Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: Workplace Gender Equality Agency

The Albanese Government is making it easier to travel across the Illawarra with a $10 million investment to plan Dapto’s new south-facing ramps, matching a $10 million investment from the Minns Labor Government.

The announcement follows an initial consultation period, conducted by the NSW Government, which received over 4,000 ideas and suggestions from the local community, all of which will inform next steps of the planning process.

The jointly-funded planning work will explore south-facing ramps onto the M1 Princes Motorway from Emerson Road, or from Fowlers or Kanahooka Roads which have existing north-facing ramps.

The project will deliver better connections between suburbs to the south such as Shellharbour and Kiama to suburbs like Dapto, Horsley and Brownsville.

The north facing on and off-ramps at Fowlers and Kanahooka roads currently limit Princes Motorway access to residents travelling to or from the north, forcing commuters travelling to or from south of Dapto to detour via the Princes Highway.

This leads to inflated travel times and distances for Illawarra motorists, particularly during morning, evening and weekend peak periods.

The population of the Illawarra-Shoalhaven is expected to grow by around 100,000 extra people by 2041. As the population continues to grow and travel habits change, the southern ramps will simplify travel options across the region.

Quotes attributable to Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King:

“With the population of the southern Illawarra booming, it’s vital that our investment in essential infrastructure keeps up.

“These southern ramps are a simple intervention, but one that will have an incredibly positive impact on the way people travel around this region.

“Work is already underway with the NSW Government completing initial consultation and planning. This additional investment will assist with detailed planning and progressing the project so we can get shovels in the ground sooner.”

Quotes attributable to NSW Minister for Roads John Graham:

“The community has spoken, they want these ramps. Now that $20 million has been committed from State and Federal Government, the detailed work can be done to ensure south-facing ramps go from being a good idea, to an every day reality.”

Quotes attributable to Member for Whitlam Stephen Jones:

“The madness of the north-only ramps means my constituents have to double back and forth between the highway and motorway to cover simple trips. Dapto’s north-only ramps have been a headache for locals for too long. This funding means we can finally get on with the job.

“As new developments spring up in West Dapto, it’s vital we get these ramps up and running so people aren’t caught in endless traffic jams. These south-facing ramps will give people a direct route and ease the bottlenecks on our roads.”

Quotes attributable to NSW Member for Shellharbour Anna Watson:

“2023 was the year of commitment, where our community made the case for this investment. 2024 was the year of consultation, where Transport for NSW heard directly from residents and motorists what they want to see from this project.

With this additional funding from the Federal Government, 2025 can be the year of detailed planning and development, as we get closer to starting work on this vital project.

Source: Australian Capital Territory Policing

Unregistered builder Mark (Najy) Rayes has been convicted and fined for taking more than $100,000 in payments from customers for services he did not provide.

Rayes, 47, was running an unregistered building and landscaping business when he committed the offences, between 2021 and 2023.

Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV) investigated Rayes after receiving customer complaints. He was convicted and fined $15,000 for offences under the Australian Consumer Law and $1,000 for breaches of the Domestic Building Contracts Act 1995.

People are reminded that when hiring someone to do a renovation, extension, repairs or other building work worth more than $10,000, the contractor must be registered as a building practitioner and provide a written contract.

Registered builders are subject to professional standards, which means consumers are more likely to end up with a job they are happy with.

Hiring someone who isn’t registered risks hiring someone who isn’t skilled and consequently, consumers may end up with poor quality work, as well as limited recourse if the builder walks away.

Jobs worth more than $16,000 must also be covered by domestic building insurance, which protects consumers if the builder dies, disappears or is declared insolvent. For this work, builders must provide:

• a copy of the domestic building insurance policy, and
• a certificate of currency covering the property.

CAV Director Nicole Rich is urging people who are renovating or getting building work done to make sure they are covered.

“For more complex jobs, it’s essential to make sure you only hire practitioners with the right cover and qualifications,” she said.

“The law is there to protect you. Doing your due diligence can help ensure the build or reno is completed to the standard you want and expect.”

Find a registered builder on the Victorian Building Authority website.

For more about planning a renovation or build, including what to do if things go wrong, go to our Building and renovating information.

Source: FairTrading New South Wales

On 15 November 2024, Court Services Victoria (CSV) implemented requested changes to the wording of Magistrates’ Court and Children’s Court family violence intervention orders (FVIOs).  

A coding error was made as part of those changes to a legacy system, leading to a line in the orders being omitted when printed.  

CSV was notified about the error on 4 March 2025 and took immediate steps to rectify it.

All copies of family violence intervention orders printed from 6 March 2025 no longer omit the relevant line.  

A full post-incident review is underway.

CSV acknowledges and apologises for the error. The safety of all affected family members was CSV’s priority as we remedied the issue.

Affected family members or respondents can call the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria’s Service Centre on 03 9087 6116 between 9am and 7pm Monday to Friday.  

Contact: feedback@courts.vic.gov.au

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia

The Australian labour market continues to ease

Vasilisa

Fri, 2024-12-20 09:54

Source: South Australia County Fire Service

MURRAY BRIDGE NORTH

Haystack fire Wilkin Road Murray Bridge North

Issued for MURRAY BRIDGE NORTH near Murray Bridge in the Murraylands.

The CFS is currently responding to a haystack fire on Wilkin Road, Murray Bridge North. Machinery is being used to dismantle the haystack to help extinguish the fire. This process may generate smoke, which could be visible from Mannum Road. .

Message ID 0008406

Source: Allens Insights (legal sector)

Over the past few months, the Government has introduced a number of important reforms to the Australian telecommunications regulatory landscape. These reforms will have a significant impact on all carriers and many carriage service providers. Taken together with the current Telecommunications Consumer Protections (TCP) Code amendment process, they constitute a significant uplift in regulatory obligations applicable to the sector.

The legislative reforms comprise:

• Amendments to the Security of Critical Infrastructure Act 2024 (Cth) (SoCI Act), which transfer and uplift certain obligations that apply to telecommunications providers under the Telecommunications Act 1997 (Cth) (Telco Act) and take effect on 4 April 2025.
• Rules that ‘switch on’ the obligation for carriers and certain carriage service providers (CSPs) to implement and maintain a Telecommunications Security and Risk Management Program (TSRMP Rules)¹ have been made and will commence on 4 April 2025.
• The Security of Critical Infrastructure Amendment (2025 Measures No. 1) Rules 2025 (Cth) (Amended Application Rules) which amend the Security of Critical Infrastructure (Application) Rules (LIN 22/026) 2022 (Cth) (Application Rules) have been made. Once these amendments take effect on 4 April 2025, they will have the effect of switching on the Asset Registration and Cyber Security Incident Notification Rules under the SoCI Act. 
• On 12 February 2025, the Telecommunications Amendment (Enhancing Consumer Safeguards) Bill 2025 (Enhancing Consumer Safeguards Bill) was also introduced into Parliament but has not yet been passed. If passed, this Bill would have the effect of:
  • establishing a requirement for eligible CSPs to be registered as a condition of being permitted to supply services;
  • enabling the direct enforcement of industry codes by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA); and
  • amending and increasing the penalty amounts for infringement notices and civil penalties.

Key takeaways

• Existing elements of the Telecommunications Sector Security Reforms regime (TSSR) have been integrated and uplifted into the SoCI Act. These obligations will only apply in respect of assets prescribed by the applicable rules.
• The TSRMP Rules and the Amended Application Rules ‘switch on’ the SoCI Act’s positive security obligations for all carriers and ‘relevant CSPs’ (being CSPs with more than 20,000 active services or which otherwise supply services to the Government). Importantly, carriers and relevant CSPs will need to establish and maintain a security and risk management program to address material risks to their asset across all hazards and meet minimum cybersecurity maturity frameworks.
• If the Enhancing Consumer Safeguards Bill is passed by the Government:
  • all CSPs will be required to register with the ACMA;
  • compliance with industry codes (specifically the TCP Code) will be mandatory and the ACMA can take direct enforcement action in relation to compliance with the codes; and
  • maximum penalties for breaches of industry codes, industry standards and service provider determinations will increase from $250,000² to the greater of: 30,300 penalty units (currently $9.999 million), three times the benefit obtained by the contravening entity and its related bodies corporate, or 30% of the adjusted turnover of the contravening entity where the benefit cannot be determined.

Security regulation for critical telecommunications assets

Positive security obligations

New CSP registration requirements and enforcement powers for telco regulator

The Enhancing Consumer Safeguards Bill has been introduced by the Government to improve compliance and enforcement of telecommunications consumer protection rules for the benefit of consumers.⁶

These proposed reforms coincide with a review by the ACMA of the TCP Code and a draft revised version that has been the subject of public consultation (and much debate).

Registration of CSPs

Currently, there is no licensing or other registration framework that applies to CSPs under the Telco Act (unlike carriers, that must register a carrier licence with the ACMA).

The Enhancing Consumer Safeguards Bill proposes to establish a CSP registration scheme prohibiting:

• CSPs from providing a listed carriage service to the public unless it is registered; and
• carriers or wholesale CSPs from supplying listed carriage services to CSPs that are not registered.

The CSP registration scheme is proposed to apply to ‘eligible carriage service providers’, being CSPs that enter into the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) scheme and supply:

• a standard telephone service;
• public mobile telecommunications service; or
• a carriage service that enables end-users to access the internet.⁷

ACMA will also have the power to:

• impose conditions on the registration of CSPs;
• refuse a CSP’s registration based on prescribed grounds for refusal (eg the application contains false or misleading material, the applicant has engaged in or is likely to engage in a contravention of the TIO scheme, or the applicant has engaged in conduct that poses a significant risk to consumers); and
• revoke the registration of a registered CSP.

Mandatory industry codes

The ACMA does not currently have the power to directly enforce industry codes rather, it must first direct a provider to comply with the code or issue a formal warning.⁸ The ACMA can currently only take stronger enforcement action if the provider continues to not comply with its directions or warnings.

The Enhancing Consumer Safeguards Bill proposes to make compliance with an industry code mandatory and to make breaches of the obligation to comply with registered industry code a civil penalty provision that is directly enforceable by the ACMA at first instance.

Pecuniary penalties

Currently, maximum civil penalties differ greatly across the Telco Act and the current maximum civil penalty for non-compliance with a direction by the ACMA to comply with a registered industry code is $250,000.⁹

The Enhancing Consumer Safeguards Bill proposes to increase maximum penalties that can be ordered by the court for individual contraventions to the greater of:

• 30,300 penalty units (~$9.999 million);
• three times the benefit obtained by the relevant entity and its related bodies corporate from the contravening conduct; or
• if the court cannot determine the benefit, 30% of the adjusted turnover of the body corporate during the breach turnover period for the contravention.

Infringement notices given to bodies corporate

Currently the Telco Act only permits the Minister for Communications to increase infringement notice penalties for breaches of either the general carrier licence conditions or CSP rules.

The proposed amendments to the Telco Act will allow the Minister for Communications to increase infringement notice penalty amounts for any breach where the ACMA can already issue an infringement notice.

What’s next?

• reviewing existing cyber incident response plans or business continuity plans and updating such processes and documentation to ensure they are consistent with the incoming amendments to statutory obligations and the TSRMP Rules.
• performing a gap analysis to address any discrepancies between obligations under the TSSR and the ‘all hazards’ approach to protection of telecommunications assets under the SoCI reforms.
• considering whether they constitute a CSP for the purposes of the TIO scheme to prepare for potential mandatory registration with the ACMA.
• reviewing existing operations and processes to ensure compliance with registered industry codes, and/or
• keeping a watching brief on the review into the TCP Code.

Source:

Source:

Source:

Commencing for the 2023–24 income year, more than 100,000 non-charitable not-for-profits (NFPs) with an active Australian business number (ABN) are now required to lodge an annual self-review return to notify of their eligibility to self-assess as income tax exempt.

The new reporting requirement was introduced in the 2021–22 Federal Budget to enhance transparency and integrity in the tax, super and registry system by ensuring only eligible non-charitable NFPs access that income tax exemption. The law hasn’t changed but the reporting of eligibility has.

The ATO has extended the due date for the 2023–24 income year self-review return until 31 March 2025, to help NFPs lodge their first return. Future self-review returns will be due by 31 October annually.

Charitable NFPs registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) are not required to lodge the self-review return.

ATO Assistant Commissioner Jennifer Moltisanti encouraged NFPs to act now, review their affairs and lodge their first self-review return.

‘With the 31 March deadline fast approaching, it is important that all NFPs who are required to lodge the 2023–24 income year self-review return do so in time. NFPs must meet this requirement to continue self-assessing as income tax exempt,’ Ms Moltisanti advised.

‘Thousands of NFPs have already lodged their first return. It doesn’t take much time to complete the return and lodge’.

‘We know the NFP population is made up of diverse groups that include community service organisations and sporting clubs right across Australia.’

‘It is important all NFPs are aware of their obligations and don’t delay lodging their first return. We will support NFPs that are genuinely trying to do the right thing, however, we will review those who intentionally ignore their obligations.’

‘If you don’t understand the new reporting requirements, we encourage you to act early and ask for help – from the ATO or your registered tax professional,’ Ms Moltisanti said.

Some NFPs, when completing their self-assessment, may realise that they instead need to register with the ACNC as a charitable NFP to access the income tax exemption. Others may come to the conclusion that they have incorrectly assumed that they were entitled to a tax exemption.

‘If you’ve mistakenly assessed as income tax exempt in the past it is important you don’t worry. You can contact our dedicated team and we can help you work it out.’

‘Similarly, if you realise that your organisation should instead be registered with the ACNC as a charitable NFP, you can still lodge the NFP self-review return and we will help you with the next steps,’ Ms Moltisanti said.

The ATO has developed the NFP self-review return flowchart to provide a step-by-step guide on how to access and lodge the return online through Online services for business. NFPs can also phone the ATO’s self-help phone service on 13 72 26 to lodge by phone or use their registered tax agent.

The return only asks for information that NFPs should already know:

• section 1: organisational details. Prior to lodging we recommend checking that ABN contact details are up to date
• section 2: the NFP category that best reflects the main purpose of the organisation and therefore which category the NFP is claiming the income tax exemption against
• section 3: summary and declaration.

NFPs can also phone the ATO’s dedicated NFP Advice Service on 1300 130 248 if they require further assistance.

‘We are committed to supporting NFPs and helping them to meet their obligations.’

The ATO continues to ensure NFPs have the support and information they need to lodge. For more information visit ato.gov.au/NFPtaxexempt.

Notes to journalists

Source: Airservices Australia

The Reserve Bank of Australia and Bank of Japan have renewed the Bilateral Local Currency Swap Agreement for a further three years.

The initial swap agreement between the two central banks was signed in 2016 and has been renewed for three-year periods since that time. Each agreement is designed to enhance the financial stability of the two countries, and allows for the exchange of local currencies between the two central banks of up to A$20 billion or JPY 1.6 trillion.