Tuesday, 27 June 2017
The State Government-funded free event will create vibrancy and increase economic activity in the precinct, boosting employment opportunities for locals. Centred on the theme of resilience, the festival will explore dialogue and debate around migration, human rights, climate change, language preservation and issues facing the millennial generation. The concepts of survival and endurance will be examined throughout a complete program of thought provoking presentations, question and answer sessions, discussion panels, conversations and immersive experiences.
All events will also be streamed State-wide, ensuring access for all Western Australians. Comments attributed to Culture and the Arts Minister David Templeman: "The State Library will be buzzing on the last weekend of July 2017, when there will be keynote speakers, panel discussions, workshops, a youth-led radio station and interactive pop-up installations taking place all over the library. "I'm sure that the weekend of events will once again bring forth new ideas, as well as stimulate debate and create controversy. While the events are all free, places for some sessions are limited so I encourage people to book." 27/06/2017 6:00 AM
The machines are also being decorated with creative designs recently submitted by local schoolchildren. More than 100 students entered a competition for the chance to be a part of the $1.86 billion project, jointly funded by the State and Federal governments, which will link the central business district to Perth Airport and the eastern foothills. Transport Minister Rita Saffioti today congratulated the five winners - who provided names and artwork - at the site of the future Forrestfield Station where the first machine will soon break ground. The first TBM has been named Grace, in honour of pre-primary student Grace McPhee who was nominated by her classmates at Edney Primary School in High Wycombe. The students said Grace, who is undergoing treatment for leukaemia, was the toughest person they knew - a toughness the TBM would need to bore through the earth. This TBM is decorated with artwork by Year 6 Walliston Primary School student Georgia Fields. The second TBM, which will begin work in September, will be named Sandy - suggested by High Wycombe Primary School Year 4 student Sarah Spratt. Sarah was inspired after finding a sandgroper in her backyard, as the local insect (which is also a colloquial name for Western Australians) is 'excellent at tunnelling, just like the TBM'. This TBM will be decorated with artwork by Rossmoyne Primary School Year 5 students Faith Brand and Jood Al Jashammi. The TBMs will each dig eight kilometres of seven-metre diameter tunnels - including under Perth Airport and the Swan River. The machines will take two years to make the journey underground to Bayswater, where the rail link will spur off the Midland Line. First trains are due on the line in late 2020. Comments attributed to Transport Minister Rita Saffioti: "I am thrilled to announce the winners of the competition to name and decorate the $20 million tunnel boring machines. "I'm particularly delighted that the winners are all young students from the region who will undoubtedly grow up using the rail link once it is completed." The Community Engagement team are looking to change the way we communicate our monthly themes with you to ensure we are providing relevant information more efficiently.
From July 2017 you will be receiving the monthly themes through our new system. This means your monthly theme email will look a little different and more like a newsletter than an email. Although the monthly themes will look different, they will continue to include relevant information relating to the theme of the month with relevant links, images and key messages for you to pass on to your networks. The themes will also be distributed to you in advance to assist you with planning your preparation and engagement activities for the coming months ahead. Bunbury-based meat processor V&V Walsh will launch its Amelia Park chilled lamb range in China today, becoming the only international supplier approved to supply chilled sheep and goat meat to the country.
Agriculture and Food Minister Alannah MacTiernan welcomed the achievement, which was supported by the State Government's WA Open for Business program, the Department of Agriculture and Food and Meat and Livestock Australia. V&V Walsh will launch its product range in Shanghai today (June 20) and in Beijing on Friday (June 23). Its chilled lamb will be available through high-end retail stores and served in leading restaurants and hotels. The company is also approved to supply chilled beef as well as frozen beef, sheep and goat meat, providing WA with a significant first mover advantage into premium segments of the enormous and growing red meat market in China. The opening up of new high-value premium lamb markets should provide further confidence to the WA sheep industry and to investors about the future of the industry, as it looks for growth. Comments attributed to Agriculture and Food Minister Alannah MacTiernan: "Congratulations to Peter and Greg Walsh on this significant achievement. Chinese consumers can now enjoy the first ever imported chilled lamb from Australia; Western Australian lamb at its very best. "While China is WA's largest market for sheep meat, our exports largely comprise lower value frozen cuts. Now Chinese consumers can access a range of branded, premium-grade value-added lamb products. "Exporting this value-added Western Australian product means more jobs in regional WA and more benefits for our economy. "V&V Walsh have led the way for WA industry and the WA Government is proud to have been involved." Initial water test results taken from Whiteman Park have indicated there is no elevated lead contamination in the water distribution system at the park.
The Department of Planning started testing water outlets in Whiteman Park following recent media reports of elevated lead levels. While testing indicated the water supply is clear, elevated levels of lead were found in three water outlets, indicating that the contamination may lie within the taps. Representatives from the Building Commission have been on site to undertake an assessment of the affected water outlets. Under methodology advice from the Department of Health, samples were taken from seven outlets and provided to an accredited laboratory for testing and analysis. These included the Whiteman Park public drinking water outlets that showed elevated lead levels in the media report (with the exception of the Motor Museum garden tap). Using Australian Standards methodology, two samples were taken from three outlets; a 'first flush' sample which tests water within the tap assembly; and a second sample, taken after running off eight litres of water, which tests for contamination within the distribution system. An eight litre flush sample was taken from four outlets including the water supply bore and the pump house. All of the samples taken after the eight litre flush had no elevated lead levels, as determined by the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines. The three 'first flush' samples indicated elevated lead levels. However, these same taps returned lead levels below the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines following the eight litre flush. This indicates that the contamination may be within the tap assembly. Comments attributed to Planning Minister Rita Saffioti: "We take water quality very seriously and acted immediately to respond to reports of contamination in the Whiteman Park fountains. "We will continue testing and will monitor the situation very closely." In an Australian-first, the Water Corporation has this week conducted a trial using two specially trained sniffer dogs to detect hidden leaks in below ground water mains.
The two dogs are being trained as part of a Water Corporation research and development program to smell water, when there is a potential break along underground mains. The utility is investigating whether the dogs can better detect hidden leaks in areas where other detection methods are deemed unsuitable or where human access is difficult. The dogs, a springer spaniel called Tommy and a cocker spaniel called Emma, are being trained by leading Australian dog trainer Steve Austin. Steve has worked with a number of agencies in Australia to train dogs to detect different smells for situations, including feral animal control and narcotics detection. Comments attributed to Water Minister Dave Kelly: "With nearly 34,000 kilometres of water mains across our vast State, it is important we continue to explore new and innovative methods of detecting hidden leaks. "When pipes are buried underground it is much more challenging to detect a leak. Leaks in water mains can waste precious water and have the potential to interrupt supplies to homes and businesses. "These field trials will not only test the dogs' ability to sniff out hidden leaks, but they will see how close they need to be to the leak for it to be detected and how many kilometres a day they can travel." A unique two-day event designed to put people with disability at the centre of conversations about the future of the NDIS in Western Australia has launched in Perth today.
The NDIS in WA Conversation, held on Friday, June 9 and Saturday June 10 at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre, was attended by more than 300 people with disability, their families and carers from across the State. The event was focused on learning from personal experiences and building on those ideas in order to keep people with disability at the centre of the NDIS rollout. The event was organised by the Disability Coalition, a collection of advocacy organisations, consumer representative groups and peak bodies in the disability and mental health sector, and hosted by the Disability Services Commission. The forum presents an opportunity for people with disability, their families and carers to contribute ideas and give feedback about how the NDIS should be delivered in WA. Comments attributed to Disability Services Minister Stephen Dawson: "This scheme belongs to people with disability, their families and carers in WA and it's important we get it right and make sure it works as intended. "For those people who couldn't attend the event, there will be further opportunities to be involved and to engage with the Disability Services Commission about the NDIS. "This has been a tremendous opportunity for us to hear what is important to people with disability as we roll out the scheme in this State. "The NDIS is a once-in-a-generation reform and we must get it right for the thousands of people with disability who will become eligible." The Turnbull Government has again ignored the needs of Western Australia, with Federal Social Services Minister Christian Porter today confirming that the Federal Government has refused to contribute to the cost of the new Perth Stadium.
Premier Mark McGowan wrote to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull asking for a contribution towards the $1.2 billion Perth Stadium which was in line with previous contributions to stadia around Australia. Mr Porter stated today that the 'Commonwealth generally doesn't fund stadiums - this is a very rare event'. So rare in fact that there have six recent examples: $100 million towards Townsville Stadium; $55 million - Adelaide Oval; $24 million - Skilled Stadium Geelong; $15 million - Bellerive Oval in Tasmania; $75 million - the SCG; and $90 million - the MCG. each of these six cases, Federal Government funds were contributed from either consolidated revenue or Infrastructure Australia grants. Comments attributed to Treasurer Ben Wyatt: "The Federal Government has been more than happy to make significant contributions for other stadium developments around the country. We are once again being treated poorly compared with other States, it's very disappointing but not surprising. "The Western Australians sitting around the Federal Government Cabinet table have once again sold this State short and have accepted a poor result for WA. "Christian Porter has failed Western Australians twice. As a State treasurer, he failed to get funding from the then Federal Government, and he has failed to get funding from the government in which he is a Cabinet Minister. "The previous Liberal National Government left this project in a mess, it beggars belief that they did not secure Federal funding or the major tenants for the stadium."
Work began last month on an upgrade to the Bridgetown Wastewater Treatment Plant. The plant treats the town's wastewater to a high quality before it is used to irrigate the Bridgetown Golf Course. The project is expected to be completed in September 2018. Work is also under way on an infill sewerage project in the area, which began in March 2017. Infill sewerage systems eliminate the need for septic tanks and leach drains, benefiting the environment and public health. As a result of this project, 265 residential homes in Bridgetown will have access to the central wastewater system for the safe treatment and disposal of their wastewater. Work is expected to be completed by the end of June 2017. For more information, visit https://www.watercorporation.com.au Comments attributed to Water Minister Dave Kelly: "This investment in Bridgetown's wastewater system will not only cater for growth in the town, it will also provide environmental benefits. "The upgrade to the town's wastewater treatment plant ensures it continues to produce high-quality treated wastewater for irrigation. "About 37 million litres of recycled water is produced each year, reducing reliance on precious drinking water supplies."
Environment Minister Stephen Dawson said the State's $185,000 Regional Roadside Litter Prevention Project (Roadside Litter Project) had successfully changed motorists' behaviour, reducing litter by an average of 55 per cent at trial sites on the Brand, Great Eastern and Forrest highways. It also highlighted the importance of the McGowan Labor Government's Container Deposit Scheme in dealing with drink containers, one of the most commonly seen litter types. The scheme is set to begin in early 2019 and will offer a 10 cent refund for eligible drink containers. As part of the Roadside Litter Project, big anti-litter signs were installed along the highways and 300,000 free car litter bags were made available at service stations and roadhouses from August to December last year - encouraging motorists to do the right thing and dispose of their rubbish correctly. Litter volumes at trial sites along the Brand and Forrest highways reduced by 49 and 60 per cent respectively, and by 70 per cent at the Great Eastern Highway site. More than 7,200 items of litter - 1,496 litres in volume, which could fill a backyard water tank - was collected from just four kilometres of highway. Plastic and glass bottles, drink cartons and fast food wrappers accounted for 69 per cent of all litter collected. Comments attributed to Environment Minister Stephen Dawson: "On World Environment Day today, it's important to remember that littering not only makes our highways untidy, but it also harms the environment - putting wildlife at risk. "The Regional Roadside Litter Prevention Project has shown, that by offering free car litter bags and a reminder to not litter, we can change motorist behaviour. "Last year, Main Roads WA spent $6 million collecting roadside litter and debris - funding that could be diverted to other essential State Government services. "This project is a great step towards our aim of reducing litter - ahead of the launch of our new Container Deposit Scheme in early 2019, which aims to reduce beverage container litter and boost our |
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