NewzIntel.com

Category: Australia

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Major milestone for Canberra’s first light rail bridge

    Source: Australian National Party



    As part of ACT Government’s ‘One Government, One Voice’ program, we are transitioning this website across to our . You can access everything you need through this website while it’s happening.

    Released 18/06/2025

    Construction is set to begin on Canberra’s first light rail bridge, a major milestone in connecting the city to Commonwealth Park and Acton Waterfront.

    The new rail bridge – spanning Parkes Way between the existing Commonwealth Avenue road bridges – has been designed to carry two fully loaded light rail vehicles at once – the equivalent of about 70 cars.

    The new bridge will be a vital connection between the city, Commonwealth Park and the Acton Waterfront, forming a key piece of infrastructure for the future light rail network.

    Bridge piling works for the foundations will begin in late June, paving the way for the installation of massive steel girder frames later in the year, using an 800-tonne crane stationed in the Parkes Way median – a significant engineering feat.

    To ensure piling works can be undertaken safely, Parkes Way will be closed under Commonwealth Avenue in both directions between Coranderrk Street and the Glenloch Interchange from 8pm on Friday 27 June until 5am on Monday 30 June, and potentially from 8pm on Friday 4 July until 5am on Monday 7 July.

    Traffic controls and signage will be put in place to safely direct motorists along alternative routes.

    Eastbound traffic will be directed along either Caswell Drive or Lady Denman Drive, while westbound traffic will be diverted across Commonwealth Avenue.

    Works have been scheduled to take place over weekends to minimise the impact to Canberra’s road network. Public transport may experience some delays during these works.

    Additional road closures will be required in the coming months as construction continues on this vital asset.

    The community will be notified in advance about any potential impacts and traffic changes.

    We apologise for any inconvenience and thank you for your patience and understanding.

    More details on road changes and other impacts relating to the construction of light rail are available on the online construction impacts map.

    To view the map and stay up to date visit https://www.builtforcbr.act.gov.au/travel-impacts.

    – Statement ends –

    Infrastructure Canberra | Media Releases

    «ACT Government Media Releases | «Directorate Media Releases

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Tech Appointments – Tim Dacombe-Bird Appointed as Head of Google Cloud in New Zealand

    Source: Sling & Stone

    AUCKLAND, New Zealand, June 30 2025 — Google Cloud today announced the appointment of Tim Dacombe-Bird as Head of Google Cloud in New Zealand. Based in Wellington, Tim will be responsible for spearheading Google Cloud’s local go-to-market strategy and working closely with partners and customers to help Kiwi businesses build an AI-first future.

    “Tim is a recognised industry leader in the New Zealand technology landscape, and we are delighted to have him join our team,” said Paul Migliorini, Vice President, Google Cloud Australia & New Zealand. “With a history of successfully leading rapidly growing businesses and developing high-performing teams, Tim has been at the forefront of some major technology shifts, and his expertise will be invaluable in helping our customers maximise their AI and digital strategies.”

    “I’m incredibly excited to step into this role and lead Google Cloud’s journey here in Aotearoa,” said Tim Dacombe-Bird, Head of Google Cloud, New Zealand. “New Zealand businesses are inherently innovative, adaptable, and ready to embrace the next wave of digitisation. I’m passionate about working with our customers and partners to leverage Google Cloud’s leading AI capabilities, helping to drive efficiency and unlock new possibilities. With Google Cloud’s ongoing investment in, and our commitment to New Zealand, it’s an exciting time to be part of the growth story for Kiwi businesses.”

    Caroline Rainsford, Country Director of Google New Zealand, reiterated the strength of Tim’s experience, saying, “We’re thrilled to have Tim join the Google New Zealand team, bringing with him deep knowledge of cloud and well-established connections to the Public Sector. Google is committed to developing and strengthening the digital capacity of Aotearoa, and to bringing the best of Google’s AI to businesses, communities and individuals to grow our digital future.”

    Kiwi businesses are choosing Google Cloud for its full stack of AI innovation from infrastructure, to research, to models and platforms. Recently, Auckland Council announced it is trialling ‘Ask Auckland Council’, an AI assistant leveraging Google Cloud AI solutions and Deloitte, to help Aucklanders get the information they need quickly and easily, across the council’s digital properties. In 2023, Google Cloud signed an All-of-Government Cloud Framework Agreement with the New Zealand Government, allowing eligible agencies to modernise systems and build secure applications.

    Google Cloud also continues its investment in New Zealand, recently announcing the ‘Pacific Connect Initiative’, which will deliver two new trans-Pacific subsea cables — Honomoana and Tabua — to help increase the reliability and resilience of digital connectivity in the Pacific. The Honomoana cable system will add a branch to Auckland and enable a double Australian landing in Melbourne and Sydney.

    Prior to joining Google Cloud, Tim held leadership roles at Wiz, AWS, and VMware in New Zealand.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Horses lead the way in helping children heal from trauma

    Source:

    30 June 2025

    A new Australian study is shining a spotlight on the healing power of horses, revealing that equine-assisted therapy could help address the growing mental health crisis among children.

    As childhood mental illness rates spiral, compounded by lengthy waiting times for counsellors and the limitations of many conventional treatments, some social workers are turning to horses for the answers.

    University of South Australia researchers have captured the lived experiences of 10 social workers and mental health practitioners delivering equine-assisted interventions (EAI) to children. Their findings are published in the Journal of Social Work Practice.

    EAI is a type of on-ground therapy involving horses, offered by qualified health practitioners in conjunction with highly-skilled equine practitioners.

    The evidence in its favour is compelling, with practitioners describing how a child’s emotional world can be transformed through working with horses in a natural setting.

    UniSA Social Work graduate Morgyn Stacy, who led the study as part of her Honours project, says that many children don’t respond to sitting in a room with a therapist or clinician, which can be intimidating.

    “But give them the space to be outside, to connect with a horse, and something powerful happens. They begin to feel safe, calm, and ready to open up,” Morgyn says.

    The research shows that horses are highly sensitive to human emotions and body language, allowing them to mirror and respond to a child’s emotional state. They offer a natural, non-judgemental environment, helping to build trust and emotional safety.

    One practitioner described the experience as “being seen through the eyes of a horse,” a moment of emotional connection that can be life-changing.

    And it’s not just the horses that help. The natural, open-air setting – often in paddocks surrounded by trees and wildlife – helps children feel relaxed and grounded.

    Practitioners spoke of using sensory-rich activities like walking barefoot in sand, observing animal tracks, or simply standing quietly with a horse to promote mindfulness and connection.

    “The benefits go beyond mental health,” Morgyn says. “Children often gain confidence, improve communication skills, and build stronger emotional resilience.”

    Even children who were initially afraid of horses found strength in overcoming their fears, with therapists carefully matching each child to the right animal.

    Senior UniSA researcher and qualified social worker, Dr Fatin Shabbar, says equine-assisted therapy is particularly effective for children who have experienced trauma, including those in the child protection system.

    “Practitioners in the study described deeply moving examples of children bonding with horses in ways that sparked emotional breakthroughs where other therapies had failed,” Dr Shabbar says.

    But while this approach is gaining popularity, it’s not yet widely accessible. Sessions can be expensive due to the cost of caring for horses and maintaining rural properties. Unless families receive funding from bodies such as the NDIS and child protection agencies, many are forced to pay out of pocket, or miss out altogether.

    “Another concern is the lack of regulation in Australia,” Dr Shabbar says. “Without clear guidelines, unqualified practitioners may offer equine-assisted services without appropriate training, which puts both children and the animals at risk.”

    And those practitioners who are highly qualified still face an uphill battle to gain recognition of equine-assisted therapy as an evidence-based practice.”

    The researchers say the findings are a strong call to action for professional bodies like the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) to provide clearer guidance and ethical standards for working with animals in therapy.

    “This research shows that equine-assisted therapy can be a deeply healing experience. But for it to reach more children, we need formal recognition, ethical guidelines and proper funding.”

    “Healing in relationships, the power of equine-assisted mental health interventions” is published in the Journal of Social Work Practice. 10.1080/02650533.2025.2495741

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

    Media contact: Candy Gibson M: +61 434 605 142 E: candy.gibson@unisa.edu.au

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: AI chatbots could spread ‘fake news’ with serious health consequences

    Source:

    30 June 2025

    Trust your doctor, not a chatbot. That’s the stark lesson from a world-first study that demonstrates why we shouldn’t be taking health advice generated by artificial intelligence (AI).

    Chatbots can easily be programmed to deliver false medical and health information, according to an international team of researchers who have exposed some concerning weaknesses in machine learning systems.

    Researchers from the University of South Australia, Flinders University, Harvard Medical School, University College London, and the Warsaw University of Technology have combined their expertise to show just how easy it is to exploit AI systems.

    In the study, published today in the Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers evaluated the five foundational and most advanced AI systems developed by OpenAI, Google, Anthropic, Meta and X Corp to determine whether they could be programmed to operate as health disinformation chatbots.

    Using instructions available only to developers, the researchers programmed each AI system – designed to operate as chatbots when embedded in web pages – to produce incorrect responses to health queries and include fabricated references from highly reputable sources to sound more authoritative and credible.

    The ‘chatbots’ were then asked a series of health-related questions.

    According to UniSA researcher, Dr Natansh Modi, the results were disconcerting.

    “In total, 88% of all responses were false,” Dr Modi says, “and yet they were presented with scientific terminology, a formal tone and fabricated references that made the information appear legitimate.

    “The disinformation included claims about vaccines causing autism, cancer-curing diets, HIV being airborne and 5G causing infertility.”

    Out of the five chatbots that were evaluated, four generated disinformation in 100% of their responses, while the fifth generated disinformation in 40% of its responses, showing some degree of robustness. 

    As part of the study, Dr Modi and his team also explored the OpenAI GPT Store, a publicly accessible platform that allows users to easily create and share customised ChatGPT apps, to assess the ease with which the public could create disinformation tools.

    “We successfully created a disinformation chatbot prototype using the platform and we also identified existing public tools on the store that were actively producing health disinformation.

    “Our study is the first to systematically demonstrate that leading AI systems can be converted into disinformation chatbots using developers’ tools, but also tools available to the public.”

    Dr Modi says that these findings reveal a significant and previously under-explored risk in the health sector.

    “Artificial intelligence is now deeply embedded in the way health information is accessed and delivered,” he says.

    “Millions of people are turning to AI tools for guidance on health-related questions.

    “If these systems can be manipulated to covertly produce false or misleading advice then they can create a powerful new avenue for disinformation that is harder to detect, harder to regulate and more persuasive than anything seen before.

    “This is not a future risk. It is already possible, and it is already happening.”

    While the study has revealed deficiencies in these AI systems, Dr Modi says that the findings highlight a path forward, but it will require buy-in and collaboration from a range of stakeholders.

    “Some models showed partial resistance,” he says, “which proves the point that effective safeguards are technically achievable.

    “However, the current protections are inconsistent and insufficient. Developers, regulators and public health stakeholders must act decisively, and they must act now.

    “Without immediate action, these systems could be exploited by malicious actors to manipulate public health discourse at scale, particularly during crises such as pandemics or vaccine campaigns.”

    The research article, ‘Assessing the System-Instruction Vulnerabilities of Large Language Models to Malicious Conversion into Health Disinformation Chatbots’ is published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, the world’s most cited internal medicine journal. DOI:10.7326/ANNALS-24-03933

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

    Contact for interview:  Dr Natansh Modi E: Natansh.Modi@unisa.edu.au

    Media contact: Candy Gibson M: +61 E: candy.gibson@unisa.edu.au

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Jonathan L. Jackson Reintroduces Bipartisan Bill, The Marshall “Major” Taylor Congressional Gold Medal Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Jonathan Jackson – Illinois (1st District)

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representatives Jonathan L. Jackson (D-IL-01) and Jim Baird (R-IN-04) led 43 of their colleagues in reintroducing the bipartisan Marshall “Major” Taylor Congressional Gold Medal Act. This legislation would posthumously award a Congressional Gold Medal to Marshall Walter “Major” Taylor — America’s first Black sports star, recognizing his significance to the nation as a trailblazing athlete. 

    Taylor managed to become the first African American world champion in any sport and earned the title of “world’s fastest man” despite the extraordinary challenges of the Jim Crow era. He endured attempts by white promoters in both the North and South to exclude him from races. White riders, too, subjected Taylor to curses, insults, and even physical harm during competitions. Despite these adversities, Taylor’s exceptional talent and tenacity turned him into a sensation, drawing tens of thousands at races across the United States, Europe, and Australia.

    “It is without question that Marshall ‘Major’ Taylor was a man before his time, a stellar athlete, a leader in the field of cycling, and a trailblazer,” said Rep. Jackson. “I believe it is fitting that Congress award the ‘world’s fastest man’ one of our nation’s most prestigious honors.”

    “Even when compared to today’s athletes, Marshall ‘Major’ Taylor is among the greatest cyclists of all time,” said Rep. Baird. “His accomplishments are especially impressive considering the challenges he faced on his climb to cycling greatness. Marshall Taylor is one of the greatest athletes in Indiana history, and I can think of no one better suited to receive the Congressional Gold Medal.”

    “Marshall W. ‘Major’ Taylor challenged both the odds and the adversity of his time with dignity and determination, and he went on to ultimately triumph,” said Karen Brown Donovan, the great-granddaughter of Major Taylor. “The awarding of a posthumous Congressional Gold Medal would be a significant achievement towards honoring his life and legacy.”

    Supporting Individuals and Groups

    119th Congress

    Co-lead: Jim Baird (R-IN-04)

    Original Cosponsors (44 total): Shontel Brown (D-OH-11), LaMonica McIver (D-NJ-10), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ-12), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08), Stacey Plaskett (D-VI-AL), Marc Veasey (D-TX-33), Kweisi Mfume (D-MD-07), David Scott (D-GA-13), Sanford Bishop (D-GA-02),  Delia Ramirez (D-IL-03), Frederica Wilson (D-FL-24), Sharice Davis (D-KS-03),  Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09),  Robin Kelly (D-IL-02), Maxwell Frost (D-FL-10), Hank Johnson (D-GA-04),  Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC),  Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ-11), Gwen Moore (D-WI-04), Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06), Maxine Waters (D-CA-43), Sean Casten (D-IL-06), Danny Davis (D-IL-07),  Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-12),  Shri Thanedar (D-MI-13), Cleo Fields (D-LA-06),  Jim McGovern (D-MA-02), Andre Carson (D-IN-07), Jasmine Crockett (D-TX-30), Ro Khanna (D-CA-17), John Garamendi (D-CA-08), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA-07), Ted Lieu (D-CA-36), Becca Balint (D-VT-AL), Timothy Kennedy (D-NY-26), Nanette Barragan (D-CA-44), Troy Carter (D-LA-02),  Terri Sewell (D-AL-07), Brad Sherman (D-CA-32), Robert Garcia (D-CA-42), Dina Titus (D-NV-01), Steven Horsford (D-NV-04), Shomari Figures (D-AL-02).

    Supporting Organizations: Washington Area Bicyclist Association, The League of American Bicyclists, Major Taylor Association, Bike to the Beach, and Black Girls Do Bike, Inc.

    118th Congress

    Co-lead: Jim Baird (R-IN-04)

    Original Cosponsors (32 total): Danny Davis (D-IL-07), Robin Kelly (D-IL-02), André Carson (D-IN-07), Henry “Hank” Johnson (D-GA-04), Barbara Lee (D-CA-12), Eleanor Holmes-Norton (D-DC), Janice Schakowsky (D-IL-09), Mike Quigley (D-IL-05), Earl Blumenauer (D-WA-03), James McGovern (D-MA-02), David Scott (D-GA-13), Gwen Moore (D-WI-04), Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX-18), Mike Thompson (D-CA-04), Jasmine Crockett (D-TX-30), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ-07), Alma Adams (D-NC-12), Al Green (D-TX-09), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-12), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL-20), Chuy Garcia (D-IL-04), David Trone (D-MD-06), Ann Kuster (D-NH-02), John Duarte (R-CA-13), Frederica Wilson (D-FL-24), Tony Gonzales (R-TX-23), Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06), Ted Lieu (D-CA-36), Maxwell Frost (D-FL-10), Joe Wilson (R-SC-02). 

    Supporting Organizations: Bronzeville Trail Task Force, Inc., Major Taylor Association, Washington Area Bicyclist Association, League of American Bicyclists, ADD Impact Network & Bike to the Beach, and Black Girls Do Bike, Inc. 

    About Major Taylor

    Taylor, the son of a veteran who fought in the Civil War, was born in 1878. Despite racial tension, Taylor was educated and viewed as an adopted son by an affluent white family from Indianapolis, Indiana, who also employed his father, Gilbert Taylor. Due to his relationship with the family, Taylor received gifts, including his first bicycle. Upon receiving the bicycle, Taylor displayed natural talent. 

    Taylor received the nickname “Major” as a child while performing bicycle tricks outside of his workplace at Hay & Willits Manufacturing, Indiana Bicycle Co., in Indianapolis. His employer was so impressed with his abilities that the company enrolled him in his first race, which he won at the age of eleven. Taylor moved to Worcester, Massachusetts, with his employer, mentor, and racing manager, Louis D. “Birdie” Munger, in 1895, because Munger was forced out of his Indianapolis-based firm due to his mentorship of Taylor. 

    In 1896, at the age of eighteen, Taylor received a professional racing license from the League of American Wheelmen, despite the league’s 1894 “white only” rule for amateur membership. This membership led to his eventual professional debut.  

    Later that year, Taylor gained notoriety in his first professional contest by competing in the “Six Day Race” at Madison Square Garden in New York City. This race was considered a test of endurance, where cyclists would test both their mental and physical ability in front of a packed house at the Garden. At the conclusion of day six, Taylor finished eighth out of twenty-six and cycled roughly 1,732 miles. 

    In 1899, Taylor would win the world one-mile sprint championship in Montréal, becoming the first Black American and the second Black athlete to win a world title. Taylor would go on to set seven cycling records and become the first Black world champion, which led to his being considered the first international superstar. Taylor would even revolutionize the sport by creating an innovative adjustable handlebar stem, which to date is called the “Major Taylor Stem.”

    While experiencing racial prejudice throughout his career, Taylor became one of the first Black athletes to secure corporate sponsorships. He represented bicycle brands such as Iver Johnson, Sager, Stearns, and Orient, eventually becoming one of the wealthiest Black men in America. Due to his devout commitment to his faith, Taylor refused to race on Sundays, which led to him turning down a significant number of lucrative offers to race in Europe. However, once he achieved international superstardom, Taylor was able to negotiate “no Sundays” provisions in his European racing contracts. 

    Taylor retired from racing in 1910 and started many business ventures. In 1928, he published his autobiography “The Fastest Bicycle Rider in the World” with the intent of impacting justice, equal rights, and the ‘square deal’ for African Americans in sports. 

    About the Congressional Gold Medal

    Since the late 1700s, Congress has expressed public gratitude to individuals and groups by awarding medals and other similar decorations. The Continental Congress awarded the first Congressional Gold Medals. Since that time, Congress has awarded gold medals to express public gratitude for distinguished contributions, dramatize the virtues of patriotism, and perpetuate the remembrance of great events. Two-thirds of both the House and Senate must cosponsor the legislation to advance it.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Does your business pay contractors?

    Source: New places to play in Gungahlin

    If your business pays contractors to deliver any of these services on your behalf, you may need to lodge a Taxable payments annual report (TPAR) online by 28 August:

    • building and construction
    • cleaning
    • courier and road freight
    • information technology (IT)
    • security, investigation or surveillance.

    TPAR help us keep things fair for all businesses by making sure contractors report all their income.

    On your TPAR, you need to record the:

    • contractor’s name, address and ABN
    • total amount you paid them for the previous financial year – including any GST and cash payments.

    You can find these details on your contractor’s invoice. It’s the same information you use to claim income tax deductions through your tax return, and GST credits through your business activity statement.

    Lodging your TPAR online is quick and easy using SBR-enabled softwareExternal Link or through Online services for business. Your registered tax professional can also lodge on your behalf.

    Penalties may apply for overdue TPAR. We’ll no longer be accepting paper lodgments after 28 August 2025, so it’s important to make sure you’re set up for online lodgment.

    Need help?

    For more information on lodging your TPAR, visit ato.gov.au/TPAR or speak to your registered tax professional. You can also watch our Essentials to strengthen your small business TPAR courseExternal Link to help you understand your TPAR obligations.

    Keep up to date

    We’ve set up tailored communication channels for small businesses. They will keep you updated on important information and changes.

    Read more articles in our Small business newsroom.

    Subscribe to our free to our monthly Small business email newsletterExternal Link.

    Get email notifications about new and updated information on our website. You can choose to receive updates that matter to you. Select the ‘Business and organisations’ category. This way, your subscription will get notifications for more Small business newsroom articles like this one.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Murdoch’s News Corp has moved into the mortgage business. Where are the regulators?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Roberta Esbitt, Associate, RMIT University

    If you want to advertise a house online in Australia, you don’t have many options. Just two companies dominate the market.

    Australia’s largest property listings platform, realestate.com.au, belongs to digital media company REA Group, which is majority-owned by Rupert Murdoch’s US-based media conglomerate News Corporation (News Corp).

    REA claims average traffic of 11.9 million viewers per month, substantially more than that of its nearest rival, Domain.

    That’s led to widespread concern about REA’s dominant market power and the potential for price-gouging, which are currently subject to an ongoing probe by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).

    Meanwhile, my research has revealed that REA has expanded into mortgage lending, an important new direction which, until now, has escaped attention.

    The implications here are worth considering. News Corp, a foreign-owned media company, now has a direct stake in framing the Australian housing narrative and influencing policy, while profiting through its property platform from listings, data, and its own mortgages.

    It’s a shrewd business strategy. But Australia currently doesn’t have a regulator fit for overseeing such a hybrid entity, raising serious questions about who is keeping watch.

    ‘Good debt’

    Australian households have long accepted the prevailing narrative, promoted by the media, that housing investment is their “path to wealth”. Mortgages are endorsed as the way to manage the growing gap between flatlined wages and rising house prices.

    Primed for finance in this way, many households have come to embrace mortgages as an aspirational form of “good debt”, the mark of a savvy player rather than a long-term financial burden.

    This has helped fuel what could be described as a housing “frenzy”, a volatile situation in which escalating housing prices and indebtedness undermine household wellbeing. Younger generations and the disadvantaged, among others, are left out in the cold.

    From newspapers to platforms to finance

    As digitisation has forced legacy media players such as News Corp to seek new strategies to stay viable, so too has it disrupted the finance industry by opening it up to non-bank players.

    Taking advantage of this opportunity, REA Group entered the mortgage market in 2016, starting with a partnership with National Australia Bank. It purchased mortgage brokerages the following year.

    The realestate.com.au platform was then redesigned to include a mortgage portal to direct millions of Australian homeseekers to lending through those channels. This provides REA with revenue from platform leads to the bank, as well as up-front and trailing mortgage commissions from their brokers.

    REA also harvests the extensive financial data supplied by millions of users via their financial profiles and the calculator tools embedded in the website.

    That data, an increasingly valuable asset, can be monetised through the platform’s advertiser and homebuyer markets, and News Corp’s extensive partnerships with data broker and analytics companies.

    Selling mortgages

    Most recently, REA Group has taken its finance strategy one step further. In October 2024, it purchased a 19.9% stake in digital non-bank lender Athena Home Loans.

    This allows REA to profit directly from its own mortgages offered to platform users through its current brokerage, Mortgage Choice.

    For REA Group (and its owner, News Corp), this move is both logical and strategically compelling in a challenging media environment. As well as influencing policy, REA Group and News Corp are proficient in crafting and cross-promoting a powerful message about housing and debt to the public.

    With their profit now even more directly tied to the housing mortgage market – and thereby customers’ debt – the Athena acquisition can only strengthen REA’s vested interest in the continued rise in house prices and household indebtedness. This has the potential to undermine policies to improve housing affordability.

    The law can’t keep up

    The power imbalance against consumers is stark. So which regulator is keeping an eye on it?

    Such an initiative combining housing, finance and media can slip through the cracks in Australia’s fragmented regulatory system with its narrowly-focused legislation.

    The legislation lags behind the technology as well. A platform’s persuasive design, with its algorithmic tools, predetermined paths and data harvesting, obscures its prioritisation of commercial interests over that of consumers.

    Players from different industries interacting through the “black box” of a platform appear to come under looser regulatory oversight than those from a single industry or operating outside a platform.

    As an ACCC representative admitted:

    the legislation isn’t updated in the way that […] keeps pace with the evolving technology, trends and emerging markets.

    In a landscape where such complex digital initiatives are becoming the norm, regulators urgently need to update their understanding and broaden their jurisdiction to include them.

    And not just in Australia. REA has confirmed that a successful trial of its initiative here will lead to its rollout across its broad global property platform network.

    Nor just REA. Other companies are eyeing this space. REA’s closest competitor, Domain, is currently under acquisition by CoStar, a major digital real estate player in the United States, with the aim to challenge REA.

    The rapid and major disruptions caused by such initiatives, such as Airbnb’s negative impact on housing affordability globally, can be difficult to redress retrospectively.

    Somebody needs to keep watch.

    REA Group declined to comment on this article.

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

    – ref. Murdoch’s News Corp has moved into the mortgage business. Where are the regulators? – https://theconversation.com/murdochs-news-corp-has-moved-into-the-mortgage-business-where-are-the-regulators-259039

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Murdoch’s News Corp has moved into the mortgage business. Where are the regulators?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Roberta Esbitt, Associate, RMIT University

    If you want to advertise a house online in Australia, you don’t have many options. Just two companies dominate the market.

    Australia’s largest property listings platform, realestate.com.au, belongs to digital media company REA Group, which is majority-owned by Rupert Murdoch’s US-based media conglomerate News Corporation (News Corp).

    REA claims average traffic of 11.9 million viewers per month, substantially more than that of its nearest rival, Domain.

    That’s led to widespread concern about REA’s dominant market power and the potential for price-gouging, which are currently subject to an ongoing probe by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).

    Meanwhile, my research has revealed that REA has expanded into mortgage lending, an important new direction which, until now, has escaped attention.

    The implications here are worth considering. News Corp, a foreign-owned media company, now has a direct stake in framing the Australian housing narrative and influencing policy, while profiting through its property platform from listings, data, and its own mortgages.

    It’s a shrewd business strategy. But Australia currently doesn’t have a regulator fit for overseeing such a hybrid entity, raising serious questions about who is keeping watch.

    ‘Good debt’

    Australian households have long accepted the prevailing narrative, promoted by the media, that housing investment is their “path to wealth”. Mortgages are endorsed as the way to manage the growing gap between flatlined wages and rising house prices.

    Primed for finance in this way, many households have come to embrace mortgages as an aspirational form of “good debt”, the mark of a savvy player rather than a long-term financial burden.

    This has helped fuel what could be described as a housing “frenzy”, a volatile situation in which escalating housing prices and indebtedness undermine household wellbeing. Younger generations and the disadvantaged, among others, are left out in the cold.

    From newspapers to platforms to finance

    As digitisation has forced legacy media players such as News Corp to seek new strategies to stay viable, so too has it disrupted the finance industry by opening it up to non-bank players.

    Taking advantage of this opportunity, REA Group entered the mortgage market in 2016, starting with a partnership with National Australia Bank. It purchased mortgage brokerages the following year.

    The realestate.com.au platform was then redesigned to include a mortgage portal to direct millions of Australian homeseekers to lending through those channels. This provides REA with revenue from platform leads to the bank, as well as up-front and trailing mortgage commissions from their brokers.

    REA also harvests the extensive financial data supplied by millions of users via their financial profiles and the calculator tools embedded in the website.

    That data, an increasingly valuable asset, can be monetised through the platform’s advertiser and homebuyer markets, and News Corp’s extensive partnerships with data broker and analytics companies.

    Selling mortgages

    Most recently, REA Group has taken its finance strategy one step further. In October 2024, it purchased a 19.9% stake in digital non-bank lender Athena Home Loans.

    This allows REA to profit directly from its own mortgages offered to platform users through its current brokerage, Mortgage Choice.

    For REA Group (and its owner, News Corp), this move is both logical and strategically compelling in a challenging media environment. As well as influencing policy, REA Group and News Corp are proficient in crafting and cross-promoting a powerful message about housing and debt to the public.

    With their profit now even more directly tied to the housing mortgage market – and thereby customers’ debt – the Athena acquisition can only strengthen REA’s vested interest in the continued rise in house prices and household indebtedness. This has the potential to undermine policies to improve housing affordability.

    The law can’t keep up

    The power imbalance against consumers is stark. So which regulator is keeping an eye on it?

    Such an initiative combining housing, finance and media can slip through the cracks in Australia’s fragmented regulatory system with its narrowly-focused legislation.

    The legislation lags behind the technology as well. A platform’s persuasive design, with its algorithmic tools, predetermined paths and data harvesting, obscures its prioritisation of commercial interests over that of consumers.

    Players from different industries interacting through the “black box” of a platform appear to come under looser regulatory oversight than those from a single industry or operating outside a platform.

    As an ACCC representative admitted:

    the legislation isn’t updated in the way that […] keeps pace with the evolving technology, trends and emerging markets.

    In a landscape where such complex digital initiatives are becoming the norm, regulators urgently need to update their understanding and broaden their jurisdiction to include them.

    And not just in Australia. REA has confirmed that a successful trial of its initiative here will lead to its rollout across its broad global property platform network.

    Nor just REA. Other companies are eyeing this space. REA’s closest competitor, Domain, is currently under acquisition by CoStar, a major digital real estate player in the United States, with the aim to challenge REA.

    The rapid and major disruptions caused by such initiatives, such as Airbnb’s negative impact on housing affordability globally, can be difficult to redress retrospectively.

    Somebody needs to keep watch.

    REA Group declined to comment on this article.

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

    – ref. Murdoch’s News Corp has moved into the mortgage business. Where are the regulators? – https://theconversation.com/murdochs-news-corp-has-moved-into-the-mortgage-business-where-are-the-regulators-259039

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: NZ cities are getting hotter: 5 things councils can do now to keep us cooler when summer comes

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Welch, Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau

    Getty Images

    Stand on any car park on a sunny day in February and the heat will radiate through your shoes. At 30°C air temperature, that asphalt hits 50–55°C – hot enough to cause second-degree burns to skin in seconds.

    Right now, in the northern hemisphere summer, 100 million Americans are dealing with 38°C temperatures. Britain is preparing for hundreds of heat deaths. In New Zealand, of course, we’re still lighting fires and complaining about the cold.

    But that gives us time to prepare for our own heatwaves. Open-air car parks that sit empty for 20 hours a day could become cooling infrastructure instead. Transport routes can become cooling corridors.

    Replace asphalt with trees, grass and permeable surfaces, and you can drop surface temperatures by 12°C. It’s not complicated. It’s not even expensive.

    It’s getting hotter

    NIWA data shows New Zealand is already experiencing extreme temperatures five times more frequently than historical baselines. Wellington hit 30.3°C and Hamilton 32.9°C in January, both all-time records. Marine heatwaves are persisting around South Island coasts months longer than usual.

    Aucklanders will face 48 additional days above 25°C annually by 2099, as summer temperatures increase by 3.6°C. Auckland Council has already adopted the most severe warming scenario (3.8°C) for infrastructure planning, acknowledging previous models underestimated the pace of change.

    Even Wellington’s famously cool winds won’t offset the estimated 79% increase in residential cooling energy demand by 2090, driven by hotter, longer summers and more extreme-heat days.

    A quarter of New Zealand’s population will be over 65 by 2043, an age when heat regulation becomes harder and fixed incomes make cooling costs a real burden.

    Currently, 14 heat-related deaths occur annually among Auckland’s over-65 population when temperatures exceed just 20°C. As the mercury rises, our older population will be at a greater risk.

    Summer in the city: a vendor sells drinks and ice cream during a severe heat wave in Washington DC, June 23.
    Getty Images

    Greener is cooler

    While global average temperature increases of 1.5°C might appear modest, the actual temperatures we experience in our cities is far more extreme. The built environment – all that concrete and asphalt – traps heat like an oven.

    But converting car parks back to green space can knock the temperature down dramatically.

    Research from Osaka Prefecture in Japan recorded surface temperature reductions of up to 14.7°C when comparing asphalt to grass-covered parking during sunny summer conditions.

    Another study found temperature differences averaging 11.79°C between asphalt and grass surfaces, with air temperature differences of 7-8°C at human height.

    Trees are the heavy lifters here. Stand under a tree on a hot day, and it can feel 17°C cooler than standing in the sun. Add rain gardens (shallow, planted areas designed to capture and filter stormwater) and ground cover for another 2-4°C reduction. Layer these elements together, and you get cooling that works even on overcast days.

    Roads as cooling corridors

    Grassy and tree-covered car parks are just a starting point. Auckland’s 7,800 kilometres of roads could become the city’s cooling system. Every bus lane, cycleway and walking path is an opportunity for green infrastructure.

    If we stop thinking of transport corridors as merely a way to get from one place to another, and see them as multifunctional cooling networks, the possibilities multiply while the costs remain relatively low.

    Melbourne’s COVID-era parklet program proved this works: 594 small conversions created 15,000 square metres of public space at just A$300–900 per square metre.

    Converting even a small percentage of New Zealand’s parking infrastructure could create connected cooling corridors throughout our cities.

    Protecting cycleways with a tree canopy would encourage active transport while cooling neighbourhoods. Bus lanes with rain garden medians would improve service reliability while managing stormwater.

    5 things councils can do

    Summer is six months away – maybe not enough time to do all the work needed, but certainly enough to get a plan in place. Here are five things councils could do.

    1. Plant trees now: winter is planting season. Focus on car parks and heat-vulnerable neighbourhoods. Use fast-growing natives and protective rings to ensure survival. Trees planted now will provide shade by December.

    2. Install modular planters: test cooling locations with movable infrastructure before committing to permanent changes. Order now for spring placement when residents can see the benefits.

    3. Schedule paving replacements: when resurfacing is needed, switch to permeable options and get heat-reducing surfaces in place before summer.

    4. Design shade structures: plan and budget pop-up shade for the hottest areas. Having designs ready means quick installation when temperatures spike.

    5. Organise spring planting days: line up community groups now, source trees through winter nursery contracts, and hit the ground running in September. Small investments in coordination yield big cooling dividends.

    Auckland Council’s NZ$1 billion climate action package includes grants of $1,000 to $50,000 for climate projects. Wellington’s Climate and Sustainability Fund and Christchurch’s 50-year Urban Forest Plan provide similar frameworks.

    The Ministry for the Environment’s National Policy Statement on Urban Development creates opportunity by removing minimum parking requirements. This frees up land for trees, gardens and public spaces instead of underused asphalt, maximising climate co-benefits: cooler surfaces, better stormwater management and more pleasant streetscapes.

    By next February, we can either be thanking ourselves for planting trees and converting car parks, or feeling the heat from that 50°C asphalt.

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

    – ref. NZ cities are getting hotter: 5 things councils can do now to keep us cooler when summer comes – https://theconversation.com/nz-cities-are-getting-hotter-5-things-councils-can-do-now-to-keep-us-cooler-when-summer-comes-259885

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Mr Smith or Gary? Why some teachers ask students to call them by their first name

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicole Brownlie, Lecturer in Education, University of Southern Queensland

    Johnny Greig/ Getty Images

    When you went to school, did you call your teacher Mrs, Ms or Mr, followed by their surname? Perhaps you even called them Sir or Miss.

    The tradition of addressing teachers in a formal manner goes back centuries. For many of us, calling a teacher by their first name would have been unthinkable.

    But that’s not automatically the case anymore. Some teachers in mainstream schools now ask students to call them by their first name.

    Why is this? And what impact can teachers’ names have in the classroom?

    There’s no rule

    There’s no official rule in Australia on what students should call teachers.
    Naming is usually decided by schools or individual teachers. This is no official training on this topic before teachers start in classrooms.

    Some primary school teachers now use first names or a less formal name such as “Mr D”. Teachers say this helps break down barriers, especially for young students or those who are learning English as an additional language.

    High schools are more likely to stick with tradition, partly to maintain structure and boundaries, especially with teenagers. Using formal titles can also support early-career teachers or those from minority
    backgrounds     assert their authority in a classroom.

    But even so, some high school teachers are using their first names to foster a sense of trust and encourage students to see them as a partner in learning, rather than simply an authority figure.

    What does the research say?

    Research – which is mainly from the United States – suggests names have an impact on how students perceive their teachers and feel about school.

    In one study of US high school students, teenagers described teachers they addressed with formal titles as more distant and harder to connect with. Teachers who invited students to use their first name were seen as more supportive, approachable and trustworthy.

    A secondary school principal in the state of Maryland reported students felt more included and respected when they could use teachers’ first names. It made classrooms feel less hierarchical and more collaborative.

    A 2020 US study on teaching students doing practical placements found those who used their first name observed greater student engagement than those who did not. This came as a surprise to the student teachers who expected students would not respect them if they used their first names.

    These findings don’t necessarily mean titles are bad. Rather, they show first names can support stronger teacher-student relationships.

    It’s important to note society in general has become less formal in recent decades in terms of how we address and refer to each other.

    So, what should students call their teachers?

    What works in one school, or even one classroom, may not work in another.

    For example, for Indigenous students or students from non-English speaking households, name practices that show cultural respect and mutual choice can be vital. They help create a sense of safety and inclusion.

    But for other teachers, being called by their title may be a key part of their professional persona.

    That’s why it’s important for naming decisions to be thoughtful and based on the needs of the teacher, students and broader school community.

    The key is to treat naming as part of the broader relationship, not just a habit or automatic tradition. Whether students say “Mrs Lee” or “Jess” matters less than whether they feel safe, respected and included. It’s about the tone and relationship behind the name, not simply what someone is called.

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

    – ref. Mr Smith or Gary? Why some teachers ask students to call them by their first name – https://theconversation.com/mr-smith-or-gary-why-some-teachers-ask-students-to-call-them-by-their-first-name-259790

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: How to reform the NDIS and better support disabled people who don’t qualify for it

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sam Bennett, Disability Program Director, Grattan Institute

    Australia is spending more than ever on disability services – and yet many people with disability still aren’t receiving the support they need.

    Since the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) began in 2013, it has transformed the lives of hundreds of thousands of disabled Australians and their families.

    But the NDIS has grown too big, too fast.

    The scheme cost nearly A$42 billion in 2023-24 and is expected to cost more than $58 billion by 2028. This makes it one of the fastest-growing pressures on the federal budget.

    New “foundational supports” – disability-specific services outside individual NDIS packages – are part of the answer to reduce demand on the NDIS and make the scheme sustainable. They were supposed to be operational from July 1 2025. That’s tomorrow, but they are nowhere to be seen.

    A new Grattan Institute report shows how the government can fund these vital supports and save the NDIS – without spending more money.

    Spending is too concentrated in the NDIS

    All Australian governments are spending more on disability services than they were before the NDIS.

    Note: Includes all expenditure on direct disability service delivery by Australian governments.
    Sources: Productivity Commission Return on Government Services report 2025/Grattan Institute

    This is a good thing. But most of this expenditure is for individual NDIS funding packages. The NDIS funds packages for about 700,000 Australians.

    This leaves little support for the roughly 75% of disabled Australians who don’t qualify for the NDIS.

    Around 200,000 Australians with a severe mental illness, for example, aren’t receiving the psychosocial supports they need.

    Many other disabled Australians might only require occasional or low-intensity support such as peer support, supported decision-making, or self-advocacy – supports which are poorly funded and targeted under current arrangements.

    So there’s a huge incentive for people to get into the NDIS, regardless of whether an individualised funding package best meets their needs.

    The NDIS supports more people than intended

    We’re seeing this incentive play out in ballooning numbers of people entering the NDIS.

    In 2011, the Productivity Commission estimated a mature NDIS would serve 490,000 people.

    But in 2025, the NDIS is supporting more than 700,000 people. That number is projected to surpass one million by 2034.

    The number of adults in the scheme is only a little higher than originally expected, but the number of children is nearly double.

    Note: Productivity Commission estimates have been inflated based on population growth for 0-64 year-olds between the reference year (2009) and 2024, using Australian Bureau of Statistics Estimated Resident Population data.
    Sources: Productivity Commission Disability Care and Support 2011, National Disability Insurance Agency Explore Data 2024, Australian Bureau of Statistics Estimated Resident Population 2024/Grattan Institute

    About 10% of children aged five to seven are now in the NDIS, including 15% of six-year-old boys.

    The expectation was that many children would only require short-term early intervention supports. Instead, most children are staying in the scheme long term.

    Our research shows the current NDIS design is poorly suited to delivering early intervention, which works best for children when it is delivered in the places they live, learn and play. This includes in playgroups, libraries and early childhood education settings.

    An individualised funding model makes this difficult. Yet this is the only option available for most families, because the NDIS has led to reduced investment in services that could work far better for their children.

    Support more Australians with disability

    The problem isn’t the amount of funding in the system, but the way it is used.

    The original NDIS design was for a multi-tiered scheme with different levels of coverage. Getting back to this idea is what foundational supports is all about.

    Foundational supports are services and supports for people with disability that do not involve individualised funding from the NDIS.

    To meet the needs of more disabled Australians and take pressure off the NDIS, it is imperative that governments establish an ambitious program of these lower-intensity supports.

    These should include supports available to all disabled Australians who need them, such as information and advice, support with decision-making, and access to peer support or self-advocacy.

    Foundational supports are best delivered where people live, play and learn.
    Central City Library (Kids zone)/Shutterstock

    They should also include evidence-based early intervention supports for children with disability and/or developmental delay. And they should include psychosocial supports for people with severe mental illness who don’t meet the threshold for an individualised NDIS package.

    The current impasse in Commonwealth-state funding negotiations could be overcome by governments agreeing to repurpose a small portion – about 10% – of their existing NDIS contributions.

    Our report outlines a plan to fully fund foundational supports using this repurposed funding and better allocate individualised funding. This would ensure more people get the support they need within an affordable NDIS that grows more slowly.

    Don’t save money by delaying access

    NDIS growth has fallen in recent quarters and is on track to be 10.6% in 2024-25.

    This compares with an average growth rate of more than 24% a year over the past five years.

    But it is too early to attribute that reduction in growth to policy changes.

    A significant downturn in operational performance is very likely to be a contributing factor. The NDIS is groaning under the weight of unsustainable work volumes.

    Since September 2023, it has been taking longer to approve new applicants trying to get access to the NDIS, and to reassess the plans of people already on the scheme.

    Notes: Data is unavailable for December 2023 due to the NDIA upgrading to a new computer system.
    Sources: NDIA Quarterly reports, Q4 2021-22 to Q3 2024-25/Grattan Institute

    We know what drives growth in NDIS expenditure: more people joining the scheme, and existing NDIS participants’ plans increasing over time.

    At the moment, slowing down how fast the NDIS is growing is coming at the expense of the disabled people who need support from the NDIS and are waiting too long to get it.

    It is important that necessary growth moderation is achieved through measures that do not result in vital supports being delayed, or disabled peoples’ experience of, and results from, the NDIS being undermined.

    The NDIS is worth saving. Making necessary policy changes now to rebalance the NDIS will ensure it endures for future generations.

    Grattan Institute’s Disability Program has support from the Summer Foundation.

    – ref. How to reform the NDIS and better support disabled people who don’t qualify for it – https://theconversation.com/how-to-reform-the-ndis-and-better-support-disabled-people-who-dont-qualify-for-it-258799

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Could we live with a nuclear-armed Iran? Reluctantly, yes

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Benjamin Zala, Senior Lecturer, Politics & International Relations, Monash University

    As the ceasefire between Israel and Iran seems to be holding for now, it is important to reflect on whether this whole episode was worth the risks.

    Wider escalation was (and remains) possible, and we do not know whether Iran will seek a nuclear weapon with renewed vigour in the future.

    So, could we live with a nuclear-armed Iran, if it does indeed continue to pursue a bomb?

    Is an Iranian bomb an existential threat?

    The conventional wisdom, at least in the Western world, is that an Iranian nuclear weapon would pose an existential threat to Israel, and possibly the United States as well.

    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country’s strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities were aimed at rolling back “the Iranian threat to Israel’s very survival”.

    White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt described an Iranian bomb as “an existential threat, not just to Israel, but to the United States, and to the entire world”.

    The same mantra has been repeated by leaders in Europe, at the G7 meeting, and in Australia.

    Iran, of course, did not yet possess a nuclear weapon when the strikes occurred, as the UN nuclear watchdog attested. The strikes were aimed at preventing Iran from being able to do so in the future – a prospect seen by Israel and the US as simply “unthinkable”.

    But if Iran had built a nuclear weapon before the Israeli and US strikes – or manages to do so in the future – would this pose an existential threat to Israel or the US?

    The answer is no. And for a very simple reason: nuclear deterrence works.

    Why deterrence works

    If Iran had a monopoly on nuclear weapons, it would be different. But it does not.

    Israel has maintained a robust nuclear arsenal for more than half a century. Every authoritative assessment of global nuclear weapons stockpiles includes Israel’s roughly 90 nuclear warheads.

    The Israeli government officially neither confirms nor denies the existence of its nuclear arsenal. But thanks to leaks from inside the Israeli nuclear program – as well as the best assessments from around the world – we can be quite sure they exist. It also explains why Israel has never signed the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty – it can’t without giving up this stockpile.

    The US, of course, has been nuclear-armed since 1945 and openly maintains an inventory of thousands of nuclear warheads. These provide a deterrent against nuclear attacks on the United States.

    Washington also provides extended nuclear deterrence guarantees to over 30 states, including members of NATO, Japan, South Korea and Australia. It does not need to provide this for Israel given the Israeli arsenal. But if there was ever any doubt about Israel’s stockpile, it certainly could.

    After 80 years of living with nuclear weapons, we know the deterrent effect of assured nuclear retaliation is very powerful. It deterred both the Soviets and Americans from using nuclear weapons against each other through multiple Cold War crises. It has deterred both India and Pakistan from using them in multiple standoffs, including quite recently. It has deterred both North Korea and the US from striking each other.

    Similarly, Iran would no doubt be deterred from using a nuclear weapon by a certain Israeli or American response.

    Iranian leaders have called for the destruction of Israel, and the chants of “death to Israel” and “death to America” are a common occurrence at rallies held by supporters of the regime.

    But beneath the fiery rhetoric lies a truism: no Iranian leader would destroy Israel with a nuclear weapon if it came at the expense of the destruction of Iran.

    In the history of the nation-state, not a single one has ever knowingly committed suicide. Not for any reason – ideological, religious, political or any other. All nations value survival over everything else because this allows for the achievement of other goals, such as power and prosperity.

    Further, Iran is ruled by a brutally authoritarian, theocratic regime. And for authoritarian regimes, staying in power is the number one priority. There is no staying in power the day after a nuclear exchange.

    Not a panacea

    This does not mean an Iranian nuclear weapon would be a welcome development. Far from it.

    Every new nuclear-armed state provides another opportunity for miscalculation or accident. It adds extra stress to an already fragile non-proliferation regime.

    In addition, nuclear deterrence is not just and can be considered ethically questionable. It may not even be sustainable over the longer term.

    There is no doubt the existence of over 12,000 nuclear weapons globally poses a potentially existential risk to all of humanity.

    But the idea that a nuclear-armed Iran would pose a unique risk to Israel or the United States simply does not stand up to scrutiny. If we can live with a nuclear-armed North Korea, nuclear-armed Pakistan, and for that matter, a nuclear-armed Israel, we can live, however reluctantly, with a nuclear-armed Iran.

    Regardless of whether the current proposed ceasefire between Israel and Iran holds, the military operation initiated by Israel and bolstered by the United States was extremely dangerous and unnecessary, based on both countries’ justification.

    The regime in Tehran is brutal, authoritarian, openly antisemitic and worthy of our disdain. But there is no evidence it is suicidal.

    The claim an Iranian nuclear bomb would pose an existential threat to Israel or the United States and justifies unilateral, preventive military attacks makes no sense.

    It is time to stop repeating it.

    Benjamin Zala has received funding from the Stanton Foundation, a US philanthropic group that funds nuclear research. He is an honorary fellow at the University of Leicester on a project that is funded by the European Research Council.

    – ref. Could we live with a nuclear-armed Iran? Reluctantly, yes – https://theconversation.com/could-we-live-with-a-nuclear-armed-iran-reluctantly-yes-259905

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Scientists look to black holes to know exactly where we are in the Universe. But phones and wifi are blocking the view

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lucia McCallum, Senior Scientist in Geodesy, University of Tasmania

    ESA / Hubble / L. Calçada (ESO), CC BY

    The scientists who precisely measure the position of Earth are in a bit of trouble. Their measurements are essential for the satellites we use for navigation, communication and Earth observation every day.

    But you might be surprised to learn that making these measurements – using the science of geodesy – depends on tracking the locations of black holes in distant galaxies.

    The problem is, the scientists need to use specific frequency lanes on the radio spectrum highway to track those black holes.

    And with the rise of wifi, mobile phones and satellite internet, travel on that highway is starting to look like a traffic jam.

    Why we need black holes

    Satellites and the services they provide have become essential for modern life. From precision navigation in our pockets to measuring climate change, running global supply chains and making power grids and online banking possible, our civilisation cannot function without its orbiting companions.

    To use satellites, we need to know exactly where they are at any given time. Precise satellite positioning relies on the so-called “global geodesy supply chain”.

    This supply chain starts by establishing a reliable reference frame as a basis for all other measurements. Because satellites are constantly moving around Earth, Earth is constantly moving around the Sun, and the Sun is constantly moving through the galaxy, this reference frame needs to be carefully calibrated via some relatively fixed external objects.

    As it turns out, the best anchor points for the system are the black holes at the hearts of distant galaxies, which spew out streams of radiation as they devour stars and gas.

    These black holes are the most distant and stable objects we know. Using a technique called very long baseline interferometry, we can use a network of radio telescopes to lock onto the black hole signals and disentangle Earth’s own rotation and wobble in space from the satellites’ movement.

    Different lanes on the radio highway

    We use radio telescopes because we want to detect the radio waves coming from the black holes. Radio waves pass cleanly through the atmosphere and we can receive them during day and night and in all weather conditions.

    Radio waves are also used for communication on Earth – including things such as wifi and mobile phones. The use of different radio frequencies – different lanes on the radio highway – is closely regulated, and a few narrow lanes are reserved for radio astronomy.

    However, in previous decades the radio highway had relatively little traffic. Scientists commonly strayed from the radio astronomy lanes to receive the black hole signals.

    To reach the very high precision needed for modern technology, geodesy today relies on more than just the lanes exclusively reserved for astronomy.

    Radio traffic on the rise

    In recent years, human-made electromagnetic pollution has vastly increased. When wifi and mobile phone services emerged, scientists reacted by moving to higher frequencies.

    However, they are running out of lanes. Six generations of mobile phone services (each occupying a new lane) are crowding the spectrum, not to mention internet connections directly sent by a fleet of thousands of satellites.

    Today, the multitude of signals are often too strong for geodetic observatories to see through them to the very weak signals emitted by black holes. This puts many satellite services at risk.

    What can be done?

    To keep working into the future – to maintain the services on which we all depend – geodesy needs some more lanes on the radio highway. When the spectrum is divided up via international treaties at world radio conferences, geodesists need a seat at the table.

    Other potential fixes might include radio quiet zones around our essential radio telescopes. Work is also underway with satellite providers to avoid pointing radio emissions directly at radio telescopes.

    Any solution has to be global. For our geodetic measurements, we link radio telescopes together from all over the world, allowing us to mimic a telescope the size of Earth. The radio spectrum is primarily regulated by each nation individually, making this a huge challenge.

    But perhaps the first step is increasing awareness. If we want satellite navigation to work, our supermarkets to be stocked and our online money transfers arriving safely, we need to make sure we have a clear view of those black holes in distant galaxies – and that means clearing up the radio highway.

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

    – ref. Scientists look to black holes to know exactly where we are in the Universe. But phones and wifi are blocking the view – https://theconversation.com/scientists-look-to-black-holes-to-know-exactly-where-we-are-in-the-universe-but-phones-and-wifi-are-blocking-the-view-259977

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: President Ramkalawan Unveils Second National Monument Honouring Seychellois Fallen Heroes


    Download logo

    As part of the Independence Day celebrations, President Wavel Ramkalawan, accompanied by First Lady Linda Ramkalawan, officiated the unveiling of the nation’s second National Monument in tribute to Seychellois Fallen Heroes. The commemorative event, held this morning at Peace Park in Victoria, gathered families, dignitaries, and members of the public in a solemn moment of remembrance, honouring those who gave their lives in the pursuit of democracy and freedom.

    To unveil the Monument, President Ramkalawan was joined by family members of the fallen heroes. The solemn ceremony paid heartfelt tribute to the Seychellois who gave their lives in the struggle to restore democracy. The newly inaugurated monument stands as a lasting symbol of their courage and sacrifice, ensuring that their legacy endures in the nation’s collective memory.

    In his address at the ceremony, President Ramkalawan recounted the suffering that each family went through in the struggle for democracy and freedom of expression. The President called on the families to find strength in their loved ones’ legacy and to remain steadfast as a people who cherish freedom and uphold mutual respect.

    The National Monument, designed by competition winner Mr. Didace Hoareau, features two kneeling human figures symbolizing remembrance and respect for the fallen heroes. Their posture conveys mourning and honours those who fought for democracy and human rights. Above the figures, a pair of wings represents freedom and peace – the ideals for which these heroes sacrificed their lives.

    The design powerfully merges themes of sacrifice, resilience, and hope, honouring the past while inspiring a future of liberty and justice.

    Mr. James Elizabeth, brother of fallen hero Mr. Sony Elizabeth, delivered a heartfelt testimony on behalf of families who suffered the terrible loss of family members. Speaking with deep emotion, Mr. Elizabeth expressed heartfelt gratitude to the organising committee and the government for honouring the fallen heroes who fought valiantly for the restoration of democracy in the country.

    “The event that took place is difficult for most of the families,” acknowledged Mr. Elizabeth, his words reflecting the ongoing pain of loss while emphasizing the importance of remembrance. “No one else should go through the same struggle. As we look at the names of the fallen heroes, let us remember that their sacrifice was not in vain.”

    The second monument now stands in Peace Park as a lasting feature of Seychelles’ Independence Day commemoration, ensuring that the sacrifices of the fallen heroes will be honoured by future generations. It serves both as a place of remembrance and as a powerful symbol of the nation’s enduring commitment to the democratic ideals for which these heroes gave their lives.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of State House Seychelles.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Clark warns in new Pacific book renewed nuclear tensions pose ‘existential threat to humanity’

    Asia Pacific Report

    Former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark has warned the country needs to maintain its nuclear-free policy as a “fundamental tenet” of its independent foreign policy in the face of gathering global storm clouds.

    Writing in a new book being published next week, she says “nuclear war is an existential threat to humanity. Far from receding, the threat of use of nuclear weapons is ever present.

    “The Doomsday Clock of the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists now sits at 89 seconds to midnight,” she says in the prologue to journalist and media academic David Robie’s book Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage and Legacy of the Rainbow Warrior.

    Writing before the US surprise attack with B-2 stealth bombers and “bunker-buster” bombs on three Iranian nuclear facilities on June 22, Clark says “the Middle East is a tinder box with the failure of the Iran nuclear deal and with Israel widely believed to possess nuclear weapons”.

    The Doomsday Clock references the Ukraine war theatre where “use of nuclear weapons has been floated by Russia”.

    Also, the arms control architecture for Europe is unravelling, leaving the continent much less secure. India and Pakistan both have nuclear arsenals, she says.

    “North Korea continues to develop its nuclear weapons capacity.”

    ‘Serious ramifications’
    Clark, who was also United Nations Development Programme administrator from 2009 to 2017, a member of The Elders group of global leaders founded by Nelson Mandela in 2007, and is an advocate for multilateralism and nuclear disarmament, says an outright military conflict between China and the United States “would be one between two nuclear powers with serious ramifications for East Asia, Southeast Asia, the Pacific, and far beyond.”

    She advises New Zealand to be wary of Australia’s decision to enter a nuclear submarine purchase programme with the United States.

    “There has been much speculation about a potential Pillar Two of the AUKUS agreement which would see others in the region become partners in the development of advanced weaponry,” Clark says.

    “This is occurring in the context of rising tensions between the United States and China.

    “Many of us share the view that New Zealand should be a voice for de-escalation, not for enthusiastic expansion of nuclear submarine fleets in the Pacific and the development
    of more lethal weaponry.”

    Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage and Legacy of the Rainbow Warrior . . . publication July 2025. Image: Little Island Press

    In the face of the “current global turbulence, New Zealand needs to reemphasise the principles and values which drove its nuclear-free legislation and its advocacy for a nuclear-free South Pacific and global nuclear disarmament.

    Clark says that the years 1985 – the Rainbow Warrior was bombed by French secret agents on 10 July 1985 — and 1986 were critical years in the lead up to New Zealand’s nuclear-free legislation in 1987.

    “New Zealanders were clear – we did not want to be defended by nuclear weapons. We wanted our country to be a force for diplomacy and for dialogue, not for warmongering.”

    Chronicles humanitarian voyage
    The book Eyes of Fire chronicles the humanitarian voyage by the Greenpeace flagship to the Marshall Islands to relocate 320 Rongelap Islanders who were suffering serious community health consequences from the US nuclear tests in the 1950s.

    The author, Dr David Robie, founder of the Pacific Media Centre at Auckland University of Technology, was the only journalist on board the Rainbow Warrior in the weeks leading up to the bombing.

    His book recounts the voyage and nuclear colonialism, and the transition to climate justice as the major challenge facing the Pacific, although the “Indo-Pacific” rivalries between the US, France and China mean that geopolitical tensions are recalling the Cold War era in the Pacific.

    Dr Robie is also critical of Indonesian colonialism in the Melanesian region of the Pacific, arguing that a just-outcome for Jakarta-ruled West Papua and also the French territories of Kanaky New Caledonia and “French” Polynesia are vital for peace and stability in the region.

    Eyes of Fire is being published by Little Island Press, which also produced one of his earlier books, Don’t Spoil My Beautiful Face: Media, Mayhem and Human Rights in the Pacific.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Fatal crash – Bulla

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The Northern Territory Police Force is investigating a fatal crash that occurred approximately 5 kilometres east of Bulla this morning.

    Around 8:30am, the Joint Emergency Services Communication Centre received reports of a single vehicle rollover carrying two occupants on Victoria Highway. A 39-year-old female was allegedly thrown from the vehicle and a 19-year-old female required extraction.

    An off-duty nurse arrived on scene not long after the crash and the 39-year-old female was declared deceased.

    Emergency services crews from police and NT Fire and Emergency Services from Timber Creek attended shortly after and extracted the 19-year-old female who was conveyed to Royal Darwin Hospital by Careflight in a critical condition.

    The Major Crash Investigation Unit has been deployed and a crime scene was established.

    The next of kin has been notified. Investigations remain ongoing and a report will be prepared for the coroner.

    Victoria Highway remains impacted on both lanes and traffic diversions are in place.

    Police urge anyone with information, particularly those with dash cam footage of the incident, to make contact on 131 444. Please quote reference number P25174133.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Arrest – Domestic violence – Palmerston

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The NT Police Force have commenced investigations into a domestic violence incident that has left a female in a critical condition days after an alleged assault.

    Yesterday, the Joint Emergency Services Communication Centre received reports of a seriously ill female at a residence in Palmerston.

    St John Ambulance attended and conveyed the female to Royal Darwin Hospital in a critical condition with suspected head injuries.

    Police attended and arrested a 57-year-old male after a short foot pursuit.  The male is believed to be in a domestic relationship with the victim.

    The circumstances surrounding this incident are complex, with the ongoing investigation being managed by the Northern Domestic Violence Investigation Unit.  Charges are expected to follow.

    Anyone with information is urged to contact police on 131 444 and quote referent NTP2500065811. Anonymous reports can be made through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or via https://crimestoppersnt.com.au/

    If you or someone you know are experiencing difficulties due to domestic violence, support services are available, including, but not limited to 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) or Lifeline (131 114).

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC Severe Thunderstorm Watch 476

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

    Note:  The expiration time in the watch graphic is amended if the watch is replaced, cancelled or extended.Note: Click for Watch Status Reports.
    SEL6

    URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
    Severe Thunderstorm Watch Number 476
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    1130 PM CDT Sat Jun 28 2025

    The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

    * Severe Thunderstorm Watch for portions of
    Southern and Eastern Minnesota
    Western and Northwest Wisconsin

    * Effective this Saturday night and Sunday morning from 1130 PM
    until 500 AM CDT.

    * Primary threats include…
    Scattered damaging winds likely with isolated significant gusts
    to 75 mph possible
    Isolated large hail events to 1.5 inches in diameter possible
    A tornado or two possible

    SUMMARY…An expanding/organizing quasi-linear convective complex
    will continue to pose mainly a damaging wind threat overnight from
    southern/eastern Minnesota into western/northwest Wisconsin.

    The severe thunderstorm watch area is approximately along and 55
    statute miles north and south of a line from 80 miles northeast of
    Eau Claire WI to 30 miles west of Mankato MN. For a complete
    depiction of the watch see the associated watch outline update
    (WOUS64 KWNS WOU6).

    PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

    REMEMBER…A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are
    favorable for severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area.
    Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening
    weather conditions and listen for later statements and possible
    warnings. Severe thunderstorms can and occasionally do produce
    tornadoes.

    &&

    OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 474…WW 475…

    AVIATION…A few severe thunderstorms with hail surface and aloft to
    1.5 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind gusts to 65 knots. A
    few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 600. Mean storm motion vector
    28030.

    …Guyer

    Note: The Aviation Watch (SAW) product is an approximation to the watch area. The actual watch is depicted by the shaded areas.
    SAW6
    WW 476 SEVERE TSTM MN WI 290430Z – 291000Z
    AXIS..55 STATUTE MILES NORTH AND SOUTH OF LINE..
    80NE EAU/EAU CLAIRE WI/ – 30W MKT/MANKATO MN/
    ..AVIATION COORDS.. 50NM N/S /36W RHI – 30ESE RWF/
    HAIL SURFACE AND ALOFT..1.5 INCHES. WIND GUSTS..65 KNOTS.
    MAX TOPS TO 600. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 28030.

    LAT…LON 44899031 43429453 45019453 46489031

    THIS IS AN APPROXIMATION TO THE WATCH AREA. FOR A
    COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE WOUS64 KWNS
    FOR WOU6.

    Watch 476 Status Report Message has not been issued yet.

    Note:  Click for Complete Product Text.Tornadoes

    Probability of 2 or more tornadoes

    Low (20%)

    Probability of 1 or more strong (EF2-EF5) tornadoes

    Low (10%)

    Wind

    Probability of 10 or more severe wind events

    High (70%)

    Probability of 1 or more wind events > 65 knots

    Mod (30%)

    Hail

    Probability of 10 or more severe hail events

    Mod (30%)

    Probability of 1 or more hailstones > 2 inches

    Low (20%)

    Combined Severe Hail/Wind

    Probability of 6 or more combined severe hail/wind events

    High (90%)

    For each watch, probabilities for particular events inside the watch (listed above in each table) are determined by the issuing forecaster. The “Low” category contains probability values ranging from less than 2% to 20% (EF2-EF5 tornadoes), less than 5% to 20% (all other probabilities), “Moderate” from 30% to 60%, and “High” from 70% to greater than 95%. High values are bolded and lighter in color to provide awareness of an increased threat for a particular event.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Olympic champion Zheng looking forward to better result at Wimbledon

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

    China’s Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen says she is looking forward to a better result at this year’s Wimbledon Championships, after having been knocked out of the women’s singles first round in the previous two years.

    Zheng, 22, will begin her fourth Wimbledon main draw appearance with a first-round match against Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic on Monday.

    Siniakova, 29, who has 10 women’s doubles Grand Slam titles, has previously beaten Zheng twice on grass, including at Wimbledon in 2023.

    “She’s a tough opponent, especially on grass,” said fifth seed Zheng at a pre-tournament media conference on Saturday. “Her shots are quite flat, so the balls won’t bounce too high on grass. I have lost to her twice and I will definitely be fully prepared this time.”

    Earlier this month, former Australian Open finalist Zheng reached her first career grass-court semifinal at Queen’s Club, but withdrew from the following Berlin Open due to a neck injury.

    “Competing at Queen’s Club was a good experience for me. I learned a lot from the matches I played there,” said Zheng. “Compared with the previous year at Wimbledon, my body is healthier so I can prepare better with my team. I hope this year everything is going to be great. “

    Despite her early exit in the past two years at the grass-court Grand Slam, Zheng maintained that her confidence remained high.

    “I believe I can perform well on grass. Last year I was injured at Wimbledon, and one year earlier I didn’t prepare well as I was with a new team,” said Zheng. “I think I can be much stronger this year if I prepare well.”

    Zheng also revealed that she is now working with Spanish coach Francisco Roig, who had previously worked with 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal for 18 years.

    “He joined my team after Queen’s. My coach Pere Riba helped me contact him,” said Zheng. “He is such an experienced coach. I’m sure that I can learn a lot from him. We will see how this grass-court season goes, and then decide if we want to work together for the long term.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Wimbledon could be best chance for 25th Grand Slam title: Djokovic

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

    Serbian legend Novak Djokovic agreed that Wimbledon could offer his best chance to claim a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title.

    While attending the pre-Championships press conference on Saturday, the 38-year-old was asked if he believed this year’s Wimbledon could be his best chance to win the 25th Grand Slam title and could it be his last dance at the grass-court Grand Slam this year.

    “Whether it could be my last dance, I’m not sure, as I’m not sure about Roland Garros or any other Slam that I play next,” said Djokovic prior to his 20th appearance at Wimbledon.

    “My wish is to play for several more years. I would love to be healthy physically and also mentally motivated to keep on playing at the highest level. That’s the goal, but you never know at this stage.”

    “And yes, I would probably agree that Wimbledon could be the best chance because of the results I had, because of how I feel, how I play in Wimbledon, just getting that extra push mentally and motivation to perform the best tennis at the highest level,” the seven-time Wimbledon champion continued.

    Djokovic ranked Wimbledon “maybe the most consistently successful Grand Slam for me in the last 10 years”, as he reached six finals in the last six editions of the tournament. He won four titles consecutively before being beaten by Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz in the last two years.

    “I don’t chase the rankings anymore. I’m trying to play the best tennis in Grand Slams and trying to win Grand Slams. That hasn’t changed,” he said.

    Djokovic reached the semifinals at both Australian Open and US Open this year. “I think I still played a decent level of tennis that showed me that I can still play on a very high level at the later stages.”

    “That’s what is also giving me an extra motivation to keep going. Obviously clay court probably slightly less chances to win comparing to grass,” he added.

    The sixth-seeded veteran will face Frenchman Alexandre Muller in the opening round. If he reaches the semifinals, he could meet world No. 1 Jannik Sinner who defeated him in the French Open semifinals earlier this year.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for June 29, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on June 29, 2025.

    Do all Iranians hate the regime? Hate America? Life inside the country is more complex than that
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Theobald, Postdoctoral researcher, Institute for Ethics and Society, University of Notre Dame Australia From 2015 to 2018, I spent 15 months doing research work in Mashhad, Iran’s second-largest city. As an anthropologist, I was interested in everyday life in Iran outside the capital Tehran. I was

    Talks result in PNG and Bougainville signing ‘Melanesian Agreement’
    RNZ Pacific The leaders of Bougainville and Papua New Guinea have signed a deal that may bring the autonomous region’s quest for independence closer. Called “Melanesian Agreement”, the deal was developed earlier this month in 10 days of discussion at the New Zealand army base at Burnham, near Christchurch. Both governments have agreed that the

    Eugene Doyle: Why Asia-Pacific should be cheering for Iran and not US bomb-based statecraft
    ANALYSIS: By Eugene Doyle Setting aside any thoughts I may have about theocratic rulers (whether they be in Tel Aviv or Tehran), I am personally glad that Iran was able to hold out against the US-Israeli attacks this month. The ceasefire, however, will only be a pause in the long-running campaign to destabilise, weaken and

    ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for June 28, 2025
    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on June 28, 2025.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for June 29, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on June 29, 2025.

    Do all Iranians hate the regime? Hate America? Life inside the country is more complex than that
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Theobald, Postdoctoral researcher, Institute for Ethics and Society, University of Notre Dame Australia From 2015 to 2018, I spent 15 months doing research work in Mashhad, Iran’s second-largest city. As an anthropologist, I was interested in everyday life in Iran outside the capital Tehran. I was

    Talks result in PNG and Bougainville signing ‘Melanesian Agreement’
    RNZ Pacific The leaders of Bougainville and Papua New Guinea have signed a deal that may bring the autonomous region’s quest for independence closer. Called “Melanesian Agreement”, the deal was developed earlier this month in 10 days of discussion at the New Zealand army base at Burnham, near Christchurch. Both governments have agreed that the

    Eugene Doyle: Why Asia-Pacific should be cheering for Iran and not US bomb-based statecraft
    ANALYSIS: By Eugene Doyle Setting aside any thoughts I may have about theocratic rulers (whether they be in Tel Aviv or Tehran), I am personally glad that Iran was able to hold out against the US-Israeli attacks this month. The ceasefire, however, will only be a pause in the long-running campaign to destabilise, weaken and

    ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for June 28, 2025
    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on June 28, 2025.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Do all Iranians hate the regime? Hate America? Life inside the country is more complex than that

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Theobald, Postdoctoral researcher, Institute for Ethics and Society, University of Notre Dame Australia

    From 2015 to 2018, I spent 15 months doing research work in Mashhad, Iran’s second-largest city. As an anthropologist, I was interested in everyday life in Iran outside the capital Tehran. I was also interested in understanding whether the ambitions of the 1979 Revolution lived on among “ordinary” Iranians, not just political elites.

    I first lived on a university campus, where I learned Persian, and later with Iranian families. I conducted hundreds of interviews with people who had a broad spectrum of political, social and religious views. They included opponents of the Islamic Republic, supporters, and many who were in between.

    What these interviews revealed to me was both the diversity of opinion and experience in Iran, and the difficulty of making uniform statements about what Iranians believe.

    Measuring the depth of antipathy for the regime

    When Israel’s strikes on Iran began on June 13, killing many top military commanders, many news outlets – both international and those run by the Iranian diaspora – featured images of Iranians cheering the deaths of these hated regime figures.

    Friends from my fieldwork also pointed to these celebrations, while not always agreeing with them. Many feared the impact of a larger conflict between Iran and Israel.

    Trying to put these sentiments in context, many analysts have pointed to a 2019 survey by the GAMAAN Institute, an independent organisation based in the Netherlands that tracks Iranian public opinion. This survey showed 79% of Iranians living in the country would vote against the Islamic Republic if a free referendum were held on its rule.

    Viewing these examples as an indicator of the lack of support for the Islamic Republic is not wrong. But when used as factoids in news reports, they become detached from the complexities of life in Iran. This can discourage us from asking deeper questions about the relationships between ideology and pragmatism, support and opposition to the regime, and state and society.

    A more nuanced view

    The news reporting on Iran has encouraged a tendency to see the Iranian state as homogeneous, highly ideological and radically separate from the population.

    But where do we draw the line between the state and the people? There is no easy answer to this.

    When I lived in Iran, many of the people who took part in my research were state employees – teachers at state institutions, university lecturers, administrative workers. Many of them had strong and diverse views about the legacy of the revolution and the future of the country.

    They sometimes pointed to state discourse they agreed with, for example Iran’s right to national self-determination, free from foreign influence. They also disagreed with much, such as the slogans of “death to America”.

    This ambivalence was evident in one of my Persian teachers. An employee of the state, she refused to attend the annual parades celebrating the anniversary of the revolution. “We have warm feelings towards America,” she said. On the other hand, she happily attended protests, also organised by the government, in favour of Palestinian liberation.

    Or take the young government worker I met in Mashhad: “We want to be independent of other countries, but not like this.”

    In a narrower sense, discussions about the “state” may refer more to organisations like the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Basij, the paramilitary force within the IRGC that has cracked down harshly on dissent in recent decades. Both are often understood as being deeply ideologically committed.

    Said Golkar, a US-based Iranian academic and author, for instance, calls Iran a “captive society”. Rather than having a civil society, he believes Iranians are trapped by the feared Basij, who maintain control through their presence in many institutions like universities and schools.

    Again, this view is not wrong. But even among the Basij and Revolutionary Guard, it can be difficult to gauge just how ideological and homogeneous these organisations truly are.

    For a start, the IRGC relies on both ideologically selected supporters, as well as conscripts, to fill its ranks. They are also not always ideologically uniform, as the US-based anthropologist Narges Bajoghli, who worked with pro-state filmmakers in Tehran, has noted.

    As part of my research, I also interviewed members of the Basij, which, unlike the IRGC proper, is a wholly volunteer organisation.

    Even though ideological commitment was certainly an important factor for some of the Basij members I met, there were also pragmatic reasons to join. These included access to better jobs, scholarships and social mobility. Sometimes, factors overlapped. But participation did not always equate to a singular or sustained commitment to revolutionary values.

    For example, Sāsān, a friend I made attending discussion groups in Mashhad, was quick to note that time spent in the Basij “reduced your [compulsory] military service”.

    This isn’t to suggest there are not ideologically committed people in Iran. They clearly exist, and many are ready to use violence. Some of those who join these institutions for pragmatic reasons use violence, too.

    Looking in between

    In addition, Iran is an ethnically diverse country. It has a population of 92 million people, a bare majority of whom are Persians. Other minorities include Azeris, Kurds, Arabs, Baloch, Turkmen and others.

    It is also religiously diverse. While there is a sizeable, nominally Shi’a majority, there are also large Sunni communities (about 10-15% of the population) and smaller communities of Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians, Baha’is and other religions.

    Often overlooked, there are also important differences in class and social strata in Iran, too.

    One of the things I noticed about state propaganda was that it flattened this diversity. James Barry, an Australian scholar of Iran, noticed a similar phenomenon.

    State propaganda made it seem like there was one voice in the country. Protests could be dismissed out of hand because they did not represent the “authentic” view of Iranians. Foreign agitators supported protests. Iranians supported the Islamic Republic.

    Since leaving Iran, I have followed many voices of Iranians in the diaspora. Opposition groups are loud on social media, especially the monarchists who support Reza Pahlavi, the son of the deposed Shah.

    In following these groups, I have noticed a similar tendency to speak as though they represent the voice of all Iranians. Iranians support the shah. Or Iranians support Maryam Rajavi, leader of a Paris-based opposition group.

    Both within Iran, and in the diaspora, the regime, too, is sometimes held to be the imposition of a foreign conspiracy. This allows the Islamic Republic and the complex relations it has created to be dismissed out of hand. Once again, such a view flattens diversity.

    Over the past few years, political identities and societal divisions seem to have become harder and clearer. This means there is an increasing perception among many Iranians of a gulf between the state and Iranian society. This is the case both inside Iran, and especially in the Iranian diaspora.

    Decades of intermittent protests and civil disobedience across the country also show that for many, the current system no longer represents the hopes and aspirations of many people. This is especially the case for the youth, who make up a large percentage of the population.

    I am not an Iranian, and I strongly believe it is up to Iranians to determine their own futures. I also do not aim to excuse the Islamic Republic – it is brutal and tyrannical. But its brutality should not let us shy away from asking complex questions.

    If the regime did fall tomorrow, Iran’s diversity means there is little unanimity of opinion as to what should come next. And if a more pluralist form of politics is to emerge, it must encompass the whole of Iran’s diversity, without assuming a uniform position.

    It, too, will have to wrestle with the difficult questions and sometimes ambivalent relations the Islamic Republic has created.

    Simon Theobald received funding from the Australian National University during his research.

    – ref. Do all Iranians hate the regime? Hate America? Life inside the country is more complex than that – https://theconversation.com/do-all-iranians-hate-the-regime-hate-america-life-inside-the-country-is-more-complex-than-that-259554

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC Tornado Watch 474

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

    Note:  The expiration time in the watch graphic is amended if the watch is replaced, cancelled or extended.Note: Click for Watch Status Reports.
    SEL4

    URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
    Tornado Watch Number 474
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    635 PM CDT Sat Jun 28 2025

    The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

    * Tornado Watch for portions of
    Southern Minnesota
    Eastern South Dakota

    * Effective this Saturday night and Sunday morning from 635 PM
    until 100 AM CDT.

    * Primary threats include…
    A couple tornadoes possible
    Scattered damaging winds likely with isolated significant gusts
    to 80 mph possible
    Scattered large hail likely with isolated very large hail events
    to 3 inches in diameter possible

    SUMMARY…Severe storms including supercells are expected to rapidly
    develop through early evening, with all severe hazards possible. An
    intense quasi-linear cluster with an increasing wind damage/tornado
    threat may eventually develop this evening.

    The tornado watch area is approximately along and 60 statute miles
    north and south of a line from 45 miles west southwest of Watertown
    SD to 35 miles east of Saint Cloud MN. For a complete depiction of
    the watch see the associated watch outline update (WOUS64 KWNS
    WOU4).

    PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

    REMEMBER…A Tornado Watch means conditions are favorable for
    tornadoes and severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch
    area. Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for
    threatening weather conditions and listen for later statements
    and possible warnings.

    &&

    OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 471…WW 472…WW 473…

    AVIATION…Tornadoes and a few severe thunderstorms with hail
    surface and aloft to 3 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind
    gusts to 70 knots. A few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 600. Mean
    storm motion vector 28025.

    …Guyer

    SEL4

    URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
    Tornado Watch Number 474
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    635 PM CDT Sat Jun 28 2025

    The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

    * Tornado Watch for portions of
    Southern Minnesota
    Eastern South Dakota

    * Effective this Saturday night and Sunday morning from 635 PM
    until 100 AM CDT.

    * Primary threats include…
    A couple tornadoes possible
    Scattered damaging winds likely with isolated significant gusts
    to 80 mph possible
    Scattered large hail likely with isolated very large hail events
    to 3 inches in diameter possible

    SUMMARY…Severe storms including supercells are expected to rapidly
    develop through early evening, with all severe hazards possible. An
    intense quasi-linear cluster with an increasing wind damage/tornado
    threat may eventually develop this evening.

    The tornado watch area is approximately along and 60 statute miles
    north and south of a line from 45 miles west southwest of Watertown
    SD to 35 miles east of Saint Cloud MN. For a complete depiction of
    the watch see the associated watch outline update (WOUS64 KWNS
    WOU4).

    PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

    REMEMBER…A Tornado Watch means conditions are favorable for
    tornadoes and severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch
    area. Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for
    threatening weather conditions and listen for later statements
    and possible warnings.

    &&

    OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 471…WW 472…WW 473…

    AVIATION…Tornadoes and a few severe thunderstorms with hail
    surface and aloft to 3 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind
    gusts to 70 knots. A few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 600. Mean
    storm motion vector 28025.

    …Guyer

    Note: The Aviation Watch (SAW) product is an approximation to the watch area. The actual watch is depicted by the shaded areas.
    SAW4
    WW 474 TORNADO MN SD 282335Z – 290600Z
    AXIS..60 STATUTE MILES NORTH AND SOUTH OF LINE..
    45WSW ATY/WATERTOWN SD/ – 35E STC/SAINT CLOUD MN/
    ..AVIATION COORDS.. 50NM N/S /48SSE ABR – 40N MSP/
    HAIL SURFACE AND ALOFT..3 INCHES. WIND GUSTS..70 KNOTS.
    MAX TOPS TO 600. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 28025.

    LAT…LON 45549800 46429333 44689333 43809800

    THIS IS AN APPROXIMATION TO THE WATCH AREA. FOR A
    COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE WOUS64 KWNS
    FOR WOU4.

    Watch 474 Status Report Message has not been issued yet.

    Note:  Click for Complete Product Text.Tornadoes

    Probability of 2 or more tornadoes

    Mod (40%)

    Probability of 1 or more strong (EF2-EF5) tornadoes

    Low (20%)

    Wind

    Probability of 10 or more severe wind events

    Mod (60%)

    Probability of 1 or more wind events > 65 knots

    Mod (30%)

    Hail

    Probability of 10 or more severe hail events

    Mod (60%)

    Probability of 1 or more hailstones > 2 inches

    Mod (50%)

    Combined Severe Hail/Wind

    Probability of 6 or more combined severe hail/wind events

    High (90%)

    For each watch, probabilities for particular events inside the watch (listed above in each table) are determined by the issuing forecaster. The “Low” category contains probability values ranging from less than 2% to 20% (EF2-EF5 tornadoes), less than 5% to 20% (all other probabilities), “Moderate” from 30% to 60%, and “High” from 70% to greater than 95%. High values are bolded and lighter in color to provide awareness of an increased threat for a particular event.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: UPDATE: Arrest – Disturbance – Willowra

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The NT Police Force have arrested a 35-year-old male in relation to a disturbance that occurred in Willowra on Thursday afternoon.

    On Friday evening, members from Ti-Tree and Yuendumu attended the community and arrested the 35-year-old without issue.

    He has since been charged with Arson, Aggravated assault, Going armed in public, damage to property and engage in violent conduct. He was remanded to appear in Alice Springs Local Court on Monday, 30 June 2025.

    Police have since seized four weapons from the community and identified others who were involved in the disturbance.

    Anyone else involved is urged to hand themselves into police.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Joint statement on International LGBTQI+ Pride Day 2025

    Source: Government of Canada News

    June 28, 2025 – Ottawa, Ontario – Global Affairs Canada

    The foreign ministers of Canada, Spain, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Iceland, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia and Uruguay today issued the following statement:

    “On the occasion of International LGBTQI+ Pride Day 2025, we, the Foreign Ministers of Canada, Spain, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Iceland, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia and Uruguay are speaking and acting as one to champion the rights of LGBTQI+ people.

    “At a time when hate speech and hate crimes are on the rise, and in view of efforts to strip LGBTQI+ people of their rights, we reject all forms of violence, criminalization, stigmatization or discrimination, which constitute human rights violations.

    “It is our understanding that respect for diversity, equality and tolerance require the support, at the international level, of measures aimed at decriminalization, and at preventing and eliminating harassment of all kinds—including homophobic and transphobic harassment. Also measures to advance the implementation of diversity policies and the fight against discrimination, and to favour the inclusion of LGBTQI+ people, especially transgender people in society and in the workplace.

    “We recognize that LGBTQI+ people face multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination, particularly when they are also part of other historically marginalized groups, communities, and populations, such as indigenous peoples, afro-descendants, people with disabilities, migrants, elderly people, or those who living in poverty. Promoting their full and effective inclusion requires an intersectional approach that structurally addresses these inequalities.

    “We are joining forces to work hand in hand for the equal rights of LGBTQI+ people and to bring the criminalization of same-sex relations worldwide to an end.

    “We call on all States to join us on this path, repealing discriminatory laws and refusing to adopt new laws that criminalize relations between persons of the same sex or punish people for their sexual orientation or gender identity. We call for an end to the prosecution of LGBTI+ people, and especially to the application of imprisonment and capital punishment. We further call for an end to so-called conversion “therapy” practices intended to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity, which can cause psychological and physical pain and suffering and are inherently discriminatory. What is at stake here is a matter of full respect for human rights and human dignity, of strengthening equality, diversity and prosperity, leaving no one behind.

    “Therefore, we, the public authorities, must implement policy that, in alignment with international human rights standards, pursues effective equality of LGBTQI+ people and seeks to combat all forms of discrimination. We celebrate sexual diversity and family diversity, in the conviction that inclusive, equitable, and tolerant societies founded on solidarity are also stronger, healthier and more resilient.

    “Lastly, we reassert our commitment to respecting the human rights of LGBTQI+ people, to ensuring that their equality before the law is incontestable and that no one is prosecuted or subject to discriminated because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Let us build societies in which all human beings are free to live and love as they choose.”

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DAUPHIN COUNTY – DEP Launches New SPEED Program to Reduce Permit Wait Times

    Source: US State of Pennsylvania

    June 28, 2025 – Harrisburg, PA

    ADVISORY – DAUPHIN COUNTY – DEP Launches New SPEED Program to Reduce Permit Wait Times

    Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary Jessica Shirley will join Senator Kristin Phillips-Hill, Senator Greg Rothman, and Representative Elizabeth Fiedler to announce the opening of the new Streamlining Permits for Economic Expansion and Development (SPEED) Program at 11AM on Monday, June 30, in the Capitol Media Center.

    SPEED is part of DEP’s ongoing permit modernization effort. Through SPEED, permit applicants for select permits will be able to use DEP-approved qualified contractors to conduct initial reviews of applications for expedited review. DEP staff will review recommendations from the qualified contractor and make the decision to approve or deny the permit or issue a technical deficiency letter to the applicant.

    WHAT:
    DEP launches new SPEED program to reduce permit wait times

    WHEN:
    Monday, June 30, 2025 at 11:00 AM

    WHERE:
    Capitol Media Center
    State Capitol, Room 0East Wing, Harrisburg, PA 17126

    MEDIA CONTACT: DEP Newsroom, RA-EPNEWS@pa.gov

    For more information, visit the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s website, or follow DEP on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), or LinkedIn.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: BTCMiner: Ten Years of Safe and Stable Cloud Mining, Principal and Interest Guaranteed

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    London, UK, June 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — – BTCMiner, an FCA-certified smart cloud mining platform founded in 2009, today announced its commitment to providing a safe and stable passive income environment for cryptocurrency enthusiasts. The platform’s notable feature is its innovative contract structure, which is designed to protect principal and interest, providing predictable returns regardless of market price fluctuations.

    “For 15 years, BTCMiner has been committed to demystifying cryptocurrency mining and making it easy and reliable for everyone to mine,” said a BTCMiner spokesperson. “Our core principle is to provide a platform where users can invest with peace of mind.

    BTCMiner’s main advantages:
    Principal and interest stability: BTCMiner’s contracts are designed to protect investment security and ensure the return of principal and specified interest when the contract expires, thereby mitigating the impact of market price fluctuations.

    Seamless access for new users: The platform provides a convenient registration process, click here to enter the official website.

    New users can get a $500 free credit to purchase a trial contract directly and experience cloud mining immediately.

    Rich contract options and daily income: BTCMiner supports one-click orders across multiple cryptocurrencies. Profits are settled and credited to user accounts every 24 hours, ensuring continuous transparency of income.

    Exclusive invitation rewards: Users can further increase their income through BTCMiner’s generous referral program. By sharing personal invitation links on social media, users can receive real-time rewards, 7% for first-level referrals and 2% for second-level referrals.

    BTCMiner continues to advocate for the future of digital asset investment, making digital asset investment convenient, clearly regulated and strongly secure, helping individuals achieve their financial goals in the growing cryptocurrency field.

    Contact:
    Victoria Langford
    City/Country: London, UK
    Email: info@btcminer.net
    Website: https://btcminer.net

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Collaborative work between Seychelles and the European Union (EU) continues to bear fruit


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    The Head of the European Union Delegation for the Seychelles, H.E. Ambassador Oskar Benedikt paid a courtesy call on the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, Minister Sylvestre Radegonde, on Friday 27th June 2025, at Maison Quéau de Quinssy.

    During their meeting, they discussed the cooperation between the European Union and Seychelles, particularly the status of the Port Victoria Rehabilitation and Extension Project and the implementation of the ‘European Solidarity Action Plan with Seychelles’, a Technical Cooperation Facility between the EU and Seychelles signed in 2024. They also touched on the progress of the ongoing negotiation to deepen and broaden the interim Economic Partnership Agreement between the EU and the Eastern and Southern Africa configuration (the latter comprises of Seychelles, Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius and Zimbabwe).

    They further discussed the EU’s list of non-cooperative jurisdictions for tax purposes and the efforts being done by the Government to ensure that Seychelles be removed from the list. The upcoming presidential and legislative elections was also discussed by Minister Radegonde and Ambassador Benedikt.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Tourism, Republic of Seychelles.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Eugene Doyle: Why Asia-Pacific should be cheering for Iran and not US bomb-based statecraft

    ANALYSIS: By Eugene Doyle

    Setting aside any thoughts I may have about theocratic rulers (whether they be in Tel Aviv or Tehran), I am personally glad that Iran was able to hold out against the US-Israeli attacks this month.

    The ceasefire, however, will only be a pause in the long-running campaign to destabilise, weaken and isolate Iran. Regime change or pariah status are both acceptable outcomes for the US-Israeli dyad.

    The good news for my region is that Iran’s resilience pushes back what could be a looming calamity: the US pivot to Asia and a heightened risk of a war on China.

    There are three major pillars to the Eurasian order that is going through a slow, painful and violent birth.  Iran is the weakest.  If Iran falls, war in our region — intended or unintended – becomes vastly more likely.

    Mainstream New Zealanders and Australians suffer from an understandable complacency: war is what happens to other, mainly darker people or Slavs.

    “Tomorrow”, people in this part of the world naively think, “will always be like yesterday”.

    That could change, particularly for the Australians, in the kind of unfamiliar flash-boom Israelis experienced this month following their attack on Iran. And here’s why.

    US chooses war to re-shape Middle East
     Back in 2001, as many will recall, retired General Wesley Clark, former Supreme Commander of NATO forces in Europe, was visiting buddies in the Pentagon. He learnt something he wasn’t supposed to: the Bush administration had made plans in the febrile post 9/11 environment to attack seven Muslim countries.

    In the firing line were: Saddam Hussein’s Iraq, the Assad regime in Syria, Hezbollah-dominated Lebanon, Gaddafi’s Libya, Somalia, Sudan and the biggest prize of all — the Islamic Republic of Iran.

    One would have to say that the project, pursued by successive presidents, both Democrat and Republican, has been a great success — if you discount the fact that a couple of million human beings, most of them civilians, many of them women and children, nearly all of them innocents, were slaughtered, starved to death or otherwise disposed of.

    With the exception of Iran, those countries have endured chaos and civil strife for long painful years.  A triumph of American bomb-based statecraft.

    Now — with Muammar Gaddafi raped and murdered (“We came, we saw, he died”, Hillary Clinton chuckled on camera the same day), Saddam Hussein hanged, Hezbollah decapitated, Assad in Moscow, the genocide in full swing in Palestine — the US and Israel were finally able to turn their guns — or, rather, bombs — on the great prize: Iran.

    Iran’s missiles have checked US-Israel for time being
     Things did not go to plan. Former US ambassador to Saudi Arabia Chas Freeman pointed out this week that for the first time Israel got a taste of the medicine it likes to dispense to its neighbours.

    Iran’s missiles successfully turned the much-vaunted Iron Dome into an Iron Sieve and, perhaps momentarily, has achieved deterrence. If Iran falls, the US will be able to do what Barack Obama and Joe Biden only salivated over — a serious pivot to Asia.

    Could great power rivalry turn Asia-Pacific into powderkeg?
     For us in Asia-Pacific a major US pivot to Asia will mean soaring defence budgets to support militarisation, aggressive containment of China, provocative naval deployments, more sanctions, muscling smaller states, increased numbers of bases, new missile systems, info wars, threats and the ratcheting up rhetoric — all of which will bring us ever-closer to the powderkeg.

    Sounds utterly mad? Sounds devoid of rationality? Lacking commonsense? Welcome to our world — bellum Americanum — as we gormlessly march flame in hand towards the tinderbox. War is not written in the stars, we can change tack and rediscover diplomacy, restraint, and peaceful coexistence. Or is that too much to ask?

    Back in the days of George W Bush, radical American thinkers like Robert Kagan, Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld created the Project for a New American Century and developed the policy, adopted by succeeding presidents, that promotes “the belief that America should seek to preserve and extend its position of global leadership by maintaining the preeminence of US military forces”.

    It reconfirmed the neoconservative American dogma that no power should be allowed to rise in any region to become a regional hegemon; anything and everything necessary should be done to ensure continued American primacy, including the resort to war.

    What has changed since those days are two crucial, epoch-making events: the re-emergence of Russia as a great power, albeit the weakest of the three, and the emergence of China as a genuine peer competitor to the USA. Professor  John Mearsheimer’s insights are well worth studying on this topic.

    The three pillars of multipolarity
     A new world order really is being born. As geopolitical thinkers like Professor Glenn Diesen point out, it will, if it is not killed in the cradle, replace the US unipolar world order that has existed since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.

    Many countries are involved in its birthing, including major players like India and Brazil and all the countries that are part of BRICS.  Three countries, however, are central to the project: Iran, Russia and, most importantly, China.  All three are in the crosshairs of the Western empire.

    If Iran, Russia and China survive as independent entities, they will partially fulfill Halford MacKinder’s early 20th century heartland theory that whoever dominates Eurasia will rule the world. I don’t think MacKinder, however, foresaw cooperative multipolarity on the Eurasian landmass — which is one of the goals of the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation) – as an option.

    That, increasingly, appears to be the most likely trajectory with multiple powerful states that will not accept domination, be that from China or the US.  That alone should give us cause for hope.

    Drunk on power since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the US has launched war after war and brought us to the current abandonment of economic sanity (the sanctions-and-tariff global pandemic) and diplomatic normalcy (kill any peace negotiators you see) — and an anything-goes foreign policy (including massive crimes against humanity).

    We have also reached — thanks in large part to these same policies — what a former US national security advisor warned must be avoided at all costs. Back in the 1990s, Zbigniew Brzezinski said, “The most dangerous scenario would be a grand coalition of China, Russia, and perhaps Iran.”

    Belligerent and devoid of sound strategy, the Biden and Trump administrations have achieved just that.

    Can Asia-Pacific avoid being dragged into an American war on China?
     Turning to our region, New Zealand and Australia’s governments cleave to yesterday: a white-dominated world led by the USA.  We have shown ourselves indifferent to massacres, ethnic cleansing and wars of aggression launched by our team.

    To avoid war — or a permanent fear of looming war — in our own backyards, we need to encourage sanity and diplomacy; we need to stay close to the US but step away from the military alliances they are forming, such as AUKUS which is aimed squarely at China.

    Above all, our defence and foreign affairs elites need to grow new neural pathways and start to think with vision and not place ourselves on the losing side of history. Independent foreign policy settings based around peace, defence not aggression, diplomacy not militarisation, would take us in the right direction.

    Personally I look forward to the day the US and its increasingly belligerent vassals are pushed back into the ranks of ordinary humanity. I fear the US far more than I do China.

    Despite the reflexive adherence to the US that our leaders are stuck on, we should not, if we value our lives and our cultures, allow ourselves to be part of this mad, doomed project.

    The US empire is heading into a blood-drenched sunset; their project will fail and the 500-year empire of the White West will end — starting and finishing with genocide.

    Every day I atheistically pray that leaders or a movement will emerge to guide our antipodean countries out of the clutches of a violent and increasingly incoherent USA.

    America is not our friend. China is not our enemy. Tomorrow gives birth to a world that we should look forward to and do the little we can to help shape.

    Eugene Doyle is a writer based in Wellington. He has written extensively on the Middle East, as well as peace and security issues in the Asia Pacific region. He contributes to Asia Pacific Report and Café Pacific, and hosts the public policy platform solidarity.co.nz

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –