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 Brookvale business owner Warren Webster has had to tap a global skills pool to turn his company into the leading supplier in Australia, New Zealand and parts of Asia of electronic signage used for major sporting events.  In a recent story in the Manly Daily, the local impact of nation-wide skills shortages was described in detail.

When Webster Signs introduced new technology to this country four years ago, Warren was unable to find suitably skilled local workers to operate the machines.

He resorted to importing skills after being forced to run three or four staff down for several years.  Webster said those overseas workers were now helping to train local workers. “We now have apprentices on board and 35 other staff, all being trained based on the systems we bring in from Europe.” He said they were also sent overseas to get further training.

Another Brookvale employer, Ken Sparks, owner of Ken Sparks Carpets, is sponsoring a British floor-layer and paying him almost double the minimum rate.

“We have a major problem in our industry of finding qualified people, particularly in hard flooring,” he said. “They’re just not coming through.”

He said putting on apprentices wasn’t the answer because the training being provided at college lagged behind the more sophisticated systems his company was using.

Manly Council will modify one of its fleet of four buses to use environmentally clean biodiesel – a fuel made from plant and animal oils.
According to Manly Resident Chris Roberston, a number of companies are making the new fuel, including Australian Biodiesel, which made it from Manly restaurants’ waste oil.
Mr Robertson said that from Manly Wharf alone Coastal Recycled Cooking Oils Pty Ltd collected 1000 litres of oil each week. This is enough to power a single rubbish removal truck for 10 days.
In an official Minute, Manly Mayor Peter Macdonald said the fuel could be cheaper than ordinary petrol and was kinder to the environment.
“The use of biodiesel has already been tested by councils in Newcastle, Camden and Leichhardt, with positive results in terms of a reduction in fuel emissions,” he said.
Unfortunately, the Federal Government does not see things the same way. The renewable fuel sector says investors are being turned away because the Fuel Tax Act 2006, which came into effect on July 1, has reduced its access to the market.  Alternative fuels, such as biosiesel, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and compressed natural gas (CNG), are not eligible for fuel tax credit until July 1, 2011. The new Act makes all off-road uses of biodiesel non-competitive. Most regional biodiesel projects will now be unviable and several potential producers are considering terminating their projects.  But established businesses, which are closer to John Howard’s heart than any developing green technologies, will benefit from tax cuts on their use of damaging fossil fuels
Bob Gordon from Renewable Fuels Australia says the Federal Government needs to go back to the drawing board to make the legislation fairer.
He pointed out that in the rest of the world, all those countries that have emerging biofuel industries have high tariff regimes to protect them against imports until they’re established in the market. These countries are surging ahead with the biofuels industry, while Australia is in danger of strangling it at birth.  Even this country’s current role model in all things political, the United States, provides tax incentives for the production and use of non-petroleum fuels, including biodiesel.  
“Australia is going in the opposite direction. Progress is going to freeze in Australia, if not worse.”, he said.
This is consistent with John Howard’s approach to all things connected to the environment.  Short term political gain always comes first.  But at least we can look forward to some improvements in the air quality in Manly.
 

The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) is calling for young Australians between the ages of 11 and 18 to enter the Human Writes personal essay and Rights in Perspective art competitions.

The two competitions were first held last year, as part of the Young People and Human Rights Dialogue project. The resulting report, ‘Rights of Passage’, provided a unique insight into what young Australian’s think and feel about human rights.

Human Rights Commissioner, Mr Graeme Innes AM, wants to keep the ‘dialogue’ with young people ongoing in 2006.

“In the competitions’ second year, HREOC aims to seek out some of the most creative and talented young people in the country to illustrate their views on important human rights issues in Australia,” he said.  “Last year the competitions attracted over 150 entries from all states and territories and I am hoping for a similar response in 2006.”

“Last year’s competitions also attracted some very positive feedback from teachers who found the essay and art competitions were a great way to get their students thinking about human rights.”

There are great prizes on offer! HREOC will award iPods or digital cameras to the national winners and the Australian Red Cross has prizes for State and Territory winners.

Winning and shortlisted artworks and essays from last year’s competitions can be viewed on the HREOC website at: http://www.humanrights.gov.au/human_rights/rights_of_passage/art/
and http://www.humanrights.gov.au/human_rights/rights_of_passage/essay/

For more information, including entry forms, hints and tips, eligibility, conditions of entry, downloadable posters and an audio file about the competitions go to http://www.humanrights.gov.au/competitions/index.html or call
02 9284 9635

Entries close FRIDAY 11 AUGUST 2006

 

 

The news from Iraq this morning couldn’t be much worse for John Howard.  Now our own soldiers have dramatically demonstrated what a shambles the situation over there really is.  Not even a Government minister’s own staff can be distinguished from insurgents by Australian troops.  And they were all there because Australia has been working hard to win back one of its most important wheat markets after the AWB kickback scandal led to Iraq suspending dealings with them in February.  This is going to get a lot worse before it gets any better.  Just look at what’s happening with the U.S. troops.

At home, the Liberal party rebels have refused to cave in on the Immigration changes before Howard goes to Indonesia, robbing him of the opportunity to show the Indonesians how well he controls Parliament.  And he didn’t even get invited to The Wedding!

Perhaps he’s wishing he had resigned while things were looking good.