HOUSTON, July 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Skyward Specialty Insurance Group, Inc.™ (NASDAQ: SKWD) (“Skyward Specialty” or “the Company”) expects to issue its second quarter 2025 earnings results after the market closes on Thursday, July 31 which will be available on the Company website at investors.skywardinsurance.com/ under Quarterly Results.
Skyward Specialty will host its earnings call to review the second quarter 2025 financial results on Friday, August 1 at 9:30 a.m. EST.
Investors may access the live audio webcast via the link on the Company’s investor site at investors.skywardinsurance.com/ under Events & Presentations. Additionally, investors can access the earnings call via conference call by registering via the conference link. Users will receive dial-in information and a unique PIN to join the call upon registering.
A webcast replay will be available two hours following the call in the same location on the Company’s investor website.
About Skyward Specialty
Skyward Specialty (Nasdaq: SKWD) is a rapidly growing and innovative specialty insurance company, delivering commercial property and casualty products and solutions on a non-admitted and admitted basis. The Company operates through nine underwriting divisions – Accident & Health, Agriculture and Credit (Re)insurance, Captives, Construction & Energy Solutions, Global Property, Professional Lines, Specialty Programs, Surety, and Transactional E&S.
Skyward Specialty’s subsidiary insurance companies consist of Great Midwest Insurance Company, Houston Specialty Insurance Company, Imperium Insurance Company, and Oklahoma Specialty Insurance Company. These insurance companies are rated A (Excellent) with a stable outlook by A.M. Best Company. For more information about Skyward Specialty, its people, and its products, please visit skywardinsurance.com.
HOUSTON, July 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Skyward Specialty Insurance Group, Inc.™ (NASDAQ: SKWD) (“Skyward Specialty” or “the Company”) expects to issue its second quarter 2025 earnings results after the market closes on Thursday, July 31 which will be available on the Company website at investors.skywardinsurance.com/ under Quarterly Results.
Skyward Specialty will host its earnings call to review the second quarter 2025 financial results on Friday, August 1 at 9:30 a.m. EST.
Investors may access the live audio webcast via the link on the Company’s investor site at investors.skywardinsurance.com/ under Events & Presentations. Additionally, investors can access the earnings call via conference call by registering via the conference link. Users will receive dial-in information and a unique PIN to join the call upon registering.
A webcast replay will be available two hours following the call in the same location on the Company’s investor website.
About Skyward Specialty
Skyward Specialty (Nasdaq: SKWD) is a rapidly growing and innovative specialty insurance company, delivering commercial property and casualty products and solutions on a non-admitted and admitted basis. The Company operates through nine underwriting divisions – Accident & Health, Agriculture and Credit (Re)insurance, Captives, Construction & Energy Solutions, Global Property, Professional Lines, Specialty Programs, Surety, and Transactional E&S.
Skyward Specialty’s subsidiary insurance companies consist of Great Midwest Insurance Company, Houston Specialty Insurance Company, Imperium Insurance Company, and Oklahoma Specialty Insurance Company. These insurance companies are rated A (Excellent) with a stable outlook by A.M. Best Company. For more information about Skyward Specialty, its people, and its products, please visit skywardinsurance.com.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
News story
Eight British soldiers of the Great War laid to rest in France
The remains of eight British soldiers, including four who have been identified by name, have been laid to rest today (16 July 2025) in France, more than 108 after they died in the First World War.
The families watch on as the coffin is brought to the graveside. Crown Copyright
The burial service, organised by the Ministry of Defence’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), also known as the ‘War Detectives’, took place at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s (CWGC) Loos British Cemetery Extension, which was opened in September 2024.
The four identified soldiers were Corporal Alfred James Morrant and Private Henry Joseph Rycraft of the 11th Battalion The Essex Regiment, who were killed on 22 April 1917, and Private Arthur Albert Grayston and Private Lewis Ephraim Lambert of the 8th Battalion The Bedfordshire Regiment, who were killed on 19 April 1917. All four men had previously been commemorated on the Loos Memorial to the missing.
JCCC Caseworker, Rosie Barron said:
It has been an honour to have worked with The Royal Anglian Regiment and CWGC to organise the burial service today and to have had the Grayston and Morrant families present. Today we honour the memory of all of these men, whether named or unknown, and remember their comradeship and sacrifice.
The remains were recovered during the construction of a new hospital on the outskirts of the city of Lens in northern France and were among many British and Canadian casualties recovered from the site. All four named soldiers were identified through DNA testing. Two of the unknown soldiers are also known to have belonged to The Essex Regiment. It is believed that all eight men were killed in April 1917 during the Battle of Arras.
The service was supported by serving soldiers from 2nd Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment and was attended by Jennifer Strawn, the granddaughter of Private Grayston, and two great-great nephews of Corporal Morrant.
Members of the Grayston and Morrant families stand at the graveside with the military party. Crown copyright.
Jennifer Strawn reflected on the service, and said:
I think everyone did a great job and the day was perfect. I will always remember it.
Paul Morrant said:
The work of JCCC and CWGC is fantastic. The soldiers of The Royal Anglian Regiment were great as they honoured soldiers of The Essex and Bedfordshire Regiments. The the whole thing was a great experience.
In a separate ceremony yesterday (15 July 2025), a rededication service took place for Lance Corporal Charles Madgwick at Lebucquière Communal Cemetery Extension. LCpl Madgwick was serving with 4th Battalion The Bedfordshire Regiment when he was killed on 24 March 1918 during the German Spring Offensive. His grave was identified after a researcher submitted a case to CWGC hoping to have found his final resting place. After further research by CWGC, the National Army Museum and JCCC, the identification was confirmed.
Both services were conducted by the Reverend Carl Stokes CF, Chaplain to Blandford Garrison. Reverend Stokes said:
It has been a tremendous privilege, as an Army Chaplain, to honour the eight fallen soldiers of the Bedfordshire and Essex Regiments by laying their remains to rest alongside their comrades in Commonwealth War Graves. For the four soldiers who have been identified, it is especially moving to see their names finally inscribed on their headstones. The other four will bear the poignant epitaphs ‘Known unto God’ or ‘A Soldier of the Great War.’ It has also been a great honour to share this moment with some of their family members and with soldiers from their legacy regiment, the Royal Anglian Regiment, who served as the honour guard and bearer party. More than a century later, their sacrifice is not forgotten. Their legacy—the freedom they helped secure—lives on.
All the graves will now be cared for in perpetuity by CWGC.
CWGC Commemorations Casework Manager, David Royle, said:
Every year the work of the Commission continues; installing headstones to recently identified casualties like we had for Lance Corporal Madgwick yesterday, or by ensuring that recently recovered casualties are buried in one of our cemeteries.
For the eight soldiers buried today in the Loos British Cemetery Extension, we are extremely proud to have worked alongside the JCCC in identifying by name some of these casualties. Although it hasn’t been possible to identify them all, they have been buried with the same dignity and honour. Their service and sacrifice has not been forgotten, 108 years after their deaths.
Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Early this morning, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) voted against President Trump’s rescissions bill, which claws back more than $9 billion in congressionally-appropriated funding for global health, foreign aid, and public media:
“This federal funding was negotiated on a bipartisan basis, passed with bipartisan support in both the Senate and House, and signed into law by President Trump. The rescissions bill is a reckless abandonment of our obligation as an independent branch of government to set spending. Republicans have, yet again, willingly ceded even more power to President Trump and Elon Musk’s DOGE,” said Senator Welch. “This bill has far-reaching, devastating impacts—the cuts to public media, global health, peacekeeping missions, and international food aid will hurt hundreds of millions of people, at home and around the world. My colleagues have made it clear that they will turn their backs on rural American communities and starving children to appease Donald Trump.”
The bill passed around 2:30am on Thursday.
Senator Welch voted in support of amendments to protect funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) and to restore funding for global health and food and nutrition aid programs.
The rescissions package, requested by President Trump and supported by Senate Republicans, would claw back millions of dollars in humanitarian assistance, foreign aid, and global health initiatives. This bill cuts funding for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID); the World Health Organization (WHO); United Nations peacekeeping missions; migration and refugee assistance programs; the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; international food aid missions; the United States Institute of Peace (USIP); the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF); and more.
Earlier this week Senator Welch called on Republicans to drop efforts to cut funding for the Global Fund, as well as President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the latter of which was removed from the rescissions package Tuesday.
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting supports National Public Radio (NPR), the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and member stations across the United States. This bill would cut more than $1 billion in funding from the CPB, and hurt over 1,500 public radio and television stations across the country. Vermont stations received more than $2 million from the CPB in Fiscal Year 2024. Rural communities, families, and farmers rely on CPB-funded systems and news stations for lifesaving emergency alerts, breaking news, and educational programming.
Last week, Senator Welch spoke out against the president’s request cut funding for CPB and public media, saying “We must not abandon the people we represent and the right they have to public broadcasting. And we cannot abandon the trust we must have in one another to keep our word. An agreement made must be an agreement kept.”
In a major step toward enhancing inclusive disaster resilience, the County Government of Homa Bay, Kenya, hosted a four-day Multi-Stakeholder Workshop on inclusive disaster risk reduction (DRR) from 26-30 May 2025. The event was organized in collaboration with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) Regional Office for Africa, under the project “Strengthening Early Warning and Early Action in Kenya” funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS).
The workshop brought together 55 participants, including representatives from local government departments, national agencies, organizations of persons with disabilities (OPDs), and community-based organizations (CBOs). The gathering provided a valuable platform that focused on integrating the needs and perspectives of at-risk populations including persons with disabilities into DRR strategies and early warning systems.
Addressing Critical Gaps Through Collaboration
The workshop revealed key opportunities to strengthen the county’s disaster preparedness. Through participatory assessments, the workshop identified several areas for improvement, including the need for better coordination mechanisms, more inclusive early warning systems, and stronger integration of gender and disability perspectives in disaster planning.
While Homa Bay has a solid policy foundation such as the County Emergency and Disaster Management Act and active participation in the Making Cities Resilient 2030 (MCR2030) initiative, the assessments showed clear opportunities to make these systems more inclusive and effective.
“New hazards are emerging-beyond floods and droughts we now face strange, extreme weather events. We must explore innovative, cost-effective ways to strengthen preparedness. One shilling spent on preparedness will save hundreds in response. We must shift our investments from response to resilience,” said Najib Abdi, the technical lead for disaster risk management at the Council of Governors.
Making Early Warnings Accessible
A highlight of the workshop was the focus on strengthening multi-hazard early warning systems. Kenya recently launched the Early Warnings for All (EW4ALL) initiative, and Homa Bay County was recognized as a pioneer in county-level implementation.
“Early warning systems save lives, but only if the warnings reach everyone. We learned that we need to think differently about how we communicate risks – using local languages, accessible formats, and trusted community networks, ” Col (Rtd) David Samoei, MBS, Director NDOC.
The county’s Climate Information Center already supports over 200,000 farmers with agro-advisories and early warning information. The workshop explored ways to expand this system to reach more vulnerable populations, including women, persons with disabilities, and rural communities who may have limited access to traditional communication channels.
“At the Public Health Directorate, we rely on disease surveillance systems and historical data to anticipate outbreaks like cholera and measles. Our risk reduction efforts focus on improving water supply, sanitation, and vaccination coverage to prevent such health emergencies before they occur,” said James Kabaka, County Public Health Officer
A Model for Inclusive Resilience
One of the workshop’s achievements was bringing together diverse stakeholders who are often overlooked in the disaster planning processes. Representatives from OPDs, and CBOs worked alongside government officials to identify barriers and solutions. The assessments revealed that persons with disabilities face significant challenges during disaster events, from inaccessible evacuation routes to lack of appropriate communication during emergencies. Similarly, women’s leadership potential and traditional knowledge are often underutilized in disaster preparedness and response.
Building Forward: From Assessment to Action
The workshop concluded with the development of actions addressing identified gaps through coordinated, multi-sectoral approaches. Priority areas include the establishment of dedicated coordination mechanisms for inclusive DRR and development of disaggregated data systems to better understand community vulnerabilities. Key initiatives also focus on strengthening infrastructure accessibility through universal design standards, integrating traditional and indigenous knowledge into formal early warning systems, and building capacity among government staff and first responders on inclusive practices.
“We often develop comprehensive plans but fail to integrate them into our County Intergrated Development Plans and Annual Development Plans leaving them unfunded. We also haven’t properly analysed trigger points for different hazards – when exactly should we activate emergency responses? These are two critical gaps we need to address, ” Willy Bolo, Ag. Director Economic Planning & Budget
A Foundation for Regional Learning
This training builds on efforts in resilience building work previously established through the GIZ Resilience Initiative Africa (RIA). The workshop’s participatory approach and comprehensive assessments provide a replicable model for other counties seeking to strengthen their disaster resilience through inclusive, multi-stakeholder collaboration. “This was not just a technical workshop-it was a call to action. Disaster risk reduction is a system of protection, prevention, and preparedness that must be embedded in everything we do. I am committing to strengthen interdepartmental coordination so that disaster risk is integrated into all health planning and service delivery mechanisms,” said Grace Osewe, County Executive Committee Member for Public Health and Medical Services.
Question for written answer E-002765/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Anna Maria Cisint (PfE)
The recent news of the allocation of EUR 15 million from the EU’s Cooperation Fund to the South African wine industry is causing outrage among European producers, particularly those from countries where the sector is being rocked by crisis, such as France, which has been denied support for its grubbing-up campaign.
While that action is the product of agreements signed years ago, it seems paradoxical in the current day and age to provide third countries, whose producers compete with European producers, with funding for wine production, at a time when wine consumption is falling throughout Europe and the threat of tariffs is hampering trade.
The decision to reduce common agricultural policy (CAP) resources, opening the doors to the European market through agreements with Mercosur, thus weakening our supply chains and further undermining the EU’s credibility in the eyes of our farmers, also appears completely out of line with the current state of European farming.
In the light of the above:
1.Does the Commission not consider it appropriate to completely revise its approach to European farming, both in the current context and in view of the upcoming budgetary discussions on the CAP?
2.Which countries outside the EU have received EU funds in the last three years for their farming and wine sectors?
Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) voted against the Republican rescission package, which would cut already-approved bipartisan funding for public TV and radio as well as for global humanitarian aid. The legislation, which now heads back to the U.S. House of Representatives, would cut support for critical educational and public safety programs in Nevada.
“Today, Republicans voted to slash funds that help rural communities, Tribes, families with kids, and farmers across the country. Public broadcasting funding in particular plays a critical role in delivering emergency alerts and keeping communities across Nevada safe,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “This vote also sets the dangerous precedent that Republicans can claw back funding that was already approved by Congress with bipartisan support. Nevadans deserve better.”
The Republican rescission package would cut foreign aid programs that support American farmers, help thousands of vulnerable children worldwide, and help counter the influence of countries like Communist China abroad.
The bill would slash over $7.5 million from public broadcasting in Nevada – including from Nevada Public Radio (KNPR), KUNR, Reno PBS TV, and Vegas PBS TV. The cuts would in turn affect rural communities whose radio and TV stations rely on public broadcasting funding – including stations in Laughlin, Mesquite, Elko, Tonopah, Round Mountain, and more. Eliminating these critical dollars will make it harder to get safety information and warnings to Nevadans in the cases of emergencies, AMBER Alerts, and natural disasters like wildfires. Public TV and radio also serve as critical resources that provide educational programming to children and families across the state. The average cost to the American taxpayer for public broadcasting is about $1.60 per person per year.
“The elimination of CPB funding is a direct threat to Nevada Public Radio’s ability to cover news across our state—especially in rural communities, many of which are already considered news deserts. This decision undermines the essential role public media plays in connecting Nevadans with trusted, fact-based journalism and independent reporting that commercial media often overlooks. While CPB accounts for about 8% of our funding, its loss will be felt far beyond our budget—it jeopardizes our capacity to tell the stories of underrepresented communities, hold institutions accountable, and sustain meaningful reporting in places where no other outlet exists,” said Favian Perez, CEO & President of Nevada Public Radio.
“We are beyond disappointed that despite the work of Senators Cortez Masto and Rosen, a majority of the Senate has decided to ignore the will of the American people and vote to defund public broadcasting. Due to this action thousands of Nevada’s families may lose access to the quality educational programs, services and emergency alerting notices provided by public television. This decision will have a negative impact on the quality of life in our state,” said Kurt A. Mische, President & CEO of PBS Reno.
Government is following through on its commitment to invest more than R1 trillion in infrastructure over the next three years to renew the country’s roads, port, rail, energy and water systems.
This is according to President Cyril Ramaphosa who presented The Presidency Budget Vote for the 2025/2026 financial year in the National Assembly in Parliament on Wednesday.
The Budget Vote focused on the 7th administration’s three strategic priorities, including promoting inclusive growth, job creation, tackling poverty and the high cost of living, and building a capable, ethical, and developmental state.
“South Africans benefit when the economy grows, when jobs are created, when established industries expand and new industries emerge,” the President said.
The President emphasised that government is hard at work to boost infrastructure investment to ensure that infrastructure development becomes the “true flywheel of economic growth.”
Through the Infrastructure Fund, he said government is investing in the roads that link communities to economic centres and the water projects that supply expanding cities and towns.
“We have amended the regulations for Public Private Partnerships to make it easier for the private sector to invest in infrastructure ranging from renewable energy generation to housing.
“This infrastructure has a direct impact on people’s lives, providing the services they need, reducing the cost of living, improving the business environment and encouraging economic activity,” the President said.
President Ramaphosa noted that the country continues to face high levels of unemployment and economic growth that is too low to create jobs and reduce poverty. In addition, the country faces the corrosive effects of corruption and pervasive crime, to which the poorest are most vulnerable.
“It is with these challenges in mind that we formed a Government of National Unity (GNU) to place our country on a path of growth and transformation, a path of peace and prosperity.
“As we established the GNU, we understood that we were embarking on a new era in the life of our democracy. We understood that there would be complex dynamics and novel challenges that we would need to navigate,” he said.
The President highlighted that the GNU adopted the Medium-Term Development Plan (MTDP), which outlines clear actions that will be undertaken over the next five years in pursuit of three strategic priorities.
“Across all ministries, all departments and all national entities, there is a commitment to implement the actions on which we have agreed and to move with urgency and purpose to address the needs of South Africans.
“Most importantly, there is a shared understanding that we need to rise above our differences and to work together to make progress on our most important challenges,” the President said.
The President explained that the approach of the Government of National Unity is to enhance national cohesion and nation building and to build partnerships across society to advance the common interests of all South Africans.
He said the National Dialogue is being convened in response to calls from individuals and formations from across society.
The initiative has received wide support and has been endorsed by the GNU as a significant national process to develop a social compact that will enable the country to meet the aspirations of the National Development Plan.
“We are all called upon to use this National Dialogue as an instrument of development, transformation, progress, national cohesion and nation building. The National Dialogue does not displace the democratic processes mandated by our Constitution, nor the electoral mandates that parties carry into Parliament and the Executive,” he said.
As the National dialogue process continues, the President said the GNU will continue to take action to address the immediate concerns that all South Africans share – to grow the economy, to create jobs, to tackle corruption and crime, and to fix local government.
“Everything that this government does – from trade negotiations to economic reforms, from the professionalisation of the public service to support for farmers and small businesses – is directed towards meeting the needs of South Africa’s people and securing their future.
“The role of the Presidency is to coordinate the work of government towards this end, and to make sure that our commitments are translated into action. Our most important priority is to grow the economy and create jobs,” President Ramaphosa said.
The President added that efforts to improve visa administration, digital payments, tourism, and industrial diversification would unlock growth and investment.
“We are pursuing the Critical Minerals and Metals Strategy recently approved by Cabinet to ensure that the country’s mineral wealth creates jobs and produces value here in South Africa,” the President said.
The development of new sectors was also a key focus.
“Our National Policy on the Commercialisation of Hemp and Cannabis aims to improve the livelihoods of people living in rural areas, targeting 10 percent annual growth in this emerging industry,” he said.
Highlighting tourism’s recovery, he noted that over 9 million international tourists visited South Africa last year, spending more than R90 billion.
“This is thanks in large part to reforms in our visa system, targeted tourism promotion in key markets and support to local companies,” he said.
President Ramaphosa reaffirmed that the Presidency continues to lead implementation of economic reforms through Operation Vulindlela.
In the energy sector, working together with all stakeholders, the President noted outstanding progress in reducing the severity and frequency of load shedding.
“There was a time when daily load shedding was the norm. Now, it is very much the exception,” he said.
He said government is putting in place the foundations for a competitive electricity market to unlock massive new investment in energy generation.
“This will result in lower electricity costs for all South Africans and more renewable energy to power our economy.”
In addition, the President said South Africa has received international pledges worth R230 billion towards its just energy transition, with investments in transmission, renewables and localised development. – SAnews.gov.za
The Select Committee on Agriculture, Land Reform and Mineral Resources has urged the Department of Electricity and Energy to localise the production of renewable products instead of relying on overseas countries.
The committee received a briefing yesterday from the Department of Electricity and Energy about the implementation of the Renewable Energy Sector Master Plan (RESMP). The department’s presentation outlined the objectives of the Master Plan which highlighted its role as an industrialisation tool that seeks to harness the growing demand for renewable energy resources, particularly solar and wind.
The department stressed the importance of developing inclusive economic growth by ensuring that previously disadvantaged communities, especially youth and women, are actively engaged in the energy sector. Initiatives that are in the Master Plan and that were presented and discussed with committee members comprised the localisation of production, the establishment of skills development programs, and the implementation of robust monitoring frameworks to its track progress.
The committee said the Master Plan should not only provide a sustainable energy solution but also contribute to employment, job creation including skills development . Questions to the department were mostly about the integration of youth and vulnerable communities into the renewable energy sector. The committee queried about measures being taken to ensure that previously disadvantaged communities especially in rural areas benefit from the Master Plan.
The department acknowledged its responsibility to achieving at least 50% of job opportunities for youth and marginalised communities, alongside initiatives to map skills requirements and enhance internship programs.
On the issue of localisation of renewable energy production. The committee sought clarity on how the RESMP plans to localise production and reduce reliance on foreign countries. Members said South Africa should be a manufacturer on renewable products such solar panels instead of training people to assemble. Committee members said the country needs to start speaking about the production of solar panels and charge controllers.
The department re-assured members of the committee that plans are in place to look into localised manufacturing opportunities.
Regulatory obstacles were addressed and identified to be an apprehension, the committee expressed worry concerning the moratorium on letters of no objection from the Department of Defence to Independent Power Producers. As part of the process to register as an IPP , they need a letter of no objection from the Department of Defence. The committee said this may hamper the progress of IPP. The department said it would engage with the relevant authorities to resolve these challenges so that they are not a deterrent.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.
This page explains the establishment of new Industry Skills Boards (ISBs), how to apply to become a board member, and the role of Establishment Advisory Groups in preparing for the ISBs’ launch in January 2026. This page explains the establishment of new Industry Skills Boards (ISBs), how to apply to become a board member, and the role of Establishment Advisory Groups in preparing for the ISBs’ launch in January 2026.
On this page:
Overview of the ISBs’ coverage In April and May 2025, the Government consulted on a proposed model for the number and coverage groupings of ISBs. The consultation included a proposal to move the coverage for some sectors (creative industries and IT) to the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA). Thank you to the groups and individuals that made submissions on the proposals. Your views helped inform final decisions by the Government on the number and coverage of ISBs. We received 521 submissions on the proposals. Following this consultation, the Government has agreed (subject to the passing of legislation) to establish eight ISBs. The agreed ISBs will have the following broad coverage areas:
Automotive, transport and logistics Construction and specialist trades Food and fibre (including aquaculture) Health and community Infrastructure Manufacturing and engineering Services Electrotechnology and information technology.
Industry Skills Board Example sectors within industry coverage
All industries will be covered by ISBs. NZQA will not initially take over any industry coverage. In the next few months, Establishment Advisory Groups will consult with industry regarding the detailed coverage areas of each ISB. This will then be set out in the Order in Council that will formally establish each ISB. Overview of the Establishment Advisory Groups Prior to being established, each ISB will have a dedicated Establishment Advisory Group (EAG) that will be responsible for ensuring the ISB can successfully stand up, as an organisation, on day one. There will be various decisions that the governing body of each new ISB will need to make on the day the organisation is established. Their ability to make the required decisions promptly will be essential to the success of their organisation and their ongoing accountability and performance. Until the legislation is passed, there are limits on how much work can be done in advance. The TEC has confirmed the appointment of members to the EAGs. These members were nominated by industry, ensuring that the system is responsive to industry needs. The EAG members will attend an induction in late July. Following induction, each EAG will meet monthly to make key decisions to be ratified by its Industry Skills Board once it has been appointed, including:
appointing a chief executive-designate preparing day one documentation including delegations agreeing banking arrangements developing key policies determining an organisational structure and industry engagement model for making operational arrangements for day one, eg, shared services, lease of premises, systems etc. agreeing processes with relevant organisations on the transfer of assets and staff assisting the TEC with the consultation on key content for Orders in Council.
TEC will provide support to every EAG, including advice and administrative support. Detailed coverage consultation One area that EAGs will focus on in the next few months is working with industry to determine the detailed coverage areas of each ISB. The details of this consultation are not yet finalised but EAGs will communicate directly with industry on these matters. This information will then be set out in the Order in Council (OIC) that will formally establish each ISB. The OICs will need to be approved by Cabinet after the legislation has been passed. Apply to be a member of the first ISBs We have confirmed the members of the EAGs who will work towards setting up Industry Skills Boards on 1 January 2026. The TEC is now inviting industries to nominate representatives for appointment to the first ISBs. These boards will be in place from 1 January 2026. Candidates will need strong governance and change management skills, an industry background, and an understanding of education and training. On each ISB, industry-nominated members will work alongside two members appointed by the Minister. What do nominees need? Candidates are expected to have significant governance experience combined with strategic leadership experience. Collectively, the members of each ISB will need:
experience of strategic planning, including financial planning and sustainability financial management experience, including capital asset management a well-tuned understanding of risk experience in maintaining high standards while managing large-scale change experience of effectively monitoring organisational performance in a governance or senior management role experience in industry leadership, and extensive knowledge of, and connections within, industry an understanding of education and training.
Who can nominate a candidate? Industry bodies can nominate candidates. This ensures candidates have the backing of industry. Industry bodies must obtain the permission of the candidate to be nominated. How to nominate a candidate To nominate a candidate, please complete the Industry Skills Board Member Nomination Form. Nominations must be received before 29 August 2025.
As the cleanup begins in flood-hit Tasman, fresh documents reveal a stark warning from Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) that the Regulatory Standards Bill could hinder the country’s ability to respond to climate-related disasters.
In a briefing obtained by Greenpeace under the Official Information Act, LINZ – the agency responsible for managing Crown land – warned that the Bill may “limit the ability to respond quickly to emerging issues (for example, climate-related or natural disaster issues).”
Greenpeace has called the advice “yet another nail in the coffin for the doomed Bill”.
“As families, businesses and farmers in Tasman begin the difficult cleanup after yet another devastating flood, it’s shocking to learn that officials are warning this Bill could make it harder to respond to exactly these kinds of disasters,” says Greenpeace spokesperson Gen Toop.
LINZ also flagged concerns about the Bill’s impact on critical infrastructure and public works, warning “an overly rigid emphasis on property interests may conflict with broader regulatory objectives, including the Government’s ability to acquire land for infrastructure or public good projects.” This was a concern echoed by the Treasury in itsadvice on the Bill.
“The Regulatory Standards Bill is dangerous. It would tie the Government up in new red tape at the very moment when urgent climate action and disaster preparation are needed most,” says Toop
“The advice is clear. This Bill would make it harder to build the infrastructure we urgently need to decarbonise the economy and prepare for climate disasters – things like flood protection, improved communication links, and renewable energy.”
LINZ further flagged that the legislation could create new legal barriers to returning land to iwi under the Treaty settlement process, citing concerns raised by the Waitangi Tribunal.
“These new warnings are yet another nail in the coffin for this doomed Bill. It has attracted blistering criticism from the United Nations, legal experts, health professionals, Māori leaders, environmental groups, and the public service itself.”
“The Labour and Green parties have committed to repealing the Bill. It simply has no future. The Prime Minister should withdraw National’s support immediately before further time and money is wasted on yet another one of David Seymour’s disastrously unpopular policy ideas.”
This latest revelation comes as news broke this morning thatMBIE had warned the Billcould be much more expensive than previously expected and have a negative impact on economic growth, and just days after news broke that the United Nations has issueda letter to the Governmentcriticising the Bill.
ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on July 17, 2025.
Do women really need more sleep than men? A sleep psychologist explains Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amelia Scott, Honorary Affiliate and Clinical Psychologist at the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, and Macquarie University Research Fellow, Macquarie University klebercordeiro/Getty If you spend any time in the wellness corners of TikTok or Instagram, you’ll see claims women need one to two hours more sleep than
Is it okay to boil water more than once, or should you empty the kettle every time? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Faisal Hai, Professor and Head of School of Civil, Mining, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, University of Wollongong Avocado_studio/Shutterstock The kettle is a household staple practically everywhere – how else would we make our hot drinks? But is it okay to re-boil water that’s already in the kettle
What does Australian law have to say about sovereign citizens and ‘pseudolaw’? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Madeleine Perrett, PhD Candidate in Law, University of Adelaide Armed with obscure legal jargon and fringe interpretations of the law, “sovereign citizens” are continuing to test the limits of the Australian justice system’s patience and power. A few weeks ago, two Western Australians were jailed for 30
Is childbirth really safer for women and babies in private hospitals? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hannah Dahlen, Professor of Midwifery, Associate Dean Research and HDR, Midwifery Discipline Leader, Western Sydney University A study published this week in the international obstetrics and gynaecology journal BJOG has raised concerns among women due to give birth in Australia’s public hospitals. The study compared the outcomes
We were part of the world heritage listing of Murujuga. Here’s why all Australians should be proud Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jo McDonald, Professor, Director of Centre for Rock Art Research + Management, The University of Western Australia Senior Ranger, Mardudunhera man Peter Cooper, oversees the Murujuga landscape Jo McDonald, CC BY-SA On Friday, the Murujuga Cultural Landscape in northwest Western Australia was inscribed on the UNESCO World
Is our mental health determined by where we live – or is it the other way round? New research sheds more light Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matthew Hobbs, Associate Professor and Transforming Lives Fellow, Spatial Data Science and Planetary Health, Sheffield Hallam University Photon-Photos/Getty Images Ever felt like where you live is having an impact on your mental health? Turns out, you’re not imagining things. Our new analysis of eight years of data
Tasmania is limping towards an election nobody wants. Here’s the state of play Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Hortle, Deputy Director, Tasmanian Policy Exchange, University of Tasmania In the darkest and coldest months of the year, Tasmanians have been slogging through an election campaign no one wanted. It’s been a curious mix of humdrum plodding laced with cyanide levels of bitterness, with the most
What is astigmatism? Why does it make my vision blurry? And how did I get it? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Flora Hui, Research Fellow, Centre for Eye Research Australia and Honorary Fellow, Department of Surgery (Ophthalmology), The University of Melbourne Ground Picture/Shutterstock Have you ever gone to the optometrist for an eye test and were told your eye was shaped like a football? Or perhaps you’ve noticed
From Sister Rosetta Tharpe to Ronnie Yoshiko Fujiyama: how electric guitarists challenge expectations of gender Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Janelle K Johnstone, Associate Lecturer Crime, Justice and Legal Studies, PhD Candidate School of Social Inquiry, La Trobe University American gospel singer and guitarist Sister Rosetta Tharpe playing a Gibson Les Paul electric guitar on stage in 1957. Chris Ware/Keystone Features/Hulton Archive/Getty Images I’ve been playing a
Ken Henry urges nature law reform after decades of ‘intergenerational bastardry’ Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Phillipa C. McCormack, Future Making Fellow, Environment Institute, University of Adelaide Former Treasury Secretary Ken Henry has warned Australia’s global environmental reputation is at risk if the Albanese government fails to reform nature laws this term. In his speech to the National Press Club on Wednesday, Henry
First-hand view of peacemaking challenge in the ‘Holy Land’ Occupied West Bank-based New Zealand journalist Cole Martin asks who are the peacemakers? BEARING WITNESS: By Cole Martin As a Kiwi journalist living in the occupied West Bank, I can list endless reasons why there is no peace in the “Holy Land”. I live in a refugee camp, alongside families who were expelled from their
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Malcolm Turnbull on Australia’s ‘dumb’ defence debate Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Albanese government remains in complicated territory on the international stage. It has to tread carefully with China, despite the marked warming of the bilateral relationship. It is yet to find its line and length with the unpredictable Trump administration.
Why is Israel bombing Syria? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ali Mamouri, Research Fellow, Middle East Studies, Deakin University Conflict in Syria has escalated with Israel launching bombing raids against its northern neighbour. It follows months of fluctuating tensions in southern Syria between the Druze minority and forces aligned with the new government in Damascus. Clashes erupted
Bougainville election: More than 400 candidates vie for parliament By Don Wiseman, RNZ Pacific senior journalist More than 400 candidates have put their hands up to contest the Bougainville general election in September, hoping to enter Parliament. Incumbent President Ishmael Toroama is among the 404 people lining up to win a seat. Bougainville is involved in the process of achieving independence from Papua New
Scientists could be accidentally damaging fossils with a method we thought was safe Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mathieu Duval, Adjunct Senior Researcher at Griffith University and La Trobe University, and Ramón y Cajal (Senior) Research Fellow, Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana (CENIEH) 185,000-year-old human fossil jawbone from Misliya Cave, Israel. Gerhard Weber, University of Vienna, CC BY-ND Fossils are invaluable archives
Right-wing political group Advance is in the headlines. What is it and what does it stand for? Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Riboldi, Lecturer in Social Impact and Social Change, UTS Business School, University of Technology Sydney Advance/Facebook Political lobby group Advance has been back in the headlines this week. It was revealed an organisation headed by the husband of the Special Envoy for Combatting Antisemitism, Jillian Segal,
We travelled to Antarctica to see if a Māori lunar calendar might help track environmental change Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Holly Winton, Senior Research Fellow in Climatology, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Holly Winton, CC BY-SA Antarctica’s patterns of stark seasonal changes, with months of darkness followed by a summer of 24-hour daylight, prompted us to explore how a Māori lunar and environmental calendar
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
People cool off at a beach of the Mediterranean Sea during a heatwave in Alexandria, Egypt, on July 16, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
Egypt is experiencing an exceptional heatwave, with high temperatures and humidity posing significant risks to public health and impacting key sectors such as agriculture and industry.
The Egyptian Meteorological Authority said Wednesday’s temperatures on the northern coasts range from 31 degrees Celsius to 32 degrees, in Greater Cairo from 37 degrees to 38 degrees, and in the southern region from 40 degrees to 44 degrees.
The severe heat is expected to persist in the coming days, with both daytime and nighttime temperatures forecast to rise by up to 3 degrees Celsius above seasonal averages, according to Director of Analysis and Forecasts at the Egyptian Meteorological Authority Mahmoud Shahin.
Agriculture and food security
Ibrahim Darwish, professor of Agriculture at Menoufia University, said that rising temperatures pose a serious challenge to food and water security in agricultural countries.
He told Xinhua that high temperatures lead to a decrease in agricultural productivity due to their negative impact on photosynthesis, respiration, and biosynthesis within plants.
Darwish noted that the heatwave is likely to alter planting and ripening times, as high temperatures accelerate the plant’s life cycle, leading to premature and incomplete ripening, which in turn prevents sufficient dry matter formation, especially in grains.
Darwish added that the heatwave may also increase the incidence of insect pests and plant diseases, damage plant tissues, and inhibit root development. Crops require more water to compensate for these effects, reducing water-use efficiency and increasing strain on water resources, he added.
Impact on industry
Engineer Ahmed Abdel-Rashid, a factory manager for air conditioners at Haier Egypt Environmental Complex, said high temperatures will result in a decrease in work efficiency and raise the risk of workplace accidents.
Abdel-Rashid pointed out that the heatwave will also lead to higher electricity consumption due to increased reliance on cooling systems, and raise the risk of breakdowns in heat-sensitive machinery, potentially leading to production delays or shutdowns.
However, Abdel-Rashid pointed out potential upsides, including improved solar energy output from increased solar radiation. The heatwave may also spur demand for air conditioners, fans, and insulation materials — boosting local markets and creating opportunities for innovation in sustainable cooling technologies and energy-efficient building solutions.
Public health risks
Magdy Badran, a member of the Egyptian Society of Allergy and Immunology, said among the most significant negative health impacts citizens may experience during the current heatwave are heat stress and heatstroke.
“These are among the most common health risks in hot weather, resulting from the body losing large amounts of water and salts due to excessive sweating, leading to dizziness, headache, nausea, and general fatigue. If not promptly addressed, the condition can escalate to heatstroke,” he told Xinhua.
He added that the exacerbation of chronic diseases is a common outcome of continuous exposure to high temperatures, noting that heart patients may experience an increased burden due to fluid loss and sudden drops in blood pressure.
“Respiratory patients, such as those with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, may face greater difficulty breathing due to increased humidity or heat-related air pollution. Similarly, patients with high blood pressure are susceptible to severe drops in blood pressure due to excessive sweating,” Bardan warned.
Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, released the following statement regarding the Trump Administration’s illegal withholding of $140 million in federal funding passed by Congress to support fentanyl overdose response efforts:
“I’m relieved that thanks to steps we took during the Biden Administration—including the passage of my Disrupt Fentanyl Trafficking Act—that fentanyl overdose deaths in Virginia have declined significantly. But one overdose death is too many, and it’s inexplicable that the Trump Administration is illegally withholding $140 million in federal funding to build on our progress and better protect communities from fentanyl. The fact that this news is being reported immediately after President Trump signed into law massive tax cuts for billionaires—paid for with cuts to programs working families rely on—makes it crystal clear who this Administration values. I’ll be doing all that I can to encourage my Republican colleagues to join me in raising hell about this decision to hamstring our efforts to address the fentanyl crisis.”
Kaine has long advocated for more resources to combat the fentanyl crisis. Kaine introduced and Congress passed the bipartisan Disrupt Fentanyl Trafficking Act to direct increased federal attention to fentanyl trafficking by declaring fentanyl trafficking a national security threat, utilizing Pentagon resources like counter-drug intelligence, and involving Mexico as an active partner to combat the crisis. Kaine also helped pass a supplemental national security funding package that included the FEND Off Fentanyl Act, bipartisan legislation cosponsored by Kaine, to require the President to sanction drug rings involved in international drug trafficking. In July 2024, Kaine traveled to Brownsville and McAllen, Texas to discuss fentanyl interdiction at the southern border with various law enforcement agencies and international partners from Mexico. In March 2024, Kaine also introduced the bipartisan Strengthening Tracking Of Poisonous Tranq Requiring Analyzed National Quantification Act, or the STOP TRANQ Act to require the State Department to include reporting on xylazine, or “tranq,” in its annual International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR). In February, Kaine introduced the bipartisan, bicameral Combating Illicit Xylazine Act, which would list xylazine as a Schedule III controlled substance while protecting the drug’s legal use by veterinarians, farmers, and ranchers.
Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)
Padilla, Schiff, Booker, Markey Lead 28 Senate Colleagues in Effort to Protect California’s Proposition 12
Senators: “The Food Security and Farm Protection Act would harm America’s small farmers and infringe on the fundamental rights of states to establish laws and regulations within their own borders.”
This letter follows an announcement last week from the Trump Administration seeking to undermine Proposition 12 and other state laws.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) led 28 of their Senate colleagues in strongly objecting to the inclusion of the Food Security and Farm Protection Act in the next Farm Bill or in any other legislation. This letter follows a frivolous Trump Administration lawsuit announced last week seeking to undermine Proposition 12 and other state laws.
In a letter to Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee Chair John Boozman (R-Ark.) and Ranking Member Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), the Senators raised concerns over the risk this legislation poses to California’s Proposition 12, Massachusetts’ Question 3, and other similar laws nationwide that allow states regulate their own food standards. They also highlighted how undermining these measures would hurt American farmers who have long met the standards set by Proposition 12 or who already invested in resources to comply.
“This legislation would have a sweeping impact if passed—threatening countless state laws and opening the floodgates to unnecessary litigation. The bill is particularly draconian in that it aims to negate state and local laws when there are no federal standards to take their place, creating an overnight regulatory vacuum,” wrote the Senators. “In doing so, it would drastically broaden the scope of federal preemption, and disregard the wisdom of duly-enacted laws that address local concerns.”
“Countless farmers who wanted to take advantage of this market opportunity invested resources and made necessary modifications to be compliant. Federal preemption of these laws would be picking the winners and losers, and would seriously harm farmers who made important investments,” continued the Senators.
Fifteen states, including California, have implemented public health, food safety, and human standards for the in-state production and sale of certain products, following demands from consumers, food companies, and farmers. These standards include consumer information safeguards, food quality and safety regulations, animal welfare standards, and more.
In addition to Padilla, Schiff, Booker, and Markey, the letter is signed by Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Christopher Coons (D-Del.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Angus King (I-Maine), Jeffrey Merkley (D-Ore.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).
Full text of the letter is available here and below:
Dear Chairman Boozman and Ranking Member Klobuchar:
We write today expressing our strong opposition to inclusion of the “Food Security and Farm Protection Act” (S. 1326), previously known as the “Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression Act (EATS) Act,” or any similar legislation in the next Farm Bill. Modeled after former Representative Steve King’s amendment, which was intensely controversial and ultimately excluded from the final 2014 and 2018 Farm Bills, the Food Security and Farm Protection Act would harm America’s small farmers and infringe on the fundamental rights of states to establish laws and regulations within their own borders.
This legislation would have a sweeping impact if passed—threatening countless state laws and opening the floodgates to unnecessary litigation. The bill is particularly draconian in that it aims to negate state and local laws when there are no federal standards to take their place, creating an overnight regulatory vacuum. In doing so, it would drastically broaden the scope of federal preemption, and disregard the wisdom of duly-enacted laws that address local concerns.
The range of potentially impacted laws includes measures aimed at protecting states from invasive pests and infectious disease, health and safety standards, consumer information safeguards, food quality and safety regulations, animal welfare standards, and fishing regulations. Below are just a few of the many areas that could be impacted by the Food Security and Farm Protection Act:
Alabama, Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota regulate the labeling of bitter almonds or prohibit their sale as a poison. Florida prohibits the sale of citrus fruits containing arsenic.
Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Oregon, Utah, Vermont and Wisconsin have laws that restrict the importation of firewood in order to prevent the spread of invasive pests and diseases. Additionally, at least 23 states have restrictions on the importation of Ash trees in order to prevent the spread of the emerald ash borer. Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, South Carolina and Texas are among states that have passed laws to prevent the spread of the Asian citrus psyllid, which causes citrus greening, and many states have implemented regulations to protect iconic species of trees that grow in various regions of the United States.
Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, and Texas have laws governing sales within their states of seeds and seed oils. Dozens of states have enacted laws on noxious weeds, rules for spraying manure on fields, sourcing requirements, and many other agricultural matters.
Many states impose additional requirements beyond federal regulations to address risks to cattle from brucellosis (48 states), bovine tuberculosis (41 states), and Johne’s Disease (North Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming).
Demand from consumers, food companies, and the farming community has propelled 15 states to enact public health, food safety, and humane standards for the in-state production and sale of products from egg-laying chickens, veal calves, and sows. The Food Security and Farm Protection Act was introduced with the primary goal of undermining these standards – particularly California’s Proposition 12, in response to the Supreme Court’s recent decision upholding that law, and Massachusetts’s Question 3. Last Congress, the House Agriculture Committee included a similarly harmful provision in their Farm Bill draft, adding another poison pill that contributed to a lack of progress on the next Farm Bill.
California’s Proposition 12 has been in full effect for over a year, while Massachusetts’s Question 3 has been in full effect since 2023. The demand for Proposition 12- and Question 3- compliant products has been met. Countless farmers who wanted to take advantage of this market opportunity invested resources and made necessary modifications to be compliant. Federal preemption of these laws would be picking the winners and losers, and would seriously harm farmers who made important investments.
Due to these concerns, we respectfully ask that you reject inclusion of this provision in any form, as you did in the 2014 and 2018 Farm Bills.
Thank you, and we look forward to working with you to pass a bipartisan Farm Bill.
Armed with obscure legal jargon and fringe interpretations of the law, “sovereign citizens” are continuing to test the limits of the Australian justice system’s patience and power.
A few weeks ago, two Western Australians were jailed for 30 days after defying a Supreme Court order and refusing to acknowledge the court’s authority.
Weeks earlier, former AFL footballer Warren Tredrea told the Federal Court he could not pay his legal costs to his former employer, Channel 9, because he did not believe in Australian legal tender.
And former One Nation senator Rod Culleton is currently fighting the Australian Federal Police, arguing his court-declared bankruptcy is not legally binding and therefore should not affect his federal election nomination.
These are not isolated incidents. They are part of a growing trend known as “pseudolaw”.
What is ‘pseudolaw’?
Pseudolaw describes the practice of constructing legal arguments that sound convincing but are fundamentally wrong.
It often relies on real law or cases, twisting them through bizarre or inaccurate interpretations. It looks like law, but isn’t.
Common pseudolegal arguments include:
governments have no authority over “natural persons”
writing a legal name in all capital letters creates a separate legal entity (a “strawman”), which is not subject to state authority
money is not real and anything can be legal tender
tax laws only apply to federal entities, not individuals
“natural rights” override statutes and court-made rules.
Not one of these arguments has ever succeeded in an Australian court.
What are ‘sovereign citizens’?
Those who believe and engage in pseudolaw are sometimes termed “sovereign citizens” or “SovCits”, a label imported from the United States during the 1970s.
The sovereign citizen “movement” reached Australia in the late 1990s.
As the Australian Federal Police explain, sovereign citizens believe they are morally and legally correct, and are quite open about their beliefs and plans.
They reject government authority, refuse to comply with laws and rely on complex but false legal theories to justify their actions.
Because many social media platforms ban their content, sovereign citizens frequently communicate through encrypted messaging apps or gather in person at protests and “common law courts” – unofficial tribunals based on a distorted reading of historical legal principles. These “courts” claim to operate outside state authority and often “try” public officials, file false claims against property and carry out other pseudolegal actions with no real legal force.
They claim to be peaceful and say they are acting in “self-defence” against perceived government overreach. But a small number turn violent.
The rise of pseudolaw in Australia
In the 1970s, WA farmer Leonard Casley labelled his farm the “Hutt River Province”, then attempted to secede from the Commonwealth of Australia and the State of Western Australia.
A curiosity back then, but a warning sign.
For years, fringe tax protesters and anti-government groups quietly pushed these ideas.
Then the COVID pandemic hit: lockdowns, mandates and rising distrust meant pseudolaw went more viral. Social media lit up with people claiming they weren’t subject to Australian law.
They spouted strawman theories, cited fake laws and filmed themselves refusing police orders.
It is not just noise. It is congesting the judicial system and putting people, including adherents, at risk.
A recent South Australian study highlights how pseudolaw is increasingly disrupting legal processes in that state.
The law, however, still stands, no matter what those on YouTube say.
What the ‘real’ law says
To be clear, pseudolaw looks real but isn’t; the real law is clear on many of the points raised by sovereign citizens.
For example, the federal government derives its authority to govern from the Commonwealth Constitution. This document clearly states the government has executive authority and can make laws that bind all Australians.
This includes tax laws and laws declaring Australian money as legal tender: in 2007, the Federal Court flatly rejected arguments that income tax and currency laws were invalid.
The “strawman theory” – which states someone has two personas, one of real flesh and blood and the other a separate legal personality, who is the “strawman” – has also been debunked by the courts countless times. The West Australian Supreme Court recently called it “fundamentally misguided”.
And does capitalising your name on official documents like your birth certificate or driver’s licence affect your rights? The courts have categorically said “no”.
Pseudolaw is, as one Victorian judge described it last year, nothing more than “nonsense”, “gibberish”, and “gobbledygook”.
Why sovereign citizens are a threat
While this might seem eccentric, or even harmless, pseudolaw poses real risks.
The Judicial Commission of New South Wales warns it’s not just a nuisance – it’s clogging up courts, wasting police resources and putting public officials at risk.
But the danger isn’t only to others – it is to the followers too.
It is crucial all Australians recognise that pseudolaw not only threatens your credibility but can land you in hot water under the real law.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ashley Hinson (IA-01)
Washington, D.C. — Today, under the leadership of Secretary Brooke Rollins, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) rolled out its national security plan alongside Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Attorney General Pam Bondi. Congresswoman Hinson released the following statement on the Trump Administration’s “Make Agriculture Great Again” Initiative, which includes several efforts that the congresswoman has led for years.
“Farms, food, and supply chains are national security assets—and they should be treated as such. Right now, farmers rely on feed and other inputs from China—compromising the integrity of our food supply and giving China leverage to shut off our access. I introduced bipartisan legislation to secure our agriculture supply chain domestically, and I’m glad President Trump is incorporating my legislation in this key initiative to end our dangerous reliance on China. President Trump’s leadership will change the course of history and ensure America is positioned to win our strategic competition with China on every front.” – Congresswoman Ashley Hinson
Background:
USDA’s National Security Plan includes several priorities championed by Rep. Hinson, including securing American agriculture supply chains from the influence of foreign adversaries like China.
Under the Plan, USDA will create a list of critical ag inputs and materials and conduct regular assessments to identify risks and security vulnerabilities to the ag sector. Rep. Hinson’s bicameral, bipartisan Securing American Agriculture Act requires USDA to conduct annual assessments of vulnerabilities in American food and agriculture supply chains and report to Congress with recommendations to better secure our supply chains.
As a Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration, Rep. Hinson secured language in the committee-passed FY26 bill to require the Secretary of Agriculture to report on dependency on China for critical agriculture inputs and provide a plan to mitigate potential supply disruptions caused by Communist China.
Source: United States Small Business Administration
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the availability of low interest federal disaster loans to small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Montana to offset economic losses caused by drought beginning May 1.
The declaration covers the Montana counties of Beaverhead, Carter, Cascade, Chouteau, Custer, Dawson, Deer Lodge, Fallon, Flathead, Garfield, Granite, Jefferson, Judith Basin, Lake, Lewis and Clark, Madison, McCone, Meagher, Missoula, Powder River, Powell, Prairie, Ravalli, Richland, Roosevelt, Rosebud, Sanders, Silver Bow, Teton and Wibaux as well as Idaho counties of Clark, Fremont, Idaho and Lemhi, North Dakota counties of Bowman, Golden Valley, McKenzie, Slope and Williams, South Dakota counties of Butte and Harding, and the Wyoming county of Crook.
Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and PNPs with financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.
EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills not paid due to the disaster.
“Through a declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, SBA provides critical financial assistance to help communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “We’re pleased to offer loans to small businesses and private nonprofits impacted by these disasters.”
The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.625% for PNPs with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue and payments are not due until 12 months after the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.
To apply online, visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
Submit completed loan applications to SBA no later than March 9, 2026.
###
About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.
Source: United States Small Business Administration
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the availability of low interest federal disaster loans to small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Wyoming to offset economic losses caused by drought beginning May 1.
The declaration covers the Wyoming counties of Campbell, Converse, Crook, Fremont, Lincoln, Niobrara, Park, Sublette, Teton and Weston as well as the Idaho counties of Bonneville, Fremont and Teton, the Montana County of Gallatin, and South Dakota counties of Custer, Lawrence and Pennington.
Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and PNPs with financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.
EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills not paid due to the disaster.
“Through a declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, SBA provides critical financial assistance to help communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “We’re pleased to offer loans to small businesses and private nonprofits impacted by these disasters.”
The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.625% for PNPs with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue and payments are not due until 12 months after the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.
To apply online, visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
Submit completed loan applications to SBA no later than March 9, 2026.
###
About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.
Today, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) filed an amendment to the rescissions package currently before the Senate to block the Department of Energy’s federal loan guarantees from bankrolling the Grain Belt Express, a Green New Deal project fiercely opposed by Missouri farmers and ranchers.
“The Department of Energy should not be using taxpayer dollars to fund green scams at the expense of Missouri’s farmers and ranchers. The Biden Administration shoved the $4.9 billion federal loan guarantee through at the eleventh hour because they knew it was illegal and immoral. It’s time to defund the Grain Belt Express once and for all,” Senator Hawley said.
For years, Senator Hawley has been working to defund the Grain Belt Express and protect Missourians’ land. Just last week, Senator Hawley secured a pledge from Energy Secretary Chris Wright to rescind the Grain Belt Express loan guarantees.
Read the full amendment here.
Chișinău, Moldova – Moldova is taking a decisive step toward the future of agriculture with the launch of a new incubator and pre-accelerator at Agrotek Arena Incubator, an innovation space dedicated to digital agriculture, robotics, and food technology. The initiative is part of the Innovate Moldova Programme, funded by Sweden, and aims to modernize the country’s agri-food sector through innovation, research, and international collaboration.
On July 9, 2025, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Moldova’s Ministry of Digitalization and Economic Development (MDED), the Technical University of Moldova (UTM), the Innovate Moldova Programme, and the Ukraine-Moldova American Enterprise Fund (UMAEF), marking the start of this strategic partnership.
The incubator will span 1,300 square meters across two refurbished floors of Agrotek Arena and will host up to 30 residents – startups, student entrepreneurs, researchers, and agri-food businesses. It is projected to benefit over 3,000 students, farmers, and food processors annually by providing access to cutting-edge technologies, prototyping labs, greenhouses, and innovation support programs.
“Agriculture remains a backbone of Moldova’s economy. Yet, without modern tools and forward-thinking infrastructure, its full potential cannot be realized, Agrotek Arena will serve as a launchpad for innovation, helping us bridge the gap between academia, industry, and global partners.”
stated Doina Nistor, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digitalization and Economic Development.
The incubator is set to open its doors to residents by September 1st, with a structured acceleration program launching in October 2025. Activities will focus on developing viable agri-tech solutions in areas such as precision agriculture, smart irrigation, and sustainable food processing.
Shared Investment and Global Collaboration
The $1 million project is built on a shared funding model. Innovate Moldova Programme and UMAEF are supporting the refurbishment of common areas, while UTM is offering rent-free space and managing energy efficiency upgrades. Residents will contribute by equipping their dedicated offices with air conditioning, furnishings, and technical installations.
Agrotek Arena will also establish strong linkages with European and North American technology providers. Strategic collaborations include:
Davis Weather Stations for climate-smart farming, Biosfera’s GPS AgTech Solutions for resource-optimized agriculture, SAS Cropio ERP Systems for real-time farm data analytics.
These partnerships not only bolster Moldova’s agricultural transformation but also create long-term business opportunities for EU, EFTA and North Atlantic region.
A Foundation for Moldova’s AgriTech Future
Located on UTM’s 5-hectare Mircești campus in capital Chișinău and linked to 570 hectares in Criuleni region, Agrotek Arena is the first major milestone in the broader Agrotek Park vision. Future plans include the development of high-tech farming sites, applied R&D centers, and repurposed Soviet-era infrastructure into labs and innovation hubs.
“This is more than a building—it’s the beginning of Moldova’s transformation into a regional hub for sustainable agri-tech. By fostering ties between startups, universities, and international partners, we are laying the groundwork for high-value job creation and export-ready technologies.”
said Sergiu Rabii, Programme Director at the Innovate Moldova Programme
Agrotek Arena will also support Moldova’s alignment with EU standards by integrating sustainable design, ESG practices, and inclusive economic development into its operational model.
But now, parts of the land have been restored. Crops are beginning to flourish and bees are buzzing around once again.
The people responsible for this change are a hodgepodge group – former taxi drivers and miners, people who barely finished secondary school and some with higher education degrees. The unifying factor? Most have youth on their side.
“There is life beyond mining [but] we all grew up with the mentality that diamond is the only solution,” said Sahr Fallah, chairman of the Youth Council in Kono.
Over 44 percent of the 1.3 billion people aged 15-24 are employed in agrifood systems. However, this group often does not have the same access to resources as older generations. Moreover, they are sidelined in the conversations which might change this systemic exclusion.
Young men work on a diamond mining site near Koidu, Sierra Leone. (file)
“A lot of the time, what we find is that young people are included in policy processes but it is a little bit tokenistic. They don’t feel like their voice really matters,” said Lauren Phillips, a deputy director at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Decent work = economic growth
The High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development in New York has been convened this week and next, to discuss progress – or lack thereof – towards the globally agreed Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), one of which guarantees decent work for all.
Despite this commitment, over half of the global workforce remains in informal employment, according to the Secretary-General’s report on the SDGs released Monday. This means that they do not have adequate social or legal protections.
“Decent work must be at the heart of macroeconomic planning, climate and diesel transitions and social recovery strategies,” said Sangheon Lee, director of employment policy at the International Labor Organization (ILO).
Don’t ignore youth
Like other vulnerable groups, young people face unique challenges in the agrifood sector. Specifically, they often lack land rights and will struggle to act collectively to protect their interests.
“If you are not looking at data with a lens of age or gender, you are actually missing part of the story,” Ms. Phillips said.
Among these assets are land titles – which the elderly may be reluctant to pass down because of insufficient social protections. Youth also are less able to access credit so they can invest in themselves and their families.
Betty Seray Sam, one of the young farmers in Kono, said that her family never used to come to her when they were going through a crisis – they knew that she had no money and a child to support.
Young farmers load tomatoes onto trucks in Nubaria, Egypt.
But now, through an agricultural job in Kono, she can support her family during times of crisis.
“This project has had a rippling effect for the youth in terms of not only improving their livelihoods but also the livelihoods of their families,” said Abdul Munu, president of Mabunduku, a community-based farmer’s organization in Kono.
Bee a farmer
Providing training to young people in agrifood systems is absolutely essential to ensure that they can practice sustainable agriculture.
In Chegutu, Zimbabwe, FAO has helped establish Bee Farmers Schools where young people are taught how to support apiaries through hands-on training activities.
“The idea is that one of the apiaries can be turned into a classroom where youth from different parts of a district can come just like a school,” said Barnabas Mawire, a natural resource specialist at FAO.
This training has helped support local youth beekeepers to move beyond local and small-scale honey production to a fully-fledged business model that has the potential to not just fight poverty but actually create local wealth.
Evelyn Mutuda, the young entrepreneurs representative in Chegutu, aspires to plant Jacaranda trees which she says will improve the quality of the bees’ honey and enable the beekeepers to export beyond local markets.
“We want to maximize all the profits so we can become better and bigger,” Ms. Mutuda said.
From Facebook to TikTok
Being able to form labour associations is one of the key factors of decent work. This sort of collective action is even more important for youth in agrifood who often lack the social capital to enact real policy change.
“Young people are just starting out, making bonds within their group but also with people outside of their group. Those bonds are important…because there is power in numbers,” Ms. Phillips said.
She also noted that young people are forming these bonds across geographic distances, often by using technology. Agrifood influencers on Instagram and TikTok, for example, are increasingly shaping conversations about the sector.
Ms. Phillips also noted that it is important to think of collective action for youth as intergenerational.
“While the report is focused on young people, it’s not ignorant of the fact that young people live in families…There is a lot which talks about the need for solidarity between generations,” Ms. Phillips said.
Youth optimism
The next generation will be the stewards of the food we eat, so integrating them into that system now is essential for future food security and sustainability.
“Many youth integrate tradition with innovation, creating sustainability and community resilience,” said Venedio Nala Ardisa, a youth representative at the Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact, at an online side event during the high-level forum.
Angeline Manhanzva, one of the beekeepers in Chegutu, said that the opportunity to become a beekeeper changed her life. One day, she dreams of owning her own bee farm.
“I will be an old person who has so much wealth and is able to buy her own big land to keep my hives and process my own honey.”
MORRISVILLE, VT., July 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Union Bankshares, Inc. (NASDAQ – UNB) today announced results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025 and declared a regular quarterly cash dividend. Consolidated net income for the three months ended June 30, 2025 was $2.4 million, or $0.53 per share, compared to $2.0 million, or $0.45 per share, for the same period in 2024, and $4.9 million, or $1.08 per share, for the six months ended June 30, 2025, compared to $4.4 million, or $0.98 per share, for the same period in 2024.
Balance Sheet
Total assets were $1.48 billion as of June 30, 2025 compared to $1.40 billion as of June 30, 2024, an increase of $81.9 million, or 5.9%. Loan growth was the primary driver of the increase in total assets with total loans increasing $99.8 million, or 9.8%, to reach $1.11 billion as of June 30, 2025 including $9.0 million in loans held for sale, compared to $1.01 billion as of June 30, 2024, with $6.2 million in loans held for sale. Despite the economic uncertainty in the future, asset quality remains strong with minimal past due loans and net recoveries of $5 thousand and $6 thousand for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025, respectively.
In addition to the balance sheet growth in loans, qualifying residential loans of $31.0 million and $56.8 million were sold to the secondary market for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025, respectively, compared to sales of $19.3 million and $41.0 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2024, respectively.
Total deposits were $1.10 billion as of June 30, 2025 compared to deposits of $1.05 billion as of June 30, 2024, and included purchased brokered deposits of $65.3 million and $65.0 million for the respective periods. Borrowed funds consisted of Federal Home Loan Bank advances of $270.7 million as of June 30, 2025 compared to $212.1 million as of June 30, 2024. There were also $35.0 million in advances from the Federal Reserve’s Bank Term Funding Program outstanding as of June 30, 2024.
The Company had total equity capital of $71.3 million and a book value per share of $15.66 as of June 30, 2025 compared to $64.0 million and a book value of $14.16 per share as of June 30, 2024. Total equity capital is reduced by accumulated other comprehensive loss as it relates to the fair market value adjustment for investment securities. Accumulated other comprehensive loss as of June 30, 2025 was $31.2 million compared to $35.2 million as of June 30, 2024.
Income Statement
Consolidated net income was $2.4 million for the second quarter of 2025 compared to $2.0 million for the second quarter of 2024, an increase of $376 thousand, or 18.6%. Interest income increased $2.2 million, or 13.1%, to $18.7 million for the three months ended June 30, 2025 compared to $16.5 million for the three months ended June 30, 2024, due to an increase in yield on earning assets and an increase in volume for the comparison periods. Similarly, interest expense increased $1.2 million, or 17.1%, to $8.3 million for the three months ended June 30, 2025 compared to $7.1 million for the three months ended June 30, 2024 due to an increase in rates paid on customer deposits and to a lesser extent an increase in volumes. As a result of these changes during the comparison periods, net interest income increased $962 thousand, or 10.1%.
Credit loss expense of $221 thousand was recorded for the second quarter of 2025 compared to $388 thousand recorded for the second quarter of 2024. The credit loss expense was primarily related to the growth and mix of the loan portfolio at both June 30, 2025 and June 30, 2024. Management continues to assess the adequacy of the Allowance for Credit Losses quarterly.
Noninterest income was $2.8 million for the three months ended June 30, 2025 and 2024. Noninterest expenses increased $706 thousand, or 7.2%, to $10.5 million for the three months ended June 30, 2025 compared to $9.8 million for the same period in 2024. The increase during the comparison period was due to increases of $311 thousand in salaries and wages, $340 thousand in employee benefits, $2 thousand in occupancy expenses, and $83 thousand in equipment expenses, partially offset by a decrease of $31 thousand in other expenses. Income tax expense was $102 thousand for the three months ended June 30, 2025, an increase of $41 thousand compared to income tax expense of $61 thousand for the three months ended June 30, 2024.
Dividend Declared
The Board of Directors declared a cash dividend of $0.36 per share for the quarter payable August 7, 2025 to shareholders of record as of July 26, 2025.
About Union Bankshares, Inc.
Union Bankshares, Inc., headquartered in Morrisville, Vermont, is the bank holding company parent of Union Bank, which provides commercial, retail, and municipal banking services, as well as, wealth management services throughout northern Vermont and New Hampshire. Union Bank operates 18 banking offices, three loan centers, and multiple ATMs throughout its geographical footprint.
Since 1891, Union Bank has helped people achieve their dreams of owning a home, saving for retirement, starting or expanding a business and assisting municipalities to improve their communities. Union Bank has earned an exceptional reputation for residential lending programs and has been recognized by the US Department of Agriculture, Rural Development for the positive impact made in lives of low to moderate home buyers. Union Bank is consistently one of the top Vermont Housing Finance Agency mortgage originators and has also been designated as an SBA Preferred lender for its participation in small business lending. Union Bank’s employees contribute to the communities where they work and reside, serving on non-profit boards, raising funds for worthwhile causes, and giving countless hours in serving our fellow residents. All of these efforts have resulted in Union receiving and “Outstanding” rating for its compliance with the Community Reinvestment Act (“CRA”) in its most recent examination. Union Bank is proud to be one of the few independent community banks serving Vermont and New Hampshire and we maintain a strong commitment to our core traditional values of keeping deposits safe, giving customers convenient financial choices and making loans to help people in our local communities buy homes, grow businesses, and create jobs. These values–combined with financial expertise, quality products and the latest technology–make Union Bank the premier choice for your banking services, both personal and business. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender.
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements made in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements necessarily involve risks and uncertainties, and many factors could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those contemplated in the forward-looking statements. When we use any of the words “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates” or similar expressions, we are making forward-looking statements. The following factors, among others, could cause actual results and events to differ from those contemplated in the forward-looking statements: uncertainties associated with general economic conditions; changes in the interest rate environment; inflation; political, legislative or regulatory developments; acts of war or terrorism; the markets’ acceptance of and demand for the Company’s products and services; technological changes, including the impact of the internet on the Company’s business and on the financial services market place generally; the impact of competitive products and pricing; and dependence on third party suppliers. For further information, please refer to the Company’s reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission atwww.sec.govor on our investor page atwww.ublocal.com.
MORRISVILLE, VT., July 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Union Bankshares, Inc. (NASDAQ – UNB) today announced results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025 and declared a regular quarterly cash dividend. Consolidated net income for the three months ended June 30, 2025 was $2.4 million, or $0.53 per share, compared to $2.0 million, or $0.45 per share, for the same period in 2024, and $4.9 million, or $1.08 per share, for the six months ended June 30, 2025, compared to $4.4 million, or $0.98 per share, for the same period in 2024.
Balance Sheet
Total assets were $1.48 billion as of June 30, 2025 compared to $1.40 billion as of June 30, 2024, an increase of $81.9 million, or 5.9%. Loan growth was the primary driver of the increase in total assets with total loans increasing $99.8 million, or 9.8%, to reach $1.11 billion as of June 30, 2025 including $9.0 million in loans held for sale, compared to $1.01 billion as of June 30, 2024, with $6.2 million in loans held for sale. Despite the economic uncertainty in the future, asset quality remains strong with minimal past due loans and net recoveries of $5 thousand and $6 thousand for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025, respectively.
In addition to the balance sheet growth in loans, qualifying residential loans of $31.0 million and $56.8 million were sold to the secondary market for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025, respectively, compared to sales of $19.3 million and $41.0 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2024, respectively.
Total deposits were $1.10 billion as of June 30, 2025 compared to deposits of $1.05 billion as of June 30, 2024, and included purchased brokered deposits of $65.3 million and $65.0 million for the respective periods. Borrowed funds consisted of Federal Home Loan Bank advances of $270.7 million as of June 30, 2025 compared to $212.1 million as of June 30, 2024. There were also $35.0 million in advances from the Federal Reserve’s Bank Term Funding Program outstanding as of June 30, 2024.
The Company had total equity capital of $71.3 million and a book value per share of $15.66 as of June 30, 2025 compared to $64.0 million and a book value of $14.16 per share as of June 30, 2024. Total equity capital is reduced by accumulated other comprehensive loss as it relates to the fair market value adjustment for investment securities. Accumulated other comprehensive loss as of June 30, 2025 was $31.2 million compared to $35.2 million as of June 30, 2024.
Income Statement
Consolidated net income was $2.4 million for the second quarter of 2025 compared to $2.0 million for the second quarter of 2024, an increase of $376 thousand, or 18.6%. Interest income increased $2.2 million, or 13.1%, to $18.7 million for the three months ended June 30, 2025 compared to $16.5 million for the three months ended June 30, 2024, due to an increase in yield on earning assets and an increase in volume for the comparison periods. Similarly, interest expense increased $1.2 million, or 17.1%, to $8.3 million for the three months ended June 30, 2025 compared to $7.1 million for the three months ended June 30, 2024 due to an increase in rates paid on customer deposits and to a lesser extent an increase in volumes. As a result of these changes during the comparison periods, net interest income increased $962 thousand, or 10.1%.
Credit loss expense of $221 thousand was recorded for the second quarter of 2025 compared to $388 thousand recorded for the second quarter of 2024. The credit loss expense was primarily related to the growth and mix of the loan portfolio at both June 30, 2025 and June 30, 2024. Management continues to assess the adequacy of the Allowance for Credit Losses quarterly.
Noninterest income was $2.8 million for the three months ended June 30, 2025 and 2024. Noninterest expenses increased $706 thousand, or 7.2%, to $10.5 million for the three months ended June 30, 2025 compared to $9.8 million for the same period in 2024. The increase during the comparison period was due to increases of $311 thousand in salaries and wages, $340 thousand in employee benefits, $2 thousand in occupancy expenses, and $83 thousand in equipment expenses, partially offset by a decrease of $31 thousand in other expenses. Income tax expense was $102 thousand for the three months ended June 30, 2025, an increase of $41 thousand compared to income tax expense of $61 thousand for the three months ended June 30, 2024.
Dividend Declared
The Board of Directors declared a cash dividend of $0.36 per share for the quarter payable August 7, 2025 to shareholders of record as of July 26, 2025.
About Union Bankshares, Inc.
Union Bankshares, Inc., headquartered in Morrisville, Vermont, is the bank holding company parent of Union Bank, which provides commercial, retail, and municipal banking services, as well as, wealth management services throughout northern Vermont and New Hampshire. Union Bank operates 18 banking offices, three loan centers, and multiple ATMs throughout its geographical footprint.
Since 1891, Union Bank has helped people achieve their dreams of owning a home, saving for retirement, starting or expanding a business and assisting municipalities to improve their communities. Union Bank has earned an exceptional reputation for residential lending programs and has been recognized by the US Department of Agriculture, Rural Development for the positive impact made in lives of low to moderate home buyers. Union Bank is consistently one of the top Vermont Housing Finance Agency mortgage originators and has also been designated as an SBA Preferred lender for its participation in small business lending. Union Bank’s employees contribute to the communities where they work and reside, serving on non-profit boards, raising funds for worthwhile causes, and giving countless hours in serving our fellow residents. All of these efforts have resulted in Union receiving and “Outstanding” rating for its compliance with the Community Reinvestment Act (“CRA”) in its most recent examination. Union Bank is proud to be one of the few independent community banks serving Vermont and New Hampshire and we maintain a strong commitment to our core traditional values of keeping deposits safe, giving customers convenient financial choices and making loans to help people in our local communities buy homes, grow businesses, and create jobs. These values–combined with financial expertise, quality products and the latest technology–make Union Bank the premier choice for your banking services, both personal and business. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender.
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements made in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements necessarily involve risks and uncertainties, and many factors could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those contemplated in the forward-looking statements. When we use any of the words “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates” or similar expressions, we are making forward-looking statements. The following factors, among others, could cause actual results and events to differ from those contemplated in the forward-looking statements: uncertainties associated with general economic conditions; changes in the interest rate environment; inflation; political, legislative or regulatory developments; acts of war or terrorism; the markets’ acceptance of and demand for the Company’s products and services; technological changes, including the impact of the internet on the Company’s business and on the financial services market place generally; the impact of competitive products and pricing; and dependence on third party suppliers. For further information, please refer to the Company’s reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission atwww.sec.govor on our investor page atwww.ublocal.com.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences, The University of Melbourne
Have you ever examined timber floorboards and pondered why they look the way they do? Perhaps you admired the super-fine grain, a stunning red hue or a swirling knot, and wondered how it came to be?
Or perhaps you don’t know what tree species your floorboards are made from, and how to best look after them?
Finely polished floorboards reveal detail about the timber that can be much harder to detect in unpolished boards or other sawn timbers.
“Reading” the knots, stubs and other characteristics of floorboards can reveal what type of tree produced it and how it grew. It can also reveal fascinating details about the lives of the trees they once were.
Reading floorboards can reveal what type of tree produced it, and how it grew. Greta Hoffman/Pexels, CC BY
Telling soft from hard
A variety of tree species are used to make timber floors. Hardwood species include the pale cream of Tasmanian oak, the honeyed hues of spotted gum and the deep red of jarrah.
Other times, softwood such as pine or spruce is used. Such species are often fast-growing, and prized for their availability and affordability.
Hardwoods are, by definition, flowering trees, while softwoods are from cone-bearing trees. Paradoxically, not all softwoods are soft or hardwoods hard. The balsa tree, for example, is a fast-growing hardwood tree renowned for its soft wood.
It’s not always easy to tell if a floor is hardwood or softwood, but there are discernible differences in their appearance.
Softwood such as pine or spruce is often fast-growing. Geography Photos/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Tales in the grain
The real differences between softwood and hardwood lie in the anatomy and structure of the “xylem tissues” that make up the wood. These tissues transported water and nutrients from the roots to the rest of the plant when the tree was alive.
The arrangement of xylem tissue in the tree largely determines the “grain” in your floorboards. The grain is the appearance of wood fibres in the timber. The grain can be straight, wavy or spiralled.
In floorboards with straight grains, a tree’s growth history may be clear. As a tree trunk grows in diameter, it typically produces a layer of bark on the outside and a lighter layer of xylem tissue on the inside. When a tree is cut horizontally, the growth appears as rings. In a tree cut lengthwise (which happens when floorboards are milled) the growth appears as long lines in the timber.
If the lines in floorboards are very close together, this indicates the tree grew slowly. Wider lines suggest the tree grew rapidly.
Vessels in a tree’s xylem transport water from the roots to the rest of the plant. Hardwood tree species tend to have large vessels. This gives hardwood floorboards a coarser-grained and less uniform appearance. In contrast, softwood species such as conifers have smaller, dispersed vessels and produce more fine-grained, smoother timber.
Knots in floorboards occur when a branch dies or is cut, then tissue grows over the stub. The bigger the missing branch, the more substantial the knot.
Knots in floorboards can reveal much about the source tree. Pine, for example, often features multiple small knots originating from a common point. This reflects the growth pattern of young plantation pines, where several branches grow out from the trunk at the same height from the ground.
Often, the distance between knots tells us how quickly the tree grew. The greater the distance between the knots, the faster the tree grew in height.
The presence of a tree’s “defence chemicals”, known as polyphenols, can be seen clearly in some floorboards.
Polyphenols in floorboards sometimes appear as dark brown verging on black. Author provided
Polyphenols protect plants against stressors such as pathogens, drought and UV radiation.
The chemicals contribute to the red hue in some floorboards. Because polyphenols have a preservative effect, they can also make timber more durable.
Dark reddish or brown timbers containing a high concentration of polyphenols include mahogany, merbau, red gum, ironbark and conifers such as cedar and cypress.
In cases where a tree is burnt by fire, or attacked by insects or fungus, it produces a lot of polyphenols at the site of the damage.
In these cases, the presence of polyphenols in floorboards can be very obvious – sometimes appearing as a section that is dark brown verging on black.
Keeping your floorboards for longer
It’s widely known that living trees store carbon, and that this helps limit climate change. It’s less well known that timber floorboards also store carbon. And as long as that timber is preserved – and not destroyed by fire, decay or wood rot – that carbon will stay there.
If floorboards have to be removed, try to make sure the timber is reused or repurposed into other products.
And if you are installing a new polished timber floor, or already have one, there are steps you can take to make it last for a long time.
Softwood boards will benefit from a hard surface coating, especially in high-use areas.
Reducing the exposure of the floor to bright sunlight can preserve the colour of the floorboards and prolong the life of the coating and the timber itself.
Large knots in floorboards can twist and start to protrude from the surface. To ensure the floor remains even and safe, and to prevent the board from splitting, secure the knot to a floor joist with a nail or glue.
And take the time to understand the lessons embedded in your floorboards. They have much to teach us about biology and history, if we take the time to read them.
Gregory Moore does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
TOP AFRICA NEWS (www.TOPAFRICANEWS.com) has been recognized as the Best Environment & Natural Resources News Platform 2025 by MEA Markets, highlighting its significant contribution to environmental journalism across Africa.
This latest accolade caps a series of distinguished awards for the platform, including SME of the Year (2022), Best International Publication Service Provider (2023), and Best Marketing Service Provider (2024), demonstrating consistent excellence and leadership in the region’s media landscape.
Founder and Managing Director Mr. DUSABEMUNGU Ange de la Victoire expressed pride in the achievement, stating, “Being named the best platform in this vital field underscores our dedication to covering critical environmental issues affecting Africa. It motivates us to continue delivering impactful, accurate, and insightful journalism that can influence policy and inspire sustainable change across the continent.”
He emphasized the platform’s mission, saying, “At TOP AFRICA NEWS, our goal remains to amplify Africa’s stories on issues like natural resources, conservation, and sustainable development—topics that are pivotal for the continent’s future. This award reaffirms our role as a trusted voice for Africa’s environment and natural resources sectors.”
Available on www.TOPAFRICANEWS.com, the website provides comprehensive coverage of topics ranging from agriculture and tourism to youth engagement and peacebuilding, aiming to inform and empower communities across Africa.
As climate and environmental challenges grow more urgent, TOP AFRICA NEWS pledges to sustain its focus on delivering high-quality news that drives awareness, action, and sustainable development across Africa.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of TOP AFRICA NEWS.
About TOP AFRICA NEWS: TOP AFRICA NEWS is a Private shareholder Digital News Website managed by AFRICA NEWS DIGEST Ltd, a Domestic Company registered in Rwanda Development Board. Available on www.TOPAFRICANEWS.com, this website publishes stories from across Africa focusing on Environment, Natural resources, Livestock and Agriculture, Tourism and conservation, Youth, Sports and Culture, Peace Building, Health, Infrastructure and ICT, Security, Education, Business and Banking. The main objective of this website is to tell the World the real Africa’s Story from the real and reliable sources. We Publish News Stories, Supplements stories, advertorials, Feature stories among many others. We are based in Kigali, Rwanda.
Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)
Padilla, Chu, Colleagues Join Union Workers to Announce Legislation to Protect Workers from Extreme Heat
WATCH: Padilla pushes for enforceable workplace heat stress protections after hottest year on record
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, on the heels of another harsh heat wave across California, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Representative Judy Chu (D-Calif.-28) joined union workers from the United Farm Workers (UFW), American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, and United Steelworkers to announce their bipartisan, bicameral legislation to implement federal enforceable workplace heat stress protections.
Co-leads of the legislation include U.S. Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), and Representatives Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-Va.-03), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Education and Workforce, and Alma Adams (D-N.C.-12).
To address the increasing risks from extreme temperatures, the lawmakers introduced the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act, legislation to protect the safety and health of indoor and outdoor workers who are exposed to dangerous heat conditions in the workplace. The legislation would protect workers against occupational exposure to excessive heat by requiring the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to establish an enforceable federal standard to protect workers in high-heat environments with commonsense measures like paid breaks in cool spaces, access to water, limitations on time exposed to heat, and emergency response for workers with heat-related illness. The bill also directs employers to provide training for their employees on the risk factors that can lead to heat illness and guidance on the proper procedures for responding to symptoms.
The bill is named in honor of Asunción Valdivia, who died in 2004 after picking grapes for 10 hours straight in 105-degree temperatures. Mr. Valdivia fell unconscious, but instead of calling an ambulance, his employer told Mr. Valdivia’s son to drive his father home. On his way home, he died of heat stroke at the age of 53.
“Asunción Valdivia’s death was completely preventable, yet his story is sadly not unique. As the planet continues to grow hotter, there is still no federally enforceable heat safety standard for workers. That’s not just dangerous for the farm workers and construction workers who work all day outside in the sun — it’s also dangerous for the factory and restaurant workers in boiling warehouses and kitchens,” said Senator Padilla. “Every family deserves to know that even on the hottest day, their loved one will come back home. A national heat safety standard would provide that peace of mind and finally give workers the safety they deserve.”
“Even as heat waves become more frequent, longer-lasting, and more severe, red state politicians are rolling back heat protections and child labor protections across the country. It’s not rocket science—you cannot be pro-worker if you are anti-heat protection,” said Senator Markey. “Our legislation would provide workers with basic, effective protections: access to water, access to shade, time limits on high heat exposure, and procedures for emergency medical response. Every worker deserves to know when they clock in that they will return home safe at the end of their shift. The thermometer is rising and the clock is ticking. Republicans want to sacrifice working Americans. Let’s save our workers instead.”
“From farmhands to construction workers, America’s essential workforce is doing important work while under extreme heat conditions,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “Temperatures continue to reach record highs in Nevada and across the United States. We must act now to protect our communities’ vital workers.”
“As we continue to experience record-breaking summer heat waves, we’re also seeing a distressing increase in cases of workers collapsing and even losing their lives due to excessive heat. I will never forget people like Asunción Valdivia or Esteban Chavez Jr., who passed away in Pasadena, California in 2022 after a day of delivering packages in 90-degree heat in a truck without air conditioning. Unfortunately, their tragic deaths were entirely preventable,” said Representative Chu. “Whether on a farm, driving a truck, or working in a warehouse, workers like Asunción and Esteban keep our country running while enduring some of the most difficult conditions—often without access to water or rest. To protect our workforce and save lives, we must pass this bill into law and establish comprehensive and enforceable federal standards addressing heat stress on the job.”
“This summer, Americans across the country are grappling with some of the hottest temperatures on record. Yet workers in this country still have no legal protection against excessive heat—one of the oldest, most serious, and most common workplace hazards. Heat illness affects workers in our nation’s fields, warehouses, and factories, and climate change is making the problem more severe every year,” said Ranking Member Scott, House Committee on Education and Workforce. “This legislation will require OSHA to issue a heat standard on a much faster track than the normal OSHA regulatory process. I was proud to advance this important bill in 2022, and I urge Chairman Walberg and Committee Republicans to do so again this Congress. Workers deserve nothing less, particularly as heat-related illnesses and deaths rise.”
“As we face record temperatures, it has never been more important that we protect our workers facing extreme heat in the workplace,” said Representative Adams. “Last year, a North Carolina postal worker Wendy Johnson lost her life to heat illness after spending hours in the back of a postal truck on a 95-degree day with no air conditioning. Her death was entirely preventable, and Wendy should still be with us today. I’m proud to introduce this bill so we can honor her memory and ensure every worker has the protections from extreme heat that Wendy deserved.”
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 2024 was the warmest year on record for the United States. The past decade, including 2024, was the hottest on record, marking a decade of extreme heat that will only get worse. Heat-related illnesses can cause heat cramps, organ damage, heat exhaustion, stroke, and even death. Between 1992 and 2017, heat stress injuries killed 815 U.S. workers and seriously injured more than 70,000. The Washington Center for Equitable Growth estimates hot temperatures caused at least 360,000 workplace injuries in California from 2001 to 2018, or about 20,000 injuries a year. The failure to implement simple heat safety measures costs U.S. employers nearly $100 billion every year in lost productivity.
From 2011-2020, heat exposure killed at least 400 workers and caused nearly 34,000 injuries and illnesses resulting in days away from work; both are likely vast underestimates. Farm workers and construction workers suffer the highest incidence of heat illness. And no matter what the weather is outside, workers in factories, commercial kitchens, and other workplaces, including ones where workers must wear personal protective equipment (PPE), can face dangerously high heat conditions all year round.
The Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act has the support of a broad coalition of over 250 groups, including: Rural Coalition, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, AFL-CIO, UNITE HERE!, Communication Workers of America, Alianza Nacional de Campesinas, Sierra Club, United Farm Workers, Farmworker Justice, Public Citizen, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers, United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, Union of Concerned Scientists, United Steelworkers, National Resources Defense Council, American Lung Association, and Health Partnerships.
“Every worker safety rule in America is written in blood,” said UFW President Teresa Romero. “The UFW has been fighting for heat safety protections for decades. Over 20 years later, Asuncion Valdivia’s death still hurts. There are so many other farm workers — many whose names we do not know — who have also been killed by extreme heat on the job in the years since. Enough is enough. Every farm worker deserves access to water, shade, and paid rest breaks — it’s past time for Congress get this done.”
“Too many workers – including AFSCME members – have lost their lives on the job as a result of blistering heat waves and record-breaking temperatures,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. “As the number of heat-related illnesses and fatalities continue to rise, it is well past time we adopt nationwide safeguards to better protect the workers who maintain our infrastructure, keep our streets clean, harvest our food, and keep our economy moving. We at AFSCME thank Senator Padilla and Representative Chu for introducing the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act, which will ensure essential workers who brave the heat can do their jobs safely and effectively, and most importantly, make it home alive.”
“For the Steelworkers Union, we represent workers in manufacturing settings and in a host of other areas where not only is it hot outside, but the areas that they work around are as hot as up to 3,000 degrees and they must wear protective equipment. The Asunción Valdivia Heat, Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act is important because it will provide a basic standard for not just outdoor, but indoor workplaces as well to ensure that there is proper rest breaks and the ability to stay cool. The Steelworkers are absolutely supportive of this bill and are going to work with Republicans and Democrats to ensure that heat illness is the last thing a worker should worry about,” said Roy Houseman, Legislative Director of United Steelworkers.
“Everyone deserves safe working conditions, but powerful corporations have not done enough to protect their workers from hot working environments, exacerbated by the climate crisis,” said Liz Shuler, President of the AFL-CIO. “Extreme heat is increasingly causing indoor and outdoor workers to collapse or even die on the job, and our union family has already lost too many members to preventable, work-related heat illness. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) must issue a strong heat rule, not a weak one, to ensure workers have specific protections they need and to be able to raise unsafe working conditions without fear of retaliation.”
“It’s long past time for meaningful legislation to protect Teamsters and other workers from the effects of prolonged heat exposure and dangerous heat levels while at work,” said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien. “Paid breaks in cool spaces, access to water, and limitations on time exposed to heat are simple common sense steps that should be mandated immediately. Waiting to implement these measures is unacceptable and will result in the further loss of lives.”
“Workers in America are facing unprecedented dangers from climate-driven heat and extreme weather, and things are only getting worse. It is far past time for a strong national standard to protect workers from illness and death caused by exposure to extreme heat. The provisions mandated in this bill, including temperature triggers, acclimatization, water, shade and paid rest breaks, would save countless lives. They represent a common sense and common decency approach that employers could quickly adopt. American workers deserve no less, and they urgently need it. Today, OSHA is in the final stage of issuing a final rule on this issue. It is imperative that the rule maintain the integrity and high standards called for in the Asuncíon Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act. We applaud Senators Padilla, Markey, and Cortez Masto and Representatives Chu, Adams, and Scott, as well as the dozens of Senators and Congresspersons who have joined them in this long effort. It’s time to bring a high quality, protective standard to the finish line for American workers,” said Ernesto Archila, Climate and Financial Regulation Policy Director, Public Citizen.
“Every summer high temperature records get broken in states across the country, and while public health officials urge residents to stay inside and stay safe millions of workers have to report for work. From fields to warehouses, airports to schools, construction sites to manufacturing plants, and many more industries, too many workers are at risk of not getting home safely at the end of the day due to exposure to heat on the job. We know how to prevent these dangers. In fact, both outdoor and indoor workers in states like Oregon, California, and Maryland have strong, enforceable protections in place already. And in Washington, Colorado, and Minnesota at least some categories of workers are being kept safe from heat. But millions labor in other states where there are no protections; worker safety is left to the federal government in these states, and absent strong rules workers are left to protect themselves and hope for the best. We must extend workplace protections from heat to all workers. The National Employment Law Project thanks Senator Padilla and Representative Chu, as well as the dozens of Senators and Congresspersons who have cosponsored the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act of 2025,” said Anastasia Christman, Senior Policy Analyst, National Employment Law Project.
The bill is cosponsored by Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).
Senator Padilla has acted urgently to address the threats posed by extreme heat as the climate crisis becomes more severe. Padilla successfully called on OSHA to establish the first-ever federal safety standard to protect workers from the severe risks of excessive heat, implementing key provisions from the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act. Padilla and his colleagues also led 112 members of Congress in calling on the Biden Administration to implement a workplace federal heat standard as quickly as possible. The letter urged OSHA to model the standard after the provisions in the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act. Additionally, Padilla and Markey’s Preventing Health Emergencies and Temperature-related (HEAT) Illness and Deaths Act advanced out of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation last year.
Padilla previously joined union members and workers from UFW and the Kern, Inyo, and Mono Counties Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO in Forty Acres, California in 2023 to announce his legislation to implement an enforceable federal workplace heat standard.
A one-pager on the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act is available here.
A section-by-section of the bill is available here.
In early June, the Labor opposition moved a motion of no confidence in the Liberal Premier, Jeremy Rockliff. The motion passed with the support of three crossbench MPs, the Greens, and a casting vote from the speaker.
Rockliff refused to step aside and Opposition Leader Dean Winter ruled out doing a deal with the Greens to govern in minority, which left the Governor with no choice but to call an election just 16 months after the last.
Some Tasmanians would be forgiven for feeling a bit of election fatigue. On top of the March 2024 state election, there was the federal election on May 3, voting for three legislative council seats on May 24 and now this poll.
Trudging along the campaign trail
The vibe of the campaign has veered wildly between pedestrian and acrimonious.
Candidates have struggled to connect with a disgruntled public, and a combination of the stadium saga and political mudslinging have distracted from Tasmania’s serious challenges.
Despite the election being brought about by Labor’s no confidence motion, the party seemed curiously unprepared. Its candidate announcements were slow and disjointed, and red corflutes have been greatly outnumbered by blue.
Labor’s campaign has picked up some momentum in recent weeks by following the federal party’s playbook of making big health policy announcements.
In contrast to Labor, the Liberals hit the ground running with a slew of candidate announcements. They have presented themselves as the only party with a realistic chance of winning a majority, and sought to frame Labor’s Dean Winter as a power-hungry wrecker. They have also campaigned hard on health, attempting to neutralise Labor’s traditional strength in this area.
A bevy of former federal candidates are running, which could lead to changes in personnel, if not a big shift in the distribution of seats in parliament. Ones to watch include:
Liberal’s Bridget Archer (who lost her seat of Bass in May) and Gavin Pearce (retired Braddon MP)
Labor’s Brian Mitchell, the Lyons MP who stood aside for Rebecca White
Peter George, the anti-salmon farming independent in Franklin
and Vanessa Bleyer, a two-time Greens Senate candidate running in Braddon.
The Nationals are also in the mix following the latest in a series of Tasmanian “reboots” over the past few decades. Their candidate list includes former Jacqui Lambie Network and Liberal MPs, which could create a tense and chaotic party room if they win seats.
Disappointingly, both Labor and Liberal leaders have repeatedly demanded the other side stop playing “political games”, while merrily engaging in skulduggery of their own.
Labor was indignant when the Liberals challenged the eligibility of one of their star candidates, unionist Jessica Munday.
A few days later, Rockliff was righteously outraged when Labor grandee and former premier Paul Lennon registered the business “Tasinsure” – the name of the Liberals’ proposed state-owned insurance company.
Subpar signage
It’s fair to say no one has covered themselves in glory here.
The Liberals went with “Let’s finish the job for Tasmania”. I’m sure this isn’t meant to be read as a threat, but I can’t help but hear it in Alan Rickman’s voice.
Even if we leave aside the (unintended?) menacing implications, the slogan encourages voters to wonder why the job hasn’t been finished in the previous 11 years of Liberal government.
Labor is using “A Fresh Start for Tasmania”: a cliche, but serviceably simple.
The problem is, they stretched the slogan to the point of collapse by applying it to all of their policy headings. This meant that we ended up enduring “a fresh start for cost of living relief”, “a fresh start for our society”, and so on.
A special mention to Labor’s social media ads, which had all the gravitas of a toddler demanding their turn on the playground swings.
The Greens didn’t limit themselves to one slogan. Instead, they used various taglines on the theme of “the mess made by the major parties”, or simply stated their main policy pillars: stopping the stadium, investing in health and housing, protecting the environment, and stopping privatisation.
There were also some questionable offerings from the menagerie of independents. Surely the voters are entitled to expect more from their MPs than the “familiar face in Clark” offered by former Liberal MP Elise Archer? And as an experienced journalist, I’m sure Peter George could have done better than the derivative “Time for Change”.
What can we expect?
What will Tasmanians end up with after a campaign that has been less sound and fury and more white noise and niggle?
It looks like more of the same.
Polling shows that the two major parties are on the nose, particularly with younger voters. Labor and Liberal are fairly aligned on some of the headline issues that divide the electorate, including the stadium and salmon farming.
All this points to no party winning a majority of the 35 seats. If this happens, the convention is that the Governor gives the party with the most seats the first crack at cobbling together enough support from the crossbench to form a minority government.
Minority governments can come in lots of different shapes and sizes, from loose “confidence and supply” agreements to more formal power-sharing coalitions.
If the party with the most seats fails to form government, the Governor would typically let the second-largest party try.
Both the Liberals and Labor will face big challenges if they are given the opportunity to form minority government.
The Liberal Party has its nose ahead in most polls. However, several of the crossbench MPs the previous Liberal government relied on for support voted in favour of the no confidence motion in Rockliff.
Most of these MPs are likely to be re-elected, and will be wary of doing deals that essentially put in place the same government that they recently helped to bring down.
Labor have backed themselves into a corner by repeatedly ruling out working with the Greens. This would leave them needing to negotiate with a diverse array of crossbench MPs. Depending on the final distribution of seats, this might not secure them enough votes on the floor of parliament.
If – as seems likely – Tasmania ends up with another hung parliament, it will fall to our MPs to move beyond point scoring and gamesmanship. We urgently need budget repair, alongside ambitious reforms in health, housing, education, sustainability and productivity.
Here’s hoping that the next government is willing to collaborate and compromise – for the good of the state and to restore trust in our political system.
Robert Hortle does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
In early June, the Labor opposition moved a motion of no confidence in the Liberal Premier, Jeremy Rockliff. The motion passed with the support of three crossbench MPs, the Greens, and a casting vote from the speaker.
Rockliff refused to step aside and Opposition Leader Dean Winter ruled out doing a deal with the Greens to govern in minority, which left the Governor with no choice but to call an election just 16 months after the last.
Some Tasmanians would be forgiven for feeling a bit of election fatigue. On top of the March 2024 state election, there was the federal election on May 3, voting for three legislative council seats on May 24 and now this poll.
Trudging along the campaign trail
The vibe of the campaign has veered wildly between pedestrian and acrimonious.
Candidates have struggled to connect with a disgruntled public, and a combination of the stadium saga and political mudslinging have distracted from Tasmania’s serious challenges.
Despite the election being brought about by Labor’s no confidence motion, the party seemed curiously unprepared. Its candidate announcements were slow and disjointed, and red corflutes have been greatly outnumbered by blue.
Labor’s campaign has picked up some momentum in recent weeks by following the federal party’s playbook of making big health policy announcements.
In contrast to Labor, the Liberals hit the ground running with a slew of candidate announcements. They have presented themselves as the only party with a realistic chance of winning a majority, and sought to frame Labor’s Dean Winter as a power-hungry wrecker. They have also campaigned hard on health, attempting to neutralise Labor’s traditional strength in this area.
A bevy of former federal candidates are running, which could lead to changes in personnel, if not a big shift in the distribution of seats in parliament. Ones to watch include:
Liberal’s Bridget Archer (who lost her seat of Bass in May) and Gavin Pearce (retired Braddon MP)
Labor’s Brian Mitchell, the Lyons MP who stood aside for Rebecca White
Peter George, the anti-salmon farming independent in Franklin
and Vanessa Bleyer, a two-time Greens Senate candidate running in Braddon.
The Nationals are also in the mix following the latest in a series of Tasmanian “reboots” over the past few decades. Their candidate list includes former Jacqui Lambie Network and Liberal MPs, which could create a tense and chaotic party room if they win seats.
Disappointingly, both Labor and Liberal leaders have repeatedly demanded the other side stop playing “political games”, while merrily engaging in skulduggery of their own.
Labor was indignant when the Liberals challenged the eligibility of one of their star candidates, unionist Jessica Munday.
A few days later, Rockliff was righteously outraged when Labor grandee and former premier Paul Lennon registered the business “Tasinsure” – the name of the Liberals’ proposed state-owned insurance company.
Subpar signage
It’s fair to say no one has covered themselves in glory here.
The Liberals went with “Let’s finish the job for Tasmania”. I’m sure this isn’t meant to be read as a threat, but I can’t help but hear it in Alan Rickman’s voice.
Even if we leave aside the (unintended?) menacing implications, the slogan encourages voters to wonder why the job hasn’t been finished in the previous 11 years of Liberal government.
Labor is using “A Fresh Start for Tasmania”: a cliche, but serviceably simple.
The problem is, they stretched the slogan to the point of collapse by applying it to all of their policy headings. This meant that we ended up enduring “a fresh start for cost of living relief”, “a fresh start for our society”, and so on.
A special mention to Labor’s social media ads, which had all the gravitas of a toddler demanding their turn on the playground swings.
The Greens didn’t limit themselves to one slogan. Instead, they used various taglines on the theme of “the mess made by the major parties”, or simply stated their main policy pillars: stopping the stadium, investing in health and housing, protecting the environment, and stopping privatisation.
There were also some questionable offerings from the menagerie of independents. Surely the voters are entitled to expect more from their MPs than the “familiar face in Clark” offered by former Liberal MP Elise Archer? And as an experienced journalist, I’m sure Peter George could have done better than the derivative “Time for Change”.
What can we expect?
What will Tasmanians end up with after a campaign that has been less sound and fury and more white noise and niggle?
It looks like more of the same.
Polling shows that the two major parties are on the nose, particularly with younger voters. Labor and Liberal are fairly aligned on some of the headline issues that divide the electorate, including the stadium and salmon farming.
All this points to no party winning a majority of the 35 seats. If this happens, the convention is that the Governor gives the party with the most seats the first crack at cobbling together enough support from the crossbench to form a minority government.
Minority governments can come in lots of different shapes and sizes, from loose “confidence and supply” agreements to more formal power-sharing coalitions.
If the party with the most seats fails to form government, the Governor would typically let the second-largest party try.
Both the Liberals and Labor will face big challenges if they are given the opportunity to form minority government.
The Liberal Party has its nose ahead in most polls. However, several of the crossbench MPs the previous Liberal government relied on for support voted in favour of the no confidence motion in Rockliff.
Most of these MPs are likely to be re-elected, and will be wary of doing deals that essentially put in place the same government that they recently helped to bring down.
Labor have backed themselves into a corner by repeatedly ruling out working with the Greens. This would leave them needing to negotiate with a diverse array of crossbench MPs. Depending on the final distribution of seats, this might not secure them enough votes on the floor of parliament.
If – as seems likely – Tasmania ends up with another hung parliament, it will fall to our MPs to move beyond point scoring and gamesmanship. We urgently need budget repair, alongside ambitious reforms in health, housing, education, sustainability and productivity.
Here’s hoping that the next government is willing to collaborate and compromise – for the good of the state and to restore trust in our political system.
Robert Hortle does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
ATLANTA (July 16, 2025) —State Senator Russ Goodman (R–Cogdell), Chairman of the Senate Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee, and State Representative Robert Dickey (R–Musella), Chairman of the House Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee, will host the annual Joint Ag Issues Summit on Thursday, August 21, 2025, in Perry, Georgia.
The summit will bring together lawmakers, industry leaders, and members of Georgia’s farming community to discuss the top issues impacting the state’s number one industry. The event will feature key policy updates and a forward-looking agenda focused on protecting Georgia’s agricultural future.
“This summit is about making sure farmers have a seat at the table as we shape policy at the State Capitol,” said Sen. Russ Goodman. “Chairman Dickey and I are both farmers ourselves. We know what’s at stake, and we’re committed to listening, learning, and leading on the issues that matter most to Georgia agriculture.”
“As farmers, we know firsthand the challenges and opportunities facing Georgia’s agriculture industry,” said Rep. Dickey. “The Ag Issues Summit is a vital chance for us to come together – farmers, lawmakers and industry leaders – to listen, learn and plan for the future of our state’s number one industry. I’m proud to help lead this effort as we work to strengthen and protect Georgia’s agriculture industry for the generations to come.”
The Summit will convene in the Miller Murphy Howard Building at 401 Larry Walker Pkwy, Perry, Georgia 31069. Registration will begin at 9:00 A.M., and the official program will start at 9:30 A.M. Coffee and lunch will be provided. A detailed agenda will be released in the weeks ahead.
Attendees are encouraged to RSVP by Friday, August 8, either online here or by emailing Rachel.Whitted@senate.ga.gov.
# # # # Sen. Russ Goodman serves as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Consumer Affairs. He represents Senate District 8 which includes Atkinson, Clinch, Echols, Lanier, Lowndes and Pierce Counties and a large portion of Ware County. He may be reached at 404.656.7454 or atruss.goodman@senate.ga.gov
Representative Robert Dickey represents the citizens of District 134, which includes Crawford and Upson counties, as well as portions of Lamar and Peach counties. He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2011 and currently serves as Chairman of the Agriculture & Consumer Affairs Committee. He also serves on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Education, Banks and Banking, Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications, Higher Education, Natural Resources and Environment and Ways and Means committees, as well as the Special Committee on Resource Management.
For all media inquiries, reach out to SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.