MINISTER for Defence Industry, Christopher Pyne MP, will travel to Washington DC from 12-13 April 2018 to attend and deliver the keynote address to the US-Australian Dialogue on Defence Industries. 

The dialogue is part of the 2018 G’day USA program bringing together Australian and United States (US) industry leaders and experts, policy makers and senior business representatives to further develop collaboration on providing innovative capabilities.

During his visit to Washington DC, Mr Pyne will also meet with senior US government officials to highlight Australia’s innovative defence industry and promote opportunities for increased industry cooperation between Australia and the US. This includes discussions with the Deputy Secretary of Defence; Under Secretary of Defence for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics; and the Director of the Joint Strike Fighter Program.

“Australia is transforming its defence force and investing in the capabilities necessary to meet Australia’s future warfighting challenges. As part of this transformation, we are expanding our defence industry to be more innovative, competitive and sustainable,” Mr Pyne said.

"For Australia, there is no more important bilateral defence relationship than the alliance with the United States.

“The 2018 US-Australian Dialogue on Defence Industries will build on the success of the previous four events in creating opportunities for Australia’s world class defence industry to explore future projects and areas of cooperation.

“The increased funding and support outlined in the Defence Export Strategy will support even more Australian businesses to achieve export success and contribute to the strength of this relationship.”

Minister Pyne’s visit will coincide with 18 Australian companies exhibiting at Sea Air Space 2018 in Maryland as part of Team Defence Australia. This is a record level of attendance for Sea Air Space and demonstrates the growing international presence of Australia’s defence industry.

www.drefence.gov.au

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RAIL industry employees across Australia and New Zealand are creating a conversation movement by asking, “Are you ok?” of each other on  April 12, the fourth annual Rail R U OK?Day.

Partnering on this initiative are suicide and harm prevention charities R U OK? and the TrackSAFE Foundation.

“Through the initiative Rail R U OK?Day we are helping rail industry workers feel safe and genuinely supported at work. Due to the nature of the roles in the rail industry, there are some workers who could potentially be exposed to traumatic incidents as part of their jobs,” said Bob Herbert AM Chairman TrackSAFE Foundation.

“The Rail R U OK?Day initiative is aimed at helping rail employees deal with these confronting challenges they may face at work, (along with life’s challenges) and connecting in a meaningful way to co-workers. There’s a real difference between small talk and genuinely asking the question of a workmate, “are you really ok?”

TrackSAFE and R U OK? have made a commitment to equip rail workers with the skills to recognise when someone might be struggling, and strategies to employ support for their workmates. R U OK?s four steps to starting a conversation: Ask, Listen, Encourage action and Check in, are a key part of this strategy.

This year TrackSAFE has complimented the existing R U OK? strategies to upskill rail employees by introducing Mental Health First Aid training.
 “By introducing Mental Health First Aid training specifically for the rail industry we’re working to encourage more and more rail employees to recognise the signs that someone might be doing it tough and to check in on those they are concerned about,” said Mr Herbert.

In the eight-week lead up to Rail R U OK?Day, TrackSAFE and R U OK? sent an interactive digital question mark named ‘Quentin’ on a relay-styled trip travelling every state and territory via rail. Quentin issues educational and informative challenges and will complete his cross-country trek at Metro Trains Melbourne on Rail R U OK?Day.

In addition to this, R U OK? branded locomotives, courtesy of Pacific National and Aurizon will act as visual reminders to Australians to join the conversation movement by checking in with friends and loved ones, as they pass through cities and regional towns in Western Australia and Queensland.

R U OK? Ambassadors and former NRL players Daniel Conn and Brett Finch will be spreading the word that listening to your gut and having a genuine conversation with a workmate who doesn’t seem themselves, can be life-changing.

R U OK CEO Brendan Maher said, “R U OK? is committed to continuing the collaboration with TrackSAFE to support rail workers who are often faced with work related stressors and need additional support.

"In our fourth year now, we believe we are embedding strategies to assist rail workers when they are faced with challenges, and this initiative is one we are extremely proud of,” said Mr Maher.

https://www.ruok.org.au/rail-r-u-ok-day

TrackSAFE

R U OK?

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MASTER BUILDERS Australia says the vital contribution that the building and construction sector makes to a stronger economy in every city, town and region around the country has been confirmed by the release of the latest ABS building activity data yesterday. 

“The data shows the nation’s second largest industry ended last year strongly, with the value of work done growing by 8 per cent in the last quarter of 2017 and contributing more than $28 billion to the national economy,” said CEO Denita Wawn. 

“That’s $28 billion that is creating employment, providing young people with the skills they need to be job ready and build rewarding careers and it’s supporting more than 360,000 small building businesses that build prosperity in every community,” she said. 

“The value of work for new residential construction fell by 5.4 per cent in the quarter, supporting an outlook for a more moderate year for new residential construction in 2018,” Denita Wawn said. 

“However, this fall was more than offset by a surge in the non-residential sector which saw new commercial construction activity grow by 14.8 per cent in the December quarter 2017,” she said. 

“This very positive result for non-residential construction supports Master Builders’ outlook for a boom in non-residential building activity over the next 12 months,” Denita Wawn said. 

“2018 is shaping up to be the best year for commercial builders for more than a decade. Total commercial construction activity is expected to contribute $42 billion to the economy in 2017-18, with the sector expected to grow by 14.6%,” she said. 

“The timing couldn’t be better with the expected moderation expected in the value of residential construction work and another year of consolidation in the engineering sector,” Denita Wawn said. 

“Better yet, the new commercial construction projects driving the upswing create new jobs and opportunities for workers whose work on major high density residential projects may be finishing over the next 12 months or so,” Denita Wawn said.

www.masterbuilders.com.au

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LIBERAL DEMOCRATS Senator David Leyonhjelm has condemned the actions of the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and its Commissioner following revelations made in today’s media.

“As taxpayers we are at the mercy of an entity with unparalleled power to act as investigator, prosecutor, judge, appeal judge and sentencer,” Senator Leyonhjelm said.

“The ATO assesses what an individual or business must pay and it’s too bad if that assessment is wrong. The current system demands the taxpayer to pay up anyway, then go through the courts to seek justice.

“Those with deep pockets can send in the big legal guns but there are myriad examples of small businesses and individuals who have either been sent to the wall fighting their case or simply paid up because they know to take on the ATO would financially ruin them.”

Senator Leyonhjelm said his Judiciary Amendment (Commonwealth Model Litigant Obligations) Bill 2017, introduced into the Senate last year, would help prevent government agencies such as the ATO from taking advantage of a claimant’s lack of resources when litigating a dispute that reaches the court.

“The Productivity Commission has already recommended that state and federal governments should impose enforceable model litigant obligations on its agencies, given governments’ power, resources, ‘frequent-player status’ and role of acting in the public interest,” he said. 

“There are too many stories of the ATO getting it wrong and leaving a trail of devastated businesses and individuals in its wake, and offering paltry financial compensation that is too little too late as its only redress.

“The modus operandi of the ATO is a prime example of why the Senate must pass my Bill.” 

www.davidleyonhjelm.com.au

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