Source: New Zealand Police (District News)
Emergency services are responding to a two-vehicle crash on Mouse Point Road, Hurunui.
The crash was reported just after 4:20pm, near Hanmer Springs Road.
Initial indications are that there are serious injuries.
The road is currently closed. Motorists are advised to avoid the area and expect delays.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
CBA has extended its commitment to regional Australia, with all regional branches to remain open until at least 31 July 2027.
Our focus is on supporting our customers in regional and remote communities into the future.
We’re actively and directly communicating with community leaders across Australia so we can serve and support our regional retail and business customers with their banking needs, as well as help familiarise communities with the full range of banking services available to them.
As part of maintaining Australia’s largest banking presence, CBA will this year invest $100 million in upgrading its branches and ATM fleet.
The extension of the commitment announced in July 2023 ensures CBA continues to offer the largest branch network in Australia and offers reassurance to regional communities.
Notes to Editor
Branch locations are defined in line with the Accessibility/Remoteness Index of Australia (ARIA+), which is recognised as a leading indicator of remoteness in Australia. ARIA+ is used by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) for its Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) Edition 3, and the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) for its annual ADI Points of Presence report. ARIA+ is an objective measure of physical distance of populations to services.
Source: Reserve Bank of India
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Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lisa Nissen, HERA Program Director – Health Workforce Optimisation Centre for the Business & Economics of Health, The University of Queensland
If you’ve tried to get an appointment to see a GP or specialist recently, you will likely have felt the impact of Australia’s doctor shortages.
To alleviate workforce shortages, the Queensland government is considering introducing health workers called physician assistants more widely to the state’s health system.
But the medical body representing physicians, the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, has warned thorough consultation with medical experts is needed first.
So what exactly are physician assistants? And are they the solution to our workforce issues we’ve been looking for? Let’s look at what the evidence says – and the lessons from abroad.
Physician assistants, also known as physician associates, are trained health professionals who work under the supervision of a doctor. They undertake a variety of tasks including:
In general practice, physician assistants may also provide preventative health care such as giving vaccinations and providing health advice.
Physician assistants commonly complete postgraduate-level university education and a hands-on training program. They may also need to have completed a health-based undergraduate degree.
In most countries, physician assistants work under a “delegation” model. This means the treating doctor and physician assistant together determine the tasks the physician assistant can undertake, depending on their competence. As their skills and knowledge increase, the level of supervision changes accordingly.
Similar roles have been used throughout history, including in the military. As early as the 1800s, trained assistants known as feldshers (or feldschers) provided basic medical care during times of war, for example in Russia, Bulgaria and Poland.
The contemporary physician assistant role evolved in the 1960s in the United States. It was initially designed to use the skills of medically trained military servicemen.
Since then, it has become an accepted and well established part of the health care team in the US, where the medical profession supports the physician assistant role and contributes to its regulation.
There are currently more than 178,000 physician assistants practising in the US, across a wide range of settings. Around one-quarter work in family/general medicine and one-fifth in rural and medically under-served areas.
Physician assistants can be found in many countries, including Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Germany and the Netherlands.
Australia previously trialled physician assistant in two states, Queensland and South Australia. Like other countries, the role was found to be effective and acceptable.
Most research about physician assistants originates from the US. Studies spanning several decades show physician assistants provide safe and appropriate care. They can competently undertake consultations, perform complex procedures, provide preventative health care, treat non-complex patients in the emergency department and provide a wide range of services in rural areas.
Most studies have reported patient satisfaction with the physician assistant role.
Research has found it’s cost-effective to use physician assistants, including for complex patients.
Physician assistants can improve the continuity of patient care in hospitals, as they remain with their supervising doctor rather than moving between hospital areas as trainee doctors do. This enables them to maintain consistent contact with patients, their families and other members of the health-care team.
Using physician assistants in emergency departments enables doctors to review more complex patients.
In surgery, physician assistants can reduce the workload on resident doctors. They can prepare patients for surgery, review them afterwards and perform some surgical procedures. They can also reduce the time patients stay in hospital.
Physician assistants can also provide care in rural and remote areas and have worked with Aboriginal health workers in remote areas of Australia.
Like many other countries, the Australian health workforce is under pressure. Recent reviews have highlighted the need to examine how the health system and workforce can more effectively meet the needs of the community. This includes making better use of all current health professions by enabling them to perform the tasks they have been trained to do.
Health professionals must ensure their care keeps patients safe and aligns with public expectations. This relies on appropriate education and training, funding and payment policies, governance and regulation. Effective regulation ensures health professionals are held accountable for their practice, according to defined professional practice expectations.
Despite physician assistants being trialled in Queensland and SA, the role did not gain the support of the medical profession. As a result, only a small number of physician assistants are currently practising. And Australia no longer provides education programs for physician assistants.
Several factors affected the acceptance of the physician assistant role.
Their skills and competence weren’t widely understood or recognised. This meant their scope of practice was poorly defined, which may have been confusing for both patients and health professionals.
The profession was also unable to access Medicare rebates or Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme subsidies for patient consultations or scripts. This limited their full involvement in some health services such as general practice.
Australia needs to learn from the available evidence when considering a possible role for physician assistants.
In the US and Canada, for example, a close relationship between the medical and physician assistant professions has provided guidance and support for the role, and ensured physician assistants are accountable for their practice, through the development of “expected standards” of practice.
As demand for health services increases, it makes sense to explore the addition of physician assistants to Australia’s health-care workforce, if safety and quality can be assured, and health care teams function optimally.
Lisa Nissen receives funding from the Commonwealth Department and Aging and jurisdictional health departments for research related to Health Workforce Optimization and team based care.
Lynda Cardiff 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. What are physician assistants? Can they fix the doctor shortage? – https://theconversation.com/what-are-physician-assistants-can-they-fix-the-doctor-shortage-247560
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Strangio, Emeritus Professor of Politics, Monash University
Is history repeating itself in Labor’s fortress state of Victoria?
At the 1990 federal election, Bob Hawke’s Labor government had a near-death experience when it lost nine seats in Victoria. A furious Hawke laid the blame squarely at the feet of John Cain’s state Labor government, which was listing badly in its third term due especially to a series of financial calamities.
Less than six months later, a broken Cain, one of Victoria’s great reformist premiers, resigned. His successor was Joan Kirner, the state’s first woman leader. Despite battling gamely, she was unable to avert a landslide Labor defeat in 1992.
Wind forward to the present and there are some eerily similar dynamics. Anthony Albanese’s government will shortly head to the polls at a time when Jacinta Allan’s ageing Labor administration is in deep political strife in a state groaning under mountainous public debt.
Saturday’s twin byelection results highlight state Labor’s parlous position. In the inner urban seat of Prahran, the ALP was so accepting of its lack of competitiveness that it didn’t field a candidate.
The Liberal Party achieved a modest primary vote swing of 4.8%, which was enough to snatch the decade-long held Greens seat.
In the outer western suburban seat of Werribee, Labor’s primary vote collapsed by more than 16%. But the Liberal Party only increased its first vote by a relatively paltry 3.7%. To put that in perspective, the Victorian Socialists enjoyed an equivalent lift in support.
Inevitably, much ink is being spilt trying to divine what these byelection results portend for the Albanese government. In short, whether the unpopularity of the Allan government threatens to unseat federal Labor and open the door to a Peter Dutton prime ministership.
Victoria has been a citadel for the ALP, both state and federal, for decades. John Howard’s dubbing of the state as the “Massachusetts of Australia” has become almost cliched so often it is invoked by journalists as a shorthand way of describing Victoria’s predisposition for left-of-centre voting behaviour. It is a label first ascribed to Victoria in the 19th century showing how long it has been known for its progressive political temperament. It is a trait coiled in the state’s political DNA.
Following the 2022 federal election, the Coalition held only 11 out of 39 seats in Victoria. The Liberals were nearly banished entirely from metropolitan Melbourne, where they now hold just two electorates, Deakin and Menzies (the fringe outer suburban seats of Casey and La Trobe are classified by the AEC as rural and provincial respectively).
To compound matters, boundary redistributions have since wiped out the Liberals’ margin in Deakin and turned Menzies into a notional Labor seat. All of this means that the federal Coalition must perform substantially better in Victoria, and specifically Melbourne, if its to have a viable path to power.
State Labor’s political doldrums have offered some hope to Dutton, who is targeting four seats in Victoria, and at a stretch, five: Aston, Chisholm, Goldstein (held by the Teal, Zoe Daniel), McEwen and Dunkley. Notably, only three of those seats – Aston, McEwen and Dunkley – are outer suburban. And the latter is considered the least likely to fall.
Nonetheless, the outer suburbs are a key to Dutton’s election strategy. It’s where he is seeking a major realignment of Australia’s electoral politics by pillaging traditional Labor working class and lower middle class voters.
This strategy isn’t unprecedented. The so-called “battler” vote was a component, albeit exaggerated, of John Howard’s formula for electoral success as he reoriented the Liberal Party towards conservative populism. Dutton is aggressively doubling down on that pivot.
The Werribee result, however, can hardly be construed as a harbinger of Liberals storming the ramparts of the outer suburbs. The party’s primary vote in the byelection was only 29%, indicating voters in such areas, which are characterised by breakneck growth and a tsunami of demographic change, are still wary of the local Liberals.
That scepticism is understandable. For years now, the Victorian Liberal party has been deeply dysfunctional. It has been consumed by ideological and personal feuds, out of sync with the state’s progressive attitudes, low on talent, and seemingly habituated to reposing in opposition rather than presenting as a serious alternative government.
But, even allowing for such Victorian specific factors (and it is far from the only under-performing Liberal division across the country – think of South Australia and Western Australia), the Werribee result suggests Dutton’s outer suburban focus will not easily yield sizeable dividends, and certainly not in one electoral cycle. It will be a slow burn at best.
In the meantime, if the Liberals are to win government, they will need to make up ground in inner and middle metropolitan electorates, including Teal-held seats, to which Dutton is far less attuned.
What Saturday’s byelections mostly underscored is the dissatisfaction with all of the established parties, including the Greens, whose vote flat-lined in both Prahran and Werribee.
The disenchantment was expressed in the approximate one third of votes that went to a melange of other parties or independent candidates. This is consistent with the trend that so dramatically materialised at the 2022 federal election when a fractious public voted along increasingly fragmented lines.
Rather than any party enjoying a grand sweep of the outer suburbs or elsewhere, that is what we can expect at the impending federal election: volatility and unpredictability which is confirmed as the new normal.
In the past, Paul Strangio received funding from the Australian Research Council.
– ref. Byelections show Labor is in trouble in Victoria – but how much will Peter Dutton benefit? – https://theconversation.com/byelections-show-labor-is-in-trouble-in-victoria-but-how-much-will-peter-dutton-benefit-249479
Source: New Zealand Police (District News)
Police will be actively monitoring a gang gathering in the Taumarunui area this week, ensuring the disruption to the public is limited.
Members of the King Country Mongrel Mob are expected to gather in the Taumarunui region for a reunion event, planned for 13-17 February.
Additional Police staff will be in the region to work to reduce disruption on the roads and ensure the community feel safe.
Police have been in touch with the organisers of the event and have set clear expectations about the behaviour of attendees. A number of local businesses have also been approached for reassurance ahead of this event.
Anyone who sees illegal or unsafe activity is asked to contact 111 if it is happening now or report other matters to Police by calling 105 or making an online report here.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peta Ashworth, Professor and Director, Curtin Institute for Energy Transition, Curtin University
Large power grids are among the most complicated machines humans have ever devised. Different generators produce power at various times and at various costs. A generator might fail and another fills the gap. Demand soars in the evenings and on hot days. In Australia, eastern and southern states trade power across borders. Meanwhile, Western Australia has two grids and the Northern Territory has several.
But these complicated machines are undergoing major change, as we shift from large fossil fuel plants to cleaner forms of power. Wind and sun are now the cheapest way to produce electricity. These renewable sources will soon overtake coal and gas – they’re already averaging 40% of power flowing through the national grid.
Solar and wind are often called “variable” renewable energy sources. Variable, here, refers to the fact the sun doesn’t always shine and the wind doesn’t always blow. On sunny, windy days we get lots of cheap power. But on still nights, we might get little.
This is where “firming” comes in. To firm renewables is to convert this cheap but variable source of power into what we really want: a reliable supply of electricity, there when we need it. Big battery projects are one way to do it. But there are others.
Storage is the best known way to firm renewables. As floods of cheap power come in, you can store it for later use.
Storage can be performed by grid-scale batteries, where the power is stored directly. But it can also be done by pumped hydro, where water is pumped uphill when power is cheap and plentiful and run back downhill, through turbines, when power is harder to source.
Firming can also be done by virtual power plants – aggregated fleets of smaller batteries in homes and electric vehicles.
Gas peaking plants are another way of firming renewables. In the future, gas plants will go from being a mainstay to the equivalent of a backup generator, fired up only when needed.
Generally, energy storage facilities offer either short- or long-term firming. As more renewable power enters Australia’s grids, we will need both. This is because they offer different levels of storage and response times.
Short term can be as short as seconds to a few hours. Batteries are a common way to provide short-term firming, because they can ramp up very quickly to tackle sudden fluctuations in supply or demand. These fast-response systems help stabilise the grid by smoothing out spikes caused by changing weather.
Long-term firming can be for hours, days or even weeks. This includes large-scale battery storage or back-up generators such as gas plants. Long-term options are crucial to maintain power supply during extended periods of low renewable generation, such as still, cold days and nights in winter.
In recent years, large-scale battery announcements have ramped up. Almost 8 gigawatts of battery capacity is now in progress or anticipated to start construction shortly. But the pipeline of future projects is much larger: 75 gigawatts of firming will be required.
While renewable power is cheap, to make it useful and reliable in addition to storage, we need transmission lines to connect large renewable zones to cities and towns. All this adds extra costs.
As the level of renewables in our power grids inches higher, firming costs increase. This is especially true when a grid goes from 95% to 100% renewables, when there’s a sudden jump in cost.
This is why experts have argued for keeping a few gas peaking plants. While they are not emission-free, they are flexible and can start up much more rapidly than coal. They will likely play a key role in firming the grid during renewable droughts and extreme demand – an estimated 5% of the year. That sounds small, but they will be essential.
Eventually, gas peaking plants could switch to hydrogen, if the fuel becomes cost effective. This would cut emissions further.
Homes with batteries can also help firm the network by joining a virtual power plant. These networks of batteries can be digitally coordinated to function as a single power plant, helping stabilise the grid.
If a home owner signs up to a virtual power plant program, they hand over some control in return for income. Technologies such as this can support grid stability by charging or discharging in response to supply fluctuations.
These networks are a flexible energy resource. They can inject power to the grid instantly if there’s a sudden drop in solar or wind generation. They can also soak up surplus energy.
These aren’t hypothetical. Several are running or in development in Australia, such as the AGL virtual power plant in South Australia, SolarHub in New South Wales and the new ARENA-funded Project Jupiter in Western Australia, which will commence soon.
Firming technologies are already helping in high-renewable grids overseas. Big batteries now allow California’s grid to absorb more renewables, by soaking up daytime solar and releasing it at evening peak.
We’re seeing the benefits of firming locally, too.
On January 20 this year, a heatwave in Western Australia triggered a new record for peak electricity demand – 4.4 gigawatts – in the state’s main electricity network, the South West Interconnected System.
In response, recently built battery storage at Kwinana, Collie, and Cunderdin stored excess power and discharged it at peak times.
The next day, dense clouds swept in, slashing solar output and reducing peak demand. In response, gas generators increased output to firm the grid.
Firming technologies are already playing a vital role in keeping our electricity supply stable, reliable and resilient – and it’s just the start.
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. Explainer: what does it actually mean to ‘firm’ renewables? – https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-does-it-actually-mean-to-firm-renewables-248134
Source: China State Council Information Office 3
This undated file photo provided by Xing Lida, a paleontologist at the China University of Geosciences (Beijing), shows a set of skeletal dinosaur fossils discovered in Sihui City, south China’s Guangdong Province. (Xinhua)
Scientists have confirmed that a set of skeletal fossils discovered in southern China belonged to duck-billed dinosaurs from over 70 million years ago, expanding the region’s fossil record of these large, toothy creatures that likely migrated from North America.
The bones were found in May 2009 by a Chinese amateur fossil hunter at a construction site in Taipinggang, Sihui City, Guangdong Province, and he donated them to a local museum.
After cleaning and restoration, researchers in 2020 identified the fossilized skeleton comprising dorsal and caudal vertebrae, a humerus, ilium, femur and tibia. They believe the fossils belong to the tribe Lambeosaurini, a subfamily of plant-eating Hadrosauroidea dinosaurs that lived during the Cretaceous period.
The study, led by paleontologists from China and Canada, was published in the journal Historical Biology in late January.
According to the research team, Hadrosauroidea is renowned for its distinctive duck-billed mouth structure. These dinosaurs had thousands of teeth well arranged within their jaws, enabling them to exhibit strong chewing efficiency and viability.
Lambeosaurini also possesses a unique cranial structure featuring narrow hollow nasal bones, which is likely responsible for their ability to make trumpet-like sounds that they use for communication.
First author Wang Donghao, a PhD student from China University of Geosciences (Beijing), noted that the research team had identified long and narrow neural spines on the fossil specimen, which is an extremely rare feature. However, the fossils are mainly fragmentary bones and were not well-preserved, lacking substantial biological information about the dinosaur’s cranial structure.
The researchers estimated that the creatures were not yet fully grown, measuring about 8 meters in length. They identified them as a more derived clade of Lambeosaurini dinosaurs that migrated from North America back to Asia via the Bering Strait, as their tall and narrow neural spines are a common trait among North American dinosaurs.
The fossilized bones are the first record of Lambeosaurini in south China, and “they represent the only evidence suggesting a potential migration of North American dinosaurs to the region in Late Cretaceous,” co-author Xing Lida, a paleontologist from the university told Xinhua on Monday, noting that the study will help understand the ecological conditions across various regions before the mass extinction during the Late Cretaceous period.
This image provided by Xing Lida, a paleontologist at the China University of Geosciences (Beijing), shows a restoration drawing of the dinosaurs based on the skeletal fossils discovered in Sihui City, south China’s Guangdong Province. (Xinhua)
Source: New Zealand Government Kainga Ora
Over the past 12 months, our frontline teams have been working with tenants to reduce their rent debt. This has resulted in total rent debt falling from $21.6 million in January 2024 to $16.1 million at the same time this year.
But we want the amount owed to fall faster and to make sure we keep rent debt down in the future. So we are making changes as part of the broader reset of Kāinga Ora to address this.
We’re going to reduce debt by taking a firmer approach with tenants who are behind on their rent. We will be fair and reasonable – but rent must be paid.
We will continue to support households who fall on hard times but are making genuine attempts to get back on track with their rent. We’re a social housing landlord so that’s the right thing to do.
But, through our new rent debt policy, we are drawing a line on how patient we can be. We don’t want to end tenancies, but we will if tenants are not meeting their obligations to reduce their rent debt, are skipping rent payments or refusing to work with us.
We’re also taking action to prevent large debts in future. Our new approach seeks to ensure that tenants will not have accumulated more than 12 weeks’ worth of rent debt when their tenancy is ended. This means we will begin the process of ending a tenancy earlier than in the past. This provides clarity about what will happen, and when, to both our tenants and our frontline.
A small number of Kāinga Ora tenants – less than 3% – have accumulated more than 12 weeks’ worth of rent debt. There are a range of reasons for this, including social and economic events over the past five years and the steps Kāinga Ora took to respond to government policy, particularly during the pandemic.
We’re going to help those tenants get on top of their rent debt faster by reducing the amount owed to a level that is more realistic for them to repay in full. We’ll only do this for tenants who are consistently paying their rent and making reasonable payments to reduce their debt. In return for this one-off help, tenants must continue reducing their debt.
This will provide a clear incentive to tenants who are not currently meeting their obligations to change their behaviour and speed up repaying what they owe. If they consistently do this, they will be eligible to have part of their debt forgiven. But if they do not, we will take steps to end their tenancy.
We expect to forgive up to $8.3 million of the $16.17 million we’re owed. This is already provisioned for on our balance sheets as it is regarded as doubtful debt, so there will be no impact on our financial performance.
We think this is the right thing to do. The likelihood of collecting all this debt is low, given the time it will take tenants to pay it off and the significant costs associated with chasing it. We’re also conscious that during the pandemic the steps we took to respond to government policy meant we didn’t chase debt in the way we normally would, so we carry a measure of responsibility.
We’re being pragmatic. We think we’re better off focusing on recovering the remaining debt faster and ensuring current tenants do not get into too much debt.
All tenants whose debt is reduced will still have a significant amount to repay. And they’ll have a strong incentive to do this under our new policy, which it makes it clear we will end tenancies if tenants do not meet their rent obligations.
It’s important we strike the right balance between supporting households in difficult circumstances and ensuring that our tenants meet their obligations. We will be closely monitoring the impact of both the new rent debt policy and partial rent debt forgiveness to ensure we have the right balance. If necessary, we will make further adjustments.
Page updated: 11 February 2025
Source: New South Wales Premiere
A holy synagogue defiled by a hateful swastika.
A childcare centre deliberately set on fire.
Nazi slogans – copied from the darkest pages of history – spraypainted across Jewish cars and Jewish property.
To a person, these have been cowardly acts, conducted under the cover of darkness, designed to bully and intimidate and threaten the Jewish people of our great state.
But we are here today, as a parliament, as representatives of this open and tolerant state, to say in an unambiguous way that this campaign of hatred will fail.
It will fail – because the Jewish community is strong.
It will fail – because our Jewish friends have an entire state behind them – with the laws and the resources and the solidarity needed to destroy the poison of antisemitism wherever it takes root.
Mr Speaker, the Jewish people of New South Wales are proud, but they are understandably exhausted.
As one parent told the media earlier this month: “I’m just tired. I want it to stop. I am sick of waking up to find out something else has happened.”
Some of the stories we are hearing will break your heart.
Of schoolkids – who are now afraid to wear their uniforms in public as they walk down the street to their local school.
Or of parents – who have started driving their kids everywhere – so they don’t have to risk a trip on the bus or the train.
We will not be a state where someone feels like they have to remove their yarmulke just to walk down the street.
Where people are made to hide their heritage – because of the ignorance, the bigotry, the racism of other people – people they’ve never met before.
Mr Speaker, that has never been New South Wales.
And today – and in coming sessions of parliament – we will introduce new and stronger laws that target this kind of antisemitism and racial hatred.
These laws we hope will send the clearest possible message.
These are serious crimes.
And if you’re going to commit these acts – if you are thinking about spreading racial hatred on our streets –you will face these full penalties.
These changes include:
We’re also backing these laws in as well, Mr Speaker, with more funding for the Hate Crime Unit in the NSW Police.
More training and support for local councils.
We believe they’re strong laws, that will be a genuine deterrent, and we want to put resources behind them.
And send a message that if you’re going to get involved in this kind of bastardry: the police will track you down – they will find you – and you will be punished.
Mr Speaker, one public act of antisemitism is too many.
A summer of rolling hatred is obviously intolerable.
Operation Shelter, stood up by the NSW Police, has arrested 173 people – with over 460 charges.
Strike Force Pearl is now targeting vandalism and arson, and we’ve doubled the number of detectives on the case.
But we do recognise that no one in this place will be judged by the laws we pass, or the taskforces that are established.
We’ll be judged by the crimes that are stopped – and the feeling of safety that can return to our community as a result.
I know David Ossip is here today as President of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies. I’d like to acknowledge his guidance and support as well as his personal strength and leadership throughout these very difficult times.
Mr Speaker, for as long as modern Australia has existed, Jewish people have made their home in this state.
In 1788, there were eight Jews on the First Fleet.
They were victims of poverty in East London, like later Jewish migrants who were fleeing pogroms in Eastern Europe, and those who settled here after the great evil of the Shoah.
For generations of Jewish people, Australia has offered a promise.
And that promise has been very simple.
Despite centuries of horrifying violence – Australia would be different.
Australia would be safe.
This would be a country that accepts and celebrates these ancient people – a place where this community could live and prosper in peace.
In the 1860s, a Rabbi travelled here from Jerusalem, Rabbi Jacob Levi Saphir, and he was amazed at what he found: “The Jews live in safety and take their share in all good things of the country.
“In this land, they have learnt that the Jews are good people, and hatred towards them has entirely disappeared.”
This is in 1860, Mr Speaker.
I think it’s important we observe that the vast, vast majority of Australians of different ethnicities, nationalities, faiths, religions celebrate and love our Jewish friends and fellow citizens.
We work together – we often send our kids to the same schools – we live side by side.
In a democratic country like Australia there will be debate about foreign policy issues, wars, conflicts, rights.
And of course that includes the Middle East.
I have to say Mr Speaker, I’ve found that most Australians – regardless of their race, religion or perspective – want, would argue for, and indeed many pray for, Israeli and Palestinian children to live in peace in that holy land – and an end to all wars.
We must, however, make it absolutely clear that nothing that happens overseas, in any context can ever be used as a pretext for hate, antisemitism or division here in Australia.
People have come from around the world – from different races and religions – because we are a peaceful, tolerant country that has been free of this kind of racial or religious division and ancient hatreds.
And we can’t bend on this principle.
No one is entitled to bring their bigotry to our country – and we won’t tolerate it.
In New South Wales – we will never harbour the poison of antisemitism.
Antisemitism is a particularly sinister, shape shifting in form, and the bigotry is widespread.
So often – what has begun as hate speech against the Jewish people has led to violence, it has led to persecution, it’s led to murder, and it’s led to genocide.
That is the reason we’re here today.
As a state – as a community – as a Parliament – as friends and neighbours – so that we can root out this kind of behaviour – and end this shameful chapter of the history of the state.
Source: New Zealand Police (National News)
Police can now name the two women who died in a crash on State Highway 1, Greta Valley on 19 December.
They were Lu-Yao Lin from China, and Siriyakorn Sovitayasakul from Thailand.
Both women were aged 28 and were in New Zealand on working holidays.
Our thoughts are with their families and loved ones in their home countries, and their friends and colleagues in New Zealand.
Enquiries into the circumstances of the crash are ongoing.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: New Zealand Government
Kāinga Ora is introducing clearer consequences for state house tenants who skip rent payments, build up debt, then refuse to work with the social housing provider to encourage better responsibility, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says.
In March 2024, Ministers instructed Kāinga Ora to end its Sustaining Tenancies Framework which had allowed tenants to stay living in a KO home no matter how threatening or disruptive their behaviour, or how huge their debt from unpaid rent.
“We’ve seen success so far that taking action against disruptive tenants is leading to improved behaviour. Now we want to keep up that momentum when it comes to encouraging people to responsibly pay their rent,” Mr Potaka says.
“Under the previous Government, tenants were allowed to build up so much debt that it has become unrealistic for them to repay. Between 2017 and 2023, the total debt owed to Kāinga Ora by its tenants increased from $1 million to $21 million.
“This isn’t in anyone’s best interests – not for tenants or taxpayers. The new rent debt policy being introduced will change that,” Mr Potaka says.
“Tenants who fall behind in their rent will receive support from Kāinga Ora to get back on track, but if they don’t make a genuine effort to repay what they owe, they will be putting their tenancy at risk. This will provide clear incentive to tenants who are not currently meeting their obligations to change their behaviour and speed up repayment.
“Since we came into office, Kāinga Ora has already begun working harder with tenants to reduce their rent debt. This has resulted in total rent debt falling from $21.6 million in January 2024 to $16.1 million at the same time this year.
Mr Potaka said the decision by the Board of Kāinga Ora to help some tenants with significant rent debt get on top of their debt faster by reducing the amount they owe down to 12 weeks’ worth of rent is a pragmatic one.
“Kāinga Ora is bringing the rent debt down to a level that is more realistic for the tenant to repay in full, with the right payment arrangement in place. Kainga Ora will only do this for tenants who had more than 12 weeks’ worth of rent debt at the beginning of February 2025 who are consistently paying their rent and making reasonable payments to reduce what they owe.
“All tenants whose rent debt is reduced will still have a significant amount to repay – and they will have a strong incentive to do this under the new policy.
“While most Kāinga Ora tenants are great tenants who respect the properties, are good neighbours and pay their rent on time, some need a little more tautoko and encouragement to do the right thing.”
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bronwyn Orr, Veterinarian, Southern Cross University
Late last year, rumours swirled online that HomeSafeID, a private Australian pet microchip registry, had stopped operating.
On Feburary 5 2025, a notice appeared on the HomeSafeID website, ostensibly from the site’s administrator. It states the website “is likely to go offline” soon due to unpaid bills. This means the database of information stored on HomeSafeID would also go offline.
There has been no official word from HomeSafeID as to the status of the company. HomeSafeID did not respond when The Conversation reached out for comment.
According to the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC), the company is still registered and no insolvency notice has been published. However, it’s possible HomeSafeID has stopped operating or will do so in the near future.
If this happens, any pet with a HomeSafeID registered microchip would no longer have searchable microchip details. If these pets become lost, vets and shelters will have no way of finding or verifying their owner.
The situation is a symptom of a bigger problem with pet microchip registries in Australia – a lack of national oversight.
If your pet goes missing, their microchip is key to you being reunited. Vets and shelters can scan a stray animal’s microchip, search one of the seven microchip registries in Australia, find the pet owner’s details and contact them. Pet microchips significantly increase the likelihood lost pets will be reclaimed by their owners.
In fact, microchipping pets is a legal requirement in all states and territories of Australia except the Northern Territory, although it is required in the City of Darwin. In New South Wales, fines for failing to microchip your pet range from A$180 to $880.
If HomeSafeID does go offline, many pets will have microchips that don’t connect to a database any more, making them essentially useless.
It’s difficult to estimate the scale of the problem, but it could affect hundreds of thousands of pets, including ones adopted from RSPCA Queensland.
According to ASIC, RSPCA Queensland was a part-owner of HomeSafeID until 2020. A spokesperson for the charity told The Conversation it has no current partnership with HomeSafeID, and “don’t know the extent of how many animals are affected”. Yesterday, RSPCA Queensland issued advice for pet owners to check their registration details.
There are currently seven registries in Australia. Five are privately owned, including HomeSafeID, and two are owned by state governments, in NSW and South Australia. Pets microchipped in those states are meant to be registered with the state registry.
The five private registries jointly fund a website called Pet Address, which allows you to search the five private databases to find where your pet’s details are stored.
However, Pet Address doesn’t cover the state registries – these have to be searched separately. Only NSW vets and “authorised identifiers” (such as shelters) can access the pet owner details stored in the NSW registry.
If a pet is moved to another state but their owner doesn’t update the registry, their microchip won’t be readable in the new location by non-NSW vets and shelters.
There are currently no rules, regulations or even guidelines around how private pet microchip registries should operate in Australia. If a microchip database were to cease operating, there is no safety net to ensure information is automatically moved to another database.
Given current uncertainty around the HomeSafeID registry, pet owners across Australia should check their pets’ microchip numbers and find out which database they’re registered in.
If you don’t already know your pet’s microchip number, vets and shelters can use a microchip scanner to find that number for you. Then, you can run it through Pet Address or the SA and NSW registries where relevant, to find out which database the number is registered on.
If your pet’s microchip is currently with HomeSafeID, it might be prudent to move your pet’s details to another database. You can do this by contacting one of the other microchip registries and applying to register with their database (this may involve a small fee).
Given it’s mandatory to microchip dogs and cats, it might seem strange there are no regulations or guidelines around how microchip registries should operate. However, this is a symptom of a much bigger issue.
There is almost no national leadership or collaboration on companion animal issues in Australia. Pets are firmly the domain of state governments, with the federal government only really involved in the export and import of companion animals.
There are, however, avenues for national coordination. The renewal of the Australian Animal Welfare Strategy is one, and the national Animal Health Committee is another.
Regardless of who takes responsibility, it’s clear a round table on pet microchipping is urgently required to prevent hundreds of thousands of pets walking around with microchips that don’t work anymore.
Otherwise, lost pets may find themselves at shelters and pounds unnecessarily, and animals that might have otherwise been returned home could end up being adopted, or worse, euthanised.
Bronwyn Orr is a Director of the Walk In Clinic For Animals and Veterinary Support Group.
– ref. Thousands of Australian pets may soon have ‘useless’ microchips. It’s a symptom of a bigger problem – https://theconversation.com/thousands-of-australian-pets-may-soon-have-useless-microchips-its-a-symptom-of-a-bigger-problem-249492
Source: Privacy Commissioner
Privacy Commissioner John Edwards has welcomed the Governments plans to rethink the practice of collecting individual client level data from social service providers. The Government announced today that social service contracts will no longer require providers to disclose individual client level data until a new data protection and use policy is in place. This is in contrast to previous plans, which required service providers such as NGOs to provide information about individual clients in order to receive funding. This information included clients’ names, number of children and other social services they engaged with. Mr Edwards said I commend this pause in approach. Projects like this have the potential to do a lot of good by measuring and improving the efficacy of social services.
Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND
CAMP MAKOMANAI, Japan –
U.S. Army Japan and the Japan Ground Self Defense Force close out North Wind 25, a bilateral cold-weather field training exercise designed to enhance combat readiness and promote interoperability after 10 days of training at Camp Makomanai and the Hokudai-en Hokkaido Large Training Area in Hokkaido, in northern Japan on February 9, 2025.
The exercise was comprised of approximately 190 U.S. Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment and approximately 400 members of the 18th Infantry Regiment, 11th Brigade, Northern Army, Japan Ground Self Defense Force.
“Northwind Exercise continues to be a terrific opportunity to share individual and small unit tactics and skill craft,” said Lt. Col. Ryan Hanrahan, chief of exercises for USARJ. “The focus of this year’s exercise is squad-level integration containing numerous days and nights in the field environment, which has increased communication, cold weather techniques, bilateral teamwork, and interoperability. This unique opportunity gives the U.S. Army and its allies the ability to fight and win in any environment. This exercise showcases the United States’ commitment to the defense of Japan.”
North Wind 25 featured a first of its kind: bilateral field housing. Soldiers from 1-5 IN stayed in tents with their counterparts in the JGSDF. The integration of the units provided more time to exchange techniques, tactics, and procedures.
Not everything was friendly exchanges, participants were also challenged. The culminating event was a three-day field training exercise that was meticulously planned via a rehearsal of concept. This was the JGSDF’s first time participating in this style of planning and it proved invaluable to the success of the mission.
“I got the opportunity to work with my counterparts in the JGSDF staff section,” said 2nd Lt. Richard Hall, a battalion staff officer, 1-5 IN. While the JGSDF may do some things different than their U.S. Army counterparts, there is always an exchange where they learn from each other.
The 1-5 IN is stationed in Fort Wainwright, Alaska where they regularly endure temperatures as low as -30° Fahrenheit, so the relatively warm conditions of 10° to 40° F during North Wind 25 were business as usual. However, the Northern Army had much more experience than the 1-5 IN in certain tactics like skiing. Working with such an experienced ally, like the JGDSF, gives the Army the opportunity to learn and train together to further increase readiness in the Indo-Pacific and the Arctic.
“If a perfect score is 100, then I would say 200! Japanese and U.S. forces training to this level as one body has exceeded my expectation, which was actually very high. Any short time spent together turns to fulfilling exchange experience,” said Col. Naoki Uehara, Commander of 18th Infantry Regiment, 11th Brigade, Northern Army, JGSDF. “I believe Japan-U.S. collaboration will be built upon foundation of relationship of trust and mutual understanding.”
North Wind, which is a series of Operation PATHWAYS, is U.S. Army Pacific’s premier annual operation, demonstrating USARPAC and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command’s commitment to the region. Operation PATHWAYS employs thousands of U.S. Army forces from around the globe to conduct concurrent multilateral security cooperation and training events across the Indo-Pacific. Operation PATHWAYS helps us to see, sense and understand the region, which in turn, assists senior leaders making sound decisions.
There is no more important anchoring frontline ally in this region than Japan, and our commit to the partnership and friendship with their JGSDF is ironclad.
Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND
ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam –
Aircraft from the United States Air Force along with our Allies and Partners line the runway at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam for Cope North 25. CN25 aims to enhance the capabilities of partner air forces through training, exercises, and knowledge sharing.
With Allies and Partners taking to the skies of Guam this week for the start of CN25, the main focus of the exercise is the integration and flight operations with the F-35A Lightning and F-35B Lightning II from all three participating nations: Japanese Air Self Defense Force, Royal Australian Air Force, and the United States.
“Exercise Cope North [25] will be the showcase for the true integration of 5th gen capability,” said RAAF GPCAPT Darryl Porter, Australian Task Force commander. “Most significantly with this being the first training exercise under the trilateral memorandum of intent signed by Japan, Australia, and the U.S., following the defense minister meeting last year.”
Following the influx of participating fighters and refuelers, CN25 kicked off with a welcoming brief and academics where the commanders of the participating nations took the stage to address military members and civilian participants of the exercise.
JASDF Col. Takeshi Okubo, flight group commander, 3rd Air Wing, addressed the attending participants by stressing the importance of a unified partnership to deter conflict.
“We train together and fight together,” said Okubo. “And together we are an active deterrence to conflict.”
With the idea of deterring conflict and achieving regional security, an emphasis on shared knowledge of 5th generation fighters has taken the spotlight in achieving these objectives. CN25 fosters the exchange of information and refining shared tactics, techniques, and procedures.
“When you have many different nations flying the same aircraft, it’s important to train together so that we learn small differences between how each nation employs, maintains, and C2’s [command and control] those airplanes,” said Schuck. “We’ll never learn those differences without actually exercising together. And the reason that 5th generation is so important is that 5th generation fighters are the forward edge of our fighting force, especially in the Indo-Pacific, so it’s important to practice together with all the nations that fly them.”
With two weeks left in the exercise, USAF and its representing commander are eager for the opportunity to learn with its Allies and Partners, with Schuck saying, “I’m happy to be here and represent the commander of PACAF to our foreign partners and Allies in order to strengthen our resolve, strengthen our alliance in the Pacific and hopefully lead to a stronger fighting force and a more open and freer Indo-Pacific.”
For over 45 years, Cope North has conducted exercises in the Pacific between the U.S. and allied forces, focusing on several aspects of defense and interoperability throughout the Indopacific. As with past iterations, CN25 maintains a dedication to realistic combat training for the success of air and space operations.
Source: South Australia Police
Almost every category of theft has continued to decline in South Australia, the latest crime statistics have revealed.
The December rolling year crime statistics reveal further significant reductions in house break-ins, shop theft and car theft – with an encouraging decrease in reported incidents of fuel theft also recorded in the latest period.
Sustained pressure on recidivist offenders has resulted in a second successive decrease in shop theft with a three per cent drop in reported offences – from 18,124 to 17,583 offences – reported this period. This follows a two per cent decrease in the previous period.
The number of offences involving the receiving or handling of stolen goods continued to increase as policing initiatives such as Operation Measure target recidivist offenders selling goods on online forums. An increase of 230 offences occurred during the period – from 1,963 offences to 2,193 offences.
House break-ins declined for the sixth successive period with a six per cent decline reported from 5,960 offences to 5,606 offences. This followed a three per cent drop in the November period, four per cent in the October period and five per cent in the September period.
Car theft and theft from a vehicle have again recorded significant decreases in the December rolling year period. Car theft declined by 11 per cent – from 3,928 offences to 3,492 offences. This follows a seven per cent decrease in the November period, an eight per cent decline in the October period and a 10 per cent decline in the September period.
Theft from a vehicle dropped by 19 per cent – from 10,304 offences to 8,397 reported offences. This followed successive decreases of 17 per cent in each of the November, October and September periods.
Other theft – the category that includes fuel theft – has also declined by five per cent in the December rolling year period. A decrease of 1,139 reported offences was recorded from 23,022 offences in the 2022/23 period to 21,833 reported offences in the 2023/24 period.
Police intelligence data shows nine of the top 10 locations for fuel theft are in the northern suburbs with the tenth in the southern suburbs. The thefts are concentrated in three of the four major policing districts in the metropolitan area with the Barossa, Hills Fleurieu and Murray Mallee the main country districts in which fuel thefts occur.
The December rolling year crime statistics also reveal another large decline in robbery and related offences with a 22 per cent decline – 202 offences – reported. This followed a 26 per cent drop in the previous period.
Aggravated robbery offences declined by 19 per cent or 94 offences – from 503 reported offences to 409 reported offences. Non-aggravated robbery showed a slight increase of four per cent or three offences – from 79 reported offences to 82 reported offences.
The number of murders committed also continued to decline with a 59 per cent decrease in reported offences – from 22 to nine.
Serious assaults resulting in injury recorded a three per cent increase in reported offences in the period – from 3,657 reported offences to 3,774 reported offences while common assault rose by 209 offences – a four per cent increase.
While the number of family and domestic abuse related offences increased by 11 per cent – from 12,098 offences to 13,468 offences, the reporting rate has declined after successive increases.
Source: China State Council Information Office
Flags of the European Union fly outside the Berlaymont Building, the European Commission headquarters, in Brussels, Belgium, Jan. 29, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
The European Commission on Monday rejected the rationale for new U.S. tariffs on European exports, vowing to protect businesses, workers, and consumers across the bloc.
The statement came after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to impose 25-percent tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports, reigniting fears of a transatlantic trade war.
European Union (EU) leaders swiftly condemned the proposed tariffs, which are expected to be formally announced later on Monday. The Commission said there is “no justification” for the U.S. measures, calling them unlawful and economically harmful, particularly given the deeply integrated EU-U.S. supply and production chains.
With European leaders signaling their readiness to retaliate, concerns are growing that the looming trade dispute could strain economic ties and disrupt global markets.
Tariffs could backfire
The European Commission, the EU’s executive body, strongly criticized the proposed tariffs, warning they would ultimately hurt U.S. businesses and consumers.
“Tariffs are essentially taxes,” it said in a statement, emphasizing that the move would increase costs for American companies, drive inflation, heighten economic uncertainty, and disrupt global market integration. Given the deep interdependence between European and American industries, the EU warned that such measures would be counterproductive, effectively imposing taxes on U.S. citizens as well.
European officials fear a repeat of 2018, when Trump’s previous steel and aluminum tariffs triggered swift EU retaliation. At the time, Brussels imposed countermeasures on U.S. goods such as whiskey, motorcycles, and orange juice.
With the formal announcement of the new U.S. tariffs expected later on Monday, European leaders are bracing for another escalation in trade tensions.
EU weighs retaliation
France was among the first to respond to Trump’s tariff threat, with Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot warning on Monday that the EU would retaliate if the proposed tariffs take effect.
“There is no hesitation when it comes to defending our interests,” Barrot told French television TF1, recalling how the EU countered similar tariffs in 2018 and vowing to take the same approach if necessary.
Germany, Europe’s largest economy, is also preparing for action. A spokesperson for the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action stated that while the EU and Germany are working to prevent the tariffs, they stand ready to implement countermeasures if needed.
During a televised debate on Sunday ahead of upcoming elections, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz warned that the EU could “act within an hour” if Trump proceeds with tariffs on European goods.
Industry leaders are also pushing for a firm response. Gunnar Groebler, president of the German Steel Association, urged the EU to react in a “united, strategic, and swift manner” to counter the tariff threat. “The U.S. is the largest buyer of European steel, importing around 1 million tonnes of mostly special steels from Germany alone each year,” he noted.
A lose-lose scenario
French President Emmanuel Macron cautioned that tariffs on EU goods would not be in the interests of the United States.
“If Washington imposes tariffs across multiple sectors, it will drive up the cost of goods and fuel inflation in the United States,” Macron said, pointing out that European savings play a crucial role in financing the U.S. economy.
Economic experts share Macron’s concerns. Paul Johnson, director of the London-based Institute for Fiscal Studies, warned that Trump’s planned tariffs could push up interest rates worldwide, having ripple effects on global monetary policy.
“It is going to create additional inflation, at the very least, in the United States, and that will have knock-on effects globally, particularly on interest rates,” Johnson explained.
Ferdinand Dudenhoeffer, a German automotive expert, argued that Trump is leveraging economic power to siphon off jobs and prosperity from other countries through his tariff policies. “He knows no friends or enemies. Even U.S. car manufacturers GM and Ford would suffer considerably from tariffs on cars from Canada and Mexico,” he said.
Dudenhoeffer noted that U.S. net vehicle imports totaled 5.6 million units in 2024. “Trump might ask how many jobs could be created if all these vehicles were produced domestically,” he said.
Despite the growing alarm, some analysts hold that the impact of Trump’s tariffs may be limited. Christian Helmenstein, chief economist of the Federation of Austrian Industries, described Trump’s plan as an “unfriendly pinprick” but not a severe blow.
He told the Austrian newspaper Kurier that the U.S. imports about a quarter of its steel needs, with much of it coming from Canada, Brazil, Mexico, and South Korea rather than Europe.
But Harald Oberhofer, an economist at the Austrian Institute of Economic Research, described Trump’s tariff plans as “an economically high-risk game.”
He pointed out that the United States was Austria’s largest export growth market last year amid weak overall exports and a trade war could further weaken Austria’s already fragile economy, which is projected to grow by just 0.6 percent this year.
As Trump moves closer to making his tariff announcement official, European leaders are making their stance clear: if the U.S. imposes new trade barriers, the EU stands ready to defend its economic interests with countermeasures.
Source: New Zealand Government
The Government is progressing its ambitious, economy-wide review to improve competition, lift productivity, and drive down the cost of living, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says.
“Improved competition is a top priority for this Government. When competition is working well, New Zealand businesses – both big and small – can thrive. This has knock-on benefits for consumers, including greater choice and lower prices in key sectors like fuel, groceries, and banking,” says Mr Bayly.
“That’s why I launched a review of our competition settings, set out in the Commerce Act, in December last year. Much of the Commerce Act has not been reviewed for over 20 years. I want to ensure our competition settings keep pace with market developments so both Kiwi businesses and consumers can get ahead.
“Recent tweaks to our competition rules have mainly involved sector-specific legislation. In contrast, this review will improve our overarching competition settings and reduce the need for layers of reactive regulation in individual sectors.
“We are moving at pace to progress this work. Public consultation has now closed on key parts of the review, including our merger control settings, potential new code-making powers, and modern tools to address anti-competitive conduct.
“A big focus of the review is on merger settings. Over many decades, New Zealanders have felt first-hand some of the effects of mergers and unhealthy market competition: reduced innovation, a smaller range of goods and services, and increased prices.
“Many of these could have been avoided if we had more robust merger controls in place. Improved merger settings can lead to better competition and Kiwis getting a fairer deal, and that is why I’ve ensured this is a core part of the review.
“Thank you to those who provided feedback during this consultation period. Your views will help shape changes to our competition settings to support competitive, dynamic markets that will boost economic productivity and living standards.
“I expect to announce decisions on next steps in due course.”
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra
US President Donald Trump has agreed to “consider” exempting Australia from the 25% tariff he has imposed on imports of steel and aluminium to the US.
Trump gave the undertaking during a wide-ranging 40-minute conversation with Anthony Albanese early Tuesday morning (Australian time). The prime minister, speaking to a news conference soon afterwards, stressed that Trump had agreed on the precise words to be used to describe the outcome.
“I presented Australia’s case for an exemption and we agreed on wording to say publicly, which is that the US president agreed that an exemption was under consideration in the interests of both of our countries.”
Albanese gave no indication of when he expects a decision.
Meanwhile, Trump has signed the executive orders for the 25% tariffs on steel and aluminium without exemptions.
The Australian government might be able to take heart from Trump’s later comments on the discussion.
The president described Albanese as a “very fine man”.
“We have a surplus with Australia, one of the few, and the reason is they buy a lot of airplanes. They’re rather far away and they need lots of airplanes. We actually have a surplus. It’s one of the only countries which we do. I told him that that’s something that we’ll give great consideration to,” he told the media.
Pressed on whether he was confident of an exemption, Albanese would not speculate beyond the agreed words. “The words that I’ve used are the words that I’ll stick to,” he said.
“It’s appropriate when you’re dealing with the president of the United States to not speak on his behalf. And those are the words that were agreed.”
“We’ll continue to engage diplomatically.” Albanese said, “Australia will always stand up for Australia’s interests […] We’ll continue to put the case.”
The prime minister described the call as “constructive and warm” and posted on social media that it was a “great conversation”.
Outlining Australia’s argument for an exemption Albanese said the US had a trade surplus with Australia of about two to one, and steel supplier BlueScope had extensive production in the US.
“When you look at the imports of these products into the US, it’s about 1% of imports of steel, 2% of aluminium,” he told his news conference.
“Our steel is an important input to US manufacturing. BlueScope is the US’s fifth largest steelmaker. They’ve invested $5 billion in the US across a range of states. I think there’s more than 30 different investments there.
“Of course the major export is Colorbond there, for roofs in California on the west coast. And it plays an important role.
“Aluminium is a critical input for manufacturing in the United States and our steel and aluminium are both key inputs for the US-Australian defence industries. in both of our countries.”
Albanese said that in the conversation, “We spoke about a range of other things as well, including the fact that Jordan Mailata is a Super Bowl champion and I did point out that he was a South Sydney junior”.
The call, which was in train before the tariff announcement, also canvassed critical minerals and AUKUS.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton again criticised Albanese over his past comments about Trump. But the opposition leader told a news conference: “What’s important now is the Trump administration hears there is a bipartisan position in Australia to stand up for our national interest and that national interest is best served by a removal of the tariff as it applies to Australia.”
Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. Trump agrees to consider Australian exemption from tariffs, describing Albanese as ‘very fine man’ – https://theconversation.com/trump-agrees-to-consider-australian-exemption-from-tariffs-describing-albanese-as-very-fine-man-248886
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo
Washington, D.C.–U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch (R-Idaho) joined Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) in introducing a constitutional amendment to maintain a total of nine Supreme Court justices on the bench at one time.
Once approved by Congress, the amendment would go to the states for ratification.
“Throughout our nation’s history, the Supreme Court has successfully safeguarded our Constitution,” said Crapo. “Packing the Court would unnecessarily increase partisanship within the institution, creating greater challenges in settling the pressing cases that matter to Americans in a constitutional and just way.”
“Democrats’ attempts to pack the Supreme Court with radical appointees undermines our democracy and American confidence in our judicial system,” said Risch. “The Keep Nine Constitutional Amendment would ensure justices focus on upholding the rule of law rather than legislating from the bench.”
“For years, Democrats have openly said they intend to pack the Supreme Court,” said Cruz. “They seek to use the Court to advance policy goals they can’t accomplish electorally. Such a move would be a direct assault on the design of our Constitution, which is designed to ensure the Supreme Court remains a non-partisan guardian of the rule of law. This amendment is a badly-needed check on their efforts to undermine the integrity of the Court.”
Additional co-sponsors of the proposed constitutional amendment include Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), Todd Young (R-Indiana), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi), Jim Banks (R-Indiana), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), Bill Hagerty (R-Tennessee), Katie Britt (R-Alabama), Tim Sheehy (R-Montana), Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi) and Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska).
Read the complete text of the amendment here.
BACKGROUND:
Senators Crapo and Risch previously co-sponsored this amendment in 2023.
Over the past several years, top Democrats have pledged to expand the number of justices on the Supreme Court when they are able to.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell
02.10.25
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and a senior member of the Senate Committee on Finance, issued the following statement in response to President Donald Trump’s new 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports.
“Many of Trump’s tariffs on steel and aluminum have been in place since 2018. Nothing was resolved and they added costs to cars, building materials, and energy projects. Now in 2025, he wants to double down raising costs for Americans even more,” Sen. Cantwell said.
In Washington state, two out of every five jobs are tied to trade and trade-related industries. Combined, the state imported $1.21 billion worth of steel and aluminum last year – and the major industries and employers in Washington that rely on steel and aluminum include aerospace, shipbuilding, utilities, and electronics. When President Trump imposed steel tariffs in 2018, our trading partners immediately responded by imposing tariffs of their own on Washington products, especially agriculture, including cherries, apples, pears, and potatoes. Nationally, across all industries, the steel and aluminum tariffs resulted in a decrease in production worth about $3.4 billion per year, according to an ITC report. The United States imports $58.81 billion in steel and aluminum every year.
Last week, Sen. Cantwell also delivered a major speech on the Senate floor last week, arguing that the president’s arbitrary tariffs would threaten domestic job creation and economic growth in an Information Age. She outlined a strategy focused on building coalitions, growing exports, and establishing principles to support innovation in the Information Age.
Sen. Cantwell also voted against advancing the nomination of Howard Lutnick, President Trump’s choice to be Secretary of the Department of Commerce, citing concerns with Lutnick’s support for Trump’s proposed tariffs. More information on how President Trump’s proposed tariffs on goods from Mexico, Canada, and China would affect consumers and businesses in the State of Washington can be found HERE.
Sen. Cantwell has remained a steadfast supporter of free trade to grow the economy in the State of Washington and nationwide. Sen. Cantwell was the leading voice in negotiations to end India’s 20 percent retaliatory tariff on American apples, which was imposed in response to tariffs on steel and aluminum and devastated Washington state’s apple exports. India had once been the second-largest export market for American apples, but after then-President Trump imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum in his first term, India imposed retaliatory tariffs in response and U.S. apple exports plummeted. The impact on Washington apple growers was severe: apple exports from the state dropped from $120 million in 2017 to less than $1 million by 2023. In September 2023, following several years of Sen. Cantwell’s advocacy, India ended its retaliatory tariffs on apples and pulse crops which was welcome news to the state’s more than 1,400 apple growers and the 68,000-plus workers they support.
In May 2023, Sen. Cantwell sent a letter urging the Biden Administration to help U.S. potato growers finally get approval to sell fresh potatoes in Japan. In June 2023, Sen. Cantwell hosted U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), then-chair of the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, in Washington state for a forum with 30 local agricultural leaders in Wenatchee to discuss the Farm Bill.
In 2022, Sen. Cantwell spearheaded passage of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act, a law to crack down on skyrocketing international ocean shipping costs and ease supply chain backlogs that raise prices for consumers and make it harder for U.S. farmers and exporters to get their goods to the global market.
In August 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sen. Cantwell sent a letter to then-Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue requesting aid funds be distributed to wheat growers. In December 2018, Sen. Cantwell celebrated the passage of the Farm Bill, which included $500 million of assistance for farmers, including those who grow wheat.
In 2019, Sen. Cantwell helped secure a provision in the $16 billion USDA relief package, ensuring sweet cherry growers could access emergency funding to offset the impacts of tariffs and other market disruptions.
Source: New Zealand Government
Good afternoon everyone and thank you all for making the time to be here.
I wanted to speak to you early in my tenure as your new Minister for the Public Service because I have a message for you: I’m here to support you in your efforts to deliver the best service possible for the employer we have in common. The taxpayer.
I’m very happy to have the public service portfolio and I want to acknowledge your hard work and commitment during what has been a challenging past year for many, as ministries and departments have been right-sizing.
We know it is the right thing to do, to run a ruler over everything we do to make sure we are delivering our best, but it’s never easy telling someone a programme they’ve worked on for several years won’t be proceeding, or that their role no longer exists. I know. I have had to do it.
It’s not something the government has done lightly but it is something that absolutely needed to be done.
In the six years from 2017 to 2023, the number of people employed in the core public service* grew 34 percent, to 63,117 full-time equivalent employees. Total salary costs for this core public service workforce grew a staggering 72 percent, to about $6.1 billion a year, over the same period.
We simply do not have sufficient taxpayers to support that kind of growth. We do not have sufficient economic growth to support that level of public spending.
And, as I said before, taxpayers pay our wages, and it is the New Zealand taxpayers that we serve. They want to know we are spending their money in ways that are timely and cost-effective.
New challenges, new solutions
We live in a fast-changing world that constantly throws up new challenges. Governments and the public service are always under pressure to find new solutions and new ways of working.
I don’t need to tell you the business of government is complex and challenging and, at times, messy.
And when you are knee-deep trying to deliver priorities and the myriad daily challenges that come with the job, it’s not easy looking ahead.
I know you’ve heard all this before. But my point is this: the more complex and challenging it gets, the more simple we need to keep it.
Serving the public must always be our top priority, regardless of how tough the operating environment is. We should never lose sight of this simple objective.
Setting the highest standards
It almost goes without saying that the public service must set the highest standards.
For me, that means doing the basics well and sticking to core business. It means being competent at what you do, upholding political neutrality and delivering free and frank advice, being efficient with taxpayers’ money, being corruption-free and – above all – delivering results for the people we serve.
Keeping it simple is also being efficient and respectful with the use of taxpayers’ money. Taxpayers trust us to use their resources wisely, and we can not, in the fog of daily pressures and challenges, lose sight of that.
Here’s a simple question I would urge you and your staff to ask themselves: if this was my money, would I spend it this way? This is the simple question that I ask myself when I am making funding decisions. It’s what I need you to do and to enforce.
Think of the sharemilker up at the crack of dawn every day whatever the weather. Think of the aged care worker doing their best to give our elderly the care and respect they deserve in their twilight years. Think of the bus driver. The taxi driver. The truck driver.
All these people want – and deserve – to know that their money is being spent in a way that delivers the services they need in the best way possible. They want results. They don’t want flow charts, frameworks, roadmaps, or bubble diagrams.
They are inherently practical people who want to know that you are helping make their country wealthier, and safer. They want you to treat their taxpayers’ dollars as though it came out of your bank account.
Not doing so can harm the reputation of the government, an agency and the public service. Building trust and confidence, as you know, is a slow and laborious task over many years. But it can be destroyed with one seemingly innocuous act.
Free and frank
To that end, I cannot state clearly enough how important it is that you provide free and frank advice.
Public servants who speak truth to power by telling Ministers their pet policy ideas are crazy and unworkable don’t get far. But neither do public servants who nod along and promise to deliver the undeliverable. That is a betrayal of the responsibilities of a public servant and it results in policy disaster.
Ministers do want free and frank advice. Tell us how we can implement our priorities and policies. Tell us how we can improve our policies. Tell us how we can improve outcomes for individuals, families and communities. Tell us when intervention is necessary. And tell us when to stop or change a policy.
And remember that Ministers, just like senior public servants, have a way of coming back!
The best public servants know how to use analysis to persuade. They know how to reconcile the vision with realism. And they know how to square the hole. I’ve worked with some fine public servants … some of you here.
Public Service Act
One area of opportunity I want to touch on is the Public Service Act. I think it’s too prescriptive. It’s not allowing the public service to be as innovative as it could be.
I intend to look at tightening what the Act says around chief executive responsibilities. The way I see it is that your responsibilities have become too diffuse and roles have become confused. Instead of telling you that you have to comply with certain named laws brought in by a previous government, why not just require you to implement the law. Laws change. Standards should not.
Coming back into government, it seems to me that you are getting weighed down with things that don’t have much to do with your core responsibilities and where everything becomes a priority.
Your core role is to serve the government of the day and focus on the basics, and the Act should reflect this.
I’d like to hear your thoughts on this. What changes can we make to the Act that will help you do your job better? What are the barriers to you doing your job? What can we change that will allow you to drive innovation and improve service delivery. You are better placed than me and other ministers, so I look forward to any suggestions you have.
I know the Prime Minister and Minister Willis have asked you to be bold and take a few risks. I’d like to reinforce that. Freedom to fail (hopefully in a small way) can give us freedom to succeed.
Innovation isn’t just a nice-to-have – it’s a must. We are facing complex challenges that require immediate action. It’s not just being open to new ways of doing things, we need to be doing it. As Benjamin Franklin said, ‘well done is better than well said.’ That’s the culture I’d like to see in the public service.
Open to new ideas
I can assure you the Government is open to new ideas. My only condition is that it leads to better outcomes for the public. That’s tangible results.
And the language you use needs to be fit for the person who is your customer. As a lawyer in private practice, I learned to explain legal terminology in everyday language.
If I talked to customers about the ‘mens rea’ and the ‘actus reus’ required for an offence to have been committed, I would have shown them I know some ‘legal’ Latin, and they might have been impressed. But really, I would just be showing them that I did not understand the first rule of communication -which is to be understood.
You and your staff need to think about your customers. When you are talking to or writing to your customers, think how it sounds to them.
Is it gobbledygook?
Is it a word salad?
Is it arrogant and lacking in empathy?
Is it inherently distancing you from the people who are paying your salary?
My suggestion is to leave the acronyms at the door.
Keep your superior language skills for those who will appreciate them.
Be appropriate. And remember… it’s no use if you can understand you, but your audience can not. Speak to people as you would like to be spoken to and show respect. And, no matter what, be genuine.
Digitising government
As you know, I am also the Minister for Digitising Government. It’s a portfolio that goes hand in glove with the public service.
The use of data and Artificial Intelligence is the big opportunity of our time. We stand at the cusp of a digital revolution that has the power to transform the way our government serves New Zealanders.
If done right, the digitisation of our public service will be game changing, and I am committed to ensuring this happens.
Online portals, mobile applications and AI-enabled interfaces will ensure people and businesses can access important government services and information, anytime and from anywhere.
Data-driven AI technologies will allow government agencies to tailor services to meet the specific needs of individuals, communities and businesses.
New Zealanders already interact with AI-powered services daily. They expect government agencies will be analysing data to gain insights into customer behaviour, preferences and needs.
I’d like to see the public service embrace the potential of AI.
I look forward to seeing a centralised, AI-powered data platform that enables real-time sharing of insights and collaboration between agencies like health, education and housing. It will be able to identify connections that may not be immediately obvious.
Data dashboards and predictive analytics will provide the insight and evidence Ministers need to make better decisions and timely interventions to improve outcomes.
In modernising our public service for the benefit of New Zealanders, think about how we can, in digital procurement, help Kiwi businesses deliver. Other countries are looking to how they can use procurement as a way to deliver better and more cost effective results by emphasising their own industrial or technology base. When it makes sense, we should too.
Say Yes
The work you do is vital. New Zealanders depend on it, and on our ability to drive the change required.
We have to deliver results. There simply is no other option. New Zealanders need us and expect us to get on with the job now, and I back you to support the government to do what is required.
As the Prime Minister has made clear, a culture of saying No is not acceptable. Your challenge is to inspire your staff, your team, to say “Yes”.
Yes to the licence.
Yes to the permit.
Yes to considering trialling AI tutors for kids.
Yes to delivering a government app that provides the sort of service that the commercial world delivers.
And Yes to treating our customers like customers.
New Zealanders should be treated as though they are valued customers with options. That’s what we need to deliver. Treat the taxpayer with dignity and the level of respect that you like to receive.
I know you are up for the challenge. But performance is non-negotiable.
I know how hard you work. And you are doing some great work. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t take opportunities to reset and ensure our focus is on what matters most – delivering better, more timely results for New Zealanders.
I’m excited to be your Minister, and I’m excited at the prospect of what we can achieve together. And I have full confidence in each of you as leaders of our public service.
As we move forward together, let’s remember who we serve and how our work impacts the lives of New Zealanders.
With hard work, innovation, courage and a shared sense of purpose, we have the power to create a public service that is not only effective, but transformative.
I look forward to working with Sir Brian and you to drive the change that is required.
Thank you.
** The core Public Service are departments and departmental agencies only. It excludes the wider public sector, such as defence personnel, police, teachers and public healthcare workers.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy
February 10, 2025
WASHINGTON–U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) introduced bicameral legislation aimed at reducing gun violence by preventing the theft of firearms from federally-licensed gun dealers (FFLs). The Safety Enhancements for Communities Using Reasonable and Effective (SECURE) Firearm Storage Act would address the problem of “smash and grab” gun store burglaries by requiring all firearms to be securely stored when a federally-licensed gun dealer is not open for business. Additionally, the bill would authorize the Attorney General to review and put forth additional security measures to reduce the risk of theft, and require a new section on the FFL application for an applicant to describe security plans before a license can be approved.
“Every day, we see the consequences of stolen guns being used in crimes that devastate families and communities across this country. Gun dealers need to take simple steps to secure their inventory, just like any other business that sells dangerous products. It’s about basic responsibility—if you’re selling deadly weapons in your store, you should have to lock them up when you close.” said Murphy.
“Thousands of guns disappear each year during gun store burglaries – posing a serious public safety threat when these firearms show up again in the wrong hands. Responsible gun storage requirements for gun retailers are critical to preventing senseless and unnecessary deaths in our communities. I am proud to support the SECURE Firearm Storage Act, which strengthens sensible safety standards and would save countless lives, and I will continue to fight to put an end to the scourge of gun violence,” said Blumenthal.
Gun thefts from FFLs are a significant problem across the country. In 2023, FFLs reported 13,301 guns to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) as lost through burglaries, larceny, robberies, or simply missing from inventory. These guns frequently end up being used in crime; one study found that between 2012 and 2018, nearly 14,800 guns recovered in crimes had been reported as lost or stolen from gun dealers.
Thefts of guns from FFLs can be deterred by reasonable security measures, and FFLs that fail to take such measures have been the targets of recent burglaries. For example, last September, multiple suspects allegedly broke into a gun store in Springfield, Maryland, and stole 14 guns. Last May, a 14-year-old was arrested and charged with 16 counts of firearm theft stemming from a FFL burglary in New Castle, Delaware. Last February, two suspects allegedly burglarized a store in Virginia, taking six handguns. Such thefts could be deterred or prevented if FFLs ensured that their guns were stored securely.
U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) also cosponsored the legislation.
The legislation has been endorsed by Brady United Against Gun Violence, Everytown for Gun Safety, and GIFFORDS.
To decrease the loss or theft of guns from FFLs, the SECURE Firearm Storage Act would take several commonsense measures to reduce firearm loss by:
Requiring FFLs, when their premises are closed, to secure all firearms in their inventory either by fastening them to an anchored steel rod or storing them in a locked safe or gun cabinet;
Requiring FFLs to store all paper records of firearms transactions in a secure location so the records can be preserved in case they are needed for crime gun tracing investigations;
Authorizing the Attorney General to prescribe regulations with additional security requirements relating to alarm and security cameras, site hardening on FFL premises, and security of electronic records;
Ensuring that an FFL that fails to follow these security requirements would face a civil penalty for the first violation; possible FFL license suspension for the second violation; and possible license revocation upon a third violation; and,
Adding a new section to the FFL application for applicants to describe how they will comply with these security requirements, and directing the Attorney General to ensure that an applicant’s plan will be compliant before approving a license application.
Full text of the legislation is available HERE.
Source: New Zealand Transport Agency
The State Highway Summer Maintenance programme remains in full swing with State Highway 1 between Newlands and Tawa the next in line for attention over the next month.
Mark Owen, Regional Manager Wellington / Top of the South for NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) says to date it has been a big maintenance season for the Wellington region, and there is still a lot of work to do.
“State Highway 1 into Wellington is a critical link, and it needs regular maintenance. So, for the second half of February our road crews will be hard at work resurfacing the highway’s northbound lanes between Johnsonville and Glenside.
“These are heavily used routes – for State Highway 1, on an average day, more than 30,000 vehicles use the northbound lanes. That is a lot of wear and tear, which is why this resurfacing is necessary. It is all about ensuring the highway remains safe and reliable,” Mr Owen says.
From Sunday, 16 February until Thursday, 20 February – 9 pm to 4:30 am the highway’s northbound lanes will be closed for resurfacing between the Helston Road overbridge and the Grenada/Glenside offramp. A local road detour will be available via Johnsonville and Middleton Road. People who live in Johnsonville who need to travel north will need to use the Glenside northbound onramp. The highway’s southbound lanes will be open at all times.
The week following, contractors will resurface the Takapu Road roundabout at Tawa/Grenada North interchange. We will provide a further update once these details have been confirmed.
“We are doing these works at night when there is less traffic on the road. Closing the road lets us get the job done quicker and reduces traffic management costs. It is also safer for road workers and the public,” Mr Owen says.
Source: New Zealand Transport Agency
Two stretches of State Highway 2 Hawke’s Bay Expressway will be closing overnight for 4 nights next week for resurfacing.
The stretch between Prebensen Drive and Taradale Road will be resurfaced first, overnight on 17 and 18 February (next Monday and Tuesday). Crews will then move onto the Taradale Road to Meeanee Road section on the nights of 19 and 20 of February (next Wednesday and Thursday).
The road will be closed from 8pm til 5am each night.
Signposted detours will be in place during the work – please plan ahead and expect slightly longer journey times.
During the day, the road will be open, with temporary traffic management in place and a temporary lower speed while the new surface settles.
This work is weather dependent and the contingency dates are 3-7 March.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi wants to thanks motorists for their support in taking the detours, and expects disruption will be kept to a minimum by doing the work overnight.
Source: New Zealand Transport Agency
Work to rebuild a section of State Highway 2 (SH2) at night near Snodgrass Road has finished 2 weeks ahead of schedule, with the team wrapping things up last week.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) would like to thank people for their patience and our contractor Fulton Hogan for their hard work in getting this quality job completed in less time.
“People are now enjoying a very smooth ride through the Snodgrass Road area,” says Sandra King, System Manager Bay of Plenty.
“It’s no small feat. Over the past month, contractors dug up 510 metres of existing road surface, rebuilt each layer, then finished it off with a smooth asphalt surface and brand-new line marking.’
While the Snodgrass Road work was underway, there were other maintenance activities, including several other chip sealing sites being completed at night.
Due to the sensitive nature of this stretch of state highway, and increasing traffic volumes, rebuilding the road with chip seal is becoming increasingly difficult due to the length of time and temporary speed limits needed to bed in the chip once laid.
Any work on SH2, day or night, causes disruption and NZTA appreciates the impact this has on motorists as crews work hard to maintain and renew this important route.
Source: New Zealand Transport Agency
New resilience work recently got underway on State Highway 1 in Marlborough, south of Blenheim at Dashwood.
During this time one lane of the highway will remain open under stop/go traffic management 24/7 and a 30 km/h temporary speed limit.
The work involves raising the height of the road to minimise future flooding and complete drainage improvements.
Wayne Oldfield, Marlborough System Manager, says the 500-metre section of state highway between Awatere Valley Road and the Awatere Bridge is prone to flooding.
“Making these improvements and increasing the highway’s resilience will help keep the road open in bad weather, and ensure people, products, and places remain connected on this busy arterial route.”
“It means the transport network will be stronger and better prepared for any future disruption,” Mr Oldfield says.
The work on the three-lane section of the state highway will be carried out in stages.
Stage 1 will see the start of new drainage works alongside the highway. During Stage 2, one lane of the highway will remain open under a stop/go traffic management 24/7 and a 30 km/h temporary speed limit. For Stage 3, two lanes will be open under a 30 km/h temporary speed limit.
Keeping the road open while work is done is particularly important given the Marlborough grape harvest will soon be underway.
Mr Oldfield says the work is funded by the Crown Resilience Programme.
“The fund is about covering the cost of resilience improvements on the state highway network and minimising damage from future weather events.”
“Marlborough residents know only too well how big an impact floods can have. In previous years, heavy rainfall has resulted in the closure of this stretch of the highway. Investments like this can make a big difference,” Mr Oldfield says.
Other resilience works recently completed in Marlborough include State Highway 6 Rai Saddle and State Highway 63 at the Wash Bridge.
Stage 1 – Early February to 9 April
Stage 2 – 17 February to early March (amended from our first notice of this work)
Stage 3 – Early to late March
“We are thrilled that this project is not going ahead. The community of Waimate and local iwi, Te Rūnanga o Waihao, have worked tirelessly to ensure that this toxic project never sees the light of day,” said Dorte Wray, General Manager of the Zero Waste Network.
“This incinerator project has no social license to operate. It would never get resource consent under normal conditions given its widespread air pollution and climate impacts. The project was included on the Fast Track list meaning that community concerns, human health and environmental considerations would all have been disregarded in favour of the company’s claimed economic benefits.”
“The Zero Waste Network does not support waste incineration because it locks us into the production of waste. Incinerators require huge capital investment that would be better spent building the waste minimisation infrastructure we need to actually solve our waste crisis and build in the reuse of valuable materials. Incinerators are the old ‘business-as-usual’ linear model of take-make-waste. They are not a realistic solution to the real challenges we face.”
“The use of the term ‘waste-to-energy’ is almost always an industry sales pitch for burning rubbish, and it represents some of the dirtiest forms of power on earth. A recent UK investigation revealed their so-called ‘waste to energy’ plants that were worse than coal fired power plants.”
“We pay our deep respects to all of the community of Waimate, to the people of Waihao marae, and to our allies in the movement for a zero waste, zero carbon Aotearoa NZ. We say ‘regenerate, don’t incinerate!’”
Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND
MANILA, Philippines –
80 years ago, on Feb. 3, 1945, the battle for the capital of the Philippines began between Allied Forces and Imperial Japan. The 1st Cavalry Division was one of three divisions under the control of Gen. Douglas MacArthur. It was here that the 1st Cavalry Division earned its nickname, “America’s First Team,” by being the first U.S. Forces to re-enter Manila after its capture in 1942.
The battle and subsequent liberation of Manila and the Philippines, in the spring of 1945, fulfilled a promise made by Gen. MacArthur in the spring of 1942: When President Theodore D. Roosevelt ordered him to Australia, he said, “I shall return.”
On a hot Feb. morning at Adamson University in the heart of the capital, the city government of Manila held a ceremony and wreath-laying in honor of this historic event. The ceremony honored our shared history, ongoing commitment, and continued partnership with the Philippines and the Filipino people.
The Mayor of Manila City, Honey Lacuna Pangan, presided over the ceremony. Commemorating this historical event, several other countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, China, and Canada, were represented on-site.
The U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines, MaryKay L. Carlson, participated in the ceremony and placed a wreath in honor of those Americans and Filipinos who laid down their lives for the freedom of the Filipino people and the two countries.
Lt. Col. John Dolan, Commander of the 1st Cavalry Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment “Garryowen,” was on hand to represent the 1st Cavalry Division at the ceremony along with representatives from 5th Security Forces Assistance Brigade and I Corps, both based out of Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wa.
“We’re here to honor the courage and sacrifice of so many soldiers and civilians in the liberation of Manila,” said Lt Col. Dolan, “and recognize the bond between both Americans and Filipinos share in our history and the pursuit of freedom.”
As the number of the Greatest Generation dwindles and will soon be gone, continuing to commemorate these events ensures their efforts and history is not lost. The Liberation of Manila’s 80th anniversary honors the past generations’ sacrifices to safeguard freedom while inspiring future generations to carry the torch.
