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  • MIL-Evening Report: In failing to probe Robodebt, Australia’s anti-corruption body fell at the first hurdle. It now has a second chance

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By William Partlett, Associate Professor of Public Law, The University of Melbourne

    The inspector of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has released her long-awaited report on the failure of the commission to investigate the Robodebt scandal.

    The report finds the commissioner of the NACC committed “officer misconduct”. He failed to fully remove himself from the decision not to investigate the scandal.

    In response, the NACC has agreed to appoint an “independent eminent person” to reconsider its decision not to investigate the Robodebt scandal.

    It’s an embarrassing moment for the Commonwealth’s newly created anti-corruption watchdog.

    But it’s also an opportunity for the NACC to do what the public expects of it: act decisively to protect public trust in government.

    How did we get here?

    The NACC was created in 2022 after a federal election campaign that often focused on transparency and integrity in government.

    Earlier this year, the commission announced it would not be looking into the Robodebt scandal.

    This was despite the Royal Commission into Robodebt referring six people to the commission for further investigation.

    The commission is monitored by an inspector, independent of the commission and the government. After receiving hundreds of complaints, Inspector Gail Furness launched an investigation into why the NACC didn’t look into Robodebt.

    The issue was the first big test for the oversight body.

    The inspector is legally limited as to what it can look at, but its finding of “officer misconduct” offers a broader opportunity for NACC to change course.

    Robodebt was a clear breach of the public trust, with thousands of Australians feeling betrayed by the way the Morrison government acted. NACC now has a second chance to look into the scandal.

    Unique anti-corruption tradition

    NACC’s decision not to investigate was a departure from a long history of anti-corruption oversight in Australia.

    It has its roots in corruption scandals in the late 1980s in Queensland, Western Australia and New South Wales.

    These scandals involved the vast misuse of public power and resources by powerful executive branch officials. The response was far-reaching.

    In Queensland, explosive allegations of police and government involvement in gambling and corruption led to the creation of an inquiry led by Tony Fitzgerald.

    This inquiry made a number of wide-ranging recommendations, including the creation of a commission. It would eventually would become today’s Crime and Corruption Commission.



    Read more:
    Thirty years on, the Fitzgerald Inquiry still looms large over Queensland politics

    In NSW, high-ranking ministers and police were caught embezzling funds and misusing public influence.

    Public outrage led to the creation of Australia’s first anti-corruption commission, the powerful Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC).

    In parliament, the NSW premier explained that ICAC was established “independent of the Executive Government and responsible only to Parliament”.

    He went on to argue that its role was not to prosecute crime, but instead to enforce the public trust and dispel a “cloud of suspicion” that hung over the NSW government.

    In WA in the 1980s, allegations emerged that executive branch officials were using their control of public resources to enrich themselves and preserve their own power.

    In response, a royal commission in the early 1990s made a number of recommendations, including the creation of an anti-corruption commission. The commission would be an “independent parliamentary agency” responsible to parliament in carrying out its oversight duties.

    Since then, all ten Australian jurisdictions have adopted anti-corruption commissions. Many of these commissions are described as officers of parliament intended to investigate breaches of the public trust.

    In all states and territories, excluding Victoria and (recently) South Australia, “breaches of the public trust” or “dishonest or improper” conduct can be investigated by these agencies. Anti-corruption agencies have therefore emerged as important guardians of public trust in government.

    Anti-corruption amnesia

    However, we seem to have forgotten this tradition in recent years.

    In South Australia, a 2021 law strippedthe state’s intergrity body of the power to investigate “maladministration” and “misconduct” in public administration and confined its scope to criminal activity.

    In Victoria, then-Premier Daniel Andrews downplayed the significant breaches of public trust found by Victoria’s anti-corruption agency as being merely “educational”.

    Most recently, the NACC’s refusal to review the Robodebt scandal also suggests it is unaware of the traditional purpose of Australian anti-corruption oversight.

    The Robodebt scandal rivals the scandals of the 1980s in its threat to public trust.

    One submission to the Royal Commission report put it clearly:

    I feel utterly betrayed by the government for this […] myself, and everyone else who turned up to every meeting they had to, jumped through every hoop and tried to do the right thing, were treated like criminals and cheats, when all the while it was the department’s scheme that was illegal.

    The NACC now has the opportunity to change course and broadly inquire into the Robodebt scandal.

    This includes more than just an inquiry into the referrals from the Robodebt Royal Commission. It can also look into the way that a scandal of this magnitude happened and how we can prevent it in the future.

    Failing to ask these questions endangers what the WA Royal Commission 30 years ago described as the “trust principle”. It said:

    institutions of government and the officials and agencies of government exist for the public, to serve the interests of the public.

    The NACC has been given a second chance to serve the public through properly investigating Robodebt.

    If it chooses to take it, it will signal that the commission understands it plays a key role in preserving one of the most valuable commodities in Australian democracy: trust in government.

    William Partlett is the Stephen Charles Fellow at The Centre for Public Integrity.

    – ref. In failing to probe Robodebt, Australia’s anti-corruption body fell at the first hurdle. It now has a second chance – https://theconversation.com/in-failing-to-probe-robodebt-australias-anti-corruption-body-fell-at-the-first-hurdle-it-now-has-a-second-chance-236147

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: NSU is participating in the creation of a research and educational station in SKIF

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –

    The decision to create the SKIF-NSU educational and research station “Basic Methods of Synchrotron Diagnostics for Educational, Research and Innovative Activities of Students” was made at the NSU Academic Council in October 2024. This station is being created within the framework of the partnership agreement between NSU, the Boreskov Institute of Catalysis SB RAS, the Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics SB RAS and the SKIF Collective Use Center. It may become one of the first stations operating at SKIF, along with six stations of the first stage.

    — To launch the educational and research station, there will be no need for complex technical devices for generating synchrotron radiation — wigglers or undulators. It will use radiation from a bending magnet. Most of the station’s units are already available from partner organizations, and the missing devices are planned to be purchased during 2024. Therefore, there is a real opportunity to put it into operation in parallel with the first-stage stations, but unlike them, this station does not require complex commissioning. The bending magnet is an integral part of the accelerator complex, and it will not need to be purchased or manufactured additionally. Much equipment for the educational and research station has already been purchased by the parties to the Agreement and is currently in operation at the Siberian Center for Synchrotron and Terahertz Radiation. All that remains is to wait for the commissioning of the SKIF CCU and the subsequent installation of the equipment, — said a senior researcher at the SKIF CCU and the Laboratory of Structural Diagnostics of Ultradisperse and Nanostructured Systems Physics Department of NSU Andrey Saraev.

    Serious preparatory work was done to create an educational and scientific station at the university. As a result of the implementation of projects at NSU in 2022-2023 to develop its concept and design, Russian and foreign experience in creating such multi-purpose modular stations was studied, an analysis of the compatibility of various spectral and diffraction techniques was carried out, technical requirements were drawn up and a basic diagram of the station was developed. Design solutions for creating the station were developed, an analysis of the existing equipment in partner organizations was carried out, technical documentation was developed as part of determining the requirements for equipment and external parameters for creating a research facility for experiments using synchrotron radiation, combining a set of diffraction and spectral methods, including powder and single-crystal X-ray diffraction, X-ray absorption spectroscopy and X-ray fluorescence analysis. Part of the necessary equipment for the station was purchased – two fluorescence detectors. The acquisition of an X-ray diffraction detector is planned for next year.

    — We are currently updating the detection system for X-ray absorption spectroscopy. This is NSU’s contribution to the creation of the educational and scientific station, which is being implemented within the framework of the Priority 2030 program. In total, it amounts to about 15 million rubles. At the moment, another important acquisition made by NSU for the educational and scientific station being created is being processed — an ionization chamber for measuring the intensity of X-ray radiation and components for it. It will work in conjunction with the equipment purchased last year, — Andrey Saraev explained.

    According to the established deadlines for commissioning the station, its launch is planned for September 2025. It is assumed that the station will be used to work with senior students and postgraduates of the Physics Department, the Faculty of Natural Sciences and the Geological and Geophysical Department of NSU. Training in working with experimental research methods will be carried out through solving scientific problems formulated and set by researchers and teachers of NSU, as well as scientists from institutes of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

    — These are always non-standard, modern tasks. There are no traditional ways or ready-made methodological materials to solve them. Therefore, the knowledge that young researchers will receive as a result of research work will be relevant and modern. Senior students are already familiar with experimental work, have completed various practical courses, they have experience of independent work, so they can be involved in more complex scientific work. It is worth noting that, first of all, the station is designed to conduct scientific research with the participation of students, prepare diploma and course papers. We believe that the station will also be interesting for conducting programs to train personnel for SKIF and improve their qualifications, — explained Andrey Saraev.

    It is predicted that the scientific community formed around the SKIF Center for Collective Use will only expand every year, and the number of those interested in working at the educational and scientific station will increase. But at the moment, unfortunately, not all of them have sufficient information about modern methodological approaches to conducting research. Therefore, it is assumed that the station will conduct advanced training courses for scientists – a kind of elimination of synchrotron illiteracy in the scientific community. It has already begun in the student community – at the Physics Department, Andrey Saraev and his colleagues are giving a course for senior students on “Study of Solids Using Synchrotron Radiation.”

    — It is difficult to underestimate the importance of the educational and scientific station being created. Firstly, it combines two universal methods: X-ray absorption spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Both of them are in great demand by the scientific community, because, unlike other methods, they allow one to study a wide range of objects, from functional materials to proteins and cultural heritage objects. Secondly, sample preparation for them is relatively simple. Accordingly, the number of systems being studied is larger: one object can be studied in two to three hours, whereas with other methods, this may take tens of hours. The information obtained is prompt, visual and of high quality. It is important that the plan and strategy for performing the work can be adjusted during the study. Stations where such methods are implemented are very prolific in terms of scientific publications and work carried out, so their demand is very high, and the flow of tasks is voluminous, — said Andrey Saraev.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ18: Eligibility criteria for Guangdong Scheme and Fujian Scheme

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    LCQ18: Eligibility criteria for Guangdong Scheme and Fujian Scheme
    LCQ18: Eligibility criteria for Guangdong Scheme and Fujian Scheme
    ******************************************************************

         Following is a question by the Hon Holden Chow and a written reply by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, in the Legislative Council today (October 30): Question:      Currently, applicants for the Old Age Allowance (OAA) under the Guangdong Scheme and the Fujian Scheme (the Schemes) must reach the age of 70 or above and must have resided in Hong Kong continuously for at least one year immediately before the date of application (the requirement of continuous residence in Hong Kong). However, some members of the public have relayed that they had moved to Guangdong Province before they turned 70, and are still ineligible to receive the OAA even though they now reach the age of 70 because they fail to meet the requirement of residing in Hong Kong continuously for at least one year immediately before the date of application, and are even required to return to Hong Kong and reside for one year in order to meet the eligibility criteria. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council: (1) of the respective numbers of applications for OAA under the Schemes received, approved and rejected by the Government in each of the past five years; among the approved applications, the number of cases for which the authorities exercised discretionary power and granted OAA (set out in a table); (2) of the criteria for exercising discretionary power for the cases mentioned in (1), and whether the criteria include special circumstances of the persons concerned (such as chronic disease patients receiving treatment in Guangdong Province); if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and (3) whether it will consider making special arrangements for people who are currently aged 70 but have previously moved to Guangdong or Fujian, so that as long as they meet all other requirements except the requirement of continuous residence in Hong Kong, the Government will, by discretion, grant the OAA to them? Reply: President,      The Social Security Allowance (SSA) Scheme (including the Old Age Allowance (OAA), Old Age Living Allowance (OALA), Disability Allowance, Guangdong Scheme and Fujian Scheme) is a non-contributory social security scheme. Applicants must have resided in Hong Kong continuously for at least one year immediately before the date of application, while enjoying a limit of 90 days of absence from Hong Kong within that year. This one-year continuous residence (OYCR) requirement ensures that applicants have close connections with Hong Kong, and that persons who have lived outside Hong Kong for a long time cannot immediately benefit from non-contributory cash allowances upon their return to Hong Kong, thereby concentrating resources on supporting persons in need and the elderly.      I reply to the three parts of the question raised by the Member as follows: (1) and (2) In the past five financial years (2019-20 to 2023-24), the numbers of OAA applications received, approved and rejected by the Social Welfare Department (SWD) are tabulated below:

     
    2019-20
    2020-21
    2021-22
    2022-23
    2023-24

    Applications received (Note)
    35 652
    37 059
    35 173
    40 263
    40 825

    Applications approved
    32 646
    38 360
    36 173
    39 984
    41 139

    Applications rejected
    2 127
    577
    241
    334
    523

    Note: The processing of some of the applications may be completed in the subsequent financial year.     Where an applicant has been absent from Hong Kong in the one year immediately before the date of application for receiving medical treatments outside Hong Kong due to illnesses or for taking up paid work outside Hong Kong, the SWD may consider exercising discretion to disregard the absences exceeding the 90-day limit subject to sufficient reasons and documentary proofs.      In the past five financial years (2019-20 to 2023-24), the numbers of cases in which the absences of the OAA applicants were disregarded for the aforementioned reasons are tabulated below: 

     
    2019-20
    2020-21
    2021-22
    2022-23
    2023-24

    Receiving medical treatments outside Hong Kong due to illnesses
    7
    0
    0
    0
    3

    Taking up paid work outside Hong Kong
    39
    1
    0
    0
    17

         In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and in tandem with an enhancement measure of the SSA Scheme, the SWD implemented a special arrangement from January 2020 to August 2023 to disregard the absences from Hong Kong of applicants and beneficiaries of the various social security schemes (including the SSA Scheme). The SWD does not maintain a record of the number of OAA applications that benefited from the relevant special arrangement. (3) As mentioned above, the OYCR requirement ensures that SSA applicants have close connections with Hong Kong, with a view to reasonably allocating finite public resources. Since September 2023, the Government has suitably relaxed the absence limit of the OYCR requirement from 56 days to 90 days, increasing it by more than half.  This can practically accommodate the applicants’ need for leaving Hong Kong temporarily before the application (such as visits to family and travel outside Hong Kong). The Government currently has no plan to further relax the OYCR requirement. With an ageing population, the number of beneficiaries and the expenditure of the SSA Scheme will continue to rise. The Government should take into account the long-term financial sustainability when considering various enhancement measures. 

     
    Ends/Wednesday, October 30, 2024Issued at HKT 11:35

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ7: Pilot Rehabilitation Programme for Employees Injured at Work

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    LCQ7: Pilot Rehabilitation Programme for Employees Injured at Work
    LCQ7: Pilot Rehabilitation Programme for Employees Injured at Work
    ******************************************************************

         Following is a question by Dr the Hon David Lam and a written reply by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, in the Legislative Council today (October 30): Question:      The Pilot Rehabilitation Programme for Employees Injured at Work (the Pilot Programme) was launched in September 2022, and its industry coverage has also been expanded from the construction industry to the catering and hotel industry and the transportation and logistics industry from May this year onwards. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council: (1) of the total number of reported work injury cases in the construction industry in Hong Kong since September 2022 and, among them, the number of cases which are eligible for the Pilot Programme; (2) of the average waiting time of injured employees from the time of injury to commencement of rehabilitation treatment under the Pilot Programme; (3) as it is learnt that some injured employees who are eligible for the Pilot Programme have refused to participate in the Programme, whether the Government has gained an understanding of the reasons for their refusal; (4) of the types of work injury involved in the cases participating in the Pilot Programme, with a breakdown by the extent of injury; (5) among the injured employees who have participated in the Pilot Programme and recovered (i.e. reached maximum medical improvement), of the number of those who have returned to work and, among them, the percentage of those who are able to return to their original positions (especially employees in the construction industry who are able to re-enter the industry); (6) among the injured employees who have participated in the Pilot Programme and recovered but are unable to return to work, of the number of those who have completed the procedures of medical assessment of injury (i.e. assessment of permanent incapacity); and (7) as it is learnt that some non-profit-making organisations or training organisations in the community provide retraining and return-to-work support services specifically for persons recovered from work injury, how many employees who have recovered under the Pilot Programme but are unable to return to work have been referred to such organisations for follow-up? Reply: President,     To strengthen rehabilitation services for employees injured at work, the Labour Department (LD) launched the Pilot Rehabilitation Programme for Employees Injured at Work (Pilot Programme) in September 2022. The Pilot Programme adopts a case management approach to provide timely and co-ordinated private out-patient rehabilitation treatment services for participating injured employees to facilitate their early recovery and return to work. Currently, the Pilot Programme covers the construction industry, catering and hotel industry and transportation and logistics industry, targeting employees who have sustained musculoskeletal injuries at work and have been (or are expected to be) absent from work for six weeks or more. Eligible persons can participate on a voluntary basis.      My reply to the Dr the Hon David Lam’s question is as follows: (1) From September 2022 to September 2024, the number of employees’ compensation claims in the construction industry involving incapacitation of employees for more than 3 days as a result of work injuries reported under the Employees’ Compensation Ordinance and received by the LD is about 6 900.      As at the end of September 2024, the LD and the Work Injury Rehabilitation Office (WIRO) set up by the service contractor of the Pilot Programme have, based on the reported work injury cases, identified 4 596 injured construction employees who preliminarily fulfilled the admission criteria of the Pilot Programme, and proactively invited their participation. As at the end of September 2024, a total of 1 011 injured construction employees have enrolled in the Pilot Programme. (2) According to the Employees’ Compensation Ordinance, an employer must notify the Commissioner for Labour of any work accident within 14 days after the accident occurs or after it comes to his knowledge. As mentioned in part (1), the LD and WIRO will preliminarily identify suitable injured employees based on the reported work injury cases, proactively invite them to participate in the Pilot Programme and arrange interviews to ascertain their eligibility for and willingness to participate in the Pilot Programme. Thereafter, the case manager will schedule an appointment for the employee to meet with the case doctor. Once the case doctor determines after clinical assessment that the employee’s injury is suitable for treatment under the Pilot Programme, the relevant rehabilitation treatment will begin immediately.          Therefore, the duration from the time of injury to the commencement of treatment for an injured employee depends on the reporting time and the specific circumstances of the individual work injury case (such as the time needed to successfully contact the injured employee, when the employee can meet with the case manager and confirm their consent to participate in the Pilot Programme). Generally, counting from the first successful contact with the injured employee for introducing the Pilot Programme, an injured employee can receive treatment from a case doctor approximately after 10 working days.(3) Some eligible injured employees have chosen not to participate in the Pilot Programme for various reasons, including their wish to continue receiving rehabilitation treatment services provided by the Hospital Authority, consideration that the location of the hospital or clinic they currently seek consultations is more convenient, preference for arranging their own private medical services, and their wish to continue receiving free private rehabilitation treatment provided by their employers. (4) As at the end of September 2024, 1 350 injured employees from the construction industry, catering and hotel industry, and transportation and logistics industry have enrolled in the Pilot Programme. Their injuries primarily involved contusions and bruises, sprains and strains, fractures, etc, which accounted for approximately 80 per cent of all cases. Around 70 per cent of participants have already reached Maximum Medical Improvement (i.e. recovered) after treatment, with the majority recovering within 5 months after commencing treatment.(5) Under the Pilot Programme, if participants do not return to work within two months after recovery, case managers will continue to follow up on their return-to-work status for the following three months. As of the end of September 2024, the return-to-work status of the 939 recovered employees is as follows: 

    Return-to-work status
    Number of employees (proportion)

    Engaged in same kind of work*
    413 (approximately 44 per cent)

    Engaged in other kinds of work*
    73 (approximately 8 per cent)

    Return-to-work status under follow up
    201 (approximately 21 per cent)(mainly those who have recently recovered from their injuries)

    Not yet returned to work during the follow up period
    252 (approximately 27 per cent)

    Total
    939

    *including those employed by the original employer or a different employer     Among the 413 recovered employees engaged in the same kind of work, 329 (approximately 80 per cent) were construction employees; and among the 73 recovered employees engaged in other kinds of work, 63 (approximately 86 per cent) were construction employees.(6) Among the 252 recovered employees who were yet to return to work during the follow-up period as mentioned in part (5), 197 (approximately 78 per cent) have been arranged to attend an assessment conducted by the Employees’ Compensation Assessment Board (commonly known as work injury assessment). The main reasons some cases have not yet received work injury assessment include pending arrangements for the assessment, the necessity to undergo legal procedures due to disputes over employees’ compensation, or the involvement of injuries other than musculoskeletal for which the relevant treatments are yet to complete, etc.(7) Each participant under the Pilot Programme is assigned a case manager to follow up on their case. The case manager co-ordinates rehabilitation treatment and assists in the participant’s return-to-work, which includes, with the employee’s consent, liaising with employers to facilitate return-to-work arrangements, or providing information on the job market based on the employee’s circumstances. Furthermore, depending on the needs of individual cases and the wish of the employees concerned, participants may be referred to relevant non-governmental organisations for services such as employment counselling, vocational training, and job skills training to enhance their skills and prepare for return-to-work during the recovery journey. As of the end of September 2024, a total of 20 participants agreed to be referred to the relevant organisation, of whom six have returned to work, 11 were yet to return to work during the follow-up period after recovery, and the return-to-work status of the remaining three was still being monitored.

     
    Ends/Wednesday, October 30, 2024Issued at HKT 11:59

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Designs unveiled for Cessnock Hospital Redevelopment

    Source: New South Wales Government 2

    Headline: Designs unveiled for Cessnock Hospital Redevelopment

    Published: 30 October 2024

    Released by: Minister for Health, Minister for Regional Health

    The Cessnock community is invited to provide feedback on the latest designs for the $138 million Cessnock Hospital Redevelopment.

    The NSW Government is investing $138 million in the Cessnock Hospital Redevelopment to significantly enhance healthcare services for the region and meet the health care needs of the growing population.

    The schematic design provides the next level of detail for the redevelopment, showcasing modern healthcare facilities and the expanded services to be delivered.

    The redevelopment will include construction of a new two-level acute services building that will house an expanded emergency department, two inpatient wards featuring single and two bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, a new medical imaging service, and day surgery spaces.

    In the 2024-25 NSW Budget an additional $26.5 million was allocated to the Cessnock Hospital Redevelopment, bringing the total investment to $138 million. This will support the delivery of additional facilities including an operating theatre and procedure room, a Central Sterilising Services Department (CSSD) and a modern pharmacy.

    The Cessnock community is encouraged to attend information drop-in sessions and give feedback on:

    • Tuesday 12 November, 10:00am – 12:00pm, Cessnock Hospital main foyer (View Street)
    • Wednesday 13 November, 9:00am – 1:00pm, Cessnock Village Shopping Centre

    Consultation with staff and the community will continue throughout the project including working groups that will seek community input in the Arts in Health program and landscaping and outdoor spaces to ensure that local culture is reflected in the hospital’s design.

    Construction is expected to begin in 2025, following the appointment of a main works contractor.

    For more information and the opportunity to have your say visit the project website at http://www.hneinfra.health.nsw.gov.au/projects/cessnock or contact the project team at HI-Cessnock@health.nsw.gov.au

    Quotes attributable to the Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park:

    “From the expanded emergency department and operating theatres, this redevelopment will transform healthcare for the people of Cessnock by addressing capacity and supporting contemporary models of care.

    “The Cessnock Hospital Redevelopment is being informed by extensive staff and community feedback and we encourage the community to have their say on this next stage of design which will be considered as part of the planning and design process.”

    Quotes attributable to Member for Cessnock Clayton Barr:

    “This project will deliver the healthcare enhancements the Cessnock community deserves in a welcoming and supportive environment.

    “The additional services including theatres, Central Sterilising Services Department, and pharmacy will benefit communities across the Lower Hunter region.

    “I would like to see as many people as possible involved in the conversation about our future hospital; what it might look like and how it might work best for everyone.

    “So please, if you can, come along to either of the planned community information sessions to play your part in this once in a generation build.”

    Quotes attributable to the Executive Director Infrastructure, Sustainability and Planning, Dr Ramsey Awad:

    “We are committed to delivering a state-of-the-art hospital that provides the best care to the Cessnock community close to home.

    “We’ve listened carefully to the community’s feedback and responded with a design that not only meets today’s healthcare demands but will also serve the region well into the future.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Justice Michael Ball appointed to Court of Appeal

    Source: New South Wales Government 2

    Headline: Justice Michael Ball appointed to Court of Appeal

    Published: 30 October 2024

    Released by: Attorney General

    Experienced lawyer, Justice Michael Ball, has been appointed to be a Judge of the Court of Appeal, part of the Supreme Court of NSW.

    His Honour brings more than 45 years of legal expertise to the state’s top appellate court. Prior to being appointed to the Supreme Court in 2010, he spent most of his career working in Sydney as a solicitor with international commercial law firm Allen Allen & Hemsley/Allens Arthur Robinson.

    Since 2014, Justice Ball has sat in the Commercial and Technology and Construction Lists. He became the List Judge for those lists and the Commercial Arbitration List in 2022. 

    His Honour started his career in South Australia with Mollison Litchfield in 1980 while also tutoring commercial law at the University of Adelaide. The following year he joined the Australian Law Reform Commission, where he worked on the Insurance Contracts and Evidence Law references. He became a solicitor at Allen & Hemsley in 1983.

    Justice Ball was appointed Senior Associate two years later and in 1987 made a Partner in the litigation department.

    During his 27 years with the firm, his Honour was involved in several high-profile cases in competition and insolvency law. This included C7, Antico v Heath Fielding Australia, the Linter litigation, Pioneer and Giant Resources litigation and Trade Practices Commission v Australian Meat Holdings.

    His Honour graduated from the University of Adelaide in 1978 with a combined degree in Arts and Law.  He is a co-author of ‘Kelly and Ball Principles of Insurance Law’, a leading text on Insurance law in Australia.

    Justice Ball will be sworn in as a Judge of Appeal on 4 November 2024.

    Attorney General Michael Daley said:

    “I am delighted to announce the appointment of Justice Michael Ball to the Court of Appeal bench.

    “His Honour is a highly respected lawyer and member of the Supreme Court, and his expertise will be invaluable to the Court and everyone who interacts with it.

    “I congratulate Justice Ball on this well-deserved achievement.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: $7.2m boost for little learners – more free health checks rolled out for preschoolers

    Source: New South Wales Government 2

    Headline: $7.2m boost for little learners – more free health checks rolled out for preschoolers

    Published: 30 October 2024

    Released by: Minister for Education and Early Learning, Minister for Health

    More children will get free health and development checks with the Minns Labor Government today announcing $7.2 million for 881 early childhood education and care services across NSW.

    The NSW Government opt-in Health and Development Checks in Early Childhood and Care program supports health professionals to visit early childhood education and care services to conduct the checks for four-year-olds to help identify additional support the children may need before school.

    More than 7,000 children have received a free health and development check in their early childhood education and care service since the program began in 2023.

    The checks assess various aspects of the child development, including problem solving skills, listening, talking and, social skills. Physical growth and dental health will also be monitored.

    The program aims to make it easier for more services to offer the checks.

    Eligible services received up to $7,500 to support:  

    1.  Staffing to support services to deliver the health and development checks

    2. Provision of private space to conduct the checks.

    3. Support to address health and development needs identified through the checks.

    The checks offered through early childhood education and care services provide families with a free alternative to visiting a doctor or Child and Family Health service.

    Nearly half (44 per cent) of NSW children are not developmentally on track when they start school, according to the most recent Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) data.

    All preschools and long day care services can participate in the Health and Development Checks in Early Childhood Education and Care program by contacting their local health district.

    This is all part of the Minns Labor Government’s plan to give kids across NSW the best start in life.

    Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said:

    “Health and development checks provide families with valuable information about their child’s growth and development.

    “Offering the free checks at early childhood education and care services makes it easier for working families to participate and ensures there is early intervention for students who need it.

    “The Minns Labor Government is supporting long term health and development outcomes for all children across NSW, regardless of their family’s postcode, income or circumstances.”

    Minister for Health and Regional Health Ryan Park said:

    “Starting school is an exciting time, but with two in five children starting school developmentally off track we need to do more to support young children and their families.

    “Providing health and development checks for four-year-olds in preschools or long day care centres makes it far more convenient for busy families to help their children have the best start to school.

    “These checks especially in the first 2,000 days help families get the information they need to support their child’s development and to seek help, if needed.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Council of Ministers meeting on 30 October 2024

    MIL OSI Translation. Timor-Leste Portuguese to English –

    Presidency of the Council of Ministers

    Spokesperson for the Government of Timor-Leste
    ……………………………………………. ……………………………………………. …………………….

    Press release

    Council of Ministers meeting on 30 October 2024

    The Council of Ministers met at the Government Palace, in Dili, and approved the draft Government Resolution that extends, until April 10, 2025, the suspension of the teaching, learning and practice of martial arts and the temporary closure of all places and facilities intended for the teaching, learning and practice of martial arts, initially approved by Government Resolution No. 45/2023, of November 10, and extended by Government Resolution No. 17/2024, of April 24.

    This Government Resolution aims to consolidate and reinforce the social peace achieved since November 2023. With a measured and controlled approach, it is intended, in the future, to allow the practice of martial arts exclusively in the context of sport, promoting healthy exercise and contributing to the civic and humanistic education and training of young people. However, at this time, the suspension of the teaching, learning and practice of martial arts and the temporary closure of the respective facilities remain.

    The Government congratulates the population, particularly young people, for their collaboration in complying with Government Resolution No. 17/2024, of April 24, which has contributed significantly to maintaining order and social peace throughout the country.

    *****

    The draft Decree-Law, presented by the Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Agio Pereira, and by the President of the Civil Service Commission, Agostinho Letêncio de Deus, regarding the Seniority Promotion Regime for Public Administration career personnel, was also approved.

    This legislative initiative aims to ensure career progression for those who, for various reasons, have been unable to achieve merit-based promotions in recent years. The system is based on criteria such as seniority, performance evaluation, age, professional training, service provision in remote areas, good behavior and attendance. The law establishes that promotion based on seniority will occur annually, and will be carried out through an internal competition regulated by the Civil Service Commission, which determines the vacancies available for each grade and professional category.

    It is expected that this seniority-based promotion regime will reduce stagnation in the careers of civil servants, valuing the dedication of many years to public service, especially for those who face difficulties in participating in conventional competitions.

    *****

    Finally, the Government Resolution project, presented by the Minister of Social Solidarity and Inclusion, Verónica das Dores, regarding compliance with the registration regime and contribution obligation within the scope of the Social Security Contributory Regime, was approved.

    This legislation reinforces the State’s duty, enshrined in Article 56 of the Constitution of the Republic, to organize a social security system that protects all workers in the country, in the public and private sectors, and ensures the right to social security and assistance. Established by Law No. 12/2016, of November 14, the social security system has been in force since 2017 and defines the responsibilities of employers, including the registration of workers and the monthly submission of remuneration statements to the National Institute of Social Security (INSS).

    This Government Resolution determines that all entities of the direct and indirect State Administration must regularize the registration of their workers with the INSS by November 15, 2024, as well as submit monthly remuneration statements by the 15th of each month. The INSS provides the necessary tables on its website and, by November 30, 2024, will present to the Council of Ministers a list of entities in non-compliance.

    Failure to comply with this Resolution will result in civil, financial, reintegration and disciplinary liability for those responsible for services and entities of the direct and indirect State Administration with jurisdiction over the registration of workers and the monthly submission of Remuneration Declarations, as applicable. END

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Secretary-General of ASEAN delivers remarks at the Opening Ceremony of the 28th ASEAN Labour Ministers’ Meeting in Singapore

    Source: ASEAN

    Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, this morning delivered opening remarks at the Opening Ceremony of the 28th ASEAN Labour Ministers’ Meeting (ALMM) held in Singapore. Dr. Kao also joined Singapore’s Minister for Manpower Dr. Tan See Leng for the Ceremonial Sealing of the Time Capsule Commemorating 50 Years of the ALMM. The Time Capsule will be shipped to and displayed at the ASEAN Secretariat, with Singapore’s facilitation, and will be opened on the 75th Anniversary of ALMM.  

    Download the full remarks here.

    The post Secretary-General of ASEAN delivers remarks at the Opening Ceremony of the 28th ASEAN Labour Ministers’ Meeting in Singapore appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI China: China extends duties on imported ethanolamines

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOC) on Tuesday announced its decision to renew anti-dumping duties on ethanolamines imported from the United States, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, and Thailand.

    The duties were initially introduced in 2018 for a period of five years as such imports had caused substantial damage to China’s domestic industry.

    Following the end of the term last year, the MOC launched investigations to review the anti-dumping at the request of the domestic industry.

    The MOC said in a ruling that if the duties were terminated, the dumping practice and related damage would likely continue or reoccur.

    The duties will be levied for another five years starting Wednesday.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China expresses disapproval for EU’s tariff ruling

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    China-made new energy vehicles await shipment to Europe in Xiamen, Fujian province. [Photo/Xinhua]

    China does not approve of or accept the European Commission’s decision to impose extra tariffs on China-made electric vehicles, a spokesperson with the Ministry of Commerce said on Wednesday.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Hamas says open to agreements on permanent ceasefire

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Hamas expressed on Tuesday its openness to any agreements or ideas for establishing a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

    Sami Abu Zuhri, a senior Hamas official, said in a televised speech that the movement is open to any agreements or ideas that would end the suffering of the people in Gaza and establish a permanent ceasefire.

    Abu Zuhri added that the agreements or ideas should include the withdrawal of the Israeli army from the entire Gaza Strip, the lifting of the blockade, and the provision of relief, support, and shelter for the population, as well as reconstruction and a serious prisoner swap deal.

    He added that the movement has responded to mediators’ requests to discuss new proposals regarding a ceasefire and prisoner exchange. The Hamas official noted that his group has already held some meetings on this topic and that additional meetings will follow.

    On Sunday, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi announced a proposal for a two-day ceasefire in Gaza to exchange four Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, with plans for negotiations within ten days to work toward a permanent truce.

    Sisi’s announcement came as efforts continue to resume Gaza ceasefire negotiations. Recently, a Hamas delegation discussed “ways to overcome obstacles” blocking the truce in Cairo.

    Since the outbreak of the conflict between Hamas and Israel in October last year, Egypt, Qatar, and the United States have been working to mediate a ceasefire in Gaza.

    Several rounds of talks in this regard have been held in Doha and Cairo over the past months but failed to produce any serious agreements to end the yearlong conflict.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Background Press Call on U.S. Efforts to Address U.S. Investments in Certain National Security Technologies and Products in Countries of  Concern

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    Via Teleconference
    2:38 P.M. EDT
    MODERATOR:  Good afternoon, everyone.  Thanks so much for joining today’s call.  As a reminder, this call will be on background, attributable to senior administration officials, and it is embargoed until 5:00 p.m. Eastern today.
    For your awareness, not for your reporting, on the call today we have [senior administration official], [senior administration official], [senior administration official], and [senior administration official]. 
    We’ll follow up shortly after the call with embargoed materials as well, but I will turn it over to [senior administration officials] who will have a few words at the top, and then we’ll take your questions. 
    Over to you.
    SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Thanks, Eduardo, and thanks to everybody for joining us today.
    Since the earliest days of the administration, President Biden has said we are at an inflection point with respect to advanced technologies.  And as he’s often said, we will see more technological change in the next 10 years than we saw in the last 50.
    And that has motivated historic investments, mobilizing hundreds of billions of dollars in private investment to rebuild American manufacturing and innovation. 
    The flipside of that, of course, of promoting critical technologies is, of course, protecting them.  And recognizing how transformative certain technologies can be, the President directed his national security team to ensure that where we have significant advantages, our world-leading technologies and know-how are not used against us to undermine our national security.  That’s been the guiding principle for the Biden-Harris administration’s export control policies, as well as the Outbound Investment Program that we’re glad to announce is being finalized today. 
    As many of you know, we’ve been working on this approach to address certain outbound investments in sensitive technologies and critical sectors that could undermine American national security for some time.  And, in particular, we’ve been focused on the exploitation of certain intangible benefits that often accompany U.S. outbound investments and that help companies succeed through, for example, enhancing their standing and prominence, providing certain types of assistance, introducing investment and talent networks, opening up market access, and enhancing access to additional financing. 
    The People’s Republic of China has a stated goal, as you know: to develop key sensitive technologies that will directly support the PRC’s military modernization and related activities, including weapons development, and it has exploited U.S. investments to develop domestic, military, and intelligence capabilities. 
    So, today, the Treasury Department will issue a Final Rule to implement President Biden’s Executive Order 14105, from August of 2023, which is entitled “Addressing United States Investments in Certain National Security Technologies and Products in Countries of Concern.” 
    The Final Rule provides the operative regulations and a detailed, explanatory discussion regarding its intent and application.  And as directed in the President’s executive order, the Final Rule does prohibit U.S. persons from engaging in certain transactions involving a defined set of technologies and products that pose a particularly acute national security risk to the United States. 
    The Final Rule also requires U.S. persons to notify the Treasury Department of certain other transactions involving a defined set of technologies and products that may contribute to a threat to the national security of the United States. 
    Covered technologies fall into three categories: semiconductors and microelectronics, quantum information technologies, and artificial intelligence.  This set of technologies, we believe, is core for the next generation of military, cybersecurity, surveillance, and intelligence applications, providing what we believe are force multiplier capabilities. 
    The United States already prohibits and restricts the export to countries of concern of many of the technologies and products covered by the Final Rule.  This program complements the United States’ existing export control and inbound screening tools by preventing U.S. investment from advancing the development of these technologies and products in countries of concern. 
    The Treasury Department, as [senior administration official] will lay out, has used feedback through the notice and comment process to help design a carefully tailored approach.  And we also want to commend Senators Casey and Cornyn, Representatives DeLauro, Fitzpatrick, and Pascrell, as well as Representatives Meeks and McCaul in particular, for their leadership on this issue. 
    The overwhelmingly bipartisan vote on Senators Casey and Cornyn’s Outbound Investment Transparency Act as an amendment to the Senate NDAA demonstrates the shared will of Congress and the administration to meaningfully regulate outbound investments. 
    So, with that, I’ll turn it over to [senior administration official] to provide more detail on the content of the Final Rule. 
    Over to you.
    SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Thanks very much.  As mentioned today, Treasury is issuing, at the direction of the President, a targeted and narrowly scoped regulation that implements a new program to address this threat to U.S. national security.  The Final Rule has clear thresholds and definitions to implement the executive order, and provides detailed, explanatory discussion regarding its intent and application to assist investors and other stakeholders to help them navigate this new program. 
    The Final Rule does two things at its core, as previewed: First, it prohibits U.S. persons from engaging in certain transactions involving semiconductors, quantum, and artificial intelligence.  And second, it requires U.S. persons to notify Treasury of certain other transactions involving semiconductors and artificial intelligence. 
    The rule explains in detail the scope of the program, definitions, processes, requirements, and penalties for non-compliance, among other things.  Importantly, this rule has benefited from the input of a variety of stakeholders, industry experts, and allies and partners. 
    We had two rounds of formal comments on the rulemaking to implement the executive order, first with the August 2023 ANPRM that was issued alongside the ENO and on which we got 60 comments from stakeholders.  Those comments were integral in developing the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that we issued in June of this year and on which we received more than 40 additional comments, which further informed the development of the Final Rule.
    Over two-plus years, Treasury, along with the Departments of State and Commerce, have led extensive engagements with stakeholders across the globe.  These engagements and our deliberate decision to offer two rounds of public comment have helped us receive insightful feedback that has helped inform the Final Rule to ensure to choose our national security objectives while taking into account the need to be focused, targeted, and clear. 
    Now, I’ll briefly discuss a few key aspects of the rule. 
    First, as [senior administration official] suggested, the rule imposes requirements on U.S. persons.  This includes prohibiting U.S. persons from engaging in certain transactions with what the rule identifies as covered foreign persons, and requires the U.S. persons to notify the Treasury Department about other transactions that involve covered foreign persons. 
    Second, the Final Rule focuses on specific categories of investment transactions where the target of the investment has a nexus to the PRC and activities involving sensitive technologies and products. 
    In terms of what transactions are covered, the Final Rule applies to, among other things, a U.S. person’s acquisition of an equity interest or contingent equity interest, certain debt financing, certain greenfield investments, or investments that could result in corporate expansion and joint ventures.  This would include, for example, a U.S. investment firm taking an equity stake in an advanced semiconductor manufacturer in the PRC.  It would also cover a U.S. company’s purchase of land in the PRC to develop a quantum computing research facility. 
    There are exceptions for certain types of transactions that are less likely to contribute to the national security threat we’re worried about. 
    For example, the Final Rule excepts or carves out certain investments by a U.S. person to publicly trade securities and certain investments made by a limited partner in a pooled investment fund, among others.
    In light of our ongoing conversations with allies and partners on the importance of multilateral efforts in this area, the Final Rule also includes an exception for certain transactions involving a person of a country or territory outside the United States where the Secretary of the Treasury has determined that the country or territory is addressing national security concerns posed by outbound investment. 
    And third, in terms of the technologies and products in scope for the program, the Final Rule provides technical details on the subsets of semiconductors, quantum, and artificial intelligence that are relevant to the program. 
    For example, a U.S. person is prohibited from acquiring equity in a PRC entity that manufactures advanced semiconductors or that is developing an AI system designed exclusively or intended for a military end use.  A U.S. person would be required to notify Treasury if they are acquiring equity in a PRC company that manufactures legacy semiconductors. 
    Other examples include direct equity investments by a company or private equity fund into any PRC company that is repurposing an AI model for penetration testing or automated vulnerability detection and exploitation, which would be covered under the rule as either notifiable or prohibited, depending on the design end use and computing power used to train an AI system. 
    In addition to direct investments, indirect investments through a parent of a PRC company that is using AI models to improve targeting, intelligence, reconnaissance, and surveillance, or autonomous weapons systems for military use would be prohibited, as would such indirect investments in a PRC company developing or scaling quantum computers or networks to undermine encryption systems.  These technologies can be used for advanced code breaking, the development of next-generation military applications, or offensive cyber operations. 
    Additionally, in general, the rule is based on a U.S. person’s knowledge of the relevant facts, rendering a transaction to be covered under the rule.  Enforcement and penalties are consistent with the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, or IEEPA, the authority by which the President issued the executive order. 
    The Final Rule takes effect on January 2nd, giving stakeholders time to organize internal infrastructure and processes to ensure compliance with the rule. 
    The lengthy preamble to the rule summarizes the response to the comments received, as well as provides an explanation of the changes since the proposed rule issued over the summer. 
    And let me make two additional and final points before concluding. 
    First, this program is calibrated to help ensure our actions can be supported multilaterally, which is a critical component to maximize its effectiveness and reduce backfill from other investors.  The administration has been engaged in extensive conversations with allies and partners on the issue, and we are encouraged to see some allies and partners, including the European Commission and the United Kingdom, exploring the issue of outbound investment security in their own jurisdictions.
    Second, cross-border investment flows have long contributed to U.S. economic vitality.  This targeted action is focused on national security and scope to address specific risks posed by certain U.S. outbound investment, and it maintains our longstanding commitment to open investment. 
    Thanks.  And back to you, Eduardo, for questions.
    MODERATOR:  Thank you.  We now have time for a few questions.  If you’d like to ask a question, please use the “Raise Your Hand” feature on Zoom, and we’ll come to you. 
    First up, we’ll go to Michael Martina.
    Q    Hi there.  Appreciate you doing this.  So, what you described sounds quite similar to the notice for proposed rulemaking earlier in the year.  I’m wondering if you can detail any specific or key changes that you made to the original notice you said it was used to inform this Final Rule.  So, are any changes from earlier?
    And just an effort at clarification.  You know, given the exemptions for publicly traded securities, is it the White House’s contention that China has not significantly exploited publicly traded security purchases by U.S. investors to enhance their military or intelligence capabilities?  My understanding is that this is perfectly fine — you could trade public securities for Chinese defense companies under this; that’s totally within the rules.  Is that correct?  Thanks. 
    SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  So, maybe I’ll take the first question, Eduardo.  And then, [senior administration official], if you want to chime in on the second from a White House perspective.
    So, I think while largely consistent with the NPRM in scope and structure, the Final Rule does contain some changes, including with respect to clarity of the rule and thinking forward to compliance. 
    So, for example, we’ve selected clear technical thresholds for notifiable and prohibited transactions involving AI systems based on the amount of compute power to train an AI system that is open in the NPRM; refine how the rule applies to U.S. persons with investment banking authority and non-U.S. entity, such that it clearly applies only to those who actually exercise authority, for example; and clarifying with respect to compliance and enforcement with the rule. 
    And so, there are a number of areas where we have honed and focused and sharpened the rule since then, and those are some examples.
    SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Thanks for the question, Michael.  So, I will say we do have existing authorities to address the threat you were discussing.  So, for example, Treasury has authorities — the Chinese military industrial complex sanctions regulations that are intended to address U.S. persons from purchasing or selling publicly traded securities and companies that are involved in this sector, and there are others as well. 
    MODERATOR:  Next up, we’ll go to the line of Anita Powell.
    Q    Thank you so much.  As you guys are surely aware, Elon Musk is developing a data center in China to train the algorithm to work on self-driving cars.  That’s a lot simpler than I think it really is.  But anyway, is this the type of investment that might be restricted under this new rule?  Can you just kind of flesh that out for us?
    SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Sure.  Happy to start. 
    Look, I don’t think we’re going to get into hypothetical scenarios, but just reiterate some of the points that I’ve said. 
    What the rule is really targeted on is capital and the intangibles that can flow from such American capital to go into the development of PRC-based — not just based, but PRC-based entities that are developing these advanced technologies.  And so, that’s sort of the scope of the rule. 
    And one thing I will mention is that Treasury will provide some guidance and other documents during this interim period before the rule goes online.  That’s certainly our intent to help flesh this out.  But I think going back to the core tenets of the rule is the best way to answer that.
    MODERATOR:  Next up, we’ll go to the line of (inaudible).
    Q    Yeah, hi.  Thanks for doing this and for taking my question.  Could you talk a little bit more about the engagement with allies and partners in the process of finalizing this rule, specifically which allies specifically you engaged with and whether there are any allies who are going to create similar rules of their own?  Thank you.
    SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  [Senior administration official], maybe you could start with engagements with allies that you’ve had, but then maybe, [senior administration official], if we could go to you, you could talk a little bit about the G7 as well.  That might be helpful.
    SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:   Yeah, sure.  Thanks. 
    So, in terms of — just to sort of put a topper before going to [senior administration official], we’ve had a number of engagements with partners and allies, which have resulted in not only sort of technical exchanges about what we are doing and why we’re doing it, but also various statements.  And [senior administration official] will allude to one of them with regard to the G7, but obviously the European Commission and the United Kingdom have made statements in support of these goals.  And so, it’s an ongoing process and one that will continue.
    SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Yeah, and just to add on to what [senior administration official] said, this is something that, you know, even from the White House level we engage with our closest allies and partners on.  And [senior administration official] referenced, you know, a line in the G7 leaders’ statement from Apulia early this year that refers to, you know, recognizing that appropriate measures designed to address risk from outbound investments are important to complement our existing toolkit. 
    So, it’s a conversation that we’re frequently having with our key partners and allies.
    MODERATOR:  And we have time for one more.  We’ll go to the line of Patrick Tucker.
    Q    Hey.  Thanks.  Patrick Tucker from Defense One.
    So, when you say the rule prohibits people from acquiring equity in a PRC entity that manufactures semiconductors that might be used in autonomous weapons systems or that might be repurposed for AI penetration testing, is that based on an observation that there are U.S. firms that currently have investments in those areas of autonomous weaponry and penetration testing for China?  Or are you making the rule now in anticipation that firms might begin to invest in that sort of thing?  I’m trying to get a sense of the degree to which U.S. firms have exposure and have willingly made investments in these areas of the Chinese military.
    SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  So let me start, [senior administration official], and then perhaps, [senior administration official], pass it to you. 
    I think what we are worried about, which I would focus on, is the kinds of scenarios that we have outlined, which is supported by data.  And one statistic that comes to mind — and I won’t get it exactly right, so I’d refer you to the Georgetown Center for — I think it’s Technology — that had a statistic that said something to the effect of: For a five-year period, I think between 2016 and 2020 or 2021, 17 percent of investment in Chinese artificial intelligence companies included U.S. participation, and of that, 91 percent was at the venture capital stage. 
    I think if you think about those sets of facts and scenarios, that’s the kind of situation that when it comes to certain artificial intelligence capable of impacting our national security, from military intelligence, cyber, other related perspectives, that’s what we’re concerned about. 
    SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Yeah, I would just add to that that part of the motivation, as we were looking at some case studies to inform the development of this executive order and the regulation, actually was focused on cybersecurity, where we had a number — we saw a number of VC investments directly into firms working on cybersecurity that ended up on the entity list for working with Chinese military or intelligence services.
    MODERATOR:  Thanks, everyone, for joining.  That’s all the time we have for today.  As a reminder, this call was on background, attributable to senior administration officials, and the contents of the call are embargoed until 5:00 p.m. Eastern. 
    We’ll follow up shortly with embargoed materials as well. but do reach out to us, to the NSC or Treasury, with any questions in the meantime.  Thanks so much.
    3:00 P.M. EDT  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: What performances to go to with children. Yuri Kuklachev’s choice

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    On the stages of Moscow theaters you can see a variety of performances for young viewers – from classic fairy tales to modern works. People’s Artist of the RSFSR Yuri Kuklachev tells us which productions will give bright impressions to children and teenagers.

    “For miracles to happen, you need to go towards them yourself! Therefore, I invite everyone to the most extraordinary performances that give hope, charge with vigor and excellent mood. In these productions, both fairy-tale heroes and modern characters that we meet every day come to life, the action is filled with music, songs, dances and incredible circus tricks, and some even involve furry artists of the Cat Theater. I advise you not to miss it and enjoy it with the whole family!” says Yuri Kuklachev.

    “The Little Humpbacked Horse” at the Moscow Children’s Variety Theatre

    Address: Baumanskaya street, house 32, building 1

    Dates: November 10, December 1

    Age limit: 6

    The musical theatrical performance in folk style at the Moscow Children’s Variety Theatre was created based on the fairy tale of the same name by Pyotr Yershov. Together with the main characters, Ivan and his faithful friend and assistant the Little Humpbacked Horse, the audience will visit a fair, the royal palace and even the seabed. The familiar story from childhood will be revealed in a new way by musical numbers combining folk motifs and modern sounds.

    You can buy tickets on mos.ru.

    “Cats Show” at the Kuklachev Cat Theatre

    Address: Kutuzovsky Prospect, Building 25

    Dates: November 12, 19, 20, 21, 22, December 1

    Age limit: 6

    A circus troupe arrives in town: magicians, clowns, trainers, acrobats and dancers. The cunning and wily director of the program meets a tramp on the street and offers him to become a handyman in his team. Once in the circus, the hero gets acquainted with life behind the scenes – its intrigues and rivalries, friendship and love.

    The production includes illusionists and, of course, four-legged artists – cats and dogs.

    You can buy tickets on mos.ru.

    “Fedorino grief” at the Children’s Musical Theatre of the Young Actor

    Address: Malaya Dmitrovka street, house 8, building 4

    Dates: November 17, December 7, January 26

    Age limit: 0

    Fedora is such a slob and a dirty girl that her things don’t want to live with her anymore: the sieve and trough have galloped away across the fields and meadows, the shovel and broom have gone, the iron and saucepan have run away. There’s nothing to do – Fedora will have to go looking for them. The actors on stage will portray frying pans, cups, spoons and even cats, and the audience will learn what to do so that things don’t want to leave their owners.

    The play was based on the fairy tale of the same name in verse by Korney Chukovsky.

    Tickets – on mos.ru.

    “In a Busy Place” at the Tereza Durova Theatre

    Address: Pavlovskaya street, building 6

    Date: November 28

    Age limit: 16

    The play by Alexander Ostrovsky was transferred to the stage of the Tereza Durova Theatre by director Irina Pakhomova, presenting a plot at the intersection of melodrama, comedy and detective, and conveying the bustle of the inn with bright colours and folk motifs.

    You won’t get bored in a busy place – there is carousing, robbery, treachery and love. While they are treating you in one room, they are robbing you in another. In every impulse, good or bad, there is spiritual passion and true Russian fearlessness.

    You can buy tickets on mos.ru.

    Samurai Sword and Venetian Carnival. Tereza Durova on plays in which children act

    “Visiting Grandfather Durov” at the “Grandfather Durov’s Corner” theater

    Address: Durova street, house 4, building 2

    Date: November 21

    Age limit: 0

    The performance dedicated to the founder of the theater, the famous trainer and artist Vladimir Durov, is created in the format of a divertissement – numbers not connected by a common plot will follow one another. But they are united, of course, by love for animals. Children will get acquainted with the actors of “Grandfather Durov’s Corner”: dogs, cats, goats, raccoons, a fennec fox, ferrets, crows and monkeys.

    Tickets – on mos.ru.

    “The Tale of the Soldier and the Firebird and the Stupid Queen” at the Moscow Children’s Fairytale Theatre

    Address: Bolshoy Fakelny Lane, Building 18, Bldg. 2

    Date: November 2

    Age limit: 6

    The main character of the production, the Soldier, is a man who is experienced, but trusting, lives with an open heart. But whether the stupid queen has a heart is a big question, she is so greedy, stupid and stupid. But in good fairy tales, good always prevails, so the Soldier will overcome all the tests: he will defeat the deceitful merchant and the treacherous minister, and will also meet love – the beautiful Mashenka.

    You can buy tickets on mos.ru.

    “Well Done, Tom Thumb!” at the Moscow Puppet Theatre

    Address: Bazhova street, house 9

    Date: November 17

    Age limit: 6

    Many people know the tale of Tom Thumb in the version by the Brothers Grimm, and the Moscow Puppet Theater based it on Nikolai Shuvalov’s play. Together with the young and brave spectators, the cheerful and resourceful hero will stroll along new paths of the famous story and reveal the meaning of the proverb “Small but precious.”

    You can buy tickets on mos.ru.

    “Alice in Wonderland” at the Folklore Center “Moscow”

    Address: Barclay Street, Building 9

    Dates: November 10 and 23, December 7

    Age limit: 6

    Gleb Matveychuk’s musical based on the famous fairy tale by Lewis Carroll will surely appeal not only to children, but also to their parents.

    Alice sees a dream full of metaphors, riddles and unusual adventures. Will she be able to show courage, bravery and perseverance to find the way home, win the fight with the cruel Red Queen and wake up?

    Viewers will see a story of first love, attempts to find answers to important everyday and philosophical questions, as well as an unexpected twist on a familiar plot.

    Tickets – on mos.ru.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    https://vvv.mos.ru/nevs/item/145926073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Young Muscovites create cartoons about SVO participants and veterans of the Great Patriotic War

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    Pupils extracurricular activities center “Na Sumsky”created the cartoon “A Minute of Holy Memory”, dedicated to the fighters of the special military operation (SVO) and veterans of the Great Patriotic War. This is the first computer animation of the senior children of the advanced level group of the studio “Tryam!” The work won the city multimedia competition “We are Muscovites”.

    The studio’s youngest students – preschoolers – prepared drawings with wishes for the special operation participants, which also appear in the cartoon.

    “The cartoon is based on a poem by the poet Alexei Shmelev, who helps the SVO fighters. The guys were very active in creating the cartoon, they worked harmoniously, as one team. When it was necessary to come up with the main character – a soldier, he was copied from the older brother of one of the studio members,” said Lyubov Lazareva, the head of the animation studio.

    Now the children are creating a new project dedicated to the upcoming 80th anniversary of the Victory. The educational cartoon will be filmed using computer animation. It will illustrate the movements of troops on the world map. To accurately convey the facts, the children studied and recreated on the screen models of military equipment from the Great Patriotic War.

    In addition, the studio participants weave tactical bracelets for the SVO fighters and write letters to them.

    The guys from the “Art Modeling in 3D” studio also support the participants of the special operation. Under the guidance of teachers, they developed models of keychains in the form of a house, a heart, the sun and the word “thank you”, and then printed them on a 3D printer and sent them to the fighters on the front lines.

    “Our students, having received feedback – a video message from servicemen, were very inspired to create new functional household items, which are so necessary today in the SVO. They decided to develop a model of a compact stand for a phone. We are already preparing the first batch of such products,” said Anna Dzhunkovskaya, head of the Art Modeling in 3D studio.

    The extracurricular activity center “Na Sumsky” was founded in 1918. Currently, 5.5 thousand children study there, they attend 328 clubs and sections.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    https://vvv.mos.ru/nevs/item/145931073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China deplores US rule on investment restrictions

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    China deplores and rejects the latest U.S. rule on investment restrictions aimed at China, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Tuesday.

    Lin made the remarks at a daily press briefing when asked to respond to reports that the Biden administration has finalized restrictions on investments by U.S. individuals and companies into advanced tech in China, including the semiconductor, quantum computing and AI sectors.

    Lin said China deplores and rejects the United States’ Final Rule to curb investment in China. “China has protested to the United States and will take all measures necessary to firmly defend its lawful rights and interests.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Taupō SH1 maintenance jumps the queue

    Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

    A major change in the scheduling of the maintenance on SH1 between Tīrau and Waiouru has seen the closure of the East Taupō Arterial section of SH1 brought forward to Monday 11 November until 6 December 2024. 

    The work required on the East Taupō Arterial road includes rebuilding 2.5km of the road, adjusting median barriers, clearing the shoulders, repairing signs and adding in new line marking.  

    NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi Regional Manager of Maintenance and Operations for Waikato and Bay of Plenty, Roger Brady, says this change in scheduling has a range of benefits for road users and the wider Taupō community.  

    “There are a number of large events planned in November and December in Taupō, including the Cycle Challenge and Ironman 70.3 World Championship(external link). Changing the sequence of our work on SH1 means we avoid causing considerable disruption to competitors and spectators during the lead up and at the events. 
       
    “We had originally planned on a second SH1 closure between Ātiamuri to Wairakei to happen before this Christmas, but the work on that section will now take place in spring 2025. As a result we can fit in the work on the East Taupō Arterial section of SH1 before Christmas.  

    “Once completed, we would only need to come back for the final surfacing early next year, minimising the overall impact of motorists. 

    “We’ve worked closely with Taupō District Council (TDC) to understand the best timing for closing the various sections and believe together we have come up with a solution that is best for the wider Taupō community. TDC are able to incorporate road works they need to do into our closure, and they have helped to shape our traffic management to minimise disruption as much as possible. We’d like to extend our thanks to TDC for working so collaboratively with us.  

    “We’d also like to thank the Taupō community and businesses for their understanding and patience. We know that we haven’t been able to provide much notice, but this short-term disruption will be worth it in the long run.” 

    Taupō will be very busy during December and there will be pressure on the highways and local roads in the area due to the various events as well as the road works. Motorists are encouraged to use the official detour via Broadlands Road and Ohaaki Road to SH5, and vice versa. The recommended detour adds an extra 45.5 km and approx. 32 min to journeys.

    Those travelling to north or south destinations either side of Taupō may prefer to utilise other state highway routes such as SH3, SH4 and SH49.  

    Putāruru to Tokoroa closures in December 

    SH1 between Tokoroa and upper Ātiamuri is currently closed, with the road rebuilding work progressing well.  Subject to this work being completed as planned by the end of November, the crews will then start work on the Putāruru to Tokoroa section in the last week of November. SH1 will be closed for approximately 4 weeks until Friday 20 December with all north and south bound vehicles being detoured 24/7. 

    “Crews are working hard to finish work on the Tokoroa to upper Ātiamuri. We are also depending on good weather. Once completed, over 24 lane kilometres, or nearly 130,000 square metres of road, will have been upgraded,” Mr Brady says.

    “As soon as crews are finished there, they will be moving north to the next section. We’re unable to work on both sections as it’s too disruptive to have both sections closed to the public at once.” 

    Specific work sites and final dates are expected to be confirmed in the coming week. Keep an eye on nzta.govt.nz/t2w for the latest updates.  

    This work forms part of the government’s $2.07 billion investment into road and drainage renewal and maintenance across 2024-27 via the State Highway Pothole Prevention fund.  

    Construction work on SH1 between Tokoroa and upper Ātiamuri.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: 241-2024: Services Restored: Wednesday 30 October 2024 – Biosecurity directions

    Source: Australia Government Statements – Agriculture

    30 October 2024

    Who does this notice affect?

    All clients anticipating the receipt of email notifications for biosecurity directions from the department.

    Information

    Restored time:

    As of: 14:10 Wednesday 30 October 2024 (AEDT).

    Detail:

    The unplanned service disruption to the department’s Agriculture Import Management System (AIMS) has been resolved. Clients will now receive email notifications for biosecurity…

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: New fire season resources to prepare the community

    Source: Victoria Country Fire Authority

    CFA is providing new materials and resources for its brigades and members to make sure they and the community are prepared for the summer season.

    As Fire Danger Periods begin, it’s critical that the community understands what activities they can and can’t do, particularly with open-air fires and the restrictions that apply during these times. 

    Last year, CFA launched a new series called ‘Can I or Can’t I?’ that focused on topics such as camp fires, barbecues, burning off, and explaining what people can and cannot do on a Total Fire Ban days or during Fire Danger Periods. We have added some new topics to this series in response to the growing demand for information about firepits and other outdoor cooking. The new artwork comprises flyers, posters, animations, and more detailed content online. 

    Many of these topics have also been translated into 12 languages, which are available on the Languages section of the CFA website. This includes the new resources about fire pits and outdoor cooking, and the majority of the ‘Can I or Can’t I?’ series of animations including camp fires, travel, burning off, and barbecues. 

    We also have a range of other translated material including smoke alarms, urban grassfires, and Fire Danger Ratings. These resources include simplified fact sheets, animations and audio. 

    Alongside out assets we also support the Victorian Government’s ‘How well do you know fire?’ campaign, which will continue to emphasise how everyone has a shared responsibility to stay safe and how unpredictable fires can be. As with previous years, this campaign started in October and will continue to the end of the summer with prepare, leave early and traveller messages.  

    People should begin preparing for the fire season as soon as possible. Preparing your property and having a fire plan in place could save your life. Visit How well do you know fire? | vic.gov.au 

    There is also a new online fire planner, that allows people to create a fire plan that can be customised to their needs and shared with family and friends. You can develop your plan here: Online Fire Planner | Victoria State Government 

    Submitted by Nancy Thompson

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: DoD Releases National Defense Industrial Strategy Implementation Plan

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    The Department of Defense (DoD) today published the unclassified National Defense Industrial Strategy Implementation Plan (NDIS-IP), detailing how the DoD will achieve the four strategic priorities laid out in the NDIS. Released by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy (OASD(IBP)), the document outlines ongoing and future actions that DoD is taking, to modernize the defense industrial base.

    The NDIS-IP describes six cross-cutting initiatives and associated lines of effort, which will enable the DoD to achieve a more resilient defense industrial ecosystem and buy-down risks. In addition to detailing the work being done across the Services and DoD components, the NDIS-IP demonstrates activities and initiatives that the U.S. Government, private industry, and international allies and partners are undertaking, emphasizing that this effort cannot be a DoD-only initiative.

    “Publishing the NDIS was a significant accomplishment as we work to strengthen the size and resilience of our industrial base,” Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment William LaPlante said, “But we’ve always said that it was only the first step—implementation is what really matters. While we still have a lot of work ahead of us, this implementation plan is showing that we remain focused on putting words into tangible actions.”    

     “This implementation plan offers industry, global allies, and partners clear direction on the Department’s priorities for industrial capacity building.” said Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy, Dr. Laura Taylor-Kale. “Implementing these initiatives will require coordinated efforts across the DoD, and support and cooperation from our interagency, industry, and international stakeholders, as well as our champions in Congress.” 

    An NDIS-IP Classified Annex is forthcoming and will further detail vulnerabilities and articulate the necessary steps the DoD is taking to ensure its resilience and strength. The unclassified NDIS-IP and a corresponding factsheet are available here.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Pacific Marine saves two from drowning in Hawaii

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    HONOLULU, Hawaii  –  

    On June 16, 2023, U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Sean Olson, administrative clerk, Headquarters and Service Battalion, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, went to China Walls, a favorite cliff-jumping spot on Oahu’s coast. The cliffs, known for their stunning ocean views and crystal-clear waters, regularly draws crowds seeking both thrills and relaxation. The sea was restless that day, its waves beginning to stir and crashing against the rocks. Olson, a former lifeguard, had seen rough waters before, but nothing could have prepared him for what came next.

    The casual events of the day quickly shifted when Olson spotted a young woman struggling to stay afloat in the rough surf below the cliffs. Olson’s instincts kicked in as he began to monitor the situation. He knew all too well how quickly the ocean’s mood can change. As the waves rose, the young woman fought to keep her head above water. Without hesitation, he leapt into the sea.

    As the situation intensified, Olson’s training and experience took over. “As soon as I saw her plunge into the water, that’s when I knew it was time to jump in,” said Olson.

    He reached the panicked woman, who was thrashing in the water and remained calm as he steadied her, allowing them to navigate through the hazardous surf. Battling strong currents and waves that seemed to crash harder with every second, Olson skillfully brought the woman through the waves and to safety at the base of the cliffs.

    Just as the adrenaline of the rescue subsided, another figure caught Olson’s attention- a second woman who was further out, intoxicated, and struggling to stay afloat. Despite the exhaustion setting in, Olson jumped back into the water. He reached the woman and began guiding her when a wave crashed over him, slamming him into the cliffs. Protecting his head with his arms, he felt a sharp sting as his back scraped the surface, leaving a deep gash.

    Olson’s former lifeguard skills were sharpened by his time in the Marine Corps, where water survival training is a continuous effort. “I want to be a MCIWS, a Marine Corps Water Instructor, it’s pretty much what got me into the Marine Corps,” Olson said afterward. His swift and decisive actions that day reflected not only his physical abilities but also his mental resilience, a combination of both his civilian and military experiences.

    For his bravery and quick-thinking actions, Cpl. Olson was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal. His selfless act at China Walls, putting his own safety at risk to save others, is a testament to his dedication both as a Marine and as a person. In addition to the commendation, Cpl. Olson was also meritoriously promoted during the ceremony for his continuous hard work and dedication to his unit. His colleagues and superiors celebrated both achievements, highlighting the positive impact he continues to have within the community.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ8: Members of public engaging in outdoor activities under inclement weather

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    LCQ8: Members of public engaging in outdoor activities under inclement weather
    LCQ8: Members of public engaging in outdoor activities under inclement weather
    ******************************************************************************

         Following is a question by the Hon Steven Ho and a written reply by the Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung, in the Legislative Council today (October 30): Question:      It has been reported that whenever a typhoon hits Hong Kong, some members of the public will recklessly disregard warnings and purposely go to the seaside to “chase wind”, and some people will even engage in outdoor activities such as hiking and surfing under extreme weather. There are views pointing out that such behaviour not only endangers their own lives and safety, but also wastes the Government’s rescue resources and leads to casualties among rescuers. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council: (1) of the following information on cases received by the Government in each of the past five years where members of the public encountered danger and sought assistance while engaging in outdoor activities when weather warnings were in force: the number of such cases, the types of outdoor activities involved, the number of search and rescue (S&R) personnel, the casualties among the S&R personnel, and the public expenditure involved; (2) given that the existing legislation empowers the authorities to close beaches or country parks when necessary, and it is an offence to enter such closed beaches or country parks without permission, of the number of prosecutions instituted by the authorities in the past three years in respect of the aforesaid offence; (3) of the work undertaken by the Government in the past three years to prohibit members of the public from entering dangerous areas such as waterfronts, riversides and hills when weather warnings were in force (including putting up notices and disseminating warning messages through the media), as well as the expenditure involved (with a breakdown by work initiative); and (4) whether it has considered imposing charges on those members of the public who encounter danger and seek assistance as a result of riskily engaging in outdoor activities under inclement weather (e.g. requiring them to bear a certain proportion of the S&R expenditure), so as to achieve a deterrent effect; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that? Reply: President,      The Government strongly discourages the public from taking risks to engage in outdoor activities under inclement weather. It will continue to remind members of the public through various channels of the risks of engaging in outdoor activities under inclement weather, and step up enforcement actions. Under extreme weather conditions, such as when the Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8 or above, or the Black Rainstorm Warning are in force, mountain-climbing or other water sports activities will become even more dangerous. In case of an accident, it will also put rescuers in a dangerous situation.      In consultation with the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau and the Environment and Ecology Bureau, our consolidated reply to the question raised by the Hon Steven Ho is as follows: (1) Between January 1, 2020 and September 30, 2024, the Fire Services Department (FSD), the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF), and the Government Flying Service have been deployed for mountain rescue arising from camping or hiking and immersion incidents arising from swimming or surfing when an Amber, Red or Black Rainstorm Warning, or Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 3 or above was in force. Details are as follows:

    Year
    Number of mountain rescue incidents
    Staff deployed
    Number of immersion incidents
    Staff deployed

    2020
    1
    22
    2
    32

    2021
    5
    58
    2
    38

    2022
    10
    71
    1
    33

    2023
    23
    352
    16
    334

    2024(as at September 30)
    21
    146
    3
    72

          The above deployments did not result in any casualties among the rescuers. The rescue teams have not maintained a statistical breakdown of the operating cost. (2) As far as temporary closure of beaches is concerned, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) has, in addition to giving advice on multiple occasions, issued a total of four verbal warnings in the past three years to persons entering/intending to enter temporarily closed beaches for water sports activities. During the period, no prosecution was instituted against non-compliance with the temporary closure of beaches.      As regards the hoisting of red flags at unclosed beaches, the LCSD has, in addition to giving advice on multiple occasions, successfully instituted one prosecution against water sports activities illegally conducted within the area of gazetted beaches in the past three years. Furthermore, during the law enforcement operation at Big Wave Bay Beach on October 25, 2024, two members of the public were found to have committed the acts of illegal surfing during hoisting of red flags at the unclosed beach, suspected of contravening the Bathing Beaches Regulation. An investigation by the LCSD is underway into such a case and prosecution is under consideration.      On the other hand, in the past three years, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) had not closed country parks due to inclement weather. The AFCD will consider the closure of country parks having regard to the actual situation and when necessary. (3) During temporary closure of beaches and hoisting of red flags at unclosed beaches, beach staff will advise or verbally warn members of the public who are oblivious to the dangers at sea for their action jeopardising their own safety and that of rescuers. The LCSD will also consider instituting prosecutions against wrongdoers to serve as deterrence. Generally, members of the public heed the advice from the staff in virtually all cases. The above work does not involve additional expenditure.      When adverse weather warnings (such as Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 3 or Rain Storming Warnings) are about to be issued or while these are in force, the AFCD will appeal to members of the public to refrain from going to the country parks through news broadcasts and social media platforms. Moreover, the AFCD will regularly utilise the social media and other communication channels to promote hiking safety, and remind members of the public to avoid visiting country parks during adverse weather. The above work forms part of the AFCD management of country parks, and therefore does not involve additional expenditure.      Whenever a Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal is in force, the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) will remind the public to stay away from the shoreline and refrain from conducting any water sports activities. When a Rainstorm Warning Signal is in force, the HKO will remind the public to stay away from watercourses, and to stay alert to the possible dangers of flooding of the watercourses even after the Rainstorm Warning is cancelled. Other weather warnings or alerts are also accompanied by corresponding points to note. The HKO currently disseminates the above information to the public through various channels, including the HKO’s website, the mobile application MyObservatory, and social media platforms. The relevant operation and maintenance expenses have been subsumed into the recurrent cost of the HKO which cannot be further broken down. (4) The Government has always accorded top priority to public safety and the protection of people’s life and property. When calls for various emergencies are received, the HKPF and the FSD will immediately assess the nature of each incident and deploy appropriate resources to the scene.      The Government strongly discourages the public from taking risks to perform outdoor activities under inclement weather, as these activities will bring significant risks not only to the members of the public themselves, but also to the rescue personnel deployed in case of emergency. Notwithstanding the above, people’s lives are a top priority, and the Government will provide effective, reliable and efficient emergency services to people in distress or in need under all circumstances. The last thing we want to see is those in need being deterred from seeking emergency call services due to any reasons, including the charging of a levy.

     
    Ends/Wednesday, October 30, 2024Issued at HKT 12:20

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ1: Promoting digital corporate identity

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         â€‹Following is a question by the Hon Shang Hailong and a reply by the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, in the Legislative Council today (October 30):
     
    Question:
     
         The Financial Secretary has indicated in the 2024-2025 Budget that the Government will set up a “Digital Corporate Identity” (CorpID) Platform to enable authentication of identity of enterprises using electronic government services or conducting online business transactions in a secure, convenient and efficient manner. The Government’s goal is to roll out the Platform progressively from end‑2026 onwards. However, there are views pointing out that notwithstanding the pressing demand of enterprises for CorpID, the Government’s progress in the relevant work appears to be slightly slow. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
     
    (1) given that the Digital Policy Office has been established since July this year, whether the Office can give priority to the work on setting up the CorpID Platform, so that the target launch date of the Platform will be advanced to 2025;
     
    (2) as there are views that the current utilisation rate of personal digital certificate is on the low side, and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) may also be less inclined to adopt CorpID in the future, of the Government’s plan in place to publicise CorpID’s functions, and whether it will consider providing incentives to promote more extensive use of CorpID by SMEs, thereby facilitating smart city development; and
     
    (3) whether it will consider introducing new eligibility criteria for future funding schemes of enterprises, such as accepting applications only from SMEs using CorpID, so as to enhance their participation in CorpID?

    Reply：
     
    President,
     
         Promoting the development of smart city and digital economy in Hong Kong is one of the development directions of the Hong Kong Innovation and Technology Development Blueprint. The Digital Policy Office (DPO) is expediting the development of relevant digital infrastructure, including the development of the “Digital Corporate Identity” (CorpID) Platform, to support digital and intelligent transformation.
     
         My reply to the questions raised by the Hon Shang is as follows:

    (1) The CorpID Platform provides various functions, including corporate identity authentication, digital signing, pre-filling of forms and storage of digital licences and permits, etc, which facilitate corporations to undergo corporate identity authentication and corporate signature verification in a secure, convenient and efficient manner when using e-government services or conducting online transactions, hence alleviating the current paper-based and complicated procedures.

         The CorpID Platform is a brand new and complex large-scale digital infrastructure. The DPO must make adequate preparation and conduct comprehensive testing, including security risk assessment and audit, third party independent testing, as well as cybersecurity testing, etc, to ensure the security and reliability of the Platform. Since the Legislative Council approved of its funding in June this year, we have been pressing ahead with the project at full speed, including the collection of business requirements from stakeholders to ensure that the system design and functionalities meet the needs of different public and commercial application scenarios.

         The DPO strives to invite tender within this year and award the contract for design and development of the system in the middle of next year, with a view to launching the CorpID Platform progressively from end-2026. On the premise of ensuring system security and stability, the DPO will explore the feasibility of compressing the timeline.

    (2) and (3) The CorpID will offer users a corporate-based digital certificate. The Government has been driving the application of digital certificates. At present, digital certificates are being used in many domain areas including “iAM Smart”, “Government-to-Business” services (such as the Government Electronic Trading Services) and “Business-to-Business” services (such as financial services, secure email transmission), etc. With the growing number of citizens using “iAM Smart” and the launch of the CorpID Platform, the adoption of digital certificates will be further promoted.

         The DPO plans to implement the following measures to attract and encourage corporations and government departments to use the CorpID:
     

    in collaboration with the government departments that have business dealings with corporations, roll out several functions through connecting with the CorpID Platform. The DPO will also require all corporate-related e-government services to support the use of the CorpID within 18 months after its launch;
     
    through a Sandbox Programme, the service providers interested in supporting the CorpID can conduct proof-of-concept testing and develop their applications to design application scenarios and solutions that better meet the market demands;
     
    consider integrating the CorpID Platform with other corporate identity standards widely adopted in the industries for interoperability; 
     
    facilitate registration by enabling applicants to submit online applications through the CorpID Platform and create their CorpID once verified successfully, so that they can complete the application process while staying indoors; and
     
    publicise and promote the convenience and main functions of the CorpID to the industry through diversified channels, including websites, social media and communications platforms, promotional videos, industry organisation activities, etc. 

         The above work will help government departments and corporations better understand the functions, advantages and applicability of the CorpID Platform. Various departments can also utilise the CorpID as a technical solution for identity authentication and digital signing in accordance with their own policies, individual project objectives, development needs and technical requirements, etc, to facilitate the implementation of various policy measures in order to enhance efficiency and benefit the public and businesses.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Quotations invited for tenancies at Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Quotations invited for tenancies at Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port
    Quotations invited for tenancies at Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port
    ********************************************************************************

         The Government Property Agency (GPA) is inviting two separate quotations for (i) Shop No. 302 and (ii) Shop No. 306, both on Ground Floor, Passenger Clearance Building, 33 Shun Fai Road, Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port, Lantau, Hong Kong, each for a three-year tenancy subject to the provisions for renewal for a further term of two years.     Both premises should only be used for general retail and/or services purposes excluding storage, sale or display of:(1) dutiable goods as defined under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (Cap. 109), unless the premises have been issued with a warehouse licence under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (Cap. 109);(2) duty-paid goods as defined under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (Cap. 109); and(3) goods, merchandise or commodities that are from time to time prohibited from import into Hong Kong under the laws of Hong Kong.     The decision of the landlord as to what constitutes goods, merchandise or commodities under (3) above shall be final, conclusive and binding on the tenant. All references in the Form of Tenancy Agreement to the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (Cap. 109) shall include any regulations made thereunder and any amending legislation.     The quotation notices were uploaded today (October 30) to the GPA Property Portal: www.gpaproperty.gov.hk/en/index.html. Quotation documents are available for collection at the GPA, 9/F, South Tower, West Kowloon Government Offices, 11 Hoi Ting Road, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon, during the period from 9am to 6pm from Monday to Friday, except public holidays. The documents can also be downloaded from the GPA Property Portal.     Interested bidders who wish to conduct a site inspection of the premises should make a prior appointment with the GPA by calling 3842 6915 or 3842 6917 on or before November 6.     Bidders must submit their quotations by placing them in the GPA Quotation Box placed at the Ground Floor Lobby, South Tower, West Kowloon Government Offices, 11 Hoi Ting Road, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon, before noon on November 19. Late quotations will not be accepted.

     
    Ends/Wednesday, October 30, 2024Issued at HKT 12:30

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Interview with Loretta Hart, 94.7 The Pulse

    Source: Australian Ministers 1

    LORETTA HART, HOST: As we celebrate 50 years of community radio in Australia, we’re featuring women doing great things in the sector and those making an impact on it. One such woman is my next guest, someone who is a champion for all things community broadcasting, the Honourable Michelle Rowland, Minister for Communications. Welcome to the program.

    MICHELLE ROWLAND, MINISTER FOR COMMUNICATIONS: Great to be with you. 

    HART:  And we’ve also been joined by Libby Coker in the studio as well, our Federal Member for Corangamite. Welcome, Libby.

    LIBBY COKER, FEDERAL MEMBER FOR CORANGAMITE: Welcome to you too. It’s great to be with you.

    HART: And look, I can’t go past that we actually got our station manager. Leo. Leo, welcome back from long service leave.

    LEO RENKIN, 94.7 STATION MANAGER: Thank you, Loretta. It’s been a very entertaining first day.

    HART: Absolutely. So, Michelle, you know, we know that the Labor Government introduced community radio back in the ‘70s. Can you share with us the importance of community broadcasting and radio, what- the importance it holds for the Government of today?

    ROWLAND: It’s absolutely an essential part of our media ecosystem, and I think it is opportune to reflect when Gough Whitlam started community broadcasting 50 years ago, it was referred to as experimental. So this was a step into the unknown about what can be done with this very valuable resource we call spectrum. I think it was one of the wisest moves that’s been made in communications regulation in this country, because where community broadcasting fits in in this whole ecosystem is it provides the heavy lifting that’s been done on media diversity. We are one of the most concentrated media ownership markets in the world, and to have hundreds of community broadcasters right around Australia serving localism, supported by volunteers, having connections with community.

    I’m really privileged to be here, just seeing the connections that you have with individuals, with community, how you reflect the local area. You try and think of another media format that can do that. You can’t. You can’t do it on a digital platform. You can’t do it in a profit making commercial broadcasting sense. It’s done through people who want to make a difference. Meeting Marwa, earlier from Syria, one of your stars. Clearly, that’s been life changing for her and she’s found a place here. I just think that says it all. It says everything about community broadcasting, community radio. It really does bring people together. Congratulations to The Pulse for clearly doing it so well. You really are the epitome of why we support this sector.

    HART:  Thank you so much. You used the word experimental, and I know we’re 50 years on, but I would say it still feels experimental. We have this opportunity to bring in new voices, to try new things to be nimble, which is such an exciting place for us to be. I’m wondering, Michelle, you know, as we move into this on demand lifestyle, I watch everything these days on – when it suits me on the TV, people are into their podcasts. Where do you see community radio fitting into this on demand space?

    ROWLAND: I think community radio is going to continue to innovate. Everyone thought radio was going to die with the advent of the iPod and then the iPhone, but community radio has really still found its place. You can find the app; you can listen to it anywhere you want. We’ve introduced a prominence framework in Australia as well to make local content easier to find. I think that the sector will continue to adapt, and I think it does it through two ways. Firstly, it is that local element, but it also is able to connect. It’s two-way. It’s not television. It’s two-way. When you have those personalities that are able to engage, continue to innovate through innovations like podcasting. Podcasting is one of those things, you know, it took off a few years ago, as did- we saw it with the ABC developing iView to have a library. Community broadcasting is doing the same thing, and it’s that kind of innovation that is going to keep it strong. But the key thing here, I’m sure Libby will agree, you need people. You need people, which goes to the whole reason why we’re doing the first really deep sustainability dive into the sector. You can’t operate for profit, but sponsorships are harder to come by. Volunteerism is on the decline, that’s just a fact. So we’ve got to look at new ways of support, and you’ve got to be able to attract people to be part of this. You’re doing it so well here. I could tell as soon as I walked in – you’re very lucky, Libby, to be representing such a special electorate.

    COKER: Yeah. Thanks, Michelle. I’m very fond of The Pulse. It’s been a place where people can come together and it fills a unique niche in this region. We have commercial radio, but we are also quite limited in our range of media. So if you want to have an in-depth interview on an issue, you really need to come to The Pulse to do that. I wish you all the best, and hope you continue to go from strength to strength and be here for another 50 years. It’s an impressive effort.

    HART:  Thank you, Libby. We will hold you to helping us.

    COKER: Yes, I know you will.

    LEO RENKIN CO-HOST: Just one thing that we haven’t really mentioned is the people who go on from the community radio station as well. Like we have Stefan, who’s gone back to Serbia and now presents TV over there. We also have Michelle Rimmer, you might see who’s an ABC reporter over in the UK – they all get their start somewhere like here. It’s very important because most commercial stations and there’s very limited opportunities at the ABC to get experience, and without it, there would be a lot of people who couldn’t go on and make a career out of radio. I think it’s one of the most underrated, important things that happen, not only radio, TV they go onto as well.

    HART: Couldn’t agree more.

    RENKIN: Yeah. That’s part of I think that thing is getting harder and harder to get experience, particularly for people in the media. I think that’s one of the things that we often forget about. You know, coming to a place like we’ve spoken about Marwa this morning, coming to a place where you can then get a chance to go ahead and do those things in media. Without it, as you mentioned before, it’s not a very diverse sector in the media field.

    ROWLAND: I think it’s great that people who are in community broadcasting, like Rove McManus, you know, he got his start on community TV. They go on to great things. But we also want them to stay.

    RENKIN: Exactly.

    ROWLAND: To nurture others as well. So it becomes a virtuous cycle.

    RENKIN: That’s right. They get picked very quickly, yeah.

    HART:  That’s right. I keep telling Marwa not to be so good because SBS is going to find her. She’s our most downloaded program and does an amazing job for her community. But I think that’s right. I mean, and we’re really proud of the links that we’re making with Deakin to support young journalists, students, and those in communications and marketing to come in. I want to give a shout out we had a young man, Cooper Watkins. Cooper came and did an eight-week intro to broadcasting program with us. Just on the weekend, he hosted an hour program with three interviews, and then on Monday, did six interviews for a two-hour program. And he’s just finished his journalism degree. But he is eager to get his hands on these buttons, to get behind the microphone and to get experience.

    So you’re right, Leo. I think that whilst we can have diverse voices, we can have underrepresented stories being given some air, but we’re also a training ground. But you’re right, Michelle, we want people to stay as well. Yeah.

    RENKIN: I’ve got Loretta chained to the desk actually.

    [Laughter]

    I think one of the underrated things about community radio is, like we’ve seen this morning, a diverse group of people coming together, and I think that’s very important for social cohesion as well. We often think of everyone in the community being different, but a place where they can come together and be different is a very special thing to have.

    ROWLAND: Couldn’t agree more.

    HART:  Michelle, just lastly, what can we look forward to- as community broadcasters, what can we look forward to the Albanese Government supporting and providing in this space?

    ROWLAND: Well, I want to reiterate that this is a government that doesn’t just say we support community broadcasting. We’ve backed that up with $23 million in funding. We want to continue to make sure that this sector remains strong. The first Bill I actually presented to the Parliament as Minister was on community broadcasting to help ease some of that regulatory burden. We have the sustainability review that’s being finalised by my Department now. I think it’s been really important to go out and to consult with the sector about what their needs are. When that comes through, I’m sure it will have some really practical suggestions in there for reform.

    But as Libby will tell you too, you know, we want to be judged on our delivery. It’s really something to be able to go to- I’ve lost count of how many community radio stations I’ve been to or have been on around Australia. But I want to be clear to your listeners. We’re a Government of delivery. We’re not afraid of the hard reforms. There are hard things happening in the media at the moment. This sector is under great challenge through the multinational digital platforms, under great stress through just the transition as well. It’s not the advertising market that it used to be. It is hard. There has to be that adaptation across mainstream media, but also by every part of the ecosystem, including community and just discussions today. This is an area that’s not without its challenges, even here in Geelong.

    But I can give you this commitment that we want to follow through on ensuring sustainability. We are going to have to make some hard decisions. But you can be assured that with good people like Libby backing you up in the Parliament as well, I think that this is a universally supported sector. It’s one that actually goes right across the aisle. You get people from regional areas and from metro areas who do support community radio. So I think that the proposals that we will put up, I’m confident that they’ll have strong support. There’s always a need to do more. Let’s be clear. I want to do expectations management. There’s always a need to do more. With hundreds of community radio stations across Australia with so many thousands of volunteers, we do have to remember I think come back to first principles. This is the fourth estate. It’s about making sure that authentic Australian voices, entertainment, and news get out there. We’re in an era of mis- and disinformation that is harmful to our democracy. This fourth estate that you support here is the front row of that fight against it. That’s one of the key reasons why I’m so passionate about it.

    RENKIN: Can I just add to that, Loretta?

    HART: Yeah, well, you can, but you’ve got 30 seconds.

    RENKIN: Sorry, 30 seconds. We found in COVID that we did have enormous amount of people come to us from different ethnic groups and want us to promote the vaccination programs and things that were going on because the only information they were referring to was online stuff, information from their own country. So for example, they were getting information from Croatia about what was going on, and then trying to think that was what was going to go on in Australia. Well, it was completely wrong. So we had some of our presenters come in and say, we have to get this message out, we have to get this message out. I think that’s one of the things that we- you know, when you said before about being the fourth pillar, I suppose, is that we can provide information from local community groups and for the local community groups, the best thing they know is word of mouth. And if it comes from one of the representatives, and then-

    ROWLAND: They trust. 

    RENKIN: They trust, exactly.

    HART:  They do indeed. It’s been a very fantastic conversation this morning. Thanks so much to Leo. Thanks very much to Libby Coker. And also thanks so much, Michelle, for being here, our Federal Minister for Communications. It’s been wonderful to have you in the studio with us.

    ROWLAND: Absolute pleasure.

    COKER: Thank you.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ14: Improving the water quality of the Tsuen Wan waterfront

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         Following is a question by the Hon Joephy Chan and a written reply by the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, in the Legislative Council today (October 30):
     
    Question:
     
         In his 2022 Policy Address, the Chief Executive set a target of reducing the pollution load at identified outfalls emanating stench in specific districts (including Tsuen Wan) by half before the end of this year. It has been reported that the Government department concerned has indicated recently that the aforesaid target has been achieved ahead of the schedule, and the pollution load of the Tsuen Wan waterfront has been reduced by about 80 per cent. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
     
    (1) as it has been reported that the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) indicated last month that 70 cases of misconnection of drains had been found in Tsuen Wan and, among them, 36 cases had been rehabilitated or were under acceptance inspection, of the specific locations of such cases of drain misconnections and the specific rehabilitation measures taken; as for the remaining cases of drain misconnections pending rehabilitation, of the Government’s rehabilitation works plan and timetable;
     
    (2) as the EPD has indicated that following the rehabilitation of misconnected drains, the next task is to continue to identify other sources of pollutants, of the progress and targets of such task and the plans in place to monitor the water quality situation of the Tsuen Wan waterfront, for example, whether prosecution will be instituted against property owners involved in the misconnections of drains to prevent recurrence of similar problems; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
     
    (3) upon the completion of the drain rehabilitation works mentioned in (1), of the specific measures put in place by the Government to ensure that the drains can be effectively maintained and managed on a long-term basis, and whether such measures cover preventive maintenance and contingency rehabilitation plans; whether the Government will introduce new technologies to enhance the durability and operation efficiency of drains;
     
    (4) whether the Government has plans to extend across the territory the successful experience and fruitful outcomes of rehabilitating drains at the Tsuen Wan waterfront as well as the techniques applied, so as to improve the overall pollution load and odour intensity of the waterfront of Hong Kong; whether the Government will collaborate with environmental groups and experts to jointly take forward the work of ameliorating pollution at the waterfront;
     
    (5) as it has been reported that the Government has installed monitoring systems at the Tsuen Wan Sports Centre to monitor on an ongoing basis the odour changes of the Tsuen Wan waterfront, of the details of the data collected by such monitoring systems (including ways to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the data); of the water and air quality data of the Tsuen Wan waterfront collected by the Government over the past two years, and whether such data shows a trend of progressive improvement; and
     
    (6) whether the Government has short-term and long-term plans to continuously improve the water quality and odour of the Tsuen Wan waterfront; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

    Reply:
     
    President,

         The Government has all along been attached great importance to improving the water quality of Victoria Harbour. Since the launch of the Harbour Area Treatment Scheme by the Government, all sewage generated from both sides of Victoria Harbour, including Tsuen Wan District, has been intercepted and diverted to the Stonecutters Island Sewage Treatment Works for centralised treatment. As a result, the overall water quality of Victoria Harbour has improved significantly. The Cross Harbour Race, which was suspended for years due to poor water quality, has resumed since 2011 and has returned to its traditional route in the central area of Victoria Harbour since 2017. To further ameliorate the remaining near-shore water quality and odour problems of Victoria Harbour, the Chief Executive set out the target in the 2022 Policy Address to reduce the pollution load by half before end-2024 at stormwater outfalls with serious pollution problems along both sides of Victoria Harbour, in particular in Tsuen Wan, Sham Shui Po and Kowloon City districts. Since then, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) has conducted large-scale pollution source investigations mainly in the three priority areas mentioned above. More than 8 000 stormwater and sewage manholes have been inspected, with nearly 2 000 water samples collected for chemical and Escherichia coli (E. coli) level analyses. We have also identified pollution sources by way of dye-tracing tests, detection robot, ground penetrating radar (GPR), sonar inspection boat and other advanced equipment, while working closely with the Drainage Services Department (DSD) and the Buildings Department (BD) to rehabilitate defective sewers. With the progressive completion of rehabilitation works, the overall pollution load at the relevant outfalls in the above three priority areas has been reduced by about 80 per cent and the odour problem has also been ameliorated significantly, which is widely welcomed by residents in the vicinity. 
     
         My reply to the question raised by the Hon Joephy Chan is as follows:

    (1) Most of the cases found in Tsuen Wan District are concentrated in areas of earlier development, such as Chung On Street (Tai Pei Square, Yi Pei Square, Sam Pei Square and Sze Pei Square), Lo Tak Court and the area around Heung Wo Street, etc. To trace the pollution sources in Tsuen Wan District, the EPD made the best endeavour and inspected over 1 000 stormwater and sewage manholes, collected over 400 water samples for chemical and E. coli level analyses, and successfully identified a total of 70 locations of sewer misconnection in the district. With instant follow-ups and rectifications made in collaboration with the DSD and the BD, we have so far completed rehabilitation for 36 cases involving a higher pollution load, thereby reducing the overall pollution load by about 90 per cent. The distribution of sewer misconnection cases in the district is listed in Table 1. The remaining 34 sewer misconnection cases pending rectification are mainly confronted with a more complex construction environment or technical issues. For example, works are required to be carried out beneath busy vehicular accesses and in narrow back lanes with congested underground utilities, which significantly limit the available space for the works. Our target is to complete these remaining misconnection cases within this year to further improve the water quality and odour problem of the harbourfront in the district.

    (2) In terms of progress and target for continuous identification of pollution sources, the EPD has implemented a continuous monitoring programme in Tsuen Wan District and adopted innovative tracking methods, including installing surveillance camera systems inside stormwater manholes at certain strategic locations to perform around-the-clock flow monitoring inside the manholes. When abnormal discharge is detected, the intelligence function will immediately issue an alert message for taking prompt follow-up actions. Compared with the traditional method of deploying staff to open manholes for inspection every time, this new method can monitor the flow of sewage from upstream into the stormwater systems continuously and identify the pollution sources, thus saving manpower. Besides, the EPD has applied other innovative technologies to monitor the conditions of drains, including deploying a sonar inspection boat and using a GPR to scan underground drains and sewers, which enable the generation of instant images to show the connections of underground stormwater drains and nearby sewers without digging up the roads. In order to continuously monitor the water quality of the Tsuen Wan harbourfront, the EPD has also set up three regular near-shore water quality monitoring stations at the near-shore locations of Tsuen Wan Bay near the outfalls of Tai Chung Road, Ma Tau Pa Road and Tai Ho Road box culverts. Monthly sampling is conducted to monitor the water quality, with indicators including dissolved oxygen and organic pollutant levels (5-day biochemical oxygen demand), etc.

         To rectify misconnection cases, the DSD carries out regular inspections of the conditions and structures of public sewerage and stormwater drainage systems. When defective sewers or manholes are found, rehabilitation works will be promptly arranged. As for misconnection cases in buildings, the BD will issue statutory repair/removal orders pursuant to the Buildings Ordinance (Cap. 123) to urge or order the property owners concerned to discharge their responsibilities to rectify the problems of sewer misconnection. For cases which remain non-compliant after receipt of such orders, the BD will take appropriate enforcement actions according to the circumstances. Among the 30 ongoing misconnection cases in buildings in Tsuen Wan District, 22 cases are undergoing rectification, while the BD will continue to follow up the remaining eight cases, for which statutory orders have been issued.

    (3) Upon completion of the pipe rehabilitation works, the DSD will conduct regular inspections and clearances of sediment from the drainage pipe system to ensure its proper functioning. Furthermore, the DSD will inspect and assess the operational and structural conditions of the existing underground channels according to their plans. Following a risk-based principle, appropriate replacement and rehabilitation plans are formulated in an orderly manner, including deploying different methods to install fibreglass or polyester fibre linings in the existing pipes through trenchless excavation, thereby enhancing the maintenance of the drainage system. These advanced technologies for pipe replacement and rehabilitation can maintain the reliability of the drainage system and at the same time reduce the impact on the public during the construction period. The contractors of the DSD have also reserved materials for rehabilitating drainage pipes and manpower for emergency deployment to carry out urgent pipe rehabilitation works. Meanwhile, the DSD is committed to the development and application of various innovative technologies and machinery to assist in drainage service operations, including remote-controlled desilting robots and pipeline inspection robots, the use of drones for pipeline closed-circuit television surveys, and smart water level sensors. These devices can not only enhance the efficiency of drainage service operations, but can also reduce the risks of works and protect the safety of workers.

    (4) Based on the success case in rehabilitating sewer misconnections in Tsuen Wan District, the EPD has extended the techniques applied therein to other priority areas and has been in close communication with various organisations and university research teams to pool our wisdom and work together for improving the harbourfront environment. In particular, the EPD has since 2022 engaged a team from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) to install monitoring instruments at the Tsuen Wan Sports Centre, specifically monitoring the concentration of hydrogen sulphide (H2S), which is an air pollutant associated with odours at the Tsuen Wan harbourfront. The DSD also worked with another HKUST team to jointly develop new technologies. By deploying large curtains and Malodour Control Hydrogel at the outlets of box drains along the coast, the emission of malodour is inhibited. Looking ahead, the Government will continue to collaborate with experts from various fields to adopt innovation and practicable solutions to further consolidate the achievements in ameliorating the water quality and odour problems of Victoria Harbour.

    (5) To objectively assess the actual effectiveness of rectification of misconnections in improving the odour levels in harbourfront areas, the Government has installed odour monitoring instruments at the Tsuen Wan Sports Centre and other locations along Victoria Harbour shorelines to continuously monitor odour changes in harbourfront areas. A team from the HKUST will conduct regular maintenance and calibration for the monitoring instruments, and verify the collected data to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the monitoring data. The monitoring data collected from the Tsuen Wan harbourfront revealed that the concentration of H2S, which is the key cause of odour, showed a significant downward trend. The H2S concentration recorded in August 2024 was 80 per cent lower when compared to that in early 2022. The records of monthly average concentration data are shown in Figure 1 and Table 2.

         As for water quality, the monitoring data recorded in the waters near three stormwater drain outlets at the Tsuen Wan West harbourfront showed that the near-shore water quality in the area has undergone significant improvement. The overall average dissolved oxygen level in seawater has increased by about 30 per cent, while the content of organic pollutants has decreased by about 40 per cent. The annual average water quality data recorded at the near-shore water quality monitoring stations are shown in Table 3.
         
         The EPD interviewed members of the public at the Tsuen Wan harbourfront in August this year. Seventy-five per cent of the respondents agreed that the odour problem at the harbourfront had improved, with half of them considering the improvement to be significant.
         
    (6) In order to continuously improve the water quality and odour problems at the Tsuen Wan harbourfront, apart from the short-term measures including investigating and rectifying misconnections as mentioned in (2) to (4), the Government will continue to implement the following medium-to-long-term improvement measures:

    (i) Desilting Works: Regular desilting works will be carried out for the three main box culverts (stormwater drains in Tai Chung Road, Tai Ho Road and Ma Tau Pa Road) in Tsuen Wan District to reduce the discharge of pollutants or sediments from the stormwater drains into the near-shore waters;

    (ii) Sewer Replacement and Rehabilitation Works: To prevent leakeage of sewers from affecting the water quality along the Tsuen Wan harbourfront, the Government will undertake public works projects to rehabilitate some of the aged underground sewers in Tsuen Wan District. As at December 2023, approximately 11 kilometres of sewers in Tsuen Wan District were undergoing replacement and rehabilitation, and the works are expected to be completed in phases by end-2026; and

    (iii) Village Sewerage Sytems: Village sewerage works for Chuen Lung and Lo Wai are expected to be completed by end-2025. Moreover, village sewerage works are also underway in rural areas in Tsuen Wan District, namely San Tsuen, Wo Yi Hop and Sheung Kwai Chung. The works projects will commence upon completion of land acquisition procedures and funding approval by the Legislative Council, and the works are expected to be completed in three to five years.

         All in all, the Government will continue to take forward various improvement and monitoring measures to strive for turning the Tsuen Wan harbourfront into a new landmark of water-friendly culture.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: World Osteoporosis Day highlights need for comprehensive care strategies, says GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    World Osteoporosis Day highlights need for comprehensive care strategies, says GlobalData

    Posted in Pharma

    Marking World Osteoporosis Day on 20 October, the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) brought worldwide attention to a crucial issue: the urgent need for robust osteoporosis screening and sustained care strategies to prevent fragility fractures. Under the theme “Say No to Fragile Bones,” it highlighted the gaps in diagnosis and treatment, stressing the importance of proactive approaches and structured care to mitigate rising fracture risks as global populations age, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    Osteoporosis, often termed a “silent disease,” progresses without symptoms until a fracture occurs, making it the primary cause of fragility fractures worldwide. With millions affected globally, osteoporosis results in weakened bone structure and increases fracture risk, particularly in the spine and hip.

    Such fractures lead to extended recovery times, significantly impacting patients’ quality of life and placing strain on healthcare systems. As the global population ages, untreated osteoporosis will exert an even greater burden on health services, underscoring the need for preventive strategies and consistent patient management.

    Sulayman Patel, MSci, Pharma Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “World Osteoporosis Day 2024 pushes both the public and healthcare professionals to prioritize preventive measures. The IOF’s ‘5 Steps to Bone Health’ campaign emphasizes specific actions, including weight-bearing exercises, a nutrient-rich diet, and lifestyle adjustments. However, these guidelines must be coupled with systems that ensure early identification and consistent management of at-risk individuals to be effective.”

    Research from GlobalData and expert interviews reveal significant under-treatment in osteoporosis care. A European key opinion leader (KOL) stated, “We are currently doing very bad, with few patients having osteoporosis that receive treatment. There is a tremendous gap between what should be done and what is currently done.”

    This shortfall is especially pronounced in post-fracture care, where many patients are neither diagnosed nor treated for underlying osteoporosis. These gaps highlight the need for structured follow-up care and comprehensive treatment pathways.

    Patel continues: “This gap presents an opportunity for pharmaceutical and healthcare companies to drive advancements in diagnostic tools. Companies like Siemens Healthineers and ImageBiopsy Lab are already using machine learning technologies to enhance early detection. Wider adoption of these tools could lead to earlier diagnoses, minimizing healthcare costs associated with untreated osteoporosis.

    Amid persistent unmet needs, Amgen’s Evenity addresses a critical gap by simultaneously promoting bone formation and reducing bone resorption, offering a comprehensive approach to fracture prevention.

    Patel concludes: “Moreover, structured programs like Fracture Liaison Services (FLS) are essential for effective osteoporosis management. FLS provides post-fracture patients with critical assessments, medication, and lifestyle support to prevent future fractures. Yet FLS programs remain underutilized, particularly in regions with fragmented healthcare systems. World Osteoporosis Day highlights the need for a coordinated approach to osteoporosis care, spanning diagnosis and ongoing management, to ensure comprehensive support for all patients.”

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Bladder cancer diagnosed incident cases across 8MM to reach 0.34 million in 2033, forecasts GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    Bladder cancer diagnosed incident cases across 8MM to reach 0.34 million in 2033, forecasts GlobalData

    Posted in Pharma

    The diagnosed incident cases of bladder cancer in the eight major markets (8MM*) are set to register an annual growth rate (AGR) of 2.24% from 0.28 million in 2023 to 0.34 million in 2033, forecasts GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    GlobalData’s latest report, “Bladder Cancer – Epidemiology Forecast to 2033,” reveals that the US will have the highest number of diagnosed incident cases of bladder cancer among the 8MM at 0.10 million cases, whereas France will have the lowest number at 0.02 million cases in 2033.

    Antara Bhattacharya, Associate Project Manager, Epidemiology team at GlobalData, comments: “In 2023, men are more affected than women with approximately 78% men and 22% women.”

    Older adults in ages 60 years and above accounted for almost 87% of the diagnosed incident cases of bladder cancer in the 8MM in 2023, while younger adults in ages 18–59 years accounted for approximately 13% of the cases.

    GlobalData estimates that in 2023, approximately 45% of the incident cases of bladder cancer were diagnosed in the early stages by AJCC TNM staging, whereas only 6% of cases had a delayed diagnosis. Additionally, approximately 79% of the incident cases by tumor “T” stage at diagnosis were diagnosed in earlier stages, whereas only 4% cases were in severe stages.

    The high rate of diagnosis at earlier stages can be attributed to the success of increasing rates of cystoscopy, which is an invasive and expensive procedure. Approximately 74% of diagnosed prevalent cases of NMIBC relapse or recurred to MIBC.

    Bhattacharya concludes: “Bladder cancer is the ninth most common cancer type, and timely detection of the disease is both challenging and expensive. Diagnosis relies mainly on cystoscopy, which is an invasive procedure and difficult in low-resource settings. Even after being diagnosed in early stages when the disease is highly treatable, the relapse and recurrence rates are high.

    “Hence, adequate research and medical interventions are needed to facilitate different medical approaches for the timely detection and treatment. Epidemiological studies focusing on bladder cancer stages with relapse or recurrence can improve treatment outcomes. Additionally, bladder cancer treatment requires a multifaceted approach that integrates medical and surgical interventions, lifestyle modifications, ongoing support, along with immunotherapy, targeted therapy, clinical trials, and follow-up care.”

    *8MM: The US, 5EU (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK), Japan, and urban China.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Egypt marks major achievement with malaria-free certification, but need for global R&D remains significant, says GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    Egypt marks major achievement with malaria-free certification, but need for global R&D remains significant, says GlobalData

    Posted in Pharma

    The World Health Organization (WHO) has certified Egypt as being malaria-free, following a near 100-year endeavour by the Egyptian government. Egypt is the third country to be declared malaria-free in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region, and the 44th country globally. However, hundreds of millions of cases of malaria are still reported worldwide each year. These staggering numbers reinforce a global need for research and development, particularly for malaria vaccines, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    Stephanie Kurdach, Infectious Disease Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Egypt’s malaria-free certification is a significant achievement, as this is a country which once recorded millions of cases. Unfortunately, the global burden of malaria remains high.”

    The WHO reported nearly 250 million cases of malaria and over 600,000 malaria-related deaths worldwide in 2022.

    In order to be certified malaria-free by the WHO, a country must prove that there has been no local transmission of any human malaria parasites for at least the past three consecutive years. Additionally, a country must maintain a fully functional surveillance and response system to prevent the re-establishment of indigenous transmission.

    Egypt’s efforts to reduce mosquito-borne diseases began in the 1920s, when the country prohibited agricultural crops near homes. Other efforts over the past 100 years have included opening a malaria control station, recruiting thousands of healthcare workers, launching a public health surveillance project, and public education.

    Kurdach continues: “To address the global burden of malaria and work towards global eradication, research and development is critical. Just as Egypt remains obligated to maintain surveillance, diagnosis, and treatment efforts throughout the nation, other nations plagued by malaria are in dire need of robust surveillance systems, diagnostic tools, affordable health care, and malaria vaccines.”

    There are currently only two malaria vaccines which are WHO prequalified* and recommended for use in children: GSK’s Mosquirix and Serum Institute of India’s R21/Matrix-M.

    According to GlobalData, there are 12 other malaria vaccines currently in Phase II development, including vaccines from BioNTech, GSK, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), and the University of Oxford. No new malaria vaccines are in Phase III development or pre-registration.

    Kurdach concludes: “There is a serious global unmet need for malaria vaccines, which is evidenced by the late-stage development pipeline. Egypt’s malaria-free certification serves as a reminder and call to action that malaria elimination is possible with increased research and development.”

    *The recommendations of Mosquirix and R21/Matrix-M by the WHO are relatively recent and occurred in 2021 and 2023, respectively.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Diabetes Awareness Month shines light on prevention and treatment options, says GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    Diabetes Awareness Month shines light on prevention and treatment options, says GlobalData

    Posted in Medical Devices

    Diabetes Awareness Month, observed every November, is dedicated to raising awareness about diabetes, promoting education, and advocating for improved care and support for those affected by the condition. This month-long campaign seeks to improve public understanding of diabetes, address common misconceptions, and reduce the stigma often associated with the condition. It also provides a platform for people living with diabetes to share their stories, foster community, and encourage advocacy efforts. Diabetes Awareness Month is important, as prevalence is increasing for both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    Diabetes is a chronic health condition characterized by the body’s inability to properly regulate blood sugar levels. There are three primary types of diabetes: Type 1, Type 2, and Gestational Diabetes. Each type of diabetes presents unique challenges, requiring tailored approaches to management and treatment. During Diabetes Awareness Month, organizations work to educate the public on these differences and the importance of early diagnosis.

    Alexandra Murdoch, Senior Medical Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Diabetes is a growing global health issue. Increasing awareness around diabetes can lead to earlier diagnoses, better management, and a decrease in related complications such as heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure.”

    According to GlobalData’s pipeline database, diabetes care devices are the leading market by pipeline products, with over 250 active products in the pipeline. These devices include digital therapeutics, continuous glucose monitors, contrast agents for diagnostics, and more. Many of the diabetes care devices in the pipeline database are expected to be approved in 2025, and many more from 2026-2029.

    Early diagnosis and the creation of a treatment plan is crucial when it comes to diabetes, as there are several complications co-occurring conditions associated with diabetes, including vision loss, heart disease, kidney disease, foot ulcers and lower limb amputations. It is possible to reduce the risk of complications through lifestyle management, such as not smoking, being active, controlling blood pressure, eating healthy, and monitoring blood glucose levels.

    Murdoch concludes: “Diabetes Awareness Month plays a critical role in promoting understanding and support for the millions affected by diabetes worldwide. By highlighting the realities of living with diabetes, addressing misconceptions, and emphasizing the importance of early detection and effective management, the campaign makes strides toward reducing the overall impact of diabetes on individuals and society.”

    MIL OSI Economics –