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Category: Great Britain

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Spelthorne Borough Council: Letter to the Chief Executive (17 March 2025)

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Correspondence

    Spelthorne Borough Council: Letter to the Chief Executive (17 March 2025)

    Letter to the Chief Executive of Spelthorne Borough Council outlining the Secretary of State’s proposed intervention package announced on 17 March 2025.

    Applies to England

    Documents

    Spelthorne Borough Council: Letter to the Chief Executive (17 March 2025)

    PDF, 288 KB, 10 pages

    Details

    A copy of the letter from James Blythe, Deputy Director, Local Government Stewardship and Interventions at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to Spelthorne Borough Council Chief Executive, Daniel Mouawad, in response to the Inspectors’ Best Value Inspection report (January 2025).

    The letter sets out the findings of the report, the proposed statutory support package under section 15 of the Local Government Act 1999, including the appointment of Commissioners and invites representations on the proposal. All representations received on or before 28 March 2025 will be considered before ministers make their final decision.

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 March 2025

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    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Supporting people with Council Tax debt

    Source: Scottish Government

    Citizens Advice Scotland project expanded.

    People struggling with Council Tax arrears will have access to enhanced advice through the expansion of a Citizens Advice Scotland project.

    Backed by an additional £2.2 million in Scottish Government funding, the project provides tailored support to affected households and works with local authorities to support good practice in Council Tax debt collection.

    The project has already been delivered in nine local authority areas, where it has helped to promote dignified and empathetic approach to debt collection and supported more than 1,600 people with advice on Council Tax issues. This additional funding will allow the project to be extended across the whole country.

    Housing Minister Paul McLennan said:

    “Any type of debt, including council tax debt, puts pressure on households and can cause real difficulties for family finances. Empathy and dignity must be at the heart of debt support.

    “This project has already made a big difference to the way debts are collected in the local authorities where it is in place, including supporting people who cannot access digital technology, making connections with mental health services where needed and encouraging people to seek advice early.

    “By helping families manage debts, this project will help us deliver on our driving mission of eradicating child poverty. Other steps we are taking to support this include investing £6.9 billion in social security for the year ahead, £37 million to deliver the expand the free school meals programme, and continuing to put more money in families pockets through the Scottish Child Payment.” 

    Background

    Advice and support are available for people experiencing problem debt – Debt and money – Cost of Living Support Scotland

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Fun packed programme for kids during the Easter Holidays

    Source: Scotland – City of Perth

    Looking for a fun packed programme for the kids during the Easter holidays?

    Letham WAC have visits arranged to visit Westbank Woods the outdoor community woods, den building, learning about the environment and the creatures that live in it.

    There are lots of ‘Spring Activities’ including arts and crafts, planting bulbs, spring hunt around the school grounds.

    Science activities – find out how to make a rainbow using different scientific experiments. Throughout the holidays there will be lots of Easter arts and crafts, sports, outdoor play and baking throughout the holidays.

    Come along and have lots of “Fun and Do Stuff”

    To book a place at this holiday service or any of the PKC holiday services please visit Kids clubs and wraparound care services – Opening times, booking places, costs and holidays.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Just two weeks to go for many businesses to submit 2024 packaging data for pEPR

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Just two weeks to go for many businesses to submit 2024 packaging data for pEPR

    Obligated businesses must submit 2024 packaging data by 1 April 2025 under new extended producer responsibility for packaging (pEPR) scheme

    There are now just two weeks to go for businesses to submit 2024 packaging data under the new extended producer responsibility for packaging (pEPR) scheme. 

    Under legislation which came into force on 1 January 2024, large organisations must submit their July-December 2024 data by 1 April. 

    Small organisations must submit their January-December 2024 data in one annual submission by 1 April. 

    In addition, all obligated organisations, large and small, must also register with their environmental regulator by the same date. Guidance on how to register can be found here. 

    The data producers provide will be crucial in helping to ensure fees are set at an appropriate level.

    The Government is grateful to all those in industry who have engaged closely with pEPR and already submitted extensive data, helping to finetune the policy. If obligated packaging producers have neither reported their data nor registered, they could face enforcement action.

    To check whether they need to report packaging data, businesses should visit EPR: who is affected and what to do and, if necessary, follow the online instructions to access the new Report Packaging Data service. 

    pEPR will move the cost of dealing with household packaging waste away from taxpayers onto the businesses who produce the packaging.  

    It will incentivise businesses to reduce unnecessary packaging and use more recycled and recyclable packaging, leading to less waste to landfill and reducing the release of damaging CO2 emissions. 

    Dr Margaret Bates, head of the UK pEPR scheme administrator PackUK, said:

    The need for an effective pEPR scheme that shifts the cost of managing household packaging waste to producers has never been more critical. 

    We urge all businesses to check their obligations under pEPR and to report their data and register with environment regulators by 1 April. 

    Together, we will deliver a fair and collaborative scheme that addresses the challenges of packaging waste and lays the foundation for a more sustainable and responsible approach to packaging.

    If a firm or a member of the public suspects a business is not complying with the regulations, they should report this to the regulators by contacting them directly via the details listed below.  

    To report via a 24-hour telephone service, call 0800 80 70 60 for England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and 0300 065 3000 for Wales. All reports are treated with strict confidentiality, with the option to report anonymously.

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Radical action plan to cut red tape and kickstart growth

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Radical action plan to cut red tape and kickstart growth

    The Chancellor will meet top regulator bosses in Downing Street today (Monday 17 March) as she unveils an action plan to deliver on the pledge to cut the administrative cost of regulation on business by a quarter, make Britain the best place to do business and drive economic growth.

    • Chancellor meets regulators in Downing Street as she unveils action plan to cut red tape as part of Plan for Change to kickstart economic growth.

    • Radical shake up will boost infrastructure building by simplifying guidance to protect bat habitats that blocks vital new homes and infrastructure.

    • Business to save billions as more regulators are axed and core legal duties are streamlined.

    • Action plan comes alongside 60 growth-boosting measures from watchdogs designed to make it easier to do business in the UK and delivers on the Prime Minister’s pledge to cut administration costs for businesses by a quarter.

    The radical shake up will cut costly red tape that fails to deliver for local communities, such as hundreds of pages of guidance on protecting bat habitats – which goes far beyond legal requirements, needlessly costs businesses money and slows down planning decisions for major infrastructure projects.  

    A streamlined process for environmental regulations will also be put in place for major projects. This could include Lower Thames Crossing, subject to planning approval, as well as future schemes like Heathrow expansion. The new system will require just one point of contact and will end the merry-go-round of developers seeking planning approvals from multiple authorities who often disagree with each other.  

    This Action Plan will save businesses across the country billions of pounds by cutting the number of regulators, streamlining their core legal duties and cracking down on complexity in the regulatory system. 

    The Plan comes after the Prime Minister set out his vision for a more lean and agile state in a speech last week, abolishing the world’s biggest quango – NHS England – to scrap duplication and give more power and tools to local leaders so they can better deliver for their communities. The Prime Minister and Chancellor are clear that regulators must work for the people of Britain, not get in the way of progress.  

    Following weeks of intense negotiations, watchdogs have signed up to 60 growth boosting measures – including:  

    • Fast-tracking new medicines to market through a new pilot to provide parallel authorisations from key healthcare regulators, so that patients can access the medicine they need quicker;

    • Attracting more investment from international financial services firms by setting up a bespoke ‘concierge service’ to help them get to grips with UK regulations, making it easier to do business in the UK;

    • Paving the way for package deliveries by drone, as the Civil Aviation Authority permits at least two more large drone-flying trials in the coming months – which have already helped cut travel times for blood samples from 30 minutes down to 2 minutes between hospitals – and streamlines the regulatory process for manufacturing drones;

    • Allowing families to manage their spending safely as the Financial Conduct Authority reviews contactless payment limits, including the £100 cap on individual payments, while speeding up queues at checkout.

    • Support for homeownership as the Financial Conduct Authority simplifies mortgage lending rules, including making it easier to re-mortgage with a new lender and reduce mortgage terms.

    • Helping start-ups secure funding to grow through the Financial Conduct Authority issuing more notices where they are likely to approve applications from budding entrepreneurs.

    The government will continue to work closely with regulators to ensure they are regulating for growth, not just risk. Cabinet Ministers will report back to the Chancellor in the summer with further suggestions for streamlining the regulatory landscape and better regulation will be a key part of the upcoming Modern Industrial Strategy.    

    Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said: 

    “The world is changing and that’s why we must go further and faster to deliver on our Plan for Change to kickstart economic growth. Today we are taking further action to free businesses from the shackles of regulation. By cutting red tape and creating a more effective system, we will boost investment, create jobs and put more money into working people’s pockets.”  

    Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said: 

    “Unnecessary regulation chokes competition and stifles business – that’s why we’re taking action to unleash industry right across the UK to go for growth.  

    “With a regulatory system that encourages innovation and economic growth combined with our Industrial Strategy, our Plan for Change can make the UK the best place to startup, invest and thrive.”  

    Further pro-business measures announced today include cutting red tape that blocks new housing and infrastructure.  

    It should not be the case that to convert a garage or outbuilding you need to wade through hundreds of pages of guidance on bats.  Environmental guidance, including on protecting bats, will be looked at afresh. Natural England has agreed to review and update their advice to Local Planning Authorities on bats to ensure there is clear, proportionate and accessible advice available.  

    We will make it simpler and faster for projects to agree environmental permits, in some case removing them altogether for low-risk and temporary projects, putting an end to delays that can slow down decisions needed to get spades in the ground. Combined with the appointment of a single lead environmental regulator, this will speed up approvals and save businesses millions in time and resource.    The government will also consult on allowing regulators to be more agile in making sensible decisions on which low-risk activities should be exempt from environmental permits. This will allow them to focus on high-impact, high-priority areas, such as low-carbon infrastructure – while ensuring nature protections are not weakened.    

    These come alongside action to crack down on complexity in the UK regulatory system, with the Chancellor promising to significantly cut the number of regulators by the end of the Parliament to reduce overlap.    

    Regulators will be summoned for performance reviews twice a year from the relevant Secretary of State and will be judged against a set of targets agreed with the businesses they affect, which could how quickly they make decision on planning applications and new licenses for businesses and products. The regulators will immediately begin discussing these targets with businesses and publish them by June. 

    Following the decision to primarily consolidate the Payment Systems Regulator into the Financial Conduct Authority, the Regulator for Community Interest Companies will be folded into Companies House to avoid duplicative disclosure requirements for companies which provide a benefit to their community. Cabinet ministers will report back to the Chancellor by the summer with further suggestions to cut numbers and create a more effective system.  

    Major regulators will also have their legal duties slimmed down, so that they do not waste time satisfying redundant duties that do not align with their core purpose or the public’s priorities. This work will begin with the financial services regulators, energy watchdog Ofgem, water regulator Ofwat and the Office for Road and Rail.  

    The Treasury will also explore ways to streamline financial services regulators’ ‘have regards’ to improve predictability and business confidence. The role of the Financial Ombudsman Service will also be reviewed to ensure that it is acting as an impartial service that provides quick and predictable resolutions to disputes – not as a quasi-regulator.   

    The new system will also support businesses to innovate instead of putting obstacles in the way, led by Lord Willetts as Chair of the Regulatory Innovation Office (RIO). The RIO works with businesses and regulators to embed a pro-innovation regulatory system that enables ground-breaking new technologies to reach the market quicker.   

    The RIO is focused on ensuring regulation supports transformative applications of emerging technologies, for example using AI to improve the efficiency and accuracy of radiology reporting, and the use of engineering biology by world leading UK companies developing innovative foods like lab grown meats.  

    Stakeholder quotes: 

    Rain Newton-Smith, CEO of the CBI, said:   

    “The UK’s Gordian knot of regulations hinders investment with compliance costs that are too high, leaving us trailing the international competition. Today’s announcement signals a shift towards a more proportionate, outcomes based approach that should deliver more sustainable growth and investment.  

    “Smart, proportionate regulation could be the UK’s international calling card once more, bringing confidence and easing the burden on many sectors.   

    “This announcement builds on the welcome commitment from the Prime Minister to reduce the thicket of regulation, and it is critical that this approach is reflected across the board including finding a landing zone for the Employment Rights Bill that supports growth, investment, and jobs.” 

    Irene Graham OBE, CEO of the ScaleUp Institute, said: 

    “It is excellent to see the Government turning its Plan for Change into real practical action. 

    “Scaling businesses have long cited infrastructure constraints and regulatory hurdles as hampering their growth. The practical initiatives set out in this Action Plan on planning reforms, the fast tracking, simplifying and streamlining of regulatory approvals and processes, and the emergence of concierge services should collectively have a significant impact in propelling the growth of these innovative firms forward across every sector and local economy.  

    “We look forward to continuing to work with the government on the next steps of this pro-growth regulatory agenda.” 

    David Postings, Chief Executive of UK Finance, said: 

    “We need a regulatory environment that supports investment and is internationally competitive. I’ve been delighted to see the progress already made by government and regulators, who are listening to the ideas put forward by UK Finance and industry and taking bold action. Today’s announcement builds on that progress, most notably reviewing how the Financial Ombudsman Service operates. It currently acts as a quasi-regulator, which was not the original intention, and addressing this issue is a key one for our sector. I look forward to continuing to work with the government to ensure financial services helps deliver growth up and down the country.” 

    Debbie Crosbie, CEO of Nationwide, said: 

    “I welcome the government’s decisive action to deliver better regulation. Clear and predictable rules will help firms focus on growth and innovation for the benefit of consumers. The target to reduce the administrative cost of regulation by 25% could make a meaningful difference to the regulatory burden and economic growth.”  

    Craig Beaumont, Executive Director of the Federation of Small Businesses, said: 

    “Today’s announcement shows the Chancellor is willing to put in the hard yards to let businesses do what they do best. Business owners are not bureaucrats. The delays, time wasting and sheer stress from having to handle layers of poorly designed regulation makes it harder and harder for small businesses to grow, generate jobs and provide for their customers. 

    “Every month a project might be delayed makes it harder to go ahead, and every second wasted on unnecessary forms is time away from business, staff and family. We have made clear recommendations to CEOs of the regulators visiting No.10 today, to transform regulation so they help, not hinder, small business growth and investment.  This is a necessary pre-condition for increasing living standards, building a stronger economy and creating new jobs.” 

    Shevaun Haviland, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce, said: 

    “This is an eye-catching package of measures which has a real potential to speed up decision-making and give businesses more certainty. 

    “Changes that would fast-track major infrastructure projects, such as the Lower Thames Crossing and Heathrow expansion, are especially welcome. 

    “Over half of firms tell us they are planning to raise prices, and with fresh uncertainty around tariffs, a 25 percent cut in the cost of regulation would be very welcome.” 

    Notes to editors 

    • The Action Plan can be found here. This sets out the strategic vision and actions that will be taken to create a regulatory system that drives growth while continuing to protect millions of people.

    • Regulators in attendance at the meeting:

    • Financial Conduct Authority

    • Prudential Regulation Authority

    • Environment Agency

    • Natural England

    • Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency

    • Health and Safety Executive

    • Information Commissioner’s Office

    • The Regulatory Innovation Office

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: First meeting of Great British Energy board members

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    First meeting of Great British Energy board members

    Inaugural meeting of the Great British Energy start-up board takes place in Aberdeen to drive the UK’s clean energy future.

    • Great British Energy start-up board meet for the first time in Aberdeen 

    • Publicly owned company will drive forward the government’s Plan for Change and clean energy superpower mission, backed by £8.3 billion  

    Great British Energy’s start-up board members will meet in Aberdeen today (Monday 17 March) to discuss scaling up the company and kickstarting investments, to deliver the government’s Plan for Change and clean energy superpower mission. 

    Great British Energy is owned by the British people, for the British people, and will own and invest in clean energy projects across the UK to create good, skilled jobs and growth.    

    Energy Minister Michael Shanks will convene the meeting alongside Start-up Chair Juergen Maier and interim CEO Dan McGrail to discuss next steps for the organisation and building up an investment portfolio that will return a profit for the British people. 

    Great British Energy has already begun engaging with the market on potential collaborations to ensure it can quickly start delivering for the British taxpayer once it is fully established, backed by £8.3 billion over this Parliament.  

    Energy Minister Michael Shanks said: 

    We now have a fantastic team in place to lead Great British Energy and establish the company in Aberdeen. 

    By unlocking homegrown clean power projects, Great British Energy will support thousands of well-paid jobs in Scotland and across the country, and deliver energy security for the British people. 

    Today’s meeting of the new board members marks another step forward for the company as it gears up to make its first investments. 

    Great British Energy Start-up Chair Juergen Maier said: 

    We are working on a plan to invest in and deliver homegrown clean power, supporting the next generation of energy jobs.  

    We are already engaging with industry on exciting investment opportunities so we can hit the ground running once Great British Energy is fully established. 

    Together we will back British innovation and support the creation of thousands of jobs in clean energy projects and their supply chains in the North East of Scotland alone. 

    Interim Great British Energy CEO Dan McGrail said: 

    Great British Energy is perfectly placed to take advantage of the clean energy revolution for the benefit of the British people. As I take up post as interim CEO today, I’m pleased to bring our new board members together in Aberdeen to discuss our plans to invest in secure, homegrown clean power – unleashing jobs and crowding in private investment. 

    It follows the appointment of the interim CEO, five non-executive directors, and chair to the company’s start-up board. On Tuesday 18 March, Juergen Maier will convene a skills roundtable to work with industry to help oil and gas workers in north-east Scotland access opportunities in clean energy jobs. The roundtable is due to be attended by organisations including Skills Development Scotland, Scottish Trades Union Congress, Green Free Ports Cromarty and Leith, ETZ Ltd and Aberdeen & Grampian Chambers of Commerce.  

    Background

    Great British Energy start-up board members include: 

    • Chair of Great British Energy Juergen Maier 

    • Interim CEO of Great British Energy Dan McGrail 

    • Minister for Energy Michael Shanks 

    • Non-Executive Directors of Great British Energy: 

    • Frances O’Grady  

    • Frank Mitchell  

    • Kate Gilmartin  

    • Dr. Nina Skorupska CBE FEI  

    • Valerie Todd CBE

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Investing in renewables revolution

    Source: Scottish Government

    £10 million planned for Port of Nigg project.

    Public investment is planned for a major redevelopment project at Port of Nigg in the Highlands.

    Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has approved up to £10 million to support development of the port’s Inner East Quay, which will result in the creation of a new heavy-duty quayside and the introduction of roll-on roll-off capability.

    The project, which is subject to formal approval by Global Energy Nigg Limited, will increase capacity and capabilities at the port, attracting new companies and investment while supporting operations across the country’s growing offshore wind operations.

    HIE’s investment forms part of the Scottish Government’s commitment to strategically invest up to £500m over five years to anchor the nation’s offshore wind supply chain.

    Port of Nigg is recognised by developers as a prime location for the manufacturing and assembly of offshore wind components and has a significant track record within Scotland’s offshore wind industry, having managed over 3.5GW of assets through the facility.

    In 2024, high voltage cable manufacturer Sumitomo Electric Power Cables Ltd chose to establish a £350 million high voltage cable manufacturing facility in the area – with Nigg serving as the primary export facility.

    Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said:

    “This is a prime example of how we and our enterprise agencies are focused on stimulating investment and targeting projects that will in turn act as a catalyst to further investment, jobs and opportunities.

    “Given its location and being part of Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport, The Port of Nigg is strategically important to the growth and success of the offshore wind sector. An investment of this nature sends a clear signal to investors that Scotland is open for business, and the Scottish Government and our partners stand ready to help unleash the enormous economic benefits of our offshore wind industry.”

    HIE’s director of strategic projects David Oxley, said:

    “Our support for this project is about keeping the UK and the Highlands and Islands region at the forefront of the energy sector, particularly renewable energy, and strengthening our international competitiveness.

    “There are many obvious benefits for the region’s economy and job creation. I’m delighted we’ve been able to facilitate further Scottish Government funding and look forward to continuing our collaboration with our public sector partners and industry as the project develops.”

    Chairman of Global Energy Group Roy MacGregor, said:

    “We welcome this significant investment from HIE and the Scottish Government, which reinforces their commitment to strengthening Scotland’s offshore wind supply chain. Since acquiring Nigg in 2011, we have invested more than £120 million in transforming the facility into a world-class offshore wind superhub, ensuring it remains at the forefront of the energy transition.

    “Today, renewables account for half of our revenue at both GEG and Nigg, underlining the critical role this sector plays in our business and the wider economy. Strategically positioned to support Scotland’s future offshore wind projects through ScotWind and INTOG, Nigg will drive sustainable job creation and long-term economic prosperity for the Highlands.”

    Background

    This project is being led by Global Energy Nigg Limited, a subsidiary of Global Energy Group (which acquired the Port of Nigg in 2011) and the agreed HIE funding is subject to formal approval by the company.

    The Port of Nigg project is expected to create around five jobs directly while supporting more than a hundred downstream at Nigg in further supply chain activity at the port.

    Sumitomo’s decision to base a facility in Scotland was secured with £24.5 million investment from the Scottish Government, HIE and Scottish Enterprise and is expected to create around 330 jobs over the next 10 year

    Recent investments made as part of the Scottish Government’s commitment of up to £500 million include:

    Scottish Ministers will host a Global Offshore Wind Investment Forum today as part of a Green Industrial Strategy commitment to raise the profile of Scotland as a destination for capital investment.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: 4BIO Capital Portfolio Company Araris Biotech to be Acquired by Taiho Pharmaceutical for up to USD 1.14 billion

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Press Release

    4BIO Capital Portfolio Company Araris Biotech to be Acquired by Taiho Pharmaceutical for up to USD 1.14 billion

    • Araris will receive USD 400 million upfront, with the potential for additional near-term and long-term milestone payments of up to USD 740 million
    • 4BIO Capital led the Series A in 2022, following its first investment in the Seed in 2020

    London, United Kingdom, 17 March 2025 – 4BIO Capital (“4BIO” or “the Group”), an international venture capital firm unlocking the treatments of the future by investing in advanced therapies and other emerging technologies, today announces that its portfolio company, Araris Biotech AG (“Araris” or “the Company”), a Swiss oncology biotech company developing next-generation antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) has entered into an agreement to be acquired by Taiho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd (“Taiho Pharmaceutical”). The acquisition follows a research collaboration between Taiho Pharmaceutical and Araris signed in November 2023 and is expected to be completed in the first half of 2025.

    Under the terms of the agreement, Taiho Pharmaceutical will pay a USD 400 million upfront, with the potential for additional milestone payments of up to USD 740 million, and for a total amount of up to USD 1.14 billion.

    Araris has been an investment out of 4BIO Capital Fund II, and the 4BIO team is proud to have actively supported the fast development and acquisition since the initial investment in 2020. In early 2020, 4BIO Capital recognised the significant potential of next-generation ADCs, however came to the conclusion that linker technologies needed to be improved to take the field to the next level. The 4BIO team subsequently identified Araris as the best-in-class linker-payload ADC platform to address the shortcomings of current generation ADCs. The Company’s AraLinQ™ technology enables the attachment of multiple, synergistic cancer-fighting payloads to a single antibody in an efficient one-step process, whilst ensuring long-term stability and safety of the resulting ADC, as well as increased antitumour effect compared to conventional ADCs. 4BIO Capital supported the company in the development of AraLinQ™ and its proprietary pipeline, leading its Series A in 2022 and supporting the company through multiple large pharma partnerships both as an investor and from the Board with Managing Partner Dima Kuzmin as Chairman, and Brian McVeigh and Dr Therese Liechtenstein as Board Observers.

    Araris is advancing three products for the treatment of haematological and solid tumours developed using its unique AraLinQ™ technology, all of which are currently in the preclinical stage. These products are anticipated to enter into clinical trials between 2025 and 2026 and will benefit from Taiho Pharmaceutical’s clinical development expertise.

    Dr Dmitry (Dima) Kuzmin, Managing Partner at 4BIO Capital and Chairman of Araris, commented, “The success of Araris is a perfect example of the 4BIO Capital playbook. We identified the technological hurdle that needed to be overcome to empower an up-and-coming drug class, identified the best science and the people to solve it and, alongside Araris’ management team, supported the company to secure multiple pharma partnerships, develop its own pipeline and now become part of the Taiho group. This acquisition confirms Araris’ position as one of the most exciting ADC companies in the market and has the potential to return over two times the fund to 4BIO Ventures II investors, further validating our science-driven, high conviction seed investment strategy.”

    Dr Dragan Grabulovski, Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Araris added, “We sincerely appreciate the support of Dima and the entire team at 4BIO in shaping our company, advancing our science, and helping us reach this important milestone. It’s the kind of investor that brings not only money to the table but also valuable strategic guidance, a network of industry connections, and a shared vision for transforming cancer treatment. Araris has developed a unique ADC technology that delivers different cancer-fighting drugs directly to tumours with high precision. This approach allows multiple treatment methods to work together at the same time while reducing harmful side effects. We are excited to join forces with Taiho Pharmaceutical whose deep expertise in oncology will be instrumental in accelerating the clinical development of our promising ADC candidates for both haematological and solid tumours.”

    Philippe Fauchet OBE, Venture Partner at 4BIO Capital added, “We are delighted to see a seed investment we made in Europe find a skilled partner in a pioneering Japanese pharma company and are very happy to have facilitated the closer partnership. This deal further validates our strategy of building strong bridges between the Japanese and European biotech and pharma companies, which we believe will bring significant benefits to both ecosystems.”

    Details of the acquisition can be found in the press release from Araris and Taiho Pharmaceutical here.

    – End –

    Contacts

    4BIO Capital +44 (0) 203 427 5500
    info@4biocapital.com
       
    ICR Healthcare
    Amber Fennell, Jonathan Edwards, Kris Lam    		 +44 (0)20 3709 5700
    4biocapital@icrhealthcare.com

    About 4BIO Capital

    4BIO Capital (“4BIO”) is an international venture capital firm focused on investing in advanced therapies, including genomic medicines and other emerging technologies, to unlock the treatments of the future. 4BIO’s objective is to invest in, support, and grow early-stage companies developing treatments in areas of high unmet medical need, with the ultimate goal of ensuring access to these potentially curative therapies for all patients. Specifically, it looks for viable, high-quality opportunities in cell and gene therapy, RNA-based therapy, targeted therapies, and the microbiome. The 4BIO team comprises leading advanced therapy scientists and experienced life science investors who have collectively published over 250 scientific articles in prestigious academic journals including Nature, The Lancet, Cell, and the New England Journal of Medicine. 4BIO has both an unrivalled network within the advanced therapy sector and a unique understanding of the criteria that define a successful investment opportunity in this space. For more information, connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter @4biocapital and visit www.4biocapital.com.

    About Araris Biotech AG

    Araris Biotech is a leading independent company pioneering the future of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and redefining the entire paradigm of targeted cancer therapy and beyond. Araris’ vision is a world without chemotherapy and its proprietary conjugation and groundbreaking multi-payload technology represents a quantum leap forward in ADC design, enabling the transformation of any antibody into an ADC with the goal of better safety and efficacy. By enabling the attachment of multiple, synergistic cancer-fighting payloads to a single antibody in an efficient one-step process, Araris is creating a new generation of smart missiles that deliver the potency of combination chemotherapy in a targeted fashion in order to tackle the persistent challenges of cancer resistance. Araris’ investors include 4BIO Capital, b2venture, Pureos Bioventures, Redalpine, Schroders Capital, VI Partners, Wille AG, Institute for Follicular Lymphoma Innovation and Samsung Ventures.

    For more information about our science and pipeline, please visit https://www.ararisbiotech.com

    About Taiho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

    Taiho Pharmaceutical, a subsidiary of Otsuka Holdings Co., Ltd. (https://www.otsuka.com/en/), is an R&D-driven specialty pharma focusing on the fields of oncology and immune-related diseases. Its corporate philosophy takes the form of a pledge: “We strive to improve human health and contribute to a society enriched by smiles.” In the field of oncology, in particular, Taiho Pharmaceutical is known as a leading company in Japan for developing innovative medicines for the treatment of cancer, a reputation that is rapidly expanding through their extensive global R&D efforts. In areas other than oncology, as well, the company creates and markets quality products that effectively treat medical conditions and can help improve people’s quality of life. Always putting customers first, Taiho Pharmaceutical also aims to offer consumer healthcare products that support people’s efforts to lead fulfilling and rewarding lives. For more information about Taiho Pharmaceutical, please visit https://www.taiho.co.jp/en/

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Japanese encephalitis has claimed a second life in NSW and been detected in Brisbane. What is it?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cameron Webb, Clinical Associate Professor and Principal Hospital Scientist, University of Sydney

    encierro/Shutterstock

    A second man has died from Japanese encephalitis virus in New South Wales on March 6, the state’s health authorities confirmed on Friday. Aged in his 70s, the man was infected while holidaying in the Murrumbidgee region.

    This follows the death of another man in his 70s in Sydney last month, after holidaying in the same region in January.

    Japanese encephalitis virus has also been detected for the first time in mosquitoes collected in Brisbane’s eastern suburbs, Queensland health authorities confirmed on Saturday.

    With mosquito activity expected to increase thanks to flooding rains brought by Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, it’s important to protect yourself from mosquito bites.

    What is Japanese encephalitis virus?

    Japanese encephalitis is one of the most serious diseases that spreads via mosquitoes, with around 68,000 cases annually across Southeast Asia and Western Pacific regions.

    The virus is thought to be maintained in a cycle between mosquitoes and waterbirds. Mosquitoes are infected when they feed from an infected waterbird. They then pass the virus to other waterbirds. Sometimes other animals, and people, can be infected.

    Pigs are also a host, and the virus has spread through commercial piggeries in Victoria, NSW and Queensland. (But it poses no food safety risk.)

    Feral pigs and other animals can also play a role in transmission cycles.

    What are the symptoms?

    Most people infected show no symptoms.

    People with mild cases may have a fever, headache and vomiting.

    In more serious cases – about one in 250 people infected – people may have neck stiffness, disorientation, drowsiness and seizures. Serious illness can have life-long neurological complications and, in some cases, the infection can be life-threatening.

    There’s no specific treatment for the disease.

    When did Japanese encephalitis get to Australia and why is it in Brisbane?

    Outbreaks of Japanese encephalitis had occurred in the Torres Strait during the 1990s. The virus was also detected in the Cape York Peninsula in 1998.

    There had been no evidence of activity on the mainland since 2004 but everything changed in the summer of 2021–22. Japanese encephalitis virus was detected in commercial piggeries in southeastern Australia during that summer.

    This prompted the declaration of a Communicable Disease Incident of National Significance. At the time, flooding accompanying the La Niña-dominated weather patterns and a resulting boom in mosquito numbers, and waterbird populations, was thought responsible.

    The virus has spread in subsequent years and has been detected in the mosquito and arbovirus surveillance programs as well as detection in feral pigs and commercial piggeries in most states and territories. Only Tasmania has remained free of Japanese encephalitis virus.

    Human cases of infection have also been reported. There were more than 50 cases of disease and seven deaths in 2022.

    Cases of Japanese encephalitis have already been reported from Queensland in 2025.

    Due to concern about Japanese encephalitis virus and other mosquito-borne pathogens, health authorities around Australia have expanded and enhanced their surveillance programs.

    In Queensland, this includes mosquito monitoring at a number of locations, including urban areas of southeast Queensland. Mosquitoes collected in this monitoring program tested positive for Japanese encephalitis virus, promoting the current health warnings.

    Why is its detection in Brisbane important?

    Up to now, scientists have thought the risk of Japanese encephalitis was likely greatest following seasons of above-average rainfall or flooding. This provides ideal conditions for waterbirds and mosquitoes.

    But the activity of Japanese encephalitis virus over the summer of 2024–25 has taken many scientists by surprise. Before Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred arrived, there had been somewhat dry conditions with less waterbird activity and low mosquito numbers in many regions of eastern Australia.

    However there has still been widespread Japanese encephalitis virus activity in Victoria, NSW and Queensland.

    To date, Japanese encephalitis virus activity hasn’t extended to the coastal regions of southeast Queensland. The detection of the virus in suburban Brisbane may require authorities to rethink exactly where the virus may turn up next. Authorities are ramping up their surveillance to see just how widespread the virus is in the region.

    Health authorities and scientists are also trying to understand how the virus moved from western areas of the state to the coast and what drives virus transmission in different regions.

    There is currently no evidence the virus is active in coastal regions of northern NSW.

    Mosquitoes collected in Brisbane have tested positive for Japanese encephalitis virus.
    A/Prof Cameron Webb (NSW Health Pathology)

    What can people do to protect themselves?

    Avoiding mosquito bites is the best way to reduce the risk of Japanese encephalitis virus.

    Cover up with long-sleeved shirts and long pants for a physical barrier against mosquito bites.

    Use topical insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus. Be sure to apply an even coat on all exposed areas of skin for the longest-lasting protection.

    Ensure any insect screens on houses, tents and caravans are in good repair and reduce the amount of standing water in the backyard. The more water there is around your home, the more opportunities for mosquitoes there are.

    A safe and effective vaccine is available against Japanese encephalitis. Each state and territory health authority (for example Queensland, NSW, Victoria) have specific recommendations about access to vaccinations.

    It may take many weeks following vaccination to achieve sufficient protection, so prioritise reducing your exposure to bites in the meantime.

    Cameron Webb and the Department of Medical Entomology, NSW Health Pathology and University of Sydney, have been engaged by a wide range of insect repellent and insecticide manufacturers to provide testing of products and provide expert advice on medically important arthropods, including mosquitoes. Cameron has also received funding from local, state and federal agencies to undertake research into various aspects of management of various medically important arthropods.

    Andrew van den Hurk has received funding from local, state and federal agencies to study the ecology of mosquito-borne pathogens, and their surveillance and control. He is an employee of the Department of Health, Queensland government.

    – ref. Japanese encephalitis has claimed a second life in NSW and been detected in Brisbane. What is it? – https://theconversation.com/japanese-encephalitis-has-claimed-a-second-life-in-nsw-and-been-detected-in-brisbane-what-is-it-252373

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: New board to lead NSW Aboriginal Languages Trust to 2030

    Source: New South Wales Premiere

    Published: 17 March 2025

    Released by: Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Treaty

    A new board has been appointed to lead the vital work of the NSW Aboriginal Languages Trust over the next five years. 

    The independent board is responsible for guiding the trust to revitalise, strengthen and celebrate Aboriginal languages in NSW.

    The Aboriginal Languages Trust was established in 2020 under the Aboriginal Languages Act 2017.

    This legislation recognises the importance of Aboriginal languages and establishes mechanisms and investment to help strengthen them.

    The growth and strengthening of Aboriginal languages and culture is a key outcome for Closing the Gap, a national commitment to improve outcomes for Aboriginal people.

    The inaugural board, appointed for a five-year term in February 2020, has strengthened Aboriginal language revitalisation efforts in NSW, guided by the voices and aspirations of Aboriginal communities across the state.

    The incoming board will include members of the inaugural board, ensuring strong continuity of the work of the Trust.

    The newly appointed board, who were selected following an independent recruitment process, consists of:

    • Catherine Trindall (Chairperson)
    • Jason Behrendt
    • Dr Ray Kelly
    • Raymond Ingrey
    • Rhonda Radley
    • Rhonda Ashby
    • Susan Briggs

    To continue languages revitalisation, each board member brings the skills, expertise and experience relevant to deliver on the functions of the Trust, and has appropriate standing in their respective Aboriginal communities. 

    The Minns Labor Government remains committed to the revitalisation of Aboriginal languages in NSW, through ongoing funding programs such as the Aboriginal Languages Revival Program and Aboriginal Languages Growth Program.

    Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Treaty David Harris said: 

    “Since its establishment, the NSW Aboriginal Language Trust has strengthened and celebrated Aboriginal languages in NSW through initiatives such as annual grants and, in 2023, the first ever NSW Aboriginal Languages Week.

    “I offer my gratitude to the inaugural board of the Aboriginal Languages Trust. These board members have established a strong foundation for the growth and strengthening of NSW Aboriginal languages into the future.

    “I look forward to working with the new board to continue to shape the future of Aboriginal language revitalisation in NSW.”

    NSW Aboriginal Languages Trust newly appointed Chair Catherine Trindall said:

    “I am honoured to be appointed Chair of the NSW Aboriginal Languages Trust Board and look forward to working collaboratively with our new appointees, who will each bring unique perspectives, cultural and linguistic knowledge and professional expertise to championing Aboriginal language revitalisation in NSW.

    “The inaugural board, who I worked alongside as deputy chair, have been dedicated, visible and trusted advocates for our stakeholders, ensuring the Trust’s establishment was grounded in culture and Aboriginal ways of knowing, doing and being.

    “Aboriginal communities in NSW are aiming high and making a powerful impact, delivering a broad range of activities to revitalise, strengthen, share, and speak their languages, reflecting their unique language goals and aspirations. The board is committed to supporting our communities to continue to reclaim, revive and celebrate their languages.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Research breakthrough offers hope for Canola growers

    Source: New South Wales Department of Primary Industries

    17 Mar 2025

    Researchers from the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) have opened the door to enhancing canola production in challenging growing environments, after identifying a key gene that helps protect plants from manganese toxicity in acidic soils.

    Soil acidity is a significant challenge for crop production in Australia, and crops like canola are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of acidic soils which can limit growth and reduce yields.

    Dr Harsh Raman, Senior Principal Research Scientist at NSW DPIRD, said the the discovery is the result of five years of dedicated research by an international team of scientists, with NSW DPIRD leading the effort.

    “Soil acidity is a global issue, severely limiting crop production and affecting a huge 13.7 million hectares in NSW alone,” Dr Raman said.

    “After conducting a range of experiments in controlled field conditions, NSW DPIRD has successfully cloned the specific gene responsible for manganese tolerance in acidic soils.”

    “We have also uncovered new insights into the genetic networks that influence this trait, which will enable the research team to develop practical methods for selecting canola plants with manganese tolerance based on morphological traits and molecular markers.”

    According to Dr Raman, the discovery could lead to higher productivity and improved profitability for Canola growers.

    “By understanding how canola plants cope with excessive manganese in acidic soils, researchers and crop breeding companies can now work towards developing new crop varieties that are more resilient to thestresses of manganese toxicity. ,” Dr Raman said.

    While manganese is an essential nutrient for plant growth, excessive amounts in acidic soils (pH <5) can lead to severe toxicity which can stunt plant growth and reduce crop yields. This is most common in waterlogged soils or those with poor drainage, particularly under high-temperature conditions.

    Dr. Raman said that while researchers still recommend a regular application of lime to manage high-acidity soils, manganese tolerance is a valuable enhancement trait for canola varieties by allowing growers to get about their business without having to wait for the lime to ameliorate into the soil.

    “Thanks to this research, canola farmers will no longer exclusively need to invest significant time and money into lime applications and wait for amelioration to proceed before they can grow high yield crops.

    Now, by unlocking the secret to cultivating varieties that are tolerant to acidic soils, growers can grow high yielding canola whilst applying lime to improve their soils long term PH, increasing productivity and profitability.”

    “As farmers face increasing challenges  such as soil degradation, this research provides a promising new tool to enhance crop resilience and secure long-term food production,” Dr Raman said.

    The project was supported by the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Grains Research and Development Cooperation, Oil Crops Research Institute China, Monash University, ARC Training Centre for Future Crops Development at Australian National University and Wagga Wagga, and INRA France.

    The research findings were recently published in Plant Cell and Environment, available at (Genome‐Wide Association Study Elucidates the Genetic Architecture of Manganese Tolerance in Brassica napus – Raman – Plant, Cell & Environment – Wiley Online Library).

    Media contact: pi.media@dpird.nsw.gov.au

    Vision pack available at https://tinyurl.com/5n7f56ca

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Press conference in Sydney

    Source: Australian Executive Government Ministers

    BILAL EL-HAYEK: Well, good morning everyone. I want to welcome you here to the City of Canterbury Bankstown to this important announcement. Well, Bankstown is booming. We have 14,000 new homes coming to Bankstown, brand new metro, a state of the art hospital. So this fantastic announcement comes in at a perfect timing when we are planning for our open space. I actually want to welcome all the ministers as well of course, the Federal Minister, Catherine King, Paul Scully, Rose Jackson, and the candidate for Banks, Zhi Soon.

    I’ll now hand over to the Minister, Catherine King. Minister.

    CATHERINE KING: Thank you. Thanks, Mayor. And it’s fantastic to be here today alongside my state counterparts, Paul Scully and Rose Jackson. Both planning and housing are pretty critical to the announcement we’re making today. And of course, Zhi Soon, our fantastic candidate for the federal seat of Banks in the upcoming federal election, whenever that may be.

    Well, today we’re announcing alongside the New South Wales Government that as part of the Albanese Labor Government’s Housing Support Program, we’re providing over $300 million to New South Wales to bring on stream over 60,000 homes, including very quickly, over 100 social homes that are incredibly important across the whole of New South Wales. What this money goes towards is the enabling infrastructure to bring those developments to fruition, so things like the road infrastructure, water, sewerage, other utilities. But also more importantly, we’re also funding community infrastructure. As you can see from the development behind me, it isn’t just about building houses. It’s actually about building green space, good places for people to be able to walk through on their way to work, get that really sense of place, but also be able to bring their kids and make sure that they are cooler places for people to be able to engage in recreation and social activities. So part of that $300 million we’re announcing today is, here in Bankstown, a further community space. Again, it’s not just about having well-located homes around train stations, around Metro. It’s really about also making sure these are great and liveable places.

    The money is being stretched right across the state, so Parramatta, Kellyville, Bella Vista, community spaces there, and as I said also, social housing in Albury. This program is part of over almost $2 billion that the Federal Government is investing in that infrastructure. We’re doing that now. The money is flowing. That infrastructure is being built to bring those 60,000 additional homes on stream here in New South Wales. It forms part of our $32 billion commitment to really build over 1.2 million homes across the whole of the country, and my part of it is building the infrastructure.

    I might hand over to Minister Scully to say a few words and then Minister Jackson.

    PAUL SCULLY: Thank you, Minister King. And thank you, Mayor Bilal, for inviting us here today to Bankstown.

    As you can see, there’s a lot of activity going on in Bankstown. As the Mayor just said, Bankstown is booming. As part of the New South Wales Government’s work to build more housing, our focus is building better communities. When we did the master planning and rezoned areas around the Transport Oriented Development’s accelerated precincts, we made it very, very clear that we were not just building housing, we were building communities. That means vibrant communities with access to jobs, access to transport, and access to good public spaces. This financial support, the $228.2 million from the Commonwealth Government to go towards accelerating the delivery of those new public spaces, will be an important contribution to that work that the New South Wales Government is undertaking.

    Together, in the first tranche, Bankstown’s accelerated precinct, along with the accelerated precincts in Kellyville and Bella Vista, have been identified for those priority public spaces. We’ll continue to work with the council here in Canterbury Bankstown, through the Parks for People program, to deliver those public spaces to make sure that alongside the homes, alongside the jobs, alongside the transport activity that’s going here, is going to be the public spaces that people need, green spaces for people to meet, to recreate, to engage with other parts of the community. It’s really vital that we look at those areas not just from an environmental perspective, but the social benefit they bring.

    I’ll leave some further comments on the social housing part to Minister Jackson, but I’d just like to acknowledge the hard work of the Mayor and the council here at Canterbury Bankstown. They have been in lockstep with the New South Wales Government right the way through this process, identifying and recognising that Bankstown and Canterbury are great places to live and will continue to be, but there are even better places, courtesy of this contribution from the Albanese Government, to make sure that we can get those green spaces underway, get those recreational spaces underway as we deliver new homes and as we complete the work on the metro here. Minister Jackson.

    ROSE JACKSON: We know that New South Wales is in a housing crisis. The number one issue that’s raised with us when we’re talking to the community is cost of living. That is the thing that the community is absolutely determined that governments understand is hitting them hard, and we know that part of addressing cost of living is to delivering more affordable housing. It’s simply too expensive to find a place to buy and rent. What the State Government and the Federal Government are determined to do is put our money where our mouth is when it comes to addressing that crisis. So the State’s put $5.1 billion into building more social housing, and we are incredibly thrilled to have a federal partner that is willing to come to the table and contribute as well. This announcement alone is another $70 million to build social housing. We know that we need growth. We know we need more homes. But it’s not just any old growth, it’s good growth. It’s growth that delivers better, more diverse communities. And yes, that’s infrastructure, that’s green space, that’s community amenity, that’s transport. But it’s also diverse types of homes, and social and affordable housing is part of that mix.

    With this $70 million, we’re going to be able to bring hundreds of new social housing properties online. We’ve already started that work from east to west, from Randwick to Campbelltown. We’re looking at acquiring homes in places like Lismore and Tweed as well – areas recently hit by Tropical Cyclone Alfred. So this is exactly the kind of working together between state and federal governments that are going to be necessary to confront the housing crisis.

    It’s also really important to call out our local government partners, local councils, we’ve always been up front, have been a little bit of a mixed bag when it’s come to supporting housing. Not Canterbury-Bankstown – this is a council that is deeply invested in building a great community here, and it’s fantastic to have Mayor Bilal El-Hayek here alongside us to demonstrate all three levels of government working together. This is yet more money to build the homes that people need, that security of a roof over your head. We need a federal government that is willing to stick to the course when it comes to supporting housing, and the State Government is ready to stand right alongside it, using the funding to deliver homes that we know are desperately needed in this state.

    CATHERINE KING: Happy to take any questions.

    JOURNALIST: Well, may I ask about the allegations yesterday [indistinct] …

    CATHERINE KING: [Interrupts] Sure – have you’ve got any questions on this- the announcement today yet? Nope, okay. Happy to take further- other questions, sure.

    JOURNALIST: … allegations last night on 60 Minutes and Nine papers about more corrupt and [indistinct], specifically in Victoria. I note one area of Victoria on the North East Link Road where federal taxpayers have already committed $3 billion to this project. How can federal taxpayers know that there won’t be any sort of- or, you know, if that money’s being overinflated, or if there’s any sort of corruption or wrongdoing in that process?

    CATHERINE KING: Yeah, so we have zero tolerance for criminal activities on any work site, and especially on our building work sites. We have already taken strong action against the CFMEU by placing it in administration, and the administrator continues to do his work. When this broke some time ago, in terms of the CFMEU, I was in the process of negotiating new federated funding agreements with every state and territory. In those agreements, we have inserted new clauses that require states and territories to ensure they are- that we are receiving value for money on every single project where the Commonwealth is investing, that we are prioritising businesses that engage in ethical business practices. And I also wrote to every state and territory minister asking their assurance that proper checks are being put in place to ensure that- again, that value for Australian taxpayer dollars, and if there is any criminal activity seen on any of the sites where the Commonwealth is investing that that immediately be reported both to the administrator, to the police and also to my department. And we’ll continue to work with every state and territory in relation to that.

    But I want to make it very clear: this is hard fought money. Taxpayers don’t want to see their money going to criminals, and that is incredibly important that every state and territory ensures that it’s got the assurance processes in place to make sure that we are getting value for money for every taxpayer dollar.

    JOURNALIST: Did the Federal Government conduct its own audit of the $3 billion in this project?

    CATHERINE KING: Well, again, what we have asked quite specifically is that every state and territory give us those assurances. I saw the program on 60 Minutes last night. If there is more that needs to be done, I’ll have a look at that. But what we have asked is every state and territory to assure us that they have the processes in place to make sure that this activity is not being undertaken. Thanks everyone.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Centenary celebration for the Cholmondeley Children’s Centre

    Source: New Zealand Governor General

    Rau rangatira mā, e kui mā, e koro mā, e huihui nei, tēnei aku mihi māhana ki a koutou. Kia ora tātou katoa.

    I’d like to begin by specifically acknowledging: Nettles Lamont, Chair of the Cholmondeley Children’s Centre; Darel Hall, General Manager; and Tutehounuku Korako, Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke, Patron.

    And to all the very special guests with us here this morning, including members of the Banks Peninsula community, and most importantly, our tamariki – tēnā koutou katoa.

    I am delighted to join you here today, in this beautiful part of our country, to celebrate the 100th birthday of the Cholmondeley Children’s Centre. This extraordinary achievement stands testament, not only to the generous and deeply caring vision of Hugh Heber Cholmondeley, but also to all of the staff, supporters, and volunteers who have worked to uphold that vision over this past century.

    Now before I get too far, some of you in the audience might be wondering who I am and what my job is. I wonder – how many of you have heard of someone called King Charles III?

    King Charles is the King of England – but he is also the King of New Zealand. He lives on the other side of the world, and my job as Governor-General is to do his work for him here in New Zealand.

    I meet all kinds of important people in my job – I meet world leaders and Olympic athletes and award-winning artists – but if I can tell you a small secret: my favourite bit is meeting young people like you. I hope that while you’re here at Cholmondeley, you make new friends, and enjoy learning and playing as much as you can in this beautiful place.

    To all the staff of the Cholmondeley Children’s Centre here today – thank you for the work that you do to make this such a safe and loving environment for our tamariki. Your whakataukī, ‘Whakanuia a tatou tamariki. Value our children’, I see so clearly reflected and embodied in every detail of this wonderful facility – but most of all, in your own commitment and manaakitanga as carers and educators.

    The United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of the Child states that childhood should be a special, protected time – a time in which children should be allowed to grow, learn, and play with freedom and dignity. Even in my short time here, I see that Cholmondeley is a place that wholly upholds that promise – a place for tamariki to feel protected, nurtured, and loved; a place for learning and play, and seeing again the beauty, goodness, and wonder of this world, with that very particular vividness of childhood.

    I wish to take this opportunity to acknowledge all those who support this facility, from the Banks Peninsula and wider Canterbury region – knowing that Cholmondeley relies upon the generosity of this community to carry out its invaluable work.

    My sincerest thanks, finally, to all who have made today possible, and for inviting me here to mark this significant milestone with you all. The beautiful wairua of this place represents the courage and resolve of so many dedicated people, and carries the hopes, dreams, and wellbeing of many more. I wish everyone here, all the very best for your future.

    No reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Safety switch: Date set for Average Speed Camera trial

    Source: New South Wales Premiere

    Published: 16 March 2025

    Released by: Minister for Regional Transport and Roads, Minister for Roads

    Average speed cameras will be switched on to warning mode for light vehicles in two key regional locations from 1 May.

    The trial, a recommendation from the 2024 NSW Road Safety Forum, will see the NSW Government flick the switch on cameras which measure a 15km stretch of the Pacific Highway between Kew and Lake Innes and cameras on the Hume Highway which measure a 16km stretch between Coolac and Gundagai to capture speeding light vehicles.

    These two stretches have been chosen based on several factors, including known crash history. There were a combined total of six fatalities and 33 serious injuries between 2018 and 2022 at these locations.

    In NSW average speed cameras only enforce speeding offences for heavy vehicles, however data shows that in the past five years (2018-2022) almost 80% of all fatalities and serious injuries across all existing 31 average speed camera lengths in NSW did not involve a heavy vehicle.

    NSW is unique in that it’s the only place known to use these cameras for just a subset of vehicles. Most other Australian jurisdictions either use Average Speed Cameras for all vehicles or plan to do so in the future. Studies from around the world have shown that average speed enforcement for all vehicles leads to significant reductions in crash-related injuries and fatalities.

    The trial will have a two-month warning letter period for light vehicle drivers caught speeding on both lengths of road before it is switched to full enforcement mode. From 1 July, those detected speeding will face fines and demerit point penalties. Existing enforcement of heavy vehicle offences at these sites will be unaffected by the trial.

    A comprehensive communications campaign will begin to roll out before the warning letter period to help alert motorists to the trial.

    Road signs will notify all drivers that their speed is being monitored by the cameras on the trial stretches, giving them the opportunity to adjust their speed as needed.

    The average speed camera trial builds on other road safety initiatives introduced by the Minns Labor Government, including:

    • seatbelt enforcement by the existing mobile phone camera detection network
    • removing a loophole to force all motorists driving on a foreign licence to convert to a NSW licence within six months
    • the demerit return trial that rewarded more than 1 million drivers for maintaining a demerit-offence-free driving record during the second year of the trial
    • doubling roadside enforcement sites used for mobile speed cameras, with the addition of 2,700 new locations where a camera can be deployed. Enforcement hours will remain the same
    • hosting the state’s first Road Safety Forum with international and local experts
    • signed National Road Safety Data Agreement with the Commonwealth

    Minister for Roads, John Graham said:

    “We know that speed remains our biggest killer on the road, contributing to 41 per cent of all fatalities over the past decade.

    “Studies from around the world show that using average speed enforcement cameras for all vehicles reduces the road toll, and road trauma.

    “We know the trial will be a change for motorists in New South Wales, so it will be supported by community and stakeholder communications. All average speed camera locations have warning signs installed.

    Minister for Regional Transport and Roads, Jenny Aitchison said:

    “Regional NSW is home to a third of the population but is where two-thirds of all road deaths happen.

    “With the majority of road trauma occurring in our regions we have chosen two regional locations to test the impact these cameras could have on road safety for all road users.

    “I know this trial will be a change, particularly for regional people who travel through the areas where these two camera lengths are in place, which is why we are committed to ensuring that the community is aware of what we are doing.

    “We will have a communications strategy in place including the use of print, radio and social media as well as variable messaging signs and mobile billboards to help communicate the trial details to drivers and riders.

    “We will also have clear warning signs installed before the enforcement sites, but most importantly we will have a 60 day warning period in place so that people have an opportunity to adjust their driving behaviour before they receive a penalty.”

    Background

    • Enforcement of average speed is generally considered a fair form of enforcement as drivers demonstrate intentional and consistent speeding behaviour over a long length of road and/or time, not only at a single point.
    • Research conducted in New South Wales in 2024 found that 68 per cent of respondents thought that average speed cameras were important in making New South Wales roads safer.
    • A 2015 study in Norway found that average speed cameras cut deaths and serious injuries by 49%. Similarly, a 2016 study in the United Kingdom showed a 36% reduction in fatal and serious injury crashes with the use of average speed cameras.
    • Average speed cameras in NSW have cut fatalities and serious injuries from crashes involving heavy vehicles. There was a reduction on fatalities and serious injuries from crashes involving heavy vehicles at average speed camera locations of about 50%, when data from the five years before they were installed is compared to the five years after installation.
    • The Road Transport Act 2013 (the Act) was amended in October 2024 so that average speed cameras can enforce speeding by all vehicle types.
    • The trial will run for 14 months in total. (2 months in warning mode, 12 months in enforcement)
    • Warning mode will begin on 1 May, enforcement mode will begin on 1 July.
    • The NSW Government will report back to Parliament on the outcomes of the trial in 2026, consistent with legislative changes made in late 2024.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Sydney man fined more than $470,000 for unlicensed and uninsured building work

    Source: New South Wales Premiere

    Published: 16 March 2025

    Released by: Minister for Building

    A Sydney man has been hit with a $473,000 fine after being found guilty of more than 40 breaches involving unlicensed and uninsured residential building work for four consumers in 2022.

    Anthony Abi-Merhi, a sole trader business operating under the name “Triscapes” quoted one consumer $99,500 for a job which ended up costing the consumer $142,000.

    During the investigation, Building Commission NSW identified offences including unlicensed work, excessive deposits, and work undertaken without Home Building Compensation Fund insurance.

    He was also found guilty of 27 charges of demanding or receiving payment for building without insurance, while carrying out landscaping work in south-western Sydney.

    In NSW, a licence or certificate is required to do any residential building work, including general building work valued at more than $5,000 in labour and materials.

    This includes construction, repairs, renovating or decorating a property. 

    For contracts valued at more than $5,000 the maximum deposit to cover labour and materials is 10 per cent. 

    Home Building Compensation Fund Insurance is required for projects valued at more than $20,000 and contractors must obtain this cover before starting any work or accepting any payments including deposits.

    This insurance provides a safety net for consumers facing incomplete or defective work in certain circumstances.

    The defendant has 28 days to exercise a right to appeal in respect of the sentence.

    For more information on choosing the right tradesperson for the job visit the Step by step guide to choosing the right tradesperson or builder webpage.

    To check a contractor’s name or licence number visit the Verify Licence website.

    To access the Contract checklist visit the Fair Trading website.

    Quotes attributable to Minister for Building Anoulack Chanthivong:

    “This serious $470,000 fine for unlicensed building work sends a clear message to builders – the Minns Government is serious about eradicating cowboys and shonks from the NSW home construction industry. 

    “Building Commission NSW inspectors are now out in force and will come down hard on those caught doing the wrong thing.

    “Consumers should only engage a contractor once they have researched their credentials including by looking them up on the Verify Licence website, to make sure their licence is valid and whether the licence has any conditions or regulatory issues attached to it.

    “You can also check user ratings online from other consumers who have used the trader, and make sure you use the handy Contract Checklist page on the Fair Trading website before signing a contract and paying any money.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Custom designed armoured vehicles handed over to NSW Police Force

    Source: New South Wales Premiere

    Published: 17 March 2025

    Released by: Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism

    The NSW Government is today launching five new Tactical Armoured Vehicles, which will significantly strengthen the capability of the NSW Police Force (NSWPF) to respond to high-risk, tactical and counter-terrorism situations.

    The armoured Lenco ‘Bearcat’ vehicles were custom designed and custom built for the specific needs of the NSWPF – at a total cost of $3.5 million.

    All five Bearcats will be strategically positioned across NSW to support the work of Tactical Police and Police Negotiaters.

    Key features include ballistically rated steel and glass with riot shield covers, rotating roof hatches, spotlights, external speakers, high-tech camera systems and advanced technical and communication capabilities.

    In an Australian first, one of the new Bearcats is equipped with an extendable ramp to allow police to quickly and safely access multi-storey buildings and aircraft. This vehicle will be stationed in Sydney, the other four vehicles will be stationed in northern, western and southern regions – allowing the Tactical Operation Unit and Tactical Operations Regional Squads to quickly respond to high-risk situations.

    The five new Bearcats bring the total number of specialised armoured vehicles in NSW to six and will further allow officers to swiftly and effectively respond to high-risk and counter-terrorism situations, ensuring the safety of the people of NSW.

    Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism, Yasmin Catley said:

    “These custom vehicles will greatly improve the capability of the Tactical Operations Unit to respond to and disrupt high-risk situations across the state.

    “The NSW Police Force is world class so it’s only fitting it has modern resources and technology to fight crime and keep our community safe.

    “Only a Labor Government backs our hardworking police 100% and ensures they have the capability they need.”

    NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb APM said:

    “These vehicles are deployed by the Tactical Operation Unit during high-risk situations.

    “This is about protecting our specialist officers.

    “All of these vehicles are bullet and blast resistant and have the capacity to transport hostages or injured personnel.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Changes to the Minns Government Ministry

    Source: New South Wales Premiere

    Published: 17 March 2025

    Statement by: The Premier

    Today I am announcing changes to the Cabinet and the Ministry of the NSW Government.

    The Hon John Graham MLC will remain the Special Minister of State, the Minister for the Arts, the Minister for Music and the Night-time Economy and will permanently take on the role of Minister for Transport

    The Hon Jenny Aitchison MP will become the Minister for Roads and the Minister for Regional Transport. Regional roads will now be incorporated into the Roads portfolio. As a regional MP Jenny Aitchison is well placed to ensure the needs of regional and rural communities are met.

    John Graham will continue to take carriage of the Government’s response to the toll review given the Government is mid-negotiation with toll companies about reforming the system.

    The Hon Steve Kamper MP will be sworn in as the Minister for Jobs and Tourism, in addition to his responsibilities as the Minister for Lands and Property, the Minister for Multiculturalism and the Minister for Sport.

    The Minns Labor Government is proud to welcome Janelle Saffin into the NSW Cabinet, to be sworn in as the Minister for Recovery, the Minister for Small Business, and the Minister for the North Coast.

    Janelle is one of the most experienced MPs in the NSW Government. She has been instrumental in helping the Lismore community and surrounds recover from the 2022 floods as well as the recent impacts from Ex Tropical Cyclone Alfred.

    She has intimate knowledge of the workings of the NSW Reconstruction Authority and will be a very strong advocate and voice for the North Coast as well as small businesses across the state.

    Emily Suvaal will also be appointed as the Parliamentary Secretary for Trade and Small Business.

    Parliamentary Secretaries perform an important role in supporting Ministers and driving action to deliver on government priorities in Parliament and Emily is an excellent addition to the team.

    These are important changes to the NSW Ministry that will ensure we continue to invest in essential services that people rely on, and build a better NSW.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Gains for Labor as they lead in three of last five polls

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne

    A national Freshwater poll for The Financial Review, conducted March 13–15 from a sample of 1,051, gave the Coalition a 51–49 lead by respondent preferences, a one-point gain for Labor since the late February Freshwater poll.

    Primary votes were 39% Coalition (down two), 31% Labor (steady), 14% Greens (up one) and 16% for all Others (up one). By 2022 election preference flows, this would be about a 50–50 tie.

    Anthony Albanese’s net approval improved one point to -10, while Peter Dutton’s slid four points to -12. In the last two months, Albanese is up eight and Dutton down eight. It’s the first time since May 2024 that Albanese has had a better net approval than Dutton in this poll.

    Albanese led Dutton by 45.9–42.5 as preferred PM, his best lead in this poll since last September. By 42–40, respondents thought Dutton better suited to negotiate with US President Donald Trump than Albanese (47–36 in November).

    The Coalition leads on important issues, but Labor has gained seven points on economic management and three points on cost of living since February.

    There has been improvement for Labor across a range of polls in the last few weeks, and the graph below has Labor leads in three of the last five national polls (two YouGovs and a Morgan), with the Coalition still ahead in Newspoll and Freshwater.

    In analyst Kevin Bonham’s aggregate, Labor now leads by 50.5–49.5 using 2022 election flows, while it’s a 50–50 tie adjusting for a likely pro-Coalition shift in One Nation preferences.

    Last Wednesday Trump imposed 25% tariffs on steel and aluminium imports into the US, including on Australia. I believe this will assist Labor as the tariff imposition will appear unjustified to most Australians, and the Coalition is the more pro-Trump party. If the stock market continues to fall, this will undermine support for Trump’s economic agenda.

    Trump has been threatening Canada with tariffs for much longer than Australia, and the centre-left governing Liberals have surged back in the polls to a near-tie with the Conservatives from over 20 points behind, and have taken the lead since Mark Carney’s March 9 election as Liberal leader.

    Labor retains lead in YouGov

    A national YouGov poll, conducted March 7–13 from a sample of 1,526, gave Labor a 51–49 lead, unchanged from the February 28 to March 6 YouGov poll. YouGov is conducting weekly polls, and the previous poll was the first Labor lead in YouGov since July 2024.

    Primary votes were 36% Coalition (steady), 31% Labor (steady), 13.5% Greens (up 0.5), 7.5% One Nation (up 0.5), 1% Trumpet of Patriots (steady), 9% independents (down one) and 2% others (steady). YouGov is using weaker preference flows for Labor than occurred in 2022, and by 2022 flows Labor would have a lead above 52–48.

    Albanese’s net approval improved three points to -6, with 49% dissatisfied and 43% satisfied, while Dutton’s net approval slid two points to -6. Albanese led Dutton as better PM by an unchanged 45–39.

    Since the first weekly YouGov poll in late February, Albanese has gained six points on net approval while Dutton has slid four points. This is the first time Dutton has not had a better net approval than Albanese in YouGov since March 2024.

    On the ongoing conflict caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, 69% of Australians thought we should stand with Ukraine President Zelensky, while 31% wanted us to stand with Trump.

    Labor regains lead in Morgan poll

    A national Morgan poll, conducted March 3–9 from a sample of 1,719, gave Labor a 51.5–48.5 lead by headline respondent preferences, a two-point gain for Labor since the February 24 to March 2 poll. This is Labor’s second lead in the last three Morgan polls, after they had trailed in this poll since November.

    Primary votes were 37% Coalition (down three), 30% Labor (up 1.5), 13.5% Greens (steady), 5% One Nation (up one), 10.5% independents (steady) and 4% others (up 0.5). By 2022 election flows, Labor led by 52–48, a two-point gain for Labor.

    By 51.5–33, respondents said the country was going in the wrong direction (52–31.5 previously). Morgan’s consumer confidence index was down 0.8 points to 86.9.

    Poll of teal-held seats has the teals struggling

    Freshwater took a poll for the News Corporation tabloids of six seats held by teal independents. These are Curtin in WA, Goldstein and Kooyong in Victoria and Mackellar, Warringah and Wentworth in NSW. The poll was conducted March 5–7 from an overall sample of 830.

    Across the six seats polled, the Liberals had a 51–49 lead, representing a 5% swing to the Liberals since the 2022 election. On these figures, the Liberals would gain four of these teal seats (Curtin, Goldstein, Kooyong and Mackellar).

    Primary votes were 41% Liberals (up two since 2022), 33% teals (steady), 7% Labor (down six), 7% Greens (down two) and 12% others (up six). Albanese and Dutton were tied at 39–39 on better PM. By 47–42, respondents opposed their local MP backing an Albanese Labor minority government.

    The YouGov MRP poll that was conducted between late January and mid-February from a sample of over 40,000 had all the teals holding their seats. At the March 8 Western Australian election, swings to the Liberals were lowest in affluent Perth seats.

    WA election late counting

    With 70% of enrolled voters counted for the WA election, the ABC is calling 43 of the 59 lower house seats for Labor, six for the Liberals, four for the Nationals and six seats remain undecided. The Poll Bludger has Labor ahead in 47 seats, with the Liberals and Nationals ahead in six seats each.

    On election night, it had appeared likely that an independent would win Labor-held Fremantle. However, the independent has performed badly on absent and postal votes, and Labor will retain.

    In the upper house, all 37 seats are elected by statewide proportional representation with preferences, and a quota for election is just 2.63%. With 63% of enrolled counted, Labor has 15.8 quotas, the Liberals 10.5, the Greens 4.1, the Nationals 2.1, One Nation 1.35, Legalise Cannabis and the Australian Christians 1.0 each, an independent group 0.48 and Animal Justice 0.43.

    On current figures, Labor will win 16 seats, the Liberals ten, the Greens four, the Nationals two, One Nation, Legalise Cannabis and the Christians one each and two seats are unclear (Liberals, independent group and Animal Justice contesting). Counting of absents in the lower house has hurt the Liberals, so their vote is likely to drop further. Labor and the Greens will have a combined upper house majority.

    Liberals hold Port Macquarie at NSW byelection

    A byelection occurred on Saturday in the New South Wales Liberal-held state seat of Port Macquarie. Labor did not contest after finishing third behind the Nationals and Liberals at the 2023 NSW election with 19.2%.

    With 59% of enrolled counted, The Poll Bludger is projecting that the Liberals will defeat the Nationals by 52.8–47.2, a 7.9% swing to the Nationals since 2023. Current primary votes are 34.2% Liberals (down 4.1%), 31.2% Nationals (up 5.5%), 12.8% for an independent (new), 10.7% Greens (up 3.7%) and 7.9% Legalise Cannabis (up 3.4%).

    Adrian Beaumont 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. Gains for Labor as they lead in three of last five polls – https://theconversation.com/gains-for-labor-as-they-lead-in-three-of-last-five-polls-252016

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Albanese Government infrastructure to help unlock 60,000 homes in New South Wales

    Source: Australia Government Ministerial Statements

    The Albanese Labor Government is building Australia’s future, giving the green light for critical infrastructure to support nearly 60,000 new homes and make more than 100 social houses available across New South Wales. 

    We are providing $304.3 million to support housing development across the state, as part of our Housing Support Program.

    The Albanese Government’s investment includes $76.1 million to boost social housing in key growth areas including Parramatta, Blacktown, Campbelltown, Randwick and Albury.

    It also includes $228.2 million for five public place projects that will open up much-needed green and community spaces across the greater Sydney area. 

    The new public space projects will be delivered under the NSW Government’s Parks for People program, which will be implemented over three successive phases with Bankstown, Bella Vista and Kellyville all included in the first stage.

    Working in partnership with the Minns Labor Government, projects have been selected in the state’s Transport Oriented Development (TOD) Accelerated Precincts to deliver parks and shared community spaces in high-priority growth areas.  

    This will fill an essential piece of the puzzle by delivering green space in the city’s new urban precincts, providing places to exercise, rest and socialise. It means more homes, more jobs and more public parks within walking distance of accessible transport. 

    This will create capacity for nearly 60,000 homes and 120,000 jobs around major metro and rail stations, including mandatory affordable housing. 

    Our latest funding builds on more than $182 million already allocated across NSW for enabling infrastructure works such as roads, sewage and water, and to support new homes with connections to transport links and open spaces.

    We’re also investing $610 million into NSW via the Social Housing Accelerator Fund, which is funding many of the state’s shovel-ready social housing projects. 

    This is part of the Albanese Government’s $32 billion Home of Your Own Plan to meet the ambitious national target of building 1.2 million new, well-located homes over the next 5 years.

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

    “We’re turbocharging housing supply by delivering the infrastructure New South Wales needs.

    “A place to call home is fundamental, but for too many Australians has been out of reach.

    “Addressing housing shortages will take all levels of Government to respond, which is why we’re working in lockstep with the Minns Labor Government to fast-track housing development across the state. 

    “This means more homes, more jobs and more green space in well-located, well-connected growth areas.”

    Quotes attributable to Federal Minister for Housing and Homelessness Clare O’Neil: 

    “This investment shows just how important it is to have a Commonwealth Government that works in coperation with State governments – like the Minns Government – to deliver more well located houses for more people.

    “We’re starting the largest house build in Australian history. We have an ambitious target for 1.2 million new homes and we’re delivering 55,000 social and affordable rental homes. We’re directly investing in building new homes – just like we used to. 

    “We are tackling this housing crisis from every angle, which includes working closely with States and Territories to make sure there is critical infrastructure to support homes in a cities and regions.”

    Quotes attributable to NSW Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully:

    “The Commonwealth’s investment will help NSW address our housing challenges and deliver on the National Housing Accord target.

    “Through the Minns Government’s Transport Oriented Development Accelerated Precincts we’re delivering nearly 60,000 homes, and these areas include great public greenspaces thanks to this funding from the Albanese Government.”

    Quotes attributable to NSW Minister for Housing and Homelessness Rose Jackson: 

    “Every bit of funding helps and we’re thankful to the Commonwealth for this additional support to help us house people who need it as soon as we possibly can.  

    “This is a significant investment, and it allows us to make an instant impact during a housing crisis.  

    “The Homes NSW teams have been scouring the state for opportunities to acquire fit-for-purpose housing that will be immediately used to house those who are most in need.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Whatever happens to Star, the age of unfettered gambling revenue for casinos may have ended

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Charles Livingstone, Associate Professor, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University

    Casino operator Star Entertainment has been under financial pressure for some time. The company’s share price has tanked, and the business, with its three casino properties, has been bleeding money.

    Last year’s opening of a new riverside casino in Queen’s Wharf, Brisbane, was seen as a way to revitalise the business. But Star has swung from one lifeline to another.

    Just as it was set to run out of cash on Friday March 7, Star announced a last-minute rescue package. This centred on selling its 50% stake in the Queens Wharf casino to Hong-Kong-based joint venture partners for $53 million.

    Star has also started documentation for a $250 million bridging loan but still needs to finalise a proposal for long-term refinancing.

    All of this remains subject to details being finalised, and regulatory approvals. An alternative $250 million takeover offer from US casino operator Bally’s currently isn’t Star’s preference because it is considered too low.

    But Star is far from out of the woods yet. Whatever happens to it and its casino assets, there are bigger questions about whether the age of unfettered gambling revenue for casinos may have already ended.

    Elsewhere, gambling is booming

    If Australian casinos are struggling, it’s not because punters are giving up gambling. Whereas most of the gambling market recovered rapidly after the end of pandemic restrictions, casinos floundered.

    Between 2018–19 and 2022–23, before and after pandemic restrictions were in place, total Australian gambling expenditure (in other words, gamblers’ losses) grew by 6.8% in real terms (adjusted for inflation).

    Real wagering losses grew by 45%. This segment has clearly emerged as the second-biggest gambling market in the country, with gambling expenditure of $8.4 billion.

    But over the same period, expenditure at casinos declined by more than 35% nationally, and by 42% in New South Wales.



    Read more:
    The rate of sports betting has surged more than 57% – and younger people are betting more

    Do casinos have a viable business model?

    Both Star and Australia’s other major casino operator, Crown, have emerged from a range of high-profile scandals in recent years.

    Media reporting, inquiries, and royal commissions into Crown, and then Star, give some insight into how the casino business used to be run in Australia.

    Star’s (and Crown’s) business model appears to have previously relied on two major revenue streams: benefiting from the proceeds of crime (by operating as a cash laundry for organised criminal gangs), and exploiting every vulnerable person who walked onto their premises.

    Both casinos facilitated money laundering, particularly via junket operators, organisers of casino visits by high rollers. Unfortunately, many of these people had strong links to organised crime gangs keen to launder their illegally acquired money.

    Former Star executives and board members are now facing Federal Court proceedings brought by ASIC, with two already having been fined.



    Read more:
    ‘Multiple red flags’: ASIC’s court case against Star executives shows the risks of complacency

    Star and Crown preyed on addiction

    Both Star and Crown were also found to have encouraged significant expenditure by addicted gamblers.

    This wasn’t just high rollers. Ordinary people were also encouraged to use poker machines for hours without any attempt at encouraging a break, as mandated by “responsible gambling” codes.

    The Victorian Royal Commissioner, investigating Crown, regarded its “responsible gambling” failures as particularly heinous.

    The result was the turnover of the board and management, hundreds of millions of dollars in fines, and increased regulatory oversight.

    Although neither casino chain closed its doors, regulatory breaches led to appointment of special managers to oversee the business and hold the licences. Further change included beefing up regulators’ powers and resources.

    Turning a page

    Without significant funds from the proceeds of crime, or exploitation of the vulnerable, casinos are clearly struggling.

    In NSW and Victoria, the casinos have been required to introduce “cashless gaming” systems.

    This takes cash out of the system, deterring money launderers. Gamblers must also set a limit on their gambling spend, and adhere to it. The system is in the process of being introduced in Queensland.

    Certainly, overcapitalisation of new developments has played a part in casinos’ struggles. Crown Melbourne was effectively sold to Kerry Packer in 1998 on the back of its own financial issues. Overcapitalisation of the business was seen as an issue then.

    Stronger competition

    Competition from online wagering and pokie venues may also be playing a part. These businesses are not currently regulated as effectively as casinos.

    Precommitment systems for online wagering would be relatively easy to introduce. They would require punters to set a limit on deposits or bets, or indeed the time they spend gambling, and enforce these technically.

    Getting these in place, however, may be as formidable a task as getting gambling ads banned from sporting broadcasts, if not more so.

    The gambling industry understandably opposes this. After all, these measures would reduce the amount that people lose. From a public health perspective, however, they provide an effective system to prevent harm in the first place, rather than simply picking up the pieces.

    Without effective reform of local gambling venues and online wagering, casinos may try to mount an argument for less effective regulation. That would be an admission that their “tourism” attractiveness has waned. It’s also a powerful argument to speed up the transition of effective regulation to all gambling operators.

    Charles Livingstone has received funding from the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation, the (former) Victorian Gambling Research Panel, and the South Australian Independent Gambling Authority (the funds for which were derived from hypothecation of gambling tax revenue to research purposes), from the Australian and New Zealand School of Government and the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education, and from non-government organisations for research into multiple aspects of poker machine gambling, including regulatory reform, existing harm minimisation practices, and technical characteristics of gambling forms. He has received travel and co-operation grants from the Alberta Problem Gambling Research Institute, the Finnish Institute for Public Health, the Finnish Alcohol Research Foundation, the Ontario Problem Gambling Research Committee, the Turkish Red Crescent Society, and the Problem Gambling Foundation of New Zealand. He was a Chief Investigator on an Australian Research Council funded project researching mechanisms of influence on government by the tobacco, alcohol and gambling industries. He has undertaken consultancy research for local governments and non-government organisations in Australia and the UK seeking to restrict or reduce the concentration of poker machines and gambling impacts, and was a member of the Australian government’s Ministerial Expert Advisory Group on Gambling in 2010-11. He is a member of the Lancet Public Health Commission into gambling, and of the World Health Organisation expert group on gambling and gambling harm. He made a submission to and appeared before the HoR Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs inquiry into online gambling and its impacts on those experiencing gambling harm.

    – ref. Whatever happens to Star, the age of unfettered gambling revenue for casinos may have ended – https://theconversation.com/whatever-happens-to-star-the-age-of-unfettered-gambling-revenue-for-casinos-may-have-ended-251248

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump’s English language order upends America’s long multilingual history

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Mark Turin, Associate professor, Department of Anthropology, University of British Columbia

    Across its nearly 250-year history, the United States has never had an official language. On March 1, U.S. President Donald Trump changed that when he signed an executive order designating English as the country’s sole official language. The order marks a fundamental rupture from the American goverment’s long-standing approach to languages.

    “From the founding of our Republic, English has been used as our national language,” Trump’s order states. “It is in America’s best interest for the federal government to designate one — and only one — official language.”

    This new order also revokes a language-access provision contained in an earlier executive order from 2000 that aimed to improve access to services for people with limited English. Federal agencies now seem to have no obligation to provide vital information in other languages.

    Despite some reactions in the New York Times, Washington Post and elsewhere, it remains unclear whether Trump’s executive order will face legal or political challenges. Amid continual attacks from the Trump administration on established norms, this decree may pass with relatively little resistance, despite a deeper meaning that extends far beyond language.

    Multilingual realities and monolingual fantasies

    The U.S. has a long multilingual history, beginning with the hundreds of Indigenous languages indelibly linked to these lands. The secondary layer are colonial languages and their variants, including French in Louisiana and Spanish in the Southwest. In all historical periods, immigrant languages from around the world have added substantially to the linguistic mix that makes up the U.S.

    Today, New York is one of world’s most linguistically diverse cities, with other U.S. coastal cities not far behind. According to data from the Census Bureau, one-fifth of all Americans can speak two or more languages. The social, economic and cognitive benefits of bilingualism are well-established, and there is no data to support the assertion that speaking more than one language threatens the integrity of the nation state.

    A building in Jackson Heights, Queens, New York City, which hosts speakers of diverse South Asian languages and their associations, April 17, 2017.
    (Ross Perlin)

    English has long functioned as a pragmatic lingua franca for the U.S. Yet an American tendency towards ideological monolingualism is gathering momentum.

    The emergence of Spanish as the nation’s second language, with well over 40 million speakers, has generated a particular anxiety. During the last few decades, more than 30 American states have enshrined English as an official language.

    Linguistic insecurity

    The March 1 executive order is a crowning achievement for the “English-only movement.” Trump has tapped directly into this sentiment and its xenophobic preoccupations, rooted in white fragility and white supremacy.

    In 2015, during his first bid for the Oval Office, Trump reprimanded Jeb Bush, the bilingual former governor of Florida, during a televised debate, stating: “This is a country where we speak English, not Spanish.”

    Speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference in February 2024, Trump gave voice to his own linguistic insecurity:

    “We have languages coming into our country. We don’t have one instructor in our entire nation that can speak that language…These are languages — it’s the craziest thing — they have languages that nobody in this country has ever heard of. It’s a very horrible thing.”

    Beyond the brazen untruths and intentional exaggerations, such statements only reflect weakness and fear. The March 1 executive order states that “a nationally designated language is at the core of a unified and cohesive society.”

    It is in fact a sign of strength that Americans have not needed such a mandate until now, effectively navigating their complex multilingual reality without top-down legislation.

    English around the world

    It’s instructive to compare the language policy of the U.S. with other settler colonial contexts where English is dominant.

    In neighbouring Canada, the 1969 Official Languages Act grants equal status to English and French — two languages that were brought European migrants — and requires all federal institutions to provide services in both languages on request. Revealingly, only 50 years later did Canada finally pass an Indigenous Languages Act granting modest recognition to the original languages of the land.

    While Australia’s constitution specifies no official language, the government promotes English as the “national language,” and then offers to translate some web pages into other languages.

    Navigating the distinction between de facto and de jure, New Zealand has taken a more considered approach. Recognizing that English is unthreatened and secure, even without legal backing, New Zealand legislators have focused their attention elsewhere. Te reo Māori was granted official language status in 1987, followed by New Zealand Sign Language in 2006.

    Even the colonial centre and origin point for the global spread of English, the United Kingdom assumes a nuanced position on language policy. Welsh and Irish have both received some official recognition, while in Scotland, the Bòrd na Gàidhlig continues to advocate for official recognition of Gaelic.

    Principle and practice

    Trump’s recent executive order is both practical and symbolic.

    Practically, it remains unclear what the order means for Spanish in Puerto Rico, the Indigenous languages of Hawaii and Alaska — which have received official recognition — for American Sign Language and for all the multilingual communities that make up the nation.

    Language access can be a matter of life or death.

    Interpretation in courts, hospitals and schools is a fundamental human right. No one should be barred from accessing vital services simply because they don’t speak English, whether that’s when dealing with a judge, a doctor or a teacher. The consequences of government agencies abandoning their already limited efforts at translation and interpretation could have huge ramifications.

    Symbolically, Trump’s order is red meat for his MAGA followers. Associating national integrity with the promotion of one language above others might seem to reflect American exceptionalism, but it in fact destroys the cultural and linguistic diversity that makes the U.S. exceptional.

    Ironically, this executive order brings the U.S. into alignment with most of the world’s other nation-states — albeit not the ones that speak English as their first language — which seek to impose the standardized language of an ethnic majority on all of their citizens. The consequences can be both polarizing and homogenizing.

    Most of the world’s people are resolutely multilingual and are only becoming more so. Americans will not stop speaking, writing and signing in languages other than English because of an executive order. The linguistic dynamism of the U.S. is essential to the country’s social fabric. It should be nurtured and defended.

    Mark Turin receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and Tokyo College, the University of Tokyo.

    Ross Perlin has received funding from the National Science Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

    – ref. Trump’s English language order upends America’s long multilingual history – https://theconversation.com/trumps-english-language-order-upends-americas-long-multilingual-history-252163

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Committing to our calendar of crowd favourite events

    Source: New South Wales Ministerial News

    Published: 15 March 2025

    Released by: Minister for the Arts, Minister for Music and the Night-time Economy, Minister for Tourism

    Fourteen iconic events from Sydney’s Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras to the TCS Sydney Marathon and Tamworth’s Country Music Festival, will benefit from less red tape in recognition of their importance to our state’s identity.

    The Minns Labor Government is introducing a new events framework, and announcing the first round of Foundation Events, to secure our calendar of events, including the Sydney Festival, the Parkes Elvis Festival, Vivid Sydney and the Bathurst 1000.

    Events are a significant contributor to the NSW visitor economy. In 2023-24, events supported by the Destination NSW alone delivered $1 billion in visitor expenditure for the state. In classifying these events as foundation, we not only protect them but also ensure their ongoing contribution to the NSW visitor economy, support for local businesses and role as jobs creators.

    The new framework complements the NSW Government’s focus on experience tourism to keep visitors coming back to enjoy our iconic events time and again.

    The event framework recognises that foundation events contribute not just economically but to the cultural fabric and tradition of the state. For example, the NRL Grand Final should be assessed and supported differently to a travelling Premier League match due to its significance over many decades to NSW. 

    Beyond generating economic value through direct event visitation, the framework will assess the social contribution and community benefits, as well as social and cultural legacy of events.

    The event framework gives event organisers certainty, which allows them to innovate with programming, drives culture, connects communities and generates economic growth.

    Foundation Events will be assessed differently, and provided additional support –

    • Prioritised for a minimum 3-year Strategic Investment Agreement with Destination NSW (or 3 events for bi-annual events) with renewals negotiated one year prior to the last event. This gives events greater certainty and room to plan.
    • A more favourable regulatory environment will support events to maximise benefits for the community.
    • An event assessment approach which provides greater consideration of strategic, economic, marketing and brand, social and cultural benefits.

    Events included in the first round of Foundation Events

    • Bathurst 1000
    • Biennale of Sydney
    • Bluesfest
    • Broken Hill Mundi Mundi Bash
    • Deni Ute Muster
    • NRL Men’s & Women’s Grand Final
    • Parkes Elvis Festival
    • Sydney Festival
    • Sydney Fringe Festival
    • Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras
    • SXSW Sydney
    • Tamworth Country Music Festival
    • TCS Sydney Marathon
    • Vivid Sydney

    This list will be reviewed periodically, and more events will be announced in the future.

    Minister for Arts, Tourism, Music and the Night-Time Economy, John Graham said:

    “We are building the calendar and investing for growth. These events light up the calendar, they have become part of who we are, and it’s time we give them the recognition and certainty they deserve.

    “The NSW calendar has an incredible line up of events, special times in our annual calendar that allow us to come together for iconic moments. The foundation events framework gives these festivals certainty so they can keep producing these important experiences for us all to share.

    “What these incredibly fun and unique events speak to, is government supporting local communities to play to their strengths and then tell their local story to the world. Locals know what works in their patch. We support them to do it!

    “The foundation events framework gives events certainty, which drives culture, connects communities and generates economic growth.”

    Background

    • The three new event categories
      • Foundation Events: Regular, recurring events that may grow in size and significance over time. These events are often essential to NSW’s identity and visitor economy.
      • Major Events: Large-scale events that bring in significant visitor economy and economic benefits. They could happen once or several times and have a major impact on an area.
      • Local Events: These events are typically smaller in scale and contribute to a local visitor economy and the community.
    • The stage process:
      • Step 1: Classify the event
      • Step 2: Assess the event based on criteria
      • Step 3: Make a recommendation and prioritise

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Aboriginal-led cancer programs among NSW Govt’s $10m research boost

    Source: New South Wales Ministerial News

    Published: 15 March 2025

    Released by: Minister for Medical Research

    The Minns Labor Government has awarded funding to a Newcastle-based researcher focussed on improving outcomes for regional and rural cancer patients as part of a $10 million boost to cancer research across NSW.

    The 18 grants, delivered by the Cancer Institute NSW, include $798,790 to the University of Newcastle’s Dr Jennifer Mackney to improve patient access to prehabilitation services in rural and regional NSW.

    Surgery is essential in cancer care. In 2024 approximately 165,000 people were diagnosed with cancer in Australia, around 132,000 of these people will need surgery, often multiple times.

    Greater physical fitness and wellbeing is associated with better cancer surgery outcomes. However, the impact of cancer and associated treatments reduces physical activity, nutrition, and fitness resulting in an increased risk of poor cancer outcomes.

    The pre-surgery program developed by Dr Mackney will help overcome this via exercise, nutrition and psychological support which has been shown to dramatically improve patients’ physical function, reduce complications and time in hospital post-op.

    The hybrid model of care will be delivered by health providers via in-person care within the participant communities, along with a telehealth team based out of Newcastle.

    The grant will enable Dr Mackney to extend access to the prehabilitation program for cancer patients across five regional and rural hospitals, three in the Hunter New England LHD and two in the Mid North Coast LHD.

    The NSW Government, through the Cancer Institute NSW, is one of the largest funders of cancer research in NSW, having invested more than $470 million in the past 20 years across nearly 1,000 competitive research awards and grants.

    This year’s grants cover four categories, with Dr Mackney one of two Accelerated Research Implementation Grant recipients totalling almost $1.6 million to support teams to rapidly transition research into clinical practice to improve cancer care in regional and rural NSW.

    The category’s other recipient is a program to reduce the incidence and increase survival of anal cancer of people with HIV in the regions run by Associate Professor Vincent Cornelisse from the University of New South Wales.

    The other three categories comprise:

    • 11 Early Career Fellowships
    • 3 Career Development Fellowships
    • 2 Aboriginal Cancer Research Grants.

    To view all 2024/2025 Cancer Institute NSW grants recipients go here: https://www.cancer.nsw.gov.au/research-and-data/grants/grants-we-ve-funded

    Minister for Medical Research David Harris said:

    “Ensuring patients in our regional and rural communities receive better access to medical care is a priority of the Minns Labor Government and programs funded by the Cancer Institute NSW grants are helping achieve this.

    “The NSW Government is proud to be supporting researchers and projects designed to reduce the impact of cancer and save lives.

    “Our researchers strive every day to improve the lives of people in NSW and across the world, and we’re proud to invest in them to continue their work and help improve cancer outcomes for all.

    “We’re committed to doing what is needed to prevent cancer, improve access to care and support our expert clinicians and researchers to make the discoveries needed to save lives.”

    NSW Chief Cancer Officer and CEO Cancer Institute NSW Professor Tracey O’Brien AM said:

    “Our dedicated and inspirational cancer researchers are key to improving our understanding of a disease which touches the lives of so many of us.

    “While significant progress has been made in understanding and treating cancer, it remains the leading cause of death in NSW with sadly one in two people being diagnosed with the disease in their lifetime.

    “NSW is recognised as a global leader in tackling cancer with people, communities and organisations coming together to support all people impacted by cancer and help rewrite the future of cancer.”

    Accelerated Research Grant recipient Dr Jennifer Mackney said:

    “Prehabilitation before cancer surgery – including exercise, nutritional optimisation, and psychological support – has been shown to improve physical function, halve postoperative pulmonary complications, and reduce postoperative hospital length of stay.

    “A model of care for the delivery of prehabilitation using in-person and telehealth intervention has been developed in Newcastle over the past five years and utilised clinically. However, currently rural and regional patients don’t have equitable access to formal prehabilitation programs.

    “The grant awarded to our team by Cancer Institute NSW will enable us to extend this work to improve access to multimodal prehabilitation services for cancer patients across five regional and rural hospitals in NSW.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Crack teams get patients off waiting lists at twice the speed

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Crack teams get patients off waiting lists at twice the speed

    Sending top doctors into areas of highest economic inactivity is busting through the backlog.

    • Targeted approach is cutting waiting lists twice as fast as rest of the country
    • Plans to roll scheme out further as government delivers on its Plan for Change

    A new government initiative to send top doctors to support hospital trusts in areas where more people are out of work and waiting for treatment is cutting waiting lists faster, new data shows.

    In September, Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting sent in crack teams spearheaded by top clinicians to NHS hospitals serving communities with high levels of economic inactivity. The teams support NHS trusts to go further and faster to improve care in these areas, where more people are neither employed nor actively seeking work, for reasons including ill health.

    Latest data from October 2024 to January 2025 shows waiting lists in these areas have, on average, been reduced at more than double the rate of the rest of the country, falling 130% faster in areas where the government scheme is in action than the national average.  

    A total of 37,000 cases have been removed from the waiting lists in those 20 areas, averaging almost 2,000 patients per local trust.

    The teams of leading clinicians introducing more productive ways of working to deliver more procedures, including running operating theatres like Formula One pit stops to cut down on wasted time between operations.

    The scheme has delivered huge improvements in areas of high economic inactivity.

    They include:

    • The Northern Care Alliance & Manchester Foundation Trust – where a series of ‘super clinics’ with up to 100 patients being seen a day in one-stop appointments where patients can be assessed, diagnosed and put on the treatment pathway in one appointment. These include Employment Advisors on site to support patients with any barriers to returning to work. Those that require surgery are then booked to ‘high flow theatre’ lists such as those at the Trafford Elective Surgery Hub.

    • Warrington & Halton – which has run Super Clinics for Gynaecology delivered at weekends, with one-stop models reducing the need for follow up appointments.

    • East Lancs Hospitals Trust – which has focused on streamlining diagnostic pathways and increasing capacity for Echocardiography, or heart scans, reducing the waiting list for these from around 2700 patients to around 700 – with all of patients having their scan within 6 weeks.

    Data shows the number of people unable to work due to long term sickness is at its highest since the 1990s. The number of adults economically inactive due to ill-health rose from 2.1m in July 2019 to a peak of 2.9m in October 2023. The decision to send the crack teams to these 20 trusts first was based on the government’s aim to get people back to health and back to work, helping to cut the welfare bill.

    Following the success of the programme, the government has confirmed similar crack teams will be rolled out to additional providers this year to boost NHS productivity and cut waiting times further. 

    Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:

    The investment and reform this government has introduced has already cut NHS waiting lists by 193,000, but there is much more to do.

    By sending top doctors to provide targeted support to hospitals in the areas of highest economic inactivity, we are getting sick Brits back to health and back to work.

    I am determined to transform health and social care so it works better for patients – but also because I know that transformation can help drag our economy out of the sluggish productivity and poor growth of recent years.

    We have to get more out of the NHS for what we put in. By taking the best of the NHS to the rest of the NHS, reforming the way surgeries are running, we are cutting waiting lists twice as fast at no extra cost to the taxpayer.  

    As we boost NHS productivity and deliver fundamental reform through our Plan for Change, you will see improvements across the service in the coming weeks and months.

    The new data comes after the government confirmed the abolition of NHS England, centralising the way that health care is delivered, cutting bureaucracy and improving care outcomes for patients up and down the country.

    The government inherited waiting lists of over 7.6 million last July, and rising numbers of patients waiting months and years to get the treatment they need to get back to their jobs.

    Thanks to immediate action taken by the government- including ending the strikes and investing more in the NHS – overall waiting lists have fallen for the last five months in a row, dropping by 193,000.

    The targeted teams are the latest success delivered by the government as it continues its fundamental reform of the NHS through the Plan for Change.

    Soon after taking office, it confirmed an extra £1.8 billion to deliver extra elective activity across the country.

    This helped create an extra 2 million elective care appointments between July and November last year – delivering on the government’s manifesto pledge seven months early.

    Other plans to increase elective care productivity and cut waiting lists include opening community diagnostic centres 12 hours a day, seven days a week, revolutionising the NHS app so patients can receive test results and book appointments, and increasing use of the independent sector to improve patient choice.

    Background

    Data shows that waiting lists fall faster in FF20 areas compared to non-FF20 areas:

    • Between October 2024 and January 2025, waiting lists fell by around 37,000

    • Between October 2024 and January 2025, waiting lists fell by around 65,000

    The FF20 teams worked with the clinical teams in the trusts to look at where they needed most help to tackle waiting lists in their trust, with the expertise and insight from the clinicians – particular focus on high flow theatre lists and one stop clinics

     The FF20 trusts are: 

    • South Tees Hospitals FT

    • The Royal Wolverhampton

    • Sandwell and West Birmingham

    • The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals FT

    • Rotherham FT

    • The Dudley Group FT

    • Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals FT

    • Sheffield Teaching Hospitals FT

    • Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh FT

    • Bolton FT

    • Hull University Teaching Hospitals

    • Northern Lincolnshire and Goole FT

    • East Lancashire Hospitals FT

    • Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals

    • Wirral University Teaching Hospitals FT

    • Manchester University FT

    • Blackpool Teaching Hospitals FT

    • University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay FT

    • Northern Care Alliance FT

    • Warrington and Halton Hospitals FT

    Updates to this page

    Published 16 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Showcasing Scotland’s investment proposition

    Source: Scottish Government

    FM: Time to capitalise on a potential £100 billion offshore wind market.

    The Scottish Government will host a major investment event in Edinburgh tomorrow (Monday 17th March) aimed at unlocking new private investment in the country’s rapidly growing offshore wind industry.

    More than 100 stakeholders, including investors and developers, will attend the Global Offshore Wind Investment Forum, to be hosted by First Minister John Swinney.

    The Forum is taking part following a Green Industrial Strategy commitment to raise the profile of Scotland as a destination for capital investment. The Strategy identified offshore wind as one of five priority areas for Scottish Government resources and investment.

    The Scottish Government is investing up to £500 million over five years in the Scottish offshore wind supply chain to leverage an expected £1.5 billion of private investment.

    Speaking ahead of the Forum, the First Minister said:

    “The growth and success of Scotland’s offshore wind industry is not only an ambition of my Government, it is a priority for me personally. Delivering on its promise will not only deliver our global climate obligations, but create significant new jobs and economic opportunities.

    “History has shown that success stems from choosing the right time and place to capitalise on the next innovation of the era. We have already gained a significant first-mover advantage and laid the groundwork for success.

    “Now we are poised to move to the next stage of development and growth and reap the rewards of what we estimate could be a £100 billion market.

    “The Global Offshore Wind investment Forum is about “Team Scotland” showcasing the offer that Scotland’s offshore wind sector offers to global investors. We have a compelling story and a clear message that Scotland is open for business.”

    Background

    Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes, Acting Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy Gillian Martin and Employment and Investment Minister Tom Arthur will also take part in the Forum, which has been delivered by Scottish Enterprise. Highlands and Islands Enterprise, South of Scotland Enterprise and Scottish National Investment Bank will also take part in the event. The UK Government will be represented.

    Recent investments made as part of the Scottish Government’s commitment of up to £500 million include:

    Green industrial strategy – gov.scot

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Let juries judge disruptive protesters like Just Stop Oil on their integrity – expert view

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Graeme Hayes, Reader in Political Sociology, Aston University

    The UK Court of Appeal recently ruled on an appeal brought by 16 environmental activists serving prison sentences for planning or participating in a series of disruptive non-violent protests.

    The cases include the five-year term being served by Roger Hallam, co-founder of Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil, and the terms of two years and 20 months handed down to Phoebe Plummer and Anna Holland respectively, for throwing soup over Van Gogh’s Sunflowers while the painting was on display at the National Gallery in London.

    Some news reports emphasised the reduction of sentences for some of the defendants (Hallam’s term was reduced to four years, for example), but the court’s decision upheld most of the sentences. There were only minor sentence reductions where the court found the initial sentences to be “manifestly excessive”, while the appeals of ten activists were dismissed outright.

    In Holland and Plummer’s case, the court rejected original trial judge Christopher Hehir’s insistence that throwing soup over a painting was violent (equivalent to assaulting a person, Hehir had argued). Yet the court still upheld the lengthy prison sentences Hehir handed down, maintaining that the soup action was “disproportionate or extreme”.

    The defendants’ motives for such disproportionate actions – to raise awareness about climate change and pressure the UK government to issue no new licences for the exploration and production of fossil fuels – were not considered relevant by either Hehir or the Court of Appeal.

    Does this amount to a fair and appropriate hearing? In an article published in the Oxford Journal of Legal Studies, we suggest that the cases of non-violent disruptive protesters should be governed by what we call “the integrity principle”. This would spur a radical rethink of how the courts approach the trials of such protesters.

    Integrity in protest trials

    The trials of protesters are different from most criminal trials. Just as legal philosopher Anthony Duff once argued, we consider that the purpose of all criminal trials is to “call the defendant to account”. Duff tells us that we can be held responsible as citizens, to the community, for our moral wrongs. A criminal trial is not just about deciding “did they do it”, but also about communicating what, as a society, is considered right and wrong. For that to happen, a trial must engage defendants in a discussion as to why they did what they did.

    It is here where the trials of non-violent protesters should be different from “ordinary” criminal trials. There are two reasons. First, unlike in most criminal trials, defendants prosecuted for staging disruptive protest rarely dispute the facts of what they did. Instead, they seek to explain why they did it.

    Second, they do so because their action is not intended for personal gain, but to improve the life of the community. Political philosophy tends to maintain that disobedient and disruptive actions can be morally justified if they are motivated by an attempt to uphold the fundamental rights of, or avoid harms caused to, others, or highlight injustices and the failures of political processes.

    In other words, these activists are seeking to act as citizens, and give a public account of their action as justified and proportionate. In Duff’s reasoning, this sort of accountability must be central to a criminal trial. But this depends on the defendants’ ability to explain their motives to a jury, in ways that are consistent with their beliefs and values. In short, the trial should allow defendants to demonstrate to the jury they had acted with integrity.

    If the trial is a site of moral communication that engages the sense of right and wrong of the community – and, like Duff, we argue it should be – then protest defendants should be able to offer a legally relevant account of their actions, and the jury should be able to decide whether they accept this account.

    Yet, as we have previously written, the law in England and Wales has been reframed over the past five years to reduce the defences that activists are able to rely upon. What protest defendants can say in court is inconsistently policed by judges. But in all cases, even where defendants can explain their motivations, they cannot now do so as part of a legal defence. Instead, they must rely on juries deciding (in rare cases) with their conscience rather than legal direction. This breaches the integrity principle, because juries are not able to decide, in law, whether they accept the account of action that might otherwise be put to them by the defence.



    Read more:
    Just Stop Oil’s harsh sentences are the logical outcome of Britain’s authoritarian turn against protest

    If the jury does decide to convict, we argue that the integrity principle must also apply to sentencing. Where they are found guilty, it is illogical that activists should be expected to express remorse for their actions. This would be to disavow their motives, moral consistency and public accountability. Rather than remorse, their the integrity of their intentions and the honesty of their explanation of them should be regarded as a mitigating factor.

    Integrity and democracy

    Disruptive protest directs our attention to the failure of the democratic process to properly address pressing social problems. For the courts to punish those who attempt to highlight this failure only exacerbates it. Crucially, it denies both the moral purpose of criminal law and the social function of juries. Yet this is exactly what is happening right now in British courts.

    We can see in the Court of Appeal’s judgment how the courts are failing to follow the integrity principle. Not only did the court sideline the motivations of the defendants, holding that the harm caused was too serious to take them into account, but it also acted to endorse more severe and deterrent sentences.

    If we reorganise the trials of activists to place their integrity at the heart of the process, enabling them to give a legally meaningful account of their action, the law would finally recognise that disruptive protest is not an irritant outside of the democratic process, but is integral to it.

    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 40,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    Graeme Hayes receives funding from the British Academy/Leverhulme Trust for the project ‘Justifying Protest in the Courts: Voice, Democracy, and the Law’

    Steven Cammiss receives funding from the British Academy/Leverhulme Trust.

    – ref. Let juries judge disruptive protesters like Just Stop Oil on their integrity – expert view – https://theconversation.com/let-juries-judge-disruptive-protesters-like-just-stop-oil-on-their-integrity-expert-view-251949

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Protection for energy customers ahead of RTS switch-off

    Source: Scottish Government

    Acting Climate Action Minister writes to Ofgem.

    Acting Minister for Climate Action Dr Alasdair Allan has asked for urgent actions to increase the pace of progress on replacing Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) meters ahead of the service switching off in June.

    RTS meters are out of date and energy suppliers are being encouraged by Ofgem to replace old meters with smart meters. If meters are not replaced before the service is switched off, it could mean disruption to heating and hot water supplies, and possibly higher bills for households and businesses still using the technology.

    In response to Ofgem’s consultation on an introduction of new licence conditions to the RTS, Dr Allan reiterated the Scottish Government’s repeated calls for further action to be taken to protect energy consumers as the industry works to replace thousands of meters across the country.

    Ofgem’s data from suppliers shows that between October 2024 and January 2025 around 18,700 RTS meters were replaced in Scotland. As of January 2025, there were still 146,302 RTS consumers in Scotland who need to have their meters replaced. Support for RTS energy meters ends on June 30 2025.

    Acting Climate Action Minister Alasdair Allan said:

    “Protecting consumers is the Scottish Government’s highest priority. The approach taken so far has been insufficient, and consumers cannot be blamed for the failure of the energy industry to properly plan for and respond to the RTS switch-off.

    “People who rely on the RTS will experience considerable detriment unless meters are replaced by the switch-off date – particularly in rural and island communities.

    “There is a real and pressing need for suppliers to be made to explain what their workforce plan is to get engineers to premises. Consideration should also be given to additional enforcement action to reduce no-show instances and to ensure that every household is fitted with a fully functioning meter before the deadline.

    “Due to the cost of living crisis, it is also unacceptable to expect consumers to pay for expensive re-wiring as a consequence of the RTS switch-off – they should not be confronted with any additional anxieties. The creation of a fund to support consumers in this position is critical.

    “While devolved governments do not hold the levers, the Scottish Government will work with Ofgem, the UK Government and industry to raise awareness of the RTS switch-off.”

    Background 

    Energy infrastructure and regulation is the responsibility of the UK Government. 

    Full letter from Dr Alasdair Allan to Ofgem

    Consumers may use an RTS meter if their property: 

    • has a meter that switches between peak and off-peak tariff rates, such as Economy 7 or Economy 10, or a Total Heating Total Control tariff
    • has a meter that automatically turns on heating or hot water
    • uses electric or storage heaters
    • is located in a no-gas supply area (off-grid), especially in rural areas. 
    • Advice Direct Scotland 0800 028 1456 and Citizens Advice Scotland 0800 028 1456. 

    Ofgem guidance: Replacing your Radio Teleswitch electricity meter | Ofgem

    Letter from Dr Alasdair Allan to UK Government (8 January 2025)

    Letter from Minister for Climate Action to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy Consumers reiterating calls for more support for consumers struggling with energy bills (September 2024)

    Open letter from then-Minister for Climate Action Gillian Martin urging energy suppliers to prioritise Radio Teleswitch Service customers when progressing the roll-out of smart meters (June 2024)

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Government must close Glasgow company aiding Russia say Greens

    Source: Scottish Greens

    15 Mar 2025 External Affairs

    The UK must close the loopholes in the sanctions placed on Russia.

    More in External Affairs

    The UK Government must take action to end the operations of a Glasgow-based company key to Russia’s gas exports says Scottish Green MSP Ross Greer.

    Writing to the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Jonathan Reynolds MP, Greer accused unethical businesses of exploiting loopholes in the sanctions placed on Russia and supporting their brutal invasion of Ukraine.

    Raising the example of Seapeak Maritime Ltd, based in Glasgow and London, Greer noted that the company operates seven oil tankers which export Russian liquified natural gas from Siberia to Europe. 

    Mr Greer said:

    “It’s been three years since Russia launched a full scale invasion of Ukraine, and over a decade since they seized Crimea. Their brutal and illegal war has left hundreds of thousands dead or wounded and forced many more to flee for safety. 

    “Scotland has taken a firm position in solidarity with the people of Ukraine, but Seapeak operating from an office in Glasgow shames and undermines our efforts. 

    “The Russian war machine is dependent in no small part on the profits made by their gas exports. I’m glad the UK Government has sanctioned many individuals and companies who have aided the Kremlin, but for some reason Seapeak remains untouched. They’ve made a fortune from shipping gas out of Russia, throwing a lifeline to Putin’s war economy as a result.

    “It’s time for Seapeak’s operations here to be shut down and their ships sanctioned. Ukraine desperately needs our help if it is to survive the Russian onslaught and Trump’s betrayal. The least we do is stop companies based here from enabling Putin’s regime.”

    The Green MSP has worked with Ukrainian NGO Razom We Stand since the full-scale invasion began and it was through their efforts that Seapeak’s activities were uncovered.

    Speaking on behalf of Razom We Stand, founder and executive director of the organisation, Svitlana Romanko says:

    “Three years into Russia’s full-scale invasion in Ukraine, we are disheartened to see that the UK and Scottish governments still allow Glasgow-based Seapeak to bring Russian gas to Europe and profit from this ongoing gas trade.

    “Let’s be brutally honest – the fossil fuel industry choosing blood money over basic human decency comes as no surprise to anyone. Every tanker of Russian gas that sets sail spits in the face of both morality and global security. They’re just counting their cash while Ukraine burns. 

    “With Seapeak’s vessels openly trading Russian LNG on the spot market, without constraints, both the UK and Scottish governments’ continued inaction is nothing short of complicity. There’s no grey area here – this is brazen war profiteering happening in Glasgow, right inside Britain itself. 

    “Each day the British and Scottish governments hesitate to curtail this home-based trade only serves to strengthen Putin’s ability to wage his war against Ukraine and Europe. 

    “This Arctic gas that Seapeak transports, represents a double catastrophe; funding Russian aggression in Ukraine and unleashing enormous carbon emissions making a mockery of our climate commitments. 

    “And it’s not only about Ukraine. The Kremlin’s continued efforts to expand its gas export infrastructure in the Arctic leads to environmental devastation and massive carbon emissions, directly undermining the urgently needed response to the climate crisis.”

    Letter to Secretary of State for Business and Trade

    Jonathan Reynolds MP
    Secretary of State for Business and Trade
    By Email

    7th March 2025

    Ending indirect support for Russia via LNG exports

    Dear Jonathan,

    As I’m sure you are aware, Russia’s brutal and illegal war against Ukraine is dependent to a significant extent on the economic returns generated by the export of fossil fuels. Three years into this war governments and businesses across the world, including our own, have adopted a wide range of measures to ensure that they are not complicit in Putin’s horrific crimes through engagement with the Russian energy industry. These measures remain incomplete however, and loopholes are being exploited by businesses who have no objection to supporting the Russian war economy.

    Last year my office was made aware of the case of Seapeak Maritime Ltd, operating out of Glasgow and London. Seapeak is involved with Yamal LNG, Russia’s largest LNG plant, as well as private joint stock company Novatek, their largest LNG exporter and second-largest gas producer.

    Seven LNG tankers, the Yakov Gakkel, Eduard Toll, Nikolay Yevgenov, Vladimir Voronin, Georgiy Ushakov, Rudolf Samoylovich and Seapeak Yamal appear to have been travelling from the Yamal LNG port at Sabetta in Siberia to different European destinations. The Sabetta port is a joint venture of Novatek and the Russian state. All seven of these ships are managed and operated by Seapeak Maritime Ltd and Seapeak Maritime Glasgow Ltd.

    Last year I worked with the Ukrainian NGO Razom We Stand and with Sky News to break this story. To my knowledge, Seapeak’s activities since then have not changed and they continue to play a key role in Russian LNG exports by operating roughly one third of all the tankers used for this work. I commend your expansion of sanctions against Russia’s so-called ‘shadow fleet’ and would urge you to take similar action against Seapeak and its fleet immediately.

    I would be happy to provide your officials with further information compiled by my office and Razom We Stand, if that would be of use.

    Best wishes,
    Ross Greer MSP

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-Evening Report: No apologies over fabricated terror plot from pollies or lobby groups

    COMMENTARY: By Greg Barns

    When it comes to antisemitism, politicians in Australia are often quick to jump on the claim without waiting for evidence.

    With notable and laudable exceptions like the Greens and independents such as Tasmanian federal MP Andrew Wilkie, it seems any allegation will do when it comes to the opportunity to imply Arab Australians, the Muslim community and Palestinian supporters are trying to destroy the lives of the Jewish community.

    A case in point. The discovery in January this year of a caravan found in Dural, New South Wales, filled with explosives and a note that referenced the Great Synagogue in Sydney led to a frenzy of clearly uninformed and dangerous rhetoric from politicians and the media about an imminent terrorist attack targeting the Jewish community.

    It was nothing of the sort as we now know with the revelation by police that this was a “fabricated terrorist plot”.

    As the ABC reported on March 10: “Police have said an explosives-laden caravan discovered in January at Dural in Sydney’s north-west was a ‘fake terrorism plot’ with ties to organised crime”, and that “the Australian Federal Police said they were confident this was a ‘fabricated terrorist plot’,” adding the belief was held “very early on after the caravan was located”.

    One would have thought the political and media class would know that it is critical in a society supposedly underpinned by the rule of law that police be allowed to get on with the job of investigating allegations without comment.

    Particularly so in the hot-house atmosphere that exists in this nation today.

    Opportunistic Dutton
    But not the ever opportunistic and divisive federal opposition leader Peter Dutton.

    After the Daily Telegraph reported the Dural caravan story on January 29,  Dutton was quick to say that this “was potentially the biggest terrorist attack in our country’s history”. To his credit, Prime Anthony Albanese said in response he does not “talk about operational matters for an ongoing investigation”.

    Dutton’s language was clearly designed to whip up fear and hysteria among the Jewish community and to demonise Palestinian supporters.

    He was not Robinson Crusoe sadly. New South Wales Premier Chris Minns told the media on January 29 that the Dural caravan discovery had the potential to have led to a “mass casualty event”.

    The Zionist Federation of Australia, an organisation that is an unwavering supporter of Israel despite the horror that nation has inflicted on Gaza, was even more overblown in its claims.

    It issued a statement that claimed: “This is undoubtedly the most severe threat to the Jewish community in Australia to date. The plot, if executed, would likely have resulted in the worst terrorist attack on Australian soil.”

    Note the word “undoubtedly”.

    Uncritical Israeli claims
    Then there was another uncritical Israel barracker, Sky News’ Sharri Markson, who claimed; “To think perpetrators would have potentially targeted a museum commemorating the Holocaust — a time when six million Jews were killed — is truly horrifying.”

    And naturally, Jilian Segal, the highly partisan so-called “Antisemitism Envoy” said the discovery of the caravan was a “chilling reminder that the same hatred that led to the murder of millions of Jews during the Holocaust still exists today”.

    In short, the response to the Dural caravan incident was simply an exercise in jumping on the antisemitism issue without any regard to the consequences for our community, including the fear it spread among Jewish Australians and the further demonising of the Arab Australian community.

    No circumspection. No leadership. No insistence that the matter had not been investigated fully.

    As the only Jewish organisation that represents humanity, the Jewish Council of Australia, said in a statement from its director Sarah Schwartz on March 10 the “statement from the AFP [Australian Federal Police] should prompt reflection from every politician, journalist and community leader who has sought to manipulate and weaponise fears within the Jewish community.

    ‘Irresponsible and dangerous’
    “The attempt to link these events to the support of Palestinians — whether at protests, universities, conferences or writers’ festivals — has been irresponsible and dangerous.” Truth in spades.

    And ask yourself this question. Let’s say the Dural caravan contained notes about mosques and Arab Australian community centres. Would the media, politicians and others have whipped up the same level of hysteria and divisive rhetoric?

    The answer is no.

    One assumes Dutton, Segal, the Zionist Federation and others who frothed at the mouth in January will now offer a collective mea culpa. Sadly, they won’t because there will be no demands to do so.

    The damage to our legal system has been done because political opportunism and milking antisemitism for political ends comes first for those who should know better.

    Greg Barns SC is national criminal justice spokesperson for the Australian Lawyers Alliance. This article was first published by Pearls and Irritations social policy journal and is republished with permission.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Unlocking renewables opportunities

    Source: Scottish Government

    £3.2 million to realise high-value supply chain investment.

    A public-private agreement has been reached to help expand operations and attract new investment at the Port of Montrose.

    A Scottish Enterprise grant of £3.2 million will support a £7.2 million project to acquire and develop land just under two miles from the port.

    The new strategically-important site, Montrose Port Industrial Park, will offer both existing and new companies greater flexibility to grow and adapt alongside Scotland’s thriving renewables sector.

    The Scottish Enterprise investment is part of the Scottish Government’s commitment to invest up to £500 million over five years to develop the offshore wind supply chain and leverage an additional £1.5 billion of private investment.

    Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said:

    “Scotland’s offshore wind sector is already creating significant opportunities, delivering jobs and attracting major investment across the country. 

    “The Scottish Government has made it clear that Scotland is open for business and we are working closely with Scottish Enterprise and public sector partners to maximise investment and drive growth in the sector.

    “The Port of Montrose is a key asset in supporting Scotland’s offshore wind industry. This investment is the latest in a series of strategic commitments we have made to unlock new opportunities and secure Scotland’s future as a renewables powerhouse.

    Scottish Enterprise CEO Adrian Gillespie said:

    “The expansion of Montrose Port is hugely important to providing new infrastructure and space to support the continued growth of the offshore wind sector.

    “Montrose Port Authority has exciting plans for the future and we are pleased to back that kind of ambition which will attract further investment into Scotland’s economy.”

    CEO of Montrose Port Authority Tom Hutchison said:

    “This investment marks a pivotal moment for Montrose Port, further establishing our role as a key hub in Scotland’s renewable energy sector. By expanding capacity and attracting new investment, we are creating valuable opportunities for business growth, job creation and long-term economic prosperity – both locally and across Scotland.

    “We are delighted that Scottish Enterprise recognises the potential of this project and supports our vision for sustainable growth. This development reinforces Montrose’s position at the forefront of Scotland’s energy transition, ensuring we continue to drive innovation and play a vital role in the offshore wind sector for years to come.”

    Background

    Recent investments made as part of the Scottish Government’s commitment of up to £500 million include:

    Scottish Ministers will host a Global Offshore Wind Investment Forum on Monday 17th March 2025 as part of a Green Industrial Strategy commitment to raise the profile of Scotland as a destination for capital investment.

    Montrose Port Authority (MPA), the world’s largest chain and anchor port, is a key hub for transport, logistics and energy on Scotland’s North East Coast. As a trust port, MPA drives sustainability, supports economic growth and plays a vital role in Scotland’s energy transition.

    A leading hub for renewable energy, MPA has become a major Operations & Maintenance (O&M) base for offshore wind. The port is home to the O&M base for Scotland’s largest offshore wind farm, Seagreen, and will be the base for the forthcoming Inch Cape wind project which will begin construction later this year.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –