November 2009
NEW RULES. SAFER ROADS.
From 9 November 2009, a number of Victoria's road safety rules will be changing.
The changes will affect the use of child restraints, mobile phones and seatbelts. Other changes refer to the centre dividing line, parking, motorcyclists, cyclists, driving with trams, scooters, skateboards and roller blades, and other rules for drivers about intersections and blocking driveways.
The key changes include:
- Child restraints
All children under seven years of age must wear a child restraint or booster seat when travelling in a car. The type of restraint will depend on the age of the child.
There are also new laws about where children can sit in vehicles - Mobile phones
Using a mobile phone to make or receive a phone call while driving is prohibited except if the phone: - is secured in a commercially designed holder fixed to the vehicle, or
- can be operated by the driver without touching any part of the phone.
All other functions (including video calls, texting and emailing) are prohibited.
Drivers will be responsible for ensuring each passenger is wearing a seatbelt or an approved child restraint. Should a passenger who is 16 years or over be travelling in a vehicle without a seatbelt, both the passenger and the driver can now be penalised.
The rules about driving over the centre dividing line of a road have changed. Drivers will no longer be able to U-turn or overtake across a single continuous centre dividing line. Drivers will only be able to cross a single continuous centre dividing line if they are entering or leaving the road or to avoid an obstruction.
Similar rules will apply to lane lines and painted islands.
To learn more about these and other new road rules visit VicRoads.
New parent content on early childhood development
Want to know about things to look for when choosing a child care or kindergarten for your child? How about knowing what the Maternal and Child Health Services does? Or the types of support available to parents, especially those with children that have additional needs?
Well, the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) website now contains comprehensive information for parents on all these aspects, and more, to do with early childhood development.
Topics covered include:
- Your child's learning and development
- Your Child's Health
- Maternal and Child Health Service
- Child Care and Kindergarten
- Integrated Children's Services
- Starting School
- Support for Aboriginal Families
- Assistance for Children with Additional Needs
- Parent Support
- Your Child's Safety
For more information, visit Early Childhood 0-8
Housing Week 2009
It's a barbeque, a country market or a community arts project. It could be a planting day on the estate, or a multi-cultural get-together with dancing, games and food.
Last year's Housing Week saw some 80 different events organised in metropolitan and regional centres where public housing tenants were invited to join together.
Housing Week 2009 – "Know Your Neighbour - Building Connections" - will be held from 26 November to 3 December, across Victoria and Sharon Prentice, acting tenant participation coordinator for Hume Region, says the week can be especially significant for regional towns. "They are very positive environments", she says, "where tenants can engage with each other, share information or get to know someone they usually pass in the street".
"Housing Week events", Susan says “are all about the celebration of connection and they’re happy events. It’s a fantastic idea.”
For more information about what is taking place in your region during Housing Week 2009, contact your local housing office or visit www.housing.vic.gov.au/housingweek.
New features on Victoria Online
Victoria Online has launched two exciting new features - social media pages and "Got a Question?"
The social media pages list all social media that is found across government. Social media includes: facebook, flickr, MySpace, Podcasts, RSS feeds, Twitter, Video and YouTube. Social media gives government new ways to hear the voice of the citizen and to talk with them in a different type of dialogue.
The other new feature is "Got a Question?". You simply type in a question in natural language - just ask the question as you would if you spoke it - and the system will match it to the best match answer in the Victoria Online knowledgebase. The system is clever enough to learn as it goes to optimise the chances of getting the answer you need the first time you ask it. Have a go and ask a question.
Granting Men the Opportunity to Build a Shed
Senior Victorian men are encouraged to get involved in their community, with the opening of the third round of Men's Sheds funding at the launch of the Victorian Senior's Festival.
The Victorian Government welcomes applications to help meet the cost of building a new shed or modifying an existing shed.
Apply online by 10 December 2009 to receive a grant of up to $50,000 and support mens health and wellbeing.
Royal Exhibition Building Gradens Project
Museum Victoria is undertaking a major project to transform an unsightly car park at the Royal Exhibition Building, Australia's first World Heritage listed building, into heritage gardens based on the original 19th century design.
New Publications
General Publications
Not Just Bricks and Mortar – The Complete Guide to Home Building in Australia
by Kallidis, George @ $40.00
Helen Hart – Founder of Women's Suffrage in Australasia
by Harris, Helen D @ $29.95
Bars and Benches
by Dee, John Q.C. @ $39.95
In the Shadow of the Law – The Legal Context of Social Work Practice – 3rd Edition
Editors Swain, Phillip & Rice, Simon @ $74.95
Inferno – The Day Victoria Burned
by Franklin, Roger @ $39.95
Days of My Youth - Charles Napier Hemy
edited by McGann, Peter @ $29.95
Welcome to Government – Your Introduction to Working in the Victorian Public Sector
by State Services Authority @ $5.00
Understanding Taxation for Investors – A Simple Guide for Families with Shares and Property
by Renton, N E @ $34.95
Espresso – Melbourne Coffee Stories
by May, Andrew @ $24.95
Growing Easy Herbs for Beauty, Fragrance and Flavour
by Woodward, Penny @ 27.95
Garden Talk
by Campbell, Colin @ 24.95
Local Histories
The Rosedale Shire from Inauguration to Annihilation
By Macreadie, Don @ $45.00
Echuca – Moama Murray River Neighbours
by Coulson, Helen @ 39.95
Mapping Products
Tasmania State Handy Map - 8th Edition
by Hema Maps @ $6.95
Australia Truckies Atlas - The Complete Atlas for the Professional Driver - 3rd Edition
by Hema Maps @ $36.95
Government Reports
| There are no new Government Reports this month |
New Legislation
New Acts
| A55.09 | Justice Legislation Further Amendment Act 2009 | $12.20 |
| A56.09 | Major Transport Projects Facilitation Act 2009 | $21.50 |
New Statutory Rules
Reprinted Acts
| There are no new Reprinted Acts this month |
Reprinted Statutory Rules
| There are no new Reprinted Statutory Rules this month |
Visit the Victorian Legislation and Parliamentary Documents website for a list of all Victorian acts and statutory rules.
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Bars and Benches
This autobiography by John Dee, QC, is a gutsy story of his early life and memorable cases fought Rumpole style in Australian courts during his distinguished career at the Bar and Bench, alongside champions of change in the law then and now.
Helping Santa plan his Christmas shopping?
According to a recent Australian Bureau of Statitics media release, swimming is still the most popular sport for kids, followed by soccer and Aussie Rules.
The most popular cultural activity for boys is playing a musical instrument (19%), and for girls it was dancing (26%).
While TV, DVDs or videos were watched by 97% of all children, other screen based activities such as using a computer and playing games on games consoles and mobile phones were also very popular (83%)
Further details can be found in Children's Participation in Cultural and Leisure Activities, Australia, April 2009 (cat. no. 4901.0), available for free download from the ABS website.
The Royal Exhibition Building is the only surviving 19th-century Great Hall still used as an exhibition venue.
Metro Focus
Some of the businesses that flourished in Gertrude Street in 1870 included 15 fruiterers and grocers, 13 bootmakers, 10 milliners and drapers, 6 confectioners, 4 butchers, 2 saddlers and a pianoforte maker.
Other businesses previously established included one by "Ebenezer Lush and his knickerbocker enterprise" whilst another operation was described as the "oyster dealer and muffinmaker".
When bicycles were introduced to Victoria in the late 1890's, a number of bicycle dealers were established in Gertrude Street.
Details taken from "Gertrude Street, Fitzroy" which received a Commendation in the Best Walk / Tour category in the 2009 Victorian Community History Awards.
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