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Category: Analysis

  • MIL-OSI Global: ‘Russians at War’ documentary: From the Crimean to the Iraq War, soldier images pose questions about propaganda

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Martin Danahay, Professor, English Language and Literature, Brock University

    A British publisher commissioned photographs of the army in the Crimean War to be used as the basis for oil paintings. Cornet Wilkin, 11th Hussars, by Roger Fenton. (Roger Fenton/Library of Congress)

    Questions surrounding the film Russians at War linger following controversy surrounding it at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).

    TIFF faced protesters at a Sept. 17 screening of the “first person” documentary by Russian Canadian filmmaker Anastasia Trofimova. The festival had “paused” public screenings following an earlier media and industry screening, as festival staff reported receiving “significant threats” to festival operations and safety. Protesters said the film was pro-Russian propaganda.

    Trofimova told CBC her film was an attempt to humanize Russian soldiers as a way to combat further anger and violence.

    I have not seen the film, but as a researcher who has long examined the ambiguous meanings of soldier images, I’m not surprised the film has been criticized as propaganda. In my book War without Bodies: Framing Death from the Crimean to the Iraq War, I examined how images that omit their political context can be viewed as implicitly supporting the war effort.

    First photographs: Crimean War

    This ambiguity can be found in the first photographs of the British army at war. These were taken by photographer Roger Fenton during the 1853-56 Crimean War, in which British, French and Ottoman military attacked Russia and besieged Russian forces on the Crimean Peninsula.

    Fenton was commissioned by a Manchester, U.K. publisher, Thomas Agnew and Sons, to photograph the British army in Crimea, focusing on officers and any other participants he found interesting.

    His photographs were to be used as the basis for oil paintings by the artist Thomas Barker. The publisher didn’t reproduce photographs, but made them into woodcuts or as source material for paintings.

    Fenton also photographed the landscape and foreign fighters like French Zouaves — French military units originally formed from the Zouaoua Berber tribe from the coastal mountain Djurdjura region of North Africa after the French invaded and conquered Algeria — but the majority of his subjects were British officers.

    Shared social class

    Fenton wasn’t commissioned by the government, but he had a letter of introduction from Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria. He was of the same social class as the officers he photographed, and dined with high-ranking officers such as Lord Raglan.

    Fenton’s photographs gave the appearance of a competent and functioning military led by skilled officers. Photographs such as one taken of Cornet Wilkin looking smart and capable on his horse suggest the traditional posed style of military portraiture seen in commissioned tribute paintings.

    The photograph His Days’ Work Over: Lieut.-Colonel Hallewell and Servant shows a reclining officer being waited on by his manservant. The image indicates the class status of the officer and depicts leisure rather than war.

    ‘His Days’ Work Over: Lieut.-Colonel Hallewell and Servant,’ photograph by Roger Fenton.
    (Library of Congress)

    The Cookhouse of the 8th Hussars similarly shows a group of cavalry with one reclining and others grouped around a man serving food.

    ‘The Cookhouse of the 8th Hussars,’ photograph by Roger Fenton.
    (Library of Congress)

    The photograph omits any visual evidence that would acknowledge that these are the survivors of an infamous British military blunder, the Charge of the Light Brigade, where cavalry were mistakenly ordered to charge directly at Russian artillery and suffered disastrous casualties.

    Long exposure, composed photographs

    Fenton could not photograph combat given the amount of time needed to capture an image using the wet collodion process, which required a long exposure.

    He could, however, have documented other aspects of the situation in Crimea which were covered by reporter William Howard Russell, who Fenton also photographed in 1855.

    Russell’s dispatches on the terrible conditions suffered by British troops and the ravages diseases like cholera combined with letters published by the soldiers caused a scandal in Britain. These reports led to the downfall of a government and to Florence Nightingale organizing a cohort of nurses to tend to the sick and wounded.

    Russell’s reporting revealed what was omitted from Fenton’s photographs of the war. The photographs served as the first demonstration of how such images could present positive images of war that belied the reality of death and suffering.

    Fenton’s photographs indirectly supported the war effort by showing only positive images of individual soldiers.

    Vietnam, Iraq War

    Media coverage of the American war in Vietnam, often referred to as the “first television war,” is often credited with turning public opinion against the conflict.

    Images of dead soldiers and civilians were transmitted to the viewing public. The “Saigon execution” photograph of a man being shot in the head was particularly shocking.

    To avoid mages such as this, according to Jessica M. Fishman, a behavioural scientist who has examined how media censors and displays the dead, major networks like CNN, Fox News and NBC largely followed an informal agreement to avoid showing graphic images of dead American soldiers during the Iraq War. In addition, reporters were embedded in military units and formed close relationships with the troops who were the subject of their reports.



    Read more:
    Three images that show wartime photographs can have greater impact than the written word

    The result was sanitized coverage of the war which, at least initially, helped maintain public support for the conflict. Images of drone strikes in particular suggested that the military was using precision weapons and “surgical” strikes that did not include civilian casualties.

    Just as reporting by Russell contradicted Fenton’s images of a competent military, photographs of the torture of prisoners in Abu Ghraib prison by American solders in 2004 helped change public perception of it as a “just war.”

    Trust with soldiers, personal ties

    Trofimova, in an interview with CBC, said she does not support the war and wanted to break stereotypes of Russian soldiers as motivated by hate.

    She pointed out that Russia has conscription and that many soldiers may have been drafted and are not supportive of the war. She also stated that she had no support from the Russian government and gained access to soldiers because she built up trust with them.

    The parallels with Fenton are instructive because he did not have support from the British government, and relied on personal connections to obtain his portraits.

    Excluding crucial information

    As with Fenton, the image of the Russian army conveyed by the interviews with soldiers may be as significant for what it leaves out about the war as much as what it tells us about them as individuals.

    When the CBC interviewer asked Trofimova about a statement made by a Russian soldier that they were incapable of committing war crimes, which Tromifova did not correct,
    she replied that “once you start trying to make this an analytical documentary that is going to provide you with stories that you have not documented yourself, then this becomes something else.” In March 2024, the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine announced it had new evidence Russian authorities have committed violations of international human rights and international humanitarian law, and corresponding war crimes.



    Read more:
    Putin’s war on history is another form of domestic repression

    Both Fenton’s photographs and a documentary that focuses on Russian soldiers’ perspectives exclude crucial information that would help lead the viewer to question the conduct of the war or how it is being justified.

    Martin Danahay receives funding from Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council

    – ref. ‘Russians at War’ documentary: From the Crimean to the Iraq War, soldier images pose questions about propaganda – https://theconversation.com/russians-at-war-documentary-from-the-crimean-to-the-iraq-war-soldier-images-pose-questions-about-propaganda-239340

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Can cryptocurrencies ever be green?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jean Bessala, Lecturer in Finance, Salford Business School, University of Salford

    Mabeline72/Shutterstock

    Cryptocurrencies have been condemned over their environmental record at a time when
    traditional investments have been rapidly moving towards greener environmental, social and governance (ESG) values. So how long will it be until crypto earns its green credentials?

    Green investments are assets like bonds that pay for projects with positive environmental and social outcomes. Green bonds for example, contribute to cuts in greenhouse gas emissions, an increase of renewable energy capacity and uptake in clean transport infrastructures.

    Crypto investments on the other hand are widely seen as environmentally unfriendly, mainly because of crypto mining and the huge energy it demands. Mining in the context of crypto refers to a mechanism called “proof of work” (POW) where crypto “miners” use specialised computers to solve complex mathematical equations to secure transactions and create new coins. This is where the energy use comes in.

    Agencies and organisations like the International Energy Agency and the United Nations have raised concerns about the effects of crypto mining – particularly Bitcoin, the best-known crypto asset.

    The environmental footprint of crypto

    The United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health estimated that in 2020-2021, Bitcoin networks had significant carbon, water and land footprints. Bitcoin’s carbon footprint was equivalent to burning 38 billion tonnes of coal, while its water footprint (mainly used for cooling systems) would have met the domestic water needs of more than 300 million people in sub-Saharan Africa.

    The Cambridge Blockchain Network Sustainability Index puts the electricity consumption of Bitcoin networks above those of several developed countries, including Norway and Sweden. For investors who are serious about achieving ESG goals, this aspect of crypto would likely be a deal-breaker.

    It is also made difficult by the lack of regulations around crypto activities. After years of being on the fringes of financial markets and being considered a “get-rich-quick” venture, crypto investments are becoming mainstream. But there is still little regulation to protect investors and ensure participants adopt practices that are in line with ESG values.

    Sceptics point out the major issues plaguing these markets including the use of cryptocurrencies and platforms for money-laundering, scamming, and price manipulation.

    So it is certainly hard to make a green case for crypto. But at the same time, it would be misleading to look only at one side of the coin. The fact is that crypto has a challenging but reachable path towards being widely accepted as green.

    Decarbonising the crypto industry

    First and foremost, the industry itself has recognised the need to change practices and processes to become more sustainable. In 2021, a significant number of players in the crypto industry signed the crypto climate accord (CCA) with the long-term target of decarbonising the global crypto industry by 2040.

    The CCA set two interim objectives. The first was the development of standards and technologies to have 100% renewably powered blockchains as soon as 2025. The second aim states that signatories should achieve net-zero emissions from electricity consumption by 2030.

    Recent developments in technology suggest the industry has started putting plans into action, with the appearance of sustainable tools and infrastructures.

    Several companies such as Mara and Argo are working on technologies like energy-efficient immersion cooling systems that significantly reduce the energy consumption required for mining.

    When cryptocurrency Ethereum changed its processes, it cut its energy use by close to 100%.
    rafapress/Shutterstock

    These companies are also developing systems that can recycle heat produced by digital assets and from data centres, and redirect it to provide energy to communities. The implementation of these technologies is facilitated by the relative mobility of crypto miners and the opportunities that some governments and regions offer to them.

    In addition, the crypto industry has seen the emergence of self-proclaimed environmentally friendly cryptocurrencies, such as Cardano public blockchain and Powerledger. These currencies use a less energy-intensive mechanism called “proof-of-stake” (POS) rather than POW.

    Unlike POW, POS miners must stake their holdings (the amount of cryptocurrency) when validating and verifying transactions and records. So if a miner tries to falsify records, they could potentially lose their stake. The process removes the need for the complex computer calculations and so cuts the energy use dramatically. In fact, in 2022, the cryptocurrency Ethereum transitioned from POW to POS, reducing its energy consumption by nearly 100%.

    The path towards green crypto is being eased by institutions like the Financial Stability Board, which is taking steps to provide frameworks for understanding, compliance and achievements of ESG goals and values.

    Together, these elements could open the door to a future where conscious investors can take a chance on cryptocurrencies.

    Jean Bessala 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. Can cryptocurrencies ever be green? – https://theconversation.com/can-cryptocurrencies-ever-be-green-238359

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: A Soldier’s Journey: new first world war memorial in Washington revitalises classic image of the ‘American doughboy’

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Alice Kelly, Assistant Professor of Literature and History, University of Warwick

    America’s inaugural national memorial marking the first world war was unveiled this month in Washington DC, on the birthday of war commander General John J. Pershing – 106 years after the end of the war. We don’t often get to see a new memorial to a century-old war, especially one that has been deliberately designed in a century-old style.

    Its sculptor, Sabin Howard – who was recently referred to as a “self-appointed bulwark against the scourge of modern art” – rejects the vogue for abstract commemorative art seen in memorials such as Maya Lin’s Vietnam Veterans Memorial (1982). The centrepiece of the new memorial is Howard’s 58-foot panoramic sculpture, A Soldier’s Journey. Five connected scenes tell the story of an American everyman who enlists as a volunteer, fights in Europe, then returns home.

    The 38 realist figures were painstakingly sculpted from costumed models before being cast in 25 tonnes of weather-resistant bronze. Howard wanted to “tell a story” about the first world war and how it affected Americans, to make the conflict more visible to viewers today and in the future.

    In an episode of Cheers from 1983, when a first world war veteran comes into the bar, Coach asks: “Is that the war with Clark Gable or Gary Cooper?” I’m not sure American knowledge of the war has come much further in the past 40 years.

    In every other participating nation, the centenary of the war was marked by a pageant of commemorative activity – think of the 5 million people who went to see the ceramic poppies at the Tower of London. But in the US, despite having a culture of venerating veterans, the first world war is notoriously a “forgotten” war. It tends to be overshadowed by the civil war on one side, and the second world war on the other.

    Perhaps this blindspot is because the American experience of the first world war was much shorter. For the US, it lasted just 19 months from the declaration of war in April 1917 to the signing of the armistice in November 1918. And the fighting – as the song goes – was “over there” rather than on the home front, as it was in Europe. American losses, although high at 116,516 men (plus several hundred women who lost their lives while serving as nurses), were much lower than those of European nations. Britain, for example, lost 880,000 servicemen – 6% of the adult male population at the time.

    But the role this war played in the development of the “American century” is incomparable. The first world war destabilised the European powers – already in imperial decline – to the extent that the US grew to become the pre-eminent financial and military power after the war.

    The sacred and the dead

    The first world war hasn’t always been forgotten in the US. Indeed, in the 1920s and ’30s, American commemoration of the war was at its most “supercharged”, as scholar Steven Trout has shown. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia, was interred in 1921 – a commemorative form borrowed from Europe after the first “unknowns” were interred in London and Paris in November 1920.

    Arlington is now the site for national memory of all wars, woven into the fabric of US political life. The recent controversy over a confrontation between Donald Trump staffers and cemetery officials demonstrates its continuing role in ensuring the sacred place of war dead in American culture.

    Across the nation, Americans have sought to remember their war dead in myriad forms, including memorial halls, parkways, plazas, opera houses, arches, gymnasiums, parks, trees and bell towers. There were so many memorials erected in New York City in the 1920s and ’30s – including parks, sculptures and the planting of memorial trees – that after the second world war, New York City’s commissioner for parks and recreation, Robert Moses, effectively banned new monuments being built, considering them “monstrosities”.

    Many memorials are still peppered across America, hidden in plain sight but instantly recognisable, even if viewers don’t know the context. The Spirit of the American Doughboy, designed by sculptor E.M. Viquesney and copyrighted in 1920, features a “doughboy” (recruit) holding his rifle with fixed bayonet and a grenade in his other hand – deliberately echoing the Statue of Liberty.

    ‘American doughboy’: a memorial to the Americans who served in the first world war, designed by E.M. Viquesney.
    Rosemarie Mosteller/Shutterstock

    Advertised as an affordable tribute that could be bought by towns as their local memorial, there are currently 135 originals and replicas on public display across the US. I find it impossible not to think of those doughboys when I look at the soldiers in Howard’s memorial.

    Commentators may well criticise Howard’s figurative sculpture as old-fashioned, but the debate over appropriate memorial forms and the question of “taste” is not new. In fact, it was a very live debate in the first world war’s immediate aftermath.

    In attempting to correct the historical omission of a national memorial, it seems appropriate that Howard’s figurative sculpture looks like – and recalls – first world war sculpture of the time.

    Will it earn the war its place in American memory that it deserves? I’m not sure. But in giving old form to an old war, it will make it visible to generations of Americans unfamiliar with it – and help the rest of us remember it anew.

    Alice Kelly 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. A Soldier’s Journey: new first world war memorial in Washington revitalises classic image of the ‘American doughboy’ – https://theconversation.com/a-soldiers-journey-new-first-world-war-memorial-in-washington-revitalises-classic-image-of-the-american-doughboy-239757

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: UK oil and gas workers risk becoming the ‘coal miners of our generation’

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Freddie Daley, Research Associate, Centre for Global Political Economy, University of Sussex

    Grangemouth oil refinery is set to close in 2025 with the loss of 400 jobs. orxy / shutterstock

    At the end of September, the UK’s last remaining coal power plant, Ratcliffe-on-Soar in Nottinghamshire, will be retired. The closure of the plant should – and will – be celebrated by environmentalists, as the move away from coal has made Britain’s electricity much cleaner over the past decade. It is on this basis that the UK claims climate leadership.

    In the 1950s, coal provided the overwhelming majority of British energy, and as recently as 2012 it still generated 40%. By 2022, it was less than 2%. In a month’s time, it will be zero.

    Phasing out coal was a brutal and profound process. Organised labour was decimated, entire regions were forced into decline, and communities were left with sustained economic, social and health problems. The towering ghosts of power stations like Ratcliffe-on-Soar will haunt Britain’s ongoing effort to phase out North Sea oil and gas and replace it with clean energy.

    Towering ghosts: Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station.
    The Exposure / shutterstock

    And we are witnessing this haunting in real-time. After the Labour government announced its plans to end new licenses for oil and gas in British waters – necessary to meet the Paris Agreement – workers and trade unions feared history would repeat itself in terms of job losses and blighted communities.

    The general secretary of Unite, Sharon Graham, noted that without a more thorough plan, the policy risked creating “the coal miners of our generation”. A recent motion at the Trades Union Congress (TUC) gathering in Brighton called for no ban on oil and gas licensing before a fully funded jobs guarantee is agreed. The motion narrowly passed.

    Workers and unions are demanding a “just transition” from polluting industries into the clean industries of the future. But to achieve this, the UK government must learn from what happened with coal.

    Many places still rely on oil and gas jobs

    Although oil and gas are not as embedded throughout British life as coal once was, there are many settlements and larger areas still dependent on energy jobs. Grangemouth in central Scotland is a good example. In November 2023, the owner, Petroineos, announced plans to close the town’s oil refinery in 2025, bringing a century of production to an end at the cost of 400 jobs.

    Even if the UK government did issue new oil and gas licences, the North Sea faces structural decline. Production peaked around the turn of the century. Since 2014, as many as 200,000 jobs have been lost either offshore or along the supply chain onshore.

    From gas to wind?

    Planning for the end of fossil fuels is therefore an urgent endeavour. The dominant strategy for protecting skilled jobs is to transition workers into the industries set to replace North Sea production: wind energy and other low-carbon technologies.

    However, though Britain has developed a large wind power sector, it remains a major importer of turbines. Domestic manufacturing makes only a small contribution, and developers are not required to use British-made turbines or other parts, despite the jobs this would create.

    This has left Grangemouth workers discontented. When one of us (Ewan Gibbs) and Riyoko Shibe interviewed young refinery workers at Grangemouth earlier this year, many commented that there were relatively few jobs in renewables. When jobs were visible on LinkedIn and comparable job sites, one told us that “you’ll see there’s a big difference in terms and conditions”.

    Wind farms are relatively easy to run once installed, so most jobs are in building them.
    Kevin Shipp / shutterstock

    In its current form, the UK wind industry will find it hard to provide the types of secure ongoing employment that oil and gas historically has. Most jobs are in the construction and maintenance of wind farms, with the latter threatened by automation. Without public investment and a targeted industrial policy, Britain will remain a net importer of wind technology, and the phasing out of North Sea oil and gas will prove costly in job terms.



    Read more:
    Grangemouth job losses are a stark reminder of the cost of a greener industrial future

    More investment needed

    Britain’s lack of state intervention is not the norm. After all, more than half of British wind farms are state-owned, though less than 1% are owned by the UK government. Swedish, Norwegian, French, Irish and German state-owned entities are major players, but the biggest is Denmark’s Ørsted, a former oil company turned renewables giant which is mostly state-owned. In the UK’s most recent offshore wind auction, 70% of the projects were awarded to Ørsted.

    The newly launched Great British Energy could give the state a foothold in the North Sea once more. This publicly owned company plans to focus on domestic manufacturing and will invest in ports and other infrastructures to “unlock strategic bottlenecks”.

    But if such projects are to be meaningfully incorporated into a just transition, they will need to offer continuity and security to oil and gas workers. As one Grangemouth worker put it, referring to his colleagues facing the choice of either remaining unemployed locally or relocating to use their skills:

    They’re moving to the Middle East, they’re moving to the north-east of Scotland. They’re moving offshore, they’re moving to the Shetlands, and therefore it’s not a just transition, in my view, if we’re moving to these jobs.

    Another worker highlighted the risks that Grangemouth could join the coalfields in becoming “stranded” communities:

    We’ve got a community that’s been built round the site, we’ve got skills and we’ve got people that work there, we’ve got the infrastructure there – why should we not have these jobs when the time comes to move to these industries? Why can we not have it at Grangemouth?

    Britain’s push to phase out oil and gas is urgent and necessary, but it cannot follow the same trajectory as Britain’s exit from coal – lessons must be learned. The opportunities presented by the transition away from fossil fuels will only be fully realised if workers are at its centre.

    Freddie Daley receives funding from UKRI for the SUS-POL project at the University of Sussex, which explores fossil fuel phase-outs around the world. Freddie also campaigns on demand reduction with Badvertising.

    Ewan Gibbs received funding from a British Academy Wolfson Fellowship that supported this research (grant number: WF21210099).

    – ref. UK oil and gas workers risk becoming the ‘coal miners of our generation’ – https://theconversation.com/uk-oil-and-gas-workers-risk-becoming-the-coal-miners-of-our-generation-239262

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Keir Starmer’s party conference speech – what he said and what it meant

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Ben O’Loughlin, Professor of International Relations, Royal Holloway University of London

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer was under immense pressure to announce some big policies in his 2024 party conference speech. Those who felt the agenda had been captured by stories of scandal and discontent in Number 10 saw a major new offering as a potential way to distract. But Starmer chose a different path – one that he overtly described as the more difficult one.

    This, for him, is not about policies. Starmer is offering Britain a choice about how it thinks about politics. In his speech, he rejected what he called a politics of “easy answers” offered in the “cowardly fantasy” of populists. He asked the British public to ignore the “whims of Westminster” that see a politician stirring uproar to hide their lack of action.

    Looking back at the last government, he said: “Take Rwanda, a policy they knew from the beginning would never work, was never supposed to work. £700 million of your money, frittered away on something that was never a credible option because politically it was an easier answer.”

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    What is required is for politicians to address difficult challenges directly, not duck them, he said, adding: “If this path were popular or easy we would have walked it already.” The public must therefore be prepared to debate difficult challenges. This is a difficult version of politics.

    Will people like it?

    Easy-answers politics is quick and based on the performance of utter certainty. X is wrong, Y will fix it. If government doesn’t do Y, it is betraying the country. A flight to Rwanda will solve global migration patterns caused by climate, conflict and the way the world economy works. We don’t want to even think about climate, conflict and the way the world economy works. This is how Starmer characterised the Conservative government of the last 14 years.

    Take the rough with the smooth

    Starmer is offering a performance of seriousness and trying to create an expectation he will deliver a serious politics. He called this a “renewal” because Britain has done serious politics before, generations ago, and it is in British people’s blood: “We will turn our collar up and face the storm,” he said. British people will all contribute, all participate in that renewal, because “this is a country with fairness in the water”.

    This entails being open to debate with other citizens who we disagree with, in a spirit of collective endeavour, not self-interest. You want security? Prisons may be built near you, he said. You want cheaper electricity? Then we’ll build pylons overground. You want government to have some control in the immigration process? We’ll make it function properly. But you must accept that in that fair and proper process, some people will be granted asylum. Agree to disagree, but, more fundamentally, agree that disagreement is OK, because we are equal citizens.



    Read more:
    Know your place: what happened to class in British politics – a new podcast series from The Conversation Documentaries

    The British public must be persuaded to trust this government and this renewal project because they understand government not as aloof partying liars. Look to my government, Starmer said, to see politicians in service to the country of Britain and the British “working people”. But for government to show it thinks it is in the service of the public, it struck me that it can’t be accepting free tickets to watch Arsenal.

    Do we have a narrative yet?

    Starmer addressed the question of whether he has a story to tell about the country. Since he came to government, it has felt as though he lacks one. He said Britain’s dilemma is “our story is uncertain. Hope is beaten out of us.”

    Yet the world thinks of Britain as a great nation, he said, of scientific genius, the industry of its working people, and pragmatism about the complexity of global relations. He said this shows Britain was capable of writing “our own story and that of the world”. He called for Britain to do this again.

    For this to happen, citizens need to be able to see a connection through time. It begins with the government saying it is serious and trustworthy. Then, at a certain point in time, the public needs to be able to look back and see the actions that government has taken. Finally, at a later time, citizens decide whether they’ve seen the results of those actions in their lives.

    This is how the story of a nation is built. But it is where enormous patience is needed. And while his narrative was more successful than previous attempts, there was a piece missing from the puzzle. Will building prisons or electricity pylons provide conditions that allow companies to create economic growth?

    This is not a fully coherent story based on a clear plan – at least not one that has been made public. It is more a wager Starmer is calling on Britons to make. Bet now, and wait. And that’s a lot to ask.

    Ben O’Loughlin 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. Keir Starmer’s party conference speech – what he said and what it meant – https://theconversation.com/keir-starmers-party-conference-speech-what-he-said-and-what-it-meant-239766

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Hockey in Canada: Can it still bridge divides in an era of political polarization?

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Joseph Dick, PhD Student in Sport Management, University of Guelph

    Contemporary ice hockey was pioneered in Canada, and the sport has historically been watched and played by Canadians. (Shutterstock)

    Hockey has played a significant role in shaping Canada’s culture and identity over the years. As sport scholar Tony Patoine once put it, “hockey has become more than a simple pasttime: it is a true Canadian tradition, a quasi-religion.”

    This deep attachment to the game is reflected in Bill C-212, which acknowledges hockey as Canada’s official winter sport. Modern ice hockey was, after all, pioneered in Canada, where it has historically been watched, played and been perceived as a unifying force that transcends linguistic and ethnic divides.

    Despite these perceptions, however, we question the strength of such unification potential amidst recent changes to hockey culture. Can hockey continue to unify all of Canada?

    ‘Communitas’

    Hockey’s purported sense of unity closely relates to the concept of “communitas,” coined by anthropologist Victor Turner, which describes the strong bonds of comradery that form between members of a group — and sometimes between members of disparate groups — where rank and status disappear.

    However, not everyone experiences this sense of unity equally. Since social groups establish behaviours required for group membership, those who don’t align with these norms may feel excluded.

    Former Hockey Night in Canada commentator, Don Cherry, was once praised for upholding values characteristic of hockey, including the promotion of violence, hyper masculinity and an overall adherence to “ideas of loyalty, fraternity, and mutual respect.” These values, once normalized within the hockey community, shaped how both players and fans were expected to act.

    But as the game continues to evolve and these values are increasingly considered archaic and out of sync with the broader political culture fostered within Canada, we as Canadian sport and political science researchers, respectively, question if hockey still provides that sense of communitas for all of Canada.

    Hockey in French Canada

    Although Canadians often view hockey as a monolithic, universally adopted sport across Canada, a closer look reveals patterns of non-uniformity. Nowhere are such differences more apparent than in the historical development of the sport in Québec versus the rest of Canada.

    As historian Emmanuel Lapierre wrote, “French Canadians appropriated hockey in their own manner and used it to tell a story about themselves,” a story that is, like the province of Québec itself, unique within the Canadian federation.

    For much of Canadian history, Anglophone hockey players represented the in-group, while Francophone hockey players were often seen as outsiders. In the 1950s, for example, Francophone players in the NHL believed they were treated more harshly when it came to suspensions and fines.

    Québec society, during this time, faced an endemic struggle of oppression against an Anglophone-dominated society controlled by the Catholic Church. Francophone resistance to this was linked to the Richard Riot that occurred during the 1954-55 NHL season.

    Maurice Richard scoring his 500th goal on Oct. 19, 1957. At the time, he was the first and only professional NHL player to achieve such a feat.
    (Wikimedia Commons)

    After Montreal Canadiens’ player Maurice “Rocket” Richard was suspended from the playoffs in March 1955 for punching an official, a massive riot broke out among fans. They raged through downtown Montréal, targeting Anglophone-owned buildings. This riot became a symbol of Francophone resistance to Anglophone dominance, serving as a stepping stone towards the Quiet Revolution and renewed French Canadian nationalism.

    This, in turn, strengthened the sense of unity around hockey in Canada. Francophone hockey players began to be viewed as more equal to, and at the very least not controlled by, Anglophone players. Hockey was used to forge a sense of communitas amongst French Canadians, serving as a transcendent unifier in Canada.

    But that was then, and it occurred within the context of a province historically rich with connections to French Canadian culture, where hockey’s unification potential was, therefore, heightened. Does this similar sense of communitas still exist in the rest of Canada with respect to hockey? Or has the sport’s ability to unite the nation become weakened in an era of unprecedented political polarization?

    Hockey today

    Hockey fandom remains strong in Canada, with about 31 per cent of Canadians still following the sport — the highest of any sport in the country. This is re-enforced by the recent success of the Professional Women’s Hockey League and the near-record Canadian viewership of the most recent Stanley Cup finals.

    However, hockey participation has seen a notable decline, dropping 33 per cent since its peak in 2010 amidst high participation costs. Additionally, Hockey Canada has been accused of fostering a culture of misogyny and sexual assault.



    Read more:
    Hockey Canada scandal highlights toxic masculinity in sports

    In 2023, Hockey Canada’s former CEO acknowledged the need to address racism, sexism, and other forms of discrimination in hockey culture. “Each topic, or part of culture that we’re trying to get at, that will determine who the audience is as we move forward,” he said.

    As hockey navigates these changes, it must adapt to the growing emphasis on equity, diversity and inclusion, alongside the impacts of an increasing immigrant population and the globalization of the game.

    This evolution could mean the demise of “traditional” hockey values, and perhaps that is a good thing: misogynistic, “rock ‘em and sock ’em” mentalities don’t align with the values of a modern liberal democracy like Canada.

    Still, for communitas to transcend division, hockey must also find a way to bring traditional fans along, who may have enjoyed the undertones of violence and masculinized definitions of loyalty, fraternity and respect, without alienating them.

    Where should hockey go now?

    Hockey’s role as a unifying force in Canada is well established. Not only is it still Canada’s official winter sport, but as outlined above, it has also served as a unifier for French and English Canada. Hockey has, moreover, unified Canadians during other key moments, such as Canada’s victory over the USSR in the 1972 Summit Series, which symbolized democracy’s triumph over communism.

    However, hockey’s role as a unifying force has diminished over the years. For many Canadians, hockey is no longer “the best game you can name,” as Stompin’ Tom Connors once sang.

    If hockey is to maintain its historic place as a contributor to Canadian nationalism and communitas, the sport must evolve. While some traditional values — such as teamwork, loyalty and respect — should be preserved, outdated notions like hyper masculinity and aggression no longer align with today’s values.

    As Canada changes, so too must hockey. Canadian hockey culture and policies must better adapt to meet contemporary Canadian values like diversity and inclusivity.

    The question for Canadians isn’t just the future of hockey, but what can unite us in today’s world. Communitas need not be confined to hockey, let alone a sport. Hockey has traditionally filled this unification role, but if it fails to keep up, what will take its place?

    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.

    – ref. Hockey in Canada: Can it still bridge divides in an era of political polarization? – https://theconversation.com/hockey-in-canada-can-it-still-bridge-divides-in-an-era-of-political-polarization-238277

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-Evening Report: NZ’s government plans to lift a ban on gene tech outside the lab – here’s what people think

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marie McEntee, Senior Lecturer, School of Environment, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau

    Getty Images

    The government’s recently announced plan to end New Zealand’s effective ban on the use of gene technologies outside the laboratory has reignited debate about this historically contested topic.

    While the government aims to pass legislation and introduce a gene tech regulator before 2026, opposition parties want broad conversations with New Zealanders to gauge their opinions.

    As our research shows, such conversations are complex. They must include a diverse range of people because discussions about gene technology bring strong reactions based on people’s values and beliefs.

    We found this to be especially pointed when talking about the use of these technologies in conservation, environmental protection and food.

    But participants valued the opportunity to have open conversations and to discuss potential scenarios when provided with clear and accessible information. Our research gives insights into what safe and responsible environmental genetic innovation means for New Zealanders.

    Genetic innovation isn’t only a technology issue

    Our research was conducted over 18 months before the government’s announcement and supported by the now defunded Biological Heritage National Science Challenge. It was carried out in two streams. The Māori Biodiversity Network Te Tira Whakamātaki engaged with Māori thought leaders, while social scientists engaged with the wider public and interest groups.

    Both streams used processes that enabled participants to deliberate in groups about specific environmental contexts where genetic tools could be applied. We considered a range of technologies, from gene editing to gene silencing, and a range of possible uses.

    The research used potential scenarios to give context to public deliberations.
    Author provided, CC BY-SA

    Many participants saw the potential of gene technologies. However, deliberations did not result in simple yes or no responses, nor was people’s decision-making primarily focused on the technologies. Instead, it was careful, considered, contextual and connected to personal values.

    Public participants were presented with scenarios that included chromosomal changes (reducing wilding pines and eradicating rats) and scenarios using gene silencing that does not alter chromosomal DNA (management of the plant pathogen myrtle rust and the bee parasite varroa mite). But they did not simply favour the latter. Instead, the scenario context was a significant driver in the deliberations.

    The management of the bee parasite varroa is one scenario for which gene technologies could be considered.
    Sebastian Gollnow/dpa via Getty Images

    The use of gene silencing to control the varroa mite raised considerable concerns about human health because of the connection to honey production and food consumption. Genetic engineering for myrtle rust was greeted more favourably due to a dislike of the fungicides used currently.

    When presented with a scenario to make kūmara more resistant to insects, Māori participants strongly opposed any modification. They were cautiously more supportive of gene technologies used on invasive rather than native species, but only with strong regulation.

    Participants in the public stream were generally more supportive of gene technologies to manage plants compared with animals. But people’s decisions were affected by their acceptance of the problem.

    While rats were perceived as a significant ecological threat, this was not always the case for wilding pines. Some people thought of them as an economic opportunity or environmental benefit to offset carbon emissions.

    Gene technologies could be used to control wilding pines, but some see them as an opportunity to offset emissions.
    Flickr/Jon Sullivan, CC BY-SA

    For Māori, whakapapa (genealogy) and tikanga (customs) formed the core of any discussion about genetic technologies. The potential for unforeseen consequences required tikanga-based processes to guide discussions, although this did not necessarily guarantee acceptance of use.

    Māori participants preferred processes rooted in local tikanga that have successfully guided decision making for generations. Such processes needed significant resourcing into education about tools and the inclusion of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in any regulations proposed by the Crown.

    High levels of caution

    Participants in both streams openly discussed inherent risks and unknowns of gene technologies. Public participants saw the technologies’ potential to address the challenges of current environmental management, such as animal welfare concerns around toxins used in predator control.

    However, they sought high levels of regulation and oversight, especially where there are significant unknowns and ethical concerns. In all contexts, people sought more and continuous research, particularly in contained environments, to monitor and evaluate the impacts of genetic technology.

    The further away and more uncertain the technology was, the more regulation mattered. Participants sought considerable controls, regulation and governance throughout the entire cycle of development. Many public participants also wanted Māori representation at all levels of governance.

    Who do people trust?

    Among public participants, there was widespread trust in the methods of science. But when it came to institutions and specific scientists, trust became more nuanced. In communities where trust was low, complex science became contested science.

    A survey undertaken by Te Tira Whakamātaki found Māori trusted scientists the most to provide information about genetic tools, followed closely by iwi leaders or authorities. Elected officials and the media were trusted the least.

    Public participants expressed concern about the influence of commercial interests on science innovation and the governance of technologies. There was widespread concern over who might own and control the technologies.

    People sought more information about gene technologies to come to an informed view. They wanted science organisations engaging in genetic research to be more visible and transparent.

    Scientists and policymakers need to understand that this request for more information is not about educating the community towards a pre-determined outcome. It is about undertaking innovation responsibly. This means allowing the broader community to have a say in decision making and a responsible approach to innovation as technologies are developed.

    Our research demonstrates that discussions about the liberalisation of rules governing genetic technology in New Zealand are complex. However, they need not be marked by conflict, if people’s views and values are genuinely considered.

    The authors received funding for this work from the now defunded Biological Heritage National Science Challenge.

    – ref. NZ’s government plans to lift a ban on gene tech outside the lab – here’s what people think – https://theconversation.com/nzs-government-plans-to-lift-a-ban-on-gene-tech-outside-the-lab-heres-what-people-think-239707

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How professional sports leagues that embrace social justice causes could influence politics

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Noah Eliot Vanderhoeven, PhD Candidate, Political Science, Western University

    Given that 77 per cent of people in Canada and 57 per cent of people in the United Kingdom watch a sports team regularly — compared to the 60 per cent of people who turn out to vote in Canada and the U.K. — it’s clear sports has an important and persistent influence on people’s lives.

    Sports can serve as a beacon to provide societal leadership or reflect changes in wider society in significant ways. A historic example would be how the integration of sports leagues in North America paralleled the Civil Rights Movement.

    But how can sports influence politics today?

    Similar to supporting a political party, sports fandom aids in the formation of social identity. This happens when people look to form attachments with other individuals who they believe are similar to them in some way to cultivate positive self-esteem.

    Men’s professional sports teams have historically engaged with certain political causes, namely the military and law enforcement, while neglecting others, such as the plight of marginalized members of local communities. Sports engagement with the military has been shown to boost military enrolment and support for government spending on the military in peace times.

    Women’s professional sport, meanwhile, has drawn positive attention through its engagement with marginalized community members. The Women’s National Basketball League, for example, has engaged with the LGBTQ+ community to create safe fan spaces for the league.

    Men’s sports protests

    My preliminary research into these issues has shown that in men’s professional sports, there has often been hostility towards the introduction of newer, more inclusive causes into sporting events. In the National Hockey League, for example, some players refused to participate in Pride Night events on religious grounds.

    Former professional quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s non-violent protest of police brutality in the United States resulted in his exile from the National Football League for the apparent “distraction” it created. A crucial element of the backlash against Kaepernick was allegations by conservatives that he disrespected the military and the American flag.

    Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) and outside linebacker Eli Harold (58) kneel during the playing of the national anthem before an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons in Atlanta.
    (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

    The power of this backlash was surprising given that in the U.S., Democrats and Republicans are equally likely to be avid sports fans, with no meaningful differences in the strength of their fandom. However, Republican sports fans tend to be more vocal about what causes should receive representation in sports.

    Essentially, that means those who say athletes should “stick to sports” or “shut up and dribble” aren’t suggesting they don’t want any politics in sports. What they’re really saying is that they don’t want to see political views they oppose being represented in professional sports.

    The patriotic causes that have routinely been championed by sports leagues and used for nation-building, such as the military, are viewed as apolitical and therefore appropriate in sports settings. Conversely, messages that are critical of a country or focus on historic inequalities have been deemed “inappropriate” and are excluded by sports because of potential fan backlash.

    Can sports influence politics?

    More recently, however, sports leagues and teams have begun to engage with social justice causes, such as LGBTQ+ rights in the U.K., Canada and the U.S..

    These causes also include Indigenous rights and anti-racism messaging.

    As sports organizations adapt to changing social norms and embrace newer social causes, they hold tremendous potential to impact political attitudes. They can showcase the acceptance of marginalized groups in previously hostile spaces, and provide valuable representation.

    Furthermore, sports fandom identity has been shown to hold a strong psychological connection that can create feelings of inclusion which, in turn, can boost self-esteem.

    This is why athletes make easy role models for children, and why watching sports events is a valued leisure activity for many people of all ages. Finally, sports fandom can also teach people how to cope with negative emotions or feelings of disappointment over time through emotional regulation.

    How sports could influence attitudes

    The representative and psychological value of sports fandom suggests sport is an understudied area of political science, one I hope to build on in my future research.

    For example, we do not yet fully understand the impact that sports teams holding Pride Nights has on attitudes towards the LGBTQ+ community.

    Nor do we know how soccer clubs in England, as local symbols of a migrant workforce, may impact immigrant attitudes.

    Finally, we do not know why certain women’s national soccer teams, like Canada, have been successful in protesting for equal pay while others, like the Spanish team, have failed.

    Sport could have a valuable role to play in unpacking these political questions about protest and identity — and represents an exciting emerging research area in political behaviour.

    Noah Eliot Vanderhoeven 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. How professional sports leagues that embrace social justice causes could influence politics – https://theconversation.com/how-professional-sports-leagues-that-embrace-social-justice-causes-could-influence-politics-239266

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Lebanese civilians are fleeing the south, fearing an Israeli invasion − a look back at 1982 suggests they have every reason to worry

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Mireille Rebeiz, Chair of Middle East Studies & Associate Professor of Francophone & Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies, Dickinson College

    Israeli soldiers in armored vehicles drive through a Lebanese village in 1982. Bryn Colton/Getty Images

    Lebanese families have been fleeing the country’s south in the thousands amid escalating tensions and an Israeli bombardment that has so far killed hundreds.

    Their fear, echoed by many onlookers, is that Israel will accompany the airstrikes with something that has the potential to have far worse consequences: a ground invasion of south Lebanon.

    The rational behind such a move, from the Israeli government’s perspective, is that a ground offensive may be its best chance to push Hezbollah fighters beyond the Litani River in the middle of the country. This would achieve an Israeli war goal of securing its northern borders and allowing an estimated 60,000 residents who have been forced to flee northern Israel to go back to their homes.

    Irrespective of motive, a ground invasion and potential occupation is more than wild speculation. Israel has placed thousands of soldiers on standby close to the Lebanon border for such an eventuality.

    Nor is such a move without precedent.

    As a scholar of Lebanese history, I know Israel and Lebanon have been here before. In 1982, Israel invaded Lebanon in the middle of the latter’s civil war, imposing a siege on the capital Beirut. The results were catastrophic for the whole region. Not only did the ground invasion result in the death of thousands of civilians, the occupation of Lebanon plunged an already fragile nation into lasting political and economic chaos and led to the birth of Hezbollah, the very group that threatens northern Israel today.

    Refuge and armed resistance

    The Israeli invasion of Lebanon in June 1982 had its roots in the Palestinian–Israeli conflict, much as the fighting between Hezbollah and Israel does today.

    The creation of the state of Israel in 1948 was accompanied by the Nakba, or “catastrophe,” for the Palestinians. In the violent birth pangs of a Jewish state on land inhabited by, among others, Arab populations with deep ancestral ties to villages, more than 750,000 Palestinians were expelled or fled.

    Many refugees entered Lebanon, where in 1964 the Palestine Liberation Organization was born. By the mid-1970s, the armed resistance group had recruited and trained over 20,000 fighters who actively participated in launching attacks on Israel from Lebanese soil.

    By 1982, Lebanon was already seven years into its civil war, with violence flaring between Lebanese Christians and Lebanese and Palestinian Muslims. On June 6, 1982, Israeli Defense Minister Ariel Sharon, a future leader of the country, launched Operation Peace for Galilee and invaded Lebanon with the purpose of eliminating the PLO.

    More than 40,000 Israeli troops with hundreds of tanks entered Lebanon from three points: by land across the border into south Lebanon; by sea from the coast of Sidon; and by air as the Israeli forces bombed the Beqaa Valley, Beirut and its Palestinian refugee camps.

    For two months, Beirut was under siege, with water and electricity cut off. As a result of the heavy bombardment and lack of access to basic needs, an estimated 19,000 Lebanese, Syrian and Palestinian civilians and combatants died, of which 5,500 were civilians from West Beirut.

    The Lebanese authorities appealed to the United States, France, Italy and the United Kingdom for help. These countries formed the multinational peacekeeping force, which was designed to restore peace in Lebanon, assist the Lebanese armed forces and evacuate PLO fighters to Tunisia.

    By August 1982, the multinational force had successfully relocated PLO fighters and began pulling out of Lebanon. They were called back, however, as violence flared.

    After the assassination of Lebanese President-elect Bashir Gemayel on Sept. 14, 1982, the Christian Phalangist militia entered the two Palestinian refugee camps of Sabra and Shatila and killed over 2,000 Palestinian civilians. The Israeli government later set up the Kahan Commission of Inquiry to look into the killings, which concluded that Israel was indirectly responsible for the massacres.

    The birth of Hezbollah

    All of this history remains relevant to the current situation in the region. Israel’s invasion and occupation of Lebanon, its siege on Beirut and the massacres that followed all led to the birth of Hezbollah.

    While members of Lebanon’s marginalized Shiite community in the south had long sought to mobilize through pan-Arab political parties and militias, it was Israel’s invasion that galvanized members of the community to ultimately create Hezbollah in 1985. As former Israeli Defense Minister and Prime Minister Ehud Barak noted in a 2006 interview: “It was our presence there that created Hezbollah.”

    Israel’s invasion also soured Lebanon’s relations with the West. Many Lebanese and Palestinian Muslims considered the multinational force – especially the United States – to be a failure and even an accomplice to Israel.

    From 1982 onward, Americans and other Westerners became a target. In the following decade, more than 80 Americans and Europeans were taken hostage by Hezbollah fighters. Some were tortured for months; others died in custody.

    And on Oct. 23, 1983, a terrorist attack targeted the American barracks in Beirut, killing over 300 people, including 220 Marines, 18 sailors and three soldiers. Minutes later, a second suicide attack killed 58 French paratroopers. The Islamic jihad claimed responsibility for the two attacks; some of its members are thought to be among those who officially founded Hezbollah in February 1985.

    Aiding Hezbollah recruitment

    Israel’s 1982 invasion of Lebanon failed to accomplish its goals of stemming attacks on Israel from southern Lebanon. If anything, it had the opposite effect by turning many Lebanese against Israel and creating the conditions in which Hezbollah could recruit.

    Although Israel retreated from Beirut in August 1982, it continued to occupy south Lebanon until 2000. During that period it unlawfully detained many Lebanese suspected of resisting the Israeli occupation. Some were detained without charges in inhumane conditions, while others were illegally transferred into Israel.

    The debris at the site of an overnight Israeli strike in the southern Lebanese village of Akbiyeh on Sept. 24, 2024.
    Mahmoud Zayyat/AFP via Getty Images

    With such a backdrop, Hezbollah’s legitimacy in the eyes of many Lebanese grew – as did its support. So much so that in 1989, at the end of the Lebanese civil war, the authorities signed an agreement that, although not referencing Hezbollah directly, asserted Lebanon’s right to resist the Israeli occupation in the south.

    This clause was interpreted by Hezbollah as legitimizing its armed fight against occupation.

    After occupation ended in 2000, Hezbollah had to reinvent its role, claiming that it would continue fighting against Israel until the liberation of the disputed Shebaa Farms, the Golan Heights and occupied Palestine.

    In 2006, Hezbollah entered Israeli territory for the first time, killing three soldiers and kidnapping two, demanding the release of Lebanese prisoners in exchange. In retaliation, the Israel Defense Forces attacked Lebanon by air, sea and land, with Israeli ground forces entering Lebanon and carrying out a number of operations on Lebanese territory. A subsequent war saw no such prisoner swap but resulted in the deaths of about 1,100 Lebanese civilians and 120 Israelis, mostly soldiers.

    History repeating?

    Until Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, there had been hopes that decades of hostilities between Lebanon and Israel could be on the cusp of turning. In October 2022, Lebanon and Israel signed a maritime border agreement brokered by the U.S – interpreted as the beginning of normalizing relations between two countries technically at war.

    But the magnitude of the human crisis in Gaza and the series of events that followed in Lebanon have ended such hopes for now. Hezbollah’s vow of solidarity with Hamas has resulted in a running series of tit-for-tat attacks with Israel that have escalated over the past year.

    The attack using booby-trapped pagers that targeted Hezbollah fighters and killed several civilians across Lebanon on Sept. 17, 2024, has set off a chain of events that have now seen nearly 500 Lebanese killed and Hezbollah extend the geographical scope of its missile attacks in Israel. Its long-range ballistic missiles can reach 250-300 kilometers (155-186 miles) and have reached Haifa and the city’s Ramat David Airbase.

    The next step in this deadly escalation could well be a ground invasion. But in 1982, such an operation resulted only in catastrophic results for all concerned – and set in place the conditions for decades of hostilities across the Lebanon-Israel border. A similar offensive today would almost certainly have similar results – especially for the people of Lebanon.

    Mireille Rebeiz is affiliated with American Red Cross.

    – ref. Lebanese civilians are fleeing the south, fearing an Israeli invasion − a look back at 1982 suggests they have every reason to worry – https://theconversation.com/lebanese-civilians-are-fleeing-the-south-fearing-an-israeli-invasion-a-look-back-at-1982-suggests-they-have-every-reason-to-worry-239653

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Reportage: ‘Decolonize Oceania! Free Guåhan!’: Communicating resistance at the 2016 Festival of Pacific Arts

    Source: Pacific Media Centre

    Headline: ‘Decolonize Oceania! Free Guåhan!’: Communicating resistance at the 2016 Festival of Pacific Arts – Analysis published with permission of PMC

    It’s time we confronted the fact that, for nearly 400 years, the state of the island has also been colonial.  It is the unchanged and unrepentant shadow cast upon our unshackled destiny.  (Pacific Daily News, ‘Transcript of Gov. Calvo’s remarks during the annual State of the Island Address,’ March 31, 2016, http://www.guampdn.com.)

    Guåhan (Guam) Governor Eddie Baza Calvo made these remarks during the annual State of the Island Address delivered on March 7, 2016.  His speech also mentioned issues such as: self-determination, the US military buildup plans for the island, and the 12th Festival of the Pacific Arts. Calvo’s speech focused on the Festival, held in Guåhan from May 22-June 4, 2016:

    Over 3,000 Pacific artists will join ours in the world’s most beautiful display of solidarity, fellowship, and progress. This is a time for us, my dear people, to rediscover our roots and bond in the glory of our history and our customs.  Celebrate the talent and courage of Guam’s greatest thinkers and masters of our traditions. Discover just how brilliant this Pacific Ocean shines with the cultures and talents of islanders throughout.

    Calvo’s words touch on colonialism, culture, history, and tradition.  Such discourse at once signals the specificity of the struggle for Guåhan to face and confront its colonial political status and ongoing militarization, while also marking FestPac as an event that would hold expansive possibilities for connecting the island with other peoples throughout Oceania. 

    Oceania Resistance

    Researcher profile

    Na’puti, Tiara R. & Frain, Sylvia C. (2017). ‘Decolonize Oceania! Free Guåhan!’ Communicating resistance at the 2016 Festival of Pacific Arts. Amerasia Journal, 43(3), 2-34. Paper available at: https://doi.org/10.17953/aj.43.3.

    Monday, March 19, 2018

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  • MIL-OSI Reportage: Lumad people’s resistance – defending Indigenous communities

    Source: Pacific Media Centre

    Headline: Lumad people’s resistance – defending Indigenous communities – Analysis published with permission of PMC

    Event date and time: 

    Wed, 04/04/2018 – 4:30am – 6:00am

    PACIFIC MEDIA CENTRE SEMINAR 2/2018: INDIGENOUS LUMAD PEOPLE’S RIGHT TO EDUCATION, AUTONOMY AND DIGNITY

    The Indigenous Lumad people’s Our Right to Education, Autonomy and Dignity (READ) Programme in the Philippines is rooted in the vision that every child deserves the basic human right of an education.

    Today the majority of Lumad children in the southern island of Mindanao remain illiterate and have limited access to education.

    Salupongan International is committed to sustaining culture-responsive basic education programmes and schools that help Lumad and Moro students and communities obtain a quality education.

    SI currently supports hundreds of indigenous scholars, teachers and faculty from Salupongan Ta Tanu Igkanugon Community Learning Centers (STTICLC), Mindanao Interfaith Services Foundation Inc. (MISFI) Academy and other community schools throughout Mindanao.  STTICLC and MISFI Academy has provided free, quality culture-responsive education to underserved indigenous, Moro and rural communities throughout Mindanao for over a decade.  

    Two Lumad advocates visiting New Zealand will speak on the issues at the Pacific Media Centre seminar at Auckland University of Technology. Jointly organised by Philippine Solidarity, Asia Pacific Human Rights Coalition (APHRC) and the PMC.

    Contact: Del Abcede

    When: 4 April 2018, 4.30-6pm

    Where: TBC

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  • MIL-OSI Reportage: Harsh response lessons abound in wake of PNG’s ‘invisible’ quake

    Source: Dr David Robie – Café Pacific – Analysis-Reportage:

    Headline: Harsh response lessons abound in wake of PNG’s ‘invisible’ quake

    Timu village from the top showing the site where 11 people were buried
    by landslips during the earthquake on
    26 February 2018. Four of the
    bodies have been recovered, seven are still buried, including five
    children.
    Image: Sylvester Gawi/Graun Blong Mi- My Land

    By David Robie

    Tomorrow Papua New Guinea is marking two weeks since the devastating 7.6 magnitude earthquake that devastated

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Reportage: Micronesian militarism – considering climate change

    Source: Pacific Media Centre

    Headline: Micronesian militarism – considering climate change – Analysis published with permission of PMC

    Event date and time: 

    Wed, 30/05/2018 – 4:30pm – 6:00pm

    PACIFIC MEDIA CENTRE SEMINAR 4/2018:
    MICRONESIAN MILITARISM – CONSIDERING CLIMATE CHANGE
    Pacific Media Centre’s postdoctoral research fellow, Dr Sylvia C Frain, explores the connections between climate change and United States (US) militarism in Micronesia and how both impact the daily life of Micronesians living in Hawai‘i. She is most interested in the everyday experience of Micronesians in relation to climate change and US militarisation from local perspectives. So often media narratives are dominated by outside interests and the US military, which overshadows discussion on climate change. Dr Frain seeks to highlight Micronesian narratives and the role that new media plays in sharing these experiences.

    Dr Frain is traveling to the North Pacific in April/May and will report back after attending the 7th International Environmental Futures Conference, held at the East-West Center, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, as well as speaking with students and faculty at the University of Hawai‘i, participants with the Jobs Corps programme on Māui, and those living in the Marianas Archipelago on the islands of Guam, Saipan, and Tinian.

    Dr Frain will also facilitate a new media workshop open to all community members in the Marianas Archipelago who are interested in using new media platforms to disseminate research. She will assist the participants in converting their research into a format that is shareable across new media platforms (including, but not limited to: Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Change.org).

    Who: Dr Sylvia C Frain, research fellow at the Pacific Media Centre

    When: May 30, 2018
    4.30pm-6pm

    Where: Sir Paul Reeves Building
    Auckland University of Technology
    City Campus
    Room WG903A

    Contact: Dr Frain

    Event on Facebook

     

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  • MIL-OSI Reportage: Asia Pacific Journalism projects and internships 2018

    Source: Pacific Media Centre

    Headline: Asia Pacific Journalism projects and internships 2018 – Analysis published with permission of PMC

    Tuesday, February 27, 2018

    The Pacific Media Centre is running several Asia-Pacific projects again this year and along with Asia Pacific Journalism (Semester 2) we have a new special paper to match – International Journalism Project (JOUR810).

    The deadline for applications is Friday, March 2, at 4pm.

    Send applications to: jessie.hsu@aut.ac.nz
    Copy to: david.robie@aut.ac.nz

    This year’s projects on offer:

    Bearing Witness climate change project: Two weeks in Fiji in mid-semester break to experience and cover climate issues. Based at the University of the South Pacific. The PMC pays for return airfares, accommodation and a living koha. Apply and if selected, this counts towards JOUR810 international Journalism Project. More information. Contact: david.robie@aut.ac.nz
    Possibly a Fiji elections project in the Second Semester mid-semester break (watch this space).

    Pacific Media Watch freedom project: 10 hours a week, paid at HRT08 rates, reporting and editing on media freedom, ethics, educational, training and ownership issues for the digital websites Asia Pacific Report and Pacific Media Watch. More information. Contact: david.robie@aut.ac.nz

    NZ Institute for Pacific Research reporting Pacific research project: A part-time internship with the University of Auckland’s Centre for Pacific Studies, but working out of AUT. Organised by the Pacific Media Centre in collaboration with NZIPR. 10 hours a week, paid at HRT08 rates. This assignment involves researching and news gathering and writing profiles about Pacific researchers and their projects. More Information. Contact: david.robie@aut.ac.nz Managed by Research Operations Manager Dr Gerry Cottrell at NZIPR.

    Asia Pacific Report international news website: Internships are available on application. More information. Contact: david.robie@aut.ac.nz

    Postgraduate students are preferred but there may be opportunities for final-year journalism major students.

    Below: Kendall Hutt, one of the 2017 Bearing Witness climate journalists, talks to David Robie about the project. Video: PMC

    Attachment Size
    Asia Pacific Journalism Studies_2018flyer.pdf 561.13 KB
    JOUR810 International Journalism Project – climate change FIJI_2018flyer.pdf 663.61 KB
    PMW project2018_editorjobdesc_sem1-2.pdf 453.23 KB
    PACIFIC RESEARCH JOURNALISM PROJECT 2018 Final.pdf 412.54 KB

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  • MIL-OSI Reportage: WPFD, Indonesia and media ‘open door’ to West Papua

    Source: Pacific Media Centre

    Headline: WPFD, Indonesia and media ‘open door’ to West Papua – Analysis published with permission of PMC

    Event date and time: 

    Thu, 03/05/2018 – 4:03pm – 6:00pm

    PACIFIC MEDIA CENTRE SEMINAR 3/2018:
    WPFD, INDONESIA AND MEDIA ‘OPEN DOOR’ TO WEST PAPUA
    As the world marks World Press Freedom Day on May 3, Pacific Media Centre’s director, Professor David Robie, talks about the challenges of “press freedoms” in the world’s most populous Muslim nation, Indonesia. David was one of only two New Zealanders among the 1500 global journalists, media policy makers and communication researchers present at the last WPFD conference in Jakarta last May. He was also a keynote speaker at the “Press Freedom in West Papua” seminar in Jakarta organised by the Papuan chapter of the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) in spite of attempts by local authorities to gag the issue at the conference. David also visited a progressive new research library founded by celebrated Australian author, researcher, activist and Indonesian affairs expert Max Lane in the cultural and educational city of Yogyakarta on this trip. he also spoke to Papuan university students at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) while he was in Yogya.

    He will share his experiences and reflect on media freedom issues in Indonesia amid a disturbing and growing intolerance towards the secular traditions of the republic and the implications for West Papua.

    David’s trip to WPFD was funded by the School of Communication Studies and he has had research papers published in Media Asia and other publications about the issues. David is editor of Pacific Journalism Review and Asia Pacific Report and convenor of Pacific Media Watch freedom project at AUT.

    World Press Freedom Day 2018 in Ghana – ‘Keeping Power in Check’

    An Indonesian oasis of progressive creativity emerges in culture city

    Who: Professor David Robie, director of the Pacific Media Centre

    When: May 3, 2018
    4.30pm-6pm

    Where: Sir Paul Reeves Building
    Auckland University of Technology
    City Campus
    Room WG907

    Contact: Professor Robie

    Event on Facebook
     

    PACIFIC MEDIA CENTRE SEMINAR 3/2018:
    WPFD, INDONESIA AND ‘OPEN DOOR’ TO WEST PAPUA
    As the world marks World Press Freedom Day on May 3, Pacific Media Centre’s director, Professor David Robie, talks about the challenges of “press freedoms” in the world’s most populous Muslim nation, Indonesia. David was one of only two New Zealanders among the 1500 global journalists, media policy makers and communication researchers present at the last WPFD conference in Jakarta last May

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  • MIL-OSI Reportage: Tanah Papua, Asia-Pacific news blind spots and citizen media: From the ‘Act of Free Choice’ betrayal to a social media revolution

    Source: Pacific Media Centre

    Headline: Tanah Papua, Asia-Pacific news blind spots and citizen media: From the ‘Act of Free Choice’ betrayal to a social media revolution – Analysis published with permission of PMC

    For five decades Tanah Papua, or the West Papua half of the island of New Guinea on the intersection of Asia and the Pacific, has been a critical issue for the region with a majority of the Melanesian population supporting self-determination, and ultimately independence. While being prepared for eventual post-war independence by the Dutch colonial authorities, Indonesian paratroopers and marines invaded the territory in 1962 in an ill-fated military expedition dubbed Operation Trikora (‘People’s Triple Command’). However, this eventually led to the so-called Act of Free Choice in 1969 under the auspices of the United Nations in a sham referendum dubbed by critics as an ‘Act of No Choice’ which has been disputed ever since as a legal basis for Indonesian colonialism. A low-level insurgency waged by the OPM (Free West Papua Movement) has also continued and Jakarta maintains its control through the politics of oppression and internal migration. For more than five decades, the legacy media in New Zealand have largely ignored this issue on their doorstep, preferring to give attention to Fiji and a so-called coup culture instead. In the past five years, social media have contributed to a dramatic upsurge of global awareness about West Papua but still the New Zealand legacy media have failed to take heed. This article also briefly introduces other Asia-Pacific political issues—such as Kanaky, Timor-Leste, Papua New Guinean university student unrest, the militarisation of the Mariana Islands and the Pacific’s Nuclear Zero lawsuit against the nine nuclear powers—ignored by a New Zealand media that has no serious tradition of independent foreign correspondence.

    Researcher profile

    Robie, D. (2017). Tanah Papua, Asia-Pacific news blind spots and citizen media: From the ‘Act of Free Choice’ betrayal to a social media revolution. Pacific Journalism Review, 23(2): 159-178. Paper available at: https://doi.org/10.24135/pjr.v23i2.334

    Thursday, November 30, 2017

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  • MIL-OSI Reportage: Flashback to the 1968 My Lai massacre: ‘Something dark and bloody’

    Source: Dr David Robie – Café Pacific – Analysis-Reportage:

    Headline: Flashback to the 1968 My Lai massacre: ‘Something dark and bloody’

    RT’s special report on the My Lai massacre and the cover-up of this atrocity.

    THE MELBOURNE Sunday Observer — the original paper of that name which campaigned against Australian involvement as a US surrogate in the Vietnam War — published photographs of the My Lai massacre in December 1969. It was prosecuted for “obscenity” for reporting the obscenity but the charge was later dropped.

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  • MIL-OSI Reportage: ‘A cloud over Bukidnon forest’ – the Lumad indigenous rights struggle in Mindanao

    Source: Pacific Media Centre

    Headline: ‘A cloud over Bukidnon forest’ – the Lumad indigenous rights struggle in Mindanao – Analysis published with permission of PMC

    THE MOOD in the chapel on the outskirts of Malaybalay, capital of Bukidnon province was somber. Six datu (chiefs) and several delegates of the indigenous tribal Lumad people of the region were airing their concerns about a controversial New Zealand-backed $5.7 million forestry aid project for the Philippines. Ironically, less than 100 metres away, in a derelict building nestling amid a plantation of benguet pines on land earmarked for the project, were living about 80 “squatters” who in a sense symbolised the problem at the root of the scheme. Squatters would be the term used by some New Zealand officials and their technical advisers. But it was hardly appropriate, and reflected the insensitivity to many of the social and economic problems in the province. The homeless people belonged to the Bukidnon Free Farmers and Agricultural Labourers’ Organisation, or Buffalo, as it was generally known. Their story was one of injustice, victimisation and harassment, only too common in the Philippines.

    The opening two paragraphs of Chapter 14 in David Robie’s 2014 book Don’t Spoil My Beautiful Face: Media, Mayhem and Human Rights in the Pacific (Auckland: Little Island Press) summarising his investigation in 1989/1990 into the the controversial $6 million New Zealand forestry aid programme in Bukidnon province, Mindanao, Philippines with a series of articles published in The Dominion and the NZ Listener and other publications.

    Robie, D. (2014). A cloud over Bukidnon forest. Chapter 14 in Robie, D., Don’t Spoil My Beautiful Face: Media, Mayhem and Human Rights in the Pacific (pp. 174-183). Available at: ResearchGate

    RESEARCH: David Robie: THE MOOD in the chapel on the outskirts of Malaybalay, capital of Bukidnon province was somber. Six datu (chiefs) and several delegates of the indigenous tribal Lumad people of the region were airing their concerns about a controversial New Zealand-backed $5.7 million forestry aid project for the Philippines.

    Saturday, April 7, 2018
    “Squatters” on their ancestral tribal land in 1989. Conrado Dumindin (second from right rear) and other Lumads in Bukidnon Forest, Mindanao, Philippines.
    (16) A cloud over Bukidnon [forest]. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/324273184_A_cloud_over_Bukidnon_forest [accessed Apr 07 2018]. Image: David Robie

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  • MIL-OSI Reportage: PMC’s Bearing Witness 2018 crew arrive in Fiji

    Source: Pacific Media Centre

    Headline: PMC’s Bearing Witness 2018 crew arrive in Fiji – Analysis published with permission of PMC

    Touchdown Fiji … Last week: Our intrepid Pacific Media Centre Bearing Witness climate media team Blessen Tom (left below) and Hele Ikimotu Christopher prepping in Auckland before departure … Now: On the ground at the University of the South Pacific.

    Full story

    Touchdown Fiji … Last week: Our intrepid Pacific Media Centre Bearing Witness climate media team Blessen Tom (left below) and Hele Ikimotu Christopher prepping in Auckland before departure

    Climate change continues to take its toll on small island nations such as Kiribati and Tuvalu. Image: File – Kiribati in 2009. Jodie Gatfield/AusAID/Wansolwara
    Sunday, April 15, 2018

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  • MIL-OSI Reportage: Pacific nuclear activist-poet tells stories through culture – and her latest poem

    Source: Pacific Media Centre

    Headline: Pacific nuclear activist-poet tells stories through culture – and her latest poem – Analysis published with permission of PMC

    Tuesday, April 17, 2018

    Sylvia C. Frain reports from Hawai’i on the release of a poetry work focusing on the impact of nuclear activity in the Marshall Islands.

    Nuclear activist, writer and poet Kathy Jetñil-Kijner from the Marshall Islands has launched her new poetry work which has a focus on nuclear weapons.

    Her newest poem, “Anointed” can be seen as a short film by Dan Lin on YouTube.

    At da Shop bookstore for the official launch of her poem, Jetñil-Kijner shared her writing process inspiration with the gathered audience.

    “I knew this poem could not be a broad nuclear weapons poem, but I needed to narrow the focus,”  says Jetñil-Kijner.

    The project, which has an aim to personalise the ban of nuclear weapons, began during a talk-story session with photojournalist Lin three years ago in a café.

    Jetñil-Kijner told Lin that she wanted to perform a poem on the radioactive dome located on what remains of the Runit Island in the Enewetak Atoll Chain.

    Lin, who before this project worked as “only a photojournalist,”  agreed to document this collaborative “experiment”.  Lin spoke of how Jetñil-Kijner’s previous poems  had the “Kathy effect” which were filmed with only an iPhone and went viral across digital platforms. 

    However, they agreed that this story deserved more in-depth documentation.  They partnered with the non-profit organisation,  Pacific Resources for Education and Learning (PREL) and with the Okeanos Foundation, specialising in sustainable sea transport. Travelling by Walap/Vaka Motu/Ocean Canoe for 11 days, Okeanos Marshall Islands ensured that zero carbon emissions were used and the experience served as a way to connect with the sea.

    Runit Island
    The radioactive dome on Runit Island is one of 14 islands in the Enewetak Atoll Chain, and the farthest atoll in the Ralik chain of the Marshall Islands. Enewetak and surrounding area has been studied scientifically after the 43 nuclear bomb explosions (out of the 67 total nuclear tests in the Marshall Islands) by the United States between 1948-1958.

    Dubbed the “Cactus Crater”, Runit Island has limited economic possibilities. It is not a tourist destination nor has ability to export goods. No one will visit or purchase products from a radioactive location. This leaves the community dependent on funding from the United States. While many are grateful, they truly want to self-sustaining future. 

    While conducting research for the poem, Jetñil-Kijner found that most of the literature is scientific and by journalists or researchers who do not include the voices of the local community or share the end results. Jetñil-Kijner wanted to create a poem focusing on the story of place beyond the association as a bombing site, and ask, “what is the island’s story?”

    She learned from the elders that the island was considered the “pantry of the chiefs with lush vegetation, watermelons, and strong trees to build canoes”. As one of the remote atolls, the community consisted of navigators and canoe-builders with a thriving canoe culture.

    Both Lin and Jetñil-Kijner said visiting the atolls was emotional and that approaching the dome felt like “visiting a sick relative you never met”.

    The voyage included community discussions with elders and a writing workshop with the youth. Since the story of the dome is not usually a “happy one” the gatherings and workshops served as a method for the people to tell their stories not covered in the media or reported in US government documents.

    Creating the poem with the community also required different protocols and Jetñil-Kijner thanked the community for generously sharing their knowledge and stories. She spoke to how the video connects the local community with a global audience across digital platforms. 

    Digital technology and the future
    Despite the remote location and distance as an outer island, there is limited wi-fi and the community has access to Facebook. These technological advances help with visualising these previous unfamiliar spaces, including using a drone to capture aerial shots of the dome and the rows of replanted but radioactive coconut trees.

    Supported by the Pacific Storytellers Cooperative, a digital platform for publishing Pacific voices, more young people are able to tell their stories online and foster relationships beyond the atoll.  

    The newest generation is raising awareness through the incorporation of cultural knowledge combined with new media technologies to tell their stories. Empowered young leaders continue to unpack the layers of the nuclear legacy while highlighting their unique community and culture.

    The Anointed poem and film serves as an educational resource to highlight the nuclear legacy and ongoing environmental issues in the Marshall Islands. This piece also promotes community justice and is a visual learning tool. Jetñil-Kijner and Lin encourage others to share Anointed and to join the call to action to ban nuclear weapons.

    This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3

    CULTURE: Sylvia C. Frain: On Saturday, nuclear activist, writer and poet Kathy Jetñil-Kijner from the Marshall Islands launched her new poetry work which has a focus on nuclear weapons. Her newest poem, “Anointed” can be seen as a short film by Dan Lin on YouTube.

    https://www.kathyjetnilkijiner.com/
    Nuclear activist and poet Kathy Jetñil-Kijner … exploring the “pantry of the chiefs with lush vegetation, watermelons, and strong trees to build canoes”. Image: Kathy Jetñil-Kijner

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  • MIL-OSI Reportage: Auckland’s iconic Diwali and Lantern Festivals secure naming rights partnership with BNZ

    Source: BNZ statements

    Two of the country’s most iconic cultural celebrations, the Auckland Diwali Festival and the Auckland Lantern Festival, will continue to delight locals and visitors thanks to a new naming rights sponsorship agreement with the Bank of New Zealand (BNZ) announced today.

    The Auckland Diwali Festival, known as ‘The Festival of Lights’, draws over 60,000 attendees annually. Since its inception in 2002, the festival has been a vibrant showcase, featuring traditional and contemporary music, dance, and stalls offering Indian delicacies and crafts.

    The Auckland Lantern Festival, founded in 2000, marks the culmination of the Chinese New Year festivities. As Auckland’s largest annual festival and New Zealand’s largest Chinese cultural festival, it attracts over 170,000 attendees each year. With its recent move to the Manukau Sports Bowl, the festival promises to deliver a fantastic celebration.

    BNZ CEO Dan Huggins says, “We’re delighted to throw our support behind two of New Zealand’s best loved and attended festivals.”

    “Our sponsorship of the Auckland Diwali and Lantern Festivals reflects our commitment to growing the social, cultural, and financial wellbeing of New Zealanders. These events align with that mission, bringing hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders from all backgrounds together each year to celebrate Aotearoa’s rich cultural and ethnic diversity.

    “We are thrilled to help bring these free family-friendly events to life from 2023 and beyond.”

    Tātaki Auckland Unlimited Chief Executive, Nick Hill, says the partnership is a significant one.

    “As one of New Zealand’s most recognisable brands, we are thrilled that BNZ is partnering with two of Auckland’s most popular cultural festivals. It’s a great example of how Tātaki Auckland Unlimited is working with the private sector to reduce the reliance on ratepayer funding, while still delivering world-class cultural experiences that inevitably make Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland a great place to live, work, and visit.”

    This year’s Auckland Diwali Festival will take place on 4-5 November at Aotea Square and Queen Street. Auckland Lantern Festival will be held at the Manukau Sports Bowl from 22 -25 February next year.

    The post Auckland’s iconic Diwali and Lantern Festivals secure naming rights partnership with BNZ appeared first on BNZ Debrief.

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  • MIL-OSI Reportage: Boost for early breast cancer detection in New Zealand

    Source: BNZ statements

    The mission to improve the rates of early breast cancer detection in New Zealand has been given a three tonne, 188 horsepower boost, with BNZ gifting a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van to Breast Cancer Foundation New Zealand’s fleet of breast health education vehicles.

    As Breast Cancer Foundation NZ begins a series of events to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month, including the Pink Ribbon Walk and the Pink Ribbon Street Appeal, it’s CEO Ah-Leen Rayner, says, “Early detection is one of the best tools we have to beat breast cancer. With this new vehicle from BNZ, we will be able to better support remote parts of New Zealand and ensure all our communities can access life-saving breast health education.”

    BNZ CEO Dan Huggins says the gift reflects the bank’s commitment to support the communities it’s proud to serve.

    “We’re delighted to support the Foundation’s mission, particularly during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The Foundation has played a vital role reaching into communities across Aotearoa for decades, and with this contribution we look forward to seeing this life-saving work reach even more New Zealanders.”

    Since 2014, the Foundation’s early detection education programme has been run across New Zealand through its Pink Caravan, but the iconic retro vehicle relies on volunteers with the ability to tow it around the country.

    The addition of the vehicle gifted by BNZ will enable the Foundation’s nurses and other staff to access remote regions the caravan couldn’t easily get to, allowing the charity to talk to even more women and whānau about the importance of early detection, without relying on volunteers.

    The importance of early breast cancer detection is underscored by a ten-year survival rate for women diagnosed early standing at 95 percent. The Foundation, in collaboration with Breast Screen Aotearoa, has been leading the charge, especially in areas with low screening rates.

    “We know how important early detection is, particularly for Māori and Pacific women, who have poorer outcomes when it comes to breast cancer,” says Rayner. “That’s why our early detection programme is so vital and is a key theme in our breast health messaging – the importance of regular mammograms and self-checks.”

    The former BNZ sprinter van is being overhauled to set it up for community outreach. Once finished, it will boast consultation spaces, technology and an awning for outdoor events, all tailored for breast health education and community engagement. It is also being wrapped in bright pink Breast Cancer Foundation vehicle colours.

    “We’re incredibly grateful to BNZ for contributing to our early detection programme, giving us the ability to access more remote locations, be more flexible with the timing of our visits, and increase the frequency of our visits.”

    Breast Cancer Foundation NZ’s latest vehicle will be on the road early next year.

    The post Boost for early breast cancer detection in New Zealand appeared first on BNZ Debrief.

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  • MIL-OSI Reportage: No card? No problem: New Zealanders can now shop online without a credit or debit card

    Source: BNZ statements

    Ka whangaia, ka tupu, ka puawai (“that which is nurtured will grow and blossom”)

     New Zealanders can now easily shop online without needing a credit or debit card, thanks to an API agreement between homegrown Māori fintech start-up BlinkPay and the Bank of New Zealand (BNZ).

    BlinkPay provides a platform that connects businesses with their customers using BNZ’s secure API built to Payments NZ standards – a tool allowing third-party services to securely connect with BNZ accounts, with customer consent.

    Blink PayNow is a new payment solution that makes online shopping easy by enabling account to account payments within New Zealand with only a couple of clicks, eliminating the need for a credit or debit card, while reducing transaction fees for merchants.

    “As pioneers in the API payment solutions space, BlinkPay is proud to collaborate with BNZ, which is a leader in the NZ financial services sector,” says Adrian Smith (Ngāpuhi), Chief Product Officer and co-founder of BlinkPay.

    “This collaboration allows BNZ merchants to access BlinkPay’s payment products like Blink PayNow and, in the future, Blink AutoPay. Both products provide a straightforward and secure payment method from a customer’s BNZ bank account.”

    Karna Luke, BNZ’s Executive of Customer Products & Services, says it’s about simplifying the digital economy and making it accessible to more New Zealanders.

    “Whether it’s for the latest fashion, an annual insurance premium, or other domestic online purchases, this service makes it possible to easily pay for your shopping online with just a bank account.

    “Enabled through our secure API, this is a step forward for inclusive banking in Aotearoa, reducing barriers and making it easier for consumers and businesses to benefit from the digital economy.”

    BNZ has been providing open banking services since 2018 and has consistently led the market in New Zealand in releasing APIs. It is a strong supporter of industry moves toward secure standards for open banking, and its APIs are already being used by a range of different organisations and companies, from local councils to financial service providers, fintechs, and many more.

    How Blink PayNow works 

    At checkout on a BlinkPay-integrated website, customers simply select Blink PayNow and choose their bank. They are then redirected to their bank’s portal, where payment details are pre-filled.

    After reviewing and confirming the payment from their mobile banking app, customers are taken back to the merchant’s site with a successful payment notification.

    No credit card details, no lengthy forms, just a few mouse clicks or taps on your smartphone.

     

     

    Making it cheaper to do business

    In addition to providing a user-friendly, secure and accessible payment option for customers, businesses using BlinkPay will also benefit from cheap fees. BlinkPay’s standard fee is 0.95% per transaction, capped at $3.00 NZD, and there is no cost to consumers who pay through the service.

    “We’re proud to offer cheaper fees to New Zealand businesses than our multinational rivals. Reduced fees make it easier for businesses to be competitive in the marketplace, which is also good news for consumers,” Mr Smith says.

    To introduce this new feature, BlinkPay is offering BNZ-merchants a special deal: no integration fees and half-price transaction fees until 31 December 2023. Merchants can get this offer by signing up on BlinkPay’s website by the 30th of September 2023.

    For more details on this payment method, visit BlinkPay’s official website.

    The post No card? No problem: New Zealanders can now shop online without a credit or debit card appeared first on BNZ Debrief.

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  • MIL-OSI Reportage: BNZ FY23 Results: Solid performance as economy slows

    Source: BNZ statements

    BNZ announced a statutory net profit of $1,509 million for the 12 months to 30 September 2023, up 6.7% or $95 million on the previous year. The result reflects a strong first half, with a decline in Net Profit of 12.5% in the second half reflecting the broader economic slowdown in New Zealand.

    CEO Dan Huggins says challenging economic conditions have impacted business and household confidence and this has flowed through into BNZ’s result in the second half of the year.

    “Inflation, while softening, remains high, and as the official cash rate has risen, businesses and households have taken a more cautious approach to borrowing.

    “Despite the slowing economy and intense competition across the banking sector, we’ve continued to see growth across the business as more New Zealanders choose to bank with BNZ.

    “Customer deposits are up 5.8% to $78.5 billion compared to the same period last year. Home lending increased 5.3% to $57.7 billion, with nearly 5,000 home loan customers switching to BNZ from other lenders in the 12 months to 30 September.”

    Mr Huggins says BNZ remains strong, stable and well capitalised. “With more than $12 billion in total capital, we’re well positioned to continue supporting our customers and the New Zealand economy.”

    Supporting our customers 

    BNZ recognises the cost-of-living pressures that are challenging household budgets, and the concerns New Zealanders have about keeping safe from scams and frauds.

    “While most of our home lending customers have moved onto higher rates, we continue to proactively contact those who we have identified as potentially needing additional support,” says Mr Huggins.

    “With an increase in scams and fraud impacting more New Zealanders, protecting our customers and helping them stay safe online remains a priority. We continue to invest significantly in fraud protection measures, and we support the establishment of a multi-agency anti-scam centre and the introduction of account name and number matching, which will add additional layers of protection for New Zealanders.

    “We continue to work alongside our business customers as they navigate their way through a variety of ongoing challenges. The impacts of adverse economic conditions and this year’s severe weather events are still being felt by a number of our customers.

    “We have made $1 billion in low-cost lending available through our Business Recovery and Resilience Fund, committed more than $50 million in interest relief, and provided nearly $900,000 in cash and community grants,” says Mr Huggins.

    Outlook 

     Economic growth is expected to remain flat for the next 12 months, however, Mr Huggins says BNZ is cautiously optimistic that business and household confidence will begin to rebuild in 2024.

    “New Zealanders are resilient, and while the year ahead will remain challenging, we are optimistic about New Zealand’s future potential and prosperity. As BNZ has done for the past 160 years, we’ll continue to support our customers and New Zealand.”

     Key Financial Items

     Note: compared to the year ended 30 September 2022, unless otherwise stated.

     Statutory net profit of $1,509 million increased by $95 million, or 6.7%

    • Loans and advances to customers increased by $2.5 billion to $102 billion driven by home loan growth
    • Customer deposits and other borrowings increased $2.8 billion to $81 billion
    • KiwiSaver funds under management increased by $733 million, up 17%
    • Total Capital Ratio 15.7% – more than $12 billion invested in New Zealand

    An unaudited summary of financial information for the 12 months ended 30 September 2023 follows:

    The post BNZ FY23 Results: Solid performance as economy slows appeared first on BNZ Debrief.

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  • MIL-OSI Reportage: BNZ expands investment offering by launching High Growth Funds for the BNZ KiwiSaver Scheme and YouWealth

    Source: BNZ statements

    From today, members of the BNZ KiwiSaver Scheme and investors in YouWealth have the option of investing into High Growth Fund options.

    The two High Growth Funds invest 100% in growth assets, providing the potential for higher returns for those who are more long-term minded and understand that it means holding investments through the market cycle which can have its ups and downs.

    BNZ’s General Manager of Wealth Peter Forster says the funds provide those with a long investment timeframe with the opportunity to take a more aggressive approach.

    “We’re excited to give our customers the choice of a fund that will suit people who are prepared to weather the inevitable market turbulence through their investment journey,” he says.

    BNZ has chosen to charge the same low 0.45% per annum fee for the two High Growth Funds as it does across the majority of its BNZ KiwiSaver Scheme and YouWealth funds (the exceptions being the BNZ KiwiSaver Scheme Cash (0.30% p.a. and Default (0.35% p.a. funds).

    “A management fee of just 0.45% for funds that invest 100% in equities represents real value in a market where investors are frequently charged in excess of 1% for more aggressive funds,” says Mr Forster.

    BNZ is also launching an updated version of its KiwiSaver Navigator tool today that will recommend the High Growth Fund when appropriate.

    The tool will provide users with a detailed breakdown of steps they need to take to get back on track if they are not currently predicted to reach their savings targets. These steps could include increasing contribution rate, changing fund choice or delaying retirement or first home purchase.

    BNZ customers can request a KiwiSaver Navigator session by visiting a BNZ branch or over the phone.

     

    Disclaimer:

    BNZ Investment Services Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of New Zealand (‘BNZ’), is the issuer and manager of the BNZ KiwiSaver Scheme and YouWealth. Download a copy of the relevant Product Disclosure Statement from bnz.co.nz/kiwisaver or bnz.co.nz/youwealth.

    Investments made in the BNZ KiwiSaver Scheme or YouWealth do not represent deposits or other liabilities of BNZ or any other member of the National Australia Bank Limited group, and are subject to investment risk, including possible delays in repayment and loss of income and principal invested. None of BNZ or any other member of the National Australia Bank Limited group, the Supervisor, and any director of any of them, the Crown or any other person guarantees (either fully or in part) the performance or returns of the BNZ KiwiSaver Scheme or YouWealth, or the repayment of capital.

    The post BNZ expands investment offering by launching High Growth Funds for the BNZ KiwiSaver Scheme and YouWealth appeared first on BNZ Debrief.

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  • MIL-OSI Reportage: BNZ Foundation backs marine restoration, social vehicle leasing and community support network in first round of partnerships

    Source: BNZ statements

    Restoring marine biodiversity, empowering low-income families with affordable low-emissions transport, and developing new ways to support New Zealanders facing financial difficulty are the focus of three projects selected for support through the BNZ Foundation’s inaugural grant round.

    $590,000 will go to three charitable programmes: Revive Our Gulf, Waka Aronui, and a new partnership aimed at improving community resilience.

    “This marks a significant milestone for the Foundation as we transition from planning to action,” says Dan Huggins, BNZ Foundation Chair. “After 18 months laying the groundwork for the Foundation, we’re delighted to now be in the position to provide tangible support to projects that will make a significant, positive difference for New Zealand.

    “The organisations we are partnering with share our vision for a more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Aotearoa and align with our funding mandate to make strategic investments in the areas of regenerating biodiversity and improving financial wellbeing,” Mr Huggins says.

    Restoring the Hauraki Gulf’s marine ecosystem

    Revive Our Gulf—spearheaded by the Mussel Reef Restoration Trust in collaboration with iwi and research partners—is set to receive a significant boost with a three-year, $450,000 commitment from the BNZ Foundation.

    The project is at the forefront of restoring the Hauraki Gulf’s soft sediment kūtai (green lipped mussel) reefs: vital ecosystems that once flourished in the region. The project aims to increase biodiversity, enhance water quality, and re-establish critical natural habitats for marine life.

    Revive Our Gulf has already deployed over 350 tonnes of mussels in experimental mussel beds in the Hauraki Gulf. As these beds continue to grow in number, thorough monitoring becomes increasingly important. The BNZ Foundation’s financial support will fuel the development of a comprehensive programme for monitoring, evaluating, and reporting on the Gulf’s health and the effectiveness of restoration efforts.

    Empowering low-income families with sustainable transportation

    Currently in the second year of a three-year pilot in south Auckland, Waka Aronui is a social car leasing programme which aims to provide low-income whānau with safe, affordable, and low-emissions vehicles to support an equitable transition to a greener future.

    Many low-income families grapple with costly, high-interest vehicle finance, often leading to unaffordable, poorly maintained, and uninsured vehicles. The pilot, spearheaded by the Ākina Foundation and the Manukau Urban Māori Authority, has shown promising results, improving financial and mental wellbeing, along with environmental benefits through CO2 emissions reductions.

    With a $110,000 grant from the BNZ Foundation, a comprehensive feasibility study will explore options to scale the programme to new regions across New Zealand as well as the potential to incorporate new solutions such as vehicle sharing and e-bikes.

    Growing the financial wellbeing of New Zealanders

    Thanks to seed funding from a range of philanthropic foundations, including a $30,000 contribution from the BNZ Foundation, The Centre for Sustainable Finance: Toitū Tahua is establishing a new partnership between corporates, iwi and community organisations to support more resilient communities. The partnership aims to foster collaboration between corporates and community organisations and encourage new practices, products and services that ensure New Zealanders facing economic hardship can always access essential goods and services.

    “These partnerships reflect our commitment to impactful investment. It’s about taking a targeted approach, making every dollar count, and ensuring that our resources bring about substantial and lasting positive change for the country,” says Mr Huggins.

    John McCarthy, BNZ Foundation Independent Trustee, says, “The investment decisions we make are deeply rooted in the principles of Kaitiakitanga and Manaakitanga, values that all our partners embody. We look forward to working closely with them and accelerating positive change for our communities.”

    For more information on the BNZ Foundation and its funding programmes, please visit bnz.co.nz/bnzfoundation.

    The post BNZ Foundation backs marine restoration, social vehicle leasing and community support network in first round of partnerships appeared first on BNZ Debrief.

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  • MIL-OSI Reportage: Unlocking home ownership aspirations for iwi housing – BNZ and Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei collaborate on papakāinga development

    Source: BNZ statements

    24 new whānau homes are under construction on Hawaiki St, Ōrākei in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, thanks to a new funding framework which enables lending for housing on iwi land. Bank of New Zealand (BNZ) collaborated with the central Tāmaki tangata whenua, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, in the development of the framework.

    Under the new model, hapū members who meet BNZ’s normal home lending criteria can secure a BNZ home loan for papakāinga housing on land owned by the Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Trust at standard home loan interest rates.

    “The framework has made home ownership more accessible for our whānau,” says Grant Kemble, CEO of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Whai Rawa. “BNZ’s commitment to work alongside us, understand our vision, and persevere through complex legal arrangements has been commendable.”

    “For our people that will move into these new homes, it will be the realisation of a dream: the security of home ownership on their whenua.”

    Historically, obtaining finance for housing on Māori owned land has been challenging. The unique ownership structure and restrictions on land transferability often meant that it couldn’t be used as security for loans, creating a significant barrier for Māori home ownership.

    To address this, the new framework employs standard leasehold mortgage lending practices, underpinned by a confidential Deed of Understanding. This ensures that in the face of any challenges, the land integrity and control is preserved with the iwi or hapū, in this case Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, who would take over in the event of a distressed mortgage. This approach balances the bank’s security requirements with the enduring land rights of the iwi.

    Developing the model involved significant legal work, which was undertaken with advice and guidance from Buddle Findlay and Russell McVeagh, who provided pro bono legal support to help enable the solution.

    BNZ believes the framework may hold promise for broader application among other iwi and the approach has been shared with other banks in the hopes that it will help expand access to finance for development on Māori land across New Zealand.

    BNZ CEO Dan Huggins says the prosperity of Māori, and Māori businesses, is vital to the prosperity of Aotearoa.

    “BNZ is committed to growing the social, cultural and financial wellbeing of all New Zealanders, and our collaboration with Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei is part of our wider strategy to facilitate financial solutions for Māori which enable Māori people and businesses to prosper.

    “Considerable thought has been invested in designing this framework to be as flexible as possible, and it has been shared with other financial institutions in the hope of extending its benefits to more iwi across New Zealand.

    “We are committed to helping New Zealand and New Zealanders to thrive and prosper. Our collaboration with Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei is another example of how we can achieve this. We hope this example will help more iwi to assist their people into warm, dry homes of their own.”

    Further bolstering the collaboration with Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, BNZ has provided a $20 million social loan, certified by EY New Zealand, to support the construction of the homes. Ground has broken on site, with roofing expected to be laid before the summer holidays. Completion of the homes is expected in 2024.



    The post Unlocking home ownership aspirations for iwi housing – BNZ and Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei collaborate on papakāinga development appeared first on BNZ Debrief.

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  • MIL-OSI Reportage: From red roses to red flags – BNZ warns of increase in relationship scams ahead of Valentine’s Day

    Source: BNZ statements

    On Valentine’s Day eve, BNZ is warning Kiwis to be wary of scammers with its customers reporting a 43% increase in relationship and romance scams over the past year.

    “There were 167 reported cases in 2023 – and they’re only the ones that we know about as many of these sorts of scams go unreported,” says BNZ’s Head of Financial Crime Ashley Kai Fong.

    This is up from 117 reported cases in 2022.

    “This shows that despite the headline grabbing nature of these types of scams, relationship scams are still very fertile ground criminals are using to exploit vulnerable Kiwis,” says Kai Fong.

    Relationship scams are a type of fraud where criminals pretend to be interested in a relationship with another person, sometimes for romance and occasionally simply for companionship, most commonly online, and then victims are conned out of their money or tricked into sharing personal details.

    “All scams can be devastating for victims, but relationship scams are particularly heinous given the time criminals invest in building the relationship with their victims. It can be months before the scammer hints or asks directly for money. They steal your heart, then they steal your money,” says Kai Fong.

    In a recent romance scam case, Barry (details have been changed) came to a BNZ branch wanting help to make an international payment to Italy. Barry revealed that the funds were going to his girlfriend’s friend for an airline ticket to New Zealand. They had been dating online for almost a year and he recently started sending his “girlfriend” money. The girlfriend had asked for the money to be sent to her “friend’s account” as her friend had the credit card to purchase the airline ticket.

    “There is so much social engineering involved in romance scam cases, and victims often don’t believe that they are caught up in a scam. That is what has happened in this case. Barry refused to believe this was a scam and despite being warned of the risks, he sent the money,” says Kai Fong.

    In another case, romance scam victim Sally (details have been changed) believed she was sending money to her US Army surgeon boyfriend stationed in Syria. But Sally’s “boyfriend” said he couldn’t access his bank account due to a poor internet connection and needed the money urgently to fly to NZ. This customer had already sent considerable funds to her “boyfriend” from a number of banks, despite being warned of the risks. The funds for the latest transaction were the proceeds of a personal loan from a finance company.

    “As in this case, criminals can go to great lengths to provide evidence to support their fake personas,” says Kai Fong.

    “They set up bogus social media profiles, and often share doctored documents such as boarding passes or letters from fake employers. While relationship scams primarily involve romantic relationships, criminals can also exploit friendships built up online too.

    “So, while we’ve got an eye out for red roses this Valentine’s Day, and I know it’s not very romantic, my plea is that New Zealanders keep an eye out for the red flags of romance scams this year too.”

    How to recognise a romance scam: 

    • Strong emotions are expressed within a short timeframe.
    • The scammer gives you excuses as to why they cannot meet in person or video call.
    • They’ve asked you to keep the relationship a secret.
    • You’re asked to provide financial assistance.
    • You’re asked to receive money on their behalf and forward it to them.

    Top tips to protect yourself from romance scams: 

    • Never send money or give personal or financial information to someone you have just met or have not met in person.
    • Do not trust someone who claims to be in love with you after a short time without meeting you.
    • Do not trust someone who asks you to communicate only through email, phone, or chat apps and avoids video calls or social media.
    • Do not trust someone who has a lot of excuses for not meeting you in person or who cancels plans at the last minute.
    • The internet is your friend – use reverse image search to check if their photos are stolen from someone else. Search for their name, email, phone number, or other details on the internet and see if they match what they have told you.
    • A great relationship isn’t a secret! Talk to your friends and family about your new relationship. They may be able to spot the signs of a scam that you may have missed.
    • Report any suspicious or fraudulent activity to the online platform where you met the person.  If you’ve sent any funds, contact your bank immediately.

    The post From red roses to red flags – BNZ warns of increase in relationship scams ahead of Valentine’s Day appeared first on BNZ Debrief.

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  • MIL-OSI Reportage: BNZ’s new low-cost rate loans make it easier for businesses to invest in green assets

    Source: BNZ statements

    Sustainability is increasingly front of mind for New Zealand businesses, from small startups to large corporates. Surveys by the Sustainable Business Network (SBN) reveal a strong commitment to sustainable practices among NZ corporates, while Stats NZ has found that a third of local businesses are investing in climate change measures. Yet, as RNZ reports, a significant gap remains: While the vast majority of the country’s small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are concerned about sustainability, more than 40 per cent report that they lack the knowledge and resources to become more sustainable. 

    Recognising this gap, BNZ has announced a refresh of its Green Business Loan proposition, including a limited time, low-cost rate Green Asset Finance Loan. This initiative is designed to help SMEs finance no and low emission vehicles and machinery such as electric forklifts, cars, trucks and buses, at a market leading fixed interest rate of 5.5% p.a. for up to five years, capped at $500k per customer. 

    “At BNZ, we’ve made a strategic commitment to help build a resilient, regenerative and inclusive Aotearoa for the long term and helping our SME customers reach their sustainability goals plays a huge role in achieving that,” says Alex West, BNZ’s Head of Sustainable Finance – Growth Sectors. 

    Supporting businesses to be more sustainable is not only key for New Zealand to achieve its climate change commitments, but also brings a range of other benefits, from supporting biodiversity and enhancing water quality to improving labour practices and delivering better social outcomes for our communities. 

    And as West points out, it also makes strong business sense.  

    “Switching to electric and plug in hybrid vehicles with BNZ’s Green Asset Finance Loan can significantly reduce fuel and maintenance costs, in addition to the emissions benefits. Being sustainable doesn’t mean sacrificing your bottom line – it’s actually crucial for long term financial success,” he says. 

    While BNZ’s Green Asset Finance offer is focused on clean transport and machinery assets, West says that the Bank’s wider Green Business Loan proposition can support a diverse range of sustainability initiatives. 

    “At BNZ, we’re seeing a growing desire among our customers to embark on their own sustainability journeys. They range from those who are already incorporating sustainability into their businesses to many who are keen to make a difference but don’t know exactly where to start.  

    “Our role is to be there as a trusted advisor, to guide and support them through the process. We collaborate closely with our customers, understanding their unique needs and aspirations, and together, develop sustainable finance solutions to not only benefit their businesses but also contribute positively to our communities and environment.” 

    South Island Forklifts’ sustainable shift with BNZ 

    South Island Forklifts, a forklift rental company in Christchurch that has been operating since 1999, has made a major move towards sustainability, investing heavily in eco-friendly electric forklifts, with the help of a Green Business Loan from BNZ. 

    “We saw adopting green electric forklifts as a logical step for us,” says the owner of South Island Forklifts, Jason Donnithorne. “These forklifts are the future of our industry, and we are dedicated to assisting our customers switch to a more sustainable fleet. 

    In addition to the environmental benefits of eliminating the need to regularly change used engine and transmission oils, green electric forklifts also have lower operating costs than fuel-powered forklifts. This is because the electricity they use is typically much cheaper than diesel or gasoline.   

    “With BNZ’s Green Business Loan, we’ve been able to purchase these environmentally friendly machines, which not only match our sustainability values but also offer cost savings to our customers. 

    “Our aim is to set an example,” he says. “We want to show the industry that making sustainable choices is not just beneficial for the planet – it’s good for business too.” 

    To discover how a BNZ Green Business or Green Asset Finance Loan can help your business reach its sustainability goals, visit our website or speak to your banker.

    Summary: BNZ Green Asset Loan  

    • Low-cost rate loans are available to finance a broad range of green assets. 
    • Market leading interest rate of 5.5% p.a., fixed for up to 5 years. 
    • Maximum loan of up to $500,000 per customer. For lending over $500,000, speak to a BNZ banker about what we can do.
    • Available until 17 May 2024 or until the total amount available is exhausted, for new and existing business customers with their main banking relationship with BNZ.
    • Eligibility criteria, terms and fees apply, including those that apply to the base product. 

    The post BNZ’s new low-cost rate loans make it easier for businesses to invest in green assets appeared first on BNZ Debrief.

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  • MIL-OSI Reportage: Douglas McKay to retire from the BNZ Board

    Source: BNZ statements

    BNZ today announced that Douglas McKay, ONZM, is retiring as a director of BNZ, effective 31 May 2024. Mr McKay has been a member of the BNZ Board since 5 March 2013 and has been the Chair since 1 August 2015.

    The BNZ Board has appointed Warwick Hunt, MNZM, to replace Mr McKay as the new Chair, effective 1 June 2024. Mr Hunt joined the BNZ Board on 1 November 2022 and is currently the Chair of the Board Audit Committee and a member of the Board Risk and Compliance Committee and the Board Due Diligence Committee.

    BNZ Chief Executive Officer Dan Huggins has acknowledged the outstanding contribution made by Mr McKay as a director and as Chair of the BNZ Board over a considerable number of years and wishes him well for the future.

    The post Douglas McKay to retire from the BNZ Board appeared first on BNZ Debrief.

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