Stronger links with industry and access to more overseas facilities for Australian astronomers are among the areas Australia's national astronomical observatory will emphasise in the next few years, according to a recently released review.

The Australian Astronomical Observatory's (AAO) Forward Look review, released by Science and Research Minister Senator Chris Evans, delivers a specific strategy for Australian astronomy out to 2015 and, more broadly, to the end of the decade.

"The AAO provides Australian astronomers with access to world-class optical and infrared observing facilities, enabling them to do excellent science in Australia and abroad," Senator Evans said.

The Minister for Industry and Innovation, Greg Combet, has announced enhanced support for manufacturing under the Commercialisation Australia program.

Chevron has announced the start of its recruitment drive for its massive Wheatstone LNG Project, which is expected to see up to 5,000 workers employed.

Wholly owned Patrick’s Port operator Asciano has announced it has approved a capital investment program aimed at comprehensively redeveloping and expanding its container terminal at Sydney’s Port Botany.

The Tasmanian Government has released a comprehensive study of the infrastructure needs of the state’s West Coast, which the it says will be used to inform Government priorities for upgrades in the region.

The Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has delivered its final assessment of the proposed James Price Point Liquefied Natural Gas precict, recommending the project for approval.

Leighton Contractors has announced it has secured a $122 million contract for the construction work for a new coal-fired power plant in Davao City and Daveo del Sur in the Philippines.

Changes to legislation in Victoria is set to allow property trusts to gain access to financing for environmental upgrades, likely to result in significant increases to opportunities for green retrofitting in Melbourne’s city centre.

Infrastructure Partnerships Australia has called for the Productivity Commission to develop a more accurate method to track performance of Australia’s major cities; and calling on all three levels of government to integrate the way they plan, regulate and operate metropolitan infrastructure.

Work has begun on the $67 million in reconstruction works for the disaster-damaged sections of the Leichhardt and Dawsone Highways in Queensland’s Banana Shire Council region.

The Federal Government has announced the next round of high-speed satellite and fixed wireless broadband contracts for regional and remote Australia.

The Federal Government has released its guidelines for the $6 billion Regional Infrastructure Fund, which it says will unlock investment in communities dealing with the impact of the mining boom.

The Western Australian Government has called on businesses to submit their Expression of Interest (EOI) for the General Industrial Areas (GIA) to be developed near Onslow.

Theiss Degremont has announced it has produced the first reverse osmosis water from the Victorian Desalination Plant near Wonthaggi.

The Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council (ASBEC) has launched a ten-point framework aimed at improving the reliance of the country’s urban communities against extreme weather events the effects of climate change.

The South Australian Government has announced it has granted final approval for the construction of the state’s largest windfarm.

The Federal $200 million Clean Technology Innovation Program has been launched and is now open for applications.

Two of Australia’s biggest construction companies have entered in to a $225,000 enforceable undertaking after two concrete panels, each weighting 11.3 tonnes, fell from a contractor’s truck in October 2006.

Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) together with NICTA (National ICT Australia) developed the high-tech system to automatically and continuously monitor the Sydney Harbour Bridge’s structural integrity.

The Australian Industry Group's (AI Group) Australian Performance of Construction Index has found that the industry's rate of contraction has remained broadly unchanged at  34.8 (readings below 50 indicate a contraction in activity with the distance from 50 indicative of the strength of the decrease).

Global engineering firm WorleyParsons has announced the appointment of Andrew Wood as the company's new Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, effective at the end of the company's AGM on 23 October.

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