Industry News

 Businesses that hire a mature aged worker can receive a $1000 bonus from the Australian Government as part of a package of initiatives to increase mature age participation in the workforce.

Minister for Employment and Participation, Kate Ellis launched the new $1000 Experience+ Jobs Bonus as part of the Government’s $55.3 million investment to help mature age workers find and keep work, and to address negative attitudes towards mature age people.

“There are over 3.8 million mature-age Australians and many want to work, yet every week I hear stories from many mature age jobseekers about their frustration in searching for work.

“We have a wealth of experience and so many talented and dedicated people being overlooked.

“Mature aged workers can save their employers $2000 a year on average compared to their younger counterparts - they are more reliable, loyal, and provide a better return on investment.

“Despite this, we know that mature aged workers are out of work twice as long as their younger counterparts with the average duration of unemployment for people 55 and over standing at 70 weeks.

“We are determined to do anything we can to get more mature aged Australians into work and so I am pleased to introduce this new program of incentives designed to get businesses to put on mature aged staff,” Minister Ellis said.

“Mature age Australians represent a huge boost to our economy, they are loyal workers and they are hard workers but they are too often are faced with unnecessary barriers when looking for work.

“We have put in place a program of new incentives to break down those barriers and encourage businesses to see mature age workers as valuable additions to their workforce.

“2500 Jobs Bonuses of $1000 each are now available each financial year until 2016, and any business can apply no matter how big or small.

“We want to make it as easy as possible to encourage businesses to take on mature aged workers and they can apply for the $1000 Experience+ Jobs Bonus program online in just a few simple steps.

Ms Ellis said the Australian Government is doing more than ever before to harness the skills and experience of mature workers, and the new $1000 Experience+ Jobs Bonus is just one part of our plan to boost mature age worker participation.

"We also appointed the first Age Discrimination Commissioner, Susan Ryan AO and have provided increased funding.

"We have also delivered more than 9900 free career advice sessions to mature age job seekers to help them market their skills to employers through the $11.7 million Experience+ Career Advice service since July 2010."

Employers can log onto www.deewr.gov.au/JobsBonus and apply for a Jobs Bonus.

Employers are eligible if they provide ongoing employment opportunities to job seekers aged 50 years and over and who are registered to look for work with a Job Services Australia provider.

More information about the Experience+ Jobs Bonus and other mature-age initiatives is available at www.deewr.gov.au/experienceplus, or by calling the DEEWR Customer Service Line on 1800 805 260.

The Victorian Government is recruiting a Lead Scientist to  work with Chief Scientists of State Government agencies to provide high level, strategic advice to the Victorian Government on the role of science, technology and innovation in achieving the Government’s priorities.

Engineer, Dave Stewart, has been appointed Head of Projects Queensland.

Dr David Rosengren has been appointed as the new Chair of the Department of Health’s Queensland Clinical Senate (QCS).

Minister for Health Lawrence Springborg said Dr Rosengren will lead the QCS to deliver innovative, realistic and achievable recommendations to be implemented across the Department.

“The QCS is a structured forum made up of a diverse and dynamic group of clinicians that provides advice to, and participates in, the decision making process with the Department of Health on major clinical strategic areas. 

“The QCS plays a key role in safeguarding high standards of patient care and ensure continuous clinical practice improvements across Queensland.”

Dr Rosengren has experience within both the public and private healthcare sectors.

In July 2012, Dr Rosengren prepared the Metropolitan Emergency Department Access Initiative (MEDAI) report which detailed recommendations to improve the flow of patients through the emergency departments of Queensland hospitals.

Mr Springborg said all fifteen recommendations had been implemented or were close to being fully implemented, confirming the Government’s commitment to addressing the issues raised in the report.

“Most significantly, from 1 January 2013, the Department ensured that ambulance bypass can no longer be used as a mechanism for managing demand on individual emergency departments,” he said.

“The report recommended a whole-of-hospital approach to improve the efficiency of the Department’s facilities and to address the issue of ambulance ramping.”

Dr Rosengren’s current roles include Chair of the Queensland faculty of the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (ACEM), Director of Emergency Centre at Greenslopes Private Hospital, Senior Staff Specialist Emergency Physician at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital and Chair of the Queensland Emergency Medicine Research Foundation (QEMRF).

He is a member of the ACEM Private Practice and Accreditation Committees, Department of Health and Ageing National Emergency Department Project Advisory Committee and Statewide Emergency Department Clinical Network.

Dr Bill Glasson resigned as Chair of the QCS in October 2012 and during his time, recommended innovative solutions which have been supported and implemented across the Department of Health.

Dr Glasson was the inaugural Chair of the QCS from May 2009 and was dedicated and committed to his role during this time. 

Information about the Queensland Clinical Senate can be found on the QCS website at http://www.health.qld.gov.au/qldclinicalsenate/html/about_senate.asp

The Western Australian Government has released a policy framework for inland drainage that will guide the use of drainage as an option for inland farmers to manage salinity and waterlogging.

Dr Ken King has been appointed chief executive officer to the Pilbara Development Commission.

The South Australian Government has called for applications for the 2013 SafeWork SA Innovative Practice Grants.

The University of Adelaide has appointed Professor Robert Saint to the new role of Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research Strategy).

The Queensland Government has set March 9 as the date for the de-amalgamation vote for the former Noosa, Livingstone, Mareeba and Douglas Shire Council areas.

The Queensland Premier Campbell Newman has announced the LNP Government’s second Six Month Action Plan.

The Promoting effective health and safety leadership – Australian Strategy Topic Paper has been released by Safe Work Australia with the stated purpose  “to describe how the due diligence duties of officers under the harmonised Work Health and Safety legislation support the leadership that contributes to an improved organisational culture.”

A researcher at the Molecular Virology Laboratory, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Associate Professor David Harrich,  has determined  how to modify a protein in the HIV virus, so that it instead provides strong, lasting protection from infection.

Retired oil executive Dr Jim Buckee, who gained a BSc Honours at the University of Western Australia in 1967 and a PhD in Astrophysics at Britain's Oxford University in 1970, has made a $2 million donation to fund a new UWA post-doctoral research position for the Square Kilometre Array (SKA).

The Australian Academy of Science has announced the 2013 winners of its annual awards for scientific excellence.

Victoria's new red tape commissioner John Lloyd has started work, charged with cutting red tape for Victorian businesses.

AMP Financial Services has appointed Paul Robertson as Managing Director of Genesys Wealth Advisers reporting to AMP Director, Financial Advice Network Andrew Waddell.

A study by the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) identifies financial and environmental concerns as the key drivers influencing the adoption of sustainable farming practices in Australia.

Bruck Textiles Pty Ltd has partnered with Victoria University and received a $794,000 Federal Government grant for research on converting waste heat and waste water from textile processing into recycled water.

A major national and international genetic eye disease research project led by Australian researchers has identified a family of genes related to collagen that influence corneal thickness and disease risk.

The early onset of Alzheimer's disease could be detected using a simple online test, according to scientists from the Queensland Brain Institute (QBI) at The University of Queensland (UQ).