Source: Press Release Service
Headline: AI and Google Ads: A Game-Changer for Digital Marketing
The Web Guys shares expert insights into harnessing cutting-edge AI tools to deliver smarter, faster and more effective results for clients.
The post AI and Google Ads: A Game-Changer for Digital Marketing first appeared on PR.co.nz.
Source: New Zealand Government
Overly rigid insulation rules are being removed to ease costs for designers, builders and homeowners, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk has announced.
“I’ve heard clearly from the industry that the current one-size-fits-all approach to insulation requirements is needlessly driving-up costs.
“The most prescriptive compliance pathway currently available for insulation – known as the Schedule Method – doesn’t allow for design trade-offs that can affect a home’s energy efficiency, like adjusting window size.
“This has led to designers and homeowners having to over-insulate in certain areas to achieve Building Code compliance, offering little extra energy efficiency benefit at a significant cost.
“To address this, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) will remove the current Schedule Method in favour of more flexible alternatives.
“Smarter online tools now let us take a balanced, whole-of-home approach to energy efficiency – enabling builders and designers to measure a home’s total heat loss instead of being locked into prescriptive requirements.
“Using adaptable Calculation and Modelling Methods is shown to cut the cost of an average new build by up to $15,000.
“The government will now work closely with the sector to ensure a smooth transition before the change takes effect.
“The Schedule Method will be removed from the Building Code’s Acceptable Solutions and Verification Methods for Energy Efficiency by the end of the year, followed by a 12-month transition period to give the sector time to adjust.
“I’ve also directed officials to explore designating the Far North as a separate climate zone under the Building Code, responding to calls from local leaders to ease insulation rules in the region.
“The Far North District Council made a strong case in its energy-efficiency review submission, highlighting that the region’s warmer climate and need for affordable housing allow for a more tailored approach.
“I’ve heard from the district council that building costs in the Far North are approaching $5,000 per square metre. They’re pushing for change to deliver more homes for locals at a reasonable price – an ambition I fully support.
“In my view, recognising Northland’s unique climate with a separate zone is a sensible step that could lower costs and unlock much-needed housing supply.
“MBIE will consult on any proposed changes to the region’s climate zone designation before final decisions are made, and I look forward to hearing feedback from the public.
“This Government is committed to making commonsense changes and cutting construction red tape to make building easier and more affordable – putting more roofs over Kiwi heads, while ensuring those homes stay safe and dry for our families.”
Note to editors:
Source: New Zealand Government
Work is back underway on Dunedin’s new inpatient building, marking a major step forward in the Government’s commitment to delivering this critical health project, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.
“It’s great to be back in Dunedin to see physical works now underway again on the former Cadbury site. This visible progress clearly demonstrates our commitment to delivering this vital project.”
The early construction phase will see 134 pile caps installed, made from steel-reinforced concrete. Around 4,300 cubic metres of concrete will be poured across the site, with approximately 490 tonnes of reinforcing steel used in total.
“This work will take about six months and includes detailed inspections of every pile to ensure the facility is built to the highest design and safety standards.”
The next major construction phase is the substructure, which is expected to begin in early 2026, with contract awards due soon following strong market interest.
“This phase will prepare the site for base isolators and IL4 foundations – ensuring the hospital can keep functioning after a major earthquake or natural disaster. That’s essential for the people of Dunedin and the wider region.”
The inpatient building will be the largest single health facility in New Zealand, covering approximately 70,000 square metres.
“We’re delivering a hospital that’s not only future-proofed for changing models of care and technology but also built to grow with the population. The design allows for flexibility, scalability, and high-quality care delivery for decades to come.
“Significant progress has also been made on the outpatient building, which will begin delivering care to patients in a modern, purpose-built facility from next year.
“Our Government is committed to delivering both buildings and ensuring the people of Dunedin and surrounding Otago and Southland region have a fully operational, modern hospital.
“By 2031, Dunedin will have a resilient, fit-for-purpose health facility that will serve the city and wider region for generations to come. We are getting on with the job – and today’s progress is further proof that this Government is delivering,” Mr Brown says.
Source: South Australia Police
Have your say on the City’s draft Council Plan 2025 – 2034, a roadmap for delivering the future services and facilities needed to support the City’s growth and wellbeing.
Shaped by feedback from the Wanneroo Liveability Survey and a series of community workshops held earlier this year, the plan proposes five strategic goals and supporting priorities to build and grow:
Wanneroo Mayor Linda Aitken said the plan was all about building the kind of future our community wants to see.
“It’s practical, positive and packed with potential,” she said.
“It’s been shaped by what locals have told us matters most – things like safety, sustainability, local jobs and staying connected.
“Now we’d love to hear what you think. Take a look, have your say and help us shape what’s next for our City!”
This is the City’s first Council Plan and will bring together the former Strategic Community Plan and Corporate Business Plan into one cohesive document.
Have your say on the draft plan before 5pm Monday 21 July 2025.
Source: US State of California Governor
SACRAMENTO – As House Republicans vote on the measure as soon as tonight, President Trump’s “big beautiful” national debt-adding bill is a massive tax break for the wealthiest Americans, at the cost of programs and services used by everyday families. It gives tax breaks to the ultra-rich, balloons our national debt, and guts programs that most Americans depend on – including health care, food assistance, and public safety programs. Allow us to demonstrate:
Starting in 2029, those making $30,000 a year or less would see a tax increase, while the top 0.1 percent would get a $309,000 tax cut, on average – an annual tax break that is more than three times what the typical American household earns in an entire year.
Oh, and the “no taxes on tips” program that Trump keeps raving about? Many workers will see little to no benefit. The program for tipped workers is temporary, expiring in 2028, meanwhile the tax cut for the ultra-wealthy is permanent. By 2029, those earning less than $30,000 a year will see their taxes increase, on average. These same families will also be harmed by cuts to health care and food assistance.
This bill is a complete betrayal of Americans by the Trump administration. Not only does it cut programs for families trying to make ends meet, but decimates middle-class opportunities – including health care and children’s access to college.
❌ Eliminates American taxpayer jobs
❌ Significantly cuts critical family support programs
❌ Defunds public safety
❌ Endangers wildfire-prone communities
❌ Defunds Planned Parenthood
❌ Unfairly targets green vehicles
❌ Unjustly targets American students
❌ Raises costs and separates American families
Source: Reserve Bank of India
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Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Xinhua | 03. 07. 2025
Keywords: Indonesia
Source: Xinhua
Lightning: Four people killed, 23 survived, 38 missing after passenger ship capsized near Indonesian island of Bali – local rescuers Lightning: Four people killed, 23 survived, 38 missing after passenger ship capsized near Indonesian island of Bali – local rescuers
The Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand (CAA) welcomes auditors from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) who will undertake a full safety audit of New Zealand’s aviation system from 9 – 22 July 2025.
ICAO auditors will conduct an on-site audit of New Zealand’s aviation system and overall capability for safety oversight. This will be carried out via validation of information provided during the earlier preparation phase, and through a series of detailed interviews with CAA, the Ministry of Transport, the Transport Accident Investigation Commission, and other organisations operating in New Zealand’s aviation system.
New Zealand is an active participant in the international aviation community and a member of the ICAO.
CAA Deputy Chief Executive, System, Strategy and Policy, John Kay said New Zealand is committed to global aviation safety standards.
“As active stewards of the civil aviation regulatory system, we welcome the audit as an opportunity to continuously evolve the safety and security standards and internationally recommended practices that keep New Zealand skies safe and secure.
“The transparency and accountability built into this process further help us maintain public confidence and international trust in New Zealand’s aviation system.”
The results of the audit will be available by early 2026, and any findings that require action will be addressed through a corrective action plan led by CAA.
While the full audit report will remain confidential, ICAO will publicly release the Effective Implementation score, which reflects the degree to which the state complies with ICAO’s international aviation safety oversight requirements.
CAA maintains formal engagement relationships with ICAO, as well as with other state aviation regulatory authorities worldwide. A range of diplomatic and technical relationships help ensure that international standards and agreements reflect the regulatory outcomes desired by New Zealand.
Read more about the ICAO on the CAA website: International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO): https://govt.us19.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f87e4df3e4e99e9d7eb7b4c7e&id=55c32552c5&e=f0dc75bbf6
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
SINGAPORE, July 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — MoneyHero Limited (NASDAQ: MNY) (“MoneyHero” or the “Company”), a leading personal finance aggregation and comparison platform, as well as a digital insurance brokerage provider in Greater Southeast Asia, today announced the launch of “SingSaver Best-Of Awards”, an annual awards programme recognising Singapore’s most outstanding personal finance products.
The new awards programme will spotlight 45 exceptional personal finance products across categories including credit cards, digital banks, investing, and insurance. Each product will be rigorously evaluated by the MoneyHero Group team, alongside an esteemed panel of prominent local personal finance influencers. Judging criteria include annual fees, interest rates, sign-up incentives, bonus offers, rewards earn rates, user experience, coverage scope, and policy flexibility.
The awards aim to simplify financial decision-making by identifying and celebrating products that deliver outstanding value, helping Singaporeans navigate an increasingly complex financial marketplace with confidence. Winners will be celebrated at an exclusive gala dinner and awards ceremony on 17 July 2025 in Singapore, bringing together the country’s leading financial institutions, industry influencers, and media for an evening of recognition and networking.
Rohith Murthy, CEO of MoneyHero, said: “The inaugural SingSaver Best-Of Awards reflect our decade-long legacy of helping Singaporeans make informed financial choices. We aim to highlight products that enhance consumers’ financial well-being through exceptional value and user experience. Our rigorous assessment process, supported by trusted voices from the personal finance community, ensures that these awards truly represent excellence and reliability in the marketplace.”
A full list of categories, shortlisted products, and award ceremony details are available at:
https://www.singsaver.com.sg/campaign/best-of-awards-announcement-2025
Following the Singapore launch, MoneyHero Group plans to roll out similar awards programmes annually in Hong Kong, the Philippines, and Taiwan. As the personal finance landscape continues to evolve, MoneyHero remains committed to spotlighting the industry’s best products and services, providing invaluable guidance to consumers throughout the region.
Disclaimer
The information provided on this press release is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial or investment advice. While MoneyHero reviews and compares financial products to help consumers make informed decisions, it does not offer or provide personalised recommendations or investment advisory services. Consumers should always conduct their own research or consult a licensed financial professional before making any financial decisions.
MoneyHero has made reasonable efforts to ensure that the information contained in this press release is accurate and up to date as at the date of publication. However, MoneyHero makes no warranties, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information and accepts no liability (including liability to third parties) for any loss or damage arising from any error or omission in compiling or presenting such information, or reliance on the information provided.
About SingSaver
SingSaver, part of MoneyHero Group (Nasdaq: MNY) – a market leading personal finance aggregation and comparison company in Greater Southeast Asia. Founded in May 2015, SingSaver has always been committed to matching consumers with the right financial products they need — from credit cards to personal loans, investing accounts to insurance policies, and much more. SingSaver helps thousands of consumers improve their money health with easy-to-use comparison platform along with impartial product reviews and extensive finance articles. For a full discovery, visit https://www.singsaver.com.sg/
About MoneyHero Group
MoneyHero Limited (NASDAQ: MNY) is a leading personal finance aggregation and comparison platform, as well as a digital insurance brokerage provider in Greater Southeast Asia. The Company operates in Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and the Philippines. Its brand portfolio includes B2C platforms MoneyHero, SingSaver, Money101, Moneymax and Seedly, as well as the B2B platform Creatory. The Company also retains an equity stake in Malaysian fintech company, Jirnexu Pte. Ltd., parent company of Jirnexu Sdn. Bhd., the operator of RinggitPlus, Malaysia’s largest operating B2C platform. MoneyHero had over 260 commercial partner relationships as at 31 March 2025, and had approximately 5.7 million Monthly Unique Users across its platform for the three months ended 31 March 2025. The Company’s backers include Peter Thiel—co-founder of PayPal, Palantir Technologies, and the Founders Fund—and Hong Kong businessman, Richard Li, the founder and chairman of Pacific Century Group. To learn more about MoneyHero and how the innovative fintech company is driving APAC’s digital economy, please visit www.MoneyHeroGroup.com.
For inquiries, please contact:
Investor Relations:
MoneyHero IR Team
IR@MoneyHeroGroup.com
Media Relations:
MoneyHero PR Team
Press@MoneyHeroGroup.com
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
SINGAPORE, July 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — MoneyHero Limited (NASDAQ: MNY) (“MoneyHero” or the “Company”), a leading personal finance aggregation and comparison platform, as well as a digital insurance brokerage provider in Greater Southeast Asia, today announced the launch of “SingSaver Best-Of Awards”, an annual awards programme recognising Singapore’s most outstanding personal finance products.
The new awards programme will spotlight 45 exceptional personal finance products across categories including credit cards, digital banks, investing, and insurance. Each product will be rigorously evaluated by the MoneyHero Group team, alongside an esteemed panel of prominent local personal finance influencers. Judging criteria include annual fees, interest rates, sign-up incentives, bonus offers, rewards earn rates, user experience, coverage scope, and policy flexibility.
The awards aim to simplify financial decision-making by identifying and celebrating products that deliver outstanding value, helping Singaporeans navigate an increasingly complex financial marketplace with confidence. Winners will be celebrated at an exclusive gala dinner and awards ceremony on 17 July 2025 in Singapore, bringing together the country’s leading financial institutions, industry influencers, and media for an evening of recognition and networking.
Rohith Murthy, CEO of MoneyHero, said: “The inaugural SingSaver Best-Of Awards reflect our decade-long legacy of helping Singaporeans make informed financial choices. We aim to highlight products that enhance consumers’ financial well-being through exceptional value and user experience. Our rigorous assessment process, supported by trusted voices from the personal finance community, ensures that these awards truly represent excellence and reliability in the marketplace.”
A full list of categories, shortlisted products, and award ceremony details are available at:
https://www.singsaver.com.sg/campaign/best-of-awards-announcement-2025
Following the Singapore launch, MoneyHero Group plans to roll out similar awards programmes annually in Hong Kong, the Philippines, and Taiwan. As the personal finance landscape continues to evolve, MoneyHero remains committed to spotlighting the industry’s best products and services, providing invaluable guidance to consumers throughout the region.
Disclaimer
The information provided on this press release is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial or investment advice. While MoneyHero reviews and compares financial products to help consumers make informed decisions, it does not offer or provide personalised recommendations or investment advisory services. Consumers should always conduct their own research or consult a licensed financial professional before making any financial decisions.
MoneyHero has made reasonable efforts to ensure that the information contained in this press release is accurate and up to date as at the date of publication. However, MoneyHero makes no warranties, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information and accepts no liability (including liability to third parties) for any loss or damage arising from any error or omission in compiling or presenting such information, or reliance on the information provided.
About SingSaver
SingSaver, part of MoneyHero Group (Nasdaq: MNY) – a market leading personal finance aggregation and comparison company in Greater Southeast Asia. Founded in May 2015, SingSaver has always been committed to matching consumers with the right financial products they need — from credit cards to personal loans, investing accounts to insurance policies, and much more. SingSaver helps thousands of consumers improve their money health with easy-to-use comparison platform along with impartial product reviews and extensive finance articles. For a full discovery, visit https://www.singsaver.com.sg/
About MoneyHero Group
MoneyHero Limited (NASDAQ: MNY) is a leading personal finance aggregation and comparison platform, as well as a digital insurance brokerage provider in Greater Southeast Asia. The Company operates in Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and the Philippines. Its brand portfolio includes B2C platforms MoneyHero, SingSaver, Money101, Moneymax and Seedly, as well as the B2B platform Creatory. The Company also retains an equity stake in Malaysian fintech company, Jirnexu Pte. Ltd., parent company of Jirnexu Sdn. Bhd., the operator of RinggitPlus, Malaysia’s largest operating B2C platform. MoneyHero had over 260 commercial partner relationships as at 31 March 2025, and had approximately 5.7 million Monthly Unique Users across its platform for the three months ended 31 March 2025. The Company’s backers include Peter Thiel—co-founder of PayPal, Palantir Technologies, and the Founders Fund—and Hong Kong businessman, Richard Li, the founder and chairman of Pacific Century Group. To learn more about MoneyHero and how the innovative fintech company is driving APAC’s digital economy, please visit www.MoneyHeroGroup.com.
For inquiries, please contact:
Investor Relations:
MoneyHero IR Team
IR@MoneyHeroGroup.com
Media Relations:
MoneyHero PR Team
Press@MoneyHeroGroup.com
Source: People’s Republic of China – Ministry of National Defense
A fireboat of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government performs a water gate ceremony for the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy fleet in Hong Kong, south China, July 3, 2025. A fleet of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy led by the aircraft carrier Shandong arrived here on Thursday morning. (Photo by Jia Xiaopeng/Xinhua)
HONG KONG, July 3 (Xinhua) — A fleet of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy led by the aircraft carrier Shandong arrived in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on Thursday morning.
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Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
China on Thursday held a press conference to introduce an array of cultural events to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.
The cultural activities include a themed exhibition, the release of outstanding literary and artistic works, and other related events.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Rescuers search for missing passengers of a ship capsizing near Bali Island, Indonesia, July 3, 2025. [National Search and Rescue Agency of Indonesia/Handout via Xinhua]
Four people have been confirmed dead, 38 are missing, and 23 others survived after a passenger ship sank in the Bali Strait of Indonesia early Thursday, a senior official from the East Java Search and Rescue Office, Tholeb Vatelehan, said on Thursday.
The wooden vessel, KM Tunu Pratama Jaya, was traveling from Ketapang seaport in Banyuwangi Regency, East Java, to Gilimanuk seaport in Jembrana Regency on Bali Island when it went down, according to the official.
“As many as 23 people survived the incident, four were dead, and 38 others remained missing,” Vatelehan told Xinhua via phone.
Search and rescue operations have since been launched from both Bali Island and East Java, as the incident occurred near the maritime boundary between the two regions. I Nyoman Sidakarya, head of the Bali Search and Rescue Office, confirmed the joint efforts.
The Banyuwangi Search and Rescue Office deployed more than 20 personnel, along with a rigid inflatable boat and one additional vessel to assist in the operation, Vatelehan said.
“Strong winds, large waves, and powerful currents are currently hampering the rescue efforts,” he added.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Host nation Switzerland upset basketball powerhouse France 86-79 in overtime in the Round of 16 on Wednesday, advancing to the quarterfinals in its first-ever appearance at the 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup.
France, ranked No. 3 in the world, had finished third, second, and second in the past three editions of the tournament and was considered one of the top favorites this year. Switzerland, ranked 60th in the FIBA World Rankings for boys, had never competed in a FIBA U19 World Cup before 2025.
France took the first quarter 24-13, and both teams struggled offensively in the second, with France entering halftime holding a 12-point lead.
With five minutes, 34 seconds left in regulation, France led 66-54, but Switzerland responded with a 12-0 run to tie the game at 66-66 by the end of the fourth quarter. The Swiss maintained momentum in overtime, closing out the upset with a seven-point advantage.
Dayan Nessah posted 22 points and 15 rebounds for Switzerland, while teammate Oliver Sassella scored a game-high 25 points.
Switzerland will face New Zealand in the quarterfinals after the Kiwis defeated China 99-86.
In other Round of 16 action, the United States routed Jordan 140-67, Germany beat Serbia 92-83, Israel edged Cameroon 86-82, Australia downed the Dominican Republic 106-96, Slovenia slipped past Argentina 81-80, and Canada cruised past Mali 100-75.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
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The groundbreaking of a new electric vehicle (EV) battery megaproject in Indonesia set another milestone in the country’s rapidly growing EV supply chain, driven by Chinese investment.
JOINT VENTURE
The project, whose groundbreaking on Sunday was witnessed by Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto in Karawang, West Java, is a joint venture with China, worth nearly 6 billion U.S. dollars, and covers the full supply chain, from nickel mining and processing to battery materials production, manufacturing and recycling.
Indonesia is currently the world’s largest producer of nickel and holds the biggest-known reserves of the metal, an essential component in EV batteries.
The project is jointly conducted by Indonesia’s state-owned miner PT Aneka Tambang Tbk, state-owned investment holding company PT Indonesia Battery Corporation and China’s Ningbo Contemporary Brunp Lygend Co., Ltd.
“This groundbreaking is proof of our leaders’ seriousness in collaborating with our partners and our friends in China. We can work together on a program that I think can be called colossal, an extraordinary breakthrough,” Prabowo said at the groundbreaking ceremony.
According to Indonesian Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia, the project is expected to create 35,000 jobs and contribute up to 42 billion dollars annually to the national GDP. He also highlighted that the plant’s capacity would support the production of batteries for 300,000 vehicles, potentially reducing Indonesia’s fuel imports by approximately 300,000 kiloliters per year.
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto (C) attends a groundbreaking ceremony for a major electric vehicle (EV) battery megaproject in Karawang, West Java, Indonesia, June 29, 2025. (Xinhua/Zulkarnain)
GREEN TRANSITION
The Indonesian government has been actively promoting the nickel industry to increase national competitiveness and build an ecosystem for the EV battery industry. The ambition is also aligned with Indonesia’s long-term commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2060.
Fahmy Radhi, an energy economics expert from Gadjah Mada University, said, “This transformation is more than an energy transition. It opens the door to clean technology, encourages green infrastructure development, and provides a strategic path for Indonesia to become a clean-energy industrial nation.”
He also highlighted the importance of ensuring that investment does not stop at the smelter level. “The process must extend to the production of final goods, such as EV batteries or even electric vehicles themselves.”
Currently, Indonesia is home to nine electric car manufacturers, seven electric bus production facilities, and 63 two- and three-wheeled electric vehicle factories.
CRUCIAL PARTNER
Kukuh Kumara, secretary general of the Association of Indonesia Automotive Industries, emphasized the critical role of partnerships with countries experienced in EV development, particularly China. “From the mining process to ready-to-use batteries, there is a huge process involved,” he said.
Kumara said that expanding industries related to the EV supply chain will not only strengthen Indonesia’s downstream capabilities but also create jobs and promote know-how transfer. “China is known for its strong EV component industry. We encourage our local companies to learn from Chinese partners,” he said.
“Our ultimate goal is to develop Indonesia’s own auto brands, local factories and indigenous technical capabilities,” Kumara said. “But at this stage, international partners are still crucial.”
Chinese firms have played a pivotal role in bringing technology, capital and global market access to Indonesia, particularly in EV batteries and supply chain integration, said the business leader.
As the first Chinese automaker to invest and establish a factory in Indonesia, SAIC-GM-Wuling (SGMW) has helped 17 Chinese enterprises in the auto supply chain to venture into ASEAN’s biggest economy, developing over 100 local suppliers over the past seven years.
People take photos of Wuling Air EV cars at Wuling’s production factory in Bekasi, West Java province, Indonesia, Aug. 8, 2022. (Xinhua/Xu Qin)
The Chinese automaker has also contributed to fostering Indonesia’s own EV sector. Last November, the China-Indonesia Institute of Modern Craftsmanship of New Energy Vehicle, a training base established by China’s Liuzhou City Vocational College, Indonesia’s Anand Industrial Training Institute and the SGMW’s Indonesian subsidiary, was officially inaugurated in Indonesia.
“What is prominent in Chinese investment is the genuine willingness to implement technological transfer and human development programs through joint research, expert and trainee exchanges, vocational training, etc,” said Christine Susanna Tjhin, co-founder and director of strategic communication and research at the Gentala Institute, an independent consulting firm.
Taking place on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th, and 13th, the training days represent the largest-ever delivery in one school holiday period of the Street Smart programme at a single venue, reflecting surging demand from teens and families eager to boost road safety and real-world driving skills.
Street Smart Programme Director Hayden Dickason says the response has been overwhelming.
“It’s been incredible to see so many young people and parents embracing this opportunity. From day one, the engagement has been high, and the impact even higher – it’s clear that this hands-on practical approach is making a difference.”
Participants are guided through seven interactive activities covering everything from hazard awareness and safe following distances to distraction management, braking control and emergency reactions — all delivered in a controlled environment with expert instruction.
With several days already complete and more sessions still to come, feedback from attendees has been enthusiastic.
“I was so focussed on completing the task I completely missed the things sitting out to the side”, says Zach. He recomm
Source: New Zealand Police
Police responded to reports that a man was making loud, threatening comments at the Ōrākei Train Station just before 1pm, prior to boarding a south bound train.
Police established the train had continued towards Ōtāhuhu where the training was stopped and searched by Police.
Further information alerted Police that the subject of the report had exited earlier at Glen Innes.
Police have spoken to a person in the Glen Innes area and are reassuring the public there is no cause for concern.
Police must take these reports seriously and officers were armed as a precaution.
A thorough inspection of the train was carried out and Police thank the public and AT for their help in safely resolving this matter.
Enquiries are continuing.
ENDS
Nicole Bremner/NZ Police
ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on July 3, 2025.
Childcare sexual abuse is mostly committed by men. Failing to recognise that puts children at risk
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Delanie Woodlock, Senior research fellow, UNSW Sydney Australians are reeling from the news that Victorian childcare worker Joshua Dale Brown has been charged with more than 70 offences against children, including rape. As 1,200 children await results for sexually transmitted infections, a horror no parent should ever
Overtourism is reshaping communities in Europe – could Australia be next?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Freya Higgins-Desbiolles, Adjunct professor and adjunct senior lecturer in tourism management, University of South Australia Bumble Dee/Shutterstock A media frenzy erupted over the recent Jeff Bezos “wedding of the century” in Venice. Also notable were the public protests that showed tensions around tourism, especially mass tourism, are
How should I talk to my kids about abuse and body safety?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Westrupp, Associate Professor in Psychology, Deakin University Jose Luis Peleaz/Getty Hearing about child abuse in trusted places such as childcare centres is every parent’s worst nightmare. So, how can we talk to our kids about it and help them stay safe? While it’s not always possible
Creative Australia’s backflip on Venice Biennale representatives exposes deep governance failures
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samuel Cairnduff, Lecturer in Media and Communications, The University of Melbourne The reinstatement of artist Khaled Sabsabi and curator Michael Dagostino as Australia’s representatives for the 2026 Venice Biennale closes a bruising recent cultural episode and exposes the fragility of the systems meant to protect artistic freedom
Catholic Church warns against PNG declaring itself a ‘Christian country’
By Reinhard Minong in Port Moresby The Catholic Church has strongly warned against Papua New Guinea’s political rhetoric and push to declare the nation a Christian country, saying such a move threatens constitutional freedoms and risks dangerous implications for the country’s future. Speaking before the Permanent Parliamentary Committee on Communication on Tuesday at Rapopo during
Antarctic research is in decline, and the timing couldn’t be worse
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Leane, Professor of Antarctic Studies, School of Humanities, University of Tasmania Oleksandr Matsibura/Shutterstock Ice loss in Antarctica and its impact on the planet – sea level rise, changes to ocean currents and disturbance of wildlife and food webs – has been in the news a lot
Homes are more than walls and a roof, especially for Indigenous people. It’s time housing policy reflects that
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Giles Gunesekera, PhD Researcher, University of Technology Sydney Australia is experiencing a housing crisis. But for many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, the challenge runs deeper than high rents and limited supply. A major problem is that housing in Australia is rarely designed with Indigenous communities
Fallout: Spies on Norfolk Island – SBS podcast
Pacific Media Watch In July 1985, Australia’s Pacific territory of Norfolk Island (pop. 2188) became the centre of a real life international spy thriller. Four French agents sailed there on board the Ouvéa, a yacht from Kanaky New Caledonia, after bombing the Rainbow Warrior in Auckland, killing Greenpeace photographer Fernando Pereira. The Rainbow Warrior was
Trump is not like other presidents – but can he beat the ‘second term curse’ that haunts the White House?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Garritt C. Van Dyk, Senior Lecturer in History, University of Waikato Getty Images While he likes to provoke opponents with the possibility of serving a third term, Donald Trump faces a more immediate historical burden that has plagued so many presidents: the “second term curse”. Twenty-one US
More and more tourists are flocking to Antarctica. Let’s stop it from being loved to death
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Darla Hatton MacDonald, Professor of Environmental Economics, University of Tasmania VCG via Getty Images The number of tourists heading to Antarctica has been skyrocketing. From fewer than 8,000 a year about three decades ago, nearly 125,000 tourists flocked to the icy continent in 2023–24. The trend is
Australia’s superannuation regulator is worried about your fund’s spending. Should you be?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Melatos, Associate Professor of Economics, University of Sydney GettyImages skynesher/Getty Australia’s superannuation regulator has written to Australian superannuation funds raising concerns their spending might not be benefiting members. The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority is not just concerned with the type of expenses, but with the corporate
Thumbs up: good or passive aggressive? How emojis became the most confusing kind of online language
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brittany Ferdinands, Lecturer in Digital Content Creation, Discipline of Media and Communications, University of Sydney The Conversation, CC BY Emojis, as well as memes and other forms of short-form content, have become central to how we express ourselves and connect online. Yet as meanings shift across different
Lung cancer screening hopes to save lives. But we also need to watch for possible harms
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katy Bell, Professor of Clinical Epidemiology, Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney There is much to commend about Australia’s lung cancer screening program, which started on July 1. The program is based on gold-standard trial evidence showing this type of screening is likely to reduce
Uganda’s ride-hailing motorbike service promised safety – but drivers are under pressure to speed
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rich Mallett, Research Associate and Independent Researcher, ODI Global Motorcycle-taxis are one of the fastest and most convenient ways to get around Uganda’s congested capital, Kampala. But they are also the most dangerous. Though they account for one-third of public transport trips taking place within the city,
Philadelphia’s $2B affordable housing plan relies heavily on municipal bonds, which can come with hidden costs for taxpayers
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jade Craig, Assistant Professor of Law, University of Mississippi The Parker administration says it will issue $800 million in bonds over the next four years to fund affordable housing. Jeff Fusco/The Conversation, CC BY-NC-SA Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker’s Housing Opportunities Made Easy initiative, which was included in
Around 250 million years ago, Earth was near-lifeless and locked in a hothouse state. Now scientists know why
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Merdith, DECRA Fellow, School of Earth Sciences, University of Adelaide Some 252 million years ago, almost all life on Earth disappeared. Known as the Permian–Triassic mass extinction – or the Great Dying – this was the most catastrophic of the five mass extinction events recognised in
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Kerrynne Liddle on seizing more opportunities with Indigenous Australians
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra From this Sunday, Australians will be celebrating NAIDOC Week, which marks its 50th anniversary this year. The week highlights the achievements, history and culture of Australia’s First Peoples. It’s also a time to reflect on the huge effort needed to
Supervision gaps can lead to child abuse – what can be done?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marg Rogers, Senior Lecturer, Early Childhood Education; Post Doctoral Fellow, Manna Institute, University of New England Suwatchai Pluemruetai/Shutterstock The horrific allegations of child abuse by an early childhood educator in Victoria came to light at a time when the early learning sector was already under fire for
Trump’s ‘big beautiful bill’ has passed the US Senate – these are the winners and losers
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lester Munson, Non-Resident Fellow, United States Studies Centre, University of Sydney Igor Link/Shutterstock One of the unique aspects of Washington life is a Senate “vote-a-rama,” in which the upper house of Congress tortures itself by pulling a marathon all-nighter of speeches, amendments and votes on a critical
Tonga cybersecurity attack wake-up call for Pacific, warns expert
By Teuila Fuatai, RNZ Pacific senior journalist A Tongan cybersecurity expert says the country’s health data hack is a “wake-up call” for the whole region. Siosaia Vaipuna, a former director of Tonga’s cybersecurity agency, spoke to RNZ Pacific in the wake of the June 15 cyberattack on the country’s Health Ministry. Vaipuna said Tonga and
ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on July 3, 2025.
Childcare sexual abuse is mostly committed by men. Failing to recognise that puts children at risk
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Delanie Woodlock, Senior research fellow, UNSW Sydney Australians are reeling from the news that Victorian childcare worker Joshua Dale Brown has been charged with more than 70 offences against children, including rape. As 1,200 children await results for sexually transmitted infections, a horror no parent should ever
Overtourism is reshaping communities in Europe – could Australia be next?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Freya Higgins-Desbiolles, Adjunct professor and adjunct senior lecturer in tourism management, University of South Australia Bumble Dee/Shutterstock A media frenzy erupted over the recent Jeff Bezos “wedding of the century” in Venice. Also notable were the public protests that showed tensions around tourism, especially mass tourism, are
How should I talk to my kids about abuse and body safety?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Westrupp, Associate Professor in Psychology, Deakin University Jose Luis Peleaz/Getty Hearing about child abuse in trusted places such as childcare centres is every parent’s worst nightmare. So, how can we talk to our kids about it and help them stay safe? While it’s not always possible
Creative Australia’s backflip on Venice Biennale representatives exposes deep governance failures
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samuel Cairnduff, Lecturer in Media and Communications, The University of Melbourne The reinstatement of artist Khaled Sabsabi and curator Michael Dagostino as Australia’s representatives for the 2026 Venice Biennale closes a bruising recent cultural episode and exposes the fragility of the systems meant to protect artistic freedom
Catholic Church warns against PNG declaring itself a ‘Christian country’
By Reinhard Minong in Port Moresby The Catholic Church has strongly warned against Papua New Guinea’s political rhetoric and push to declare the nation a Christian country, saying such a move threatens constitutional freedoms and risks dangerous implications for the country’s future. Speaking before the Permanent Parliamentary Committee on Communication on Tuesday at Rapopo during
Antarctic research is in decline, and the timing couldn’t be worse
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Leane, Professor of Antarctic Studies, School of Humanities, University of Tasmania Oleksandr Matsibura/Shutterstock Ice loss in Antarctica and its impact on the planet – sea level rise, changes to ocean currents and disturbance of wildlife and food webs – has been in the news a lot
Homes are more than walls and a roof, especially for Indigenous people. It’s time housing policy reflects that
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Giles Gunesekera, PhD Researcher, University of Technology Sydney Australia is experiencing a housing crisis. But for many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, the challenge runs deeper than high rents and limited supply. A major problem is that housing in Australia is rarely designed with Indigenous communities
Fallout: Spies on Norfolk Island – SBS podcast
Pacific Media Watch In July 1985, Australia’s Pacific territory of Norfolk Island (pop. 2188) became the centre of a real life international spy thriller. Four French agents sailed there on board the Ouvéa, a yacht from Kanaky New Caledonia, after bombing the Rainbow Warrior in Auckland, killing Greenpeace photographer Fernando Pereira. The Rainbow Warrior was
Trump is not like other presidents – but can he beat the ‘second term curse’ that haunts the White House?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Garritt C. Van Dyk, Senior Lecturer in History, University of Waikato Getty Images While he likes to provoke opponents with the possibility of serving a third term, Donald Trump faces a more immediate historical burden that has plagued so many presidents: the “second term curse”. Twenty-one US
More and more tourists are flocking to Antarctica. Let’s stop it from being loved to death
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Darla Hatton MacDonald, Professor of Environmental Economics, University of Tasmania VCG via Getty Images The number of tourists heading to Antarctica has been skyrocketing. From fewer than 8,000 a year about three decades ago, nearly 125,000 tourists flocked to the icy continent in 2023–24. The trend is
Australia’s superannuation regulator is worried about your fund’s spending. Should you be?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Melatos, Associate Professor of Economics, University of Sydney GettyImages skynesher/Getty Australia’s superannuation regulator has written to Australian superannuation funds raising concerns their spending might not be benefiting members. The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority is not just concerned with the type of expenses, but with the corporate
Thumbs up: good or passive aggressive? How emojis became the most confusing kind of online language
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brittany Ferdinands, Lecturer in Digital Content Creation, Discipline of Media and Communications, University of Sydney The Conversation, CC BY Emojis, as well as memes and other forms of short-form content, have become central to how we express ourselves and connect online. Yet as meanings shift across different
Lung cancer screening hopes to save lives. But we also need to watch for possible harms
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katy Bell, Professor of Clinical Epidemiology, Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney There is much to commend about Australia’s lung cancer screening program, which started on July 1. The program is based on gold-standard trial evidence showing this type of screening is likely to reduce
Uganda’s ride-hailing motorbike service promised safety – but drivers are under pressure to speed
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rich Mallett, Research Associate and Independent Researcher, ODI Global Motorcycle-taxis are one of the fastest and most convenient ways to get around Uganda’s congested capital, Kampala. But they are also the most dangerous. Though they account for one-third of public transport trips taking place within the city,
Philadelphia’s $2B affordable housing plan relies heavily on municipal bonds, which can come with hidden costs for taxpayers
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jade Craig, Assistant Professor of Law, University of Mississippi The Parker administration says it will issue $800 million in bonds over the next four years to fund affordable housing. Jeff Fusco/The Conversation, CC BY-NC-SA Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker’s Housing Opportunities Made Easy initiative, which was included in
Around 250 million years ago, Earth was near-lifeless and locked in a hothouse state. Now scientists know why
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Merdith, DECRA Fellow, School of Earth Sciences, University of Adelaide Some 252 million years ago, almost all life on Earth disappeared. Known as the Permian–Triassic mass extinction – or the Great Dying – this was the most catastrophic of the five mass extinction events recognised in
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Kerrynne Liddle on seizing more opportunities with Indigenous Australians
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra From this Sunday, Australians will be celebrating NAIDOC Week, which marks its 50th anniversary this year. The week highlights the achievements, history and culture of Australia’s First Peoples. It’s also a time to reflect on the huge effort needed to
Supervision gaps can lead to child abuse – what can be done?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marg Rogers, Senior Lecturer, Early Childhood Education; Post Doctoral Fellow, Manna Institute, University of New England Suwatchai Pluemruetai/Shutterstock The horrific allegations of child abuse by an early childhood educator in Victoria came to light at a time when the early learning sector was already under fire for
Trump’s ‘big beautiful bill’ has passed the US Senate – these are the winners and losers
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lester Munson, Non-Resident Fellow, United States Studies Centre, University of Sydney Igor Link/Shutterstock One of the unique aspects of Washington life is a Senate “vote-a-rama,” in which the upper house of Congress tortures itself by pulling a marathon all-nighter of speeches, amendments and votes on a critical
Tonga cybersecurity attack wake-up call for Pacific, warns expert
By Teuila Fuatai, RNZ Pacific senior journalist A Tongan cybersecurity expert says the country’s health data hack is a “wake-up call” for the whole region. Siosaia Vaipuna, a former director of Tonga’s cybersecurity agency, spoke to RNZ Pacific in the wake of the June 15 cyberattack on the country’s Health Ministry. Vaipuna said Tonga and
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Kerry, Lecturer in Sociology, Charles Darwin University
Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, turns 90 this week – a milestone that’s reigniting speculation over his eventual successor.
While the Dalai Lama is the face of Buddhism to many people across the world, he is actually the head of just one tradition within Tibetan Buddhism known as the Gelug school.
Tibetans believe the Dalai Lama to be the manifestation of Avalokiteśvara, the bodhisattva of compassion, and the “one who hears the cries of the world”.
Read more:
What is a bodhisattva? A scholar of Buddhism explains
Avalokiteśvara is prayed to across Asia, and is known as Chenrezig in Tibet, Guanyin in China, and Kannon or Kanzeon in Japan.
In Buddhism, a bodhisattva is a person, or a mythic representation of a person, who denies themselves enlightenment until all beings can achieve enlightenment. Avalokiteśvara appears to living beings in whatever form could best save them.
Although Avalokiteśvara originated in India as a man, they can be depicted as either a man, woman, or non-binary being. This gender fluidity has led to them being revered as a trans icon in the West.
I have spent the past five years investigating the lives of queer Buddhists in Australia. As part of this research, I have surveyed and interviewed 109 LGBTQIA+ Buddhist Australians.
The words of these individuals, and my own experience as a genderqueer Buddhist person, reveal how the Dalai Lama emerges an an unlikely inspiration for individuals sharing a trans and Buddhist identity.
Through my work I have found LGBTQIA+ Buddhist Australians are generally reluctant to disclose their queer identities to their Buddhist communities, and may be told to remain silent about their identities.
For some, Avalokiteśvara’s gender fluidity has been important for reaffirming both their queer and Buddhist selves.
One Buddhist trans woman, Annie*, told me Guanyin had special significance for her. Annie spoke about Avalokiteśvara travelling from India to China as a male, before “transitioning” to the mainly female presentation of Guanyin over centuries. Annie said:
I pray to her regularly and often find I get a response. Of course the enlightened state is beyond all manner of worldly binaries, including gender, and is immensely important in letting go of binaries in my journey towards enlightenment.
Walter* has had a long fascination with depictions of Avalokiteśvara that “showed ‘him’ looking effeminate and handsome, with a cute moustache […] A little bit homoerotic, a little bit provocatively gender fluid, as seen through my eyes”.
Walter adds:
A great many people in different cultures, across history, worship these figures. Clever how this figure can morph into a radical trans! We all want to feel comforted, safe and saved from suffering.
As queer Buddhists, we turn to to Avalokitesvara to feel “comforted, safe and saved”.
Another interviewee, Brian*, told me about a Tibetan invocation practice he did with a senior Tibetan monk, in which he encountered Guanyin:
[She] took my right hand and passed some sort of power into it. She never spoke to me but just returned the way she had come. I was given some sort of gift, that’s all I know.
Since this experience, Brian has “always felt a strong connection to the feminine through her”. He has a special Guanyin altar on his farm.
Some Buddhists deny Avalokiteśvara’s queerness.
Asher*, a genderqueer Buddhist I interviewed, told me about a teacher who said to them, “there was absolutely no way a gay person could be enlightened”.
Asher retorted:
What about Kanzeon, the bodhisattva of compassion, who has manifested as both male and female and, in the stories from Japan, has had erotic relationships with monks?
The teacher dismissed this, replying, “those are just stories”.
In her 1996 book Transgender Warriors, trans activist Leslie Feinberg writes: “I couldn’t find myself in history. No one like me seemed to have ever existed.”
Similarly, Annie evoked the statement: “You can’t be what you can’t see.”
I, too, experience this need to see myself as a genderqueer, non-binary practitioner of Zen Buddhism. It was only through doing these interviews with other queer Buddhists that I came to realise Guanyin, a trans icon, is a statuette which adorns the altar of the Buddhist group I belong to.
Knowing Avalokitesvara may be depicted as a man, woman, or non-binary being lets us queer Buddhists know we exist – and have always existed – within Buddhism.
Despite being a cisgender man who has been somewhat inconsistent in his support of queer people, the Dalai Lama, as the manifestation of the bodhisattva of compassion, is a possible spiritual link between today’s queer Buddhists and centuries-long traditions of gender transition and fluidity.
*Names have been changed.
Stephen Kerry does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. The Dalai Lama is a cisgender man – yet he has an unexpected connection to the trans community – https://theconversation.com/the-dalai-lama-is-a-cisgender-man-yet-he-has-an-unexpected-connection-to-the-trans-community-260106
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Kerry, Lecturer in Sociology, Charles Darwin University
Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, turns 90 this week – a milestone that’s reigniting speculation over his eventual successor.
While the Dalai Lama is the face of Buddhism to many people across the world, he is actually the head of just one tradition within Tibetan Buddhism known as the Gelug school.
Tibetans believe the Dalai Lama to be the manifestation of Avalokiteśvara, the bodhisattva of compassion, and the “one who hears the cries of the world”.
Read more:
What is a bodhisattva? A scholar of Buddhism explains
Avalokiteśvara is prayed to across Asia, and is known as Chenrezig in Tibet, Guanyin in China, and Kannon or Kanzeon in Japan.
In Buddhism, a bodhisattva is a person, or a mythic representation of a person, who denies themselves enlightenment until all beings can achieve enlightenment. Avalokiteśvara appears to living beings in whatever form could best save them.
Although Avalokiteśvara originated in India as a man, they can be depicted as either a man, woman, or non-binary being. This gender fluidity has led to them being revered as a trans icon in the West.
I have spent the past five years investigating the lives of queer Buddhists in Australia. As part of this research, I have surveyed and interviewed 109 LGBTQIA+ Buddhist Australians.
The words of these individuals, and my own experience as a genderqueer Buddhist person, reveal how the Dalai Lama emerges an an unlikely inspiration for individuals sharing a trans and Buddhist identity.
Through my work I have found LGBTQIA+ Buddhist Australians are generally reluctant to disclose their queer identities to their Buddhist communities, and may be told to remain silent about their identities.
For some, Avalokiteśvara’s gender fluidity has been important for reaffirming both their queer and Buddhist selves.
One Buddhist trans woman, Annie*, told me Guanyin had special significance for her. Annie spoke about Avalokiteśvara travelling from India to China as a male, before “transitioning” to the mainly female presentation of Guanyin over centuries. Annie said:
I pray to her regularly and often find I get a response. Of course the enlightened state is beyond all manner of worldly binaries, including gender, and is immensely important in letting go of binaries in my journey towards enlightenment.
Walter* has had a long fascination with depictions of Avalokiteśvara that “showed ‘him’ looking effeminate and handsome, with a cute moustache […] A little bit homoerotic, a little bit provocatively gender fluid, as seen through my eyes”.
Walter adds:
A great many people in different cultures, across history, worship these figures. Clever how this figure can morph into a radical trans! We all want to feel comforted, safe and saved from suffering.
As queer Buddhists, we turn to to Avalokitesvara to feel “comforted, safe and saved”.
Another interviewee, Brian*, told me about a Tibetan invocation practice he did with a senior Tibetan monk, in which he encountered Guanyin:
[She] took my right hand and passed some sort of power into it. She never spoke to me but just returned the way she had come. I was given some sort of gift, that’s all I know.
Since this experience, Brian has “always felt a strong connection to the feminine through her”. He has a special Guanyin altar on his farm.
Some Buddhists deny Avalokiteśvara’s queerness.
Asher*, a genderqueer Buddhist I interviewed, told me about a teacher who said to them, “there was absolutely no way a gay person could be enlightened”.
Asher retorted:
What about Kanzeon, the bodhisattva of compassion, who has manifested as both male and female and, in the stories from Japan, has had erotic relationships with monks?
The teacher dismissed this, replying, “those are just stories”.
In her 1996 book Transgender Warriors, trans activist Leslie Feinberg writes: “I couldn’t find myself in history. No one like me seemed to have ever existed.”
Similarly, Annie evoked the statement: “You can’t be what you can’t see.”
I, too, experience this need to see myself as a genderqueer, non-binary practitioner of Zen Buddhism. It was only through doing these interviews with other queer Buddhists that I came to realise Guanyin, a trans icon, is a statuette which adorns the altar of the Buddhist group I belong to.
Knowing Avalokitesvara may be depicted as a man, woman, or non-binary being lets us queer Buddhists know we exist – and have always existed – within Buddhism.
Despite being a cisgender man who has been somewhat inconsistent in his support of queer people, the Dalai Lama, as the manifestation of the bodhisattva of compassion, is a possible spiritual link between today’s queer Buddhists and centuries-long traditions of gender transition and fluidity.
*Names have been changed.
Stephen Kerry does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. The Dalai Lama is a cisgender man – yet he has an unexpected connection to the trans community – https://theconversation.com/the-dalai-lama-is-a-cisgender-man-yet-he-has-an-unexpected-connection-to-the-trans-community-260106
Source: China State Council Information Office
Chinese President Xi Jinping visits the New Development Bank and meets with Dilma Rousseff, president of the institution, in Shanghai, east China, April 29, 2025. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)
On the banks of the shimmering Huangpu River that cuts through the Chinese metropolis of Shanghai sits the headquarters of the New Development Bank, co-founded by the BRICS countries more than a decade ago to foster the shared development of the world’s emerging economies.
In his visit to this new landmark in China’s financial center late April, Chinese President Xi Jinping told the bank’s president and former Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff this multilateral institution has been a result of “a pioneering initiative for the Global South to seek strength through unity.”
For the Chinese leader, the BRICS mechanism is a major platform for promoting cooperation among countries in the Global South. In the coming days, this year’s BRICS summit will open in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro under the theme of “Strengthening Global South Cooperation for More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance.”
Xi’s April visit to the bank demonstrates his long-standing commitment to bolstering the solidarity and common development of the Global South, amplifying the role of over 6 billion people in a world fraught with uncertainty and challenges unseen in a century.
Chinese President Xi Jinping poses for a group photo with other leaders and representatives attending the “BRICS Plus” Dialogue in Kazan, Russia, Oct. 24, 2024. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei)
COLLECTIVE RISE
“The collective rise of the Global South is a distinctive feature of the great transformation across the world,” Xi observed when addressing the “BRICS Plus” Dialogue held in Kazan, Russia, in October last year.
Much more than a pure geographical or economic term, the Global South refers to a community of emerging markets and developing countries that share similar historical experiences, development stages and goals, and political pursuits.
The concept of “South” was first coined in Antonio Gramsci’s work “The Southern Question” written in 1926, in which the Italian Marxist philosopher highlighted the development gap between northern and southern Italy.
The rise of the Global South has been decades in the making. Back in 1955, the landmark Bandung Conference convened in Indonesia under the flag of solidarity, friendship and cooperation, marking the awakening of the Global South after centuries of Western colonial rule. In 1964, the Group of 77, a coalition of developing countries, was established in Geneva within the United Nations to promote South-South cooperation and form a new international economic order.
Through extensive cooperation, the countries of the Global South have emerged as a key driver of global growth. These countries have contributed as much as 80 percent of global growth over the past 20 years, with a share of global GDP increasing from 24 percent four decades ago to more than 40 percent today.
China, the world’s largest developing country, is a natural member of the Global South. In 2004, the United Nations Development Programme included China in its list of more than 130 Global South countries in a report titled “Forging a Global South.” Some Westerners have challenged China’s position that it is part of the Global South. In response, Xi has provided a clear answer.
“As a developing country and a member of the Global South, China breathes the same breath with other developing countries and pursues a shared future with them,” Xi once said.
Historically, China has suffered from Western colonialism and imperialism, much like other developing countries, said Cavince Adhere, a Kenya-based international relations scholar.
“Even today, despite inordinate success by Beijing to rise from the backwaters of development to be the second-largest economy in the world, as well as the first developing country to eliminate extreme poverty, China still faces common development challenges, and holds similar views regarding the current international order and global governance,” he added. “Because of this, China has emerged as a strong champion for the legitimate rights and interests of many Global South countries.”
Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and delivers a keynote speech at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Liu Bin)
LEAVING NO ONE BEHIND
Ahead of Xi’s state visit to Brazil late last year, the Portuguese edition of the book “Up And Out Of Poverty” was officially launched in Rio de Janeiro. The book, first published in 1992, outlines Xi’s perspectives on poverty eradication, local governance, reform and development when he worked in the formerly impoverished prefecture of Ningde in China’s southeastern Fujian province.
Poverty has long ranked atop among the problems facing the Global South. With Xi’s steadfast commitment and strong leadership, China has eradicated absolute poverty in its rural areas, a feat that no one had accomplished in China for thousands of years.
At the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro last year, Xi spoke with quiet conviction, recounting his lifelong dedication to poverty alleviation, from his time as a local official to his current role as China’s top leader.
In his speech, Xi said a weaker bird can start early and fly high. “If China can make it, other developing countries can make it too. This is what China’s battle against poverty says to the world,” he said.
Xi’s “weaker bird” metaphor originated from his book on poverty. His speech struck a chord with several foreign leaders, who asked the Chinese delegation whether they could share a copy of the speech.
The Chinese leader has placed great emphasis on development. For him, “development holds the master key to solving all problems,” particularly when the global development gap continues to widen. Over the years, Xi has also been active in rallying global efforts to put development back on the international agenda as a central priority.
When attending the general debate of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly in 2021 via video, Xi proposed the Global Development Initiative, an international policy framework to promote sustainable development around the world. To date, the initiative has garnered the support and participation of over 100 countries and 20 international organizations.
Intelligent equipment lifts containers at Chancay Port, Peru, on Nov. 14, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Mengxin)
To boost common development in the Global South, Xi has been promoting practical cooperation through major infrastructure projects within the Belt and Road Initiative. During his foreign visits over the years, Xi would launch or visit major projects, such as the Chancay Port in Peru, the Dushanbe No. 2 power plant in Tajikistan and the Colombo Port City in Sri Lanka. When hosting leaders of the Global South in Beijing, Xi would also discuss with them major projects for cooperation during their talks.
Xi believes that the Global South should be the main driving force for common development and that “On the path to modernization, no one, and no country, should be left behind.” He also supports countries of the Global South exploring paths of modernization tailored to their distinctive national conditions, rather than following Western development models.
Also at last year’s G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, Xi outlined eight measures in support of Global South cooperation, ranging from high-quality Belt and Road cooperation to boosting development in Africa. Months earlier, at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Beijing last year, Xi unveiled 10 partnership actions and granted zero-tariff treatment on all product categories to the least developed countries with which it has diplomatic relations.
An exhibitor (R) introduces African products to visitors during the fourth China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo at Changsha International Convention and Exhibition Center in Changsha, central China’s Hunan Province, June 13, 2025. (Xinhua/Chen Sihan)
Gu Qingyang, associate professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore, said, “China can play a positive role in the development of Global South countries,” adding that Chinese technology and expertise in industrial development can support the modernization of the Global South’s various regions.
EMPOWERING GLOBAL SOUTH IN INTERNATIONAL GOVERNANCE
As Xi once observed, in the face of global changes of the century, pursuing modernization and working for a more just and equitable international order are the sacred historic missions of Global South countries.
Xi described the BRICS countries as “leading members of the Global South,” calling for building BRICS into “a primary channel for strengthening solidarity and cooperation among Global South nations and a vanguard for advancing global governance reform.”
Since becoming Chinese president in 2013, Xi has always been a steadfast champion of BRICS cooperation. In Xiamen, he advocated for the “BRICS Plus” program at the 2017 BRICS summit, calling for more active participation from other emerging markets and developing nations. He played a crucial role in propelling the BRICS’ historic expansion in 2023, ushering in the era of greater BRICS cooperation.
Effective coordination between BRICS members and other countries in the Global South has been adding more bricks to the global governance architecture. The New Development Bank exemplifies this effort.
Xi said the bank serves as “an important emerging force in the international financial system,” which should work to “make the international financial system fairer and more equitable and effectively enhance the representation and say of emerging markets and developing countries.”
Aerial photo taken on Dec. 17, 2020 shows the headquarters building of BRICS New Development Bank (NDB) in east China’s Shanghai. (Xinhua/Fang Zhe)
Over the years, China, under Xi’s leadership, has taken concrete steps to advocate for developing countries, help Global South countries enhance their representation and voice in international governance, and promote a more just and equitable international order.
At the 2022 G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, China took the lead in supporting the African Union (AU)’s membership in the G20. In their meeting on the sidelines of the summit, then Senegalese President Macky Sall, who was also the AU chairperson that year, thanked Xi for being the first to publicly support the AU’s G20 membership.
The global leadership today remains lopsided, and rebalancing this skewed system is a shared imperative for both the Global North and South, said Paolo Magri, managing director and chair of the advisory board of the Italian Institute for International Political Studies, a think tank.
“Global South countries marching together toward modernization is monumental in world history and unprecedented in human civilization,” Xi said at the “BRICS Plus” Dialogue in Kazan, Russia, last year, while acknowledging that “the road to prosperity for the Global South will not be straight.”
“No matter how the international landscape evolves, we in China will always keep the Global South in our heart, and maintain our roots in the Global South,” Xi pledged.
Source: Jobs and Skills Australia
First in-depth look at jobs and skills in regional Australia identifies both barriers and opportunities
Linda
Source: Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association
Headline: Media release: Major Project Status for Bonaparte project recognises important role of CCS – Australian Energy Producers
The Federal Government’s awarding of Major Project Status to the INPEX-led Bonaparte Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) project acknowledges the potential of CCS to advance Australia’s low-carbon future.
Australian Energy Producers Chief Executive Samantha McCulloch said Industry and Innovation Minister Tim Ayres’ announcement was welcome recognition of the essential role of CCS in driving large-scale emissions reductions in Australia and the region.
“The granting of Major Project Status to the Bonaparte CCS project recognises CCS is a key technology in driving progress to net zero, and of Australia’s role as a global leader in this proven technology,” Ms McCulloch said.
“Australia has a comparative advantage in CCS, with world class geology, industry experience, and strong links with regional trading partners looking to collaborate on CCS.”
Australia already hosts two of the world’s largest operational CCS projects, Chevron’s Gorgon and Santos–Beach Energy’s Moomba projects, which together store the equivalent of taking one million cars off the road every year.
According to a Net Zero Australia study, Australia will need between two and 20 Moomba-scale CCS projects to be built each year between now and 2050 to reach net zero.
“CCS is essential for achieving climate goals, with the International Energy Agency, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and CSIRO all clear that there is no pathway to net zero without CCS,” Ms McCulloch said.
“CCS is particularly important for manufacturing, because without it industries like fertiliser and chemical production, steel, bricks and cement will find it harder and more expensive to reach net zero.”
“CCS is delivering significant emissions reductions in Australia today, and the oil and gas sector stands ready to work with other industries to deliver real emissions reductions.”
Australian Energy Producers NT Director David Slama said the announcement is a major win for the Territory.
“This proposed project has the potential to be a game-changer for the Northern Territory, bringing new jobs, investment, and emissions reduction opportunities,” Mr Slama said.
“It underscores the importance of the oil and gas industry to the Territory’s long-term economic growth and energy security.”
Media contact: 0434 631 511
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, July 3 (Xinhua) — The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China’s branch in Turkey has acquired the status of a clearing bank for yuan settlements, the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) said.
The regulator noted that this decision was made in accordance with the memorandum of understanding signed by the central banks of both countries.
Earlier, on June 13, the PBOC announced that the two banks had signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a clearing mechanism for yuan settlements in Turkey. Such a mechanism will facilitate the use of national currencies for cross-border settlements between enterprises and financial institutions in both countries, and will also further facilitate bilateral trade and investment procedures.
On the same day, the PBOC announced the extension of a bilateral currency swap agreement with the Central Bank of Turkey. The total amount of funds in it reached 35 billion yuan (approximately 4.88 billion US dollars), or 189 billion Turkish lira.
According to official data, China is currently Turkey’s largest trading partner in Asia and the third largest in the world. -0-
Source: Murray Darling Basin Authority
MARK LEVY: Minister, good morning to you.
JASON CLARE, MINISTER FOR EDUCATION: Good morning, mate.
LEVY: Look, I know this is not easy to talk about, but it’s an important conversation we need to have. And put simply, I mean, clearly, we’ve got a problem that needs to be addressed, Minister.
CLARE: Bang on. This is sickening stuff and it’s serious. It demands serious action from the Federal Government and from state and territory governments. I know it’s not easy to talk about, but we can’t turn away here. It’s too important. There are things that we’ve already done, but not enough and not fast enough. One of the reasons why, when Parliament comes back at the end of this month, I’ll introduce legislation to cut off funding to centres that aren’t up to scratch when it comes to safety and quality. This is the big weapon that the Federal Government can wield here. We fund child care centres. About 70 per cent of the funding to run them comes from taxpayers. And if they’re repeatedly not meeting the sort of safety and quality standards we need, then you’ve got to have the power to cut the funding off.
LEVY: What was your reaction, Minister, when you heard about the allegations levelled against these two men, these two vile humans in Victoria? And to think back to the case and the allegations and the offences that he pleaded guilty to involving Ashley Griffith, Australia’s worst paedophile. Did it make you sick like the rest of the country?
CLARE: It did. Of course it did. One of my friends is directly involved in this. One of my friends who lives in Victoria, her two girls are directly affected by this. She was one of the more than 1,000 parents the other day that got a notification saying that they need to get medical advice. You can imagine what she said to me, and I can’t repeat it on the radio, but she’s burning with rage and confusion about what she needs to do to keep her kids safe. I know how parents are feeling because they’ve told me. And it’s not just what’s happening in Victoria. I don’t want to speak specifically about that case because it’s before the court. But when that other mongrel was arrested in Queensland a couple of years ago, we commissioned a review into child safety across the country. It’s the reason why we’ve taken action on mobile phones and mandatory reporting, but it’s also the reason why we’ve got to do more here, whether it’s a national register of workers in these centres or whether it’s the sort of action that’s been recommended by the former NSW Ombudsman last week around CCTV and more and better information for parents. The honest answer, mate, is the work here will never be done and there will always be bad people that will try to break through the net. But that doesn’t mean that we don’t have to take action and that we don’t have to take action faster, because we do.
LEVY: I know you’ve said that you’ll be moving legislation when the Parliament returns, but. And this is not a Labor versus Liberal thing, this is not a Labor versus Coalition thing, right? I’m just sitting here expressing the anger of so many people who are, who are writing to me and talking to me about this. We had a Royal Commission into institutional responses to child sexual abuse in 2015, 10 years ago. It made a number of recommendations, including a nationally consistent working with children scheme, something that includes a national register of individuals working with children, particularly in out of home care settings. Yet we’ve seen nothing, not from your Government, nor the former Coalition Government. So, do politicians and those elected officials. And look, you’re the one that’s got to front up and answer these tough questions today, but do you all need to put your hand up and say, look, we’ve been sitting on our hands for too long and we’ve allowed this system to deteriorate to a point where innocent, defenceless children are being preyed upon.
CLARE: You’ve got to cough up and say it’s taken too bloody long. And that’s what I have said repeatedly about this. And to be fair when we sit around the table as Education Ministers, Labor and Liberal, we all agree it’s taken too bloody long, and we’re determined to act here. I can give you a long answer about how complicated this is, but to be honest, people listening don’t give a bugger about that. They don’t want excuses, they want action. And I spoke to the Attorney-General about this the other day. The Attorney-Generals across the country are leading work on Working with Children Checks. She agrees. If she was on the program now, she’d say exactly the same thing. We need to fix the Working with Children Checks. We need to make sure that the information goes from state to state and that if somebody’s criminal record changes, then it’s updated. Don’t think, though, that this is a silver bullet, because a lot of these mongrels you’re talking about here got a Working with Children Check, because at the time they didn’t have a criminal record. So, it’s not the only thing that needs fixing here. There’s a lot that needs to be done, but that’s one of them.
LEVY: There is one thing, though, I want to challenge you on, Minister. And earlier this week you announced that taking photos and videos of children on personal phones and devices will be restricted by early childhood education centres who adopt the new National Model Code and guidelines, code that’s now in place, but it’s voluntary. Why is it voluntary?
CLARE: The ban was put into the National Code last year. Voluntary from July but will become mandatory this year. Again, you’re not interested, and your listeners aren’t interested in the convoluted process to make this system mandatory. But it goes into regulations in a couple of months. Most centres are already doing it. All centres need to do it. Because we are doing this for a reason. All of the advice from the cops and from the regulator is that we’ve got to get the phones and the personal devices out of these centres. The only photos that mums and dads should be getting at lunchtime from their centre should be from the centre issued phone or the centre issued camera.
LEVY. So, it will become mandatory.
CLARE: Yes.
LEVY: Good. That’s good news. Because when I think about voluntary and you know, I’ve sat here, Minister, with respect, and I pointed to a Four Corners report recently and, you know, there were some horrifying examples of, you know, children being used as mops, babies being slapped, 3,000 babies and toddlers sent to hospital with injuries sustained in child care. Last year, more than 26,000 serious incidents reported. That’s a 27 per cent increase over the last three years. And I thought there shouldn’t be any voluntary nature about this, but it is going to be mandatory, well, that’s a good thing. I wanted to ask you as well. And I know we’re limited with time. There’s a call today by Louise Edmunds, a founding of the Independent Collective of Survivors, to ban men from working in this sector. I disagree with that. I’d be interested in your response as the Minister.
CLARE: I don’t think it’s the solution. You just mentioned the Four Corners report. Go back and look at that footage. It’s not men there, right? This is not just about blokes, it’s about people that work in our centres. If you go back and look at whether it’s the Royal Commission from 10 years ago or the child safety review that I kicked off, or the work that Chris Wheeler, the former Deputy Ombudsman, handed down last week, we know what we need to do. They’re not recommending that. What they’re saying is we need to toughen the penalties, improve the information for parents. Look at CCTV and the centres where they’re not up to scratch; introduce new laws to cut off funding where centres aren’t up to scratch; national register of all of the workers in this system because they move from state to state and fix the Working with Children Checks. They’re the sorts of things that Education Ministers discussed last Friday when I got people together to talk about this. And that’s the sort of work we’ve got to accelerate right now.
LEVY: All right, well, Minister, can I thank you for your strong comments this morning. We’ve got to follow those strong comments up with action, so you’ve got an open invitation. If there’s any updates you want to provide to myself and my listeners, you just give us a ring and jump on and let us know. This is such an important issue. We’re talking about innocent, defenceless children, babies. And I think there’s a lot of parents listening to you today saying this is all well and good, but we need to follow it up. So, we’re going to put it in your capable hands, and fingers crossed we can sort this out sooner rather than later because we don’t need these grubs preying on our children. Thanks so much for joining us.
CLARE: Thanks, mate, I appreciate it.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Freya Higgins-Desbiolles, Adjunct professor and adjunct senior lecturer in tourism management, University of South Australia
A media frenzy erupted over the recent Jeff Bezos “wedding of the century” in Venice.
Also notable were the public protests that showed tensions around tourism, especially mass tourism, are increasing. Leading the action was the activist collective No space for Bezos, which declared:
[This wedding] is at the expense of those who live, work, and study in this city [and who are] already faced with countless difficulties after years of mass tourism.
They complained Venice had been turned into a “private amusement park” for the rich. Locals were fighting for what they describe as a “living Venice”, not a tourism playground.
The backlash against overtourism is sparking protests across several countries. It has even prompted the US State Department to urge travellers to be cautious when heading to Europe this summer.
Local residents feel their communities are being reshaped to cater for visitors, and are pushing back against what they call the “touristification” of place.
Touristification describes a situation where locals fear their home towns and cities are being developed, designed and managed to attract and accommodate tourists.
This touristification process benefits commerce and industries that profit from catering to visitors. Everyone else misses out, or is literally pushed out by rising housing costs.
At the heart of this polarising issue are some key questions. Are such places “tourism destinations” or do they belong to the local people who live there? Whose interests should prevail when tourism growth exacerbates tensions?
These issues are being thoroughly investigated, including through a project I am involved in – Chronic Emergencies and Ecosocial Transformations in Touristified Coastal Spaces. Such research is focused on understanding the problems of tourism and co-designing solutions with communities.
Continual growth in tourism is one of the guiding principles the industry promotes. It is this “growth fetish” that is catalysing overtourism and unsustainability. This is when tourism exceeds the local social and ecological carrying capacity of a place.
It means there are simply too many tourists, and the impact is poorly managed.
The dynamics of overtourism are emerging in some Australian locations. This includes popular coastal destinations such as Byron Bay and small towns along the scenic Great Ocean Road.
Some places are overwhelmed by short-term overtourism. This may be the result of mega cruise ship visits or viral postings on social media, such as images of Western Australia’s popular pink lakes.
Byron Bay offers a telling example. It has evolved from a place attractive for alternative lifestyles, to a magnet for social media influencers and the location for the Netflix series Byron Baes.
As a result, Byron Bay is the epitome of overtourism in Australia. Local housing, for instance, is being sacrificed for holiday rentals, facilitated by agencies such as Airbnb.
Not surprisingly, there is growing local resistance to tourism overwhelming the sense of place.
If we aren’t careful, popular opposition to mass tourism will continue to grow here in Australia.
But whether we see the European phenomenon of touristification is harder to discern.
It may already be evident when environmental and social regulations are overturned to make development processes more friendly to the tourism industry.
Projects can be fast tracked if they are declared a high-priority “major development”, which allows governments to override restrictive regulations. Anti-red-tape rhetoric is clear in Queensland’s tourism strategy harnessing the growth power of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Another example of touristification may be when taxpayer-funded events are run for branding presence on a national or international stage rather, than for the benefit of the surrounding community.
For example, the South Australian government found itself in hot water when its tourism commission held a marketing event featuring a Sam Smith concert at d’Arenberg winery. Social media influencers were invited to attend – many from interstate with all expenses paid – but locals weren’t welcome.
It also occurs when public commons are appropriated for tourism purposes, including national parks and protected areas, public spaces and beaches.
Another example – again from South Australia – involves the decision to move the annual LIV Golf tournament to the Adelaide Parklands from 2028. The state government is being accused of a public land grab. The Adelaide community loves these heritage listed parklands and has resisted attempts to co-opt their use for private interests for decades.
Ultimately, in places like Venice, Bali and even in Byron Bay, local communities do not feel heard or empowered by tourism models which are focused on growth.
Their protest actions are designed to ensure their quality of life is not undermined in the process of catering to tourists. It is a struggle for reclaiming places as local people’s homes, rather than as tourist destinations.
While locations can be shared, tourism must be better managed so locals don’t find their homes unrecognisable – or even worse, find themselves displaced.
Freya Higgins-Desbiolles is a collaborator on a project led by colleagues at the University of the Balearic Islands entitled ‘Chronic Emergencies and Ecosocial Transformations in Touristified Coastal Spaces’. This article is part of the R+D+i PID2022-137648OB-C21 financed by MICIU/AEI/ 10.13039/501100011033 and by “ERDF, EU”.
– ref. Overtourism is reshaping communities in Europe – could Australia be next? – https://theconversation.com/overtourism-is-reshaping-communities-in-europe-could-australia-be-next-260173
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Delanie Woodlock, Senior research fellow, UNSW Sydney
Australians are reeling from the news that Victorian childcare worker Joshua Dale Brown has been charged with more than 70 offences against children, including rape.
As 1,200 children await results for sexually transmitted infections, a horror no parent should ever face, media commentary has begun to focus on how this case might have implications for male childcare workers.
Early childhood education is a heavily female-dominated field, and past inquiries into child sexual abuse by male educators have found that, in efforts to avoid appearing discriminatory, male workers are often subject to less scrutiny. This dynamic is compounded by efforts for gender balance in childcare, particularly for the perceived benefits of male role models.
Ironically, this fear of seeming biased can create the very conditions that offenders exploit – grooming colleagues, parents and children to commit abuse while hidden in plain sight.
While it is an uncomfortable fact to confront, research shows men with a sexual interest in children are disproportionately more likely to work with children, including in early education and care. Recent data show that one in 20 men in the Australian community are motivated offenders (individuals who reported both sexual interest in and offending against children). However, they are almost three times more likely to work with children compared to other men.
Unfortunately, systematic data on child sexual abuse in childcare settings are limited. However, existing findings align with the only comprehensive study conducted on this issue, which followed the highly publicised McMartin Preschool trial in the United States.
This study examined cases from 1983 to 1985, and identified 270 daycare centres where 1,639 children were found to have experienced substantiated sexual abuse. Although men made up only about 5% of childcare staff, they were responsible for 60% of the offences. The abuse was often severe, with 93% of victims subjected to some form of penetrative sexual violence.
Those who deliberately pursue employment with children to abuse them are often referred to as “professional perpetrators”. These individuals typically have multiple victims and pose a high risk of repeated harm.
In our current research on serial child sex offenders in childcare settings in Australia and internationally, we identified six cases involving between seven and 87 confirmed victims under the age of five. Five of the offenders were male and one was female. Together, they sexually abused at least 245 children.
There were striking similarities across these cases. Offenders primarily targeted pre-verbal children, evaded detection for long periods, and were only exposed through external investigations, most often related to the possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material.
Much like the details emerging from the case of Joshua Dale Brown in Victoria, none of these offenders was uncovered through internal safeguarding systems.
As is also alleged in the case of Brown, the perpetrators in our case studies were not isolated offenders. They were operating within online communities that normalise and reinforce abusive behaviour and the sharing of child sex abuse material of children who were in their care.
If, as some suggest, male workers are subject to close and sometimes unfair scrutiny, these cases highlight a troubling contradiction. Despite this purported scrutiny, child sexual abuse by male staff can and does occur over extended periods without detection in childcare settings. In fact, evidence from another case suggests staff are often hesitant to raise concerns about male colleagues for fear of being perceived as discriminatory.
It is important to highlight that although women comprise a small minority of child sexual abuse offenders, the reluctance to view women, particularly mothers, as potential perpetrators can also contribute to such abuse going undetected.
There also needs to be greater awareness of how these offenders infiltrate and groom institutions. In the case studies we analysed, offenders were seen as kind and competent workers. They were often friendly with management or held senior positions themselves, and would socialise outside of work with families whose children they cared for. Even when whistleblowers raised an alarm about the offenders, these concerns were often dismissed, with some offenders even being promoted.
While most child sexual abuse occurs within families, institutional abuse is no less serious. Unlike families, institutions that work with children can be effectively regulated, making such abuse entirely preventable through robust and consistently enforced safeguarding measures.
Since children under five may not be developmentally capable of reporting abuse, safeguards must be proactive and preventative. Childcare centres should implement surveillance measures in most areas and observe the “four eyes” rule, requiring at least two adults to be present during nappy changes and other care tasks. A strict no-phone policy could also reduce the risk of image-based offences.
Moreover, we must confront the uncomfortable truth that some men are drawn to work with children because of a sexual interest in them. Truly centring child protection in early education means prioritising children’s safety above profit, reputational concerns, and fears of appearing biased against men. Preventing child sexual abuse in childcare is not only possible, it is a collective responsibility we must all uphold.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. Childcare sexual abuse is mostly committed by men. Failing to recognise that puts children at risk – https://theconversation.com/childcare-sexual-abuse-is-mostly-committed-by-men-failing-to-recognise-that-puts-children-at-risk-260292
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