Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is the speech by the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, at the InnoTech Forum 2024 today (October 18):
Alpha (Director-General of Investment Promotion, Ms Alpha Lau), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Good morning. It is my great pleasure to join you all today at the InnoTech Forum 2024 organised by InvestHK. Themed “Pioneering in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) and New Energy Era”, this full-day forum brings together experts from diverse fields to explore how Hong Kong can establish itself as a global leader in innovation and technology (I&T).
Technological empowerment is the cornerstone of achieving high-quality economic development. It accelerates the emergence of new quality productive forces and enables industries to adapt and thrive in the increasingly competitive local, regional and global arenas. As we navigate in this new era, we must harness technology not just for individual success or lucrative business, but for collective growth that benefits our society.
Just two days ago, our Chief Executive unveiled a range of initiatives in his third Policy Address, reinforcing Hong Kong’s commitment to becoming an international I&T centre. This year’s theme, “Reform for Enhancing Development and Building Our Future Together”, emphasises the importance of collective growth. That means your success is our success, and together we can scale new heights and build a brighter future for Hong Kong.
AI, as this year’s forum highlights, remains a key driver of I&T and business development. To support enterprises like yours in leveraging AI technologies, the Government has invested billions of dollars in cultivating an all-round AI ecosystem here in Hong Kong. I would like to take this opportunity to share with you some of the exciting developments that are under way.
Talking about AI development, computation facility is pivotal. Cyberport will soon put into operation its AI Supercomputing Centre (AISC) to support the strong computing demand from universities, research institutes and the industry. With its first-phase facility capable of providing at least 300 petaFLOPS and in a year or so, the computing power will be augmented to a level of 3 000 petaFLOPS; the AISC will offer top-notch, high-performance computing facilities and serve as a collaborative platform to foster AI-driven research and innovation. Apart from Cyberport, the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation has officially launched the High-Performance Computing service last month, which is expected to support the growth of around 300 companies working on AI and data technology in Science Park’s ecosystem.
To support the commissioning of the AISC, the Government has allocated $3 billion to launch a three-year AI Subsidy Scheme. This significant sum is aimed at subsidising eligible users of the AISC to leverage the computing power, by offering a subsidy of up to 70 per cent of the list price of the computing power or 90 per cent in exceptional cases. Cyberport has also been tasked to promote the AI ecosystem and enable AI enterprises and talent to land in Hong Kong through the scheme. I encourage you to tap into our latest technology infrastructure at Cyberport, where we hope to see even more scientific breakthroughs.
AI has taken the world by storm, revolutionising not only industries but also the Government. The provision of public services must harness this powerful technology. The Policy Address announced that the Government will pilot the use of a generative AI document processing copilot application, developed on the basis of a locally trained large language model, within the Government to assist staff in writing, translating and summarising documents. This trial run will also lend support to Hong Kong’s exploration in generative AI technologies and enrich the use cases for better, accurate and localised outcomes.
In fact, a number of the hundred digital government and smart city initiatives that the Government presses ahead for rollout this year and next will make use of AI technology. For instance, we have expanded the AI chatbot service for the 1823 enquiry service, making it much more adept at handling the public’s frequently asked questions within its scope of service. This improves user experience and allows our staff to focus on other complex tasks, thereby lifting the overall service quality. The judicious application of AI in the Government will advance our digital government and smart city development, benefitting both the people and businesses of Hong Kong, and bringing them closer to the fruition of I&T development.
Ladies and gentleman, Hong Kong stands on the cusp of making ground-breaking strides by capitalising on the vast potential of AI and other cutting-edge technologies. We are partners in this journey to seize the opportunities that lie ahead. So let’s invest in technology, invest in innovation, and invest in Hong Kong. Together, we can push the boundaries of what is possible to make Hong Kong a truly international I&T centre.
In closing, I would like to thank InvestHK for making this happen, and I hope you would leave this forum with mind-blowing takeaways. Thank you.
“The report makes it clear that, at least to the Committee’s ‘majority’, it’s more important to push through developments fast, than to get it right for Aotearoa and future generations,” says Augusta Macassey-Pickard, spokesperson for the group (see membership list below).
“This isn’t about speed, it’s a clear demonstration that the government simply wants to avoid any environmental regulation or community oversight.The Committee has ignored the thousands of submissions against this bill, along with its minority members.”
The group noted that of all consents notified at the moment, 93% or them are successful, making a mockery of the Government’s rationale that there is a desperate need for this extreme reform. And they question the determination to remove any avenue for public input.
“Intentionally excluding community voices, including those of tangata whenua, is actively ensuring that significant knowledge and understanding will be missed. The lack of adequate scrutiny by anyone but the applicant, the Ministers and their expert panels creates a risk that even the few projects that, at face value, could be beneficial, are likely to be sub-par as they have not been properly interrogated.”
CAFT members are also deeply concerned at the apparent comfort of the (majority) Select Committee with the lack of information they were provided around the implications for Aotearoa in the international trade space.
“The casual attitude taken to our trade situation is reflective of what this bill demonstrates – this Government’s apparent disrespect for our country, for our communities.”
“Considering that, and the zombie projects, the retention of aspects like overrides for prohibited activities and Council plans, and the sheer number of proposals on the list that are not relevant to our infrastructure, but, as with seabed mining, and coal and gold mining, are harmful to our environment, it is absolutely clear; the Fast Track Bill is about what’s good for the pockets and bottom lines of a few.
It is abundantly clear this is not about what’s good for Aotearoa.This bill stinks.”
Macassey-Pickard also says the group has serious concerns and doubts over the ability of the system to cope – 149 significant proposals at a time when the EPA has, like many other Government Departments, been significantly scaled back.
“It’s a lot of work to service even one application: appointing the panel, coordinating hearings, notifications, transcripts, decisions and setting up monitoring programmes if a consent is granted. How can the EPA do anything to protect the public interest with this deluge, especially in light of its recent cuts? How can this be anything other than a rubber-stamping exercise?” asked Macassey-Pickard.
Who is CAFT Communities Against the Fasttrack
We collectively represent thousands of volunteers who are actively out in communities around the country giving their time and energy, expertise and experience to help create the kind of communities we want to live in, sustainable, inclusive and forward thinking
CAFT members:
Coromandel Watchdog of Hauraki, 350 Aotearoa, Kiwis Against Seabed Mining, Coal Action Network Aotearoa, Climate Justice Taranaki, Environment and Conservation Organisations of NZ (ECO), 350 Aotearoa, Taranaki Energy Watch, Extinction Rebellion Tāmaki Makaurau, All Aboard, Save the Basin Campaign, and individual grassroots community organisers from around the motu.
The Housing Bureau today invited tenders for the third operation and management contract of Light Public Housing (LPH), involving a project at Tsing Fuk Lane in Tuen Mun.
The project will provide about 1,900 units, with intake tentatively scheduled in the fourth quarter of 2025.
As with the previous two contracts, the scope of operation and management services for this contract mainly cover occupant management, property management, daily maintenance, as well as the provision of social services, and the management and operation of ancillary facilities.
To encourage participation of different stakeholders in the community, the bureau welcomes tenders from all capable and experienced service providers, including non-government organisations and those with a valid property management company licence, or a collaboration between them.
The bureau will carry out a technical assessment based on factors including the organisations’ management capability, relevant experience and past service performance, as well as the proposed modes of operation and management, social service support to be provided, feasibility of an exit plan and use of innovation and information technology as stated in their proposals.
This is to ensure that the LPH facilities and services can meet the needs of the residents and the local community.
The tender price will then be evaluated to form a consolidated assessment to decide on the most suitable organisation for operating LPH.
The bureau pointed out that LPH could fill the short-term gap of public housing supply and improve the living conditions and quality of life of people living in inadequate housing as soon as practicable, adding that construction of a number of projects has already commenced.
Interested organisations may download the tender documents (tender reference HB2024/OPR-LPH-TFL) via the relevant tender notice on the bureau’s website from the e-Tendering System. They may also contact the bureau’s dedicated team on LPH to obtain the tender documents.
Tenders must be submitted by noon on December 6, either electronically via the e-Tendering System or by deposit in the Government Secretariat Tender Box situated at the lobby of the Public Entrance on Ground Floor, East Wing, Central Government Offices, 2 Tim Mei Avenue, Tamar.
The regulation of housing in Australia traditionally relies on well-informed buyers being responsible for managing the risks. But our new study found home buyers are often not aware of the long-term risks.
Only after they’ve bought the home do they start thinking about these risks. When faced with unexpected high insurance costs, many opt to take the risk of being underinsured or even uninsured. This leaves them highly vulnerable.
The National Strategy for Disaster Resilience promotes a shared-responsibility concept. However, we found the main responsibility still lies with households. And they are not equipped to cope with the increasing complexity, impacts and costs of extreme weather events.
What’s wrong with the current approach?
The uncertain knowledge about future extreme weather events is challenging the traditional prioritising of individual responsibility. It’s becoming even harder for households to make informed decisions based on past experiences.
Government efforts to regulate increasing flooding events might not be effective when households do not want to relocate or cannot afford housing elsewhere.
Governments are also under pressure to jump in to compensate households for the costs of extreme weather damage.
Our research found a number of issues prevent efficient regulation:
stakeholders such as the insurance industry and home lenders face legal hurdles to sharing data and giving financial advice for housing in high-risk areas
well-intended measures such as buybacks and planned relocations can fail when they do not relate to people’s experiences and life situation, such as limited financial resources and deep connections to a place and community
households’ motivation to insure themselves might decrease if they can expect government to provide compensation as a de facto last insurer.
Who is responsible for what?
In Australia, responsibility for managing extreme weather events is roughly divided among three main stakeholders: the three levels of government, businesses and households.
Within the three levels of government, states and territories bear the main responsibility for managing extreme weather events. They do so through disaster risk management plans and policies, hazard prevention and land-use planning.
Yet housing is still built in flood-prone regions. It happens where commercial interests conflict with regional planning, and governments are under pressure to deliver housing for growing populations.
After extreme weather hits, house and contents insurance cover is key for a household to recover. But insurance costs are based on the risk of events such as flooding. As these risks rise, premiums may also increase and become unaffordable. The Climate Council estimates one out of 25 properties will even become uninsurable by 2030.
When housing is built in at-risk areas, under the current system home buyers are largely responsible for informing themselves about the risks of floods, bushfires and other natural disasters. Our research suggests many are struggling to estimate what insurance is likely to cost them.
To prepare for these costs before they invest in a home, they must assess their own risk, know the value of their house and contents and calculate the costs of rebuilding after a disaster. They must also take into account increasing costs for builders and materials after an extreme weather event.
Climate change is making these already complex calculations even more difficult.
Our study is based on interviews with 26 insurance, legal, financial, policy and urban planning experts. Despite the National Strategy for Disaster Resilience’s concept of shared responsibility, we found most of the burden still falls on households.
Yet households often lack the knowledge to assess the risks. The data and information are either unavailable, or hard to access and understand.
These difficulties, coupled with the complex language of insurance contracts, contribute to high numbers of underinsured and uninsured households.
The Australian government responded in 2022 by setting up a cyclone reinsurance pool. Its aim is to keep premiums for households and businesses affordable.
There are also government buyback programs or relocationplans to move people out of high-risk regions. As noted above, though, these don’t always suit households when offered away from their communities or full costs aren’t adequately covered.
Governments must take on more responsibility
According to the experts we interviewed, households are no longer able to carry the main responsibilities for managing the risks of climate change. Government must take on more responsibility.
At the local level, councils need to better educate their staff on climate change risks. They should ban housing development in at-risk areas.
Better information and data sharing among stakeholders such as insurers and governments will also be crucial. Such data and information also need to be made more accessible and easier for households to understand.
In a climate change world, increasing extreme weather events result in new complexities. Households are not able to assess these new risks and complexities to make well-informed decisions.
Australia needs stronger sharing of responsibilities between different stakeholders such as insurers, governments and households. This includes changes to laws on information and data sharing between insurers, governments and households, bans on building in high-risk areas, and better advice about the costs of buying in high-risk regions.
Jens Zinn received funding from the Hanse Wissenschaftskolleg/Institute for Advanced Study, Delmenhorst/Germany (10/2023-05/2024).
Julia Plass has received funding for the data collection in the study mentioned in the article from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).
SUBJECTS: Northcott Dapto Disability Hub; NDIS reform; Housing; Interest rates; University of Canberra
BILL SHORTEN, MINISTER FOR THE NDIS AND GOVERNMENT SERVICES: It’s great to be at Northcott today in Wollongong. The opening of the new multi-use hub is fantastic news for thousands of people with disability. In particular, the hundreds of clients that Northcott looks after every day.
JOURNALIST: You mentioned in your speech downstairs that it’s a village of hope, and if you can expand on that, and that sort of means?
SHORTEN: Buildings reflect a society’s values. If we build a brand new shopping centre, it reflects the value that Australians value shopping. But when a community or a group like Northcott build a marvellous, purpose-built building so that people with disabilities can have more fulfilling lives, I think it reflects very positive values. So this is not just a set of walls and windows, some fabulous rooms and a roof. This is a village of hope where people with disability cannot be invisible, where they can help – have dreams, have hopes, make plans and have social interaction. So the values of this building are based on the finest moral foundations of a fair go for people with disability.
JOURNALIST: Reflecting I guess on your time as the Minister in charge of the NDIS, you’re obviously outgoing at the moment, there were recommendations about how to improve the service that were handed down last year. As you leave your position, what do you think? Do you think those – , yeah, what state do you think you leave the service in?
SHORTEN: You’re right. I’m very outgoing. I love the NDIS, I bleed it, I was fortunate enough to be able to help create it more than 15 years ago. Coming back into Government, I realised that whilst it was changing lives for the better, hundreds of thousands of lives, it was off track. Money was getting spent on the wrong things. There were a minority of service providers who were seeking to enrich themselves rather than look after the people they meant to. Australians are very generous. They, I think, don’t mind spending some taxes on Medicare and on looking after people with profound and severe disability. Participants deserve fulfilling lives. So therefore, what we’ve spent the last nearly three years is get it back on track. Now I want to take it above politics. I want to make it politician proof. Now we’ve got the legal authority to outline what you can spend your money on and what you can’t. Who you can spend your money with, with registered providers. We can now make sure that we’ve got a process for clear eligibility, which we’re working on. And I think also most importantly – so who can be in it, what we can spend the money on and who with. We’re clearing that up. We’re clamping down on the fraud and the cheats and the crooks. They’re not welcome anymore. But also what we’re doing is writing a new chapter of inclusion by building supports outside the NDIS. For people who don’t need the full orchestra of the NDIS, but have special needs, and so that the NDIS is not the only lifeboat in the ocean of services for people with disability.
JOURNALIST: Just on the changes that have been made, I spoke to a provider earlier this morning saying – who’s here in the Illawarra – saying that a lot of clients are I don’t feel like they have enough information about what can and can’t access now, and that’s actually worsening their mental health as well. Are there plans to kind of improve communications in that sense?
SHORTEN: Good providers should be telling their people what’s going on. I mean, a provider can simply access a website. It’s all there. I get any changes can bring anxiety. If you’re a person with a disability or a family who has fought hard to get a personal budget, when you hear the words change, that’s not what you hear, you hear, am I going to lose something? I don’t want to go backwards. All we’re doing is providing clarity. It’s very easy to access on the NDIA or the National Disability Insurance website. Our providers, they’re meant to be professional. They’re paid to provide services. So I can understand participants taking longer to work out what’s in and what’s out. But a provider should be acquainting themselves with the road rules. You’re not allowed to drive a truck without knowing basic road rules, and providers should do the same.
JOURNALIST: You talk about eligibility requirements. We have a local in Kiama who’s the name of Bobby English, who’s been campaigning for years to have her partner, who’s over 65 and developed a disability, have him be included in the Scheme. I guess as you’re leaving the position, do you regret not having this issue resolved? And will this be a priority for your successor, I guess?
SHORTEN: For the person who needs the support, I hope they’re getting support. But for the proposition that the NDIS, to the NDIS should look after people of all ages of disabilities, that would sink the Scheme. The Parliament made it very clear in 2013, when it was legislated, that the NDIS is for people up to 65 and aged care would look after people over 65. When I started campaigning for the NDIS, aged care was in much better shape than disability. What’s happened in the intervening 15 years, 16 years since I first raised it, is aged care had fallen backwards and for all of the problems with the NDIS, it was more generous. I think the answer to the issue of older Australians who acquire a disability after 65 is better support in the aged care system, which is what it’s designed for. And the Labor Government has been making pretty significant reforms in aged care to improve the support which would be available.
JOURNALIST: This is your, most likely your last visit to the Illawarra region is it?
SHORTEN: I don’t know, nice to say, but you know you have –
JOURNALIST: Well I was going to ask –
SHORTEN: I’m going to do more farewell trips than Johnny Farnham, but I’ll be coming back, to the South Coast anyway. I’m actually moving from Melbourne to Canberra, so actually I’ll be closer to the Illawarra than I’ve ever been.
JOURNALIST: Yes, but last in a ministerial – as an announcement, with an announcement sort of thing?
SHORTEN: Yeah.
JOURNALIST: in terms of this region in particular, obviously you’re a Federal Minister, but in this area, what do you hope the legacy of your role will be?
SHORTEN: I’ve been very fortunate to visit the Illawarra in different roles over my working life as a steel union rep with the Australian Workers Union. I’ve been at the north gate BHP. I’ve seen when things have gone bad. So I know this is a an industrial town. People work hard for their money here. Then I had the chance to work in disability here, and I realised it had a very strong culture of support for people with disability in the area, which I think reflects well on the values of the community here. I got to campaign here as Leader of the Opposition for six years. So I’ve seen how this area is reinventing itself and diversifying. And indeed, you know, to the south of the Illawarra has become a very crowded part of Australia. So I’ve seen this community reinvent itself. It works hard and it cares for the people within it. But what I’m pleased is that there’s 5,600 people in the Wollongong region receiving personal budgets of support because of a severe and profound disability, which but for the National Disability Insurance Scheme, they’d be stranded. Families will have kids on non-standard developmental journeys, little precious babies who are two and three. But for the NDIS, they wouldn’t get the sort of support they’re getting now. There’s ageing carers in their 80s who will be drying the dishes at 10:00pm tonight overlooking the, you know, the back window from the kitchen sink. They’ll have that anxiety, who’s gonna look after their adult child when they no longer can? We’re not fully there at fulfilling that promise. But for people in this region, we’re a lot closer to fulfilling a promise that even when you can’t look after the person you love because they have a profound and severe disability, there’ll be someone there.
JOURNALIST: Bill. Negative gearing is back in the spotlight today, with analysis showing more than 750,000 renters could become homeowners under your policy that you introduced in 2019. Is it time for the Federal Government to consider changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax concessions?
SHORTEN: Well, unfortunately, Mr. Morrison won the election, so I didn’t quite introduce my policies but thank you for the compliment. Listen, the Government said that we’re going to focus on supply, that negative gearing is not on the agenda. I think that’s fine. We did take a series of policies to 2019. They were narrowly rejected. I think the Government’s got it right where we’re going to focus on supply. I’d encourage the Liberals and the Greens political party to get out of the way. They’re not – we want to build more houses. They’re delaying that. I mean, I have to say of Mr Dutton’s Opposition. They won’t lead, they won’t follow, and they won’t get out of the way. That’s a problem for renters.
JOURNALIST: Should the Prime Minister have bought an expensive home so close to the election in the middle of a housing crisis?
SHORTEN: Oh, it’s so up to him. It’s his business. Good luck to him and Jodie. Again, what I see is people are focusing on one house. I wish the Opposition and the Greens would focus as hard on the tens of thousands of houses that we want to support, and they are just on the Prime Minister’s house.
JOURNALIST: You did used to call Turnbull, at the time, Mr. Harbourside mansion back in the day, saying he was out of touch. Should Albanese have waited until after the election to buy his own?
SHORTEN: I think the difference between Malcolm Turnbull and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is chalk and cheese. Mr. Albanese has worked very hard. He comes from or he came from a tough background. I just wish the very best for him and Jodie in their future. But the other thing is I’ve got no doubt that Prime Minister Albanese will lead us to the next election and successfully.
JOURNALIST: But just in terms of cost of living, do you think the Reserve Bank should hold off on cutting interest rates?
SHORTEN: That’s a decision for the Reserve Bank. But I do know that 3 million mortgagees are doing it tough. I do know that the economy in large part is doing it tough. You know, it’s great that Labor’s been able to create a million jobs, and that shows you the focus of the Government. But people are doing it hard. It’ll be up to the Reserve Bank when they cut rates, but that can’t come too soon as far as I’m concerned.
JOURNALIST: Can I ask one more just for our Canberra colleagues? Your new position that you’ll be taking up, will you be launching a review into the governance of UC?
SHORTEN: Uh, I’ll wait until I get there. What I said about my new job is that until I finish my current job, I won’t be talking about my new job. But the day I start there, then I’m open for – the shop is open for interviews. Thanks.
On a review of the current and evolving liquidity conditions, it has been decided to conduct a second Variable Rate Reverse Repo (VRRR) auction on October 18, 2024, Friday, as under:
Do you wash your hands every time you use the toilet? How about before you handle food? Be honest.
Australia’s Food Safety Information Council has released its latest report card on the country’s hand washing habits. It found 19% of Australians don’t wash their hands every time they use the toilet. Close to half (42%) admit they don’t always wash hands before handling food.
So who’s doing well when it comes to hand hygiene, who’s not – and why does it matter?
What did the report find?
The new report surveyed hand washing practices of 1,229 people. Results were consistent with what we’ve learned from similar surveys.
Once again, women do better than men at washing their hands after using the toilet, although only slightly (80% of men say they do every time, versus 83% of women). Just 55% of men wash their hands before touching food, compared to 62% of women.
Age also seemed to make a difference. Under 34 years old, 69% of people washed their hands every time they used the toilet. Over age 65, that jumped to 86%.
Although some of these differences aren’t completely unexpected – such as the gap between men’s and women’s hand washing habits – the reasons remain unclear.
People over 65 were much more likely than younger people to wash their hands after using the toilet. Mélissa Jeanty/Unsplash
Why don’t people wash their hands?
Public health messaging often focuses on how to wash hands well. But there’s less research that follows up on how widely people actually adopt these practices. And to understand why – if they are skipping the soap and water – those messages might not be getting through effectively.
One study that looked at this question in India asked school children about barriers to hand washing. The vast majority (91%) had low “illness threat perception”. In other words, they simply didn’t perceive a risk of getting sick form not washing their hands after going to the toilet.
Interestingly, the inability to see germs with their own eyes was one of the biggest barriers, cited by 46% of the children. But 72% said they would wash their hands if their friends did.
It’s tempting to speculate these reasons may also apply to other age groups, but we simply haven’t done enough research to know. People’s reasons for hand washing, or not, likely vary across their lifetime and with their circumstances.
What are the risks?
Urine and faeces contain millions of germs, especially faeces, which has more than 100 billion germs per gram.
When you use the toilet and touch surfaces in the bathroom, you will pick up germs. People who skip the hand washing step on the way out take those germs with them when they leave, depositing them on each surface they touch afterwards.
You may not get sick yourself, but you’re increasing the spread of bacteria. This can increase the risk of infection and illness for other people, including those with compromised immune systems such as older people and those undergoing common forms of treatment for cancer.
Hand washing before cooking and eating is also important. The risk here goes both ways. If you have disease-causing germs on your hands (maybe because you didn’t wash them after the toilet) you may transfer them to the food where they can multiply and even produce toxins. People who eat the food may then get sick, often involving vomiting and diarrhoea.
Washing hands before eating and preparing food can stop germs spreading from the food to hands, and vice versa. CDC/Unsplash
In the other direction, some foods naturally carry germs before cooking – such as salmonella and campylobacter bacteria in raw poultry. If you don’t wash your hands after handling these foods you may transfer them to other surfaces and risk spreading infection.
How should I wash my hands?
Follow these three simple tips for hand washing correctly:
wet your hands and rub them together well to build up a good lather with soap for at least 20 seconds and don’t forget to wash between your fingers and under your nails. You might have to use a nail brush
rinse well under running water to remove the bugs from your hands
dry your hands thoroughly on a clean towel for at least 20 seconds. Touching surfaces with moist hands encourages bugs to spread from the surface to your hands.
What about hand sanitiser?
If no running water is available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser. These rapidly inactivate a wide range of germs, rendering them non-infectious. Hand sanitisers are effective against a wide range of bacteria and viruses that can cause many common gastrointesintal and respiratory infections.
However if your hands are soiled with organic matter – such as blood, faeces, meat, sand or soil – they won’t be effective. In that case you should clean your hands with soap and water.
The bottom line
Hand washing is a bit like wearing a seat belt — you do that every time you get in a car, not just on the days you “plan” to be involved in an accident. The bottom line is hand washing is a simple, quick intervention that benefits you and those around you — but only if you do it.
Christine Carson 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.
MIL OSI Translation. Timor-Leste Portuguese to English –
Presidency of the Council of Ministers
Spokesperson for the Government of Timor-Leste
……………………………………………. ……………………………………………. …………………….
Press release
Council of Ministers meeting on 18 October 2024
The Council of Ministers met at the Government Palace in Dili and approved the draft Decree-Law, presented by the Deputy Prime Minister, Coordinating Minister for Social Affairs and Minister for Rural Development and Community Housing, Mariano Assanami Sabino, and by the Executive Director of the Mission Unit to Combat ‘Stunting’, Joel Maria Pereira, for the first amendment to Decree-Law No. 91/2022, of December 22, relating to the Mission Unit to Combat ‘Stunting’.
Decree-Law No. 91/2022 created the Mission Unit to Combat Stunting with the mission of preparing and implementing the National Plan to Combat Stunting and promoting the coordination of government bodies in combating child malnutrition. However, although the National Plan to Combat Stunting has been completed, the planned measures have not yet been fully implemented.
To ensure the continuity of this work, the Government intends to extend the mandate of the Mission Unit until December 31, 2030, allowing the full implementation of the plan and the fight against the high rate of stunting in Timor-Leste. This amendment also aims to adjust the new ministerial framework resulting from the organic structure of the IX Constitutional Government, whereby the Mission Unit for Combating Stunting will be under the supervision of the Vice-Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Social Affairs. This draft Decree-Law also aims to ensure effective and efficient coordination between the various government departments and public administration bodies in the execution of the responsibilities related to nutritional security assigned in the Plan.
At the previous meeting of the Council of Ministers, the National Multisectoral Annual Plan to Combat Stunting was also approved for the period 2024 to 2030, with the aim of reducing the rate of stunting and improving nutritional health in Timor-Leste.
*****
The Council of Ministers endorsed the agreement with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on measures to enhance resilience and livelihoods in the rural sector, presented by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Rural Development and Community Housing, Mariano Assanami Sabino. This agreement aims to increase the resilience of approximately 46,000 people in rural areas of the Manatuto Municipality.
The main aim of this project is to improve access to water, promote the adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices and strengthen the institutional and organizational capacities of rural communities. The initiative, aligned with the priorities of the IX Constitutional Government, includes investments in water infrastructure, the formation of agricultural groups and the development of more diversified and climate-resilient livelihoods. It is also expected that this rural development model to be implemented in Manatuto will be replicated in other municipalities, thus promoting the sustainable development of Timor-Leste.
*****
Finally, the Council of Ministers approved the draft Decree-Law establishing the Community Revitalization Program, also presented by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Rural Development and Community Housing, Mariano Assanami Sabino.
The program aims to promote the economic and social development of rural communities by supporting productive activities in the agriculture, fisheries, livestock, forestry and horticulture sectors, as well as infrastructure and equipment of collective interest. Aligned with the principles of sustainability, social inclusion and community participation, the program provides for the granting of subsidies for community projects, to strengthen local capacities and promote the resilience of communities throughout the country. END
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
FS to visit Peru and US FS to visit Peru and US ***********************
The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, will depart for Peru this evening (October 18) to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Finance Ministers’ Meeting and other related events to be held in Lima, after which he will visit New York, the United States, from October 22 to 24. In addition to attending the APEC Finance Ministers’ Meeting during his visit to Lima, Peru, Mr Chan will have bilateral meetings with officials of other economies to exchange views on issues of mutual concern. He will also attend a luncheon hosted by the APEC Business Advisory Council and meet with members of business communities from various regions. With a theme of “Sustainable + Digital + Resilient = APEC”, this year’s Finance Ministers’ Meeting will explore topics including global economic and financial outlook, fostering green and sustainable development, providing financial support to tackle climate change, as well as digitalisation of finance and financial inclusion. During his visit to New York, Mr Chan will attend the Global Regulatory Forum organised by Bloomberg and deliver a keynote speech. He will also join a number of breakfast meetings and luncheons to meet and exchange views with members of the political, business and financial communities in the United States, and promote Hong Kong’s advantages and opportunities. Mr Chan will also visit local enterprises. Mr Chan will leave New York on October 24 local time and arrive in Hong Kong in the early evening of October 25. During his absence, the Deputy Financial Secretary, Mr Michael Wong, will be the Acting Financial Secretary.
National’s fast track bill enables the most radical and unbalanced consenting regime in living memory.
As the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, Rt Hon Simon Upton said in his submission to select committee ‘the Bill lacks many of the environmental safeguards its predecessor legislation contained. Even the much-maligned National Development Act 1979 had more checks and balances.’
“Despite masquerading under the same name as Labour’s fast-track consenting legislation, it is fundamentally different. Its objective is to override environmental protections,” Labour’s acting environment spokesperson David Parker said.
“Labour’s fast-track process worked. Under it almost 100 projects were approved without undue delay or excessive cost. Many significant housing subdivisions, wind farms, solar farms, retirement villages and infrastructure projects were approved. This process worked and did not override the Resource Management, Conservation, Wildlife and Heritage Protection Acts.
“In contrast this bill excludes any reference to the environment or sustainable management in its purpose, and now enables environmental protections in the Resource Management, Conservation, Wildlife and Heritage Protection Acts to be overridden.
“The Bill is obviously not aimed at approving the sorts of projects that were already being approved. It is aimed at pushing through environmentally contentious projects, some of which have been previously declined or are midway through other processes.
“Examples include mining 50 million tonnes of iron sands off Taranaki for export (not New Zealand processing), coal mines, and a contentious proposal to burn large quantities of plastic.
“Climate polluting emissions will increase.
“The list of projects to be considered – which was released after submissions closed – includes many projects where locals adversely affected should have the opportunity to make submissions. They won’t be able to.
“It was reported this morning that even a National Party MP disagrees with a project on that list and would lie on train tracks to stop it, making a complete mockery of their consultation process.
“The Parliamentary Commissioner’s serious concerns have been ignored. So have the submitters who overwhelmingly opposed this overreach.
“There are many other problems with this legislation described in Labour’s part of the Committee report back, which has been tabled in the House this afternoon.
“The tens of thousands of New Zealanders who marched in the streets to protest against this radical override of New Zealand’s environmental laws have been ignored. The legislation is more extreme than it was when it went to the select committee,” David Parker said.
To be attributed to Detective Senior Sergeant Kristine Clarke:
Police have arrested a second man in relation to the death of a man found critically injured on Hampton Downs Road, Whangamarino earlier this week.
A 42-year-old man was arrested in Auckland today and is due to appear in Counties Manukau District Court tomorrow charged with murder.
Police continue to make enquiries and cannot rule out further arrests and charges.
Police would still like to hear from anyone who was travelling on Hampton Downs Road between 10pm on Sunday 13 October and 1am on 14 October, particularly if you have dashcam footage.
If you can help, please update us online now or call 105.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Mr Michael Tatham CMG has been appointed His Majesty’s High Commissioner to the Republic of Cyprus in succession to Mr Irfan Siddiq OBE
Mr Michael Tatham CMG has been appointed British High Commissioner to the Republic of Cyprus in succession to Mr Irfan Siddiq OBE who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment. Mr Tatham will take up his appointment during November 2024.
Curriculum vitae
Full name: Michael Harry Tatham
2023 to 2024
FCDO, Delivery Director European Political Community Summit
2018 to 2022
Washington DC, Deputy Head of Mission (Chargé d’Affaires, 2019-20)
2015 to 2017
FCO, Director Eastern Europe and Central Asia
2011 to 2015
UK Mission to the United Nations, New York, Political Counsellor
2008 to 2011
Sarajevo, Her Majesty’s Ambassador
2006 to 2008
FCO, Head of Western Balkans Department
2002 to 2005
Prague, Deputy Head of Mission
1999 to 2002
10 Downing Street, Private Secretary (Foreign Affairs) to the Prime Minister
1997 to 1999
Sofia, Deputy Head of Mission
1995 to 1996
FCO, Private Secretary to Minister for Europe
1995
FCO, Head of East Mediterranean Section, Southern European Department
1993 to 1995
FCO, European Union Department (Internal)
1989 to 1993
Prague, Third later Second Secretary (Political/Press)
1987 to 1988
FCO, Namibia Desk Officer, Southern African Department
SHENZHEN, CHINA, Oct. 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — China Medical System Holdings Limited (the “Group” or “CMS”) is pleased to announce that on 18 October, the first batch of prescriptions of ruxolitinib phosphate cream (the “ruxolitinib cream” or the “Product”) for qualified vitiligo patients were issued in the Greater Bay Area, at Zhongshan Chen Xinghai Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Foshan Fosun Chancheng Hospital, and Dongguan Songshan Lake Tungwah Hospital. The Product’s new drug application (NDA) was approved by the Pharmaceutical Administration Bureau (ISAF) of Macau on 11 April 2024, and subsequently the Product was approved by the Guangdong Provincial Medical Products Administration on August 19 through the “Hong Kong and Macau Medicine and Equipment Connect” policy, which officially introduced ruxolitinib cream for the treatment of non-segmental vitiligo with facial involvement in adults and adolescents from 12 years of age, providing a novel treatment option for patients with relevant indication into designated medical institutions in the Mainland of Greater Bay Area.
In addition, on 24 September, the NDA for vitiligo indication of ruxolitinib cream has been accepted by the National Medical Products Administration of China (NMPA). In accordance with the relevant regulations of the drug real-world data application pilot program in the Hainan Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone (the “Pilot Zone”), CMS has conducted a real-world study on ruxolitinib cream in China. The results have shown positive efficacy, which is consistent with the key outcomes of global pivotal clinical studies. All secondary efficacy endpoints showed a trend of benefit consistent with the primary efficacy endpoint, and the treatment effect for vitiligo continued to improve with longer treatment duration. Meanwhile, through the safety monitoring data of the Pilot Zone, no new safety events have been identified. Adverse events mostly had severity levels of grade 1 or 2. No adverse event (AE) leading to discontinuation or withdrawal, and no serious adverse event (SAE) related to the study drug occurred.
If the Product is successfully approved for marketing in Mainland China, it will be the first prescription drug approved by NMPA for repigmentation in vitiligo, bringing this novel treatment hopes for Chinese vitiligo patients.
Furthermore, on 12 August 2023, the Product was approved by Hainan Medical Products Administration for Urgent Clinical Import, and officially became available to applicable patients in the Pilot Zone on August 18, for the topical treatment of non-segmental vitiligo in adults and adolescents aged 12 and above with facial involvement. Benefiting from the Early and Pilot Implementation Policy granted by the state to Hainan Free Trade Port and the Pilot Zone, patients with vitiligo in China can apply for the Product in Boao Super Hospital first and receive treatment from the expert team. As of 30 June 2024, more than 3,200 patients have been treated with ruxolitinib cream in Boao Super Hospital.
CMS has always been patient-oriented and innovation-driven based on clinical needs, continuously striving to improve drug accessibility. Benefited from the “Hong Kong and Macau Medicine and Equipment Connect” policy, ruxolitinib cream was approved for use in the Greater Bay Area and completed its first batch of prescriptions, shortening the time difference for Chinese vitiligo patients to use innovative drug and benefiting more domestic patients. Looking forward to the future, the Group will continuously strive to meet the unmet needs of Chinese patients, continuously explore novel drugs with international quality, and efficiently promote products’ clinical development and commercialization, so as to bring more quality pharmaceutical products through differentiated innovation-breakthrough, to safeguard the health and life-quality of patients.
About ruxolitinib cream Ruxolitinib cream (Opzelura), a novel cream formulation of Incyte’s selective JAK1/JAK2 inhibitor ruxolitinib, is approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration for the topical treatment of nonsegmental vitiligo in patients 12 years of age and older. As of now, it is the first and only treatment for repigmentation approved for use in the United States[1]. Ruxolitinib cream (Opzelura) is also approved in the U.S. for the topical short-term and non-continuous chronic treatment of mild to moderate atopic dermatitis (AD) in non-immunocompromised patients 12 years of age and older whose disease is not adequately controlled with topical prescription therapies, or when those therapies are not advisable[2]. In Europe, ruxolitinib cream (Opzelura) is approved for the treatment of non-segmental vitiligo with facial involvement in adults and adolescents from 12 years of age[3].
On 2 December 2022, the Group through a subsidiary of the Company, a dermatology medical aesthetic company (“CMS Skinhealth”) entered into a Collaboration and License Agreement (the “License Agreement”) with Incyte for topical formulations of ruxolitinib for the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory dermatology diseases. In accordance with the License Agreement, the Group through CMS Skinhealth received an exclusive license to develop, register and commercialize the Product in Mainland China, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Macau Special Administrative Region, Taiwan Region and eleven Southeast Asian countries (Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Timor-Leste and Brunei Darussalam) (the “Territory”) and a non-exclusive license to manufacture the Product in the Territory. The License Agreement commenced on its effective date and has a royalty term of ten years from the date of the commercial sale of the Product in the Territory (the “Royalty Term”). Upon the expiration of the Royalty Term, the License Agreement may be renewed for a period of ten years thereafter (the “Initial Extended Royalty Term”) as per certain conditions defined in the License Agreement. Upon the expiration of the Initial Extended Royalty Term, the License Agreement may be extended for a period otherwise agreed by both sides as per certain conditions defined in the License Agreement.
Incyte has worldwide rights for the development and commercialization of the Product, marketed in the United States and Europe as Opzelura®. Opzelura and the Opzelura logo are registered trademarks of Incyte.
About vitiligo
Vitiligo is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by depigmentation of the skin, which results from the loss of pigment-producing cells known as melanocytes. It is estimated that there are approximately 14 million vitiligo patients in China[4]. Non-segmental vitiligo patients account for approximately 85% of them. Topical corticosteroids (TCS) and calcineurin inhibitors (CI) are used off-label for non-segmental vitiligo, however, these therapies have clinical deficiencies with long-term adverse reactions of long-term treatment or limited efficacy[5、6].
About CMS CMS is a platform company linking pharmaceutical innovation and commercialization with strong product lifecycle management capability, dedicated to providing competitive products and services to meet unmet medical needs.
CMS focuses on the global first-in-class (FIC) and best-in-class (BIC) innovative products, and efficiently promotes the clinical research, development and commercialization of innovative products, enabling the continuous transformation of scientific research into clinical practices to benefit patients.
CMS deeply engages in several specialty therapeutic fields, and has developed proven commercialization capabilities, extensive networks and expert resources, resulting in leading academic and market positions for its major marketed products. CMS continues to promote the in-depth development of its advantageous specialty fields and expand business boundaries. While strengthening the competitiveness of the cardio-cerebrovascular/gastroenterology business, CMS independently operates its dermatology and medical aesthetics business, and ophthalmology business, aiming to gain leading positions in specialty therapeutic fields, whilst enhancing the scale and efficiency. At the same time, CMS has expanded its business territory to the Southeast Asian market, striving to become a “bridgehead” for global pharmaceutical companies to enter the Southeast Asian market, further escorting the sustainable and healthy development of the Group.
Ezzedine K, Eleftheriadou V, Whitton M, van Geel N. Vitiligo. Lancet. 2015;386(9988):74-84. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(14)60763-7
Consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of vitiligo (2021 version)
Kubelis-López DE, Zapata-Salazar NA, Said-Fernández SL, Sánchez-Domínguez CN, Salinas-Santander MA, Martínez-Rodríguez HG, Vázquez-Martínez OT, Wollina U, Lotti T, Ocampo-Candiani J. Updates and new medical treatments for vitiligo (Review). Exp Ther Med. 2021 Aug;22(2):797. doi: 10.3892/etm.2021.10229. Epub 2021 May 25. PMID: 34093753; PMCID: PMC8170669.
CMS Disclaimer and Forward-Looking Statements This press release is not intended to promote any products to you and is not for advertising purposes. This press release does not recommend any drugs, medical devices and/or indications. If you want to know more about the diagnosis and treatment of specific diseases, please follow the opinions or guidance of your doctor or other medical and health professionals. Any treatment-related decisions made by healthcare professionals should be based on the patient’s specific circumstances and in accordance with the drug package insert.
This press release which has been prepared by CMS does not constitute any offer or invitation to purchase or subscribe for any securities, and shall not form the basis for or be relied on in connection with any contract or binding commitment whatsoever. This press release has been prepared by CMS based on information and data which it considers reliable, but CMS makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, whatsoever, and no reliance shall be placed on, the truth, accuracy, completeness, fairness and reasonableness of the contents of this press release. Certain matters discussed in this press release may contain statements regarding the Group’s market opportunity and business prospects that are individually and collectively forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Any forward-looking statements and projections made by third parties included in this press release are not adopted by the Group and the Company is not responsible for such third-party statements and projections.
Border inspection agencies across China recorded 160 million entries and exits during the third quarter of this year, representing a year-on-year increase of 30.1 percent, according to the National Immigration Administration. A total of 8.186 million inbound trips were made by foreigners, up 48.8 percent from the same period last year. Of these trips, 4.885 million were made visa-free, a year-on-year increase of 78.6 percent, data from the administration showed. In July, China issued new visa-free entry and transit policies, granting 144-hour visa-free entry to foreigners visiting the southern island province of Hainan via tour groups registered in Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions. Additionally, the country’s 144-hour visa-free transit policy has been expanded to three more entry ports in central China’s Henan Province and southwest China’s Yunnan Province.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (October 18) that in view of a notification from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5 avian influenza in Hokkaido Prefecture in Japan, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the area with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.
A CFS spokesman said that according to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong imported about 1170 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and about 150.45 million poultry eggs from Japan in the first six months of this year.
“The CFS has contacted the Japanese authority over the issue and will closely monitor information issued by the World Organisation for Animal Health and the relevant authorities on the avian influenza outbreak. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation,” the spokesman said.
Chief Executive John Lee appeared on a radio phone-in programme this morning to take questions from the public about the 2024 Policy Address.
In an hour-long session, Mr Lee answered questions on topics ranging from the economy to innovation and technology (I&T), land and housing, and more.
Addressing its overall economic situation and future development path, the Chief Executive said that Hong Kong has gone through many changes over time and remains an attractive city. He stressed that the Government is optimistic about the economy and expects overall growth of between 2.5% and 3.5% this year.
“That means the macro-economy is positive but the micro-economy, particularly for some sectors, they may have to think of new ways of doing things, so as to make themselves attractive,” he added.
A major of focus in the Policy Address was backing for the I&T sector, with Mr Lee vowing to develop new quality productive forces tailored to local conditions as Hong Kong strives to develop as an international I&T centre.
Responding to a question on the topic on-air, he said: “I think I&T has to be the way forward. I think the whole world really has gone in that direction. And I think if we want to remain competitive, and also to remain prosperous, we need to work hard in this area.
“What we are doing now in regard to I&T (is on) many fronts. First of all we need talents because good people, I think, are the key.
“We want to set up more laboratories, so that there will be more possible products to be transformable. And then, we want more money to be put into research. The Government alone cannot be the only source (of money) because we are still only investing about 1.07% of the whole GDP (gross domestic product) of Hong Kong.”
During the programme, Mr Lee also responded to questions on Hong Kong’s housing situation,
He iterated that the Policy Address introduced various measures to assist home buyers, including an adjustment of the maximum loan-to-value ratio for all properties to 70%.
Despite the challenges presented by the limited supply of land, the Chief Executive said that ensuring people’s housing needs are met is the responsibility of the Government.
The Policy Address also included plans to enact legislation to tackle the issue of subdivided units.
Asked about the Government’s approach, Mr Lee said: “It is such a big problem and all the different factors that affect the present occupants are so diverse. So, I will be doing it in a very orderly manner, progressively. And people will be given sufficient notice to know what will happen.
“First of all, we need legislation so people know the standards that will be set for what (will) then become the only available, lawful Basic Housing Units (BHUs) in Hong Kong.
“The market will develop because there is a demand. Once it is regulated, then those who provide these units will know the rules of the game.”
He added that once the new standards have been enforced, the market will set the optimal level of rents for BHUs.
Despite resounding public opposition, the fast-track legislation is being pushed through Parliament with provisions that could have real consequences for people and planet.
“More than 90 per cent of submitters opposed this Bill. People know that the fast track will derail our environment,” says the Green Party Spokesperson for the Environment Lan Pham.
“Our well-being is intertwined with the environment. By looking after nature, we look after ourselves. We need to move on from the archaic, exploitative and extractive approach that has already seen us lose so much.
“We came to the table with a range of amendments to entrench environmental protections and ensure the voices of New Zealanders were considered, but every single one was rejected.
“Among the amendments dismissed outright were those that would have upheld environmental protections, introduced Te Tiriti considerations, given the public an opportunity to be consulted and protected the rights of current consent holders. This is the bare minimum.
“Huge public outcry has been blatantly ignored, and overwhelming opposition has been swept aside.
“This rushed process has silenced communities and is quite clearly ignoring evidence.
“The Green Party will continue to fight for the environment and a liveable future for all. Decisions about our land, waters and resources must be made transparently, and with the voices of our communities and health of our environment front of mind.
“Instead of fast-tracking short-term financial gains, we believe in a process that prioritises the long-term wellbeing: of our people, our waters and our land,” says Lan Pham.
The Monetary Authority (HKMA), together with the banking sector, introduced multiple measures today to further support, through financing as well as banking products and services, the continuous development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
The HKMA said around 20,000 SMEs have benefitted from the nine measures that it launched with the Banking Sector SME Lending Co-ordination Mechanism in March this year, involving an aggregate credit limit of over $44 billion.
Taking into account the commercial sector’s views, the HKMA and the banking sector will roll out five measures to assist SMEs’ continuous development, upgrade and transformation, as well as enhancing their competitiveness and productivity to cope with various operational challenges.
Firstly, the HKMA has lowered the countercyclical capital buffer ratio from 1% to 0.5%, and will allow banks to early adopt the preferential treatments for SME exposures under the Basel III capital framework.
Such policies will release bank capital, enabling banks to make use of the additional capital to facilitate SMEs’ financing needs.
Secondly, the 16 banks that are active in SME lending have set aside a total of over $370 billion in dedicated funds for SMEs in their loan portfolio. The funds will allow SME customers to access necessary financing to cope with the evolving business environment.
The banks will regularly review and consider scaling up the size of their dedicated funds in response to SMEs’ needs and development.
Thirdly, the HKMA said banks will launch more credit products and services to meet the needs, such as the combination of digital transformation and green transformation, of SMEs. Examples include pre-approved credit limits, unsecured loans, cross-border loans, and loans with flexible repayment periods.
On partial principal repayment options, the HKMA noted that when an orderly exit from the banking sector’s Pre-approved Principal Payment Holiday Scheme started in July 2023, the mechanism introduced enhanced measures to assist corporates’ gradual return to normal repayment.
As some customers’ partial principal repayment arrangements will expire in early 2025, banks will be accommodative and consider offering more flexible repayment arrangements to these customers.
Subject to prudent risk-management principles, such arrangements may include extending the duration of partial principal repayment, offering more options on the proportion and duration of partial principal repayment, or even offering principal moratorium.
Additionally, banks will allocate adequate resources to process applications and work closely with HKMC Insurance to implement as soon as possible the principal moratorium and other enhanced measures under the SME Financing Guarantee Scheme.
Financial Secretary Paul Chan will depart for Peru this evening to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Finance Ministers’ Meeting and other related events in the country’s capital Lima, before heading to New York City in the US.
Under the banner “Sustainable + Digital + Resilient = APEC”, this year’s finance ministers’ meeting will explore the global economic and financial outlook, how to foster green and sustainable development, the provision of financial support to tackle climate change, digitalisation in finance, and financial inclusion. In addition to attending the APEC event, Mr Chan will hold bilateral meetings with officials from other economies to exchange views on issues of mutual concern. He will also attend a lunch hosted by the APEC Business Advisory Council.
During his visit to New York, the Financial Secretary will deliver a keynote speech at the Global Regulatory Forum, organised by Bloomberg.
In addition, Mr Chan will attend a number of breakfast meetings and lunches to promote Hong Kong’s advantages and opportunities. He will also visit local enterprises.
Mr Chan will arrive back in Hong Kong on October 25. During his absence, Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong will be Acting Secretary.
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today received Ambassador of Peru to Indonesia, Timor-Leste, and ASEAN Luis Tsuboyama at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat. They discussed Dr. Kao’s participation in the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministerial Meeting, scheduled to be held in Lima, Peru, on 14 November 2024. Peru is the chair of APEC this year, having previously served as the APEC Chair in 2008 and 2016. The ASEAN Secretariat is one of the official observers of APEC, along with the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat and the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council.
The post Secretary-General of ASEAN receives Ambassador of Peru to Indonesia, Timor-Leste, and ASEAN appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Statistics on Code on Access to Information for first quarter of 2024 Statistics on Code on Access to Information for first quarter of 2024 *********************************************************************
The Government received a total of 2 648 requests for information under the Code on Access to Information in the first quarter of 2024, a spokesman for the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau said today (October 18). The total number of requests received since the introduction of the Code in March 1995 and up to the end of March 2024 amounted to 124 876. Of these, 7 544 requests were subsequently withdrawn by the requestors and 6 235 requests covered cases in which the bureaux/departments concerned did not hold the requested information or cannot confirm or deny the existence of information. As at March 31, 2024, 613 requests were still being processed by bureaux/departments. Among the 110 484 requests which covered information held by bureaux/departments and which the bureaux/departments had responded to, 107 247 requests (97.1 per cent) were met, either in full (104 313 requests) or in part (2 934 requests), and 3 237 requests (2.9 per cent) were refused. Any member of the public who is dissatisfied with the response of a bureau/department under the Code may request that the matter be reviewed. He or she may also lodge a complaint with the Ombudsman. In the first quarter of 2024, the Ombudsman received 14 complaints relating to requests for information. In this quarter, the Ombudsman concluded 23 complaints, among which two were unsubstantiated, one was partially substantiated and 20 were concluded by inquiries (including seven cases with inadequacies found). As at March 31, 2024, the Ombudsman’s investigations on 11 complaints were ongoing. “The Code has provided an effective framework for the public to seek access to information held by the Government,” the spokesman said.
National Children’s Commissioner Anne Hollonds said the passing of legislation in the Northern Territory that will see children as young as 10 years old jailed is a failure of all the support systems that should be helping these children.
“This is a very sad day. Instead of strengthening the education, health, family support and child protection systems, the Northern Territory government has chosen to criminalise young children with disabilities, learning problems, mental health issues, and poverty. And the Commonwealth government remains silent,” Commissioner Hollonds said.
“I have been told by some members of parliament ‘there’s no votes in children’, that is, there’s no electoral benefit in standing up for children’s rights. However, in the states and territories, there are votes to be won by sounding ‘tough on crime’, even when these approaches are not based on the evidence of what will prevent crime by children.
“Criminalising children is not ‘early intervention’ and it will not make communities safer. The evidence shows that the younger a child comes into contact with the criminal justice system, the more likely it is that they will go on to commit more serious crimes.”
The evidence shows that addressing the root causes of offending by children is what works to prevent crime by children. This means we must have support systems that meet the needs of children such as appropriate education, healthcare (addiction and mental health services), housing and family support.
Commissioner Hollonds said the laws are contrary to the NT’s obligations under the Closing the Gap National Agreement and will have a heavy impact on First Nations communities.
“Alongside many other child rights advocates I have urged the Commonwealth government to step up and show leadership on child wellbeing. Despite having ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Child there is no accountability for the human rights and wellbeing of Australia’s most vulnerable children,” Commissioner Hollonds said.
“This must change. Our most vulnerable children are being let down by all levels of government.”
The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority: The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) announced today (October 18) the establishment of CMU OmniClear Limited (CMU OmniClear), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Exchange Fund. CMU OmniClear will operate the Central Moneymarkets Unit (CMU) on behalf of the HKMA. Currently, the CMU is operated as a unit of the HKMA. To enable the CMU to pursue a more commercial development path, CMU OmniClear is established to operate the CMU system and pursue new business development initiatives, under a contractual arrangement with the HKMA. CMU OmniClear will have its own governance structure and commercial culture, and is expected to take over CMU operations in January 2025. The HKMA would still be the owner and operator of the CMU system. The legal relationships with CMU participants and other system linkages would remain with the HKMA, and decisions on the policy and strategic development in respect of the CMU’s activities and services would be made by the HKMA. The Chairperson of the Board of Directors of CMU OmniClear, Mr Eddie Yue, said, “The CMU has seen remarkable achievements in recent years, such as supporting Bond Connect activities, facilitating digital bond issuances, recording significant growth in various business areas. The establishment of CMU OmniClear is an important step towards developing CMU into a major international central securities depository in Asia. I believe with more commercialised operations under CMU OmniClear, the CMU’s future development would be further propelled.”
Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti
6 hours ago
Bayle Smith, 18, is currently studying the NZ Certificate in Animal Technology (Level 5).
Caring for sick animals and helping them get better prompted Bayle Smith to study vet nursing at EIT.
A life-long animal lover, Bayle, who was born in South Carolina, USA, moved back to New Zealand as a youngster and has grown up in Hawke’s Bay.
Bayle, 18, is currently studying the NZ Certificate in Animal Technology (Level 5), with the aim of completing the Diploma in Veterinary Nursing (Level 6), with the option of going on to finish the Bachelor of Veterinary Nursing.
Bayle was in Year 12 at Napier Girls’ High last year when she decided to leave school and go straight into the Veterinary Nursing programme, because she knew that’s what she wanted to do.
While she was at school she had to do some extra assessments and credits to qualify to enrol at EIT.
“I did a few extracurricular assessments in my English class to have the right amount of credits. I had a couple of meetings with the coordinator before that and she gave me some help with working it out.”
“I love animals and I have an interest in the anaesthetic side of things and looking after the patients. I grew up watching the Irwins so my dream job is to work at a zoo with exotic animals, but the first step is doing small animals before you get to the large animals.”
“I’m on my second work experience placement at the moment where I get put in a clinic and it’s making me realise that I definitely want this career. I love to look after and monitor the sick animals and make sure that they get better.”
Bayle’s first placement was at a Vet Clinic in Hastings, while she is now experiencing things on the frontline at a clinic in Hamilton.
Her love of animals stems from her time growing up on a farm in Eskdale.
“When I was a little kid, I was always out in the paddock playing with the animals. We would bring in the orphaned lambs and baby goats to look after them. So, I’ve grown up my whole life around animals and loved looking after them.”
“I’ve also volunteered at Riding for the Disabled and SPCA, so when I decided to go into veterinary nursing, it certainly did not feel like a job. I could happily do it free and go volunteer, because that is what it is all about.”
Bayle says she is loving the programme and particularly enjoys the interaction with lecturers, who she says are keen to pass on their knowledge to students.
“I do want to go all the way to my Bachelor’s degree. Obviously, I’m just at the start of it, but I definitely know that I’m going to continue with it for sure.”
“I came into this programme knowing some things, but not a lot. But, I have learnt so much in my lectures and on my placement. This programme really sets you up well for a good career.”
Emma Martin, EIT’s Veterinary Nursing Programme Co-ordinator & Lecturer said: “As Programme Coordinator for the veterinary nursing programmes at EIT, I first met Bayle in 2023 at our temporary offices on Vautier Street. At the time, she was still in school, working through her NCEA journey. “
“We had a great conversation about her potential career options, and it was clear that Bayle was passionate about animals, providing care, and showing compassion to both pets and their owners. After discussing the academic entry criteria, Bayle returned to school with a clear goal, and we were delighted to welcome her into the veterinary nursing programme this year.”
“Since joining, Bayle has demonstrated herself to be a keen and eager learner, always striving to deepen her understanding of the many concepts we teach. She has been making the most of her learning opportunities, both in the classroom and during her work placements. We are thrilled to see her continued focus and enthusiasm as she pursues her studies and works towards entering the veterinary nursing profession.”
Stronger guarantees, AI rules and ban on unfair trading10 min read
The Federal Government has signalled its commitment to advancing major consumer law reforms with three key announcements this week that included proposals to strengthen consumer guarantees, ban unfair trading practices and introduce artificial intelligence (AI) specific protections—all of which could significantly alter the landscape for both suppliers and manufacturers.
With Government seeking feedback on these reforms, companies should stay informed and actively engage in consultation processes to ensure any changes are fit for purpose and take into consideration relevant business concerns. In addition, companies should consider how these proposals could impact their businesses and take steps to ensure compliance and mitigate risks.
In this Insight, we provide an update on the proposals so far and their potential implications for business.
Key takeaways
Treasury is seeking feedback on updates to the consumer guarantees regime, including civil prohibitions and penalties for suppliers or manufacturers that fail to provide remedies for consumer guarantees, and for manufacturers who fail to indemnify suppliers as required by the Australian Consumer Law (ACL).
The Prime Minister’s office has announced plans for a ban on unfair trading practices, though details on the specific legislation are still pending. The ban is expected to include a general prohibition on unfair trading practices, along with specific prohibitions against issues like drip pricing, subscription traps and misleading online practices that create a false sense of urgency.
Treasury is seeking feedback on whether it should expand the ACL to cover AI-specific consumer law issues, including mandatory guardrails with specific requirements for AI-related consumer products and services and reforming remedies to better suit defective AI-enabled goods and services.
Moves to strengthen the consumer guarantees regime
On 16 October 2024, the Government announced plans to introduce new civil prohibitions and penalties for breaches of the consumer guarantees and supplier indemnification (CGSI) provisions of the ACL. The announcement was accompanied by a Consultation Paper seeking stakeholder feedback on how the proposed prohibitions and penalties should be designed.
This announcement builds on a consultation undertaken in 2021 on ways to improve CGSI provisions of the ACL and incorporates findings from the 2023 Australian Consumer Survey, including that consumers find it difficult to obtain remedies for consumer guarantees failures. The Consultation Paper notes that:
for low-cost goods, consumers are less likely to enforce their statutory rights when it is cheaper and easier to ‘just buy another one’ or to pay for a repair; and
for high-value goods, consumers may struggle to understand the process involved in making a complaint and/or find it prohibitively time-consuming, costly or difficult to pursue one.
The proposed reforms seek to respond to a range of concerns with the status quo, including that:
the difficulties outlined above mean costs can be transferred from a non-compliant supplier or manufacturer to a consumer and lead to poorer outcomes for consumers and the economy;
suppliers and manufacturers lack incentives to comply with the consumer guarantees; and
some suppliers may also face difficulties obtaining indemnification from manufacturers and/or face retaliatory behaviours if they seek to be indemnified.
The Government is seeking to respond to the concerns outlined above by introducing reforms that would:
prohibit suppliers from refusing to provide remedies to consumers where there has been a major failure under the consumer guarantees (remedy failure prohibition);
prohibit manufacturers from failing to indemnify suppliers;
make it unlawful for a manufacturer to retaliate against a supplier for seeking indemnification following a consumer guarantees failure; and
introduce civil penalties for contraventions of the prohibitions above, as well as an ability for regulators to issue infringement notices or pursue litigation where they have reasonable grounds to believe a contravention has occurred.
The Consultation Paper notes that the introduction of these prohibitions would enable ACL regulators to enforce the CGSI provisions in circumstances where rights are currently only enforceable by affected consumers and businesses. The Paper also acknowledges a submission made by the ACCC that, if regulators were able to take direct enforcement action, this would likely lead to greater judicial consideration of the consumer guarantees and result in greater clarity in the law.
Key issues the Government is seeking feedback on include:
whether any aspects of the consumer guarantees need to be clarified prior to the introduction of prohibitions and penalties, noting concerns have previously been raised regarding whether penalties are appropriate in circumstances where concepts such as ‘reasonable consumer’ and ‘major failure’ are difficult to apply in practice;
whether the remedy failure prohibition should apply to all goods and services or whether a value threshold should be applied and/or only be applied to new motor vehicles;
at what amount an infringement notice or maximum civil penalty should be set; and
if it is appropriate to factor in depreciation when determining an appropriate refund amount, noting that, at present, where there has been a major failure, a consumer is entitled to a replacement or full refund even where they have had the benefit of the use of a product for an extended period of time.
Treasury will engage with targeted stakeholders on the proposed design of the civil prohibitions and penalties and is seeking public feedback by Thursday 14 November 2024.
Anticipated ban on unfair trading practices takes shape
On Wednesday 16 October 2024, the Prime Minister’s office announced it will legislate a ban on unfair trading practices. The announcement is long awaited and follows the Federal Treasury’s consultation on the introduction of such a prohibition, which took place between August and November 2023 (the 2023 Consultation). The ACCC has previously recommended that an unfair trading practices prohibition be introduced into the ACL in a number of contexts, including the final report of the 2019 Digital Platforms Inquiry.
The Government’s media release states that the reforms are about ‘easing the cost of living and getting a fair go for consumers and suppliers’. It non-exhaustively identifies the following practices that the reforms will address:
subscription traps: arduous and confusing steps that make cancelling a subscription difficult;
drip pricing: practices where fees are hidden or added throughout the stages of a purchase;
deceptive or manipulative online practices: practices that aim to confuse or overwhelm consumers, omit or hide material information, or create a false sense of urgency (such as warnings that a customer only has limited time to purchase a product);
dynamic pricing: changing the price of a product during the transaction process;
accounts and information provisions: requiring consumers to set up an account and provide unnecessary information to make an online purchase; and
reporting of issues: making it difficult for a consumer to contact a business when they have a problem with a product or service.
The Government is yet to release any specific legislative drafting or design for consultation and has foreshadowed a final reform proposal in the first half of 2025.
Enhancing Australian consumer law to address AI
On 15 October 2024, Treasury released a Discussion Paper which examines whether the ACL remains fit for purpose to protect consumers from the potential harms of the use of AI. The ACL currently contains a combination of both general and specific consumer protections which are technology-neutral, and Treasury is consulting on whether any changes to the ACL targeted specifically towards AI-enabled goods and services are necessary.
Treasury has indicated that new and targeted consumer protections may be introduced:
Specific prohibitions on false and misleading representations in relation to AI and emerging technologies. Treasury raised concerns in relation to the opacity of AI systems and difficulty in predicting AI system behaviour, such as erroneous output and unwanted bias, which may increase the risk of false or misleading representations about AI-enabled goods and services, and misleading and deceptive conduct in general. In light of this, Treasury is considering whether specific prohibitions in relation to false and misleading representations, targeted towards AI-enabled goods and services, are necessary to ensure the ACL is fit for purpose in the future. Recently, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) took law enforcement action in the United States against the alleged use of AI technology in a deceptive and unfair manner.
Specific consumer guarantees provisions targeted towards AI and emerging technologies. Treasury has considered views that the unique characteristics of AI may require new consumer guarantees, eg guarantees relating to cybersecurity, interoperability and the provision of software updates for a reasonable period. Treasury acknowledged that some cybersecurity risks of certain AI-enabled goods will be captured by the Government’s ongoing 2023-2030 Australian Cyber Security Strategy, but it is still considering the need for bespoke consumer protections for digital products overall, such as those adopted in the United Kingdom under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 (UK).
New product safety standards targeted towards AI and emerging technologies. There are currently no mandatory AI-specific safety standards for consumer goods or product-related services, and Treasury is assessing whether current safety standards (which include the current Voluntary AI Safety Standard) effectively guarantee the safe and responsible use of AI-enabled goods and services. Treasury is considering options for mandatory guardrails in this consultation. See our Insight on preparing for voluntary AI standards and mandatory legislation for more information.
Prescriptions under the unfair contract terms (UCT) regime. Treasury has noted stakeholder concerns about the possible risks to consumers arising from terms that exclude supplier and manufacturer liability in relation to AI-enabled goods and services, and is currently considering whether such terms (and similar) should be deemed as UCTs.
Treasury has flagged that there is a need for greater clarity in the ACL in relation to AI and emerging technologies, due to the technology-neutral nature of the current language of the ACL. In principle, the existing general ACL framework should be able to address AI-related concerns, but there is uncertainty over the following issues:
The definition of AI-enabled goods and services, and whether this fits within the current definitions under the ACL. Whether something is a ‘good’ or a ‘service’ affects the remedies available under consumer guarantees, particularly considering the specific liability imposed on manufacturers of goods with safety defects. AI-enabled goods and services are generally a ‘mixed supply’ of goods and services, but consumers cannot claim for both a faulty good and service arising from a single transaction. Treasury is seeking to clarify this distinction for consumers in the context of AI-enabled goods and services.
Potential limitations of principles-based consumer guarantees. The current consumer guarantees regime contains a range of principles-based provisions that include concepts such as ‘fitness for purpose’, ‘acceptable quality’ and ‘due care and skill’. Treasury has received concerns that it is unclear how these principles-based standards may apply in the context of AI-enabled goods and services. An example is the concept of ‘durability’, which is currently set out under the ACL as a factor for assessing the acceptable quality of a product.
Treasury has identified particular difficulties that consumers may face when accessing remedies related to AI and emerging technologies. It noted the following concerns regarding the applicability of a manufacturer’s liability for goods with safety defects (as under the ACL) in relation to AI-enabled goods and services:
The evidentiary burden of establishing a causal link between the safety defect and consumer loss and damage. The specific characteristics of AI systems, such as opacity, autonomous behaviour and complexity, may make it more difficult for consumers to meet this burden of proof. Treasury is considering approaches from other jurisdictions, such as that in the EU under the proposed AI Liability Directive, which includes a ‘presumption of causality’ where a number of conditions are met, shifting the onus to manufacturers to demonstrate that no causal link to consumer loss or damage exists.
Defences available to manufacturers. There is a concern that the current defences listed under the ACL available to manufacturers may not be appropriate for AI-enabled goods and services. For example, the defence that the safety defect did not exist at the time that a good was supplied reflects a traditional position that manufacturers retain little or no ongoing control over the goods that they supply, which is not always applicable to AI-enabled goods and services.
The deadline for stakeholder feedback and written submissions on Treasury’s review of AI and the ACL is Tuesday, 12 November 2024.
Clean air is essential for healthy living, but according to the World Health Organization (WHO), almost 99% of the global population breathes air exceeding their guideline limits of air pollution. “Air quality is a measure of how much stuff is in the air, which includes particulates and gaseous pollutants,” said Kristina Pistone, a research scientist at NASA Ames Research Center. Pistone’s research covers both atmospheric and climate areas, with a focus on the effect of atmospheric particles on climate and clouds. “It’s important to understand air quality because it affects your health and how well you can live your life and go about your day,” Pistone said. We sat down with Pistone to learn more about air quality and how it can have a noticeable impact on human health and the environment.
There are six main air pollutants regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the United States: particulate matter (PM), nitrogen oxides, ozone, sulfur oxides, carbon monoxide, and lead. These pollutants come from from natural sources, such as the particulate matter that rises into the atmosphere from fires and desert dust, or from human activity, such as the ozone generated from sunlight reacting to vehicle emissions.
Air quality influences health and quality of life. “Just like we need to ingest water, we need to breathe air,” Pistone said. “We have come to expect clean water because we understand that we need it to live and be healthy, and we should expect the same from our air.” Poor air quality has been tied to cardiovascular and respiratory effects in humans. Short-term exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2), for example, can cause respiratory symptoms like coughing and wheezing, and long-term exposure increases the risk of developing respiratory diseases such as asthma or respiratory infections. Exposure to ozone can aggravate the lungs and damage the airways. Exposure to PM2.5 (particulates 2.5 micrometers or smaller) causes lung irritation and has been linked to heart and lung diseases. In addition to its impacts on human health, poor air quality can damage the environment, polluting bodies of water through acidification and eutrophication. These processes kill plants, deplete soil nutrients, and harm animals.
Air quality is similar to the weather; it can change quickly, even within a matter of hours. To measure and report on air quality, the EPA uses the United States Air Quality Index (AQI). The AQI is calculated by measuring each of the six primary air pollutants on a scale from “Good” to “Hazardous,” to produce a combined AQI numeric value 0-500. “Usually when we’re talking about air quality, we’re saying that there are things in the atmosphere that we know are not good for humans to be breathing all the time,” Pistone said. “So to have good air quality, you need to be below a certain threshold of pollution.” Localities around the world use different thresholds for “good” air quality, which is often dependent on which pollutants their system measures. In the EPA’s system, an AQI value of 50 or lower is considered good, while 51-100 is considered moderate. An AQI value between 100 and 150 is considered unhealthy for sensitive groups, and higher values are unhealthy to everyone; a health alert is issued when the AQI reaches 200. Any value over 300 is considered hazardous, and is frequently associated with particulate pollution from wildfires.
Air quality sensors are a valuable resource for capturing air quality data on a local level.In 2022, the Trace Gas GRoup (TGGR) at NASA Ames Research Center deployed Inexpensive Network Sensor Technology for Exploring Pollution, or INSTEP: a new network of low-cost air quality sensors that measures a variety of pollutants. These sensors are capturing air quality data in certain areas in California, Colorado, and Mongolia, and have proven advantageous for monitoring air quality during California’s fire season. The 2024 Airborne and Satellite Investigation of Asian Air Quality (ASIA-AQ) mission integrated sensor data from aircraft, satellites, and ground-based platforms to evaluate air quality over several countries in Asia. The data captured from multiple instruments on these flights, such as the Meteorological Measurement System (MMS) from NASA Ames Atmospheric Science Branch, are used to refine air quality models to forecast and assess air quality conditions. Agency-wide, NASA has a range of Earth-observing satellites and other technology to capture and report air quality data. In 2023, NASA launched the Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO) mission, which measures air quality and pollution over North America. NASA’s Land, Atmosphere Near real-time Capability for Earth Observations (LANCE) tool provides air quality forecasters with measurements compiled from a multitude of NASA instruments, within three hours of its observation.
In addition to the EPA’s website, which houses air-quality related sources, the EPA also has a platform called AirNow, which reports the local AQI across the United States and allows users to check air quality levels in their area. Pistone also recommends looking at Purple Air’s real-time map, which displays PM data taken from a crowd-sourced network of low-cost sensors and translates those measurements to estimate AQI. For those concerned about air quality, Pistone recommends checking out https://cleanaircrew.org/ for resources on indoor air quality, breathing safely with wildfire smoke, and even building your own box fan filter. To learn more about air quality research applications, see NASA’s Applied Sciences Program’s Health & Air Quality program area, which details the use of Earth observations to assess and address air quality concerns at local, regional, and national levels. Additionally, the NASA Health and Air Quality Applied Sciences Team (HAQAST) helps connect NASA data and tools with stakeholders to better share and understand the effects of air quality on human health. Written by Katera Lee, NASA Ames Research Center
The Director-General of Civil Aviation, Mr Victor Liu, led a Hong Kong delegation comprising representatives from the Civil Aviation Department (CAD) and the Hong Kong International Aviation Academy (HKIAA), to attend the 59th Conference of Directors General of Civil Aviation, Asia and Pacific Regions, organised by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), in Cebu, the Philippines. The theme for this year’s Conference was “Shaping the Future of Aviation: Sustainable, Resilient, and Inclusive”. The five-day Conference, with over 320 participants from 44 member states, administrations and international organisations, concluded on a high note today (October 18). Discussion and information papers covering a wide range of subjects, including aviation safety, air navigation, aviation security, aviation and the environment, aviation technologies, as well as regional co-operation, were submitted by aviation authorities and industry organisations to the Conference. During the Conference, Mr Liu moderated the discussion of an agenda item on aviation safety. The discussion covered a wide range of subjects, including safety management, safety culture and promotion, and applications of various artificial intelligence and innovation technologies. The CAD submitted four papers to the Conference in response to the theme topic. Among them, the paper titled “Operationalisation of Autonomous Vehicles at the Hong Kong International Airport: A Regulatory Perspective” shared the successful experience of the application of autonomous vehicle technology to enhance safety and efficiency of airport operations in Hong Kong. The other three papers discussed the opportunities and challenges of applying artificial intelligence across various aspects of aviation, shared the CAD’s experience in utilising advanced technologies to enhance weather-related collaborative decision making in air traffic management, and shared information on the successful hosting of the Asia Pacific Region Innovation & Capacity Building Symposium 2023 under the theme “Uniting the Strength of Innovation for Building a Seamless Sky”, jointly organised by the Civil Aviation Administration of China, the CAD and the HKIAA in December 2023. The papers received recognition and support from delegates. This year, the HKIAA set up an exhibition booth during the Conference to showcase its multidisciplinary training opportunities for aviation professionals. The HKIAA also submitted a paper to the Conference to share Hong Kong’s initiatives in addressing the training needs of the Asia Pacific region. During their stay in Cebu, the CAD delegation attended side meetings with representatives from different aviation authorities and industry organisations such as the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the International Air Transport Association. Views on matters of mutual interest were shared, and ways to strengthen co-operation were explored with the aim of facilitating aviation developments. ???The CAD will continue to maintain close co-operation with its aviation partners and continue to support the ICAO’s global aviation development initiatives.
18 October – Fleet utilisation for Q3 2024 was 57 percent.
In Q3 2024, Safe Concordia, Safe Notos and Safe Eurus all achieved 100% utilisation. Safe Zephyrus reached 99% utilisation.
Safe Caledonia is laid up at Scapa Flow, UK, and is scheduled for deployment to the Captain Field, UK, starting Q2 2025.
Safe Boreas is laid up in Norway pending relocation in Q2 2025 for a contract in Australia commencing earliest October 2025.
Safe Scandinavia is laid up in Norway.
Prosafe is a leading owner and operator of semi-submersible accommodation vessels. The company is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange with ticker code PRS. For more information, please refer to https://www.prosafe.com
For further information, please contact:
Terje Askvig, CEO Phone: +47 952 03 886
Reese McNeel, CFO Phone: +47 415 08 186
This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act