NewzIntel.com

Category: Australia

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Regional University Industry Collaboration masterclasses

    Source: Tasmania Police

    Issued: 31 Mar 2025

    Dozens of university researchers and business stakeholders have been honing their partnership building expertise at masterclass events in Rockhampton, to support more regional Queensland research projects to get off the ground.

    Over the past six weeks, 35 researchers from across the state have been taking part in the Regional University Industry Collaboration (RUIC) program masterclass series held at CQUniversity (CQU) and James Cook University (JCU).

    The $7 million Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) initiative delivered by CSIRO, aims to transform project ideas in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields, into impactful real-world solutions.

    Research leaders have been given the skills and tools to effectively identify, approach, engage and collaborate with small to medium enterprises (SMEs) across regional Queensland – assisting them during the research and development stages of a concept – from ideation to commercialisation.

    Queensland Chief Scientist Professor Kerrie Wilison said these masterclasses are expected to equip researchers and business-minded individuals with the knowledge and strategies to effectively transform scientific ideas into viable commercial ventures.

    “This program increases opportunities for business and industry investment in science and recognises and supports entrepreneurship,” she said.

    “The RUIC program promotes economic growth in Queensland’s regional areas, ensuring that local SMEs remain competitive and continue to thrive.

    “We want to boost regional collaboration between businesses and researchers, to grow industry engagement across the state and get more projects launched.”

    CQUniversity Regional Futures Executive Director Paul Hodgson said the RUIC program is an excellent platform to develop relationships between regional universities and SMEs.

    “As a regional university, CQUniversity is proudly focused on delivering ‘research with impact’, which is only possible through strong partnerships with industry, particularly SMEs,” he said.

    “The RUIC masterclass series was a timely and critical process in upskilling the engagement capability and confidence of our researchers to deliver sustained impact into the future”.

    View further details on the Regional University Industry Collaboration program.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC Severe Thunderstorm Watch 83

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

    Note:  The expiration time in the watch graphic is amended if the watch is replaced, cancelled or extended.Note: Click for Watch Status Reports.
    SEL3

    URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
    Severe Thunderstorm Watch Number 83
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    135 AM CDT Mon Mar 31 2025

    The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

    * Severe Thunderstorm Watch for portions of
    Far Southern Arkansas
    Louisiana
    Central Mississippi
    Far East Texas

    * Effective this Monday morning from 135 AM until 800 AM CDT.

    * Primary threats include…
    Scattered damaging wind gusts to 70 mph likely
    Scattered large hail and isolated very large hail events to 2
    inches in diameter possible
    A tornado or two possible

    SUMMARY…Thunderstorms will continue to move east-northeastward
    over the next several hours early this morning, while posing a
    threat for scattered damaging winds up to 60-70 mph and large hail
    around 1-2 inches in diameter. A tornado or two may also occur.

    The severe thunderstorm watch area is approximately along and 60
    statute miles north and south of a line from 45 miles south of
    Columbus MS to 75 miles west of Fort Polk LA. For a complete
    depiction of the watch see the associated watch outline update
    (WOUS64 KWNS WOU3).

    PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

    REMEMBER…A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are
    favorable for severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area.
    Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening
    weather conditions and listen for later statements and possible
    warnings. Severe thunderstorms can and occasionally do produce
    tornadoes.

    &&

    OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 77…WW 78…WW 79…WW
    80…WW 81…WW 82…

    AVIATION…A few severe thunderstorms with hail surface and aloft to
    2 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind gusts to 60 knots. A
    few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 500. Mean storm motion vector
    26035.

    …Gleason

    SEL3

    URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
    Severe Thunderstorm Watch Number 83
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    135 AM CDT Mon Mar 31 2025

    The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

    * Severe Thunderstorm Watch for portions of
    Far Southern Arkansas
    Louisiana
    Central Mississippi
    Far East Texas

    * Effective this Monday morning from 135 AM until 800 AM CDT.

    * Primary threats include…
    Scattered damaging wind gusts to 70 mph likely
    Scattered large hail and isolated very large hail events to 2
    inches in diameter possible
    A tornado or two possible

    SUMMARY…Thunderstorms will continue to move east-northeastward
    over the next several hours early this morning, while posing a
    threat for scattered damaging winds up to 60-70 mph and large hail
    around 1-2 inches in diameter. A tornado or two may also occur.

    The severe thunderstorm watch area is approximately along and 60
    statute miles north and south of a line from 45 miles south of
    Columbus MS to 75 miles west of Fort Polk LA. For a complete
    depiction of the watch see the associated watch outline update
    (WOUS64 KWNS WOU3).

    PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

    REMEMBER…A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are
    favorable for severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area.
    Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening
    weather conditions and listen for later statements and possible
    warnings. Severe thunderstorms can and occasionally do produce
    tornadoes.

    &&

    OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 77…WW 78…WW 79…WW
    80…WW 81…WW 82…

    AVIATION…A few severe thunderstorms with hail surface and aloft to
    2 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind gusts to 60 knots. A
    few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 500. Mean storm motion vector
    26035.

    …Gleason

    Note: The Aviation Watch (SAW) product is an approximation to the watch area. The actual watch is depicted by the shaded areas.
    SAW3
    WW 83 SEVERE TSTM AR LA MS TX 310635Z – 311300Z
    AXIS..60 STATUTE MILES NORTH AND SOUTH OF LINE..
    45S CBM/COLUMBUS MS/ – 75W POE/FORT POLK LA/
    ..AVIATION COORDS.. 50NM N/S /30S IGB – 16ESE LFK/
    HAIL SURFACE AND ALOFT..2 INCHES. WIND GUSTS..60 KNOTS.
    MAX TOPS TO 500. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 26035.

    LAT…LON 32118845 30189445 31919445 33848845

    THIS IS AN APPROXIMATION TO THE WATCH AREA. FOR A
    COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE WOUS64 KWNS
    FOR WOU3.

    Watch 83 Status Report Message has not been issued yet.

    Note:  Click for Complete Product Text.Tornadoes

    Probability of 2 or more tornadoes

    Low (20%)

    Probability of 1 or more strong (EF2-EF5) tornadoes

    Low (10%)

    Wind

    Probability of 10 or more severe wind events

    Mod (60%)

    Probability of 1 or more wind events > 65 knots

    Low (20%)

    Hail

    Probability of 10 or more severe hail events

    Mod (40%)

    Probability of 1 or more hailstones > 2 inches

    Mod (30%)

    Combined Severe Hail/Wind

    Probability of 6 or more combined severe hail/wind events

    High (80%)

    For each watch, probabilities for particular events inside the watch (listed above in each table) are determined by the issuing forecaster. The “Low” category contains probability values ranging from less than 2% to 20% (EF2-EF5 tornadoes), less than 5% to 20% (all other probabilities), “Moderate” from 30% to 60%, and “High” from 70% to greater than 95%. High values are bolded and lighter in color to provide awareness of an increased threat for a particular event.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Why have supermarkets around Australia recalled bagged salad products? A gastroenterologist explains

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vincent Ho, Associate Professor and Clinical Academic Gastroenterologist, Western Sydney University

    Kristi Blokhin/Shutterstock

    People are being asked to check the use-by dates of bagged salad products they’ve purchased recently after a number of Australian supermarkets issued recalls due to potential bacterial contamination.

    Recalls issued over the past week have affected bagged and pre-packaged salad products sold at supermarkets around the country including Coles, Woolworths, Aldi and IGA.

    The potential contaminant is shiga-toxin-producing E. coli or STEC. But so far, no cases of illness have been reported.

    So what is this bacterium and how could it affect the salad leaves in your dinner or lunch?

    E.Coli and STEC

    Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a bacterium that normally lives in the intestines of healthy people and animals. Fortunately most strains of E. coli are harmless and don’t cause symptoms.

    But there are certain strains that can lead to symptoms such as abdominal cramping, diarrhoea, fever and vomiting. In some cases a severe infection can even result in kidney failure.

    STEC is one strain that can cause gastrointestinal symptoms. It’s called “shiga toxin-producing” because the toxin from this strain of E. coli is very similar to that produced by the Shigella bacterium.

    Shigella causes shigellosis, a gastrointestinal infection which can involve similar symptoms to STEC. Both can cause abdominal cramping, bloody diarrhoea, fever and vomiting.

    Most people recover within ten days of the onset of symptoms. People suffering from STEC infection should stay hydrated and seek medical care if symptoms are serious or don’t resolve.

    E. coli normally lives in our bodies without causing harm. But some strains can make us sick.
    Ezume Images/Shutterstock

    How common is it?

    One estimate suggests at least 2.8 million STEC infections occur globally every year.

    In general STEC infections in Australia are very rare with less than four people per million affected annually.

    The diagnosis of STEC infection is made by testing a sample of a person’s stool for the presence of the bacterium.

    Children under five, adults aged over 65 and people with weakened immune systems are at an increased risk of STEC infection and of getting very sick with it.

    Why are bagged salads often a culprit?

    The current recalls are not the first time bagged salads have been subject to food safety issues in Australia or elsewhere. These products can be vulnerable to bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella.

    Contamination in bagged salads can occur at various stages, from farm to table. It can begin early during growing when leafy greens can be exposed to bacteria from contaminated water, soil or manure.

    During harvesting, handling and processing, cross-contamination can happen if the equipment or surfaces are not properly disinfected. Finally, packaging can contribute to contamination if it comes into contact with contaminated surfaces or hands.

    The current outbreak

    Health authorities sometimes test for the presence of food-borne bacteria by culturing bacteria from packaged foods in the lab as part of a proactive public health surveillance program.

    If they identify the presence of concerning food-borne bacteria they will work with retailers to undertake recalls of that food product as a precaution to protect public health.

    To date there have been no cases of illness linked to the current recalls. The presence of STEC doesn’t necessarily mean people will get sick from eating the salad product, but this is an early detection aimed to prevent food-borne illness.

    Members of the public have been urged not to consume any of the recalled products, and to throw them away or return them to where they bought them for a refund. Anyone who has consumed the products and has health concerns should seek medical advice.

    E. coli infection can cause a range of gastrointestinal symptoms.
    PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock

    Washed and ready to eat?

    Many bagged salad products come with a selling point along the lines of “washed and ready to eat”. Given the current recalls, you might ask whether it really is safe to eat pre-packaged salads without giving the leaves a wash yourself.

    Unfortunately, research shows using tap water to wash bagged leafy salads isn’t effective in removing bacteria. But washing your raw vegetables is still helpful in getting rid of any clinging dirt that may contain clumps of bacteria.

    Fortunately the risk of getting sick from eating bagged lettuce is generally very low. It’s also important to wash your hands before handling food, check the expiry dates of bagged salads and pay attention to health alerts.

    Vincent Ho 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. Why have supermarkets around Australia recalled bagged salad products? A gastroenterologist explains – https://theconversation.com/why-have-supermarkets-around-australia-recalled-bagged-salad-products-a-gastroenterologist-explains-253427

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: How should police officers use force? The Kristian White case is an insight into what the community thinks

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Ryan, Lecturer in Criminology, Deakin University

    When a jury in the New South Wales Supreme Court found Kristian White guilty of manslaughter, it was the first verdict of its kind in recent Australian history.

    The verdict is significant because it offered a rare opportunity for the community to have a prominent say in what should and shouldn’t be regarded as reasonable use of force by police.

    The sentence of a two-year community-based order means White won’t spend any time behind bars – a judgement that surprised some legal scholars.

    Clare Nowland, aged 95, died after she was tasered by White, a police officer, in a nursing home in 2023. Nowland had approached White in distress while holding a steak knife. She fell after being tasered and died a week later in hospital.

    In finding White guilty, the jury drew an important line in the sand around the appropriate use of tasers, and use of force more generally, by police in Australia.

    It follows an emerging international trend, suggesting community expectations around police use of force are shifting. Recent convictions of Derek Chauvin in the United States and Benjamin Monk in the United Kingdom demonstrate this.

    We don’t know much about what the public thinks about this issue. While this case is highly specific, it’s the first major window into what everyday people think police should and shouldn’t be able to do in the line of duty.

    Excessive force: what are the rules?

    Excessive use of force by police is notoriously difficult to define.

    “Situational use of force” models, such as that used in the NSW Police, offer little insight, for officers or juries, about what level of force is appropriate for what level of resistance.

    Officers in NSW are reminded that “the decision to apply force, including use of a Taser, is an individual one for which every officer will be held accountable”.

    In this model, any officer who carries an array of weapons (as White did on that fateful evening) must be an expert in how to use those weapons proportionately to the threat they face.

    But what tangible guidance do they have about what constitutes excessive force? Given persistent concerns among police scholars about deficiencies in training and other policy documents, it can be hard to discern what is reasonable or excessive force legally.

    Every critical incident carries specific and different dynamics, and officers cannot realistically be trained for every possible scenario. Much depends on their individual decision-making.

    So can we reach a definition?

    How then can we find a universal way to recognise “excessive force”?

    One of the better definitions of such force comes from North American police ethics scholar Carl Klockars, who suggested in 1996 excessive force was “any force that a police officer of the highest skill might find a way to avoid”.

    This definition encourages us to think (and talk) more about what a police officer of the highest skill looks like. This is important in an era when ideas about what police can and should do are strongly shaped by Hollywood fantasies.

    In the tragic set of circumstances that unfolded in the Cooma aged care home, we can ask ourselves: what might an officer of the highest skill have done?

    Notably, a recently retired senior officer answered this question in the media the day after the events unfolded. He said “they could have thrown a blanket over her”.

    Evidently, the jury agreed there were other options available that didn’t involve the use of a taser.

    Modern policing must reckon with what a highly skilled officer looks like, especially as the profession adopts so-called “less lethal” force technologies such as tasers. What characteristics do we really want in a police officer’s “skills armoury”? Do we want a good aim, a strong physical presence, high levels of empathy or perhaps ethical decision-making? What should be prioritised?

    The Nowland case has asked these questions. The jury’s verdict set the stage for a sentence that established a higher standard for policing vulnerable people, which made it surprising that a non-custodial sentence was ultimately imposed.

    What does the public think?

    The sentencing outcome will spur more debate and has disappointed Nowland’s family.

    Justice Ian Harrison found there were mitigating factors, such as White’s claim he felt “justified” in his actions. As a police officer, this likely carried significant weight to reduce moral culpability and the need for “punishment”.

    Justice Harrison also found White’s actions fell at the lower end of objective seriousness for manslaughter.

    But what about ensuring the sentence reflects community ideals about policing standards, as reflected in the guilty verdict?

    Many may now wonder whether there is any kind of police misuse of a taser that could be deemed worthy of the ultimate penalty of imprisonment.

    But the case nevertheless remains a watershed moment. It provides an insight into what the public expects of police, and how strongly courts choose to reinforce those expectations.

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

    – ref. How should police officers use force? The Kristian White case is an insight into what the community thinks – https://theconversation.com/how-should-police-officers-use-force-the-kristian-white-case-is-an-insight-into-what-the-community-thinks-245151

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Hosting the UN climate summit is far from ‘madness’ – here’s how Australia stands to benefit

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Wesley Morgan, Research Associate, Institute for Climate Risk and Response, UNSW Sydney

    Opposition Leader Peter Dutton would withdraw Australia’s bid to co-host next year’s global climate summit if the Coalition wins the federal election.

    Australia has lobbied hard for the right to host the talks, known as COP31, in conjunction with Pacific nations. Australia has emerged as a leading contender, and has the backing of most countries in its United Nations grouping, including the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada and New Zealand.

    However, Dutton on Sunday described the idea of hosting the UN climate conference as “not something we are supporting — it is madness”. He also falsely claimed it would cost Australia “tens of billions” of dollars to host the event.

    Australia would reap big benefits by hosting the high-profile global talks. It would likely attract considerable investment in renewables and clean energy export industries, and strengthen Australia’s national security during a time of increasing geo-strategic competition in the Pacific. To pull out now would be a costly move.

    Decison deferred until June

    The decision on who will host COP31 in 2026 was expected at last year’s summit in Azerbaijan. But it was deferred until June this year – after Australia’s next federal election.

    Hosting rights are shared between five UN country groupings on a rotational basis. The final decision is made by consensus.

    Australia’s bid to host with Pacific nations has considerable support. But Turkey, the only other country in the running to host COP31, has so far resisted lobbying efforts to persuade it to drop out.

    An economic boost for Australia

    Hosting the UN climate talks is a massive economic opportunity for Australia.

    COP31 would be one of the biggest diplomatic summits Australia has ever hosted. Tens of thousands of people could be expected for a fortnight of negotiations, with satellite events held across the nation and the Pacific.

    Adelaide is in the box seat to play host. The South Australian government estimated hosting the UN talks could generate more than A$500 million for the state. But economic benefits would be much wider, and longer-lasting, than tourism receipts from those attending. The talks are a chance to attract investment for Australia’s energy transition and for clean energy industries of the future, including critical minerals and green iron.

    The UK government’s assessment of the value of hosting the UN climate summit in Glasgow in 2021 found the net economic benefit was double that spent – around A$1 billion. That includes benefits from trade deals and foreign investment. With abundant critical minerals, and excellent wind and solar resources, Australia has even more to gain.

    Hosting the world’s largest climate summit is a chance to attract the investment needed to replace ageing and unreliable coal-fired power stations. According to the Clean Energy Investor Group, which represents the capital behind large-scale renewables, more than 70% of the investment in clean energy comes from international sources.

    Dutton says he plans to replace coal with nuclear power (and to rely on gas until nuclear plants are built decades from now). The Coalition’s nuclear plan would require hundreds of billions of dollars of taxpayer support.

    Securing our place in the Pacific

    Working with Pacific nations to address climate change is key to Australian national security.

    Australia aims to be the security partner of choice for Pacific island countries. And Pacific island countries are crystal clear: climate change is their “single greatest threat”.

    In 2022, Solomon Islands signed a security deal with China, which raised the prospect of a potential Chinese naval base in Australia’s maritime approaches. Foreign Minister Penny Wong – who was in opposition at the time – described it as the worst foreign policy blunder in the Pacific since the end of WWII.

    The Albanese government has looked to cement Australia’s place in the Pacific by working with island nations to address climate change. In July 2022, Albanese joined Pacific leaders to declare a Pacific climate emergency and launched bid to co-host a UN climate summit with Pacific nations. In 2023, Australia signed a climate migration deal with Tuvalu that also prevents Tuvalu from pursuing a security deal with China.

    Pacific leaders have welcomed Australia’s plans to host the UN climate talks and have agreed to work together to advocate for the joint bid. Walking away now could do real damage to Australian strategy in the region.

    Embracing our clean energy future

    Hosting COP31 is a chance to set up Australia’s economy of tomorrow, signalling the shift from fossil fuel heavyweight to clean energy superpower.

    Australia is leading the clean energy transition. This is a story to tell the world. One in three households have rooftop solar. Already 40% of the main national power grid is powered by wind, solar and storage. We are on track for 80% renewables by 2030.

    South Australia is moving even faster, set for 100% clean electricity by 2027. Hosting COP31 in the state is also a chance to showcase clean energy export industries, especially plans to produce green iron and green steel at the Whyalla steelworks.

    Australia is the world’s largest exporter of raw iron ore, but is well positioned to export more-valuable, and lower-polluting, green iron to major economies in our region. The potential export value of green iron is estimated to be $295 billion a year, or three times the current value of iron ore exports.

    More broadly, our clean energy exports – including green metals, green fertilisers and green fuels – could be worth six to eight times more than our fossil fuel exports.

    Walking away from the chance to host the world and showcase our clean energy future would be costly indeed.

    Wesley Morgan is a fellow with the Climate Council of Australia

    – ref. Hosting the UN climate summit is far from ‘madness’ – here’s how Australia stands to benefit – https://theconversation.com/hosting-the-un-climate-summit-is-far-from-madness-heres-how-australia-stands-to-benefit-253423

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Dutton says it would cost too much to host UN climate summit, but pulling out would cost Australia even more

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Wesley Morgan, Research Associate, Institute for Climate Risk and Response, UNSW Sydney

    Opposition Leader Peter Dutton would withdraw Australia’s bid to co-host next year’s global climate summit if the Coalition wins the federal election.

    Australia has lobbied hard for the right to host the talks, known as COP31, in conjunction with Pacific nations. Australia has emerged as a leading contender, and has the backing of most countries in its United Nations grouping, including the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada and New Zealand.

    However, Dutton on Sunday described the idea of hosting the UN climate conference as “not something we are supporting — it is madness”. He also falsely claimed it would cost Australia “tens of billions” of dollars to host the event.

    Australia would reap big benefits by hosting the high-profile global talks. It would likely attract considerable investment in renewables and clean energy export industries, and strengthen Australia’s national security during a time of increasing geo-strategic competition in the Pacific. To pull out now would be a costly move.

    Decison deferred until June

    The decision on who will host COP31 in 2026 was expected at last year’s summit in Azerbaijan. But it was deferred until June this year – after Australia’s next federal election.

    Hosting rights are shared between five UN country groupings on a rotational basis. The final decision is made by consensus.

    Australia’s bid to host with Pacific nations has considerable support. But Turkey, the only other country in the running to host COP31, has so far resisted lobbying efforts to persuade it to drop out.

    An economic boost for Australia

    Hosting the UN climate talks is a massive economic opportunity for Australia.

    COP31 would be one of the biggest diplomatic summits Australia has ever hosted. Tens of thousands of people could be expected for a fortnight of negotiations, with satellite events held across the nation and the Pacific.

    Adelaide is in the box seat to play host. The South Australian government estimated hosting the UN talks could generate more than A$500 million for the state. But economic benefits would be much wider, and longer-lasting, than tourism receipts from those attending. The talks are a chance to attract investment for Australia’s energy transition and for clean energy industries of the future, including critical minerals and green iron.

    The UK government’s assessment of the value of hosting the UN climate summit in Glasgow in 2021 found the net economic benefit was double that spent – around A$1 billion. That includes benefits from trade deals and foreign investment. With abundant critical minerals, and excellent wind and solar resources, Australia has even more to gain.

    Hosting the world’s largest climate summit is a chance to attract the investment needed to replace ageing and unreliable coal-fired power stations. According to the Clean Energy Investor Group, which represents the capital behind large-scale renewables, more than 70% of the investment in clean energy comes from international sources.

    Dutton says he plans to replace coal with nuclear power (and to rely on gas until nuclear plants are built decades from now). The Coalition’s nuclear plan would require hundreds of billions of dollars of taxpayer support.

    Securing our place in the Pacific

    Working with Pacific nations to address climate change is key to Australian national security.

    Australia aims to be the security partner of choice for Pacific island countries. And Pacific island countries are crystal clear: climate change is their “single greatest threat”.

    In 2022, Solomon Islands signed a security deal with China, which raised the prospect of a potential Chinese naval base in Australia’s maritime approaches. Foreign Minister Penny Wong – who was in opposition at the time – described it as the worst foreign policy blunder in the Pacific since the end of WWII.

    The Albanese government has looked to cement Australia’s place in the Pacific by working with island nations to address climate change. In July 2022, Albanese joined Pacific leaders to declare a Pacific climate emergency and launched bid to co-host a UN climate summit with Pacific nations. In 2023, Australia signed a climate migration deal with Tuvalu that also prevents Tuvalu from pursuing a security deal with China.

    Pacific leaders have welcomed Australia’s plans to host the UN climate talks and have agreed to work together to advocate for the joint bid. Walking away now could do real damage to Australian strategy in the region.

    Embracing our clean energy future

    Hosting COP31 is a chance to set up Australia’s economy of tomorrow, signalling the shift from fossil fuel heavyweight to clean energy superpower.

    Australia is leading the clean energy transition. This is a story to tell the world. One in three households have rooftop solar. Already 40% of the main national power grid is powered by wind, solar and storage. We are on track for 80% renewables by 2030.

    South Australia is moving even faster, set for 100% clean electricity by 2027. Hosting COP31 in the state is also a chance to showcase clean energy export industries, especially plans to produce green iron and green steel at the Whyalla steelworks.

    Australia is the world’s largest exporter of raw iron ore, but is well positioned to export more-valuable, and lower-polluting, green iron to major economies in our region. The potential export value of green iron is estimated to be $295 billion a year, or three times the current value of iron ore exports.

    More broadly, our clean energy exports – including green metals, green fertilisers and green fuels – could be worth six to eight times more than our fossil fuel exports.

    Walking away from the chance to host the world and showcase our clean energy future would be costly indeed.

    Wesley Morgan is a fellow with the Climate Council of Australia

    – ref. Dutton says it would cost too much to host UN climate summit, but pulling out would cost Australia even more – https://theconversation.com/dutton-says-it-would-cost-too-much-to-host-un-climate-summit-but-pulling-out-would-cost-australia-even-more-253423

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Qatar

    Source:

    We’ve reviewed our advice for Qatar and continue to advise exercise normal safety precautions. You may be placed under a travel ban if you’re involved in a dispute about (but not limited to) business, labour, employment, fines or civil legal proceedings. You won’t be able to leave Qatar until your travel ban is removed (see ‘Travel’).

    Demonstrations and protest activity may also occur, and local security situations could deteriorate with little notice. Avoid all demonstrations and protests (see ‘Safety’).

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: NITI Aayog organises National Workshop on “Internationalisation of Higher Education in India: Challenges, Best Practices, and Policy Interventions” at IIT Madras, Chennai on March 29, 2025

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 30 MAR 2025 7:16PM by PIB Delhi

    A one-day National Workshop on ‘Internationalisation of Higher Education in India’, was organised by the Education Division of NITI Aayog, as a part of the NITI–State workshop series, an initiative under the State Support Mission, and in collaboration with its knowledge partners, IIT Madras, Association of Indian Universities (AIU), and Acumen at the IIT Madras campus in Chennai on Saturday, 29th March 2025.

    The workshop brought together officers from the Centre, State and UT Governments, Institutions of National Importance, Central Universities, State Public Universities, Private Universities, Deemed Universities, International Universities, and representatives from several countries to deliberate on challenges, best practices and policy interventions for implementing internationalisation initiatives in Indian higher education at the systemic and institutional levels as envisioned in the National Education Policy 2020.

    Dr. Vinod Kumar Paul, Hon’ble Member (Education), NITI Aayog delivered the Keynote Address and the Concluding Address and chaired the entire workshop’s proceedings. Prof. Kamakoti Veezhinathan, Director, IIT Madras, delivered the Inaugural Address. Dr. Sonia Pant, Programme Director (Education), NITI Aayog welcomed the 140-strong audience. Prof. Raghunathan Rengaswamy, Dean – Global Engagement, IIT Madras, Dr. (Mrs.) Pankaj Mittal, Secretary General, Association of Indian Universities, and Shri Adrian Mutton, Executive Chairman, Acumen addressed the gathering on behalf of the knowledge partners’ consortium.

    The workshop featured 40 speakers across 4 technical sessions on: (i) Internationalisation of Higher Education in India (in retrospect and future prospects), (ii) Academic Mobility for Learning and Research, (iii) Internationalisation of Curricula & Programmes, and (iv) Expanding Global Presence of Indian universities through Offshore Campuses and beyond. Special case studies on successes of Indian and international universities were presented including Indian universities setting up overseas campuses and international universities establishing campuses in India including at the GIFT City. Several country case studies including those of Australia, France, New Zealand, UK, USA, among others were also presented at the workshop.

    As discussions proceeded, participants emphasized actionable strategies such as enhancing infrastructure, streamlining regulations, and promoting India as a destination for academic collaboration, research, and learning on a global scale.

    This workshop marked a significant milestone in India’s journey towards internationalisation of higher education. The insights generated will feed into the ongoing NITI policy research study that aims to position Indian higher education institutions at the forefront of global academic excellence, ensuring India-centric internationalisation, and creating world class and world ready talent to enable India to play an influential role as a knowledge economy and achieve its vision of becoming a Viksit Bharat by 2047.

    ***

    MJPS/SR

    (Release ID: 2116875) Visitor Counter : 55

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI: Parker Blackwood Advisers Forecasts Economic Headwinds and Opportunities in Pre-Election Australia

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PERTH, Australia, March 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) prepares to announce its monetary policy decision on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, Parker Blackwood Advisers provides its latest insights into an evolving economic landscape defined by cautious optimism, global headwinds, and a looming federal election.

    Following the RBA’s surprise February rate cut—lowering the cash rate from 4.35% to 4.10%—most major banks now anticipate the central bank will pause further easing during the April meeting. The cash rate remains at 4.10%, and while expectations for future reductions vary, there is broad consensus that the next cut is more likely to occur mid-year, with estimates ranging from May (Commonwealth Bank) to August (ANZ). Westpac and NAB also expect multiple cuts before year’s end, bringing the rate closer to 3.35%.

    While inflation has moderated, last recorded at 2.4%—well within the RBA’s target band of 2–3%—uncertainty remains high. Parker Blackwood Advisers analysts caution that monetary easing alone is not a panacea. The upcoming May 3 federal election introduces fiscal unpredictability, while global developments—including the possibility of renewed U.S. tariffs—could exert upward pressure on prices and delay the disinflation trend.

    “Markets have welcomed the February rate cut, but future moves will be heavily data-dependent,” said Daniel Lewis, Account Executive at Parker Blackwood Advisers. “We don’t expect an aggressive cutting cycle. The RBA is aware of the risks of acting too quickly and reigniting inflation.”

    The firm’s research team emphasizes that Australia’s economic fortunes remain closely tied to international trade flows. Any disruption—such as shifting trade policies under a potential second Trump presidency—could complicate domestic monetary policy and affect investor confidence.

    Parker Blackwood Advisers also continues to spotlight Australia’s sluggish productivity growth as a critical structural challenge. Without sustained improvements in output per worker, meaningful wage growth and long-term economic expansion will remain elusive.

    “We view productivity as central to the recovery narrative,” added Rupert Wade, Account Executive. “If interest rates are to fall sustainably, we must match monetary policy with real reforms—particularly in innovation, infrastructure, and education.”

    While many households hope for further rate relief, Parker Blackwood Advisers underscores that any easing will likely be gradual, with decisions spaced across the RBA’s remaining six meetings this year. Governor Michele Bullock has reiterated that policy moves will be measured to avoid reigniting inflationary pressures.

    In this transitional environment, Parker Blackwood Advisers wealth management team continues to support clients in repositioning portfolios. With interest rate trajectories uncertain and traditional investment avenues offering limited real returns, demand for fixed income and private market opportunities is growing.

    “Investors are moving away from a passive, wait-and-see approach,” observed David Reid, Account Executive. “We’re seeing strong interest in defensive yield strategies that balance stability with attractive returns.”

    Everyday investors across Australia are increasingly seeking alternatives to term deposits and property—especially in the face of rate volatility and global unpredictability. At Parker Blackwood Advisers, our approach is clear: we offer tailored investment strategies designed to reflect your risk profile, financial goals, and long-term vision.

    Whether you’re focused on capital preservation, steady income, or exposure to non-traditional markets, our experienced advisers can help build a resilient financial plan—regardless of where rates move next.

    About Parker Blackwood Advisers
    Founded in 2013, Parker Blackwood Advisers is a premier financial services provider based in Perth, Australia. With a focus on personalised investment strategies, the firm offers a broad range of wealth management solutions, including asset allocation, investment management, and financial planning. Managing over $4.7 billion in assets, Parker Blackwood Advisers is dedicated to helping clients achieve their financial goals through tailored, expert guidance.

    Disclaimer
    Parker Blackwood Advisers is a trading name of Parker Blackwood Advisers Corporation Pty Ltd (ABN: 98 162 183 244), holder of AFSL 434-071. Investing carries risks, including potential loss of capital. Information provided is general and not financial advice. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.

    Mr. Paul Allen
    Head of Marketing
    paul.allen@parker-blackwood-advisers.com
    1300 040 221
    08 6275 0960
    Exchange Tower,
    Level 17/2 The Esplanade
    Perth WA, 6000

    Source: Parker Blackwood Advisers

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Going for growth: cutting health & safety red tape

    Source: New Zealand Government

    The Government will boost economic growth by reforming health and safety laws to lessen the cost and burden of compliance on low-risk businesses, Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says.

    “We’re delivering on the ACT-National coalition agreement to reform health and safety laws and regulations. We want all Kiwis to return home safe after every working day. 

    “I have travelled across the country meeting with businesses, employers, and workers about how the current system works for them and what they want to see in this reform that will make their work safer. What I have been hearing consistently is that small, low-risk businesses are not sure which risks to focus on and struggle to meet the costs of compliance.

    “I’ve listened and I’m acting. Cabinet has today agreed to a suite of system-wide changes, including sharpening the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, to cut through the unnecessary red tape holding these businesses back.

    “The first change will be a carve-out for small, low-risk businesses from general Health and Safety at Work Act requirements. These businesses will only have to manage critical risks and provide basic facilities to ensure worker welfare.

    “For example, a small clothing shop would still need to provide first aid, emergency plans, and basic facilities, such as suitable lighting, but wouldn’t need to have a psychosocial harm policy in place.

    “This will improve outcomes for businesses and workers by focusing the system on critical risks and getting rid of unnecessary costs, making sure there is less paperwork and more clarity on what will make workplaces safe.”

    Cabinet has also agreed to:

    Reduce tick-box health and safety activities that do not protect workers from harm by sharpening the primary purpose of the Health and Safety at Work Act to focus on critical risk,
    Address over-compliance due to overlapping health and safety duties by clarifying the boundaries between the Act and regulatory systems that already manage the same risk,
    Cut compliance costs by reducing notification requirements to the regulator to only significant workplace events (deaths, serious injury, illness and incidents),
    Help end the proliferation of road cones by providing a hotline for the public to report overzealous road cone use, and for WorkSafe to confirm and provide guidance on instances of over-compliance.

    I’ve travelled across the country to hear health and safety concerns, and at nearly every meeting, someone raised the issue of sea of road-cones. I am directing WorkSafe to confirm and provide guidance on instances of road cones overcompliance. Having WorkSafe focus on this will be a culture shift for the agency, but it signifies the broader direction this Government is taking with the health and safety system. 

    “These changes are just the start of the Government’s reform programme. I will be seeking Cabinet decisions in the coming months that will further improve WorkSafe and address sector-specific pain points.

    “Workers can be assured that their employers will prioritise the right actions to protect them from harm, and they know where their attention should be to keep themselves and their workmates safe.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Health and Safety changes driven by ACT party ideology – CTU

    Source: Council of Trade Unions (CTU)

    Health and Safety changes driven by ACT party ideology, not evidence, said NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff.

    Changes to health and safety legislation proposed by the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden today comply with ACT party ideology, ignores the evidence, and will compound New Zealand’s dismal health and safety performance.

    “It’s disappointing to see the Minister has ignored the widespread consensus on what New Zealand needs to do to improve its poor track record and instead has chosen to carve out small businesses from good health and safety practices,” Wagstaff said.

    “Exempting small businesses from best practice health and safety makes no sense when we know that small business are riskier and need more support.

    “The Government seems to think the biggest obstacle to our poor productivity and health and safety outcomes is too many road cones. It’s no wonder New Zealand can’t get ahead when our leaders in Government seem so out of touch, and have no credible responses to these challenges.

    “Given the massive challenge we have as a country to improve our health and safety performance, it’s astounding the Minister would target the use of road cones and expect WorkSafe to focus its scarce time and energy on creating a hotline.

    “The Minister has been quick to cut support for important issues like modern slavery, and sat on her hands on other important health and safety concerns, like banning engineered stone. It would seem that this Government is more concerned about road cones than either of these issues.

    “What’s worse is that these changes are being justified on the basis of cutting red tape for economic growth. Good business know that proper health and safety is not a compliance cost.

    “On average there is a workplace fatality every week, another 20 are killed from occupational disease, and thousands more are incapacitated by injuries. Nothing in these proposals signals an intent to improve these numbers,” said Wagstaff.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Morwell brigade members welcome new heavy tanker to their fleet

    Source:

    Back L to R: Jeremy Martin, Jai Maher, Aaron Yates, Captain Wayne Draper, ACFO Bryan Russell, Michael Franchetto, Bayley Charalambous. Front L to R: Lynne O’Callaghan, Narelle Douthie, Jarod Rodway

    Morwell Fire Brigade has officially welcomed the arrival of its new heavy tanker through the station doors, which is set to boost firefighting capabilities to serve the local community.

    Brigade members gathered at the fire station on Thursday, 27 March to celebrate the new addition to their fleet, where CFA Assistant Chief Fire Officer Bryan Russell had the honour of handing over the keys.

    Morwell Captain Wayne Draper said the brigade was excited to use the new tanker which will put them in a better position to protect the community because of the increased water capacity of 4,000 litres.

    “The new tanker has been great for morale since coming into the station. It’s very user friendly and will be a great benefit to us,” Wayne said.

    “The extra 1,000 litres of water will go a long way out on the fireground.

    “It is also now a lot more comfortable for members to ride in the cab, and the simplicity of the layout has been easier for our volunteers to navigate.

    “Over the past few months, we’ve put a lot of work into adjusting to a completely different truck, as this one is a lot bigger than what we’ve had previously.

    “I’ve been really proud of how well our members have embraced the challenge. We’ve had eight drivers and operators do more than 15 hours of training each to become accredited and they are keen to put their training into practice.”

    CFA Assistant Chief Fire Officer Bryan Russell said the new tanker will not just be an asset for response but also for the safety of the members.

    “It has some fantastic enhancements, with updated crew protection systems and burnover protection, plus full equipment stowage,” Bryan said.

    “The new features also aim to reduce crew fatigue and improve safety and ergonomics including easy-to-read electric monitors and electric rewind hose systems.”

    “Environmentally, we’re reducing impacts through use of recyclable building materials and higher levels of emission controls.”

    The heavy tanker’s 4×4 capability and automatic transmission will also help crews access fires in difficult terrain.

    The new vehicle was funded through the Victorian Government’s CFA Capability Funding package and is one of 48 new tankers being rolled out to CFA fire brigades across Victoria to ensure volunteer firefighters are well-equipped to protect their communities.

    Morwell Fire Brigade has a strong membership of 78, with 31 of them operational, and a strong female presence of six operational, six auxiliary and 14 junior members.

    The brigade has a large response area in the Latrobe Valley area of Gippsland and averages 310 callouts a year.

    • Captain Wayne Draper and Assistant Chief Fire Officer Bryan Russell
    • Credit: Uniform Photography
    Submitted by CFA media

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: In Ancient Greece and Rome, who were the harpies, and why did they stink so much?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kitty Smith, PhD Candidate in Classical Greek and Roman History, University of Sydney

    Krikkiat / Shutterstock.com

    Once yelled at women seen to be pestering or annoying – or at feminists questioning and threatening the status quo – “harpy” has long been used as a derogatory term targeting women.

    But have you ever wondered what a harpy was in the first place?

    Much like similar derogatory titles “siren” and “fury”, the term “harpy” is derived from a group of monstrous female figures from ancient Greek and Roman mythology.

    This picture depicts the harpies being driven from the table of King Phineus, a story told in the Argonautica by Apollonius of Rhodes, in which Jason and the Argonauts search for the golden fleece.
    The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Rogers Fund, 1967

    Who were the harpies?

    In Greek and Roman myth, the harpies were a group of animal-human hybrid monsters on par with other such mythological creatures like the sirens, the sphinx, and the centaurs.

    Harpies were commonly imagined as an amalgam of a bird’s body, such as wings and claws, with a woman’s head.

    The ancient story of the Aeneid, by Latin poet Virgil, describes the story’s hero Aeneas encountering harpies on his quest to found Rome, saying:

    Maiden faces have these birds, foulest filth they drop, clawed hands are theirs, and faces ever gaunt with hunger.

    This description matches a common design from Greek and Roman art of birds with women’s heads.

    In Greco-Roman myth, the harpies were typically tasked with meting out justice on behalf of Zeus and other gods by using their great speed from their wings and sharp talons.

    The importance of their claws was likely a result of their name, which was derived from the Ancient Greek word for “snatching” (ἁρπάζω or harpazdo).

    As was common of many mythological figures with hybrid features, the way their animal features were portrayed tended to vary across different media (art or literature), different narrative purposes, and over time.

    Sometimes the claws were emphasised; other times it was their supernaturally swift wings and voracious hunger.

    Harpies were also a common motif in many parts of the Muslim world. This roughly 12th Century statue is from modern-day Iran.
    The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Cora Timken Burnett Collection of Persian Miniatures and Other Persian Art Objects, Bequest of Cora Timken Burnett, 1956

    Enforcers of swift justice

    The harpies were not nice people. They existed in myth to dish out punishments from the gods.

    Their primary target? Phineus, a seer and king of Salmydessus in Thrace, a city believed to have been located on the Western coast of the Black Sea near the modern day Turkish town of Kıyıköy.

    His story is told in the Argonautica by ancient Greek author Apollonius of Rhodes. This tale centres on the journey of Jason and the Argonauts in search of the golden fleece.

    In the story, Phineus is said to have abused his powers as a seer by sharing too many of the gods’ secrets with mortals.

    This was among the most egregious of crimes in the eyes of the gods, so an especially awful punishment was decided upon.

    Phineus was blinded and given the dubious gift of immortality while still allowed to age endlessly. And worst of all, he was set upon by the harpies.

    Every time Phineus picked up and tried to eat food, the harpies would burst out from the clouds, moving as fast as lightning, and

    with their crooked beaks incessantly snatched the food away from his mouth and hands.

    The harpies brought a further gift for Phineus: their smell. This supernaturally “intolerable stench” could putrefy food, so any scraps the harpies didn’t grab were left rotting on the table. You couldn’t even stand near it, “so foully reeked the remnants of the meal”.

    And while the harpies swooped in and out in seconds, their smell stuck to the rotting food (and probably poor Phineus).

    Some ancient poets add a little extra zest and disgust by also suggesting the harpies may have been defecating on the food, and presumably Phineus.

    Most notable is Virgil in his text the Aeneid who wrote about “foedissima ventris proluvies”, meaning:

    the foulest discharges from their bellies.

    This was likely an exaggeration of their bird-like qualities, used to emphasise how disgusting and monstrous they were.

    Phineus was eventually given a reprieve from the harpies, by order of Zeus, so he could help the hero Jason on his quest for the golden fleece.

    Having completed their job, the harpies then flew to Crete to live in a cave far away from annoying mortals – only being disturbed once by Aeneas on his meandering path to Rome.

    The story of Phineus helped harpies become a metaphor for greed.

    Those compared to harpies could include greedy house-guests overstaying their welcome, people living extravagantly or frivolously, or even family members taking advantage of wealthy relatives.

    Although the harpies were female monsters, the term was not exclusively applied to women, but used to describe groups of greedy people.

    Harpies were often associated with greed. In this Renaissance painting, part of a series depicting the Seven Deadly Sins, a harpy-drawn chariot is being used by Gluttony (who has wings, carries a jug and and wears wine leaves in her hair).
    The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of Mrs. Frederic R. Coudert Jr., in memory of Mr. and Mrs. Hugh A. Murray, 1957.

    Harpies today

    Happily, today the title of “harpy” is falling out of favour as a derogatory term. But the hordes of monstrous, snatching, winged women live on in modern books, games, comics, movies and TV shows.

    From video games with swathes of harpy-like creatures snatching and clawing at the protagonist, like the 2020 video game Hades, to characters in stories inspired by Greek and Roman myth, the harpies are sticking around – like a bad smell.

    Kitty Smith is a member of the Australian Society for Classical Studies.

    – ref. In Ancient Greece and Rome, who were the harpies, and why did they stink so much? – https://theconversation.com/in-ancient-greece-and-rome-who-were-the-harpies-and-why-did-they-stink-so-much-249722

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: These 3 arguments are part of the long game in Trump’s trade wars

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Markus Wagner, Professor of Law and Director of the UOW Transnational Law and Policy Centre, University of Wollongong

    Since returning to office in January, US President Donald Trump has doubled down on using trade measures – mostly tariffs – to reshape global trade. He plans to impose reciprocal tariffs on what he has labelled “Liberation Day”, April 2.

    The Trump administration claims US producers face higher tariffs and more restrictions abroad than foreign producers when they export to the US.

    The administration also examined tax systems such as Europe’s Value Added Tax and Australia’s GST, import regulations and other factors. It believes – mostly wrongly – these unfairly disadvantage American businesses and contribute to the US trade deficit.

    As with many Trump initiatives, actual tariffs often change significantly between announcement and implementation, if they are implemented at all.

    His reciprocal tariffs have been narrowed to imports from the US’ largest trading partners instead of imports from all countries. There may also be tariffs on specific sectors. Last week, Trump announced 25% tariffs on cars from overseas. At the weekend said he “couldn’t care less” if this made cars more expensive for US consumers.

    Coercive control, revenue and re-shoring

    President Trump has raised a myriad of puzzling arguments in favour of tariffs. They largely fall into three categories:

    The first is the use of tariffs as a coercion tool against other countries. In the first Trump presidency, trading partners were pressured to renegotiate trade agreements such as the renamed but largely identical US-Mexico-Canada agreement.

    Similarly, the Trump administration used the threat of tariffs to gain market access, elicit better trade terms or as a form of weaponised trade to achieve unrelated foreign policy goals.

    Last week, Trump suggested he would consider a reduction in tariffs on China in exchange for a sale of TikTok by its Chinese owner.

    The second category is the use of tariffs as a source of revenue. The Trump administration envisions tariffs to be collected by a yet-to-be-created External Revenue Service. This would form the flip side of the powerful and much-maligned Internal Revenue Service.

    Trump claims tariffs will be paid by the exporting country. This would be in theory to finance future tax cuts. In practice, tariffs are almost always paid by the importer of goods and usually get passed on to consumers.

    There is a potential contradiction between these two rationales. It appears the Trump administration wants to make at least some tariffs permanent. But doing so would almost nullify the use of tariffs as a bargaining chip and coercion tool.

    The final category is to encourage companies to “re-shore” production to the US to avoid tariffs and to support US jobs.

    This would signal a reversal of what 1994 presidential candidate Ross Perot, speaking of the North American Free Trade Agreement, called the “giant sucking sound going south”. Some manufacturing may return to the US. But the high costs of building new factories, re-routing supply chains and uncompetitive US labour costs will hinder large-scale re-shoring efforts.

    A long-term plan?

    The Trump administration’s trade moves can be seen as part of a larger strategy to reshape the US domestic and the global economic system.

    In a recent speech, US Vice-President JD Vance argued for a structural reshaping of the US economy, to increase domestic innovation capacity.

    Vance warned “deindustrialisation poses risks both to our national security and our workforce”. Vance himself sums up this approach by characterising tariffs as a “necessary tool to protect our jobs and our industries”.

    This line of argument overlooks a number of critical factors. Tariffs lead to higher prices for consumers. Unless currencies adjust, the inflationary impact could disadvantage the very people that can least afford it.

    The same is true if other countries respond to US trade measures by responding in kind, as Canada and the European Union already have.

    American farmers and other export-oriented industries will be hard hit. From a strategic perspective, the US position as global leader has suffered a severe blow. Some countries are openly pivoting to its geopolitical and economic rival, China.

    If this scenario comes to pass, the US pullback – an outright withdrawal is unlikely – from the highly integrated international trading system might end up a more chaotic version of the UK’s pursuit of Brexit.

    A step back in time

    The world of liberalised trade that followed the end of the Cold War in 1990 is ending. Countries will turn inwards, prioritising their economic security and resilience. The costs of this turn away from multilateralism and international institutions, however, are not just economic.

    The close economic integration we have witnessed post-1990 has led to reduced uncertainty in international economic relations, increased international security and greater prosperity.

    A return of the “beggar thy neighbour” policies of the 1930s would be a dangerous path, with the world inching closer to the abyss. “Liberation Day” might push the world over the edge.



    Read more:
    What are non-tariff barriers – and why is agriculture so exposed?

    Markus Wagner 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. These 3 arguments are part of the long game in Trump’s trade wars – https://theconversation.com/these-3-arguments-are-part-of-the-long-game-in-trumps-trade-wars-252516

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Australia – New Books – The Edge of Everything by MIRANDA LUBY

    An authentic and heartwarming YA novel that asks big questions from the author of Sadie Starr’s Guide to Starting Over

    A grieving girl trying to make sense of the randomness of life, an injured bird and a delicate love triangle When a rare and highly endangered bird flies into Lucy’s bedroom window, she feels it’s a sign. Of what, she’s not exactly sure, but maybe it means she’ll get her life back on track after the sudden death of her brother a year ago.

    Maybe she’ll find some meaning in the randomness of existence and work out her place in it all. Maybe she’ll find a way to stop the wild stunts she’s been pulling with Jacinta just to keep her thoughts from spiralling for a few moments.

    She takes the injured bird to a local wildlife sanctuary, and there she meets Ben. He’s cute, a tiny bit flirty, and he cares as much about the bird’s survival as Lucy does. He could be the distraction she needs. But when unrelated events collide, Lucy realises things are not going to be that simple.

    Miranda Luby’s second novel is a heartfelt portrayal of grief, a tender romance, and a tribute to a very special Australian bird. A celebration of life in all its randomness and wonder.

    Miranda Luby is an author, journalist, copywriter and animal-lover living on Victoria’s Surf Coast. She has won several awards for her short stories, and her journalism features in publications such as National Geographic, BBC Travel and the New York Post. Miranda was shortlisted for the Text Prize for her debut novel, Sadie Starr’s Guide to Starting Over.

    29 APRIL 2025
    YA Fiction
    Paperback, 320pp
    AU $22.99 / NZ $26.00
    ISBN 9781923058330

    Praise for Miranda Luby

    ‘Devastating, honest, surprisingly funny and hopeful. I loved it from the first page.’ – Megan Williams on The Edge of Everything 
    ‘This beautiful and touching story teaches us so many things… Heartwarming, sad, and happy, but most of all a really good read.’ – GLAM Adelaide on Sadie Starr’s Guide to Starting Over

    ‘The characters reveal themselves to be incredibly nuanced…A realistic portrayal of teenage friendship and growth. An enjoyable and enlightening read!’ – Good Reading on Sadie Starr’s Guide to Starting Over.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Health and safety reform: missed opportunity to make workplaces safer

    Source: New Zealand Institute of Safety Management

    Health and safety professionals say the Government has squandered an opportunity to make serious inroads into New Zealand’s appalling workplace health and safety record.
    “The reform plan announced today is underwhelming and unambitious,” said Mike Cosman, New Zealand Institute of Safety Management Chair. “The Government has missed a golden opportunity to improve our poor health and safety performance.”
    50-70 people a year die in workplace accidents (double the rate of Australia and four times that of the UK). Another 700-1,000 die from workplace diseases and many thousands of others suffer significant harm.
      “We want to see all workers come home to their families healthy and safe; we can’t see these reforms improving these dismal numbers.
    “The reforms are focused instead on costs to businesses of prevention and not the much greater costs of harm. This seems to be looking through the wrong end of the telescope to us because the cost of our poor health and safety record is north of $4.9 billion per year to say nothing of the impact on workers and their families.
    “We’re deeply worried about proposals to exempt small businesses from some health and safety rules. Small businesses are less safe than big ones so this change is backwards. Why should workers face more risks if they work for smaller companies?
    “The sad thing is that the Minister had a blueprint that she’s ignored. All the players in our health and safety system have been clear what’s needed but the Minister appears not to have listened.”
    In October last year, key players from across the health and safety system including employers, experts, unions, academics, and representatives of our highest risk sectors wrote to the Minister and her Cabinet colleagues setting out what we know will fix our health and safety system. These recommendations highlighted the need for a much more strategic and coordinated approach.
    “Apart from some improvements to guidance development by WorkSafe, Minister van Velden has ignored advice from employers, workers and experts.
    “If the Prime Minister wants New Zealand be the best place in the world to live in by 2035then he should make turning around our shameful workplace injury and illness record a top priority. And if he wants to grow the economy, we need a healthy workforce to do it. An injured worker puts strain on businesses, ACC and the health system.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: The best space telescope you never heard of just shut down

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Nicole Driessen, Postdoctoral Researcher in Radio Astronomy, University of Sydney

    ESA / Gaia / DPAC, CC BY-SA

    On Thursday 27 March, the European Space Agency (ESA) sent its last messages to the Gaia Spacecraft. They told Gaia to shut down its communication systems and central computer and said goodbye to this amazing space telescope.

    Gaia has been the most successful ESA space mission ever, so why did they turn Gaia off? What did Gaia achieve? And perhaps most importantly, why was it my favourite space telescope?

    Running on empty

    Gaia was retired for a simple reason: after more than 11 years in space, it ran out of the cold gas propellant it needed to keep scanning the sky.

    The telescope did its last observation on 15 January 2025. The ESA team then performed testing for a few weeks, before telling Gaia to leave its home at a point in space called L2 and start orbiting the Sun away from Earth.

    L2 is one of five “Lagrangian points” around Earth and the Sun where gravitational conditions make for a nice, stable orbit. L2 is located 1.5 million kilometres from Earth on the “dark side”, opposite the Sun.

    L2 is a highly prized location because it’s a stable spot to orbit, it’s close enough to Earth for easy communication, and spacecraft can use the Sun behind them for solar power while looking away from the Sun out into space.

    It’s also too far away from Earth to send anyone on a repair mission, so once your spacecraft gets there it’s on its own.

    Keeping L2 clear

    L2 currently hosts the James Webb Space Telescope (operated by the USA, Europe and Canada), the European Euclid mission, the Chinese Chang’e 6 orbiter and the joint Russian-German Spektr-RG observatory. Since L2 is such a key location for space missions, it’s essential to keep it clear of debris and retired spacecraft.

    A final status update from Gaia.
    ESA, CC BY-SA

    Gaia used its thrusters for the last time to push itself away from L2, and is now drifting around the Sun in a “retirement orbit” where it won’t get in anybody’s way.

    As part of the retirement process, the Gaia team wrote farewell messages into the craft’s software and sent it the names of around 1,500 people who worked on Gaia over the years.

    What is Gaia?

    Gaia looks a bit like a spinning top hat in space. Its main mission was to produce a detailed, three-dimensional map of our galaxy, the Milky Way.

    To do this, it measured the precise positions and motions of 1.46 billion objects in space. Gaia also measured brightnesses and variability and those data were used to provide temperatures, gravitational parameters, stellar types and more for millions of stars. One of the key pieces of information Gaia provided was the distance to millions of stars.

    A cosmic measuring tape

    I’m a radio astronomer, which means I use radio telescopes here on Earth to explore the Universe. Radio light is the longest wavelength of light, invisible to human eyes, and I use it to investigate magnetic stars.

    But even though I’m a radio astronomer and Gaia was an optical telescope, looking at the same wavelengths of light our eyes can see, I use Gaia data almost every single day.

    I used it today to find out how far away, how bright, and how fast a star was. Before Gaia, I would probably never have known how far away that star was.

    This is essential for figuring out how bright the stars I study really are, which helps me understand the physics of what’s happening in and around them.

    A huge success

    Gaia has contributed to thousands of articles in astronomy journals. Papers released by the Gaia collaboration have been cited well over 20,000 times in total.

    Gaia has produced too many science results to share here. To take just one example, Gaia improved our understanding of the structure of our own galaxy by showing that it has multiple spiral arms that are less sharply defined than we previously thought.

    Not really the end for Gaia

    It’s difficult to express how revolutionary Gaia has been for astronomy, but we can let the numbers speak for themselves. Around five astronomy journal articles are published every day that use Gaia data, making Gaia the most successful ESA mission ever. And that won’t come to a complete stop when Gaia retires.

    The Gaia collaboration has published three data releases so far. This is where the collaboration performs the processing and checks on the data, adds some important analysis and releases all of that in one big hit.

    And luckily, there are two more big data releases with even more information to come. The fourth data release is expected in mid to late 2026. The fifth and final data release, containing all of the Gaia data from the whole mission, will come out sometime in the 2030s.

    This article is my own small tribute to a telescope that changed astronomy as we know it. So I will end by saying a huge thank you to everyone who has ever worked on this amazing space mission, whether it was engineering and operations, turning the data into the amazing resource it is, or any of the other many jobs that make a mission successful. And thank you to those who continue to work on the data as we speak.

    Finally, thank you to my favourite space telescope. Goodbye, Gaia, I’ll miss you.

    Laura Nicole Driessen is an ambassador for the Orbit Centre of Imagination at the Rise and Shine Kindergarten, in Sydney’s Inner West.

    – ref. The best space telescope you never heard of just shut down – https://theconversation.com/the-best-space-telescope-you-never-heard-of-just-shut-down-253343

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Africa – Violence and Cholera ravage Northeastern South Sudan, Impacting Western Ethiopia with Outbreak and Refugee Influx – MSF

    Source: Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF)

    31st March: A humanitarian crisis is rapidly unfolding on both sides of the South Sudan-Ethiopia border, as escalating violence, displacement and a widespread cholera outbreak are pushing communities to the brink, Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) warns.

    Clashes between government forces and armed groups, which initially began in Upper Nile State, now risk spreading to other parts of the country, while across the border, Ethiopia’s Gambella region is experiencing the effects of this violence. According to the United Nations, approximately 10,000 displaced people have crossed into Ethiopia since the beginning of March.

    “We have already witnessed how this violence has fuelled the spread of cholera in several areas, but a larger, escalating conflict could push the entire country into an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe,” says Zakaria Mwatia, MSF Head of Mission in South Sudan. “We urgently call on all parties to the conflict to ensure the protection of civilians, healthcare workers, and medical facilities, and to grant unhindered access for humanitarian and medical assistance, in line with international humanitarian law.”

    South Sudan has been grappling with cholera outbreaks across various parts of the country since last year. The latest wave, which began in Upper Nile State, is now spreading further into neighbouring Jonglei state, the Greater Pibor Administrative Area, and across the border into Ethiopia’s Gambella region, where MSF teams are working to treat patients amid the surge in cases.

    In Upper Nile State, MSF is treating those wounded in the violence and supporting cholera treatment facilities in Ulang, Malakal and Renk counties. In Jonglei State, MSF is responding in Lankien as well as in Akobo, where a 100-bed cholera treatment unit set up by MSF in Akobo County Hospital has treated over 300 patients in just over two weeks. MSF is also responding in Pibor town in the Greater Pibor Administrative area. Since the beginning of March, MSF teams have treated over 1,000 cholera patients across South Sudan and received over 30 patients wounded in the violence.

    Ruach Riek Chuol was admitted to MSF hospital in Ulang with injuries he sustained in the violence. “My goods and property for my business were all burned inside the house,” he says. “Everything was destroyed in the fire, including the house where I was.”

    In Ethiopia’s Gambella region, MSF in collaboration with the Ministry of Health has treated over 560 cholera patients since the start of the response in early March, in its Cholera Treatment Centre and units (CTC/CTUs) in Mattar, Moan and Burbeiye with a capacity of 100 beds. MSF is also running oral rehydration points and conducting water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) and community-based activities including door-to-door cholera awareness and water purification efforts, reaching over 5,000 people across multiple locations. In addition to cholera treatment, MSF teams have also provided medical care to 160 patients wounded in the clashes in South Sudan.

    “I came here because back home in Nasir, people are being killed,” said a South Sudanese mother who recently arrived in Burbeiye, Ethiopia. “There was nothing to eat, and when we arrived at the areas where we took respite, my kids became sick. There were no health facilities that we could run to.”

    The situation is rapidly deteriorating as thousands fleeing violence in South Sudan are crossing the border to seek safety. In Wanthoa Woreda, a new encampment in Burbeiye has emerged almost overnight, with over 6,500 new arrivals reported by local administrators — many of them women, children, and the elderly, arriving after days of travel.

    “The displaced people are arriving in Gambella with little more than what they can carry,” said Joshua Eckley, MSF Head of Mission in Ethiopia. “Our teams are responding to the cholera outbreak and providing care to those arriving exhausted and in poor condition. There are significant needs, and without additional support, the situation could worsen.”

    This crisis comes at a time when South Sudan and Ethiopia are facing major reductions in donor funding, including the recent USAID cuts. While MSF does not accept funding from the US government, the cuts in the humanitarian and health assistance would severely reduce capacity of other organisations to respond to such crises.

    “In places like Akobo in Jonglei State, the cholera response has been highly impacted by funding cuts, including closure of critical health services,” says Zakaria. “A number of mobile clinics have already shut down following US funding cuts, and some organisations that supported health facilities, including cholera treatment units, have suspended all activities. This is part of a broader trend across the country.”

    The healthcare system in South Sudan suffers from chronic underfunding, shortages of skilled health staff, medicines and supplies, and has limited capacity to respond to emergencies. The country, already struggling to meet its own medical and humanitarian needs, is further burdened by the arrival of over one million people fleeing war in neighbouring Sudan. Urgent support is needed to provide safe water, implement widespread cholera vaccination campaigns, and reinforce treatment capacity for both cholera patients and trauma cases.

    “Disruptions in cholera treatment services, combined with reduced actors’ capacity to support oral vaccination campaigns, heighten the risk of further spread. We urge donors to allocate emergency funds for emergency response in South Sudan and neighbouring Ethiopia amid this escalating crisis,” Zakaria adds.

    MSF is an international, medical, humanitarian organisation that delivers medical care to people in need, regardless of their origin, religion, or political affiliation. MSF has been working in Haiti for over 30 years, offering general healthcare, trauma care, burn wound care, maternity care, and care for survivors of sexual violence. MSF Australia was established in 1995 and is one of 24 international MSF sections committed to delivering medical humanitarian assistance to people in crisis. In 2022, more than 120 project staff from Australia and New Zealand worked with MSF on assignment overseas. MSF delivers medical care based on need alone and operates independently of government, religion or economic influence and irrespective of race, religion or gender. For more information visit msf.org.au  

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC Severe Thunderstorm Watch 80

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

    Note:  The expiration time in the watch graphic is amended if the watch is replaced, cancelled or extended.Note: Click for Watch Status Reports.
    SEL0

    URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
    Severe Thunderstorm Watch Number 80
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    1055 PM EDT Sun Mar 30 2025

    The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

    * Severe Thunderstorm Watch for portions of
    Eastern Kentucky
    Far Southern Ohio
    Far Western Virginia
    Western West Virginia

    * Effective this Sunday night and Monday morning from 1055 PM
    until 600 AM EDT.

    * Primary threats include…
    Scattered damaging wind gusts to 70 mph likely
    Isolated large hail events to 1 inch in diameter possible
    A tornado or two possible

    SUMMARY…The threat for damaging wind gusts will continue into the
    region as the ongoing convective line progresses eastward.

    The severe thunderstorm watch area is approximately along and 60
    statute miles east and west of a line from 40 miles north of
    Charleston WV to 30 miles southeast of London KY. For a complete
    depiction of the watch see the associated watch outline update
    (WOUS64 KWNS WOU0).

    PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

    REMEMBER…A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are
    favorable for severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area.
    Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening
    weather conditions and listen for later statements and possible
    warnings. Severe thunderstorms can and occasionally do produce
    tornadoes.

    &&

    OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 72…WW 74…WW 76…WW
    77…WW 78…WW 79…

    AVIATION…A few severe thunderstorms with hail surface and aloft to
    1 inch. Extreme turbulence and surface wind gusts to 60 knots. A few
    cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 500. Mean storm motion vector
    27040.

    …Mosier

    Note: The Aviation Watch (SAW) product is an approximation to the watch area. The actual watch is depicted by the shaded areas.
    SAW0
    WW 80 SEVERE TSTM KY OH VA WV 310255Z – 311000Z
    AXIS..60 STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST OF LINE..
    40N CRW/CHARLESTON WV/ – 30SE LOZ/LONDON KY/
    ..AVIATION COORDS.. 50NM E/W /23ENE HNN – 26SE LOZ/
    HAIL SURFACE AND ALOFT..1 INCH. WIND GUSTS..60 KNOTS.
    MAX TOPS TO 500. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 27040.

    LAT…LON 38938047 36778261 36778478 38938271

    THIS IS AN APPROXIMATION TO THE WATCH AREA. FOR A
    COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE WOUS64 KWNS
    FOR WOU0.

    Watch 80 Status Report Message has not been issued yet.

    Note:  Click for Complete Product Text.Tornadoes

    Probability of 2 or more tornadoes

    Low (20%)

    Probability of 1 or more strong (EF2-EF5) tornadoes

    Low (5%)

    Wind

    Probability of 10 or more severe wind events

    Mod (60%)

    Probability of 1 or more wind events > 65 knots

    Low (20%)

    Hail

    Probability of 10 or more severe hail events

    Low (20%)

    Probability of 1 or more hailstones > 2 inches

    Low (10%)

    Combined Severe Hail/Wind

    Probability of 6 or more combined severe hail/wind events

    High (80%)

    For each watch, probabilities for particular events inside the watch (listed above in each table) are determined by the issuing forecaster. The “Low” category contains probability values ranging from less than 2% to 20% (EF2-EF5 tornadoes), less than 5% to 20% (all other probabilities), “Moderate” from 30% to 60%, and “High” from 70% to greater than 95%. High values are bolded and lighter in color to provide awareness of an increased threat for a particular event.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: ACT welcomes RBNZ’s review of banking red tape

    Source: ACT Party

    Welcoming the Reserve Bank’s review of banking capital requirements, Mark Cameron – who represents ACT on the select committee inquiry into banking practices – says:

    “ACT Party has been sounding the alarm about these rules since 2019, so we’re glad to see the Reserve Bank finally take notice.

    “These rules are driving up borrowing costs for firms, farms, and families.

    “Last week, as part of the Parliamentary banking inquiry, I asked Westpac CEO Catherine McGrath about the effect of the capital requirements. She told me that reversing the capital requirement introduced in 2019 would result in an additional $2 billion circulating in the economy – or about a 50 basis point cut in interest rates.

    “BNZ previously confirmed to me that costs are falling particularly hard on famers, with the rules driving up rural interest rates by one whole percentage point. It’s about time our farmers got a fair go to invest in their land so they can feed New Zealand and the world.

    “The irony is that by putting pressure on sectors such as farming, these rules risk putting people out of business and fuelling the instability the rules are meant to prevent. Hopefully the Reserve Bank will see sense and scrap these burdensome requirements.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: School phone ban one year on: our student survey reveals mixed feelings about its success

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cara Swit, Associate professor, School of Health Sciences, University of Canterbury

    DavideAngelini/Shutterstock

    One year after the government banned cellphones from schools to help students focus and reduce distractions in class, we’re beginning to see how it has been implemented and how successful it’s been.

    As part of that process, our new research asked young people about the ban. Unsurprisingly, they had a lot to say.

    Schools around the world, including in Australia, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, China and parts of the United States, have implemented similar bans. The guiding principle everywhere has been to help students do better in school.

    When New Zealand’s ban came into effect in April 2024, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said it was time to cut the distractions so kids could learn and achieve.

    But studies have shown these bans often don’t work as planned. For example, recent research from the UK involving over 1,200 students found no significant difference in academic grades or wellbeing between schools with strict phone bans and those with more relaxed policies.

    With so many questions at the time of the ban about how it would be enforced, we wanted to hear what was going on in schools and what young people really thought. We spoke to 77 young people aged 12 to 18 from 25 schools around the country. Some liked the bans, some didn’t and some weren’t sure.

    Mixed feelings

    Many students had mixed feelings about the bans. Some admitted the bans helped reduce distractions and gave them a break from using their phones. As one explained,

    otherwise, we’ll be on our phone all day, all afternoon, all night, and it won’t be healthy for our minds.

    But other students said the ban had created new problems.

    First, some students felt stressed and anxious when they couldn’t contact their parents or caregivers during the day. Second, they said the rules weren’t always clear or fair. Some teachers were strict, others weren’t. And sometimes, teachers used their phones in class, but students couldn’t.

    That perceived double standard – where teachers can use phones but students can’t – left many of our respondents feeling frustrated and unfairly treated. In some cases, it even made them more secretive about their phone use. One student said,

    Even though we’re not allowed to use our phones, everyone is sneaky and uses it anyway.

    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said the cellphone ban would cut distractions so kids could learn and achieve.
    Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images

    A lack of consultation

    A lot of students said they weren’t asked what they thought before the bans were introduced. They felt as if adults made the rules without asking them or listening to them. One of our interviewees said,

    It feels like they just ban everything, thinking it will fix the problem.

    Many didn’t understand the purpose of the ban, especially since they still have to use laptops and other technology in class.

    Recent research found more than 80% of students in Aotearoa New Zealand say technology in class is distracting – not just phones.

    Already, some students have found clever ways around the phone ban. At one Auckland school, students started using walkie-talkies instead of phones to stay connected with their peers.

    Examples like this show bans don’t always change behaviour the way they’re intended to. It can simply make students feel as though adults underestimate how tech-savvy they really are.

    Young people as active problem solvers

    The young people in our research offered some alternatives to the ban.

    Many suggested allowing phones at break and lunch times. That way, they could stay connected without interrupting class. They also said adults needed to model healthy digital habits, not just set the rules.

    Based on student responses, it does appear that learning and teaching how to use phones in healthy ways would be more helpful than banning them altogether.

    Research from the Digital Wellness Lab supports this balanced approach, emphasising skill building over restriction. But for this to work, adults need support too. Teachers and parents need training and resources to help guide young people – and should also be surveyed on how they feel about the ban.

    Banning phones doesn’t fix the bigger issue of helping young people to use technology safely and responsibly. If schools really want to support students, they need to move beyond one-size-fits-all rules.

    Our research shows young people aren’t just passive users of technology. They’re active problem solvers. They want to be part of the conversation – and part of the solution.

    This would involve replacing top-down bans with meaningful conversations involving young people and adults to build fair and practical digital guidelines, where everyone benefits.

    Cara Swit received funding from The Oakley Mental Health Foundation, InternetNZ and the University of Canterbury’s Vision Mātauranga Development Fund to conduct this research.

    Aaron Hapuku received funding from The Oakley Mental Health Foundation, InternetNZ and the University of Canterbury’s Vision Mātauranga Development Fund to conduct this research.

    Helena Cook received funding from InternetNZ, Oakley Mental Health Foundation and UC Vision Mātauranga Development Fund.

    Jennifer Smith received funding from Internet New Zealand and The Oakley Mental Health Foundation.

    – ref. School phone ban one year on: our student survey reveals mixed feelings about its success – https://theconversation.com/school-phone-ban-one-year-on-our-student-survey-reveals-mixed-feelings-about-its-success-252179

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: A symphony of cultures at kindergarten

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    Just days ahead of “Sanyuesan,” a traditional ethnic festival in south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, a unique musical endeavor was unfolding in a kindergarten in the heart of Nanning, the regional capital.

    Inside the brightly-lit auditorium, Huang Shaozheng, a retired English professor in his 60s and a Zhuang culture advocate, along with Jake Philip Tucker, a 28-year-old English teacher and trained musician from Britain, were on a musical quest to blend the timeless folk songs of Liu Sanjie, the legendary “Song Fairy” and a cultural icon of the local Zhuang culture, with a contemporary flair, bridging heritage and modernity.

    The “Sanyuesan” festival is the perfect platform for this cultural fusion. Held annually on the third day of the third lunar month, this beloved event, which falls on March 31 this year, is set to transform the region into a kaleidoscope of music, dance, and tradition, drawing together China’s rich array of ethnic groups.

    The pupils, in the distinctly colored costumes of the Zhuang, Han, Yao, and Hui ethnic groups, turned the campus into a lively parade of Guangxi’s rich cultural tapestry.

    “Throwing red embroidered balls is a ‘Sanyuesan’ tradition,” explained Sherry Zeng, the principal of the kindergarten. “Historically thrown as tokens of affection, here they remind the children of the culture of the place they live.”

    In the midst of this festive ambiance, Huang and Tucker collaborated to breathe new life into Liu Sanjie’s songs.

    “Try this: ‘Follow me all the way. On both banks of the river, we are singing along,’” suggested Huang with a tone that was patient yet firm.

    With a Ukulele slung casually over his shoulder, Tucker adjusted the rhythm and responded. “How about this? I put a little western spin onto it.”

    Their partnership was a seamless blend of tradition and innovation as Huang’s profound knowledge of Zhuang culture and Liu Sanjie’s legacy guided Tucker’s contemporary musical flair.

    The session crescendoed as the kindergarten students joined in. Clad in colorful attires, the children were joining Huang and Tucker in a joyful chorus: “By the mountains, under the stars, we sing as one,” accompanied by Tucker’s Ukulele and the melodies they have known since infancy.

    Their voices resonated with a cultural essence at the heart of the “Sanyuesan” festival.

    “It’s about giving them a sense of pride,” said Huang as he gazed with avuncular jocularity at the engaged faces of the children. “They’re the future of this culture.”

    For these young voices, each a small part of Guangxi’s ethnic mosaic, the experience is both a celebration and a lesson in heritage, said Zeng.

    Liu Sanjie is more than just a figure of the distant past. Her legend, tracing back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907), tells of a young woman who taps into the wellspring of music to face down oppression, earning her a place as an immortal symbol of freedom among Zhuang ethnic group.

    During “Sanyuesan,” her songs, steeped in romance and reverence for Guangxi’s breathtaking landscapes, echo across the festival, threading tradition through the pulsating festivities.

    Huang’s ambitious project to translate these melodies into English is no small feat.

    “It’s particularly demanding to preserve the thematic and poetic integrity of the originals while making them easily accessible to those who don’t even speak a word of Mandarin,” said Huang.

    Yet, his efforts are paying off, as Liu Sanjie’s voice begins to echo far beyond her native mountains with the publication of “Liu Sanjie and her free mountain songs” in 2021, which renders the scripts of Liu Sanjie opera and other popular Liu Sanjie’s ballads into modern English with singable lyrics and musical notation.

    Australian writer Mark Tredinnick wrote in the preface to a book of Liu’s folk tunes that Huang translated, he wrote of allowing one to “hear the heartbeat of the earth — how the earth loves us and how it would be loved in return.”

    This kindergarten event was a microcosm of “Sanyuesan” and Huang’s broader vision: to bridge Guangxi’s ethnic heritage with international appreciation.

    As the session ended, the children’s cheers mingled with the fading notes of Ukulele, a triumph taking root within the campus walls, according to Huang.

    “It brings people together,” said Huang. “Through these songs, we’re not just preserving our past, we’re inviting others to join us. That’s what culture is all about.”

    “This kind of cross-language exchange is super fun and important,” said Tucker. “It helps introduce the authentic Zhuang culture to new audiences like me and other expats, and hints at its potential to go global.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: New Podcast – Queerying Archaeology podcast available now – Heritage NZ

    Source: Heritage New Zealand

    A new episode of Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga’s Aotearoa Unearthed series of podcasts looking at archaeology in New Zealand is now available to download.
    Entitled Queerying Archaeology, podcast host Dr Rosemary Baird talks with the organisation’s Policy Team Archaeologist Victoria Trow, about how taking a queer feminist approach to archaeology can open up new worlds of understanding.
    Viewing archaeology through a queer lens can provide new interpretations of gendered labour, for example, while also highlighting archaeologists’ subjectivity and increasing our awareness of the diversity of past human experiences.
    “It’s important for people today to be connected to, and aware of, this diversity of experiences. I’m really passionate about archaeological research that highlights marginalised identities and groups,” says Victoria.
    “My interest is really fuelled by my own identity and experiences. Gender, biological sex, and sexuality has always been of interest to me as a queer and non-binary person, and so of course I’m also drawn to archaeological research and theory that centres on these topics.”
    Victoria’s work in the social justice sector before pursuing archaeological studies – including as a Support Manager at RainbowYOUTH and a volunteer and Board member for OutLine – gave her an appreciation for how important it is for people today to be connected to the diversity of human experience.
    Archaeology is an inherently subjective field according to Victoria, with people who excavate sites and interpret them becoming part of the production of archaeological knowledge.
    “What that means is that we can expect different people from different time periods will construct knowledge differently and pursue different lines of inquiry. We can embrace this subjectivity by having archaeologists with different perspectives – and from different communities – revisiting archaeological sites and artefacts with fresh eyes,” she says.
    “While the discipline of archaeology has excluded many in the past, it benefits
    so much today from the growing number of indigenous people, rainbow people, disabled people, neurodiverse people, women, and people of colour in the field.”
    Challenging and revising assumptions about gender is a key factor of queer and feminist archaeology, and although it is a comparatively new perspective, it is already shaping understanding and approaches to archaeology according to Victoria.
    “I feel that every archaeologist practices gender archaeology whenever they’re making claims or assumptions on past gender. For example, whenever the material remains of certain activities – like tool making, hunting, foraging, making pottery or cooking for example – are interpreted as activities of men or women or both, we’re dealing with gender,” she says.
    “I think you can argue that when any archaeologist doesn’t take it as a given that stone tools they’ve found were made and used by men – and that the archaeological remains of cooking are evidencing the activities of women – they’re opposing normative assumptions and binary thinking about the past, and that’s what queer archaeology aims to do.”
    This latest podcast edition is yet another example of how Pouhere Taonga is embracing diversity in heritage work. By amplifying diverse voices in archaeology, the podcast continues their commitment to fostering fresh perspectives and more inclusive narratives about Aotearoa New Zealand’s past.
    A leading example of this commitment is the Rainbow List project, which highlights heritage places of significance to the nation’s LGBTQIA+ communities. Just as the Rainbow List ensures a broader recognition of historically overlooked stories, this podcast episode challenges traditional interpretations of archaeological sites and artefacts, opening the door to richer, more representative histories.
    Queerying Archaeology, part of the Aotearoa Unearthed series, is available to download now. (Warning: podcast includes discussion of kōiwi and human remains.)
    Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga
    ABOUT HERITAGE NEW ZEALAND POUHERE TAONGA
    Tairangahia a tua whakarere; Tātakihia ngā reanga o āmuri ake nei | Honouring the past; Inspiring the future.
    Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga is the leading national historic heritage agency for Aotearoa New Zealand, operating as an autonomous Crown Entity. Our mission is to identify, protect, and promote heritage – Kia mōhiotia atu, kia tiakina, kia hāpaingia ā tātau taonga tuku iho.
    We actively engage with communities, foster partnerships, and provide valuable resources to support those who are passionate about exploring, learning, and connecting with our rich cultural heritage. For more information, please visit our website at www.heritage.org.nz
    ABOUT ARCHAEOLOGY
    In Aotearoa New Zealand an archaeological site is designated as a location associated with human activity before 1900, which can provide historical information through archaeological investigation. Pouhere Taonga manages the applications for archaeology in Aotearoa, making sure artefacts are found, recorded and preserved during construction and earthworks. They also advise on managing discoveries and help protect important sites, working with relevant iwi and Manatū Taonga on historical objects and sites that are important to Māori

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC Severe Thunderstorm Watch 79

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

    Note:  The expiration time in the watch graphic is amended if the watch is replaced, cancelled or extended.Note: Click for Watch Status Reports.
    SEL9

    URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
    Severe Thunderstorm Watch Number 79
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    1010 PM EDT Sun Mar 30 2025

    The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

    * Severe Thunderstorm Watch for portions of
    Eastern Ohio
    Far Southwestern Pennsylvania
    Northwestern West Virginia

    * Effective this Sunday night and Monday morning from 1010 PM
    until 300 AM EDT.

    * Primary threats include…
    Scattered damaging wind gusts to 70 mph likely
    Isolated large hail events to 1 inch in diameter possible
    A tornado or two possible

    SUMMARY…Ongoing convective line is expected to continue quickly
    eastward over the next few hours. Some strong to occasionally severe
    gusts are possible within this line.

    The severe thunderstorm watch area is approximately along and 60
    statute miles east and west of a line from 30 miles north of Akron
    OH to 25 miles south southwest of Parkersburg WV. For a complete
    depiction of the watch see the associated watch outline update
    (WOUS64 KWNS WOU9).

    PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

    REMEMBER…A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are
    favorable for severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area.
    Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening
    weather conditions and listen for later statements and possible
    warnings. Severe thunderstorms can and occasionally do produce
    tornadoes.

    &&

    OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 72…WW 74…WW 76…WW
    77…WW 78…

    AVIATION…A few severe thunderstorms with hail surface and aloft to
    1 inch. Extreme turbulence and surface wind gusts to 60 knots. A few
    cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 500. Mean storm motion vector
    26045.

    …Mosier

    Note: The Aviation Watch (SAW) product is an approximation to the watch area. The actual watch is depicted by the shaded areas.
    SAW9
    WW 79 SEVERE TSTM OH PA WV 310210Z – 310700Z
    AXIS..60 STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST OF LINE..
    30N CAK/AKRON OH/ – 25SSW PKB/PARKERSBURG WV/
    ..AVIATION COORDS.. 50NM E/W /19ESE CLE – 25NE HNN/
    HAIL SURFACE AND ALOFT..1 INCH. WIND GUSTS..60 KNOTS.
    MAX TOPS TO 500. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 26045.

    LAT…LON 41358026 39008049 39008273 41358259

    THIS IS AN APPROXIMATION TO THE WATCH AREA. FOR A
    COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE WOUS64 KWNS
    FOR WOU9.

    Watch 79 Status Report Message has not been issued yet.

    Note:  Click for Complete Product Text.Tornadoes

    Probability of 2 or more tornadoes

    Low (20%)

    Probability of 1 or more strong (EF2-EF5) tornadoes

    Low (5%)

    Wind

    Probability of 10 or more severe wind events

    Mod (60%)

    Probability of 1 or more wind events > 65 knots

    Low (10%)

    Hail

    Probability of 10 or more severe hail events

    Low (20%)

    Probability of 1 or more hailstones > 2 inches

    Low (10%)

    Combined Severe Hail/Wind

    Probability of 6 or more combined severe hail/wind events

    High (80%)

    For each watch, probabilities for particular events inside the watch (listed above in each table) are determined by the issuing forecaster. The “Low” category contains probability values ranging from less than 2% to 20% (EF2-EF5 tornadoes), less than 5% to 20% (all other probabilities), “Moderate” from 30% to 60%, and “High” from 70% to greater than 95%. High values are bolded and lighter in color to provide awareness of an increased threat for a particular event.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Is your practice ready for fringe benefits tax time?

    Source:

    It’s time to prepare your practice for fringe benefits tax (FBT) lodgments.

    Request an FBT client list through Practice mail in Online services for agents, to check your clients are listed and who needs to lodge.

    Add new clients to your FBT client list by 21 May 2025 to ensure they are covered by your lodgment program.

    The due date to both lodge and pay is:

    • 25 June 2025 if you lodge their FBT return electronically through the practitioner lodgment service (PLS)
    • 21 May 2025 if you lodge their FBT return by paper.

    If your clients don’t need to lodge an FBT return, notify us by submitting the FBT non-lodgment advice form. We recommend you submit the form as early as possible as processing may take up to 28 days around peak lodgment dates.

    We have a range of information that you can share with your clients to help them understand their obligations and how FBT works.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: $name

    Source:

    We’re seeing mistakes by agents when clients have sold capital gains tax assets such as property.

    Foreign resident capital gains withholding

    Let your clients know that having a Foreign resident capital gains withholding (FRCGW) clearance certificate doesn’t mean they don’t have any further CGT obligations. If they’ve sold property, they still need to include capital gains, losses or an exemption or rollover code in their tax return.

    If an amount of FRCGW was withheld from the property sale:

    • your clients need to advise you and provide the FRCGW payment confirmation from the purchaser
    • for the withheld amount to be credited in their return, include it in the CGT section at ‘Foreign resident capital gains withholding’ (Label 18 X).

    Don’t report the Foreign income tax offset (FITO) at the FRCGW question. Report it at Foreign source income (Label 20 O).

    Main residence exemption and rollovers

    For property sales resulting in a CGT obligation, as well as including any capital gain or loss, remember to report the main residence exemption if your clients are eligible.

    If your client is:

    • eligible for a main residence exemption due to the 6-year rule and is electing to use it for a full or partial exemption, select the main residence exemption code at the exemption and rollovers question in the CGT section
    • eligible for a partial exemption due to their home being on more than 2 hectares of land, select the main residence exemption code in the exemptions and rollover question
    • a foreign resident, they must meet the life events test to be eligible for the main residence exemption, otherwise they’re not eligible.

    For more scenarios around main residence exemption, refer to the Capital gains tax and main residence exemption fact sheet in the Investors toolkit.

    Tips

    Remember to:

    • check the pre-fill information available in online services for agents (OSFA) reports for disposals of capital gains assets, including property, shares and crypto
    • have a conversation with your clients; even if there’s no pre-fill information, ask if they have disposed of any CGT assets, in particular investment properties.

    For help completing CGT in your clients’ tax returns, see CGT 2024 – Instructions for completing tax returns.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Australia – Fairness and the rule of law must underpin election commitments – Law Council

    Source: Law Council of Australia

    As parties and individuals seeking election finalise the policies they will take to the people in the lead up to the Federal polls, the Law Council of Australia is calling on them to prioritise protection of the rule of law, promote the administration of justice, support the exercise of rights under the law and commit to the principles of good law making.

    “Today we release our 2025 Federal Election Call to Parties. We wholeheartedly believe the recommendations made in this document can make Australia a fairer and more just society,” Law Council of Australia President, Juliana Warner said.
     
    “The Law Council is seeking a commitment from candidates to improve access to justice for all Australians by providing vital, and long overdue, funding for legal assistance services. These services are relied upon by Australians to help to resolve family law disputes, remove themselves from harm, enforce their employment rights, defend themselves against charges, or make sure they have a roof over their head.
     
    “The Law Council is particularly calling on those seeking election to establish a financially sustainable model of grants of legal aid to private practitioners, including Independent Children’s Lawyers, to ensure they can continue to deliver high-quality legal assistance services across Australia.
     
    “Around 72 per cent of legal aid approved matters – more than 100,000 cases – are provided by private practitioners, the majority of whom are working in very small businesses. But these lawyers and small businesses are at breaking point, and many are considering walking away from legal aid work unless rates are raised to more sustainable levels.  
     
    “The level of unmet legal need continues to rise as a result of funding failures. Sadly, those most harmed by these failures are the most vulnerable members of our community, including children, First Nations people, people with disability and older Australians.
     
    “In particular, people living in rural, regional and remote parts of Australia can find it difficult to access a lawyer when they need one. To assist with this growing crisis, the Law Council is proposing a HELP debt relief incentive that we believe can help bring more lawyers to where they are needed.”
     
    The Law Council’s Call to Parties offers considered proposals on a range of other challenges facing Australia today.
     
    “Our next Government must adopt an approach to criminal justice reform that is evidence-based and consistent with the rule of law and Australia’s international human rights obligations,” Ms Warner said.
     
    “This should include national leadership on child justice in line with the recommendations of the National Children’s Commissioner; raising the minimum age of criminal responsibility at the federal level to 14 years; repealing all Commonwealth provisions imposing mandatory minimum periods of imprisonment; and in line with the recent Budget commitment, the establishment of a Commonwealth Parole Board.
     
    “The Law Council is also seeking a commitment to ensuring that our laws are operating as intended – supported by appropriately resourced services – when it comes to protecting and supporting those experiencing family violence.
     
    “The responses we are seeking also include the establishment of a Federal Judicial Commission, further privacy reforms, careful improvements to the regulation of artificial intelligence technology, and the introduction of a federal Human Rights Act.
     
    “Each of the reform measures we are calling for must be underpinned by a commitment to proper consultation with relevant stakeholders.
       
    “Good lawmaking depends on robust and transparent consultation processes. The Law Council is concerned that legislative reform processes are increasingly rushed and lack transparency or public scrutiny. This impacts the efficacy, accuracy and appropriateness of potential reforms. It also undermines the participation of civil society and may erode democratic culture and decision making.
     
    “The Law Council will be asking parties and independent candidates for formal responses to each of the recommendations contained in its Call to Parties, which we will share with the profession and public.”

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Community consultation now open for Girrawheen Hub Precinct redevelopment

    Source: South Australia Police

    The Girrawheen Hub Precinct redevelopment continues to take shape, with community feedback now being sought on the concept design.

    Identified as a priority project by Council last year, the Girrawheen Hub Precinct forms part of the City’s ‘Putting Community First’ advocacy campaign, which aims to secure support from all levels of government to deliver vital community infrastructure.

    The single-storey concept design incorporates the existing hub, senior citizens centre, library, community centre and community garden functions, and provides greater accessibility across the facility and improved flow between indoor and outdoor spaces.

    The redevelopment will also provide increased floor space for external service providers based at the hub, more car parking, expanded parklands and a new outdoor event space.

    Mayor Linda Aitken said the innovative concept design would deliver a more accessible and inviting community facility for residents of Girrawheen and surrounds.

    “Redeveloping the Girrawheen Hub Precinct will give our community a more welcoming and convenient place to connect with one another, and to access important services closer to their homes,” she said.

    “This consultation will help ensure the hub will meet the needs and aspirations of the community.”

    Community consultation is open from 31 March to 12 May 2025, and findings from the consultation will be presented in a report to Council.

    Construction of the redeveloped hub is scheduled to begin in January 2026 and expected to take approximately 15 months to complete.

    The City will work closely with affected hub hirers and tenants to minimise disruption while we work to build a better Girrawheen Hub precinct for everyone.

    For more information on the Girrawheen Hub Precinct redevelopment project, visit yoursay.wanneroo.wa.gov.au.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Parent Portal coming to ACT public schools

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    It is planned that all ACT public schools will have access to Parent Portal in a gradual rollout by term 2, 2024.

    A new parent portal will be rolled out across all ACT public schools this year, making it easier for parents and carers to engage with their school.

    Parent Portal is a secure online platform for sharing student information between schools and parents and carers.

    Key information – spanning preschool to year 12 – will be housed on the one system.

    The portal has capacity for parents and carers to:

    • notify their school if their child is sick
    • book parent-teacher interviews
    • receive their child’s academic reports (including past reports)
    • receive their school newsletter
    • receive messages from their child’s teachers
    • see their child’s student timetable
    • get daily notices of school activities
    • update contact details
    • make payments.

    The introduction of the portal will be phased. At first it will complement existing school communication channels. Eventually it will be the key online communication tool used by all ACT public schools.

    In term 4 2023, the portal was successfully rolled out at nine northside schools in a pilot program.

    More than 2000 parents at these schools are already using Parent Portal.

    Parents and carers with children across multiple schools will not need to sign up to the system twice.

    They can easily add a student to their account once those schools have access to Parent Portal.

    It is planned that all ACT public schools will have access to Parent Portal in a gradual rollout by term 2, 2024.

    “Council’s P&C delegates were really impressed to see a recent demonstration of the Parent Portal, and its capabilities. Parents are looking forward to the roll-out of the portal to their local schools, it will make it easier for them to keep track of what’s happening, from explaining absences, excursions and making payments. Parents will be cheering to not have to dig through school bags for lost notes,” said Executive Officer ACT Council of Parents & Citizens Associations Veronica Elliott.

    As Parent Portal becomes available at each school, information will be provided to explain the benefits and how families can access the platform.

    School front office staff can assist parents and carers who can’t access the online tool, or who may need assistance.

    For more information on beginning the sign-up process, visit the ACT Education Directorate website: https://www.education.act.gov.au/public-school-life/parent-portal.

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    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Next phase of Canberra Hospital Master Plan underway

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Upcoming building demolition will make way for new a facility for pathology and other clinical services. 

    The Canberra Hospital Master Plan will reach a new phase with demolition work beginning on Building 23.

    The demolition of Building 23 and the adjacent Building 6 will make way for a new state-of-the art facility for pathology and other clinical services.

    The next step in delivering a modern, accessible Canberra Hospital campus, it is also an early priority of the Canberra Hospital Master Plan.

    It is also just one of many significant changes taking place at the hospital.

    The hospital’s new Critical Services Building will open later this year, featuring a new emergency department and additional operating rooms, treatment spaces and intensive care beds.

    The hospital is also home to the recently completed expansion of the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children, and a new Cancer Research Centre to be completed in late 2024.

    Multiplex will undertake the demolition work for Building 23 and will then progress to the demolition of Building 6.

    Demolition work is expected to take several months and is projected to be completed in quarter three of 2024.

    The Canberra Hospital Master Plan will continue to transform the campus over the next 20 years.

    Planning work for Canberra’s new northside hospital and more community-based health centres also continue.

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    MIL OSI News –