Tips for enjoying your Australia Day

The City of Perth Australia Day Skyworks is the State’s biggest annual celebration.                                                                                            

The spotlight is on Perth as we celebrate our beautiful country with the biggest and best Australia Day event in the country.

With warm weather expected and activities running from 7am to 8.30pm, here are some tips for enjoying the day:

o Plan your journey: Transperth will be providing additional train and bus services for Skyworks and Skyworks coordinators encourage everyone to plan their journey to the City in advance by visiting www.transperth.wa.gov.au  

Also, due to unusually low tides, Transperth will be unable to operate the ferry services from the first trip in the morning till 12.30, therefore these Australia Day ferry services will be replaced by buses.

o Stay hydrated: While free drinking water tanks and food stands will be conveniently located throughout the Perth foreshore, please remember to keep up your water intake. Dehydration can lead to dizziness, nausea and other symptoms that might spoil your day.

o Bring a radio: Obviously, a radio will allow you to enjoy the simulcast fireworks display at the end of the day, but additionally, you’ll be able to get updates throughout the day on parking, road closures and other important news from City of Perth Skyworks partner MIX 94.5.

 A torch: Why let the pyrotechnicians have all the fun? Be part of the traditional torch ‘call and response’ from each of the main viewing areas and see why Perth is known as the City of Lights!

o Plan your day: Australia Day in the City is far greater than the 30 minute pyrotechnic display at 8pm. Catch the train in early and enjoy the range of free entertainment on offer. The Too Solid Indigenous Music Festival, the Youth Zone on Langley Park, the Criterium, the Family Zone on the Esplanade, the AIR BP Air Show and the Water Show are just some of the many highlights of the day. Visit the Australia Day program of the www.perth.wa.gov.au/skyworks  website for more information.

o Community spirit: The City of Perth Australia Day Skyworks is a major community event, with all of the presenters working closely with some unsung heroes – Fire and Emergency Services, Police, and the St John Ambulance first aid volunteers. Let’s make this a celebration to be proud of and get into the spirit of the day!

What not to bring:

o Alcohol: The City of Perth Skyworks is an alcohol-free event. The City of Perth fully supports the efforts of the Police and the Public Transport Authority to stop anti-social behaviour at the celebration by confiscating alcohol at the event.

o Bad behaviour: Although the vast majority of Skyworks patrons enjoy the celebrations without incident, the organisers believe that everyone should be able to enjoy the Australia Day celebrations in the way they are intended – as a community, and as proud Australians. All of the authorities involved with Skyworks support a “no tolerance” approach to anti-social behaviour during this major Australia Day celebration.

o Glass: Broken glass has been identified as a significant cause of injuries at previous Skyworks. Please do not bring glass bottles or containers – it is very hard to clean up all the pieces if they break, especially in grassy areas or in low-light conditions, and families with children will be sharing the public spaces with you.

 Furniture: Both the City of Perth and the City of South Perth have Special Event Local Laws which limit people from bringing couches, mattresses, fridges or other large objects into event areas. This does not apply to lightweight shade structures or other picnic equipment which can be easily carried by hand. These laws are designed for public safety and prevent illegal ‘dumping’ – please respect the beautiful environment of the areas around Perth Water.

http://perth.wa.gov.au/skyworks/

Source  :  http://www.cityofperth.wa.gov.au/web/Media-Centre/?article=363

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End of the road for car registration stickers

THE days of scraping car rego stickers off windows are over in Western Australia, which tomorrow becomes the first state to abolish them.

Cutting-edge technology being used by West Australian police has made the stickers redundant, saving millions of dollars.

Police superintendent Lance Martin said hand-held computers were now providing officers with instant advice on registration expiries — as well as an extraordinary amount of other data — simply by tapping in a request.

A car’s owner, previous owners, registration status, even the engine number, were all available within seconds to officers on the beat.

“We can also do detailed searches on people, we can access the criminal records of every person in Australia, we can bring up their mugshots,” he said.

“I can even have an officer carrying one of these hand-held devices in the middle of Broome (1660km from Perth) and pull up an electronic mapping system to track where that officer is in real time, accurate to about five metres. It’s amazing.”

Western Australia is the only state with the hand-held TADIS-lite computers, which have revolutionised life for officers on foot patrol, horseback, pushbikes and motorbikes.

They were rolled out over the past few months.

Superintendent Martin said the expanded access to computers was “the tipping point” for getting rid of car stickers and motorbike tags. Previously, if police spotted an expired registration tag, they had to radio through to base and then wait for someone to run the registration on the land-based computer system.

“It was a very time-consuming approach,” he said.

“Today they just type in a registration number (from their hand-held computer) and within seconds they’ll have all of the information associated with that vehicle.”

The innovation had made the visible stickers irrelevant.

The West Australian technology is fast becoming the envy of forces across the nation, many of whom have sent delegations to Perth to examine it.

It began with larger TADIS computers fitted to police cars, reportedly the most advanced in Australia, and progressed this year to the unique hand-held version.

“Other states are particularly interested in the hand-held units,” Superintendent Martin said.

“This is far bigger than the registration stickers.

“Just in the metropolitan area now with our mobile data devises, we can do over six million enquiries a year. It’s massive.”

The West Australian Department of Transport, which administers vehicle registrations, confirmed it also had been approached by other states about the decision to phase out registration tags.

To ensure drivers were comfortable with the change, they can now phone a hotline or check online to clarify the status of their registration.

Source  :  www.theaustralian.com.au

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Charles Gairdner earns nursing award

A Perth hospital has become the first in WA to be awarded the internationally recognised Magnet Hospital award. Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital has been given the accreditation by the American Nurses Credentialling Center, joining prestigious hospitals including Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles and the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota.

 Health Minister Kim Hames said staff at SCGH had been providing high-quality care for the past 51 years and he was “delighted” at the achievements of the hospital. SCGH executive director Dr Amanda Ling said a growing body of research showed Magnet Hospitals offered high quality care to patients, who experienced better outcomes and fewer complications.

“By fostering a supportive environment which promotes professional development, staff increase their expertise and become more innovative in their approach,” Dr Ling said. “They enjoy greater job satisfaction while patients benefit from improved care.”

Acting director of nursing at SCGH Sue Davis said Magnet Hospitals also had much better records recruiting and retaining nurses.

“When staff are provided with an environment and the skills that allow them to provide high-quality care, they are more fulfilled and far more likely to remain with the hospital,” Ms Davis said.

Magnet status is valid for four years.

Source  :  www.thewest.com.au

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‘Shame’ vests for WA offenders

Adult criminals sentenced to outdoor community work will from today wear bright yellow vests emblazoned with “Repay WA” as part of a Government campaign to increase public confidence in community service as a punishment.
   
Corrective Services Minister Christian Porter claimed community work had not been used as a sentencing option as often as it could be because there was a perception among the public, and sometimes the courts, that it was becoming “a joke”.
   
“For the public to view community work as an appropriate sentencing tool, they need to see the work carried out as ordered by the courts,” Mr Porter said.
   
The State Government has adopted the tougher stance after statistics showed more than 40 per cent of offenders sentenced to community work in 2007-08 did not finish their programs.
  
WA’s completion rate of 56 per cent, 14 per cent below the national average, confirmed it as the worstperforming jurisdiction in Australia.   
   
Police Commissioner Karl O’Callaghan had suggested the vests after seeing them used in Britain this year.
   
“These vests will go a long way towards providing reassurance to the community that justice is in fact being done with these sorts of offenders,” Mr O’Callaghan said. 
 
Mr Porter said a crackdown on breaches had resulted in 55 per cent of offenders complying with their orders by attending work sessions, up from 40 per cent in June last year.
   
The rules will be tightened further in the next year, with offenders hauled back to court if they miss work on any two occasions. The existing scheme allows for three consecutive breaches before action is taken.

Australian Lawyers Alliance WA president Tom Percy said in February he was appalled by the idea. He said it was designed to humiliate offenders.

But Corrective Services community and juvenile justice deputy commissioner Heather Harker said yesterday she did not think offenders would be taunted or abused. “Many people out working in the community wear high-visibility vests and in many respects this is no different,” she said.
   
The vests will be worn by adult offenders working outside — such as in maintenance, repairs and gardening.
   
Juveniles will not be forced to wear the vests, which have been printed by inmates at Casuarina Prison.
   
More than 5500 adults and 770 juveniles are completing community justice orders of between 10 and 240 hours with punishments such as cleaning, gardening, administration, recycling, kitchen duties or sorting donated clothes for charity.

Source  :  www.thewest.com.au

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ABC Learning’s UK business sold – Receiver

THE receiver of ABC Learning Centres has sold the childcare group’s UK arm for an undisclosed sum.

ABC’s UK business, called Busy Bees Group, was purchased by Singapore-based company Knowledge Universe Education, Chris Honey of McGrathNicol said today. 

Mr Honey said Busy Bees Group, which is the UK’s largest children’s nursery group, will continue to be operated by its existing senior management.

“As receivers, we are very happy with the value realised for this business, and are pleased to have sold it to an internationally respected childcare provider,” he said.

He said Busy Bees Group was in a similar situation to ABC’s business in New Zealand, as it was not itself in receivership and had continued to trade profitably.

Mr Honey said the sale of the ABC in New Zealand was progressing well and that strong interest from a number of bidders had led to an extension of the sale timetable.

Mr Honey said no decision had been made yet on a timetable for the sale of the Australian business.

“The ABC Learning centres in Australia continue to trade well, with the focus remaining firmly on providing high quality childcare, driven by the local ABC centre staff at a community level,” Mr Honey said.

ABC, Australia’s largest childcare centre operator, went into administration and receivership in November 2008, owing more than $1 billion.

Source www.news.com.au

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Dance schools in Perth

DANCE FUSION, now with locations in Malaga & Joondalup, DANCE FUSION is proud to be relocating their MAIN STUDIO to new premises in Malaga in 2009! Boasting TWO large studio spaces, fully equipped with new wooden dance floors, wall mirrors, ballet barres, air conditioning & modern facilities! They are very pleased to be providing the best dancing has to offer to their students.

Exciting new classes in 2009 include:
BOYS ONLY hip hop/break dancing, “Petite Performers” jazz & tap class (5-8yrs),
“Wiggles & Giggles” (3-5yrs), “Mum’s & Bub’s” (2-3yrs), “Tiny Tumblers” Acrobats,
“Barbie Ballerina’s” & much, much more!!

Whether you are after ‘just for fun’ classes, or wish to take your dancing a little more seriously, DANCE FUSION is sure to have a class to suit everyone.
With over 25 years experience in the dancing & entertainment industry, DANCE FUSION makes learning to dance FUN, EXCITING, REWARDING, and as HASSLE FREE as possible.

Unit 1, 28 Oxleigh Drive, Malaga
Western Australia 6069
P: (08) 9249 2220
M: 0401 150 411

http://www.dancefusion.com.au/

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