The Victorian Government’s Flood Recovery Ministerial Taskforce will oversee the short and long-term recovery from Victoria’s recent floods.  
Mr Brumby said the taskforce would be chaired by Treasurer John Lenders and would include key Ministers to drive recovery efforts for the towns and areas affected by floods.
“The floods have caused significant damage to public and private assets across the state,” Mr Brumby said.
“This will be a multi-million-dollar clean-up, recovery and rebuilding effort and the Flood Recovery Ministerial Taskforce will ensure affected communities can recover as quickly as possible.”

Members of the Flood Recovery Ministerial Taskforce are:

• Treasurer John Lenders (Chair);
• Regional and Rural Development Minister Jacinta Allan;  
• Health Minister Daniel Andrews;
• Roads Minister Tim Pallas;
• Community Services Minister Lisa Neville;
• Local Government Minister Richard Wynne;
• Community Development Minister Lily D’Ambrosio; and
• Agriculture Minister Joe Helper.

Mr Brumby paid tribute to emergency service workers and volunteers, local authorities and community leaders for their efforts.

“Our State’s emergency services have been working around the clock to provide assistance to people affected by or under threat from flooding,” Mr Brumby said.
“On behalf of the Government and the State of Victoria, I thank our emergency services volunteers and workers for their professionalism and hard work over this difficult period.
“Now we must move the recovery effort to its next phase, by putting in place the right programs and plans to help communities rebound from the floods.”
Mr Brumby said key priorities for the Ministerial Taskforce were:

• Using local information to assess the impact of the floods on the economy, environment, agriculture, infrastructure and communities;
• To work with business, media organisations and local emergency agencies to focus recovery efforts in the affected areas;
• Determining whether Government programs should be fast-tracked to help with recovery;
• To recommend to Government any medium and longer-term policy initiatives.

Mr Brumby and Flood Recovery Ministerial Taskforce chair John Lenders were briefed today at the State Control Centre.
Mr Lenders said the Taskforce would listen to local authorities and communities about the damage and what strategies they felt would best aid recovery.
“The work of the Flood Recovery Ministerial Taskforce begins today, and I want to ensure that we hear from people on the ground in affected communities,” Mr Lenders said.

“This taskforce will ensure the Victorian Government provides the appropriate programs and support to help those communities recover.”

Mr Brumby said the Victorian Government has made available emergency relief grants for people affected by flooding across the State.

“People unable to return to their homes and require financial assistance to meet basic needs are eligible for emergency assistance grants of up to $1067,” Mr Brumby said.
“Means tested personal hardship grants had also been activated. These grants of up to $26,000 are to assist people whose homes have suffered significant structural damage, loss of contents and for extended temporary accommodation.”

Local government, the Department of Human Services and Red Cross are working in flood affected areas to help provide assistance.
For updated information, people should contact their local councils or call the Storm and Flood Information Line on 1300 842 737.

Mr Pallas today released the 2010 Used Car Safety Ratings with Consumer Affairs Minister and Member for Mitcham Tony Robinson at the Whitehorse Accident Repair Centre in Vermont.

He said the ratings were based on work by the Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) in conjunction with the TAC, VicRoads and the RACV.

“We understand Victorians are concerned about safety on our roads, which is why the Brumby Labor Government is taking action to drive down the road toll,” Mr Pallas said.

“The Used Car Safety Ratings are an excellent resource for motorists looking to purchase a safe second-hand vehicle because they measure the performance of these cars in real crashes.

“Australasian research indicates that if each motorist upgraded their vehicle to the safest in its class, road trauma would drop by about one third.

“All categories have at least one vehicle that was rated ‘good’ (four stars), while more than a third (72) of the 199 vehicles were rated ‘good’ or ‘excellent’ (five stars).

“It is no surprise the vehicles with the best safety features provided the best protection from injury in a crash. Regardless of the size and category of the vehicle, the cars built without safety in mind are the ones that provide the least protection for their occupants and other road users.”

The ratings were calculated by MUARC, which analysed the injuries of more than 5.4 million people involved in crashes and one million injured road users in police-reported road crashes in New Zealand and Australia between 1987 and 2008.

Mr Robinson said the Brumby Labor Government was committed to improving road safety and helping Victorian drivers choose safer vehicles that provided important benefits.

“The advice to all drivers is to check out the used cars list to help ensure they are purchasing the safest possible car to protect themselves and others on the road,” Mr Robinson said.

MUARC Senior Research Fellow Dr Stuart Newstead said the ratings reflected how well individual models protect their occupants and other road users – including cyclists, pedestrians, motorcyclists and drivers of other vehicles – from injury in the event of a crash.

TAC Road Safety Manager Samantha Cockfield said while all motorists wanted to drive a car that kept the occupants safe in a crash, it was important to consider the impact that vehicle would have on other road users in the event of a crash.

“These ratings will help all motorists to choose vehicles that can achieve both these objectives,” Ms Cockfield said.

RACV Vehicle Engineering Manager Michael Case said European and Japanese designs featured heavily among the best performing cars, particularly newer models. 

“Of the Australian made cars, the 2006-2008 Toyota Camry and Aurion and the 2004-2008 Ford Territory scored an ‘Excellent’ rating,” Mr Case said.

Five-star used cars in the small, medium and large car range include:

Small: Chrysler Neon 1996-99; Mazda MX5/Eunos Roadster 1998-2005; Peugeot 307 2001-08; Volvo S40/V40 1997-2004; and Volkswagen Golf/Jetta 2024-08.

Medium: Audi A4 2001-08; BMW 5 Series E39 1996-2003; Mazda 6 2002-07; Mercedes Benz C-Class W203 2000-07; Honda Accord 2003-07; Peugeot 406 1996-2004; Saab 900/9-3 1994-2002; Saab 9000 1986-97; and Subaru Liberty/Legacy/Outback 2003-08.

Large: Toyota Aurion 2006-08 and Toyota Camry 2006-08.

The 2010 Used Car Safety Ratings brochure is available at www.arrivealive.vic.gov.au or at RACV shops. People can also find out more about vehicle safety at howsafeisyourcar.com.au

Mr Hulls said the website had been tested by victims of crime and provided simple, easy-to-access information about police and court processes, compensation, victim services and sources of help.

“Victims of crime not only can suffer immediate physical and monetary damage, but are often left with ongoing trauma, increased fear and a sense of vulnerability in their lives,” Mr Hulls said.

“Support for victims through the interactive website is important because it can assist in recovery, it recognises the traumatic effects of crime and it can provide a tailored navigation tool through the justice system.”

Mr Hulls said the website had information about the locations of victim assistance services and provided an opportunity for victims to contact the Victims of Crime Helpline by phone or email.  An SMS service is also being developed so victims can arrange for someone to contact them at a convenient time.

Mr Hulls said the website would provide tailored information for culturally diverse communities and victims of crime with a disability. 

“This is about using appropriate online resources to improve accessibility for a wide range of community members while still providing the traditional, face to face services which will always be an integral part of what victim support agencies do,” he said.

Mr Hulls said victim support agencies, police and victims of crime helped inform and develop the website.   

“What they told us highlighted the complexity of the criminal justice system from a victim’s point of view and confirmed the need for clear, concise and easy to access information which this website now provides,” he said.

Mr Hulls said the Brumby Labor Government was committed to strengthening the justice system’s focus on victims.

“We have introduced a range of initiatives to improve the response of the justice system to victims of crime, including a Victims’ Charter, a 30 per cent increase in maximum payments of pain and suffering compensation and improvements to sexual assault law and procedures,” he said.

The website is www.justice.vic.gov.au/victimsofcrime

Mr Robinson said con artists claiming to represent the global fast food chain were texting and emailing unsuspecting Victorians with offers of money, food vouchers, cars and petrol cards.

To receive the prize, all consumers had to do was fill out a bogus customer satisfaction survey and submit their credit card details.

Mr Robinson said anyone contacted with the scam should immediately delete the email or text message.

“The Brumby Labor Government is standing up for all Victorians by making sure they can identify scams and take action so they don’t become victims of fraud or lose their hard-earned money,” he said.

“Scams often look and sound genuine. By using the well-known name McDonald’s, con artists are trying to gain legitimacy for their scam with brand recognition.

“But don’t be fooled – why do you need to submit your credit card details to complete a customer satisfaction survey?

“This scam has nothing to do with McDonald’s. The so-called survey is just a ruse to con you out of your personal financial details.”

Mr Robinson advised Victorians to take a few simple precautions to avoid being scammed:

• Delete unsolicited and suspicious emails and text messages. Don’t click on any of the links or call back any phone numbers provided;
• Don’t give out bank or financial details online unless it is through a secure website;
• Install up-to-date computer privacy protection software; and
• Think hard before sending money to someone you have never met.

For more information about scams, or to dob in a scam, call Consumer Affairs Victoria on 1300 558 181 or visit http://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/

Police Minister Bob Cameron today praised the hard work being done by Victoria Police’s frontline officers, and said Victoria now had the lowest crime rate since electronic recording was introduced in 1993.

“The growing number of frontline Victoria Police officers deserve praise for helping to protect Victorians, reducing crime by another 6.4 per cent in the last year alone, meaning the crime rate has reduced every year since the Labor Government was elected,” Mr Cameron said.

“These results are vindication for their ongoing hard work in their local communities.

“It should come as no surprise that overall crime continues to decrease given the Labor Government has added nearly 2000 extra police to the force and equipped police with a raft of tough new powers to tackle crime and troublemakers across the state.

“A number of key indicators in the latest crime statistics show the Brumby Labor Government has taken the tough decisions to tackle the challenges of community safety, and by supporting police with record resources, more officers plus tough and targeted police powers we are making a difference for the better.”

In addition to being the lowest crime rate since 1993, the figures show:

• Overall rate of crimes against the person (non family violence) went down 1 per cent over the last year, and is down 0.6 per cent since 2000-01;
• The rate of assaults (non-family violence) also fell 0.3 per cent over the year;

• The rate of robberies reduced by 8.8 per cent in the past year, meaning an overall drop of 37.7 per cent since 2000-01;

• Street assaults (non-family violence) in the Melbourne Police Service Area have dropped by 4.7 per cent in the last year;
• The number of knife attacks fell 2.6 per cent last year, (now down 24.6 per cent since 2001-02);
• The number of robberies involving knives fell 19.3 per cent in the last year, (now down 46.3 per cent since 2001-02); and
• The crime rate on public transport (per million trips) is down 8.4 per cent over the past year and is now down 48.8 per cent since 2000-01.

“While we acknowledge there is always more to do to tackle crime in society, the Brumby Labor Government continues taking action to help Victoria Police meet the challenge of protecting the community and making our streets safer, through record funding and record resourcing,” Mr Cameron said.

Crimes against property have also fallen, with police working hard to protect the possessions Victorians have worked so hard to earn.

• Overall rate of crimes against property fell 8.9 per cent in the last year and are down 39.4 per cent since 2000-01.
• Residential Burglaries fell 4.5 per cent over the past year – a 52 per cent reduction since 2000-01;
• Theft of motor vehicles fell 7.6 per cent in the last year – a 69 per cent reduction since 2000-01;
• Theft from motor vehicles fell 6.3 per cent over the last year – a 38.3 reduction since 2000-01; and
• The number of number plates stolen fell 10.3 per cent in the last year, while the number GPS units stolen from cars fell two per cent. 

Mr Cameron said the statistics showed that under a Labor Victorian Government, Victorians could have more faith the state will continue to become a better place to live.

“When Ted Baillieu was Liberal Party president during their last term in government, he promised 1000 extra police and instead slashed 800 officers from the force – which resulted in a 10 per cent increase in crime,” Mr Cameron said.

“Victorians can expect to see further crime reductions in coming years with the Brumby Labor Government having done the hard work to deliver new resources to meet the community safety challenge, with a record 1,966 frontline police officers coming on board over the next five years.

“We totally reject Ted Baillieu’s Liberal Party policy of slashing police and sending crime rates up – we will continue to do the hard work required to support police with more resources, more officers and more powers to further reduce crime in Victoria.”

Mr Brumby said people who are unable to return to their homes and require financial assistance to meet basic needs could be eligible for emergency assistance grants of up to $1067.

Mr Brumby also said that Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Bob Cameron, had activated means tested personal hardship grants. These grants of up to $26,000 are to assist people whose homes have suffered significant structural damage, loss of contents and for extended temporary accommodation.

“Many communities and individuals across the State have been affected by flooding from heavy rain over this weekend.

“Our State’s emergency services – especially the Victorian State Emergency Service and Victoria Police – have been working around the clock to provide assistance to people affected by or under threat from flooding.

“On behalf of the Government and the State of Victoria, I thank our emergency services volunteers and workers for their professionalism and hard work over this difficult period.

“The Victorian Government is providing emergency relief grants to ensure people affected by these floods are provided with adequate shelter and have their living needs met in the short term.”

Mr Cameron said that people suffering flood or rain inundation they should call the SES for immediate assistance on 132 500.

The Minister for Community Services, Lisa Neville, said local government, the Department of Human Services and Red Cross had people working in flood affected areas to help provide assistance and praised State Emergency Service personnel and other emergency workers for their efforts.

“Emergency relief centres have now been established in Bright, Creswick and Euroa. But for updated information, people should contact their local councils or call the Storm and Flood Information Line on 1300 842 737.”

More information: http://www.dhs.vic.gov.au/emergency/preparedness/floods

The Insurance Council and its members have activated general insurance industry arrangements for the coordination of the recovery effort for insured constituents. A 24hr hotline has been established by the Insurance Council to answer any concerns or questions from the community and to assist with lost insurance documentation. The hotline number is 1300 728 228. Insurance information for consumers concerning the claims process and flood insurance, that may be of use can be found at:

https://insurancecouncil.sharefile.com/d/s4ad5d8b0f3546f28

Mr Robinson said shoppers had every right to return a product if:

• it is faulty and the buyer did not know about the fault when they purchased it;
• the item does not do the job the buyer was told it would do; or
• if the item does not match the description or sample the buyer was shown.

While a business may offer to repair, exchange or provide a credit note instead of a refund, the buyer has the right to demand a refund if the product does not meet the conditions of purchase.

“The Brumby Labor Government is standing up for Victorian consumers by making sure they aren’t left out of pocket by enforcing fair and clear laws on refunds,” he said.

“Remember, shops don’t have to refund your money if you have simply changed your mind or found the same item cheaper elsewhere.

“Also, hang on to receipts as stores do not have to provide a refund if you cannot provide proof of purchase.”

When consumers return a product for a refund they should:

• report the fault and return the goods within a reasonable timeframe (what is reasonable will vary according to price and the way the goods were described);
• provide details of the fault and the chosen remedy;
• provide proof of purchase; and
• stop using faulty goods until they can be returned.

Last year, Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV) received almost 13,000 enquiries and over 3,400 complaints concerning refunds.

Mr Robinson said gift vouchers and gift cards could be a potential source of confusion for consumers, with more than 165 enquiries and around 40 complaints in the last financial year.

“Gift vouchers are a great gift idea, but before you buy or use one, check the terms and conditions so you know how long you have before it expires and how it can be redeemed,” he said.

For more information about refunds and gift vouchers, contact Consumer Affairs Victoria on 1300 55 81 81 or visit www.consumer.vic.gov.au

From today, water restrictions in Melbourne and Geelong have been eased from Stage 3 to Stage 2 and water allocations for farmers in Victoria’s north have increased substantially.

Flows into Victoria’s rivers have also increased, including the Murray, Goulburn, Yarra, Thomson and Loddon, helping to improve river health and providing a boost to tourism.  

In Ballarat today to turn on a new pipeline to help fill the city’s iconic Lake Wendouree, Premier John Brumby and Water Minister Tim Holding released statistics for key urban and regional water storages which show Melbourne’s storages at their highest level since 2006.

“Victorian families have been doing their bit to use water more efficiently and the Victorian Government has taken the tough decisions to meet the challenges of reduced water availability from 13 years of drought and climate change,” Mr Brumby said.

“Projects like the Goldfields Superpipe, the Wimmera Mallee Pipeline and the Sugarloaf Pipeline are providing more water for households, farmers and stressed rivers across Victoria.

“The big relief will come from the Desalination Plant which will turn sea water into drinking water and the Food Bowl Modernisation Project which is upgrading leaky, old irrigation systems in northern Victoria.

“Victorian families, businesses, farmers, sports clubs and community groups can now plan for the future with confidence that we will have enough water for farming, for watering our gardens and footy ovals and for our regional industries and communities.”

The latest statistics from Victoria’s water authorities show:

• Melbourne’s water storages are now at their highest level since 2006 after increasing from 32.7 per cent to 41.3  per cent over winter – an increase of 156.6 billion litres;
• Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo’s water storages are holding around double the volume of water they held at same time last year;
• More than half of regional Victorian cities and towns are now off water restrictions with over 280 off restrictions including Shepparton, Yea, Hamilton and Bairnsdale – while 239 towns remain on restrictions;
• Farmers in northern Victoria have had their highest water allocation for this time of year in over five years; and
• Rivers like the Murray and Goulburn are having their best flows since 2005.

Over winter, Melbourne’s storages received 316.6 millimetres of rainfall (3.5 per cent below average) and 177 billion litres of inflows – which is precisely the long term average.

Average daily water use in Melbourne for winter was 131 litres per person per day, down from 137 litres per person per day during winter last year.

The Sugarloaf Pipeline and the Tarago Reservoir have added more than 66 billion litres of water to storages. From the end of next year the desalination plant will start supplying up to 150 days of water a year.

The easing of water restrictions means for the first time in four years, households Melbourne and Geelong will now be able to:

• Water gardens at anytime using a trigger nozzle or watering can;
• Wash cars at home with either a bucket or a high pressure, water saving hose;
• Water all community sportsgrounds including football ovals and soccer pitches; and
• Apply for a 28-day exemption to water warm season grass lawns.

Mr Holding said Target 155 would continue under Stage 2 water restrictions.

“While we are providing more flexibility for households, we want people to continue to use water wisely we are encouraging everyone to keep to Target 155,” Mr Holding said.

Mr Holding said Goulburn-Murray Water had today announced a further increase in water allocations for farmers in northern Victoria.

“After years of low water availability because of the drought it looks likely that with average rainfall farmers in northern Victoria could get a 100 per cent water allocation,” he said.  

“Farmers are also benefiting from the Food Bowl Modernisation Project which will also deliver more water for farmers and rivers in the region.”

Major storage levels in Victoria

*Victorian towns not on water restrictions must follow Permanent Water Saving Rules

Number of Victorian Towns on Water Restrictions

Approximately 280 towns are not on water restrictions.

For more information about water restrictions, water storage levels or farmers allocations visit www.ourwater.vic.gov.au

Celebrating the launch of Holden’s new series of vehicles today, Industry and Trade Minister Jacinta Allan welcomed the export announcement and said the Commodores would be badged as Chevrolet Omega Fittipaldis, named after Brazillian Formula 1 GP champion Emerson Fittipaldi.

Ms Allan said the ethanol-fuelled vehicles would be able to use the E85 Flex Fuel blend that was up to 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent petrol.

“The Brumby Labor Government’s strong economic management is helping Victorian automotive manufacturers secure a new generation of local manufacturing capabilities that will support automotive jobs well into the future,” Ms Allan said.

“Holden makes its Flex-Fuel capable engines at its Fisherman’s Bend plant and it is pleasing to see that Victorian automotive excellence is now in demand by parent company GM in Brazil.”

Ms Allan said that together with industry, the Brumby Labor Government was helping Victoria’s automotive sector rise to the challenge of global automotive manufacturing.

“A significant key to securing Victoria’s automotive manufacturing sector and its 30,000 jobs into the future is to ensure companies continue to innovate and look towards environmentally-friendly products which will only increase in demand,” Ms Allan said.

“Victoria is taking the lead on climate change with an action plan that will put us front and centre to take hold of the new job and investment opportunities under a green economy, especially in automotive.

“In Victoria, Holden is making an ethanol-capable engine, Toyota has produced Australia’s first locally-made hybrid vehicle, and earlier this month we saw the arrival of the Mitsubishi iMiev to Victorian shores to take part in the State’s electric vehicle trial.

“We’re also supporting the industry through our Victorian Automotive Manufacturing Action Plan, and the Automotive Roadmap jointly funded with the Commonwealth has recommended ways forward to securing automotive manufacturing for the long term.”

Ms Allan said the Brumby Labor Government had also supported a consortium’s bid to locate a $400 million new-generation bio-ethanol plant in Victoria that would turn household and industrial waste into ethanol fuel.

”The consortium includes Holden, Caltex Australia, Veolia, Mitsui and Coskata, and they are currently developing the business case for a plant that would no doubt create new jobs and boost Victoria’s potential as a fuel producer,” she said.

.

Treasurer John Lenders said Mr Baillieu was trying to deceive the Victorian public by refusing to say how much of their money would go into buying back properties in bushfire areas.

“Ted Baillieu has never had to budget before in his life and that’s why he is afraid to reveal his costings before the state election,” Mr Lenders said.

“Last week we released a $867.3 million package to implement in full or in part 66 of the 67 recommendations from the Bushfire Royal Commission.  Our policies are fully costed and fully funded.

“While Mr Baillieu has pledged to spend more money to put powerlines underground and to buy the homes of Victorians in bushfire prone areas – he has admitted he will hide his figures until after the election.”

Speaking on ABC radio on Friday Mr Baillieu let the cat out of the bag by admitting he couldn’t tell the public how much taxpayers money would be spent on his own policies to buy back homes and put powerlines underground:

LINDY BURNS: How much do you think it would cost for both of those to be implemented in full?

TED BAILLIEU: Well I don’t think you can make that determination.

In an even more revealing blunder Mr Baillieu admitted on ABC Goulburn Murray yesterday that he was not going to release any complete costing on his bushfire policies until after the election, leaving billions of dollars of uncosted promises in a Baillieu budget black hole.

JOSEPH THOMSEN: On the voluntary property buyback you are committing to that one – the government’s not – have you costed it?

TED BAILLIEU: I, I, I, it’s, it’s not something you can cost in the short term, certainly not from Opposition.

“This means that Victorians will have to wait until next year before knowing how much money Ted Baillieu will throw at buying people’s homes in bushfire affected areas,” Mr Lenders said.

“Just like Tony Abbott, Mr Baillieu is trying to hide his costings from public scrutiny because he has billions of dollars of uncosted election promises that have punched a politically damaging black hole in his credibility.”

The Premier, John Brumby, today outlined major new investments and reforms to the way Victoria prepares for and responds to bushfires stemming from recommendations of the Royal Commission, as well as further measures.

This brings to almost $1.4 billion the new measures the Government has announced to address the threat of bushfires since the Black Saturday and Gippsland fires.

In its final response to the Royal Commission inquiring into the fires of February 2009, the Government has accepted in full or in part 66 of its 67 recommendations, with recommendations not accepted in full based on a combination of expert advice and feedback received from communities.

Key changes include:

• Hundreds more firefighters and a doubling, then tripling of fuel reduction burns;
• A significant Increase in support for volunteer firefighters;  
• New fire mapping technology for faster and more accurate community warnings;
• More funding to accelerate the roll-out of more Neighbourhood Safer Places;
• A tougher maintenance regime for electricity businesses and high visibility arson operations;
• Agreement to replace the Fire Services Levy with a progressive property-based levy and improvements to planning controls in bushfire-prone areas; and
• A major boost to community education and information about preparing for bushfires, including the introduction of bushfire education in the school curriculum.

“We have made big changes to how we prepare for and fight fires since the tragic Black Saturday and Gippsland fires, including investing over $1 billion towards the firefighting and reconstruction effort,” Mr Brumby said.

“Now we are going further and taking the next steps to continue driving a new focus on the protection and preservation of human life from the threat of bushfires.

“Our Government’s strong economic management means that our State Budget has the capacity to fund new measures as we undertake fundamental reforms to make our State as fire-safe and fire-ready as possible.

“We want to put as much high quality, accurate and timely information as possible in the hands of individuals, so they can make informed decisions on how they respond to the threat of bushfires.”

The Victorian Government’s $867.3 million package will deliver the following key investments and reforms to bushfire preparedness and response:

• Victoria’s Bushfire safety policy: $105.5 million to reform and further enhance Victoria’s warning systems, support for local councils in high bushfire risk areas to plan and prepare, new equipment grants for volunteer emergency services organisations, a new bushfire education curriculum in Victorian schools,  more community education and information and support for vulnerable people in communities;
• Incident Management and Response: $120.9 million to drive further improvements in emergency and incident management including a new significant expansion of fire information systems using Australian-first fire mapping technology, more training for incident controllers, further upgrades to incident control centres, more joint fire agency training and a package of volunteer support initiatives including a new identification card; 
• Fireground Response: $197.5 million for 342 new career CFA firefighters and 100 additional MFB firefighters, a new program to standardise the radio connections between the CFA and DSE to deliver quicker information to incident control centres, a new CFA program to identify and remediate communications black spots and improved aircraft despatch. This is in addition to 170 additional permanent DSE firefighters funded under the Land and Fuel Management package;
• Electricity Caused Fire: Implementation of new legislation to strengthen maintenance obligations of electricity businesses, new incentives to minimise fire starts caused by electricity distribution assets and enforce greater accountability for organisations operating powerlines with $2 million to be invested in a new Powerline Bushfire Safety Taskforce;
• Deliberately Lit Fires: A new high-visibility arson operation on high bushfire risk days will be deployed through Victoria Police’s new Operational Response Unit, with a further $2 million to Crimestopers and to Victoria Police to gather information from the public about possible arsonists to further target police activity;
• Planning and Building: $28.5 million to better integrate building and planning in bushfire-risk areas,  including new local policy solutions and changes to the requirements of vendors selling a home in a bushfire-risk area, an enhanced focus on vegetation management and an extension of the Government’s 10/30 rule for landowners;
• Land and Fuel Management: $403.8 million to meet a large-scale fuel reduction increase of 275,000 hectares of all public land over the next four years, rising to the 385,000 hectare target over the following two years, 170 new permanent DSE firefighting staff and 231 seasonal firefighters improve vegetation management as well as monitoring of the impacts of fires and fuel burning on the State’s biodiversity; and
• Organisational Structure: $6.1 million to reform the organisational structure of Victoria’s firefighting agencies through the establishment of a new Fire Services Commissioner to sit over the top of the state’s three firefighting agencies as the most senior operational firefighter.

Mr Brumby said the Victorian Government would prepare a full implementation plan for these reforms in coming weeks and be guided by emergency services agencies and departments about what steps could practically be taken ahead of the next bushfire season.

“The 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission report is a catalyst for change that provides key recommendations to make our State safer from the threat of bushfires,” Mr Brumby said. 

“I am determined that this Royal Commission report is never allowed to gather dust. It is crucial that we grasp the opportunity now to make our State safer.
“Our Government will act swiftly and decisively. We are determined that the actions we take, in partnership with emergency services agencies, local government, businesses and communities, unite Victorians in one commitment to do all we can to protect human lives from bushfires.” 

The Government will also invest $1.1 million to appoint a monitor to oversee progress of government agencies and departments in implementing Royal Commission recommendations.

Mr Brumby also released the Government’s report bringing together all of the feedback received from the Victorian community in the weeks after the release of the Royal Commission report

“I said when I established the Royal Commission that I wanted to leave no stone unturned in the examination of why the terrible events of Black Saturday and the Gippsland fires occurred, and why 173 people tragically died,” Mr Brumby said. 

“Since Black Saturday we have delivered significant new measures introduced to improve Victoria’s preparation for and response to future bushfires and funding for our fire and emergency services is triple what it was a decade ago.
“Across the State, there are signs of recovery. Schools and community halls are being rebuilt, sports clubs are getting back on their feet and our parks are sprouting new life again. We’ve made real progress but there is still more work to be done.

“Our Government believes it is vital that we take communities and emergency services with us to support new actions to make our State safer and that’s why we listened to the community before formulating our final response.  

“Over 1500 people have attended more than 20 public meetings held across Victoria since the Royal Commission report was released. I thank members of the public who took the time to put forward their views on future directions to make Victoria as fire-safe and fire-ready as possible.”

Video link:- http://mediasite1.contentbank.com.au/Mediasite/Viewer/?peid=f439c0ab367f43d09fb633deb2085dde1d

Mr Baillieu promised to build a desalination plant if he was elected at the last election but yesterday was reported as saying the desalination plant would be redundant if recent rainfall continued.

Mr Holding said Ted Baillieu is delusional if he thinks that a few weeks of good rain means Victoria doesn’t need the desalination plant.

“If elected in November, Ted Baillieu will be nothing more than a pray for rain Premier,” Mr Holding said.

“He has now said we shouldn’t take water from the north-south pipeline and we don’t need the desalination plant.

“Scrapping these projects would mean keeping households on tough water restrictions and starving our rivers of water and that is no way to manage water in Victoria.

“So, what is Ted Baillieu’s plan to provide Victorian households with enough water?

“While we know all the projects he is against, Victorians are still to hear what he would do if he won the upcoming election.”

Mr Holding said relying solely on dams and storages in the future would see Victorians coming on and off water restrictions for years to come and run the real risk of running out of water as our population grows.  

“If 13 years of drought has taught us anything it’s that we can’t rely on water falling from the sky to fill our dams year after year,” Mr Holding said.

“The Brumby Labor Government took the tough decisions, as our water storage levels fell, to build the north-south pipeline and the desalination plant so that households and businesses didn’t run out of water.

“The reason the Government can ease water restrictions with confidence is that we know we have a guaranteed supply of water by turning sea water into drinking water.”

Construction of the desalination plant is on schedule and from the end of next year the project  can supply around 150 billion litres of water regardless of rainfall for Melbourne, Geelong and towns in Western Port and South Gippsland.

Liberal Party Commentary on Building a desalination plant:

“We’ll build a desalination plant.” Ted Baillieu November 2006.

“Just get on with building a desalination plant now.” Louise Asher 13/02/2007

Premier John Brumby announced today that for the first time since 2006, Melburnians will be able to:

• Use a hose fitted with a trigger nozzle, watering can or bucket to water gardens at any time;
• Wash cars at home with either a bucket or a high pressure, water saving hose;
• Water gardens with a manual watering system between 6-8am and 8-10pm on alternate days; (If you are aged over 70 you can water between 8-10am in the morning);
• Water gardens with an automatic watering system between midnight and 4am on alternate days; and
• Fill spas and smaller pools, such as children’s inflatable play pools;

Mr Brumby said easing Melbourne’s water restrictions was in addition to extra water being provided to sportsgounds and rivers including the Yarra and Thomson.

“Melbourne’s water storages are recovering well and are expected to hit 40 per cent very soon as a result of recent welcome rain, outstanding water saving efforts by households and the Government’s major water projects,” Mr Brumby said.

“Water is also flowing down the Sugarloaf Pipeline and the desalination plant will be complete in just over 12 months and it is the Government’s intention to move all Victorian towns off severe water restrictions to provide households with more flexibility on how they use water.”

Melbourne’s water storages are 39.9 per cent of capacity while at the same time last year they were 27.8 per cent full – around an additional 6 month’s worth of water.

The Sugarloaf Pipeline and the Tarago Reservoir project have added more than 60 billion litres of water to storages. From the end of next year the desalination plant will start supplying up to 150 billion litres a year.

Mr Brumby said the water saving efforts of Melbourne households in recent years had been fantastic.

“We set Melburnians a challenge to use less than 155 litres per person per day and they have gone above and beyond that even when water restrictions were eased earlier this year,” he said.  

“Over the past year, daily water use has dropped to 147 litres – a fantastic achievement.”

Water Minister Tim Holding said Target 155 would continue under Stage 2 water restrictions.

“While we are providing more flexibility for Melburnians, we want people to continue to use water wisely so will be encouraging everyone to keep to Target 155,” Mr Holding said.

“Stage 2 restrictions just means there is more flexibility in how that water is used. We still expect people to employ commonsense and not water during the heat of the day when a lot of water is lost to evaporation.

“We also are seeing water savings locked in for the future as a result of rainwater tanks, water efficient showerheads and greywater systems.”

Households and businesses are able to apply for a 28 day exemption to establish new warm season grasses.

For more information about water restrictions, visit www.ourwater.vic.gov.au

Minister for Police and Emergency Services Bob Cameron said the new laws would give Victoria Police greater powers to search for knives, and issue hefty penalties for illegally carrying controlled weapons.

“The Brumby Labor Government is committed to taking these illegal and potentially deadly weapons off our streets to help further protect communities,” Mr Cameron said.

“Victoria already has the toughest anti-knife laws in Australia – and from today we will see more random weapons searches, hefty on-the-spot penalties and fewer knives on the street.

From today, anyone 16 or older caught carrying a controlled weapon without a lawful excuse faces a $1000 on-the-spot fine. The penalties are doubled in and around pubs, clubs and bars. Children under 16 caught carrying controlled weapons without a lawful excuse will face court.

The new powers also give Victoria Police even stronger powers to designate a public area such as a train station or other public place for a random weapons search without notice.

Heavy penalties will apply to any person who sells a prohibited weapon, such as a dagger or sword, to a person under 18 and children and young people will face court and fines of up to $2986 if they purchase any of these very deadly weapons.

From January 1, 2011, the sale of knives and other controlled weapons to people under 18 will be banned, with children and young people caught trying to buy such weapons facing a $239 on-the-spot fine and retailers caught selling them to persons under 18 facing fines of up to $2389.

To coincide with the laws coming into effect, Mr Cameron also launched an advertising campaign warning Victorians of the risks of carrying knives and highlighting the new penalties.

“The advertising campaign is supported by partnerships with organisations as diverse as the Collingwood Football Club, Mushroom Records and the Salvation Army. We are involving young people and giving them a say in spreading the message to not carry knives,” he said.

Mr Cameron said the campaign was about ensuring people know that knives are not defensive weapons, but are offensive weapons that could be used on them.

“All our new laws and measures are providing police with the powers they need to protect the public by removing troublemakers from the street before someone gets hurt,” he said.

“We also recently doubled on-the-spot-fines for offences relating to drunken and disorderly conduct and tripled the amount of time poice can ban someone from a designated area from 24 hours to 72 hours.

“By taking the community with us and boosting police powers and numbers we are getting an immediate message through that troublemakers are not welcome in Victoria.”

The scam invites users to install a ‘Dislike’ button that looks similar to the popular ‘Like’ function by clicking on a link.

However, the link installs a malicious application enabling scammers to access the user’s profile and personal details.

Mr Robinson advised Victorians that there was no ‘Dislike’ version of the ‘Like’ function that Facebook users can use to show their support for the comments, pictures and other content shared by their friends on the site.

“The Brumby Labor Government is standing up for Victorians by making sure they know there are risks when they are chatting, working and playing online and giving them the support and advice they need to protect themselves,” he said.

“Online social networking can make keeping up with friends and family more fun and more convenient, but it also provides fraudsters with many new opportunities to try and scam you.

“Internet scams often look and sound genuine.  But don’t be fooled – be aware that tricksters are out there, trying to capture your personal information and contacts lists to bombard you with spam.”

Mr Robinson said taking a few simple precautions would reduce the risk of being scammed online:

• Research any online service or online application you are interested in to ensure it is legitimate;
• Delete unsolicited and suspicious emails or requests and contacts through social networking sites.  Don’t click on any links provided as this could install rogue software; and
• Install up-to-date computer privacy protection software

For more information about scams, visit the Consumer Affairs Victoria website www.consumer.vic.gov.au

Roads and Ports Minister Tim Pallas questioned when Mr Baillieu would pull his attention away from his massive shareholdings and start to deliver a transport policy.

“The Brumby Labor Government is delivering our $38 billion Victorian Transport Plan so people can spend more time with family and friends and less time in traffic,” Mr Pallas said.

“In June 2008, during the Kororoit by-election, Mr Baillieu promised to progressively announce a transport strategy – but all he’s done since then is threaten to scrap billions of dollars in key transport projects.

“Mr Baillieu and the Liberal National Opposition have shown they do not understand or respect real Victorians. We know what they oppose, but what do they stand for?

“Mr Baillieu is lazy and weak and has never had to take a tough decision in his life, and it shows. While the Brumby Labor Government has a plan for transport in Victoria, the Opposition has no vision and is not prepared to do the hard work for Victorian families.”

Mr Pallas said in the last 800 days Government had worked to deliver Victorians the best transport network in Australia, with funding allocated for more than $10 billion worth of projects.

In the last 800 days the Brumby Labor Government has:

• Delivered ten of 38 new X’Trapolis trains into the metropolitan rail service;
• Opened new lanes on the Monash Freeway and new West Gate Freeway ramps as part of the $1.39 billion M1 Upgrade;
• Started work on the toll-free $759 million Peninsula Link project; opened three stages of the Geelong Ring Road, completed the Deer Park Bypass and started works on the $2.25 billion M80 Ring Road upgrade;
• Returned passenger rail services to Maryborough, started construction on the Sunbury metro rail electrification and early works are underway on the new South Morang rail line;
• Rolled out Melbourne’s first ever public bike hire scheme; and
• Removed the level crossing at Springvale Road in Nunawading, completed the Calder Highway upgrade and started works on the Nagambie Bypass and the Western Highway at Anthony’s Cutting.

Mr Pallas said over the last 800 days the weak Mr Baillieu had failed to meet his promise to Victorians to release a transport strategy.

“After seven years of neglecting transport and shutting down transport services in the 1990s, the Opposition is now refusing to tell Victorians what they have in store,” he said.

“Mr Baillieu needs to do more than just oppose our $38 billion transport plan – he needs to produce his promised transport policy and guarantee he won’t tear up contracts currently underway with local businesses.”