforms needed across the responsibilities of different levels of government to achieve this vision.

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Sara Johnston
Innovate with NBN back for another year

Applications are now open for the latest round of the Innovate with NBN grants program, which supports individuals, businesses and organisations across regional and remote Australia to take their technology-led ideas to the next level.
 
Delivered by NBN Co in partnership with the Regional Australia Institute, the grants will support innovators and entrepreneurs deliver game-changing projects that enhance the digital capabilities of communities and businesses.
 

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Sara Johnston
Albanese Government officially launches BetStop

Australians at risk of experiencing gambling harm will now be able to self-exclude from all licensed interactive wagering services following the launch today of BetStop – the National Self-Exclusion Register.
 
BetStop covers all Australian licensed interactive wagering service providers, – both online and telephone-based – and will mean they are not allowed to open an account or accept a bet from self-excluded individuals, or send them marketing material.

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Sara Johnston
New technology making drivers and pedestrians safer

Australian drivers will have access to new life-saving technology, which will help improve the safety of other drivers and pedestrians when using or around roads.

From 1 November 2027, all new vehicles must be fitted with reversing technologies that will provide drivers with the best possible line of sight when reversing.

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Sara Johnston
Review of the National Freight and Supply Chain Strategy underway

The review of the National Freight and Supply Chain Strategy has commenced, following agreement with state and territory infrastructure and transport ministers.

The Strategy is a holistic, coordinated and multi-modal approach to increase the safety, productivity and resilience of freight and supply chains, agreed by all jurisdictions. It sets an agenda for government and industry action across all freight modes to 2040 and beyond.

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Sara Johnston