Legal System and Services

2004–05 Budget measures

National Community Crime Prevention Programme

The National Crime Prevention (NCP) Programme was launched in 1997 by the Prime Minister, the Hon John Howard MP, to identify and promote innovative ways of reducing and preventing crime and the fear of crime. The Government committed $38 million to the programme which ran from 1996-97 to 2003-04. The National Crime Prevention Programme initiated a wide range of policy, research and practical projects which delivered important improvements to the national capacity for crime prevention, particularly at the local level.

Building on the achievements of the NCP, in the 2004-05 Budget, the Australian Government has committed a further $20.1 million over four years to a new National Community Crime Prevention Programme. The centrepiece of the programme is a national community grants fund providing funding for grass roots projects designed to enhance community safety and crime prevention by preventing or reducing crime and anti-social behaviour, improving community safety and security, and reducing the fear of crime.

Juvenile Pre-Court Diversion Scheme and Aboriginal Interpreter Service

A juvenile pre-court diversion scheme and the jointly funded Aboriginal Interpreter Service in the Northern Territory has been extended until 30 June 2005. The initiatives were established under an agreement between the Australian and Northern Territory Governments, which commenced on 1 September 2000, with the Australian Government committing $20 million over four years. The Agreement ends on 31 August 2004; however, a further $3.9 million has been committed to the continuation of the measure to 30 June 2005.

The initiative recognises the high rate of Aboriginal incarceration and aims to address the specific needs and issues of the regional Aboriginal population. The initiative has developed new juvenile diversion programmes in rural and remote communities. The programmes offer activities such as education, sport, recreation, life skills and counselling.

$1.327 million funding for Australian Law Online for 2004-05

Australian Law Online includes the Family and Regional Law Hotlines and the Family Law Online portal. People in regional areas can access the Family Law Hotline and Family Law Online to obtain information about the family law system and services. The Regional Law Hotline is a free telephone service specifically for people in regional areas who require legal advice or information.

$7.7 million Funding in 2004-05 for Commonwealth Community Legal Services Programme

The Commonwealth Community Legal Services Programme administers funding to more than 120 organisations across Australia to provide generalist and specialist legal assistance to disadvantaged people in the community. Of these, 38 community legal services are located in regional or rural centres. In addition to these 38 regional centres, there are several organisations that, while located in metropolitan areas, receive government funding to provide targeted specialist assistance to regional or rural areas. The amount of funding shown above represents the total amount provided to the 38 organisations located in regional areas and to rural women’s outreach projects and satellite women’s projects.

$2 million Funding for Regional Primary Dispute Resolution Services in 2004-05

Primary dispute resolution services include counselling, mediation and conciliation. These services are aimed at helping separating families resolve their family law disputes themselves, rather than going to court. Funding is provided to 25 community-based organisations in 35 regional areas across Australia for the provision of primary dispute resolution services. In almost two thirds of the regions, organisations provide out-reach services in addition to services in the regional centres in which they are located.

$4.2 million Funding for Children’s Contact Services

Children’s Contact Services plays a critical role in preserving and re-establishing parent-child contact for many non-resident parents following family separation. This 2004-05 Budget Measure provides on-going funding for 25 Children’s Contact Services, twenty-one of which are in regional areas.

$0.251 million in 2004-05 to Expand the Capacity of Crime Stoppers partnership

The Crime Stoppers partnership between community, police and the media operates throughout Australia. This initiative is administered by the Crime Prevention Branch of the Attorney-General's department. The initiative will facilitate the coordination of fundraising for Crime Stoppers nationally. This will enable the setting of strategic direction, networking, information exchange and fundraising at the national level to occur.

$17.5 million in 2004-05 for native title resourcing

The Government provided additional funding of $86 million over four years from 2001-02 to the National Native Title Tribunal, the Federal Court, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Services and the Attorney-General's Department to improve the delivery of Native Title services.

The additional funding was provided to enable quicker resolution of native title matters and establish instructive precedents through the Federal Court and National Native Title Tribunal. Funding was also provided to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Services to undertake a capacity building programme aimed at improving the operational capacity of Native Title Representative Bodies and to enhance the administrative skills and practices of their staff. As part of the Government’s commitment to ensuring all stakeholders in native title matters are able to participate effectively, additional funding was also provided to non-Indigenous parties to native title matters. The speedier resolution of native title matters will benefit all members of the community, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, including those living in rural and regional areas.

Telecommunications

$8.8 million to support IT Training in Remote Communities

The IT Training and Technical Support Program is a four year commencing 2004-05 $8.8 million competitive funding program designed to provide people and organisations located in very remote areas of Australia with better access to basic information computer technology (ICT) training and technical support. In 2004-05 $5.2 million will be allocated.

$13.4 million in 2004-05 for the National Communications Fund

The National Communications Fund (NCF) is a three-year $50 million programme (commencing 2002-03) which supports significant telecommunications projects in the education and health sectors in regional Australia. In 2002, the Prime Minister announced eight successful projects for NCF funding which are currently being implemented. These projects will improve the delivery of broadband education and health services (for example, the online delivery of educational courses and teleradiology) to regional Australia. Geographically, the projects cover regional areas in all States and Territories except the Australian Capital Territory.

Mobile Phones on Highways Programme

The Mobile Phones on Highways Programme provided $22.7 million to facilitate near continuous mobile phone coverage along almost 10,000 kms of 16 major highways. This has increased GSM mobile coverage on some of the major road transport routes in regional Australia.

Mobiles for Towns Over 500 Programme

The Mobiles for Towns Over 500 Programme was funded with $21.8 million over three years from 2001-02 and is increasing mobile phone coverage for 132 towns with populations over 500. Under the programme, towns have been progressively receiving CDMA coverage with 40 of these towns also targeted to receive GSM coverage to supplement existing coverage.

Regional Mobile Phone Programme

The Regional Mobile Phone Programme is receiving $49 million over two years from 2002-03.

The Programme is providing:

• $18.8 million towards improving mobile phone coverage to 55 towns with populations of less than 500;
• $19.1 million is being provided towards coverage of 62 lengths along 34 regional highways;
• $7 million to improve mobile phone coverage in the south west of Western Australia under the Wireless West project, which is fully implemented; and
• $3.9 million for the Satellite Phone Subsidy Scheme for people living or working in remote areas without mobile phone coverage. The remaining funds under this programme will be expended in 2004—05 and the expanded Scheme will continue (see Satellite Phone Handset Subsidy Scheme below).

Satellite Phone Handset Subsidy Scheme

The Satellite Phone Handset Subsidy Scheme has been allocated additional funding of $4 million over four years from 2003—04 towards a broader Scheme that subsidises maritime and aviation users as well as terrestrial users. The revised Scheme commenced in March 2004 and will continue until June 2007.

Expansion of Terrestrial Mobile Phone Coverage Programme

The programme to extend mobile phone coverage will be funded with an additional $15.9 million over four years from 2003-04 to increase and improve mobile phone coverage in regional Australia. The programme is being developed through a tender process involving the three major mobile carriers with networks in regional Australia.

Consumer Representation and Research Grants

Funding of $3.4 million over four years from 2002-03 will be provided for consumer representation and research in telecommunications. In accordance with the Government's response to the Telecommunications Services Inquiry, priority is being given to representation of people with disabilities in regional areas. A total of $0.8 million will be allocated in 2004-05.

The above programmes form part of the Australian Government’s $147.3 million package of initiatives responding to the Telecommunications Service Inquiry to improve the level of telecommunications services to regional and rural Australia.

A range of Social Bonus initiatives, funded in 1999-2000, is continuing to provide benefits to Australians in regional, rural and remote areas.

Networking the Nation — The Local Government Fund

The Local Government fund was established to provide $45 million to support regional and rural local government authorities to use telecommunications to deliver improved services and benefits to their communities. In 2004-05, $4 million will be allocated to finalise projects, and conclude the Fund.

Networking the Nation — Building Australia’s Regional Networks Fund

The Building Australia’s Regional Networks (BARN) Fund was established to support the development of new networks and new network services and products, with an emphasis on the adoption of innovative solutions to the delivery of telecommunications services in regional areas. In 2004-05, $7.4 million will be allocated to finalise projects and conclude the programme.

National Broadband Strategy

The purpose of the National Broadband Strategy is to coordinate activities across government and to provide a holistic approach to broadband development in Australia with a view to achieving long-term strategic outcomes.

Three major funding programmes will form the Australian Government's commitment to the National Broadband Strategy. A major emphasis of these funding programmes will be to provide access to affordable broadband services in regional Australia.

The total value of the Government funding for the National Broadband Strategy is $142.8 million over four years, commencing 2003—04 and ending 2006—07. This funding includes the Coordinated Communications Infrastructure Fund, Demand Aggregation Broker Programme, High Bandwidth Incentive Scheme and the cost of running the National Broadband Strategy Implementation Group.

Coordinated Communications Infrastructure Fund

The Coordinated Communications Infrastructure Fund is providing $23.7 million over four years with $8.5 million provided for 2004—05 to fund broadband infrastructure projects in regional, rural and remote areas. This infrastructure will support improvements in the delivery of health, education, government and other services that will lead to significant economic and social outcomes.

Demand Aggregation Broker Programme

The $3.2 million for 2004—05 for the Demand Aggregation Broker Programme will allow broadband development strategies to be developed at the national, state and community level.

The Demand Aggregation Broker Programme comprises three elements:

• National Strategic Advisers will focus on multi-jurisdictional broadband initiatives in the health and education sectors respectively. The Advisers will develop sectoral broadband strategies to improve broadband access and application in consultation with relevant agencies and institutions.
• State and Territory based brokers will work with governments and communities within a State or Territory to develop broadband demand aggregation projects, both across sectors and within particular geographic areas.
• Community Based Broadband Demand Aggregation Brokers will assist community organisations to aggregate demand in their region and to negotiate with telecommunications service providers to progress broadband rollout in their local area. Each broker will progress a specific project to provide improved access to broadband, greater choice of service providers and more affordable pricing for the local community.

Higher Bandwidth Incentive Scheme - $42.371 million in 2004-05

The Higher Bandwidth Incentive Scheme (HiBIS) is a $107.8 million (2003-2007) programme designed to provide regional Australians with access to higher bandwidth services at prices comparable to those available in metropolitan Australia.

HiBIS has three objectives. The first of these, and the key objective, is to achieve prices for higher bandwidth services in regional Australia that are comparable to metropolitan services. In pursuit of this primary goal, the Scheme has two further supporting objectives: to promote competition among higher bandwidth service providers, and to ensure efficient use of public funds by effectively targeting support to areas of need in regional Australia.

The Scheme operates in regional, rural and remote areas where broadband is unlikely to be provided commercially in the immediate future and targets residential users, small business and not-for-profit organisations. HiBIS customers benefit from improved access to more affordable and reliable higher bandwidth services.

The Scheme is open to retail service providers regardless of their size or the technology they use. Providers register under HiBIS and receive a one-off incentive payment for each eligible customer to whom they supply a service of the required functionality and price. Providers use these incentive payments to reduce the price of existing broadband services or to roll out new broadband infrastructure like ADSL or wireless local loops, where consumer demand might otherwise have been insufficient to justify such investments.

$3.104 million in 2004-05 for Telecommunications Action Plan for Remote Indigenous Communities

TAPRIC was established as a result of the Government’s response to the Telecommunications Service Inquiry (TSI) report in 2000, which found that remote Indigenous communities warranted particular attention and support to improve telecommunication services. In 2002, the Government allocated $8.3 million to the TAPRIC programme for the following initiatives:

• provision of 149 Internet connected computer packages to 135 remote Indigenous communities in extended zones. This includes help desk services and a manual User Guide;
• a report on the feasibility of establishing online access centres in remote Indigenous communities and the development and distribution of a ‘toolkit’ designed to help communities establish their own sustainable online access centres;
• a mobile telecommunications training and education service to visit eight regions of remote Australia and provide one-on-one and small group training;
• development of interactive language preservation and education software packages for three Indigenous communities. ATSIS has recently committed funds to extend this project to ten Indigenous communities;
• a grants programme to fund the development of online content relevant to remote Indigenous communities; and
• the launch in March 2004 of the Community Phones Programme to develop improved and culturally appropriate telephone services for remote Indigenous communities.

Spending in 2003-04 was $2.3 million. Spending in 2004-05 is estimated at $3.104 million. The TAPRIC is programmed to end June 2005.

$0.989 million in 2004-05 for Launceston Broadband Project

The Launceston Broadband Project (LBP) is a $30 million joint initiative between the Australian Government and Telstra, funded as part of the Telstra Social Bonus Package with $15 million from the Government and $15 million from Telstra. The LBP has been operating since June 2000 and will conclude in June 2006.

The LBP comprises three elements:

• establishment of a Telstra Multimedia Development Laboratory (named Broadband eLab) for the commercialisation of Internet related products;
• advanced Internet Access (through ADSL and wireless technologies) for residential and business customers in Launceston; and
• a $5 million Business Development Fund (BDF) designed to stimulate new high-tech business opportunities in the Launceston region. The Tasmanian Electronic Commerce Centre (TECC) delivers the $5 million Business Development Fund over three years. It is entirely funded by the Government.

The LBP is helping Tasmania is well positioned to participate in the commercial opportunities offered by the information economy. The wider Australian community benefits through the development of broadband applications which are developed and trialed in the Broadband eLab.

SBS Self-Help Retransmission Subsidy Scheme

SBS has established its Self-Help Retransmission Subsidy Scheme from an annual appropriation of $500,000, which it receives from the Government to assist the establishment of self-help SBS services. Under the scheme, SBS will pay communities:

• 50 per cent of the actual costs associated with a self-help group purchasing the equipment required to retransmit its television service;
• 100 per cent of the actual costs associated with a self-help group purchasing the equipment required to retransmit its radio service; and
• the maximum level of subsidy available for the establishment of an SBS radio or television service is $25,000 per service. SBS has advised that at the completion of its last funding round in September 2003, 42 councils or community groups had received, or had been approved to receive, subsidies to establish 50 SBS radio or television self-help services.

Arts, Recreation and Entertainment

Young and Emerging Artists Programme

The Young and Emerging Artists Programme initiative has been administered by the Australia Council since its introduction in 1996 and has been allocated $5 million over four years from 2002-03. It has successfully assisted Australian artists at the formative stage of their careers, including artists in rural and regional areas, with greater opportunities for career development and public exposure of their work. In 2004-05, the programme will receive $1.3 million.

National Collections Programme

The Government will provide $1.2 million for the National Collections Programme over four years from 2002-03 to support collaborative initiatives with State and Territory governments aimed at addressing the needs of collecting institutions, many of which are located in regional Australia. A total of $300,000 will be provided for 2004-05.

Australian Museums and Galleries On line

The Australian Museums and Galleries On Line (AMOL) is a comprehensive Internet site designed to help Australian museums and galleries make information about their collections available to a world-wide audience. AMOL is a Cultural Ministers Council (CMC) project, a joint initiative of the Australian Government, State and Territory Governments in partnership with the Australian cultural sector. Over 2004, AMOL will be developed to focus on bringing the collections of small to medium sized archives, galleries, libraries and museums into the online environment in a modest and sustainable way. The Australian Government provides $240,000 per annum to maintain AMOL to 2005-06 and is contributing $394,200 of the costs of AMOL’s redevelopment over 2003-04 and 2004-05.

Visions of Australia

Visions of Australia is a national touring exhibition grant programme which assists touring exhibitions of cultural material across Australia. Funding is available for museums, art galleries, science centres, cultural and community organisations to assist with exhibition touring costs and for project development. The programme aims to make cultural material accessible to Australians in regional and remote communities as well as those in metropolitan and capital city venues. Around $1.9 million will be provided in 2004-05, with this funding continuing over the next three financial years.

Regional Arts Fund

The Regional Arts Fund supports sustainable cultural development across regional Australia, building partnerships, providing skills development both for professional artists and communities, and assisting Indigenous and small or isolated communities. It enables communities in regional, rural and remote areas to participate in cultural projects, enhancing their quality of life and assisting to build community capacity. In addition to achieving cultural outcomes, the programme assists in achieving the Government’s broader objectives for social and economic sustainability. The programme is being renewed in the 2004-05 Budget. A total of $10.7 million will be allocated to the fund over four years from 2004-05.

Playing Australia

Playing Australia is the Australian Government’s national performing arts touring programme. It is designed to assist the touring of performing arts across State and Territory boundaries where this is currently not commercially viable and there is a demonstrated public demand. Most of the productions include regional or remote venues in their tours. In 2004-05, approximately $5.8 million (a $2 million increase in the base funding) will be allocated for this programme.

Festivals Australia

Festivals Australia is an Australian Government grant programme designed to assist the presentation of arts and cultural activities at Australian regional and community festivals. The emphasis is on supporting projects, which add to the quality and diversity of the arts and cultural programming of festivals. The Government will provide $1 million in 2004-05.

Contemporary Music Touring Programme

The Contemporary Music Touring Programme is an Australian Government grant programme designed to assist individual Australian musicians and groups to tour Australia, including rural and regional areas. It provides wide access to the popular arts sector and reaches regional and rural audiences through touring. It also provides opportunities for emerging artists to gain performance experience and broader exposure. The programme will receive $1 million over four years, commencing from 2002-03.

Federation Cultural and Heritage Projects

Under the Federation Cultural and Heritage Projects (FCHP) Programme, the Australian Government has provided $70 million from the Federation Fund towards 60 medium sized projects throughout Australia, including 36 in regional areas. In 2004-05, $577,000 will be provided to finalise an outstanding project in regional Australia. FCHP projects provide economic benefits through increased employment during construction and on completion. The programme is also conserving significant heritage and cultural assets and enhancing community facilities and quality of life.

The Bundanon Trust

In 1993, Arthur and Yvonne Boyd donated their art collection and historic properties, situated on the Shoalhaven River near Nowra in New South Wales, to the nation for the cultural enrichment and enjoyment of the Australian people. The Bundanon Trust is responsible for developing and managing the properties, and has developed programmes and facilities to create the ‘living arts centre’ envisaged by Arthur Boyd.

The Bundanon Trust is the only national cultural institution that is located in a regional area, with the vast majority being located in either Canberra or Sydney. The Bundanon Trust’s national status enables it to attract visitors and artists from across Australia and internationally, thus enriching the regional area.

In 2003, the Australian Government announced recurrent funding for the Bundanon Trust, to enable it to deliver its core programmes and activities. Together with draw-downs from the Investment Fund originally established by the Commonwealth, the Australian Government’s recurrent financial support for Bundanon will be $0.950 million per annum, indexed, to be phased in from 2003-04 with the full amount commencing from 2006-07.

$2.305 million funding in 2004-05 for National Archives regional offices

The National Archives of Australia's collection (approximately 250 shelf kilometres) is located in repositories in all capital cities. The Archives Act 1983 grants all Australians a right of access to this collection. Reading rooms in each capital city, staffed by experience reference officers, are available to those wishing to use the collection.

$0.345 million funding in 2004-05 for National Archives digitisation on demand

One of the objectives of this service is to enable users in regional Australia to have access to the National Archives collections without needing to visit the reading rooms in Canberra and the State capitals.

Researchers can purchase copies of records or request that digital images of the collection material be placed on the National Archives website through the digitisation on demand service. An estimated 45 per cent of users of the service are from regional Australia.

National Gallery of Australia travelling exhibitions

The National Gallery of Australia’s (NGA) travelling exhibitions are a vital part of the NGA’s strategy for providing access to national collections and enhancing enjoyment of the visual arts in regional and remote Australia.

In the period from the programme’s inception in February 1988 to March 2004, almost six million people have taken the opportunity to visit 88 exhibitions at 454 locations in every State and Territory in Australia, as well as 14 international locations. In addition, three suitcase exhibitions have been to approximately 300 schools and community groups in remote and regional Australia.

In financial year 2004-05, $0.5 million will be allocated to travelling exhibition programmes.

Community Heritage Grants

The Community Heritage Grants Programme provides grants of up to $8,000 to support preservation projects undertaken by community organisations such as local historical societies, public libraries, Indigenous and migrant community groups, which hold documentary heritage collections of national significance. The programme is funded on an annual basis by the Australian Government through the National Library of Australia; the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts; the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs; the National Archives of Australia and the Australian Film Commission. The programme has operated for ten years and has distributed over one million dollars.

In 2003, fifty grants were awarded across all States and Territories to assist with preserving letters, diaries, books, manuscripts, photographs, archival records, maps, films, oral history recordings and electronic files. Successful organisations were also provided with preservation training through intensive workshops. In 2004-05, $220,000 has been allocated.

Australian Sports Commission

The Australian Government’s sport policy, Backing Australia's Sporting Ability — A More Active Australia (BASA), launched in April 2001, provides the parameters for the Australian Sports Commission’s (ASC) programmes and initiatives. BASA provides a particular focus on continued achievement in high performance sport; greater grass roots participation in sport for all ages; excellence in sports management; and continuing to work towards a drug free sporting environment. Total funding in 2004-05 for the ASC is $127.5 million.

The ASC provides funding to national sporting organisations in the form of annual grants. Funding amounts are approved by the ASC Board on an annual basis, following a review of the sport’s performance over the past 12 months. Funding agreements between the ASC and NSOs are entered into at the commencement of each financial year.

Since the release of the BASA policy, the ASC has continued its work with key partners such as national sporting organisations (NSOs) and States and Territory authorities on issues impacting on regional sport in Australia. Current initiatives include:

• increasing club memberships through targeted sports participation growth programmes;
• provision of ASC consultancy services to improve the business practices and governance of sporting organisations to contribute to increased sustainability;
• major event partnerships to increase sports participation and the profile of grass roots sport in communities;
• developing junior sport partnerships with stakeholders to assist links between schools and clubs to expand junior participation;
• implementing sport programmes to provide Indigenous people with improved sports participation opportunities;
• initiatives to address women and sport issues;
• supporting NSOs to implement training programmes and conduct workshops to promote fair play, ethical and legal behaviour in their respective sports;
• improving sports participation and elite development opportunities for people with disabilities across Australia; and
• Disseminating disability education and awareness information to stakeholders.

Commercial Radio Black Spots Programme

The Commercial Radio Black Spots Programme is a $5 million, three year programme (ends 2004-05) to deliver new or improved commercial radio services to regional and remote communities where it would not otherwise be commercially viable for licensees to provide coverage. Financial assistance is provided to commercial radio broadcasters to assist with costs related to equipment, installation, site establishment and licence fees. To date, funding has been provided for new or improved services to 104 communities.

Television Black Spots Programme

The Australian Government’s $35 million Television Black Spots Programme (TVBSP) was established in 1999-2000 in recognition of the difficulties that some communities, particularly those outside capital cities, were having in getting access to free-to-air television services. As at April 2004, funding of over $20.7 million has been approved for 799 new services in 236 black spots, assisting over 62,000 households across Australia. In addition, funding of over $4.5 million has been approved under the programme to replace obsolete equipment at 182 retransmission sites. Funding has been provided progressively over the life of the programme.

Television Black Spots — Alternative Technical Solutions Programme

The Australian Government’s $13.3 million Television Black Spots — Alternative Technical Solutions Programme (TVBS-ATS) builds on the Television Black Spots Programme to assist communities which are already part of the TVBSP, but where an analog retransmission solution is not available. Under the TVBS-ATS programme, funding is provided for alternative technical solutions over three years from 2002-03, such as digital retransmission facilities or direct-to-home satellite.

Regional Equalisation Plan

The Regional Equalisation Plan (REP), which began in 2000-01, assists regional and remote commercial broadcasters with the introduction of digital television broadcasting services. Up to $260 million will be provided to broadcasters over 13 years representing 50 per cent of the estimated capital costs and eight year operating costs associated with digital conversion of existing commercial services — as determined by independent analysis. An estimated $28.1 million in assistance has been identified under the plan for 2004-05.

ABC Regional and Local Programming

The ABC will receive an additional $54.4 million in funding over three years from July 2005 to continue to provide additional regional and local programming across all media — television, radio and on-line. The ABC received $71.2 million over four years from 2001-02 to establish this initiative.

Regional Communications Partnership Fund

In December 2000, the Government and ntl Australia Pty Ltd (now known as Broadcast Australia Pty Ltd) signed the Regional Communications Partnership Agreement. This established a $10 million scheme to assist community-based self-help retransmission groups gain access to National Transmission Network (NTN) sites in regional and remote areas of Australia by subsidising the commercial fees payable. These self-help groups retransmit commercial and national television and radio services to communities that would not otherwise have had access to such services. The Government and Broadcast Australia each contributed $5 million to the scheme with the Government's contribution sourced from the Television Fund. By the end of January 2004, 61 councils or community groups providing 122 self-help services had taken advantage of the subsidies available under this scheme.

Defence

Defence and regional Australia

With approximately 70 per cent of the Defence force located in regional areas, Defence makes a material contribution to regional Australia through employment, industry contributions, community involvement and services, childcare facilities, housing, co-operation on heritage issues, Indigenous affairs and economic activity.

The following ongoing programmes have a direct or indirect positive impact on regional Australia.

Capital Facilities

In 2004-05 the Department of Defence plans to invest $448 million on facilities and bases. An estimated $211 million of this capital investment will be spent in regional areas including the Northern Territory, Townsville, New South Wales Central Coast and South East Queensland.

Joint Operations Command

Defence recently announced the formation of Joint Operations Command as the operational level headquarters of the Australian Defence Force. The Command will be located in a new headquarters facility to be constructed on the Kings Highway corridor near Bungendore NSW. Construction of the facility is expected to commence in 2005, and be completed in late 2007. When completed, there will be approximately 1,000 people employed in the facility (mostly Australian Defence Force personnel), all of whom will be new to the area. Industry estimates are that approximately 250 people will be employed during construction.

Garrison Support and Maintenance Contracts

Defence’s regional bases, offices, depots and other establishments require a wide range of services, infrastructure and information systems support. Defence Corporate Services and Infrastructure draws heavily on business support from local communities and provides employment and economic activity through the use of Garrison Support and Comprehensive Maintenance Contracts, as well as often drawing on local suppliers and the local workforce for maintenance services for information systems. Defence and its contractors typically engage local suppliers for catering, grounds maintenance, building maintenance, security services and patrols, range management, accommodation management, fire services, construction, non-operational transport and other purchases.

Annual spending on support services, building maintenance and IT support by Defence's non-metropolitan bases and establishments is in the order of $331 million.

Army Indigenous Community Assistance Programme

The Army Indigenous Community Assistance Programme (AICAP) is an on-going commitment that reinforces the strong association between Army and the Indigenous people of Northern Australia. Army provides soldiers and equipment to complete project management, construction, health care and training support to selected communities. The programme has seen essential housing, infrastructure and health and training support provided to remote communities across Australia.

Defence Community Organisation projects benefiting regional communities

Defence will continue to support members of the ADF and their families through a number of projects conducted by the Defence Community Organisation (DCO). Services which particularly benefit the regions include: support for Defence community groups; regional information projects and services, such as the Family Information Network and DCO website; an extensive network of child care support; a programme of grants for Defence community groups to foster self-help and community spirit; a spouse employment assistance programme; support for posted families with special needs; and education services to ease transition and minimise the disruption of education due to mobility for ADF families.

Operation Safebase

In 2004-05 the Department of Defence will spend approximately $36 million on Operation SAFEBASE across all regions and bases in Australia. The activity includes increased security patrols of Defence facilities and additional on-site guards engaged from local contractors. Operation SAFEBASE also includes the hire or purchase of security barricades, equipment and other measures to enhance security and protection of Defence assets and staff.

Reserve Employer Support Payment Scheme

As a means of recognising the efforts of employers who release employees for Reserve service, an employer’s support scheme was introduced in 2001 which provides direct financial benefits to most employers of Reservists. Since the Reserve Employer Support Payment Scheme commenced in June 2001, payments totalling $28.194 million have been received by thousands of employers throughout Australia.

Trade, Business and Investment

TradeStart Programme

In 2002-03 the Government committed $21.5 million over four years to extend and expand the TradeStart network programme. In 2004-05 there will be 51 offices operating across all States and Territories, to ensure that small and medium sized companies have access to export assistance wherever they are located in Australia.

The TradeStart network also ensures companies in regional Australia have access to services under Austrade’s New Exporter Development Programme. It provides one-on-one advice to new exporters to help them realise their export potential and to succeed in international markets.

TradeStart is delivered in partnership between Austrade and local partners including chambers of commerce, private sector organisations, and State and Territory Governments. By leveraging Austrade’s knowledge of international markets with its partners’ local expertise, TradeStart is an effective way of helping companies into export.

A greater export focus will bring real benefits to the regions. Regional exporters account for over half of Australia’s exports and in regional Australia, one in four jobs depends directly on exports.

Export Market Development Grants Scheme

The 2004-05 Budget provides $160.4 million for the Export Market Development Grants scheme. This scheme encourages small and emerging exporters to enter into export opportunities and to develop sustainable export markets by providing a partial reimbursement for eligible export promotion expenses.

Australian Tourism Development Programme

Through the Australian Tourism Development Programme (ATDP) a total of $24 million will be available over four years, commencing in 2004-05, to encourage the development of tourism across Australia. The ATDP will build on the achievements of the Regional Tourism Programme (RTP) by targeting innovative projects that enhance tourism prospects in regional and metropolitan destinations. It will also support integrated tourism development initiatives across regions. The RTP has subsumed into the ATDP.

New Opportunities for New Exporters

The Government has decided to help Australian exporters to capitalise on the emerging trade opportunities arising from the conclusion of Free Trade Agreements with Singapore, Thailand and the United States, as well as China’s accession to the World Trade Organisation. The funds will provide additional export advisors, an industry adjustment and awareness of exporters’ campaign and additional in-market support for the United States and China.

In addition to the $6.1 million over four years commencing 2004-05 this measure provides, Austrade is reallocating $13.5 million over four years from within its current resourcing for this programme.

The measure reinforces the Government’s trade policy agenda by delivering real outcomes to Australian business. Additional support is needed to make sure Australian business, including those based in rural and regional Australia, capture new opportunities to get maximum return on investment in the negotiation of improved market access.

The initiative would target those industry sectors where there is greatest Australian capability to match new opportunities. It would thereby contribute to the Government’s goal of doubling the number of exporters by 2006.

Funds to Strengthen Asian Trade Links

A programme to strengthen Australia's bilateral agricultural trading arrangements with key trading partners, especially in Asia, has received $6.4 million over four years commencing 2004—05.

The International Agricultural Cooperation Programme — which is part of the Agriculture Advancing Australia package — plays an important role in strengthening trading relationships, especially with China, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines.

Biosecurity Standards

Australia will be better placed to advance its agricultural trade interests while maintaining its high standard of biosecurity as a result of $3.5 million in Budget funding this year.

The funding will allow the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry to move faster in its import risk analysis (IRA) process and related activities without compromising the high standard of science and high level of transparency and consultation that characterise Australia’s IRA system. It will also help defend Australia’s interests against challenges to Australia’s quarantine system.

$11.3 million to improve Livestock Trade

The Budget has provided nearly $11.3 million over the next four years commencing 2004—05 to implement recommendations in the Keniry Report into Australia’s livestock export trade.

This includes stationing a veterinary counsellor in the Middle East, improving animal welfare practices in importing countries and introducing a new industry regulatory system.

Australian Government Electronic Tender System

The Australian Government Electronic Tender System (AusTender) (www.tenders.gov.au) was implemented in October 2003 as part of the Government’s broader electronic procurement agenda. It was partly funded under the Government’s Small Business Assistance Package. It is a secure website that enables Australian Government agencies to advertise business opportunities online and make tender documentation available for downloading. It allows suppliers to submit tender responses electronically and also allows them to elect to receive automatic notification of business opportunities of particular interest. Registered suppliers will be notified via e–mail when business opportunities that match their selected profile are published.

AusTender ‘levels the playing field’ for small to medium enterprises and those in rural and regional areas. It is a geographically independent service and allows suppliers to access tender information and pursue business opportunities outside of traditional business hours in a simple, time efficient manner. By removing the need to wait for tender documentation to be sent to them, and by reducing the time required to lodge tender responses, suppliers are provided with increased time for bid development.

Funding for AusIndustry Regional Office Network

The Government has extended funding to the network of AusIndustry Customer Service Managers located in 14 regional centres across Australia. With funding of $2.5 million in 2004–05, this network assists in raising awareness among regional businesses of the availability of Government business assistance in regional Australia, particularly those programmes providing support for innovation. The network also assists businesses to access that assistance, builds links between all levels of Government operating in the regions and facilitates referrals where appropriate.

Wine Equalisation Tax

The Government will rebate $290,000 of wine equalisation tax (WET) to every wine producer per annum. This measure will apply from 1 October 2004 and will be pro-rated for the 2004-05 financial year. The effect of this decision is to exempt $1 million of each producer’s domestic wholesale wine sales form the WET on an annual bases. It is expected that the rebate will be worth around $300 million over the next four years.

The measure will provide each producer with relief from the WET of $290,000 each year, compared with a maximum rebate of $42,000 under the current Australian Government Cellar Door Rebate scheme and accelerated depreciation provisions for grapevine planting’s.

The changes will reduce the compliance cost for all wine producers with around 90 per cent of wine producers receiving a rebate that will entirely offset their WET liability. The changes will provide significant benefits to the wine industry, with around 85 per cent of the benefits being received by small wine producers in rural and regional Australia.

Tax treatment of irrigation infrastructure

From 1 July 2004 irrigation water providers who are primarily in the business of providing water to primary producers will have access to water facilities taxation concessions and the landcare taxation concession. The measure provides equal treatment for income tax purposes between irrigation companies and primary producers, who already have access to these concessions.

The cost of the measure is forecast at $5 million a year from 2005-06.

Small business tax simplification

The 2004-05 Budget made a number of changes to simplify the tax regime for small business. Measures of particular application to regional businesses include:

• Private companies will have until the due date for lodgement of their tax returns, rather than the end of the income year, to repay or put a loan on a commercial footing to avoid the operation of the non-commercial loan rules.
• Family trust elections and interposed entity elections will be able to be made in relation to a previous income year, subject to certain conditions.
• The mandatory “customary” rule in sub-section 58ZC(2) of the Fringe Benefits Tax Assessment Act will be removed to facilitate small business access to the remote area housing fringe benefits tax exemption.
• FBT exemptions for benefits to relocated employees will be extended to include employer benefits associated with the engagement of relocation consultants to settle relocated employees into a new location.
• Optional roll-over relief in the relation to simplified tax system (STS) depreciating asset pools will be extended to ensure that all roll-over relief available for partnerships under the uniform capital allowances regime is also available in relation to STS pools.

The measures will commence in the income or FBT year following the year in which the relevant legislative amendments receive Royal Assent.

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