NewzIntel.com

Category: AM-NC

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Business – Wellington Chamber of Commerce welcomes move to encourage public servants to return to the office

    Source: Business Central

    Wellington Chamber of Commerce welcomes move to encourage public servants to return to the office
    The Wellington Chamber of Commerce supports the Government’s move to issue new guidance for working from home in the public service, and expects it to make a real difference to the capital. 
    Finance Minister Nicola Willis has issued new guidelines for public service CEOs to encourage more employees to work from the office.
    Wellington Chamber of Commerce CEO Simon Arcus says the move will have a number of benefits, particularly in the capital.
    “Today’s announcement is welcome news for Wellington businesses and will have a positive impact on our city,” says Arcus.
    “Footfall is critical for a number of industries, especially retail and hospitality. These sectors have been struggling with a lack of customers with more Wellingtonians working from home. Many businesses have gone from expecting several days of profitable trading to turning a profit only one day a week,” he says.
    “CBD businesses pay the highest levels of rent, rates and insurance and rely on a thriving central city to survive.”
    Arcus says there are a number of other good reasons for encouraging employees to work from the office, whether in the public or private sector.
    “Working in the office also has benefits for productivity and team culture. It gives junior staff much better opportunities to be mentored by senior colleagues and encourages . The corporate sector has recognised this and has already moved to reduce working from home arrangements. It’s pleasing to see the public sector do the same,” he says.
    “We encourage local councils to follow the government’s lead and encourage their staff to come back to the office. This change will bring life back to our city, bringing benefit to businesses, communities and workers,” he says.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: CPAG disappointed Child Poverty Reduction Minister rejected official advice to get NZ back on track to meet child poverty targets

    Source: Child Poverty Action Group

    A recently released Treasury briefing reveals that Louise Upston, Minister for Child Poverty Reduction, rejected official advice that would get New Zealand back on track to meet the 2028 target of halving child poverty.
    CPAG Executive Officer, Sarita Divis states, ‘Not only has the Minister rejected official advice, she has not provided any solid evidence, modelling or data that shows her chosen path will result in us meeting the 2028 goal of halving child poverty.’
    The Treasury briefing note reveals DPMC officials advised child poverty targets could be reached if Ministers agreed to invest around $3 billion per year. As economist Bernard Hickey points out, that figure is less than 1 per cent of GDP, and very near the $2.9 billion Ministers approved to deliver on tax cuts for landlords.
    DPMC also provided the Minister with two other specific options, but chose to reject both options, and double-down on the more ambiguous plan of ‘cutting taxes’ and ‘growing the economy’ in order to lift children out of poverty.
    Divis states, ‘We can accept that different Ministers might have different approaches to reducing child poverty, but Upston has not provided any compelling evidence that her plan will indeed work. At this point her plan appears to be more “concepts of plan” rather than a well-evidenced work programme.’
    ‘We know that ending child poverty is the right and compassionate thing to do. We have signed up as a country to halve child poverty and ensure all children have what they need to live up to their potential. The Minister of Child Poverty Reduction needs to be the greatest champion.’
    Background
    In 2018 all political parties then in government, except Act, supported the introduction of the Child Poverty Reduction Act and the goal to halve child poverty by 2028 (from 13% in 2018 to 6% in 2028 on the material hardship measure). Under the CPRA, intermediate targets are set every three years.
    In June this year, Louise Upston, increased the third intermediate targets on two out of three measures, meaning an extra 24,000 children will remain living in material hardship.
    The Treasury briefing revealed DPMC officials provided specific advice which would allow child poverty reduction targets to get back on track. This included advice that ‘new investment, for instance through Working For Families (WFF) tax credit changes, would provide greater certainty about achievable reductions by 2027/28.’ But this advice was rejected. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Business – EMA highlights mindfulness in the workplace for Mental Health Awareness Week – EMA

    Source: EMA

    The Employers and Manufacturers Association (EMA) is supporting Mental Health Awareness Week by reminding businesses of the importance of mindfulness in the workplace.
    According to EMA Head of Advocacy Alan McDonald, by applying the principles of mindfulness, workers experience less stress, better self-awareness and awareness of others.
    2024 Workplace Wellbeing survey
    Last month, the EMA and nib New Zealand (nib) released the 2024 Workplace Wellbeing survey results, which showed declining mental and physical health, as well as concerns about family wellbeing as a result of the cost-of-living crisis.
    “With employees experiencing financial strain, health issues, concerns for the future and more, it’s no surprise that they’re seeking stability in their current workplaces. It’s clear that when employers take steps to proactively manage wellbeing, employees respond positively, helping to alleviate some of the broader societal pressures,” he says.
    Better understanding of how anxiety is triggered
    “Mindfulness and resilience training have become recognised as essential skills to live and lead in uncertain times and the EMA has significant expertise in these areas.
    “Our courses include the neuroscience of stress and anxiety, which we apply to relatable experiences both in and out of the workplace.
    “By understanding where and how anxiety issues are triggered, we become better placed to ‘short circuit’ negative thinking before it snowballs into bigger issues. We can’t control what happens to us, but we can better control how we interpret and react to these issues.”
    McDonald says the EMA is focussed on supporting both its members and the wider business community through the current economic challenges.
    “The most important asset for any business is its people. That’s why it’s so important to help employers understand what might be going on with their team and consider how to respond.
    “We’ve got a range of resources, tools and learning programmes that are designed to help small to medium businesses drill down into the challenges and identify the right solution for them,” he says.
    Further information
    More information on EMA courses on Mental Health Awareness Training and other Workplace Wellbeing Learning can be found here: Workplace Wellbeing Courses: Upskill Professional Training | EMA https://ema.co.nz/learning/workplace-wellbeing/portfolio/

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Weather News – Unsettled weather ahead: Aotearoa faces rain, wind, and possible snow – MetService

    Source: MetService

    Covering period of Monday 23 – Friday 27 September – MetService is forecasting rain and strong winds for many parts of Aotearoa New Zealand on Monday and Tuesday, with a more widespread weather system bringing wet weather, possible snow and a drop in temperatures later in the week. However, brighter conditions are in store for Wednesday.

    The last few weeks have been characterised by wet weather moving furiously across the country. On Sunday, thunderstorms swept across parts of the North Island, resulting in over 22,000 lightning strikes, 7000 of these over land, and power outages. This trend of rapidly-moving bands of rain is set to continue.

    Today (Monday), rain is expected over the western South Island with showers in other areas of the South Island and western North Island. However, many regions can look forward to some blue skies as the rain tracks north. This respite will be short-lived, as another round of wet weather is expected on Tuesday, accompanied by thunderstorms, hail and possible snowfall in inland Southland and Otago, along with gusty westerly to southwesterly winds across both islands.

    MetService meteorologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane explains, “The strongest winds will be felt in Central Hawke’s Bay, the Tararua District, and the Wairarapa, where an Orange Strong Wind Warning is in place for Tuesday, with gusts of 120 km/h possible. Strong Wind Watches are also in effect for much of the South Island. Thunderstorms in the western and lower South Island may bring additional gusty winds as they pass through.”

    The most widespread rain of the week is expected on Thursday and Friday, as a large weather system moves over the country. While the largest rainfall accumulations are expected in the western South Island, most reaches of Aotearoa can expect a decent bout of rain, first for the South Island on Thursday, extending to the North Island on Friday.

    Other hazardous conditions are expected with this weather system. Makgabutlane elaborates, “In addition to rainfall, strong winds will sweep across the country, affecting the South Island and lower North Island. Snowfall makes a return, mainly for inland parts of the South Island, which may impact road travel on high-level roads and mountain passes. This will also have a flow-on effect on temperatures as they take a dip, especially over the South Island. In a nutshell, almost all of Aotearoa will see something from this weather system.”

    While the week begins and ends with active weather, Wednesday brings a brief respite. “Sunnier and drier conditions will give those umbrellas a much-needed break, offering an opportunity to get some laundry dried. The only trade-off will be a chillier start to the day with many low single-digit minimum temperatures, and some parts of the South Island even dipping below zero,” says Makgabutlane.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Kiwifruit exports having golden season – Stats NZ media and information release: Overseas merchandise trade: August 2024

    Source: Statistics New Zealand

    Kiwifruit exports having golden season – 23 September 2024 – Kiwifruit exports were valued at $3.1 billion in the year ended August 2024, according to figures released by Stats NZ today.

    This is an increase of $524 million (20 percent) when compared with the year ended August 2023.

    “Kiwifruit export values for the season so far are the highest they have ever been,” international trade manager Viki Ward said.

    “The kiwifruit export season is typically from March to November.”

    Gold kiwifruit exports were $2.4 billion, up $457 million (24 percent) from year ended August 2023. This increase was driven by an increase in quantity (up 23 percent).

    Visit our website to read this news story and information release:

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Education – Festival vibes at NMIT’s Open Day

    Source: Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology

    NMIT welcomed over 1500 visitors to their Open Day on Saturday 21 September, with some travelling from across the country to learn more about programmes on offer and to explore the Nelson campus.
    The NMIT Open Day brought the four campuses from around Te Tauihu (the top of the South Island) together to share what’s on offer at NMIT and celebrate its partnerships with local industry and the community.
    Food, music, entertainment and stalls all contributed to the festival vibe. Tutors and industry professionals held demonstrations, showcased state-of-the-art equipment and talked to potential learners about the pathways from studying to a career.
    The different study areas created an array of hands-on experiences for visitors, including decorating cakes, changing a car tyre, abseiling down a building, designing a digital artwork, hopping in an Air Force helicopter or rescue boat, or being pampered with a hair treatment.
    Dr Susannah Roddick, Director Academic and Teaching, said the day was a huge success.
    “The sun came out and so did the community! It was fantastic to see so many people flooding the campus, enjoying the entertainment, chatting to tutors and exploring our facilities and services.”
    Susannah said prospective learners and their whānau appreciated the access to tutors, learner support services, industry experts and the campus.
    “When considering future study options, it really helps to talk directly to a tutor about all sorts of details like class sizes, entry requirements and timetables. Having our community and industry partners, like Air New Zealand, Cawthron Institute and Findex, present on the day also gives people a good picture of career opportunities following graduation.” 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Aqua Environment – State of New Zealand’s waters worsening as Luxon barges ahead with reckless plan to strip freshwater protections – Greenpeace

    Source: Greenpeace

    Greenpeace Aotearoa says that today’s announcement that the state of New Zealand rivers is worsening should indicate the need for more protection for fresh water – not less. The organisation says it is deeply concerned by the Luxon-led government’s move to strip consenting applicants’ requirements to comply with freshwater protections.
    Greenpeace spokesperson Will Appelbe says “While the health of lakes and rivers in New Zealand is worsening, Luxon’s government is moving ahead with reckless plans to scrap freshwater protections and remove restrictions on polluting industries like intensive dairying.”
    In May, the Government announced plans to remove requirements for consent applicants to comply with Te Mana o Te Wai – the hierarchy of obligations, which puts the health of fresh water and communities ahead of commercial use of water.
    “People across Aotearoa are facing the consequences of decades of inaction from successive governments, who failed to rein in intensive dairy’s pollution of lakes, rivers, and drinking water. Now, Luxon seeks to make that pollution even worse by removing the only effective freshwater protections we have,” says Appelbe.
    “New Zealand’s freshwater protections aren’t perfect, but they’re better than nothing. They’re the only thing standing between Aotearoa’s lakes, rivers and drinking water, and polluting industries like intensive dairying.
    “The intensive dairy industry consistently contaminates waterways with pollutants like nitrate and E Coli, which negatively impact people’s health. LAWA’s report today shows we need more protections, not less.”
    The LAWA report shows around two-thirds of monitored swimming sites are scoring for dangerous levels of E Coli, a fecal bacteria from dairy pollution, birds and runoff, and untreated wastewater discharges. Nitrate toxicity has shown little change, and is highest in pasture based sites.
    “This week, the Primary Production Select Committee will deliver their report to Parliament on the Bill that will scrap Te Mana o Te Wai. The fact that this report will land the same week that LAWA’s data indicates declining water quality just shows where this Government’s priorities are,” says Appelbe.
    “Luxon’s Government is waging a war on nature. Their actions will strip away access to safe, healthy lakes, rivers and drinking water for even more communities across Aotearoa.”
    A Greenpeace petition calling for the Government to maintain the current freshwater protections launched in May, shortly after the Government announced plans to scrap protections like Te Mana o Te Wai. To date, nearly twenty thousand people have signed on, calling on Christopher Luxon to “keep [his] hands off the current freshwater protections to ensure safe drinking water and swimmable rivers for all.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Government Cuts – PSA strongly opposes any clawback on flexible work arrangements

    Source: PSA

    Govt job cuts to blame for Wellington’s ills, not working from home
    The Government’s reckless decisions to axe thousands of public service jobs are what is hammering the Wellington economy, not working from home.
    “If the Government really cared about the Wellington economy, then it shouldn’t have cut thousands of hard working, dedicated public service workers from its payroll,” said Duane Leo National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
    “The directive from Public Service Minister Nicola Willis to reduce numbers of people working from home is just a scapegoat for the real problem which is of the Government’s own making.
    “Taking the spending power of thousands of public service workers out of the Wellington economy is what is damaging businesses, and the Government must take full responsibility for its poor leadership and economic management.
    “Simply telling workers to come back to the city a few more days a week won’t revive the Wellington economy. In a cost-of-living crisis, people are already saving money by making their own lunches and cutting down on coffees and after work drinks.”
    The decision is out of step with modern workplaces, across the private and public sector and around the world which have embraced flexible working because of its many benefits.
    The latest Shaping Business Study by 2Degrees underlines this with the majority (51%) saying it has increased productivity and more than a third (37%) saying it helps to recruit and retain staff.
    “Many public servants already have flexible working built into the employment agreements that have been negotiated by unions and employers. The Government can’t just disregard negotiated employment agreements.
    “Workers have made decisions around their family life based on these agreements, and its particularly important for our disabled kaimahi. Flexible work arrangements make it easier for those who face challenges being in the office every day to have rewarding and productive 40-hour weeks.
    “The PSA will be backing our members to stand together to hold onto their legal entitlements.
    “This directive is just par for the course from a government which has consistently attacked public service workers and the role they play in supporting the economy.
    “More job cuts are likely, and the Government has made it clear in the latest Workforce Policy Statement that it wants to clamp down on pay rises.
    “All the evidence shows austerity doesn’t work. The Government should be investing in public services and stop blaming public service workers for the damage caused by its own policies,” said Duane Leo.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Energy Development – Carterton solar farm granted fast track consent – EPA

    Source: Environmental Protection Authority

    An independent panel has approved resource consent, subject to conditions, for a solar farm in Carterton, Wairarapa.
    Harmony Energy NZ #2 applied for resource consent under the COVID-19 Recovery (Fast-track Consenting) Act 2020.
    The project involves constructing and operating a solar farm on approximately 156 hectares of land to supply electricity to the national grid. It includes installing approximately 240,000 solar panels and constructing power stations, a substation, a transformer, and a transmission line.
    The resource consent conditions are in the decision report on the page linked below.
    The decision comes 181 working days after the application was lodged with the Environmental Protection Authority.
    The Environmental Protection Authority is not involved in the decision-making. We provide procedural advice and administrative support to the panel convenor, Judge Laurie Newhook, and the expert consenting panel he appoints.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Employment Trends – 90% of Professionals Would Look for New Job if They Had to Work More Days in-Office

    Source: Robert Walters

    • The large majority of workers would look for a new job if their in-office days increased 
    • Hybrid working, and workplace culture main deciding factors for accepting a new job 
    • 41% say the commute is main deterrent for returning to the office  
    • 45% say work-life balance is the most important factor when considering a new role 
    • Experts warn of “work interrupting personal life” mindset.

    Research has revealed that 90% of professionals would consider looking for a new role, if their employer was to ask them to increase their in-office days.  

    The main deterrents for professionals in increasing their office presence are long commutes (41%), disruptions to work-life balance (40%), workplace distractions (11%), and associated costs (9%).

    The findings, from a recent survey conducted by leading recruitment agency – Robert Walters, reveals a critical factor in the battle to retain top talent.  

    The ongoing debate between professionals and employers regarding office attendance has intensified since the lifting of pandemic restrictions. The research revealed that most businesses in white-collar industries are still offering flexible working arrangements (82%).  

    The research comes following the recent announcement from the government that they are mandating public sector workers back to the office with immediate effect. During the recent press conference, the government made some bold comments including how the city and in particular cafe owners are feeling the affects of the population working from home.

    Holding onto Hybrid

    The report, which surveyed over 2,000 white-collar professionals across New Zealand, discovered that 40% of the workforce would look for a new job if their employer required them to increase their in-office presence to 5 days a week, a further 33% said they would if their work from home days were reduced.  

    Another 17% said they would consider looking for a new role if their work arrangements changed but weren’t sure if flexible working was their main priority. Just 10% said they would remain in their current roles despite changes to flexible working arrangements.

    On the other hand, a considerable number of employers are advocating for increased office attendance, with the recruitment specialists at Robert Walters noting a considerable increase in employers expressing their desire for their staff to spend more time in the office.  

    Shay Peters, CEO of Robert Walters Australia and New Zealand, commented, “Since the start of the year, we have witnessed a growing number of employers urging their staff to enhance their presence in the office. We have even seen some employers starting to mandate 5 days in the office, but I think this is somewhat unrealistic.”

    The study also highlighted the increasing demand for hybrid work arrangements, which is now recognised as one of the top three benefits sought by professionals across various industries. Further research conducted by the company revealed that 45% of professionals say work-life balance is the most important factor when considering a new role.

    The recruitment specialists added that they have observed a significant increase in candidates seeking or preferring roles with flexible working arrangements. Workplace culture and flexible working arrangements are becoming the primary determining factors in a candidate’s decision to accept a job.”

    Peters added, “Employees need to understand there needs to be a balance between work life and personal life. In the past, society has put an emphasis on professional life, but it now seems some people have the mindset work is interrupting their personal life.”  

    Boundaries needed

    The recruitment specialists stressed the importance of defining boundaries when offering flexible working, explaining that boundaries ensure clarity and balance for both employers and employees.  

    Peters added, “By establishing clear expectations and guidelines, we can foster a productive and harmonious work environment that maximises the benefits of employers and employees. If boundaries aren’t established, this can lead to tension between colleagues which is in no one’s best interests.”

    Robert Walters suggested offering alternative options to flexible working to entice people back to the office.  

    Peters suggests that “Rather than offering flexible working without much consideration, employers should offer benefits that align with employee needs and preferences to enhance retention and encourage more in-office attendance. Some possible strategies to bring professionals back to the office include flexible work hours, improved office amenities, assistance with employee expenses such as travel subsidies or meals, among others.”

    According to the experts, flexible working arrangements should not be limited solely to the number of office days but also consider the start and end times of shifts. They suggest that flexible shift schedules can offer greater benefits compared to just the quantity of office days.

    Learning opportunities  

    Peters emphasises the advantages of working in an office environment, including increased collaboration with colleagues, active participation in team projects, heightened visibility, skill development opportunities, mentorship from senior staff, and a stronger connection to workplace culture.  

    “The shift to remote work has revealed a drawback. Individuals may be missing out on valuable learning experiences that are more readily accessible in an office setting. It is important for employees to acknowledge the advantages of increasing their in-office presence and embrace the learning opportunities that come with it” Peters explained.  

    The experts also expressed that being present in an office environment can offer comfort during tough times by surrounding yourself with your team.  

    He added that each company is unique, and the pros and cons of offering a flexible working policy vary across industries. Employers will need to address and potentially reassess their working models to see whether offering flexible working options benefit their business.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Health – Heroes Hit the Streets for Heart Kids This Week – Join the Mission to Support Kiwi Families!

    Source: Heart Kids NZ

    On Friday, September 27, and Saturday, September 28, 2024, Heart Kids NZ will bring kind-hearted ‘Heroes’ to street collection sites across Aotearoa New Zealand for their annual street appeal, ‘Heroes for Heart Kids,’ coinciding with World Heart Day on Sunday, 29 September. 
    This vital appeal raises awareness and much-needed funds to support children with heart conditions and their families. We encourage all Kiwis to support this important cause by donating at collection sites across the motu, online at www.heroesforheartkids.org.nz or by texting ‘HERO’ to 2427 to donate $3.
    Every week, 12 families in Aotearoa NZ receive the heart-breaking news that their child has a heart condition. Unfortunately, there is no cure for childhood heart conditions, and these families face ongoing challenges.
    This is where Heart Kids NZ steps in – providing lifelong practical and emotional support not only to heart kids, but to their entire whānau. Heart Kids NZ walks alongside families, offering vital care through every stage of life. Our support begins in infancy and continues throughout childhood, teenage years, and into adulthood, as heart conditions often require ongoing management.
    We understand that the impact of a heart condition is not limited to the child but affects the entire family. That’s why we offer comprehensive support, providing guidance, resources, and emotional care to siblings, parents, and caregivers. Whether it is navigating hospital stays, preparing for surgeries, or managing everyday challenges, Heart Kids NZ is here to ensure no family ever faces their journey alone.
    Heart Kids NZ receives no government funding and relies entirely on the generosity of donors and the public to ensure no heart family ever faces their journey alone. With your help, we can continue offering these essential support services.
    A Family Battling Long QT Syndrome: Lleyton and Lilian’s Inspiring Fight Against a Rare Heart Condition
    Lleyton Barrow was born in October 2010 with Tetralogy of Fallot and had his first open-heart surgery at just six weeks old. His first year was spent in and out of the hospital, undergoing multiple procedures, including a cardiac catheter procedure at eight months old to widen his narrow pulmonary arteries. Over the years, Lleyton has undergone more than five cardiac catheter procedures and, at age six, had a reveal device implanted under his skin to monitor his heart.
    At just 2.5 years old, Lleyton faced his second open-heart surgery. Shortly after, he was diagnosed with Long QT Syndrome – a hereditary heart condition that affects the electrical system of the heart. This meant a lifetime of medication and carrying an automatic external defibrillator (AED) with him everywhere he goes.
    Now 14 years old, Lleyton has just had another open-heart surgery, but he has not let his heart condition slow him down. A sports enthusiast, he loves cricket, basketball, and spending time with his friends. Lleyton remains focused on living life to the fullest and dreams of working in the medical field when he grows up.
    Lleyton’s younger sister Lilian, now 9 years old, was also diagnosed with Long QT Syndrome and has just had a reveal device implanted. Like her brother, she takes medication and has an AED at home. Thankfully, Lilian’s condition has had minimal impact on her life, and she enjoys hockey, dancing, and attending Heart Kids NZ’s annual camps, where she has found comfort in meeting other heart kids like herself.
    Lleyton and Lilian’s mum, Claire Sword, shared how Heart Kids NZ has been a lifeline for their family. 
    “Heart Kids NZ has provided us with support, resources, advice, and hope. I remember attending my first Heart Kids NZ event with Lleyton as a tiny baby, struggling with low oxygen levels. Seeing older heart kids running around, smiling, and living life gave us so much hope.”
    Claire hopes their family’s story will inspire other heart families. “Now, when I look at Lleyton and Lilian, I see the hope that inspired us and hope their journey inspires others too.”
    Heart Kids chief executive, David Pimblott says that with the support of generous Kiwis, the organisation can continue to provide the vital resources, care, and hope that heart kids and their whānau need. 
    “At Heart Kids NZ, we understand the immense challenges that heart families like Lleyton and Lilian’s face every day. Our mission is to ensure no family has to navigate this journey alone. The courage these young people show, in the face of life-threatening heart conditions like Long QT Syndrome, inspires us all.”
    Join the Mission
    Be a hero for heart kids by supporting Heart Kids NZ’s street appeal. Whether you donate in person or online, every contribution helps provide life-changing support to children like Lleyton and their families.
    To Donate:
    Text ‘HERO’ to 2427 to donate $3
    About Heart Kids NZ
    • Heart Kids NZ is the only national organisation in Aotearoa providing lifelong support to children with heart conditions. From birth through to adulthood, we offer practical, emotional, and financial support to help families navigate the challenges of living with a heart condition.
    • Every year in Aotearoa NZ, over 600 major heart surgeries and procedures are performed on children or babies (sometimes in their first few hours of life). For many this will not be their last and they will continue to face the day-to-day challenges associated with their heart condition.
    • Annually, approximately 50 heart children will lose their battle and become heart angels. 
    • Congenital heart defects are the number one cause of death for infants and newborns in Aotearoa NZ.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Mount Royal National Park hazard reduction burn 24 September 2024

    Source: New South Wales Environment and Heritage

    A 140-hectare burn will take place adjacent to Kurranulla Creek, on the southernmost tip of Mount Royal National Park, east of Muswellbrook, and 5 km due north of Carrowbrook.

    The burn will begin in the morning, with crews continuing into the late evening. Crews will be present for a number of days after the burn.

    The low intensity burn is being undertaken to reduce fuel loads in the area and protect neighbouring properties.

    NPWS will be assisted by the NSW Rural Fire Service.

    Smoke may be visible and impact on the area around Carrowbrook and Mount Royal for a number of days. Motorists should exercise caution when driving along roads in the area.

    People with asthma or who are susceptible to respiratory problems are advised to stay indoors, close windows and doors, and follow their health plan.

    This burn is one of many hazard reduction operations undertaken by NPWS each year, many with assistance from the Rural Fire Service and Fire and Rescue NSW.

    All burns around the state are coordinated with the NSW Rural Fire Service to ensure the impact on the community is assessed at a regional level.

    People with known health conditions can sign up to receive air quality reports, forecasts and alerts via email or SMS from the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.

    For health information relating to smoke from bushfires and hazard reduction burns, visit NSW Health or Asthma Australia.

    More information on hazard reduction activities is available at NSW Rural Fire Service and the NSW Government’s Hazard’s Near Me website and app.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: View from The Hill: The Greens’ demands on the RBA make for bad economic policy. Is it also crazy politics?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

    When the Greens tell Labor they’re ready to negotiate, what they usually mean is they’re preparing to make populist demands that can’t or shouldn’t be met.

    So it is with their “ask” on the Reserve Bank legislation.

    Treasurer Jim Chalmers wants to split the Reserve Bank board into two, one to run monetary policy and the other to administer the bank.

    He got close to agreement with the Liberals, but then they saw an advantage in walking away. The Greens jumped in to fill the void, demanding an interest rate cut in exchange for their support.

    “Both the Treasurer and the RBA Governor have said the reforms are important. Now they know what they have to do to get them done – provide some much needed relief to mortgage holders,” the minor party’s treasury spokesman Nick McKim said on social media on Monday.

    “We are unashamedly using our political power to fight for mortgage holders who are getting smashed by high interest rates.

    “The power exists for the Treasurer to bring down interest rates. Time to stop the pretence that the RBA is independent.

    “Time for Jim Chalmers to end his ritual ashen-faced handwringing, end the pretence there’s nothing he can do, and intervene to bring down interest rates,” McKim said.

    “We are deliberately bringing the RBA into the centre of the political debate where it belongs. The RBA board are unelected technocrats, not high priests who are beyond criticism. Every decision they make is political.”

    When it comes to the Greens, the government gives as good as it gets.

    “The Greens are out of control,” Finance Minister Katy Gallagher told the ABC on Monday. “It’s crazy what they’re saying to us,” adding, rather primly, that it was “a bit unseemly” for McKim to be “issuing ultimatums”.

    Leave aside the unseemly – that’s a common political trait. What about the crazy?

    What the Greens are demanding is bad economic policy. Whether it is crazy politics remains to be seen.

    From time to time the Reserve Bank comes under sharp criticism, from experts and from the public.

    Chalmers and McKim agree on one thing – the “smashing” power of high interest rates.

    But the bank’s essentially independent status is a bulwark against monetary policy becoming the creature of short-term politics, as McKim would have it.

    (The bank isn’t totally independent. Section 11 of the RBA Act gives the treasurer the power to overrule it, with statements from both the treasurer and bank tabled in parliament. The section has never been invoked.)

    What the Greens are proposing, having the treasurer use his power to overrule the bank board to get his way on legislation, is irresponsible.

    It’s also illogical. The whole point of the proposed dual boards is to strengthen the bank’s expertise as the independent setter of monetary policy. But McKim wants, in essence, to scrap that independence.

    The stand on the Reserve Bank is typical of the Greens policy positions more generally. They’re presently holding up the government’s housing legislation in the Senate, making demands they know the government won’t meet, such as controls on rents.

    When challenged, the Greens point out that after playing hardball on earlier housing legislation, they won extra funding.

    They’re probably hoping the government will decide to buy them off this time with some more housing money. Notably, they have delayed the latest bills rather than vote them down. To do this they’ve teamed up with the Coalition – expediency overcomes ideology with these bedfellows.

    Monday’s announcement that the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has launched legal action against Coles and Woolworths over their allegedly misleading behaviour on product discounts feeds right into the Greens’ (and the Coalition’s) policy for the power to break up the big supermarkets.

    The government reacted on Monday by releasing an exposure draft of its mandatory food and grocery code of conduct, which has been in the pipeline for some time. A government inquiry by former Labor minister Craig Emerson argued against divestiture powers but it’s easy to understand how cash-strapped families struggling with grocery bills could see that as appealing.

    In general, is wild economics savvy politics? We won’t know until after the election.

    The Greens were on a roll in 2022. They ended up with four lower house members, up from the one (leader Adam Bandt) they had before. The extra seats, all in Queensland, were won from both Labor (one) and the Liberals (two).

    They also came out of the election with a record dozen senators (now 11, after Lidia Thorpe’s defection).

    In the hunt for more lower house seats, the Greens would hope to pick up votes from those on the left who see Labor as too conservative, people financially hurting who are attracted to populist solutions, and young voters turned off the major parties.

    Given its present radicalism, one wonders whether the Greens will hold the two Brisbane seats they won from the Liberals.

    It’s difficult to chart the likely trajectory of the Greens, given their small share of the vote, and the heavier concentration of their support in particular areas. But Labor is certainly afraid of them. With the government on the back foot, it knows the potential attraction of easy-sounding solutions.

    The Greens hope there will be a minority Labor government after the election, and that they would be in a position to twist that government’s arm on multiple issues.

    The risk for them, however, is that if they overreach now, some of their potential but still undecided voters might become wary about how they would behave if their power was much enhanced.

    Michelle Grattan 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.

    – ref. View from The Hill: The Greens’ demands on the RBA make for bad economic policy. Is it also crazy politics? – https://theconversation.com/view-from-the-hill-the-greens-demands-on-the-rba-make-for-bad-economic-policy-is-it-also-crazy-politics-239595

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: Forum explores literary AI wave

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    The “Cultural Trend: Artificial Intelligence Empowers a New Wave of Reading for All” salon took place at the Beijing Institute of Graphic Communication as part of the Beijing Culture Forum’s activities on Friday.

    The three-day Beijing Culture Forum, themed “Enhance Cultural Exchanges for Common Progress”, opened on Thursday.

    The salon included an experience space in addition to a dialogue session.

    In the space to experience reading, visitors could learn about the past, present and future of reading through various demonstrations such as hand scrolls, traditional bookbinding, 3D ink animations, digital multimedia interactive works, AI-powered copyright asset production platforms, monocular camera motion capture devices, AI publishing assistants, and 5G reading.

    Discussions at the dialogue session centered on artificial intelligence and how it is reshaping the publishing industry and enhancing personalized reading spaces.

    Scholars, publishers and writers discussed the role of editors in the evolving publishing landscape, AI’s potential in children’s literature and the importance of balancing AI advancements with preserving originality in literary works.

    They also explored the transformative impact of AI on reading habits, the revitalization of ancient texts through digital platforms and the global reach of digital reading for Chinese language learners.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China enhances food variety for deep-space missions

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    China is working on serving a more diverse range of food options for future deep-space exploration missions, according to the Second Frontier Forum of Space Medicine held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province in east China.
    During the recently concluded Mid-Autumn Festival, a cherished tradition symbolizing family reunion, the Shenzhou-18 crew aboard China’s orbiting space station enjoyed “space mooncakes” stuffed with lotus paste as well as their personal favourites such as spicy lamb and braised pork chops, which had been prepared in advance by the ground support team.
    “We have developed technologies to bring Chinese cuisine to the ‘space dining table’, allowing astronauts to enjoy ‘home-cooked flavors’,” said Li Yinghui, a researcher at the China Astronaut Research and Training Center.
    Li added that China has advanced precision nutrition control technology and built accurate standards for space flight nutritional supplies that can help astronauts address physiological issues caused by weightlessness and radiation and stay healthy during missions lasting over 180 days.
    “Various functional space foods featuring antioxidant effects, immune support, fatigue relief and gut microbiome regulation have been developed to enhance astronauts’ in-orbit adaptability,” said Li.
    With an eye on future deep space missions, China is also working on technologies such as in-orbit cooking that can sustain long-term living beyond Earth, said Zang Peng, another researcher at the China Astronaut Research and Training Center. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Road crash kills 6, injures 7 in Hunan province

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    Six people were killed and seven others injured in a road accident in central China’s Hunan Province on Monday, authorities said.
    The accident happened at 7:36 a.m., when a white car lost control after being rear-ended by a taxi and crashed into several vehicles running in the other direction on Lusong Bridge in the city of Zhuzhou, according to traffic police of the city’s public security bureau.
    The injured people are being treated and the cause of the accident is being investigated. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Cramer: NIFA Awards $1.6 Million to NDSU

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
    BISMARCK, N.D. – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced a $1,600,000 investment in North Dakota State University (NDSU) to support research pertaining to the economics of markets and trade. Specifically, the award will be distributed to the following projects at NDSU:
    $800,000 to support a project assessing the resilience of the supply chain systems of corn and soybeans, the drought-induced impediments in the network under uncertainty, and the resulting impacts on trade, food security, and farm income. 
    $800,000 to support a project assessing the impacts of regulations for genetically modified organisms.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senate Passes Manchin, Scott Bipartisan Resolution Dedicating September 2024 As Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Joe Manchin
    September 20, 2024
    Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (I-WV), Tim Scott (R-SC), Jack Reed (D-RI), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Bob Casey (D-PA), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Josh Hawley (R-MO) applauded the Senate passage of their bipartisan resolution to designate September 2024 as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Cancer is the leading cause of death by disease among children past infancy; each year, more than 14,500 children under the age of 19 are diagnosed with cancer.
    “Every September, we honor the children taken from us too soon, recognize the strides we have made in treatment and recovery, and recommit ourselves to fighting this disease. Every child deserves to have a chance at a full and healthy life,” said Senator Manchin. “I am proud to help raise awareness around childhood cancer and the lives it affects every day. Gayle and I will continue to keep all cancer patients and their families across West Virginia and the country in our prayers.”
    “I’m proud to join my colleagues again in recognizing September as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Since my Childhood Cancer STAR Act became law and was reauthorized last year, we have secured better outcomes for children fighting this terrible disease and grown our research capabilities, especially with institutions in West Virginia. I will continue to support initiatives that improve our understanding of childhood cancer, provide high-quality care for childhood cancer patients, and create better outcomes for survivors until we enter a world where cancer is a disease of the past,” Senator Capito said.
    “Cancer is tragically the most common cause of death by disease among children in America,” said Senator Scott. “I am proud to work with my colleagues to dedicate September to raising awareness and honoring the bravery of children and their families who are affected by this devastating disease. Let this occasion be a reminder that there is so much more work to be done to help every kid have the happy, healthy childhood they deserve.”
    “We are deeply grateful to Senators Manchin and Scott for their continued support in designating September as National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. While we celebrate the progress that has been made in improving the survival rate for children diagnosed with cancer, there is still so much work to be done. Cancer remains the leading cause of death from disease among children, and too many young lives are lost. This resolution reminds us of the urgent need to fund research and find cures so that every child has the chance to grow up cancer-free,” the Alliance for Childhood Cancer said in a statement.
    To view the resolution, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy , Sullivan, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Hold VA Accountable for Financial Shortfall

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), member of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, Dan Sullivan (R-AK), and 12 Republican colleagues introduced the Protecting Regular Order (PRO) for Veterans Act to hold the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) accountable for a Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) budget shortfall of $3 billion. This bill institutes a three-year requirement for the VA to submit quarterly in-person budget reports to Congress to encourage greater oversight and financial accountability. Additional financial shortfalls would result in the withholding of bonuses for senior VA and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) personnel.
    “The VA has a massive budget shortfall. The Veterans Benefit Administration (VBA) recently hired 10,000 additional employees. Did the VBA not know they needed these employees when they suggested their original budget? Did the VBA blow through its budget hiring employees knowing it would run out of money expecting Congress to automatically cover the difference? How much are the employees being paid? What are they doing?” said Dr. Cassidy. “If a federal agency runs a mid-year massive budget hole, taxpayers should ask these questions.”
    “Telling Congress we have to provide $3 billion to the VA in a matter of days or our constituents won’t get their benefits—without any accountability or reforms—is a shocking failure in leadership and management,” said Senator Sullivan. “It is incumbent upon the Secretary to appear before the committee and answer questions, but remarkably, he declined to do so. This is not a great victory as some are spinning it. The VA has a duty to provide congressional oversight committees with high-quality, in-person briefings explaining these shortfalls in the future—earlier than just a month in advance. In light of this budgetary fiasco and the millions of dollars’ worth of bonuses improperly distributed to VA executives, I’ve put forward commonsense legislation to require the VA to abide by a basic level of accountability and oversight. Let me be clear: We will fund this shortfall. Our veterans deserve and rely upon their hard-earned benefits. But, going forward, our veterans also expect a much higher standard of accountability from VA leaders. I expect the Secretary and other VA leaders to come to the table with clear answers as to how these deficiencies keep happening and how they are going to prevent them in the future.”
    Cassidy and Sullivan were joined by U.S. Senators Roger Wicker (R-MS), Steve Daines (R-MT), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Ted Budd (R-NC), Mike Braun (R-IN), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Thom Tillis (R-NC).
    Click here for the full bill text.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Cramer Announces Mobile Office Hours in Ashley and Ellendale

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
    BISMARCK, N.D. – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) announced members of his staff will hold mobile office hours in Ashley and Ellendale on Monday, September 30.
    “Since it’s not always possible for people to travel to my in-state offices, these mobile office opportunities help bring the services we offer closer to the constituents who need them,” said Cramer. “Having members of my staff in Ashley and Ellendale will give North Dakotans more chances to explore solutions to the problems they face with people who are in a position to help.”
    Individuals from the Ashley and Ellendale areas are encouraged to stop by the mobile office for help with veterans and Social Security benefits, Medicare difficulties, immigration issues, military records or medals, or other assistance with federal agencies. 
    Mobile Office Hours – Monday, September 30
    McIntosh County Courthouse
          112 1st St NE
          Ashley 
          11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. CDT
    Ellendale City Hall
           55 3rd Ave S
           Ellendale
           2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. CDT
    Constituents should contact Cramer’s Constituent Services Representative Reid Kemp at Reid_Kemp@cramer.senate.gov for more information.
    For press inquiries, please contact Rachel Buening at Rachel_Buening@cramer.senate.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Carper, Coons cosponsor resolution reaffirming access to emergency health care, including abortion care

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons (both D-Del.) joined a resolution led by Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.) today reaffirming that every patient has the basic right to emergency health care, including abortion care, regardless of where they live. The introduction comes as new reporting from ProPublica makes plain that Republican abortion bans are preventing women from receiving lifesaving emergency health care, resulting in preventable deaths.
    “Every American, no matter where they live, deserves to receive the health care that they need,” said Senator Carper. “Reproductive health care continues to be attacked all across our country. Women and their doctors, not politicians and judges, should make these private health care decisions.”
    “New reporting makes clear what many Americans have suspected: Women are dying because of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and conservative states’ Trumpian abortion bans,” said Senator Coons. “Since the elimination of the federal right to an abortion, pregnant women who are in desperate need of medical attention are being turned away from emergency rooms, while doctors are afraid of being jailed for providing lifesaving care. I will fight tirelessly to protect emergency abortion care so that women don’t have to take their lives into their own hands when becoming pregnant.”
    “I introduced this resolution alongside my colleagues to simply reaffirm the basic principle that when you go to the ER, doctors should be allowed to treat you, and when you need emergency care – including abortion care – no politician should stop you from getting it,” said Senator Murray. “Yet here in America, in the 21st century, pregnant women die – not because doctors don’t know how to save them, but because doctors don’t know if Republicans will let them. Democrats will keep pressing to fully restore reproductive freedoms for every woman in America and we will continue to put a white-hot spotlight on the devastating, deadly fallout of Donald Trump’s abortion bans.”
    Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade two years ago, nearly two-dozen Republican-led U.S. states have banned or severely restricted access to abortion. These strict laws have created confusion around the treatment doctors can provide even when a pregnant patient’s life is in danger, as physicians fear that they may lose their medical license, be sued, or even charged with a felony if they perform lifesaving emergency care. Despite the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act’s (EMTALA) requirements that Medicare-participating hospitals treat and stabilize pregnant patients in need of emergency medical care, pregnant people are being turned away from emergency rooms. New reporting by ProPublica this week reported on the death of Amber Furman, a Georgia woman who died of medical complications after failing to receive a routine medical procedure that doctors were afraid to carry out because of Georgia’s new anti-abortion law.
    This summer, in Moyle v. United States, the U.S. Supreme Court had the opportunity to reaffirm that federal law requires pregnant patients to have access to lifesaving emergency care in every state, but instead, the court dismissed the case and sent it back to the lower courts, effectively punting on making a decision on the case itself. While the litigation continues in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, the health and lives of women remain at risk as uncertainty around emergency abortion care persists. One-hundred-and-twenty-one congressional Republicans, including 26 senators, filed an amicus brief arguing that EMTALA does not require hospitals to provide abortion care as emergency stabilizing care in order to save a patient’s life.
    Alongside Senator Murray, U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) co-led the introduction of the resolution. In addition to Senators Carper and Coons, this resolution is cosponsored by Senators Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.),George Helmy (D-N.J.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.).
    The resolution is endorsed by Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Center for Reproductive Rights, In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda, Reproductive Freedom For All (formerly NARAL Pro-Choice America), American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, National Women’s Law Center, Physicians for Reproductive Health, Power to Decide, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice, Guttmacher Institute, National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association, All* Above All, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum, URGE: Unite for Reproductive and Gender Equity, National Council of Jewish Women, and National Partnership for Women and Families.
    The House companion bill was introduced last week by U.S. Representatives Emilia Sykes (D-Ohio) and Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.).
    The full text of the resolution can be read here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: OSHA pledges to reevaluate proposed rule after Senator Coons, colleagues call to protect volunteer firefighters from burdensome regulations

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons
    WASHINGTON – This week, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) responded to calls by U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), and their colleagues to reevaluate and exempt volunteer fire departments from parts of a proposed rule that would apply burdensome new regulations to volunteer fire departments in Delaware and across the country.
    “Delaware’s volunteer fire companies already face unprecedented challenges trying to keep their communities safe,” said Senator Coons. “OSHA’s proposed rule– while well-intended – would add a massive burden to under-resourced and understaffed volunteer fire departments, requiring expensive new equipment and trainings that the departments cannot afford. I’m glad OSHA is listening and responding to our shared concerns. I will always recognize our firefighters’ bravery and work to ensure they can fully protect the communities they serve.”
    “Volunteer fire departments and rural communities have made their voices heard, and I am pleased OSHA has listened and is reevaluating the proposed rule,” said Senator Moran. “This is a great first step, and I encourage Kansans to continue sharing their views with OSHA on how this rule would place a financial burden on volunteer fire departments.”
    OSHA proposed a new rule earlier this year that would require fire departments to furnish new reports, trainings, equipment, and health services.
    In August, Senator Coons and Moran called on Acting Secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor Julie Su to exempt volunteer fire departments from parts of the proposed rule. The effort was also supported by Senators John Boozman (R-Ark.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Angus King (I-Maine), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), and Tom Cotton (R-Ark.).
    This week, OSHA issued a statement that it is reevaluating the financial and regulatory impact the rule would have on volunteer firefighters: “OSHA has received comments in response to the NPRM [Notice of Proposed Rulemaking] from many stakeholders, including volunteer emergency responders, fire chiefs, trade organizations, and members of Congress, which raise serious concerns about the economic feasibility of the proposed standard for volunteer fire departments. OSHA takes these concerns seriously. This new information will help the agency make the necessary determinations about whether the proposed standard is feasible for volunteer organizations.
    “OSHA is committed to taking steps in any final standard, consistent with the rulemaking record, to assess and minimize detrimental effects on volunteer fire departments. If supported by the record, this may include excluding voluntary emergency response organizations entirely based on these feasibility concerns.”
    The full statement from OSHA can be found here.
    OSHA will hold a public rulemaking hearing on November 12, 2024, and stakeholders are encouraged to provide comments for the hearing. Instructions for how to participate in the hearing are available on the Emergency Response rulemaking webpage.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: MEDIA ADVISORY: Sanders to Lead HELP Committee Hearing on Outrageous Ozempic and Wegovy Prices with Novo Nordisk CEO

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders
    WASHINGTON, Sept. 20 – As millions of Americans struggle with diabetes and obesity, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), on Tuesday will lead the committee in a hearing to examine why Novo Nordisk charges the American people the highest prices in the world for its lifesaving drugs, Ozempic and Wegovy. Epidemiologists have estimated that more than 40,000 lives per year could be saved if Wegovy and other weight-loss drugs were made affordable and widely available in the United States.
    Novo Nordisk CEO Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen will join the hearing to provide in-person testimony on a solo panel.
    “I want to thank Mr. Jørgensen for our discussions and for his agreeing to voluntarily testify before the HELP Committee about the outrageously high cost of Ozempic and Wegovy in the United States,” said Sanders. “The American people are sick and tired of paying, by far, the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs. They deserve to hear from Mr. Jørgensen.”
    Novo Nordisk has made nearly $50 billion in sales from these two products alone. Yet, Novo Nordisk currently charges Americans with Type 2 diabetes $969 a month for Ozempic, while this same exact drug can be purchased for just $155 in Canada, $122 in Denmark, and just $59 in Germany. Incredibly, Novo Nordisk also charges Americans with obesity $1,349 a month for Wegovy, while this same exact product can be purchased for just $186 in Denmark, $140 in Germany, and $92 in the United Kingdom.
    In March of 2024, a study from researchers at Yale University found these drugs could be profitably manufactured for less than $5 a month, or $57 per year. Earlier this week at an expert discussion hosted by Sanders, the chairman announced that some CEOs of major generic pharmaceutical companies are willing to sell Ozempic to Americans for less than $100 per month, at a profit. More than 250 physicians also came together earlier this week to call on Congress to rein in the exorbitant prices of GLP-1s, like Ozempic and Wegovy.
    If half of all adults in the U.S. took these weight loss drugs, it would cost $411 billion per year – $5 billion more than what Americans spent on all prescription drugs at the pharmacy counter in 2022.
    This hearing builds on the HELP Committee’s previous efforts to ensure pharmaceutical companies provide life-saving medicines at affordable prices, including taxpayer funded prescription drugs, COVID vaccines, inhalers, and insulin.
    DetailsWhat: Senate HELP Committee hearing titled, “Why Is Novo Nordisk Charging Americans with Diabetes and Obesity Outrageously High Prices for Ozempic and Wegovy?”When: 10:00 a.m. ET, Tuesday, September 24, 2024Where: Room 562 Dirksen Senate Office Building. The discussion will also be livestreamed on the HELP Committee’s website and Sanders’ social media.Who:
    Senate HELP Committee members
    Novo Nordisk CEO Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen
     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: USGS St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center Scientists Present at the International Conference on Coastal Engineering in Rome, Italy

    Source: US Geological Survey

    Drs. Donya Frank-Gilchrist and Michael Itzkin of the USGS St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center presented research on sediment transport in coastal regions at the International Conference on Coastal Engineering, 9/8-9/14/2024, in Rome, Italy. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Deadline to Apply for SBA Physical Disaster Loans Approaching in Vermont

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding businesses, private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters in Vermont affected by the severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides that occurred July 9 – 11, to apply for physical damage disaster loans by the Oct. 21 deadline.

    Those affected by the disaster should not wait to settle with their insurance company before applying for a disaster loan. If a survivor does not know how much of their loss will be covered by insurance or other sources, SBA can make a low-interest disaster loan for the total loss up to its loan limits, provided the borrower agrees to use insurance proceeds to reduce or repay the loan.    

    The disaster declaration covers Addison, Caledonia, Chittenden Essex, Lamoille, Orleans and Washington which is eligible for both Physical and Economic Injury Disaster Loans from the SBA. Small businesses and most private nonprofit organizations in the following adjacent counties are eligible to apply only for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs):  Franklin, Grand Isle, Orange, Rutland and Windsor in Vermont; Coos and Grafton in New Hampshire and Clinton, Essex and Washington in  
    New York.  

    Applicants can still get assistance at SBA’s Business Recovery Center (BRC) in Washington County. Customer Service Representatives at the BRC will help business owners complete their disaster loan application, accept documents, and provide updates on an application’s status. Walk-ins are accepted, but you can schedule an in-person appointment at an SBA Disaster Recovery Center in advance. The Center address and hours of operation are indicated below.

    Business Recovery Center (BRC)  
    Washington County      

    Barre Municipal Auditorium  

    20 Auditorium Hill

    Barre, VT 05641  

    Hours:            Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.  

                            Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  

    Closed:          Sunday  

    With the changes to FEMA’s Sequence of Delivery, survivors are now encouraged to simultaneously apply for FEMA grants and the SBA low-interest disaster loan assistance to fully recover.  FEMA grants are intended to cover necessary expenses and serious needs not paid by insurance or other sources. The SBA disaster loan program is designed for your long-term recovery, to make you whole and get you back to your pre-disaster condition.  Do not wait on the decision for a FEMA grant; apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information at sba.gov/disaster.  

    Applicants may also call the SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or send an email to 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 Oct. 21, 2024. The deadline to submit economic injury applications is May 20, 2025.

    ###  

    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 or 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.    

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SAAB Organizing Win in Indiana

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    On Sept. 15, 2024 the IAM Organizing Department helped the workers of SAAB Aerospace claim victory in their union election. Organizing Department Grand Lodge Representative Billy Anderson spearheaded the campaign. The SAAB Aerospace campaign in West Lafayette, Ind., concluded with 102 Hoosiers voting in overwhelming support of the IAM.

    “I couldn’t be prouder and more excited for our newest IAM members from Saab Aerospace,” said Anderson. “Their courage and commitment to unionize their shop is reflective of the same passion and skills that they provide in service to our nation’s defense.”

    Credit: Saab, Inc.

    As the Swedish company expands into North America, our new brothers, sisters, and siblings will continue to provide excellent work at the advanced manufacturing and production facility. Saab, widely known for their now discontinued sports car lineup, has expanded into defense manufacturing. Saab recently received a $101 million order from Boeing to produce the T-7A aft fuselage system in West Lafayette. The facility, opened in 2021, is expected to expand to up to 300 employees by 2027. 

    “They deserve the very best that an IAM contract can offer,” said Anderson. “This was a team effort and I want to thank the workers, the IAM Midwest Territory and the IAM Organizing Department working together to make this happen.”

    “After 36 years with the IAM, wins like these never get old. We’re proud that over the past five years we’ve organized more workers than any other AFL-CIO union. Wins like these will help ensure that trend continues for another five years and beyond.” says Midwest Territory General Vice President Sam Cicinelli

    “If new members are the lifeblood of any union, then great organizers like Billy Anderson are our heart,” says Resident General Vice President Jody Bennett. “We welcome each of these 102 workers into their union, and we’re excited to see how they advance our shared mission”

    The 70-23 vote win follows a close loss last year. After the unit size doubled, Anderson doubled down, and recommitted himself to organizing the unit. The win goes to show that while conditions change, the persuasive message of union security, great benefits, and collective power can still win the day. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Darren Soto voted for more sanctuary city hellscapes

    Source: US National Republican Congressional Committee

    The following text contains opinion that is not, or not necessarily, that of MIL-OSI –

    September 20, 2024

    Darren Soto just voted for American taxpayers to foot the bill for liberals’ radical and unsafe sanctuary cities.

    For years, ICE has warned that sanctuary jurisdictions create a “public safety threat,” but can’t help themselves and support dangerous far-left open border policies that put their communities at risk.

    “Even when sanctuary cities are proven to be a ‘public safety threat,’ Darren Soto can’t help but put his far-left open borders agenda ahead of the safety of his communities. Taxpayers don’t deserve to pay for Democrats’ crime-ridden hellscapes.” — NRCC Spokeswoman Delanie Bomar

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Vicente Gonzalez voted for more sanctuary city hellscapes

    Source: US National Republican Congressional Committee

    The following text contains opinion that is not, or not necessarily, that of MIL-OSI –

    September 20, 2024

    Vicente Gonzalez just voted for American taxpayers to foot the bill for liberals’ radical and unsafe sanctuary cities.

    For years, ICE has warned that sanctuary jurisdictions create a “public safety threat,” but can’t help themselves and support dangerous far-left open border policies that put their communities at risk.

    “Even when sanctuary cities are proven to be a ‘public safety threat,’ Vicente Gonzalez can’t help but put his far-left open borders agenda ahead of the safety of his communities. Taxpayers don’t deserve to pay for Democrats’ crime-ridden hellscapes.” — NRCC Spokeswoman Delanie Bomar

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sharice Davids voted for more sanctuary city hellscapes

    Source: US National Republican Congressional Committee

    The following text contains opinion that is not, or not necessarily, that of MIL-OSI –

    September 20, 2024

    Sharice Davids just voted for American taxpayers to foot the bill for liberals’ radical and unsafe sanctuary cities.

    For years, ICE has warned that sanctuary jurisdictions create a “public safety threat,” but can’t help themselves and support dangerous far-left open border policies that put their communities at risk.

    “Even when sanctuary cities are proven to be a ‘public safety threat,’ Sharice Davids can’t help but put her far-left open borders agenda ahead of the safety of her communities. Taxpayers don’t deserve to pay for Democrats’ crime-ridden hellscapes.” — NRCC Spokeswoman Delanie Bomar

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: FEMA Specialists Helping Floridians Apply for Assistance After Hurricane Debby

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: FEMA Specialists Helping Floridians Apply for Assistance After Hurricane Debby

    FEMA Specialists Helping Floridians Apply for Assistance After Hurricane Debby

    TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance crews continue to work in Florida neighborhoods helping people apply for FEMA assistance after Hurricane Debby.

    The crews have worked in Alachua, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lafayette, Levy, Madison, Manatee, Sarasota, Suwannee and Taylor counties. Now they are beginning work in Baker, Citrus, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties.

    DSA specialists wear FEMA attire and have federal photo identification badges. They go door to door in impacted neighborhoods using mobile devices to help residents apply for assistance, check the status of an application, identify potential needs and make connections with organizations that can provide resources. DSA specialists never ask for, or accept, money. Local law enforcement officials are informed when DSA crews work in a community and residents can verify their presence with local law enforcement.

    The quickest way to apply is to go online to DisasterAssistance.gov. You can also apply using the FEMA App for mobile devices or calling toll-free 800-621-3362. The telephone line is open every day and help is available in most languages. If you use a relay service, such as Video Relay Service (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service.

    To view an accessible video on how to apply visit Three Ways to Apply for FEMA Disaster Assistance – YouTube. The deadline for applications is Oct. 9, 2024.

    For the latest information about Florida’s recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4806. Follow FEMA on X at x.com/femaregion4 or on Facebook at facebook.com/fema.

    kirsten.chambers

    MIL OSI USA News –