Friday, 19 August 2016
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Education Minister Peter Collier said Abilities Based Learning Education, Western Australia would provide an unprecedented level of support for students with special learning needs. "Under the Liberal National Government, all Western Australian schools have now been given the resources for students with disability and special learning needs that have been trialled in this State alongside materials used successfully in Victoria," Mr Collier said. "The ABLEWA resources enable these students to participate in learning experiences that are specifically tailored to further develop their skills, knowledge and understanding." Teachers will be supported with an online professional learning package that will provide advice on linking reporting information with curriculum planning and teaching. "The resources form just one part of a wide range of assessment tools and practices that teachers can incorporate into their planning and decision-making," the Minister said. The assessments can be used for students between four and 18 years of age, working at Year 4 level or below. Assessments for students working above Year 4 level will be the same as for their classmates, but with any reasonable adjustments made for the student. "ABLEWA development has been led by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority, with the support of representatives from expert groups in education for students with disability from across the sectors," Mr Collier said. ABLEWA supports the teaching and learning of students who, through disability or special learning needs, might not be able to access the Pre-primary to Year 10 curriculum. Fact File
Friday, 19 August 2016
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Deputy Premier and Police Minister Liza Harvey said there had been a 34 per cent reduction in police assaults in 2015 compared with 2009. "In 2009, there was 1,227 incidents where our police officers were assaulted and this reduced to 800 police assaults last year," Ms Harvey said. The Minister also revealed assaults against public officers had reduced by 26 per cent in 2015 (1,185 incidents) compared with 2009 (1,613 incidents). Incidents of obstructing public officers had also reduced by 35 per cent in 2015 (1,758 incidents), compared with 2009 (2,718 incidents). Attorney General Michael Mischin said the State Government passed laws in 2009 which now meant offenders faced a minimum jail term of 12 months for doing grievous bodily harm to police and other public officers; nine months for doing them bodily harm (in circumstances of aggravation); and six months for assault causing bodily harm. "The legislation sends a message to the community that violent attacks against our police and other public officers will no longer be tolerated in Western Australia, and the continuing reduction in assaults indicates it has been successful," Mr Mischin said. "Despite the opposition and scaremongering from the Labor Party during the debate, the mandatory sentencing legislation has proven to be an effective deterrent against violence." Ms Harvey said the reductions were encouraging, however the community needed to be reminded of the tough laws to help further drive down assaults against police and public officers. "We have always been the Government that protects our police and the small section of the community who attack our officers need to know they will be locked up," she said. Fact File
Friday, 19 August 2016
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Deputy Premier and Police Minister Liza Harvey said National Police Certificates outlined if an individual had any criminal history or pending charges and previously took five working days to complete. "We previously outsourced this process to Australia Post which, in conjunction with WA Police and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, recently developed a way to digitise the process from start to finish," Ms Harvey said. "For 65 per cent of applicants, the new online process has reduced the five working day waiting period to an average of 30 minutes and the quickest we have been able to supply a person's certificate is just 10 minutes." The Deputy Premier said a major reason the certificates were able to be generated so quickly was because WA Police had developed a system that could digitally and automatically verify the required identification. If an application requires further investigation, the individual is notified within an hour that their National Police Certificate has been referred to WA Police. This notification process has also markedly reduced enquiries made to WA Police. "The savings generated by removing the need for a police officer to manually process the certificates has been passed onto the consumer, who now pays almost $10 less for the certificate than last financial year," Ms Harvey said. The Deputy Premier said the outsourcing to Australia Post and the online process had enabled the equivalent of 17 full-time police and administration officers to return to their core duties. "The State Government has committed to reducing red tape and the inaugural 2015 Red Tape Reduction score card found WA Police had returned 98 officers to frontline duties by reducing paperwork and administrative tasks, such as processing National Police Certificates," she said. Fact File
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The ABS will be at the Manjimup Community Resource Centre today and available to assist anyone with their Census completion from 9.00am to 12.00am ABS will be available to help! Are you looking for work?
Head on over to the our Southern Forests Employment Hub to check out all current jobs available around the area. Thursday, 18 August 2016
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The Liberal National Government endorsed Mr Sellers to the role for a five-year term and the appointment was approved on August 16 by Her Excellency the Honourable Kerry Sanderson AC, Governor of Western Australia, in Executive Council. "As the head of Western Australia's Transport portfolio, Mr Sellers will concurrently hold the positions of Director General of the Department of Transport, Commissioner for Roads WA and Chief Executive Officer of the Public Transport Authority," Mr Nalder said. "Key responsibilities will include setting the strategic direction of transport in WA, shaping the development of a number of major integrated transport plans and leading the implementation of WA's transformational capital projects." Mr Sellers is currently the Director General at the Department of Mines and Petroleum, a position he has held since June 2009. Prior to this role, he was the Executive Director of Minerals and Energy and the Department of Primary Industry, Fisheries and Mines in the Northern Territory. Mr Sellers holds a Bachelor of Applied Science Biology, Graduate Diploma in Education and Master of Public Policy and Management. The Minister said Mr Sellers was a highly skilled public servant who had taken a lead role in improving WA's mining approval process and encouraging exploration to ensure WA's ongoing development. "He has well established credentials as an outstanding organisational leader, with the ability to implement innovative and significant reforms," Mr Nalder said. "The transport portfolio is one of the largest and most challenging in this State. Mr Sellers' track record has him well placed to deliver further improvements to our integrated transport network in WA over future years." Fact File
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We are here to help! ABS will be at the Manjimup Community Resource Centre on Friday and are available to assist anyone with their Census completion from 9.00am to 12.00am Wednesday, 17 August 2016
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Seniors and Volunteering Minister Tony Simpson said the grant would fund the development of a network of volunteer peer educators and a resource tool kit that would provide general advice about elder abuse to vulnerable individuals. The scheme is a partnership between the Northern Suburbs Community Legal Centre and Southern Communities Advocacy Legal Education Service and will focus on five local government areas - Joondalup, Stirling, Wanneroo, Kwinana and Rockingham. "The Liberal National Government is committed to ensuring the wellbeing of all seniors in our community," Mr Simpson said. "Elder abuse is a complex issue that needs to be addressed by the entire community. "The Older People's Peer Education Scheme will increase awareness of the risks of elder abuse and provide seniors with information and strategies to prevent it happening to them." The Minister said the funding built on existing partnerships between the State Government and community sector to address the issue of elder abuse, including:
Wednesday, 17 August 2016
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Under the scheme, consumers will be able to get a 10 cent refund on containers usually seen as litter, such as beer cans and bottles, soft drinks, bottled water, small flavoured milk drinks, sports drinks and spirit-based mixed drinks. Premier Colin Barnett said community desire for a container deposit scheme was very strong, which should lead to high participation. It was expected the scheme would start in mid-2018. The 10 cent refund will be available from reverse vending machines and collection depots at parks, beaches and other public spaces across Western Australia. "Drinks containers are commonly littered, which is not only unsightly, but can cause environmental harm. With a 10 cent refund available, there is a greater incentive to recycle as everyone can benefit from doing the right thing," Mr Barnett said. Environment Minister Albert Jacob said the scheme would complement WA's recycling culture. "It will benefit charities, sporting groups and community groups by allowing them to profit by participating in large-scale recycling activities. It's a win for the environment, jobs, the community and the recycling industry," Mr Jacob said. "I have been persuaded by the success of schemes in other States and Territories. South Australia records higher recycling rates than any other State and significantly less beverage container litter and WA has the highest percentage of drinks containers in our litter. I believe a scheme will make a big difference in this State." The State Government is committed to reducing waste and litter across all waste streams. The container deposit scheme will complement the Western Australian Waste Strategy: Creating the right environment and the Litter Prevention Strategy for Western Australia 2015-2020. Other reforms include increases in the landfill levy, bigger fines for littering and illegal dumping, the Better Bins system for households and the Recycled Construction Products Program. Fact File
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