Category: Australia

MIL-Evening Report: Labor looks set for a resounding defeat in Queensland. But the state’s elections have long thrown up surprises
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Pandanus Petter, Research Fellow School of Politics and International Relations, Australian National University

On Saturday October 26, Queensland Premier Steven Miles’ Labor is vying for a fourth consecutive term in government, up against David Crisafulli’s Liberal National Party (LNP).

Although Labor won the previous election in 2020 comfortably, opinion polls in the lead up to this election have consistently pointed to an LNP win.

Recent Queensland history shows voters can produce dramatic election results, such as the 2012 wipeout of Labor, and its equally dramatic return to government in 2015. With no upper house to provide a check on government power, whoever wins will likely have a relatively free hand to enact their policy agenda.

A continuing trend of increased early voting means many Queenslanders have already made their judgement. But what have been the big issues dominating the campaign, and what priorities will the next government be working toward?

The usual suspects

The big issues of concern to voters in Queensland are likely familiar to people in other states:
- cost of living
- housing
- crime
- health
- to a lesser extent, economic management.
However, the two main parties have different emphases and approaches.

A campaign on crime and crises

The LNP is focused on attacking Labor’s record. Crisafulli has largely tried to keep the party firmly on-message, highlighting what they describe as “crises” in housing, youth crime, cost of living, health and government integrity for at least the last year.

The extent of youth crime, what causes it and what solves it are a matter of debate.

But the LNP has been keen to present themselves as proposing tougher solutions than their opponents. They’ve made promises to change youth sentencing laws to deter offenders under the slogan “adult crime, adult time”.

They’ve also promised to provide “tough love” to at-risk youth with mandatory re-training camps.

On other issues, they’ve been promising more efficient health services, incentives to home ownership and greater government transparency.

However, they’ve been careful to try to avoid more controversial issues and present a “small target” on economic management. Interestingly, the LNP has largely confirmed they’ll adopt many of Labor’s budgetary priorities on cost of living relief.

Despite this, a last minute emphasis on the possible reversal of legislation decriminalising abortion and voluntary assisted dying has threatened to derail their careful messaging.

Reverting to old ways, the LNP is backing an “indefinite” commitment to coal fired power plants and dumping a controversial proposed hydroelectric dam.

Crisafulli has walked back earlier support for Treaty with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

If they win government, the LNP would also likely shut down the freshly minted Truth Telling and Healing Inquiry, claiming they will focus on “practical” help for Indigenous communities instead.

They’re also promising electoral reform with a longstanding commitment to remove “corrupt” compulsory preferential voting and the reversal of laws that banned property developer donations.

Progressive balancing act

Steven Miles took over from Annastacia Palaszczuk as Labor leader and premier less than a year ago.

Labor has also been focused on using incumbency to address key issues, while trying to stake out a position as a force for progressive change.

They have warned of the potential “hidden” dangers of the LNP, pointing to unpopular cuts to the civil service last time the LNP governed.

On cost of living, they’ve given direct relief to households, with 50 cent fares for public transport, $1000 household energy rebates and promised free lunches for public school students.

They have been keen to say this is a dividend from increased royalties charged to coal mining companies.

On housing, they have continued their focus on addressing the undersupply of social and affordable housing alongside modest reforms to renters’ rights (although ruling out any caps on prices).

They’re promising a new era of state intervention to improve competition in petrol and energy retail.

On crime, Labor has followed the LNP’s lead in some matters, such as investing in extra police resources. They’ve also controversially ignored the Human Rights Act to keep youth imprisoned while emphasising diversion over punishment.

Of more comfort to progressive voters, they have positioned themselves as firmly committed to keeping their abortion and voluntary assisted dying legislation intact. Labor will also continue the transition to renewable energy.

Disenchantment with the major parties

Despite their efforts, or perhaps because of Crisafulli’s disciplined messaging, it doesn’t look as if voters have been swayed to keep the government. There’s a clear mood for change.

However, it should be noted this isn’t exactly a ringing endorsement of Crisafulli or the LNP’s whole agenda, as opinion polls show neither is particularly popular.

After trailing for most of the campaign, Miles is still behind, but has made up a lot of ground in the past week.

Whoever wins, they will have to govern in an era when more people are disenchanted with the mainstream parties.

Among those vying to hold or increase their crossbench seats in regional Queensland are the socially conservative Katter’s Australian Party, as well as some popular local mayors running as independents.

Meanwhile, the Greens are pushing to claim more Brisbane seats.

The minor parties are campaigning hard on persistent problems in housing, cost of living, health and crime. These are all hard to solve quickly and not necessarily helped by rushed responses.

The next parliament will have to find a way to represent a state divided in public opinion between those in the city and those in regional areas across all of the key issues.

Pandanus Petter receives funding from the Australian Research Council to study public opinion polling, democratic responsiveness and the idea of ‘the Fair Go’ in public policy.

– ref. Labor looks set for a resounding defeat in Queensland. But the state’s elections have long thrown up surprises – https://theconversation.com/labor-looks-set-for-a-resounding-defeat-in-queensland-but-the-states-elections-have-long-thrown-up-surprises-241774
MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –
January 24, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Are cats good for our health?

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Susan Hazel, Associate Professor, School of Animal and Veterinary Science, University of Adelaide

Yerlin Matu/Unsplash

Cats have lived with humans for thousands of years. And long before cat memes and viral TikToks took over the internet, they’ve been comforting us with their purrs and making us laugh with their weird antics.

But what does the research say – are cats good for us?

Living with a cat can have a profound – and sometimes surprising – effect on our physical and mental health. Still, living with cats is not without risks.

Part of the family

You may have heard cats don’t have owners, they have “staff”. In fact, multiple studies show the humans who live with them feel more like beloved relatives.

In a study of 1,800 Dutch cat owners, half said their cat was family. One in three viewed their cat as a child or best friend and found them loyal, supportive and empathetic.

Another US study developed a “family bondedness” scale and found cats were just as important a part of families as dogs.

Read more:
Is owning a dog good for your health?

Many cats would choose human interaction over food or toys. And they can distinguish when we are talking to them (rather than another human).

In fact we’ve adapted to each other. Cats are more likely to approach human strangers who first give a “kitty kiss” – narrowing your eyes and blinking slowly. And research suggests cats have developed specific meows that tune into our nurturing instincts.

What does this close relationship mean for health outcomes?

Cats slow blink when they’re feeling relaxed.
beton studio/Shutterstock

A sense of purpose

Owning a pet is associated with less social isolation. And some cat owners say “providing for the cat” increases their feelings of enjoyment and sense of purpose.

But the benefits of the relationship may depend on how you relate to your cat.

One study looked at different relationship styles between humans and cats, including “remote”, “casual” and “co-dependent”. It found people whose relationship with their cat was co-dependent or like a friend had a higher emotional connection to their pet.

Links to heart health

People who own – or have owned – a cat have a lower risk of dying from cardiovascular diseases such as stroke or heart disease. This result has been repeated in several studies.

However a problem interpreting population studies is they only tell us about an association. This means while people with cats have lower risk of dying from cardiovascular diseases, we can’t say for sure cats are the cause.

People who own a cat – or have in the past – are at lower risk of stroke and heart disease.
Ruth McHugh-Dillon, CC BY-NC

Cat ownership has also been associated with some positive changes in the gut microbiota, especially in women, such as improved blood glucose control and reduced inflammation.

Helping mental health

Having cat or dog is also associated with higher psychological well-being. For people with depression, patting or playing with their cat has been shown to reduce symptoms (although this was over a short, two-hour period and can’t be extrapolated longer-term).

Another way to find out about the health impact of cats is qualitative research: asking people what their cats mean to them, beyond the numbers.

When colleagues and I surveyed veterans, we found people more attached to their pets actually had poorer mental health scores. But their survey responses told a different story. One respondent said, “my cats are the reason I get up in the morning”.

Another wrote:

I consider my pet to be a service animal. My cat helps me to relax when I’m dealing with my anxiety, depression or when I wake during the night from the frequent nightmares I have. My cat isn’t just a pet to me, my cat is a part of me, my cat is part of my family.

It may be that veterans were more attached to their cats because they had worse mental health – and relied on their cats more for comfort – rather than the other way around.

Mental health downsides

It is possible being attached to your cat has downsides. If your cat becomes sick, the burden of caring for them may have a negative impact on your mental health.

In our study of owners whose cats had epilepsy, around one third experienced a clinical level of burden as caregivers that was likely to interfere with their day-to-day functioning.

People with depression report reduced symptoms after playing with their cat.
Artacke Pictures/Shutterstock

Toxoplasmosis

Cats can also carry zoonotic diseases, which are infections which spread from animals to humans.

They are the main host for toxoplasmosis, a parasite excreted in cat faeces which can affect other mammals, including humans. The parasite is more likely to be carried by feral cats that hunt for their food than domestic cats.

Most people have mild symptoms that may be similar to flu. But infection during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage or stillbirth, or cause problems for the baby including blindness and seizures.

Pregnant women and people with lowered immunity are most at risk. It is recommended these groups don’t empty cat litter trays, or use gloves if they have to. Changing the litter tray daily prevents the parasite reaching a stage that could infect people.

Allergies

Up to one in five people have an allergy to cats and this is increasing.

When cats lick their fur, their saliva deposits an allergen. When their fur and dander (flakes of skin) come loose, it can set off an allergic reaction.

People without severe allergies can still live with cats if they regularly wash their hands, clean surfaces and vacuum to eliminate dander. They can also exclude cats from areas they want to be allergen-free, such as bedrooms.

People with allergies can live with cats if their symptoms aren’t severe.
Ruth McHugh-Dillon, CC BY-NC

While cats can provoke allergic reactions, there is also evidence contact with cats can have a protective role in preventing asthma and allergic reactions developing. This is because exposure may modify the immune system, making it less likely allergic reactions will occur.

Susan Hazel is affiliated with the Dog & Cat Management Board of South Australia, Animal Therapies Ltd and the RSPCA South Australia.

– ref. Are cats good for our health? – https://theconversation.com/are-cats-good-for-our-health-238993

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

January 24, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: No home left behind: a postcode approach to electrification

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gill Armstrong, Researcher in architecture and urban planning, Climateworks Centre

EndeavourEnergy

In Australia and overseas, it’s clear that homes without gas – running on clean energy – are healthier, have cheaper power bills, and produce lower greenhouse emissions.

The emissions part is crucial. Collectively, homes are responsible for 10% of Australia’s greenhouse emissions. But how do we get Australia’s 11 million homes to ditch gas and switch to electricity for cooking, hot water and home heating?

The current approach is slow and piecemeal. State and local governments offer incentives to individual households, but few adopt them. For those that do, little coordinated support and guidance is available. The households must deal with suppliers and tradies on their own, which can be a frustrating and lonely process.

A pilot project to electrify 500 homes in a single postcode south of Sydney could show a better way. After a two-year campaign by residents, “Electrify 2515” has won A$5.4 million in federal funding, along with industry support. Challenges remain, but this pilot promises to demonstrate how household electrification can be accelerated and coordinated at scale.

As independent climate transitions specialists within Monash University, Climateworks Centre has no direct involvement in this project. But our ongoing Renovation Pathways Program focuses on ways to decarbonise Australia’s existing houses and bring about a national renovation wave. So we are watching with keen interest.

Testing extra incentives

The 2515 postcode sits between Wollongong and Sydney in New South Wales. It covers the suburbs of Austinmer, Clifton, Coledale, Scarborough, Thirroul and Wombarra.

The pilot encourages households to retire three types of gas appliance: water heaters, space heaters and cookers. Financial subsidies of up to $1,000 off electric hot water systems, reverse-cycle air conditioners and induction cooktops, and up to $1,500 off home batteries, are available. Higher subsidies are available to low-income households.

Successful applicants receive the subsidies as a discount on the purchase price of these new electrical appliances, rather than a rebate. Money for this is coming from the federal government’s Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).

Such incentives prompt households within a single community to make the switch together, retiring their electric appliances before their gas appliances fail or break, speeding up the transition.

A fully subsidised smart energy device, valued at around $1,500, is also installed in every home to track and optimise energy use. Subsidies are also available for upgrades to switchboards where required to meet modern safety standards.

Rooftop solar and electric vehicle chargers can also be purchased through the pilot, but will not be subsidised.

How it works.
Electrify 2515

The 2515 difference

2515 is not the first community to rally behind clean energy. Grassroots initiatives are scattered around the country, such as in Yackandandah in northeast Victoria, Parkes in central west NSW, and Broken Hill in far west NSW.

Home energy pilot projects are also already underway through the Cooperative Research Centre Race2030, which partners with industry and research institutions. But these initiatives, along with those at a state and local government level, tend to recruit individual households across a wider geographic area.

In contrast, Electrify 2515 offers holistic support for households within a community. It is not driven by a single government program, or by a gas supply problem – which was the case for the people of Esperance in Western Australia.

By electrifying 500 homes in a single community, Electrify 2515 will provide a tangible measure of what’s required to drive rapid household electrification. The main challenge isn’t technological – it’s social. The technology is here. Getting the social drivers and settings right, at scale, is the key.

The holistic approach will demonstrate what consumers need to make the shift from gas to electricity. This includes what conversations are needed and which incentives enable all households to act in a coordinated way.

Local 2515 residents explain why everyone should join them in applying for the Electrify 2515 Community Pilot.

The bright side of a community approach

The whole-of-community focus brings technical and financial advantages.

After completing an application form and receiving an offer, households receive guidance and support from the installation partner Brighte, a commercial company that provides consumer loans for clean energy appliances such as solar panels and batteries. The service streamlines the decision-making process, which is often the biggest barrier stopping households from progressing with electrification.

Being able to work with a larger number of homes at once is likely to streamline and scale up installation with dedicated teams of installers and tradespeople.

It also helps build households’ trust in literature about payback times and financial benefits through friendly neighbourhood conversations and, importantly, through access to local real-world evidence, not just theory.

Thermal efficiency is also key

The electrification pilot is a solid starting point, especially for a community in a relatively mild coastal climate such as postcode 2515.

For homes in more extreme climates, or for inefficient older homes – which a lot of Australia’s homes sadly are – the fundamental thermal efficiency of the building must be improved alongside electrification of appliances.

The thermal efficiency of homes can be improved by insulating ceilings, walls and floors, double-glazing windows and sealing gaps. These measures make a home more comfortable for occupants. They can also reduce peak demand on the energy network and save on household energy bills.

Electrify 2515 currently focuses on appliance upgrades but adding thermal efficiency upgrades could take it to the next level. Without these upgrades, there is a risk of households in harsher climates using more electricity in a heatwave if homes are draughty and inefficient.

There are various ways to upgrade a home’s capacity to stay cool in summer and warm in winter.
Climateworks Centre, 2023, Climate-ready homes: Building the case for a renovation wave in Australia.

When paired with electrification, thermal upgrades could save Australian households around $2,200 annually on their energy bills (based on 2023 gas and electricity prices), according to Climateworks Centre analysis.

Projects like Electrify 2515 should include both home thermal efficiency improvements and electrification efforts, particularly for communities in harsher climates in order to maximise benefits to households.

Electrification challenges

Electrify 2515 caters for low-income households, by offering higher subsidies to households in the lowest 25% income percentile to ensure these groups comprise 25% of community buy-in.

Renters are encouraged to put their hand up too. But it may still be challenging to encourage their landlords to invest in upgrades.

Further challenges include decarbonising homes that cannot generate electricity from rooftop solar panels due to being shaded by taller buildings or trees. This can sometimes be an issue for homes in colder winter climates with higher annual energy demands, such as Victoria, Tasmania and the ACT.

Building momentum for widescale rollout

The technology for all-electric homes exists. Now we must identify the key social drivers and settings required to spur Australia’s electrification wave.

Electrify 2515 is a promising approach. It’s a way to build momentum, showcase technology at scale, and prompt meaningful discussions around the benefits and challenges of getting off gas.

This program, and others like it, can provide a tangible real-world foundation to bring about bills savings, emissions reductions and healthier homes across Australia. And it will help ensure no one is left behind.

Climateworks Centre is a part of Monash University. It receives funding from a range of external sources including philanthropy, governments and businesses.

– ref. No home left behind: a postcode approach to electrification – https://theconversation.com/no-home-left-behind-a-postcode-approach-to-electrification-241471

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

January 24, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Rebuilding homes after a disaster is an opportunity to build back better – why isn’t the insurance industry on board?

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Antonia Settle, Lecturer, Monash University

For many Australians, 2022 was a dark and devastating year. Major floods wreaked havoc on hundreds of communities in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. But for some, the floods themselves were only half the disaster.

As a recent report by Financial Counselling Victoria showed, many affected households had their insurance claims rejected or diminished, whether due to complicated exclusion clauses or because their “sum insured” had been whittled away by unexpected costs.

A long parliamentary inquiry sought to examine the insurance industry’s response to this disaster. Its final report – released to little fanfare last Friday – revealed a sector in crisis.

The report put forward 86 recommendations, which taken together could deliver real progress in pushing the insurance sector to deliver on its promises.

Some standout areas of focus included abolishing a principle called “like-for-like reinstatement” and increasing accountability and oversight. Making sure households can rely on their own coverage is a vital step.

But the report also highlighted just how vulnerable Australia’s housing stock is to climate change, which is no easy problem to solve.

Read more:
How extreme weather and costs of housing and insurance trap some households in a vicious cycle

Forced to repeat the same mistakes

To address the challenge of rising climate risk, we need to increase the resilience of Australian homes. Insurance will only be affordable if risk exposure can be brought down.

Recommendation 26 of the inquiry’s final report deals with the principle of “like-for-like reinstatement”. Written into many policies, this protects insurers from having to pay for home improvements in an insurance claim – known as “betterment” in insurance jargon.

‘Like-for-like’ rules can prevent households from improving their disaster resilience when rebuilding.
Anna Mente/Shutterstock

The underlying idea is to stop households sneaking an extra en-suite bathroom into their insurer-funded rebuild. The same dimensions and building materials have to be used.

But this can mean a home that has been flooded ends up being rebuilt with exactly the same flood risk.

This was the experience of Madeleine Serle, whose home was flooded in Melbourne in 2022. She told me she had asked her insurer to rebuild using polished concrete floors in the downstairs rooms of her home, instead of the plasterboard and wood that had soaked up the floodwaters. Serle reasoned that if it flooded again, it wouldn’t cause so much damage.

Her insurer refused. Even when Serle offered to pay any extra costs herself that might arise from concrete flooring, her insurer insisted on a “like-for-like reinstatement”. This meant using the same low-resilience materials that will likely be destroyed if inundated again by floodwater.

Bringing ‘betterment’ to the fore

Serle was actively trying to reduce her future flood risk, but this was precluded by the terms of her insurance contract.

By seeking an end to like-for-like reinstatement, recommendation 26 is pushing for “betterment” to be brought to the forefront of how we think about insurer rebuilds.

It proposes allowing households to swap out size for quality in an insurer rebuild. That could allow them to use the money saved from reducing the footprint of their home on resilience measures, which are often much more expensive.

This wouldn’t just reduce their exposure to climate risks – fire, flooding and so on. It could also improve the energy efficiency of our houses, which is another key part of the climate challenge in Australia.

Standardised products

Many of the report’s other recommendations centred on the better handling of claims and better outcomes for households.

This includes by strengthening accountability through stronger regulatory oversight (recommendations 2, 4, 9, 41, 47, 49), tightening up some key loopholes (recommendations 3, 10, 13), and penalising insurers for delays in the resolution of claims (recommendations 19 and 57).

It also laid out ways to improve communications between insurers and households (recommendations 6, 10, 24, 25, 28, 33), so people can better understand what they should expect from their insurer – and when their insurer might be falling short.

These proposed reforms aim to create more standardised insurance products across the industry. But they could have gone further. The report didn’t go as far as recommending a fully standardised insurance product that all insurers would have to offer.

Making insurance products more standardised could make them easier to compare.
DC Studio/Shutterstock

As the Financial Rights Legal Centre has argued, standardisation is vital to untangling the “confusopoly” that leaves households unable to make informed decisions about the merits of different policies on the market without reading reams of product disclosure statements.

Reform alone isn’t enough

The inquiry’s final report recommends the government buy back some of the riskiest homes (recommendation 81), alongside much stronger government support for households looking to mitigate their own risks.

But insurance reform alone isn’t enough to solve the problem that Australian households face in securing their housing amid worsening climate risk.

The bigger overarching problem faced by Australia is one of climate change mitigation and adaption. While our country is exposed to relatively high levels of climate risk, much of this risk is borne by individuals through home ownership.

With nearly half of all renter retirees living in poverty, Australians know owning their own home is a powerful way to secure their economic future. That’s why home ownership is referred to as part of the “third pillar” of the retirement income system (voluntary private savings), along with superannuation and the public pension.

Reforming our insurance system can make important strides in providing households with better tools to manage climate risk.

Only with stronger safety nets, and by grappling with risks at the societal level, can we counteract the extreme individualisation of climate risk that we experience here in Australia.

Read more:
Some New Zealand homes are becoming uninsurable because of natural disasters – but all may not be lost

Antonia Settle 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. Rebuilding homes after a disaster is an opportunity to build back better – why isn’t the insurance industry on board? – https://theconversation.com/rebuilding-homes-after-a-disaster-is-an-opportunity-to-build-back-better-why-isnt-the-insurance-industry-on-board-241576

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on People’s Republic of China’s misinterpretation of the UN resolution 2758 and its continuous military provocations around Taiwan – B10-0138/2024

Source: European Parliament

to wind up the debate on the statement by the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy

Adam Bielan, Charlie Weimers, Bert‑Jan Ruissen, Mariusz Kamiński, Sebastian Tynkkynen, Michał Dworczyk, Carlo Fidanza, Alexandr Vondra, Alberico Gambino, Rihards Kols, Reinis Pozņaks, Ondřej Krutílek, Veronika Vrecionová, Assita Kanko, Małgorzata Gosiewska, Joachim Stanisław Brudziński
on behalf of the ECR Group

B10‑0138/2024

European Parliament resolution on People’s Republic of China’s misinterpretation of the UN resolution 2758 and its continuous military provocations around Taiwan

(2024/2891(RSP))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to its previous reports, recommendations and resolutions on the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Taiwan,

– having regard to the urgency motion on Taiwan, passed by the Australian Senate on 21 August 2024,

– having regard to the motion of 12 September 2024 passed in the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament on UN resolution 2758,

– having regard to the statement by the spokesperson of the European External Action Service of 14 October on China’s latest military drills around Taiwan,

– having regard to the UN Charter,

– having regard to UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 (XXVI) of 25 October 1971,

– having regard to Rule 136(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas, in the 1970s, in the hope of enhancing prosperity, stability and peace, the PRC was offered a place in the UN; whereas Beijing seized this opportunity, benefiting from close ties with the West, joining the World Trade Organization, enjoying freedom of navigation and experiencing stabilisation in the seas and straits of South-East Asia, all of which opened the door to the country’s unprecedented economic and technological development;

B. whereas, in recent years, through its actions – such as supporting Russia’s barbaric aggression and assertively expanding in the region, particularly with the threat of invading Taiwan – Beijing is failing to uphold the commitments expected of UN Security Council members and the commitments enshrined in the UN Charter; whereas UN resolution 2758 does not establish the PRC’s sovereignty over Taiwan and does not determine the future status of Taiwan in the United Nations, nor of Taiwanese participation in UN agencies or international organisations;

C. whereas the PRC has falsely leveraged some interpretations of UN Resolution 2758 to advance its ‘One China’ narrative globally and put pressure on Taiwan, limiting its voice on the international stage and influencing its diplomatic relationships;

D. whereas the Australian and Dutch Parliaments have already decided not to go along with the PRC’s interpretation of UN Resolution 2758;

E. whereas the PRC is perpetuating its overly aggressive actions, and trying to erode the status quo in the Taiwan Strait; whereas since 2019 the PRC has violated the Taiwanese air defence identification zone (ADIZ) with increasing regularity; whereas the PRC has been behaving aggressively across vast areas of the Indo-Pacific and exerting varying degrees of military or economic coercion, which has led to disputes with neighbours such as Japan, India, the Philippines and Australia;

F. whereas on 14 October 2024 the PRC launched, without prior warning, a large-scale military drill named Joint Sword 2024-B that simulated a blockade of Taiwan; whereas the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) deployed 153 aircraft and 36 naval and coastguard ships around Taiwan, setting single-day records;

G. whereas the PLA’s air manoeuvres have increased from under 20 incursions into Taiwan’s ADIZ in 2019 to 2 459 so far in 2024; whereas the threat is exacerbated by Beijing’s announcement that it was practising for a blockade of Taiwan’s key ports and military bases; whereas the PLA’s primary locus for ADIZ operations has shifted over time from the South China Sea to the Taiwan Strait; whereas the PLA’s flight activity to the east of Taiwan has increased, demonstrating a shift from training and navigation operations to testing likely combat concepts in the event of a blockade or military invasion of Taiwan;

H. whereas, besides military pressure, the PRC has for years pursued a sophisticated strategy of targeting Taiwan with foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI), including hybrid and cyberattacks, with the goal of undermining Taiwan’s democratic society;

I. whereas the PRC under the leadership of Xi Jinping has said that it will not renounce the use of force to seek unification with Taiwan;

J. whereas on 25 September 2024 the PRC fired an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) into the Pacific Ocean for the first time since 1980;

K. whereas the PRC’s increasingly aggressive posture, in particular in its own neighbourhood, such as the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, poses a risk to regional and global security;

L. whereas Beijing’s active support of the Russian Federation’s aggressive actions against Ukraine contradicts the PRC’s claim to be a ‘stabilising power’; whereas the Russian war of aggression is being closely watched by the PRC as a test bed for the possible future invasion of Taiwan and to gauge the likely reaction of the international community;

M. whereas the EU and Taiwan are like-minded partners that share the common values of freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law;

N. whereas the PRC is a one-party state controlled and ruled entirely by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP); whereas the CCP has used its growing influence in international organisations to reshape the open, rules-based international order to protect and advance its own interests;

O. whereas Taiwan is located in a strategic position in terms of trade; whereas the Taiwan Strait is the primary route for ships travelling from the PRC, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan towards Europe; whereas the EU remains the largest source of foreign direct investment (FDI) in Taiwan; whereas there is considerable potential for increasing Taiwan’s FDI in the EU; whereas Taiwan dominates semiconductor manufacturing markets, as its producers manufacture around 50 % of the world’s semiconductor output; whereas the EU’s Indo-Pacific strategy argues for increasing trade and investment cooperation with Taiwan and advocates stabilising tensions in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait;

1. Reiterates that Taiwan is an important EU partner and a like-minded democratic ally in the Indo-Pacific region;

2. Condemns the sustained efforts made by representatives of the PRC to distort the meaning of UN resolution 2758, historical documents and international rules;

3. Remains deeply committed to the EU’s ‘One China’ policy, which does not equate with the PRC’s ‘One China’ principle’;

4. Stresses that nothing in resolution 2758 prevents Taiwan’s participation in international organisations and that it has no bearing on the sovereign choices of other countries with respect to their relationship with Taiwan;

5. Regrets the PRC’s efforts to block Taiwan’s participation in multilateral organisations; calls for the EU and its Member States to support Taiwan’s meaningful participation, in line with the key UN principles of universal representation, in relevant international organisations such as the World Health Organization, the International Civil Aviation Organization, the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in order to better protect global interests and address the serious challenges facing humanity, such as pandemics, climate change and human rights;

6. Strongly condemns the PRC’s provocative, irresponsible, disproportionate and destabilising military exercises, including the recent exercises of 14 October, as well as its continued military provocations against Taiwan and its aggressive posture in the wider region; expresses its concern about the PRC’s recent launch of an ICBM into the Pacific Ocean, which has contributed to further tensions across the Indo-Pacific region;

7. Reaffirms its strong commitment to the status quo in the Taiwan Strait; calls for the EU and its Member States to ensure that any attempt to unilaterally change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait, particularly by means of force or coercion, will not be accepted and will be met with a decisive and firm reaction;

8. Highlights that the PRC’s increasingly aggressive posture poses a threat to the freedom of navigation and jeopardises the stability which is vital for global trade; emphasises that this situation is being watched with concern by a growing number of like-minded partners committed to peace and stability in the region, including across the Taiwan Strait; underlines the need to shore up deterrence against destabilising behaviour, including through regular operations to assert freedom of navigation over the PRC’s attempts to impose control over international waters and airspace;

9. Reiterates its strong condemnation of statements by President Xi Jinping that the PRC will never renounce the right to use force with respect to Taiwan;

10. Urges the PRC to immediately cease all actions and intrusions into the Taiwanese ADIZ and the airspace violations above Taiwan’s outer islands, and to restore the full respect of the Taiwan Strait’s median line, all of which also poses a risk to international aviation, and stop all other grey-zone military actions, including cyber and disinformation campaigns;

11. Recalls that maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific is a core interest for the free world, including the EU and its Member States; stresses that a military conflict in the Taiwan Strait would not only cause significant economic disruption affecting European interests and prosperity, but would also seriously undermine the rules-based order in the region, as well as democratic governance with human rights, democracy and the rule of law at its core;

12. Recalls Taiwan’s help and assistance during both the COVID-19 pandemic and the humanitarian crises caused by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, as well as its continuous involvement and support for the Ukrainian government and countries hosting Ukrainian refugees;

13. Reiterates the importance of respecting international law, in particular the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and its provisions on the obligation to settle disputes by peaceful means and on maintaining the freedom of navigation and overflight;

14. Reiterates its call for the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs to change the name of the European Economic and Trade Office in Taiwan to ‘European Union Office in Taiwan’ to reflect the broad scope of our ties;

15. Reiterates its previous call for the Commission to launch, without delay, an impact assessment, public consultation and scoping exercise on a bilateral investment agreement with the Taiwanese authorities in preparation for negotiations on deepening bilateral economic ties;

16. Recommends further deepening cooperation between the EU and Taiwan to enhance structural cooperation on countering disinformation and foreign interference; recommends posting a liaison officer at the European Economic and Trade Office to coordinate joint efforts on tackling disinformation and interference; condemns any form of pressure and threats of reprisals, including economic coercion, with regard to the independent right of the EU and its Member States to develop relations with Taiwan in line with their interests and shared values of democracy and human rights, without foreign interference;

17. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the Governments of the PRC and Taiwan.

MIL OSI Europe News –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: DOD, German Ministry of Defence Enter Into Security of Supply Arrangement

Source: United States Department of Defense

The Department of Defense (DoD) entered into a bilateral, non-binding Security of Supply Arrangement (SOSA) with the Federal Ministry of Defence for the Federal Republic of Germany (DEU MOD). The arrangement will enable both the U.S. and Germany to acquire the industrial resources they need to quickly meet defense requirements, resolve unanticipated disruptions that challenge defense capabilities, and promote supply chain resiliency.

The SOSA was signed on October 22, 2024 by Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, Dr. William LaPlante, on behalf of the United States and the Head of the Directorate-General for Equipment within the Federal Ministry of Defence, Vice Admiral Carsten Stawitzki, on behalf of Germany in Brussels, Belgium.

“This SOSA is an important step forward and further strengthens the robust defense partnership between Germany and the United States,” said Dr. LaPlante.

Through this arrangement, the U.S. and Germany commit intent to support one another’s priority delivery requests for procurement of critical national defense resources. The U.S. will provide Germany some assurances under the U.S. Defense Priorities and Allocations System, with program determinations by the DoD and rating authorizations by the Department of Commerce. Germany will in turn establish a government-industry Code of Conduct with its industrial base, in which German firms will voluntarily agree to make every reasonable effort to provide the U.S. with priority support. Participation in this Code of Conduct is made voluntarily.

SOSAs are an important mechanism for DoD to strengthen interoperability and are a proven supply chain tool for enabling a resilient, global defense ecosystem for the U.S. and key partners and allies. The arrangements institute working groups, establish communication mechanisms, streamline DoD processes, and proactively act to allay anticipated supply chain issues in peacetime, emergency, and armed conflict.

Germany is the nineteenth SOSA partner of the United States. Other SOSA signatories include Australia, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, Spain, South Korea, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. For more information on SOSAs, visit: https://www.businessdefense.gov/security-of-supply.html

About the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy (OASD (IBP):

The OASD IBP works with domestic and international partners to forge and sustain a robust, secure, and resilient industrial base enabling the warfighter, now and in the future.

MIL OSI USA News –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Bus parade and exhibition amid 75th National Day celebrations review important role of bus services in public transport system

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Bus parade and exhibition amid 75th National Day celebrations review important role of bus services in public transport system
Bus parade and exhibition amid 75th National Day celebrations review important role of bus services in public transport system
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Organised by the Transport Department (TD), the Bus Parade cum Exhibition for Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the Founding of the People’s Republic of China, featuring buses from the past and present, was launched today (October 19) in Victoria Park in Causeway Bay. It is one of the highlight events held by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government amid National Day celebrations this year. Speaking at the kick-off ceremony this morning, the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mr Lam Sai-hung, said, “Bus services have long been an indispensable and important part of Hong Kong’s economy and people’s livelihoods. Buses have not only met the travel needs of Hong Kong people every day, but have also witnessed the city’s developments.” The event marked the evolution of franchised buses in Hong Kong from the past to the present, engaging with the public to experience the crucial role of bus services in the public transport system, he added. Mr Lam said, “The rapid development of new energy technologies of our country in recent years has enriched Hong Kong’s choices of new energy public transport. Numerous electric double-decker buses and hydrogen fuel cell buses introduced into Hong Kong in the past few years were China-made models. Our country has been forging ahead steadfastly in the last 75 years and continuous innovations in such areas as energy and transport technology not only reflect our country’s leading role in this field, but also bring the convenience of technology into the lives of the general public.” Also officiating at the ceremony were Legislative Council (LegCo) Member (Transport) Mr Frankie Yick; the Chairman of the LegCo Panel on Transport, Dr Chan Han-pan; the Permanent Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan; the Under Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mr Liu Chun-san; the Director of Broadcasting, Mr Eddie Cheung; the Commissioner for Transport, Ms Angela Lee; the Chairman of the Transport Advisory Committee (TAC), Professor Stephen Cheung, and the management of franchised bus operators co-organising the event. Some 750 participants from the Transport and Logistics Bureau, the TD, LegCo Members, the TAC, major public transport operators, Members of District Councils and district personalities attended the ceremony. The officiating guests then boarded an open-top bus themed on the 75th National Day to lead a parade of eight retired and in-service buses from Victoria Park to Man Kwong Street, via Gordon Road, King’s Road, Causeway Road, Hennessy Road, Fleming Road and Lung Wo Road, which was about 6 kilometres long. Members of the public enjoyed the parade along the route across districts and took photos to share the joy. The convoy engaged with the public and tourists at locations such as Hennessy Road near Jardine’s Bazaar in Causeway Bay, Golden Bauhinia Square in Wan Chai and the destination at Central Pier. In addition, the four-day bus exhibition at the soccer pitches of Victoria Park is open to registered members of the public free of charge from this afternoon. The exhibition features a total of 10 retired and in-service buses, including the first-generation double-decker bus introduced 75 years ago and the newly introduced China-made new energy double-decker buses. Bus model exhibits, photo-taking spots simulating a bus driver and passengers, a neon light installation as well as bus service-related memorabilia including bus captain uniforms of different generations and vintage bus tickets are also on display. The TD reminded members of the public registered to queue up and enter the exhibition via its entrance at Soccer Pitch No. 4 of Victoria Park (near the jogging track) with a QR code at the selected time slot. Each visitor can obtain one commemorative ticket on-site. Following an overwhelming response to the exhibition, all quotas including those for additional sessions are full. The TD thanked the public for their support. The event is fully supported by Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK). The public may refer to the RTHK and the RTHK Radio 5 Facebook page for the live ceremony webcast.

Ends/Saturday, October 19, 2024Issued at HKT 12:26

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MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Launch of the Hanging out to help out youth volunteering awareness campaign
Source: Ministers for Social Services

20 October 2024

E&OE transcript

Good morning.

I’d like to begin this morning by acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the lands on which we meet, the Kaurna (Gaa-nuh) peoples, and pay my respects to elders past and present.

I extend that acknowledgement to all First Nations peoples joining us today.

I would also like to acknowledge:
- Hamilton Calder – CEO Volunteering SA&NT
- Louise Miller-Frost MP – Member for Boothby
- Jacob Dommerson – Campaign ambassador and volunteer at St John Ambulance NSW
- Allira Potter – First Nations campaign ambassador and life coach
It’s so great to be with you all here today.

Volunteers are the backbone of our communities.

Every time you patrol the beach here in Glenelg to keep swimmers safe.

Every time someone cooks the sausages to feed hungry athletes and raise money for their local sports team.

Every time someone visits a local retirement village to have a cuppa and a chat with someone who might be experiencing loneliness.

Every time a volunteer gives up their time to help another Aussie be happy, or safe – you make Australian society richer.

But I have not always had the best relationship with volunteering.

I say this because as a child, I was very close to my grandmother, and I got a bit jealous when I wasn’t able to see her because she was such a dedicated volunteer.

Tuesday was Meals on Wheels. Thursday afternoon she was volunteering at Flinders Medical Centre in South Australia. Every second Friday she was at Probus and she was involved with the local Lions group as well.

I felt more than a little resentful that I wasn’t getting to see my grandmother but as I became an adult, it really instilled in me the importance of volunteering.

To see the pride that she took in the help she gave and the connections she made.

And of course, it didn’t take long until I found myself being a Seacliff Surf Lifesaver volunteer. It really was passed on from generation to generation.

I am proud to support volunteering in Australia on both a personal level and as a representative of the Albanese Government.

Volunteering builds communities. And if you think about connections in the community, those are often built by lending a hand and helping others out.

But COVID interrupted that connection, and we have not seen volunteer numbers return to what they were pre-pandemic.

Many dedicated volunteers have returned, but we are yet to see young people volunteering at that pre-pandemic rate. That’s a real challenge that we need to address.

We had 1.86 million fewer formal volunteers at the start of 2022 compared to pre-pandemic. And while the demand for the help and support volunteers provide remains high, for some volunteering organisations there are not enough new volunteers to fill the gap. 83 per cent of volunteer involving organisations say they are in need of more volunteers.

Decreased volunteering creates significant challenges for volunteer organisations and Australia’s communities. We know that with fewer volunteers, it means that organisations are limited in delivering the amount of work in community than they would like to. Or, existing volunteers are expected to take on more.

There is a clear need for more volunteers across Australia right now.

Our National Strategy gives us the framework to boost volunteering supports nationwide. Of course, this is just one part of our investments.

We are working towards increasing the numbers of young people getting into volunteer roles. Because we know that young Australians have plenty to benefit from when volunteering, and we want young people to be supported to volunteer to the pre-pandemic participation levels.

Though we saw a small uptick in participation in 2023, only 29.7 per cent of young people were participating in formal volunteering, which was still far shy of pre-pandemic levels of 36.5 per cent.

There are many reasons for this drop, including the extra challenges faced by many Australians due to the impacts of the pandemic, and the day to day pressures of balancing school and work.

But recent research has shown that for young people between 15 and 18 years old, a big barrier is as simple as a low awareness about the need for young volunteers, the flexibility and variety of volunteering opportunities available to them, and the personal benefits that volunteering can bring.

Many young people that took part in the research looked on volunteering positively but didn’t think it was something for them.

They were uncertain about what a volunteer actually does, and saw it more as an activity for older people, something that would be onerous and difficult to fit into their lives.

While volunteering offers opportunities to people of all ages, as our National Strategy for Volunteering makes clear, young people are the future of volunteering in Australia.

Which makes it vital for us to reach out to show them what volunteering can be and what it can bring into their lives, and how easy it can be to make it a part of their day-to-day.

We know young people who engage in volunteering prior to entering the workforce are more likely to have a lifelong connection to volunteering.

This is why today we are launching the Hanging out to help out volunteering awareness campaign.

The campaign shows young people that volunteering is something enjoyable and rewarding, an opportunity to give back and do good while hanging out with friends.

It will be a chance to demonstrate to young Australians all the personal benefits volunteering can bring, like gaining lifelong skills, meeting new people, connecting with like-minded young people, and boosting their mental and emotional wellbeing.

While I was in high school, I worked in a variety of volunteering roles, including as a surf lifesaver at Seacliff, and I believe that experience when I was younger has helped shape who I am today.

Yes, sometimes patrolling for five hours along the beach felt like a drag and sometimes the water was freezing, but the friends, experiences and skills I gained throughout my volunteering are invaluable.

I know many of you will share this sentiment and know the great benefits volunteering can bring to you as a volunteer as well as to those you help.

The Hanging out to help out campaign will shine a light on the diversity of volunteering opportunities available to young people to suit all different types of interests, circumstances, and time availability.

The campaign will meet young people across Australia where they are, with a focus on digital communications across social media, including Instagram and TikTok, YouTube, streaming services and podcasts.

This will ensure that young Australians, regardless of their background, know what volunteering opportunities are available to them and how they can access them.

It’s as simple as going to volunteering.gov.au to find opportunities nearby, or talking to people around your community who run local volunteering organisations.

Because we know many young people are looking for opportunities to take a gap year before embarking on further education or entering the workforce following their completion of high school, we are also partnering with Year 13, a website for students looking for information about post-school pathway options.

The partnership will be running through to June 2025 and is expected to reach more than a million 15- to 18-year-olds across Australia and open the door for them to a whole new world of volunteering.

Showing them they can contribute their time and skills in a way that suits them and do meaningful work while enjoying themselves and spending time with their friends.

This new awareness campaign is one part of the Government’s broader suite of support for volunteering in Australia.

The campaign directly supports the objectives of the National Strategy for Volunteering to reshape the public perception of volunteering and recognise the inherent value of volunteering.

The National Strategy for Volunteering, funded by the Government and developed by Volunteering Australia, sets out a 10-year blueprint for a brighter future for volunteering, where more people volunteer more often, in a safe, supported and inclusive volunteering environment.

We are proud to have worked with Volunteering Australia to develop the National Strategy, which is being backed in by our investments in volunteering.

These are not just words on a page for us. The Albanese Government is investing in a strong volunteer sector and encouraging more Australians to enrich their lives through volunteering.

In August, I was pleased to join with Volunteering Australia at the Hectorville Community Centre to launch the first Action Plan under the Strategy, outlining how governments and volunteer organisations will work to achieve the goals of the Strategy.

We’ve invested over $83 million committed between July 2022 and June 2026 for our Volunteering and Community Connectedness programs.

Australia’s volunteers are at the heart of our communities and are vital to a vibrant, inclusive Australia.

I thank Volunteering Australia, Volunteering SA & NT, and Glenelg Surf Life Saving Club for all the hard work you and your members do to give back to keep volunteering strong.

With the introduction of the Hanging out to help out campaign I hope many young Australians will be inspired to make their own contributions and discover all the wonderful things that volunteering can bring into their lives.

Thank you.

MIL OSI News –
January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Harden Murrumburrah Rural Women’s Gathering passes flame to Lismore for 2025

Source: New South Wales Premiere

Published: 19 October 2024

Released by: Minister for Regional NSW, Minister for Women

Lismore has been named host of the 2025 Rural Women’s Gathering at a candle lighting ceremony as part of the 2024 event in Harden Murrumburrah.

Tina Irish and Karen Hirst from Lismore City Council joined Minister for Women Jodie Harrison and the Harden Murrumburrah 2024 organising committee for the ceremony, accepting carriage of the 2025 event.

The NSW Government provides $30,000 for the Gathering as part of its commitment to empowering women and girls across regional, rural and remote NSW, including helping them build new connections and learn new skills to ensure they can reach their full potential and thrive.

The NSW Rural Women’s Gathering is an annual event held in a different location each year. 2024’s event in Harden Murrumburrah was themed “Sowing the Seeds of Success – Creating Your Own Work Life Balance”. The program – prepared by a organising committee made up of local volunteers – featured a range of enriching workshops, networking opportunities and cultural experiences.

Attendees heard from inspiring female leaders, including former Australian Olympian and two-time Athletics World Champion Jana Pittman; Founder of Womn-Kind and AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award 2024 NSW/ACT Finalist Ruby Reithmuller; and AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award 2022 VIC Winner Kimberley Furness, who is also a magazine publisher and podcaster.

Details for the 2025 Rural Women’s Gathering will be shared via the fortnightly Rural Women’s Network e-newsletter. To subscribe, visit nsw.gov.au/women-nsw/rural-womens-network

Minister for Regional NSW Tara Moriarty said:

“The NSW Government is committed to empowering women and girls across regional, rural and remote NSW to have full access to opportunities.

“We recognise that women in regional parts of NSW experience unique challenges living in remote locations. We also know women in these communities are doing extraordinary things.

“The Rural Women’s Gathering provides a great opportunity to share their experiences and, in turn, help other women to better support their communities.

“Thank you to our incredible 2024 hosts in Harden Murrumburrah for helping facilitate connection through friendship, mentorship, professional resources and services. I look forward to seeing the tradition continue next year in Lismore.”

Minister for Women Jodie Harrison said:

“Thank you to the fabulous volunteers who coordinated and delivered a hugely successful 2024 Rural Women’s Gathering in Harden Murrumburrah – your local insights are absolutely invaluable, your dedication and commitment make this important annual event possible.

“The Rural Women’s Gathering links women to information and services, create opportunities to build personal and business resilience, allow us to promote action on rural women’s issues, and ultimately strengthen communities across NSW.

“After 31 years, the Gathering continues to be a key event on the NSW Rural Women’s Network calendar, enabling women from regional, rural and remote areas of NSW to connect, learn and celebrate.

“Each year, there’s a range of diverse speakers and workshops, all of whom bring something new and inspiring to share – and I can’t wait to see what’s next for Lismore in 2025.”

Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin said:

“I’m excited to have the Rural Women’s Gathering here. I think its fantastic because we have some great women right across our community.

“This is recognition that there’s a whole lot of women’s leadership here, particularly our rural women. They’re in everything, from the CWA, to the SES, to the RFS, to Zonta, we’ve got the lot.

“The Rural Women’s Gathering is a great opportunity to network and having it in Lismore means its easier for local women to take part.”

MIL OSI News –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Update on NSW Government response to power outage in Far West NSW
Source: New South Wales Premiere

Published: 19 October 2024

Released by: Minister for Energy and Climate Change

Power supplies have been restored to communities in the Far West region of NSW using a large-scale back-up generator, but households and businesses are being urged to reduce their usage this evening to minimise demand.
The Far West region is relying on the generator while Transgrid constructs temporary towers to replace those damaged by a serious storm. This could take a number of weeks.

The large-scale back-up generator is not adequate to meet consumer demand at all times of the day, in particular during the evening peak from 5:30pm to 10:30pm (Australian Central Daylight time).

During this time, Essential Energy may need to rotate power between different areas for around two hours at a time. Essential Energy will prioritise Life Support Customers and priority loads such as Broken Hill Base Hospital.

The community in the impacted area can help by taking simple steps to minimise power use between 5:30pm and 10:30pm (Australian Central Daylight Time):
- Turn off any non-essential appliances.
- Use lights only in occupied rooms.
- If you are using air conditioning, consider raising the set point temperature to about 26 degrees and close all blinds, windows and doors.
Outside these times, the community should continue to use electricity as they normally would.

The impacted area incudes Broken Hill, Tibooburra, Wilcannia, Menindee, White Cliffs and several other surrounding communities.

The NSW Government has activated an emergency response and is coordinating assistance across a number of emergency services and government agencies, and is working with Transgrid and Essential Energy.

A NSW Rural Fire Service b-double truck which set off from Sydney loaded with supplies has now arrived in the Far West. The supplies include generators, fuel pods, cool rooms, lighting towers and Starlinks (satellite connections).

The NSW Government encourages community members to follow the guidance of emergency service crews and asks travellers to the Far West of NSW avoid the area surrounding Broken Hill, Wilcannia, Menindee and White Cliffs unless absolutely necessary.

For the latest updates from Essential Energy visit: https://www.essentialenergy.com.au/outages-and-faults/power-outages

Customers, including Life Support customers, can contact Essential Energy on its outage line on
13 20 80 for support.

For more information on ways to reduce your energy during this peak demand event visit https://www.energy.nsw.gov.au/households/guides-and-helpful-advice-households/electricity-supply-disruptions

Minister for Energy Penny Sharpe said:

“It’s positive news that power supplies have been restored to Broken Hill and nearby communities via a large-scale back-up generator. However, there is still a lot of work to be done to replace the transmission towers and repair the electricity network.

“I want to thank the Essential Energy and Transgrid workers who have worked tirelessly over the past two days to restore power.

“I also want to thank Perilya Mine for supplying load to the large-scale backup generator, which in turn, has provided security and stability to the Broken Hill grid and helped restore power to communities across the Far West.”

Member for Barwon Roy Butler said:

“We are focused on restoring power to all homes and businesses in Broken Hill and towns across the region.

“We welcome the arrival of supplies including generators to support those on the ground.

“I encourage everyone in our community to please check in on your neighbours and relatives, especially those who are vulnerable, as we work through this situation.”
MIL OSI News –
January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: News 10/17/2024 Blackburn, Duckworth Introduce Bill to Increase Access to Advanced Wheelchairs

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn) and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) introduced the Choices for Increased Mobility Act to increase access to wheelchairs made with advanced materials by allowing Medicare beneficiaries to upgrade to lighter, more functional wheelchairs without bearing the entire upfront cost. These manual wheelchairs help prevent shoulder injuries, enhance maneuverability, and reduce overall pain and fatigue for users.

“Too many Americans with disabilities face unnecessary barriers to obtaining the best mobility equipment to meet their needs,” said Senator Blackburn. “By making it easier for Medicare beneficiaries to upgrade to wheelchairs made with advanced, lighter materials like carbon fiber and titanium, this bipartisan bill would help improve the quality of life for countless individuals. I’m pleased to work with Senator Duckworth to reduce financial burdens on those who rely on these essential devices and ensure that more people have access to the mobility solutions they deserve.”

“For too long, Medicare recipients have struggled to access lighter, more functional wheelchairs that would help them get around more easily while putting significantly less strain on their bodies,” said Senator Duckworth. “Our bipartisan legislation would help ensure Medicare recipients are better able to access the wheelchairs they need to live healthier, more independent lives—with minimal cost to the federal government. It’s a win-win.”
BACKGROUND
Complex Rehab Technology (CRT) is a specialized subset of the Durable Medical Equipment benefit, which includes highly configurable manual and power wheelchairs, adaptive seating, and positioning systems. Among these, manual wheelchairs constructed from advanced materials like carbon fiber and titanium are significantly stronger and lighter than standard aluminum wheelchairs.
When the Medicare billing code for ultra-lightweight manual wheelchairs was established in 1993, materials like titanium and carbon fiber were not considered, as they were not yet in use for wheelchairs. As a result, CRT providers have struggled to supply wheelchairs with these advanced materials at the fee schedule amounts set by Medicare.
Historically, Medicare allowed beneficiaries who met medical necessity requirements to upgrade their equipment by paying the difference between standard and upgraded materials. However, a policy change in 2016 removed this option, requiring beneficiaries to prepay the entire cost of the wheelchair out-of-pocket and await reimbursement for the standard portion, significantly limiting access to these advanced wheelchairs.
CHOICES FOR INCREASED MOBILITY ACT
The Choices for Increased Mobility Act would create two new billing codes for ultra-lightweight manual wheelchairs: one for base models and another for those constructed with titanium or carbon fiber. This change would allow Medicare beneficiaries to upgrade to lighter, more functional wheelchairs without bearing the entire upfront cost. Instead, beneficiaries would only pay for the cost of the specialized materials, significantly reducing their financial burden.
This bill aims to restore the option for beneficiaries to choose and pay for advanced materials for their wheelchairs without removing medical necessity requirements. It would ensure that Medicare covers the standard portion of the wheelchair cost, with beneficiaries responsible only for the upgraded materials.
ENDORSEMENTS
This legislation is supported by the American Association for Homecare, Permobil Americas, National Coalition for Assistive and Rehab Technology, National Registry for Rehabilitation Technology Suppliers, Clinical Task Force, The VGM Group, U.S. Rehab, Association for Tennessee Home Oxygen & Medical Equipment Services, Great Lakes Home Medical Services Association, Midwest Association for Medical Equipment Services, Southwest Medical Equipment Suppliers Association, Alabama Durable Medical Equipment Association, Michigan HomeCare & Hospice Association, Pennsylvania Association of Medical Suppliers, Georgia Association of Medical Equipment Suppliers, Texas Medical Equipment Providers Association, Home Medical Equipment and Services Association of New England, Georgia Association of Medical Equipment Suppliers, Florida Alliance of Home Care Services, Atlantic Coast Medical Equipment Services Association, Northeast Medical Equipment Providers Association, Nevada Association of Medical Product Suppliers, Big Sky Association of Home Medical Equipment Suppliers, Pacific Association for Medical Equipment Services, Colorado Association for Medical Equipment Services, California Association of Medical Product Suppliers, Ohio Association of Medical Equipment Services, and Arkansas Medical Equipment Providers.
“We are so fortunate to be able to work with leaders like Senator Blackburn and Senator Duckworth who share our passion for supporting people with disabilities,” said Tom Ryan, President & CEO of the American Association for Homecare. “Their work to improve access to lightweight wheelchairs is the latest example of their commitment to ensuring people with mobility challenges can remain actively engaged in their communities.”
“Our mission will always be to enable those with disabilities to live life with independence by providing aides of the same technical standards that we all use in our daily lives. S. 5154 is a common sense, budget neutral solution that empowers individuals with the choice to access to the many benefits of titanium or carbon fiber wheelchair frames,” said Chuck Witkowski, President of Permobil Americas. “We are immensely grateful to Senators Blackburn and Duckworth and thank them for their continued leadership and support of this community.”
Click here for bill text.

MIL OSI USA News –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: ACT challenges Brian Tamaki’s racist, ignorant campaign targeting immigrants

Source: ACT Party

ACT Ethnic Communities spokesperson Dr Parmjeet Parmar is challenging Brian Tamaki after Indian New Zealanders and other ethnic communities raised concerns about a new campaign to “Make NZ Kiwi Again” which targets immigrants.

“I have been approached by representatives of ethnic communities in New Zealand alarmed to see Brian Tamaki is promoting conspiracy theories about an ‘Indian invasion’. In a long video tirade, Tamaki rails against Hindu temples, Indian civil aviation officials, and the proposed free trade deal with India.

“Tamaki wants New Zealanders to march to ‘Make NZ Kiwi Again’ , but he cannot be very Kiwi himself if he has forgotten our fundamental history and values. Every New Zealander has either crossed an ocean to build a life here, or is descended from someone who did. Kiwis believe in freedom and a fair chance for anyone who’s willing to offer their efforts to society.

“I hope Brian Tamaki doesn’t have to visit hospital any time soon, but if he does, he will experience firsthand the contribution of immigrant doctors, nurses, and carers that have made New Zealand home.

“The construction sector is powered by migrants who are literally building New Zealand’s future. Others develop cutting-edge technology right here in New Zealand to solve problems, boost exports, and create jobs that benefit us all.

“The migrant community shouldn’t be feared – they should be embraced for all they bring to New Zealand.

“Tamaki warns that Indians are ‘not bad people, but they have intentions’. That is part is true – we have intentions to build peaceful and prosperous lives, raise educated children, and open businesses that offer value to New Zealand.

“Brian Tamaki is a shameless self-promoter and is clearly willing to tap into any negative sentiment that draws attention and outrage. This week it’s Indians, next week it will be another group. It’s tempting to ignore him, but when he seeks to define who is and isn’t a Kiwi, he must be challenged.”

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

January 24, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: It would cost billions, but pay for itself over time. The economic case for air conditioning every Australian school

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Geoff Hanmer, Adjunct Professor of Architecture, University of Technology Sydney

Later this week the government will receive the report of the year-long independent inquiry into its handling of the COVID pandemic.

Among the issues it will have to contend with is air quality, in particular the air quality in high occupancy public buildings such as schools, aged-care facilities, shops, pubs and clubs.

Many already have high quality air. High-fitration air conditioning (so-called mechanical ventilation) is standard in offices, hospitals and shopping centres.

But not in schools. Almost all of our schools (98% in NSW) use windows.

In Australia’s national construction code, this is called “natural ventilation” and it is allowed so long as the window, opening or door has a ventilating area of not less than 5% of the floor area, a requirement research suggests is insufficient.

Windows, but no requirement to keep them open

There’s no requirement to actually open the windows. School windows are often shut to keep in the heat in (or to keep out the heat in summer).

The result can be very, very stuffy classrooms, far stuffier than we would tolerate in shopping centres. This matters for learning. Study after study has found that when air circulation gets low, people can’t concentrate well or learn well.

And they get sick. Diseases such as flu, COVID and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) spread when viruses get recirculated instead of diluted with fresh air.

The costs of the resulting sickness are borne by students, parents, teachers and education systems that need to find replacement staff to cover for teachers who are sick and parents who need to look after sick children at home.

A pilot study prepared for the Australian Research Council Centre for Advanced Building Systems Against Airborne Infection (known as “Thrive”), suggests the entire cost of installing high-filtration air conditioning in every Australian school would be offset by the savings in reduced sickness.

What classroom air is like

The study carried out by the education architecture firm ARINA compared the ventilation of 60 so-called naturally ventilated schools in southern NSW and the Australian Capital Territory to that of a school in Sydney that happened to have been fitted with a Standards Australia-compliant air conditioning system to control aircraft noise.

It used carbon dioxide levels to measure ventilation. Carbon dioxide is a good proxy for ventilation because its levels are determined by both the number of people breathing out concentrated carbon dioxide and the clean air available to dilute it.

Under a normal load, defined as 26 students, one teacher and one assistant, measured levels of carbon dioxide in the air-conditioned school stayed below 750 parts per million (ppm) and were typically between 500 and 600 ppm.

A reading of 700 ppm is particularly good. It means the people in the room breathe in less than 0.5% of air breathed out by others.

But in “naturally ventilated” classrooms the reading often climbed to 2,500 ppm and sometimes more, within an hour of a class commencing.

At 2,500 parts per million, people in the room are breathing in 5.5% of the air breathed out by others. This is also high enough to affect cognition, learning and behaviour, something that begins when carbon dioxide climbs above 1,200 ppm.

Research suggests using ventilation to cut carbon dioxide to 700 ppm can cut the risk of airborne transmission of disease by a factor of two and up to five.

The economic case for healthy air

In 2023, Australia had 9,629 schools with 4,086,998 students.

ARINA has previously estimated the cost of ensuring all of these schools are mechanically ventilated at A$2 billion per year over five years.

Offsetting that cost would be less sickness. Documents released under freedom of information laws show Victoria spent $360.8 million on casual relief teachers between May 2023 and May 2024, 54% more than before COVID in 2019.

The figures for other states are harder to get, but if Victoria (with 26% of Australia’s population) is spending $234 million more per year on casual relief teachers than before COVID, it is likely that Australia is spending $900 million per year more.

Add in the teachers in non-government schools (37% of Australia’s total) and the potential saving from air conditioning schools exceeds $1 billion per year.

Add in the other non-COVID viruses that would no longer be concentrated and circulated in classrooms and the potential savings grow higher still.

Worth more than $1 billion per year

And, in any event, the cost of replacement teachers is a woefully incomplete measure of the cost of illness in schools. Many ill teachers can’t be replaced because replacements aren’t available, making schools cancel lessons and combine classes, costing days, weeks and sometimes months of lost education.

Also, the bacteria and viruses spread by recirculated air infect students as well as teachers, keeping students (and often their parents) at home as well.

This suggests the costs per year of not air conditioning schools exceed $1 billion and may well approach or exceed $2 billion, which is the estimated cost per year over five years of air conditioning every Australian school.

Natural ventilation was never a good idea for classrooms: it was cheap at the time, but not cheap at all when the costs are considered. Those costs happen to extend beyond disease to thermal comfort, energy use and the ability of students to concentrate.

It’s time we gave students and teachers the kind of protections we demand for ourselves in our offices, our shopping centres and often our homes. It would soon pay for itself.

Geoff Hanmer is a member of the executive of the Industry Training and Transformation Centre for Advanced Building Systems against Airborne Infection Transmission (known as Thrive) which receives funding from the Australian Research Council, QUT, the University of Melbourne and industry partners in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. He is a director of the health expert body OzSAGE and the managing director of ARINA, an architectural consultancy.

– ref. It would cost billions, but pay for itself over time. The economic case for air conditioning every Australian school – https://theconversation.com/it-would-cost-billions-but-pay-for-itself-over-time-the-economic-case-for-air-conditioning-every-australian-school-241465

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Water Safety – Safer Boating Week: Come Home Safe

Source: Maritime New Zealand

As the summer boating season begins, Maritime New Zealand and the Safer Boating Forum are urging all boaties and watercraft users to prioritise safety.

Safer Boating Week, starting Monday, 21 October, highlights the importance of safety as recreational boaties, and craft users (whether in a power boat, waka ama, kayak, canoe or paddle board) return to the water. For many, this will be the first time since last summer they venture out, making this year’s theme, ‘ Come Home Safe’, more relevant than ever. It builds on last year’s theme and reinforces the need for safe boating practices and encourages everyone to make safety a priority to ensure they return home.

Maritime NZ’s Director, Kirstie Hewlett, highlighted the ongoing importance of Safer Boating Week in promoting safety messages year-round. “This is our 11th Safer Boating Week, and it’s as important as ever. Over the past decade, more than 170 people have lost their lives in recreational craft incidents.

“These figures are deeply concerning, and the Safer Boating Forum is committed to reducing the number of deaths on the water,” she says.

The Safer Boating Forum represents a wide range of recreational craft activities, and this year’s launch event will focus on paddle craft safety.

Paddle craft users accounted for a significant portion of last year’s fatalities, with 5 out of 11 fatal incidents involving paddle craft.

At the launch event, we’ll hear from newly crowned Paris Olympic champions Tara Vaughan and Olivia Brett (members of the women’s K4 team with Lisa Carrington), and five-time NZ surf lifesaving Ironwoman champion Danielle Mackenzie. They will share their journeys to becoming elite athletes and how they want to encourage others to take up their sports -safely. Coming from surf lifesaving backgrounds, they know how crucial it is to stay safe around water.

Maritime NZ’s Harm Prevention Lead for Recreational Craft, Victoria Slade, says paddle craft are particularly vulnerable due to their design and the environments in which they operate.

“Paddle craft are more likely to capsize than non-paddle craft, and most incidents occurred within one nautical mile of shore or on inland waterways like lakes and rivers. This highlights that danger isn’t just far out at sea,” she says.

New Zealand’s waters can turn rough quickly, especially for paddle craft users. A calm day can become dangerous within minutes, with strong winds and waves easily overwhelming smaller vessels.

“If you’re planning to head out on the water, check the marine weather forecast, take two forms of waterproof communication to call for help, and always wear a properly fitting lifejacket,” Ms. Slade says.

As of 15 October this year, 14 people in recreational craft have died or gone missing after heading out on the water. These tragic incidents occurred in 10 separate incidents.

Therefore, to help reduce the number of these fatalities, this year’s launch event will also feature a safety campaign called Come Home Safe Deals.

Research conducted for Maritime NZ about how diverse communities engage with recreational craft safety shows that whānau, family, and friends want to support each other in being safe on the water. These groups are key sources of information and strength.

Ms. Slade explains, “This safety campaign taps into the importance of these connections, encouraging children, partners, whānau, and friends to influence our target audience and promote safe behaviour.”

Come Home Safe Deals involves individuals pledging to take certain actions if people they care about follow key safety rules. For example, “If you promise to always wear a lifejacket, I’ll promise to clean my room,” or “If you check the marine weather forecast, I’ll cook your favourite dinner.”

As part of this initiative, a dedicated web app allows participants to enter into these agreements.

“Our safety campaign efforts will target this broader audience, guiding them to the Come Home Safe Deals webpage, where they can enter for a chance to win prizes by setting up their deal online,” Ms. Slade says.

The website, comehomesafe.nz, goes live on October 21 and will run for one month.

For more safety advice, visit http://www.saferboating.org.nz, where recreational craft users can find guidance on planning their trips, staying safe on the water, maintaining their boats, and using different types of recreational crafts safely.

Come home safe. Kia Mataara.

Notes:

– The Safer Boating Forum is a formal network of 30 organisations including central and local government, boating organisations, and the marine industry.

– The research was conducted by Litmus, a social research and evaluation agency with specialist multi-disciplinary teams. Maritime NZ commissioned Litmus to conduct a qualitative study on how different communities in Aotearoa New Zealand use craft in interactions with marine environments, how they kept themselves safe while doing so and what ideas they had for how safety could be improved.

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

January 24, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: A technical fix to keep kids safe online? Here’s what happened last time Australia tried to make a ‘clean’ internet

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rebecca Houlihan, PhD Candidate in History, Monash University

Prostock Studio / Shutterstock

For anyone who has been online in Australia longer than a decade or so, the discussion around current proposals to set a minimum age for social media use might trigger a touch of déjà vu.

Between 2007 and 2012, the Rudd–Gillard government’s efforts to implement a “Clean Feed” internet filter sparked very similar debates.

Beset by technical problems and facing fierce opposition, the Clean Feed was eventually abandoned in favour of laws that already existed. Will the proposed social media ban face a similar fate?

How to regulate cyberspace

The question of how to regulate a cyberspace occupied by both adults and children has puzzled governments for a long time. Traditional controls on physical media are difficult to apply to online spaces, particularly when so much online media comes from overseas.

As early as 1998, an Australian Broadcasting Authority report noted a key difficulty in online regulation. Namely, balancing adults’ access to legal online spaces and content with restrictions on childrens’ access to age-inappropriate material and bans on illegal content.

The Clean Feed proposal attempted to address parental concerns about age-inappropriate websites. First raised in 2006 by Labor in opposition, it became a campaign promise at the 2007 election.

The proposal aimed to solve the issue of overseas content. Australian authorities could already require website owners in Australia to take down illegal content, but they had no power over international sites.

To address this, the Clean Feed would require internet service providers to run a government-created filter blocking all material given a “Refused” classification by the Australian Classification Board, which meant it was illegal. Labor argued the filter would protect children from “harmful and inappropriate” content, including child pornography and X-rated media. The Australian Communications and Media Authority created a “blacklist” of websites that the filter would block.

Technical trouble

The Clean Feed was plagued by technical issues. Trials in 2008 revealed it might slow internet speeds by up to 87%, block access to legal websites, and wouldn’t block all illegal content.

While the effect on speeds was improved, the 2008 trials and others in 2009 revealed another problem: determined users could bypass the filter.

There were also fears the blacklist would be used to block legal websites. While the government maintained the filter would only target illegal content, some questioned whether this was true.

Internet service providers were already required to prevent access to content that had been given a Refused classification. This, along with unclear government statements about removing age-inappropriate material, led many to believe the blacklist could be more far-reaching.

The government also planned to keep the list secret, on the grounds that a published list could become a guide for finding illegal material.

The blacklist

In 2009, the whistleblowing website Wikileaks published a list of sites blacklisted in Denmark. The government banned those pages of Wikileaks, and in response Wikileaks published what it said was the Australian government blacklist. (The government denied it was the actual blacklist.)

Newspapers noted that around half the websites on the published list were not related to child pornography.

Wikileaks published what it claimed was the government’s planned ‘blacklist’ of websites, along with a rationale for publishing the list.
Wikileaks

The alleged blacklist also contained legal content, including Wikipedia pages, YouTube links, and even the website of a Queensland dentist. This lent weight to fears the filter would block more than just illegal websites.

More debates emerged surrounding how the Refused classification category was applied offline as well as on the internet.

In January 2010, the Australian Sex Party reported claims from pornography studios that customs officials had confiscated material featuring female ejaculation (as an “abhorrent depiction” or form of urination) and small-breasted adult women (who might appear to be minors). Many questioned whether these should be banned, and if such depictions would be added to the blacklist – including members of hacker-activist group Anonymous.

Operation Titstorm and the end of the Clean Feed

While Anonymous members had already protested the Clean Feed, this new information sparked a new protest action dubbed Operation Titstorm.

On February 10 2010, activists targeted several government websites. The Australian Parliament site was down for three days. Protesters also mass-emailed politicians and their staff the kinds of pornography set to be blocked by the filter.

While Operation Titstorm gained media attention, other digital activists (such as Electronic Frontiers Australia and other members of Anonymous) criticised its illegal tactics. Many dismissed the protest as juvenile.

In February 2010, hacker-activists from Anonymous launched denial-of-service attacks and email campaigns in protest of proposed internet filters.
WIkipedia

However, one participant argued that many protesters were children, who had used these methods because “kids and teenagers don’t really get the chance to voice their opinions”. The protesters may have been the very people the Clean Feed was supposed to protect.

The government abandoned the Clean Feed in 2012 and used existing legislation to require internet service providers to block INTERPOL’s “worst of” child abuse list. It remains to be seen whether the social media minimum age will similarly crumble under the weight of controversy and be rendered redundant by existing legislation.

The same, but different

The Clean Feed tried to balance the rights of adults to access legal material with protecting children from age-inappropriate content and making cyberspace safer for them. In a sense, it did this by regulating adults.

The filter limited the material adults could access. Given it was government-created and mandatory, it also decided for parents what content was age-appropriate for their children.

The current proposal to set a minimum age for social media flips this solution by determining what online spaces children can occupy. Similar to the filter, it also makes this decision on parents’ behalf.

The Clean Feed saga reveals some of the difficulties of policing the internet. It also reminds us that anxiety about what Australian youth can interact with online is nothing new – and is unlikely to go away.

Rebecca Houlihan 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. A technical fix to keep kids safe online? Here’s what happened last time Australia tried to make a ‘clean’ internet – https://theconversation.com/a-technical-fix-to-keep-kids-safe-online-heres-what-happened-last-time-australia-tried-to-make-a-clean-internet-241371

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

January 24, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: What are executive function delays? Research shows they’re similar in ADHD and autism

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adam Guastella, Professor and Clinical Psychologist, Michael Crouch Chair in Child and Youth Mental Health, University of Sydney

ABO Photography/Shutterstock

Neurodevelopmental conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism affect about one in ten children. These conditions impact learning, behaviour and development.

Executive function delays are core to challenges people with neurodevelopmental conditions experience. This includes skills such as paying attention, switching attention, controlling impulses, planning, organising and problem-solving.

These skills are important for learning and long-term development. They have been linked with future occupational, social, academic and mental health outcomes. Children with improved executive function skills and supports for these skills do better long term.

Decades of studies have described how difficulties in attention and impulse control underpin ADHD. Meanwhile, difficulties with switching attention and flexibility of thinking have been proposed to underpin autism.

As a result, different supports and interventions developed for different neurodevelopmental conditions target these skills. It sets up a system where a diagnosis is made first, then a set of supports is provided based on that diagnosis.

But our recent study, published in Nature Human Behaviour, shows executive function problems are similar across all neurodevelopmental conditions. Understanding these common needs could lead to better access to supports before waiting for a specific diagnosis.

Our study found more similarities than differences

We looked at 180 studies, over 45 years, that compared executive function skills across two or more neurodevelopmental conditions.

We brought the research together for all neurodevelopmental conditions that have been defined by diagnostic manuals, including ADHD, Tourette’s syndrome, communication disorders and intellectual disabilities.

Surprisingly, we found most neurodevelopmental conditions showed very similar delays in their executive skills.

Children with ADHD showed difficulties with attention and impulse control, for example, but so did children with autism, communication and specific learning conditions.

There were very few differences between each neurodevelopmental condition and the type of executive function delay.

This suggests executive function delay is best considered as a common difficulty for all children with neurodevelopmental conditions. All of these children could benefit from similar supports to improve executive skills.

But supports have become siloed

For decades, research has failed to integrate findings across conditions. This has led to siloed research and practices across the education, health and disability sectors.

Our data showed a gradual shift in the type of conditions that have been studied since 1980. In the earlier days, as a percentage, there were a far greater proportion of studies conducted on tic disorders, such as Tourette’s syndrome. In the past ten years, autism has been of greater focus.

This means research and practice is also siloed, based on the focus on funding and interest in the community. Some groups miss out from good science and practice when they become less visible in the political landscape.

This has led to a skewed support system where only children with a specific diagnosis can be offered certain interventions. It also reduces access to supports if families can’t access diagnostic services, which can be particularly difficult in regional and rural communities.

Due to these diagnosis-driven research practices, there are now assessment services, guidelines and treatments that are recommended for autism. These are usually independent from and not offered to children with ADHD, Tourette’s syndrome, communication disorders or intellectual disabilities despite a significant overlap in children’s needs.

How does this affect access to support

Families often find it hard to get the help they need. They often describe the assessment and support process as confusing, with long wait times and lots of barriers.

We have previously shown caregivers often attend assessment and support services with a broad range of needs, but leave with many needs unaddressed.

Recent national child mental health, autism and ADHD guidelines call for more integrated supports for children. But most services are not well set up to do this. It will take time to drive such system change if this is to be achieved.

Why we need integrated research

More integrated research will lead to more cohesive support systems across education, health and disability for all children in need.

Studies show, for example, that many risk factors (genetic and environmental) are common to all neurodevelopmental conditions. These include a broad overlap of risk genes that are the same between conditions, and common environmental factors that influence development in the womb, such as the use of certain drugs, stress and a significant immune response.

Other studies show how most children diagnosed with one neurodevelopmental condition will also be diagnosed with others.

But gaps remain. While we know certain stimulant medications can work well for ADHD, for example, we have less information about how they might help children with other neurodevelopmental conditions who have attention difficulties.

Unlike our knowledge about social supports for children with autism, we don’t have much research on how we can help children with ADHD with their social needs.

We should take a wider view of children’s needs

It’s important for families to be aware that if their child meets criteria for one neurodevelopmental condition, it is very likely that they will meet criteria for other neurodvelopmental conditions. They will likely have many needs relevant to other conditions.

It is worth asking clinical services about broader needs beyond a diagnosis. This should include developmental, mental and physical health needs.

It is also important to consider that many common interventions may have potential to support all children with neurodevelopmental conditions.

This is an important issue for government. Reviews are under way for supporting the needs of people with autism, intellectual disability and ADHD.

It’s time to establish more integrated systems, supports and strategies for all people with neurodevelopmental conditions for their home, school, play and work.

Adam Guastella receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council and Australian Research Council for research into neurodevelopmental conditions. He is director of the Clinic for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Research and scientific chair of Neurodevelopment Australia, a scientific group seeking to improve the knowledge and supports for all people with neurodevelopmental conditions.

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

– ref. What are executive function delays? Research shows they’re similar in ADHD and autism – https://theconversation.com/what-are-executive-function-delays-research-shows-theyre-similar-in-adhd-and-autism-238760

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

January 24, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: How light helped shape our skin colour, eyes and curly hair

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mike Lee, Professor in Evolutionary Biology (jointly appointed with South Australian Museum), Flinders University

Pictrider/Shutterstock

Welcome to our ‘Light and health’ series. Over six articles, we look at how light affects our physical and mental health in sometimes surprising ways.

For most of our evolutionary history, human activity has been linked to daylight. Technology has liberated us from these ancient sleep-wake cycles, but there is evidence sunlight has left and continues to leave its mark.

Not only do we still tend to be awake in the daytime and sleep at night, we can thank light for many other aspects of our biology.

Light may have driven our ancestors to walk upright on two legs. Light helps explain the evolution of our skin colour, why some of us have curly hair, and even the size of our eyes.

As we’ll explore in future articles in this series, light helps shape our mood, our immune system, how our gut works, and much more. Light can make us sick, tell us why we’re sick, then treat us.

Million of years of evolutionary history means humans are still very much creatures of the light.

We stood up, then walked out of Africa

The first modern humans evolved in warm African climates. And reducing exposure to the harsh sunlight is one explanation for why humans began to walk upright on two legs. When we stand up and the Sun is directly overhead, far less sunshine hits our body.

Curly hair may have also protected us from the hot Sun. The idea is that it provides a thicker layer of insulation than straight hair to shield the scalp.

Early Homo sapiens had extra Sun protection in the form of strongly pigmented skin. Sunlight breaks down folate (vitamin B9), accelerates ageing and damages DNA. In our bright ancestral climates, dark skin protected against this. But this dark skin still admitted enough UV light to stimulate vital production of vitamin D.

However, when people colonised temperate zones, with weaker light, they repeatedly evolved lighter skin, via different genes in different populations. This happened rapidly, probably within the past 40,000 years.

With reduced UV radiation nearer the poles, less pigmentation was needed to protect sunlight from breaking down our folate. A lighter complexion also let in more of the scarce light so the body could make vitamin D. But there was one big drawback: less pigmentation meant less protection against Sun damage.

How our skin pigmentation adapted with migration patterns and changing light.

This evolutionary background contributes to Australia having among the highest rates of skin cancer in the world.

Our colonial history means more than 50% of Australians are of Anglo-Celtic descent, with light skin, transplanted into a high-UV environment. Little wonder we’re described as “a sunburnt country”.

Sunlight has also contributed to variation in human eyes. Humans from high latitudes have less protective pigment in their irises. They also have larger eye sockets (and presumably eyeballs), maybe to admit more precious light.

Again, these features make Australians of European descent especially vulnerable to our harsh light. So it’s no surprise Australia has unusually high rates of eye cancers.

We cannot shake our body clock

Our circadian rhythm – the wake-sleep cycle driven by our brains and hormones – is another piece of heavy evolutionary baggage triggered by light.

Humans are adapted to daylight. In bright light, humans can see well and have refined colour vision. But we see poorly in dim light, and we lack senses such as sharp hearing or acute smell, to make up for it.

Our nearest relatives (chimps, gorillas and orangutans) are also active during daylight and sleep at night, reinforcing the view that the earliest humans had similar diurnal behaviours.

This lifestyle likely stretches further back into our evolutionary history, before the great apes, to the very dawn of primates.

The earliest mammals were generally nocturnal, using their small size and the cover of darkness to hide from dinosaurs. However, the meteorite impact that wiped out these fearsome reptiles allowed some mammalian survivors, notably primates, to evolve largely diurnal lifestyles.

If we inherited our daylight activity pattern directly from these early primates, then this rhythm would have been part of our lineage’s evolutionary history for nearly 66 million years.

This explains why our 24-hour clock is very difficult to shake; it’s so deeply ingrained in our evolutionary history.

Successive improvements in lighting technology have increasingly liberated us from dependence on daylight: fire, candles, oil and gas lamps, and finally electric lighting. So we can theoretically work and play at any time.

However, our cognitive and physical performance deteriorates when our intrinsic daily cycles are disturbed, for instance through sleep deprivation, shift work or jet lag.

Futurists have already considered the circadian rhythms required for life on Mars. Luckily, a day on Mars is around 24.7 hours, so similar to our own. This slight difference should be the least of the worries for the first intrepid martian colonists.

How would humans cope on Mars? At least they wouldn’t have to worry too much about their body clocks.
NikoNomad/NASA/Shutterstock

Light is still changing us

In the past 200 years or so, artificial lighting has helped to (partly) decouple us from our ancestral circadian rhythms. But in recent decades, this has come at a cost to our eyesight.

Many genes associated with short-sightedness (myopia) have become more common in just 25 years, a striking example of rapid evolutionary change in the human gene pool.

And if you have some genetic predisposition to myopia, reduced exposure to natural light (and spending more time in artificial light) makes it more likely. These noticeable changes have occurred within many people’s lifetimes.

Light will no doubt continue to shape our biology over the coming millennia, but those longer-term effects might be difficult to predict.

Mike Lee receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the Hermon Slade Foundation

– ref. How light helped shape our skin colour, eyes and curly hair – https://theconversation.com/how-light-helped-shape-our-skin-colour-eyes-and-curly-hair-237240

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

January 24, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Do electric cars greatly increase the average mass of cars on the road? Not in Australia

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robin Smit, Adjunct Professor, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney

Karolis Kavolelis/Shutterstock

Statements have been circulating online, including leading news platforms, that battery electric cars will greatly increase the average mass of the on-road fleet. This claim is used as an argument against these cars.

Even the Australian motoring organisation NRMA has posed the question: “EVs are heavy. Are they safe on our roads and carparks?” (It does say the answer is yes.)

The stated reason for such concerns is generally that electric car batteries are heavy and increase overall vehicle mass. A heavier vehicle needs more energy to drive it and so will typically increase emissions. A greater mass also reduces traffic safety and could have damaging impacts on parking spaces and roads.

A critical review released yesterday took a closer look at these claims to see if they hold true in Australia. It finds these claims don’t stack up in a country where sales of fossil-fuelled (petrol, diesel, LPG) vehicles skew towards large and heavy utes and SUVs.

When adjusted for actual top 10 vehicles sold and using realistic mass values, the average mass of battery electric and fossil-fuelled cars differs by just 68 kilograms. That difference is not significant, especially because electric cars are much more energy-efficient.

Oversimplifying a complex topic

The claims being made often oversimplify a complex reality. They tell only part of the story, which can be misleading.

For instance, internal combustion engine cars have consistently increased in mass over time. Known as car obesity, this fact is often unfairly ignored in comparisons.

Similarly, these statements pretend to know how complex consumer behaviour will respond to future availability of battery electric cars and their fast-changing and improving features. Often, the results of overseas studies cannot be directly applied to different Australian conditions.

4 points of contention

Our report identifies and unpacks four main points of contention.

First, there are different ways to define and compare the mass of battery electric and combustion engine cars. In practice, the choice is rather arbitrary. Depending on the method, the comparison may be neither adequate nor accurate.

Often the comparison is made between similar or similarly sized battery electric and combustion engine cars. Or electric cars can be compared only to an equivalent non-electric version of models such as the VW Golf. Another variation is to simply compare the average mass of a large range of cars currently on sale, without considering the impact of sales volumes.

Second, a common argument is that batteries are heavy, so electric cars are heavier than fossil-fuelled cars. But this is simplistic – it’s not only the battery that matters.

Offsetting the extra battery mass, other parts of the electric car such as their motors are smaller and lighter. They can cut its mass by up to 50%.

And actual extra battery mass itself depends on a range of factors. Battery chemistry, battery size and energy storage capacity (which determines how often a car needs recharging) all affect the mass. Indeed, battery mass varies between 100 and 900 kilograms for cars.

Third, car obesity has greatly and consistently increased fossil-fuelled car mass. Unless we include this rise in car obesity, the comparison with battery electric cars tells only half the story.

Finally, it is challenging to accurately predict the mass impacts of electric cars. A common assumption is that future vehicle buyers’ behaviour does not change when switching to battery electric cars. This assumption seems unlikely and again oversimplifies the comparison.

For instance, market availability, marketing focus, purchase price and performance characteristics will largely guide buyers’ decisions. These considerations are all highly dynamic. They are changing significantly and fast.

So how do they compare in Australia?

A proper comparison needs, at least, to include realistic vehicle mass and sales data. Our study compares the differences in vehicle mass between the top ten best-selling cars for both battery electric and fossil-fuelled vehicles in Australia in 2022, as shown below.

Masses of the top 10 most popular new battery electric (top) and fossil-fuelled (bottom) passenger cars sold in Australia in 2022. Circle sizes represent sales volumes. The top-selling internal combustion engine car is the Toyota Hilux (64,391 sold). For pure battery electric cars it’s the Tesla Model 3 (10,877 sold). Vehicle mass is defined as ‘mass in running order’, adjusted for average vehicle occupancy.
Author provided, Transport Energy/Emission Research (TER)

Currently sold top 10 models of battery electric cars cluster more at the heavy end, but the most popular cars are relatively light. The top 10 models of fossil-fuelled cars have a larger spread in mass. Yet, when it comes to sales, most are relatively heavy SUVs or utes.

When ranked by popularity and compared, battery electric cars are not always heavier. They can be almost 300kg (12%) lighter to almost 800kg (55%) heavier than the corresponding fossil-fuelled car. Importantly, the overall difference in the average mass of the two categories when adjusted for sales is just 68kg (about 3% of total vehicle mass).

This small difference is insignificant in terms of energy and emission impacts. A more important factor here is the superior energy efficiency of battery electric vehicles.

How will they compare in future?

Clearly, future sales profiles may differ from current sales profiles. The current profile may be largely defined by a certain type of customer (such as a high-income early adopter). They might not be typical of mainstream consumers in coming years.

Buyers’ future behaviour is uncertain and hard to predict. It would depend on the effectiveness of (new) policy measures such as Australia’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard, the actual vehicles offered for sale, marketing efforts by car suppliers and possibly also cultural changes.

Any shifts in buyer behaviour could greatly influence the car fleet’s average mass. They could continue the current trend towards larger and heavier vehicles, or shift to smaller and lighter vehicles.

But this is the point: the impacts of electrification of passenger vehicles on average mass are highly uncertain. Statements on the matter are often speculative and can be unfairly biased by the methods used.

In markets where heavy petrol and diesel vehicles dominate car sales, such as Australia and New Zealand, current evidence suggests increased electric car sales are unlikely to greatly increase average vehicle mass. In fact, average mass could actually go down as cheaper and lighter electric cars go on sale here.

Vehicle mass remains important

Importantly, the report is not downplaying the importance of vehicle mass for transport emission abatement.

In previous research it was estimated that only a passenger vehicle fleet dominated by small and light battery electric vehicles may get Australia close to achieving the net-zero emissions target in 2050.

To meet the target, it is thus important to reverse the trend of increasing car obesity, for all cars. But vehicle mass should not be used as an argument against electrification.

Robin Smit is the founding Research Director at the Transport Energy/Emission Research (TER) consultancy.

– ref. Do electric cars greatly increase the average mass of cars on the road? Not in Australia – https://theconversation.com/do-electric-cars-greatly-increase-the-average-mass-of-cars-on-the-road-not-in-australia-240555

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

January 24, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Why do some schools still force girls to wear skirts or dresses?

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kayla Mildren, PhD Candidate in the politics of school uniform policies, Griffith University

A Queensland tribunal has ruled it is not discriminatory for a school to require girls to wear a skirt at formal events.

The private high school said girls needed to wear skirts for occasions including excursions, ceremonies and class photographs.

A female student had complained to the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal about different treatment for boys and girls.

While the tribunal acknowledged there was “different treatment between the sexes”, it found there was not enough evidence to show this was “unfavourable”.

Why are female students still made to wear skirts and dresses? And why is this a problem?

Who decides?

In Australia, uniform rules are largely determined by individual schools.

Schools have some obligations to their communities, governing bodies (such as state education departments and independent school peak bodies) and anti-discrimination legislation.

For example, Victoria’s Education Department requires policies to include an exemption process and “support inclusion”.

But ultimately, it’s up to the school to decide how their uniform looks, who can access different items, where and when items may be worn, and what non-uniform items are regulated.

School uniforms are ultimately decided by the school.
Monkey Business Images/ Shutterstock

Read more:
No mullets, no mohawks, no ‘awkwardly contrasting colours’: what are school policies on hair and why do they matter so much?

The pants question

Pants occupy an odd space here. For public schools, most state education departments require girls to have the option of pants (which can include shorts or trousers), for both sport and regular uniforms.

This is a relatively new standard. For example, Queensland introduced this in 2019 and New South Wales allowed it from mid-2018.

Often, these changes were prompted by sustained campaigning by families and lobby groups.

But private schools do not have the same obligations. Some are starting to update their policies and allow girls to wear shorts or pants if they choose.

Others, however, have been met with conservative backlash when they do.

So, when can girls wear pants?

Girls’ access to pants is not as straightforward as a school including them within the uniform policy.

As researchers note, simply allowing girls to wear pants may not be enough. If school cultures are not welcoming, or if the design is uncomfortable, girls may still avoid them.

Or, as can be the case with private schools, a school may offer pants on a limited basis, such as only during winter. Alternatively, there may be a special order process for pants, making them difficult to obtain.

Or schools may permit their use, except on special occasions such as photo days or excursions, like the Queensland case.

Why does it matter?

The skirt itself isn’t the issue. The element of choice is.

As researchers note, skirts and dresses are linked to outdated expectations of modesty and femininity. They can be targets of fetish and harassment, and entrench binary ideals of gender.

Flexible policies support gender-diverse youth and enable all students to select uniform items based on their body rather than their gender. Research shows offering students pants or shorts can also promote physical activity.

These school uniform debates are also taking place amid concerns about misogyny and harassment of female students and teachers in schools and concern for queer young people’s wellbeing.

The longer gender-normativity is baked into school policies, the longer students are denied their right to equitable education. And the longer that schools promote the idea of “girl” and “boy” as opposite and concrete categories, the harder it will be to combat schoolyard misogyny and queerphobia.

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

– ref. Why do some schools still force girls to wear skirts or dresses? – https://theconversation.com/why-do-some-schools-still-force-girls-to-wear-skirts-or-dresses-241484

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Girls from the Faculty of Economics are the best volleyball players of NSU

Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –

Eight faculties took part in the women’s volleyball championship, which is included in the NSU Spartakiad. This year, the system of the competition was changed, so they played according to the Olympic program “with elimination”. As a result of the draw, pairs were determined. The losers were immediately eliminated, and the winners entered the semi-finals.

The final match for 1st place between the EF and MMF teams turned out to be very intriguing. It was impossible to determine the winner until the end of the meeting, the girls fought equally, and only at the very last moment of the third game did the economists take the lead. The score of the games was 25:17, 17:25 and 16:14.

As a result, the places were distributed as follows: 1st place – Faculty of Economics: Anna Remus, Anna Kuzminova, Anastasia Turaeva, Maria Kuminova, Ksenia Kopylova, Darima Bayartueva, Svetlana Ushakova, Ulyana Molodtsova and Ksenia Rekunova 2nd place – Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics: Maria Bykovskaya, Polina Alekseeva, Asiya Golomolzina, Anastasia Trofimova, Anastasia Nagaeva, Alena Perevalskaya, Anastasia Snigur and Anastasia Moshkova 3rd place – Higher College of Informatics: Victoria Retyeva, Olga Vitmer, Sofia Kochetkova, Darya Kislaya, Polina Krokhova and Polina Efstifeeva 4th place – Institute of Philosophy and Law 5-8th places – Faculty of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Geology and Geophysics, Faculty of Philosophy and Law

Anna Remus (EF) was recognized as the best player of the tournament.

We congratulate the team of economists and wish them good luck and success in the upcoming Festival among the faculties of the Novosibirsk Region Universities. We thank the teachers of KaffV Svetlana and Vladimir Krylov for the excellent organization of the tournament.

Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

MIL OSI Russia News –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: Opioid addiction market to reach $2.4 billion in 8MM by 2033, forecasts GlobalData

Source: GlobalData

Opioid addiction market to reach $2.4 billion in 8MM by 2033, forecasts GlobalData

Posted in Pharma

The opioid addiction market across the eight major markets (8MM*) is poised to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 1.8% from $2.0 billion in 2023 to $2.4 billion in 2033, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

GlobalData’s latest report “Opioid Addiction: Opportunity Assessment and Forecast,” reveals that growth will primarily be driven by an increase in diagnosed prevalent cases, as well as an increase in treatment rates and the introduction of four late-stage pipeline products – cannabidiol, mazindol controlled release (CR), probenecid, and TRV-734.

Jos Opdenakker, Neurology Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Of the four late-stage pipeline products, three of them (cannabidiol, mazindol CR, and probenecid) are non-opioids. Cannabidiol and mazindol CR are expected to be used as potential adjunctive treatments in addition to the standard of care in the treatment of opioid use disorder, driving an increase in the OUD market. Probenecid is indicated for the treatment of OWS and is expected to take market share from existing OWS agents.”

GlobalData forecasts that the late-stage pipeline products could drive combined sales of approximately $171.4 million in the 8MM by 2033. Trevena’s TRV-734 will be the most promising pipeline product, indicated for the treatment of opioid withdrawal syndrome (OWS).

According to GlobalData forecasts, TRV-734 could generate global sales of approximately $77.6 million by 2033. It has the potential to see strong uptake due to its position as a partial mu-opioid receptor agonist. This means that it has the potential to elicit the partial effects of opioids but not the full effect, and this could limit some of the distressing side effects and potentially prevent withdrawal associated with existing opioid-based treatments.

Opdenakker adds: “While the OUD pipeline agents will bring new mechanisms to market, they are unlikely to become first line treatments. The need for effective non-opioid treatments that do not target the mu receptor, which could potentially replace opioids as first-line therapies, remains.”

Opdenakker continues: “The overall opioid addiction market is expected to experience growth until 2033; however, continued generic erosion will be an important barrier. Generic erosion is expected to be particularly significant in the US opioid addiction market.”

In 2023, the US represented the largest market for opioid addiction, with 74.1% of the 8MM sales, due to its larger patient population and the high price of medications. Although the US is expected to remain the largest market for opioid addiction at the end of the forecast period, its proportion of global sales is expected to fall to 70.5% in 2033.

The decline in the contribution of the US opioid addiction market will be fueled by the patent expiries of Indivior’s extended-release formulation of buprenorphine, Sublocade, which was the top-selling drug in the opioid addiction market in 2023, Alkermes’ Vivitrol (naltrexone ER), Braeburn’s long-acting buprenorphine product, Brixadi and Orexo US’ Zubsolv (buprenorphine), all of which will expire throughout the forecast period, resulting in sales erosion amongst the key OUD therapies.

Opdenakker concludes: “Although the impending entry of numerous generic products will act as a major barrier to growth and the introduction of the late-stage pipeline products is limited in their potential to generate significant revenues to counter the generic erosion, the increase in diagnosed prevalence, treatment rates, and general awareness surrounding opioid addiction will continue to act as the main drivers of growth across the 8MM.”

*8MM- US, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, UK, Canada, and Australia

MIL OSI Economics –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Ambitious Mobile Strategy to be considered by councillors

Source: Scotland – City of Perth

This strategy, developed with feedback from the public, will be discussed when Climate Change and Sustainability Committee meets on 23 October 2024.

The Mobility Strategy is one of three critical place-based strategies designed to shape the long-term development of Perth and Kinross, alongside the Local Housing Strategy and the Local Development Plan.

Together, these strategies are instrumental in realising the Council’s vision of “a Perth and Kinross where everyone can live life well, free from poverty and inequality.”

The Mobility Strategy outlines Perth and Kinross Council’s vision for managing and developing the transport and active travel network over the next 15 years.

It considers all modes of transport for the movement of people and goods across both rural and urban areas, addressing the impacts of emerging technologies, digital services, housing, inclusion, poverty, health, climate adaptation, economic growth, air quality, and place making.

Aligned with the priorities set out in the Scottish Government’s National Transport Strategy 2 (February 2020), the Mobility Strategy adopts four key priorities: Reducing Inequalities, Taking Climate Action, Delivering Inclusive Economic Growth, and Improving Health and Wellbeing.

These priorities are fundamental to the development and delivery of the strategy, ensuring it meets both national targets and local goals.

Councillors will also be asked to approve the next priorities for the Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES) and Local Area Energy Plan (LAEP) for the upcoming 12-18 months.

The Perth and Kinross LAEP envisions the area as a leading example of affordable and equitable access to sustainable energy for all residents, businesses, and organisations.

By 2045, the area aims to achieve an integrated, net-zero local energy system. Similarly, the Perth and Kinross LHEES aims to make homes and buildings more energy efficient and equipped with decarbonised heat sources, providing more affordable warmth and reduce climate impact, all contributing to achieving our goal of Net Zero by 2045.

In line with these initiatives, committee members will be asked to approve the Council’s Public Body Climate Change Duty report. The report outlines the Council’s actions and progress in addressing climate change within its own operations, with a 31% reduction in its overall emissions. The decrease is primarily attributed to improvements in waste processing and the transition from waste to energy. Additionally, there were modest reductions in emissions from on-site energy production, business travel and employee commuting.

Councillor Richard Watters, Convenor of Climate Change and Sustainability Committee said: “We are deeply grateful to the public for their active involvement and valuable feedback throughout the development of the Mobility Strategy. Their participation has been crucial in shaping a strategy that is robust, relevant, and adaptable to the diverse needs of our community.

“We also want to recognise the outstanding work made through the Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES), the Local Area Energy Plan (LAEP) and the Council’s own initiatives in tackling climate change. It is truly encouraging to see the Council’s substantial reduction in overall emissions, equivalent to 12.5 kilotonnes of C02, between 2022/23 and 2023/24.

“Despite facing financial challenges, we are striving forward with new priorities for the next 12 to 18 months. Together, we are paving the way for a sustainable and prosperous future for Perth and Kinross.”

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Female tourist bitten by wongari on K’gari
Source: Government of Queensland

Issued: 21 Oct 2024

Rangers on K’gari (formerly Fraser Island) are monitoring a male dingo (wongari) believed responsible for biting a female tourist around the thigh on 20 October 2024.

Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) rangers were advised of the incident which occurred at around 8:00am at Beach Camping Zone 6 on the east coast of the island.

Rangers were told that a group of international tourists arrived on the beach, and that nearby campers warned them of a dingo in the area.

The dingo approached the woman while she was going to the toilet alone. She wasn’t carrying a stick and started to run as it approached her. The dingo gave chase and bit her on the left rear thigh resulting in two puncture wounds. Campers nearby overheard and chased the dingo away.

Rangers are investigating the incident and will continue patrols in the area and provide Be dingo-safe! messaging to fishers and campers.

Visitors and residents on K’gari are reminded to remain vigilant at all times by keeping children at arm’s length, never walking alone and carrying a stick at all times.

Negative dingo encounters should immediately be reported to a QPWS ranger by calling 07 4127 9150 or emailing dingo.ranger@des.qld.gov.au

Visitors to K’gari are reminded to ‘Be dingo-safe!’ at all times:
- Always stay close (within arm’s reach) of children and young teenagers
- Always walk in groups and carry a stick.
- Camp in fenced areas where possible
- Do not run. Running or jogging can trigger a negative dingo interaction
- Never feed dingoes
- Lock up food stores and iceboxes (even on a boat)
- Never store food or food containers in tents, and
- Secure all rubbish, fish and bait.
For more information go to K’gari dingoes

MIL OSI News –
January 24, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: View from The Hill: We have bigger issues around freedom of speech than Lidia Thorpe’s noisy protest

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

King Charles – as the old-fashioned saying goes – didn’t come down in the last shower. He’s unlikely to have been fazed by the outburst from independent senator Lidia Thorpe, who disrupted Monday’s Parliament House reception for the royals.

And neither, frankly, should anyone else.

Thorpe, clad in a possum-skin cloak, shouted: “You are not our king.”

“You destroyed our land. Give us a treaty. We want a treaty in this country. You are a genocidalist.”

“You committed genocide against our people. Give us our land back. Give us what you stole from us – our bones, our skulls, our babies, our people.”

The conduct of Thorpe, who used to be with the Greens and is an outspoken advocate of ‘Blak sovereignty’, was rude, albeit absolutely in character. She acts up in the parliament regularly.

As a senator, Thorpe, who was escorted out of the Great Hall, still yelling, had the right to be at the reception. And it is not the only time a parliamentarian has created a fuss when a dignitary was visiting. In 2003, Greens senator Bob Brown shouted out during the address to the joint houses by US President George W. Bush.

While not at all condoning Thorpe’s exhibitionism, she wasn’t inciting violence. Was she bringing our parliament into disrepute? Sadly, many parliamentarians do that all the time in less dramatic ways, as visitors to question time will tell you.

Those muttering that perhaps there should be some parliamentary censure of Thorpe are misguided. As Senate Opposition leader Simon Birmingham pointed out on Tuesday, Thorpe “would probably revel in being censured by the Senate”. The one thing she wants is publicity.

Thorpe pushes her right to air her views to the limit, but her antics are not at the sharp end of the current “free speech” debate in this country. There are two, very different and much more important, fronts in that debate.

One relates to the pro-Palestine demonstrations. The other is the government’s attempt to crack down on misinformation and disinformation on digital platforms.

Those on the political right tend to play down worries about limiting free expression when it comes to the pro-Palestinian demonstrations. On the other hand, they are worried about putting more restrictions on the internet. Those on the left tend to support the battle against misinformation and disinformation on digital platforms, and are less worried about its free speech impact.

Increasing antisemitism has fuelled calls for the ubiquitous pro-Palestinian protests to be curbed in some way.

Critics highlight the hate preached on occasion; they say the demonstrations make Jewish Australians feel unsafe, disrupt citizens’ weekends, and are a drag on police resources.

What are the relevant rights here, and their comparative weights? The right to free expression and protest. The right to feel safe. The right for people to go about their business without undue inconvenience. The tradeoffs are much more complicated than any questions thrown up by Thorpe’s behaviour.

The number and regularity of the pro-Palestine demonstrations have driven some critics to argue enough is enough. That is not convincing, and nor is the argument that these protests soak up police resources. Unfortunately, these are the costs of preserving the right to protest.

Much more troubling is that these protests can foster hate and make people feel threatened in their own country. Here balances must be carefully struck, and that’s hard.

Incitement laws must be enforced. Beyond that, demonstrations have to be managed, so that the protesters’ right to have their say and the safety of others, especially a vulnerable section of the population, are both preserved.

So for example, it’s important university campuses can have protests (as they always have). But “encampments” on campuses have been properly condemned and should not be allowed.

Even more complex in the free speech debate is how to deal with disinformation (the deliberate spread of false information) and misinformation (where the misleading is not deliberate).

The government presently has a bill in parliament seeking to combat misinformation and disinformation on digital platforms. It is a reworked version of a much-attacked earlier draft.

In her second reading speech on the bill last month, Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said:

To protect freedom of speech, the bill [which does not apply to “professional news content”] sets a high threshold for the type of misinformation and disinformation that digital platforms must combat on their services – that is, it must be reasonably verifiable as false, misleading or deceptive and reasonably likely to cause or contribute to serious harm.

The harm must have significant and far-reaching consequences for Australian society, or severe consequences for an individual in Australia.

Among the “serious harms” in the bill is “harm to the operation or integrity of an electoral or referendum process in Australia”.

The struggle against misinformation and disinformation on digital platforms will always be a losing one. The reach is just too vast.

But more particularly, there is also the problem that what is “misinformation” and “disinformation” can be less clear than one might think. On occasion, what seems wrong at the time turns out to be correct later.

Beyond those obvious points, some material so-labelled is not one or the other but disputed information.

For example, proponents of the Voice have blamed its loss at least partly on misinformation and disinformation. However, much of this involved highly contested claims, especially about an unpredictable future.

What this legislation does is push as much responsibility as it can, backed by a regulatory framework, onto the platforms to do the censoring of misinformation and disinformation, thus trying to avoid constitutional issues of implied freedom of political communication.

Human rights lawyer Frank Brennan has written, “The real challenge for Minister Rowland is that debating such a detailed bill without the backstop of a constitutional or statutory bill of rights recognising the right to freedom of expression, there are no clear guard rails for getting the balance right for ‘the freedom of expression that is so fundamental to our democracy’.”

All things considered, It is hard to see the bill clearing its obstacle course before the election.

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

– ref. View from The Hill: We have bigger issues around freedom of speech than Lidia Thorpe’s noisy protest – https://theconversation.com/view-from-the-hill-we-have-bigger-issues-around-freedom-of-speech-than-lidia-thorpes-noisy-protest-241906

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI: Everest Business Funding Named a 2024 Best and Brightest Company to Work For in the Nation

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

NEW YORK, Oct. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Everest Business Funding is proud to announce its inclusion on the list of 2024 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For in the Nation. This prestigious award, bestowed by the National Association for Business Resources (NABR), honors companies that excel in innovative business practices and human resource strategies. These are companies that distinguish themselves as industry leaders.

The Best and Brightest Companies to Work For award highlights businesses across the United States that prioritize employee engagement, workforce development, and workplace culture. The award-winners were evaluated by an independent research firm on various metrics, including compensation, benefits, employee engagement, diversity and inclusion initiatives, and community involvement.

Everest Business Funding provides revenue-based financing to entrepreneurs and business owners. The company is committed to helping those with strong entrepreneurial spirits obtain working capital in order to accelerate growth. Everest Business Funding’s leaders understand that its team members are foundational to this mission of providing hassle-free funding to eligible parties.

The recognition from NABR reflects the company’s commitment to fostering an inclusive work environment and high-performing workforce. Everest Business Funding’s leadership team has emphasized the importance of employee well-being and engagement as critical components of the company’s success. By implementing innovative human resources practices, the team has created an environment that promotes growth and collaboration.

Everest Business Funding is honored to receive this national recognition. The company strives to place employees at the core of everything it does and is committed to creating a positive and supportive environment where everyone can thrive. This award is a testament to the dedication and passion of Everest Business Funding’s leadership team as well as the individual commitment of each of its employees.

With this recognition as one of the Best and Brightest Companies to Work For, Everest Business Funding reinforces its position as an industry leader that values its employees and remains committed to creating a workplace that encourages innovation, collaboration, and professional development.

The Best and Brightest Companies to Work For award is part of a national program conducted by NABR, which has over 25 years of experience recognizing companies with exceptional workplace standards. The winners were selected based on a comprehensive review of factors such as employee retention, work-life balance, and leadership strategies.

NABR’s comprehensive selection process adds to the prestige of the award. Only the best of the best make it onto the annual list, and Everest Business Funding is proud to have been recognized as one of the premier organizations in the country.

About Everest Business Funding

Everest Business Funding provides alternative finance options and revenue-based funding to small business owners. They serve a diverse pool of businesses, from healthcare to retail, to help them obtain working capital to grow, buy inventory, launch marketing campaigns, or hire staff. Everest Business Funding’s clients are treated with respect and receive high-quality guidance and service from its professionals.

Media Contact
Anthony Parker
Everest Business Funding
888-342-5709
Info@everestbusinessfunding.com

The MIL Network –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Appointment of Court of Protection general and special visitors
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
English

Cymraeg

New general and special visitors supporting work delivered by the Office of the Public Guardian
The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) has announced the appointment of 21 new Court of Protection general visitors and 18 new special visitors.

General visitors are public appointees who support OPG in supervising court appointed deputies. They also play a key role in OPG investigations by conducting mental capacity assessments.

The general visitor appointments have had ministerial approval and started their tenure in February 2024, for a period of 10 years. They are:

Adele Ginley

Ashley Holderness

Carol Bailey

Emma Cox

Hainna Allan

Jacqueline Campbell

Jacqui James-Hunt

Jemma Page

John Gbongitta

Julie Cummins

Katherine Lees

Kikelomo Ananti

Marla Cattelona

Michelle Clayton

Michelle Gresty

Nicola Bodell

Sarah Erlacher

Satvinda Rai

Susannah Quinlan

Terri Warrilow

Victoria Buckley-Horsfied

Four existing general visitors were also re-appointed in February 2024 for a further tenure of 10 years. They are:

Fiona Neave

Jacqueline Hawkins

Jenny Blackwell

Rachael Heeley

Special visitors are public appointees who support OPG and the Court of Protection by providing both organisations with mental capacity assessments.

The special visitor appointments have had ministerial approval and started their tenure in September 2024, for a period of 10 years. They are:

Dr Mogbeyiteran Eyeoyibo

Dr Christine Taylor

Dr Abigail Cheeseman

Dr Kapila Sachdev

Dr Malarvizhi Babu Sandilyan

Dr Azmath Khan

Dr Shabnum Ali

Dr Witold Skalbania

Dr Sam Gower

Dr Sam White

Christine Hutchinson

Dr Ashish Arora

Dr Ruth Freeman

Dr Abhishek Shastri

Dr Galina Zhinchin

Dr Elizabeth Pulford

Dr Omolaja Kassim

Dr Kishan Thakrar

Five existing special visitors were re-appointed in September 2024 for a further tenure of 10 years. They are:

Dr Karla Greenberg

Dr Ola Junaid

Dr Sarah Constantine

Dr Marion Gray

Dr Packeerowther Saleem

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Published 22 October 2024
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the People’s Republic of China’s misinterpretation of the UN resolution 2758 and its continuous military provocations around Taiwan – B10-0140/2024

Source: European Parliament

Miriam Lexmann, Sebastião Bugalho, Rasa Juknevičienė, Danuše Nerudová
on behalf of the PPE Group

B10‑0140/2024

European Parliament resolution on the People’s Republic of China’s misinterpretation of the UN resolution 2758 and its continuous military provocations around Taiwan

(2024/2891(RSP))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to its previous resolutions on the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Taiwan,

– having regard to the Strategic Compass for Security and Defence, approved by the Council on 21 March 2022,

– having regard to the joint communication from the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 16 September 2021 entitled ‘The EU strategy for cooperation in the Indo-Pacific’ (JOIN(2021)0024),

– having regard to the EU’s ‘One China’ policy,

– having regard to the statement of 23 September 2024 by the Chair of the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting,

– having regard to the joint declaration by the G7 Defence Ministers of 19 October 2024,

– having regard to the urgency motion on Taiwan passed by the Australian Senate on 21 August 2024,

– having regard to the motion on UN Resolution 2758 passed by the Dutch House of Representatives on 12 September 2024,

– having regard to UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 (XXVI) of 25 October 1971,

– having regard to Rule 136(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas UN Resolution 2758 was passed by the UN General Assembly on 25 October 1971 and shifted official recognition from the Republic of China (Taiwan) to the People’s Republic of China (PRC);

B. whereas since then, most countries have shifted recognition from Taiwan to the PRC; whereas today, Taiwan, while not being a member of the UN, maintains diplomatic relations with 11 of the 193 UN member states, and with the Holy See;

C. whereas following the adoption of UN Resolution 2758, Taiwan lost its right to participate in multilateral forums, such as the World Health Organization;

D. whereas through their statement of 23 September 2024, the G7 members, among other things, underlined their support for ‘Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations as a member where statehood is not a prerequisite and as an observer or guest where it is’;

E. whereas in recent years, the PRC has deliberately distorted UN Resolution 2758, persistently claiming that the PRC’s ‘One China’ principle allegedly has international endorsement through this resolution, which would entail that Taiwan is part of the PRC;

F. whereas the EU continues to maintain its own ‘One China’ policy position, which is different from the PRC’s ‘One China’ principle; whereas the EU’s long-standing position has been to support the status quo and a peaceful resolution of differences across the Taiwan Strait, while encouraging dialogue and constructive engagement;

G. whereas Taiwan has never been part of the PRC; whereas the Republic of China was established in 1912 and the PRC was established in 1949;

H. whereas over the past decade, the PRC has persistently tried to increase its influence over international institutions, using this to sideline Taiwan and prevent Taiwanese passport holders, including journalists, non-governmental organisation workers and political activists, from accessing international institutions; whereas the PRC exercises transnational repression by misusing extradition treaties to target Taiwanese people abroad and therefore put them at risk of arbitrary persecution and human rights abuses;

I. whereas the EU and Taiwan are like-minded partners that share common values, such as freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law;

J. whereas Taiwan is a vibrant democracy, with a flourishing civil society; whereas Taiwan held peaceful and well-organised elections on 13 January 2024;

K. whereas the PRC is a one-party state that is entirely controlled and ruled by the Chinese Communist Party; whereas the Chinese People’s Liberation Army is the military of the Chinese Communist Party and not an army of the PRC’s Government;

L. whereas on 14 October 2024, the PRC launched a large-scale military drill, named Joint Sword-2024B, that simulated a blockade of Taiwan; whereas during this exercise, a record number of 153 PRC aircraft,18 warships and 17 PRC coastguard ships were detected around Taiwan;

M. whereas on 23 May 2024, the PRC launched a military drill called Joint Sword-2024A, coming just days after the inauguration of Lai Ching-te as the new President of Taiwan;

N. whereas over the past years, the PRC has held similar military drills around Taiwan; whereas these military drills have increased in intensity and have been moved closer and closer to Taiwan’s mainland; whereas during a previous drill in August 2022, the PRC also fired missiles into the exclusive economic zone of Japan;

O. whereas on top of military pressure, the PRC has long been pursuing a sophisticated strategy of targeting Taiwan with foreign information manipulation and interference, including hybrid and cyber attacks with the goal of undermining Taiwan’s democratic society;

P. whereas the PRC, under the leadership of Xi Jinping, has said that it will not renounce the use of force to seek unification with Taiwan; whereas the PRC is engaging in a historically unprecedented military build-up that is continuously shifting the power balance in the Indo-Pacific; whereas this is negatively affecting cross-Strait stability;

Q. whereas the PRC is supporting Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, in particular through the exportation of dual-use goods to Russia, and the ongoing involvement of PRC-based companies in sanctions evasion and circumvention;

R. whereas in a speech on 10 October 2024, Taiwan’s national day, Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te stated that the PRC has ‘no right to represent Taiwan’ and reiterated that the two sides are ‘not subordinate’ to each other; whereas the PRC has justified its recent military exercise by claiming that President Lai Ching-te is pursuing a separatist strategy;

S. whereas the PRC’s increasingly aggressive behaviour, in particular in its own neighbourhood, such as the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, poses a risk to regional and global security; whereas the PRC has for many years promoted an alternative narrative, challenging democratic values, open markets and the rules-based international order; whereas the PRC’s growing influence in international organisations has impeded positive progress and further excluded Taiwan from rightful and meaningful participation in international institutions;

T. whereas through its 2021 strategy for cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, the EU and its Member States increased their presence in the region, including a higher military presence and the continued passage of military ships through the Taiwan Strait;

U. whereas the EU is Taiwan’s fourth largest trading partner after the PRC, the United States and Japan; whereas in 2022, Taiwan was the EU’s 12th biggest trading partner; whereas the EU is the largest source of foreign direct investment in Taiwan; whereas Taiwanese investments in the EU remain below their potential;

V. whereas members of the Australian Senate and of the Dutch House of Representatives have recently adopted motions concerning the distortion of UN Resolution 2758 by the PRC, and called for support for Taiwan’s greater participation in multilateral organisations;

1. Reiterates that Taiwan is a key EU partner and a like-minded democratic ally in the Indo-Pacific region; commends Taiwan and the Taiwanese people for their strong democracy and vibrant civil society, demonstrated once more by the peaceful and well-organised elections of 13 January 2024;

2. Strongly condemns the PRC’s military exercises of 14 October 2024, its continued military provocations against Taiwan and its continued military build-up that is changing the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific, and reiterates its firm rejection of any unilateral change to the status quo in the Taiwan Strait; reiterates its call for the EU and its Member States to ensure, through clear and consistent signalling, that any attempt to unilaterally change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait, particularly by means of force or coercion, will not be accepted;

3. Opposes the PRC’s constant distortion of UN Resolution 2758 and its efforts to block Taiwan’s participation in multilateral organisations; calls for the EU and its Member States to support Taiwan’s meaningful participation in relevant international organisations, such as the World Health Organization, the International Civil Aviation Organization, the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change;

4. Underlines that UN Resolution 2758 takes no position on Taiwan; strongly rejects and refutes the PRC’s attempts to distort history and international rules;

5. Strongly underlines that the EU’s ‘One China’ policy corresponds to UN Resolution 2758, while the PRC’s ‘One China’ principle is not endorsed by it;

6. Reiterates its strong condemnation of statements by Chinese President Xi Jinping that the PRC will never renounce the right to use force with respect to Taiwan; underlines that the PRC’s use of force or threats or other highly coercive measures to achieve unification contradicts international law; recalls that neither Taiwan nor the PRC is subordinate to the other; expresses grave concern over the PRC’s use of hostile disinformation to undermine trust in Taiwan’s democracy and governance; reiterates its previous calls for the EU and its Member States to cooperate with international partners in helping to sustain democracy in Taiwan, keeping it free from foreign interference and threats; underlines that only Taiwan’s democratically elected government can represent the Taiwanese people on the international stage;

7. Condemns the PRC’s systematic grey-zone military actions, including cyber and disinformation campaigns against Taiwan, and urges the PRC to halt these activities immediately; calls, in this regard, for cooperation between the EU and Taiwan to be deepened further in order to enhance structural cooperation on countering disinformation and foreign interference;

8. Reiterates its call on the Member States to increase the frequency of freedom of navigation operations in the Taiwan Strait and to deepen security dialogues with Taiwan to deter Chinese aggression against the democratic island;

9. Reiterates its call on the Member States to engage in meaningful and structural technical cooperation with Taiwan’s National Fire Agency and National Police Agency and with local administrations in the field of civil protection and disaster management;

10. Reiterates its call on the Member States to engage in meaningful and structural technical cooperation with Taiwan in the field of whole-of-society defence;

11. Recognises the importance of Taiwan in securing global supply chains, especially in the high-tech sector where Taiwan is the leading producer of semiconductors, and calls for the EU and its Member States to engage in closer cooperation with Taiwan;

12. Calls on the Commission to launch, without delay, preparatory measures for negotiations on a bilateral investment agreement with Taiwan;

13. Condemns all forms of pressure and threats of reprisals, including economic coercion, regarding the independent right of the EU and its Member States to develop relations with Taiwan, in line with their interests and shared values of democracy and human rights, without foreign interference;

14. Welcomes visits by former and current Taiwanese politicians to Europe, including the recent visit of former President Tsai Ing-wen to the European Parliament on 17 October 2024; welcomes, furthermore, continued exchanges between its Members and Taiwan and encourages further visits by official European Parliament delegations to Taiwan; also encourages further exchanges between the EU and Taiwan at all levels, including political meetings and people-to-people encounters; encourages, in this light, increased economic, scientific and cultural interactions and exchanges, focusing, among other areas, on youth, academia, civil society, sports, culture and education, as well as city-to-city and region-to-region partnerships;

15. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the governments of the People’s Republic of China and Taiwan.

MIL OSI Europe News –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Bharat Tex 2025 gains international momentum:

Source: Government of India (2)

Bharat Tex 2025 gains international momentum:

Ministry of Textiles organises interaction session with over 30 Countries

Bharat Tex 2025 to focus on scale, sustainability and skills

India is looking at a shared future, a future that is sustainable, equitable and prosperous for all of us: Shri Pabitra Margherita

Posted On: 22 OCT 2024 2:07PM by PIB Delhi

Ministry of Textiles organized an interactive Session with Foreign Missions in India for Bharat Tex 2025 at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan, New Delhi yesterday. The event saw participation from over 30 Foreign Missions in India namely Australia, Azerbaijan, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, Indonesia, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Lesotho, Montenegro, Malaysia, Mongolia, Mexico, Peru, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Russia, Sri Lanka, Somalia, Taiwan, Togo, Thailand, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.

Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Textiles, Shri Pabitra Margherita graced the event as the Chief Guest. The session was also attended by Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, Ms. Rachna Shah; Special Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, Shri P. Kumaran; Additional Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, Shri Rohit Kansal; Trade Advisor, Ministry of Textiles, Ms. Shubhra; industry leaders and officials.

Speaking on the occasion, the Minister invited the ambassadors and representatives of various countries to proactively participate in Bharat Tex 2025. Describing it as the largest and the most comprehensive textiles event ever, he described Bharat Tex as a unique effort to bring the entire value chain of textiles under one roof. He highlighted the entrepreneurial spirit of the Indian textile industry in finding innovative solutions for the challenges posed by the global textile industry. He underlined that Bharat Tex will reaffirm the attractiveness of India as a reliable, sustainable sourcing destination as well as an investment destination at a large scale for textiles. The sector has the potential to provide large scale employment across the value chain and touch the lives of people across all social spheres. With innovation, collaboration, and the Make in India spirit at its core, this event is an embodiment of the 5F vision of the Prime Minister- Farm to Fibre to Factory to Fashion to Foreign, he added.

Ms. Rachna Shah also highlighted the role of Bharat Tex in the Global Textiles Industry. She invited the attendees to participate as a Partner Country in the mega textile global event. Further she emphasised on India’s focus on the Textiles sector with strong policy support backed by various incentives and schemes including PLI and PM-MITRA Parks.

Bharat Tex is a mega global textiles event being organized by a consortium of Textile Export Promotion Councils (EPCs) and supported by the Ministry of Textiles. Scheduled to be held from February 14 to 17, 2025 BHARAT TEX 2025, is positioned as a global scale textile trade fair and knowledge platform. The event will be held simultaneously at two state of the art venues: Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi and India Expo Centre and Mart, Greater Noida. While the main event will be held from February 14-17 at the Bharat Mandapam and will cover the entire value chain of textiles, exhibitions pertaining to handicrafts, garment machinery and ethnic apparel will be held from February 12 to 15 at the India Expo Centre and Mart, Greater Noida.

Bharat Tex 2025 aims to build on the resounding success of the first edition in 2024. Built around the twin themes of resilient global value chains and sustainability, this year’s show promises to be even more vibrant and attractive than the first edition, attracting top policymakers, global CEOs, international exhibitors, and global buyers. A record number of over 5,000 Exhibitors, 6,000 international buyers from over 110 countries and over 1, 20,000 visitors are expected to participate in this year’s event.

The Bharat Tex 2025 exhibition will feature dedicated pavilions for Apparel, Home Furnishings, Floor Coverings, Fibres, Yarns, Threads, Fabrics, Carpets, Silk, Handlooms, Handicrafts, Technical Textiles, Apparel Machinery, Dyes & Chemicals and many more. It will also have a retail High Street focusing on India’s fashion retail market opportunities.

The textile mega event will also provide a platform for global textiles dialogue covering conference, seminars, CEO roundtables, and B2B and G2G meetings across various key topics such as Industry 4.0, Sustainability, Global Value Chain, Investment, Trade among other areas.

Attendees can look forward to live demonstrations, cultural events, and fashion presentations, designer and brand exhibitions and sustainability workshops, and expert talks. Bharat Tex 2025 aims to serve as a unique and consolidated platform to showcase India’s full textile value chain, while highlighting its strengths in fashion, traditional crafts, and sustainability initiatives.

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(Release ID: 2067001) Visitor Counter : 79

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Standing desks are bad for your health – new study

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jack McNamara, Senior Lecturer in Clinical Exercise Physiology, University of East London

The global market for standing desks is booming, projected to reach US$12.6 billion by 2032 (£9.7 billion). These desks have been hailed as a simple fix for the health risks associated with sitting all day. However, recent research suggests that standing might not be the health booster many hoped for.

A new study from Australia involving over 83,000 participants found that prolonged standing may not improve heart health and could even increase the risk of certain circulatory problems.

Researchers discovered that standing for extended periods did not reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. In fact, spending too much time either sitting or standing was linked to a higher risk of problems such as varicose veins and feeling dizzy or lightheaded when you stand up.

The phrase “sitting is the new smoking” has become popular in the past decade, highlighting the dangers of a sedentary lifestyle. Prolonged sitting has been associated with obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. In response, standing desks emerged as a trendy solution, offering a way to reduce sitting time without drastically changing daily routines.

But was there solid evidence to support the benefits of standing desks?

Much of the enthusiasm was based on limited studies that didn’t comprehensively assess long-term health consequences. This gap in knowledge prompted researchers to investigate further.

In the new study, participants wore devices to track their sitting, standing and physical activity over several years. This objective measurement provided accurate data, reducing the inaccuracies often found in self-reported information. The researchers found that sitting for more than ten hours a day was associated with a higher risk of heart disease and stroke.

However, simply standing more didn’t mitigate this risk. In fact, standing for extended periods was linked to an increased risk of circulatory problems.

Prolonged standing can cause blood to pool in the legs, leading to conditions such as varicose veins.

The study’s large sample size and use of objective data strengthen the reliability of these findings. However, as an observational study, it cannot definitively establish cause and effect. Also, the average age of participants was around 61 years, which may limit how these results apply to younger people.

Standing for long periods can increase the risk of varicose veins.
sutulastock/Shutterstock

Movement is key

These findings suggest that simply swapping sitting for standing isn’t a perfect solution. Our bodies respond better to regular movement rather than static positions, whether that’s sitting or standing.

Incorporating short walks, stretching or light exercises throughout the day can interrupt long periods of inactivity and offer significant health benefits.

Workplace interventions promoting movement have shown promise. Researchers found that office workers who reduced their sitting time by adding periods of standing and light activity saw improvements in blood sugar levels and other health markers.

Another study indicated that alternating between sitting and standing, combined with brief walks, was more effective for health than standing alone.

Sit-stand desks, designed to facilitate easy position changes, offer a promising solution. They promote frequent posture changes and can alleviate discomfort associated with prolonged static positions. Some models even feature reminders to encourage regular movement, integrating activity into the workday.

Getting more physical activity into our lives doesn’t have to be complex. Simple actions such as taking the stairs, walking to a colleague instead of emailing, or standing during phone calls can all contribute. Setting a timer to remind you to move every 30 minutes can help break up long periods of sitting or standing, empowering you to take control of your health.

Movement is key. Standing all day isn’t necessarily better than sitting – both have drawbacks when overdone. By focusing on regular physical activity and varying our positions, we can better address the health challenges posed by sedentary lifestyles. Small changes, such as taking short active breaks or incorporating stretching exercises, can make a significant difference.

Ultimately, while standing desks offer an alternative to prolonged sitting, they shouldn’t be seen as a complete solution. Embracing a more active lifestyle, both in and out of the office, is likely to yield the greatest health benefits. It’s not just about standing or sitting; it’s about moving more and sitting less.

Jack McNamara 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. Standing desks are bad for your health – new study – https://theconversation.com/standing-desks-are-bad-for-your-health-new-study-241687

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: England v USA Women’s Rugby World Cup opener fantastic news for Sunderland

Source: City of Sunderland

That’s the verdict of Sunderland City Council Leader Councillor Michael Mordey on today’s announcement that England has drawn the USA in next summer’s Women’s Rugby World Cup opener.

England’s Red Roses kick off the tournament’s opening match against the USA at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light on 22 August next year.

Today’s release of the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 match schedule sets the stage for six weekends of compelling competition in the biggest ever celebration of women’s rugby.

Reacting to the news, Council Mordey, said: “It’s brilliant that England has drawn the USA at next summer’s opening match in Sunderland.

“Sunderland has a very special relationship with the USA, from the ancestral links between Washington Old Hall and George Washington dating back from 1183 to the Friendship Agreement Sunderland signed with the US capital Washington DC in 2006 which has created so many opportunities over the years.

“We’ve also seen significant investment and employment in Sunderland from American-owned companies over the years, such as Lear, Adient, UK Independent Medical Services, Apexon and Rayovac, to name just a few, creating valuable jobs for people across the city. While our young people have benefitted from a number of exchanges as a result of our unique Friendship Agreement – with Monkwearmouth Academy welcoming young people from School without Walls in Washington DC to the city and to City Hall just in the last couple of weeks.

“So, it’s incredibly exciting to have England playing the USA in the opening match of the Women’s Rugby World Cup in our city. And I’m very much looking forward to welcoming the US team and their fans, swelling the numbers we’re already looking to welcome from across the world. It will also be a real thriller for sports fans from across the North East.

“I think there’ll be a really electric atmosphere in our city that night and I would urge anyone who hasn’t already got their tickets to look out for the next ticket releases coming soon.

“Hosting the opening game is a wonderful opportunity for our city and our region to shine on the international stage at a time when Sunderland city centre is going through a £2 billion transformation so it’s brilliant news all round.”

The last few years have seen a massive surge of interest in women’s rugby and women’s sport in general both locally and nationally.

And tournament organisers, World Rugby say the match schedule has been developed with team and fan experience at heart, with exciting matchups in each of the eight host locations, family friendly kick-off times, inexpensive match tickets and optimised team travel.

With 95 per cent of the population in England within two hours of a match venue, fans will have an unprecedented opportunity to see rugby’s biggest stars in action, while host cities are getting ready to welcome international travelling fans with iconic and vibrant local experiences.

With excitement building, fans will have the opportunity to apply for tickets for all matches from 11:00 (GMT) on Tuesday 5 November until 11:00 (GMT) on Tuesday 19 November. Ballots will be used for any price categories which are oversubscribed. Fans can register to be the first to hear about ticket news here.

Prior to the two-week ticket application phase, Worldwide Partner Mastercard is offering its cardholders access to a 48-hour priority sale for all matches from 11:00 (GMT+1) today until 11:00 (GMT+1) on Thursday 24 October at tickets.rugbyworldcup.com. Only Mastercard payments will be accepted during this priority window.

American companies in the city employ over 3,000 people and Sunderland is also home to a number of businesses with plants both here and in the US, including Nissan and AESC, as well as Lear, Adient and Vantec, which promises to bring the opening match into day to day life across our communities on both sides of the Atlantic.

Sunderland’s friendship agreement with Washington DC also led to the creation of the popular Sunderland Shorts Film Festival which continues to go from strength to strength. The annual festival, which will celebrate its 10^th birthday in 2025, proudly showcases the best short films from the UK and around the world including Australia and the United States of America, while championing homegrown talent from the region.

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

January 24, 2025