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  • MIL-OSI USA: Kaptur, Manning, Moskowitz, Titus, Stansbury Lead Letter Urging Speaker Johnson To Call House Back Into Session To Vote On Emergency Disaster Relief Funding

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09)

    Toledo, Ohio — Today, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), led 61 of her colleagues in a letter alongside Congresswoman Kathy Manning (NC-06), Congressman Jared Moskowitz (FL-23), Congresswoman Dina Titus (NV-01), and Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury (NM-01), urging House Speaker Mike Johnson (LA-04) to bring the U.S. House of Representatives back into session to approve necessary funding for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Small Business Administration (SBA) to fulfill their Hurricane Helene and Milton relief missions. Recent legislation has provided initial relief funds, but falls critically short of what will be necessary to address the scale of destruction and the recovery needs for Fiscal Year 2025.
     
    Other signers of the letter include Representatives: Nanette Barragan (CA-44), Don Beyer (VA-08), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Yadira Caraveo (CO-08), Troy Carter (LA-02), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Gerry Connolly (VA-11), Lou Correa (CA-46), Joe Courtney (CT-02), Angie Craig (MN-02), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Jason Crow (CO-06), Diana Degette (CO-01), Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Debbie Dingell (MI-12), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Maxwell Frost (FL-10), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Dan Goldman (NY-10), Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-00), Val Hoyle (OR-04), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Glenn Ivey (MD-04), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), Hank Johnson (GA-04), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Barbara Lee (CA-12), Mike Levin (CA-49), Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), Wiley Nickel (NC-13), Brittany Pettersen (CO-07), Katie Porter (CA-45), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Kim Schrier (WA-08), Bobby Scott (VA-03), Eric Sorensen (IL-17), Darren Soto (FL-09), Abigail Spanberger (VA-07), Greg Stanton (AZ-04), Haley Stevens (MI-11), Tom Suozzi (NY-03), Eric Swalwell (CA-14), Emilia Sykes (Oh-13), Mark Takano (CA-39), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Jill Tokuda (HI-02), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Lori Trahan (MA-03), Juan Vargas (CA-52), Gabe Vasquez (NM-02), Maxine Waters (CA-43), Jennifer Wexton (VA-10), Nikema Williams (GA-05), and Frederica Wilson (FL-24).
    “We write to you amidst a season marked by unprecedented natural disasters and increasingly severe weather events that have left communities across our nation in dire need of additional and comprehensive disaster relief funding,” wrote the Members. “The funds previously allocated were a necessary first step, allowing for an initial response to the immediate aftermath of these disasters. However, as recovery efforts continue, it is abundantly clear that these funds will not suffice.”
     
    “As representatives of the American people, it is our duty to ensure that every community has the resources to recover and rebuild in the wake of devastation. This is not merely a matter of policy but a profound obligation to the citizens we serve, who depend on their government for support in their most critical times of need,” the Members continued. “Therefore, we strongly urge you to bring the US House of Representatives back into session to approve the necessary funding that will empower FEMA and the SBA to fulfill their disaster relief missions. Our communities cannot wait, and we must act swiftly to provide them with the assurance that their government will stand by them.”
     
    A full copy of the letter can be found by clicking here, or reading below:
     
    Dear Speaker Johnson, 
     
    We write to you amidst a season marked by unprecedented natural disasters and increasingly severe weather events that have left communities across our nation in dire need of additional and comprehensive disaster relief funding.
     
    Recent legislation has provided initial relief funds, yet these provisions fall critically short of what will be necessary to address the scale of destruction and the recovery needs for Fiscal Year 2025. We, therefore, urge you to immediately reconvene the US House of Representatives so that it can pass robust disaster relief funding. 
     
    The funds previously allocated were a necessary first step, allowing for an initial response to the immediate aftermath of these disasters. However, as recovery efforts continue, it is abundantly clear that these funds will not suffice.
     
    Furthermore, the frequency and intensity of these extreme weather events are a clarion call for proactive measures. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) must be equipped not only to respond to current disasters but also to adequately prepare for future events. This requires substantial funding that ensures FEMA can maintain a state of readiness and provide immediate assistance when disasters strike. Additionally, the Small Business Administration disaster relief loan program must be replenished as soon as possible to help business owners rebuild their enterprises and communities.
     
    As representatives of the American people, it is our duty to ensure that every community has the resources to recover and rebuild in the wake of devastation. This is not merely a matter of policy but a profound obligation to the citizens we serve, who depend on their government for support in their most critical times of need.
     
    Therefore, we strongly urge you to bring the US House of Representatives back into session to approve the necessary funding that will empower FEMA and the SBA to fulfill their disaster relief missions. Our communities cannot wait, and we must act swiftly to provide them with the assurance that their government will stand by them.
     
    Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. We hope for your leadership in reconvening the House and ensuring that our nation is prepared to meet the challenges posed by natural disasters. 
     
    Sincerely,

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Transcript – TODAY Show

    Source: Australian Executive Government Ministers

    ALEX CULLEN: The New South Wales and South Australian Government will today hold a Social Media Summit focusing on the danger it poses to younger users.

    Joining us to discuss today’s headlines is Education Minister Jason Clare and 2GB’s Chris O’Keefe. Good morning lads, thank you so much for being with us.

    Minister, let’s start with you. This as new data revealed almost every Aussie primary school student is on social media. They love it, it’s extremely concerning.

    JASON CLARE, MINISTER FOR EDUCATION: It really is, and anyone who’s a mum and dad with children in primary school or high school knows the damage that this social media cesspit can do to our kids. I see it as a parent as well. We’ve seen already the difference that we can make when you ban a mobile phone in schools. We banned mobile phones in schools starting this year right across the country, and it’s having a massive impact, you know, kids are more focused in the classroom, they’re having more fun in the playground.  

    Alex, teachers are telling me that the playgrounds are noisier at lunchtime this year than they were last year because kids don’t have their heads down looking at phones like zombies in the playground, they’re playing with their friends, they’re running around.

    But when the school bell rings at the end of the day, the phones are turned back on and they’re back in that cesspit of social media that has all of that mental health impact on our kids, as well as I’ve got reports that tell me it has a massive impact on their studies as well, if you spend a lot of time on social media after school, then it affects how you go at school.

    And so that’s why the work that Michelle Rowland is doing, the Minister for Communications, in setting a national minimum age for access to social media’s so important, and the work that New South Wales and South Australia are doing today is an important part of that.

    CULLEN: Yeah, too right. Minimum age limit, Chris, at 18, what do you think?  

    CHRIS O’KEEFE: That’s probably a bit high, but, well, 14, 16, whatever it is, just go and do it, they don’t need to do a summit, a victory lap, keep talking about it, getting everyone around tables and, you know, the Labor Governments all around Australia effectively saying, “How good are we, we’re cracking down on social media?” That’s what this is about.

    There would be no parents, no teachers, very few people in society who believes what we’re doing with social media now is the right way forward. There needs to be a minimum age limit. Just get on and do it.

    CULLEN: Yeah, too right. My kids especially, I don’t want them on social media until they’re a lot older, let me tell you.

    But the Australian Education Union has been accused of putting kids last after imposing an immediate ban on the roll out of the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement.

    Minister, let’s bring you in. The AEU says your reforms will short change public schools and increase teachers’ workload. What do you say to that?

    CLARE: Today I’m going to introduce legislation into the Parliament, Alex, to increase funding for public schools, but I want to tie that funding to real and practical reforms to help our children.

    The crux of this is that at the moment the percentage of young people finishing high school’s going backwards, and it’s particularly happening in our public schools. Seven or eight years ago, 83 per cent of students finished high school, now it’s dropped to 73 per cent, and if we’re going to fix that, we’ve got to go all the way back to the start when kids are really young when they’re starting primary school, identify children who are starting behind or falling behind and make sure that we intervene with practical reforms like catch up tutoring. So you get children out of a classroom of 25 or 30, put them in a classroom with three or four, and we know that if you do that right, then children can catch up, they can learn as much in six months as they’d normally learn in 12 months.

    I’ve got $16 billion I want to invest to increase funding for our public schools, but I want to invest it in these practical reforms so we can help children right across the country to catch up when they’re little, and keep up, have more people go on and finish high school and go on to TAFE or go to uni.

    CULLEN: Okay, Chris, just as we [indistinct].

    O’KEEFE: Can we just be honest here for a second, and people might not want to hear this, but at what point are teachers going to hang a big mirror in their staff rooms and think, are we the problem here?

    Because there’s got to be some accountability. You’ve never had children dumber. You’ve got one in three kids who are failing NAPLAN when it comes to numeracy and literacy. That’s not good enough in a country like Australia. The classrooms have never had more money in them. The Governments have never spent more on education, yet our kids have never been dumber.

    So you can draw a straight line and say to yourselves, okay, who is responsible for this? It’s not the Government. Is it the parents? Well, the teachers like to say so, but maybe it’s the teachers.

    So at what point is the union movement and the teachers’ cohort more broadly going to sit with themselves and look, and say, well, are we going to take some accountability here?

    Is it have we got something to answer for? Whenever you raise that, “Oh, no, no, no, but teachers are hard working”. I’m not saying they’re not hard working; I’m just saying they might not be doing a very good job.

    CULLEN: Jason?  

    CLARE: I’m not going to attack our teachers, they do the most important job in the world.

    O’KEEFE: No, of course you’re not, but it’s true. Nobody wants to confront this problem, Minister.

    CLARE: No, and Chris, don’t talk down our kids either, they’re not dumb. But the challenge that we’ve got here, and NAPLAN data shows it, is that one in 10 children are below the minimum standard we set for literacy and numeracy, but kids from poor families and kids from the bush, and Indigenous kids, it’s one in three.

    Now here’s a statistic that will scare you: only 20 per cent of those kids that are behind when they’re little, when they’re eight, have caught up by the time they’re 15. That’s why I say you need practical reforms here that we know work.

    O’KEEFE: And the teachers are holding you over a barrel and trying to stop these reforms from happening, and I think it’s shameful.

    CLARE: Well, and I’m determined to act, and I’ve got $16 billion to invest in these reforms to help to make sure that more children catch up and keep up    

    O’KEEFE: But then why   but why as a government and a Minister are you not going to call out the teaching profession, and more broadly the unions, and say, “Hey guys, not good enough”.

    CLARE: I disagree fundamentally with what the union is arguing, but I back our teachers every single day, because they do such an important job. Many teachers out there, if you ask them, will back these reforms. They grab me every single day and say, “Keep going mate”.

    CULLEN: It’s tough, I know, it’s tough for teachers.

    O’KEEFE: [Indistinct] though don’t they?

    CULLEN: Thank you, you two, always interesting. Jason, Chris, thanks so much, boys

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Opinion piece: Modernising Merger Approvals to bring them into the 21st century

    Source: Australian Treasurer

    Boosting competition has been one of the cornerstones of the Albanese government’s economic plan ever since we came to office.

    This week we’re taking another big step towards making our economy more competitive, by introducing the single biggest reform to Australia’s mergers law in 50 years to parliament.

    Our new merger rules will improve how these types of deals are approved across the board.

    They will make the system faster, stronger, simpler, more targeted and more transparent.

    They will also create certainty for businesses that have been forced to navigate an unclear and antiquated merger system for decades.

    Under our current merger approvals regime, businesses that are looking to merge don’t know if they need to notify the competition regulator, when they need to notify the competition regulator and how to best go about it.

    This will all change under the new regime.

    We will set clearly defined monetary thresholds that will determine whether a merger needs ACCC approval before proceeding.

    There will be 3 key thresholds.

    Firstly, any merger will be looked at if the Australian turnover of the combined businesses is above $200 million, and either the business or assets being acquired has Australian turnover above $50 million or global transaction value above $250 million.

    Secondly, the ACCC will look at any merger involving a very large business with Australian turnover more than $500 million buying a smaller business or assets with Australian turnover above $10 million.

    Finally, to target serial acquisitions, all mergers by businesses with combined Australian turnover of more than $200 million where the cumulative Australian turnover from acquisitions in the same or substitutable goods or services over a 3-year period is at least $50 million will be captured, or $10 million if a very large business is involved.

    Land acquisitions involving residential property development and certain commercial property acquisitions won’t be included to avoid clogging up the system with simple land acquisitions unless they are captured under other notification requirements.

    In addition, the legislation provides flexibility to allow the Treasurer to adjust and calibrate the thresholds to respond to evidence-based concerns from the ACCC about high-risk mergers, like in the supermarket sector.

    These thresholds are all about striking the right balance between creating a rigorous and robust regime that can capture all risky mergers without calling in every merger. The thresholds will be reviewed 12 months after coming into effect, to ensure they are working as intended.

    The new system will allow the ACCC to review all the mergers that they have been typically concerned about, not just some.

    It will take a more targeted approach that allows the ACCC to focus its efforts on the mergers that really matter.

    We want to see the majority of mergers approved quickly, so the ACCC can focus on the minority that give rise to competition concerns. The ACCC has committed to this, with an expectation around 80 per cent of mergers will be approved in 15 to 20 business days.

    That’s because we understand that most mergers have genuine economic benefits and are an important feature of any healthy, open financial system.

    Last year, over 1,400 mergers were recorded, at a value of around $300 billion.

    They can attract capital, re‑tool businesses and improve the uptake of new technologies.

    They can allow businesses to achieve greater economies of scale and scope, to access new resources, technology and expertise.

    This can flow through to consumers via greater product choice and quality as well as lower prices.

    But some mergers can cause serious economic harm.

    This can happen when businesses are not interested in improving profitability by lifting productivity.

    When they’re solely focused on squeezing out competitors to capture a larger percentage of the market.

    This can strangle innovation, reduce productivity in our economy and punish consumers with reduced choice.

    We’ve developed this legislation and these thresholds through detailed consultation.

    We’re especially grateful for the input from the Expert Advisory Panel, comprising Kerry Schott, David Gonski, John Asker, Sharon Henrick, John Fingleton, Danielle Wood and Rod Sims.

    We’re also genuinely thankful for all the discussions and consultation we have held with businesses, the competition regulator, and the broader community, about the legislation.

    As an example, we heard concerns about aspects of our draft legislation from the business community, including that parts of the review process were still too time‑consuming, and businesses wouldn’t be able to access the evidence the ACCC relied on when making its decision.

    We’ve addressed these issues in the updated Treasury Laws Amendment (Mergers and Acquisitions Reform) Bill 2024 we will introduce into Parliament on Thursday.

    The Bill clarifies and provides certainty on timelines for ACCC assessment and limits the ability of the ACCC to stop the clock at various stages of the assessment process.

    The Bill also now allows discretion for the Australian Competition Tribunal to permit parties to provide new information if relevant to the ACCC determination and they didn’t have a reasonable opportunity to make submissions during the ACCC’s review.

    These new targeted and balanced merger rules are part of the Albanese Labor Government’s substantial and broad competition reform agenda, which is all about creating a more dynamic, more productive and resilient economy.

    They build on actions we’ve already taken, like revitalising National Competition Policy with states and territories, abolishing 500 nuisance tariffs, our reforms to boost competition in the supermarket sector, and productivity enhancing reforms to planning and zoning around the country.

    This agenda will help expand choices, lift living standards and grow our economy.

    It will help ensure that our people, businesses and industries are beneficiaries of the opportunities before us in the defining decade ahead.

    This article was first published as Government has listened to concerns on merger law reform in The Australian Financial Review.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Historic reforms for a more competitive economy enter Parliament

    Source: Australian Treasurer

    Today the Government will introduce landmark reforms to Parliament to overhaul Australia’s merger rules, another big step towards further boosting competition and productivity in our economy.

    This legislative package is the biggest reform to Australia’s merger settings in almost 50 years.

    It will create a regime that more efficiently and effectively targets mergers that are anti‑competitive, while allowing mergers that are pro‑competitive to proceed faster.

    The Treasury Laws Amendment (Mergers and Acquisitions Reform) Bill 2024 delivers the merger reforms we announced in April, and will make our merger approval system faster, stronger, simpler, more targeted and more transparent.

    This Bill will bring Australia’s merger system into the 21st century and make it easier for the majority of mergers to be approved quickly, so the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) can focus on the minority that give rise to competition concerns.

    We understand that most mergers have genuine economic benefits and are an important feature of any healthy, open financial system but some mergers can cause serious economic harm.

    Under the new regime, there will be a mandatory notification system for mergers above certain thresholds and the ACCC will be the decision maker on approvals.

    There will be three key thresholds:

    1. Any merger will be looked at if the Australian turnover of the combined businesses is above $200 million, and either the business or assets being acquired has Australian turnover above $50 million or global transaction value above $250 million.
    2. The ACCC will look at any merger involving a very large business with Australian turnover more than $500 million buying a smaller business or assets with Australian turnover above $10 million.
    3. To target serial acquisitions, all mergers by businesses with combined Australian turnover of more than $200 million where the cumulative Australian turnover from acquisitions in the same or substitutable goods or services over a 3 year period is at least $50 million will be captured, or $10 million if a very large business is involved.

    These thresholds will allow the ACCC to focus its efforts on the mergers that really matter. The thresholds will be reviewed 12 months after coming into effect, to ensure they are working as intended.

    Land acquisitions involving residential property development and certain commercial property acquisitions won’t be included to avoid clogging up the system with simple land purchases unless they are captured by additional targeted notification requirements.

    In addition, the legislation provides flexibility to allow the Treasurer to adjust and calibrate the thresholds to respond to evidence‑based concerns from the ACCC about high‑risk mergers, like in the supermarket sector.

    This power, combined with the thresholds, will allow the ACCC to review all the mergers that they have been typically concerned about.

    Using this provision, the Government intends to make sure the ACCC is notified of every merger in the supermarket sector.

    Reviewing every supermarket merger is part of the decisive action our Government is taking to help Australians get fairer prices at the checkout. We want to make sure supermarket mergers don’t come at the cost of Australians, families and pensioners getting a fair price on their grocery bills.

    The Government intends to use this designation power to get the competition regulator to review purchases of an interest above 20 per cent in an unlisted or private company, if one of the companies involved in the deal has turnover more than $200 million.

    The Government will also consider targeted notification requirements for sectors such as fuel, liquor and oncology radiology.

    We consulted widely on these thresholds and the legislation, including with consumers, businesses, the agriculture sector, legal practitioners, investors, academics and industry associations.

    Subject to the passage of legislation, the new system will come into effect from 1 January 2026, with businesses able to make voluntary notifications under the new regime from 1 July 2025.

    This legislation will improve competition in our economy, which means higher quality choices for consumers and fairer prices.

    It builds on our substantial competition agenda including revitalising National Competition Policy with the states and territories, abolishing 500 nuisance tariffs, our reforms to the supermarket sector, and productivity enhancing reforms to planning and zoning around the country.

    The Albanese Government is focused on tackling cost of living pressures now and building a more dynamic, more productive, and more resilient economy. Making our economy more competitive is critical to these goals.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: ACCC welcomes introduction of merger reform bill, prepares for implementation

    Source: Australian Competition and Consumer Commission

    The ACCC today welcomed the introduction of the Treasury Laws Amendment (Mergers and Acquisitions Reform) Bill 2024 into the Australian Parliament, which if passed through the Parliament will provide the ACCC with fit for purpose tools targeted at identifying and preventing anti-competitive mergers.

    “This marks a significant milestone in the process of reforming Australia’s merger laws,” ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb said.

    If passed by the Parliament, the new legislation will represent a major change for the ACCC, business and the Australian community. In anticipation of the new legislation coming into effect, the ACCC has today issued a statement of goals to outline its approach to implementing the new regime and to reduce uncertainty during the transition.

    “The ACCC is committed to the successful implementation of these reforms, if passed by parliament, to ensure that transactions that may adversely affect competition are subject to adequate scrutiny based on the risks raised, and to provide a more efficient and transparent process for businesses and for the wider community,” Ms Cass-Gottlieb said.

    This contrasts to the current situation where only a small proportion of the estimated 1,000 – 1,500 mergers that occur each year are notified to the ACCC and around 93 per cent of those that are voluntarily notified are assessed on a confidential basis.

    “Part of making these reforms a success will be ensuring businesses have clarity on their obligations, the timeframes they can expect, and other key aspects of the process,” Ms Cass-Gottlieb said.

    “Our statement of goals is the first step in signalling how we will implement these reforms and outlines what merger parties and stakeholders, including customers and suppliers to merger parties, should expect.”

    The new system will provide for greater transparency of the mergers the ACCC is reviewing and the reasons on which decisions are based. This will enable the wider community, including consumers and small businesses, to comment on mergers relevant to them.

    It will also result in a more efficient and faster process and more certain timelines for businesses seeking clearance, with new obligations on the ACCC to complete decisions within legislated timeframes.

    The ACCC expects about 80 per cent of mergers will be cleared within 15 to 20 business days.

    Under the new regime, the ACCC will enhance its economic and data analysis to further drive and inform its decision making.

    “The ACCC will take a risk-based approach, with resources prioritised to acquisitions more likely to harm the community,” Ms Cass-Gottlieb said.

    Subject to the passage of the legislation, the new regime will come into effect from 1 January 2026 but will also allow for merger parties to start using the new merger regime on a voluntary basis from 1 July 2025.

    The ACCC will consult on and publish guidelines on the transition period to ensure stakeholders are well informed about the options available to them during this period and have open channels available for merger parties to seek guidance.

    The ACCC has also previously announced it will renew and expand its Performance Consultative Committee to advise on the ACCC’s merger review functions as well as the broad range of the ACCC’s responsibilities.

    The committee will consist of a range of stakeholders including consumer, business, and legal representatives.

    Background:

    Reforms to Australia’s existing merger laws were announced by the Treasurer in April 2024. The Treasurer’s announcement was welcomed by the ACCC.

    The ACCC first released proposed merger reforms at the Law Council in 2021. ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb commenced her term in 2022 and has continued to advocate for merger reform including at the National Press Club in April 2023.

    The ACCC’s submissions to the Treasury Competition Review, which includes detailed analysis and argues the case for reform can be found here: https://www.accc.gov.au/inquiries-and-consultations/accc-submissions-to-external-consultations#toc-mergers-

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Albanese Government introduces legislation to increase funding for public schools

    Source: Australian Ministers for Education

    The Albanese Government has today introduced legislation to increase funding to public schools across Australia.

    This legislation is all about enabling governments to fully fund our public schools and tie that funding to reforms to help students catch up, keep up and finish school.

    Over the last eight years the percentage of students finishing high school has declined, from 83 per cent to 73 per cent in public schools.

    We need to turn around and that’s what this legislation is about.

    At the moment, non-government schools are funded at the level David Gonski set, or they are on track to get there, or they are above it and coming back down to it.

    But most public schools aren’t.

    The Commonwealth Government provides 80 per cent of the Schooling Resource Standard (SRS) funding for non-government schools and the State and Territory Governments provide the other 20 per cent.

    For public schools it’s the reverse. The Commonwealth provides 20 per cent of the SRS funding, and the States and Territories are supposed to provide another 75 per cent. That means there is at least a five per cent gap.

    The Better and Fairer Schools (Funding and Reform) Bill 2024 amends the Australian Education Act 2013 (the Act) and enables the Commonwealth to lift its share of funding to public schools above 20 per cent.

    The legislation removes the funding ceiling that stops the Commonwealth providing more than 20 per cent of funding to public schools and turns that into a funding floor.

    This means the 20 per cent will become the minimum, not the maximum, the Commonwealth contributes to public schools.

    This legislation will enable the Government to fully fund public schools in Western Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory, and any other jurisdictions that sign on to the Albanese Government’s public school funding offer in the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement (BFSA).

    The BFSA is a 10-year agreement that ties new funding to practical reforms to help lift student outcomes, sets targets and improves school funding transparency.

    Greater funding certainty will be provided to jurisdictions and public schools by:

    •    setting a minimum ‘funding floor’ for Commonwealth funding contributions to public schools at 20 per cent from 2025, and 40 per cent for the Northern Territory from 2029
    •    locking in Commonwealth funding for public schools so it cannot go backwards
    •    increase transparency and accountability of how school funding is being spent 
    •    requiring the Minister to report each year to Parliament on the progress of national school education reform.

    The Albanese Government has put $16 billion of additional investment for public schools on the table.

    If delivered, this would represent the biggest extra investment in public education by the Australian Government in this country’s history.

    This legislation will enable additional funding to flow to the states and territories who have signed up to the BFSA.

    The Albanese Government will continue to work with the remaining states and territories to fully fund government schools across Australia.

    If a state or territory does not sign on to the Government’s public school funding offer, the current funding arrangements will continue for another 12 months.

    Quotes attributable to Minister for Education Jason Clare:

    “At the moment, the maximum the Commonwealth Government can provide to public schools is 20 per cent of the Schooling Resource Standard.

    “This Bill turns that maximum into a minimum. It turns that ceiling into a floor.

    “It enables the Commonwealth government to ratchet up funding for public schools.

    “This important legislation allows the Albanese Government to deliver more funding to public schools and tie that funding to practical reforms to help students catch up, keep up and finish school.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: More than £14 million in joint government and industry funding to boost innovation and working conditions in freight

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Funding will provide more parking for HGVs, better conditions for lorry drivers and support UK businesses to take advantage of the latest technology.

    • lorry drivers will enjoy better rest areas, more parking and improved security thanks to over £12 million in joint government and industry funding
    • funding comes as nearly £2 million also announced to drive innovation and decarbonise freight
    • investment will help strengthen the UK supply chain, support jobs, and get the UK back on track to growth

    More green e-cargo bikes will deliver parcels to people’s doorsteps and better truckstops will help relieve local congestion, thanks to a £14 million boost from both government and industry to drive innovation in freight and improve working conditions. 

    Today (10 October 2024), Future of Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood revealed the 23 successful applicants of up to £4.5 million from the government to improve truckstops and working conditions for lorry drivers.  

    From Immingham Lorry Park in Lincolnshire to Embassy Truck Park in Kent, the upgrades include 430 new lorry parking spaces to relieve local congestion by helping reduce the number of large trucks parking in town centres or on the side of the road. 

    The investment will also help build better dining, changing and rest facilities, as well as new CCTV and secure fencing to boost welfare and security for lorry drivers.  

    The funding is from the third year of the HGV parking and driver welfare grant scheme, which will come in addition to £8 million from industry, for a total funding boost of £12.5 million to improve truckstops.

    See the winning bids for round 3 of the HGV parking and driver welfare grant scheme.

    This investment comes on top of £1.8 million from the government for 10 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to trial new groundbreaking technology for decarbonising freight and driving innovation in the sector. 

    Examples of groundbreaking ideas that will become reality include TUAL working with Wincanton to trial high performance powerbanks for electric lorries, and Innervated Vehicle Engineering working in partnership with Asda to retrofit hydrogen power to small delivery vans.

    This funding is the third tranche of the department’s Freight Innovation Fund Accelerator Programme, a £7 million government investment across 3 years to support the freight sector in deploying AI and automation to improve the way trains, lorries, vans, and ships carry parcels and goods. 

    See the winning projects for the third round of the Freight Innovation Fund.

    Today’s measures will help the government achieve its core mission of getting the country back on track for growth. They will improve working conditions for lorry drivers while pioneering innovation and sustainability across freight to strengthen the UK’s supply chain and support jobs across the country.  

    The announcement comes ahead of the International Investment Summit which will gather UK leaders, high-profile investors and businesses from across the world to discuss how we can deepen our partnership to drive investment and growth.

    Future of Roads Minister, Lilian Greenwood, said: 

    Freight is a crucial engine of our economy and it is only right we do all we can to improve working conditions, pioneer innovation and drive sustainability across the industry. 

    Our funding, combined with investment from the industry, will ensure lorry drivers can enjoy safer parking, a proper rest and a warm meal, while supporting UK businesses to harvest the best of technology to move freight faster, decarbonise our supply chain, and grow the economy for all.

    Today’s £12.5 million for truckstops follows £31 million in previous joint government and industry funding as part of earlier application windows.  

    Together with National Highways Lorry Parking Facilities Improvements Scheme, this takes the total joint investment from the department and the sector to improve lorry roadside facilities to up to £64 million. 

    The funding will be spread across England to ensure all lorry drivers in the country can benefit from better roadside facilities and better working conditions, while supporting local jobs and economic growth. 

    Director of Policy and Public Affairs at the Road Haulage Association, Declan Pang, said:

    We are delighted to see funding allocated to drive improvements to standards and capacity at lorry parks and truck stops across England.

    The grant scheme continues to be a very welcome commitment from government and the industry to bring about much-needed improvements for lorry drivers who are a vital workforce in keeping the country’s supply chains moving. We look forward to seeing the impact of these investments in improving conditions and driver welfare.

    The Freight Innovation Fund is providing highly successful in fostering industry investment, as UK businesses from the first year of the fund have so far raised £97 million in additional capital to fund their innovative projects. 

    Delivered by Connected Places Catapult, the Freight Innovation Fund will give SMEs access to technical and business support from the organisation to develop new groundbreaking projects. 

    Chief Executive Officer at Connected Places Catapult, Erika Lewis, said:

    Building on the success of the Freight Innovation Fund to date, I’m very pleased to welcome a third cohort of high potential innovators onto the Accelerator.

    This programme gives bespoke support to SMEs, working hand-in-hand with industry as they trial their solutions in real-world environments. By supporting new ideas in freight, we are helping to unlock the sector’s potential to be greener and more efficient.

    Roads media enquiries

    Media enquiries 0300 7777 878

    Switchboard 0300 330 3000

    Updates to this page

    Published 10 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New scheme to attract investment in renewable energy storage

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Long Duration Electricity Storage investment support scheme will boost investor confidence and unlock billions in funding for vital projects

    • Government will unlock investment opportunities in vital renewable energy storage technologies to strengthen energy independence, create jobs and help make Britain a clean energy superpower. 

    • New scheme will remove barriers which have prevented the building of new storage capacity for nearly 40 years, helping to create back up renewable energy. 

    • Increasing long duration storage capacity could lead to billions in system savings, helping reduce bills.

    The UK is a step closer to energy independence as the government launches a new scheme to help build energy storage infrastructure. 

    This could see the first significant long duration energy storage (LDES) facilities in nearly four decades, helping to create back up renewable power and bolster the UK’s energy security. 

    These technologies work like giant batteries by storing renewable energy and releasing it onto the grid and into homes when needed. This includes pumped storage hydro, which stores electricity by pumping water up a reservoir, to be released later. 

    By having a steady supply of clean, home-grown energy, these projects would strengthen the UK’s energy independence, and protect consumers from volatile global gas markets. 

    However, barriers including high upfront costs – despite low operating costs – have held back investment in this critical infrastructure.  

    The investment support scheme announced today will boost investor confidence and unlock billions in funding for vital projects which will help create thousands of jobs and deliver clean power as the country accelerates to net zero.   

    This comes days before the government’s set-piece International Investment Summit which is poised to put the UK back at the global table – kickstarting a decade of economic renewal and giving business confidence and opportunity to invest in the United Kingdom. 

    Energy Minister, Michael Shanks, said: 

    We are wasting no time in unlocking Britain’s vast renewable potential by expanding wind and solar power. But we also need to increase our ability to store this energy for when the sun isn’t shining, or the wind isn’t blowing. 

    We’re reversing a legacy that has seen no new long duration storage built for 40 years – and taking steps to unleash private investment in both established and new technologies.  

    With these projects storing the surplus clean, homegrown energy produced from renewable sources, we can boost our energy security by relying less on fossil fuels, protect household bills, and help deliver our key mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower. 

    The announcement follows a consultation held earlier this year which proposed a ‘cap and floor’ scheme to encourage LDES investment. A cap and floor model would provide a guaranteed minimum income for developers, in return for a limit on revenues. Ofgem has agreed to act as regulator and delivery body and the scheme’s first round is expected to be open to applicants next year. 

    Great Britain currently has 2.8GW of LDES across four existing pumped storage hydro schemes in Scotland and Wales, which already play a significant role in powering the country. 

    Other technologies include liquid air energy storage, compressed air energy storage and flow batteries, which are currently in development and would benefit from investor support. 

    Analysis has found that deploying 20GW of LDES could save the electricity system £24 billion between 2025 and 2050, reducing household energy bills as additional cheaper renewable energy would be available to meet demand at peak times, which would cut reliance on expensive natural gas. 

    Meanwhile, the National Electricity System Operator has estimated that a total of 11.5 to 15.3 GW of LDES will be required by 2050 to achieve net zero. 

    Several projects are currently under development and with some expected to be operational by 2030, and the introduction of an investment support scheme will help deliver them.   

    A similar cap and floor scheme is used for electricity interconnectors which connect Great Britain’s grid with other countries. Introduced in 2014, no floor payments have been made but developers have shared revenues with consumers.   

    Ofgem will design the investment support scheme and under these proposals, it will be split into two application routes, with one focusing on mature technologies, while another will be dedicated to new innovation. 

    This is the latest step in the government’s mission for clean power and energy security, building on the confirmation last week of major funding for two carbon capture sites in Merseyside and Teesside, to create thousands of jobs and attract £8 billion of private investment.  

    It also follows the launch of Great British Energy, lifting the ban on onshore wind and delivering a record number of clean energy projects through its renewables auction – all part of the plan to protect billpayers from volatile energy price spikes driven by fossil fuels.   

    Beatrice Filkin, Director of Major Projects at Ofgem said:  

    We are pleased to see the government’s publication today on its plans for long duration electricity storage. Unlocking investment in this important technology is another significant step towards decarbonisation of the  the power system.  

    We are looking forward to continuing to work closely with government as we take on the role of regulator and investment support scheme delivery body for the sector. 

    Notes to editors 

    • a cap and floor scheme provides revenue support to developers should their gross annual margin (the difference between the revenues from selling electricity back to the grid, and the cost of charging) fall below a set threshold known as the “floor”

    • floor levels are set low to minimise the likelihood of their use, while still providing comfort to investors that operators can meet debt payments in the unlikely scenario that revenues are much lower than forecast. They are not high enough for the asset owners to make a profit (when considering the cost of debt), so there is no incentive for them to seek floor payments – they are merely a form of insurance    

    • in return for consumers underwriting this risk, a revenue cap ensures that LDES asset owners must share some or all profits above a certain level 

    • this announcement follows a consultation on proposals to enable investment in LDES which closed in March 2024. The full response will be published on GOV.UK 

    • the analysis on LDES savings is published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/long-duration-electricity-storage-scenario-deployment-analysis

    Updates to this page

    Published 10 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK announces support to drive stability and growth in Ethiopia

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    The UK Minister for Africa has announced a package of support for Ethiopia.

    • UK Minister announces support to promote stability in northern Ethiopia, two years after the civil war ended.
    • New UK programming aims to support jobs and growth in Ethiopia’s textiles sector.
    • As part of a two-day visit to Ethiopia, the Minister will see first-hand how UK aid is helping vulnerable people recover from conflict.

    New UK funding announced today [10 October] will promote greater stability and will boost exports in the textile and garments sector, Ethiopia’s largest manufacturing export. 

    Two years after hostilities ended in northern Ethiopia, many vulnerable communities are still suffering from the effects of a violent civil war, with over 3 million people facing food insecurity, and many women and girls impacted by conflict related sexual violence.

    The UK is taking critical steps to secure lasting peace in the country, providing £16 million to help 75,000 Tigrayan military personnel return to civilian life with cash, medical and mental health support. 

    Announcing the two-year programme in Tigray, the UK Minister for Africa will meet with individuals affected by conflict and drought.

    Rebuilding communities devastated by civil war, the UK will accelerate economic recovery. The Minister will visit a factory that has just re-started exporting garments to the UK, and will announce £6.9 million of three-year support for Ethiopia’s textiles and garments sector.

    Funding will be provided for several regions in Ethiopia including Tigray, and aims to improve working conditions for 7,000 female workers and increase exports by 20% over three years.

    The UK Minister for Africa, Lord Collins said:

    Peace and Stability are the foundations of growth – that’s why we are providing vital support that will help fighters in northern Ethiopia take their first steps back into civilian livelihoods. 

    In Tigray, I will see communities rebuilding and businesses beginning their journey towards economic recovery.  UK support will boost the Ethiopian textile sector, creating job opportunities and economic growth.

    During the visit, the Minister will see how UK aid has positively impacted nutrition services, meet with mothers and health workers, and will speak with women and girls who are survivors of conflict related sexual violence.

    In Addis Ababa, he will meet with the Ethiopian government, including Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali, to discuss economic cooperation, internal conflict, regional security, and the humanitarian situation in the country.

    Media enquiries

    Email newsdesk@fcdo.gov.uk

    Telephone 020 7008 3100

    Contact the FCDO Communication Team via email (monitored 24 hours a day) in the first instance, and we will respond as soon as possible.

    Updates to this page

    Published 10 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New unit to boost effectiveness of UK sanctions against Russia

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    New trade sanctions unit becomes operational

    • New unit to help businesses comply with the UK’s trade sanctions to launch today.
    • Unit has new and enhanced powers to crack down on businesses in breach and make sure UK sanctions are effective.
    • Sanctions are helping to defund Putin’s illegal war, depriving Russia of over $400 billion of funds since February 2022.

    UK sanctions against Russia are set to be strengthened as the Government launches a new unit to help companies comply with trade sanctions and penalise those who do not.

    Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the UK implemented its most comprehensive set of sanctions against a major economy, with over £20 billion worth of trade with Russia now sanctioned.

    The new Office of Trade Sanctions Implementation (OTSI), launching today, will work with industry to make complying with sanctions obligations as straightforward as possible by issuing guidance and user-friendly online tools.

    There has been overwhelming support from business in implementing sanctions against Russia, and the vast majority of businesses comply. For the minority that don’t, OTSI will have powers to publish information about sanctions breaches and impose civil monetary penalties.

    Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:

    Sanctions are vital in defunding Putin’s illegal war and only by working hand in hand with business can we make them as effective as possible.

    This new unit will help ensure businesses comply with trade sanctions and take decisive enforcement action where needed so that, together with business, we can continue to exert maximum pressure on Putin’s regime.

    Sanctions Minister Stephen Doughty said:

    This new government is resolutely committed to strengthening our sanctions regime, with robust enforcement and penalties for those who fail to comply. From Moscow to Tehran – kleptocrats, aggressors and the enablers who support and facilitate their wealth and  malign actions  should be on notice.

    OTSI will be instrumental in providing vital additional tools not only to help businesses comply with our sanctions, but also to deter and impose costs upon those seeking to breach them.

    The new unit is part of the Department for Business and Trade.  OTSI will work with businesses to offer guidance, issue licences and investigate reports of trade sanctions breaches.

    Chloe Cina, international sanctions expert and Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) fellow said:

    Investing in a new specialist unit to issue guidance, grant licences, and enforce certain trade sanctions across 21 UK regimes is compelling evidence that the novel measures introduced as part of the UK’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine are here to stay.

    The industry will be reassured to see that the most complex restrictions relating to professional services will now be dealt with by OTSI directly from today.

    This launch also sees new reporting obligations introduced for financial services firms, money service businesses and legal service providers. They will now be expected to inform OTSI of suspected breaches of certain trade sanctions.

    OTSI’s new enforcement powers for trade sanctions complement those HMRC already has. While HMRC remains responsible for the enforcement of trade sanctions on goods that cross the UK border as part of its customs role, OTSI now has lead enforcement responsibility for sanctioned services leaving the UK, as well as trade in sanctioned goods and services anywhere else in the world where a UK business or person is involved.

    Notes to editors:

    • From today, OTSI takes on responsibility for issuing licences for certain sanctioned activity – specifically the provision of standalone services, including professional and business services. Sanctions licensing for the export of goods and the provision of ancillary services (services related to the export of tangible goods) remain the responsibility of the Export Control Joint Unit (ECJU). DBT’s Import Controls Team continue to be responsible for licensing the import of goods and other activities (including provision of ancillary services) which are prohibited under UK import sanctions. More information is available here
    • A full list of the UK’s sanctions can be found here
    • Businesses can visit GOV.UK to submit enquiries or contact OTSI@businessandtrade.gov.uk.

    Updates to this page

    Published 10 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Gartner Says Worldwide PC Shipments Declined 1.3% in Third Quarter of 2024

    Source: Gartner – IT Research

    Headline: Gartner Says Worldwide PC Shipments Declined 1.3% in Third Quarter of 2024

    Worldwide PC shipments totaled 62.9 million units in the third quarter of 2024, a 1.3% decline from the third quarter of 2023, according to preliminary results by Gartner, Inc. This decline comes after three consecutive quarters of year-over-year growth for the PC market.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI: ThreeD Capital Inc. Announces Unaudited September 30, 2024 Net Asset Value Per Share – $0.87

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, Oct. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ThreeD Capital Inc. (“ThreeD” or the “Company”) (CSE:IDK / OTCQX:IDKFF) a Canadian-based venture capital firm focused on opportunistic investments in companies in the junior resources and disruptive technologies sectors, announces that at September 30, 2024, its unaudited net asset value per share (“NAV”) was $0.87.

    This announcement is made based on ThreeD’s established practice of releasing NAV on a monthly basis as part of the Company’s ongoing response to shareholder interest in receiving periodic information. NAV is calculated based on unaudited month-end financial information.

    Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures:

    This press release contains references to NAV or “net asset value per share” which is a non-GAAP financial measure. NAV is calculated as the value of total assets less the value of total liabilities divided by the total number of common shares outstanding as at a specific date. The term NAV does not have any standardized meaning according to GAAP and therefore may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. There is no comparable GAAP financial measure presented in ThreeD’s consolidated financial statements and thus no applicable quantitative reconciliation for such non-GAAP financial measure. The Company believes that the measure provides information useful to its shareholders in understanding the Company’s performance and may assist in the evaluation of the Company’s business relative to that of its peers. This data is furnished to provide additional information and does not have any standardized meaning prescribed by GAAP. Accordingly, it should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with GAAP and is not necessarily indicative of other metrics presented in accordance with GAAP. Existing NAV of the Company is not necessarily predictive of the Company’s future performance or the NAV of the Company as at any future date.

    About ThreeD Capital Inc.

    ThreeD is a publicly-traded Canadian-based venture capital firm focused on opportunistic investments in companies in the junior resources and disruptive technologies sectors. ThreeD’s investment strategy is to invest in multiple private and public companies across a variety of sectors globally. ThreeD seeks to invest in early stage, promising companies where it may be the lead investor and can additionally provide investees with advisory services and access to the Company’s ecosystem.

    For further information:

    Matthew Davis, CPA
    Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary
    davis@threedcap.com
    Phone: 416-941-8900

    The Canadian Securities Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release and accepts no responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy hereof.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This news release contains certain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively referred to herein as “forward-looking statements”) within the meaning of Canadian securities laws including, without limitation, statements with respect to the future disclosure of NAV by the Company and the approximate timing thereof. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. Undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements, which are inherently uncertain, are based on estimates and assumptions, and are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties (both general and specific) that contribute to the possibility that the future events or circumstances contemplated by the forward-looking statements will not occur including, without limitation, risks relating to the timing and content of future public disclosures by the Company or related to the fact that the term NAV does not have any standardized meaning according to GAAP and therefore may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies and may not be indicative of NAV for any future periods. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements contained in this press release, and the assumptions on which such forward-looking statements are made, are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements included in this document, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which the forward-looking statements are based will occur. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions, known and unknown risks and uncertainties that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not occur, which may cause the Company’s actual performance and results in future periods to differ materially from any estimates or projections of future performance or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable law. The forward-looking statements contained herein are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Lantronix Announces Five New System-in-Package Solutions Powered by Qualcomm for AI/ML and Video Solutions at the Edge

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    IRVINE, Calif., Oct. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Lantronix Inc. (NASDAQ: LTRX), a global leader of compute and connectivity IoT solutions, today announced its powerful new System-in-Package (SiP) solutions powered by Qualcomm® Technologies’ chipsets that reinforce Lantronix’s position in industrial and enterprise IoT innovation, bringing advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) capabilities to the edge.

    “Qualcomm Technologies and Lantronix have had strong relationships for more than 15 years,” stated Dev Singh, vice president of Business Development and head of Industrial Automation at Qualcomm Technologies Inc. “Utilizing Qualcomm Technologies’ cutting-edge processors, Lantronix enables its customers to seamlessly deploy AI solutions at the edge, bringing its expertise in embedded computing and IoT to deliver reliable, industrial-grade systems.”

    With a combination of leading-edge performance and cost efficiency, Lantronix’s five new SiP families are set to accelerate the development of AI-driven applications in industrial and enterprise use cases, including robotics, industrial automation, video surveillance, video collaboration and drones. The new SiP modules are compliant with the Trade Agreements Act (TAA) and the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

    “With the addition of these five new SiP solutions, we continue our strategic collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies that has enabled Lantronix to build a proven track record of successfully delivering integrated, collaborative solutions that are driving forward IoT and AI/ML technologies to meet the evolving needs of today’s advanced-edge applications,” said Mathi Gurusamy, chief strategy officer for Lantronix.

    Lantronix enables the creation of superior, high-performance AI-driven applications by integrating AI capabilities from the Qualcomm® AI Hub. The Qualcomm AI Hub provides a reference base of more than 100 AI models and a simplified model optimization process to efficiently utilize AI capabilities (3.5 to 100 INT-8 TOPS) in these SiP families.  

    IQ9 Series SiPs for Industrial and Robotics Applications

    Lantronix’s pin-compatible 9100IQ and 9075IQ SiPs, powered by the Qualcomm® IQ-9100 and IQ-9075 processors, provide scalable, power-efficient and robust computing to autonomous devices and next-generation Industry 4.0 designs using advanced AI. The new IQ9 Series can enable:

    • Robust safety functions in autonomous mobile robots (AMR) or platforms with functional safety (FuSa) up to level SIL-3 level (IQ-9100-based SiPs only)
    • Device robustness with fault tolerance Error Correction Code (ECC) memory support and system cost savings by leveraging an integrated, dedicated safety island (IQ-9100) or real-time subsystem (IQ-9075) with four dedicated independent processing cores supporting real-time operating systems for system error monitoring and other critical functions.
    • Robot perception, navigation and versatility improvement through a powerful Qualcomm® Adreno™ 663 GPU and support for up to 16 concurrent cameras.
    • Interactive industrial edge AI systems utilizing up to 100 TOPS by integrating Large Language Model (LLM) support at the edge. The IQ9 Series Hexagon tensor processor can achieve a generation rate of 12 tokens per second when running the Llama 2 13B parameter mode.
    • Fanless systems to enhance operating temperature with the SiP family supporting a -40°C to 115°C junction temperature range.

    Learn more about Lantronix’s 9100IQ and 9075IQ SiP families here. 

    Lantronix’s Open-Q 8550CS for Advanced Video and AI Applications

    Building on the success of its existing Open-Q SiP portfolio, Lantronix’s Open-Q 8550CS family, powered by Qualcomm® Technologies’ QSC8550 processor, delivers high AI performance, power efficiency and advanced Wi-Fi® 7 and Bluetooth® 5 connectivity, making it ideal for long-term, high-demand edge computing applications. Benefits include the abilities to:

    • Enhance video conferencing meeting experiences, automated guided vehicle pathing, smart camera image quality and edge AI box scalability with the family’s octal-core computing capabilities and 48 AI TOPS tensor performance.
    • Perform complex 3D rendering and computer vision tasks with a powerful Adreno 740 GPU supporting ray tracing, Open GL ES, Vulkan and Open CL profiles and 4K240/8K60 video decoding and 4K120/8K30 encoding.
    • Connect edge AI boxes leveraging high-speed 2.5G and 10G Ethernet ports.

    Learn more about Lantronix’s Open-Q 8550CS SiP family here. 

    Lantronix’s Open-Q 6490CS and 5430CS for Scalable AI Solutions

    Lantronix’s pin-compatible Open-Q 6490CS and Open-Q 5430CS families, powered by Qualcomm® Technologies’ QCS6490 and QCS5430 processors, allow customers to scale their product lines with minimal development effort while benefiting from low-power AI performance, Wi-Fi 6E and BLE 5+ connectivity as well as flexible peripheral expansion. Features include:

    • Real-time machine learning on 6th-generation AI engine, delivering 3.5 to 13 AI TOPS and complemented with up to octal-core CPU and Adreno 640 class GPU. 
    • Advanced multimedia and AI powered camera support through up to three concurrent ISPs supporting up to 192MP cameras, 4K30 encoding and 4K60 decoding, sufficient to handle up to 8 camera streams simultaneously for video-intensive applications.
    • Percepxion™ device management for over-the-air (OTA) upgrades for performance, security and software feature improvements. 

    Learn more about Lantronix’s Open-Q 6490CS here and 5430CS families here.

    About Lantronix   

    Lantronix Inc. is a global leader of compute and connectivity IoT solutions that target high-growth industries including Smart Cities, Automotive and Enterprise. Lantronix’s products and services empower companies to succeed in the growing IoT markets by delivering customizable solutions that address each layer of the IoT Stack. Lantronix’s leading-edge solutions include Intelligent Substations infrastructure, Infotainment systems and Video Surveillance, supplemented with advanced Out-of-Band Management (OOB) for Cloud and Edge Computing. 

    For more information, visit the Lantronix website.

    “Safe Harbor” Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities laws, including, without limitation, statements related to our Open-Q SIP solutions for Qualcomm developers. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results, future business, financial condition, or performance to differ materially from our historical results or those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement contained in this news release. The potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, such factors as the effects of negative or worsening regional and worldwide economic conditions or market instability on our business, including effects on purchasing decisions by our customers; our ability to mitigate any disruption in our and our suppliers’ and vendors’ supply chains due to the COVID-19 pandemic or other outbreaks, wars and recent tensions in Europe, Asia and the Middle East, or other factors; future responses to and effects of public health crises; cybersecurity risks; changes in applicable U.S. and foreign government laws, regulations, and tariffs; our ability to successfully implement our acquisitions strategy or integrate acquired companies; difficulties and costs of protecting patents and other proprietary rights; the level of our indebtedness, our ability to service our indebtedness and the restrictions in our debt agreements; and any additional factors included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2024, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on Sept. 9, 2024; as well as in our other public filings with the SEC. Additional risk factors may be identified from time to time in our future filings. The forward-looking statements included in this release speak only as of the date hereof, and we do not undertake any obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. 

    © 2024 Lantronix, Inc. All rights reserved. Lantronix is a registered trademark. Other trademarks and trade names are those of their respective owners.

    Qualcomm-branded products are products of Qualcomm Technologies Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. Qualcomm and Adreno are trademarks or registered trademarks of Qualcomm Incorporated. 

    Lantronix Media Contact:         
    Gail Kathryn Miller 
    Corporate Marketing & 
    Communications Manager 
    media@lantronix.com
    949-212-0960 

    Lantronix Analyst and Investor Contact:         
    investors@lantronix.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Name release, fatal crash, SH73, Kirwee

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Police are now in a position to release the names of the two people who died following a crash on West Coast Road, Kirwee on Thursday 3 October 2024.

    They were Anna Brenmuhl, 74 and Francis Brenmuhl, 75 of Kirwee.

    Our deepest thoughts and sympathies are with their family at this extremely difficult time.

    The driver of the other vehicle involved in the collision remains in Christchurch Hospital in a stable condition.

    Our investigation into the crash remains ongoing. No charges have been laid at this stage.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Screen Australia announces $8.1 million of production funding for 15 projects

    Source: Australia Government Statements 4

    10 10 2024 – Media release

    L-R: Love Adjacent director Louise Alston, Watching You creators Alexei Mizin and Ryan van Dijk, and Arisa Trew from online development project, Level Up (photo credit: Mathias Scherrer).
    Screen Australia has announced over $8.1 million in production funding for 15 projects spanning feature film, television and online content. This significant investment reflects Screen Australia’s ongoing commitment to fostering innovative storytelling and content that engages audiences across genres and platforms.
    Among the funded projects are Zac Power, a new animated family feature from Flying Bark Productions and Cheeky Little Media, based on the popular book series of the same name; Leviticus, the latest feature from Causeway Films, the production company behind the global breakout success Talk to Me; romantic comedy Love Adjacent; Stan’s psychological thriller series Watching You; and online series Hoops, from the creative team behind the popular TikTok documentary Transathletica.
    Screen Australia CEO Deirdre Brennan said, “These latest projects reflect the depth of creative storytelling that defines the Australian screen industry. We support projects that entertain and resonate with audiences. Our aim is to champion authentic local voices and ensure our sector remains at the forefront of global storytelling.”
    “For the 2023/24 financial year, Screen Australia invested over $85 million across all 57 funding programs, including over $5.5 million through the First Nations Department, and issued 205 final certificates through the Producer Offset with a total value of $413 million. Demand on Screen Australia support remained high, with the agency supporting just under a third of all applications received. We’ll continue to seek ways to provide impactful support within our limited capacity, prioritising audience connection, industry value and cultural relevance.”
    Over the past year, Australian projects demanded global attention with 61 Australian projects selected for international film festivals and events. Amongst those titles, online series Videoland took out Best Comedy series at the prestigious Festival Series Mania, critically acclaimed debut feature Shayda won the Sundance Audience Award, and Furiosa and Australia/Ireland Co-production The Surfer starring Nicholas Cage led the Australian contingent hosting World Premieres at Cannes Film Festival. Funding stories that reflect and connect remains a focus and in 2023/24, the agency supported a breadth of titles that highlight local screen talent including drama series Top End Bub, feature film JIMPA and a new slate of children’s content including DO NOT WATCH THIS SHOW, an animated adaptation of the popular children’s book series by comedian and author Andy Lee.
    “Our focus is firmly on the future. We’re building a sustainable screen economy that both adapts and inspires. I’m thrilled by the international recognition of our stories and excited for the pipeline of projects set to release before the end of the year including films Memoir of a Snail and The Moogai, along with series’ Thou Shalt Not Steal, Four Years Later and Plum – I can’t wait for Australians to experience them,” continued Brennan.
    The projects funded for production include:

    Chasing Millions: A crime drama set in Belfast 2004, where Northern Ireland has been at peace for six years, but old enmities and mistrust remain. Chasing Millions tells the story of the biggest bank heist in Irish, British (and Australian) history making reluctant partners of ambitious Australian police officer, Diana, with gruff, veteran Northern Irish detective, Crawford, as they investigate and seek to solve the crime while navigating their way through the minefield of a fragile peace. An official Irish-Australian co-production with Irish director Stephen Burke (Maze) at the helm, based on a script by Stephen Burke and Katherine Thomson (Schapelle, House of Hancock). Producers are Jane Doolan (Maze, Wolf) of Mammoth Films, Ireland and Michael Wrenn (Audrey) of Invisible Republic, Australia. It has received major production investment from Screen Ireland, with local distribution by Bonsai Films and international sales by Level K.
    Displaced: A six-part comedy sci-fi series for YouTube that follows a dysfunctional physicist who is accidentally sent back in time and in the process, tries to fix her future by mentoring her younger self. Displaced is a comedy about depression, queerness, making trouble, healing an inner child, and being seen. It is from writer/director Molly Daniels (The InBESTigators, Wispy), writer/producer Jem Splitter (Galacticare) and producer Rachael Morrow. Displaced is produced and developed in association with VicScreen and financed with support from the Community Broadcasting Foundation.
    Hoops: From the team behind Transathletica on TikTok, Hoops documents the journey of Transgender Basketballer Lexi Rodgers and her fight to be ruled eligible to play with a NBL1 South team. After a major setback in 2023, Lexi spends the year jumping through hoops – determined against all odds to play in the 2024 season. Hoops is from writer/director Hannah McElhinney, writer Rudy Jean Rigg and executive producer Jamie Searle of Transathletica, with Eliza Bone (Letter for the King) producing.
    Leviticus: The latest horror feature film from the production company behind box office hit Talk to Me, Leviticus is the story of two teenage boys living in a conservative Christian community in regional Victoria, Naim and Ryan. When their attraction to each other is identified by the local pastor, the pair are subjected to a conversion ritual which unknowingly releases an entity that terrorises the town. Leviticus is from writer/director Adrian Chiarella (Totally Completely Fine), and producers Hannah Ngo (Latecomers) and Samantha Jennings and Kristina Ceyton of Causeway Films. It is financed in association with Salmira Productions, and developed and produced in association with VicScreen, who is also supporting post, digital and visual effects (PDV). PDV is also supported by Kojo Studio, with local distribution by Maslow Entertainment and international sales by Studio 301 Films.
    Love Adjacent: When food critic Maggie writes a review that causes top chef Ryan’s restaurant to go under, he is forced to retreat back home and start again from scratch. Coincidentally in the same town for her sister’s wedding, Maggie is determined to continue taking down what Ryan is serving up, that is until catastrophe strikes and Maggie desperately needs Ryan’s help to make her sister’s wedding happen. Love Adjacent is a romantic comedy feature film directed by Louise Alston (Back of the Net) and written by Sarah Mayberry (Neighbours) and Christopher Gist (The Broken Shore), with Kate Whitbread (The Caterpillar Wish) and Spencer McLaren (This Little Love of Mine) producing. It is produced in association with VicScreen, with Umbrella Entertainment distributing locally and Film Seekers managing international sales.
    Posthumous: In this drama, horror feature film, Zoe returns to her family home and estranged father to find some semblance of comfort after her life falls apart, but the discovery of a mysterious videotape threatens to undo everything she knew about her deceased mother’s final days and her own birth. Amidst their shared grief, Zoe and her father face a powerful supernatural force as long-buried events are exposed, and must be reckoned with. Posthumous is from writer/director/producer Josh Tanner (Wandering Soul) and writer/producer Jade van der Lei (6 Festivals), with Joel Anderson (Lake Mungo) executive producing. It is funded in association with Screen Queensland. Financed with support from the Gold Coast Screen Incentive, with local distribution by Kismet Movies.
    Saccharine: In this psychological horror feature from Carver Films (Run Rabbit Run), a lovelorn medical student becomes terrorised by a hungry ghost after taking part in an obscure weight-loss craze: eating human ashes. Saccharine is from writer/director/producer Natalie Erika James and producers Anna McLeish and Sarah Shaw, the team behind Relic. It is produced in association with VicScreen, with local distribution by Maslow Entertainment and international sales by XYZ Films.
    Watching You: A six-part gripping psychological thriller for Stan based on J.P Pomare’s novel The Last Guests. Watching You is created for television by Alexei Mizin and Ryan van Dijk and produced by Jason Stephens and Bree-Anne Sykes. Helen Bowden, Cailah Scobie and Alicia Brown are executive producing. It has received major production investment from Stan and is financed with support from Screen NSW through the Made in NSW Fund. Post, digital and visual effects supported by Screen NSW. Financed in association with and distributed by ITV Studios.
    Zac Power: Based on the popular book series of the same name, Zac Power is an animated family feature from Flying Bark Productions (200% Wolf, 100% Wolf) and Cheeky Little Media (Kangaroo Beach, Ginger and the Vegesaurs). Zac Power’s position as the top teenage spy is compromised after a brilliant new agent arrives. When his recklessness allows an ostentatious supervillain to steal a high-tech weapon, Zac is forced to confront his own flaws and team up with his rival. The film is directed by Alexs Stadermann and David Webster and written by Fin Edquist, John Armstrong, Lawrence Leung and Erica Harrison. It is financed in association with the Australian Children’s Television Foundation.

    Also announced today are 27 television dramas, 23 feature films and six online projects that will share in over $1.7 million of development funding. Of these, 24 projects have been supported through the Generate Fund, 26 through the Premium Fund and six through the Online Development Fund.
    The projects include online action adventure series Amy the Pirate; family music drama feature Piano Mums, following a promising teenage pianist and exploring the power of music and love of family; Skip Ahead project Life of Kea that has been developed into a television drama series; and a second season of the TikTok docuseries Sextistics, which continues to explore the statistics to create a snapshot of gender, sexuality and identity within Australia.
    For the list of projects funded across scripted feature films, scripted television, online and development in the 2023/24 financial year, visit:

    For full details on feature films funded for production so far in the 2024/25 financial year, click here.
    Download PDF
    Media enquiries
    Maddie Walsh | Publicist
    + 61 2 8113 5915  | [email protected]
    Jessica Parry | Senior Publicist (Mon, Tue, Thu)
    + 61 428 767 836  | [email protected]
    All other general/non-media enquiries
    Sydney + 61 2 8113 5800  |  Melbourne + 61 3 8682 1900 | [email protected]

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: October 9th, 2024 Heinrich Tours to See Upgraded Equipment for Carlsbad Police Department, Receives Briefing on New Mobile Command Center

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich

    PHOTOS

    Heinrich secured nearly $1 million to support a new Mobile Command Center and new radio and communications equipment that will improve law enforcement operations and emergency response in Eddy County

    CARLSBAD, N.M. — U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, took a tour with the Carlsbad Police Department to hear how nearly $1 million he secured for a forthcoming, new Mobile Command Center and operational, upgraded radio and communications equipment will improve response times and emergency coordination to help law enforcement agencies in Eddy County keep New Mexicans safe.

    U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) with the Carlsbad Police Department, highlighting planned upgrades to be included in the new Mobile Command Center, and discuss new radio and communications equipment.

    “We need to better equip law enforcement with the tools needed to keep New Mexicans safe, and I’m committed to doing that,” said Heinrich. “Upgraded technology will make a real difference for the Carlsbad Police Department, improving emergency response throughout Eddy County and helping first responders serve the community. It’s delivering investments like these to support our law enforcement officers that make me proud to fight for New Mexico on the Senate Appropriations Committee.”

    During the visit, Heinrich was briefed by the Carlsbad Police Chief Shane Skinner, Carlsbad Mayor Rick Lopez, and Carlsbad Fire Chief Tony Souza on how investments he secured through his seat on the Appropriations Committee for radio and communications equipment — currently being used by first responders and law enforcement — is keeping New Mexicans safe. Heinrich additionally highlighted funding he secured for a new Mobile Command Center.

    Background:

    Heinrich secured nearly $1 million through the Fiscal Year 2022 Appropriations process for a new Mobile Command Center and new radio and communications equipment to improve response times and emergency coordination to help first responders in Eddy County keep New Mexicans safe. 

    In addition to this investment, Heinrich secured $1 million in the FY24 appropriations bill to purchase new National Integrated Ballistics Information Network (NIBIN) ballistics testing machines for law enforcement agencies to use in Las Cruces, Farmington, Gallup, and Roswell. These machines will help law enforcement agencies quickly and effectively identify, solve, and prosecute crimes involving firearms. 

    Prior to this investment, there were only three NIBIN machines in all of New Mexico: two in Albuquerque and one in Santa Fe. The Roswell NIBIN machine will create a much closer option for law enforcement agencies in southeastern New Mexico. The intelligence gathered by all of the new NIBIN machines will go to the New Mexico Attorney General’s Crime Gun Intelligence Center where dedicated and trained analysts will use the information to trace and network firearms used in crimes across the state. The Center will then be able to feed that information back to law enforcement agencies to improve identification of suspects and support successful prosecutions.

    For a list of Heinrich’s actions to support law enforcement and first responders across New Mexico, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Chris Deluzio and Wife, Zoë Bunnell, Announce Birth of Their Son

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA-17)

    ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PA — This week, Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA-17) and his wife Zoë Bunnell welcomed their fourth child into their family, a healthy baby boy.  

    Congressman Deluzio and his family are thrilled to share this news and released the following statement:  

    “We are over the moon to welcome our son into our family and are grateful that both the baby and Zoë are healthy and recovering well.  

    “We want to thank the dedicated team of nurses, doctors, and staff at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital who helped us begin this new chapter for our family!  

    “Our hearts are full, and we thank everyone for their well wishes. We’re so proud to be raising our family in Western Pennsylvania.” 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Issa, Calvert Lead Southern California Law Enforcement Roundtable

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-50)

    MURRIETA – This week, Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-48) joined Congressman Ken Calvert (CA-41) and Riverside County Assistant District Attorney John Aki for a Southern California Law Enforcement Roundtable. The event took place in Murrieta, CA.

    “Fundamentally, citizens have the right not to be a victim of crime,” said Congressman Issa. We convened this conversation of law enforcement leaders because public safety is at the forefront of our community’s concerns, and Riverside County is to be congratulated for holding the line against crime and pushing back to make our neighborhoods as safe as they can be.”

    The discussion specifically focused on the dimension of the region’s law enforcement priorities and the continuing challenges that police, sheriffs, and all public safety face to protect residents and keep the peace. Congressman Issa fielded questions related to his legislative efforts to target retail crime, Sexually Violent Predators, and the deadly fentanyl epidemic. He also addressed the open borders policies of the Biden-Harris Administration and the official Judiciary Committee Field Hearing he chaired last month in Santee, CA.

    “I’m especially grateful to my friend and colleague Rep. Calvert as well as Assistant DA Aki for their continuing commitment to combat crime and strengthen support for all of our law enforcement priorities and personnel.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kaine Leads Push to Examine Ageism’s Impacts on Quality and Equity of Health Care

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, on Ageism Awareness Day, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, led a group of senators in sending a letter to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) requesting that the agency examine the impact of ageism on quality and equity of care, patient safety, and health outcomes. Ageism in health care is associated with a decreased likelihood that older adults will receive care that meets medical guidelines, an increased likelihood that they are not properly reimbursed for care, and exclusion from clinical trials and other research that is available to the public generally.
    “While ageism is often subtle, it is woven into our workforce, our health care system, and our everyday interactions,” wrote the senators.
    “Ageism within health care leads to poorer health outcomes, avoidable morbidity, and costly preventable adverse events. Ageism costs the health care system $63 billion annually. In health care, ageism is expressed in our policies, the practices of health care providers, and negative assumptions held by older adults themselves,” they continued.
    The senators specifically asked the AHRQ for answers to the following questions:
    What is the full scope of ageism within health care?
    What is the impact of ageism and intersectionality on both the micro and macro levels of health care related to health equity and outcomes?
    What is the evidence for interventions to address ageism and promote age inclusivity in health care?
    Kaine has long worked to address the needs of older Americans. This past July, he helped secure key provisions in the HELP committee-passed bill to reauthorize the Older Americans Act, which supports a wide range of programs and services to help older Americans remain in their homes and connected to their communities.
    In addition to Kaine, the letter was signed by Senators Bob Casey (D-PA), Angus King (I-ME) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT).
    Full text of the senators’ letter is available here and below.
    Dear Dr. Valdez:
    We write to express our concern about the complexity and pervasive nature of ageism in health care and request that the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) examine the impact of ageism on quality and equity of care, patient safety, and health outcomes.
    While ageism is often subtle, it is woven into our workforce, our health care system, and our everyday interactions. Ageism undermines older adults and their contributions to our communities. Research shows that 81 percent of adults aged 50-80 report experiencing internal ageism, 65 percent are exposed to ageist messages, and 45 percent face ageism in interpersonal interactions. These staggering statistics demonstrate how ingrained ageism is in our society.
    Ageism refers to stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination directed towards people on the basis of their age. While ageism is often subtle, it is woven into our workforce, our health care system, and our everyday interactions. Ageism undermines older adults and their contributions to our communities. Research shows that 81 percent of adults aged 50-80 report experiencing internal ageism, 65 percent are exposed to ageist messages, and 45 percent face ageism in interpersonal interactions. These staggering statistics demonstrate how ingrained ageism is in our society.
    Ageism within health care leads to poorer health outcomes, avoidable morbidity, and costly preventable adverse events. Ageism costs the health care system $63 billion annually. In health care, ageism is expressed in our policies, the practices of health care providers, and negative assumptions held by older adults themselves. At the macro level, ageism is complex and reflected in health care access issues which result in older adults being less likely to receive care consistent with medical guidelines, payment policies that do not adequately reimburse for complex care needed for older adults, and exclusion or underrepresentation of older adults in clinical trials and other research.
    At the micro level, practices such as the use of ageist language and elder speak, exclusion of older patients from plan of care conversations, and variations in treatment practices due to a patient’s age all affect patients’ quality of care. Self-directed ageism can also lead to adverse outcomes for a patient if their beliefs on aging lead them to believe that the symptoms they are experiencing should be considered a “normal” part of aging. For example, while some cognitive decline is expected as we age, memory loss, confusion, changes in behavior, and inability to complete activities of daily living are all signs of changes in cognitive ability that need to be evaluated by a medical professional. Moreover, people who internalize ageist societal messages tend to have poorer physical, cognitive, and mental health. The reverse is also true—individuals who internalize positive aging messages are likely to exhibit benefits in physical, cognitive, and mental health—highlighting the need to promote age inclusivity.
    We respectfully request that AHRQ examine this issue and provide a synthesis of existing evidence on ageism in health care to inform efforts to reduce ageism within the health care system. Specifically, we request your assistance to answer the following questions:
    What is the full scope of ageism within health care?
    What is the impact of ageism and intersectionality on both the micro and macro levels of health care related to health equity and outcomes?
    What is the evidence for interventions to address ageism and promote age inclusivity in health care?
    With AHRQ’s mission to improve the quality, safety, and equity of health care, we believe your organization is well suited to support Congress’ effort to address ageism in health care. Results of the requested review will help inform practice, quality improvement efforts, education of health professionals, and policy.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ahead of Fifth Circuit Case, Senators Rosen and Cortez Masto Warn About Threats to DACA

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)
    LAS VEGAS, NV – U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) held a press conference along with Dream Big Nevada and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients in Las Vegas to warn against the current threats DACA faces in federal court. On Thursday, October 10, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit will hear a case that will determine the future of DACA and could further chip away at the program. Senators Rosen and Cortez Masto called on Nevadans to stay informed on the status of this court case and renewed their commitment to do everything they can to pass a permanent legislative solution that will protect Dreamers and keep families together.
    “For more than a decade, DACA has provided peace of mind for Nevada Dreamers – allowing them to access education, health care, and jobs,” said Senator Rosen. “At a time when far-right extremists are pushing courts to strike down this critical program, I’m renewing my commitment to do everything I can to protect DACA and keep families together. We need to be vigilant about the outcome of this case, and I urge all DACA recipients in our state to stay informed and reach out to our offices for assistance and information. I’ll keep working with Senator Cortez Masto to stand up for Nevada Dreamers and push for a permanent solution with a pathway to citizenship for DACA recipients.”
    “I want Dreamers and their families to know they’re not alone, and Senator Rosen and I are doing everything we can to keep families together,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “DACA recipients whose status expires in the next few months can renew while we wait for decisions to be handed down. But our communities should know that court decisions like this pose real threats to vital programs, and we have to stand up and push back. I’ll never give up the fight to ensure Dreamers can live and succeed in the only home they’ve ever known.”
    “DACA changed the course of my life. I spent years in the shadows, with DACA I was able to pursue goals that had felt distant,” said Astrid Silva, founder of Dream Big Nevada. “Now as I wait for yet another court date to tell me if I will be able to breathe or continue to live in fear, I keep reminding myself that I can’t give up. Too many families depend on DACA for us to quit now, even as frustrating as it is. I’m grateful to live in a state where my Senators not only support me but give a voice when ours starts to shake.”
    Senators Rosen and Cortez Masto have been outspoken in their strong support for DACA recipients and their families. In a committee hearing earlier this year, Senator Rosen raised concerns over the significant application delays impacting DACA recipients. Last Congress, Senator Rosen gave a floor speech urging her Senate colleagues to take immediate action to permanently protect Dreamers while simultaneously continuing to work to pass comprehensive immigration reform that provides a pathway to citizenship. Cortez Masto pushed the Biden-Harris administration to take executive action to protect hardworking mixed-status families in Nevada and across the country. She’s introduced legislation to fix our outdated immigration laws, led calls to address delays in DACA renewal applications, and fought to make it easier for mixed status families to stay together.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Reverend Warnock, Casey Urge Administration to Ensure Seniors Can Benefit from New Prescription Drug Cost Cap

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia

    Senators Reverend Warnock, Casey Urge Administration to Ensure Seniors Can Benefit from New Prescription Drug Cost Cap

    The senators urged the Biden Administration to provide more information to seniors about out-of-pocket prescription drug cost cap that goes into effect January 2025
    The $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket prescription drugs for Medicare recipients to save seniors $1.5 billion in copays and other expenses
    Senator Reverend Warnock championed the Inflation Reduction Act law lowering out-of-pocket drug costs, giving Medicare the power to negotiate and lower prescription drugs
    Senators Reverend Warnock, Casey also recently reintroduced the Capping Prescription Costs Act to lower out-of-pocket drug costs for families – MORE HERE
    Senators Reverend Warnock, Casey: “The new cap will allow nearly 19 million Medicare beneficiaries to reduce their spending on prescription drugs. We must do more to ensure that older adults understand these new options and benefits”
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Bob Casey (D-PA) are urging the Biden Administration to better inform seniors of the steps they may need to take to benefit from the impending cap on out-of-pocket prescription drug costs.
    In an October 3 letter to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra, the Senators noted that in January 2025, as a result of the landmark Inflation Reduction Act law, a $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket drug costs for Medicare Part D beneficiaries will go into effect and reduce drug costs for nearly 19 million Americans. The Senators urged HHS to increase outreach efforts to ensure that seniors understand how to guarantee their prescription drugs count towards the out-of-pocket cap so they don’t end up paying more than expected.
    “The new cap will allow nearly 19 million Medicare beneficiaries to reduce their spending on prescription drugs. We must do more to ensure that older adults understand these new options and benefits. A lack of information and communication could leave older adults paying more and missing out on benefits to which they are entitled,” wrote the Senators.
    Senators Reverend Warnock and Casey have long led efforts in the Senate to lower prescription drug costs. In 2022, they fought to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, which put in place the $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket prescription drug costs for Medicare Part D beneficiaries. The law also capped the cost of insulin at $35 a month for Medicare recipients and gave Medicare the power to negotiate prescription drug prices for the first time. Negotiations began last year on the first set of ten drugs: Eliquis, Jardiance, Xarelto, Januvia, Farxiga, Entresto, Enbrel, Imbruvica, Stelara, and NovoLog/Fiasp. In August, the Biden Administration announced the new, lower negotiated prices for each of these first ten drugs. Early next year, the Administration will announce the next set of 15 drugs that will be subject to price negotiations. Senators Warnock and Casey also recently introduced the Capping Prescription Costs Act which would cap annual out-of-pocket prescription drug costs at $2,000 for individuals and $4,000 for families with private insurance.
    “The IRA directly lowers prescription drug costs for millions of Americans, and we must do everything we can provide older adults with the resources to understand these benefits. This is especially important with Open Enrollment beginning on October 15, a key opportunity for beneficiaries to ensure their health plans meet their needs. The Biden-Harris Administration has worked tirelessly to pass and implement the IRA, and we look forward to continuing those efforts as provisions of the law take effect, making prescription drugs costs more affordable,” concluded the senators.
    The full letter can be found HERE and the text is below:
    Dear Secretary Becerra:
    Thank you for your ongoing commitment to lowering the cost of health care across the Nation. In just a few months, as a result of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), a $2,000 cap on out-of pocket prescription drug costs will go into effect. The new cap will allow nearly 19 million Medicare beneficiaries to reduce their spending on prescription drugs. We must do more to ensure that older adults understand their new options and benefits. A lack of information and communication could leave older adults paying more and missing out on benefits to which they are entitled.  As this and other prescription drug pricing provisions from the IRA take effect, we urge the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to increase outreach efforts to older adults to ensure they are aware of how to benefit from the law
    When Congress passed the IRA, we fought to ensure the legislation included significant steps to improve prescription drug affordability by allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices, capping out of pocket costs for Medicare beneficiaries, lowering insulin costs, and decreasing prescription drug costs for low-income Medicare beneficiaries. Last year, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) began to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies to lower the price of prescription drugs and in August, CMS announced the negotiated maximum fair prices for the first 10 drugs under the IRA’s negotiation program. Medicare enrollees taking these 10 drugs paid a total of $3.4 billion in out-of-pocket costs in 2022. Had the IRA been in effect in 2023, Medicare would have saved $6 billion, and beneficiaries would have saved $1.5 billion in copays and other expenses. Additional drugs will be negotiated each year under this program, largely expanding the affordability of prescription drugs for Medicare beneficiaries.
    Starting in 2023, cost-sharing was eliminated for vaccines covered by Medicare Part D. According to HHS, 10.3 million Medicare Part D enrollees received a recommended vaccine free of charge, which saved beneficiaries more than $400 million in out-of-pocket costs. This includes 3.9 million older adults who received a shingles vaccine, which is an increase of about 42 percent from 2021.
    In January 2024, the IRA also capped out of pocket costs for insulin at $35 per month for Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in Part B and Part D. Had the IRA been in effect in 2020, 1.5 million Medicare beneficiaries would have benefited, saving about $734 million in Part D and $27 million in Part B, or about $500 in average annual savings per beneficiary. Thanks to pressure from the IRA, three of the largest U.S. insulin manufacturers have capped out-of-pocket insulin costs for even more patients.
    In January 2025, Medicare Part D enrollees will benefit from a $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket drug costs. This redesign will reduce beneficiary out-of-pocket spending by about $7.4 billion each year among more than 18.7 million enrollees in 2025. This will save nearly $400 per person in out of pocket costs each year. 
    CMS has provided some information about the upcoming implementation of the out-of-pocket cap, with detailed guidance regarding the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan to Part D plan sponsors and a fact sheet for consumers and Medicare beneficiaries. But CMS must do more to inform older adults about the details of the $2,000 out of pocket cap to ensure they are able to realize its maximum benefits. For example, Medicare beneficiaries need information about how to guarantee their prescription drugs count towards the out-of-pocket cap and how to choose the best Part D plan for their individual needs. Without this critical information, beneficiaries may end up paying more than expected.
    The IRA directly lowers prescription drug costs for millions of Americans, and we must do everything we can provide older adults with the resources to understand these benefits. This is especially important with Open Enrollment beginning on October 15, a key opportunity for beneficiaries to ensure their health plans meet their needs. The Biden-Harris Administration has worked tirelessly to pass and implement the IRA, and we look forward to continuing those efforts as provisions of the law take effect, making prescription drugs costs more affordable.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: U.S. Senate Unanimously Passes Peters-Backed Bipartisan Resolution to Commemorate National Community Policing Week

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters
    Published: 10.09.2024
    National Community Policing Week is Recognized October 6th through 12th

    WASHINGTON, DC – A bipartisan resolution cosponsored by U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) to commemorate National Community Policing Week has unanimously passed in the U.S. Senate. The bipartisan resolution recognizes the service and sacrifice of the law enforcement community and underscores the importance of community policing. Additionally, the resolution encourages civilians, law enforcement agencies and public servants to work together to find solutions to improve public safety and strengthen community relationships. Full text of the bipartisan resolution is available here.
    “Building trust between residents and local law enforcement is key to the safety of our communities,” said Senator Peters. “I am proud to have helped lead this bipartisan resolution to commemorate National Community Policing Week and recognize the important work being done to strengthen our neighborhoods and keep people safe.”
    Peters has consistently worked to enhance public safety by supporting the brave men and women who sacrifice their own lives protecting our communities. Last year, the Senate passed Peters’ Strong Communities Act, which aims to strengthen relationships between law enforcement officers and their communities by providing recruits with federal grants to attend school or academy if they agree to serve in a law enforcement agency in their respective communities. In 2023, the Senate also passed bipartisan legislation introduced by Peters to reauthorize the Project Safe Neighborhoods program – a nationwide law enforcement program that uses evidence-based and data-driven approaches to reduce violent crime.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Peters Leads Resolution to Recognize National Chemistry Week

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters
    Published: 10.09.2024

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), Co-Chair of the Congressional Chemistry Caucus, introduced a resolution recognizing October 20-26 as National Chemistry Week to celebrate chemistry’s important role in addressing critical challenges around the world. The resolution was introduced alongside fellow Congressional Chemistry Caucus Co-Chairs U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-DE) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV). Full text of the resolution is available here.
    “Each year, National Chemistry Week gives us an opportunity to celebrate the extraordinary achievements in chemistry innovation that improve our everyday lives and support good-paying jobs in Michigan,” said Senator Peters. “I’m honored to join my colleagues in leading this bipartisan resolution to recognize chemistry professionals and encourage students to pursue a career in STEM fields.”
    National Chemistry Week is a community-based program of the American Chemical Society that unites students, professional communities, businesses, schools, and individuals in communicating the importance of chemistry to our quality of life. The event aims to motivate young people, especially women and members of underrepresented groups, to study science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and pursue science-related careers. This year’s National Chemistry Week theme is “Picture Perfect Chemistry.”  
    Peters helped create the Senate Chemistry Caucus in 2017 to provide a bipartisan forum to discuss issues dealing with the science of chemistry and America’s chemical business sector, which play a critical role in our economy and the creation of innovative products vital to everyday life.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: IAEA Director General in Slovenia Before Key Nuclear Power Referendum

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

    The JEK2 project would provide up to 2400 MWe capacity with a pressurised water technology of either GEN III or GEN III+ design, further strengthening Slovenia’s capacity to reduce emissions and meet its climate and development goals.

    The Director General spoke to a number of Slovenian media outlets on the topic. “I have seen much interest here in detailed nuclear topics related to price, waste and safety. I am happy to answer any questions and appreciate these informed exchanges.

    “I think the important thing is that the Slovenian society is well-informed, and that there is a good public debate about it. My impression is that there is widespread consensus on the reasonability of moving forward with nuclear in the country. But, of course, it will be up to the Slovenes to decide what you want to do.”

    Mr Grossi spoke of nuclear power’s key role supporting the clean energy transition. “An integrated intelligent energy mix is what is needed. You cannot have full reliance on one single source of energy. We believe that renewable energy is indispensable, and it should be scaled up. The issue here is that you also need base load energy. You cannot power a full economy simply on renewable energies.

    “So, countries are choosing what kind of base load capacity they can use. Many important economies are looking into nuclear simply because they need useful instruments that will allow them to have this base load energy,” he added.

    Following the political gathering this morning and a meeting with Bojan Kumer, Minister of the Environment, Climate and Energy, Mr Grossi spoke with student groups on the topic.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Finalists for Tenth Annual 43north Startup Competition

    Source: US State of New York

    Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the eight finalists for the 10th annual 43North startup competition taking place tomorrow, Oct. 10, marking ten years of entrepreneurial success in Buffalo achieved by investing in the innovative businesses and jobs of the future. This year’s finalists from across the country span a diverse range of industries, including edtech, fintech, AI, foodtech, healthtech and more. A team of 24 venture capitalists heard pitches from the 16 semi-finalists and selected the eight teams that will be moving on to tomorrow’s big event, where they will pitch their extraordinary ideas in front of a live audience at Shea’s Performing Arts Center – competing for one of five $1 million investments and the chance to scale their businesses in one of the nation’s fastest-growing startup ecosystems.

    “Buffalo has an impressive history of innovation, and 43North is continuing this tradition by drawing some of the most exciting startups from around the world to the region,” Governor Hochul said. “The impact of 43North is undeniable. Over the past ten years we have seen Buffalo become recognized as a national startup hub and we look forward to seeing how this year’s cutting-edge businesses and top talent will fuel Western New York’s growing entrepreneurial economy.”

    In addition to funding, the 43North accelerator provides mentorship, office space, access to a wide network of investors, and resources that help startups scale effectively. Over the past decade, 43North has invested in 69 companies, 52 percent of which have remained in Buffalo. The portfolio features 50 percent of companies led by founders of color and 26 percent led by female founders.

    43North President Colleen E. Heidinger said, “We’re excited to welcome over 3,000 attendees for our tenth 43North Finals competition, where a new group of startups will compete to join our portfolio and the opportunity to become part of Buffalo’s growing innovation community. With support from New York State and Empire State Development, 43North continues to foster innovation and growth across the Buffalo entrepreneurial ecosystem.”

    More than 3,000 audience members at this year’s 43North Finals event will cheer on the new crop of competitors vying for a place in 43North’s portfolio. The 43North business accelerator is funded by New York State and receives support from Empire State Development to operate competitions. Following a successful return in 2023, the $25,000 People’s Choice Award, sponsored by Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, will once again be decided by a live audience vote during the finals event tomorrow.

    The 2024 43North Finalists are:

    8B Education Investments – Ithaca, NY

    8B Education Investments is a fintech platform enabling campuses to meet their revenue and enrollment goals by tackling the $50 billion gap in education financing facing African students going to study in the US.

    Cactivate – Boston, MA

    Cactivate is a plug-and-play, marketing copilot for small and medium-sized businesses. Its vertically-integrated one-stop-shop uses large language models and retrieval-augmented generation to prescribe and assist with marketing strategies.

    CoverRight – Brooklyn, NY

    CoverRight is on a mission to improve the lives of older adults by guiding them through health, finance and lifestyle options that benefit them.

    FLUIX – Tampa, FL

    FLUIX is an Autonomous AI software platform that saves critical buildings, such as data centers, up to 40 percent in energy costs by intelligently connecting and holistically controlling facility systems.

    FoodNerd – Buffalo, NY

    FoodNerd is a food technology platform redefining the processing of shelf-stable foods. Its patent-pending technology produces nutraceutical-grade food with vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients preserved intact.

    HeronAI – Cambridge, MA

    HeronAI has created the only Growth Opportunity Tool designed for accounting firms to streamline month-end advisory reporting. HeronAI helps reduce reporting time from weeks to under 5 minutes.

    Rarebird – San Francisco, CA

    Rarebird makes Px (paraxanthine) coffee, a patented coffee with the world’s first caffeine replacement.

    Spiky.ai – Brookline, MA

    Spiky empowers revenue teams with real-time AI-driven customer insights for enhanced selling effectiveness.

    You can watch the 43North Finals live online at 43North.org starting at 6:00 p.m tomorrow, Oct. 10.

    About 43North

    43North is an accelerator program that hosts an annual startup competition, investing $5 million per year to attract and cultivate high-growth companies in Buffalo, NY. 43North portfolio companies also receive free incubator space in Buffalo for one year, guidance from mentors in related fields, and access to other business incentive programs such as START-UP NY. 43North operates through the support of Governor Kathy Hochul, Empire State Development, the M&T Foundation and several other sponsors. For more information about 43North, visit http://www.43north.org.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Polis Releases Statement on Injured Thornton Police Officers

    Source: US State of Colorado

    THORNTON – Today, Governor Polis released a statement following an incident regarding two law enforcement officers injured in the line of duty in Thornton. 

    “In Colorado, our law enforcement officers go above and beyond to put criminals behind bars and keep our communities safe. I am relieved to hear the two officers injured during the shooting this morning in Thornton are stable and wish them a speedy and healthy recovery. Gun violence has no place in Colorado, and we will continue to protect Coloradans, law enforcement officers and the communities they serve,” said Governor Polis. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Meaningful connections take centre stage on World Mental Health Day

    Source: Mental Health Australia

    On World Mental Health Day, Mental Health Australia is urging policymakers to recognise that meaningful connections are critical to mental health.

    10 October is not just a date on the calendar. It’s an opportunity to spotlight mental health, challenge stigma, and push for real change. This year, Mental Health Australia’s World Mental Health Day campaign focusses on why meaningful connections are so important for good mental health.

    “At the heart of our campaign are the powerful voices of people in Australia with lived and living experience of mental ill-health,” said Mental Health Australia CEO, Carolyn Nikoloski.

    “Twelve advocates from across the country have shared their personal stories, demonstrating how meaningful connections transformed their mental health journeys and helped them find a path to recovery.”

    From Outback Queensland to Australia’s capital, these stories remind us that mental health affects everyone, regardless of income or postcode.

    “World Mental Health Day reminds us to connect—to loved ones, our communities, colleagues, and to Country. It’s a call to reach out for support and, just as importantly, to reconnect with ourselves for better mental health,” Ms Nikoloski urged.

    This message was reflected to policymakers yesterday at Mental Health Australia’s Mental Health Sector Expo, which was co-hosted with the Parliamentary Friends of Youth Mental Health and the Parliamentary Friends of Mental Health.

    The event united over 120 mental health professionals from 45 member organisations at Parliament House, with the Hon. Mark Butler MP, Minister for Health and Aged Care addressing the audience about the vital importance of this year’s theme – the power of meaningful connections – by highlighting the valuable contribution of the mental health sector.

    Mr Butler said, “I want to thank all of you for the work that you do. These are really tough times. We’ve gone through an incredibly traumatic period with the pandemic that really impacted people’s mental health…you have the best ideas of how we can do better to support people in mental distress, whether that’s relatively temporary mental distress or whether it’s lifelong relatively severe mental illness.”

    As one of the final parliamentary sitting weeks of 2024 unfolds, Australia’s leading mental health organisations showcased their critical work and achievements, calling attention to the mental health services available in local communities across the country.

    “This event was an important opportunity for mental health professionals, policymakers, and people with lived and living experience of mental ill-health and their family, carers and supporters to connect and unite in a bipartisan effort to continue building a mental health system that supports every person in Australia,” Ms Nikoloski said.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Transcript – Doorstop, Canberra

    Source: Australian Executive Government Ministers

    JOURNALIST: As for school funding legislation going to Parliament. How are you expecting that debate to play out?

    JASON CLARE, MINISTER FOR EDUCATION: Today I’ll introduce legislation to increase funding for our public schools. Education is the most powerful force for good in this country and the truth is our public schools do most of the heavy lifting. But most public schools across the country at the moment aren’t funded at that David Gonski level, apart from the ACT, no other state or territories funded at that David Gonski level called the Schooling Resource Standard. 
    I’ve done deals with Western Australia and with Tasmania and the Northern Territory to get public schools in those jurisdictions to that level and I’m hoping to do deals with other jurisdictions as well. But at the moment, the Australian Education Act prohibits the Commonwealth Government from providing more than 20 per cent of that funding to the States and the Territories for our public schools. So, the legislation turns that maximum into a minimum or turns that ceiling into a floor so that funding can flow to children who really need it.

    JOURNALIST: The cash is now tied to teaching reforms. The union’s not happy. Where are you at with negotiations with the union to try to get them over the line, on you know, removing that boycott that they’ve put in?

    CLARE: I think most people who look at this, whether it’s the States or the unions, know how important these reforms are. In fact, many of the reforms have come at the recommendation of States, of Territories and of the union. In particular, things like catch-up tutoring, really practical, basic, important reforms that make sure that if a child falls behind when they’re little, they have the support that they need to catch up and then to keep up. I’ve got $16 billion on the table here. If delivered, it’ll be the biggest extra investment in public schools by the Commonwealth Government ever. Ever. And that’s on the table. But it’s not a blank cheque. It’s got to be tied to these practical reforms to make a difference for our children.

    JOURNALIST: When it comes to universities, the Senate inquiry handed down its recommendations last night. It’s saying that you can pass legislation with a few amendments. What did you make and what was your reaction to those proposed amendments, particularly removing the ministerial power for certain course caps?

    CLARE: We’ll look at that. I’ve said in the Parliament, and I’ve said in a recent conference that I’m very open to looking at any recommendations that are made by the committee to improve the Bill. We’ll go through that report now and have a look at that. In particular, the one you mentioned about whether you set caps for courses. I’ve described that in the past as a reserve power, but we’ll look carefully at the recommendations of that report. There’s certainly advice to me that that’s important in the VET sector, where it’s important to make sure that we’re not encouraging certain private providers in the VET sector to entice people into courses that don’t give them a real qualification. There is an equally powerful case set that may not be necessary at a university or TAFE level. So, we’ll look at that and give it due consideration.

    JOURNALIST: Is that something that you would look at amending, is the splitting that out to maybe quarantine that into a job?

    CLARE: It’s one of the things we’ll look at. But the report talked about a number of changes that could be made to the Bill, so we’ll go through that now. The Bill was introduced in May. It’s been the subject of a lot of consideration by that committee. The committee’s now recommended that the Bill be passed. I now hope that the Senate will get on with it and consider the Bill.

    JOURNALIST: Obviously, you know, it is a huge industry for Australia. It’s also a huge, you know, can be a strain, international students can be a strain on housing, especially at the current time. How important is it that you get these caps or this legislation through so that they can be capped for the new year, I guess, the new university year?

    CLARE: It’s really important to protect the integrity of our international education system, but it’s also important to protect public support for international education. I make no apology, the Government makes no apology for our commitment to return migration to pre-pandemic levels. And this is part of that. International education is really important. It makes us money as a country, it makes us friends as a country, because when people study here and they go home, they take their love for Australia back home with them. But it is also important that we return migration to pre pandemic levels, and this is one part of doing that.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Second reading speech, Treasury Laws Amendment (Mergers and Acquisitions Reform) Bill 2024

    Source: Australian Treasurer

    I move that this Bill be now read a second time.

    Today I am proud to introduce the Treasury Laws Amendment (Mergers and Acquisitions Reform) Bill 2024.

    I’m also introducing it on behalf of my colleague Andrew Leigh as the Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury, and I’d like to acknowledge him and thank him for his contribution.

    This Bill is another big step towards reforming Australia’s merger rules and further boosting competition and productivity in our economy.

    It outlines the biggest reforms to Australia’s merger settings in almost 50 years.

    It will create a regime that more efficiently and effectively targets mergers that are anti‑competitive, while allowing mergers that are pro‑competitive to proceed faster.

    Speaker,

    We understand most mergers have genuine economic benefits and are an important feature of any healthy, open financial system.

    They can attract capital, re‑tool businesses and improve the uptake of new technologies.

    They can allow businesses to achieve greater economies of scale and scope, to access new resources, technology and expertise.

    This can flow through to consumers via greater product choice and quality as well as lower prices.

    But some mergers can cause serious economic harm.

    This can happen when businesses are not interested in improving profitability by lifting productivity.

    When they’re solely focused on squeezing out competitors to capture a larger percentage of the market.

    This can strangle innovation, reduce productivity in our economy and punish consumers with reduced choice.

    Treasury’s Competition Taskforce has spent a lot of its time hearing about and thinking about these issues.

    Andrew and I set up this Taskforce and its work has made plain that Australia’s approach to mergers is no longer fit for purpose.

    Speaker,

    The need for reform is clear.

    Australia is one of only 3 OECD countries that doesn’t require compulsory notification of mergers.

    Last year, over 1,400 mergers were recorded, at a value of around $300 billion.

    Meanwhile, the ACCC looked at an average of 330 mergers a year over the past decade.

    But we don’t know whether these are the right 330, or the mergers with the greatest potential to cause harm.

    When the ACCC does assess mergers, the current approach is not transparent for businesses or the community.

    Clearance can be too slow and cause expensive delays for some businesses as they wait.

    This legislation will bring our merger system into the 21st century.

    Speaker,

    This Bill enshrines our historic reforms into law.

    The legislation will improve our regime in 5 ways, by making the system faster, stronger, simpler, more targeted and more transparent.

    Approvals will be faster under the new system, with mergers ticked within 30 working days where the ACCC is satisfied they pose no threat to competition.

    The regime will be stronger thanks to a mandatory notification system and empowering the ACCC as the decision maker on all mergers.

    The system will be simpler, because we are reducing 3 streams to a streamlined path to approval that removes duplication and standardises notification requirements for mergers.

    It will be more targeted, because mergers that create, strengthen or entrench substantial market power will be identified and stopped while those consistent with our national economic interest will be fast tracked.

    Finally, the merger regime will be more transparent, by ensuring the ACCC has better visibility of merger activity.

    We are creating a public register of all mergers and acquisitions notified to the ACCC to promote this transparency and accountability.

    Reviews of ACCC decisions will be the responsibility of the Competition Tribunal made up of a Federal Court judge, an economist and a business leader.

    Under the strengthened system, not every merger will be captured.

    Only mergers above monetary thresholds will need to be notified to the ACCC and be approved before proceeding.

    The government intends to set these monetary thresholds in regulations following the passage of this Bill.

    There will be 3 key thresholds.

    Firstly, any merger will be looked at if the Australian turnover of the combined businesses is above $200 million, and either the business or assets being acquired has Australian turnover above $50 million or global transaction value above $250 million.

    Secondly, the ACCC will look at any merger involving a very large business with Australian turnover more than $500 million buying a smaller business or assets with Australian turnover above $10 million.

    Finally, to target serial acquisitions, all mergers by businesses with combined Australian turnover of more than $200 million where the cumulative Australian turnover from acquisitions in the same or similar goods or services over a 3‑year period is at least $50 million will be captured, or $10 million if a very large business is involved.

    Land acquisitions involving residential property development and certain commercial property acquisitions won’t be included to avoid clogging up the system with simple land purchases unless they are captured by additional targeted notification requirements.

    These thresholds have been developed in close consultation with industry and the community.

    The thresholds strike the right balance between creating a rigorous and robust regime without calling in every merger.

    These thresholds will allow the ACCC to focus its efforts on the mergers that really matter.

    We want to see the majority of mergers approved quickly, so the ACCC can focus on the minority that give rise to competition concerns.

    The thresholds will be reviewed 12 months after coming into effect, to ensure they are working as intended.

    In addition, the legislation provides flexibility to allow the Treasurer to adjust and calibrate the thresholds to respond to evidence‑based concerns from the ACCC about high‑risk mergers, like in the supermarket sector.

    This power, combined with the thresholds, will allow the ACCC to review all the mergers that they have been typically concerned about.

    Using this provision, the government intends to make sure the ACCC is notified of every merger in the supermarket sector.

    Our intention to mandate this approach is based on evidence provided by the competition regulator.

    Reviewing every supermarket merger is all part of the decisive action our government is taking to help Australians get fairer prices at the checkout.

    We want to make sure supermarket mergers don’t come at the cost of Australians, families and pensioners getting a fair price on their grocery bills.

    Our merger reforms will help ensure our supermarkets are as competitive as they can be so Australians get the best prices possible.

    On the advice of the ACCC Chair, the government also intends to use this power to get the competition regulator to review purchases of an interest above 20 per cent in an unlisted or private company, if one of the companies involved in the deal has turnover more than $200 million.

    This is all about lifting the level of scrutiny and transparency for private markets transactions, which have boomed in Australia in the past decade.

    It will give the ACCC the ability to analyse changes of control in private companies to ensure negative competition effects are avoided and to scrutinise these deals in more detail.

    The government will also consider designation requirements for sectors such as fuel, liquor and oncology‑radiology.

    These merger laws will take effect from 1 January 2026 and apply voluntarily from 1 July 2025.

    Speaker,

    This Bill has been developed through detailed consultation and we’d like to take a moment here to thank everyone for their contributions.

    We’re especially grateful for the input from the Expert Advisory Panel, comprising Kerry Schott, David Gonski, John Asker, Sharon Henrick, John Fingleton, Danielle Wood and Rod Sims.

    I’m also thankful for all the discussions and consultation we have held with businesses, the competition regulator, and the broader community.

    That input and those views helped shaped this legislation.

    This Bill builds on the Albanese Labor government’s substantial and broad competition reform agenda, which is all about creating a more dynamic, more productive and resilient economy.

    This includes revitalising National Competition Policy with all state and territory governments.

    Abolishing around 500 nuisance tariffs to cut compliance costs, reduce red tape, make it easier to do business, and boost productivity.

    Helping Australians get a fair price at the checkout with a new mandatory Food and Grocery Code, an ACCC inquiry and more funding for its investigations, reforming planning and zoning regulations and funding for CHOICE for price transparency reports.

    Promoting competition in our financial system, including in payments, financial market infrastructure and through the introduction of a financial services regulatory grid.

    Helping bank customers find and follow better deals on their mortgages and higher interest rates on their savings accounts.

    This agenda will help expand choices, lift living standards and grow our economy.

    It will help ensure that our people, businesses and industries are beneficiaries of the opportunities before us in the defining decade ahead.

    The legislation I introduce today forms a key part of these competition reforms.

    And we are proud to introduce it to the House.

    Full details of the measure are contained in the Explanatory Memorandum.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Anthrax vaccine protects sheep and cattle

    Source: New South Wales Department of Primary Industries

    10 Oct 2024

    Livestock producers who manage properties where anthrax has occurred or nearby properties have been reminded to vaccinate their cattle and sheep against anthrax, even though there are no current anthrax cases.

    NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) and Local Land Services (LLS) advise annual anthrax vaccination on these high-risk properties.

    NSW DPIRD senior veterinary officer, Amanda Walker, said vaccination is a preventative measure against anthrax, the spores of which can lie dormant in the soil for decades.

    “Vaccination effectively prevents anthrax from occurring and helps break the cycle of spore production, reducing cases of this unpredictable and serious disease that can kill stock of any age or class with no warning,” Dr Walker said.

    “If vaccination is continued over time spores in the environment will die, reducing the risk of anthrax occurring in the future.”

    “Producers should contact their LLS district vet to obtain specific advice for their properties.”

    In the past, most anthrax cases have occurred in areas bordered by Bourke and Moree in the north, to Albury and Deniliquin in the south.

    LLS veterinarian, Scott Ison, said the disease is caused by the bacterium, Bacillus anthracis, and affected stock often show few or no signs of ill health before they die.

    “Farmers can apply to use the vaccine through their LLS district veterinarian and once authorised, they can place an order for the vaccine with their local rural supplier or private veterinarian,” Dr Ison said.

    “Farmers should suspect anthrax if animals die suddenly, as in many cases there may be no other signs. The disease may begin in a flock or herd with the deaths of single animals over a few days before increasing to dramatic losses in a very short time.”

    Anthrax is listed as prohibited matter under the NSW Biosecurity Act 2015 and is a notifiable disease in NSW.

    Anyone who suspects anthrax must report it immediately by calling the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline, 1800 675 888.

    More information about preventing anthrax is available on the NSW DPIRD website or from LLS, 1300 795 299.

    Media contact: pi.media@dpird.nsw.gov.au

    MIL OSI News –