Category: Australia

MIL-OSI Submissions: Women’s rugby is booming, but safety relies on borrowed assumptions from the men’s game

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Kathryn Dane, Postdoctoral associate, University of Calgary

Rugby union, commonly known as just rugby, is a fast-paced and physical team sport. More girls and women in Canada and around the world are playing it now than ever before.

As of 2021, women’s rugby reached a record 2.7 million players globally, a 25 per cent increase over four years, and by 2023, women’s rugby participation was growing at a rate of 38 per cent year-over-year.

Countries including Australia, England, Ireland and the United States offer professional contracts for women’s teams. While these remain modest compared to the men’s game, they still represent a clear step forward.

Canada’s senior women’s XVs team is currently ranked second in the world and heading into the 2025 Rugby World Cup, which kicks off on Aug. 22 in England. The national sevens team also captured silver at the 2024 Paris Olympics — further evidence of the game’s growing competitiveness in Canada.

However, many systems, including coaching and medical support, have not kept pace with the demands of elite competition. With visibility increasing ahead of the 2025 World Cup, stronger institutional support is needed to match the sports’ growing professionalism and popularity.

Safety concerns

Often described as a “game for all”, rugby builds confidence, resilience and lifelong friendships. For girls and women especially, rugby can be empowering in ways few sports can match. It embraces the physicality of tackling, pushes back against traditional gender expectations and fosters solidarity and inclusion by valuing all body shapes and abilities.

But rugby is also a collision sport, and as such, it carries inherent risks. Tackling is the top cause of injury in rugby, and it has one of the highest concussion rates among youth girls’ sports in Canada. Concussions can have long-term effects on players’ health.

Read more:
Concussion is more than sports injuries: Who’s at risk and how Canadian researchers are seeking better diagnostics and treatments

These concerns are especially urgent as the women’s game becomes more physical and professionalized, and players are hit harder and more often. Unlike men’s rugby, women’s teams often operate with fewer medical or coaching support resources, which can lead to inconsistent or absent injury prevention programs.

Compounding the risk is the fact that many women also come to rugby later in life, often with less experience in contact sports. This delayed exposure restricts proper tackle skill development and player confidence in contact. This means safe tackling is even more important.

Without proper supports, the physical risks of the game may outweigh its benefits.

Science is still playing catch-up

While women’s rugby is growing rapidly, the science behind it is has not kept pace. Most of what we know about rugby safety — how to tackle, how much to train or when it’s safe to return to play after injury — largely comes from research on men.

Decisions around coaching and player welfare have been based on male data, leaving female players under-served and potentially at greater risk. While these foundations may well apply to girls and women, the problem is we don’t yet know for sure.

Only four per cent of rugby tackle research has focused on women. Much of the early evidence on girls rugby comes from Canada, underscoring the country’s leadership in this space. Still, most coaches and clinicians rely on a “one-size-fits-all” approach that may not account for menstrual cycles, pregnancy, different injury profiles or later sport entry.

The differences matter because strength, speed and injury risk all vary. Women are 2.6 times more likely than men to sustain a concussion. Gender also shapes access to training, care and facilities, often limiting opportunities for women to develop safe tackling skills, receive adequate support and train in safe, well-resourced environments, factors that impact both performance and safety.

Read more:
Prevention is better than cure when it comes to high concussion rates in girls’ rugby

Even safety tools reflect this gap. World Rugby’s Tackle Ready and contact load guidelines were designed around male athletes. While well-intentioned, we know little about how they work for girls and women. Instead of discarding these tools, we need to adapt and evaluate them in female contexts to ensure they support injury prevention and provide equal protection.

Women’s rugby needs better data

Change is underway. More research and tools are being designed specifically for girls and women. A search of PubMed, a database of published biomedical research, reveals a steep rise in studies on women’s rugby over the past decade, especially in injury surveillance, injury prevention, performance, physiology and sociocultural contexts.

New rule trials, such as testing lower tackle heights, are being evaluated on women athletes. New technologies like instrumented mouthguards and video analysis are also helping researchers understand how girls and women tackle, how head impacts happen and how they can be prevented.

Much of this new research is led by our team at the Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre, a pan-Canadian, multidisciplinary group focused on moving upstream to prevent concussions in adolescent girls’ rugby.

The women’s game is also driving its own innovations. Resources like World Rugby’s Contact Confident help girls and women safely build tackle skills, particularly those new to contact sport.

Researchers are analyzing injury patterns, interviewing players and coaches and studying return-to-play pathways that reflect girls’ and women’s physiology and life stages.

The scope of research is also expanding to pelvic health, breast protection and more tailored injury prevention. Global collaboration is making this work more inclusive, spanning different countries, skill levels and age groups, not just elite competitions.

But this is just the start.

A golden opportunity lies ahead

Girls’ and women’s rugby is experiencing unprecedented growth. Rising participation, media attention and new sponsorships are fuelling momentum. It’s a golden opportunity to build strong, sustainable foundations.

Gold-standard support requires focused, ongoing research and a commitment to sharing that evidence with players, coaches, health-care providers and policymakers. It’s time to build systems for women’s rugby based on women’s data, not borrowed assumptions from the men’s game.

But challenges remain. Some national teams still have to raise funds to attend World Cups. Others train without consistent access to medical or performance staff — clear signs that the women’s game is still catching up.

To sustain and accelerate the growth of girls’ and women’s rugby, the sport deserves more resources and research tailored specifically to participants. A “one-size-fits-all” model no longer works. By investing in systems that are safer, focused on prevention, more inclusive and grounded in evidence, we can build a thriving future for women’s rugby that lasts for generations to come.

Isla Shill has received funding from World Rugby.

Stephen West has previously received funding from World Rugby

Kathryn Dane 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. Women’s rugby is booming, but safety relies on borrowed assumptions from the men’s game – https://theconversation.com/womens-rugby-is-booming-but-safety-relies-on-borrowed-assumptions-from-the-mens-game-261055

MIL OSI –

July 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Submissions: There’s enough natural hydrogen in the Earth’s crust to help power the green energy transition

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Omid Haeri Ardakani, Research scientist at Natural Resources Canada; Andjunct associate professor, University of Calgary

Since their formation billions of years ago, the oldest parts of the Earth’s continental rocks have generated natural hydrogen in massive amounts. Some of this hydrogen may have accumulated within accessible traps and reservoirs under the Earth’s surface. This store has the potential to contribute to the global hydrogen economy for hundreds of years.

This has been demonstrated by the production of near-pure hydrogen from a single gas field in Mali, attracting the attention of governments in the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom and Europe.

There is also interest from major venture capital investors and international resource companies. By the end of 2023, 40 companies were exploring natural hydrogen globally. That has likely doubled since 2024.

Read more:
Why green hydrogen — but not grey — could help solve climate change

Hydrogen as a resource

Hydrogen resources have long been a multi-billion-dollar market, even before recent interest in hydrogen as a contributor to the green energy transition. The environments and conditions that result in natural hydrogen accumulation occur globally. But one of the barriers to investment in many jurisdictions is regulatory, as hydrogen had not previously been considered as a resource.

Natural hydrogen can be used to decarbonize hard-to-abate but globally critical industries. Industries that use hydrogen include fuel refining (about 44 per cent), ammonia and fertilizer production for food sustainability (about 34 per cent), and steel manufacturing (about five per cent).

According to a recent British government policy briefing document, addressing this requires governments to include hydrogen as a listed natural resource. Future uses for hydrogen may include long-distance transportation and contributions to the decarbonization of the mining industry.

High carbon footprint

Most of the hydrogen used today is produced from fossil fuels. Because of this, hydrogen production contributes about 2.5 per cent of global carbon dioxide emissions. Efforts to produce low-carbon (green) hydrogen from renewable electricity and carbon capture and storage technologies remain expensive.

Natural hydrogen has a carbon footprint comparable to or below that of green hydrogen. The two will likely be complementary, but estimates are uncertain as natural hydrogen is as yet an unproven resource.

Developing strategies could determine whether hydrogen from any source is an economically viable resource. For natural hydrogen, exploration strategies have to be developed to find and extract natural deposits of hydrogen at an economically feasible cost. This also needs incentives that include natural hydrogen in exploration or production licenses.

Read more:
New plan shows Australia’s hydrogen dream is still alive. But are we betting on the right projects?

Hydrogen and helium

The U.S. Geological Survey recently estimated there’s enough accessible natural hydrogen to supply global hydrogen demand for about 200 years.

Hydrogen forms in the Earth’s crust through two natural geological processes: chemical reactions between natural groundwaters and iron-rich minerals and water radiolysis. Water molecules are broken by natural background radioactivity in rocks releasing hydrogen — and helium, a valuable element included in Canada’s Critical Minerals Strategy — as a byproduct.

The search for helium began in Canada in the 1920s, but it is only recently that systematic commercial exploration for helium has restarted. By the 1980s, systematic studies of natural hydrogen began in Canada, Finland and parts of Africa as part of research on subsurface microbial life.

Renewed interest

An unusual coincidence sparked the current global interest in hydrogen. An accidental discovery of the small natural hydrogen gas field in Mali coincided with the publication of extensive historical data from the former Soviet Union, drawing attention to hydrogen’s immense potential as a clean power resource. Australia, France and the U.S. were among the first countries to re-investigate historical natural hydrogen.

Natural hydrogen and helium systems have similarities to petroleum systems, requiring a source rock, a migration pathway and accumulation in a reservoir. The infrastructure for natural hydrogen wells would be comparable to hydrocarbon wells, albeit with changes in well completion and drilling methods.

The footprint of a natural hydrogen production project would take up much less space to deliver the same amount of energy compared to a green hydrogen production facility, which requires solar or wind farms and electrolyzers.

Similarly, natural hydrogen projects do not need to draw on surface water resources, which are scarce in many parts of the world.

Surface release of hydrogen bubbles from the Canadian Shield.
(Stable Isotope Lab/University of Toronto), CC BY

Future policies

Some jurisdictions lack policies regulating hydrogen exploration. In others, regulation falls under existing mining or hydrocarbon policies. The lack of clear regulations in areas with high potential for natural hydrogen exploration — such as the U.S., Canada, India and parts of Africa and Europe — is a major obstacle for exploration.

An absence of regulation slows down exploration and land acquisition, and prevents the decision-making required for developing infrastructure. And critically, it means that no community consultations are undertaken to ensure the social acceptance essential for the success of such projects.

A project in South Australia demonstrates what legislation can accomplish. Once regulation of natural hydrogen exploration and capture was implemented, the government received dozens of applications from companies interested in natural hydrogen exploration.

The appetite for exploration is clearly there, but policy and regulatory solutions are required. New exploration projects will provide critical new data to understand natural hydrogen’s potential to provide green energy.

Omid Haeri Ardakani has received funding from Natural Resources Canada (NRCan).

Barbara Sherwood Lollar receives funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and the Nuclear Waste Management Organization.

Chris Ballentine is founder of and owns shares in Snowfox Discovery Ltd, a hydrogen exploration company. He receives research funding from the Natural Environment Research Council (U.K.) and the National Science Foundation (U.S.), in a joint grant, as well as the Canadian Nuclear Waste Management Organization and the Canadian Institute For Advanced Research.

– ref. There’s enough natural hydrogen in the Earth’s crust to help power the green energy transition – https://theconversation.com/theres-enough-natural-hydrogen-in-the-earths-crust-to-help-power-the-green-energy-transition-256936

MIL OSI –

July 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Govt condemns foreign officials

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government today said it strongly opposes and disapproves of smears by government officials and politicians from the US, Canada and Australia, and by anti-China organisations, regarding its lawful acts to pursue individuals wanted in connection with national security offences who have absconded from Hong Kong.

Nineteen people suspected of involvement in a subversive organisation named the “Hong Kong Parliament”, in breach of Article 22 of the National Security Law (HKNSL), have been put on the city’s wanted list.

In a statement, the Hong Kong SAR Government explained that the HKNSL is applicable to Hong Kong permanent residents, and to incorporated or unincorporated bodies set up in Hong Kong, if such residents or bodies commit offences under the HKNSL outside the Hong Kong SAR. Additionally, it said, the HKNSL is applicable where offences under it are committed elsewhere against the Hong Kong SAR by individuals who are not Hong Kong permanent residents.

The Hong Kong SAR Government stressed that the Hong Kong Police Force therefore has a responsibility to pursue, in accordance with the law, people suspected of committing offences under the HKNSL outside of Hong Kong. Acts smearing Hong Kong’s work to safeguard national security are hypocritical and irresponsible, and will not win any public support, it added.

The statement iterated that both the HKNSL and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance clearly stipulate that human rights shall be respected and protected in safeguarding national security in the Hong Kong SAR, but clarified that the Hong Kong SAR Government will not condone criminal acts, and will not give up pursuing them those who commit them.

Emphasising that absconders should not think that they can evade criminal liability by absconding from Hong Kong, the Hong Kong SAR Government also remarked that no country or organisation should harbour criminals or try to exonerate absconders.

Any attempt by foreign countries or external forces to undermine Hong Kong’s situation will be doomed to fail, the Hong Kong SAR Government added, reiterating that it will continue to discharge its duty in safeguarding national security unwaveringly.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

July 27, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Call for witnesses – Assault – Tennant Creek

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

The Northern Territory Police Force are calling for information in relation to an alleged assault that occurred in Tennant Creek early this morning.

Around 1am, emergency services received reports that a woman, aged in her 40’s, was allegedly physically assaulted in the vicinity of Maloney Street by and unknown man, who then also attempted to indecently assault her.

The woman received minor injuries and was conveyed to the Tennant Creek Hospital for assessment.

Investigators have canvassed all available CCTV and are now requesting the publics assistance.

Police are urging anyone who was in the vicinity of Maloney Street around 1am on Sunday 27 July 2025, or who has information about this matter to contact 131 444 and quote reference NTP2500075470.

Anonymous reports can also be made through CrimeStoppers on 1800 333 000.

MIL OSI News –

July 27, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Donald Trump cannot make the Epstein files go away. Will this be the story that brings him down?

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Shortis, Adjunct Senior Fellow, School of Global, Urban and Social Studies, RMIT University

Conspiracy theories are funny things.

The most enduring ones usually take hold for two reasons: first, because there’s some grain of truth to them, and second, because they speak to foundational historical divisions.

The theories morph and change, distorting the grain of truth at their centre beyond reality. In the process, they reinforce and deepen existing divisions, encouraging hateful blindness.

US President Donald Trump is perhaps the most successful conspiracy trafficker in modern American history.

Trump built his political career by trading on conspiracy. These have included a combination of racist birther conspiracies about former president Barack Obama, nebulous ideas about the “Deep State” that conspired against the interests of regular Americans, and nods to a more recent online universe centered on QAnon that alleged a Satanist ring of “elite” pedophiles involving Hillary Clinton was trafficking children.

These theories all had their own grain of truth and tapped into deep-seated historical fears. For example, Obama does have Kenyan heritage, and his Blackness threatened many white Americans’ sense of their own power.

Revelations about disgraced financier Jeffery Epstein’s trafficking in children and the way in which that implicated the “elite” of New York seemed to confirm at least parts of the final theory. It tapped into the belief – one that does have some basis in reality – that America’s elite play by rules of their own, above justice and accountability.

In the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election, Trump increasingly engaged with this online universe. He seemed to quietly enjoy suggestions that he might be “Q” – the anonymous leader who, according to the theory, was going to break the paedophile ring wide open in a “day of reckoning”.

Many of Trump’s perennially online supporters based their championing of him around these conspiracy theories. QAnon believers were among those who stormed the Capitol on January 6 2021. A core section of Trump’s base continues to believe his promises that he would at last reveal the truth – about John F. Kennedy’s assassination, the Deep State, and Epstein.

That it has long been public knowledge that Trump and Epstein had a longstanding friendship did not impinge on these beliefs.

Conspiracy theories have swirled around Epstein since at least his first arrest nearly two decades ago, in 2006. After allegations of unlawful sex with a minor, Epstein was charged with soliciting prostitution. This elicited suggestions he was receiving special treatment because of his elite status as a New York financier and philanthropist.

That pattern continued over the next decade as accusations multiplied, culminating in his arrest in 2019 on federal charges of sex trafficking, including to a private island. The allegations touched the global elite, including former president Bill Clinton, the United Kingdom’s Prince Andrew, and Trump. In August 2019, Epstein was found dead in his cell, allegedly by suicide – adding further fuel to the already intense conspiracy fire.

Epstein’s arrest and death occurred during the first Trump administration. Since then, there has been a steady trickle of accusations and revelations that have increased pressure on the administration to declassify and release material relating to the case. Many of Trump’s most loyal supporters, including a set of influential podcasters and influencers, have built their audiences around Epstein and the insistence that the truth be revealed.

Early in the life of the current administration, Attorney-General Pam Bondi – whom Trump is wont to treat as his personal lawyer – said she was reviewing the Epstein “client list”.

In the past few weeks, however, the administration has indicated it will not release the list or other materials relating to the case. At the same time, more information about Trump’s relationship with Epstein has trickled out, including more photos of the two together. It’s hard to deny the sense there is more to come.

Trump’s posting about the issue, despite his apparent wish to divert from it, seems only to compel more interest. Sections of his online conspiracy base, including vocal supporters such as Tucker Carlson, are outraged at what they see as a betrayal. Reports suggest a significant rift developing between Trump and key backer Rupert Murdoch over the issue. Democrats, rightly, sense weakness.

Read more:
Could Rupert Murdoch bring down Donald Trump? A court case threatens more than just their relationship

Loyal Republicans seem rattled enough that Speaker of the House Mike Johnson called an early summer recess, sending congresspeople home in an apparent effort to avoid any forced vote on the issue.

The obvious inference – though it is inference only – is that Trump and Republicans are so worried about what is in the Epstein material they would rather cop strong backlash from the base, looking scared and weak, than release the information. If nothing else, that is a guaranteed way to fuel an already raging fire.

Trump’s tanking approval rating and the salience of this issue lead to an obvious question: is this going to be the thing that finally scratches the Teflon president? Will his base turn on him at last?

If history is anything to go by, that seems unlikely. Trump is remarkably resilient, using crises like this to consolidate his power. Trump commands loyalty, and he has it from Bondi, Johnson and others in this weakened and increasingly ideologically driven federal government. And his conspiracy-fuelled base is in so deep that turning on the president now is not just a question of admitting error, but one of core identity.

US mainstream media has long pursued a “gotcha” approach to Trump, driven by a model of journalism that still seeks out smoking guns and dreams of Watergate. Not unlike the conspiracy theories it reports on, this framing hopes for a neat, clear resolution to the story of US politics. But politics doesn’t work like that – especially not for Trump.

From the outside, Trump’s attempts to pivot on the issue and build on his existing conspiracies around Obama and Hillary Clinton might look feeble, but they are tried and true. Trump is now focused on fanning theories around Obama and Clinton, broadening them to include accusations of “treason”. Trump’s Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard went so far as to claim Obama had “manufactured […] a years-long coup against President Trump”. Even reporting on these claims with rightful incredulity adds fuel to the raging fire.

In the personality cult of an authoritarian leader, conspiracy is easily weaponised against enemies, perceived and real. In the febrile environment of US politics, these conspiracy theories tap into and encourage a long vein of white supremacy and racial revanchism that has shaped American politics since even before the nation’s founding.

Trump can morph and change conspiracy theories like no one else, building on fears and deepening existing divisions. He understands the power of pointing to “enemies from within”, and just how well that reinforces the narrative he has already so successfully ingrained in US political culture. We underestimate him, and the power of conspiracy theory, at our peril.

Emma Shortis is Director of International and Security Affairs at The Australia Institute, an independent think tank.

– ref. Donald Trump cannot make the Epstein files go away. Will this be the story that brings him down? – https://theconversation.com/donald-trump-cannot-make-the-epstein-files-go-away-will-this-be-the-story-that-brings-him-down-261843

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

July 27, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Gaza condemns Israeli ‘piracy’ over storming of Handala aid ship

Asia Pacific Report

The Gaza Government Media Office has condemned “in the strongest terms” Israel’s storming of the Handala aid ship, calling it an act of “maritime piracy”, reports Al Jazeera.

“This blatant aggression represents a flagrant violation of international law and maritime navigation rules,” the office said in a statement.

“It reaffirms once again that the [illegal Israeli] occupation acts as a thuggish force outside the law, targeting every humanitarian initiative seeking to rescue more than 2.4 million besieged and starving Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.”

The office also called on the international community, including the United Nations and rights groups, “to take an urgent and firm stance against this aggression and to work to secure international protection for the convoys”.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry confirmed in a statement today that the Israeli navy had intercepted the Gaza-bound Handala, and it was now heading towards Israel.

“The Israeli navy has stopped the vessel Navarn from illegally entering the maritime zone of the coast of Gaza,” said the statement, using the aid ship’s original name.

“The vessel is safely making its way to the shores of Israel,” it added. “All passengers are safe.”

Freedom Flotilla slams ‘abductions’
A statement by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition accused Israel military of “abducting” the 21 crew members of the Handala, saying the ship had been “violently intercepted by the Israeli military in international waters about 40 nautical miles from Gaza.

“At 23:43 EEST Palestine time, the Occupation cut the cameras on board Handala and we have lost all communication with our ship.

“The unarmed boat was carrying life-saving supplies when it was boarded by Israeli forces, its passengers abducted, and its cargo seized.

“The interception occurred in international waters outside Palestinian territorial waters off Gaza, in violation of international maritime law.”

The Handala carried a shipment of critical humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza, including baby formula, diapers, food, and medicine, the statement said.

“All cargo was non-military, civilian, and intended for direct distribution to a population facing deliberate starvation and medical collapse under Israel’s illegal blockade.”

The Handala carried 21 civilians representing 12 countries, including parliamentarians, lawyers, journalists, labour organisers, environmentalists, and other human rights defenders.

Seized crew members, journalists
The seized crew includes:

United States: Christian Smalls — Amazon Labor Union founder; Huwaida Arraf — Human rights attorney (Palestine/US); Jacob Berger — Jewish-American activist; Bob Suberi — Jewish US war veteran; Braedon Peluso — sailor and direct action activist; Dr Frank Romano — International lawyer and actor (France/US).

France: Emma Fourreau — MEP and activist (France/Sweden); Gabrielle Cathala — Parliamentarian and former humanitarian worker; Justine Kempf — nurse, Médecins du Monde; Ange Sahuquet — engineer and human rights activist.

Italy: Antonio Mazzeo — teacher, peace researcher, journalist; Antonio “Tony” La Picirella — climate and social justice organiser.

Spain: Santiago González Vallejo — economist and activist; Sergio Toribio — engineer and environmentalist.

Australia: Robert Martin — human rights activist; Tania “Tan” Safi — Journalist and organiser of Lebanese descent.

Norway: Vigdis Bjorvand — 70-year-old lifelong justice activist.

United Kingdom/France: Chloé Fiona Ludden — former UN staff and scientist.

Tunisia: Hatem Aouini — Trade unionist and internationalist activist.

The two journalists on board:

Morocco: Mohamed El Bakkali — senior journalist with Al Jazeera (based in Paris).

Iraq/United States: Waad Al Musa — cameraman and field reporter with Al Jazeera.

The attack on Handala is the third violent act by Israeli forces against Freedom Flotilla missions this year alone, said the statement.

“It follows the drone bombing of the civilian aid ship Conscience in European waters in May, which injured four people and disabled the vessel, and the illegal seizure of the Madleen in June, where Israeli forces abducted 12 civilians, including a Member of the European Parliament.

“Shortly before their abduction, the Handala‘s crew affirmed that they would be hunger-striking if detained by Israeli forces and not accepting any food from the Israeli Occupation Forces.”

Israeli officials have ignored the International Court of Justice’s binding orders that require the facilitation of humanitarian access to Gaza.

The continued attacks on peaceful civilian missions represent a grave violation of international law, said the Freedom Flotilla Coalition.

Kia Ora Gaza support for Handala
In Auckland, Kia Ora Gaza spokesperson Roger Fowler, who is recovering from cancer treatment, said in a statement:

“Kia Ora Gaza is a longtime member of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition and supports the current Handala civil mission to break Israel’s illegal siege of Gaza and end Israel’s campaign to wipe out the Palestinian population.

“All governments must urgently take strong effective action to stop the genocide and occupation and end all complicity with Israel. There are no Kiwis on the Handala which was intercepted under an enforced communications blackout today.”

Activists on board the Handala aid ship before leaving Italy’s Gallipoli Port on July 20, 2025. Image: Valeria Ferraro/Anadolu

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

July 27, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: UPDATE: Charges – Recklessly endanger life – Darwin

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

The Northern Territory Police Force have charged a youth after a serious assault at the Royal Darwin Show overnight.

Around 8:20pm, police received reports that a 15-year-old male had assaulted another 15-year-old male with a knife at the showgrounds after an altercation.

Police and St John Ambulance attended, and the victim was conveyed to Royal Darwin Hospital where he currently remains in a stable condition.

The alleged offender fled the scene, with police arresting him a short time later at a residence in Palmerston.

He has now been charged with Recklessly endanger life and Possess, carry, use a controlled weapon.

The 15-year-old remains in custody awaiting a bail review.

Police are still urging anyone with information to make contact on 131 444 and quote reference P25199834.

MIL OSI News –

July 27, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Hong Kong sees 12 pct YoY growth in tourist arrivals for first half of 2025

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

Hong Kong recorded about 24 million tourist arrivals between January and June, up 12 percent year-on-year, the Hong Kong Tourism Board announced on Saturday.

In June alone, around 3.48 million arrivals were recorded, up 11 percent, with about 2.61 million visitors coming from the Chinese mainland.

The data showed steady growth in visitor numbers during the first half of the year. Arrivals from the mainland totaled about 17.8 million, up 10 percent compared to the same period last year, while non-mainland visitors amounted to around 5.84 million, representing a 17 percent year-on-year increase.

Among short-haul markets, Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines recorded growth of 25 percent or more. For long-haul markets, visitor arrivals from Australia saw the sharpest growth, rising by 33 percent compared to the same period last year.

To boost summer tourism and spending, the tourism board recently launched a summer-themed campaign, offering over 150 summer rewards and consumption perks to both locals and tourists.

MIL OSI China News –

July 27, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Overseas products to make it cheaper to build
Source: New Zealand Government

From tomorrow, thousands of additional building products including plasterboard, cladding systems, external doors, and windows will all be easier to use in construction sites across New Zealand, Mr Penk says

Our government is laser focused on economic growth, which drives more jobs and increasing wages. We want to see a construction boom, and this is an important step.

Quality overseas building products have been given the green light for New Zealand construction, ending costly monopolies on a small number of products that are currently used in New Zealand, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says.

“It is 50 per cent more expensive to build a standalone home in New Zealand than in Australia. That is frankly outrageous.

“These changes have the potential to reduce total building costs by thousands of dollars when building a home.

“For example, New Zealand has some of the most expensive plasterboard in the world. Kiwis pay around 38 per cent more than Australia for plasterboard, 47 per cent more than the UK, and 67 per cent more than the US for the same products.

“And 97 per cent of the plasterboard that we must currently use is made by one established company. You may recall that in 2022, when that company ran into difficulty, prices for plasterboard soared and some builders were reported to pay six times the normal amount so they could finish the job.

“That changes tomorrow.

“This Government is pulling every lever it has to drive economic growth and building materials is one of many areas where a good dose of competition might do the trick.

“There are thousands of well-made, high performing products that have been tested against rigorous international standards but have faced barriers for uptake here, purely because they have not been specifically tested against our own standards. From tomorrow it will be much easier to use plasterboard manufactured in New Zealand, Australia, UK, Europe and the United States.

“This Government is serious about lowering the cost of building and helping Kiwis into homes faster.

“Tomorrow we are releasing the first version of the Building Product Specifications document which lists international standards for products like plasterboard, cladding, windows and external doors.

“Later this year additional pathways will go live enabling more high-quality building products to be used including over 200,000 plumbing products through the Australian Watermark scheme.

“This is just the beginning of our work to open the door to more building products, lower the cost of homes and turbo charge the construction sector and there will be more to come.”

Notes to editor:
- The Building Product Specification document will be published on Monday and will be updated over time to include more trusted international product standards: https://www.building.govt.nz/building-code-compliance/building-product-specifications
- Standards and specifications contained in the BPS have been assessed to ensure they are equivalent or better than current requirements and won’t alter the level of performance set by the New Zealand Building Code.
- Two other pathways to enable greater use of overseas building products are being developed: endorsements of overseas standards by the Minister of Building and Construction, and recognition of products certified overseas as complying with New Zealand’s Building Code.
MIL OSI New Zealand News –
July 27, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: Samsung Electronics Earns Marker of Global Trust With EU RED Certification

Source: Samsung

▲ Taeyong Son, Executive Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics and Frank L. Blaimberger, Vice President of TÜV SÜD, were present at the EU RED certification ceremony.

Samsung Electronics today announced that its latest TVs, monitors and commercial display products have been technically evaluated for compliance with the European Union’s Radio Equipment Directive (RED), including updated cybersecurity requirements that take effect on August 1, 2025.

“With the growing emphasis on security in the industry, we are strengthening security features to stay ahead of this evolving trend,” said Taeyong Son, Executive Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “In addition to this achievement, we are committed to introducing innovations with advanced security and technology globally, thereby reinforcing customer trust in our solutions.”

The EU’s RED, introduced in 2016, establishes essential requirements for the safety, electromagnetic compatibility and efficient spectrum use of radio-equipped products. In 2022, the EU announced expanded cybersecurity rules under the RED to improve protection against network threats, safeguard personal data and reduce the risk of fraud. These new provisions will become mandatory starting August 2025.

The TÜV SÜD assessment covers Samsung’s entire 2024–2025 visual display lineup for the European market, including TVs, monitors, digital signage and Color E-Paper. Samsung is actively extending this compliance process to all applicable product lines as part of its global regulatory readiness strategy.

In fact, this focus on compliance reflects a broader, ongoing commitment to product security across Samsung’s ecosystem. In 2024, the company’s proprietary cryptographic module,

Samsung CryptoCore, earned FIPS 140-3 certification from the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).1 As of 2025, Samsung CryptoCore has been integrated into Tizen OS,2 the operating system powering Samsung Smart TVs, to enhance protection across key product lines including TVs, monitors and digital signage.
In addition, Samsung Smart TVs are equipped with its Samsung Knox security platform, which has earned Common Criteria (CC) certification every year since 2015 — further underscoring Samsung’s leadership in consumer device security.

For more information, visit www.samsung.com.

1 Recognized in the United States, Canada, UK, Germany, France, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.
2 Tizen OS 9.0.

MIL OSI Economics –

July 27, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Shooting at Munno Para West

Source: New South Wales – News

A man has died after a shooting incident at Munno Para West.

Just after 11pm on Saturday 26 July, police were called to a house on Stebonheath Road after reports of a disturbance.

A struggle has occurred between two men at the house after one of the men made threats with a firearm.

Patrols arrived and found a 53-year-old Taperoo man dead from a gunshot wound, believed to be from a gun in his possession.

The gun was recovered nearby.

A 31-year-old man from the house is assisting police with their enquiries.

There are no other persons sought over the matter.

Anyone who witnessed the incident is asked to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or online at www.crimestopperssa.com.au

MIL OSI News –

July 27, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Man arrested after Hindley Street incident

Source: New South Wales – News

A man has been arrested after an incident in the Adelaide CBD last night.

It will be alleged that about 5.15pm on Saturday 27 July, a man forced his way into a massage business on Hindley Street and barricaded himself alone inside the premises.

Staff members were not injured.

Security Response Section members and negotiators were called to the scene to assist patrols in removing the man from the business.

Police used capsicum spray and a taser to safely detain the suspect, a 43-year-old Camden Park man.

He was taken to hospital for a mental health assessment and later released into police custody, where he was charged with trespass, disorderly behaviour and resist arrest.

He was bailed to appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on 15 September.

MIL OSI News –

July 27, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Joint Statement on the Australia-UK Nuclear-Powered Submarine Partnership and Collaboration Treaty
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

News story

Joint Statement on the Australia-UK Nuclear-Powered Submarine Partnership and Collaboration Treaty

On 26 July 2025 in Geelong, Australia, the Honourable Richard Marles MP, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Australia and the Right Honourable John Healey MP, Secretary of State for Defence, United Kingdom (UK) signed the bilateral Nuclear-Powered Submarine Partnership and Collaboration Treaty (the Geelong Treaty) at the UK-Australia Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Geelong, Victoria.
On 26 July 2025 in Geelong, Australia, the Honourable Richard Marles MP, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Australia and the Right Honourable John Healey MP, Secretary of State for Defence, United Kingdom (UK) signed the bilateral Nuclear-Powered Submarine Partnership and Collaboration Treaty (the Geelong Treaty) at the UK-Australia Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Geelong, Victoria. The Geelong Treaty is a historic agreement, the commitment for the next 50 years of UK-Australian bilateral defence cooperation under AUKUS Pillar I.

The Geelong Treaty will enable comprehensive cooperation on the design, build, operation, sustainment, and disposal of our SSN-AUKUS submarines. It will support the development of the personnel, workforce, infrastructure and regulatory systems required for Australia’s SSN-AUKUS programme, as well as support port visits and the rotational presence of a UK Astute-class submarine at HMAS Stirling under Submarine Rotational Force – West.

The Treaty builds on the strong foundation of trilateral cooperation between Australia, the UK and the United States, advancing the shared objectives of the AUKUS partnership. It will enable the development of SSN-AUKUS and resilient trilateral supply chains.

Importantly, the Geelong Treaty is consistent with Australia’s and the UK’s respective international nuclear non-proliferation obligations, including under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty and its Protocols, and Australia’s safeguards agreements with the International Atomic Energy Agency, and the trilateral AUKUS Naval Nuclear Propulsion Agreement (ANNPA).

Together with the ANNPA, the Treaty will enable Australia and the UK to deliver a cutting-edge undersea capability through the SSN-AUKUS programme, and in doing so, support stability and security in the Euro Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific for decades to come, drive defence as an engine for growth across our two nations, create thousands of jobs, build our respective submarine industrial bases and supply chains, and provide new opportunities for industry partners.

Share this page

The following links open in a new tab

Share on Facebook (opens in new tab)

Share on Twitter (opens in new tab)

Updates to this page

Published 26 July 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
July 26, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: UPDATE: Concern for welfare – Kakadu

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

The Northern Territory Police Force no longer hold concerns for the welfare for Nicholas, as it is believed he has gone bushwalking until the 30 July 2025.

Officers from the Search and Rescue Section received the information a short time ago.

Police would like to thank the public for their assistance.

MIL OSI News –

July 26, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Fatal crash, Forth

Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

Fatal crash, Forth

Saturday, 26 July 2025 – 6:12 pm.

At approximately 12.40pm today, emergency services responded to reports of a crash on Wilmot Road where a tree had fallen onto a 4WD utility as it was travelling on the roadway.
Sadly, the driver of the vehicle, a man in his 50s died at the scene.
The passenger in the vehicle, a woman in her 50s was provided medical assistance at the scene and was being flown to the Royal Hobart Hospital with serious injuries.
Our thoughts and condolences are with everyone affected by the crash.

MIL OSI News –

July 26, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Concern for welfare – Kakadu

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

The Northern Territory Police Force hold concerns for the welfare of Nicholas, who was last seen on Thursday evening at the Karnamarr Campground, near Jim Jim Falls, Kakadu National Park.

Nicholas arrived at the camp on Wednesday 23 July and paid for one night. On Friday 25 July, the campground manager noticed that his vehicle and camp were still at the location. After conducting initial enquiries around the camp he contacted Kakadu National Park management and the concerns were later escalated to Police. Kakadu National Park Rangers began conducting search operations early Saturday morning, utilising their experienced Rangers and a JetRanger Helicopter.

At 9am on Saturday, the Northern Territory Police Search and Rescue Section were notified and began coordinating search efforts.

A large search operation is underway in the vicinity of the campground and within the Jim Jim Falls region involving ground and aerial teams. Police are working closely with Kakadu National Park Rangers and Traditional Owners.

Anyone who was in the area since Wednesday 23 July who may have dashcam footage or have seen or spoken to the Nicholas is asked to contact NT Police on 131444 and quote reference number P25199346.

MIL OSI News –

July 26, 2025
India advances Siddha’s global reach with WHO standards, cementing role as Ayush knowledge hub

Source: Government of India

Source: Government of India (4)

India has taken a significant step toward globalizing its traditional medical systems, with the World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with the Ministry of Ayush and the Central Council for Research in Siddha (CCRS), concluding a two-day WHO External Expert Group Meeting on July 24–25. The meeting focused on finalizing the Draft WHO Technical Reports on Training and Practice in Siddha, aiming to establish globally harmonized standards for this ancient Indian medical system.

In his keynote address, Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary of the Ministry of Ayush, emphasized India’s commitment to promoting evidence-based practices in traditional medicine. He underscored the importance of robust training standards to enhance Siddha’s global credibility. Joint Secretary Monalisa Dash highlighted Siddha’s scientific relevance and cultural heritage, describing it as a living tradition with growing international resonance. She stressed the need for structured, evidence-based training to elevate Siddha’s global recognition.

Dr. Kim Sungchol, Head of WHO’s Traditional, Complementary, and Integrative Medicine (TCI) Unit, praised India’s leadership in traditional medicine and outlined WHO’s vision to integrate Siddha into national healthcare systems while preserving its traditional roots. He acknowledged the Ministry of Ayush’s technical and financial support in developing evidence-based documents.

The hybrid-mode meeting brought together 16 international experts from 11 countries across all six WHO regions, including Sri Lanka, Japan, Malaysia, the USA, the UK, Germany, Switzerland, the UAE, Singapore, Canada, and Australia. Their region-specific inputs enriched the draft documents, ensuring their global applicability while preserving Siddha’s indigenous identity. Facilitated by WHO’s TCI Unit and supported by the Government of India, the deliberations marked a milestone in aligning Siddha with international frameworks.

July 26, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP 2025 RETURNS TO PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)

LAE, Papua New Guinea – Now in its 21st iteration, the Pacific Partnership series is the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster management preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific., July, 26.

Returning to Papua New Guinea following last year’s visit to Port Moresby and Wewak, the mission team will work to strengthen relationships, and bolster host nation capacity in order to provide humanitarian services, and support efforts to prepare and respond to potential natural disasters in the Indo-Pacific region. Engagements for this year’s mission are scheduled to take place across Lae and Port Moresby.

At the invitation of Papua New Guinea, Pacific Partnership’s mission is based on the shared goal of enhancing partnerships with allied nations and building mutual understanding. People-to-people relationships, forged over decades of joint exercises, exchanges, and collaborative response to real-world crises, illustrate the value we place in our allies and partners, and our enduring commitment to maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific as well as Papua New Guinea outreach events. This year’s mission, featuring nearly 1500 personnel from the United States and participating nations including Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Republic of Korea (ROK), Singapore, and the United Kingdom.

“I am excited for what Pacific Partnership 2025 is bringing to Papua New Guinea and grateful for the help of the eight partner nations who are here with us in this effort,” said U.S. Navy Capt. Mark Stefanik, Mission Commander. “The focus is on collective capacity building that strengthens our collaboration with our allies and partners, beginning here in Papua New Guinea — providing opportunities to develop operations, activities and investments as we prepare in calm for times of crisis.”

While in Papua New Guinea, Pacific Partnership 2025 will provide tailored medical subject-matter exchanges and community education, conduct repairs at a local schoolhouse, and knowledge exchanges with exercises covering disaster response and humanitarian assistance. Additionally, the U.S. Pacific Fleet Band, accompanied by band members from the supporting nations, will perform in a variety of community engagements.

“We plan to create lasting bonds of friendship and trust between mission partners and host nations by coming together to prepare in calm, in order to be able to respond quickly in crisis.” said Col. Matt Churchward, Deputy Mission Commander.

Pacific Partnership 2025 underscores the essential role public health plays in strengthening regional cooperation, improving medical readiness, and building trust among partner nations.

Date Taken: 07.26.2025

Date Posted: 07.26.2025 00:59

Story ID: 543920

Location: PG

Web Views: 3

Downloads: 0

PUBLIC DOMAIN

This work, PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP 2025 RETURNS TO PAPUA NEW GUINEA, by CPO Julio Rivera, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.

MIL Security OSI –

July 26, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: International flight boost for Melbourne

Source: Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority

Hong Kong Airlines is set to touchdown at Tullamarine, becoming the 41^st carrier to land at Victoria’s gateway airport.

From December, the airline will run three services a week between Melbourne and Hong Kong, offering passengers onward connections across Asia and Europe.

This follows the expansion to the Australian-Hong Kong bilateral air services arrangements in October 2024, allowing for an additional 14 passenger services per week.

Hong Kong Airlines’ entry into the Victorian market accompanies the Australian Government approval of a major development plan for a third runway at Melbourne Airport in September 2024.

The third runway will help cater for Victoria’s growing demand for freight and passenger services, driving economic growth for years to come.

With passenger numbers continuing to grow, the Australian Government has also increased its investment in the future Melbourne Airport Rail Link.

Planning work is underway, with new steering committee chair Merren McArthur working with the Airport, State and Federal Governments to progress the project.

Quotes attributable to Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King:

Tullamarine isn’t just Melbourne’s airport, it’s our state’s key link to the world.

These additional flights to Hong Kong will mean more connections from Melbourne to Manila, Ballarat to Berlin and regional Vic to Reykjavik.

Tullamarine has room to grow and we have approved Melbourne Airport’s plan to construct a third runway so we can accommodate more flights in and out.

We’re also investing $7 billion in the Melbourne Airport Rail Link, so passengers can easily travel from the airport to Melbourne’s CBD, Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo or anywhere on our rail network.

This is an important investment in Melbourne’s airport that will keep Victoria better connected for years to come.

MIL OSI News –

July 26, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Major upgrades for the heart of the Scenic Rim

Source: Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority

The Beaudesert community (west of the Gold Coast) is benefitting from major town centre upgrades and vital infrastructure improvements delivering safer streets and greener public spaces.

The Albanese and Crisafulli governments have partnered with the Scenic Rim Council to fund these upgrades with around $22.4 million of total support.

Beaudesert Town Centre Revitalisation

The Town Centre Revitalisation has delivered a new community space featuring an amphitheatre, open parklands, public toilet facilities, off-street carparks, and large parking bays for caravans, buses and trailers.

It was jointly funded by more than $4.19 million from the Australian Government, $3.75 million from the Queensland Government and more than $6.43 million from Scenic Rim Regional Council.

New stormwater infrastructure on Brisbane and Eaglesfield streets

New stormwater infrastructure has been delivered on Brisbane and Eaglesfield streets from William Street to Selwyn Street.

This will improve flood resilience for town centre businesses and increase safety for pedestrians and vehicles during and following weather events, as well as enabling activity to resume more quickly.

It was supported by more than $2.17 million from the Australian Government under the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure (LRCI) Program and nearly $1.26 million from Scenic Rim Regional Council.

Brisbane and Selwyn Street roundabout

The new Brisbane and Selwyn Street roundabout is complete, increasing pedestrian safety with street upgrades and traffic calming devices.

The project upgraded parkland facilities, transport and stormwater infrastructure, as well as landscaping and footpaths.

Works were funded with more than $660,000 from the Queensland Government and nearly $3.94 million from Scenic Rim Regional Council.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories, the Hon Kristy McBain MP:

“These upgrades mark significant investments in Beaudesert’s main street and will be a massive boost for the Scenic Rim region.

“I’m especially looking forward to seeing locals enjoy the fantastic new town centre facilities.

“It’s another great example of how we are partnering across all levels of government to deliver communities the infrastructure they need and deserve.”

Quotes attributable to Senator for Queensland Corinne Mulholland:

“The Albanese Government is committed to funding projects that make a real difference in local liveability, and this impressive town centre revitalisation will be enjoyed for generations to come.

“Our investment not only provides an immediate stimulus for the local economy and jobs, it also invests in the pride locals feel about the aesthetic and amenities in this beautiful town.

“Mayor Sharp toured me around the Scenic Rim earlier this month and it was clear the council is successfully delivering on its commitment to a back-to-basics focus on the services and infrastructure ratepayers expect, while also keeping a forward-looking focus on how to keep this beautiful region moving forward.”

Quotes attributable to Qld Minister for Local Government, Ann Leahy:

“The Crisafulli Government is committed to delivering the infrastructure to support growing communities.

“These upgrades in the Scenic Rim are a great example of what can be achieved when all three levels of government work together with the shared goal to deliver for local communities.”

Quotes attributable to Mayor of Scenic Rim Regional Council, Tom Sharp:

“The upgrades have redefined Beaudesert’s role as a vibrant and thriving centre for the Scenic Rim community.

“These projects reflect years of planning and community input, resulting in safer streets, greener spaces, better parking, and a town centre that truly reflects who we are.”

MIL OSI News –

July 26, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Historic exhibition exchange between Australia and China

Source:

Australia and China continue to strengthen cultural links with a historic exchange between our national museums.

A Memorandum of Understanding will see the National Museum of Australia’s critically acclaimed exhibition Songlines: Tracking the Seven Sisters travel to the National Museum of China from November 2026.

Meanwhile, the National Museum of Australia will welcome the Terracotta Warriors exhibition on loan from the Shaanxi Cultural Heritage Promotion Centre from December 2026.

The exchange was welcomed by the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Chinese Premier Li Qiang during the Australia-China Annual Leaders’ Meeting in Beijing.

It further demonstrates commitment on both sides to continued collaboration across our arts and cultural sectors as enshrined in the 15th Implementation Program for Cultural Exchanges, a joint outcome of the Australia-China Annual Leaders’ Meeting in June 2024.

Songlines is led by an Indigenous Community Curatorium and details an ancient First Nations creation saga across the APY (Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara) lands of the central deserts, the Ngaanyatjarra lands in western Australia and the Martu lands in north-west Australia.

The Terracotta Warriors were created more than 2,000 years ago and their discovery is marked as one of the greatest archaeological events of the 20th century.

Minister for the Arts, Tony Burke, said the exchange reflected a shared commitment to strengthening ties and understanding between the two nations.

“This exchange will provide Australian audiences with a rare opportunity to glimpse into a fascinating period of Chinese history.

“Likewise, Chinese audiences can look forward to gaining a deeper understanding of First Nations people’s rich history and culture.

“Cultural exchanges are an important way to build mutual understanding and appreciation, and this agreement will serve to reinforce the important links between our countries, communities and cultural institutions.”

National Museum of Australia director, Katherine McMahon, thanked both the National Museum of China and the Shaanxi Cultural Heritage Promotion Centre, for their collaboration on the cultural exchange.

“This historic exhibition exchange is the result of more than a decade of ongoing work in China by the National Museum of Australia.

“We are so proud to take Songlines to Beijing to introduce this epic First Nations creation saga to Chinese audiences, while Australians will be enthralled by archaeological treasures when Terracotta Warriors opens in Canberra.”

MIL OSI News –

July 26, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Albany artificial reef makes a splash

Source:

Local surfers and tourists have a new surfing site in Albany with the Southern Ocean Surf Reef officially opened today.

The artificial reef offers an accessible surfing site offshore from Middleton Beach at Albany.

The reef will create a more consistent quality, surfable wave for surfers with beginner to intermediate abilities, along with advanced surfers on larger swells.

The Albanese Government contributed $5 million and the Cook Government $4.75 million towards the build, delivered by the City of Albany and managed by project contractor Heron Construction Limited.

The project also secured financial support from local funding sources.

Specialist marine equipment was required for the complex build with local quarried rocks used on the seabed floor of the artificial reef location.

The design provides surfing rides of up to 100 metres during average conditions, with surfable waves expected for more than 40 per cent of the year over the reef, with further surfing opportunities inshore of the reef.

Quotes attributable to Federal Acting Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Julie Collins:

“Middleton Beach is a much-loved destination for both locals and tourists and this new artificial surf reef is an exciting addition.

“This project will cater to surfers of all levels by creating safer and more consistent surf conditions, unlike some of the more challenging breaks in the area. It’s a terrific project and our government is very proud to have supported it.”

Quotes attributable to WA Regional Development Minister Stephen Dawson:

“Congratulations to the City of Albany, the Albany Boardriders, and Surfing WA, which have helped make a vision for an accessible surfing site close to town a reality.

“The Southern Ocean Surf Reef is set to become a significant recreational and tourism asset for the Great Southern.

“The Cook Government is committed to supporting vibrant communities across regional WA.”

Quotes attributable to WA Acting Great Southern and Tourism Minister Don Punch:

“The Southern Ocean Surf Reef project will add yet another outdoor attraction for visitors to the diverse Great Southern.

“The reef has quickly become popular with a wide range of users, from school groups and beginner surfers to experienced riders enjoying larger swells.

“Community feedback has been very positive, with local surfers praising the increase in waves and quality both on the reef and close to shore.”

Quotes attributable to WA Senator Varun Ghosh:

“This recreational infrastructure will help to nurture Albany’s surfing community and contribute to local health and wellbeing.

“Year-round access to a high-quality swell opens the door for Albany to become a popular destination for surfing competitions and events.

“Surfers in Albany can now do what they love without needing to travel out of town to unpatrolled and isolated beaches.”

MIL OSI News –

July 26, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Mooloolaba Foreshore the place to meet

Source:

Ground has broken on the Mooloolaba Central Meeting Place, as part of the Mooloolaba Foreshore Stage Two works.

The upgrades will introduce more shaded areas, all-ability beachfront access, and a new viewing deck to take in the beauty of the Mooloolaba Beach and are jointly funded with $6.66 million from the Albanese Government, $6.66 million from the Queensland Government and more than $7.11 million from the Sunshine Coast Council

The Sunshine Coast Council engaged actively with the local community in 2022, proposing detailed designs, taking on board suggestions, and putting forward the community’s preferred option for the foreshore in January 2023.

Fast-forward to today, and the community’s dreams are becoming reality with first works starting ahead of a much-anticipated completion in 2027.

When finished, the foreshore will include improved beachfront parkland, lighting, new modern amenities, event spaces, public artwork and broader accessible pathways.

The Central Meeting Place is one of the successful local infrastructure projects that aim to boost community lifestyle across Queensland’s south-east corner through the $285.8 million SEQ Liveability Fund.

As part of the Mooloolaba Foreshore Revitalisation Project a new seawall will also be constructed which will add terraced seating and improved connections to the beach while protecting it from erosion.

The new seawall is funded with $7.95 million from the Albanese Government’s Disaster Ready Fund, and will ensure the foreshore is built to withstand future weather extremes.

This investment is in addition to the $6.66 million for the Mooloolaba Central Meeting Place project, taking the total Albanese Government investment to the Mooloolaba Foreshore to $14.61 million.

The community can follow the Mooloolaba Foreshore Revitalisation Project on the Sunshine Coast Council’s website.

Quotes attributable to Acting Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Julie Collins:

“Mooloolaba locals are here for the iconic Queensland lifestyle.

“They want to live close to the beautiful beaches and nature that this corner of the sunshine state is known for.

“The Mooloolaba Central Meeting Place will make their region better equipped and more accessible than ever.”

Quotes attributable to Federal Emergency Management Minister Kristy McBain:

“This funding will help protect homes, businesses and our iconic beachfront from the impacts of severe weather and rising seas, while creating a safer, more welcoming space for families and visitors to gather year-round.

“Upgrading the seawall and revitalising the foreshore means locals, surf clubs and small businesses can keep sharing everything we love about Mooloolaba with the rest of Australia and the world.

“Our Government is committed to working side by side with state and local partners to deliver resilient, future-ready infrastructure that keeps coastal communities strong and connected.”

Quotes attributable to Queensland Senator Corinne Mulholland:

“Already boasting a stunning beach, and esplanade packed with accommodation, bars and restaurants, the foreshore upgrades will see Mooloolaba remain a premier destination for locals and tourists alike.

“Creating new shared spaces, delivering 6,500m² of beachfront parklands and protecting the foreshore for the future with a new seawall, this work will unlock significant benefits for the community. I’m proud that our Government is investing $14.61 million to make this a reality for Mooloolaba.”

Quotes attributable to Sunshine Coast Council Environment and Liveability Councillor Tim Burns:

“This stage is a significant step in creating a world-class beachfront destination being delivered in partnership with the Federal and State governments and carried out by leading contractor SEE Group.

“Our accommodation providers, local cafés and restaurants, boutiques and tourism operators are open and ready to welcome you.

“Your support during this time will help ensure they continue to thrive alongside the revitalised foreshore.”

MIL OSI News –

July 26, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Crews on the move for vital upgrade of flood-prone Youngs Crossing

Source: NGARKAT HIGHWAY, NGARKAT (Grass Fire)

Work crews and equipment have started arriving on site as works begin on the Youngs Crossing upgrade; a project which will significantly enhance the reliability of this key transport connection in the City of Moreton Bay.

The upgrade will include the construction of a new four-lane bridge west of the existing Youngs Crossing bridge, as well as three new signalised intersections and improved pedestrian and active transport connections.

For generations, heavy rain events and water flows into the North Pine River and Sideling Creek have led to the closure of Youngs Crossing Road, causing delays and congestion on surrounding roads.

The road is used by more than 20,000 vehicles a day and since 2021 the crossing has been closed for an average of 12 days a year. This year, the road has already been closed for a total of 14 days.

Works will now begin on the $86 million program of works to be delivered by Seymour Whyte.

With construction beginning this month, the project is expected to be completed in mid-2027, weather permitting.

As work gets underway residents and road users are encouraged to register for project updates. For the latest on the project, visit www.moretonbay.qld.gov.au/youngs-crossing and register via the ’Stay Connected’ link.

Quotes attributable to Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King:

“Each and every flood event at this crossing impacts both residents and businesses – sometimes for days on end.

“With Moreton Bay experiencing rapid growth, this project will deliver much-needed flood immunity and cater for increasing volumes of traffic on this stretch of road.

“The Australian Government is working in partnership with the Queensland Government and the City of Moreton Bay to deliver this crucial upgrade.”

Quotes attributable to Queensland Minister for Transport and Main Roads Brent Mickelberg:

“We’re committed to delivering the vital transport infrastructure communities across our state need to ensure safety, reliability, and connectivity.

“Part of the upgrade includes improvements to the Dayboro Road intersection, which includes boosting its turning capacities and the inclusion of additional lanes, new cyclist and pedestrian facilities and safety improvements.”

Quotes attributable to Federal Member for Dickson Ali France:

“I know just how much sudden road closures due to rain impact our community.

“This significant road update will help people in Dickson get home faster, so they can spend more time with their families and less time on the road. This project will be felt for generations to come.

“In 2024 the Albanese Government announced it would commit an additional $18.9 million towards the project, bringing our total commitment to $51.6 million and demonstrating our support for this critical project.”

Quotes attributable to City of Moreton Bay Mayor Peter Flannery:

“It is an historic day, with the countdown to the 2027 opening of the new-four lane bridge and road officially underway. This is what happens when all levels of Government work together for their communities.

“The site will become a hive of activity over the coming weeks as crews from our principal contractor, Seymour Whyte Constructions, work towards delivering this important flood-immune river crossing for City of Moreton Bay and its communities.

“This highly anticipated upgrade is one of the most extensive road infrastructure projects to be delivered by Council, with other improvements including new pedestrian, cycling and safety features.

“I’m pleased that our Council has been able to pull this project out of the ‘too hard basket’ where it has been stuck for decades.”

MIL OSI News –

July 26, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: New Waratah Park all-abilities playground facility complete

Source: NGARKAT HIGHWAY, NGARKAT (Grass Fire)

Families in the Sutherland Shire, in Sydney’s south, have a new recreation destination with the completion of the Waratah Park Playground.

The new all-abilities playground features play space equipment, accessible pathways, picnic shelters, seating, lighting, and CCTV, enhancing safety and liveability for local residents.

An accessible amenities building has also been included for children and their carers.

Located right next to the Sutherland Leisure Centre, it’s the latest part of the local sports precinct and recreation reserve.

The project was made possible by $1.2 million from the Australian Government and more than $929,000 from the Sutherland Shire Council.

It’s one of several projects across NSW receiving a total of $12 million from the Australian Government’s Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program (LRCI).

Council undertook extensive community consultation to inform the design of the park, with works beginning in April and completed in June this year.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories, the Hon Kristy McBain MP:

“The Waratah Park Playground is a fantastic new facility for families.

“The Albanese Government continues to partner with local governments like Sutherland Shire to get high-priority community projects off the ground.

“We are delivering the infrastructure our communities deserve.”

Quotes attributable to Federal Member for Hughes, David Moncrieff MP:

“The Australian Government has delivered another fantastic facility for families in southern Sydney – one that reflects the unique history of our area, and which will provide benefits for our children and the next generation in the years to come.

“The Sutherland community has advocated for increased access to playgrounds in this area.

“I am so excited that we have been able to deliver Waratah Park Playground.”

Quotes attributable to Sutherland Shire Mayor, Cr Jack Boyd:

“I’m proud to deliver a facility in partnership with the Australian Government that embodies inclusivity and enhances recreational opportunities for young families.

“This playground is more than just a place to play; it’s a space where children of all abilities can come together, learn, and have fun.

“We are committed to creating high quality, inclusive spaces that reflect the diverse needs of our growing community, and Waratah Park playground is a shining example of that.

“This is the second regional all-abilities playground to be delivered in Sutherland Shire, following the opening of Cooper Street Reserve playground last year.

“This approach has been incredibly well received by the community and ensures that every child can experience the simple joy of playing outdoors.

“Sutherland Shire Council thanks the Australian Government for its support in bringing this brand new regional all-abilities playground to life.”

MIL OSI News –

July 26, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Chair of the Australia Council Board appointed

Source: NGARKAT HIGHWAY, NGARKAT (Grass Fire)

The Australian Government has appointed Professor Wesley Enoch AM as Chair of the Australia Council Board of Creative Australia for a 4-year term.

The Australia Council Board provides leadership to Creative Australia – the Government’s principal arts investment and advisory body, championing creativity to benefit all Australians.

Professor Enoch has been Deputy Chair since August 2023 and has led the Board as Acting Chair since Robert Morgan’s retirement in May.

As well as being the first practising artist, he’s also the first First Nations person to hold the position.

Minister for the Arts, Tony Burke, said Professor Enoch’s appointment would ensure Creative Australia can deliver for our arts sector.

“Wesley has been instrumental during the transformation of Creative Australia and delivering on Creative Australia’s commitments under the National Cultural Policy – Revive.

His wealth of experience as an industry leader and his knowledge of Australia’s creative sector will provide the Board with valuable leadership.”

“I’d also like to again thank Robert for his years of service to the Board and dedication to championing the arts.”

Professor Wesley Enoch is a proud Quandamooka man from Minjerribah, an internationally acclaimed playwright and artistic director.

Professor Enoch has written and directed iconic Indigenous productions including The 7 Stages of Grieving, Black Medea and The Story of The Miracles at Cookie’s Table. He has also directed productions of The Sapphires, Black Diggers, I am Eora, The Man From Mukinupin, Yibiyung, Parramatta Girls and Black Cockatoo.

Professor Enoch has been Professor of Indigenous Practice, Creative Industries at Queensland University of Technology since 2021. He leads the national conversation on the place of Indigenous Australia within the creative industries through his unique First Nations perspective on learning, teaching and research, fostering career pathways and opportunities for students and professionals. He was also the Artistic Director of the Sydney Festival from 2017 to 2020 and was previously the Artistic Director at Kooemba Jdarra Indigenous Performing Arts and the Ilbijerri Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander Theatre Co-operative.

MIL OSI News –

July 26, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: From plans to pavement: federal and state governments to deliver a major upgrade for the M5 and Western Sydney

Source: Workplace Gender Equality Agency

The Albanese and Minns governments are getting on with delivering the critical infrastructure Western Sydney needs, with the NSW government today signing a contract with Seymour Whyte to upgrade an infamous traffic chokepoint in Sydney’s south west.

The project includes a new three lane toll-free bridge over the Georges River and train lines at Liverpool, improving the connections between the M5 Motorway, Moorebank Avenue and the Hume Highway.

The upgrade includes the removal of the weave on the M5 Motorway between Moorebank Avenue and the Hume Highway to improve safety and traffic flow for road users entering and exiting the M5 Motorway.

The project will also include a new underpass at Moorebank Avenue, connecting the M5 Motorway westbound to the Hume Highway, and upgrade the intersection between the M5 Motorway and Moorebank Avenue.

The existing bridge over the Georges River, which connects the M5 Motorway to the Hume Highway and Moorebank Avenue, sees more than 2,500 trucks a day move from the Moorebank Intermodal Terminal Precinct onto the Sydney motorway network.

Afternoon peak sees traffic bank up, as cars and trucks entering the motorway westbound at Moorebank Avenue attempt to merge with traffic already on the motorway that is looking to exit at the Hume Highway. Truck numbers on the interchange are also expected to increase as new sections of the expansive Moorebank Intermodal Terminal Precinct come online.

The Albanese and Minns governments are partnering to build a better NSW through investments in major infrastructure. Both have each committed $190 million towards this project as part of the ongoing Western Sydney infrastructure blitz.

Quotes attributable to Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King:

“This upgrade will ensure the conga-line of trucks coming in and out of the Moorebank Intermodal Terminal Precinct can flow more freely, keeping goods moving to their destinations, while delivering real benefits for commuters during peak periods.

“Western Sydney is growing quickly and the Albanese Government is investing over $19 billion to deliver the transport infrastructure Western Sydney needs.”

Quotes attributable to Acting NSW Premier Ryan Park:

“Western Sydney is the economic powerhouse of our state, and investments like this M5 upgrade ensure we’re building the infrastructure backbone to support continued growth and prosperity.

“We’re not just building roads, we’re building opportunities for families, businesses and freight operators who depend on efficient connections across the growing region.”

Quotes attributable to NSW Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison:

“Today’s contract signing is a major milestone that brings us one step closer to getting shovels in the ground on the infrastructure Western Sydney needs.

“This upgrade will slash congestion and create a safer driving environment for the thousands of motorists who use this critical interchange every day.

“The contract is signed, the builders are ready, and soon we’ll be improving connections across our region. The extra lanes will remove the need for around 3,900 vehicles per day to weave between lanes, making journeys safer and faster for families and freight operators alike.”

Quotes attributable to Federal Member for Hughes David Moncrieff:

“This is fantastic news for my community in south west Sydney. For too long, locals have been stuck in traffic at this congestion pinch point, especially during afternoon peak periods.

“This upgrade will eliminate a major bottleneck and help traffic flow along the M5, making a real difference to the daily lives of families and workers in our area. It’s great to see both levels of government working together to deliver the infrastructure we need.”

Quotes attributable to Federal Member for Werriwa Anne Stanley:

“This is great news for residents of Werriwa who utilise this road every day.

“The improvement in traffic flow will save commuters time and stress. I look forward to the completion of this long awaited and necessary section of road.”

MIL OSI News –

July 26, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Press conference, Sydney

Source: Workplace Gender Equality Agency

ANNE STANLEY: Hi, everyone. Thank you for being here this morning. My name is Anne Stanley. I’m the Federal Member for Werriwa. This is a fantastic start to more roads that will make sure that this part of the world is not in gridlock all the time. It will get trucks moving around our part of the world. And it is fantastic that the New South Wales Labor Government and the Federal Labor Government are finally doing what we’ve been waiting over 20 years to happen. So I’m just going to hand over now to Minister King to talk to you.

CATHERINE KING: Great, thanks very much. And first, can I just say to Anne and to David, our new Member for Hughes, it’s so fantastic to be here. I think this is the first event that I’ve done with David here in this space, but it’s great to be here with both of you. But also, of course, Ryan Park as Acting Premier and my friend and colleague, Jenny Aitchison who worked so closely together on projects such as this.

Well, we know that driving westbound along the M5 has become quite difficult for people. As the Moorebank Intermodal Precinct has come online, the weave that happens as trucks are trying to get on to the M5 to then get on to the Hume to get our goods to and from market. They’re also obviously competing with the many people and many commuters who live in this area who are finding that they are often queued back for almost a kilometre as we do that weave to try and get through this intersection. And really, the announcement today, this $380 million announcement, 50-50 funding, State and Federal Government working in partnership together, is about untangling that weave, untangling that intersection to make sure that commuters can get to and from work faster, that our trucks can get to market, and to move around this precinct more efficiently, because we know that economic activity is incredibly important here in this part of Sydney, and we also want to make sure people are able to move about efficiently and safely. Any time that a family is spending in a car or a worker is spending in a car, it’s time that they are not spending at home with their families. So this upgrade, it’s a complex piece of work. The fact that we’re here today getting the contracts signed for the delivery of this project, it’s been a long time coming, but I’m really delighted. And it’s taken, really, a federal and state Labor government who really don’t just talk about projects, we actually deliver them. We do the hard work, we do the planning, we do the design work, and we actually deliver projects, and I’m delighted to be here as part of that.

I’ll hand over to Jenny, and then I think the Acting Premier is going to say a few words, take some questions, and then they’re going to sign a contract. Thanks everybody.

JENNY AITCHISON: Thanks everyone. It’s great to be here today with Catherine King, Minister for Infrastructure federally, and federal colleagues Anne and David, and of course, my state colleagues, Acting Premier Ryan Park and the Member for Liverpool, Charishma Kaliyanda.

It is a great day, a great announcement, $380 million to ensure that the success that we are seeing with freight and ensuring that our goods get to market is delivered. So we’ve just been over at the Moorebank Intermodal, and this will be a critical piece of infrastructure that will realise the potential of that development. Getting those vehicle movements to stop weaving between the lanes, the interchange to be grade-separated will be a major game-change. There will be upgrades to rail and also to pedestrian infrastructure. This will make this a much better piece of transport for all road users and stop that interweaving that we’re seeing of up to 2900 vehicles a day doing that. We’re looking at 2500 trucks using this, so it is really important for safety, for congestion busting, that we get this right.

The Minns Labor Government is building better communities right across Western Sydney and indeed all of New South Wales, and this is a significant step forward. I’m really pleased that we’ll be signing the contract today with Seymour Whyte. It’s a design and construct contract, so they will be doing that design work. But people will start to see work happening soon as the geotechnical investigations happen, and then we will hope to have shovels in the ground very shortly after that. So, it is a major piece of investment in our communities of Western Sydney that have been crying out for so long for assistance with reducing those traffic snares. As Minister King said, every minute in the car is a minute away from friends, from family, from that wonderful time we have of recreation and rest. And most importantly, it’s the safety aspects of this to ensure that once the cars and the trucks are using this infrastructure, they are able to do so safely without creating issues.

I’m going to pass over now to Acting Premier Ryan Park, and he can give you a few comments as well

ACTING PREMIER RYAN PARK: Thank you, Minister, and thank you, Minister King, for being here. It’s delightful that you’re in this portfolio again. I know it’s one that you’re very passionate about. It’s great for New South Wales to continue their partnership and relationship with the Albanese Labor Government in Canberra and to Catherine King, who’s a very experienced Minister when it comes to the delivery of infrastructure. Thank you to Minister Aitchison and the team from Transport for New South Wales, local members at both the state and federal level. Anne Stanley was saying to me earlier that this is something that has been around since 2008, so no doubt the people of South Western Sydney can’t wait for this to happen.

A $380 million investment in an important part of the road network essentially improves efficiency, improves safety, improves travel times for people moving in and around this area, but also in particular for freight. That’s a very important part of what happens in this South Western Sydney component. This is a major freight hub, not just for New South Wales but the entire country. And what we know is we need to continue to invest in the road infrastructure to make sure that we are delivering roads that are safe, performing efficiently and effectively for local community members, as well as those moving in and around there from other areas.

I do want to speak a little bit overnight about a report that I’ve received from Dr Chant in relation to influenza, COVID, and RSV. Influenza continues to rise. We are continuing to see significant cases of influenza being presented to our local emergency departments. I can’t stress this enough right now: as we are heading to the peak or just on peak of influenza, we need people to get vaccinated. We need children to get vaccinated. We are still seeing not enough people, both over the age of 65 and young children, getting that vaccination. We need to take pressure off our emergency departments as we head through the winter months. And what we can all want to do over the winter here in New South Wales and, of course, in Sydney, is enjoy our surroundings, enjoy being with family. You can’t do that if you have the flu. So I’m saying to people today, once again, we are reaching or on the verge of reaching the peak in terms of influenza, but that is an important message to get through about making sure you go and get vaccinated. That includes young children and particularly includes older people.

We’ve also got to emphasise with this much influenza around, RSV and of course COVID, which has started to stabilise – we’ve probably reached the peak of COVID – please don’t go to aged care facilities if you’re unwell. Please stay at home. Please don’t go to hospitals. What we want to do is make sure that our system can perform for those who need our hospital system. What we don’t want to do is people stuck in our hospital system with serious case of influenza, RSV or COVID. We can all do our thing and what we can do is go and get vaccinated.

CATHERINE KING: I’ll leave questions to you. Any questions?

JOURNALIST: You mentioned that shovels will be in the ground shortly. Do you have any more indication of when that would be?

RYAN PARK: Well, I understand we’ve got to sign the contract today, and then we’ve got to make sure that, as all state governments do, we spend the Commonwealth’s money as quickly and as fast as we can.

[Laughter]

CATHERINE KING: On time and on budget.

RYAN PARK: That’s always the way. Never get in the road of a state government minister and some federal government money, but it’ll happen very, very soon. Shovels in the ground, and we’ll be proceeding with this project I imagine in the next few weeks.

JOURNALIST: How long will the construction take?

JENNY AITCHISON: Yep. So, the project will, the actual construction will start in early 2026. By the time the design elements are done, it will take probably two years to do that. Obviously, we will be working to expedite that as much as possible with the contractors and, you know, the way that we have been working in New South Wales on ensuring that our infrastructure spend is spent in a much more measured and considered way will help us to keep to those time frames. But obviously, you know, weather and other factors can come in.

JOURNALIST: And how long do you expect it to take once the construction starts in early 2026?

JENNY AITCHISON: Yeah, so we’re expecting that it will take a couple of years to get construction finalised. Obviously, that depends on a range of factors of weather and things like that. But, you know, we know that we have been working very hard to get our construction timelines back under control to ensure that things are being built on time and ready for the public. We know that during this time there is often disruptions for local communities. We thank them for their patience during that time.

JOURNALIST: And those disruptions that will happen, they’re obviously necessary, so to speak, but what impact do you expect to have for traffic?

JENNY AITCHISON: Look, what will happen is that there will be the usual construction impact, so that may be lane closures at particular times to keep workers safe. Everything these days- we know that there have been some really big challenges for construction work on roads. We’re really urging cars to travel to those roadside- roadworks speed limits. One of the things I’ve been very disappointed to see in some of our projects is people speeding through work zones. That is not acceptable. We have really worked to minimise those across all of our projects, those speed limits, but we want to make sure that drivers are driving to conditions.

JOURNALIST: So we will see some traffic impact on those lanes around where you need to widen the road?

JENNY AITCHISON: Yes, certainly there will be some, and we will use all the elements at our disposal, things like working at night where there’s less traffic, ensuring that we’ve got proper signalling and all that sort of thing in place so that we can minimise that disruption, but it is always a challenge. There’s, as we like to say, no gain without pain, but we are doing everything we can to minimise it and we’re really grateful to those members of the public who assist us in that by driving to the conditions.

JOURNALIST: And do you have any sort of forecast on how this will help improve traffic, like any time reductions or anything like that?

JENNY AITCHISON: Look, I don’t have specific time reductions here, but I think the main point is really the safety benefits. And we know at the moment there is queuing, so there will obviously be those timings. I can’t give you exact numbers right off the top of my head, but the main thing is not having that situation where a vehicle turning left then going right has only got a couple of hundred metres to do it, or conversely coming right and going left. They won’t be working together on the same piece of roadway. The grade separation will enable that to be a much safer transition.

JOURNALIST: Acting Premier, does it really pass the pub test that taxpayers are paying for gym memberships and picnic days for rail workers while there are still so many public sector workers waiting for pay rises?

RYAN PARK: Well, look, government reaches agreements through the bargaining process with unions and their trade union movement and representatives. The nature of those arrangements will become very, very clear as a part of the fair work process. We’re not trying to hide anything here. The reality is what we wanted to do was get an agreement, and we had to strike a balance between making sure that we provided fair work and conditions and pay for working men and women on our transport system, but at the same time making sure that we can get a transport system operating at its very highest capacity, and operating as efficiently and effectively for passengers and commuters every single day.

JOURNALIST: Some pretty funny perks. Was it a matter of offer them the funny perks, just so that they can stop striking?

RYAN PARK: Well, look, no one wants rail workers striking. We want working men and women who work in our transport system to be paid well with good conditions. We’re not going to apologise for that. As a part of the bargaining process, that’s how and which you agree to conditions or disagree with conditions. For us, the process is about making sure that we got the balance right between ensuring that we had a well-run, well-operated and efficient and maintained transport system, at the same time making sure that working men and women had their conditions and pay recognised. We think we’ve got the balance right.

As the Health Minister, I’ll continue to work with those workers in the healthcare sector over the weeks and months ahead to make sure that we can strike a deal in relation to their paying conditions as well.

JOURNALIST: As you know, all public sector groups were asked to find to help pay for their pay rises. Do you know if the rail union did have a productivity offsets down and what they might be?

JENNY AITCHISON: Look, certainly there were savings provisions and productivity provisions within that bargaining process. The enterprise agreement, as is required and as has long been government policy, will be published by the Fair Work Commission, so everyone will be able to see what those are. But as an example, you know, moving to one rail, ensuring we have efficiencies there is really important. Even the consultation periods, you know, we had the former government that had rolling stock on the tracks, sitting idle for literally years because they couldn’t negotiate and consult with the union. We have a fair, open and transparent agreement. We’ve got three years of that. It will provide certainty to the travelling public, It will provide certainty to the travelling public, certainty to the rail workers and certainty to everyone who is- you know, taxpayers who want to see value for money.

We can always cherry-pick parts of the agreements for things that we might not think are important but the reality is here, we’ve got a very good deal for the taxpayers of New South Wales that has got the unions back to work. It’s been very substantially and overwhelmingly agreed to by the unions, 92 per cent agreement, a very high participation in the ballot.

So, I think this is, what we’ve got, is a good agreement that strikes the balance. It’s going to Fair Work now to get that final tick off and check everything’s right. But we have done this in a very open and transparent manner and that’s what’s important here.

JOURNALIST: Minister, can I ask you about those offsets? And the consolidation I suppose with one rail. There’s been some suggestion from the opposition that the agreement results in 100 job losses. Toby Warnes was asked the other day whether that would be the case [indistinct]. Are we expecting 100 job losses over the next few years, for Transport for New South Wales to pay the union?

JENNY AITCHISON: Look, we are working very closely with the union to ensure efficiency and productivity. No-one likes job losses, we know that. But the reality is, where there’s efficiency gains that can be made they will happen because we want to have a better service for commuters. We want to have a reliable, stable service that is resilient and is well maintained. The One Rail initiative is really important for the regions, because what it does is really go back to the idea that we have one rail network in NSW that services everyone.

We’ve been working on that right across transport over the last two years, to deliver one transport for all of New South Wales The idea that there’s a binary system of transport in New South Wales, whether it’s in rail or road, is done. We have one transport for New South Wales We have one road network. We have one rail network. There will be efficiencies in that. And we hope to grow the task for transport. We hope to grow services for commuters.

So, what we’re saying is we should be investing in growth of the services, and we need to ensure that we have the maximum productivity. And that’s what this agreement’s giving us.

JOURNALIST: How much does the agreement cost? What’s the cost of it? Obviously, it’s been struck – we’ve seen it, we’ve gone through the clauses. How much is it?

JENNY AITCHISON: Look, the overall quantum is still being finalised. Obviously as you can agree, until that goes through the final stages of the Fair Work Commission process, it would be premature to put a final figure on it. We need to make sure that we have one figure out there that everyone is aware of, but we are working on that and we will come back with that when it’s the appropriate time.

JOURNALIST: Ryan, I understand that you are just a seat warmer this week, but the Premier did make a bet with the Queensland Premier that he would record a tourism ad for Queensland if we lost the Origin. Is that something you’ll be doing this week?

RYAN PARK: Well, well, well. Yes, he gave me one job, hey? I’ve let him down within 48 hours. So, no doubt, I won’t be doing this job again for a little while. No, disappointing last night. Boys put up an incredible fight, but an inspirational performance by Cameron Munster, given what he’s been dealing with over the course of the last few days. They were just too good for us, no doubt. We’ll have to do the add and we’ll do it a lot quicker than what Queensland haven’t paid New South Wales for their COVID bill – it’s about 115 million bucks but, yeah, maybe we can call it quits.

JOURNALIST: You haven’t put your hand up to record it while he’s away?

RYAN PARK: No doubt I’ll have to do it. I’ll take that huge load on. It was tough watching New South Wales last night. It was tough being the Acting Premier, but if he wants me to do it, I’m a team player, I’ll do it.

JOURNALIST: You’re at the bargaining table for nurses, have they put gym memberships on the table, are you open to that one?

RYAN PARK: Look, I want to get the nurses resolved as quickly as possible. Everyone knows that that’s what I’m trying to do, we’re not there yet, we’re not at the stage. They haven’t put those types of incentives to me, but if they do, like every other arrangement, we’ll have a look at what things come forward as a part of that. That’s not something we’re looking at the moment. Our focus is to try and make sure that we can get a deal. We’ve got the independent umpire in place to make a determination if we can’t do it before then.

JOURNALIST: I know this isn’t quite in your wheelhouse, but there’s been some issues around with the new bail consolidation, basically a massive backlog of matters before the courts, especially with the Downing Centre being out of action, and people languishing in cells for longer. Has anyone raised with you this week, because you’re the Acting Premier, that there have been these teething issues?

RYAN PARK: I’ve had raised just very, very briefly, actually by the Governor of New South Wales the other day, given her legal background in relation to the Downing Court and some challenges there. I understand that repairs and some refurbishments as a result of the damage is currently underway. I understand that judicial officers and court staff are looking to make sure those cases are moved around to other areas. It’s an important part of our democracy, the delivery of justice, and justice needs to be delivered as quickly as possible. That’s what we always try and do. It is a challenge in relation to the Downing Centre, given the extensive nature of the appearances and the hearings that are held there and the number of lists that are done there but we’re working through that.

JOURNALIST: Is it a concern that there are these people that are being kept longer than they should themselves before they get a bail hearing?

RYAN PARK: Well it’s always concerning when there’s ever delay in any part of the justice system. That’s always a concern for members of the community no matter who they are and what side of the issue they’re on, that’s always a concern. But we will obviously work through that. The Attorney-General with New South Wales Police and Corrections are no doubt working through those issues in relation to court challenges. The Downing Centre situation has made it difficult, but I understand judicial officers and court staff are working through that process to try and get as many people through those other facilities as we can.

JOURNALIST: Also not really in your wheelhouse, but we know for many people rents have gone up by around $20 per week, for some people that means cutting back on essentials. What do you say to those people who are struggling right now?

RYAN PARK: Well, we know very clearly that’s it’s tough out there. It’s really tough. For many, many people, cost of living is certainly the biggest challenge they talk to me about as a local member in their own community. Things are tough. The decision not to drop interest rates is tough on people with mortgages that can correspondingly make it challenging for people in rental properties.

What we’ve tried to do over the last few years is introduce a number of reforms in the rental space to try and make it as easy and as cost effective for people to rent as possible. We know close to 40 per cent of people now rent. That’s very, very different even in the times period since I’ve been in public office. That’s really changed. So we are going to, as a government and future governments at all levels, we’ll continue to have to look at ways to make renting affordable, to make it as efficient and effective as possible. Because it now deals with a very large group of people.

JOURNALIST: And I guess just on the missing surfer, he was found after about [indistinct].

RYAN PARK: Yeah. See, that is that is absolutely amazing. As a local member of parliament on a coastal sea, unfortunately, we see this frequently. And very rarely do we get the outcome that we’ve been made aware of today. Absolute remarkable case. Phenomenal that our emergency personnel were able to rescue him. Phenomenal that he is still alive. That is obviously not the outcome that is often we see, that often we see in these types of incidents when they take place, and that is a fantastic result for him, his family, but I’m sure the people of the North Coast are just thrilled when they’ve heard that news.

CATHERINE KING: Thank you.

MIL OSI News –

July 26, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: UPDATE: Missing person located – Wadeye

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

The Northern Territory Police Force have located a missing 31-year-old man safe and well.

Around 7:20am this morning (Saturday 26 July 2025), the man was located walking along Airport Drive in Wadeye.

He appeared in good physical health and has been conveyed to the local health clinic for assessment.

Police would like to thank the community for their assistance.

MIL OSI News –

July 26, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Bulleen Road Interchange opening: A huge step for North East Link

Source: Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority

A section of the Bulleen Road Interchange has opened as part of the Allan and Albanese Labor governments’ North East Link – the first permanent section of road to open as part of the congestion-cutting project.

The new connection will allow traffic to keep moving while crews build the North East Link tunnel entrance and massive interchange that will connect the Eastern Freeway to the 6.5-kilometre tunnels.

To build the new 270-metre section of Bulleen Road, crews installed more than 100 of the largest ‘Super T’ beams ever built in Victoria, each up to 43 metres long and weighing up to 126 tonnes.

Work is ramping up on the major upgrade to the Eastern Freeway, which includes new express lanes, managed motorway technology and Melbourne’s first dedicated busway.

In the coming months, crews will replace two key pedestrian bridges over the Eastern Freeway at Estelle Street (Balwyn) and Heyington Avenue (Doncaster), to improve connections for walkers and bike riders who cross over the freeway, and provide connections to the Koonung Creek Trail.

To safely replace the existing bridges, sections of the Eastern Freeway will close at times overnight from late July to September.

In September, there will also be a planned weekend full closure of the Eastern Freeway between Doncaster and Tram roads to safely lift the new Heyington Avenue bridge over the freeway without endangering traffic below. Major delays of up to 90 minutes are expected, with motorists strongly encouraged to avoid the area.

The North East Link tunnels will connect the upgraded Eastern Freeway to the completed M80 Ring Road – cutting travel times by 35 minutes, skipping 18 sets of traffic lights and taking 15,000 trucks off local roads daily.

This project is jointly funded by the Australian and Victorian governments, and will be complete in 2028.

Quote attributable to Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King:

“The North East Link will take thousands of trucks off local roads and slash travel times across Melbourne’s suburbs.”

Quote attributable to Victorian Minister for Transport Infrastructure Gabrielle Williams:

“The North East Link has been talked about for decades and we are getting on and delivering it – creating thousands of jobs in the process.”

Quote attributable to Federal Member for Menzies Gabriel Ng:

“This is an important step, for the Albanese and Allan Labor Governments, in delivering safer, faster transport options for locals”

Quote attributable to Victorian Member for Ivanhoe Anthony Carbines:

“We are getting on with delivering this important project which will improve traffic flow and take trucks off local roads.”

MIL OSI News –

July 26, 2025

Date Taken:	07.26.2025
Date Posted:	07.26.2025 00:59
Story ID:	543920
Location:	PG

Web Views:	3
Downloads:	0

Category: Australia

Safety concerns

Science is still playing catch-up

Women’s rugby needs better data

A golden opportunity lies ahead

Hydrogen as a resource

High carbon footprint

Hydrogen and helium

Renewed interest

Future policies

Joint Statement on the Australia-UK Nuclear-Powered Submarine Partnership and Collaboration Treaty

Share this page

Updates to this page

PUBLIC DOMAIN