The Committee had an initial discussion on policy principles that could provide a consistent basis for the Multi-Party Climate Change Committee’s deliberations and discussed the design of the Climate Change Commission.

An overview of international climate change policies was presented to the Committee, which covered emissions reduction targets and climate change mitigation policies in key countries. The Committee also heard from the panel of experts on climate change science and impacts, energy markets and electricity prices and the scope of works for Garnaut’s updated Climate Change Review.

The new centre will be built at Foster and will be jointly funded by the Federal Government ($1.85 million), the Victorian Government ($500 000) and the South Gippsland Shire ($200 000).

“The first few years of a child’s life set them on a road to adulthood – we want that road to take them to good health, education and social development,” Ms Ellis said.

“Early childhood education is so important to the social, emotional and educational growth of children. Studies show quality early childhood experiences can overcome disadvantage and set children on the path to a happy and healthy life,” she said.

The Foster centre will cater for up to 58 children and offer long day care, kindergarten, family day care, occasional care, maternal and child health, play groups, parenting programs and allied health services.

It will be built adjacent to the South Gippsland Secondary College and within walking distance of Foster Primary School.

Ms Morand said the new centre at Foster will give families access to integrated family and children’s services under one roof, making it easier for working families to access services.

“The Brumby Labor Government knows how important quality early education is for children and that’s why we’ve committed more than $47 million to fund 98 new children’s centres across the State – 51 of these are already open and operating,” she said.

“We want to give Victorian children, through new centres such as this great facility at Foster, every opportunity to learn so that they can have the best possible future.”

The Foster centre will open by the end of this year and cater for communities including Foster, Yanakie, Fish Creek, Sandy Point, Waratah Bay, Port Franklin, Toora, Welshpool, Port Welshpool and Walkerville.

The Rudd Government is investing $114.5 million in 38 new Early Learning and Care Centres across Australia as part of the Government’s Education Revolution.

For further information visit mychild.gov.au.

The measures to be put in place in Victoria as part of a modified SUSTAIN approach will enable Victoria to more appropriately respond to the relatively higher number of cases and the sustained community transmission of the infection in Victoria. About three quarters of confirmed cases recorded so far have been in Victoria.

Measures taken by governments have so far helped to delay and reduce the spread of the virus H1N1 Influenza 09 (Human Swine Influenza). While Australia has recently experienced an increase in cases as was always likely to be the case, this has occurred up to a month later than in other countries such as the UK, Canada and Japan. All delay and contain efforts have provided more time for doctors and scientists to better understand the disease so that Australia can better target its response.

Moving to Modified SUSTAIN will enable Victoria to:

* more intensively target those people who are at highest risk. For example, undertake testing in high risk settings like aged care facilities, hospitals and special schools to help identify cases;
* implement extensive contact tracing where there are people at risk of severe complications, such as those in nursing homes and special schools;
* target antivirals to people exhibiting the clinical case definition of Human Swine Flu, along with their immediate household contacts; and
* require people who are confirmed to have Human Swine Flu to isolate themselves for three days following the commencement of antiviral treatment.

Given the high level of socialisation and contact in school settings, the AHPC has agreed that health authorities throughout Australia should continue to focus on actions in schools as they are a key vehicle for spread of the virus.

Health officials continue to request that any school aged children at potential risk from Human Swine Influenza stay at home for seven days.

States and Territories will apply a policy of voluntary exclusion from school for a period of seven days for all children returning from areas where there is a high prevalence of the virus circulating in the community.

All States and Territories will be asked to undertake random sampling testing (known as sentinel testing) of influenza-like illness and increased sampling of cases to monitor the rate of increase of spread in the community and any changes in the dominant circulating influenza strain.

This amended strategy and flexible alert levels will be reviewed weekly by the Commonwealth Chief Medical Officer and his Expert Advisory Committee.

The Rudd Government announced last year it would abolish the 11 cents a litre levy, which was established by the former government in 2000 to fund an industry deregulation adjustment package.

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke wrote to major retailers and retail associations in January reminding them that the Government expected costs savings from the removal of the tax to be passed on to consumers.

He has now welcomed announcements that key retailers would pass the tax cut on to consumers of fresh milk, including:

* Aldi (announced an immediate reduction of 11 cents per litre in the price of milk)

* Coles (plans to reduce the price of all fresh milk by 11 cents per litre from Monday 23 February, but is already reducing the price of its house brand milk)

* Woolworths (plans to reduce the price of all fresh milk by 11 cents per litre from Monday 23 February, but has already reduced the price of a house brand milk in every state and territory)

“This is a responsible decision by major retailers which will save families money at the checkout, at a time when every cent counts,” Mr Burke said.

“We expect other retailers to pass on the modest savings to consumers.

“Any complaint or suggestion of anti-competitive conduct over the removal of the levy will be dealt with by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.

“The Government recognises the dairy industry is under pressure with some processors dramatically slashing the farm-gate price of milk.

“We will continue to look at what potential forms of assistance may be available for dairy farmers.”

The levy funded a number of measures to help dairy farmers adjust to the removal of state and Commonwealth government price support measures.

It is collected by dairy processing companies and appropriated into a trust fund, which is administered according to statutory obligations and a statutory funding agreement between Dairy Australia Ltd and the Commonwealth.

According to statutory requirements, it was to be abolished once the trust fund was brought into balance.

Customs officers at Perth International Airport stopped the man for questioning
yesterday when he was preparing to leave Australia on a flight to Indonesia.

On his Outgoing Passenger Card the man had declared he was not taking over
AUD$10,000 in cash out of Australia.

During an examination of the man’s hold luggage, Customs officers allegedly found a
large plastic bag containing cash hidden within a towel. Upon further examination, the
officers found more cash concealed within Christmas presents. A large amount of cash
was also located in the man’s hand luggage.

Customs officers subsequently referred the matter to the Australian Federal Police
(AFP) and the large amount of cash has been seized by AFP officers and
investigations are continuing.

There is no limit to the amount of currency you can bring in or out of Australia,
however, under the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006
you must declare amounts of AUD$10,000 or more in Australian currency or foreign
equivalent.

The maximum penalty for this type of offence is imprisonment for 2 years, a fine of
AUD$55,000, or both.

Mr Garrett said the review of the fishery, which operates off the coast of Queensland, including in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, would be completed by the end of October 2008, and would look at the proposed management arrangements for the fishery, providing recommendations to ensure compliance with the EPBC Act.

Mr Garrett said the review follows discussions with Queensland’s Minister for Primary Industries and Fisheries, the Hon Tim Mulherin MP, in relation to the fishery’s impacts on shark stocks and the potential for interactions with protected species, particularly dugongs, whales and sawfish.

“I expect this review will also provide the Queensland Government with additional support and information in their decision making process in regards to the East Coast Inshore Fin Fish Fishery.

“Concerns have been raised by a variety of groups, including the scientific community, about shark fishing and about species protected under the EPBC Act, including dugong. I want to be assured that the World Heritage Values of the Great Barrier Reef are adequately protected.

“I look forward to the outcomes of this important and timely investigation so we can be confident that the fishery has the appropriate conditions in place for accreditation under the EPBC Act.”

Mr Garrett said the review would be conducted by a panel chaired by Mr John Gunn, Deputy Chief, CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research, who has 25 years of experience in marine ecology and fisheries science, and including Dr John Stevens, a globally respected shark scientist and Mr Frank Meere, who has extensive experience in fisheries management and qualifications in economics

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke today met with the Board of the new industry regulator, Wheat Exports Australia (WEA), which assesses and determines which companies are accredited to export wheat in bulk.

WEA is expected to release the names of the five companies shortly.

Mr Burke said WEA advised him it met yesterday to consider the applications for accreditation.

“WEA will continue to assess other applications at their meetings in the coming days and weeks,” Mr Burke said.

“The goal of this major economic reform was always to provide more choice for growers.

“I emphasised to WEA the importance of making decisions on applications for accreditation in a timely way to allow growers to make decisions about who will export their wheat.

“That’s why the Government announced additional resources for WEA when the legislation was passed in June.

“I am pleased that WEA has made this first announcement well ahead of the harvest.”

The Rudd Government is continuing to hold wheat marketing information sessions and workshops around Australia, to help growers understand how the new system can work for them.

Recent sessions have been held in:

* Western Australia – Geraldton, Three Springs, Dalwallinu, Dowerin and Mukinbudin;
* NSW – Moree, Coonamble, Trangie, Parkes, Lake Cargelligo, West Wyalong, Cowra, Griffith and Finley; and
* Queensland – Capella, Gindie, Talwood, Meandarra and Biloela.

Further sessions are planned for other locations in each of these states. Sessions will be held in South Australia in the coming weeks and in Victoria in September.

Officials from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry have also met with wheat buyers in key international markets, including in Japan, Egypt and the Republic of Korea. Further meetings are planned in India, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, China and Malaysia and possibly other markets.

Australia’s ever-increasing reliance on information and communications technology and the threat of a hostile online environment has prompted the review, which will assist the development of a national framework for securing Australia’s electronic networks.

“New and networked systems increasingly underpin our business and social interactions, but they also provide fertile ground for exploitation by cyber criminals”, Mr McClelland said.

“The e-security review is an opportunity to look at what help the Government can provide to develop a more secure and trusted electronic operating environment for both the public and private sectors. The review will also consider whether Commonwealth programs can be better focused to deal with the ever increasing range of online threats.”

Senator Conroy said that the review of e-security was a vital step towards fostering confidence in using the internet for personal and business activities.

“A secure online environment trusted by the community coupled with the Government’s rollout of the National Broadband Network is critical to our nation’s continued social and economic prosperity,” Senator Conroy said.

A multi-agency team, led by the Attorney-General’s Department, will conduct the review, which will be completed by the end of this year.

The African Community Summit is one of the many local summits that will feed into the Australia 2020 Summit this weekend to ensure that the ideas of constituents from around Australia are considered.

The African Community Summit will comprise various African Community groups and associations including organisations that represent refugees from Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia and Eritrea.

Mr Tanner said: “Upon arrival in Australia, many African migrants face enormous challenges settling in Australia. Some African refugees with professional qualifications and good English language skills are still finding it difficult to get work in their chosen occupations, even when highly qualified.”

“This summit is intended to be an open conversation engaging representatives from the various African community groups in Melbourne. The objective of today’s discussion is to understand the challenges they face and to draw on their passion and ideas about their adopted country.”

The first session of the African Community Summit will cover issues around social inclusion such as family reunion, community relations, access to facilities, issues for young people and housing. The second part of the event will examine the economic issues, including employment, education, pathways to employment, English language skills and recognition of qualifications.

Mr Paris Aristotle, Director, Foundation for the Survivors of Torture, will chair the event. The Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture (VFST), or ‘Foundation House’ as it is more commonly known, provides a range of services to refugees who have survived torture or war related trauma.

Mr Tanner, together with Mr Aristotle, will discuss the challenges and issues with more than 50 participants from the various African community groups that live in Melbourne, as well as representatives from groups and associations that work closely to provide support to the African Community.

Consideration of issues and ideas at the African Community Summit forms part of the wider community consultation process feeding into the Australia 2020 Summit in Canberra on 19 and 20 April.

“As significant contributors to Australia’s economic wealth, the Government has a great interest in the future of BHPBilliton and Rio Tinto.” Mr Ferguson said.

Mr Ferguson said: “The Government welcomes foreign investment in Australian companies and I note the benefits that will flow to Australia from further investment in our resources sector.”

The Chinalco and Alcoa investment comes at a time of substantial consolidation in the resources sector. Mr Ferguson noted that Chinalco and Alcoa have made a voluntary submission to the Foreign Investment Review Board and said: “The Government is obliged under foreign investment rules to make determinations on the basis of the national interest.”