Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

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.

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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.

Source: University of Sydney

17 Mar 2025

Researchers from the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) have opened the door to enhancing canola production in challenging growing environments, after identifying a key gene that helps protect plants from manganese toxicity in acidic soils.

Soil acidity is a significant challenge for crop production in Australia, and crops like canola are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of acidic soils which can limit growth and reduce yields.

Dr Harsh Raman, Senior Principal Research Scientist at NSW DPIRD, said the the discovery is the result of five years of dedicated research by an international team of scientists, with NSW DPIRD leading the effort.

“Soil acidity is a global issue, severely limiting crop production and affecting a huge 13.7 million hectares in NSW alone,” Dr Raman said.

“After conducting a range of experiments in controlled field conditions, NSW DPIRD has successfully cloned the specific gene responsible for manganese tolerance in acidic soils.”

“We have also uncovered new insights into the genetic networks that influence this trait, which will enable the research team to develop practical methods for selecting canola plants with manganese tolerance based on morphological traits and molecular markers.”

According to Dr Raman, the discovery could lead to higher productivity and improved profitability for Canola growers.

“By understanding how canola plants cope with excessive manganese in acidic soils, researchers and crop breeding companies can now work towards developing new crop varieties that are more resilient to thestresses of manganese toxicity. ,” Dr Raman said.

While manganese is an essential nutrient for plant growth, excessive amounts in acidic soils (pH <5) can lead to severe toxicity which can stunt plant growth and reduce crop yields. This is most common in waterlogged soils or those with poor drainage, particularly under high-temperature conditions.

Dr. Raman said that while researchers still recommend a regular application of lime to manage high-acidity soils, manganese tolerance is a valuable enhancement trait for canola varieties by allowing growers to get about their business without having to wait for the lime to ameliorate into the soil.

“Thanks to this research, canola farmers will no longer exclusively need to invest significant time and money into lime applications and wait for amelioration to proceed before they can grow high yield crops.

Now, by unlocking the secret to cultivating varieties that are tolerant to acidic soils, growers can grow high yielding canola whilst applying lime to improve their soils long term PH, increasing productivity and profitability.”

“As farmers face increasing challenges  such as soil degradation, this research provides a promising new tool to enhance crop resilience and secure long-term food production,” Dr Raman said.

The project was supported by the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Grains Research and Development Cooperation, Oil Crops Research Institute China, Monash University, ARC Training Centre for Future Crops Development at Australian National University and Wagga Wagga, and INRA France.

The research findings were recently published in Plant Cell and Environment, available at (Genome‐Wide Association Study Elucidates the Genetic Architecture of Manganese Tolerance in Brassica napus – Raman – Plant, Cell & Environment – Wiley Online Library).

Media contact: pi.media@dpird.nsw.gov.au

Vision pack available at https://tinyurl.com/5n7f56ca

Source: Australian Capital Territory – State Government

Headline: New board to lead NSW Aboriginal Languages Trust to 2030

Source: New South Wales – News

On Thursday evening, 12 March, Sergeant Michelle Hollis and Senior Constable Brett Massey, from Western District’s Community Engagement Section, attended Study Adelaide Student Fest at Plant 4 Bowden.

The event brought together community organisations and over 500 international students, including new and returning international students to Adelaide.

Student Fest allowed students to connect with each other, forge new friendships and help to create a support network for their new lives in Adelaide.

South Australia Police (SAPOL) were among the many community stakeholders who set up a display, and interacted with the students, providing them with information on who to contact and what services SAPOL provided.

The event was a success, with many students attending the SAPOL display and having positive interactions with our police officers, something that is not always afforded to them in their home countries.