Local government procurement breaking the last shackles of paper - WhaTech

Local government procurement breaking the last shackles of paper - WhaTech: "Yarra Ranges turned to digital signature service provider Secured Signing to deliver secure online signing of electronic documents to achieve a completely paperless procurement process."

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Columnists Fire services levy win for farmers - Weekly Times Now

Columnists Fire services levy win for farmers - Weekly Times Now:

"When the State Government first announced changes last year, estimated rates showed farmers would pay around $200, plus 52c/$1000 of capital improved value of farms. That hefty rate meant that as a sector, farms were carrying much of the FSPL burden.

VFF president Peter Tuohey said his group "did a lot of work behind the scenes".

He got an audience with Premier Denis Napthine on the issue earlier this month and whatever happened at that meeting, the rate announced last week was 40 per cent lower - 31c/$1000 of CIV on farms - than what they first estimated."

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Coalition Government commits $61 million to rural fire stations

"The Victorian Coalition Government will continue its commitment to boost the state’s emergency services infrastructure by rebuilding rural fire stations, Minister for Police and Emergency Services Kim Wells announced today.

“The Coalition Government is delivering on it’s commitment to upgrade 250 CFA stations over our first term in government. 

“We are providing further funding of $61 million in the 2013-14 Victorian Budget to replace dilapidated and ageing rural fire stations ignored by the previous Labor Government for more than a decade,” Mr Wells said. "

Comment:  our FSL at work.. I think Coldstream CFA will be updated.

BREAKING NEWS FOR COLDSTREAM

We finally have a modern bus stop.
All we need now is more people to use it!

Fire break

"By KATH GANNAWAY


THE State Government will remove the ‘tax on tax’ component of the new Fire Services Property Levy (FSPL) which comes into effect on 1 July."

comment:  This is fantastic news for most!

Fire Services Property Levy

Fire Services Property Levy:

"It’s not a new fire levy, it’s a fairer fire levy."

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Well said

A fairer way to fund Victoria’s fire services - Premier of Victoria

A fairer way to fund Victoria’s fire services - Premier of Victoria:


 "Treasurer Michael O’Brien today announced further detail on how Victoria’s fairer Fire Services Property Levy will apply to properties following the abolition of the insurance-based levy and the unfair ‘tax on tax’ arrangements.

The Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission found the existing insurance-based levy was highly flawed, unfair and needed reform. Under the current system those property owners who choose not to insure, under insure or self-insure, make no (or an inadequate) contribution to funding our fire services."

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World-class digital radio service for regional brigades

"The Victorian Government has signed a contract with Telstra for a world-class digital radio dispatch service to upgrade and improve radio communications for fire brigades across regional Victoria, Minister for Police and Emergency Services Kim Wells announced today.

“Currently, 45 per cent of CFA’s rural brigades do not have direct radio communications with the Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority (ESTA), and rely on base station operators to relay urgent incident messages,” Mr Wells said."

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$19.1 million in housing support for families

"victorian families struggling to find affordable, safe accommodation will benefit from more than $19.1 million in Victorian Coalition Government funding over the next four years.

Minister for Housing Wendy Lovell said the money, in the 2013-14 State Budget, would fund the continuation of the Accommodation Options for Families program."

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The new Bus Stop takes shape

Waiting for the glass

Vic levy revamp to save $100 million: govt | The Australian

Vic levy revamp to save $100 million: govt | The Australian:

 "Under the existing system the levy is added to building and contents insurance premiums, which attracts additional stamp duty and GST.

Under a property-based levy, the additional taxes won't be charged, the government says."

COMMENT:  GREAT news, no more tax on a tax on a tax.

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Coalition delivers extra $170m to fix Victorian roads - Premier of Victoria

Coalition delivers extra $170m to fix Victorian roads - Premier of Victoria: 

"“There is no quick fix for a decade of neglect. This is why we have taken this approach to address the issues we have inherited and make sure we never end up in this situation again,” Mr Mulder said.
The new $170 million three-year package will allow VicRoads to develop a comprehensive program of works to be rolled out across the state"

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Averages\Extremes for the month of April 2013 for the Coldstream Estate

Average temperature     = 14.6°C

Average humidity        = 75%

Average dewpoint        = 9.7°C

Average barometer       = 1018.7 hPa

Average windspeed       = 2.3 km/h

Average gustspeed       = 4.3 km/h

Average direction       = 29° (NNE)

Rainfall for month      = 17.0 mm

Average for Month       = 61 mm

Rainfall for year       = 134.0 mm

Maximum rain per minute = 0.2 mm on day 23 at time 08:13

Maximum temperature     = 28.7°C on day 12 at time 15:32

Minimum temperature     = 1.7°C on day 21 at time 07:30

Maximum humidity        = 97% on day 30 at time 09:28

Minimum humidity        = 32% on day 28 at time 03:48

Maximum dewpoint        = 16.6°C on day 02 at time 13:38

Minimum dewpoint        = 0.8°C on day 21 at time 07:26

Maximum pressure        = 1029.7 hPa on day 05 at time 09:48

Minimum pressure        = 1004.9 hPa on day 22 at time 04:40

Maximum windspeed       = 22.2 kmh from 360°( N ) on day 27 at time 13:09

Maximum gust speed      = 33.3 km/h from 338°(NNW) on day 27 at time 13:16

Maximum heat index      = 28.0°C on day 12 at time 15:32

Avg daily max temp :20.9°C

Avg daily min temp :8.9°C

Total windrun = 1691.1km

-----------------------------------

Daily rain totals

-----------------------------------

  00.2 mm  on day 2

  00.8 mm  on day 3

  00.8 mm  on day 4

  01.8 mm  on day 13

  00.2 mm  on day 15

  02.0 mm  on day 16

  04.8 mm  on day 20

  03.0 mm  on day 23

  01.8 mm  on day 24

  01.4 mm  on day 26

Cheers,

Robert Bethell

Coldstream says goodbye to the old green bus shelter.

  goodbye to the old green bus shelter.

more pics to come.