Released by: Minister for Education and Early Learning
The Minns Labor Government is today wishing good luck to the more than 76,000 HSC students who will be filling exam centres across NSW from today, as the formal exam period kicks off for the HSC Class of 2024.
Starting with English Paper 1 at 9:50am, 124 exams will take place over the next 19 days. At the conclusion of the exam period on November 8, close to 400,000 unique exam sessions will have been completed.
With a record 80,166 students completing at least one HSC course in 2024, the HSC remains the most popular high school credential in the country.
The HSC exams, which contribute to 50 per cent of students’ HSC mark, are an opportunity for students to demonstrate all they have learnt over their 13-year schooling career.
While today marks the start of written exams, close to 30,000 students have already completed language oral exams, performance exams, or handed in a major work in Term 3.
HSC marking will be conducted by 5,500 subject matter experts – teachers from classrooms – who award marks based on how students respond to questions, in line with the syllabus and marking guidelines.
Students will receive their HSC results and ATAR on Wednesday 18 December.
Visit the NESA website to view the written exam timetable and the 2024 HSC Enrolment Snapshot.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said:
“All the best to the HSC Class of 2024 – the largest high school cohort in the country and in NSW history – as you head into written exams.
“Trust that the hard work you’ve done has prepared you well, and go into every exam room determined to do your best.
“Thank you to all of the teachers who have been part of this cohort’s 13-year education. I know every teacher and parent is looking on with pride today as these young people take this big step in their educational journey.”
NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) Chief Executive Officer Paul Martin said:
“The next 19 days are a huge logistical operation for schools, exam staff and NESA.
“Our aim is to ensure students have a safe and positive exam experience – so they can show markers all they have learnt when they are in exams.
“We know this is a big day for families too – who have been supporting their young adults through the highs and lows of school assessments, exam preparation and the idea that a new life chapter is about to begin.
“My message to students: there are many ways to reach your goals. Be passionate, be curious and feel confident in all that you have learnt over the last 13 years.”
Headline: Tickets out now for the Cessnock NSW Seniors Christmas Concerts
Published: 15 October 2024
Released by: Minister for Seniors
Tickets for the free NSW Seniors Christmas Concerts in Cessnock are now available with seniors urged to snap them up and enjoy the festive fun.
The NSW Seniors Christmas Concerts star singing sensations Amy Lehpamer from the musical & Juliet, Arlo Sims, Liz Player and Emily Kate, from The Voice, and Will Skarpona from the Conservatorium of Music.
There will be two free shows at the Performance Arts Culture Cessnock on Thursday 12 December 2024 at 10am and 1pm.
Featuring all the festive favourites, the regional concerts are an annual highlight of the Christmas season and a chance for seniors to socialise and enjoy a spectacular show.
Call the Performance Arts Culture Cessnock Theatre box office on 02 4993 4266.
Visit the Performance Arts Culture Cessnock Theatre box office on the corner of Vincent Street and Aberdare Road, Cessnock, NSW, 2325.
Free tickets are available until the allocation is exhausted. Maximum 4 per person or call venues for larger group bookings.
Cessnock is one of three regional centres to host the Seniors Christmas Concerts this year with other shows taking place in Broken Hill and Moree.
Each year, the NSW Seniors Christmas Concerts visit three regional towns to bring the festive cheer to seniors in the regions. They are a way for the NSW Government to thank our seniors and help them celebrate with friends and family.
Minister for Seniors Jodie Harrison said:
“The NSW Seniors Christmas Concerts are a wonderful way to enjoy the season, socialise and have a festive singalong with some of the state’s top performers.
“Tickets are sure to go quickly so be certain to get your seats as soon as possible to experience this spectacular show in regional NSW.
Local member for Cessnock Clayton Barr said:
“I am pleased to see Cessnock is one of the three regional centres selected to be host to the Seniors Christmas Concerts. I encourage local seniors to make sure you get in early to avoid missing out.
“There are a variety of ways to get tickets for the Cessnock Concert including online, by calling the Performance Arts Culture Cessnock (PACC) box office or you can visit the PACC box office in Vincent Street, Cessnock.
“This is a great opportunity for all seniors in the local area to see and enjoy this spectacular show and don’t forget to sing along to your favourite Christmas tunes.”
Performer Will Skarpona said:
“I am looking forward to bringing the spirit of Christmas to seniors living in regional NSW.
“The NSW Seniors Christmas Concerts are guaranteed to delight audiences so make sure you book your tickets now.”
500 households in the 2515 postcode in New South Wales are set to be electrified, in a new project announced today by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), and partners Brighte, Rewiring Australia and Endeavour Energy.
ARENA is providing $5.4 million in funding for the “Electrify 2515 Community Pilot” to support the electrification of 500 homes in the north Illawarra 2515 area, providing insights on how Australia could benefit from an electrified future.
ARENA CEO Darren Miller said this project would also provide significant insight into the contribution of home electrification to grid stability while also reducing energy costs for consumers.
“Flexible demand at a residential level is expected to be critical as homes electrify. By undertaking electrification in a managed way, we can reduce the need to upgrade our electricity network and reduce costs for all electricity consumers.”
The main objective of the pilot is to accelerate the energy transition in homes to understand the impact on consumers and the network. This will be done by installing efficient electric appliances and other consumer energy resources (CER) including heat pump space and water heaters, home batteries, and rooftop solar that will be optimised by a home energy management system (HEMS).
By studying the installation journey closely, the pilot will generate insights into consumer behaviour and decision-making when purchasing and using CER to better understand how to scale and commercialise home electrification.
Brighte Founder and CEO Katherine McConnell said the pilot aimed to create the electric future in a real community today. “This project will allow us to learn locally so we can scale nationally, generating critical insights for consumers, tradespeople, industry and policymakers on how to rapidly and effectively scale electrification across Australia.
“We’re excited about the role we can play to demonstrate the power of homes brought to their full potential, lighting a pathway for every Australian community to electrify more easily and fast-forward to a smart, electric future.”
One of the bigger barriers to the commercialisation and widespread adoption CER is upfront cost. The funding provided by ARENA will help to support the purchase of CER for pilot participants taking part in the research program led by Rewiring Australia.
The Electrify 2515 Community Pilot will test the impacts of electrification within a community and within the constraints of Endeavour Energy’s local electricity network. This is expected to allow the sharing of valuable insights on the impacts of residential electrification.
ARENA Strategic Priority: Optimise the Transition to Renewable Electricity
Australia’s electricity system is rapidly evolving. Solar and wind are now the cheapest sources of new bulk electricity supply, and significant numbers of Australian households and businesses continue to install rooftop solar and other distributed energy technologies. Grid-scale innovations are also driving the transition, including increased use of grid-scale batteries.
New demand loads for green metals, manufacturing and fuel production, coupled with the electrification of transport and broader industry. Will create unprecedented demand for renewable energy over the next decade. We need to ensure the grid is equipped to support this additional demand and high penetration of renewables.
Further technical and commercial innovation, as well as market reforms, will be critical to ensure the electricity system can transition efficiently, reliably and cost-effectively.
ARENA is currently focused on supporting projects in this priority area that help deliver the following objectives:
Unlock new flexible demand
Improve the economics of energy storage
Optimise large-scale integration of renewable electricity
Australia’s Race Discrimination Commissioner, Giridharan Sivaraman, has condemned the neo-Nazi rally held in regional New South Wales on the weekend, warning it is further proof of the urgent need for a national strategy to combat racism.
Roughly 50 masked people, all dressed in black and brandishing a neo-Nazi banner, gathered and marched on Saturday in the small town of Corowa – which sits on the NSW-Victoria border. NSW Police said it is investigating the incident, with the rally widely condemned by local, state and federal leaders.
“The neo-Nazi rally in Corowa was a shock to many, particularly residents. But to those of us who have been following the rise of the far-right in the last few years, it sadly wasn’t that surprising,” said Commissioner Sivaraman.
“This is what happens when we refuse to properly name and confront the extent of racism that is ingrained across our society. These rallies are a horrific manifestation of what happens when racism is normalised – to the extent that neo-Nazis are emboldened to be on the streets as a threatening force.
“As I have repeatedly stated, race and power are interlinked. If you are white in Australia, you have power and privilege to know that institutions and systems were built by people like you, for people like you. But for far-right groups, as we are seeing both in Australia and globally, any challenge to that is met with vile hate and acts of violence.
“White supremacy is a threat that must be taken seriously. We should never forget that the worst mass murder in recent history committed by an Australian was a white supremacist in Christchurch, New Zealand in 2019. Politicians need to be careful their language does not denigrate one community over another or embolden neo-Nazis to openly march on our streets. Australian media also needs to be careful about which ideologies it platforms.
“If we really want to target these and other similar threats, the only way forward is national anti-racism action that addresses the roots of white supremacy and all forms of racism in Australia. It is the ultimate antidote to racism and its violence. By taking anti-racism action, equality, dignity and respect may one day be a reality for everyone in Australia – no matter a person’s racial, cultural or religious background.”
On 26 November, the Australian Human Rights Commission will release its National Anti-Racism Framework – calling on the Commonwealth to lead national, urgent action on anti-racism. This Thursday, the Commission will also release the findings of nationwide consultations with people with lived experience of racism. Those findings will help inform the development of the Framework.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bartholomew Stanford, Lecturer in Political Science/Indigenous Politics (First Peoples), Griffith University
Since the Voice to Parliament referendum last year, there has been a lack of leadership on Indigenous policy from the Australian government.
With this absence, the states and territories now present greater opportunity for Indigenous groups in seeking rights recognition. This is the level where agreements are being made and Treaty proposed.
It is important to take stock of the progress that is being made in agreement-making and Treaty in Australian states and territories. While this is an area of Indigenous policy that has been set aside of late, it has great potential to deliver self-determination for First Nations people.
First Nations agreement-making in Australia
Agreement-making is relatively new in the context of First Nations relations with the Australian state.
The recognition of Indigenous land rights in law has enabled First Nations people and Australian governments to enter legally binding agreements across matters such as:
land use and access
Indigenous cultural heritage protection
co-management of land and sea
economic development
employment
resolving land claims.
First Nations groups in Australia have made hundreds of these agreements with Australian governments at all levels.
However, there is a type of agreement that these parties are entering that is advancing the cause more generally. They are called settlement agreements.
What is a settlement agreement?
Victoria and Western Australia have been signing settlement agreements with First Nations groups since 2010.
These agreements are more comprehensive than other agreements, including terms that cover numerous matters like those listed above, and often include financial packages aimed at supporting First Nations governance institutions.
In Victoria, settlement agreements are made under state legislation. So far, four First Nations groups have entered these agreements with the Victorian government.
In Western Australia, three settlement agreements have been made between the WA government and First Nations under Commonwealth native title legislation. The largest of these, known as the Noongar Settlement, is worth $1.3 billion and has been characterised by legal scholars as “Australia’s first Treaty”.
Victoria and WA are the only jurisdictions that have these agreements and there are two main reasons why they were successfully signed. The first is the success of First Nations groups in mobilising political power to lobby the state. The second is the willingness of governments to enter negotiations because of economic and political motivations.
A crucial question is whether existing settlement agreements will form an important basis for developing Treaty in the states and territories.
a settlement that deals with claims and that enables Indigenous self-government.
Treaties are different from other agreements, as they provide scope to recognise Indigenous sovereignty, enable some limited forms of autonomy, and create a framework for Indigenous/government relations.
Australia has not signed treaties with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Canada, New Zealand and the United States began signing treaties centuries ago, so why is Australia so far behind?
There are several reasons why Indigenous treaties were never signed in Australia.
First, Australia was colonised in different circumstances, established as a penal colony and not initially a part of European expansionism.
In North America, numerous European powers were competing for control over the continent. The British, French, Spanish and others fought against each other and procured First Nations warriors for their military ranks through treaties.
Trade was also a motivating factor for Treaty-making in North America. Europeans coveted the animal pelts produced by First Nations people for sale in the European fashion markets.
Today, it is arguable that Australia stands out as uniquely opposed to Indigenous rights recognition relative to other British settler states. This idea is supported by our most recent referendum result.
So why are Australian governments engaging in Treaty discussions now?
What’s happening across the country?
There is currently a combination of Indigenous political action and leverage enabled through Indigenous land rights recognition. Some governments are also beginning to see value in Indigenous Knowledge, especially with regard to environmental management.
Treaty, however, is deeply political in Australia, and since the referendum last year it has come under increased political scrutiny and attack.
Days after the referendum result, the Queensland Liberal National party walked back support for a state-based Treaty.
If the LNP wins government at this month’s election (as polls are predicting), Treaty will likely be shelved.
This move would undo the years of work the state government has undertaken as part of its Tracks to Treaty initiative.
Victoria has made the most progress on Treaty of any Australian state or territory. This is due to the leadership of the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria, which has spearheaded Treaty in the state.
A Treaty negotiation framework has been developed by the assembly and Victorian government. This will guide negotiations towards a state-wide Treaty in the near future.
Other Australian jurisdictions have made far less progress. The referendum result seems to have stalled any momentum that existed prior.
In the Northern Territory, there’s been no progress since the NT Treaty Commission lodged a report with government in 2022. As the newly elected Country Liberal government doesn’t support a Treaty, it won’t happen anytime soon.
In South Australia, the First Nations Voice to Parliament is expected to lead the development of Treaty. The first election was held in March of this year, and First Nations elected members had their first meeting in June 2024.
New South Wales recruited Treaty commissioners earlier this year. They’re now embarking on a 12-month consultation process before reporting back to government.
Governments in Tasmania and the ACT have committed to Treaty, but haven’t made any meaningful progress yet, while WA has made no formal commitment.
Where to from here?
Although there are notable setbacks emerging from the referendum result, it has not discouraged First Nations from working towards agreements and Treaty with Australian governments.
With the proliferation of native title determinations, there is grounds for agreement-making, whether that be through settlement agreements or Treaty.
There is also growing interest in how Indigenous Knowledge can inform our responses to climate change, food security and foreign relations. Accessing this knowledge will require governments to formalise relations with First Nations through agreements.
Bartholomew Stanford 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.
Liu Cixin, Chinese sci-fi luminary and president of the newly launched Beijing Yuanyu Science Fiction and Future Technology Research Institute, speaks at a forum during the China Science Fiction Convention (CSFC), held in Beijing, May 30, 2023. [Photo courtesy of the CSFC Organizing Committee]
China launched its first literary museum dedicated to Liu Cixin, a renowned science fiction writer and Hugo Award winning novelist, in Yangquan, Shanxi province, on Sunday.
While accepting the nation’s honor and unveiling the Liu Cixin Sci-fi Museum, Liu, author of the acclaimed sci-fi novel trilogy The Three-Body Problem who grew up in Yangquan, said that he hopes the museum can help the general public gain a better understanding of the sci-fi literature and develop an interest in the genre.
Located at a cultural park, the 700-square-meter museum educates visitors about Liu’s growth, his books and awards, and cultural and creative products derived from his works. Immersive projectors also create an atmosphere mimicking interstellar voyages described in Liu’s novels.
Born in 1963, Liu wrote novels that gained fame in the late 1990s and early 2000s, with works including The Village Teacher and The Wandering Earth.
The first volume of The Three-Body Problem was first serialized in a magazine in 2006 and eventually won Liu the Hugo Award — the top prize in sci-fi novels — for Best Novel in 2015, making him the first Asian writer to receive the honor. The second volume was published in 2008, and the third in 2010.
Altogether, the trilogy has sold more than 30 million copies, according to Zhao Jilong, head of The Three-Body Universe, which operates the franchise commercially. Zhao said the trilogy has been translated into 35 languages worldwide.
Multiple adaptations of Liu’s novels have hit the screen over the years, including the English-language 3 Body Problem TV series by Netflix this year and Three-Body by Tencent and China Central Television last year. In addition, the movie The Wandering Earth in 2019, adapted from Liu’s novel, garnered nearly 4.7 billion yuan ($660 million) at the box office.
China’s sci-fi market has also boomed following the popularity. An industry report released in April showed that the domestic market hit 113 billion yuan last year, up 29 percent year-on-year. At the 82nd World Science Fiction Convention, or Worldcon, which was held in August in Glasgow, Scotland, a record nine works by Chinese sci-fi authors were nominated for a Hugo Award.
Despite his success, Liu said that overall, Chinese sci-fi literature is not yet prosperous and still needs development, adding that the popularity of The Three-Body Problem trilogy was somewhat “by chance”.
He said he hopes sci-fi can bring readers more joy, so they can “touch the sky with their imagination and embrace the future”. However, fans may have to wait longer if they want to see something new from him.
“I’ve been trying to write, but currently it’s very difficult,” Liu said. “I would only bring out a new work that is of good quality.”
Yan Jingming, vice-president of the China Writers Association, said that the establishment of the museum is not only an homage to Liu and his works but also serves as a beacon for China’s sci-fi writers and fans.
He said he hopes it will bring like-minded sci-fi novelists together and spark more inspiration and works.
The launch was part of a weeklong sci-fi promotional event in Yangquan that also included a symposium on sci-fi literature and real-world productivity, where Liu shared his thoughts on potential immigration to Mars.
“I would love to go to Mars if it were a round trip,” Liu said, explaining that a one-way journey would not suit him as he had work to do and family members to be with on Earth.
Nevertheless, Liu said he admires Elon Musk, who has developed plans for Mars immigration.
“He’s like a person jumping out of sci-fi novels,” Liu said. “He has turned a lot of things from books to reality.”
Police have this morning charged a third person in connection with the murder of a man in Point England earlier this month.
A 19-year-old man has today been jointly charged with the murder of the 53-year-old North Shore man after he was located deceased in the middle of Point England Road at 11.15pm on Saturday 5 October.
Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Greaves, Auckland City CIB, says detectives executed a search warrant at a Glen Innes address this morning where the man was taken into custody.
“Three people have now been charged with the murder of this man.
“I would like to acknowledge the investigation team, who have worked tirelessly to get this result, and to thank those members of the community who have assisted our enquiries.”
Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Greaves says Police are continuing to provide support to the victim’s family during this difficult time.
Police have also charged all three people with aggravated robbery.
A 21-year-old man and 22-year-old woman, who were arrested last week, have both been remanded in custody charged with murder.
The pair are scheduled to reappear in the Auckland High Court on 23 October.
The 19-year-old man arrested today will appear in Auckland District Court this afternoon.
A tasting panel to rival the United Nations turned up to help emerging food businesses test their wares at the latest Kitchen Project event.
Held in Pukekohe, three foodies taking part in the Auckland Council initiative that helps food entrepreneurs take their businesses to the next level, laid out their wares for people from South Africa, Ireland, Italy, the Philippines, Korea, Brasil, Wales and New Zealand.
The Kitchen Project’s Franklin work is funded by Eke Panuku – Auckland Council’s development agency – as it focuses on developing food and beverage businesses with an emphasis on culture, healthy food and sustainable practices.
Among the businesses relying on stranger’s tastebuds was Otara donut-maker Rose Hamlin of Angel Treatz.
Madd Pies chief pie-maker and gifted baker Emily Maddren, whose hand-crafted pies are sought-after at markets and online.
“It’s scary putting your products out there but the Kitchen Project has given me the confidence to believe in myself and back what I’m making.”
Rose came to donuts when caring for her sweet-toothed daughter, who lives with multiple seizure syndrome, and who loves a good donut.
The problem was Rose wasn’t convinced she was getting good donuts, and she was convinced she could make them better, and save herself a fortune along the way.
“I’m making donuts without all the added preservatives. When I started it wasn’t long before my friends and other people were telling me I could make a business out of it.
“Being able to participate in The Kitchen Project allowed me to think of it as a business, to understand what I would need to do to make it sustainable, and how to go about all the things I had no idea you needed to consider when you go into business.
“Happily, making donuts and treats hasn’t stopped being something I love doing, it’s just turned into something that I can make a living from too.”
Sister act. Emily’s sister Jayde Lane creates traditional sauces with husband Andrew that they take to the market under the name The Smoke Shed.
Joining her were Madd Pies chief pie-maker and gifted baker Emily Maddren, whose hand-crafted pies have become a sought-after treat at markets throughout Franklin.
“I wanted to create pies that were full of flavour, that used natural ingredients, that remain hand-made and aren’t run-off a conveyer belt.
“Hopefully my pies are something you can look forward to putting in front of your family because they are healthy and home-made, rather than something dragged out of the freezer out of desperation.”
Her sister Jayde Lane was just metres away at the next tasting station, laying out sauces with husband Andrew that they take to the market under the name The Smoke Shed.
Like chicken king Colonel Sanders, she’s not letting on about the secret ingredients that go into her Worcesteshire sauce – the recipe handed down from son to son – and then to a daughter – down the generations since it first graced tables back in Wales.
“The Kitchen Project has been a vital part of our journey. The support, advice and mentoring we’ve been able to tap into has been invaluable.
International flavour. The tasting panel was made up of people from South Africa, Ireland, Italy, the Philippines, Korea, Brasil, Wales and New Zealand.
“We are never going to rival the big chain sauces, but we’d like to think if someone wanted to have a good home-made tomato sauce or any of our other products, they could buy ours with confidence.”
The part-time 26-week programme includes learning both in and out of the kitchen, covering everything from regulations, food safety and business planning to finance, branding and marketing. It also offers access to dedicated commercial kitchens at subsidised rates.
The Kitchen Project’s Connie Clarkson says it can play an important role by working from the ground up.
“By fostering sustainable local food and beverage businesses that belong in the community, we’re encouraging a diverse and exciting food culture.”
The Kitchen Project and the three food businesses are all online.
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Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Thousands of new homes to be built as part of the government’s plans to get the country building again.
Thousands of new homes to be built as part of the government’s plans to get the country building again, create jobs and grow the economy as a multi-million-pound funding boost is given councils to unlock disused brownfield sites.
£68 million, announced today by the Prime Minister, will go directly to 54 councils who will be able to use the money to turn neglected land into new homes. It will transform local communities and help families onto the property ladder.
The funding will mean councils can clear empty buildings, former car parks and industrial land to make way for the homes. This category of land is expensive to prepare for housebuilding, meaning sites are sat empty and an eyesore for local communities.
With the funding, delivered through the Brownfield Land Release Fund, councils will be able to cover the cost of decontamination, clearing disused buildings or improving infrastructure such as internet, water and power. As a result, land will be released to enable 5,200 homes to be built across the country.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:
From the outset we promised to get this country building again to deliver 1.5 million homes over this parliament and help tackle the housing crisis we have inherited. That is the essence of fixing the foundations and driving growth.
I said this government is on the side of the builders, not the blockers. And I meant it. This funding for councils will see disused sites and industrial wastelands transformed into thousands of new homes in places that people want to live and work. Our brownfield-first approach will not only ramp up housebuilding but also create more jobs, deliver much-needed infrastructure, and boost economic growth across the country.
This government is rolling up its sleeves and delivering the change the British people deserve.
Housing and Planning Minister Matthew Pennycook said:
The government is committed to a brownfield-first approach to housebuilding, and we have already taken steps to prioritise and fast-track building on previously used urban land through our proposals for a ‘brownfield passport’.
The funding announced today will support the delivery of thousands of new homes and boost economic growth by unlocking development on scores of abandoned, disused and neglected urban sites across the country.
Some of the projects to benefit from the funding include:
£2.9 million to Manchester to unlock a vacant brownfield site to build 220 much-needed affordable homes
£2.2 million to Eastbourne to transform a former industrial site, to build 100 new homes including 80 affordable houses
Over £1.7 million to the town centre in Weston-Super-Mare to allow over 100 homes to be built on brownfield land
£1.4 million to Northampton to transform a former bus depot and deliver 72 new homes
It has also been announced today that Homes England will be investing £30 million to help accelerate the transformation of the Riverside Sunderland area from a former industrial heartland into a thriving new place. The Brownfield Infrastructure Land (BIL) investment will support a broader project aiming to create around 1,000 new homes, new community infrastructure and one million square feet of tailored office space for UK and international businesses, providing accommodation for between 8,000 and 10,000 jobs.
To accelerate housing development and achieve the ambition to build 1.5 million homes, the government has also:
Announced an overhaul of the planning system through a consultation on reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework, including new mandatory housebuilding targets for councils.
Launched a New Homes Accelerator group to unblock thousands of new homes stuck in the planning system or partially built.
Introduced ‘brownfield passports’ to ensure where planning proposals meet design and quality standards, the default answer to planning permission is yes.
Set up an independent New Towns Taskforce, as part of a long-term vision to create largescale communities of at least 10,000 new homes each.
It comes as earlier today it was announced that tens of thousands of new homes will be built across Britain funded by over £550 million worth of impact investments. These investments, whereby a fund creates beneficial social or environmental impact, has now grown to £76.8 billion in the UK in assets under management. This shows the government’s hard work is already restoring confidence for investors to choose Britain, which is open for business.
ENDS
Notes to editors
The three-year £180 million Brownfield Land Release Fund 2 was launched in July 2022 to allow local authorities in England to be able to build on blocked brownfield land.
Cllr Louise Gittins, Chair of the Local Government Association, said: “We are delighted to continue our work with MHCLG, supporting councils to access the Brownfield Land Release Fund to remediate unviable council-owned brownfield land and bring it forwards for much needed homes. Delivered through the One Public Estate programme, BLRF is an important fund for English councils to unlock smaller sites and provides the flexibility for councils to deliver the types of homes their community needs at pace.”
Queensland Premier Steven Miles this week declared his party would hold a plebiscite on nuclear power if it returns to office at the forthcoming state election.
The move is in response to plans by the federal Coalition to build and operate seven nuclear plants around Australia if elected to government. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton says the facilities would be built at sites of coal power stations scheduled for closure. Two are slated for Queensland, at the Callide and Tarong power stations.
Queensland has state laws banning the construction or operation of a nuclear facility and requiring the state government to hold a plebiscite if there are Commonwealth plans to build a nuclear plant in the state. A plebiscite is a referendum-style vote to gauge voters’ views on an issue.
Unlike a referendum, the results are not binding. There’s also very little chance a plebiscite could be held on or before the date of the next federal election, as Miles has suggested, as the laws do not allow for a plebiscite on an opposition policy.
Who has the constitutional power over nuclear facilities?
While the Commonwealth Constitution does not refer to nuclear energy, the federal parliament has passed laws to regulate nuclear matters. To do so, it relies on a web of constitutional powers, including the trade and commerce power, the corporations power, the external affairs power and the territories power.
The Commonwealth can also compulsorily acquire land for public purposes. This makes the land a “Commonwealth place” over which it can exercise full and exclusive legislative power.
The federal government has previously engaged in commercial matters by establishing trading corporations, such as NBN Co and Snowy Hydro Ltd, to deal with nation-building infrastructure.
It seems likely, therefore, that the federal parliament could pass laws to authorise and regulate the operation of nuclear power plants in Australia.
In doing so, its laws would override inconsistent state laws, such as those that prohibit nuclear facilities, under section 109 of the Constitution.
But state governments could still make it difficult for the Commonwealth to give effect to its nuclear policies. You only have to look at how state governments have successfully opposed Commonwealth efforts to create a nuclear waste facility to see the problems.
Plebiscite as booby trap
The development of a nuclear power industry in Australia has been debated before – most recently in 2006 when the Howard Coalition government commissioned the Switkowski report on the use of nuclear energy in Australia.
This report suggested the Commonwealth could act to establish 25 nuclear power stations across Australia. In response, Queensland’s parliament, under a Labor government, enacted the Nuclear Facilities Prohibition Act 2007. It banned the construction or operation of certain types of nuclear facilities in Queensland. New South Wales and Victoria had also previously done the same.
The Queensland government recognised the Commonwealth probably had the power to override such a ban. So it included a political booby trap in section 21 of the law.
It says that if the relevant Queensland minister is satisfied the Commonwealth government has taken, or is likely to take, any step supporting or allowing the construction of a prohibited nuclear facility in Queensland, the minister:
must take steps for the conduct of a plebiscite in Queensland to obtain the views of the people of Queensland about the construction of a prohibited nuclear facility in Queensland.
Unlike a referendum, which changes the Constitution, a plebiscite operates as an opinion poll.
It would not prevent a nuclear power plant being built, or stop the federal parliament overriding the state ban. But it could create a political impediment.
During the debate over the state law in 2007, then-Premier Peter Beattie made this point clearly:
If the Howard government wants to use its powers to override the strong position of Queenslanders […] this government will make certain that Queenslanders have a chance to have their say.
This was important, he claimed, because it would “put political pressure on the federal government to not go down this road”. In other words, the law can be used to apply political pressure.
Of plebiscites and federal elections
Miles suggested the plebiscite could be held the same day as the next federal election “to save people going to the polls twice”.
This could affect voting in the federal election by highlighting the impact of nuclear policies on Queensland. But if this is the tactic, Miles faces two problems.
First, Queensland law only triggers the plebiscite requirement when the relevant state minister is “satisfied the government of the Commonwealth” is likely to take a step in supporting or allowing the construction of a prohibited nuclear facility in Queensland.
But the minister could not legally be satisfied of this before the election outcome is known, as a policy of an opposition party does not amount to a proposed action of the “government of the Commonwealth”.
Second, section 394 of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 says no state or territory election, referendum or vote can be held on the day of a Commonwealth election without the authority of the governor-general.
This ban was introduced in 1922, after holding state votes at the same time as federal elections resulted in a high informal vote due to different voting instructions.
The governor-general has given this permission only once, when the Northern Territory held a plebiscite on becoming a state on the same day as the 1998 federal election.
It’s doubtful the federal government would advise the governor-general to permit a partisan state plebiscite to be held on the same day as a federal election.
Queensland’s ageing Callide Power Station opened nearly 60 years ago. It’s been flagged as a possible location for a nuclear power station under opposition leader Peter Dutton’s plan. Queensland State Archives
Where does this leave us?
It’s unlikely Queensland could hold such a plebiscite at or before the next federal election.
But if the Coalition wins the next federal election and proceeds with its nuclear policy, Queensland would be obliged to hold a plebiscite – regardless of who wins the state election, unless its law was changed.
This would make clear how much support there was for nuclear power. A clear rejection wouldn’t have any legal effect, but could well achieve the same outcome through political pressure. We might also see other states follow suit to hold plebiscites on nuclear power, although none currently are legally obliged to do so.
Anne Twomey has received funding from the Australian Research Council and sometimes does consultancy work for governments, Parliaments and inter-governmental bodies.
Two bridges being built as part of the Parkes Bypass project (in central west NSW) will move one step closer to carrying traffic, as massive girders to support the bridge decks are lifted into place.
The $287.2 million Parkes Bypass project will feature five key intersections and two new bridges, including one over Hartigan Avenue and the rail corridor and a second over the bypass on Victoria Street.
The Australian Government is contributing $229.7 million towards this project, with the NSW Government contributing the remaining $57.4 million.
Preliminary work including construction of the abutments, or bridge ends, at either end of the bridges is now nearing completion and two giant cranes will be mobilised to the bypass site to lift six girders into place at each of the bridges.
Each of the 60-tonne girders will be hoisted high in the air and lowered into place on the bridge supports weather permitting – on 15 October.
These girders, to be installed near the northern end of the bridge add to the 30 girders lifted into place in October 2023.
Once the cranes are set up, a 600-tonne crane will pass the girders one-by-one to the 750-tonne crane so they can be installed between the northern abutment and the next pier.
The process will be repeated on 5 November, when one of the cranes is again used to lift six more girders into place for the new Victoria Street Bridge.
When completed, the 10.5-kilometre bypass on the western outskirts of Parkes will reduce travel time, improve freight productivity and efficiency on the Newell Highway, improve pedestrian access through Parkes and benefit traffic flow in and around the town.
Quotes attributable to Federal Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King:
“All the pieces of the Parkes Bypass project are continuing to come together to ensure the Newell Highway is upgraded to be a safer and more efficient major inland transport route through the centre of New South Wales.
“The Newell Highway contributes to the competitiveness of Australia’s agricultural and mining sectors by enabling access to essential freight networks not only in NSW, but also Victoria and Queensland.”
Quotes attributable to NSW Regional Transport and Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison:
“These upgrades are vital to better connect our regional communities and improve efficiency on one of our busiest regional routes.
“It will be a spectacular sight as these crucial links in the Parkes Bypass of the Newell Highway comes together, as we move closer to delivering this key regional project with the Australian Government.”
Quotes attributable to Senator for New South Wales Deborah O’Neill:
“The Parkes Bypass project is a critical investment in a key regional area of NSW and will help underpin the area’s future prosperity.
“This project has supported around 350 jobs during construction and we appreciate the patience of Parkes motorists, tourists and freight operators as they have navigated the necessary traffic changes along the way.”
Quotes attributable to NSW Labor’s spokesperson for Orange Stephen Lawrence MLC:
“The local community has been calling for a Parkes bypass for decades and I’m delighted to see it finally being delivered.
“Importantly, this bypass will not only ease congestion and increase efficiency on the Newell Highway; it will also improve road safety and better protect our community.”
Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development
Two bridges being built as part of the Parkes Bypass project (in central west NSW) will move one step closer to carrying traffic, as massive girders to support the bridge decks are lifted into place.
The $287.2 million Parkes Bypass project will feature five key intersections and two new bridges, including one over Hartigan Avenue and the rail corridor and a second over the bypass on Victoria Street.
The Australian Government is contributing $229.7 million towards this project, with the NSW Government contributing the remaining $57.4 million.
Preliminary work including construction of the abutments, or bridge ends, at either end of the bridges is now nearing completion and two giant cranes will be mobilised to the bypass site to lift six girders into place at each of the bridges.
Each of the 60-tonne girders will be hoisted high in the air and lowered into place on the bridge supports weather permitting – on 15 October.
These girders, to be installed near the northern end of the bridge add to the 30 girders lifted into place in October 2023.
Once the cranes are set up, a 600-tonne crane will pass the girders one-by-one to the 750-tonne crane so they can be installed between the northern abutment and the next pier.
The process will be repeated on 5 November, when one of the cranes is again used to lift six more girders into place for the new Victoria Street Bridge.
When completed, the 10.5-kilometre bypass on the western outskirts of Parkes will reduce travel time, improve freight productivity and efficiency on the Newell Highway, improve pedestrian access through Parkes and benefit traffic flow in and around the town.
Quotes attributable to Federal Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King:
“All the pieces of the Parkes Bypass project are continuing to come together to ensure the Newell Highway is upgraded to be a safer and more efficient major inland transport route through the centre of New South Wales.
“The Newell Highway contributes to the competitiveness of Australia’s agricultural and mining sectors by enabling access to essential freight networks not only in NSW, but also Victoria and Queensland.”
Quotes attributable to NSW Regional Transport and Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison:
“These upgrades are vital to better connect our regional communities and improve efficiency on one of our busiest regional routes.
“It will be a spectacular sight as these crucial links in the Parkes Bypass of the Newell Highway comes together, as we move closer to delivering this key regional project with the Australian Government.”
Quotes attributable to Senator for New South Wales Deborah O’Neill:
“The Parkes Bypass project is a critical investment in a key regional area of NSW and will help underpin the area’s future prosperity.
“This project has supported around 350 jobs during construction and we appreciate the patience of Parkes motorists, tourists and freight operators as they have navigated the necessary traffic changes along the way.”
Quotes attributable to NSW Labor’s spokesperson for Orange Stephen Lawrence MLC:
“The local community has been calling for a Parkes bypass for decades and I’m delighted to see it finally being delivered.
“Importantly, this bypass will not only ease congestion and increase efficiency on the Newell Highway; it will also improve road safety and better protect our community.”
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government Non-Ministerial Departments
The CMA found Lindab’s acquisition of HAS-Vent reduced competition in 2 areas of the UK.
iStock
Having carried out an in-depth Phase 2 merger inquiry, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has today ordered Lindab – a supplier of circular ducts and fittings used in ventilation systems in buildings – to sell 2 sites after finding its deal with HAS-Vent could lead to reduced choice and higher prices for installers of ventilation systems in both Nottingham and Stoke-on-Trent.
The independent CMA group leading the inquiry scrutinised a wide range of evidence, including the parties’ internal documents and evidence from installers of ventilation systems and other suppliers of circular ducts and fittings. Based on this evidence, the group found that competition for these products occurs at a local level.
Having assessed the impact of the deal in various local areas, and then consulted on its provisional findings published in August, the inquiry group has concluded the deal has resulted in a substantial lessening of competition in the supply of circular ducts and fittings in the local areas centred around Nottingham and Stoke-on-Trent.
To resolve the loss of competition, the CMA is requiring Lindab to sell 1 site in each of the impacted areas. To ensure the largest pool of potential purchasers and given the different operating models in the industry (which means that some purchasers may want a site with manufacturing assets, while others may not), Lindab is required to market for sale all 4 sites it owns in the two areas and put forward potential buyers for the CMA to approve.
Kirstin Baker, Chair of the independent inquiry group, said:
Circular ventilation ducts and fittings are essential components in the construction of buildings, such as new offices and flats.
Our investigation found this deal – by removing one of two main suppliers of these products in the Nottingham and Stoke areas – risked installers and developers having to pay more for these products.
As a result, we are requiring Lindab to sell one site in each of the two areas, which should ensure local installers and businesses can benefit from effective competition.
The CMA will require Lindab to market for sale each of the following potential divestment sites: Lindab Nottingham, Lindab Stoke-on-Trent, HAS-Vent Nottingham and HAS-Vent Stoke-on-Trent.
Lindab is a ventilation company headquartered in Sweden and listed on Nasdaq Stockholm. In the UK, Lindab is primarily active through subsidiaries Lindab Limited (Lindab UK) and Ductmann Limited (Ductmann), which both manufacture and distribute ventilation system products, including circular ducts and fittings.
HAS-Vent is a UK company headquartered in Wombourne, also active in the manufacture and distribution of ventilation system products, including circular ducts and fittings, in England and Wales.
Whilst this decision marks the end of the CMA’s investigation, it will closely monitor the parties progress in implementing the remedy.
For media enquiries, contact the CMA press office on 020 3738 6460 or press@cma.gov.uk.
Pensioners across Dundee are being encouraged to apply for Pension Credit.
On average, this could be an extra £3,900 a year.
From this year, pensioners who receive pension credit are automatically eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment.
The Council’s Advice Services team will be directly targeting households that may be eligible for Pension Credit. The team will be calling, emailing and carrying out face-to-face activities to assess eligibility and assist with the application process.
In addition, the Council will be working with partners, including the DWP and Dundee Citizens Advice Bureau, in the coming weeks to encourage people to apply for this benefit.
The last date to make a successful backdated claim for Pension Credit to receive this year’s Winter Fuel Payment is 21 December. Applicants need to request 3 months backdating when a claim is made in order to qualify.
Since February this year nearly £1.5 million has been paid to the pensioners of Dundee in various benefits, with the average Pension Credit award being £63.51 per week.
Pension Credit is a payment for those whose income is less than the UK Government states someone over Pension age should receive.
Entitlement to Pension Credit depends on a person’s circumstances and looks at all the income in the household as well as savings over a certain amount. Whilst savings are considered, there is no upper threshold, so having savings does not necessarily mean there would be no entitlement.
Pension Credit also gives eligibility to free NHS dental treatment, NHS glasses, free TV License for over 75s, amongst other benefits.
Anyone looking to get a benefits check should contact us on cas@dundeecity.gov.uk or via our Older Peoples Take-up Campaign line on 01382 434474.
Council Leader Mark Flynn said: “Since the launch of this campaign, we’ve managed to get nearly £1.5 million into the pockets of pensioners across the city.
“We know that many people will struggle with their heating bills over the winter period, which is why it’s so important for them to come forward and apply for Pension Credit, as this automatically makes them eligible for the Winter Fuel Allowance.
“Hundreds of people are missing out on this important payment, and that needs to change. I want to highlight the great work of the council welfare rights team who are working tirelessly to contact pensions across Dundee to check eligibility and help them with their application.
“I have no doubt that without their hard work, many more pensioners would be struggling this winter.
“If you know someone who you think is eligible, please do get in touch with our team so that they can carry out a check for you.”
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Latest development in long-term partnership sees government’s housing and regeneration agency invest £29.75 million to boost Council’s £49.94 million investment in Riverside Sunderland infrastructure
Credit: Sunderland City Council, Faulknerbrowns and Pillar Visuals
Major works to transform Sunderland’s former industrial heartland into a thriving new urban quarter has been turbo-charged by £30 million of additional funding.
Sunderland City Council and Homes England have agreed a funding package that will help accelerate the ongoing transformation and implementation of the Riverside Sunderland masterplan.
The government’s housing and regeneration agency will provide £29.75 million to support the delivery of critical infrastructure, in addition to previously approved council funding of £49.94 million, taking the total infrastructure investment to almost £80 million.
The funding package will underpin numerous interventions across the site, which will create around 1,000 new homes, new community infrastructure and 1million square ft of employment space, which is essential to the Council’s social and economic growth strategy.
Immediate priorities include works to the New Wear footbridge and the creation of connections between the new residential development sites at Sheepfolds, Vaux and Farringdon Row.
The funding is helping to leverage significant private sector investment, with contributions from Canada Life, Legal and General, and Placefirst Limited forming part of over £600m already invested in the Riverside Regeneration programme.
Councillor Michael Mordey, leader of Sunderland City Council, said:
Sunderland is growing its reputation as one of the most ambitious and innovative local authorities in the country, leveraging public and private sector investment to deliver a world-class place to live, work and play.
Securing investment on this scale is only possible because we commit and then deliver – time and time again – and this is a fantastic vote of confidence in our plans for a dynamic, vibrant new urban residential district. We’re proud to be leading this from the front.
Homes England chief executive Peter Denton said:
Riverside Sunderland embodies how it’s possible to breathe new life into a place of huge historical significance for the area, and I’m very happy the Agency can support what is a strong, locally-led vision to become a reality.
It’s our job and privilege to help put these plans into action by providing funding and wider expertise, working hand in glove with local leaders to create a sustainable, high-quality place that really works for people.
The funding announcement signals the latest commitment to long-term partnership between Homes England and North East local authorities, galvanised by the announcement of a Strategic Place Partnership between the Agency and North East Combined Authority on 11 October.
ENDS
Notes to editors
Homes England is the government’s homes and regeneration agency. We drive the creation of more high-quality homes and thriving places so that everyone – no matter their background – has a place to live and thrive. We work in partnership with thousands of public and private bodies including local authorities, home builders, developers, affordable housing providers, commercial real estate companies and financial institutions to make this happen. Find out more at: Homes England – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Headline: Government and public sector workers reach agreement
Published: 15 October 2024
Released by: Treasurer, Minister for Industrial Relations
The NSW Government and the Public Service Association (PSA) have reached agreement on the state’s first multi-year pay agreement for Crown employees in over a decade after months of complex negotiations.
The agreement covers more than 90,000 public sector workers – nearly a quarter of the state government’s workforce – including prison guards, school assistants and other essential workers.
Using the government’s new mutual bargaining framework, the PSA and the government have agreed to:
Work towards reducing injury rates, to help minimise pressure on the state’s workers compensation scheme.
Overhaul redeployment policies to reduce redundancy costs, encouraging workers to stay rather than to leave the public service.
Modernise awards to remove redundant allowances, like the “word processing allowance.”
These savings allowed the government and the PSA to reach agreement on an increase of 11.4 per cent compounded over three years.
It follows a 4.5 per cent pay rise delivered last year, which was the highest in more than a decade.
Under this policy, a typical public sector award employee is $5,274.89 better off now than under the previous government’s wage cap. At the same time, the multi-year agreement creates budget certainty into the future.
Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said:
“This agreement is proof that a mature government can bargain to reach a deal that’s good for taxpayers and good for workers.
“Our mutual gains bargaining system has worked. In a cost-of-living crisis, we are delivering meaningful pay rises to people.
“We went to the election promising to scrap the wages cap. We’ve done that. And our work continues.
“I want to thank the PSA leadership and their members for tough but fair negotiations.
Minister for Industrial Relations Sophie Cotsis said:
“I welcome the agreement with the Public Service Association and thank them for their advocacy.
“This is a good step forward but there is always more work to do to ensure we have the best public service in the world.”
A special exhibition and premiere showcasing the inspiring pioneers of Black British ballet is coming to Liverpool.
The City’s Central Library is to host the exhibition, from 31st October to 30th November, which will be one of the showpiece events of Liverpool’s Black History Month celebrations.
The groundbreaking exhibition is based on the research of Dr Sandie Bourne, a dancer, choreographer and academic, who brings together archival photographs, films and interviews to explore the under-representation of Black artists in British ballet.
The touring exhibition, funded by a £245,500 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, will visit 25 libraries across the UK, with Liverpool Central Library being one of the key stops.
The celebration of Black dancers kicks off with Island Movements, an original Windrush-themed ballet.
This free event will be staged at Discover in Central Library on Friday 18 October at 4pm
Island Movements tells the powerful story of a family from the Windrush generation, beginning with a young Caribbean soldier during WWII and following the family’s experiences throughout their life in the UK.
After the performance there will be a Q&A with the dancers and creators, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the making of this special piece.
This moving ballet will open the wider exhibition, celebrating the rich yet often overlooked contributions of Black British ballet dancers from the 1940s to today.
Pioneers like Brenda Garratt-Glassman, the first Black British student at the Royal Ballet Upper School, and Darren Panton, the first Black British student at the Royal Ballet boarding school, are among the trailblazers featured.
Throughout November, Liverpool Central Library is inviting people to take part in dance, writing, and photography workshops, panel discussions and a virtual reality experience as part of the exhibition’s activities.
Cllr Harry Doyle Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing & Culture:“We’re incredibly excited to bring this exhibition to Liverpool Central Library during Black History Month. This event is a wonderful opportunity for everyone, not just for ballet lovers. It offers an interactive experience that invites all visitors to explore the inspiring stories and rich heritage of Black British dancers who have helped shape the world of ballet. Whether you’re a long-time fan, or new to ballet, these emotionally compelling performances and workshops are the perfect introduction.”
Marsha Lowe, Director of Oxygen Arts, said: “This exhibition is an important step in giving our Black British pioneers the recognition they deserve, bringing their challenges and achievements to a much wider audience. But we want to go further, to change the perception of ballet by diversifying ballet audiences and encouraging the next generation of young Black dancers to see ballet is ‘for them’.”
Stuart McLeod, Director of England – London & South – at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “We are delighted to support this project, which thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, will mean that more people will be able to get involved with, protect and learn about the exciting heritage right on their doorstep. Heritage has a huge role to play in instilling pride in communities and boosting local economies, and this project is a fantastic example of achieving those aims.”
Isobel Hunter, Chief Executive of Libraries Connected, said: “Public libraries, with their diverse audience base and commitment to democratising culture, are the perfect venue for this ground breaking exhibition. There has never been a better time to celebrate the achievements of these Black British pioneers; it’s hugely exciting to see their stories brought to life in this way.”
A quarter (25.8 per cent) of 5-year-olds in London have tooth decay.1
Since 2012, local authorities have been responsible for improving health in local areas, including oral health. In 2014, Public Health England stated that “local authorities are statutorily required to provide or commission oral health promotion programmes to improve the health of the local population, to an extent that they consider appropriate in their areas”.
London Boroughs commission a range of oral health prevention programmes for both adults and children, including supervised toothbrushing in schools. The London Borough of Brent commissions Whittington Health NHS Trust to deliver these programmes, including the following initiatives:
Supporting a number of education (early years & school) settings to promote good oral health such as the supervised tooth-brushing programme.
Providing dental health support to families with children under 5 years who are at high risk of developing tooth decay (dental caries).
Family Wellbeing Centres, who support parents from the moment they know they’re expecting, through pregnancy and birth, until the child is 18 years old.
Tomorrow, Members of the London Assembly Health Committee will visit Brentfield Primary School, where they will observe supervised toothbrushing, an initiative to reduce tooth decay in young children.
The meeting will include teachers, Brent Public Health and the NHS. The visit will form part of the Committee’s investigation into Dentistry in London.
MEDIA ARE INVITED TO ATTEND THIS FILMING/PHOTO OPPORTUNITY BY PRIOR ARRANGEMENT
Location: Brentfield Primary School, NW10 0SL
Date: Wednesday 16 October 2024
Time: 12-1pm
Interviewees will include:
Krupesh Hirani AM, Chair of the Health Committee
Emma Best AM, Deputy Chairman of the Health Committee
Somebi Anwunah, Principal Public Health Strategist · Brent Council
Erinna Proudfoot, Oral health promoter, Whittington Health, NHS Trust
Early estimates predict a total cereal harvest of around 3.1 million tonnes, just above the ten-year average. Despite challenging weather at crucial times of the season.
Average production results are predicted for winter barley, oilseed rape and wheat. Mostly as a result of decreased area and yield. Some very good yields are predicted for oats and spring barley. But a late harvest this year makes oats predictions less reliable.
The report includes provisional 2024 crop area estimates. The total area of cereals grown in Scotland is predicted to be just lower than in 2023. With decreases in the area of winter barley, wheat and oilseed rape grown and increases in sown area of spring barley and oats.
Estimates are based on first soundings of the 2024 harvest at the end of September. Final results will be released in December after the harvest is complete.
Estimates are based on harvest yields given by a panel of experts at a Crop Report Meeting and provisional land use areas from the June Agricultural Census. Final land use areas will be published in the Results of the June Agricultural Census.
Source: Traditional Unionist Voice – Northern Ireland
Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister MP:
“The Windsor Framework (Non-Commercial Movement of Pet Animals) Regulations 2024 were laid in Parliament this week.
“This latest incarnation of the Protocol/Windsor Framework imposes new depths of EU control.
“Under these regulations, it will only be possible for U.K. citizens to travel from one part of the U.K. (GB) to another (NI) with pets if they have:-
fitted their pet with a transponder (microchip) that complies with EU Reg 576/2013;
Applied to and joined NI Pet Travel Scheme and have secured a Pet Travel document (a pet passport) – the definition and details of which rests not with U.K. but with EU;
On travelling pets must be submitted to both documentary and full identity checks when joining and leaving the boat;
If any lack of compliance is found, then, they will be sent to an SPS facility.
“It follows that persons moving from GB to NI with pets not only suffer the indignity of foreign controls, but they effectively lose their Common Travel Area rights, which are now trumped by EU diktat. And, if they then want to travel on to the Republic (also in the CTA) they are prohibited unless they submit to full SPS border checks – so much for the fiction that you couldn’t have SPS checks at the real border!
“These regulations are an impossible and preposterous assertion of both EU rule in NI and destruction of basic constitutional rights of free movement within one’s own country.
“Once more, this audacious power-grab was unaltered by the dud DUP/Donaldson Deal.
“I will, of course, be opposing these impositions in Parliament.”
Source: Traditional Unionist Voice – Northern Ireland
Statement by TUV MLA Timothy Gaston:
“Last week Infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd announced by way of a departmental press release that he was making road signs in parts of west Belfast. When this was reported in Friday’s News Letter the DUP’s Keith Buchanan, who sits on the infrastructure committee, was quoted as questioning the decision citing the cost given other budgetary pressures on the Department.
“I am therefore both surprised and disappointed that having lodged a petition in the Assembly Business Office first thing on Monday morning on the issue, 24 hours later the only signature on it is my own. Should 30 MLAs sign the petition, Minister O’Dowd’s decision would be referred to the Executive where a cross community vote would have to be held on the matter.
“No one can claim to be ignorant of the petition as my office emailed all Unionist MLAs yesterday morning in the following terms:
Dear friend,
I am writing to draw your attention to the fact that Timothy Gaston has this morning lodged a petition in the business office to refer the Minister for Infrastructure’s decision to install bi-lingual traffic and road markings in parts of Belfast. Significantly, not only was this matter not brought to the executive but due process appears to have gone completely out the window with no record of an equality impact assessment.
We believe that this sets a dangerous precedent and that it is both significant and controversial. I note press commentary from other Unionists which suggests they agree. This email is being sent to all Unionist members to alert them to the fact that the petition is now in the business office. Timothy would obviously appreciate your support for it – and indeed his motion of No Confidence in the First Minister and Minister Murphy.
Yours, Sammy Morrison, PA to Timothy Gaston MLA
“It would appear that while some are happy to issue press releases on this issue, they are not prepared to use the mechanisms of the Assembly and Executive to actually do something of substance about it. That said, I would be delighted to be proved wrong by a queue of MLAs signing the petition today.”
Green Party MP for North Herefordshire, Ellie Chowns said: “Starmer’s pledge to investors that he will “cut red tape” is a tired cliché that, in practice, too often means harming environmental standards and workers’ rights. We’ve had fourteen years of successive Conservative governments promising to “cut red tape,” and all we have to show for it is a flatlining economy and falling living standards. If Starmer is serious about attracting investment to the UK, he will need a bolder approach that delivers on the “change” he promised in his election campaign. He could start by re-evaluating our relationship with our biggest trading partner, the European Union.”
Green Party Co-Leader, Carla Denyer said, “The reports over the weekend that no food has entered Northern Gaza since the 1st of October, of Israel’s attack on al-Aqsa Hospital, of chemical weapons being used to attack UNIFIL peacekeepers, of mass civilian casualties in Gaza’s Jabalia Refugee Camp and of increased rocket fire into Israel from Hezbollah are extremely disturbing. The huge numbers of civilian deaths and the prospect of widespread starvation in Northern Gaza are intolerable.
The Labour government must recognise that violence in the Middle East is escalating rapidly and that their current approach is failing. The Government needs to consider far more direct measures to incentivise a ceasefire including an end to arms sales, the introduction of divestments, boycotts and sanctions, prosecutions for all those who have committed war crimes and a plan for a viable Palestinian state.”
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3
Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones hosts roundtable with some of the biggest impact investors in the world.
£550m of investment secured to tackle housing crisis and get Britain building again, with new impact investment funds announced today by Schroders, Man Group and Resonance, also looking to raise over £1.2bn in coming years.
Chief Secretary hosts roundtable with major impact investors to instigate a new partnership to address social and environmental challenges, including affordable housing.
Announcement comes after £63bn of investment into Britain confirmed at International Investment Summit.
Impact investment, whereby a fund creates beneficial social or environmental impact, has now grown to £76.8 billion in the UK in assets under management. This will result in tens of thousands of new homes are set to be built across Britain funded by over half a billion pounds worth of impact investments announced today (Tuesday 15 October).
Coming the day after the Prime Minister announced £63bn of investment into Britain at the International Investment Summit, the commitment from three major financial institutions to invest for impact will directly tackle the most acute housing crisis in living memory, which includes at least 5,000 new homes to address social inequality. This supports the Government’s priority to get the country building again, creating more jobs and boosting the economy.
The announcement comes as the Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones this morning hosts a roundtable with some of the biggest impact investors in the world, including Schroders, M&G, International Bank of America, Blackrock and Barclays, as the Government looks to create the right environment for impact investment across the country.
Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones said:
Investors tell us they want to help in delivering a better Britain. Working in partnership with government, social impact investing can change people’s lives and improve communities across the country.
We are dedicated to creating the right environment for impact investment across the country, and the announcement of over half a billion pounds worth of impact investment building tens of thousands of new homes is a great example of the change that we are delivering on.
These three investments funds by Schroders, Man Group and Resonance are exemplars of private capital responding to major social and environmental challenges, delivering returns while also helping to grow the economy, the government’s central mission. Today’s £550 million impact investment underpins the government’s drive to foster public-private partnerships to drive meaningful impact across the country.
Schroders, one of the UK’s largest investment managers, has today confirmed a new £50 million allocation from Homes England, into its recently launched real estate impact fund. The fund, which has an initial target of raising £200m with the aim of ultimately delivering 5,000 homes to address social inequality and deliver an appropriate financial return to investors, expects to make its first investments before the end of 2024. It is focused on helping to deliver more social and affordable housing, regenerate town centres and invest in social infrastructure, in places where housing benefits from public transport, green spaces, schools and GP surgeries.
Man Group, a London-headquartered global alternative investment management firm managing $178.2 billion, has also announced a further £100mn investment to deliver affordable and environmentally sustainable housing for communities across England, with 90% of homes to be designated as affordable housing. The investment will have a particular focus on delivering homes with a low carbon footprint and addressing the housing needs of key and essential workers. This investment programme builds on the £385mn that has already been committed to affordable housing since 2021.
Leading social impact property fund manager Resonance have today announced an expected 300% increase in investment – from £79m to £250m – into its initiative to tackle homelessness. This directly channels investment into residential property to help create pathways out of Temporary Accommodation for individuals and families. Resonance has set a target of reaching £1bn investment in this area in the next five years, so it can work directly with local authorities and housing partners across the country to help provide people at risk of homelessness with a stable home.
Councillor James Lewis, leader of Leeds City Council, said:
“We’re pleased to hear the announcement by Chancellor Rt Hon Rachel Reeves MP of the new steps for the National Wealth Fund and its headquarters in Leeds. Leeds is the UK’s second largest city for financial services, and a major hub for related professional services, and this latest announcement further reinforces the city’s progress and influence as we continue to attract major players such as the UK Infrastructure Bank, Bank of England and the Financial Conduct Authority who have all chosen to locate their major UK hubs in our city.
“These developments create exciting opportunities for local people, offering a wealth of new jobs and career paths. We have huge strengths in this area and offer a wealth of expertise underpinned by strong regional, national and international partnerships and a diverse range of businesses which puts us in a great position to support this initiative.”
We’re back with our latest 60 Second Update, from 607 (County of Durham) Squadron, who received a new Standard alongside three other Royal Auxiliary Air Force Squadrons.
In this episode:
Exercise Cobra Warrior, the RAF’s largest air exercise, sees 80 aircraft from six nations training together at RAF Waddington.
617 Squadron Lightning jets embark on HMS Prince of Wales with the Royal Navy 809 Naval Air Squadron on Exercise Strike Warrior.
501 (County of Gloucester), 504 (City of Nottingham), 603 (City of Edinburgh) and 607 (County of Durham) Squadrons receive their new Standards in a special ceremony at the Tower of London.
The Government of Canada Honours Mr. Floyd H. Prosser as a Hometown Hero
Saturday, October 12, 2024 Halifax, Nova Scotia Parks Canada
The Government of Canada is committed to sharing the stories of the people, places, and events who have contributed to our country’s rich and diverse heritage.
Today, Darren Fisher, Member of Parliament for Dartmouth-Cole Harbour paid tribute to Mr. Floyd H. Prosser through Parks Canada’s Hometown Heroes program on behalf of the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada. The ceremony was held in Halifax, Nova Scotia at the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site in the presence of dignitaries and family members.
Mr. Floyd H. Prosser Born in 1920 in Elgin, New Brunswick, Floyd H. Prosser enlisted in the Canadian Army Active Service Force in 1941 in Moncton, New Brunswick. Transferred overseas, Prosser trained for 2 years with the tanks in England and Scotland before being sent to Italy in 1943. Prosser was present at many of the 1st Canadian Armoured Brigade’s famous battles and in addition to the tough enemy soldiers they were fighting, he and the other Canadian troops endured the extreme weather condition of hot summers and frigid winters. After leaving Italy, Prosser landed in France in March of 1945 when the 1st Canadian Armoured Brigade was sent to support the liberation of Europe. During his time away, he saw Winston Churchill, and King George VI in person as he stood on guard for inspection. In addition, he, along with other Canadian troops was blessed by the Pope when they arrived in Rome.
He returned home to civilian life in 1946 after serving nearly 5 years away from home, working as an industrial electrician for Westinghouse Canada until his retirement in 1975. After retirement, he became actively involved with the Royal Canadian Legion and visited fellow veterans who were in the hospital.
To mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day in 2024, Parks Canada is honoured to add Floyd H. Prosser to the Hometown Heroes program. This individual joins a growing list of Canadians who have been recognized for their contributions as strong community leaders who are in alignment with the Parks Canada mandate and its priorities, and for their efforts to help protect and promote natural and cultural heritage in Canada as part of the Hometown Heroes program. His story will be added to the Fortress Halifax: A City Shaped by Conflict exhibit at Halifax Citadel National Historic Site in a display dedicated entirely to Parks Canada Hometown Heroes from across the country.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Murray Leith, Professor of Political Science and Director of the Centre for Migration, Diaspora, Citizenship and Identity, University of the West of Scotland
Alex Salmond, possibly one of the most famous Scottish politicians of recent decades, and certainly the best-known face of the Scottish National Party (SNP), has died at the age of 69.
The former first minister of Scotland, a long-standing member of the Westminster parliament and a member of the Scottish parliament, he led the SNP from a small, fringe party within Westminster to become the ruling party of the Scottish government. He was the first Scottish nationalist first minister of Scotland, a post he would hold from 2007 to 2014.
Salmond was born, raised and educated in Scotland. It was while he was a student at St Andrews University that he joined the university branch of the Federation of Student Nationalists in December 1973. As one of only two fully paid-up members of the SNP at the university, he became the branch president.
After graduation, and a couple of years as a civil servant, Salmond moved to the Royal Bank of Scotland and became an economics expert, with a focus on oil. Yet, throughout this career he remained an active and committed member of the SNP.
Leftwing in his views, he was part of the 79 Group, a small faction of the SNP that was very critical of the then leadership, and which advocated a more leftwing stance for the party as a whole. He, along with others, was briefly expelled from the SNP in 1982, but was allowed back in a month later.
By 1985, Salmon was a senior figure in the SNP. His political career truly began in 1987, when he defeated the incumbent Conservative in Banff and Buchan in 1987 to become the consituency’s Westminster MP. He would win re-election four times, and then be elected to Holyrood, all from the north-east of Scotland, for the next three decades.
SNP leadership and independence referendum
Salmond first became leader of the SNP in 1990, and he showed his significant skills as a political strategist on the UK-wide stage. From here, he would become a very visible and recognisable face for the SNP, and for Scotland.
It would be the advent of devolution in 1997, and the creation of the Scottish parliament in 1999 that would change the face of Scottish politics and allow Salmond to reach new heights. But there were many bumps along the way. Just a year into the life of the brand new parliament, Salmond suddenly stood down as SNP leader. There were rumours of fallouts with other leading figures.
Salmond would, however, return as leader in 2004, replacing John Swinney (currently the first minister) after a poor showing for the SNP in Scottish parliament elections. As he was an MP and not an MSP at the time, the party at Holyrood was led by Nicola Sturgeon, at the time a longtime ally.
Not only did he return as an MSP, but the SNP became the largest party in the Scottish parliament by one seat in 2007. It formed a minority government with Salmond as first minister and Sturgeon as his deputy.
Another milestone was reached in 2011, when Salmond would lead the SNP in winning a majority within the Scottish parliament, a task everyone thought impossible given the voting system was, arguably, specifically designed to avoid such outcomes. This win led Salmond to begin negotiations with the UK government of David Cameron to hold a referendum on Scottish independence.
In perhaps one of Salmond’s most effective moments, he came away with an agreement that allowed him many of his specific objectives – a single question on the ballot and a long lead in, of two years, before the referendum itself. Only ten years after he had returned as leader, he led the SNP to a referendum outcome where 45% of voters said yes to independence, a much larger figure than many thought possible.
However, this was still a loss, and Salmond resigned as party leader the next day. He then returned to Westminster in 2015 but lost his seat in 2017.
Further problems arose for Salmond in 2018, when allegations of sexual assault were made, and he resigned from the SNP after being a member for 45 years. Despite being cleared at a trial in 2020 of 14 charges, his relationship with the SNP, and his personal relationships with Sturgeon and other leading SNP figures, were badly damaged.
He directly blamed Sturgeon and her husband, SNP chief executive Peter Murrell, for the way in which he was treated. He took the Scottish government to court over the handling of the accusations and won a substantial payout of half a million pounds.
Establishing a new party
Whether it was because of his treatment by the SNP, his disquiet at what he saw as the wrong priorities, or the inability for him to find a role after leaving as first minister, Salmond decided to establish a new political party, Alba, in 2021, only three years after leaving the SNP.
After being on the national, and international, stage for several decades, Salmond remained committed to the political fight for Scottish independence. There were several defections from the SNP – two MPs, one MSP, and a few local councillors – but the party has never won an elected seat at any level.
Salmond also presented a television show on Russian state broadcaster RT, a decision unpopular with many in the SNP. He also wrote as a tipster on horse racing for newspapers for many years.
There can be little doubt that Salmond’s professional and personal lives were characterised by ups and downs. Yet the fact remains that he led the SNP to many victories, and saw them challenge the status quo and the British state in a manner unthinkable when he first became an SNP MP.
Those present during the last few days of the 2014 referendum will remember the distinct feeling that maybe, just maybe, the SNP could pull off a win, and an independent Scotland – a dream he shared with millions of others – could be a possibility.
Salmond reshaped the SNP, he reshaped the political landscape of Scotland, and his legacy cannot be overstated.
Murray Leith has previously received funding from the European Union, the Scottish Government, and the UK Government. He is a member of the Electoral Reform Society.
We badly need to reduce the number of cars on our roads.
More in Transport
Scottish Greens spokesperson for transport, Mark Ruskell MSP, has called on the Scottish Government to publish its long overdue Climate Compatibility Assessment for the A96 Dualling project ahead of the publication of this year’s budget.
Mr Ruskell has written to the Cabinet Secretaries for Net Zero, Finance, and Transport calling for answers ahead of any further agreements on spending for this project.
The commitment to undertake a climate compatibility assessment for the project was made as part of the Bute House Agreement which brought the Scottish Greens into government.
Mr Ruskell said: “We are heading for climate catastrophe, and we must do everything in our power to invest in solutions rather than making the problem worse.
“We badly need to reduce our dependency on cars, but the Scottish Government’s commitment to do so looks insincere if it is also pouring billions of pounds into major road building projects that will only increase emissions.
“This climate assessment is long overdue, and is badly needed before the government commits any more money to the project.
“Car-use is responsible for almost 40% of transport emissions. We need a more balanced approach to the A96 focussed on safety improvements, and this climate compatibility assessment should be spelling out what the options are.
“The eye watering sums that have been earmarked could be far better used to improve public transport, which in turn would cut our emissions and provide better transport choices for people across Scotland.
“The Scottish Government has just reintroduced peak rail fares, hiking up prices for workers and students who have no say over when they travel. This could be scrapped entirely for a fraction of the money it plans to spend on dualling the A96.”
