NewzIntel.com

Category: Economy

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: £16 million boost to improve flood protection for farmers and rural communities

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    £16 million boost to improve flood protection for farmers and rural communities

    Additional funding for internal drainage boards (IDBs) to boost farm and rural flood resilience, bringing total IDB Fund to £91 million

    A flooded field

    More than 400,000 hectares of agricultural land across England will receive a significant, further boost to its flood protection thanks to £16 million in additional funding for internal drainage boards (IDBs), Floods Minister Emma Hardy announced today (Monday 31 March).

    Some 91,000 homes and businesses are also expected to benefit from the IDB Fund, which has been bolstered to a total of £91 million on top of the previously allocated £75 million as part of the Government’s Plan for Change.

    IDBs are the vital local public bodies who manage water levels for agricultural and environmental needs across the country. They serve 1.2 million hectares of land covering 9.7% of the country’s total land area, operate around 500 pumping stations, and maintain more than 22,000 kilometres (13,700 miles) of watercourses.

    The funding will go towards helping IDBs with operational expenses following the devastating winter storms of 2023/4, including bankrolling the repair of pumping stations.

    It will also enable investment in modernising and upgrading IDB assets and waterways to ensure they are fit for the future.

    As part of the Government’s Plan for Change, the investment will improve resilience for farmland, flood infrastructure and rural communities, delivering growth and supporting agricultural production.

    Floods Minister Emma Hardy said:

    Flooding can take a devastating toll on farmers and rural communities. This additional funding will ensure rural flood assets are more resilient or fully replaced, putting IDBs on a firm footing to deliver their vital work on flood and water management for years to come.

    Thousands of properties and tens of thousands of hectares of farmland are already seeing their flood resilience improved as part of the Government’s Plan for Change and today’s further investment will help support our farmers further.

    The Environment Agency manages the Fund and will distribute grants to IDBs by the end of April 2025 .

    Ian Hodge, Environment Agency Chief Engineer and Director of Asset Management & Engineering, said:

    By increasing the IDB Fund with an additional £16 million, we are equipping these essential public bodies to address the mounting challenges posed by climate change, including more frequent and severe weather events.

    This funding ensures IDBs can repair flood risk management assets, manage rising costs, and continue their crucial work in reducing flood risks.

    Beyond safeguarding communities, this investment will enable internal drainage boards to manage water levels more effectively for agricultural productivity and environmental priorities, bolstering resilience and adaptability for years to come.

    So far, the IDB Fund  has provided £53 million for more than 200 projects between July 2024 and March 2025. It will have supported 91 of the nation’s 112 IDBs upon completion.

    Bill Symons, clerk to the York Consortium of Drainage Boards who benefitted from the Fund, said:

    The IDB Fund has allowed us to deliver more sustainable, higher quality works on flood infrastructure badly damaged by storms and flooding. This was proving to be an expensive, unfunded legacy.

    The funding has reduced financial pressure locally at a critical time after a period of flooding and loss of productivity in agriculture, along with shortages of funds in local authorities.

    We have used local workforces and contractors to deliver some of our more expensive and problematic bank slips and delivered more than we could do normally thanks to the fund.

    Further projects already delivered through the IDB Fund include the replacement of pumps and pumping station infrastructure, much of which was built in the 1960s and damaged during recent storm and flood events.

    A £1.3 million project to install four new pumps at Marshfield and Lapperditch pumping stations in the Lower Severn catchment near Gloucester has just been completed, meaning the stations will be able to operate for at least another 25 years. The new pumps also support River Severn flood defences, 12 kilometres of roads, and fish and eels, as well as reducing the amount of time farmland in the area spends under water.

    Elsewhere, funding has also been used to repair flood embankments, desilt drainage ditches, install telemetry and water control structures for remote operation, and improve fish and eel passages.   

    More than 64% of England’s agricultural land graded excellent and suitable for a wide range of crops with consistently high yields – known as Grade 1 Agricultural Land – is within regions managed by IDBs. Approximately 20% of arable production is from land in or close to IDBs.

    In February, the Government committed a record £2.65 billion investment over two years towards the construction of new flood schemes alongside the repair and maintenance of existing assets as part of its Plan for Change.

    The Environment Agency has today published a list of the schemes across the nation to benefit from funding for the next year.

    Updates to this page

    Published 31 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Government to build over 1,000 flood schemes across the country

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Government to build over 1,000 flood schemes across the country

    Schemes supported as part of record £2.65 billion two-year investment to protect communities from flooding

    Flood defences on the River Severn

    Over 1,000 flood schemes will be built or repaired to protect thousands of homes and businesses from the dangers of flooding, the Government and Environment Agency have announced.

    Investing a record £2.65 billion over two years towards the construction of new flood schemes and the repair and maintenance of existing ones, the government has published today the full list of projects supported over the next year.

    During the two-year investment, 1,000 flood schemes have been or will continue to be supported. This year around £430 million is going towards their construction, while a further £220 million will be used to reinstate flood defences to their full standard of service and original design life to help protect communities. Further funding has been earmarked for repairing existing flood assets utilised in flood events, such as pumps, as well as important activity to warn and inform the public of flooding risks.

    As the frequency of extreme weather events continues to increase due to climate change, there are more and more devastating impacts for communities across the country, costing the UK economy billions each year.

    This investment is part of the Government’s Plan for Change, delivering security for working people and renewal for our country. It will boost economic growth in local communities, by protecting businesses, delivering new jobs, and supporting a stable economy in the face of the increasing risk of flooding as a result of climate change.

    Floods Minister Emma Hardy said:

    The role of Government is to protect its citizens. However, we inherited flood defences in their worst condition on record.

    Through our Plan for Change, this government will deliver a decade of national renewal and economic growth. As part of that we are investing a record £2.65 billion to build and repair over 1,000 flood defences across the country.

    Flagship schemes to receive funding this year include:

    • Derby Flood Risk Management Scheme in Derbyshire, which will receive £34.6 million and protect 673 homes. 
    • North Portsea Island Coastal Flood and Erosion Risk Management Scheme in Hampshire, which will receive £13.8 million and protect 1,081 homes.
    • Preston and South Ribble Flood Risk Management Scheme in Lancashire, which will receive £10.4 million and protect 1,537 homes.
    • Poole Bridge to Hunger Hill Flood Defences in Dorset, which will receive £12.2 million and protect 135 homes. 
    • Benacre and Kessingland Flood Risk Management Scheme in Suffolk, which will receive £10.1 million and protect 86 homes. 
    • Brighouse Flood Alleviation Scheme in Yorkshire, which will receive £5 million and protect 414 homes.

    Caroline Douglass, Executive Director for Flood and Coastal Risk Management for the Environment Agency, said:

    Protecting communities in England from the devastating impact of flooding is our priority and this is more important than ever as climate change brings more extreme weather to the nation.

    The delivery of these schemes will be welcome news for homeowners and businesses, who have experienced flooding in the past and may face more extreme weather as our climate continues to change.

    Our focus is now on working with local councils and Regional Flood and Coastal Committees to deliver these schemes on time, ensuring as many properties as possible are protected.

    The Government has prioritised £140 million to ensure that 29 schemes, which are in progress but struggling with cost pressures, can be delivered without further delays, protecting nearby communities as soon as possible. The list of supported schemes has also been confirmed by the Environment Agency and includes flood defences in Great Yarmouth and the Alverstoke Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Scheme on the south coast.

    Notes to editors:

    • The attached list covers projects receiving funding in 2025/6.
    • Schemes proceeding in 2026/7 and beyond will be subject to the routine RFCC consenting process and decisions at SR25.

    Updates to this page

    Published 31 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Economy – RBNZ outlines work to support competition

    Source: Reserve Bank of New Zealand

    31 March 2025 – Today the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, Te Pūtea Matua appeared before the Finance and Expenditure Committee (FEC) for their banking inquiry and discussed the wide range of initiatives underway to support and improve competition in the banking sector.

    Chair Neil Quigley, Acting Governor Christian Hawkesby, Director Prudential Policy Jess Rowe, and Financial Stability Adviser Charles Lilly appeared before the committee.

    The RBNZ’s statutory purpose is to promote prosperity and wellbeing for all New Zealanders. This is achieved through its three core objectives: price stability, financial stability and central banking, which includes managing monetary policy, overseeing payment systems and ensuring access to cash. Competition is important across all these objectives.

    “We have never had more focus on competition across our functions, including addressing the recommendations of the Commerce Commission’s market study,” Mr Hawkesby said.

    Key initiatives likely to support competition include developing proportionate prudential standards, launching the depositor compensation scheme, expanding access to the payments system, investigating a digital currency and working with CoFR partners on system-wide issues such as a payments vision for New Zealand.

    “Advancing competition and innovation in the financial sector is a team effort across government agencies, regulators and the industry itself,” Mr Hawkesby said.

    The RBNZ’s submission to the FEC outlines that the greatest gains to be made are through advancing open banking, customer data rights, digital identity, and the retail payments infrastructure to deliver an eco-system where competition can flourish.

    “Through our consultation on the new Deposit Takers Act and submissions to the FEC, we have heard the claims that our bank capital regime is unreasonably conservative, and that it is undermining competition and growth in the New Zealand economy. We think that some of those claims are incorrect, but most of the claims can be tested empirically and we consider that it is important that we respond by undertaking this assessment,” Professor Quigley said.

    “The Reserve Bank Board has agreed to an evidence-based review of key aspects of our deposit takers capital settings, utilising international experts and assessing it against the regimes in other countries,” Professor Quigley said.

    The full opening statements from Mr Hawkesby and Professor Quigley can be read below.

    What is capital?
    Capital is the buffer that allows a bank to absorb losses while still being able to pay its depositors and other creditors in full

    What will the review cover?
    The Reserve Bank intends to conduct a reassessment of key capital settings. We intend to engage independent international experts to support this process.
    The review will build on work currently underway to review more granular risk weights for residential mortgages and corporate (including rural) lending, community housing and whenua Māori lending, as well as development of a new crisis management framework. The review will expand the work programme to include consideration of additional evidence and the calibration of other foundational aspects of the regime including:

    • Reviewing submissions or statements made at the FEC banking enquiry regarding our prudential capital framework
    • An assessment of how our capital settings compare internationally
    • A reassessment of the appropriate risk appetite for capital settings in New Zealand
    • Reviewing the degree of proportionality in the framework and considering changes
    • Considering the balance between going concern and gone concern capital and the role of ‘Additional Tier 1’ capital.  

    What does this mean for the planned increase in capital requirements on 1 July?

    • Following a review over 2017-2019, the Reserve Bank announced higher capital requirements, a long transition period to 2028. For Domestic Systemically Important Banks (D-SIBs), total requirements are scheduled to go from 10.5% to 18%. Current requirements are 13.5%.
    • Requirements for smaller banks are scheduled to go from 10.5% to 16%, and current requirements are 11.5%.
    • There is a scheduled increase in capital requirements on 1 July 2025 of a 1% of risk weighted assets increase in the Prudential Capital Buffer (PCB) for all banks.
    • Banks are well advanced in their plans to meet the new requirements. On average, banks’ total capital levels are currently above 16%.
    • Accordingly, we intend to proceed with the 1 July increase, taking total requirements for D-SIBs to 14.5% and other banks to 12.5%.
    • The review will be conducted promptly to allow for any changes to be well signalled ahead of next year’s scheduled increase and to minimise the impact on the implementation of the Deposit Takers Act.

    More information

    Opening remarks to Finance and Expenditure Committee : https://govt.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=bd316aa7ee4f5679c56377819&id=af07ace568&e=f3c68946f8

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Report a breach of Australian foreign investment rules

    Source:

    When to report a breach

    You can confidentially report a breach of the foreign investment rules. This includes whether you suspect or know of a breach.

    If you have breached your foreign investment obligations, contact us as soon as you can. We will prioritise your issue and help you to comply with the rules.

    Who can report a breach

    We welcome information from anyone in the community with concerns about suspected illegal activities by a foreign person owning Australian residential property. Your information will help us safeguard Australia’s national interest, businesses and economy.

    If you are a foreign person, you should also tell us if you think you have broken the foreign investment rules. If you let us know as soon as possible, the penalty may be lower than if we detect your breach.

    What types of breaches you can report

    Some examples of breaches you can report to us include:

    Purchasing and financing properties

    A foreign person may have broken the rules by:

    Failing to register

    A foreign person may have broken the rules if they do not:

    • register their investment on the Register within the prescribed timeframe
    • update the details of the asset if their situation changes.

    Purchasing established dwellings

    For purchases before 1 April 2025, a foreign person may have broken the rules if they do any of the following:

    • purchase an established dwelling but do not live in it while they are in Australia
    • rent out or demolish the established dwelling acquired as their principal place of residence
    • purchase an established dwelling but do not sell the property within 6 months of their temporary residency visa expiring
    • purchase an established dwelling for redevelopment but rent it out instead of redeveloping it to increase the number of dwellings
    • purchase more than one established dwelling as a temporary resident
    • purchase an established dwelling but don’t redevelop it within 4 years
    • demolish an established dwelling but do not replace it with 2 or more dwellings
    • do not sell an established dwelling previously used for staff accommodation and leave it vacant for 6 months or more.

    From 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2027, foreign persons are banned from purchasing established dwellings in Australia (limited exceptions apply). This includes temporary residents purchasing an established dwelling for use as a principal place of residence.

    A foreign person may have broken the rules if they purchase an established dwelling after 1 April 2025 unless they are exempt or one of the limited exceptions apply.

    Purchasing vacant land

    A foreign person may have broken the rules if they purchase vacant land but don’t develop it by constructing one or more dwellings on the property within 4 years.

    Occupying a dwelling

    A foreign person may be in breach of the rules if they provide incorrect information to us about whether a dwelling was vacant or occupied.

    Third parties

    A third party, such as a stockbroker, lawyer, solicitor, conveyancer, real estate agent or other adviser, may have broken the rules relating to residential land, if they knowingly assist another person to breach the law by doing any of the following:

    • aiding, abetting, counselling, or procuring a contravention
    • inducing (by threat, promise or otherwise) a contravention
    • conspiring with others to affect a contravention
    • being, directly or indirectly, knowingly concerned in, or party to, a contravention.

    For examples of third-party breaches, see Guidance Note 14 – Compliance and Penalties (Residential Land) on the Foreign investment websiteExternal Link.

    Officer of a corporation

    An officer of a corporation may be subject to penalties if they authorise or permit a breach of the foreign investment rules, or fail to prevent such a breach from occurring.

    How to report a breach of the foreign investment rules

    If you know or suspect someone is breaking the foreign investment rules or want to tell us about your breach, you can report it by:

    • completing the tip-off form
    • phoning us on 1800 060 062
      • if you prefer to speak to us in a language other than English, phone the Translating and Interpreting Service on 13 14 50 for help with your call
      • if you are a tax professional, you can provide information by phone on 13 72 86 (Fast Key Code 3 4)
    • writing to us – mark your letter ‘in confidence’ and post it to

    AUSTRALIAN TAXATION OFFICE
    TAX INTEGRITY CENTRE
    LOCKED BAG  188
    ALBURY NSW 2640.

    When we receive information through a tip-off, we will cross check the information provided and decide if further action is needed. It’s important to include as much detail as possible so we can investigate fully.

    How to complete the tip-off form

    Complete the ATO tip-off form on our website or in the ATO app and select Start.

    If you are voluntarily reporting a breach you have made as a foreign person, include as much detail as possible.

    At Who is this about select who you are reporting for:

    • Individual, include their
      • property address
      • name (or the name of their company)
      • phone number
      • social media details (for example, username and profile address)
      • nationality.
    • Business, include the
      • business name
      • Australian business number (ABN) (if known)
      • business address
      • phone number
      • website details
      • social media details (for example, webpage and profile addresses).
    • What is this about – select Other, then Illegal purchase of Australian property by a non-resident.
    • Provide as much detail as possible about the reported behaviour, including
      • activities and behaviour that may be in breach of the foreign investment rules
      • the name of the property being reported and, if known
        • the purchase date and price
        • the selling agent
        • the status of the property (if it is vacant, rented or owner occupied)
        • any other information you have about this property.
    • Include your contact details as we may need to contact you for more information. Your details remain confidential in accordance with privacy laws.

    Before submitting the form, check you have provided the relevant information and supporting documentation. Provide as much detail as you can so we can fully assess the information.

    Remember to make a note of the reference number when you submit the form. You will need to quote it if you want to add information later.

    Examples of past tip-offs of foreign investment breaches

    Examples of cases we received as a tip-off include:

    Illegal purchase of established dwelling

    We received a community tip-off about a foreign non-resident who didn’t apply for foreign investment approval before buying an established residential property. As this was a breach of the rules, the foreign person had to pay a $12,600 infringement penalty.

    The foreign person was unable to move into the property or redevelop it to create 2 new dwellings. This was considered contrary to national interest and the foreign person had to sell the property.

    Breach of conditions – renting an established dwelling

    A tip-off was made about a foreign person who had rented out their established residential property through a real estate agent. This was in breach of the conditions listed on their foreign investment approval.

    The foreign person had to pay a $12,600 infringement penalty and move into the property as a condition of their foreign investment approval.

    Breach of conditions – not redeveloping and renting

    A member of the building and construction industry made a tip-off that 3 properties were held by an individual foreign person and associated trusts in breach of their foreign investment approval conditions. They breached the conditions of their approval by renting out one established property and not redeveloping the others within the approved timeframe. Infringement penalties were imposed and the properties had to be sold.

    Incorrect statement in vacancy fee return

    A foreign person stated in their vacancy fee return that they had occupied their dwelling for 6 months or more in accordance with the vacancy fee rules. However, our investigation showed the person was overseas for more than 6 months of the year.

    We helped the person understand that having a friend occupy the residence did not meet the definition of ‘residential occupation’ as defined by the foreign investment rules. They had to pay a $89,300 vacancy fee liability.

    How your privacy is protected

    Your privacy is protected by the Privacy Act 1988 and the strict secrecy provisions of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936, the Taxation Administration Act 1953 and other tax laws.

    Due to privacy laws, we are unable to share details specific to any foreign investment compliance investigation. We won’t be able to tell you of the outcome of our investigations. We equally respect your privacy in reporting the suspected breach, as well as the privacy of the owner of the reported property.

    For more information, see ATO privacy policy.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Staff who are volunteers too

    Source:

    Lukasz Lipnicki

    Whether they become staff members first then join a brigade, or vice versa, these dedicated CFA members live and breathe CFA – and love it.

    Lukasz Lipnicki, South East Region
    With CFA volunteers at the heart of what he does as both a firefighter and staff member, Lukasz Lipnicki well and truly embodies the spirit of CFA and community service.    

    Working as a regional brigade administrative support officer for the past five years, Lukasz coordinates volunteer sustainability projects in the region, such as the District 9 and District 27 Women’s Network, Women’s Challenge Camp, and Diversity and Inclusion Working Group.

    On the other side of the hose, Lukasz reflects fondly on his near four years as a Cockatoo Fire Brigade member, particularly enjoying the regular contact he gets with volunteers as it reminds him of why they do the work they do.   

    “Overall, being a CFA volunteer is fun. I enjoy the camaraderie of the brigade, the nature of the work, the callouts and more broadly being a part of our organisation for our community,” Lukasz said.  

    “I’m currently the brigade’s health and safety officer. My job has helped me understand the dynamics and the nuances of how CFA systems and processes work.   

    “Every day I travel across the south-east interacting with members in Districts 9, 10 or 27, even as far out as 11. Having the language and understanding of what firefighters face on the ground is invaluable.  

    “Having completed the General Firefighter course and attended incidents, working alongside other emergency services and being deployed to major fires has allowed for relatable conversations and the opportunity to build rapport.”  

    Lukasz said whether they are rolling out region-wide strategies, delivering supplies, or considering where to park when visiting stations, they are mindful of making each other’s lives a little easier.  

    “Our staff and volunteers lead busy lives and give CFA so much while asking for so little,” Lukasz said. “I think it’s important that, wherever we can, we all consider how best to support each other in the decisions we make.”  

    Given Lukasz’s nature to assist in times of need, when Cockatoo was hit by a severe storm in February 2024, he was able to lend a hand to his brigade members behind the scenes.   

    “I decided to head to IGA to grab a few roast chooks, bread rolls, and a slab of soft drink for when they came back to refuel and swap crews,” Lukasz said. “Pulling up to a hot meal and something to drink brought a lot of smiles out.” 

    Tegan Kearney, South West Region
    Tegan Kearney can be found tackling spreadsheets and helping managers and executives manage their budgets in her day job at CFA as the Senior Finance Business Partner in the Financial Planning and Analysis Team. But her work with CFA extends beyond the dollars and cents.   

    As a volunteer for Grovedale Fire Brigade in Geelong, Tegan doesn’t hesitate to roll up her sleeves and help her local community.   

    After getting a job at CFA in 2019 shortly before the Black Summer fires, Tegan said she was overwhelmed with the camaraderie she saw in CFA, even from people working from a desk.   

    “It was like nothing I had ever experienced in my career before, having come from a banking background,” Tegan said. “Everyone was focused on the fires no matter what their role. They put aside their usual tasks and turned their attention to how they could help.  

    “Whether it was working in an incident management team in a finance or logistics capacity, backfilling someone else with specific skills so they could be freed up to help, driving people or resources to where they need to be, everyone just did what they could.”  

    Seeing how well everyone worked together towards a common goal encouraged Tegan to think about how she could contribute even more and that led her to knock on the door of Grovedale Fire Brigade.

    Being a volunteer in the same location as your work is a unique experience, but Tegan said it is one she loves.   

    “My roles are completely different but they both ultimately work towards the same outcome of supporting CFA to protect lives and property,” Tegan said.   

    Tegan is grateful CFA encourages her passion for volunteering as well as working.    

    “My work colleagues are really good and understanding of my role as a volunteer. They support me to attend callouts or deployments wherever possible.”   

    Tegan said she loved CFA and felt lucky to be able to work and volunteer with such an organisation.   

    “CFA is an organisation you can be proud to be a part of, whether you are working at HQ, supporting the brigades on the ground or jumping on a truck,” Tegan said. “It’s all important work and it’s a good feeling knowing you are contributing to that.”

    Will Hodgson, West Region
    In 1991, 14-year-old Will Hodgson boarded a bus home from Fiskville after a CFA training session, unaware that over the next 34 years the organisation would become a central part of his life.  

    What began as a way to help his community following the Warrandyte bushfires that year has grown into a lifelong commitment to fire and emergency services.  

    “During the fires in ’91, I remember feeling helpless watching the helicopters and fire trucks as smoke filled the air. I made a phone call to North Warrandyte brigade and haven’t looked back since,” Will recalled.  

    “I’ve been turning out since I was 14 years of age – the rules were a bit different back then.”  

    Will’s volunteer CFA journey has been marked by steady progression.  

    “I spent more than 16 years at North Warrandyte, then transferred to Christmas Hills and then onto Warrandyte, moving through the officer ranks in all three brigades.”  

    His professional career with CFA began in 2008 as a pad operator at Bangholme training ground working on volunteer and promotional courses. Over the years, he has taken on numerous roles, including working on the Road Crash Rescue Support Project.  

    Today, Will is the captain of Warrandyte brigade and a full-time employee with Fire Rescue Victoria seconded to CFA as the pad supervisor at Central Highlands training ground in Ballan.  

    “Balancing the dual roles has its challenges, but ultimately it’s been rewarding,” he said. “The bonus of playing in both worlds is gaining a holistic understanding of what the organisation is trying to achieve. I’ve also become a bit of a conduit for other volunteers looking for guidance.” 

    Will has been deployed to some of Victoria’s most significant incidents and travelled interstate.  

    Reflecting on his journey, Will said, “I didn’t think this would be a career path, but CFA showed me you can learn new skills and be given opportunities. I was lucky enough to turn a hobby into a career and a passion. 

    “I’d never have dreamed that the 14-year-old on a bus to Fiskville would one day be responsible for a CFA training facility. Set yourself a dream; you never know what’s possible.”  

    Tanya Lumley, North East Region
    Seeing her dad volunteering with CFA during the Ash Wednesday fires started a long-lasting love of CFA within Tanya. She is a member of Strathbogie brigade and works in the Volunteer Sustainability Team (VST). 

    Originally a volunteer with Boneo brigade, Tanya recently transferred to Strathbogie brigade, where she said she is incredibly lucky to have an amazing mentor.

    “I was sad to leave an awesome brigade, and joining a new brigade felt a little like starting again,” Tanya said. “But seeing my new team in action on the fireground and how willing they were to share their skills and knowledge, made me happy about my new brigade home.”

    Tanya said she loved both her VST role and being a volunteer at CFA and she was lucky the roles complemented each other. 

    “Although I’m only new to the role in VST, I can see that it allows for a great understanding of the diverse experiences and needs of brigades and volunteers,” she said. 

    “On the other hand, learning from the experienced and skilled members of my brigade equips me with valuable knowledge that I can take to my day job. Working on projects that help to empower brigades, having experienced what it’s like in a brigade, is incredibly rewarding. It’s a bit of a symbiotic experience.”

    Tanya has a strong connection to the community and she’s happy that CFA embodies this value and gives her a place where she can uphold it in both her personal and professional life. 

    “Being a member of a CFA brigade embodies community for me – a bunch of people working together to do good. At my brigade and office I’m surrounded by dedicated people who are passionate about making a difference. That’s such a wonderful place to be.” 

    Tanya said balancing work and volunteering for her is no different from all the other volunteers who give up their time. 

    “Just like all members who have a job and volunteer for CFA, we do what we can and what we have time for. We all have families and hobbies and interests outside of these roles and they’re just as valuable and important,” she said. 

    Despite being a new staff member, Tanya said she was already feeling good about taking her passion for CFA and making it her day job, and she’s pleased to be working with fantastic people.

    Submitted by News and Media

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: RBA and ASIC Act on Deep Concerns with ASX

    Source: Airservices Australia

    The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) (the regulators) have taken further steps to address their increasing concern over the management of operational risk at ASX, following the CHESS batch settlement failure incident that occurred on 20 December 2024.

    In a joint letter to ASX, the regulators expressed their deep concerns about the potential for operational incidents, such as the CHESS batch settlement failure, to affect the ability of the CHESS system to reliably service the Australian equities market until CHESS is replaced. The regulators also highlighted their concern about the speed and nature of ASX’s remediation actions following the initial incident.

    In response, the RBA has taken the unprecedented step of reassessing the compliance of ASX Clear Pty Limited and ASX Settlement Pty Ltd with the RBA’s Financial Stability Standards outside the usual annual assessment cycle. The RBA has downgraded its assessment of these entities’ compliance with the “Operational Risk” standard from partly observed to not observed. A rating of not observed is made when the RBA has identified serious issues of concern that warrant immediate action.

    In addition, ASIC has directed ASX, under section 823BB(4) of the Corporations Act 2001, to engage an expert approved by ASIC to undertake a technical review of CHESS. This review and any remediation will provide greater confidence to regulators, and the public, in the stability and operational resilience of the current CHESS platform.

    RBA Governor Michele Bullock said, ‘It is deeply disappointing that the regulators need to take these actions today. But they are necessary. ASX operates critical infrastructure that plays a central role in the financial system. ASX’s management of operational risk has been a concern for RBA staff and the Payments System Board for some time, and the recent CHESS incident has underscored those concerns. The underlying issues that we have raised need to be addressed as a matter of priority to strengthen the resilience of the CHESS system.’

    ASIC Chair Joe Longo said, ‘Our actions underscore our increasingly deep concerns with ASX’s management of the CHESS system, and we will continue to consider further action. The technical review of ASX’s core technology infrastructure is necessary given the ongoing concerns the regulators have raised about ASX’s operational resilience. It is troubling that these risks were realised in this major incident.’

    The regulators together outlined their expectations that ASX needs to give the highest priority to the immediate remediation of issues that caused and exacerbated the December 2024 incident.

    If not urgently addressed, the regulators are prepared to take further regulatory action. This could include the use of the regulators’ new powers under reforms to modernise the regulatory framework for Financial Market Infrastructures, which came into effect in September 2024, and further rulemaking under the Competition in Clearing and Settlement reforms.

    Background

    The RBA and ASIC are co-regulators of licensed CS facilities and have separate, but complementary, responsibilities for the licensing and supervision of CS facilities licensees.

    These responsibilities include supervising each CS facility licensee’s compliance with the obligation to do all things necessary to ensure that the facility’s services are provided in a fair and effective way, to the extent it is reasonably practicable to do so. In carrying out supervision and assessment of CS facilities, the RBA and ASIC work closely as appropriate.

    The RBA supervises CS facilities from the perspective of the facilities’ importance to the stability of Australia’s financial system. This includes the power to determine financial stability standards for the purpose of ensuring that CS facility licensees conduct their affairs in a way that causes or promotes overall stability in the Australian financial system.

    ASIC’s regulatory action announced today are in addition and separate to ASIC’s investigation into ASX Settlement Pty Ltd (ASX Settlement) for suspected contraventions of section 821A of the Corporations Act.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Reserve Bank capital review welcomed

    Source: New Zealand Government

    The Reserve Bank’s decision to review its capital requirements has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis.
    “Submissions made to the finance and expenditure committee’s banking inquiry have raised concerns that New Zealand’s bank capital regime is too conservative, and that this is undermining banking competition, driving up the cost of lending and reducing growth in the New Zealand economy.
    “I share these concerns and welcome the Reserve Bank Board’s decision to conduct an evidence-based review of its capital regime, using international experts, and comparing New Zealand’s requirements with those in comparable countries. 
    “It’s important that the Reserve Bank’s prudential regime preserves the stability of our financial system, while taking care not to not impose excessive costs in the process. 
    “Higher capital requirements increase the cost of borrowing. This can reduce economic activity and drive up the cost of living. I want to see settings that preserve financial stability while encouraging investment, job creation and income growth. 
    “Submitters have argued that other countries have less onerous bank capital requirements and that New Zealand is becoming an outlier internationally. 
    “The Reserve Bank’s decision to conduct a prompt review is a good opportunity to objectively assess New Zealand’s settings and consider whether the Bank’s intention to keep increasing capital requirements still makes sense.” 
    The Reserve Bank increase in minimum capital requirements followed a review in 2017-2019 and is being implemented over seven years with annual increases on 1 July each year. 
    The big banks are currently required to maintain minimum capital of 13.5 per cent and the smaller banks minimum capital of 11.5 per cent. The Reserve Bank has been planning to, by 2028, lift those requirements to 18 and 16 per cent respectively.
    “I welcome the Reserve Bank’s willingness to step back and consider whether decisions it made several years ago are still in step with domestic and international developments.”
    Decisions about bank capital requirements are taken independently by the RBNZ Board in accordance with the Bank’s financial stability objective.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Minister’s statement about Kootenay Lake ferry labour dispute

    Jennifer Whiteside, Minister of Labour, has issued the following statement about the Kootenay Lake ferry labour dispute:

    “Residents use the Kootenay Lake ferries to get to work, go to school, access services and stay connected to their communities. The ongoing labour dispute has been disruptive to daily life and the local economy. To help resolve the ongoing labour dispute between Western Pacific Marine and BCGEU Local 2009, I have appointed Vince Ready as a special mediator.

    “Mr. Ready has vast experience in labour relations and is renowned for his success in helping employers and unions reach agreements. This appointment provides a path for the parties to work through their differences and I appreciate their willingness to engage in this process.

    “I expect the two sides to bargain fairly throughout this process, while ensuring reliable ferry service for residents in the Kootenays.

    “Mr. Ready will begin work immediately to reach a settlement. If a settlement is not reached between the parties within 14 days, he will issue recommendations to the minister and the parties. 

    “These recommendations will represent a fair and transparent path to the resolution of this dispute. It is in the best interest of both parties to carefully consider the special mediator’s recommendations.”

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Brisbane 2032 is no longer legally bound to be ‘climate positive’. Will it still leave a green legacy?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marcus Foth, Professor of Urban Informatics, Queensland University of Technology

    When Brisbane was awarded the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, it came with a widely publicised landmark promise: the world’s first “climate-positive” games.

    The International Olympic Committee had already announced all games would be climate-positive from 2030. It said this meant the games would be required to “go beyond” the previous obligation of reducing carbon emissions directly related to their operations and offsetting or otherwise “compensating” for the rest.

    In other words, achieving net-zero was no longer sufficient. Now each organising committee would be legally required to remove more carbon from the atmosphere than the games emit. This is in keeping with the most widely cited definition of climate-positive.

    Both Paris 2024 and Los Angeles 2028 made voluntary pledges. But Brisbane 2032 was the first contractually required to be climate-positive. This was enshrined in the original 2021 Olympic Host Contract, an agreement between the IOC, the State of Queensland, Brisbane City Council and the Australian Olympic Committee.

    But the host contract has quietly changed since. All references to “climate-positive” have been replaced with weaker terminology. The move was not publicly announced. This fits a broader pattern of Olympic Games promising big on sustainability before weakening or abandoning commitments over time.

    A quiet retreat from climate positive

    Research by my team has shown the climate-positive announcement sparked great hope for the future of Brisbane as a regenerative city. We saw Brisbane 2032 as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to radically shift away from the ongoing systemic issues underlying urban development.

    This vision to embrace genuinely sustainable city design centred on fostering circular economies and net positive development. It would have aligned urban development with ecological stewardship. Beyond just mitigating environmental harm, the games could have set a new standard for sustainability by becoming a catalyst to actively regenerate the natural environment.

    Yet, on December 7 2023, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) initiated an addendum to the host contract. It effectively downgraded the games’ sustainability obligations.

    It was signed by Brisbane City Council, the State of Queensland, the Australian Olympic Committee and the IOC between April and May 2024.

    The commitment for the 2032 Brisbane Games to be climate positive has been removed from the Olympic Host Contract.
    International Olympic Committee

    Asked about these amendments, the IOC replied it “took the decision to no longer use the term ‘climate-positive’ when referring to its climate commitments”.

    But the IOC maintains that: “The requirements underpinning this term, however, and our ambition to address the climate crisis, have not changed”.

    It said the terminology was changed to ensure that communications “are transparent and easily understood; that they focus on the actions implemented to reduce carbon emissions; and that they are aligned with best practice and current regulations, as well as the principle of continual improvement”.

    Similarly, a Brisbane 2032 spokesperson told The Conversation the language was changed:

    to ensure we are communicating in a transparent and easily understood manner, following advice from the International Olympic Committee and recommendations of the United Nations and European Union Green Claims Directive, made in 2023.

    Brisbane 2032 will continue to plan, as we always have, to deliver a Games that focus on specific measures to deliver a more sustainable Games.

    But the new wording commits Brisbane 2032 to merely “aiming at removing more carbon from the atmosphere than what the Games project emits”.

    Crucially, this is no longer binding. The new language makes carbon removal an optional goal rather than a contractual requirement.

    A stadium in Victoria Park violates the 2032 Olympic Host Contract location requirements.
    Save Victoria Park, CC BY

    Aiming high, yet falling short

    Olympic Games have adopted increasingly ambitious sustainability rhetoric. Yet, action in the real world typically falls short.

    In our ongoing research with the Politecnico di Torino, Italy, we analysed sustainability commitments since the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin. We found they often change over time. Initial promises are either watered down or abandoned altogether due to political, financial, and logistical pressures.

    Construction activities for the Winter Olympic Games 2014 in Sochi, Russia, irreversibly damaged the Western Caucasus – a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Rio 2016 failed to clean up Guanabara Bay, despite its original pledge to reduce pollutants by 80%. Rio also caused large-scale deforestation and wetland destruction. Ancient forests were cleared for PyeongChang 2018 ski slopes.

    Our research found a persistent gap between sustainability rhetoric and reality. Brisbane 2032 fits this pattern as the original promise of hosting climate-positive games is at risk of reverting to business as usual.

    Victoria Park controversy

    In 2021, a KPMG report for the Queensland government analysed the potential economic, social and environmental benefits of the Brisbane 2032 games.

    It said the government was proposing to deliver the climate-positive commitment required to host the 2032 games through a range of initiatives. This included “repurposing and upgrading existing infrastructure with enhanced green star credentials”.

    But plans for the Olympic stadium have changed a great deal since then. Plans to upgrade the Brisbane Cricket Ground, commonly known as the Gabba, have been replaced by a new stadium to be built in Victoria Park.

    Victoria Park is Brisbane’s largest remaining inner-city green space. It is known to Indigenous peoples as Barrambin (the windy place). It is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register due to its great cultural significance.

    Page 90 of the Olympic Host Contract prohibits permanent construction “in statutory nature areas, cultural protected areas and World Heritage sites”.

    Local community groups and environmental advocates have vowed to fight plans for a Victoria Park stadium. This may include a legal challenge.

    The area of Victoria Park (64 hectares) compared with Central Park (341h), Regent’s Park (160h), Bois de Vicennes (995h).
    Save Victoria Park

    What next?

    The climate-positive commitment has been downgraded to an unenforceable aspiration. A new Olympic stadium has been announced in direct violation of the host contract. Will Brisbane 2032 still leave a green legacy?

    Greater transparency and public accountability are needed. Otherwise, the original plan may fall short of the positive legacy it aspired to, before the Olympics even begin.

    Marcus Foth receives funding from the Australian Research Council. He is a Senior Associate with Outside Opinion, a team of experienced academic and research consultants. He is chair of the Principal Body Corporate for the Kelvin Grove Urban Village, chair of Brisbane Flight Path Community Alliance, and a member of the Queensland Greens.

    – ref. Brisbane 2032 is no longer legally bound to be ‘climate positive’. Will it still leave a green legacy? – https://theconversation.com/brisbane-2032-is-no-longer-legally-bound-to-be-climate-positive-will-it-still-leave-a-green-legacy-246672

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Art for art’s sake? How NZ’s cultural organisations can maintain integrity and still make money

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ksenia Kosheleva, Doctoral candidate, Marketing, Hanken School of Economics

    Stokkete/Shutterstock

    When Auckland mayor Wayne Brown said in 2022 that the Auckland Art Gallery had the foot traffic of a corner dairy and cast the institution as an “uneconomic” entity, he conceded he was at risk of “being seen as something of a philistine”.

    But the mayor’s comments also highlighted a very real challenge. How can New Zealand cultural organisations secure their future when the value of art and culture is seen through the economic lens of profit?

    And does an overemphasis on profit make cultural groups wary of market and strategy, hampering innovation in the art and culture sector?

    Our research proposes a concept we call “generative coexistence”. We suggest that when market approaches are integrated thoughtfully, market forces and cultural missions can work together and enable each other.

    Why the market vs. culture debate is changing

    For years, cultural organisations were shielded from the market by state funding. But while government support remained relatively consistent, there was no consistent funding strategy. With each budget round being akin to a lottery, calls for change are becoming louder.

    The 2024 budget included significant reductions in arts funding. Cultural organisations were expected to find new ways to stay viable. However, as art institutions turn to practices like sponsorship, ticketed events and merchandising to boost revenue, there’s understandable concern about a potential loss of artistic integrity.

    Yet, market principles and cultural values can be aligned.

    In 2023, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra launched a digital platform, NZSO+, to stream performances, open rehearsals and artistic talks. Later that year, the NZSO performed to a flock of farm chickens, to support ethical farming and, simultaneously, modernise its brand image.

    The moves raised questions about whether the orchestra’s essence could be nurtured outside of concert halls. At the same time, they showed a possibility for cultural organisations to blend their authentic mission with commercial acumen, without compromising their intrinsic values.

    The NZSO’s streaming strategy didn’t just address a budget shortfall. It allowed the orchestra to reach wider, younger and more diverse audiences who might not otherwise engage with classical music. Through this market-driven approach, the symphony orchestra sustained its core mission of bringing music to all New Zealanders.

    Our research includes examples of cultural groups from around the world. It captures how, rather than seeing commercialisation as a “necessary evil” undermining the arts, cultural groups can use the tensions that come from the competing demands to produce creative solutions.

    Here, generative coexistence allows cultural organisations to adapt in ways that not only keep the lights on but also broaden their impact.

    Wellington’s Te Papa Museum uses blockbuster ticketed exhibitions to attract a wider audience while maintaining its cultural status.
    travellight/Shutterstock

    Generative coexistence in the arts

    We identified three main strategies for organisations in the arts and culture sector designed to help them thrive in a world where financial and cultural goals can seem at odds with each other.

    First, organisations need to embrace the commercial potential of cultural products.

    When approached thoughtfully, the strong commercial appeal of cultural products can support an organisation’s core mission and create a democratic counterbalance against sponsorship dependency.

    Wellington’s Te Papa Museum, for example, creates value through blockbuster ticketed exhibitions that attract a wider audience – such as last year’s Dinosaurs of Patagonia. By using selective commodification processes, Te Papa maintains its educational and cultural status and generates the revenue needed to innovate and expand its reach.

    Cultural organisations also need to adopt an entrepreneurial mindset.

    Organisations worldwide experiment with innovating existing business models to allow for creative and operational freedom. For example, performing art organisations are increasingly moving away from legacy models – such as venue-based events with tickets as the key revenue stream – into hybrid and digitally-led ones.

    Similarly, galleries and art spaces are opting for nomadic models, eschewing permanent locations but maintaining a strong online presence. This enables cultural actors to adapt and lower reliance on funding while creating cultural value.

    Finally, cultural organisations need to look into cross-disciplinary collaborations that align on shared goals. Finding a balance between financial stability and cultural integrity requires recognising opportunities to work together.

    How market and cultural values can coexist

    The New Zealand arts sector is still cautious about non-intuitive collaborations with adjacent fields, such as gaming, fashion or advertising. But partnering with the tech industry holds the promise of new levels of visitor engagement, while staying rooted in the commitment to community enrichment.

    Cultural organisations have to navigate a complex landscape where financial pressures and cultural missions intersect and create tensions.

    Our concept of generative coexistence encourages a more flexible view. Examples from around the globe show it isn’t about choosing between culture and commerce. It’s about turning tensions into a foundation for innovation, accessibility and resilience.

    Arts and culture are neither luxuries nor commodities, but integral parts of a thriving society. We are certain that New Zealand’s creative sector, which is unique, resilient and economically viable, can secure its place in a future that honours both the power of art and the realities of financial sustainability.

    Ksenia Kosheleva receives funding from The Foundation for Economic Education, Finland.

    Julia Fehrer and Kaj Storbacka do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Art for art’s sake? How NZ’s cultural organisations can maintain integrity and still make money – https://theconversation.com/art-for-arts-sake-how-nzs-cultural-organisations-can-maintain-integrity-and-still-make-money-252362

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI: FortiCard Spearheads Strategic Expansion and Solidifies Long-Term Partnerships

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, March 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FortiCard, a trailblazer in global financial services, is rapidly advancing its strategic vision through a series of high-profile initiatives and partnership developments that underscore its commitment to shaping the future of finance. The company has recently engaged in fruitful discussions with several banking enterprises that recognize FortiCard’s unique capabilities, resulting in strategic alignments poised to transform industry standards.

    Engagement with Leading Banking Enterprises
    Recognized for its innovative approach and robust technological infrastructure, FortiCard has attracted the attention of numerous banking enterprises, initiating dialogues aimed at exploring collaborative opportunities. These discussions are focused on leveraging FortiCard’s advanced financial platforms and analytical tools to enhance transactional efficiencies and expand service capabilities across the banking sector.

    Strategic Initiatives to Address Investment Order Shortages at FortiCard
    FortiCard is actively deploying a series of strategic measures aimed at addressing the persistent shortage of lend-out investment orders that has troubled its users for several months. These initiatives are expected to significantly enhance FortiCard’s capacity to manage a larger volume of transactions, thereby meeting the increasing demands of its global customer base and reducing barriers to market participation. This strategic shift is designed to optimize operational efficiency and improve service delivery, ensuring that FortiCard remains competitive in the dynamic financial services sector.

    Cementing Relationships: From Short-Term Engagements to Long-Term Commitments
    A key highlight of FortiCard’s strategic agenda is the transformation of several short-term engagements into long-term partnerships. This transition will be formally recognized and celebrated on April 6, symbolizing a major commitment on the part of FortiCard and its partners to a sustained and mutually beneficial collaboration.

    Milestone Signing Ceremony in Singapore
    To mark these expanded partnerships, FortiCard will host a ceremonial signing event on May 1 at the prestigious Marina Bay Sands in Singapore. This venue, renowned for its architectural brilliance and business significance, will serve as the perfect backdrop for celebrating these enduring alliances. The event will not only signify the formalization of these agreements but also showcase FortiCard’s strategic commitment to fostering long-term relationships within the financial industry.

    Future Outlook and Continued Innovation
    As FortiCard continues to navigate the complexities of the global financial landscape, these strategic developments are integral to its mission of driving innovation and advancing the financial services industry. By enhancing its partnerships and expanding operational capabilities, FortiCard is setting new benchmarks for excellence and service delivery in finance.

    About FortiCard
    With a global presence and a reputation for excellence, FortiCard remains at the forefront of the financial services industry, known for its innovative solutions and commitment to client success. FortiCard continues to leverage its expertise to provide secure, profitable, and reliable financial products and services, ensuring it remains a leader in the financial sector.

    Media Contact:
    Company Name: FortiCard Limited
    Contact Person: Alexander Jonathan Williams
    Website: https://forti-card.com
    Email: admin@forti-card.com

    Disclaimer: This press release is provided by the FortiCard Limited. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice. Investing involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release.

    Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a48230a2-4302-43fc-a4dd-c5d49c613ec2

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: B.C. tech companies will be on display at world’s largest tech show

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Twenty-two B.C. companies and universities will promote the province’s unique technology products and services in Germany at Hannover Messe 2025, the world’s largest tradeshow for industrial and energy technologies.

    “As we expand our trade diversification globally, we’re proud to showcase B.C.’s solutions to the challenges of advancing AI, improving energy efficiency and the impacts of climate change worldwide,” said Diana Gibson, Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation. “This is the largest number of B.C. companies that have chosen to travel to this event. Advancing our trade and investment opportunities on this global stage will open new markets for B.C.’s economy to grow and prosper.”

    B.C. companies in attendance represent key sectors, including energy transition and critical minerals, clean technology, information and communications technology, creating more opportunities for B.C. businesses to export and attract investment, driving sustainable and innovative growth. B.C. will host a number of activations, events and panels.

    “B.C.’s reputation as a reliable trading partner with innovative solutions, a highly skilled workforce, and strong environmental, social and governance credentials will be a focal point during Hannover Messe 2025,” said Rick Glumac, Minister of State for Trade. “The companies participating at this tradeshow are just a sample of the breadth of innovation and investment opportunities available in B.C.”

    Canada is the partner country for Hannover Messe 2025, taking place in Hannover, Germany, from Monday, March 31, 2025, until Friday, April 4, 2025. More than 250 exhibitors and 260 delegates from Canada will showcase their industrial technology solutions and share their expertise in six pavilions, highlighting Canada’s strengths in artificial intelligence (AI) and other digital solutions, quantum technologies, robotics, advanced materials and clean-energy technologies.

    “The spotlight will definitely be on Team Canada at Hannover this year,” said Jayson Myers, chief executive officer of Next Generation Manufacturing Canada, the organization leading Canada’s industrial presence at the fair. “And it couldn’t come at a better time. The Hannover fair attracts close to 200,000 buyers, suppliers and investors from more than 150 countries. There’s no better place to showcase the leading-edge industrial technologies that Canada has to offer the world.”

    B.C.’s deputy minister of jobs, economic development and innovation will lead the mainstage panel on Energy Transition – Innovation & the Bottom Line. This panel will showcase B.C.’s leadership in robotics, automation and advancing hydrogen technology, and will outline the important role governments play in leading and fostering innovation.

    In addition to the activities at Hannover Messe 2025, the deputy minister will have meetings with international investors and clients to strengthen B. C.’s economy in key sectors, particularly energy transition and critical minerals, clean technology, and Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

    Quick Facts:

    • Hannover Messe 2025 brings representatives together from more than 150 countries.
    • It offers the opportunity to discover new industrial and energy technologies and learn about the latest innovations and trends in advanced manufacturing.
    • Hannover Messe 2025 brings together decision-makers from government and global businesses, providing a platform to discuss industrial trends and transformations.
    • The week-long event typically attracts 6,000 exhibitors and more than 200,000 attendees.

    Learn More:

    For more information about trade and investment in B.C., visit: https://britishcolumbia.ca

    To read the Trade Diversification Strategy, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/employment-business/international-investment-and-trade/trade-diversification-strategy

    For more information about the companies attending the Hannover Messe 2025 tradeshow, visit: https://www.britishcolumbia.ca/wp-content/uploads/Company-Directory_Hannover_Messe.pdf

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: President signs the General Intelligence Laws Amendment Bill

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    The State Security Agency (SSA) is set to split into two separate departments, foreign and domestic, following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s signing of the General Intelligence Laws Amendment Bill into law. 

    The General Intelligence Laws Amendment Bill signed on Friday is the basis for significant reforms of South Africa’s intelligence services that will be accompanied by improved oversight and accountability.

    In a statement, the Presidency said the amendment Act amends the National Strategic Intelligence Act of 1994, the Intelligence Services Act of 2002, and the Intelligence Services Oversight Act of 1994.

    “Among other reforms, the amendment Act disestablishes the current State Security Agency as a national government department and replaces it with two separate departments.

    “The new departments are the Foreign Intelligence Service (FIS) which shall be responsible for foreign intelligence gathering so as to identify opportunities and threats to National Security, and the Domestic Intelligence Agency (DIA) which shall be responsible for counter-intelligence as well as the gathering of domestic intelligence in order to identify threats to National Security,” the Presidency said. 

    The amendment Act also re-establishes the South African National Academy of Intelligence (SANAI) and Intelligence Training Institute for both Domestic and Foreign Intelligence capacities.

    The wide-ranging amendments constitute implementation of the recommendations of the 2018 Presidential High-Level Review Panel on the State Security Agency (SSA) and of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture, Corruption and Fraud in the Public Sector (the Zondo Commission).

    “The law also addresses concerns about bulk interception by intelligence services of internet traffic entering or leaving South Africa, by introducing new measures including authorisation within the intelligence services as well as court reviews of such interception,” the statement read. 

    The law provides for the administration, financial management and expenditure of the intelligence service entities to be within the ambit of the oversight of the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence – a multiparty committee of Parliament that processes public complaints about the intelligence services and monitors the finances and operations of these services.

    The newly enacted amendments also provide for greater autonomy for the Inspector-General of Intelligence and the National Intelligence Coordinating Committee (NICOC) in making administrative and functional decisions. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: G20 nations must place inequality at the heart of economic policymaking: Deputy Minister Mohai

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Department of Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation (DPME) Deputy Minister Seiso Mohai has stressed the urgency of addressing persistent global inequalities.

    “G20 nations must place inequality at the heart of economic policymaking, as disparities in wealth and development are neither just nor sustainable. The consequences of these inequalities are most pronounced in the Global South, where poverty, unemployment, and a lack of access to essential services continued to hinder progress,” Mohai said.

    The Deputy Minister was delivering a keynote address during a two-day G20 Seminar focused on the theme: “Public Good, Development Finance, and Social Protection”. 

    The seminar was hosted by the DPME in collaboration with the South African Association for Public Administration and Management (SAAPAM) and Tshwane University of Technology (TUT). 

    The seminar was a key part of South Africa’s strategic G20 priorities – to explore innovative solutions for addressing economic disparities, advancing sustainable development, and ensuring social protection for vulnerable communities.

    It provided a platform for fostering dialogue among government officials, academia, civil society, and the private sector, with a focus on tackling challenges such as economic disparities, mobilising development finance, and advancing inclusive social protection policies. 

    Deputy Minister Mohai emphasised the importance of constructive dialogue throughout the seminar. 

    “This gathering provided a unique platform for engagement among key stakeholders. We looked forward to brutally frank debates aimed at addressing the challenges of inequality, unemployment, and poverty.

    “We were encouraged by this partnership between DPME, SAAPAM, TUT, and other academic institutions, civil society, and non-government organizations, and we looked forward to successfully hosting this prestigious G20 seminar,” he said.

    Discussions at the seminar also explored ways to overcome structural barriers to sustainable development, including the mobilisation of innovative financing solutions for climate action and other pressing global issues.

    The seminar focused on the following key areas:

    • Public Good: Ensuring equitable access to essential services and resources for all citizens.
    • Development Finance: Mobilising sustainable funding mechanisms to stimulate economic growth.
    • Social Protection: Strengthening policies aimed at reducing inequality and providing support for the most vulnerable.

    Mohai also highlighted the pivotal role of academia and professional bodies in developing innovative solutions to global development challenges. 

    “South Africa’s engagement with the G20 has been guided by strategic foreign policy pillars, including national interests, the African agenda, South-South cooperation, and multilateralism. Our presidency came at a time when the world faced overlapping global crises such as climate change, inequality, and geopolitical instability, which disproportionately affected developing nations,” he noted.

    The Deputy Minister also reaffirmed South Africa’s commitment to addressing the structural causes of economic disparities. 

    “Through collaboration, innovation, and shared commitment, we can create a future that is inclusive, resilient, and sustainable,” he stated.

    The two-day seminar featured several distinguished academic dignitaries, including UNISA Vice Chancellor Puleng Lenkabula and Tshwane University Dean, Professor Mashupye Maserumule, among others.

    Professor Maserumule shared valuable insights on the crucial role of an ethical, capable, and professional public service in driving innovation in planning and development. He emphasised the importance of a well-equipped public sector in fostering sustainable growth and effective governance.

    In her address, UNISA Vice Chancellor Lenkabula highlighted the vital role of academia in South Africa’s leadership during the DPME G20 Seminar. She focused on the contribution of academic institutions, research, and higher education can make toward both national and international G20 objectives.

    “Academia plays a pivotal role by conducting research that addresses global challenges on the G20 agenda, such as climate change, global health, economic recovery post-pandemic, and sustainable development,” she said.  

    “South African universities and research institutions have the opportunity to collaborate with their international counterparts to generate data and policy recommendations that support both South Africa’s national interests and the broader goals of the G20,” Prof Lenkabula added. 

    The department said that the outcomes of the seminar will contribute to South Africa’s G20 agenda, focusing on building a future that is inclusive, resilient, and sustainable for all. 

    The event aimed to generate actionable recommendations and innovative policy solutions to guide the global community in confronting critical issues such as inequality, unemployment, and poverty.

    “This seminar marked a critical milestone in South Africa’s leadership of the G20, with a continued focus on fostering solidarity, equality, and sustainability in global development,” the department said. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: SIU to probe National Skills Fund, DPWI, among others

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    President Cyril Ramaphosa has signed five proclamations – two new and three amendments – authorising the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to investigate allegations of corruption and maladministration in the affairs of the National Skills Fund and the National Department of Public Works and Infrastructure.  

    In addition, the President has amended existing proclamations to expand the scope of investigations into the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), Eskom, PetroSA, Transnet, South African Airways (SAA), the Department of Human Settlements, Alexkor, and the South African Council for Educators (SACE). 

    In a statement on Friday, the SIU said these investigations aim to recover financial losses suffered by the State. 

    National Skills Fund 

    “Proclamation 253 of 2025 authorises the SIU to investigate allegations of serious maladministration, improper or unlawful conduct by officials or employees of the Department of Higher Education and Training, and the possible mismanagement of funds allocated to the National Skills Fund (NSF),” the SIU said. 

    The investigation will focus on procurement and contracting for the implementation of skills development programmes, training projects, and the appointment of implementing agents for the following projects: 

    • Yikhonolakho Woman and Youth Primary Co-operative Limited (NSF 16/1/3/21)
    • Dithipe Development Institute (Pty) Limited
    • Dzunde Farming Co-operative Limited – Rural Development
    • Dual System Apprenticeship Pilot Project – Port Elizabeth TVET College (NSF10/3/8/2/9)
    • Rubicon Communication CC
    • Centre for Education Policy Development (Fruitless & Wasteful Expenditure) — NSF 16/2/1/2 & NSF 10/4/4/3
    • Emanzini Staffing Solutions (Pty) Limited (NSF16/1/4/55 and/or 2016-NSFWIL — 0174)
    • ADA Holdings (NSF16/1/4/5, Ingewe TVET College — NSF/16/3/2/2 & Lusikisiki/ Bizana — NSF/16/1/2/3)
    • Ekurhuleni West TVET College (NSF16/1/2/39)
    • Passionate about People (Pty) Limited (NSF/16/1/3/12&16). 

    Additionally, the SIU will investigate any unauthorised, irregular, fruitless, or wasteful expenditure by the NSF or the department. 

    The scope of the investigation includes any unlawful or improper conduct by suppliers, service providers, and other involved parties, occurring between 1 January 2013 and 28 March 2025, or related matters before or after this period.

    National Department of Public Works and Infrastructure 

    Proclamation 256 of 2025 authorises the SIU to investigate allegations of maladministration in the affairs of the National Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) relating to the appointment of travel agents in 2017 for the rendering of travel agency services, including flights, accommodation, and vehicle hire. 

    “The investigation will determine whether these appointments and related payments were conducted in a manner that was not fair, competitive, transparent, equitable, or cost-effective; contrary to applicable legislation; or inconsistent with Treasury instructions, departmental manuals, policies, procedures, or other applicable prescripts. 

    “The SIU will also investigate any unauthorised, irregular, fruitless, or wasteful expenditure incurred by the Department and any unlawful or improper conduct by officials, employees, service providers, or any other parties involved in the procurement of these services,” the SIU said. 

    The SIU added that the scope of the investigation includes any unlawful or improper conduct by suppliers, service providers, and other involved parties, occurring between 1 March 2017 and 28 March 2025, or related matters before or after this period. 

    Amendment of Proclamation No. R.206 of 2024 

    Proclamation 252 of 2025 amends Proclamation R.206 of 2024 to reflect the full scope of the SIU’s investigation into several state institutions. 

    The amendment corrects and clarifies the entities under investigation, which include the South African Broadcasting Corporation SOC Limited (SABC), Eskom Holdings SOC Limited, the Petroleum Oil and Gas Corporation of South Africa SOC Limited (PetroSA), Transnet SOC Limited, South African Airways SOC Limited (SAA), and the National Department of Human Settlements (formerly known as the National Department of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation). 

    The amendment substitutes the heading and paragraph 1 of the original Proclamation to formally add South African Airways as a state institution which will be subjected to an investigation of allegations of serious maladministration, corruption, and unlawful conduct in the affairs of these state institutions. 

    Amendment of Alexkor investigation to include additional institutions and broader scope 

    Proclamation 254 of 2025 amends Proclamation R.45 of 2021 to broaden the scope of the Special Investigating Unit’s (SIU) investigation beyond Alexkor SOC Limited. 

    The amendment now includes the Alexkor Richtersveld Mining Company Pooling and Sharing Joint Venture and the State Diamond Trader—collectively referred to as “the Institutions.” The amendment updates several references throughout the original Proclamation to reflect this expanded scope. 

    “The amended Proclamation authorises the SIU to investigate the procurement of and contracting for goods or services by or on behalf of the Institutions in relation to the marketing, valuation, sale (including decisions not to buy), and beneficiation of diamonds, and any income generated or lost, or payments made in respect thereof. 

    “The investigation will consider whether such conduct was contrary to applicable legislation, Treasury instructions, or the Institutions’ own policies and procedures,” the SIU said. 

    The SIU will also probe serious maladministration in the affairs of Alexkor SOC Limited in respect of contracts concluded with, and fees paid to, Regiments Capital (Pty) Limited. 

    The SIU will also investigate any related unauthorised, irregular, or fruitless and wasteful expenditure incurred by the Institutions, as well as fraudulent, irregular, improper, or unlawful conduct by Board members, officials, employees, agents, service providers, traders, auctioneers, bidders, or buyers—particularly where such conduct resulted in undue benefit or concealed interests. 

    In addition, the Proclamation authorises the SIU to probe serious maladministration in the affairs of the institutions in respect of agreements or contracts with service providers and other diamond trade actors and specifically empowers the SIU to investigate contracts concluded with and fees paid to Regiments Capital (Pty) Limited by Alexkor SOC Limited. 

    The amended scope covers conduct occurring between 1 January 2014 (previously 1 October 2016) and the date of publication of this Proclamation and includes related matters outside this period if they are relevant to the investigation. 

    “Beyond investigating maladministration, corruption, and fraud, the SIU will identify systemic failures and recommend measures to prevent future losses.” 

    In accordance with the Special Investigating Units and Special Tribunals Act 74 of 1996 (SIU Act), the SIU will refer any evidence of criminal conduct uncovered during these investigations to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for further action. 

    The SIU is also empowered to institute civil action in the High Court or a Special Tribunal to recover financial losses to the State resulting from acts of corruption, fraud or maladministration. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Labour urged to extend maternity pay to support parents and children

    Source: Scottish Greens

    30 Mar 2025

    Maternity pay in the UK is far lower than other parts of Europe.

    The UK still trails behind other European countries when it comes to maternity and paternity pay, says Scottish Green MSP Gillian Mackay, who has called for Downing Street to act.

    Ms Mackay, who is expecting her first child this summer, has urged the UK government to give mothers everywhere the gift of more time with their loved ones by expanding support for statutory maternity, paternity and shared parental leave to cover 52 weeks full pay.

    This would be paid for through wealth taxes, which researchers from the University of Greenwich have shown could raise £70 billion a year.

    This would empower new parents, allowing them to spend more quality time with their children without having to be so concerned about the financial impact from loss of earnings.

    Survey data from Maternity Action and UNISON show a majority of new and expectant mothers rely on credit cards, loans and borrowing from friends and family to get through maternity leave (62%) with more than a fifth (23%)  accumulating debts of more than £4,000. A majority (59%) or respondents said that they cut short their maternity leave or planned to do so because of financial concerns.

    Ms Mackay said:

    “The early days of a child’s life are vital, and every new parent should have the opportunity to spend quality time with them and to introduce them to the world. But many are unable to do so in the way they want to and are being forced back to work early.

    “This Mother’s Day the UK government could make a big difference for expectant-parents by expanding maternity and paternity pay and offering them far greater peace of mind and stability.

    “Statutory maternity pay in the UK is far too low, and lags far behind many other European countries. A lot of young workers in particular are finding themselves squeezed, with far too many forced to decide against having a family or delaying doing so for financial reasons.

    “Not everybody will want to have children, but people who do should not be deterred by poor parental pay. Particularly at a time when household bills and living costs are going up, we should be supporting parents and ensuring that babies are given the best start in life.

    “By increasing support for parents and putting money in their pockets we can support our next generation and spread opportunity.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Greens propose end of tax relief for Trump’s military

    Source: Scottish Greens

    30 Mar 2025 External Affairs

    We can’t let Scotland be used as a US outpost.

    More in External Affairs

    With the White House expanding its military presence in Scotland, the Scottish Greens will lodge proposals in Parliament to end tax exemptions for foreign armed forces.

    Greens finance spokesperson Ross Greer has lodged the proposals as an amendment to the upcoming Housing (Scotland) Bill.

    At present, foreign militaries are exempt from paying Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (previously known as Stamp Duty) when buying property.

    From the 1960s to the 1990s, Scotland was home to a number of US military bases, including nuclear armed submarines at the Holy Loch on the Clyde, and sites on the Mull of Kintyre and in Edzell in Aberdeenshire. There is also an ongoing US military presence at Prestwick Airport, which is regularly used as a rest and refuelling stop for transatlantic flights.

    America has recently established its first new military site in Scotland since the 1990s at Lossiemouth, with concerns that this presence will grow under President Trump.

    Mr Greer said:

    “Scotland cannot go back to being a US military outpost. We certainly shouldn’t be exempting them from a tax which everyone else pays when buying property here.

    “This tax break only encourages Trump to increase his military presence in Scotland, something we should be trying to avoid. His recent attacks on Europe and his alignment with Putin’s Russia make it clear that his government is not our ally.

    “Ending this exemption is the fair thing to do. Why should the American military get to avoid paying its fair share? 

    “Rather than rolling out the red carpet to Trump’s troops, this change would also signal that Scotland stands with the victims of US foreign policy, particularly the people of Ukraine and Palestine.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Ghana’s e-levy: 3 lessons from the abolished mobile money tax

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Max Gallien, Research Fellow, Institute of Development Studies

    The first budget speech of Ghana’s new government on 11 March painted a picture of an economy in crisis, facing high debt and fiscal mismanagement. The finance minister, Cassiel Ato Forson, acknowledged that key International Monetary Fund performance targets would be missed and announced drastic spending cuts.

    However, most Ghanaians just wanted to know whether the minister would announce the scrapping of the country’s electronic transfer levy (or e-tax), as he’d indicated he would.

    He did, a decision parliament endorsed unanimously the next day.

    The e-levy, a fee on mobile money transactions, was introduced in 2022. Ghanaians immediately united around the issue in fierce opposition, a sentiment that grew as the tax took effect.

    Read more: Ghana’s e-levy is unfair to the poor and misses its revenue target: a lesson in mobile money tax design

    Both major parties had campaigned for its removal in the run-up to elections held in December 2024.

    How did the e-levy become so unpopular, and what will repealing it mean?

    Over three years, researchers from the International Centre for Tax and Development worked with partners in Ghana to study the e-levy as part of our Digitax research programme. This study generated knowledge and evidence at the interface of digital financial services, digital identities and tax.

    The e-levy’s intense politicisation and complex design made it an interesting case of a wider trend of mobile money taxes in the region. We learned more about the e-levy’s impact on informal sector workers in Accra, knowledge and sentiments, registered merchant exemptions and mobile money usage.

    Based on this research, three key lessons emerge.

    Firstly, like other taxes on mobile money, the e-levy has come to be an important source of revenue in Ghana, even if it did not live up to initial optimistic estimates of its potential.

    Secondly, beyond the revenue it raised directly, the real potential of the e-levy – and loss if it is completely abolished – lay in the data it produced. It was enabling the Ghana Revenue Authority to uncover users with significant incomes who were not registered for income tax.

    Thirdly, the new consensus against the e-levy has arisen because important stakeholders such as mobile money providers and public opinion were not adequately managed from the start.

    A difficult birth

    Much like its departure, the e-levy was announced during a time of fiscal distress. Mobile money transactions had expanded rapidly, particularly after COVID-19, making it an attractive tax target, especially for the informal sector.

    Given this growth in the digital financial sector coupled with the need for revenue, the e-levy targeted the value of electronic financial transactions.

    Introduced in the 2022 budget at 1.75%, with a 100 cedi (US$10) daily exemption, it was met with strong resistance. The budget was rejected, protests erupted, and negotiations ensued. The government attempted to win public support through town hall meetings, eventually reducing the rate to 1.5% and adding exemptions.

    It went ahead with implementation in May 2022, however.

    Negative sentiment persisted, fuelled by confusion and concerns about its implementation.

    The government framed the tax as being essential for national development and investment attraction. But efforts to justify the necessity and benefit of the tax seemed to fall short.

    Read more: New data on the e-levy in Ghana: unpopular tax on mobile money transfers is hitting the poor hardest

    Several International Centre for Tax and Development studies, nationally representative and one focusing on informal markets, found an overwhelming sense of dissatisfaction among Ghanaians.

    The studies also showed the grievances had less to do with the tax and its rates per se and more to do with how people viewed government and its trustworthiness to collect and spend money.

    Did Ghana’s e-levy work?

    New taxes are often unpopular, but that alone should not determine their fate.

    Other key indicators of performance include:

    Revenue: The e-levy met only 12% of the initial revenue target of GH₵6.96 billion (US$380 million). But, based on our research, we have concluded that this reflects poor forecasting rather than implementation failure. It still contributed about 1% of total tax revenue, which equated to about US$129 million annually.

    Mobile money usage: Many critics feared negative effects on financial inclusion. However, one study of this impact shows that while transactions initially dropped, they soon rebounded and continued to grow. Another International Centre for Tax and Development study found that exempted payments values and volumes increased, with registered merchants who benefited from this exemption developing greater trust in government policies.

    Equity and distributional effects: Despite exemptions, an International Centre for Tax and Development study focusing on the intended target of the e-levy, the informal sector, found that the e-levy as a whole was highly regressive. While the poorest were somewhat protected by the 100 cedi daily threshold, low-income mobile money users still bore the greatest tax burden. Additionally, with the high rate of inflation in Ghana, the unchanged daily threshold became less effective with time.

    This result is striking given that in its design, the e-levy is potentially less regressive than most mobile money taxes in Africa.

    Will it be missed?

    Given public hostility, its removal may be widely celebrated. However, it leaves a revenue gap that must be addressed. Ghana’s fiscal history suggests this could lead to new, potentially unpopular taxes.

    The bigger loss may be the dismantling of systems built to administer the e-levy. These new advances in tax administration allowed the country’s revenue authorities to track high-volume users who were not registered for income tax, offering a path towards more efficient taxation.

    As governments face mounting revenue pressures in an era of high debt and declining aid, careful attention must be paid to the politics of tax reform. Perhaps the e-levy’s greatest flaw was the haste with which it was introduced, without adequate stakeholder engagement. Uganda faced similar backlash from rushed mobile money taxation in 2018.

    Evidence shows that perceptions affect how users respond to taxes, and first impressions can be hard to overcome. So, it is essential to make sure they are seen as fair and appropriate from the start, so that they are sustainable.

    – Ghana’s e-levy: 3 lessons from the abolished mobile money tax
    – https://theconversation.com/ghanas-e-levy-3-lessons-from-the-abolished-mobile-money-tax-253285

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: More affordable rental homes for Canberrans

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Construction of the new homes will commence later this year and is expected to be completed in 2026, ready for families to move in.

    The ACT Government has announced the construction of 70 new affordable rental homes in Phillip.

    Supported by the ACT Government’s $60 million Affordable Housing Project Fund, CHC Australia and the Canberra Southern Cross Club, the new homes will be part of a new 140-unit Build-to-Rent development in Phillip.

    The homes will be located adjacent to the Stellar Canberra health and wellness centre.

    Construction will commence this year and is expected to be completed in 2026, ready for families to move in.

    The Government established the Affordable Housing Project Fund last year to grow the supply of affordable rental properties in Canberra and strengthen the community housing sector.

    Since it was launched, the Fund has offered financial support for six projects (subject to finalising funding agreements) with the potential to deliver about 280 new affordable rentals for Canberrans.

    Community housing providers and developers are encouraged to submit proposals to access the fund at any time. More information can be found in the government’s Affordable Rental Prospectus.

    Build-to-Rent, which is aimed at providing affordable housing to long-term renters, is an important part of the Government’s ACT Housing Strategy to improve rental supply and affordability.

    The Government will announce further community housing partnerships soon for Build-to-Rent projects.

    “With a dire shortage of rental accommodation that is affordable for lower income earners such as essential workers, CHC is delighted that the ACT Government is supporting community housing providers to grow affordable rental supply,” CHC Australia CEO Andrew Hannan said.

    “Together with our valued partner, the Canberra Southern Cross Club, we cannot wait to turn soil on our new mixed-tenure market and affordable Build-to-Rent development in Phillip that will deliver 70 affordable rental units for the community.”

    This year’s Budget Review will also progress the proposed MyHome project in Curtin, with $500,000 committed for planning and design work.

    MyHome is designed to provide long-term supported residential accommodation and care for 15 people with an enduring mental illness.

    The project will be built on Uniting Church land and led by Wesley Mission working with MyHome in Canberra, a local community organisation, and Woden Valley Uniting Church.

    Canberra is on track to reach 500,000 people by 2027. These initiatives will help ensure the right mix of housing options to meet the growing city’s needs.

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    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Get ready for the 2024 school year

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    This year there will be changes to term dates, policies and programs that may involve your family.

    Canberra families are about to start another exciting school year.

    This year there will be changes to term dates, policies and programs that may involve your family.

    Here is everything you need to know for the year ahead.

    Student-free days and start of term

    From 2024, there will be four student-free days for ACT public schools. These are the first day of each school term.

    Student-free days are for staff development, enabling teachers and schools to plan in a student-free environment.

    Monday 29 January will be a student-free day.

    On Tuesday 30 January, new students will start school. Continuing students will return to school on Wednesday 31 January.

    Other term dates for the 2024 school year:

    • Friday 12 April– Term 1 ends
    • Tuesday 30 April – Term 2 begins (students start school)
    • Friday 5 July – Term 2 ends
    • Tuesday 23 July – Term 3 begins (students start school)
    • Friday 27 September – Term 3 ends
    • Tuesday 15 October – Term 4 begins (students start school)
    • Tuesday 17 December – Term 4 ends.

    Financial assistance

    The Future of Education Equity Fund (Equity Fund) offers eligible families financial support to help with school essentials. It supports the more vulnerable families in our community.

    Low-income families of students – from preschool through to year 12 – can receive  a one-off, annual payment. This is to help cover the costs of schooling, such as:

    • uniforms
    • sport equipment and activities
    • tuition
    • music lessons.

    The Equity Fund payments are $400 (preschool), $500 (primary school), and $750 (high school and college level, including CIT Year 11 and 12).

    Equity Fund applications  for the 2024 school year are now open.

    Families can apply for all eligible students in their family in the one application, regardless of whether they attend different schools.

    School staff are also able to help families to apply.

    Applications close in November 2024.

    Find out more about eligibility criteria and how to apply online.

    Mobile phone policy

    A new mobile phone policy for all ACT public schools starts in term 1 2024.

    • Students in preschool to year 10 at ACT public schools may not use or access personal communication devices at school. This includes recess and lunch, and during school authorised events.
    • For year 11 and 12 students, mobile phones and other personal communication devices must be silenced and put away during class time.

    Students can request an exemption if they need their device for medical or other specific reasons.

    Schools will communicate their expectations about how and where to store devices at the beginning of the school year.

    Healthy lunches

    It includes a Grab and Go shopping list and tips for a waste-free lunchbox. You’ll also find tips on which food groups to include and how to swap for healthier options.

    Wellbeing for students

    A new school year can be tough for some students, whether they are:

    • starting a new school
    • moving into high school or college
    • just dealing with any of the life changes thrown their way.

    The ACT Government has online resources that could be helpful in starting conversations on finding ways to support them.

    Asthma management

    If your child has asthma, the start of the school year is a good time to make sure you’re managing it.

    You may wish to:

    • book an asthma review with your child’s GP
    • update your child’s asthma action plan with their GP
    • make sure the school has your child’s reliever medication and spacer
    • talk to school staff
    • book an appointment with one of the asthma nurse educators at Canberra Health Services.

    Child development

    Are you concerned about your child’s development? The start of a new year is a good time to contact the Child Development Service, to access free drop-in clinics and assessments.

    Free three-year-old preschool

    ACT three-year-olds can now benefit from 300 hours of free preschool at over 140 locations.

    This will save the average family around $1,329 a year.

    Read more and find where to access three-year-old preschool.

    Period products at all schools

    In 2023 the ACT Government passed new legislation to make free period products available at a range of community locations across the ACT for anyone who needs them.

    This includes at every ACT public school, which is something we already do as a system, and will continue to do.

    Pads and tampons are available in ACT public high schools, colleges, and combined schools. Pads are available in ACT public primary schools.

    They can be accessed at any time during the school day from the school front office for staff, students, and visitors.

    The ACT Government will deliver the broader project in stages and a procurement process for dispensers to be installed in public places, including ACT public schools, will occur in 2024.

    The Education Directorate will continue to work with ACT Health to ensure age-appropriate information on menstrual hygiene is available for students through our schools.

    Read more about free period products.

    Public transport for students

    From Monday 29 January dedicated school services will resume. This includes ‘S’ trips which divert into schools.

    Please check your timetable so you are prepared and ready.

    If your child is in primary school, you can refer to your school’s pack to plan your child’s travel. Find it on the Transport Canberra website.

    If your child is new to school or changing schools, please check available school bus and light rail information on the Transport Canberra website.

    Familiarise yourself and your child with their school routine. They should know which stop the bus will pick up from in the morning and where to get off at the end of the day.

    Make sure your child has a MyWay card that is registered and topped up with sufficient funds. A MyWay card is easy to get and will save you time and money. Find out more about ticketing and MyWay.

    School bus services are available to school students only. Under special circumstances, parents with young children may apply to travel on these services for a few weeks to help their child get used to bus travel.  Find out more about parents travelling on school bus services.

    If you’re a student in college or tertiary education, check the Journey Planner for timings. Just enter your destination for the fastest, most convenient options.

    To stay up-to-date with Transport Canberra updates, including changes to services and latest news, you can:

    40 km/h school zones

    Road safety is everyone’s responsibility. As students return to school, remember to slow down and stick to the 40 km/h limit around schools between 8am and 4pm.

    Mobile speed vans and police regularly patrol school zones. Let’s all slow down and support kids’ safety.

    Parking around schools

    The start of the school year is a particularly busy time in Canberra’s school carparks and surrounding streets.

    Unsafe and illegal parking reduces visibility for students and motorists. This creates a hazard when students cross the road.

    Parking inspectors and license plate recognition vehicles will be out and about enforcing safe parking around schools.

    For drop-offs and pick-ups, arrange a meeting spot, arrive after the rush, or park a little further away from the school and walk with your kids the rest of the way.

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    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Support for Canberra Olympians and Paralympians

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Extra funding will support local athletes like Jack Cleary, Angela Ballard and Chad Perris.

    The ACT Government is backing Canberran Olympic and Paralympic athletes with extra funding.

    The Paris Olympic Games are in July, and the Paralympic Games are in August this year.

    The extra funding will help local athletes prepare to qualify to represent Australia in the lead up to the games. “The funding to me and the whole rowing team allows us to be the best we can be,” Olympic athlete Jack Cleary said.

    “At the games, it is an absolute whirlwind, and we need to keep ourselves central and not worry about the things you can’t control. They are being managed by the staff who come along to help us – which this funding helps to support,” he said.

    The ACT has a history of supporting Olympic and Paralympic athletes. It was the first jurisdiction in Australia to fund the Olympic and Paralympic Teams equally.

    Paralympic athlete Chad Perris says the timing of the funding is key.

    “We have a lot of extra costs, whether travel, equipment, there are a lot of things that go into getting us over the line to get us to Paris,” he said.

    “I’m really excited about this funding and to have it as equal funding with our Olympic counterparts is really exciting.”

    “The Paralympic team funding from the ACT Government is huge,” Paralympic athlete Angela Ballard said.

    “I know from behind the scenes how much it takes just to get our athletes over there and make sure we have the resources we need to perform.

    “On a personal level, the ACT Government funding grants for individual ACT athletes will make a big difference. We still have a lot of work to do to keep up our training and to qualify between now and the Games, and this support will be of great help,” she said.

    Canberra is home to elite athletes training at both the Australian Institute of Sport and ACT Academy of Sport. Despite being the smallest jurisdiction in Australia, ACT athletes have a strong presence at each Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.

    The ACT Government will provide funding support through the Mid-Year Budget Review. This includes both direct financial assistance and in-kind training assistance through the ACT Academy of Sport.

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    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Next stage in city-wide FOGO collection

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Canberra’s FOGO facility will recycle food waste at scale into valuable compost, reducing waste going into landfill.

    Canberra’s Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) facility has reached a milestone with the draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) now open for community feedback.

    Delivering a large-scale FOGO facility remains an ACT Government priority.

    The industrial-level facility will be capable of processing 50,000 tonnes of FOGO material per year.

    It will recycle food waste at scale into valuable compost, reducing waste going into landfill.

    Since November 2021, the FOGO collection pilot has serviced households in Belconnen, Bruce, Cook and Macquarie. In that time, it has collected more than 2,844 tonnes of food waste.

    These insights will assist the ACT Government to roll out the service city wide.

    The composting facility is proposed to be an in-vessel facility, with indoor composting tunnels and other mitigation measures minimising odour impacts.

    Local residents and the wider Canberra community are encouraged to take a look at the EIS and provide any feedback.

    The public notification period for the EIS commenced on Monday 29 January 2024, and closes on Tuesday 12 March 2024.

    Community feedback has already been taken onboard in the preparation of the EIS.

    Additional feedback from the community and key stakeholder groups is an important part of the government’s decision making as it progresses to the next steps of planning and design.

    FOGO is a key part of the government’s plans for a circular economy in Canberra.

    Organic waste decomposition in landfill currently accounts for more than seven per cent of Canberra’s greenhouse emissions.

    Canberrans can share their thoughts on the draft environmental impact statement on the ACT Planning website.

    There will also be three information sessions:

    • Session 1: Saturday 17 February 2024, 10:30 am to 12:30 pm, Chisholm Village Shopping Centre
    • Session 2: Wednesday 21 February 2024, 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm, Gowrie Shops
    • Session 3: Thursday 29 February 2024, 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm, Mawson Southlands Shopping Centre.

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    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: International Monetary Fund (IMF) Staff Concludes Visit to Togo

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    WASHINGTON D.C., United States of America, March 30, 2025/APO Group/ —

    • IMF staff conclude visit to Lomé to discuss macroeconomic policies in the context of the second review of the Extended Credit Facility supported program.
    • Togo’s growth performance remains robust, and inflation is moderating.
    • The authorities have affirmed their commitment to continue advancing policies aimed at strengthening fiscal revenue, making growth more inclusive, and enhancing governance.

    An International Monetary Fund (IMF) staff team, led by Hans Weisfeld, visited Lomé during March 17 – March 28 to discuss macroeconomic developments and policies. This visit took place in the context of the second review of the Extended Credit Facility (ECF)-arrangement that the IMF has been providing to Togo since March 2024.   

    At the conclusion of the visit, Mr. Weisfeld issued the following statement:

    “The IMF team had constructive and productive discussions with the Togolese authorities and commended them on the sustained progress in advancing reforms. 

    “Economic growth reached an estimated 5.3 percent in 2024 and is projected to reach around 5.5 percent over the medium term, barring major adverse shocks. Inflation has continued to slow, to 2.8 percent in February 2025 (annual average).

    “During the visit, IMF staff reiterated the necessity to continue implementing reforms towards a disciplined fiscal approach and a sustainable public debt and to continue reforms to enhance inclusion, improve the business environment, and limit risks.

    “The team will return to Washington, D.C., and will continue discussing with the Togolese authorities, including during the upcoming IMF/World Bank Group Spring Meetings in Washington, D.C. in April. The discussions will focus on making further progress on the structural reform and fiscal policy agenda, among other topics.

    “The IMF approved the ECF-arrangement in March 2024 to help the authorities address the legacies of the shocks experienced since 2020, notably the COVID-19 pandemic and the increase in global food and fuel prices. The Togolese authorities were able to lessen these shocks’ impacts on the Togolese population and their economy, but this came at the price of large fiscal deficits and a rapidly rising debt burden. The arrangement provides financing of US$ 390 million to Togo on favorable terms aims to help the Togolese government implement reforms. These reforms aim at (i) making growth more inclusive while strengthening debt sustainability, and (ii) conducting structural reforms to support growth and limit fiscal and financial sector risks. The IMF concluded the first review under the ECF-arrangement in December 2024.

    “The team expresses their gratitude to the authorities, development partners, and representatives of Togo’s civil society for their constructive engagement and support during this visit.”

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Discovery of a 4,000-year-old Bronze Age settlement in Morocco rewrites history

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Hamza Benattia, Prehistory, Universitat de Barcelona

    A new archaeological discovery at Kach Kouch in Morocco challenges the long-held belief that the Maghreb (north-west Africa) was an empty land before the arrival of the Phoenicians from the Middle East in around 800 BCE. It reveals a much richer and more complex history than previously thought.

    Map of the region. H Benattia

    Everything found at the site indicates that during the Bronze Age, more than 3,000 years ago, stable agricultural settlements already existed on the African coast of the Mediterranean.

    This was at the same time as societies such as the Mycenaean flourished in the eastern Mediterranean.

    Our discovery, led by a team of young researchers from Morocco’s National Institute of Archaeology, expands our knowledge of the recent prehistory of north Africa. It also redefines our understanding of the connections between the Maghreb and the rest of the Mediterranean in ancient times.

    Excavations at the settlement. H Benattia

    How the discovery was made

    Kach Kouch was first identified in 1988 and first excavated in 1992. At the time, researchers believed the site had been inhabited between the 8th and 6th centuries BCE. This was based on the Phoenician pottery that was found.

    Extracting botanical remains. H Benattia

    Nearly 30 years later, our team carried out two new excavation seasons in 2021 and 2022. Our investigations included cutting-edge technology such as drones, differential GPS (global positioning systems) and 3D models.

    A rigorous protocol was followed for collecting samples. This allowed us to detect fossilised remains of seeds and charcoal.

    Subsequently, a series of analyses allowed us to reconstruct the settlement’s economy and its natural environment in prehistoric times.

    What the remains revealed

    The excavations, along with radiocarbon dating, revealed that the settlement underwent three phases of occupation between 2200 and 600 BCE.

    Dates of occupation. H Benattia

    The earliest documented remains (2200–2000 BCE) are scarce. They consist of three undecorated pottery sherds, a flint flake and a cow bone.

    The scarcity of materials and contexts could be due to erosion or a temporary occupation of the hill during this phase.

    Ceramics of KK2 phase. P Menéndez Molist/H Benattia

    In its second phase, after a period of abandonment, the Kach Kouch hill was permanently occupied from 1300 BCE. Its inhabitants, who probably numbered no more than a hundred, dedicated themselves to agriculture and animal husbandry.

    They lived in circular dwellings built from wattle and daub, a technique that combines wooden poles, reeds and mud. They dug silos into the rock to store agricultural products.

    Oldest bronze object. M Radi

    Analysis shows that they cultivated wheat, barley and legumes, and raised cattle, sheep, goats and pigs.

    They also used grinding stones for cereal processing, flint tools, and decorated pottery. In addition, the oldest known bronze object in north Africa (excluding Egypt) has been documented. It is probably a scrap metal fragment removed after casting in a mould.

    Interactions with the Phoenicians

    Between the 8th and 7th centuries BCE, during the so-called Mauretanian period, the inhabitants of Kach Kouch maintained the same material culture, architecture and economy as in the previous phase. However, interactions with Phoenician communities that were starting to settle in nearby sites, such as Lixus, brought new cultural practices.

    Remains of a square house built from stone, wattle and daub. H Benattia

    For example, circular dwellings coexisted with square ones made of stone and wattle and daub, combining Phoenician and local construction techniques.

    Dwellings in Kach Kouch. H Benattia

    Furthermore, new crops began to be cultivated, like grapes and olives. Among the new materials, wheel-made Phoenician ceramics, such as amphorae (storage jugs) and plates, and the use of iron objects stand out.

    Around 600 BCE, Kach Kouch was peacefully abandoned, perhaps due to social and economic changes. Its inhabitants likely moved to other nearby settlements.

    So who were the Bronze Age inhabitants?

    It’s unclear whether the Maghreb populations in the Bronze Age lived in tribes, as would later occur during the Mauretanian period. They were probably organised as families. Burials suggest there were no clear signs of hierarchy.

    Amphorae and plates. P Menéndez Molist/H Benattia

    They may have spoken a language similar to the Amazigh, the indigenous north African language, which did not become written until the introduction of the Phoenician alphabet. The cultural continuity documented at Kach Kouch suggests that these populations are the direct ancestors of the Mauretanian peoples of north-west Africa.

    Why this matters

    Kach Kouch is not only the first and oldest known Bronze Age settlement in the Maghreb but also reshapes our understanding of prehistory in this region.

    The new findings, along with other recent discoveries, demonstrate that north-west Africa has been connected to other regions of the Mediterranean, the Atlantic and the Sahara since prehistoric times.

    Read more: Discovery of 5,000-year-old farming society in Morocco fills a major gap in history – north-west Africa was a central player in trade and culture

    Our findings challenge traditional narratives, many of which were influenced by colonial views that portrayed the Maghreb as an empty and isolated land until it was “civilized” by foreign peoples.

    Phases of occupation at Kach Kouch. H Benattia

    As a result, the Maghreb has long been absent from debates on the later prehistory of the Mediterranean. These new discoveries not only represent a breakthrough for archaeology, but also a call to reconsider dominant historical narratives. Kach Kouch offers the opportunity to rewrite north Africa’s history and give it the visibility it has always deserved.

    Read more: Ancient DNA reveals Maghreb communities preserved their culture and genes, even in a time of human migration

    We believe this is a decisive moment for research that could forever change the way we understand not only the history of north Africa, but also its relationship with other areas of the Mediterranean.

    – Discovery of a 4,000-year-old Bronze Age settlement in Morocco rewrites history
    – https://theconversation.com/discovery-of-a-4-000-year-old-bronze-age-settlement-in-morocco-rewrites-history-253172

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI China: Cambodia-China economic, trade cooperation provides mutual benefit, win-win results: official

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

    Cambodia-China economic, trade cooperation provides mutual benefit, win-win results: official

    PHNOM PENH, March 30 — Cambodia-China economic and trade cooperation has provided tremendous benefits and win-win results, a senior commerce official said on Friday.

    The Cambodian Ministry of Commerce’s Secretary of State and spokesperson Penn Sovicheat said key achievements under this cooperation included the Sihanoukville Special Economy Zone, the Phnom Penh Sihanoukville Expressway, and the Siem Reap Angkor International Airport.

    “These mega-projects are prime examples of practical cooperation in economics and trade between Cambodia and China and are also the fruits of cooperation between the two countries under the Belt and Road Initiative,” he told Xinhua.

    “These projects have importantly contributed to boosting Cambodia’s economy, trade, manufacturing industry, connectivity infrastructure, tourism, and logistics,” he added.

    Sovicheat said that the Siem Reap Angkor International Airport and the Techo International Airport, which is scheduled to open to commercial operations in July 2025, will play a vital role in handling the remarkably growing number of tourists.

    “Moreover, the simultaneous entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement and the Cambodia-China Free Trade Agreement on Jan. 1, 2022, have also laid a strong foundation for Cambodia and China to enhance their trade and investment relations,” Sovicheat said.

    Under these trade pacts, a number of Cambodian products, especially high-quality agricultural produce such as milled rice, yellow bananas, mangoes, longans, and peppercorn, as well as some wild aquatic products have been exported to China with preferential tariffs, he added.

    The spokesperson said China is a huge market for made-in-Cambodia products and the two countries enjoy steady and positive trade growth every year.

    He said both countries have also enjoyed good cooperation in e-commerce as many types of made-in-Cambodia products have been put up for sale on Chinese e-commerce platforms such as Alibaba.

    “China is a trustworthy partner for Cambodia,” he said. “Looking forward, our two-way trade volume will continue to rise, undoubtedly.”

    Sovicheat said since 2023, the two countries have also worked together to develop an “Industrial Development Corridor” and a “Fish and Rice Corridor.”

    “The Industrial Development Corridor is crucial to support the transformation of coastal Sihanoukville into a model multipurpose special economic zone, while the Fish and Rice Corridor is vital to develop modern ecological agriculture near the Tonle Sap Lake,” he said.

    In conclusion, he said, all these cooperation mechanisms will inject stronger momentum into broadening bilateral economic, trade, and investment relations for mutual greater benefits towards building a high-quality, high-level, and high-standard Cambodia-China community with a shared future in the new era.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Incubator programme to empower emerging developers

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane has hailed the Emerging Developer Incubator and Post-Investment Support Programme, which aims to empower emerging developers.

    Launched in Sandton, Gauteng, the incubator programme will catalyse the transformation of the built environment and assist the Department of Human Settlements in achieving its five-year targets.

    The department’s 2025/2030 Medium Term Development Plan (MTDP) seeks to deliver over 200 000 housing units, including 237 000 serviced sites, and 15 000 social housing units. The plan also seeks to upgrade over 4000 informal settlements.

    The technical support programme, a brainchild of the department’s agency, the National Housing Finance Corporation (NHFC), will present an opportunity for contractors and emerging property developers to participate and play an active role in assisting the department in housing the nation.

    Speaking at Friday’s launch, Simelane commended the NHFC for initiating the “indispensable and bespoke” incubation programme, noting that working together in the human settlement value chain, they can “move the needle as far as transformation is concerned”.

    The Minister highlighted that the initiative is intrinsically linked to one of the priorities of the government of driving inclusive growth and job creation, and a transformative three-year initiative designed to promote inclusivity and sustainability within the housing sector.

    Recognising the challenges faced by emerging developers, including weak balance sheets, limited access to finance, and inadequate technical expertise, Simelane said the NHFC has strategically introduced this programme to address these barriers directly, by providing structured support to aspiring developers, with a keen focus on majority Black-owned and designated groups.

    “What is particularly outstanding is that the three-year programme aims to support aspiring developers from majority Black-owned and designated groups by providing non-financial support and facilitating project sustainability through skills transfer and built industry technical assistance.

    The Minister noted that the human settlement sector is currently beset with a myriad of challenges of blocked projects abandoned by contractors and developers, with capacity to manage projects, and access to finance being among the few contributing factors to these challenges.

    The introduction of the initiative is to ensure an increased delivery of housing units within the sector; grow the participation of aspiring developers in the housing value chain, with an added focus on designated groups (women, youth and people with disability), and ease access to funding from the NHFC and from other financiers. 

    Monitoring

    The Minister also assured that the launch of the programme is not a rhetorical statement.

    “We are not here for a talk-shop, we must be intentional and deliberate in driving transformation and in empowering the mentioned designated groups. At the core of the programme is capacity building, which ensures that emerging developers gain essential skills to manage and deliver successful projects.

    “The incubator offers hands-on on and off-site support throughout the project lifecycle, from feasibility studies to financial modelling and compliance with statutory regulations, as well as construction monitoring. We are doing away with the tendency of launching projects of this magnitude and design without post-project monitoring and evaluation to measure impact and success.”

    She emphasised that a key risk mitigation strategy embedded within the programme is the post-investment technical monitoring function, which ensures that the projects maintain quality and efficiency standards, while developers receive ongoing oversight and advisory services.

    The NHFC will collaborate closely with the appointed incubator service provider experienced in contractor and developer support, ensuring adherence to industry best practices and skills transfer to the NHFC itself.

    “This Emerging Developer Incubator Programme is designed not only to provide immediate support, but to cultivate a new generation of capable and self-sustaining developers who will contribute meaningfully to the housing sector. 

    “By aligning with best practices and leveraging past lessons, the department and the NHFC are setting the stage for long-term transformation and economic inclusion,” Simelane said. – SAnews.gov.za
     

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI China: China issues 1st passenger drone operation certificates

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    Two Chinese companies have obtained the operation certificate for autonomous passenger drones from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), marking that China has entered the commercial operation stage of autonomous passenger drones, said CAAC Saturday.
    The two certificates, the first batch of such operation certificates issued in China, were granted to Chinese drone makers EHang Holdings Limited in south China’s Guangdong Province and Hefei Hey Airlines Co., Ltd. in east China’s Anhui Province.
    The operation certificate is used to confirm that the autonomous passenger drone meets the safety operation standards and operation requirements. The companies with an operation certificate can carry out commercial operations in approved areas, provide paid passenger services and other low-altitude economy-related services.
    Citizens and consumers will be able to purchase tickets at the operating spots in Guangzhou and Hefei to experience low-altitude tours, city sightseeing and a variety of commercial passenger services. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China to ease financing for private firms’ equipment upgrades

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    It will be easier for private businesses to secure financing for equipment upgrades, China’s top economic planner has said, vowing to provide greater policy support.

    Building on the existing relending facility for sci-tech innovation and technical transformation, the National Development and Reform Commission said that it will consider rolling out enhanced loan interest subsidies for private businesses to upgrade their equipment.

    The commission said that it will accelerate the issuance of this year’s ultra-long special treasury bonds to subsidize investments in equipment upgrades.

    Additionally, private businesses will be encouraged to participate in the trade-in of consumer goods, the commission said, pledging efforts to reduce market access barriers, streamline review processes, and accelerate the disbursement of funds.

    China’s large-scale equipment upgrades and consumer goods trade-ins, launched roughly a year ago, have steadily progressed as the country makes every effort to drive domestic demand.

    According to the 2025 government work report, boosting consumption is a top priority for China’s economy in 2025, with domestic demand identified as the “main engine and anchor” of economic growth.

    To support consumer goods trade-ins, China has announced the issuance of ultra-long special treasury bonds totaling 300 billion yuan (about 41.8 billion U.S. dollars) this year, up from 150 billion yuan in 2024. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China issues 1st batch of passenger drone operation certificates

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    Two Chinese companies have obtained the operation certificate for autonomous passenger drones from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), marking that China has entered the commercial operation stage of autonomous passenger drones, said CAAC Saturday.
    The two certificates, the first batch of such operation certificates issued in China, were granted to Chinese drone makers EHang Holdings Limited in south China’s Guangdong Province and Hefei Hey Airlines Co., Ltd. in east China’s Anhui Province.
    The operation certificate is used to confirm that the autonomous passenger drone meets the safety operation standards and operation requirements. The companies with an operation certificate can carry out commercial operations in approved areas, provide paid passenger services and other low-altitude economy-related services.
    Citizens and consumers will be able to purchase tickets at the operating spots in Guangzhou and Hefei to experience low-altitude tours, city sightseeing and a variety of commercial passenger services. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China sticks to opening up despite growing global protectionism

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    An aerial drone photo shows a view of Yangpu International Container Port in the Yangpu Economic Development Zone in Danzhou, south China’s Hainan Province, Jan. 11, 2025. (Xinhua/Pu Xiaoxu)

    As protectionism surges across the globe, bringing in economic headwinds, China is doubling down on opening its doors and positioning itself as a stabilizing force in an increasingly fractured global economy.

    This message was front and center during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s meeting with representatives of the international business community on Friday, where he said that China has been and will remain an ideal, secure and promising destination for foreign investors.

    For more than four decades, China’s reform and opening-up has fundamentally transformed the country and impacted the wider world. Today, China remains the locomotive of the world economy, contributing about 30 percent to global growth.

    International businesses have thrived in China’s vast and dynamic market, with numerous success stories of win-win cooperation. Today, the appeal of the Chinese market remains stronger than ever, with its growing and increasingly sophisticated consumer base offering unparalleled opportunities.

    China’s ongoing transition toward a greener and smarter economy is unlocking new frontiers for innovation and industrial cooperation. Despite external pressures, the country’s business environment continues to evolve toward greater transparency and predictability, ensuring a stable foundation for long-term investment.

    Staff workers assemble an offshore wind turbine in the waters of Laizhou City, east China’s Shandong Province, Nov. 15, 2022. (Photo by Lin Songfei/Xinhua)

    Stability has become a defining trait of China amid geopolitical turbulence, providing a socio-economic environment that investors find reassuring. As global markets grapple with rising uncertainty, China serves as a stabilizing force, promoting shared growth over zero-sum competition.

    The message of cooperation was also echoed at the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2025, held this week on the tropical island of Hainan. Rather than focusing solely on trade figures and policy targets, discussions at the forum underscored China’s efforts to foster a more open, inclusive global economy, one that embraces innovation, strengthens supply chains, and deepens cooperation in areas such as green development and digital trade.

    As noted by scholars like Ian Goldin, professor of globalization and development at the University of Oxford, China recognizes the necessity of global cooperation, not just for its own future but for the broader world as well.

    History has shown that openness leads to progress, and cooperation — not fragmentation — drives prosperity. In the turbulent times, China’s unwavering commitment to opening-up is not only crucial for its own growth but for the future of the global economy.

    MIL OSI China News –