Immigration Links to online and printable applications, information forms and booklets. Includes information on fees and charges, and health and character requirements for visa applications. Department of Immigration and Border Protection Provides useful tips and resources to help Australian employers when employing temporary residents, migrants or refugees who wish to work. Offers links to the Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) for organisations, employer obligations and an easy guide on how to check whether prospective employees are entitled to work in Australia. DMR - Traffic & Travel Information - Static Police and Community Safety Minister Jack Dempsey and Queensland Fire and Rescue Service (QFRS) Commissioner Lee Johnson urge Queenslanders to utilise the Rural Fire Service Queensland (RFSQ) live fire website to stay informed on bushfire activity. By visiting the website, Queenslanders can see if there are vegetation fires in their area. The RFSQ website can be found at this address: Emergency services will post community warning messages on the website during an incident and will inform residents of the steps they must take if there is a threat. The RFSQ website indicates current fire incidents, provides instructions on how to prepare a Bushfire Survival Plan, and explaines the three types of alert messages.
National Energy Customer Framework The NECF forms the final piece of the broader national energy reforms set out in the Australian Energy Market Agreement (AEMA), working in tandem with the established legislative frameworks for other elements in electricity and gas supply chains.The NECF includes provisions for; The retailer-customer relationship, and associated rights, obligations and consumer protection measures;Distributor interactions with customers and retailers, and associated rights, obligations and consumer protection measures;Retailer authorisations;Retailer of last resort; andCompliance, monitoring and reporting; enforcement; and performance reporting. Benefits The NECF is expected to facilitate an increase in retail competition by reducing regulatory complexity and lowering barriers for energy retailers to enter into the market across participating states and territories. Who benefits? Residential and small business energy customers Price Comparator website
Adventure Tours APS Jobs Smart Meters - Installation safety Download the fact sheet (PDF 92kb) Safe installation Victoria’s electricity distributors are installing smart meters in homes and businesses across the state. data.NSW Council of Australian Governments (COAG) The Standing Council on Energy and Resources (SCER) has agreed to four key areas to progress energy market reform to support investment and market outcomes in the long term interests of consumers. The Queensland Minister found it necessary to reserve his position on specific matters which are the subject of current major energy industry reviews in the State, in particular support for pricing deregulation, time of use pricing, potential arrangements for smart meters and the commencement of the National Energy Customer Framework (NECF). Positions on these matters are expected to be finalised by the Queensland Government by mid-2013. Strengthening Regulation Strengthening governance – SCER agreed to strengthen the performance and accountability frameworks of both the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) and the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) by December 2013, and welcomed the Commonwealth’s commitment to increase the funding to the AER in order to deliver a stronger regulator.
Australia Households will save $100-$200 with cheaper network and smart meters, says Productivity Commission The Productivity Commission says an efficient electricity transmission reliability framework could produce savings of $2.2 billion to $3.8 billion over 30 years. Source: News Limited THE Productivity Commission has thrown down the reform gauntlet on electricity, with a report recommending network privatisation, investment in demand management and the creation of a truly national electricity market. The commission report concludes that average household savings of $100 to $200 could be achieved in areas where electricity costs are rising fast by cutting back on non-essential capital expenditure, and introducing smart meters to help better manage peak demand.