Purpose The purpose of this safety alert is to highlight the risk of trench collapse when a shoring box, or any other trench support system, does not extend for the full depth of the trench. Shoring boxes are also known as trench shields or drag boxes. Background In November 2017 a worker was seriously injured when he was crushed by ground collapse in a trench in Brisbane. He was kneelin...

The Queensland Farmers’ Federation (QFF), the peak advocacy organization representing the state’s irrigators and intensive agriculture, welcomes the Liberal National Party’s (LNP) plan to build more than $1.3 billion worth of water infrastructure and dams in regional Queensland if elected. QFF President Stuart Armitage said that farmers and irrigators supported proposals from all partie...

The vocational education and training (VET) sector must work to demystify VET pathways and better inform and support young early school leavers if it wants to engage them, according to new research released today by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER). The report Engaging young early school leavers in vocational training has found that VET has a critical role t...

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) interim Dairy inquiry report released today will do nothing to address the issues affecting the Queensland dairy industry. Queensland Dairyfarmers’ Organisation (QDO) President Brian Tessmann slammed the report has lacking direction and intent to deliver upon what is was established to do - to fix the mess threatening our dairy...

Financial information on Australia’s government-funded vocational education and training (VET) system for 2016 shows operating revenues decreased by 16.8% to $8144.4 million when compared with the previous year, according to new data released today by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER). The Financial information 2016 report gives an account of how the governme...

A young worker was draining the fuel system of a boat when residual fuel that had collected in the bilge of the boat caught fire. He sustained significant burns to his arm, face, nose and throat requiring hospital treatment. Initial inquiries indicate the battery was not adequately isolated which may have caused a spark to ignite the fuel in the bottom of the boat. Investigations are co...

Queensland farmers are again frustrated that vegetation management has been used for political gain rather than to demonstrate solutions-focused policy, with Labor’s Saving Habitat Policy falling short of a holistic framework capable of providing long term certainty. Queensland Farmers’ Federation (QFF) President Stuart Armitage said that without first conducting an inclusive, objective...

Using social media as part of vocational education and training (VET) courses can lead to higher levels of student engagement according to new research released today by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER). The report Social media and student outcomes: teacher, student and employer views also suggests that, when used effectively, platforms like Facebook and You...

Australia’s largest survey of vocational education and training (VET) students has today revealed that graduate satisfaction with overall training quality remains high at 87.3%, up 1.3 percentage points from 2016. The annual National Student Outcomes Survey, managed by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER), provides information on student employment outcomes as w...