The Home Insulation Program closed on 19 February 2010.
On 1 April 2010 the Government announced the Home Insulation Safety Plan to
help restore confidence in the insulation industry as it adjusts to new
circumstances and provide reassurance to households that have had insulation
installed under the discontinued Home Insulation Program (HIP). The Safety Plan
will also put in place strong measures to tackle fraud that may have occurred
under the HIP.
A key to success of the Home Insulation Safety Plan will be the participation
of long-standing and reputable companies in the industry and other important
Australian firms that participated in the HIP.
The key elements of this plan include:
- A Home Insulation Safety Program
- A Foil Insulation Safety Program
- Industry Assistance
- Strong fraud and compliance measures.
More information on the Home Insulation Safety Plan is available on the
Department of Climate
Change and Energy Efficiency website.
How can my small business get involved in the Defence Housing component of the
ESP?
The Government is assisting Australian Defence Force families by
providing an additional $245.58 million to Defence Housing Australia for the
construction of 829 residential houses, being built across Australia.
DHA have included an additional 27 houses to their original construction
target of 802, using the funding of $245.58 million allocated under the Nation
Building – Economic Stimulus Plan.
New housing will be located to support Defence operational centres in Adelaide,
Brisbane, Canberra, Darwin, Victoria, Hobart, Cairns, Hunter Valley, Ipswich,
Sydney, Wagga Wagga, Wodonga, Townsville, Nowra and Toowoomba.
Visit the
Defence Housing Australia website
for information on how your small business can be involved.
How much funding will schools receive through Building the Education
Revolution (BER)?
The Australian Government has committed funding of $16.2 billion over three
years to provide new facilities and refurbishments in Australian schools to meet
the needs of 21st century students and teachers under the BER program.
All BER funding has now been allocated for each of the three elements of BER:
- Primary Schools for the 21st Century – $14.1 billion for all
eligible Australian primary schools and special schools, 7,961 in total, to
build or renew large scale infrastructure such as libraries, multipurpose
halls and classrooms, or to upgrade existing facilities.
- Science and Language Centres for 21st Century Secondary Schools
– $821.8 million for the construction of new (or refurbishment of existing)
science laboratories or language learning centres. Funding allocation
followed a competitive process and resulted in 537 secondary schools
receiving funding.
- National School Pride program – $1.288 billion for all eligible
schools in Australia, government and non-government, for the funding of
minor capital works and refurbishment projects. A highlight of this project
is 9,495 schools being able to complete essential refurbishments to create
improved learning environments.
How will schools receive Building the Education Revolution (BER) funding?
Funding for the BER is paid through Commonwealth Treasury to State and
Territory Treasuries and then distributed to State and Territory Education
Departments for government schools and relevant Block Grant Authorities (BGAs)
for non government schools.
When will the funding be allocated and the
projects commence?
National School Pride (NSP) program – projects funded under NSP were
required to be completed by 1 February 2010.
Science and Language Centres for the 21st Century (SLC) – projects
funded under SLC are required to be completed by 30 June 2010.
Primary Schools for the 21st Century (P21) – projects funded under
the three rounds of P21 are required to be completed by 20 December 2010 (Round
One), 31 January 2011 (Round Two) and 31 March 2011 (Round Three).
In November 2009 the Government announced that $500 million of BER funding
would be moved from 2010-11 to 2011-12. This rephrasing provides flexibility for
those projects requiring additional time to obtain value for money or to deal
with environmental or site challenges.
The BER Guidelines allow for variations
to approved BER projects on a case by case basis, including extensions to
project completion dates.
How were the projects chosen?
The Commonwealth did not have a role in the selection of projects at the school level. The relevant education authority in your State or Territory was responsible for ensuring appropriate consultation was undertaken with schools when applying for BER funding and implementing BER projects.
A full breakdown of funding per school can be found at
www.buildingtheeducationrevolution.gov.au.
As a tradesperson, how can I
get involved in the BER program?
One of the fundamental aspects of the BER is support for jobs. All
tradespeople are encouraged to contact their relevant state or territory BER
Coordinator or Block Grant Authority for information on the tendering
requirements in their area. Contact details are available on the
BER website.
What is the process for BER signage, plaques and recognition?
There are no formal recognition requirements for the NSP element of the BER however schools can celebrate the completion of their NSP project by requesting
a certificate acknowledging the funding.
UnUnder the P21 or the SLC elements, a plaque will be provided as part of the recognition requirements. Towards the completion of the project, schools should contact their relevant Education Authority or the BER mailbox at BERRecognition@deewr.gov.au to
register the proposed ceremony details.
The mailbox is monitored by School
Liaison Officers in the BER Taskforce who assist schools with the organisation
of their Recognition Ceremony. This mailbox is also the preferred method of
contact for any questions regarding signage, plaques and the provision of school
promotional material such as photographs.
What is the Social Housing Initiative?
The Social Housing Initiative will provide funding of $5.238
billion over three and a half years from 2008-09 to 2011-12 for the
construction of new social housing (in two stages), and a further
$400 million over two years for repairs and maintenance to existing
public housing dwellings.
This Initiative is being conducted in partnership with State and
Territory governments. It will provide a boost to public housing and
housing administered by the not-for-profit community sector and is
designed to assist low income Australians who are homeless or
struggling in the private rental market.
The Australian Government has approved funding for Repairs and
Maintenance, and for both Stage One and Stage Two construction.
For more detailed information, including implementation details,
visit the Social
Housing page of this website.
How many social housing dwellings will be made available under
the Social Housing Initiative?
Across Australia, over 19,300 new public and community housing
dwellings will be constructed with the assistance of the
not-for-profit sector. In addition, it is expected that
approximately 70,000 existing social housing dwellings will benefit
from repairs and maintenance
For more information, including implementation details, visit the
Social Housing
page of this website.
What about aged care social housing?
While the Government’s Social Housing Initiative will not directly fund aged
care facilities, the newly constructed dwellings will be targeted at high
priority groups on public housing waiting lists including elderly Australians.
It is expected that a significant number of the dwellings funded under the
Social Housing Initiative will be allocated to older persons who currently
represent just over one quarter of all public housing tenants.
Almost all of the dwellings constructed under Stage 2 of the Initiative will
incorporate six universal design elements to make properties more accessible to
people who are ageing or live with disabilities. In addition, around 40 per cent
of the dwellings will comply with the Australian Standard of Adaptable Housing
Class C, meaning that the dwellings can be easily adapted to meet a range of
requirements for those with special needs, including the elderly.
How do I nominate a black spot?
Anyone can suggest a location or a
section of road for black spot funding using a nomination form that can be
downloaded from the
Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local
Government website.
What makes a site eligible for funding under the Black Spot Program?
Funding is mainly available for the treatment of black spot sites, or road
lengths, with a proven history of crashes. Project proposals should be able to
demonstrate a benefit to cost ratio of at least 2:1.
For individual sites such as intersections, mid-block or short road sections,
there should be a history of at least three crashes that result in injury or
death over a five-year period. For lengths of road, there should be an average
of 0.2 crashes that result in injury or death per kilometre, per annum, over the
length in question over five years; or the road length to be treated should be
amongst the top 10 per cent of sites with a demonstrated higher crash rate than
other roads in a region.
The requirement of a history of crashes ensures that those sites that have a
recurrent problem are targeted first for treatment.
The Black Spot Program also recognises that there are road locations which
could be considered as 'accidents waiting to happen'. Therefore, some
program funds may be used to treat sites where road traffic engineers have
completed a Road Safety Audit and found that remedial work is necessary. This
allows an opportunity for proactive safety works to be undertaken before
casualties occur.
Funds cannot be used for the purchase of road-building plant or equipment, or
for operational or maintenance costs.
How were projects assessed for funding under the Boom Gates for Rail
Crossings program?
The projects allocated funding were identified by each State and Territory
Government using the Australian level crossing assessment model (ALCAM) that
takes into account factors such as road and rail traffic volumes, crash history,
visibility for motorists and train drivers, the number of rail tracks at the
crossing and other public risks.
FoFor more information on ALCAM visit
http://www.levelcrossings.nsw.gov.au/alcam.htm
What is the business tax break?
The business tax break is an extra tax deduction available on the plant and
equipment you need to buy to keep your business running.
The tax break covers new, tangible, depreciating assets.
It also covers improvements or additions you make to existing assets.
As the tax break is temporary, there are deadlines that apply, so you must buy
and use or install the asset within a set timeframe.
The tax break is in addition to the deduction for the decline in value your
business is entitled to claim for an eligible asset.
For more information visit
www.ato.gov.au/businesstaxbreak
Who is eligible for the business tax break?
You may be eligible to claim the business tax break if you:
-
carry on a business
-
buy the asset by the deadline
-
use or install the asset by the deadline
-
meet the minimum thresholds
-
use the asset principally in Australia and principally in
your business, and
-
are eligible to claim a deduction for the asset's decline
in value under section 40-25 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997
For more information visit
www.ato.gov.au/businesstaxbreak
Can I still claim the business tax break?
You may still be able to claim the business tax break if you invested in an
eligible asset on or before 31 December 2009 and first use the asset or install
it ready for use by 31 December 2010.
You claim the business tax break in your income tax return for the income year
in which you first use the asset or have it installed ready for use if you meet
all the eligibility requirements for that income year.
If you miss the investment, first use or installation deadlines that apply, you
will not be entitled to the business tax break.
Find out more at
www.ato.gov.au/businesstaxbreak.
What is happening to the Solar Hot Water Rebate
The
Renewable Energy Bonus Scheme (REBS) assists households to save money on power
bills and reduce their carbon emissions.
REBS offers eligible Australian households:
- A $1,000 rebate for a solar hot water system; or
- A $600 rebate for a heat pump system.
For more information visit the
Department of Climate Change and Energy
Efficiency website.
Where is my tax bonus payment?
The Australian Government has provided
eligible people with a tax bonus payment of up to $900.
To be
eligible for the tax bonus payment you must have lodged your 2007-08 income
tax return by 30 June 2009, unless the Tax Office granted you a deferred
lodgement date before 18 February 2009.
If you were expecting a payment and haven't received one, visit
www.ato.gov.au to find out
what you should do.
If you or your tax agent or accountant have been affected by a natural
disaster or significant injury or illness resulting in hospitalisation for more
than two weeks, you have until 30 June 2010 to lodge your 2007-08 tax return.
If you or your tax agent or accountant have been affected by a natural
disaster or significant injury or illness resulting in hospitalisation for more
than two weeks, you have until 30 June 2010 to lodge your 2007-08 tax return.
NOTE: this only applies if the natural disaster or significant injury or
illness occurred between 1 January 2008 and 30 June 2009 inclusive.
For more information about the tax bonus payment, visit
www.ato.gov.au.
Where can I find more information about work opportunities in my area?
Visit the Stimulus
Plan Work Opportunities page on this website for further details about
opportunities to be a part of the roll out of the Nation Building – Economic
Stimulus Plan.
On the State and Territory
Links page of this website, you will find the contact details of all state
government and local councils
across Australia.
Click on your State or Territory to be directed to their website for further
information about what’s happening in your area. A full list of local council
details is also available.
Previous Ministerial responses to your questions
Do you have a Question?
Submit your question or
feedback about the Nation Building - Economic Stimulus Plan.