The Brown Bulletin E-News

December 2010

Delivering in Denison
Since the 2010 Federal Election the Gillard Government has
continued with an extensive package of legislative reforms whilst
delivering key investments promised both in Denison and across
the country.

As the end of the year fast approaches it is appropriate to celebrate

some of our achievements in the electorates.

This publication provides a small snapshot of the events and

initiatives we are supporting in our community.

Building the Education Revolution Celebrating the new facilities at Moonah Primary School. L to R: Amy
Hamlyn-Harris, Sarah mcNally, Senator-elect Lisa Singh, Senator Carol
The BER forms part of the Government’s $42 billion National Brown, Scott Bacon MP, Kaleb Cosker, Ryan Williams and Will Dawson.
Building – Economic Stimulus Plan to support jobs, stimulate
local economies and invest in important infrastructure for the long
term.

Through the BER there has been $16.2 billion invested in critical The New Hall Poem
teaching and learning infrastructure that will ensure that our
teachers and students can achieve their full potential. It started off as a wooden skeleton
That didn’t bare much pride,
“Across Tasmania the Gillard Government has delivered But now it’s built and awaits
funding to 272 schools and over 596 projects. In Denison alone The school kids to come inside.
there has been $94.7 million invested across 112 projects.”
It’s the new hall of South Hobart Primary
Standing proud and tall,
Most people have comments to say
Except those who stand small.

But this hall is so big

The old one wasn’t so,
And there’s this funny smell
That makes me crinkle my nose.

Don’t get me wrong I like the hall,

The new Library at South Hobart Primary School and the completed Indoor
I like the noises it makes when you do different things.
Sports Facilities at Moonah Primary School.
The noise when you skip,
The way it pings.
Principals, teachers, students and parents have praised the
BER investment as long overdue. The funding has enabled the Some people say out with the old
construction of vital facilities including new classrooms, libraries, And others want the old hall back,
art and music rooms as well as sporting infrastructure and basic We thank Julia Gillard
refurbishments. And pat her on the back.
The BER in Tasmania has also played a crucial role in stimulating
the local economy with each BER project supporting an average This Poem was written by Iris Blazely, a Year 5 student at South Hobart
of Primary School on 5 August 2010 about the BER funded facilities.
around 20 workers.

After witnessing the benefits of the BER facilities first hand it is

apparent not only how crucial this investment has been for teaching
and learning, but also for supporting stronger social networks and
community cohesion.
Securing Our Future Water Supplies
In July this year the Gillard Government announnced $9.3 million
for a Stormwater Harvesting and Industrial Reuse Facility in
Moonah.
“I acknowledge the Ngunnawal and Ngambri Peoples who
are the traditional custodians of the Canberra area and pay
respect to their elders, past and present, of all Australia’s
Indigenous peoples.”

The funding was delivered through the Federal Government’s

National Urban Water and Desalination Plan, with the Moonah
facility the largest water reuse scheme in Australia.

The facility will divert stormwater from nearby urban drains to an

underground storage tank at Moonah Primary School, helping to
diversity water sources and ease the pressure on our local drinking
water supplies.

The tank will provide 600 million litres of treated water to irrigate
the school oval, as well as supply 470 million litres of harvested
stormwater to the nearby Nyrstar Hobart Zinc smelter where it will
be utilized for industrial purposes.
The Moonah facility is just one step the Gillard Government
is taking to secure water resources that support a strong and
Sustainable Australia.
Investing in Women’s Health
In August this year, the Gillard Government committed nearly $4
million to upgrade BreastScreen Tasmania’s digital equipment
over the next two years.
With $2.5 million of that funding already rolled out, BreastScreen
Tasmania now has two digital mammography units and two digital
reading workstations.
The new equipment allows for quicker diagnosis and improved
comfort in screening for cancer, ensuring our health professional
have the resources they need to effectively screen Tasmanian
women for breast cancers.
“The new BreastScreen equipment is only one part of the
Gillard Government’s investment in cancer treatment and
diagnosis in Tasmania.”
The Federal Government has also funded a dedicated breast
cancer nurse to be located at BreastScreen Tasmania and in
the Royal Hobart Hospital as well as providing $10.4 million to
expand radiation oncology services and the redevelopment of the
outpatient Cancer Care Centre in Hobart.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard at the Opening of the 43rd Parliament
Keeping Kids Active After School
The Active After-school Communities (AAC) program is a national
initiative that provides primary school-aged children with access to
free, sport and other structured physical activity programs in the
after-school time slot of 3.00pm to 5.30pm.
The AAC program aims to engage traditionally inactive children
in sport and other structured physical activities with the aim that
through a positive and fun experience, those children will develop a
love of sport that inspires them to continue to be active in sports.
“In Tasmania alone there are some 6000 children across 90
Schools and Out of School Hours Care Services who benefit
from the AASC program.”
The program offers each student in the program 80 sporting
sessions, free healthy afternoon snacks, access to a qualified
coach, safe equipment and a supervisor.
The Gillard Government has invested a further $43.5 million to
continue the AAC program.
However, over and above the Federal Funding, the success of
Active After School Communities would not be possible without
the many volunteers and school staff who work tirelessly to deliver
these activities to our children.

Recognising our Indigenous Australians

It has almost been 3 years since Federal Labor Government
moved a motion of apology to Australia’s Indigenous Peoples.

February 13 2008 marked a momentous occasion and a true

commitment towards reconciliation between Indigenous and non-
Indigenous Australians.

On October 26 2010 the Labor Government continued this

commitment towards reconciliation when the Senate voted to
include an Acknowledgement of Country as part of Standing Order
50- ‘The Prayer’. Senator Carol Brown with Blair Brownless, Tasmanian State Manager of
Active After-School Communities (AAC) with students and volunteers at
Each sitting day, the ‘Prayer’ is read by the President of the Senate
and then the President makes a formal Acknowledgement of Abbotsfield Primary School.
Country in the following terms:
Launching Australia Forward Celebrating Diversity
The Gillard Labor Government is committed to bringing Australian
Broadband services into the 21st century.

We began the task of building the National Broadband Network

(NBN) during our last term in government and we are determined
to continue our plans to deliver the National Broadband Network
to the Australian people.

“The rollout of this technology is already connecting our

rural and regional centres back to our main cities and the
wider world, providing us with infrastructure and technology Senator Carol Brown with Martin Blackwell, World Party 2010 Convenor,
that is vital for small businesses, healthcare delivery, Doreen O’Byrne and Rikki Mawad.
education and our ability to work cleaner, smarter, faster.”

Here in Tasmania, the NBN is already putting communities
and businesses on the map with Midway Point, Smithton and
Scottsdale already switched on and with Sorell, Deloraine, George
Town, St Helens, Triabunna, Kingston Beach and South Hobart in
line for the Stage 2 of the rollout.
Construction work for Stage 2 is expected to begin early in 2011.
The NBN is already fundamentally reshaping Australia’s
telecommunications industry by facilitating equitable access to
voice and high-speed broadband services and genuine competition
to benefit all consumers and businesses.
As well as improving access to Internet services, the construction
of the NBN is supporting 25,000 jobs every year on average for the
eight-year lifespan of the project.
The tragic murder of Zhang ‘Tina’ Yu in 2009 prompted a Tasmanian
Barrister and a Music Industry Representative to take action to
show that Tasmanians embrace and celebrate diversity.
Mr Stephen Estcourt QC and Mr Martin Blackwell engaged a group
of 10 volunteers and set up ‘World Party Tasmania’. The event
came together as a not-for-profit, one-day festival to celebrate
cultural diversity in Tasmania whilst quietly commemorating the
death of Tina.
The World Party Event, held on 16 October 2010 was an
overwhelming success, with around 6,000 Tasmanians, including
a large contingent of overseas students packing into the Hobart
Town Hall between 2 pm and midnight.
“The event gave members of our community from all
backgrounds and of all ages the opportunity to celebrate and
exchange cultures through food, music and dance.”

The organising team, stallholders and performers put in a

tremendous effort and the event really was a public demonstration
that Tasmanians are proud to be a part of a truly multicultural
community.

Tasmania’s Youngest Historian

16 year old Lauren Kutzner from Ogilvie High School was
announced the Tasmanian Young Historian of the Year and
Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Tasmanian Premier David Bartlett and Senator was awarded the National Prize for the Best Essay dealing with
Stephen Conroy, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Immigration Experiences in Australia.
Economy switching on the NBN at Midway Point in August.
Lauren’s essay celebrates and recognises the contributions of
immigrants to our community including the story of her own family
Keeping Tasmania on the Map when they migrated to Tasmania on April 2 1952.
Minister Anthony Albanese announced in August $1.2 million in
The insight and scholarship that Lauren has shown in her work
infrastructure funding for the completion of upgrades to the Domain
is very impressive and it is fantastic that her efforts have been
Tennis Centre in Hobart.
rewarded at the highest level.
Completion of the upgrades ensures the annual Moorilla Hobart
International, the lead-up women’s competition to the Australian
Open, will continue to be hosted at the Domain for at least the next
three years.

The Federal Funding, coupled with the funding contributed by the

Hobart City Council facilitates a major boost to Southern Tasmania’s
economy whilst securing Hobart’s place on the international elite
sporting calendar.
Senator Carol Brown with Lauren Kutzner at the Canberra Ceremony
Pension Increases Taking Effect
Increases to the pension rate for all Age Pensioners introduced in
2009 took effect as of September 20 2010.
Singles on the maximum rate are receving an extra $15.00
per fortnight, whilst couples are receiving an additional
$22.60. The total pension payments including the pase rate
for singles is now $716.10 per fortnight and $1079.60 for
couples.”
The Gillard Government’s Pension Reforms ensure that our
Pension scheme is simpler, more responsive to pensioner
needs and sustainable in the long term as we face challenges
associated with our ageing population.
Senator Carol Brown at Constituent Event
A Better Balance for Working Parents
As of January 1 2011, Australia’s first Paid Parental Leave Scheme
comes into effect.
For the first time, women in seasonal, casual and contract work,
and the self-employed, will have access to Paid Parental Leave.
Parents will be able to afford to have more time at home when
their new baby arrives and will be better equipped to meet the
challenges and realities of modern family life.
Women will be able to maintain their connection with the workforce
and families will be more empowered to make their own choices
how their work/life balance.
The Gillard Government’s historic reform is a major win for working
families and for women who have been waiting decades for a
national Paid Parental Leave scheme.
“Australia will now be able to join the rest of the OECD
countries with a scheme that is on par with the rest of the
developed world.”
The scheme entitles working parents of babies born or adopted
from 1 January 2011 to up to 18 weeks paid leave at the federal
minimum wage which is around $570 a week.
Expecting parents are encouraged to get their paperwork ready as
applications accepted up to three months before a baby is due.
Supporting our Young People
In July the Gillard Government announced that Hobart would
receive a ‘Headspace’ facility to provide specialist youth mental
health services in Hobart.
Negotiations regarding the establishment of the service in Hobart
are on track and the facility is likely to be up and running early in
the New Year.
‘Headspace’ facilities exist around the country to help young
people cope with depression, substance abuse and other mental
health issues.
An evaluation of ‘Headspace’ found that 92 per cent of young
people reported improvements in their mental health and reduced
levels of psychological distress following contact with these
specialist services.
In addition to the ‘Headspace’ facility, the Federal Government has
provided resources to expand telephone and web-based support
for young people.
“The Gillard Government will deliver a funding package of
$78.8 million over four years for youth mental health services
alongside the overall improvements to Australia’s health
system that will flow from the implementation of a National
Health and Hospitals Network.”
Best Wishes for the Festive Season
I want to take this opportunity to wish all of you a very Merry
Christmas and a safe and happy start to the New Year.
My office will close on December 24th and re-open Wednesday
5th January.
I look forward to hearing from you in the New Year.
Warm Regards,
Carol Brown
Labor Senator for Tasmania