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Australian and NZ rail celebrate Rail R U OK? Day Conversation Movement

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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ATO’s unbridled power condemned

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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House committee seeks feedback on migration and education agents

INDIVIDUALS or organisations who have engaged the services of an Australian migration agent or education agent are encouraged to share their experiences as part of the Federal Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Migration’s inquiry into the efficacy of current regulation of Australian migration agents.

While the Committee is unable to intervene or provide advice or assistance in relation to individual circumstances, it wants to ensure that its findings are informed by those with personal experience As such, the Committee has launched two anonymous online questionnaires.

The first questionnaire enables people who have engaged the services of a migration agent or education agent to make a personal contribution to the inquiry, and will assist the Committee to understand the individual experiences of a broad range of people.

The second questionnaire enables Australian migration agents to put forward their views on the current migration agent regulatory regime.

Organisations are encouraged to share the questionnaire with their clients and members. You must be over 18 years old to complete the questionnaires, and it will take up to 15 minutes of your time. The questionnaires will close on Friday 1 June 2018.

To obtain more information about the inquiry, including the terms of reference, and to find out how to participate, visit the inquiry website: www.aph.gov.au/mig.

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One in two Australians highlight an issue with their phone or internet service

NEARLY 10 million Australians have experienced a problem with their phone or internet service, the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman will announce at the Comms Day Summit today (4pm, April 9, 2018).

The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman introduced a comprehensive survey for the first time in 2018 and  surveyed almost 3000 people from across Australia’s residential consumers and small businesses.

In her speech to the conference, Ms Jones will also note 20 percent of residential consumers had more than one phone or internet issue over the last year, and one in four issues were not resolved after four months.  For small businesses the picture is more problematic, with almost 60  percent identifying  a phone or internet issue affecting their business.

Ombudsman Judi Jones said, "Today's results show us that everyone with responsibility for planning and delivering telecommunications service has to make things better. Phone and the internet services are essential services, making a vital difference to families, within communities and to business.

"We all have to be proactive and accessible in managing the  issues. We have to listen to residential  consumers and small businesses, understand the impact of problems, and offer quick, supportive solutions.”
 

 

Six Month Update complaints snapshot will be released April 17, 2018

THIS six month update provides key data on complaints from residential consumers and small businesses to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman for the period July 1-31 December, 2017.

About the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman
The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman is a free and independent dispute resolution and complaint handling service for residential consumers and small businesses who have an unresolved complaint about their phone or internet service.

www.tio.com.au or 1800 062 058.

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Inauthentic art inquiry hearings in Western Australia

THE Indigenous Affairs Committee will be holding public hearings in Perth, Broome, Newman and Warmun between 9 and 11 April 2018, for its inquiry into the growing presence of inauthentic Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ‘style’ art and craft products and merchandise for sale across Australia.

Perth public hearing details

Time:    09.00–13.20

Date:     Monday, 9 April 2018

Location:      Subiaco room, Four Points by Sheraton, 707 Wellington St, Perth

Broome public hearing details

Time:    09.00–11.00

Date:     Tuesday, 10 April 2018

Location:      Boardroom, Kimberley Sands Resort & Spa, 10 Murray Rd, Broome

Newman public hearing details

Time:    16.00–16.40

Date:     Tuesday, 10 April 2018

Location:      East Pilbara Arts Centre, Newman Dr, Newman

Warmun public hearing details

Time:    15.00–15.40

Date:     Wednesday, 11 April 2018

Location:      Warmun Art Centre, Warmun Aboriginal Community, Great Northern Highway, Warmun

 

www.aph.gov.au/IndigenousAffairs

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OSIA welcomes Senate inquiry into CPTPP

OPEN SOURCE Industry Australia (OSIA) today welcomed the Senate's move yesterday to call an inquiry into the "Comprehensive & Progressive Agreement for Trans Pacific Partnership" (CPTPP). The inquiry, to be conducted by the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade (References Committee) will provide much needed perspective on this controversial and divisive treaty.

OSIA previously lodged a submission to the References Committee's 2016 TPP inquiry[1]. "Fifteen of the 27 issues we raised with the Senate Committee in 2016 still remain to the same extent in CPTPP", said OSIA Company Secretary Jack Burton. "The other twelve are only addressed temporarily by the 22 suspensions in CPTPP." OSIA will be lodging a submission to the Senate's new inquiry in due course.

Senators Griff & Patrick led the move to call the inquiry. "We commend the NXT Senators on taking the initiative to examine this troublesome treaty more closely", said OSIA Chairman Mark Phillips.

In 2015, Nick Xenophon himself described TPP as a "dud deal"[2], but he was not the only politician to criticise TPP strongly. Bob Katter called TPP the "greatest blow to democracy in 300 years"[3], Greens Senator Peter Whish-Wilson described it as "dangerous & undemocratic"[4] and at the time even the ALP's Melissa Parke described TPP's investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) provisions as "really scary"[5].

Yesterday, only LNP Senator James McGrath sought to scuttle the inquiry, which he described as "unnecessary", citing as evidence DFAT's National Interest Analysis (NIA) and the 2016 JSCOT report[6].

What Sen. McGrath neglected to mention is that NIAs simply aren't credible. As Burton said in his evidence before the 2016 JSCOT inquiry[7], "one would always expect an assessment prepared by the agency that negotiated a treaty to be in fairly glowing terms. To be of much probative use, it would be essential that economic analysis be undertaken on an arms-length basis by an independent body---perhaps by the Productivity Commission".

In 2016 JSCOT too was far from achieving consensus on TPP. Whilst the report of the majority government members supported ratifying TPP, the dissenting report of Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young was scathing of the treaty as a whole and the "additional comments" of the six ALP members of JSCOT were at best luke-warm on issues such as ISDS and labour market testing.

The 2016 Senate References Committee inquiry held no public hearings, preferring to receive only formal submissions. "We hope that this year's inquiry will not be so restricted," continued Phillips, "OSIA calls upon the References Committee to open the doors of its 2018 inquiry through public hearings."

References
[1] Burton, J. & Foxworthy, P., Submission to the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence & Trade regarding the Trans Pacific Partnership, Open Source Industry Australia, 29 Oct 2016. Available at http://osia.com.au/f/osia_sub_201610_sscfadt.pdf
[2] http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-06/pacific-nation-ministers-negotiators-lock-in-tpp-trade-deal/6829368
[3] https://www.bobkatter.com.au/media/letters/view/604/tpp-a-blow-to-democracy-just-corporate-colonialism-says-katter/media-releases
[4] https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/secretive-tpp-trades-away-future-says-whish-wilson,7172
[5] https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/may/22/labor-greens-and-crossbenchers-concerned-at-trans-pacific-partnership
[6] https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Joint/Treaties/TransPacificPartnership/Report_165
[7] C'th, Official Committee Hansard, Joint Standing Committee on Treaties, Trans-Pacific Partnership (public), 2016, p. 30. Available at http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/committees/commjnt/a6fa4bc7-9c2e-4788-9378-e676fc0a3f53/toc_pdf/Joint%20Standing%20Committee%20on%20Treaties_2016_10_07_4491_Official.pdf;fileType=application%2Fpdf

About OSIA
Open Source Industry Australia Ltd (OSIA) represents & promotes the Australian open source software industry by:

  • Ensuring that the Australian business, government and education sectors derive sustainable financial and competitive advantage through the adoption of open source and open standards;
  • Helping Australian Governments to achieve world leadership in providing a policy framework supportive of open standards and of the growth and success of the Australian open source industry; and
  • Ensuring Australia's global standing as the preferred location from which to procure open source services & products.

OSIA's members are organisations in Australia who invest in or build their future on the unique advantages of open source software.

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ARA calling for change around electronic cigarettes

THE Australian Retailers Association (ARA) notes the final report from the Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport regarding the Inquiry into the Use and Marketing of Electronic Cigarettes and Personal Vaporisers in Australia but still calls on the Government to legalise e-cigarettes.

Russell Zimmerman, Executive Director of the ARA, said the ARA’s submission to the Inquiry called for retailers to be permitted to legally sell electronic cigarettes following substantial evidence of people wanting a less harmful product.

“To-date, research has shown that electronic cigarettes are an effective and less-harmful alternative to traditional tobacco products,” Mr Zimmerman said.

“As e-cigarettes are currently only available on the black market or through personal importation, legalising the sale of e-cigarettes will assist the Government in removing the risk of unregulated and unsafe black market activity.”

In its final report, the Inquiry recommended further research should take place before a decision to legalise the sale of e-cigarettes in Australia is made. While the Committee Chair, Trent Zimmerman MP, and Tim Wilson MP recommended that the devices be made legally available for sale, under the similar regulation as regular tobacco products. 

The ARA welcomes the Inquiry’s recommendations however, does not believe that electronic cigarettes should be subject to the same regulations as traditional tobacco products, as electronic cigarettes do not contain tobacco and are proven harm-reduction devices.

“We are calling on the Health Minister to accept the findings of the Inquiry and move swiftly to allow retailers to legally sell electronic cigarettes,” Mr Zimmerman said.

“We also acknowledge crossbench support for legal consumption of e-cigarettes as the US and UK already provide these tobacco alternatives.”

Mr Zimmerman said the current regulations around electronic cigarettes will continue to put small retailers and consumers in danger.

“We need to legalise these less-harmful alternatives otherwise consumers will seek out illegal tobacco products through the black market and put their health and safety at risk.”

 

About the Australian Retailers Association

Founded in 1903, the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) is Australia’s largest retail association, representing the country’s $310 billion sector, which employs more than 1.2 million people. As Australia’s leading retail peak body industry, the ARA is a strong pro-active advocate for Australian retail and works to ensure retail success by informing, protecting, advocating, educating and saving money for its 7,500 independent and national retail members throughout Australia. For more information, visit www.retail.org.au or call 1300 368 041.

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Three new inquiries for the Public Works Committee

THE Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works yesterday announced that it is inquiring into three new proposals from the Department of Defence. These projects continue the busy work program of the Public Works Committee and include two projects based in Darwin and one in Sydney with the total value of all the projects being scrutinised being $782.1 million.

It is anticipated that the Committee will conduct public and in-camera hearings for the inquiries in May or June 2018.

Details of the projects can be found below:

  • Facilities to Support Naval Operations in the North – $272.6 million - Darwin, NT
  • Larrakeyah Barracks Redevelopment - $223.0 million – Darwin, NT
  • Garden Island (East) Critical Infrastructure Recovery Project - $286.5 million – Sydney, NSW

The Committee would like to hear from all individuals or organisations interested in the inquiries. Submissions will be accepted until 27 April 2018.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works is neither involved in the tendering process nor the awarding of contracts. Enquiries on those matters should be addressed to the Department of Defence.

Interested members of the public may wish to track the committee via the website.

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Parliamentary inquiry into impediments to business investment

THE House of Representatives Standing Committee on Economics has commenced an inquiry into the impediments to business investment in Australia and is calling for submissions.

The Chair of the committee, Sarah Henderson MP, said that the committee will examine how government at all levels can better support business investment in Australia.

Ms Henderson said, ‘it is vital that regulatory frameworks and government policies at the Commonwealth and state levels foster an environment that encourages business investment. Empowering businesses to invest in new productive capacity supports innovation and helps create jobs.’

The Intergovernmental Review of Business Investment (September 2017) revealed a complex mix of structural and cyclical factors as well as institutional and policy factors that are influencing business investment in Australia.

The terms of reference asks the Standing Committee on Economics to inquire into and report on:

  • the interaction between regulatory frameworks across all levels of Government and how the cumulative regulatory burden can be reduced to support greater business investment;
  • the impact of innovation policies, at the Commonwealth and State government levels, on business investment and the role of innovation policies in encouraging greater business investment, having regard to approaches taken in other countries;
  • the role that taxation policy, at the Commonwealth and State government levels, can have on the encouragement of new business investment;
  • the role that energy policies, at the Commonwealth and State government levels, can have on the encouragement of new business investment; and
  • the impact of supplier payment times, including by governments, on business investment for small to medium enterprises.

Submissions are being sought by Friday, 11 May 2018. Submissions can be made online or by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

For information about the inquiry visit the committee’s webpage at: www.aph.gov.au/economics

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