NewzIntel.com

Category: Australia

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Queensland launches coordinated feral cat management in Channel Country

    Source: Government of Queensland

    Issued: 25 Feb 2025

    • An innovative new partnership funded by the Australian Government will help target feral cats across 180,000 hectares of south-west Queensland.
    • The Channel Country Threatened Species Partnership comprises twelve partnering groups representing government, First Nations, pastoralists and conservation groups.
    • Iconic threatened species like the greater bilby and night parrot will receive greater protection through the removal of feral cats.

    In a move to protect some of Queensland’s most vulnerable species, the innovative Channel Country Threatened Species Partnership (CCTSP) has been formed to target feral cats across 180,000 hectares of south-west Queensland.

    Feral cats, one of the nation’s most devastating predators, pose an ongoing threat to more than 200 native species.

    The partnership comprises twelve groups representing government, First Nations, pastoralists and conservation groups.

    The project is being coordinated by the Queensland Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation and the Desert Channels Queensland NRM Group.

    The project has received $498,973 funding through the Australian Government’s Saving Native Species Program to implement the national Threatened Species Action Plan 2022-2032.

    “For threatened species like the greater bilby, kowari, night parrot, and plains-wanderer, this is an important project,” Deputy Director-General of Queensland’s Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation, Mr Ben Klaassen, said.

    “Feral cats are relentless hunters that don’t recognise property boundaries.

    “Innovative collaborative partnerships increase our chances of successfully managing such a damaging pest species and improving recovery outcomes for threatened species,” Mr Klaassen said.

    Eight sites have been selected for the project, building on existing efforts by the partners to effectively double feral cat management in the Channel Country.

    “While the program’s actual feral cat control efforts will focus on a land area of some 180,000 hectares, the eight sites comprise an area of up to 500,000 hectares across the Channel Country,” Mr Klaassen said.

    Control efforts include humane ground shooting and trapping, enhanced by technology such as thermal imaging scopes.

    To gauge the project’s success, wildlife cameras and bioacoustic recorders will monitor both predator and prey populations, offering insights into the effectiveness of these measures.

    The partnership’s efforts aim to improve the conservation outcomes for priority species being targeted for feral cat management by the project:

    • The Greater bilby (Macrotis lagotis): Listed as Endangered in Queensland and Vulnerable nationally.
    • The Night parrot (Pezoporus occidentalis): Listed as Endangered at both state and national levels.
    • The Plains-wanderer (Pedionomus torquatus): A quail-like ground bird that is listed as Critically Endangered on both state and national lists.
    • The Kowari (Dasyuroides byrnei): A small carnivorous marsupial that is listed as Endangered at both state and national levels.

    “Without intervention, these iconic species face an uncertain future,” said Desert Channels Queensland Chief Executive Officer Leanne Kohler.

    “This program marks a turning point by uniting traditional custodians, pastoral companies, conservation groups, and the Queensland Government in a shared mission to safeguard the environment and biodiversity of our remarkably beautiful Channel Country.

    “This project is a chance to turn the tide,” Ms Kohler said.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Address to the Super Summit

    Source: Australian Treasurer

    From capital markets to critical minerals, trade to technology, manufacturing to infrastructure.

    This Summit is about stronger returns and stronger economic ties between 2 great countries.

    So thank you, Ambassador Rudd, for the invitation, for the introduction and for all your work with officials to bring us together in DC to talk about the big opportunities before us.

    In partnership with my friend Heather Ridout – our Consul‑General, who will host you tomorrow in New York.

    And generously sponsored by Macquarie, represented here by Shemara – Australia has a tradition of outstanding business leaders, and Shemara exemplifies it.

    To all the representatives from Australian and US funds, peak bodies and investors who have taken the time to join us today – welcome.

    It’s a special honour to be joined by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

    President Trump told our Prime Minister he would make sure his top people were at this summit.

    They are, and I’m looking forward to introducing Secretary Bessent as our keynote speaker in a moment.

    But first, let me take a few minutes to talk you through why I think this summit is so important, and so timely.

    Not just as a way to explore mutually beneficial investment opportunities.

    But as a powerful demonstration of the strategic and economic alignment between our 2 countries which has done so much to secure prosperity for our people.

    This summit has gathered together some of the key stewards of capital across the United States and Australia.

    Our super fund representatives here today manage almost a trillion US dollars.

    The US companies and investment firms here have a market cap of at least $1.8 trillion.

    And over the course of these 2 days in DC, we’ll be joined by Governors and Congressional representatives from 5 US states – Illinois, Florida, Tennessee, California and Connecticut – that make up more than a quarter of the American economy.

    It’s a remarkable collection of capital and capability.

    So together, you represent very substantial investment opportunities.

    To collaborate on capital flows towards roads and bridges, energy infrastructure and data centres.

    To highlight a point made by Secretary Bessent in the Economist:

    Longstanding trusted allies with shared interests make the best economic partners.

    Across 14 Presidents and 16 Prime Ministers, Australia and America have sought to create a more peaceful, prosperous world – together.

    By the time the ANZUS treaty was signed in 1952, Australia and America had already partnered to shape the post‑war order of Bretton Woods.

    And we collaborated to bring about a period of relative calm after the Cold War that we both benefitted from.

    Through all of this we invested in each other’s success.

    Ford played a major role in the shift of Australia’s economy from primary industries to a stronger manufacturing base in the twentieth century.

    Macquarie Group pioneered private infrastructure investment in both of our countries.

    And BlueScope started its US operations – leading to $5 billion of investment in American steel.

    The last 17 years or so have presented more challenges, starting with the Global Financial Crisis.

    But together, we’ve weathered 3 major economic shocks, war and geopolitical tensions with remarkable resilience.

    Australia and the United States are 2 of the best positioned economies in the world right now.

    Our economies are both growing, inflation is down, and our labour markets strong.

    What makes that unusual around the world, and in historical terms, is we haven’t had to pay for this progress on inflation with much higher unemployment in our economies.

    This is a unique combination and a sound foundation that positions us to be the primary beneficiaries of the churn and change which defines uncertain times in the global economy.

    And to make the most of the 5 big shifts we identified in our own Intergenerational Report that will define the coming decades.

    Supply chain fragmentation, revolutions in energy, the acceleration of AI, an ageing population and the associated changes to our industrial base.

    Amidst this churn and change, we’re an island of dependability in a sea of uncertainty.

    This American–Australian partnership is full of shared interests, mutual benefits and enormous opportunity.

    Australia has and will be an essential contributor to US prosperity.

    Our economic partnership is mutually beneficial and has never been more critical.

    The US has enjoyed an uninterrupted trade surplus with Australia since 1952, currently two‑to‑one.

    We impose zero tariffs on US imports.

    Around half of our exports are inputs into American domestic production processes.

    We can supply 36 of the 50 minerals the United States lists as critical – for advanced technology and defence.

    Under AUKUS, we’re paying our own way at the same time as bolstering our defence capability.

    We are already one of America’s top 10 foreign investors.

    And we have trillions of patient, friendly pension capital ready to invest in the new opportunities that lie before us.

    Above all else, this is the reason we’re here today.

    In Australia, super, or pension savings, have been building steadily now over a long period of time.

    And what was around 100 billion US dollars a few decades ago has now grown to a pool of capital worth $2.6 trillion.

    At home, that helps us take pressure off public pensions and budgets.

    It funds decent, dignified retirements for our people.

    And it’s helped make us a net exporter of capital.

    Australia’s superannuation sector manages the fourth biggest pool of pension funds in the world.

    Larger than the capital controlled by the sovereign wealth funds of the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia – combined.

    Even more remarkable to be in the top 4 when you consider we don’t crack the 50 biggest countries by population and we’re ranked 14th by GDP.

    This pool of capital has and will keep on identifying and making the most of investment opportunities at home – in housing, in energy, in technology and in infrastructure.

    In the next 3 decades, Australia’s super pool could be almost two‑and‑a‑half times the size of the Australian economy.

    Increasingly this means capital needs to be deployed abroad too – in markets which are safe, well‑capitalised and can deliver the right risk‑adjusted returns.

    Markets like this one.

    That’s why it’s no surprise that America is the biggest international destination for Australian super fund capital.

    The current value of Australian super fund investments in the US is around $400 billion – due to reach $1 trillion over the next decade.

    So, Australia’s superannuation sector has the size, scale and presence to play a big role driving new American industries and creating jobs.

    By investing in deep and liquid US equity markets.

    And directly in your infrastructure too.

    Data centres in Las Vegas.

    Toll roads in Indiana.

    Container terminals in Long Beach.

    And more.

    Our funds want to partner with other investors in the US and beyond to finance these kinds of projects.

    Which is why we also have a vision to build Australia’s stature as a financial centre for the Indo‑Pacific.

    Australia has the talent, the financial infrastructure and the institutional capability to mobilise capital efficiently –

    Facilitating capital flows, structuring investments and directing funds to where they can generate the best returns.

    And we look forward to working with the people in this room to help us realise this potential.

    Now, it’s almost time to hear from Treasury Secretary Bessent.

    So let me say a few words about the meeting we wrapped up just an hour or so ago with Director Hassett.

    I was grateful for the very constructive conversation.

    And grateful we were able to cover so much ground over the course of an hour or so.

    We continued the discussion on tariffs, picking up from President Trump’s call with Prime Minister Albanese just over a fortnight ago.

    We also spoke about critical minerals.

    How Australian resources can help fuel American industry and advanced manufacturing.

    And the need to create secure, sustainable, reliable and resilient supply chains.

    And how investors can continue to drive growth and dynamism in both our economies.

    With patient, productive investment that bolsters industry, maintains our edge in the global economy, strengthens resilience, and creates jobs and opportunity.

    Secretary, I was struck by the words you used towards the end of your confirmation hearing.

    ‘I think it’s Main Street’s time.’

    That motivation is at the heart of this summit.

    From Main Street to Middle Australia –

    Stronger returns and stronger ties in the service of both countries together.

    In what will be a defining decade for us all.

    To hear more about all of that, please join me in warmly welcoming the US Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Your super fund is invested in private markets. What are they and why has ASIC raised concerns?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Melatos, Associate Professor of Economics, University of Sydney

    If you are a member of a super fund, some of your long-term savings are probably invested in private markets.

    Public markets are familiar to most of us – the stock market and government and corporate bond markets. Private markets include unlisted assets such as companies owned by private equity firms, infrastructure investments and private credit markets.

    Corporate watchdog the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), has today released a discussion paper that emphasises the growth in private capital, seemingly at the expense of public markets. While the number of listed companies and the value of initial public offerings has shrunk, private equity and infrastructure funds have boomed.

    Should we be worried about this?

    Public vs private markets

    Public markets tend to be transparent, tightly regulated and liquid. Companies listed on the stock exchange publish their financial accounts, hold annual general meetings and their shares can be readily traded.

    In contrast, private markets are lightly regulated. Private capital investments are more opaque, less liquid and, hence, more risky. But they can deliver much higher returns (or losses).

    Often, obtaining capital from private sources makes sense. For example, entrepreneurs whose startup firms are short of revenue, profit and tangible assets are unlikely to be able to raise capital in public markets, or from banks. Instead, they turn to private equity firms for funding.

    What are the concerns?

    In its report, ASIC raises several concerns:

    • the shrinking of Australia’s public equity markets might hurt the economy

    • the rise of private markets may create new or amplified risks

    • the lack of transparency of private markets poses a challenge for investors and regulators.

    Public markets play an important role connecting investors with companies seeking capital. The shrinking of public markets, therefore, has important economic implications. Will private markets be able to pick up the slack?

    Notwithstanding the growth in private capital markets, they are still small compared to their public counterparts. The total capitalisation of the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) is $3 trillion. Total private capital funds under management are only $150 billion.

    The lack of disclosures in private capital markets might also create more and different risks for financial markets and the economy; risks that regulators may not understand, nor know how to anticipate or effectively mitigate.

    The role of Australian super funds

    ASIC is concerned about the implications for the superannuation industry of the growth of private capital markets and decline in public markets.

    Australia’s superannuation assets now total $4.1 trillion, greater than the value of Australia’s GDP and more than the total value of all companies listed on the ASX. Anything that alters the playing field for Australian super has the potential to create outsized risk (or opportunity) for the Australian economy.

    The ASIC report highlights the growing involvement of Australia’s superannuation funds in private markets. Australia’s two largest super funds, Australian Super and Australian Retirement Trust, each have about 20% of their total funds invested in private markets.

    The fact is that Australia’s superannuation sector has outgrown Australian public markets. They cannot trade shares on the ASX without moving share prices significantly to their detriment. On the other hand, having super funds, which are highly regulated to protect member savings, investing in unregulated private capital markets is jarring, if not potentially risky.

    Having said this, the size of Australia’s super funds means they can set the terms and price at which they invest. This power is most valuable in private deals; less so in public markets where a company’s stock price and its financial accounts are public knowledge.

    Increasingly, super funds directly invest in infrastructure projects such as ports and airports rather than buy shares in listed infrastructure firms.

    What’s behind the shift in markets?

    The ASIC report points the finger at the usual culprits for the shift from public to private capital markets, including the regulatory burden on public companies and the rise of technology companies that prefer to tap private capital.

    However, another problem is bedevilling policymakers everywhere: too much capital is chasing too few profitable investment opportunities. Companies have lots of cash on their books and nothing to spend it on.

    Increasingly, such companies have resorted to share buybacks (reducing the number of their shares on issue) to reward investors in a tax-effective way. A lot of the shrinkage in public equity is due to share buybacks that in 2022 alone totalled US$1.3 trillion.

    Why does all this matter?

    The ASIC report is notable for what it does not say; nothing, for example, on its own chequered history of investigative and enforcement action.

    The growing importance of opaque private markets matters more if regulators are asleep at the wheel. ASIC’s tendency for weak oversight and sclerotic enforcement can hardly have raised investor confidence in Australia’s public capital markets.

    Its oversight of initial public offerings (IPOs) has also been questionable over a long period. How can ASIC be expected to adequately manage complex private capital market risks given its woeful performance managing simpler public market risks?

    The apparent decline of public markets has been spooking even sophisticated private financial market players – including, most notably, Jamie Dimon, CEO of JP Morgan. If Dimon is concerned, then ASIC – and all of us – should probably also be concerned.

    Mark Melatos 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. Your super fund is invested in private markets. What are they and why has ASIC raised concerns? – https://theconversation.com/your-super-fund-is-invested-in-private-markets-what-are-they-and-why-has-asic-raised-concerns-250788

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: Travel costs decline as market enters off-peak period

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    The domestic tourism market has entered an off-peak period with declining prices of hotel rooms and flight tickets, providing travelers with the opportunity to take trips that cost less and feature smaller crowds.

    After the Spring Festival holiday, the passenger flow of popular domestic tourist cities in various regions has gradually declined, and the prices of flights have dropped accordingly.

    For instance, a one-way flight from Beijing to Chengdu, Sichuan province; Lanzhou, Gansu province; or Harbin, Heilongjiang province, all carry a price tag of around 200 yuan ($27.54), excluding airport construction fees and fuel costs. A one-way flight from Beijing to Haikou or Sanya, in the tropical island of Hainan province, is around 300 yuan, according to Qunar, a Beijing-based online travel agency.

    The elderly who have flexible schedules often embark on trips during this period, and they prefer independent travel and choose destinations largely based on prices. In-depth tours of Yunnan province, Fujian province, and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area have been favored by senior travelers, Qunar said.

    “The tourism market has entered a long slack season and it will last until the next holiday, which is Qingming Festival, also known as Tomb-Sweeping Day in early April,” said Xiao Peng, a Qunar researcher. “March will be a period that is inexpensive and not crowded, suitable for college students, senior travelers and office employees who take annual holidays off work to travel.”

    He added that during this period, small towns in China often become popular with tourists. For instance, Zibo in Shandong province and Tianshui in Gansu province became viral online in 2023 and 2024, respectively, with their unique features. Domestic scenic spots should provide good services during the off-peak season so that they can attract more travelers in the peak season.

    Meanwhile, prices of international flights have also dropped significantly after the Spring Festival holiday. In late February, some international flights such as those connecting Tianjin with Osaka, Tokyo and Seoul dropped to 180 yuan for a one-way flight, according to Tianjin Airlines.

    For long-haul flights that connect Tianjin with London or Sydney, the price could be as low as 530 yuan for a one-way flight, and the price reduction of those routes has been higher, the carrier said.

    In addition, as ice and snow tourism is nearing its end, the price declines of flights to some ice and snow tourism destinations have been more significant. Flights from multiple domestic cities to the ice city of Harbin had 90 percent off from their original prices, industry players found.

    From Feb 14 to Feb 28, the prices of hotels near some popular skiing resorts in Heilongjiang province, Jilin province and Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, dropped 10 percent on average over the peak period of this skiing season. The price decline can be as high as 50 percent, according to Tongcheng Travel, a Suzhou, Jiangsu province-based online travel agency.

    Despite the skiing season in China coming to an end, the search volume of products to some popular skiing resorts have been growing, Tongcheng Travel said.

    “The consumer groups for skiing are relatively fixed, and their repurchasing rates have been high. Their preference of a certain skiing resort depends on multiple elements such as transportation, accommodation and catering services,” said Cheng Xin, a Tongcheng researcher.

    Feng, a senior skier from Beijing, who has been skiing for nearly 10 years, said he would take skiing trips several times a year.

    “At the beginning of a skiing season, I usually go skiing in suburban Beijing for my regular training as it is easier and saves money. Then, I often go to some more advanced skiing resorts in Heilongjiang or Xinjiang to play and try different techniques,” Feng said.

    In the 2024-25 winter season, the number of passenger trips related to ice and snow tours in China is expected to reach 520 million, with revenue in the ice and snow leisure tourism market likely to exceed 630 billion yuan, the China Tourism Academy said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Australian Deputy PM: Building Australia’s mobile future

    Source: Minister of Infrastructure

    Australians were transfixed by the disappearance of bush walker Hadi Nazari who got lost in Kosciuszko National Park this Summer.
     
    Almost two weeks after he went missing in the unforgiving wilderness he was, thankfully, found alive.
     
    The significant search and rescue operation included a dozen SES teams, 200 personnel, more than 4,000 volunteer hours and specialist aircraft.
     
    Hadi’s location could have been known within minutes with a charged mobile phone, Direct 2 Device technology, and a clear view to the sky.
     
    This is because the latest generation of Low Earth Orbit Satellites can communicate directly – by text – to mobile phones.
     
    Which means people can seek help in emergencies in areas that don’t have mobile reception, and when networks are affected by power outages.
     
    So, what we are seeing around the world that is giving us optimism and excitement for this transformative technology?
     
    A recent example was during the highly-destructive and deadly Los Angeles wildfires.
     
    In the first few days, more than 100,000 text messages were sent via D2D from tens of thousands of T-Mobile customers using standard 4G handsets.
     
    People were texting loved ones, neighbours, and, importantly, emergency services.   
     
    Just imagine how we could use that capability in Australia. The public safety implications cannot be underestimated.
     
    This is why re-elected Albanese Government will introduce a major reform to ensure competitive universal outdoor mobile coverage across Australia.
     
    Labor’s Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation – or UOMO – will cover the more than 70 per cent of our vast continent that does not have mobile connectivity.
     
    We are filling the giant mobile black spot that could simply never be addressed through mobile tower deployment at this scale or speed.
     
    Whether it’s in national parks, hiking trails or out on the farm, outdoor coverage will be accessible almost anywhere where Australians can see the sky.
     
    Just think about what this means for the farmer out in the paddock, the injured hiker, or the distressed parent whose car has broken down.
     
    The strong and immediate public safety interest is obvious.

    The Albanese Government will introduce legislation in 2025. Implementation of outdoor SMS and voice will be expected by late 2027, with many Australians likely to obtain access before then.
     
    Our initial focus is on the continent-wide emergency contact capability.
     
    D2D is not a replacement for terrestrial mobile networks. It will complement them with a thin coverage layer.
     
    Basic mobile data will be considered in the future as technology roadmaps and capacity considerations develop.
     
    Labor’s longer-term interest is to help facilitate a competitive outdoor mobile coverage market for Australian consumers.
     
    Our policy announcement is a demand signal to global low orbit providers – we want you to expand your capability in Australia.
     
    Building Australia’s future demands forward-looking regulatory environments for the benefit of all.
     
    Whether its Medicare or superannuation, childcare, bulk billed GPs or the National Broadband Network, Labor has a proud history of expanding universal access to essential services and enablers of prosperity.
     
    UOMO is the next important piece of architecture that gives life to these values.
     
    Australians are proud and early adopters of technology, and we are ambitious to leverage this advantage as part of building a better future.

    There is tremendous activity and buzz in the communications space right now.
     
    It’s a time of reform, in-sync with incredible innovation that is making once unviable goals a reality.
     
    The biggest risk to this progress is a Liberal-National Coalition always inventing new ways to take Australia backward, as they did with copper broadband.
     
    Australia can do much better than that.
     
    Now is not a time for thinking small, looking back or aiming low. 
     
    This is a time to lean-in to opportunities and forge ahead with Labor’s vision to make Australia the most connected continent.
     
    The Albanese Government is doing this with one eye on the sky, and the other watching out for what’s best for all Australians – regardless of who – or where – they are.
     
    Minister for Communications, the Hon Michelle Rowland MP
    This opinion piece was first published in The Canberra Times, 26 February 2025

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: 51-2025: Imported Food Inspection Scheme Laboratory Nomination Form Submission – New Process

    Source: Australia Government Statements – Agriculture

    28 February 2025

    Who does this notice affect?

    All importers, customs brokers and appointed analysts who currently lodge imported cargo documentation and are required to submit an Imported Food Inspection Scheme Laboratory Nomination form or Imported Food Inspection Scheme Laboratory Cancellation form.

    Background

    We continue to ensure that our regulatory activities are undertaken as efficiently as possible, including improving the way we receive documents for…

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Charges – Assault police – Gapuwiyak

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The Northern Territory Police Force has arrested two males in relation to assaulting police in Gapuwiyak yesterday.

    About 1:15pm, police received reports of unrest at the local clinic and deployed to the location.

    Whilst at the clinic, a 26-year-old male picked up a pair of scissors and threatened officers. He was disarmed with assistance from other community members before being arrested. During the arrest, another 63-year-old male punched and elbowed the police officer arresting the other male. 

    Additional Police were called to convey the offenders to Gapuwiyak Police Station, while a group of up to 30 community members attended the clinic and became aggressive. The crowd eventually dispersed without incident. 

    Both males have since been charged with Assault Police Officer x 2 and were bailed to appear in Gapuwiyak Local Court on 18 June 2025.  

    Senior Sergeant Daniel Bell said, “Assaulting police officers is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Our officers are dedicated to protecting and serving the community, and we take any act of violence against them very seriously.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Building Australia’s mobile future

    Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development

    Australians were transfixed by the disappearance of bush walker Hadi Nazari who got lost in Kosciuszko National Park this Summer.
     
    Almost two weeks after he went missing in the unforgiving wilderness he was, thankfully, found alive.
     
    The significant search and rescue operation included a dozen SES teams, 200 personnel, more than 4,000 volunteer hours and specialist aircraft.
     
    Hadi’s location could have been known within minutes with a charged mobile phone, Direct 2 Device technology, and a clear view to the sky.
     
    This is because the latest generation of Low Earth Orbit Satellites can communicate directly – by text – to mobile phones.
     
    Which means people can seek help in emergencies in areas that don’t have mobile reception, and when networks are affected by power outages.
     
    So, what we are seeing around the world that is giving us optimism and excitement for this transformative technology?
     
    A recent example was during the highly-destructive and deadly Los Angeles wildfires.
     
    In the first few days, more than 100,000 text messages were sent via D2D from tens of thousands of T-Mobile customers using standard 4G handsets.
     
    People were texting loved ones, neighbours, and, importantly, emergency services.   
     
    Just imagine how we could use that capability in Australia. The public safety implications cannot be underestimated.
     
    This is why re-elected Albanese Government will introduce a major reform to ensure competitive universal outdoor mobile coverage across Australia.
     
    Labor’s Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation – or UOMO – will cover the more than 70 per cent of our vast continent that does not have mobile connectivity.
     
    We are filling the giant mobile black spot that could simply never be addressed through mobile tower deployment at this scale or speed.
     
    Whether it’s in national parks, hiking trails or out on the farm, outdoor coverage will be accessible almost anywhere where Australians can see the sky.
     
    Just think about what this means for the farmer out in the paddock, the injured hiker, or the distressed parent whose car has broken down.
     
    The strong and immediate public safety interest is obvious.

    The Albanese Government will introduce legislation in 2025. Implementation of outdoor SMS and voice will be expected by late 2027, with many Australians likely to obtain access before then.
     
    Our initial focus is on the continent-wide emergency contact capability.
     
    D2D is not a replacement for terrestrial mobile networks. It will complement them with a thin coverage layer.
     
    Basic mobile data will be considered in the future as technology roadmaps and capacity considerations develop.
     
    Labor’s longer-term interest is to help facilitate a competitive outdoor mobile coverage market for Australian consumers.
     
    Our policy announcement is a demand signal to global low orbit providers – we want you to expand your capability in Australia.
     
    Building Australia’s future demands forward-looking regulatory environments for the benefit of all.
     
    Whether its Medicare or superannuation, childcare, bulk billed GPs or the National Broadband Network, Labor has a proud history of expanding universal access to essential services and enablers of prosperity.
     
    UOMO is the next important piece of architecture that gives life to these values.
     
    Australians are proud and early adopters of technology, and we are ambitious to leverage this advantage as part of building a better future.

    There is tremendous activity and buzz in the communications space right now.
     
    It’s a time of reform, in-sync with incredible innovation that is making once unviable goals a reality.
     
    The biggest risk to this progress is a Liberal-National Coalition always inventing new ways to take Australia backward, as they did with copper broadband.
     
    Australia can do much better than that.
     
    Now is not a time for thinking small, looking back or aiming low. 
     
    This is a time to lean-in to opportunities and forge ahead with Labor’s vision to make Australia the most connected continent.
     
    The Albanese Government is doing this with one eye on the sky, and the other watching out for what’s best for all Australians – regardless of who – or where – they are.
     
    Minister for Communications, the Hon Michelle Rowland MP
    This opinion piece was first published in The Canberra Times, 26 February 2025

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Pumped hydro: current projects in development across Australia

    Source: Allens Insights

    A snapshot 5 min read

    Following the procurement and contractual close of the Kidston Pumped Hydro Project and Snowy 2.0, multiple pumped hydro energy storage (PHES) projects have been announced, and are in the early stages of planning and procurement. While government support remains important, the development pipeline has grown to include a healthy mix of rehabilitation projects and private sector-led projects.

    A snapshot of the PHES projects currently under development, procurement or delivery in the Australian market is set out in the timeline and tables below. These PHES projects accumulate to 13.5 GW/496 GWh of storage capacity potentially operational by the early 2030s. If successful, these projects would fulfill a significant portion of the Australian Energy Market Operator’s forecast of the National Electricity Market needing at least 36 GW/522 GWh of storage capacity by 2035 and 56 GW/660 GWh of storage capacity by 2050 in order to reach net zero.

    Timeline of projects currently in development

    Key details of pumped hydro projects in development

    The following projects are being led by the federal government, through government business enterprises, or state governments, through state owned government corporations.

    The following projects have government support through development agreements awarded by WaterNSW.

    The following projects propose to rehabilitate and repurpose existing mine sites for the development of PHES projects.

    The following projects are being led by private developers.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Exciting new program released for 2025 Bendigo Easter Festival

    Source: State of Victoria Local Government 2

    Rosalind Park will be a vibrant precinct bursting with family-friendly entertainment, stage shows, hands-on activities, live music, roving performers, and the traditional Easter Egg Hunt with 85,000 eggs nestled in straw. Tickets will go on sale for the egg hunt on March 6 via the Explore Bendigo website

    The award-winning Arena Theatre Company will present a Hidden Creature Gallery combining magical adventure and amazing digital art. Using a free Arena free app on a mobile phone, families will love spotting the animated creatures hiding in plain sight in Rosalind Park.

    Other highlights include The Mik Maks, The Blurbs, Djaara workshops, the Easter Bunny Stage Show, dragon craft and sand art workshops, Fosterville Gold Mine panning for gold, Farmer Darryl’s Animal Farm, Sonic the Hedgehog, Bendigo Bricks and much more. The lively atmosphere at Carnival Central on Mundy Street comes alive with lights, rides, and a sideshow alley. The CFA Kids Amusement Rides is at William Vahland Place for younger thrill seekers.

    The Rotary Club Market returns on Good Friday (Pall Mall and Easter Fair Way) and Easter Sunday (Easter Fair Way) with a range arts and craft, handmade goodies, unique treasures, collectables, tasty produce and more. Hargreaves Mall will host the Moonlight Easter Market from 10am to 4pm on Easter Saturday. Smaller community-run events have something for everyone (check the full program for dates and times). Events include the 38th Annual Easter Model Train Exhibition, the Bendigo Foodshare Easter Bookfair, Steam to the Bendigo Easter Festival, the Rotary Club of Bendigo Easter Art Exhibition and the Photographic Print and Digital Image Exhibition at Dudley House. For live music entertainment, the Bull Street Festival will highlight the best of local and regional talent. 

    To view the full program, visit:

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: J’accuse!… the Jew who accuses his fellow Jews of being antisemites

    A rally on the steps of the Victorian Parliament under the banner of Jews for a Free Palestine was arranged for Sunday, February 9. At 11:11pm on the eve of that rally, Mark Leibler —a  lawyer who claims to have a high profile and speak on behalf of Jews by the totally unelected organisation AIJAC — put out a tweet on X (and paid for an advertisement of the same posting) as follows:

    COMMENTARY: By Jeffrey Loewenstein

    As someone Jewish, the son of Holocaust survivors and members of whose family were murdered by the Nazis, it is hard to know whether to characterise Mark Leibler’s tweet as offensive, appalling, contemptuous, insulting or a disgusting, shameful and grievous introduction of the Holocaust, and those who were murdered by the Nazis, into his tweet — or all of the foregoing!

    Leibler’s tweet is most likely a breach of recently passed legislation in Australia, both federally and in various state Parliaments, making hateful words and actions, and doxxing, criminal offences. It will be “interesting” to see how the police deal with the complaint taken up with the police alleging Leibler’s breach of the legislation.

    In the end, Leibler’s attempted intimidation of those who might have been thinking of going to the rally failed — miserably!

    There are many Jews who abhor what Israel is doing in Gaza (and the West Bank) but feel intimidated by the Leiblers of this world who accuse them of being antisemitic for speaking out against Israel’s actions and not those rusted-on 100 percent supporters of Israel who blindly and uncritically support whatever Israel does, however egregious.

    Leibler, and others like him, who label Jews as antisemites because they dare speak out about Israel’s actions, certainly need to be called out.

    As a lawyer, Leibler knows that actions have consequences. A group of concerned Jews (this writer included) are in the process of lodging a complaint about Leibler’s tweet with the Commonwealth Human Rights Commission.

    Separately from that, this week will see full-page adverts in both the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age — signed by hundreds of Jews — bearing the heading:

    “Australia must reject Trump’s call for the removal of Palestinians from Gaza. Jewish Australians say NO to ethnic cleansing.”

    Jeffrey Loewenstein, LLB, was a member of the Victorian Bar and a one-time chair of the Anti-Defamation Commission and member of the Jewish Community Council of Victoria. This article was first published by Pearls & Irritations public policy journal and is republished here with permission.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Revised concept design for Girrawheen Hub Precinct redevelopment

    Source: Government of Western Australia

    The Girrawheen Hub Precinct redevelopment is progressing to detailed design after Council approved an updated concept design for the facility at its February meeting.

    The revised concept includes a single-story hub with an increased floor area that incorporates the existing hub, senior citizens centre, library, community centre and community garden functions.

    Now with more efficient use of the site, it will see increased car parking, expanded parklands and a new outdoor event space.

    The change from a two-storey facility to single-story will allow construction to be delivered in a single stage, reducing the overall construction time.

    Community consultation for the revised concept design will start in March.

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

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Investigation announced into former police officer

    Source: Tasmania Police

    Investigation announced into former police officer

    Wednesday, 26 February 2025 – 12:41 pm.

    Media outlets are reminded to be mindful of the following national guidelines when reporting on this matter.https://www.childsafety.gov.au/what-we-do/reporting-child-sexual-abuse-guidance-media-and-victims-and-survivors
    Tasmania Police will appoint specialist investigators to examine the conduct of former police officer Dale Cook, with independent oversight from the Integrity Commission.
    On Sunday the officer was arrested and charged by the Tasmanian Joint Anti-Child Exploitation Team (JACET), comprising members of Tasmania Police and the Australian Federal Police (AFP).
    He was charged with accessing child exploitation material and will next appear in the Launceston Magistrates Court in March 2025.
    Following his arrest the officer was stood down from duty effective immediately, and he has since resigned from Tasmania Police.
    Today, Commissioner Donna Adams said the Tasmania Police investigation will be run concurrently with the JACET criminal investigation.
    “The investigation will be run with independent oversight from the Integrity Commission and will examine his entire career to determine whether there has been any other criminal offending or misconduct during his time with Tasmania Police,” she said.
    “If any criminal matters relating to federal law are identified, they will be referred to the AFP.”
    “Any criminal matters relating to Tasmanian law will be investigated by Tasmania Police.”
    Commissioner Adams recognised the distress caused to the community and those who know the officer facing these allegations, particularly those who have worked alongside him.
    “As confronting as it is to see a Tasmania Police officer accused of these crimes, uncovering and exposing this kind of alleged behaviour is how we will continue to fight against the abuse and exploitation of children, and work to keep our children and young people safe.
    “The JACET investigation, arrest and laying of charges in this case highlights how our processes are working, and we’ll continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to stop those who seek to harm our children and young people.
    “The behaviour alleged to have taken place is criminal and targets the most vulnerable members of our community – it is a complete breach of the trust placed in this individual personally and professionally,” she said.
    “As an organisation, we will continue to make the improvements needed to better protect children and support victim-survivors and ensure the values and behaviour of Tasmania Police meets the high standards expected by the community.”
    Commissioner Adams said she continued to encourage anyone with information about child sexual abuse to come forward.
    “Every piece of information, no matter how small, can help build a picture for investigators,” she said.
    “There are several different options for reporting.”
    “People can report directly to police on 131 444, or by visiting a police station. You can also report anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or crimestopperstas.com.au.”
    “Anyone can report concerns or incidents involving police at our Child and Youth Safe web page: dpfem.tas.gov.au/childsafe or complaints portal: https://www.police.tas.gov.au/about-us/compliments-and-complaints/. Information can be provided anonymously.”
    “Matters can also be reported directly to the Integrity Commission or the Office of the Independent Regulator.”
    “Support for victim survivors is available through Arch, and people have the choice of reporting this way too – if they want to.”
    The Tasmanian Government’s Keeping Children Safe website is available at https://keepingchildrensafe.tas.gov.au/
    Support services are available via https://keepingchildrensafe.tas.gov.au/get-support/

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: War medals returned to family

    Source: South Australia Police

    Today, A/Detective Sergeant Nic Jong returned Captain Maxwell George Worthley’s World War Two medals to his nephew David!

    The six medals were found by police during a search of a property at Elizabeth Downs on Tuesday 4 February.

    Captain Maxwell George Worthley, enlisted at Broadview on 21st June 1940. He served in the Middle East, New Guinea, and Borneo.

    Police would like to thank all those who conducted their own research, called Crime Stoppers with information, and those who liked and shared the original social media post!

    Photo1: D/Sgt Jong and David.

    Photo 2: Captain Max Worthley.

    Photo 3: The stolen medals.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Why do we fall for wellness scams? Our cultural biases and myths are often to blame

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jesse Ruse, Clinical Psychologist, PhD Candidate, University of Sydney

    Netflix

    Netflix’s Apple Cider Vinegar has renewed interest in Belle Gibson’s infamous wellness scam, reminding us how vulnerable we can be to deception. While Gibson’s scheme eventually collapsed, her story highlights how fraudsters can exploit our psychological and cultural biases to lure us into wellness traps.

    Part of our culture includes the shared mythologies and symbols that help us make sense of the world. These stories and symbols seem to make our lives more “efficient” by surpassing tedious fact-checking. Over time, these cultural codes become embedded into our psychologies, operating as background biases that shape our decision-making.

    By becoming aware of these biases, we can develop a more critical approach to evaluating information presented to us. In doing so, we can protect ourselves from the Belle Gibsons of the world.

    A desire for inner bodily purity

    One pervasive wellness mythology suggests health can be found in the “pure” state of the body, and that illness occurs when outside contaminants pollute the body.

    As anthropologist Mary Douglas notes, we symbolically equate the “inner” with purity and the “outer” with pollution. This leads to efforts to protect ourselves from outside threats. We are disgusted by the idea of the harmful “outside” getting inside and violating the body’s inner sanctum.

    Gibson’s cookbook and app promoted a diet that claimed inner health problems (such as cancer) are the result of outside contamination, in this case by “bad” foods.

    This symbolism also appears in various diets that advocate for removing certain types of food, such as sugar or gluten, to achieve a state of inner sanctity and, therefore, health.

    Similarly, various “clean eating” diets will specifically link certain foods to cleanliness and others to dirtiness. In their most extreme form, these diets constitute orthorexia, a clinical condition defined by an “obsession” with healthy eating.

    The allure of ‘ancient wisdom’

    Each day we face an overwhelming array of choices, from the products we use to how we construct our identities. As people living in modern, affluent societies we are, as philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre put it, “condemned to be free”.

    In this context of choice overload and decision fatigue, ancient wisdom offers a seductive simplicity: a return to simpler times.

    In 1953, psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan observed that we possess a nostalgia for an idealised golden age (regardless of whether it ever truly existed). We yearn for a mythical era of simplicity, safety and happiness. This psychological bias for the past manifests as a deep reverence for “ancient wisdom”, seemingly passed down through generations and untainted by modern influence.

    This preference can be seen in our instinctive trust in grandparents’ remedies and traditional healing practices, even when scientific evidence doesn’t always support them. Gibson and others co-opt this nostalgia by selling us products that connect us to the past.

    Suspicion of industrial-scale production

    Our minds are often suspicious of large-scale and complex manufacturing processes, and will often devalue industrially produced products.

    This scepticism of scale stems from negative associations with factory work, questionable standards and a history of multinational corporations prioritising profit over people. As a public, we are growing understandably weary of the multinational companies whose influence we can’t seem to escape. Politicians often further this narrative by claiming that globalisation – replacing local cottage industries with industrialised mega-companies – screws the little guys like you and me.

    Gibson capitalised on a growing suspicion of the industrial-scale pharmaceutical industry to promote her bespoke “homegrown” wellness products. Locally-made goods often have increased value simply because they are made on a smaller scale, regardless of their quality or materials.

    Historically, various groups including the Luddites and the hippie movement have rejected the industrial push. More recently, we saw these dynamics play out in COVID-19 vaccine denial, which partially stems from suspicions of the pharmaceutical companies.

    A preference for natural over artificial

    Culturally, the concept of the “natural” holds powerful meaning, positioning things found in nature as inherently superior to those manufactured by humans (deemed “artificial”).

    This natural/artificial dichotomy establishes a symbolic framework in which natural remedies, raw foods and authenticity represent the “proper” order of things – how life should be. The “appeal to nature” bias persists because it resonates with our collective intuition that modern life has somehow disconnected us from important truths or healthier ways of living.

    Research has demonstrated we tend to have a positive association with the concept of the “natural”, which we understand as objects not altered by human intervention. This preference isn’t merely aesthetic. It also reflects our belief in a moral order.

    Gibson famously claimed alternative therapies – most notably apple cider vinegar – helped treat her alleged cancer. Similar patterns appear throughout the wellness industry, where influencers and companies market products by emphasising their natural origins and minimal processing.

    These claims leverage our psychological bias toward natural remedies, even when the scientific evidence for their efficacy is lacking.

    Jesse Ruse 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 do we fall for wellness scams? Our cultural biases and myths are often to blame – https://theconversation.com/why-do-we-fall-for-wellness-scams-our-cultural-biases-and-myths-are-often-to-blame-250790

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: Cruise ship ‘Europa 2’ arrives at Tianjin International Cruise Home Port

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

    Cruise ship ‘Europa 2’ arrives at Tianjin International Cruise Home Port

    Updated: February 26, 2025 08:54 Xinhua
    Foreign tourists are ready for their entry process in north China’s Tianjin Municipality, Feb. 25, 2025. With more than 460 passengers from Germany, Australia, Austria and other countries and regions, the cruise ship “Europa 2” arrived at Tianjin International Cruise Home Port on Tuesday, marking the first cruise ship visiting ports in Tianjin this year. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Foreign tourists line up for entry process at Tianjin International Cruise Home Port in north China’s Tianjin Municipality, Feb. 25, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A foreign tourist is attracted by lion dance performance at Tianjin International Cruise Home Port in north China’s Tianjin Municipality, Feb. 25, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Foreign tourists take a shuttle bus at Tianjin International Cruise Home Port to visit scenic spots in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 25, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Foreign tourists take a shuttle bus at Tianjin International Cruise Home Port to visit Huangyaguan section of the Great Wall in north China’s Tianjin Municipality, Feb. 25, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo taken on Feb. 25, 2025 shows the cruise ship “Europa 2” berthing at Tianjin International Cruise Home Port in north China’s Tianjin Municipality. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo taken on Feb. 25, 2025 shows the cruise ship “Europa 2” entering Tianjin International Cruise Home Port in north China’s Tianjin Municipality. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Appointments – PSA appoints Fleur Fitzsimons as a National Secretary

    Source: PSA

    PSA Assistant Secretary Fleur Fitzsimons has been appointed as a National Secretary of the country’s largest union, PSA President Virgil Iraia says.
    Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is led by two National Secretaries and Fleur will join National Secretary Duane Leo as co-leader of the union.
    To ensure continuity the PSA has appointed Fleur ahead of National Secretary Kerry Davies’ retirement later in year. Kerry has spent 40 years working for the union movement, mainly with the PSA, and has been National Secretary for six years.
    Virgil says the PSA was pleased that a candidate of Fleur’s ability had stepped up to replace Kerry, whose experience and leadership had been vital to the work of the PSA.
    “Kerry has done an outstanding job for the PSA, and we were looking for a strong and able candidate to step into the senior leadership role at a time when members were facing a hostile political and economic environment.
    “Fleur will bring her considerable experience and skills to this role. Her skills will help us keep advocating for properly funded public and state services, health care, local government and community services, and for recognition of the importance of the work of our members who deliver these,” Virgil says.
    Fleur has 20 years’ experience working for the PSA as an organiser, media adviser, solicitor, Assistant Secretary, and most recently as an Acting National Secretary.
    She also served as a Wellington City Councillor for five years, and is a former President of the Victoria and New Zealand University students’ associations.
    “We have a lot of work to do in response to the Government’s attacks on public, community and health services. I am looking forward to the challenge” Fleur says.
    The PSA is the union of 95,000 members, working in the Public Service, State Sector, Health, Local Government and Community and Public Services.
    The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Big jump in overseas visitor spend boosts tourism

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston has welcomed news that New Zealand’s tourism sector continues to gather strength, according to latest data out today.

    The Tourism Satellite Account released by Stats NZ shows total tourism expenditure in New Zealand of $44.4 billion for the year ending March 2024, an increase of $5.6 billion or 14.6 per cent compared to March 2023. 

    Overseas visitor expenditure increased by $6.3 billion (59.9 per cent) to $16.9 billion

    “The big story is that international expenditure grew almost 60 per cent in the year ending March 2024,” Louise Upston says. 

    “This encouraging news reflects a healthy recovery following the end of border restrictions in June 2022 and shows that many people all over the world couldn’t wait to visit New Zealand.

    “We know tourism is critical to our economic growth. That’s why as a Government we’re laser focused on partnering with the sector to continue this growth – already this month, we’ve announced:

    • $500,000 for marketing New Zealand as the ‘go now’ destination for Australians
    • $30 million to support conservation visitor related experiences 
    • $3 million for regional tourism boost
    • $9 million for Great Rides cycle infrastructure 

    “Tourism now contributes 7.5 per cent of GDP according to this data – and continues to be our second highest export. I want to see it back at number 1. 

    “We do also recognise a drop in domestic tourism spend reported today. That’s another reason to grow our economy so New Zealanders can benefit, and get out and travel their country as well,” Louise Upston says

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Chinese dating simulator Love and Deepspace now has a period tracker – it signals a shift in mobile gaming

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephanie Harkin, Lecturer, Games, School of Design, RMIT University

    Papergames

    24/7 companionship. Spend time with him whenever you want.

    This is the promise made by Love and Deepspace, a mobile romance game by the Chinese company Papergames.

    Some think video games are all guns and cars, but romance games or “dating simulators” are immensely popular, especially among young women.

    Love and Deepspace reached 50 million users across more than 170 countries and regions in January. Despite their popularity, dating sims, as they are known for short, usually fly under the radar in discussions about games.

    Meanwhile, a recent major update for Love and Deepspace has furrowed some brows by introducing an unusual new feature: a period tracker.

    Need help keeping track of tasks?

    Dating sims offer a fantasy of romantic, intimate companionship. Otome games (from the word “maiden” in Japanese) are a sub-genre of dating sims that are catered to women. They offer a suite of boyfriends to choose from – each attentive, caring and, of course, incredibly handsome.

    Ideal in every way except being fictional.

    Love and Deepspace is a science-fiction otome game that stands out with its unusual blend of combat, magic, dating and gacha (meaning random rewards) microtransactions – which are controversial for their parallels to gambling.

    Its latest update introduced a Remind Me feature, where players can ask their virtual boyfriends to remind them of daily tasks and special events, as well as their upcoming period. Players input information about their menstrual cycle and the game then generates its own predictive calendar and notifications.

    The player’s in-game boyfriend will offer to pick up some sanitary products or even reach towards the screen and provide an imaginary abdomen massage.

    The millions of users drawn to a fantasy about considerate men says a lot about the frustrations women have with modern dating and dating apps.

    Women are conscious of the conservative gender roles within otome games, but at the same time find pleasure in their focus on the female gaze and ability to explore their sexual desire privately.

    In China, where otome games are especially popular, censorship of explicit content for women has intensified. These games are able to convey sexually suggestive themes that are subtle enough to elude censorship.

    Otome games are not new

    Otome games have been around for three decades.

    Angelique, a game made by an all-women team in 1994, is considered to be the first. It helped set the stage for other boyfriend fantasy media for women as seen in the rising popularity of “boyfriend ASMR” on audio and video platforms today. These are designed to directly address the listener in both sensual and everyday scenarios.

    Video games have changed a lot since then, especially as mobile devices have evolved to be more intimate, accompanying us everywhere.

    Love and Deepspace is introducing more features including “Quality Time”, which rewards players for working or studying with the game open. The rewards come in the form of an animated man sighing and whispering into the player’s headphones.

    ‘Feel his deepening breath, rising heartbeat, and the trickle of sweat. He’s working out together with you!’
    Love and Deepspace/X

    Periods and privacy

    Love and Deepspace’s period reminders mirror existing period tracker apps, though they do not incorporate the usual fertility date predictions or ability to log symptoms and sexual activity. That’s probably a good thing.

    Period tracker apps have faced scrutiny for mishandling users’ data. Popular period tracker app Flo has faced a lawsuit in the British Columbia Supreme Court in Canada for sharing personal data to third-party tech firms, including Facebook and Google, which use the data for targeted advertising.

    Meanwhile, the overturning of Roe v. Wade in the United States has threatened many people’s bodily autonomy and made them concerned about the legal risks of sharing personal biological information.

    Love and Deepspace’s privacy policy states any menstruation data is only used for the prediction and reminder features, and that it will not be shared with any third parties without the player’s consent.

    The banning of the Chinese-owned platform TikTok in the US was driven by fears of foreign influence and data privacy. Yet our privacy may not be safer with a US company than a Chinese one.

    US-owned companies have been just as liable to sell sensitive information to third parties, such as location data to abortion clinics and gay clubs.

    Australia’s Privacy Act does not just apply to Australian companies. Papergames could be sanctioned if it breaches its privacy policy.

    That said, it is unlikely many users will be familiar with the policy or read future changes made to it. It is best to always practise caution when entering any kind of personal information in platforms, apps or video games.

    A potential shift

    Period tracking is not a core component in the game. But this new feature signals a potential shift towards more mobile games integrating popular app functions, such as health data.

    Instead of a casual time-filler, mobile games like Love and Deepspace are competing for players’ attention over other apps – which is concerning given its controversial gacha random rewards.

    It’s also possible the game’s designers are picking up on a widespread desire for men to care more about their partner’s periods.

    Stephanie Harkin 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. Chinese dating simulator Love and Deepspace now has a period tracker – it signals a shift in mobile gaming – https://theconversation.com/chinese-dating-simulator-love-and-deepspace-now-has-a-period-tracker-it-signals-a-shift-in-mobile-gaming-250497

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Powering communities: Round 2 of ARENA’s community batteries program launched

    Source: Australian Renewable Energy Agency

    Overview

    • Category

      News

    • Date

      26 February 2025

    • Classification

      Battery storage

    The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has today announced $46.3 million in funding for Round 2 of the Community Batteries Funding Program.

    Building on the success of Round 1, this program aims to deploy community batteries across Australia to lower energy bills, cut emissions and reduce pressure on the electricity grid.

    ARENA is now seeking applications to deploy community batteries. Projects should improve the economics of community battery projects, build industry capacity, support the integration of distributed energy resources into Australian energy markets, or demonstrate benefits of community batteries.

    To be eligible for ARENA funding, each community battery must be between 50 kW and 5 MW in size and connected to the distribution network.

    Community batteries provide energy storage in the distribution network that can store excess solar energy for later use, enabling higher penetrations of rooftop solar, putting downward pressure on household costs and easing pressure on local electricity grids.

    ARENA CEO Darren Miller said batteries are a critical part of the transition to net zero as the grid transitions to energy generated from renewable sources.

    “Part of increasing our dependency on renewably sourced energy is the need to increase our firming technology to make sure the energy grid is secure and reliable. We can achieve this by storing energy in batteries when renewable energy is plentiful and use this stored energy later in the day and overnight when people most need it,” said Mr Miller.

    “Over recent years, a concerted effort has been made in deploying batteries to support the grid and transition to clean energy. Round 2 will build on the insights, expertise and knowledge developed in Round 1, resulting in further optimisation of distributed energy resources in the electricity grid”.

    As part of the 2022-23 Federal Budget, the Australian Government allocated $200 million for the Household Solar budget measure to deploy 400 community batteries across Australia.

    In total, ARENA was allocated $171 million of this funding to deliver at least 342 community batteries across rounds 1 and 2.

    More information about this program, including the application process, can be found at ARENA’s funding page. Funding applications can be submitted from 17 March 2025 to 30 April 2025.

    ARENA media contact:

    media@arena.gov.au

    Download this media release (PDF 143KB)

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: NSW pet laws go under the microscope

    Source: New South Wales Ministerial News

    Published: 26 February 2025

    Released by: Minister for Local Government

    Pet owners and members of the public are being invited to help shape cat and dog laws in NSW, with the NSW Government delivering on its election commitment to conduct a wide-ranging review of the Companion Animals Act 1998 (CA Act).

    For the first time in two decades the government will review these laws to greater support responsible pet ownership and ensure the wellbeing of pets and the safety of communities.

    The review will examine all aspects of the care and management of companion animals in NSW, including addressing the urgent need to prevent dogs and cats from entering the pound and rehoming system.

    It will also explore actions taken in other jurisdictions and the role and enforcement responsibilities of councils. Key issues under consideration include:

    • cat management
    • preventing dog attacks
    • pounds and rehoming services
    • registration and desexing
    • stakeholder roles and responsibilities and the regulatory tools available under the legislation
    • responsible pet ownership education and training.

    The review of the CA Act will be informed by several NSW parliamentary inquiries, including the inquiry into the veterinary workforce shortage, the inquiry into pounds and the inquiry into the management of cat populations. The findings and recommendations from recent coronial inquests into fatal dog attacks in NSW will also be considered.

    To support the review, the Office of Local Government has released a discussion paper canvassing three key focus areas:

    • the framework for encouraging responsible ownership of companion animals
    • the compliance and enforcement role of councils
    • animal welfare and rehoming.

    Pet owners, councils, rehoming organisations, veterinarians and other stakeholders can provide feedback on the discussion paper before 4 May 2025 by responding to consultation questions.

    To view the discussion paper and provide feedback visit the website of the Office of Local Government.

    Minister for Local Government Ron Hoenig said:

    “There are more than 4.7 million dogs and cats kept as pets in NSW, providing love and companionship to so many people across the state.  

    “However, the laws around pet ownership haven’t been reviewed in 20 years.

    “With pet ownership on the rise and increased pressure on council pounds and rehoming organisations, it is important to assess if the current laws are still fit for purpose.

    “We need strong laws that hold pet owners to account and make sure owners take responsibility for their pets at home and in public spaces.

    “The government wants to hear from all interested stakeholders to shape this review and ensure a wide range of perspectives are considered as the government progresses this important work.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Threatened native Trout Cod recovery underway with innovative fish breeding & stocking

    Source: New South Wales Department of Primary Industries

    26 Feb 2025

    Vision available: Link

    The Minns Labor Government has announced the 10-year Trout Cod Action Plan to recover the threatened native Trout Cod fish and delivering on its election commitment to boost the recovery of the fish and ensure its availability for recreational fishers.

    The Government is working to deliver better environmental outcomes for regional NSW and to deliver on its election commitments for recreational fishers who consider the Trout Cod a popular fish for angling.

    This commitment is demonstrated by the recent Government announcements delivering a review on the recreational fishing trust funds and establishing a $2 million fund for small infrastructure for recreational fishing.

    While there are a few small self-sustaining Trout Cod populations left in the wild in NSW the population has been in significant decline.

    To bring about the recovery of the threatened Trout Cod populations more than $1 million of allocated funding is already being utilised with early actions of breeding and stocking underway while the broader action plan was being finalised.

    The final Trout Cod Action Plan was developed after public consultation took place online and community information sessions in Wagga Wagga, Barooga, Bathurst and Queanbeyan.

    Integral to the NSW Government’s commitment to the recovery of the Trout Cod, is increasing the production of fingerlings at Narrandera Fisheries Centre.

    Early work to boost populations has seen a significant number of Trout Cod fingerlings bred at Narrandera in 2024 with 47,000 fingerlings released into waterways in the Snowy region, covering the Goodradigbee River and Talbingo Dam.

    The Government is well on the way to achieving the Trout Cod Action Plan production target of 100,000 Trout Cod fingerlings per year and is confident of reaching 250,000 in the next 5-10 years.

    Trout Cod can be a difficult fish to breed and Narrandera has been trialling innovative ways to achieve better success including using pond spawning techniques rather than hormone induction. Pond based spawning is is potentially more productive and much gentler and kinder on the fish.

    The Government’s achievements under the Trout Cod Action Plan over the last 12 months include:

    • Moving to 100% pond-based spawning approach
    • Doubled the number of broodfish ponds at Narrandera Fisheries Centre
    • Developed a stocking and re-introduction strategy
    • Increased engagement with recreational fishers
    • Developing broodstock management strategy

    Goodradigbee River has been a focus for conservation stocking efforts as it’s within the historical range of Trout Cod, has pristine and intact habitat including rocks, fast-flowing water, and is an unregulated part of the system with natural inflows to support recovery.

    For more information about NSW DPIRD’s threatened species projects, visit: https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/threatened-species

    NSW Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW, Tara Moriarty said:

    “The Minns Government is rapidly progressing its commitment to ensure the recovery of the native Trout Cod in our regional waterways with significant work underway to breed fingerlings while we engaged with the community on feedback for finalising the Action Plan.

    “I’m pleased to say many of the participants of the community information sessions are very excited by the prospect of improved Trout Cod recovery.

    “The Trout Cod Action Plan provides a 10-year blueprint to guide recovery actions, and while there is a long road ahead, I am confident there is a light at the end of the tunnel for this threatened species.

    “There was a lot of interest from recreational anglers who are supporting the recovery of Trout Cod and I am pleased to say that those hoping to go fishing for Trout Cod can do so at Talbingo Dam where a catch and release fishery has been developed.

    “We are hopeful that the Trout Cod Action Plan will fast track the recovery of Trout Cod populations in NSW back to a point that they can once again become a genuine target for recreational fishers beyond the current Talbingo fishery.”

    “With close to 50,000 fingerlings bred at Narrandera Fisheries Centre in 2024, triple the number produced in 2023, we are well on the way to achieving the goal of 250,000 bred annually.”

    MEDIA: Alastair Walton | Minister Tara Moriarty | 0418 251 229

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Nose-to-tail mining: how making sand from ore could solve a looming crisis

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Franks, Professor and Director – Global Centre for Mineral Security, The University of Queensland

    Thanagornsoisep/Shutterstock

    Every year, the world consumes around 50 billion tonnes of sand, gravel and crushed stone. The astonishing scale of this demand is hard to comprehend – 12.5 million Olympic sized swimming pools per year – making it the most-used solid material by humans.

    Most of us don’t see the sand and gravel all around us. It’s hidden in concrete footpaths and buildings, the glass in our windows and in the microchips that drive our technology.

    Demand is set to increase further – even as the extraction of sand and gravel from rivers, lakes, beaches and oceans is triggering an environmental crisis.

    Sand does renew naturally, but in many regions, natural sand supplies are being depleted far faster than they can be replenished. Desert sand often has grains too round for use in construction and deserts are usually far from cities, while sand alternatives made by crushing rock are energy- and emissions-intensive.

    But there’s a major opportunity here, as we outline in our new research. Every year, the mining industry crushes and discards billions of tonnes of the same minerals as waste during the process of mining metals. By volume, mining waste is the single largest source of waste we make.

    There’s nothing magical about sand. It’s made up of particles of weathered rock. Gravel is larger particles. Our research has found companies mining metals can get more out of their ores, by processing the ore to produce sand as well.

    This would solve two problems at once: how to avoid mining waste and how to tackle the sand crisis. We dub this “nose-to-tail” mining, following the trend in gastronomy to use every part of an animal.

    Concrete is everywhere – but it requires a great deal of sand and gravel.
    MVolodymyr/Shutterstock

    The failings of tailings

    The metal sulphides, oxides and carbonates which can be turned into iron, copper and other metals are only a small fraction of the huge volumes of ore which have to be processed. Every year, the world produces about 13 billion tonnes of tailings – the ground-up rock left over after valuable metals are extracted – and another 72 billion tonnes of waste rock, which has been blasted but not ground up.

    For decades, scientists have dreamed of using tailings as a substitute for natural sand. Tailings are often rich in silicates, the principal component of sand.

    But to date, the reality has been disappointing. More than 18,000 research papers have been published on the topic in the last 25 years. But only a handful of mines have found ways to repurpose and sell tailings.

    Why? First, tailings rarely meet the strict specifications required for construction materials, such as the size of the particles, the mineral composition and the durability.

    Second, they come with a stigma. Tailings often contain hazardous substances liberated during mining. This makes governments and consumers understandably cautious about using mining waste in homes and our built environment.

    Neither of these problems is insurmountable. In our research, we propose a new solution: manufacture sand directly from ore.

    Converting rock into metal is a complex, multi-step process which differs by type of metal and by type of ore. After crushing, the minerals in the ore are typically separated using flotation, where the metal-containing sulphide minerals attach to tiny bubbles that float up through the slurry of rock and water.

    At this stage, leftover ore is normally separated out to be disposed of as waste. But if we continue to process the ore, such as by spinning it in a cyclone, impurities can be removed and the right particle size and shape can be achieved to meet the specifications for sand.

    We have dubbed this “ore-sand”, to distinguish it from tailings. It’s not made from waste tailings – it’s a deliberate product of the ore.

    Turning ore into metal requires intensive crushing and grinding. These methods could also make sand.
    Aussie Family Living/Shutterstock

    More from ore

    This isn’t just theory. At the iron ore mine Brucutu in Brazil, the mining company Vale is already producing one million tonnes of ore-sand annually. The sand is used in road construction, brickmaking and concrete.

    The move came from tragedy. In 2015 and 2019, the dams constructed to store tailings at two of Vale’s iron ore mines collapsed, triggering deadly mudflows. Hundreds of people died – many of them company employees – and the environmental consequences are ongoing.

    In response, the company funded researchers (such as our group) to find ways to reduce reliance on tailings dams in favour of better alternatives.

    Following our work with Vale we investigated the possibility of making ore-sand from other types of mineral ores, such as copper and gold. We have run successful trials at Newmont’s Cadia copper-gold mine in Australia. Here, using innovative methods we have produced a coarser ore-sand which doesn’t require as much blending with other sand.

    Ore-sand processing makes the most sense for mines located close to cities. This is for two reasons: to avoid the risk of tailings dams to people living nearby, and to reduce the transport costs of moving sand long distances.

    Our earlier research showed almost half the world’s sand consumption happens within 100 kilometres of a mine which could produce ore-sand as well as metals. Since metal mining already requires intensive crushing and grinding, we found ore-sand can be produced with lower energy consumption and carbon emissions than the extraction of conventional sands.

    The challenge of scale

    For any new idea or industry, the hardest part is to go from early trials to widespread adoption. It won’t be easy to make ore-sand a reality.

    Inertia is one reason. Mining companies have well-established processes. It takes time and work to introduce new methods.

    Industry buy-in and collaboration, supportive government policies and market acceptance will be needed. Major sand buyers such as the construction industry need to be able to test and trust the product.

    The upside is real, though. Ore-sand offers us a rare chance to tackle two hard environmental problems at once, by slashing the staggering volume of mining waste and reducing the need for potentially dangerous tailings dams, and offering a better alternative to destructive sand extraction.

    Daniel Franks would like to acknowledge funding and collaboration support from the Queensland Government, Australian Economic Accelerator, Resources Technology and Critical Minerals Trailblazer, Newcrest Mining, Newmont, Vale, The University of Geneva, The University of Exeter, The Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, and The University of Queensland. Daniel Franks is the recipient of an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship (FT240100383) funded by the Australian Government.

    – ref. Nose-to-tail mining: how making sand from ore could solve a looming crisis – https://theconversation.com/nose-to-tail-mining-how-making-sand-from-ore-could-solve-a-looming-crisis-250284

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Tibet is one of the most linguistically diverse places in the world. This is in danger of extinction

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gerald Roche, Lecturer in Linguistics, La Trobe University

    Three days after he was released from prison in December, a Tibetan village leader named Gonpo Namgyal died. As his body was being prepared for traditional Tibetan funeral rites, marks were found indicating he had been brutally tortured in jail.

    His crime? Gonpo Namgyal had been part of a campaign to protect the Tibetan language in China.

    Gonpo Namgyal is the victim of a slow-moving conflict that has dragged on for nearly 75 years, since China invaded Tibet in the mid-20th century. Language has been central to that conflict.

    Tibetans have worked to protect the Tibetan language and resisted efforts to enforce Mandarin Chinese. Yet, Tibetan children are losing their language through enrolment in state boarding schools where they are being educated nearly exclusively in Mandarin Chinese. Tibetan is typically only taught a few times a week – not enough to sustain the language.

    My research, published in a new book in 2024, provides unique insights into the struggle of other minority languages in Tibet that receive far less attention.

    My research shows that language politics in Tibet are surprisingly complex and driven by subtle violence, perpetuated not only by Chinese authorities but also other Tibetans. I’ve also found that outsiders’ efforts to help are failing the minority languages at the highest risk of extinction.

    Tibetan culture under attack

    I lived in Ziling, the largest city on the Tibetan Plateau, from 2005 to 2013, teaching in a university, studying Tibetan and supporting local non-government organisations.

    Most of my research since then has focused on language politics in the Rebgong valley on the northeast Tibetan Plateau. From 2014 to 2018, I interviewed dozens of people, spoke informally with many others, and conducted hundreds of household surveys about language use.

    I also collected and analysed Tibetan language texts, including government policies, online essays, social media posts and even pop song lyrics.

    When I was in Ziling, Tibetans launched a massive protest movement against Chinese rule just before the Beijing Olympics in 2008. These protests led to harsh government crackdowns, including mass arrests, increased surveillance, and restrictions on freedom of movement and expressions of Tibetan identity. This was largely focused on language and religion.

    Years of unrest ensued, marked by more demonstrations and individual acts of sacrifice. Since 2009, more than 150 Tibetans have set themselves on fire to protest Chinese rule.

    Not just Tibetan under threat

    Tibet is a linguistically diverse place. In addition to Tibetan, about 60 other languages are spoken in the region. About 4% of Tibetans (around 250,000 people) speak a minority language.

    Government policy forces all Tibetans to learn and use Mandarin Chinese. Those who speak only Tibetan have a harder time finding work and are faced with discrimination and even violence from the dominant Han ethnic group.

    Meanwhile, support for Tibetan language education has slowly been whittled away: the government even recently banned students from having private Tibetan lessons or tutors on their school holidays.

    Linguistic minorities in Tibet all need to learn and use Mandarin. But many also need to learn Tibetan to communicate with other Tibetans: classmates, teachers, doctors, bureaucrats or bosses.

    In Rebgong, where I did my research, the locals speak a language they call Manegacha. Increasingly, this language is being replaced by Tibetan: about a third of all families that speak Manegacha are now teaching Tibetan to their children (who also must learn Mandarin).

    The government refuses to provide any opportunities to use and learn minority languages like Manegacha. It also tolerates constant discrimination and violence against Manegacha speakers by other Tibetans.

    These assimilationist state policies are causing linguistic diversity across Tibet to collapse. As these minority languages are lost, people’s mental and physical health suffers and their social connections and communal identities are destroyed.

    How do Manegacha communities resist and navigate language oppression?

    Why does this matter?

    Tibetan resistance to Chinese rule dates back to the People’s Liberation Army invasion in the early 1950s.

    When the Dalai Lama fled to India in 1959, that resistance movement went global. Governments around the world have continued to support Tibetan self-determination and combat Chinese misinformation about Tibet, such as the US Congress passage of the Resolve Tibet Act in 2024.

    Outside efforts to support the Tibetan struggle, however, are failing some of the most vulnerable people: those who speak minority languages.

    Manegacha speakers want to maintain their language. They resist the pressure to assimilate whenever they speak Manegacha to each other, post memes online in Manegacha or push back against the discrimination they face from other Tibetans.

    However, if Tibetans stop speaking Manegacha and other minority languages, this will contribute to the Chinese government’s efforts to erase Tibetan identity and culture.

    Even if the Tibetan language somehow survives in China, the loss of even one of Tibet’s minority languages would be a victory for the Communist Party in the conflict it started 75 years ago.

    Gerald Roche has received funding for this research from the Australian Research Council. He is also affiliated with the Linguistic Justice Foundation.

    – ref. Tibet is one of the most linguistically diverse places in the world. This is in danger of extinction – https://theconversation.com/tibet-is-one-of-the-most-linguistically-diverse-places-in-the-world-this-is-in-danger-of-extinction-246316

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Ocean protection policy “hangover” must be addressed by both parties: Greenpeace

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    SYDNEY, Wednesday 26 February 2025 – In response to the major political parties indicating election promises to protect Australia’s oceans, Greenpeace Australia Pacific says a crucial protection framework of a ratified Global Ocean Treaty is still missing.

    Georgia Whitaker, Greenpeace Australia Pacific Senior Campaigner, said:

    “We applaud the intention of both major parties to protect the ocean and tackle the disastrous impacts of industrial fishing, but if either is serious, they must ratify the Global Ocean Treaty; it’s a no-brainer.

    “Australia’s oceans are in crisis, facing serious threats of industrial fishing, climate change and plastic pollution. Our beloved and protected coral reefs are cooking in historic bleaching events, and now the Pacific Ocean is facing the threat of an emerging deep sea mining industry – the ocean needs every lifeline and ally it can get.”

    Australia adopted the historic Global Ocean Treaty–also known as the High Seas Treaty–in 2023, but has yet to ink it into law. To date, 110 countries have signed the treaty, and 17 countries have ratified it, including the Pacific nations of the Federated States of Micronesia and Palau. Once ratified by 60 countries, governments will have the power to propose and create marine sanctuaries in the high seas.

    “Australia is perfectly positioned to be an ocean protection leader on the global stage by ratifying the treaty this June at the UN Ocean Conference. We signed the treaty in 2023, but without action, the new government will lead with the hangover of a policy unfulfilled,” Whitaker said.

    “Aussies love the ocean, and many depend on a healthy, thriving ocean for their livelihoods. We want to see serious commitment to protecting not just our domestic waters, but the international waters that flow into them.”

    —ENDS—

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: ARENA invests in cleaner, greener Australian skies

    Source: Australian Renewable Energy Agency

    The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) is today supporting cleaner Australian skies, with up to $10.4 million in funding for two projects from its Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) Funding Initiative.

    ARENA is providing $8 million in funding to Licella and $2.4 million to Viva Energy for separate studies to develop renewable fuel alternatives for Australia’s airline industry.

    ARENA CEO Darren Miller said these projects represent an important step towards developing a pipeline of projects that could support the reduction of aviation sector emissions.

    “Aviation is a challenging industry from an emissions reduction perspective with domestic flights currently accounting for approximately 2 per cent of Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions,” Mr Miller said.

    “With Australians being among the most prolific flyers in the world, decarbonising this high emissions industry will be vital for us to achieve our net zero targets.”

    “These two projects are an important step towards developing opportunities to cut emissions from Australian skies and ARENA will be working to ensure the lessons from these projects help inform the broader development of a sustainable aviation fuels industry in Australia.”

    The two projects include:

    • $8 million to Australian technology and project developer Licella for the $26.1 million ‘Project Swift – SAF from Sugarcane Residues Feasibility Study’ to complete Feasibility and Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) studies assessing the viability of establishing a biorefinery facility in Bundaberg, Queensland utilising Licella’s patented Catalytic Hydrothermal Reactor (Cat-HTR™) hydrothermal liquefaction technology to convert sugar mill residues to renewable fuels. The proposed facility would be capable of producing approximately 60 ML per annum of low carbon liquid fuels (LCLFs), of which around 40 ML per annum will be SAF.
    • $2.4 million to Viva Energy for the $4.9 million ‘SAF infrastructure Solutions for the Future project’ to recondition an existing tank at its Pinkenba Terminal to enable blended SAF supply into Brisbane Airport for commercial use. Viva will also work with industry partners to develop a book and claim system so that customers can recognise the carbon reduction benefits of the SAF supplied.The Project will conclude with Viva Energy supplying SAF into the Brisbane Joint User Hydrant Installation and demonstrate the storage and use of SAF within the existing airport. Following the project, the system will be able to supply volumes of SAF to meet customer demand.

    Viva Energy Chief Strategy Officer Lachlan Pfeiffer said the funding from ARENA is a crucial milestone in the company’s journey to supply sustainable fuel to Australia’s aviation industry.

    “By enhancing our SAF infrastructure, we are not only supporting the aviation industry’s transition to lower carbon emissions but also positioning Viva Energy as a leader in renewable energy solutions,” he said.

    “Viva Energy is well placed to import and supply SAF. Viva Energy is a trusted partner to many aviation customers and our strength lies in deep relationships and a nationwide supply chain backed by the international capability of Vitol.”

    Licella CEO Alan Nicholl said that ARENA’s funding will support the roll out in Australia of its commercial-ready Cat-HTR™ platform through the development of a SAF-focused biorefinery targeting agricultural residues in regional Queensland.

    “We are delighted to receive ARENA’s support as we move forward with the feasibility studies for our Queensland project”, Mr Nicholl said.

    Licella Executive Chairman Dr Len Humphreys highlighted the opportunity to scale this new SAF pathway.

    “Through our global partnership with Shell, we are advancing an integrated biomass-to-advanced biofuels commercial solution, one which is targeting high volumes of low-cost, low-carbon SAF”.

    ARENA has announced total funding of $33.5 million across five projects under the SAF Funding Initiative launched in 2023 to support the development of domestic SAF production to support aviation decarbonisation, with more investments to be announced beyond the previously allocated $30 million.

    The SAF funding initiative builds on the findings of ARENA’s 2021 Bioenergy Roadmap, which identified SAF produced from biomass as one of the few opportunities to reduce emissions in the aviation sector in the short to medium term. The CSIRO SAF Roadmap identified that Australia has sufficient biomass feedstocks to supply more than half of domestic jet fuel demand, demonstrating the potential impact of supporting these early projects investigating domestic SAF production capability.

    Low Carbon Liquid Fuels has been identified as a priority sector as part of the Federal Government’s Future Made in Australia Plan. ARENA has been nominated as the delivery agency for the Future Made in Australia Innovation Fund.

     

    ARENA media contact:

    media@arena.gov.au

    Download this media release (PDF 143KB)

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Plumbers warned to get up to speed on supervision requirements or face fines

    Source: New South Wales Premiere

    Published: 26 February 2025

    Released by: Minister for Building, Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education

    Minister for Building Anoulack Chanthivong has welcomed Building Commission NSW warning plumbers across the state to get up to speed on their supervision requirements or face fines in an upcoming targeted compliance campaign.

    Only plumbers with a NSW Government-issued contractor licence or supervisor certificate can do plumbing work without immediate supervision* to ensure work is carried out to required standards.

    To hammer home these requirements to industry, from June this year Building Commission NSW will conduct targeted compliance activities at sites across the state.

    If workers without the right licence are found to be unsupervised, Building Commission NSW can issue fines of up to $1,500 per breach.

    In the event Building Commission NSW finds repeated instances of workers being inappropriately supervised it can also suspend or cancel licences.

    Since September 2024 Building Commission NSW has detected 17 instances of incorrectly supervised plumbing work, sparking concerns plumbers are not taking their obligations seriously.

    In a recent compliance visit to an apartment building site in Port Macquarie, Building Commission NSW found five apprentices working unsupervised, resulting in the licensed plumber being fined $1,500.

    Ahead of the compliance blitz, Building Commission NSW is rolling out a wide-ranging awareness campaign to ensure plumbers around the state know how to stick to the rules.

    The awareness campaign will include direct emails to plumbers across the state, the distribution of newsletters, and engagement with peak bodies, industry and training organisations.

    To further educate plumbers on the supervision requirements, TAFE NSW and Building Commission NSW have also launched a new Plumbing, Drainage and Gasfitting Regulation short course.

    Developed in consultation with industry and subject matter experts, the new online short course also provides regulatory knowledge and best practice skills required by plumbing professionals.

    TAFE NSW students undertaking their Certificate IV in Plumbing and Services can enroll in the course fully discounted until 1st October 2025.

    For more information on the course, please visit the Plumbing, drainage and gasfitting regulation in NSW course webpage.

    For more information on plumbing supervision requirements, please visit the Plumbing, drainage and gasfitting work webpage.

    *Building Commission NSW views ‘immediate supervision’ as the relevant licence holder:

    • Always being physically present and with clear line of sight of the work being carried out by the person they are supervising.
    • Being readily available to provide specific instructions and guidance to enable the work to be undertaken correctly by the individual performing it.
    • Directly overseeing and reviewing the work.
    • Ensuring the completed work is compliant and meets all regulatory requirements.

    Quotes to be attributed to Minister for Building Anoulack Chanthivong:

    “The Minns Labor Government aims to keep every part of the building industry in check through a strong regulatory presence, while also supporting the workforce to comply with its obligations.

    “Building Commission NSW inspections have revealed a concerning lack of awareness about plumbing supervision requirements or even some plumbers deliberately cutting corners. 

    “The point of these requirements is to make sure young apprentices work in a safe environment supported by more experienced workers who will ensure work is done to the required standards while also passing on skills to the next generation of plumbers.

    “We want to give fair warning to the plumbing industry in NSW to pull itself into line and brush up on their supervision requirements.

    “But when the inspectors’ boots hit the ground later this year, plumbers should expect the full weight of the regulator will be put behind the penalties they issue.”

    Quotes to be attributed to Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education Steve Whan:

    “The Plumbing, Drainage and Gasfitting Regulation Microskill course is the latest in a range of courses developed in consultation with industry and subject matter experts aimed at providing the regulatory knowledge and best practice skills required by plumbing professionals to meet the state’s high standards of construction.

    “The course provides engaging, flexible, and industry-responsive learning where students can progress at their own pace and have access to the course for up to six months from the day of enrolment.

    “By offering this Microskill fully discounted to Certificate IV in Plumbing and Services students, TAFE NSW and Building Commission NSW are helping graduates build the right skills from day one.”

    Quotes to be attributed to NSW Building Commissioner James Sherrard:

    “Building Commission NSW is seeing a serious lack of awareness about plumbing supervision requirements, with inspectors consistently finding apprentices left on site unsupervised.

    “What licenced plumbers need to remember, is that even if one of their workers has finished their studies at TAFE NSW, if they don’t have the right NSW Government licence they need to be supervised.

    “These supervision requirements are in place to ensure the quality of plumbing work is maintained across NSW, protecting homeowners from expensive repairs down the track.

    “In June our specialist trade inspectors will be out in force to ensure the industry is complying with the requirements, but in the meantime, plumbers are urged to get up to speed.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI: A Total Win for Rumble and Trump Media: Statement on U.S. Court’s Order on Moraes’s Directives

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LONGBOAT KEY, Fla., Feb. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Rumble (NASDAQ:RUM), the video-sharing platform and cloud services provider, today celebrated a ruling from a U.S. federal court that censorship orders from Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes have no legal force in the United States.

    Rumble released the following statement:

    “Today, the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida confirmed what we have argued from the very beginning: Justice Alexandre de Moraes’s censorship orders have no legal force in the United States. This ruling is a complete victory for free speech, digital sovereignty, and the right of American companies to operate without foreign judicial interference.

    “The court explicitly ruled that Moraes’s directives were never properly served under U.S. or international law, stating that they were not delivered through the Hague Convention, the U.S.-Brazil Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT), or any other valid legal mechanism. This means that Rumble and Trump Media are under no obligation to comply with these unlawful censorship demands, and no U.S. entity is required to enforce them.

    “The court further made clear that if anyone attempts to enforce these illegal orders on U.S. soil, it stands ready to intervene to protect American companies and free speech. The ruling sends a strong message to foreign governments that they cannot bypass U.S. law to impose censorship on American platforms.

    “This case was never just about Rumble or Trump Media—it was about stopping foreign judges from trying to silence speech in America. Today’s ruling confirms that Moraes’s authoritarian censorship campaign has no place in the United States, and his overreach will not stand.

    “Rumble and Trump Media will continue to fight for free speech, and today’s ruling is a major victory in that battle.”

    Media Contact
    Tim Murtaugh
    tim.murtaugh@rumble.com

    *

    The following is attributable to Rumble’s U.S. counsel:

    “The court’s decision today denied the TRO for being unnecessary because it determined that Moraes’s orders are invalid and unenforceable in the United States. Therefore, there is no need to restrain invalid orders. Of course, if Moraes takes any steps to try to enforce his illegal orders on U.S. soil, we can return to the judge to grant a TRO.”

    Martin De Luca & Matthew Schwartz, Boies Schiller Flexner LLP

    Media Contact:
    Victoria Scordato
    vscordato@bsfllp.com

    ABOUT RUMBLE

    Rumble is a high-growth video platform and cloud services provider that is creating an independent infrastructure. Rumble’s mission is to restore the internet to its roots by making it free and open once again. For more information, visit: corp.rumble.com.

    Contact: press@rumble.com

    ###

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: North American Construction Group Ltd. Announces Regular Quarterly Dividend

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ACHESON, Alberta, Feb. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — On February 24, 2025, the North American Construction Group Ltd. (“NACG” or “the Company”) (TSX:NOA.TO/NYSE:NOA) Board of Directors declared a regular quarterly dividend (the “Dividend”) of twelve Canadian cents ($0.12) per common share, payable to common shareholders of record at the close of business on March 13, 2025. The Dividend will be paid on April 9, 2025, and is an eligible dividend for Canadian income tax purposes.

    About the Company

    North American Construction Group Ltd. is a premier provider of heavy civil construction and mining services in Canada, the U.S. and Australia. For 70 years, NACG has provided services to the mining, resource and infrastructure construction markets.

    For further information, please contact:
    Jason Veenstra, CPA, CA
    Chief Financial Officer
    North American Construction Group Ltd.
    Phone: (780) 960-7171
    Email: ir@nacg.ca

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Too slow, too risky, too impractical: Interim senate report pans nuclear

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    SYDNEY, 26 February 2025: Greenpeace Australia Pacific has welcomed findings by an interim senate report that “there is limited utility in pursuing nuclear power at this point”, and called for parties to focus on delivering achievable and affordable, renewable energy solutions instead.

    “The Senate Inquiry heard evidence from thousands of people and reached the logical conclusion that nuclear is unlikely to be developed in Australia until the mid-2040s at the earliest, is deeply unpopular among Australians, and will be more expensive to build than renewable energy,” Susie Byers, Head of Advocacy, Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said. 

    “Taking into account the additional significant risks associated with nuclear waste management and accidents, there are dozens of reasons why nuclear just doesn’t make sense for Australia; and not a single proven reason to support it. 

    “This evidence-based report underscores that the Coalition’s nuclear fantasy is nothing more than a dangerous, nonsensical distraction, and a blatant ploy to keep coal and gas in our system until the 2040s, worsening climate change to deadly extremes. 

    “Remarks by Coalition MP Andrew Constance revealing the party’s plans to take the Paris Agreement’s 2035 target “off the table” earlier this week further underscore the Coalition’s absolute disinterest in doing anything to stop the worsening bushfires, floods, and storms that have devastated millions of Australians in recent years. 

    “Nuclear is a waste of Australians’ time, money, and a bet against a safe climate future for all of us. It will also impose potentially catastrophic risks on communities where the reactors and nuclear waste sites will be located. 

    “Choosing nuclear for Australia’s energy future will threaten our economy, air, land and water, and our kids’ futures, while backing in 100% affordable, safe, proven renewable energy, will strengthen our place in a global clean economy and help avoid unsurvivable consequences of climate change. The choice is clear. 

    —ENDS—

    Note to editors: Greenpeace Australia Pacific’s submission to the inquiry is available here.

    For more information or to arrange an interview please contact Vai Shah on 0452 290 082 or [email protected].

    MIL OSI NGO –