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Scientists map out wave
energy hot spots
18 August 2010
Australian scientists have mapped out the best
places across the nation’s southern coast for
generating wave energy, all the way from
Geraldton in Western Australia to King Island in
Tasmania. CSIRO’s study reveals if just 10 per
cent of generated wave energy was harnessed, it
would meet half of the nation’s current
electricity needs.
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Banks agree to DFO lifeline
20 August 2010
The Direct Factory Outlets (DFO) retail chain
has avoided receivership after a deal was
reached between its parent company and banks.
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Guilty plea expected over
pollution
16 August 2010
Aluminum company
Alcoa is expected to plead guilty to an
alternative charge relating to pollution from a
West Australian refinery that residents say
caused illnesses.
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Victoria
MAV launches program to
target planning efficiency
19 August 2010
The Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) has
launched a new program to help councils improve
the efficiency of planning systems. “The new
STEP program uses an intensive audit and review
approach, and participating councils will be
able to pinpoint their trouble spots, prioritise
areas for improvement and ultimately deliver
better and faster planning decisions.
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New wind farm for Victoria
18 August 2010
The Victorian Government has approved a major
wind farm capable of supplying power to 80,000
homes. Planning Minister Justin Madden granted
planning permits for the proposed Crowlands Wind
Farm located within Ararat Rural City Council
and Pyrenees Shire Council.
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Wind, water and wetlands
for Point Cook P-9 College
18 August 2010
Water tanks, wind turbines and wetlands at the
new Point Cook P-9 College are setting the
standard for sustainable schools in Victoria,
according to Education Minister Bronwyn Pike.
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Water authority expects
100pc allocations
17 August 2010
Goulburn-Murray Water is predicting allocations
of 100 per cent on all northern Victorian
irrigation systems by next February under
average inflows.
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$3 million solar
photovoltaic grants help Victoria shine
17 August 2010
Victorians businesses and community groups are
invited to apply for $3 million of grants in the
first round of the Brumby Labor Government’s
Solar Photovoltaic Hubs program which will help
reduce emissions and create green jobs.
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Dredging firm fined for oil
spill
17 August 2010
The Dutch dredging firm that completed the $721
million deepening of Port Phillip Bay’s shipping
channels spilled 900 litres of hydraulic oil
near Point Lonsdale in 2008. The EPA, in an
‘’enforceable undertaking’’ agreement released
yesterday, found that a ‘’quantity of oil having
toxic or otherwise dangerous characteristics’’
had come from the Queen of the Netherlands.
Boskalis has agreed to pay $75,000 to Swinburne
University, as compensation.
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New Bill to improve
bushfire safety before summer
The Brumby Labor Government has significantly
strengthened bushfire prevention obligations for
electricity businesses under legislative
amendments passed in the Upper House in
Parliament.
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New affordable homes for
Victoria announced
13 August 2010
Housing Minister Richard Wynne has announced the
allocation of almost 1,500 new affordable
private rental homes under an innovative
partnership between the Gillard and Brumby Labor
Governments.
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New marine safety laws
introduced into Parliament
13 August 2010
Victoria’s marine safety laws will be modernised
and strengthened to better equip police and
regulators to improve safety on the state’s
waterways under new legislation to be introduced
into Parliament.
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Push land buybacks:
planners
13 August 2010
Land buybacks in high-risk bushfire areas should
be compulsory instead of voluntary as
recommended by the Bushfires Royal Commission, a
key planning group says.
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Baillieu flip-flops on
Victorian Ports Bill
12 August 2010
The Brumby Labor Government will integrate
management of the Port of Melbourne and the Port
of Hastings, with Baillieu Opposition backing
down on its position to block the Transport
Legislation (Ports Integration) Bill.
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$550,000 new planning
measures to address climate change in lakes
entrance
12 August 2010
Planning Minister Justin Madden has announced
$550,000 to bring forward long term planning
controls for Lakes Entrance addressing the
impacts of climate change on the area.
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New South Wales
Government releases
landmark coastal planning guideline
20 August 2010
The NSW Government introduced landmark
guidelines help councils and State agencies
consider the impact of sea level rise when
planning for the NSW coast’s expected 600,000
new residents by 2036. The NSW Coastal Planning
Guideline: Adapting to Sea Level Rise
guidelines, offer landowners greater clarity in
making decisions about future developments in
areas at risk to sea level rise under climate
change conditions.
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NSW
councils to unite under one body
17 August 2010
Councils in New South Wales will be represented
by one single body following the proposed merger
of the Local Government Association and the
Shires Association.
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Snapshot shows NSW councils
owed $236m
16 August 2010
NSW councils have more than $200 million to
collect in outstanding annual rates and charges,
according to a report released by the State
Government. The full Snapshot of NSW Councils
report is available at www.dlg.nsw.gov.au.
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1,300 jobs & more than $560
million investment in July
18 August 2010
A total of 42 development proposals worth more
than $560 million and support in excess of 1,300
jobs were approved through the NSW planning
system in July 2010. Minister for Planning, Tony
Kelly, said the figures show the State’s major
projects assessment system is continuing to
facilitate strong investment.
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Director-General’s opening
statement to ICAC inquiry on lobbying
17 August 2010
Under current NSW government policy, and several
other jurisdictions, lobbying is recognised as a
legitimate role in the planning process and
registered lobbyists as legitimate stakeholders,
subject to codes of conduct.
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Vision
for St Vincent’s Hospital Research Precinct
approved
13 August 2010
The NSW Government has approved a new concept
plan for the St Vincent’s research precinct
which includes a new eight-storey building for
medical research purposes in Darlinghurst in
Sydney’s east.
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Queensland
Accommodation choices in
retirement
19 August 2010
Rights and obligations and costs arise under the
different retirement village schemes for
freehold, leasehold and licences. As village
operators tend to make their profit on the
resale of the right to reside, Mr Lawlor said it
was important for those moving into a retirement
scheme to ensure they were clear about fees and
expenses they may incur.
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New Legislation for safer
pools
18 August 2010
Proposed amendments in the Building and Other
Legislation Amendment Bill 2010 will replace the
current assortment of 11 pool safety standards
with a single, uniform approach. This Bill
extends State pool laws to cover indoor pools
and pools associated with hotels, motels,
caretaker dwellings, caravan parks and other
residential buildings and allows for a five-year
phase-in period for people to upgrade their pool
fences – unless they sell or lease the property
first.
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New Queensland real estate
contract laws passed
17 August 2010
Amendments to the Property Agents and Motor
Dealers Act 2000 passed by Parliament will
simplify and streamline the residential real
estate contract process in Queensland, with the
amendments commencing on 1 October 2010.
Parallel amendments are also made to the Body
Corporate and Community Management Act 1997 to
streamline the approach to the presentation and
delivery of real estate contracts for the sale
of lots in community titles schemes.
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New North West Regional
Plan 2010
10 August 2010
A new statutory plan to guide social and
economic growth in North West Queensland over
the next 20 years has been released by the State
Government. The blueprint intends to strike a
balance between the region’s social, economic
and environmental needs and aspirations. Along
with the existing Northern Economic Triangle
plan, this will help state agencies,
government-owned corporations, local governments
and the private sector better coordinate their
development programs.
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New amendments to body
corporate lot entitlements
12 August 2010
Minister for Fair Trading Peter Lawlor said
proposed amendments provide certainty around the
proportion of total body corporate fees a unit
owner must pay. The Bill also provided new and
expanded principles for deciding the
contribution schedule lot entitlements for
owners of lots in new community title schemes
and enhances disclosure requirements for new
buyers
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