The National Transport Commission (NTC) and the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) announced on Monday, 14 July, the completion of Phase One of their joint Heavy Vehicle Roadworthiness Review, with the release of a report examining current practice in heavy vehicle roadworthiness across the nation.

The Roadworthiness Review has two streams of work:

• heavy vehicle roadworthiness inspection regimes; and
• national heavy vehicle accreditation scheme

The review aims to improve heavy vehicle roadworthiness to reduce the number of fatalities and serious injuries on our roads.

Phase Two of the review will test the integrity of current roadworthiness systems and develop reform options and draft recommendations for submission to transport ministers in November 2014.

The NTC and NHVR have invited industry comment and contributions to the review.

Comments can be forwarded to the NTC and the NHVR at RWprogram@ntc.gov.au

A copy of the Phase One report can be downloaded from the NTC and NHVR websites.

The Economic Significance of the Australian Logistics Industry was launched on Monday 14 July by Australian Logistics Council Chairman, Don Telford.

The report, produced for ALC by ACIL Allen, shows that the Australian logistics industry adds $131.6 billion a year (8.6 per cent) to GDP and employs approximately 1.2 million people.

The report also shows that inefficiencies in the industry will cost Australia dearly unless all governments continue to focus on reform of regulation and infrastructure.

The report argues that reform could improve supply chain efficiency and the report shows that a 1 per cent increase in productivity would increase GDP by $2 billion per year.

"This landmark economic report shows the logistics industry is the backbone of the Australian economy, making an enormous contribution to GDP and employing more than 1 million Australians," said Michael Kilgariff, ALC Managing Director.

"The report also demonstrates that with focus and attention on reform, greater efficiencies can be achieved across the supply chain and all Australians will benefit as a result.

"The industry faces multiple threats to efficiency which cry out for action, including nationally significant logistics infrastructure, greater certainty on planning for freight, eliminating overlapping regulations which affect productivity and ensuring there is a whole-of-supply chain focus on strategic corridors," he said.

Mr Kilgariff urged all levels of government to study the report and to put in place policies and legislation to reap the benefits from a more efficient logistics industry.

Inspiring urban projects and policies from across the nation, including a number from local government,  have been recognised for their pioneering contributions to Australia’s built environment in the 2014 Australia Award for Urban Design last night.

The winners and commendations were announced at a gala dinner at the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra on Monday 14 July. The Award, hosted by the Planning Institute of Australia (PIA), acknowledges the critical role good urban design plays in the social, economic and environmental development of our cities and towns.

The Australia Award for Urban Design was first presented in 1996 after being proposed by the Urban Design Task Force under former Prime Minister Paul Keating.

Category

Delivered outcome - Large scale (two awards given)

Award: NewActon Precinct, Molongo Group/ Fender Katsalidis/ Oculus (ACT)

Award: Prince Alfred Park and Pool, Neeson Murcutt Architects, Sue Barnsley Design, City of Sydney (NSW)

Delivered outcome - Small scale

Award: Fremantle Esplanade Youth Plaza, Convic, City of Fremantle (WA)

Policies, programs and concepts - Large Scale (no award winner)

Commendation: Pilbara Vernacular Handbook, CODA Studio, Landcorp (WA)

Commendation: Darwin City Centre Master Plan, City of Darwin, Northern Territory Government, Design Urban Pty Ltd (NT)

Policies, programs and concepts - Small scale

Award: The Goods Line, ASPECT Studios with CHROFI for the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority (NSW)

Commendation: Thinking outside 'the box': Key design elements for apartments in Ku-ring-gai, Ku-ring-gai Council Strategy and Environment Department (NSW)

Commendation: King’s Square Urban Design Strategy, CODA Studio, City of Fremantle, Creating Communities Australia (WA)

Sustained contribution to urban design (new award)

Award: Urban Voices - celebrating urban design in Australia, Bruce Echberg, Bill Chandler, John Byrne

A new assessment bilateral agreement that removes duplication and provides a single process for environmental assessments in the Australian Capital Territory has been signed by Commonwealth and ACT governments.

This is an important milestone in streamlining the environmental assessment process in the ACT through the Australian Government's 'One-Stop Shop' policy.

The new ACT agreement reduces the regulatory burden on business, meets the requirements of both the Territory and the Commonwealth government and maintains high environmental standards. This new assessment bilateral agreement will replace the previous agreement.

Minister for the Environment, Greg Hunt, said this agreement accredits Australian Capital Territory environmental assessment processes which meet high environmental standards.

"Under this agreement, I will retain the power to approve or refuse actions and to attach conditions to approved actions.

"The next step in the 'One-Stop Shop' process for the Australian Capital Territory will be the accreditation of its environmental approval processes," Mr Hunt said.

ACT Minister for the Environment, Simon Corbell, said he was pleased with the signing of the new assessment bilateral agreement with the Commonwealth.

"The new agreement also signals that the ACT is closer to securing a One-Stop Shop. Negotiations between the ACT and Commonwealth are progressing well, and we expect to have a One-Stop Shop in place in 2014."

For further information click here.

A new report released on Monday 14 July by the National Stroke Foundation identifies the current and future 'hotspots' for stroke which will help inform Australia's response to the disease, the Assistant Minister for Health Fiona Nash said.

"The Stroke in Australia: no postcode left untouched report identifies where stroke has already had a significant impact in Australia, as well as where it is likely to be a problem in the future," Minister Nash said.

"By identifying where there are high numbers of people living with risk factors such as high blood pressure and obesity, governments and service providers will be better able to support at-risk individuals with the aim of reducing instances of stroke in the community.

"The National Stroke Foundation's report reinforces how healthier lifestyle choice can help prevent chronic conditions like stroke.

"This includes maintaining a healthy weight, eating a balanced diet, getting enough exercise, not smoking and not drinking excessively."

The report identifies stroke "hot spots" estimating by federal electorate the number of strokes and stroke survivors in that area, and electorates with the highest stroke risk factors such as high blood pressure. 

For a copy of the report, please click here

New resources from the Australian Centre of Excellence for Local Government (ACELG) will help rural-remote and Indigenous councils with the critical task of recruiting and retaining senior staff.

Attraction and Retention of CEOs and Senior Staff in Rural-Remote and Indigenous Local Government was developed in response to a 2012 survey of rural-remote and Indigenous council (RRI) CEOs which identified attracting and retaining senior staff to their councils as a major workforce issue, one that had ensuing flow-on effects upon small communities.

The resource is published in two volumes. A Research Report identifies how RRI councils can improve their ability to attract and retain CEOs and senior staff to their councils, and a practical 'How To Guide' prepared for mayors and councillors provides tools for improving recruitment practices, increasing retention rates and better managing performance planning for CEOs and senior staff at RRI councils.

Though written for RRI councils, it is likely that councils of all sizes will find the guide useful, particularly if current policies related to the appointment and retention of senior staff require revision.

The resource can be downloaded here.

The Awards for Planning Excellence Program recognise innovation, leadership and excellence in the planning profession and stimulates the public awareness of excellent projects and emphasises the importance of good planning in the community.

PIA (ACT) is currently inviting registrations for intention to nominate for the  2014 Awards for Excellence before Monday 28 July.

The Award categories include:

• Planner of the Year
• Outstanding Achievement by a Young Planner
• From Plan to Place
• The Hard Won Victory
• Outstanding Student Project
• Best Planning Ideas
• Improving Planning Processes and Practices
• Public Engagement and Community Planning
• Promotion of Planning
• Great Place
• Cutting Edge Research and Teaching

National Only (called for and accepted at the Division level and are forwarded directly to the National judging panel for their consideration. No judging of these categories occurs at the Divisional level)

• Planning Champion
• Hall of Fame

The Nomination Guidelines are available here

Full award submission entries are not required at this stage. You can download the Intent to Enter form here.

The Australian Institute of Company Directors has announced it will partner with the Australian Government to offer 140 scholarships for women to undertake its courses with the aim of lifting female representation on boards and in senior executive positions.

The third round of its Board Diversity Scholarship Program has been made possible by a $650,000 grant from the Government, a contribution matched by Company Directors itself.

The Government’s grant means that double the number of scholarships will be available compared to previous years, allowing more women to attend one of Company Directors’ highly-regarded governance education programs. Recipients will also receive 12 months free membership of Company Directors and, in some instances, travel and accommodation expenses.

Three types of scholarships will be offered over the next two years:

• Rural and Remote Scholarships will provide women living in rural and remote locations a full scholarship (including an allocation for travel costs) to undertake the Company Director Course to develop their executive or professional director careers.
• Board Ready Scholarships will support women who are seeking to transition from an executive career to a board career or professional non-executive directors to advance their board careers.
• Sector Development Scholarships will provide women currently working in executive roles in male-dominated sectors with support to undertake governance education aimed at developing their executive careers.

Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Jamie Briggs has announced changes to the National Black Spot Program that will make it easier for Tasmanian Councils to compete for funding.

Federal Member for Lyons, Mr Eric Hutchinson MP was also formally appointed as the new Chair of the Black Spot Program Consultative Panel in Tasmania.

Minister Briggs said that Mr Hutchinson's first responsibility as Chair will be to implement the new criteria making it easier for Tasmanian Councils to compete for extra funding in 2015-16 and 2016-17 by removing the requirement that Councils contribute 30 per cent to the cost of projects identified through a Road Safety Audit.

“In recent years, Councils have been required to contribute around $150,000 to the cost of projects identified through a road safety audit. The changes will mean that all Councils, including smaller councils with limited resources, will be able make the most out of the Australian Government's record investment in better roads.

The changes to the Tasmanian criteria follow the Australian Government's decision to broaden the Black Spot Program's national eligibility criteria.  Over the next two years, the required benefit cost ratio has been reduced from 2:1 to 1:1 and the crash history requirement has come down from three to two casualty crashes in five years.

Nomination forms for the Australian Government Black Spot Program are available here. 

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has released Data by Region to provide easy access to ABS statistics on geographical regions within Australia. Data by Region is the first geo-navigator of its kind to be released by the ABS.

Data by Region allows users to choose a region in Australia and find data for that region, either through browse, search or a map interface. Data by Region provides an efficient single interface for users to find and use geospatially enabled data published by the ABS. Data are available on topics including population, births, average income levels, number of businesses, number of motor vehicles, land use and much more.

Data by Region presents key statistical summaries about selected regions. In this release, the National Regional Profile provides data over a five year period up to 2012, so people can track changes in their region, over time.

The first release of data in Data by Region is the National Regional Profile (NRP) 2008 - 2012. The NRP presents a range of data for regions. Data are available for Local Government Areas, new Australian Statistical Geography Standard regions (Statistical Areas 2, 3 and 4, and Greater Capital City Statistical Areas) and State/Territory.

Find data on a region of your interest by visiting www.abs.gov.au/databyregion