This December issue reveals that over the last decade, the number of jobless families has fallen, while the number of people who live alone has been increasing. We also see that Australians are less likely to smoke than in the past, but more likely to be obese and that many workers work non-traditional hours. Latest...

This strategy document was launched on 23 November 2009 and articulates the overall aim and objectives of the Australian government’s cyber security policy and sets out the strategic priorities that the Australian government will pursue to achieve these objectives.

• In June 2008 Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced that Australia would seek to encourage development of an ‘Asia Pacific Community’ by 2020. He argued that no existing cooperation forum so far brings together the whole Asia Pacific region and it was therefore desirable to review the region’s ‘architecture’. This paper surveys the background to...

This report focuses on the potential impacts of mining upon surficial and groundwater flows and quality in the alluvial flood plains at its headwaters in the Namoi valley and the Darling Downs catchments. The Senate Environment, Communications and the Arts Legislation Committee acknowledges other mining activity conducted in the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB), particularly mineral sand...

About this report Background to National Agreement reporting In November 2008, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) endorsed a new Intergovernmental Agreement on Federal Financial Relations (IGA) (COAG 2009a). The Ministerial Council for Federal Financial Relations has general oversight of the operations of the IGA [para. A4(a)]. The IGA included six new National Agreements (NAs):