The NSW government has issued a new direction expanding the responsibilities of Infrastructure NSW and the Co-ordinator General in housing, energy infrastructure and jobs — with a focus on Western Sydney around the Aerotropolis — and will rename the Western Parkland City Authority as the Bradfield Development Authority. A statement on Wednesday from premier Chris Minns explained that The Bradfield Development Authority “will focus solely on delivering Bradfield Town Centre and supporting investment attraction within the Aerotropolis. This follows significant steps taken by the government to ensure infrastructure delivery is aligned with planning and development processes.” The Bradfield Town Centre’s First Building, scheduled to open this year, will include the Advanced Manufacturing Research Facility.
Schneider, Engineers Australia partner on workplace credential
Electrical and automation company Schneider Electric has announced a strategic Employer Workplace Credential (EWC) partnership with Engineers Australia. According to a statement from the France-based company on Wednesday, the program offers guidance, support and mentoring to eligible Schneider Electric engineers and streamlines the certification process. 70 engineers have attained Chartered status under the EWC program to date, with another 30 scheduled to complete the program this year. The Chartered credential is the highest technical achievement for engineering professionals, and requires meeting and maintain ingcompetency across 16 elements related to specific occupational categories and areas of practice. “Working through the Chartered process takes time and can be seen as a barrier to getting started,” said said Colette Munro, Pacific Zone President of Schneider Electric. “However, through the fast-tracked joint program by Engineers Australia and Schneider Electric our engineers were given the support and motivation they needed to reach the Chartered level that they well deserve.”
SA wine exports up post-China ban
Australia has exported over $86 million of quality wine to China in the month since duties were removed on bottled wine, with almost $80 million of this from South Australia. in the first month since duties were removed (92.1 per cent of Australia’s total wine exports to China). “More than 350 Australian wine producers and businesses have re-established exports to mainland China since duties were removed,” said federal trade minister Don Farrell on Wednesday. “The re-entry of Australian wine into the Chinese market benefits both Australian producers and Chinese consumers.”
Brussels sprouts served up as chocolate for anti-food waste event
Brussels sprouts were incorporated in chocolate and served to more than 3000 people at the nation’s annual Hort Connections event in Melbourne, in a meal developed for the event by grower-owned horticulture organisation Hort Innovation. According to a statement from Hort, this was an example of the innovative products that can be made from discarded fresh produce to combat food waste. Brussels sprouts are undergoing a spike in popularity, seeing a production value jumped of 53 per cent to $42.1 million according to the latest edition of the Australian Horticulture Statistics Handbook. Tasmanian brussels sprouts grower Caitlin Radford said the chocolate initiative as a creative way to reduce waste and generate additional income for growers. “There is so much potential for what we typically consider ‘waste’,” she said. “Our primary goal as producers is to deliver high-quality produce. Innovations in alternative food products can help minimise waste by utilising excess or lower-grade produce.”
