NewzIntel.com

Category: Asia Pacific

  • MIL-Evening Report: In a US presidential election with razor-thin margins, will ‘couch-sitters’ decide who wins?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jeff Bleich, Professorial fellow, Jeff Bleich Centre for Democracy and Disruptive Technologies, Flinders University

    In countries with compulsory voting, such as Australia and many in Latin America, the system usually ensures an overwhelming majority of voters cast their ballots election after election.

    In the United States, it’s a very different story. Two-thirds of eligible voters turned out to vote in the 2020 presidential election – the highest rate since 1900. Turnout in presidential elections before 2020 tended to hover between 50% and 65%.

    Often, it’s the voters choosing to stay home on the couch who effectively decide an election’s outcome.

    Under the United States’ unusual Electoral College presidential voting system, the candidate who wins the most votes nationally does not necessarily win the election. Twice in the past 25 years, Democrats have won the popular vote in the presidential race and still lost the election. That includes Donald Trump’s win over Hillary Clinton in 2016.

    As such, victory depends on getting more voters “off the couch” in key battleground states where the decisive Electoral College votes are up for grabs. In those states, it doesn’t matter what percentage of people show up to vote, or how much a candidate wins by, it is winner take all.

    A voter who doesn’t vote, therefore, actually makes an active choice — they remove a vote from the candidate they would have likely chosen, and so give an important advantage to the person they would not have voted for.

    The “couch” is effectively where Americans go to vote against their self-interest.

    Who is more incentivised to vote?

    As this year’s presidential election between Trump and Kamala Harris approaches, we ask a simple question: whose “couch” will decide one of the most consequential elections in living memory?

    Recent research demonstrates that partisanship is an important driver of voter choice in presidential elections.

    The fact that the US is deeply divided is not news to most, but current survey data show how evenly split along partisan lines it actually is. With about 30% of Americans identifying as a Republican and 30% identifying as a Democrat, there is virtually no difference in the total number of voters who support each major party.

    The remaining 40% of Americans identify as “independent” – that is, not loyal to either major political party. Almost seven decades of research on the American voter shows, however, that independents heavily “lean” towards one party or the other, with about half leaning Republican and the other half leaning Democrat.

    One possible insight into which group has greater incentive to vote is polling on people’s dissatisfaction with their party’s candidate.

    According to the most recent Gallup Poll data, 9% of Republicans currently have an unfavourable opinion of Trump. In contrast, only 5% of Democrats have an unfavourable opinion of Harris.

    Partisan voters who are dissatisfied with their party candidate have a massive incentive to “stay on the couch” and refrain from voting. They don’t really want to vote for “the other team”, but they can’t stand their own team anymore either.

    For example, Republican women in the suburbs, veterans and traditional Republicans have started to abandon Trump over his stances on reproductive rights and national security, and his temperament. The Trump campaign clearly knows this. At a rally in New York a few days ago, he told attendees to “get your fat ass out of the couch” to go vote for him.

    Should these disaffected Republican and Republican-leaning voters stay home on November 5, Harris may well have a decisive edge over Trump.

    When the couch wins, America loses

    In 2016, Trump defied the polls and traditional voter turn-out trends by convincing some disaffected, working-class Democrats to stay on the couch, vote for an unelectable third party candidate or, in some cases, vote for him.

    Could this happen again? Or will Democrats be able to reverse this phenomenon by getting exhausted Republicans suffering Trump fatigue to stay home, while motivating everyone from Taylor Swift fans to “never Trumpers” to veterans of foreign wars to get out to vote.

    Recent trends suggest overall turnout will be comparatively high, in line with the past three federal US elections.

    Democrats have traditionally benefited from higher voter turn-out, but it is not as clear this is still the case in 2024. Recent research shows higher turnout rates seem to have favoured the Republican Party since 2016.

    Yet both parties still have significant numbers of people who don’t vote. According to the Pew Research Center, 46% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents didn’t vote in the past three elections (2018, 2020 and 2022), compared to the 41% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents.

    So again, who sits on the couch matters. Inevitably, many of those who stay home will get precisely what they don’t want. When the couch wins, America loses.

    Jeff Bleich is a former US ambassador to Australia and a member of the National Security Leaders for America, a group of 700 former generals, admirals, service secretaries, ambassadors, and other national security professionals, that has endorsed Kamala Harris in the presidential election. He was also special counsel to President Barack Obama and served as chair of the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board under President Donald Trump and as a member of President Joe Biden’s (non-partisan) National Security Education Board.

    Rodrigo Praino receives funding from the Australian Research Council, the Australian Government Department of Defence, and SmartSat CRC.

    – ref. In a US presidential election with razor-thin margins, will ‘couch-sitters’ decide who wins? – https://theconversation.com/in-a-us-presidential-election-with-razor-thin-margins-will-couch-sitters-decide-who-wins-239394

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto’s Bipartisan Bill to Strengthen Tribal Public Safety Passes Committee

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and John Hoeven (R-N.D.) released the following statements after the Senate Indian Affairs Committee voted to pass their bipartisan Bridging Agency Data Gaps & Ensuring Safety (BADGES) for Native Communities Act. Specifically, the BADGES for Native Communities Act would support the recruitment and retention of Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) law enforcement officers, bolster federal missing persons resources, and give Tribes and states tools to combat violence.
    “I hear it often from Tribes in Nevada—law enforcement officers are stretched thin in their communities and it’s having an impact on everyone, especially when it comes to combating the epidemic of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “I’m proud of our bipartisan work to pass the BADGES for Native Communities Act through committee today. This bill to give Tribal police the resources and tools they need to fight crime and keep their communities safe is one step closer to becoming law.”
    “Securing committee approval of our legislation is an important step toward strengthening the resources available to Tribal law enforcement,” said Senator Hoeven. “Our bill authorizes the BIA to conduct its own background check of law enforcement applicants, which empowers Tribes to meet their law enforcement staffing and infrastructure needs, enhances public safety and helps bring offenders to justice.”
    Senator Cortez Masto is a strong supporter of Tribal communities and has passed two bipartisan bills, the Not Invisible Act and Savanna’s Act, to combat the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) crisis. The commission created by the Not Invisible Act specifically called for passage of Cortez Masto’s BADGES for Native Communities Act to help law enforcement better serve Native communities. The BADGES for Native Communities Act would:
    Increase Tribal access to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) by requiring Tribal facilitators to conduct ongoing Tribal outreach and serve as a point of contact for Tribes and law enforcement agencies, as well as conduct training and information gathering to improve the resolution of missing persons cases.
    Require a comprehensive report on Tribal law enforcement needs.
    Allow the BIA to conduct its own background checks for law enforcement officer applicants in order to speed up and improve officer recruitment.
    Establish a grant program to help states, Tribes, and Tribal organizations coordinate efforts related to missing and murdered persons cases and sexual assault cases.
    Ensure BIA officers and Tribal police have access to culturally appropriate mental health and wellness programs.
    Senator Cortez Masto has repeatedly called on the administration to do more to address the epidemic of violence against Native women and girls, including securing federal funding to protect Native communities, urging the administration to draft a plan to address this issue, and requesting the Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigate the federal response to this crisis. She’s also fought to ensure that law enforcement officers across the country have the support they need. She secured historic funding for the Byrne JAG grant program in the FY2022 omnibus. The program is the leading source of criminal justice funding for state, local, and Tribal governments and provides support for programs related to crime prevention, law enforcement, prosecution, corrections, and mental and behavioral health. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Action against Afghanistan over violations of human rights of women and girls

    Source: Australian Government – Minister of Foreign Affairs

    Australia will join Germany, Canada and the Netherlands to take unprecedented action to hold Afghanistan to account under international law for the Taliban’s treatment of women and girls.

    This action is being brought against Afghanistan for violations of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, to which Afghanistan is a party.

    We urge Afghanistan to participate in negotiations, as provided for under the Convention.

    Australia is strongly committed to protecting and promoting the rights of women and girls at home and around the world.

    Today we were united with partners from all regions of the world on the importance of strong international action in response to the Taliban’s treatment of women and girls.

    The Taliban has demonstrated contempt for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of women and girls in Afghanistan, through a campaign of sustained and systematic oppression.

    This includes denying girls their right to education and attempting to erase women from public life.

    We will not stand by and allow the situation in Afghanistan to become a ‘new normal’.

    We have heard the calls of Afghan women and we are committed to defending their human rights and amplifying their voices.

    The participation of women and girls in society is essential to achieving peaceful societies and sustainable development.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Support for tomato industry workers

    Source: Ministers for Social Services

    Joint with:

    The Hon Bill Shorten MP
    Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme
    Minister for Government Services

    The Hon Julie Collins MP
    MInister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
    Minister for Small Business

    The Australian Government is working closely with the South Australian Government to support tomato industry workers stood down due to the impacts of tomato brown rugose fruit virus, and ensuring their financial wellbeing is a priority in what is a difficult time for them and their families.

    Minister for Government Services Bill Shorten said workers who have been stood down as a result of quarantine measures, would have access to personalised information about the government payments and services available for their circumstances.

    “Services Australia has stepped in quickly to provide priority access to its specialist Financial Information Services (FIS) Officers, who can provide comprehensive information on termination payments, superannuation and Centrelink payments,” Minister Shorten said.

    “They’ll be working hand-in-hand with the South Australian state government’s taskforce to help these workers through their next steps.

    “While this is an evolving situation, the bottom line is that workers impacted should take advantage of the support available through Services Australia, as it’s really important they understand their options.

    “Of course income support payments such as Job Seeker may be available, but individual circumstances can impact on eligibility, which is why tailored assistance can be so valuable.

    “The FIS staff are highly knowledgeable and can help those facing uncertainty make the right decisions for their personal situation, for the short and longer term.”

    For information on how best to manage your financial situation, call our free Financial Information Service on 132 300.

    Services Australia also provides comprehensive services for those that do not speak English as a first language, including free interpreting and translation services in over 200 languages. Customers can call the Multilingual Phone Service on 131 202 or visit: servicesaustralia.gov.au/yourlanguage

    Additionally, the Government is also aware that Pacific and Timor-Leste workers engaged under the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme are affected by the stand down. Services Australia will provide social workers to connect those affected with further supports.

    The PALM scheme settings require approved employers to have contingency plans in place for unforeseen circumstances. The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) is working closely with the approved employer to initiate contingency arrangements including redeployment of impacted PALM workers to ensure that they continue to achieve the benefits of participating in the PALM scheme.

    PALM workers who have concerns or questions should contact DEWR on 1800 51 51 31.

    South Australia’s Department of Primary Industries and Regions is responsible for leading the biosecurity response to the detection of tomato brown rugose fruit virus under the national Emergency Plant Pest Response Deed.

    The Australian Government continues to provide support to state and territory governments and domestic industries, and to engage with our trading partners to minimise its impact.

    Australia’s biosecurity system is one to be envied, with its strength coming from us all working together and playing our role in protecting Australia from exotic pests, diseases and weeds.

    Australia has strong food safety standards and there is no concern for the quality or safety for the purchase of tomatoes. There is no immediate risk to supply chain disruption from the current outbreak in South Australia.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman McCaul on House Passage of the STOP CCP Act

    Source: US House Committee on Foreign Affairs

    Media Contact 202-226-8467

    Washington, D.C. — House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman McCaul (R-TX) issued the following statement after the House passed Rep. Lisa McClain’s (R-MI) H.R. 3334, the Sanction Tyrannical and Oppressive People within the Chinese Communist Party (STOP CCP) Act of 2024, which sanctions top Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials responsible for threatening Hong Kong and Taiwan, violating human rights in China, and infringing upon the sovereignty of Tibet.

    “Weakness invites aggression. The Biden-Harris administration’s failure to confront the malign actions of the CCP has emboldened Chairman Xi and the perpetrators of territorial aggression across the Indo-Pacific to commit egregious human rights violations in Xinjiang and Tibet. Earlier this year, I met with the Dalai Lama in Dharamshala, India and learned firsthand about the abuses the CCP has committed against the Tibetan people, as well as CCP efforts to undermine Tibetan culture, language, and religious beliefs. When the U.S. projects strength through action like this, the world listens.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ricketts Introduces Five Bills to Combat Chinese Communist Party Influence

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Pete Ricketts (Nebraska)
    September 25, 2024
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE), a member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, introduced five pieces of legislation aimed at combatting the influence of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in America’s agriculture and financial sectors.
    “The CCP is the single greatest threat to America’s national security and financial independence,” said Senator Ricketts. “A CCP-led world would mean coercion instead of choice, tyranny instead of liberty, and dictatorship instead of democracy. The only way to combat this threat is with a strong, strategic, all-of-government approach. These bills move us closer to that.”
    The Securing American Agriculture Act bolsters and protects our domestic food and agriculture supply chains and reduces America’s reliance on foreign adversaries.
    The Protecting Endowments from our Adversaries Act disincentivizes endowments from investing in adversarial entities flagged by the U.S. Government as threatening to our national security.
    The No Capital Gains Allowance for American Adversaries Act eliminates tax breaks for investments made in companies based in China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, and Belarus.
    The PRC Military and Human Rights Capital Markets Sanctions Act prevents Wall Street firms from using Americans’ investment dollars to effectively underwrite the CCP’s human rights abuses and aggression.
    The No China in Index Funds Act prevents index mutual funds from holding Chinese stocks.
    The bills were first covered by Fox News here.
    BACKGROUND:
    Securing American Agriculture Act – The PRC’s strategic control over crucial sectors of our food and agricultural supply chain poses a serious national security threat. In recent years, the PRC gained significant market share in the production of essential agricultural inputs like vitamins, veterinary pharmaceuticals, and crop protection tools. China now controls over 90% of vitamin C and vitamin B6 production and up to 85% of amino acids used in animal feed.
    Losing access to these key inputs could drastically reduce agricultural productivity, increase food prices, and undermine domestic food security. A University of Wisconsin-Whitewater study found that, if left unchecked, the PRC’s domination of the amino acids market would destroy 30,000 U.S. jobs and reduce economic activity by $15 billion per year. The Securing American Agriculture Act bolsters and protects our food production supply chain.
    Specifically, the bipartisan bill:
    Requires the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in conjunction with the U.S. Trade Representative and the Department of Commerce, to conduct an annual threat assessment of critical food and agricultural supply chains.
    Requires the Secretary of Agriculture to provide recommendations to mitigate potential threats from the PRC and for legislative and regulatory actions to reduce barriers to domestic critical input production.
    U.S. Representatives Ashley Hinson (R-IA-02) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI-07) haveintroduced companion legislation in the House. The Senate bill is co-sponsored by Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Mike Braun (R-IN), John Barrasso (R-WY), John Cornyn (R-TX), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Jim Risch (R-ID), Rick Scott (R-FL), and Eric Schmitt (R-MI).
    A one-pager on the bill can be found here. Bill text is available here.
    Protecting Endowments from Our Adversaries Act (PEOAA) – U.S. University endowment dollars have helped fund technology behind the CCP’s surveillance of Uyghur Muslims in China. Many endowment fund portfolios own Chinese stocks listed on American exchanges, either directly or indirectly. Tax-advantaged endowment dollars are supposed to be used to lower tuition costs and improve education, not to fund our adversaries.
    Specifically, the bill:
    Imposes a 50% excise tax on initial investments in adversarial entities on the Entity List, Military End User List, Unverified List, or FCC Covered List.
    Imposes a 100% excise tax on the realized gains derived from listed investments one year after an entity is listed.
    Applies to private college and university endowments over $1 billion.
    U.S. Representative Greg Murphy (R-NC-3) has introduced companion legislation in the House. The Senate bill is co-sponsored by Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) And Deb Fischer (R-NE).
    One-pager can be found here. Bill text is available here.
    No Capital Gains Allowance for American Adversaries Act – According to a comparative analysis of capital gains tax rates by the Law Library of Congress, many countries have investment incentives not applicable to some foreign investments. For example, China provides investment incentives through its tax code, but foreign investments are eligible only with the pre-approval of the Chinese government. The No Capital Gains Allowance for American Adversaries Act stops subsidizing our adversaries’ investments in the United States. 
    Specifically, the bipartisan bill:
    Eliminates the capital gains tax break for investments in companies based in China, Russia, Belarus, Iran, and North Korea.
    Eliminates a related tax break, the “step-up in basis” at death, for investments in such companies.
    Requires disclosure to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that no tax breaks are available for these stocks.
    U.S. Representatives Brad Sherman (D-CA-32) and Victoria Spartz (R-IN-05) haveintroduced companion legislation in the House.
    One-pager can be found here. Bill text is available here.
    People’s Republic of China (PRC) Military and Human Rights Capital Markets Sanctions Act – A recent report identified 144 Chinese companies, or their affiliates, whose practices were so adverse to U.S. interests that it is illegal for Americans to buy their products. Most of these companies have been found to violate human rights. Others play an integral role in the CCP’s military-industrial complex. While buying the products of these companies is illegal, it is still legal to buy their stock. The PRC Military and Human Rights Capital Markets Sanctions Act fixes this problem.
    Specifically, the bipartisan bill:
    Prohibits Americans from purchasing, selling, or holding publicly-traded securities of companies that appear on sanctions lists or have an affiliate on the sanctions list.
    Prohibits Americans from purchasing, selling, or holding publicly-traded securities that are derivatives of securities issued by a sanctioned company.
    Prohibits Americans from purchasing, selling, or holding securities that provides investment exposure to a publicly-traded security issued by a sanctioned company or affiliate.
    Requires divestment from the prohibited securities within 180 days.
    U.S. Representatives Brad Sherman (D-CA-32) and Victoria Spartz (R-IN-05) haveintroduced companion legislation in the House.
    One-pager can be found here. Bill text is available here.
    No China in Index Funds Act – Index mutual funds minimize their expenses by simply investing in all the companies in a certain market sector, without looking closely at the individual companies. There are unique difficulties in evaluating the risks of investing in Chinese companies. Americans should not invest in these companies without carefully evaluating the risk. The No China in Index Funds Act will keep these hard-to-evaluate Chinese stocks out of index mutual funds.
    Specifically, the bipartisan bill:
    Prohibits index funds from investing in Chinese companies.
    Requires index funds to divest from such investments within 180 days.
    U.S. Representatives Brad Sherman (D-CA-32) and Victoria Spartz (R-IN-05) haveintroduced companion legislation in the House.
    One-pager can be found here. Bill text is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Assault during Eyre break-in

    Source: South Australia Police

    Police are investigating a break-in at Eyre, where a teenage boy was assaulted.

    About 2.30am today (Thursday, 26 September), police were called to a house in Edward John Parade after reports that three people had forced their way into the property and assaulted a 16-year-old boy.

    Two of the suspects were armed with machetes.

    An 18-year-old man from the house ran out and was chased by the suspects, who may have left the area in a black sedan.

    The injured boy was taken to hospital for treatment. His injuries are not considered to be life-threatening.

    Police suspect the incident was not random and ask anyone who may have witnessed the incident to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or online at http://www.crimestopperssa.com.au

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Braun recognizes Wabash & Erie Canal Park in Senate

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Mike Braun (Indiana)

    Senator Braun passed a resolution through the Senate this week celebrating the history of the Wabash & Erie Canal and the volunteer and community efforts in Carroll County to keep that history alive.

    The resolution:

    • celebrates the Wabash & Erie Canal as a historic landmark that preserves the story of the canal systems of the United States and their importance to early settlers for future generations;
    • recognizes the prominent role that the Wabash & Erie Canal, the second-largest canal in the world as of 2024, had in the growth and expansion of the United States, especially in the Midwest and in the State of Indiana;
    • recognizes Carroll County Wabash & Erie Canal, Inc., for its extensive community efforts to preserve the Wabash & Erie Canal while offering educational and recreational services to the public; and
    • commemorates the 50th anniversary of Carroll County Wabash & Erie Canal, Inc., that was founded to preserve canal history and make it possible for visitors to enjoy the natural beauty of the last remaining navigable section of the Wabash & Erie Canal in the State of Indiana.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: VIDEO | Braun to Novo Nordisk CEO: “Why are Americans paying more for the same drug?”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Mike Braun (Indiana)

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Mike Braun questioned Novo Nordisk CEO, Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen, at the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing on Tuesday about the high prices of the company’s weight loss drug, Ozempic, in the United States.

    “This has everything to do with a system that’s broken with no transparency, no competition, barriers to entry, and by the way a consumer who doesn’t have the tools to really measure what the best value is.”—Sen. Mike Braun

    Partial Transcript of Senator Braun’s questions:

    Braun: “Are you making a profit on your Ozempic product when you’re selling it to Australia for $87 and you’re selling to the U.S. for $936? Are you making a profit at $87?

    Jørgensen: “Yes, we are and the price you mentioned in the U.S. is not what we get. That’s the list price.

    Braun: “So what are you getting in the U.S.? What price?”

    Jørgensen: “So I mentioned that on average for our products we give 74% in rebates to PBMs.”

    Braun: “And that was the chart that Senator Marshall held up that PBMs are making 74% and you’re getting 26%. So, you’ve got a screwed-up industry. Number one, when I’ve talked to other pharma folks, they regret that PBMs ever came into it. It would seem like since you make the product, that you could disassemble them or do something to go around it, if in fact this place won’t do something about it. Have you ever thought of that?”

    Jørgensen: “It’s very difficult Senator because they control what insurance is put in front of patients so they have integrated themselves with insurance companies and we negotiate against the PBMs, but they’re owned by the insurance companies so no matter what we do, they decide what products—”

    Braun: “Okay- and that’s kind of the conundrum, but you’re making a profit at $87 and of the $936, it would be the list price? Is that total being split between you and the PBM? I know you give big discounts to the PBM. Why do give them such large discounts for them to make that much money?”

    Jørgensen: “On this we have a high list price and give them rebates, we are not making it onto the insurance formulary. So, they make a fee based on the list price, you mentioned distribution, they don’t get a flat fee for the distribution.”

    Braun: “So, after you give the discounts, and you do everything, what is your revenue on Ozempic, roughly?”

    Jørgensen: “I don’t have that number from the top of my head.”

    Braun: “That is something that ought to be on the top of your head because most of us would want to see that so you could make the case against PBMs. That basic lack of transparency, that to me comes from the top, that cloaks the system, in general, is what is impacting the future of why in our own country it is 18% of our GDP and from Canada and Europe it is 12% of their GDP, Eastern Europe it is 6 to 7 %. And yes, rationing is maybe going to be one of the results, but it should never be to where something is going to cost that much more here versus there when you’re making a profit on it. Until you figure that out, everyone is going to think your industry is screwed up.”

    Senator Braun is the leader in the Senate on reforming PBMs and lowering drug prices through transparency:

    • Senator Braun’s landmark transparency legislation – the Health Care PRICE Transparency Act – would reveal all negotiated rates and cash prices between plans and providers so Americans can know the true cost of health care services before they pan, bringing down prices.
    • Senator Braun’s Drug Price Transparency Act would end the broken PBM system by requiring insurers and PBMs to pass rebates directly to consumers enrolled in commercial health plans and Medicare Part D. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: House passes Sen. Braun/Rep. Newhouse bill adding more oversight to protect American agriculture from foreign adversaries, Braun calls on Senate to act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Mike Braun (Indiana)

    WASHINGTON—Today, Senator Braun celebrated the passage of the House version of the Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act of 2024, led by Representative Newhouse. This bill in the Senate was led by Senator Mike Braun and Senator Tommy Tuberville and was co-sponsored by Sen. Manchin, Sen. Cotton, Sen. Tester, Sen. Marshall, Sen. Fetterman, Sen. Grassley, Sen. Blackburn, Sen. Ricketts, Sen. Barrasso, Sen. Britt, Sen. Baldwin, Sen. Young, Sen. Fischer, Sen. Ernst, and Sen. Lummis. 

    The Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act of 2024 would add the Secretary of Agriculture to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to add another layer of scrutiny on foreign acquisitions of U.S. farmland and agricultural industries and, specifically, flag farmland purchases by foreign adversaries like China, North Korea, Russia and Iran for CFIUS. This will add much-needed extra oversight in this process. According to the USDA, over 43.4 million acres of U.S. agricultural land is foreign-owned. 

    “The Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act of 2024 has now passed the House, bringing us one step closer to protecting American farmland from foreign adversaries. Now it’s time to pass my bipartisan Senate version.”— Sen. Mike Braun

    This bill is sponsored by the Indiana Farm Bureau, American Farm Bureau, Indiana Soybean Alliance, Indiana Corn Growers Association, and the National Cattleman’s Beef Association.

    Bill text here.

    ★★★

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Bipartisan Braun bill adds more oversight to protect American agriculture from foreign adversaries

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Mike Braun (Indiana)

    Braun, Tuberville, Manchin, Cotton, Tester, Marshall, Fetterman, Grassley, Blackburn, Ricketts, Barrasso, Britt, Baldwin, Young, Fischer, Ernst, and Lummis lead Senate version of bill expected to move in House this week

    WASHINGTON—Today, Senator Braun, Sen. Tuberville, Sen. Manchin, Sen. Cotton, Sen. Tester, Sen. Marshall, Sen. Fetterman, Sen. Grassley, Sen. Blackburn, Sen. Ricketts, Sen. Barrasso, Sen. Britt, Sen. Baldwin, Sen. Young, Sen. Fischer, Sen. Ernst, and Sen. Lummis introduced the Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act of 2024 to add the Secretary of Agriculture to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to add another layer of scrutiny on foreign acquisitions of U.S. farmland and agricultural industries and, specifically, flag farmland purchases by foreign adversaries like China, North Korea, Russia and Iran for CFIUS. This will add much-needed extra oversight in this process. According to the USDA, over 43.4 million acres of U.S. agricultural land is foreign-owned. 

    Rep. Dan Newhouse introduced the legislation in the House of Representatives.

    The House of Representatives is expected to move on this legislation this week.

    The House Rules Committee met about this bill Monday, September 9. 

    “Chinese ownership of American farmland increased more than 20-fold in the past decade. The amount of American soil in the hands of our foreign adversaries will only go up if we do not implement restrictions and oversight, especially on nations that compromise our national security and agricultural supply chains. I’m proud to lead this effort to protect American farms and food security.”— Sen. Mike Braun

    “Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have bowed to China every chance that they get—even when it comes to our agriculture industry. In the last decade alone, we have seen a surge of over 35% in foreign land purchases—including in my home state of Alabama. We can’t give our adversaries like China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran room to negatively influence our agricultural supply chains and food production. Food security is national security, which is why I’m proud to introduce this legislation with Senator Braun that ensures the Secretary of Agriculture has a seat at the table on CFIUS and the opportunity to push back on proposed foreign ag investments.” – Sen. Tommy Tuberville

    “Allowing foreign adversaries like the Chinese Communist Party to purchase American farmland and agribusiness poses an unacceptable risk to our food security and national security,” said Tester. “Congress needs to act, and our bipartisan bill will secure much needed oversight to help stop bad actors who want to undermine our country. I’ll keep working with my Republican colleagues to fully prohibit the Chinese Communist Party from purchasing a single inch of American farmland.”– Sen. Jon Tester

    “The purchase of American land by our adversaries like the Chinese Communist Party drains our country of resources and puts our national security at risk. We should not allow anyone working on behalf of hostile foreign powers to own a single inch of American soil.” – Sen. Tom Cotton

    “The Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act of 2024 is an essential tool for safeguarding our nation’s agricultural resources from foreign threats. In recent years, we’ve witnessed a troubling surge in foreign ownership of American farmland, posing serious risks to both our national security and food security. This commonsense bill gives the Secretary of Agriculture a permanent review role on CFIUS to prevent adversaries who don’t share our values from gaining control over American agricultural assets, which will protect our farms in West Virginia and across the country.”—Sen. Joe Manchin

    “When adversarial foreign governments buy up U.S. farmland, it undermines economic opportunities for families across America’s Heartland and presents obvious national security threats. The federal government’s number one job is to protect its citizens. Our legislation would support that fundamental responsibility by taking commonsense actions to address current vulnerabilities.” – Sen. Chuck Grassley

    “The Chinese Communist Party has proven over and over again they cannot be trusted. They are our adversary, not our ally. All Americans should be alarmed by the amount of American farmland China and other foreign entities own. Giving our adversaries any control over our agricultural resources is a direct threat to our national and food security. Senator Braun’s legislation will help protect America’s farms and safeguard our food supply.” — Sen. John Barrasso

    “Food security is national security and that requires America’s farmland be protected from foreign adversaries, like China.I believe one acre of American farmland owned by the Chinese Communist Party is one acre too many,” said Senator Britt. “To protect Alabama and America’s farmland from being purchased by malign actors, the Secretary of Agriculture must have a seat at the table. This commonsense legislation ensures the Secretary of Agriculture is made a permanent member of CFIUS in order to weigh in on the needs of America’s agriculture industry when reviewing foreign investment and ownership.”—Sen. Katie Britt

    “Nearly two-thirds of land in Indiana – and more than half of all land in the United States – is farmland. Recent efforts by China and other adversaries to buy agricultural land across the country could present a national security threat. Indiana is a leader in restricting these purchases, but Congress must act to ensure permanent safeguards are in place in all fifty states.” – Sen. Todd Young 

    “Food security is national security, and for too long, the federal government has allowed the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to put our security at risk by turning a blind eye to their steadily increasing purchases of American farmland. It is not enough to just discuss this issue—we must take immediate action to stop the CCP from further encroachment. By adding the Secretary of Agriculture to CFIUS, we can ensure much-needed oversight of agricultural land purchases by foreign adversaries, which will protect American farmers and the industry as a whole. The Chinese Communist Party has long sought to undermine our institutions and very way of life, and I am proud to lead this effort to support farmers in Central Washington and across the nation.”— Rep. Dan Newhouse

    The Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act of 2024 would: 

    1. Permanently include the Secretary of Agriculture as a member of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) with respect to covered transactions involving agricultural land, agricultural biotech, or the transportation, storage, and processing of agricultural products.
    2. Authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to report both agricultural land transactions that involve foreign persons of China, North Korea, Russia, or Iran, and transactions that require AFIDA reporting to CFIUS. 

    This bill is sponsored by the Indiana Farm Bureau, American Farm Bureau, Indiana Soybean Alliance, Indiana Corn Growers Association, and the National Cattleman’s Beef Association.

    Bill text here.

    ★★★

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Braun recognizes Wabash & Erie Canal Park in Senate

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Mike Braun (Indiana)

    Senator Braun passed a resolution through the Senate this week celebrating the history of the Wabash & Erie Canal and the volunteer and community efforts in Carroll County to keep that history alive.

    The resolution:

    • celebrates the Wabash & Erie Canal as a historic landmark that preserves the story of the canal systems of the United States and their importance to early settlers for future generations;
    • recognizes the prominent role that the Wabash & Erie Canal, the second-largest canal in the world as of 2024, had in the growth and expansion of the United States, especially in the Midwest and in the State of Indiana;
    • recognizes Carroll County Wabash & Erie Canal, Inc., for its extensive community efforts to preserve the Wabash & Erie Canal while offering educational and recreational services to the public; and
    • commemorates the 50th anniversary of Carroll County Wabash & Erie Canal, Inc., that was founded to preserve canal history and make it possible for visitors to enjoy the natural beauty of the last remaining navigable section of the Wabash & Erie Canal in the State of Indiana.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: PASSED SENATE: The National Fossil Act to name the mastodon America’s fossil

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Mike Braun (Indiana)

    WASHINGTON – The National Fossil Act has now passed the Senate. This bill names the mastodon as the U.S. national fossil, and was introduced by Senator Mike Braun and Senator Gary Peters and cosponsored by Senator Eric Schmitt and Senator Maggie Hassan.

    This is Senator Braun’s 5th standalone bill to pass the Senate just this year, and if signed into law will be his 10th in the 118th Congress (2023-2024) to become law, including provisions on veterans healthcare, opioids, and budget reform. 

    The National Fossil Act aims to celebrate the unique natural history of the United States, and encourage interest in paleontology.

    If the National Fossil Act is passed by the House and signed into law, the mastodon would join the bald eagle, bison, rose, and oak tree as enduring national symbols of the United States.

    The mastodon lived more than 13,000 years ago in the Pleistocene era, predominantly on land that would eventually become the United States of America. A fully grown mastodon was over 10 feet tall, weighed more than 11 tons, and was preceded by a pair of 16-foot-long tusks. Unlike its distant cousin, the mammoth, the mastodon was found exclusively in the United States, with its bones being unearthed in every state across the continental U.S.

    Mastodon fossils are frequently found in Indiana and Michigan.

    The mastodon was made the Indiana state fossil in 2022.

    Mastodons have been found in nearly every Indiana county, including notable discoveries in Hebron, Fort Wayne, and Seymour.

    “Mastodons embody the spirit of exploration, resilience, and strength that exemplifies our great nation. As a uniquely American symbol, mastodons inspire us to embrace our heritage and to protect our country’s natural treasures. I hope making Indiana’s state fossil our national fossil will inspire young Hoosiers to take an interest in our country’s rich natural history that may be in their own backyard.” – Senator Mike Braun

    “Michigan made history when we uncovered one of the most complete skeletons of the Mastodon ever found, and we continue to find traces of this prehistoric giant all throughout our state,” said Senator Peters. “The Mastodon represents a unique piece of both Michigan’s and our nation’s history. By establishing the Mastodon as our national fossil, we can better preserve that history and inspire a new generation of scientists and researchers to continue their pursuit of discovery.”

    The National Fossil Act:

    • Section 1 designates the bill as the National Fossil Act.
    • Section 2 establishes findings on the role of the Mastodon in American public life.
    • Section 3 designates the Mastodon as the national fossil under Title 36 U.S. Code, and makes necessary conforming amendments.

    Senator Braun’s legislative wins this Congress:

    As mentioned, this is Senator Braun’s 5th standalone bill to pass the Senate just this year, and if signed into law will be his 10th bill in the 118th Congress (2023-2024) to become law. 

    Some other Braun bills to become law or pass Senate in the 118th Congress (2023-2024) are:

    (Became Law) The Federal Prison Oversight Act

    • A bill to provide independent oversight to improve conditions for staff and prisoners in federal prisons like Terre Haute. 

    (Became Law) COVID-19 Origins Act

    • A bill that required the intelligence community to declassify important information about the origins of COVID, specifically the Wuhan Institute of Virology. 

    (Became Law) The Wounded Warrior Access Act

    • A bill that streamlines the claims process for veterans with a new online tool, helping those who previously had to get their claims information through the mail or by driving to a regional VA location.

    (Became Law) Department of Defense Overdose Data (DOD) Act

    • A bill to ensure naloxone and any other medication to reverse opioid overdose is available on all military installations and in each operational environment.

    (Became Law) Reforming Benefits for Children of Vietnam Veterans with Spina Bifida

    • A bill to help the children of Vietnam Veterans suffering from spina bifida due to their father’s exposure to Agent Orange get access to medical benefits for the rest of their lives

    (Became Law) Administrative Pay-As-You-Go Act

    • A bill which requires agencies to propose pay-fors to offset expensive government regulations.

               (Passed Senate) VA Home Loan Awareness Act 

    • A bill to inform veteran homebuyers of their eligibility for the VA Home Loan Program, which helps more veterans achieve the dream of homeownership.

    (Passed Senate) Working Dog Health and Welfare Act of 2023

    • A bill to improve conditions for dogs used in the detection of explosives, narcotics and patrol duties by federal agencies, by instituting programs that detect abuse and neglect and ensure emergency medical care, food and water, and rest time.

    (Passed Senate) Mark Our Place Act

    • A bill to provide special headstones upon family request for all veterans who have received the Medal of Honor.

    If signed into law, the National Fossil Act will join the following Braun bills signed into law:

    BILLS SIGNED INTO LAW IN THE 118TH CONGRESS (2023-2024).

    • Federal Prison Oversight Act
    • The COVID-19 Origins Act (Public Law 118-2)
    • The Administrative Pay-As-You-Go Act (included in Public Law 118-5)
    • Reforming Benefits for Children of Vietnam Veterans with Spina Bifida (Public Law 118-8)
    • The Wounded Warrior Access Act (Public Law 118-21)
    • The Korean American VALOR Act (Public Law 118-20)
    • The Department of Defense Overdose Data (DOD) Act (Public Law 118-31)
    • Supporting the Provision of Veteran Survivor Benefit Plans (Public Law 118-31)
    • Flexibility and Funding for the World Trade Center Health Program (Public Law 118-31)

    BILLS SIGNED INTO LAW IN THE 117TH CONGRESS (2021 – 2022):

    • Hire Veteran Health Heroes Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-67)
    • A bill to properly implement the ALS Disability Insurance Access Act (Public Law 117-3)
    • The Consider Teachers Act (Public Law No: 117-49)
    • The Growing Climate Solutions Act (Public Law 117-328)
    • The STREAM Act (Public Law 117-328)
    • Small Business Establishment Registration Waiver Act (Public Law 117-328)
    • The Make It in America Act (Public Law 117-58)
    • The DUMP Opioids Act (Public Law 117-29
    • Better ODDS to Reduce Diversion Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-328)
    • FREED of Opioids Act (Public Law 117-328)
    • The Access for Veterans to Records Act (Public Law 117-328)
    • Women Who Worked on the Home Front World War II Memorial Act (Public Law 117-328)
    • Apply the Science Act (Public Law 117-328)
    • The Emergency Use Transparency Act (Public Law 117-328)
    • The Recovery Startup Assistance Act (Public Law 117-328)
    • Promoting Access to Critical Countermeasures by Ensuring Specimen Samples (ACCESS) to Diagnostics Act (Public Law 117-328)
    • Predetermined Change Control Plan Act (Public Law 117-328)
    • Protecting Patients from Counterfeit Medical Devices Act (Public Law 117-328)
    • The PLUM Act (Public Law 117-328)

    BILLS SIGNED INTO LAW IN THE 116TH CONGRESS (2019 – 2020):

    • The Safeguarding Small Business Act
    • Healthcare Transparency
    • the Whistleblower Act of 2019
    • the VA Directly Returning Opioid Prescriptions Act
    • the Stop Student Debt Relief Scams Act of 2019
    • Restore Harmony Way Bridge Act
    • Richard Lugar Post Office Act
    • Payment Integrity Information Act
    • ALS Disability Insurance Access Act
    • OTC Reform
    • The Fair Care Act
    • Braun Provisions in the WRDA Reauthorization in the OMNI

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senate HSGAC Advances Legislation to Strengthen Northern Border Security, Rename Casselton Post Office

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)

    ***Click here to download audio.***

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) held a markup today for two pieces of legislation U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) helped shepherd. They are the Northern Border Security Enhancement and Review Act and legislation to rename the post office in Casselton as the “Commander Delbert Austin Olson Post Office.” The committee unanimously advanced both pieces of legislation, which will now head to the Senate floor for consideration. 

    Cramer, co-chair of the American-Canadian Economy and Security (ACES) Caucus, joined U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) in introducing the Northern Border Security Enhancement and Review Act last week. The bill marks a significant milestone in efforts to secure the U.S.-Canada border.

    “Our steadfast alliance with Canada has long been a cornerstone of both economic and national security,” said Cramer. “The U.S.-Canada relationship is defined by more than just geography; it is built on an enduring trust, mutual respect, and a shared responsibility to address global and domestic challenges. With this being the world’s longest border, it’s crucial we remain vigilant in addressing emerging threats and challenges. The advancement of this legislation brings us one step closer to ensuring the dependability and safety of our shared border for the families and communities who live on both sides.”    

    The Northern Border Security Enhancement and Review Act represents the latest in a long history of border management, trade, and joint security cooperation between the two countries. This legislation requires an updated northern border threat analysis every three years, starting on September 2, 2025. The analysis will include an assessment of apprehension changes at the northern border, with a focus on recent trends in both the volume and demographics of apprehensions at the sector level. Additionally, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is required to update its Northern Border Strategy by September 2, 2026, and every five years thereafter.

    The legislation will also implement a 2019 U.S. Government Accountability Office recommendation for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to develop performance measures assessing the effectiveness of its programs. This will ensure the resources and strategies deployed are rigorously measured and continuously improved to meet the demands of a dynamic security environment.

    Cramer’s leadership in the ACES Caucus, which he co-launched in June 2023 with U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), underscores the long-standing partnership between the U.S. and Canada. Earlier this year, Cramer and King introduced a resolution reaffirming the “deep and steadfast United States-Canada partnership” and the commitment to mutual economic and national security interests.  

    In May, the North Dakota delegation introduced legislation in the House and Senate to designate the United States Postal Service facility at 840 Front Street in Casselton as the “Commander Delbert Austin Olson Post Office.” 

    “This tribute is a testament to the profound bond between Commander Olson and the Casselton community, a solemn promise that his extraordinary contributions will forever be remembered,” said Cramer.

    Commander Olson served in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. He earned multiple awards for his service, including the Navy Commendation Medal with valor, Purple Heart, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Ribbon Bar. His name is also inscribed along with all fallen comrades on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C.

    This legislation will memorialize his distinguished service and ultimate sacrifice, while recognizing his connection to Casselton and his heroic contributions to the nation.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: No escape for driver who allegedly rammed Police car

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Police have arrested a gang member who allegedly rammed a Police vehicle before fleeing across west Auckland late last night.

    A stolen vehicle was seen travelling on Titirangi Road and a Police unit signalled for the driver to stop.

    Waitematā West Area Prevention Manager Inspector Kelly Farrant says the driver initially stopped.

    “At this point the driver reversed into the Police vehicle behind it, causing some minor damage,” she says.

    “The vehicle has then taken off at speed towards Avondale.”

    No Police staff suffered any injuries.

    Inspector Farrant says the Police Eagle helicopter was deployed to the area, and quickly located the stolen car.

    “Eagle spotted the vehicle travelling at high speed through Kelston, and relayed its position to ground units as it entered the Northwestern Motorway at Massey and headed towards the city.

    “Spikes were successfully deployed in the Avondale area, but the vehicle continued on rims through the Waterview Tunnel, eventually exiting and smashed through the gate of a school in Mount Roskill.”

    The 37-year-old driver, a patched Head Hunter, was taken into custody at the scene without further incident.

    “Our staff also located a loaded crossbow and several arrows in the stolen vehicle,” Inspector Farrant says.

    “The man will appear in the Waitākere District Court today charged with assault, operating a motor vehicle recklessly and failing to stop for Police.

    “I acknowledge and thank the range of Police staff involved in responding to this incident. Their decision making was spot on and resulted in not only a safe and swift conclusion to this incident but one less dangerous weapon off the street”.

    ENDS.

    Tony Wright/NZ Police
     

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: William Hartree Memorial Lodge opening for bookings

    Source: Department of Conservation

    Date:  26 September 2024

    The lodge is in the William Hartree Memorial Scenic Reserve in Puketitiri. The area is known for its regenerating forest which largely exists through the efforts of dedicated local conservationists.

    Kelly Eaton, DOC Heritage and Visitors Project Lead Ranger, says the lodge is an ideal entry-level facility to introduce your family and friends to the bush.

    “The lodge sleeps 10 within 3 bunk rooms, with a central living area connecting to a kitchen, toilet and shower room,” says Kelly. “It’s accessible by car and it has power, so it’s great for people who might be dipping their toes into the great outdoors but don’t want the full ‘roughing it’ experience just yet.”

    Several short walks are available right outside the door, with more within 30 minutes to 1 hour driving distance. Popular local areas include Little’s Bush, Balls Clearing and the Mangatutu Hot Springs.

    William Hartree was a local conservationist, and the reserve and lodge were created in his memory. The lodge itself was built in 1966 by the Junior Wildlife Wardens.

    Booking the lodge costs a total of $145 per night.

    More details on the history of the lodge, and booking information, can be found on the DOC website.

    Contact

    For media enquiries contact:

    Email: media@doc.govt.nz

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Release: Govt not addressing health workforce crisis

    Source: New Zealand Labour Party

    The National Government is hiding the gaps in the health workforce from New Zealanders, by not producing a full workforce plan nearly a year into their tenure.

    “Since National came into government, we’ve had secrecy around cuts, hiring freezes and voluntary redundancies,” Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said.

    “National campaigned on a workforce crisis and Shane Reti said he would deliver a workforce plan – where is it?

    “In Government, Labour published a comprehensive assessment of gaps and actions to address needs across the health sector. In contrast, National has not been upfront about the nature and extent of the needs, nor how they will address staff shortages.

    “Labour’s plan for financial year 2023-2024 led to hiring more than 4000 staff and was upfront about where further training and investment was needed,” Ayesha Verrall said.

    Mental health spokesperson Ingrid Leary said we welcome the training of extra mental health workers.

    “However the Mental Health Workforce plan is scant and underwhelming in its failure to address recruitment incentives, retention, career pathways and immigration settings,” Ingrid Leary said.

    “It also does nothing to address mental health workforce in rural areas, the far north and southern areas where the need is most critical.

    “We have a mental health workforce crisis including a brain drain to Australia, and the government isn’t addressing the current hiring freeze, burn out and low morale,” said Ingrid Leary.

    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 New Zealand: Supercharging schools to teach maths

    Source: New Zealand Government

    The coalition Government is supercharging schools to lift maths achievement by delivering new resources and more support for teachers and students for Term 1 next year. 

    “$30 million will fund resources including workbooks, teacher guidance and lesson plans for the 2025 school year. Resources will be available in English and te reo Māori, curriculum aligned and reflect best-practice around the OECD,” Education Minister Erica Stanford says. 

    “Just 22% of Year 8 students are at the expected standard for maths, that needs to change. That is why the Government has worked at pace to implement a new curriculum beginning in Term 1 next year. We have fantastic teachers, and we need to make sure they are equipped and feel supported to hit the ground running.

    “More than half a million Year 0-8 students and their teachers will benefit from high-quality, curriculum-aligned mathematics resources in their classrooms. This alongside a new knowledge-rich curriculum will support teachers, reduce workload, and lift student achievement.”

    From October 21, primary schools will be able to choose the maths resources and supports from a range of approved suppliers that best suit them and their learners. Resources will be sent to schools for the start of Term 1 next year.

    To deliver this, funding has been reprioritised from Te Ahu o te Reo Māori, a programme available for teachers to learn te reo Māori.

    “Since 2019, $100 million has funded this initiative which isn’t accredited and more than double the cost of similar courses available. An evaluation of the programme found no evidence it directly impacted progress and achievement for students. The review also couldn’t quantify what impact the programme had on te reo Māori use in the classroom.

    “This Government is committed to the revitalisation of te reo Māori and recognises the importance of the language in our schools. We will work with the Wānanga, tertiary providers and private training establishments to continue to make similar courses available free of charge. Funding for te reo Māori courses in Māori medium schools and kura will also remain.

    “Just 45 percent of high school students are passing foundational maths. I am not prepared to look parents in the eye and allow the 60,000 kids starting school next year to be on a similar trajectory. Maths achievement needs to be prioritised. 

    “This funding shift will support high-quality instructional mathematics resources for students and teachers in te reo Māori so there is equitable access across our education system. 

    “This is just another part of our Make it Count Action Plan to transform maths education in New Zealand. This Government has clarity, determination and purpose to deliver an education system that sets up our children for success,” Ms Stanford says.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Data shows school attendance is on the rise

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Associate Education Minister David Seymour says data released today shows increased school attendance in Term 2 of 2024 with 53.2 per cent of students regularly attending, an increase of 6.1 percentage points compared to the same term last year.

    Regular attendance across primary students increased by 7 percentage points, to 56.8 per cent, and by 4.5 percentage points for secondary students to 46.7 per cent. Rates also rose across all ethnicity groups, year levels, and school equity index groups.

    “Attending school is the first step towards achieving positive education outcomes. Positive education outcomes can lead to better health, higher incomes, better job stability and greater participation within communities. These are opportunities that every student deserves,” says Mr Seymour.

    “Every single education region showed increases in regular attendance, with South and South-West Auckland, and Tai Tokerau demonstrating the largest increases compared to Term 2 2023, with increases of 10.3 and 9.4 percentage points respectively.”

    Students are regularly attending school when they are present for more than 90 per cent of the term. The Government target for student attendance is 80 per cent of students present for more than 90 per cent of the term by 2030.

    “Missing a week or more of school in a term may not seem like a lot but actually equates to missing one year of schooling by the time the student is 16. Regular attendance is so important for giving students the best opportunities and setting them up for success,” says Mr Seymour.

    “Winter illnesses played a significant role and attendance numbers are still behind the same period in 2019, when almost 58 per cent of students were regularly attending school. Although school attendance is on the rise, the government is working hard to raise it further.

    “Today I am announcing new initiatives that form Phase 2 of the Attendance Action Plan to ensure that schools, the Ministry of Education, wider government, family, and caregivers are doing everything they can to get students back to school.

    “If the truancy crisis isn’t addressed there will be an 80-year long shadow of people who missed out on education when they were young, are less able to work, less able to participate in society, more likely to be on benefits. That’s how serious this is.”

    Note to editors: Attendance data can be found here Attendance | Education Counts

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Haiti Caucus and Tri-Caucus Statement on False and Dangerous Rhetoric About Haitian Families

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)

    WASHINGTON – Today, Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs Congresswomen Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), along with Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Chair Steven Horsford (NV-04), Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Chair Nanette Barragán (CA-44), and Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) Chair Judy Chu (CA-28), issued the following statement condemning the false and dangerous lies about Haitian, Latino, and Asian immigrants.

    “We, members of the Congressional Black Caucus, Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, stand united in condemning the false, hateful, and dangerous rhetoric directed at Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio. These disgraceful lies, perpetuated by Donald Trump, Senator J.D. Vance, and Republicans, are not only rooted in xenophobia, racism, and anti-Blackness, but are also the latest attempt by Republicans to sow division and fear within our communities and distract from their deeply unpopular agenda.

    “These lies target some of the most vulnerable among us — individuals and families fleeing violence, instability, and humanitarian crises in search of a better life. Our Haitian neighbors, including our Latino and Asian families, who have come to the United States, seek safety and opportunity, and the contributions they make to our cultural and economic fabric are endless. To demonize and dehumanize them with baseless accusations puts their lives at risk and is an affront to everything we stand for as a nation.

    “To be clear: these lies have had very real consequences. Haitian families in Springfield and across the country are living in fear, facing harassment, and facing bomb threats. Children lie awake at night not knowing if they’ll be safe come morning, and parents are consumed with worry for their babies’ safety. We’ve seen this tired playbook before, and we will not stand for it.

    “If you come for one of us, you come for all of us. As leaders of the Haiti Caucus, CBC, CHC, and CAPAC, we stand in solidarity with Haitian immigrants and all of our families who have been unjustly targeted. We urge our colleagues to reject this vile rhetoric and instead advance policies that affirm the dignity and humanity of all people, starting with our most vulnerable.”

    As Representative for the Massachusetts 7th Congressional District, Congresswoman Pressley serves as Co-Chair for the House Haiti Caucus and represents one of the largest Haitian diaspora communities in the country, with approximately 46,000 Haitians and Haitian-Americans living across the state and over half in the Boston metropolitan area. Additionally, Massachusetts is home to more than 4,700 Haitians with Temporary Protected Status.

    • On September 20, 2024, Rep. Pressley and her Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs joined colleagues and advocates at a press conference to stand in solidarity with Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio and across America, and to demand accountability for the harmful and false narratives perpetuated by Republicans.
    • On June 28, 2024, Rep. Pressley issued a statement applauding the Biden-Harris Administration’s extension and redesignation of Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). 
    • On April 23, 2024, Rep. Pressley, alongside Co-Chairs Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09) and Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), led a group of 50 lawmakers urging the Biden Administration to redesignate Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (TPS), pause on deportations back to Haiti, extend humanitarian parole to any Haitians currently detained in Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s detention centers, end detention of Haitian migrants intercepted at sea, and provide additional humanitarian assistance for Haiti.
    • On April 18, 2024, Rep. Pressley and Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs led a letter to House Ways and Means Committee leadership emphasizing support for the early renewal of the Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement (HOPE) and the Haiti Economic Lift Program (HELP) Acts, commonly known as HOPE/HELP. 
    • On April 12, 2024, Rep. Pressley joined Haitian-led activists, organizations, and a directly impacted person in Haiti for a press call urging federal action to address the worsening humanitarian crisis in Haiti.
    • On March 27, 2024, Rep. Pressley joined Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and her colleagues on the Massachusetts congressional delegation in urging the Biden Administration to expedite visa processing for Haitians, particularly  for relatives of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents.
    • On March 18, Rep. Pressley, Senator Markey, and the House Haiti Caucus led 67 lawmakers on a letter urging the Biden Administration to extend TPS for Haiti and halt deportations.
    • On March 12, 2024, Rep. Pressley and Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Cherfilus McCormick and Yvette Clarke issued a statement on the resignation of Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry.
    • On March 6, 2024, Rep. Pressley issued a statement on the recent jailbreak and State of Emergency in Haiti.
    • On December 8, 2023, Rep. Pressley and Congresswoman Yvette Clarke urged the U.S. Department of State to withdraw U.S. support for an armed foreign intervention in Haiti and encourage negotiations for a Haitian-led democratic political transition.
    • On December 6, 2022, Rep. Pressley issued a statement applauding the Biden Administration’s extension and re-designation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti.
    • On December 1, 2022, Rep. Pressley, Rep. Cori Bush, and Rep. Mondaire Jones led 14 of their colleagues on a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas urging the Department to extend and redesignate Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (TPS).
    • In September 2022, Rep. Pressley and Rep. Velázquez led 54 of their colleagues on a letter calling on the Biden Administration to immediately halt deportations to Haiti and provide humanitarian parole protections for those seeking asylum. The lawmakers’ letter followed the Administration’s resumption of deportation flights to Haiti as thousands of Haitian migrants continue to await an opportunity to make an asylum claim at the border. 
    • In September 2022, Rep. Pressley joined her colleagues on the House Oversight Committee in demanding answers regarding the inhumane treatment of migrants in Del Rio, Texas, by Border Patrol agents on horseback and pushing to Biden Administration to end the ongoing use and weaponization of Title 42.
    • On August 17, 2022, Rep. Pressley, along with Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Val Demings, Yvette Clarke, and Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), called on President Biden to appoint a new Special Envoy to Haiti, a position that has remained unfilled since September 2021.
    • On July 7, 2022, Rep. Pressley and Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Andy Levin (MI-09), Val Demings (FL-10) and Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09) released a statement marking the one-year anniversary of the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse.
    • On May 31, 2022, Rep. Pressley and Reverend Dieufort Fleurissaint, chair of Haitian Americans United, published an op-ed in the Bay State Banner in which they called on the Biden administration to withdraw support for de facto ruler of Haiti, Ariel Henry, and instead support an inclusive, civil society-led process to restore stability and democracy on the island. 
    • In April 2022, she joined her colleagues at a press conference reaffirming her support for President Biden’s decision to end Title 42. Full video of her remarks at the press conference is available here. Rep. Pressley applauded the Biden Administration’s end of Title 42 in a statement in April 2022.
    • On May 26, 2022, Rep. Pressley, along with with Representatives Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Andy Levin (MI-09), Jim McGovern (MA-02), and Frederica Wilson (FL-24), led a letter to United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Power urging her to act to ensure food security in Haiti.
    • On March 16, 2022, Rep. Pressley and Rep. Mondaire Jones called on Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky to fully end Title 42, cease deportations of people to Haiti and affirm their legal and fundamental human right to seek asylum.
    • On February 16, 2022, Rep. Pressley joined Congresswoman Cori Bush (MO-01), Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), and 100 House and Senate colleagues in urging President Biden to reverse inhumane immigration policies – such as Title 42, originally introduced under the Trump Administration – that continue to disproportionately harm Black migrants.
    • On February 14, 2022, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), alongside Representatives Judy Chu (CA-27) and Nydia Velázquez (NY-07), led 33 other House Democrats on a letter to Rochelle Walensky, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, demanding answers about the agency’s justification for treating asylum seekers as a unique public health threat, how these expulsions are being coordinated, how asylum seekers being returned to dangerous situations are being cared for, and more.
    • On February 14, 2022, Reps. Pressley, Judy Chu (CA-27), and Nydia Velázquez (NY-07) led 33 other House Democrats on a letter to CDC Director Walensky demanding answers about the agency’s justification for treating asylum seekers as a unique public health threat, how these expulsions are being coordinated, how asylum seekers being returned to dangerous situations are being cared for, and more. Days later, Rep. Pressley once again called on the Biden Administration to reverse the Title 42 Order and other anti-Black immigration policies.
    • On January 12, 2022, Rep. Pressley and Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09), Andy Levin (MI-09), and Val Demings (FL-10) released a statement on the 12-year anniversary of the catastrophic 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12, 2010.
    • On November 21, 2021, Rep. Pressley and Senator Elizabeth Warren led the Massachusetts congressional delegation on a letter to the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) calling on them to coordinate with the government agencies of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to assist newly arrived families from Haiti. 
    • On October 18, 2021, Rep. Pressley, and Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Val Demings (FL-10), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), and Andy Levin (MI-09) issued a statement following the kidnapping of American and Canadian missionaries in Haiti.
    • On October 18, 2021, Rep. Pressley issued a statement on the civil rights complaint filed by Haitian families demanding a federal investigation into the heinous actions perpetrated by federal officials at the border.
    • On October 22, 2021, Rep. Pressley, along with Oversight Chairwoman Carolyn B. Maloney, Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), and Reps. Rashida Tlaib (MI-13), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), sent a letter to Troy A. Miller, the Acting Administrator of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), demanding a briefing and answers regarding press reports of the inhumane treatment of migrants in Del Rio, Texas, by Border Patrol agents on horseback. 
    • On September 17, 2021, Rep. Pressley and Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07) led 52 of their colleagues calling on the Biden Administration to immediately halt deportations to Haiti and take urgent action to address the concerns of the Haitian Diaspora after a 7.2 magnitude earthquake devastated Haiti.
    • On August 14, 2021, Rep. Pressley Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Andy Levin (MI-09) and Val Demings (FL-10) and Mondaire Jones (NY-17) released a statement regarding the recent earthquake in Haiti.
    • On July 14, 2021, Rep. Pressley and Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Andy Levin (MI-09) and Val Demings (FL-10) sent a letter to U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas calling on him to take a series of steps to support the Haitian diaspora amid ongoing political turmoil in Haiti.
    • In July 2021, the Reps. Pressley, Clarke, Demings and Levin issued a statement condemning the assassination of President Moïse and calling for swift and decisive action to bring political stability and peace to Haiti and the Haitian people.
    • In May 2021, on Haitian Flag Day, Reps. Pressley, Levin, Clarke and Demings announced the formation of the House Haiti Caucus, a Congressional caucus dedicated to pursuing a just foreign policy that puts the needs and aspirations of the Haitian people first.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Release: Government cuts fair pay for bus drivers

    Source: New Zealand Labour Party

    The Government has cut funding for bus drivers to get paid fairly for the work they do, Labour transport spokesperson Tangi Utikere said.

    “Bus drivers and public transport workers do valuable work for their communities; it’s good to see the Government will continue to fund initiatives to improve their safety.

    “Simeon Brown’s announcement about driver safety neglected to mention the fact that more than $46 million has been cut from the same budget to ensure drivers get paid fairly for late night work and split shifts.

    “Any form of harassment or violence is unacceptable, particularly where drivers are simply doing their jobs. I just wish that Simeon Brown also saw value in paying bus drivers properly.

    “Treasury also warned Nicola Willis that making this cut could undo the work done by Labour to increase reliability of public transport and could return New Zealand to a position of large bus driver shortages that cause mass service cancellations.

    “If Simeon Brown had his way, we would all be in cars driving on toll roads. The reality is many New Zealanders rely on public transport. Not paying drivers properly and putting at risk the reliability of services will only take us backwards,” Tangi Utikere said.

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    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Shooting at Burton

    Source: South Australia Police

    Police are investigating after a shooting at Burton this morning.

    About 3.50am on Thursday 26 September, police were called to Bolivar Road after reports a man had been shot.

    The victim, a 34- year-old man from Burton, sustained a wound to his leg and was taken to hospital for treatment. His injuries are not considered life threatening.

    Police searched the area and have not located the suspect.

    Later this morning at 4am police and MFS were called to reports of a vehicle fire on Burton Road, police are investigating if the fire is linked to the earlier shooting.

    The incident is not believed to be random.

    Northern District are investigating the incident and ask anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers at http://www.crimestopperssa.com.au or on 1800 333 000. You can remain anonymous.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Four of Rep. Lauren Boebert’s Amendments to the ‘Fix Our Forests Act’ Included in Final House Passage

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Lauren Boebert (Colorado, 3)

    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Congresswoman Lauren Boebert (CO-03) released the following statement after four of her active management amendments passed and were included in H.R. 8790, the “Fix Our Forests Act,” which passed the House of Representatives on a bipartisan vote of 268-151.

    “America needs to do more to actively manage our forests and prevent catastrophic wildfires that are devastating our communities. Federal agencies have to stop spending billions of dollars on the backend putting out fires and shift to a comprehensive, proactive approach. The Fix Our Forests Act and my four amendments do exactly that and are the type of solutions needed in the West and Colorado. I thank House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman for his support on all four of my amendments, and I urge the Senate to take up his critical legislation,” said Congresswoman Boebert.

    Background, courtesy of the House Natural Resources Committee:

    The Fix Our Forests Act is a historic and comprehensive package that will encourage active forest management and support community resiliency to wildfires by expediting environmental analyses, reducing frivolous lawsuits and increasing the pace and scale of forest restoration projects.

    The bill will:

    • Simplify and expedite environmental reviews for forest management projects
    • Promote federal, state, tribal and local collaboration
    • Deter frivolous litigation that delays essential projects
    • Create a framework for prioritizing treatments in the forests at highest risk of wildfire
    • Encourage adoption of state-of-the-art science and data for federal land managers
    • Encourage active management to improve the safety of powerlines and other infrastructure
    • Strengthen tools like Good Neighbor Authority and Stewardship Contracting

    Information on Rep. Boebert’s included amendments:

    Boebert Amendment #12: Clarifies existing authorities may be utilized to prevent wildfires in Fire Regimes IV and V 

    Amendment 12 makes an important clarification that expands the acres of at-risk forests that would be eligible for streamlined management authorities. Under current law, regimes 4 and 5 are subject to extensive “National Environmental Policy Act” (NEPA) requirements for active management. A fire regime map by county can be found HERE. 

    This amendment is critical to fire mitigation efforts across the states of Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Utah, Nevada, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, New York, Maine, West Virginia, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Missouri, Louisiana, Mississippi, Indiana, Ohio, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Virginia, North Carolina, Iowa, Florida, and Texas

     

    Boebert Amendment #13: Ensures grazing is one of the hazardous fuel reduction activities authorized by the bill

    Fuels treatments are effective, and federal agencies have made clear that “over 90 percent of the fuel treatments are effective in changing fire behavior and/or helping with control of the wildfire.” 

    Grazing animals play an important part in maintaining healthy ecosystems by controlling the ecological balance of vegetative species, reducing fire fuels that result from the accumulation of non-native plant biomass, and improving soil health by trampling plant residue and their own waste into the soil profile. Cattle, sheep, and goats can play a regenerative wildfire mitigation role that also provides for our food and fiber needs.

     

    Boebert Amendment #14: Requires regional foresters to submit a plan through the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program for the treatment and removal of trees killed by or infested with bark beetles in Western states

    The Bark Beetle epidemic has caused significant damage to roughly 100,000 square miles of forest in the western United States alone. Along the West Coast and through the Rocky Mountains, bark beetles have affected tens of millions of acres of forest. While bark beetles are native to U.S. forests and play important ecological roles, they can cause extensive tree mortality and negative economic and social impacts.

    Spruce beetles have killed millions of trees on more than 1.8 million acres in Colorado since 2000 and provided increased fuels for wildfires. In Colorado, 2021 was one of the worst wildfire seasons our state has ever endured with the three largest fires in state history. Bark beetle epidemics and catastrophic wildfires are a significant threat. This can be minimized by thinning overgrown forests and removing hazardous fuels produced by beetle overpopulation. 

     

    Boebert Amendment #15: Requires regional foresters to submit a plan for the sale of Christmas trees and firewood on federal lands

    Under current law, American families can purchase a permit from the forest service to cut Christmas trees from their favorite national forest as well as harvest any firewood, transplants, post and poles, and other forest products to improve forest health. We have seen successful Christmas tree and firewood harvesting operations in the state of Colorado, and this program has served as a locally based solution to help thin our overgrown forests. 

    According to the Forest Service, “The permit system helps to thin densely populated stands of small-diameter trees. Local forest health experts identify areas that benefit from thinning trees and tend to be the perfect size for Christmas trees. Removing these trees in designated areas helps other trees grow larger and can open areas that provide food for wildlife.”

    For more information on the Fix Our Forests Act, click HERE.

    ###

    For updates, subscribe to Congresswoman Boebert’s newsletter here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Retirement and Economy – UP TO 25% OF RETIRED HOUSEHOLDS COULD USE HOME EQUITY TO MAKE ENDS MEET

    Source: Te Ara Ahunga Ora Retirement Commission

    New research delving into home equity release products shows they could be a better alternative for older New Zealanders struggling to make ends meet instead of taking on higher-cost consumer debt.  

    Te Ara Ahunga Ora Retirement Commission commissioned Motu Research to consider whether home equity release schemes provide value for money and how they might provide a suitable form of retirement income for some people.

    The research highlighted that for approximately 25% of older households who have low retirement income and savings, but high levels of equity in their home, equity release products could be more beneficial for them to use instead of high-cost personal loans or credit cards.  

    In New Zealand home equity release products are not well understood due to the complexity and costs involved. The two main products available here are reverse mortgages and home reversion (selling a stake in your house in exchange for income).

    Te Ara Ahunga Ora Retirement Commission Policy Lead, Dr Michelle Reyers says while New Zealand home equity release products appear to be costlier than in larger markets, they can provide an alternative source of income less costly than other forms of consumption-based lending.

    “The key to using home equity release products is understanding the costs and benefits and seeking financial advice to see if they are right for you,” she says.

    “It’s important to understand that home equity release products have relatively high costs. For reverse mortgages it’s the interest cost. Loan balances on reverse mortgages can grow to a large amount within a short period due to the compounding effect of interest.

    “People opting for a reverse mortgage should consider only using the minimum they need to supplement their monthly income rather than larger lump sum withdrawals, as this will slow the rate at which the interest owing builds up over time.”

    An alternative for those who want to access an income stream from their home, and at the same time preserve a specific amount of equity in their home, is a home reversion scheme. In this case the main cost is that you are selling a stake in your house for a discounted amount.  

    However, despite the costs involved, home equity release products used strategically can provide an option for those that have no income beyond New Zealand Superannuation and struggle to pay larger bills but wish to remain in their homes while they can manage independently.

    “For the group of retirees relying primarily on New Zealand Super for income who have home equity but no other assets (such as KiwiSaver) to draw down, it is something to consider,” says Dr Reyers.

    She recommends:

    Thinking about retirement in stages – could you continue in paid work beyond age 65? Do you have access to other assets, such as KiwiSaver that you can draw down to help fund your expenses?

    Once these assets are depleted do you want to access the equity in your home with a home equity release product to supplement your retirement income while you continue to live independently at home? At the same time consider whether releasing the equity in your home might impact at a later stage if you want to move into a retirement village or need care.

    It is important to consider how home equity release products can affect people’s financial position in the future. Balancing whether you can afford to use some equity now but maintain the required level of equity in your home for another stage of retirement should your health or life circumstances change may require professional advice. One final consideration is if people want to preserve their home equity for future generations through bequests, home equity release products will reduce the amount that they will be able to provide.

    Notes:

    Reverse mortgages are more suited to people who do not need to preserve the equity in their home for future uses, including bequests. The no negative equity guarantee ensures that the homeowner, or their estate, will not be required to meet any shortfall that the lender incurs if the loan value exceeds the eventual sale price of the house

    The key cost of a reverse mortgage is the interest cost which is higher than the cost of a normal mortgage loan due to the added risks of this product and a less competitive market in New Zealand.

    Reverse mortgages are less costly in low interest rate environments. When house price growth is high it can partially offset the impact of interest rates on the erosion of equity.

    Home reversion avoids the compounding of interest and provides certainty to the homeowner that they will retain a specific percentage of equity in their home, so it might be more suitable in a high interest rate environment or for people who have a specific bequest motive.

    However, the cost involved is that homeowners will be selling 35% of their house at a discount as they only receive income equivalent to 25% of the initial valuation (taking into account annual fees reduces this to 22.7%).

    The purchasing power of the income received decreases over time due to inflation since the income received per year is fixed.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Save the Children – Two-thirds of children interact daily online with people they don’t know despite grooming fears – report

    Source: Save the Children

    Over six in 10 children with access to the internet interact with “unknown others” daily despite concerns about online grooming, according to new research released by Save the Children and Western Sydney University that highlighted children’s demands for better online protection.
    The research team held in-depth consultations with about 600 children and young people aged 8 to 18 from Australia, Finland, the Philippines, Cambodia, Colombia, Kenya, and South Africa, who shared their views and experiences of facing inappropriate requests online for personal information or images.
    The report, ‘Protecting Children from Online Grooming’, was written by the Young & Resilient Research Centre at Western Sydney University, and funded by the global child online safety investment vehicle Safe Online as part of the Tech Coalition Safe Online Research Fund.
    Since the COVID-19 pandemic, incidents of online grooming and child sexual and financial exploitation have reached an all-time high [1], with an 82% rise in online grooming crimes against children reported in that period [2]. Online grooming practices have also transformed, with the fastest growing form of online grooming targeting young men for financial extortion [3].
    The report revealed children were more inclined to connect with strangers – or “unknown others” – online as they matured and became more social, motivated by a desire for friendship, fun and play, followed by a wish to stay informed about trends and events, and to connect over shared interests.
    The findings also showed that while children across all cultures and age groups were more suspicious of people they didn’t know online than people they knew in person, most (66%) of the study participants still interacted with “unknown others” daily online.
    Children in high-income settings were twice as likely to use privacy settings to protect themselves from unwanted contacts, compared to children from some low-income settings, but the potential to derive financial benefits was an incentive for children in middle-income countries to connect with strangers online, potentially compromising their safety.
    While children have come up with numerous ways to protect themselves, they are calling for widespread, accessible and targeted online safety education for themselves and their caregivers. In the discussions the children also made concrete suggestions about how technology platforms and governments can implement changes that will keep them safer online.
    Sonisay-, a girl aged 11-12 from rural Cambodia, said:
    “Adults should know that children interact with strangers, monitor them, and read their chats.”
    Angel- aged 15-17 from a city in the Philippines said:
    “Adults need to know about the children of today who are highly computer-savvy… To be able to support and protect the children, adults need to understand that children are comfortable with using the internet which pushes to interact with strangers.”
    Charlie- aged 14 from Australia emphasised the need to start online safety education earlier:
    “Having young children educated about the safety of technology and the dangers … adults only start this education for older kids on social media when the problem can be on video games played by young kids.”
    Children reported that it was very difficult to ascertain the intentions of strangers online. Children were also particularly worried about being asked for personal information or nude pictures, being drawn into inappropriate sexually-oriented exchanges, or exposure to criminal activities.
    The report found that children want and need better online protection, with children primarily using intuition and background checks rather than seeking help from trusted adults to manage their online interactions with people they don’t know.
    The data also showed that children distinguish people they know well both online and in person from those they only know online, with 86% approaching the latter with caution. Yet despite this wariness, children were still three times more likely to ignore or decline an inappropriate or unwanted request than they are to report or block it.
    Steve Miller, Save the Children’s Global Director of Child Protection, said:
    “Children deserve to thrive in a safe and nurturing environment – both online and offline. As the digital landscape evolves, so do the challenges and threats, including the threat of online grooming and exploitation. We need to foster a digital environment that is not only safe but also enriching, allowing children to explore, learn, and grow without fear. Policymakers need to listen to the voices and experiences of children when developing policies that protect them.”
    Professor Amanda Third, Co-Director of the Young and Resilient Research Centre, Western Sydney University, said:
    “Keeping children safe from online grooming requires a whole-of-community approach. Governments, NGOs, technology platforms, teachers, parents, caregivers, and children themselves all have an important role to play. However, to most effectively address this issue it is crucial that we listen to the views and experiences of children and young people and engage them as active partners in the research and policy design process. Children and young people are finding their own ways to tackle this issue and devise solutions but they are also calling on us to help equip them and their caregivers with the skills and knowledge needed to be able to safely navigate these rapidly evolving digital environments.”
    Save the Children has launched a major global effort to support digital inclusion and empower the next generation of resilient digital citizens. Save the Children’s Safe Digital Childhood initiative is includes partnering with schools, communities and tech leaders to break down barriers to digital inclusion by making sure the children with the fewest resources can access devices and connectivity; offering targeted digital literacy and citizenship programs; helping technology industry partners embed child-centric safeguards into their platforms; and empowering children to advocate for their rights in the digital world.
    The Young & Resilient Research Centre at Western Sydney University is an Australian-based, international research centre that unites young people with researchers, practitioners, innovators, and policymakers to explore the role of technology in children’s and young people’s lives and how it can be used to improve individual and community resilience across generations.
    Safe Online is the only global investment vehicle dedicated to keeping children safe in the digital world. Through investing in innovation and bringing key actors together, Safe Online helps shape a digital world that is safe and empowering for all children and young people, everywhere. The Tech Coalition Safe Online Research Fund, which funded the research, is a groundbreaking collaboration fuelling actionable research and bringing together the tech industry with academia and civil society in a bold alliance to end online child sexual exploitation and abuse.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Health – Respiratory health warning over Christchurch fire

    Source: Asthma and Respiratory Foundation

    Kiwis living with a respiratory condition in central Christchurch are being urged to take precautions to protect themselves from exposure to smoke, after a large blaze broke out in a commercial building.
    The Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ is advising people living and working near the blaze to close all windows and doors if staying inside, or wear a N95 or KN95 mask if going outside.
    Foundation Chief Executive Ms Letitia Harding says these steps offer the best protection against the harmful effects of smoke inhalation.
    “Inhaling smoke from fires can pose serious risks for respiratory health, especially for vulnerable populations such as children, the elderly, and individuals with pre-existing health conditions.
    “It can severely exacerbate conditions like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and trigger flare-ups, which can be serious and lead to hospitalisation.”
    Smoke contains tiny particles that enters the throat and lungs causing irritation, Ms Harding says.
    “That is why it is important that people with asthma or COPD keep their reliever inhaler on-hand if they start to develop symptoms.”
    It was important to stay vigilant, she says.
    “It’s crucial for everyone, especially those with respiratory conditions, to take these precautions seriously to avoid worsening symptoms or unnecessary health complications.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Employment Surveys – Cost-of-living concerns drive Kiwi workers to seek a second job

    Source: Robert Half

    • 49% of Kiwi workers are considering taking on a second job in the next 12 months 
    • 42% say a second job is necessary for them to meet their financial needs, while a further 32% say they would do so to have extra funds for discretionary spend 
    • 56% believe their employer would be supportive of them taking on a second job elsewhere.

    Auckland, 26 September 2024 – The number of New Zealand workers wanting an extra source of income amid cost-of-living concerns is on the rise, as 49% are considering taking on a second job in the next 12 months, new independent research by specialised recruiter Robert Half finds.  

    The rise of working two jobs

    Independent Robert Half research on 49% of Kiwi workers considering a second job is a bellwether for this rising trend, where data from Stats NZ shows the number of multiple job holders in New Zealand has risen from 187,600 in Q1 2019 to 220,900 in Q2 2024 across all industries1.  

    With 57%, Gen X are the most likely to seek an additional source of income, followed by Gen Z (56%), and Millennials (51%). Baby Boomers (33%) are the least likely generation to be considering an extra job to meet the increased cost of living.

    The reasons why workers want a second job

    The overwhelming majority (84%) of workers who have or would consider a second job do so solely for financial reasons.  

    Those who are considering or who already have a second job cite the following reasons:

    • Necessary to meet financial needs (42%)
    • Provide extra funds for discretionary spend (32%)
    • Pursuit of a personal passion (7%)
    • A back-up job in case of layoff from the primary job (10%) 
    • To build skills in a different field/to test a new career (9%)
    • To fulfil personal goals (7%).

    “In the current economic climate with rising cost of living, more New Zealand workers are seeking additional employment to boost their earnings and strengthen their financial wellbeing,” says Megan Alexander, Managing Director at Robert Half. “However, taking on a second job requires careful consideration to balance financial needs with personal wellbeing.”

    Workers feel employers understand their needs

    When asked about how employers might react to their staff taking on a second job, more than half (56%) of workers feel their current employer would support them. One quarter (25%) believe their employer would be against them taking on an extra job.

    “Before taking on a second job, it’s vital for workers to honestly evaluate if they can manage the extra workload without jeopardising both their health and performance at their main job,” says Alexander.

    “For those considering a second job, they should opt for one that aligns with their skills and interests, while ensuing it doesn’t create a conflict of interest with their primary employer. Before committing, workers need to check what (if any) obligations they have with their current employer. A failure to comply with an employer’s policy or contractual obligations in this space could have serious implications for workers. Transparency is key.

    “As more employees seek second jobs, employers need to proactively understand their motivations and ensure their workplace culture and compensation packages are competitive enough to retain valuable talent,” concludes Alexander.

    1 StatsNZ, Infoshare, Group: Household Labour Force Survey – HLF, Table: Multiple Job Holders by Industry (Qrtly-Mar/Jun/Sep/Dec), September 2024

    Notes

    About the research

    The study is developed by Robert Half and was conducted online in June 2024 by an independent research company, surveying 501 full-time office workers across New Zealand. This survey is part of the international workplace survey, a questionnaire about job trends, talent management and trends in the workplace.

    About Robert Half

    Robert Half is the global, specialised talent solutions provider that helps employers find their next great hire and jobseekers uncover their next opportunity. Robert Half offers both contract and permanent placement services, and is the parent company of Protiviti, a global consulting firm.  Robert Half New Zealand has an office in Auckland. More information on roberthalf.com/nz

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Privacy Commissioner – Ignoring a privacy breach only makes it worse

    Source: Office of the Privacy Commissioner

    Privacy Commissioner, Michael Webster says it’s always better to notify his office about a privacy breach than ignore it.
    His message comes as he names Ultimate Care Group Limited as consistently ignoring their notification requirements, after it was found that they’d lost part of a patient’s medical records.
    Mr Webster said, “My recommendation is for agencies to notify us and do it early, even if they’re not 100 percent sure a privacy breach has occurred, or don’t yet have all the details.
    “It’s always better to talk to us than ignore the problem.”
    The decision to name Ultimate Care Group was made so they could become an example for others.
    Ultimate Care had several instances where they should have made an earlier notification. They were also advised by the Capital and Coast District Health Board to report a privacy breach, but in the end, it took two years for them to formally notify OPC.
    “It is disappointing they did not identify the breach to be notifiable as required under the Privacy Act.
    “Ultimate Care is a large provider serving a vulnerable group in our population and holds a significant volume of sensitive information about the individuals in its care. A key element of providing care to these individuals is looking after their personal information, and health information in particular,” said Mr Webster.
    Mr Webster says following engagement with OPC, Ultimate Care has taken actions to strengthen privacy policies, increase privacy awareness, and improve document management practices.
    “While these changes are good and have resulted in an improvement in privacy capability in Ultimate Care, I consider the impact of the loss of the clinical file on the resident and the wider systemic issues of poor information management practices at Ultimate Care at that time to be significant,” said Mr Webster.
    Notes

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Universities – ‘Remarkable’ marine animal forests found around Wellington’s coast

    Source: Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington

    Marine animal forests rich in sea life have been found in the shallow waters around Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington.

    “Marine animal forests are habitats formed by big groups of invertebrates—creatures such as sponges, horse mussels, and brachiopods, which look a bit like clams. These remarkable communities are increasingly being recognised as biodiversity hotspots and we’ve got them on our doorstep,” said Professor James Bell, a marine biologist at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington.

    The forests were located by Professor Bell and colleagues Dr Valerio Micaroni and Dr Francesca Strano while studying life in the region’s shallow waters.

    The researchers identified numerous animal forests in Wellington Harbour, many at depths of less than 15 metres. Sites were located at Eastbourne, Evans Bay, Kaiwharawhara, the Miramar Peninsula, and Petone.

    Rich animal forests were also found in shallow waters at other areas including the Kāpiti Coast and Mana Island.

    “Finding animal-dominated ecosystems in such shallow waters is surprising as these are areas that are usually dominated by seaweeds,” said lead researcher Dr Micaroni.

    Sponges were one of the common species found in the forests. They included a massive potato-shaped sponge (Suberites australiensis) that grows up to 40 centimetres in diameter and forms dense sponge beds.

    “These beds were home to a range of species, including molluscs, cnidarians, and red algae, as well as other sponges and fish. We also discovered what we think is a previously undescribed sponge species,” Dr Strano said.

    The sponge beds in the harbour comprised a total area of 120,000 m2. Researchers estimate the beds can filter between 500 million to 1 billion litres of water daily. This filtering plays an important role in transferring nutrients and food from the water column to the sea-floor, influencing overall water quality and supporting the sea-floor food chain.

    Despite the ecological importance of these shallow-water forests, they are largely unprotected and face increasing threats from climate change, fishing, sedimentation, and pollution, Professor Bell said.

    At most of the sites in Wellington Harbour, the researchers found litter on the sea-floor.

    “There was a lot of plastic items—such as bottles, packaging, and cups—as well as aluminium cans. Car parts and tyres were found at half the sites, and fishing gear was found at three locations. Concrete blocks were also common,” Professor Bell said.

    Evans Bay was the worst site for marine litter, followed by Kaiwharawhara where large amounts of gravel had been dumped on areas of the seabed. The gravel dramatically altered the habitat with animal communities significantly reduced and limited evidence they had been able to recover since the gravel was dumped.

    “This example highlights the significant effects human activities can have on marine animal forests. It also highlights the need to protect these fragile ecosystems to avoid further biodiversity loss,” said Dr Megan Melidonis, senior coastal scientist at the Greater Wellington Regional Council. The council helped fund the research as part of work to explore and map the region’s marine biodiversity.

    “These forest communities play such a key role in marine food chains and in maintaining water quality. It is incredible to find them in a harbour adjacent to a major urban area,” Dr Melidonis said.

    Results of the study are published in the journal Global Ecology and Conservation. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2024.e03140

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Vibrant regional events receive funding boost from Auckland Council

    Source: Auckland Council

    An assortment of vibrant and engaging events across Tāmaki Makaurau for Aucklanders to participate in and enjoy have been given a helping hand by Auckland Council.

    On 24 September Auckland Council’s Community Committee approved an allocation of $460,500 from the Regional Events Fund Grants Programme to 21 organisations to help with their events.

    These events deliver a range of outcomes and benefits to communities by contributing to a sense of place and connection.

    Councillor Angela Dalton, chair of the Community Committee says it’s extremely important that a diverse range of events are regularly held in Auckland.

    “Regular, vibrant events play an important part in Auckland’s cultural, sporting and social calendar,” says Cr Dalton.

    “Events allow people from around Tāmaki Makaurau to come together and connect, learn and celebrate.”

    “Many of the events we are supporting will bring economic benefits to nearby local businesses and the communities hosting them.”

    A broad range of arts, sports and cultural events received funding including the Auckland International Buskers Festival, Takapuna Winter Lights, ASB Polyfest and Iwi of Origin.

    Auckland Council’s Head of Events Glynn Leggat says council staff assessed each application against regional event funding criteria.

    “A wide range of factors were considered in allocating funding including positive benefits to the community with particular emphasis on youth and Māori; how well the event is planned; community support and involvement and alignment with key dates such as Auckland Anniversary Weekend.”

    “We’d like to thank all the organisations and community groups who put in the mahi to prepare for and host these events,” says Ms Leggat.

    The Regional Event Grants Programme for 2024-25 has a total budget allocation of $600,000, of which $460,500 has been allocated in this first funding round.  The remaining unallocated budget of $139,500 is expected to be allocated in March 2025.

    To learn more about the range of regional and local grants we provide and how you can apply for them, visit the Auckland Council website.

    Regional Event Grant Programme Fund allocation for 2024/2025 – first round

     

    Applicant

    Event

    Recommended funding allocation

    Aktive

    Iwi of Origin

    $20,000

    Alan Smythe Special Events (2020) Limited

    Coca-Cola Christmas in the Park

    $45,000

    Aotearoa Latin American Community Incorported (ALAC Inc)

    Family Day

    $12,500

    Athletics New Zealand Incorporated

    2025 Sir Graeme Douglas International

    $6,000

    Auckland Anniversary Regatta Incorporated

    Auckland Anniversary Day Regatta

    $17,000

    Auckland Children’s Christmas Parade Trust

    Farmers Santa Parade

    $17,000

    Auckland Pride Incorporated

    Auckland Pride March

    $27,000

    Burnett Foundation Aotearoa

    Big Gay Out 2025

    $17,000

    Crackerjack Events

    Auckland International Buskers Festival

    $40,000

    Environmental Hubs Aotearoa

    EcoFest 2025

    $25,000

    Eventing Auckland Incorporated

    Puhinui International Horse Trials

    $15,000

    Interacting

    InterACT 2025!

    $16,000

    Interesting Things

    Future Future

    $11,000

    New Zealand Eid Day Trust

    New Zealand Eid Day, Eid al Fitr 2025

    $12,000

    Ngā Kaihoe O Aotearoa (Waka Ama New Zealand Incorporated)

    2025 Takapuna Beach Cup

    $9,000

    Mahurangi Action Incorporated

    Mahurangi Regatta

    $6,000

    Show Jumping Waitemata

    Show Jumping Waitemata World Cup Festival

    $11,000

    The Polyfest Trust

    ASB Polyfest

    $75,000

    Takapuna Beach Business Association

    Takapuna Winter Lights

    $44,000

    Waiheke International Jazz Festival Limited

    Waiheke Jazz Festival 2025

    $8,000

    Westlake Boys High School

    Te Ahurea Tino Rangatiratanga 2024

    $27,000

    Total

    $460,500

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –