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Category: Australia

  • MIL-OSI Global: What is ‘double pneumonia’, the condition that’s put Pope Francis in hospital?

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Brian Oliver, Professor, School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney

    Marco Iaccobucci Epp/Shutterstock

    Pope Francis has been in hospital for more than a week with what some media reports are now calling “double pneumonia”.

    The Vatican released a statement on Tuesday evening saying

    laboratory tests, chest X-rays, and the clinical condition of the Holy Father continue to present a complex picture.

    The 88-year-old Catholic leader has a long history of respiratory illness.

    So, what makes this bout of pneumonia – a severe lung infection – so “complex”? And how will it be treated?

    What is double pneumonia?

    Pneumonia is a serious infection that fills the lungs with liquid or pus and can make it difficult to breathe. People may also have chest pain, cough up green mucus and have a fever.

    “Double pneumonia” is not an official medical term. It may be being used to describe two different aspects of Pope Francis’s condition.

    1. A bilateral infection

    Pope Francis has pneumonia in both lungs. This is known as “bilateral pneumonia”.

    An infection in both lungs doesn’t necessarily mean it’s more severe, but location is important. It can make a difference which parts of the lung are affected.

    When just one part of the lung or one lung is affected, the person can continue to breathe using the other lung while their body fights the infection.

    However when both lungs are compromised, the person will be receiving very little oxygen.

    2. A polymicrobial infection

    The Vatican has also said the infection affecting Pope Francis’s lungs is “polymicrobial”.

    This means the infection is being caused by more than one kind of microorganism (or “pathogen”).

    So, the cause could be two (or more) different kinds of bacteria, or any combination of bacteria, virus and fungus. It’s vital to know what’s causing the infection to effectively treat it.

    How is it diagnosed?

    Usually, when someone presents with suspected pneumonia the hospital will sample their lungs with a sputum test or swab.

    They will often also undergo an X-ray, usually to confirm which parts of the lung are involved.

    Healthy lungs look “empty” on an X-ray, because they are filled with air. But pneumonia fills the lungs with fluid.

    This means it’s usually very easy to see where pneumonia is affecting them, because the infection shows up as solid white mass on the scan.

    Lungs infected with pneumonia will have solid white areas on an X-ray.
    Komsan Loonprom/Shutterstock

    How is it treated?

    The sputum or swab helps detect what is causing the infection and determine treatment. For example, a specific antibiotic will be used to target a certain bacterium.

    Usually this works well. But if the infection is polymicrobial, the normal treatment might not be effective.

    For example, the antibiotics may work on the bacteria. But if there’s also a virus – which can’t be treated with antibiotics – it may become the dominant pathogen driving the infection.

    As a result, the patient may initially respond well to medication and then begin deteriorating again.

    If the infection is caused by multiple bacteria, the patient might be given a broad-spectrum antibiotic rather than a single targeted drug.

    A viral infection is harder to treat, as the anti-viral drugs that are available aren’t very effective or targeted.

    In severe cases, a patient will also need to be in intensive care on a breathing machine because they can’t breathe alone. This helps make sure they receive enough oxygen while their body fights the infection.

    Who is most susceptible?

    It’s possible to recover, even from severe infections. However having pneumonia can damage the lungs, and this can make a repeat infection more likely.

    Most people will never have a severe infection from these same pathogens. They may only experience a minor cold or flu, because their immune system can adequately fight the infection.

    However, certain groups are much more vulnerable to developing a serious case of pneumonia.

    Risk factors include:

    • age: babies under two, whose immune systems are still developing, and adults over 65, who tend to have weakened immune systems

    • lung damage: previous infections can cause scarring

    • lung disease: for example, if you have emphysema or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

    • being a smoker

    • immunosuppression: if your immune system is weakened, for example by medication you take after a transplant or during cancer treatment.

    Pope Francis has a number of these risk factors. The pontiff is 88 years old and has a history of respiratory illness.

    He also had pleurisy (a condition that inflames the lungs) as a young adult. As a result, he had part of one lung removed, making him susceptible to lung infections.

    On Tuesday, the Vatican said Pope Francis remains “in good spirits” while he receives medical care and is grateful for the support he has received.

    Brian Oliver receives funding from the NHMRC, and the ARC. He is affiliated with the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand, and the European Respiratory Society. He has given presentations on topics other than pneumonia at symposia organised by the pharmaceutical industry.

    Min Feng 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. What is ‘double pneumonia’, the condition that’s put Pope Francis in hospital? – https://theconversation.com/what-is-double-pneumonia-the-condition-thats-put-pope-francis-in-hospital-250256

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Insider threat: cyber security experts on giving Elon Musk and DOGE the keys to US government IT systems

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Frank den Hartog, Professor of Information Systems, Research Chair in Critical Infrastructure, University of Canberra

    A few weeks ago, word started to come out that the newly minted United States Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) had acquired unprecedented access to multiple US government computer systems.

    DOGE employees – tech billionaire Elon Musk and his affiliates – have been granted access to sensitive personal and financial data, as well as other data critical for national security. This has created a national and international outcry, and serious concerns have been raised about data security, privacy and potential influence.

    A group of 14 state attorneys-general attempted to have DOGE’s access to certain federal systems restricted, but a judge has denied the request.

    Questions of trust

    What are the deeper reasons behind this outcry? After all, Musk is far from the first businessman to gain political power.

    There is, of course, US President Donald Trump himself, alongside many more on both sides of politics. Most of them kept running their businesses at arm’s length and went back to them after a stint in Washington.

    So why are so many people alarmed now, but not before? The key word here is trust. Surveys suggest many people don’t trust Musk with this kind of access.

    Does that mean we trusted the others? The foundation of modern cyber security is not to trust anything or anybody in the first place.

    So while a lack of trust in Musk is one reason for disquiet, another is a lack of trust in the current state of cyber security in US government systems and procedures. And for good reason.

    An insider threat

    The situation in the US raises the spectre of what cyber experts call an “insider threat”. These concern cyber security incidents caused by people who have authorised access to systems and data.

    Cyber security relies on controlling the so-called “CIA triad” of confidentiality, integrity and availability. Insider threats can compromise all three.

    Authentication and subsequent authorisation of access has traditionally been an important measure to prevent cyber incidents from occurring. But apparently, that is not sufficient any more.

    Perhaps the most famous insider incident in history is Edward Snowden’s leak of classified documents from the US National Security Agency in 2013. Australia too has had its share of insider breaches – the 2000 Maroochy Shire attack is still a textbook example.

    Musk and his DOGE colleagues have now become insiders.

    How to reduce the risk of insider threat

    There are plenty of strategies organisations can follow to reduce the risk of insider threats:

    • more rigorous vetting of employees

    • giving users only the bare minimum access and privileges they need

    • continuously auditing who has access to what, and restricting access immediately when needed

    • authenticating and authorising users every time they access a different system or file (this is part of what is called a “zero trust architecture”)

    • monitoring for unusual behaviour regarding insiders accessing systems and files

    • developing and nurturing a cyber-aware culture in the organisation.

    In government systems, the public should be able to trust these procedures are being rigorously applied. However, when it comes to Musk and DOGE, it seems they are not. And that’s where the core of the problem lies.

    Clearances and a lack of care

    DOGE employees without security clearance reportedly have access to classified systems which would normally be considered quite sensitive.

    However, even security clearances offer no iron-clad guarantees.

    Security clearances assume someone can be trusted based on their past. But past performance can never guarantee the future.

    In the US, obtaining and holding a security clearance has become a status symbol. A clearance may also be a golden ticket to high-paying jobs and power, and hence subject to politics rather than independent judgement.

    And it seems little care has been taken to keep users’ access and privileges to a minimum.

    You might think DOGE’s employees, tasked with seeking out inefficiency, would only need read-only access to the US government IT systems. However, at least one of them temporarily had “write” access to the systems of the treasury, according to reports, enabling him to alter code controlling trillions in federal spending.

    It all comes down to trust

    Even if all possible access control and vetting procedures are in place and working perfectly, there will always be the problem of how to declassify information.

    Or to put it another way: how do you make somebody forget everything they knew when their clearance or access is revoked or downgraded?

    What Musk has seen, he can never unsee. And there is only so much that can be done to prevent this knowledge from leaking.

    Even if all procedures to protect against insider threats are followed perfectly (and they aren’t), nothing is 100% secure.

    We would still need a certain level of public trust that the obtained data and information would be dealt with responsibly. Has trust in Musk and his affiliates reached that level?

    According to recent polling, public opinion is still divided.

    Frank den Hartog is the Cisco Research Chair in Critical Infrastructure at the University of Canberra. He is an Adjunct Fellow at the University of New South Wales.

    Abu Barkat Ullah is a steering committee member for the Canberra Cyber Hub and has received several research grants from Australian government and private organisations.

    – ref. Insider threat: cyber security experts on giving Elon Musk and DOGE the keys to US government IT systems – https://theconversation.com/insider-threat-cyber-security-experts-on-giving-elon-musk-and-doge-the-keys-to-us-government-it-systems-250046

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Joint press conference, Volgren Buses, Brisbane

    Source: Australian Treasurer

    Anika Wells:

    Good morning, everybody. I’m Anika Wells, federal Member for Lilley. Welcome to the majestic kingdom of Lilley. It’s always great to be home and here at Volgren, where for the past 15 years in part of our manufacturing hub here on the Northside, Volgren has been not just helping commuters get to places on public transport but providing great secure jobs for auto electricians, for welders, for spray painters who live and love working here on the north side of Brisbane. So, welcome news yesterday for them with the RBA rate cut, it means that for the more than 90,000 people who are employed in Lilley here, working in places like Volgren or like the Brisbane Airport or like Westfield Chermside or like the Prince Charles Hospital, many of those people are mortgage holders and yesterday’s news means that they will be about $1,000 a year better off as a result of this rate cut.

    We know that is incredibly welcome news, and we know as the Albanese Labor government we have more work to do. And I say as the Aged Care Minister, you’ve seen this term us pump $15 billion into wage rises for aged care workers, some of the lowest paid people, some of the people who most needed a pay rise. We are seeing welcome results and green shoots in places like aged care, but it takes a while to turn the Queen Mary around and that’s why Murray, Jim and I are here to continue that work on cost‑of‑living relief, because the people in Lilley, their households are looking upwards of $90 a month better off as a result of yesterday’s decision, but we’re going to keep working hard for them. And to talk about that, here is Murray Watt.

    Murray Watt:

    Well, thanks very much, Anika. It’s a pleasure to join you and Jim in your electorate, thanks for having me in your electorate. And thanks to Stewart and the team here at Volgren for showing us around the incredible high‑tech manufacturing that’s going on here right here in Brisbane’s Northside. It was a pleasure to talk with a range of the tradespeople who are working here, and today we’ve had more encouraging news for the workers that we are meeting here today and for all workers across Australia.

    Building on yesterday’s rate cut from the RBA, today the Australian Bureau of Statistics has released its latest data on wage rises in our country. And what that data shows is that we have now had 5 consecutive quarters of wages growing above inflation in Australia under the Albanese Labor government. The last quarter, the December quarter 2024, showed real wage growth. So, wages growing above inflation by 0.5 per cent. And if you look at the whole year of 2024, we saw real wage growth of 0.8 per cent, leading to 5 consecutive quarters of real wage growth in Australia.

    Now, that stands in massive contrast to what we saw under the Coalition when we were first elected. The 5 quarters leading into the last election, we saw real wages going backwards under the Coalition. Wages were falling and not keeping pace with inflation. And over the last nearly 3 years, we’ve been able to turn that around to a point that wages are consistently now rising above inflation. And why does that matter?

    It matters because lifting wages is a crucial part of the Albanese government’s plan to assist Australians deal with their cost‑of‑living pressures. And it’s important to recognise that this is a real tribute to the Australian employers and workers who have delivered these wage rises, but it also demonstrates that the changes that we’ve made to Australia’s workplace laws are working as intended. At the last election, we said that we would get wages moving again, and we can now see that happening consistently over the last 5 quarters, and we need to remember that every single change Labor made to our workplace laws in this term of office was voted against by Peter Dutton and the Coalition. They have consistently tried to make life harder for Australians by stopping those wage rises, not to mention voting against everything we’ve done to deliver cost‑of‑living relief as well.

    And now, as we approach the end game heading into the next election, I think Australians are taking great notice of the fact that Peter Dutton is already on the record saying that if he wins the next election, he will unwind a number of the changes that we have made to workplace laws. Now, that’s code for sending pay backwards again. So, if you look at the Coalition’s record, when they were last in office, their deliberate policy was to keep wages low, and that’s what they did. In Opposition, they have voted against every step we’ve taken to get wages moving again. And now, as we get ready for the next election, they’re promising to take those gains away and to cut the pay of Australian workers at a time when people still need support.

    I’ve got no doubt that this will be a big issue as we head into the next campaign. But today is very encouraging news for Australian workers. I should also mention one facet of the data is that wages are rising faster in the private sector than they are in the public sector, which I think goes against a lot of what we see from the commentators. I’ll leave it at that. Happy to take questions, but I’ll hand them over to Jim now to carry on.

    Jim Chalmers:

    Thanks, Murray. Thanks, Anika, for having us in your patch. Thanks in particular to Stewart and all of your workers for welcoming us here. This is what a Future Made in Australia looks like. People working together to build, in this case the buses, but the manufacturing sector, we couldn’t be more supportive of the work that happens here in South East Queensland, but indeed right around Australia as well. When the Albanese government came to office, real wages were falling, and interest rates were rising. Now, real wages are growing, and interest rates have started to come down.

    For 5 consecutive quarters, real wages have been growing. They fell for 5 consecutive quarters under our Liberal and National predecessors, and that goes to the difference between the parties. Peter Dutton wants lower wages and higher interest rates. What we’ve been able to deliver is much lower inflation, higher real wages, low unemployment. We’ve got the Liberal debt down and now interest rates have started to come down as well. These outcomes aren’t accidental. They’re deliberate. We have been working around the clock for the best part of 3 years to fight inflation, to roll out cost‑of‑living help and to get real wages growing again in our country. And that’s because Labor’s reason for being is to make sure that there are more Australians working, earning more and keeping more of what they earn.

    That’s why today’s wages data is so encouraging because it shows that quarter after quarter after quarter, we’ve been able to get real wages growing again after they were falling for a prolonged period under our predecessors when we came to office. Earning more, keeping more of what they earn, that is the story of the labour market under this Albanese Labor government.

    We have got the lowest average unemployment rate of any government in the last 50 years. And what makes Australia unusual is we’ve been able to get inflation down while we get wages up and keep unemployment low. We’ve been able to deal with some of the debt that was left to us by the Liberals and we’re seeing interest rates starting to come down as well. Now, in New Zealand, they cut rates today as well, just like they cut rates in Australia yesterday. The difference is the New Zealand economy is in recession. Their unemployment rate is 5.1 per cent. We’ve been able to keep the economy ticking over, delivering real wages growth. We’ve been able to keep unemployment at 4.0 per cent, and all of that, I think, shows what Australians have achieved together over the course of the last 2 and a half to 3 years.

    We inherited a mess, and we’ve been working hard to clean it up. And you can see that very conspicuously when it comes to real wages growth. Just last week, Peter Dutton was making the case for higher interest rates. He is desperately disappointed that interest rates were cut yesterday and so has Angus Taylor. Angus Taylor even let it slip that Australians deserve an interest rate increase yesterday when he was responding to the Reserve Bank’s decision to cut interest rates.

    We welcome the news that interest rates are being cut in Australia. This is the rate relief that Australians desperately need and deserve after all of the progress that we’ve made together on inflation. When we came to office, inflation was much higher and rising. Now it is lower and falling. When we came to office, interest rates were going up; now they’re coming down. When we came to office, real wages were falling and now they’re growing again. All of these are deliberate design features of our economic policy, and that’s why we’re pleased to see the progress made today in wages and yesterday when it comes to interest rates.

    Happy to take some questions.

    Journalist:

    Does the wages data show that the economy is stabilising? Could it lead to further interest rate cuts?

    Chalmers:

    I don’t want to make predictions about future movements in interest rates. I welcome enthusiastically the Reserve Bank’s decision yesterday to cut rates because it will take some of the edge off mortgage costs for millions of Australians who desperately need that help. We understand that people are under substantial cost‑of‑living pressure, but more than acknowledge that, we’re doing something about it. Getting wages moving again, the tax cuts, the energy bill relief, cheaper early childhood education, cheaper medicine, rent assistance, all of this is about doing more than recognising people are under pressure and actually doing something about it. We know that one interest rate cut doesn’t automatically solve all of the challenges in our economy or all of the pressure on household budgets, but it will help, and that’s why we welcome it.

    Here, the contrast is really important. Peter Dutton wants higher interest rates and lower wages. If he had his way, Australians would be thousands of dollars worse off right now. They’ll be worse off still if he wins, and that’s because he will go after wages again, he’ll go after Medicare again, he’ll push up electricity prices with nuclear reactors and Australians would be worse off as a consequence. That means whenever the election is called, it’s a pretty simple choice: Labor getting wages moving again, helping with the cost of living, fighting inflation and building Australia’s future, a Future Made in Australia, versus Peter Dutton and the Coalition, who will make people worse off and take Australia backwards.

    Journalist:

    Do we expect a surplus in your next Budget?

    Chalmers:

    We’re not anticipating that in the government’s fourth Budget, we released not that long ago in the mid‑year update, the best assessment of the budget position. We have already delivered 2 budget surpluses. That’s the first time that’s happened in almost 2 decades and that’s helping in the fight against inflation as the Reserve Bank Governor says.

    The deficit for this year, it’s a deficit, but it’s smaller than what we inherited from our predecessors. And that’s a demonstration of our responsible economic management, which has been the defining feature of this Labor government.

    Journalist:

    [indistinct] some of the subdued reaction to the rate cut. I’ll refer to some headlines from some of the major newspapers saying it’s a rate relief with a catch, you’re the one‑cut wonder. Has that caught you by surprise?

    Chalmers:

    Well, I think the Liberal Party and their cheerleaders in the media were really disappointed when rates were cut, and we see that reflected in the commentary. A lot of that commentary is a political position dressed up as economic commentary. There are people associated with the Liberal Party who are very disappointed that rates were cut, or inflation’s come down substantially, or real wages are growing, or we’ve been able to deliver 2 [surpluses]. I try not to focus too much on the partisan commentary. I focus on the objective commentary, and any objective observer of the Australian economy under Labor would conclude that inflation is down substantially, wages are up, unemployment is low, the debt is down from what we inherited and interest rates have started to be cut as well. All 5 of those things are positive developments. We’re confident about the future of our economy, but we’re not complacent. We know that there are still cost‑of‑living pressures. That’s why the cost‑of‑living relief that we are rolling out, which Peter Dutton opposed, is so important.

    I thought the Reserve Bank Governor made a really important point yesterday. She said she’s optimistic about the future but alive to the risks in the economy. That’s a view that we share. There’s a lot of global economic uncertainty right now in particular, but we can be confident but not complacent about the future of our economy, given the progress that Australians have made together over the course of the last couple of years.

    Journalist:

    What do you make of Clive Palmer and his trumpet politics and sticking a million dollars into the [indistinct]?

    Chalmers:

    Any vote for a minor right‑wing party is the same as a vote for the major right‑wing party, and that puts Medicare and wages at risk. So, I say to Australians who are tempted by the big dollars of Clive Palmer and others to be very careful about where you put your vote at the next election. Any non‑Labor vote puts Medicare and wages at risk. And we know that because Peter Dutton has said that he will cut $350 billion, he needs to find $600 billion from somewhere for nuclear reactors and he won’t tell Australians where those cuts are going to come from.

    That should send a shiver up the spine of every Australian, and particularly every Australian worker, not telling us the agenda for secret cuts. And so, a vote for Clive Palmer or Pauline Hanson or any one of a number of these minor right‑wing parties is a vote for Peter Dutton, and that’s a vote for cuts that we won’t know about until after the election.

    Journalist:

    How would you categorise the Budget you’re putting together? Are we going to see more cost‑of‑living sugar hits like rebates, or is it going to be more responsible?

    Chalmers:

    The best hint I could give you for the government’s fourth Budget is that it will be like the first 3, and that means responsible. The government’s fourth Budget will be defined by responsible economic management, rolling out meaningful and substantial cost‑of‑living relief where that is responsible and affordable. That’s been the approach we took in the first 3, that’ll be the approach that we take in the fourth. We know even with the progress that we’ve made together on inflation and wages, and now interest rates, we know that people are still under pressure. What we do in every budget, not just this fourth Budget, is we weigh up the economic conditions, the budget pressures, the pressures on people in their household budgets, and we do the best that we can by them.

    Journalist:

    Will power bill rebates, do you classify that as responsible?

    Chalmers:

    We haven’t finalised the Budget yet, and obviously there are a whole range of measures which are under consideration, but not yet finalised. We’ve made it clear in our first 3 budgets, the tax cuts are helping people right now. The energy bill relief, early childhood education, cheaper medicines, getting wages moving again, rent assistance, Fee‑Free TAFE. We’ve shown a willingness before to fund cost‑of‑living help in a substantial way, but in a responsible way. And if we can afford to do more in the fourth Budget, of course, we’re considering that right now.

    Journalist:

    Do you intend to deliver a Budget before the election, Treasurer?

    Chalmers:

    That’s our expectation. We’ve spent some hours in the Cabinet room earlier this week putting together the Budget for the 25th of March, and we will continue to work towards that.

    The timing of the election is a matter for the Prime Minister, my job is to continue to work on the Budget with Katy Gallagher and other colleagues to make sure that we’re ready to go.

    Journalist:

    Wages have slowed, their growth has slowed. Should Australians expect this to continue?

    Chalmers:

    We want strong and sustainable wages growth, and we’re absolutely delighted to see that. For 5 consecutive quarters now, we’ve seen annual real wage growth in our economy because it was falling for 5 quarters when we came to office. I think, as I said before, our reason for being as a Labor government is to get more people working, earning more and keeping more of what they earn. Not as some kind of accidental outcome, but as a deliberate consequence of our economic strategy. The tax cuts are a big part of that, keeping more of what you earn.

    All of our policies on wages, which Murray is now responsible for, they are part of getting wages growing again. So, we’re seeing real wages growth. That’s a good thing. The Wage Price Index has moderated a little bit, but not a lot. Overwhelmingly, the story of the last 5 quarters has been real wages growth and that’s a good thing.

    Journalist:

    Will any pre‑election handouts stoke inflation?

    Chalmers:

    We’re obviously very conscious of the broader economic conditions when we finalise the Budget and not just when it comes to cost‑of‑living help. And what we’ve shown in our cost‑of‑living relief to date is we’ve been able to put downward pressure on electricity prices, on early childhood education, on rent as well, to take some of the edge off those cost‑of‑living pressures. That would be a similar approach that we would consider as we put the fourth Budget together.

    Again, it comes back to the choice and the contrast. Peter Dutton opposed our cost‑of‑living help. If he had his way, Australians would be thousands of dollars worse off right now and they’ll be worse off still if he wins, and that comes to the choice at the election: a Labor government working around the clock to get people better pay, to give every taxpayer a tax cut to help with their electricity bills – or Peter Dutton, who will come after wages again, come after Medicare again, push electricity prices up with these nuclear reactors. As we get closer to the election, whenever it is, the choice is really crystallising. Labor, helping with the cost of living, getting wages moving again, strengthening Medicare and building Australia’s future, versus Peter Dutton and the Coalition who will make people worse off and take Australia backwards.

    I’ll take one more question then I think we’re done here.

    Journalist:

    Can I ask you about the Whyalla steelworks? The ABC has been told that potentially that’s been placed into administration by the state government. Have you been briefed on that and have you got any assurances for workers?

    Chalmers:

    More than being briefed, a number of us have been in discussions with our South Australian counterparts for a little while now. We want to see a future for steel in Whyalla. That is a really important town, and we are big believers in the future of Whyalla. We’re big believers in the future of the Australian steel industry and Australian manufacturing more broadly. No government has been a bigger believer in a Future Made in Australia than ours, and so that’s really driven us in our conversations with our South Australian counterparts.

    The Prime Minister has been talking to Premier Malinauskas; Minister Husic’s been talking to his counterpart. I’ve been talking to Treasurer Mullighan, and we’ll have more to say about those discussions in due course.

    Journalist:

    Can’t say whether it has been placed into administration?

    Chalmers:

    We’ll have more to say about that when that’s appropriate. Thanks very much.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murray, Colleagues Request Information on Elon Musk’s Access to VA Medical Records

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
    ICYMI: Senator Murray: Trump Must Reverse Firing of VA Researchers Across the Country, Threatens to Decimate Lifesaving Work on Veterans’ Medical Care, Prosthetics, and More
    ICYMI: FACT SHEET: Trump & Elon’s Layoffs Jeopardize Essential Services Americans Rely On, Threaten Critical Agency Objectives Keeping Americans Safe & Healthy
    Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a senior member and former Chair of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, joined Senators Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), and Gary Peters (D-MI) in pressing Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins to protect veterans, their families, and VA staff from unprecedented access to sensitive information by Elon Musk and his “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE). According to a recent report by Military.com, DOGE employees accessed VA computer systems at the Department’s headquarters in Washington, D.C.
    “We understand that personnel reporting to Mr. Musk have recently visited VA facilities,” wrote the senators to Secretary Collins. “Senators, veterans, and members of the public have serious concerns regarding Mr. Musk’s extraordinary and unprecedented activities and the lack of transparency surrounding them, including his potential access to and handling of sensitive or personal information.”
    “Accordingly, we seek specific information regarding VA’s engagement with Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency,” they continued.
    Senator Murray and her colleagues requested a list of DOGE personnel who have visited VA facilities, the systems they accessed, and whether veteran data—including medical and service records—may have been viewed, copied, or transferred. They also requested that Secretary Collins reveal the nature of the agreement under which DOGE personnel are governed by in their engagement with the VA.
    Senator Murray has spoken out forcefully against President Trump and Elon Musk’s mass firing of VA employees across the country who are in the middle of critical research on topics including mental health, alcohol and opioid withdrawal, cancer treatments, burn pit exposure, prosthetics, diabetic ulcers, and more. Earlier this month, Senator Murray sounded the alarm over reports of DOGE at the VA and voted against Collins’s nomination to be VA Secretary, making clear that the Trump administration’s lawlessness was putting our national security and our veterans at risk. Alongside 25 of her colleagues, Murray sent another letter earlier this month to Secretary Collins, demanding that he deny and sever Musk and DOGE’s access to any VA or other government system with information about veterans, and to delete any veterans’ information in their possession.
    The full text of the senators’ letter to Secretary Collins can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Wix Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2024 Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Capping off a year of sustained growth acceleration and stronger than expected FCF generation – surpassing Rule of 40 in 2024 and on track to achieve Rule of 45 in 2025

    • Culminated a year of accelerated growth and innovation with Q4 bookings of $465 million, up 18% y/y, and Q4 revenue of $460 million, up 14% y/y
      • Steady growth acceleration in Self Creators coupled with continued strength in high-growth Partners, demonstrated by Partners revenue growth of 30% y/y in FY2024
      • Strong momentum across key product focus areas, including Studio, AI and commerce as well as solid business fundamentals and price increase benefit
    • Robust growth and a stable operating cost base drove FCF1 generation to nearly double in 2024 compared to previous year, resulting in continued profitability improvement with Q4 FCF margin of 29% and full year FCF1 margin of 28%
      • Achieved first year of positive GAAP operating income in Wix history
    • On track to achieve Rule of 45 in 2025 at high end of outlook through continued innovation-powered growth and further FCF margin expansion
    • Completed $200 million share repurchase plan in January, totaling $725 million in aggregate repurchases since August 2023

    NEW YORK — Wix.com Ltd. (Nasdaq: WIX), the leading SaaS website builder platform2, today reported financial results for the fourth quarter and full year 2024. In addition, the Company provided its initial outlook for the first quarter and full year 2025. Please visit the Wix Investor Relations website at https://investors.wix.com to view the Q4’24 Shareholder Update and other materials.

    “Wix sets a high standard for innovation and creativity, and we’re constantly exceeding expectations. This past year was one of exciting innovation as we introduced revolutionary AI solutions such as the new generation AI Website Builder. We also made meaningful enhancements to the Studio platform, including the AI visual sitemap and wireframe generator and Figma integration among new advanced design capabilities,” said Avishai Abrahami, Wix Co-founder and CEO. “2025 is poised to reimagine and expand the Self Creator experience with the launch of two transformative products planned for the spring and early fall. I strongly believe that these will deliver immense value to users and, in turn, accelerate Self Creator growth to double-digits in the years to come. We’re thrilled about these strategic enhancements, which are set to propel our business forward and establish a powerful foundation for the years ahead.”

    “We wrapped 2024 with accelerated growth and profitability, driven by successful execution of our product roadmap and pricing strategy as well as strong business fundamentals,” added Lior Shemesh, CFO at Wix. “With AI usage ramping from our growing suite of innovations and Studio continuing to win market share, we anticipate these to be even bigger growth engines in 2025 and beyond. Solid growth will be coupled with incremental efficiencies from new internal AI initiatives and a stable operating base, enabling us to continue to expand margins and set new profitability records. The high end of our outlook puts us at Rule of 45 in 2025 as we continue to prioritize balancing profitable growth through best-in-class innovation and steadfast execution.”

    Q4 2024 Financial Results

    • Total revenue in the fourth quarter of 2024 was $460.5 million, up 14% y/y
      • Creative Subscriptions revenue in the fourth quarter of 2024 was $329.7 million, up 11% y/y
      • Creative Subscriptions ARR increased to $1.343 billion as of the end of the quarter, up 13% y/y
    • Business Solutions revenue in the fourth quarter of 2024 was $130.7 million, up 21% y/y
      • Transaction revenue3 was $57.1 million, up 23% y/y
    • Partners revenue4 in the fourth quarter of 2024 was $168.1 million, up 29% y/y
    • Total bookings in the fourth quarter of 2024 were $464.6 million, up 18% y/y
      • Total bookings on a y/y constant currency basis were $466.2 million
      • Creative Subscriptions bookings in the fourth quarter of 2024 were $325.2 million, up 15% y/y
      • Business Solutions bookings in the fourth quarter of 2024 were $139.4 million, up 25% y/y
    • Total gross margin on a GAAP basis in the fourth quarter of 2024 was 69%
      • Creative Subscriptions gross margin on a GAAP basis was 84%
      • Business Solutions gross margin on a GAAP basis was 30%
    • Total non-GAAP gross margin in the fourth quarter of 2024 was 70%
      • Creative Subscriptions gross margin on a non-GAAP basis was 85%
      • Business Solutions gross margin on a non-GAAP basis was 32%
    • GAAP net income in the fourth quarter of 2024 was $48.0 million, or $0.86 per basic share or $0.80 per diluted share
    • Non-GAAP net income in the fourth quarter of 2024 was $117.1 million, or $2.10 per basic share or $1.93 per diluted share
    • Net cash provided by operating activities for the fourth quarter of 2024 was $133.7 million, while capital expenditures totaled $2.0 million, leading to free cash flow of $131.8 million

    FY 2024 Financial Results

    • Total revenue for the full year 2024 was $1.761 billion, up 13% y/y
      • Creative Subscriptions revenue for the full year 2024 was $1.265 billion, up 10% y/y
      • Business Solutions revenue for the full year 2024 was $495.7 million, up 21% y/y
        • Transaction revenue3 was $214.9 million, up 21% y/y
    • Partners revenue4 for the full year 2024 was $610.1 million, up 30% y/y
    • Total bookings for the full year 2024 were $1.830 billion, up 15% y/y
      • Creative Subscriptions bookings for the full year 2024 were $1.315 billion, up 12% y/y
      • Business Solutions bookings for the full year 2024 were $514.6 million, up 22% y/y
    • Total gross margin on a GAAP basis for the full year 2024 was 68%
      • Creative Subscriptions gross margin on a GAAP basis was 83%
      • Business Solutions gross margin on a GAAP basis was 29%
    • Total non-GAAP gross margin for the full year 2024 was 69%
      • Creative Subscriptions gross margin on a non-GAAP basis was 84%
      • Business Solutions gross margin on a non-GAAP basis was 30%
    • GAAP net income for the full year 2024 was $138.3 million, or $2.49 per basic share or $2.36 per diluted share
    • Non-GAAP net income for the full year 2024 was $383.3 million, or $6.90 per basic share or $6.39 per diluted share
    • Net cash provided by operating activities for the full year 2024 was $497.4 million, while capital expenditures totaled $19.3 million, leading to free cash flow of $478.1 million
    • Excluding the capex investment associated with our new headquarters office build out, free cash flow1 for the full year 2024 would have been $488.4 million, or 28% of revenue
    • Executed $466 million in repurchases of ordinary shares in 2024 as we remained committed to share count management and returning value to shareholders
    • Finished full year 2024 with 6.2 million total premium subscriptions as of December 31, 2024
    • Registered users as of December 31, 2024 were over 282 million
    • Total employee count as of December 31, 2024 was 5,283

    ____________________
    1 Free cash flow excluding expenses associated with the buildout of our new corporate headquarters.
    2 Based on number of active live sites as reported by competitors’ figures, independent third-party data and internal data as of Q3 2024.
    3 Transaction revenue is a portion of Business Solutions revenue, and we define transaction revenue as all revenue generated through transaction facilitation, primarily from Wix Payments, as well as Wix POS, shipping solutions and multi-channel commerce and gift card solutions.
    4 Partners revenue is defined as revenue generated through agencies and freelancers that build sites or applications for other users (“Agencies”) as well as revenue generated through B2B partnerships, such as LegalZoom or Vistaprint (“Resellers”). We identify Agencies using multiple criteria, including but not limited to, the number of sites built, participation in the Wix Partner Program and/or the Wix Marketplace or Wix products used (incl. Wix Studio). Partners revenue includes revenue from both the Creative Subscriptions and Business Solutions businesses.

    Financial Outlook

    We expect another year of robust bookings and revenue growth powered by existing key growth initiatives and ongoing product enhancements against a stable and positive demand environment:

    • With Studio continuing to outperform and AI usage and conversion benefits ramping, we anticipate these initiatives to be even bigger growth engines in 2025
       
    • We are continuously testing and rolling out product enhancements as well as new strategic initiatives, which are driving demonstrable added value to users. As a result, we expect incremental ARPS and conversion improvements.

      We expect top-line contribution from those enhancements and initiatives already rolled out and underway to layer in as we progress through the year, resulting in accelerated growth in 2H. This acceleration is anticipated for both revenue and bookings, even as bookings fully laps pricing tailwinds in mid-Q1’25.

    • While confident the new products in our pipeline, particularly the meaningful Self Creator offerings coming this year, will drive medium-term growth, we are incorporating almost no contribution from new products into our 2025 forecast.

    As a global company with ~40% of revenue derived in non-US dollar currencies, we began to experience adverse effects from outsized changes in FX rates beginning mid-Q4 and continuing YTD, particularly the US dollar to Euro and British pound exchange rates. Assuming late January spot rates, we anticipate strong FX headwinds to 2025 outlook.

    As such, we provide outlook for the year and the first quarter on both as-reported and constant currency bases.

      As-reported As-reported
    growth y/y    		 FX impact Constant currency
    growth y/y
    Full year 2025        
    Bookings $2,025 – 2,060 million 11 – 13% ~$45 million 13 – 15%
    Revenue $1,970 – 2,000 million 12 – 14% ~$34 million 14 – 16%
    Free cash flow $590 – 610 million 30 – 31% margin ~$25 million 31 – 32% margin
    Q1’25        
    Revenue $469 – 473 million 12 – 13% ~$6 million 13 – 14%

    With a meaningful portion of our operating expenses denominated in non-US currencies, the strengthening US dollar is expected to drive a modest benefit to 2025 expenses. As a result, the net FX impact on free cash flow is expected to be smaller than the anticipated top-line headwinds.

    We believe our strong commitment to sustained top-line momentum and translating growth into additional operating leverage puts us on track to achieve Rule of 45 in 2025 at the high end of our outlook.

    Conference Call and Webcast Information

    Wix will host a conference call to discuss the results at 8:30 a.m. ET on Wednesday, February 19, 2025. A live and archived webcast of the conference call will be accessible from the “Investor Relations” section of the Company’s website at https://investors.wix.com/.

    About Wix.com Ltd.

    Wix is the leading SaaS website builder platform1 to create, manage and grow a digital presence. Founded  in 2006, Wix is a comprehensive platform providing users – self-creators, agencies, enterprises, and more – with industry-leading performance, security, AI capabilities and a reliable infrastructure. Offering a wide range of commerce and business solutions, advanced SEO and marketing tools, the platform enables users to take full ownership of their brand, their data and their relationships with their customers. With a focus on continuous innovation and delivery of new features and products, users can seamlessly build a powerful and high-end digital presence for themselves or their clients.

    For more about Wix, please visit our Press Room
    Media Relations Contact:  PR@wix.com 

    Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Key Operating Metrics

    To supplement its consolidated financial statements, which are prepared and presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP, Wix uses the following non-GAAP financial measures: bookings, cumulative cohort bookings, bookings on a constant currency basis, revenue on a constant currency basis, non-GAAP gross margin, non-GAAP operating income (loss), non-GAAP operating margin, non-GAAP net income (loss), non-GAAP net income (loss) per share, free cash flow, free cash flow on a constant currency basis, free cash flow, as adjusted, free cash flow margins, non-GAAP R&D expenses, non-GAAP S&M expenses, non-GAAP G&A expenses, non-GAAP operating expenses, non-GAAP cost of revenue expense, non-GAAP financial expense, non-GAAP tax expense (collectively the “Non-GAAP financial measures”). Measures presented on a constant currency or foreign exchange neutral basis have been adjusted to exclude the effect of y/y changes in foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations. Bookings is a non-GAAP financial measure calculated by adding the change in deferred revenues and the change in unbilled contractual obligations for a particular period to revenues for the same period. Bookings include cash receipts for premium subscriptions purchased by users as well as cash we collect from business solutions, as well as payments due to us under the terms of contractual agreements for which we may have not yet received payment. Cash receipts for premium subscriptions are deferred and recognized as revenues over the terms of the subscriptions. Cash receipts for payments and the majority of the additional products and services (other than Google Workspace) are recognized as revenues upon receipt. Committed payments are recognized as revenue as we fulfill our obligation under the terms of the contractual agreement. Bookings and Creative Subscriptions Bookings are also presented on a further non-GAAP basis by excluding, in each case, bookings associated with long term B2B partnership agreements. Non-GAAP gross margin represents gross profit calculated in accordance with GAAP as adjusted for the impact of share-based compensation expense, acquisition-related expenses and amortization, divided by revenue. Non-GAAP operating income (loss) represents operating income (loss) calculated in accordance with GAAP as adjusted for the impact of share-based compensation expense, amortization, acquisition-related expenses and sales tax expense accrual and other G&A expenses (income). Non-GAAP net income (loss) represents net loss calculated in accordance with GAAP as adjusted for the impact of share-based compensation expense, amortization, sales tax expense accrual and other G&A expenses (income), amortization of debt discount and debt issuance costs and acquisition-related expenses and non-operating foreign exchange expenses (income). Non-GAAP net income (loss) per share represents non-GAAP net income (loss) divided by the weighted average number of shares used in computing GAAP loss per share. Free cash flow represents net cash provided by (used in) operating activities less capital expenditures. Free cash flow, as adjusted, represents free cash flow further adjusted to exclude one-time cash restructuring charges and the capital expenditures and other expenses associated with the buildout of our new corporate headquarters. Free cash flow margins represent free cash flow divided by revenue. Non-GAAP cost of revenue represents cost of revenue calculated in accordance with GAAP as adjusted for the impact of share-based compensation expense, acquisition-related expenses and amortization. Non-GAAP R&D expenses represent R&D expenses calculated in accordance with GAAP as adjusted for the impact of share-based compensation expense, acquisition-related expenses and amortization. Non-GAAP S&M expenses represent S&M expenses calculated in accordance with GAAP as adjusted for the impact of share-based compensation expense, acquisition-related expenses and amortization. Non-GAAP G&A expenses represent G&A expenses calculated in accordance with GAAP as adjusted for the impact of share-based compensation expense, acquisition-related expenses and amortization. Non-GAAP operating expenses represent operating expenses calculated in accordance with GAAP as adjusted for the impact of share-based compensation expense, acquisition-related expenses and amortization. Non-GAAP financial expense represents financial expense calculated in accordance with GAAP as adjusted for unrealized gains of equity investments, amortization of debt discount and debt issuance costs and non-operating foreign exchange expenses. Non-GAAP tax expense represents tax expense calculated in accordance with GAAP as adjusted for provisions for income tax effects related to non-GAAP adjustments.

    The presentation of this financial information is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for, or superior to, the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP. The Company uses these non-GAAP financial measures for financial and operational decision making and as a means to evaluate period-to-period comparisons. The Company believes that these measures provide useful information about operating results, enhance the overall understanding of past financial performance and future prospects, and allow for greater transparency with respect to key metrics used by management in its financial and operational decision making.

    For more information on the non-GAAP financial measures, please see the reconciliation tables provided below. The accompanying tables have more details on the GAAP financial measures that are most directly comparable to non-GAAP financial measures and the related reconciliations between these financial measures. The Company is unable to provide reconciliations of free cash flow, free cash flow, as adjusted, bookings, cumulative cohort bookings, non-GAAP gross margin, and non-GAAP tax expense to their most directly comparable GAAP financial measures on a forward-looking basis without unreasonable effort because items that impact those GAAP financial measures are out of the Company’s control and/or cannot be reasonably predicted. Such information may have a significant, and potentially unpredictable, impact on our future financial results.

    Wix also uses Creative Subscriptions Annualized Recurring Revenue (ARR) as a key operating metric. Creative Subscriptions ARR is calculated as Creative Subscriptions Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR) multiplied by 12. Creative Subscriptions MRR is calculated as the total of (i) the total monthly revenue of all Creative Subscriptions in effect on the last day of the period, other than domain registrations; (ii) the average revenue per month from domain registrations multiplied by all registered domains in effect on the last day of the period; and (iii) monthly revenue from other partnership agreements including enterprise partners.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This document contains forward-looking statements, within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements may include projections regarding our future performance, including, but not limited to revenue, bookings and free cash flow, and may be identified by words like “anticipate,” “assume,” “believe,” “aim,” “forecast,” “indication,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “outlook,” “future,” “will,” “seek” and similar terms or phrases. The forward-looking statements contained in this document, including the quarterly and annual guidance, are based on management’s current expectations, which are subject to uncertainty, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements include, among others, our expectation that we will be able to attract and retain registered users and partners, and generate new premium subscriptions, in particular as we continuously adjust our marketing strategy and as the macro-economic environment continues to be turbulent; our expectation that we will be able to increase the average revenue we derive per premium subscription, including through our partners; our expectation that new products and developments, as well as third-party products we will offer in the future within our platform, will receive customer acceptance and satisfaction, including the growth in market adoption of our online commerce solutions and our Wix Studio product; our expectations regarding our ability to develop relevant and required products using artificial intelligence (“AI”), the regulatory environment impacting AI and AI-related activities, including privacy and intellectual property, and potential competitive impacts from AI tools; our assumption that historical user behavior can be extrapolated to predict future user behavior, in particular during turbulent macro-economic environments; our prediction of the future revenues and/or bookings generated by our user cohorts and our ability to maintain and increase such revenue growth, as well as our ability to generate and maintain elevated levels of free cash flow and profitability; our expectation to maintain and enhance our brand and reputation; our expectation that we will effectively execute our initiatives to improve our user support function through our Customer Care team, and continue attracting registered users and partners, and increase user retention, user engagement and sales; our ability to successfully localize our products, including by making our product, support and communication channels available in additional languages and to expand our payment infrastructure to transact in additional local currencies and accept additional payment methods; our expectation regarding the impact of fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, interest rates, potential illiquidity of banking systems, and other recessionary trends on our business; our expectations relating to the repurchase of our ordinary shares and/or Convertible Notes pursuant to our repurchase program; our expectation that we will effectively manage our infrastructure; our expectation to comply with AI, privacy, and data protection laws and regulations as well as contractual privacy and data protection obligations; our expectations regarding the outcome of any regulatory investigation or litigation, including class actions; our expectations regarding future changes in our cost of revenues and our operating expenses on an absolute basis and as a percentage of our revenues, as well as our ability to achieve and maintain profitability; our expectations regarding changes in the global, national, regional or local economic, business, competitive, market, and regulatory landscape, including as a result of Israel-Hamas war and/or the Israel-Hezbollah hostilities and/or the Ukraine-Russia war and any escalations thereof and potential for wider regional instability and conflict; our planned level of capital expenditures and our belief that our existing cash and cash from operations will be sufficient to fund our operations for at least the next 12 months and for the foreseeable future; our expectations with respect to the integration and performance of acquisitions; our ability to attract and retain qualified employees and key personnel; and our expectations about entering into new markets and attracting new customer demographics, including our ability to successfully attract new partners large enterprise-level users and to grow our activities, including through the adoption of our Wix Studio product, with these customer types as anticipated and other factors discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” in the Company’s annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2023 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 22, 2024. The preceding list is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all of our forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement made by us in this press release speaks only as of the date hereof. Factors or events that could cause our actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of them. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

    Wix.com Ltd.
    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS – GAAP
    (In thousands, except loss per share data)
                   
      Three Months Ended   Year Ended
      December 31,   December 31,
      2024   2023   2024   2023
      (unaudited)   (unaudited)
    Revenues              
    Creative Subscriptions $ 329,732   $ 296,154   $ 1,264,975   $ 1,152,007
    Business Solutions 130,723   107,617   495,675   409,658
      460,455   403,771   1,760,650   1,561,665
                   
    Cost of Revenues              
    Creative Subscriptions 52,671   52,794   213,422   215,515
    Business Solutions 90,965   73,319   351,213   297,013
      143,636   126,113   564,635   512,528
                   
    Gross Profit 316,819   277,658   1,196,015   1,049,137
                   
    Operating expenses:              
    Research and development 127,186   125,743   495,281   481,293
    Selling and marketing 106,629   103,642   425,457   399,577
    General and administrative 46,984   43,401   175,136   160,033
    Impairment, restructuring and other costs –   3,103   –   32,614
    Total operating expenses 280,799   275,889   1,095,874   1,073,517
    Operating income (loss) 36,020   1,769   100,141   (24,380)
    Financial income, net 16,355   6,461   51,820   62,474
    Other income (expenses), net (94)   44   (36)   (255)
    Income before taxes on income 52,281   8,274   151,925   37,839
    Income tax expenses 4,257   5,320   13,603   4,702
    Net income $ 48,024   $ 2,954   $ 138,322   $ 33,137
                   
    Basic net income per share $ 0.86   $ 0.05   $ 2.49   $ 0.58
    Basic weighted-average shares used to compute net income per share 55,786,201   57,317,815   55,579,368   56,829,962
                   
    Diluted net income per share $ 0.80   $ 0.05   $ 2.36   $ 0.57
    Diluted weighted-average shares used to compute net income per share 60,648,791   59,085,757   59,953,371   58,403,037
                   
    Wix.com Ltd.
    CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
    (In thousands)
               
       
       December 31,    December 31,
       2024    2023
    Assets  (unaudited)    (audited)
    Current Assets:          
    Cash and cash equivalents $ 660,939   $ 609,622
    Short-term deposits   106,844     212,709
    Restricted deposits   773     2,125
    Marketable securities   338,593     140,563
    Trade receivables   46,166     57,394
    Prepaid expenses and other current assets   126,887     47,792
    Total current assets   1,280,202     1,070,205
               
    Long-Term Assets:          
    Prepaid expenses and other long-term assets   27,021     34,296
    Property and equipment, net   128,155     136,928
    Marketable securities   6,135     64,806
    Intangible assets, net   22,141     28,010
    Goodwill   49,329     49,329
    Operating lease right-of-use assets   399,861     420,562
    Total long-term assets   632,642     733,931
               
    Total assets $ 1,912,844   $ 1,804,136
               
    Liabilities and Shareholders’ Deficiency          
    Current Liabilities:          
    Trade payables $ 48,003   $ 38,305
    Employees and payroll accruals   142,007     56,581
    Deferred revenues   661,171     592,608
    Current portion of convertible notes, net   572,880     –
    Accrued expenses and other current liabilities   63,246     76,556
    Operating lease liabilities   27,907     24,981
    Total current liabilities   1,515,214     789,031
    Long Term Liabilities:          
    Long-term deferred revenues   89,271     83,384
    Long-term deferred tax liability   1,965     7,167
    Convertible notes, net   –     569,714
    Other long-term liabilities   16,021     7,699
    Long-term operating lease liabilities   369,159     401,626
    Total long-term liabilities   476,416     1,069,590
               
    Total liabilities   1,991,630     1,858,621
               
    Shareholders’  Deficiency          
    Ordinary shares   107     110
    Additional paid-in capital   1,840,574     1,539,952
    Treasury Stock   (1,025,167)     (558,875)
    Accumulated other comprehensive loss   7,242     4,192
    Accumulated deficit   (901,542)     (1,039,864)
    Total shareholders’ deficiency   (78,786)     (54,485)
               
    Total liabilities and shareholders’ deficiency $ 1,912,844   $ 1,804,136
               
    Wix.com Ltd.
    CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
    (In thousands)
                           
                           
      Three Months Ended   Year Ended
      December 31,   December 31,
      2024   2023   2024   2023
      (unaudited)   (unaudited)
    OPERATING ACTIVITIES:                      
    Net income $ 48,024   $         2,954   $ 138,322   $        33,137
    Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by operating activities:                      
    Depreciation   6,278     6,725     25,246     20,492
    Amortization   1,460     1,488     5,869     5,954
    Share based compensation expenses   61,801     58,195     240,721     224,625
    Amortization of debt discount and debt issuance costs   793     789     3,166     4,194
    Changes in accrued interest and exchange rate on short term and long term deposits   (635)     (586)     852     (2,415)
    Non-cash impairment, restructuring and other costs   –     3,567     –     26,699
    Amortization of premium and discount and accrued interest on marketable securities, net   (7,838)     4,237     (13,381)     8,346
    Remeasurement loss (gain) on Marketable equity   –     (10,296)     (3,367)     (30,608)
    Changes in deferred income taxes, net   (7)     (2,035)     (5,196)     (8,784)
    Changes in operating lease right-of-use assets   4,351     7,174     24,246     27,231
    Changes in operating lease liabilities   (2,821)     16,701     (33,086)     (31,333)
    Loss on foreign exchange, net   2,471     –     3,906     –
    Decrease (increase) in trade receivables   4,058     (2,794)     11,228     (15,308)
    Decrease in prepaid expenses and other current and long-term assets   (63,684)     (10,845)     (76,963)     (20,105)
    Increase (decrease) in trade payables   17,329     15,120     12,893     (52,455)
    Increase (decrease) in employees and payroll accruals   66,407     (8,307)     85,426     (29,532)
    Increase in short term and long term deferred revenues   1,609     2,788     74,450     76,193
    Increase (decrease) in accrued expenses and other current liabilities   (5,860)     5,505     3,083     11,915
    Net cash provided by operating activities   133,736     90,380     497,415     248,246
    INVESTING ACTIVITIES:                      
    Proceeds from short-term deposits and restricted deposits   97,051     131,754     276,697     625,495
    Investment in short-term deposits and restricted deposits   (25,540)     (99,725)     (170,332)     (297,917)
    Investment in marketable securities   –     (2,607)     (267,209)     (6,732)
    Proceeds from marketable securities   15,000     33,690     125,176     250,960
    Purchase of property and equipment and lease prepayment   (1,562)     (9,582)     (17,813)     (63,021)
    Capitalization of internal use of software   (401)     (408)     (1,523)     (3,028)
    Investment in other assets   –     –     –     (111)
    Proceeds from investment in other assets $ –     –   $ 550     –
    Proceeds from sale of equity securities   –     19,203     22,148     68,671
    Purchases of investments in privately held companies   (1,000)     (76)     (3,160)     (7,603)
    Net cash provided by investing activities   83,548     72,249     (35,466)     566,714
    FINANCING ACTIVITIES:                      
    Proceeds from exercise of options and ESPP shares   6,692     898     59,576     39,660
    Purchase of treasury stock   –     (58,698)     (466,302)     (127,017)
    Repayment of convertible notes   –     –     –     (362,667)
    Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities   6,692     (57,800)     (406,726)     (450,024)
    Effect of exchange rates on cash, cash equivalent and restricted cash   (2,471)     –     (3,906)     –
    INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS   221,505     104,829     51,317     364,936
    CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS—Beginning of period   439,434     504,793     609,622     244,686
    CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS—End of period $ 660,939   $ 609,622   $ 660,939   $ 609,622
                           
    Wix.com Ltd.
    KEY PERFORMANCE METRICS
    (In thousands)
                           
      Three Months Ended   Year Ended
      December 31,   December 31,
      2024   2023   2024   2023
      (unaudited)   (unaudited)
    Creative Subscriptions   329,732     296,154     1,264,975     1,152,007
    Business Solutions   130,723     107,617     495,675     409,658
    Total Revenues $ 460,455   $ 403,771   $ 1,760,650   $ 1,561,665
                           
    Creative Subscriptions   325,203     283,501     1,315,445     1,174,776
    Business Solutions   139,389     111,503     514,607     422,727
    Total Bookings $ 464,592   $ 395,004   $ 1,830,052   $ 1,597,503
                           
    Free Cash Flow $ 131,773   $ 80,390   $ 478,079   $ 182,197
    Free Cash Flow excluding HQ build out and restructuring costs $ 131,773   $ 90,125   $ 488,404   $ 246,058
    Creative Subscriptions ARR $ 1,343,070   $ 1,192,814   $ 1,343,070   $ 1,192,814
                           
                           
    Wix.com Ltd.
    RECONCILIATION OF REVENUES TO BOOKINGS
    (In thousands)
                           
      Three Months Ended   Year Ended
      December 31,   December 31,
       2024    2023    2024    2023
      (unaudited)   (unaudited)
    Revenues $       460,455   $        403,771   $    1,760,650   $    1,561,665
    Change in deferred revenues   1,609     2,788     74,450     76,193
    Change in unbilled contractual obligations   2,528     (11,555)     (5,048)     (40,355)
    Bookings $     464,592   $        395,004   $    1,830,052   $     1,597,503
                           
    Y/Y growth   18%           15%      
                           
                           
      Three Months Ended   Year Ended
      December 31,   December 31,
       2024    2023    2024    2023
      (unaudited)   (unaudited)
    Creative Subscriptions Revenues $ 329,732   $ 296,154   $  1,264,975   $ 1,152,007
    Change in deferred revenues   (7,057)     (1,098)     55,518     63,124
    Change in unbilled contractual obligations   2,528     (11,555)     (5,048)     (40,355)
    Creative Subscriptions Bookings $  325,203   $  283,501   $ 1,315,445   $  1,174,776
                           
    Y/Y growth   15%           12%      
                           
      Three Months Ended   Year Ended
      December 31,   December 31,
       2024    2023    2024    2023
      (unaudited)   (unaudited)
    Business Solutions Revenues $ 130,723   $  107,617   $ 495,675   $ 409,658
    Change in deferred revenues   8,666     3,886     18,932     13,069
    Business Solutions Bookings $ 139,389   $ 111,503   $  514,607   $ 422,727
                           
    Y/Y growth   25%           22%      
                           
                           
    Wix.com Ltd.
    RECONCILIATION OF COHORT BOOKINGS
    (In millions)
                  Year Ended
                  December 31,
                   2024    2023
                  (unaudited)
    Q1 Cohort revenues             $ 45   $ 45
    Q1 Change in deferred revenues               16     15
    Q1 Cohort Bookings             $ 61   $ 60
                           
                           
    Wix.com Ltd.
    RECONCILIATION OF REVENUES AND BOOKINGS EXCLUDING FX IMPACT
    (In thousands)
          Three Months Ended
          December 31,
                   2024    2023
          (unaudited)
    Revenues             $       460,455   $  403,771
    FX  impact on Q4/24 using Y/Y rates               (110)     –
    Revenues excluding FX impact             $  460,345   $  403,771
                           
    Y/Y growth               14%      
                           
          Three Months Ended
          December 31,
                   2024    2023
          (unaudited)
    Bookings             $  464,592   $  395,004
    FX  impact on Q4/24 using Y/Y rates               1,600     –
    Bookings excluding FX impact             $  466,192   $  395,004
                           
    Y/Y growth               18%      
                           
                           
    Wix.com Ltd.
    TOTAL ADJUSTMENTS GAAP TO NON-GAAP
    (In thousands)
                           
                           
      Three Months Ended   Year Ended
      December 31,   December 31,
        2024     2023     2024     2023
    (1) Share based compensation expenses: (unaudited)   (unaudited)
    Cost of revenues $  3,466   $ 3,675   $ 14,146   $ 15,013
    Research and development   32,320     31,982     126,462     119,482
    Selling and marketing   9,625     11,232     38,755     41,277
    General and administrative   16,390     11,306     61,358     48,853
    Total share based compensation expenses   61,801     58,195     240,721     224,625
    (2) Amortization   1,834     1,488     6,243     5,954
    (3) Acquisition related expenses   –     9     6     472
    (4) Amortization of debt discount and debt issuance costs   793     789     3,166     4,194
    (5) Impairment, restructuring and other costs   –     3,103     –     32,614
    (6) Sales tax accrual and other G&A expenses   881     137     1,464     748
    (7) Unrealized loss (gain) on equity and other investments   –     (10,296)     (2,536)     (30,608)
    (8) Non-operating foreign exchange income   3,767     15,287     (4,703)     1,499
    (9) Provision for income tax effects related to non-GAAP adjustments   –     2,368     583     (4,337)
    Total adjustments of GAAP to Non GAAP $  69,076   $  71,080   $ 244,944   $  235,161
                           
                           
                           
    Wix.com Ltd.
    RECONCILIATION OF GAAP TO NON-GAAP GROSS PROFIT
    (In thousands)
                           
                           
      Three Months Ended   Year Ended
      December 31,   December 31,
       2024    2023    2024    2023
      (unaudited)   (unaudited)
    Gross Profit $ 316,819   $ 277,658   $ 1,196,015   $ 1,049,137
    Share based compensation expenses   3,466     3,675     14,146     15,013
    Acquisition related expenses   –     5     –     229
    Amortization   667     667     2,669     2,669
    Non GAAP Gross Profit   320,952     282,005     1,212,830     1,067,048
                           
    Non GAAP Gross margin   70%     70%     69%     68%
                           
                           
      Three Months Ended   Year Ended
      December 31,   December 31,
       2024    2023    2024    2023
      (unaudited)   (unaudited)
    Gross Profit – Creative Subscriptions $ 277,061   $ 243,360   $ 1,051,553   $ 936,492
    Share based compensation expenses   2,482     2,695     10,232     11,081
    Non GAAP Gross Profit – Creative Subscriptions   279,543     246,055     1,061,785     947,573
                           
    Non GAAP Gross margin – Creative Subscriptions   85%     83%     84%     82%
                           
                           
      Three Months Ended   Year Ended
      December 31,   December 31,
       2024    2023    2024    2023
      (unaudited)   (unaudited)
    Gross Profit – Business Solutions $  39,758   $ 34,298   $ 144,462   $ 112,645
    Share based compensation expenses   984     980     3,914     3,932
    Acquisition related expenses   –     5     –     229
    Amortization   667     667     2,669     2,669
    Non GAAP Gross Profit – Business Solutions   41,409     35,950     151,045     119,475
                           
    Non GAAP Gross margin – Business Solutions   32%     33%     30%     29%
                           
                           
    Wix.com Ltd.
    RECONCILIATION OF OPERATING INCOME (LOSS) TO NON-GAAP OPERATING INCOME
    (In thousands)
                           
      Three Months Ended   Year Ended
      December 31,   December 31,
       2024    2023    2024     2023
      (unaudited)   (unaudited)
    Operating income (loss) $  36,020   $ 1,769   $ 100,141   $ (24,380)
    Adjustments:                      
    Share based compensation expenses   61,801     58,195     240,721     224,625
    Amortization   1,834     1,488     6,243     5,954
    Impairment, restructuring and other charges   –     3,103     –     32,614
    Sales tax accrual and other G&A expenses   881     137     1,464     748
    Acquisition related expenses   –     9     6     472
    Total adjustments $  64,516   $ 62,932   $ 248,434   $ 264,413
                           
    Non GAAP operating income $  100,536   $ 64,701   $  348,575   $  240,033
                           
    Non GAAP operating margin   22%     16%     20%     15%
                           
                           
    Wix.com Ltd.
    RECONCILIATION OF NET INCOME TO NON-GAAP NET INCOME AND NON-GAAP NET INCOME PER SHARE
    (In thousands, except  per share data)
                           
      Three Months Ended   Year Ended
      December 31,   December 31,
       2024    2023    2024    2023
      (unaudited)   (unaudited)
    Net income $ 48,024   $ 2,954   $ 138,322   $ 33,137
    Share based compensation expenses and other Non GAAP adjustments   69,076     71,080     244,944     235,161
    Non-GAAP net income$ $ 117,100   $  74,034   $ 383,266   $ 268,298
                           
    Basic Non GAAP net income per share $ 2.10   $ 1.29   $ 6.90   $ 4.72
    Weighted average shares used in computing basic Non GAAP net income per share   55,786,201     57,317,815     55,579,368     56,829,962
                           
    Diluted Non GAAP net income per share $ 1.93   $ 1.22   $ 6.39   $ 4.39
    Weighted average shares used in computing diluted Non GAAP net income per share   60,648,791     60,512,505     59,953,371     61,106,462
                           
                           
    Wix.com Ltd.
    RECONCILIATION OF NET CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES TO FREE CASH FLOW
    (In thousands)
                           
      Three Months Ended   Year Ended
      December 31,   December 31,
       2024    2023    2024    2023
      (unaudited)   (unaudited)
    Net cash provided by operating activities $  133,736   $  90,380   $ 497,415   $ 248,246
    Capital expenditures, net   (1,963)     (9,990)     (19,336)     (66,049)
    Free Cash Flow $  131,773   $  80,390   $ 478,079   $  182,197
                           
    Restructuring and other costs   –     1,411     –     5,915
    Capex related to HQ build out   –     8,324     10,325     57,946
    Free Cash Flow excluding HQ build out and restructuring costs $  131,773   $  90,125   $  488,404   $ 246,058
                           

    Attachments

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Official interest rates have been cut, but not everyone is a winner

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Isaac Gross, Lecturer in Economics, Monash University

    Gumbariya/Shutterstock

    The Reserve Bank’s decision to cut interest rates for the first time in four years has triggered a round of celebration.

    Mortgage holders are cheering the fact their monthly repayments are now slightly lower, while the Albanese government hopes the small easing in the cost of living will lift voters’ moods.

    This is despite the Reserve Bank’s warnings that further rate cuts may not eventuate, depending on how much further progress is made on taming inflation.

    But it’s important to remember not everybody benefits from an interest rate cut. Some will be worse off.

    Savers lose out

    Not all Australian households are net borrowers. Many are net savers, retirees or prospective homebuyers, who actually lose out when rates fall.

    For starters, only about a third of households are in hock to the banks when it comes to a monthly mortgage repayment.

    Another third of households have paid off their mortgage entirely, and so don’t benefit from a reduction in mortgage interest rates. And the remaining third are renters, who also don’t pay a mortgage.

    So while this news is generally a good thing for borrowers, a fall in mortgage rates only directly benefits a minority of households.

    Here are some of the ways lower interest rates might actually hurt rather than help the typical Australian household.

    Higher house prices

    One of the most immediate effects of lower interest rates is their impact on the housing market. With cheaper borrowing costs, more buyers can afford larger loans, bidding up house prices. This is great if you already own a home, but terrible if you’re still trying to buy one.

    For young Australians locked out of home ownership, a rate cut makes things even harder. It drives prices higher, forcing prospective buyers to stretch their finances further just to get a foot in the market. Reserve Bank calculations suggest that, in the long run, higher house prices from lower rates can outweigh the benefit of lower mortgage repayments.

    Lower returns on savings

    If you’re a saver rather than a borrower, interest rate cuts are unequivocally bad news. Whether you’re saving for a home deposit, retirement, or just an emergency fund, lower rates mean you earn less on your bank deposits. The money in your savings account is now growing more slowly, making it harder to build wealth over time.

    Indeed, more than 20 banks actually cut their term deposit rates in advance of the Reserve Bank’s decision on Tuesday, according to Canstar research.

    Analysis of HILDA data, which surveys household wealth and income, suggests net savers tend to be younger households without property, retirees living off savings, and those who are not in full-time employment. For these groups, lower rates mean less income and fewer financial opportunities.

    Retirees will feel the squeeze

    Many retirees rely on income from interest-bearing assets such as term deposits or cash savings. When rates fall, their returns shrink. The cost-of-living crisis has made it harder for retirees on a fixed income to fund their lifestyles, and a rate cut only makes things worse.

    While some retirees have exposure to the stock market via superannuation, many prefer the stability of cash savings. With rates falling, they face the tough choice of either reducing their spending or taking on more investment risk in their old age.

    Bad news for the dollar, and overseas travellers

    When the Reserve Bank cuts rates, it tends to weaken the Australian dollar. A weaker dollar makes overseas travel more expensive for Australians. That pint of beer in London, that piña colada in Puerto Rico, or that shopping trip to New York all become pricier.

    For Australians planning international holidays, rate cuts are a blow. A strong Australian dollar makes travel cheaper, and lower rates work against that. So while mortgage holders might celebrate, anyone hoping to travel overseas finds themselves worse off.

    woman in a paris street
    A weaker dollar will make overseas travel more expensive.
    Shutterstock



    Read more:
    Heading on an overseas holiday? The Australian dollar tumbled this week – but that’s not bad news for everyone

    More expensive imports

    Just as a weaker Australian dollar makes travel more expensive, it also increases the cost of imported goods. And Australia imports a lot – especially cars and petrol.

    Since the closure of domestic car manufacturing, all new vehicles sold in Australia are imported. Petrol, the second-largest import, is also sensitive to currency fluctuations. When the Australian dollar weakens due to lower interest rates, the cost of these essential goods rises. For the millions of Australians who rely on their cars for daily life, this is a significant financial burden.

    This isn’t to say rate cuts don’t benefit a large portion of Australians. Anyone with a significant mortgage debt will find themselves with lower monthly repayments, and that’s undoubtedly a financial relief.

    But the public narrative around interest rates tends to treat cuts as a universal good, ignoring the many Australians who are left worse off.

    Falling interest rates are a sign the high inflation that has caused the cost-of-living crisis has abated. That is an economic success that ought to be celebrated. But that now rates are falling again, we should at least acknowledge the costs that come with them.

    The Conversation

    Isaac Gross 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. Official interest rates have been cut, but not everyone is a winner – https://theconversation.com/official-interest-rates-have-been-cut-but-not-everyone-is-a-winner-250140

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Supporting Australian TV and radio

    Source: Australian Executive Government Ministers

    The Albanese Government is delivering on its commitment to support commercial television and radio broadcasters through the suspension of the Commercial Broadcasting Tax (CBT) for one year.
     
    Announced as part of the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook 2024-25, the measure will provide temporary relief for commercial broadcasters in the face of continuing financial pressures impacting the sector.
     
    The one-year suspension will apply from 9 June 2025 to 8 June 2026 and has been implemented by way of a 100% rebate of the CBT liabilities of all commercial television and radio broadcasters, reducing their liabilities to zero. This will save commercial broadcasters an estimated $50.3 million.
     
    Those regional commercial television and radio broadcasters currently eligible for a partial rebate of their CBT liabilities will be entitled to receive the 100% rebate for one year, after which their partial rebate entitlement will resume.
     
    The one-year 100% rebate has been implemented by the Commercial Broadcasting (Tax) Amendment (Transmitter Licence Tax Rebate) Rules 2025, which are available on the Federal Register of Legislation.
     
    The rebate will be administered by the Australian Communications and Media Authority.
     
    The CBT is a charge for the use of spectrum by commercial radio and television broadcasters. As spectrum is a finite and valuable public resource, the CBT is imposed to ensure the efficient use of spectrum.
     
    The measure is part of the Government’s work to support news and media diversity in Australia, including through increased funding for the national broadcaster and the community broadcasting sector, additional support for the Australian Associated Press, and funding for the News Media Assistance Program.
     
    Quotes attributable to the Minister for Communications, the Hon Michelle Rowland MP:
     
    “Free-to-air broadcasting services keep Australians informed and entertained with high quality programs that feature local voices and stories.
     
    “The sector continues to face a challenging operating environment, which is why the Government is providing relief by suspending the Commercial Broadcasting Tax for one year.
     
    “This measure is in addition to the Government’s delivery of media reforms to modernise the regulatory framework, the provision of stable funding arrangements for the Viewer Access Satellite Television service and our commitment to work with industry on a plan to secure the future of free-to-air television across Australia.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Politics with Michelle Grattan: Danielle Wood on how to trim back housing regulations

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

    Housing supply in Australia will be a key battleground in the election campaign. With home ownership more and more out of reach for young and not so young Australians, red tape and low productivity are strangling the builder industry just when it needs to be stepping up.

    The productivity Commission, the government’s independent think tank, has a new report report pointing to ways governments need to address the issues. In this podcast we talk to commission chair Danielle Wood about the housing challenge, as well as Australia’s parlous productivity performance generally and her drive to get some fresh ideas on how to improve it.

    On one of the report’s main recommendation, cutting red tape for construction approvals, Wood says,

    I like to think of regulation as a bit like a hedge. […] There’s almost an unwavering tendency for it to grow over time if you don’t clip it back. And I think in housing that’s particularly true. You have multiple levels of government involved, particularly local governments and state governments. Lots of different policy objectives in play. So obviously, quality and safety being pivotal, local amenity, heritage, traffic, environmental, accessibility.

    Lots and lots of decisions are taken, often without considering the trade off. And every time we add new regulations or more complex regulations, that imposes a cost. And ultimately that is a drag on housing, productivity and supply.

    So what should be done?

    We’ve certainly said we think there should be a good look at the national construction code, which is one source of regulatory burden where we think there’s scope to improve. I would love to see state governments – and I think they are turning their mind to this – to look at this question of just the sheer amount of regulation, the timeframes for approvals and look to ways to streamline the burden and also help develop and builders coordinate their way through that process more smoothly.

    On why productivity in construction in particular has fallen so far, Wood explains,

    You do not see many sectors go backwards in productivity  over that sort of time horizon. One reason is that our homes are bigger and better quality. So I think that is worth noting. If we adjust for that, productivity has declined, but only by 12% rather than 50%.

    We haven’t seen the same sort of innovation in homebuilding that we’ve seen in other parts of the economy. We still essentially build most houses the same way we did 100 years ago so we haven’t had that technological change driver of productivity. It’s an industry that’s characterised by lack of scale.

    And then there are workforce challenges as well. And, you know, we all hear a lot about the challenge of attracting and retaining skilled trades workers. You know, that can make it hard, particularly building.

    The Productivity Commission asked for submissions from the public on how to improve Australia’s productivity more generally. Wood is happy with how the initiaive is going,

    It’s been worth the effort. We’ve actually ended up with more than 500 submissions in the end, And they’re from a mix from individuals, from businesses, from organisations. But for me, the beauty is being able to hear from people that we wouldn’t normally hear from in our reviews and the point is that all of us interact with aspects of government policy every day in our lives and I think we absolutely heard that through the submissions.

    There were some fun ones there – high quality Japanese public toilets, more freely available free coffee. But more generally, I mean, we heard from small business owners about impacts of red tape and regulation [and] lots of interest in education policy. Unsurprisingly, again, it touches a lot of our lives, but looking for things like more work experience in schools, trying to build more industry-relevant skills into higher education.

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

    – ref. Politics with Michelle Grattan: Danielle Wood on how to trim back housing regulations – https://theconversation.com/politics-with-michelle-grattan-danielle-wood-on-how-to-trim-back-housing-regulations-250260

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: ‘A peaceful, prosperous, democratic Pacific’

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Good Evening
     
    Let us begin by acknowledging Professor David Capie and the PIPSA team for convening this important conference over the next few days. Whenever the Pacific Islands region comes together, we have a precious opportunity to share perspectives and learn from each other. That is especially true in our region, where distances between us are large. 
     
    We acknowledge, too, members of the Diplomatic Corps, Parliamentary colleagues, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.
     
    New Zealand’s place in the world
    New Zealand, as a country, has a myriad of influences. We have enduringly strong connections – for reasons of history, migration and foreign policy alignment – to our traditional partners of Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. 
     
    First and foremost, among these is Australia, New Zealand’s one formal ally, and our closest and most likeminded partner. We cooperate extremely closely with Australia, in the Pacific and around the world. 
     
    We are increasingly integrated socially, economically and strategically into Asia, with large and increasing Asian communities here in New Zealand and ever closer diplomatic relationships in South, South East, and North East Asia.
     
    At the same time, the starting point for understanding how New Zealand views the Pacific is the following, very simple statement: New Zealand is a Pacific Island country, linked by geography, history, culture, politics, demography and indeed DNA. 
     
    Fully 1.3 million New Zealanders, or about one-in-four of us are in full or part Polynesian, Melanesian or Micronesian, with either Māori heritage or relatives or ancestors from other Pacific islands. 
     
    Auckland is home to more Polynesians than any other city. Around the same number of Samoans and Tongans live in New Zealand as do in Samoa and Tonga. Vastly more Cook Islanders, Niueans and Tokelauans live in New Zealand than back in their homelands.
     
    The original discovery and settlement of the Pacific Islands, including New Zealand, is one of the most remarkable stories of exploration in human history. The late New Zealand historian Michael King compared it to space exploration as both were voyages into the unknown. 
     
    But Pacific navigation is arguably even more remarkable because the canoes that set out from the Asian landmass knew not where they would land, nor when, nor indeed if they would find any new territory. 
     
    But find land they did, as they forged new identities and societies on atolls and islands that today stand as a testament to their imagination, endurance and the resilience to overcome formidable challenges of distance, geography, demography, and resource scarcity. 
     
    Last year, we had the enormous privilege of visiting almost all of those island nations spread across our vast Blue Continent. So, this evening we’d like to share some reflections about the Pacific, within the context of New Zealand’s Foreign Policy Reset. 
     
    We note, too, your conference theme, which raises the question of whether the Pacific Islands are a zone of peace or ocean of discontent. In 1520, the great Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan named this massive body of water the Pacific, due to its calmness – Pacific meaning peaceful. Ironically, it didn’t end that way for him, or some of his crew, so your conference theme holds both historical justification and appeal.
     
    An active, engaged Pacific policy
    When we again took on the role of New Zealand Foreign Minister in November 2023, we were determined to put the Pacific at the forefront of an energetic, engaged and active New Zealand foreign policy once more. This lay behind our decision to undertake the most ambitious, intensive year of Pacific diplomacy in New Zealand history. 
     
    Never before has a New Zealand political leader tried to spend time in all 18 member countries of the Pacific Islands Forum in a single year. But try we did: meeting the many diverse peoples scattered across this vast, beautiful blue continent. 
     
    As often as we were able, we took Parliamentary colleagues from across the spectrum of New Zealand’s political parties to reinforce that our friendship is bipartisan, enduring and long-term. 
     
    The purpose of all these discussions was to take the pulse of the region. As a democratic country operating in a democratic region, New Zealand is driven in our Pacific policy by three foundational questions focused on our region’s people: 

    Is what New Zealand is doing in the region reflective of what the people of the Pacific Islands want and need? 
    Are we effectively supporting the prosperity and security of Pacific Island peoples?; and 
    Are we undertaking and explaining this work in a way which maintains New Zealanders’ support for our objectives in the region? 

     
    When describing our observations of last year’s travel, an obvious starting point is the unimaginable vastness of our region. It is a massive ocean, covering over 30 percent of the Earth’s surface.
     
    While in the Marshall Islands, Micronesia and Palau, we learned of the logistical difficulties they faced in getting to last year’s Pacific Islands Forum in Tonga. We decided on the spot to offer the use of one of our 757 aircraft to take Micronesian leaders to and from Nuku’alofa. We have also announced, over the past year, significant investment in digital connectivity in the Pacific, alongside such partners as the Australia, Taiwan, United States and Japan. 
     
    Connecting all members of the Pacific family is vital given the huge, isolating physical distances between us. But because we believe that all Pacific voices are important and that talanoa – coming together for dialogue – must be regular and meaningful, we were happy to facilitate their coming together in Nuku’alofa. 
     
    Why? Because Pacific regionalism sits at the core of our Pacific approach, with the Pacific Islands Forum at its centre. We are a region with challenging issues that can polarise us, such as deep seabed mining and how best to manage strategic competition. The Forum plays a critical role in helping us to form a cohesive approach, resolve differences, bolster regional development and security, and use our collective voice to hold bigger countries to account.
     
    The Blue Continent’s challenges
    We have also reflected on how the Blue Pacific Continent and its peoples face a multitude of challenges. Our region is faced with the sharpest strategic competition it has confronted since World War 2 ended almost eighty years ago. As we face external pushes into our region to coerce, cajole and constrain, we must stand together as a region – always remembering that we are strongest when we act collectively to confront security and strategic challenges. 
     
    Climate change is a great threat facing the Pacific and we are at the global forefront of disaster risk exposure. Our ambition is that all Pacific peoples remain resilient to the impacts of climate change and other disasters and that New Zealand can support building resilience in practical ways. 
     
    Fisheries are vital to the economies, livelihoods, food security, and social and cultural wellbeing of many Pacific Island countries and is a crucial source of government revenue. But they face several complex interrelated and transboundary issues, such as illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and the management of migratory fish species. 
     
    After years of volatility, the long-term growth trajectory risks settling well below pre-COVID averages for Pacific Island countries. Increasing investment, building fiscal and climate resilience, and improving the access to finance and greater regional connectivity will be key to improving long-run growth prospects in the Pacific.  
     
    Answering to the people
    One truism that runs through our three stints as Foreign Minister is this: there are no votes in it. Struggling New Zealand taxpayers and their families find it difficult to understand why their government is handing out multi-million-dollar aid grants overseas.
     
    Foreign policy practitioners and academics may focus intently on our obligations to New Zealand’s development partners and the way we conduct our relations with them. But the bottom line is that we are accountable first and foremost to the New Zealand taxpayer. 
    During our three tenures as Foreign Minister, we have demonstrated a staunch commitment to a well-resourced New Zealand development programme with a predominant focus on the Pacific. 
     
    Few New Zealand Governments have gone to the wire to significantly lift the size of our international development programme as a proportion of New Zealand’s Gross National Income. One was Norman Kirk’s Government in the 1970s. Two others were during my two previous terms as Foreign Minister. 
     
    In short, we have been determined to use all of our influence and all of our negotiating power to get the best possible New Zealand development programme for the Pacific. 
     
    And while times are very tough here at home right now, we will continue to advocate with our Cabinet colleagues and the New Zealand people for the importance of an active Pacific policy and a properly-resourced international agenda – whether in defence, foreign policy, or development. That’s what is right for New Zealand and it’s what is in the best interests of the Pacific.
     
    We will never apologise for directly connecting New Zealand’s security and prosperity to the security and prosperity of the region and world around us. 
    The Coalition Government’s Foreign Policy Reset established a new strategic direction for New Zealand, including for our international development programme, with an emphasis on sustaining our deep focus on the Pacific. 
     
    As part of ensuring our accountability to the New Zealand taxpayer, last year the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade undertook a review of our development programme to gauge alignment with government priorities and assess its overall impact and efficiency. A report on the review’s findings is being released today.
     
    The review found that while our development is generally aligned with Government priorities, some reshaping and streamlining is required. In short, we will achieve more impact by doing fewer, bigger, projects better. This work is already under way.
     
    Our predominant focus remains on the Pacific, where we will be working with partners including the United States, Australia, Japan and in Europe to more intensively leverage greater support for the region. We will maintain the high tempo of political engagement across the Pacific to ensure alignment between our programme and New Zealand and partner priorities. And we will work more strategically with Pacific Governments to strengthen their systems, so they can better deliver the services their people need.
     
    Greater development funding is being devoted to South East Asia to meet our ambition for closer relations overall with this important region. We have also increased humanitarian funding in response to the scale of need regionally and globally. And we have reduced multilateral funding, to focus on those partners who make the most concrete impact.
     
    We see this work of reshaping our development programme as part of meeting our obligation to the New Zealand taxpayers whose continuing support underpins its social licence.
     
    Friendship, challenges and dialogue
    Over the decades, our Pacific-oriented foreign policy has been defined as much by our actions as our words. We are there in times of need, whether in response to natural disasters, helping with budget support during fiscal emergencies, spurring economic development, or helping to resolve conflicts. 
     
    Our 2018 Pacific Reset emphasised that exhibiting friendship in all our engagements was the cornerstone of our Pacific foreign policy orientation. What does friendship in that context mean? 
     
    It means we are honest, empathetic, trustful and respectful through frequent engagement. And it means having frank and open conversations with our Pacific counterparts.
     
    Over the past year, we have consistently stressed that we see all states as equal, whatever their size. We are guided by the mutual respect and trust that has grown over time between New Zealand and other Pacific Island countries. A second theme that has run through all our public engagements is just how important diplomacy is in our troubled world. 
     
    New Zealand has faced two isolated challenges in the past twelve months in our relations with the Pacific. In these two very different cases, our accountability to our taxpayers and our fidelity to promoting the interests of Pacific peoples throughout the region require that we explain openly what has taken place. 
     
    Of the 18 Pacific Islands Forum member countries, the only one we did not spend time in during the past year was Kiribati. That was not for a lack of trying. 
     
    For more than a year we respected Kiribati’s preference to avoid outside engagement. But with over $100 million of development assistance committed to Kiribati over the past three years, we had to review the status of existing projects and understand Kiribati’s ongoing development needs. After all, we all have to negotiate with our Ministers of Finance. 
     
    This requirement was urgent given our own budget cycle and the need to make decisions about how future development spending is allocated in Micronesian countries and across the region for the next three years. 
     
    So, we were pleased when a visit to Kiribati was finally scheduled for January 2025. We began organising our cross-party Parliamentary group to visit Tarawa. Then, with about a week to go, we were told President Maamau, who is also my counterpart as Kiribati’s Foreign Affairs Minister, would no longer meet with our delegation. 
    We made public our regret and concern, as well as our consequent decision to review our development programme to Kiribati. We are accountable to the worker in Kaitaia, the builder in Gore, and the farmer in the Waikato for the spending of taxpayer money, and we felt it important to express our concerns openly and transparently. 
     
    At the same time, we have a long-standing relationship with the Kiribati people, which has overcome previous challenges. We will weather this one too. 
     
    We have made clear that we are still working towards meaningful dialogue with Kiribati’s President and Foreign Minister, whether in Kiribati, New Zealand or elsewhere in the region. We are taking positive steps towards that goal in coming weeks. 
     
    The second isolated challenge we have faced has been developments in our relationship with the Cook Islands Government. Unlike the people of Samoa, the people of the Cook Islands have never opted for their country to be fully independent from New Zealand – though they are of course always free to choose to do so. 
     
    Rather, they have opted since 1965 to be in free association with New Zealand. This means that New Zealand is bound constitutionally to the Cook Islands by sharing the King of New Zealand as a head of state, a common, single citizenship and passport, as well as by shared values and interests. 
     
    Over the past 60 years, New Zealand has taken very seriously its obligations and commitments to the Cook Islands people. Every year we deliver for the Cook Islands people in areas as broad as health and education, economic development, defence and security, good governance, resources and environment, and culture and heritage.
     
    The Cook Islands, in exercising self-government, is supported by New Zealand funding and provision of expertise. As long as the Cook Islands remain tied to New Zealand constitutionally, we have an expectation that the Government of the Cook Islands will not seek benefits only available to fully independent states – such as separate passports and citizenship, or membership of the United Nations or the Commonwealth – or pursue policies that are significantly at variance with New Zealand’s interests. 
     
    We also have an expectation that New Zealand will be fully and meaningfully consulted on all major international actions that the Cook Islands contemplates that affect our interests.
     
    These are not unreasonable expectations. And they are not new. For example, our Prime Ministers, Norman Kirk in 1973, David Lange in 1986 and Helen Clark in 2001 all expressed these expectations formally. 
     
    To use but one example: in 2001, Helen Clark stated that Cook Islanders retained New Zealand citizenship “on the basis that there will continue to be a mutually acceptable standard of values in Cook Islands’ laws and policies”. She again repeated our longstanding position that if full independence from New Zealand was what the Cook Islands people wanted, then they were free to opt for it at any time.
     
    These have been well-established and previously settled understandings between us, although there have been periodic attempts by Cook Islands Prime Ministers to test the boundaries of this constitutional pact. 
     
    But our free association relationship in its current form has endured because the overwhelming majority of Cook Islands people have wanted to maintain their New Zealand citizenship and passport and the rights it affords them to the same opportunities and privileges as all other New Zealanders, including in health and education. The wishes of the Cook Islands people are paramount here.
     
    Our explicit advice to Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown and his officials since he first raised the issue with us in July 2024 was that if he proceeded with trying to implement a separate Cook Islands citizenship and passport system then the people of the Cook Islands would risk losing their New Zealand citizenship and passport – an outcome we know is opposed by the vast majority of Cook Islanders.
     
    There is also the matter of the Cook Islands Government’s decision to enter into a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) and a number of other agreements with China last week without any meaningful consultation with New Zealand or its own people over either the architecture or details of those deals. 
     
    New Zealand and the Cook Islands people remain, as of this evening, in the dark over all but one the agreements signed by China and the Cooks last week. 
     
    Given this lack of consultation, the New Zealand Government, once it has seen the text of all of the agreements that were signed, will need to undertake its own careful analysis of how they impact our vital national interests. Only then will we be able to fully gauge the deals’ impact on the relationship between New Zealand and the Cook Islands. 
     
    While the connection between the people of the Cook Islands and New Zealand remains resolutely strong, we currently face challenges in the government-to-government relationship. 
     
    But this state of affairs – disagreements and debates between the leaders of New Zealand and the Cook Islands – has been a periodic feature of our 60 years of free association. We have always found a way through, guided by the wisdom and wishes of the Cook Islands people. 
     
    As then US President Franklin Roosevelt said in 1945, “We shall strive for perfection. We shall not achieve it immediately – but we still shall strive. We may make mistakes – but they must never be mistakes which result from faintness of heart or abandonment of moral principle”.
     
    During 2025, as we celebrate 60 years of free association, we are going to need to reset the government-to-government relationship. We will also need to find a way, as we did in 1973 and 2001, to formally re-state the mutual responsibilities and obligations that we have for one another and the overall parameters and constraints of the free association model.
     
    Resetting and formally re-stating the parameters of the relationship is not a small task. But it is one which we are confident we can meet – powered by the history of goodwill and common bonds between New Zealand and the Cook Islands people.
     
    Another issue on which the region has devoted significant attention over the past year has been New Caledonia – which is, geographically, New Zealand’s closest neighbour. Uncertainty and discord there is obviously something that prompts concern and discussion right around our region. 
     
    From the moment of the unrest onwards, New Zealand has been very clear that everyone – no matter their view on New Caledonia’s political status – should agree that violence is not the answer. 
     
    The focus must be on dialogue – and finding a new pathway forward on the important issues facing New Caledonia. We had the benefit – working closely with authorities in Paris and Nouméa – to have had a productive visit to New Caledonia in December. 
     
    We went there to listen and to learn, and to engage with a very wide range of New Caledonians of all backgrounds. Hearing New Caledonians voice their hopes and dreams for economic development led us to the view that there may be lessons from New Zealand’s own experiences that might be of value. 
     
    We hope lessons from New Zealand’s own economic development as a multi-ethnic Pacific Island country can be shared with New Caledonians, who might be able to adapt them to their unique context.
     
    Conclusions
    When we reflect on the past year, it is impossible not to be optimistic about this region’s future. As we travelled to places as diverse as Suva, Pohnpei, Alofi, Port Vila, Nauru and Apia, we were struck also by a profound commonality. 
     
    Pacific Islanders scattered around our vast, beautiful region all want a brighter, more prosperous and more secure future for their children and for future generations. 
     
    As a founding member of the Pacific Islands Forum, and as a Pacific and Polynesian country itself, New Zealand has always been at the forefront of efforts to bring about that future. 
     
    Over the past year, we have done our very best to deliver, through words and actions, on New Zealand’s commitment to contribute to a brighter future for all Pacific peoples. This very important work – involving discussion, debate and, yes, sometimes disagreement – will continue.
     
    The Pacific Islands region is a profoundly democratic one. People from every village, town or city in every Pacific Island country have a direct say in how their affairs are run. Just this year, people in six Pacific Islands Forum countries – Australia, the Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, New Caledonia, Tonga and Vanuatu – are heading to the polls to cast ballots which will help determine the future direction of their countries. 
     
    And so it is Pacific peoples’ hopes and aspirations which must drive political leaders and policy makers. Our policies must be responsive and accountable to the perspectives of those we represent. 
     
    And no matter the future we face, or the challenges we encounter, we will always be members of the same Pacific family. We inhabit the most vast and breathtaking ocean continent in the world. And as family, we will always find a way forward, together, towards the secure and prosperous future that our people deserve.
     
    Thank you. Kia kaha. Go well. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Secretary-General of ASEAN meets with Australia’s Senior Official for ASEAN, East Asia Summit, and ASEAN Regional Forum

    Source: ASEAN

    Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, this morning met with Deputy Secretary for South and Southeast Asia Group and Australia’s ASEAN, EAS and ARF Senior Official, Michelle Chan, at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat. Both sides recalled their fruitful discussions in Canberra, Australia, last year and exchanged views on various aspects of ASEAN-Australia relations as well as sought ways to further strengthen cooperation under the ASEAN-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, giving support to ASEAN’s priorities in 2025.

    The post Secretary-General of ASEAN meets with Australia’s Senior Official for ASEAN, East Asia Summit, and ASEAN Regional Forum appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Environment Minister must thoroughly assess impacts of Woodside’s North West Shelf gas project

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    PERTH, Wednesday 19 February 2025 — In response to the news that federal assessment of Woodside’s North West Shelf gas project will be delayed, the following statement can be attributed to Greenpeace Australia Pacific’s WA Campaign Lead Geoff Bice: 

    “Greenpeace welcomes Federal Environment Minister Plibersek’s decision to take more time to thoroughly assess Woodside’s North West Shelf extension project, given its enormous scale, proposed duration and impact on our climate.

    “Woodside’s proposal to extend the life of one of the dirtiest and most polluting fossil fuel facilities in the country by 50 years runs counter to climate science, and to the accelerating extreme weather disasters Australians are experiencing every day. Right now, the iconic Ningaloo Reef is undergoing another mass coral bleaching driven by soaring ocean temperatures.

    “The WA State assessment was lacklustre at best, and we remain concerned the WA Government is siding with fossil fuel companies rather than protecting the environment we love. WA Environment Minister Whitby changing policy on emissions on the fly is just one example.

    “Minister Plibersek must step up to the plate to ensure this massive fossil fuel project and its climate impacts are thoroughly assessed at a federal level. We urge Minister Plibersek to make an informed decision about the North West Shelf extension, and stop Woodside’s destructive Burrup Hub plans for good.”

    —ENDS—

    For more information or to arrange an interview please contact Kate O’Callaghan on [email protected] on 0406 231 892

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Acton man charged after police seize MDMA during search

    Source: Tasmania Police

    Acton man charged after police seize MDMA during search

    Wednesday, 19 February 2025 – 3:36 pm.

    A man has been charged with trafficking after a targeted search at Acton yesterday.
    Members of Western Drugs and Firearms Unit alongside Burnie Uniform and the Dog Handler Unit, executed a search warrant at a Madden Street residence.
    Approximately 70grams of MDMA – seven times the trafficable quantity – in addition to LSD, cannabis, cannabis plants and a quantity of cash believed to be proceeds of crime were located.
    A 45 year old Acton man was arrested and charged with several offences including trafficking in a controlled substance, dealing in property suspected of being proceeds of crime and selling a controlled drug. 
    He will appear in the Burnie Magistrates Court on April 29.
    Anyone with information about illicit substances in the community should contact police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers anonymously on 1800 333 000 or online at crimestopperstas.com.au 

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump wants to do a deal for Ukraine’s critical minerals. Will Zelensky give him what he wants – or will Putin?

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Alexander Korolev, Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations, UNSW Sydney

    The United States and Russia agreed to work on a plan to end the war in Ukraine at high-level talks in Saudi Arabia this week. Ukrainian and European representatives were pointedly not invited to take part.

    US President Donald Trump seemingly entered into these negotiations prepared to capitulate on two main points that Russian President Vladimir Putin has been seeking. Russia is opposed to Ukraine joining NATO and wants to retain Ukrainian territory captured since its invasion of Crimea in 2014.

    Such a dramatic shift in Washington’s approach to Ukraine’s sovereignty and security has undermined Western-Ukrainian unity on the acceptable parameters around ending the war.

    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine won’t accept a deal negotiated without them. Former US National Security Adviser John Bolton said Trump “effectively surrendered” to Putin.

    European leaders, too, are concerned after they were excluded from the Saudi talks. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said:

    This does not mean that peace can be dictated and that Ukraine must accept what is presented to it.

    Many believe Trump’s moves to splinter this trans-Atlantic front against Russia send a signal that Washington is
    abandoning its commitment to European security.

    However, there’s another important factor at play in Trump’s actions: the intensifying global competition over critical minerals. Trump wants to secure access to Ukraine’s vast reserves of these minerals, even if it means breaking with the US’ traditional allies in the European Union.

    Why are Ukraine’s minerals so valuable

    According to some reports, Ukraine has deposits of 22 of the 34 minerals identified as critical by the EU. These include:

    • lithium and cobalt, used in rechargeable battery production
    • scandium, used for aerospace industry components
    • tantalum, used for electronic equipment
    • titanium, used in the aerospace, medical, automotive and marine industries
    • nickel ore, manganese, beryllium, hafnium, magnesium, zirconium and others, used in the aerospace, defence and nuclear industries.

    China currently dominates the world’s supply chains of these minerals – it is the largest source of US imports of 26 of the 50 minerals classified as critical by the United States Geological Survey.

    This is the reason behind Trump’s suggestion last week that the US be granted 50% of Ukraine’s rare earth minerals as reimbursement for the billions of dollars in weapons and support it has provided to Kyiv since the war began.

    The problem, however, is that at least 40% of Ukraine’s minerals are currently under Russian occupation in the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions of the country. (Other sources put this figure as high as 70%.)

    Concerned about Ukraine’s territorial integrity, Zelensky has publicly rejected the US demand for half of Ukraine’s mineral resources, because the proposal does not include security guarantees. It only vaguely referred to payment for future aid, according to reports.

    In response, the White House National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes said:

    President Zelensky is being short-sighted about the excellent opportunity the Trump administration has presented the Ukraine.

    What kind of deal could be made?

    A big question ahead of any peace negotiations over Ukraine is whether commercially-minded Trump would be willing to accept a counter-proposal from Putin.

    Since Russia currently controls large swathes of mineral-rich eastern Ukraine, Putin may be willing to offer Trump an exclusive critical minerals deal in exchange for the US formally committing to not restoring Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders and not letting the country into NATO.

    Ukraine, meanwhile, may be angling for its own minerals deal with European countries in exchange for their continued support. Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal expressed his country’s willingness to set up joint ventures with the EU in this area:

    We could replace Russian titanium on the European market, contributing to the development of both the EU’s civilian industry and advanced military technologies.

    He also said the project of rebuilding Ukraine could be a boon for the entire bloc.

    The European Commission has recommended a policy of encouraging Ukraine to export these materials to the EU. In response, authorities in Kyiv started working out the necessary regulatory and legal measures to integrate Ukraine into the EU’s resource strategy.

    With so many powers keen to access its minerals, Ukraine is in an extremely complex and hard-to-navigate geopolitical situation.

    Zelensky’s bet on the EU, instead of the US, might be right, given the growing rift between Brussels and Washington over Ukraine’s future. But as Thucydides, the ancient Greek historian, once said, the odds may be stacked against it:

    Right, as the world goes, is only in question between equals in power, while the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must.

    Alexander Korolev 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. Trump wants to do a deal for Ukraine’s critical minerals. Will Zelensky give him what he wants – or will Putin? – https://theconversation.com/trump-wants-to-do-a-deal-for-ukraines-critical-minerals-will-zelensky-give-him-what-he-wants-or-will-putin-250064

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Comanchero member arrested for firearms offences

    Source: South Australia Police

    Today, Wednesday the 19 February, following an investigation, Detectives from the Crime Gangs Task Force and Serious and Organised Crime Branch conducted multiple searches in the southern suburbs of Adelaide.

    Detectives were investigating members of the of the Comanchero Motorcycle Club, an Outlaw Motorcycle Gang, in relation to an alleged incident of aggravated affray, breach of firearms prohibition order and a firearms offence that allegedly occurred at Christie Downs last year.

    A 36-year-old southern suburb man, a member of the Comanchero Motorcycle Club, was arrested and charged with a number of serious offences including aggravated affray, breaching a firearms prohibition order and possessing a prescribed firearm. The man has been refused bail and will likely appear in the Christies Beach Magistrates Court tomorrow (Thursday 20).

    Further searches of houses associated with the investigation resulted in the seizure of approximately $14000.00 cash, ammunition, prescribed hydroponic equipment and half a kilogram of dried cannabis.

    Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at www.crimestopperssa.com.au or phone 1800 333 000 – you can remain anonymous.

    CO2500007149

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Visit to G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in South Africa

    Source: Australian Government – Minister of Foreign Affairs

    This week, I will attend the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa.

    As a middle power and trading nation, cooperation with other countries ensures our nation’s success and keeps Australians safe.

    The G20 is an opportunity for Australia to engage with some of the world’s largest economies on shared challenges, delivering strong and sustainable growth, and advancing peace and security.

    I look forward to discussing our progress in the fight against global inflation and to continue the Albanese Government’s work to ease cost of living pressures.

    The Foreign Ministers’ Meeting will mark the first ministerial meeting for South Africa’s host year.

    The Australian Government supports South Africa’s G20 Presidency and its focus on building partnerships.

    While in Johannesburg, I will also undertake other ministerial meetings with G20 members, including MIKTA ministers from Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea and Türkiye.

    Media note: Imagery will be available via this folder on the DFAT Multimedia Library.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Real Estate – Ark for sale in New Zealand – NZSIR

    Source: New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty (NZSIR)

    Noah’s Ark is now up for sale in Christchurch, New Zealand.

    The distinctive property – believed to be the only ark for sale in the world – is expected to attract international interest.

    Listed by leading real estate agency New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty (NZSIR), the (approximate) 860 sq m Ark is nestled upon Clifton Hill in Sumner and features three levels with amenities such as a grand ballroom, two expansive commercial kitchens, several entertaining spaces, and a large basement.

    NZSIR sales associate Rod Cross says the Ark – located at Lot 4, 4 Loader Lane – is one of the most intriguing and unconventional properties in NZ.

    “The dwelling was built in the early 2000s as a function centre and has been utilised for multiple purposes, from a church and wedding venue to tearooms and a private residence,” Cross says. “The building itself is incredible with its grand, nautical design and exquisite craftsmanship.”

    The Ark was a central feature of the renowned Gethsemane Gardens, which has more recently been developed into the high-end subdivision, Gethsemane Heights. The building’s three separate levels each present a blank canvas that can be structured into spaces to suit any lifestyle.

    “The beauty of this building is that it’s an opportunity for a visionary, and a chance for the next owner to realise a dream,” Cross adds. “It certainly has ample space and versatility for many options to be considered.”

    Vaulted ceilings, exposed timber beams, and picture windows invite natural light while showcasing views of the Southern Alps and Pegasus Bay.

    The Ark was part of the Gethsemane Gardens sale in 2016 and, since being subdivided, this is the property’s first time to the market in its own right.

    “We’re sailing into new territory with this exceptional property, and expect worldwide interest,” says Cross. “It presents a chance to create something extraordinary.”

    The Ark will be sold via auction on Friday, March 28 at 4pm.
      
    About New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty                    
    New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty (NZSIR) is a specialist agency that focuses on the sale of premium property through quality marketing and global networking. Founded in 2005 by Mark Harris and Julian Brown, the NZ branch of the global company has 27 offices nationwide – Northland, Auckland Ponsonby, Auckland North Shore, Auckland Remuera, Auckland Eastern Bays, Auckland South East, Waiheke Island, Hamilton, Cambridge, Rotorua, Taupō, Napier, Ahuriri, Havelock North, Palmerston North, Masterton, Greytown, Kapiti, Wellington, Hutt Valley, Nelson, Marlborough, Christchurch, Wānaka, Arrowtown and its head office in Queenstown. It also has an Australian office in Melbourne, Victoria.  

    NZSIR is part of Sotheby’s International Realty – the world’s leading luxury real estate company – with a global network of approximately 1,110 offices and more than 26,000 affiliated independent sales associates throughout 84 countries and territories. It is through this unparalleled luxury network that NZSIR is able to access and market properties on an international level. In 2022/2023 NZSIR was named Best International Real Estate Agency Asia Pacific (5-20 offices) at the International Property Awards.                  
    www.nzsothebysrealty.com    

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Civics education is at an all-time low in Australia. Mapping our ‘civic journeys’ may help

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brenton Prosser, Professor of Public Policy and Leadership, UNSW Sydney

    Although Australia has a strong and proud democracy, it nonetheless faces important challenges.

    Among these, youth democratic engagement and civics education have been matters of national concern for more than two decades.

    With the latest national curriculum testing showing the lowest levels of civics on record, and a parliamentary inquiry finding that civics education is not working in Australia, it is timely to ask why, after so much attention over so many years, so little has changed.

    One of the potential explanations for this is the difficulties researchers face collecting evidence on what works in civics education and engagement programs long-term. The importance of the availability of this evidence for political and policy leaders has been reinforced by calls for a more robust understanding of democratic literacy and civics engagement across the lifecourse.

    Importantly, new UK-based research, currently being applied in Australia by UNSW, seeks to address this vital data and decision making gap.



    Read more:
    Australian students just recorded the lowest civics scores since testing began. But young people do care about politics

    Identifying the gaps in democratic evidence

    In Australia, there is a well-documented decline in civics education and public trust. However, a common theme in the research is that it is easier to measure decline and disaffection than to identify what works.

    While many inspirational initiatives have been publicly and privately funded in Australia, they tend to be siloed, small and difficult to assess.

    In the UK, research has revealed that, historically, there had been no clear coordination or alignment of civic learning, engagement, and participation initiatives across national and local government. Moreover, it found there was little long-term commitment to civic initiatives, with many not outliving the relevant government or minister who initiated them.

    Prominent recent reports in Australia suggest a similar situation.

    Meanwhile, research indicates that fostering democratic participation and resilience is an ongoing process across people’s lives. But how to best gather and use data on this life process remains a challenge.

    It is a response to such research and policy challenges that is at the core of the “civic journey” concept.

    Effective civics education should go beyond just the school years.
    Shutterstock

    What are ‘civic journeys’?

    The notion of journeys in human experience is not new. Often, education, health and social sectors seek to map client journeys as part of effectiveness and equity analyses. In the civic context, the notion of journey is applied to democratic literacy, civic momentum, transformative action and lifelong engagement. In other words, it’s not just about civics education at school.

    The civic journey concept originated in the UK. At its core is an intention to establish “an integrated and high-quality, seamless tapestry of opportunities” to learn about and engage in the democratic process and civic life.

    The UK civic journeys initiative has informed research into youth as a fundamental stage in citizens’ life-long journeys. It noted that the opportunity to experience democracy (be citizens) was as important as the education to understand democracy (become citizens) in shaping democratic literacy and participation. But crucially, both were forged during key transitions within childhood and adolescence.

    Further, the UK study identified the importance of entry, exit and re-entry into political and civic learning and activity at different points of youth transitions to adulthood and throughout adult life. Put another way, it found that “hot spots” of high engagement, “cold spots” of disengagement and “black spot” openings to extremism all coalesced around major transition points in the life course.

    The civic journey approach also highlighted the importance of connecting volunteering and other forms of civic activism with formal approaches to civics education and youth democratic participation. This highlights the importance of linking youth civic socialisation programmes in schools, local communities, and online.

    When understood and mapped, these points can be prioritised for attention.

    A uniquely Australian approach to civic journeys

    The adaptation of civic journeys for research and policy provides an important opportunity. With its focus around collecting data on outcomes, it helps identify what works in the democratic experiences of citizens at different stages of their lives. When applied to the full life course, it supports the most effective allocation of public resources to interventions.

    The civic journey metaphor also helps guide future work in this space. Such an approach could support governments with their interest in better coordination, design and funding of long-term data to identify the best initiatives.

    There is also the potential to apply the civic journey concept in a multicultural context. Civic journeys can be used as a lens to examine the diverse journeys in and between different cultural groups to help preempt and mitigate disruption. This in turn helps build a collective democratic journey. Further, it could be used to identify the “black spots” and reduce exposure to alienation or extremism.

    In summary, the civic journeys approach has significant potential to better understand and shape the individual and collective experiences of Australians across the life course. It can also help build a national narrative underpinning ongoing work to further strengthen Australia’s civics education and democracy.

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

    – ref. Civics education is at an all-time low in Australia. Mapping our ‘civic journeys’ may help – https://theconversation.com/civics-education-is-at-an-all-time-low-in-australia-mapping-our-civic-journeys-may-help-250138

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Trump wants to do a deal for Ukraine’s critical minerals. Will Zelensky give him what he wants – or will Putin?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Korolev, Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations, UNSW Sydney

    The United States and Russia agreed to work on a plan to end the war in Ukraine at high-level talks in Saudi Arabia this week. Ukrainian and European representatives were pointedly not invited to take part.

    US President Donald Trump seemingly entered into these negotiations prepared to capitulate on two main points that Russian President Vladimir Putin has been seeking. Russia is opposed to Ukraine joining NATO and wants to retain Ukrainian territory captured since its invasion of Crimea in 2014.

    Such a dramatic shift in Washington’s approach to Ukraine’s sovereignty and security has undermined Western-Ukrainian unity on the acceptable parameters around ending the war.

    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine won’t accept a deal negotiated without them. Former US National Security Adviser John Bolton said Trump “effectively surrendered” to Putin.

    European leaders, too, are concerned after they were excluded from the Saudi talks. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said:

    This does not mean that peace can be dictated and that Ukraine must accept what is presented to it.

    Many believe Trump’s moves to splinter this trans-Atlantic front against Russia send a signal that Washington is
    abandoning its commitment to European security.

    However, there’s another important factor at play in Trump’s actions: the intensifying global competition over critical minerals. Trump wants to secure access to Ukraine’s vast reserves of these minerals, even if it means breaking with the US’ traditional allies in the European Union.

    Why are Ukraine’s minerals so valuable

    According to some reports, Ukraine has deposits of 22 of the 34 minerals identified as critical by the EU. These include:

    • lithium and cobalt, used in rechargeable battery production
    • scandium, used for aerospace industry components
    • tantalum, used for electronic equipment
    • titanium, used in the aerospace, medical, automotive and marine industries
    • nickel ore, manganese, beryllium, hafnium, magnesium, zirconium and others, used in the aerospace, defence and nuclear industries.

    China currently dominates the world’s supply chains of these minerals – it is the largest source of US imports of 26 of the 50 minerals classified as critical by the United States Geological Survey.

    This is the reason behind Trump’s suggestion last week that the US be granted 50% of Ukraine’s rare earth minerals as reimbursement for the billions of dollars in weapons and support it has provided to Kyiv since the war began.

    The problem, however, is that at least 40% of Ukraine’s minerals are currently under Russian occupation in the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions of the country. (Other sources put this figure as high as 70%.)

    Concerned about Ukraine’s territorial integrity, Zelensky has publicly rejected the US demand for half of Ukraine’s mineral resources, because the proposal does not include security guarantees. It only vaguely referred to payment for future aid, according to reports.

    In response, the White House National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes said:

    President Zelensky is being short-sighted about the excellent opportunity the Trump administration has presented the Ukraine.

    What kind of deal could be made?

    A big question ahead of any peace negotiations over Ukraine is whether commercially-minded Trump would be willing to accept a counter-proposal from Putin.

    Since Russia currently controls large swathes of mineral-rich eastern Ukraine, Putin may be willing to offer Trump an exclusive critical minerals deal in exchange for the US formally committing to not restoring Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders and not letting the country into NATO.

    Ukraine, meanwhile, may be angling for its own minerals deal with European countries in exchange for their continued support. Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal expressed his country’s willingness to set up joint ventures with the EU in this area:

    We could replace Russian titanium on the European market, contributing to the development of both the EU’s civilian industry and advanced military technologies.

    He also said the project of rebuilding Ukraine could be a boon for the entire bloc.

    The European Commission has recommended a policy of encouraging Ukraine to export these materials to the EU. In response, authorities in Kyiv started working out the necessary regulatory and legal measures to integrate Ukraine into the EU’s resource strategy.

    With so many powers keen to access its minerals, Ukraine is in an extremely complex and hard-to-navigate geopolitical situation.

    Zelensky’s bet on the EU, instead of the US, might be right, given the growing rift between Brussels and Washington over Ukraine’s future. But as Thucydides, the ancient Greek historian, once said, the odds may be stacked against it:

    Right, as the world goes, is only in question between equals in power, while the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must.

    Alexander Korolev 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. Trump wants to do a deal for Ukraine’s critical minerals. Will Zelensky give him what he wants – or will Putin? – https://theconversation.com/trump-wants-to-do-a-deal-for-ukraines-critical-minerals-will-zelensky-give-him-what-he-wants-or-will-putin-250064

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Bamboo Eagle 25-1 tests forces in a combat representative environment

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    The exercise, which featured over 175 aircraft, spanned several locations — including California, Hawaii, Florida and Guam — and included participants from the U.S. as well as the Royal Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force and Royal Canadian Air Force. The exercise was designed to execute Agile Combat Employment, advance communication as well as command and control tactics and simulate realistic operations in a contested environment.

    “Bamboo Eagle provides us an opportunity to align with the warrior ethos mentality,” said Lt. Col. Joseph Manglitz, 393rd Expeditionary Bomb Squadron commander. “It’s one thing to train at home — and we train hard at home — but it’s even better to bring a subset of our base on the road here and work together to generate air power alongside the rest of the combat air force and our allies.”

    Participants engaged in a series of complex missions designed to simulate the ever-evolving challenges of modern warfare.

    “From the perspective of the B-2, this exercise was a real test,” Manglitz said. “And when we’re able to overcome challenges and succeed in these simulated combat environments, that really bolsters this idea of warrior ethos within each and every one of us.” 

    Back on the ground, maintenance teams worked around the clock to support the distributed operations and ensure that all aircraft remained mission-ready amid the demanding operational tempo.

    “It’s a tough job, and sometimes it’s a thankless job, but the maintenance crews do it anyway,” said 1st Lt. Benjamin Brooks, a maintenance officer assigned to the 366th Maintenance Squadron. “They’re out in the sun sweating, and it makes me really proud to be able to lead people who are so willing to get the job done and who have so much pride in the work they do.”

    The multinational nature of the exercise provided additional opportunities for cross-service learning and integration, bringing interoperability to a new level.

     “During Bamboo Eagle the E-7A crews had a number of opportunities to integrate with U.S. command and control entities,” said RAAF Flt. Lt. Jacob Rolfey, an Air Battle Manager aboard the E-7A Wedgetail. “Based on our previous integration, a number of the tactics and procedures that we have in place are similar, but here at Bamboo Eagle, because of the differences with Agile Combat Employment, we were able to gain a common understanding of how to do this with limited information and still execute effectively.” 

    Adding to that collaborative spirit, multinational leaders emphasized the exercise’s role in sharpening dynamic operational capabilities.

    “Bamboo Eagle tested our ability to integrate the tactical effects we trained to in Red Flag from dispersed forces and under distributed command and control,” said RAF Gp. Capt. Guy Lefroy, UK detachment commander. “Throughout the exercise we developed our people’s ability to dynamically deliver air power through empowerment, effective risk management and innovation, ultimately sharpening our individual, service and collective international capabilities to deliver battle-winning effects.” 

    Bamboo Eagle 25-1 provided an advanced, multi-domain and realistic training environment aimed at preparing the U.S. and allied forces for the evolving demands of modern warfare.

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Feeding your baby butter won’t help them sleep through the night, whatever TikTok says

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Karleen Gribble, Adjunct Professor, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Western Sydney University

    BaLL LunLa/Shutterstock

    Sleep is the holy grail for new parents. So no wonder many tired parents are looking for something to help their babies sleep.

    A TikTok trend claims giving your baby a tablespoon or two of butter in the evening will help them sleep more at night.

    As we’ll see, butter is just the latest food that promises to help babies sleep at night. But no single food can do this.

    So if you’re a new parent and desperate for a good night’s sleep, here’s what to try instead.

    Is my baby’s sleep normal?

    Babies need help to fall asleep, through feeding, movement (like rocking) or touch (like a cuddle or massage).

    Newborn babies also do not know night from day. Melatonin in breastmilk helps babies sleep more at night until they start to make this sleep-inducing hormone themselves. Bottlefed newborn babies do not have access to this melatonin. Regardless of how you feed your baby, it can take several months for them to develop a sleep pattern with longer stretches at night.

    Babies also sleep lighter than older children and adults. Light sleep helps ensure they continue breathing, protecting them from SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome). It also means they wake easily and often.

    The idea that babies should sleep deeply, alone and for long stretches, goes against their physiology. So “sleeping like a baby” usually means waking quite a lot at night.

    Yet, many parents have been asked whether their baby is sleeping through the night and is a “good baby”. The perception is that if a baby doesn’t sleep for long stretches at night, it must be “bad”.

    This may lead parents to say their babies sleep longer than they really do, setting unrealistic expectations for other new parents.

    Could feeding butter do any harm?

    The social pressure around baby sleep can add stress and anxiety for new parents. So the Tiktok trend about feeding babies butter may seem tempting.

    But giving babies any solid food before they are around six months old is not recommended. Babies’ digestive systems are not ready for solid food until they are around six months and feeding them before this can cause constipation or make them more likely to catch an illness. For this reason alone, you should not give your young baby butter.

    From about six months old, babies should be offered nutritious, iron-rich solid foods. Butter doesn’t fit this bill because it is almost all saturated fat. If butter replaces more nutritious foods, babies may not get the vitamins and minerals they need.

    Butter is just the latest food claimed to help babies sleep better at night.
    Pixel-Shot/Shutterstock

    Butter is the latest in a long line of beliefs about certain foods making babies sleep longer at night. It was once thought that adding cereal or crushed arrowroot biscuits in bottle of milk before bedtime would make them sleep longer. Research found this did not increase sleep at all.

    Similarly, there is no evidence that giving babies butter before bed makes them sleep longer.

    In fact, research shows the foods babies eat make no difference to night waking.

    What else can I try?

    Waking overnight doesn’t necessarily mean a baby is hungry. And stopping breastfeeds or bottle feeds overnight doesn’t necessarily reduce night waking.

    Your baby could be too hot or cold, or need a nappy change. But some babies continue to wake at night even without an obvious problem.

    The good news is, sleeping is a skill babies develop naturally as they grow.

    Behavioural sleep interventions, known as “sleep training”, are not very effective in increasing overnight sleep. In one study, sleep training did not reduce the number of night wakes and only increased the length of the longest sleep by about 16 minutes. Sleep training is especially not recommended for babies under six months.

    The good news is that babies do eventually get the hang of sleeping at night.
    Miljan Zivkovic/Shutterstock

    Look after yourself

    If you’re missing out on sleep at night, try to have small naps during the day while your baby sleeps. Ask friends and family to do some chores to allow you to nap.

    If your baby is crying and you find yourself getting overwhelmed it is OK to put your baby down somewhere safe (like a cot or baby mat) and take some time to settle yourself.

    If your baby’s sleep pattern changes significantly or they haven’t slept at all for more than a day, or if your baby seems to have pain or a fever see your doctor, or family and child health nurse, as soon as possible.

    Some helpful resources

    If you think your baby is not sleeping well because of a breastfeeding problem, the Australian Breastfeeding Association has a national helpline. The association can also advise on co-sleeping.

    The charity Little Sparklers provides peer support for parents, including someone to chat to, about baby sleep. It also has helpful resources.

    UNICEF has resources about caring for your baby at night. And the UK-based Baby Sleep Info Source (Basis) provides evidence-based information about babies and sleep.

    Karleen Gribble is a volunteer breastfeeding educator and counsellor with the Australian Breastfeeding Association, a member of the Public Health Association of Australia and the World Public Health Nutrition Association.

    Naomi Hull is the National Coordinator of the World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative – Australia and is on the Executive of the Infant and Toddler Foods Research Alliance. Naomi is a volunteer breastfeeding counsellor with the Australian Breastfeeding Association, and a member of the International Lactation Consulants Association, the Lactation Consultants of Australia and New Zealand, the Public Health Association of Australia and the World Public Health Nutrition Association. Naomi receives funding from a RTP Stipend Scholarship from the federal government.

    Nina Chad has been the Infant and Young Child Feeding Consultant for the World Health Organization since 2021. She is a member of the Public Health Association of Australia, the World Public Health Nutrition Association and the Australian Breastfeeding Association.

    – ref. Feeding your baby butter won’t help them sleep through the night, whatever TikTok says – https://theconversation.com/feeding-your-baby-butter-wont-help-them-sleep-through-the-night-whatever-tiktok-says-249699

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: 45-2025: *Update* Scheduled Outage: Thursday 20 February to Friday 21 February 2025 – Multiple Systems

    Source: Australia Government Statements – Agriculture

    19 February 2025

    Who does this notice affect?

    All clients submitting the below declarations:

    • Full Import Declaration (FID)
    • Long Form Self Assessed Clearance (LFSAC)
    • Short Form Self Assessed Clearance (SFSAC)
    • Cargo Report Self Assessed Clearance (CRSAC)
    • Cargo Report Personal Effects (PE)

    Approved arrangements operators, customs brokers, importers, manned depots, and freight forwarders who are required to book and manage…

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Launch of the What’s My Future national disability support worker recruitment campaign

    Source: Ministers for Social Services

    Good morning. 

    I’d like to begin by acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the lands on which we meet, the Kaurna peoples, and pay my respects to elders past and present. I extend that acknowledgement to all First Nations peoples joining us today. 

    I would also like to acknowledge my colleagues Anne Aly and Nat Cook, National Workforce Collaboration members and the United Workers Union for hosting us here today. 

    What a great day. I am so pleased to be part of today’s launch of the What’s my Future? national disability support worker recruitment campaign.

    Over the past three years, our Albanese Labor Government has been working hard to support people with disability to live with dignity and to participate fully within their community. 

    As the Minister for Social Services and Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme, I am focused on securing better outcomes for all Australians with disability.

    To do that we need a capable, well-trained compassionate workforce working with people with disability.

    It is critically important that people with disability can access the high-quality disability services they need, when and where they need them to empower them to fully participate in society. 

    The workers I’ve met in the disability sector are passionate about making a difference. You are doing amazing, rewarding work, bringing compassion, drive and experience to improve people’s lives.  But we need more of you.

    We need more of these passionate people to be that support network to help people with disability to meet their goals. 

    For far too long, many people with disability, especially in regional, rural and remote communities miss out on getting the high quality supports they deserve. The demand for disability support services is growing rapidly and we need to take action to strengthen the disability workforce in Australia.

    We must be attracting and retaining people with the right skills, providing training pathways and growing the workforce delivering high quality supports to those who need it.

    It’s critically important that these workers are properly supported to build a fulfilling and rewarding career within the sector.

    This is why our Labor Government is proud to be funding the National Workforce Collaboration to deliver this new campaign.

    The What’s my Future campaign will show prospective workers what their future could look like in disability support. 
    We know one of the barriers to workers joining is a misunderstanding about the role and what it means to work with people with disability.

    It is important to shine a spotlight on what the work entails and hear first-hand from support workers about the diversity of roles and experiences within the sector.

    And importantly, the work satisfaction that comes from helping others.

    We need to give people the information they need about what to expect, how to enter support work, the qualifications and attributes required, and whether it is right for them. 

    This campaign will show school leavers, those already working in health, and professionals looking for a career change what the disability support sector can offer.

    With a wealth of information, supporting materials, and real-world examples of what the sector has in store, the campaign will help raise both recruitment numbers, and retention.

    Thank you all for the work you do, and I am excited to see the positive results this campaign will bring.

    Alongside this campaign, the Government is driving action to strengthen the workforce in many other ways.

    Shortly, we will be releasing a new NDIS Workforce Data Report to give us a snapshot of the current state of the NDIS workforce and forecast demand over 2025-26. 

    We are also focusing on training and growth opportunities within the disability sector through HumanAbility.

    As one of the Government’s 10 Jobs and Skills Councils, HumanAbility has released its first workforce plan focussed on current, emerging and future workforce challenges and opportunities across the care and support sector.

    We are also trialling collaborative community-driven solutions across the care and support sector including through the Integrated Care and Commissioning project, and alternative commissioning trials in First Nations and remote communities.

    A stronger workforce is an important part of the Government’s broader disability reform under Australia’s Disability Strategy – which is a commitment by all levels of government to drive inclusion and improved outcomes for all people with disability in Australia.

    At the centre of all my decision making, is improving the lives of people with disability. breaking down barriers and working with people with disability and of course those that support them to drive change.

    A strong, skilled disability workforce is essential to achieving this goal. 

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Human Rights Commissioner says NZYQ Nauru resettlement announcement raises more questions than it answers  

    Source: Australian Human Rights Commission

    Australia’s Human Rights Commissioner has written to Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke seeking clarity and transparency around an Australian Government decision to resettle three members of the NZYQ cohort in Nauru, saying the announcement raises serious human rights concerns and prompts more questions than it answers. 

    All that has been publicly confirmed at this stage is that the three people – who have been re-detained pending removal from Australia – have been granted 30-year resettlement visas by Nauru where they ‘would reside in individual facilities with a shared kitchen space, be free to move around the island and would have working rights’.   

    Human Rights Commissioner Lorraine Finlay: “This announcement is very light on detail and raises a range of issues in relation to the rights of the people in question, the application of the policy to the broader NZYQ cohort and compliance with Australia’s obligations under international law.   

    “Any arrangement needs to be consistent with Australia’s domestic laws and international human rights obligations. In particular, the UN Human Rights Committee emphasised in two recent decisions concerning Australia that sending people offshore does not absolve States of their legal obligations towards asylum seekers or absolve them of accountability.”  

     “To this end, there are a number of core questions which need to be answered about the announced arrangement and I have written to the Home Affairs Minister seeking answers to these questions, as well as requesting that details of the arrangement be made public in the interests of transparency and accountability.” 

    The questions the Commissioner has asked the Home Affairs Minister include: 

    • What are the terms of the agreement between Australia and Nauru?  
    • What (if any) human rights guarantees have been sought and received by Australia, in particular regarding safeguards with respect the treatment of people sent there?  
    • Could Nauru potentially impose ongoing conditions of monitoring, curfew and surveillance that the High Court of Australia previously found to be unconstitutional when applied within Australia?  
    • What (if any) ongoing role will Australia have in managing, overseeing and funding this arrangement and/or the people resettled in Nauru?  
    • Could the individuals resettled in Nauru be returned to Australia if they breach their resettlement visa or their visa is cancelled for any reason, or if they experience breaches of their human rights in Nauru?  

    Commissioner Finlay: “It is also not clear whether the Australian Government is seeking to extend this arrangement to the other people – almost 280 – who are part of the NZYQ cohort, or what alternative steps the Government will take if an anticipated court challenge to the arrangement is successful.”  

    At the time of the NZYQ decision in late 2023, Commissioner Finlay wrote that: 

    Policies concerning immigration and asylum seekers need to be deliberately and carefully calibrated. There are a range of substantial factors that need to be considered together. These include the right of Australia as a sovereign nation to control its own borders, upholding the integrity of Australia’s immigration system, the right of asylum seekers to seek safety and protection (ensuring that their individual human rights are protected throughout that process), the right of Australians to be safe in their homes and communities, and the need to take strong measures against people smuggling and human trafficking.     

     Commissioner Finlay: “These concerns are just as relevant nearly 15 months later, with an unclear arrangement applying to three people from the NZYQ cohort not providing the sustainable long-term solution that is needed in what is a complex policy area.  

    “The details of this arrangement need to be clarified so that the Australian people can understand how the Australian Government intends to address both existing concerns around community safety in Australia arising from the release of the NZYQ cohort from immigration detention, and the substantial human rights concerns that arise from any attempted outsourcing of Australia’s international obligations.”   

    ENDS | Media contact: media@humanrights.gov.au or +61 457 281 897 

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: With billions in ‘profit’ exempt from tax, changes to NZ’s charity rules are long overdue

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ranjana Gupta, Senior Lecturer, Accounting Department, Auckland University of Technology

    Jirsak/Shutterstock

    The profit made on every breakfast bowl of weet-bix is tax exempt, giving Sanitarium Health Food Company, owned by the Seventh-day Adventist Church, an advantage over other breakfast food companies. But this could be about to change.

    Under current rules, New Zealand’s charities are allowed to run businesses as long as the profits are not for personal gain. This means the government gives up millions in tax revenue from charities across the government.

    In December, Finance Minister Nicola Willis proposed revising the tax rules for charitable organisations. The changes are set to be announced with this year’s Budget. According to Willis, there was about NZ$2 billion of “profit” in the charitable sector that was not subject to tax.

    My new research – to be published later this year – looks at the integrity and fairness of the taxation framework that gives exemptions to charitable organisations competing directly with the for-profit sector.

    Striking the right balance between supporting legitimate charitable activities and preventing the abuse of tax concessions is crucial for ensuring a level playing field in the tax system.

    My study shows the tax exemption system in New Zealand, as it stands now, is not really fair and equitable. And it is past time for this to change.

    For the public benefit

    Under New Zealand’s charity law, a charitable organisation must operate for the public benefit and relieve the government of its burden to provide welfare services and assist disadvantaged people.

    A paper prepared by the Tax Working Group, an advisory group that looked at New Zealand’s tax system between 2017 and 2019, estimated 30% of registered charities were likely to have some sort of trading activities, such as second-hand stores.

    To be eligible for tax exemptions, any gains from businesses must be reinvested in the organisation’s charitable activities.

    The traditional justification for granting charitable organisations tax concessions is that they are dedicated to the greater good of society. The concessions are also meant to offset the disadvantages charities face in accessing capital.

    But by treating the producers of identical goods and services differently, there is a risk of compromising horizontal equity principles – basically the idea that taxpayers in similar positions should pay similar amounts of tax.

    There are concerns for the tax system’s integrity when charitable organisations shift their focus from providing a public good to providing private or unrelated goods (commercial activities).

    In these cases, it is clear that tax breaks should be limited.

    When governments offer tax breaks, they forego tax revenue. Governments end up having to raise money from other sources to meet their total tax collection targets, such as increasing tax rates on non-exempt firms, items and individuals.

    Taxing unrelated activities

    Overseas tax systems take a different view of exemptions for charities, offering examples for New Zealand to follow.

    In the United Kingdom, for example, charities cannot undertake commercial trading activities unrelated to their charitable purposes while claiming exemption from income tax. This ensures fair competition between commercial activities.

    In the United States, “unrelated business income” is subject to tax, restricting concessions to ensure the tax regime matches conventional tax policy or social welfare policy.

    In Australia, commercial trading unrelated to the charity’s core purpose is not allowed.

    Ensuring transparency

    To ensure greater transparency over who gets an exemption, the financial statements of all charities in New Zealand should also be filed on the Charities Register. These statements should be publicly available.

    Charities also need to become more responsible and equitable in their operations. There needs to be stricter regulation, and compliance measures should be implemented. These would prevent tax exemption misuse that benefits a specific group or individuals.

    The time for reviewing charitable purposes is long overdue in New Zealand, particularly given the UK and Australia have set out their concepts of charitable purposes in recent years.

    Ranjana Gupta 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. With billions in ‘profit’ exempt from tax, changes to NZ’s charity rules are long overdue – https://theconversation.com/with-billions-in-profit-exempt-from-tax-changes-to-nzs-charity-rules-are-long-overdue-249575

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: UPDATE: Wellington drivers, expect delays following crash in the Terrace Tunnel (Tunnel now fully OPEN)

    Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

    |

    UPDATE: 2:10 pm
    The Terrace Tunnel is now open in both directions.

    NZTA/Waka Kotahi and the Wellington Transport Alliance thank drivers for their patience and cooperation while this incident was resolved.

    UPDATE 1:55 pm:

    The Terrace Tunnel is now open to northbound traffic. It remains CLOSED to southbound traffic.

    Southbound traffic must continue to detour via Terrace Offramp onto The Terrace onto Ghuznee Street onto Victoria Street onto Vivian Street.

    1:45 pm:

    Wellington drivers can expect delays heading into the CBD following a crash in the Terrace Tunnel on State Highway 1 this afternoon.

    The tunnel is currently closed in both directions following a crash reported around one o’clock this afternoon.

    Tags

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Government must keep cutting to keep interest rate relief coming

    Source: ACT Party

    The Government must keep cutting to keep the interest rate relief coming, says ACT Leader David Seymour in response to a 0.5 point cut in the Official Cash Rate.

    “Households who’ve done it tough through a cost-of-living crisis are seeing their sacrifices pay off. Today’s good news can be credited in part to New Zealanders’ financial discipline, which has eased inflation and made mortgage relief possible,” says Seymour.

    “The Government has been doing its part too, reining in Labour’s spending commitments. But we need to do more. The households paying the bills deserve a government that’s as disciplined as they are.

    “We can’t expect to coast our way to ongoing interest rate cuts. We need persistent action from Wellington to keep cutting the waste, and ACT is continuously putting ideas forward.

    “Less waste and lower interest rates means firms, farms, and families can keep more of their own money, to spend and invest on their own priorities. That is how we achieve real prosperity and economic growth.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Using gen AI tools for business? Be aware of the (many) limitations on your IP protections

    Source: Allens Insights

    With proceedings still on foot in several jurisdictions, there is currently significant uncertainty as to the legal position on IP infringement, which may also vary between jurisdictions. Unsurprisingly, this has caused users concern that they might inadvertently infringe a third party’s IP rights by using an AI tool—eg by publishing an AI output that reproduces a copyright work used in the tool’s underlying training data.

    To allay those concerns, most major AI providers have publicly announced that they will indemnify their customers against liability for third party IP infringement claims. Based on our review of the relevant T&Cs, however, it is clear that the devil is in the detail—there are many circumstances in which users of AI tools will not be protected if they are found to infringe a third party’s IP rights.

    Of the T&Cs for the AI tools that we reviewed, all of the paid tools included some form of IP indemnity. For providers that offer both free and paid versions of their AI tools, an indemnity is only offered to users of the paid version of the service. This means that, as a general proposition, users of the free versions of these tools remain exposed to the risk that their use of the AI tool may be found to infringe third party IP. Meta AI, which is only offered as a free tool, does not come with any indemnity as to AI outputs under its standard terms.

    For the providers that do offer an IP indemnity for their paid tools, it is generally subject to several limitations, including the following.

    • The indemnities are subject to varying exclusions that apply regarding particular uses of the AI tool, such as claims resulting from:
      • the combination of the provider’s product with other third party products;
      • the user’s applications, products or services into which the AI tool has been integrated;
      • fine-tuning, customisation or other modification of the tool or output;
      • input or training data provided by users;
      • disabling or not implementing tools and filters offered by the provider to mitigate risk;
      • non-compliance with the applicable terms of use or with applicable laws, regulations or industry standards;
      • generating or using an output in a manner that the user knows or ought to know is likely to infringe third party rights; or
      • using an output after receiving notice of an infringement claim by the rights holder, or after being notified by the provider to stop using the tool.
    • In the case of three of the AI tools, the indemnity notably excludes claims based on trade mark or related rights.
    • In the case of two of the AI tools, the indemnity will only apply if the user gives the provider notice of the relevant claim and permits the provider to control the defence of the claim, among other things.

    Businesses that use AI tools should be aware of these limitations—particularly those that intend to use AI outputs in external-facing materials, where the practical risk of an aggrieved third party identifying an infringement of their IP rights is higher.

    It is also important to consider how the risk of infringing third party IP rights might vary between different products and providers. For example, using an AI tool that is trained exclusively on the provider’s proprietary and licensed-in data, or the user’s own data, carries a lower risk of infringing third party IP rights than using an AI tool that is trained on general third party data scraped from the internet.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: $5.6 million to help develop Aboriginal organisations and businesses across NSW

    Source: New South Wales Premiere

    Published: 19 February 2025

    Released by: Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Treaty, Minister for Regional NSW

    The Minns Government is providing Aboriginal businesses and organisations with business investment, skills development and training opportunities that will help them attract new customers, expand their operations and plan and prepare for the future.

    A total of 42 Aboriginal businesses and organisations will receive a share of $5.6 million to invest in business mentoring and coaching, upskilling and training, the development of strategic business plans and governance frameworks and purchasing assets to expand operations.

    The Aboriginal business sector in regional NSW is growing and access to training, development, and investment is vital for the success of both Aboriginal organisations and communities.

    Dharra Jerky and Secret Harvest in Dubbo, Booma Food Group in Cessnock, Binjang Tea in Wellington, Deniliquin’s Barka Treats, and Native Botanical Brewery and Dream Builders on Country in the Central Coast are among the businesses who will boost production and pursue larger market opportunities through this funding.

    The NSW Government is dedicated to closing the gap by removing barriers that hinder access to business training, mentoring and capital investment for Aboriginal people in regional NSW.

    These growth opportunities have been made possible by $1.29 million from the NSW Government’s Regional Aboriginal Partnerships Program Round 2 and $4.33 million from the Regional Development Trust’s Aboriginal Economic Development Package.

    According to a 2022 NSW Treasury report there are some 737 NSW Indigenous businesses registered with the Aboriginal procurement organisation, Supply Nation, the most of any state or territory.

    Median annual revenue for these businesses is $303,000, with each employing a median full-time equivalent staff of 3.8.

    Minister for Regional New South Wales Tara Moriarty said:

    “Aboriginal businesses and organisations in regional NSW have a unique connection to land, culture and community, with traditional knowledge and cultural practices integrated into their businesses.

    “Not only do Aboriginal businesses and organisations contribute to the regional local economies, but they also contribute to environmental sustainability and cultural development in regional communities.

    “Getting the best training and resources into these regions is the first step in bridging skills gaps, supporting sustainable growth and creating jobs.”

    Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Treaty David Harris said:

    “The Minns Government is strongly committed to supporting Aboriginal-owned businesses and organisations to continue to grow and develop.

    “By giving regional Aboriginal communities the tools they need we can help boost local economies now and into the future, promoting long term success.”

    CEO of the NSW Indigenous Chamber of Commerce Deb Barwick said:

    “Access to tailored mentoring, training and business development opportunities will allow Aboriginal businesses to strengthen their operations and expand their reach.

    “Supporting the growth of Aboriginal businesses in regional NSW drives economic development and creates lasting, meaningful opportunities for local communities.

    “This funding ensures Aboriginal businesses are equipped with the tools to build their capacity, improve governance and unlock their full potential.”

    Aboriginal business Dharra Jerky founder Hayden Williams said:

    “I started making jerky as a hobby about six years ago and I have been proud to watch it begin to bloom into something much bigger.

    “This support is giving me a great opportunity to upgrade my equipment so I can take my small business to the next level.”

    Proponent Project name Location
    Yurruungga Aboriginal Corporation Governance Enhancement Initiative
    for Yurruungga Aboriginal Corporation    		 Bellingen Shire Council
    Gathangga Wakulda Aboriginal Corporation Growing Atanga Wakulda Port Macquarie-hastings Council
    Djiyagan Dhanbaan Incorporation Nyiirun Djiyagan Wakulda, Women’s Festival Port Macquarie-hastings Council
    Walhallow Local Aboriginal Land Council Walhallow Aboriginal Cultural Tourism Business Capacity Building Liverpool Plains Shire Council
    Barka Treats Dog Food Production Enhancement Edward River Council
    Bunyah Local Aboriginal Land Council Bunyah LALC Guulabaa Cafe Enterprise Equipment Port Macquarie-hastings Council
    Binjang Tea Binjang Tea Capacity Building: Fostering Cultural Heritage and Sustainable Business Growth Dubbo Regional Council
    Native Botanical Brewery Native Botanical Brewery’s “Pops Country” Initiative: Cultivating Indigenous Heritage from Bush to Brewery Central Coast Council
    BS Ellis and ML Ellis Business diversification and capacity uplift Eurobodalla Shire Council
    Strong Movement The Athlete Performance and Conditioning Enhancement Program Tamworth Regional Council
    LORE AUSTRALIA PTY LTD Develop a business plan to grow and expand LORE Australia Bellingen Shire Council
    Bugalwan Indigenous Corporation Ma Banyahr Central Coast Council
    Strong Spirit Services Ltd Strong Spirit Cultural Pathways Program Port Macquarie-hastings Council
    Aboriginal Advancement Alliance Trading As Acadiam Buzz Bus Activating Communities Road Trip – engaging, aligning and pathways to local jobs Cessnock City Council
    Mingaan Wiradjuri Aboriginal Corporation Mingaan Wiradjuri Aboriginal Corporation Website upgrade with booking platform Lithgow City Council
    Bangguri Gadhu Cultural Tours Bermagui Survival Day Bega Valley Shire Council
    Bara Barang Corporation Ltd Dream Builders On Country : Raspberry Fields Business Planning Central Coast Council
    Dharra Jerky Expanding Indigenous-Owned Dharra Jerky: Strengthening Manufacturing, Retail, and Wholesale Operations for Regional Growth Dubbo Regional Council
    Red Chief Local Aboriginal Land Council Red Chief Aboriginal Cultural Tourism Business Planning Initiative Gunnedah Shire Council
    Integr8y Integr8y – Building Capacity for Aboriginal Business Growth through Tender and Grant Writing Expertise: A Strategic Approach to Securing Contracts and Economic Empowerment Tamworth Regional Council
    Brennan Cultural Enterprise Pty Ltd T/A Waagayamba Consultants Igniting Growth: Empowering Aboriginal Businesses with Virtual Support and Mentoring Clarence Valley Council
    Mara-Mara Community Incorporated Renovations To Mara-Mara Community Incorporated Tamworth Regional Council
    JA Berry & DJ Carney t/as Cafe2823 Cafe2823 Courtyard & Function Area Narromine Shire Council
    Euraba Paper Aboriginal Corporation Euraba Paper Company upgrade project Moree Plains Shire Council
    Tranby Aboriginal Co-operative Limited Community Capacity Development Project: Building Governance and Enterprise Development opportunities Mid North Coast and North Western LALC regions
    Secret Harvest Pty Ltd Skin Care Manufacturing Dubbo Regional Council
    Twofold Aboriginal Corporation Twofold Solar Energy System – Off Grid Solar System to supply campground and other buildings on site Bega Valley Shire Council
    Unkya Local Aboriginal Land Council Gumbaynggirr Keeping Place – Completion & Activation Project Nambucca Valley Council
    Jaanymili Bawrrungga Aboriginal Corporation Gumbaynggirr Native Seedling Enterprise: Cultivating Growth and Sustainability Nambucca Valley Council
    Native Botanical Brewery Native Botanical Brewery Expansion Wambelong Creek Coffee “Bush to Brewery” initiative Central Coast Council
    Awabakal Local Aboriginal Land Council Winjirra Events Lake Macquarie City Council
    Booma Food Group Pty Ltd Booma Food Biz Growth Cessnock City Council
    Waminda South Coast Women’s Health & Wellbeing Aboriginal Corporation Sustaining our Blak Cede Enterprise Shoalhaven City Council
    More Cultural Rehabs Less Jails Yindyamarra Landcare Dubbo Regional Council
    Gari Yala Pty Ltd T/As Chocolate On Purpose Ngunggilanha Native Garden & Chocolate Nexus: Reclaiming Culture, Activating Wisdom, Empowering Community Wingecarribee Shire Council
    Grafton Ngerrie Local Aboriginal Land Council Grafton Ngerrie Nursery Enterprise: Cultivating Economic Growth and Cultural Prosperity Clarence Valley Council
    Home Of Recovery Home of Recovery Up Lift Dubbo Regional Council
    Gadhungal Marring Native nursery, mentorship program and managment tools Shoalhaven City Council
    Aralumbin Pty Ltd Project “Bush to You” brings bush foods to every plate, bridging the gap and collectively educating Australia. Tweed Shire Council
    Yurruga Indigenous Corporation Yurruga Sustainable Solar Project Uplift and Expansion Dubbo Regional Council
    Bega Local Aboriginal Land Council Building resilience and sustainability and focusing on circularity through a cultural lens Bega Valley Shire Council
    Wiradjuri Condobolin Corporation Limited Galari Horticulture – Green house Lachlan Shire Council

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Minns Labor Government cracking down on relationships between prison staff and inmates

    Source: New South Wales Government 2

    Headline: Minns Labor Government cracking down on relationships between prison staff and inmates

    Published: 19 February 2025

    Released by: Minister for Corrections

    The Minns Labor Government has changed the law to make it easier to convict prison staff who have sexual relationships with inmates.

    Under the change, all sexual relationships between prison staff and inmates will be illegal, with staff facing criminal liability, including a potential prison sentence.

    The Crimes (Administration of Sentences) Act 1999 passed the NSW Parliament last nightand removes a requirement to prove that a sexual relationship between a member of staff and an inmate poses a risk to the safety and security of the prison.

    The strengthening of the misconduct offence was recommended by the Special Commission of Inquiry into Offending by Former Officer Wayne Astill at Dillwynia Correctional Centre.

    The inquiry found multiple failings in the management and culture at Dillwynia Correctional Centre and across the Corrective Services NSW system.

    The Minns Labor Government accepted all 31 recommendations of the Inquiry, in full or in principle, as a commitment to lifting standards and restoring confidence in our prisons and improving safety for both staff and inmates.

    The change is one of a number of amendments introduced in the Crimes (Administration of Sentences) Amendment Bill 2024 to strengthen processes, enhance transparency, and improve Corrective Services NSW’s operations.

    The Government is rebuilding trust in the NSW corrective services system through:

    • Installing hundreds of new CCTV cameras and a network-wide capacity to store and access footage for at least 90 days so that serious matters can be reviewed.
    • Establishing a new Sexual Misconduct Reporting Line and new advocacy service to ensure inmates can voice concerns.
    • All uniformed staff at Dillwynia Correctional Centre who work with inmates now have body-worn cameras.
    • Mandatory training for all new Corrective Services staff working in female correctional centres.
    • Corrective Services NSW has been elevated to a stand-alone agency directly accountable to the Minister and the Government.

    Quotes attributable to Minister for Corrections Anoulack Chanthivong:

    “Corrective Services staff engaging in sexual conduct with inmates is utterly unacceptable and a total abuse of authority, which is why it is now a crime in any circumstance.

    “Such behaviour indicates a deplorable abuse of the staff’s position and a breach of their duty of care to the inmate.

    “While the majority of our Corrective Services staff do the right thing, for those that don’t, the days of receiving a slap on the wrist are over.

    “We have provided $30 million for priority reforms so far in response to the Astill Inquiry, including setting up a sexual misconduct line to provide a free and confidential avenue for inmates to report illegal behaviour.

    “We’ve also increased the number of CCTV cameras in our prisons and boosted our capacity to store and access footage for at least 90 days, to enable serious matters to be reviewed more effectively.” 

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: New strata laws ensure fairer rules for fees and charges

    Source: New South Wales Government 2

    Headline: New strata laws ensure fairer rules for fees and charges

    Published: 19 February 2025

    Released by: Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading

    Legislation improving the way strata communities operate passed the NSW Parliament last night.

    The reforms will help owners repair and maintain common property, support the uptake of sustainability and accessibility infrastructure, and give owners more options to pay levies when facing financial stress. 

    This legislation is the Minns Labor Government’s third tranche of strata law reforms and builds on changes which came into effect on 3 February 2025, requiring strata managers in NSW to provide significantly more The reforms will help owners repair and maintain common property, support the uptake of sustainability and accessibility infrastructure, and give owners more options to pay levies when facing financial stress.

    The laws will:

    • Protect owners corporations from unfair contract terms such as limits on a strata managing agent’s liability.
    • Encourage the uptake of sustainable infrastructure such as solar panels and electric vehicle charging by prohibiting bylaws that block the infrastructure due to external appearance.
    • Protect owners from bill shock by requiring developers to have initial levy estimates to be independently certified, including increased penalties for non-compliance.
    • Make it easier to terminate strata managing agents and building manager agreements if they carry on a business that is contrary to the law.
    • Prescribe training requirements for strata committee members to help them perform their roles.
    • Allow Fair Trading to enter into enforceable undertakings with owners corporations that do not meet their duties to maintain and repair common property.
    • Help owners in financial hardship by requiring owners corporations to offer a payment plan before taking debt recovery action and prohibiting blanket rules to refuse payment plans.
    • Make it easier to install accessibility infrastructure in common areas by lowering the voting threshold for approval from 75% to a majority vote.

    This legislation is the Minns Labor Government’s third tranche of strata law reforms and builds on   changes which came into effect on 3 February 2025, requiring strata managers in NSW to provide significantly more detailed information to owners’ corporations about their services and relationships, to increase transparency and accountability within the strata sector.

    Strata managers must now disclose any connections with suppliers and developers, provide detailed breakdowns of insurance quotes including commissions and broker fees, and report in real time if any new connections or interests arise.

    The NSW Government’s reforms will be enforced by a dedicated Strata and Property Services Taskforce within NSW Fair Trading, backed by an $8.4 million investment. 

    Consumer confidence in strata is vital to the government’s housing agenda, and the Taskforce will be focussed on high impact initiatives to support the 1.2 million people living in strata across NSW.

    The Taskforce will strengthen compliance and enforcement, dispute resolution, and regulatory reform within the strata sector, with a focus on raising professional standards and delivering better outcomes for consumers.

    For more information, visit the NSW Fair Trading website here: https://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-property/strata-and-community-living

    Quotes attributed to Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading Anoulack Chanthivong:

    “The family home is often the biggest financial investment most of us will make – when it is in a strata community the Minns Labor Government is making sure that there are protections in place to help owners make informed decisions on the future of the property.

    “Repairs to common property are the obligation of the owners’ corporation, and these reforms help to ensure the hard-earned money of individual owners invested in the property will prevent it from being run down, become a safety risk or cause greater damage through neglect.

    “These changes will make buying into strata more transparent and improve the building owners experience when they receive the keys from the developer.”

    Quotes attributed to Fair Trading Commissioner Natasha Mann:

    “The number of strata schemes in New South Wales has grown from around 70,000 at the end of 2015 to more than 87,000 – creating a greater need for targeted, proactive regulation to ensure practitioners and businesses in the property industry are properly trained and supervised.

    “The Strata and Property Services Taskforce is improving the NSW Government’s oversight of real estate and strata managing agents by bringing together new and existing specialist staff across Fair Trading to uplift its enforcement of NSW strata and property laws – restoring consumer confidence and lifting standards across the sector.” 

    MIL OSI News –