NewzIntel.com

Category: Economy

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Medicines Amendment Bill passes first reading

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Associate Health Minister David Seymour is welcoming the passing of the Medicines Amendment Bill at first reading. The bill enables the ‘Rule of Two’. allowing medicines to be approved in less than 30 days if the product has approval from two recognised overseas jurisdictions.   

    “Faster access to medicines has always been a priority of mine. For many New Zealanders, pharmaceuticals are life or death, or the difference between a life of pain and suffering or living freely,” Mr Seymour says.

    “This change will increase access to medicines for Kiwis by introducing a streamlined verification pathway for medicines. People will access new treatments more quickly. This is committed to in the ACT-National and National-NZ First coalition agreements. 

    The policy will start with Australia, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Singapore and Switzerland, as recognised countries. These are the main countries Medsafe currently recognises.

    “Cabinet has agreed to give the responsible minister powers to regulate the Rule of Two. That means I will be outlining the proposed regulatory pathway for industry and the public to provide feedback on via the Select Committee process. This system should be as straightforward as possible to allow New Zealanders the greatest level of access to medicines possible,” says Mr Seymour

    “New cars are acceptable for the New Zealand market if they meet at least one of several foreign standards. We can apply the same principle to medicines, if other jurisdictions have already done the work and can ensure the products’ safety, we don’t need to delay patients’ access by doing the exact same tests.

    “This is a common-sense efficiency that costs nothing. It helps Kiwis in need. It can shave months off the approval process. A perfect example of this was with a treatment for asthma which could have been approved by the end of 2022 under this pathway but was not approved until 16 months later in May 2024. 

    “This Government is making medicines access a priority because it leads to better patient outcomes. So far, we have:

    • Changed Pharmac’s process so it can assess a funding application at the same time as Medsafe is assessing the application for regulatory approval
    • Allocated Pharmac its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, and a $604 million uplift to give Pharmac the financial support it needs to carry out its functions – negotiating the best deals for medicine for New Zealanders
    • Made patient voice a crucial consideration in Pharmac’s funding decisions
    • Put pseudoephedrine back on the shelves of pharmacies

    “We’re committed to ensuring that the regulatory system for pharmaceuticals is not unreasonably holding back access. It will lead to more Kiwis being able to access the medicines they need to live a fulfilling life.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Starting and stopping a super income stream pension

    Source: New places to play in Gungahlin

    Information for trustees of APRA regulated super funds

    This information may help advise trustees of APRA-regulated superannuation funds with what to consider when a super income stream starts or stops.

    This applies only to taxed, complying super funds that started a super income stream in the form of an account-based pension, including a transition to retirement income stream (TRIS), on or after 1 July 2007.

    Super income stream

    A super income stream includes an income stream that is a pension, according to the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Regulations 1994 (SIS Regulations).

    An income stream can’t be a pension in accordance with the SIS Regulations unless it meets 2 requirements:

    • payment occurs at least annually
    • for an account-based pension, a minimum amount is paid to the member each year.

    We use the term:

    • ‘pension’ when referring to the operation of the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993 (SIS Act) or SIS Regulations
    • ‘super income stream’ when referring to the operation of income tax laws.

    A super income stream exists when all of the following apply:

    • a member is entitled to a series of payments that relate to each other
    • the payments are periodic, whether paid annually or more frequently
    • the payments are made over an identifiable period of time
    • the minimum payment standards of the SIS Regulations have been met.

    A liability to make a single payment for one year is not a series of payments and won’t meet the requirement of being a super income stream. While there must be continuing liability, a super income stream may stop after only one payment.

    For more information see Taxation Ruling TR 2013/5 Income tax: when a superannuation income stream commences and ceases

    Paying a super income stream

    Once an account-based pension starts, there is an ongoing requirement for trustees to meet the minimum pension standards in the SIS Regulations.

    If any of the requirements of the SIS Regulations are not met in an income year, both of the following apply:

    • the super income stream is taken to have ceased at the start of that income year for income tax purposes
    • you are taken to have not been paying an income stream at any time during the income year.

    Reporting obligations

    Funds have an obligation to report when an income stream starts to be in the retirement phase for transfer balance cap purposes. Funds also have an obligation to report other retirement phase events after an income stream has started, most commonly commutations of retirement phase income streams, for transfer balance cap purposes.

    Funds have a broader obligation to report when an income stream stops and an account is closed.

    Once funds have completed on-boarding to the Member account transaction serviceExternal LinkExternal Link (MATS) they are required to report retirement phase events such as starting an income stream via MATS. Prior to MATS on-boarding, funds report retirement phase events via the Transfer balance account report (TBAR).

    Note: Retirement phase events with an effective date before 1 July 2018 and reporting a response to a Commissioner’s commutation authority should be reported through the TBAR.

    For more information see

    Tax implications for a fund paying a super income stream to a member

    Once a complying super fund starts to pay a super income stream, you may be entitled to exempt a portion of the income earned from the fund’s assets until such time as the pension stops. This is referred to as exempt current pension income (ECPI).

    ECPI doesn’t include assessable contributions or non-arm’s length income.

    From 1 July 2017, funds are unable to claim ECPI for the earnings from assets supporting a Transition to Retirement Income Stream (TRIS) that is not in the retirement phase. These earnings will now be taxed at 15%.

    A TRIS is in the retirement phase when the person receiving the TRIS reaches 65 years old or notifies their fund that they have met a specified nil cashing restriction condition of release, such as retirement, permanent incapacity or terminal illness.

    A TRIS will also be in retirement phase if it starts to be paid to a reversionary beneficiary after the member’s death, irrespective of whether the reversionary beneficiary has reached 65 years old or they have personally met a nil cashing restriction condition of release.

    From 1 July 2017, ECPI will be extended to certain retirement phase products such as deferred lifetime annuities which are not currently paying a benefit.

    For more information see

    If you don’t meet the minimum pension payment requirements under the SIS Regulations

    If a fund doesn’t meet the minimum pension payment requirements for an account-based pension in an income year, the super income stream will be taken to have ceased at the start of that income year for income tax purposes.

    From the start of the income year, the account is no longer supporting a super income stream and any payments from the start of the income year onwards will be super lump sums for both income tax and SIS Regulations purposes.

    This is the case even if the member remains entitled to receive a payment from the fund for the pension under the governing rules or under general trust law concepts.

    If income from assets supporting the income stream was eligible to be treated as ECPI because the income stream was in retirement phase, the fund won’t be entitled to treat the income or capital gains as ECPI for the income year or subsequent years.

    If a pension stops being in the retirement phase because the minimum pension payment requirements are not met, the fund must report a STO event (income stream stops being in the retirement phase) for the member via the Member Account Transaction Service (MATS) Retirement Phase Event reporting.

    Meeting the minimum pension payment requirement in subsequent years

    For the member to receive a super income stream for income tax purposes in future years, the income stream must cease (for example by commutation) and a new superannuation income stream must start that meets all of the requirements of the SIS Regulations.

    When a new super income stream starts, you will be required to recalculate the tax-free and taxable components of the new super income stream.

    You will also need to revalue assets at market value and recalculate the minimum pension payment required at the start of the new super income stream.

    General power of administration may apply to allow an APRA-regulated fund to continue claiming ECPI

    If the total payments in an income year to a member are less than the minimum payment amount for a super income stream, we may exercise our general power of administration (GPA) to allow the fund to continue to claim ECPI if all of the following conditions are met.

    • You didn’t pay the minimum pension amount in that income year because of either:
      • an honest mistake you made resulting in a small underpayment of the minimum payment amount for a super income stream
      • matters outside your control.
    • The entitlement to the ECPI exemption would have continued but for you not paying the minimum payment amount.
    • When you became aware that the minimum payment amount was not met for an income year, you make a catch-up payment as soon as possible in the following (current) income year; or treat a payment (intended prior year payment) made in the current income year, as being made in that prior income year.
    • Had you made the catch-up payment in the prior income year, the minimum pension standards would have been met.
    • You treat the catch-up payment, for all other purposes, as if it were made in the prior income year.

    If all of these conditions are met:

    • the super income stream is taken to have continued and a new pension is not started in the following income year – the proportioning rule doesn’t need to be applied again to determine the tax-free and taxable components
    • you can continue to claim an income tax exemption for earnings on assets supporting that pension, notwithstanding the fund not meeting its obligations under super law
    • any payments made to the member during that income year are treated as super income stream benefit payments (such as pension payments) and not super lump sums.

    If the circumstances of the underpayment don’t meet all of these conditions, the exercise of the GPA would not be relevant.

    Defining a ‘small’ underpayment

    We consider a small underpayment to be one that doesn’t exceed one-twelfth of the minimum pension payment in the relevant income year.

    Defining ‘as soon as practicable’

    Generally, if an underpayment is due to an honest trustee error, we consider ‘as soon as practicable’ to be within 28 days of you becoming aware of the underpayment.

    If the underpayment is due to matters outside your control, ‘as soon as practicable’ is considered to be within 28 days of you being in a position to be aware of the underpayment.

    When you can self-assess your entitlement to the GPA concession

    We allow you to self-assess and apply the GPA concession if all of the following apply:

    • not meeting the minimum pension requirements was an honest mistake or was outside your control
    • the underpayment is only small – doesn’t exceed one-twelfth of the minimum annual pension payment
    • all of the other GPA conditions have been met.

    In all other cases, you must write to us and outline why you didn’t meet the minimum pension requirements for us to consider the exercise of our general power of administration.

    Example 1: you didn’t meet the minimum pension requirements for the year ending 30 June due to a transposition error which resulted in a small underpayment

    In considering whether the GPA concession would apply, the trustee would need to assess if all of the following apply:

    • payments were made during the income year and not meeting the minimum pension payment requirements by 30 June was due to an honest administrative error
    • the amount of the underpayment was small
    • a catch-up payment was made as soon as practicable, in the following income year.

    Based on meeting all of these conditions, we will allow the trustee to self-assess and apply the GPA concession. Despite the fund not meeting its obligations under super law:

    • the super income stream doesn’t stop and a new pension is not started in the following income year
    • the trustee continues to claim an income tax exemption for earnings on assets supporting that pension.

    End of example

    Example 2: you incorrectly calculated the minimum pension requirement

    The trustee makes an honest administrative error when calculating the minimum pension payment in the relevant income year. The trustee used the incorrect minimum pension percentage factor to calculate the July 2017 pension payment. The member turned 65 years old on 28 June 2017 so the percentage factor increased to 5%, however, the trustee used 4% as this was the percentage they had used in the previous year and there was a delay in updating their computer system.

    The trustee needs to assess if all the following apply:

    • payments were made during the income year, and not meeting the minimum pension payment requirements by 30 June 2017 was due to an honest administrative error
    • the amount of the underpayment was small
    • a catch-up payment was made as soon as practicable, in the following income year (2017–18).

    Based on meeting all of these conditions, we will allow the trustee to self-assess their entitlement to the GPA concession to treat the fund as having continuously paid a super income stream.

    End of example

    If you don’t meet the conditions to self-assess

    If the circumstances of the underpayment don’t meet all of these conditions, the super income stream will be taken to have ceased for income tax purposes from the start of the income year.

    For the consequences see:

    If you think we should consider your case further, you need to outline the relevant circumstances to us in writing.

    To ensure a fair and reasonable outcome is achieved in each case, our decision will be made in accordance with the statements and principles set out in the Taxpayers’ charter, compliance model and the good decision-making model, which requires that the decision be legal, ethical, overt, sensible, timely and in accordance with the principles of natural justice.

    Example 3: minimum pension payment requirements are not met due to factors outside the trustee’s control

    If trustees are unable to make a payment before 30 June for reasons beyond their control – such as an error or failure on the part of a financial institution – we would consider all the following in determining whether to exercise the GPA to allow the pension to continue if the:

    • trustee would have been entitled to the ECPI exemption but for not paying the minimum payment amount
    • catch-up amount was made as soon as possible
    • circumstances that prevented the trustee from completing the pension payment were out of their control.

    End of example

    Recording the underpayment of the pension as an ‘accrual’

    You can’t record the underpayment of the pension as an ‘accrual’ in the accounting records of the fund. For you to meet the minimum pension payment standards you must meet the payment requirements both in form and effect. It is not enough for the rules of the pension to state a payment will be made in each income year if the payment for a particular income year is not actually made.

    If you don’t make the minimum pension payment in an income year, the pension will be taken to have stopped at the start of that income year for income tax purposes, unless we have exercised the GPA.

    This applies even if the member remains entitled to receive a payment from the super fund for the purported income stream under the governing rules or under general trust law concepts and you record the underpayment as an ‘accrual’ to recognise that liability.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Global Affairs – THE EU MUST INVEST IN DEMOCRACY TO STEM AUTHORITARIAN TIDE, LEADING INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS SAY

    Source: World Media Wire – for European Endowment for Democracy and others.

    Report outlines six key proposals to bolster democracy aid in new EU seven-year budget

    BRUSSELS – The European Union must commit sufficient funding to support democracy in its next seven-year budget and bolster the bloc’s global leadership in defence of its core values and security interests, five leading international organisations said on Thursday.

    Funding democracy support is essential to enhance an emboldened EU defence and security strategy and secure reliable trading partners. It is a critical mechanism by which EU soft power supports good governance, rule of law and human rights – more essential than ever as geopolitical shifts create a vacuum for anti-democratic forces to thrive.

    The joint statement outlines six key proposals and is signed by five pro-democracy organisations: European Endowment for Democracy, European Network of Political Foundations, European Partnership for Democracy, the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), and Open Government Partnership.  

    It comes as the EU starts negotiations over its 2028-2034 budget. The EU estimates that it provided €4.5 billion in democracy support in 2021-2023, around 3€ per resident per year.  

    “Support for democracy is part of the DNA of the European Union, but it also serves its self-interest,” the statement says. “It is essential to integrate fundamental rights and democratic governance across EU policy areas. The EU and Member States need to dedicate resources in a more efficient and strategic way to respond more effectively to threats through the next Multi-Annual Financial Framework.”      

    The statement’s six principal recommendations are:

    Ensure the EU has stronger tools to financially sanction member states that systematically violate one of the key elements of democracy – the rule of law
    Counter disinformation through support for independent media and effective oversight of tech companies
    Put democracy at the heart of the EU enlargement process
    Embed democracy at the centre of the Global Gateway – the EU’s 300-billion-dollar global investment initiative, for the bloc’s long-term strategic interests
    Maintain the budget for democracy initiatives in EU foreign aid and diplomacy
    Boost emergency funding to support countries making unexpected and sudden transitions toward democracy

    “Democracy support is a cost-effective component of strategic foreign and security policy. Europe is safer when our neighbours have accountable democratic governments,” said Jerzy Pomianowski, Executive Director, European Endowment for Democracy.

    “It is in the European Union’s interest to strengthen political institutions around the world through democracy support. Democracy and security go hand in hand. In these volatile times, we need to continue investing in a stable, secure and democratic future,” said Gary Klaukka, Executive Director, European Network of Political Foundations.

    “Attacks on democratic checks and balances are on the rise and are having a profound impact on our prosperity and security. Within Europe, tackling them means getting serious about stopping money transfers to member states eroding the rule of law and massive increases in support for the media ecosystem” said Ken Godfrey, Executive Director, European Partnership for Democracy.

    “Never before has the EU been challenged on so many fronts. But any EU comprehensive effort to enhance its security must remain attached to sustained support for the democratic values and institutions that are at the heart of the European project,” said International IDEA Secretary-General Kevin Casas-Zamora. “This critical moment is an opportunity for the EU to lead globally.”

    “Globally, the 5,500+ reforms implemented through the Open Government Partnership are a testament to how democratic, collaborative processes lead to more effective policies and better outcomes for citizens. As the EU designs the next MMF, it has the opportunity to embed democratic values, alongside robust funding mechanisms, as a core pillar of its approach. This will ensure better value for money within and beyond its borders,”

    Said Paul Maassen, Secretary General, OGP Europe.

    The full joint statement can be accessed here: https://epd.eu/content/uploads/2025/04/MFF-Statement-v2.pdf?mtm_campaign=MFF%20Statement&mtm_source=Press%20outreach&mtm_medium=Press%20release

     

    Organizations

     

    European Endowment for Democracy

    www.democracyendowment.eu

     

    European Network of Political Foundations

    www.enop.eu

     

    European Partnership for Democracy

    www.epd.eu

     

    International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA)

    www.idea.int

     

    Open Government Partnership

    www.opengovpartnership.org

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Cash and tobacco seized in Operation Eclipse raids

    Source: New South Wales – News

    Police have seized $1,572,000 worth of illegal tobacco and $444,000 in cash in raids on 31 premises in the Mid-North and Eyre Peninsula.

    Serious and Organised Crime Branch, members of the Local Service Areas with support of Consumer and Business Services searched 31 premises at Port Pirie, Port Augusta, Whyalla and Port Lincoln between 1 April and 3 April as part of Operation Eclipse.

    The locations searched included tobacconists, barber shops, gift shops, mini-marts, commercial storage facilities and residential premises.

    The searches resulted in the arrest of a man, 51, of Whyalla Playford for unlawful possession of $225,655 cash.

    Investigation is ongoing in relation to other seizures of cash and illicit tobacco.

    Operation Eclipse commander Detective Chief Inspector Brett Featherby said the regional seizures had significantly disrupted the activities of syndicates operating in those regional areas and enhanced our knowledge or their business model.

    “Organised crime syndicates operating in regional areas will be subject to a whole of SAPOL response to disrupt their criminal activity and financial operations,’’ he said.

    “SAPOL will pursue criminal charges when sufficient evidence exists and that includes those who are supporting and enabling that activity and take every opportunity to enforce the full extent of the confiscations legislation to seize assets of those involved.’’

    Operation Eclipse has so far resulted in 33 arrests for offences including blackmail, arson, money laundering and serious criminal trespass.

    There have been 179 premises searched – 47 residential, 119 businesses and 13 storage facilities – more than $2 million in cash, three firearms and almost $16.2 million in tobacco seized. 
    Significantly, there have been 366 calls to Crime Stoppers since October 2 that have resulted in information being provided to police.

    Commissioner for Consumer Affairs Brett Humphrey said the partnership between CBS and SAPOL had made a significant impact on the illicit tobacco and vape trade in South Australia.

    “Together, we are making inroads into the sale of illicit tobacco and vapes and we are taking this very seriously.

    “CBS will continue to work with other agencies focussed on reducing the illicit tobacco trade in South Australia.”

    Anyone with any information on criminal activities surrounding the sale of illicit tobacco is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or at www.crimestopperssa.com.au – you can remain anonymous.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Big changes are planned for aged care in 2025. But you’d never know from the major parties

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hal Swerissen, Emeritus Professor of Public Health, La Trobe University

    Ground Picture/Shutterstock

    There has been little new in pre-election promises for Australia’s aged-care workers, providers or the 1.3 million people who use aged care.

    In March, Labor announced A$2.6 billion for another pay rise for aged-care nurses in addition to previous pay increases.

    There’s been nothing substantial on aged care from Labor or the Opposition since.

    Major changes are scheduled for the sector later this year, four years after the damning Royal Commission report into aged care. Yet no additional funding has been announced.

    Estimates suggest funding is short around $5 billion to address losses by residential care providers or the shortfall in Home Care Packages.

    What can we expect this year?

    A new Aged Care Act will come into force on July 1 with a much greater emphasis on the rights of older people to get the care that suits their needs. This will mean:

    • a new system to regulate aged care

    • a new independent complaints commissioner

    • a new Support at Home program for older people who want to live at home, and in the community

    • changes to fees for residential aged care.

    But a number of problems remain and it is not clear the reforms being introduced this year will fix them.

    Access is still an issue

    Access to aged care continues to be a problem, particularly in rural and remote areas. The system is difficult to navigate for often vulnerable and confused consumers and their families.

    The government relies heavily on the My Aged Care website to inform older people and their families about aged care options. But this provides only basic information and it is difficult to get individualised support.

    There is also a “digital divide” for a significant group who are unfamiliar with, and lack confidence in, using online services.

    So we need a much greater emphasis on providing local “one stop shops” for personalised support and advice, particularly when people first enter the aged-care system. These services could be provided through Centrelink or new regional aged-care offices.

    Not everyone can navigate websites to get information about the care they need.
    Screenshot/My Aged Care

    About one-third of older people say they need help to live at home. But to get assistance you need an aged-care assessment and that process too needs improving.

    Waiting times for assessment have blown out, with reported delays of up to five months.

    Older people prefer to stay at home

    There are some concerns the number of new aged-care beds is not increasing fast enough. For instance, there are shortages of residential aged care in particular areas such as Canberra.

    But admission times to residential aged care generally have not increased and occupancy rates are declining. This suggests older people would prefer home to residential care.

    Yet increased demand for home-care packages is not being met.

    For those who need more intensive services at home, waiting times remain stubbornly and unacceptably long because there aren’t enough home care packages.

    Despite years of complaints, there are still more than 80,000 people on the waiting list for care at home.

    The new Support at Home program will introduce an eight-level system of support. The highest level of home-care funding will increase to $78,000 to bridge the gap between funding for home and residential care. But many more intensive care packages for home care will be needed to reduce waiting times.

    The Support at Home program also introduces significantly higher out-of-pocket costs for older people. Such costs for everyday services – such as meals, cleaning and gardening – currently funded through the Commonwealth Home Support Program will increase significantly.

    Most controversially, there will also be greater out-of-pocket costs for “independence” services including personal care, social support, respite care and therapy.

    Staff shortages still a concern

    For aged-care providers, chronic workforce shortages are still the biggest problem. Recent increases in wages for aged-care workers, including nurses, are a step in the right direction. But wages are still low.

    It remains hard to attract staff, staff turnover is high and staff are under-trained, risking the quality of care. Shortages are particularly acute in rural areas.

    The aged-care industry is calling for streamlined migration, better training and incentives for regional workers to make up the shortfall. But so far no new election announcements have been made.

    Aged care still needs more workers, including nurses.
    WHYFRAME/Shutterstock

    No real reform

    Despite changes we’ll see from July, the organisation and financing of aged care remains fundamentally unchanged.

    Overall, Australia’s aged-care system is still heavily privatised and fragmented. In 2022-23 there were 923 home-care providers, 764 residential-care providers and 1,334 home-support providers, nearly all in the private and not-for-profit sectors.

    The Commonwealth continues to manage the sector through a cumbersome combination of highly centralised regulation and prescriptive funding contracts.

    It has not put into place an effective, regional management structure to plan, organise and govern the sector to drive quality, innovation, equity, responsiveness and efficiency.

    Nor has the Commonwealth been willing to adequately finance the system either through a levy, a social insurance scheme or via increased taxation. Instead, it’s upping the reliance on user fees to meet the cost of providing services.

    Hal Swerissen is Deputy Chair of the Bendigo Kangan Institute for TAFE.

    – ref. Big changes are planned for aged care in 2025. But you’d never know from the major parties – https://theconversation.com/big-changes-are-planned-for-aged-care-in-2025-but-youd-never-know-from-the-major-parties-253727

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI) Introduces Suite of Bills to Lower Housing Costs for Michigan Families

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Haley Stevens (MI-11)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Representative Haley Stevens (D-MI) introduced four bills in the Congress to help lower housing costs for Michigan families. This comprehensive package of legislation would help Americans buy their first home, age in place, find housing close to needed services, and much more. The four bills are: the Healthy Affordable Housing Act, the Home Accessibility Tax Credit Act, the Fix Moldy Housing Act, and the First Time Homeowner Savings Plan Act.

    “Every Michigan family deserves a safe, affordable, and accessible place to live. But for too many in our great state, the cost of housing is way too high. That’s why I’m introducing a comprehensive package of housing legislation — to bring down costs,” said Rep. Haley Stevens. “With the Healthy Affordable Housing Act, the Home Accessibility Tax Credit Act, the Fix Moldy Housing Act, and the First Time Homeowner Savings Plan Act we’re not just investing in our infrastructure—we’re investing in families, communities, and our future. This package brings essential services closer to home, increases the supply of housing, tackles environmental hazards, empowers first-time buyers, and ensures older Michiganders and those with disabilities have the support they need to live independently. I’m honored to lead this bold step forward, uniting diverse voices and innovative solutions to make sure every Michigander has a safe, affordable place to call home.”

    The Healthy Affordable Housing Act introduced with U.S. Representative Ritchie Torres (D-NY), directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to create a competitive grant program to fund affordable housing near needed services including grocery stores, childcare, and public transportation. This bill is supported by the Michigan State Housing Development Authority, Oakland County Michigan, the Corporation for Supportive Housing, the National Community Development Association, the Michigan Hospital Association, and Habitat for Humanity Oakland County. 

    “There is no issue more important to me than expanding access to safe, healthy, and affordable housing. When I was growing up in the Bronx, public housing was a lifeline for my family,” said Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) in support of the Healthy Affordable Housing Act. “That being said, far too often, public housing units like the one I grew up in lack adequate access to essential services – groceries, healthcare, public transportation, and more – leaving their residents siphoned off from the rest of our society and set up to fail. I refuse to sit by and allow this unacceptable status quo to continue. That’s why I am joining my colleague Rep. Stevens in introducing the Healthy Affordable Housing Act, which would re-invigorate our nation’s affordable housing infrastructure and ensure that they are established with a host of necessary services in close proximity. I would not be where I am today without the stability affordable housing gave me and my family. I want to ensure every American, no matter their zip code, can say the same, and that’s what this bill tries to achieve.”

    The Home Accessibility Tax Credit Act would provide a refundable tax credit to help seniors and Americans with disabilities finance retrofitting their homes to meet their accessibility needs. U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) introduced companion legislation in the United States Senate. This bill is supported by the Paralyzed Veterans of America, the National Disability Institute, the National Council on Independent Living, and the National Federation of the Blind. 

    The Fix Moldy Housing Act would help individuals and local governments remove mold from homes and public buildings to increase the supply of healthy housing and make sure every home in Michigan is safe to live in. This bill is endorsed by the American Industrial Hygiene Association, the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification, and the National Environmental Health Association. 

    The First Time Homeowner Savings Plan Act would increase the amount first-time homebuyers could pull from their IRA savings from the $10,000 set in the 1990s to $25,000, indexed to inflation to use as a down payment on their first home. The First Time Homeowner Savings Plan Act is endorsed by the National Association of Realtors, the American Bankers Association, and the Mortgage Bankers Association.

    A full list of supporting quotes can be found here.

    The full text of each piece of legislation can be found here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Shared Vision, Shared Responsibility – Strenghtening NBFCs – Speech by Shri Swaminathan J, Deputy Governor, Reserve Bank of India – March 28, 2025 – at the Conference of Non-Banking Financial Companies held at Chennai

    Source: Reserve Bank of India

    CA Shri Charanjot Singh Nanda, President, Institute of Chartered Accountants of India; Chairpersons of the Audit Committee of the Boards, MDs & CEOs of NBFCs, and Statutory Auditors of NBFCs, Executive Directors from RBI and my colleagues from the Reserve Bank of India, Ladies and Gentlemen. A very good morning to all of you.

    1. It is an honour to address this esteemed gathering representing the key pillars of the NBFC ecosystem —CEOs entrusted with driving business responsibly, Chairpersons of Audit Committees overseeing assurance, Statutory Auditors who ensure transparency and integrity, along with regulators and supervisors committed to maintaining financial stability and fostering a sound regulatory environment. The theme of our engagement today — “Shared Vision, Shared Responsibility – Strengthening the NBFCs” — could not be more timely or relevant.

    2. The evolution of the NBFC sector is indeed a story of entrepreneurial energy, innovation and social impact. However, as the sector grows in scale and systemic importance, so too must our efforts to reinforce its foundations. A resilient, customer-centric, and well-governed NBFC sector is a shared aspiration — and delivering on it our shared responsibility.

    3. NBFCs have emerged as powerful engines of credit. By complementing the traditional banking system, they have significantly expanded access to credit, particularly for segments that have historically been underserved or excluded. Through innovative credit delivery models that harness technology and local insights, NBFCs have been able to design customised financial products tailored to diverse borrower needs. Their agility and close connect with customers have enabled them to play a role that is not only complementary to the role traditionally played by banks but, in many instances, catalytic in building a financial ecosystem characterised by deeper intermediation and wider opportunity.

    4. The importance of NBFCs has only grown with time. In fact, over the past decade, their growth has consistently outpaced that of banks — a trend that has become even more pronounced in the last few years. This rapid growth is a testament to the sector’s relevance and resilience — but it also raises the stakes. As NBFCs become more systemically important, the standards of governance, risk management, and customer treatment must rise accordingly.

    Understanding the Risks- Need for Responsible Innovation

    5. The business model of NBFCs — while effective — comes with its own set of structural risks. Their funding is short-term as compared to the maturity of their lending or is directed towards higher-risk customer segments.

    6. This maturity and credit transformation is at the heart of the NBFC model — but it also demands a heightened focus on risk management. If not carefully managed, it can create vulnerabilities, especially during periods of market stress or liquidity shocks.

    7. Risk-taking must be intelligent and well planned, and never beyond the risk absorption capacity of the entity concerned. Liquidity and credit risks must be rigorously assessed and managed. Asset-liability mismatches, nature and tenor of the funding sources, and concentration risks all need board-level oversight which should be ably supported by robust internal controls.

    Growth with Fairness: Customer-Centricity is Non-Negotiable

    8. Most importantly, even as we pursue scale, speed, and profits, we must not lose sight of fairness to the customer — that is the cornerstone of a sustainable business model. The NBFC sector must live up to its promise of inclusion by treating customers with dignity, transparency, and care. This entails ensuring transparent and easy-to-understand pricing, free from hidden charges or usurious interest rates. In instances of default, recovery practices must be conducted in an empathetic and respectful manner.

    9. Unfortunately, some NBFCs think they can pursue a business model where it is par for the course to resort to weak underwriting in pursuit of quick growth, coupled with excessive and unsustainable interest rates — at times masked as upfront charges or processing fees — which is followed by aggressive recovery practices upon default. Let me state unequivocally: this is not an acceptable model. Financial inclusion cannot be used as a pretext for financial exploitation. I urge each one of you to commit your institutions to upholding fairness in all your dealings.

    10. This responsibility for fair conduct is shared commitment by the CEO, the Board, and assurance functions in any entity. A customer-centric culture must be driven from the top and embedded at all levels.

    11. How do we ensure that our shared vision is realised, and our collective responsibilities are fulfilled? One of the most effective ways is by strengthening both internal and external assurance mechanisms.

    Strengthening Oversight: the Role of Audit Committee

    12. Let me begin with the Audit Committee of the Board (ACB). Far from being a routine compliance requirement, the ACB is the lynchpin of institutional oversight and long-term financial health. It plays a critical role in reinforcing governance, guiding management on assurance, and ensuring the integrity of internal control systems. When functioning effectively, it becomes a proactive forum for identifying vulnerabilities and initiating timely corrective actions.

    13. The role of the Audit Committee Chairperson is particularly significant in setting the tone for effective governance. It is essential that committee meetings are held regularly, conducted with clear purpose, and thoroughly documented to ensure accountability and follow-through.

    14. The effectiveness of the Committee is in the substance of its deliberations. The ACB must actively monitor the adequacy and functioning of internal control systems — not merely to confirm their presence, but to ensure they are operating effectively in practice. Similarly, audit observations should not remain confined to meeting minutes; they must translate into timely and meaningful corrective actions. A strong ACB also tracks audit findings and ensures that corrective measures are implemented without delay.

    15. Equally important is the establishment of an effective whistleblower mechanism overseen by the Board or the ACB which empowers employees and grants them anonymity, to report unethical or non-compliant behaviour, without fear of reprisal.

    16. CEOs too have a crucial role in upholding the integrity of financial reporting. They must actively deter any attempts—whether deliberate or cleverly disguised—to misapply accounting standards or regulatory provisions. It is equally important to foster an environment where the Chief Financial Officer and Head of Internal Audit feel empowered to engage in open, honest, and transparent dialogue with the Audit Committee of the Board.

    The Crucial Role of Statutory Auditors

    17. Now let me come to the role of Statutory Auditors, who are an indispensable part of the assurance ecosystem. In fact, the role of auditors has never been more critical — not merely in checking compliance, but in upholding trust. And trust, once lost, is hard to rebuild.

    18. Auditors are expected to provide an independent, professional opinion on whether the financial statements present a true and fair view of the NBFC’s financial position and comply with regulatory and accounting standards. However, in today’s complex and dynamic environment, this is no longer enough.

    19. Recent incidents — both in India and abroad — have shown that traditional financial audits must evolve. Auditors must bring technical expertise, forensic insight, and an ethical lens to their work. Red flags must not be ignored. Complex structures, derivatives, off-balance sheet items, related party transactions, and provisioning policies must be closely examined.

    Facilitative Role of Regulators and Supervisors

    20. As regulators and supervisors, we shoulder a dual responsibility — to safeguard stability and discipline, while also fostering an environment that encourages innovation, inclusion, and sustainable growth. Contrary to perception in certain quarters, our approach actively seeks to strike the right balance. At the Reserve Bank of India, we are acutely aware that regulation is not merely about control; it is about enabling responsible financial intermediation within a well-defined and transparent framework. Several initiatives in recent years reflect this facilitative and proportionate approach to regulation. In my previous role as a commercial banker, I had the fortuitous opportunity to be closely associated with one such initiative -the Regulations Review Authority 2.0 – which reinforced the RBI’s strong commitment to easing the regulatory burden and streamlining compliance without compromising regulatory objectives.

    21. The regulatory framework for NBFCs has evolved in the recent years with this understanding — gradually moving toward greater harmonisation with banks where warranted, while still preserving operational flexibility suited to the unique role NBFCs play in the financial system. The introduction of the scale-based regulatory framework explicitly recognises that the intensity of regulation and supervision must be proportionate to systemic importance. At the same time, the regulatory architecture encourages the development of responsible innovation and healthy competition in the sector.

    22. Similarly, the role of the supervisor has also become more interactive and forward-looking. It is not just about identifying compliance breaches after the fact, but about engaging with entities to strengthen internal systems, enhance governance, and build resilience against emerging risks. Through onsite inspections, offsite surveillance, thematic reviews, and structured engagements, the supervisory process aims to be a partner in the financial sector’s long-term soundness — not an impediment to its progress.

    Conclusion

    23. Our shared vision is clear: a dynamic, inclusive, and trusted NBFC sector that complements the banking system and serves the evolving needs of the Indian economy. And the way to achieve it is through shared responsibility — in governance, in customer protection, in financial prudence, and in ethical conduct.

    24. We in the regulatory community stand committed to supporting this journey. Our intent is not to stifle innovation but to ensure that growth is sustainable, risks are well-managed, and customer trust is never compromised. On behalf of the RBI, I can assure you that as regulators and supervisors we will remain committed to playing our part, not just as watchdogs, but as enablers of a robust, inclusive, and future-ready financial ecosystem.

    25. This conference gives us an opportunity to reflect on how we can contribute to this shared agenda. Whether making strategic decisions, chairing audit committees, or signing off on financials, drafting regulations or conducting supervision — we are shaping the sector’s future.

    26. Therefore, let us work together — with clarity of purpose and unity of action — to build a stronger, fairer, and more resilient NBFC ecosystem. Wealth creation should not just be for personal or institutional gain but to support the community, reflecting a sense of shared responsibility amongst all of us, in our pursuit to achieve an inclusive growth for all and realise the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.

    27. With this I wish you all fruitful and enriching deliberations over the course of this conference and look forward to the ideas and insights that will emerge in pursuit of our shared vision. Thank you for this opportunity and wish you all good luck, Jai Hind!

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI China: China opposes practices that ignore market economy laws: commerce ministry

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    The Chinese government is opposed to practices that disregard the laws of the market economy, involve extortion, and undermine the legitimate rights and interests of enterprises, the country’s commerce ministry said on Wednesday.

    These comments were made by a spokesperson with the Ministry of Commerce when responding to a question concerning the recent announcement by the United States that it was postponing enforcement of its TikTok sale-or-ban law for a further 75 days.

    The Chinese government always respects and safeguards the legitimate rights and interests of enterprises, and seeks a market-oriented, law-based and internationalized business environment, the spokesperson said.

    China respects equal, voluntary and fair business practices among enterprises, the spokesperson noted, while adding that specific commercial arrangements must comply with Chinese laws — including the export of technology, which must be approved by the Chinese government in accordance with the law.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: US consumers rush to buy ahead of tariffs

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Americans are racing to make purchases before a tariffs war between the United States and its major trade partners across the world drive up prices, while some of the wealthiest people in the country publicly condemned the policy as potentially catastrophic for the economy.

    In recent weeks, consumers have rushed to increase their purchases of everything from clothing and electronics to cars and furniture, fearing that the costs of goods will jump sharply once tariffs fully take hold.

    “Definitely more people coming into store look to buy TV and electronics to beat the tariff increase,” San Francisco Bay Area-based Best Buy’s sales consultant Van told Xinhua Tuesday.

    The panic-buying has flooded online stores and big-box retailers, including Shein, Ssense, Amazon, Costco, and Walmart, according to The Cut and Facebook News 8 posts. Some online shoppers reported overnight price hikes of 5 to 15 U.S. dollars on items in their carts, citing anticipation of the tariffs.

    “I just bought a TV now instead of waiting,” one user wrote on Reddit. “Prices are already rising on Amazon.” Another thread on the r/carbuying subreddit discussed buyers hurrying to secure vehicles before tariffs increase sticker prices.

    The reckless tariffs, including a tariff on Chinese imports which jumped to 104 percent from midnight of Wednesday, targeted a wide range of goods, from electronics to vehicles. Critics said it will squeeze consumers by raising costs on everyday items.

    For some families, the shift is already painful. A mother in Texas told NPR she used her summer savings to buy back-to-school gear early. “We can’t afford to wait and pay more,” she said. “But now we don’t have money set aside for fall clothes.”

    The “tariff-induced shopping spree” span everything from electronics and appliances to clothing and cars, according to ABC News. Auto sales surged 11.2 percent in March as buyers rushed to beat the 25 percent tariffs on imported vehicles that took effect April 3.

    “Now is the time to buy,” Noel Peguero, a 50-year-old school worker from Queens, New York, told ABC News after spending about 3,500 U.S. dollars on car parts, electronics, and gardening supplies ahead of potential price increases.

    Consumers are actively sharing strategies about what to purchase on social media platforms before prices skyrocket. Reddit users who recently bought homes considered upgrading appliances early, while others on Facebook contemplated purchasing electronics like MacBook laptops before potential price hikes.

    Billionaire Mark Cuban added to consumer concerns by advising people on social media to “buy lots of consumables” before prices increase, recommending “from toothpaste to soap, anything you can find storage space for, buy before they have to replenish inventory.”

    The tariffs introduced on April 2 included a 10 percent universal tariff and additional “reciprocal tariffs” on more than 60 economies who have trade surplus with the United States.

    CBS News reported that the tariffs are actually paid by U.S. importers, who typically pass costs on to consumers.

    Financial experts warned the tariffs represented “the largest tax hike since 1982” and amounted to “an average tax increase of more than 1,900 U.S. dollars per U.S. household in 2025,” according to the Tax Foundation.

    Electronics could see some of the steepest price increases. The Consumer Technology Association estimated that laptop and tablet prices could rise by up to 45 percent, while smartphones may increase by an average of 213 U.S. dollars, representing a 26 percent jump.

    Clothing prices are expected to increase by up to 20 percent, while footwear costs could rise between 20 and 30 percent due to reliance on international manufacturing.

    According to an analysis cited by lifestyle blog Cha Ching Queen, toys could see among the most dramatic price hikes, potentially rising 36 to 56 percent.

    Meanwhile, several billionaires who were republican supporters during last year’s presidential election have broken ranks to criticize the tariff policy.

    Bill Ackman delivered perhaps the most stark warning on Monday, calling the tariffs tantamount to launching an “economic nuclear war” that would severely damage America’s reputation with trading partners.

    Even Elon Musk, who has been heading the Department of Government Efficiency, called for “a zero-tariff situation” between the U.S. and Europe during an Italian political event. Musk also criticized Whitehouse trade adviser Peter Navarro, suggesting his Harvard economics PhD is “a bad thing, not a good thing,” on X, his social media platform.

    Home Depot co-founder Ken Langone, a GOP megadonor and billionaire, also blasted the tariffs, calling the 46 percent import duties on Vietnam “bullshit” and describing the tariff rate on China as “too aggressive, too soon,” on CNBC.

    “The cost of materials for the project I quoted to a client must now cost a lot higher due to the tariff,” home remodeling contractor Jose told Xinhua outside the Home Depot store in San Jose, California. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China vows firm countermeasures following US tariff moves, urges dialogue

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    China on Wednesday vowed to take countermeasures with “firm will” and “abundant means” following U.S. tariff hikes, while urging dialogue to resolve respective concerns and stabilize bilateral ties.

    “I want to emphasize that there is no winner in a trade war, and China does not want a trade war, but the Chinese government will by no means sit by when the legitimate rights and interests of its people are being hurt and deprived,” said an official with the Ministry of Commerce.

    The official made the remarks when responding to media questions regarding a white paper released Wednesday by the State Council Information Office on China’s position on some issues concerning China-U.S. economic and trade relations.

    Over the 46 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States, bilateral trade and economic ties have developed rapidly. The trade between the two countries has surged from less than 2.5 billion U.S. dollars in 1979 to nearly 688.3 billion U.S. dollars in 2024, according to the white paper.

    Noting that the successes of China and the United States are opportunities rather than threats for each other, the official said that China hopes the United States will immediately remove its unilateral imposition of tariffs, and work with China to strengthen dialogue, manage differences, and promote cooperation.

    China is willing to communicate with the U.S. side on key bilateral economic and trade issues, address their respective concerns through dialogue and consultations on an equal footing, and jointly advance the steady, healthy and sustainable development of China-U.S. economic and trade relations, the official noted.

    The official said that it is a typical act of unilateralism, protectionism and economic bullying for the United States to take tariffs as a weapon of exerting maximum pressure and pursuing self-interest.

    Under the guise of pursuing “reciprocity” and “fairness,” the United States is engaging in zero-sum games and, in essence, seeking “America First” and “American exceptionalism,” the official said.

    The U.S. side is exploiting tariffs to subvert the existing international economic and trade order, prioritizing U.S. interests above the global common good, and sacrificing the legitimate interests of countries worldwide to serve its own hegemonic agenda, according to the official.

    Noting that the United States is also deliberately severing the well-established global industrial and supply chains and breaking the market-oriented free trade rules, the official said these practices seriously interrupt the economic development of countries around the globe and affect the long-term stable growth of the world economy.

    “It is well proven by history and facts that by raising tariffs, the United States will not solve its own problems,” the official said, noting that instead, it would lead to drastic fluctuations in the financial market, drive up the U.S. inflationary pressure, weaken its industrial foundation, and increase its risk of economic recession, and ultimately, backfire.

    As the world’s largest developing and developed countries respectively, China and the United States are highly complementary in the fields of natural endowment, human resources, market, capital, and technology, among others, and can achieve mutual benefit and win-win outcomes, the official said.

    The white paper came as rising unilateralism and protectionism in the United States have significantly impeded normal economic and trade cooperation between the two countries.

    Since the beginning of trade friction in 2018, the U.S. side has imposed tariffs on Chinese exports worth more than 500 billion U.S. dollars, and has continuously implemented policies aimed at containing and suppressing China. Recently, the United States levied comprehensive additional tariffs on Chinese products, including tariffs citing the fentanyl issue as the pretext, “reciprocal tariffs,” and an additional 50 percent on existing tariffs.

    These measures — revealing the isolationist and coercive nature of U.S. conduct — run counter to the principles of the market economy and multilateralism, and will have serious repercussions for China-U.S. economic and trade relations, the white paper stated.

    In this context, the Chinese government issued the document to clarify the facts surrounding China-U.S. economic and trade relations, systematically outline its policy stance on related issues, expose the harm caused by unilateralism and protectionism to bilateral economic and trade ties, and demonstrate its firm resolve to safeguard national interests and uphold the multilateral trading system, the official added.

    The Chinese side has always maintained that China-U.S. economic and trade relations are mutually beneficial and win-win in nature, the white paper noted.

    As two major countries at different stages of development with distinct economic systems, it is natural for China and the United States to have differences and frictions in their economic and trade cooperation, according to the document.

    In recent years, the U.S. trade deficit has increased globally, while the proportion attributable to China has decreased. Facts show that raising tariffs on China has not succeeded in narrowing the U.S. trade deficit. Instead, it has raised import costs and further widened the deficit, the official said.

    The trade balance in goods between China and the United States is both an inevitable result of the structural issues in the U.S. economy and a consequence of the comparative advantages and international division of labor between the two countries, the official added.

    The official said that China will continue to tap the potential in import and transform its vast market into a global marketplace shared by the world, thereby injecting new momentum into global economic growth. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Markey Joins Cohort of Congressional Energy and Environment Lawmakers Leading Bicameral Letter to Oppose EPA’s Wholesale Assault on Environmental and Public Health Protections

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

    Letter signed by 180 members of Congress

    Washington (April 9, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today joined Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW); the leaders of the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC), including Co-Chairs Reps. Doris Matsui, Mike Quigley, and Paul Tonko and Vice Chairs Reps. Don Beyer, Suzanne Bonamici, Sean Casten, Mike Levin, and Chellie Pingree; and Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr., Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, in a bicameral letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin calling out his wholesale assault on the central mission of the agency he was appointed to lead.  They were joined by Democratic Senate Leader Chuck Schumer and Democratic House Leader Hakeem Jeffries, bringing the total to 180 Members of Congress calling on Administrator Zeldin to halt his egregious attacks.

    “In just two months as EPA Administrator, you have demonstrated a complete disregard for the central mission of the agency you were appointed to lead. Instead of protecting the environment – as the agency name directs – you are protecting the special interests of big polluters,” wrote the 180 Members. “We urge you to halt your egregious attacks on the public health and well-being of the American people.”

    They pointed out that, as a result of the Trump EPA repealing and gutting critical environmental and public health protections, communities and families will pay higher health costs and be exposed to more mercury and air toxics from coal-fired power plants and more polluted wastewater from oil and gas producers. 

    “While countries around the world are clamoring for cleaner, cheaper, and more innovative technologies, you are actively hamstringing America’s homegrown clean energy industry, which has already injected $422 billion and 400,000 jobs into our economy in just the past two and a half years,” the lawmakers wrote to Administrator Zeldin. “This is anything but unleashing American energy. At the same time, instead of lowering costs for American families, your actions will result in the opposite. Americans’ medical expenses will increase because your Polluters First agenda will allow particulate matter and other hazardous air pollution to go unchecked.”

    Their letter explained that for every $1 the country spends to reduce air pollution, it is estimated to yield $30 in economic benefits in return. Yet, the Trump EPA is choosing to unleash more air pollutants that are linked to Alzheimer’s, miscarriages, and childhood asthma, as well as other public health concerns.

    “Your actions will needlessly increase American families’ exposure to the pollution that can make them sick and stick them with the bill for their care,” concluded the Members.

    The full letter can be found here.

    Background

    On March 12, Administrator Zeldin announced the “biggest deregulatory action in U.S. history,” which included rolling back 31 environmental rules and regulations. This list of actions directly threatens Americans’ health and fundamental right to clean air and water by:

    1. Rolling back National Ambient Air Quality Standards for particulate matter – some of the most dangerous air pollution known to directly cause asthma and other health issues;
    2. Gutting EPA rules that prevent hazardous metals like mercury and arsenic from ending up in our water supply;
    3. Reconsidering national emissions standards for cancer-causing hazardous air pollutants, including ethylene oxide;
    4. Ending the “Good Neighbor” rule, which simply acknowledged that pollution does not respect state lines and that downwind states should not be burdened by their neighbors’ pollution;
    5. Repealing power plant emissions standards, allowing existing gas and coal-fired power plants to pump unlimited climate pollution into our air; and
    6. Revoking the landmark “Endangerment Finding” that simply states climate-changing pollutants are dangerous to human health, and which serves as the foundation for climate pollution to be regulated under the Clean Air Act.

    And more.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Building works start for Forestry Centre of Excellence

    Source:

    10 April 2025

    FCoE Director Professor Jeff Morrell, UniSA Standing Acting Vice Chancellor Professor Marnie Hughes-Warrington, and Minister Claire Scriven pictured at today’s sod turning.

    Construction works for the $16 million Forestry Centre of Excellence (FCoE) officially started today with the turning of the first sod at UniSA’s Mt Gambier campus.

    A central hub for the Green Triangle forest industry, the research, education and training centre is a 10-year collaborative project between the State Government, the University of South Australia, and industry.

    It has been operating from existing UniSA facilities at the Wireless Road precinct since its establishment in December 2023 and will be co-located with the new Limestone Coast Technical College and Mt Gambier TAFE.

    Designed by Russell and Yelland, the FCoE will showcase locally sourced timber materials and is due to be completed in early 2026.

    Focusing on innovation, sustainability, national and global partnerships, the facility will conduct long-term research and development for the forestry industry, generating more jobs and investment in the Green Triangle region.

    SA Minister for Primary Industries, Regional Development and Forest Industries Claire Scriven MLC, was joined by FCoE Director Professor Jeff Morrell, UniSA Standing Acting Vice Chancellor Distinguished Professor Marnie Hughes-Warrington AO, and Australian Forest Products Association CEO Nathan Paine for the turning of the first sod this morning.

    Minister Scriven paid tribute to the local forestry industry, describing it “a powerhouse of the Australian forestry sector”.

    “This year marks 150 years of innovation and experience in growing and producing world-class forestry products in South Australia, and the work and research that will emerge from this advanced facility will ensure the industry is well placed for the next 150 years,” Minister Scriven says.

    Prof Morrell, who was appointed FCoE Director earlier this year, said the new centre would be a “driving force” for the forestry industry.

    “It will advance research, strengthen economic development and – most importantly – build local expertise, ensuring that forestry in the Green Triangle remains a competitive and sustainable sector for generation to come,” Prof Morrell says.

    UniSA Vice Chancellor Professor David Lloyd said the University was pleased to support an industry that contributed more than $860 million to the state’s economy each year.

    “Turning the first sod on the new Forestry Centre of Excellence also coincides with exciting new beginnings for South Australia’s university sector, with UniSA and the University of South Australia set to merge in January 2026 to form Adelaide University,” Prof Lloyd says.

    “The Forestry Centre of Excellence will benefit enormously from the combined expertise and resources of Adelaide University, drawing on the skills of our researchers to develop innovative solutions and best practice to future proof the state’s forestry sector for generations to come.”

    UniSA has committed more than $6 million towards the centre’s operations and construction, along with significant in-kind support.

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

    Other articles you may be interested in

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Oriental fruit fly restrictions lifted – Birkdale area

    Source: Auckland Council

    Controls on the movement of fruit and vegetables in Auckland’s Birkdale area have been lifted after no further evidence of the Oriental fruit fly was found in the area.

    Biosecurity New Zealand, the biosecurity arm of the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI)  announced the update today.

    Phil Brown, Auckland Council Head of Natural Environment Delivery, welcomes the news.

    “After a seven-week operation in Birkdale, it’s welcome news to hear that Biosecurity New Zealand is closing out the operation. Thank you to the residents and businesses for their support including following the restrictions, sharing information with their neighbours and helping to protect our natural environment and economy,” says Phil Brown.

    Successful end to fruit fly operation

    The timeline for the operation period is based on scientific advice about the life cycle of the Oriental fruit fly – so Biosecurity New Zealand can be confident that they are not dealing with a breeding population.

    During the operation, more than 2000 individual visits were made to check the 116 fruit fly traps in the Birkdale area throughout the response, over 470 biosecurity bins were distributed in the community to collect produce waste for safe disposal and more than 954 kilos of were fruit collected and examined for any signs of fruit fly eggs or larvae.

    All Aucklanders are encouraged to take full advantage of the food scraps collection service and join thousands in the region who have already helped turn over 40 million kgs of food scraps into clean energy.

    Here’s some summer tips to beat the Autumn heat and you can also request an additional food scraps bin by contacting us.

    A quick and collaborative response

    On 20 February 2025, a single male Oriental fruit fly (Bactrocera dorsalis) was identified from a backyard surveillance trap in the suburb of Birkdale, Auckland.

    Biosecurity New Zealand mounted an operation to determine if there were more fruit flies and get rid of any population.

    A controlled area notice was put in place which restricted the movement of fruits and vegetables, and approximately 100 extra fruit fly traps within a 1500m area of the original find were placed, along with MPI staff on the ground to talk to the community.

    This was soon after a similar operation in Papatoetoe and Māngere.

    Since then, no further adult fruit flies, eggs, larvae or pupae have been found. MPI is satisfied that the restrictions can be lifted, and response operations can be closed.

    While restrictions are lifted, stay vigilant. If you think you’ve spotted an Oriental fruit fly, eggs, or larvae/maggots in your fruit, call Biosecurity New Zealand (MPI) right away at 0800 80 99 66.

    MPI will continue as normal to check the 7800 fruit fly traps around the country, including hundreds of traps on the North Shore.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Workers First Union Statement: Woolworths restructure – thousands of workers will lose hours and income

    Source: Workers First Union

    The restructure of Woolworths supermarkets, announced to staff by the company today following a consultation period, will result in a reduction in income for thousands of experienced workers and should not go ahead in its current form, Workers First Union said today.
    The wide-ranging restructure, which the company claims is being adopted to improve the customer experience in Woolworths supermarkets, will entail the disestablishment of all department management and duty supervisor roles. Rudd Hughes, Workers First national retail secretary, said staff currently working in those roles could suffer pay cuts and lose hours as a result of their re-employment under newly created roles, and many were considering redundancy. Over 4,400 Workers First Union members would be impacted by the redundancy proposal in one way or another, he said.
    “A bakery or butchery manager will potentially face a decrease of about $15,000 to $17,300 per year, while other department managers will face average pay decreases ranging from nearly $10,000 to $11,700 per year under this proposal,” said Mr Hughes.
    “While some people in those roles will opt for redundancy, it’s not a viable option in smaller or more remote regions without comparable jobs on offer.”
    “For those people, it could be absolutely immiserating. Imagine you’ve worked for your local Woolworths in a specialist role and reached a senior pay band after twenty years on the shop floor – now, many will be back to square one and facing significant financial hardship as a result of the restructure.”
    One Woolworths worker whose role is being disestablished – speaking anonymously due to company restrictions – said staff at their store were “upset and angry” about the restructure plans.
    “We have a lot of long-serving butchers and bakers across the country – I know that many of them will be leaving rather than taking a massive pay cut to stay in the job,” they said.
    “We’re losing tons of experience in these positions, and I think customers will inevitably notice the difference in our products.”
    “Meanwhile, they’re making big capital investments in new land and stores, and it feels like this restructure is being done to save money after a very expensive rebranding.”
    Mr Hughes said the union was calling for Woolworths to protect the existing pay and conditions of staff in roles due for disestablishment; a practice sometimes referred to as “grandparenting”, where existing rates of pay would remain until such a role is re-filled following retirement or resignation.
    “Woolworths have the right to pursue a restructure on their own business grounds, but they have not taken on board the most important concerns of workers and are pushing to the same conclusion they’ve always sought – reduced operating costs,” said Mr Hughes.
    “Less than five years ago, we were calling essential workers heroes and lauding their sacrifices for the collective good during a global pandemic.”
    “The very least Woolworths could do is to recognise their skills and experience and protect their incomes during an incoming global recession.”
    Mr Hughes said that Workers First Union would continue to engage constructively with Woolworths over several remaining issues related to the restructure and would be supporting individual union members through any redeployment or redundancy process.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: President Lai pens Bloomberg News article on Taiwan’s response to US reciprocal tariffs

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan

    Details
    2025-04-08
    President Lai receives credentials from new Tuvalu Ambassador Lily Tangisia Faavae  
    On the morning of April 8, President Lai Ching-te received the credentials of new Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Tuvalu to the Republic of China (Taiwan) Lily Tangisia Faavae. In remarks, President Lai welcomed the ambassador to her new post and thanked Tuvalu for its long-term support for Taiwan’s international participation. The president also noted that joint efforts between our two countries have produced fruitful results in such areas as medicine and public health, agricultural and fisheries technology, and information and communications technology. He expressed his hope that we will continue to deepen our bilateral relations so as to generate even greater well-being for our peoples and promote peace, stability, and prosperity in the Pacific region. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: It is a great pleasure today to receive the credentials of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Tuvalu Lily Tangisia Faavae. On behalf of the Republic of China (Taiwan), I extend my warmest welcome to you. Last year, the Republic of China (Taiwan) and Tuvalu celebrated 45 years of diplomatic relations. Prime Minister Feleti Teo visited Taiwan in May last year for the inauguration of myself and Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao and again in October for our National Day celebrations. When I visited Tuvalu last December, I was warmly received by the government and people of Tuvalu, and I deeply felt that our two countries were like family. Ambassador Faavae’s posting to Taiwan demonstrates the importance Prime Minister Teo places on our ties. Widely recognized for her exceptional talent, Ambassador Faavae is an outstanding official with extensive experience in public service. Moreover, during her term as Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, she voiced support for Taiwan at the World Health Assembly. I believe that with her assistance, our two nations will further advance cooperation and exchanges. I want to thank the government of Tuvalu for long supporting Taiwan’s international participation. Furthermore, joint efforts between our two countries have produced fruitful results in such areas as medicine and public health, agricultural and fisheries technology, and information and communications technology. Last year, Prime Minister Teo and I signed a joint communiqué on advancing the comprehensive partnership between Taiwan and Tuvalu. Going forward, we will stand together in tackling the challenges we face, including climate change and expanding authoritarianism. And we will continue to deepen our bilateral relations so as to generate even greater well-being for our peoples and promote peace, stability, and prosperity in the Pacific region. Once again, I warmly welcome Ambassador Faavae to her new post in Taiwan. Please convey warmest regards from Taiwan to Prime Minister Teo and all of our friends in Tuvalu. I wish you all the best in work and life during your term in Taiwan. Ambassador Faavae then delivered remarks, saying that it is a great honor and privilege to meet with President Lai today as the new Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Tuvalu to Taiwan, and to present to him her letter of credence. She then extended, on behalf of the government and people of Tuvalu, her warmest greetings and deep respect to the president and people of Taiwan. The letter of credence, she noted, signifies the trust and confidence that her government and governor-general have placed in her to represent their nation and to foster and strengthen the bonds of friendship and cooperation between our countries. Ambassador Faavae said that our two countries have enjoyed a longstanding relationship of 45 years based on mutual respect, cooperation, and shared values. She added that we have collaborated, and continue to do so, in such fields as education, health, climate change adaptation and sea level rise mitigation, agriculture, clean energy, and internet connectivity.  Ambassador Faavae pointed out that Tuvalu remains committed to deepening ties with Taiwan and that it values people-to-people connections and our shared Austronesian heritage. She noted that the people of Tuvalu, a small developing nation, have greatly benefited from Taiwan’s advanced technical expertise and diverse financial assistance. She said she believes Tuvalu and Taiwan share a common interest and are united in our efforts and commitment to upholding democracy, peace, stability, and prosperity for our people and making the world better and safer.  Ambassador Faavae stated that as ambassador of Tuvalu to Taiwan, she pledges to work diligently and respectfully to enhance our bilateral relations, promote mutual understanding, and facilitate collaboration in areas of shared concern. The ambassador said she looks forward to collaborating closely with the Taiwan government and other stakeholders to achieve our common objectives and to continue building a more prosperous and harmonious future for our nations. In closing, she thanked President Lai for the opportunity to serve and to further the enduring friendship between our two countries.  

    Details
    2025-03-28
    President Lai meets British Office Taipei Representative Ruth Bradley-Jones
    On the afternoon of March 28, President Lai Ching-te met with British Office Taipei Representative Ruth Bradley-Jones. In remarks, President Lai welcomed Representative Bradley-Jones as she takes up her post in Taiwan, and thanked the United Kingdom government and parliament for demonstrating staunch support for Taiwan. The president indicated that Taiwan and the UK enjoy close economic and trade ties, and our industries complement each other well, with great potential for collaboration in such fields as semiconductors, AI, unmanned vehicles, and medium- and low-orbit satellites. He stated that he looks forward to expanding exchanges with the UK across all domains so as to enhance democratic and economic resilience, jointly advancing the prosperous development of the Indo-Pacific region and economic security around the world. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: It is a pleasure to meet Representative Bradley-Jones here at the Presidential Office for this exchange. I understand that she has proactively called at many government agencies since taking up her post last month. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I extend a warm welcome. Taiwan and the UK are partners that share the values of freedom and democracy. In recent years, our bilateral relations have continued to deepen. With the efforts of Representative Bradley-Jones and our respective governments, I look forward to the expansion of dialogue and cooperation between Taiwan and the UK. This will further elevate our bilateral ties. Especially in the face of expanding authoritarianism, the UK is not only playing an important role in crafting a unified European response; it is also demonstrating staunch support for Taiwan through various channels. For example, joint statements released after the Australia-UK ministerial consultations, as well as the G7 foreign ministers’ meeting, underlined a high level of concern for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. The UK government has publicly expressed support for Taiwan’s international participation on multiple occasions. And last November, the UK House of Commons passed a motion clearly asserting that United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 does not mention Taiwan. These actions attest to the UK’s belief in supporting democracy and peace, and have further solidified our countries’ friendship. I would like to convey my deepest gratitude to the UK government and parliament.  Currently, the UK is Taiwan’s fourth largest trading partner in Europe and second largest source of investment from Europe. We enjoy close economic and trade ties, and our industries complement each other well. There is also great potential for collaboration in such fields as semiconductors, AI, unmanned vehicles, and medium- and low-orbit satellites. We look forward to expanding exchanges with the UK across all domains so as to enhance democratic and economic resilience. We also hope the UK will continue to support Taiwan’s bid to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership so that together, we can work with more like-minded partners, jointly advancing the prosperous development of the Indo-Pacific region and economic security around the world. Once again, I welcome Representative Bradley-Jones to Taiwan and wish her all the best with her work. I anticipate that Taiwan-UK relations will continue to steadily advance through our joint efforts. Representative Bradley-Jones then delivered remarks, first saying in Mandarin that she is honored to meet with President Lai to discuss topics of mutual concern and jointly deepen Taiwan-UK relations, promoting mutual understanding, respect, and cooperation. She went on to say that she came to Taiwan last August to study Mandarin, and began her post as British Office Taipei representative in February this year, noting that every day she learns more about and gains a deeper understanding of Taiwan. Last year, she said, she visited Tainan and Wanli, and found Tainan’s wetlands and the scenery in Wanli very impressive. She added that she has also tried many different Taiwanese foods, and is looking forward to experiencing even more of Taiwan’s local culture and customs over the next four years. Continuing her remarks in English, Representative Bradley-Jones stated that since taking up her post, she has borne witness to the strength of the relationship between Taiwan and the UK and the potential for it to continue to grow. She said that on trade and investment, there is significant complementarity between Taiwan’s Five Trusted Industry Sectors and the UK’s Industrial Strategy, particularly in areas such as digital technologies, advanced manufacturing, and clean energy. Both governments are also together supporting Taiwan and UK businesses through our Enhanced Trade Partnership and annual trade talks, she said. Representative Bradley-Jones went on to say that on science and technology, Taiwan and the UK can and should do more together. She noted that the UK has the third largest tech sector in the world and is valued at over US$1.1 trillion, while Taiwan is the center of the semiconductor and AI hardware world. Given our complementary strengths, especially in areas such as semiconductors, space, and communications technology, she said, the UK has stepped up its level of activity in Taiwan, including by regularly hosting a UK Pavilion at SEMICON and funding 18 joint R&D programs through our new collaborative R&D fund, and looks forward to doing more together in the future.  In support of Taiwan’s whole-of-society resilience, the representative said, the UK is supporting valuable exchanges, co-hosting GCTF (Global Cooperation and Training Framework) workshops, sharing lessons on financial sector resilience, and reaching out to mayors and community leaders across Taiwan. From financial resilience to cyber resilience, she said, the UK’s public sector and private industries have plenty to share and learn. Representative Bradley-Jones stated that on people-to-people links, parliamentarians, civil society, and academics are continuing to deepen contact, and that she is particularly excited by a new smart parliament partnership agreed upon by the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy and the UK’s Westminster Foundation for Democracy, which aims to facilitate cross-party, cross-society, and cross-border exchanges on issues such as democratic governance, AI, inclusive policy-making, and public safety. The representative indicated that the examples she mentioned just scratch the surface of the full potential of the Taiwan-UK relationship. She said that the UK’s longstanding policy remains unchanged, and fundamentally, that is because we share a common set of values and interests. We are together focused on how to make our societies safer and more prosperous tomorrow than they are today, she said, and as like-minded democracies, innovative economies, and practical partners, the sincere and pragmatic cooperation between Taiwan and the UK is bringing material benefits to the prosperity and well-being of our people every day. 

    Details
    2025-03-21
    President Lai meets Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy
    On the morning of March 21, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation led by Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy. In remarks, President Lai said that Alaska has long been an important trading partner of Taiwan, and that we have built a solid foundation for cooperation in such fields as energy, fisheries, and tourism. The president expressed hope that Taiwan and Alaska will have more frequent engagement and exchanges so that our relations can continue to grow to create prosperous development for both sides. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I extend my sincerest welcome to our guests. This is Governor Dunleavy’s first visit to Taiwan, and last night, we both attended the Hsieh Nien Fan (謝年飯) banquet hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Taiwan. I am delighted to have this opportunity to meet with Governor Dunleavy today at the Presidential Office for further dialogue. Alaska has long been an important trading partner of Taiwan. Our sister-state relationship was established in 1988, and we have built a solid foundation for cooperation in such fields as energy, fisheries, and tourism. Currently, Taiwan is Alaska’s eighth largest export market and ninth largest source of imports. This goes to show just how close our trade and economic ties are and how much potential there is for further growth. As I said in my remarks at last night’s Hsieh Nien Fan banquet, Taiwan is interested in buying Alaskan natural gas. I am sure that Governor Dunleavy’s visit will help us explore even more opportunities for cooperation and continue to deepen Taiwan-United States relations. In the face of such challenges as expanding authoritarianism, climate change, and pandemics, we look forward to strengthening collaboration between Taiwan and the US. By drawing on our strengths, we can jointly build non-red supply chains to bolster our economic resilience and drive the advancement of global technology. I want to thank the US government for reiterating the importance it attaches to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and its opposition to any attempt to change the status quo by force or coercion. These statements backing Taiwan help in maintaining stability across the Taiwan Strait and in the Indo-Pacific region. Once again, I thank Governor Dunleavy for traveling such a long way to Taiwan. We hope to see more frequent engagement and exchanges between Taiwan and Alaska so that our relations can continue to grow, and we can create prosperous development for both sides. Governor Dunleavy then delivered remarks, saying that their trip to visit friends in Taiwan has been fantastic, thanking President Lai for the invitation to meet, and thanking all the staff. Governor Dunleavy said that as the pandemic was raging, the world went from “before COVID” to “after COVID.” Before COVID, he said, the world relied on a number of systems that were in place for decades after World War II involving supply chains, alliances, sources of energy, trading partners, and friends. He went on to say that as we go beyond COVID, we are reestablishing and reevaluating who our friends are, where we are going to get our energy, and who our trading partners are going to be. The governor said that we are creating a new world for the next 50 years with the new administration in Washington, and this is an opportunity for us to reevaluate and reinvest with our friends for the next 50 years in each other, our futures, and our security. Governor Dunleavy stated that one thing is for certain: that Taiwan is a friend of the US and a friend of Alaska, and has been for many, many decades. He said that it is their hope in this trip and subsequent trips to establish an even tighter bond among their friends in Taiwan, the US, and Alaska. The governor also said that we have much in common in that we are members of the Pacific family, are democracies, and believe in freedom, free speech, and capitalism. He indicated that he has much optimism for the future, and that as we reestablish relationships throughout the world, energy is going to be the key and the basis for our economic development, our national security, and our friendship. Governor Dunleavy said that he believes this trip is going to lay the groundwork for a fantastic future between Taiwan, Alaska, and the US, and that with President Lai’s support as well as the support of the US administration, we can work together to build even better relationships.

    Details
    2025-03-20
    President Lai attends AmCham Taiwan 2025 Hsieh Nien Fan
    On the evening of March 20, President Lai Ching-te attended the annual Hsieh Nien Fan (謝年飯) banquet hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Taiwan (AmCham Taiwan). In remarks, President Lai pointed out that the United States is now a major source of investment in Taiwan, adding that last year US investment accounted for 11.5 percent of total foreign investment in Taiwan. The president also pointed out that the US has become Taiwan’s largest investment destination, as Taiwan’s direct and indirect investment in the US accounted for more than 40 percent of its total outbound investment last year. President Lai expressed hope that AmCham will continue to offer support in quickly resolving the issue of double taxation, further enhancing the mutually beneficial Taiwan-US economic and trade partnership. He also emphasized that one essential element for our economic prosperity is maintaining security and stability, both regionally and globally. The president expressed his belief that, so long as we coordinate our efforts, we can achieve more in our respective defense industries and build non-red supply chains, advancing peace, stability, and prosperity. A transcript of President Lai’s remarks follows: I’m delighted to be here tonight. I want to wish everyone and their families a happy, healthy, and prosperous year ahead. For many years now, AmCham has acted as a bridge between Taiwan and the US. It not only advocates for Taiwan to various sectors in the US, but also offers advice for the development of Taiwan’s industries. So tonight, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all our friends from the American business community. The 2025 Business Climate Survey, published by AmCham this January, demonstrates the confidence foreign businesses have in the Taiwan market. We are happy to see that over 80 percent of survey respondents reported stable or increased revenue last year, and around 80 percent expressed confidence in Taiwan’s economic prospects for the coming year. Moreover, 90 percent of businesses surveyed are planning to maintain or expand their investments in Taiwan. The positive developments in Taiwan made by our American friends here tonight, their outlook for the future, and their confidence in Taiwan, are further proof of Taiwan’s ideal environment for investment. The US is now a major source of investment in Taiwan. Last year, US investment accounted for 11.5 percent of total foreign investment in Taiwan. In 2023, Entegris opened a new manufacturing facility in Kaohsiung and Micron launched a new facility in Taichung. Last year, Google further solidified Taiwan as its biggest R&D hub outside of the US by opening a new office here. AMD, Nvidia, and major cloud computing companies from the US have also been choosing Taiwan to expand their presence. Over the past several years, the US has also become Taiwan’s largest investment destination. Taiwan’s direct and indirect investment in the US accounted for more than 40 percent of our total outbound investment last year. Four years ago, TSMC’s [Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company] investment in facilities in Arizona became the biggest FDI [foreign direct investment] in a greenfield project in US history. And this month, TSMC announced it would expand that investment, breaking another record and highlighting the enduring prosperity shared by Taiwan and the US. In addition to TSMC, Taiwan’s GlobalWafers has built a 12-inch silicon wafer factory in Texas, the biggest in the US. This will be followed by many other industries. These companies are confidently expanding their global presence across the Pacific and eastward into the Americas. The US is moving to reindustrialize its manufacturing industry and consolidate high-tech leadership, as it moves to become a global AI hub. In these efforts, Taiwan is an indispensable partner for the US. While the US is a leader in chip design, Taiwan’s semiconductor manufacturing plays an irreplaceable part in the supply chain. Adapting to the changing geopolitical landscape and the coming era of smart technology, Taiwan will continue to promote its Five Trusted Industry Sectors of semiconductors, AI, military, next-gen communications, and security and surveillance. This will drive the next stage in our economic development. A great time to invest in Taiwan is now. We will continue to better connect relevant government agencies and align with international standards to foster a friendlier investment environment. And I am confident that Taiwanese and American companies can leverage their respective high-tech expertise and invest in each other, boosting growth in industrial innovation and development for both our economies. At the same time, we hope to continue deepening Taiwan-US trade relations. Last year, Taiwan was the seventh largest trading partner of the US, up one spot from the previous year, and bilateral trade grew by 24.2 percent. Taiwan is going to expand procurement from the US of industrial and agricultural products, as well as natural gas. I am very happy to welcome Governor [Mike] Dunleavy of Alaska, who has specially come all the way to Taiwan. Alaska is a source of high-quality natural gas, and its relatively short distance from Taiwan facilitates transportation. So we are very interested in buying Alaskan natural gas because it can meet our needs and ensure our energy security. We hope that AmCham will continue to offer support in quickly resolving the issue of double taxation and removing tax barriers to bilateral investment and trade, further enhancing the mutually beneficial Taiwan-US economic and trade partnership. One essential element for our economic prosperity is maintaining security and stability, both regionally and globally. So we are grateful for the joint leaders’ statement issued by [US] President [Donald] Trump and Japan’s Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru, in which they expressed their solid support for maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. As we face growing authoritarianism, Taiwan will continue to uphold our values of freedom and democracy and will be a responsible actor in regional and global security. Currently, Taiwan’s defense budget stands at about 2.5 percent of GDP. Going forward, the government will prioritize special budget allocations to ensure that our defense budget exceeds 3 percent of GDP. At the same time, we will continue to reform national defense, further enhancing Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities. And we will advance our cooperation with the US and other democracies in upholding regional stability and prosperity. We also welcome continued Taiwan-US cooperation in the defense sector. I believe that, so long as we coordinate our efforts, we can achieve more in our respective defense industries and build non-red supply chains, advancing peace, stability, and prosperity. In closing, I look forward to seeing even greater achievements from Taiwan-US economic and trade cooperation. Thank you. After remarks, President Lai, AmCham Chairperson Dan Silver, American Institute in Taiwan Taipei Office Director Raymond Greene, and Governor Dunleavy raised their glasses in recognition of the strong Taiwan-US friendship.  

    Details
    2025-03-18
    President Lai meets Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs  
    On the afternoon of March 18, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation led by Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs. In remarks, President Lai said that Taiwan and Arizona enjoy close economic and trade relations, and expressed hope that through our joint efforts, Arizona will become a shining example for Taiwan-United States high-tech collaboration and the creation of non-red supply chains. The president indicated that the next goal for Taiwan and the US is the signing of an agreement for the avoidance of double taxation, which would provide greater incentives for Taiwanese businesses to invest in the US, facilitate the establishment of more comprehensive industry clusters, and generate more job opportunities, representing a win-win outcome for Taiwan-US relations. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I warmly welcome you all to the Presidential Office. Governor Hobbs previously visited Taiwan after taking office in 2023. Her leading a delegation to Taiwan once again demonstrates Arizona’s continued friendship and the importance Arizona attaches to Taiwan. For this, I express my sincerest gratitude, and I welcome you again. In recent years, ties between Taiwan and Arizona have continued to expand and progress. For example, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC)’s investment in Arizona is the largest greenfield investment in US history. This month, TSMC announced that it would increase its investment in the US by US$100 billion. It plans to build more semiconductor fabrication and research and development facilities in greater Phoenix, transforming the area into a US semiconductor hub. Due to our close industrial engagement, we now have more than 30,000 Taiwanese living in Arizona. I would like to thank Governor Hobbs for taking care of Taiwanese businesses and people. I believe that through our joint efforts, Arizona will become a shining example for Taiwan-US high-tech collaboration and the creation of non-red supply chains. Taiwan and Arizona also enjoy close economic and trade relations. Taiwan is Arizona’s eighth largest export market and fifth largest source of imports. Last December, the first agreement under the Taiwan-US Initiative on 21st-Century Trade officially came into effect. I believe this will help further deepen our trade and economic ties. At present, the next goal for Taiwan and the US is the signing of an agreement for the avoidance of double taxation. I hope that we can work together to achieve this goal as soon as possible. This would provide greater incentives for Taiwanese businesses to invest in the US, facilitate the establishment of more comprehensive local industry clusters, and generate more job opportunities, representing a win-win outcome. With Governor Hobbs’s support, we look forward to continuing to advance Taiwan-US relations and promoting further cooperation and exchanges between Taiwan and Arizona across all domains. I understand that during this visit, you have visited many important companies and exchanged opinions with government agencies on how to strengthen bilateral relations. These efforts all go toward building an even more solid foundation for future Taiwan-US cooperation. Once again, I thank you all for supporting Taiwan and welcome you to visit us often in the future. Governor Hobbs then delivered remarks, stating that under President Lai’s leadership, Taiwan continues to thrive as a global hub for technology, innovation, and advanced manufacturing. She said that she is proud to be back in Taiwan alongside her secretary of commerce, Sandra Watson, as part of a diplomatic and economic delegation from Arizona. Since arriving, she said, they’ve hit the ground running, meeting with key partners, businesses, and leaders, noting that the takeaway from their meetings has been incredibly positive, and that they underscore the strong and enduring partnership between Arizona and Taiwan. Adding that our partnership that is built on shared values, mutual cultural appreciation, and commitment to innovation and economic growth, Governor Hobbs indicated that Arizona and Taiwan’s partnership extends back decades, as Taiwanese fighter pilots have been training at Luke Air Force Base in Phoenix since 1996. She said that we have built a strong base of collaboration across many areas, including technology, workforce, and cultural exchange, and that Arizona is even slated to get its own Din Tai Fung (鼎泰豐), which she expressed she is very thrilled about. Governor Hobbs went on to say that Arizona’s relationship with Taiwan is anchored by its ongoing partnership with TSMC and many Taiwan-based companies in semiconductor and other industries, and that TSMC’s US$165 billion investment in Arizona will help power development of the world’s most advanced technology, such as AI, and promises to cement an unbreakable bond between our two economies.  She stated that as governor, she can say with confidence that her administration is fully committed to strengthening this relationship in every way possible, because when Arizona and Taiwan succeed, we all succeed. Lastly, Governor Hobbs once again expressed gratitude to President Lai and the people of Taiwan for their warm hospitality. She then invited President Lai to Arizona to continue their productive conversations and further strengthen ties between our people and our economies, adding that she knows there is no limit to what we can achieve together, and that she is looking forward to what is to come. The delegation was accompanied to the Presidential Office by American Institute in Taiwan Taipei Office Director Raymond Greene.

    Details
    2025-04-06
    President Lai delivers remarks on US tariff policy response
    On April 6, President Lai Ching-te delivered recorded remarks regarding the impact of the 32 percent tariff that the United States government recently imposed on imports from Taiwan in the name of reciprocity. In his remarks, President Lai explained that the government will adopt five response strategies, including making every effort to improve reciprocal tariff rates through negotiations, adopting a support plan for affected domestic industries, adopting medium- and long-term economic development plans, forming new “Taiwan plus the US” arrangements, and launching industry listening tours. The president emphasized that as we face this latest challenge, the government and civil society will work hand in hand, and expressed hope that all parties, both ruling and opposition, will support the measures that the Executive Yuan will take to open up a broader path for Taiwan’s economy. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: My fellow citizens, good evening. The US government recently announced higher tariffs on countries around the world in the name of reciprocity, including imposing a 32 percent tariff on imports from Taiwan. This is bound to have a major impact on our nation. Various countries have already responded, and some have even adopted retaliatory measures. Tremendous changes in the global economy are expected. Taiwan is an export-led economy, and in facing future challenges there will inevitably be difficulties, so we must proceed carefully to turn danger into safety. During this time, I want to express gratitude to all sectors of society for providing valuable opinions, which the government regards highly, and will use as a reference to make policy decisions.  However, if we calmly and carefully analyze Taiwan’s trade with the US, we find that last year Taiwan’s exports to the US were valued at US$111.4 billion, accounting for 23.4 percent of total export value, with the other 75-plus percent of products sold worldwide to countries other than the US. Of products sold to the US, competitive ICT products and electronic components accounted for 65.4 percent. This shows that Taiwan’s economy does still have considerable resilience. As long as our response strategies are appropriate, and the public and private sectors join forces, we can reduce impacts. Please do not panic. To address the reciprocal tariffs by the US, Taiwan has no plans to adopt retaliatory tariffs. There will be no change in corporate investment commitments to the US, as long as they are consistent with national interests. But we must ensure the US clearly understands Taiwan’s contributions to US economic development. More importantly, we must actively seek to understand changes in the global economic situation, strengthen Taiwan-US industry cooperation, elevate the status of Taiwan industries in global supply chains, and with safeguarding the continued development of Taiwan’s economy as our goal, adopt the following five strategies to respond. Strategy one: Make every effort to improve reciprocal tariff rates through negotiations using the following five methods:  1. Taiwan has already formed a negotiation team led by Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun (鄭麗君). The team includes members from the National Security Council, the Office of Trade Negotiations, and relevant Executive Yuan ministries and agencies, as well as academia and industry. Like the US-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement, negotiations on tariffs can start from Taiwan-US bilateral zero-tariff treatment. 2. To expand purchases from the US and thereby reduce the trade deficit, the Executive Yuan has already completed an inventory regarding large-scale procurement plans for agricultural, industrial, petroleum, and natural gas products, and the Ministry of National Defense has also proposed a military procurement list. All procurement plans will be actively pursued. 3. Expand investments in the US. Taiwan’s cumulative investment in the US already exceeds US$100 billion, creating approximately 400,000 jobs. In the future, in addition to increased investment in the US by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, other industries such as electronics, ICT, petrochemicals, and natural gas can all increase their US investments, deepening Taiwan-US industry cooperation. Taiwan’s government has helped form a “Taiwan investment in the US” team, and hopes that the US will reciprocate by forming a “US investment in Taiwan” team to bring about closer Taiwan-US trade cooperation, jointly creating a future economic golden age.  4. We must eliminate non-tariff barriers to trade. Non-tariff barriers are an indicator by which the US assesses whether a trading partner is trading fairly with the US. Therefore, we will proactively resolve longstanding non-tariff barriers so that negotiations can proceed more smoothly. 5. We must resolve two issues that have been matters of longstanding concern to the US. One regards high-tech export controls, and the other regards illegal transshipment of dumped goods, otherwise referred to as “origin washing.” Strategy two: We must adopt a plan for supporting our industries. For industries that will be affected by the tariffs, and especially traditional industries as well as micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises, we will provide timely and needed support and assistance. Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) and his administrative team recently announced a package of 20 specific measures designed to address nine areas. Moving forward, the support we provide to different industries will depend on how they are affected by the tariffs, will take into account the particular features of each industry, and will help each industry innovate, upgrade, and transform. Strategy three: We must adopt medium- and long-term economic development plans. At this point in time, our government must simultaneously adopt new strategies for economic and industrial development. This is also the fundamental path to solutions for future economic challenges. The government will proactively cooperate with friends and allies, develop a diverse range of markets, and achieve closer integration of entities in the upper, middle, and lower reaches of industrial supply chains. This course of action will make Taiwan’s industrial ecosystem more complete, and will help Taiwanese industries upgrade and transform. We must also make good use of the competitive advantages we possess in such areas as semiconductor manufacturing, integrated chip design, ICT, and smart manufacturing to build Taiwan into an AI island, and promote relevant applications for food, clothing, housing, and transportation, as well as military, security and surveillance, next-generation communications, and the medical and health and wellness industries as we advance toward a smarter, more sustainable, and more prosperous new Taiwan. Strategy four: “Taiwan plus one,” i.e., new “Taiwan plus the US” arrangements: While staying firmly rooted in Taiwan, our enterprises are expanding their global presence and marketing worldwide. This has been our national economic development strategy, and the most important aspect is maintaining a solid base here in Taiwan. We absolutely must maintain a solid footing, and cannot allow the present strife to cause us to waver. Therefore, our government will incentivize investments, carry out deregulation, and continue to improve Taiwan’s investment climate by actively resolving problems involving access to water, electricity, land, human resources, and professional talent. This will enable corporations to stay in Taiwan and continue investing here. In addition, we must also help the overseas manufacturing facilities of offshore Taiwanese businesses to make necessary adjustments to support our “Taiwan plus one” policy, in that our national economic development strategy will be adjusted as follows: to stay firmly rooted in Taiwan while expanding our global presence, strengthening US ties, and marketing worldwide. We intend to make use of the new state of supply chains to strengthen cooperation between Taiwanese and US industries, and gain further access to US markets. Strategy five: Launch industry listening tours: All industrial firms, regardless of sector or size, will be affected to some degree once the US reciprocal tariffs go into effect. The administrative teams led by myself and Premier Cho will hear out industry concerns so that we can quickly resolve problems and make sure policies meet actual needs. My fellow citizens, over the past half-century and more, Taiwan has been through two energy crises, the Asian financial crisis, the global financial crisis, and pandemics. We have been able to not only withstand one test after another, but even turn crises into opportunities. The Taiwanese economy has emerged from these crises stronger and more resilient than ever. As we face this latest challenge, the government and civil society will work hand in hand, and I hope that all parties in the legislature, both ruling and opposition, will support the measures that the Executive Yuan will take to open up a broader path for Taiwan’s economy. Let us join together and give it our all. Thank you.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: A damning study of online abuse of female MPs shows urgent legal reform is needed

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cassandra Mudgway, Senior Lecturer in Law, University of Canterbury

    Media Whale Stock/Shutterstock

    Women MPs are increasingly targets of misogynistic, racist and sexual online abuse, but New Zealand’s legal framework to protect them is simply not fit for purpose.

    Recently released research found online threats of physical and sexual violence have caused those MPs to feel fearful, anxious and distressed. Some included in the study said the harassment led to them self-censoring, using social media less often, and considering leaving politics early.

    But the current legal framework is not well equipped to address the nature or volume of the online harassment aimed at MPs.

    Serious online threats made by identifiable individuals can be criminal offences under the Crimes Act 1961. Similarly, the new stalking law, expected to pass later this year, will create some protection for women MPs from online harassers – as long as the stalker can be identified.

    Under the Harmful Digital Communications Act 2015), victims of online harassment can ask the court for protection from the person harassing them, which can include orders to stop all contact. But once again, police need to be able to identify the perpetrator.

    And that is the sticking point. Online abuse is usually committed anonymously and often by perpetrators using a VPN service that encrypts internet traffic and protects your online identity.

    Also, the Harmful Digital Communications Act was not drafted to deal with volumetric harassment – a coordinated effort designed to overwhelm and intimidate a target through a deluge online interactions.

    These campaigns typically involve a large number of participants who collectively flood someone with abusive, threatening or harmful messages. Reporting and attempting to take action on every single message or comment is simply not practical.

    Some women MPs told researchers the harassment led to them self-censoring, using social media less often and considering leaving politics early.
    Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images

    The way forward

    Despite the challenges, there are some steps the government can take to improve the law to better protect MPs.

    Firstly, any new law needs to be fit for purpose. The technological landscape is very different now to when the Harmful Digital Communications Act was introduced in 2015.

    New Zealand should consider following the European Union’s example and criminalise inciting, aiding and participating in mob-style or mass online harassment campaigns. In the EU, the penalty for this can include imprisonment.

    Much of the online abuse originates on social media platforms. But unlike the United Kingdom and Australia, New Zealand does not currently regulate social media.

    In the UK, for example, the Online Safety Act 2023 makes social media companies legally responsible for user safety. Companies must minimise risk of harm (including online violence) when designing, implementing and using any technology on their platforms. Failing these legal duties will incur significant financial penalties.

    The UK’s framework shifts the burden of online safety off the shoulders of individual victims and places it on social media companies which are better positioned to remove harmful content and users swiftly. The rules also alter how new technology is implemented to better protect user safety.

    Dust off past proposals

    Under the previous Labour government, the Ministry of Internal Affairs proposed a new, independent regulatory body to promote online safety, with industry standards and codes of practice. The current coalition government scrapped the proposal last year, leaving New Zealand without a clear plan to address online harm.

    Political leaders should urgently reconsider the Internal Affairs proposal for social media regulation. But they should also go further.

    My research evaluating responses to online abuse in New Zealand, Australia and the UK has highlighted the importance of addressing underlying social and cultural causes of online gender-based violence.

    To effectively prevent online violence against women MPs, a new regulatory framework should require social media platforms to actively challenge and modify harmful gender stereotypes embedded in their services.

    This includes conducting comprehensive risk assessments during the design, development, deployment and use of their platforms.

    While the recent revelations about online abuse directed at women MPs makes for grim reading, it’s clear there are steps the government can take to ensure all MPs feel safe to participate in the political process.

    Cassandra Mudgway is a member of the NZ Labour Party.

    – ref. A damning study of online abuse of female MPs shows urgent legal reform is needed – https://theconversation.com/a-damning-study-of-online-abuse-of-female-mps-shows-urgent-legal-reform-is-needed-254184

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for April 10, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on April 10, 2025.

    Keith Rankin Essay – Rational Expectations, Intelligence, and War
    Essay by Keith Rankin. ‘Rational Expectations’ is a problematic theory in economics. Here I want to focus more away from economics; and more on the meanings of ‘rationality’ in decision-making, than on the problematic ambiguity of the word ‘expect’ (and its derivatives such as ‘expectations’). ‘Expectation’ here means what we believe ‘will’ happen, not ‘should’

    Location-sharing apps are enabling domestic violence. But young people aren’t aware of the danger
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Maria Atienzar-Prieto, PhD Candidate, School of Health Sciences and Social Work, Griffith University The Conversation/Snapchat Location-sharing apps are shaping how we connect and communicate – especially among younger people. Snap Map, a popular feature within Snapchat, is widely used by teens and young adults to stay in

    Tools like Apple’s photo Clean Up are yet another nail in the coffin for being able to trust our eyes
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By T.J. Thomson, Senior Lecturer in Visual Communication & Digital Media, RMIT University Apple Clean Up highlights photo elements that might be deemed distracting. T.J. Thomson You may have seen ads by Apple promoting its new Clean Up feature that can be used to remove elements in a

    Current major party policies fall short for Indigenous communities. Here’s a better path forward
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bartholomew Stanford, Senior Lecturer of Indigenous Studies, Indigenous Education and Research Centre, James Cook University Since the Voice to Parliament referendum in 2023, the Indigenous Affairs portfolio has not featured prominently in policy debates at the national level. As the election campaign continues, there’s yet to be

    Good boy or bad dog? Our 1 billion pet dogs do real environmental damage
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bill Bateman, Associate Professor, Behavioural Ecology, Curtin University William Edge/Shutterstock There are an estimated 1 billion domesticated dogs in the world. Most are owned animals – pets, companions or working animals who share their lives with humans. They are the most common large predator in the world.

    Labor made plenty of promises at the last election. Did they deliver?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Frank Rindert Algra-Maschio, PhD Candidate, Social and Political Sciences, Monash University Election promises are a mainstay of contemporary politics. Governments cite kept commitments as proof they can be trusted, while oppositions pounce on any failure to deliver. But beyond the politics, campaign pledges are also central to

    Australia urgently needs to get serious about long-term climate policy – but there’s no sign of that in the election campaign
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Frank Jotzo, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy and Head of Energy, Institute for Climate Energy and Disaster Solutions, Australian National University The federal election should be an earnest contest over the fundamentals of Australia’s climate and energy policies. Strong global action on climate change is clearly

    1 in 10 tunnel workers could develop silicosis, our new research shows
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Cole, Occupational Hygienist, PhD Candidate, University of Sydney Around 10% of underground tunnel workers in Queensland could develop silicosis, our new study has found. Silicosis is a serious, incurable lung disease caused by inhaling small particles of silica dust. You might have heard about it in

    Here’s how a ‘silent’ tax hike is balancing the budget – with the heaviest burden on the lowest paid
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chris Murphy, Visiting Fellow, Economics (modelling), Australian National University With just over three weeks to go until the federal election, both major parties are trying to position themselves as Australia’s better economic managers. Labor was able to hand down two consecutive budget surpluses in its current term.

    Our ancestors didn’t eat 3 meals a day. So why do we?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rob Richardson, Senior Lecturer in Culinary Arts & Gastronomy, Auckland University of Technology Shutterstock Pop quiz: name the world’s most famous trio? If you’re a foodie, then your answer might have been breakfast, lunch and dinner. It’s an almost universally accepted trinity – particularly in the Western

    Tripped at the first hurdle: fees-free changes could put some students off tertiary study altogether
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Wendy Ann Alabaster, PhD candidate, University of Canterbury skynesher/Getty Images The door to tertiary education will likely close for some students now changes have kicked in for the fees-free policy. In 2017, the Labour government introduced a fee holiday for students’ first year of academic study, or

    Europe tops global ranking of dynamic and sustainable cities – here’s why
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Pascual Berrone, Head of Strategic Management Department and Chair of Sustainability and Business Strategy, IESE Business School (Universidad de Navarra) London, New York and Paris have been named the world’s most dynamic and liveable cities. This is according to a new ranking of global cities that highlights

    Election Diary: Chalmers and Taylor quizzed on personal flaws during animated treasurers’ debate
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Perhaps the most compelling moment, at least for non-economists, in Wednesday night’s debate between Treasurer Jim Chalmers and his “shadow” Angus Taylor was when each man was forced to respond to what critics see as their personal flaws. Moderator Ross

    Politics with Michelle Grattan: Hugh White on what the next PM should tell Trump and defending Australia – without the US
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Trump ascendancy has forced international economic issues and the future strategic outlook onto the Australian election agenda, even if they are at the margins. This campaign – while dominated by domestic issues, notably the cost of living – is

    The Coalition’s domestic gas plan would lower prices – just not very much
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samantha Hepburn, Professor, Deakin Law School, Deakin University A LNG carrier departs Gladstone. Ivan Kuzkin/Shutterstock It surprised many Australians when the Coalition announced a plan straight from the progressive side of politics: force large gas companies to reserve gas for domestic use – at a lower cost

    Can you spot a financial fake? How AI is raising our risks of billing fraud
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matthew Grosse, Director of the Master of Business Analytics, Senior Lecturer, Accounting, University of Technology Sydney Along with the many benefits of artificial intelligence – from providing real time navigation to early disease detection – the explosion in its use has increased opportunities for fraud and deception.

    Running for parliament is still a man’s world, with fewer female candidates – especially in winnable seats
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elise Stephenson, Deputy Director, Global Institute for Women’s Leadership, Australian National University Despite progress towards gender equality in Australian elections, women remain underrepresented among candidates vying for office on May 3. They are also overrepresented in “glass cliff” seats, which are the ones that are difficult to

    Adam Bandt says the Greens can deliver ‘real change’ – but the party should choose its battles more wisely
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Crowley, Adjunct Associate Professor, Public and Environmental Policy, University of Tasmania Federal Greens leader Adam Bandt says the federal election offers “an opportunity for real change”, saying his party would use the balance of power in the next parliament to help deliver serious policy reforms. In

    Don’t let embarrassment stop you – talking about these anal cancer symptoms could save your life
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Suzanne Mahady, Gastroenterologist & Clinical Epidemiologist, Senior Lecturer, Monash University sarkao/Shutterstock Anal cancer doesn’t get a lot of attention. This may be because it’s relatively rare – anal cancer affects an estimated one to two Australians in every 100,000. As a comparison, melanomas affect around 70 in

    Gold rush Melbourne and post-war boom: how Australia overcame housing shortages in the past
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Stevens, Lecturer, Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences, Australian Catholic University As part of their federal election campaign, the Coalition announced plans to limit the number of international students able to commence study each year to 240,000, “focused on driving […] housing availability and affordability”. This

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: REPS. LAUREN BOEBERT AND TOM TIFFANY’S GRAY WOLF BILL PASSES THROUGH HOUSE NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Lauren Boebert (Colorado, 3)

    WASHINGTON D.C.– The Pet and Livestock Protection Act (PALPA) introduced by Congresswoman Lauren Boebert (CO-04) and Congressman Tom Tiffany (WI-07) passed through the House Natural Resources Committee today, a major milestone for this legislation’s path to President Trump’s desk. The House Natural Resources Committee voted 24-17 to advance the bill to the House floor.

    The bill delists the gray wolf from the Endangered Species List, prioritizes the safety and success of America’s agriculture community, removes the ability of progressive, activist judges to get in the way of science and allows states to set their own rules and regulations for managing their gray wolf population. 

    “I’m very excited to see PALPA take another step towards being signed into law, which will be a huge victory for our ranchers, farmers, and landowners in Colorado and across America,”said Congresswoman Boebert. “The science has been very clear on this topic for years: gray wolves are fully recovered and their comeback should be touted as a success story. Now it’s time we encourage states to set their own guidelines and allow ranchers, farmers, and landowners to protect their livelihoods. I look forward to voting for this bill on the House floor and ultimately getting it to President Trump for his signature.”

    “The damage to pets, livestock, and wildlife from an unmanaged wolf population can no longer be ignored. The gray wolf has exceeded federal and state recovery goals, with over 1,000 wolves now thriving in Wisconsin. It’s time to take the next step, delist them, and let the people closest to the gray wolf manage their population levels.” said Congressman Tiffany.

    “The Endangered Species Act was never meant to be a Hotel California where species check in but never leave. Congresswoman Boebert and Congressman Tiffany’s Pet and Livestock Protection Act will allow the recovered gray wolf to check out and return management to the states who know the species best. I thank Ms. Boebert and Mr. Tiffany for their work on this important issue,” said House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman (AR-04).

    “The Colorado Wool Growers Association greatly appreciates Congresswoman Boebert and Congressman Tiffany’s leadership on the efforts to delist the gray wolf,” said Bonnie Eddy, Executive Director of the Colorado Wool Growers Association. “With over 2,000 wolves on the landscape in the western United States, the species has been biologically recovered for years.  Unfortunately, ESA species are often used to restrict land use and control habitat.  Delisting will give farmers, ranchers, and agencies much needed flexibility to manage depredating wolves that kill livestock and to manage the negative impacts to our big game herds.”

    “Hunter Nation salutes the House Natural Resources Committee for voting the ‘Pet and Livestock Protection Act’ out of committee, and thanks Congressman Tom Tiffany and Congresswoman Lauren Boebert for their unwavering support of hunters and our hunting lifestyle,” said Keith Mark, President/Founder of Hunter Nation. “The delisting of the gray wolf is a policy change we have been fighting for since our founding. The recovery of the gray wolf is an incredible conservation success story that should be celebrated. This legislation allows each state to manage the now recovered wolf population just as they manage all other wildlife within the state. The best part of this legislation is the provision that prevents judicial review of the legislative action which will preclude anti-hunting groups from using activist judges to interfere with sound, science-based conservation.”

    “Colorado’s Western Slope has the second largest deposit of natural gas in the world, and wolves on the landscape will put drilling and investing at a full stop–you can open up all the leases and it won’t make a difference if wolves aren’t delisted and dealt with. Energy producers need this bill to pass, or they’ll just pack up and leave the wolves and Colorado’s economy behind,” said Mike Clark, Chairman of the Colorado Conservation Alliance. 

    Congresswoman Boebert’s opening statement from today’s Committee hearing can be found HERE.

    Additional Reading:

    9News: Wolf from Great Lakes dies in Elbert County, Colorado

    USA Today: Colorado Gray Wolf killed after attacking 5 sheep in Wyoming

    The Gazette: Wolves from Canada Arrive in Colorado, Destination Unknown

    Colorado Sun: Ranchers hit Colorado with $580,000 in wolf depredation claims after gray wolf attacks on livestock

    Background:

    The Pet and Livestock Protection Act requires the Secretary of the Interior to reissue the 2020 Department of the Interior final rule that delisted gray wolves in the lower 48 United States. It also ensures this rule cannot be overturned through judicial review, preventing activist judges, like the California judge who vacated the rule in 2022, from relisting the gray wolf by judicial fiat.

    In 2020, the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under President Trump delisted the gray wolf in the lower 48 United States through a process that included the best science and data available. At over 6,000 wolves at the time of delisting, the gray wolf has been the latest Endangered Species Act (ESA) success story with significant population recoveries in the Rocky Mountains and western Great Lakes regions.

    Despite clear evidence of recovery, a California judge overturned the rule in 2022, relisting the gray wolf under the ESA. In Colorado, foreign gray wolves have been imported in from Canada despite strong pushback from local stakeholders and confusion about how to fund wolf depredation claims.

    32 Members of Congress cosponsored the Pet and Livestock Protection Act, including: Reps. Nick Begich (AK-At-Large), Jack Bergman (MI-01), Andy Biggs (AZ-05), Cliff Bentz (OR-02), Jeff Crank (CO-05), Eli Crane (AZ-02), Troy Downing (MT-02), Tom Emmer (MN-06), Gabe Evans (CO-08), Scott Fitzgerald (WI-05), Brad Finstad (MN-01), Michelle Fischbach (MN-07), Russ Fulcher (ID-01), Paul Gosar (AZ-09), Glenn Grothman (WI-06), Harriet Hagemann (WY-At-Large), Andy Harris (MD-01), Jeff Hurd (CO-03), Richard Hudson (NC-09), Mike Kennedy (UT-03), Doug LaMalfa (CA-01), Max Miller (OH-07), John Moolenaar (MI-02), Dan Newhouse (WA-04), Troy Nehls (TX-22), Andy Ogles (TN-05), Scott Perry (PA-10), Bryan Steil (WI-01), Pete Stauber (MN-08), Derrick Van Orden (WI-03), and Tony Wied (WI-08).

    Stakeholders that support the Pet and Livestock Protection Act include: American Farm Bureau Federation, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), Public Lands Council (PLC), National Rifle Association (NRA), Safari Club International (SCI), Hunter Nation, International Order of T. Roosevelt (IOTR), Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, Mule Deer Foundation, Blacktail Deer Foundation, Colorado Farm Bureau, Colorado Conservation Alliance, Colorado Wool Growers, New Mexico Cattle Growers, Mesa County, CO, Minnesota Lamb & Wool Producers Association, Coalition of Arizona/New Mexico Counties, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation, Wisconsin Cattlemen’s Association, Nebraska Cattlemen, and Wisconsin Bear Hunters Association.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Registration rules eased to encourage marriages

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    A newly-wed couple attend a group wedding at the Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar in Urumqi, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, Aug. 10, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    China has revised its marriage registration rules, reducing paperwork and giving couples more flexibility to choose where to register their unions as part of a wider push to encourage more young people to tie the knot.
    The new regulations, the first since the marriage registration ordinance was enacted in 2003, will take effect on May 10.
    Under the new rules, mainland couples will only need their identification cards and a signed declaration affirming they are not currently married and are not closely related by blood within three generations to register their marriages. Previously, they also had to present their household registration books.
    The new regulations will also lift restrictions on where couples can register their marriages, which were previously limited to their places of permanent residence.
    The change is expected to save time and reduce costs, particularly for the growing number of Chinese citizens who live and work away from their registered hometowns.
    One such couple, Zhang from the Inner Mongolia autonomous region and her husband, Wang from Shandong province, have spent years working in Jiangsu province. When they decided to marry years ago, they had to travel back to Wang’s hometown to complete the paperwork, a trip that cost nearly 2,000 yuan ($277.50) and required them to take three days off work.
    Experiences like theirs were common under the previous system. According to the national census, 493 million people in China were living apart from their registered hometowns as of 2020. More than 70 percent were between age 15 and 35.
    The shift in regulations came amid a decline in marriage rates in China. According to data from the Ministry of Civil Affairs, 6.1 million couples registered their marriages last year, down from 7.68 million in 2023.
    Experts have attributed the decline to a shrinking pool of people of marriageable age, shifting views on relationships and the rising costs associated with starting a family.
    Many young adults are now choosing to delay marriage until they feel financially and emotionally prepared, a trend mirrored in market-driven societies such as Europe, North America and Japan, where traditional views on marriage have become more flexible.
    In response to these changes, local governments across China have introduced a range of incentives to foster a newlywed-friendly society.
    The eastern province of Zhejiang extended its paid marriage leave from three to 13 days, while the city of Lyuliang, Shanxi province, now offers a 1,500 yuan incentive to women who marry at or below age 35.
    The efforts align with broader goals, as increasing the number of newlyweds is often seen as an important factor in boosting the birth rate. As one of the world’s most populous countries, China is facing profound demographic challenges due to its rapidly aging population.
    In response, the government has rolled out a series of supportive policies, including enhanced childbirth services, expanded child care systems and greater support in education, housing and employment.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Mining Sector – Greens deliberately misunderstand coal – Straterra

    Source: Straterra Inc

    It is disappointing to see the Green Party continuing to demonise coal and deliberately misunderstanding its role in ensuring the lights stay on, there is food on the table, and steel to build with, says Straterra chief executive Josie Vidal.
    “The Crown Minerals (Prohibition on Coal Mining) Amendment Bill of Green MP Hon Julie Anne Genter, which has been drawn from the members’ bill ballot, is nonsense,” Vidal says. “Very few member’s bills make it into law.
    “New Zealand is reliant on coal for the foreseeable future and we can mine it in a sustainable way, taking into account very many environmental considerations, as we do in New Zealand.
    “Renewable energy relies on the sun shining, the wind blowing and the rain falling. When that doesn’t happen, coal is there as a backup to ensure the lights stay on and businesses can keep running.
    “There is a risk to energy security without coal and this was realised in winter last year. Due to supply constraints, extremely high electricity prices saw manufacturing plants close, both temporarily and permanently, and put pressure on ordinary New Zealanders who are already struggling with the cost of living. We have been assured this won’t happen again and energy companies have been stockpiling coal for this winter.
    “Domestically, coal is used in steel making; cement and lime manufacture; food processing including milk powder and other dairy products; heating commercial hothouses; processing timber, wool and leather; and heating commercial and public facilities including schools, universities and hospitals. If coal producers are forced to close down before users have access to affordable, accessible, and reliable alternatives, then the economy is put at risk.
    “An estimated 2.5 million tonnes of coal are mined annually in New Zealand for both domestic use and for export, all from open cast mines. We export primarily to Japan, South Korea, China, and India, but also Canada, Saudi Arabia and Australia, and export markets are strong.
    “New Zealand coal has highly sought-after properties, such as low sulphur and ash content, and superior swelling properties for use in blast furnaces. This coal is exported to steel makers in Japan, India, Korea, and Australia. At this stage, coal remains essential to steel production. That is why it has been declared a critical mineral.
    “The reality is the world still needs coal and is still using coal. It is up to the market to determine how long coal is used for,” Vidal says.
    Straterra is the industry association representing New Zealand’s minerals and mining sector. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Universities – Renters miss out on real relief from housing subsidy – UoA study

    Source: University of Auckland (UoA)

    As more New Zealanders rent and rents continue to climb, new research shows government support is failing to ease housing stress.

    New Zealand’s accommodation supplement is doing little to improve affordability for renters, according to a recent study. (ref. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=5100405 )

    Although rental subsidies offer some relief, the study authors say they’re not significantly closing the affordability gap between lower- and higher-income groups.

    In contrast, the researchers show that mortgage subsidies work more effectively, helping to level the playing field between low- and high-income homeowners.

    Associate professor Edward Yiu and Dr William Cheung from the University of Auckland’s Business School compare the rent-to-income ratio and mortgage -to-income ratio of Auckland households receiving the accommodation supplement with those that don’t.

    They compare households within the same income bracket, and using data from 2019 to 2023, show that rental subsidies do little to improve affordability.

    “While rental subsidies offer some help, they fall short of creating comparable affordability,” says Yiu.

    Renters receiving the supplement pay more than renters who don’t

    Renters receiving the supplement spent more of their income on rent than those not getting it across all five income brackets the researchers analysed.

    Studies in other countries have shown that landlords may raise rents in response to subsidies, leading to higher rental costs for people on rent support payments, says Yiu. “This could be why renters receiving the accommodation supplement are paying more in Aotearoa.”

    In 2023, in the middle-income bracket, renters on the accommodation supplement were spending 35.65 percent of their income on rent alone, compared to 25.85 percent for those not on support payments.

    When excluding the accommodation supplement from household income, the rent-to-income ratio of households receiving the supplement jumps to 39.15 percent. This indicates that while government support provides some relief, it’s ineffective in bringing rent-to-income ratios down to a more affordable level, says Yiu.

    “We’re facing a bit of a dilemma when it comes to rental subsidy policy. Raising subsidy levels could provide immediate relief but it might also contribute to rent inflation.”

    Housing affordability is a critical challenge in New Zealand, with many low-income households struggling to meet housing costs.

    “While the accommodation supplement is intended to support households with rent and mortgage costs, our findings suggest it’s not providing effective relief for renters,” says Cheung.

    Mortgage supplement levels the playing field for homeowners

    Homeowners receiving the mortgage supplement experience significantly lower mortgage payments than those who don’t, according to the study.

    In 2023, households collecting the supplement paid $32,000 annually in mortgage repayments compared to $39,250 for homeowners (in the same income bracket) not receiving the supplement.

    “Mortgage subsidies effectively level affordability between low-income and higher-income homeowners,” says Yiu.

    This, he argues, suggests homeownership support payments offer more consistent and lasting affordability benefits than rental subsidies.

    “The limited effectiveness of rental subsidies suggests a need to rethink the role of the accommodation supplement in assisting low-income renters.

    “A shift toward policies that support transitions to homeownership, such as shared equity schemes or targeted mortgage support, may provide more sustainable affordability outcomes. A direct provision of public rental housing could also be a potential solution.”

    The Accommodation Supplement is one of New Zealand’s primary social housing support programmes. It provides weekly financial assistance to lower-income households struggling with housing costs.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Member’s Bill an opportunity for climate action

    Source: Green Party

    A Member’s Bill in the name of Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter which aims to stop coal mining, the Crown Minerals (Prohibition of Mining) Amendment Bill, has been pulled from Parliament’s ‘biscuit tin’ today.

    “Christopher Luxon can put his money where his mouth is when it comes to the environment by backing this Bill,” says Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter.

    “My Bill would prevent any new coal mines from being opened while stopping any old ones being expanded. Coal mining turbocharges climate change by releasing huge amounts of carbon into the atmosphere – this simply must stop.

    “If we want to secure a liveable future we need to invest in sustainable, cleaner energy solutions that are proven to be better for people and planet. 

    “The International Energy Agency has said that in order to meet net zero carbon emissions targets there must be no new coal mines. 

    “Continuing to support coal mining, as our Coalition Government is doing, means endorsing a dying industry that poisons our planet and perpetuates the cycle of pollution and environmental destruction which we all suffer from.

    “Coal mining exploits vulnerable communities, exposing them to the harmful boom and bust cycle, not to mention subjecting them to hazardous working conditions that rob them of health, dignity, and a sustainable future. Our people deserve far better than this.

    “I’m grateful to former Green MP Eugenie Sage for starting this work and her advocacy during her time in parliament. Let’s now seize this opportunity to kickstart the move to a cleaner, greener economy – with a just transition for workers in the coal industry at its heart,” says Julie Anne Genter.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Wyden, Cortez Masto, Warren Seek Watchdog Investigation of Potential Trump Administration Violations of Taxpayer Privacy Laws

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    Padilla, Wyden, Cortez Masto, Warren Seek Watchdog Investigation of Potential Trump Administration Violations of Taxpayer Privacy Laws

    New request for investigation comes as Treasury Secretary agrees to leak millions of protected records to DHS, multiple senior IRS officials announce intent to leave agency

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) urged the acting Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration to investigate several reports that the Trump Administration is potentially violating strict taxpayer privacy laws by providing highly sensitive and legally protected taxpayer data to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and personnel affiliated with Elon Musk across various federal agencies. The Senators’ request comes after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent signed a memorandum of understanding with the Department of Homeland Security to provide an unprecedented level of access to Internal Revenue Service (IRS) taxpayer data for open-ended investigations.

    “Taxpayer data held by the IRS is, by design, subject to some of the strongest privacy protections under federal law, the violation of which can trigger civil and criminal sanctions, including up to five years in prison. Congress passed these protections in the 1970s after President Nixon weaponized the IRS against his political enemies. These legal protections for taxpayer data apply to all taxpayers and are an essential foundation for our tax system, which requires the voluntary submission of information to the government. Voluntary tax compliance depends on taxpayers having faith that their confidential information will not be used for anything other than tax administration,” wrote the Senators.

    The letter also follows several high-ranking IRS officials, including the acting commissioner and chief privacy officer, announcing their imminent departures from the agency.

    “Immediately following Bessent’s execution of the [agreement with DHS], several IRS leaders announced their resignations, including Acting IRS Commissioner Melanie Krause and Chief Privacy Officer Kathleen Walters, raising further questions about whether they resigned to avoid being a party to a criminal conspiracy to violate tax privacy law,” continued the Senators. 

    “The risks created by these activities cannot be overstated… [IRS] data can be inaccurate because of identity theft, keypunch errors, obsolete address information, and a wide range of other reasons. If DHS relies on the same data to deport millions of people without validating its accuracy, it is likely to end up making grave errors that impact American citizens and immigrants with valid legal status,” added the Senators.

    In addition to Padilla, Wyden, Cortez Masto, and Warren, the letter was also signed by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.).  

    Last month, Senators Padilla, Cortez Masto, and Wyden condemned the IRS’ plan to provide sensitive taxpayer information to DHS to locate suspected undocumented immigrants. The Senators also led a letter to IRS and DHS leadership raising the alarm on reports that DHS and the Department of Government Efficiency illegally requested sensitive taxpayer information from the IRS.

    Full text of the letter is available here and below:

    Dear Acting Inspector General Hill:

    We write to request an investigation into alarming reports about improper access to tax return information at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) division of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Elon Musk’s associates at the “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE), the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), and others, potentially violating the privacy of every taxpayer. As you know, violations of the tax privacy rules are punishable by civil and criminal penalties, including up to five years in prison.

    Following the abrupt departure of the Acting Chief Counsel and Acting IRS Commissioner on April 7, 2025, Treasury Secretary Bessent signed a memorandum of understanding that gives ICE unprecedented access to return information in an apparent attempt to weaponize the tax system against up to seven million people suspected of being undocumented immigrants. The MOU cites Internal Revenue Code section 6103(i)(2), which permits certain limited disclosures for active criminal investigations individually approved by high level officials, but there were only 30,538 disclosures for all such investigations in the U.S. in 2023 and 14,640 in 2022, raising questions about whether it would be possible for ICE to have a valid reason for obtaining information on up to seven million people.  

    Immediately following Bessent’s execution of the MOU, several IRS leaders announced their resignations, including Acting IRS Chief Counsel Melanie Krause and Chief Privacy Officer Kathleen Walters, raising further questions about whether they resigned to avoid being a party to a criminal conspiracy to violate tax privacy law.  

    DOGE has also sought access to the IRS’s most sensitive systems to create a “mega-API,” that insiders have said is an “open door controlled by Musk for all American’s [sic] most sensitive information with none of the rules that normally secure that data.” This proposed “hackathon” by Musk and third parties could result in the exporting of taxpayer data to private entities and compromise the privacy of millions of Americans. DOGE has also requested an “omnibus” agreement with federal agencies that would allow a broad swath of federal officials to cross-reference benefits rolls with taxpayer data.

    Finally, Treasury and IRS are requiring IRS employees, including employees in service centers who do not have a government-issued computer, to send emails listing five things they did each week to an external email address at OPM without any pre-screening to ensure no return information is included. Agencies are permitted to opt out of this requirement, but the IRS has not.

    The risks created by these activities cannot be overstated. The data in IRS systems cannot necessarily be relied upon for non-tax purposes. The IRS suspends the processing of millions of returns each year and flags millions of others for follow-up because the information in its files does not match what is on the taxpayer’s return. The data can be inaccurate because of identity theft, keypunch errors, obsolete address information, and a wide range of other reasons. If DHS relies on the same data to deport millions of people without validating its accuracy, it is likely to end up making grave errors that impact American citizens and immigrants with valid legal status.

    Moreover, taxpayer data held by the IRS is, by design, subject to some of the strongest privacy protections under federal law, the violation of which can trigger civil and criminal sanctions, including up to five years in prison. Congress passed these protections in the 1970s after President Nixon weaponized the IRS against his political enemies. These legal protections for taxpayer data apply to all taxpayers and are an essential foundation for our tax system, which requires the voluntary submission of information to the government. Voluntary tax compliance depends on taxpayers having faith that their confidential information will not be used for anything other than tax administration. Otherwise, those who value their privacy are less likely to file and pay what they owe. 

    There are already projections that taxpayers are paying $500 billion less in taxes this year, which could be explained, in part, by a lack of confidence that their tax return information will be kept confidential. Experts estimate that this MOU could reduce revenue by $25 billion in 2026 and $313 billion over a ten-year period. If that trend continues, it will undermine the finances of Medicare and Social Security, which the Trump Administration is already dismantling and Elon Musk has said is a Ponzi scheme.  

    While there are procedures by which agencies can gain access to return information, they generally require a determination that the information is required in a specific case for a lawful purpose. IRS employees may not access such information without proper training, and the information cannot be transmitted to another party without proper safeguards. The administration has thus far failed to timely respond to a congressional request on March 14, 2025, for information about the legal basis for the spate of recent requests for access to return data.   

    1. Concerning DHS’s request for return information about ITIN holders, please provide:

    a. A complete unredacted copy of the MOU and any related agreements (including the separate implementation agreement referenced in the redacted MOU);

    b. Any documented concerns raised by any senior IRS officials;        

    c. Any statements received describing the intended use of the information; 

    d. Any parties, officers, or agencies to whom the requester intended to redisclose any or all of the information; and

    e. The legal basis for authorizing disclosures under this MOU; and

    f. The extent to which such disclosures would be unprecedented. 

    2. Please provide any other requests for access to taxpayer or other sensitive information the IRS received from any agency in the executive branch (including DHS, SSA, DOGE, and the Office of Personnel Management) during this administration for return or other sensitive information or access to IRS systems containing such information, which was not subject to judicial review or routinely granted during the last administration.

    3. Please also provide any requests for taxpayer or other protected information received from the President or the Executive Office of the President (EOP) during this administration, including the Office of Management and Budget, DOGE, and Elon Musk.

    4. In each instance described in #2 or #3, please explain how the requestor proposed to use the information requested, the IRS’s response to the request, and the legal basis for the IRS’s response.

    5. Every month until the end of this administration, please provide a copy of any new request that would fall into any of these categories and the IRS’s response.

    6. Please also provide a list of all non-IRS employee(s) currently detailed to, or working with, the IRS as part of DOGE or its affiliates and provide a copy of the Memorandum of Understanding(s) allowing them to do so. 

    7. Every month until the end of this administration, provide an update on any modifications to any of the agreements referenced above to share return information.

    8. Please provide an analysis of the risk that the “5-things” emails IRS employees are required to send to OPM contain information protected by section 6103 or protected by other provisions (e.g., the Privacy Act).

    9. Please provide an estimate of the number of 6103 or other statutory violations the management of the IRS and Treasury are allowing to occur by requiring 5-things emails to OPM.

    10. Please provide information about the nature and scope of the “mega API” and “hackathon” activity, which was reported in the press, including what sensitive data the vendor has access to, how the contract for services was negotiated, and whether there were any violations of federal contracting regulations.

    11. Please provide an estimate of the percentage of individuals who have been given access to return or other sensitive information for the first time during this administration without first completing all of the training that IRS employees are required to take before having such access. Please provide a list of their titles.

    12. To the extent new individuals or agencies have been granted access to return or other sensitive information during this administration, please estimate the percentage who did not properly secure and safeguard such information as required. Please provide a list of any agencies and the titles of any individuals. 

    13. To the extent that improper access or disclosures of return or other sensitive information have occurred during this administration, please describe the circumstances of the disclosure, provide an estimate of the number of taxpayers affected, and whether they have been notified that their information has been improperly accessed or disclosed. 

    Please provide us with this information as soon as it is available, provide us with a briefing by May 8, 2025, and complete this work by September 30, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla Joins Colleagues Demanding Answers, Return of Maryland Father Wrongfully Deported to El Salvador

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    Padilla Joins Colleagues Demanding Answers, Return of Maryland Father Wrongfully Deported to El Salvador

    Following letter, Padilla meets with wife of wrongfully deported Maryland father to advocate for his return

    Padilla meets with Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s wife following his wrongful deportation and ongoing detention in El Salvador

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, joined 24 Senators in urging Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) leadership to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a father who was living legally in Maryland with his family until the Trump Administration wrongfully deported him without due process last month to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador. The Administration has admitted that Abrego Garcia’s deportation was the result of an “administrative error.”

    “We write to express our concerns regarding the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia to El Salvador, an action which the Administration admitted in a recent court filing was an ‘administrative error,’” wrote the Senators. “It is unacceptable that anyone would be deported without proper due process, especially where an immigration judge has granted the individual protected status that explicitly prohibits his return to El Salvador. We demand that the Administration bring Mr. Abrego Garcia home immediately.”

    “Mr. Abrego Garcia is currently being held at CECOT, a maximum-security prison in El Salvador notorious for human rights abuses, after being deported in violation of the law to the very country where his return was impermissible,” continued the Senators. “And when the Administration makes a mistake as severe as sending an individual with protected status to a foreign prison, it cannot simply shrug off responsibility and allege that there is nothing it can do to reunite him with his wife and child, who are American citizens.”

    Earlier today, Padilla joined Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.) to meet with Abrego Garcia’s family and wife, Jennifer Vasquez Sura, to discuss the ongoing effort to secure his immediate release. Padilla promised to keep fighting for Abrego Garcia so he can be reunited with his family.

    In their letter to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and ICE Acting Director Tedd Lyons, the Senators called on the Trump Administration to comply with the court order requiring that they facilitate Abrego Garcia’s return. On Friday, a U.S. District Court judge in Maryland ordered Abrego Garcia’s return to the United States, and the Trump Administration’s ensuing motion to stay the order was denied by the Fourth Circuit on Monday. The case now remains pending before the U.S. Supreme Court.

    The Senators also asked about ICE’s enforcement policies that may have led to this grave error as well as what measures they will take to ensure such an incident did not happen to others and does not occur again.

    Senator Van Hollen led the letter. In addition to Senator Padilla, Senators Alsobrooks, Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) also signed the letter.

    Senator Padilla is a leading voice in Congress opposing President Trump’s mass deportation agenda and anti-immigrant actions and rhetoric. Yesterday, Padilla, Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Representative Jamie Raskin (D-Md.-08), and Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.-07) issued a joint statement condemning the Supreme Court’s decision to lift a hold on removals under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. Padilla previously issued a joint statement with Senators Durbin, Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) slamming President Trump for his attempted invocation of the Alien Enemies Act to deport noncitizens without due process. Last year, Padilla emphasized the dangers and immense economic costs of the Trump Administration’s mass deportation plans during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.

    Full text of the letter is available here and below:

    Dear Secretary Noem and Acting Director Lyons,   

    We write to express our concerns regarding the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia to El Salvador, an action which the Administration admitted in a recent court filing was an “administrative error.” It is unacceptable that anyone would be deported without proper due process, especially where an immigration judge has granted the individual protected status that explicitly prohibits his return to El Salvador. We demand that the Administration bring Mr. Abrego Garcia home immediately.  

    According to court filings, on March 12, 2025, shortly after Mr. Abrego Garcia had picked up his son from the boy’s grandmother’s house, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) stopped Mr. Abrego Garcia, inaccurately telling him that his protected status had changed. After giving his wife a few minutes to arrive to take custody of his son, ICE arrested and detained him without any further explanation as to the reason for his arrest. ICE then transferred Mr. Abrego Garcia and other detainees to Texas, where on March 15, 2025, they were loaded onto planes and deported to El Salvador. Mr. Abrego Garcia was reportedly on the only plane that was not sent under the authority of the Alien Enemies Act but instead was transporting migrants with formal removal orders signed by a judge. This occurred despite the fact that ICE knew, as the Administration conceded in court, that his protected legal status specifically prohibited his removal to El Salvador.  

    Per court filings, Mr. Abrego Garcia came to the United States in 2011 as a teenager fleeing gang threats in his home country of El Salvador. In 2019, ICE arrested Mr. Abrego Garcia over an unfounded and anonymous allegation that he was involved with MS-13, which placed him in deportation proceedings. The U.S. immigration judge in the case ultimately found that it was in fact Mr. Abrego Garcia who was at risk of being the victim of gang violence. The judge found that Mr. Abrego Garcia and his relatives credibly testified that gang members had been trying to extort his family and recruit him and his brother to join the gang, forcing his family to move multiple times, ultimately compelling both him and his brother to flee to the United States out of fear.  

    The immigration judge agreed that Mr. Abrego Garcia would likely face persecution if deported back to El Salvador and thus granted him a form of legally mandated protection known as “withholding of removal.” Withholding of removal, which may only be granted by an immigration judge, provided Mr. Abrego Garcia the ability to stay and work in the United States despite being the subject of a deportation order. This ruling was made under the Trump Administration in 2019 and was in fact required by law under section 241(b)(3) of the Immigration and Nationality Act once the immigration judge made the factual determination that Mr. Abrego Garcia faced a likelihood of torture in El Salvador. At the time, the Trump Administration made no effort to appeal the judge’s ruling or pursue Mr. Abrego Garcia’s deportation further. Court filings attest that Mr. Abrego Garcia has complied with regular ICE check-ins, has no criminal charges, and has had no contact with any other law-enforcement agency since his release in 2019.  

    Mr. Abrego Garcia is currently being held at CECOT, a maximum-security prison in El Salvador notorious for human rights abuses, after being deported in violation of the law to the very country where his return was impermissible. Though the Administration has admitted in court that his deportation was a mistake, it alleges that there is nothing it can do to address this injustice, given that Mr. Abrego Garcia is now in the jurisdiction of the government of El Salvador as part of an agreement to imprison U.S. deportees in exchange for financial compensation.  

    Your unwillingness to immediately rectify this “administrative error” is unacceptable. Under multiple Democratic and Republican administrations, the Department of Homeland Security and ICE followed the rule of law and worked to quickly return people who were wrongfully deported, in the rare instances where such “administrative errors” occurred. The Administration’s mass deportation agenda does not transcend immigration law or the need for due process. And when the Administration makes a mistake as severe as sending an individual with protected status to a foreign prison, it cannot simply shrug off responsibility and allege that there is nothing it can do to reunite him with his wife and child, who are American citizens. On Friday, a U.S. District Court judge in the District of Maryland ordered the government to return Mr. Abrego Garcia to the United States, and on Monday the Fourth Circuit denied the government’s motion to stay the order. The Administration should promptly comply with the district court’s order.

    To address our concerns about this matter and to provide clarity on the Department of Homeland Security and ICE’s policy regarding the immigration enforcement actions against immigrants with protected status, we ask that your Administration answer the following questions by April 22, 2025: 

    1. The standard and legal course for the government to take to deport someone with protected status would be to reopen the case, introduce evidence that grounds for terminating the protected status exist, and then allow an immigration judge to make a determination as to their status. Why was that course of action not taken in this case?  

    2. In the past, DHS and ICE worked to quickly return people to the U.S. who were erroneously deported. Why is DHS and ICE no longer following these well-established procedures and practices?   

    3. Vice President J.D. Vance and Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt have both claimed that Mr. Abrego Garcia is an MS-13 gang member, but the government was unable or unwilling to provide any evidence to substantiate that claim to the court. Please provide any evidence of Mr. Abrego Garcia’s membership in MS-13.

    4. Given that the Administration is reportedly paying $6 million to El Salvador to detain deported immigrants at CECOT, why does it believe that there is nothing it can do to return Mr. Abrego Garcia to his family in the United States? Please provide a copy of the agreement between the U.S. and El Salvador on the detention of people deported from the U.S. in CECOT.

    5. Are there any other cases that the Administration is aware of in which an immigrant with protected status was illegally deported without due process? If so, identify those cases and explain what, if anything the government is doing to rectify those errors. 

    6. Will the Administration commit to reviewing all of the cases of its deportees to ensure that it has appropriately identified all of the errors? 

    7. What actions will the Administration take in the future to ensure that immigrants with protected status are afforded their appropriate due process? 

    We appreciate your prompt attention to this vital matter and look forward to reviewing your fulsome, timely response.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Capito Asks Superfund Experts About Extended Cost and Timeline of Cleanups, Examples from State and Community Efforts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito

    To watch Chairman Capito’s questions, click here or the image above.

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, led ahearing on identifying improvements to the future management of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Superfund program. 

    In her questioning, Chairman Capito asked about particular factors that contribute to delays and increase costs of Superfund cleanups, and what actions can be taken from state and volunteer efforts to provide certainty for impacted communities. Additionally, Chairman Capito highlighted the bipartisan agreement to make meaningful improvements to the Superfund program.

    HIGHLIGHTS:

    CAUSE FOR HOLD UP: 

    CHAIRMAN CAPITO: 

    “Let me just kind of dig deeper on this remediation plan and hold up, Mr. Fox, that you’ve talked about. Is it a matter of the best strategy to cleanup a particular site? Is it arguing over the best way to do it? We’ve heard it’s not really arguing over who is going to pay for it, or is that the hold up? Or is it the science has not been done? I don’t know, point to one, or two, or three things in this process that we could change that would make this go faster.”

    ROBERT FOX:

    “There are very known ways to evaluate what the risk is at the site, and how to clean them up. Some sites are more complicated than others, but those general principles that I mentioned, about knowing who’s exposed, knowing what they’re exposed to, and eliminating those pathways – I don’t want to use the wrong term – but it’s not rocket science. We’ve been doing this for a long time. What happens is, the process is so cumbersome, the reports, the back and forth on scientific stuff. It’s not a science project where you have to study every molecule. You can get there much faster, get a remedy selected.”

    ADDITIONAL COSTS COMPARED TO STATE EFFORTS:

    CHAIRMAN CAPITO:

    “I’m assuming that you’ve done cleanups for Superfund sites, and cleanups for private or state level cleanups. So, I want to contrast those. When you when you do a cleanup, say, for a state, or maybe for a private entity, and you don’t have this cumbersome process, would you agree with Mr. Fox at some of the things that are thrown into the Superfund process – how does that work in a different, when you’re doing it for the state or for a private entity?”

    STEVEN RADEL:

    “In 2022 in Indiana, the Superfund site, if we had done that cleanup under the voluntary program of Indiana, versus how we did it under the Superfund program,

    just my consulting costs alone, and to some extent, my legal costs, probably two times more doing it on the Superfund site than if we were in that same work under a voluntary program.”

    CONCERN IN COMMUNITIES:

    CHAIRMAN CAPITO:

    “From the folks that live in and around Superfund sites, they have great economic development promise, in my view, because they are clean, it’s much easier for a developer, in some cases, to come in, because the work’s already been done. What do you see when you go into different communities, about the restlessness of, why is it taking so long, not adding the economics onto the health issues that are sometimes associated with this site. I think what we’re doing, is we’re stymieing communities from being able to have confidence that they can redevelop, or be living in a healthy community.”

    ROBERT FOX:

    “I agree with you 100%, I see it over and over again. Communities are frustrated because the potential exists for a win, win, win. Redevelopment of the site, protective of their human health and the environment, and the longer it goes on, they become distrustful. They become distrustful of EPA, they become distrustful of the private parties that are doing the work, and it feeds upon itself. Speeding up the process will get this back to productive use, and eliminate the exposure of these communities, and they will eliminate that distrust.”

    BIPARTISAN AGREEMENT:

    “I would like to say just in closing, that I think, first of all, this has been an excellent hearing because you’re all so knowledgeable on the issue, having lived it. But I think we have good, bipartisan agreement here that the system is broken. We’ve put more money in this, recently, and we want to see it result in the completion of these projects as much as you do. So, let’s work together to try and find a solution. Hopefully we can ameliorate some of the problems that have been identified today.”

    Click HERE to watch Chairman Capito’s questions.

    Click HERE to watch Chairman Capito’s opening statement.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lankford, Colleagues Push for Greater Health Care Access for Oklahomans, the Nation

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Oklahoma James Lankford

    WASHINGTON, DC — Senator James Lankford (R-OK) and his colleagues today introduced the Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act that would amend a ban put in place by the Affordable Care Act (ACA), once again empowering physician-owned hospitals (POHs) to expand and deliver high-quality care to Medicare and Medicaid patients, particularly in rural communities. 

    “Oklahomans and rural communities across the country need more quality health care options,” said Lankford. “This bill lifts the outdated restrictions that have blocked physician-owned hospitals from growing or opening where they’re needed most. Local physicians should be empowered to deliver high-quality, patient-focused care in rural Oklahoma.”

    “When physicians lead hospitals, patients win,” said Dr. Adam Bruggeman, MD, FAAOS, chair of the Advocacy Council at the American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons. “Physician-led hospitals are a powerful solution to the consolidation plaguing our healthcare system. By lifting outdated restrictions on physician ownership, we can drive down costs, improve quality, and expand access to care, especially in underserved rural areas. It’s past time to empower physicians to build healthcare institutions that prioritize patients over profits.”

    “The daily headlines are impossible to ignore,” said Physician-Led Healthcare for America (PHA) President-elect Carlos Cardenas, MD. “Healthcare costs are skyrocketing, rural hospitals are shuttering at alarming rates, and quality and patient satisfaction continue to decline. The status quo is failing us. It’s time to revitalize our healthcare system with a proven solution: physician-led hospitals.” 

    “Across the country, patients in rural communities are struggling to access essential medical care as more rural hospitals are forced to close due to the immense financial strain associated with declining reimbursements and rising medical costs,” said Bruce A. Scott, MD, President of the American Medical Association. “By allowing physicians to invest in and revitalize these hospitals, this legislation has the power to preserve and expand access to critical health care services in the communities that need them most. Physician-led hospitals are known to deliver high-quality, cost-effective care. This is a commonsense solution to a worsening problem. The AMA strongly supports this legislation and urges Congress to pass it as a vital step toward improving health care access for rural patients.”

    Lankford is joined in introducing the bill by Senators Roger Marshall (R-KS), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Thom Tillis (R-NC), John Cornyn (R-TX), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), John Boozman (R-AR), John Barrasso (R-WY), and Ted Budd (R-NC). 

    Background

    POHs represent less than five percent of the 5,700 hospitals nationwide. However, POHs have a successful track record of providing individualized and innovative quality care, and they meet a growing demand for health care services, especially in rural areas. Seventy-three percent of POHs with a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) overall hospital quality star rating earned three or more stars in the program; 26 percent of them have earned five stars.

    In 2023, Sen. Lankford and Dr. Brian J. Miller published an opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal about the importance of including physician-owned hospitals in the litany of quality nonprofit and community-based health care options available to Oklahomans and people around the nation.

    Senator Lankford, a member of the Senate Finance Committee, has also introduced similar legislation, the Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, many times over the past several years.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: PNG’S Economic Growth to Moderate as Development Challenges Loom — ADB

    Source: Asia Development Bank

    After a rebound in economic growth in 2024 at 4.3% driven by both resource and non-resource sectors, Papua New Guinea’s (PNG) economy is forecast to grow by 4.2% in 2025 and moderate further to 3.8% in 2026 amid development challenges and rising geoeconomic risks, says the Asian Development Outlook 2025.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Tools like Apple’s photo Clean Up are yet another nail in the coffin for being able to trust our eyes

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By T.J. Thomson, Senior Lecturer in Visual Communication & Digital Media, RMIT University

    Apple Clean Up highlights photo elements that might be deemed distracting. T.J. Thomson

    You may have seen ads by Apple promoting its new Clean Up feature that can be used to remove elements in a photo. When one of these ads caught my eye this weekend, I was intrigued and updated my software to try it out.

    The feature has been available in Australia since December for Apple customers with certain hardware and software capabilities. It’s also available for customers in New Zealand, Canada, Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States.

    The tool uses generative artificial intelligence (AI) to analyse the scene and suggest elements that might be distracting. You can see those highlighted in the screenshot below.

    Apple uses generative AI to identify elements, highlighted here in red, that might be distracting in photos. It then allows users to remove these with the tap of a finger.
    T.J. Thomson

    You can then tap the suggested element to remove it or circle elements to delete them. The device then uses generative AI to try to create a logical replacement based on the surrounding area.

    Easier ways to deceive

    Smartphone photo editing apps have been around for more than a decade, but now, you don’t need to download, pay for, or learn to use a new third-party app. If you have an eligible device, you can use these features directly in your smartphone’s default photo app.

    Apple’s Clean Up joins a number of similar tools already offered by various tech companies. Those with Android phones might have used Google’s Magic Editor. This lets users move, resize, recolour or delete objects using AI. Users with select Samsung devices can use their built-in photo gallery app to remove elements in photos.

    There have always been ways – analogue and, more recently, digital – to deceive. But integrating them into existing software in a free, easy-to-use way makes those possibilities so much easier.

    Using AI to edit photos or create new images entirely raises pressing questions around the trustworthiness of photographs and videos. We rely on the vision these devices produce in everything from police body and traffic cams to insurance claims and verifying the safe delivery of parcels.

    If advances in tech are eroding our trust in pictures and even video, we have to rethink what it means to trust our eyes.

    How can these tools be used?

    The idea of removing distracting or unwanted elements can be attractive. If you’ve ever been to a crowded tourist hotspot, removing some of the other tourists so you can focus more on the environment might be appealing (check out the slider below for an example).

    But beyond removing distractions, how else can these tools be used?

    Some people use them to remove watermarks. Watermarks are typically added by photographers or companies trying to protect their work from unauthorised use. Removing these makes the unauthorised use less obvious but not less legal.

    Others use them to alter evidence. For example, a seller might edit a photo of a damaged good to allege it was in good condition before shipping.

    As image editing and generating tools become more widespread and easier to use, the list of uses balloons proportionately. And some of these uses can be unsavoury.

    AI generators can now make realistic-looking receipts, for example. People could then try to submit these to their employer to get reimbursed for expenses not actually incurred.



    Read more:
    Can you spot a financial fake? How AI is raising our risks of billing fraud

    Can anything we see be trusted anymore?

    Considering these developments, what does it mean to have “visual proof” of something?

    If you think a photo might be edited, zooming in can sometimes reveal anomalies where the AI has stuffed up. Here’s a zoomed-in version of some of the areas where the Clean Up feature generated new content that doesn’t quite match the old.

    Tools like Clean Up sometimes create anomalies that can be spotted with the naked eye.
    T.J. Thomson

    It’s usually easier to manipulate one image than to convincingly edit multiple images of the same scene in the same way. For this reason, asking to see multiple outtakes that show the same scene from different angles can be a helpful verification strategy.

    Seeing something with your own eyes might be the best approach, though this isn’t always possible.

    Doing some additional research might also help. For example, with the case of a fake receipt, does the restaurant even exist? Was it open on the day shown on the receipt? Does the menu offer the items allegedly sold? Does the tax rate match the local area’s?

    Manual verification approaches like the above obviously take time. Trustworthy systems that can automate these mundane tasks are likely to grow in popularity as the risks of AI editing and generation increase.

    Likewise, there’s a role for regulators to play in ensuring people don’t misuse AI technology. In the European Union, Apple’s plan to roll out its Apple Intelligence features, which include the Clean Up function, was delayed due to “regulatory uncertainties”.

    AI can be used to make our lives easier. Like any technology, it can be used for good or bad. Being aware of what it’s capable of and developing your visual and media literacies is essential to being an informed member of our digital world.

    T.J. Thomson receives funding from the Australian Research Council. He is an affiliated researcher with the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making & Society.

    – ref. Tools like Apple’s photo Clean Up are yet another nail in the coffin for being able to trust our eyes – https://theconversation.com/tools-like-apples-photo-clean-up-are-yet-another-nail-in-the-coffin-for-being-able-to-trust-our-eyes-253942

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s homestay economy flourishes amid spring travel boom

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    The recent Qingming Festival holiday saw a surge in travel activities across China, with many homestays recording a sharp rise in bookings, driven by distinctive offerings, personalized services and high-quality experiences.

    Data from multiple online travel platforms indicated a significant increase in both bookings and searches for homestays in popular cities during this holiday period.

    At a popular scenic area in the Xinjin District of Chengdu, capital of southwest China’s Sichuan Province, visitors were captivated by stunning cherry blossoms. This picturesque landscape drew a significant number of visitors during the holiday.

    “We’ve seen a substantial increase in guests during this period,” said Zhong Wei, owner of a homestay in the scenic area. “During the holiday, our occupancy rate soared to over 80 percent, doubling the usual number.”

    Zhong’s homestay is nestled in the heart of the blooming flowers, offering guests breathtaking views of the spring landscape. To enhance the experience, the homestay has introduced more activities and services, such as barbecues, bonfire parties and music events, allowing guests to enjoy camping under the stars and falling asleep in the fragrance of flowers.

    Meanwhile, in Zhangjiajie, a picturesque tourist spot in central China’s Hunan Province, the Qimanyuelingu homestay, located just two kilometers from the famous Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, also attracted lots of visitors during the holiday. The warm spring sunshine there lured both domestic and international guests, who enjoyed relaxing and savoring the scenic views of mountains and countryside.

    “With the rapid development of tourism in Zhangjiajie, our business has also seen significant growth,” said Li Xiangqiu, manager of the homestay. “All the rooms were booked during the holiday, while bookings for the upcoming May Day holiday are also in high demand.”

    As China expands its visa-free policy, homestays offering personalized and thoughtful services are attracting increasing numbers of foreign visitors.

    “Many homestays have now become tourist destinations in themselves,” Li said, while adding that rural homestays, characterized by a slower pace of life and close connection to nature, offer city dwellers a refreshing escape, while allowing international guests to experience the unique charm of rural China.

    “Homestays nowadays are so creative!” said a guest surnamed Li, who was enjoying a hotpot meal under peach trees at a homestay in Chengdu’s Longquan mountain scenic area. “It’s fantastic to have hotpot while admiring the peach blossoms.”

    This homestay has collaborated with Haidilao, a popular hotpot chain, to launch a “Peach Blossom Hotpot” pop-up store, making “eating hotpot under peach trees” a trendy local activity.

    “By combining natural beauty with hotpot dining, we’ve created a unique and memorable experience for our guests,” said Huang Yang, the homestay manager. “During the Qingming Festival holiday, we hosted hundreds of diners and tea drinkers every day, and our rooms were booked out nearly a week in advance.”

    More homestays are exploring ways to blend activities with their basic accommodation function, seeking to enrich the overall guest experience.

    “Today’s homestay guests value emotional connection and cultural experiences,” said Li Wenyan, executive chairman of the Hunan Tourism and B&B Association. “Homestays are a cultural innovation in the tourism industry, and their offerings need continuous iteration and optimization to cater to different guest demands.”

    Across China, homestays are enhancing travel experiences by offering distinctive local activities. In the city of Luoyang in central China’s Henan Province, visitors can immerse themselves in the charm of this ancient capital, surrounded by ink wash curtains and a traditional atmosphere at local homestays.

    Also, in Beijing’s Yanqing District, glamping tents provide an outdoor experience via luxurious accommodation. Another notable example is the city of Liuyang in Hunan, where guests can engage in hands-on activities like digging for spring bamboo shoots, making local snacks, and crafting scented sachets — all while enjoying the beauty of spring.

    The trend now is for homestays to elevate their offerings with unique, location-specific cultural and entertainment services — thus expanding the added value of tourism products. Additionally, when compared with standardized hotels, homestays, which are often run by individual owners, can adapt more quickly to new consumer demands and trends.

    “The key to developing the homestay economy is to focus on unique characteristics,” said Lai Yunjin, president of the homestay association of Longquanyi District in Chengdu. “Young travelers, in particular, seek relaxation and a sense of ritual in their travels. They want to immerse themselves in local culture and lifestyles for a unique experience.”

    Data from Qichacha, a leading platform offering company information inquiry services, shows that the number of homestay-related businesses in China has grown steadily over the past decade — with 331,000 such enterprises currently in operation. 

    MIL OSI China News –