September 23, 2024, Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi (TATTE) Building Level 3.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE) and the University of New Castle Australia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to initiate their partnership in promoting scientific, socio-economic and educational international engagement including capability development and research activities on renewable energy for the benefit of both Samoa and Australia.
The signing of this MOU open doors to a wide range of collaborative efforts. It will promote technical support, knowledge exchange, and capacity-building initiatives that are essential to the sustainable management of our natural resources. Specifically, the partnership will enhance our capacity to design, implement, and monitor joint research projects, with a focus on the development of policies, research design, and educational materials.
The signing ceremony, held on September 23, 2024 marks a significant milestone in Samoa’s ongoing efforts to transition towards a renewable energy and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. As part of this MOU, both parties will work together to
(i) establish scientific cooperation in areas of mutual exchange of scientific information including in the publications and policies, research design and the development of educational materials;
(ii) the design, development and implementation of joint research, capability development and pilot projects and programmes;
(iii) joint training of MNRE staff through joint Australian-Samoan management of Masters research and PhD programmes.
“This MOU is more than a formal agreement; it is the beginning of an exciting journey. By combining our resources, expertise and passion, we will address critical environmental challenges, improves capacity in both countries and develop solutions that can make a real difference”, said Lealaisalanoa Frances Brown Reupena.
Professor Zee Upton, Deputy Vice-Chancellor from the University of New Castle also highlighted the importance of the collaboration, “we are honored to partner with Samoa on this crucial mission to advance renewable energy research. Our joint efforts will contribute to addressing global energy challenges, particularly for small island nations that face disproportionate risks from climate change.”
The Ministry acknowledges with much appreciation the University of Newcastle Australia and Professor Alan Broadfoot for his leadership and dedication to fostering this partnership.
With more than half of the money Aussie small businesses lose to scams going to fake investments, CBA Executive General Manager Rebecca Warren provides top tips on how to spot a fake investment opportunity.
Nearly 90 per cent of all scams reported by CommBank’s business customers in FY24 came from small business, with more than half of their losses going to investment scams, according to new data released by CommBank.
The data, which looks at the number and types of scams reported by CommBank small businesses in the last financial year shows investment scams, phishing, and business email compromise continue to be the most prevalent scams targeting Aussie small business.
Investment scams offer fake money-making opportunities, often with the promise of unrealistically high or above-market returns and seemingly coming from legitimate sources.
Business owners and leaders may be at higher risk of being targeted for investment scams because they’re more likely to have disposable funds to invest.
CommBank Executive General Manager Small Business Banking Rebecca Warren said, while it is encouraging to see CBA customer scam loss decreasing overall, small businesses remain a prime target and the impact could be severe.
“If a business owner or leader falls victim to an investment scam, it’s not just the business that could be compromised, but also the jobs of the people who work there”.
“We can see through our data that small businesses lose around $30,000 on average to investment scams, which can have a devastating impact, both financially and emotionally. When they make an investment into what they think is a term deposit with a great interest rate, they tend to put in most of the money they have available, to maximise their returns.
“We know running a small business is tough, and our priority is to help protect our customers from scams. Our focus is on early detection and prevention of scams through fraud prevention and monitoring activity, industry-leading features and education,” Ms Warren said.
CommBank’s NameCheck feature prompts customers if the account details on a first-time payment don’t look right based on available payment information1. CallerCheck allows customers to verify whether a caller claiming to be from CommBank is legitimate, by triggering a security message in the CommBank app. CommBank may also use CustomerCheck to identify our customers in branch or over the phone by sending a message to the CommBank app.
CBA has invested more than $800 million to help protect customers against fraud, scams, financial and cybercrime, but as Ms Warren points out, scams are least effective when people stop and check, and then reject.
“While the Bank’s technology is designed to help detect and prevent fraudulent activities, it is crucial for customers to take proactive steps to protect themselves. It is imperative that they know what to look out for.”
Ms Warren shares top tips for small business owners on protecting their business from scams.
Know what to look out for
Be suspicious of investment opportunities that sound too good to be true, because they probably are, according to Ms Warren. Scammers tend to contact prospective victims via phone, social media or sponsored ads.
“Investment opportunities that offer high returns with little or no risk are likely fake and coming from a scammer. Be wary of any unsolicited online contact, including people reaching out via social media, sponsored ads or any opportunities endorsed by public figures and popular TV programs,” Ms Warren added.
Scammers also use AI technology to impersonate well-known public figures who may appear to endorse a particular investment opportunity, and these may be used to give a false sense of legitimacy.
Customers are advised to sense-check investment opportunities with friends and family before committing to anything, as they may help identify warning signs.
“You can also research and check reviews by searching the investment name with the word ‘scam’ and consult ASIC’s list of companies you should not deal with by using the ASIC search portal,” Ms Warren said.
Customers can also understand how to check if a company or a person is licensed on MoneySmart.
Train and educate your staff
Making sure business owners and their staff are on top of the latest scam and cyber threats is imperative.
“When it comes to any scam, people are the first and very important line of defence, so it’s important to ensure you encourage staff to question and escalate payment requests,” Ms Warren said.
It’s important that small business owners and staff have basic cyber hygiene such as strong passwords, multi-factor authentication and awareness of phishing scams.
The Cyber Wardens program, which was created in partnership between CBA, Telstra and the Council of Small Business Organisations Australia (COSBOA), is specifically designed to help SMEs respond to the risks and support them to build an effective culture of cyber security.
Put the right processes in place
According to Ms Warren, processes play an important role in helping reduce the impact of scams.
“You should check with the beneficiary the details of any large payments in person or by calling a verified number and especially if the beneficiary is requesting to amend their banking details. No single person should be responsible for making payments, so adopt strict separation of duties, using multiple authorities to make and approve payments but also to change beneficiary details,” she said.
Businesses are also advised to restrict how much information they reveal about their suppliers and staff on public websites and social media.
Take advantage of technology
While scammers use increasingly sophisticated tactics to target unsuspecting small businesses, technology can also play an important role in preventing attacks.
Leveraging technology does not have to be complex but it can be very effective in preventing scams and cyber-attacks, according to Ms Warren.
“Promptly installing software updates, enabling software auto-updates and installing a reputable antivirus program can help reduce the impact of malicious software designed to tamper with online banking payments,” she added.
1 For CommBiz transactions, NameCheck is currently available for payments to a first-time payee using direct credit, priority payment, fast payment and bulk payments for up to 50 payees only.
“ACT’s contribution to the Coalition Government’s fourth quarterly plan shows how we’re driving the real change Kiwis voted for,” says ACT Leader David Seymour.
“The document is a clear demonstration of how ACT in Government makes New Zealanders’ lives better. We’re unleashing builders and growers by cutting red tape, empowering families with choice in education, delivering consequences for crime, and more.
“For the fourth plan in a row, ACT voters have made a disproportionate impact – more than half of the plan’s action points reflect our contribution.
“Every day in Government, we’re taking great ideas and turning them into action to secure a freer, more prosperous future for New Zealanders.”
Of the 43 actions listed, 22 are led by ACT ministers, advance ACT coalition commitments, or reflect ACT policies. These actions include:
Pass the first Resource Management Amendment Bill to reduce the regulatory burden on farmers and the primary sector. – ACT coalition commitment
Introduce the government’s second RMA reform Bill to Parliament to cut red tape holding back growth in the infrastructure, energy, housing, and farming sectors. – ACT coalition commitment
Establish the National Infrastructure Agency. – ACT policy
Take Cabinet decisions on funding and financing tools to get more housing built. – ACT coalition commitment
Introduce legislation to make it easier to build offshore wind farms. – ACT policy
Take Cabinet decisions on allowing greater use of road tolling to support the delivery of transport infrastructure. – ACT coalition commitment
Finalise the development of farm-level emissions measurement methodology. – ACT coalition commitment
Pass legislation to complete the removal of agriculture from the Emissions Trading Scheme. – ACT coalition commitment
Take Cabinet decisions to streamline regulations around food safety export exemptions. – ACT Minister
Pass legislation to reverse the ban on oil and gas exploration. – ACT coalition commitment
Take Cabinet decisions on the form of the Regulatory Standards Bill. – ACT Minister & coalition commitment
Initiate a third regulatory sector review to identify and remove unnecessary red tape. – ACT Minister & coalition commitment
Pass legislation extending deadlines for earthquake prone buildings to enable a review of the current settings. – ACT policy
Pass legislation to allow lotteries for non-commercial purposes to operate online, cutting red tape to make fundraising more effective. – ACT Minister
Take final design decisions for an online casino gambling regulator. – ACT Minister
Introduce legislation to remove the GE ban and enable the safe use of gene technology in agriculture, health science and other sectors. – ACT coalition commitment
Introduce legislation to enable stronger consequences for serious youth offending. – ACT Minister
Publish the second action plan on family and sexual violence. – ACT Minister
Begin delivery of new cancer treatments. – ACT Minister (through Pharmac)
Commence a review of the funding formula for independent schools. – ACT coalition commitment & ACT Minister
Negotiate contracts with, and announce, the first charter schools. – ACT coalition commitment & ACT Minister
Introduce legislation to expand the Traffic Light System to include additional consequences for beneficiaries who do not meet their obligations. – ACT coalition commitment
Police are conducting an operation to investigate serious criminal offending associated with illicit tobacco in South Australia.
Operation Eclipse has been focussed for some time and is investigating offences including arson, assaults and money laundering linked to the illegal activity that was first identified by police in May.
Detective Superintendent Shane Addison, Officer in Charge, Serious and Organised Crime Branch said police have been working proactively to identify the criminal networks involved in the trade of the illicit tobacco and working with other agencies to disrupt their criminal activities.
“Operation Eclipse has established strong working relationships with Victoria Police and other law enforcement agencies and we are sharing intelligence,’’ he said.
“We will not tolerate criminal behaviour that poses a risk to the community and have already made several arrests as part of the operation.’’ Police have so far linked seven arson attacks in the metropolitan area to the illicit tobacco industry. They have involved vehicles, restaurants and tobacco retailers. Numerous other incidents including assaults and standovers, have also been identified.
Serious and Organised Crime Branch detectives conducting Operation Eclipse have also identified another 15 persons of interest in the activity.
Besides the two arrests made so far for money laundering and serious criminal trespass, detectives have seized thousands of dollars in cash.
Operation Eclipse is working in partnership with CBS Tobacco Investigations, who are responsible for the regulation of tobacco in SA.
The seven arson incidents include:
19 July – car fire at Glenelg North
30 August – restaurant fire at Henley Beach Road, Torrensville
7 September – restaurant fire Main North Road, Enfield
9 September – vehicle fire Walkley Heights
11 September – vehicle fire Mawson Lakes
14 September – business broken into and arson attack Port Road, Hindmarsh
30 September – business at Henley Beach Road, Brooklyn Park
Police detect driver 56kmh over the speed limit in road work zone
Monday, 30 September 2024 – 3:40 pm.
A 42-year-old man from Newstead will face a 4-month disqualification from driving, has been issued with a $1,161.50 infringement notice and has had his vehicle seized after a silver Nissan X-trail was detected by police travelling at 96km/h in a sign posted 40km/h active road work zone on the East Tamar Highway at Long Reach this afternoon. Inspector Aleena Crack said that speeds such as this in active road work zones pose a significant risk of serious injury and death to road workers and other road users. “By targeting motorists travelling through roadworks we’re making sure the employees at those worksites get to go about their jobs in a safe environment,” she said. “In many cases, speeding in these sorts of areas is due to driver inattention. “We’ll continue to target this sort of behaviour to make sure people are getting the message about being safe on our roads. “Just a few seconds of distraction while you’re driving can have devastating results. “Pay attention, don’t speed and help us keep all road users safe.”
Headline: Paramedics to work alongside emergency department teams in innovative new trial
Published: 30 September 2024
Released by: Minister for Regional Health
An innovative, 10-week trial starting today will see paramedics working alongside doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals to improve access to care in regional healthcare settings.
Mudgee Hospital’s emergency department (ED) will be the first in the state to participate in the Integrated Paramedic Workforce Model Pilot, which will see paramedics integrate into the multidiscplinary team within the ED and support existing staff to provide care.
The trial will see up to three NSW Ambulance paramedics rostered on in the ED, in addition to the regular, full suite of ED staff at Mudgee.
During the trial, triage will continue to be performed by a Registered Nurse in the ED, and hospital staff will inform patients if a paramedic is involved in their care.
How a paramedic works with existing ED staff as part of the multidisciplinary team in treatment areas will depend on each patient’s individual needs.
The trial, which was open to NSW Ambulance paramedics across the state, will demonstrate how paramedics may be able to complement existing workforces in healthcare settings, with a second rural health service participating in the pilot in the coming weeks.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park:
“Integrating paramedics into emergency departments is something which has been done effectively overseas, and this trial will give us insight into how it could be done in NSW to complement our regional health workforce.
“Our EDs across NSW are grappling with unprecedented pressure, which is why the NSW Government is investing in a range of measures including creating alternative pathways to care, all with the goal of relieving our busy and stretched emergency departments.
“Paramedics will provide additional support by working alongside our dedicated doctors, nurses and allied health teams to provide treatment, and improve access to care.
“Attracting and retaining healthcare workers in regional settings is a longstanding challenge faced by every state and territory in Australia, and the NSW Government is committed to building a more supported regional health workforce through innovative initiatives like the Integrated Paramedic Workforce Model Pilot.”
Quotes attributable to Labor Spokesperson for Dubbo Stephen Lawrence:
“We know that regional and rural health services face unique pressures, and this trial is all about exploring innovative solutions.
“This collaborative effort is an important step to see how we can improve access to care for patients in our regional communities.”
Quotes attributable to WNSWLHD Chief Executive Mark Spittal:
“As a large rural centre, the wide range of presentations we see at Mudgee Hospital will see paramedics utilise their extensive skillsets in the ED setting, within their scope of practice.
“Clinical procedures have been rigorously reviewed and adjusted for the pilot. We have worked together with NSW Ambulance to investigate how and when paramedics will provide support, to ensure all patients receive appropriate care from appropriate staff.
“Patients will know if a paramedic is involved with their care. Hospital staff will let patients know, but NSW Ambulance paramedics involved in the trial will also be in different uniforms to ED staff, making paramedics identifiable.”
“This is an exciting opportunity for our award-winning ED team at Mudgee Hospital, and for our Local Health District as a whole. To be selected for this trial reflects our willingness and capability to support innovation which could help regional healthcare settings across NSW in the future.”
The latest issues, decisions and proposed changes impacting business and workplace risk5 min read
Fair Work Act changes have now commenced
By: Tarsha Gavin, Lawrence Mai, Ruby Evans
Time to review contractual arrangements and processes
As foreshadowed in our August Insight, the second tranche of changes introduced by the Closing Loopholes amendments commenced on 26 August 2024. Some of the key changes that are now in force include:
The right to disconnect
The new right permits an employee to refuse to respond to contact (or attempted contact) from their employer or third parties when that contact is made outside of their working hours, unless the employee’s refusal is unreasonable.
Changes to the definition of employment
The new definition of an employment relationship requires an assessment of the ‘real substance, practical reality and true nature of the working relationship’ (now known as the ‘whole of relationship’ test).
Rights for independent contractors
Contractors who earn above the contractor high income threshold of $175,000 are now eligible to voluntarily opt out of the new definition of an employment relationship (if it would otherwise apply to them). Those who opt out of the ‘whole of relationship’ test will instead be governed by the ‘start of relationship test’, which assesses what the parties agreed about the nature of their relationship.
Casual employment changes
A new definition of a ‘casual employee’ has been introduced, and a new ’employee choice’ process for conversion to permanent employment has also come into effect.
Key takeaway
As the latest tranche of legislative changes impact permanent employees, casual employees and contractors, it is important that employers review contractual arrangements and processes across their workforce to ensure they are compliant with the recent changes.
Implementing a key Closing Loopholes amendment, all modern awards now include a workplace delegates’ rights clause.1 Newly made enterprise agreements must now also include an equivalent or more favourable clause.
Key takeaways
From 1 July 2024, all modern awards contain a term that sets out the rights of workplace delegates (being workers elected or appointed by their union to represent the interests of union members and employees eligible to be union members) in a workplace.
Any enterprise agreements put to a vote post-1 July 2024 must contain a delegates’ rights term. If an enterprise agreement does not contain a delegates’ rights term or the proposed term is less favourable than the modern award term, the more favourable modern award term is taken to form part of the agreement.
What does the new delegates’ rights clause say?
In summary, the new delegates’ rights clause provides workplace delegates with the following rights:
Category of right
What does the clause say?
Representation
Workplace delegates may represent the interests of eligible employees who wish to be represented in matters including:
consultation about major workplace changes and changes to rosters or hours of work;
resolution of disputes and disciplinary processes;
enterprise bargaining; and
any process or procedure that eligible employees are entitled to be represented for under an award, enterprise agreement or workplace policy.
Reasonable communication
Workplace delegates may communicate with eligible employees for the purpose of representing their industrial interests, including by discussing union membership and representation. Workplace delegates may communicate with eligible employees during working hours or work breaks, or before or after work.
Reasonable access to the workplace and workplace facilities
Workplace delegates must be provided with access to, or use of, an appropriate room or area to hold discussions with eligible employees, a physical or electronic noticeboard, an electronic means of communication to communicate with eligible employees (including access to WiFi), a secure document storage area and various office facilities and equipment.
Reasonable access to training
Subject to various conditions set out in the clause, employers must provide workplace delegates with access to up to five days of paid time during normal working hours to attend initial training related to the representation of industrial interests of eligible employees. Each subsequent year, the employer must provide at least one day of paid training time.
How does this affect you?
We expect that the new delegates’ rights term will result in increased union activity and involvement in a wide variety of workplace matters.
To ensure your organisation is prepared for the changes, we recommend:
if your organisation is bargaining for a new enterprise agreement, reviewing the model delegates’ rights clause and considering whether it is appropriate to adopt the modern award term or bargain for a different term (noting that any term must be at least as favourable as the modern award term);
notifying employees and managers of the rights available to workplace delegates; and
reviewing current practices and considering whether to introduce a protocol to support consistent, reasonable and appropriate management of workplace delegates.
Fair Work Commission alters flexible working arrangement
By: Tegan Ayling, Anastasia Hatzisarantinos
Decision highlights the importance of articulating reasonable business grounds
In a recent decision, the Fair Work Commission (FWC) ordered an employee to work in the office one day per week, at the same time highlighting the importance of adequately explaining reasonable business grounds if an employer refuses a request.
Key takeaway
Employers should clearly outline their reasonable business grounds for refusing flexible working requests. This involves not only explaining the benefits to the employer’s proposed working arrangement, but also explaining how the approval of the working arrangement requested by the employee would be detrimental to the employer’s business.
Background
FedEx gradually introduced hybrid arrangements that involved employees working back in the office post COVID-19. From July 2023, employees were required to work in the office three days per week.
FedEx refused an employee’s request to work from home three days per week to care for his two teenage children who have an intellectual disability and autism, and his wife who suffers a debilitating illness. However, it agreed that the employee could continue his existing arrangement to work in the office two days per week and two days from home. While that arrangement was in place, the employee was in practice working in the office one day per week, taking leave one day per week and working two days from home.
In January 2024, the employee made another request to work entirely from home. FedEx sought further information from the employee and suggested alternative arrangements, but no agreement was reached. FedEx subsequently rejected the employee’s request, and he lodged a dispute with the FWC.
Following conciliation, FedEx agreed to trial three days at home and one day in the office, but the employee never returned to the office.
Decision
Since the matter could not be resolved between the parties, the FWC ultimately ordered the employee to work in the office one day per week and allowed FedEx to also direct him to work in the office in specific circumstances. This included if the employee did not attend the office for two consecutive weeks, there were performance concerns or there were genuine operational requirements that required his attendance.
In its decision, the FWC emphasised the importance of following proper process when responding to a request for flexible working arrangements. In particular, the FWC criticised FedEx for failing to sufficiently articulate its reasonable business grounds in rejecting the employee’s request. The grounds FedEx relied on during the proceeding had not been clearly articulated to the employee in FedEx’s refusal of his request.
The FWC also took into account that the employee had not followed FedEx’s lawful and reasonable direction to return to the office, noting that employees are not entitled to a flexible working arrangement without an approved request. The employee’s actions to ‘avoid working in the office at all costs‘ before the flexibility request was decided was a factor in the FWC decision to permit FedEx to direct the employee to work in the office, including in the specific circumstances outlined above.
Employer not required to produce investigation report under terms of enterprise agreement
By: Tarsha Gavin, Sayomi Ariyawansa and Steve Hatzipavlis
Confidentiality does not automatically prohibit provision of documents
The Full Bench of the FWC ruled that Aurizon Operations Limited (Aurizon) was not required under the terms of its enterprise agreement to produce an investigation report to an employee following an investigation into their alleged misconduct.2
Key takeaways
The FWC will consider the process set out in the relevant enterprise agreement when determining the requirements of natural justice and due process in relation to an investigation, and any subsequent process relating to the determination of a disciplinary outcome.
Even if an investigation is confidential, the requirements of procedural fairness include informing an employee of the substance of the adverse material against them so the employee can provide a response before findings are made.
A clause stating that an investigation is confidential does not necessarily prohibit an employer from providing a copy of an investigation report to the employee.
Decision
Following an investigation by Aurizon into allegations of misconduct by an employee, an investigation report was prepared outlining the substantiated conduct, and the employee was provided with an opportunity to put forward their submissions on the appropriate disciplinary outcome. The Rail Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) on behalf of the employee requested a copy of the investigation report for the purposes of making these submissions. This request was refused.
The RTBU brought an application in the FWC claiming that Aurizon’s failure to provide the report breached the applicable enterprise agreement which relevantly provided the following terms:
Process: any investigation that may lead to the disciplinary action against an employee must apply the principles of natural justice and due process, including the employee being made fully aware of allegations subject to an investigation and being provided with sufficient information to provide an informed response.
Confidentiality: disciplinary inquiries and investigations shall be confidential.
Disciplinary outcomes: following the investigation procedure, the employee may be subject to various disciplinary outcomes, following a process that includes providing the employee with a reasonable opportunity to provide reasons regarding what the appropriate disciplinary outcome should be.
The RTBU alleged that the principles of procedural fairness, as set out in (a), required Aurizon to provide the investigation report to the employee to assist with the employee’s response in (c) concerning the disciplinary outcome. The RBTU also alleged there was no utility in keeping the investigation confidential as the employee was already aware of the complainant’s identity and allegations. Aurizon claimed that because of the confidentiality requirements, the Full Bench of the FWC could not order Aurizon to produce the report.
The Full Bench of the FWC found that:
the confidentiality clause did not prevent Aurizon from providing a copy of the investigation report to a worker. If this were the case, Aurizon would be unable to provide information to the employee subject to the investigation as required by (a) and it would make the disciplinary regime unworkable. Rather, the confidentiality clause prohibited workers from disclosing information obtained during the investigation and prohibited Aurizon from disclosing investigation information to any person not involved during the inquiry.
at the point the RTBU sought the investigation report, the investigation process was complete, and Aurizon was at the stage of assessing the appropriate disciplinary outcome. At this point of the disciplinary process, there was no requirement in the enterprise agreement for Aurizon to apply the general principles of natural justice and due process outlined in (a), as these did not apply in the assessment of disciplinary outcomes outlined in (c). As such, Aurizon was not required to produce the investigation report.
natural justice and due process had not been afforded to the employee under (a), as the substance of the adverse material in the report was not put to the employee for their response during the investigation process. The Full Bench recommended that it would be prudent for Aurizon to re-open the investigation to put the substance of the report findings to the employee, but did not make an order to this effect as the grounds of appeal in the matter were limited to dealing with the production of the completed report.
Employees retain redundancy pay because of move to ‘dusty, noisy and malodorous’ office
By: Sarah Lunny and Bella Busby
Connection between redundancy pay and alternative employment
After accepting that an employer had obtained ‘acceptable alternative employment’ for two former employees, the FWC allowed the two employees to keep 30% of their redundancy pay because of the inferior quality of their new office space.3
Key takeaways
Employers can apply to the FWC to vary the amount of redundancy pay that would otherwise be payable to an employee under the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (FW Act) if the employer obtains other acceptable employment for the employee. The FWC has a broad discretion to vary redundancy pay to an amount it considers appropriate, including reducing the amount payable to zero.
Even if an employer has arranged a new role for a former employee, the FWC may determine that the employee is entitled to receive part of their redundancy pay entitlement if there is a difference in working conditions between the employee’s previous role and the new one.
Background
An employer in the recycling industry made an application to the FWC to reduce the redundancy pay entitlements of two administrative employees after the employer arranged comparable roles with another recycling business. Both office-based employees had been made redundant after the original employer’s business suffered a significant downturn, resulting in 100 employees being laid off.
Both employees argued that their redundancy pay entitlements should not be reduced because the new roles the employer had arranged for them did not constitute acceptable alternative employment, including because:
the new employer had a less professional, more ‘blue collar’ work culture than the previous workplace; and
the new office was noisier and dirtier than their previous workplace, as it was physically attached to the recycling facility, where trucks would enter and unload rubbish several times a day.
After comparing each employee’s role with the new employer to their role with the old employer, the FWC decided that both employees had been provided with ‘other acceptable employment’ because the work and conditions were sufficiently similar to those of their previous employment, even if there were some factors that made the new jobs less attractive to the employees.
In considering whether to reduce the employees’ redundancy pay, the FWC weighed the ‘significant effort’ the employer had made to obtain other acceptable employment for the employees against ‘the disadvantage of the quite different work environment’ at the new employer. The FWC ultimately decided to reduce each employee’s redundancy pay by 70%, allowing each employee to keep 30% of their redundancy pay in consideration of the ‘marked difference’ between performing their administrative work in an office attached to a recycling warehouse compared to previously working in an office removed from the actual process of recycling.
Resurrecting the dead: breathing life into a zombie agreement
By: Andrew Wydmanski and Samuel Jackson
Extensions remain viable during ongoing bargaining of enterprise agreements
The Full Bench of the FWC has extended the default period of a ‘zombie agreement’, for a second time, rejecting the employer’s request to transition employees onto the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010 (SCHADS Award) while bargaining for a new agreement was ongoing.4
Key takeaways
The FWC is open to extending the life of zombie agreements during enterprise bargaining if it considers that extending the agreement would ‘minimise disruptions or changes to terms and conditions’ and where it might be expected that ‘a replacement agreement will be reached in the near future’.
Employers covered by a zombie agreement that has been extended by the FWC should prepare for the possibility that the FWC may grant further extensions if bargaining for a new enterprise agreement is ongoing.
Background
A ‘zombie agreement’ is an old industrial workplace agreement made before the commencement of the FW Act. Under the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Secure Jobs, Better Pay) Act 2022 (Cth), all zombie agreements were set to automatically end on the ‘default period’ of 7 December 2023, unless an application was made to the Commission to extend it.
In September 2023, the Health Service Union (HSU) made an extension application in respect of the Kirinari Community Services Ltd Hume Riverina Branch Certified Agreement 2006-2008 (Agreement). The Full Bench of the FWC decided it was reasonable to extend the operation of the Agreement to 6 April 2024.
The HSU again applied under the Fair Work (Transitional Provisions and Consequential Amendments) Act 2009 (Cth) (Transitional Act) to extend the default period of the Agreement, this time until 6 December 2024.
The employer, Kirinari Community Services Ltd (Kirinari), opposed the HSU’s application on the basis that:
from an administrative and payroll perspective, it would be more efficient and fairer for all of its employees to be covered by the SCHADS Award;
the terms of the SCHADS Award would provide employees with greater flexibility should they wish to work in Kirinari’s operations outside of the Hume Riverina region; and
given that bargaining for the new enterprise agreement was based on the SCHADS Award, transitioning remaining employees to the SCHADS Award would mean all employees would be familiar with rostering arrangements and other terms and conditions of the SCHADS Award.
The Commission rejected Kirinari’s arguments, finding that moving employees from the Agreement to the SCHADS Award at a time when a replacement agreement was expected to be reached in the near future could disturb current bargaining.
The Commission considered that more progress should have been made since its decision in September last year. It also noted that the parties had not sought the Commission’s assistance to finalise the replacement enterprise agreement. As a result, the Commission was satisfied that it was appropriate to extend the default period for a further four months.
Former manager awarded $1.5 million following unlawful summary dismissal
By: Anthony Hallal and Matt Stark
Penalties can be severe for breaches of the general protections regime
The Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (FCFCA) recently ordered an employer to pay a former manager over $1.5 million after summarily dismissing him in breach of the general protections regime in the FW Act and their employment contract.
Key takeaway
This case is a recent example of the substantial damages that can be awarded under the general protections regime where employees have been found to be unlawfully terminated.
Background
An employee of Laing O’Rourke Australia Management Services Pty Ltd (LOA), Mr Haley worked for LOA and other companies in LOA’s group for over 15 years. From 2018 he was the Commercial Team Leader in charge of cleaning up bushfire-damaged properties from the previous Christmas period (Bushfire Project).
In early July 2020, Mr Haley and other LOA employees invited their colleagues to a property LOA was leasing while working on the Bushfire Project for a social event. Following noise complaints from neighbours, the owners of the property attended twice, which culminated in a verbal altercation between the LOA employees and the owners (the Incident).
LOA subsequently conducted an investigation into the Incident, following which Mr Haley had a show cause meeting with LOA. Later in July 2020, Mr Haley was summarily dismissed by LOA on the basis that he had engaged in serious misconduct. Specifically, LOA alleged that Mr Haley had lied in the course of the investigation, and that Mr Haley’s conduct during the Incident breached LOA’s policies in a manner that ’caused imminent and serious risk to the reputation of [LOA]’.5
The FCFCA decided that LOA had not established it was entitled to summarily dismiss Mr Haley from his employment. Further, LOA had taken adverse action by summarily dismissing Mr Haley in circumstances where it could not establish Mr Hayley’s complaints and inquiries in relation to his employment were not a reason for his dismissal.6
Decision on damages
Following this finding that Mr Haley had been unlawfully terminated, the most recent decision7 of the FCFCA concerned the assessment of damages to which Mr Haley was entitled.
LOA was ordered to pay Mr Haley a sum of more than $1.5 million in respect of the summary dismissal, accounting for Mr Haley’s:
loss of income up to the date of judgment;
present value of Mr Haley’s loss of future income until March 2025 (accounting for likely promotions/pay increases throughout this period);
relocation costs back to the UK after the termination of his employment;
break fees for car rental and lease agreements; and
an amount of $50,000 for Mr Haley’s hurt, distress and humiliation.
Today marks the end of an era for South Australia Police (SAPOL) with the final handover of the Thebarton Barracks site after more than 100 years.
Following a final walkthrough this afternoon, SAPOL handed over the keys to builders behind the new Women’s and Children’s Hospital project.
Commissioner of Police Grant Stevens acknowledged the goodbye felt “bittersweet”.
“For over a century, Thebarton Barracks has been a cornerstone of our operations, witnessing countless milestones and serving as a testament to SAPOL’s enduring legacy,” he said.
“As we turn the page on this chapter of our history, we have an opportunity to weave cherished traditions into new and innovative ways of operating.
“While Thebarton Barracks was state-of-the-art when it was built in 1914, we had outgrown the stables and buildings, and this move has allowed us to acquire modern facilities.”
The Thebarton Barracks Project Team has been collaborating with the government for the past two years to ensure staff have modern, fit-for-purpose accommodation that meets SAPOL’s operational requirements.
Throughout August and September remaining units at Thebarton Barracks vacated the site for their new locations. While some are in temporary accommodation, as their new facilities are not yet complete, work is progressing as a priority to ensure they receive the same high-quality, fit-for-purpose sites soon.
Last week, the first stage of new state-of-the-art facilities at Gepps Cross, housing Mounted Operations Unit, was unveiled, and the new Road Safety Centre at West Beach will soon be formally opened to the public.
As a final goodbye, a short commemorative video has been prepared which can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/rtd_FdEpEXI
Project Sponsor Chief Superintendent John De Candia handing over the Thebarton Barracks keys to Senior Project Manager of the new Women’s and Children’s Hospital James Patrick on Monday 30 September.
Lendlease Site Manager Nathan Peal ready to get to work after Project Sponsor Chief Superintendent John De Candia handed over the Thebarton Barracks keys to Senior Project Manager of the new Women’s and Children’s Hospital James Patrick on Monday 30 September.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hamish Bradley, Adjunct Lecturer, Anaesthetist and Aeromedical Retrieval Specialist, The University of Western Australia
From the creeks that wind through inner city Melbourne to the far outback in Western Australia, snake season is beginning.
Over the cooler months snakes have been in state of brumation. This is very similar to hibernation and characterised by sluggishness and inactivity. As warmer conditions return both snakes and humans become more active in the outdoors, leading to an increased likelihood of interaction. This may happen when people are hiking, dog-walking or gardening.
The risk of being bitten by a snake is exceptionally small, but knowing basic first aid could potentially save your, or another person’s, life.
Snake bite should always be treated as a life-threatening emergency, and if you are bitten in rural or remote Australia, you will often receive an air medical emergency pick up to a regional or metropolitan hospital for advanced care.
The effects of snake bites vary, depending on the species of snake and first aid measures undertaken.
calling for help (dialing 000 or activating an emergency beacon)
applying a pressure immobilisation bandage
resting.
Why pressure is important
Snake venom is carried within the lymphatic system. This is a collection of tiny tubes throughout the body that return fluid outside of blood vessels back to the blood stream.
Muscles act as a “pump” to help the fluid move through this system. That’s why being still, or immobilisation, is vital to slow the spread of venom.
A firm pressure immobilisation bandage, applied as tight as you would for a sprained ankle, will compress these tubes and help limit the venom’s spread.
Ideally bandage the entire limb on which the bite occurred and apply a splint to help further with immobilisation. It is very important that the blood supply to the limb is not limited by this bandage.
Never attempt to capture or kill the snake for identification. This risks further bites and is not required for specialist care. The decision about when to give antivenom (if any) is based on the geographical location, symptoms, the results of blood tests and discussion with a toxicologist.
The tyranny of distance
People living in rural and remote locations may also have limited access to health care, including access to ambulance services, snake bite first aid such as bandages and splints, and to antivenom.
Over one year (as a component of a larger three-year study) we collected information on the pre-hospital care and in-flight care with the Royal Flying Doctors Service Western Operations.
During this time, 85 people from regional, rural, remote and very remote Western Australia were flown by Royal Flying Doctor Service to hospital for suspected or confirmed snake bites. Reassuringly, only five of these patients (6%) ultimately received a toxicologist’s diagnosis of envenomation.
To move or not to move?
Troublingly, 38 (45%) of the 85 snake bite victims continued to move around and be active following their suspected snake bite. This raises questions about whether people lack knowledge of first-aid guidelines, or whether this is a consequence of being isolated, with limited access to health care.
Either way, our as-yet-unpublished research highlights the vulnerability of Australia’s rural and remote people. All patients eventually received a pressure immobilisation bandage, with an average time from bite to application of 38 minutes. Three quarters of the patients made their way to health-care site by foot, or private car, arriving on average 65 minutes after the bite.
Rest and compression with a bandage are vital elements of snakebite first aid. Microgen/Shutterstock
What needs to change?
Our results indicate rural and remote Australians need innovative health-care solutions beyond the metropolitan guidelines, particularly when outside ambulance service areas.
Basic snake bite first aid education needs to be not only reiterated but also a pragmatic approach is required in these geographically isolated locations. This would involve being vigilant, staying safe and, when isolated, always carrying emergency technology to call for help.
The authors wish to acknowledge the efforts required through this research project as it continues, including by Fergus Gardiner, Kieran Hennelly, Rochelle Menzies, James Anderson, Alex McMillan and John Fisher. Hamish Bradley is an Aeromedical Retrieval Specialist and Principal Investigator in this project.
Alice Richardson receives funding from NHMRC.
Breeanna Spring is affiliated with Australian College of Midwives, Australian College of Nursing.
Hamish Bradley 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.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milton Speer, Visiting Fellow, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney
Water flows in mainland Australia’s most important river system, the Murray-Darling Basin, have been declining for the past 50 years. The trend has largely been blamed on water extraction, but our new research shows another factor is also at play.
We investigated why the Darling River, in the northern part of the basin, has experienced devastating periods of low flow, or no flow, since the 1990s. We found it was due to a decrease in rainfall in late autumn, caused by climate change.
The research reveals how climate change is already affecting river flows in the basin, even before water is extracted for farm irrigation and other human uses.
Less rain will fall in the Darling River catchment as climate change worsens. This fact must be central to decisions about how much water can be taken from this vital natural system.
The Darling River runs from the town of Bourke in northwest New South Wales, south to the Murray River in Victoria. Together, the two rivers form the Murray-Darling river system.
The Indigenous name for the Darling River is the Baaka. For at least 30,000 years the river has been an Indigenous water resource. On the river near Wilcannia, remnants of fish traps and weirs built by Indigenous people can still be found today.
The Darling River was a major transport route from the late 19th to the early 20th century.
In recent decades, the agriculture industry has extracted substantial quantities of water from the Darling’s upstream tributaries, to irrigate crops and replenish farm dams. Water has also been extracted from Menindee Lakes, downstream in the Darling, to benefit the environment and supply the regional city of Broken Hill.
A river in trouble
Natural weather variability means water levels in the Darling River have always been irregular, even before climate change began to be felt.
In recent years, however, water flows have become even more irregular. This has caused myriad environmental problems.
Compounding the droughts, smaller flows that once replenished the system have now greatly reduced. Our research sought to determine why.
What we found
We examined rainfall and water flows in the Darling River from 1972 until July 2024. This includes from the 1990s – a period when global warming accelerated.
We found a striking lack of short rainfall periods in April and May in the Darling River from the 1990s. The reduced rainfall led to long periods of very low, or no flow, in the river.
Since the 1990s under climate change, shifts in atmospheric circulation have generated fewer rain-producing systems. This has led to less rain in inland southeast Australia in autumn.
The river system particularly needs rainfall in the late autumn months, to replenish rivers after summer.
The periods of little rain were often followed by extreme floods. This is a problem because the rain fell on dry soils and soaked in, rather than running into the river. This reduced the amount of water available for the environment and human uses.
In addition to the fall in autumn rainfall, we found the number of extreme annual rainfall totals for all seasons has also fallen since the 1990s.
We also examined monthly river heights at Bourke, Wilcannia and Menindee. We found periods of both high and low water levels before the mid-1990s. But the low water levels at all three locations from 2000 onwards were the lowest in the period.
Ensuring water for all
Australia is the driest inhabited continent on Earth. Ensuring steady water supplies for human use has always been challenging.
Falls in Darling River water levels in recent decades have largely been attributed to water extraction for farm dams, irrigation and town use.
But as our research shows, the lack of rainfall in the river catchment – as a result of climate change – is also significant. The problem will worsen as climate change accelerates.
This creates a huge policy challenge. As others have noted, the Murray-Darling Basin Plan does not properly address climate change when determining how much water can be taken by towns and farmers.
Both the environment and people will benefit from ensuring the rivers of the basin maintain healthy flows into the future. As our research indicates, this will require decision-makers to consider and adapt to climate change.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: Republic of South Africa (video statements-2)
DOOR STOP BY ACTING PRESIDENT SHIPOKOSA PAULUS MASHATILE ON THE OCCASION OF THE COMMEMORATION OF HERITAGE DAY AT MEQHELENG STADIUM, FICKSBURG, FREE STATE PROVINCE, 24 SEPTEMBER 2024
Source: Australian Department of Health and Aged Care
Consumers and health professionals should be aware that counterfeit Ozempic-labelled pens have been imported into Australia. These pens may pose a serious health risk and should not be used. There are clear inconsistencies from the original product to look out for.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Mobilisation of climate finance set to be boosted across East Africa through new UK-backed company as investors put pen to paper to begin operations.
Investors back Dhamana Guarantee Company’s work to transform East Africa’s financial landscape.
Tackling climate change given another boost in Kenya as, for second time in a week, a UK-Government backed investor in green finance solutions puts pen to paper.
Monday 30 September 2024 – Dhamana Guarantee Company Ltd (Dhamana) has reached a major milestone, marked at an event in Nairobi today.
Investors in the new company put pen to paper at a signing ceremony, which will allow the company to kick-start operations.
Dhamana aims to mobilise private sector finance to support the development of sustainable businesses. It will do so by issuing guarantees to commercially viable projects, businesses, and institutions that tackle the climate crisis and make progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The design and creation of the company was supported by the UK-Government backed investor the Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG) through InfraCo Africa. With its anchor investment, PIDG kick-started Dhamana, attracting further equity investment from the African Development Bank (AfDB) and CPF Group, with support provided by Cardano Development and FSD Africa.
Dhamana is a new limited liability company based in Kenya with a mandate to deliver for the East African region – including – Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda. It will provide credit guarantees on debt capital market instruments, to boost the credit rating of such instruments and crowd in investment from pension funds, insurance companies and sovereign wealth funds to support sustainable infrastructure and business development in East Africa.
Dhamana will target businesses that add value to people’s lives, improving the day-to-day life of Kenyans and of people across the region. The increase in affordable finance for Kenyan businesses will mean projects will require less capital to get off the ground, make money, and generate growth. Dhamana will also enable investors to diversify their portfolios, acting as a catalyst to transform East Africa’s financing landscape.
This is the second time in a week that an investor in climate solutions backed by the UK Government has achieved a milestone. Last week, MOBILIST signed a partnership with the Nairobi Securities Exchange which aims to drive the listing of new investment products in the Kenyan market and increase the amount of private sector capital available for development and climate projects in Kenya and drive growth.
Dhamana CEO, Christopher Olobo, said:
With the support of our investors and supporters, we have worked to develop Dhamana as an important catalyst for long-term sustainable finance in the region. Dhamana’s local currency guarantees will connect pools of untapped capital with East Africa’s real economy, making a tangible difference to people’s lives and offering local investors the opportunity to invest in Paris-aligned initiatives.
Deputy High Commissioner and Development Director, British High Commission Nairobi, Leigh Stubblefield, said:
For the second time in a week I am proud to say that the UK has supported a climate finance solution in Kenya – an example of our long-term commitment to long-term investment and growth. This is a great pan-Africa partnership that will improve the lives of East Africans for the better, and as the saying goes, we go far when we go together.
Representing PIDG, InfraCo Africa CEO, Gilles Vaes, added:
Building on the success of other PIDG-supported credit enhancement facilities in Nigeria and Pakistan, Dhamana will demonstrate the value of such a facility in the East African market, opening up opportunities for investors and clients alike. Crucially, Dhamana will engage new partners and investors in our efforts to urgently address the climate crisis and accelerate delivery of the UN sustainable development goals.
In his remarks at the launch event, Solomon Quaynor, African Development Bank Vice President for Private Sector, Infrastructure & Industrialisation, said:
The African Development Bank’s equity investment in Dhamana reinforces the catalytic role and potential of credit enhancement companies in leveraging opportunities for infrastructure financing in local currency and supporting debt capital markets deepening in our regional member countries. We intend to replicate this business model in appropriate markets across Africa with partners such as the Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG) and others. The first example of this type of credit enhancement company was InfraCredit in Nigeria which has had demonstrated success, and now Dhamana in East Africa. The investment in Dhamana aligns with the Bank’s priority to mobilise financing through innovative vehicles from African institutional funds including pension funds, sovereign wealth funds and insurance companies for infrastructure development in Africa.
On his part, Dr. Hosea Kili, OGW – CPF Group Managing Director/CEO – said:
We are proud to be part of this transformative initiative through Dhamana Guarantee Company. We believe in the power of innovative financial solutions to drive sustainable growth. By leveraging local currency guarantees, Dhamana will unlock critical capital for critical infrastructure projects, advancing economic development. This partnership aligns with our commitment to investing in initiatives that improve the lives of people’s lives and our economy while contributing to a more sustainable future.
Joost Zuidberg, CEO of Cardano Development concluded:
Dhamana’s true strength lies in its capacity to attract significant investments from East Africa’s institutional capital, laying a strong foundation for future scaling up according to its sizeable potential and thus meaningfully contribute to sustained economic growth in the region. Part of our core work is to incubate guarantee solutions for emerging and frontier markets, and we are thrilled to formalise this partnership today, as we collectively provide Dhamana with the crucial support and capital needed to fulfil this vital objective.
Dhamana Guarantee Company (Dhamana): Dhamana is working to catalyse the development of domestic capital markets in East Africa. It does this by connecting significant under-utilised sources of domestic institutional capital with the real economy, such as new green infrastructure, and providers of credit to businesses. This increases access and the affordability of local capital, providing new low-risk opportunities for local investors. Dhamana will also serve to provide a portfolio of businesses with access to the local currency capital needed to deliver bankable projects, meeting the high demand for new affordable housing, transportation, water, and energy infrastructure, and promoting long term economic development. http://www.dhamana.com
About PIDG
The Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG) is an innovative infrastructure project developer and investor which mobilises private investment in sustainable and inclusive infrastructure in sub-Saharan Africa and south and south-east Asia. PIDG investments promote socio-economic development within a just transition to net zero emissions, combat poverty and contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). PIDG delivers its ambition in line with its values of pioneering, partnership, safety, inclusivity, and urgency. PIDG offers Technical Assistance for upstream, early-stage activities and concessional capital; its project development arm – which includes InfraCo Africa and InfraCo Asia – invests in early-stage project development and project and corporate equity. PIDG credit solutions include EAIF (the Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund), one of the first and more successful blended debt funds in low-income markets; GuarantCo, its guarantee arm that provides credit enhancement and local currency solutions to de-risk projects; and a growing portfolio of local credit enhancement facilities, which unlocks domestic institutional capital for infrastructure financing. Since 2002, PIDG has supported 233 infrastructure projects to financial close, which provided an estimated 228 million people with access to new or improved infrastructure. PIDG is funded by the governments of the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Australia, Sweden, Global Affairs Canada, Germany, and the IFC. http://www.pidg.org
About the African Development Bank (AfDB)
The African Development Bank (AfDB) is Africa’s premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 34 African countries with an external office in Japan, the AfDB contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states. http://www.afdb.org
About the CPF Group
The CPF Group offers a comprehensive range of services through its various subsidiaries including CPF Financial Services which administers both private and public pension funds; notably – the Public Service Superannuation Scheme (PSSS); The Local Authorities Pensions Trust (LAPTRUST); the Taifa Pension Fund; the County Pension Fund and CPF Individual Pension Plan. The funds under our administration have a total membership of just over 500,000 members.
Other subsidiaries include Laser Infrastructure & Technology Solutions (LITES); Laser Property Services; Rukisha Advances payment platform; CPF Asset Managers; CPF Capital & Advisory; and Laser Insurance Brokers (LIB). The Group offers a wide range of services in ICT & renewable energy solutions, Property Services, Insurance Brokerage, Smart Money platform, fund management, Transaction Advisory, Trust fund services, training & consultancy, and Corporate Trustee Services. Derived from uncompromised commitment to fulfilling lives, the CPF Group prioritises new models and approaches in engineering turnkey solutions for clients across the region. http://www.cpfgroup.or.ke
About Cardano Development
Cardano Development (CD), established in 2007, incubates new companies, and creates and manages fund managers. Through careful risk-management analysis in data poor settings, CD identifies scalable solutions that can help to make frontier financial markets more inclusive, investible, and sustainable to unlock lasting economic value. CD creates scalable solutions for currency, credit, and liquidity risks in these markets. With over USD 6 billion assets and USD 3.1 billion capital under management, CD supports scale-up ventures (TCX, GuarantCo, Frontclear, BIX Capital, ILX Fund, AGRI3 Fund), and a number of new start-ups, with ongoing management support services and corporate governance oversight. http://www.cardanodevelopment.com.
MIL OSI Translation. Timor-Leste Portuguese to English –
Presidency of the Council of Ministers
Spokesperson for the Government of Timor-Leste
……………………………………………. ……………………………………………. …………………….
Press release
Extraordinary Meeting of the Council of Ministers on September 30, 2024
The Council of Ministers met at the Government Palace in Dili and approved the Draft State Budget (OGE) Bill for 2025, presented by the Minister of Finance, Santina José Rodrigues F. Viegas Cardoso, with a total value of US$ 2.6 billion allocated to the Central Administration, the Special Administrative Region of Oe-Cusse Ambeno (RAEOA) and Social Security, including the Social Security Reserve Fund. This amount includes an allocation of US$ 2.07 billion for the Central Administration, US$ 482 million for Social Security and US$ 62 million for the RAEOA.
The 2025 State Budget Bill continues the strategy of implementing the priorities set out in the Government Programme, under the motto “Investment in strategic infrastructure, strengthening the economy and improving the well-being of citizens”. The Proposal is formulated based on the Strategic Objectives of the IX Constitutional Government, with a view to promoting the socio-economic development of the Nation through targeted investments in strategic infrastructure, economic strengthening and initiatives aimed at improving the well-being of citizens. The 2025 State Budget aims to promote economic development and improve the living conditions of the Timorese population, through a clear strategy focused on sustainable economic growth, improving public services and ensuring that the benefits of development reach all citizens.
In terms of strategic infrastructure, US$227.3 million has been earmarked for the construction, expansion, rehabilitation and maintenance of road networks and bridges, as well as for the implementation of measures to protect against natural disasters, with the aim of improving connectivity and protecting communities from the effects of climate change. Funding is also provided for the rehabilitation of Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport and for the completion of the submarine fibre optic cable that will link Timor-Leste to Australia. The expansion of the internal fibre optic network will enable the provision of high-speed internet throughout the country from 2025 onwards. In the electricity sector, the budget foresees a significant increase in subsidies to the public company EDTL, EP, with the aim of improving and expanding the continuous supply of electricity, especially in rural and remote areas, ensuring a more stable and comprehensive service.
In the natural resources sector, the proposal allocates US$40 million to improve industrial and oil and mineral extraction areas on the country’s southern coast, contributing to economic development and strengthening energy security.
In the financial sector, an investment of US$5 million is expected in the capitalization of the Central Bank of Timor-Leste, with the aim of strengthening the stability and resilience of the national financial system.
The bill allocates a significant portion of the spending, around US$406 million, to support civil society, health and social services. In human capital development, US$17.2 million is allocated to vocational and technical training programs, as well as to grant scholarships. Education will also receive US$145.8 million to build new schools, train teachers and strengthen the education management system.
In health, the budget allocates US$99.2 million to improve the hospital network and health centers throughout the country, in addition to US$14.2 million for the acquisition and distribution of essential medicines and medical equipment. In terms of social protection, the Bolsa da Mãe program will be strengthened with an increase of more than US$7 million, plus US$2.86 million earmarked for improving the health and nutrition of pregnant women and children. The proposal also includes a transfer of US$124.1 million to the Social Security Budget, an increase of US$37.4 million compared to 2024, which reflects the expansion of the Social Security system and the value of the social old-age and disability pension. END
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.
Secretary for Environment & Ecology Tse Chin-wan today visited the waterfront areas of To Kwa Wan, Sham Shui Po and Wan Chai to learn about the progress for improving the quality and odour of Victoria Harbour’s coastal waters.
While inspecting the Cheung Sha Wan waterfront, Mr Tse was briefed by Environmental Protection Department officers on the conditions of sewer misconnections and the progress of rectification works.
He also learnt about the collection of odour data in real time and the innovative technologies and equipment in identifying pollution sources, which are done through the odour-monitoring device installed at the waterfront.
The environment chief was pleased to learn that the overall pollution load in the priority districts of Tsuen Wan, Sham Shui Po and Kowloon City had been reduced by about 80%, exceeding the target set in the 2022 Policy Address of reducing the pollution load at identified outfalls emanating stench in specific districts by half before end-2024.
Mr Tse then inspected the bioremediation works carried out by the Civil Engineering & Development Department at To Kwa Wan Typhoon Shelter, which can speed up the removal of organic pollution in the sediment and facilitate the elimination of the sediment’s odour, thereby further ameliorating coastal odour problems.
Mr Tse concluded his inspection by going to the waterfront areas of Wan Chai to learn about the various water quality improvement measures in the area, where triathlon events for the 15th National Games will be hosted in 2025.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dr Rico Merkert, Professor in Transport and Supply Chain Management and Deputy Director, Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies (ITLS), University of Sydney Business School, University of Sydney
Qatar Airways has announced plans to buy a 25% minority stake in Virgin Australia from its owner, US private equity firm Bain Capital.
The two airlines have already had a strong relationship as “codeshare partners” since 2022. Codesharing is where airlines agree to sell seats on each other’s flights. This new announcement, however, is a big step up.
All of this will, of course, be subject to approval from both Australia’s Foreign Investment Review Board and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). But there could be a range of winners if it goes ahead.
Perhaps most importantly for Australian travellers, the move means Virgin Australia will be able to compete as it once did on long-haul international routes.
This is because a proposed “wet lease” agreement – in which one airline provides full aircraft, crew and relevant services to another – could see Virgin Australia start operating its own flights from Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney to Doha as early as mid-2025.
It’s also a win for Bain Capital, which had been trying to offload some of its stake in the airline after acquiring it in crisis in 2020.
So with the prospect of a renewed international foothold for Virgin Australia, could we soon see more competition – and real consumer benefits – on the “Kangaroo Route” between Australia and Europe?
Clearer skies for Qatar?
As you might remember, Qatar Airways’ previous attempts to expand in Australia haven’t always gone smoothly.
Today’s announcement comes little more than a year after Transport Minister Catherine King controversially blocked a request by Qatar to double the number of flights its state-owned airline Qatar Airways was allowed to fly into major Australian airports.
Given the intense public backlash to this decision, it’s possible a renewed application by Qatar would have been more successful. A large expansion of flights by Turkish Airlines was later quietly approved.
But this new deal may diminish the need to try again. By wet-leasing wide-body aircraft so Virgin Australia can operate its “own” long-haul routes to Doha (connecting into Europe), Qatar will effectively bypass the need to get government approval for the additional flights.
Back in 2023, my calculations suggested Qatar’s application to expand should have been approved. Capacity on the Kangaroo Route was only back to 70% of pre-COVID levels. That meant the major players operating flights – including the Qantas–Emirates alliance – could charge significantly more than before the pandemic.
Using the latest flight schedule data, we can show that the capacity between Australia and the Middle East is still 17% below what it was before the pandemic. If Virgin Australia’s proposed long-haul re-entry goes ahead, we could see much more capacity on these routes, and a formidable challenger to the Emirates–Qantas arrangement.
It’s easy to see why Virgin and Qatar might be excited. The deal will extend Virgin Australia’s reach – and that of its frequent flyers – into Europe and other destinations via Doha. But this goes both ways, and could also mean more demand on its domestic network.
Similarly, the additional flights into Doha will feed Qatar Airways’ network, an airline that seems to be going from strength to strength.
Despite historical troubles at Doha’s main airport, Qatar Airways is now one of the world’s largest airlines. It has once again been ranked as the world’s best airline by the independent air transport rating organisation Skytrax.
Both airlines were also keen to point out benefits of the partnership they said would go beyond additional services and increasing competition in the Australian market.
These include the potential to work together towards various sustainability initiatives and on developing Western Sydney’s aviation ecosystem, providing exciting new opportunities for employment and training.
Not yet a done deal
However, they’re still a long way from the finishing line. Whether this deal will actually materialise remains to be seen.
It is worth noting this is not the first time Virgin Australia has been part-owned by an airline in the Middle East. Before Virgin Australia’s collapse into administration in April 2020, Etihad held a 21% equity stake.
Further, it remains to be seen what aircraft Virgin Australia will actually get access to and how the service will be perceived. Qatar Airways is guaranteed a transaction win through the wet-lease, without taking on the brand and profit risks of operating these services.
How much concern this will stir at Qantas also remains to be seen, but one thing is clear. Project Sunrise – Qantas’ plan to bypass the Middle Eastern hubs and connect Australia directly with Europe – could soon become much more important.
Emirates is unlikely to emerge as the winner of this move, now set to face increased competition not only on services connecting Australia with the Middle East, but also across its broader network through Dubai.
Qatar Airways acquiring a stake in Virgin Australia will also create interesting dynamics within the Oneworld Alliance, in which both Qantas and Qatar Airways are key partners. There are certainly interesting times ahead.
Dr Rico Merkert receives funding from the ARC and various industry partners. He loves to work with and for airlines, including Qantas and Virgin Australia.
Door supervisors and security guards can enrol in safety-critical refresher training courses from today (1 October 2024) to help keep the public safe.
The training will be compulsory for door supervisors and security guards wishing to renew a licence after 1 April 2025.
The qualifications update safety-critical skills door supervisors and security guards use to keep the public safe. The Security Industry Authority (SIA) encourages affected licence holders to take the training as soon as possible.
The courses are available from today to allow individual licence holders sufficient time to plan and book onto courses before the qualifications become mandatory on 1 April 2025. The training is available nationally from approved training providers.
Tony Holyland, Head of Individual Standards for the SIA, said:
Protecting the public is at the heart of what we do, and professional security operatives undergo training to give them the skills they need to keep people safe.
We know that skills can fade over time, which is why the training being rolled out today is so important. This is about raising the standards in private security and refreshing those fundamental skills to help security operatives deal with the ever-changing threats of the modern world.
This follows the announcement last month that the SIA introduced mandatory refresher training to help door supervisors and security guards refresh their skills and learn up-to-date content on topics including spiking and terror threat awareness.
Alongside the requirement to present an up-to-date Emergency First Aid certificate, the following will be included in the refresher training:
For door supervisors:
conducting searches
physical intervention
protecting people in vulnerable situations, including content on spiking
terror threat awareness – ACT/You can ACT certificate
For security guards:
conducting searches
terror threat awareness – ACT/You can ACT certificate
protecting people in vulnerable situations
Individuals holding a door supervisor licence can choose one of the following options:
take the door supervisor refresher training and renew their door supervisor licence
take the security guard refresher training and switch to a security guard licence
The SIA works with the private security industry to set standards and with awarding organisations to ensure the qualifications are offered via approved training providers.
Accredited ‘top-up’ awards were introduced for door supervisors and security guards in October 2021 as a requirement for renewing licences. Awarding organisations will continue to offer the ‘top-up’ qualifications until the end of January 2025. This means that any licence holders who have yet to complete these qualifications can do so.
Notes to editors
As the regulator of the private security industry the SIA’s role is to set the standard for what someone wanting to apply for a licence must know or be capable of doing. The SIA does not run training courses or receive any money from the fees people pay to their training provider.
The Security Industry Authority is the regulator of the UK’s private security industry. Our purpose is to protect the public through effective regulation of the private security industry and working with partners to raise standards across the sector. We are responsible for licensing people who do certain jobs in the private security industry and for approving private security companies who wish to be part of our voluntary Approved Contractor Scheme.
The SIA is an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Home Office. For more information, visit: http://www.gov.uk/sia.
Motion for a European Parliament resolution on the attempt by the German Federal Ministry of the Interior to impose a media ban
The European Parliament,
–having regard to Rule 149 of its Rules of Procedure,
–having regard to Article 11 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union,
A.Whereas on 16 July 2024 the German Federal Ministry of the Interior issued a ban on the media associations COMPACT-Magazin GmbH and CONSPECT FILM GmbH;
B.having regard to the fact that on 14 August 2024 the Federal Administrative Court suspended in part the immediate enforcement of the ban on ‘Compact’ on the grounds that a ban was disproportionate and that less severe means should have been used to guarantee freedom of expression and freedom of the press;
1.Notes with concern that, in banning ‘Compact’, the German Federal Ministry of the Interior attempted to restrict the freedom to express political dissent;
2.Warns against governments controlling and restricting the flow of information through legal trickery, for example by imposing media bans by the backdoor in the guise of bans on associations;
3.Calls for a fundamental debate to be carried out on the threats to freedom of expression and freedom of the press and the arbitrary decisions affecting them, as well as on the successful and unsuccessful media bans in Germany and other Member States of the European Union, in order to raise awareness of the dangers of increasing censorship.
How do you cast Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte’s 1847 novel about a child so brutalised by his adoptive family that he drives his pregnant love to death? Not, it would seem, like Emerald Fennell, the latest director to attempt it.
Fennell’s previous projects include the Oscar-winning A Promising Young Woman (2020) and Netflix hit Saltburn (2023), but she has been under fire for casting Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie in the lead roles of Heathcliff and Catherine, two teenagers on the wild, 19th-century Yorkshire moors. As tanned Australian actors aged 27 and 34, best known for playing Elvis and Barbie, it is hard to imagine how they can pull this off.
But has anybody ever got Heathcliff and Catherine right?
Lawrence Olivier was nominated for an Oscar for playing Heathcliff in 1939, but his clipped, Royal Shakespeare Company gentlemanliness hardly befitted the “savage vehemence” of the role. Heathcliff is an orphan, probably picked up on the Liverpool docks, bullied for looking like “a dark-skinned gypsy”, “a little Lascar, or an American or Spanish castaway” (a lascar was a sailor or militiaman often from Asia). Among his many eventual crimes, he tortures puppies and beats children. But the Olivier movie staged the novel as a classic Hollywood romance.
Until very recently other directors followed suit, cutting the story’s more brutal elements (including most of its second half) and casting dashing (white) leads like Timothy Dalton (1970) and then-newcomer Ralph Fiennes (1992). In the latter film, Juliette Binoche’s Catherine had a notably French accent. (Maybe best not to mention Cliff Richard’s 1996 musical, in which, at 56, he was panned for playing a teenage Heathcliff as a pop idol.)
As the director of a 2011 BBC Radio Three adaptation put it, Wuthering Heights is not supposed to be “a Vaseline-lensed experience”. But it has been mostly sold that way.
Perhaps the only director to capture the nightmarishness of Bronte’s text is Andrea Arnold, who in 2011 cast untrained actors in the central roles, including a black actor, James Howson, as Heathcliff. At the time, some critics even found that decision controversial. But the casting was a turning point, and Arnold’s bleak, almost wordless, adaptation changed the game.
In 2024, audiences are more aware that casting a white actor like Elordi as Heathcliff is not only to undersell the novel as romance, but to wilfully ignore the imperialism in the text.
There is evidence to suggest that Heathcliff’s story was at least partly inspired by a local slave-owning family, the Sills, who, as well as making their money from sugar plantations in Jamaica, had 30 enslaved Africans working on their home estate in Yorkshire.
Also, as mentioned, characters speculate about Heathcliff’s race throughout. For instance, Nelly Dean, Cathy’s family’s servant, wonders whether “[his] father was Emperor of China, and [his] mother an Indian queen.” He is clearly not white.
Still, in going in the opposite direction to Arnold, Fennell’s film might offer us something new.
The novel is difficult to film not only because it depicts human beings at their most primal, but also because it is so strangely told. Bronte rarely shows us Catherine or Heathcliff firsthand. We learn their tale through an uninitiated southerner, Lockwood, who himself hears much of the story from a servant with unreliable passions of her own.
Key scenes in the novel have an emotional realism drawn not only from the rough-hewn Yorkshire rocks but also from gothic melodrama: Catherine’s ghost literally bleeds as it grasps Lockwood through a window; Heathcliff digs up Catherine’s grave just “to have her in my arms again”. If this is realism, it is so extreme it borders on the theatrical.
And this is where Fennell excels. Saltburn’s bathtub scene is infamous for body horror, but mostly it depicts an urgent need to consume and be consumed by another. Saltburn also has its own graveside scene, which clearly echoes Heathcliff’s necrophiliac desires in Wuthering Heights.
I would argue there can be no justification for casting a white actor as Heathcliff, and it is to be hoped that Fennell rethinks this decision. But perhaps there is also something to be gained from having a Heathcliff and Catherine with the glitzy theatricality of Elvis and Barbie. Fennell isn’t going to give us the Catherine and Heathcliff we have come to expect, but it is possible she will evoke the passion the characters deserve.
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Adelene Buckland 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.
Music and noise can evoke many responses in humans. Now Flinders University scientists are using soundwaves in soil to aid ecosystem recovery.
In their latest study, experts led by microbial ecologist Dr Jake Robinson, demonstrate the benefits of acoustic stimulation on the growth rate and sporulation of a plant growth-promoting fungus.
“In our experiments, we show that the acoustic stimulation resulted in increased fungal biomass and enhanced Trichoderma harzianum spore activity compared to controls,” says Dr Robinson in a new article in Biology Letters.
“We strive to find novel ways to speed up and improve levels of beneficial fungi and other microbes in degraded soils. It could have wide-ranging benefits for restoring degraded landscapes and farming land to feed the world.”
The researchers previously found a monotonous ‘white noise’ – set at 80 dB sound pressure level – also increased a similar response in soil bacteria E. Coli. “Think of the monotone sound an old-school radio makes in between channels,” explains Dr Robinson.
The fungus T. harzianum was selected for the latest study because of its known beneficial effects on plants, such as disease protection, plant growth and improved nutrient utilisation. In agriculture, it has been shown to parasitises other fungi which are often plant pathogens.
Dr Robinson says one of the next steps will be to study the benefits of various microbial growth on plant health, and then seek to scale up the experiment outside the lab.
“While still in its early stages, the next steps will involve studying the microbiome response mechanisms, the flow-on effect on plants and how to work out how to scale it up in the field.
“We also need to understand whether this approach could have any potential cascading or unintended consequences,” he adds.
In the absence of large-scale ecosystem restoration and effective monitoring strategies, 95% of the Earth’s land is projected to be degraded by 2050. The United Nations’ global initiative – the Decade of Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030 – forecasts that 75% of the world’s soils described as degradation could increase to more than 90% by 2050.
Urbanisation, deforestation, overgrazing and other harmful practices has led us to this dire situation, which is now affecting human health and undermining food production and natural ecosystems, researchers say.
Coauthor of the new article, Associate Professor Martin Breed from the Restoration Ecology lab at Flinders University’s College of Science and Engineering, says the potential for this kind of approach is vital in a bid to head off biodiversity loss and speed up ecosystem restoration.
Sonic restoration: acoustic stimulation enhances plant growth-promoting fungi activity (2024) by Jake M Robinson, Amy Annells, Christian Cando-Dumancela and Martin F Breed will be published in Biology Letters (Royal Society Publishing) on 2 October 2024.
Funding: M Breed is funded by the Australian Research Council (grants DP210101932, LP190100051 and LP190100484) and the New Zealand Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (grant UOWX2101).
Acknowledgements. We acknowledge that this research was conducted on the land of the Kaurna people in Tarntanya (Adelaide, South Australia).
September 26, 2024 – Broome, Australia – National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces
His Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Vancouver completed a forward rearmament in Australia on September 23, 2024, more than halfway through its six-month deployment to the Indo-Pacific region on Operation HORIZON.
This forward rearmament with Australia was a first for the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). The rearmament coordination and execution were nine months in the making, with planning having commenced in January 2024, and were made possible in part thanks to the close coordination and cooperation of the Australian Defence Force (ADF).
Having the capability to rearm far from a Canadian homeport is a significant achievement. Accomplishing it with the support of our allies and partners demonstrates the strength of Canada’s relationships in the Indo-Pacific region. This rearmament process allows the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) to strengthen its interoperability and interchangeability through the sharing of information, techniques, and lessons learned that will allow for more agility moving forward.
Since HMCS Vancouver’s deployment in June 2024, the ship has participated in three different multinational maritime exercises and expended munitions, including two vertically launched missiles at Exercise RIM OF THE PACIFIC (RIMPAC) 2024.
Ammunition for the rearmament was transported from Canada to Darwin, Australia, via a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) CC-177 Globemaster, where it was stored until the ship’s arrival. It was then transported to Broome, Australia, by the Australian Air Force and civilian contractors, and loaded onto the ship. During the rearmament itself, Canadian Forces Ammunition Depot staff members were on the ground, with members from the Australian Defence Industry (ADI) and the Royal Australian Navy to support.
The logistics of facilitating a technical rearmament process occurring far from a Canadian Naval Base are complex and support from elements of the ADF and ADI were instrumental in the success of this mission.
Washington, D.C. –Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09) issued the following statement:
“Today marks a solemn chapter in the history of New York City. In time, Mayor Adams will confront a jury of his peers. As we ready for their verdict, we must not fail to remember that every American, from working people to public officials, are entitled to the presumption of their innocence when accused of wrongdoing. And so, I pray the Mayor faces a fair trial, and I pray its judgment is centered in justice.
“New Yorkers are defined by our resilience and ability to persevere through any obstacle that has come our way. I am certain that, like all the rest, this too shall pass.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Representatives Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), U.S. Representative Greg Casar (TX-35), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (IL-04), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), and Juan Vargas (CA-52) introduced a new resolution calling for comprehensive legislation to address the root causes of forced migration and displacement, while affirming the need for a true roadmap to citizenship for immigrants in the United States.
“Democrats can build an orderly, humane, and stable immigration system. We should create more legal pathways for migration and citizenship, while also changing the failed U.S. policies that cause displacement abroad and force people to flee their home countries,” said Congressman Greg Casar (D-Texas), co-founder of the Congressional Caucus on Global Migration. “Let’s tackle the climate crisis. Let’s remove broad-based sanctions that increase poverty. Let’s prioritize policies to support stability abroad while creating a welcoming and predictable immigration process at home.”
“Too many people around the world face violence, poverty, and persecution and see the United States as a beacon of hope,” said Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.). “We must make the immigration system more humane, more orderly, and more effective to welcome immigrants who come to this country rather than turn them away and to recognize not only the contributions they make to this country, but also the moral duty we have to protect people who come here fleeing horrible conditions. We can and must do better for immigrants.”
“Over the past decades, millions of people have been forced to migrate from their homes—and more people are displaced now than ever before. This is the result of converging crises, including climate change, political instability, and violence, some of which are impacted by U.S. policy,” said Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García (D-Ill.). “Yet, our immigration and asylum policies have become more restrictive and punitive, disregarding the role our government has played in creating this crisis. It’s time we acknowledge the ways in which U.S. policy has contributed to forced migration and displacement, and advance reforms that address the root causes of migration.”
“Republicans’ dangerous rhetoric about immigration endangers our immigrant communities and completely ignores the root causes of migration,” said Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove (D-Calif.), co-founder of the Congressional Caucus on Global Migration. “Migration is not just a border issue but a foreign policy issue. With migration on the rise worldwide and conflict, food insecurity, climate change, and political violence driving immigration to the U.S., it’s imperative that we reshape our immigration policy to address these global crises. This resolution calls upon Congress to do just that.”
“Climate instability, democratic backsliding, economic exclusion, sanctions, and human rights violations are just some of the conditions driving unprecedented levels of global displacement and migration,” said Congresswoman Delia C. Ramirez (D-Ill.), co-founder of the Congressional Caucus on Global Migration. “Stricter border enforcement, harsh asylum laws, and the vilification of immigrants have consistently failed us and our neighbors. Instead, we need to address how our own policies contribute to the crises and adopt a coordinated regional and global strategy to tackle the root causes of displacement.”
“It’s past time for comprehensive immigration reform. And a critical piece to this is addressing the factors that force families to flee their home countries in the first place,” said Rep. Juan Vargas (D-Calif.). “From combating climate change to humanitarian assistance, we need to implement productive policies that address the root causes of forced migration and displacement, while also working to restore faith in our legal immigration system and creating pathways to citizenship.”
Specifically, this resolution calls for comprehensive legislation that:
addresses U.S. policies contributing to forced migration and displacement;
ensures a humane and sustainable immigration system that appropriately addresses the root causes driving migration; and
affirms the need for a true roadmap to citizenship for immigrants in the U.S.
Over the last few weeks, MAGA Republicans have fabricated xenophobic and racist stories about Haitian immigrant families, adding to a long track record of perpetuating false narratives, conspiracy theories, and racist tropes. This MAGA rhetoric has incited physical violence against many migrant families. Now more than ever, it is important to emphasize the value migrants bring to our communities and to call for policies that will make our immigration system more stable and humane.
The resolution is co-led by U.S. Representatives Greg Casar (TX-35), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (IL-04), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), and Juan Vargas (CA-52), and co-sponsored by Nanette Barragán (CA-44), André Carson (IN-07), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Judy Chu (CA-28), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Robert Garcia (CA-42), Raúl Grijalva (AZ-07), Jonathan L. Jackson (IL-01), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson (GA-04), Summer Lee (PA-12), James P. McGovern (MA-02), Grace Napolitano (CA-31), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Terri Sewell (AL-07), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), and Nydia M. Velazquez (NY-07).
It is endorsed by ActionAid USA, Ayudemos por una vida mas digna, Border Vigil of Eagle Pass, CASA, Center for Economic Policy and Research, Center for International Policy, Climate Refugees, Eagle Pass Border Coalition, Global Exchange, Justice is Global, Mira Feminisms and Democracies, Movimiento de los pueblos por la paz y la justicia y México negro ac, National Immigrant Justice Center, National Immigration Project, OXFAM America, Public Citizen, Sisters of Mercy of the Americas – Justice Team, Transnational Villages Network/Red de Pueblos, United We Dream, and Win Without War.
“This resolution is the step forward Congress desperately needs to reframe the issue of immigration towards more productive and effective solutions that will ensure migrants’ lives take precedence over politics,” saidJuliana Macedo do Nascimento, Deputy Director of Federal Advocacy at United We Dream. “The vast majority of Americans want to see a humane, efficient and fair policies that honor everyone’s freedoms to live safely in their homes without being forcibly displaced, whether here or abroad, and provides the opportunity to become citizens in the U.S. Congress has a clear roadmap in front of them with this resolution that proves that safety, humanity, fairness and justice in our foreign policy and immigration system are not contradictory values but instead deeply interconnected.”
“We need to dig in our heels and end the racism and xenophobia that’s rampant in our immigration and asylum debates in the U.S.,” said Eric Eikenberry, government relations director for Win Without War. “This new resolution lays the groundwork to do just that: welcome people who want to build their lives here, while ensuring that — from arms sales to climate policy and beyond — our government doesn’t create the conditions that force them from their homes and communities.”
“For too long, the U.S. approach to migration has focused on barricading our borders rather than addressing the realities compelling people to leave their homes — including crises exacerbated by U.S. policies. We applaud Congressman Casar and his colleagues for taking this critical step to review and move toward better U.S. policies to address the conditions giving rise to increased migration and displacement,” said Dylan Williams, Center for International Policy Vice President for Government Affairs.
“There’s been a lot of talk over the years about ‘root causes’ of migration, but this is the first legislation of its kind to home in on the elephant in the room: U.S. policy and its role in fueling the involuntary migration and displacement of millions of people in the region and the world,” said Alex Main, Director of International Policy at the Center for Economic and Policy Research. “This groundbreaking resolution helps us all better understand how vulnerable communities in the Global South have been devastated by U.S. broad-based sanctions, U.S.-backed trade agreements that put corporate greed over people, U.S. security assistance that props up repressive governments, and lax gun laws that provide criminals with easy access to U.S. weapons. Most importantly, this legislation proposes bold strategies to undo harmful policies and help truly mitigate ‘root causes’ including through far-reaching reforms to US sanctions policy and foreign assistance, the removal of harmful ISDS provisions from US-backed trade agreements, and the provision of robust support to developing countries fighting inequality and climate change, including through new issuances of debt-free IMF Special Drawing Rights. This resolution is long overdue, and we’re proud and delighted to be supporting it today.”
“Rather than ‘blaming the victims’—immigrants, it is important to acknowledge how failed U.S. foreign (or economic and military) policies have contributed to the spiraling poverty and violence from which people have been fleeing for their lives,” Jean Stokan, Justice Coordinator for Sisters of Mercy of the Americas. “Forced migration is often the result of U.S. foreign policies that prioritize the interests of foreign investors over those of impoverished populations. Thus, this resolution importantly names U.S. responsibility to address those root causes and the need for justice-based pathways to citizenship.”
“To design a just and humane policy response to immigration, we have to ask the question – why are people moving? As an international development organization, ActionAid USA strongly supports this resolution for acknowledging the root causes of migration, including and especially those for which the United States is directly responsible,” said Brandon Wu, Director of Policy and Campaigns for ActionAid USA. “A human rights-based approach to immigration policy should start with fixing harmful foreign policies, ongoing climate inaction, and unjust international economic systems that all contribute to force people to leave their homes.”
Background:
The resolution text can be foundhere.
Issues: Foreign Affairs & National Security, Immigration
Today the Right Honourable John Healey MP, Secretary of State for Defence, United Kingdom hosted the Honourable Richard Marles MP, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Australia and the Honorable Lloyd J. Austin III, Secretary of Defense, United States (U.S.) at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, London, the United Kingdom (UK) to review progress in and reaffirm their commitment to the AUKUS partnership.
The AUKUS partnership reflects the continued commitment by Australia, the United Kingdom, and United States to support a free and open Indo-Pacific that is peaceful, secure and stable. The discussions between the Secretaries and Deputy Prime Minister today reaffirmed the importance of this innovative, enduring, and trusted partnership in the face of a rapidly evolving and increasingly unstable international security environment. The three nations will continue to work to uphold the global rules-based order where international law is followed, and states can make sovereign choices free from coercion. In this context, they reiterated their shared commitments to the AUKUS partnership for the decades to come and welcomed the progress made since AUKUS Defence Ministers last met in California, the United States, in December 2023.
Pillar I – Conventionally Armed, Nuclear-Powered Submarines (SSNs)
In March of 2023, our Heads of Government met to announce a comprehensive plan to support Australia’s acquisition of a conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarine capability as quickly as possible. Since that announcement, our three governments have worked shoulder-to-shoulder to refine the milestones and principles that will form the building blocks for this decades-long partnership.
The Secretaries and Deputy Prime Minister reiterated their shared and enduring commitment to setting the highest nuclear non-proliferation standard, and the importance of this work to the success of the programme. They undertook to continue AUKUS partners’ open, and transparent engagement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and noted the ongoing bilateral negotiations between the IAEA and Australia to develop a robust safeguards and verification approach for Australia’s naval nuclear propulsion programme under Article 14 of Australia’s Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement with the IAEA.
Over the last year, our Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Royal Navy (RN), and U.S. Navy personnel have worked tirelessly across governments, defence industry, and academic institutions to optimise the training of personnel to maintain, sustain, operate, and crew nuclear-powered submarines. The Secretaries and Deputy Prime Minister reiterated that the delivery of the “Optimal Pathway” depends upon the skilled workforces of all three countries and reaffirmed their shared commitment to develop a robust base of skills across their military, civilian and industrial sectors.
More than 60 RAN personnel are currently in various stages of the U.S. nuclear-powered submarine SSN training pipeline to equip a cadre of Australian officers and sailors with experience aboard the U.S. Virginia class SSNs that the RAN will own and operate from the early 2030s. These numbers will increase further in 2025, with more than 100 personnel commencing training. Six officers have completed all training and have been assigned to U.S. Virginia class submarines. RAN enlisted sailors will join U.S. submarine crews before the end of this year.
In the United Kingdom, three RAN officers completed the UK Nuclear Reactor course in July 2024 and are now assigned to UK Astute class submarines. The next group of RAN officers will commence training in the UK in November 2024.
The RN, with the support of the Australian Submarine Agency, has also delivered professional and general naval nuclear propulsion training for more than 250 Australian personnel in Canberra.
Australians have embedded into programme delivery teams in the UK Ministry of Defence and with Rolls-Royce Submarines. Australians are also currently embedded in U.S. Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program teams.
In July and September 2024, Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard welcomed the first 40 ASC Pty Ltd personnel into its training pipeline with the expectation of more than 100 additional ASC Pty Ltd employees by mid-2025.
The Australian Government has committed to nearly AUD 250 million to start delivering the skills and workforce needed for its SSN program, including providing 4,001 Commonwealth Supported Places at Australian universities, in addition to 3,000 undergraduate scholarships over six years, to build the necessary Australian Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics workforce.
Additional programs have seen more than 70 Australians supported to undertake postgraduate nuclear studies at universities in the United Kingdom, United States, and Australia.
Australia has also recently announced the “Jobs for Subs” initiative, a government-funded program to evolve ASC Pty Ltd to recruit, train and retain approximately 200 additional graduates, apprentices and trainees to support Submarine Rotational Force-West (SRF-West) in Western Australia.
Recognising that our partners in defence industry are and will remain vital to this endeavour, the Secretaries and Deputy Prime Minister discussed opportunities to maximize our efforts to foster collaboration and build resilience across our industrial bases and supply chains. They welcome the collaboration between BAE Systems (BAES) and ASC Pty Ltd to bring together their combined decades of submarine building to deliver the SSN-AUKUS programme.
The U.S. Government decided to invest USD 17.5 billion into its submarine industrial base to support initiatives related to supplier development, shipbuilder and supplier infrastructure, workforce development, technology advancements, and strategic sourcing.
Australia has also committed to invest over AUD 30 billion in the Australian defence industrial base to develop Australia’s supply chains and facilitate industry participation in U.S. and UK supply chains.
His Majesty’s Government announced an initial allocation of £4 billion from the United Kingdom to continue the detailed design work of SSN-AUKUS and order long-lead items, as well as the United Kingdom’s investment of £3 billion across its Defence Nuclear Enterprise, including the construction of submarine industrial infrastructure that will help to deliver the SSN-AUKUS programme.
The Secretaries and Deputy Prime Minister welcomed the AUKUS partners’ commitment to accelerate opportunities for Australian industry in the Virginia class submarine supply chain, including through the Defence Industry Vendor Qualification Program and other industry collaboration initiatives. They welcomed ongoing efforts to encourage further industrial base partnerships to build resiliency across the trilateral Submarine Industrial Base.
This August, as a direct result of our close collaboration over this year, our three nations commenced the execution of the first-ever planned maintenance activity of a U.S. SSN in Australia. More than 30 RAN personnel worked alongside U.S. Navy and contractor personnel and UK observers to conduct routine maintenance and observe safety and stewardship evolutions. This was an important step in building Australia’s capacity to support a rotational presence of UK and U.S. SSNs at SRF-West beginning as early as 2027, as well as Australia’s future sovereign SSN capability.
The Secretaries and Deputy Prime Minister emphasised the importance of ensuring that our trilateral systems have the tools they need to transfer information and data in a timely fashion to facilitate cooperation. They were pleased to welcome the August 2024 signing of an enabling agreement for trilateral cooperation related to naval nuclear propulsion. Once in force, this historic agreement will enable AUKUS partners to go beyond sharing naval nuclear propulsion information, allowing the United States and the United Kingdom to transfer nuclear-propulsion material and equipment to Australia required for the safe and secure construction, operation, and sustainment of conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines.
This agreement reaffirms, and remains consistent with, the AUKUS partners’ respective, existing international non-proliferation obligations. As a non-nuclear-weapon State Party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, Australia has re-affirmed unequivocally that it does not have, and will not seek to acquire, nuclear weapons.
Pillar II – Advanced Capabilities
The Secretaries and Deputy Prime Minister hailed progress being made under Pillar II to deliver capability to our defence forces while bolstering industry and innovation sector collaboration. AUKUS nations continue to pool the talents of our defence sectors to catalyse, at an unprecedented pace, the delivery of advanced capabilities.
Through AUKUS Pillar II, our trilateral science and technology, acquisition and sustainment, and operational communities are working across the full spectrum of capability development—generating requirements, co-developing new systems, deepening industrial base collaboration, and bolstering our innovation ecosystems. The Secretaries and Deputy Prime Minister welcomed progress made in building a more capable, combined joint force of the future because of this work.
This year, under the Maritime Big Play initiative, we are undertaking a series of integrated trilateral experiments and exercises to enhance interoperability and accelerate the combined fielding of autonomous uncrewed systems in the maritime domain. Later this year, the three nations will bring together approximately 30 systems across four domains for the first large-scale AUKUS integrated demonstration. The Secretaries and Deputy Prime Minister welcomed the inclusion of technologies from companies in each of the three nations and plans to expand to include additional industry partners in the future.
In 2024, AUKUS partners furthered their undersea warfare capabilities by beginning to scale up the ability to launch and recover uncrewed underwater systems from torpedo tubes on current classes of British and U.S. submarines, which will increase the range and capability of our undersea forces. AUKUS partners are exploring opportunities to collaborate on sensors and payloads to maximize this capability and deliver effects such as strike, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance.
In parallel, the United Kingdom and the United States are strengthening superiority in the maritime domain by integrating the Sting Ray lightweight torpedo into the P-8A Maritime Patrol Aircraft alongside the Mk 54 torpedo, with trials planned for 2025. This will increase the opportunity for interchangeability and potential work on future torpedo programmes. These efforts will ultimately enhance the survivability of our surface combatant and submarine fleets.
In the area of long-range precision strike, we are increasing our collective ability to develop and deliver offensive and defensive hypersonic technologies through a robust series of trilateral tests and experiments that will accelerate the development of hypersonic concepts and critical enabling technologies. These capabilities will hold time critical and heavily defended targets at risk from increased ranges, enhancing the survivability of our forces and defending our homelands and forces against potential threats.
Advancing our maritime domain autonomy and decision advantage efforts, AUKUS partners demonstrated and deployed common advanced artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms on P8-A Maritime Patrol aircraft to process data from each nations’ sonobuoys. These advances allow for faster data processing and improved target identification in congested acoustic environments, enhancing our combined anti-submarine warfare capabilities. The Secretaries and Deputy Prime Minister welcomed plans to scale these technologies in 2025.
Our joint forces demonstrated several innovative uses of AI technologies to enhance decision making and bolster combined military effects. In March, AUKUS partners demonstrated the ability to rapidly co-develop and deploy trilateral AI algorithms to find and fix targets for strike. The Secretaries and Deputy Prime Minister welcomed trilateral plans to explore the introduction of these capabilities into operational units in the coming years.
The International Joint Requirements Oversight Council (I-JROC) remains a critical collaborative forum to identify and validate joint and combined requirements to ensure capability development considers interoperability and interchangeability from the very start. The Secretaries and Deputy Prime Minister welcomed the establishment of trilaterally determined key operational problems, leveraging existing activities to achieve capability development priorities endorsed by I-JROC. AUKUS partners seek:
An enhanced multi-domain long-range strike capability that incorporates asymmetric capabilities and integrated targeting;
Strengthened multi-domain integrated air and missile defence capability;
Resilient command and control systems that maintain a diverse range of information; and
Enhanced logistical networks that are able to deliver persistent support and sustainment for operations in contested environments.
To this end, the Secretaries and Deputy Prime Minister welcomed work underway across our trilateral Armies, Navies, and Air Forces to explore additional opportunities for collaboration in the land, maritime, air, and other domains under AUKUS Pillar II.
A cornerstone of our AUKUS Pillar II program remains the opportunity to leverage the best of our defence industrial bases and innovation ecosystems. Over the past year we have further integrated our innovation ecosystems and fostered increased collaboration with these stakeholder communities to explore opportunities in all aspects of Pillar II.
AUKUS partners executed the first trilaterally sponsored innovation prize challenge, which focused on electronic warfare. The Secretaries and Deputy Prime Minister are pleased to announce Advanced Design Technology Pty Ltd, Inovor Technologies Pty Ltd and Penten Pty Ltd (AUS), Amiosec Ltd, University of Liverpool, Roke Manor Research Ltd, Autonomous Devices Ltd (UK), and Distributed Spectrum (U.S.) as the winners for this challenge. The selection of these companies demonstrates the important contributions that our trilateral commercial sectors and innovation bases can make in addressing critical operational requirements.
Building on the success of this first challenge, the Secretaries and Deputy Prime Minister were pleased to endorse plans for a robust two-year agenda that will increase collaboration between and among our innovation centres of excellence. Through this collaboration, AUKUS partners will leverage innovative tools to reach our entrepreneurs and actively solicit new and powerful capabilities from our trilateral innovation ecosystem and industrial base.
In coordination with industry associations representing the trilateral defence industrial base, the Advanced Capabilities Industry Forum, continues to provide an opportunity for representatives across government and industry to exchange ideas and deepen industrial collaboration in Pillar II. By the end of this year, AUKUS partners will have convened meetings in each country and facilitated discussions with technology and policy subject matter experts to increase understanding and information sharing.
In response to industry feedback and as current projects mature beyond traditional research and development projects, the National Armaments Directors from each nation are identifying opportunities to harmonise acquisition processes and reducing barriers to facilitate the accelerated delivery of Pillar II advanced capabilities.
In April 2024, the Secretaries and Deputy Prime Minister announced principles for engaging additional partners on opportunities to collaborate on AUKUS Pillar II projects. The Secretaries and Deputy Prime Minister welcomed progress on consultations with Japan on improving interoperability with Japan’s maritime autonomous systems as an initial area of cooperation. The Secretaries and Deputy Prime Minister noted ongoing consultations with Canada, New Zealand, and the Republic of Korea to identify possibilities for collaboration on advanced capabilities under AUKUS Pillar II on a project by project basis.
Defence trade and industrial base collaboration
To promote innovation and realise the goals of AUKUS, Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States implemented momentous amendments to our respective export control regimes. These historic efforts will maximise secure, licence-free defence trade and stimulate innovation across the full breadth of our defence collaboration, mutually strengthening our three defence industrial bases, while maintaining rigour and security in all three systems. The Secretaries and Deputy Prime Minister reaffirmed support to reduce bureaucratic barriers to collaboration to enable deeper defence industrial base cooperation.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Paul A Gosar DDS (AZ-04)
Washington, D.C. — Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-09), issued the following statement after introducing H.R. 9828, the End the Vaccine Carveout Act, a bill that would strip vaccine manufacturers of their unjust liability shields. This carveout has resulted in hundreds of billions of dollars in profits for Big Pharma while leaving tens of thousands of people without the ability to seek legal justice and compensation for injuries caused by vaccines.
“Although federal bureaucrats and Big Pharma insist that vaccines are safe, there is an unfortunate lack of science regarding the safety of vaccines. For example, a review of 12,000 scientific papers by the Institute of Medicine published in 2012 found that 98% of injuries studied were either caused by or may have been caused by a vaccine. Another government study found that while vaccines caused injuries in 10 percent of cases, only one percent get reported, meaning those injured by vaccines are vastly undercounted.
Furthermore, according to the Center for Disease Control’s Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, nearly 20,000 Americans were reported as having been killed to date by a COVID-19 vaccine, equating to one death for every 14,000 people vaccinated, much higher than the one in a million deaths that is normally cited for dangerous vaccines.
Government bureaucrats and scientists responsible for approving vaccines are in bed with Big Pharma, often owning pharmaceutical stocks, serving as consultants and receiving lucrative contracts from pharmaceutical companies that pressure them to produce favorable results which is in direct violation of federal law.
Worse, many scientists and researchers in government agencies develop patents for vaccines that are approved by the very agencies they work for, creating a conflict of interest and raising serious questions about the impartiality of their decisions.
Under current law, it is nearly impossible to hold vaccine manufacturers liable for injuries caused by vaccines due to a 1986 law that unfairly created a special immunity carveout for Big Pharma, making it very difficult for vaccine-injured victims to win in a court of law.
My legislation strips away current immunity provisions unfairly shielding Big Pharma from the harms caused by their products and allows those injured by vaccines to pursue a civil lawsuit in state or federal court. Big Pharma doesn’t deserve a get-out-of-jail-free card for injuries caused by their harmful vaccines,” concluded Congressman Gosar.
Children’s Health Defense Founder and Chairman of the Board on Leave Robert F. Kennedy Jr, said: “The four American vaccine makers are criminal enterprises that have paid tens of billions in criminal penalties over the past decade. By freeing them from liability for negligence, the 1986 statute removed any incentive for these companies to make safe products. If we want safe and effective vaccines, we need to end the liability shield.”
Children’s Health Defense President Mary Holland added: “Thank you to Congressman Gosar for introducing this historic and urgently needed legislation. For over 35 years, parents of children injured and killed by government-recommended vaccines have been left with no meaningful redress — only a complex, sham compensation program that pits grieving families against the government, while Big Pharma enjoys no liability. During that same time, chronic health conditions in children – autism, ADHD, severe allergies, asthma – have skyrocketed. This legislation will help to end Big Pharma’s reign over government. The corrupt public-private partnership of the 1986 National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act has suppressed science, stacked the deck against families, subverted the democratic marketplace of checks and balances, and removed citizens’ rights to a trial by jury. Americans deserve better.”
Background:
In 1986, Congress passed the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act (NVCIA), which shields vaccine manufacturers from the harm caused by their products, making it almost impossible for a person injured by a vaccine to win in court. The plaintiff must prove that the vaccine manufacturer deliberately “[withheld] information relating to the safety or efficacy of the vaccine,” engaged in “criminal or illegal activity relating to the safety and effectiveness of vaccines,” or “by clear and convincing evidence… failed to exercise due care.” Satisfying these requirements is practically an impossibility.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are tasked with approving vaccines. Sadly, there exists a massive conflict of interest, since the scientists who work at these agencies license the patents to vaccine manufacturers and, in so doing, earn up to $150,000 in royalties. Furthermore, voting members on the boards that advise the CDC and the NIH owned stocks in vaccine manufacturers, engaged in contract work for vaccine manufacturers, and received grants from vaccine manufacturers.
Current cosponsors (30):
Representatives Andy Biggs, Lauren Boebert, Josh Brecheen, Tim Burchett, Eric Burlison, Mike Collins, Eli Crane, Warren Davidson, Byron Donalds, Matt Gaetz, Bob Good, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Harriet Hageman, Andy Harris, Clay Higgins, Ronny Jackson, Anna Paulina Luna, Nancy Mace, Thomas Massie, Mary E. Miller, Cory Mills, Barry Moore, Troy E. Nehls, Ralph Norman, Andy Ogles, Bill Posey, Chip Roy, Keith Self, Victoria Spartz, Randy K. Weber Sr.
Outside Group Support:
American Family Project, Children’s Health Defense, React19
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Representatives Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), U.S. Representative Greg Casar (TX-35), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (IL-04), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), and Juan Vargas (CA-52) introduced a new resolution calling for comprehensive legislation to address the root causes of forced migration and displacement, while affirming the need for a true roadmap to citizenship for immigrants in the United States.
“Democrats can build an orderly, humane, and stable immigration system. We should create more legal pathways for migration and citizenship, while also changing the failed U.S. policies that cause displacement abroad and force people to flee their home countries,” said Congressman Greg Casar (D-Texas), co-founder of the Congressional Caucus on Global Migration. “Let’s tackle the climate crisis. Let’s remove broad-based sanctions that increase poverty. Let’s prioritize policies to support stability abroad while creating a welcoming and predictable immigration process at home.”
“Too many people around the world face violence, poverty, and persecution and see the United States as a beacon of hope,” said Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.). “We must make the immigration system more humane, more orderly, and more effective to welcome immigrants who come to this country rather than turn them away and to recognize not only the contributions they make to this country, but also the moral duty we have to protect people who come here fleeing horrible conditions. We can and must do better for immigrants.”
“Over the past decades, millions of people have been forced to migrate from their homes—and more people are displaced now than ever before. This is the result of converging crises, including climate change, political instability, and violence, some of which are impacted by U.S. policy,” said Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García (D-Ill.). “Yet, our immigration and asylum policies have become more restrictive and punitive, disregarding the role our government has played in creating this crisis. It’s time we acknowledge the ways in which U.S. policy has contributed to forced migration and displacement, and advance reforms that address the root causes of migration.”
“Republicans’ dangerous rhetoric about immigration endangers our immigrant communities and completely ignores the root causes of migration,” said Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove (D-Calif.), co-founder of the Congressional Caucus on Global Migration. “Migration is not just a border issue but a foreign policy issue. With migration on the rise worldwide and conflict, food insecurity, climate change, and political violence driving immigration to the U.S., it’s imperative that we reshape our immigration policy to address these global crises. This resolution calls upon Congress to do just that.”
“Climate instability, democratic backsliding, economic exclusion, sanctions, and human rights violations are just some of the conditions driving unprecedented levels of global displacement and migration,” said Congresswoman Delia C. Ramirez (D-Ill.), co-founder of the Congressional Caucus on Global Migration. “Stricter border enforcement, harsh asylum laws, and the vilification of immigrants have consistently failed us and our neighbors. Instead, we need to address how our own policies contribute to the crises and adopt a coordinated regional and global strategy to tackle the root causes of displacement.”
“It’s past time for comprehensive immigration reform. And a critical piece to this is addressing the factors that force families to flee their home countries in the first place,” said Rep. Juan Vargas (D-Calif.). “From combating climate change to humanitarian assistance, we need to implement productive policies that address the root causes of forced migration and displacement, while also working to restore faith in our legal immigration system and creating pathways to citizenship.”
Specifically, this resolution calls for comprehensive legislation that:
addresses U.S. policies contributing to forced migration and displacement;
ensures a humane and sustainable immigration system that appropriately addresses the root causes driving migration; and
affirms the need for a true roadmap to citizenship for immigrants in the U.S.
Over the last few weeks, MAGA Republicans have fabricated xenophobic and racist stories about Haitian immigrant families, adding to a long track record of perpetuating false narratives, conspiracy theories, and racist tropes. This MAGA rhetoric has incited physical violence against many migrant families. Now more than ever, it is important to emphasize the value migrants bring to our communities and to call for policies that will make our immigration system more stable and humane.
The resolution is co-led by U.S. Representatives Greg Casar (TX-35), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (IL-04), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), and Juan Vargas (CA-52), and co-sponsored by Nanette Barragán (CA-44), André Carson (IN-07), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Judy Chu (CA-28), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Robert Garcia (CA-42), Raúl Grijalva (AZ-07), Jonathan L. Jackson (IL-01), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson (GA-04), Summer Lee (PA-12), James P. McGovern (MA-02), Grace Napolitano (CA-31), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Terri Sewell (AL-07), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), and Nydia M. Velazquez (NY-07).
It is endorsed by ActionAid USA, Ayudemos por una vida mas digna, Border Vigil of Eagle Pass, CASA, Center for Economic Policy and Research, Center for International Policy, Climate Refugees, Eagle Pass Border Coalition, Global Exchange, Justice is Global, Mira Feminisms and Democracies, Movimiento de los pueblos por la paz y la justicia y México negro ac, National Immigrant Justice Center, National Immigration Project, OXFAM America, Public Citizen, Sisters of Mercy of the Americas – Justice Team, Transnational Villages Network/Red de Pueblos, United We Dream, and Win Without War.
“This resolution is the step forward Congress desperately needs to reframe the issue of immigration towards more productive and effective solutions that will ensure migrants’ lives take precedence over politics,” saidJuliana Macedo do Nascimento, Deputy Director of Federal Advocacy at United We Dream. “The vast majority of Americans want to see a humane, efficient and fair policies that honor everyone’s freedoms to live safely in their homes without being forcibly displaced, whether here or abroad, and provides the opportunity to become citizens in the U.S. Congress has a clear roadmap in front of them with this resolution that proves that safety, humanity, fairness and justice in our foreign policy and immigration system are not contradictory values but instead deeply interconnected.”
“We need to dig in our heels and end the racism and xenophobia that’s rampant in our immigration and asylum debates in the U.S.,” said Eric Eikenberry, government relations director for Win Without War. “This new resolution lays the groundwork to do just that: welcome people who want to build their lives here, while ensuring that — from arms sales to climate policy and beyond — our government doesn’t create the conditions that force them from their homes and communities.”
“For too long, the U.S. approach to migration has focused on barricading our borders rather than addressing the realities compelling people to leave their homes — including crises exacerbated by U.S. policies. We applaud Congressman Casar and his colleagues for taking this critical step to review and move toward better U.S. policies to address the conditions giving rise to increased migration and displacement,” said Dylan Williams, Center for International Policy Vice President for Government Affairs.
“There’s been a lot of talk over the years about ‘root causes’ of migration, but this is the first legislation of its kind to home in on the elephant in the room: U.S. policy and its role in fueling the involuntary migration and displacement of millions of people in the region and the world,” said Alex Main, Director of International Policy at the Center for Economic and Policy Research. “This groundbreaking resolution helps us all better understand how vulnerable communities in the Global South have been devastated by U.S. broad-based sanctions, U.S.-backed trade agreements that put corporate greed over people, U.S. security assistance that props up repressive governments, and lax gun laws that provide criminals with easy access to U.S. weapons. Most importantly, this legislation proposes bold strategies to undo harmful policies and help truly mitigate ‘root causes’ including through far-reaching reforms to US sanctions policy and foreign assistance, the removal of harmful ISDS provisions from US-backed trade agreements, and the provision of robust support to developing countries fighting inequality and climate change, including through new issuances of debt-free IMF Special Drawing Rights. This resolution is long overdue, and we’re proud and delighted to be supporting it today.”
“Rather than ‘blaming the victims’—immigrants, it is important to acknowledge how failed U.S. foreign (or economic and military) policies have contributed to the spiraling poverty and violence from which people have been fleeing for their lives,” Jean Stokan, Justice Coordinator for Sisters of Mercy of the Americas. “Forced migration is often the result of U.S. foreign policies that prioritize the interests of foreign investors over those of impoverished populations. Thus, this resolution importantly names U.S. responsibility to address those root causes and the need for justice-based pathways to citizenship.”
“To design a just and humane policy response to immigration, we have to ask the question – why are people moving? As an international development organization, ActionAid USA strongly supports this resolution for acknowledging the root causes of migration, including and especially those for which the United States is directly responsible,” said Brandon Wu, Director of Policy and Campaigns for ActionAid USA. “A human rights-based approach to immigration policy should start with fixing harmful foreign policies, ongoing climate inaction, and unjust international economic systems that all contribute to force people to leave their homes.”
Background:
The resolution text can be foundhere.
Issues: Foreign Affairs & National Security, Immigration
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Greg Casar (D-Texas)
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Representative Greg Casar (TX-35), co-founder of the Global Migration Caucus, and U.S. Representatives Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (IL-04), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), and Juan Vargas (CA-52) introduced a new resolution calling for comprehensive legislation to address the root causes of forced migration and displacement, while affirming the need for a true roadmap to citizenship for immigrants in the United States.
“Democrats can build an orderly, humane, and stable immigration system. We should create more legal pathways for migration and citizenship, while also changing the failed U.S. policies that cause displacement abroad and force people to flee their home countries,” said Congressman Greg Casar (D-Texas), co-founder of the Congressional Caucus on Global Migration. “Let’s tackle the climate crisis. Let’s remove broad-based sanctions that increase poverty. Let’s prioritize policies to support stability abroad while creating a welcoming and predictable immigration process at home.”
“Too many people around the world face violence, poverty, and persecution and see the United States as a beacon of hope,” said Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.). “We must make the immigration system more humane, more orderly, and more effective to welcome immigrants who come to this country rather than turn them away and to recognize not only the contributions they make to this country, but also the moral duty we have to protect people who come here fleeing horrible conditions. We can and must do better for immigrants.”
“Over the past decades, millions of people have been forced to migrate from their homes—and more people are displaced now than ever before. This is the result of converging crises, including climate change, political instability, and violence, some of which are impacted by U.S. policy,” said Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García (D-Ill.). “Yet, our immigration and asylum policies have become more restrictive and punitive, disregarding the role our government has played in creating this crisis. It’s time we acknowledge the ways in which U.S. policy has contributed to forced migration and displacement, and advance reforms that address the root causes of migration.”
“Republicans’ dangerous rhetoric about immigration endangers our immigrant communities and completely ignores the root causes of migration,” said Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove (D-Calif.), co-founder of the Congressional Caucus on Global Migration. “Migration is not just a border issue but a foreign policy issue. With migration on the rise worldwide and conflict, food insecurity, climate change, and political violence driving immigration to the U.S., it’s imperative that we reshape our immigration policy to address these global crises. This resolution calls upon Congress to do just that.”
“Climate instability, democratic backsliding, economic exclusion, sanctions, and human rights violations are just some of the conditions driving unprecedented levels of global displacement and migration,” said Congresswoman Delia C. Ramirez (D-Ill.), co-founder of the Congressional Caucus on Global Migration. “Stricter border enforcement, harsh asylum laws, and the vilification of immigrants have consistently failed us and our neighbors. Instead, we need to address how our own policies contribute to the crises and adopt a coordinated regional and global strategy to tackle the root causes of displacement.”
“It’s past time for comprehensive immigration reform. And a critical piece to this is addressing the factors that force families to flee their home countries in the first place,” said Rep. Juan Vargas (D-Calif.). “From combating climate change to humanitarian assistance, we need to implement productive policies that address the root causes of forced migration and displacement, while also working to restore faith in our legal immigration system and creating pathways to citizenship.”
Specifically, this resolution calls for comprehensive legislation that:
addresses U.S. policies contributing to forced migration and displacement;
ensures a humane and sustainable immigration system that appropriately addresses the root causes driving migration; and
affirms the need for a true roadmap to citizenship for immigrants in the U.S.
Over the last few weeks, MAGA Republicans have fabricated xenophobic and racist stories about Haitian immigrant families, adding to a long track record of perpetuating false narratives, conspiracy theories, and racist tropes. This MAGA rhetoric has incited physical violence against many migrant families. Now more than ever, it is important to emphasize the value migrants bring to our communities and to call for policies that will make our immigration system more stable and humane.
The resolution is co-led by U.S. Representatives Greg Casar (TX-35), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (IL-04), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), and Juan Vargas (CA-52), and co-sponsored by Nanette Barragán (CA-44), André Carson (IN-07), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Judy Chu (CA-28), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Robert Garcia (CA-42), Raúl Grijalva (AZ-07), Jonathan L. Jackson (IL-01), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson (GA-04), Summer Lee (PA-12), James P. McGovern (MA-02), Grace Napolitano (CA-31), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Terri Sewell (AL-07), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), and Nydia M. Velazquez (NY-07).
It is endorsed by ActionAid USA, Ayudemos por una vida mas digna, Border Vigil of Eagle Pass, CASA, Center for Economic Policy and Research, Center for International Policy, Climate Refugees, Eagle Pass Border Coalition, Global Exchange, Justice is Global, Mira Feminisms and Democracies, Movimiento de los pueblos por la paz y la justicia y México negro ac, National Immigrant Justice Center, National Immigration Project, OXFAM America, Public Citizen, Sisters of Mercy of the Americas – Justice Team, Transnational Villages Network/Red de Pueblos, United We Dream, and Win Without War.
“This resolution is the step forward Congress desperately needs to reframe the issue of immigration towards more productive and effective solutions that will ensure migrants’ lives take precedence over politics,” saidJuliana Macedo do Nascimento, Deputy Director of Federal Advocacy at United We Dream. “The vast majority of Americans want to see a humane, efficient and fair policies that honor everyone’s freedoms to live safely in their homes without being forcibly displaced, whether here or abroad, and provides the opportunity to become citizens in the U.S. Congress has a clear roadmap in front of them with this resolution that proves that safety, humanity, fairness and justice in our foreign policy and immigration system are not contradictory values but instead deeply interconnected.”
“We need to dig in our heels and end the racism and xenophobia that’s rampant in our immigration and asylum debates in the U.S.,” said Eric Eikenberry, government relations director for Win Without War. “This new resolution lays the groundwork to do just that: welcome people who want to build their lives here, while ensuring that — from arms sales to climate policy and beyond — our government doesn’t create the conditions that force them from their homes and communities.”
“For too long, the U.S. approach to migration has focused on barricading our borders rather than addressing the realities compelling people to leave their homes — including crises exacerbated by U.S. policies. We applaud Congressman Casar and his colleagues for taking this critical step to review and move toward better U.S. policies to address the conditions giving rise to increased migration and displacement,” said Dylan Williams, Center for International Policy Vice President for Government Affairs.
“There’s been a lot of talk over the years about ‘root causes’ of migration, but this is the first legislation of its kind to home in on the elephant in the room: U.S. policy and its role in fueling the involuntary migration and displacement of millions of people in the region and the world,” said Alex Main, Director of International Policy at the Center for Economic and Policy Research. “This groundbreaking resolution helps us all better understand how vulnerable communities in the Global South have been devastated by U.S. broad-based sanctions, U.S.-backed trade agreements that put corporate greed over people, U.S. security assistance that props up repressive governments, and lax gun laws that provide criminals with easy access to U.S. weapons. Most importantly, this legislation proposes bold strategies to undo harmful policies and help truly mitigate ‘root causes’ including through far-reaching reforms to US sanctions policy and foreign assistance, the removal of harmful ISDS provisions from US-backed trade agreements, and the provision of robust support to developing countries fighting inequality and climate change, including through new issuances of debt-free IMF Special Drawing Rights. This resolution is long overdue, and we’re proud and delighted to be supporting it today.”
“Rather than ‘blaming the victims’—immigrants, it is important to acknowledge how failed U.S. foreign (or economic and military) policies have contributed to the spiraling poverty and violence from which people have been fleeing for their lives,” Jean Stokan, Justice Coordinator for Sisters of Mercy of the Americas. “Forced migration is often the result of U.S. foreign policies that prioritize the interests of foreign investors over those of impoverished populations. Thus, this resolution importantly names U.S. responsibility to address those root causes and the need for justice-based pathways to citizenship.”
“To design a just and humane policy response to immigration, we have to ask the question – why are people moving? As an international development organization, ActionAid USA strongly supports this resolution for acknowledging the root causes of migration, including and especially those for which the United States is directly responsible,” said Brandon Wu, Director of Policy and Campaigns for ActionAid USA. “A human rights-based approach to immigration policy should start with fixing harmful foreign policies, ongoing climate inaction, and unjust international economic systems that all contribute to force people to leave their homes.”
Background:
The resolution text can be foundhere.
###
Congressman Greg Casar represents Texas’s 35th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, which runs down I-35 from East Austin to Hays County to the West Side of San Antonio. A labor organizer and son of Mexican immigrants, Casar serves as the Whip of the Congressional Progressive Caucus for the 118th Congress. He also serves on the Committee on Oversight and Accountability and the Committee on Agriculture.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Greg Casar (D-Texas)
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Representative Greg Casar (TX-35), co-founder of the Global Migration Caucus, and U.S. Representatives Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (IL-04), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), and Juan Vargas (CA-52) introduced a new resolution calling for comprehensive legislation to address the root causes of forced migration and displacement, while affirming the need for a true roadmap to citizenship for immigrants in the United States.
“Democrats can build an orderly, humane, and stable immigration system. We should create more legal pathways for migration and citizenship, while also changing the failed U.S. policies that cause displacement abroad and force people to flee their home countries,” said Congressman Greg Casar (D-Texas), co-founder of the Congressional Caucus on Global Migration. “Let’s tackle the climate crisis. Let’s remove broad-based sanctions that increase poverty. Let’s prioritize policies to support stability abroad while creating a welcoming and predictable immigration process at home.”
“Too many people around the world face violence, poverty, and persecution and see the United States as a beacon of hope,” said Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.). “We must make the immigration system more humane, more orderly, and more effective to welcome immigrants who come to this country rather than turn them away and to recognize not only the contributions they make to this country, but also the moral duty we have to protect people who come here fleeing horrible conditions. We can and must do better for immigrants.”
“Over the past decades, millions of people have been forced to migrate from their homes—and more people are displaced now than ever before. This is the result of converging crises, including climate change, political instability, and violence, some of which are impacted by U.S. policy,” said Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García (D-Ill.). “Yet, our immigration and asylum policies have become more restrictive and punitive, disregarding the role our government has played in creating this crisis. It’s time we acknowledge the ways in which U.S. policy has contributed to forced migration and displacement, and advance reforms that address the root causes of migration.”
“Republicans’ dangerous rhetoric about immigration endangers our immigrant communities and completely ignores the root causes of migration,” said Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove (D-Calif.), co-founder of the Congressional Caucus on Global Migration. “Migration is not just a border issue but a foreign policy issue. With migration on the rise worldwide and conflict, food insecurity, climate change, and political violence driving immigration to the U.S., it’s imperative that we reshape our immigration policy to address these global crises. This resolution calls upon Congress to do just that.”
“Climate instability, democratic backsliding, economic exclusion, sanctions, and human rights violations are just some of the conditions driving unprecedented levels of global displacement and migration,” said Congresswoman Delia C. Ramirez (D-Ill.), co-founder of the Congressional Caucus on Global Migration. “Stricter border enforcement, harsh asylum laws, and the vilification of immigrants have consistently failed us and our neighbors. Instead, we need to address how our own policies contribute to the crises and adopt a coordinated regional and global strategy to tackle the root causes of displacement.”
“It’s past time for comprehensive immigration reform. And a critical piece to this is addressing the factors that force families to flee their home countries in the first place,” said Rep. Juan Vargas (D-Calif.). “From combating climate change to humanitarian assistance, we need to implement productive policies that address the root causes of forced migration and displacement, while also working to restore faith in our legal immigration system and creating pathways to citizenship.”
Specifically, this resolution calls for comprehensive legislation that:
addresses U.S. policies contributing to forced migration and displacement;
ensures a humane and sustainable immigration system that appropriately addresses the root causes driving migration; and
affirms the need for a true roadmap to citizenship for immigrants in the U.S.
Over the last few weeks, MAGA Republicans have fabricated xenophobic and racist stories about Haitian immigrant families, adding to a long track record of perpetuating false narratives, conspiracy theories, and racist tropes. This MAGA rhetoric has incited physical violence against many migrant families. Now more than ever, it is important to emphasize the value migrants bring to our communities and to call for policies that will make our immigration system more stable and humane.
The resolution is co-led by U.S. Representatives Greg Casar (TX-35), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (IL-04), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), and Juan Vargas (CA-52), and co-sponsored by Nanette Barragán (CA-44), André Carson (IN-07), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Judy Chu (CA-28), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Robert Garcia (CA-42), Raúl Grijalva (AZ-07), Jonathan L. Jackson (IL-01), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson (GA-04), Summer Lee (PA-12), James P. McGovern (MA-02), Grace Napolitano (CA-31), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Terri Sewell (AL-07), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), and Nydia M. Velazquez (NY-07).
It is endorsed by ActionAid USA, Ayudemos por una vida mas digna, Border Vigil of Eagle Pass, CASA, Center for Economic Policy and Research, Center for International Policy, Climate Refugees, Eagle Pass Border Coalition, Global Exchange, Justice is Global, Mira Feminisms and Democracies, Movimiento de los pueblos por la paz y la justicia y México negro ac, National Immigrant Justice Center, National Immigration Project, OXFAM America, Public Citizen, Sisters of Mercy of the Americas – Justice Team, Transnational Villages Network/Red de Pueblos, United We Dream, and Win Without War.
“This resolution is the step forward Congress desperately needs to reframe the issue of immigration towards more productive and effective solutions that will ensure migrants’ lives take precedence over politics,” saidJuliana Macedo do Nascimento, Deputy Director of Federal Advocacy at United We Dream. “The vast majority of Americans want to see a humane, efficient and fair policies that honor everyone’s freedoms to live safely in their homes without being forcibly displaced, whether here or abroad, and provides the opportunity to become citizens in the U.S. Congress has a clear roadmap in front of them with this resolution that proves that safety, humanity, fairness and justice in our foreign policy and immigration system are not contradictory values but instead deeply interconnected.”
“We need to dig in our heels and end the racism and xenophobia that’s rampant in our immigration and asylum debates in the U.S.,” said Eric Eikenberry, government relations director for Win Without War. “This new resolution lays the groundwork to do just that: welcome people who want to build their lives here, while ensuring that — from arms sales to climate policy and beyond — our government doesn’t create the conditions that force them from their homes and communities.”
“For too long, the U.S. approach to migration has focused on barricading our borders rather than addressing the realities compelling people to leave their homes — including crises exacerbated by U.S. policies. We applaud Congressman Casar and his colleagues for taking this critical step to review and move toward better U.S. policies to address the conditions giving rise to increased migration and displacement,” said Dylan Williams, Center for International Policy Vice President for Government Affairs.
“There’s been a lot of talk over the years about ‘root causes’ of migration, but this is the first legislation of its kind to home in on the elephant in the room: U.S. policy and its role in fueling the involuntary migration and displacement of millions of people in the region and the world,” said Alex Main, Director of International Policy at the Center for Economic and Policy Research. “This groundbreaking resolution helps us all better understand how vulnerable communities in the Global South have been devastated by U.S. broad-based sanctions, U.S.-backed trade agreements that put corporate greed over people, U.S. security assistance that props up repressive governments, and lax gun laws that provide criminals with easy access to U.S. weapons. Most importantly, this legislation proposes bold strategies to undo harmful policies and help truly mitigate ‘root causes’ including through far-reaching reforms to US sanctions policy and foreign assistance, the removal of harmful ISDS provisions from US-backed trade agreements, and the provision of robust support to developing countries fighting inequality and climate change, including through new issuances of debt-free IMF Special Drawing Rights. This resolution is long overdue, and we’re proud and delighted to be supporting it today.”
“Rather than ‘blaming the victims’—immigrants, it is important to acknowledge how failed U.S. foreign (or economic and military) policies have contributed to the spiraling poverty and violence from which people have been fleeing for their lives,” Jean Stokan, Justice Coordinator for Sisters of Mercy of the Americas. “Forced migration is often the result of U.S. foreign policies that prioritize the interests of foreign investors over those of impoverished populations. Thus, this resolution importantly names U.S. responsibility to address those root causes and the need for justice-based pathways to citizenship.”
“To design a just and humane policy response to immigration, we have to ask the question – why are people moving? As an international development organization, ActionAid USA strongly supports this resolution for acknowledging the root causes of migration, including and especially those for which the United States is directly responsible,” said Brandon Wu, Director of Policy and Campaigns for ActionAid USA. “A human rights-based approach to immigration policy should start with fixing harmful foreign policies, ongoing climate inaction, and unjust international economic systems that all contribute to force people to leave their homes.”
Background:
The resolution text can be foundhere.
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Congressman Greg Casar represents Texas’s 35th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, which runs down I-35 from East Austin to Hays County to the West Side of San Antonio. A labor organizer and son of Mexican immigrants, Casar serves as the Whip of the Congressional Progressive Caucus for the 118th Congress. He also serves on the Committee on Oversight and Accountability and the Committee on Agriculture.
U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Ranking Member of the Environment and Public Works’ Chemical Safety, Waste Management, Environmental Justice, and Regulatory Oversight Subcommittee, was joined by Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) in sending a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan to express concern over a proposed rule regarding waste-to-energy (WTE) facilities. The EPA’s proposed rule would further tighten Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) standards for existing WTE facilities while simultaneously removing compliance exceptions, leading to dramatic and unnecessary increases in compliance costs across Oklahoma without significant benefit. The lawmakers urged the EPA to reexamine its proposal prior to issuing a final rule to ensure that new standards are set consistent with actual data provided.
“Municipal waste combustors, waste-to-energy (WTE) facilities, are a vital waste management technology that communities and businesses in Oklahoma use to divert waste from landfills, recycle metal, and generate renewable energy. Communities and businesses in Oklahoma, and across the country have invested billions of dollars to ensure these facilities are meeting the already stringent environmental standards set by your agency and by states,” write the lawmakers.
“The EPA should be mindful of the fact that imposing standards that WTE facilities will never meet is well beyond EPA’s statutory authority,” the lawmakers continue.
The full letter can be found here.
Background:
The proposed rule refers to the Standards of Performance for New Stationary Sources and Emission Guidelines for Existing Sources: Large Municipal Waste Combustors, Voluntary Remand Response and 5 Year Review (89 FR 4243), which includes a re-evaluation of the MACT floor determinations issued on January 23rd, 2024.
The Clean Air Act (CAA) Amendments of 1990 established the MACT standards to ensure that all facilities in an industry sector meet the same standards as the top 12 percent of performing facilities. The EPA set these attainable standards, known as ‘MACT floors’, for WTE facilities twice, in 1995 and 2006.
Joint statement by President Macron and President Biden
Published on September 26, 2024
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It is time for a settlement on the Israel-Lebanon border that ensures safety and security to enable civilians to return to their homes.
The exchange of fire since October 7th, and in particular over the past two weeks, threatens a much broader conflict, and harm to civilians.
We therefore have worked together in recent days on a joint call for a temporary ceasefire to give diplomacy a chance to succeed and avoid further escalations across the border.
The statement we have negotiated is now endorsed by the United States, Australia, Canada, European Union, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and Qatar. We call for broad endorsement and for the immediate support of the Governments of Israel and Lebanon.
