NewzIntel.com

Category: Asia Pacific

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Thursday, 03 October 2024

    Source: Victoria Country Fire Authority

    Fire Danger Ratings tell you how dangerous a fire could be if one started.

    They are important because they help you decide what actions to take to protect yourself and others from bushfires and grassfires.

    A new Fire Danger Rating system was introduced in 2022 across Australia so whether you’re at home or travelling, you will see the same rating system. 

    The new Fire Danger Ratings

    There are four levels of fire danger in the new system:

    • Moderate – Plan and prepare
    • High – Be ready to act
    • Extreme – Take action now to protect your life and property
    • Catastrophic – For your survival, leave bushfire risk areas

    Fire Danger Ratings will be issued on days when there is a fire risk.

    Each fire danger rating will have a clear set of messages including the actions the community can take to reduce their risk.

    Ratings are forecast using Bureau of Meteorology data for up to four days in advance, based on weather and other environmental conditions such as vegetation.

    The rating is your trigger to take action to stay safe.

    What do the ratings mean and what should you do?

    CATASTROPHIC

    What does it mean?

    If a fire starts and takes hold, lives are likely to be lost.

    • These are the most dangerous conditions for a fire.

    What should I do?

    For your survival, leave bushfire risk areas.

    • Your life may depend on the decisions you make, even before there is a fire.
    • For your survival, do not be in bushfire risk areas.
    • Stay safe by going to a safer location early in the morning or the night before.
    • Homes cannot withstand fires in these conditions. You may not be able to leave and help may not be available.

    EXTREME

    What does it mean?

    Fires will spread quickly and be extremely dangerous.

    • These are dangerous fire conditions.
    • Expect hot, dry and windy conditions.

    What should I do?

    Take action now to protect your life and property

    • Check your bushfire plan and that your property is fire ready
    • If a fire starts, take immediate action. If you and your property are not prepared to the highest level, go to a safer location well before the fire impacts.
    • Reconsider travel through bushfire risk areas.
    • Leaving bushfire risk areas early in the day is your safest option.

    HIGH

    What does it mean?

    Fires can be dangerous.

    What should I do?

    Be ready to act.

    • There’s a heightened risk. Be alert for fires in your area.
    • Decide what you will do if a fire starts.
    • If a fire starts, your life and property may be at risk. The safest option is to avoid bushfire risk areas.

    MODERATE

    What does it mean?

    Most fires can be controlled.

    What should I do?

    Plan and prepare.

    • Stay up to date and be ready to act if there is a fire.

    NO RATING

    The system also introduces an ‘off’ level for days where no proactive action is required by the community. This does not mean that fires cannot happen, but that they are not likely to move or act in a way that threatens the safety of the community. This rating is the thin white wedge on the colour wheel sitting under ‘Moderate’.

    Find out more

    To see the current Fire Danger Rating forecast across the state see Total Fire Bans & Fire Danger Ratings. To see the Fire Danger Rating forecast for where you are, see CFA Local.

    For more detailed information, check out the Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities (AFAC) website and FAQs, or Prepare and Get Ready – VicEmergency

     

    Page last updated:  Wednesday, 6 March 2024 9:16:53 AM

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Deputy Vice Chancellors appointed at Australia’s newest major university

    Source: University of South Australia

    30 September 2024

    (Left to right): Ms Paula Ward, Mr Tom Steer, Mr Paul Beard, Mr Bruce Lines, Professor Steve Larkin, Professor Joanne Cys, Professor Jessica Gallagher, Professor Peter Høj AC, Professor David Lloyd FTSE, Professor John Williams AM, and Professor Anton Middelberg FTSE.

    Adelaide University has today announced the appointment of its first Deputy Vice Chancellors (DVCs).

    The selection of these important roles marks a significant milestone in the creation of a globally recognised institution committed to educational excellence and societal impact.

    Adelaide University co-Vice Chancellors, Professor Peter Høj and Professor David Lloyd, said the selection of the DVCs will provide strong foundational leadership through this time of transition and transformation.

    The Adelaide University DVCs are:

    • Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic: Professor John Williams AM
    • Deputy Vice Chancellor Corporate: Mr Paul Beard
    • Deputy Vice Chancellor Indigenous: Professor Steve Larkin
    • Deputy Vice Chancellor International & External Engagement: Professor Jessica Gallagher
    • Deputy Vice Chancellor People & Culture: Ms Paula Ward
    • Deputy Vice Chancellor Research & Innovation: Professor Anton Middelberg FTSE
    • Deputy Vice Chancellor Student Experience & Success: Mr Tom Steer
    • Provost & Deputy Vice Chancellor: Professor Joanne Cys

    “We congratulate our newly appointed colleagues who we know will provide the vision, expertise and guidance in realising our collective ambitions for a new university for the future,” Professors Lloyd and Høj said.

    “This leadership group have a tremendous depth of talent and we very much look forward to continuing our important work in creating a world-class contemporary and comprehensive institution and member of Australia’s prestigious and research-intensive Group of Eight [Go8].”

    The extensive recruitment process was conducted independently by nation-leading firm, Boyden Australia.

    The appointed DVCs will commence their roles on 1 October 2024 and Adelaide University will commence its operations on 1 January 2026.  

    International student applications are now open and research degrees will be open for application in early 2025.

    Local student applications and acceptances for coursework programs will open in August 2025 ahead of the 2026 academic year.

    Ends

    Media contacts

    Crispin Savage M: +61 481 912 462 E: Crispin.Savage@adelaide.edu.au; Candy Gibson M: +61 434 605 142 E: Candy.Gibson@unisa.edu.au  

    Other articles you may be interested in

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Can Australia prosecute foreigners for genocide overseas? Here’s how our atrocity laws work

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alister McKeich, Lecturer and Researcher in Law, Criminology and Indigenous Studies, Victoria University, Victoria University

    Shutterstock

    The onslaught in the Middle East has brought to the world’s attention once again the “crime of crimes”, genocide.

    Both the the International Court of Justice and International Criminal Court (ICC) have brought allegations of genocide against Israel as a state and Israeli and Hamas leaders as individuals.

    The Australian government’s response to the Gaza crisis has included temporarily freezing of A$6 million of funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine. Though funding has been flowing again since March, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been referred to the ICC by a law firm for being “an accessory to genocide”.

    Against this backdrop, Australia’s own genocide legislation is under parliamentary scrutiny. A bill tabled by independent Senator Lidia Thorpe (for whom I work as a casual legal researcher) seeks to change the way Australia deals with genocide.

    So what do our current laws say and what’s the case for changing them?

    What do our laws say?

    Australia ratified the Genocide Convention in 1949.

    Yet it was not until 2002, once the ICC was established, that the Commonwealth Criminal Code was amended to create a new division of atrocity crimes.

    Through this legislation, Australia may prosecute any person accused of a Rome Statute crime (such as genocide) under Australian law.

    At the moment, written consent from the attorney-general is required before legal proceedings about genocide and other atrocity crimes can commence. This is called the “attorney-general’s fiat”.

    Further, the attorney-general’s decision is final. It “must not be challenged, appealed against, reviewed, quashed or called into question”.

    Thorpe’s bill seeks to overturn these two measures.

    The explanatory memorandum in the 2002 amendment did not say why the attorney-general’s consent was necessary.

    Consent from an attorney-general (or similar position) is not an international requirement.

    Australia is only one of a handful of other countries (including the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Canada) where the fiat also exists.

    Why is it a problem?

    The Australian government has justified the rule on the basis that prosecutions for atrocity crimes against individuals could affect Australia’s international relations and national security.

    However, submissions from legal experts and community groups to a senate inquiry looking at the issue point out flaws.

    They say this rule prevents access to justice for victims and survivors of atrocity crimes. It can also create the potential for government bias.

    Submissions also say the lack of explanation or appeal process ignores fundamental principles of jurisprudence.

    Has the rule been used?

    The attorney-general’s fiat has been used in a limited number of cases.

    In 2009, Palestinian rights groups Australians for Palestine issued a request for consent for the prosecution of former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert, who was visiting at the time.

    The Australian Centre for International Justice states in its submission how then-attorney-general Robert McClellend denied the request. He cited matters of international state sovereignty and the difficulties of pursuing such a case in an overseas jurisdiction.

    Then, in 2011, Arunchalam Jegastheeswaran, an Australian citizen of Tamil
    background, sought the attorney-general’s consent for the prosecution of then Sri Lankan President, Mahinda Rajapaksa, who was due to visit Australia.

    McClellend again denied the request, saying Rajapaska was protected under “head of state immunity”. This concept is controversial in international law, given it’s often heads of state who commit atrocity crimes.

    Head of state protection was also offered to former Myanmar (Burma) leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who was in government when the 2017 genocide against the Rohingya was committed.

    With Suu Kyi due to be in Australia for an ASEAN conference in 2018, the Australian Rohingya community sought a prosecution. It was denied by then attorney-general Christian Porter.

    And in 2019, retired Sri Lankan General Jagath Jayasuriya visited Australia. Despite concerted efforts to raise evidence to prosecute Jayasuriya of war crimes, delays with the Australian Federal Police meant the case never reached the point of attorney-general consent.

    First Nations plaintiffs such as Paul Coe and Robert Thorpe have also sought to bring cases of genocide before the domestic courts, with no success.

    What would changing the laws mean?

    As it’s unlikely an attorney-general would consent to prosecutions against its own government, submissions to the inquiry argue the rule creates a direct conflict of interest.

    For First Nations people seeking justice for crimes of “ongoing genocide” perpetuated by the Commonwealth, any government is hardly going to rule in their favour.

    Some Indigenous community groups argue the high rates of First Nations children in protection, deaths in custody, hyper-incarceration and cultural, land and environmental damage amount to genocide crimes.

    Submissions to the inquiry recommend instead of requiring the consent of the attorney-general, claims of genocide should be directed to the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions. This would ensure greater independence from government.

    The director has a mandate for this sort of work. It already investigates similar crimes such as people smuggling, human trafficking, slavery and child exploitation.

    Internationally, the implications of this bill, if passed, will be consequential. The Australian Centre for International Justice estimates up to 1,000 Australian citizens have returned to Israel to fight as part of the Israel Defense Forces. Israel has been accused of serious atrocity crimes in Gaza.

    Should any of those citizens return, there could be attempts to mount a case. The government would then have to consider Australia’s political and economic ties with Israel.

    Whether the bill is passed will depend on parliament. But the situation highlights a paradox: the state itself will be deciding whether to remove its own inbuilt protections against charges of genocide.

    Alister McKeich is a casual legal researcher with the office of Senator Lidia Thorpe.

    – ref. Can Australia prosecute foreigners for genocide overseas? Here’s how our atrocity laws work – https://theconversation.com/can-australia-prosecute-foreigners-for-genocide-overseas-heres-how-our-atrocity-laws-work-236394

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Police call for information on Te Kamo aggravated robbery

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Police are appealing for community members who have information about those responsible for a Te Kamo aggravated robbery to come forward.

    Whangārei CIB has been investigating since the events of Saturday evening at a residential address on Te Puia Street.

    Detective Senior Sergeant John Clayton says the victim suffered facial injuries as a result of the offenders’ actions.

    “At this point in our enquiries, we know three offenders entered the property at about 8.30pm,” he says.

    “The victim was the sole occupant at the time and was assaulted by these offenders, suffering facial injuries as well as having several teeth knocked out.

    “Ambulance staff treated the man at the scene, but he is extremely shaken by the events of Saturday night.” 

    Cash and jewellery were stolen from the property.

    “There is no place for such unnecessary violence in our community,” Detective Senior Sergeant Clayton says.

    “People in the community associated with these offenders will know exactly what they have done, and now is the time for them to do the right thing.”

    Detective Senior Sergeant Clayton says the community can report information anonymously and in confidence.

    People can contact Crime Stoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

    Alternatively, if you have information, please update us online now or call 105.

    Please use the reference number 240929/0748.

    ENDS.

    Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Murder charge laid in homicide investigation

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Police have laid a charge over a man’s suspicious death at Mt Eden Corrections Facility on Friday.

    Today, Police can name the man who died as Andrew Chan Chui, aged 39, of Ōtāhuhu.

    Detective Inspector Glenn Baldwin, of Auckland City CIB, says a post-mortem examination and formal identification were carried out over the weekend.

    Today, investigation staff have charged another inmate, a 23-year-old man, with Mr Chan Chui’s murder.

    “He is expected to appear in the Auckland District Court on Thursday, appearing via Audio Visual Link,” Detective Inspector Baldwin says.

    “We are in ongoing contact with Mr Chan Chui’s family, and as part of this we are ensuring that they have support in place.”

    Mr Chan Chui’s family have asked for privacy as they continue to grieve.

    ENDS.

    Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Changing of the guard at the NDIS Commission

    Source: Australian Ministers for Social Services

    Minister for the NDIS the Hon. Bill Shorten MP has thanked outgoing Acting NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commissioner Michael Phelan APM for his outstanding contribution to the NDIS Commission over the last six months, as new Commissioner Louise Glanville and Associate Commissioner Natalie Wade prepare to take the helm from tomorrow.

    Minister Shorten said Acting Commissioner Phelan’s strong focus on weeding out unscrupulous providers while strengthening the NDIS Commission’s processes and keeping a focus on safeguarding the rights of people with disability, had resulted in significant improvements.

    “Mike Phelan was absolutely the right person for the tough gig of leading the NDIS Commission into its next phase as a trusted and effective regulator of the NDIS,” Minister Shorten said.

    “While the initial Acting Commissioner role was only for three months, Mike agreed to stay on for an additional three months while we found the right replacement, because he understood the importance of the Commission’s role.

    “The improvements that have been made in that short time have been extraordinary and are due in large part to Mike’s extensive experience in the policing and financial crime worlds but are also a testament to the inherent empathy and humanity of the man himself.

    “Mike has been an exceptional leader who has guided the NDIS Commission to a new stage of maturity, to become a regulator with teeth.”

    To enable this evolution, the Australian Government last year invested in an effective doubling of the NDIS Commission workforce, and over the next four years the organisation will be strengthening its systems and capabilities through the $160 million Data and Regulatory Transformation (DART) Program.

    Minister Shorten said during Acting Commissioner Phelan’s tenure the NDIS Commission:

    • Initiated the design of a fit-for-purpose risk-based Prioritisation Model to ensure the NDIS Commission’s resources are directed to the matters of the highest priority
    • Implemented a state-of-the-art communication system in the Contact Centre, that has resulted in twice as many calls handled
    • Advocated for the proposed reforms to registration to be prioritised, which will commence with compulsory registration for platform providers, support coordinators and SIL providers
    • Strengthened compliance and enforcement processes and prioritised intelligence functions to maximise the return on the Australian Government’s investment in DART
    • Commissioned an external Human Resources review to bolster the NDIS Commission’s HR function as it matures
    • Appointed the firm led by former Australian Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick to lead a comprehensive review into the workplace culture of the NDIS Commission.

    “Mike has made an invaluable contribution in his short time at the NDIS Commission, and I wholeheartedly thank him for his commitment, his leadership and his dedication to realising the potential of the organisation,” Minister Shorten said.

    “From tomorrow, the NDIS Commission welcomes new Commissioner Louise Glanville, who is highly experienced in both the legal and disability sectors, and who will be tasked with picking up what Mike has started and delivering on this incredibly important program of work.

    “Natalie Wade, who is an experienced disability rights lawyer and advocate, will also be joining the NDIS Commission as Associate Commissioner, with responsibility for registration and reform.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Online spaces are rife with toxicity. Well-designed AI tools can help clean them up

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lucy Sparrow, Lecturer in Human-Computer Interaction, The University of Melbourne

    MMD Creative/Shutterstock

    Imagine scrolling through social media or playing an online game, only to be interrupted by insulting and harassing comments. What if an artificial intelligence (AI) tool stepped in to remove the abuse before you even saw it?

    This isn’t science fiction. Commercial AI tools like ToxMod and Bodyguard.ai are already used to monitor interactions in real time across social media and gaming platforms. They can detect and respond to toxic behaviour.

    The idea of an all-seeing AI monitoring our every move might sound Orwellian, but these tools could be key to making the internet a safer place.

    However, for AI moderation to succeed, it needs to prioritise values like privacy, transparency, explainability and fairness. So can we ensure AI can be trusted to make our online spaces better? Our two recent research projects into AI-driven moderation show this can be done – with more work ahead of us.

    Negativity thrives online

    Online toxicity is a growing problem. Nearly half of young Australians have experienced some form of negative online interaction, with almost one in five experiencing cyberbullying.

    Whether it’s a single offensive comment or a sustained slew of harassment, such harmful interactions are part of daily life for many internet users.

    The severity of online toxicity is one reason the Australian government has proposed banning social media for children under 14.

    But this approach fails to fully address a core underlying problem: the design of online platforms and moderation tools. We need to rethink how online platforms are designed to minimise harmful interactions for all users, not just children.

    Unfortunately, many tech giants with power over our online activities have been slow to take on more responsibility, leaving significant gaps in moderation and safety measures.

    This is where proactive AI moderation offers the chance to create safer, more respectful online spaces. But can AI truly deliver on this promise? Here’s what we found.

    ‘Havoc’ in online multiplayer games

    In our Games and Artificial Intelligence Moderation (GAIM) Project, we set out to understand the ethical opportunities and pitfalls of AI-driven moderation in online multiplayer games. We conducted 26 in-depth interviews with players and industry professionals to find out how they use and think about AI in these spaces.

    Interviewees saw AI as a necessary tool to make games safer and combat the “havoc” caused by toxicity. With millions of players, human moderators can’t catch everything. But an untiring and proactive AI can pick up what humans miss, helping reduce the stress and burnout associated with moderating toxic messages.

    But many players also expressed confusion about the use of AI moderation. They didn’t understand why they received account suspensions, bans and other punishments, and were often left frustrated that their own reports of toxic behaviour seemed to be lost to the void, unanswered.

    Participants were especially worried about privacy in situations where AI is used to moderate voice chat in games. One player exclaimed: “my god, is that even legal?” It is – and it’s already happening in popular online games such as Call of Duty.

    Our study revealed there’s tremendous positive potential for AI moderation. However, games and social media companies will need to do a lot more work to make these systems transparent, empowering and trustworthy.

    Right now, AI moderation is seen to operate much like a police officer in an opaque justice system. What if AI instead took the form of a teacher, guardian, or upstander – educating, empowering or supporting users?

    Enter AI Ally

    This is where our second project AI Ally comes in, an initiative funded by the eSafety Commissioner. In response to high rates of tech-based gendered violence in Australia, we are co-designing an AI tool to support girls, women and gender-diverse individuals in navigating safer online spaces.

    We surveyed 230 people from these groups, and found that 44% of our respondents “often” or “always” experienced gendered harassment on at least one social media platform. It happened most frequently in response to everyday online activities like posting photos of themselves, particularly in the form of sexist comments.

    Interestingly, our respondents reported that documenting instances of online abuse was especially useful when they wanted to support other targets of harassment, such as by gathering screenshots of abusive comments. But only a few of those surveyed did this in practice. Understandably, many also feared for their own safety should they intervene by defending someone or even speaking up in a public comment thread.

    These are worrying findings. In response, we are designing our AI tool as an optional dashboard that detects and documents toxic comments. To help guide us in the design process, we have created a set of “personas” that capture some of our target users, inspired by our survey respondents.

    Some of the user ‘personas’ guiding the development of the AI Ally tool.
    Ren Galwey/Research Rendered

    We allow users to make their own decisions about whether to filter, flag, block or report harassment in efficient ways that align with their own preferences and personal safety.

    In this way, we hope to use AI to offer young people easy-to-access support in managing online safety while offering autonomy and a sense of empowerment.

    We can all play a role

    AI Ally shows we can use AI to help make online spaces safer without having to sacrifice values like transparency and user control. But there is much more to be done.

    Other, similar initiatives include Harassment Manager, which was designed to identify and document abuse on Twitter (now X), and HeartMob, a community where targets of online harassment can seek support.

    Until ethical AI practices are more widely adopted, users must stay informed. Before joining a platform, check if they are transparent about their policies and offer user control over moderation settings.

    The internet connects us to resources, work, play and community. Everyone has the right to access these benefits without harassment and abuse. It’s up to all of us to be proactive and advocate for smarter, more ethical technology that protects our values and our digital spaces.

    The AI Ally team consists of Dr Mahli-Ann Butt, Dr Lucy Sparrow, Dr Eduardo Oliveira, Ren Galwey, Dahlia Jovic, Sable Wang-Wills, Yige Song and Maddy Weeks.

    Dr Lucy Sparrow receives funding from the eSafety Commissioner’s Preventing Tech-Based Abuse Against Women grant program for the “AI Ally” project.

    Dr Eduardo Oliveira receives funding from the eSafety Commissioner’s Preventing Tech-Based Abuse Against Women grant program for the “AI Ally” project.

    Dr Mahli-Ann Butt receives funding from the eSafety Commissioner’s Preventing Tech-Based Abuse Against Women grant program for the “AI Ally” project.

    – ref. Online spaces are rife with toxicity. Well-designed AI tools can help clean them up – https://theconversation.com/online-spaces-are-rife-with-toxicity-well-designed-ai-tools-can-help-clean-them-up-239590

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: End of free RAT tests means more exposure to virus

    Source: Green Party

    The end of free Rapid Antigen Tests today is another sign the Government is giving up on the challenge of protecting the community from Covid-19.

    “We cannot afford to become complacent with Covid, testing is a tool that should remain accessible to all,” says the Green Party’s Health spokesperson, Hūhana Lyndon.

    “Testing is critical to protection, alerting people when they have Covid and when they should avoid interacting with others. It’s one of the most effective things we can do to help protect our immunocompromised and elderly communities. 

    “By withdrawing funding for tests, many will miss out, which could lead to the virus spreading and proliferating under the radar. The Government is effectively waving a white flag for this deadly virus to spread more through our communities when the need for protection remains high. 

    “The Health Ministry still advises people who are symptomatic to test and take precautions against spreading the virus, so it also should provide access to testing.

    “At up to $11.00 per test it is a cost that many families cannot afford – especially under the current government’s regime, which is leaving so many behind. 

    “While members of this coalition Government may like to think the pandemic never happened, it is clear that the legacy of the virus lives on. 

    “Many people became ill with different strains of Covid this past Winter season, and remain sick. As people socialise more towards the end of year, the risk of Covid spreading doesn’t simply abate.

    “We must ensure RAT tests are not just accessible for those who can afford it,” says Hūhana Lyndon.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Invaluable growth on NZDF’s Lead Capability Programme

    Source: Leadership Development Centre

    Nick Ritchie, Strategic Advisor – Chief Executive Succession Planning at Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission relished the opportunity to have free and frank conversations with other leaders as part of New Zealand Defence Force’s (NZDF) Lead Capability programme.

    Based in Upper Hutt over 8 days, Nick connected with a diverse group of leaders across the Public Service and New Zealand Defence Force. Alongside classroom activities as a group, leaders were split into smaller syndicates to review their Hogan 360 assessments and discuss learnings from the main class. Nick found these syndicate discussions particularly valuable.

    “The free and frank conversations gave you a real chance to discuss aspects of leadership and how to adjust your style depending on your Hogan’s scores and the context of your role.

    “Understanding challenges or potential derailers as a leader and then looking at methods to mitigate these challenges were invaluable to my growth as a person and a leader.”

    Nick’s syndicate of leaders on Lead Capability. 

    Nick initially applied for the programme as he sought a leadership development opportunity with a strong operational element to support his work at the Commission.

    “I think it really helped me implement strategies to cut through ambiguity and focus on delivering the key outcomes of my role.  It also helped to shape the way I interact with my 1 up or 2 up managers.  For example, how to effectively present challenges and solutions to senior leaders in the most efficient manner as well as understanding the key pieces of context they would need from you to make effective operational decisions.”

    Another aspect of the course Nick enjoyed was the diversity of leaders.

    “One of the Air Force members of my syndicate was one of the first trained pilots on the P8 while the Army Officers has completed two tours of Afghanistan. NZDF leaders were equally interested in the work we do at the Commission.”

    Nick is still in touch with members of his syndicate and enjoys getting updates on how everyone is doing particularly the ones who have been deployed overseas.

    Nick’s cohort of New Zealand Defence Force’s Lead Capability.

    Applications for Public Service leaders to join New Zealand Defence Force leadership development programmes are now open with spaces available on Lead Capability. Learn more on the NZDF programme page.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: City strategy outlines vision for future land use planning and development

    Source: Government of Western Australia

    Community consultation for the City of Wanneroo’s Draft Local Planning Strategy opens this week and residents and local business owners are encouraged to share their views.

    The Strategy is intended to guide future land use planning and development in the City and focusses on facilitating urban growth while providing housing diversity, supporting economic growth, delivering quality public spaces and protecting our environmental and community assets.

    All community members are invited to complete our online survey or attend our drop-in sessions to provide feedback and help shape the future of the City.

    Mayor Linda Aitken said the document was the City’s first Local Planning Strategy and encouraged residents to have their say.

    “As one of the State’s fastest growing local government areas, the City continues to play an important role in accommodating population growth, supporting economic opportunities, delivering connected infrastructure, all while balancing our impact on the environment,” she said.

    “Our community wants diverse housing choices, a range of transport services and infrastructure to support walking, cycling, public transport and car use.

    “The Strategy aims to protect our unique local character and sense of place while we plan for future growth and development.”

    Once finalised, the Strategy will inform a new Planning Scheme, as well as land use plans and policies.

    Have your say at here or access a hard copy at the Civic Centre.

    Community drop-in sessions

    • Thursday 10 October, 5pm to 7pm, Pearsall Hocking Community Centre, Pearsall
    • Tuesday 15 October, 5pm to 7pm, Phil Renkin Function Room, Two Rocks
    • Thursday 17 October, 5pm to 7pm, Community Centre Activity room, Koondoola

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Kamala Harris the slight favourite to win US election as she narrowly leads in key states

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne

    The US presidential election will be held on November 5. In analyst Nate Silver’s aggregate of national polls, Democrat Kamala Harris leads Republican Donald Trump by 49.3–46.0 – a slight widening of the competition since last Monday, when Harris led Trump by 49.2–46.2.

    President Joe Biden’s final position before his withdrawal as Democratic candidate on July 21 was a national poll deficit against Trump of 45.2–41.2.

    There will be a debate on Tuesday evening US time between the vice-presidential candidates, Democrat Tim Walz and Republican JD Vance. Vice-presidential debates in previous elections have not had a significant influence on the contest.

    The US president isn’t elected by the national popular vote, but by the Electoral College, in which each state receives electoral votes equal to its federal House seats (population based) and senators (always two). Almost all states award their electoral votes as winner-takes-all, and it takes 270 electoral votes to win (out of 538 total).

    The Electoral College is biased to Trump relative to the national popular vote, with Harris needing at least a two-point popular vote win in Silver’s model to be the Electoral College favourite.

    In Silver’s polling averages, Harris leads Trump by one to two points in Pennsylvania (19 electoral votes), Michigan (15), Wisconsin (ten) and Nevada (six). If Harris wins all these states, she is likely to win the Electoral College by at least a 276–262 margin. Trump is ahead by less than a point in North Carolina (16 electoral votes) and Georgia (16), and if Harris wins both, she wins by 308–230.

    In Silver’s model, Harris has a 56% chance to win the Electoral College, up from 54% last Monday but down from her peak of 58% two days ago. Earlier this month, there were large differences in win probability between Silver’s model and the FiveThirtyEight model, which was more favourable to Harris. But these models have nearly converged, with FiveThirtyEight now giving Harris a 59% win probability.

    There are still more than five weeks until election day, so polls could change in either Trump’s or Harris’ favour by then. Harris’ one to two point leads in the key states are tenuous, and this explains why Trump is still rated a good chance to win.

    Silver wrote on September 1 that polls in 2020 and 2016 were biased against Trump, but polls in 2012 were biased against Barack Obama. In the last two midterm elections (2022 and 2018), polls have been good. It’s plausible there will be a polling error this year, but which candidate such an error would favour can’t be predicted.

    On Sunday, Silver said if there was a systematic error of three or four points in the polls in either Trump’s or Harris’ favour, that candidate would sweep all the swing states and easily win the Electoral College. There are other scenarios in which one candidate underperforms the polls with some demographics but overperforms with other demographics.

    I wrote about the US election for The Poll Bludger last Thursday, and also covered bleak polls and byelection results in Canada for the governing centre-left Liberals ahead of an election due by October 2025, a dreadful poll for UK Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the new French prime minister, a German state election and a socialist win in Sri Lanka’s presidential election.

    Upwardly revised economic data

    Last Thursday, a revised estimate of June quarter US GDP was released. There was a large upward revision in real disposable personal income compared to the previously reported figures. This has resulted in the personal savings rate being revised up to 4.9% in July from the previously reported 2.9%, and it was 4.8% in August.

    With these upward revisions, Silver’s economic index that averages six indicators is now at +0.25, up from +0.09. As the incumbent party’s candidate, a better economy than was previously believed should help Harris.

    Coalition gains narrow lead in Essential

    In Australia, a national Essential poll, conducted on September 18–22 from a sample of 1,117 people, gave the Coalition a 48–47 lead (including undecided voters) after a 48–48 tie in early September. It’s the Coalition’s first lead in the Essential poll since mid-July.

    Primary votes were 35% Coalition (steady), 29% Labor (down one), 12% Greens (down one), 8% One Nation (steady), 2% UAP (up one), 9% for all Others (up one) and 5% undecided (steady).

    Anthony Albanese’s net approval was up five points since August to –5, with 47% disapproving and 42% approving. Peter Dutton’s net approval was down one to net zero.

    On social media regulations, 48% thought them too weak, 43% about right and 8% too tough. By 67–17, voters supported imposing an age limit for children to access social media (68–15 in July). By 71–12, voters supported making doxing (the public release of personally identifiable data) a criminal offence (62–19 in February).

    By 49–18, voters supported Labor’s Help to Buy scheme, and by 57–13 they supported the build-to-rent scheme. The questions give detail that few voters would know.

    Voters were told the Liberals and Greens had combined to delay Labor’s housing policies in the senate. By 48–22, voters thought the Liberals and Greens should pass the policies and argue for their own policies at the next election, rather than block Labor’s policies. Greens voters supported passing by 55–21.

    Labor keeps narrow lead in Morgan

    A national Morgan poll, conducted September 16–22 from a sample of 1,662 people, gave Labor a 50.5–49.5 lead, unchanged from the September 9–15 Morgan poll.

    Primary votes were 37.5% Coalition (steady), 32% Labor (up 1.5), 12.5% Greens (steady), 5% One Nation (down 0.5), 9.5% independents (down 0.5) and 3.5% others (down 0.5).

    The headline figure is based on respondent preferences. By 2022 election preference flows, Labor led by an unchanged 52–48.

    Adrian Beaumont does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Kamala Harris the slight favourite to win US election as she narrowly leads in key states – https://theconversation.com/kamala-harris-the-slight-favourite-to-win-us-election-as-she-narrowly-leads-in-key-states-239735

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Four new laws to tackle crime passed in Q3

    Source: New Zealand Government

    New Zealanders will be safer as a result of the Government’s crackdown on crime which includes tougher laws for offenders and gangs delivered as part of the Quarter Three (Q3) Action Plan, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says.

    “I’m proud to say we have delivered on 39 of the 40 actions in our Q3 Action Plan, which had a particularly strong focus on restoring law and order,” Mr Luxon says.

    “Every New Zealander deserves to feel safe in their homes, businesses and communities, but in recent years that feeling has turned to fear for too many.

    “That is why our Government promised to restore law and order, and our Q3 plan has driven significant progress toward that with the passing of four new laws that crack down on criminal activity and support offenders to turn their lives around.”

    The four new law and order bills passed as part of the Q3 Action Plan are:

    • Gangs Legislation Amendment Bill – to give Police tough powers to go after gangs by restricting their ability to associate and banning gang patches in public.  
    • Firearms Prohibition Orders Legislation Amendment Bill – to give Police more power to get guns out of the hands of criminals. 
    • Corrections Amendment Bill – to increase access to effective rehabilitation for prisoners on remand. 
    • Courts (Remote Participation) Amendment Bill – to improve efficiency in the courts and increase access to justice. 

    “We have also introduced major sentencing reforms that will ensure criminals receive tougher sentences that reflect the harm they cause to their fellow Kiwis,” Mr Luxon says.

    “Alongside actions to restore law and order, the Q3 plan also saw progress toward rebuilding the economy and delivering better public services.”

    Actions the Government has taken this quarter include:

    • Passed the Local Water Done Well Bill to replace Three Waters.
    • Signed the new speed limit rule to reverse blanket speed limit reductions.
    • Introduced legislation to eliminate barriers to overseas building products being used in New Zealand.
    • Opened the $1.2 billion Regional Infrastructure Fund for applications to help reduce New Zealand’s infrastructure deficit.
    • Released a plan for achieving the Government’s five health targets, including faster cancer treatment and improved immunisation for children.
    • Released a draft of the new primary schools’ English and Maths curriculum for sector and public consultation.
    • Introduced the Stepped Attendance Response (STAR) system to get kids back into the classroom.

    The one action that has only been partially completed is the publication of an updated health workforce plan. The mental health workforce plan has been published, however the Government appointed a Commissioner to replace the board of Health NZ in July and the national health workforce plan will now be considered by Cabinet in quarter four, prior to publication.

    “Our Government is getting New Zealand back on track, with clear plans to deliver on the core priorities that Kiwis elected us on – rebuilding the economy, restoring law and order, and delivering better public services.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Final 2024 Action Plan focused on infrastructure

    Source: New Zealand Government

    The Government’s Quarter Four (Q4) Action Plan will be focused on making it easier and faster to build infrastructure in New Zealand as part of its wider plan to rebuild the economy, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says.

    “My Government has been working at pace to get the country back on track since we came to office almost a year ago, and there will be no slowing down as we approach the end of this year,” Mr Luxon says.

    “Our final action plan for 2024 will build on the previous action plans and continue to deliver on the Government’s core priorities of rebuilding the economy, restoring law and order, and delivering better public services. 

    “The plan features a particularly strong focus on the delivery of modern, reliable infrastructure as part of a major effort to make it easier to get things built in this country.

    “That includes clearing away the barriers to growth and development through comprehensive resource management reform – but also confirming a fresh approach to the funding and financing of infrastructure. 

    “With inflation and interest rates falling, we’re now shifting focus to creating the foundations for growth. Our latest plan is critical to achieving that.”

    The Q4 Action Plan has 43 actions that include:

    • Passing the Fast-track Approvals Bill to speed up delivery of regional and national projects of significance.
    • Passing the first Resource Management Amendment Bill to reduce the regulatory burden on farmers and the primary sector.
    • Introducing the second amendment bill for the Resource Management Act to cut through red and green tape holding back growth in the infrastructure, energy, housing and farming sectors.
    • Taking Cabinet decisions on funding and financing tools to get more housing built.
    • Introducing legislation to make it easier to build offshore wind farms.
    • Taking Cabinet decisions to get local councils back to basics.

    “We will also take further action on restoring law and order, and delivering better public services,” Mr Luxon says.

    “By the end of this year, we plan to introduce legislation to enable stronger consequences for serious youth offending, begin the phased rollout of free breast cancer screening for women to age 74, and release the final curriculum for English and Maths for use in primary schools in 2025.

    “Kiwis can head into the summer break confident that they have a Government focused on action and delivery to make their and their family’s lives better.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Protecting and preserving EIT Hawke’s Bay’s outdoor learning sanctuary | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

    Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

    3 hours ago

    A recent Ōtātara Outdoor Learning Centre (ŌOLC) staff meeting on the EIT Hawke’s Bay Campus.

    Protecting and preserving an EIT Hawke’s Bay campus outdoor learning sanctuary is important environmentally and culturally for the future, says EIT new kaitiaki (guardian) of the Ōtātara Outdoor Learning Centre (ŌOLC).

    Gerard Henry, a tutor in EIT’s School of Primary Industries, takes up the role while maintaining his teaching duties in EIT’s environmental management and horticulture programmes.  Gerard will be supported by the wider Primary Industries team.   

    The ŌOLC has been inspirational for students and staff across numerous EIT Schools as well as local schools and organisations, and Gerard believes it can play an even greater role in connecting the campus with nature.  “There are many opportunities for programmes to utilise this special space as part of their delivery, enriching the learning experience for ākonga”.

    Initially the ŌOLC was established as the base for the Learning in Nature (LIN) education initiative, an innovative collaboration between EIT, Ngāti Pārau (the mana whenua hapū for Ōtātara), Te Papa Atawhai (the Department of Conservation), Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, and local environmental groups.  Financial support from the Air New Zealand Environment Trust helped get the OOLC underway. In 2021, EIT won the Benefiting Society Category of the prestigious Australasian Green Gown Awards for its ‘Ko au te taiao, ko te taiao ko au: I am nature, nature is me’ project.

    Gerard Henry is the new kaitiaki (guardian) of the Ōtātara Outdoor Learning Centre (ŌOLC) on the EIT Hawke’s Bay Campus.

    The ŌOLC has a steady stream of local school children and community groups utilising the facility.  The team recently hosted ākonga from seven Ōtatāra Kāhui kura where children participated in various outdoor activities and enjoyed helping to organise some planting “Part of my role is to liaise with different community groups so that they can enjoy what ŌOLC has to offer” says Gerard.

    Students and staff from a wide range of EIT programmes are invested in the space and work collaboratively on various projects to improve and celebrate the spaces and the amazing resource we have.

    Gerard says “it was at the first planting project at ŌOLC in 2018 with a Sustainability cohort that he understood the meaning the place will have for ākonga, kaimahi and visitors”.  EIT are privileged to be connected with “Ōtātara, one of the most outstanding Pa sites in New Zealand”.  Kaitiakitanga and Mātauranga Māori will be guiding principles in leading the development of ŌOLC into the future.

    Paul Keats, the Assistant Head of School for Primary Industries, said the ŌOLC is a perfect fit with our School and as well as benefiting our teaching, it’s an asset for the community.

    It is important for people to know that the ŌOLC is now fully functional after the cyclone for EIT and community use. For inquiries, contact the team at OtataraOutdoorLearningCentre@eit.ac.nz

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China provides vibrant digital trade cooperation platform with int’l expo

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Sales staff promote African products via livestreaming during the third Global Digital Trade Expo in Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang Province, Sept. 25, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    The third Global Digital Trade Expo (GDTE), concluding on Sunday, has been a vibrant platform for fostering global partnerships in digital commerce and thus sustainable growth.

    Held in Hangzhou, a city known for blending ancient charm and modern innovation, the expo featured more than 1,500 enterprises, including over 300 international companies.

    Attendees experienced cutting-edge innovations like AI-driven robots and hydrogen-powered drones and were presented with over 400 new products and technologies.

    Valuable experience

    Kazakh Minister of Digital Development, Innovation, and Aerospace Industry Zhaslan Madiyev highlighted China’s role as a global leader in e-commerce and digital technologies, noting that China is accelerating the digital transformation of markets worldwide.

    In a written interview with Xinhua, Madiyev said China’s experience offers valuable insights for countries in the early stages of developing their digital markets, aiding global growth and helping reduce digital inequality. He cited Kazakhstan’s efforts to improve telecommunications and cybersecurity by learning from China.

    In addition to cutting-edge technologies, China’s experience in e-commerce also set an example for countries seeking to capitalize on the rapid growth of digital trade.

    Kilimall, an e-commerce platform founded by Chinese entrepreneurs in Africa in 2014, has become one of the most popular shopping websites among Africans. It has generated about 10,000 local jobs in logistics, courier services, customer support and regional sales.

    The cooperation between China and Africa in digital economy “represents a new model of economic cooperation that creates tangible value for businesses and people on both sides” said Ugandan Ambassador to China Oliver Wonekha.

    Digitalization is a technological leap and a key driver of future development for countries and businesses, said Jean Louis Robinson, ambassador of Madagascar to China. “We are eager to work closely with Chinese companies to learn from China’s advanced experience in digital economy and promote sustainable development in Madagascar,” he added.

    Robots perform dance at a booth during the third Global Digital Trade Expo in Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang Province, Sept. 25, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Vast opportunities

    China’s advanced digital economy and vast market scale are creating immense opportunities for the world, said experts and attendees at the expo.

    “For us, China is not just a sales market,” said Lyu Feng, division head of public relations at Yokogawa China, a Japanese electric firm. He highlighted China’s vast emerging industries, strong market demand, and numerous high-tech companies.

    Lyu added that the company emphasizes collaborating with Chinese enterprises to explore new opportunities, particularly in digital transformation and carbon emissions management in the manufacturing sector.

    Zhu Lili, vice president of AstraZeneca China, expressed that the pharmaceutical giant is “highly confident” in the Chinese market and its innovation ecosystem. She emphasized the company’s goal to partner with more local firms to explore the application of digital technologies in healthcare, driving sustainable and high-quality growth for both the healthcare industry and the broader economy.

    In the first half of 2024, China’s cross-border e-commerce imports and exports reached 1.22 trillion yuan (about 170 billion U.S. dollars), an increase of 10.5 percent year over year, according to customs data.

    Kazakhstan has opened national pavilions on Chinese e-commerce platforms like Alibaba and JD.com to promote products such as powdered milk, safflower oil, and honey, boosting bilateral e-commerce ties, Serik Korzhumbayev, editor-in-chief of Delovoy Kazakhstan, told Xinhua.

    Yao Hongchun, vice president of the Thai Chinese New Generation Business Association, emphasized its potential for collaboration with China, mainly through advanced e-commerce technologies tailored to Thai consumers.

    A foreign merchant consults about a small intelligent translation device at the third Global Digital Trade Expo in Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang Province, Sept. 25, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Cooperation platform

    “E-commerce can be successful and further developed in the long run if everyone can find their way in it, if it is based on close international cooperation, if it is diversified and if as many countries as possible are involved on both the manufacturer and the buyer side,” Hungarian National Assembly’s Deputy Speaker Lajos Olah said at the opening ceremony of the expo.

    By July 2024, China has signed e-commerce cooperation memorandums of understanding with 33 countries spanning five continents.

    Additionally, China has been involved in digital economy collaborations through multilateral frameworks like the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, BRICS, the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting, and the G20, according to an e-commerce development report released by China’s Ministry of Commerce during the expo.

    Beyond exhibitions, this year’s GDTE also featured multiple forums, meetings, and seminars, providing officials and industry leaders with platforms to exchange views and discuss prospects for international collaboration.

    Through participating in the expo, Thailand is ready to work with partners in trade, investment, research, and development to expand its digital products and services, aiming to integrate into key global supply chains, Thailand’s Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce, Ekachat Seetavorarat told Xinhua on the sidelines of the expo.

    Madiyev also highlighted the GDTE as a unique opportunity to exchange experiences with leading global players in the digital economy and expand economic ties with other countries, particularly China.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Experts report big boom in summer travel

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    China’s tourism market rebounded strongly this summer, with travel experts reporting significant growth in passenger numbers, spending, and both inbound and outbound trips as the country continues to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Domestically, travel surged during the summer holiday, which typically runs from early July to late August. The Civil Aviation Administration reported that domestic airlines transported 117 million passengers from July 1 to Aug 20.

    Meanwhile, China Railway Group said it handled 887 million passengers from July 1 to Aug 31, a 6.7 percent increase year-on-year.

    “Summer is always peak season for domestic tourism, but this year, tourists showed more interest in lesser-known destinations and traveled with more reasonable budgets,” said a spokesperson for Tuniu, a travel portal.

    The domestic tourism market performed more evenly throughout the summer, with demand peaking in mid-July and lasting through the end of August.

    Long-distance tours and family trips were the most popular choices — in fact, over half Tuniu’s summer bookings were for far-flung destinations. Besides traditional tourist hot spots like Beijing and Shanghai, smaller destinations such as Yanbian Korean autonomous prefecture in Jilin province, Datong in Shanxi province and Chengde in Hebei province gained popularity for their cultural offerings and cooler climates.

    “I took my 6-year-old daughter to Yanji in late July,” said Ye Xiao, a 31-year-old teacher from Beijing, speaking of the county-level city that serves as the seat of Yanbian. “The weather was pleasant, and we enjoyed exploring the Korean ethnic culture. It was a memorable trip with fewer tourists and great food at reasonable prices.”

    China’s inbound tourism also experienced robust growth, buoyed by relaxed visa policies, including the 144-hour transit policy for citizens of 54 countries and the “ChinaTravel” topics that trended on international social media platforms.

    And the 2024 Paris Olympics provided an additional boost to outbound travel, with LY.com reporting a 300 percent increase in hotel bookings in Paris and neighboring areas and an 80 percent surge in flight bookings from China’s major cities to the French capital.

    Qunar, another travel portal, noted that bookings for domestic flights by travelers using non-Chinese passports were 1.8 times higher compared to last year. Trip.com Group reported a 70 percent year-on-year increase in mainland tourism bookings, with South Korea, Thailand, Singapore, and the United States contributing the most visitors. Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou were the top destinations for international tourists.

    Southeast Asia remained the top choice for Chinese traveling overseas due to cheaper flights, affordable hotels and favorable visa policies.

    Dai Bin, president of the China Tourism Academy, told China Central Television that this summer marked the highest level of travel enthusiasm in recent years, with increases in the number of travelers, tourism spending and cross-border trips.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Unwritten rules, nostalgia and subtle rebellion: how school photos capture childhood and the changing times

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cherine Fahd, Associate Head of School, School of Design, University of Technology Sydney

    A 1935 school photograph taken in Kandos, NSW. Author provided, courtesy of the Kandos Museum.

    In the town of Kandos, New South Wales, there’s the local Kandos Museum run by volunteers. The museum holds relics from the cement works that once defined the town, but there are other treasures, too.

    As part of the Cementa24 festival, I became fixated on the museum’s collection of school photos. Neatly organised into ring-bound folders by the volunteers, the group portraits span decades of students from Kandos Public School and Kandos High School, from 1924 through to the 1990s.

    A photo album made by volunteers at the Kandos Museum.
    Author provided

    I enlarged and cropped some of these photos to turn them into street posters to scatter around town. I asked permission before sticking a few outside the local pub, the radio station, the post office and the op shop. I spot the locals smiling as they pass them, stopping to look for someone they know. I watch them point at the pictures and hear them naming names.

    Working on this project, I can’t stop thinking about the weight of these photographic rituals. School photos aren’t just memories; they hold social histories. Through them, you can trace changes in hairstyles, fashion, attitudes and even migration – yet there’s something homogeneous and unchangeable about how they’re made.

    School photo rules

    There’s always a physical hierarchy in these photos. The photographer organises the group to ensure compositional acuity. The students are lined up in rows, with tall people in the back and shorter people in front – evenly spaced, arranged by height and symmetry.

    When was the rule made that says this is how a group should look? Balanced, orderly and with everyone fitting neatly into place, whether they socially do or not. Somehow I always ended up on the edge of the middle row. The social dynamics of the playground found their way into the organisation of our bodies, forever captured in a split second.

    A photo of Kandos’ 5th Form, 1967.
    Author provided, courtesy of the Kandos Museum

    Looking at the Kandos photos from the 1940s through to the 1970s, then at my children’s photos from 2013 to 2024, and my own school photos in the 1980s and ‘90s, I can see the difference in public, private and catholic school uniforms. I can see the difference in racial diversity (or lack thereof) between a small regional town, inner-city Sydney and suburban southwest Sydney. I can also see how much photographic technology has changed.

    Despite this, the organisational structure of the school photo remains the same. The kids still stand stiffly in their rows, with identical tunics and ties. Standing too close, someone’s elbow digs into someone else’s side.

    As a photographer now, I often think about these school photos and the rituals that have remained largely unchanged in Australia. Every year, kids are shuffled onto tiered steps. Those in the front put their knees together, hands in laps, while the girls must “try to look like ladies”. Then there are the “nobodies” in the middle row (or is that just me reading into it?)

    The perils of posing

    Posing for school photos can be complicated. One year my daughter came home from school and declared the photographer was sexist because he made all the girls sit in the front row while the boys got to stand. I asked her why sitting was sexist. She couldn’t explain – she was eight years old – but she certainly felt the power difference between sitting with your knees pressed together and standing tall.

    And what about the solo portrait? I still think about my kindergarten class from 1979. The group photo was fine. I was happy, standing next to my new best friend. But my solo portrait was a disaster. I looked possessed, my eyes half-closed, lashes blurred, caught mid-blink.

    My mother didn’t buy the solo photo, but she kept the group one. After that I promised myself it would never happen again. I told myself every year: “don’t blink, don’t blink”. Back then, photography was on film. There were no re-dos, no instant feedback, no photoshop and no AI. Once the camera clicked, that was it.

    ‘Don’t blink, don’t blink,’ I’d think, while trying to keep my eyes open.
    Author provided

    At the end of primary school, I’d visit my best friend’s house and envy the neat, chronological line of her school photos framed on her kitchen wall. Year by year, there she was, changing just slightly – a slow, steady record of growing up. I didn’t know why, but seeing framed evidence of time passing made me emotional. Maybe it was the certainty of the way her life was so neatly documented.

    My own school photos never made it to the wall in such a tidy fashion. But they did make it into my father’s wallet, my mother’s purse, in frames above the piano, on the fridge, in photo albums and in many a drawer.

    Small acts of rebellion

    The 1950s photos are formal and solemn. Back then you stood straight, faced the camera and no one smiled too much. By the 1970s and ’80s, the kids started to smirk – with hair loosened, mullets, and bodies shifting like they were trying to resist the pose. In one photo, the basketball team boys have their shoes off, feet raised above the blistering asphalt in the summer heat. The rules were still there, but you can see them pushing back.

    Bare feet raised in a photo of the Kandos High School Open basketball team, 1975.
    Author provided, courtesy of the Kandos Museum.

    What if we invited the rituals to change? What if students could self-organise, be silly, pull faces, wear their own clothes, and resist gender binaries and institutional uniformity?

    Some of the photos in the Kandos albums hint at this potential for small acts of rebellion. There’s the girl pulling a face, one laughing in profile. In one photo there’s a kid wearing a non-regulation jumper, and another in which they were clearly allowed to be silly because the teacher is laughing too.

    Photographic rebellion in the class of 1996.
    Author provided, courtesy of the Kandos Museum.

    In the pre-digital era, these small mishaps and moments of failure were captured unpolished and unfiltered. Those are the images I find myself drawn to; these are often the best ones. They reveal how uncomfortable it can be being photographed and how forced a pose can feel. Shirking a smile and a stiff stance is maybe the only power we have in that brief moment.

    Cherine Fahd does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Unwritten rules, nostalgia and subtle rebellion: how school photos capture childhood and the changing times – https://theconversation.com/unwritten-rules-nostalgia-and-subtle-rebellion-how-school-photos-capture-childhood-and-the-changing-times-239190

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Better evidence for better policymaking

    Source: Australian Treasurer

    Today, I will travel to the United Kingdom to discuss rigorous policy evaluation with experts and policymakers.

    Rigorous policy evaluation is an important tool for creating opportunity and addressing inequality. The meetings will be a valuable chance to exchange ideas with a jurisdiction that has been a leader in the field of evidence‑based policymaking.

    On Wednesday, I will deliver a public lecture at the University of Oxford. On Thursday, I will speak at an event hosted by the UK Evaluation Task Force in London, and will also engage in an in‑conversation event hosted by the Behavioural Insights Team.

    These events will be a chance to make the case for randomised trials and international evidence sharing.

    I will also meet with leaders from the UK’s network of What Works Centres to discuss how we can further develop evidence‑based policy making in Australia.

    This dialogue and engagement will directly support the development of the Australian Centre for Evaluation in Treasury and help improve the quality of evaluation across the Australian Government.

    More broadly, the trip is a chance to discuss common difficulties and opportunities in my portfolio areas, including in competition, multinational tax and statistics. Meetings with UK government counterparts will cover how our economies can address common challenges in these areas.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Have your say: 30-year plan to share the cost of growth

    Source: Auckland Council

    Aucklanders are encouraged to have their say on a new policy for development contributions.  The consultation is open from Monday 30 September until Friday 15 November 2024.   

    Development contributions are fees the council charges developers to help fund the cost of growth in Tāmaki Makaurau.   

    The council uses this money to help pay for new assets that are needed to support the new households or business properties that have been, or will be, developed in Auckland. This includes roads and footpaths, parks; libraries and community facilities; and drainage and stormwater systems.  

    Andrew Duncan, Manager of Financial Policy at Auckland Council, notes providing the infrastructure to support expected growth is a key council function.  

    “Infrastructure allows new developments to be built and ensures Aucklanders have access to the activities and services they expect.   

    “Tāmaki Makaurau is growing at a rapid rate – Auckland’s population is expected to grow by approximately 600,000 people over the next 30 years.  

    “Development contributions are a way of ensuring that growth pays for growth and the costs of infrastructure are fairly shared between developers, ratepayers, and funding from the government.”  

    Sharing the cost of growth  

    Over the 10-year period from 2024 to 2034 the council will be investing around $39.3 billion in its capital investment programme, which includes $10.3 billion of projects with a growth component. It’s also planning to invest $10.9 billion from 2034 to 2054 in the Investment Priority Areas at Drury, the Inner Northwest and the Auckland Housing Programme areas at Tāmaki, Mt Roskill, and Māngere. These areas are joint priority areas with the government and are key locations where the council can focus its limited resources. The development contributions policy makes sure the cost of new infrastructure is fairly shared between developers and ratepayers based on who causes the need for the infrastructure and who benefits from it.  
      
    Without this policy, ratepayers would be covering the share of the cost of providing growth-related infrastructure that would otherwise fall to developers.  

    What will the policy cover?  

    The proposed policy will reflect:  

    • the spending and investment decisions over the 10-year period of the Long-term Plan (2024-2034)  
    • latest projections for growth in population and interest rates   
    • updates to project costs 
    • updates to long-term investments in Drury.  

    It also proposes to plan for long-term investment in Investment Priority Areas (IPAs) over the next 30 years in a similar way to what the council is already doing for Drury. These are key locations where the council can focus its limited resources. They are all joint priority areas with government, and the additional areas are:  

    • inner northwest areas at Red Hills, Westgate and Whenuapai  
    • the Auckland Housing Programme (AHP) areas at Tāmaki, Māngere and Mt Roskill.  

    Updated investments planned to 2034 and changes to Drury  

    These policy changes will increase the average price of contributions from $21,000 to $30,000 per household unit equivalent (HUE), which is the requirement for a typical residential home. This figure includes the capital spend reflected in all 10 years of the long-term plan.  

    The council has reviewed the need for stormwater infrastructure in Drury, as well as the level of investment needed here over the next 30 years. As a result, the average price for development contributions in Drury will rise from $70,000 to $83,000.  

    Investment in the additional priority areas  

    The council has assessed the long-term investment requirements for the inner northwest and Tāmaki, Māngere and Mt Roskill using the best information currently available. The addition of $8.9 billion of investment over 30 years in these areas will raise the average price for development contributions in:  

    • the inner northwest from $25k to $98k  
    • Māngere from $18k to $29k  
    • Mt Roskill from $20k to $52k  
    • Tāmaki from $31k to $119k.  

    The proposed higher development contributions reflect the value of the infrastructure that will be required to support development and will ensure that developers pay a fair share of these costs.   

    The council’s economic analysis shows that higher development contributions do not generally lead to higher house prices. The price of housing is determined by supply and demand for houses rather than the cost of land and building. National and international evidence shows that rather than impacting housing prices, an increase in development contributions could lead to a reduction in the price of undeveloped land over time.

    Have your say

    You can tell us what you think of the policy on the council’s Have Your Say webpage. You can also join one of our events.   

    Join our webinars on:  

    Come see us in-person at the Ellen Melville Centre at 2 Freyberg Place, Central Auckland 1010 in:  

    • the Marilyn Waring room on Thursday 17 October from 10am – 11.30am   
    • the Elizabeth Yates room on Thursday 31 October, from 1pm – 2.30pm  

    We want to hear your views. Have your say on the proposed development contributions policy from Monday 30 September until Friday 15 November 2024.   

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCSD to hold “Jazz Music Appreciation for Beginners” Lecture Demonstration Series (with photo)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    LCSD to hold “Jazz Music Appreciation for Beginners” Lecture Demonstration Series (with photo)
    LCSD to hold “Jazz Music Appreciation for Beginners” Lecture Demonstration Series (with photo)
    ******************************************************************************************

         The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) will present the “Jazz Music Appreciation for Beginners” Lecture Demonstration Series on five consecutive Wednesdays starting from October 30, featuring members of the local emerging jazz music group “Fountain de Chopin” as the speakers and demonstrators to cover the fundamentals, origins, evolution and distinctive characteristics of jazz music in an easy-to-understand manner. With live demonstrations woven throughout the lectures, audiences can not only have a better understanding of this globally cherished music genre but also learn to appreciate the fascinating charisma that jazz music embodies.     Details of each lecture are as follows:Lecture 1: Exploring Jazz – Structure and Instrument Analysis—————————————————————————Date: October 30 (Wednesday)     Complemented by live demonstrations, the speakers will introduce audiences to the basics as well as the more advanced structures and nuances of jazz music, including the communication between musicians and the methods and terminology of improvisation, so that they can understand the key points and details to focus on when listening to jazz.Lecture 2: The Origins of Jazz Music (1910 to 1940)—————————————————————Date: November 6 (Wednesday)      The speakers will introduce the origins of jazz music and popular trends from the early 20th century such as “Big Band” and “Swing”, with highlights on several iconic jazz musicians, including Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington. With live performances, audiences can be immersed in the audible history of jazz. Lecture 3: The Evolution of Jazz Music (1940 to 1970)——————————————————————-Date: November 13 (Wednesday)     The speakers will introduce and showcase performances of various jazz music genres, such as “Bebop”, “Cool Jazz”, “Hard Bop”, “Free Jazz”, “Latin Jazz” and “Fusion Jazz”. They will also elaborate on how jazz has evolved to place greater emphasis on breaking rules, thereby allowing musicians more freedom in improvisation. Several influential musicians in the jazz scene, including Chet Baker, John Coltrane and Herbie Hancock, will also be highlighted. Lecture 4: Modern Jazz Music (1970 to present)———————————————————-Date: November 20 (Wednesday)     Through demonstration performances, the speakers will give an overview of the development of jazz music from the mid-20th century to the present, including “Fusion Jazz” and later “Modern Jazz”, and will introduce some icons of “Jazz-Rock Fusion” such as Miles Davis and Chick Corea.Lecture 5: Embark on a Journey from the Ears to Discover Your Own Jazz Music————————————————————————————————–Date: November 27 (Wednesday)      In the final lecture, through improvisational performances, the speakers will explain different types of jazz music and their features, progressing from basic to advanced levels. By learning about masterpieces of jazz and the distinctive styles of musicians, audience members will know how to appreciate and distinguish between different jazz genres.      “Fountain de Chopin” was established in 2021 by local jazz musicians. Its core members include Bowen Li (pianist), Michael Chan (guitarist), Nelson Fung (bassist), Dean Li (drummer), Timothy Wan and Brian Cheung (saxophonists). Dedicated to promoting local jazz music, the group focuses on organising small-scale performances, listening sessions, and improvisational concerts. The group has also been invited to participate in various local music events, and has actively engaged in interdisciplinary collaborations with musicians.　　     All lectures will be conducted in Cantonese and will start at 7.30pm in the Lecture Hall of the Hong Kong Space Museum. Each lecture will run for about one hour and 30 minutes. Tickets priced at $100 (for each lecture, with free seating) are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. For programme enquiries, please call 2268 7321 or visitwww.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/music/programs_1792.html.

     
    Ends/Monday, September 30, 2024Issued at HKT 11:00

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Authorised mobile network operators can install mobile communications facilities in specified buildings for free from April 1, 2025

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Authorised mobile network operators can install mobile communications facilities in specified buildings for free from April 1, 2025
    Authorised mobile network operators can install mobile communications facilities in specified buildings for free from April 1, 2025
    ******************************************************************************************

         The amended section 14 of the Telecommunications Ordinance (Cap. 106) (TO) will come into operation tomorrow (October 1). Mobile network operators authorised by the Communications Authority (CA) can access the reserved space in specified buildings with building plans approved on or after April 1, 2025, to install and maintain mobile communications facilities (MCFs) without the payment of a fee to the land owners concerned.      The TO stipulates that specified buildings cover newly built and rebuilt commercial, industrial, residential and hotel buildings. New government buildings and public housing developments will also follow the relevant arrangements to reserve space for mobile network operators to install MCFs.      To implement the new measure, the CA, after considering the views from the telecommunications industry, building developers, construction professional bodies and the property management industry, has promulgated the Code of Practice for the Provision of Mobile Access Facilities in Specified Buildings for the Provision of Public Mobile Radiocommunications Services (Mobile CoP), which stipulates the minimum standards and requirements of the infrastructure facilities for the installation of MCFs in specified buildings. The Building Authority has also updated the Practice Note for Authorized Persons, Registered Structural Engineers and Registered Geotechnical Engineers on Access Facilities for Telecommunications and Broadcasting Services (Practice Note (APP-84)) issued in accordance with section 28A of the Building (Planning) Regulations (Cap. 123F), which promulgates the requirements on floor space and ancillary facilities for the installation of MCFs in specified buildings. The Mobile CoP and the Practice Note (APP-84) will come into effect tomorrow. Details have been uploaded to the websites of the CA and the Buildings Department.      The relevant amendments to the TO will help institutionalise the arrangements for installing MCFs in specified buildings and streamline the approval process, with a view to further expanding the network coverage of Hong Kong’s fifth generation (5G) mobile services and facilitating Hong Kong’s development into a smart city.

     
    Ends/Monday, September 30, 2024Issued at HKT 11:00

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Allens advises Northern Minerals on $48m equity raising

    Source: Allens Insights

    Allens has advised Northern Minerals on a capital raising to progress its Browns Range heavy rare earth element (HREE) Project, including a $43 million two-tranche private placement and $5 million share purchase plan.

    The private placement, offered to existing and new institutional and sophisticated investors, attracted a significant level of demand.

    Located in Western Australia’s East Kimberley region, the Browns Range Project is one of the most high grade and advanced HREE projects outside China. The dysprosium and terbium resources it expects to supply are essential for high-performance permanent magnets used in electric vehicles and wind turbines.

    Allens advised on all elements of the capital raising from concept to execution, including capital raising structures, execution of the equity raising and regulatory considerations.

    ‘Strong demand continues among investors for rare earths exposure, as evidenced by the response to Northern Minerals’ private placement as well as sizeable raisings conducted by other developing players in the space throughout this year,’ said lead Partner Bryn Hardcastle.

    ‘We congratulate Northern Minerals on its successful capital raising and look forward to seeing what’s ahead for the Browns Range Project.’

    Allens legal team

    Bryn Hardcastle (Partner), Andrew Wong (Mergers and Acquisitions Counsel), Chris Bailey (Senior Associate), Alex Forster (Associate), Christopher Shields (Lawyer)

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Dredging work begins on Lumsden Point Project in Port Hedland

    Source: Australian Ministers for Infrastructure and Transport

    Work has started on dredging at Lumsden Point in the Port of Port Hedland, with approximately one million cubic metres of material to be removed over the next eight weeks.

    The dredging will create a deeper access channel, swing basin and berth pockets to ensure the safe and efficient berthing of vessels at the new Lumsden Point facility.

    Earlier this year, Jan De Nul (Australia) Pty Ltd was awarded the contract for these vital dredging and land reclamation activities.

    Extensive preparatory works have already been completed, culminating in the arrival of the JFJ De Nul cutter suction dredge in Port Hedland earlier this week. 

    Environmental monitoring is being carried out as part of the dredging program to minimise the risk of impact to surrounding habitats.

    Dredged material will be disposed of at a designated reclamation area within Lumsden in accordance with an approved Environmental Management Plan.

    Lumsden Point will facilitate the export of battery metals such as lithium and copper concentrates, the import of renewable energy infrastructure including wind turbines and blades, as well as support the growth of direct shipping services to the Pilbara.

    The Australian Government is investing $565 million in common user port upgrades in the Pilbara, $450 million of which will enable the development of new multi-user facilities and berths at Lumsden Point.

    This is in partnership with the Western Australian Government, which is contributing $96.6 million to the project.

    BHP, Fortescue, Roy Hill and the Hancock Prospecting Pty Ltd/Mineral Resources Ltd Joint Venture have committed a total of $65 million towards dredging costs.

    Further information about the Lumsden Point project is available at http://www.pilbaraports.com.au

    Quotes attributable to Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King:

    “The Australian Government is delivering $565 million in common user port upgrades in the Pilbara to help unlock trade and investment opportunities and support a future made in Australia.

    “This project is all about investment in quality infrastructure which encourages and supports opportunities for local businesses and communities.

    “We will continue to partner with the Western Australian Government to ensure that this vital infrastructure progresses .”

    Quotes attributable to Western Australian Minister for Ports David Michael:

    “It’s fantastic to see the progress being made at Lumsden Point.

    “The commencement of the dredging and reclamation works represents a significant milestone in the project’s advancement which will help diversify trade in the Pilbara.

    “Upon completion, Lumsden Point is expected to boost Australia’s gross domestic product by $2.1 billion per annum.

    “It is expected to save 3.6 million tonnes of emissions by 2055 by supporting direct shipping to the Pilbara and providing a pathway for renewable energy infrastructure.”

    Quotes attributable to Senator for Western Australia Glenn Sterle:

    “The Australian Government’s investment in the Lumsden Point expansion helps position Northern Australia to take advantage of the economic opportunities this project will provide as demand grows locally and overseas for clean energy sources.

    “This project, which I’m pleased to see is underway, will drive both employment and economic growth while delivering lasting infrastructure that will continue to benefit the region well into the future.”

    Quotes attributable to State Member for Pilbara Kevin Michel:

    “Lumsden Point is a key investment in the Pilbara’s future, enhancing our ability to support economic growth and strengthen the region’s global significance. 

    “The port expansion will solidify the Pilbara’s role as a driving force in the green energy transition, unlocking new trade pathways and creating hundreds of local jobs that will directly benefit our communities.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Director General David Cheng-Wei Wu attended Taiwan Tourism Promotion

    Source: Republic Of China Taiwan 2

    Taiwan Tourism Administration held a tourism promotion event in Sydney at Four Seasons Hotel on Sep 23 2024. It was a great turnout with nearly 70 Australian travel agencies joining to explore the great business opportunities.
    Director General David Cheng-Wei Wu spoke about Taiwan’s beauty in different ways. Taiwan and Australia are not only geographically close, but also sharing same core values, which makes Taiwan one of the safest and best places to Australian travelers. New initiative, Taiwan-Waves of wonder, allows you to experience its charms all year-around. Even Hollywood action movie “Weekend in Taipei” was 100% shot in Taiwan, which shows the city’s landscapes and diversities are also recognized by entertainment industry. The huge potential for the travel market is undeniable.
    The event was followed by PR representative’s briefing about Taiwan’s attractions, introduction of Meet Taiwan by Taiwan Trade Center and travel agents from Taiwan shared their ideas and packages. Then a few rounds of the match-making meetings were very successful.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Person located deceased in water near Raglan

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Police were called this afternoon after a person was located deceased in the water near Raglan.

    A member of the public called Police at 2.25pm, after observing the person in the water from a nearby footbridge.

    While formal identification is yet to take place, Police believe the deceased is a 31-year-old Hamilton man reported missing last week.

    Police would like to extend our condolences to the man’s whānau and loved ones.

    Police will continue to make enquiries into the circumstances of the death on behalf of the Coroner.
     

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Money Market Operations as on September 27, 2024

    Source: Reserve Bank of India
    (Amount in ₹ crore, Rate in Per cent)
      Volume
    (One Leg)    		 Weighted
    Average Rate    		 Range
    A. Overnight Segment (I+II+III+IV) 576,030.71 6.47 5.10-6.75
         I. Call Money 10,317.52 6.53 5.10-6.65
         II. Triparty Repo 409,571.75 6.44 6.25-6.60
         III. Market Repo 154,783.44 6.55 6.00-6.70
         IV. Repo in Corporate Bond 1,358.00 6.62 6.60-6.75
    B. Term Segment      
         I. Notice Money** 75.10 6.23 5.85-6.40
         II. Term Money@@ 558.00 – 6.60-7.10
         III. Triparty Repo 11,290.40 6.70 6.60-6.95
         IV. Market Repo 7.64 6.65 6.65-6.65
         V. Repo in Corporate Bond 0.00 – –
      Auction Date Tenor (Days) Maturity Date Amount Current Rate /
    Cut off Rate
    C. Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF), Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) & Standing Deposit Facility (SDF)
    I. Today’s Operations
    1. Fixed Rate          
    2. Variable Rate&          
      (I) Main Operation          
         (a) Repo          
         (b) Reverse Repo          
      (II) Fine Tuning Operations          
         (a) Repo          
         (b) Reverse Repo          
    3. MSF# Fri, 27/09/2024 1 Sat, 28/09/2024 3,210.00 6.75
      Fri, 27/09/2024 2 Sun, 29/09/2024 0.00 6.75
      Fri, 27/09/2024 3 Mon, 30/09/2024 1,200.00 6.75
    4. SDFΔ# Fri, 27/09/2024 1 Sat, 28/09/2024 89,303.00 6.25
      Fri, 27/09/2024 2 Sun, 29/09/2024 251.00 6.25
      Fri, 27/09/2024 3 Mon, 30/09/2024 28,399.00 6.25
    5. Net liquidity injected from today’s operations [injection (+)/absorption (-)]*       -113,543.00  
    II. Outstanding Operations
    1. Fixed Rate          
    2. Variable Rate&          
      (I) Main Operation          
         (a) Repo Fri, 20/09/2024 14 Fri, 04/10/2024 25,002.00 6.52
         (b) Reverse Repo          
      (II) Fine Tuning Operations          
         (a) Repo          
         (b) Reverse Repo          
    3. MSF#          
    4. SDFΔ#          
    5. On Tap Targeted Long Term Repo Operations€ Mon, 04/10/2021 1095 Thu, 03/10/2024 350.00 4.00
    Mon, 15/11/2021 1095 Thu, 14/11/2024 250.00 4.00
    Mon, 27/12/2021 1095 Thu, 26/12/2024 2,275.00 4.00
    6. Special Long-Term Repo Operations (SLTRO) for Small Finance Banks (SFBs)£ Mon, 15/11/2021 1095 Thu, 14/11/2024 105.00 4.00
    Mon, 22/11/2021 1095 Thu, 21/11/2024 100.00 4.00
    Mon, 29/11/2021 1095 Thu, 28/11/2024 305.00 4.00
    Mon, 13/12/2021 1095 Thu, 12/12/2024 150.00 4.00
    Mon, 20/12/2021 1095 Thu, 19/12/2024 100.00 4.00
    Mon, 27/12/2021 1095 Thu, 26/12/2024 255.00 4.00
    D. Standing Liquidity Facility (SLF) Availed from RBI$       8,495.66  
    E. Net liquidity injected from outstanding operations [injection (+)/absorption (-)]*     37,387.66  
    F. Net liquidity injected (outstanding including today’s operations) [injection (+)/absorption (-)]*     -76,155.34  
    G. Cash Reserves Position of Scheduled Commercial Banks
         (i) Cash balances with RBI as on September 27, 2024 1,027,462.62  
         (ii) Average daily cash reserve requirement for the fortnight ending October 04, 2024 1,005,433.00  
    H. Government of India Surplus Cash Balance Reckoned for Auction as on¥ September 27, 2024 0.00  
    I. Net durable liquidity [surplus (+)/deficit (-)] as on September 06, 2024 427,689.00  
    @ Based on Reserve Bank of India (RBI) / Clearing Corporation of India Limited (CCIL).
    – Not Applicable / No Transaction.
    ** Relates to uncollateralized transactions of 2 to 14 days tenor.
    @@ Relates to uncollateralized transactions of 15 days to one year tenor.
    $ Includes refinance facilities extended by RBI.
    & As per the Press Release No. 2019-2020/1900 dated February 06, 2020.
    Δ As per the Press Release No. 2022-2023/41 dated April 08, 2022.
    * Net liquidity is calculated as Repo+MSF+SLF-Reverse Repo-SDF.
    € As per the Press Release No. 2020-2021/520 dated October 21, 2020, Press Release No. 2020-2021/763 dated December 11, 2020, Press Release No. 2020-2021/1057 dated February 05, 2021 and Press Release No. 2021-2022/695 dated August 13, 2021.
    ¥ As per the Press Release No. 2014-2015/1971 dated March 19, 2015.
    £ As per the Press Release No. 2021-2022/181 dated May 07, 2021 and Press Release No. 2021-2022/1023 dated October 11, 2021.
    # As per the Press Release No. 2023-2024/1548 dated December 27, 2023.
    Ajit Prasad            
     Deputy General Manager
    (Communications)    
    Press Release: 2024-2025/1181

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Autistic people and those with ADHD are more likely to have eating disorders. Here’s why – and how this affects their treatment

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Breanna Lepre, Lecturer in Nutrition and Dietetics, The University of Queensland

    BearFotos/Shutterstock

    More than 1.1 million Australians are estimated to be living with an eating disorder. Around one-third of these people are neurodivergent.

    So why are neurodivergent people, such as autistic people and those with ADHD, more likely to experience eating disorders than the broader population? And how does this impact their treatment?

    First, what is neurodivergence?

    Neurodivergence, or the state of being neurodivergent, is a term for people whose cognitive functioning differs from what society considers “typical”. Many conditions broadly fall under neurodivergence, including (but not limited to):

    • autism
    • attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
    • dyslexia
    • Tourette’s syndrome.

    Our understanding of neurodivergence has come a long way. Neurodivergence used to be considered a linear “spectrum” ranging from less to more neurodivergent.

    We now know every neurodivergent person will have a unique experience across a range of dimensions. This includes sensory processing, motor abilities and executive functioning (working memory, cognitive flexibility and inhibition).

    Conceptualising these differences ends up looking more like a colour wheel.

    What are eating disorders?

    Eating disorders are complex and potentially life-threatening mental health conditions. They cause persistent and significant disturbances in thoughts, feelings and behaviours related to body weight, food and/or eating.

    Many factors are likely to contribute to the development of an eating disorder. But research shows neurodivergent people are disproportionately affected.

    One review found around 22.9% of autistic people had an eating disorder, compared with 2% in the general population. In another review, people with ADHD were four times more likely to be diagnosed with an eating disorder than people without ADHD.

    Why are eating disorders more common among neurodivergent people?

    Science has not pinpointed an exact reason why eating disorders are more common among neurodivergent people. But here’s what we know so far.

    Neurodivergent people are more likely to experience feeding difficulties, sensory sensitivities and disordered eating.

    A United States study assessing the eating behaviour of neurodivergent children found around 70% of autistic children displayed “atypical” eating behaviours. This includes food selectivity and a hypersensitivity to food textures. It compares with 4.8% of neurotypical children.

    Similarly, autistic children may choose or reject foods based on texture more than other children. They may prefer foods with a consistent texture, bland taste and neutral colour (for example, chicken nuggets, plain pasta and rice).

    Selective eating (having limited accepted foods and food aversions) has been associated with avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID). This is an eating disorder characterised by avoidance and aversion to food and eating that is not related to body image. ARFID is commonly associated with autism, with one study estimating 21% of autistic people will experience it in their lifetime.

    Some neurodivergent people have food aversions.
    goodbishop/Shutterstock

    Other neurodivergent traits, such as perfectionism and a preference for routine, have been associated with disordered eating and eating disorders.

    Research on adolescent girls found those with anorexia nervosa are more likely to exhibit neurodivergent (in this case, autistic) traits and behaviours. These include developing rules, resistance to change and a hyperfocus on body weight. These features are commonly seen in anorexia nervosa, an eating disorder characterised by restricted food intake, an intense fear of weight gain and body image disturbances.

    Meanwhile, impulsivity symptoms in ADHD have been associated with binge eating disorder. This can involve recurrent episodes of eating large amounts of food in a short period of time. Impulsivity may also be linked to bulimia nervosa, characterised by compensatory behaviours to prevent weight gain after binge eating (such as exessive exercise).

    Some studies indicate a link between ADHD, alexithymia (difficulty experiencing, identifying and expressing emotions) and overeating behaviours such as emotional eating.

    Finally, neurodivergent people are more likely to identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ community, experience trauma and also have a mental health condition. Each of these considerations increases the likelihood someone will experience an eating disorder.

    How does this affect treatment?

    Despite the overlap between eating disorders and neurodivergence, current treatment approaches don’t meet the diverse needs of those affected.

    Eating disorder treatment often has moderate success at best. For neurodivergent people, the outcomes are worse than for their neurotypical counterparts.

    Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), a broad range of treatments based on the interaction between thoughts, feelings and behaviours, is less beneficial for neurodivergent people. Yet this is often part of treatment for eating disorders. Autistic women have suggested CBT is less accessible due to its blanket approach and the assumption they have the skills needed to benefit.

    There have been calls from organisations such as the National Eating Disorders Collaboration and lived experience advocates to improve access to neurodiversity-affirming care models for neurodivergent people affected by eating disorders.

    Such care recognised and safely accommodates the multiple ways neurodivergence is related to feeding and eating behaviour.

    Research suggests eating disorder treatment can be successfully adapted for neurodivergent people based on the following principles:

    1. equal partnership. Including neurodivergent people as equal partners in their care and as decision-makers, and elevating their own experiences

    2. embracing and celebrating differences. Neurodivergent traits should not be considered a deficit, or something to be “treated” or “fixed”. Rather, neurodivergent traits should be celebrated to nourish a positive sense of identity

    3. accommodations. Neurodivergent traits and preferences are respected and accommodated. As an example, this might include reducing sensory inputs (the smell, sounds and lights) in a dining area, or a meal plan that is predictable and considers a person’s sensory sensitivities.

    Treatment for eating disorders should also be gender-affirming (interventions that support and affirm someone’s gender identity) and trauma-informed.

    If this article has raised issues for you, free resources and support is available from the Butterfly National Helpline by calling 1800 ED HOPE (1800 33 4673), or by visiting Eating Disorders Neurodiversity Australia or Autism Connect.

    Breanna Lepre works for The University of Queensland and is a member of Dietitians Australia. Breanna is neurodivergent and has lived experience of an eating disorder.

    Lauren Ball works for The University of Queensland and receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council, Queensland Health and Mater Misericordia. She is a Director of Dietitians Australia, a Director of the Darling Downs and West Moreton Primary Health Network and an Associate Member of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences.

    – ref. Autistic people and those with ADHD are more likely to have eating disorders. Here’s why – and how this affects their treatment – https://theconversation.com/autistic-people-and-those-with-adhd-are-more-likely-to-have-eating-disorders-heres-why-and-how-this-affects-their-treatment-238759

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: China provides vibrant digital trade cooperation platform

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    Sales staff promote African products via livestreaming during the third Global Digital Trade Expo in Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang Province, Sept. 25, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    The third Global Digital Trade Expo (GDTE), concluding on Sunday, has been a vibrant platform for fostering global partnerships in digital commerce and thus sustainable growth.

    Held in Hangzhou, a city known for blending ancient charm and modern innovation, the expo featured more than 1,500 enterprises, including over 300 international companies.

    Attendees experienced cutting-edge innovations like AI-driven robots and hydrogen-powered drones and were presented with over 400 new products and technologies.

    Valuable experience

    Kazakh Minister of Digital Development, Innovation, and Aerospace Industry Zhaslan Madiyev highlighted China’s role as a global leader in e-commerce and digital technologies, noting that China is accelerating the digital transformation of markets worldwide.

    In a written interview with Xinhua, Madiyev said China’s experience offers valuable insights for countries in the early stages of developing their digital markets, aiding global growth and helping reduce digital inequality. He cited Kazakhstan’s efforts to improve telecommunications and cybersecurity by learning from China.

    In addition to cutting-edge technologies, China’s experience in e-commerce also set an example for countries seeking to capitalize on the rapid growth of digital trade.

    Kilimall, an e-commerce platform founded by Chinese entrepreneurs in Africa in 2014, has become one of the most popular shopping websites among Africans. It has generated about 10,000 local jobs in logistics, courier services, customer support and regional sales.

    The cooperation between China and Africa in digital economy “represents a new model of economic cooperation that creates tangible value for businesses and people on both sides” said Ugandan Ambassador to China Oliver Wonekha.

    Digitalization is a technological leap and a key driver of future development for countries and businesses, said Jean Louis Robinson, ambassador of Madagascar to China. “We are eager to work closely with Chinese companies to learn from China’s advanced experience in digital economy and promote sustainable development in Madagascar,” he added.

    Robots perform dance at a booth during the third Global Digital Trade Expo in Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang Province, Sept. 25, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Vast opportunities

    China’s advanced digital economy and vast market scale are creating immense opportunities for the world, said experts and attendees at the expo.

    “For us, China is not just a sales market,” said Lyu Feng, division head of public relations at Yokogawa China, a Japanese electric firm. He highlighted China’s vast emerging industries, strong market demand, and numerous high-tech companies.

    Lyu added that the company emphasizes collaborating with Chinese enterprises to explore new opportunities, particularly in digital transformation and carbon emissions management in the manufacturing sector.

    Zhu Lili, vice president of AstraZeneca China, expressed that the pharmaceutical giant is “highly confident” in the Chinese market and its innovation ecosystem. She emphasized the company’s goal to partner with more local firms to explore the application of digital technologies in healthcare, driving sustainable and high-quality growth for both the healthcare industry and the broader economy.

    In the first half of 2024, China’s cross-border e-commerce imports and exports reached 1.22 trillion yuan (about 170 billion U.S. dollars), an increase of 10.5 percent year over year, according to customs data.

    Kazakhstan has opened national pavilions on Chinese e-commerce platforms like Alibaba and JD.com to promote products such as powdered milk, safflower oil, and honey, boosting bilateral e-commerce ties, Serik Korzhumbayev, editor-in-chief of Delovoy Kazakhstan, told Xinhua.

    Yao Hongchun, vice president of the Thai Chinese New Generation Business Association, emphasized its potential for collaboration with China, mainly through advanced e-commerce technologies tailored to Thai consumers.

    A foreign merchant consults about a small intelligent translation device at the third Global Digital Trade Expo in Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang Province, Sept. 25, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Cooperation platform

    “E-commerce can be successful and further developed in the long run if everyone can find their way in it, if it is based on close international cooperation, if it is diversified and if as many countries as possible are involved on both the manufacturer and the buyer side,” Hungarian National Assembly’s Deputy Speaker Lajos Olah said at the opening ceremony of the expo.

    By July 2024, China has signed e-commerce cooperation memorandums of understanding with 33 countries spanning five continents.

    Additionally, China has been involved in digital economy collaborations through multilateral frameworks like the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, BRICS, the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting, and the G20, according to an e-commerce development report released by China’s Ministry of Commerce during the expo.

    Beyond exhibitions, this year’s GDTE also featured multiple forums, meetings, and seminars, providing officials and industry leaders with platforms to exchange views and discuss prospects for international collaboration.

    Through participating in the expo, Thailand is ready to work with partners in trade, investment, research, and development to expand its digital products and services, aiming to integrate into key global supply chains, Thailand’s Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce, Ekachat Seetavorarat told Xinhua on the sidelines of the expo.

    Madiyev also highlighted the GDTE as a unique opportunity to exchange experiences with leading global players in the digital economy and expand economic ties with other countries, particularly China.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Release: Government breaks promise on ferry plan

    Source: New Zealand Labour Party

    Time has run out for Nicola Willis who has failed to keep her promise to deliver a solution to replace the Interislander ferries by today.

    “Nicola Willis promised New Zealanders she would have a plan by the end of the quarter. Instead as the deadline to her promise loomed – she admitted last week it’s likely to be much later,” Labour transport spokesperson Tangi Utikere said.

    “The Government’s bungled ferry deal is a complete failure. The consequences of these decisions will mean Kiwis pay more, wait years longer for replacement boats and face increased freight costs.

    “Nicola Willis botched this deal from the moment she was in the captain’s chair. It was just the beginning of the poor choices this Government is becoming famous for.

    “If the replacement ferries are not rail-enabled, Nicola Willis, Paul Goldsmith and Simeon Brown will also go down in history as the Ministers who cut the main trunk line in two.

    “Maybe this is the hold up? As it seems the chaotic Cabinet cannot agree on a pathway forward when it comes to the possibility of no rail capability across the Cook Strait.

    “Cancelling the order for two rail-enabled Cook Strait ferries has already cost KiwiRail almost half a billion dollars. However, costs are estimated to keep rising as the price for exiting the contracts with South Korean shipbuilders Hyundai is still under negotiation.

    “Nicola Willis should be on the phone pleading with the ship builders to reinstate the contract. As more and more time goes on, it’s clear the Government is struggling to find that ‘Toyota Corolla’ ferry it desperately wanted without paying Ferrari prices,” Tangi Utikere said.

    Stay in the loop by signing up to our mailing list and following us on Facebook, Instagram, and X.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Additional ADB Financing to Expand Water Supply, Sanitation Coverage in Kyrgyz Republic

    Source: Asia Development Bank

    MANILA, PHILIPPINES (30 September 2024) — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved $32.35 million of additional financing for a rural water supply and sanitation development program in northern Kyrgyz Republic that is already performing well.

    The additional financing will empower the government to continue rolling out its water program under the Kyrgyz Republic’s National Development Strategy, 2018–2040—which aims to provide drinking water to 95% of the country’s settlements and extend centralized water supply to more than 2 million rural residents.

    Using a results-based approach, the additional financing will help to scale up the successful intervention in centrally located Naryn Province—raising the initial target of 64,000 people reached to 100,000. The funding also enables an increase in the number of education and health facilities that have separate toilets for women and men from 21 to 37.

    “When the project team visits the sites, we are met with overwhelming gratitude from the villagers,” said ADB Principal Urban Development Specialist Heeyoung Hong. “The elderly and children no longer have to trek miles and endure long waits for water, especially in the freezing cold of winter. The success of the ongoing program shows the profoundly positive impact that well-targeted development financing, perfectly aligned with the government’s program, can have on people.”

    Climate change considerations are integrated throughout the program’s design and targets. This includes piloting household sanitation solutions that are resilient to climate change and disasters. The program will fund climate risk assessments of potential potable water sources and deploy campaigns to help raise awareness among local residents on the importance of saving water.

    “While the Kyrgyz Republic has abundant water, it is not distributed evenly—especially to villages across Naryn province,” said ADB Director General for Central and West Asia Yevgeniy Zhukov. “With climate change accelerating the pace of glacial melt, the availability of water in the glacier-dependent province faces a serious threat. This additional support will help build infrastructure that can withstand the impacts of climate change—ensuring that the Kyrgyz people in these low-income and rural areas have access to safe and reliable water and sanitation services.”

    The financing comprises a $27 million concessional loan and a $5.35 million grant from the Asian Development Fund, which provides grants to ADB’s poorest and most vulnerable developing member countries. The Government of the Kyrgyz Republic is also contributing another $6.45 million in this round of financing.

    This year marks the 30th anniversary of the partnership between ADB and the Kyrgyz Republic—a cooperation spanning more than 217 projects and technical assistance in key economic sectors. Since the Kyrgyz Republic joined ADB in 1994, the bank has committed public sector loans, grants, and technical assistance totaling $2.6 billion to the country.

    ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 69 members—49 from the region.

    MIL OSI Economics –