By Julian Bajkowski The Victorian government is conspicuously muscling up on its technology leadership smarts after the state revealed it is on the hunt for no fewer than five top flight public sector executives to lead its recently released ICT strategy. The state has created the new roles within the Department of State Development, Business […]
19 November, 2013
By Paul Hemsley The Victorian government has moved to substantially broaden its collection of ‘open data’ available to industry and software developers by making more geospatial information available that pinpoints the geographic location of the state’s natural and constructed boundaries and features. It is the latest addition to the Victorian government’s public open data website […]
23 September, 2013
By Julian Bajkowski A leaked letter from Queensland Premier Campbell Newman to Prime Minister Julia Gillard reveals that the state government is behind the proposed wording of a Constitutional amendment pivotal to a referendum and does not believe the change will erode state powers over local government. A copy of the letter obtained by Government […]
11 March, 2013
By Julian Bajkowski Victoria’s Auditor General has criticised the state’s 79 councils over a glaring lack of clarity and detail in the way they determine and reveal how more than $4 billion in rates and charges a year are levied on constituents, despite the local governments having a “common rating framework.” In a report issued […]
21 February, 2013
By Paul Hemsley Federal Attorney-General Nicola Roxon has formally declared that phone tapping powers will be granted to Victoria’s recently established Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission (IBAC) as soon as its predecessor, the Office of Police Integrity (OPI) is abolished. The move clears an important legal roadblock in the creation of the new watchdog which had […]
19 December, 2012
By Julian Bajkowski Victoria’s Education Minister, Martin Dixon, has moved swiftly to distance the Baillieu government from the Ultranet education software debacle after the state’s Auditor released a series of damning findings into the $180 million Oracle based project. At least three times over budget and with little realistic prospect of being salvaged, Mr Dixon […]
12 December, 2012
By Julian Bajkowski A student management and learning system that was supposed to provide cutting edge capability to Victorian schools has been marked an unequivocal fail by the state’s Auditor General in an official review which “detected a number of serious process and probity issues in relation to tendering and procurement” for the massive project. […]
12 December, 2012
By Julian Bajkowski Energy suppliers have accused state governments across Australia of failing to execute key electricity market reforms which they claim are essential to rein-in soaring prices for consumers and businesses. The peak industry group the Energy Supply Association of Australia has launched a stinging report card on the performance of individual states’ electricity […]
10 December, 2012
By Paul Hemsley and Julian Bajkowski Leaders in Coalition held states have condemned the Australian Communications and Media Authority’s decision to give police, fire and ambulance services just half of the spectrum allocation they lobbied the federal regulator for. New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria today all slammed the regulator’s decision, further inflaming the cross-jurisdictional […]
31 October, 2012
By Paul Hemsley and Julian Bajkowski Victorian local governments have warned that new bans on the controversial practice of coal seam gas (CSG) extraction through hydraulic fracturing (fraccing) in the state still don’t go far enough. The peak body for councils in the state has vowed it will continue to push for a parliamentary probe […]
27 August, 2012
By Paul Hemsley The condition of roads across Australia is deteriorating because state and local governments see little immediate electoral upside in spending money on vital tasks like fixing potholes – at least compared to more noticeable projects like new building works. That’s the conclusion of new analysis on infrastructure upkeep across Australia by BIS […]
20 August, 2012
As the Victorian and NSW Governments want Australia to move to a full National Disability Insurance Scheme, the federal government wants the states to contribute themselves. The two state governments made an expression of interest to have the NDIS launched in the NSW Hunter region and the Victorian Barwon region. This move follows the scheme’s […]
31 July, 2012
By Angela Dorizas The election of Ted Baillieu as the new Premier of Victoria has been welcomed by the state's peak local government body. Former premier John Brumby yesterday conceded that Labor had lost government. Mr Baillieu and his new cabinet will be sworn in within the coming days. He is expected to recall Parliament […]
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