NewzIntel.com

Category: Australia

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Australia – MCEC opens new accessible facilities

    Source: Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC)

    3 February 2025 – To coincide with Physical Disability Awareness Day, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) is proud to unveil its new Changing Places facility, providing welcoming and accessible bathroom facilities for visitors with high support needs.

    The new state-of-the-art facility was developed in collaboration with Folk Architects and constructed, using funding available through a Changing Places Grant provided by the Victorian Government.

    MCEC and the architects sought feedback and input from community members with lived experience to ensure their needs and preferences were considered in the design of the space.

    Featuring warm materials, an inviting colour palette, interesting textures and soft lighting, the facility has been specifically created as a welcoming and safe environment. Bespoke furniture, including bench seating for carers, created to be both beautiful and comfortable to use, enhance the overall experience.

    Universal Design principles are incorporated throughout the space. Fully functional and hygienic fixtures and fittings such as a height-adjustable adult changing table, a ceiling track hoist system and a centrally located peninsula toilet, ensure the facility is inclusive for all users.

    MCEC’s Changing Place is located centrally within the venue, close to Plenary theatre, Goldfields Café and the Exhibition Centre car park, as well as in close proximity to the surrounding retail and dining precinct.

    The new facility will enable children, young people and adults with profound or multiple disabilities to visit MCEC and participate in the diverse range of events we host, including events that specially attract people with disabilities such as the Melbourne Disability Expo, Disability Connections Expo, Source Kids Disability Expo and the Variety Kids Christmas Party.

    In addition to the new Changing Place facility, the adjoining Parents Room has also been upgraded, continuing a warm, inviting feeling throughout both spaces and providing accessible facilities for all ages and abilities.

    The opening of the Changing Place facility is a major step in the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Trust’s Accessibility Action Plan, which was launched earlier this year.

    Quote attributable to Minister for Disability Lizzie Blandthorn

    “This Changing Places facility further cements Victoria’s reputation as a state that prioritises inclusion and accessibility – as we continue removing barriers for thousands in the community.”

    “Accessible facilities are essential to creating an inclusive and comfortable experience for all Victorians and visitors, and we’re proud to support another Changing Places site.”

     Quote attributable to MCEC Chief Executive Natalie O’Brien AM

    “As an iconic venue, MCEC is committed to creating accessible and inclusive spaces, enabling everyone to meaningfully participate and engage in events that provide important social and economic value.”

    “We’re proud to unveil our new Changing Place, providing a safe, hygienic and welcoming bathroom facility. The thoughtful design elements and attention to detail prioritise accessibility and comfort for all users. We’re proud to work with the Victorian Government and Folk Architects to create a truly inclusive facility.”

    Quote attributable to Director of Folk Architects Tim Wilson

    “As architects, we are passionate about designing for everybody, to create inclusive and equitable spaces that engage with the community.”

    “On a personal note, as a parent of a child with complex additional needs we are excited and proud of this project. Not only will it encourage broader participation in all of the incredible events that the MCEC precinct has on offer but importantly it sends a message that people with disability, their families, friends and support networks can be included in all aspects of society and engage with the vibrant city of Melbourne.”

    ABOUT MCEC
    At Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC), visionary ideas come to life, and the world’s thought leaders gather. The iconic venue hosts dynamic exhibitions, conferences, galas, and concerts—everyone who visits leaves inspired and excited.  

    MCEC loves all communities and interests, creating a space where everyone feels welcome. Blending trendy eats, sustainability, and cutting-edge tech, it creates mind-blowing, globally recognised events.  

    Thanks to its progressive sustainability practices, choosing MCEC means making a positive environmental impact. Feel Melbourne’s vibe, discover the next big thing, and be part of the conversation that shapes the future.

    Acknowledgement of Country

    Built on the banks of the Birrarung (Yarra River), Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) Acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Narrm, the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and to Elders of all First Nations communities that visit MCEC. We recognise the ongoing significance of the Birrarung to Traditional Owners as a life source and a meeting place for millennia and seek to honour this long-standing tradition of building community and exchanging ideas on these lands.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Africa – Sudan malnutrition crisis: MSF renews call for immediate action to prevent death and starvation

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

    3 February, 2025: International donors, the UN, Sudan’s warring parties and their allies must act now to prevent even more avoidable deaths from malnutrition in Sudan, as the already catastrophic situation is expected to worsen this year, according to Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF).

    Half of Sudan’s population faces high levels of acute food insecurity (24.6 million people), among whom 8.5 million people face an emergency or famine-like situation according to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report. “Despite this new wake-up call, robust humanitarian and diplomatic mobilisation to act on aid deliveries has fallen far short of the needs. To provide only those in the most extreme situation with monthly food rations, 2,500 aid trucks per month would be required, whereas only about 1,150 crossed into Darfur between August and December”, says Stephane Doyon, MSF operations manager.

    MSF has released data showing horrific rates of malnutrition in multiple locations, both at the height of Sudan’s lean season last year and as recently as December 2024. The conflict-driven malnutrition crisis has been exacerbated by the continued obstruction of aid by both of Sudan’s warring parties and by the neglectful inertia of the UN and aid system in Darfur. With the seasonal hunger gap coming in May, decisive action must be taken now.

     “Parts of Sudan are difficult to work in. But it is certainly possible, and this is what humanitarian organisations and the UN are supposed to do,” says Marcella Kraay, MSF emergency coordinator, speaking from Nyala, South Darfur state.

    “In places that are easier to access, as well as in the hardest to reach areas like North Darfur, options like air routes remain unexplored. The failure to act is a choice, and it’s killing people,” Kraay continued.

    The malnutrition crisis has been acknowledged for some time, with the UN in October warning that “never in history have so many people faced starvation and famine as in Sudan today.”[1]

    Moving supplies will become an even more difficult task during the upcoming rainy and lean season, when flooded dirt roads become impossible to navigate. A wide-scale humanitarian response must be launched now, including by drastically increasing available funding and logistical capacities, securing food pipelines and prepositioning food stocks in Chad and neighbouring countries.

    MSF is calling for UN agencies, international organisations, donor countries, and governments with leverage to pursue all options, including air routes, to complement and even replace road access where necessary.

    Bureaucratic requirements from the warring parties have long been an obstacle to international organisations’ ability to reach and provide services to people. Rather than reacting to critical needs in a timely manner, permissions to respond are either delayed or denied altogether by the warring parties. This is impeding MSF ‘s work in South Darfur with aid trucks stuck in Chad waiting for permissions to move from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and their offices. A food distribution in South Darfur was also recently postponed as MSF was refused the necessary travel permits.

    Warring parties must grant unhindered access for humanitarian organisations. Access must be defined by lifesaving aid reaching people who need it, not by announcements celebrating piecemeal measures that fall far short. MSF calls for the warring parties, their allies, and influential states to use their leverage to ease the obstacles that are causing deaths and suffering.

    MSF has provided data from different locations to demonstrate the depth of the malnutrition crisis. In North Darfur, where an RSF siege on its capital El Fasher is starving people and depriving them from lifesaving assistance, MSF teams screened over 9,500 children under five years old while conducting a therapeutic food distribution in Tawila locality in December 2024. They found a staggering global acute malnutrition estimate of 35.5 %, with 7% of the screened children suffering from severe acute malnutrition. Last September, 34% of the 29,300 children screened by MSF during a vaccination campaign in Zamzam camp were found to be suffering from acute malnutrition. Since the beginning of December, repeated shelling has made it impossible for our team to carry out further assessments in the camp and has most likely exacerbated the levels of malnutrition.

    MSF teams also see concerning rates of malnutrition outside of Darfur, in areas where displaced people have sought shelter, or in areas closer to the conflict. In Omdurman, Khartoum state, a conflict zone under control of the SAF, MSF carried out a nutritional screening while assisting with a vaccination campaign for children in October 2024, finding 7.1% of children screened were severely acutely malnourished.

    MSF data also reveals that malnutrition is not only an issue for people close to frontlines, but also in more stable cities like Nyala, the capital of South Darfur. In October 2024, 23% of children under five screened at MSF-supported facilities in Nyala, South Darfur’s capital, and nearby locations were suffering from severe acute malnutrition. In two MSF-supported facilities, 26% of the pregnant and breastfeeding women seeking care were acutely malnourished. With WFP food distributions lacking, MSF launched a targeted food distribution in South Darfur in December 2024, providing two months’ food to about 30,000 people.

     

    Zahra Abdullah, 25 years old, received food for her and her son, they live together in the Al Salam displacement camp outside of Nyala city.

    “This is not the first war I have experienced, but it is definitely the most devastating to my life. The living conditions here are harsh, and everything is a daily struggle. The aid we receive has somewhat improved our situation. At least now, we finally have a meal in the morning,” says Zahra.

    “But even so, the suffering never ends. It starts with finding clean water to drink, continues with trying to provide enough food, and ends with finding a place to sleep. Sometimes I sit alone and think: is this the life I will live forever?” she says.

    For millions of people like Zahra, the time is now to act to prevent the situation from becoming ever more dire. MSF will continue to do what it can, but the scale is well beyond the organisation’s capacity to respond. We need to see a massive response now to prevent more death and starvation; timeliness is a matter of survival, not political expediency.

    ________________________________

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

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Press Conference – Goodstart, Garran

    Source: Australian Ministers for Education

    ANNE ALY, MINISTER FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION: Well, good morning, everyone. We’re here at Goodstart Garran, having a great time with some of the littlest Aussies here in Garran and talking to the staff here. This week the Albanese Government will be introducing legislation for a 3 Day Guarantee. What does that mean? That means that more than 100,000 families across Australia will have access to more subsidised care – three days a week. And more than 66,000 families across Australia will be better off with our 3 Day Guarantee.

    Now, when you look at the children here and you watch them play and you see their interactions, you get a bit of an understanding of just how important early childhood education and care can be in children’s lives. But also, when you talk to the families and the parents, you understand also how much of an essential service it is for those families and parents. Changing the activity test to ensure that there is a three day guarantee means that every family, no matter what their circumstances, and every child, no matter what their background, no matter what their postcode, no matter where they live, and no matter what their parents’ circumstances are, has access to good quality early childhood education and care that helps them to grow, that helps them to thrive and that has a lasting impact throughout their life. Not just, not just at this age, not just with these little ones here, but right through school, right through adolescence and right into adulthood as well.

    So, the Albanese Labor Government is committed to reforming early childhood education and care, to creating a universal system in the great Labor traditions of Medicare and universal superannuation. We’re building the blocks, building the blocks for a future where every single Australian child and every single Australian family can have access to good quality early childhood education and care, so that parents can work if they need to work; primary caregivers, mostly mothers, mostly women, can go back to work or go back to study. And importantly – importantly, so that our children can have that care and that education that they need to grow and to thrive. I’m going to hand over to Minister Jason Clare to say a few more words on the Albanese Government’s 3 Day Guarantee. Jase?

    JASON CLARE, MINISTER FOR EDUCATION: Thanks, Anne. G’day, everybody. Childcare is essential for more than a million parents across the country and it’s critical to help children get ready for school. When we were elected two and a half years ago, the cost of childcare had skyrocketed, gone through the roof, and we’ve cut the cost of childcare now for more than a million families. When we were elected two and a half years ago, teachers and educators in childcare were leaving the sector in droves. And we’ve turned that around now with a 15 per cent pay rise. And this is the next step. Fundamentally, this is about helping to make sure that every child gets a great start in life, helping to make sure that every child gets the benefit of early education and care. Because we know that if you’re in early education and care, you’re less likely to start school behind. You’re more likely to start school ready to go, ready to learn. 
    That’s why we’ll build more centres where they don’t exist at the moment, in the bush, in the regions and in the outer suburbs, and why we are getting rid of the Liberals’ activity test that stops a lot of children from poor families from ever getting access to early education in the first place. As I said, if you’re a child who gets access to early education, you’re more likely to start school ready to learn. And that’s what this 3 Day Guarantee is all about. Guaranteeing 3 days of subsidised care for every child 3 days a week. Because if you get 3 days of early education a week, you’re more likely to start school ready to learn. Fundamentally, that’s what this is all about. We know that children have got a right to go to school and that government’s got a responsibility to help provide that. Children have also got a right to early education, so they start school ready to learn, and the government’s got a responsibility to help make that happen. And that’s what this legislation that we’re going to introduce this week is all about.

    Now, what will the Liberals do? Well, the Liberals were opposed to our changes to cut the cost of childcare. They’re opposed to our pay rise for early educators, they’re opposed to building more centres where they don’t exist. And I expect the Liberals will be opposed to this as well. The only thing that they’ve said that they will do is make cuts right across the board. 
    Peter Dutton yesterday said that if he’s elected Prime Minister then there’ll be cuts, hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of cuts, but he won’t tell you where the cuts will be. Well, you don’t have to be Einstein to work it out. It’ll be cuts to childcare, cuts to aged care, cuts to Medicare. It’s the same old story from the Liberals on repeat. This will be Tony Abbott 2.0. Tony Abbott said that he wouldn’t cut health and education and then when he was elected, that’s what he did. It was like Nightmare on Elm Street. He ripped the guts out of Medicare, ripped the guts out of school funding. Peter Dutton says that he will cut, but he won’t tell you what he’s going to cut. This is like a used car salesman who won’t let you look under the bonnet before you buy the car. My message to the Australian people is, if you don’t know, vote no. And if you do know what he’s going to cut, you would never, ever vote for this bloke. Thanks very much.
     

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: New housing on track for Croydon

    Source: New South Wales Premiere

    Published: 3 February 2025

    Released by: Minister for Planning and Public Spaces

    More homes are on the way for Sydney’s Inner West with new planning controls being introduced around Croydon Station.

    The new planning controls to be introduced this week around Croydon Station in the Inner West local government area (LGA) will provide capacity for more than 2,700 new homes over the next 15 years.

    The Croydon Transport Oriented Development (TOD) precinct sits across two LGAs with Inner West Council to the south and east of the railway line, and Burwood Council to the north and west of the station.

    Croydon’s TOD State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) provisions will be triggered for Inner West Council as Council did not meet the strategic planning deadline to provide their own masterplan with equal or greater housing outcomes before 31 January 2025.

    Burwood City Council meanwhile has taken up the Minister’s challenge to produce its own detailed master planning in place of the TOD SEPP on the western side of the Croydon precinct.

    Council’s plan seeks to concentrate higher and mid-rise density development on the northern side of the rail corridor between Croydon and Burwood Town Centres, while protecting existing important heritage and character areas to the southern section of Burwood North.

    The plan recommends changes to land use zones, building heights, and density within the Croydon Masterplan Investigation Area. It also aims to improve the public domain by expanding open spaces, ensuring appropriate setbacks, planting street trees, and enhancing parking and active transport facilities.

    Public consultation was undertaken by Council with feedback considered before final plans were submitted to the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) by the January deadline.

    DPHI is now assessing Council’s plans to ensure they meet the requirements of the agreement between Council and the NSW Government.

    You can view Burwood Council’s proposed plans for the Croydon TOD SEPP precinct here.

    Inner West Council and Burwood Council will continue to assess, consider and weigh up the merits of the impacts of proposed developments during the development assessment stage, unless a proposal is assessed through a State Significant Development pathway.

    Croydon’s new TOD SEPP planning controls in the Inner West LGA can be viewed on the NSW Government Spatial Viewer once the changes are notified early in February.

    Housing affordability is the single largest cost of living concern for people of NSW with the impacts being felt across the state, whether it be students, workers, young families or people looking to downsize later in life.

    The TOD Program is just one part of the Minns Labor Government’s efforts to confront the housing crisis by speeding up the planning system, investing in social and affordable housing, and reforming NSW rental laws.

    TOD provisions now apply to 29 stations across Greater Sydney with only 5 stations remaining to be scheduled between now and June 2025. These stations include Cockle Creek, North Wollongong, St Marys, Punchbowl and Wiley Park.

    Up to 37 locations were identified as being suitable for inclusion in the TOD SEPP program. Eighteen of the station precincts were adopted on 13 May 2024 with the remaining 19 deferred for further strategic work to be rolled out between now and June 2025.

    Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:

    “Sydney’s inner west has always been bustling with activity and these planning changes will mean more people get to enjoy its great location and connectivity.

    “Croydon provides an ideal strategic location to leverage the benefits of Inner West living, while being close to public transport and essential services in and around Croydon and Burwood. 

    “Burwood Council has suggested a planning solution that means more homes near a train station, near services and the community.

    “Croydon now stands ready for an exciting new chapter in its long-storied history whereby thousands of new residents will get to experience the great cosmopolitan lifestyle this suburb offers.”

    Member for Strathfield Jason Yat-Sen Li said:

    “Burwood Council’s draft masterplan was the product of months of detailed consultation between the council and the community.

    “The Masterplan represents a sound blueprint for Croydon’s future. It balances the urgent need for more quality homes close to transport with the community imperative to protect long-established heritage conservation areas such as the Malvern Hill Estate, Cintra Estate and the Strand.

    “The Masterplan will also aim to improve amenity by expanding open spaces, providing appropriate setbacks, planting street trees, and enhancing parking and active transport facilities.

    “I would like to thank Burwood Council and the many residents who made their voices heard during this important process.” 

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: First look at Canterbury Hospital redevelopment

    Source: New South Wales Premiere

    Published: 3 February 2025

    Released by: Minister for Health

    Today, the Canterbury community will have its first look at the $350 million Canterbury Hospital Redevelopment with the new expansion of the facility and major upgrades to be unveiled with the launch of the master plan images, alongside the key clinical priorities for the redevelopment.

    The master plan provides the framework for how the redevelopment will integrate with existing facilities while allowing for future development opportunities.

    It follows extensive consultation with over 250 patients, staff, carers, volunteers and community members, and the master plan reflects their views on the future of the hospital.

    Feedback highlighted preference for more green spaces and access to natural light, updated amenities for staff, patients and carers, better accessibility, signage and wayfinding, and increased patient and visitor parking.

    New or increased services at the redeveloped site that have been identified as priorities for the redevelopment will include:

    • a new expanded and enhanced intensive care unit
    • new purpose-built adult in-patient accommodation
    • expanded and enhanced emergency department
    • additional surgical theatres
    • improved and expanded antenatal care
    • additional ambulatory and outpatient care capacity
    • other clinical and non-clinical enhancements to existing and retained facilities, to support changing models of care
    • improved accessibility to the campus, including internal access, urban spaces, landscaping and wayfinding.

    The redevelopment will maximise the capacity of existing facilities available at the Canterbury Hospital campus, including the main hospital building and the Canterbury Health Centre.

    Following the completion of master planning, the project team will continue through the planning and design phases for the redevelopment, with further consultation to continue throughout 2025.  

    The last major redevelopment of the century-old hospital took place in 1998.

    The Canterbury area – like much of Sydney – has had significant population growth, placing pressure on hospital services.

    The Canterbury-Bankstown Local Government Area is forecast to grow by 13 per cent in the next 12 years, with an estimated population of 443,000 by 2036.

    It is also expected to have a larger proportion of elderly people, with those aged 70 years and over forecast to grow by more than 60% between 2021 and 2036.

    The area is home to a culturally diverse community – some of which have complex health needs.  

    The redevelopment of Canterbury Hospital will enable services to better support the health and wellbeing of our growing local communities, now and into the future.

    The Canterbury Hospital Redevelopment is part of the Minns Labor Government’s delivery of over $3 billion in hospital infrastructure across Western Sydney, including:

    • $700 million for the Rouse Hill Hospital  
    • $120 million for Blacktown and Mount Druitt Hospitals – additional beds
    • $1.3 billion for the New Bankstown Hospital
    • $550 million for the Fairfield Hospital Redevelopment

    Quotes attributable to Minister for Health Ryan Park:

    “We are working to deliver the healthcare infrastructure to meet the needs of this growing community.

    “Today’s announcement is a critical next step in the delivery of this significant project.

    “What this facility will mean will be enhanced services and more beds for Canterbury and surrounding suburbs.”

    Quotes attributable to Member for Canterbury Sophie Cotsis:

    “It’s very exciting to see the master plan images for this $350 million investment which will help build healthcare infrastructure to meet the needs of Canterbury’s diverse and growing community.

    “I welcome what will be the largest upgrade to Canterbury Hospital in almost three decades.

    “This significant redevelopment will allow improved health care access and outcomes for generations to come, both for people living in the area and for those from Greater Sydney.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Minns Labor Government slashes consultant and contractor spend by $450m, following years of Liberal-National waste

    Source: New South Wales Government 2

    Headline: Minns Labor Government slashes consultant and contractor spend by $450m, following years of Liberal-National waste

    Published: 2 February 2025

    Last updated: 03 February 2025

    Released by: Treasurer

    The Minns Labor Government has delivered more than $450 million in savings on external consultants and individual contractors in its first full year in government.

    The savings include a $72 million reduction in consultant spend across agencies, down from $130 million in 2022-23 to $58 million in 2023-24.

    This follows a NSW Auditor-General’s report which found that the previous Liberal-National Government spent more than $1 billion on external consultants without adequate procurement and managements policies in place. Subsequent analysis also found that the previous government issued more than 10,000 contracts in their last five years in office, averaging a new contract every hour.

    In addition, the Minns Labor Government is also delivering on its election commitment to reduce the government’s spend on payments to contractors acting as de facto employees in the public service. Known as contingent labour, this figure blew out under the previous government. 

    Controls put in place by the Minns Labor Government saw that figure drop from $2.1 billion in 2022-23 to $1.7 billion in 2023-24, a 17 per cent reduction.

    The Minns Labor Government continues to progress the establishment of a new unit within the Premier’s Department to reduce the use of consultants by redirecting agencies to in-house expertise to deliver better outcomes across the government.

    Under the previous government, 15% of contracts for external consultants were for ‘generalist work’ which could be done in-house and includes work like policy design and evaluation.

    A report released by the Government in May 2024 found that utilising the existing expertise within the public service could save as much as 52% per contract. It also means that the public sector can retain knowledge and talent, thereby improving the quality of future, similar projects.

    The result highlights the progress being made by the Minns Labor Government to correct twelve years of waste and mismanagement by the previous Liberal-National Government.

    Quotes attributable to Acting Treasurer Courtney Houssos:

    “This government is committed to paying consultants less and essential workers more.

    “The growth in consultant spend under the previous government was out of control. We said we’d end wasteful spending, and that’s what we’ve done.

    “There is always more to be done, and the Minns Labor Government continues working to ensure that every dollar of taxpayer money is being spent more efficiently.

    “Delivering on these savings required a forensic approach to the state’s accounts and a culture shift which prioritises harnessing the expertise and knowledge within the existing public service.

    “Instead of wasting money, we’re bolstering the public service’s capacity and focusing their efforts on what matters most to families and households in NSW.

    “Given the scale of the problem we inherited, there is still much work to do.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Teacher vacancies drop under Minns Labor Government

    Source: New South Wales Government 2

    Headline: Teacher vacancies drop under Minns Labor Government

    Published: 3 February 2025

    Released by: The Premier, Deputy Premier, Minister for Education and Early Learning

    Thousands more children will now have a qualified teacher in front of them when school returns this year with new data released today showing teacher vacancies falling to a four-year low.

    There are now 1,294 vacancies in NSW public schools – a 40 per cent reduction since the same time in 2023 before the Minns Labor Government came into office and the lowest number of vacancies at the start of a school year since 2021.

    While there is more work to do to improve the teacher retention and recruitment record left by the former Liberal National government, the Minns Labor Government is continuing work to rebuild public education which started with scrapping the wages cap that saw teacher resignations and retirements reach record highs.

    As a result, the rate of attrition is also consistently falling as more teachers – including those with decades of experience – see the value of remaining in the profession.

    At the same time as thousands of classes were merged each day and resignations outstripped retirements for the first time, the former Education Minister Sarah Mitchell denied a teacher shortage crisis was occurring, and continued to advocate for a wages cap which suppressed teachers’ pay. Under her watch, vacancies peaked at 3,311 in 2022.

    The Minns Labor Government was elected with a commitment to rebuild public education across the state, improve teacher recruitment and retention and lift student outcomes. While this work is ongoing, it is already delivering results and has included:

    • Delivering the largest pay rise in a generation to all of NSW’s public school teachers.
    • Making over 16,000 teachers and school support staff on temporary contracts permanent.
    • Expanding the Department’s Priority Recruitment Support model from 79 to 110 schools, giving them targeted support to fill vacancies.
    • Banning mobile phones in all public schools, minimising classroom distractions.
    • Addressing workload by allowing additional time to roll out a new curriculum, improving mandatory training and professional learning requirements, providing access to AI assistance, providing additional administrative support in schools.

    Premier of New South Wales Chris Minns said:

    “It’s hard to measure the impact that public school teachers have, but I think almost everyone has a teacher they can point to as being an incredible, positive influence on their lives.

    “We respect teachers, and we want them at the front of our classrooms doing what they do best. That is what we committed to before the election and that is what we are continuing work to deliver.

    “We know there’s more to do, but it’s brilliant that thousands more kids will return this year to a qualified teacher at the front of their classroom.”

    Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said: 

    “Labor was elected to rebuild essential services after a decade of neglect under the former Liberal National government and I am proud the Minns Labor Government is delivering.

    “We inherited a teacher shortage crisis from the former Liberal National Government that was leading to thousands of collapsed and merged classes every day. That’s thousands of lost teaching hours every day.

    “The massive fall in teacher vacancies shows what you can achieve when you actually listen to our dedicated and hardworking teachers and value the life-changing work they do.

    “Having a qualified teacher at the front of every classroom is vital to delivering improved academic outcomes for our students.

    “These figures show that the uplift in teachers’ pay – opposed by the Liberal and National Parties – means so many more of our students now have a teacher in their classroom, which can only lead to better outcomes.

    “The drop in resignations and retirements shows teachers are hearing that we value their work and they feel supported to focus on the job of delivering quality teaching and learning.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Transformed Municipal Baths site now open!

    Source: State of Victoria Local Government 2

    The former Bendigo Municipal Baths next to Faith Leech Aquatic Centre in Barnard Street has been transformed into a fantastic new recreation area that is now open for the public to enjoy.

    City of Greater Bendigo Mayor Cr Andrea Metcalf said after being fenced off to the public for many years, the City has completed a major $3M project to re-open this once hidden area to provide an attractive urban park complete with a lakeside loop track and boardwalk for community use.

    “The City is very proud to have funded this important project which we think will become a much loved and popular spot in the heart of Bendigo’s Rosalind Park precinct,” said Cr Metcalf.

    The project has included:

    • Major works to stabilise the dam wall
    • Removal of perimeter fencing
    • Removal of the island
    • Sludge removal and water quality improvements
    • Installation of fish habitat logs for freshwater mussels and small native fish
    • Installation of irrigated lawn areas, park seating, pedestrian lighting and signage
    • Planting of shade trees, native aquatic plantings and landscaping
    • Construction of a loop walking path and installation of a board walk on the eastern side of the water body
    • Interpretive signage, landscaping and vegetation by Djandak

    The original Municipal Baths were officially opened over 110 years ago in 1913 on the site of an existing dam. The baths were Bendigo’s primary location for swimming and bathing until the opening of the adjacent Bendigo Olympic Swimming Pool (now Faith Leech Aquatic Centre) in 1958.

    Originally more than twice its current size, the baths facility once featured a grandstand, change rooms, diving platforms, jetties, training areas, sunbathing decks and a water polo area. There was also a shallow paddling paddock that was reserved for children up to nine years old.

    At the official opening large crowds filled the pavilion and grounds to watch exhibitions by the Royal Life Saving Society and swimming races by members of the Bendigo Swimming Club. Bunting adorned the buildings and a local brass band performed on the day. The baths quickly became one of the most popular swimming places in Bendigo.

    The development of the adjacent Bendigo Olympic Pool in the 1950s signalled the closure of the Municipal Baths and over time, the old infrastructure was removed, and the site was fenced off to the public in the 1980s.

    In 2014 the City of Greater Bendigo developed a Masterplan for Rosalind Park which recommended opening up and restoration of the site for community use as a key action of the plan.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: 2023-24 annual financial disclosure return information published today [3 February 2025]

    Source: Australian Electoral Commission

    AECMedia

    Updated: 3 February 2025

    The 2023-24 annual financial disclosure return information from political parties, significant third parties, associated entities, members of the House of Representatives, Senators, donors and third parties that incur electoral expenditure are now available for public inspection.

    The annual return information is available on the AEC’s Transparency Register at https://transparency.aec.gov.au/.  

    Navigating the register

    The Transparency Register is a database of financial disclosure information, allowing users to apply multiple filters to refine their search. It also includes a data-export function to enable users to undertake additional analysis of the data outside the Register.

    Any questions on the navigation of the Transparency Register should be directed to the AEC’s funding and disclosure helpdesk on 02 6271 4552.

    Editor’s notes:

    • The disclosure scheme requires registered political parties, significant third parties, associated entities, members of the House of Representatives, Senators, donors and third parties that have incurred electoral expenditure to lodge annual financial disclosure returns with the AEC.
    • The disclosure threshold for the 2023–24 financial year returns was $16,300. The threshold is indexed on 1 July each year.
    • The disclosure period covers 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024. Any transactions made after 30 June 2024 should be disclosed in the 2024–25 annual disclosure return.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: New $43 million partnership with WA to address family and domestic violence

    Source: Ministers for Social Services

    Joint with:

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

    The Hon Sabine Winton MLA
    Minister for Early Childhood Education
    Minister for Child Protection
    Minister for Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence
    Minister for Community Services
    Member for Wanneroo

    The Albanese Labor Government is working in partnership with the Cook Labor Government to take significant steps towards ending gender-based violence in one generation.

    A renewed five-year National Partnership Agreement on Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence Responses with Western Australia will see an additional $42.975 million invested by the Commonwealth from 2025-26 to 2090-30, matched by recent investment from the State Government.

    The long-term funding will go to vital projects on the ground to help prevent and respond to family, domestic and sexual violence.

    The new partnership agreement brings Western Australia’s total allocation since 2022 to $110.96 million.  

    Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth said the renewed partnership agreement will help deliver the shared goal under the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-2032 to end gender-based violence in one generation.

    “Addressing the rates of family, domestic and sexual violence has been one of my top priorities since becoming Minister for Social Services, and I am proud of what our government has achieved in just a short amount of time,” Minister Rishworth said.

    “The matched State and Commonwealth funding for Western Australia will continue to provide those on the frontline with the resources and support they need to bring about positive change and help people impacted by family, domestic and sexual violence, whether they are in crisis or starting their journey of recovery and healing.

    “I’m so pleased Western Australia is the first State to sign onto the new partnership agreement and we will continue to work in tandem with all states and territories to ensure that the safety and wellbeing of all women and children is paramount, no matter their circumstance or location.”

    West Australian Minister for the Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence Sabine Winton said the funding would be crucial for frontline service providers in the state.

    “This funding secures certainty for our frontline providers,” Minister Winton said.

    “I’m so pleased we are continuing to partner with the Commonwealth government, with Western Australia becoming the first state to sign up to the new agreement.  

    “The funding will continue to support the incredible work being done on the ground by community outreach services, women’s refuges, and the family and domestic violence sector.

    “It builds on the Cook Government’s long-standing commitment to addressing the scourge of family and domestic violence.”

    Across all jurisdictions, the renewed National Partnership will deliver $700 million in new, matched investments from the Commonwealth and states and territories, supporting frontline family, domestic and sexual violence services, including specialist services for women and children exposed to family, domestic and sexual violence, and men’s behaviour change programs.

    An independent evaluation of the renewed FDSV National Partnership will be undertaken towards the end of the agreement.  

    More information on the FDSV National Partnership Agreement is available on the Federal Financial Relations website.

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

    If you are concerned about your behaviour or use of violence, you can contact the Men’s Referral Service on 1300 766 491 or visit www.ntv.org.au

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

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Vehicle clamped after hooning incident

    Source: Tasmania Police

    Vehicle clamped after hooning incident

    Monday, 3 February 2025 – 9:09 am.

    A 17 year old boy has had his vehicle clamped for 28 days after having his licence for only four days.
    A vehicle owned by the teen driver was detected doing a burnout on Richmond Road at Cambridge on Saturday 1 February.
    The vehicle was subsequently clamped, and investigations are ongoing in relation to the identity of the person driving the vehicle at the time of the incident.
    Police will continue to detect and deter hooning and anti-social behaviour on Tasmanian roads and urge anyone who witnesses such behaviour to report it by contacting police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers anonymously on 1800 333 000 or online at crimestopperstas.com.au
    If you can’t report it at the time but you have footage, you can upload it to police.tas.gov.au/report/

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Education – New charter schools open doors to first students

    Source: Charter School Agency

    Three of the first seven new charter schools | kura hourua open their doors today, marking a huge milestone for education in New Zealand, says Charter School Agency Chief Executive, Jane Lee.

    Mastery Schools New Zealand – Arapaki (Christchurch), L’École Française Internationale (Auckland) and Te Rito, Te Kura Taiao (Doubtless Bay) will all welcome their first students with a range of celebrations.

    Mastery Schools New Zealand – Arapaki, the first new charter school to be announced last November, will greet its first 60 students with a mihi whakatau including whānau, supporters, Charter School Agency, government and Authorisation Board representatives, as well as founders of Mastery Schools Australia.

    L’École Française Internationale will celebrate with students and families by sharing a traditional French breakfast which coincides with la chandeleur (pancake day) in France while Te Rito, Te Kura Taiao will also have a mihi whakatau to welcome its first cohort, with plans for a larger opening celebration in a few weeks.

    “Today is a huge day for education. I welcome these schools to the charter school network and applaud the sponsors and education leaders for their vision and strategic approach to lifting student outcomes,” says Ms Lee.

    “The introduction of more diverse learning options in our communities opens more choice for families and students and offers a new start for children who have been disengaged or who will benefit from a different approach.  

    “Charter schools will help children attain attendance and achievement levels and the real value will be realised through them growing in confidence, reaching their potential and ultimately contributing to their communities,” says Ms Lee.

    The opening of Mastery Schools New Zealand – Arapaki was particularly significant for the school’s sponsors, Dave and Jo Jessep, whose inspiration to open a charter school stemmed from supporting their daughter’s learning needs.

    The Mastery Schools programme is evidence based and focuses on learners who are disengaged from mainstream schools. Each class has a core teacher with three teaching assistants.

    Four other new charter schools are scheduled to open in the coming week.

    TIPENE, the South Auckland Māori boys boarding school, will welcome its first cohort and whānau with a pōwhiri on 6 February, Waitangi Day, which Associate Minister for Education, David Seymour, will speak at following his attendance at Waitangi.

    The BUSY School New Zealand (central Auckland) opens on 7 February and both North West College (Auckland) and Christchurch North College start their terms on 10 February.

    More new charter schools which could open later this year or early 2026 will be announced in the coming weeks. The Charter School Agency is also preparing to start an expression of interest process for existing state schools which are interested in becoming charter schools and a new round of applications for sponsors to open new charter schools.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Activist News – PSNA tells Foreign Minister Winston Peters to ignore ‘Trump’s bully’ on Israeli soldiers holidaying here

    Source: Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa

     

    The Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa is telling Foreign Minister Winston Peters to ignore the bullying from pro-Israel Texas senator Ted Cruz and have the courage to stop welcoming Israel solders to New Zealand.

     

    Winston Peters has claimed Israeli media stories that New Zealand has stopped Israeli military visiting New Zealand are false.  Ted Cruz had quoted Israeli daily Ha’aretz in a tweet which says “It’s difficult to treat New Zealand as a normal ally within the American alliance system, when they denigrate and punish Israeli citizens for defending themselves.”

     

    PSNA chair John Minto says Peters should not buckle to a Trump-supporting senator who fully backs Israeli genocide.

     

    “Ted Cruz believes Israel should continue defending land it has stolen from Palestinians. He supports every Israeli war crime. New Zealand must be different.

    Last September New Zealand voted against the US at the United Nations where we sided with the majority of humanity to give Israel a year to fully get out of the Occupied Palestinian Territory.”

     

    “So the New Zealand government has a completely different policy position to the US.  That should be reflected in the actions of the New Zealand government.  We must have an immigration ban on Israeli soldiers who have served in the Israeli military since October 2023 as well as a ban on any Israeli who lives in an illegal Israeli settlement on occupied Palestinian land.”

     

    Minto says it is not clear what the current immigration rules are for different entry categories, but it does seem that some longer stay Israeli applicants are required to declare they have not committed human rights violations before they are allowed in.

     

    “That’s what the Australians are doing.  It appears ineffective at preventing Israeli troops having ‘genocide holidays’ in Australia – but it’s a start.  We’d like to see a broader, effective, and watertight ban on Israeli troops coming here.”

     

    “Instead of bowing to US pressure New Zealand should be joining the Hague group of countries, as proposed by the Palestine Forum of New Zealand, to take decisive action to prevent and punish Israeli war crimes.”

     

    John Minto

    National Chair

    Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Could the contraceptive pill reduce risk of ovarian cancer?

    Source: University of South Australia

    03 February 2025

    It’s a little pill with big responsibilities. But despite its primary role to prevent pregnancy, the contraceptive pill (or ‘the Pill’) could also help reduce the risk of ovarian cancer, according to new research from the University of South Australia.

    Screening for risk factors of ovarian cancer using artificial intelligence, UniSA researchers found that the oral contraceptive pill reduced the risk of ovarian cancer by 26% among women who had ever used the Pill, and by 43% for women who had used the Pill after the age of 45.

    The study also identified some biomarkers associated with ovarian cancer risk, including several characteristics of red blood cells and certain liver enzymes in the blood, with lower body weight and shorter stature associating with a lower risk of ovarian cancer.

    Researchers also found that women who had given birth to two or more children had a 39% reduced risk of developing ovarian cancer compared to those who had not had children.

    Ahead of World Cancer Day on 4 February, the findings have potential to support early diagnosis of ovarian cancer.

    In Australia, ovarian cancer is the tenth most common cancer in women and the sixth most common cause of death from cancer in women. 

    In 2023, 1786 females were diagnosed with ovarian cancer in Australia; the same year, 1050 females died of the disease.

    UniSA researcher Dr Amanda Lumsden says understanding risks and preventative factors for ovarian cancer is key for improved treatment and outcomes.

    “Ovarian cancer is notoriously diagnosed at a late stage, with about 70% of cases only identified when they are significantly advanced,” Dr Lumsden says.

    “Late detection contributes to a survival rate of less than 30% over five years, in comparison to more than 90% for ovarian cancers that are caught early. That’s why it’s so important to identify risk factors.

    “In this research, we found that women who had used the oral contraceptive pill had a lower risk of ovarian cancer. And those who had last used the Pill in their mid-40s, had an even lower level of risk.

    “This poses the question as to whether interventions that reduce the number of ovulations could be used as a potential target for prevention strategies for ovarian cancer.”

    Supported by the MRFF, the study used artificial intelligence to assess the data of 221,732 females (aged 37-73 at baseline) in the UK Biobank.

    Machine learning specialist, UniSA’s Dr Iqbal Madakkatel, says the study shows how artificial intelligence can help to identify risk factors that may otherwise have gone undetected.

    “We included information from almost 3000 diverse characteristics related to health, medication use, diet and lifestyle, physical measures, metabolic, and hormonal factors, each measured at the start of the study,” Dr Madakkatel says.

    “It was particularly interesting that some blood measures – which were measured on average 12.6 years before diagnoses – were predictive of ovarian cancer risk, because it suggests we may be able to develop tests to identify women at risk at a very early stage.”

    Project Lead, Professor Elina Hyppönen, says that identifying risk factors for ovarian cancer could help to improve survival rates through prevention and earlier detection.

    “It is exciting that our data-driven analyses have uncovered key risk factors for ovarian cancer that can be acted upon,” Prof Hyppönen says.

    “It is possible that by using the contraceptive pill to reduce ovulations or by reducing harmful adiposity, we may be able to lower to risk of ovarian cancer. But more research is needed to establish the best approaches to prevention, as well as the ways in which we can identify women most at risk.”

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

    Contacts for interview:  Dr Amanda Lumsden E: Amanda.Lumsden@unisa.edu.au

    Professor Elina Hyppönen: E: Elina.Hypponen@unisa.edu.au
    Media contact: Annabel Mansfield M: +61 479 182 489 E: Annabel.Mansfield@unisa.edu.au

    Other articles you may be interested in

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Pedestrian injured on Abbotsfield Road, Claremont

    Source: Tasmania Police

    Pedestrian injured on Abbotsfield Road, Claremont

    Saturday, 1 February 2025 – 7:36 am.

    At 9.30pm on Friday 31 January 2025, emergency services were called to a report of a pedestrian being struck by a vehicle on Abbotsfield Road, Claremont.A 40 year old male was transported to the Royal Hobart Hospital with minor injuries. He is expected to make a full recovery.Investigations are continuing into circumstances around the incident. Police would like to speak to anyone who may have seen a silver 1996 Toyota Camry in the area of Abbotsfield Road at the time.Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or at crimestoppers.com.au. Information can be provided anonymously.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Serious three vehicle crash near Franklin

    Source: Tasmania Police

    Serious three vehicle crash near Franklin

    Saturday, 1 February 2025 – 5:36 pm.

    Police and emergency services responded to a serious three-vehicle crash at the northern end of Franklin earlier today.
    The crash involved a white Suzuki, a white Ford utility towing a car on a car trailer, and a silver Suzuki.
    Initial investigations indicate that the white Suzuki had slowed to a stop to give way to oncoming traffic before preparing to turn into a driveway. The ute towing the trailer was following the white Suzuki, and as it came around a corner, the driver braked heavily, losing control of the trailer and its load. The ute collided with the white Suzuki, forcing it into oncoming traffic, where it then collided with the silver Suzuki.
    The occupants of the silver Suzuki, who are elderly, are in a serious condition. The driver of the white Ford utility was taken to hospital in a stable condition, while the driver of the white Suzuki was uninjured.
    Patients were evacuated from the scene by two helicopters and road ambulance.
    This incident serves as a timely reminder for all drivers to ensure any load being towed is within the specified limits of the trailer and tow vehicle and that all loads are properly secured.
    Alcohol and drugs are not suspected to be factors in the crash, but all drivers have undergone mandatory blood testing.
    Tasmania Police thanks the community for their patience while officers conducted a thorough investigation at the scene.
    Anyone who witnessed the crash or has relevant dashcam footage is urged to contact police on 131 444.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Regional Australia to get 10 new University Study Hubs

    Source: Australian Executive Government Ministers

    The Albanese Labor Government today announced the locations of 10 new Regional University Study Hubs across the country, bringing university closer to students living in the regions.

    This comes as new data shows a 32 per cent increase in the past year of students using the existing 43 Study Hubs across the country.

    The new 10 new Regional University Study Hubs are:

    • Clermont and Moranbah, QLD
    • Hughenden, QLD 
    • Hay, NSW
    • Tumut, NSW
    • Northam, WA
    • Kununurra, WA
    • Kangaroo Island, SA
    • Hamilton, VIC
    • St Helens, TAS 
    • Burnt Pine, Norfolk Island.

    The 10 new Hubs are expected to be operational from mid-2025. 

    Once these open, there will be 56 Regional University Study Hubs located across the country. 

    43 of these Hubs are open and another 3 expected to open by Semester 1, 2025. There are also 10 Suburban University Study Hubs that are expected to be operational by mid-2025.

    Study Hubs provide student support and campus-style facilities for students who are doing a university degree without having to leave their community. 

    The evidence shows that where they are, university participation increases. 

    The current 43 Hubs support over 5,200 students, with the most popular courses among students at Regional University Study Hubs are in areas of skills need such as health (34 per cent) and education (17 per cent).

    These 10 new Hubs are part of the Albanese Government’s $66.9 million investment to double the number of University Study Hubs across Australia.

    This announcement builds on the first round of new Regional University Study Hubs announced last year, which are located in:

    • East Arnhem Land, Northern Territory
    • Victor Harbor, South Australia
    • Warwick, Queensland
    • Chinchilla, Queensland
    • Innisfail, Queensland
    • King Island, Tasmania
    • Katanning, Western Australia
    • The Pilbara (Tom Price and Onslow), Western Australia
    • Central Western Queensland (Longreach, Barcaldine, Blackall, Winton, Boulia, Bedourie, Birdsville and Jundah)
    • East Gippsland (Mallacoota, Orbost, Omeo, Heyfield and Yarram), Victoria

    The Government also provided additional funding to two existing Regional University Study Hubs located in:

    • Cowra, New South Wales
    • Mudgee, New South Wales

    The new University Study Hubs are part of the Government’s response to the Universities Accord.

    For more information: Regional University Study Hubs – Department of Education, Australian Government

    Quotes attributable to Minister for Education Jason Clare:

    “Today, almost one in two young people in their 20s and their 30s have a university degree. But not everywhere. Not in the outer suburbs and not in regional Australia. 

    “That’s why we are doubling the number of University Study Hubs, to bring university closer to them.

    “We know they work. The evidence is they increase the number of people going to uni degree. 

    “Bringing university closer to where you live will encourage more people who otherwise might decide not to go to university at all to give it a crack.”

    Quotes attributable to Assistant Minister for Education and Regional Development Anthony Chisholm:

    “Each time we open a new hub in a regional, rural or remote community, we’re removing an educational barrier that can stop people from getting a tertiary qualification.

    “These 10 new locations will mean more young people in the regions have the opportunity to stay in their communities and near their support networks while studying a tertiary qualification.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: How we’re recovering priceless audio and lost languages from old decaying tapes

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nick Thieberger, Associate Professor in Linguistics and a Chief Investigator in the Centre of Excellence for the Dynamics of Language, The University of Melbourne

    Nick Thieberger

    Remember cassettes? If you’re old enough, you might remember dropping one into a player, only to have it screech at you when you pressed “play”. We’ve fixed that problem. But why would we bother?

    Before the iPod came along, people recorded their favourite tunes straight from the radio. Some of us made home recordings with our sibling and grandparents – precious childhood snippets.

    And a few of us even have recordings from that time we travelled to a village in Vanuatu, some 40 years ago, and heard the locals performing in a language that no longer exists.

    In the field of linguistics, such recordings are beyond priceless – yet often out of reach, due to the degradation of old cassettes over time. With a new tool, we are able to repair those tapes, and in doing so can recover the stories, songs and memories they hold.

    A digital humanities telescope

    Our digital archive, PARADISEC (Pacific and Regional Archive for Digital Sources in Endangered Cultures) contains thousands of hours of audio – mainly from musicological or linguistic fieldwork. This audio represents some 1,360 languages, with a major focus on languages of the Pacific and Papua New Guinea.

    The PARADISEC research project was started in 2003 as a collaboration between the universities of Melbourne and Sydney, and the Australian National University.

    Like a humanities telescope, PARADISEC allows us to learn more about the language diversity around us, as we explained in a 2016 Conversation article.

    Lubing the screech

    While many of the tapes we get are in good condition and can be readily played and digitised, others need special care, and the removal of mould and dirt.

    We work with colleagues at agencies such as the Solomon Islands National Museum, for whom we recently repaired a set of cassettes that were previously unplayable and just screeched. We’ll be taking those cassettes, now repaired and digitised, back to Honiara in February and expect to pick up more for further treatment.

    Screeching happens when a tape is dried out and can’t move through the mechanism easily. The screeching covers the audio signal we want to capture.

    In 2019, my colleague Sam King built (with the help of his colleague Doug Smith) a cassette-lubricating machine while working at the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies. This machine – likely the first of its kind in Australia – allowed us to play many previously unplayable tapes.

    Last year, Sam built two versions of an updated machine called the LM-3032 Tape Restorator for PARADISEC, improving on the previous model. Between hand building some parts, 3D printing others and writing code for the controllers, it took him more than a year.

    The 2024 LM-3032 Tape Restorator is an improved version of a model built in 2019.
    Sam King

    Preserving culture and heritage

    The LM-3032 Tape Restorator works by applying cyclomethicone (a silicone-based solvent used in cosmetics) to the length of a tape. This leaves behind an extremely thin film of lubrication that allows smoother playback, making digitisation possible. See more details here.

    Tests have shown this process has no negative long-term effects on the tape. In fact, tapes treated with this method five years ago still play without issues.

    This technological wizardry allows us to salvage precious analogue recordings before it’s too late. For many languages, these may be the only known recordings – stored on a single cassette, in a single location, and virtually inaccessible. Some of the primary research records digitised by PARADISEC have survived long periods of neglect in offices, garages and attics.

    The audio below is from a tape that was kept at Fitzroy Crossing in the Kimberley for 40 years. It features beautiful singing in the local Walmajarri language, with guitar accompaniment. The first seven seconds are from the untreated tape, while the rest is from the treated version.

    Singing in Walmajarri, with guitar accompaniment. A side-by-side comparison of a tape treated with the LM-3032 Tape Restorator.
    CC BY-NC-SA410 KB (download)

    Our experience has shown community members truly value finding records in their own languages, and we’re committed to making this process easier for them.

    Here’s one testimonial from E’ava Geita, Papua New Guinea’s current acting Solicitor General. In 2015, Geita was overjoyed to hear digitised records capturing PNG’s Koita language:

    If only you witnessed and captured the reaction in me going through the recordings at home! It is quite an amazing experience! From feeling of awe to emotion to deep excitement! The feeling of knowing that your language has been documented or recorded in a structured way, kept safely somewhere in the world, hearing it spoken 50–60 years ago and by some people you haven’t seen but whose names you only hear in history is quite incredible. It is most heartwarming to know that it is possible to sustain the life of my language. Thank you once again for the opportunity to listen to the records.

    Acknowlegement: I’d like to thank Sam King for the technical information provided in this article.

    The Tape Restorator was funded by the School of Languages and Linguistics, University of Melbourne, and by a grant from the Australian Research Council (LE220100010)

    – ref. How we’re recovering priceless audio and lost languages from old decaying tapes – https://theconversation.com/how-were-recovering-priceless-audio-and-lost-languages-from-old-decaying-tapes-248116

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Demolition should be the last resort for Melbourne’s 44 public housing towers – retrofit and upgrade instead

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nigel Bertram, Practice Professor of Architecture, Monash University

    Investment in public housing is long overdue. But the current proposal to demolish all 44 of Melbourne’s social housing towers, relocate more than 10,000 residents and redevelop the sites is deeply flawed.

    This blanket approach risks repeating the traumatic dislocation of vulnerable communities that happened when the towers were built more than 50 years ago. It also involves wasting money, energy and construction materials.

    The state government says the old high-rises are being redeveloped to meet modern standards and house more people. But the decision to demolish and rebuild, rather than upgrade, has been challenged repeatedly.

    I coauthored one of the most recent reports from concerned independent architects, urban designers and researchers. Together we argue retrofitting and upgrading existing housing stock, when combined with strategic new building, is technically feasible, cheaper and better for people and the planet.

    At the same time, a class action lawsuit is awaiting a legal ruling on whether the government should be forced to release documents justifying demolition over retrofitting.

    We know retaining and reusing existing structures saves energy and other resources, ultimately reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Across 44 buildings, this could also save around A$1.5 billion in construction costs.

    Playing the numbers game

    The federal government has set a national target to build 1.2 million homes by 2029. Victoria has a “bold” target to build 800,000 new homes over the next ten years. But how they go about meeting these targets matters too.

    Melbourne’s housing commission towers are home to established communities, where connections between people have developed over a long period. This has immense social value.

    The 44 towers also represent substantial embodied carbon. This is the carbon dioxide (CO₂) already emitted in extracting, manufacturing, transporting, installing and eventually disposing of existing concrete, bricks and other reusable materials.

    Our analysis of one tower at Atherton Gardens estate revealed a potential saving of 16,000 tonnes of CO₂ through retrofitting. Multiplying this by 44 adds up to more than 700,000 tonnes – roughly equivalent to taking 150,000 cars off the road.

    Taking tips from overseas

    Overseas, similar postwar housing precincts have been updated and redeveloped in a more careful, considered way. Residents have even been able to stay in place while improvements are made. Such approaches incorporate a mix of renovation and retrofitting of existing buildings, combined with new infill and upgrades to public open spaces.

    This approach integrates the precincts into the surrounding city and upgrades facilities to contemporary standards – without wholesale disruption and dislocation of the residents and their established communities.

    It’s hard to know whether this work was considered during the decision-making process. The Victorian government and its housing agency Homes Victoria have so far refused to release the relevant reports or documents explaining their reasoning.

    Such lack of transparency and consultation led to the launch of the class action. Residents at the Flemington and North Melbourne Estates have come together to argue their human rights were not considered when the decision to demolish their homes was made.

    Two reports provide independent analysis

    Filling the void, professional groups have undertaken two separate independent studies on a pro-bono basis. These reports analyse the different options based on the available information.

    I helped compare three scenarios for a 20-storey tower at Atherton Gardens, Fitzroy. The research analysed two retrofit scenarios for the tower and compared these with a hypothetical equivalent new building.

    We established the scope of building works required for each scenario. The team then measured capital cost, embodied carbon and carbon during operation for each case.

    We found considerable savings can be made in capital costs (25–30%), embodied carbon (34–36%) and construction time (15–20%) through retrofitting, compared with constructing an equivalent new building.

    When multiplied over 44 towers, these savings amount to about A$1.5 billion in raw construction value alone. This is without considering the additional costs of relocating existing residents, providing alternative accommodation during construction, or the social and health and wellbeing costs associated with long-term dislocation of communities.

    A separate more detailed report on the Flemington Estate was released in October by charitable not-for-profit design and research practice OFFICE. Both reports independently arrived at very similar solutions for ways to address structural, fire and servicing upgrades.

    Breaking down the barriers

    Several reasons have been circulated as to why these high-rise towers are unsuitable for retrofitting. The two reports go through each in turn.

    The towers are constructed from precast concrete slabs and internal walls are load-bearing. This makes refurbishment difficult, because the majority of walls cannot be moved. The buildings were also designed when the requirement to resist earthquakes was minimal.

    A range of other technical hurdles, such as improving acoustic, thermal and fire separation and repairing degraded concrete, would also complicate upgrades. But none of these issues is insurmountable.

    Both reports include strategies to address these issues, costed into the estimates. For example, the cost of strengthening to meet earthquake codes has been estimated as $1.73 million in Flemington and $3.85 million for Atherton Gardens. That’s around 3.7% of the total $105 million estimated construction cost for a single Atherton Gardens tower.

    Exploring alternatives

    The fact a building does not meet current regulatory standards is not in itself a reason for demolition. More than 80% of the city’s buildings would fail to meet these standards, including everything built in the 19th and 20th centuries. Our building codes recognise the value of existing structures and have provisions for renovation scenarios.

    Retention and reuse of existing building fabric can achieve results surpassing current legislative standards while minimising waste, retaining the value of existing embodied carbon, and retaining the fabric, character and social memory of the city in the process.

    Retrofitting can also avoid the mass displacement of existing residents, who would otherwise need to be accommodated during the construction phase. For instance, construction can allow refurbishment on a floor-by-floor basis, minimising relocation time for residents.

    With the right design, skilled consultants, and genuine care for residents, it’s possible to overcome the barriers typically faced when reusing existing building stock.

    I am grateful to Simon Robinson of OFFICE for his contributions to this article.



    Read more:
    Why knock down all public housing towers when retrofit can sometimes be better?

    Nigel Bertram has previously received funding from the Australian Research Council

    – ref. Demolition should be the last resort for Melbourne’s 44 public housing towers – retrofit and upgrade instead – https://theconversation.com/demolition-should-be-the-last-resort-for-melbournes-44-public-housing-towers-retrofit-and-upgrade-instead-246327

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Pregnant women can now get a free RSV shot. What other vaccines do you need when you’re expecting?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Archana Koirala, Paediatrician and Infectious Diseases Specialist, University of Sydney

    voronaman/Shutterstock

    From today, February 3, pregnant women in Australia will be eligible for a free RSV vaccine under the National Immunisation Program.

    This vaccine is designed to protect young infants from severe RSV (respiratory syncytial virus). It does so by generating the production of antibodies against RSV in the mother, which then travel across the placenta to the baby.

    While the RSV vaccine is a new addition to the National Immunisation Program, it’s one of three vaccines provided free for pregnant women under the program, alongside ones for influenza and whooping cough. Each offers important protection for newborn babies.

    The RSV vaccine

    RSV is the most common cause of lower respiratory infections (bronchiolitis and pneumonia) in infants. It’s estimated that of every 100 infants born in Australia each year, at least two will be hospitalised with RSV by six months of age.

    RSV infection is most common roughly between March and August in the southern hemisphere, but infection can occur year-round, especially in tropical areas.

    The vaccine works by conferring passive immunity (from the mother) as opposed to active immunity (the baby’s own immune response). By the time the baby is born, their antibodies are sufficient to protect them during the first months of life when they are most vulnerable to severe RSV disease.

    The RSV vaccine registered for use in pregnant women in Australia, Abrysvo, has been used since 2023 in the Americas and Europe. Real-world experience there shows it’s working well.

    For example, over the 2024 RSV season in Argentina, it was found to prevent 72.7% of lower respiratory tract infections caused by RSV and requiring hospitalisation in infants aged 0–3 months, and 68% among those aged 0–6 months. This research noted three deaths from RSV, all in infants whose mothers did not receive the RSV vaccine during pregnancy.

    This was similar to protection seen in a large multinational clinical trial that compared babies born to mothers who received this RSV vaccine with babies born to mothers who received a placebo. This study found the vaccine prevented 82.4% of severe cases of RSV in infants aged under three months, and 70% under six months, and that the vaccine was safe.

    Vaccinating mothers during pregnancy protects the newborn baby.
    StoryTime Studio/Shutterstock

    In addition to the maternal vaccine, nirsevimab, a long-acting monoclonal antibody, provides effective protection against severe RSV disease. It’s delivered to the baby by an intramuscular injection, usually in the thigh.

    Nirsevimab is recommended for babies born to women who did not receive an RSV vaccine during pregnancy, or who are born within two weeks of their mother having received the shot (most likely if they’re born prematurely). It may also be recommended for babies who are at higher risk of RSV due to a medical condition, even if their mother was vaccinated.

    Nirsevimab is not funded under the National Immunisation Program, but is covered under various state and territory-based programs for infants of mothers who fall into the above categories.

    But now we have a safe and effective RSV vaccine for pregnancy, all pregnant women should be encouraged to receive it as the first line of prevention. This will maximise the number of babies protected during their first months of life.

    Flu and whooping cough

    It’s also important pregnant women continue to receive flu and whooping cough vaccines in 2025. Like the RSV vaccine, these protect infants by passing antibodies from mother to baby.

    There has been a large whooping cough outbreak in Australia in recent months, including a death of a two-month-old infant in Queensland in November 2024.

    The whooping cough vaccine, given in combination with diphtheria and tetanus, prevents more than 90% of whooping cough cases in babies too young to receive their first whooping cough vaccine dose.

    Similarly, influenza can be deadly in young babies, and maternal flu vaccination substantially reduces hospital visits associated with influenza for babies under six months. Flu can also be serious for pregnant women, so the vaccine offers important protection for the mother as well.

    COVID vaccines are safe in pregnancy, but unless a woman is otherwise eligible, they’re not routinely recommended. You can discuss this with your health-care provider.

    When and where can you get vaccinated?

    Pregnant women can receive these vaccines during antenatal visits through their GP or in a specialised antenatal clinic.

    The flu vaccine is recommended at any time during pregnancy, the whooping cough vaccine from 20 weeks (ideally before 32 weeks), and the RSV vaccine from 28 weeks (before 36 weeks).

    It’s safe to receive multiple vaccinations at the same clinic visit.

    The RSV vaccine is now available for pregnant women under the National Immunisation Program.
    Olga Rolenko/Shutterstock

    We know vaccination rates have declined in a variety of groups since the pandemic, and there’s evidence emerging that suggests this trend has occurred in pregnant women too.

    A recent preprint (a study yet to be peer-reviewed) found a decrease of nearly ten percentage points in flu vaccine coverage among pregnant women in New South Wales, from 58.8% in 2020 to 49.1% in 2022. The research showed a smaller drop of 1.4 percentage points for whooping cough, from 79% in 2020 to 77.6% in 2022.

    It’s important to work to improve vaccination rates during pregnancy to give babies the best protection in their first months of life.

    We know pregnant women would like to receive information about new and routine maternal vaccines early in pregnancy. In particular, many pregnant women want to understand how vaccines are tested for safety, and their effectiveness, which was evident during COVID.

    GPs and midwives are trusted sources of information on vaccines in pregnancy. There’s also information available online on Sharing Knowledge About Immunisation, a collaboration led by the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance.

    Archana Koirala is the chair of the Vaccination Special Interest Group and an executive member of the Australia and New Zealand Paediatric Infectious Diseases group of the Australasian Society of Infectious Diseases. She has received funding to her institution from the Australian government Department of Health and Aged Care and NSW government for her research activities.

    Bianca Middleton is a member of Vaccination Special Interest Group of the Australasian Society of Infectious Diseases. She is an investigator on several research studies funded by NHMRC/ MRFF, and also an investigator on an industry-sponsored clinical vaccine trial. She does not receive any direct funding from industry.

    Prof Margie Danchin receives funding from NHMRC, MRFF, Victorian and Commonwealth government and DFAT and WHO. She is a member of Vaccination Special Interest Group of the Australasian Society of Infectious Diseases (ASID), Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI).

    Peter McIntyre receives funding from the Health Research Council (New Zealand) and the Otago Medical Research Foundation and until the end of 2024 was a member of the WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts for immunisation

    Rebecca Doyle 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. Pregnant women can now get a free RSV shot. What other vaccines do you need when you’re expecting? – https://theconversation.com/pregnant-women-can-now-get-a-free-rsv-shot-what-other-vaccines-do-you-need-when-youre-expecting-246413

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Podcasts have helped sway many young American men to the right. The same may well happen in Australia

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Raffaele F Ciriello, Senior Lecturer in Business Information Systems, University of Sydney

    Shutterstock

    The 2024 US presidential election saw a historic shift to the right, driven by the largest swing of young male voters in two decades. Analysts attribute this partly to podcasters like Joe Rogan, whose unfiltered, conversational content bypassed traditional media to mobilise this demographic.

    Our own research shows that Donald Trump’s podcast strategy during the election campaign boosted his support by 1% to 2.6%, with more than half of this linked to Rogan’s platform. In contrast, Kamala Harris’s reliance on traditional, curated media lacked the authenticity that resonated with Trump’s base.

    This trend has clear parallels in Australia, where media strategy has long mirrored the US. In 1949, Robert Menzies used radio to reassure the public, much like Franklin D. Roosevelt’s “fireside chats”. In the 1980s, television brought Bob Hawke into voters’ homes, showcasing charisma akin that of John F. Kennedy in his earlier televised debates. Kevin Rudd’s 2007 “Kevin 07” campaign effectively mirrored Barack Obama’s use of social media to engage younger voters. Similarly, Scott Morrison’s 2019 campaign emulated Trump-style microtargeting on Facebook to connect with specific demographics.

    Today, podcasts have become the latest battleground for political influence. Their conversational, long-form format enables politicians to address complex issues in a direct, personal manner. This medium resonates particularly with younger voters, who are increasingly turning away from traditional media.

    The 2025 federal election will likely see a turning point in the influence of podcasts on election campaigns, and even the outcome.

    The Australian podcasting landscape

    Podcast consumption in Australia continues to rise, with listenership increasing by 8.7% in early 2024. This comes after reaching a record 43% in 2023, up from 17% in 2017.

    Dubbed “the world’s most avid podcast listeners”, Australian men aged 18–34 dominate the audience, drawn to popular news and politics podcasts such as ABC News Top Stories and The Party Room, as well as global hits like The Joe Rogan Experience.

    Podcasts appeal through their intimacy and authenticity, fostering a “close-knit friend group” atmosphere. Younger voters increasingly use podcasts to explore issues such as housing affordability and climate change.

    Rogan’s podcast exemplifies this appeal, particularly among young Australian men. With 80% of his audience male, and half aged 18–34, Rogan’s unapologetic masculinity and focus on topics such as combat sports, hunting and societal controversies position him as a counterbalance to identity politics. His “living room” style, seen during Trump’s three-hour appearance, makes polarising or extremist ideas more palatable. This reflects a broader cultural shift among young men toward what they see as “traditional values”.

    While podcasts often feature diverse viewpoints, their unregulated nature can expose listeners to harmful ideologies, fostering echo chambers or radicalisation. Misinformation spreads more easily in these spaces, as evidenced by the US, where fragmented media contributed to the rise of Trumpism. Although Australia’s stricter campaign finance laws and media regulations reduce such risks, they cannot eliminate them entirely.

    As the 2025 election nears, understanding how podcasts shape voter behaviour is critical for balanced political discourse and social cohesion.

    Australia’s political landscape

    Recent polls show the Liberal-National Coalition leading Labor 53.1% to 46.9% in two-party preferred voting, with 39% of voters preferring Peter Dutton as prime minister compared with Anthony Albanese’s 34%. While the Coalition uses Trump-style strategies, Albanese appears to have a problem with male voters.

    Dutton emulates Trump in using podcasts to connect directly with young male voters and amplify culture war themes, anti-woke sentiment, and populist rhetoric.

    His Elon Musk-inspired push for a “government efficiency” department mirrors Trump’s populist promises of cutting “wasteful spending”.

    The Coalition has tapped into a broader cultural shift among young men. Many of these men have gravitated toward influencers like Andrew Tate – alleged rapist and human trafficker with ambitions to become UK prime minister – whose divisive rhetoric reinforces regressive ideals.

    Surveys reveal 28% of Australian teenage boys admire Tate, while 36% find him relatable. Moreover, half of surveyed schools link his influence to negative behavioural changes.

    These strategies seem to work, with polls showing increased male voter support for the Coalition (52.7% to Labor’s 47.3%).

    Australia’s compulsory voting and multi-party preferential system encourage broad-based appeals. But they also risk amplifying polarisation.

    Australia’s concentrated media ownership, dominated by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp, further shapes public discourse by amplifying conservative perspectives.

    Although younger Australians – especially women – remain a strong progressive base for Labor, the rise of right-wing podcasts and their impact on young male voters poses a significant challenge. The Coalition’s ability to connect with this demographic via podcasts, leveraging dissatisfaction and cultural shifts, could shape the election’s outcome.

    Opportunity and risk

    Podcasts present both opportunities and risks for Australian politics. They offer a powerful platform for politicians to engage younger voters on crucial issues, fostering deeper connections. However, their unregulated nature enables the spread of misinformation and the normalisation of polarising ideas.

    To address this, voters should critically evaluate podcast content, fact-check claims using resources such as RMIT ABC Fact Check and AAP FactCheck, and seek diverse perspectives. Politicians, meanwhile, must use podcasts strategically, balancing authenticity with accountability.

    Progressive ideas could better resonate with young male audiences by reframing topics such as climate action, housing affordability and workplace equity as opportunities for leadership, empowerment and responsibility. Partnering with relatable influencers and using accessible, conversational podcast formats can help progressives connect with this demographic.

    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. Podcasts have helped sway many young American men to the right. The same may well happen in Australia – https://theconversation.com/podcasts-have-helped-sway-many-young-american-men-to-the-right-the-same-may-well-happen-in-australia-248135

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: How psychologists kick-started AI by studying the human mind

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chris Ludlow, Lecturer in Psychology, Swinburne University of Technology

    The Mark I Perceptron used one of the first artificial neural networks to identify letters of the alphabet. National Museum of the U.S. Navy / Wikimedia

    Many people think of psychology as being primarily about mental health, but its story goes far beyond that.

    As the science of the mind, psychology has played a pivotal role in shaping artificial intelligence, offering insights into human cognition, learning and behaviour that have profoundly influenced AI’s development.

    These contributions not only laid the foundations for AI but also continue to guide its future development. The study of psychology has shaped our understanding of what constitutes intelligence in machines, and how we can address the complex challenges and benefits associated with this technology.

    Machines mimicking nature

    The origins of modern AI can be traced back to psychology in the mid-20th century. In 1949, psychologist Donald Hebb proposed a model for how the brain learns: connections between brain cells grow stronger when they are active at the same time.

    This idea gave a hint of how machines might learn by mimicking nature’s approach.

    Psychologist Frank Rosenblatt designed the perceptron in imitation of the connections in the human brain.
    Frank Rosenblatt / Wikimedia

    In the 1950s, psychologist Frank Rosenblatt built on Hebb’s theory to develop a system called the perceptron.

    The perceptron was the first artificial neural network ever made. It ran on the same principle as modern AI systems, in which computers learn by adjusting connections within a network based on data rather than relying on programmed instructions.

    A scientific understanding of intelligence

    In the 1980s, psychologist David Rumelhart improved on Rosenblatt’s perceptron. He applied a method called backpropagation, which uses principles of calculus to help neural networks improve through feedback.

    Backpropagation was originally developed by Paul Werbos, who said the technique “opens up the possibility of a scientific understanding of intelligence, as important to psychology and neurophysiology as Newton’s concepts were to physics”.

    Rumelhart’s 1986 paper, coauthored with Ronald Williams and Geoffrey Hinton, is often credited with sparking the modern era of artificial neural networks. This work laid the foundation for deep learning innovations such as large language models.

    In 2024, the Nobel Prize for Physics was awarded to Hinton and John Hopfield for work on artificial neural networks. Notably, the Nobel committee, in its scientific report, highlighted the crucial role psychologists played in the development of artificial neural networks.

    Hinton, who holds a degree in psychology, acknowledged standing on the shoulders of giants such as Rumelhart when receiving his prize.

    Self-reflection and understanding

    Psychology continues to play an important role in shaping the future of AI. It offers theoretical insights to address some of the field’s biggest challenges, including reflective reasoning, intelligence and decision-making.

    Microsoft founder Bill Gates recently pointed out a key limitation of today’s AI systems. They can’t engage in reflective reasoning, or what psychologists call metacognition.

    In the 1970s, developmental psychologist John Flavell introduced the idea of metacognition. He used it to explain how children master complex skills by reflecting on and understanding their own thinking.

    Decades later, this psychological framework is gaining attention as a potential pathway to advancing AI.

    Fluid intelligence

    Psychological theory is increasingly being applied to improve AI systems, particularly by enhancing their capacity for solving novel problems.

    For instance, computer scientist François Chollet highlights the importance of fluid intelligence, which psychologists define as the ability to solve new problems without prior experience or training.

    An example question from a test of ‘fluid intelligence’ designed by Francois Chollet.
    ARC Prize

    In a 2019 paper, Chollet introduced a test inspired by principles from cognitive psychology to measure how well AI systems can handle new problems. The test – known as the Abstract and Reasoning Corpus for Artificial General Intelligence (ARC-AGI) – provided a kind of guide for making AI systems think and reason in more human-like ways.

    In late 2024, OpenAI’s o3 model demonstrated notable success on Chollet’s test, showing progress in creating AI systems that can adapt and solve a wider range of problems.

    The risk of explanations

    Another goal of current research is to make AI systems more able to explain their output. Here, too, psychology offers valuable insights.

    Computer scientist Edward Lee has drawn on the work of psychologist Daniel Kahneman to highlight why requiring AI systems to explain themselves might be risky.

    Kahneman showed how humans often justify their decisions with explanations created after the fact, which don’t reflect their true reasoning. For example, studies have found that judges’ rulings fluctuate depending on when they last ate — despite their firm belief in their own impartiality.

    Lee cautions that AI systems could produce similarly misleading explanations. Because rationalisations can be deceptive, Lee argues AI research should focus on reliable outcomes instead.

    Technology shaping our minds

    The science of psychology remains widely misunderstood. In 2020, for example, the Australian government proposed reclassifying it as part of the humanities in universities.

    As people increasingly interact with machines, AI, psychology and neuroscience may hold key insights into our future.

    Our brains are extremely adaptable, and technology shapes how we think and learn. Research by psychologist and neuroscientist Eleanor Maguire, for example, revealed that the brains of London taxi drivers are physically altered by using a car to navigate a complex city.

    As AI advances, future psychological research may reveal how AI systems enhance our abilities and unlock new ways of thinking.

    By recognising psychology’s role in AI, we can foster a future in which people and technology work together for a better world.

    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. How psychologists kick-started AI by studying the human mind – https://theconversation.com/how-psychologists-kick-started-ai-by-studying-the-human-mind-248542

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: New counter-terrorism financing sanctions

    Source: Australian Government – Minister of Foreign Affairs

    The Australian Government has imposed counter-terrorism financing sanctions on the white supremacist terrorist network Terrorgram, as part of our ongoing work to combat antisemitism and keep Australians safe.

    Terrorgram is an online network that promotes white supremacy and racially-motivated violence.

    It is now a criminal offence to use or deal with the assets of, or make assets available to, Terrorgram.

    Penalties include up to 10 years’ imprisonment and/or heavy fines.

    It is the first time any Australian Government has imposed counter-terrorism financing sanctions on an entity based entirely online.

    The Australian Government has also re-listed for counter-terrorism financing sanctions four other entities that promote nationalist and racist violent extremist ideologies: National Socialist Order, the Russian Imperial Movement, Sonnenkrieg Division and The Base.

    This demonstrates the Albanese Government’s commitment to disrupting the activities of terrorists and violent extremists and preventing them from recruiting and radicalising people online.

    There is no place in Australia for antisemitism, hatred or violence.

    The Australian Government has also imposed sanctions on Hizballah’s new Secretary-General and a leading spokesperson for the terrorist group, Mr Naim Qassem.

    Hizballah is responsible for the deaths of countless civilians in Lebanon, Israel and across the Middle East.

    One person and another four entities have also been re-listed for counter-terrorism financing sanctions.

    A consolidated list of sanctions is available on the Department of Foreign Affairs website.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: KiwiSaver shakeup: private asset investment has risks that could outweigh the rewards

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Aaron Gilbert, Professor of Finance, Auckland University of Technology

    New Zealand’s superannuation is no longer enough to live on for the country’s retirees. Research has found people need hundreds of thousands in savings to live a comfortable life after work.

    But the KiwiSaver scheme, introduced in 2007 to encourage New Zealanders to build their retirement savings, continues to be a political football. Since its creation, there have been multiple tweaks to the scheme, threatening to undermine its core purpose: supporting New Zealanders in their retirement.

    In late 2024, the government proposed changes that would make it easier for KiwiSaver managers to invest in private assets.

    The government says these changes could unlock billions to fund essential infrastructure or to provide capital for businesses, outcomes that could benefit the country as a whole.

    But the changes required to enable investing in private assets – such as reduced transparency around fees – are concerning and may not be worth the limited benefits it would bring to KiwiSaver members.

    Expanding KiwiSaver

    At the moment KiwiSaver managers predominantly invest in publicly traded assets, specifically stocks and bonds.

    The changes would open up KiwiSaver investors to a wide range of opportunities such as infrastructure projects (for example, toll roads), unlisted companies (KiwiBank has already been suggested by one provider) and property investments, among others.

    Increasing private asset exposure from the current 2-3% of funds under management to a level similar to Australian super funds (15%+) could unlock significant investment for infrastructure or business capital.

    But while there is definite appeal in using more KiwiSaver money to build roads and other essential infrastructure, the benefits to investors may be more modest.

    The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment argues private assets may increase fund returns and should reduce risk for investors by reducing fund exposure to stock and bond markets.

    But to achieve these possible outcomes KiwiSaver members risk being locked into a fund provider or having their funds split across providers when they opt to move. There is also the concern that transparency around the fees being charged by managers could worsen.

    Gumming up the works

    The advantage of the current system of investing in publicly traded assets is that they are relatively cheap to trade, can be bought or sold quickly and their market value is constantly known.

    Private assets are none of these things.

    Fund managers are currently required to release your funds within ten days when you opt to switch manager. Large investments in private assets that can not be sold quickly, or even worse, may be distressed (where the value is currently significantly below what it was bought for), could create a liquidity issue for a fund if a lot of investors decide to switch.

    To encourage managers to invest in private assets the proposed changes would allow your existing fund manager to hold onto a portion of your investment until private assets could be liquidated if they deemed it in your best interest.

    Essentially, you may have to stay with a fund manager for an indeterminate period even if you want to change, presumably while still paying them fees on the funds they are looking after.

    New Zealand’s retirees rely on KiwiSaver to top up insufficient superannuation payments.
    Stramp/Shutterstock

    Hiding fees

    The government’s changes also suggest allowing managers to change the way the fees they report is calculated.

    To encourage managers to invest in private assets, the government has proposed allowing them to exclude the costs associated with private assets from their reported fees. Why? Because private asset investing is significantly more expensive.

    Managers may need to build specialised teams to evaluate private asset investments. There are substantial costs (consultants, lawyers, experts etc) incurred when evaluating these investments in the same way that a home buyer faces costs such as builder and valuer reports.

    Additionally, managers will need to hire valuers periodically to reevaluate the value of the assets, resulting in more costs.

    Removing private asset costs from disclosures will make it harder for New Zealanders to compare the fees on different funds.

    Multiple other problems

    Several other problems also exist with the plan.

    The KiwiSaver market is relatively fragmented with 21 providers, nearly half of which manage less than NZ$1 billion in assets. Many private asset investments would require tens of millions, which means funds run the risk of becoming heavily exposed to just a few large investments. Only a handful of funds currently have the size to effectively use private assets to reduce investor risk.

    There is also the difficulty in valuing private assets. Valuers can provide a best guess, but it will depend largely on what the market is willing to pay at the time you come to sell.

    What is also unclear is how the value of private assets will be reflected in the unit prices that impact the price at which you buy into or sell out of fund. This introduces yet more opacity to a system that is currently transparent.

    KiwiSaver will increasingly become a critical aspect of New Zealanders’ retirement. Changes to it need to be carefully considered and evaluated to avoid undermining confidence in KiwiSaver and to ensure that they support the primary goal, ensuring financial security in retirement. It is not clear that this change meets that threshold.

    Aaron Gilbert 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. KiwiSaver shakeup: private asset investment has risks that could outweigh the rewards – https://theconversation.com/kiwisaver-shakeup-private-asset-investment-has-risks-that-could-outweigh-the-rewards-247684

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Update – Body of man recovered in waters at Inneston National Park

    Source: South Australia Police

    Police are preparing a report for the coroner after the body of a man missing from Browns Beach was located this afternoon.

    The alarm was raised about 8pm on Saturday 1 February after the man who was fishing with friends was seen to fall into the water.

    Police coordinated a search and rescue effort which included PolAir, Water Operations Unit and national park rangers

    At 1.40pm Sunday 2 February police recovered the body of the 41-year-old man from Salisbury after information from a fishing vessel they had located the man near to Pondalowie Bay.

    There are no suspicious circumstances and police will be preparing a report for the coroner.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Albanese will pitch to blue collar men with heavy warnings on Dutton’s workplace policies

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

    Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in conversation with Michelle Grattan.

    Anthony Albanese has outlined his pitch to improve his and his government’s standing among men, as he insists he can hold onto majority government at the election to be held in April or May.

    In a wide-ranging interview on The Conversation’s Politics podcast, canvassing both his plans and current issues, the Prime Minister addresses the gender voter gap the polls have been showing, which is worrying Labor strategists.

    On a two-party basis, a December Essential poll had the Coalition on 51% among men, and Labor on 44%, with 4% undecided. Among women, Labor was on 49% and the Coalition on 46%, with 5% undecided.

    In a Resolve poll on preferred prime minister, Peter Dutton polled 40% among men, and Albanese 34%. Among women, Albanese was on 36% and Dutton on 31%.

    Albanese tells the podcast: “One of the things that we will be really campaigning very hard on is the impact on blue collar workers of the Coalition promises to get rid of same job, same pay [law], the definition of casual in employment [and] their plan to essentially go back to wages going backwards, not forwards.”

    Targeting younger voters

    As Labor crafts its election policy, Albanese also flags he is looking to do more for young people.

    Asked who he feels is being “left behind” in Australia at the moment, he points to the issue of “intergenerational equity”.

    “I think that young people feel like they’ve got the rough end of the pineapple compared with previous generations,” he says. This is “something I’m really conscious of”.

    Outlining what the government has done or announced already on student debt, housing supply, schools, the universities accord and free TAFE, he suggests there will be further policies targeted towards younger voters.

    The likeliest election dates

    Albanese confirms he has not locked in an election date. “We make decisions when we finalise them and I’ll consult,” he says.

    “But I’ve always said […] one of the problems with three year terms is that they are too short.”

    The speculation is the election will be either April 12, or one of the first three Saturdays in May, with May 17 the last practical date.

    April 12 would mean scrapping the scheduled March 25 budget. “We certainly are working to hand down a budget in March,” Albanese says. “The ERC [Expenditure Review Committee] will be meeting this week, as it met last week.”

    Asked whether he is confident he could still deliver his program if the election resulted in a minority Labor government, Albanese says: “I’m confident that we can achieve an ongoing majority government at this election. I think there are seats that we currently hold that we have good prospects in.”

    He names two Victorian Liberal seats he had just visited – Menzies and Deakin – among those he believes Labor can win from the Coalition. (After the redistribution, Menzies is notionally a Labor seat by a tiny margin.)

    Watching for a rate cut and trade wars

    Asked when Australia might come out of the present per capital recession, Albanese says things are “heading in a positive direction”, but does not nominate a time.

    He sounds confident about interest rates falling soon:

    All of the economic commentators are saying that that is the most likely prediction of markets. It’s not up to me as prime minister to tell the independent Reserve Bank what to do, but I’m certain that we have created the conditions through, as well as our responsible economic management, producing two budget surpluses – the massive turnaround that we have seen, compared with what the Morrison 2022 budget handed down by the Coalition […] was predicting.

    Prompted about the Reserve Bank’s next meeting on February 18, he says “I’m certainly conscious of that date”.

    With United States President Donald Trump slapping tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China while foreshadowing wider tariffs, Albanese recalls his phone conversation after Trump was elected, in which he reminded the incoming president that America has a trade surplus with Australia. Australia would “put our arguments forward very clearly” if it faced the threat of tariffs, Albanese says.

    Looking ahead

    Looking ahead to this fortnight’s parliamentary sitting, Albanese confirmed to The Conversation that he will not proceed with the Nature Positive legislation. It had been strongly opposed by the Western Australian government, which has its election on March 8.

    But he hopes the Senate will pass the legislation for political donation and spending caps, indicating the government is willing to compromise to get the bill through.

    Looking to a second term, Albanese highlights in particular the opportunities presented by the energy transition.

    “We are positioned better than anywhere else in the world to benefit, in my view, from this transition that’s occurring.”

    He contrasts Dutton’s energy plan, which he describes as a “myopic vision” to make Australia smaller.

    “I want Australia to be more successful, to be enlarged in our optimism and our vision. And I want to lead a government that does that.”

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

    – ref. Albanese will pitch to blue collar men with heavy warnings on Dutton’s workplace policies – https://theconversation.com/albanese-will-pitch-to-blue-collar-men-with-heavy-warnings-on-duttons-workplace-policies-248851

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: South African telescope discovers giant galaxy 32 times size of Milky Way

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    South Africa’s MeerKAT telescope has discovered a massive new radio galaxy spanning more than 32 times the size of the Milky Way, a researcher revealed Saturday.

    “MeerKAT’s newest giant radio galaxy find is extraordinary. The plasma jets of this cosmic giant span 3.3 million light-years from end to end — over 32 times the size of the Milky Way,” said Jacinta Delhaize, a lecturer at the University of Cape Town and one of the lead researchers who made the discovery. She shared insights about the finding in an article published Saturday on Independent Online (IOL), a South African news platform.

    According to Delhaize, the colossal galaxy, located 1.44 billion light-years from Earth, has been nicknamed “Inkathazo,” meaning “trouble” in African Xhosa and Zulu languages. “That’s because it’s been a bit troublesome to understand the physics behind what’s going on with Inkathazo,” she explained.

    “This discovery has given us a unique opportunity to study giant radio galaxies. The findings challenge existing models and suggest that we don’t yet understand much of the complicated plasma physics at play in these extreme galaxies,” Delhaize added.

    The discovery was published on Jan. 17 in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

    Giant radio galaxies, or GRGs, are rare cosmic behemoths spewing jets of hot plasma millions of light-years across intergalactic space. These plasma jets, which glow at radio frequencies, are powered by supermassive black holes at the centers of galaxies.

    The MeerKAT telescope, located in the Karoo region of South Africa, is made up of 64 radio dishes and is operated by the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO). It’s a precursor to the Square Kilometer Array (SKA), which will be the world’s largest telescope when it commences science operations around 2028.

    SKA is a network of thousands of radio antennas of varying types and sizes, located at several sites in Western Australia and Southern Africa. With a square kilometer of collecting area, it will feature much higher sensitivity and survey speeds than any other radio instrument developed so far.

    The international big science project was jointly funded, built and run by more than 10 countries, with China being one of the seven founding members and a signatory to the SKA Observatory Convention signed in 2019. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Australian PM wishes for stronger ties with China

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese addresses a celebration of the Chinese New Year in Melbourne, Australia, Feb. 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Ma Ping)

    Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Saturday expressed the wish to see stronger ties between Australia and China.

    Speaking at a Chinese New Year celebration event in Melbourne, Albanese said it is in the interest of both Australia and China to be “great friends and that the Australian government is committed to stabilizing relations and cooperation between the two sides.

    The prime minister said that economic ties between the two countries are very important as Australia exports products such as beef, lobsters and wine to China.

    He stressed that in comparison with the economic ties, the relationship between the two peoples is even more important.

    Tourists attend a celebration of the Chinese New Year in Melbourne, Australia, Feb. 1, 2025. (Xinhua/Ma Ping)

    “Chinese culture has enriched Australia and broadened our horizons,” he said, adding that the Chinese New Year celebrations are part of Australia’s cultural heritage.

    At the event, Australia’s opposition leader Peter Dutton said the Chinese New Year is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate a connection between Australia and China.

    “The future, which is the most important element of this relationship, is brighter than it’s ever been before,” Dutton said.

    The event was held by the Asian Business Association of Whitehorse, a non-profit organization to promote and facilitate trade and investment between Australia and China.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: What’s driving north Queensland’s deadly, record-breaking floods?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steve Turton, Adjunct Professor of Environmental Geography, CQUniversity Australia

    A flooded street in Townsville John Wilkinson/Facebook

    Record-breaking floods across north Queensland have now turned deadly, with one woman drowning while being rescued on Sunday morning. And the floodwaters are still rising, with rain set to continue.

    Over the 48 hours to Sunday, there were reports of up to 1 metre of rainfall in parts of northeast Queensland. The torrential rain continues, particularly in the Herbert Coast region and north to around Tully.

    Major flooding in northern Queensland rivers, as of 12.45pm February 2.
    Bureau of Meteorology

    Residents of Ingham and nearby towns, about 100km from Townsville, are witnessing flooding from the nearby Herbert River. This morning, it was at 15 metres and rising. With more heavy rain forecast for the next 24 hours, the Herbert River is likely to break the 1967 record of 15.2 metres later today.

    Queensland Premier David Crisafulli – who grew up on his family’s sugar cane farm in Ingham – has said the floods will be a “once in a century” event for the town. To make matters worse, authorities say the town has lost power and an extended outage is likely.

    The atmospheric factors behind these floods are very similar to recent floods in the region – and climate change is no doubt playing a role.

    The flood level for the Herbert River at Ingham set in 1967 was 15.2 metres. It’s likely to be breached this afternoon (Sunday February 2).
    Australian Bureau of Meteorology, CC BY

    Where are the floods hitting?

    For many people in Townsville – the largest city in Northern Australia – the unfolding emergency will bring back memories of the devastating February 2019 floods, which caused A$1.24 billion in damage. Residents have been asked to evacuate from several low-lying suburbs which were inundated in 2019.

    Authorities in Townsville asked all residents in the low-lying black zone to evacuate by midday Sunday February 2. Floodwaters could reach second-storey heights in this zone. Residents in pink suburbs have been asked to be on standby.
    Townsville Council, CC BY

    It is too early to say if this flood event will be worse. Fortunately, water levels in the city’s Ross River Dam are much lower than 2019. Townsville Airport has recorded 545mm of rain over the past 48 hours, with many northwest suburbs recording much higher levels. The township of Rollingstone – 60km northwest of Townsville – recorded a whopping 702mm over the 24 hours to 9am Sunday.

    Further north in the Cairns to Daintree region, residents are watching with concern, with many still raw after the record-breaking floods of December 2023.

    What’s behind these floods?

    The ongoing 2025 extreme rainfall event, the 2019 Townsville floods and the 2023 Cairns and Daintree floods are remarkably similar in many ways.

    What triggered each of these floods was prolonged heavy rain falling on the southeast flank of a stationary tropical low weather system. Normally, tropical lows bring wind and rain, but move through quite quickly. But in recent years, we have seen a tendency for these systems to stall, sitting in place over or near land and dumping huge volumes of rain.

    Last week, the Bureau of Meteorology warned that five tropical lows were forming around northern Australia. Most tropical cyclones form from tropical lows embedded in the region’s monsoon trough, a large low pressure band which forms over summer and draws in warm, moist air from the adjacent tropical seas.

    But significant rain events like this one don’t necessarily require a tropical cyclone. Slow-moving deep monsoon lows over land can also deliver huge amounts of rain and widespread flooding.

    These atmospheric conditions allow intense rain bands to form between converging winds: warm, moist winds from the northeast and southeast winds originating from the Coral Sea. As the winds collide, they push the moist air up into the cooler parts of the atmosphere where it condenses and falls as torrential rain.

    More extreme rainfall and higher frequencies of flooded rivers and flash floods around the world have a clear link to climate change and ongoing global heating.

    The main drivers behind these events include warming of the atmosphere. For every 1°C of warming, the atmosphere holds 7% more water vapour. Recent research suggests this figure could be even higher for short duration rainfall.

    Hotter oceans hold more energy, meaning they can also amplify the global water cycle when atmospheric conditions are suitable.

    This year’s latest ever monsoon

    This year, sea surface temperatures in the northwest Coral Sea are 1-2°C above average. Ocean temperatures have risen because of a lack of cloud cover and rain last month. In northwestern Australia, this has given rise to an intensifying marine heatwave.

    This ocean heat is likely to be driven by the Australian monsoon’s latest ever arrival. The monsoon brings heavy rains to northern Australia, triggering the wet season. When it arrives, sea surface temperatures generally drop due to a combination of high cloud cover and the cooling effect of rainwater.

    After a slow start, the North Australian monsoon season is now in full swing.

    The Bureau of Meteorology is monitoring an active monsoon trough for any low pressure systems, which may develop into tropical cyclones over the next week or so. If any cyclone does form, it will gain energy from warmer than usual sea surface temperatures.

    What’s next for north Queensland?

    The flood emergency in north Queensland is far from over. All global circulation models predict heavy rain to continue in the region, extending up towards Cape York and the Gulf Country as an active monsoon surge moves in from Indonesia.

    As river catchments get saturated, more and more water will run off and engorge rivers. Forecasts are for rain to continue well into tonight and the next few days. We are likely to see more flooding in more places this week.

    For the latest updates, check the Bureau of Meteorology’s Queensland flood warnings, ABC Emergency or local ABC radio stations.

    Steve Turton has received funding from the Australian Government.

    – ref. What’s driving north Queensland’s deadly, record-breaking floods? – https://theconversation.com/whats-driving-north-queenslands-deadly-record-breaking-floods-248847

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: What’s driving north Queensland’s record-breaking, deadly floods?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steve Turton, Adjunct Professor of Environmental Geography, CQUniversity Australia

    A flooded street in Townsville John Wilkinson/Facebook

    Record-breaking floods across north Queensland have now turned deadly, with one woman drowning while being rescued on Sunday morning. And the floodwaters are still rising, with rain set to continue.

    Over the 48 hours to Sunday, there were reports of up to 1 metre of rainfall in parts of northeast Queensland. The torrential rain continues, particularly in the Herbert Coast region and north to around Tully.

    Major flooding in northern Queensland rivers, as of 12.45pm February 2.
    Bureau of Meteorology

    Residents of Ingham and nearby towns, about 100km from Townsville, are witnessing flooding from the nearby Herbert River. This morning, it was at 15 metres and rising. With more heavy rain forecast for the next 24 hours, the Herbert River is likely to break the 1967 record of 15.2 metres later today.

    Queensland Premier David Crisafulli – who grew up on his family’s sugar cane farm in Ingham – has said the floods will be a “once in a century” event for the town. To make matters worse, authorities say the town has lost power and an extended outage is likely.

    The atmospheric factors behind these floods are very similar to recent floods in the region – and climate change is no doubt playing a role.

    The flood level for the Herbert River at Ingham set in 1967 was 15.2 metres. It’s likely to be breached this afternoon (Sunday February 2).
    Australian Bureau of Meteorology, CC BY

    Where are the floods hitting?

    For many people in Townsville – the largest city in Northern Australia – the unfolding emergency will bring back memories of the devastating February 2019 floods, which caused A$1.24 billion in damage. Residents have been asked to evacuate from several low-lying suburbs which were inundated in 2019.

    Authorities in Townsville asked all residents in the low-lying black zone to evacuate by midday Sunday February 2. Floodwaters could reach second-storey heights in this zone. Residents in pink suburbs have been asked to be on standby.
    Townsville Council, CC BY

    It is too early to say if this flood event will be worse. Fortunately, water levels in the city’s Ross River Dam are much lower than 2019. Townsville Airport has recorded 545mm of rain over the past 48 hours, with many northwest suburbs recording much higher levels. The township of Rollingstone – 60km northwest of Townsville – recorded a whopping 702mm over the 24 hours to 9am Sunday.

    Further north in the Cairns to Daintree region, residents are watching with concern, with many still raw after the record-breaking floods of December 2023.

    What’s behind these floods?

    The ongoing 2025 extreme rainfall event, the 2019 Townsville floods and the 2023 Cairns and Daintree floods are remarkably similar in many ways.

    What triggered each of these floods was prolonged heavy rain falling on the southeast flank of a stationary tropical low weather system. Normally, tropical lows bring wind and rain, but move through quite quickly. But in recent years, we have seen a tendency for these systems to stall, sitting in place over or near land and dumping huge volumes of rain.

    Last week, the Bureau of Meteorology warned that five tropical lows were forming around northern Australia. Most tropical cyclones form from tropical lows embedded in the region’s monsoon trough, a large low pressure band which forms over summer and draws in warm, moist air from the adjacent tropical seas.

    But significant rain events like this one don’t necessarily require a tropical cyclone. Slow-moving deep monsoon lows over land can also deliver huge amounts of rain and widespread flooding.

    These atmospheric conditions allow intense rain bands to form between converging winds: warm, moist winds from the northeast and southeast winds originating from the Coral Sea. As the winds collide, they push the moist air up into the cooler parts of the atmosphere where it condenses and falls as torrential rain.

    More extreme rainfall and higher frequencies of flooded rivers and flash floods around the world have a clear link to climate change and ongoing global heating.

    The main drivers behind these events include warming of the atmosphere. For every 1°C of warming, the atmosphere holds 7% more water vapour. Recent research suggests this figure could be even higher for short duration rainfall.

    Hotter oceans hold more energy, meaning they can also amplify the global water cycle when atmospheric conditions are suitable.

    This year’s latest ever monsoon

    This year, sea surface temperatures in the northwest Coral Sea are 1-2°C above average. Ocean temperatures have risen because of a lack of cloud cover and rain last month. In northwestern Australia, this has given rise to an intensifying marine heatwave.

    This ocean heat is likely to be driven by the Australian monsoon’s latest ever arrival. The monsoon brings heavy rains to northern Australia, triggering the wet season. When it arrives, sea surface temperatures generally drop due to a combination of high cloud cover and the cooling effect of rainwater.

    After a slow start, the North Australian monsoon season is now in full swing.

    The Bureau of Meteorology is monitoring an active monsoon trough for any low pressure systems, which may develop into tropical cyclones over the next week or so. If any cyclone does form, it will gain energy from warmer than usual sea surface temperatures.

    What’s next for north Queensland?

    The flood emergency in north Queensland is far from over. All global circulation models predict heavy rain to continue in the region, extending up towards Cape York and the Gulf Country as an active monsoon surge moves in from Indonesia.

    As river catchments get saturated, more and more water will run off and engorge rivers. Forecasts are for rain to continue well into tonight and the next few days. We are likely to see more flooding in more places this week.

    For the latest updates, check the Bureau of Meteorology’s Queensland flood warnings, ABC Emergency or local ABC radio stations.

    Steve Turton has received funding from the Australian Government.

    – ref. What’s driving north Queensland’s record-breaking, deadly floods? – https://theconversation.com/whats-driving-north-queenslands-record-breaking-deadly-floods-248847

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –