Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister
Note: All times local
6:30 p.m. The Prime Minister will tour vendors, stalls, and exhibits on the Calgary Stampede grounds.
Note for media:
Pooled photo opportunity
7:30 p.m. The Prime Minister will attend the Great Entry to mark the official start of the Calgary Stampede.
Note for media:
Pooled photo opportunity
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, July 3 — China’s summer grain procurement has entered its peak season, with cumulative purchases exceeding 50 million tonnes nationwide, which is a relatively high level for recent years, the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration said on Thursday.
Procurement operations are progressing in an orderly manner across all regions, and the market is maintaining stable operations. Premium wheat varieties are selling well at higher prices than standard wheat, reflecting demand for high-quality products, the administration said.
China has continued to implement its minimum-purchase-price policy in major wheat-producing regions this year. So far, the provinces of Henan, Anhui and Hebei have activated their implementation plans for the policy, procuring approximately 1.8 million tonnes of wheat under the scheme.
As China enters its primary flood season, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has initiated a 100-day campaign to boost yields, mitigate disasters and secure autumn grain production, which is pivotal to China’s food security.
To secure the autumn harvest and achieve China’s grain production goal of approximately 700 million tonnes this year, the ministry will deploy teams to guide field management for robust seedlings, disaster prevention and pest control.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, July 3 — The Ministry of Commerce has taken measures to ensure stable market supply of daily necessities in China’s flood-hit regions, a ministry spokesperson said on Thursday.
Since the main flood season began in June, multiple southern regions have experienced heavy rainfall and flooding, spokesperson He Yongqian said.
In late June, when Rongjiang County in southwest China’s Guizhou Province was hit by severe flooding, the ministry immediately activated emergency response measures.
According to He, Guizhou’s commerce authorities initiated a joint supply mechanism, mobilizing six emergency supply enterprises from neighboring cities and counties to deliver bottled water, bread and other essential goods to affected areas.
Similar measures have been taken in Hunan, Hubei, Guangdong, Sichuan and Henan provinces, where heavy rainfall has been concentrated.
Market monitoring data shows that the domestic market for daily necessities is currently operating smoothly with sufficient supplies. As of July 2, wholesale prices of grain, cooking oil, pork, eggs, vegetables, fruits and other products remained largely unchanged compared to the previous week.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, July 3 — China’s State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters on Thursday launched a Level-IV emergency response to flooding in five provinces, according to the Ministry of Emergency Management.
The emergency measures cover Liaoning, Sichuan, Yunnan, Gansu and Qinghai provinces, where heavy downpours are forecast from July 3 to 6.
According to meteorological forecasts, parts of Liaoning, eastern regions of northwest China, western parts of the Sichuan Basin, and Yunnan will experience heavy to torrential rainfall during the period. Some areas in Sichuan and Yunnan that have already seen significant precipitation face elevated disaster risks due to accumulated rainfall.
An official of the Ministry of Emergency Management said that emphasis should be placed on prevention and response measures in such vulnerable spots as mountain torrents and geological disasters, the flood-season management of small and medium-sized reservoirs, the flooding of small and medium-sized rivers, and urban and rural waterlogging.
China has a four-tier emergency response system, with Level I being the most severe response.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
View of Heishan Gorge Yellow River grand bridge in NW China
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
More than 1,200 guests from 86 countries and regions have gathered in Beijing to exchange views on maintaining global peace and addressing conflicts at the ongoing 13th World Peace Forum (WPF).
Themed “advancing global peace and prosperity: shared responsibility, benefit and achievement,” the forum, which runs from July 2 to 4, brings together leading strategists, senior policymakers and former political leaders.
“In the face of serious and complex international developments and escalating regional conflicts, global peace and development face unprecedented challenges,” said Li Luming, president of Tsinghua University and chairman of the WPF, told the forum at the opening ceremony on Thursday.
Li noted that amid a turbulent international landscape and rising geopolitical tensions, fostering unity and dialogue is more important than ever.
Addressing the opening ceremony, former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama emphasized that peace can be achieved not by using force, but through dialogue, and the forum bears great significance in this regard.
Hatoyama said that it is essential for Japan to work closely with its East Asian neighbors, ASEAN, middle powers in Europe, and the Global South to strengthen its independence from the United States. He emphasized that enhancing trilateral collaboration among Japan, China and the Republic of Korea is particularly important.
He called on Japan to reduce the potential for conflicts in the region by more clearly stating that it does not support Taiwan independence, and by restraining moves toward Taiwan independence, adding that the Taiwan issue is China’s internal matter.
The forum comprises four plenary sessions and 18 panel discussions, where participants will share their perspectives on subjects including the international order and world peace, pan-securitization and the global security predicament, the role of the Global South in achieving world peace and prosperity, and major power coordination and conflict resolution.
Beginning in 2012, Tsinghua University has been co-hosting the forum with the Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs. The forum aims to provide a platform of communication and exchange for strategists and think tanks worldwide.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
The U.S. House of Representatives passed President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill with a vote of 218 to 214 on Thursday.
Photo taken on July 3, 2025 shows the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., the United States. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong)
The bill will be sent to the president’s desk for signing by the deadline of July 4, which was set by Trump.
Two Republican representatives, Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, voted against the bill.
The House passed an earlier draft of the bill in May and sent it to the Senate, but the draft was broadly revised there and narrowly passed senators’ vote with Vice President JD Vance breaking the tie on Tuesday.
The tax and spending bill includes tax cuts and funding boosts for military expenditure and border security. What’s contentious is that the bill is forecast to add 3.3 trillion U.S. dollars to the national debt currently at a high level while stripping millions of people of Medicaid and food stamps.
This is Trump’s first major legislative achievement in his second term. Republican Congress members were widely divided on the bill, which passed the Senate and House voting only after the president and his Capitol Hill allies pressured those Republicans with different ideas to stand in line.
When signing the legislation that will be sent to the president, House Speaker Mike Johnson said that with the passage of the bill, “we’d have to quite literally fix every area of public policy.”
“Everything was an absolute disaster under the Biden-Harris, radical, woke, progressive Democrat regime, and we took the best effort that we could, in one big, beautiful bill, to fix as much of it as we could,” he added.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt hailed the passage of the bill Thursday, commenting in a statement that “President Trump’s One Big, Beautiful Bill delivers on the commonsense agenda that nearly 80 million Americans voted for — the largest middle-class tax cut in history, permanent border security, massive military funding, and restoring fiscal sanity.”
“The pro-growth policies within this historic legislation are going to fuel an economic boom like we’ve never seen before. President Trump looks forward to signing the One Big, Beautiful Bill into law to officially usher in the Golden Age of America,” she added.
She said that the bill-signing ceremony is planned in the White House at 5 p.m. Friday Eastern Time (2100 GMT), which happens to be the Independence Day holiday.
The White House posted on its website that “Now, the largest middle-class tax cut in American history — and so much more — is on its way to President Trump’s desk.”
“Again and again, Democrats tried to block historic tax relief, increased border security, higher wages, an expanded Child Tax Credit, No Tax on Tips, No Tax on Overtime, No Tax on Social Security, savings accounts for newborns, and so much more — but again and again, President Trump and Republicans fought and won for the American people,” the post said.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow would achieve its goals in the conflict with Ukraine, including the elimination of its root causes, in a telephone conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday, according to Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov.
“Our president said that Russia will achieve its goals, namely to eliminate the well-known root causes that led to the current state of affairs, to the current harsh confrontation. And Russia will not give up on these goals,” Ushakov said.
He said that Russia is ready for the third round of talks with Ukraine, adding that Putin and Trump did not discuss the specifics of what would be discussed during the possible negotiations.
The Kremlin aide told the media that Putin and Trump discussed the current situation in Iran and the Middle East, and the situation in Syria over phone.
On the Middle East issue, “Putin stressed the importance of resolving all disputes, disagreements and conflict situations exclusively with political and diplomatic means. The sides agreed to maintain contacts in this regard at the level of foreign ministries, the defense ministries and presidential aides,” he added.
Putin and Trump confirmed their mutual interest in implementing a series of economic projects between Russia and the United States, including in energy and space, Ushakov said.
“Within the framework of exchange of opinions on bilateral issues, both sides have confirmed their mutual interest in the realization of a series of promising economic projects, particularly in the spheres of energy and space research,” he said.
Ushakov said the presidents agreed to continue their communication.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Liverpool FC and Cristiano Ronaldo have led tributes to Portugal international Diogo Jota, after he and his brother Andre died in a car crash in northwestern Spain in the early hours of Thursday morning.
The brothers died when their Lamborghini went off the A52 road, possibly due to a tire exploding, and burst into flames, shortly after midnight in Spain.
A banner to Diogo Jota is seen outside Anfield Stadium in Liverpool, Britain, July 3, 2025. Liverpool’s Portuguese international forward Diogo Jota and his brother Andre died in the early hours of Thursday morning in a car accident in north-east Spain, according to Spanish authorities. (Xinhua)
28-year-old Jota had been with Liverpool for five years and his club said it was “devastated by [his] tragic passing,” while also requesting privacy for Diogo and Andre’s family, friends, teammates and club staff.
“We will continue to provide them with our full support,” said the club, while former Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp admitted he was “heartbroken” and struggling to understand the deaths.
“This is a moment where I struggle. There must be a bigger purpose. But I can’t see it, Diogo was a not only a fantastic player, but also a great friend, a loving and caring husband and father. We will miss you so much,” Klopp posted on social media.
In his tribute to Jota, Cristiano Ronaldo also looked back to Portugal’s recent triumph in the UEFA Nations League.
“It doesn’t make sense. Just now we were together in the national team,” he wrote, making reference to Jota marriage to long-time partner Rute Cardoso – with whom he had three young children – less than a fortnight ago.
“You had just got married. I know you will always be with them. Rest in Peace, Diogo and Andre. We will miss you,” commented Ronaldo.
Many football clubs also expressed messages of support and condolence, with Real Madrid posting: “Real Madrid expresses its condolences and support to their family, loved ones and teammates at their respective clubs,” while adding the club “shares in the deep sorrow felt by the footballing world.”
Athletic Bilbao, who will play Liverpool in a friendly at Anfield in early August, posted “All our thoughts are with the loved ones of Diogo Jota and his brother, Andre, and everyone connected with @LFC following today’s heartbreaking news. Rest in peace, Jota.”
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
China’s Wang Xinyu lost to Zeynep Sonmez of Türkiye 7-5, 7-5 in the women’s singles second round at Wimbledon on Thursday.
Both players broke back and forth in the first set until Sonmez clinched the win. After they tied at 5-5 in the second set, Sonmez played more aggressively to seal the victory.
Wang Xinyu hits a return during the women’s singles second round match between Wang Xinyu of China and Zeynep Sonmez of Türkiye at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Britain, July 3, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Ying)
“I think she played exceptionally well today, especially in her service returns and baseline game. I didn’t get any easy points,” Wang said after the match.
“From 4-1, maybe she just let go and played more freely,” Wang reflected. “She came through on some key points, and then she probably played more relaxed. I think from that moment, she definitely raised her level.”
“Of course, I feel it’s a great pity. Even though my opponent played really well, our match was very close, and there were some areas where I feel I could have done better,” Wang added. “But I think, today, I did the best I could.”
Wang shone at the Berlin Open last month to reach her first WTA Tour final, but the 23-year-old Chinese failed to maintain the momentum at the grass-court Grand Slam.
With the win, Sonmez, 23, has already secured her best Grand Slam result as she heads into the round of 32.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
The 2025 Xi’an Marathon will be held on October 19 in the capital city of northwest China’s Shaanxi Province.
Participants run past the Erqi Square during the 2024 Zhengzhou Marathon in Zhengzhou, central China’s Henan Province, on Nov. 3, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhao Peng)
“Runners can register through the official website or Qujiang event’s WeChat public platform from July 5 to 27,” read an official announcement released on Thursday. “A total of 38,000 competitors will be selected to participate in the event.”
The World Athletics gold label road race, which was first run in 2017, attracted around 34,000 marathon, half-marathon and seven-kilometer participants in its 2024 edition.
Jia E’renjia of China won the men’s marathon event last year in 2:12:13.
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
The Northern Territory Police have charged a 29-year-old male in relation to a death in September last year.
On 19September 2024, a 49-year-old male presented to the Wadeye clinic reporting he had been assaulted. Whilst at the clinic the male collapsed and was airlifted to Royal Darwin Hospital but died five days later.
After exhaustive investigations including forensic examinations, witness canvassing and ongoing consultations with the Department of Prosecutions, Major Crime Detectives attended Wadeye on 3 July 2025 where they arrested a 29-year-old male in relation to the death.
He has been charged with Violent act causing death and was remanded to appear in Darwin Local Court on 4 July 2025.
Paris, 4 July 2025— Mass atrocities are underway in Sudan’s North Darfur region, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) warned in a report today, urging the warring parties to halt indiscriminate and ethnically targeted violence and facilitate an immediate large-scale humanitarian response. MSF is extremely concerned about the threats of a full-blown assault on the hundreds of thousands of people in the state capital of El Fasher, which would lead to further bloodshed.
As the conflict has intensified in the area since May 2024, civilians have continued to be the main victims. The report Besieged, Attacked, Starved, outlines a desperate situation for civilians in and around El Fasher that requires immediate attention and response. “People are not only caught in indiscriminate heavy fighting between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and their respective allies – but also actively targeted by the RSF and its allies, notably on the basis of their ethnicity,” says Michel Olivier Lacharité, MSF head of emergencies.
Based on MSF data, direct observations and over 80 interviews conducted between May 2024 and May 2025 with patients and people who were displaced from El Fasher and nearby Zamzam camp, the report exposes systematic patterns of violence that include looting, mass killings, sexual violence, abductions, starvation and attacks against markets, health facilities and other civilian infrastructures.
“As patients and communities tell their stories to our teams and asked us to speak out, while their suffering is hardly on the international agenda, we felt compelled to document these patterns of relentless violence that have been crushing countless lives in general indifference and inaction over the past year,” says Mathilde Simon, MSF’s humanitarian affairs advisor.
Besieged, Attacked, Starved also details how the Rapid Support Forces and their allies conducted a large-scale ground offensive in April on Zamzam displacement camp, outside of El Fasher, causing an estimated 400,000 people to flee in less than three weeks in appalling conditions. A large portion of the camp population fled to El Fasher, where they remained trapped, out of reach of humanitarian aid and exposed to attacks and further mass violence. Tens of thousands more escaped to Tawila, about 60 kilometers away, and to camps across the Chadian border, where hundreds of survivors of violence received care from MSF teams.
“In light of the ethnically motivated mass atrocities committed on the Masalit in West Darfur back in June 2023, and of the massacres perpetrated in Zamzam camp in North Darfur, we fear such a scenario will be repeated in El Fasher. This onslaught of violence must stop,” says Simon.
Several witnesses report that RSF soldiers spoke of plans to ‘clean El Fasher’ of its non-Arab community. Since May 2024, the RSF and their allies have besieged El Fasher, Zamzam camp and other surrounding localities, cutting communities from food, water, and medical care. This has contributed to the spread of famine and debilitated the humanitarian response.
Repeated attacks on healthcare facilities forced MSF to end our medical activities in El Fasher in August 2024 and in Zamzam camp in February 2025. In May 2024 alone, health facilities supported by MSF in El Fasher endured at least seven incidents of shelling, bombing or shooting by all warring parties. Indiscriminate airstrikes conducted by the SAF had devastating consequences, as a 50-year-old woman highlights: “The SAF bombed our neighborhood by mistake, then came to apologise. SAF planes sometimes bombed civilian areas without any RSF [presence], I saw it in different places”.
The harrowing level of violence on the roads out of El Fasher and Zamzam means that many people are trapped or take life-threatening risk when fleeing. Men and boys are at high risk of killing and abduction, while women and girls are subjected to widespread sexual violence. Most witnesses also report increased risks for Zaghawa communities. “Nobody could get out [of El Fasher] if they said they were Zaghawa,” says a displaced woman. Another man tells us that RSF and its allies were “asking people if they belonged to the Zaghawa, and if they did, they would kill them.”
“They would only let mothers with small children under the age of five through,” recalls a woman about her journey fleeing to eastern Chad. “Other children and adult men didn’t go through. Men over fifteen can hardly cross the border [into Chad]. They take them, they push them aside and then we only hear a noise, gunshots, indicating that they are dead, that they have been killed […] Fifty families came along with me. Not even one boy of 15 years old or above was among us.”
The catastrophic nutritional situation continued deteriorating as the siege tightened: “[Three months ago] in Zamzam, we sometimes had 3 days a week without eating,” one man tells our teams. “Children died from malnutrition. We were eating ambaz [residue of peanuts ground for oil], like everyone, although usually it’s used for animals,” says displaced woman. “Zamzam was completely blocked,” another displaced person tells us. “Water wells depend on fuel and there was no access to fuel, so all of them stopped working. Water was very limited and very expensive.”
MSF urges the warring parties to spare civilians and respect their obligations under International Humanitarian Law. The RSF and their allies must immediately stop ethnic violence perpetrated against non-Arab communities, lift the siege of El Fasher and guarantee safe routes for civilians fleeing violence. Safe unrestricted access to El Fasher and its surroundings must be granted for humanitarian agencies to provide critically needed assistance. International actors, including UN institutions and member states, and States who provide support to the warring parties must urgently mobilise and exert pressure to prevent further mass violence and allow emergency aid delivery. The recent unilateral announcements of a possible local ceasefire have not yet been translated into concrete change on the ground, and time is running out.
MSF is an international, medical, humanitarian organisation that delivers medical care to people in need, regardless of their origin, religion, or political affiliation. MSF has been working in Haiti for over 30 years, offering general healthcare, trauma care, burn wound care, maternity care, and care for survivors of sexual violence. MSF Australia was established in 1995 and is one of 24 international MSF sections committed to delivering medical humanitarian assistance to people in crisis. In 2022, more than 120 project staff from Australia and New Zealand worked with MSF on assignment overseas. MSF delivers medical care based on need alone and operates independently of government, religion or economic influence and irrespective of race, religion or gender. For more information visit msf.org.au
Source: African Development Bank Group
The African Development Bank, through the Fund for African Private Sector Assistance (FAPA), has awarded a $1 million grant to South Africa’s National Business Initiative (NBI) to strengthen efforts to build a dynamic, demand-led skills ecosystem that enables South Africans, particularly young people, to access emerging job…
Source: African Development Bank Group
The African Development Bank, through the Fund for African Private Sector Assistance (FAPA), has awarded a $1 million grant to South Africa’s National Business Initiative (NBI) to strengthen efforts to build a dynamic, demand-led skills ecosystem that enables South Africans, particularly young people, to access emerging job…
Source: New Zealand Police
State Highway 8 between Roxburgh and Millers Flat is blocked following a serious crash.
The two-vehicle crash happened shortly before 11:15am.
Indications are that there are serious injuries, and a helicopter is responding.
The Serious Crash Unit has been advised.
Diversions are in place at Roxburgh and Millers Flat.
ENDS
Source:
04 July 2025
When a dry creek bed is your classroom, science connects to the land, and sports day kicks off amid a cloud of red dust, you know you’re on Country out bush.
For a group of UniSA student teachers, the opportunity to teach in remote South Australia offers more than cultural immersion – it’s a chance to connect with community, embrace new ways of learning, and potentially spark a career in Aboriginal education.
This National NAIDOC Week, UniSA is highlighting its remote teaching placements in the Anangu Lands, spanning Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) and Yalata Lands, aiming to inspire future teachers, while addressing workforce shortages in regional and remote Australia.
The timing is significant, with the State’s Aboriginal Education Strategy, Impact Report showing that teaching support in the APY Lands has helped deliver the highest average preschool attendance in five years.
Already, four of last year’s eight placement students have returned to continue teaching in the APY Lands while completing their degrees.
With more than 30 years’ experience in Aboriginal education, UniSA’s Associate Director: Regional Engagement, Dr Sam Osborne, says encouraging students to explore remote teaching placements is vital to building the remote workforce.
“When there’s a teacher shortage in Australia, we know there’s a desperate teacher shortage in rural and remote Australia,” Dr Osborne says.
“These areas can seem daunting – they’re unfamiliar, far from family and friends, and may lack creature comforts – but they also offer incredibly rewarding experiences in close-knit and supportive communities.
“Our placement program provides third-year education students with a unique opportunity to spend six weeks living and teaching in Anangu communities, alongside the world’s oldest continuing culture.
“They live, learn and teach between the classroom, and on Country. Whether it’s working with Elders to link native plants with science, teaching kindy kids colours in Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara, or making maths fun by tallying bird species observed on Country.
“Importantly, students are supported by the community as they learn their craft in a cultural and language context that few Australians ever encounter.”
The Anangu schools’ partnership includes 10 schools spanning the far north and west of South Australia, including The APY Lands, Maralinga Tjarutja, and Yalata with around 200 local and non-local educators working in these schools.
Sophia, a third-year UniSA education student who recently returned from a six-week placement in Pipalyatjara Anangu School, says her stay was transformative.
“One of the first things you notice is the scale of the Australian outback. From the desert plains to endless skies over the mountain ranges, you know you’re about to experience something completely different,” Sophia says.
“Teaching at an Anangu school was so unique, and it very strongly connected to culture.
“We often took learning outdoors – using hopscotch or other made-up games to teach language and numbers – which the kids loved because they’re such outdoor people.
“There were also amazing opportunities to learn from people in the community. On family days, we’d sit with an Elder to hear stories of their history, their travels, or more practical things like how to mix bush medicines or make spears.
“The local people are beautiful – gentle, kind and insightful, and they have a quiet confidence that really stayed with me.
“This placement was unlike anything I’ve ever done. I felt welcomed in the community and I can’t wait to return – hopefully next year.”
The program includes a three-day language and culture orientation run by Iwiri Aboriginal corporation, a mid-placement visit to the UniSA site at Ernabella, and a post-placement debrief at Uluru. Students are supported by experienced staff and take part in on-Country experiences and excursions.
“This program provides high-quality support for preservice teachers who want to challenge themselves personally and professionally in a new context,” Dr Osborne says.
“They are developing far more than classroom skills – they’re building cultural understanding, lasting connections, and for many, a sense of purpose that could shape their careers.”
In partnership with the SA Department for Education, UniSA is also running a two-week field trip for students interested in teaching in remote areas.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Contact for interview: Dr Sam Osborne E: Sam.Osborne@unisa.edu.au
Media contact: Annabel Mansfield M: +61 479 182 489 E: Annabel.Mansfield@unisa.edu.au
Source: New Zealand Police
Hamilton Police are following solid lines of enquiry in their investigation of a recent violent aggravated robbery.
About 1:40pm on Saturday 28 June, two men armed with a firearm entered a bar on Liverpool Street.
The offenders presented the firearm at the sole worker in the bar and demanded cash before leaving the scene in a stolen vehicle.
The offenders dumped the stolen car on Islington Street and fled in a waiting Toyota Surf, which was later dumped in Te Awamutu.
Both vehicles used in the robbery have been recovered by Police and are undergoing forensic testing.
Hamilton CIB Detective Sergeant Johnny O’Byrne says, thankfully, the victim of this incident was unharmed.
“However, they are understandably shaken and are receiving support.
“A dedicated team of detectives are currently following very strong lines of enquiry to locate the offenders and hold them to account,” he says.
“There is no place in our community for this type of violence against innocent people just going about their work, the use of firearms is of particular concern.”
‘Waikato Police would like to reassure the community that we will continue to work hard to hold these offenders to account, and we are asking members of the public with any information regarding this offending or the locations of the offenders to reach out to us,’ Detective Sergeant O’Byrne says.
Anyone with information can contact Police via 105 quoting file number 250628/3013 or anonymously provide information via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
ENDS
Issued by the Police Media Centre
Source: Communications Workers of America
(Washington, D.C.) – Yesterday, Microsoft announced that they intend to lay off about 9,000 employees across the company, including from its Microsoft Gaming division, and to stop production on several games. The layoffs are expected to impact Communications Workers of America-represented employees at the company.
“We are deeply disappointed in Microsoft’s decision to lay off thousands more workers, including union-represented CWA members, at a time when the company is prospering,” said Communications Workers of America President Claude Cummings Jr. “We will be bargaining with the company over these layoffs, and CWA District Vice Presidents Mike Davis and Derrick Osobase will remain directly involved in ensuring that our members are supported and treated with dignity throughout this process.”
Workers in the video game industry have been under constant threat of layoffs, with Electronic Arts, Sony Interactive Entertainment, Unity Technologies, and countless others scaling back their workforces in recent months. These layoffs are often announced without warning, leaving workers who create the products responsible for the companies’ successes scrambling to survive while executives and investors reap the benefits of record-breaking profits.
“Right now, we are living through a moment of profound corporate consolidation and disruption,” Cummings said. “In times like these, union organizing is not just a tool for protections in the workplace; it is essential to workers’ survival, and one of the strongest defenses we have against unchecked corporate power. This news will not slow the movement for a video game industry that works for those who make it what it is today. Our strength is in our unity.”
###
Source: US National Education Union
Thank you President Pringle. Thanks to the Friend of Education Award Committee. And thanks most of all to you educators out there working hard for kids and families in public schools across the country. I want to give a special shout-out to the Michigan delegation for the work you do every day. I’m so honored and humbled to be standing up here to receive this award–and I share it with all of you.
We all know tomorrow is Independence Day. Today I’m thinking about those famous words from Thomas Jefferson: “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Each of us has probably seen that phrase a thousand times in our lives. But I want to use this opportunity to talk about what it means for me and what I think it means for all of us moving forward.
When I first started the work that brought me up here, I thought I was talking about history. One bad idea–school voucher schemes–with roots in resistance to the Civil Rights Movement, and funded today by Betsy DeVos and other billionaires.
But as we’ve seen, threats to public education, and to public investments in all of our futures–from health care, to jobs, to retirement security, and even basic, affordable costs of living–this is all very much breaking news. “Breaking” as in urgent. But also “breaking” as in a forceful, threatening undoing.
Because that’s what’s at stake here. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for everyone. Not just the wealthy and the well-connected. All of us.
You might know my name because I’ve been fighting Betsy DeVos’s school voucher schemes. But as we look ahead we have to remember that it’s not just one bad billionaire idea. It’s an entire political agenda. Folks from Michigan may remember that when Betsy DeVos was chairwoman of our state’s Republican Party, she once said that the problem with Michigan’s economy was that our workers are paid too much!
I don’t need any lessons about how to fix American education–or American health care, American Social Security, or American democracy itself–from a billionaire who thinks the way to fix the American economy is to cut worker pay!
You know, I get a lot of crap from the DeVos political machine, her lobbyists and Super PACs, the Heritage Foundation, and all the rest. They attack me for the work you’ve honored me with here today. And of course, one thing they say is “Josh, he’s too close to the teachers’ unions.”
But I’m proud to be here. I am my own man. And I have my own strength. And I have my own dignity. And I say: I would rather stand shoulder to shoulder with Becky Pringle, Randi Weingarten, Sean Fain, Liz Shuler–and labor leaders, autoworkers, educators, journeymen and women, and middle class families all over the country–then crawl for even one short minute at the feet of right-wing billionaires.
Listen. It’s going to get harder. We have a lot work to do. But as my governor, Gretchen Whitmer, has been saying “we can do hard things.”
We sure as hell can. For me, that’s going to mean that I’m going to be running for Congress in Michigan’s 7th District. Against a first-term Republican who comes right out of that DeVos political machine. And we know not just the DeVoses but other Republicans are gearing up to make 2026 in Michigan the “education election” for their priorities like more standardized testing. Cuts to public school funding. And yes, school vouchers.
I’m not going to let them. But I’m going to need some help in that work to defend public schools. And Medicaid, Social Security, jobs and so much more. Now, I know that I’m going to have to work hard to win any official endorsements from the Michigan folks and others, but for today I’m hoping you’ll visit my website and learn more about me and how we can stand together for students and families.
My time on this stage is up but our work together is just beginning. And I want to wrap up by just going back to that Declaration of Independence–life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness–and to remind all of us that what’s at stake here really is democracy.
We all talk about democracy in different ways, and none of us have to be as eloquent as Jefferson, or Abe Lincoln, or FDR or Dr. King. We just have to listen to families and go out and meet them where they are at the places that matter to them.
For a single mom with a kid who’s struggling to read, maybe democracy is just having a public school that is a bit more responsive to her when she’s trying to get what she needs for her kiddo.
For a 27 year-old guy with Type-I diabetes, maybe democracy is just having a health care plan that won’t throw him out in the cold because he has a pre-existing condition.
Maybe for a retiree, democracy is just having someone there at the Social Security office to pick up the damn phone and talk to a real person if their check goes missing.
For a working dad of 3 or 4 kids, who’s just lost his job, maybe democracy is just getting a little bit of economic assistance till he gets back on his feet. Or if he has a job, maybe democracy means being able to count on an income not just to survive and put food on the table–but to thrive and build out his family’s future.
A democracy that works for everyone is an economy that works for everyone. And an economy that works for everyone is a democracy that works for everyone.
Thank you all, God Bless you. And God Bless America–this weekend on her birthday, and every day ahead.
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The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing more than 3 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators, students preparing to become teachers, healthcare workers, and public employees. Learn more at www.nea.org.
Source: US National Education Union
PORTLAND, Ore.—The National Education Association today awarded Dr. Josh Cowen—distinguished author, professor, researcher, and national expert on private school vouchers—with its highest honor, the Friend of Education Award. Cowen received the award in front of nearly 7,000 educators gathered in Portland, Oregon, during the 2025 NEA Representative Assembly.
Cowen is at the forefront of the fight against school privatization and holding billionaire-run organizations accountable for the ineffective voucher policies they have promoted through lobbying efforts in multiple states and Congress. His book, The Privateers: How Billionaires Created a Culture War and Sold School Vouchers, lays out the dishonest, money-driven, and faux-researched lobby effort used to support voucher policies by monied interests. He also explains how vouchers have negatively impacted the overall educational outcomes in the United States. Across the country, voters continue to reject vouchers, most recently seen as voters in Colorado, Kentucky, and Nebraska all rejected ballot measures related to school vouchers.
“Dr. Cowen is a leading voice in the work of advocating for our nation’s public schools and the well-being of our students. America’s educators are proud to bestow him with NEA’s highest honor, the Friend of Education award,” said NEA President Becky Pringle. “Through his research and in his advocacy, Dr. Cowen is tireless in his commitment to America’s public schools. He speaks truth to power, and at a time when anti-public education politicians push harmful voucher schemes and try to steal opportunities from our students, our families, and our communities, we need more voices like his.”
“I’m accepting this Friend of Education Award on behalf of all the public school educators, middle-class families, and everyone else out there who’s been standing up to right-wing billionaires like Betsy DeVos for years. My life’s work has been fighting for public schools and making sure every student gets the education they deserve. Now more than ever, we’re going to need the same commitment in the fight to defend our democracy. And when it comes to that fight, I’m just getting started.”
Cowen has been a leader in educational research, teacher mobility, teacher attrition, and interpreting educational outcomes. In 2016, he founded the Education Policy Innovation Collaborative (EPIC), a think tank designed to partner with policymakers to improve educational outcomes for students and educators alike. He has also been a national director for the National Center for Research on Education Access and Choice (REACH), which is based at Tulane University.
“Vouchers are the education equivalent of predatory lending. The right-wing markets vouchers specifically to families of color, to low-income families, as if there are a whole lot of high-quality private school providers that will take all of these children in mass amounts. We know that doesn’t happen. We know the schools that do accept them tend to be barely hanging on, tend to be subprime, as I call them, as the academic results show,” Cowen said in an interview with NEAToday.
The NEA Friend of Education Award is presented during NEA’s annual convention and recognizes a person or organization whose leadership has significantly contributed to improving American public education. Past recipients include activists Judith Heumann, Greta Thunberg, Dolly Parton, and Quinta Brunson.
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The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing more than 3 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators, students preparing to become teachers, healthcare workers, and public employees. Learn more at www.nea.org.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Arkansas Tom Cotton
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Caroline Tabler or Patrick McCann (202) 224-2353
July 3, 2025
Cotton, Boozman Applaud Trump Administration Decision to Uphold 14(c) Program
Washington, D.C. — Senators Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) and John Boozman (R-Arkansas) released the following statement after the Trump administration reversed Joe Biden’s attempt to overturn section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
“We applaud the Trump administration’s decision to reverse Joe Biden’s disastrous attempt to end 14(c). All people, regardless of their abilities, should have the opportunity for dignified work. The 14(c) program and organizations like MARVA and Abilities Unlimited provide many individuals with disabilities with a sense of accomplishment and community, and provides their families and caretakers with much needed support. ”
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed
WASHINGTON, DC — Today, following a vote of 218-214 in the U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) issued the following statement assailing passage of Republicans’ ‘big, ugly’ reconciliation budget bill:
“Republicans knew this bill is a bad deal for their constituents and passed it anyway. This bill goes against the self-interest of average Americans in favor of the ultra-wealthy and corporations. It slashes the safety net out from under hardworking families – taking away health care from millions — in order to give special interests bigger tax benefits. Republicans structured the bill so the ultra-wealthy can cash out right away while the little guy and average taxpayers will get stuck paying the bill for years to come.
“During this unprecedented time of chaos and dysfunction, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and miss the latest developments. But the negative impacts of this bill must cut through the noise. Americans must be informed about the consequences of this legislation and they deserve to hear plainly from their elected representatives about how this bill is going to impact their families.
“Republicans are shifting a heavier financial burden onto families, communities, hospitals, and states. Taking away people’s health coverage doesn’t mean they stop getting sick or can’t see a doctor. Health costs for everyone will rise. And it takes away over one trillion dollars in federal funding that states and localities rely on to provide vital services like schools, transit, nutrition assistance and aid to families in crisis.
“This fiscally irresponsible giveaway to the wealthy and well-connected is a debt-busting disaster. It will cost U.S. taxpayers trillions of dollars in interest payments and Republicans unilaterally approved a record breaking $5 trillion dollar debt limit increase. But that’s just debt already incurred – this bill will add trillions of dollars in future debt when it’s all said and done, with little to no long-term benefit for middle- and working-class families.
“Whatever short-term economic benefits this bill may offer, it will do lasting destructive damage to U.S. finances and young Americans will be forced to pay for it long after Donald Trump is gone.”
Source: Green Party of England and Wales
Labour is ‘haemorrhaging’ support to the Greens over its failure to oppose the Israeli government’s genocide in Gaza and its plans to slash support for disabled people.
The Green Party is now polling consistently around 10%, a 43% increase from their 2024 vote share that saw them gain a record vote count of close to two million, while polling this week shows that 2024 Labour voters are more likely to say they would now vote for the Greens than for Reform. Among young people, 30% of under-30s now say they will vote Green compared to just 25% saying they will vote Labour.
Greens point to their consistently principled approach to issues such as Gaza, disability benefits, and the climate crisis as key reasons why they are winning support from Labour in droves.
“A year into this Labour government, all voters have seen from them is disappointment, failure and capitulation,” said Adrian Ramsay MP, Co-Leader of The Green Party. “From failing to take decisive action to prevent the Israeli government’s genocide in Gaza to cruel cuts to support for disabled people – all across the country, people are feeling that the Labour party they voted for has abandoned them.
“That’s playing out in the support we’re seeing coming from Labour to the Greens, and the u-turns we’ve seen from Starmer over winter fuel payments and welfare cuts show that he knows he risks losing not just votes but seats to the Greens at the next election.”
Carla Denyer, MP for Bristol Central and Co-Leader of the Green Party, said:
“After a litany of broken promises, it’s no surprise that Labour are haemorrhaging support to the Greens. Labour promised to make life better for people, but instead they kept the two-child benefit cap and stripped winter fuel payments from pensioners. They promised to tackle the climate crisis, but they’ve given the go-ahead to climate-wrecking airport expansion. They promised to end the housing crisis, but they’ve given developers a blank cheque to bulldoze nature to build luxury homes while failing to build the social housing we need.”
Denyer continued, “Meanwhile, voters have seen the Greens consistently standing up for the values that they hold dear: protecting the planet for future generations, opposing genocide, and supporting the most vulnerable in society.”
The Green MPs point to a series of successes over the past 12 months, including:
Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development
The ACCC will not oppose Cleanaway Waste Management Limited’s (ASX:CWY) proposed acquisition of Contract Resources Group Pty Ltd.
Cleanaway and Contract Resources both supply a range of industrial services in Australia, including maintenance and cleaning of industrial facilities and equipment. Cleanaway is also one of the largest waste management companies in Australia.
The ACCC’s review considered the likely effect of the proposed acquisition on competition for the provision of industrial services.
The review found Contract Resources primarily provides specialist industrial services, such as catalyst handling, which Cleanaway does not supply.
For other types of industrial services that both Cleanaway and Contract Resources supply, the ACCC’s review found the merged entity would continue to face competition from alternative suppliers and, in some cases, customers would be able to effectively sponsor the entry of a new supplier.
“We have seen oil and gas companies sponsor new entry before”.
The review focused on whether the merged entity would be able to profitably leverage Contract Resources’ strong position in the supply of specialist industrial services into Cleanaway’s waste management offering – for example, by requiring customers to acquire their waste management services as a condition of supplying specialist industrial services.
The ACCC found that this is unlikely to be a profitable strategy because customers have other options to source these specialist industrial services.
“Overall, we did not find that the proposed acquisition is likely to substantially lessen competition in the supply of industrial services or waste management services,” Dr Williams said.
More information can be found on the ACCC’s public register here: Cleanaway Waste Management Ltd – Contract Resources Group Pty Ltd
In considering the proposed acquisition, the ACCC applies the legal test set out in section 50 of the Competition and Consumer Act.
In general terms, section 50 prohibits acquisitions that would have the effect, or be likely to have the effect, of substantially lessening competition in any market.
Cleanaway Waste Management Limited (Cleanaway) proposes to acquire 100 per cent of the shares in Contract Resources Group Pty Ltd (Contract Resources). Contract Resources’ majority shareholders are two private equity firms, SCF Partners Inc and Viburnum Funds Pty Ltd.
Cleanaway is an Australian-based recycling, waste management, and industrial services company.
Contract Resources is a specialist provider of industrial services for complex and high value assets in the energy and oil and gas sectors.
Industrial services involve the provision of maintenance and cleaning services to industrial facilities, plants, and equipment, with many customers for these services operating in the mining, infrastructure, and oil and gas sectors.
Cleanaway and Contract Resources each provide ‘baseline’ industrial services, including high pressure water services, vacuum loading, non-destructive digging, cold cutting, tank cleaning and maintenance, emergency response, and decontamination and chemical cleaning.
Contract Resources also provides specialist industrial services such as catalyst handling and specialised mechanical services:
Customers of specialist industrial services are generally customers in oil, gas and mining sectors.
Source: Murray Darling Basin Authority
SARAH FERGUSON: It emerged today that accused child sex offender Joshua Brown may have worked at several child care centres in Victoria longer than authorities originally thought. It means more parents now face the excruciating prospect that their children may be involved and may be required to undergo health screening. On Tuesday, Brown was charged with more than 70 offences, including sexual assault, relating to eight alleged victims at a child care centre in Melbourne’s west. Authorities had also listed more than 20 other centres he’d worked at across the city. These allegations will now be tested in court. But as our reporter Adele Ferguson told us when the story broke, it’s not the first time parents have had to consider the possibility their children may have been the victims of assault while in childcare.
ADELE FERGUSON: If you look across at the data, at least one report a day of sexual misconduct comes from child care centres, which is a heck of a lot.
SARAH FERGUSON: The latest allegations put pressure on the Federal Government to overhaul the regulation of child care in Australia. Education Minister Jason Clare is the Minister responsible. Jason Clare, welcome.
JASON CLARE, MINISTER FOR EDUCATION: Thank you.
FERGUSON: Now you learnt about the allegations being made against the child care worker in Melbourne over a week ago. What action did you take?
CLARE: The first step I took was to put this on the top of the agenda for Education Ministers when we met last week. Last week, two things happened. I was informed that a person had been arrested for the alleged behaviour in child care centres in Victoria. But a second thing happened. The Wheeler Report was released by the NSW Government, and their initial response. And as you know, that was an investigation conducted by the former Deputy Ombudsman of NSW, Chris Wheeler, in response to the Four Corners exposé earlier this year, which revealed horrifying examples of physical abuse and neglect in child care centres. I thought it was necessary to put this at the top of the agenda for Education Ministers last week so we could pull together the recommendations from Chris and he briefed us, but also recommendations from Gabrielle Sinclair, who’s the head of the federal regulator, about what are the next steps we need to take to keep our kids safe in child care.
FERGUSON: We’ll come to some of those in a minute. I just want to stay with the situation in Melbourne and just repeating that these are now allegations, the man has been charged and will face trial. How is it possible that if you knew a week ago, some parents only found out when they went to the childcare centres that there was a problem?
CLARE: Let me be very clear. I was informed by the Victorian Government that someone had been arrested, I wasn’t briefed on the details of this, and nor were Ministers at the Education Ministers meeting last week. To the best of my knowledge, the Victorian Government has made sure that they’ve informed parents as soon as they possibly can. As you would have heard —
FERGUSON: Well, it’s not – it can’t be as soon as they possibly could because we had an incident of a mother on the program last night who did receive a text message. The text message was very confusing. The media were at the child care centre. She didn’t know, walked into a child care centre.
CLARE: Fair point. Let me correct that. The Victorian Government were informing parents when they believed that they were ready to do so. One of those people is a friend of mine. She’s directly affected by this. Her girls are caught up in this. I know the white-hot anger of all parents that are affected by this and the confusion that they’re facing and feeling right now. I don’t want to make any points specifically about the alleged offender because this will go before the courts. But this is serious, it’s sickening. People want to turn away from this and turn off their TVs, but you can’t. It requires serious action. I’ve been pretty blunt about this today and yesterday. We’re taking action, but not enough action has happened and not fast enough.
FERGUSON: Alright, let’s talk about that. But just in the case of your friends, and obviously we offer them all our sympathy, how did they find out, and how did they think the matter was treated?
CLARE: They received a text message.
FERGUSON: Did they understand the text message?
CLARE: Yeah, they did. They did, but then they received further details. She’s gone off to see a GP, but to be honest, she’s still confused, wanting to find out what tests she needs to get her daughters to do, whether those tests might cause more trauma than the girls. The girls don’t know about it at the moment. She’s keeping it from them, as you expect that she would. But at some point, they need to get tests done. She needs to know what those tests involve and what the potential impact of them might be on the girls.
FERGUSON: Are paedophiles targeting child care centres because they can get easy access to children?
CLARE: We’ve seen evidence of this, Sarah. We saw evidence of this in Queensland, where Australia’s worst paedophile was arrested and charged and convicted a couple of years ago. It’s why I asked the federal regulator to conduct a review into child safety. It’s why the sort of actions that are rolling out now are happening, because you have seen paedophiles do this.
FERGUSON: We will talk about what came out of that review, but there are figures that show, and these are just in the jurisdictions that have reporting requirements, at least one incident of sexual misconduct a day. And that doesn’t include any figures from Queensland, the Northern Territory and South Australia. How do you defend those statistics?
CLARE: I don’t. No reasonable person would. What those statistics show you is that we’ve got a serious problem, and we’ve got to take serious action. The honest answer to you is that this job will never be done, that there will always be bad people that try and break through the net. That doesn’t mean that you do nothing, though. That means that we’ve got to do everything that we possibly can to make sure that our children are safe. That’s why people are talking now about CCTV or about an educator register, about improving working with children checks. None of that is a silver bullet. None of that is going to guarantee every child is safe. But all of it are the sort of things that are necessary if we’re fair dinkum about doing our jobs.
FERGUSON. So, what is your view on each of those things? Just one at a time? CCTV. Should there be CCTV in child care centres?
CLARE: Yes, there should. Chris talked about this in his report that was handed down last week —
FERGUSON: When can we expect to see that?
CLARE: Hang on a sec. So, what Mr. Wheeler said in his report, based on the Four Corners investigation, is that that should be targeted to certain centres based on the fact that some centres haven’t been up to scratch. And so, Education Ministers are looking at –
FERGUSON: Just hold it. Just hold it there. You’re talking about the need for CCTV in a child care centre that is not up to scratch. Should any centre that is required to have CCTV for the safety of its – for the children attending it, should that centre be in operation?
CLARE: The short answer to that is no, and that’s why I’m going to introduce legislation when the Parliament returns in the first sitting fortnight that will cut funding to child care centres that aren’t up to scratch, that aren’t meeting the quality and safety standards that Australians would expect and that our kids deserve. This is the big weapon that the Commonwealth Government has to wield here. We fund centres, 70 per cent of the funding for these centres comes from taxpayers —
FERGUSON. So, you have all the levers.
CLARE: That is the big lever that the Commonwealth Government has. States have other levers, but that’s the big one. A centre can’t run without taxpayer funding or taxpayer support. And so, that’s why we’ve said this was something that we announced in March. That’s a major important measure to make sure that our kids are safe. That doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t have CCTV as well. Chris gave us recommendations about that, and that’s one of the things Ministers are going through right now.
FERGUSON: One of the standards that you’ve already talked about that’s coming in in September is mandatory reporting of any physical or sexual abuse within 24 hours. Why not bring that in immediately?
CLARE: We’re bringing it in as quick as we possibly can. I’m conscious here no one is interested in any excuses here. But the honest answer to this is out of the review that we did, that we asked the National Regulator to conduct for us, they recommended a suite of changes, about 16 different reforms. Some of them are the responsibility of Education Ministers, some the Attorney-General, some building Ministers. One of them was around mobile phones, one of them was around mandatory reporting. I’ve told my department, I’ve told Ministers across the country, we need to implement these as quick as we possibly can, and that’s one of them.
FERGUSON. So, the beginning of September is the earliest you can possibly do that. There is no mechanism under which you could make that immediate because I think that’s something that people will be puzzled about. If you have an existing requirement that says you have to report within seven days, that seems extremely long. Why can’t you move more quickly on that?
CLARE: I think anyone listening would say, why is it seven days now?
FERGUSON: Yes, indeed.
CLARE: Why hasn’t this been fixed yet?
FERGUSON: What’s the answer?
CLARE: The answer is it should have been fixed yesterday. I’m determined to get it fixed as soon as it possibly can. The best advice I’ve got is the way this system works is we can get it done in September.
FERGUSON: How do you propose to fix a system that fails to punish centres that offer substandard care?
CLARE: There’s at least two parts to this. The penalties that centres cop at the moment are insufficient. This is another thing that Chris Wheeler pointed to in his report last week. For an individual that breaches —
FERGUSON: Do you need Chris Wheeler’s report to tell you that?
CLARE: No. I think any right-minded person, when they find out that a maximum penalty under the existing law for an individual is about $9,000, for a centre or a provider is about $45,000, would say, “well, that’s probably not enough to make sure that people are doing what they should be doing”.
FERGUSON: Why did it take a television program to make this an urgent matter of business development?
CLARE: It shouldn’t, but there’s a bit of a history here at the ABC of Four Corners doing the right thing.
FERGUSON: But I want to know what the Government’s been doing because this information was not held secretly from you or your department.
CLARE: No, I get all of that —
FERGUSON: So, what have you been doing for the last three years?
CLARE: The bottom line is that Ministers haven’t been doing enough fast enough, right?
FERGUSON: Including you?
CLARE: Including me, and I take my fair share of responsibility for it. I’ve been pretty blunt about that. But I tell you what, I’ve got the job now and I’m determined to act. Part of that is significantly beefing up those penalties. The other part in answering your question is about cutting off the funding to centres who don’t comply if they’re persistently not meeting safety standards. If they’re persistently not meeting the sort of quality that we expect, whether it’s for a for-profit centre or a not-for-profit community centre, then we’ve got to have the ability to cut off funding, pull the funding for them. That’s what’s going to help get centres up to the sort of safety and quality standards we expect —
FERGUSON: What should the threshold be? Is one breach of a serious safety standard enough?
CLARE: We’re working through the details of that bill that I’ll introduce now, so I won’t pre-empt that, but there needs to be stages there so that potentially we can set conditions on centres. But ultimately, you’ve got to have the power to pull the funding.
FERGUSON: The Federal Government undertook a drive, the Albanese Government, when it came into power, a drive to provide what were urgently needed childcare places across the country. Have you pushed the sector to expand too fast at the expense of children’s safety?
CLARE: No, I don’t think that’s right. We have seen the centre grow over the last three years. There’s 100,000 more children in early education and care today than there were three years ago.
FERGUSON: And we’ve got a crisis of quality. So, doesn’t that make the answer to that question yes?
CLARE: There’s about one and a half million children in the sector right now, so it’s gone from about 1.4 to 1.5. So, we’re seeing that grow. That’s good for parents because it’s an essential service. It’s good to have more children in early education and care because it’s helping to get them ready for school —
FERGUSON: Sure, but this is a debate about quality.
CLARE: I get that. I’m determined to make sure that we hit those quality standards. So, the question then is, how do you make sure you hit those quality and safety standards? What do businesses in this sector listen to? Money. And if you cut off the funding, then you end up closing down the centre. That’s going to be the real tool that we’ve got here to help boost those standards.
FERGUSON: So do you – As things stand, do you accept that there is a correlation between for-profit in this sector and low quality?
CLARE: What I would say is that in the community or the not-for-profit sector, we’re seeing overwhelmingly higher levels of achieving the sort of quality we want and expect than in the for-profit sector. But whether it’s for-profit or not-for-profit, everybody has to meet those sort of standards. We’ve got to make sure that the safety of our children is number one, and one of the ways we can do that is with the lever of Commonwealth money.
FERGUSON: Long way to go on this. Thank you very much indeed for coming in.
CLARE: Thanks, Sarah.
Source: Scottish Government
First Minister marks lives given in public service.
First Minister John Swinney has paid tribute to the eight Scottish recipients of The Elizabeth Emblem.
The emblem is awarded posthumously to family members of those who died in public service. It is the civilian equivalent of the Elizabeth Cross, which recognises members of the UK Armed Forces who died in action or a terrorist attack.
The First Minister said:
“I warmly welcome the awarding of The Elizabeth Emblem to these individuals and their families.
“This recognition enables us to remember their sacrifice and their lives dedicated to public service. They made Scotland a better place for us all and we continue to honour their memory.”
The family of Dunblane Primary School teacher Gwen Mayor including her husband Rodney Mayor said:
“As a family we are extremely proud and honoured to be receiving this award on behalf of Gwen. We always believed her actions that day deserved more recognition.
“You would have to have known Gwen to know that she would have done whatever trying to protect the children in her care. She paid the ultimate price for that commitment. Finally we now feel that she has been honoured for what happened that day.”
The full list of Scottish recipients of The Elizabeth Emblem are:
Background
The Elizabeth Emblem is a national form of recognition conferred by His Majesty The King and was established last year.
The design of the Emblem incorporates a rosemary wreath, a traditional symbol of remembrance, which surrounds the Tudor Crown. It is inscribed with ‘For A Life Given In Service’, and will have the name of the person for whom it is in memoriam inscribed on the reverse of the Emblem. It will include a pin to allow the award to be worn on clothing by the next of kin of the deceased.
Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements
Over 500 town centres have signed up to the Home Secretary’s Safer Streets summer blitz that will see increased police patrols and local action .
Thousands of shoppers and businesses will see increased police presence, stronger prevention and enforcement action by police and councils to support safer high streets this summer.
Over recent years street crime has sky-rocketed, with theft from the person more than doubling between December 2022 and December 2024, and there has been record levels of shop theft, up by more than 60% – with offenders increasingly using violence and abuse against shopworkers.
This marks a key step in delivering the government’s Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, which from July will see named, contactable officers in every community, increased peak time patrols in town centres and anti-social behaviour leads in every force.
Commissioned by the Home Secretary, Police and Crime Commissioners across England and Wales have developed bespoke local action plans with police, businesses and local councils to crackdown on crime this summer.
The aim is to support town centres to be vibrant places where people want to live, work and spend time, and restore faith in community policing after years of declining police officer presence on Britain’s streets.
These plans include increased visible town centre policing and ramping up the use of targeted enforcement powers against troublemakers – including banning perpetrators from hotspots.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said:
High streets and town centres are the very heart of our communities. Residents and businesses have the right to feel safe in their towns. But the last government left a surge in shop theft, street crime and anti-social behaviour which has left too many town centres feeling abandoned.
It’s time to turn this round, that’s why I have called on police forces and councils alike to work together to deliver a summer blitz on town centre crime to send a clear message to those people who bring misery to our towns that their crimes will no longer go unpunished.
The fact that 500 towns have signed up shows the strength of feeling on this issue.
Through our Safer Streets Mission and Plan for Change, we are putting officers back on the beat where you can see them and making our town centres safe again.
The summer initiative will also support young people, making sure there are activities across the 500 towns for young people to be involved in throughout the holidays.
The Home Office, alongside police, retailers and industry are also launching a new Tackling Retail Crime Together Strategy, which will use shared data to assist in disrupting not just organised criminal gangs, but all types of perpetrators including prolific offenders who are stealing to fund an addiction and ‘opportunist’ offenders.
Creating thriving town centres where businesses and communities can flourish supports the government’s growth mission, raising living standards, backing local economies and supporting communities.
Initiatives taking place this summer include:
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:
We are on the side of local businesses, and our Plan for Change is helping create the right conditions for our great British high streets to thrive.
The Safer Streets Summer Initiative will play a vital role in achieving this by keeping footfall high, communities and those that work in them safe, and the economy growing.
Shop theft and the abuse of shopworkers has become an endemic problem for Britain’s high streets with many shopworkers victimised in the same communities where they live.
The government is set to introduce a new law to protect shop workers from this vile abuse.
Record levels of shop theft have been driven not just by organised crime gangs but drug addiction for some prolific offenders and opportunism for others.
The new Tackling Retail Crime Together Strategy will bring together multiple sources of data from industry and policing to create a single avenue for intelligence to help better target and respond to perpetrators.
Police and retailers will also team up with security firms and local communities to locate the highest harm areas and identify the role offender management programmes can play in breaking the cycle of crime for repeat offenders.
Anthony Hemmerdinger, Managing Director, Boots said:
Retail theft alongside intimidation and abuse of our team members is unacceptable, so we welcome this additional support from government and the police to strengthen shopworker protection.
While we continue to invest significantly in schemes to deter and disrupt crime, including our state-of-the-art CCTV monitoring centre and bodycams for our team members in stores, it is only through collaboration with government, police forces, and local communities, that we can ensure high streets feel like welcoming and safe spaces for people to work, shop and visit, all the time.
Chair of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners Emily Spurrell said:
Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) and Deputy Mayors know how much people want to rid their neighbourhoods of criminal and anti-social behaviour (ASB) that blights too many communities. Tackling retail crime and ASB is essential to allowing our town centres to flourish. People have a right to feel safe and shop workers shouldn’t have to defend their stores against regular and organised theft, putting themselves at risk of violence.
As the public’s voice in policing, we have long understood that neighbourhood policing is key to addressing these issues which is why we welcomed the government’s Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee. It will see thousands more officers on our streets and introduce specialist training for them to operate effectively within local communities, building trust.
With our local police forces and other partners in support of the Safer Streets Summer initiative, PCCs and Deputy Mayors will be working harder than ever to target criminal and anti-social behaviour so that people feel safe and have pride in where they live and work. We are determined to deliver real and demonstrable change so that communities and town centres can thrive and prosper.
The initiative launches today at an event hosted by the Home Office and the English Football League at Derby County Football Club, attended by partner representatives from police, businesses, local councils and local government.
It will see increased collaborative community-led interventions across sectors such as schemes to keep kids out of trouble during the summer holidays and targeted prevention activity with businesses, to not only tackle crime, but prevent crime and anti-social behaviour happening in the first place.
English Football League’s Director of Community Debbie Cook said:
Today at Derby County Football Club, EFL in the Community was proud to stand alongside the Home Office as the government reaffirmed its commitment to working hand-in-hand with trusted local organisations — like our clubs — to prioritise public safety and tackle town centre crime, street violence, and anti-social behaviour.
Beyond the pitch, football clubs and their charities across England and Wales play a transformative role in people’s lives. Through innovative initiatives — like Bristol City Foundation’s free ‘turn-up and play’ sessions in supermarket car parks and South Yorkshire clubs uniting to combat violence against women and girls — our clubs are contributing to creating safer, stronger, and more connected communities. We look forward to this work continuing and growing.
Harvinder Saimbhi, CEO of ASB Help, said:
We welcome the Safer Streets Summer Initiative as we know that ASB can increase during these months with lighter nights and improved weather. One of the most effective ways to address shop theft, street theft and anti-social behaviour is through effective partnerships that work proactively in addressing and tackling issues at the forefront.
This proactive initiative will contribute towards communities and businesses in feeling safer by seeing boosted police presence and council operations working together to make town centres safer. We are pleased to see that this initiative will not be only enforcement driven but will focus on creating more positive activities for young people and keeping vulnerable groups safer where everyone can feel secure.
Hetal Patel, National President of the Federation of Independent Retailers (the Fed) said:
This crackdown on shop theft, street theft and anti-social behaviour is timely and welcome. Shop theft is often seen as a victimless crime but this is not the case. It takes a heavy toll mentally, physically and financially on shop owners, their families and their employees. At the same time, the financial costs of retail crime will eventually impact on customers through inflated prices.
ASB, meanwhile, can cost independent retailers dear in terms of cleaning and clearing up, as well as increasing premiums, deterring footfall and shoppers.
A recent Fed survey found that 72% of respondents had experienced shoplifting, break ins and damage to their property and they and their staff had been physically or verbally threatened. A whopping 91% of respondents called for more police patrols on streets.
Everyone deserves to feel safe at work and for their businesses to be protected against criminals.
Richard Walker, Executive Chairman of Iceland Foods said:
Our colleagues and customers are our number one priority at Iceland, and I hope this increase in visible policing will give them more confidence to enjoy our high streets and communities in safety this summer.
Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the BRC, said:
With the huge rise in retail theft and the continued impact of violence and abuse on retail colleagues, we welcome the announcement of increased police patrols and local action to tackle town centre crime and anti-social behaviour. We must stamp out this scourge of crime up and down the country, and this announcement is certainly a step in the right direction.
Superintendent Lisa Maslen of the National Business Crime Centre said:
Retail crime continues to have a significant impact on businesses, staff, and communities across the country. The Tackling Retail Crime Together strategy and campaign is about strengthening the vital partnerships between policing and the retail sector to deliver meaningful action. The NBCC received £2 million of funding from the Home Office to support police and partners in tackling retail crime and we have used some of the funding to develop the first national campaign to highlight the amount of work being done to respond to, prevent and detect retail crime offences across the country.
There will also be increased collaborative community led interventions across sectors such as schemes to keep kids out of trouble during the summer holidays and targeted prevention activity with businesses, to not only tackle crime but prevent crime and anti-social behaviour happening in the first place.
Jason Towse, Managing Director, Business Services, Mitie said:
We all deserve to live and work in a safe environment and the Tackling Retail Crime Together Strategy has been developed to fuse industry knowledge and data with policing powers.
With momentum building as towns across the country rally behind this initiative, the intelligence shared will inform a collaborative approach across regions and enable the right interventions to be deployed to break the cycle of offending.
Together, our actions will deter potential offenders, ensure criminals face consequences and ultimately create safer, thriving communities.
The APCC joint leads for Business and Retail Crime, Katie Bourne OBE, Police and Crime Commissioner for Sussex, and Andy Dunbobbin, North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner, said:
This strategy is an acknowledgement of the urgent need to focus on tackling unacceptable levels of shop theft and violence against retail workers.
We are delighted that the success of the Police and Crime Commissioner-led Pegasus partnership of retailers, Home Office and police has been recognised and is being built upon.
Through the work of Pegasus and policing’s Opal team, a hugely effective, data-led and intelligence-sharing approach has been developed that focuses on organised retail crime gangs with greater police and retailer working at its heart.
Assistant Chief Constable Alex Goss, the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for retail crime, said:
We know retail crime has a significant impact on victims, damages businesses and communities and goes far beyond financial loss. We also know it is a complex problem with a diverse offender profile and is something which requires a strong partnership approach, tackling the issues together.
Over the last two years we have made significant strides in our fight against retail crime, strengthening relationships with retailers and greatly improving information sharing which has resulted in a number of high harm offenders being brought to justice and the new Retail Crime Strategy builds on this even further. It brings together policing, retailers, the security industry and academia in a shared strategy which makes best use of our collective resources to turn the tide on the volume of offending blighting our communities.
A collective approach is key, ensuring everyone can enjoy where they live, work and spend their leisure time safely.
Clare Sumner, Chief Policy and Social Impact Officer at the Premier League said:
The Premier League welcomes the government’s proposals to create opportunities for young people as part of its Safer Streets Summer Initiative. For the last 20 years, our Premier League Kicks programme has provided support for young people who need it the most, funding free weekly football sessions across 93 Premier League, EFL and National League clubs.
Through the power of football, we offer real opportunities for young people to develop vital life skills and reach their potential, supported by club coaches from similar backgrounds who help to inspire, guide and mentor them to a better future.
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