Under Local Water Done Well, the Government has said the way we manage water services (drinking water, wastewater and stormwater) in Aotearoa needs to change.
Porirua City Council is working with Hutt City, Upper Hutt City, Wellington City and Greater Wellington Regional Council and with mana whenua partners to find the best solution for water services. Together, we’re proposing two options for the future of water services in Porirua and our region.
This is the most important decision we’ll make for our city in decades and we want to hear your views as it will have an impact on our city, your rates and the way you pay for water.
Option 1:Multi-council-owned water organisation (Council’s preferred option).
Option 2:Modified version of the current Wellington Water model (with a new planning, regulatory and accountability framework).
We also want your feedback on some other changes proposed in Porirua’s draft Annual Plan for 2025/26.
The services we provide – like rubbish, recycling, roads, parks, pools, libraries, and especially infrastructure – are costing more than ever, and rates in Porirua are at an all-time high (with a 17.5% increase last year and an average rates increase of 18.4% across the Wellington region).
This year, after making cuts and finding savings, we’ve managed to cut the planned rates increases for 2025/26 from a new starting point of 15% down to an average of 6.75%.
Some other ways to reduce costs include higher increases to some fees and cutting some grants or funding, and we want to hear your views on proposals to:
increase entry fees at Cannons Creek Pool
raise fees for building consents
increase paid parking by 50 cents per hour
stop the Chamber of Commerce grant and cut the Event Investment Programme funding.
Have your say before midnight 20 April.Making a submission is quick and easy, with five questions (one on water and the four proposals above), and you can also make comments.
Minor law change needed to take pressure off GPs and return people to work faster
Physiotherapy patients are waiting too long to be allowed to return to work, likely costing ACC millions of dollars in compensation payments it should not be paying because of delays in getting GPs to sign return to work certificates.
Physiotherapy New Zealand (PNZ) is calling on the Government to amend the law to allow physiotherapists the same power as GPs to certify that a patient who is under ACC care is ready to return to work.
“New Zealand physiotherapists have the skills and experience to ensure people can return to work safely and with GPs under more pressure than ever, now is the time to remove the bottleneck,” said PNZ President Kirsten Davie.
“Physiotherapists write the return to work plans now for their patients which GPs sign off on so it’s just common sense to give physiotherapists the same authority. They already do this for employers who need a return-to-work certificate for workers who are not on ACC compensation to ensure they are meeting health and safety requirements.
“These days getting a timely appointment with a GP is harder than ever, especially in remote parts of New Zealand. We have heard of cases where people without a GP have been forced to wait hours in A&E to get a return-to-work certificate.
“And even if a patient can get to a GP, they may be charged for the visit.
“None of this makes sense when a simple amendment to the Accident Compensation Corporation Act giving physiotherapists the power to sign return to work certificates would get people back to work quickly and safely.
Business supports change
“Businesses agree with us – they want their staff back to work as soon as possible, as long as they are fit and healthy, and likewise patients who are fit again, want their lives to return to normal as well.”
The construction industry is keen to see physiotherapists given the authority to return workers to building sites.
“It just makes good sense,” said Chris Alderson, chief executive of Construction Health and Safety New Zealand which works to raise the standard of health, safety and wellbeing in construction.
“Many of the injuries construction workers suffer are musculoskeletal related, which physios are well placed to remedy. GPs often refer a worker to a physio who understands the treatment a worker needs and exercises that will help get them back to work fit and well.
“We know many construction workers don’t have easy access to a GP, so may end up just not getting the treatment they need until the pain is too bad or end up at emergency departments for conditions that should have been dealt with earlier. Giving physios the ability to sign off the return to work will take pressure off primary health care and get workers back to sites far more quickly. It’s just not good for anyone’s mental health and well-being to sit at home when they are ready to go back to work.”
Cost of compensation
The cost of compensation that should not be paid out by ACC when people are ready to return to work runs to millions of dollars every year. A Physiotherapy New Zealand survey of members in August 2024 showed how big the problem is. 454 members identified at least 4,400 days of delay for their patients getting a return-to-work certificate in one month alone (equivalent to 628 weeks).
ACC stipulates the minimum rate of weekly compensation payable is $740.80, based on a 40-hour week (ACC weekly compensation information here). That amounts to $4,656,457, just under half a million in weekly compensation from our member survey in one month alone.
“Cost savings for ACC in returning people to work as soon as possible are likely to be significant. Right now, ACC is under pressure to reduce costs and be sustainable, so this change makes good financial sense too. ACC weekly compensation claim payments have risen 70% within the last five years, and are projected to rise further.
“We want to take pressure off GPs and continue working together with them to get Kiwis back to work safely and well.
“This is a no-brainer – good for people’s health, good for economic growth, good for government finances.”
Patient example – Robyn, nurse
Robyn (not her real name) is a nurse in Gisborne (not her real name). She fractured her foot slipping on stairs, which prevented her from returning to work at the local hospital. She rested and after six weeks the fracture clinic discharged her and referred her to physiotherapy for a supported return to work. Robyn was able to do some temporary office work at this time.
Her physiotherapist assessed her and developed a return to work plan. In order to begin this planned return to work, Robyn needed a signed certificate from a GP. Robyn couldn’t get to see her GP for three weeks as the clinic was only taking emergency cases given how busy it is.
Without the certificate Robyn was unable to begin the return to her usual clinical duties or continue with the office work. She needed to be either given full clearance for her usual work or be certified partially fit to return to office work and begin the plan with her physiotherapist.
Since Robyn’s current certificate had expired, ACC compensation stopped.
Robyn worried she would not have any income for these three weeks, being neither on ACC compensation nor back at work. This left her in limbo until her physiotherapist intervened, called the GP clinic, explained the urgent need, and the GP clinic issued the certificate including the plan the physiotherapist had provided.
“This was really frustrating – I was facing weeks without income sitting around at home because I couldn’t get to see a GP. It shouldn’t take a call from my physio to make this happen. And we have a real shortage of nurses here so having a nurse out of action for longer than necessary just puts more pressure on the hospital when it doesn’t need to be that way. Physios should be able to do the paperwork to get people back to work as soon as they are fit and well.”
Today Straterra has been renamed as New Zealand Minerals Council, says chief executive Josie Vidal.
“With the global interest in mined minerals, particularly critical minerals, we believe it is time to better align ourselves with a name that will mean something to both New Zealanders and those in the global supply chain,” Vidal says.
“The Government has this year launched a Minerals Strategy for New Zealand to 2040 and a Critical Minerals List and is actively promoting minerals on the world stage, recognising mining’s contribution to growing our economy.
“We are a trading nation and our mined minerals are a valuable export commodity even, or perhaps more particularly, in the current turbulent world of trade.
“Straterra has been a great name and identity for our organisation, dating back to 2008, but the world is changing fast and we need to be agile and ready to assist our members in that environment.
“We have a new logo and name but our purpose remains the same, to enable socially and environmentally responsible mining, providing minerals for a sustainable and resilient future, and enduring value for all New Zealanders.”
New Zealand Minerals Council is the industry association representing New Zealand’s minerals and mining sector.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president, holds talks with To Lam, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee, at the CPV Central Committee headquarters in Hanoi, Vietnam, April 14, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
HANOI, April 14 — Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese president, on Monday called for deepening the building of a China-Vietnam community with a shared future.
Xi made the remarks when meeting with General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee To Lam during his state visit to Vietnam.
Xi pointed out that he was very pleased to pay a state visit to Vietnam and realize the first round of mutual visits with General Secretary To Lam.
This year marks the 95th anniversary of the founding of the CPV, the 80th anniversary of the founding of Vietnam and the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the South, he said, extending warm congratulations to Vietnam on behalf of the CPC and the Chinese government.
China will, as always, support Vietnam in taking a socialist path that suits its national conditions, successfully holding the 14th National Congress of the CPV in 2026, and its steadfast pursuit of realizing the two goals set for the centenary of the party and the country.
This year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Vietnam, as well as the China-Vietnam Year of People-to-People Exchanges, said Xi, stressing that over the past 75 years, regardless of changes in the international landscape, China and Vietnam have supported each other in the struggle for national independence and liberation, advanced side by side in the cause of socialist development, and forged ahead in their respective modernization endeavors, setting an example of solidarity and cooperation between socialist countries.
Facing the changing and turbulent world, China and Vietnam have stayed committed to peaceful development and deepened their friendly cooperation, bringing much-needed stability and certainty to the world, Xi said.
Standing at a new historical starting point, the two sides should build on past achievements, forge ahead together and carry forward the profound traditional friendship featuring “camaraderie plus brotherhood,” said Xi.
Guided by the overall goals of achieving higher political mutual trust, more solid security cooperation, deeper practical cooperation, stronger public support, closer multilateral coordination and better management and resolution of differences, the two countries should work to advance their comprehensive strategic cooperation with high quality, ensure steady and sustained progress in building a China-Vietnam community with a shared future, and contribute even more to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, Xi said.
Building the China-Vietnam community with a shared future carries great global significance, Xi said, noting that as the two countries jointly pursue peaceful development, their combined population of over 1.5 billion is jointly advancing toward modernization, which will contribute to regional and global peace and stability while promoting common development.
Both countries are committed to opening up and have played a constructive role in maintaining the stability and smooth operation of regional industrial and supply chains, as well as contributing to the advancement of economic globalization, Xi said.
A small boat with a lone sail cannot withstand rough seas, Xi said, noting that only by working together in the same boat can they ensure stability and long-term progress.
He noted that both China and Vietnam are beneficiaries of economic globalization, and the two sides should strengthen strategic resolve, jointly oppose unilateralism and bullying practices, and work together to uphold the global free trade system and maintain the stability of industrial and supply chains.
Xi proposed six measures to deepen the building of the China-Vietnam community with a shared future.
First, enhance strategic mutual trust at a higher level.
Leaders of the two parties and countries should communicate with each other as relatives, Xi said, noting the two sides should give full play to the role of channels including inter-party, legislative bodies and political consultative organizations, deepen the exchange of experience in governance, and improve the leadership of the two parties in promoting national modernization.
Second, build a stronger security barrier.
The two sides should set the “3+3” strategic dialogue on diplomacy, defense and public security between the two countries at the ministerial level to enhance strategic coordination.
It is necessary to give full play to the role of defense and law enforcement security cooperation mechanisms, resolutely tackle online gambling, telecom fraud and other cross-border crimes, strengthen bilateral and multilateral law enforcement and judicial cooperation, especially within the framework of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation, so as to safeguard people’s lives and property and uphold regional peace and stability.
Seize the major opportunities of China’s new quality productive forces and Vietnam’s new productive forces to accelerate the formation of practical cooperation between the two countries. Realize the comprehensive connection of standard-gauge railways, highways, and smart ports at an early date. Promote high-tech cooperation such as artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things. China’s mega market is always open to Vietnam, and the country welcomes more high-quality Vietnamese products. China encourages its companies to invest in Vietnam and hopes that Vietnam will create a more fair and friendly business environment.
Fourth, tighten the bonds of people-to-people ties.
China and Vietnam should take the China-Vietnam Year of People-to-People Exchanges as an opportunity and organize more people-oriented exchange activities, and enhance cooperation in tourism, culture, media, public health and other fields.
The two sides should continue to explore resources of revolutionary heritage and promote stories of friendship. In the next three years, China will invite Vietnamese youth to China for “Red Study Tours,” which will help the younger generation of both countries better understand the hard-won nature of the socialist countries and the great value of China-Vietnam good-neighborliness and friendly cooperation, and will cultivate greater vitality for the development of bilateral relations and the respective national development endeavors.
Fifth, conduct closer multilateral coordination.
China and Vietnam should jointly uphold the outcomes of World War II, firmly safeguard the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order based on international law, promote a more equal and orderly multi-polar world and an economic globalization that is more inclusive and beneficial for all, and enhance cooperation under the frameworks of the three major global initiatives.
China will stay committed to the principles of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness, and to the policy of pursuing friendship and partnership with its neighbors. It will deepen friendly cooperation with neighboring countries so that the fruits of Chinese modernization can better benefit the region.
Sixth, achieve more positive maritime interaction.
The two countries should earnestly implement the consensus reached by leaders of the two countries, properly manage maritime issues, expand maritime cooperation, demonstrate resolve in launching joint development, and work toward the early conclusion of a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea.
For his part, To Lam extended a warm welcome to Xi on his state visit to Vietnam, which took place on the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. He said that Xi is not only an outstanding leader of the Chinese people but also a great friend of the Vietnamese people.
Xi’s choice to make Vietnam his first overseas destination this year fully reflects the importance he attaches to China-Vietnam relations and his support for Vietnam, the Vietnamese leader said. This visit will mark a new milestone in the history of friendly exchanges between the two parties and countries, further advancing the building of a China-Vietnam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance, he added.
Under Xi’s strong leadership, To Lam noted, China has achieved historic accomplishments in advancing socialism with Chinese characteristics, made comprehensive progress in its path to modernization, and witnessed rapid development of new quality productive forces. With China’s international stature on the rise, Vietnam extends its congratulations and expresses gratitude for China’s long-standing support and assistance, he said.
Emphasizing that both Vietnam and China are socialist countries under the leadership of a communist party, To Lam said that developing relations with China is an objective requirement, a strategic choice, and a top priority for Vietnam. Vietnam firmly adheres to the one-China policy, supports China’s efforts toward national reunification, and resolutely opposes any separatist actions aimed at “Taiwan independence,” he said.
Advancing Vietnam-China relations, To Lam noted, is in the fundamental interest of both peoples and conforms with the trend of the times. Vietnam looks forward to strengthening high-level exchanges between the two parties and countries, enhancing exchanges on governance experience, deepening strategic security cooperation, and continually consolidating political mutual trust; further elevating bilateral cooperation by creating new highlights in areas such as trade, science and technology, infrastructure and environmental protection; and promoting people-to-people exchanges, encouraging local and youth interactions, and enhancing tourism cooperation to nurture closer bonds between the peoples, he said.
Vietnam supports the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind and the three major global initiatives proposed by Xi, To Lam said. Vietnam lauds the vision set forth during the CPC’s central conference on work related to neighboring countries, which envisions building a peaceful, safe and secure, prosperous, beautiful and amicable home with neighboring countries and insists on fostering friendly, mutually beneficial and prosperous relationships, he said.
Vietnam is ready to strengthen coordination and cooperation with China, uphold multilateralism and the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, safeguard international trade rules, abide by the agreements signed by both sides, and jointly make greater contributions to world peace and human progress, To Lam said, adding that Vietnam is also willing to properly address maritime differences with China to ensure maritime stability.
Before the talks, To Lam invited Xi to a small-group chat over tea. The two general secretaries exchanged views on party building and national governance. Xi stressed that party building is crucial to the destiny of the party and the country, and that the party’s work style bears on whether it can win public support. The CPC Central Committee has decided to carry out an in-depth campaign throughout the party this year to learn and implement the spirit of the eight-point decision on improving work conduct. This is intended to secure new achievements in work style transformation to further support comprehensive reform and advance modernization. Both general secretaries agreed to strengthen exchanges and mutual learning, and pursue progress in socialist development.
After the talks, the two leaders witnessed the display of 45 bilateral cooperation documents signed by China and Vietnam. These documents cover areas including connectivity, artificial intelligence, customs inspection and quarantine, agricultural trade, culture and sports, public welfare, human resource development, media, and more.
Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president, holds talks with To Lam, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee, at the CPV Central Committee headquarters in Hanoi, Vietnam, April 14, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president, holds talks with To Lam, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee, at the CPV Central Committee headquarters in Hanoi, Vietnam, April 14, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]To Lam, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee, invites Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president, to a small chat over tea before their talks at the CPV Central Committee headquarters in Hanoi, Vietnam, April 14, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president, and To Lam, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee, witness the display of 45 bilateral cooperation documents signed by the two sides after their talks in Hanoi, Vietnam, April 14, 2025. Xi held talks with To Lam at the CPV Central Committee headquarters on Monday. [Photo/Xinhua]
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president, meets with Chairman of the National Assembly of Vietnam Tran Thanh Man at the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee headquarters in Hanoi, Vietnam, April 14, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
HANOI, April 14 — Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday called on China and Vietnam to march toward modernization hand in hand.
In his meeting with Chairman of the National Assembly of Vietnam Tran Thanh Man, Xi also urged the two sides to inject more stability and positive energy into the world.
Xi pointed out that his state visit to Vietnam once again allowed him to witness the new achievements in Vietnam’s cause of Doi Moi (reform) and personally experience the profound foundation of China-Vietnam friendship.
At present, China is comprehensively advancing the building of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation through Chinese modernization, and Vietnam will usher in a new era of national rise, Xi said, adding that both sides are at a crucial stage of their respective development and rejuvenation.
Facing an international landscape fraught with changes and turbulence, Xi said, China and Vietnam should strengthen confidence in their paths and systems, enhance solidarity and coordination, continue to build the China-Vietnam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance, join hands to march toward modernization, and inject more stability and positive energy into the world.
Xi stressed that both China and Vietnam are socialist countries led by a communist party, and the political direction is crucial to the future of the parties and countries, as well as the success of their causes.
Xi said the top leaders of the two parties and countries should exchange views on bilateral relations and major issues of common concern in a timely manner, continue to build consensus, enhance mutual trust and steer the course steadily, so as to ensure the steady progress of China-Vietnam relations.
It is necessary to maintain exchanges and cooperation between the two parties, legislative bodies and political consultative organizations, and to keep sharing governance experiences, Xi added.
The two sides should take the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations and the China-Vietnam Year of People-to-People Exchanges as an opportunity to carry forward the “red gene” and make good use of the revolutionary resources to enhance mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples, especially the young generation, and strengthen the friendly bond between the two countries, Xi added.
Recognizing the frequent exchanges and fruitful cooperation between China’s National People’s Congress and Vietnam’s National Assembly, Xi said the two countries’ legislatures should do more to strengthen traditional friendship, ensure practical cooperation and strengthen multilateral coordination, carry out exchanges on the development of socialist democracy and rule of law, and continuously enrich the substance of the China-Vietnam community with a shared future.
For his part, Tran Thanh Man said that Vietnam and China, connected by mountains and rivers, have forged a sincere friendship featuring “camaraderie plus brotherhood” under the careful nurturing of successive leaders of the two parties and countries, and the two sides have maintained long-standing friendly relations.
He said the visit of Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, fully demonstrates the importance attached by the CPC, the country and the Chinese people to Vietnam-China ties.
He said the two general secretaries have provided important strategic guidance on advancing the building of the Vietnam-China community with a shared future that carries strategic significance, which will open a new chapter in bilateral relations.
The Vietnamese National Assembly congratulated China for successfully convening the “two sessions” and looked forward to conducting close communication and cooperation with China’s National People’s Congress, implementing the important consensus reached by the top leaders of the two parties and countries, and contributing to the common prosperity and development of the two countries and friendship between the peoples, Tran Thanh Man said.
Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president, meets with Chairman of the National Assembly of Vietnam Tran Thanh Man at the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee headquarters in Hanoi, Vietnam, April 14, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brenton Griffin, Casual Lecturer and Tutor in History, Indigenous Studies, and Politics, Flinders University
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced it will build 15 new temples in countries across the world, including one in Liverpool, New South Wales.
This follows a similar announcement last year of plans to build a second temple for Queensland, in South Brisbane.
The two new structures – together with existing temples in Sydney (1984), Adelaide (2000), Melbourne (2000), Perth (2001) and Brisbane (2003) – will bring the total number of Australian temples to seven.
In a nation with fewer than 160,000 practising Mormons, these new buildings seek to increase the legitimacy and visibility of the church.
The Melbourne temple was erected in 2000, as was the temple in Adelaide. Wikimedia
The significance of temples
There are currently at least 200 completed Mormon temples around the globe, with an additional 182 under construction or announced.
Temples have a different purpose and scope to Mormon chapels, which are far more common: Australia has about 190 Mormon chapels.
Chapels are used for weekly sacrament (or communion) and weekly sermons. They are open to visitors, and often hold cultural events, extra church activities and family history centres.
Temples, on the other hand, represent the blending of the divine and temporal. According to the Mormon worldview and doctrines, they are the world’s most sacred structures.
Each temple is emblazoned with the phrase “The House of the Lord, Holiness to the Lord”. This isn’t just symbolic. Mormons believe each temple is literally the house of God, in which his presence may be felt.
Given the gravity of this belief, these spaces are reserved for those who have been deemed worthy to enter by Mormon leaders.
Inside the House of the Lord
The church itself maintains that temples are “sacred, not secret”. It has long worked to dispel speculation over what happens within temple bounds.
One way it does this is through “open houses”, in which a newly-built temple may be toured by anyone for a brief period. Once the open house has ended and the temple has been “dedicated” by a church leader – a process that includes blessing the building and those who will use it – it becomes entirely closed to the public.
Within the temples, the most sacred rituals and knowledge of “the gospel” are imparted upon faithful members. Rituals can be performed for both living people and deceased ancestors. They must never be conducted – or even discussed – outside the sacred temple space.
One of these rituals is baptism and confirmation for the dead by proxy (baptisms for the living are conducted in chapels or other spaces). This provides the deceased individuals “ordinances” that are necessary for salvation, which they did not receive during life.
These baptisms have been controversial at times, with ordinances performed on individuals who were not direct ancestors of Latter-day Saints, including Holocaust victims and historical figures such as Joseph Stalin and Adolf Hitler. Even prominent Australians such as Ned Kelly, Malcolm Fraser, Neville Bonner and Truganini have allegedly appeared as “baptised” in Mormon records.
The rituals are accompanied by various stages of knowledge progression for attendees. As with the rituals, temple knowledge is not to be discussed outside.
Local opposition
The air of secrecy and exclusivity surrounding Mormon temples has resulted in a flood of negative attention from Australian media, other religious institutions and society at large. News reports from as far back as the early 20th century sought to expose “Mormon temple secrets”.
The first temple, built in Sydney in 1984, was widely protested by community groups and organisations. The building had to be modified by the church before it was eventually approved. A similar situation transpired in Brisbane in the early 2000s.
In other cities, such as Adelaide and Melbourne, temples were not directly protested, but were still critiqued for their lavishness, with the average Australian temple costing around A$8 million in the late 1990s/early 2000s.
Given the cost of living crisis, and contention over the place of religion in contemporary Australia, the two proposed temples will likely also face criticism.
Reputational management
The church’s reputation in Australia has become ever more complicated over the past 20 years, not least due to several controversies.
In 2022 and 2023, The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald reported the church was allegedly abusing tax laws, to the amount of hundreds of millions of dollars. This was addressed, but not confirmed or denied, in the November 2022 Senate Estimates by Australian Tax Office Assistant Commissioner Jeremy Hirschhorn, after questioning by Greens Senator David Shoebridge. Accusations of tax evasion have also been made in New Zealand and the United States.
The new Australian temples will be completed under a pall of critiques and accusations around church finances and other controversies. And while they might be briefly open to the public, their doors will just as quickly shut – adding more fuel to the speculation.
Brenton Griffin was raised as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but is no longer a practising member of the church. His current research is focused on the religion’s place in Australian and New Zealand popular culture, politics, and society from the nineteenth century to present.
More businesses are taking proactive steps to protect themselves from scams but criminals are likely to ramp up their activity over Easter.
A new survey commissioned by CommBank shows the vast majority of small to medium business owners and senior managers (84 per cent) are either taking action to protect their business from scams or planning to do so, after more than one third (36 per cent) reported having experienced a scam at least once since starting their business.
CommBank Executive General Manager Small Business Banking, Rebecca Warren, said it’s encouraging to see more businesses take steps to protect themselves against scams.
“We know running a small business involves wearing many hats, and it often means you’re incredibly busy with not much time to spare. As a result, business owners may be less likely to spot some of the red flags, which can make them vulnerable to scams,” Ms Warren said.
Steps SMEs have taken to combat scams include checking bank accounts and invoices more regularly and thoroughly (58 per cent), upgrading software (50 per cent), providing additional training for staff (30 per cent) and engaging third-party suppliers such as security consultants (25 per cent).
Ms Warren said there is often a spike in scam events during busy holiday periods, calling for extra caution during the upcoming Easter break.
“While we have seen a 70 per cent reduction in customer scam losses across the bank over the past two years, scammers recognise business owners or key staff are often on holiday at this time of year and this affords them more opportunity combined with less chance of being caught,” Ms Warren said.
“It’s important to keep up with the trends as scams are constantly evolving and becoming more sophisticated, particularly with AI use being so prevalent.
“Small businesses are often affected by the same scam types as individual Australians such as phishing, investment scams, and romance scams. However, the primary scam type that impacts businesses of all sizes is the business email compromise scam.
Business email compromise scams involve obtaining unauthorised access to an email account for the purpose of intercepting and redirecting payment requests.
For example, a business will receive an email that appears to be from someone they know such as an employee, member of senior management, supplier, customer, or service provider. It will request a change of beneficiary account details for a new or upcoming payment, often including an altered invoice.
With scammers now leveraging AI to create highly sophisticated and convincing communications, making it even harder to identify fraudulent activity, Ms Warren said it is more crucial than ever to upskill on cyber safety and scams awareness.
“The more business owners and their staff are aware of the risks, the more likely they’ll be able to spot red flags. People truly are the first line of defence, and it’s encouraging to see scams protection is top of mind for so many business owners.
“Awareness, combined with robust processes and technology, will significantly reduce risk for hard-working Aussie small business owners,” Ms Warren added.
Tips to protect your small business from scams
According to Ms Warren, there are three main parts to ensuring a business is protected from scams and fraudulent activity – people, processes and technology.
People: at CBA we have seen customer scam losses decrease by 70 per cent over two years, and we know that knowing what to look out for is an important defence against fraud and scams. People are truly the first line of defence, which is why education and scams awareness is key. Processes: call your supplier on a verified/trusted number before making an invoice payment to a new supplier or in situations where existing suppliers are updating their banking details. It is really important to make sure at least two people sign off any payments or changes in beneficiary details as this will significantly reduce the risk of falling victim to a payment redirection scam. Technology: installing and regularly updating antivirus programs and applying multi-factor authentication for your business applications like email, and accounting software will provide a much-needed third layer of defence.
“Small business owners and their staff can sign up for a free Cyber Wardens course, which was created in partnership between CommBank, Telstra and the Council of Small Business Organisations Australia (COSBOA) and designed to upskill Australian businesses in cyber safety,” Ms Warren added.
“They have launched an updated course with a focus on AI, given scammers and cyber criminals increasingly use this technology to target unsuspecting Australians.”
How CommBank protects your business
Helping customers stay safe by improving early detection and prevention of scams is among our highest priorities, and we continue to work hard to make Australian small businesses more resilient to scams.
We are focused on delivering initiatives that help customers stay safe by improving early detection and prevention of scams, such as NameCheck, CallerCheck and CustomerCheck, as well as progressive advances in our cyber protections.
If something goes wrong and you suspect you’ve been scammed, contact your bank and law enforcement immediately.
Police accept the findings by the Independent Police Conduct Authority in relation to a fatal crash which occurred following a Police pursuit near Ōtaki.
First and foremost, our thoughts and sympathies are with the people and families impacted by this crash.
On 26 April 2024, police briefly pursued a stolen vehicle on State Highway 1, south of Levin, after it was involved in an aggravated robbery in Ōtaki. Police abandoned the pursuit due to high speeds of the driver. They later found the vehicle driving north in the southbound lane of the expressway and it eventually crashed head on into another vehicle.
Tragically, the driver and one passenger of the stolen vehicle died, and another passenger suffered serious injuries. The four people in the other vehicle suffered serious to moderate injuries.
Relieving Central District Commander Inspector Ross Grantham says the IPCA found that overall Police managed this complex and dangerous fleeing driver incident appropriately in the circumstances:
“The outcome of this incident, which was the death of two young people and serious injuries to five members of the public is a tragedy and was completely avoidable.
Police use every serious incident as an opportunity to learn and we note the minor breaches of our police policy raised by the IPCA and have taken these onboard,” says Inspector Grantham.
The IPCA has recommended Police amend their Fleeing Driver Policy to specify that when a police vehicle is carrying crew members, those crew members are responsible for managing police communications during pursuits. Police are considering this recommendation.
Queenstown Police are seeking information from the public after a speeding motorcyclist failed to stop for Police.
At around 4:20am yesterday (Monday 14 April), a vehicle was seen by Police travelling at around two times the posted speed limit on Frankton Road, near Yewlett Crescent.
The bike was signalled to stop, however it failed to do so. Due to the speed, Police did not pursue. The last sighting of the bike was at about 4:25am as it travelled past the Z petrol station on Frankton Road, heading towards the Queenstown CBD.
This driving behaviour puts not only the bike riders at risk, but also other motorists. Police will continue to take a zero-tolerance approach to this kind of behaviour and in all cases where possible, Police will make follow-up enquiries to ensure these dangerous road users are held accountable.
Police would like to hear from anyone who saw this bike travelling through Queenstown in the early hours of yesterday morning. The bike was a sports bike with two people on it.
We would also like to hear from anyone with CCTV or dashcam footage of the bike.
Please contact Police on 105, either over the phone or online, referencing file number 250414/1674.
Please attribute to Relieving Central District Commander Inspector Ross Grantham:
Police accepts the findings by the Independent Police Conduct Authority which investigated complaints against three officers involved in the investigation and trial regarding the murder of Palmiro MacDonald.
Mr MacDonald went missing in March 2016 and his remains were found several months later in Horowhenua. Police began a homicide investigation and three people were charged with his murder. However, charges against all parties were eventually dropped or dismissed in court.
We accept and agree with the findings by the IPCA that there were issues with disclosure of information but that these were not intentional or deliberate acts.
Since this incident, the Solicitor-General has issued guidelines for the use of inmate admissions evidence, and Police now require senior detective supervisors to review inmate admissions evidence against these guidelines in homicide investigations.
Police were also involved in the development of the High Court ‘Criminal Disclosure in High Court Trials’ practice note which was implemented in 2023. That practice note requires specific consideration of ‘inmate witnesses’ or ‘incentivised witnesses’ in terms of ensuring disclosure obligations are addressed.
Police are confident that these two significant changes to the process will avert as best as possible any future mistakes being made.
The IPCA recommended Police prescribe in policy that it be standard practice that all prison informant interviews being undertaken for the purpose of taking statements should be video or audio recorded.
Police do not agree with the recommendation, but will engage with the Authority in an effort to resolve the issue.
The Government is ensuring hundreds more students benefit from safe, warm and dry learning areas by delivering a new school and more classrooms into communities that need them most. “Through our decisive action to improve efficiency and performance in school property delivery, $100 million has been freed up for areas across the country that have growing school rolls. With a 35 per cent increase in the number of standardised and repeatable designs, we have reduced the price per classroom by 28 per cent. We can now provide an additional 67 teaching spaces in Auckland and in the Kaupapa Māori Education network to help meet growing demand,” Education Minister Erica Stanford says. The following projects will be delivered in Auckland:
A new 600-student primary school in Massey, which will include two satellite learning support spaces for Arohanui School. An 18-classroom expansion for Ormiston Senior College, which includes associated administration spaces and a staff room extension. A two-storey block of ten new classrooms at Scott Point Primary School.
The following projects will be delivered for the Kaupapa Māori Education network.
Two new classrooms at Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Koutu in Rotorua. Four new senior school classrooms and a permanent site for Te Kura Kaupapa o Hawaiki Hou in Gisborne. Three new classrooms at Manutuke School in Gisborne. Two new classrooms at Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Whakarewa I Te Reo Ki Tuwharetoa in Taupō.
“For Te Kura Kaupapa o Hawaiki Hou, this means moving from and unsuitable learning environment they have leased for seven years. “Detailed planning for all projects is underway, with construction set to begin soon after. Our priority is to get these projects delivered as quickly and efficiently as possible so that students, teachers and communities benefit sooner,” Ms Stanford says. ”This reinvestment has been made possible by accelerating and improving the cost-effectiveness of new builds using standard designs and offsite manufacturing. We want to be responsive to changing student numbers while ensuring our solutions represent the best value for money. “This Government is focused on raising student achievement and closing the equity gap and to do that our children need warm, safe and dry classrooms. Our drive for efficiency and good value for money is delivering more of these classrooms across New Zealand.”
Notes to editors Over the last year the Ministry of Education has made significant improvements to the delivery of school property, including:
30% increase in the number of classrooms delivered, 35% increase in the number of standardised or repeatable designs, 28% reduction in the average cost of each classroom.
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says it was excellent to meet with Christchurch Hospital Emergency Department staff and peer support specialists today to mark the start of a new service designed to better assist people presenting in mental distress. “Christchurch ED is one of the busiest in New Zealand, I am pleased that there are now peer support specialists available to provide timely mental health and addiction support for people in their time of need,” Mr Doocey says. “One of the initiatives I am most proud of a year in is the roll out of peer support workers. These are people who have their own lived experience with mental health that can empathise and really understand what the person in front of them are going through, which can provide a huge comfort. “When I recently met with some of the peer support specialists in Wellington, I spoke to a worker who told me how surreal it was to be here today and have the ability now to now offer others hope and show that there is a pathway forward, like her journey. I think this is really powerful. “The peer support specialists are available for people who are presenting to the ED in mental distress and will be able to provide comfort, as well as help connect them to community services if needed.” Christchurch ED is the fourth hospital to provide this service after it was launched at Middlemore Hospital, Auckland City Hospital and Wellington Hospital. The service will be extended to Waikato ED in the coming months, and three further locations will be announced soon. “I have been heartened to hear that early feedback is showing that peer support specialists are already proving to be beneficial for people presenting to emergency departments and I am looking forward to continuing to see the positive effects of this workforce.” Last March, the Government announced that eight services would be stood up across two years using uncommitted funding. Each Peer Support Specialist service is estimated to cost between $300,000 and $500,000 per hospital. A $1 million workforce fund has also been set up by the Government to provide Level 4 NZ Certificate in Health and Wellbeing (Peer Support) training and specific training for working in emergency departments. “We are also rolling out crisis cafes around the country that will have peer workers in them. The next step as I signalled when I announced we are refreshing the eating disorders strategy is to grow and utilise the peer support workforce more in the eating disorders space,” Mr Doocey says. “We know one of the biggest barriers to support is the workforce, that is why we are focused on growing the mental health and addiction workforce so people can access timely mental health support when and where they need it.”
New Zealand and the United States will continue to pursue shared strategic objectives in the Pacific, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters says. “Our Pacific links with the United States are more important than ever, and this visit to Hawaii has been an excellent opportunity to underline our shared Polynesian heritage and common strategic interests,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand’s partnership with the United States remains one of our most long-standing and important, particularly when seen in the light of our joint interests in the Pacific and the evolving security environment.” Mr Peters, leading a cross-party New Zealand political delegation to the Pacific, has had engagements in Honolulu with Governor of Hawaii Joshua Green, the Commander of US Indo-Pacific Command Admiral Samuel Paparo, the Interim President of the East-West Center Dr James Scott, as well as Hawaii-based representatives for Palau, Federated States of Micronesia, and the Marshall Islands. “This visit has enabled an important exchange of views on the economic, political and security changes occurring in the Indo-Pacific, and the role that New Zealand can play in working with regional partners to meet common challenges,” Mr Peters says. “We have long advocated for the importance of an active and engaged United States in the Indo-Pacific, and this time in Honolulu allowed us to continue to make that case.” The delegation also commemorated the attack on Pearl Harbour by laying a wreath at the USS Arizona Memorial alongside the Commander of US Pacific Fleet Admiral Stephen Koehler. “It is important to remember those who gave their lives to create a free and open Indo-Pacific, especially in times such as these where the values which we fought for are being challenged.” Hawaii was the second destination on the New Zealand delegation’s ongoing Pacific visit, following Tonga. The delegation now travels to Fiji, then Vanuatu.
The number of marine mammal species in New Zealand classified as Threatened or At Risk has increased from 10 in 2019 to 14 today, with the sperm whale, pygmy blue whale, southern right whale dolphin, goose-beaked whale, and pygmy sperm whale added to the list. Leopard seals were moved from at-risk to migrant.
A ‘Threatened’ species status is given to animals in serious trouble. New Zealand has the highest proportion of threatened indigenous species in the world – more than 4000 native species are currently threatened or at risk of extinction.
Panel lead and DOC Senior Science Advisor, Dr Dave Lundquist, says several species have been shifted to a more threatened conservation status. This includes sperm whales, which were moved from Data Deficient to At Risk – Declining.
“Research published by the University of Otago in 2022 shows a long-term decline in the number of sperm whales seen off Kaikōura during summer,” says Dave Lundquist.
“We don’t yet know if this reflects a broader drop in sperm whale numbers across New Zealand, but the panel has taken a precautionary approach and assumed it could be.”
Thanks to improved population data, eight other marine mammal species previously considered Data Deficient now have updated conservation statuses. This includes pygmy blue whales, now listed as Threatened – Nationally Vulnerable.
The New Zealand sea lion has also been moved to a higher risk category – from Nationally Vulnerable to Threatened – Nationally Endangered. This is due to a smaller estimated number of breeding adults and a faster rate of population decline than previously thought.
“Estimates suggest sea lion numbers could decline by 30–70% over the next 30 years, which is about three generations. Multiple human-caused threats are likely to be contributing to this decline,” says Dave Lundquist.
Bottlenose dolphins are the only species whose status has improved – from Threatened – Nationally Endangered to Threatened – Nationally Vulnerable. However, Dave Lundquist says this change is due to better information, not an actual increase in numbers.
“We previously estimated fewer than 1000 coastal bottlenose dolphins in New Zealand, plus an unknown number of oceanic ones. We now know there are over 1000 oceanic dolphins, which improved the overall status. But coastal populations are still at risk and depend on local conservation efforts to survive.”
Dave Lundquist says the positive takeaway is that when people act to reduce threats and protect nature, it makes a real difference.
“This information is valuable for everyone involved in marine mammal conservation – including iwi, community groups, businesses, fishers, councils and government.
“When we understand the conservation status of marine mammals, we’re all better equipped to make informed decisions to help protect them and their habitats.”
The conservation status of 57 marine mammal types found in New Zealand waters was reviewed by an independent panel of national and international experts. They used the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – a tool that assesses the extinction risk of native species.
NZTCS assessments are reviewed roughly every five years and are based on factors such as population size, trends, and distribution. DOC uses these results to prioritise conservation work, guide resource allocation, and shape policy decisions. The assessments also support collaboration with iwi, researchers, community groups, and others working to protect native species.
The NZTCS is a rule-based system for experts to assess the risk of extinction faced by organisms in Aotearoa New Zealand. The NZTCS is administered by the Department of Conservation (DOC) and complements the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Independent panels of experts assess groups of taxa (for examples, birds, reptiles or marine mammals. Species, subspecies, varieties and forms are collectively known as taxa, singular = taxon), approximately every five years, using criteria of population state, size and trend.
Knowing a species’ risk of extinction provides a basis for setting priorities and making decisions, planning recovery programmes and research, monitoring the effectiveness of management and gaining support for habitat protection. Taxa assessed as ‘Threatened’ face greater risk of extinction because they have small population with greatest rate of decline. Taxa assessed as ‘At Risk’ are not considered Threatened, but they could quickly become so if conservation management reduces, if a new threat arises, or if the declines continue.
The expert panel assessed the conservation status of 57 taxa of whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals, fur seals and sea lions.
Thirteen species have changed status since last assessed in 2019. One has a more threatened status, one has a less threatened status, and the remainder are neutral status changes (into and out of the category Data Deficient).
There are brighter days ahead for Tairua with progress on a new 2-lane bridge on State Highway 25 (SH25), which will cull queues of holiday traffic at the single-lane Pepe Stream Bridge.
The replacement bridge project is now in the procurement phase ahead of construction starting late next year says NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA).
“The business case developed by NZTA in 2022 along with engagement with iwi and stakeholders has determined that the preferred option is a 2-lane bridge with an attached shared walking and cycling path to replace the single-lane bridge and a separate pedestrian bridge,” says Regional Manager Infrastructure Delivery, Darryl Coalter.
Later this month a community information session will be held at Tairua to update the community and SH25 users on what’s ahead.
“With funding confirmed, there is a lot of work ahead to get the bridge designed and consented, but the countdown is on for construction to start by late 2026. All going well NZTA’s target is to have traffic on the new bridge by Christmas 2027.
“While NZTA engaged with the community as part of the Business Case development, we are keen to hear what’s important to people who live, work or holiday in the area,” Mr Coalter says.
The project team will be at the Tairua Community Hall on Wednesday 30 April, and people can call in any time between 3pm and 6pm.
NZTA will be seeking a design and build contract and expects to have a contractor in place later this year. Construction methodology is critical because SH25 needs to remain open during the build.
The current bridge crosses a tidal stream on SH25 south of the Tairua town centre.
The narrow 3-span Pepe Stream bridge as it is today. It opened in 1943.
The project is part of a wider bridge programme to improve safety, efficiency and resilience on the state highway around the peninsula.
Work will begin later this year at the Boundary Creek Bridge on the Thames Coast north of Te Mata. Design of a new 2-lane bridge to replace the single lane bridge Ramarama Stream Bridge on SH25, just north of Whiritoa, is also underway.
VISAKHAPATNAM, Andra Pradesh, India (April 7, 2025) Operations Specialist 3rd Class Neet Patel, 26, assigned to the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Ralph Johnson (DDG 114), moved to the United States from Gujarat, on the west coast of India, with his parents and brother in 2014. He joined the Navy three years ago, seeing it as an opportunity for a career.
LOS ANGELES, April 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Preferred Bank(NASDAQ: PFBC), one of the larger independent commercial banks in California, today announced plans to release its financial results for the fourth quarter ended March 31, 2025 before the open of market on Friday, April 25, 2025. That same day, management will host a conference call at 2:00 p.m. Eastern (11:00 a.m. Pacific). The call will be simultaneously broadcast over the Internet.
Interested participants and investors may access the conference call by dialing 844-826-3037 (domestic) or 412-317-5182 (international) and referencing “Preferred Bank.” There will also be a live webcast of the call available at the Investor Relations section of Preferred Bank’s website at www.preferredbank.com.
Preferred Bank’s Chairman and CEO Li Yu, President and Chief Operating Officer Wellington Chen, Chief Financial Officer Edward J. Czajka, Chief Credit Officer Nick Pi and Deputy Chief Operating Officer Johnny Hsu will discuss Preferred Bank’s financial results, business highlights and outlook. After the live webcast, a replay will be available at the Investor Relations section of Preferred Bank’s website. A replay of the call will also be available at 877-344-7529 (domestic) or 412-317-0088 (international) through May 2, 2025; the passcode is 8939265.
About Preferred Bank
Preferred Bank is one of the larger independent commercial banks headquartered in California. The Bank is chartered by the State of California, and its deposits are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, or FDIC, to the maximum extent permitted by law. The Bank conducts its banking business from its main office in Los Angeles, California, and through twelve full-service branch banking offices in the California cities of Alhambra, Century City, City of Industry, Torrance, Arcadia, Irvine (2 branches), Diamond Bar, Pico Rivera, Tarzana and San Francisco (2 branches), two branches in New York (Manhattan and Flushing) and one branch in the Houston suburb of Sugar Land, Texas. Additionally, the Bank operates a Loan Production Office in Sunnyvale, California. Preferred Bank offers a broad range of deposit and loan products and services to both commercial and consumer customers. The Bank provides personalized deposit services as well as real estate finance, commercial loans and trade finance to small and mid-sized businesses, entrepreneurs, real estate developers, professionals and high net worth individuals. Although originally founded as a Chinese-American Bank, Preferred Bank now derives most of its customers from the diversified mainstream market but does continue to benefit from the significant migration to California of ethnic Chinese from China and other areas of East Asia.
AT THE COMPANY: Edward J. Czajka Executive Vice President Chief Financial Officer (213) 891-1188
AT FINANCIAL PROFILES: Jeffrey Haas General Information (310) 622-8240 PFBC@finprofiles.com
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Meade, Adjunct Associate Professor, Griffith University, Centre for Applied Energy Economics and Policy Research, Griffith University
Winter is coming to New Zealand and Australia, and with it come those inevitably higher power bills from heating our homes.
But even without that seasonal spike, household power bills were already set to rise by NZ$10 to $25 a month in New Zealand and up to A$9 a month in parts of Australia.
This is not, as some might assume, because electricity suppliers are acting uncompetitively. It’s because regulators are increasing charges for long-distance electricity transmission (pylons and substations) and short-distance distribution (poles and wires).
Those charges together make up around 40% of power bills on average, so the price increases matter. In New Zealand, an average 15% of household budgets is spent on electricity. The proportion going towards those infrastructure costs is higher for low-income, regional and rural households.
To put this another way, these fixed parts of our power bills can equal what a typical household spends on mobile phones, public transport or water services.
Transmission and distribution services are regulated because they are provided by monopolies. Regulators such as the Commerce Commission in New Zealand and the Australian Energy Regulator in eastern Australia try to set reasonable prices while still allowing those firms enough money to provide reliable services.
However, this old regulatory model is being challenged by changing consumer behaviour. Households are increasingly electrifying, switching to heat pumps for space and water heating, and electric vehicles (EVs) for personal transport.
Regulators want to ensure the reliability of electricity supply doesn’t significantly decline. But households that rely on electricity want greater reliability – especially with growing demand for “smart” appliances that can be damaged by outages.
Quality versus quantity
Unfortunately, history is a poor guide to how regulation should ensure these future reliability needs are met. Furthermore, electricity is an unusual “product” – the quantity we consume is often an afterthought, while the affordability and quality of supply are more top of mind.
Importantly, quality means much more to consumers than just reliability. It includes how well outages are planned and communicated, how easy it is to get help and updates when things go wrong, new connection times, and the voltage stability modern appliances require.
What constitutes good service might also include customer charters or other guarantees of minimum acceptable expectations, as well as compensation schemes.
Beyond these options, however, the very basis for regulation is being upturned as households invest in rooftop solar panels, home batteries and electric vehicles (EVs). The competition offered by these new technologies means distribution companies are no longer monopoly providers because households can get electricity in new ways.
This also means households expect new services from those providers – such as being able to sell electricity to others (including to distribution companies themselves to help them maintain reliable supply).
Smart appliances, solar power and EVs are all changing consumer expectations of the electricity market. Shutterstock
What customers really want
Historically, electricity regulation has responded to emerging challenges like these with “bolt-on” solutions. Each one tries to address a specific issue individually, but not in a coherent and joined-up way.
Overall, how and why we regulate electricity transmission and distribution need rethinking from the ground up, not more rounds of regulatory whack-a-mole. Consumer preferences need to be more than a vague overriding objective. They need to be at the heart of regulation.
New Zealand’s Commerce Commission already exempts many distribution firms from much regulation because they are owned and governed by customers. And regulators in other English-speaking countries, including Australia, increasingly rely on consumer forums and other channels to indirectly and only partially identify consumer preferences.
But neither model obtains directly usable information about what consumers want – from those consumers themselves. Unsurprisingly, customer preferences are not widely or systematically reflected in regulation.
Besides, asking customers about quality and reliability of service assumes they can clearly articulate what they care about and what value they attach to them in ways regulators can use.
Value for money
One solution is to use a direct measure of consumer satisfaction. We developed and applied a version of this in recent research involving a survey of Swedish electricity customers.
We measured satisfaction by asking consumers to rate the “value for money” they perceived from their distribution firm, ranging from zero (lowest) to five (highest).
Perceptions of quality can vary and are inherently subjective. But value for money can be interpreted as a ratio of quality to price: higher quality means higher value for money, higher price means lower value for money. From this, we obtained an objective measure of overall customer satisfaction levels.
As might be expected, we found value for money tended to be higher for customers of distribution firms owned and controlled by those customers. But directly measuring customer satisfaction in this way could be a good basis for regulation reform in general.
We still need to better understand how customer satisfaction is affected by regulatory decisions. This has always been the case, but it is especially true now that fundamental changes are happening in the sector.
Electricity customers heading into winter might be happier with rising transmission and distribution prices if they were confident regulation genuinely improved their overall value for money.
Business as usual, on the other hand, may offer them only cold comfort.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) today joined lawyers on the Senate Judiciary Committee, led by Subcommittee on the Constitution Ranking Member Peter Welch (D-Vt.), in sending a letter to the American Bar Association (ABA) commending lawyers and law firms that are resisting President Trump’s unconstitutional attacks on the legal profession.
“As fellow members of the legal community, we applaud lawyers who are resisting President Trump’s illegal and unconstitutional attacks on the legal profession,” the senators wrote. “These orders are unlawful—a tool of intimidation, and a weaponization of the federal government. The president’s actions existentially threaten essential rights guaranteed by our Constitution.”
“The Sixth Amendment right to counsel is undermined when a president signals that choosing to represent his political opponents carries the risk of retribution,” the senators added. “The First Amendment protection against viewpoint discrimination is imperiled when a president seeks to punish lawyers who advocate against his policies. By levying punishments outside the ordinary legal process, these orders violate constitutional due process.”
The senators concluded, “The American Bar Association has stalwartly supported lawyers that have resisted President Trump’s bullying. We join the ABA in commending these lawyers, who have taken financial and professional risks to fight for the rule of law and our constitutional rights. We urge others to join you.”
Between March 6th and March 27th, President Trump issued executive orders targeting four law firms against which he has personal grievances, such as representing his political opponents and associating with lawyers who have been critical of the president. The executive orders limit the targeted law firms’ access to federal buildings, suspend security clearances, and prevent federal agencies from engaging with firm lawyers.
Three law firms—Jenner & Block, WilmerHale, and Perkins Coie—have rightfully challenged the president’s executive orders in court, asserting that the orders are in violation of the Constitution and the principles that underlie it. In each of these cases, judges appointed by presidents from both political parties have properly issued temporary restraining orders against President Trump.
In addition to Senators Coons and Welch, the letter was signed by the following lawyers on the Senate Judiciary Committee: Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.). Senator Coons is a graduate of Yale Law School.
Emergency Services Games donates $10,000 to mental health charity
Tuesday, 15 April 2025 – 7:37 am.
Emergency services personnel who took part in the Australian Police and Emergency Services Games held in Tasmania last month have raised $10,000 for charity.Acting Deputy Commissioner Rob Blackwood said that in a sold out event, 500 participants attended to help raise funds for charity through the AP&ES Games ‘charity of choice’ fundraiser event.“We’re pleased to announce that thanks to the generosity shown by all who attended our fundraiser event that we can present Mitch McPherson founder of Speak Up, Stay ChatTY with a cheque for $10,000,” Acting Deputy Commissioner Blackwood said.“The Games create the opportunity for emergency service workers who share a common goal to build camaraderie and promote healthy living.“We know emergency service workers and volunteers often face particularly challenging and stressful situations and we recognise the importance of supporting our employees and volunteers to keep a healthy body and healthy mind as they continue to help the community.”“That’s why we’ve decided to donate the $10,000 to Speak Up, Stay ChatTY – an important charity aimed at promoting positive mental health and preventing suicide by normalising conversations about mental health and encouraging people to seek help when they need it.”The Games brought together not just police, fire, ambulance and SES, but also those emergency staff that work in defence, customs, corrections, royal lifesaving, environment and the coast guard to name just a few.“The 2025 Games was the largest multidiscipline sporting event to ever take place in Tasmania,” Acting Deputy Commissioner Blackwood said.“More than 2,000 competitors competed in over 50 individual sporting events and over 5,000 medals being presented to our competitors.” he said.“This year more than 200 volunteers also donated their time to make the games possible.“Supporting the mental and physical health of police officers, as well as other emergency services is extremely important, and we hope this donation will go some way in helping support other Tasmanians in need.”
Premier David Eby has issued the following statement celebrating Vaisakhi:
“Today, Sikhs in B.C. join those around the world in celebrating Vaisakhi.
“One of the holiest days of the Sikh calendar, Vaisakhi commemorates the creation of the Khalsa and celebrates the spring harvest. People mark the occasion by gathering at gurdwaras, reading from the sacred scripture and enjoying community fairs and parades.
“B.C. is home to one of the largest Sikh communities and some of the largest Vaisakhi events outside of India, such as this past weekend’s parade in Vancouver and the upcoming parade in Surrey this coming Saturday. These rich cultural celebrations are open to people of all faiths and backgrounds, and are known for their welcoming atmosphere and delicious food.
“The mission of the Khalsa is to work toward degh tegh fateh – or food, freedom and victory – for everyone, regardless of faith or background. B.C.’s Sikh community exemplifies this spirit of service during Vaisakhi and every day through acts of seva, or selfless service to others.
“April is also Sikh Heritage Month, making this the perfect opportunity to learn more about the Sikh faith and reflect on the many contributions the Sikh community makes to our province.
“I wish a happy Vaisakhi to all who are celebrating.
Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Andrew Maxwell, Bergeron Chair in Technology Entrepreneurship, Lassonde School of Engineering, York University, Canada
As Canadians prepare to vote in another federal election, the country’s economy faces a sobering reality. As the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) notes, productivity is stagnating, our innovation performance lags global peers and high-potential startups often fail to scale.
Despite these warning signs, innovation policy remains largely absent from political discourse. Canadians hear a great deal about how political parties are going to spend money, but little about where the money is going to come from.
If Canadians want to maintain their standard of living, Canada must close that gap through a more deliberate, strategic approach to innovation.
Innovation is economic strategy
In today’s knowledge-based economy, as business executive and innovatorJim Balsillie observes, power flows to countries that own digital data and their “value-added applications” (like apps or platforms) and intellectual property.
Countries like the United States, China and South Korea have embedded innovation into national strategy, investing in sectors like artificial intelligence (AI), clean technology and biotech to drive growth and resilience. Canada, by contrast, has taken a fragmented, reactive approach.
Canada also often conflates research with innovation. While both are vital, innovation is about turning knowledge into use through deployment, adoption, commercialization and scaling. Much of today’s transformative innovation, particularly in AI and software, depends on the transfer of tacit knowledge (related to things like user insights, execution experience and expertise in a particular domain) not just codified knowledge (for example, patents, technical drawings and licenses).
Why innovation policy fails
Governments struggle with innovation because it defies conventional policymaking:
It requires failure tolerance. Innovation is iterative. But political systems fear failure.
It demands long-term vision. Results may take years, beyond typical electoral cycles.
It’s technically complex. Few policymakers have deep expertise in emerging technologies or understand the research and development process.
It’s often misunderstood. Funding research is not the same as building innovation capacity or developing innovation processes.
It’s hard to quantify. Quantifying innovation outcomes is complex and challenging to measure, making it also difficult to measure return.
To break this cycle, Canada needs a non-partisan national innovation institution — an agency empowered to advise on strategy, evaluate outcomes and embed technical expertise into policy at the federal, provincial and municipal levels.
Models like DARPA from the U.S., Vinnova from Sweden and the Israel Innovation Authority show how long-term, high-impact innovation can be achieved with the right institutional scaffolding and appropriate knowledge.
Video about Vinnova, Sweden’s national innovation agency.
Yet none have been national organizations that addressed the broad proposed mandate to explicitly advise governments on technology and policy strategy, evaluate innovation outcomes and embed technical expertise into recommendations.
A non-partisan national innovation institution must:
Track outcomes more than inputs. Innovation success can be measured by a number of project- or industry-specific outcomes, such as productivity, firm growth and export revenue. The ICP proposed measuring the “prosperity gap,” comparing innovation performance to peer jurisdictions.
Support long-term strategic objectives, focusing on Canada’s strengths in critical areas like AI, clean technology, energy health-care technology, and leveraging expertise and experience in these and other areas.
Embed technology experts alongside health-care and education experts in the decision-making process. Recruit scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs to anticipate technology and market trends, guiding both implementation and policy development.
Differentiate innovation from research. Support both, but recognize the differences and explicitly link innovation to adoption and new use cases.
Promote value capture. Ensure Canadian firms and the country benefit from and retain control of key technologies that enable them to scale domestically.
Recognize the inherent risks in innovation and the potential for failure. Evaluate and build on impact and learn from failure to enhance innovation processes and improve future outcomes.
Align our educational institutions with innovation goals revising programs, creating more flexible learning options and enhancing entrepreneurship so that more research outcomes are commercialized.
Canada’s economy is heavily dependent on resource exports and vulnerable to technological disruption. Meanwhile, the global AI and clean tech races are accelerating. Canada is at risk of falling further behind — not just economically, but geopolitically.
But Canada also has strengths: world-class researchers, diverse entrepreneurial talent and global partnerships. What’s missing is a cohesive national strategy to harness this potential. Creating a non-partisan innovation institution would be a powerful first step.
If Canadians want to provide revenue for governments decide how to fund education, health care and climate adaptation, they must grow their economy. And to do that, Canada needs smarter innovation policy.
It’s time to stop celebrating activity and start rewarding outcomes. Let’s build the structures that allow Canadian ingenuity to thrive — not in theory, but in practice.
Andrew Maxwell works for York University, but received no direct benefit from comments in this article. He receives funding from various research agencies for his work in the area, but none of which creates the potential for conflict. He is a member of the Academy of Management, the International Society for Professional Innovation Management and Professional Engineers Ontario..
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brenton Griffin, Casual Lecturer and Tutor in History, Indigenous Studies, and Politics, Flinders University
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced it will build 15 new temples in countries across the world, including one in Liverpool, New South Wales.
This follows a similar announcement last year of plans to build a second temple for Queensland, in South Brisbane.
The two new structures – together with existing temples in Sydney (1984), Adelaide (2000), Melbourne (2000), Perth (2001) and Brisbane (2003) – will bring the total number of Australian temples to seven.
In a nation with fewer than 160,000 practising Mormons, these new buildings seek to increase the legitimacy and visibility of the church.
The Melbourne temple was erected in 2000, as was the temple in Adelaide. Wikimedia
The significance of temples
There are currently at least 200 completed Mormon temples around the globe, with an additional 182 under construction or announced.
Temples have a different purpose and scope to Mormon chapels, which are far more common: Australia has about 190 Mormon chapels.
Chapels are used for weekly sacrament (or communion) and weekly sermons. They are open to visitors, and often hold cultural events, extra church activities and family history centres.
Temples, on the other hand, represent the blending of the divine and temporal. According to the Mormon worldview and doctrines, they are the world’s most sacred structures.
Each temple is emblazoned with the phrase “The House of the Lord, Holiness to the Lord”. This isn’t just symbolic. Mormons believe each temple is literally the house of God, in which his presence may be felt.
Given the gravity of this belief, these spaces are reserved for those who have been deemed worthy to enter by Mormon leaders.
Inside the House of the Lord
The church itself maintains that temples are “sacred, not secret”. It has long worked to dispel speculation over what happens within temple bounds.
One way it does this is through “open houses”, in which a newly-built temple may be toured by anyone for a brief period. Once the open house has ended and the temple has been “dedicated” by a church leader – a process that includes blessing the building and those who will use it – it becomes entirely closed to the public.
Within the temples, the most sacred rituals and knowledge of “the gospel” are imparted upon faithful members. Rituals can be performed for both living people and deceased ancestors. They must never be conducted – or even discussed – outside the sacred temple space.
One of these rituals is baptism and confirmation for the dead by proxy (baptisms for the living are conducted in chapels or other spaces). This provides the deceased individuals “ordinances” that are necessary for salvation, which they did not receive during life.
These baptisms have been controversial at times, with ordinances performed on individuals who were not direct ancestors of Latter-day Saints, including Holocaust victims and historical figures such as Joseph Stalin and Adolf Hitler. Even prominent Australians such as Ned Kelly, Malcolm Fraser, Neville Bonner and Truganini have allegedly appeared as “baptised” in Mormon records.
The rituals are accompanied by various stages of knowledge progression for attendees. As with the rituals, temple knowledge is not to be discussed outside.
Local opposition
The air of secrecy and exclusivity surrounding Mormon temples has resulted in a flood of negative attention from Australian media, other religious institutions and society at large. News reports from as far back as the early 20th century sought to expose “Mormon temple secrets”.
The first temple, built in Sydney in 1984, was widely protested by community groups and organisations. The building had to be modified by the church before it was eventually approved. A similar situation transpired in Brisbane in the early 2000s.
In other cities, such as Adelaide and Melbourne, temples were not directly protested, but were still critiqued for their lavishness, with the average Australian temple costing around A$8 million in the late 1990s/early 2000s.
Given the cost of living crisis, and contention over the place of religion in contemporary Australia, the two proposed temples will likely also face criticism.
Reputational management
The church’s reputation in Australia has become ever more complicated over the past 20 years, not least due to several controversies.
In 2022 and 2023, The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald reported the church was allegedly abusing tax laws, to the amount of hundreds of millions of dollars. This was addressed, but not confirmed or denied, in the November 2022 Senate Estimates by Australian Tax Office Assistant Commissioner Jeremy Hirschhorn, after questioning by Greens Senator David Shoebridge. Accusations of tax evasion have also been made in New Zealand and the United States.
The new Australian temples will be completed under a pall of critiques and accusations around church finances and other controversies. And while they might be briefly open to the public, their doors will just as quickly shut – adding more fuel to the speculation.
Brenton Griffin was raised as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but is no longer a practising member of the church. His current research is focused on the religion’s place in Australian and New Zealand popular culture, politics, and society from the nineteenth century to present.
Home ownership in Australia was once regarded as proof of success in life. However, it remains elusive for many people today.
Prices have soared beyond wage growth, rents keep rising, and even some well-intentioned government initiatives, including those announced by Labor and the Coalition at their election campaign launches on the weekend, risk driving up demand.
What’s gone wrong?
The Grattan Institute says increasing housing supply is essential to maintain price stability over time, but notes we are not making enough progress.
Australia will miss its goal to build 1.2 million new homes within five years if we stick to the current housing policies and construction practices.
Why it’s not working
There is a wide range of reasons why Australia is failing to provide enough housing:
Fragmented policy approach: A national approach involving all levels of government aligning their policies, rules and regulations is needed.
Planning bottlenecks: Some projects face years of delay due to local council regulations and zoning requirements. The Productivity Commission has reported Australia’s planning system has excessive barriers to new projects, including medium-density developments.
Land release delays: State governments are slow to release new land for housing. This is often because of community opposition, political considerations and market dynamics. This results in limited availability, which leads to higher costs for land that can be developed.
Skills shortages: Recent immigration restrictions have worsened the shortage of skilled tradespeople in the residential construction sector.
Demand-side subsidies: Government programs, such as first home buyer grants, help some people buy homes. However, they also make housing less affordable because they can result in increased prices.
What could work without raising prices
There are various changes that could be made without necessarily raising prices.
Duplication and logjams could be removed if a national housing strategy was introduced. This should integrate policies and regulations across federal, state and local jurisdictions.
Federal grants and incentives should be tied to states meeting targets for land release, re-zoning permits and streamlined approvals.
Using innovative construction technologies can cut construction time by as much as 50%. These include prefabricated and modular building parts, which are made in factories and later assembled at the construction site.
A government update of land use and zoning permits would make it easier and faster to build medium-density housing near transport and job hubs. This is a quick way to add dwellings without sprawl.
Governments could also offer tax or planning concessions for developments that lock in affordable rents. This would help create stable, long-term rental options.
Learning from other countries
Australia can get ideas for increasing housing supply without raising prices from the experience of other countries.
Through substantial investments in social housing, Finland has significantly reduced homelessness and created stable housing options for families with limited income.
Large-scale prefab public housing originated in Singapore decades ago as a method to accelerate construction timelines and reduce expenses. Prefabrication is only used in 8% of projects in Australia at the moment.
Prefabrication is widely used in building sectors in other countries as a cheaper and faster way of responding to housing shortages. brizmaker/Shutterstock
Sweden has adopted advanced modular construction techniques, which result in 80% of homes being built off-site.
Germany employs municipal-led housing associations along with rent controls to maintain price stability and tenant protection.
And in the UK, inclusionary zoning regulations mandate that new developments either contain affordable housing units or contribute to a fund that supports affordable housing in different locations. This helps create diverse housing options in most neighborhoods.
Election promises versus real change
Significant reforms are needed – not election sweeteners. To make genuine progress, we need to invest heavily in modern construction techniques, transform housing approval processes and ensure states promptly release essential land.
The solution requires a coordinated response from federal, state and local governments. This would enable more Australians to obtain homeownership and secure rental options.
Our politicians must avoid short-term promises during elections because these threaten to return us to the destructive pattern of escalating prices and dissatisfied homebuyers. Long-term policy reform is what we need.
Dr. Ehsan Noroozinejad has received funding from both national and international organisations to support research addressing housing and climate crises. His most recent funding on integrated housing and climate policy comes from the James Martin Institute for Public Policy (soon to be the Australian Public Policy Institute).
Big promises on housing were at the centre of both major parties’ announcements at the official federal election campaign launches on the weekend.
Among the highlights, Labor pledged to build 100,000 new homes and extend a government-guaranteed 5% deposit scheme to all first home buyers. The Coalition promised to make interest payments on the first A$650,000 of a mortgage tax-deductible for up to five years, for eligible first home buyers purchasing new builds.
Promising to help would-be homebuyers without access to the “bank of mum and dad”, the policy aims to make loans easier to get amid high interest rates and house prices. But it has also reignited debate over lending regulation.
What exactly does this buffer do, and what might we lose by lowering it?
Protecting banks and borrowers
Mortgage buffers are a risk management tool, regulated by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA).
When banks assess a home loan, they don’t just check if you can repay it at today’s rate. They test whether you could still afford it if interest rates were higher.
Suppose a borrower in Sydney takes out a mortgage of $780,000 (around the average loan size). At a 6% interest rate, the monthly repayments over 30 years would be about $4,672.
Under the current serviceability buffer – three percentage points – banks assess whether this prospective borrower could still afford repayments if interest rates rose to 9%, which would increase their monthly repayments to around $6,270.
This buffer doesn’t increase the price the borrower actually pays. It simply ensures they have the capacity to service higher repayments if conditions worsen.
The last time mortgage rates were above 9% for an extended period (1996), Peter Dutton was in the Queensland Police Service, the Swans had lost the AFL Grand Final, and Oasis were about to cancel their Australian tour. Could history repeat itself?
APRA increased the serviceability buffer from 2.5% to 3% in late 2021. But at the time, Australia’s cash rate was very low, at just 0.1%. It’s now 4.1%.
Critics argue the buffer has become too restrictive now that rates are higher, locking out first home buyers and those without parental financial help.
The buffer can also act as a barrier to refinancing. Those who qualified for a loan when interest rates were low may no longer meet serviceability requirements under higher rates. Research suggests that removing refinancing barriers can reduce loan defaults and support household spending.
The risks
There are good reasons for the measures we have to protect borrowers from future shocks.
Reducing the buffer allows more borrowers to qualify for the same loan. But it also means there’s less built-in protection against future rate rises.
Research shows the risk of a borrower defaulting on their mortgage increases sharply when their loan-to-value ratio – the amount borrowed divided by the property’s purchase price – is above 75%, or where a borrower is spending two-thirds of their income on the mortgage.
But buffers also need to be set carefully, ensuring they don’t unnecessarily lock out creditworthy borrowers.
The mortgage serviceability buffer is designed to protect borrowers from sudden financial shocks. doublelee/Shutterstock
Help for first home buyers?
When considered together with the Coalition’s additional policies – to allow first home buyers to withdraw up to $50,000 from their superannuation for a home deposit and deduct mortgage payments from their taxable income – the implications become clearer.
Economic theory suggests that combined, such measures would move more borrowers closer to the margin of affordability.
Many would likely take on the maximum debt they could qualify for, leaving them highly exposed if economic or interest rate conditions deteriorate.
And the very borrowers likely to rely on superannuation withdrawals to fund their deposits are also those with limited savings and potentially high loan-to-value ratios. The borrowers most affected by the barrier are therefore among the most vulnerable to repayment stress.
What about house prices?
There’s the obvious question of what reducing the barriers to borrowing would do to house prices, without a corresponding increase in supply.
Research has shown stricter borrower-level constraints are effective in slowing house price growth, especially during periods of rapid credit expansion.
These policies are most effective when targeted toward high-risk borrower groups such as first home buyers or those with high loan-to-valuation ratios.
Some economists argue buffers need not be static. Instead, they could be tightened during booms to prevent the housing market overheating, and eased during tougher times to avoid cutting off credit unnecessarily.
So, should we lower the buffer?
Serviceability buffers aren’t just bureaucratic hurdles. They are an unseen brake on unsustainable borrowing and a cushion against future shocks.
Borrower constraints don’t only reduce default risk – research shows they also redistribute credit more efficiently, shifting it away from overheated urban markets and toward lower-risk borrowers.
The first cut to the cash rate in nearly five years has eased Australian mortgage stress risk in the short term. With renewed borrowing appetite, the role of buffers becomes even more critical.
Removing them may help more people into homes in the short run, but it comes at the risk of greater pain later.
Andrew Grant has previously received funding from the Australian Institute of Credit Management and illion (Experian).
Australia’s honeybees are facing an exceptional crisis. The tiny but devastating foreign pest Varroa destructor is steadily spreading across the country.
The mite feeds on baby bees (larvae), weakening them. It can also spread viruses that eventually destroy entire bee colonies.
What’s worse, Varroa destructor isn’t acting alone. In many parts of New South Wales, the mite’s arrival appears to have triggered a surge in another destructive pest: the small hive beetle (Aethina tumida).
A wet summer in the east has created ideal conditions for beetle outbreaks. This combination is putting enormous pressure on bees and beekeepers alike. Here’s how to help support the bee industry and, if you’re a backyard beekeeper, defend your hives against attack.
The parasitic mite Varroa destructor can hitch a ride on the back of a honeybee. Cornelia Sattler
Know your enemy
Varroa was first detected in Australia at the NSW Port of Newcastle in June 2022.
The mite is now widely established in NSW and in Queensland between Toowoomba and Brisbane.
It was detected in Victoria, North-West of Melbourne in February and the ACT earlier this month.
The varroa invasion appears to be making hives more susceptible to the small hive beetle (Aethina tumida). This species arrived in 2002.
The beetle thrives in warm, humid conditions and lays its eggs inside hives. The larvae feed on honey and wax, turning once-thriving hives into a foul, fermented mess. Beekeepers call this a “slime-out” — and it’s just as bad as it sounds.
The deadly one-two punch
A healthy bee colony can usually defend itself against beetles. But when bees are weakened by varroa mites, they’re far less capable of resisting a beetle invasion.
This deadly one-two punch has already devastated many beekeepers in NSW. One commercial beekeeper reported:
I had large infestations of mites. And then following the mite, I got the boom of the hive beetles. I probably lost 30 hives to beetles.
As varroa mites weaken a bee colony, other parasites — like the small hive beetle seen here — can invade and cause further damage. Cornelia Sattler
What to do if you suspect an infestation?
The number of registered recreational beekeepers in Australia is growing. In 2019, there were around 27,800 registered hobbyists. By 2023, that number had jumped to over 47,000. Backyard beekeepers also contribute A$260 million to the economy.
Varroa represents a major threat to every Australian honey producer, so here’s a few tips.
Inspect your hives at least once a month. If larvae appear to be tunnelling through honeycomb, or the honey appears fermented, these are signs beetles may be present.
It’s difficult to detect mites visually, especially when there are few mites present. That’s where monitoring techniques come in. Typically, 300 bees are placed in ethanol or icing sugar and shaken until mites fall off. This allows beekeepers to not only detect the mites but also to count them.
Report mites to the relevant state authorities. Failure to do so can result in fines.
Immediately treat the infested hive and move it at least ten metres away from any others.
Chemicals called miticides can kill varroa mites and knock the population down. But some beekeepers report side effects, including queen loss, so be prepared to replace queens.
We’ve experienced a lot of queenless hives. I don’t know whether that’s from treatments […] it might be just coincidence, but I’m hearing a lot of other beekeepers having the same problem.
Varroa mites feed on bee larvae, so caging the queen and taking a short break from brood production can reduce the mite population. Mites prefer male bee larvae, so removing these can help.
These control methods are effective, though labour-intensive, and potentially suitable for backyard beekeepers. They can lessen the need for chemical treatments — slowing the evolution of resistance to miticides.
Protection against mites and beetles
To prevent your backyard hives being infested by mites or beetles:
keep colonies well fed, so they don’t rob other colonies and catch their parasites
help bees recognise hives, so they don’t enter the wrong colony with varroa mites on their back (paint hives, space them apart by a few meters, ideally 10m)
reduce the size of hive entrances to help bees block access to intruders
regularly check that your beetle traps are still working, as bees often block the holes that let the beetles into the traps with tree resin
fill the cracks where beetles hide.
How consumers can help
Australians can support the nation’s beekeepers in a few simple ways. Buy 100% Australian honey and hive products from trusted, local sources.
Sugar can easily be swapped for honey in most recipes and honey is a great way to sweeten tea.
When substituting sugar for honey, it’s worth noting honey tastes sweeter so you might want to use less. Honey also contains 18% water, so you may need to reduce the amounts of other liquids in cake recipes accordingly.
Avoid imported honey and bee products to reduce the chance of bringing bee viruses into the country. Not all imported bee products are treated to kill bee viruses.
Finally, planting pollinator-friendly gardens helps to feed local bees.
Many fear mites will push beekeepers out of business. Protecting the industry requires a shift in mindset, from emergency response to long-term pest management.
With good science, community support and adaptive management, beekeepers — both commercial and backyard — can weather the storm.
Cornelia Sattler receives funding from the Ian & Shirley Norman Foundation to develop non-chemical varroa control methods.
Théotime Colin receives funding from the Australian Research Council, through an Early Career Industry Fellowship to develop non-chemical varroa control methods. He also receives funding from the Ian & Shirley Norman Foundation.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter McDonald, Honorary Professor of Demography, Centre for Health Policy, The University of Melbourne
Immigration is shaping as one of the most potent policy issues of the election campaign.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has announced a Coalition government would cut the two major migration programs – permanent and net overseas. He has directly linked the number of people coming into the country to high house prices, which feeds into the election’s hot button issue of cost of living:
the first and foremost interest in mind is to get young Australians into housing.
But will cutting immigration help fix the housing crisis? Or is this a smokescreen for other problems with the migration system that are not being addressed by the major parties?
Fewer permanent migrants
The Coalition is campaigning on its plans to reduce the Permanent Migration Program, from 185,000 a year to 140,000.
This is the wrong time to make such a large cut. Permanent migration, more than temporary, is critical for Australia’s economic growth. It also helps offset the ageing of the population.
For its part, Labor failed to include the permanent migration number in last month’s budget, so we have no idea about its plans if it is re-elected.
It is best for our economy when the annual migration intake is between 160,000 and 220,000. From the Gillard government until today, the Permanent Migration Program has been set by governments of both shades within that range.
Th Coalition’s proposed cut is problematic because extreme pressure is building in two visa categories that have close to 100% grant rates: Partners and Children in the Family stream and Employer Sponsored workers in the Skill stream.
If recent experience is anything to go by, the number of applications lodged by family members of Australian citizens or permanent residents will skyrocket to 110,000 by June 30. It is important to note this category is largely demand-driven. These family members have a right to permanent residence under Section 87 of The Migration Act.
Demand is also exploding in the visa category that allows employers to address labour shortages, which has a grant rate of over 98%. Almost 100,000 applications are expected in 2024–25. However, only 44,000 places have been allocated. Employers are going to be very unhappy whichever side is elected.
Given the pent-up demand, the Coalition is avoiding the tricky questions about which parts of the Permanent Program it would cut and by how much. Labor is shirking the issue altogether by not providing any target.
Dutton’s planned reduction to permanent migration numbers would have only a small impact on housing. In a normal year, 60% of grantees are already living in Australia. They won’t be adding to housing demand, because they are already here.
The numbers don’t add up
The other major category, Net Overseas Migration, includes temporary arrivals – mainly skilled workers, working holiday makers and international students. Treasury estimates 260,000 migrants in this category in 2025–26
Dutton says the Coalition would cut this number by 100,000 people and would do it “straight away, once we get into government”.
But this number is not achievable, at least not “straight away”. Arrivals can be lowered. But the number of departures will be way too low to reach the target.
The category has already fallen by 100,000 in each of the past two years. It will continue to decline gradually over the next couple of years, but not nearly as fast as the Coalition target requires.
The number of departures has been low due to the surge in temporary migrants that followed the COVID border closures. The majority of these people have valid visas until at least 2027–28. Only then, is there likely to be a flow of migrants leaving Australia.
Dutton should have said a Coalition government would reach this target in its third year, not its first. But this would not have suited the false argument that net overseas migration has a big impact on housing affordability. It’s spurious because net overseas migration largely consists of temporary residents who rarely buy houses. And both major parties have policies banning temporary residents from purchasing established properties.
New temporary migrants do have an impact on rental demand, but it’s highly localised near universities and along public transport routes. Even this demand is somewhat muted. According to 2021 Census data, a large minority (30–40%) of students and working holiday makers live in specialist accommodation or in very large households.
Problems beyond the election
Australia is facing an estimated shortfall of 130,000 housing construction workers. Both sides of politics are taking worthwhile steps to expand the number of apprentices. But the apprenticeship route is slow and likely to fall short of requirements.
We need more skilled tradies from overseas, but it’s not happening due to obstacles in the migration system. Neither side of politics seems to be looking for creative solutions. Certainly, cutting the Permanent Program is not the answer.
Another major issue is the difficulty successive governments have had in getting people to leave Australia once all their options to remain have been exhausted.
As of January 2025, there were 92,000 individuals who had been refused a final Protection Visa, but had not yet departed. This number accumulated under the previous Morrison government and has continued to expand under Labor.
Policy not politics
Undue panic over the level of net overseas migration in an election context has made a mess of Australian migration policy.
This is evidenced by the policy shambles over international education. The major parties both have plans to limit the number of foreign students, but the cap in both cases is not much below pre-COVID enrolments.
On a more positive note, both sides of politics should be commended for not allowing racism and the “otherness” of migrants to enter the debate.
But it’s time to drop the fantasy that cutting migration will help young Australians enter the housing market. This a blatant distraction from the real and tangible problems with the migration system that must be dealt with by whoever wins on May 3.
This is the seventh article in our special series, Australia’s Policy Challenges. You can read the other articles here
Peter McDonald has received funding from the Australian Research Council and from the Department of Home Affairs (including its predecessors) for studies of migration issues, but not in the past decade.
As the election campaign rolls on, housing has been, unsurprisingly, a major campaign focus. We’ve seen a series of housing policy announcements from across the political spectrum, including duelling announcements from the major parties in recent days.
Labor will expand access to their Help to Buy and Home Gurantee schemes by either raising or removing income limits and price caps.
While the politicians make big promises, it’s worth thinking about what evidence shows would actually make a meaningful difference. We have five ideas.
But first, the extent of the problem
It’s old news that we have a significant housing affordability problem in Australia.
1. It’s a cluster problem that needs a cluster solution
When we talk of the affordability crisis, what we’re really talking about is a complicated cluster of interrelated problems that make housing unaffordable to buy, build and rent.
Unaffordable housing comes from the interaction between the global economy, interest rates, inefficiencies in our construction and planning systems, as well as the outcomes of poor government policies. We should be wary of hitching our wagon to any of these alone.
Reform of the planning system, for example, is held up by some as the simple solution. While the planning system needs to be improved, it does not make up the entirety of the housing production pipeline – and it’s definitely not a magical solution.
Equal attention needs to be given to workforce shortages, productivity concerns in the construction industry, development financial risk and developer behaviour. These are all arguably as important as planning in delivering new supply.
2. It’s not about supply versus demand. It’s both
Many major housing policy announcements are either supply-focused or demand-focused. What Australia needs are coherent and integrated policy packages addressing both sides of the problem at the same time.
During this election campaign, both major parties have made a series of demand-boosting policy announcements in rapid succession, designed to put more cash into the hands of first homebuyers.
All these measures will further fuel increases in house prices at a pace that income growth cannot match.
However, supply lags mean these houses will not be delivered in time to offset any rise in demand (and price) from the expansion of the demand-boosting schemes.
3. Think beyond new supply
The shortfall of dwellings in Australia is certainly a problem, but even an ambitious construction target is likely to add only about 2% to our existing stock each year.
We need to look to the homes already built and how they can better meet demand. This might include measures to promote granny flats, or enable additional subdivision.
4. Aim before shooting
Too many housing programs are poorly targeted. We need to zero in on those in housing need. We shouldn’t be providing assistance to those who don’t need it.
Policymakers need to confront the targeting errors that afflict their proposed plans.
The Liberals’ super for housing plan will also benefit higher-income and older groups.
5. Design policies through an intergenerational lens
As we live longer, policymakers must embrace the challenge of meeting the housing needs of multiple generations. This co-existence in society is the new normal.
For instance, economists have consistently called for the abolition of stamp duties in home purchases, favouring instead a broad-based land tax. This removes a major upfront sum that would otherwise be paid by both young people looking to buy their first home and older “empty nesters” looking to downsize.
Stamp duty is a major revenue source for state and territory governments. This reform needs Australian government financial support as we move to a more affordable future. Australia’s reliance on stamp duty is second only to South Korea among OECD countries.
But even if stamp duties are not abolished, we could better use this revenue to meet housing needs, including building additional social housing, bolstering homelessness services and constructing new housing infrastructure.
The elephant in the housing policy room
At the end of the day, it’s worth remembering that housing isn’t all about supply, buildings, investment and construction. Our housing is also where we live, sleep and grow old.
Our population aren’t just passive players in the housing system, they actively shape it, in their choices to buy housing, to rent, seek out major cities and renovate.
By demonstrating, de-risking, and promoting a broader range of housing options (such as making rental an attractive lifetime tenure, expanding shared equity options, or championing advances in modular and prefabricated construction), governments can shape demand towards more affordable homes.
Rachel Ong ViforJ is the recipient of an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship (project FT200100422). She also receives funding from the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute.
Andrew Beer receives funding from the Australian Research Council, the National Health and Medical Research Council, the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute and the City of Lithgow.
Emma Baker receives funding from the Australian Research Council (ARC), the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), and the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI).
In the 21st century, digital technology has changed many aspects of our lives. Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is the latest newcomer, with chatbots and other AI tools changing how we learn and creating considerable philosophical and legal challenges regarding what it means to “outsource thinking”.
But the emergence of technology that changes the way we live is not a new issue. The change from analogue to digital technology began around the 1960s and this “digital revolution” is what brought us the internet. An entire generation of people who lived and worked through this evolution are now entering their early 80s.
So what can we learn from them about the impact of technology on the ageing brain? A comprehensive new study from researchers at the University of Texas and Baylor University in the United States provides important answers.
Manfred Spitzer first introduced the ‘digital dementia’ hypothesis in 2012. Marc Reichwein/Wikipedia
Published today in Nature Human Behaviour, it found no supporting evidence for the “digital dementia” hypothesis. In fact, it found the use of computers, smartphones and the internet among people over 50 might actually be associated with lower rates of cognitive decline.
According to the “digital dementia” hypothesis introduced by German neuroscientist and psychiatrist Manfred Spitzer in 2012, increased use of digital devices has resulted in an over-reliance on technology. In turn, this has weakened our overall cognitive ability.
Three areas of concern regarding the use of technology have previously been noted:
An increase in passive screen time. This refers to technology use which does not require significant thought or participation, such as watching TV or scrolling social media.
Offloading cognitive abilities to technology, such as no longer memorising phone numbers because they are kept in our contact list.
We know technology can impact how our brain develops. But the effect of technology on how our brain ages is less understood.
This new study by neuropsychologists Jared Benge and Michael Scullin is important because it examines the impact of technology on older people who have experienced significant changes in the way they use technology across their life.
The new study performed what is known as a meta-analysis where the results of many previous studies are combined. The authors searched for studies examining technology use in people aged over 50 and examined the association with cognitive decline or dementia. They found 57 studies which included data from more than 411,000 adults. The included studies measured cognitive decline based on lower performance on cognitive tests or a diagnosis of dementia.
The study found that technology use had a similarly positive effect on brain function as physical activity. l i g h t p o e t/shutterstock
A reduced risk of cognitive decline
Overall, the study found greater use of technology was associated with a reduced risk of cognitive decline. Statistical tests were used to determine the “odds” of having cognitive decline based on exposure to technology. An odds ratio under 1 indicates a reduced risk from exposure and the combined odds ratio in this study was 0.42. This means higher use of technology was associated with a 58% risk reduction for cognitive decline.
This benefit was found even when the effect of other things known to contribute to cognitive decline, such as socioeconomic status and other health factors, were accounted for.
Interestingly, the magnitude of the effect of technology use on brain function found in this study was similar or stronger than other known protective factors, such as physical activity (approximately a 35% risk reduction), or maintaining a healthy blood pressure (approximately a 13% risk reduction).
However, it is important to understand that there are far more studies conducted over many years examining the benefits of managing blood pressure and increasing physical activty, and the mechanisms through which they help protect our brains are far more understood.
It is also a lot easier to measure blood pressure than it is use of technology. A strength of this study is that it considered these difficulties by focusing on certain aspects of technology use but excluded others such as brain training games.
These findings are encouraging. But we still can’t say technology use causes better cognitive function. More research is needed to see if these findings are replicated in different groups of people (especially those from low and middle income countries) who were underrepresented in this study, and to understand why this relationship might occur.
A question of ‘how’ we use technology
In reality, it’s simply not feasible to live in the world today without using some form of technology. Everything from paying bills to booking our next holiday is now almost completely done online. Maybe we should instead be thinking about how we use technology.
Cognitively stimulating activities such as reading, learning a new language and playing music – particularly in early adulthood – can help protect our brains as we age.
Greater engagement with technology across our lifespan may be a form of stimulating our memory and thinking, as we adapt to new software updates or learn how to use a new smartphone. It has been suggested this “technological reserve” may be good for our brains.
Depending on how it’s used, technology can be highly stimulating for our brain. Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock
A rapidly changing digital world
While findings from this study show it’s unlikely all digital technology is bad for us, the way we interact and rely on it is rapidly changing
The impact of AI on the ageing brain will only become evident in future decades. However, our ability to adapt to historical technological innovations, and the potential for this to support cognitive function, suggests the future may not be all bad.
For example, advances in brain-computer interfaces offer new hope for those experiencing the impact of neurological disease or disability.
However, the potential downsides of technology are real, particularly for younger people, including poor mental health. Future research will help determine how we can capture the benefits of technology while limiting the potential for harm.
Nikki-Anne Wilson has previously received funding from the UNSW Ageing Futures Institute and the Australian Association of Gerontology.
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