NewzIntel.com

Category: Asia Pacific

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Universities – AI leads to breakthrough in knee surgery – UoA

    Source: University of Auckland (UoA)

    A combination of robotic surgery and AI has facilitated to a breakthrough in knee-replacement surgery, which a study shows gets better results for patients with bowed legs.

    Patients whose legs are naturally curved are responding well to a novel form of knee-replacement surgery that uses AI to find the best alignment of the new components for their body.

    Research published in full today, 27 March, involved patients randomised to receive either conventional knee-replacement surgery or the new ‘functionally aligned’ knee surgery.
    “The results are positive for patients whose legs are naturally bowed,” says lead author Associate Professor Simon Young of Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland. See Journal of Arthroplasty.

    Young is also an orthopaedic surgeon at Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora Waitemata. He operates at the Elective Surgery Centre that is part of Auckland’s North Shore hospital campus, where they started using a robot for the knee operations in 2017, allowing greater accuracy.

    Traditionally, knee-replacement surgery is not universally successful, with around one in five patients not fully satisfied with their knee following the procedure. There are number of factors that may contribute but one reason could be because they had naturally bowed legs.

    Young saw the potential to use the surgical robot  to compare imaging of the patient’s knee with thousands of possible options for placement of the replacement knee, allowing the surgeon to select the best match for that person’s natural knee alignment.

    Conventional surgery puts the knee on straight, whereas the patient’s knee may have never been perfectly aligned with the leg bones to begin with.

    “We developed an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm to use with the robot to help surgeons position the knee components in a way that better matches each patient’s natural anatomy,” says Young, an associate professor in the University’s Department of Orthopaedics.

    Around thirty percent of the population have bowed legs either naturally or because of conditions such as arthritis, which cause the knees to wear out, Young says.

    “If you look around on a football pitch, you will see a lot of people who are young, fit, and healthy, who have naturally quite bowed legs. If, when they get older, they get arthritis and you put the new knee in straight, it will be in a position it has never been in their lives.

    “For these people, usual knee replacements that assume the leg is straight may not work as well as ones that are functionally aligned.”

    The new AI software takes the patient’s knee alignment and surrounding soft tissue and allows the surgeon to test different options – digitally.

    “When we are in the operating room, we’re virtually positioning the components, then we consider that patient’s native alignment, and also their soft tissue tension. The computer model goes through and analyses the 20,000-25,000 potential positions and ranks them according to what would be optimal for that patient.

    “We then we choose what we think is the best option.”

    For the study, Young and colleagues randomised 244 knee-replacement patients to traditional or AI-assisted alignment and then followed the patients for two years, assessing their recovery with x-rays and questionnaires.

    Overall, both groups had good outcomes and were happy with their knee replacements.

    However, patients who naturally had more bowed legs reported better results with the newer functionally aligned knees.

    Based on the study, Young would recommend surgeons consider a patient’s natural leg shape when planning knee replacement surgery.

    Young has developed an app for use by orthopaedic surgeons wishing to use functional alignment in New Zealand, Australia, and Asia.

    The study won the prestigious John N. Insall, MD award from The Knee Society in the US. This meant the paper that described the study was submitted to The Journal of Arthroplasty and Young received US$1,000.

    Young travelled to San Diego to attend the society’s annual meeting on March 14, where he received the award.

    The research is ongoing to refine and expand the tool to ensure the best possible outcomes for all patients, Young says.

    Read the paper here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arth.2025.02.065

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: GAZA – Oxfam: Humanitarian operations in Gaza severely hampered; famine risks increasing

    Source: Oxfam Aotearoa

    Restoring ceasefire deal vital as death toll hits 50,000 and continues to rise amid Israeli airstrikes, aid and power blockades, and renewed mass forced displacements.
    Oxfam and partners’ operations have been severely hampered as Israel’s renewed military assault and ground offensive on Gaza continues into its 7th day.
    Oxfam is calling for a renewed ceasefire and for Israel to lift its 23-day siege which is again blocking aid supplies and increasing famine risks for desperate civilians. Israel imposed a complete blockade 23 days ago and cut off electricity to Gaza a few days later.
    Israeli authorities are denying entry to trucks loaded with 63,000 metric tons of food for 1.1 million people. Operations have been forced to stop in vital areas such as food security and livelihood, as well as hygiene promotion, and essential repair work to damaged water infrastructure. 
    Bushra Khalidi, Oxfam’s OPT Policy Lead, said: “During the 42-day ceasefire families in Gaza could finally fall asleep knowing their loved ones would still be beside them when they woke up. Even though aid that entered was not enough-far from enough-it was something. The price of food stabilised. Supermarkets reopened. Bakeries began running again. Many people even went to their homes or what was left of it, and tried to repair and rebuild, however little they could.”
    Humanitarian agencies were able to mount operations that saw an average of more than 4,000 trucks per week entering Gaza despite Israeli authorities initially only partially opening the crossings and denying much of the urgently needed reconstruction materials. Oxfam reached almost 200,000 people with essential relief. 
    The Israeli government’s renewed bombardment of residential areas, including Jabalia and Khan Younis, has killed almost 700 people, including at least 200 children since March 18. Israeli authorities have issued new mass forced displacement orders, forcing around 120,000 Palestinians to flee. These orders are causing panic and chaos in the absence of anywhere safe in Gaza.
    Oxfam says humanitarian operations have been gravely hindered by the absence of guarantees of safety for aid workers moving around Gaza.
    Oxfam and its partners say their storage facilities containing food parcels are severely depleted. Israeli authorities have denied access to Oxfam shipments of six desalination units and seven trucks of water and sanitation infrastructure, up to 85% of which has been destroyed by Israel’s bombing campaign.
    “Oxfam, through its partners has been able to initiate emergency water trucking across the Gaza Strip, and are maintaining some other aid programs, such as multi-purpose cash transfers, despite the severe challenges that all humanitarian workers now face around lack of protection,” said Khalidi.
    “For the past 535 days, Israel has been systematically weaponising life-saving aid, inflicting collective punishment upon the population of Gaza. The denial of food, water, fuel and electricity is a war crime and a crime against humanity. Many within the international community are enabling this by their silence, inaction and complicity,” said Khalidi.
    Oxfam’s health partner in Gaza, Juzoor for Health and Social Development, had its center in Jabalia destroyed in an airstrike on March 18. It had been serving over 1,000 patients daily. Dr Umaiyeh Khammash, Director of Juzoor, said: “Every airstrike that hits, threatens the lives and safety of our dedicated staff and the patients they serve. This center is not just a building; it’s the heartbeat of healthcare for countless families here. Without it, many will lose access to crucial medical care.”
    In another attack yesterday (March 23), three sewage operators from the Abasan Al Kabira municipality working with Oxfam’s partner Coastal Municipalities Water Utility (CMWU) were killed while performing their duties when their clearly- marked truck was destroyed in an attack by Israeli military.
    A renewed ceasefire must be permanent and accompanied by the safe return of Israeli hostages and illegally detained Palestinian prisoners. Israel must provide unfettered aid at scale. Oxfam said governments must stop transferring arms, while the international community must enforce international law. We reiterate our call for justice and accountability for all those affected.  
    Notes:
    • Oxfam works with 19 partner organizations in the Gaza Strip. Between 20 January and 28 February 2025, Oxfam reached a total of 181,622 people across the Gaza Strip with water and sanitation services, including repair and reconstruction, protection, multipurpose cash assistance, distribution of food parcels and essential agricultural inputs for recovery, protection, health care and case management.
    • Since Israel’s breach of the ceasefire and airstrikes on Gaza on 18 March, Oxfam staff movements have been severely restricted in the absence of a notification system. This week, Oxfam’s progammes in Gaza, including those of many partners, have been severely impacted. Oxfam is still able to undertake some water trucking and multipurpose cash distribution, but under high-risk conditions
    • The fatality rate in Gaza is based on the Palestinian Ministry of Health reporting on 24 March (11AM) and the fatality rate of children is reported by UNICEF on 21 March
    • Since 2 March, Israeli authorities have re-imposed a total siege, blockading the entire Gaza Strip. It is banning the entry of any humanitarian basic supplies, including water, food, medical supplies and fuel, as well as banning any commercial supplies to enter Gaza.
    • On 10 March, Israeli authorities cut off electricity supply to the only operational large-scale desalination plant for drinking water. With the exception of that last remaining, intermittent electricity feed to the desalination plant, Gaza has been under an electricity blackout since 11 October 2023.
    • The current siege is one week longer than in 2023, when the Israeli authorities imposed a total siege that lasted from 7-21 October 2023.
    • According to the IPC Special Snapshot – September 2024 – April 2025, the risk of Famine between November 2024 and April 2025 persists as long as conflict continues, and humanitarian access is restricted
    • According to the Palestinian Water Authority, 85% of the water and sanitation infrastructure in Gaza is destroyed as a result of Israel’s bombing campaign.
    • The UN reported that during the 42-day ceasefire period, a total of 4,000 trucks per week travelled into Gaza, 600,000 people received polio vaccinations and maternity care was provided for 5,000 births.
    • Satellite images of the Gaza displacement orders, on 18 March, covers an area amounting to 37% of Gaza’s land and double the size of the original buffer zone. This has been reported by Sky News and the figures have been confirmed by the UN. The UN reported on 21 March that more than 120,000 people had fled since the evacuation orders were issued on 18 March.
    • Denial of Aid – breaches Customary IHL Rule 55; 1977 Additional Protocol II Arts 69-71 and 81; Fourth Geneva Convention 1949, Arts 23,55-63 and 108-111; Rome Statute ICC, Crime Against Humanity of Extermination, Art 7 1(b) “Extermination” includes the intentional infliction of conditions of life, inter alia the deprivation of access to food and medicine, calculated to bring about the destruction of part of a population. OCHA / WFP food insecurity data,  released every tuesday (18 Mar 2025): Most recent OCHA sitrep (18 Mar 2025):
    • Between 10 and 20 per cent of 4,500 surveyed pregnant and breastfeeding women are malnourished, a recent analysis by the Nutrition Cluster reveals.
    • To cope with shortages, the Food Security Sector (FSS) partners are drastically reducing food assistance to families, suspending flour distribution to families to prioritize supplies for bakeries, pausing the distribution of fresh produce, and scaling down hot meal preparations at some community kitchens.
    • FSS warns that over one million people risk being left without food parcels in March, and at least 80 of the 170 community kitchens may be forced to close in one to two weeks, if supplies, including cooking fuel, are not allowed into Gaza. The FSS estimates that more than 50,000 metric tons (MT) of food supplies are required monthly to assist everyone with full rations, in addition to 9,700 MT of flour needed monthly to keep the subsidized bakeries running.
    • Since the ceasefire took effect on 19 January, and as of 15 March, 4,646 children have enrolled in malnutrition treatment programmes, 672 of whom were diagnosed with severe acute malnutrition.
    • The Nutrition Cluster notes a decrease in monthly enrolments in such programmes from about 5,000 in the month prior to the ceasefire to a monthly average of 2,500 in Phase One of the ceasefire.
    • Nutrition Cluster partners observed a rising number of pregnant and breastfeeding women becoming malnourished – between 10 and 20 per cent,
    • 11 March inter-agency mission to eastern Khan Younis found that agricultural facilities had been largely destroyed, including 1,400 dunums of open land,150 greenhouses, 90 poultry farms, and dozens of livestock and dairy cattle farms. The remaining cultivated land did not exceed 70-80 dunums.
    • Market survey carried out by WFP covering key developments during the first half of March (14th Mar published):
    • WFP currently has sufficient food stocks to support active kitchens and bakeries for up to one month, as well as ready-to-eat food parcels to support 550,000 people for two weeks.
    • WFP has approximately 63,000 metric tons of food destined for Gaza, stored or in transit in the region. This is equivalent to two to three months of distributions for 1.1 million people, pending authorization to enter Gaza.
    • Traders have begun withholding goods due to uncertainty over when new supplies will arrive.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Surveys – Landmark transport survey about to close

    Source: Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand

    Monday is the last chance for members of the road transport industry to have a say on what are the key issues affecting them.
    Transporting New Zealand’s landmark look at the industry, the 2025 National Road Freight Survey, is being run by independent survey firm Research New Zealand and closes at noon on Monday, March 31.
    Transporting New Zealand’s Policy and Advocacy Lead, Billy Clemens, says although there has already been a good response to the survey, now is the time for all members of the industry to make sure their voice is heard, on a variety of issues.
    He says people have commented on the reliability of the Cook Strait ferries and the state of the roading network, including such issues as poor road surfacing or insufficient overtaking facilities.
    “We want to know what impact are economic pressures having on your business? What are the main workforce challenges and do you have problems finding enough drivers?
    “What do you think about sustainability and decarbonisation, and if enough is being done for the health, safety, and well-being of drivers?”
    Clemens says one major change that will affect the industry is random roadside drug testing. New legislation enabling testing has just passed its third reading in Parliament and will be passed into law this year.
    He says the move will complement the random drug testing already commonplace in the road freight sector, where driver health and safety is a top priority.
    “Our members take road safety seriously – the health, safety, and wellbeing of drivers is currently one of the top three issues flagged in our 2025 Road Freight Industry Survey,” he says.
    “This legislation is a practical step towards improving road safety outcomes for all road users.”
    Initial results in the public part of the survey have already been released.
    Polling shows plenty of positive public sentiment towards truck drivers, with more than seven times as many people surveyed having a positive view of road freight drivers compared to those taking a negative view (52 per cent to 7 per cent).
    The survey respondents noted truck drivers’ professionalism and skill, essential service and economic contribution, and hard work and long hours, as the leading three reasons for the results.
    Clemens says the results are a great recognition of the great work New Zealand’s 33,000 professional truck drivers do, moving nearly 93 per cent of the country’s freight task.
    The online survey is confidential and takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. Everyone who completes the survey goes into a prize draw for a $500 House of Travel voucher and a $500 Bridgestone voucher.
    To complete the survey, go to:
    About Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand
    Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand is the peak national membership association representing the road freight transport industry. Our members operate urban, rural and inter- regional commercial freight transport services throughout the country.
    Road is the dominant freight mode in New Zealand, transporting 92.8% of the freight task on a tonnage basis, and 75.1% on a tonne-km basis. The road freight transport industry employs over 34,000 people across more than 4700 businesses, with an annual turnover of $6 billion.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: South Korea/Israel/OPT: HD Hyundai machinery used in West Bank demolitions – Amnesty International

    Source: Amnesty International

    HD Hyundai machinery has been widely used in demolitions of Palestinian-owned structures in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), according to new visual and testimonial evidence documented by Amnesty International Korea and local human rights groups.

    While the company denies their involvement, images and videos verified by the groups identified 59 Palestinian-owned homes, businesses and other structures that were demolished between September 2019 and February 2025 using machinery made by the South Korea conglomerate.

    These demolitions resulted in the forced displacement of approximately 250 Palestinians and damaged the livelihoods of hundreds of others.

    “It is imperative that HD Hyundai takes decisive action to immediately suspend distribution of its products in Israel and conduct heightened due diligence to ensure its operations, products or services do not perpetuate human rights abuses,” said Montse Ferrer, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director.

    For its investigation, Amnesty International Korea in collaboration with the Evidence Lab, Amnesty International’s digital investigations team, verified a total of 347 images and videos of demolitions obtained through partnerships with local organizations.

    Amnesty International Korea, in collaboration with the Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem, also gathered testimonies from victims whose homes and businesses were destroyed by HD Hyundai bulldozers in eight instances across the West Bank.

    One resident, a plumber named Yaaqoub Barqan, described how the Israeli military turned his home into rubble in July 2024.

    “About 30 armed soldiers arrived in military jeeps, along with three pieces of heavy equipment, including a Hyundai excavator. The excavator destroyed the house in less than 20 minutes. My wife fainted watching our home being destroyed and is still receiving psychiatric treatment,” he said.

    These findings follow research from March 2023 in which Amnesty International and Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN) documented five instances where Israeli forces used excavators manufactured by Hyundai Construction Equipment (Hyundai CE) to raze Palestinian property that displaced at least 15 Palestinians in Masafer Yatta, an area south of the occupied West Bank where Palestinians live under imminent threat of mass expulsion.

    In March 2024, in a response to media inquiries, HD Hyundai claimed it had reviewed its dealer’s records and asserted that there were no sales records to government agencies, such as for demolition work in Israel, and that compliance regulations were followed.

    However, Amnesty International Korea’s latest research revealed at least 32 shipments of HD Hyundai heavy machinery to Israeli distributor EFCO were made between October 2021 and October 2023 along with 12 shipments of Hyundai Infracore equipment to Emcol Ltd, Hyundai Infracore’s major distributor in Israel.

    Amnesty International Korea first contacted HD Hyundai in March 2023, and then again in October 2024 and March 2025, to inform the company about the use of its machinery in unlawful demolitions in the OPT. On 17 March 2025, Hyundai Infracore, Emcol and EFCO were contacted.

    HD Hyundai XiteSolution, the parent company of HD Hyundai CE and HD Hyundai Infracore, responded on 25 March 2025 saying that it “has no involvement with activities in said conflict regions”. The company did not respond directly to questions posed by Amnesty International Korea. Emcol and EFCO did not respond.

    “HD Hyundai Group, like any corporate actor, must respect human rights throughout its operations. It must do more to guarantee that its machinery is not being used in the destruction of homes and livelihoods in the OPT, especially as demolitions are a key tool in upholding Israel’s system of apartheid,” Montse Ferrer said.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: First Responders – 24 new career firefighters join Fire and Emergency New Zealand

    Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand

    Fire and Emergency New Zealand has welcomed 24 new career firefighters at their graduation ceremony at the National Training Centre (NTC) in Rotorua.
    Throughout their 12-week recruit course, the new firefighters learnt skills such as fighting fires, extricating people trapped in cars, and managing hazardous substances, which they demonstrated to whānau and friends at today’s ceremony.
    During the ceremony former aviation rescue firefighter for the Royal New Zealand Air Force, Tracey Barclay, was presented with the top recruit award for displaying outstanding skills, leadership and mana throughout the course.
    “Being the person who shows up on someone’s worst day is something I respect all fellow firefighters for,” says Tracey, who is 35 and will be based at Seaview Station.
    “I would rather help someone else than help myself.”
    “I’ve always been drawn to the team aspect of firefighting. You’re never going to be alone and the crew on that truck becomes your family,” she says.
    As someone with a firefighting background, Tracey’s favourite part of the course was the live firefighting block.
    “Learning how to tackle structure fires, search and rescue in darkness and combining all the skills we were taught over the course was definitely a highlight and a huge learning opportunity,” she says.
    Another graduate with a background as an aviation rescue firefighter is 32-year-old Lewis Jackson. He was based at Queenstown Airport and will be joining Invercargill Station.
    Lewis is no stranger to Fire and Emergency, as he was also a volunteer firefighter with the Frankton Volunteer Fire Brigade.
    Lewis enjoyed the more physical elements of the course, such as the urban search and rescue block.
    “I encourage people to really focus on their physical fitness in the lead up to the course. It can be demanding, so the more you prepare, the easier you’ll find it,” he says.
    Also among the graduates is 26-year-old Matai Wetere, who will be based at Paraparaumu Station.
    For the past six years, Matai has been reclaiming te reo Māori through his studies and mahi as a Māori policy advisor. Now Matai is after the fast-paced career firefighting offers.
    “I thrive in challenging environments and enjoy the adrenaline that comes with high-stake situations,” Matai says.
    “The breathing apparatus and urban search and rescue blocks of the course presented the most mental and physical challenges for me, but the satisfaction and sense of achievement I had after I’d completed them far outweighed the discomfort,” he says.
    Congratulations to all the graduates and nau mai ki te whānau – welcome to the family.
    Applications to be a career firefighter open on 10 April. For more information, go to www.fireandemergency.nz/join.
    “My advice to people considering a career in firefighting is don’t give up. If you’ve applied, failed an aspect in the recruitment process and still want it – keep applying, you’ll get there,” Tracey Barclay says.
    Locations of deployment:
    Tāmaki Makaurau | Auckland: 13
    Te Whanganui-a-Tara | Wellington: 8
    Whakatū | Nelson: 1
    Murihiku | Southland: 2

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Child Poverty – Global aid funding cuts – 14 million children at increased risk of severe malnutrition and death

    Source: UNICEF Aotearoa NZ

    Reductions in donor funding threaten to unravel decades of progress for the world’s most vulnerable children and women 
    At least 14 million children are expected to face disruptions to nutrition support and services because of recent and expected global funding cuts, leaving them at heightened risk of severe malnutrition and death – according to initial analyses issued by UNICEF as world leaders gather at the Nutrition for Growth Summit in Paris.
    The funding crisis comes at a time of unprecedented need for children who continue to face record levels of displacement, new and protracted conflicts, disease outbreaks, and the deadly consequences of climate change – all of which are undermining their access to adequate nutrition.
    “Over the last decades, we have made impressive progress in reducing child malnutrition globally because of a shared commitment and sustained investment,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “Since 2000, the number of stunted children under the age of five has fallen by 55 million, and the lives of millions of severely malnourished children have been saved. But steep funding cuts will dramatically reverse these gains and put the lives of millions more children at risk.” 
    Additional impacts across 17 high priority countries due to funding cuts include: 
    – More than 2.4 million children suffering from severe acute malnutrition could go without Ready-to-use-Therapeutic-Food (RUTF) for the remainder of 2025. 
    – Up to 2,300 life-saving stabilisation centres – providing critical care for children suffering from severe wasting with medical complications – are at risk of closing or severely scaling back services.
    – Almost 28,000 UNICEF-supported outpatient therapeutic centres for the treatment of malnutrition are at risk, and in some cases have already stopped operating.
    Today, levels of severe wasting in children under five remain gravely high in some fragile contexts and humanitarian emergencies. Adolescent girls and women are especially vulnerable. Even before the funding cuts, the number of pregnant and breastfeeding women and adolescent girls suffering from acute malnutrition soared from 5.5 million to 6.9 million – or 25 per cent – since 2020. UNICEF expects these figures to rise without urgent action from donors as well as adequate investments from national governments.
    “UNICEF is calling on governments and donors to prioritise investments in health and nutrition programmes for children and is urging national governments to allocate more funding to domestic nutrition and health services. Good nutrition is the foundation of child survival and development, with impressive returns on investment. Dividends will be measured in stronger families, societies and countries, and a more stable world,” said Russell. 
    UNICEF is determined to stay and deliver for the world’s children by continuing to prioritise high-impact programmes, optimise resources, and accelerate cost-saving measures. But urgent and immediate action is needed to mitigate the impact of the global funding crisis on children, protect the most vulnerable, and safeguard their futures. To address child and maternal malnutrition in the long-term – including through the prevention, detection, and treatment of child undernutrition – UNICEF launched the Child Nutrition Fund (CNF) in 2023, with the support of the UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, the Gates Foundation, and the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation. UNICEF continues to urge governments, partners and philanthropic donors to contribute to this lifesaving fund and other flexible funding instruments for children and women.
    About UNICEF
    UNICEF, the United Nations agency for children, works to protect the rights of every child, everywhere, especially the most disadvantaged children and in the toughest places to reach. Across more than 190 countries and territories, we do whatever it takes to help children survive, thrive, and fulfil their potential.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Government Cuts – Preservation of New Zealand’s history threatened by latest job cuts – PSA

    Source: PSA

    Experienced workers at the frontline of preserving New Zealand’s history and who help people access it every day are being axed in the Government’s latest thoughtless cost cutting move.
    Archives New Zealand and the National Library today confirmed plans to cut 30 roles – including librarians, curators, conservators, archivists, advisors and other experienced staff. They undertake important work maintaining New Zealand’s historical records collected by government agencies dating from 1840.
    “This is all about saving money and not about saving our memories as a nation,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
    “This is another broken promise by the Government who repeatedly told New Zealand there would be no cuts to frontline services.
    “These people are absolutely critical to the preservation of our archives and national library – these are the priceless historical records of our nation, vital for those who need to tell our stories, and to investigate the past.”
    Archives NZ collects a variety of information including court records, citizenship files, police and prison records, artworks, films, maps, plans and health, mental health and welfare records.
    “As we have seen across the public service, the Government is demanding more from less and that will impact the services provided by Archives NZ and the National Library. The public will be waiting longer to access historic records. Staff will face bigger workloads; backlogs will grow, and the risk of burnout will only increase.
    “In the rush to find savings in every corner of the public service to fund its tax cuts, the Government is standing by and allowing these valuable services to be degraded. It disrespects those workers and our history.
    “It’s another sad day for dedicated public servants who work hard every day to preserve our memories and help New Zealanders have ready access to them.”
    The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Expanding early interventions for young men and boys to end gender-based violence

    Source: Government of Victoria 3

    Joint with:

    The Hon Amanda Rishworth MP
    Minister for Social Services 
    Minister for National Disability Insurance Scheme
    Member for Kingston

    The Hon Justine Elliot MP
    Assistant Minister for Social Services
    Assistant Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence
    Member for Richmond
     

    Mr Luke Gosling OAM MP
    Special Envoy for Defence, Veterans’ Affairs and Northern Australia
    Member for Solomon

    The Albanese Labor Government is strengthening its commitment to ending gender-based violence by providing further support for young men and boys at risk of using violence.

    Up to $4.5 million is being invested to expand The Supporting Adolescent Boys Trial to Port Augusta, South Australia, and Palmerston, Northern Territory, for young men and boys aged 12 to 18 years with childhood experiences of family and domestic violence (FDV).

    It builds on the $23 million already provided to organisations for 12 trial sites across Australia.

    The interventions being trialled assist boys and young men to heal and recover through strengths-based services that meet individual needs and circumstances.

    Minister for Social Services, Amanda Rishworth, said investing in early intervention and prevention, as well as supporting children as victim-survivors of gender-based violence in their own right, are key goals of the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-2032.

    “The Australian Government is committed to ending gender-based violence in one generation and addressing the impacts of developmental trauma to help healing and recovery will help break future cycles of violence.”

    Assistant Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence, Justine Elliot, said how critical early intervention work with young men was for breaking future cycles of violence.

    “Ending gender-based violence in this country requires targeted effort from all corners of Australia, and I look forward to seeing young men and boys utilise the trial to heal and recover, and to break future cycles of violence in their own relationships.”

    Member for Solomon Luke Gosling said that the funding for the trial is welcomed in the Northern Territory, as it will provide individual counselling and therapeutic supports for local young men and boys to help break future cycles of violence.

    “This trial will allow our young men and boys from the Northern Territory, who are victim-survivors in their own right, to address the impacts of developmental trauma and foster healing and recovery to help them avoid choosing to use family, domestic or sexual violence in their own relationships,” said Mr Gosling.

    More information on the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-2032 is available on the Department of Social Services website.

    If you or someone you know is experiencing, or at risk of experiencing domestic, family and sexual violence, call 1800 737 732, text 0458 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT for online chat and video call services.

    • Available 24/7: call, text, or online chat
    • Mon-Fri, 9am-midnight AEST (except national public holidays): video call (no appointment needed)

    In an emergency, call 000.

    If you are concerned about your behaviour or use of violence, you can contact the Men’s Referral Service on 1300 766 491 or visit No to Violence

    Feeling worried or no good? Connect with 13YARN Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Crisis Supporters on 13 92 76, available 24/7 from any mobile or pay phone, or visit 13YARN No shame, no judgement, safe place to yarn.

    Kids Helpline (1800 551 800) is a free, confidential online and phone counselling service for young people aged 5 to 25. This service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Council gives support to accelerate level crossing removals

    Source: Auckland Council

    Auckland Council today approved acceleration of the programme to remove level crossings at Takaanini and Glen Innes by bringing forward a $550 million allocation in its Long-term Plan capital budget.

    The move, which will see the removal of all remaining level crossings on the Southern and Eastern rail lines and the construction of eight new road and pedestrian bridges, is subject to New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi approving the first $200 million of co-funding announced by central government in February 2025.

    Mayor Wayne Brown sees the council’s approval given today as a great move to support and add value to the Aucklanders who live and work in Takaanini and Glen Innes, as well as the wider users of Auckland’s growing rail network.

     “One of my key policies is to get Auckland moving and this is one initiative that will deliver on this,” says Mayor Brown.

    “We have an opportunity to take advantage of NZTA’s support funding to bring forward the borrowing we’ve set aside and accelerate these level crossing removals. It just makes sense.

    “Starting with 20 trains an hour when City Rail Link opens, removing these level crossings and constructing new road and pedestrian bridges means more trains can run as usage grows – this will slash local traffic congestion and make it safer for people to walk and drive in the area.

    “This is a great example of working together with the government on fixing Auckland’s transport issues,” says Mayor Brown.

    The Auckland Transport (AT) Board approved the investment case for the Takaanini and Glen Innes group in February 2025.

    “These crossing removals and replacements are our highest priority, to support increased train frequencies following the opening of City Rail Link while keeping traffic moving and improving safety,” says Jane Small, AT’s Group Manager Rail Infrastructure.

    “Funding confirmations from both Auckland Council and NZTA will allow us to get on with delivering these much-needed projects. The next steps will include engagement with communities on the new station pedestrian and road bridges, along with starting the procurement to finalise design and build the new road bridge replacements in Takaanini.

    “AT is also continuing removals of other level crossings before City Rail Link opens, along with a range of interim safety upgrades at other road level crossings,” adds Ms Small.

    Papakura Local Board deputy chair Jan Robinson was present at the meeting to speak to and support today’s funding acceleration, and the desire for local boards to take part in the detailed design and delivery stages of this project.

    “Papakura Local Board has been very involved in the designation of the rail crossings in Takaanini. This is a positive signal for the safety of people in Papakura to reduce local traffic congestion as these complex improvements get delivered,” says Ms Robinson.   

    An existing programme of rail level crossing removals is well under way and enables the operation of the City Rail Link (CRL) Day 1 timetable. A post-CRL programme investment case for level crossing removals has been developed which prioritises the Takaanini and Glen Innes level crossings group to be delivered next.

    The scope of the Takaanini and Glen Innes crossings includes eight new bridges – three road bridges, two pedestrian bridges to maintain existing street connections, and three new station platform access bridges. Eight new bridges will remove all level crossings from the inner Southern (Papakura north) and Eastern Rail lines, improve safety and deliver operational efficiencies for road and rail users. Four road crossings will close in conjunction with these improvements.

    The council’s Long-term Plan 2024-2034 assumes that the programme would be 51 per cent co-funded by New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA).

    In February 2025, the Minister of Transport announced that the Government would allocate up to $200 million for its share of funding to accelerate removal of the level crossings in Takanini and Glen Innes. The allocation of funding is subject to approval by the NZTA board, expected at the beginning of April 2025.

    The next steps are to progress the procurement of design, property and construction details.

    For more information, see the Governing Body item online.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Temporarily unavailable – Creating new accounts/resetting account passwords

    Source: Leadership Development Centre

    From 4pm, Thursday 27 March to 9am, Tuesday 1 April new users will be unable to create a new LDC account as we updating our systems.

    Existing users will still be able to login but will be unable to update their details or reset their password during this time.

    We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

    Go back to homepage

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Ukraine

    Source:

    We’ve reviewed our travel advice for Ukraine and continue to advise do not travel due to the volatile security environment and military conflict. There is a serious risk to life.

    If you’re in Ukraine, be aware of your surroundings, review your personal security plans and monitor media for information about changing security conditions and alerts to shelter in place. We urge you to depart if it’s safe to do so. Carefully consider the safest means and route to depart. You’re responsible for your own safety and that of your family. Follow the advice of local authorities.

    The Russian invasion of Ukraine is ongoing. The security situation continues to be volatile. Heavy fighting is occurring in parts of eastern and southern Ukraine. Missile strikes and attacks continue in some locations across the country, including in major cities. There have been many casualties. Foreigners have been killed and may be targeted. Large amounts of unexploded ordnance and landmines are present in conflict and post-conflict areas.

    Our ability to provide consular assistance in Ukraine is severely limited. The Australian Embassy is not able to provide in-person consular or passport services at the moment (see ‘Consular contacts’).

    Do not enter into new surrogacy arrangements in Ukraine.

    If you have significant concerns for your welfare or that of another Australian, contact the Consular Emergency Centre on 1300 555 135 in Australia or +61 2 6261 3305 outside Australia.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: The Glass Menagerie: the haunting beauty of Tennessee Wiliams’ play endures in this Sydney revival

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Howard, Senior Lecturer, Discipline of English and Writing, University of Sydney

    Prudence Upton

    Tennessee Williams (1911-1983) is widely regarded as one of America’s greatest playwrights. A prolific and unabashedly autobiographical writer, Williams’ career spanned four decades of the 20th century.

    The Glass Menagerie, which premiered in Chicago on December 26 1944, was the writer’s first major success. It won scores of national theatrical awards and catapulted Williams to enduring fame.

    An engrossing new production of the classic play, currently running at Sydney’s Ensemble Theatre, does more than simply revive the famous piece of theatre. It revitalises it for modern audiences.

    A troubled family from St. Louis

    The Glass Menagerie is a lyrical exploration of memory, longing and familial obligation.

    Set in the 1930s in St. Louis, the play revolves around three adult members of the Wingfield family: Tom, a restless and possibly closeted young man torn between duty and desire; Laura, his painfully shy sister, whose physical disability and introversion leave her isolated from the world; and Amanda, their domineering but fragile mother who clings to faded Southern dreams.

    The plot is simple, and draws direct inspiration from Williams’ troubled family life. The Wingfields are struggling to get by. They live in a cramped apartment, in the shadow of an absent patriarch who we hear “fell in love with long distances” a long time ago.

    Amanda is desperate to secure a future for Laura. She pins her hopes on the arrival of a “gentleman caller”, convinced that marriage is the only hope for her daughter’s security.

    The plot follow the Wingfields, a small family struggling to get by in the 1930s in St. Louis.
    Prudence Upton

    When Tom – who is also the play’s narrator (a cutout for Williams himself) – invites a colleague to dinner, the overbearing Amanda seizes the opportunity to present Laura in the best possible light. Suffice to say, things do not end well.

    Lifting lyricism to its highest level

    Potted plot summaries don’t really do The Glass Menagerie justice.

    As Liesel Badorrek, director of the new production at Sydney’s Ensemble Theatre, points out, “Williams wanted to break with the prosaic realism that he felt had dominated the American theatre” and fashion a new, more symbolic approach to theatre, where memory and emotion take precedence over conventional forms of dramatic action.

    According to Williams himself, his aim was to demonstrate

    that truth, life, or reality is an organic thing which the poetic imagination can represent or suggest, in essence, only through transformation, through changing into other forms than those which were merely present in appearance.

    To bring his vision to life, Williams combined heightened poetic dialogue, repeated musical motifs and unconventional stagecraft. In doing so, he intentionally blurred the lines between reality and memory, allowing the audience to experience the emotional truth of the characters, rather than a literal depiction of events.

    This innovative approach to dramatic form was revolutionary at the time and became a hallmark of Williams’ mature work. As Arthur Miller once wrote:

    The Glass Menagerie in one stroke lifted lyricism to its highest level in our theatre’s history, but it broke new ground in another way. What was new in Tennessee Williams was his rhapsodic insistence that form serve his utterance rather than dominating and cramping it.

    Ensemble Theatre revives Williams’ play in a way that is both timeless and transcendent.
    Prudence Upton

    A fresh take with remarkable depth

    Miller’s observations about poetic rhapsody and form are worth keeping in mind when discussing the Ensemble Theatre’s impressive take on The Glass Menagerie.

    One of the great merits of the production is how it does justice to Williams’ formal innovations while also engaging the audience on an emotional level.

    Making excellent use of expressionistic lighting (Verity Hampson) and sound design (Maria Alfonsine and Damian de Boos-Smith), Badorrek’s production strikes a fine balance between preserving the play’s delicate, dreamlike structure and grounding its characters in charged performances that feel immediate and often painfully real.

    Deftly blending humour and pathos, the cast of four delivers strong performances that ensure the play’s vivid lyricism enhances (but does not overwhelm) its emotional core.

    Blazey Best’s Amanda delivers a tour de force performance.
    Prudence Upton

    Blazey Best’s Amanda is in equal measure maddening and charming, a true tour de force. Her verbal sparring with Danny Ball’s Tom was an early high point of the evening. One particularly striking moment was staged entirely in silhouette – elongated shadows stretching across the stage’s backdrop.

    That said, to me the true standouts were Bridie McKim and Tom Rogers, whose interpretations of Laura and the gentleman caller, Jim, lifted the entire production.

    In particular, McKim, who has called for greater disability representation in Australian theatre, brings remarkable depth and dynamism to the role of Laura. She imbues Laura with vulnerability and, crucially, strength.

    McKim imbues Laura with both vulnerability and strength.
    Prudence Upton

    McKim and Rogers breathe new life into this 81-year old staple of the dramatic canon. Their performances render Williams’ work fresh and contemporary, ensuring the play feels as urgent today as it would have in its post-war heyday.

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

    – ref. The Glass Menagerie: the haunting beauty of Tennessee Wiliams’ play endures in this Sydney revival – https://theconversation.com/the-glass-menagerie-the-haunting-beauty-of-tennessee-wiliams-play-endures-in-this-sydney-revival-252293

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: This budget’s tax tinkering isn’t the same as meaningful tax reform. Here’s why

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kristen Sobeck, Research Fellow, Tax and Transfer Policy Institute, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University

    Miha Creative/Shutterstock

    Labor’s tax changes this week do not tackle tax reform, or why we desperately need it. They only address the amount collected from personal income tax, which is the largest source of tax revenue.

    Real tax reform would review taxes such as the GST, taxes on savings (including housing and super), and personal and corporate income tax – and ensure they are sustainable over the long term.

    Tax cuts and tax revenue relate to the amount of tax the government collects. Reform needs to tackle both the amount of tax and how we collect it.

    It involves redesigning how we collect tax revenue in a way that is efficient, equitable, simple and resilient, to improve the well-being of all Australians.

    And the quantum – how much we collect as part of tax reform – depends on the demand for government services, which is growing, with structural budget deficits forecast for the next 10 years.

    So how does the income tax system work?

    When you earn a salary from your job, every dollar earned above A$18,200 is taxed. Income earned between $18,201 to $45,000 is taxed at 16 cents per dollar. Three higher tax brackets follow, as the table below shows. This is known as a progressive tax system, where the tax rate increases as your income rises.

    Mathematically, this means that if a worker named Jane has a $130,000 salary, the first $18,200 of her income is tax free, the next $26,800 of her salary is taxed at 16 cents for each dollar and so on. Her total income tax bill is $29,788.

    In the budget, the Labor government announced from July 1 2026, it would cut the 16 cents marginal income tax rate to 15 cents and from July 1 2027 to 14 cents. As the example above shows, the proposed reductions will affect all Australian income taxpayers, not just low income earners.

    The legislation passed parliament late on Wednesday night, but the Coalition has said it will repeal the cuts if it wins the election.

    What is bracket creep?

    Workers generally receive an increase in their wage each financial year. But in recent years, the increase in wages received by some workers hasn’t been enough to keep up with inflation (changes in prices).

    This is the case for our imaginary worker, Jane. Where she lives, prices have increased by 10%. Her employer has offered her a wage increase of 5%, so now she earns $136,500. However, everything where Jane lives is now 10% more expensive, so while her salary has increased, the purchasing power of her wage has declined.

    Unfortunately for Jane, the income tax system completely disregards her decline in living standards. Since her salary has increased she owes more income tax.

    This is what’s referred to as bracket creep. It’s also known as fiscal drag. It arises when our income tax bill goes up, our take-home pay (our disposable income) goes down as a result, and our standard of living declines.

    Sometimes inflation can push a person into a higher income tax bracket. This is the case for Jane, who now pays 37 cents per dollar on $555 of her income. However it also applies if a taxpayer remains in the same income tax bracket (since their salary still goes up and they owe more income tax).

    Is bracket creep a good or a bad thing?

    For workers, bracket creep is bad news because it reduces their after-tax income while their standard of living declines.

    However, for governments it can be a useful tool.

    First, bracket creep allows governments to collect more revenue than they would in the absence of inflation. Higher inflation means more revenue. This approach enables governments to increase expenditure and/or offer tax cuts to offset bracket creep. The government is doing the latter even in a period of budget deficit.

    Second, bracket creep can be useful for governments during periods of high inflation. Governments need to rein in spending to reduce high inflation and bracket creep is one way of achieving this goal.

    Given these benefits, Australia is not alone among developed countries that opt to change their income tax thresholds on a discretionary basis. Just over half (55%) of OECD countries took this approach in 2022 for their personal income tax systems.

    The remaining OECD countries (45%) applied automatic indexation in 2022. Indexation ensures that taxpayers’ income tax bills only increase (in real terms) when their wages increase by more than inflation.

    But ensuring tax brackets keep pace with inflation is only one part of the tax picture. Neither side of politics is addressing the sort of major tax reforms needed to make the tax system more sustainable and match fit for the 21st century. But the Tax and Transfer Policy Institute is prepared with ideas when they are.

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

    – ref. This budget’s tax tinkering isn’t the same as meaningful tax reform. Here’s why – https://theconversation.com/this-budgets-tax-tinkering-isnt-the-same-as-meaningful-tax-reform-heres-why-253121

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Colleagues Slam Draconian Immigration Registration Order

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, and eight Senate colleagues expressed strong disapproval of the Trump Administration’s resurrection of one of the country’s most draconian and discriminatory immigration policies: forcing immigrants to register with the federal government and carry proof of their registration at all times. The Senators urged U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) leadership to reverse this harmful practice and demanded answers on how the program would be implemented. 
    “The Administration has explicitly linked this revived registration requirement to enforcement efforts, empowering federal prosecutors to target immigrants who fail to comply,” wrote the Senators. “This creates a perilous dilemma for immigrants who entered the country without inspection and have had no prior contact with federal authorities. Those who register risk exposing themselves to removal proceedings, while those who refrain from registering face the threat of criminal prosecution. The policy further jeopardizes millions of immigrants—including those with lawful status—by subjecting them to penalties for simply failing to carry proof of registration.” 
    “This registration policy echoes historical precedents that have been widely discredited and condemned. The Alien Registration Act of 1940 was initially implemented during World War II in a climate of fear and xenophobia, requiring noncitizens to register at post offices across the country,” continued the Senators. “Now, by dusting off and weaponizing an outdated law, the Trump administration is reviving a dangerous precedent that will undermine fundamental civil liberties, disproportionately burden immigrant communities and millions of mixed-status families, and transform America into a ‘carry your papers’ country.” 
    The letter, led by Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), was also signed by Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).
    The lawmakers demanded answers to questions about the implementation of this draconian plan including: 
    How does USCIS plan to implement this registration requirement, and what resources will be allocated to its implementation and enforcement? 
    What mechanisms will be in place to ensure that individuals who register are not automatically placed in removal proceedings or expedited removal? 
    What safeguards exist to prevent racial profiling and discriminatory enforcement practices in the application of this law?  
    Who will have access to any registration database and for what purposes? 
    Senator Padilla is a leading voice in Congress opposing President Trump’s anti-immigrant actions and rhetoric. Last week, Senators Padilla, Durbin, Booker, and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) issued a joint statement slamming President Trump for his attempted invocation of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, wartime law, to deport noncitizens without due process. Padilla also joined other Democratic immigration leaders in challenging the constitutional basis of President Trump’s sham “invasion” proclamation, which the President believes would allow his Administration to circumvent federal immigration law and due process. Padilla also sharply criticized Trump’s harmful executive orders targeting immigrants at the start of his second Administration.
    Additionally, last week, Padilla condemned President Trump’s revival of family detention policies and urged him to reject the harmful practice. In February, Padilla denounced Trump’s transfer of immigrants from the United States to Guantánamo Bay as unlawful and demanded answers regarding these transfers. He also condemned the Trump Administration’s intended use of Bureau of Prisons facilities to detain immigrants as part of President Trump’s mass deportation agenda. Padilla also recently blasted the Trump Administration’s stop work order to organizations that provide legal services for unaccompanied children and demanded they protect Congressionally mandated legal representation for these children in the immigration system. Earlier this year, Padilla cosponsored the Born in the USA Act to effectively block the implementation of Trump’s unconstitutional executive order attempting to end birthright citizenship for certain children born in the United States, or a similar subsequent executive order. Last year, Padilla emphasized the dangers and immense economic costs of the Trump Administration’s mass deportation plans during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.
    Full text of the letter is available here and below:
    Dear Ms. Scott:
    The Trump administration will soon resurrect one of the most draconian and discriminatory immigration policies in our nation’s history, forcing immigrants to register with the federal government and carry proof of their registration at all times. Bringing back this long-dormant policy is the latest salvo in the Administration’s unrelenting campaign to demonize and criminalize immigrants, treating them as threats rather than as individuals seeking opportunity and safety. By reviving a World War II-era registration law, the Administration would take us back to some of the darkest periods of our history, evoking policies that have been widely condemned for their inhumane and immoral treatment of noncitizens. The implications of this measure—both in terms of enforcement and its effect on immigrant communities—are profound, unjust, and unacceptable.
    Following up on President Trump’s day-one executive order on immigration inaccurately entitled Protecting the American People Against Invasion, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that it will soon reinstate an antiquated requirement that all immigrants who did not enter the United States with a visa must register with the federal government and carry proof of their registration at all times. This provision, originally part of the Alien Registration Act of 1940, had long been rendered obsolete by subsequent immigration policies and practices. Under the new directive, USCIS will develop a registration process for affected individuals, who will then be required to submit a form confirming their presence in the United States. Those who fail to register or fail to carry proof of registration will face criminal prosecution under federal law.
    The Administration has explicitly linked this revived registration requirement to enforcement efforts, empowering federal prosecutors to target immigrants who fail to comply. This creates a perilous dilemma for immigrants who entered the country without inspection and have had no prior contact with federal authorities. Those who register risk exposing themselves to removal proceedings, while those who refrain from registering face the threat of criminal prosecution. The policy further jeopardizes millions of immigrants—including those with lawful status—by subjecting them to penalties for simply failing to carry proof of registration. Any registration requirement should, at a minimum, present immigrants with a path forward to legal status, like the 1986 Immigration Control and Reform Act did. This legislation led to almost 3 million undocumented immigrants gaining legal status, many of whom ultimately became U.S. citizens.
    This registration policy echoes historical precedents that have been widely discredited and condemned. The Alien Registration Act of 1940 was initially implemented during World War II in a climate of fear and xenophobia, requiring noncitizens to register at post offices across the country. Over time, the policy was integrated into routine immigration procedures, making separate registration requirements obsolete. More recently, in the wake of 9/11, the Bush administration’s National Security Entry-Exit Registration System (NSEERS) disproportionately targeted Muslim noncitizens, subjecting them to heightened surveillance and leading to mass deportations. That program was widely criticized for its discriminatory impact and ineffectiveness—having failed to produce a single terrorism conviction—and was ultimately dismantled. Now, by dusting off and weaponizing an outdated law, the Trump administration is reviving a dangerous precedent that will undermine fundamental civil liberties, disproportionately burden immigrant communities and millions of mixed-status families, and transform America into a “carry your papers” country.
    To help us better understand how the Administration intends to implement and enforce its registration policy, please respond in writing by April 8, 2025 to the following questions:
    1. How does USCIS plan to implement this registration requirement, and what resources will be allocated to its implementation and enforcement? Will any resources allocated to the implementation and enforcement of this registration requirement be shifted away from, or taken from, any other USCIS programs, functions, or offices?
    2. What mechanisms will be in place to ensure that individuals who register are not automatically placed in removal proceedings or expedited removal?
    3. The USCIS Alien Registration Requirement webpage includes among those who must register “[a]ll aliens 14 years of age or older who were not registered and fingerprinted (if required) when applying for a visa to enter the United States and who remain in the United States for 30 days or longer.” Does the Trump administration intend to prosecute children ages 14 to 17 for failing to register? Does the Administration intend to split up families if one member has failed to register?
    4. How will USCIS ensure that immigrants are adequately informed about these new registration obligations? Does USCIS plan to prosecute immigrants who failed to register but were unaware of this new registration requirement?
    5. What safeguards exist to prevent racial profiling and discriminatory enforcement practices in the application of this law? What training or guidance, if any, will those responsible for enforcing this requirement on the ground receive? What specific steps will you take to ensure that law enforcement does not use the new registration requirement to disproportionately target certain communities or engage in racial profiling?
    6. Who will have access to any registration database and for what purposes? Under what circumstances will USCIS share data in the database?
    a. Will U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or any other DHS agency, have access to and be permitted to use information in any database for immigration enforcement purposes? Will any other Department, including the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), have access to and be permitted to use the information in the database for any purpose?
    b. Will any private companies have access to and be permitted to use the information in the database for any purpose?
    c. Will any states, cities, or localities have access to and be permitted to use the information in the database for any purpose?
    7. What information will be collected from immigrants who register and how will this information be stored? What safeguards will be in place to ensure that any registration database is secure from hacking or intrusion? What safeguards will be in place to ensure the protection of sensitive personal data?
    8. How will this policy impact immigrants who are already registered through other means, and will they be subject to penalties for failing to carry registration documents?
    9. What are the estimated costs associated with implementing this policy, and how does the Administration justify these expenditures given the significant backlog and resource constraints within USCIS?
    The Trump administration’s decision to enforce this archaic law is a regressive and indefensible move that will have lasting consequences for immigrant communities and the integrity of our immigration system. We urge USCIS to immediately reconsider this misguided policy and provide Congress with a full accounting of its intended implementation and enforcement. We will continue to exercise rigorous oversight to ensure that immigrant communities are not subjected to unnecessary and punitive measures that undermine their rights and dignity.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Night closures planned for State Highway 1 Johnsonville for resurfacing works

    Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

    |

    People travelling on State Highway 1 near Johnsonville need to prepare for nighttime closures next week for resurfacing works.

    Contractors will be resurfacing the highway’s southbound lanes near Johnsonville.

    Weather permitting, night works are planned for the nights of Tuesday 1 April, and Wednesday 2 April, between 9pm and 4:30am. The work has been deliberately timed to happen at night when traffic volumes are lower to minimise disruption to the public.

    Local road detours will be available via Johnsonville. Drivers must follow the detour using Johnsonville southbound off-ramp and Johnsonville southbound on-ramp.

    Download larger map [PNG, 792 KB]

    Because the detour is on local roads with a lower speed limit, drivers can expect longer travel times and should allow extra time for their journeys.

    These works are weather-dependent and may be rescheduled if bad weather occurs.

    More information

    Tags

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Money Market Operations as on March 26, 2025

    Source: Reserve Bank of India
    (Amount in ₹ crore, Rate in Per cent)
      Volume
    (One Leg)    		 Weighted
    Average Rate    		 Range
    A. Overnight Segment (I+II+III+IV) 5,87,112.89 6.14 3.00-6.46
         I. Call Money 13,209.17 6.20 5.15-6.35
         II. Triparty Repo 4,14,106.80 6.10 5.60-6.26
         III. Market Repo 1,58,230.02 6.23 3.00-6.40
         IV. Repo in Corporate Bond 1,566.90 6.45 6.45-6.46
    B. Term Segment      
         I. Notice Money** 72.50 6.28 6.20-6.30
         II. Term Money@@ 1,275.00 – 6.55-7.50
         III. Triparty Repo 12,598.75 7.29 6.20-7.60
         IV. Market Repo 391.57 6.88 6.80-6.90
         V. Repo in Corporate Bond 0.00 – –
      Auction Date Tenor (Days) Maturity Date Amount Current Rate /
    Cut off Rate
    C. Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF), Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) & Standing Deposit Facility (SDF)
    I. Today’s Operations
    1. Fixed Rate          
    2. Variable Rate&          
      (I) Main Operation          
         (a) Repo          
         (b) Reverse Repo          
      (II) Fine Tuning Operations          
         (a) Repo Wed, 26/03/2025 1 Thu, 27/03/2025 35,486.00 6.26
         (b) Reverse Repo          
      (III) Long Term Operations^          
         (a) Repo          
         (b) Reverse Repo          
    3. MSF# Wed, 26/03/2025 1 Thu, 27/03/2025 1,364.00 6.50
    4. SDFΔ# Wed, 26/03/2025 1 Thu, 27/03/2025 1,88,543.00 6.00
    5. Net liquidity injected from today’s operations [injection (+)/absorption (-)]*       -1,51,693.00  
    II. Outstanding Operations
    1. Fixed Rate          
    2. Variable Rate&          
      (I) Main Operation          
         (a) Repo          
         (b) Reverse Repo          
      (II) Fine Tuning Operations          
         (a) Repo          
         (b) Reverse Repo          
      (III) Long Term Operations^          
         (a) Repo Fri, 21/02/2025 45 Mon, 07/04/2025 57,951.00 6.26
      Fri, 14/02/2025 49 Fri, 04/04/2025 75,003.00 6.28
      Fri, 07/02/2025 56 Fri, 04/04/2025 50,010.00 6.31
         (b) Reverse Repo          
    3. MSF#          
    4. SDFΔ#          
    D. Standing Liquidity Facility (SLF) Availed from RBI$       9,517.09  
    E. Net liquidity injected from outstanding operations [injection (+)/absorption (-)]*     1,92,481.09  
    F. Net liquidity injected (outstanding including today’s operations) [injection (+)/absorption (-)]*     40,788.09  
    G. Cash Reserves Position of Scheduled Commercial Banks
         (i) Cash balances with RBI as on March 26, 2025 9,49,692.66  
         (ii) Average daily cash reserve requirement for the fortnight ending April 04, 2025 9,28,983.00  
    H. Government of India Surplus Cash Balance Reckoned for Auction as on¥ March 26, 2025 35,486.00  
    I. Net durable liquidity [surplus (+)/deficit (-)] as on March 07, 2025 54,323.00  
    @ Based on Reserve Bank of India (RBI) / Clearing Corporation of India Limited (CCIL).
    – Not Applicable / No Transaction.
    ** Relates to uncollateralized transactions of 2 to 14 days tenor.
    @@ Relates to uncollateralized transactions of 15 days to one year tenor.
    $ Includes refinance facilities extended by RBI.
    & As per the Press Release No. 2019-2020/1900 dated February 06, 2020.
    Δ As per the Press Release No. 2022-2023/41 dated April 08, 2022.
    * Net liquidity is calculated as Repo+MSF+SLF-Reverse Repo-SDF.
    ¥ As per the Press Release No. 2014-2015/1971 dated March 19, 2015.
    # As per the Press Release No. 2023-2024/1548 dated December 27, 2023.
    ^ As per the Press Release No. 2024-2025/2082 dated February 05, 2025, Press Release No. 2024-2025/2138 dated February 12, 2025, and Press Release No. 2024-2025/2209 dated February 20, 2025.
    Ajit Prasad          
    Deputy General Manager
    (Communications)    
    Press Release: 2024-2025/2472

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-Evening Report: When a 1-in-100 year flood washed through the Coorong, it made the vital microbiome of this lagoon healthier

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Keneally, Post-Doctoral Research Fellow in Environmental Microbiology, University of Adelaide

    Darcy Whittaker, CC BY

    You might know South Australia’s iconic Coorong from the famous Australian children’s book, Storm Boy, set around this coastal lagoon.

    This internationally important wetland is sacred to the Ngarrindjeri people and a haven for migratory birds. The lagoon is the final stop for the Murray River’s waters before they reach the sea. Tens of thousands of migratory waterbirds visit annually. Pelicans, plovers, terns and ibises nest, while orange-bellied parrots visit and Murray Cod swim. But there are other important inhabitants – trillions of microscopic organisms.

    You might not give much thought to the sedimentary microbes of a lagoon. But these tiny microbes in the mud are vital to river ecosystems, quietly cycling nutrients and supporting the food web. Healthy microbes make for a healthy Coorong – and this unassuming lagoon is a key indicator for the health of the entire Murray-Darling Basin.

    For decades, the Coorong has been in poor health. Low water flows have concentrated salt and an excess of nutrients. But in 2022, torrential rains on the east coast turned into a once-in-a-century flood, which swept down the Murray into the Coorong.

    In our new research, we took the pulse of the Coorong’s microbiome after this huge flood and found the surging fresh water corrected microbial imbalances. The numbers of methane producing microbes fell while beneficial nutrient-eating bacteria grew. Populations of plants, animals and invertebrates boomed.

    We can’t just wait for irregular floods – we have to find ways to ensure enough water is left in the river to cleanse the Coorong naturally.

    Under a scanning electron micrograph, the mixed community of microbes in water is visible. This image shows a seawater sample.
    Sophie Leterme/Flinders University, CC BY

    Rivers have microbiomes, just like us

    Our gut microbes can change after a heavy meal or in response to dietary changes.

    In humans, a sudden shift in diet can encourage either helpful or harmful microbes.

    In the same way, aquatic microbes respond to changes in salinity and freshwater flows. Depending on what changes are happening, some species boom and others bust.

    As water gets saltier in brackish lagoons, communities of microbes have to adapt or die. High salinity often favours microbes with anaerobic metabolisms, meaning they don’t need oxygen. But these tiny lifeforms often produce the highly potent greenhouse gas methane. The microbes in wetlands are a large natural source of the gas.

    While we know pulses of freshwater are vital for river health, they don’t happen often enough. The waters of the Murray-Darling Basin support most of Australia’s irrigated farming. Negotiations over how to ensure adequate environmental flows have been fraught – and long-running. Water buybacks have improved matters somewhat, but researchers have found the river basin’s ecosystems are not in good condition.

    Wetlands such as the Coorong are a natural source of methane. The saltier the water gets, the more environmentally harmful microbes flourish – potentially producing more methane.
    Vincent_Nguyen

    The Coorong is out of balance

    A century ago, regular pulses of fresh water from the Murray flushed nutrients and sediment out of the Coorong, helping maintain habitat for fish, waterbirds and the plants and invertebrates they eat. While other catchments discharge into the Coorong, the Murray is by far the major water source.

    Over the next decades, growth in water use for farming meant less water in the river. In the 1930s, barrages were built near the river’s mouth to control nearby lake levels and prevent high salinity moving upstream in the face of reduced river flows.

    Major droughts have added further stress. Under these low-flow conditions, salt and nutrients get more and more concentrated, reaching extreme levels due to South Australia’s high rate of evaporation.

    In response, microbial communities can trigger harmful algae blooms or create low-oxygen “dead zones”, suffocating river life.

    The big flush of 2022

    In 2022, torrential rain fell in many parts of eastern Australia. Rainfall on the inland side of the Great Dividing Range filled rivers in the Murray-Darling Basin. That year became the largest flood since 1956.

    We set about recording the changes. As the salinity fell in ultra-salty areas, local microbial communities in the sediment were reshuffled.

    The numbers of methane-producing microbes fell sharply. This means the floods would have temporarily reduced the Coorong’s greenhouse footprint.

    Christopher Keneally sampling for microbes in the Coorong in 2022.
    Tyler Dornan, CC BY

    When we talk about harmful bacteria, we’re referring to microbes that emit greenhouse gases such as methane, drive the accumulation of toxic sulfide (such as Desulfobacteraceae), or cause algae blooms (Cyanobacteria) that can sicken people, fish and wildlife.

    During the flood, beneficial microbes from groups such as Halanaerobiaceae and Beggiatoaceae grew rapidly, consuming nutrients such as nitrogen, which is extremely high in the Coorong. This is very useful to prevent algae blooms. Beggiatoaceae bacteria also remove toxic sulfide compounds.

    The floods also let plants and invertebrates bounce back, flushed out salt and supported a healthier food web.

    On balance, we found the 2022 flood was positive for the Coorong. It’s as if the Coorong switched packets of chips for carrot sticks – the flood pulse reduced harmful bacteria and encouraged beneficial ones.

    While the variety of microbes shrank in some areas, those remaining performed key functions helping keep the ecosystem in balance.

    From 2022 to 2023, consistent high flows let native fish and aquatic plants bounce back, in turn improving feeding grounds for birds and allowing black swans to thrive.

    A group of black swans cruise the Coorong’s waters.
    Darcy Whittaker, CC BY

    Floods aren’t enough

    When enough water is allowed to flow down the Murray to the Coorong, ecosystems get healthier.

    But the Coorong has been in poor health for decades. It can’t just rely on rare flood events.

    Next year, policymakers will review the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, which sets the rules for sharing water in Australia’s largest and most economically important river system.

    Balancing our needs with those of other species is tricky. But if we neglect the environment, we risk more degradation and biodiversity loss in the Coorong.

    As the climate changes and rising water demands squeeze the basin, decision-makers must keep the water flowing for wildlife.

    Christopher Keneally receives funding from the Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. His research is affiliated with The University of Adelaide and the Goyder Institute for Water Research. Chris is also a committee member and former president of the Biology Society of South Australia, and a member of the Australian Freshwater Sciences Society.

    Matt Gibbs receives funding from the Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.

    Sophie Leterme receives funding from the Australian Research Council (ARC). Her research is affiliated with Flinders University, with the ARC Training Centre for Biofilm Research & Innovation, and with the Goyder Institute for Water Research.

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

    – ref. When a 1-in-100 year flood washed through the Coorong, it made the vital microbiome of this lagoon healthier – https://theconversation.com/when-a-1-in-100-year-flood-washed-through-the-coorong-it-made-the-vital-microbiome-of-this-lagoon-healthier-252633

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: 40 years since evacuation due to US nuclear tests, Greenpeace and displaced Rongelap community honour commitment to nuclear and climate justice fight

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    MEJATTO, MARSHALL ISLANDS, Thursday 27 March 2025 — Forty years since Greenpeace ship the Rainbow Warrior evacuated the people of Rongelap to Mejatto Island due to decades of US government nuclear weapons testing, Greenpeace and the displaced Rongelap community have come together on the remote Pacific island to commemorate this significant moment in their shared histories.

    Cathy Joel, one of three women who were present at the commemoration and the few remaining survivors of the 1954 Castle Bravo bomb – the US government’s largest ever nuclear weapons test – and was part of the Greenpeace evacuation to Mejatto, described her terror: 

    “I didn’t expect that I would be here as part of this very important event. I was six years old when the bomb exploded and I was so afraid. My father tried to comfort me but I was so frightened he couldn’t calm me down. The explosion was so bright, there were so many colours, it frightened me as I had not seen them before. I couldn’t explain it but all I knew was that I was so scared. 

    “Three of us women are here [in Mejatto] and I was afforded the opportunity to speak on behalf of these survivors. I’d like to encourage all of you when looking at us, see us as a remembrance of what happened in 1954 when the bomb exploded. We encourage you to continue to stand together, be strong and live in harmony — that is our wish.”

    Called “Operation Exodus,” Greenpeace was tasked to relocate Rongelap’s entire population of 350 due to nuclear fallout from Castle Bravo, which rendered their home uninhabitable. In May 1985, over 10 days and taking three trips, the residents collectively dismantled their homes bringing everything with them, including livestock, and 100 metric tons of building material.

    Four decades later, the surviving Rongelap community is now spread across the Marshall Islands. Many travelled back to Mejatto for the commemoration, including those who were children during the evacuation, and prominent members of the Marshallese government. The Rainbow Warrior’s visit comes as Greenpeace entities were found liable for more than USD$660m in damages as part of a meritless SLAPP suit by fossil fuel giant Energy Transfer, aimed at silencing those fighting for justice and the right to peaceful protest. 

    Bunny McDiarmid, crew member during the 1985 Rainbow Warrior evacuation, and former Co-Executive Director of Greenpeace International from 2016-2019 said: 

    “Forty years ago, the people of Rongelap stood up to the United States when they refused to take proper accountability and responsibility for the damage it had done. After undergoing years of health impacts from exposure to radiation, Greenpeace answered a call to help evacuate them from their once rich, but now contaminated home island. We continue to stand with the Marshallese community – as we do with other communities that suffer displacement and colonial exploitation – in their fight for justice for the nuclear weapons legacy, and for the threats they are already feeling from climate change.

    “The bonds between Marshall Islands and Greenpeace are very strong and have stood the test of time. They say we rescued them from a contaminated Rongelap, but the reality is that they rescued themselves – the Marshallese are the strong and brave people who took their future into their own hands and continue to do so. We cannot relocate the world — it is only through standing and acting together that we will make the needed difference that saves us all. In the fight for justice, our voices will not be silenced.”

    First displaced by nuclear fallout, the people of Mejatto — and across the low-lying Marshall Islands — are facing ‘threats from all sides’ as the climate crisis accelerates impacts to their homes, livelihoods, and cultures. Mejatto has been in drought for three months with once predictable seasonal rain failing to arrive, increasing extreme heat impacting health and food availability, and coastal erosion eating away the land.

    The Rainbow Warrior is in the Marshall Islands as part of a six-week mission across the country with a team of nuclear specialists onboard conducting independent research to support the government in its ongoing fight for nuclear justice and compensation; and to reaffirm its solidarity with the Marshallese people — now facing further harm and displacement from the climate crisis, and the emerging threat of deep sea mining in the Pacific.

    -ENDS-

    Photo and video:

    • Photo and video from Mejatto, including the welcome ceremony, 40th commemoration, and Rainbow Warrior crew in solidarity with Greenpeace after the Energy Transfer verdict are available in the Greenpeace Media Library.
    • Archival footage and images from the evacuation that Greenpeace conducted in 1985 is available in the Greenpeace Media Library. 
    • Archival/historical content from the US nuclear weapons testing collected here (from Wiki Commons).

    For more information or to arrange an interview, contact Kate O’Callaghan on [email protected] or +61 406 231 892

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: The pointy end of police work

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Police Commissioner Richard Chambers welcomed six new patrol dog teams after their graduation today at the Police Dog Training Centre at Trentham, Upper Hutt. 

    Alongside them also graduating were three personnel from 2nd Engineer Regiment, 2 Field Squadron Unit with three newly trained Explosive Detector Dogs (EDD).

    The teams celebrated the occasion in front of whānau and friends, the Commissioner of Police with members of the police executive, and Lieutenant Colonel Joe Totoro Commanding Officer, 2nd Engineer Regiment, New Zealand Army.

    Commissioner Chambers congratulated them all on their achievements.

    “All our patrol dog teams play a crucial role in frontline policing, deploying to some of the most dynamic and challenging situations. We couldn’t police the way we do without them.

    “That’s why I’m thrilled to see six newly trained dog teams graduate today. They will be welcomed into Eastern, Central, Waikato, Wellington, and Auckland police districts very soon.”

    Graduating from the police patrol dog course is one new and five experienced handlers with their dogs. 

    Wellington-bound Constable Nick Press with Police Dog ‘Oskar’ says, “It feels different this time around being my second operational dog after working ‘Ink’ for the past six years. It’s exciting to get back on the street with a new young dog who is very different to ‘Ink’ and has taught me a lot and given me more skills as a handler.”

    Constable Pete Smits is heading back to the Waikato. “I got Ozark at the start of November last year, and I’ve enjoyed training him and getting him as ready as possible for the reality of what police delta teams do. I’d like to acknowledge the Waikato Dog Section for helping me get to this point in my career.”

    Inspector Todd Southall, National Coordinator Police Dogs, says “It’s a proud day for all teams, both experienced and new.  This ceremony marks the end of a demanding few weeks training to become an operational team and well done on completing all the tests which replicate your day-to-day work.

    Patrol dog work is one of the most physically demanding roles in Police – you’re at the pointy end of frontline policing and a pivotal component in our Tactical Response Model. We are grateful for all your work, and this graduation signals the next step toward frontline duties” says Todd.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    Watch out for our Ten One story coming soon with more images and stories about the police dog teams from this graduation.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Submission to the Productivity Commission’s Review of the National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement (National Agreement

    Source:

    Mental Health Australia has welcomed the opportunity to contribute to the Productivity Commission’s Review of the National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement (National Agreement).

    While the National Agreement has made a good start in establishing system architecture and has facilitated much-needed investment in mental health services, it falls short of delivering a truly national mental health and suicide prevention system. This is because the responsibilities articulated largely reflect existing arrangements, rather than progressing collaborative and transformational reform. The reliance on bilateral agreements perpetuates fragmentation through funding ‘bits and pieces’ that are not aligned to a national vision of the support system Australia is aiming to achieve. The next National Agreement must deliver on a national vision for the mental health system.

    As discussed in this submission, there has been progress in delivering some specific actions and commitments of the National Agreement. However, in other cases implementation has been delayed or sometimes completely stalled. Far greater transparency and accountability are needed to track the reform implementation, and outcomes achieved, through the National Agreement.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: World’s oldest gecko found in North Canterbury

    Source: Department of Conservation

    Date:  27 March 2025

    The two Waitaha geckos were first discovered and marked in 1967 and 1969 by late Herpetologist Tony Whitaker. His detailed record-keeping allowed Department of Conservation staff to accurately date their ages.

    DOC Biodiversity Ranger Kaitlyn Leeds says the geckos were found during a five-yearly species monitoring visit to Motunau Island.

    “We were all blown away to find two of the original marked lizards! We found “Antoinette” (named in honour of Tony Whitaker) first and dated her at 64 years plus and then found the second one called “Brucie-Baby” (Tony’s nickname for his co-worker and conservation legend, Bruce Thomas) and dated her at 60.”

    The age record for the Waitaha gecko was previously 53 years with a gecko found on the same island in 2015. Dating geckos on Motunau Island is only possible due to Tony Whitaker individually marking 133 geckos with unique “toe-clip identification” when he started lizard monitoring between 1965 and 1967.

    “We no longer toe clip these lizards but it did give us an opportunity to learn how long individual geckos can live for. It’s just amazing they’ve existed on this postage stamp of an island since before the moon landing” says Biodiversity Ranger Allanah Purdie who was also on the island for the visit.

    Marieke Lettink, who is a Herpetologist and has been going out to the island for twenty years, says the geckos really buck the trend globally living for such a long time and it was a career highlight to find these two.

    “They really are remarkable. I didn’t hold out any expectations that we would find two of Tony’s old mates still living. In global terms, these native geckos are just so unique. We know of no other species of gecko living so long – the average around the world for gecko is only a decade.”

    Kaitlyn Leeds says Antoinette and Brucie-Baby look pretty good for their age.

    “They do look a bit skinnier with looser skin but to be honest, you wouldn’t know they were 60+ years old! Interestingly, female geckos, like female humans tend to live longer than males. It’s also got a lot to do with being in a cool climate on a predator free island. Maybe it’s also their lifestyle”, she laughs, “lapping up the salty air! But in all seriousness, it does make you think about the impacts of predation and comparative longevity for our reptiles on mainland NZ.”

    Waitaha geckos are classified as at risk and in decline. They are mostly found in lowland Canterbury, usually in rocky places that provide warmth and refuge from predators.

    Allanah Purdie says she feels privileged to be able to study the geckos.

    “These geckos are such an important part of our native landscape. We have such unique species in New Zealand, and these two are now world record holders. I’m hoping that we find Antoinette and Brucie-Baby when we do our next visit to the island in five years. Who knows how long these two will live for.”

    Contact

    For media enquiries contact:

    Email: media@doc.govt.nz

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Release: Labour backs farmers’ call for better process on GE

    Source: New Zealand Labour Party

    Labour shares farmers’ concerns that the Gene Technology Bill is moving too fast.

    “Fonterra, Beef + Lamb and Dairy NZ have all raised concerns about the Bill’s process, but they have fallen on deaf ears,” Labour agriculture spokesperson Jo Luxton said.

    “Government members of the select committee recently blocked a call from these groups – as well as the New Zealand Meat Industry Association and the Dairy Companies Association of New Zealand – for an extension to public consultation.

    “New Zealand trades on its reputation of being clean and green, and public sentiment in the past has not been in favour of increasing genetic engineering, particularly for crops. While Labour supports the creation of new technologies to make farming greener and more efficient, rushing this process could prove detrimental.

    “The Government must slow down and listen to farmers,” Jo Luxton said.

    “Farmers have rightly raised concerns about the consultation process and speed at which this Bill is progressing. Rushing it could put New Zealand’s reputation at risk,” Labour trade spokesperson Damien O’Connor said.

    “I’m yet to see any comprehensive cost-benefit analysis for this Bill, and I am concerned that the Government hasn’t specifically investigated what it could mean for trade. I call on them to do this work and properly hear from the public before progressing it any further,” Damien O’Connor said.

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

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Taskforce Morpheus – National Day of Action 2025

    Source: New South Wales – News

    Law enforcement agencies from across Australia and New Zealand have targeted the Hells Angels Outlaw Motorcycle Club (HAOMC) in a coordinated National Day of Action as part of Operation Morpheus.

    The focus of the National Day of Action was to cause maximum disruption to the HAOMC through compliance and enforcement activities across Australia and New Zealand.

    With a significant legacy of past national coordination and collaboration by law enforcement and partners in Australia and New Zealand, National Taskforce Operation Morpheus is a joint initiative. This includes all Australian state and territory police, New Zealand Police, Australian Federal Police, Australian Border Force, Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, Australian Defence Force, AUSTRAC, Australian Taxation Office, and Services Australia collaboratively targeting the highest threat outlaw motorcycle gangs (OMCGs) impacting Australia and New Zealand.

    The National Day of Action 2025 has resulted in law enforcement agencies around the country conducting compliance checks relating to bail, parole, firearms possession and other legislation. The agencies also seized firearms, weapons, various drugs, illicit cigarettes and tobacco products and in excess of $48,000 in cash resulting in the arrest of 23 people, involving 60 charges.

    By proactively targeting OMCG’s throughout Australia and New Zealand in a day of action using a combination of enforcement, compliance and disruption techniques Operation Morpheus generates significant intelligence holdings. Shared intelligence relating gang to membership and associates, locations and gang related premises and criminal activities play a crucial role in national and international law enforcement awareness of links with OMCG’s like HAOMC and organised crime.

    Other focuses of law enforcement were HAMC – OMCG members involved in family violence matters and those club members and associates already incarcerated within the prison populations.

    The overrepresentation of OMCG members and associates linked with family and domestic violence perpetration is a significant community issue.  As is violence and contraband within the prison systems, also well documented and a focus of this operation.

    Operation Morpheus sends the message to members of OMCG members, “It doesn’t matter if you are at freedom or in custody you will be targeted for criminal related activity, be that personal or club related business. Put simply it doesn’t pay to be a member of an OMCG or any criminal gang.”

    Australian Border Force have also identified HAMC members and associates attempting to enter Australia recently as well as targeting members and associates who may be subject to removal from Australia.

    As national organised crime continues to move into the illegal tobacco and vape industry, including OMCG involvement with other crime groups law enforcement and partners are actively focused on this activity, including the extreme violence, firearms, extortion, arson, and money laundering activities. ​

    Leveraging shared capability and technology, National Taskforce Morpheus also targets criminal assets and unexplained wealth of key OMCG members, protects vulnerable people and develops national strategies to deter gang recruitment, reduce membership and target recidivism and enablers to organised crime.

    Agency Key Results:

    South Australia Police –

    Small quantities of illicit substances seized, firearms prohibition order compliance checks completed with in-custody cell searches conducted by Dept Correctional Services. Significant additional contemporary criminal intelligence was gathered relating to HAOMC in SA.

    Victoria Police –

    9 offenders charged with 8 offences, 1 search warrant executed, small quantities of illegal prescription drugs seized, firearms prohibition order compliance checks revealing quantities of firearm ammunition, $48,000 in cash seized and subject to further investigation. Significant additional contemporary criminal intelligence gathered relating to HAOMC in Victoria.

    Western Australia Police –

    2 offenders charged with 5 offences, 2 search warrants executed, small quantities of illicit substances seized and contemporary criminal intelligence gathered relating to HAOMC in WA.

    New Zealand Police –

    3 offenders charged with 4 offences, 3 search warrants executed and 3 vehicles seized. Small quantities of both prescription and illicit substances were seized. Contemporary criminal intelligence was gathered relating to HAOMC in New Zealand.

    Australian Border Force –

    2 VISA cancellations / refusals at point of entry, a further 3 identified as potential VISA cancellations and a single Unlawful Non-Citizen detained linked with OMCGs in Australia.

    New South Wales –

    3 offenders facing 12 charges, 2 search warrants executed, small quantities of illicit substances seized, firearms prohibition order compliance checks with an additional 9 ADVO compliance checks also conducted. In-custody cell searches were also activated for OMCG members in NSW prisons.

    Queensland –

    5 offenders facing 30 charges, 2 firearms seized, 25 bail breaches (non-compliance) discovered with a significant number of traffic breaches identified with both fines and prosecutions commenced for drug and drink driving.

    Northern Territory –

    Heavy focus on traffic compliance identifying both drink (3) and drug (3) drivers apprehended.

    Tasmania –

    1 offender charged with an offence with bail and firearms prohibition order compliance checks conducted.

    Quotes attributed to: Taskforce Morpheus Chair Detective Superintendent Jason Kelly (VICPOL)

    “National Taskforce Morpheus has been an extremely successful national and international operation coordinating multiple operations that have seen Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs (OMCGs) and their members disrupted, arrested, charged and held to account.  

    “Law enforcement and partner government agencies, through National Taskforce Morpheus, share the use of a variety of capabilities to proactively target OMCGs at a state, territory, national and international level. National Taskforce Morpheus will continue to be relentless in pursuing OMCGs and will not stop disrupting and holding OMCGs to account, no matter where they are located.

    “OMCGs are motivated by profit and greed, they infiltrate communities, industry and businesses and have a negative impact on the communities. The social and economic impact of OMCGs in Australia and New Zealand is significant. OMCGs also have a culture of secrecy, that includes intimidation and propensity for extreme violence, often with public displays of violence that impacts the safety of the community. For these reasons Law Enforcement and partner Government agencies will continues to target OMCGs.”

    Quotes attributed to: Officer in Charge Serious and Organised Crime Branch (SAPOL) Detective Superintendent Shane Addison

    SAPOL recognises the risk and serious harm to the community caused by significant and violent criminal activity undertaken by and associated with Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs (OMCG) in South Australia. SAPOL is committed to reducing this threat to community safety and will relentlessly pursue members and associates of OMCGs who seek to profit from violence and all forms of illicit criminal activities. Today’s National Day of Action activities have focused on disrupting those OMCG members who pose the greatest risk to the community.

    “In collaboration with our law enforcement and supporting agency partners, SAPOL will target anyone involved with OMCGs illicit criminal and violent behaviour. This includes targeting the confiscation of their criminal assets. The results from the Operation Morpheus Day of Action in this State reflects this commitment.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Financial, monetary systems symposium debuts in HK

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    The Center for Financial and Monetary Systems 2025 Symposium kicked off Wednesday, marking the first time the symposium was held in Hong Kong.

    Co-hosted by the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) and the World Economic Forum (WEF), the symposium welcomed business leaders, tech pioneers and academics from around the world to discuss global themes and megatrends that are particularly relevant to Asia today, including emerging technologies, fintech, growth financing and sustainability.

    Paul Chan, financial secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government, said at the symposium that Hong Kong will continue to serve as a gateway for international investors to explore development opportunities in the Chinese mainland as well as in Asia.

    Chan called on international investors to seize the opportunities and invest in China, noting the Chinese mainland and the Asia-Pacific region will remain the global growth engine over the next decade.

    Matthew Blake, head of the Center for Financial and Monetary Systems, World Economic Forum, said that with the world today facing significant uncertainty due to geopolitical, technological, and economic shifts, it is essential that leaders in financial services come together to address these challenges.

    Bonnie Chan, chief executive officer of HKEX, said that as a key financial market infrastructure, HKEX is committed to connecting global capital with the region’s opportunities, which is more important than ever in the rapidly changing world. HKEX looked forward to working closely with the WEF to bring global conversations to Asia and driving sustainable progress in the financial services sector.

    The WEF is an unofficial international organization dedicated to researching and addressing issues in the global economic sphere, as well as promoting international economic cooperation and exchanges. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China plays significant role in tackling climate change: experts

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

    China plays significant role in tackling climate change: experts

    Updated: March 27, 2025 10:18 Xinhua

    At the Boao Forum for Asia 2025, decision-makers and experts have come together to explore solutions for tackling climate change. Here’s what they have said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Do any non-drug treatments help back pain? Here’s what the evidence says

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Rodrigo Rossi Nogueira Rizzo, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Neuroscience Research Australia

    Monika Wisniewska/Shutterstock

    Jason, a 42-year-old father of two, has been battling back pain for weeks. Scrolling through his phone, he sees ad after ad promising relief: chiropractic alignments, acupuncture, back braces, vibrating massage guns and herbal patches.

    His GP told him to “stay active”, but what does that even mean when every movement hurts? Jason wants to avoid strong painkillers and surgery, but with so many options (and opinions), it’s hard to know what works and what’s just marketing hype.

    If Jason’s experience sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Back pain is one of the most common reasons people visit a doctor. It can be challenging to manage, mainly due to widespread misunderstandings and the overwhelming number of ineffective and uncertain treatments promoted.

    We assessed the best available evidence of non-drug and non-surgical treatments to alleviate low back pain. Our review – published today by the independent, international group the Cochrane Collaboration – includes 31 Cochrane systematic reviews, covering 97,000 people with back pain.

    It shows bed rest doesn’t work for back pain. Some of the treatments that do work can depend on how long you’ve been in pain.

    Is back pain likely to be serious?

    There are different types of low back pain. It can:

    • be short-lived, lasting less than six weeks (acute back pain)
    • linger for a bit longer, for six to twelve weeks (sub-acute)
    • stick around for months and even years (chronic, defined as more than 12 weeks).

    In most cases (90-95%), back pain is non-specific and cannot be reliably linked to a specific cause or underlying disease. This includes common structural changes seen in x-rays and MRIs of the spine.

    For this reason, imaging of the back is only recommended in rare situations – typically when there’s a clear suspicion of serious back issues, such as after physical trauma or when there is numbness or loss of sensation in the groin or legs.

    Many people expect to receive painkillers for their back pain or even surgery, but these are no longer the front-line treatment options due to limited benefits and the high risk of harm.

    International clinical guidelines recommend people choose non-drug and non-surgical treatments to relieve their pain, improve function and reduce the distress commonly associated with back pain.

    So what works for different types of pain? Here’s what our review found when researchers compared these treatments with standard care (the typical treatment patients usually receive) or no treatment.

    What helps for short-term back pain

    1. Stay active – don’t rest in bed

    If your back pain is new, the best advice is also one of the simplest: keep moving despite the pain.

    Changing the way you move and use your body to protect it, or resting in bed, can seem like to right way to respond to pain – and may have even been recommended in the past. But we know know this excessive protective behaviour can make it harder to return to meaningful activities.

    This doesn’t mean pushing through pain or hitting the gym, but instead, trying to maintain your usual routines as much as possible. Evidence suggests that doing so won’t make your pain worse, and may improve it.

    2. Multidisciplinary care, if pain lingers

    For pain lasting six to 12 weeks, multidisciplinary treatment is likely to reduce pain compared to standard care.

    This involves a coordinated team of doctors, physiotherapists and psychologists working together to address the many factors contributing to your back pain persisting:

    • neurophysiological influences refer to how your nervous system is currently processing pain. It can make you more sensitive to signals from movements, thoughts, feelings and environment

    • psychological factors include how your thoughts, feelings and behaviours affect your pain system and, ultimately, the experience of pain you have

    • occupational factors include the physical demands of your job and how well you can manage them, as well as aspects like low job satisfaction, all of which can contribute to ongoing pain.

    It’s important to keep up your normal routines when you have low back pain.
    Raychan/Unsplash

    What works for chronic back pain

    Once pain has been around for more than 12 weeks, it can become more difficult to treat. But relief is still possible.

    Exercise therapy

    Exercise – especially programs tailored to your needs and preferences – is likely to reduce pain and help you move better. This could include aerobic activity, strength training or Pilates-based movements.

    It doesn’t seem to matter what type of exercise you do – it matters more that you are consistent and have the right level of supervision, especially early on.

    Multidisciplinary treatment

    As with short-term pain, coordinated care involving a mix of physical, occupational and psychological approaches likely works better than usual care alone.

    Psychological therapies

    Psychological therapies for chronic pain include approaches to help people change thinking, feelings, behaviours and reactions that might sustain persistent pain.

    These approaches are likely to reduce pain, though they may not be as effective in improving physical function.

    Acupuncture

    Acupuncture probably reduces pain and improves how well you can function compared to placebo or no treatment.

    While some debate remains about how it works, the evidence suggests potential benefits for some people with chronic back pain.

    Some people may find relief from accupuncture.
    Katherine Hanlon/Unsplash

    What doesn’t work or still raises uncertainty?

    The review found that many commonly advertised treatments still have uncertain benefits or probably do not benefit people with back pain.

    Spinal manipulation, for example, has uncertain benefits in acute and chronic back pain, and it likely does not improve how well you function if you have acute back pain.

    Traction, which involves stretching the spine using weights or pulleys, probably doesn’t help with chronic back pain. Despite its popularity in some circles, there’s little evidence that it works.

    There isn’t enough reliable data to determine whether advertised treatments – such back braces, vibrating massage guns and herbal patches – are effective.

    How can you use the findings?

    If you have back pain, start by considering how long you’ve had it. Then explore treatment options that research supports and discuss them with your GP, psychologist or physiotherapist.

    Your health provider should reassure you about the importance of gradually increasing your activity to resume meaningful work, social and life activities. They should also support you in making informed decisions about which treatments are most appropriate for you at this stage.

    Rodrigo Rossi Nogueira Rizzo receives funding from the Australian Government’s Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF).

    Aidan Cashin receives funding from a National Health and Medical Research Council Investigator Grant

    – ref. Do any non-drug treatments help back pain? Here’s what the evidence says – https://theconversation.com/do-any-non-drug-treatments-help-back-pain-heres-what-the-evidence-says-253122

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: New merger process guidance released for consultation

    Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development

    The ACCC has today released draft guidance explaining the processes the ACCC will use when assessing acquisitions under Australia’s new merger regime, and is seeking feedback on the guidance through consultation. 

    In addition to releasing the draft merger process guidelines, the ACCC has also published a simpler quick guide for business and others less familiar with engaging with the ACCC on mergers.  

    Together they aim to assist businesses, advisers and other stakeholders understand and engage with Australia’s new merger regime. 

    “The changes to the merger regime mean that all acquisitions that meet certain thresholds need to be notified to the ACCC for assessment from 1 January 2026. This is a major change for businesses and for the ACCC,” ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb said. 

    “We are committed to ensuring stakeholders are well informed about the new process and its requirements and to provide transparency in how we will assess mergers in the new regime.” 

    The release of the draft merger process guidelines follow the recent release of guidance on transitional arrangements and the draft merger assessment guidelines.  

    “We committed to have these guidelines available for consultation before the end of March this year so stakeholders including businesses and their advisers have time to consider the ACCC’s approach under the new regime and provide feedback,” Ms Cass-Gottlieb said 

    “We know many businesses are already preparing for when the new merger control regime starts on a voluntary basis from 1 July 2025.” 

    The ACCC has previously stated that it expects to approve around 80% of acquisitions in 15 to 20 business days, providing a faster and more predictable path to clearance.

    “Acquisitions that do not pose significant risk to competition will be approved early in Phase 1 or may be granted a waiver, removing their obligation to notify,” Ms Cass-Gottlieb said 

    “Contentious mergers on the other hand will be closely scrutinised and subject to in-depth assessment to prevent anti-competitive mergers from causing harm to consumers and competition.”  

    The ACCC is seeking feedback on the guidance from businesses and their advisers, consumers and other interested members of the community. The guidelines and quick guide are available to download from the ACCC’s consultation hub. 

    Consultation will run from 27 March to 28 April 2025.  

    The ACCC expects the merger process guidance will be updated and further refined over time, including following consultation and as the legislative instruments are finalised. 

    The six month voluntary notification period which begins on 1 July 2025 will provide a valuable opportunity for the ACCC to assess whether refinements to the processes are required, before the guidance are finalised. 

    Anyone interested in merger reform updates can subscribe for updates on the ACCC website here: Merger reform. 

    Notes to editors:  

    A number of legislative instruments which relate to details in the new merger regime, including the thresholds for merger notification and applicable fees, are being considered by Treasury. 

    They will take effect once set by a Treasury minister. 

    Background 

    On 10 December 2024, the Australian Parliament passed the Treasury Laws Amendment (Mergers and Acquisitions Reform) Act 2024. The ACCC welcomed the new legislation. 

    Under the new regime, all acquisitions that are subject to the regime and meet a prescribed threshold must be notified to the ACCC. This represents a shift from a voluntary regime to a mandatory administrative regime. 

    The new regime commences on 1 January 2026. Businesses may voluntarily notify an acquisition to the ACCC from 1 July 2025. 

    The ACCC issued a Statement of Goals in October 2024 to outline its approach to implementing the new regime and to reduce uncertainty during the transition. The ACCC committed to consulting publicly on the draft merger assessment and merger process guidelines by Q1 2025.  

    The merger assessment guidelines were released for consultation on 20 March 2025.  The ACCC also recently released transition guidance to assist businesses navigate the transitional period leading up to 1 January 2026. 

    The ACCC encourages businesses considering a merger during the transition to contact us at mergers@accc.gov.au  

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: More reliable, resilient supply vessel sought for Chatham Islands

    Source: New Zealand Government

    The Government is seeking proposals from shipping operators to provide a new supply vessel for the Chatham Islands, Associate Transport Minister James Meager announced today. 

    “The Government is committed to supporting Chatham Islanders,” Minister Meager says.

    “The Chatham Islands’ current supply vessel, the Southern Tiare, is a vital economic lifeline for the community by carrying supplies to the island and livestock back to the mainland. 

    “However, at 39 years old, the vessel is older than I am, and unfortunately it is nearing the end of its life as a working vessel. It is frequently out of action for maintenance and repairs, causing significant hardship for the community. For example, recent crane failure on the Southern Tiare resulted in a fuel shortage on the islands, requiring rationing of petrol for local residents.”

    “Today, the Government has opened tenders to shipping operators who can provide a more reliable and resilient shipping service to replace the Southern Tiare. The new service will need the capability to transport fuel, livestock and general freight to and from Waitangi Port and Pitt Island. Crucially, it will need to provide a regular, reliable and resilient service.” 

    “A Request for Proposals (RFP) published today on the Government Electronic Tender Service outlines our requirements in full detail.”

    “In addition to finding a replacement vessel, we need to determine what improvements to existing port infrastructure are needed to support a new service. This will need to be considered alongside proposals received through the RFP process.”  

    “Last year, the Government sought information from suppliers who are potentially interested in providing shipping services. This gave us a solid understanding of the market’s capability to service the Chatham Islands’ unique requirements.” 

    The release of the RFP is the next step in the process and moves us closer to securing a replacement vessel that will service the community for many years to come.”

    Go to https://www.gets.govt.nz/MT/ExternalTenderDetails.htm?id=31351880 for more information.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: State Highway 6 Dellows Bluff – containers removed early next month

    Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

    State Highway 6 Dellows Bluff, south of Murchison, will be free of containers and back to two lanes by Wednesday 9 April, as contractors pause work to refine and improve plans to repair the slip.

    SH6 Dellows Bluff, rockfall and slip sites.

    Rob Service, System Manager Nelson/Tasman says contractors have been working at the second slip site, less than 200 metres from the original 2022 rockfall site, since February.   

    “While it initially looked to be a straightforward fix, investigations show the site is far more complex and fragile than expected.”  

    “The geology of the hill face presents a challenge for contractors. Initial plans were to tackle the slip from the side, but access has proven difficult, and the conditions have presented issues for our team.  

    “The safest option is to pause work at this location while we revise plans to access the slip from above. We will return to the site as soon as possible to continue this important work,” Mr Service says.

    While this means a slight delay in the project, Mr Service says significant progress has been made. 

    “Rock-blasting work was done earlier this month to remove loose rocks and debris at the top of the slip. We have also removed overhanging trees, installed extra drainage and a catch basin for easier maintenance over winter, and resealed the road. It ensures the site is in good condition as we prepare for the next phase of work, once geological assessments are completed.”

    Mr Service says all of the work carried out to date means the site is safe enough for the shipping containers to be removed. Their removal will make the road wider, allowing the highway to be restored to two lanes and the reduced temporary speed limit to be lifted.” 

    The containers will be returned to the site when work on the slip resumes. 

    Mr Service appreciates repairs at this part of State Highway 6 have been ongoing for some time. 

    “We have had to deal with an underslip, rockfall, and another overslip – all in the same area. We know our work has affected the community and road users and we thank them for their patience and cooperation.” 

    But with no local road detours available, this is a critical section on State Highway 6 and it is essential we do all we can to ensure it is safer and more resilient in the future. This work is vital,” Mr Service says.  

    Contractors will monitor the slip site over the winter months and remedial measures will be implemented if needed. 

    Works schedule for container removal

    • Stop/stop controls with delays of up to 15 minutes will operate on Tuesday 1 and Wednesday 2 April from 7am – 6pm when the containers will be removed. 
    • Stop/go controls will then be in place from Thursday 3 to Tuesday 8 April as contractors prepare the highway to be reopened to two lanes by Wednesday 9 April.
    • Drivers can expect delays of up to 15 minutes under stop/go.
    • Drivers must follow all speed signs and warnings in place.  

    More information

    • This work at the rockfall site has been funded by the Crown Resilience Programme – a $419 million investment package of resilience improvement activities that will reduce the impact of severe weather events on our national roading networks. The total crown resilience programme comprises $279 million for activities on State Highways, and $140 million for activities on Local Roads – Crown Resilience Programme (CRP)
    • The work at the slip site is funded by a National Land Transport Programme emergency works allocation.
    • Work has been ongoing at the area since a major rockfall in July 2022. This has seen rock scaling and rock blasting to remove overhanging rock and debris from the cliff face above the highway. Rock anchors, steel mesh have also been installed on the original slip. 
    • A specialist sub-contractor from the region is being used on the project, based on their experience in forestry, earthworks, steep sites, and large earthworks machinery.
    • The benching of the original slip site is permanent and allows contractors to maintain and monitor the face for further erosion or failures.
    • Efforts will be made to retain and replant vegetation at the site. This will include replanting native plants on the bench and possibly the hill face. Contractors will eradicate wilding pines where possible. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Asia Bond Monitor – March 2025

    Source: Asia Development Bank

    It notes a slight weakening of financial market conditions in emerging East Asia from 1 December 2024 to 28 February 2025. The region’s local currency bond market expanded 3.1% quarter-on-quarter in Q4 of 2024, compared with 2.7% in the previous quarter. Issuance of local currency bonds in the region totaled USD2.6 trillion in Q4 2024 on a contraction of 7.5% q-o-q due to decreased bond sales. At the end of 2024, sustainable bonds outstanding in ASEAN+3 markets totaled USD917.6 billion, with growth moderating to 12.1% year-on-year from 29.4% y-o-y in 2023 amid a slowdown in issuance.

    MIL OSI Economics –