Category: Australia

MIL-Evening Report: Australia’s embrace of independent political candidates shows there’s no such thing as a safe seat

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joshua Black, Visitor, School of History, Australian National University

At the last federal election, Australia elected the largest lower house crossbench in its post-war federal history.

In addition to four Greens MPs, Rebekah Sharkie from the Centre Alliance and Bob Katter (with his own micro-party), there were ten independent MPs, seven of them new to parliament. These MPs have the freedom and flexibility to vote on every piece of legislation without having to adhere to any party-room pledge.

Micro-parties and independents also fared well in the Senate in 2022, thanks in part to the fact that we use proportional representation to elect our senators. In a half-Senate election with 40 vacancies, six went to the Greens, one to Independent ACT candidate David Pocock, one to United Australia Party Senator Ralph Babet and one to Pauline Hanson in Queensland.

Defections during the 47th parliament grew the crossbench even further. Five former Coalition MPs and Senators have moved to the crossbench, one over allegations of sexual harassment, one over the Voice to Parliament referendum and three over bruising preselection defeats.

Senator Fatima Payman defected from the Labor Party last year, citing problems with the party’s stance on Palestine, and has now set up the Australia’s Voice party.

Getting elected

Independents hardly enjoy a level playing field in federal elections. Brian Costar and Jennifer Curtin pointed out in their book, Rebels with a Cause, that independent candidates lack equal access to the electoral roll, do not initially benefit from the public funding that flows consistently to the major parties, and cannot be listed above the line on the Senate ballot paper unless they form a group or party.

Unless they are party defectors with a seat in parliament already, independent candidates also lack the advantages of incumbency. Previous research from the Australia Institute has shown the dollar value of an incumbent MP’s entitlements (in terms of their salary and those of staff, printing and travel allowances, public exposure), is about $2.9 million per term.

Once elected, though, Independents have shown the major parties that they can be very hard to beat. Helen Haines and her predecessor as Member for Indi, Cathy McGowan, have won four consecutive elections between them. Zali Steggall, who famously beat former prime minister Tony Abbott in the electorate of Warringah in 2019, has been re-elected once, and the people of metropolitan Hobart have returned former public servant and whistleblower Andrew Wilkie to Canberra five times in a row.

No safe seats

Political parties and journalists have conventionally treated certain seats as “safe” (if the winning party’s vote two-party preferred margin was 60% or higher), others as “fairly safe” (if the winning party’s 2PP margin was between 56% and 60%) and others as “marginal” (those won by less than 56% at the previous election).

But the days of safe and marginal seats are over. These terms belong to an age of two-party contests and more predictable preference flows. As Bill Browne and Richard Denniss of the Australia Institute have pointed out, the major party vote share has now “crossed a threshold” below which the idea of “safe seats” becomes redundant.

Independent candidates can win with a relatively low share of the primary vote. In 2022, community independent Kylea Tink won the electorate of North Sydney with 25% of the primary vote, having ranked favourably, but not first, on many voters’ ballots.

Holding on?

Several contests involving current crossbenchers may prove nationally influential in the event of a hung parliament. Tink, whose electorate has been abolished in a routine redistribution, will not be among the incumbents hoping to hold their seat.

The Liberal Party, by some accounts, perceives the Perth seat of Curtin, won by community independent Kate Chaney in 2022, as an important litmus test for the future. January saw a “surge in volunteers and donations” for Liberal candidate Tom White’s campaign, according to media reports.

Elsewhere, the Liberals are attempting to meet incumbent community independents with candidates that more closely resemble them. The Liberal candidate for Warringah, Jaimee Rogers, is, like the sitting member Zali Steggall, a former athlete with a public profile. Wentworth candidate Ro Knox, a former Deloitte consultant, will run against Allegra Spender, whose own pitch for re-election has emphasised tax reform and productivity.

In Victoria, Monique Ryan, who won the seat of Kooyong from then-treasurer Josh Frydenberg, will this time face Amelia Hamer, a local woman, professional and grand-niece of former Victorian premier Rupert Hamer.

There are exceptions to that pattern. Former RSL President James Brown was preselected as the Liberal candidate for Mackellar, currently held by community independent Sophie Scamps. And in Goldstein, there will be a rerun of the previous contest between community independent Zoe Daniel and her Liberal predecessor Tim Wilson.

At least three of the major party defectors in both houses are hoping to keep their seats, too. Gerard Rennick, formerly a Coalition senator who was denied a winnable spot on the Liberal National Party ticket, has registered the Gerard Rennick People First Party ahead of his bid for re-election this year. Rennick has pointed out that this will get his name “above the line” on the Senate ballot paper.

Former Liberals Ian Goodenough and Russell Broadbent have both indicated they will run as independents to defend their seats – Moore and Monash respectively – from their erstwhile colleagues.

Room for growth?

Despite the watershed result in 2022, the crossbench may grow yet. Fundraising group Climate 200 is reported to be backing up to 35 candidates across the country, and an army of volunteers has already begun to mobilise in support.

Health professional Carolyn Heise will hope that, with the support of the new campaign fundraiser the Regional Voices Fund, her second campaign in the regional electorate of Cowper may land her in parliament alongside Indi MP Helen Haines.

The retirement of shadow minister Paul Fletcher as member for Bradfield in inner-Sydney makes for a particularly interesting contest in that electorate. Gisele Kapterian, who won Liberal preselection against Warren Mundine, will campaign against community independent Nicolette Boele, who would need a swing of only 5% in her favour to win on her second attempt.

In Victoria’s western district, community independent Alex Dyson will attempt for the third time to win the seat of Wannon from shadow immigration minister Dan Tehan. Dyson came close in 2022 and would need only a 4% swing (two-candidate preferred) to win this time.

In 2022, community groups supported independent candidate Penny Ackery in her campaign against then-minister and now shadow treasurer Angus Taylor. The two-candidate preferred vote left the seat “relatively safe” (in old terms), but declining support for the Coalition saw the state electorate of Wollondilly (within Hume’s borders) elect community independent Judy Hannan in a “surprise win” at the 2023 state election.

There is plenty of potential for surprise victories and shock defeats at the forthcoming election. Community independents are running in at least four Labor-held seats. What should surprise nobody is that every vote in every seat will count on election day.

Joshua Black is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Australia Institute.

– ref. Australia’s embrace of independent political candidates shows there’s no such thing as a safe seat – https://theconversation.com/australias-embrace-of-independent-political-candidates-shows-theres-no-such-thing-as-a-safe-seat-250751

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

March 28, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Australians almost never vote out a first-term government. So why is this year’s election looking so tight?

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Pandanus Petter, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, School of Politics and International Relations, Australian National University

Now that an election has been called, Australian voters will go to the polls on May 3 to decide the fate of the first-term, centre-left Australian Labor Party government led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

In Australia, national elections are held every three years. The official campaign period only lasts for around a month.

This time around, Albanese will be seeking to hold onto power after breaking Labor’s nine-year dry spell by beating the more right-leaning Liberal Party, led by Scott Morrison, in 2022.

Now, he’s up against the Liberals’ new leader, a conservative with a tough guy image, Peter Dutton. It’s looking like a tight race.

So how do elections work in Australia, who’s contesting for the top spot and why is the race looking so close?

For Albanese, the honeymoon is over

Albanese was brought into power in 2022 on the back of dissatisfaction with the long-term and scandal-prone Liberal-National Coalition government.

At the time, he was considered personally more competent, warm and sensible than Morrison.

Unfortunately for Albanese, the dissatisfaction and stress about the cost of living hasn’t gone away.

Governments in Australia almost always win a second term. However, initially high levels of public support have dissipated over the first term. Opinion polls are pointing to a close election, though Albanese’s approval ratings have had a boost in recent weeks.

At the heart of what makes this such a tight contest are issues shared by many established democracies: the public’s persistent sense of economic hardship in the post-pandemic period and longer-term dissatisfaction with “politics as usual”, combined with an increased focus on party leaders.

Around the world, incumbents have faced challenges holding onto power over the past year, with voters sweeping out the Conservatives in the United Kingdom and the Democrats in the United States.

Australia has faced some similar economic challenges, such as relatively high inflation and cost-of-living problems.

Likewise, Australia – like many other established democracies – has long-term trends of dissatisfaction with major parties and the political system itself.

However, this distaste with “business as usual” manifests differently in Australia from comparable countries such the UK and US.

Australia’s voting system

In Australia, voting is compulsory, and those who fail to turn out face a small fine. Some observers have argued this pushes parties to try to persuade “swing” voters with more moderate policies, rather than rely on their faithful “bases” and court those with more extreme views who are more likely to vote.

In the UK, by comparison, widespread public distaste with the Conservatives, combined with low turnout and first-past-the-post voting, delivered Keir Steirmer’s Labour Party a dramatic victory. This was despite a limited uptick in support.

And in the US, turnout in the 2024 election was only about 64%. Donald Trump and the Republicans swept to power last year by channelling a deep anti-establishment sentiment among those people who voted.

And the country is now so polarised, that the more strongly identifying Democrat and Republican voters who do turn out to vote can’t see eye to eye on highly emotionally charged issues which dominate the parties’ platforms. Independent voters are left without “centrist” options.

Because Australia’s voting system is different, Dutton is unlikely to follow Trump’s far-right positioning too closely, despite dabbling in the “anti-woke” culture wars.

It also explains why Albanese’s personal style is usually quite mild-mannered and why he’s unlikely to present himself as a radical reformer.

However, neither man’s approach has made them wildly popular with the public. This means neither can rely on their own popularity to win over the public.

Another factor making Australia distinct is that voters rank their choices, with their vote flowing to their second choice if their first choice doesn’t achieve a majority. This means many races in the 150-seat lower house of parliament are won from second place.

Similarly, seats in the Senate (Australia’s second chamber, with the power to amend or block legislation) are won based on the proportion of votes a party receives in each state or territory. This gives minor parties and independents a better chance at winning seats compared to the lower house.

This means dissatisfaction with the major parties has in recent years created space for minor parties and a new crop of well-organised independents to get elected and influence policy. In 2022, around one-third of voters helped independents and minor parties take seats off both the Liberals and Labor in the inner cities.

To win government, Dutton will need to get them back, or take more volatile outer-suburban seats off Labor.

The big policy concerns

Against this backdrop, Australian voters both in 2022 and today have a fairly consistent set of policy concerns. And while parties want to be seen addressing them, their messaging isn’t always heard.

The 2022 Australian Election Study, run by Australian political researchers, revealed that pessimism about the economy and concerns about the cost of living were front of mind when Australians voted out the Liberal-National Coalition government last federal election.

This time around, one might think some relative improvement in economic factors like unemployment and cuts to interest rates would put a spring in the prime minister’s step.

However, the public is still very concerned about the day-to-day cost-of-living pressures and practical issues such as access to health care.

The government’s policy efforts in this direction – for example, tax cuts and subsidies for power bills – have so far not strongly cut through.

What have the major parties promised?

Comparing the parties’ platforms, Labor is firmly focused on economic and government service issues to support people in the short term.

Although expected to announce the election earlier, Albanese was handed the opportunity of delivering an extra budget by a tropical storm in early March. This included spending promises foreshadowed earlier, as well as a new modest tax cut as an election sweetener.

In the longer term, Labor has promised significant incentives to improve access to free doctor’s visits and focused on investments in women’s health, as well as technological infrastructure.

Labor is also encouraging more people to fill skill shortages through vocational education and promising to make the transition to renewable energy, while simultaneously supporting local manufacturing.

The Coalition, for its part, has been critical of these long-term goals and promised to repeal the newly legislated tax cuts in favour of subsidies for petrol. It has focused its message on reduced government spending, while strategically mirroring promises on health to avoid Labor attacks on that front.

Dutton has also proposed cuts to migration to reduce housing pressures and a controversial plan to build nuclear power plants at the expense of renewables.

Will these differences in long-term plans cut through? Or are people focused on short-term, hip-pocket concerns?

This election, whatever the result, will not represent a long-term shifting of loyalties, but rather a precarious compact with distrustful voters looking for relief in uncertain times.

Pandanus Petter is employed at the Australian National University with funding from the Australian Research Council.

– ref. Australians almost never vote out a first-term government. So why is this year’s election looking so tight? – https://theconversation.com/australians-almost-never-vote-out-a-first-term-government-so-why-is-this-years-election-looking-so-tight-250249

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

March 28, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: View from The Hill: uninspiring leaders, stressed voters and the shadow of Trump make for an uncertain contest

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

The usual story for a first-term government is a loss of seats, as voters send it a message, but ultimate survival.

It can be a close call. John Howard risked all in 1998 with his GST, and almost lost office, despite having a big majority.

But you have to go back to 1931 to find a first-term government thrown out.

So, going into this campaign, Anthony Albanese has the weight of history on his side. But modern day politics is volatile, and the voters are cranky, which has in recent months given the opposition hope it could run the government close or even defy the odds.

Government and opposition start the formal campaign with the polls close on the two-party vote. In the past few weeks, the government has improved its position, arguably to be now in the lead. If the election were held today, Labor would probably win more seats than the Coalition, and form government.

But the margins are narrow. With the next parliament, like this one, expected to have a large crossbench, present polling is pointing towards a minority government as a likely outcome. Things can change during a campaign.

Albanese started the term with substantial public goodwill – although his majority was razor thin, and his 2022 election owed more to the unpopularity of then prime minister Scott Morrison than to any real enthusiasm for Labor.

If one had to point to the single biggest political mistake the prime minister made, it was his over-investment in the Voice referendum. Whatever one thinks of the proposal itself, Albanese let it distract from what was a growing-cost-of-living crisis. The referendum was probably always destined to fail, but Albanese and the “yes” side were also out-campaigned by the “no” forces, strongest among them opposition spokeswoman Jacinta Price.

Albanese never properly recovered from the Voice’s defeat.

Early in the term the government was complacent about its opponents, believing Peter Dutton was unelectable. Indeed, that was a widespread view, including among many on the conservative side of politics. It underestimated Dutton’s strategic and tactical skills, the changing nature of the electorate, and how deeply the cost-of-living crisis – with its dozen interest rate rises under Labor, on top of one under Morrison – would bite.

Suburbia up for grabs

What was once ALP heartland, outer suburbia, is now up for grabs. Many of the tradies have become conservatives, to whom Dutton’s blunt, black-and-white political pitch is not just acceptable but potentially attractive.

Labor’s appeal to working people in this campaign is that that the worst is over on the economy, with unemployment still low and real wages in (slightly) positive territory. The latest national accounts figures showed Australia’s per capita recession, which had lasted seven quarters, was over. The February interest rate fall has also been a plus for the government: it may not be a big vote changer but it has reinforced Labor’s argument that things are going in the right direction.

The question remains: will people buy the story of life getting better when they are still not back to where they were a few years ago, and continue to feel under the financial pump?

This week’s budget and Dutton’s reply have homed in on cost of living. The government has come up with modest tax cuts, starting mid next year. These were legislated in a rush before parliament rose, so the Coalition was forced into saying it would repeal them. Dutton countered by promising an immediate cut to the excise on petrol and diesel. The opposition leader also used his budget reply to open another front in the battle over the energy transition, with the promise of a gas reservation scheme.

In the past month or two, there has been some change in the political atmosphere. Dutton’s momentum seemed to have stalled. The tight internal disciple he had maintained frayed somewhat, with messages over some policy and internal fears Dutton had left policy announcements too late.

Will voters think they don’t know enough about Peter Dutton?

The risk for Dutton is that people will fear they’re buying a pig in a poke. He has run a small target strategy; leaders (Howard in 1996, Abbott in 2013) have won on these before.

But if Dutton’s policy offerings in the campaign fall short, or his policy doesn’t stand up to the forensic scrutiny that comes in a campaign, he is likely to stall. So far, Dutton has established himself as a strong negative campaigner but he has yet to come through as a positive alternative prime minister.

His signing up to Labor’s $8.5 billion bulk-billing initiative was an example of a short-term tactic to neutralise an issue that raised questions about the Coalition’s inability to produce its own health blueprint.

The government will mobilise industrial relations against the Coalition, arguing Labor has delivered benefits to workers that a Coalition government would attack. This is risky for Dutton. His plans for slashing the public service, curbing working-from-home and removing the right to disconnect will fuel Labor’s negative campaigning, which will focus too on Dutton’s general plan to cut spending.

The Trump factor

A major unknown is what impact overseas events will have on this election. There has been a general swing to the right internationally. But the Trump factor has become a danger for Dutton.

His opponents seek cast Dutton as Trump-lite. The opposition leader is a critic of Trump on Ukraine, and he’s aware Trumpism is now politically scary for many voters. Nevertheless, Dutton’s pre-occupation with the size of the public service and his emphasis on cuts (without giving detail) will, to some voters, sound like echoes (albeit faint) of Trump. Labor claims its focus groups show people have been increasingly seeing Dutton as Trumpist.

Trump this week announced tariffs on foreign cars (not a worry to Australia, which doesn’t make any anymore). Next week he’ll announced the next stage in his tariff policy. This will feed into the election campaign. The extent it does will depend on whether Australia is directly hit. The government is busy with intense last-minute lobbying.

The cost of living is front and centre in the election, but the recent appearance of Chinese ships near Australia and their live-fire exercise has contributed to making national security and defence (especially how much we should be spending on it) issues as well, although second tier for most voters.

Major attention in this election will be on the performance of independents. Half a dozen so-called teals seized Liberal seats in 2022, and it would be very hard for the Coalition to obtain a majority without regaining some of them. The Melbourne seats of Kooyong and Goldstein will be especially closely watched. In New South Wales, one teal seat has already been lost through the redistribution.

The teals ran last time on climate change, integrity, and equity for women. This election, climate is less to the fore in the voters’ minds, while we now have an anti-corruption body, the National Anti-Corruption Commission. And there is no Scott Morrison, who was a lightning rod for the Liberals’ “women problem”. So in terms of issues, the teals have a harder case to make than before.

On the other hand, people remain deeply disillusioned with the major parties, and the teals have had plenty of time to dig into their seats. The general “community candidate” movement has strengthened and broadened. Whatever its precise composition, the new House of Representatives is expected to have a large crossbench.

In the event of a hung parliament, the crossbench will come into play. This means its potential members, especially the teals, will be under pressure during the campaign to indicate what factors they would take into account in deciding to whom to give confidence and supply. They are likely to keep their cards close to their chests.

The election will also test whether the hardline positions the Greens have taken, on local and foreign issues, have alienated or attracted voters. The Greens are at an historic high with four seats in the lower house. The three of those that are in Queensland will be on the line.

Given the closeness of the polls as the formal campaign starts, what happens in the coming five weeks, and notably the personal performances of Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton could be crucial to the outcome. This is not one of those elections where either side can be confident it has the result in the bag.

Michelle Grattan 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. View from The Hill: uninspiring leaders, stressed voters and the shadow of Trump make for an uncertain contest – https://theconversation.com/view-from-the-hill-uninspiring-leaders-stressed-voters-and-the-shadow-of-trump-make-for-an-uncertain-contest-250775

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

March 28, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Albanese calls May 3 election, with cost of living the central battleground

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

Australians will go to the polls on May 3 for an election squarely centred on the cost of living.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited Governor-General Sam Mostyn at Yarralumla first thing on Friday morning.

Later he told an 8am news conference at parliament house the election choice was “between Labor’s plan to keep building or Peter Dutton’s plan to cut.

“Only Labor has the plan to make you better off over the next three years,” he said. “Now is not the time for cutting and wrecking, punching down.”

Less than a week after the federal budget and following an earlier delay caused by Cyclone Alfred, the formal campaign starts with government and opposition neck and neck and minority government considered a real possibility.

But in recent days, the government has gained more momentum and Labor enters the campaign more confident than at the start of the year.

The aggregated January-March quarterly Newspoll had the Coalition leading Labor 51-49%, but Albanese leading Peter Dutton as preferred PM 45% to 40%. Polling only shows a snapshot of the present, and the campaign itself could be crucial to the election result.

This is the fourth consecutive election launched off the back of a budget, with both sides this week bidding for voters’ support with big handouts.

Labor pushed through legislation for its $17 billion tax cut, the first stage of which comes in mid next year. Opposition leader Peter Dutton in his budget reply promised a 12-month halving of excise on petrol and diesel and a gas reservation scheme.

Labor goes into the election with 78 seats in the lower house, and the Coalition with 57 (counting the seats of two recent Liberal defectors). The large crossbench includes four Greens and half a dozen “teals”.

With a majority being 76 seats in the new 150-seat parliament, the Coalition needs to win 19 seats for an outright majority. This would require a uniform swing of 5.3% (although swings are not uniform). A swing of less than 1% could take Labor into minority. The Coalition would need a swing of about 3.6% to end with more seats than the government. While all states are important if the result is close, Victoria and NSW are regarded as the crucial battlegrounds.

If the Coalition won, it would be the first time that a first-term government had been defeated since 1931, during the great depression.

Since the end of the second world war, while all first term governments have been reelected, each saw a two-party swing against them.

One challenge for Albanese is that he has only a tiny majority, providing little buffer against a swing.

The combined vote of the major parties will be something to watch, with the vote steadily declining from 85.47% of the vote just 19 years ago at the 2007 election, to only 68.28% at the 2022 election.

Labor won the last election with a two-party vote of
52.13% to the Coalition’s 47.87%.

As of December 31 2024, 17,939,818 Australians were enrolled to vote.

The start of the formal campaign follows a long “faux” campaign in which both leaders have been travelling the length and breadth of the country non-stop, with the government making a series of major spending announcement but the opposition holding back on policy.

Marginal seats based on the redistribution

Michelle Grattan 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. Albanese calls May 3 election, with cost of living the central battleground – https://theconversation.com/albanese-calls-may-3-election-with-cost-of-living-the-central-battleground-250774

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Submissions: Australia – Refugee, migrant communities missing out on gender violence support – study

Source: AMES

Emerging refugee and migrant communities in Australia are being left behind when it comes to resources to tackle the scourge of gender-based violence, a survey of community leaders has found.

A focus group of 30 community leaders in 21 key cohort migrant and refugee groups say their communities are not getting support to combat gender violence.

Half (50 per cent) of the community leaders surveyed said women in their communities did not have adequate access to access to information on gender violence, prevention campaigns, legal rights and early intervention strategies. Thirty per cent said women in their communities had access to just “a little” information.

Fifty-three per cent of leader said women in their communities did not have adequate access to gender violence survivor support services and 57 per cent said their communities had worse access to solutions to gender violence than the broader community.

When it came to finding refuge in the event of gender violence, 57 per cent of leader said women in the communities had no access and 10 per cent had “some” access, while 34 per cent said there was access or at least “some” access.

However, most (80 per cent) community leaders said informal support was available to gender violence survivors within their communities.

Talking about gender-based violence is also an issue for many dovers communities, the survey found with 47 per cent saying conversations were “difficult”. Thirty per cent said the conversations were “somewhat difficult,” 10 per cent said they were “somewhat easy” and 13 per cent said they were “easy”.

Most (53 per cent) community leaders said that gender-based violence was not becoming more prevalent but only 23 per cent said it was becoming less prevalent.

Asked to identify the drivers of gender-based violence, the community leaders identified fiver factors: Financial stress/poverty (63 per cent); Effects of displacement (47 per cent); Trauma/life experience (43 per cent); Male cultural dominance (37 per cent); Alcohol/substance abuse: (27 per cent).

The survey generated several recommendations, including a need for more in-language information for communities about how to access support and create agency in the prevention of gender violence as well as programs co-designed and led by multicultural communities themselves.

Also identified was the need for an holistic suite of interconnected interventions responsive to the cultural norms and practices of individual communities that listen to, and learning, from communities as to what works.

All of the participants said a ramp up community capacity building would result in communities being better placed to support their own members.

The survey comes after more almost $1 billion in extra funding for gender-based violence was announced in the 2024 federal budget.

Korean community leader and academic Hyein Ellen Cho said it was clear that mainstream programs to tackle gender-based violence were not reaching diverse communities.

“The survey results come as no surprise to me. I hear this all the time from the community but also in the research I do on migration and gender-based violence,” Ms Cho said.

“As a migrant woman myself, I work extensively with emerging communities. However, there is a serious disconnection between mainstream services and systems and migrant and refugee communities, particularly newly emerging ones.

“Although we are just starting to learn more about the issues within migrant and refugee communities, there is still a lack of understanding and commitment to the lived experiences of migrant and refugee communities. Often, we, as migrant and refugee communities, are lumped in together in policy and practice,” Ms Cho said.

Family violence survivor and Vietnamese community members Uyen Truong says more needs to be done to help communities combat gender-based violence.

“I was lucky. I received help from some wonderful people. But I know lots of people in my community and other communities struggle to find help when they become victims of family violence,” Uyen said.

“We need more resources and capacity in diverse communities to prevent family violence and also to support its victims and survivors,” she said.

General Manager of Education and Participation at migrant and refugee settlement agency AMES Australia Mirta Gonzalez said resources were not consistently or sufficiently getting to those actually doing the work with highly vulnerable CALD women and communities who fall between the cracks.

“Some things clearly are not working as intended, and this is not just the result of limited resources. It has more to do with the way in which we understand our society and consequently design and fund domestic and family violence response services and prevention initiatives,” Ms Gonzalez said.

“The reality that we live in an increasingly diverse society seems to still eludes us. And, despite a more evolved understanding of intersectionality, when it comes to planning services, we still hold on to the imaginary notion of a largely mono-cultural society with intractably complex diversity at its margins.

“At a practical level, this means that programs need to be co-designed and led by multicultural communities themselves.

“They should be dedicated and tailored programs – not just crumbs from mainstream programs; simply translating information sheets is not enough. We need a fundamentally different approach to supporting victims, because women from CALD communities fleeing violence often have nowhere to go or they face cultural barriers in wanting to leave situations of violence.

“This is a complex undertaking that requires a number of interconnected interventions; and requires listening to, and learning, from communities as to what works,” Ms Gonzalez said.

MIL OSI – Submitted News –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Happy job, happy life? Works both ways, new research shows
Source:
28 March 2025

A major new international study exploring the long-term relationship between job and life satisfaction shows that personal happiness is the major driver for a satisfying work life, not the other way around.

The finding, published in the Journal of Organizational Behavior, challenges conventional thinking that job satisfaction has a stronger influence on life satisfaction than vice versa, and provides crucial insights for employers about the importance of work-life balance.

Researchers from the US, Germany and South Australia analysed data from more than 160,000 people across multiple global studies, demonstrating how the intertwined paths of job and life satisfaction shift and shape each other over time.

The study found that individuals with higher life satisfaction were 32% more likely to experience increased job satisfaction over time. While job satisfaction does have a positive effect on future life satisfaction, it is comparatively weaker and diminishes over time.

First author Christopher Wiese, Assistant Psychology Professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology, says the study highlights the critical role of holistic wellbeing in professional performance and career fulfillment.

“Organisations that focus solely on job satisfaction initiatives may be missing a fundamental component of employee happiness,” he says.

“By prioritising overall wellbeing strategies – including mental health support, work-life balance initiatives, and personal development – organisations can foster a more engaged and satisfied workforce.”

Christian Dormann, Professor of Business Education & Management from Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Germany, and an Adjunct Research Professor at the University of South Australia, says that psychologists have long assumed that job satisfaction drives overall happiness.

“However, our research shows that the opposite is more powerful,” Prof Dormann says. “If employers truly want to enhance workplace satisfaction, they need to invest in employees’ broader wellbeing.”

“This study provides a compelling case for businesses to adopt a people-first approach. If employees are happy in their personal lives, they bring that positivity to work. It’s a cycle that organisations can help nurture.”

The researchers have made several recommendations based on the study findings:
- Implementing flexible work arrangements to support employees’ personal commitments
- Encouraging mental health and wellness programs to improve overall life satisfaction
- Providing opportunities for personal and professional growth that extend beyond job-related tasks
- Fostering a workplace culture that values employees’ lives outside of work
Notes for editors

“Happy Work, Happy Life? A Replication and Comparison of the Longitudinal Effects Between Job and Life Satisfaction Using Continuous Time Meta-Analysis” is published in the Journal of Organizational Behaviour. DOI: 10.1002/job.2861

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Media contact: Candy Gibson M: +61 434 605 142 E: candy.gibson@unisa.edu.au
Other articles you may be interested in

MIL OSI News –
March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Black Spot upgrades to be delivered at 162 sites

Source: Workplace Gender Equality Agency

A range of road safety upgrades will be implemented to address 162 dangerous sites on roads in Western Australia, Victoria and Queensland, with the Albanese Government committing over $85 million to fully fund upgrades under the 2025-26 Black Spots Program.

These 162 Black Spot projects will make an important contribution towards reducing serious injuries and deaths with safety improvements funded under this latest round of works to include roundabouts, traffic calming measures, upgraded lighting and safety barriers.

Throughout the project selection process, Black Spot Consultative Panels in each state have provided the opportunity for stakeholders to have their say to ensure nominations are of the highest priority and importance to the local community.

These panels are chaired by Senator Varun Ghosh, Lisa Chesters MP and Shayne Neumann MP in each of these states respectively, and include representatives from state road authorities, local government associations, automobile clubs and road safety action groups.

Funding for the Black Spots Program has substantially increased as part of the Albanese Government’s response to a worsening road toll, which also includes progressively doubling the Roads to Recovery funding from $500 million to $1 billion a year and delivering nationally aligned data sets to inform road safety decision making.

More information on the Black Spots Program, including prompts on how to nominate a black spot, can be found here. Full lists of projects in Western Australia, Victoria and Queensland can be accessed here.

Quotes attributable to Assistant Minister for Regional Development, Anthony Chisholm:

“This investment demonstrates the Albanese Government’s promise to building safer roads, reducing the crushing impacts of road trauma and supporting local jobs.

“We recently announced our significant boost to road safety funding, which included a commitment to increase annual Black Spots Program funding to $150 million from next year.

“Removing Black Spots across Australia’s road network forms a major part of our ongoing commitment to work with state and territory governments to fund the priority road safety works they identify.

“This Program is driven by communities, for communities and I’d like to thank the Black Spot Consultative Committee Chairs for their advocacy.

“Anyone can nominate a dangerous site for Black Spot funding, if you know a Black Spot near you please consider nominating that site for investigation.”

MIL OSI News –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Funding a safer Springs Road East in Mount Barker

Source: Workplace Gender Equality Agency

The Albanese Government is continuing to improve road safety on regional and remote roads, delivering funding towards the over $11 million Springs Road East upgrade in the Mount Barker district.

This investment will provide a safer, more productive route for housing and business development in the Mount Barker district.

The Albanese Government is committing $5 million to the project under the Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure Program (SLRIP), with the Malinauskus Government and Mount Barker District Council each committing $3 million.

The project will widen one kilometre of Springs Road between Bald Hills Road and Heysen Boulevard, as well as widening the bridge on Springs Road and installing upgraded safety barriers to accommodate the wider road and cycling infrastructure.

The SLRIP commenced on 1 July 2024 to provide funding for projects to address current and emerging priorities in road infrastructure needs.

At least $200 million per year is available under the program.

More information on the SLRIP can be accessed here.

Quotes attributable to Federal Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King:

“We know that that local governments in the regions often require more funding to manage rising costs and increased pressure on transport infrastructure due to climate change and extreme weather events.

“The Albanese Government is committed to delivering the funding local councils need to improve road safety, allowing more money to be spent on projects and less on administration.

“We’ve increased funding under the Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure Program, as well as the Roads to Recovery Program and the Black Spot Funding Program to strengthen investment in safer and more productive local roads.

Quotes attributable to SA Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Tom Koutsantonis:

“In partnership with the Albanese Government, we are making a significant investment in improving road safety.

“It is great to see Springs Road East in Mount Barker receive the funding it needs to ensure a safer, smoother journey for the many residents who use the road.”

Quotes attributable to Mount Barker District Council Mayor David Leach:

“Australian and South Australian government support for the Spring Roads East upgrade will help provide a safer, more efficient route for locals in the Mount Barker district.

“We’re keen to continue to work with the Australian and South Australian governments to deliver even more critical road upgrades in the future.”

MIL OSI News –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Housing boost for Northern Territory

Source: Workplace Gender Equality Agency

“From Darwin to Alice Springs, we’re turbocharging housing supply by delivering the infrastructure Australia needs.

“A place to call home is not a luxury or a nice-to-have, but a fundamental need, and our Government is making this a reality for more Australians.”

“This is a significant and exciting investment into critical enabling infrastructure in both the Top End and Central Australia.

“We have committed to rebuilding the Territory economy and commitments such as these are vital stepping stones to achieving that.”

Quotes attributable to Member for Solomon Luke Gosling:

“Every Territorian deserves the chance to have a roof over their head – and this investment is delivering that for families across Darwin and Palmerston.

“This investment outlines the direction of the Federal Government, unlocking home ownership for more Territorians – focusing on key infrastructure needed as our community continues to grow.”

Quotes attributable to Member for Lingiari Marion Scrymgour:

“I welcome all investment in the Northern Territory, particularly funding for social and affordable housing.

“This investment is another instance of our Federal Labor Government’s commitment to delivering crucial housing for Territorians.

“I will continue to work and fight for all Territorians.”

MIL OSI News –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Consumer NZ urges New Zealand to learn from Australia’s supermarket enquiry

Source: Consumer NZ

Consumer NZ calls for stronger action in New Zealand following the ACCC supermarket report, particularly on pricing and promotional practices.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC’s) inquiry into the Australian supermarket sector has led to 20 key recommendations aimed at improving competition, pricing transparency and fairness in the supermarket sector. Consumer NZ urges the New Zealand government and regulators to take note.

“We continue to see significant issues in New Zealand’s supermarket sector. With fewer players in the market, our situation is, in many ways, worse than Australia’s, meaning we need a stronger response to address the issues shoppers face,” says Consumer NZ chief executive Jon Duffy.

“It’s been more than three years since the Commerce Commission’s market study into the grocery sector in New Zealand, and while we’ve seen some action, including the appointment of a Grocery Commissioner and the introduction of a grocery code of conduct, as yet, there’s been no meaningful improvements for shoppers.

“The Commission told supermarkets they should sort their pricing and promotional practices, but this feels more like a feather than a stick – with New Zealanders losing tens of millions of dollars to pricing errors annually. Recommendations alone haven’t been effective, and, while the Commission is prosecuting some supermarkets and investigating others, given the low level of fines the courts can impose, further regulation might be the only way forward.”

Consumer’s Sentiment Tracker survey has revealed that the cost of food and groceries remains a top financial concern for New Zealanders.

“The ACCC report points to the need for rigorous reforms, many of which would also benefit New Zealand consumers if they were adopted here.”

Key recommendations from the ACCC report

Clearer pricing through regulation of promotional practices including publishing the discounted price, the previous price and unit prices of both

Notification when shrinkflation occurs on shelves and product webpages

Transparency regarding supply forecasts, weekly tendering processes and wholesale fresh produce prices between supermarkets and suppliers to promote more favourable terms for suppliers

A review of loyalty programmes’ value in 3 years to ensure consumer benefits

Australian state governments adopting measures to address planning and zoning issues to target resource management issues over land banking.

New Zealand’s Commerce Commission recommendations

Grocery retailers should ensure their pricing and promotional practices are simple and easy to understand.

Grocery retailers should cooperate with price comparison services.

Develop a mandatory grocery code of conduct to govern relationships between grocery retailers and suppliers. (The Commission has since said this code isn’t working as intended.)

Improve the availability of sites for retail grocery stores under planning laws, with parliament introducing the Commerce (Grocery Sector Covenants) Amendment Act, which prohibits anti-competitive land covenants.

The Commission has not recommended a review of loyalty programmes. Instead, it recommended that supermarkets ensure disclosure relating to loyalty programmes, data collection and use practices is clear and transparent.

Consumer’s own research into supermarket loyalty schemes has shown that 84% of New Zealanders use loyalty cards, but ‘specials’ and discounts don’t always reflect the lowest prices available at the check-out.

The ACCC report states it took the German multinational discount supermarket chain Aldi more than 20 years to gain its current Australian market share of 9%.

“We are at a crucial point where more must be done to tackle the structural and systemic issues in our supermarket sector. Consumers are facing persistently high prices, and the ACCC report shows that, without additional regulation, a third entrant in the grocery sector is not the silver bullet it is often presented as,” Duffy says.

Consumer urges stronger regulation and enforcement to address ongoing concerns around supermarket pricing and market power in New Zealand.

Notes

Read the full ACCC supermarket report: https://consumernz.cmail19.com/t/i-l-fddtjdy-ijjdkdttjk-j/

The report highlights significant market concentration in Australia, with major players Aldi, Coles and Woolworths growing profits beyond some global peers.

The term ‘recommendations’ refers to a range of potential legislative and policy reforms and other actions. The ACCC believes these measures are necessary to collectively address aspects of markets. There would be three desired outcomes: to improve competition, make a difference for shoppers and give suppliers fairer bargaining conditions.

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: University Research – Land water loss the leading cause of sea level rise in 21st century – UoM

Source: University of Melbourne (UoM)

An international team of scientists led jointly by the University of Melbourne and Seoul National University has found global water storage of land has plummeted since the start of the 21st century, overtaking glacier melt as the leading cause of sea level rise and measurably shifting the Earth’s pole of rotation.

Published today in Science, the research combined global soil moisture data estimated by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecast (ECMWF) Reanalysis v5 (ERA5), global mean sea level measurements and observations of Earth’s pole movement to estimate changes in terrestrial (land) water storage (TWS) from 1979 to 2016.

“The study raises critical questions about the main drivers of declining water storage on land and whether global lands will continue to become drier,” said University of Melbourne author Professor Dongryeol Ryu.

“Water constantly cycles between land and oceans, but the current rate of water loss from land is outpacing its replenishment. This is potentially irreversible because it’s unlikely this trend will reverse if global temperatures and evaporative demand continue to rise at their current rates. Without substantial changes in climate patterns, the imbalance in the water cycle is likely to persist, leading to a net loss of water from land to oceans over time.”

Between 2000 and 2002, soil moisture decreased by around 1614 gigatonnes (1 Gt: one cubic kilometre of water), nearly double Greenland’s ice loss of about 900 Gt in 2002–2006. From 2003 to 2016, soil moisture depletion continued, with an additional 1009 Gt lost.

Soil moisture had not recovered as of 2021, with little likelihood of recovery under present climate conditions. The authors say this decline is corroborated by independent observations of global mean sea level rise (~4.4mm) and Earth’s polar shift (~45cm in 2003-2012).

Water loss was most pronounced across East and Central Asia, Central Africa and North and South America. In Australia, the growing depletion has impacted parts of Western Australia and south-eastern Australia, including western Victoria, although the Northern Territory and Queensland saw a small replenishment of soil moisture.

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National Indicted for Passport and Visa Fraud After Assuming the Identify of a United States Citizen Over 40 Years Ago

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

PHOENIX, Ariz. – Enrrique Ricardo Diaz Vazquez, 60, a Mexican national living in Arizona, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Phoenix on Tuesday with Passport and Visa Fraud.

According to the criminal complaint in this case, an individual purporting to be Gene Edward Katzorke (“Katzorke”), first applied for and received a U.S. passport in 1986, submitting an Arizona license and U.S. birth certificate as supporting documentation. In subsequent years, the same individual filed multiple passport renewal applications, using his previously issued passport to support his identity claim. In 2022, Katzorke’s application was flagged for investigation after agents discovered an obituary from the 1960s for a Gene Edward Katzorke.

During the investigation, United States Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) agents learned that Gene Edward Katzorke had died in 1966, at the age of 2 years old. They also learned that Katzorke’s name was linked in criminal databases to Enrrique Ricardo Diaz Vazquez, a Mexican national.

On March 7, 2025, Diaz Vazquez, purporting to be Gene Edward Katzorke, arrived at the Western Passport Center for a regularly scheduled appointment regarding his most recent passport applications. After confirming that he had applied for the renewal under Katzorke’s name, Diaz Vazquez was arrested for Passport and Visa Fraud.

During a post-arrest interview, Diaz Vazquez admitted his real name to be Enrrique Ricardo Diaz Vasquez and his place of birth as Guadalajara, Mexico. Diaz Vazquez told law enforcement agents that he wanted to join the U.S. military and picked the name Gene Edward Katzorke as his alias after visiting a cemetery. Diaz Vazquez successfully joined the military under Katzorke’s name, but then fled to Mexico after facing criminal charges for a homicide involving a nine-month-old infant in Tucson, Arizona. Diaz Vazquez was eventually deported from Mexico to the United States under the belief that he was a U.S. Citizen, and he has been living under Katzorke’s name since that time.

Passport and Visa Fraud carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The Diplomatic Security Service Tucson Resident Office and the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General conducted the investigation in this case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, Sydney Yew, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution

CASE NUMBER: CR-25-00469-PHX-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-042_Diaz Vazquez

# # #

For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

MIL Security OSI –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI: Great Southern Bancorp, Inc. Announces First Quarter 2025 Preliminary Earnings Release Date and Conference Call

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

SPRINGFIELD, Mo., March 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Great Southern Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ:GSBC), the holding company for Great Southern Bank, expects to report first quarter preliminary earnings after the market closes on Wednesday, April 16, 2025, and host a conference call on Thursday, April 17, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. Central Time (3:00 p.m. Eastern Time).

The call will be available live or later in a recorded version at the Company’s Investor Relations website, https://investors.greatsouthernbank.com.

Participants may register for the call here. While not required, it is recommended that participants join 10 minutes prior to the event start. Instructions are provided to ensure the necessary audio applications are downloaded and installed. Users can obtain these programs at no cost.

The Company will notify the public that first quarter 2025 results have been issued through a news release and will post the results to the Company’s Investor Relations website. The earnings release will also be available on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) website, www.sec.gov, as an exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K that will be furnished by the Company to the SEC.

About Great Southern Bank

With total assets of $6.0 billion, Great Southern offers a broad range of banking services to commercial and consumer customers. Headquartered in Springfield, Missouri, the Company operates 89 retail banking centers in Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Arkansas and Nebraska, and commercial loan production offices in Atlanta; Charlotte, North Carolina; Chicago; Dallas; Denver; Omaha, Nebraska; and Phoenix. Great Southern Bancorp is a public company and its common stock (ticker: GSBC) is listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market.

CONTACT:

Zack Mukewa,
Investor Relations,
(616) 233-0500
GSBC@lambert.com

The MIL Network –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI: Wintrust Names New Leader for Brand, Engagement, and Impact

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

ROSEMONT, Ill., March 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Wintrust Financial Corporation (Nasdaq: WTFC) today announced Amy Yuhn has been named Executive Vice President for Brand, Engagement, and Impact, a new position that will oversee marketing, corporate communications, and community impact for the company.

“We are pleased to welcome Amy to Wintrust,” said Tim Crane, President and Chief Executive Officer, Wintrust. “Under Amy’s leadership, we will continue to build our brand, enhance internal and external engagement, and support our community outreach to further our mission to serve our clients, strengthen our communities, and grow our businesses.”

Yuhn joined Wintrust from CIBC, where she spent 15 years as Chief Marketing Officer and Head of Corporate Communications for CIBC U.S. (formerly The PrivateBank) before most recently serving as Head of CIBC’s U.S. Personal and Community Development Banking Group. She began her career as a journalist with The Associated Press and Reuters and then joined the Corporate Communications team at Harris Bank (now BMO) before moving to The PrivateBank to build its corporate communications and marketing programs.

“Wintrust is a well-respected company whose focus on client relationships and community engagement is a real differentiator,” Yuhn said. “I look forward to working with the team across Wintrust to show that our different approach drives better results for our clients, our employees, our communities, and our shareholders.”

Yuhn earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism from Michigan State University and her master’s degree in organizational communication at Northwestern University. She serves on the board of the Women’s Business Development Center, where she is chair of the Fundraising Committee.

About Wintrust
Wintrust is a financial holding company with $64.9 billion in assets whose common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market. Guided by its “Different Approach, Better Results®” philosophy, Wintrust offers the sophisticated resources of a large bank while providing a community banking experience to each customer. Wintrust operates more than 200 retail banking locations through 16 community bank subsidiaries in the greater Chicago, southern Wisconsin, west Michigan, northwest Indiana, and southwest Florida market areas. In addition, Wintrust operates various non-bank business units, providing residential mortgage origination, wealth management, commercial and life insurance premium financing, short-term accounts receivable financing/outsourced administrative services to the temporary staffing services industry, and qualified intermediary services for tax-deferred exchanges. For more information, please visit wintrust.com.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Timothy S. Crane, President & Chief Executive Officer
David A. Dykstra, Vice Chairman & Chief Operating Officer
(847) 939-9000
Website address: www.wintrust.com

The MIL Network –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI: Greystone Housing Impact Investors LP Issues 2,000,000 Series B Preferred Units

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

OMAHA, Neb., March 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Greystone Housing Impact Investors LP (NYSE: GHI) (“the Partnership”) announced today that on March 26, 2025 the Partnership executed a Subscription Agreement to issue 2,000,000 additional Series B Preferred Units representing limited partnership interests in the Partnership (the “Series B Preferred Units”) to an existing institutional investor, resulting in $20,000,000 in new aggregate proceeds to the Partnership. The stated value of the newly issued Series B Preferred Units is $20,000,000. The Series B Preferred Units were issued in accordance with the Partnership’s existing “shelf” registration statement on Form S-3 (Reg. No. 333-282185) for the issuance of up to 10,000,000 of Series B Preferred Units.

The Series B Preferred Units are a non-cumulative, non-convertible, and non-voting class of limited partnership interests in the Partnership for which the holder has an option to have the units redeemed on the sixth anniversary of the acquisition date and each subsequent anniversary thereafter. The transaction provides the Partnership with $20.0 million of new low-cost capital. The earliest potential redemption date for the newly issued Series B Preferred Units is March 2031, with certain exceptions.

“We are pleased to announce our latest Series B Preferred Unit issuance, which provides non-dilutive, fixed-rate, and low cost institutional capital to execute on our strategy for the benefit of our unitholders,” said Kenneth C. Rogozinski, Chief Executive Officer of the Partnership. “This institutional investor has now invested $70 million into the Partnership through multiple series of preferred units. This transaction also underscores the Partnership’s ability to bolster its liquidity position in a cost-effective fashion despite a persistently elevated interest rate environment.”

About Greystone Housing Impact Investors LP

Greystone Housing Impact Investors LP was formed in 1998 under the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act for the primary purpose of acquiring, holding, selling and otherwise dealing with a portfolio of mortgage revenue bonds which have been issued to provide construction and/or permanent financing for affordable multifamily, seniors and student housing properties. The Partnership is pursuing a business strategy of acquiring additional mortgage revenue bonds and other investments on a leveraged basis. The Partnership expects and believes the interest earned on these mortgage revenue bonds is excludable from gross income for federal income tax purposes. The Partnership seeks to achieve its investment growth strategy by investing in additional mortgage revenue bonds and other investments as permitted by its Second Amended and Restated Limited Partnership Agreement, dated December 5, 2022, taking advantage of attractive financing structures available in the securities market, and entering into interest rate risk management instruments. Greystone Housing Impact Investors LP press releases are available at www.ghiinvestors.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

Information contained in this press release contains “forward-looking statements,” which are based on current expectations, forecasts and assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks involving current maturities of our financing arrangements and our ability to renew or refinance such maturities, fluctuations in short-term interest rates, collateral valuations, mortgage revenue bond investment valuations and overall economic and credit market conditions. For a further list and description of such risks, see the reports and other filings made by the Partnership with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to, its Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Current Reports on Form 8-K. Readers are urged to consider these factors carefully in evaluating the forward-looking statements. The Partnership disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

CONTACT:
Andy Grier
Senior Vice President
402-952-1235

The MIL Network –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Reducing red tape to put patients first

Source: New Zealand Government

The Government is reviewing New Zealand’s health workforce legislation to ensure the focus is on putting patients first, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.Reviewing health workforce legislation will consider a number of key matters including:

Prioritising patient voices in regulatory decisions.
Reducing red tape to make healthcare more accessible.
Making it easier to recognise overseas regulations.
Driving efficiencies by streamlining regulatory decision making

“We are committed to ensuring all New Zealanders can access timely, quality healthcare,” Mr Brown says.“Making our health system more efficient and enabling frontline workers to get on with their jobs will allow it to become more responsive to patient needs.“New Zealand’s current health workforce regulations can be overly bureaucratic, and this is slowing down access to care, increasing costs, and making it harder for patients to get the services they need.“Our regulations can also make it harder to attract, train and retain healthcare workers. Whether it’s requiring nursing students to complete hundreds more clinical hours than those in Australia, complicated approval pathways for overseas qualified doctors to practice in NZ, or imposing rules that prioritise cultural requirements over clinical safety in scopes of practices, our healthcare system is being held back by outdated and unnecessary barriers.”“We also need to better recognise overseas qualifications to speed up access to healthcare for patients. As part of the National-ACT Coalition agreement, we are also considering the establishment of an Occupations Tribunal which would consider appeals about decisions relating to overseas qualifications.“Patients expect to receive care from qualified practitioners, with clinical safety as their top priority. Our proposals will also ensure that patients voices are heard in regulatory decision making, to ensure the needs of patients are considered when decisions are being made by regulatory bodies. “We are also seeking feedback on how regulatory decisions can be made across all 18 health workforce regulatory bodies to ensure greater consistency. A streamlined system means more frontline staff available to provide care across the country, delivering shorter wait times and better health outcomes for all New Zealanders.”Consultation has today opened on changes to the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act and the Government wants to hear from patients and our healthcare workers on how the regulatory system can better meet the needs of patients.New Zealanders can submit their views on the Putting Patients First: Modernising Health Workforce Regulation document at www.health.govt.nz. Consultation closes on 30 April 2025.

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: DBEDT NEWS RELEASE: Visitor Spending Increased in February 2025
Source: US State of Hawaii

DBEDT NEWS RELEASE: Visitor Spending Increased in February 2025

Posted on Mar 27, 2025 in Latest Department News, Newsroom

STATE OF HAWAIʻI

KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM

KA ʻOIHANA HOʻOMOHALA PĀʻOIHANA, ʻIMI WAIWAI A HOʻOMĀKAʻIKAʻI

RESEARCH AND ECONOMIC ANALYSIS DIVISION

JOSH GREEN, M.D.
GOVERNOR

KE KIAʻĀINA

JAMES KUNANE TOKIOKA

DIRECTOR

KA LUNA HOʻOKELE
1. EUGENE TIAN
CHIEF STATE ECONOMIST

VISITOR SPENDING INCREASED IN FEBRUARY 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 27, 2025

HONOLULU – According to preliminary statistics from the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT), there were 240,525 total visitors in Hawai‘i on any given day (average daily census) in February 2025, which was an increase from February 2024 (236,008 visitors, +1.9%), but fewer than pre-pandemic February 2019 (246,741 visitors, -2.5%). Total spending by all visitors in February 2025 measured in nominal dollars was $61.7 million per day, up from February 2024 ($57.1 million per day, +8.0%) and much higher than February 2019 ($49.6 million per day, +24.4%).

2024 was a leap year and included an extra day in February. To directly compare with February 2025 data, the average daily census was used as a measure of visitor volume and visitor spending and air capacity data were stated on a per day basis, where applicable. Total visitor spending and total visitor arrival are presented in the Glance and Island Highlight tables at the end of this news release.

Among visitors who came by air service in February 2025, the average daily census of 111,573 U.S. West visitors was an increase from February 2024 (108,614 visitors, +2.7%) and February 2019 (96,870 visitors, +15.2%). In February 2025, U.S. West visitors’ total spending was $28.3 million per day, which was more than February 2024 ($25.1 million per day, +13.1) and February 2019 ($17.8 million per day, +58.8%).

In February 2025, the average daily census of 69,151 U.S. East visitors was greater than February 2024 (64,408 visitors, +7.4%) and February 2019 (63,462 visitors, +9.0%). U.S. East visitors’ total spending in February 2025 was $19.3 million per day, higher than February 2024 ($16.8 million per day, +14.7%) and February 2019 ($13.3 million per day, +45.1%).

In February 2025, the average daily census of 9,992 visitors from Japan declined compared to February 2024 (11,691 visitors, -14.5%) and February 2019 (24,408 visitors, -59.1%). Total spending by Japanese visitors in February 2025 was $2.4 million per day, down from February 2024 ($2.8 million per day, -14.1%) and February 2019 ($5.9 million per day, -58.8%).

In February 2025, the average daily census of 20,686 Canadian visitors decreased from February 2024 (20,977 visitors, -1.4%) and February 2019 (29,741 visitors, -30.4%). Total spending by Canadian visitors in February 2025 was $5.0 million per day, higher than February 2024 ($4.7 million per day, +6.2%), but less than February 2019 ($5.5 million per day, -8.7%).

In February 2025, the average daily census of 25,841 visitors from all other international markets (including visitors from Oceania, Other Asia, Europe, Latin America, Guam, the Philippines and the Pacific Islands) dropped compared to February 2024 (27,166 visitors, -4.9%) and February 2019 (29,939 visitors, -13.7%).

Among visitors who came to Hawai‘i by out-of-state cruise ships, the average daily census in February 2025 of 3,283 visitors was more than February 2024 (3,152 visitors, +4.1%) and February 2019 (2,322 visitors, +41.4%).

In February 2025, there were 4,475 transpacific flights with 994,193 seats that serviced the Hawaiian Islands. This averaged out to 160 flights and 35,507 air seats per day, which was a decrease from February 2024 (161 flights with 36,016 seats per day) and from February 2019 (165 flights with 36,106 seats per day). Fewer flights and seats from Japan, Canada, Korea and Australia to Hawai‘i entirely offset growth in air capacity from the U.S. mainland.

VIEW FULL NEWS RELEASE AND TABLES

Statement by DBEDT Director James Kunane Tokioka

For February 2025, average daily visitor spending at $256.40 per visitor was the highest level historically in nominal terms. Though the inflation rate is not available for February, it is likely that the visitor spending is an increase (6% in nominal terms) after adjusting for inflation (January 2025 Honolulu consumer inflation was 4.1%).

As for Canadian visitor arrivals, DBEDT will continue to closely monitor this market. Canada and Hawai‘i have a longstanding relationship and we are cautiously optimistic that although Canadian travel to the continental U.S. may decrease, it may not mean that Hawai‘i visits will decrease in the same manner. At this time, we do not see flight cancelations from Air Canada or WestJet.

It is encouraging to see that the number of visitors from the continental U.S. increased this February at 1.2 percent higher than last February even though last year was a leap year. Compared with pre-pandemic February 2019, U.S. visitor arrivals increased by 16.6 percent. It is expected that the U.S. East market will perform better this year.

# # #

Media Contacts:

Laci Goshi

Communications Officer

Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism

Cell: 808-518-5480

Email: [email protected]

Jennifer Chun

Director of Tourism Research

Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism

Phone: 808-973-9446

Email: [email protected]

MIL OSI USA News –
March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Steve Waugh appointed to Centre for Australia-India Relations Advisory Board

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

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Steve Waugh AO to the Centre for Australia-India Relations Advisory Board.

The Centre works across government, industry, academia and the community to build greater understanding within the Australia-India relationship and encourage business to seize the opportunities of our economic partnership.

The Advisory Board helps set the strategic priorities for the Centre’s programs and activities, supporting partnerships in business, the arts, education, health, science, technology and sport.

Mr Waugh is a former Australian men’s cricket captain and has long been a champion of strengthening ties between Australia and India. He has made significant philanthropic contributions over the past 20 years through the Steve Waugh Foundation. Mr Waugh has also recently published a photography book on India titled, ‘The Spirit of Cricket: India’.

I would like to thank outgoing board member Adam Gilchrist AM for his valuable contribution to the Centre since its establishment, and to the broader relationship with India.

MIL OSI News –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Additional humanitarian support for Gaza, Myanmar and Afghan women and girls
Source: Australia’s climate in 2024: 2nd warmest and 8th wettest year on record

Australia will provide a further $11 million in lifesaving humanitarian assistance for civilians in Gaza, and an additional $15 million in critical support for people affected by humanitarian crises in Myanmar and Afghanistan.

The additional funding to Gaza will address urgent needs, including healthcare, food and water.

The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire, and Australia reiterates calls for sustained, unimpeded aid to those who desperately need it.

Additional assistance will be provided to those impacted by rapidly escalating humanitarian crises. It includes:
- $7 million in lifesaving food assistance for Rohingya refugees who have fled Myanmar, as well as their host communities in Bangladesh. More than one million Rohingyas in Bangladesh depend on humanitarian support, with no legal status or right to work.
- $3 million in lifesaving assistance to provide food, health, shelter and protection support for displaced people on the Thai-Myanmar border.
- An additional $5 million will also be provided to enable United Nations partners to deliver services for Afghan women and girls that address critical sexual and reproductive health needs, gender-based violence and displacement.
Quote attributable to Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon Penny Wong:

“Helping others in crisis reflects Australian values, but also supports our interests in a peaceful, stable world. Australia’s contribution will provide lifesaving assistance to people enduring immense suffering.
“Australia is engaging diplomatically as part of the international call for all parties to return to the ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza. We continue to press for the protection of civilians, the release of hostages and unimpeded and sustained humanitarian aid.

“Humanitarian needs have increased twenty-fold since the Myanmar coup. We call on the military regime to prioritise civilian safety and immediately cease violence and ensure unhindered and safe humanitarian access across the country.

“Australia is steadfast in its support for Afghan women and girls, who have shown incredible courage in the face of the Taliban’s systematic human rights violations and abuses.”

Quote attributable to Minister for International Development and the Pacific and Minister for Defence Industry and Capability Delivery, the Hon Pat Conroy MP:

“Humanitarian crises contribute to regional instability and global insecurity.

“Australia is providing lifesaving healthcare and assistance for civilians in need, as part of an international effort to reduce the devastating human toll of the Israel-Gaza conflict.

“Protection for women and girls in humanitarian emergencies is a central pillar of the Humanitarian Policy we released in 2024. We know the situation under the Taliban is particularly egregious and we are proud to be supporting the provision of critical health services to Afghan women and girls.

“We will continue to play our part to support people in humanitarian need, both in our region and globally.”

MIL OSI News –
March 28, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Why Muslims often don’t celebrate Eid on the same day – even within one country
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Zuleyha Keskin, Associate Professor of Islamic Studies, Charles Sturt University

Wikimedia Commons, CC BY

Eid is a special time for Muslims. There are two major Eid celebrations each year: Eid al-Fitr is celebrated at the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting, and Eid al-Adha is connected to the dates of Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

Eid, which means “festival” or “feast” in Arabic, is a celebratory occasion for more than one billion Muslims worldwide. However, in some countries, especially multicultural ones like Australia, Muslims don’t always celebrate Eid on the same day. Here’s why.

Worshippers pray outside the Taj Mahal on Eid al-Fitr. Muslim emperor Shah Jahan commissioned the mausoleum in 1631 to hold his wife’s tomb.
Wikimedia, CC BY-SA

Eid comes 10-12 days earlier each year

Beyond different groups celebrating on different days, the timing of Eid celebrations also shift as a whole each year. That’s because Islam follows the lunar calendar, based on the moon’s cycles – unlike the Gregorian calendar, which follows the sun.

As such, dates on the Islamic calendar come 10–12 days earlier each year. This means the dates of both Eids also move about 11 days forward each year.

In terms of the Islamic calendar:
- Eid al-Fitr happens on the 1st of the month of Shawwal (the 10th month), which comes right after the month of Ramadan.
- Eid al-Adha happens on the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah (the 12th month), during Hajj.
What about local discrepancies?

Since Islam follows the lunar calendar, determining the start of each Islamic month, and the dates of both Eids, requires sighting the new crescent moon, which comes directly after the new moon (the phase in which the moon is invisible).

But there are different methods for doing this, and different scholarly interpretations regarding what method is best. These variations are the reason one group in a community might celebrate on a Sunday, while others may celebrate on a Monday.

The Islamic month of Ramadan lasts 29 to 30 days, from one sighting of the crescent moon to the next. Moon sighting approaches can vary between countries, communities and even households.
Shutterstock

Some Muslims believe each country should rely on its own local moon sighting.

This means if the new crescent moon is visible in neighbouring countries, but not in Australia (such as if it’s hidden behind clouds), then Australia should celebrate a day after its neighbours. The organisation Moonsighting Australia follows this method, only declaring Eid when the moon is seen locally.

However, others argue if the moon has been sighted anywhere in the world, it should be accepted by all Muslims as the start of the new Islamic month. Some Muslims in Australia opt for this “global moon sighting” approach, following Saudi Arabia’s Eid announcement even when the moon is not sighted locally.

As far back as the early centuries AD, people in the Arab world used astrolabes to survey the skies. This instrument belonged to Yemeni sultan, mathematician and astronomer Al-Ashraf Umar II (circa 1242-1296).
Metropolitan Museum of Art

Apart from the question of where the crescent moon is sighted, there are also different views over how it should be sighted. Many scholars believe in physically sighting it with the eyes, as was practised during the time of Prophet Muhammad.

But some Muslim countries, such as in Turkey and parts of Europe, use astronomical calculations to predict the new moon’s birth. This allows them to pre-set the date of Eid months, or even years, in advance.

Australia versus majority-Muslim countries

In Muslim-majority countries, deciding the day of Eid happens at a government level.

For example, in Saudi Arabia, the Supreme Court officially declares the date based on moon sighting reports. This decision sets the timing for Eid prayers and public holidays for the entire nation, allowing for unified celebrations across the country.

But Muslims in Australia come from diverse cultural backgrounds, and hold varying views regarding how the moon should be sighted. Some may follow the Eid announcement from their country of origin. Others may rely on local announcements, or on dates set by peak bodies such as the Australian National Imams Council.

One 2023 report published by the ISRA Academy surveyed more than 5,500 Muslims in Australia to understand how they determined the date of Eid.

The findings reveal notable differences across communities. Respondents from the Arab community were almost evenly split between following their local mosque (28.5%) and the Australian National Imams Council (28.0%), with a slightly lower percentage (23.9%) following Moonsighting Australia. Only 0.6% followed their country of origin.

Among the Turkish community, 16.1% followed their country of origin, while the largest proportion (28.5%) relied on a local mosque or Islamic organisation. But given Turkish mosques tend to follow Turkey’s state religious institution, Diyanet, most Australian Turks (44.6%) ultimately align with Turkey’s decision on Eid.

Of the others, 18.8% followed Moonsighting Australia and 14.6% following the national imams’ council.

In the African Muslim community, 48.4% followed Moonsighting Australia, while 32.8% relied on a local mosque, and 11.7% on the imams’ council.

Eid celebrations will keep evolving

While celebrating Eid on different days may seem divisive and fragmenting, there are positive aspects to this.

For one thing, it means Australian Muslims actively seek out information from various religious authorities. This reflects a high level of public engagement in religious decisions – rather than following blindly.

The strong influence of organisations such as the Australian National Imams Council and Moonsighting Australia also suggests local religious institutions are a trusted source for guidance.

Moreover, the high percentage of Muslims now following Moonsighting Australia indicates a trend towards a localised determination of Eid. And this trend will likely become stronger with the emergence of third- and fourth- generation Australian Muslims who are less connected with their ancestral homelands.

Only time will tell whether most Australian Muslims will eventually celebrate Eid on the same day. In the meantime, families and communities continue to navigate these differences with understanding and respect.

Zuleyha Keskin 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 Muslims often don’t celebrate Eid on the same day – even within one country – https://theconversation.com/why-muslims-often-dont-celebrate-eid-on-the-same-day-even-within-one-country-248227
MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –
March 28, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: 25 years into a new century and housing is less affordable than ever

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendan Coates, Program Director, Housing and Economic Security, Grattan Institute

Of all the problems facing Australia today, few have worsened so rapidly in the past 25 years as housing affordability.

Housing has become more and more expensive – to rent or buy – and home ownership continues to fall among poorer Australians of all ages.

Housing makes up most of Australia’s wealth, so more expensive homes concentrated in fewer hands means growing wealth inequality, with a marked generational divide.

To unwind inequality, we need to make housing cheaper, and that means building much more of it.

Housing has become more expensive

The price of the typical Australian home has grown much faster than incomes since the turn of the century: from about four times median incomes in the early 2000s, to more than eight times today, and nearly 10 times in Sydney.

Housing has also become more expensive to rent, especially since the pandemic.

Rental vacancy rates are at record lows and asking rents (that is for newly advertised properties) have risen fast – by roughly 20% in Sydney and Melbourne in the past four years, and by much more in Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth.

Home ownership is falling fast among the young

Rising house prices are pushing home ownership out of reach for many younger Australians.

In the early 1990s it took about six years to save a 20% deposit for a typical dwelling for an average household. It now takes more than 12 years.

Unsurprisingly, home ownership rates are falling fastest for younger people. Whereas 57% of 30–34 year-olds owned their home in 2001, just 50% did so by 2021. And just 36% of 25–29 year olds own their home today, down from 43% in 2001.

And home ownership is falling fastest among the poorest 40% of each age group.

Fewer homeowners means more inequality

People on low incomes, who are increasingly renters, are spending more of their incomes on housing.

The real incomes of the lowest fifth of households increased by about 26% between 2003–04 and 2019–20. But more than half of this was chewed up by skyrocketing housing costs, with real incomes after housing costs increasing by only 12%.

In contrast, the real incomes for the highest fifth of households increased by 47%, and their after-housing real incomes by almost as much: 43%.

Wealth inequality in Australia is still around the OECD average but has been climbing for two decades, largely due to rising house prices.

In 2019–20, one-quarter of homeowning households reported net wealth exceeding $1 million. By contrast, median net wealth for non-homeowning households was $60,000.

Since 2003–04, the wealth of high-income households has grown by more than 50%, much of that due to increasing property values. By contrast, the wealth of low-income households – mostly non-homeowners – has grown by less than 10%.

The growing divide between the housing “haves” and “have nots” is largely generational. Older Australians who bought their homes before prices really took off in the early 2000s have seen their share of the country’s wealth steadily climb.

This inequality will get baked in as wealth is passed onto the next generation.

Some Australians will be lucky enough to inherit one or more homes. Others – typically those on lower incomes – will receive none.

To unwind inequality, we need to make housing less expensive

We haven’t built enough

Australians’ demand for housing since the turn of the decade is a story of historically low interest rates, increased access to finance, tax and welfare settings that favour investments in housing, and a booming population.

But one widely-blamed villain – the introduction of the 50% capital gains tax discount in 1999, together with negative gearing – is likely to have played only a small part in rising house prices.

That’s because the value of these tax advantages – about $10.9 billion a year – is tiny compared to Australia’s $11 trillion housing market.

Instead, the biggest problem is that housing construction in recent years hasn’t kept up with increasing demand.

Strong migration over the past two decades has seen Australia’s population rise much faster than most other wealthy countries in recent decades, boosting the number of homes we need. Rising incomes, and demographic trends such as rising rates of divorce and an ageing Australia, have further increased housing demand.

Yet Australia has one of the lowest levels of housing per person of any OECD country, and is one of only four OECD countries where the amount of housing per person went backwards over the past two decades.

This is largely a failure of housing policy. Australia’s land-use planning rules – the rules that dictate what can get built where – are highly restrictive and complex. Current rules and community opposition make it very difficult to build new homes, particularly in the places where people most want to live and work.

More homes would mean less inequality

Fixing this will allow mores home to get built, moderate house price growth, and reduce barriers to home ownership. In turn, this will reduce the inequalities created by our broken housing system.

Easing planning restrictions is hard for governments, because many residents don’t want more homes near theirs.

The good news is that the penny has started to drop and state governments – particularly in Victoria and New South Wales – are making meaningful progress towards allowing more homes in activity centres and on existing transport links.

But now the real test begins: how will governments respond to the backlash from people who would prefer their communities to stay the same?

How well governments hold the line against the so-called NIMBYs (Not In My Back Yard) will tell us a lot about what we can expect to happen to inequality in Australia in the future.

Grattan Institute began with contributions to its endowment of $15 million from each of the federal and Victorian governments, $4 million from BHP Billiton, and $1 million from NAB. In order to safeguard its independence, Grattan Institute’s board controls this endowment. The funds are invested and contribute to funding Grattan Institute’s activities. Grattan Institute also receives funding from corporates, foundations, and individuals to support its general activities, as disclosed on its website.

Joey Moloney and Matthew Bowes do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. 25 years into a new century and housing is less affordable than ever – https://theconversation.com/25-years-into-a-new-century-and-housing-is-less-affordable-than-ever-250067

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

March 28, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: How can I tell if my child is too sick to go to school?

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Liz Sturgiss, Professor of Community Medicine and Clinical Education, Bond University

Chay_Tay/Shutterstock

As a GP and mum to two boys I have many experiences of trying to navigate the school morning when my boys aren’t feeling well. It always seems to happen on the busiest days.

None of us want to send our child to school when they are not well – I hate the thought of my kids feeling sick in the classroom and also the idea they might make other children sick.

Lots of families have someone for whom illnesses are more dangerous. They might have a weakened immune system because they are going through cancer treatment or suffer from another illness.

But it can be hard to tell. A child might be dramatically crying “my tummy HURTS” one minute and racing around with their sibling the next. Or you might wonder if they are angling for some time off in front of the TV.

How can you tell if your child is too sick to go to school?

None of us want to send our child to school when they are not well.
Pixel Shot/ Shutterstock

Symptoms to look out for

In school-aged children here are some symptoms to consider.

Fever: if your child feels hot to touch, or you have a thermometer showing a fever (a temperature above 38 degrees), then they shouldn’t attend school.

This is even if you are giving them regular paracetamol or ibuprofen to keep their temperature down. Your child won’t feel comfortable at school with a fever and they have a high chance of making others unwell.

Vomiting and diarrhoea: children should stay home until it is at least 24 hours since their last vomit or runny poo. This is to reduce the spread of viral gastroenteritis (or stomach flu) and to make sure your child can stay hydrated and well. If your child is vomiting or has diarrhoea, it also is important to keep a close eye on them to make sure they are improving and to seek medical care if they are getting worse.

Runny noses: a runny nose without a fever might be a sign of hayfever, especially if your child has other symptoms like itchy eyes or sneezing. On its own, this is not a reason to stay home.

But a new runny nose with a fever is a reason to stay home. Many infections, including influenza, COVID and even measles can start with a fever and runny nose, although usually it signals a common cold.

The common cold needs rest, fluids and encouraging your child to keep their nose clear with gentle blowing or saline sprays. And a reminder, the annual flu vaccine is an excellent way to protect your family from the serious consequences of the “proper flu”.

Cough: there are many different reasons for a child to cough. This includes infections such as COVID, whooping cough and influenza and non-infectious reasons such as hayfever and reflux. If your child has developed a new cough, and especially if they are also feverish, this is a reason to keep them at home. A cough that doesn’t go away after two weeks should also be checked out by your GP.

Tiredness: mostly on Fridays, my kids are tired after a busy week – much like me! Tiredness can be an early sign of a lurking infection or some other health issue. But on its own is probably not a reason to keep your child home. However, ongoing tiredness is a good reason to have your child checked out by your GP as there are many causes from poor sleep to iron deficiency.

Poor appetite: kids’ appetites can vary so wildly, especially when they move into growing phases. Not wanting to eat breakfast in the morning might be an early gastro infection, a sign of constipation or nervous butterflies for the day ahead. If your child is otherwise OK, with no tummy pain, fever or tiredness, then a lack of appetite for breakfast is not a solid reason to stay home.

It’s common for kids to feel tired, but this on its own is not a reason to skip school.
Andrew Will/ Shutterstock

Watch out for school refusal

I find it helpful to let my child know if they stay home, they will need to stay in bed with no screens to rest and get well. This tends to separate the “truly feeling unwell” days from the “just hoping to have a rest” days.

But feeling unwell in the morning – particularly in the tummy, tiredness or unexplained headaches – can be an early sign something might not be going smoothly for your child at school or home.

School refusal is a serious problem where a child is completely overwhelmed and unable to attend school. It can come on gradually or suddenly. Talking with your child’s school is a critical first step if you are concerned about school refusal – it should be a conversation that happens promptly and your school should have procedures for helping you to manage it.

Read more:
Is it school reluctance or refusal? How to tell the difference and help your child

Phone a friend

If you’re not sure, consider giving a trusted friends or family member a quick call to talk things over.

You can also contact Healthdirect on 1800 022 222 (or 13 Health if you are in Queensland). This is a national phone service open 24 hours for anyone who has symptoms and needs advice on what to do next.

Liz Sturgiss receives funding from the NHMRC, MRFF, RACGP Foundation, Diabetes Australia and VicHealth that is unrelated to this article. She is affiliated with Australian Journal of Primary Health (CSIRO), Australian Prescriber, RACGP, NAPCRG, Guidelines Development Committee for the review and update of the Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Overweight and Obesity in Adults, Adolescents and Children in Australia and Australasian Association for Academic Primary Care.

– ref. How can I tell if my child is too sick to go to school? – https://theconversation.com/how-can-i-tell-if-my-child-is-too-sick-to-go-to-school-252731

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

March 28, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: The Coalition wants to increase Medicare psychology rebates from 10 to 20 sessions. Here’s what happened last time

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joanne Enticott, Associate Professor, Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation, Monash University

Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock

The most disadvantaged Australians have long experienced higher rates of mental illness than the broader population. But they also access fewer mental health services.

Increasing everyone’s access to mental health care led to the creation of the Better Access initiative, which subsidised psychology sessions under Medicare. Officially called Better Access to Psychiatrists, Psychologists and General Practitioners through the Medicare Benefits Schedule, the Howard government launched the initiative in November 2006.

During COVID, the former Morrison Coalition government temporarily expanded the yearly cap on the number of psychology sessions, from ten to 20. The Labor Albanese government reverted to ten sessions at the end of 2022.

Now the Coalition says if elected at this year’s polls, it will take the number of sessions back to 20.

But did capping sessions at 20 increase access to mental health care, especially for disadvantaged Australians? Or are there more effective ways to achieve this?

How does it work?

Australians can access up to ten rebated psychology sessions annually. Patients need to have a mental health treatment or management plan from their GP or psychiatrist.

The Australian Psychological Society recommends consultation fees of around $311 for a standard 46- to 60-minute consultation.

The typical Medicare rebate is $141.85 per session with a clinical psychologist and $96.65 with other registered psychologists. (All psychologists are university qualified mental health professionals, but clinical psychologists have more qualifications.)

Psychologists can choose their own fees. They can bulk bill (no out of pocket cost for patients) or charge consultation fees, leaving some patients hundreds of dollars out of pocket for each session.

How did access change during COVID?

To assess the changes during COVID, we need to consider three components: number of people accessing services, service use rates (number of sessions per population) and the average number of sessions per patient.

1. Number of people accessing services

In 2020-21, all states saw a 5% jump in the number of people accessing Medicare mental health services, coinciding with the first year of the COVID pandemic.

In the three years prior to this, there was an average yearly increase of about 3% more people.

However, a 2022 independent evaluation of the Better Access initiative showed that between 2018 and 2021, new users declined from 56% to 50%, with the steepest drop between 2020 and 2021.

This reduction in new users coincided with the temporary increased cap to 20 sessions.

Australians from disadvantaged backgrounds continued to have poorer access to psychologists than those from wealthier population groups, despite an increase in the number of sessions.

2. Service use rates (number of sessions per population)

Service use rates tell us how much a particular service is being used each year. To compare service use rates between different years, and because the Australian population is growing yearly, we report service use rates per 1,000 people in the population.

In 2020-21, service use rates for clinical psychologists and other psychologists increased by 18%. This was a large increase compared to the typical 5% increases in previous years. This persisted in the next two years.

When the cap on number of sessions was reduced to ten sessions, there was a small drop in service use rates, but it didn’t return to the pre-pandemic levels.

Most clients use ten or fewer sessions a year.
Ben Bryant/Shutterstock

3. Average number of sessions people used

The increase in services occurring in the first two years of the COVID pandemic (and around the time as the cap temporarily increased from ten to 20 sessions), resulted in a small increase in the average number of sessions per patient.

In the ten years between 2013-14 and 2022-23, average number of sessions with a clinical psychologist increased from five to six sessions whereas the average number of sessions with other psychologists increased from four to five sessions.

Importantly, more than 80% of people received fewer than ten sessions.

What does this tell us?

Overall, most people used ten or fewer sessions, even when up to 20 sessions were available.

Some extra services were provided to existing clients during COVID and this may have actually prevented new people from receiving services.

So the evidence suggests simply increasing the number of rebated psychology sessions from ten to 20 for everybody isn’t the most effective approach.

What should Labor and the Coalition do instead?

We don’t limit the number of chemotherapy sessions for cancer patients, so why do we cap evidence-based psychological treatments for mental illness?

Instead of capping access to Medicare rebates for mental health care, access should be based on a person’s needs and treatment outcomes. The number of sessions should be determined collaboratively between the person and the provider, ensuring people receive the appropriate level of evidence-based care for their condition.

Measure outcomes

Currently in Australia for Medicare-funded mental health services, we only measure service activity. Patient outcomes are not collected, which hinders the development of value-based mental health care.

Without collecting outcomes, current initiatives to address inequities are only partially informed and may not work as intended.

We urgently need to establish a set of outcomes (patient-reported outcome measures and experience measures) through consensus with the community, providers, professional organisations and governments.

Address affordability

We should also address inequities, such as gap fees that act as barriers to accessing services.

Greater rebates and bulk billing incentives for vulnerable people can assist those with less money.

Offer other evidence-based support

Evidence also suggests people with mild to moderate mental health problems can benefit from psychological and social supports provided by people who are non-health-care professionals, such as the Friendship Bench and digital mental health programs.

We need to develop and invest in a range of services that cater to differing levels of need. This would ensure more specialised services are available for those with higher complexity or severity.

The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. The Coalition wants to increase Medicare psychology rebates from 10 to 20 sessions. Here’s what happened last time – https://theconversation.com/the-coalition-wants-to-increase-medicare-psychology-rebates-from-10-to-20-sessions-heres-what-happened-last-time-249606

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

March 28, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Reliable science takes time. But the current system rewards speed

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jason Chin, Senior Lecturer, College of Law, Australian National University

P.Cartwright/Shutterstock

Lately, there have been many headlines on scientific fraud and journal article retractions. If this trend continues, it represents a serious threat to public trust in science.

One way to tackle this problem – and ensure public trust in science remains high – may be to slow it down. We sometimes refer to this philosophy as “slow science”. Akin to the slow food movement, slow science prioritises quality over speed and seeks to buck incentive structures that promote mass production.

Slow science may not represent an obvious way to improve science because we often equate science with progress, and slowing down progress does not sound very appealing. However, progress is not just about speed, but about basing important societal decisions on strong scientific foundations. And this takes time.

Unfortunately, the pressures and incentives modern scientists face are almost universally against slow science. Secure, permanent university jobs are scarce, and with budget cuts, this appears to be getting worse.

As a result, the pressure to publish has never been higher. Indeed, in my yearly performance meetings, I am asked how many articles I’ve published and what is the status of the journals I published in. I am not asked how robust my methods are and how discerning my peer reviewers were.

The problems with fast science

Our current “fast science” approach has produced a host of problems.

Much as with fast food, scientists are incentivised to produce as much science as possible in as little time as possible. This can mean cutting corners. We know, for instance, that larger samples lead to more trustworthy results because they are more likely to be representative of the relevant population. However, collecting large samples takes time and resources.

Fast science is also associated with gaming the system. As a hypothetical example, an educational scientist might collect data to find evidence for their theory that a new teaching style promotes better learning. Then, they look at the data and realise the intervention did not quite improve learning. But if you squint at it, there might be a trend if you drop a couple of pesky outliers that didn’t see a benefit. So, they do just that.

This an example of what’s known as a “questionable research practice”, because it’s not considered outright fraud by conventional standards. Surveys in many fields suggest these practices are widespread, with about 50% of scientists saying they have engaged in them at least once.

Fast science is also associated with more obviously unethical practices.

Reports of fabricated data are likely due, in part, to scientists trying to publish as quickly as possible. An industry has even sprung up around scientific fraud – what are known as “paper mills”. These organisations produce articles around fabricated data and then sell authorship to those papers.

Surveys have shown about 50% of scientists have engaged in questionable research practices such as slightly tweaking research data.
National Cancer Institute/Unsplash

Why trustworthy science takes time

So, what does slow science look like and how can it help?

The late English statistician Douglas Altman provided one of the most famous descriptions of the slow science mantra: “We need less research, better research, and research done for the right reasons”.

In many ways, it is the opposite of fast science: large samples and careful, well-documented, transparent practices.

Recall the hypothetical example of the scientists testing a new education practice. Rather than immediately jumping into data collection, the slow practice would be to first write a “registered report”. In other words, scientists would write out their theory and how they propose to test that theory, and send that out for peer review prior to collecting data.

The journal would then follow the normal process of soliciting peer reviews and allowing the scientists to revise their report in response to those reviews. Then, the authors would collect data, with publication in the journal being assured as long as they follow the agreed upon methods.

There are two major benefits to registered reports: it allows for peer feedback while it is still possible to improve the study and it removes an incentive to engage in questionable or fraudulent practices. Using the registered report format can take longer. But it is associated with more credible findings.

Two other slow practices worth mentioning are conducting research in a way that is reproducible and correcting errors in the existing body of research.

In theory, all science should be reproducible. That is, scientists should share their methods and data such that other scientists can both verify that work and build on it (developing new recipes, to continue the analogy to slow food).

Similarly, cleaning up the scientific record is incredibly important. For the same reasons that chef Gordon Ramsay likes to a clean a kitchen out before improving it, science needs to get a handle on what existing findings are reliable before we can build on them.

This means carefully going through existing publications to find studies that show indications of being fabricated or otherwise unreliable. This sleuthing is rare among university scientists because it does not typically result in publications. But it is highly important.

Slow science is the opposite of fast science: large samples and careful, well-documented, transparent practices.
National Cancer Institute/Unsplash

Slow science is slowly gaining steam

Currently, it requires bravery to engage in slow science.

Universities are keen to move up the university rankings lists. Those rankings are driven by publishing. So, universities hire, promote and retain their scientists based on their publications. This makes it risky to slow down.

There are, however, some reasons to hope. Movements are afoot to redefine research quality to take into account more aspects of slow science.

The Declaration on Research Assessment is a worldwide initiative to move away from ranking systems that ignore the principles of slow science.

Grassroots organisations are also creating platforms for more open and exacting peer review.

And advocates for more careful research practices have recently been appointed to important positions, such as with research funders and academic journals.

These developments are worth following and building upon because society does not need heaps of low-quality science. It needs science that deserves trust.

Jason Chin is affiliated with the Association for Interdisciplinary Metaresearch and Open Science (AIMOS), a charity that promotes the study and improvement of research methods. AIMOS is a co-founder of the open peer-review platform, MetaROR.

– ref. Reliable science takes time. But the current system rewards speed – https://theconversation.com/reliable-science-takes-time-but-the-current-system-rewards-speed-249497

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

March 28, 2025

MIL-OSI Australia: Massive boost to innovation in South East Queensland

Source: Workplace Gender Equality Agency

Over $200 million in funding contributed by the Albanese and Crisafulli Governments and industry partners will help South East Queensland become a leading innovator in health and biotech, through the South East Queensland Innovation Economy Fund.

The Fund has awarded eight successful projects $94 million in joint Government funding, with industry leaders across critical sectors co-contributing over $122 million. This partnership between governments and industry will unlock $217 million worth of investments across South East Queensland.

Successful projects include:

A $25 million grant to establish the Health and Advanced Technology Research and Innovation Centre (HATRIC) at the Gold Coast will build on the region’s leadership in biomedicine, biotechnology and additive manufacturing.
Bringing together Griffith University, neighbouring hospitals and medical institutes, the project will leverage another $75 million from partners to expand the cutting-edge Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct. It already employs more than 14,000 people, and is home to innovation such as the world’s first artificial rotary heart.
An Australian-first biomedical scale-up and manufacturing facility will be established at the Bogo Road Innovation Precinct, thanks to $3 million in funding. The new Hub will support start-ups to develop innovative medical products, manufacture them on site and undertake clinical trials, positioning Brisbane to become leaders in bio-manufacturing.
A $25 million grant awarded to the AATLIS Innovation Precinct Industry Biotechnology Centre (IBC) to bring together start-ups and industry leaders to establish Australia’s first vertically-integrated biotechnological facility to support the rapid design, building and testing of new solutions for the agriculture sector.
The University of Sunshine Coast Innovation Centre will be upgraded with five new specialist innovation labs to boost jobs and accelerate the local economy, thanks to a nearly $3 million investment. It includes a new Digital Health Productivity Lab, which will harness technology to advance innovation in the aged care sector and improve patient experience.

Quotes attributable to Federal Minister for Cities Jenny McAllister:

“The Albanese Government is building Australia’s future by backing Queensland innovation.

“By bringing together the expertise of universities, research institutes and industry, we can boost innovation, and create local jobs.

“It’s terrific to see investment in biotech that will not just improve health outcomes but also provide opportunities to build our economic future by leveraging world class research.

Quotes attributable to Queensland Minister for Science and Innovation Andrew Powell:

“Queensland Government is dedicated to investing in a thriving innovation ecosystem in South East Queensland.

“Strategic investment in world-class innovation precincts will drive the creation of high value knowledge-intensive jobs that will propel South East Queensland into a new era of prosperity.

“These precincts are the incubators for solutions to the region’s most pressing social and economic challenges.”

Further information:

SEQ Innovation Economy Fund successful applicants:

Applicant	Location	Joint Commonwealth and Queensland Funding	Project description
Therapeutic Innovation Australia Limited	Boggo Road Innovation Precinct, Brisbane	$3 million	Establishing the Bioproduction Hub (PM1) for multi modal therapeutics Phase 1 manufacturing at TRI. This Australian-first facility will enable production of biologics, vaccines, radiopharmaceuticals and mRNA therapeutics to support first-in-human clinical trials. The integration of specialist therapeutic manufacturing capability, quality control and regulatory expertise aims to streamline and fast-track the pathway from discovery science to clinical evaluation.
Translational Research Institute	Boggo Road Innovation Precinct, Dutton Park	$6,807,251	This project will supercharge the Translational Manufacturing (TM@TRI) project and in turn supercharge the Boggo Road Innovation Precinct, accelerating the impact of this critical infrastructure.
Southern RNA	LNP-mRNA-Enable Project (LEAP): Driving LNP-mRNA Therapeutics to Clinical Trials	$2,777,667	The LNP-mRNA-Enable project aims to supercharge Queensland’s biomedical sector by building infrastructure and capacity that will unlock Queensland’s ability to locally translate and produce mRNA therapeutics. Led by Southern RNA and supported by research and industry partners in the field, the project will specifically develop capability around the development and manufacturing of Lipid Nanoparticle-mRNA, a vital step in the production and delivery of mRNA.
Witmack Industrial	AATLIS Innovation Precinct Industry Biotechnology Centre (IBC), Toowoomba	$25,000,000	The AATLIS Innovation Precinct Industry Biotechnology Centre (IBC) is a groundbreaking $50m initiative to establish Australia’s first vertically integrated biotechnological facility for distribution, sales, logistics, R&D, and toll manufacturing. This “One Stop Shop” will integrate AI-driven research and world-class technology with best-practice manufacturing capabilities and global end-users to strengthen supply chain security, advance environmentally conscious practices like reducing synthetic chemical use, and boost economic growth and export opportunities.
University of Queensland	Queensland Animal Science Precinct, Lockyer Valley	$21,807,000	Queensland Animal Science Innovation Hub – a place animal producers, farmers and industry can test and trial, scale and commercialise new farming and biosecurity innovations which enhances food security and the supply of affordable and reliable meat and animal products to Queensland and the world.
University of the Sunshine Coast	Innovation Centre Sunshine Coast, Sunshine Coast	$2,724,431	Future Skills Lab – five future skills specialist innovation labs, delivered in partnership with industry, and equipped with the latest tools and resources that accelerate the design, prototyping and testing of cutting-edge digital innovations.
Urban Utilities	Luggage Point Innovation Precinct, Brisbane	$7,670,811	Luggage Point Innovation Precinct Expansion: Pioneering Sustainable Water Solutions for Green Industries. Creating new spaces for pilot projects, sampling and research; and innovation-enabling infrastructure that will drive development and commercialisation of innovative water-related products and technologies including accelerating recycled water innovation; encouraging the adoption of recycled water; addressing persistent contaminants; and enabling hydrogen production to develop novel products from biogas, biosolids and organic waste.
Griffith University	Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct, Gold Coast	$25 million	Health and Advanced Technology Research and Innovation Centre (HATRIC), a partnership between Griffith University (GU) and Economic Development Queensland is a new building that will significantly boost and synthesise the precinct’s capabilities, creating a seamless interface between university R&D and commercialisation with industry partners. Innovations enabled through HATRIC may include spinal injury repair, new vaccines, rehabilitation equipment, artificial ligaments, customised bionics for limb loss, quantum technologies for sportstech and circular economy technologies in recycling medical waste and lithium-ion batteries.

More information on the SEQ Innovation Economy Fund can be found at SEQ Innovation Economy Fund | Advance Queensland.

MIL OSI News –

March 28, 2025

MIL-OSI: SafeCard Reviews (Read Before Buying): Does It Really Work or Is It a Scam?
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

MONROE, La., March 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The world is gradually going fully digital with the advent of many of the latest technologies. We have embraced the convenience it brings with each tap, swipe, and contactless payment, even though it brings with it a new set of vulnerabilities. The proliferation of digital technologies raises the possibility of illegal access to private data, and resultant theft of personal information. This is where RFID-blocking technology comes into play, and SafeCard is one gadget that has generated a lot of attention.

SafeCard Reviews

SafeCard is designed to serve as a portable protector for your personal and financial data. According to the manufacturer claims and many consumer reports, It successfully prevents unwanted scanning by erecting an imperceptible barrier around your credit cards, passports, and other RFID-enabled devices using an innovative RFID and NFC blocking technology. To put it another way, SafeCard quietly protects your sensitive information in the background so you may profit from online transactions without worrying about cybercrime all the time.

The SafeCard has been trending online and on different blogs because of the many claims and features users stand to gain from getting it. Also, users have asked many questions with the aim of confirming the authenticity and manufacturer’s claims. Is the SafeCard Worth My Dime? SafeCard Consumer Reports? Benefits of SafeCard? How Is the SafeCard better than an RFID Blocking Wallet? You will get to learn the answers to these and even more by the end of this review.

We will holistically be looking at SafeCards performance, features, consumer reports, usefulness, and design. We are aware that making an informed choice requires a clear, factual analysis of the device’s functionality in real-world situations and we will be giving you just that. We will also discuss actual user experiences of the SafeCard from people in the USA, and Canada. Let’s get started!

What Is SafeCard?
(SafeCard Reviews USA, Canada, Australia)

SafeCard is a thin and lightweight innovative card designed to keep you safe from unwanted access to your digital information. SafeCard provides a crucial line of security for your credit cards, passports, and other RFID-enabled devices in this age of contactless payments and growing cyberthreats. It prevents possible scanners from intercepting your data by establishing an imperceptible electromagnetic barrier using innovative RFID and NFC blocking technologies. Even in crowded public areas, this protective field guarantees that your personal identification and financial information stay private.

SafeCard has an incredibly tiny design, unlike traditional RFID-blocking devices that come in the form of large wallets or separate sleeves. It blends in perfectly with any wallet, pocketbook, or cardholder thanks to its slightly thicker than one millimeter thickness, which keeps the design simple and elegant without adding extra bulk. SafeCard is a great option for anyone looking for both style and security because of its small size.

The SafeCard functions passively so it doesn’t need batteries, recharging, or complicated setup. It automatically starts protecting your data by thwarting unauthorized scanning efforts as soon as it is put next to your cards. Whether you’re traveling, commuting, or just running your daily affairs, its sturdy, water-resistant materials guarantee that it can endure normal wear and tear. Essentially, SafeCard offers 24/7 security against digital theft by fusing an innovative technology with a user-friendly design.

Does The SafeCard Really Work?

By employing RFID and NFC blocking technology, SafeCard creates an imperceptible electromagnetic barrier that protects your private information from unwanted scanning attempts. SafeCard actively blocks radio frequency signals that hackers could otherwise intercept when it is in your wallet with your credit cards, passports, and other RFID-enabled devices.

Your financial and personal information is always safe because of this passive interference, which operates constantly without the need for batteries or any setup. SafeCard eliminates the risk of digital theft by creating a protective barrier around your cards that stops skimming devices from accessing or sending your data. Because of its incredibly thin and light form, it fits neatly into any wallet or pocketbook and offers strong yet covert security wherever you go.

SafeCard essentially provides a hassle-free, automated solution to protect your digital data around-the-clock. It is indispensable for anyone interested in digital security.

DON’T MISS OUT: SafeCard is Available At A Special Price – Click Here To Order From The Official Website

What Are the Special Features Of SafeCard?
(SafeCard Reviews United States)

The SafeCard has become a must-have device, especially for frequent travelers. Let’s quickly look at the features of the SafeCard RFID/NFC blocking card.
- Advanced NFC and RFID Blocking Technology: To protect your private data from online scammers, SafeCard uses state-of-the-art NFC (Near Field Communication) and RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) blocking technology. The SafeCard blocks unwanted scanning attempts before they can intercept your financial data by forming a strong undetectable electromagnetic barrier of about 5 centimeters. SafeCard provides complete protection for all RFID-enabled devices, including credit and debit cards, identification badges, smart passports, and tap-to-pay devices, in contrast to traditional security methods that might only protect a subset of cards. Even the most sophisticated skimming tools are made ineffective by the SafeCard tried-and-true protection system, providing you with peace of mind in any crowded or public location.
- Slim and Compact Design: The days of compromising convenience and style for security are long gone. The smart thin design of the SafeCard, which is only 1.1 mm thick, makes it nearly identical to a regular credit card. Its incredibly thin profile makes it fit neatly into any wallet, pocketbook, or cardholder without adding extra bulk. SafeCard fits in perfectly with your lifestyle, regardless of whether you’re a minimalist who appreciates clean design or someone who carries numerous cards and documents on a regular basis. In addition to preserving your wallet’s overall appearance, its small size guarantees that all of the RFID-enabled cards in your collection are protected without the mess of bulky wallets or conventional RFID-blocking sleeves.
- 24/7 Protection: SafeCard’s capacity to provide continuous protection without any active action is one of its best qualities. SafeCard offers 24/7 security without requiring batteries or recharging thanks to its passive operation. Its protection field is instantly activated when it is placed next to your RFID-enabled cards, guaranteeing that no unlawful scan is missed. Your personal information is always protected thanks to its always-on security system, whether you’re at home, on the road, or in a crowded public area. SafeCard’s dependable, continuous operation allows you to concentrate on your day while your digital security is taken care of automatically, eliminating the need for planned maintenance or downtime.
- No Setup Required: SafeCard’s design philosophy is centered on ease of usage. There is no installation, configuration, or technical expertise needed. The SafeCard starts protecting you as soon as you put it in your wallet with your RFID-enabled cards. It’s a simple plug-and-play experience with no buttons to click, software upgrades to handle, or complicated instructions to follow. SafeCard is perfect for users of all ages and technical skill levels because of its simple usage.
- Award-Winning Innovation: Both customers and industry professionals have acknowledged SafeCard’s superiority. This device, which has received praise and prizes from respectable organizations all around the world, is praised for its innovative approach to digital security. SafeCard has established itself as a reliable and creative solution in digital security thanks to thousands of good reviews and an expanding user base of over 10,000 happy customers. It is the preferred option for people looking for dependable, cutting-edge protection against digital theft due to its demonstrated track record of accomplishment. Choosing SafeCard ensures that you’re always one step ahead of cyber threats by investing in a device that has undergone extensive testing and been praised for its effectiveness and inventiveness.
- Lightweight: SafeCard is the perfect addition for everyone who appreciates portability because, in spite of its strong security measures, it is remarkably light. Its feather-light design practically never adds weight to your daily carry, maintaining the convenience and comfort of your wallet.
- Long-lasting and durable: SafeCard’s design places a strong emphasis on durability to make sure it can handle the rigors of regular use. SafeCard is made from high-quality, durable materials and is designed to withstand physical wear and tear, including scratches and water spillage. The sturdy design ensures that your card will stay in perfect shape for lengthy periods of time, offering ongoing protection without the need for regular replacements. SafeCard’s resilience guarantees that it will continue to be a reliable defender of your digital data regardless of the challenges provided by inclement weather or the demands of regular use..
- Travel-Friendly: SafeCard is a necessary travel companion that blends ease and security for those who travel frequently. You may carry it covertly everywhere you go thanks to its small form, which fits neatly into any pocket or travel wallet without calling attention to itself. SafeCard’s dependable security is especially helpful in transit hubs where RFID skimming is more likely, like train stations, airports, and crowded cities. SafeCard guarantees that your sensitive information is protected during your travels. You can now concentrate on your experiences without having to worry about digital theft thanks to this travel-friendly feature.
Are SafeCards Safe?

SafeCards are designed to protect against illegal digital scanning and RFID skimming. SafeCard creates a barrier that keeps your RFID cards and documents protected when you slide them into your wallet.

SafeCards provide complete protection for all RFID-enabled objects, including credit cards, passports, and even key cards, so it’s not just about stopping one kind of card. The verified efficiency reduces the possibility of illegal data collection in congested public areas such as busy transit stations, shopping malls, and airports.

Once positioned next to your cards, they constantly protect your information around-the-clock because they don’t need batteries or active setup. Thanks to this hands-off design, you won’t have to bother about upkeep, which guarantees that your data is safe every day.

The increasing quantity of glowing client testimonials also supports its safety. SafeCards are praised by users for providing peace of mind by lowering the danger of fraud and identity theft. Cybersecurity experts agree that SafeCards are a helpful personal security tool. The SafeCards is 100% safe and will not disappoint when you need them the most!

How Do You Use SafeCard?

SafeCard doesn’t require any technical setup and is incredibly user-friendly. Unlike other security devices, SafeCard runs passively, so you don’t need to charge it, turn it on, or do any other maintenance. Use SafeCard effectively by doing the following:
- Unbox and Place SafeCard in Your Wallet: Place SafeCard in your wallet, purse, or cardholder just like you would with a regular credit card.
- Place SafeCard Next to Your RFID-Enabled Cards: Keep your SafeCard near your contactless payment cards, identification cards, or passports for optimal security. One SafeCard can be used to protect several cards.
- Take Advantage of Automatic RFID Protection: SafeCard begins to function as soon as it is in your wallet. By emitting a low-frequency signal that tampers with RFID scanners, it stops unauthorized access to private data.
Is SafeCard Shield Legit?

SafeCard Shield, a small and powerful RFID-blocking card made to protect your private data, is one product that has drawn a lot of interest. But is the SafeCard Shield genuine? The answer is definitely yes!

SafeCard Shield’s innovative RFID and NFC blocking technology keeps data thieves at bay by erecting an imperceptible barrier around your RFID-enabled cards. Even with sophisticated scanning tools, SafeCard Shield ensures hackers cannot access your information, including your credit card, passport, or work ID. SafeCard Shield provides universal protection and is remarkably thin and light, unlike conventional RFID-blocking wallets that are large and costly.

SafeCard Shield’s passive, battery-free operation is one of the things that makes it stand out as a genuine security tool. SafeCard Shield operates automatically around the clock, unlike other RFID blockers that need to be charged or powered by external sources. It offers immediate, continuous security without requiring setup, activation, or upkeep; just put it in your wallet next to your RFID-enabled cards.

Thousands of excellent reviews from happy clients around the world are another indication of SafeCard Shield’s genuineness. Many users have reported feeling more at ease while traveling, shopping, or commuting in crowded areas. Additionally, tech reviewers and security experts have acknowledged SafeCard Shield as a straightforward and effective method of preventing unwanted RFID reading.

Additionally, SafeCard Shield is composed of premium, long-lasting materials that guarantee protection for an extended period. Even after regular usage, its scratch-proof and water-resistant design ensures dependability. You can rely on SafeCard Shield to safeguard your private information for many years. SafeCard Shield is entirely legit!

CLICK HERE NOW TO GET SAFECARD DIRECTLY FROM THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE AT A MASSIVE DISCOUNT

Best Places To Use SafeCard (SafeCard Review)

SafeCard is a flexible addition to your daily security routine because it is made to offer strong protection wherever you go. Your credit cards, passports, and other RFID-enabled devices will always be protected thanks to its sophisticated passive RFID and NFC blocking technology.

Airports are one of the best places for frequent travelers to take advantage of SafeCard. SafeCard provides a covert layer of security in crowded terminals where digital skimming is common. As you move through congested security lines, lounges, and boarding gates, it guards against illegal scanning.

Another situation where SafeCard excels is on public transit. Because of the close quarters and quick person turnover, buses, trains, and subways are frequently hotspots for digital pickpocketing. A proactive step that protects your personal information while you commute every day is keeping your SafeCard in your wallet.

SafeCard is also used in restaurants and retail establishments. The possibility of illegal data collection rises as more companies use contactless payment methods. SafeCard helps guarantee that your digital payment information remains safe as you take advantage of the convenience of tap-to-pay transactions, whether you’re at a busy restaurant, a small boutique, or a retail mall.

The device is equally useful in professional environments such as co-working spaces and offices. Credit, debit, and access cards are among the several cards that business workers frequently carry. By using SafeCard in these settings, possible data breaches that can happen in open-plan workplaces or while traveling for work are avoided. It adds an additional degree of protection without disrupting your productivity.

Furthermore, SafeCard can be used most effectively at educational institutions and public gatherings like conferences, concerts, and festivals. SafeCard makes sure that your financial and personal information is safe from any cyber threats in these busy places where there are many distractions and personal security can occasionally take a backseat. The SafeCard blends in well with your lifestyle wherever you are because of its thin, light design.

Pros of SafeCard (SafeCard Reviews)

Below are a few benefits of having the SafeCard with you all the time:
- Advanced RFID and NFC blocking technology.
- Incredibly thin design blends in perfectly with any wallet without adding bulk.
- No need for batteries
- Offers round-the-clock protection.
- Several RFID-enabled cards are protected at once
- Sturdy, water-resistant, and scratch-resistant.
- Thin and lightweight
- User-friendly for people
- No-setup installation needed.
- 30-day money back guarantee
Cons (SafeCard Reviews)

Below are a few drawbacks of the SafeCard:
- Only RFID-enabled devices are protected; physical theft is not covered.
- Only works when kept in the same wallet as your cards.
- Retail availability is limited because purchases can only be made on the official website.
- Limited in stock so hurry while supplies last.
DON’T MISS OUT: SafeCard is Available At A Special Price – Click Here To Order From The Official Website

SafeCard Reviews Consumer Reports USA, Canada, Australia, UK

Below are reviews from verified users of the SafeCard:
- Melissa H. | Verified Buyer -“I love going to holiday markets, but after watching my friend lose hundreds to a scammer, I knew I needed protection. SafeCard blocks thieves silently, and I haven’t had an issue since. It’s the best purchase I’ve made for my security!”
- Rachel T . | Verified Buyer – “While traveling through Rio, I discovered my bank account had been drained by scammers. I was devastated. A fellow traveler recommended SafeCard, and it’s been a lifesaver ever since. No more stolen data, no more stress. Now I can travel with confidence knowing my wallet is secure.”
- James K. | Verified Buyer -“I bought a 3-pack of SafeCards so my wife and kids could have one too. Now, wherever we go, we know our data is secure. It’s such a relief!”
How Much Does A SafeCard Cost?

Right now, the SafeCard is currently being offered at a discounted price, especially if you purchase straight from the manufacturer. The SafeCard at its current price is unquestionably a fantastic deal for a product with such high-end features. The following costs are associated with obtaining your own SafeCard:

Where Can I Order SafeCard in the USA, Canada, and Australia?

To ensure that you receive the genuine product with full warranty coverage, it is recommended that you purchase SafeCard directly from the manufacturer’s official website.

Buying from the official website not only guarantees authenticity but also gives you access to any special offers, discounts, or package discounts that might not be available from third-party sellers. Additionally, the official website ensures that your private card information is secure. On the manufacturer’s website, you can easily place your order with hassle-free shipping guaranteed.

CLICK HERE NOW TO BUY SAFECARD DIRECTLY FROM THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE AT A MASSIVE DISCOUNT

SafeCard Reviews: Frequently Asked Questions

We will be providing answers to some frequently asked questions on the SafeCard RFID blocking device. Please go through it as you will gain extra information about the use and functioning of the device:

Do Safe Shield Cards Really Work?

SafeCard has been shown to be successful in preventing unwanted RFID scanning, according to several user reports and independent evaluations. It greatly lowers the risk of data skimming, a typical tactic used by fraudsters, by erecting an imperceptible barrier around your RFID-enabled cards. SafeCard’s innovative design and technologies provide a strong line of defense that improves your overall digital security.

What is the difference between SafeCard and conventional RFID-blocking wallets?

Conventional RFID-blocking wallets are designed to use integrated panels or several large sleeves, which can be inconvenient and add extra weight. Conversely, SafeCard provides an even higher degree of security but is made to be thin and undetectable. Multiple cards are protected simultaneously by its single-card design, which eliminates the need for separate compartments.

Is it simple to use SafeCard?

Definitely, SafeCard’s ease of use is one of its main benefits. No buttons need to be pressed, no complex setup, and no technical knowledge is required. SafeCard starts working as soon as you put it in your wallet with your RFID-enabled cards. It is the perfect answer for people from all walks of life because of its passive functioning, which guarantees users can enjoy continuous protection without worrying about configuration or recharging.

Can other RFID-enabled devices be used with SafeCard?

SafeCard is designed to provide all-around safety for many RFID-enabled devices all at once. SafeCard’s innovative technology builds a complete barrier that prevents unwanted scanning attempts on a variety of devices, including credit cards, debit cards, passports, access cards, and even identification badges. It is a practical option for anyone wishing to secure several RFID devices without having to deal with buying separate protective gear or tools.

Who needs the SafeCard?

Anyone who wants to improve their digital security and uses RFID-enabled devices should consider getting the SafeCard. This includes professionals with hectic schedules, frequent travelers, students, and even casual users who are worried about RFID skimming threats. It is a useful addition for people who appreciate convenience and security because of its simplicity of use, small size, and dependable protection. SafeCard can be easily incorporated into your lifestyle, regardless of whether you’re a tech expert or someone searching for a simple security solution.

What are the opinions of actual users regarding SafeCard?

The majority of actual user reviews have been favorable, with numerous clients complimenting SafeCard on its efficiency, ease of use, and stylish appearance. When traveling or shopping in congested areas, users report feeling more at ease. For those who are worried about the security issues associated with RFID, the high customer satisfaction percentage indicates that it is a smart investment.

Conclusion on SafeCard RFID Blocking Card Reviews

Modern RFID and NFC blocking technology employed by SafeCard prevents unwanted scanning and safeguards private data on credit cards, passports, and other RFID-enabled devices. It’s incredibly thin profile guarantees protection without the hassle of bulk or complicated setups, while also preserving the elegant appearance of contemporary wallets.

During our review, we found that SafeCard’s smooth, passive protection sets it apart from other conventional RFID-blocking devices. The SafeCard starts protecting your digital data as soon as it is in your wallet and doesn’t require any further upkeep or power sources. Customers have praised the device’s longevity, highlighting its scratch- and water-resistant design as two significant daily-use benefits.

SafeCard provides a practical and dependable defense against typical travel risks including digital theft and unauthorised data skimming. Its strong performance and simple design make it a desirable option for frequent travelers, busy professionals, and anybody else worried about the security of their personal information.

Many USA consumer reports support the manufacturer’s claims with many real users stating that it exceeded their expectations. The SafeCard is a wise and proactive way to stay safe in these dangerous times of sophisticated data theft. Why travel scared when you can do your trips confidently with SafeCard? You can stay safe all through your trips by getting your own SafeCard!

DON’T MISS OUT: SafeCard is Available At A Special Price – Click Here To Order From The Official Website

Contact: SafeCard
Email: support@safecardshield.com

Disclaimer:
This article is intended for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute professional, legal, or cybersecurity advice. While SafeCard may help reduce the risk of RFID-based digital theft, no security product can guarantee 100% protection in all scenarios. Individual results may vary based on usage and other factors. Always exercise general caution and follow best practices when safeguarding your financial and personal data. The publisher and all parties involved in the creation and distribution of this content are not liable for any misuse, loss, or damages arising from the use or reliance on the information provided herein. Always consult the official product website or customer support for the most accurate and updated details.

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5b2f8b2b-7614-471e-bc04-df63db036bea

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b1e8d76f-8ecf-4176-a754-f9f916e782ff

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7e1131b2-5041-4305-8773-cc7188774ecf

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4ad570a4-17b3-4a6f-aaa3-17fc4a2788e1

The MIL Network –
March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Why it’s a critical time for Canada to renew its commitment to global health co-operation
Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Kelley Lee, Professor and Canada Research Chair in Global Health Governance; Scientific Director, Pacific Institute on Pathogens, Pandemics and Society, Simon Fraser University

As the United States moves to end longstanding commitments to global health co-operation — punctuated by its withdrawal from World Health Organization (WHO) — a new report by the joint Expert Panel of the Royal Society of Canada and Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, which we co-chaired, offers guidance on how Canada can strategically position itself in this fast-changing context.

Traditionally, Canada has taken pride in being a good global health citizen through distinct contributions as a middle power. Active participation in multilateral institutions such as the WHO, close co-operation with like-minded states and research partnerships led by low- and middle-income countries have defined Canada’s global health brand.

Since the early 2000s, Canada has also initiated and funded major initiatives on reproductive, maternal and child health, nutrition and the control of infectious diseases. The International Development Research Centre and Grand Challenges Canada, alongside researchers and civil society organizations, have generated further tangible benefits for the health and well-being of populations worldwide, while also elevating Canada’s standing on the world stage.

Pandemic stress test

However, the COVID-19 pandemic has since triggered seismic changes in the global health landscape. The pandemic itself stress-tested Canada’s global health role, earning the country mixed reviews.

While the federal government provided billions of dollars to collectively fight SARS-CoV-2, through initiatives such as the COVAX Facility and ACT-Accelerator (Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator), these important contributions were overshadowed by Canada’s failure to champion global vaccine equity. Rather than bringing countries together, the pandemic prompted many to prioritize national interests.

Since the end of the emergency phase, governments have struggled to agree to a pandemic treaty and there has been a shift in attention to other pressing needs. Calls to decolonize global health have instead been met with a decline in financial commitments by the U.S. and other donor countries.

This concerning shift in the global health landscape signals an important need for Canada to reflect on its role in global health. Key findings of our panel’s report directly challenge the outdated notion that global health is simply about development assistance.

Instead, we identify where domestic and global health needs intersect in an interconnected world of shared risks and opportunities. We conclude that domestic health and well-being cannot be advanced without a robust commitment to global health co-operation. The key is to urgently identify these win-wins as points of navigation in an era of what’s known as polycrisis.

Priority issues

To renew Canada’s global health role, the panel identifies four priority issue areas that bring together domestic and global health needs:
- Champion an accelerated and equity-focused universal health coverage strategy with particular emphasis on primary care and the rights of women and girls;
- Advance a One Health security approach to pandemic readiness that emphasizes the interconnectedness of all life, need for primary prevention and central importance of sustainability and equity; spans upstream risks as well as downstream preparedness and response measures; and builds core capacities such as a standing emergency workforce;
- Renew Canadian leadership in health promotion and protection by advancing a well-being economy focused on serving people and the planet, rather than the generation of wealth as an end goal; and prevents the harms and promotes the benefits from for-profit businesses, their activities and the economic systems that sustain them, known as the commercial determinants of health;
- Initiate a Canadian Emergency Workforce for Health Innovation Program to urgently tackle the domestic and global health workforce crisis including a commitment to zero poaching of international health-care workers by 2035.
Taking action

Microscopic view of H5N1 avian influenza particles. The growing threat from highly pathogenic avian flu offers a clear example of how a retreat from global health co-operation directly weakens the capacity of all countries to protect domestic populations.
(CDC and NIAID), CC BY

The panel recommends that three strategic actions are needed to take forward these priority issue areas:
- A Canadian Global Health Strategy that sets out a renewed rationale for global health engagement, key priorities for federal, provincial/territorial and local levels of government, targeted investments and clear metrics to monitor progress;
- A coherent and targeted plan to bolster public and private investments in science and innovation for critical priorities such as the health workforce, One Health Security, along with research capacity in Indigenous communities and the developing world; and
- A commitment to ensuring Canadian capacity to engage in global health decision-making, diplomacy and partnerships through the appointment of a Global Health Ambassador; establishment of a Canadian Global Health Hub (CG2H) that brings together available expertise, talent and resources; and a training program for our next-generation of leaders.
The growing threat from highly pathogenic avian influenza and the health impacts of climate change are looming examples of how a retreat from global health co-operation at this time would directly weaken Canada’s capacity to protect health and well-being at home.

From the World Health Organization’s tracking of the ever-changing influenza virus to the rapid development and deployment of medical countermeasures and the joint tackling of the causes of global warming, a retreat behind national borders makes little sense. Building on a storied history of engagement that supersedes partisan politics, there is no time to lose for Canada to strategically renew its role in global health.

Kelley Lee receives funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, New Frontiers in Research Fund, Canadian Biomedical Research Fund, Canada Foundation for Innovation, and British Columbia Knowledge Development Fund. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and Canadian Academy of Health Sciences.

Tim Evans is a Board member of the not-for-profit group CanWaCH.

– ref. Why it’s a critical time for Canada to renew its commitment to global health co-operation – https://theconversation.com/why-its-a-critical-time-for-canada-to-renew-its-commitment-to-global-health-co-operation-251894
MIL OSI – Global Reports –
March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Melbourne Man Indicted For Enticing A Minor To Engage In Sexual Activity And Other Child Sexual Abuse Offenses

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

Orlando, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the return of an indictment charging Kacey Caudill (28, Melbourne) with one count of enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity, one count of production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), three counts of receipt of CSAM, and one count of possession of CSAM involving a minor under 12 years of age.

If convicted on the enticement count, Caudill faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. For the production of CSAM count, he faces a minimum sentence of 15 years, up to 30 years. Each receipt count carries a minimum sentence of 5 years, up to 20 years, and for the possession of CSAM count, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison.

According to the indictment, Caudill committed these offenses between August 2 and October 9, 2024.

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kaley Austin-Aronson.

This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

MIL Security OSI –

March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Grants for cycling, walking paths support sustainability
Cyclists and walkers will enjoy more multi-use pathways, protected bike lanes, pedestrian bridges, and safety improvements as the Province helps local governments expand their active transportation infrastructure.

“With this funding, we’re helping communities across B.C. build a more sustainable future,” said Mike Farnworth, Minister of Transportation and Transit. “By connecting communities with dedicated active transportation infrastructure, we’re encouraging people to cycle, walk or roll, which is good for our health and lessens our reliance on passenger vehicles.”

A new round of provincial funding is supporting 53 active transportation infrastructure projects in B.C. communities. Additionally, nine communities are receiving funding to create network plans for future active transportation. These communities are benefiting from $24 million in provincial funding.

The grants will improve connections to employment, school, transit and recreational centres throughout the province.

The Active Transportation Infrastructure Grants program funds Indigenous, local and regional governments with cost-sharing investments of up to $500,000 for infrastructure projects and as much as $50,000 in funding to develop active transportation network plans. These projects make it safer and more efficient for people to use active transportation in their communities.

Since 2020, the Province has funded 327 projects across 187 communities through the Active Transportation Infrastructure Grants program, supporting the Province’s CleanBC commitment to increase shares of trips by walking, cycling and transit.

Learn More:

To learn about the B.C. Active Transportation Infrastructure Grants Program, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation/funding-engagement-permits/funding-grants/active-transportation-infrastructure-grants

A backgrounder follows.
In 2024-25, the Province is providing $24 million for 53 active transportation projects.

Northern B.C.
- Burns Lake – 2025 Government Street multi-use pathway
  Active transportation between the high school, the Ts’il Kaz Koh First Nation Office, a daycare and Head Start program, college, senior housing and downtown commercial areas will be provided by a multi-use path, sidewalk, two street crossings, one pedestrian-activated crosswalk, a bench and a rest area.
- Chetwynd – Chetwynd 46 Street Northeast sidewalk extension
  Installation of sidewalk connecting an elementary school to a residential subdivision.
- Dawson Creek (1) – Kin Park trail lighting
  Installation of lighting along approximately 2.5 kilometres of existing pathway to improve safety.
- Dawson Creek (2) – Rotary trail/MUP 17th Street bypass
  New multi-use trail connecting existing trail networks.
- Fort St. John (1) – 2025 trail lighting
  Improving safety by adding lighting to approximately 1.6 km of existing trail.
- Fort St. John (2) – 2025 Kin Park trail connections
  New multi-use path through Kin Park, complete with a pedestrian boardwalk, lighting, and wayfinding.
- Smithers – Main Street active transportation improvements
  New multi-use pathway connecting downtown Smithers to the Fulton Avenue multi-use pathway, as well as a multi-use pathway connecting to existing multi-use pathways on HWY 16 and Fulton Ave.
- Telkwa – Hankin Avenue paved path adjacent to school
  New multi-use path adjacent to an elementary school.
- Terrace – North Thomas Street reconstruction
  Full reconstruction of North Thomas Street, including upgraded sidewalk, improved accessibility, and new and upgraded multi-use pathways.
- Tumbler Ridge – Downtown core sidewalk replacement
  Sidewalk replacement in the downtown core, improving public safety and encouraging active transportation.
Kootenays
- Cranbrook – McPhee Road corridor improvements
  Construction of multi-use pathway along McPhee Road from Theatre Road to Industrial Road F.
- Invermere (1) – 10th Street end-of-trip facility
  End-of-trip facility located at 10th Street and 8th Avenue in downtown Invermere consisting of a washroom building, e-bike charging station, walking trail network signage, and an end-of-trip bike service facility (including repair station, pump, wash station, installation kit).
- Invermere (2) – Tarte Street trail
  Approximately 325 metres of multi-use path connecting existing active-transportation facilities.
- Kimberley – Marsden Street active-transportation project
  Approximately 191 metres of sidewalk connecting to the city’s skate and bike park, as well as other recreation amenities.
- Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (Electoral Area ‘C’/Christina Lake) – Christina Creek active transportation bridge
  New bridge across Christina Creek, providing a safer and more direct route for pedestrians and cyclists, and diverting users away from the highway.
- Rossland – Centennial Trail improvements
  Safety and accessibility improvements on the Centennial Trail multi-use pathway that serves as an inter-community link from Red Mountain Resort, through Rossland and Warfield, to Trail.
Thompson Okanagan
- Kelowna (1) – Rutland neighbourhood bikeway (Phase 1: Houghton to Rutland Recreation Park)
  1.2 km of AAA neighbourhood bikeway increasing connectivity between a residential neighbourhood, local park, the YMCA and a secondary school.
- Kelowna (2) – KLO Road bridge replacement
  The project consists of the replacement of the KLO Bridge and newly constructed AT facilities that connect adjacent neighbourhoods to the Mission Creek Greenway.
- Lake Country – Construction on Lodge Road-Sherman Drive to Woodsdale Road
  Improvements to the Lodge Road corridor and Rail Trail, including paving, curb, gutter and sidewalk, transit stop access, transit stop improvements and intersection reconfiguration to improve pedestrian visibility and activated beacons at crossings.
- Oliver – Raised crosswalks with multi-mode accessibility considerations
  The installation of two raised crosswalks that will improve Oliver’s existing active-transportation network. First at McKinney Road at Coyote Street, and a second at Fairview Road at Dividend Street.
- Peachland – Peachland to West Kelowna multi-use pathway Phase II
  Multi-use path connecting Peachland to West Kelowna
- Revelstoke – Pearkes Drive multi-use pathway
  New multi-use pathway along Pearkes Drive connecting the existing greenbelt pathway to Colbeck Road.
- West Kelowna – Horizon Drive active transportation corridor
  Providing an active-transportation corridor, including sidewalks, neighborhood bikeways and painted bike lanes, linking Highway 97 to Westlake Road, as well as the Westbank First Nation and nearby neighborhoods.
South Coast
- Bowen Island – Multi-use path, Charlies Lane to Forster Lane
  Multi-use pathway along Grafton Road from Charlies Lane to Forester Lane.
- Chilliwack (1) – McIntosh active transportation improvement project
  Approximately 450 metres of multi-use pathway (MUP) connecting a middle school and pedestrian rail tunnel.
- Chilliwack (2) – Edward to Mary active transportation improvement project
  Multi-use pathway starting at the Edward St. frontage of 45489 Bernard Ave, travelling along Menholm Road, and ending at the corner of Hodgins Ave and Mary Street.
- Coquitlam – Pipeline Road active transportation improvements
  New sidewalks and new separated cycle tracks, pathway lighting, and protected only phasing for vulnerable road users between Guildford Way and David Avenue. Additionally, new bidirectional micromobility facilities will be constructed between Lincoln Avenue and Guildford Way.
- Delta (1) – 56 Street multi-use pathway (6 Avenue to 8A Avenue)
  New multi-use pathway connecting to an existing multi-use pathway and local park.
- Delta (2) – River Road protected cycle lanes (68 Street to Deas Island Road)
  New protected bike lanes connecting to recently installed bike lanes from 68 Street to Deas Island Road.
- Greater Vancouver Sewerage and Drainage District (Metro Vancouver) – Iona Island Wastewater Treatment Plant upgrades – causeway improvements
  New bike lanes and multi-use pathways connecting Sea Island and the Iona Beach Regional Park.
- Langley (Township) (1) – Fraser Highway widening: 24300-24600 block, north side
  Approximately 800 metres of multi-use pathways for pedestrians and cyclists, including street lighting, landscaping and intersection upgrades.
- Langley (Township) (2) – Fraser Highway Widening: 24300 – 24600 block, south side
  Approximately 800 metres of multi-use pathways for pedestrians and cyclists, including street lighting, landscaping and intersection upgrades.
- North Vancouver – Spirit Trail eastern extension: Seymour to Windridge/Berkley
  New on-street cycling facilities, and off-street multi-use pathways, as well as pedestrian improvements and crossing improvements that will connect to the North Shore Spirit Trail linking Horseshoe Bay to Deep Cove.
- Squamish (1) – Victoria Street interim active transportation improvements
  New protected bike lanes on Victoria Street with pedestrian crossing improvements at intersections.
- Squamish (2) – Depot Road active transportation upgrades
  New multi-use pathway on the north side of Depot Road with pedestrian crossing improvements at cross streets.
- Tzeachten – Chilliwack River Road sidewalks (Phase 3)
  Increase connectivity with the installation of approximately 400 metres of sidewalk on the west side of Chilliwack River Road.
- White Rock – Buena Vista bike path
  Approximately 400 metres of bi-directional bikeway and multi-use paths on Buena Vista Avenue between Johnston Road and Best Avenue.
Vancouver and Gulf Islands
- Alert Bay – Willow Road stairway replacement
  Replacement of approximately 65 metres of damaged stairs with new concrete.
- Capital Regional District – Pender Island – Schooner Way school trail
  New multi-use transportation trail connecting Pender Island School, Health Centre, and commercial areas.
- Comox – Aspen Road/Bolt Avenue sidewalk improvement and cycle lanes project
  Installation of new sidewalk and bike lanes that will provide direct access to a park and elementary school.
- Esquimalt – Esquimalt Road active transportation and underground improvements – Phase 1
  Protected bike lanes connecting bike facilities on Lampson Street to the City of Victoria bike lanes at Dominion Road. This project includes two new rectangular rapid-flashing beacons and one upgraded beacon pedestrian crossing.
- Langford (1) – Latoria active transit Improvements: Phase 1B – school safety improvements and eastern connectivity
  Improvements to Latoria Road including additional sidewalks, as well as buffered and protected bike lanes that will provide active transportation routes to a new elementary school.
- Langford (2) – Latoria active transit improvements: Phase 1A – western connectivity
  Improvements to Latoria Road, including additional sidewalks, as well as buffered and protected bike lanes that will provide active transportation routes to a new elementary school.
- Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation – MMFN Woss Lake Grease Trail and Malaspina Trail renewal
  Trail clearing and pre/post trip amenities for the Grease Trail and Malaspina Trail, including signs, benches, picnic tables and washroom facilities.
- Nanaimo (1) – Crosswalk upgrades that improve active transportation routes
  Crosswalk upgrades to improve active transportation at seven locations.
- Nanaimo (2) – Third Street active transportation improvements
  Widening of Third Street to allow for active-transportation improvements, including bike lanes and a sidewalk.
- Saanich (1) – Shelbourne Street improvement project, Phase 3
  AAA bike lanes, new multi-use pathways and additional pedestrian improvements on Pear Street.
- Saanich (2) – Albina, Maddock, Orillia improvements project
  Improvements to Albina, Maddock and Orillia Road with approximately 750 metres of new sidewalks, improved pedestrian crossings, traffic calming and widened boulevards, adjacent to Tillicum elementary school.
- Sidney – Bowerbank neighbourhood bikeway
  AAA neighbourhood bikeway connecting a local park and elementary school, which will improve connection to the Lochside Trail, and will be a bicycle corridor for commuters.
- Sooke (2) – Active transportation Throup Road corridor improvements
  Construction of new sidewalk, multi-use paths, crosswalks and boulevards through Throup Road Corridor connecting schools, recreation centres and bus routes.
- Victoria (1) – Cook Street North multi-modal corridor improvements
  Approximately 1.8 km of complete streets that expands the AAA cycling network and provides accessibility and pedestrian improvements. This project connects with Saanich’s AAA bike lanes on Cook Street.
- Victoria (2) – Blanshard Street North – multi-modal corridor improvements
  Approximately 608 metres of complete street that expands Victoria’s AAA cycling network by upgrading bike lanes to wider protected lanes and a fully protected intersection at Bay Street.
- View Royal (1) – Atkins Road sidewalk project
  New sidewalk connecting Atkins Road to the Galloping Goose Regional Trail.
Provincewide Active Transportation Network Plan (ATNP) grant recipients:
- Castlegar ATNP
  The integration of an ATNP into a transportation master plan. Update of an existing plan.
- Granisle ATNP
  Granisle ATNP. New plan.
- Gold River usage counter
  The purchase of a mobile multi-pedestrian/cyclist counter that will be used in multiple places to support upcoming project proposals to support project development.
- Lantzville ATNP
  A comprehensive update of the Lantzville Trails and Journey ways Strategy (2010) to develop and expand an AAA active transportation network: New plan.
- Regional District of Nanaimo (Cedar Village) ATNP
  The development of a plan to identify and develop safer and more contemporary active transportation methods and infrastructure that addresses conflict areas and prioritizes safety and comfort for all users: Update of an existing plan.
- Snuneymuxw First Nation ATNP
  A plan to develop safe, efficient and sustainable active transportation infrastructure, as well as end-of-route culturally reflective benches, shelters and water fountain locations. New plan.
- Strathcona Regional District – Cortes Island ATNP
  The development of an ATNP and implementation strategy to establish priorities for future investment: New plan.
- Strathcona Regional District – Oyster Bay-Buttle Lake ATNP
  The development of an ATNP and implementation strategy to establish priorities for future investment. New plan.
- Whistler ATNP
  A plan for improvement to achieve Whistler’s active-transportation vision, as outlined by the Whistler Active Transportation Strategy (2024). The plan will align with CleanBC, the ATDG, and Universal Design and GBA+ principles. Implementation plan for recent active-transportation strategy.
MIL OSI Canada News –
March 28, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Places of worship to be protected from intimidating protests
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

News story

Places of worship to be protected from intimidating protests

New police powers to protect worshippers from intimidating protests and the new National Holocaust Memorial to be added to list of protected sites.
Image: Getty Images

Places of worship will be better protected from intimidatory protests under new powers being given to police.

The new measures, which will be included as an amendment in the government’s landmark Crime and Policing Bill, will protect synagogues, mosques, churches and other religious sites from intimidating levels of disruption caused by protest activity.

These changes will build on existing laws under the Public Order Act, providing a new threshold for officers to be able to impose conditions – including on the route and timing of a march – where the effect of the protest is to intimidate those attending a place of worship. This will give the police total clarity on how and when they can protect religious sites from the types of protest designed to disrupt them.

Concerns have been raised repeatedly in recent months after protests near synagogues have caused the cancellation of events on the Sabbath and have forced congregants to stay at home due to fears about travelling to their places of worship during large-scale demonstrations, especially in central London. Similarly, during last summer’s violent disorder, thugs targeted mosques in Southport, Hull, Sunderland and other areas, causing significant distress to members of the local community.

The move comes as religious hate crime has continued to rise at an alarming rate, with police-recorded antisemitic hate crimes having soared by 113% in the year ending March 2024, and anti-Muslim hate crimes having risen by 13%.

The Home Secretary has also announced new protections for the Holocaust Memorial planned to be built next to Parliament, with protesters or vandals who climb on the memorial facing imprisonment.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said:

The right to protest is a cornerstone of our democracy which must always be protected, but that does not include the right to intimidate or infringe on the fundamental freedoms of others.

That’s why we are giving the police stronger powers to prevent intimidating protests outside places of worship to ensure that people can pray in peace.

The Home Secretary has announced that the new offence for climbing on a war memorial – already announced when the Crime and Policing Bill was introduced – will be extended to cover the new National Holocaust Memorial scheduled to be built next to Parliament in Victoria Tower Gardens.

The preventative measure will ensure that the memorial to the 6 million Jews murdered in the Holocaust and all other victims of Nazi persecution will get the protection it deserves, with those breaking the law facing imprisonment.

The move to protect the memorial comes after a rise in disruptive and dangerous tactics used during protests that have caused distress to so many who cherish these sites of cultural and historical significance. The bill measure bans climbing on the most significant memorials built in Britain to commemorate the fallen of World War 1 and World War 2, and the Holocaust Memorial will be added to this protected list.

The new measure to better protect places of worship will not ban protests and recognises the public’s right to take part in peaceful demonstrations. As they currently do, the police will have to make a proportionality assessment before imposing conditions on specific protests – balancing the right to freedom of expression with the right for others to go about their daily lives free from intimidation and serious disruption.

Alongside the new legislation, the government is also providing up to £50 million to protect faith communities next year. This includes £18 million through the Jewish Community Protective Security Grant, £29.4 million through the Protective Security for Mosques scheme and for security at Muslim faith schools, and £3.5 million for the places of worship and associated faith community centres of all other faiths.

Lord Khan, Lords Minister for Faith, Communities and Resettlement, said:

Everyone should be protected to practice their faith freely and safely, and no one should fear attending their place of worship.

The freedom to protest is a key part of a democracy which must be protected. These new powers will add to the significant security funding we are providing places of worship, enabling worshippers – and the many others who rely on these important community assets – to go about their daily lives free from intimidation and fear.

Mark Gardner, Chief Executive of the Community Security Trust, said:

The cumulative impact on central London synagogues of repeated large, noisy protests, often featuring antisemitism and support for terrorism and extremism, has been intolerable.

We welcome these new measures to protect the rights of the Jewish community to pray in peace and we thank the Home Secretary for her ongoing support. Everyone has the right to protest, but there must be a balance so that all communities can attend their places of worship free from hate and without fear of being intimidated.

We also welcome the protection of the forthcoming Holocaust memorial which is set to be built next year – a tribute that will have cultural and historical significance for the entire country.

Phil Rosenberg, President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, said:

We welcome the Home Secretary’s announcement about measures to protect places of worship under the new Crime and Policing Bill. This is something we have been calling for over recent months.

We also welcome the inclusion of the new Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre in the protected list of war memorials. Protests near synagogues have led to serious and unacceptable disruption to our communal life over the last 18 months. The intimidatory protests outside mosques during the violent disorder last summer were similarly intolerable.

The new provisions will ensure the right to free speech does not conflict with freedom of worship or religious practice, and will build towards the more cohesive Britain we all want to see.

The Bishop of Manchester, Rt Revd David Walker, said:

People and families should always expect to be able to worship freely, confident in their own safety. Freedom of speech, including the right to protest, is also important in a free and democratic society. I welcome the government’s commitment to making sure our places of worship are safe and secure, and I look forward to exploring these proposals in more detail.

Further information

The new protest powers for police, being introduced into the bill at committee stage, will create a new threshold for sections 12 and 14 of the Public Order Act 1986, which enable police to impose conditions on public processions and assemblies.

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Published 27 March 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
March 28, 2025

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