A draft strategy that proposes what work needs to be done over the coming years on river constraints in the Murray-Darling Basin will be released for public comment next month.

Executive Director of the Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA), Jody Swirepik said river constraints could be physical structures or river management rules and practices that were now limiting how effectively environmental water could be delivered.

Ms Swirepik said the strategy, required under the Basin Plan, was the first step in a larger body of complex work that would take some years to complete.

"It's long been recognised that over the past century, the structures we've built in the Basin and the rules and practices we've adopted don't allow us to get the best use from our environmental water," Ms Swirepik said.

"In some parts of the basin, we can't deliver environmental water at the times and places we most need it."

She said that in some cases, the rules to support and account for environmental water delivery simply did not exist because it was a practice that had emerged only over the past 10 years or so.

Ms Swirepik said the MDBA was seeking feedback from interested people on how the constraints work should be rolled out over the next few years and what some of that work would involve.

"This is a high-level strategy, which mainly focuses on constraints in the southern Basin, and will guide future work by the MDBA and the Basin Governments. It is due to be finalised towards the end of the year," she said.

The draft strategy will be available on the MDBA website for public comment from 9 to 30 of October.

MDBA staff will also be meeting people in some communities to provide an update on implementation activities and to discuss the draft strategy.
 

Continuing hot, dry weather has put more than 60 per cent of Queensland into drought. 

Queensland Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Minister John McVeigh said Charters Towers, Central Highlands, Woorabinda, Isaac, Barcaldine and the remainder of Blackall-Tambo shires had been added to the growing list of drought-declared areas. 

This takes the number of drought-declared shires to 25, including seven part-declared.

There are also 25 individual drought property (IDP) declarations in place in three other shires. 

The Queensland Government is providing some relief from rent increases for affected producers, and eligible producers can apply for the Drought Relief Assistance Scheme (DRAS).

DRAS provides up to 50 per cent freight subsidies on fodder and water while an area is drought declared and freight subsidies for restocking and returning from agistment after the drought declaration is revoked. 

DRAS now provides a rebate of 50 per cent for water infrastructure purchased to meet emergency animal welfare needs, as part of the new drought assistance package recently announced. 

The State Government will provide up to $20,000 (excluding GST) to drought-declared producers under DRAS each financial year. 

Producers applying for DRAS including the Emergency Water Infrastructure Rebate should contact the Queensland Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

Current NSW land zonings, appeal rights and local and state heritage protections will no longer be changed under the state government's controversial planning laws.

NSW Planning Minister Brad Hazzard said that he has listened to the community and local councils and was now making a number of changes to the Planning Bill 2013.

Under the changes to the Bill, councils will be able to modify the proposed state-wide codes to better reflect their local area. Land zonings, appeal rights and local and state heritage protections will also continue as they are, he said.

The announcement comes after Mr Hazzard told question time last week that he was delaying the introduction of the long-touted planning reforms.

"My intention was to introduce the Bill this week but further consideration of various issues we are seeking to address will require a few more weeks," he said.

The plans have faced strident opposition from residents groups, environmentalists and heritage advocates.

Planning and Infrastructure Director-General Sam Haddad conceded last month that the draft bill reduces the community's ability to fight bad decisions. 

More than a million Australians living in rural and remote areas are denied the access to basic medical care that most city dwellers take for granted, a new Grattan Institute report has found.

Access all areas: new solutions for GP shortages in rural Australia shows that in seven rural areas containing one in 20 Australians, limited access to GPs is imposing severe costs on individuals, doctors and the health system.

"This isn't just unfair, it's irrational," said Grattan Institute Health Program Director Stephen Duckett.

"People in rural areas with low access to GPs are more likely to have serious health risks. If they can't get care it will cost them, and the taxpayer, much more in the long-run."

These areas include Tamworth, Goulburn and Mount Isa, as well as the Northern Territory and most of Western Australia.

The report argues that an investment of around $30 million a year would go a long way towards solving Australia's worst shortages.

It would also generate health benefits that could reduce the cost of hospital visits by an amount equivalent to the $30 million investment.

The funds would support a greater role for pharmacists, especially in providing repeat prescriptions and vaccinations, and the introduction of a new health worker, the physician assistant, to expand care in remote areas.

"Pharmacists and physician assistants could take on some of the less complex tasks performed by GPs, without compromising quality and safety," Dr Duckett said.

"That would save money and free up GPs to do the complex work they are trained for."

Be Medicinewise Week 2013 is on from 14-20 October and this year the national campaign will focus on the health of Australia's ageing population. The national awareness week aims to give older Australians the tools and information they need to make better decisions about their medicines and their health.

Medicine problems are common in older people. Around 1 in 3 unplanned hospital admissions involving older Australians are due to problems with medicines - but half of these problems could be prevented.

Chronic health issues become more common with age, so people typically find themselves taking more medicines as they get older. NPS MedicineWise research found that 43% of people aged 50 or older had taken five or more medicines in the previous day, and this figure rises to two out of every three people aged 75 years or older.

During Be Medicinewise Week, NPS MedicineWise is urging everyone to take a daily medicinewise challenge and learn how to make better decisions for their health.

You can support the medicinewise challenge by requesting the Be Medicinewise Week poster from media@nps.org.au or ordering NPS Medicines Lists and other medicinewise resources from www.nps.org.au/order-subscribe

For more information about the medicinewise movement visit www.nps.org.au/bemedicinewiseweek   or contact media@nps.org.au
 

Federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt's move to establish a "one-stop shop" for environmental approvals in Queensland has been welcomed as a means to end costs and delays hampering development in the state.

Property Council chief executive Peter Verwer applauded the draft memorandum of understanding signed by Greg Hunt, Federal Minister for Environment, and Andrew Powell, Queensland Minister for Environment and Heritage Protection. 

"This draft agreement between Queensland and the Commonwealth is a welcome demonstration of the Federal Government's resolve to cut red tape and get investment flowing," Mr Verwer said.

"Maintaining the same high environmental standards, at the lowest cost to taxpayers and industry, is a win-win for the economy and the environment."

Mr Verwer said that once finalised, the "sensible approach to environmental protection" should unlock increased investment in the homes, workplaces and public infrastructure needed for Queensland's future.

"The agreement between the Commonwealth and Queensland is a beacon to the rest of the State and Territory governments," he said.

"The Property Council looks forward to partnering with all nine governments as other jurisdictions work through this important reform process."

Thirteen NSW councillors have been acknowledged for their excellent commitment and service to Local Government at the first annual Local Government NSW Conference held at Sydney Town Hall this week.

Councillors Cr Margaret Buntin (Urana Shire Council); Cr Elaine Malicki (Ku-ring-gai Council); Cr Michael Rutledge OAM (Hay Shire Council); Cr Toby Smith (Tenterfield Shire Council); Cr Terence N. Hogan AM (Jerilderie Shire Council, Riverina Regional Organisation, and Murray Regional Organisation of Councils); Cr Phyllis Miller OAM (Forbes Shire Council) and Cr Nickolas Varvaris (Kogarah City Council) were awarded the honorary title of Emeritus Mayor for serving a minimum of three one-year terms as mayor.

Outstanding Service Awards, which recognise more than 20 years of service to Local Government were proudly received by Councillors Cr Patrick Reilly (Willoughby City Council); Cr Patrick Day (Urana Shire Council); Cr George Glinatsis (Botany Municipal Council); Cr Patricia Fayle-Summers (Hay Shire Council); Cr Terence N. Hogan AM (Jerilderie Shire Council, Riverina Regional Organisation, and Murray Regional Organisation of Councils); Cr Neil Pokoney (Wollondilly Shire Council) and Cr Ken Keith (Parkes Shire Council).

Innovative young Australians can now apply for grants of up to $22,000 across a range of categories in the agriculture, fisheries, forestry, food and natural resource management sectors.

Open to Australians aged 18 to 35 years, the Science and Innovation Awards for Young People in Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry offer grants to assist in keeping Australia’s agricultural industries sustainable, competitive and innovative.

In launching this year's awards, newly appointed Minister for Agriculture, Barnaby Joyce, praised the commitment of young Australians to portfolio industries.

"From 18-year-old Hugh McKay unveiling the world's first combined harvester at the National Agricultural Society Show in 1885, to becoming the first country in the world to supply penicillin freely to civilians during the Second World War, Australia has remained a world renowned innovator in agriculture and science," Mr Joyce said.

"But if we are to continue to be at the forefront of quality we need to foster ongoing innovation."

There are a number of industry category awards available to applicants in the 2014 round - supported by their associated research and development corporations - including red meat processing, pork, wool, cotton, viticulture and oenology, dairy, fisheries and aquaculture, grains, meat and livestock, new and emerging rural industries and biosecurity.

The awards commenced in 2001 and more than 180 young Australians have benefited from a grant, with successful recipients using their funding for a range of activities including study, training and development, research projects, industry visits or conferences and workshops.

Additional funding is also available for one individual through the Minister for Agriculture Award, which is open to recipients of the industry category awards and subject to an additional application and assessment process, allowing the recipient to further develop their research project.

Applications for the 2014 Science and Innovation Awards close on Friday 8 November 2013.

For further information and application forms visit the Department of Agriculture website or email Science Awards.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has reported that net overseas migration rates are rising again.

Spokesman for the ABS, Bjorn Jarvis said net overseas migration added 238,300 people to Australia's population in the year to March 2013, around a five-year average.

"We're now seeing migration climbing steadily to rates last seen in 2009, though it's still well below the record high of 316,000 in 2008," Mr Jarvis said.

He said Australia's population reached 23 million at the end of March and grew by an annual rate of 1.8 per cent (or 397,400 people). Net overseas migration accounted for 60 per cent of Australia's growth, with the remaining 40 per cent due to natural increase.

Net overseas migration accounts for almost two thirds, or 63 per cent, of Western Australia's population growth.

Western Australia's population nudged 2.5 million people at the end of March and grew at an annual rate of 3.4 per cent (or 82,600 people). 

In contrast, he said the lowest growth rate was in Tasmania, where the population increased by just 0.1 per cent (or 600 people) to reach 512,900 people.

Mr Jarvis said Victoria had the highest rise in natural birth increases for the year ending 31 March, increasing by 7.8 per cent (or 3,000 people), compared to the previous year.

"Nationally, the number of births increased by 1.2 per cent over the past year whilst the number of deaths increased by 1.7 per cent," he said. 

A national human resources conference focusing on how to overcome workforce challenges will be held from 6-8 November on the Gold Coast.

Like other spheres of government in Australia, local government can find itself facing serious challenges from an increasingly demanding constituency and reformist state and federal governments, amidst times of unprecedented and growing financial pressures and continuing change.

Councils are necessarily and understandably looking to their corporate entities for ways to improve efficiencies and enhance productivity through organisational change, innovation and maximum performance of the organisation.

The two-day National Local Government Human Resources Conference will address these challenges and what they mean and entail for the management of a council's workforce for the benefit of HR, IR, L&D and WH&S practitioners.

• Where: RACV Royal Pines Resort, Benowa, Gold Coast
• When: 6 - 8 November 2013
• Registration: Single Registration Multiple Registration

Full details are available at www.lgaq.asn.au