NewzIntel.com

Category: Asia Pacific

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Social Media Bill Should Be Government Bill

    Source: E-Commerce arrangement with China to boost Digital Exports

    MEDIA RELEASE – 6 May 2025

    Family First welcomes the introduction of a Social Media Age-Appropriate Users Bill by Catherine Webb, the National MP for Tukituki, which makes it a legal requirement for social media companies to verify users are sixteen years or older.

    However, with the supposed backing of the Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and the National Party, Family First is asking why this Bill is being left to the luck of the members bills’ ballot and not made a government Bill?

    “If as Ms Webb and Mr Luxon say in their introductory comments that this is intended to protect young people from bullying, inappropriate content and social media addiction, then why is it not a government priority which would actually see the idea made into law, or at the very least have a parliamentary & public discussion via a Select Committee process?” asks Bob McCoskrie, CEO of Family First.

    Family First has long advocated for better regulation of social media and support for parents so as to protect young people.

    “First and foremost, there needs to be a community response where parents unite to ensure their young children are not exposed to social media, but there is also room for government support to empower parents,” says Mr McCoskrie.

    Dr Jonathan Haidt – author of “The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness” – notes in his acclaimed research that there is a clear correlation between the introduction of smart phones and a significant decline in young people’s mental health.  (Dr Haidt was a guest at last year’s Forum on the Family and he called on New Zealand and other countries to do more to protect young people from the harms online.)

    In Australia, a Guardian newspaper poll last year found that almost 70% wanted age limit raised from 13 years to 16 years when it came to social media.  Of this, 44% strongly supported the idea and 24% were somewhat supporting it.  Only 14% opposed the notion and 17% were unsure.

    In the US State of Virginia, legislation has just passed ensuring social media companies limit under sixteen year olds to a maximum of one hour of scrolling a day.

    Family First thanks Catherine Wedd for drafting the Bill but once again calls on all the coalition parties in the Government (ACT and NZ First) to adopt the bill as a Government bill and ultimately walk the talk when it comes to protecting children online.

    “This important discussion needs to be a priority for the Government and not left in a biscuit tin.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Release: Women will keep being paid less under National

    Source:

    This Government is taking the women’s movement backwards, ensuring women will continue to be paid less into the future.

    “Instead of continuing the good work of successive governments to close the well-documented gender pay gap in our country, the Government is making it harder for women to get ahead,” Labour workplace relations and safety spokesperson Jan Tinetti said.

    “Women have historically been paid less, currently it’s at around 92 cents to every dollar a man earns.

    “Government absolutely has a role to play to reduce the gender pay gap over time, and yet this one is about to push through legislation under urgency to stop women from making pay equity claims when they are paid less than their male colleagues doing a similar job.

    “Not content with trashing workers’ rights, Brooke Van Velden is now going after women on Christopher Luxon and Nicola Willis’ behalf.

    “She thinks teachers don’t have the right to feel angry with the government, but 94,000 teachers who have equal pay claims would disagree.
    “This is a Government that is choosing to ignite a debate around women’s bathrooms, while destroying a women’s right to be paid the same as men. I don’t think I’ve ever seen something so gross and backwards in my life.

    “Funny how they can find money for tax cuts for landlords and the tobacco lobby but not for women.

    “If this is how Nicola Willis is planning to pay for her Budget then I suspect many people are going to let her know pretty quickly that she’s made the wrong decision,” Jan Tinetti said.

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

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Govt takes workplace equity efforts backwards

    Source: It’s time to fix the secondary teacher shortage

    The Green Party has called out the Government’s latest attack on workers with the announcement that it is halting all pay equity claims.

    “Women deserve fair pay. This move to undo years of pay equity progress is a monumental step backwards from the Government,” says the Green Party’s spokesperson for Women, Kahurangi Carter. 

    “Workers should be valued and treated as equals regardless of their gender, ethnicity or age. We can and must ensure that women are paid fairly, are treated with respect and are safe – things this Government is actively undermining.

    “The gender pay gap is one of the glaring shortfalls of our workforce. Employees and unions have been working towards pay equity for a long time. The Government is undoing this progress – women, and particularly Māori and Pacific women, will be the worst affected.

    “Make no mistake: this is a cost-cutting measure to fund tax cuts for the rich, a bill our communities will have to pick up. Rather than paying women what they deserve, this Government is shifting these costs onto our communities.

    “We know that reducing the gender pay gap and the gap other minorities face requires a concerted effort. Pay equity settlements had begun to deliver positive outcomes for some groups, but there is much work to do. 

    “We can afford to pay people what they deserve. We can do this by making the super rich pay their fair share and choosing our communities over corporate greed,” says Kahurangi Carter. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Daily progress for Tuesday, 6 May 2025

    Source:

    Order Paper for Tuesday, 6 May 2025

    2.00pm

    Resignation of member

    The Speaker advised the House that he had received a letter from Hon David Parker resigning his seat in the House with effect from 4pm on Monday, 12 May 2025.

    Government motion

    A motion acknowledging the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis is being debated.

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: How did sport become so popular? The ancient history of a modern obsession

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Konstantine Panegyres, Lecturer in Classics and Ancient History, The University of Western Australia

    Roman mosaics discovered in Sicily show women playing different sports. David Pineda Svenske/Shutterstock

    It’s almost impossible to go a day without seeing or hearing about sport.

    Walk around any city or town and you will almost always catch a glimpse of people playing sports in teams or participating solo.

    Turn on the TV or radio and you’ll be able to find some kind of sport being played at international or national level.

    Why do people love sport so much?

    To answer this question, it’s worth a dive back into ancient history.

    An ancient person’s perspective

    One of the most famous figures from the ancient world, Saint Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD), once wrote that when he was a boy he was obsessed with playing sports:

    I liked to play ball as a boy and my playing slowed my progress in learning to read and write.

    The earliest portrait of Saint Augustine in a 6th century fresco, Lateran, Rome.
    Wikimedia Commons, CC BY

    In fact, Saint Augustine was so preoccupied with playing ball that his teacher was said to sometimes beat him for it. His teacher said it was bad to waste one’s youth on such things – it’s better to study hard.

    Why was Saint Augustine obsessed with ball games? He loved to win:

    I loved to play games […] in these games I was overmastered by my vain desire to excel, so I used to strive to win, even by cheating.

    Plenty of people today probably share Saint Augustine’s view that winning is one of the things that make sport enjoyable.

    Of course, there are many other reasons why people might like to play sport.

    What sports did they play?

    If you walked down a city street in ancient Greek and Roman times, it’s likely you’d come across children or even adults playing a ball game.

    Handball games played in ancient Greece.
    Gardiner, E. Norman/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY

    The Roman playwright Plautus (3rd/2nd century BC) even has one of his characters complain about people “who play ball in the street”.

    Ball games were probably the most popular sporting activity in the ancient world and could be played in many different ways.

    In one ball game, called episkyros, two teams competed against each other. If one team got the ball over the line behind the other team, they scored. Feet and hands could be used and tackles were permitted.

    Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

    Of course, many other sports were also popular: athletics, swimming, wrestling, lifting weights and boxing were all favourites.

    Ancient ideas about the origins of sports

    For the ancient Greeks, the earliest mention of a ball game appears in the Odyssey, an epic poem composed by the poet Homer in probably the eighth or seventh century BC.

    In the Odyssey, Nausicaa, daughter of the King of the Phaeacians, plays a ball game with some other girls on the beach. While they throw the ball, they sing songs:

    Then when they had had their joy of food, she and her handmaids, they threw off their headgear and fell to playing at ball, and white-armed Nausicaa was leader in the song.

    During the game, Nausicaa throws the ball too far. Her maid can’t catch it and the ball flies into the sea. All the girls shout out when it goes flying.

    Already in the 3rd century BC, Nausicaa was sometimes regarded as the inventor of ball games. However, other people attributed the invention of ball games to different regions of Greece, saying the games were invented by the Sicyonians or Spartans.

    But it is unlikely any Greeks were the original inventors of ball games.

    In Egypt, thousands of years before Homer’s epics, there are already artistic depictions of ball games.

    For example, in the tomb of the Nomarch of the 11th Dynasty (c. 2150-2000 BC), Baqet III, there is artwork showing women playing ball games and men wrestling each other.

    Ancient ball games.
    J. Murray/Picryl, CC BY

    Baqet III, whose tomb contained these artistic depictions of various sports, was likely a true sports lover.

    Why did people like sports?

    People liked ball games for many different reasons.

    One was for the sheer fun and excitement. Another was because they were considered a healthy type of exercise.

    Ancient Greek and Roman doctors even told their patients to play ball games to become healthier.

    For example, the famous ancient Greek physician Galen (129-216 AD) wrote an essay titled On Exercise with a Small Ball.

    He argued “exercises with a small ball are superior to other kinds of exercises”.

    He claimed ball games were especially healthy because they moved all of the muscles and because teamwork was good for the soul.

    People in the ancient world also thought just watching sport could be something worth doing.

    The writer Lucian of Samosata (born 120 AD), for instance, said watching athletes competing for glory could help to encourage men to achieve similar feats: “many of the spectators go away in love with manfulness and hard work”, wrote Lucian.

    So it seems there’s nothing new about our modern love of playing and watching sports, and this obsession will probably continue for thousands of years into the future.

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

    – ref. How did sport become so popular? The ancient history of a modern obsession – https://theconversation.com/how-did-sport-become-so-popular-the-ancient-history-of-a-modern-obsession-254057

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Can a wooden spoon really stop a pot from boiling over? Here’s the science

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jay Deagon, Senior Lecturer of Home Economics, CQUniversity Australia

    Alexanderstock23/Shutterstock

    One moment, your spaghetti is happily bubbling away in the pot. A minute later, after busying yourself with something else, you turn around to find a hot mess all over your stove.

    Boiling liquid can rocket up very quickly, and we often only have a split second to act. But are there ways to prevent the pot boiling over in the first place? One kitchen hack you may have seen on social media is to place a wooden spoon across the top of the pot.

    Does it work? As with many kitchen science questions, there is an answer – and there’s lots of nuance, too.

    In short, it will work, but not for long periods of time. Let’s dig into the why.

    What causes the bubbles?

    Interestingly, a pot of rapidly boiling pure water will not rise up the sides of the pot.

    Ingredients added to the water are the culprits for overflow and spillage. Pots of pasta, rice, porridge or milk are the most prone to boiling over and making a mess. A heavy stew is less likely to bubble over – unless you overfill the pot.

    In cookery, the key food molecules are water, carbohydrates, proteins, lipids (the collective term for fats and oils) and, to a lesser extent, vitamins and minerals.

    The main culprits for rapid boiling and overflow are carbohydrates and proteins. When carbohydrates or proteins (or a combination of both) come into contact with heated water molecules, their properties change and structures rearrange.

    Changes can happen quickly if the heat is high. Excited by lots of heat, the water molecules begin to boil rapidly. As this occurs, bubbles form.

    Why do the bubbles rise so quickly?

    The carbohydrates involved in bubbling up and messing up your kitchen are primarily plant starches. Pasta or porridge products are derived from plant starches such as wheat, rice, potato or corn. If you’re boiling anything with milk, a protein called casein can contribute to the bubbles, too.

    Casein and starches are known as colloids. “Colloidal dispersion” means that not all such particles will dissolve into a water solution, because some of these particles are too large. As bubbles form, the larger starch and/or protein particles start to coat the bubbles.

    For pasta water or porridge, the heat and starch solution starts to form a gel. This gel becomes sticky and, depending on the type of starch and other additives, the temperature of the boiling solution can rise above 100°C.

    So, they’re not just bubbles – they’re hot, sticky bubbles. Filled with air and coated with a sticky starch gel, as the solution continues to boil, the bubbles build on top of each other and rise up the sides of the pot.

    It’s a little different with milk. Have you ever noticed a film across the top of boiled milk? Milk skin is formed by heated casein. When heated, the casein can become quite strong – like plastic – and coat each bubble. Milk bubbles are smaller and become more of a foam, but they can still rise quickly.

    Boiling milk forms smaller bubbles – more like a foam – because of the cassein in the milk.
    Ahanov Michael/Shutterstock

    So, how does a wooden spoon stop the bubbles?

    Placing a wooden spoon over a boiling pot acts as an interruption to the bubbles – it lowers the surface temperature and provides a porous surface to burst the bubbles. This stops them from climbing over the edge of the pot.

    To understand why, picture another porous surface: the structure of a sponge. Because the sponge has a lot of holes in it, you can blow air through a dry sponge. However, air does not pass through a wet sponge because the holes are filled with water.

    Wood is a porous material, and a dry wooden spoon is more porous than when it’s wet. On contact with the wood, the air in the bubbles is released.

    But you can’t just leave a wooden spoon over the pot indefinitely and expect it to not boil over. As the spoon is exposed to heat, moisture, sticky starch or casein bubbles, it will soon become the same temperature as the liquid. That means it won’t reduce the surface temperature any more, nor be porous enough to burst bubbles.

    This is why some people claim the spoon hack doesn’t work – because it has a limited window of effectiveness.

    What should I do instead?

    Stirring the pot or using the wooden spoon as a fan would work equally as well.

    Better yet, try not to get distracted in the kitchen and select the correct kitchen tools for the job: use a bigger pot, and turn down the heat so it’s not just going full blast.

    We like to treat working in the kitchen like a meditation. Remain present and in the moment. If you do get distracted, turn the stove to its lowest setting, switch it off or remove the pot from the heat. The phrase “a watched pot never boils” doesn’t count in this situation. Indeed, a watchful eye on the pot is essential.

    Jay Deagon is affiliated with the International Federation for Home Economics and the Home Economics Institute of Australia.

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

    – ref. Can a wooden spoon really stop a pot from boiling over? Here’s the science – https://theconversation.com/can-a-wooden-spoon-really-stop-a-pot-from-boiling-over-heres-the-science-252519

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Locked up then locked out: how NZ’s bank rules make life for ex-prisoners even harder

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Victoria Stace, Senior Lecturer, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington

    FotoDax/Shutterstock

    People coming out of prison in New Zealand face multiple hurdles reintegrating into society – starting with one of the most fundamental elements of modern life: getting a bank account.

    Not having a bank account can make it difficult to receive wages or a benefit, and to get a job or rent accommodation.

    In our new research we spoke with financial mentors and others working with prisoners on release, along with the Department of Corrections and banks, to better understand the hurdles for ex-prisoners.

    We found not having a bank account on release was common and that it hindered reintegration efforts. It also appears to directly increase the chance of an ex-prisoner returning to crime. As a representative from Māori social services organisation Te Pā explained,

    It is really important to get them a bank account if we want them to stay on the right side of the law. It is a key part of being part of society. [They] need to be part of mainstream financial services. If not, then [they are] much more likely to go back into crime.

    The relationship between not having access to banking and getting back into crime was also noted in a 2016 report from the Salvation Army. And a financial mentor told us the current situation was “making it hard for people to not re-offend”.

    A fundamental need

    Our research is spread over two reports commissioned by financial services organisation FinCap and includes 40 interviews with people in the banking industry, financial mentoring organisations, community groups and the Department of Corrections.

    The first report outlining our data was released in 2023, and the second in April 2025. The latter outlined the steps Corrections and the banking sector need to take to remove the hurdles faced by ex-prisoners trying to access a bank account.

    Approximately 10,000 individuals were held in a New Zealand prison in 2024 at any one time, and around half of these were sentenced prisoners with the rest on remand. New Zealand’s reimprisonment rate is high, with about 30% of first-time prisoners likely to return to prison.

    The Reserve Bank has argued that broad financial inclusion is important for society as it helps promote prosperity and contributes to a productive economy. Part of this involves ensuring everyone has access to a bank account.

    Without access to a bank account, ex-prisoners struggle to get a job, secure housing or receive a benefit.
    Siriporn Pimpo/Shutterstock

    Hurdles to access

    There seem to be several things hindering ex-prisoners’ access to banking, with New Zealand’s anti-money laundering rules a major problem.

    The law requires banks to complete certain checks before a person is allowed to open an account. Currently, banks require two forms of ID and a verifiable address.

    People just out of prison often don’t have these. We found other hurdles include limited access to the internet, banks being unwilling to take on this group of customers, and ex-prisoners’ lack of confidence to engage with banks.

    But there are ways we can make access to bank accounts easier for ex-prisoners.

    Putting the onus on Corrections to proactively assist people due for release to get whatever documents the banks require, and to apply for the account to be set up before release, would be a good start. But it will likely require additional resourcing for the department.

    A recent discussion paper from the Council of Financial Regulators has suggested the introduction of transactional accounts – a new type of bank account requiring less in the way of formal ID.

    Basic transactional accounts could help ex-prisoners by making it easier to meet bank requirements. These would be a basic account that could receive wages and benefits and enable payments, but not provide credit.

    It could also have limits on the amounts held in the account, which would minimise money laundering risks.

    The major banks also have a key role to play in making change happen. Only one major bank – Westpac – has been willing to offer bank accounts to ex-prisoners so far, with a special programme that allows people in prison (both those still not due for release and those on their way out) to open an account. This has been very helpful for those who have had access to it.

    During our research, Corrections emphasised the importance of major banks acting as default providers of banking services to prisoners and ex-prisoners (similar to default providers of KiwiSaver).

    This approach would aim to ensure prisoners had the freedom to choose their banking provider. Encouraging participation in such a programme was seen as an opportunity for banks to demonstrate corporate social responsibility.

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

    – ref. Locked up then locked out: how NZ’s bank rules make life for ex-prisoners even harder – https://theconversation.com/locked-up-then-locked-out-how-nzs-bank-rules-make-life-for-ex-prisoners-even-harder-255110

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Homicide investigation launched in Manurewa

    Source: New Zealand Police

    A homicide investigation has been launched following the death of a man in Manurewa this morning.

    Emergency services were called to a Mahia Road property just before 10am following a report of a person seriously injured.

    Detective Inspector Shaun Vickers, Counties Manukau CIB, says upon arrival, a man was located in a critical condition but despite the best efforts from emergency services, he died at the scene.

    “Police are continuing to gather information from the scene and there will be an increased Police presence in the area.

    “A scene examination will continue throughout today as we work to understand the exact circumstances surrounding this tragic incident and who was involved.”

    Detective Inspector Vickers says Police are working hard to identify and locate the person or persons responsible.

    “Police would ask anyone who saw what happened, who has not yet spoken to us, to please get in touch.”

    If you have any information that could assist the investigation, please make a report via 105, using the file number 250506/4011 and quote ‘Operation Gully’.

    Alternatively, information can be provided anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111 or www.crimestoppers-nz.org

    Further information will be provided when we are in a position to do so.

    ENDS.

    Holly McKay/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Economy – 2024 General Insurance Stress Test Results published today – Reserve Bank of NZ

    Source: Reserve Bank of New Zealand

    6 May 2025 – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand has published the results from the 2024 General Insurance Industry Stress Test. The exercise assessed insurers’ responses to a major earthquake and severe but plausible cyber-risk incidents.

    The seismic scenario was based on a magnitude 8.7 earthquake along the Hikurangi Subduction Zone off the east coast of the North Island. The scenario was designed to simulate an event well beyond our solvency requirements to enable testing of insurers’ preparedness and recovery plans. This scenario would result in widespread damage and a sharp decline in GDP. Participating insurers modelled property losses of $62 billion, which rose to around $100bn if extrapolated out to cover the whole market.  

    “Despite the severity of the scenario, policyholder claims would have been met,” said Kerry Watt, Director of Financial Stability Assessment and Strategy. “This is a sign of the resilience that’s been built into the system since the Canterbury earthquakes, including strengthening of solvency requirements, increased coverage by the Natural Hazards Commission and improved loss estimation modelling.”  

    The severity of the test did mean substantial mitigating actions were required to return insurers to required solvency positions. Capital injections from their parent companies and ongoing availability of reinsurance were identified as critical to enabling insurers to continue to offer cover following such an event. The exercise provided valuable insights to feed into our review of solvency standards and our recovery planning.  

    The stress test noted the significant impacts beyond the insurance industry. This includes costs to the Crown through funding of the Natural Hazards Commission and meeting recovery costs for damage to uninsured assets and any economic support programmes. This highlights the importance of the government maintaining sufficient fiscal buffers to manage such shocks.

    “The exercise was challenging and required a significant collaborative effort across industry and government. Ultimately, the scenario highlights the importance of all stakeholders, individually and collectively, understanding the risks and preparing for these types of severe events,” said Mr Watt.  

    The stress test also included a number of cyber scenarios, including a major data breach, a critical cloud services outage, and a ransomware attack. Insurers demonstrated resilience to claims arising from large cyber events, though these could have a significant impact on profitability.  

    “Cyber risks are growing and evolving quickly. This exercise helped insurers identify where they are most exposed, and where more work is needed to understand and model these risks. We encourage the industry to build on these insights to improve resilience in this rapidly changing space,” Mr Watt said.

    The Reserve Bank will continue to work closely with insurers and relevant government agencies to support New Zealand’s preparedness for seismic and cyber risks.
     

    More information

    2024 General Insurance Industry Stress Test : https://govt.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=bd316aa7ee4f5679c56377819&id=08fd9aa271&e=f3c68946f8

    What is a Stress Test?  – Stress Tests are a critical tool we use to assess potential vulnerabilities, support risk management, and inform policy and supervisory decisions. 
    The May Financial Stability Report (FSR) will be released on Wednesday 7 May 2025 at 9:00am. There will be a media conference on the same day at 1:00pm.
    The Reserve Bank worked closely with the Treasury, the Natural Hazards Commission, the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and the National Emergency Management Agency when producing this Bulletin.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese automaker backs Indonesia’s green industry push as main partner in AIGIS 2025

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    This photo taken on Feb. 13, 2025 shows the booth of Jaecoo, a brand of Chinese automaker Chery, during the 2025 Indonesia International Motor Show (IIMS) in Jakarta, Indonesia. [Photo/Xinhua]

    JAECOO, an SUV brand under China’s Chery Group, has been trusted as the main partner in organizing the 2nd Annual Indonesia Green Industry Summit (AIGIS) to be held this August, a flagship initiative launched by Indonesia’s Ministry of Industry to accelerate the country’s progress toward its 2060 net-zero emissions target.

    “This involvement reflects JAECOO’s long-term commitment to supporting Indonesia’s green industry ecosystem through technological innovation and strategic collaboration,” the company said in a press release on Sunday.

    As part of the AIGIS program, the 2025 National Green Industry Forum was held in Bandung on April 30, bringing together over 300 stakeholders from government, industry, and research institutions.

    Discussions focused on the adoption of low-carbon technologies, improvements in energy efficiency, and the advancement of green innovation.

    The forum highlighted the urgent need for industrial transformation, noting that Indonesia’s industrial sector accounts for 34 percent of greenhouse gas emissions and contributes 41 percent to the nation’s GDP.

    JAECOO officially entered the Indonesian market in early 2025, introducing its J7 model equipped with the Super Hybrid System (SHS), a solution designed to combine environmental sustainability with powerful urban mobility.

    “I was surprised by the pre-booking price. It’s very competitive for a vehicle with this level of capability,” said Deputy Minister of Industry Faisol Reza, who test-drove the J7 SHS at the forum. “PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle) technology like this is far more efficient and cost-effective than conventional hybrids (HEVs).”

    As a brand rooted in new energy innovation, JAECOO shares a common vision with the Indonesian government’s green development roadmap.      

    According to the company, its participation in AIGIS reflects a commitment to delivering real technology and real action for a sustainable future.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Holiday inbound tourism thrives

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    China’s inbound tourism market saw strong recovery and growth during the just-concluded May Day holiday, with smaller cities attracting more foreign visitors seeking cultural experiences, according to industry insiders.

    During the five-day break, inbound travel bookings surged 130 percent from a year earlier, said Trip.com Group, China’s largest online travel agency. While top-tier cities such as Beijing and Shanghai remained popular, destinations including Chengdu in Sichuan province, Chongqing, Hangzhou in Zhejiang province, Zhuhai in Guangdong province, and Xi’an in Shaanxi province also made the list of top inbound choices.

    China has been opening its doors wider to international travelers. In 2024, the country expanded its unilateral visa-free policy to include 38 countries, allowing visits of up to 30 days, according to the National Immigration Administration.

    Favorable tax refund policies have also boosted inbound travel. In late April, China lowered the tax refund threshold from 500 yuan ($68.80) to 200 yuan and raised the cash refund limit from 10,000 yuan to 20,000 yuan. There is no limit on refunds processed by bank transfer, according to a guideline issued by the Ministry of Commerce and five other departments.

    “We encourage relevant institutions to provide tax refund services through various means such as mobile payments, bank cards and cash, and to better meet the diverse payment service needs of overseas travelers,” said Sheng Qiuping, vice-minister of commerce, at a recent news conference in Beijing.

    During the holiday, tourists from the United States, South Korea and Japan made up the largest share of inbound visitors. The number of travelers from Australia, Vietnam and Canada also rose significantly, according to Beijing-based travel platform Qunar.

    Foreign visitors are venturing beyond major cities. Hotel bookings by foreign tourists in Zhuhai rose 70 percent year-on-year, while Qingdao in Shandong province and Wuhan in Hubei province saw increases of 60 percent and 50 percent, respectively, Qunar reported.

    China’s picturesque landscapes and rich culinary culture have frequently been featured in South Korean TV dramas and variety shows, piquing travel interest. The May Day holiday also coincides with a public holiday in South Korea, encouraging young travelers to visit China.

    South Korea’s leading travel agency, Hana Tour, said January trips to China rose 77 percent year-on-year, outpacing a 20 percent increase for trips to Japan. The surge was mainly driven by China’s visa-free policy.

    Major South Korean airlines have responded by expanding their international flight offerings to China to meet rising demand.

    Meanwhile, more foreign visitors are seeking immersive cultural experiences in rural areas. A Trip.com resort in Zhangjiajie, Hunan province, reported a surge in bookings from tourists from the US, Italy and Spain since April.

    “Besides sightseeing, foreign tourists have shown increasing interest in in-depth tours and diverse experiences, such as participating in farming activities and attending ethnic concerts,” said Fang Zexi, a Trip.com Group researcher.

    Their cultural curiosity extends into everyday life. In Chengdu, a popular southwestern city, more foreign visitors are booking culinary experiences, visits to local farmers’ markets, cooking sessions, table presentations and food tasting, Trip.com said.

    In the first three days of the holiday, more than 5,700 inbound passenger trips were recorded by Chengdu’s border inspection authority, a year-on-year increase of over 170 percent, according to the Sichuan provincial entry and exit bureau.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Politics and Business – Pay equity improvement supported – BusinessNZ

    Source: BusinessNZ

    BusinessNZ supports amending the pay equity process to make it more transparent, evidence-based, and more able to achieve robust settlements.
    BusinessNZ Chief Executive Katherine Rich says the current process is bringing large anomalies between the public and private sectors, in effect leading to new equity problems – between those employed in the public sector and those in the private sector.
    “Increases in public health sector remuneration have created difficulties in the private sector where they can’t afford those pay rates. Where those private sector employers receive government funding for some services, it is not enough to cover the contracted services they provide. As a result, they are losing staff, suffering from industrial action and face problems in delivering their contracted work.
    “These outcomes indicate that the pay equity process needs attention.
    “Current problems include unclear evidence for some pay equity claims, a lack of transparency around choice of comparators for the pay equity process, and insufficient incentives for the bargaining parties to resolve pay equity claims themselves, without recourse to the government.
    “BusinessNZ supports a review of the settings for pay equity claims, in the interests of fairness and a more balanced economy,” Mrs Rich said.
    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: Government Cuts – “A national embarrassment” – Workers First on Government’s pay equity betrayal

    Source: Workers First Union

    Workers First Union has described today’s announcement that the Government will attempt to shut down existing pay equity claims and make it harder to file new ones as a “national embarrassment” that will worsen inequality in New Zealand and continue the flood of experienced professionals in historically female-dominated professions to countries overseas.
    Sheryl Cadman, Workers First Central Region Secretary, said that the plan announced today by Minister Brooke Van Velden reneges on decades of bipartisan work on pay equity because the current Government cannot manage the economy ahead of Budget 2025/26.
    “Minister Van Velden has decided to make tens of thousands of women pay for her Government’s next austerity budget,” said Ms Cadman.
    “As a policy decision, it achieves the ambitious trifecta of worsening the long-term health of our economy, exacerbating worker shortages in health, education and other historically female-dominated industries, and embedding unfairness throughout our society.”
    Ms Cadman said pay equity claims like Workers First’s case on behalf of veterinary nurses across the private sector could be jeopardised by the Government’s “fast-tracked” changes to the system that deals with pay equity claims.
    “We’ll regroup and assess our options, but the problems do not go away just because the legislative pathway for change has been willingly broken by the Government,” said Ms Cadman.
    “Entire industries rely on the pay equity claim process to have an expert court consider their historical underpayment and make recommendations for redress – not an ignorant Minister whose main experience of female workers is as people who bring her things.”
    “Using parliamentary urgency to force a law change like this that demands careful scrutiny is especially foolish, short-sighted and authoritarian.”
    Ms Cadman said she reserved particular disdain for Minister Brooke van Velden.
    “Minister Van Velden is a politician who’s incapable of listening and barely capable of thinking clearly about the present moment, let alone considering the decades of unfairness in the past that has made pay equity a priority for anyone who wants to make New Zealand a better place to live.”
    “The union movement has dealt with worse and we will fight this again.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Government Cuts – Changes will gut the Equal Pay Act and lock in discrimination – CTU

    Source: New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi

    The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi is slamming the Government’s proposed changes to the Equal Pay Act, announced today by Brooke van Velden, as an attack on working women and their rights to pay equity.

    “It is shameful that the Government is cancelling pay equity for hundreds of thousands of working women in order to balance the budget,” said NZCTU Secretary Melissa Ansell-Bridges.

    “These changes will gut the Equal Pay Act and lock in gender discrimination and inequity for years to come.

    “Pay equity is an issue of justice, not penny pinching. There is no excuse to ignore injustice, especially when employers’ business models have been predicated on the exploitation of women. The coalition is prioritising tax cuts for the rich over justice for poorly paid women.

    “This is not just about cancelling current claims, which would be bad enough, but the changes will also retrospectively rip up existing settlements by removing the review clauses. This will mean that those workers will soon lose the value of their claims.

    “This Government seems determined to undo all the progress that working women have made on achieving equal pay. They disestablished the Pay Equity Taskforce, pulled funding for settlements, and are now gutting the Act.

    “It is totally unacceptable that Brooke van Velden is intending to push these changes through Parliament in two days under urgency, bypassing democratic scrutiny and due process.

    “This Minister is once again demonstrating her contempt for working people and a total disregard for workers’ rights, fair pay and good work,” said Ansell-Bridges.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Government Cuts – “A national embarrassment” – Workers First on Government’s pay equity betrayal

    Source: Workers First Union

    Workers First Union has described today’s announcement that the Government will attempt to shut down existing pay equity claims and make it harder to file new ones as a “national embarrassment” that will worsen inequality in New Zealand and continue the flood of experienced professionals in historically female-dominated professions to countries overseas.

    Sheryl Cadman, Workers First Central Region Secretary, said that the plan announced today by Minister Brooke Van Velden reneges on decades of bipartisan work on pay equity because the current Government cannot manage the economy ahead of Budget 2025/26.

    “Minister Van Velden has decided to make tens of thousands of women pay for her Government’s next austerity budget,” said Ms Cadman.

    “As a policy decision, it achieves the ambitious trifecta of worsening the long-term health of our economy, exacerbating worker shortages in health, education and other historically female-dominated industries, and embedding unfairness throughout our society.”

    Ms Cadman said pay equity claims like Workers First’s case on behalf of veterinary nurses across the private sector could be jeopardised by the Government’s “fast-tracked” changes to the system that deals with pay equity claims.

    “We’ll regroup and assess our options, but the problems do not go away just because the legislative pathway for change has been willingly broken by the Government,” said Ms Cadman.

    “Entire industries rely on the pay equity claim process to have an expert court consider their historical underpayment and make recommendations for redress – not an ignorant Minister whose main experience of female workers is as people who bring her things.”

    “Using parliamentary urgency to force a law change like this that demands careful scrutiny is especially foolish, short-sighted and authoritarian.”

    Ms Cadman said she reserved particular disdain for Minister Brooke van Velden.

    “Minister Van Velden is a politician who’s incapable of listening and barely capable of thinking clearly about the present moment, let alone considering the decades of unfairness in the past that has made pay equity a priority for anyone who wants to make New Zealand a better place to live.”

    “The union movement has dealt with worse and we will fight this again.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Pinnacles Hut, Summit Track set for improvement

    Source: Police investigating after shots fired at Hastings house

    Date:  06 May 2025

    The Pinnacles Hut is an 80-bunk hut, located in the Kauaeranga Valley. Built in 1994, the hut offers expansive views across the southern Coromandel Peninsula.

    The Pinnacles Hut and Summit Track are often used by international tourists visiting Coromandel and is one of DOC’s busiest with 15,000 bednights per year.

    DOC Hauraki Senior Ranger Karen Ismay says the hut refurbishment project will start on Monday 12 May and run for six weeks until 21 June.

    “The work on the hut involves installing insulation, false ceilings and double-glazed windows – all of which will mean a warmer, drier and more comfortable hut for our visitors.

    “We know that a significant proportion of tourism is based in, on or around our unique natural environment and this part of a wider drive to make DOC’s hut buildings more environmentally sustainable for future generations to enjoy,” Karen says.

    “This hut is particularly popular with international visitors enjoying what the Coromandel has to offer.”

    With the work underway, the hut becomes an active worksite – which means it is off-limits to the public and cannot be booked for the duration of the refurbishment project.

    Alongside the hut project is an improvement project on the Summit Track, which is accessed from the Pinnacles Hut.

    The Summit Track project focusses on improving the track surface, with boardwalks set to be installed to prevent the spread of kauri disease.

    With more than 50 per cent of international visitors and 80 per cent of New Zealanders visiting protected natural areas every year, improvements like these are vital for future-proofing our assets.

    Drainage work will also improve management of rainwater on and around the track.

    The track will be closed to the public from 7am Monday to 3pm on Friday, but will be available for weekend walkers. The track upgrade project is expected to be completed by 21June.

    “We understand there may be some disappointment about these closures, but we’re confident our visitors will appreciate the improvements – particularly on chilly winter nights in the hut,” Karen says.

    Contact

    For media enquiries contact:

    Email: media@doc.govt.nz

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Politics and Health – Pay equity changes an attack on women: NZNO

    Source: New Zealand Nurses Organisation

    Changes by the Government to make pay equity claims harder to lodge and resolve are an attack on women, New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) says.
    Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke Van Velden today announced changes saying they will “significantly reduce costs to the Crown”.
    NZNO chief executive Paul Goulter says nurses will be outraged that historical gender discrimination will not be addressed so the Government can save money.
    “This is a blatant and shameful attack on women.
    “Women in workforces predominantly performed by female employees have been underpaid and undervalued for generations. That is what pay equity claims seek to rectify.
    “This move by the Government will widen the pay gap between men and women,” Paul Goulter says.
    NZNO has at least 10 pay equity claims being progressed across branches of the health sector including Aged Care, Primary Health Care, Hospices, Plunket, Community Health and Laboratories covering many nurse and support worker roles.
    Paul Goulter says some of these claims have been going on for years.
    “Our members will be devastated that after years of waiting for settlements, the Government is now pulling the rug out from under their feet.
    “This move is particularly unfair to primary health and aged care nurses who are being denied the opportunity to close the pay gap with their hospital counterparts. Our Plunket and hospice members now face the injustice of having to redo their pay equity claims,” Paul Goulter says.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Government Cuts – Dark day for women as Government slams brakes on pay equity to save money – PSA

    Source: PSA

    The Government’s proposed changes to the Equal Pay Act will severely limit people in female-dominated professions to be paid fairly, said the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi (PSA).
    “The new legislation announced today throws away all the work that has been done to date solely to save the Government money,” Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi National Secretary Fleur Fitzsimons says.
    “Women across the country will pay the price for this.
    “The Government’s changes today are a dark day for New Zealand women as the Government says it will repeal the pay equity law and extinguish 33 existing claims in a constitutional overreach.
    “The PSA is exploring all possible avenues to oppose these unconstitutional amendments and stop this attack on women. We will not be deterred in our fight to achieve pay equity for all.
    “The Government is taking money out of the pockets of women. It’s denying justice, it’s denying hard work and dignity to women who for years have been underpaid by reinventing the process on specious grounds to save money.
    “This is a complete back-down from any attempt to eliminate pay discrimination in this country,” said Fitzsimons. “The Government is telling us who it thinks is disposable: women – especially women who also face pay discrimination based on their ethnicity.”
    The PSA is involved in 15 pay equity claims. This includes 65,000 care and support workers, who have lost about $18,600 each due to pay discrimination while they have waited for the Government to fund their claim.
    “It is now Government policy to keep sexist pay discrimination entrenched in the fabric of this country. It talks a big game about how we all need to ‘tighten our belts’, but it is women who will bear the brunt because of this decision.
    “For workers with claims, pay equity would mean they could put money aside and save for emergencies, holidays, or retirement. They wouldn’t have to stress about essentials like dental check-ups and GP visits.
    “The Government is snatching this justice from these women and using it to line landlords’ pockets. It spits on this country’s supposedly proud history of advancing equal rights.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Local News – Pacific Language Weeks has new addition for 2025 – Porirua

    Source: Porirua City Council

    Bislama, the official language of Vanuatu, has been added to the list of Pacific Language Weeks to be celebrated in Porirua in 2025.
    Language weeks are important to our city as they highlight the diversity, language, heritage and identity of our many Pacific communities.
    After Rotuman Language, from 11-17 May, we recognise and celebrate the languages of Samoa, Kiribati, Vanuatu (Bislama), Cook Islands, Tonga, Papua New Guinea, Tuvalu, Fiji, Niue and Tokelau and Solomon Islands.
    The overarching theme for the 2025 series of Pacific Language Weeks across New Zealand is ‘preserving Pacific languages for the future’, following on from previous years’ of protecting heritage and culture through sustainability – the United Nations has said recently that 40 per cent of the world’s 7000 languages are in danger of being lost.
    Porirua Mayor Anita Baker says flag-raising and other events across each language week represent a chance to share the vibrancy of our Pacific people, who make up nearly 27 per cent of the city’s population.
    “It’s well-known that Porirua is one of the most culturally diverse cities in the country, and I love that we highlight and celebrate that,” she says.
    “To see people, young and old and everywhere in between, getting out and learning and developing relationships in our community brings us all closer together. It’s wonderful to witness and aligns with our Pacific Strategy Ola Kamataga – Beginning of Life, which we adopted in 2023.
    “It’s more important than ever before for everyone to be proud to live in Porirua and be proud to celebrate their own ancestry and culture.”
    Individual language week themes will be announced closer to each celebration. Keep an eye on Council’s website and social media pages as we announce and highlight flag-raising and other Pacific Language Week activities. There is also information at mpp.govt.nz.
    Pacific Language Week dates for 2025:
    Rotuma: 11-17 May
    Samoa: 1-7 June
    Kiribati: 6-12 July
    Vanuatu: 27 July-2 August
    Cook Islands: 3-9 August
    Tonga: 17-23 August
    Papua New Guinea: 7-13 September
    Tuvalu: 28 September-4 October
    Fiji: 5-11 October
    Niue: 19-25 October
    Tokelau: 26 October-1 November
    Solomon Islands: 23-29 November

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Interview with Karl Stefanovic, Today Show

    Source: Australia’s climate in 2024: 2nd warmest and 8th wettest year on record

    Karl Stefanovic, Host: Well, back to work for the Labor Government this week after partying like it was 1983. Well, we all like a party, don’t we? Or is it just me? Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong joins us now live from Adelaide to discuss. Penny, good morning to you. How was it?

    Penny Wong, Foreign Minister: Good morning, Karl. Look, it’s you know we feel humbled, and grateful, and really conscious of the responsibility and privilege Australians have given us, and we will work every day to repay that trust.

    Stefanovic: Was there a specific moment on the night when you knew you’d won, when you turned to someone and said, this is ours.

    Foreign Minister: Well, I think I was with the Prime Minister and obviously we were looking at a lot of the results and frankly, the result became much clearer, much quicker than I thought it would. Because what we saw, really, is that the Liberal Party is not the party of middle Australia. The cities and the suburbs of Australia looked at Peter Dutton, looked at the Liberal Party, and said, look, you’re not in touch with the life I’m living. You’re not in touch with the things that are hard for me, the things that I want. You’re not in touch with my values. And very comprehensively across the country, we saw, particularly our cities and our suburbs, the Liberals hold such a small fraction of the seats within metropolitan Australia. They just don’t represent middle Australia.

    Stefanovic: What did you say to each other when you knew you’d won?

    Foreign Minister: I think I gave him a hug.

    Stefanovic: Pretty emotional?

    Foreign Minister: It’s always emotional. It’s a big thing isn’t it? I mean, it’s a big thing to form government. It’s a big thing to be given that responsibility and the honour of forming government by the Australian people. It’s a humbling moment, and we carry that with us. And as the Prime Minister said, we’re back to work and we will work every day to repay this trust.

    Stefanovic: Okay, let’s get on with it. A couple of quick-fire election questions for you. Is Tanya still on the front bench after that air kiss?

    Foreign Minister: Tanya, as the PM has said, will be a senior cabinet minister, he’s made that clear.

    Stefanovic: Does Chris Bowen need some time off the bench?

    Foreign Minister: I think Chris is, remember, Chris when we first came to government, had to deal with a gas crisis, an energy crisis, where as a result of where we’d been, we had real reliability and supply problems. He’s doing, and has done, an excellent job. What happens to people’s portfolios is at the privilege of the Prime Minister. He’s made some indication about a number of us in the leadership group and in senior portfolios, who will continue in our current jobs but the rest is up to him.

    Stefanovic: Will you stay a full term?

    Foreign Minister: Yes, I will. And in fact, the size of this victory and the prospect of a third-term Labor Government, it looks pretty good.

    Stefanovic: You’ll stay in that portfolio?

    Foreign Minister: I want to. And the Prime Minister’s indicated that me, Richard, Don Farrell, Katy and Jim will stay where we are. And we’re really appreciative, all of us, of the opportunity and the trust he’s shown in us.

    Stefanovic: Will the PM stay a full term?

    Foreign Minister: He’s said so. And I think –

    Stefanovic: And then some?

    Foreign Minister: It’s a pretty funny thing to ask. Yeah exactly, and then some. I think it’s a pretty funny thing to ask given what we saw on Saturday.

    Stefanovic: I mean, everyone’s happy with that? Jim’s alright with that?

    Foreign Minister: I think Jim’s answered this very clearly. He’s made the point, what an honour it is for all of us to serve as senior ministers in a Labor Government. And the Prime Minister leads this Government, and this opportunity that we all have is as much down to him as it is to the Australian people.

    Stefanovic: Alright, more importantly, Trump’s tariffs loom pretty large, as you would know. Will you help sandbag the Australian film industry? If so, what might that look like? Because there’s a great deal of understandable nervousness inside that industry.

    Foreign Minister: Absolutely. And I think that there’s also the reality, isn’t there, which is we do a lot of work with the American film industry. And there’s a lot of films, Australian actors in American films, Australian crews working on US films, films filmed here in Australia, which are collaborations between American studios and Australian companies. So, these tariffs really don’t reflect the reality of the cooperation and collaboration between our countries. So, we’ll obviously be putting that view to the US administration. I did hear as I was driving in this morning, President Trump on the radio saying that he was going to have a discussion with the studios, and we think that’s a good thing.

    Stefanovic: Okay, meantime, the Greens here say they’re still carrying a stick in the Senate. You’ll still need to listen to them. It’s more like a toothpick with a cocktail onion now, don’t you think?

    Foreign Minister: I wonder if I can use that line. Do you think I can use that line in the Senate with them? Karl, what do you reckon?

    Stefanovic: You can quote me anytime you want.

    Foreign Minister: ‘As Karl said’. See how that goes down? It might work, might not. Look, one of the things about Saturday, Karl, is I think Australians rejected the politics of conflict and the politics of grievance. And, unfortunately, Adam Bandt in some ways is quite like Peter Dutton. It’s the same conflict, it’s the same, frankly, sometimes quite aggressive, and the same politics of protest and grievance. And I think Australians have comprehensively rejected that. And my suggestion to Adam Bandt is perhaps he should consider what message Australians sent to all of us in the Parliament.

    Stefanovic: He may not be there. Look, you mentioned the Voice during the campaign as well, Penny. I listened to it and you clearly weren’t saying you were going to go back to it, but it was seized upon, as you know. Did you worry at any point that you’d made a mistake to the party?

    Foreign Minister: You know me, Karl, I’m always hard on myself, aren’t I? And, of course, you always worry about giving your opponent the opportunity to have a go. But can I say, I think what it demonstrated was what I said at the start – Peter Dutton’s reflexes, the Liberal Party’s desire to get into the culture wars, is part of them not being where middle Australia is at. People were concerned about Medicare, people were concerned about cost of living, people were concerned about tax cuts. People were concerned about schools and hospitals and bulk billing, fee-free TAFE. People were concerned about making sure, in an uncertain world, where we see a lot of change globally, that steady leadership would be required. That’s what Australians wanted to see. They weren’t interested in the Peter Dutton Liberal Party culture wars.

    Stefanovic: That’s definitely a no, then? You’re not going to be pursuing that?

    Foreign Minister: We’ve made that clear, the Australian people have made that clear, the Voice is gone.

    Stefanovic: Okay, I suppose you don’t care about the Liberal leadership, why would you? But Gina Rinehart is saying the country needs to move to the right, more Trump-like. How do you respond?

    Foreign Minister: Ms Rinehart has been very public about those views for some time but I think Australians spoke on Saturday.

    Stefanovic: Penny, always good to talk to you. Thank you so much, and best of luck with the job ahead.

    Foreign Minister: Great to speak with you. I’ll try the cocktail line.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Interview on Radio National Breakfast with Sally Sara

    Source: Australia’s climate in 2024: 2nd warmest and 8th wettest year on record

    Sally Sara, Host: Well, Anthony Albanese has started his second term with a flurry of phone calls from world leaders, including what he described as a warm and positive conversation with US President Donald Trump. The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Penny Wong, is my guest this morning. Minister, welcome back to Breakfast.

    Penny Wong, Foreign Minister: G’day, Sally. Good to be with you.

    Sara: Do you want to stay on as Foreign Minister?

    Foreign Minister: I will be staying on as Foreign Minister and I’m looking forward to be part of a third-term Labor Government as well, but look what I want to say first is just to thank your listeners. We were given an enormous opportunity, a great privilege on Saturday. We’re very conscious of the weight of that, the responsibility of that and the privilege of that. And we will work every day to repay the trust Australians have shown in us.

    Sara: How do you guard against hubris or the party letting standards drop with such an emphatic result going into a second term?

    Foreign Minister: I think the culture in the Albanese Labor government, set by the Prime Minister, but by all of us in the leadership group, in the cabinet, in the caucus is we never take the position we have for granted. We never take the Australian people for granted, we serve ultimately at their pleasure and they have – Australians are always our focus. So, I think when the Prime Minister talks about humility, about recognising the weight of responsibility, that is what we have, the sense we have across our caucus.

    Sara: What was it in the results on Saturday that surprised you?

    Foreign Minister: The extent to which the Coalition are not the party of middle Australia. Now, I had a look at the AEC’s current count of metropolitan seats, so they have an inner and outer metropolitan seats at this stage, on current numbers, the Coalition are down to seven out of 88 seats in metropolitan areas. You know what that says, Sally? That says that in the cities and suburbs, the Coalition does not represent middle Australia. It doesn’t represent the hopes, aspirations and struggles of people, of Australians and their families living in our cities and suburbs. That really was a profound message from the electorate.

    Sara: Let’s have a look at your portfolio. The Prime Minister had the chance to speak directly with Donald Trump yesterday. What was discussed and what sort of value do you think there was in having that call yesterday?

    Foreign Minister: It was very important to reach out after an election to key leaders. And obviously, the US is so important to Australia. And the Prime Minister also has spoken to a number of other leaders in the region and beyond. He spoke about that yesterday in his press conference. There’s obviously a lot to discuss with the United States, we know we have a difference of views on tariffs and we will continue to press our view to them as well as getting on with the job that we said, which was to continue to diversify Australia’s exports as a consequence, not only of this US tariff decision, but to make sure we are more economically resilient in a world that is changing.

    Sara: Has there been any significant progress or developments in Australia’s push to secure an exemption from the Trump tariffs?

    Foreign Minister: Well, we’ve been in caretaker, which is what you’re in when you’re in the election. So, obviously the business of government becomes much, much more constrained because of the political campaign. We will continue to engage with the US administration, whether it’s on steel or more broadly. We know that President Trump and his administration have a different view on tariffs, a much tougher view than the first Trump administration. We know that these tariffs have been imposed on countries across the world and that no country has been in a better position than Australia. But equally, we believe that tariffs are unjustified and unwarranted. You would know that we have very few, the US is less than five per cent of our exports. What we need to do, apart from what we’ve done, which is to open up trade with China, where we’ve seen $20 billion worth of trade impediments taken off in our first term of government. But we need to do what we were doing in the first term, we need to continue to do that, which is to diversify our export markets.

    Sara: What sort of effect could it have on Australia if Donald Trump goes forward with this proposed 100 per cent tariff on foreign-made films? And is it even possible given that now it’s not a physical entity, films are a service rather than a good.

    Foreign Minister: And films are a lot of collaboration in films between countries and certainly Australia and America, we’ve worked so closely on so many great movies and our movie and entertainment industries are really very interlinked and very collaborative. And you see Australian actors working in the US, you see American films being filmed here in Australia. You see such collaboration through the whole creative process. And I think that’s to the benefit of both our countries. So, what we would say to the Trump administration is, it’s a great thing that we’re collaborating on films. So, let’s keep working together because that’s what viewers want to see, the audience wants to see. I heard the President as I was driving into the office early this morning, I think actually on one of the news clips that you ran, saying that he will talk to the studios, and that’s a good thing. And I think what he’d hear from them is that this collaboration, the involvement of Australian artists, Australian actors, as well as filming in Australia, is a good thing for the US industry.

    Sara: As you’re saying, we’re coming out of caretaker mode. On the question of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, would your government allow the arrest of Benjamin Netanyahu if he were ever to visit Australia?

    Foreign Minister: I’m surprised you asked me that, Sally, because I’ve answered that multiple times, as has the Attorney-General, Mr Dreyfus, and we don’t speculate on hypotheticals. I know that this was something I think Senator Cash pressed me on quite obviously in Senate Estimates, and I gave her the same answer. One of the things I would say about this election, though, the Middle East conflict has been so deeply distressing for so many people and it has been polarising in the Australian community because people do have very strongly held, different views. We have always said, let’s not bring the conflict here. And I think the result on Saturday demonstrates that Australians also don’t think we should bring that kind of anger and conflict into our society. We will continue to advocate for a ceasefire, for the return of hostages and for humanitarian aid to flow.

    Sara: How concerned is Australia about the political instability in the Solomon Islands right now, and particularly today’s expected no confidence motion against the Prime Minister?

    Foreign Minister: These are matters for the people and the Parliament of the Solomon Islands. It’s a sovereign country and you know, I’m not going to comment on it. That’s a matter for, as I said, the people and the representatives of Solomon Islands.

    Sara: Penny Wong, we’ll need to leave it there. Thank you for your time this morning on Breakfast.

    Foreign Minister: Great to speak with you.

    Sara: That’s Senator Penny Wong, the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: 6 May 2025 Coming home to Kerikeri For Rewa, the move to a newly built Kāinga Ora home in Kerikeri was more than just somewhere safe and dry to live following the devastating impacts of cyclone Gabrielle. It was coming home.

    Source: New Zealand Government Kainga Ora

    “My previous home was in a remote part of Northland,” Rewa said. “It was a special place with a close community, but there weren’t the comforts you get living in town.”

    In fact, the whare where Rewa lived with her whanau was so remote that connecting to the grid was out of the question.

    “We got by ok,” Rewa said. “We used a generator for power and every time it was switched on my moko would coming running, because for them it meant one thing – TV!”

    In February 2023, things took an unexpected turn for the worse, when the devastating tropical cyclone Gabrielle arrived at New Zealand’s shores.

    “Gabrielle changed everything,” Rewa said. “There was water everywhere. It damaged the front part of my house, and even damaged the generator, which made things a lot harder. I did my best to stay positive and carry on, but it was a stressful time.”

    Positive change came in 2024, when Rewa received a phone call from the Te Tai Tokerau placements team at Kāinga Ora.

    “I had heard about the new homes Kāinga Ora was building in Kerikeri, but I didn’t want to get my hopes up,” Rewa said. “So, when I got a call asking if I wanted to view one of the apartments, I just couldn’t believe it.

    “I was in awe of my home when I saw it,” Rewa said. “I still am – absolute awe. I’m so grateful I get to settle down here.”

    The Kāinga Ora home where Rewa now lives is a warm, dry, energy efficient ground floor apartment, located only a short walk from the town centre, supermarket and shops.

    Rewa says it’s hard to pick what her very favourite part of the new home is.

    “I really do love everything about it. But, if I had to choose a favourite room, it would be the bathroom. I went from having an outdoor toilet to the best toilet and shower – I just love it.”

    “I always keep the bathroom looking extra pretty because it’s the first room I show off when anyone pops in for a cuppa,” Rewa said.

    Rewa, now 74 years old, says moving into her new home was extra special as Kerikeri is the town where she grew up and a place she feels very connected to.

    “I was 12 years old when my whanau first moved to our home on Butler Road – there were 10 of us kids, plus Mum and Dad. We knew everyone in Kerikeri at that time,” she says.

    “So many memories of my childhood and whanau have come flooding back. It means the world to me to settle here and make new memories with my moko, who know exactly where to find nan if they ever need me.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Witnesses sought after suspicious fire in Bluff

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Police are appealing for information following a suspicious car fire in Bluff on Sunday 4 May.

    About 3.40pm, a Ford Courier ute was set alight while it was parked on Marine Parade. The vehicle suffered substantial damage.

    Senior Constable Pete Jenkins says a man carrying a red petrol can was seen running away from the vehicle after it was set on fire.

    “This person was last seen running south on Henderson Street, where he was picked up in a dark-coloured vehicle.

    “We want to talk to this man, and also need to hear from anyone who has information that could help our enquiries. If you saw suspicious activity in the Marine Parade area on Sunday, please contact us.”

    Information can be reported to Police online, or by calling 105. Please use the reference number 250504/8027.

    ENDS

    Issued by the Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Police stress safety to heavy vehicle drivers

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Southland Police are reminding heavy motor vehicle drivers of the importance of road safety as the country makes its way towards winter.

    “There have already been a couple of crashes involving trucks and I want to remind drivers to manage their fatigue and drive to the conditions for this time of year, particularly in early morning,” says Senior Sergeant Scott Mackenzie, Southland Road Policing Manager.

    Colder months bring more dangers to the country’s roads.

    “In winter the sun sits lower in the sky and sun strike becomes a more common occurrence. Surface conditions, particularly on rural roads become less predictable, and slow-moving tractors and silage wagons are more prevalent at this time of year,” he says.

    “All of this makes it even more important to practice appropriate following distances.

    “I’m asking drivers to make sure they are getting a good night’s sleep, taking regular breaks, checking their speed, and wearing their seatbelts.”

    ENDS

    Issued by the Police Media Team.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Local environment prioritised, thanks to targeted rate

    Source: Secondary teachers question rationale for changes to relationship education guidelines

    A targeted rate that protects and restores Auckland’s environment is delivering beyond its investment, thanks to the support of partners and volunteers.

    Auckland Council’s environmental services team delivers natural environment and climate outcomes Auckland-wide, through a programme that delivers great value at community level.

    At April’s Revenue, Expenditure and Value Committee, chaired by Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson, the division’s financial performance review highlighted its multi-pronged approach.

    “Protecting our unique natural environment requires ongoing management of pressures, such as pest plants and animals. Through the targeted rate, it receives dedicated investment so, ultimately, we have an Auckland we are proud to call home,” says Cr Simpson.

    “The environmental programme is delivering great results region-wide and in our local communities too, thanks to key partnerships, co-funding, new tools to lift productivity and volunteers.

    “The natural environment programme is 97 per cent rates funded, which is around $43 per year per ratepayer through the Natural Environment Targeted Rate (NETR) and some general rates.

    “That investment delivers good value for money,” says Simpson. “In some cases, it delivers a quantifiable $6 return for every $1 invested.”

    How we’re investing for the natural environment

    NETR and general rates funding delivers and supports a range of environmental activity, including community-led initiatives across all Auckland Council wards.

    Auckland Council environmental services general manager Samantha Hill says environmental protection and restoration is a long-term game and the focus is on delivering on commitments that will have enduring future impact.

    “We are here to protect, improve and minimise risks to the natural environment and we can’t do this alone. It is important to recognise and acknowledge the tireless commitment and support from our partners and communities,” says Ms Hill.

    “The NETR-funded work has enabled a wide range of community-led action and youth involvement. At the same time, key partnerships and regularly assessing opportunities to improve, such as new technologies and tools, means we continue to deliver value for money.”

    Rates funding helps contract specialist environmental services; enables partnerships with investors to deliver even greater value; and helps activate community-led conservation, including around $2 million per year in contestable grants.

    Community grants, technical advice and training is funded by both the NETR and general rates, helping deliver proactive action at local level but also added value.

    For example, the Community Coordination and Facilitation Grant saw $1 million in funding shared across 36 local community groups in 2024 – ultimately resulting in over 276,000 volunteer hours and third-party funding on projects benefiting the natural environment.

    It also delivered a $6.10 return for each $1 of grant funding invested.

    Environmental services work closely with local boards to design and deliver locally driven initiatives, supporting over 110 local board projects worth $4 million in 2023-2024.

    Additional strategic partnerships with business, mana whenua, central government, community and private investors, and other groups, are also adding value to the programme.

    For example, over $2 million has been sourced so far from central government and private investors for the first phase of the Kawau Island multi-species pest eradication project. Private sector business and philanthropic funding has also been secured for other projects.

    Detailed information on NETR-funded activity delivered in each local board can be found on this PDF [7.77MB].

    To find out more about Auckland Council’s environmental programme, visit www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/environment

    What the Natural Environment Targeted Rate (NETR) delivers

    The current priorities:

    • upgrade and re-open tracks in the Waitākere Ranges in accordance with the Waitākere Ranges Regional Park 2019-2024 Track Reopening Programme

    • control possums across the region, in high priority sites

    • adequate control of pest plants for 66 per cent of significant ecological sites within council parks by 2028

    • work in partnership to achieve pest mammal eradications on Kawau, Aotea and Waiheke islands

    • protect regionally threatened species and high priority ecosystems

    • support community-led action through the provision of advice, grants and tools

    • deliver in partnership with mana whenua

    • implement a comprehensive Pest Free Warrant programme to reduce pest spread to islands by the full range of high-risk businesses.

    What’s been achieved to date:

    • thirty-three tracks upgraded in the Waitākere Ranges

    • Hūnua Ranges Regional Park remains free of kauri dieback disease

    • Hūnua and Waitakere Ranges regional parks are kept free of feral deer and goats

    • 30 per cent of rural mainland Auckland has possum populations maintained at/below target densities for biodiversity protection (at June 2024)

    • Kōkako populations in the Hūnua Ranges have increased from 106 pairs in 2018 to 259 in 2024, as a result of possum and predator control

    • regional conservation status assessments have been completed for freshwater fish, birds, reptiles, amphibians, bats and vascular plants

    • 51 per cent of priority native habitats in regional parks have pest plants being effectively controlled towards, or managed below, target densities for biodiversity protection (at June 2024)

    • partnerships are underway with Ngāti Manuhiri, Department of Conservation, Predator Free 2050 Ltd, Ministry for Primary Industries and the Kawau community to eradicate possums and wallabies on Kawau Island

    • the council is also partnering with Ngāti Rehua Ngātiwai ki Aotea to eradicate rats, cats and pest plants on Aotea. Alongside Te Korowai o Waiheke, the council is supporting the eradication of stoats and the trialling of rat eradication on Waiheke Island

    • around 800 scheduled and unscheduled vehicle and passenger ferry sailings are inspected for pests each year. As a result, all Hauraki Gulf Islands where non-native predators such as rats and stoats have been eradicated remain free of these pests.   

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Local environment prioritised thanks to targeted rate

    Source: Secondary teachers question rationale for changes to relationship education guidelines

    A targeted rate that protects and restores Auckland’s environment is delivering beyond its investment, thanks to the support of partners and volunteers.

    Auckland Council’s environmental services team delivers natural environment and climate outcomes Auckland-wide, through a programme that delivers great value at community level.

    At April’s Revenue, Expenditure and Value Committee, chaired by Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson, the division’s financial performance review highlighted its multi-pronged approach.

    “Protecting our unique natural environment requires ongoing management of pressures, such as pest plants and animals. Through the targeted rate, it receives dedicated investment so, ultimately, we have an Auckland we are proud to call home,” says Cr Simpson.

    “The environmental programme is delivering great results region-wide and in our local communities too, thanks to key partnerships, co-funding, new tools to lift productivity and volunteers.

    “The natural environment programme is 97 per cent rates funded, which is around $43 per year per ratepayer through the Natural Environment Targeted Rate (NETR) and some general rates.

    “That investment delivers good value for money,” says Cr Simpson. “In some cases, it delivers a quantifiable $6 return for every $1 invested.”

    How we’re investing for the natural environment
    NETR and general rates funding delivers and supports a range of environmental activity, including community-led initiatives across all Auckland Council wards.

    Auckland Council environmental services general manager Samantha Hill says environmental protection and restoration is a long-term game and the focus is on delivering on commitments that will have enduring future impact.

    “We are here to protect, improve and minimise risks to the natural environment and we can’t do this alone. It is important to recognise and acknowledge the tireless commitment and support from our partners and communities,” says Ms Hill.

    “The NETR-funded work has enabled a wide range of community-led action and youth involvement. At the same time, key partnerships and regularly assessing opportunities to improve, such as new technologies and tools, means we continue to deliver value for money.”

    Rates funding helps contract specialist environmental services; enables partnerships with investors to deliver even greater value; and helps activate community-led conservation, including around $2 million per year in contestable grants.

    Community grants, technical advice and training is funded by both the NETR and general rates, helping deliver proactive action at local level but also added value.

    For example, the Community Coordination and Facilitation Grant saw $1 million in funding shared across 36 local community groups in 2024 – ultimately resulting in over 276,000 volunteer hours and third-party funding on projects benefiting the natural environment.

    It also delivered a $6.10 return for each $1 of grant funding invested.

    Environmental services work closely with local boards to design and deliver locally driven initiatives, supporting over 110 local board projects worth $4 million in 2023-2024.

    Additional strategic partnerships with business, mana whenua, central government, community and private investors, and other groups, are also adding value to the programme.

    Over $2 million has been sourced so far from central government and private investors for the first phase of the Kawau Island multi-species pest eradication project. Private sector business and philanthropic funding has also been secured for other projects.

    Detailed information on NETR-funded activity delivered in each local board can be found here.

    To find out more about Auckland Council’s environmental programme, visit www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/environment

    What the Natural Environment Targeted Rate (NETR) delivers

    The current priorities:

    • upgrade and re-open tracks in the Waitākere Ranges in accordance with the Waitākere Ranges Regional Park 2019-2024 Track Reopening Programme
    • control possums across the region, in high priority sites
    • adequate control of pest plants for 66 per cent of significant ecological sites within council parks by 2028
    • work in partnership to achieve pest mammal eradications on Kawau, Aotea and Waiheke islands
    • protect regionally threatened species and high priority ecosystems
    • support community-led action through the provision of advice, grants and tools
    • deliver in partnership with mana whenua
    • implement a comprehensive Pest Free Warrant programme to reduce pest spread to islands by the full range of high-risk businesses.

    What’s been achieved to date:

    • thirty-three tracks upgraded in the Waitākere Ranges
    • Hūnua Ranges Regional Park remains free of kauri dieback disease
    • Hūnua and Waitakere Ranges regional parks are kept free of feral deer and goats
    • 30 per cent of rural mainland Auckland has possum populations maintained at/below target densities for biodiversity protection (at June 2024)
    • Kōkako populations in the Hūnua Ranges have increased from 106 pairs in 2018 to 259 in 2024, as a result of possum and predator control
    • regional conservation status assessments have been completed for freshwater fish, birds, reptiles, amphibians, bats and vascular plants
    • 51 per cent of priority native habitats in regional parks have pest plants being effectively controlled towards, or managed below, target densities for biodiversity protection (at June 2024)
    • partnerships are underway with Ngāti Manuhiri, Department of Conservation, Predator Free 2050 Ltd, Ministry for Primary Industries and the Kawau community to eradicate possums and wallabies on Kawau Island
    • the council is also partnering with Ngāti Rehua Ngātiwai ki Aotea to eradicate rats, cats and pest plants on Aotea. Alongside Te Korowai o Waiheke, the council is supporting the eradication of stoats and the trialling of rat eradication on Waiheke Island.
    • around 800 scheduled and unscheduled vehicle and passenger ferry sailings are inspected for pests each year. As a result, all Hauraki Gulf Islands where non-native predators such as rats and stoats have been eradicated remain free of these pests.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Kiwis dig deep to help DOC save world’s rarest dotterel

    Source: Police investigating after shots fired at Hastings house

    Date:  06 May 2025 Source:  Department of Conservation and New Zealand Nature Fund

    Pukunui are the world’s rarest wading bird. A year ago, there were just 101 left on Earth. This year, flock counts showed a population increase of four birds bringing the total to 105.

    It’s a small lift, but hugely significant, says DOC pukunui ranger Dan Cocker.

    “Pukunui only breed on Rakiura/Stewart Island and some of them migrate to Awarua Bay in Southland to feed. If they don’t survive in these places, they’ll be gone for good.”

    Pukunui numbers have fluctuated over the past 30 years due to different predators, but especially feral cats. The population hit an all-time low of 62 birds in 1992 and bounced back to 290 after intensive predator control in 2009, before rapidly declining again despite continued pest control efforts.

    DOC has a dedicated ‘Pukunui Recovery Team’ who work hard on bird monitoring, banding, and predator control at breeding sites and surrounding areas.

    “We’re thrilled the April flock counts showed a population increase,” says Dan, “But 105 is still a perilously low number for this one-of-a-kind bird. We can’t take our foot off the gas.”

    In 2023 the New Zealand Nature Fund launched a campaign in partnership with DOC to raise funds from donors to support DOC’s Pukunui Recovery Team to protect pukunui from predators.

    NZ Nature Fund CEO Sarah Lyttle says over 600 people have already contributed to the pukunui campaign with more than $400,000 raised to date including $200,000 from an anonymous party and $20,000 from the Southland branch of Forest and Bird.

    DOC has used funds from these donations to boost the Pukunui Recovery Programme by employing additional trappers to target feral cats at nest sites, adding cameras around key breeding sites to monitor feral cat numbers, buying extra feral cat kill traps, and supporting more helicopter flights to monitor remote pukunui nesting sites.

    “Enabling people to invest directly in projects that prevent extinction is our mission and it’s wonderful our donors have made a very tangible difference to the pukunui this season,” says Sarah.

    “I hope this encourages more Kiwis to dig deep and invest directly in this precious endangered species.”

    “Donations to New Zealand Nature Fund’s campaign boosted our ground trapping efforts, resulting in 64 feral cats being trapped across our predator control zones, that’s almost double what we caught last season,” says Dan.

    “While the extra trapping efforts have benefited pukunui, we’re barely holding the line for this species. We need to control feral cats across a much larger area where pukunui breed.”

    DOC is currently considering a proposal for an aerial 1080 operation to protect nesting pukunui ahead of the 2025/26 breeding season.

    The goal of the Pukunui Recovery Team is to increase pukunui numbers to at least 300 birds by 2035.

    “We still have a long way to go to reach this goal,” says Dan. “The good news is if we work together, we can create safe havens for our taonga species by removing pests and restoring ecosystems.”

    You can donate to help the plight of pukunui/southern NZ dotterels here:

    Southern Dotterel / Pukunui | NZ Nature Fund

    Background information

    DOC is considering a proposal for an aerial 1080 operation prior to the upcoming 2025/26 breeding season to protect nesting pukunui by targeting possums and rats and feral cats as they eat poisoned rats and possums.

    The longer-term goal is to remove rats, possums, feral cats, and hedgehogs from Rakiura to enable nature and the community to thrive together. See Predator Free Rakiura.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Government move to kill pay equity process is an attack on women workers – E tū

    Source:

    E tū is slamming the Government’s announcement that it will make it harder for workers to claim pay equity, describing it as an attack on women and a green light to pay them less for work of equal value.

    The changes, announced by Workplace Relations Minister Brooke van Velden, will raise the bar for proving historical undervaluation in female-dominated workforces – cutting off current claims and making new ones near impossible.

    Marianne Bishop, a retired residential aged care worker, says the move is a slap in the face to workers who have been fighting for fairness for years.

    “I am absolutely disgusted. It makes me angry as a woman, and makes me feel like we’re going backwards,” Marianne says.

    “We’ve been fighting for 13 years. To have the rug pulled out from underneath us now is unbelievable. We thought we were going to get there – this just removes our road to fairness.”

    Marianne says the impact on the care sector will be severe.

    “This will make it even harder to get people working in aged care. People won’t go the extra mile anymore – why would they, if they’re not going to get paid fairly? This announcement is terrible for women and families now and in the future.”

    Tamara Baddeley, a home support worker, says the Government’s actions show total contempt for the workers who hold the care system together.

    “This makes me feel f***ing angry. This Government is a nest of vipers – they speak with a forked tongue,” Tamara says.

    “I challenge every single one of them to come and work with us. On our wages. Getting assaulted at work, paying for travel out of your own pocket. Then tell us why cutting off our pay equity claim is a good idea.”

    “Our claim’s been sitting there for 1,040 days. Why the f*** are we still waiting?”

    E tū National Secretary Rachel Mackintosh says the decision is cruel, ideological, and deeply anti-women.

    “The Government is dismantling one of the most important tools for fixing gender-based pay discrimination,” Rachel says.

    “These changes are not about evidence – they are about saving money by keeping women underpaid. It’s a disgraceful reversal of decades of hard-fought progress and an insult to the working women who carried this country through a pandemic.”

    Rachel says workers will not stay silent.

    “We won’t go back to the days where a woman’s work is automatically worth less just because it’s been done by women in the past. We’re not going to stand quietly while this Government rips up the rules and tells us to be grateful for whatever we get.”

    “This is a line in the sand. And women across Aotearoa will fight this every step of the way.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Poisonous mushrooms growing in Victoria

    Source: FairTrading New South Wales

    Key messages

    • Poisonous mushrooms including the death cap and yellow-staining mushrooms, appear in Victoria during autumn, as the weather becomes wetter and cooler.
    • Consuming even a single death cap mushroom may result in death.
    • Cooking, peeling or drying these mushrooms does not remove or inactivate the poison.
    • There is no home test available to distinguish safe and edible mushrooms from poisonous mushrooms.
    • Mushrooms purchased from a supermarket, greengrocer or other reputable source are safe to eat.
    • Remove any mushrooms growing in home gardens as young children and pets can easily eat them.
    • If you suspect you or anyone in your care may have eaten a poisonous mushroom, do not wait for symptoms to occur. Call the Victorian Poisons Information Centre immediately on 13 11 26 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week, Australia wide) for appropriate advice.

    What is the issue?

    Death cap mushrooms

    Death cap mushrooms (Amanita phalloides) are extremely poisonous. Consuming just one mushroom can kill an adult. Symptoms usually commence 6 to 24 hours after ingestion with stomach pains, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. These symptoms can then settle, giving a false sense of recovery, however the toxin will have entered the body’s circulation and started causing serious harm, particularly to the liver. Typically, 2 – 4 days after ingestion those severely poisoned will develop irreversible liver failure, often associated with kidney failure, that may ultimately result in death.

    These mushrooms usually grow under oak trees and the caps are 40-160mm in diameter. The cap ranges in colour from pale yellow to green and olive brown and the ridges on the underside of the cap (gills) are white. The base of the stem has a membrane ‘cup’.

    Yellow-staining mushrooms

    The yellow-staining mushroom (Agaricus xanthodermus) is the cause of most poisonings due to ingestion of wild fungi in Victoria. Symptoms of yellow-staining mushroom poisoning include stomach pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. The severity of symptoms varies with the amount eaten.

    This mushroom looks very similar to regular purchased mushrooms or ‘cultivated mushrooms’ (Agaricus bisporus) and to edible wild mushrooms such as the field mushroom (Agaricus campestris). In urban areas the yellow-staining mushroom is unfortunately much more common than edible mushrooms. It can grow in large troops in lawns and gardens, and when damaged, the cap and stem stain yellow, later fading to a brownish colour. The mushroom can also emit a chemical-like smell.

    Who is at risk?

    Anyone who collects and consumes wild mushrooms of unknown species is putting themselves at risk of potential poisoning and serious illness. Consuming a death cap mushroom may result in death.

    Children should not touch wild mushrooms with their bare hands and animals should be kept away from them.

    Pets can develop a range of illness from eating wild mushrooms including gastroenteritis-type syndrome to severe life-threatening disease and death. Dogs are more likely than cats to ingest mushrooms.

    Recommendations

    Unless you are an expert, do not pick and eat wild mushrooms in Victoria.

    If you suspect you or anyone in your care may have eaten a poisonous mushroom, do not wait for symptoms to occur before seeking medical attention.

    Contact the Victorian Poisons Information Centre immediately on 13 11 26 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week, Australia wide) for appropriate advice. This may include seeking treatment at a hospital emergency department. Keep a sample and a photograph of the mushroom that was consumed to share with the Victorian Poisons Information Centre for expert identification of the mushroom.

    If you or anyone in your care has trouble breathing, collapsed, is having a fit or is suffering an anaphylactic reaction, immediately call 000 for an ambulance. Do not call the Victorian Poisons Information Centre in an emergency.

    Pet owners should take particular care in areas where mushrooms may grow and where possible, remove any mushrooms from your garden before pets have a chance to eat them.

    Remove any mushrooms growing in the home garden by wearing gloves, carefully placing them in a bag, and disposing of them in a closed general waste (landfill) rubbish bin.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Be alert to poisonous mushrooms growing in Victoria

    Source: Australian Capital Territory Policing

    Victorians are being reminded to be vigilant, with poisonous mushrooms becoming present in the community during autumn as the weather becomes wetter and cooler.

    Victorian Chief Health Officer Dr Christian McGrath is encouraging Victorians to be on the lookout for wild mushrooms growing in home gardens and publicly accessible areas.

    Poisonous mushrooms including death cap mushrooms and yellow-staining mushrooms become more evident in Victoria at this time of year, and initial symptoms of poisoning can include stomach pains, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.

    Dr McGrath said it was important to remove any wild mushrooms growing in home gardens to avoid young children and pets coming into any contact with them.

    “Adults and children should not touch wild mushrooms with their bare hands, let alone eat them, and animals should be kept well away from them,” Dr McGrath said.

    “Anyone who collects and consumes wild mushrooms of unknown species is putting themselves at risk of potential poisoning and serious illness. Consuming a death cap mushroom can be fatal.”

    With no home test available to distinguish safe and edible mushrooms from poisonous mushrooms, it is recommended to only eat mushrooms bought from the supermarket, greengrocer or another reputable source.

    “Unless you are an expert, do not pick and eat wild mushrooms.” Dr Christian McGrath said.

    Wild mushrooms growing in home gardens should only be removed by wearing gloves, carefully placing them in a bag and disposing of them in a closed general waste (landfill) rubbish bin.

    If you or anyone in your care may have eaten a poisonous mushroom, do not wait for symptoms to occur. Call the Victorian Poisons Information Centre immediately on 13 11 26 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week) for appropriate advice.

    If a person has trouble breathing, collapsed, is having a fit or is suffering an anaphylactic reaction, immediately call 000 for an ambulance. Do not call the Victorian Poisons Information Centre in an emergency.

    If your pet has ingested a wild mushroom, contact the Animal Poisons Helpline on 1300 869 738 for advice.

    More information on poisonous mushrooms is available on Better Health ChannelExternal Link.

    MIL OSI News –