The 2015 Intergenerational Report was released yesterday, Thursday 5 March.

Treasurer Joe Hockey said the report projects what the Australian population, economy and budget could look like in 40 years.

The report projects that over the next 40 years the Australian economy will grow at 2.8 percent per annum while the projected population growth is 1.3 percent, with the population reaching 39.7 million in 2055.

The Treasurer said the changing demographic structure will have implications for the tax base and how future governments will fund the services the community needs and expects.

The Treasurer said the Report assumes that productivity growth continues at 1.4 percent per annum for the next 40 years, but that achieving this rate of growth will require an agenda of reform.

To read the report in full, click here.

The Australian Government announced on Tuesday 3 March, its approval for plans to reform Australia Post.

The Government has approved Australia Post's request to introduce a two-speed letters service - a Priority and Regular service that will be introduced for consumers no earlier than September 2015. The Regular service will be delivered two days slower than the current timetable.

The price of Regular letters will be overseen by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), consistent with the current practice. Australia Post has advised the Government it will apply to the ACCC to raise the regular stamp price from $0.70 to $1.00.

The Priority service will be a commercial product. Australia Post will continue to deliver mail five days a week to 98 per cent of addresses, and the delivery speed will vary depending on the service. The Priority service will be delivered to a faster timetable than the Regular service.

Concession card holders will continue to be offered a concession rate stamp, which will be frozen at $0.60, and all Australians will continue to have access to a $0.65 Christmas rate stamp. These measures will also help Australia Post maintain its extensive post office network, particularly Licensed Post Offices (LPOs) in regional and remote communities.

The President of the Local Government Association of Tasmania, Mayor Barry Jarvis, has announced the departure of long-serving CEO, Allan Garcia, who is leaving the organisation to take up the role of CEO of Infrastructure Tasmania with the State Government.

"Allan has provided dedicated and strong leadership to the Tasmanian Local Government sector, leading the review of financial reform between State and Local Government, establishing a framework for councils to progress with financial sustainability, managing the several iterations of water and sewerage reform, and progressing planning reform," Mayor Jarvis said.

"I would take this opportunity to wish Allan well in his new endeavours and advise that the Board of the Association will be meeting in the near future to consider the process for the appointment of his replacement," he said.

Mr Garcia commences in his new role on 4 May 2015

Arts Minister Senator Brandis has announced funding of over $1.5 million for 32 community-driven arts and culture projects to commemorate the Anzac Centenary.

The centenary arts projects give Australian communities the chance to express their own history of service and sacrifice creatively and educate and engage audiences about experiences, values and emotions of the men and women involved in Australia's military past.

Through theatre, song, installations, exhibitions and even digital storytelling, the projects funded by the Anzac Centenary Arts and Culture Fund Public Grants Program will explore the centenary and what it means to local communities.

More information about recipients can be found on the Grant recipients web page.

A number of councils were among the successful grant recipients including Port Macquarie Hastings Council, Liverpool City Council, the District Council of Mt Barker, Euobodalla Shire Council and Scenic Rim Regional Council.

March 21 is Harmony Day - a day when Australia celebrates that everyone belongs - a day to celebrate our cultural diversity, and respect for everyone who calls Australia home.

Many communities across Australia get involved in celebrating our cultural diversity. Events are being held across the country and can be viewed here.

Harmony Day organisers said this year is about saying thank you. Thank you for the thousands of community events, the morning teas, concerts and football matches.

For building a society that is accepting of all backgrounds and cultures and making sure that everyone belongs.

Get involved through:

Registering an event by visiting www.harmony.gov.au

Checking the calendar on the website to find events near you Liking, following and sharing using #harmonyday and #everyonebelongs on:

Australia's top state cycling advocacy organisations and industry leaders united at the inaugural Australian Bicycle Summit, at Parliament House in Canberra on 3 and 4 March.

The summit highlighted the economic, social and environmental benefits that cycling provides to the Australian community.

The participants bring a unique blend of local, national and international experience - the first time this level of knowledge has come together to achieve a unified voice in the promotion of cycling.

The Cycling Promotion Fund (CPF), with Bicycle Industries Australia, initiated the summit to identify policy options to get more Australians cycling.

The summit started with a full day workshop on Tuesday 3 March, the outcomes of which were presented at a parliamentary dinner attended by ministers, senators, MPs and leaders from peak health, transport, planning, motoring and local government organisations.

In a first for parliament, an electric power-assisted bicycle test event was held on day 2 of the summit for MPs to experience the fastest growing bicycle trend in the world.

Community Heritage Grants of up to $15,000 are available to assist in preserving cultural heritage collections of national significance. Not-for-profit organisations, such as historical societies, regional museums, public libraries and Indigenous and migrant community groups, are encouraged to apply.

Applicants should carefully read the 2015 Community Heritage Grants program guidelines before submitting an application.

Guidelines and the application form are available at nla.gov.au/chg/guidelines.

A wide range of activities may qualify for grants, including:

• significance assessments of collections
• preservation needs assessments of collections
• purchase of archival quality storage materials
• preservation training projects
• conservation activities, including cleaning, treatment or rebinding
• purchase and installation of environmental control and monitoring equipment
• copying of material once originals have been preserved

Applications for the 2015 Community Heritage Grants program close on 1 May 2015 at 5 pm (AEST).

For further information, or to discuss your application, please contact:

Coordinator, Community Heritage Grants
National Library of Australia
Parkes Place
CANBERRA ACT 2600
02 6262 1147
chg@nla.gov.au

The free-to-attend Collaboration of Community-based Obesity Prevention Sites (CO-OPS) 2015 National Workshop will take place in Melbourne on 19-20 May 2015.

This year's workshop will focus on the complexity of obesity and the need to develop integrated multi-agency responses that deliver a portfolio of strategies across multiple settings.

Addressing obesity and its associated complications and chronic diseases has become everyone's business. To have a chance at tackling this serious issue, we need a multi-agency response. 

The workshop will bring together stakeholders across sectors and settings - from primary healthcare, hospital, community and public health sectors to local government and NGOs - who can influence the integration of prevention from hospital to home in an effort to reverse the obesity trends in Australia.

Workshop speakers will update you on where the evidence is for a multi-agency response, what this can look like, and case studies of successes already in place.  Presentations will be interspersed with activities to explore what this means for your agency and how your agency can best respond to the complexity of obesity.  Register now

The CO-OPS National Workshop is also a great opportunity for practitioners to share the lessons learnt. We would love to hear about the work you have done in your community. Submit an abstract

The Productivity Commission has released its research paper into Australia's International Tourism Industry.

The key findings include:

• Australia's international tourism industry has grown strongly over the past two decades - the number of international visitors to Australia has more than doubled, rising from 2.5 million in 1992 to almost 6.7 million in 2014. The composition of the industry has also changed.
• The way businesses in the international tourism industry innovate and adapt to changing trends will largely determine how successful Australia is in continuing to attract international visitors. Governments also have a role, and a number of reforms would benefit the tourism industry and the economy more broadly.
• Although Australia’s international aviation policy settings have served Australia well, it is expected that further liberalising access to Australia's major gateway cities - Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney - would provide net benefits to the international tourism industry and the Australian community.

To read the report, click here.

Winton Shire Council has announced an ambitious project which aims to bring Geothermal energy to the Western Queensland town.

Winton Council has appointed LGIS to design a geothermal energy plant which will deliver enormous benefits to the local community including savings of up to $15 million in energy consumption.

The Geothermal plant will power all of Winton’s key council buildings and has the potential to power the entire town.

Winton Shire Council Mayor "Butch" Lenton said the Geothermal plant had a payback period of less than seven years with the savings delivering much needed dollars for community projects.

'Like a lot of Western Queensland our community has been hurting. With a massive drought, economic hardship, and a significant reduction in state and federal government funding for community services and assets.

'So when a project comes along that can save our community millions we want to explore it thoroughly,' he said.

LGIS CEO Jari Ihalainen said this project should not be confused with 'hot rock' Geothermal energy which drills down deep towards the earth's core.

'This technology does not change the geological or chemical composition of water supplies in the region.

'The Geothermal energy plant to be deployed in Winton will simply use the hot water flowing from existing bores and convert this heat into a sustainable long-term energy source for the town.

LGAQ President Margaret de Wit said Geothermal Energy could provide an opportunity for massive savings for communities across Western Queensland.

The final design specifications are due to be completed by end of May 2015.