In July 2022 the Government plans to roll out nationally a new form of employment services—the New Employment Services Model (NESM). The NESM is based largely on the recommendations of an independent review of the jobactive system, the final report of which was released in 2018. Under the NESM, which is currently being trialled in two locations, two different levels of service will be provided to job seekers, based on their assessed level of job readiness. The most job-ready and digitally literate of job seekers will self-service online while more disadvantaged job seekers—those with complex or multiple barriers to gaining employment—will recei... Read more...
On 13 May 2021, the Minister for Education and Youth, Alan Tudge, introduced the Higher Education Support Amendment (Extending the Student Loan Fee Exemption) Bill 2021 (the Bill) to the House of Representatives. The purpose of the Bill is to extend the FEE-HELP loan fee exemption, which is currently in place until 30 June 2021, to 31 December 2021. The loan fee exemption was initially introduced as part of the Higher Education Relief Package in response to COVID-19. Read more...
The Special Recreational Vessels Amendment Bill 2021 (the Bill) extends the sunset date of the Special Recreational Vessels Act 2019 (the SRV Act) by two years, from 30 June 2021 to 30 June 2023. The Bill was introduced on 25 February 2021 and passed the Senate without debate on 18 March 2021. The Bill was subsequently introduced into the House of Representatives on 22 March 2021. The SRV Act allows special recreational vessels (also known as superyachts) to opt into the coastal trading licensing scheme for the first time. Read more...
On 30 April 2021, India had reported more than 300,000 new cases of COVID-19 every day for a week. After a risk assessment, the Government decided to implement a temporary pause on travellers from India entering Australian territory by air if the passenger had been in India within 14 days of the person’s intended arrival date in Australia. Read more...
The first sitting of the Commonwealth Parliament occurred in Melbourne on 9 May 1901. The Constitution of Australia had come into effect five months earlier, on 1 January 1901, in accordance with a proclamation made by Queen Victoria. In an inauguration ceremony held in Centennial Park, Sydney, Australia’s first Governor-General, Lord Hopetoun, was sworn in and then appointed Australia’s first ministry, led by Edmund Barton. The first federal election was held on 29 and 30 March 1901 to fill 75 House of Representatives and 36 Senate seats. Once this electoral process was complete, the Governor-General, by proclamation issued on 30 April 1901, appointed 12 noon, 9 May 19... Read more...
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