27 October 2011 ALLEGATIONS of Australian Labor Party favouritism have surfaced, following the rejection of two key Gippsland projects by the Regional Development Australia Fund. Gippsland Senator Bridget McKenzie questioned the distribution of about $1 billion by the RDAF in Senate estimate hearings last week, following the rejection of a key Latrobe City Council…
Details21 October 2011 STAFF turnover at the National e-Health Transition Authority is “high” at 30 per cent per annum, its chief executive Peter Fleming has conceded, prompting “research” into the reasons. Mr Fleming said employees were talented and working long and hard towards establishing the nation’s e-health record infrastucture for the benefit of all…
Details21 October 2011 The Federal Government is playing down claims the decision on a big defence contract a central Victorian manufacturer is in the running for will be delayed until after Christmas. Thales Australia’s Bendigo plant is competing with two overseas companies to win the contract to build vehicles for the Australian Army. The…
DetailsWarren King, acting CEO of the Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO), last night confirmed to Senator Bridget McKenzie, Nationals Senator for Victoria, that the long delayed decision on Defence’s LAND 121 Phase 4 program will not be made before 2012. During last night’s supplementary Senate Estimates hearings, Mr King responded to a question from Senator McKenzie…
Details20 October 2011 Health department chief information officer Paul Madden says draft specifications will be “guaranteed not to change” – except in the case of system errors – during the first two years of operation of the $500 million personally controlled e-health record system. The technical specs are urgently needed as Health Minister Nicola…
Details20 October 2011 IT looks like no decision will be made on Thales’ bid for the lucrative LAND 121 Phase 4 defence contract before Christmas. Under questioning from Bendigo-based Nationals Senrator Bridget McKenzie, Defence Materiel Organisation acting chief executive officer confirmed the decision, delayed a number of times, would be delayed again. Senator McKenzie…
DetailsVictorian Nationals Senator, Bridget McKenzie questioned the distribution of almost $1 billion by the Regional Development Australia Fund in Senate estimate hearings last night and asked specifically about its decision not to fund a critically needed job creation application from the Latrobe Valley. The Government allocated almost $1 billion to the RDAF to support the…
DetailsThe signing of the Northern Victoria Irrigation Renewal Project stage two agreement at Tatura this week by Victorian Water, Agriculture and Food Security Minister, Peter Walsh and Federal Water and Environment Minister, Tony Burke, has been welcomed by The Nationals Member for Murray Valley, Tim McCurdy and by Victorian Senator, Bridget McKenzie. Mr McCurdy said…
DetailsThe Nationals Senator for Victoria, Bridget McKenzie, is seeking bi-partisan support to get promised funds to farmers who have sold up under the Federal Government’s stalled Farm Exit Grant Scheme. Senator McKenzie said it is imperative that she is able to bring cases of real hardship to the attention of the Minister. “This is particularly in…
Details18 October 2011 THE Federal Government says it expects all eligible farmers who applied for exit grants will get their money, although it won’t guarantee it. The Government set aside $14 million for the 2011-12 financial year to pay people out of the farming industry, but announced just two months into the year…
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