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Category: Education

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: It’s not revolutionary, but Primark’s wheelchair-using mannequin is a potent symbol

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By William E. Donald, Associate Professor of Sustainable Careers and Human Resource Management, University of Southampton

    Brett D Cove/Primark, CC BY-ND

    July is Disability Pride Month, a time to celebrate disabled people while continuing the push for equality, accessibility and visibility. Despite making up 16% of the global population, disabled people rarely appear in fashion marketing campaigns. For brands, treading the right line between solidarity and accusations of performative allyship is vital.

    Primark’s latest initiative is a notable attempt to navigate this challenge. The fashion chain has introduced its first mannequin representing a wheelchair user. Designed with disability advocate Sophie Morgan, the mannequin (named Sophie) now appears in 22 flagship stores internationally.

    At first glance, this looks like progress. However, in an industry where inclusivity is often more about appearance than systemic change, it prompts an important question. Is this a genuine step forward?

    The mannequin is designed to reflect a manual wheelchair user. Morgan contributed to a year-long design process that included reviewing body dimensions, 3D mock-ups and a custom wheelchair frame strong enough to withstand store conditions.

    Disability campaigner Sophie Morgan was involved throughout the design process.
    Brett D Cove/Primark, CC BY-ND

    The launch coincides with the expansion of Primark’s adaptive clothing collection, which was launched in January 2025. The collection features magnetic closures, elasticated waistbands and discreet openings for medical access points like feeding tubes or stomas. Many garments are designed specifically for seated wearers – as a wheelchair user, I am only too aware that this is often missing from mainstream clothing ranges.

    What sets Primark’s effort apart is its emphasis on affordability. Adaptive clothing has been sold mostly through specialist retailers or premium brands. Primark’s decision to offer it at a low price point could represent a meaningful shift in making accessible fashion mainstream. And the involvement of disabled advocates and the visible changes across stores suggest a more serious commitment.

    In 2014, supermarket Sainsbury’s Back To School campaign featured Natty Goleniowska, a seven-year-old girl with Down’s syndrome. Then, in 2017, the fashion chain River Island ran a campaign featuring Joseph Hale, an 11-year-old boy also with Down’s syndrome. While Sainsbury’s campaign was groundbreaking and both were widely praised, they were largely confined to advertising and online platforms.

    Primark, by placing its seated mannequin in shop windows and on store floors, brings representation into physical retail spaces. This challenges long-standing visual norms and offers disabled shoppers something that has long been absent – recognition in the places where they live and shop.

    What Primark gets right

    First, disabled people were included throughout the campaign’s development. Morgan’s role was not symbolic – her input shaped the final design.

    Second, the mannequin is more than a token gesture. It is a durable, mass-produced model intended for multiple locations. This kind of visibility in bricks-and-mortar stores matters. For many disabled people, seeing themselves reflected in major retail environments can be validating and empowering.

    Third, the adaptive clothing range includes thoughtful, functional features that are often missing in standard retail offerings. Design details like seated-friendly fits or catheter access offer tangible improvements for dressing with dignity.

    Finally, launching the campaign during Disability Pride Month adds relevance. Amid growing scrutiny of superficial inclusion, Primark’s approach appears to be carefully considered, as it builds on a campaign that began in January 2025.

    But there’s still room for improvement across the retail sector. Mannequins cannot solve physical barriers in stores. Many retail spaces still lack step-free access, automatic doors or accessible changing rooms. Until these issues are addressed, the mannequin risks becoming a symbol disconnected from the reality of disabled shoppers.

    Second, while Primark’s adaptive line is innovative, it remains small. Style variety, trend relevance and extended sizing should be priorities to ensure disabled shoppers are not limited to functional basics.

    Third, economic accessibility extends beyond low prices. Disabled people face disproportionate financial pressures. Future efforts could include partnerships with health schemes or grants to improve access further.

    And representation should be broader still. Disability comes in many forms, intersecting with race, body size, gender identity and types of mobility aids (including for invisible disabilities). Future campaigns should reflect this diversity. And true inclusion extends to employment practices and customer service. Hiring more disabled staff and creating accessible roles in retail would shift inclusion from visual representation to operational reality.

    Ultimately, diversity should include retailers’ workforce as well as their customers.
    DC Studio/Shutterstock

    While there are certainly green shoots of positivity here, it is too early to tell if this will be a gamechanging move by Primark. The answer depends on whether this campaign marks the start of sustained change across the retail sector. The real test lies ahead.

    Long-term commitments such as improving store accessibility, expanding representation and inclusive hiring practices are essential. Without these, it might come to be seen as performative allyship that risks damaging not only Primark’s brand but also the disabled community and society at large.

    Primark’s seated mannequin is not a revolution, but it is a powerful symbol. It sends a message that disabled people deserve visibility in public life – not as an afterthought, but as valued participants. To move from intention to transformation, visibility must be matched with access.

    Inclusion needs to be embedded into the infrastructure of retail, not just its imagery. All retailers should take a broader view of inclusive practices to ensure clear messaging and commitments across their supply chain, advertising and stores.

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

    – ref. It’s not revolutionary, but Primark’s wheelchair-using mannequin is a potent symbol – https://theconversation.com/its-not-revolutionary-but-primarks-wheelchair-using-mannequin-is-a-potent-symbol-262143

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI USA: CUMBERLAND COUNTY – Shapiro Administration to Highlight Conservation Workforce Successes of Pennsylvania Outdoor Corps

    Source: US State of Pennsylvania

    July 31, 2025 – Carlsie, PA

    ADVISORY – CUMBERLAND COUNTY – Shapiro Administration to Highlight Conservation Workforce Successes of Pennsylvania Outdoor Corps

    Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn and Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) Secretary Nancy A. Walker will visit Pennsylvania Outdoor Corps crew members at Kings Gap Environmental Education Center in Cumberland County.

    The Pennsylvania Outdoor Corps is a statewide workforce initiative to introduce people ages 15-25 to natural resource conservation and related jobs. It also teaches participants about public service and provides job skills to help develop them better employees.

    Governor Josh Shapiro’s 2024-25 bipartisan budget included a $5 million investment in supporting the Pennsylvania Outdoor Corps efforts to expand program operations and strengthen conservation career and workforce pathways for young people.

    WHO:
    DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn
    L&I Secretary Nancy A. Walker

    WHEN:
    Thursday, July 31, 2025, 11:00 AM

    WHERE:
    Kings Gap Environmental Education Center
    500 Kings Gap Rd
    Carlisle, PA 17015
    Google Maps Location

    MEDIA CONTACT:
    Wesley Robinson, werobinson@pa.gov, 717.877.6315

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Rules for calculating climate risk in financial reporting by NZ businesses need revisiting – new research

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Martien Lubberink, Associate Professor of Accounting and Capital, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington

    Andrew MacDonald/Getty Images

    The recent International Court of Justice (ICJ) decision on climate action marked a significant step forward in formalising an idea many already accept: climate inaction is not merely a policy failure, but potentially a breach of legal duty by governments.

    The court’s opinion is not legally binding but establishes global expectations. Crucially, the court confirmed environmental protection includes a duty to regulate private businesses and organisations.

    In New Zealand, large organisations already have to list climate-related risks in their annual reports and regulatory filings under the External Reporting Board’s Climate Standards.

    But our latest research suggests the benefits of mandatory climate reporting regulation in New Zealand may not be as straightforward as they appear.

    Extreme weather, limited financial impact

    We analysed how New Zealand’s stock market responds to extreme weather events (heavy rain, windstorms, snow, temperature spikes and thunderstorms) using data curated by Earth Sciences New Zealand.

    Climate risk is widely assumed to have an impact on markets. So, we expected investors would respond to damaging weather with selloffs or price adjustments.

    Instead, we found most extreme weather events had little to no impact on the share prices of New Zealand’s 50 largest listed companies, those on the NZX50.

    Even firms directly exposed to these events – airlines, utilities, logistics companies – showed only muted reactions, if any.

    It may be that markets already price in these risks. Or that firms have managed them effectively through infrastructure investment and planning.

    What is more, the location and severity of extreme weather in New Zealand have remained relatively stable over the past three decades.

    Using a statistical analysis, we found no evidence of accelerating trends typically attributed to global warming. This technique assessed whether a particular extreme weather event can be linked to human-induced climate change.

    New Zealand’s extreme weather events tend to involve cold, rain and wind – unlike the heatwaves, wildfires and droughts that dominate international headlines.

    What this means for disclosure mandates

    If markets are already efficiently pricing in these risks – or if the risks are genuinely immaterial for the company – the benefits of mandatory disclosure may be overstated.

    Our study suggests the case for universal, mandatory disclosure of extreme weather events under the climate board’s standards may not be strong. If financial impacts are already reflected in stock prices, the current voluntary framework may suffice for many firms.

    This is not an argument against disclosure broadly. While our study did not assess other climate-related risks – such as supply chain disruption or chronic sea level rises – these may well be material for some organisations, especially unlisted or regionally exposed firms.

    But for the NZX50, where climate regulation is currently focused, the value of standardised extreme weather events disclosures seems limited.

    Global principles, local realities

    None of this contradicts the ICJ’s opinion.

    The court emphasised that states must act, not only to reduce emissions but to protect against climate-related harm. That includes harm caused by private actors, who must be subject to effective regulation.

    But the ICJ also recognises the importance of national circumstances. While bound by international obligations, each country still needs to tailor its climate policies to the actual risks it faces.

    To do otherwise risks shifting government energy and private capital towards compliance that offers little benefit to investors, the public or the climate.

    New Zealand at a crossroads

    The ICJ decision comes as New Zealand’s climate ambition appears to be softening.

    The government recently released an updated emissions pledge that barely improves on its predecessor. At the same time, it is also reviving offshore oil and gas exploration, expanding coal production and backing legislation to shield carbon-intensive firms from environmental, suitability and governance aligned lending decisions by banks.

    Such moves may be politically popular in some quarters, but they sit uneasily with both the ICJ’s vision and New Zealand’s obligations under the Paris Agreement and various trade deals.

    If New Zealand wants to avoid being seen as lagging – or worse, a bad-faith actor – it must reconcile its domestic policies with international decision-making.

    That does not mean copying regulation from other countries. But it does mean being honest about what is material, what is symbolic and what actually helps reduce emissions or build resilience.

    Regulation needs to be smart, not just visible

    The ICJ opinion should not be used to justify every climate policy proposal. Rather, it should encourage governments to develop regulation that is meaningful, proportionate and based on evidence.

    Our study offers one such piece of evidence. In terms of financial market impacts, New Zealand’s extreme weather may not justify the same disclosure obligations as those in countries where the physical risks are more severe or more clearly linked to climate change.

    This is not a reason to do less. It is a reason to do better. Policy needs to target disclosure where it matters, to focus adaptation spending where it is needed and to measure the impact of climate policies not only by their intentions, but by their outcomes.

    In short, the ICJ has spoken. Now it is up to each country to act wisely.

    The authors 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. Rules for calculating climate risk in financial reporting by NZ businesses need revisiting – new research – https://theconversation.com/rules-for-calculating-climate-risk-in-financial-reporting-by-nz-businesses-need-revisiting-new-research-262024

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI: Skyward Specialty Insurance Group Reports Second Quarter 2025 Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HOUSTON, July 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Skyward Specialty Insurance Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: SKWD) (“Skyward Specialty” or the “Company”) today reported second quarter 2025 net income of $38.8 million, or $0.93 per diluted share, compared to $31.0 million, or $0.75 per diluted share, for the same 2024 period. Net income for the first half of 2025 was $80.9 million, or $1.94 per diluted share, compared to $67.8 million, or $1.65 per diluted share, for the same 2024 period.

    Adjusted operating income(1) for the second quarter of 2025 was $37.1 million, or $0.89 per diluted share, compared to $33.0 million, or $0.80 per diluted share, for the same 2024 period. Adjusted operating income(1) for the first half of 2025 was $74.5 million, or $1.78 per diluted share, compared to $63.9 million, or $1.56 per diluted share, for the same 2024 period.

    Highlights for the second quarter included:

    • Gross written premiums of $584.9 million, an increase of 17.9% compared to 2024;
    • Combined ratio of 89.4%;
    • Ex-Cat combined ratio of 88.0%;
    • Annualized return on equity of 19.1% for the six months ended June 30, 2025; and,
    • Book value per share of $22.23, an increase of 12% compared to December 31, 2024.

    (1)See “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures”  

    Skyward Specialty Chairman and CEO Andrew Robinson commented, “Our results for the second quarter and for the first half of the year have been outstanding and reflect the strength of our specialized underwriting and claims capabilities, and our execution excellence. In an increasingly challenging market environment, our 18% growth for the second quarter and best ever 89.4% combined ratio are again a demonstration of the power of our portfolio diversity and our ability to deploy capital to attractive markets that enable us to grow underwriting profitability while managing our volatility. As market conditions continue to evolve, we are confident that the disciplined execution of our “Rule Our Niche” strategy will enable us to continue to deliver top quartile returns to our shareholders.”

    Results of Operations

    Underwriting Results

    Premiums                                  
    ($ in thousands) Three months ended June 30,
    		   Six months ended June 30,
    unaudited 2025   2024   %
    Change    		   2025   2024   %
    Change
    Gross written premiums $      584,914     $ 496,243     17.9 %   $   1,120,240     $ 954,863     17.3 %
    Ceded written premiums $   (245,701 )   $ (199,114 )   23.4 %   $   (437,756 )   $ (370,634 )   18.1 %
    Net retention 58.0 %   59.9 %   NM (1)   60.9 %   61.2 %   NM (1)
    Net written premiums $      339,213     $ 297,129     14.2 %   $      682,484     $ 584,229     16.8 %
    Net earned premiums $      295,542     $ 257,583     14.7 %   $      595,908     $ 493,925     20.6 %
    (1) Not meaningful                                  
                                       
                                       

    The increases in gross written premiums for the second quarter and first half of 2025, when compared to the same 2024 periods, were driven by double-digit premium growth from the agriculture and credit (re)insurance, specialty programs, accident & health and captives divisions. The increases in gross written premiums were partially offset by decreases in the global property and construction & energy solutions divisions.

    Combined Ratio Three months ended June 30,
    		   Six months ended June 30,
    (unaudited) 2025   2024   2025   2024
    Non-cat loss and LAE 59.9 %   60.6 %   60.1 %   60.6 %
    Cat loss and LAE(1) 1.4 %   1.2 %   1.8 %   0.8 %
    Prior accident year development – LPT 0.0 %   (0.1 )%   0.0 %   (0.1 )%
    Loss Ratio 61.3 %   61.7 %   61.9 %   61.3 %
    Net policy acquisition costs 15.1 %   14.0 %   15.0 %   13.7 %
    Other operating and general expenses 13.9 %   15.8 %   13.9 %   15.9 %
    Commission and fee income (0.9 )%   (0.8 )%   (0.8 )%   (0.8 )%
    Expense ratio 28.1 %   29.0 %   28.1 %   28.8 %
    Combined ratio 89.4 %   90.7 %   90.0 %   90.1 %
    Ex-Cat Combined Ratio(2) 88.0 %   89.5 %   88.2 %   89.3 %
                           
    (1) Current accident year
    (2) Defined as the combined ratio excluding cat loss and LAE(1)
                           
                           

    The loss ratio for the second quarter improved 0.4 points and it increased 0.6 points for the first half of 2025, when compared to the same 2024 periods, respectively. Catastrophe losses in the second quarter increased marginally when compared to the same 2024 period, driven by convective storms in the South and Midwest. The first half of 2025 was also impacted by convective storms in the Midwest and the California wildfires.

    The non-cat loss and LAE ratios for the second quarter and first half of 2025 improved 0.7 points and 0.5 points, respectively, when compared to the same 2024 periods, primarily driven by the business mix shift.

    The expense ratios for the second quarter and first half of 2025 improved 0.9 points and 0.7 points, respectively, when compared to the same 2024 periods due to earnings leverage partially offset by higher acquisition costs due to the business mix shift.

    The expense ratios for all periods presented exclude the impact of IPO related stock compensation and secondary offering expenses, which are reported in other expenses in our condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income.

    Investment Results

    Net Investment Income                      
    $ in thousands Three months ended June 30,
    		   Six months ended June 30,
    (unaudited) 2025   2024   2025   2024
    Short-term investments & cash and cash equivalents $               4,574     $ 4,021     $              8,615     $ 9,108  
    Fixed income               17,822     13,786                   34,552     26,264  
    Equities                    531     751                     1,188     1,378  
    Alternative & strategic investments               (4,338 )   3,476                 (6,428 )   3,581  
    Net investment income $            18,589     $ 22,034     $            37,927     $ 40,331  
    Net unrealized (losses) gains on securities still held $           (3,181 )   $ (1,760 )   $               2,310     $ 7,231  
    Net realized gains (losses)                 6,386     (39 )                   7,729     (649 )
    Net investment gains (losses) $               3,205     $ (1,721 )   $            10,039     $ 6,582  
                           
                           

    Net investment income for the second quarter and first half of 2025 decreased $3.4 million and $2.4 million, respectively when compared to the same 2024 periods. The decreases were primarily driven by losses from our alternative & strategic investments portfolio due to the decline in the fair value of limited partnership investments. Partially offsetting the decreases were increases in income from our fixed income portfolio due to a higher yield and larger asset base.

    Stockholders’ Equity

    Stockholders’ equity was $899.9 million at June 30, 2025 which represented an increase of 5.8% when compared to stockholders’ equity of $850.7 million at March 31, 2025. The increase in stockholders’ equity was primarily due to an increase in the market value of our investment portfolio and net income.

    Conference Call

    At 12:00 p.m. eastern time tomorrow, July 31, 2025, Skyward Specialty management will hold a conference call to discuss quarterly results with insurance industry analysts. Interested parties may listen to the discussion at investors.skywardinsurance.com under Events & Presentations. Additionally, investors can access the earnings call via conference call by registering via the conference link. Users will receive dial-in information and a unique PIN to join the call upon registering.

    Non-GAAP Financial Measures

    This release contains certain financial measures and ratios that are not required by, or presented in accordance with, generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”). We refer to these measures as “non-GAAP financial measures.” We use these non-GAAP financial measures when planning, monitoring, and evaluating our performance.

    We consider these non-GAAP financial measures to be useful metrics for our management and investors to facilitate operating performance comparisons from period to period. While we believe that these non-GAAP financial measures are useful in evaluating our business, this information should be considered supplemental in nature and is not meant to be a substitute for revenue or net income, in each case as recognized in accordance with GAAP. In addition, other companies, including companies in our industry, may calculate such measures differently, which reduces their usefulness as comparative measures. For more information regarding these non-GAAP financial measures and a reconciliation of such measures to comparable GAAP financial measures, see the section entitled “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures.”

    About Skyward Specialty Insurance Group, Inc.

    Skyward Specialty is a rapidly growing and innovative specialty insurance company, delivering commercial property and casualty products and solutions on a non-admitted and admitted basis. The Company operates through nine underwriting divisions – Accident & Health, Agriculture and Credit (Re)insurance, Captives, Construction & Energy Solutions, Global Property, Professional Lines, Specialty Programs, Surety and Transactional E&S. SKWD stock is traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market, which represents the top fourth of all Nasdaq listed companies.

    Skyward Specialty’s subsidiary insurance companies consist of Great Midwest Insurance Company, Houston Specialty Insurance Company, Imperium Insurance Company, and Oklahoma Specialty Insurance Company. These insurance companies are rated A (Excellent) with stable outlook by A.M. Best Company. Additional information about Skyward Specialty can be found on our website at www.skywardinsurance.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    Except for historical information, all other information in this news release consists of forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements are typically, but not always, identified through use of the words “believe,” “expect,” “enable,” “may,” “will,” “could,” “intends,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “predict,” “probable,” “potential,” “possible,” “should,” “continue,” and other words of similar meaning. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected, anticipated or implied. The most significant of these uncertainties are described in Skyward Specialty’s Form 10-K, and include (but are not limited to) legislative changes at both the state and federal level, state and federal regulatory rule making promulgations and adjudications, class action litigation involving the insurance industry and judicial decisions affecting claims, policy coverages and the general costs of doing business, the potential loss of key members of our management team or key employees and our ability to attract and retain personnel, the impact of competition on products and pricing, inflation in the costs of the products and services insurance pays for, product development, geographic spread of risk, weather and weather-related events, other types of catastrophic events, our ability to obtain reinsurance coverage at prices and on terms that allow us to transfer risk and adequately protect our company against financial loss, and losses resulting from reinsurance counterparties failing to pay us on reinsurance claims. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information to reflect changes in assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events, or otherwise.

    Skyward Specialty Insurance Group, Inc.

    Investor contact:
    Natalie Schoolcraft,
    nschoolcraft@skywardinsurance.com
    614-494-4988

    or

    Media contact:
    Haley Doughty
    hdoughty@skywardinsurance.com
    713-935-4944

               
    Consolidated Balance Sheets
    ($ in thousands, except share and per share amounts)
    (unaudited) June 30,
    2025    		   December 31,
    2024
    Assets          
    Investments:          
    Fixed maturity securities, available-for-sale, at fair value (net of allowance for credit losses of $6,150 and $0, respectively) (amortized cost of $1,638,973 and $1,320,266, respectively) $        1,629,464     $ 1,292,218  
    Fixed maturity securities, held-to-maturity, at amortized cost (net of allowance for credit losses of $268 and $243, respectively)                35,253     39,153  
    Equity securities, at fair value                58,001     106,254  
    Mortgage loans, at fair value                10,168     26,490  
    Equity method investments                88,804     98,594  
    Other long-term investments                44,479     33,182  
    Short-term investments, at fair value              214,338     274,929  
    Total investments           2,080,507     1,870,820  
    Cash and cash equivalents              136,617     121,603  
    Restricted cash                36,547     35,922  
    Premiums receivable, net              518,441     321,641  
    Reinsurance recoverables, net              925,291     857,876  
    Ceded unearned premium              294,124     203,901  
    Deferred policy acquisition costs              140,903     113,183  
    Deferred income taxes                28,727     30,486  
    Goodwill and intangible assets, net                88,795     87,348  
    Other assets                86,440     86,698  
    Total assets $        4,336,392     $ 3,729,478  
    Liabilities and stockholders’ equity          
    Liabilities:          
    Reserves for losses and loss adjustment expenses $        1,918,753     $ 1,782,383  
    Unearned premiums              814,063     637,185  
    Deferred ceding commission                54,952     40,434  
    Reinsurance and premium payables              299,481     177,070  
    Funds held for others              127,377     102,665  
    Accounts payable and accrued liabilities              102,298     76,206  
    Notes payable              100,000     100,000  
    Subordinated debt, net of debt issuance costs                19,553     19,536  
    Total liabilities           3,436,477     2,935,479  
    Stockholders’ equity          
    Common stock, $0.01 par value, 500,000,000 shares authorized, 40,486,656 and 40,127,908 shares issued and outstanding, respectively                      405     401  
    Additional paid-in capital              724,159     718,598  
    Accumulated other comprehensive loss                (2,666 )   (22,120 )
    Retained earnings              178,017     97,120  
    Total stockholders’ equity              899,915     793,999  
    Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity $        4,336,392     $ 3,729,478  
               
               
    Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income
    ($ in thousands) Three months ended June 30,
    		   Six months ended June 30,
    (unaudited) 2025   2024   2025   2024
                           
    Revenues:                      
    Net earned premiums $          295,542     $ 257,583     $          595,908     $ 493,925  
    Commission and fee income                 2,560     2,053                     4,536     4,079  
    Net investment income               18,589     22,034                   37,927     40,331  
    Net investment gains (losses)                 3,205     (1,721 )                 10,039     6,582  
    Other income (loss)                         7     (7 )                         20     (7 )
    Total revenues             319,903     279,942                 648,430     544,910  
    Expenses:                      
    Losses and loss adjustment expenses             181,262     159,054                 368,571     302,968  
    Underwriting, acquisition and insurance expenses               85,596     76,679                 172,147     146,453  
    Interest expense                 1,876     2,449                     3,710     5,176  
    Amortization expense                    372     360                        709     748  
    Other expenses                 1,002     1,045                     2,063     2,233  
    Total expenses             270,108     239,587                 547,200     457,578  
    Income before income taxes               49,795     40,355                 101,230     87,332  
    Income tax expense               10,956     9,385                   20,333     19,578  
    Net income $            38,839     $ 30,970     $            80,897     $ 67,754  
    Comprehensive income:                      
    Net income $            38,839     $ 30,970     $            80,897     $ 67,754  
    Other comprehensive income:                      
    Unrealized gains and losses on investments:                      
    Net change in unrealized gains (losses) on investments, net of tax               11,005     (1,451 )                 23,260     (6,869 )
    Reclassification adjustment for losses on securities no longer held, net of tax               (3,624 )   (406 )                 (3,806 )   (1,314 )
    Total other comprehensive income (loss)                 7,381     (1,857 )                 19,454     (8,183 )
    Comprehensive income $            46,220     $ 29,113     $          100,351     $ 59,571  
                           
                           
    Share and Per Share Data                      
    ($ in thousands, except share and per share amounts) Three months ended June 30,
    		   Six months ended June 30,
    (unaudited) 2025   2024   2025   2024
                           
    Weighted average basic shares 40,445,391     39,177,457     40,322,051     39,142,825  
    Weighted average diluted shares 41,871,496     41,168,082     41,771,215     41,110,384  
                           
    Basic earnings per share $            0.96          $ 0.79     $            2.01          $ 1.73  
    Diluted earnings per share $            0.93          $ 0.75     $            1.94          $ 1.65  
    Basic adjusted operating earnings per share $            0.92          $ 0.84     $            1.85          $ 1.64  
    Diluted adjusted operating earnings per share $            0.89          $ 0.80     $            1.78          $ 1.56  
                           
    Annualized ROE (1) 17.7 %   17.5 %   19.1 %   19.6 %
    Annualized adjusted ROE (2) 17.0 %   18.7 %   17.6 %   18.5 %
    Annualized ROTE (3) 19.7 %   20.0 %   21.3 %   22.4 %
    Annualized adjusted ROTE (4) 18.9 %   21.3 %   19.6 %   21.2 %
                           
                  June 30   December 31
                  2025   2024
                           
    Shares outstanding             40,486,656     40,127,908  
    Fully diluted shares outstanding             42,339,395     42,059,182  
                           
    Book value per share             $               22.23     $ 19.79  
    Fully diluted book value per share             $               21.25     $ 18.88  
    Fully diluted tangible book value per share             $               19.16     $ 16.80  
                           
    (1)  Annualized ROE is net income expressed on an annualized basis as a percentage of average beginning and ending stockholders’ equity during the period
    (2) Annualized adjusted ROE is adjusted operating income expressed on an annualized basis as a percentage of average beginning and ending stockholders’ equity during the period
    (3) Annualized ROTE is net income expressed on an annualized basis as a percentage of average beginning and ending tangible stockholders’ equity during the period
    (4) Annualized adjusted ROTE is adjusted operating income expressed on an annualized basis as a percentage of average beginning and ending tangible stockholders’ equity during the period
                           

    Skyward Specialty Insurance Group, Inc.
    Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

    Adjusted operating income – We define adjusted operating income as net income excluding the impact of certain items that may not be indicative of underlying business trends, operating results, or future outlook, net of tax impact. We use adjusted operating income as an internal performance measure in the management of our operations because we believe it gives our management and other users of our financial information useful insight into our results of operations and our underlying business performance. Adjusted operating income should not be viewed as a substitute for net income calculated in accordance with GAAP, and other companies may define adjusted operating income differently.

    ($ in thousands) Three months ended June 30,
    		   Six months ended June 30,
    (unaudited) 2025
    		   2024   2025
    		   2024
      Pre-tax   After-tax   Pre-tax   After-tax   Pre-tax   After-tax   Pre-tax   After-tax
    Income as reported $   49,795     $   38,839     $ 40,355     $ 30,970     $ 101,230     $   80,897     $ 87,332     $ 67,754  
    Less (add):                                              
    Net investment gains (losses)        3,205            2,500     (1,721 )   (1,360 )        10,039            8,023     6,582     5,200  
    Net impact of loss portfolio transfer              —                  —     241     190                  —                  —     482     381  
    Other income (loss) 7     5     (7 )   (6 )   20     16     (7 )   (6 )
    Other expenses      (1,002 )           (782 )   (1,045 )   (826 )        (2,063 )        (1,649 )   (2,233 )   (1,764 )
    Adjusted operating income $   47,585     $   37,116     $ 42,887     $ 32,972     $   93,234     $   74,507     $ 82,508     $ 63,943  
                                                   
                                                   

    Underwriting income – We define underwriting income as net income before income taxes excluding net investment income, net realized and unrealized gains and losses on investments, impairment charges, interest expense, amortization expense and other income and expenses. Underwriting income represents the pre-tax profitability of our underwriting operations and allows us to evaluate our underwriting performance without regard to investment income. We use this metric as we believe it gives our management and other users of our financial information useful insight into our underlying business performance. Underwriting income should not be viewed as a substitute for pre-tax income calculated in accordance with GAAP, and other companies may define underwriting income differently.

    ($ in thousands) Three months ended June 30,
    		   Six months ended June 30,
    (unaudited) 2025   2024   2025   2024
    Income before income taxes $            49,795     $ 40,355     $          101,230     $ 87,332  
    Add:                      
    Interest expense                 1,876     2,449                     3,710     5,176  
    Amortization expense                    372     360                         709     748  
    Other expenses                 1,002     1,045                     2,063     2,233  
    Less (Add):                      
    Net investment income               18,589     22,034                   37,927     40,331  
    Net investment gains (losses)                 3,205     (1,721 )                 10,039     6,582  
    Other income (loss)                         7     (7 )                         20     (7 )
    Underwriting income $            31,244     $ 23,903     $             59,726     $ 48,583  
                           
                           

    Tangible Stockholders’ Equity – We define tangible stockholders’ equity as stockholders’ equity less goodwill and intangible assets. Our definition of tangible stockholders’ equity may not be comparable to that of other companies and should not be viewed as a substitute for stockholders’ equity calculated in accordance with GAAP. We use tangible stockholders’ equity internally to evaluate the strength of our balance sheet and to compare returns relative to this measure.

    ($ in thousands) June 30,   December 31,
    (unaudited) 2025   2024   2024
    Stockholders’ equity $ 899,915     $ 723,620     $ 793,999  
    Less: Goodwill and intangible assets 88,795     87,868       87,348  
    Tangible stockholders’ equity $ 811,120     $ 635,752     $ 706,651  
                   
                   
    Skyward Specialty Insurance Group, Inc.
    Gross Written Premiums by Underwriting Division (Unaudited)
                                           
      Three months ended June 30,
    		   Six months ended June 30,
    ($ in thousands) 2025
    		   2024   %
    Change    		   2025
    		   2024   %
    Change
    Accident & Health $       60,489     $ 44,088       37.2 %   $    123,658     $ 84,989       45.5 %
    Agriculture and Credit (Re)insurance         71,573     36,592       95.6 %         159,420     79,913       99.5 %
    Captives         76,961     62,099       23.9 %         145,362     130,507       11.4 %
    Construction & Energy Solutions         73,613     78,214       (5.9 )%         149,184     152,436       (2.1 )%
    Global Property         83,992     88,231       (4.8 )%         130,678     145,543       (10.2 )%
    Professional Lines         38,147     38,106       0.1 %           79,313     80,345       (1.3 )%
    Specialty Programs         85,955     59,644       44.1 %         148,630     111,822       32.9 %
    Surety         40,737     37,642       8.2 %           78,535     71,484       9.9 %
    Transactional E&S         53,461     51,609       3.6 %         105,467     97,841       7.8 %
    Total gross written premiums(1) $    584,928     $ 496,225       17.9 %   $ 1,120,247     $ 954,880       17.3 %
    (1) Excludes exited business                                      
                                           
      Twelve months ended June 30,
    ($ in thousands) 2025
    		   % of Total
    Accident & Health $ 211,742       11.1 %
    Agriculture and Credit (Re)insurance 197,578       10.4 %
    Captives 256,757       13.5 %
    Construction & Energy Solutions 293,329       15.4 %
    Global Property 186,930       9.8 %
    Professional Lines 158,753       8.3 %
    Specialty Programs 255,215       13.4 %
    Surety 151,016       7.9 %
    Transactional E&S 197,296       10.3 %
    Total gross written premiums(1) $ 1,908,616       100.0 %
    (1) Excludes exited business            
                 

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Appointment of Director to the Board

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Golar LNG Limited (“Golar”) (Nasdaq: “GLNG”) is pleased to announce that effective August 1, 2025, Mr. Stephen J. Schaefer will join its Board of Directors.

    Mr. Schaefer brings extensive experience in the natural gas and electricity markets, having been actively involved in the sector since 1993. Mr. Schaefer currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Talen Energy Corporation, as a member of the Board of Directors for GenOn Energy and as a Senior Advisor of EverGen Power LLC. His previous roles include Chairman of GenOn Energy and Texgen Power LLC and as a member of the Board of Directors for Homer City Holdings LLC and Element Markets LLC. Prior to retiring in 2015, he was a Partner with Riverstone Holdings, a private equity firm focused on energy investing. Previously, Mr. Schaefer was a Managing Director with Huron Consulting Group, where he founded and headed its Energy Practice. From 1998 to 2003 Mr. Schaefer was Managing Director and Vice President of Duke Energy North America, responsible for mergers and acquisitions. Mr. Schaefer is a Chartered Financial Analyst and holds a B.S., magna cum laude, in Finance and Accounting from Northeastern University.

    Commenting on the appointment, Mr. Troim, Chairman of the Board, said: “We are honoured to welcome Mr. Schaefer to the Board. His deep expertise in global energy markets combined with a sharp strategic vision and well-established industry credibility will be instrumental in advancing Golar’s growth ambitions. We look forward to the valuable insights and leadership he will bring.”

    Hamilton, Bermuda
    July 30, 2025

    This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Throws Support Behind Case Challenging Trump Administration’s Illegal Tariffs

    Source: US State of California

    Wednesday, July 30, 2025

    Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov

    Continues fighting on all fronts for businesses and consumers 

    OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today filed an amicus brief in Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump, a lawsuit challenging the tariffs President Trump imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). In April, Attorney General Bonta and Governor Newsom filed a lawsuit challenging President Trump’s unlawful use of power to levy tariffs via over a dozen executive orders under IEEPA. In the brief filed today in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, Attorney General Bonta and Governor Newsom argue that the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia was correct in holding that the Trump Administration’s interpretation of its authority under IEEPA is incorrect, that IEEPA’s language does not provide the authority to impose tariffs, and that President Trump’s IEEPA tariffs are unlawful (and that, much like California’s own case, the plaintiffs’ case was properly filed in district court, not the Court of International Trade). The brief urges the Court of Appeals to affirm the District Court’s decision.

    “As the country braces for continuous chaos from President Trump’s illegal tariffs, standing united to fight for American consumers and businesses is more important than ever,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Today, I urge the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia to affirm the District Court’s decision that President Trump’s chaotic tariffs are unlawful — not one word in the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, the Trump Administration’s vehicle for these tariffs, authorizes tariffs. These illegal tariffs will affect everything from the cost of essential household items like food and toilet paper to the cost of housing. The tariff chaos is a man-made crisis, and California families and industries will pay the price.”

    The case in question involves two family-owned educational-toy companies challenging the Trump Administration’s tariffs under IEEPA. In May, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia denied the Trump Administration’s motion to transfer the case to the Court of International Trade and instead retained jurisdiction, held that IEEPA does not authorize tariffs and that the Trump Administration’s IEEPA tariffs were unlawful, and granted the plaintiffs’ motion for an injunction. In the brief, Attorney General Bonta agrees and argues that the Court of Appeals should affirm the District Court’s well-reasoned decision. 

    Attorney General Bonta is committed to challenging the illegal tariffs that threaten California jobs, businesses, and consumers and has held roundtables in San Francisco and Los Angeles to learn about the impact of tariffs on California industry.

    On April 16, Attorney General Bonta and Governor Newsom filed a lawsuit challenging President Trump’s unlawful use of IEEPA to impose tariffs without the consent of Congress. In May, California filed a motion for a preliminary injunction with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California to stop the Trump Administration’s illegal tariffs while litigation in its case proceeds and filed an amicus brief in the Court of International Trade in Oregon v. Trump, another case also challenging President Trump’s illegal imposition of tariffs. In June, a judge granted California’s request for dismissal to allow the state to appeal its case challenging the Trump Administration’s illegal tariffs after the Administration asked that the case be transferred to the Court of International Trade — a motion that California opposed. The dismissal kept the case in California and allowed California to appeal to the Ninth Circuit. California’s case remains ongoing.

    A copy of the amicus brief can be found here.

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Inoxoft Launches Offline AI Tool for On-Device Text Classification

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PHILADELPHIA, July 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Inoxoft, a custom software development company, has announced the release of WhiteLightning, an open-source CLI tool that enables developers to train and run fast, lightweight text classifiers entirely offline. This tool doesn’t rely on cloud APIs or large LLMs at runtime.

    Built over a year by Inoxoft’s AI and ML engineering team, WhiteLightning was created to address a growing need: delivering intelligent, privacy-safe NLP to edge devices, embedded systems, and offline environments. Using a novel teacher-student approach, the tool distills LLM-generated synthetic data into compact ONNX models under 1 MB in size, ready to run anywhere.

    “We built WhiteLightning to give developers full control over NLP and without the usual trade-offs,” said Liubomyr Pohreliuk, CEO at Inoxoft. “You don’t need a 175B model on standby. You need something that works offline, fast, and reliably, something you can ship.”

    Why it matters

    • Drastically lower cost. The tool uses LLMs just once for training (around one cent per task), avoiding ongoing per-query API fees.
    • Compact model size. It’s small enough to fit inside mobile apps, routers, or embedded devices.
    • Runs on minimal hardware. WhiteLightning is made for edge environments like Raspberry Pi or older phones.
    • Fast and efficient. The solution processes thousands of inputs per second on standard CPUs.
    • Cross-platform ready. This means consistent output across Python, Rust, Swift, and more.
    • Truly offline. There are no cloud dependencies, data leaks, or vendor lock-in.

    Under the hood

    • LLM-to-edge distillation. Converts task prompts into synthetic data, then a fast ONNX model.
    • CLI-first experience. Simple Docker-based tool, one command to generate classifiers.
    • Multi-language runtime compatibility. Supports Rust, Swift, Node.js, Dart, and more.
    • GitHub-native DevOps. CI/CD with Flake8, Pytest, pre-commit hooks, test matrix in GitHub Actions
    • Secure by design – No local Python dependencies, environment-variable-based API handling.

    WhiteLightning is not a hosted SaaS. It’s a production-grade CLI utility aimed at engineers who want precise, controllable, local-first AI capabilities without extra infrastructure.

    Built and backed by Inoxoft

    WhiteLightning is developed and actively maintained by Inoxoft’s ML engineers and OSS team:

    • Open-source license. GPL-3.0 for the tool, MIT for generated models.
    • Community-led roadmap. Feature discussions and dev chat on Discord.
    • Deployment-ready Docker image. ghcr.io/inoxoft/whitelightning
    • Public CI/CD. All PRs tested through GitHub Actions, cross-runtime validations included

    Try it yourself

    WhiteLightning is available on GitHub with full documentation, test examples, and deployment templates.

    Explore the Repo
    Read the Docs

    For developers who need real-world NLP—fast, free, and fully offline—WhiteLightning offers a clean, powerful alternative to hosted LLMs.

    Contact:
    pr@inoxoft.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/31f97979-3089-48c3-b2ab-7a1217a7dfa0

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: On Anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid, Warner and Kaine Introduce Bill to Repeal Health Care Provisions in Republican “Big Ugly Bill”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner

    WASHINGTON – Today, on the 60th anniversary of the Medicare and Medicaid programs, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, (both D-VA) introduced legislation to repeal the health care provisions in President Donald Trump and Republicans’ ‘Big, Ugly Bill’ and permanently extend the Affordable Care Act’s enhanced tax credits, which expire at the end of the year. The law, which Warner and Kaine strongly opposed, will result in more than 15 million people losing their health insurance under Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act and many rural hospitals losing federal funding from Medicaid, putting them at risk of closure. 

    “In the 60 years since President Johnson signed the law that established Medicare and Medicaid, millions of Americans have been able to access the health care they need. Sadly, instead of strengthening these programs, President Trump and Republicans’ ‘Big, Ugly Bill’ will do the opposite and kick people off their health insurance under Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act,” said the senators. “We will all be better off if more people can access health insurance, and that’s why we’re proud to join our colleagues in introducing legislation to repeal the health care changes in the disastrous Republican law and extend the Affordable Care Act’s enhanced tax credits so Virginians can continue to access care.”

    The Republican law makes massive cuts to health care, nutrition assistance, and other critical programs that Virginians rely on in order to cut taxes for the ultra-wealthy. While the bill was being considered in the Senate, Warner and Kaine introduced a series of amendments in an attempt to improve the legislation, but Republicans blocked them.

    78,000 Virginians will lose access to some benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and Virginia will be required to contribute an estimated $263 million annually in state cost-share for benefits, which have always been fully federally funded. The law jeopardizes clean energy jobs in Virginia by phasing out clean energy and energy efficiency tax credits and incentives that were passed in the Inflation Reduction Act. The law gives the top 0.1% a $250,000 tax cut and makes it harder for students to access student loans. The legislation also includes $85 million to move the Space Shuttle Discovery from the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia to Houston, Texas; the full cost to move the space shuttle is estimated to be $300-$400 million.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: UConn Medical Students Bike Cross-Country for Suicide Prevention

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    Two second-year UConn medical students successfully completed their coast-to-coast bike ride for a cause cycling in just 50 days, over 3,200 miles, and even in a heat index of 100 degrees.

    But who’s counting?

    James Marks and Zach Giguere arriving back to UConn School of Medicine on July 30, 2025 (UConn Photo/Lauren Woods).

    James Marks, 25, of Guilford and Zach Giguere, 24, of Windsor are no longer counting miles nor minutes to being home in Connecticut. On July 30, their triumphant return home was celebrated outside UConn School of Medicine where they were greeted at the Academic Entrance by the loud and proud cheers of their fellow medical school classmates, faculty, and families.

    The song “The Boys are Back in Town” played from a classmate’s car. And another classmate Jack O’Donnell shouted, “The boys are back!”

    (UConn Photo/Lauren Woods.)

    The two UConn cyclists’ mighty, once-in-a- lifetime coast-to-coast bike ride started on the West Coast on June 10 in Seattle. The ride was in honor of a lifesaving cause – suicide prevention, and their mission was to raise awareness and funds to advance national mental health research via the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

    They far exceeded their mission.

     “It’s amazing. We started with a $10,000 fundraising goal and so have raised well over $20,000. It feels really good,” said Marks. “That was the whole point of our trip.”

    Their bike trek marks the 20th anniversary that UConn medical and dental students have made the huge summer Coast-2-Coast bike journey annually across America for varied health causes.

    “We believe that investing in suicide prevention—through research, crisis support, and accessible mental health care—can save lives. We are committed to raising awareness, advocating for change, and ensuring that no one feels alone in their struggle,” the UConn students shared.

    Suicide prevention is deeply personal to Marks. “I lost my Dad,” Marks shared at the start of the bike trip. “I am glad I can do this journey to raise awareness.” Giguere adds, “Our ultimate goal was to raise awareness of suicide and get people to talk about it, so we can prevent it.”

    On July 31 they ride a few more miles, thankfully with no more heavy bike gear, to ceremoniously dip their wheels in the ocean along the Madison, Conn. shore.

    “I can’t wait to jump in the ocean,” said Giguere.

    “And shower,” he added.

    UConn medical student Zach Giguere was also welcomed home from his cross-country bike trek by his mom Lisa (UConn Photo/Lauren Woods).

    Giguere celebrated his 24th birthday on the road and his mother Lisa can’t wait to celebrate his belated birthday with a homemade blueberry pie, the first pie she ever baked. She even handpicked the blueberries for the special occasion.

    “Zach was never much of a bike person,” shared Mom who was surprised he was even game for the long bike journey. “James did it for very personal reasons. Zach did it because he knows how important the cause is. I’m so proud of both of them.”

    The UConn medical students did have just a little prep, 5 or 6 classes, training for their big trip thanks to their medical student classmate Alyssa Harduby who teaches a spin class at UConn Health’s Wellness Center.

    Second-year UConn medical student Brooke Charria who helped organize the students’ homecoming shared, “We are very proud of them. It’s such an accomplishment. It’s not something everyone can do. They even doubled their fundraising goal.”

    The two riders and future doctors loved seeing America.

    “Minnesota was awesome!” Marks exclaimed, as they even saw a Twins baseball game. “Minnesota was one of the best parts of the trip. Minneapolis is a great city.”

    (UConn Photo/Lauren Woods).

    The two men had great appreciation of all the kind Americans they met, for all those who graciously hosted and sheltered them during their long journey, and the chance to see the country.

    They also noted that the Midwest wants more doctors: “Everyone asked us to come back and be doctors there.”

    “We even saw a rodeo in North Dakata,” Giguere shared.

    “We had freezing rain in Montana. It was really cold! Our hottest weather is probably today in Connecticut!” Marks said sharing that nothing beats being finally home in Connecticut.

    “It was such a good feeling seeing the Welcome to Connecticut sign,” Marks sighed with relief. During the epic bike trip, he and Giguere have even become bike repair experts.

    “We had a bunch of flat tires. I’m pretty quick at changing them now. We’ll add it to the resume,” Marks concluded.

    Welcome home to Connecticut and UConn James and Zach! Go Huskies!

    (UConn Photo/Lauren Woods).

    Donate to their suicide prevention cause. 

    Follow their Coast-2-Coast journey on Instagram @_coast2coast25_

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: The Man from Hong Kong at 50: how the first ever Australian–Hong Kong co-production became a cult classic

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Ferris, Senior Lecturer, Media Arts & Production, University of Technology Sydney

    LMPC via Getty Images

    A cinematic firecracker of a film exploded onto international screens 50 years ago this week, blending martial arts mayhem, Bond-esque set pieces, casual racism – and a distinctly Australian swagger.

    From its audacious visual style; to its complex, life-threatening stunts; to its pioneering status as an international co-production, Brian Trenchard-Smith’s The Man from Hong Kong has solidified its place as a cult classic.

    The plot is deceptively simple. A Sydney-based crime lord’s activities come under the scrutiny of a determined Hong Kong detective, Inspector Fang Sing Leng. A fiery East-meets-West martial arts showdown explodes across the Australian landscape, pushing both sides to their limits.

    Jimmy Wang Yu (known at the time as Asia’s Steve McQueen) plays Inspector Fang Sing Leng. Fang delivers justice with his fists and uses his wits navigating greater Sydney, with help from the local constabulary and its adoring female population.

    The movie is a playful pastiche that confidently combines martial arts action, police procedurals, spy thrillers, and Westerns, all filtered through a distinctly Australian “crash-zoom” lens.

    An Australia–Hong Kong co-production

    The Man from Hong Kong was the first official Australia–Hong Kong co-production, uniting Hong Kong’s Golden Harvest studio with Australian producer John Fraser.

    This model would pave the way for numerous future collaborations – the film demonstrating that Australia was open for international (film) business, albeit with some constraints, such as shooting locales.

    In The Man from Hong Kong’s case, the financial arrangement was 50/50. As a result, half of the film had to be shot in Hong Kong, despite 85% of the storyline being set in Australia. Many of the interiors were filmed in Hong Kong studios to meet this production requirement.

    An example of this is the interrogation scene, which alternates between its Sydney exteriors and a fight scene taking place in the interior film set shot thousands of miles away at the Golden Harvest studios.

    In a genius bit of montage, the scene jumps from a shot of a kick in the crotch to a close-up of pool balls breaking on a table.

    A film of cunning stunts

    The Man from Hong Kong served as a reunion of sorts for many of the cast and crew, either starring in Stone (1974) or featuring in Trenchard-Smith’s documentary about martial arts films, Kung Fu Killers (1974).

    The film was an influence to Quentin Tarantino and paved the way for films such as Mad Max (1979), particularly in what Trenchard-Smith and his partner in film, stunt legend Grant Page, might call its “cunning stunts”.

    The elaborate car chases and explosive stunt setups in The Man from Hong Kong served as prototypes for iconic sequences that would inspire the Mad Max films, among others, a testament to a bygone era of practical effects and thrill seeking audacity.

    Car crashes and other explosive stunts were executed without permits or road closures. This sense of chaos is heightened by the stunts being performed by the actors themselves, adding a sense of immediacy and peril.

    An example of this is set on the cliffs at Stanwell Park. Wang Yu drives at speed towards the waiting Caroline, executing a precision gravel slide that misses Caroline’s car by under a metre, the shot continuing as he exits the car to greet her.

    Part character, and part tourism advert

    Trenchard-Smith’s script wasn’t shy in its depiction of culture clash, especially when it came to the racist attitudes of the Australian characters.

    But as Trenchard-Smith recalls:

    Our lead character, a Chinese Dirty Harry/James Bond upends these racial stereotypes by being smarter, sexier, and tougher than his opponents.

    Cinematographer Russell Boyd brings a sharp, dynamic (did I mention the crash-zooms?) visual style to the film that deftly matches the on-screen action.

    The film’s Australian setting is part character and part tourism advert – from the “Ayers Rock” (Uluru) cold opener, to the cafe scene on the Opera House forecourt.

    Pure cinema

    Stunt legend Grant Page appears in multiple villainous roles throughout the film, with the martial arts choreography handled by the legendary director Sammo Hung, who also played the role of Win Chan.

    The cast was a fascinating mix of talent and personality. Wang Yu, a martial arts icon, was also an established film director, leading to creative clashes on set with Trenchard-Smith.

    Playing the film’s villain is George Lazenby, whose casting added another layer of meta-textual intrigue, positioning him as an antagonist to a character who was explicitly a Bond villain archetype.

    The Man from Hong Kong remains an exhilarating piece of pure cinema, despite its relatively small budget. It’s an exemplar (and occasional cautionary tale) for filmmakers in terms of international co-production, its cunning stunts, and genre blending.

    The film is a testament to a moment when Australian cinema was confidently looking outwards, ready to take on the world, one explosive car crash at a time.

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

    – ref. The Man from Hong Kong at 50: how the first ever Australian–Hong Kong co-production became a cult classic – https://theconversation.com/the-man-from-hong-kong-at-50-how-the-first-ever-australian-hong-kong-co-production-became-a-cult-classic-260306

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: How migrant business owners turn their identity into an asset, despite some bumps along the way

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shea X. Fan, Associate Professor, Human Resource Management, Deakin University

    Odua Images/Shutterstock

    Too often, it’s anti-immigration sentiment dominating headlines in Australia. But a quieter story is going untold. Migrants are not just fitting into Australian society, they’re actively reshaping it through entrepreneurship.

    Starting a business is difficult for anyone. But migrant entrepreneurs often do so without the networks, credit history, or local knowledge many Australian-born business owners take for granted.

    Our new research drew on interviews with 38 migrant business owners from 25 different countries, who had all lived in Australia for at least five years.

    We found many are able to turn everyday exclusion into entrepreneurial fuel.
    Many have been able to survive – even thrive – by turning their identity into an asset.

    Yet there is still more we can do to take migrant entrepreneurship seriously and make it a core part of our economic and social planning.

    Key challenges

    Our research reveals migrant business owners face many forms of marginalisation. Some of these are well-understood among the public, others less so.

    One of the biggest is social. Arriving in a new country without established relationships in the community or financial sector, many struggle to gain customer trust or secure loans. It can also mean having less of a safety net.

    As one interviewee put it:

    I don’t have networks built up over the generations to sustain me and give me time to jump back out [of financial difficulties] […] For migrant entrepreneurs, we often do not have such a structure to absorb risks.

    Cultural stereotypes also hinder migrant entrepreneurs, and negative media portrayals can reinforce these biases. Even with local qualifications, they are often perceived as less professional or competent due to race, religion, accent or appearance.

    Many interviewees spoke of constantly having to prove their legitimacy – being overlooked, second-guessed or treated as representatives of their ethnic group rather than as individual business people.

    Establishing social networks in a new country can be difficult.
    Peterfz30/Shutterstock

    Structural barriers

    While the lack of networks and cultural acceptance undermines confidence and connection, structural barriers directly constrain access to the resources needed to survive and expand.

    Without a local credit history or collateral, many are ineligible for loans, yet need those very funds to build their credit standing. Even long-settled migrants found Australia’s legal, bureaucratic and financial systems difficult to navigate.

    Language barriers and unfamiliar regulations can add layers of complexity to this problem. While government support programs exist, they are often inaccessible, or the availability of those programs are poorly communicated to culturally diverse communities.

    These social and systemic disadvantages can push migrant business owners into informal markets or ethnic enclaves, where opportunities are fewer and risks higher.

    Turning identity into an asset

    Despite these barriers, migrant entrepreneurs often find ways to survive. One key strategy is to turn marginalised identities into business strengths.

    Our research found some migrants begin by serving customers from their own ethnic communities, leveraging shared language, culture and trust. Once established, they expand to other migrant groups or the broader public.

    In sectors such as food, fashion and wellness, cultural authenticity can be a competitive advantage.

    One hairdresser from Korea, for example, drew clients by offering Korean styling techniques popularised by the global rise of the Korean popular music style K-pop. She said this gave her work appeal among other migrant groups:

    Korean hairdressers are actually attractive to other Asian countries because Korean hairstyles are considered fashionable and detailed. It’s getting popular here too. This is like free marketing for me.

    One interviewee said her connection to Korea had turned into a business asset.
    kikujungboy CC/Shutterstock

    And rather than simply competing on price, many migrant businesses offer something different: handmade, ethical, sustainable or culturally-rooted products. An Indian small business owner started her business by selling curry pastes made from her own family recipes, telling us:

    I use my family’s traditional Indian recipes to create small spice packs, making it easy for Australians, mostly non-Indian customers, to cook authentic dishes at home.

    Such ventures create not only economic value, but also spaces of cultural exchange and community belonging.

    There’s more we can do

    The most recent figures show migrant entrepreneurs make up one in three small business owners in Australia. Research conducted in 2017 found the vast majority of migrant entrepreneurs had not owned a business before migration.

    With fewer systemic barriers and better support, their potential to contribute would be even greater. There are a range of actions policymakers, local councils, support organisations and local businesses could take.

    First, access could be expanded to small business grants by removing overly complex eligibility and documentation barriers.

    We should also support migrants to navigate collectively “gatekeeping” practices that lock them out of lending, investment and business certification.

    That could include developing alternative credit assessment tools for migrants without a local credit history. There are already some microloan schemes tailored to new migrants or visa holders, including Thrive Refugee Enterprise.

    At the same time, we need to ensure such schemes are being effectively communicated to the communities they’re intended to serve.

    And we need media narratives and public campaigns that highlight successful migrant businesses. Crucially, both policy and practice must be informed by the voices and experiences of migrant entrepreneurs themselves, not just as case studies, but as co-designers of better systems.

    The authors 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. How migrant business owners turn their identity into an asset, despite some bumps along the way – https://theconversation.com/how-migrant-business-owners-turn-their-identity-into-an-asset-despite-some-bumps-along-the-way-261948

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: More than 2 in 5 young Australians are lonely, our new report shows. This is what could help

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle H. Lim, Associate Professor, Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney

    Oliver Rossi/Getty Images

    Loneliness is not a word often associated with young people. We tend to think of our youth as a time spent with family, friends and being engaged with school and work activities. Loneliness is an experience we may be more likely to associate with older people.

    In a new report looking at loneliness in young Australians, we found 43% of people aged 15 to 25 feel lonely. That’s more than two in five young people.

    While one in four felt lonely when asked, one in seven had felt lonely for at least two years (what we call persistent loneliness).

    There’s more we should be doing in Australia to address loneliness among young people and more broadly.

    What else did we find?

    In this report, we analysed data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey from 2022–23. This helped us understand what sort of factors increase the risk of loneliness among young people.

    We found having poor physical health and mental health can double (or more) the likelihood of persistent loneliness among young people.

    Life circumstances, as well as socioeconomic and behavioural factors, also play a role, as shown below.

    Worryingly, young people who report persistent loneliness are over seven times more likely to experience high or very high psychological distress compared to those who aren’t lonely.

    But loneliness in young people should not be seen just as a mental health issue. Research shows it can have consequences for physical health too. For example, a study published in 2024 found loneliness is linked to early signs of vascular dysfunction (functional changes to the arteries) in adults as young as 22.

    Why does loneliness persist?

    As well as analysing data, we also interviewed young people aged 16 to 25 from diverse backgrounds about what helps them make healthy social connections, and what hinders them.

    One of the things they flagged was a need for safe community spaces. A male participant from metro New South Wales, aged between 22 and 25, said:

    After lectures, someone’s hungry, you go to eat together. We used to go to [Name of restaurant] after almost every lecture. Talk or discuss somethings so it gave us that extra opportunity to mingle amongst each other and take that next step towards building a good friendship.

    We found technology could both help and hinder social connections. A female from regional Victoria, aged 22 to 25, who identified as LGBTIQ+, told us:

    If you’re in school or something like that and you don’t really have […] many people within your community to look to, it’s really nice being able to connect with people and make those friends online.

    On the flip side, a female participant from metropolitan Victoria, aged between 16 and 18, said:

    a lot of maybe like mean stuff or like bullying and stuff happens over the Internet […] there’s a big group chat and like everyone’s texting on it or something. And then a lot of the time, people will break off into a smaller chat […] or they’ll break off into one on one and be like, ohh, do you see what she said?

    The high cost of living was also regarded as a hindrance to maintaining social connections. As a male aged 22 to 25 from metro NSW told us:

    you’ll go on [a] drive [with friends] or whatever […] but that is so like incredibly expensive. Having to pay for your own car and like petrol and insurance and maintenance. Sometimes it’s hard to […] even like […] sit down in peace and have a chat. All the cafes will close at 2 and by the time everyone gets out of their jobs, you’re having to go to a restaurant and [you’re] spending 50 dollars.

    So what can we do?

    Loneliness has long been treated as a personal issue but it’s increasingly clear we have to shift our approach to include community-wide and systemic solutions.

    The World Health Organization’s Commission on Social Connection recently released a report pointing to loneliness as a public health, social, community and economic issue.

    In Australia, the economic burden of loneliness stands at A$2.7 billion each year for associated health-care costs including GP and hospital visits.

    And there are additional costs including lower workforce productivity and educational outcomes that have yet to be accounted for.

    Some countries have already developed and implemented strategies to address loneliness. In 2023, Denmark, for example, commissioned the development of a national loneliness action plan led by a consortium of organisations. This was underpinned by an investment of around 21 million Danish kroner (roughly A$5 million) over 2023–25.

    Australia now stands at a crossroads.

    Australia needs a national loneliness strategy

    A national strategy underpinned by evidence and by lived experience is crucial to effectively address loneliness. This approach would:

    • coordinate efforts across sectors: health, education, social services and business

    • identify effective strategies that should be included in a comprehensive response, and the principles to guide their delivery in communities and other settings

    • highlight sub-groups at risk of persistent loneliness who should be prioritised within population-wide strategies

    • commit to the delivery of a national awareness campaign that can educate the public and reduce stigma around loneliness.

    With the right national strategy, we will be able to increase our capacity to help all Australians, not just young people, connect in meaningful ways.

    If this article has raised issues for you, or if you’re concerned about someone you know, call Lifeline on 13 11 14. You can learn more about youth loneliness and how to help at Ending Loneliness Together.

    Michelle H. Lim is the CEO and Scientific Chair of Ending Loneliness Together. She is also the Vice-Chair of the International Scientific Board of the Global Initiative on Loneliness and Connection, and is part of the Technical Advisory Group – Social Connection at the World Health Organization.

    Ben Smith is a member of the Management Committee and Scientific Advisory Board of Ending Loneliness Together. He is also the Conjoint Chair of Public Health with the Western Sydney Local Health District.

    – ref. More than 2 in 5 young Australians are lonely, our new report shows. This is what could help – https://theconversation.com/more-than-2-in-5-young-australians-are-lonely-our-new-report-shows-this-is-what-could-help-261260

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Progress on Closing the Gap is stagnant or going backwards. Here are 3 things to help fix it

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Madeleine Pugin, Research Fellow, School of Government and International Relations, Griffith University

    The Productivity Commission’s latest data on Closing the Gap progress represents an unsurprisingly grim overview of the socioeconomic inequalities experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

    Closing the Gap is the plan federal and state governments have to address Indigenous socioeconomic disadvantage. It sets specific targets across a range of areas.

    This edition annual data report paints a concerning picture of Indigenous peoples’ quality of life across the states and territories. Despite 17 years of Closing the Gap policy, First Nations communities continue to face significant disadvantage. Of the 19 targets, 16 have been assessed, with four targets worsening. They are:

    • adult imprisonment

    • children in out-of-home care

    • suicide

    • children developmentally on track.

    There have been some successes. Four targets are on track to be met: preschool enrolment, employment, and land and water rights. Although the latter targets are likely to be achieved, the Queensland and Northern Territory governments are walking away from plans for Treaty. This could undercut efforts for increased Indigenous rights recognition.

    There is also improvement in six other target areas, but they are still not on track to be met by 2031:

    • life expectancy

    • healthy birthweights

    • year 12 or equivalent qualifications

    • youth engagement

    • appropriately sized housing.

    Time for change

    Year after year, Closing the Gap reporting offers little hope for meaningful change. It also falls short of providing crucial insights into what is working, what isn’t, and where resources and expertise should be directed to address unmet targets.

    We must ask ourselves: when is it time to pursue a different approach?

    These are complex issues with no simple solutions, but that must not deter us from pursuing every possible avenue for change. As the worsening suicide target shows, lives depend on it.

    Nonetheless, there is little evidence to suggest governments are being impelled to act on the transformational changes required to implement the four priority reforms.

    Since the failed Voice referendum, there has been little will from all levels of government to radically transform their way of working with First Nations communities. The gaps in outcomes are unlikely to close with this business-as-usual approach.

    So what could be changed to help improve the lives of Indigenous people? Here are three ideas.

    1. A national action plan, driven by human rights

    Australia has no comprehensive Indigenous rights framework. Currently, recognition of Indigenous rights in existing Australian laws is “piecemeal” and inconsistent across jurisdictions.

    Adopting a rights-based approach to the Closing the Gap framework could provide one way forward. The realisation of rights is central to genuine self-determination for Indigenous peoples.

    The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), which Australia endorsed in 2009, outlines the minimum standards of human rights relating to Indigenous peoples.

    A 2023 report looking at how UNDRIP works in Australia contains a list of recommendations, with the first being:

    that the Commonwealth Government ensure its approach to developing legislation and policy on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (including, but not limited to, Closing the Gap initiatives) be consistent with the Articles outlined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

    UNDRIP’s core principals of self-determination and participation in decision-making directly align with what communities and experts have been calling for on Closing the Gap reform. At a minimum, the federal government should meaningfully negotiate a national action plan to implement the declaration.

    Such a plan would help drive community-led solutions, empowering Indigenous peoples at local and regional levels. Bottom-up grassroots approaches are vital to Closing the Gap.

    2. An independent oversight body

    Despite the failure of the Voice referendum, an independent representative body is still needed at the national level. It would provide strategic oversight and accountability for implementation of the Closing the Gap policy at the local and regional levels.

    This body could also provide much-needed political and policy advocacy to hold governments to their commitments.

    There is the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, which Commonwealth, state, territory governments are a party to, as well as the Coalition of Peak Indigenous bodies and the Australian Local Government Association.

    Yet some governments are enacting policies and laws which are inconsistent with the agreement. Queensland and the Northern Territory, for instance, have ceased involvement in Treaty processes and turned toward stricter penalties in response to youth offending – moves criticised by human rights commissions.

    An independent representative body would help shed light on these inconsistencies and better hold governments accountable.

    3. A bigger role for local government

    What is often missing from the conversation is the crucial role local governments play in implementing policies that shape outcomes on the ground.

    As frontline service providers, local governments are positioned to engage with communities on a direct, day-to-day basis, which can be responsive to the everyday needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

    In a first for local implementation of Closing the Gap, Tamworth Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations and Tamworth Regional Council entered an agreement to work together towards addressing key aspects of initiative.



    Read more:
    Local solution to Closing the Gap – council takes pioneering new approach to Indigenous disadvantage

    There are strong reasons for local governments to take a more central leadership role in trying to meet the Closing the Gap targets. To do so effectively, however, they require adequate resourcing and sustained funding to support community-driven programs.

    Additionally, embedding Indigenous rights and interests in local government planning and policy would significantly enhance their capacity to contribute meaningfully.

    Bartholomew Stanford receives funding from the Australian Research Council (ARC).

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

    – ref. Progress on Closing the Gap is stagnant or going backwards. Here are 3 things to help fix it – https://theconversation.com/progress-on-closing-the-gap-is-stagnant-or-going-backwards-here-are-3-things-to-help-fix-it-262042

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Big tech says AI could boost Australia’s economy by $115 billion a year. Does the evidence stack up?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Uri Gal, Professor in Business Information Systems, University of Sydney

    Imaginima / Getty Images

    AI is on the agenda in Canberra. In August, the Productivity Commission will release an interim report on harnessing data and digital technology such as AI “to boost productivity growth, accelerate innovation and improve government services”. Shortly afterward, the government will host an Economic Reform Roundtable where AI policy will be up for discussion.

    AI developers are aggressively pursuing influence over the new rules. The Chinese government wants to include AI in trade deals. Meanwhile, as the US government seeks to “win the AI race”, US-based tech companies are making their own overtures.

    The most ambitious intervention has come from ChatGPT developer OpenAI, which recently hired former Tech Council chief executive Kate Pounder as its local policy liaison. Pounder is also a former business partner of Assistant Minister for the Digital Economy Andrew Charlton.

    OpenAI’s AI Economic Blueprint for Australia makes bold projections about the new technology’s impact on the country’s economy, accompanied by a host of policy proposals. However, these claims warrant careful scrutiny, particularly given the company’s clear commercial interests in shaping Australian regulation.

    The gap between promise and evidence

    OpenAI claims AI could boost Australia’s economy by A$115 billion annually by 2030. It attributes most of this to productivity gains in business, education and government. However, the supporting evidence is thin.

    For instance, the report notes Australian workers have lower productivity than their US counterparts and then claims (without evidence) this is because Australia has invested less in digital technologies such as AI. However, it ignores numerous other factors affecting productivity, from industrial structure to regulatory environments.

    The report also describes supposed AI-driven productivity gains in companies such as Moderna and Canva. However, these narratives lack any data about improved organisational or individual performance.

    Perhaps more concerning is the report’s uniformly optimistic tone, which overlooks significant risks. These include organisations struggling with costly AI projects, massive job displacements, worsening labour conditions, and concentrating wealth.

    Most problematically, OpenAI’s blueprint assumes AI adoption and its economic benefits will materialise rapidly across the economy. However, evidence suggests a different reality.

    Economic impact from AI will unfold gradually

    Recent evidence suggests AI’s economic impact may take decades to fully materialise. Studies report some 40% of US adults use generative AI yet this translates to less than 5% of work hours and an increase of less than 1% in labour productivity.

    AI may not spread much faster than past technologies. The limiting factor will be how quickly individuals, organisations and institutions can adapt.

    Even when AI tools are available, meaningful adoption requires time. People must develop new skills, change the way they work, and integrate the new technologies into complex organisations. The economic impacts of earlier general-purpose technologies such as computers and the internet took decades to fully materialise, and there’s little reason to believe AI will be fundamentally different.

    The educational risk

    Like Google, OpenAI is also aggressively pushing for AI adoption in education. It has teamed up with edtech companies and launched a new “study mode” in ChatGPT.

    The push for AI tutoring and automated educational tools raises profound concerns about human development and learning.

    Early evidence suggests over-reliance on AI tools may condition people to depend on them. When students routinely turn to AI, they risk avoiding the mental effort required to build critical thinking skills, creativity and independent inquiry. These capacities form the foundation of a thriving democracy and innovative economy.

    Students who become accustomed to AI-assisted thinking may struggle to develop intellectual independence. This is needed for innovation, ethical reasoning and creative problem-solving.

    AI applications that help teachers personalise instruction or identify learning gaps may be useful. But systems that substitute for students’ own cognitive effort and development should be avoided.

    A multi-partner infrastructure strategy

    Australia’s digital strategy will undoubtedly include significant investment in AI infrastructure such as data centres. One challenge for Australia is to avoid concentrating our investment around a single technology provider. Doing so would be a mistake that could compromise both economic competitiveness and national sovereignty.

    Amazon plans to spend $20 billion on local data centres. Microsoft Azure already has significant local capacity, as does Australian company NextDC. This diversity provides a foundation, but maintaining and expanding it requires deliberate policy choices.

    Maintaining multiple data centre suppliers helps keep computing power that is independent of foreign governments or single companies. This approach will give Australia more bargaining power to ensure lower prices, greener power and local skills quotas.

    Diversification provides regulatory leverage as well. Australia can enforce common security standards knowing no single supplier can threaten an investment strike.

    Australia’s AI future

    AI technology is developing rapidly, driven by large corporations wielding vast amounts of capital and political influence. It presents real opportunities for economic growth and social benefit that Australia can’t afford to squander.

    However, if the government uncritically accepts corporate advocacy, these opportunities may be captured by foreign interests.

    Australia’s approach to AI policy should maintain human-centred values alongside technological advancement. This balance requires resisting the siren call of corporate promises.

    The decisions made today will shape Australia’s future for decades. These choices should be guided by independent analysis, empirical evidence, and a commitment to outcomes for all Australians.

    The Australian government must resist the temptation to let Silicon Valley write our digital future, no matter how persuasive their lobbyists or how impressive their promises. The stakes are simply too high to get this wrong.

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

    – ref. Big tech says AI could boost Australia’s economy by $115 billion a year. Does the evidence stack up? – https://theconversation.com/big-tech-says-ai-could-boost-australias-economy-by-115-billion-a-year-does-the-evidence-stack-up-260705

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: On the 60th Anniversary of the Creation of Medicaid and Medicare, Luján, Leader Schumer, and Senate Democrats Introduce Legislation to Reverse Devastating Health Care Cuts in Republicans’ Budget Betrayal 

    US Senate News:

    Source: US Senator for New Mexico Ben Ray Luján

    WATCH HERE: Senator Luján Delivers Floor Speech on Effort to Reverse Devastating Health Care Cuts in Republicans’ Budget Betrayal

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), along with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Ranking Member of the Finance Committee, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Ranking Member of the Budget Committee, U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), led their Senate Democratic colleagues in introducing the Protecting Health Care And Lowering Costs Act.

    This legislation would reverse all of the health care cuts in the “Big, Ugly Betrayal,” including those to Medicaid, and would permanently extend the ACA premium tax credits. After Republicans passed legislation earlier this month that would kick nearly 15 million people off their health insurance and totals more than one trillion dollars in health care cuts, Senate Democrats are fighting back and pushing to reverse these devastating cuts and extend tax credits to make health care affordable.

    Today marks 60 years since Medicaid and Medicare was created on a bipartisan basis as a promise to the American people that we would stick by the poorest and most disadvantaged among us and take care of the elderly who paid into a system their whole lives. Democrats will be crisscrossing the country to make sure that the American people know it is Congressional Republicans who are reneging on that promise, ripping away health care from millions so they can give tax cuts to billionaires.

    “Sixty years after Medicare and Medicaid opened the door to health care for millions, Congressional Republicans slammed it shut with their Budget Betrayal – ripping coverage from 15 million Americans, including over 100,000 New Mexicans,” said Senator Luján. “Their cuts target children, families, and seniors who depend on Medicaid to survive, and could force rural clinics and hospitals to close their doors. While Republicans gut health care, Senate Democrats are fighting to restore it and protect the people we represent.”

    “For many, the “Big, Ugly Betrayal” is quite literally a matter of life and death. Too many will now have to make the heartbreaking decision between financial ruin and going without care. Already the effects of this bill are being felt. Already hospitals and health care systems are in jeopardy because of this legislation that passed just mere weeks ago,” said Leader Schumer. “Let’s be crystal clear: to pay for tax cuts for billionaires, millions of people are going to lose their health care. That’s the Republicans agenda right there. Well not on our watch. Democrats are fighting this tooth and nail. And today we are proud to introduction legislation which would reverse these devastating cuts and permanently extend the ACA premium tax credits. It is not too late for the Republicans to reverse course and save healthcare for millions.”

    “Trump and Republicans in Congress have been actively misleading the American public. Americans were never told that this flawed bill will punch a hole in a lot more than Medicaid,” said Senator Wyden, Ranking Member of the Finance Committee. “There is simply no way to cut more than $1 trillion from the health care system without taking a deep toll on Americans of all stripes from coast to coast. The more Americans hear about this bill, the less they like it. It’s time to scrap Trumpcare and put America back on a path to affordable health care.”

    “If Affordable Care Act enhanced premium tax credits expire at the end of the year, 20 million Americans will see their health care costs skyrocket at a time when they’re already struggling with increased prices. That pain will be felt almost immediately,” said Senator Shaheen. “That’s on top of the unprecedented health care cuts to Medicaid that were passed in the ‘Big Beautiful Betrayal’. We need to take action now to permanently extend those tax credits so that people know they can count on them.”

    “Congressional Republicans betrayed hardworking families earlier this month when they chose to stand with billionaires by gutting Medicaid and kicking more than 15 million people off their health insurance,” said Senator Merkley, Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee. “Republicans have the opportunity to right this wrong by supporting our bill that will reverse these devastating cuts and prevent health care costs from skyrocketing across the country. On this 60th Anniversary of the enactment of Medicaid and Medicare, Democrats are fighting for an economy where families thrive and billionaires finally pay their fair share.”

    The entire Democratic caucus has signed on to co-sponsor the legislation.

    The legislation has been endorsed by American Civil Liberties Union, AFL-CIO. American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), AFT: Education, Healthcare, Public Services, All* Above All , Alliance for Retired Americans, American Association on Health and Disability, American Heart Association, American Nurses Association, Autistic Self Advocacy Network, ACLU, Can’t Wait Coalition, Care in Action, Caring Across Generations, Center for American Progress, Center for Medicare Advocacy, CEO Commission for Disability Employment, Children’s Hospital Association, Communication Workers of America, Community Catalyst, Disability Policy Consortium, Disability Rights and Defense Fund, Diverse Elders Coalition (DEC), FamiliesUSA, First Focus for Children, Guttmacher Institute, Health Care for America Now, Ibis Reproductive Health, Justice in Aging, Kids Can’t Wait, Lakeshore Foundation, Little Lobbysists, MoveOn.org, National Abortion Federation, National Alliance for Caregiving, National Alliance for Direct Service Professionals, National Alliance on Mental Illness, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum, National Council of Jewish Women, National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare (NCPSSM), National Disability Rights Network, National Domestic Workers Alliance, National Hispanic Council on Aging, National Health Law Program (NHeLP), National Immigration Law Center, National Partnership for Women & Families, National Women’s Law Center, Physicians for Reproductive Health, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Protect Our Care, Public Citizens, SEIU, Social Security Works, The Arc of the United States, UNIDOS US, United Mine Workers of America, Vizient, Inc., Well Spouse Association, Healthcare Association of New York and Texas Kids Can’t Wait.

    The full text of the legislation can be seen here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tonko Demands DHS Restore Funding for UAlbany Mesonet Weather Detection Program

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Paul Tonko (Capital Region New York)

    ALBANY, NY — Congressman Paul D. Tonko (NY-20), along with Representatives John Mannion (NY-22) and Joe Morelle (NY-25) today sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem urging the Trump Administration reverse its decision to terminate funding for the Exploiting Mesonet for Emergency Preparedness and Response to Weather Extremes (EMPOWER) project.

    In 2023, the DHS awarded the University at Albany $3 million for this grant project to improve emergency management and deliver accurate, real-time forecasting for severe weather. But, earlier this month, that funding was abruptly terminated.

    “Developed in partnership between DHS’s Science and Technology Directorate and the University at Albany, EMPOWER is exactly the kind of forward-looking, science-based emergency management program our nation needs as extreme weather, and natural disasters grow more frequent, intense, and deadly,” the lawmakers write.

    The letter continues, “At the core of EMPOWER’s success is the New York State Mesonet, a state-of-the-art network of 127 weather stations that supplements National Weather Service observations. This is a moment that demands leadership and bold investment in resilience. In just the past few weeks, catastrophic flooding in Texas and record-setting heat across the country have underscored the urgency of strengthening our preparedness. Cutting off funding for a proven emergency response program amid an escalating climate crisis is not just short-sighted, it is dangerous.

    “The stakes are simply too high to abandon tools and technologies that can help save lives.”

    For years, Tonko has worked to strengthen and support the nation’s weather preparedness. Last Congress, he introduced the bipartisan National Mesonet Authorization Act alongside Representative Stephanie Bice (R-OK), legislation that would increase the overall coverage and accuracy of our current National Mesonet program.

    Earlier this month, UAlbany sent a letter inviting DHS Secretary Noem to visit the campus and tour their facilities to lean more about how the university’s essential research supports DHS’s work and mission. UAlbany also sent a letter to the New York congressional delegation requesting support from members in helping to reinstate a $3 million DHS research grant.

    The full letter to DHS Secretary Noem can be found HERE or below:

    Dear Secretary Noem,

    We write to express our strong objection to the Department of Homeland Security’s decision to terminate funding for the Exploiting Mesonets for Emergency Preparedness and Response to Weather Extremes (EMPOWER) project. This action not only undermines years of progress in public safety and emergency preparedness, but it also puts lives at risk. We ask you to reverse this decision and reinstate the $3 million grant supporting this initiative without delay.

    Developed in partnership between DHS’s Science and Technology Directorate and the University at Albany, EMPOWER is exactly the kind of forward-looking, science-based emergency management program our nation needs as extreme weather, and natural disasters grow more frequent, intense, and deadly. It provides emergency managers and first responders with real[1]time, localized data to improve decision-making and response times, giving communities a better chance to prepare for and withstand extreme weather events.

    At the core of EMPOWER’s success is the New York State Mesonet, a state-of-the-art network of 127 weather stations that supplements National Weather Service observations. The Mesonet fills gaps in our national monitoring infrastructure and provides the high-resolution, real-time data that emergency response systems increasingly depend on.

    This is a moment that demands leadership and bold investment in resilience. In just the past few weeks, catastrophic flooding in Texas and record-setting heat across the country have underscored the urgency of strengthening our preparedness. Cutting off funding for a proven emergency response program amid an escalating climate crisis is not just short-sighted, it is dangerous.

    For a modest federal investment, EMPOWER is delivering high-impact results. This administration has emphasized the importance of supporting state and local partners in disaster preparedness EMPOWER embodies that collaboration, demonstrating how strategic partnerships between federal science agencies, academia, and state governments can produce innovative, life-saving solutions.

    We urge you to reinstate full funding for the EMPOWER initiative and ensure that the University at Albany and its partners can continue advancing this critical work. The stakes are simply too high to abandon tools and technologies that can help save lives.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Fast food, screens, and no greens: A recipe for teen health trouble

    Source:

    31 July 2025

    When a cheeseburger costs less than a punnet of strawberries, it’s clear the odds are stacked against healthy choices – especially for teenagers.

    Now, new research from the University of South Australia shows that it’s not just unhealthy eating habits affecting teens, but an alarming clustering of poor lifestyle choices that’s putting the majority of teenagers at serious risk of preventable diseases later in life.

    In a study of more than 293,770 teenagers aged 12-17 – from 73 countries, across five world Health Organization (WHO) regions – researchers assessed habit clustering, including exercise, healthy food consumption and screen time, finding that:

    • 85% did not get enough exercise
    • 80% did not eat enough fruit and vegetables
    • 50% regularly consumed fast food
    • 39% had too many soft drinks
    • 32% spent excessive time on screens.

    Overall, more than 92.5% of teenagers reported two or more unhealthy behaviours, which puts them at increased risk of developing chronic diseases like obesity, heart disease and diabetes.

    Specifically, 7% of teenagers reported one unhealthy behaviour; 30% of teenagers had two; 36.5% had three; 21.5% had four; and 4.5% had five unhealthy behaviours. Across all WHO regions, less than 1% of teenagers exhibited no unhealthy behaviours.

    It’s timely research in light of the South Australian government’s new ’LiveLighter’ campaign to tackle obesity.

    Lead researcher, UniSA’s Dr Ming Li, says behaviours that are set up in teenage years lay the groundwork for behaviours in adulthood.

    “The teenage years are a critical window for growth and development – physically, mentally, and emotionally – and they set the foundation for long-term health,” Dr Li says.

    “But with junk food so readily available, and physical activity often replaced by screen time, more teens are picking up multiple unhealthy habits that could lead to serious health issues down the track.”

    The study found distinct differences between regions. Teenagers in higher-income countries – including the Americas and Eastern Mediterranean – were more likely to report a higher number of unhealthy behaviours, with 13% of teenagers in these regions recording all five risk factors.

    While Australian data was not specifically assessed, Dr Ling says that Australian teenagers would likely report multiple unhealthy lifestyle behaviours, skin to those seen in other high-income countries.

    Dr Li says these trends are driven by broader societal shifts.

    “Some of what we see comes down to rapid urbanisation, sedentary school environments, and limited access to safe recreational spaces, particularly in low- and middle-income countries,” Dr Li says.

    “On top of this, taste preferences, household income, and limited availability of fresh produce – especially in disadvantaged areas – make healthy choices harder to access and maintain.”

    While the study reports multiple unhealthy lifestyle behaviours for most teenagers, it also finds some protective factors that can help.

    “When teenagers have supportive families and a supportive peer group, their risk of having four or more unhealthy behaviours reduces by 16% and 4% respectively,” Dr Li says “Similarly, food-secure households also reduce risk by 9%.”

    Dr Li says the findings point to the urgent need for tailored, multilevel strategies that go beyond individual choices to address social and environmental conditions.

    “It’s clear we need systemic action – better school-based physical activity programs, urban design that gives teens access to green spaces, policies that make healthy food affordable, and limits on junk food marketing to children,” Dr Li says.

    “Ultimately, good health needs to be an easier, more accessible choice – not one that requires privilege, planning, and willpower.”

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

    Contact for interview:  Dr Ming Li E: Ming.Li@unisa.edu.au
    Media contact: Annabel Mansfield M: +61 479 182 489 E: Annabel.Mansfield@unisa.edu.au

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Committee Advances Senator Hassan’s Legislation to Speed Up FDA’s Sunscreen Approval Process

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Maggie Hassan

    HELP Committee Also Advances Additional Hassan-Led Bills

    WASHINGTON – The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee unanimously voted today to advance a package that includes the SAFE Sunscreen Standards Act, bipartisan legislation led by U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Roger Marshall (R-KS) to modernize the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s process for reviewing and approving new sunscreens. The FDA has not approved a new sunscreen active ingredient since 1999, while other countries, such as France and South Korea, have innovative sunscreen products on the market that often use newer, more effective UV filters. The SAFE Sunscreen Standards Act would require the FDA to improve its outdated approval process and will help American consumers access more effective sun protection options that have been safely used in other countries for years.

    “As Granite Staters head outside and enjoy summer, Congress needs to remove the outdated barriers that prevent Americans from being able to use modern sunscreen products,” said Senator Hassan. “This commonsense bipartisan legislation will modernize the FDA’s approval process to allow American manufacturers to make more up-to-date, effective sunscreens that people are already using safely around the world. I am pleased to see this important measure advance, and I will continue working to get this bill signed into law.”

    As part of the bipartisan package, the HELP Committee also advanced the bipartisan Prescription-to-OTC Process Act, led by Senators Hassan and Husted (R-Ohio), which directs the FDA to communicate more clearly with the health industry about the process and standards for switching medications from prescription to over-the-counter marketing. In addition, the committee voted unanimously to advance Senator Hassan’s Advocate for Employee Ownership Act, which establishes an Advocate for Employee Ownership position at the Department of Labor to promote and improve access to employee stock ownership plans, or ESOPs.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Collins Introduces Circuit Court Nominee Joshua Dunlap of Scarborough at Judiciary Committee Hearing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins

    Click HERE for a full-resolution image

    Click HERE to watch and HERE to download video of Senator Collins introducing Mr. Dunlap

    Washington, D.C. – Today, at a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee, U.S. Senator Susan Collins introduced Joshua Dunlap of Scarborough, Maine, who has been nominated to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.

    Mr. Dunlap grew up in Vassalboro, Maine, and is currently a partner in the litigation group of Pierce Atwood LLP, in Portland, where he co-chairs the firm’s Appellate & Amici division. He has practiced at Pierce Atwood for over fifteen years, handling substantial civil litigation matters in both appellate and trial courts. He also chairs the Maine Appellate Rules Committee, to which he was appointed by the Maine Supreme Judicial Court. Prior to his work at Pierce Atwood, Mr. Dunlap clerked for the Honorable Paul J. Kelly, Jr., of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. Mr. Dunlap graduated first in his class from Notre Dame Law School. He came to Washington for his hearing with several members of his family, including his parents, wife, and children.

    Senator Collins:

    “Chairman Grassley, Ranking Member Durbin, members of this committee, I’m pleased to appear before this distinguished committee today to wholeheartedly support Joshua Dunlap’s nomination to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. 

    “Josh grew up in Vassalboro, Maine and now lives in Scarborough with his wife, Sydney, and their three children. If you look in back of me, you will see his three children, his wife, his parents, and numerous other members of his family. In fact, 20 of them, who are so proud of his nomination that they’ve made the trip to Washington. Josh graduated first in his class from Notre Dame Law School, where he received the law school’s highest honor, awarded to the student with the most distinguished academic record. He then clerked for Judge Paul Kelly of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. 

    “In 2009, Josh joined the very well-respected law firm Pierce Atwood in Portland, Maine. During his 16 years at the firm, he has specialized in complex civil litigation matters and currently serves as co-chair of the firm’s Appellate & Amicus division. Josh is admitted to practice in multiple U.S. Courts of Appeal and before the U.S. Supreme Court. He has also assisted special masters in three original jurisdiction proceedings before the U.S. Supreme Court. Finally, Josh also chairs the Maine Appellate Rules Committee to which he was appointed by the Maine Supreme Judicial Court. This impressive experience, coupled with his extraordinary intelligence and integrity, makes Josh exceptionally well-qualified for a seat on the First Circuit. His substantial appellate litigation experience will bring a practitioner’s perspective to the court. 

    “The committee has already received many compelling letters of support for this nominee, and I would like to highlight a couple of them. A diverse group of faculty and alumni of Notre Dame Law School who taught Josh or studied alongside him have praised his, “respect for differing views” and “deep appreciation for the rule of law.” A letter signed by 19 leading Maine attorneys, who described themselves as having a broad spectrum of political views and legal philosophies, wrote that Josh has all the qualities the finest judge’s exhibit; he is hardworking, courteous and judicial in temperament, very smart, and of sterling character with a commitment to fairness and the rule of law. 

    “Mr. Chairman, before I conclude, I would like to thank Judge William Kayatta, whom Josh has been nominated to replace, for his outstanding service to the First Circuit. I joined in recommending him to President Obama, and had the honor of introducing Judge Kayatta to this committee. Now, it is my honor to recommend Josh, who actually worked with Judge Kayatta early in his tenure at Pierce Atwood, to this committee. I am confident that, if confirmed, Josh will serve Maine and the nation extraordinarily well in this critical role. 

    “For these reasons, I urge the committee to support his nomination, and I appreciate this opportunity to introduce him to the committee.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Collins Advocates for Kay Hagan Tick Act as Bill Unanimously Advances out of Committee

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins

    Click HERE for a full-resolution image

    Click HERE to watch and HERE to download video of Senator Collins’ remarks

    Washington, D.C. – Today, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee unanimously approved the reauthorization of the bipartisan Kay Hagan Tick Act. The bill now advances to the Senate floor for consideration by the full body. At the hearing, U.S. Senator Susan Collins spoke in support of advancing the reauthorization of her landmark legislation, which she coauthored with Senator Tina Smith (D-MN), that became law in 2019. The Kay Hagan Tick Act strengthened the federal effort to confront the escalating incidence of Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses. Confirmed cases of Lyme disease reached a record number in Maine – 3,218 – last year.

    Senators Collins and Smith named their bill in honor of former Senator Kay Hagan (D-NC) who passed away on October 28th, 2019, due to complications of the tick-borne disease known as the Powassan virus. Senator Angus King (I-ME) and a bipartisan group of 13 other Senators have cosponsored the legislation.

    Senator Collins: 

    “I authored the original Tick Act in 2019 with Senator Tina Smith. Our bipartisan legislation strengthened federal efforts to confront the escalating incidents of Lyme disease and other vector borne illnesses. Our bill is named after our former colleague, Senator Kay Hagan, who passed away in October 2019 from complications of the deadly tick-borne disease known as the Powassan virus. It is my hope that reauthorizing the Tick Act will help to prevent further tragedies. 

    “The incidence of tick-borne diseases has exploded in the past 20 years. Maine reached a new Lyme disease record last year with 3218 reported cases. This is more than double the number of cases reported in Maine just five years ago. I’m encouraged that we’ve made progress in the five years since this bill was first introduced, for example, a clinical trial for Lyme disease vaccine for people is underway right now at Maine Health’s Institute for Research. Reauthorizing the Tick Act would allow crucial developments such as the development of a vaccine to continue. 

    “The Tick Act uses a three-pronged approach to address Lyme and other tick and vector borne diseases. This approach consists of first, implementing HHS’s national strategy to combat vector borne disease. Second, reauthorizing funding for the CDC’s four Centers of Excellence in vector borne disease. And third, reauthorizing grants to state and local health departments to assist them in bolstering their public health infrastructure. 

    “I want to thank Senator Smith for partnering with me, as well as our 14 bipartisan co-sponsors, including members of this committee, Senators Marshall, Hassan, Hawley, Hickenlooper and Banks. Again, Mr. Chairman, I’m very grateful for your including this on the markup agenda, and I’m delighted that we’re going to report the bill today”

    +++

    In addition to Senators Collins, Smith, and King, the legislation is cosponsored by Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Dave McCormick (R-PA), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Jim Banks (R-IN), Peter Welch (D-VT), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), John Hickenlooper (D-CO).

    The complete text of the legislation can be read here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Applications open for 2026 On Farm Support Science Scholarships | NZ Government

    Source: NZ Ministry for Primary Industries

    A scholarship programme run by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has started producing the next generation of on-farm advisers to support farmers and growers.

    Ffion White was one of the inaugural recipients of the On Farm Support science scholarship and is now an intern with Ballance Agri-Nutrients in the Manawatū-Whanganui region.

    “I’m getting to work on-farm alongside Ballance’s nutrient specialists. My role is about helping farmers improve their soil, grow better quality pasture and crops, and become more productive and profitable,” Ms White says.

    “The scholarship was hugely beneficial. I had a mentor from MPI’s On Farm Support team who invited me to industry field days and events. It helped me meet people in the sector which came in handy when I started looking for a job.”

    Ms White, who completed a Bachelor of Agricultural Science at Massey University, is one of 4 scholarship recipients who have secured primary industry advisory roles. Another is Nerissa Edwards, who now works as a farm consultant with Feilding-based KS Agri.

    “Every day is different. I find it hugely rewarding working with farmers to create individual plans to drive improvements in on-farm efficiency, profitability, and sustainability,” Ms Edwards says.

    “The scholarship enabled me to build connections within the advisory sector. That led to a 6-month internship with KS Agri and eventually a role as a consultant.”

    MPI launched the On Farm Support science scholarships in 2023. MPI’s director of On Farm Support, Vanessa Winning, says applications are now open for next year’s scholarships.

    “Six scholarships, worth a total of $30,000, are on offer for the 2026 academic year to tertiary students enrolled in relevant agriculture, horticulture, science, or viticulture degrees,” Ms Winning says.

    “We’re seeking applications from students who have a genuine interest in pursuing a career in either the agriculture, horticulture, or viticulture advisory sector. Applicants must have completed their first year of study.”

    Ms Winning says there’s strong demand for on-farm advice backed by science and analysis that can support producers to adapt and improve business performance.

    “MPI is backing initiatives that support farmers and growers to sustainably boost productivity and profitability, helping to achieve the Government’s goal of doubling the value of exports by 2034,” Ms Winning says.

    Applications for the scholarships close on 15 September 2025.

    Find out more about the scholarships and eligibility criteria

    For further information and general enquiries, call MPI on 0800 008 333 or email info@mpi.govt.nz

    For media enquiries, contact the media team on 029 894 0328.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Just as NZ began collecting meaningful data on rainbow communities, census changes threaten their visibility

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lori Leigh, Research Fellow in Public Health, University of Otago

    Getty Images

    New Zealand’s 2023 census was the first to collect data on gender identity and sexual orientation, showing one in 20 adults identify as LGBTQIA+.

    But just as reports from this more inclusive census are being released, Minister of Statistics Shane Reti announced a change to existing administrative data collected by government departments as part of their normal business, scrapping a 150-year history of the census.

    Currently, there are no sources of administrative data that include adequate rainbow demographic markers such as sexual orientation, gender, transgender experience or variations of sex characteristics.

    Without high-quality data, the policy reforms needed to address underserved and historically marginalised populations become harder to make. How can we create evidence-based policy with no evidence?

    A snapshot of homelessness in rainbow communities

    The slogan of the 2023 census was “tatau tātou – all of us count”.

    Rainbow communities had been invisible in the census since its inception in 1851. The 2023 Census was a watershed moment, born out of decades of determined activism and advocacy from the community.

    For us, as housing and homelessness researchers, it was particularly important to finally have whole-of-population data about rates of homelessness among LGBTQIA+ communities. Data on housing showed rainbow communities pay higher rents, live in mouldier housing and move more frequently than non-rainbow communities.

    Adding LGBTQIA+ data to the census meant we were the first country in the world to have such data on the housing experiences of these communities. We were applauded internationally by colleagues who have long been wanting similar homelessness and rainbow data from their own national censuses.

    This data will be a great advocacy tool, but it is bittersweet that we will never have such information again.

    History of advocacy

    There is a nearly 50-year history of various community movements, from boycotts to activism, chronicling the queer struggle to be appropriately counted in the census.

    In 1981, a group of Wellington lesbians held a “dykecott” of the New Zealand census to protest their exclusion. This included sending blank census forms to the Human Rights Commission with various explanations essentially saying “no rights, no responsibilities.”

    Then, in the 1990s, the Wellington City Council’s lesbian and gay advisory group came together to lobby Stats NZ about the need for inclusive census data. In 1996, census forms were changed to be able to count same-sex partners.

    In 2002, the former editor of the New Zealand LGBTQIA+ magazine Express Victor van Wetering went so far as to lodge a formal complaint against Stats NZ, stating the agency was in clear breach of the Human Rights Act. He alleged it was failing to meet its statutory requirements.

    Stats NZ’s present and historical stance towards sexual orientation data amounts to a consistent denial that any imperative exists for it to develop a statistical picture of our queer communities. This statistical invisibility deprives queer communities of knowledge and power.

    Advocacy continued throughout the 2000s and 2010s, and in 2018, Stats NZ released their statistical standards for measuring sexual orientation. The possibility of inclusive census data started to become more of a reality.

    The decision to halt the census as we know it means there will be no longitudinal comparative data for rainbow communities. Just as the community has been allowed out of the statistical closet, people will be put back in.

    It had long been argued that accuracy of rainbow data would improve over subsequent censuses. Now we will never know what developments might have emerged.

    A short-lived win

    Community advocates and the Human Rights Commission continued to raise the lack of rainbow data collection at the population level.

    In 2020, the Human Rights Commission released a report which found New Zealand’s data collection processes fail to accurately count the country’s rainbow community members.

    Stats NZ had already started significant work to evaluate and update their sex and gender identity standards. Weeks after the report, the agency committed to what would become the 2023 census. Rainbow community groups applauded, felt finally listened to and called the shift a major win.

    After decades of advocacy, rainbow populations were finally counted in the 2023 Census.
    Instagram/Insideoutkoaro, CC BY-SA

    This sense of pride continues as reports and data are released from the census.

    Research and survey data consistently show rainbow communities in Aotearoa New Zealand experience multiple forms of discrimination. This includes violence, family rejection, bullying and social exclusion.

    These experiences contribute to disproportionately high rates of serious negative outcomes such as suicidality, health inequities, homelessness and substance use. Despite this, we continue to lack data comparing the experiences of rainbow communities with those of the general population.

    As a result, health and social disparities affecting LGBTQIA+ people are systematically under-recognised in government strategies and across health and social service systems. Efforts to address these inequities are also frequently under-resourced and inadequately prioritised.

    Former government statistician Len Cook said:

    There is no time over the past 50 years when the scope and quality of population statistics has been of such importance in public life in Aotearoa New Zealand as now.

    Scrapping the census is a cost-cutting exercise. But what is the real cost of losing data and which communities will disproportionately bear this cost? The decision renders LGBTQIA+ people, once again, invisible.

    Lori Leigh is affiliated with the Trans Health Research Network, Kawe Mahara Queer Archives Aotearoa and receives funding from MBIE’s Endeavour Fund programme as part of their work for the University of Otago, Wellington.

    Brodie Fraser is affiliated with the Trans Health Research Network and currently funded by two MBIE Endeavour Fund programmes, and has previously been funded by the Health Research Council and the University of Otago.

    – ref. Just as NZ began collecting meaningful data on rainbow communities, census changes threaten their visibility – https://theconversation.com/just-as-nz-began-collecting-meaningful-data-on-rainbow-communities-census-changes-threaten-their-visibility-261753

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: McConnell Comments on the Passing of Betty Lou Weddle

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Mitch McConnell

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) released the following statement today on the passing of Betty Lou Weddle of Liberty, Kentucky: 

    “Elaine and I were incredibly saddened to learn of the passing of our good friend in Casey County, Betty Lou Weddle. When I first sought my current office back in 1984, it was Betty Lou and her late husband, T.M., who took me around their community to meet voters and local leaders. We remained in close contact for the next four decades, and every time I visited Casey County, Betty Lou was always the first person I met with to discuss what mattered to her area. We worked together on the Central Kentucky Ag-Expo Center in Casey County – a project that reflects the hospitality, passion, and instinct for public service Betty Lou displayed throughout her life.

    “Betty Lou contributed her entire life to her Casey County home as a farmer, teacher, and community leader. She was deeply committed to her husband throughout their 68 years of marriage and raised two children, Tom and Linda, who have followed in her footsteps as public servants of the highest degree. I share my deepest condolences with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren and will hold the entire Weddle family in my prayers.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Health experts urge inquiry into tobacco industry influence after heated tobacco tax cut extended – Health Coalition

    Source: Health Coalition Aotearoa

    Health Coalition Aotearoa (HCA) is calling for a public inquiry and urging the Government to rethink its support for heated tobacco products (HTPs), following fresh revelations the Government extended a 50% tax cut on the products for two more years.
    Following on the heels of last week’s revelations about tobacco industry lobbying of politicians, Health Coalition Aotearoa is calling for a public inquiry into tobacco industry influence. HCA is also calling for the Prime Minister to reassign the tobacco and vaping portfolio away from NZ First.
    The heated tobacco products tax break was introduced last year-against the advice of government officials. They pointed out tobacco giant Philip Morris (who have a monopoly on heated tobacco products in Aotearoa New Zealand) would be the main beneficiary.
    “There’s no evidence heated tobacco products help people stop smoking, or that they’re significantly less harmful than cigarettes,” says Dr Jude Ball, Health Coalition Aotearoa spokesperson and University of Otago researcher.
    “Yet the Government, despite committing to a one-year trial, have extended the tax cut by two more years. This decision is favourable to the tobacco industry but not beneficial to public health.
    “This latest decision adds to a worrying trend of Government policy decisions that align with tobacco company interests.
    The Government’s approach to evaluating if heated tobacco products help people quit smoking is unclear. It is highly unusual for a Government to run a trial like this which, by cutting a tax on HTPs, helps the sole seller of heated tobacco products (Philip Morris) to increase their product sales. Especially if there is no evidence that product helps people to quit cigarettes.
    “Tobacco giant Phillip Morris are the sole beneficiaries of this tax cut. It’s a poor use of taxpayer dollars at a time when our health system is already stretched,” says Dr Ball.
    Health Coalition Aotearoa calls on the Government to act with urgency and leadership and:
    • Launch a public inquiry into tobacco industry influence on Government policy.
    • Strip NZ First of the tobacco and vaping portfolio.
    We also support the petition launched by Vape-Free Kids NZ calling on the Prime Minister to strip the tobacco and vaping portfolio from New Zealand First.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: ECE reform gives the sector rights and the regulator purpose

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Associate Education Minister David Seymour has introduced new legislation to set out the purpose of regulating early childhood education (ECE) and put the Education Review Office (ERO) in charge, instead of the Ministry of Education. 

    “The Bill will increase clarity and certainty. It will ensure the sector and parents know their rights when being regulated, and that the regulator knows its purpose when making regulations,” Mr Seymour says.

    “The new law’s first priority is child safety. It will also ensure that regulators should only put costs on parents if they’re necessary to achieve the goal. Critically, the purpose of regulating will be set out in law, as recommended by the Ministry for Regulation’s ECE Sector Review. 

    “Too many ECE providers are bogged down by confusing, overlapping rules and having to deal with too many government agencies. We’re changing that, so providers can spend less time on paperwork and more time looking after children.

    “The Ministry for Regulation went straight to the source and asked the sector what’s increasing costs and limiting competition. These changes are based on feedback from providers around the country who say they’ve been frustrated by unclear rules, conflicting advice from different agencies, and unnecessary red tape.   

    “Some centres told us they were being told one thing by one agency, and the opposite by another. That kind of confusion costs time and money and drives up costs for parents.   

    The Early Childhood Education Reform Bill will overhaul the current rules and regulations by: 

    • Making regulations clearer and more consistent, so providers know exactly what’s expected of them.
    • Creating a Director of Regulation to make sure the rules are applied fairly and consistently across the country. 

    “The Government will also shift licensing and certification and enforcement responsibilities from the Ministry of Education to the Education Review Office (ERO). From next year ECE providers will only have to deal with one regulator. The Ministry and ERO are working together to ensure a smooth transfer. 

    “The Director will be responsible for licensing, monitoring, and enforcing compliance in ECE, including investigating and prosecuting where necessary. They will handle complaints and incidents, while also providing support, information, and guidance to service providers, parents, and caregivers to help raise awareness of what quality early childhood education looks like. 

    The bill also establishes the following principles, which the Director must have regard to when carrying out their role:

    • the health, safety, and well-being of children receiving early childhood education is paramount:
    • the learning and development of those children is essential and supports their readiness to transition to school:   
    • the role of parents and caregivers in the early childhood education of their children is recognised and supported:   
    • principles of good regulatory practice, including decision-making that—
    • is risk-based, proportionate, fair, and transparent; and
    • avoids imposing unnecessary costs on parents, caregivers, and service providers. 

    “These reforms will make it easier to open and run high-quality centres, which means more choice and better access for parents. This is part of the Government’s wider commitment to smarter, more effective regulation that encourages growth,” says Mr Seymour. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: ECE reform gives the sector rights and the regulator purpose

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Associate Education Minister David Seymour has introduced new legislation to set out the purpose of regulating early childhood education (ECE) and put the Education Review Office (ERO) in charge, instead of the Ministry of Education. 

    “The Bill will increase clarity and certainty. It will ensure the sector and parents know their rights when being regulated, and that the regulator knows its purpose when making regulations,” Mr Seymour says.

    “The new law’s first priority is child safety. It will also ensure that regulators should only put costs on parents if they’re necessary to achieve the goal. Critically, the purpose of regulating will be set out in law, as recommended by the Ministry for Regulation’s ECE Sector Review. 

    “Too many ECE providers are bogged down by confusing, overlapping rules and having to deal with too many government agencies. We’re changing that, so providers can spend less time on paperwork and more time looking after children.

    “The Ministry for Regulation went straight to the source and asked the sector what’s increasing costs and limiting competition. These changes are based on feedback from providers around the country who say they’ve been frustrated by unclear rules, conflicting advice from different agencies, and unnecessary red tape.   

    “Some centres told us they were being told one thing by one agency, and the opposite by another. That kind of confusion costs time and money and drives up costs for parents.   

    The Early Childhood Education Reform Bill will overhaul the current rules and regulations by: 

    • Making regulations clearer and more consistent, so providers know exactly what’s expected of them.
    • Creating a Director of Regulation to make sure the rules are applied fairly and consistently across the country. 

    “The Government will also shift licensing and certification and enforcement responsibilities from the Ministry of Education to the Education Review Office (ERO). From next year ECE providers will only have to deal with one regulator. The Ministry and ERO are working together to ensure a smooth transfer. 

    “The Director will be responsible for licensing, monitoring, and enforcing compliance in ECE, including investigating and prosecuting where necessary. They will handle complaints and incidents, while also providing support, information, and guidance to service providers, parents, and caregivers to help raise awareness of what quality early childhood education looks like. 

    The bill also establishes the following principles, which the Director must have regard to when carrying out their role:

    • the health, safety, and well-being of children receiving early childhood education is paramount:
    • the learning and development of those children is essential and supports their readiness to transition to school:   
    • the role of parents and caregivers in the early childhood education of their children is recognised and supported:   
    • principles of good regulatory practice, including decision-making that—
    • is risk-based, proportionate, fair, and transparent; and
    • avoids imposing unnecessary costs on parents, caregivers, and service providers. 

    “These reforms will make it easier to open and run high-quality centres, which means more choice and better access for parents. This is part of the Government’s wider commitment to smarter, more effective regulation that encourages growth,” says Mr Seymour. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall’s Bill to Strengthen Employee Ownership in America Unanimously Passes Committee

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Washington – On Wednesday, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), released the following statement after the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) unanimously voted to advance the bipartisan Retire through Ownership Act. This bill provides legal and regulatory clarity, making the formation of new employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) easier and operating current ESOPs less burdensome.“Kansans are known for their work ethic, and they deserve a secure retirement following a lifetime of hard work,” said Senator Marshall. “Today, every Republican and Democrat member of the HELP Committee voted to advance my bipartisan legislation that will make it easier for Americans to save for the future and retire with confidence. I urge Congress to swiftly pass this legislation.”
    Read the full bill text here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall: The USDA is Coming to Kansas City

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Senator Marshall Questions Deputy Secretary of Agriculture About the USDA Reorganization
    Washington – On Wednesday, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), questioned Deputy Secretary of Agriculture,The Honorable Stephen Alexander Vaden, during a recent Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry hearing focused on the recently announced USDA reorganizational proposal.

    Click HERE or on the image above to watch Senator Marshall’s full exchange.
    Highlights from the hearing include: 
    On why the USDA relocation to Kansas City makes sense:
    Senator Marshall: “Mr. Vaden, welcome. Glad you’re here today. In your testimony, you were mentioning some of the advantages of moving to some of these communities. And I would just point out that you failed to mention that moving to Kansas City that suddenly you would have the advantage of being a Chiefs fan, rather than suffering through another year here with the Washington Commanders. You failed to mention, to be within an hour of the most storied basketball program in the nation, and just barely two hours away from the first land-grant university in America.
    “And I just would want to give you a chance to talk a little bit more. You think about the Kansas City Metro, within a two-hour drive of the Iowa State University, the Nebraska University, Missouri, Arkansas…. How far away is Auburn? Not too far. So, my point is, you know what? You can’t coach talent. You have to have talent, and within just miles of there, some of the greatest ag research in the world. How important is that to American agriculture to have, let alone the affordability issues you mentioned?”
    Deputy Secretary Vaden: “It’s vital. And I want to add to the mix, NBAF. We haven’t forgotten about that. You haven’t either. I know there’s some unfinished business left there. But when you think about the potential that facility has and the technology and level of research that can go on there that are vital for the future of American agriculture, you’ve pointed to many of the reasons why Kansas City also joined as one of our five hubs.
    “The Department put some thought into this. We want to spark that level of collaboration that you have noted, whether it be with our land grant and non-land grant university partners, whether it be with individual farmers, whether it be with the local Chamber of Commerce in an area that is driven and motivated, even though it may be in an urban setting, by agriculture.
    “I know that you’re well aware that the Federal Reserve has a location in Kansas City, and that we’re looking at the shape of the agricultural economy for inclusion in the Beige Book, so we look to what the Kansas City Fed has to say. USDA will be able to take advantage of all of these synergies, and not only Kansas City, but the other hubs that we have laid out.”
    On the USDA’s right to reinitiate the relocation process:
    Senator Marshall: “Over the past four years, it was reported that only 6% of USDA employees were in the office as well. And more and more, just a crescendo of complaints from my ag producers back home that they could work with their local FSA officer or their conservation officer, but then that report would get somehow clogged here in DC. I want to compliment the White House on the $10 billion that was appropriated in [the] spring; within days, my farmers had the help that they needed.
    “And then, more recently, I think it was a $16 billion, so something is working, right from a standpoint of customer services. And I just can’t help but think when you’re when you have people working for USDA out there, going to church, going to the soccer match, all those type of things with the local farmers and ranchers, is going to be a better service of wealth. So just talk about customer service, how that was going to be impacted by these people, the net, net moving out into the hinterlands, as we call it.”
    Deputy Secretary Vaden: “Well, I don’t consider it the hinterlands, I consider it home, Senator. But with regard to having more people in the field, we agree with you that we think the level of service will improve. Not only do we agree with you, even if we had a disagreement, the Congress has legislated on this point, and this is another matter that drove our consideration of this plan, and that’s looking at USDA reorganization authority, which was granted to us by the Congress in 1953.
    “And if you actually look at the statute, I’m a former judge, so I tend to look at statutes. What does the statute say? The statute says, in carrying out this law, quote, ‘the Secretary shall seek to simplify and make efficient the operation of the Department of Agriculture, to place the administration of farm programs close to the state and local levels,’ close quote from the statute. This is exactly what Congress intended: the maximum amount of USDA resources dedicated out in the field, not in Washington, D.C.”
    Senator Marshall: “Just want to make one last point, President Trump’s tariffs are working. He has made incredible trade deals that are going to open up markets that we never had access to before. We’ve never sold a cheeseburger in all of Europe. Ethanol: 40% of our corn crop goes to ethanol. Suddenly, the EU, UK, and all these countries are going to be buying ethanol as well. We’re seeing manufacturing jobs move back to this country because of these tariffs as well. American agriculture will benefit significantly from long-term trade. Agreements for long-term success as well, and we can’t wait to see what’s next coming out of the White House and the tariffs. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I yield back.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Government releases important review into the Over-Representation of First Nations People in the ACT Criminal Justice System

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

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

    Released 30/07/2025 – Joint media release

    The ACT Government has today released the Jumbunna Institute’s final report of its Independent Review into the Over-Representation of First Nations People in the ACT Criminal Justice System.

    This comprehensive report was commissioned by the ACT Government to help address this significant issue in our community.

    The ACT Government thanks the Jumbunna Institute for this extensive and comprehensive report.

    The review contains 99 recommendations that span across the spectrum of ACT Government, including corrective services, community supports, policing, courts and sentencing, the administration of bail, youth justice, child protection, and education.

    The recommendations range across numerous themes including the need to address systemic racism, improved access to data, increased First Nations involvement in governance structures, and increased accountability.

    It has also identified the need to build on and expand important government programs and services that already exist in youth justice, child protection, the Galambany Court, bail support, post-release support and detainee programs.

    The ACT Government remains committed to reducing the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in our justice system.

    As this review shows, this is a complex challenge that will require a whole-of-government and community approach.

    Given the large number of recommendations, we will now consider the review thoroughly before providing an interim response in September.

    In developing this report, the Jumbunna Institute undertook extensive consultation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members and organisations, as well as non-Aboriginal organisations with First Nations programs and staff.

    Key ACT Government stakeholders were also included in the consultation process, including ACT Policing, ACT Corrective Services, ACT Courts and Tribunal and the Education Directorate.

    There is a significant amount of evidence contained in the Final Report of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s lived experience and history. The ACT Government acknowledges the courage of those sharing their perspectives and experiences and is committed to hearing and responding to their contributions.

    Quotes attributable to Attorney-General Tara Cheyne:

    “This review provides an honest and critical assessment of how our justice system affects Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It reinforces the need to ensure that our laws, institutions and processes deliver justice fairly and equitably for everyone.

    “As Attorney-General, I take seriously the responsibility to lead reforms that uphold human rights, build public trust, and ensure better outcomes for First Nations people. I recognise this report lays bare that for change to occur, the recommendations need to be considered in totality and through their interconnectedness, and all parts and levels of Government need to share a commitment to achieving better outcomes. We will consider the recommendations in full and work closely with community and across government to deliver meaningful change.”

    Quotes attributable to Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, Suzanne Orr:

    “The over representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people within the justice system is one of the starkest examples of where our systems and institutions are failing.

    “While other states and territories may be walking back their commitments for justice reform this report is the start of the ACT walking with community to do much much more.”

    Quotes attributable to Minister for Education, Yvette Berry:

    “This report highlights the need for our education system to be a safe and supportive space for all students, and to ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students can thrive.

    “We are committed to embedding cultural safety, inclusive practices, and trauma-informed responses in our schools. Education must play a leading role in breaking cycles of disadvantage and ensuring every young person is supported to succeed.”

    Quotes attributable to Minister for Corrections and Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services, Marisa Paterson:

    “The over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in our justice system is unacceptable and must change. This report is an important reminder of work still to be done.”

    “ACT Corrective Services has already begun work to improve outcomes, but this review provides a valuable and necessary roadmap for deeper reform. I am committed to ensuring our correctional system is safe, culturally appropriate, and genuinely rehabilitative.”

    Quotes attributable to Minister for Children, Youth and Families, Michael Pettersson:

    “This report reinforces the urgent need to reduce the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people in the justice system.

    “We are committed to supporting initiatives to divert young people away from the system and providing a trauma informed and culturally safe response.”

    Quotes attributable to Chris Cunneen, Professor of Criminology at the Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research, University of Technology Sydney

    “Jumbunna has provided the ACT Government with a comprehensive blueprint for tackling the problem of First Nations over-representation in the criminal legal system.

    “Our report has practical recommendations for reform related to a range of matters involving child protection, youth justice, policing, bail, sentencing, the AMC and post-release support.

    “The report also has proposals aimed at more structural issues including addressing systemic racism and improving processes for First Nations decision-making and government accountability.

    “We particularly acknowledge the wide support and participation we received from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community in the ACT.”

    – Statement ends –

    Tara Cheyne, MLA | Suzanne Orr, MLA | Yvette Berry, MLA | Marisa Paterson, MLA | Michael Pettersson, MLA | Media Releases

    «ACT Government Media Releases | «Minister Media Releases

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Pharmac makes annual tender decisions

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Associate Education Minister David Seymour welcomes Pharmac’s decision to reduce the cost of some funded medicines to free up money for new medicines.

    “For many New Zealanders, funding for pharmaceuticals is life or death, or the difference between a life of pain and suffering or living freely,” Mr Seymour says.  

    “The annual tender helps us manage how much New Zealand spends on medicines by reducing the cost of those we already fund. This frees up money to fund new medicines.

    Annual tender changes allow Pharmac to free up between $30 million and $50 million annually. 

    “Each year, Pharmac invites suppliers to bid to be the main supplier of medicines that are no longer under patent,” Mr Seymour says.

    “Medicine patents typically last for 20 years from the date of filing. Once a patent expires the doors are opened to generic competition. Other manufacturers can apply to produce and sell products containing the previously patented active ingredient. Generic market competition drives the price of medicines down significantly. 

    “Where practicable, and once relevant groups are consulted on, Pharmac might change from some original brand-name product to generic alternatives. 

    “My expectation is that Pharmac should have good processes to ensure that people with an illness, their carers and family, can provide input to decision-making processes. This is part of the ACT-National Coalition Agreement. 

    “People should have the opportunity to share what the impact of brand changes would be for them, and what support would be required if there was a change to their current medicine. I expect all key groups to be involved in changes to funded medicine brands through the annual tender. 

    “Pharmac received significant feedback at the end of last year about a decision to move to Estradiol TDP Mylan as the only funded brand of oestradiol patch. The community let Pharmac know that they weren’t consulted enough on the original decision. 

    “Pharmac has learnt from this. They added an additional consultation step to the annual tender process to seek feedback when considering a medicine brand change. This patient-centric approach was taken in today’s decisions. 

    “Pharmac asked for feedback from people who use the medicines in the list below, as well as from healthcare professionals and advocacy groups. The feedback has helped Pharmac shape its decisions.

    “The decisions to add an additional consultation step on the annual tender process follows the appointment of Natalie McMurtry as the incoming Chief Executive, appointing a Consumer Working Group, publishing the Pharmac Consumer Engagement Workshop Report, and my letters of expectations, as positive steps towards a system which works for the people who rely on it.”

    Information onthe annual tender process can be found here: https://www.pharmac.govt.nz/news-and-resources/consultations-and-decisions/31-july-tender-notification

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –