Weekly Digital Media Dealflow StrategyEye (subscription) The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) says it approved the deal because “Microsoft and Yahoo!'s share of online paid search advertising ...

The Hon Martin Ferguson AM MP. Increasing energy security by diversifying energy supplies. The Renewable Energy Target is, in effect, a $20 billion subsidy for the renewable energy industry.

The Assistant Treasurer, Senator Nick Sherry, has today released a consultation paper on the proposed changes to the income tax law to formalise the existing tax practice of exempting certain income earned by foreign governments. The consultation paper seeks comments on the broad legislative design principles of the proposed changes, including:. We will undertake a further consultation on the draft legislation, which is expected to be introduced in the first half of 2010,' said the Assistant Treasurer.

The Rudd Government today announced that the Australian Taxation Office will take responsibility for the administration of all excise- equivalent goods, known as EEGs, from the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service (Customs). The Assistant Treasurer, Nick Sherry, said: 'This means a single agency - the Tax Office - will have responsibility for the administration of excise goods.'. Under the Better Regulation Ministerial Partnership, the Tax Office and Customs will update the Assistant Treasurer, Minister O'Connor and Minister Tanner on the progress of implementation every six months, with a final update once these arrangements have been fully implemented.

The Rudd Government's Clinical Trials Action Group is looking for feedback about ways Australia can enhance its position as a preferred destination for clinical trials. Other members of the Action Group, established by Science Minister Kim Carr and Health Minister Nicola Roxon on 27 October 2009, include:. The Action Group is inviting submissions which focus on five key areas: developing a clinical trials roadmap developing key performance measures for clinical trials ensuring the rapid uptake of streamlined ethics, scientific and governance review processes strategies to improve patient recruitment developing an Information and Communications Technology strategic plan for clinical trials.

The Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) and National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) today made available updated draft Australian Guidelines on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and other useful information to assist parents and medical professionals to recognise and appropriately treat ADHD. The draft Guidelines have been released along with supplementary information prepared by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). The draft Guidelines and supplementary information can be found at .

Today I have directed the Australian Office of Financial Management (AOFM) to invest up to a further $8 billion in Australian residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) to support competition in Australia's mortgage market. My announcement on 11 October 2009 also foreshadowed that Treasury and the AOFM would consult with industry on the merits of delivering part of the additional $8 billion support through a liquidity facility. Given there are mixed industry views on the merits of a liquidity facility, I am not directing the AOFM to implement a liquidity facility at this stage.

Monday, 30 November 2009. A 53-year-old Tongan man was arrested yesterday at Darwin Airport for possessing approximately 5.8 kilograms of kava. Just after 5.30am yesterday, Australian Federal Police were called to the domestic screening point at Darwin Airport and liaised with security screening staff.

The Minister for Workplace Relations, Julia Gillard, has today announced the three specialist members of Fair Work Australia's Minimum Wage Panel. The Minimum Wage Panel will be made up of the three specialist members together with four other members of Fair Work Australia, including the President. The three new appointments to Fair Work Australia's Minimum Wage Panel are Mr Peter Dwyer, Professor Sue Richardson and Mr John Vines.

The Minister for Education, Julia Gillard, and the Victorian Minister for Education, Bronwyn Pike, today congratulated the first 45 high achieving university graduates selected to Teach for Australia. As part of its Education Revolution, the Rudd Government is investing heavily in quality teaching because it has the single greatest influence on student engagement and achievement. Teach for Australia is an initiative that has been developed to attract the best and brightest university graduates into the nation's classrooms.