NewzIntel.com

Category: Asia Pacific

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Speech at 2025 Looking Ahead Infrastructure Symposium: Building Common Ground

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Opening 
     
    Good morning. It’s great to be here today for the release of the draft National Infrastructure Plan – or the NIP.
     
    I’d like to thank Raveen Jaduram, Geoff Cooper, and the entire team at the Infrastructure Commission for hosting this Symposium and for their hard work on putting the NIP together. 
     
    I’d also like to welcome you all to Parliament.
     
    Improving how we plan, fund, maintain and build our infrastructure is critical to lifting productivity, boosting economic growth, and increasing peoples’ living standards.
     
    The government has made infrastructure a top priority.
     
    So, I welcome today’s draft report by the independent Infrastructure Commission.
     
    We need a Plan, and action
     
    As Minister for Infrastructure, I hear regularly that – “what New Zealand needs is a long-term infrastructure plan that transcends political cycles”. 
     
    I agree – a plan will give the private sector more certainty so that they can invest in people and equipment. It will also help New Zealanders build consensus on what our future infrastructure system should look like.
     
    But a plan is only as good as it’s execution. So, the NIP will only be successful if it is – at least in part – accepted and adopted across successive governments over the long term. 
     
    As I’m sure most of you know, this isn’t our first plan; we have been here before. New Zealand had infrastructure plans in 2010, 2011, and 2015.
     
    Some recommendations in these older plans are identical to those put forward in this Plan – over a decade later. 
     
    I’m thinking of things like agencies completing 10-year capital plans and making better use of pricing tools.
     
    What differentiates this Plan is that it has been developed independently by the Infrastructure Commission – separate from the Government of the day.
     
    The NIP is not this Government’s Plan, it is New Zealand’s Plan. 
     
    That is why each political party represented in Parliament was offered a briefing on the NIP last year. And I would like to thank the opposition spokespeople for infrastructure for being here today.
     
    Building greater consensus on infrastructure is, unfortunately, not as simple as different political parties getting in a room and convincing each other of the other’s view.
     
    That’s not realistic. Instead, consensus will be enabled by strong system and institutions, robust investment frameworks, high-quality evidence of our infrastructure needs, and advocacy for projects and policies from a better-informed public.
     
    That’s what this Plan is about – independent experts advising New Zealand on the current state of infrastructure, what we need in the future, and the projects and policy reforms that will bridge this gap in the most effective and value for money way.
     
    People often say we need a bipartisan infrastructure pipeline, as if that will solve all problems.
     
    We do have a robust infrastructure pipeline. The Commission has been running it for over five years, and it’s been progressively improved over that time.
     
    The Pipeline includes over 8,000 initiatives underway and in planning from 114 contributing organisations. It represents over $200 billion in investment value – with over $110 billion of the Pipeline having a funding source confirmed. 
     
    I can’t claim to speak for all the parties in Parliament, but I suspect that almost all of the projects underway right now are supported by everyone. 
     
    It’s the high profile and high-cost disagreements that make the headlines. But it’s the low profile and often low-cost projects that actually make New Zealand.
    A lot of people don’t know we have a pipeline. It’s actually really cool – you can go online and search projects by region, timeline, project status, project value, provider, procurement type, and much more. 
     
    The Commission is strengthening the Pipeline by aiming to cover all infrastructure providers. There are 14 laggard councils who aren’t contributing, and I’ll be writing to them to get them on board. Having visibility over everything that’s happening, and going to happen, is very important.
     
    But I reckon we need to move away from the rhetoric of needing a bipartisan pipeline and instead build bipartisan consensus on the idea that governments of all flavours should use best-practice to plan, select, fund and finance, deliver, and look after infrastructure.
     
    That’s not the case at the moment.
     
    We need change
     
    It is quite clear that our infrastructure system needs to change. It’s one of my biggest takeaways from our first 18 months in government. I’ve been shocked at the near systemic neglect of the underlying institutional settings and policy frameworks. 
     
    Contrary to many perceptions, New Zealand spends a lot on infrastructure. 
     
    We are in the top 10 per cent of the OECD for infrastructure investment over the last decade – but in the bottom 10 per cent when it comes to getting quality and “bang for buck” from our spending. 
    The cause of our problem is not isolated – it is spread across every stage of a project’s life, across different players in the system, and is perpetuated by decades of poor practice across successive governments. 
     
    Over the last few years, New Zealanders have seen and felt the consequences of poor practice including:

    assets that are wearing out and failing,
    project cost blowouts,
    poor value for money investments, and
    a growing infrastructure deficit.  

     
    If we keep doing things the way we are now, we won’t be able to deal with “business as usual”, let alone get a grip on the challenges we are facing like:

    a significant backlog of maintenance and renewal activity,
    population change,
    natural hazards,
    and global inflation. 

     
    To put this in perspective – over the next 30 years, every year, central government’s existing infrastructure assets is expected to wear out by $9.3 billion.
     
    To keep up with this and other challenges, as the Commission says, we need to “lift our game”.
     
    Taking action
     
    Over the last 18 months I’ve been focused on six priorities as Infrastructure Minister:
     
     

    Developing a 30-year National Infrastructure Plan,
    Establishing National Infrastructure Funding and Financing Ltd (NIFFCo),
    Improving infrastructure funding and financing
    Improving the consenting framework
    Improving education and health infrastructure, and
    Strengthening asset management.

     
    I didn’t pick these priorities randomly. They reflect findings and recommendations from the Infrastructure Commission’s Infrastructure Strategy, developed in 2022, and are also based on a big programme of work we undertook in opposition engaging with experts from here and overseas.
     
    I am really pleased to see that many of the recommendations of the draft NIP reflect these priorities. This indicates that as a government we’re heading in the right direction.
     
    I want to mention a few in particular as they pick up on a few themes coming through in the draft NIP.
     
    Improving infrastructure funding and financing 
     
    Let’s start with improving infrastructure funding and financing. 
     
    Public infrastructure in New Zealand has historically been primarily funded by taxpayers or ratepayers. 
     
    But our reliance on this blunt approach is not serving us well and has led to perverse outcomes including congestion, run-down assets, and the unresponsive provision of enabling infrastructure – contributing to unaffordable housing.
     
    Last year, we released a suite of new and improved frameworks and guidance including:
     

    Treasury’s new Funding and Financing framework,
    The Government’s refreshed PPP policy,
    Strategic Leasing Guidance, and
    Guideline for Market Led Proposals. 

     
    The purpose of these documents is to help the Government use its balance sheet more strategically, apply good commercial disciplines to investment, and be a more sophisticated client of infrastructure. 
     
    This year, I have focused on establishing new funding and financing tools. In February, I announced five specific changes to New Zealand’s funding and financing toolkit to make it easier for councils and central government to provide infrastructure to support urban growth. 
     
    I won’t cover these in detail today, but the key takeaway is that we are moving to a system and to tools where councils can fully recover the costs of housing growth, and where infrastructure providers can recover costs of significant and city-shaping projects.  
     
    I am happy to see the draft National Infrastructure Plan make recommendations that align with our Government’s direction on funding and financing – such as making better use of pricing, user charging, and beneficiary pays.
     
    Improving the consenting framework
     
    Secondly, our consenting environment.
     
    As successive reports from the Commission have noted, our consenting system for infrastructure is broken.
     
    It takes too long and costs way too much.
     
    We are on track to replace the RMA with new legislation next year. Our new system will be effects based, embrace standardisation, and be far more permissive and enabling – while also protecting the environment. 
     
    We also aren’t willing to wait for a growth-enabling planning system, so in the meantime, last year we introduced the Fast Track Approvals Act. It’s underway now.
     
    We’re consulting right now on a big programme of National Direction changes under the RMA, including developing a National Policy Statement on Infrastructure. It’s baffling that we haven’t had one.
     
    We are also progressing our second RMA amendment Bill, which will pass into law in a matter of weeks. 
     
    This Bill is a precursor to full replacement of the RMA and will make it quicker and simpler to consent renewable energy and boost housing supply.
     
    Strengthening asset management 
     
    Lastly, before we move onto the draft Plan – I want to talk about my strengthening asset management.
     
    Asset management may not be the sexiest aspect of the infrastructure system – as it has to compete with new, big, and exciting projects – but everyone knows, if you don’t paint the weatherboards on your house, the wood will rot. 
     
    And billion-dollar infrastructure is fundamentally no different.
     
    Last year, I was shocked and quite frankly embarrassed to hear that New Zealand ranks fourth to last in the OECD for asset management, and dead last for the metric on Accountability and Professionalism. 
     
    But this is not surprising when you look at the performance of our central government investment system.
     
    Over half of all capital-intensive government agencies do not have robust, comprehensive asset registers or asset management plans in place. Maintenance spending is also regularly diverted to building new infrastructure, resulting in costly catch-up spending later. 
     
    Years of poor asset management has led to leaky hospitals and schools, mould in police stations and courthouses, service outages on commuter rail, and poor accommodation for Defence Force personnel and their families. 
     
    This is not good enough.
     
    In May this year, Cabinet agreed to a comprehensive work programme that will improve asset management practice across central government.
     
    The aim of this work is to provide safer, longer lasting and more reliable and resilient infrastructure services; and to achieve better value for money by making the most of what we have.
     
    This work programme will take place across two phases and will be led by Treasury and the Infrastructure Commission. 
     
    Phase 1 is about giving agencies better tools to help them succeed. This includes detailed guidance that agencies will need to follow on asset management; long-term planning; and related performance, assurance, and accountability indicators
     
    Phase 2 is about driving more fundamental changes to system settings and will actually be informed by the National Infrastructure Plan – particularly Chapters 4, Setting up Infrastructure for Success; and Chapter 5, Driving Excellence from the Core.
     
    Draft National Infrastructure Plan
     
    So, let’s talk about the National Infrastructure Plan. 
     
    I haven’t had a chance to read the document in full as it was released today – but three things instantly stood out to me:
     

    The first is the Needs Analysis, or “Forward Guidance”,
    The second is the Infrastructure Priorities Programme, which InfraCom has put in Chapter 6, and
    The third is how we can change the Investment Management System to get better infrastructure outcomes.

     
    Forward guidance
     
    On the Forward Guidance, it was interesting to see how our investment mix will need to change to meet future demand. 
     
    While total spend on infrastructure will increase, the relative priority between sectors will change overtime. 
    This is due to long-term trends that boost demand for some infrastructure and reduce it for others. For example, an aging population will increase relative demand for healthcare and hospitals; and decrease relative demand for education services and schools. 
     
    The Commission suggests that over the next 30 years hospitals, social housing, and electricity and gas sectors should all experience a rising share of infrastructure investment.
     
    I also found it helpful that the Commission’s Forward Guidance outlines a rough indication of how much we should expect to be spending by sector.
     
    In my view, forward guidance would be significantly strengthened in future if all agencies had provided the Commission with 10-year capital investment plans and asset management plans. This way, the Commission could provide more detailed and specific guidance on what bundle of projects across all sectors governments should be prioritising. 
     
    Infrastructure Priorities Programme 
     
    Moving on to the Infrastructure Priorities Programme, or the IPP – which is a structured independent review of unfunded infrastructure proposals. 
     
    The IPP is just starting out and it will take some time to scale and provide a robust investment menu, but I am glad to see the Commission received 48 submissions for their first round of evaluations.
     
    17 projects were positively endorsed, and three projects have been identified as being ‘investment ready’ – these are New Zealand Defence Forces’ Accommodation, Messing, and Dining Modernisation Project; Defence Forces’ Ohakea Base Project; and Hamilton City Council’s Ruakura Eastern Transport Corridor.
     
    I encourage all government agencies to submit their significant projects and programmes to the IPP. 
     
    A positive independent review will strengthen your case for investment.
     
    Improving the Investment Management System 
     
    Lastly, there are a number of recommendations in the draft Plan that aim to improve the Government’s investment system – which is made up of the rules and processes for how we plan, prioritise, fund and finance, delivered, and looked after investments – including infrastructure.
     
    For our Government to boost productivity, reduce the cost of living, and lift peoples’ prosperity, we need to get better value for money from our new infrastructure and do a better job at looking after our existing assets.   
     
    So, I am open to hearing about stronger rules such as legislative requirements for central government agencies and entities to prepare and publish long-term asset management plan, asset registers, and investment plans. 
     
     
    I am also open to legislative requirements for performance reporting to keep central government infrastructure entities accountable – like we do for regulated utilities and local government, who both face much stronger regulations and information disclosures requirements compared to central government. 
     
    We need to stop holding others to a higher standard than we do ourselves. 
     
    Overall, I am pleased to see the draft Plan makes recommendations that align with existing Government priorities, such as:

    making better use of user pricing to fund investment,
    adopting spatial planning,
    relaxing land-use restrictions,
    transport system reform,
    prioritising infrastructure through the resource management system, and
    drastically improving asset management. 

     
    The Government will continue to advance these policy priorities, and we will benefit from insights from the Plan. 
     
    The final National Infrastructure Plan will be given to me by the end of 2025. As the Plan is an independent Strategy report, the Government will provide a formal response to the Plan in 2026. 
     
    As part of that response, I will be engaging with other political parties in Parliament, and I intend to ask the Business Committee to hold a special Parliamentary debate on the final Plan early next year. 
     
    Conclusion
     
    I’d like to finish by thanking the Infrastructure Commission for its hard work in delivering this draft National Infrastructure Plan.
     
    I encourage everyone including agencies, local government, opposition parties, the private sector, the public to have their say on the draft Plan through the consultation process – and I look forward to receiving the final Plan by the end of this year.
     
    ENDS

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Dendy pays penalties for alleged ‘drip pricing’ practices

    Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development

    Dendy Cinema Pty Ltd has paid a $19,800 penalty after the ACCC issued it with an infringement notice for allegedly failing to prominently show the total price, as a single figure, of movie tickets it sold online, in a practice commonly known as ‘drip-pricing’.

    The ACCC alleges that Dendy breached the Australian Consumer Law by failing to prominently display the total single price for tickets, including the unavoidable per ticket booking fee, at the earliest opportunity in the booking process.

    Instead, Dendy displayed prices that did not include the unavoidable per ticket booking fee, and did not display a total price for tickets until consumers reached the final stages of the online transaction.

    “Businesses must be upfront about the total minimum quantifiable price of a product or service,” ACCC Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe said.

    “Consumers are sometimes lured into purchases they would not otherwise have made when businesses display only part of the price upfront and reveal the total price only towards the end of the purchasing process.

    “By initially only displaying part of the total price for a movie ticket, Dendy has reduced the ability of consumers to make an informed purchasing decision,” Ms Lowe said.

    The ACCC is also looking at pricing practices in the cinema industry more broadly to ensure that per ticket booking fees are being presented in a way that complies with the pricing obligations under the Australian Consumer Law.

    “We encourage all businesses to review their online pricing practices to ensure they are complying with their obligations under the law, including providing the total minimum quantifiable price of products and services in their advertising and at the earliest opportunity in the booking process,” Ms Lowe said.

    One of the ACCC’s Compliance and Enforcement Priorities for 2025-26 is ‘misleading surcharging practices and other add on costs’.

    Further information about pricing is available on the ACCC website at Price Displays.

    Background

    Dendy operates 52 screens across six cinemas in NSW, QLD, and the ACT.

    The total minimum quantifiable price is the lowest amount that a consumer could pay, including any mandatory fees or pre-selected optional fees, that can be determined at the time of stating the price.

    In November 2024, the ACCC took legal action against online travel booking site Webjet Marketing Pty Ltd for allegedly making false and misleading representations to consumers about flight prices and bookings. The ACCC alleged Webjet breached the Australian Consumer Law when it made statements about the minimum price of airfares which omitted compulsory fees.

    Note to editors

    The ACCC can issue an infringement notice when it has reasonable grounds to believe a person or business has contravened certain consumer protection provisions in the Australian Consumer Law (ACL).

    The payment of a penalty specified in an infringement notice is not an admission of a contravention of the ACL. The ACL sets the penalty amount.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Secretary-General of ASEAN meets the Minister Delegate to the Head of Government in Charge of the Administration of National Defense of Morocco

    Source: ASEAN

    Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, met with the Minister Delegate to the Head of Government in Charge of the Administration of National Defense of Morocco, Abdeltif Loudyi, in Rabat, on 24 June 2025. They exchanged views on security issues, the work of the ASEAN defence sector, and potential future engagements.

    Please credit: Administration of National Defense of Morocco
    The post Secretary-General of ASEAN meets the Minister Delegate to the Head of Government in Charge of the Administration of National Defense of Morocco appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sullivan, Cramer, & Messmer Introduce New GOLDEN DOME Legislation

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alaska Dan Sullivan

    06.24.25

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), and Representative Mark Messmer (R-Ind.)— members of the Senate and House Armed Services Committees—hosted a press conference today with their colleagues announcing the introduction of their legislation, the Ground and Orbital Launched Defeat of Emergent Nuclear Destruction and Other Missile Engagements (GOLDEN DOME) Act. The GOLDEN DOME Act authorizes more than $23 billion to begin developing a modernized, layered homeland missile defense system that can counter, detect, track, and defeat existing and evolving threats as envisioned by President Donald Trump in his January 27, 2025 executive order.

    Click here or the image above to watch the full press conference.

    “The escalating missile threats we’ve witnessed from the Iranian terrorist regime and the rapidly evolving missile threats from Russia and China demonstrate why we need to develop a robust, modernized missile defense system to protect the entire country—which the GOLDEN DOME Act will do,” said Sen. Sullivan. “The three prongs of successful policy in D.C. are presidential leadership, appropriated funding and comprehensive authorizing legislation. We have all three of these elements behind this historic Golden Dome initiative. President Trump has, for years, going back to his first term, driven the vision of a layered, open architecture missile defense system. Congress is stepping up with a down payment appropriation of $25 billion in the reconciliation bill. And now, we are introducing the GOLDEN DOME Act to cement this vision in law. The GOLDEN DOME Act will incorporate space-based sensors and new intercept technologies, significantly expand and modernize existing infrastructure, like the ground-based missile interceptor fields at Alaska’s Fort Greely and North Dakota’s PARCS radar system, and enhance all-domain awareness to counter, detect, track, and defeat potential missile threats. The great State of Alaska has been—and will continue to be—the cornerstone of our missile defense system. I look forward to working with my colleagues in both the House and the Senate to get this important legislation to President Trump’s desk to better secure the homeland.”

    “Our adversaries have developed more advanced long-range weapons over the last couple of decades, posing a significant threat to our national security,” said Sen. Cramer. “We have to act in order to defend against the evolving and complex threat landscape. Senator Sullivan and I introduced the GOLDEN DOME Act to build a layered missile defense system, which protects our homeland from catastrophic attacks from modern missiles. Our bill puts the legislative muscle behind President Trump’s executive order to support his innovative vision of protecting our great nation from current and future threats. The Golden Dome is great for America, great for North Dakota, and great for Alaska. The time is now to prioritize the defense of the United States by modernizing our missile defense infrastructure.”

    “In a world where hostile adversaries like Russia and China present an ever-present nuclear threat, America must stand ready to prevent nuclear weapons from harming our citizens,” said Rep. Messmer. “The Golden Dome Act fulfills President Trump’s initiative to keep America safe with this state of the art missile defense shield.”

    Specifically, the GOLDEN DOME Act is focused on enhancing the all-domain awareness of the U.S missile defense system, bolstering the capacity of U.S. missiles and drones to defend against threats from rogue nations as well as near-peer nations, and accelerating the development of new capabilities to keep pace with future threats, particularly from hypersonics and cruise missiles.

    This legislation is cosponsored in the Senate by Sens. John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Jim Banks (R-Ind.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), and Tim Scott (R-SC).

    The introduction of the GOLDEN DOME Act was also reported on in an exclusive story today by Charles Creitz in Fox News Digital.

    ‘Golden Dome’ comprehensive weapons defenses in the works as lawmakers make Trump dream a reality

    By: Charles Creitz

    June 24, 2025

    EXCLUSIVE –With the Iran situation intensifying, senators will put forward a bill Tuesday that creates the “Golden Dome” missile defense system modeled off Israel’s Iron Dome that President Donald Trump asked for at the beginning of his term.

    Sens. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, and Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., came together to craft the Ground & Orbital Launched Defeat of Emergent Nuclear Destruction and Other Missile Engagements (Golden Dome) Act, a $21 billion congressional authorization split among more than two dozen individual defensive strategies.

    It comes after Trump ordered in January that a defense system be realized in response to the “threat of attack by ballistic, hypersonic, and cruise missiles, and other advanced aerial attacks.” Trump later confirmed his plan to seek construction of the Golden Dome at a May White House appearance with Sullivan.

    “The escalating missile threats we’ve witnessed from the Iranian terrorist regime and the rapidly evolving hypersonic, cruise missile and drone threats from Russia, China, and other adversaries demonstrate why we need to develop a robust, modernized missile defense system to protect the entire country—which the Golden Dome Act will do,” Sullivan told Fox News Digital.

    “The three prongs of successful policy in D.C. are presidential leadership, appropriated funding and comprehensive authorizing legislation.”

    Trump’s order cited former President Ronald Reagan’s so-called “Star Wars” plan to build laser-based nuclear defense systems against the Soviet Union, while Sullivan and Cramer took a big step Tuesday toward creating something even more comprehensive.

    Similar to “Star Wars,” the Golden Dome plan calls for the development and deployment of space-based weapons sensors, as well as research into another orbital component, Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture.

    Sullivan’s state of Alaska is home to some of North America’s most important extant defense systems, particularly at Clear Space Force Base near Fairbanks and Fort Greely in Delta Junction.

    The latter is home to Alaska Army National Guard members who provide “operational control and security for the nation’s ground-based interceptors,” according to Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy. There are about 80 interceptors at-the-ready at Fort Greely.

    The Golden Dome plan builds on such defenses, by creating, maintaining and/or revitalizing other sites as well, including the Cobra Dane – a land-based “passive electronically scanned array” radar system positioned in the Aleutian Chain.

    “Alaska is a big part of [missile defense] because the location is sort of perfect,” Trump said. As both the easternmost and westernmost state in the union, Alaska is also the commercial and defensive gateway to Asia, state officials have noted.

    …..

    “We have to act in order to defend against the evolving and complex threat landscape. Senator Sullivan and I introduced the GOLDEN DOME Act to build a layered missile defense system, which protects our homeland from catastrophic attacks from modern missiles,” Cramer said.

    Rep. Mark Messmer, R-Ind., who will lead companion legislation in the House, added that the U.S. “must stand ready to prevent nuclear weapons from harming our citizens.”

    Click here to read the full article.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy, Blumenthal, Democratic Caucus Introduce Bill to Restore Abortion Access Nationwide on 3rd Anniversary of Roe Being Overturned

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

    June 24, 2025

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) today, on the third anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, joined the entire Democratic caucus in introducing the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2025, legislation to guarantee access to abortion everywhere across the country and restore the right to comprehensive reproductive health care for millions of Americans. The bill’s introduction comes as the Trump Administration further attacks a woman’s right to choose and Congressional Republicans barrel ahead with a bill that defunds Planned Parenthood. Put together, Trump and Congressional Republicans’ assault on Americans’ reproductive rights is a backdoor national abortion ban, ripping away millions of women’s access to abortion care and right to control their bodies.   

    “In the three years since Roe was overturned, newly enacted, draconian abortion bans have put women’s lives at risk all over the country. Women – not politicians or radical right-wing judges – should be in charge of decisions about their health care, but Donald Trump and Republicans are hellbent on chipping away at women’s reproductive rights so they can eventually pass a nationwide abortion ban. This legislation would stop Republicans from turning back the clock on women’s freedom in this country and restore the right to reproductive health care,” said Murphy.

    “This issue is about more than health care; it is about women’s rights, individual rights, and human rights. The foundation of the Women’s Health Protection Act is simply the right to make your own health care decisions. Three years after Dobbs, American women don’t have that right. Today, thanks to Republican lawmakers and conservative courts, a woman in America might walk into an ER and faint, bleeding, and be refused treatment. That woman might die,” said Blumenthal. “By restoring abortion access and implementing basic protections against medically unnecessary restrictions on health care, the Women’s Health Protection Act overturns the death sentence handed down by Dobbs.”

    President Trump appointed the Supreme Court Justices who ruled in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case to overturn Roe v. Wade and nearly 50 years of precedent. Since the Dobbs decision, 19 states have banned abortion or severely restricted women from being able to access the procedure, leaving one in three American women without access to safe, legal abortion care. Additionally, state legislatures across the country have introduced hundreds of bills to include medically unnecessary restrictions that limit access to abortion care.

    In his second term, President Trump has continued to relentlessly attack reproductive rights, including freezing Title X funding for clinics that offer reproductive care, cutting Biden-era emergency abortion protections, pardoning anti-abortion extremists, and fighting to defund Planned Parenthood. Additionally, the House-passed Republican budget bill kicks 16 million people off their health insurance and defunds Planned Parenthood – threatening the closure of 200 health centers across the country and putting access to vital reproductive care for millions of families at risk.

    The Women’s Health Protection Act creates federal rights for patients and providers to protect abortion access. Specifically, the Women’s Health Protection Act would:

    • Prohibit states from imposing restrictions that jeopardize access to abortion earlier in pregnancy, including many of the state-level restrictions in place prior to Dobbs, such as arbitrary waiting periods, medically unnecessary mandatory ultrasounds, or requirements to provide medically inaccurate information.
    • Ensure that later in pregnancy, states cannot limit access to abortion if it would jeopardize the life or health of the mother.
    • Protect the ability to travel out of state for an abortion, which has become increasingly common in recent years.

    U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) also cosponsored the bill.

    Full text of the bill is available HERE. A one-pager on the bill is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Farm-to-forest Ban passes first reading

    Source: New Zealand Government

    The Government has taken a major step towards protecting food production by ending the large-scale conversion of productive farmland into pine plantations, with the first reading of the Climate Change Response (Emissions Trading Scheme—Forestry Conversion) Amendment Bill receiving unanimous support in Parliament last night.

    “This Bill is about protecting our most valuable land that grows food for export and sustains rural communities,” Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay says. 

    “For too long, ETS incentives have driven the wrong outcomes for our rural sector.”

    “Once farms are planted in trees as a result of carbon credits we lose the ability to produce the high-quality safe food that consumers demand – and we lose rural jobs, export earnings, and the families that go with them. Today we are putting a stop to the harm that this has done to rural New Zealand.”

    The Bill will:

    • Prevent exotic forests from entering the ETS on LUC 1–5 land (New Zealand’s most productive soil);
    • Limit new ETS registrations on LUC 6 land to 15,000 hectares per year, allocated by ballot;
    • Allow up to 25 per cent of a farm to go into the ETS, preserving landowner choice while ending full-farm conversions;
    • Protect eligible Māori-owned land, and provide time-limited exemptions for pre-announced investments.

    The Bill includes temporary exemptions where an investor can provide evidence of a qualifying forestry investment between 1 January 2021 and 4 December 2024. For instance, the purchase of land and ordering of trees prior to 4 December 2024 would be an example of proof of a qualifying investment, whilst each of these actions alone would not. 

    “The last Government sat back while 300,000 hectares of farmland were sold off for carbon credits. That short-sighted policy puts ideology ahead of long-term food security. We’re reversing that damage.”

    The new settings will take effect from 4 December 2024, with the law coming fully into force in October 2025.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Fixing double dips for boarder and rent payments

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Legislation fixing the inconsistent treatment of boarder and rental payments has been passed into law in Parliament today. 
    The Social Assistance Legislation (Accommodation Supplement and Income-related Rent) Amendment Bill and the supporting legislation of the Social Security (Mandatory Reviews) Amendment Bill has addressed the inconsistent treatment of board and rent payments around housing subsidies.
    “This has been an unnecessarily complicated and confusing system,” says Minister for Social Development and Employment Louise Upston.
    “This legislative change means that from March 2026, payments from boarders and renters will be treated equally when considering housing assistance.
    “These common-sense changes were signalled in Budget 2024. The changes don’t take effect until March 2026, meaning recipients will have time to provide information about any boarders they have.”
    Currently, if people have only one or two boarders, board payments aren’t included when MSD calculates housing subsidies — unless it’s their main source of income. This can result in the Government subsidising the same accommodation costs more than once. 
    In contrast, rent payments received are included when calculating a person’s eligibility for housing subsidies.
    “This change supports our Government’s aim of ensuring our public services are fiscally sustainable and effective. 
    “We believe that those who have a genuine need should be able to get the help they require while ensuring consistency across MSD payments,” Louise Upston says.
    Passed this morning, the Social Security (Mandatory Reviews) Amendment Bill introduces mandatory reviews of some specified benefits. These reviews will require MSD to check in and confirm a client’s eligibility and rate of benefit at least once a year. 
    Clients must confirm if they are receiving any contributions from boarders, as well as any other circumstances which may impact their eligibility and rate of benefit, like their income.
    Some aspects of the mandatory reviews will use Automated Decision-Making so MSD staff can focus on supporting people in to work.
    Notes for Editors 
    From 2 March 2026, payments from all boarders will be included when MSD:

    calculates how much a person can get for housing subsidies (e.g. Accommodation Supplement or Temporary Additional Support), and
    calculates the Income Related Rent (IRR) for a social housing tenant in a social housing property.

    Additionally, if the total board and rent a person receives exceeds their total accommodation costs (or market rent for social housing tenants), the excess amount will be considered as income for other MSD assistance. 
    The housing subsidies that will be impacted from 2 March 2026 are:

    Accommodation Supplement
    Income-Related Rent Subsidy
    Accommodation Benefit for students who are sole parents
    Away from Home Allowance
    Temporary Additional Support
    Special Benefit.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Name release, fatal crash, Millers Flat, Otago

    Source: New Zealand Police

    Name release, Millers Flat, Otago

    Police can now release the name of the woman who died following a crash on farmland at Millers Flat, Central Otago.

    She was 41-year-old Kirsty Marie Hall, of Central Otago.

    Our thoughts are with her family and those close to her at this difficult time.

    Enquiries into the circumstances of the crash are ongoing.

    The death will be referred to the Coroner.

    ENDS

    Issued by the Police Media Team

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Aussie uni commencements bounce back big time

    Source: Murray Darling Basin Authority

    After years of decline, the number of Australians getting a crack at university are bouncing back.

    When you take out the two COVID years, this year looks set to be the biggest year for Australians commencing an undergraduate or postgraduate university degree on record.

    Preliminary data for 2024 shows around 390,000 domestic students began a degree – a 3.7 per cent increase on 2023.

    This includes more than 20,000 new starters in nursing degrees (a 3 per cent increase) and more than 25,000 new starters in teaching degrees (a 9 per cent increase).

    Early, year to date figures for 2025 suggest that growth is continuing with commencements up another 3 per cent compared to the same time in 2024.

    This reverses the trend seen since 2017, excluding the COVID years, where the number of domestic students commencing an undergraduate or postgraduate degree have been steadily falling.

    Source: Higher Education Statistics – Student Data

    Notes: 2024 data are preliminary. Final, official statistics may vary. 2025 data are a preliminary forecast based on year-to-date (YTD) May 2025 data.  Final, full year 2025 data may differ if YTD May growth is not sustained at previous levels throughout the academic year.

    In addition, over 14,000 students have taken up Fee-Free Uni Ready courses this year.

    Fee-Free Uni Ready courses are short courses that help prepare people for university, acting as a bridge between school or work and higher education.

    Quotes attributable to Minister for Education Jason Clare:

    ‘We need more people with more skills. That means more people finishing schools and more people going to TAFE or uni, or both.

    “The Universities Accord sets a target that by 2050, 80 per cent of workers will have a TAFE or university qualification.

    “To hit that target, we need to break down that invisible barrier that stops a lot of Australians from disadvantaged backgrounds, from the regions and the outer suburbs from getting a crack at uni and succeeding when they get there.

    “That requires reform across the entire education system. That’s what the fully funding of our public schools is about. It’s also what the new funding system for our universities, that will roll out next year, is about.

    “That will deliver demand-driven funding for equity students and needs based funding ensuring students get the academic and wrap-around supports they need to succeed at university.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI: JOYY Achieves Top Rankings in Extel’s 2025 Asia Executive Team Survey

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SINGAPORE, June 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — JOYY Inc. (NASDAQ: JOYY) (“JOYY” or the “Company”), a global technology company, has been acknowledged as a “Most Honored Company” by Extel, formerly known as Institutional Investor Research, in its 2025 Asia Companies’ Executive Team Survey.

    JOYY earned top positions in the Overall Asia (ex-Japan/ANZ) Executive Team Small & Mid-Cap category in the internet sector across all seven evaluated areas: Best CEO, Best CFO, Best ESG, Best Board of Directors, Best IR Team, Best IR Professional, and Best IR Program. This is the seventh consecutive year that JOYY has been featured in the rankings, demonstrating excellence in the Company’s executive leadership, corporate governance and investor relations.

    Ms. Li Ting, Chairperson and CEO of JOYY, was ranked No. 1 in Best CEO in the Small & Mid-Cap Internet sector. Mr. Alex Liu, the Vice President of Finance, secured top positions in the Best CFO category. JOYY achieved the highest ranking in Best IR Program, which is defined by nine key attributes including the quality of roadshows and meetings, comprehensive business and market knowledge, and timely and granular disclosure practices.

    The Extel Asia Executive Team survey is regarded as a trusted benchmark for excellence in investor relations and corporate governance. The 2025 rankings are based on feedback from 5,437 buy-side professionals and 863 sell-side analysts. A total of 1,668 companies across 18 sectors were evaluated.

    About JOYY Inc.
    JOYY is a leading global technology company with a mission to enrich lives through technology. With a diversified product portfolio spanning live streaming, short-form videos, casual games, instant messaging, and emerging initiatives like advertising, JOYY has evolved beyond social entertainment into a multifaceted ecosystem powered by AI and data-driven technologies. Headquartered in Singapore and operating across the globe, JOYY has fostered a vibrant user community through its localized strategies. JOYY’s ADSs have been listed on the NASDAQ since November 2012.

    Investor Relations Contact
    JOYY Inc.
    Investor Relations
    Email: joyy-ir@joyy.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Stats NZ information release: National labour force projections: 2024(base)–2078

    National labour force projections: 2024(base)–2078 – information release

    25 June 2025

    National labour force projections indicate the future size and age-sex structure of the labour force usually living in New Zealand based on assumptions about labour force participation and average hours worked, and current policy settings.

    Key facts
    National labour force projections indicate the future size and age-sex structure of the labour force living in Aotearoa New Zealand. All data cited here relate to June years. Data before 2024 are sourced from the Household Labour Force Survey (HLFS, year ended June, unless otherwise stated).

    The projections indicate that:

    • New Zealand’s labour force will continue to grow, but the growth rate will slow in the long-term
    • the labour force will age, reflecting increasing labour force participation rates among males and females aged 50 years and over (50+), and the general ageing of the population.

    Visit our website to read this information release:

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Stats NZ information release: Overseas merchandise trade: May 2025

    Overseas merchandise trade: May 2025 – information release

    25 June 2025

    Overseas merchandise trade statistics provide information on imports and exports of merchandise goods between New Zealand and other countries.

    Key facts
    This release refers to trade in goods only.

    In May 2025, compared with May 2024:

    • goods exports rose by $676 million (9.7 percent), to $7.7 billion
    • goods imports fell by $499 million (7.2 percent), to $6.4 billion
    • the monthly trade balance was a surplus of $1.2 billion.

    Visit our website to read this information release:

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: More than $7,000 cut in child care costs as cheaper child care delivers cost of living relief

    Source: Murray Darling Basin Authority

    Two years in, more than 1 million Australian families have benefited from the Albanese Government’s Cheaper Child Care, delivering real cost of living relief to household budgets.

    For a family earning $168,000, with one child in care 30 hours a week, Cheaper Child Care has cut out of pocket costs by around $7,440 than they otherwise would be.

    This is good for children, good for families, and good for Australia.

    Since the 2022 election there are 1,200 more early education services, around 95,000 more children in early education and around 48,000 more early childhood workers, but there is more work to do. 

    The Albanese Labor Government is rolling out a 15 per cent pay rise to early educators and capping fee increases for families.

    The Government will also implement the 3 Day Guarantee which will replace the current Activity Test from January 2026 with guaranteed 3 days a week of access to the Child Care Subsidy.

    Eligible families earning between $50,000 and $100,000 are expected to save on average $1,460 per year under the 3 Day Guarantee.

    Under the 3 Day Guarantee, more than 100,000 families will be entitled to more hours of subsidised education and care.

    The Government will also roll out the $1 billion Building Early Education Fund, which will boost access to early education and care in areas of need, including in the outer suburbs and regional Australia.

    This builds on the new, mandatory child safety measures to strengthen child safety in early childhood education and care services.

    Quotes attributable to Minister for Education Jason Clare:

    “We have made child care cheaper for more than 1 million families. 

    “We are delivering a 15 per cent pay rise to build the early education workforce. 

    “And next year we will roll out the 3 Day Guarantee to give more families access to the Child Care Subsidy.  

    “This is a key part of our plans to build a universal early education system.” 
     
    Quotes attributable to Minister for Early Childhood Education Dr Jess Walsh:

    “We are delivering more affordable early education and care so that children and families can benefit.

    “Easing the family budget is one of the key parts of our reforms to create affordable, accessible and quality early learning.

    “The 3 Day Guarantee will provide at least three days of subsidies for early education for families eligible for the Child Care Subsidy, that would otherwise be locked out.”
     

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: McConnell on American Leadership; Standing with Israel and Ukraine

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Mitch McConnell

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, delivered remarks on the Senate floor today regarding U.S. national security interests in standing with Israel, supporting Ukraine, and investing sufficiently in our own defense. Prepared text of his speech follows:

    “When Iran’s proxies launched a full-scale war on Israel on October 7th, 2023, President Biden pledged an ‘unwavering commitment to Israel’s security’. This was the right message in the moment. But as I warned publicly at the time, Israel needed more than rhetorical solidarity.

    “Like Ukraine, Israel needed precious time, space to maneuver, and material support to defeat a shared enemy. And yet, as in Ukraine, America’s commitment has indeed wavered. Our support has not been ironclad.

    “Instead, under the previous Administration, American support was delayed, restricted, and paired with attempts to micromanage Israeli operations and even interfere with Israeli politics. And at every turn, the progressive left and isolationist right hyperventilated about the specter of so-called forever war.

    “Fortunately, Israel held its ground. Israelis weren’t enthused about a ground war in Gaza. Their leaders knew that war would be difficult. But they knew it was unavoidable so long as Hamas terrorists still refused to release its hostages. They also knew lasting security meant changing Iran’s calculus…Not just responding to attacks from its proxies. So Israel decided to turn Iran’s terrorist assets into liabilities.

    “Despite the pearl-clutching here in Washington, our ally simultaneously decapitated Hizballah and crippled Hamas. Their bold operations created a new opportunity for Lebanon to claw back its sovereignty from a terrorist state within a state.

    “Meanwhile, the collapse of the brutal Assad regime in Syria brought down a Russian vassal and Iran’s favorite corridor of weapons and terrorist finance. These are the circumstances President Trump inherited. What to do with them has been the subject of some debate. Some of his advisors and supporters came with Obama-Biden-era talking points, ready to urge him to continue his predecessor’s policy of constraining Israel. Some had argued publicly that America had no vital or existential interests in the Middle East or claimed the region was a distraction from other priorities. They warned of forever war. Some seemed to push for nuclear negotiations with parameters eerily similar to the nuclear deal he withdrew from during his first term. They even proposed Iran could keep enriching uranium, until the President rightly quashed that idea.

    “These mixed messages emboldened Iran and its proxies. After all, why give up if Administration officials saw the Middle East as little more than a distraction?…or if they seem as fearful of restoring deterrence as the previous guys? So Hamas kept holding hostages. The Houthis kept targeting Israel and Red Sea commerce. And the Islamic Republic kept marching toward a nuclear weapon. And in response, Israel took the next logical step to restore deterrence.

    “Once again, innovative and decisive strikes destroyed Iran’s air defenses and imposed immediate costs on Tehran. And leaders from across Israel’s politics stood united behind the daring operations. But here in America, the same restrainers, anti-Israel progressives, and self-proclaimed realists warned again of regional conflagration if the President intervened alongside – or even supported – Israel’s strikes.

    “The President’s own Director of National Intelligence traveled to Hiroshima to record a bizarre video message – not as a warning against Tehran’s nuclear ambitions but, presumably, against American or Israeli operations to blunt them.

    “Fortunately, the President rejected the pleas of appeasers and isolationists. The strikes he ordered dealt a massive blow to Iran’s nuclear program, bolstered American credibility, and strengthened U.S. and Israeli leverage to end Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons and its support for terrorism for good.

    “Thanks to Israel’s heroic efforts for more than a year and a half, Iran’s ability to threaten regional stability is massively degraded. Not since before the Islamic revolution has there been such an opportunity for America, Israel, and our Arab partners to reset regional dynamics on such favorable terms. Achieving it has required no large-scale deployment of U.S. ground forces. It required only supporting our friends. Israel is a close ally and a strategic asset. Not a liability. And the strategic return on our investment in assisting Israel is incalculable.

    “Standing with our Israeli friends offers a powerful lesson about American leadership, the value of alliances and partnerships, and the real nature of peace through strength. And this lesson extends far beyond the Middle East. If America refuses to apply it elsewhere – like Ukraine – we do so at grave risk to our own interests. But that’s exactly what some in Washington seem to be doing. Congress recently learned that a senior DoD official conducted a review of DoD security assistance efforts and concluded that the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), among other programs, was wasteful. This is a Republican Administration panning a program created by a Republican Congress in 2015 to counter President Obama’s toothless response to Russia’s initial invasion of Ukraine. I’d like to see the analysis behind the Administration’s decision to zero out USAI in its FY26 request. I’d like to hear them try to explain away the massive return on investment of America’s security assistance to Ukraine and the precious lessons we’ve learned from our Ukrainian partners.

    “The Secretary of the Army has rightly called Ukraine ‘the Silicon Valley of warfare’. Do his colleagues at the Pentagon think this assessment is wrong, or do they just not think access to the cutting edge of modern combat is valuable? Here’s the truth: USAI and other security assistance efforts have helped us measurably address shortcomings in strategy, capabilities, and production capacity that would have gone ignored until it was too late.

    “It’s an inconvenient reality for isolationists and restrainers, but – for a tiny percent of our defense budget – we helped a smaller military resist invasion by a vastly larger one and degrade a major U.S. adversary.

    “As with Israel, Ukraine is fighting an adversary of the United States. Our support does not entangle us in a far-off foreign conflict. For Russia, Iran, China, and North Korea, America is the main enemy – the great Satan. If these adversaries beat our friends, the threat to America become a thousand times greater. We should be grateful for friends so willing to defend our collective interests against common foes.

    “Partnership with Ukraine is teaching us what modern warfare could mean for U.S. forces when they do face direct conflict. It has tested our assumptions about munitions inventories, expenditure rates, electronic warfare, and the duration of conflict. Without Ukraine’s experience with U.S. weapons, we would have been surprised to find some advanced systems quickly rendered inoperable on future battlefields.

    “The money we invest in USAI on weapons for Ukraine expands our own production capacity in the process and will improve the quality of our own munitions. Supplemental appropriations on Ukraine and Israel, in turn, backfill our own stocks with brand-new capabilities – not just 155mm rounds, but air defenses and long-range fires, with specific investment in solid rocket motors. These investments help us prepare for conflict in the Indo-Pacific. And production would be slower in the absence of our partnership with Ukraine. Not doing more to address our growing defense needs isn’t a failure of foresight. It’s a failure of political will. Everyone wants to see an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine. But the price of peace matters. If we want enduring stability in Europe, we can’t fall for an illusory peace.

    “We should know enough history not to dismiss this as merely ‘a quarrel in a faraway country, between two people of whom we know nothing’. It’s a major war of conquest in Europe…The most significant since the days of Nazi Germany…And allies and adversaries half a world away are watching it closely for clues about America’s resolve. Certainly, Europe’s deepening commitments to collective defense will make real peace more enforceable. The President’s insistence has driven much of this progress; Putin’s brutality has reinforced it.

    “Since 2022, our European NATO allies have made historic investments in defense – often buying American. And many are preparing to make even larger commitments at this week’s NATO Summit. This is good news. But we can’t expect allies to continue signing up for 3.5% and 5% commitments if America insists on falling further behind. Likewise, we can’t expect Putin to end his aggression if he thinks America’s abandonment of Ukraine is only a matter of time. And we can’t expect anyone to take America’s threats and commitments seriously if we’re content to let our own strength atrophy.

    “A base budget request that cuts defense spending in real terms doesn’t show Moscow we’re serious – let alone Beijing. Leading from behind would be bad enough, but this is just plain falling behind. The strongest deterrence is denying an adversary’s objectives through military means. Israel is restoring this deterrence in the Middle East. Ukraine is achieving it by holding its own against Russia. But it needs help.

    “Recently, I’ve asked Administration officials simple questions, like: Who is the aggressor in this conflict? The answer is obvious. But a second, equally simple question seems to trip them up: Who do we want to win?

    “The President made the right call to stand with Israel. I hope he’ll also decide to stand with Ukraine, prevent Russian victory, and start reversing a dangerous, downward trend in our defense budgets. I hope he’ll recognize Russia’s attempt to ‘tap him along’ for what it is. Putin is getting mixed messages from Washington. He thinks he has time. He believes the West is weak and divided. But the President – at very little cost – can shatter this illusion. It’s time to impose sanctions, raise the price of Russia’s aggression, redouble security assistance to Ukraine, and drive the Kremlin to seek peace. It’s time for deterrence through denial.

    “There’s no surer path to just and enduring peace…No better way to demonstrate that peace through strength actually means something…No clearer sign to allies and adversaries watching closely from the Western Hemisphere to the Indo-Pacific that America still has the will to lead.”

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: IMF Staff Completes 2025 Article IV Mission to Vietnam

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    June 24, 2025

    End-of-Mission press releases include statements of IMF staff teams that convey preliminary findings after a visit to a country. The views expressed in this statement are those of the IMF staff and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF’s Executive Board. Based on the preliminary findings of this mission, staff will prepare a report that, subject to management approval, will be presented to the IMF’s Executive Board for discussion and decision.

    • Vietnam’s economy started 2025 strongly, with 6.9% year-on-year growth in the first
    • quarter. However, the outlook is more challenging amid global trade tensions and high uncertainty.
    • There is room for greater support by fiscal policy to cushion the impact of global shocks if needed. Allowing more flexibility in the exchange rate and strengthening the financial system will be important.
    • Implementation of the ambitious reform agenda encompassing institutional overhauls, private sector strengthening, and infrastructure improvements present an opportunity to raise medium-term growth. Further reforms to boost productivity, strengthen governance, and improve the business environment are also critical.

    Hanoi: An International Monetary Fund (IMF) team, led by Mr. Paulo Medas, held discussions for the 2025 Article IV consultation with the Vietnamese authorities from June 11-24, 2025. The team exchanged views with Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc, senior officials of the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV), the Ministry of Finance, the National Assembly, and other government agencies. It also met with representatives from the private sector, think tanks, and other stakeholders.

    At the conclusion of the mission, Mr. Medas issued the following statement:

    “The Vietnamese economy rebounded strongly in 2024, growing at 7.1 percent backed by robust exports, resilient foreign direct investment (FDI), and supportive policies. This momentum continued into the first quarter of 2025, with economic activity expanding by 6.9 percent (y/y). Inflation remained contained. The current account surplus reached a record 6.6 percent of GDP in 2024.

    “The outlook is heavily dependent on the outcome of trade negotiations and is constrained by elevated global uncertainty on trade policies and economic growth. Our projections, in line with the IMF April 2025 World Economic Outlook, assumes high tariffs take effect in the third quarter. In such a scenario, economic growth is projected to slow to 5.4 percent in 2025 and decelerate further in 2026.  However, if global trade tensions subside, the economic outlook would improve significantly.

    “Downside risks are high. A further escalation in global trade tensions or a tightening of global financial conditions could weaken further exports and investment. Domestically, financial stress could re-emerge from tighter financial conditions and high corporate indebtedness. On the upside, achieving nondiscriminatory trade agreements and successfully implementing planned infrastructure and structural reforms could significantly boost medium-term growth.

    “Given the uncertain outlook, policy priorities should focus on preserving macro-financial stability while navigating economic adjustments. Fiscal policy, supported by low level of public debt, should take the lead in cushioning the near-term impact especially under downside scenarios. Accelerated implementation of public investment and strengthening social safety nets would be important.

    “Monetary policy has much more limited room and should be decisively focused on anchoring inflation expectations. Allowing the exchange rate flexibility will be critical as the economy adjusts to the external shock. Some monetary easing could be considered if global interest rates decline as expected and inflation falls. Vigilance is needed to monitor and act against inflation pressures arise, including due to external shocks. These challenges underscore the importance of modernizing the monetary policy framework to enhance its effectiveness and anchor stability, including by replacing credit growth limits with an improved prudential framework.

    “Further efforts are needed to strengthen financial sector soundness. To bolster banking system resilience, priorities include strengthening bank supervision, build liquidity and capital buffers, and further improving the bank resolution framework.

    “The government’s plans for an ambitious reform agenda are very welcome and could boost medium-term growth, but implementation will be key. The government’s focus on institutional reforms to enhance efficiency, strengthen private sector development, and plans to scale up public investment is a major step forward. It will be important to develop and implement concrete reforms to improve key infrastructure (e.g., logistics, energy), functioning of capital markets, education and training, and productivity.  To maximize the return on large investments, it is critical to strengthen public investment management and adopt a sound macro-fiscal strategy to preserve the health of public finances. Efforts to strengthen economic governance are essential, including strengthening the AML/CFT regime, and efforts in this regard are welcome. Vietnam’s rapid economic growth is outpacing the development of its economic statistics and urgent efforts are needed to close data gaps to support effective policymaking and risk management.

    “The team is grateful to the authorities for their warm hospitality and the candid and insightful discussions.”

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Pavis Devahasadin

    Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/06/24/pr-25214-vietnam-imf-staff-completes-2025-article-iv-mission

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: SDR transition to DXP Ngā Kete

    Source: Tertiary Education Commission

    Last updated 25 June 2025
    Last updated 25 June 2025

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    This page contains information about the transition to DXP Ngā Kete. 
    This page contains information about the transition to DXP Ngā Kete. 

    SDR full transition
    The Single Data Return (SDR) – and registers – transition to DXP Ngā Kete in February 2025, after tertiary education organisations (TEOs) complete their December 2024 SDR in Services for Tertiary Organisations (STEO). The March Indicative and April SDR are the first returns to be completed in DXP Ngā Kete. TEOs continue to use STEO up to 21 February 2025 (except for pilot TEOs, which already use DXP Ngā Kete).
    SDR transition timeline
    Here are the key dates for the SDR transition.

    Key dates 
    Use STEO:
    Use DXP Ngā Kete:

    Up to 20 February 9.00pm 
    Submit register change requests and process trial SDR uploads (for the April SDR)

    All TEOs – use for commitments, Other Fund Actuals and document sharing 
    Pilot TEOs only – submit register change requests and process trial SDR uploads (for the April SDR) 

    20 February 9.00pm to end of day 24 February
    STEO is shut down and the STEO icon is removed from TEC website
    Access to DXP Ngā Kete is disabled

     
    Full transition to DXP Ngā Kete: The DSR team will migrate data and prepare DXP Ngā Kete registers and SDR for all TEOs

    From 25 February 9.00am
     

    Access to DXP Ngā Kete is restored with the new Registers and SDR
    Submit qualification, course and delivery site change requests and process trial SDR uploads (for the 2025 April SDR)

    1–6 March
     

    Submit March Indicative Return (IND)

    14–29 April
     

    Submit April SDR (11 April is the extract date for the April 2025 SDR)

    Data migration includes:  

    all SDR and IND submissions
    qualifications, courses and delivery sites and change requests
    course change requests where the total fee is within the 2025 Annual Maximum Fee Movement (AMFM) tolerance, all of which will have auto-approved status applied

    Note:

    Qlik apps will not be updated over this period.
    First-year Fees Free reports and data submissions remain on Workspace 2 and are not impacted by SDR transition.

    SDR webinars  
    To learn more about the SDR transition to DXP Ngā Kete, you can register to attend webinars.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Employer-led Workplace Literacy and Numeracy Fund

    Source: Tertiary Education Commission

    Last updated 8 November 2024
    Last updated 8 November 2024

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    Employer-led Workplace Literacy and Numeracy (EWLN) Fund funding supports the delivery of literacy and numeracy programmes for employees to increase their literacy and numeracy skills, and to contribute to workplace productivity.
    Employer-led Workplace Literacy and Numeracy (EWLN) Fund funding supports the delivery of literacy and numeracy programmes for employees to increase their literacy and numeracy skills, and to contribute to workplace productivity.

    We fund Employer-led Workplace Literacy and Numeracy (EWLN) provision to:

    raise adults’ literacy and numeracy skills, and
    contribute to workplace productivity by providing and evaluating literacy and numeracy learning in the workplace.

    This information relates to Employer-led Workplace Literacy and Numeracy funding. For information about TEO-led WLN funding, see TEO-led Workplace Literacy and Numeracy Fund.
    EWLN Fund funding helps employers to:

    provide high-quality literacy and numeracy programmes that are customised for their workplace,
    address productivity problems due to employees’ literacy and numeracy skill levels,
    raise adults’ literacy and numeracy skills,
    increase opportunities for adults to engage in literacy and numeracy learning, particularly those in low-skilled employment, and
    improve the quality and relevance of provision, including the ability to identify learner need and learning gain.

    From research, employer reports and direct employer engagement, we know that high-quality literacy and numeracy provision in the workplace has positive effects for employers, employees and their families.
    EWLN programmes are aimed at employees who have low literacy and/or numeracy skills and/or English as a second language. High-quality programmes can include:

    describing the workplace issues, how these impact on productivity and how the impact is measured,
    outlining the programme content and how it will address and improve the workplace issues,
    assessing each learner’s literacy and numeracy skills at the start of the programme using the online adaptive option of the Literacy and Numeracy for Adults Assessment Tool (LNAAT), and
    understanding and reporting on individual outcomes for employees that contribute to a higher-performing workplace.

    Apply for funding
    For a detailed guide on how to apply for funding, including information for project managers of employer-led programme consortia, see the Employer-led Workplace Literacy and Numeracy Fund Application Guide (PDF 706 KB).
    Use the following application forms:

    There are set deadlines for applications. The deadlines for 2025 are:

    Friday 7 February 2025
    Friday 11 April 2025
    Friday 13 June 2025
    Friday 8 August 2025
    Friday 10 October 2025.

    Funding for workplace literacy and numeracy provision by employers is agreed through a funding letter.
    For more information on applying for funding, please contact our Customer Contact Group on 0800 601 301 or customerservice@tec.govt.nz.
    Resources
    Key resources for EWLN-funded programmes include: 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Workplace literacy and numeracy funding

    Source: Tertiary Education Commission

    Workplace Literacy and Numeracy Fund
    The Workplace Literacy and Numeracy Fund supports training programmes of 25 to 80 hours that are delivered to employed people, often on-site in the workplace. The programmes are tailored to meet the needs of employees and their employers. 
    The programmes are offered in two ways:

    training provider-led (TEO-led), and
    employer-led.

    The tasks and outcomes are the same for both approaches, but the funding and contracting process is different. 
    The Fund is administered by the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC). It provides funding so employers can: 

    provide high-quality literacy and numeracy programmes that are customised for their workplace, and
    address productivity problems where the root cause is in the literacy and numeracy skill levels of employees.

    From research, and from employers, we know that high-quality literacy and numeracy provision in the workplace that focuses on addressing employers’ productivity problems has positive effects for employers, and for employees and their families. 
    TEO-led workplace literacy and numeracy programmes 
    We fund training providers annually to deliver workplace literacy and numeracy programmes. Employers can work with a provider who develops and delivers the programme in consultation with them, or refer employees to the provider directly.
    For more information about these programmes, including learner eligibility, see TEO-led Workplace Literacy and Numeracy Fund. 
    See a list of providers currently offering these programmes.
    Employer-led workplace literacy and numeracy programmes
    The Employer-led Workplace Literacy and Numeracy Fund provides funding directly to employers to provide workplace literacy and numeracy programmes. Employers apply directly to TEC to run a programme. The employer may be supported by a training provider to make this application. We make a contract with the employer for the proposed programme.
    We expect employers to contract a person to work in-house or a third-party provider to develop and delivers the programme in consultation with them. 
    See a list of providers currently offering these programmes.
    Forming a consortium
    Because employer-led programmes require a minimum number of employees, a consortium can be a way for smaller employers to apply to this Fund. An employer can form a consortium with other employers, which together can deliver a training programme to at least 20 employees. An external organisation such as a training provider, industry association or community group may sometimes lead the creation of a consortium with a group of employers. We are particularly interested in using consortia to include smaller employers that cannot easily access our funding. 
    Apply for funding
    For a detailed guide on how to apply for funding, including information for project managers of employer-led programme consortia, see the Employer-Led Workplace Literacy and Numeracy Fund Application Guide (PDF 706 KB).
    Use the following application forms.

    There are set deadlines for applications. The deadlines for 2025 are:

    Friday 7 February 2025
    Friday 11 April 2025
    Friday 13 June 2025
    Friday 8 August 2025
    Friday 10 October 2025.

    Funding for workplace literacy and numeracy provision by employers is agreed through a funding letter. 
    For more information on applying for funding, please contact our Customer Contact Group on 0800 601 301 or customerservice@tec.govt.nz.
    Current and recently funded employer-led programmes 
    See a list of current and recently funded employer-led workplace literacy and numeracy programmes (PDF 230 KB). This list is accurate as at May 2024. 
    Contact us
    Please contact us on 0800 601 301 or customerservice@tec.govt.nz and ask to speak to a Skills Highway Relationship Manager.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: MEDIA ADVISORY: Recruit wing graduation tomorrow Thursday 26 June

    Source: New Zealand Police

    Media are invited to the 385 Glenda Hughes Police recruit wing graduation.

    What:   Graduation of the New Zealand Police Glenda Hughes 385 Recruit Wing.
    Who:   For families and friends to celebrate with the newly attested Police officers.
    Why:   Completion and graduation from their initial training course.
    Where:  Te Rauparaha Arena, 17 Parumoana Street, Porirua.
    When:  Thursday 26 June at 2pm – media will need to be in place by 1.45pm.
    How:    RSVP the Police Media Centre if you’re attending: media@police.govt.nz

    Deputy Commissioner Tania Kura will be attending the ceremony, along with Minister of Police Hon Mark Mitchell and Her Worship Anita Baker, the Mayor of Porirua. Also attending will be members of the Police executive and Wing Patron, former police officer Glenda Hughes.

    Three police officers have won two awards each between them. Two will deploy to Counties Manukau and one to Central District. 

    The 385 Wing Patron:

    Glenda Hughes has had a multifaceted career in sports, law enforcement, media and public relations, and local and central government.
    Her athletic achievements as a Commonwealth Games shot put champion and captain of the New Zealand Athletics Team are paralleled by her years of service in the New Zealand Police, where she handled serious criminal investigations, including drug investigations and high-profile cases such as the Rainbow Warrior affair. She was on the frontline of the Springbok Tour and Bastion Point protests. Beyond her police career, Glenda has made significant contributions in media as a consultant, journalist, and public relations expert who has trained New Zealand’s top athletes in media communications. She is the author of Looking for Trouble and has contributed to Last Man Standing by James Shepherd and Organised Deception: My Story by Sharon Armstrong, both focusing on the dangerous world of international drug trafficking.
    Her leadership roles include Independent Chairperson of the New Zealand Racing Board and the Racing Integrity Unit, a member of the New Zealand Parole Board, Trustee of KidsCan and Chair of Pet Refuge. These highlight her commitment to serving the community.
    Glenda’s academic background in sociology, criminology, and communications underscores her deep understanding of societal dynamics.
    Glenda values perseverance, integrity, compassion, and service. She credits her time in Police for her understanding of behaviours, motives, and options for handling various incidents. She believes Police offers a strong foundation for career development and the camaraderie fosters many lifelong friendships.

    ENDS

    More details about statistics, prize winners and other recruits will be shared after graduation.

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Culture – Ice skaters and Korean intergenerational storytelling: Ngā Kōrero Tuku Iho funding recipients 2025

    Source: Ministry for Culture and Heritage

    “I am delighted to announce this year’s Ngā Kōrero Tuku Iho Piki Ake! Kake Ake! recipients,” says Leauanae Laulu Mac Leauanae, Secretary for Culture and Heritage.
    12 grants totalling $101,075.00 are being awarded for this round of Ngā Kōrero Tuku Iho New Zealand Oral History Grants.
    “This year was a particularly difficult selection process for the assessment panel. What’s clear is that each of the successful awarded projects bring to the fore stories that are yet to be told.
    “The projects cover themes from the experiences of the Deaf community to survivors of abuse in care, Korean intergenerational storytelling to ice skating, and Pacific women in Porirua to kaumātua of Te Taiao (environmental guardians).
    “Both Selwyn Kātene’s work on religious leaders from all denominations and Ruth Greenaway’s oral history with Jocelyn Armstrong, an interfaith leader, have been funded.
    “A history of queer homemaking and houses in Aotearoa, the experience of those involved in assisted dying, and the Filipino community’s role in nursing and caregiving are also receiving grants in 2025.
    “For over thirty years, Ngā Kōrero Tuku Iho has supported community projects, and we are continuing to see an increased breadth of topics, areas and applicants. I’m excited for these lesser-known histories to be shared.
    “We’re really proud of this round of Ngā Kōrero Tuku Iho. I can’t wait to see these histories join Aotearoa’s extraordinary canon of oral histories,” says Leauanae.
    Ngā Kōrero Tuku Iho grants are selected by an external panel of experts. Manatū Taonga administers the grants, which were established by the Australian Sesquicentennial Gift Trust in 1990 to honour 150 years since the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. The grants support community-based oral history projects that reflect diverse identities and perspectives.
    Each year around $100,000 is divided between approximately 12 grants.
    The 2025 Ngā Kōrero Tuku Iho New Zealand Oral History grant recipients are:
    • Emily Anderson, Assisted Dying in New Zealand – Three Years On, $10,000
    • Grace Bateman and Paul Garbett, Ice Skating in New Zealand, Part 2: 1980s onward, $8,000
    • Matilda Bercic, “Matakite: Ko taku whanautanga tenei – Seer: It is my birthright”, $6,000
    • Little Acres Survivors Group, Little Acre Survivors Oral History Project, $15,822
    • Ruth Greenaway, A life dedicated to interfaith dialogue – Jocelyn Armstrong, $5,000
    • Selwyn Katene, Religious Leaders in New Zealand, $9,354
    • Lori Leigh, “Homo Sweet Homo”: The History of Queer Houses in Aotearoa, $8,000
    • Sarah Lipura, Pangangalaga (Care) at Pamilya (Family): Filipino Nurses and Healthcare Workers’ Perspectives, Experiences and Aspirations in Aotearoa New Zealand, $7,500
    • SignDNA – Deaf National Archives, SignDNA: Preserving Deaf Stories for the Future, $10,000
    • Jenny Taotua-O’Carroll, P.A.C.I.F.I.C.A Inc: Commemorating 50 Years of Pacific Women’s Allied Council in Porirua, $5,500
    • Maree Tapu, Pūkōrero Ani Martin: Rukuhia Te Puna O Te Roto Ōmāpere, $10,000
    • Joonseob Yi, Voices Across Generations: An Oral History of Korean New Zealanders, $5,899.
    Further information about the grants, including how to apply, can be found on the Manatū Taonga website.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Tech and Business – Fibre broadband extension a priority for business

    Source: BusinessNZ

    BusinessNZ supports the Infrastructure Commission’s endorsement for extending fibre broadband to more areas of New Zealand.
    A proposal by Chorus to gain government backing for expanding fibre broadband from 87% to 95% of households and businesses has been endorsed by the Infrastructure Commission as a national priority.
    BusinessNZ Advocacy Director Catherine Beard says Chorus’ proposal would bring a significant boost to business and rural connectivity, bringing economic benefit to more parts of country.
    “More urban and rural businesses would be able to take part in the digital economy with modern connectivity that is scalable for business needs.
    “BusinessNZ agrees with the Infrastructure Commission’s assessment of the proposal as a national priority.”
    The BusinessNZ Network including BusinessNZ, EMA, Business Central, Business Canterbury and Business South, represents and provides services to thousands of businesses, small and large, throughout New Zealand.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Minister welcomes launch of draft National Infrastructure Plan

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop encourages New Zealanders to have their say on the draft National Infrastructure Plan released today by the New Zealand Infrastructure Commission. 

    “Improving the way we plan, fund, maintain and build our infrastructure is critical to boosting economic growth and increasing productivity and living standards, and so the Government welcomes today’s draft report by the independent Infrastructure Commission.

    “Contrary to many perceptions, New Zealand spends a lot on infrastructure. We are in the top 10% of the OECD for infrastructure investment spending over the last decade – but in the bottom 10% of the OECD when it comes to getting ‘bang for buck’ from our spending. As the Commission says, we need to “lift our game” and there are many draft recommendations in the draft plan that will help drive better value for money from public investment. 

    “I am pleased to see the draft Plan makes recommendations that align with existing Government priorities, such as making better use of user pricing to fund investment, adopting spatial planning, prioritising infrastructure through the resource management system, and drastically improving asset management and maintenance. The Government will continue to advance these policy priorities and will be informed by the Commission’s final report due later in the year.

    “It is clear that the central government infrastructure system needs to drastically improve. As the Commission notes, central government is New Zealand’s largest owner and funder of infrastructure. Government owns around 40% of our total stock of infrastructure and funds almost half of all infrastructure investment each year. 

    “However, the system is underperforming. Half of all proposals for investment in Budgets 2023 and 2024 did not have a business case. There are regularly large gaps between Budget funding being allocated and projects actually starting. 

    “Asset maintenance is a major problem, with New Zealand ranked fourth to last in the OECD for asset management, and dead last for the metric on Accountability and Professionalism. Over half of all capital-intensive government agencies do not have robust, comprehensive asset registers in place or adequate plans for looking after existing infrastructure. Maintenance spending is regularly diverted to building new infrastructure, resulting in costly catch-up spending later. In practice, years of poor asset management means leaky hospitals and schools, mould in police stations and courthouses, service outages on commuter rail, and poor accommodation for Defence Force personnel and their families.

    “Cabinet has already agreed to an all-of-Government work programme that will improve central government asset management and performance, including investigating legislative requirements for the development of ten-year investment plans by capital intensive agencies and performance reporting requirements.

    “The Government is determined to improve New Zealand’s infrastructure system and to work alongside the industry and other political parties to establish a broad consensus about what needs to change.  I’ve encouraged the Commission to brief all political parties as they develop the draft plan and I’ll be writing again to relevant spokespeople encouraging them to give their feedback to the Commission over the next few weeks.

    “The Government will respond to the finalised National Infrastructure Plan in 2026, once it is presented by the Commission in late 2025. As part of that response we will be engaging with other political parties in Parliament, and I intend to ask the Business Committee to hold a special Parliamentary debate on the plan. 

    “I thank the Infrastructure Commission for its hard work in delivering this draft National Infrastructure Plan. I encourage everyone to provide their feedback on it through the consultation process, and I look forward to receiving the final version toward the end of this year.” 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Infrastructure Plan – Have your say on 30-year plan for NZ’s infrastructure investment

    Source: New Zealand Infrastructure Commission

    The New Zealand Infrastructure Commission, Te Waihanga, has revealed its first look at how New Zealand needs to invest to get the roads, hospitals, schools and other infrastructure we will rely on to live and thrive over the next 30 years.
    The Commission’s draft National Infrastructure Plan looks at the infrastructure New Zealand already has and how factors like an ageing population and climate change will drive future demands. It shows what we should be spending and makes recommendations for how we can get better results from this investment.
    Te Waihanga CE Geoff Cooper says that compared to other high-income countries, New Zealand already sp

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Update 7: Alberta wildfire update (June 24, 3:30 p.m.)

    Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Indonesia: Police must release 75 people arrested in discriminatory raid on ‘gay party’ – Amnesty International

    Source: Amnesty International

    Responding to the arrest of 75 people in a raid on a gathering described by police as a “gay party” in the Indonesian city of Bogor, near the capital city of Jakarta, Amnesty International Indonesia’s Deputy Director Wirya Adiwena said:

    “This discriminatory raid on a privately rented villa is a blatant violation of human rights and privacy that exemplifies the hostile environment for LGBTI people in Indonesia. This gathering violated no law and posed no threat.

    “The Indonesian authorities must end these hate-based and humiliating raids. No one should be subjected to arrest, intimidation or public shaming because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.

    “The police must immediately release all those arrested. Indonesia’s government must also take urgent steps to ensure accountability for human rights violations committed by the police, and work toward creating an environment where LGBTI individuals and their allies can live free from fear and harassment.”

    Background

    Police in the city of Bogor confirmed on Monday night that they had conducted a raid on a gathering, described as a “gay party,” at a villa in the Puncak area on Sunday 22 June, arresting 75 individuals (74 men, 1 woman).

    The local police chief said the raid was carried out following reports from the public regarding “gay activities” at the location. The police claimed to have secured a number of pieces of evidence, among them sex toys, four condoms and a sword used for a dance performance.

    All participants were taken to the Bogor Police Headquarters where they were subjected to further examination, including health checks and HIV tests. As of Tuesday afternoon (24 June) the police have not named any of the people arrested.

    This is the latest such raid on so-called “gay sex parties” in Indonesia. Police detained nine people following a raid on a “gay sex party” at a hotel in South Jakarta on 24 May, while 56 individuals were detained for participating in “a gay party” in a raid on a different hotel in South Jakarta on 1 February.

    Those arrested in raids could face prison terms of up to 15 years for breaching Indonesia’s Pornography Law.

    The Pornography Law defines pornography broadly, encompassing material that contravenes norms of community morality. Ambiguously worded laws on pornography are often exploited to deliberately target LGBTI people, denying them the basic right to privacy and the right to enter into consensual relationships.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Environment – Damning new groundwater figures reveal growing drinking water crisis – Greenpeace

    Source: Greenpeace

    New data published yesterday by StatsNZ shows about half of groundwater monitoring sites had contamination that exceeded maximum health limits for New Zealand at least once between April 2019 and March 2024.
    Over that period, 45.1% of sites exceeded the maximum acceptable level for E. coli, and 12.4% for nitrate – a contaminant linked to cancer and preterm births.
    The alarming figures have been revealed less than a month after the Luxon Government released proposals to further weaken freshwater protections.
    Greenpeace freshwater campaigner Will Appelbe says the proposals show the Government is knowingly sacrificing the health of rural communities to appease corporate dairy and Federated Farmers.
    “While he should be ensuring that everyone has access to clean drinking water and swimmable rivers, Luxon has instead proposed scrapping the cap on synthetic nitrogen fertiliser. This rule exists to prevent further nitrate contamination and protect people’s health.”
    “His Government also wants to prioritise corporate uses of water over safe drinking water and healthy rivers.”
    “The Government’s job is to safeguard public health – not bankroll big dairy.”
    A cap on the use of synthetic nitrogen fertiliser was introduced in 2021, which was set at 190 kg/hectare. As part of the National Direction proposals for freshwater, the Luxon Government has proposed repealing this cap, along with other changes that weaken environmental protections and benefit irrigation companies and intensive dairy. Consultation on the proposals are open until 27 July 2025.
    The current maximum allowable value (MAV) for nitrate is 11.3 mg/L, which was set in the 1950s to avoid blue baby syndrome. But this standard has been criticised by health scientists for being woefully out of date, because it doesn’t take into account newer health science that finds health risks like preterm birth and cancer at much lower levels.
    “We’ve already seen the influence the agriculture lobby has had over the rollback of freshwater protections last year, and this data published yesterday demonstrates the consequences.”
    “The science is clear, and the stakes are high. Luxon needs to decide if he’s governing for people – or polluters.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Northland News – 3.54% rates rise adopted

    Source: Northland Regional Council

    Northland Regional Council rates will rise 3.54 percent for the 2025/26 financial year – considerably less than a 5.79% increase previously forecast – under an Annual Plan adopted by councillors recently.
    Council Chair Geoff Crawford says the increase – which accounts to an increase of $19.19c per rates bill on average over the next year – was originally forecast to be more than two percent higher under the council’s Long Term Plan 2024-2034 (LTP).
    However, due to a combination of factors including efficiencies, savings and surpluses available to offset spending and funding shortfalls, councillors were pleased to be able to approve a lower rates rise.
    “We know that many people are finding things difficult financially in the current climate and have worked hard to keep our rates increase as low as possible.”
    Chair Crawford says the following changes are included in the Annual Plan:
    • Covering reduced cruise ship income ($491,961)
    • Funding for Gold Clam response ($500,000)
    • Covering reduced rent gains ($143,250)
    • Covering increased inflation ($420,000) of operational expenditure
    • Funding for Sea Cleaners and Native Bird Recovery Centre ($30,000)
    “The combined changes, made up of both spending and funding shortfalls, comprised a total of $1,585,211 of operational spend to overall rates take for the 2025/25 financial year.”
    “However, this is offset, and rates reduced further, by around $2.3M of funding made up of previous LTP initiatives that are now redundant, budgetary reserves including surplus savings from the previous year, and unallocated funding.” 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Ideology and Politics – Food quality and safety will suffer if meat inspection service is privatised as Govt proposes – PSA

    Source: PSA

    The Government wants to privatise its high-quality meat inspection service ignoring the impact it will have on food quality and safety in announcements being made to meat inspectors.
    The Ministry for Primary Industries is proposing to allow meat processing companies to carry out more of their own meat inspection work with reduced oversight from AsureQuality, the Government’s meat inspection service. AsureQuality employs some 650 meat inspectors who carry out meat inspection on 27 million animals at 65 meat processing facilities every year.
    Hundreds of highly qualified and experienced AsureQuality meat inspectors could face the axe, with many forced to transfer to the private sector with lower wages and poorer conditions.
    “This is all about privatising a trusted and valuable service which ensures New Zealand consumers can buy safe, high-quality meat with confidence,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
    “The work of meat inspectors ensures that disease and defects in products are identified and that meat is fit for human consumption.
    “Independent meat inspectors are more rigorous because they have no vested interest in the end product and will not cut corners to increase company profits. Our overseas markets and consumers here at home will miss out if we lose the independence of our meat inspection services.
    “This is just more of the same deregulation agenda we are seeing across health and other parts of the public service.
    “History tells us who wins from deregulation, business. This proposal is all about boosting the profits of meat companies while dismantling a proven, efficient and independent government owned service that keeps New Zealanders safe from diseased and contaminated meat.
    “Meat inspectors also play a critical role in underpinning New Zealand’s global reputation for excellence in all we export.
    “Why put all that at risk?
    “The Government’s priorities are again clear – it scrapped pay equity, making underpaid women pay for tax cuts for business in the Budget and it’s doing the same here, forcing meat inspectors to take a cut in wages to boost the bottom line of meat companies.
    “This government has no shame in its reckless pursuit of ideology over the consequences for New Zealanders as we again fail to learn the lessons from the past.”
    The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: On Third Anniversary of Dobbs Decision, Attorney General Bonta Co-leads Letter Reminding Hospitals of Their Obligation to Provide Emergency Abortion Care

    Source: US State of California

    OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today co-led a coalition of 22 attorneys general in sending a letter to the American Hospital Association reminding hospitals of their ongoing obligation to comply with the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA). Every hospital in the United States that operates an emergency department and participates in Medicare is subject to EMTALA. Under the law, emergency departments are required to provide all patients who have an emergency medical condition with the treatment required to stabilize their condition, including abortion care. On May 29, 2025, the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) rescinded guidance that it issued in 2022 “to remind hospitals of their existing obligation to comply with EMTALA”. CMS’s rescission of this guidance does not change federal law or the obligations EMTALA imposes. Put simply, all hospitals must continue to follow EMTALA, including with respect to the provision of emergency abortion care.

    “When a medical emergency happens, patients must be assured that they can access life-saving care when they go to the hospital – that includes emergency abortion care,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Despite the Trump Administration’s attempt to sow confusion and fear among providers, EMTALA remains the law of the land and its obligations are clear: Hospitals must continue to provide emergency abortion care to prevent serious harm to patients’ health. Furthermore, states like California and many others have analogous state law protections, which we take very seriously. At the California Department of Justice, we remain steadfast in our commitment to ensuring that every hospital continues to follow the law, and we stand ready to work together with our sister states to ensure that every pregnant patient across the country receives the necessary and lifesaving healthcare that federal and state law require.”

    Since 1986, EMTALA has mandated that hospitals provide critical and necessary healthcare in emergency medical situations. Under EMTALA, all Medicare-participating hospitals with an emergency department must provide pregnant patients access to abortion care to prevent serious harm to the patient’s health, serious impairment to bodily function, or serious dysfunction of an organ or body part. EMTALA requires these hospitals to provide access to abortion care if it is the treatment necessary to stabilize pregnant patients with an emergency medical condition. Emergency medical conditions can include, but are not limited to, ectopic pregnancy, traumatic placental abruption, pre-eclampsia, hemorrhaging, amniotic fluid embolism, and hypertension. Critically, the requirements of EMTALA apply regardless of whether a hospital is in a state that purports to limit or ban abortion care.

    For decades, the federal government has properly interpreted the requirements of EMTALA to protect access to abortion care under the statute. Across federal administrations of both parties, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has enforced EMTALA against hospitals who fail to provide abortion care when necessary to provide stabilizing care for a patient experiencing an emergency medical condition. Nothing about CMS’s rescission of its 2022 guidance changes the statutory text of EMTALA, which requires abortion care in specified circumstances. Nor does the rescission of the guidance supersede numerous judicial opinions interpreting EMTALA to require the provision of emergency abortion care. The Trump Administration itself has acknowledged as much in a letter sent to healthcare providers on June 13, shortly after the rescission of CMS’s 2022 guidance. In the letter, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., made clear that “the law has not changed.” And while that letter needlessly attempted to sow confusion by focusing on protections for a pregnant patient’s “unborn child,” nothing about the rescission of the guidance changes the fact that EMTALA’s requirement to provide stabilizing care is based on the medical condition of the pregnant patient, not the fetus. Hospitals in all states therefore must continue to comply with EMTALA and provide access to abortion care when it is the medical treatment necessary to stabilize a pregnant patient, regardless of state laws purporting to prohibit or limit access to abortion care.

    Continued compliance with EMTALA’s requirements is critical in light of the severe harms that result from denying stabilizing abortion care to pregnant patients in emergency medical situations. Denying stabilizing abortion care can cause irreparable harms, including hysterectomy, fertility loss, kidney failure, brain injury, and limb amputation, forcing patients to live with significant disabilities and chronic medical conditions. Delaying such stabilizing care, meanwhile, increases the risk that lifesaving interventions might not work, risking the lives and health of pregnant patients. For example, a recent maternal morbidity study after the enactment of Texas’ six-week abortion ban found the rate of serious maternal morbidity was 57% when using observation-only care, nearly double the rate that resulted when following the standard protocol of terminating the pregnancy to preserve the pregnant patient’s life or health.

    The real-world consequences of denying or delaying stabilizing abortion care for pregnant patients with an emergency medical condition are catastrophic. After Texas’s six-week abortion ban went into effect, sepsis rates rose 50% statewide and increased by 63% in hospitals that waited to provide abortions or other interventions to miscarrying patients. In Texas, a young mother experiencing a miscarriage died of an infection after being forced to delay abortion care for 40 hours until doctors, fearful of prosecution under Texas’s abortion ban, could no longer detect fetal cardiac activity. And HHS found as recently as May 2025 that a hospital violated EMTALA when a pregnant woman nearly died after being denied abortion care for her ectopic pregnancy, resulting in permanent damage to her reproductive organs. The devastating consequences of denying medically necessary abortion care to pregnant patients are a stark reminder of the importance of EMTALA’s requirements—and the importance of ensuring continued compliance with those requirements. The law is clear: Hospitals subject to EMTALA have an obligation to provide timely abortion care when necessary to stabilize a patient experiencing an emergency medical condition. 

    In sending the letter, Attorney General Bonta is joined by the Attorneys General of New Jersey, New York, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia. 

    A copy of the letter is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Bioplastic breakthrough: sustainable cooling film could slash building energy use by 20%

    Source:

    25 June 2025

    An illustration of the bioplastic metafilm developed by UniSA and Zhengzhou University researchers,  proposed as a next-generation material for sustainable cooling

    An international team of scientists has developed a biodegradable material that could slash global energy consumption without using any electricity, according to a new study published today.

    The bioplastic metafilm – that can be applied to buildings, equipment and other surfaces – passively cools temperatures by as much as 9.2°C during peak sunlight and reflects almost 99% of the sun’s rays.

    Developed by researchers from Zhengzhou University in China and the University of South Australia (UniSA), the new film is a sustainable and long-lasting material that could reduce building energy consumption by up to 20% a year in some of the world’s hottest cities.

    The material is described in the latest issue of Cell Reports Physical Science.

    UniSA PhD candidate Yangzhe Hou says the cooling metafilm represents a breakthrough in sustainable materials engineering that could help combat rising global temperatures and hotter cities.

    “Our metafilm offers an environmentally friendly alternative to air-conditioning, which contributes significantly to carbon emissions,” says Hou, who is also from Zhengzhou University.

    “The material reflects nearly all solar radiation but also allows internal building heat to escape directly into outer space. This enables the building to stay cooler than the surrounding air, even under direct sunlight.”

    Notably, the film continues to perform even after prolonged exposure to acidic conditions and ultraviolet light – two major barriers that have historically hindered similar biodegradable materials.

    Constructed from polylactic acid (PLA) – a common plant-derived bioplastic – the metafilm is fabricated using a low-temperature separation technique that reflects 98.7% of sunlight and minimises heat gain.

    “Unlike conventional cooling technologies, this metafilm requires no electricity or mechanical systems,” says co-author Dr Xianhu Liu from Zhengzhou University.

    “Most existing passive radiative cooling systems rely on petrochemical-based polymers or ceramics that raise environmental concerns. By using biodegradable PLA, we are presenting a green alternative that offers high solar reflectance, strong thermal emission, sustainability, and durability.”

    In real-world applications, the metafilm showed an average temperature drop of 4.9°C during the day and 5.1°C at night. Field tests conducted in both China and Australia confirmed its stability and efficiency under harsh environmental conditions. Even after 120 hours in strong acid and the equivalent of eight months’ outdoor UV exposure, the metafilm retained cooling power of up to 6.5°C.

    Perhaps most significantly, the simulations revealed that the metafilm could cut annual energy consumption by up to 20.3% in cities such as Lhasa, China, by reducing dependence on air conditioning.

    “This isn’t just a lab-scale success” says co-author Professor Jun Ma from the University of South Australia.

    “Our film is scalable, durable and completely degradable,” he says.

    “This research aims to contribute to sustainable development by reducing reliance on fossil fuels and exploring feasible pathways to improve human comfort while minimising environmental impact.”

    The discovery addresses a major challenge in the field: how to reconcile high-performance cooling with eco-friendly degradation.

    The researchers are now exploring large-scale manufacturing opportunities and potential applications in buildings, transport, agriculture, electronics, and the biomedical field including cooling wound dressings.

    ‘A structural bioplastic metafilm for durable passive radiative cooling’ is published in Cell Reports Physical Science and is authored by Yangzhe Hou, Yamin Pan, Xianhu Liu, Jun Ma, Chuntai Liu and Changyu Shen. DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrp.2025.102664

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    Contacts for interview:

    Researchers:

    Yangzhe Hou E: yangzhe.hou@unisa.edu.au;

    Prof Jun Ma E: jun.ma@unisa.edu.au

    Prof Xianhu Liu E: Xianhu.Liu@zzu.edu.cn

    Media contact: Candy Gibson M: +61 434 605 142 E: candy.gibson@unisa.edu.au

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