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Category: Great Britain

  • MIL-OSI Australia: New laws enhance protections for victim-survivors of domestic and family violence

    Source: New South Wales Premiere

    Published: 25 September 2024

    Released by: Attorney General, Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault

    The NSW Government has passed new laws to better protect victim-survivors of domestic and family violence, including tougher penalties for breaching an Apprehended Domestic Violence Order (ADVO) in certain circumstances.

    The new offences target conduct that may indicate a high risk of harm to the protected person, including:

    An intentional breach offence directed at serious or harmful breaches of ADVOs due to the offender’s intention to cause harm or fear to the protected person. This offence will carry a maximum penalty of three years’ imprisonment.

    A persistent breach offence directed at repeated breaches of ADVOs over a short period of time, reflecting a clear disregard for the conditions of the ADVO. This offence will carry a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment.

    These new aggravated offences will complement the existing offence for any breach of an ADVO, which has a maximum penalty of two years’ imprisonment.

    A new civil protection order scheme targets serious domestic and family violence offenders.

    The Serious Domestic Abuse Prevention Order (SDAPO) provides law enforcement with a tool to monitor and supervise very high-risk offenders, with the aim to keep relatives and former, current or potential future intimate partners safe from violence.

    The scheme allows the court to impose any conditions it considers appropriate to prevent the perpetrator engaging in domestic abuse.

    Orders may include a requirement to report to a police station at an appointed time or to notify police when commencing an intimate partner relationship, and a restriction on the use of social media and dating apps.

    Breaching an SDAPO carries a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment.

    Other legislative reforms passed include:

    • Changes to the definition of stalking to expressly include the monitoring and tracking of a person’s activities, communications or movements through the use of technology, such as using GPS trackers or monitoring the victim’s online accounts.
    • Allowing police to issue a provisional AVO electronically where the parties consent, instead of requiring police officers to take individuals to a police station to print out a physical copy of the order.
    • An amendment to the Births, Deaths and Marriages Act 1995 to allow a sole parent with an appropriate court order to change their child’s name.

    These new domestic violence laws further enhance protections for victim-survivors after the criminalisation of coercive control and stronger bail laws came into effect in July.

    They also complement measures announced in the 2024-25 NSW Budget, including an investment of $245.6 million to improve support for domestic and family violence victim-survivors and expand programs that reduce the rate of violence against women and children.

    $45 million of this package has been set aside to improve bail laws and justice system responses to domestic violence.

    Attorney General Michael Daley said:

    “The NSW Government is committed to a whole-of-government approach to preventing and eliminating domestic violence in our state.

    “These new laws will strengthen the justice system to better protect victim-survivors and support their safety.

    “We will continue to consult legal and sector stakeholders as we seek to improve laws and justice system responses to domestic violence.”

    Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Jodie Harrison said:

    “Too many lives have been lost to domestic and family violence, and these new laws are a vital step to improve the safety and security of victim-survivors.

    “The new laws complement other services we are delivering across the state, including homelessness and crisis support, early intervention and primary prevention programs, and activities to build and strengthen the sector.

    “We want to ensure that any person fleeing domestic and family violence has a safe pathway to healing and recovery.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: T3 Bankstown line to close from Monday

    Source: New South Wales Premiere

    Published: 25 September 2024

    Released by: Minister for Transport

    The closure of the T3 Bankstown line between Sydenham and Bankstown will begin from Monday 30 September to convert the line to Metro.

    During this disruptive time, travel will be free for all passengers on the dedicated pink buses connecting Sydenham and Bankstown, known as Southwest Link:

    • SW1 (all stops) – Sydenham, Marrickville, Dulwich Hill, Hurlstone Park, Canterbury, Campsie, Belmore, Lakemba, Wiley Park, Punchbowl, Bankstown.
    • SW2 (limited stops) – Sydenham, Belmore, Lakemba, Wiley Park, Punchbowl, Bankstown.
    • SW3 (limited stops) – Sydenham, Canterbury, Campsie.

    Fare-free travel will begin on Monday and continue for the entire conversion period until the projected completion in late 2025. This date is an estimate only, as the program of works is highly complex and could take longer.

    Work to bring the new T6 Lidcombe & Bankstown train line into operation in time for the closure was delayed due to now-lifted protected industrial action.

    Transport planners are working through the logistics to get the T6 online as soon as possible, and will share further details when available.

    Once open, the T6 will give passengers more travel options by connecting Bankstown to Lidcombe Station via Yagoona, Birrong, Regents Park and Berala.

    In the interim, while preparatory trackwork is underway, additional fare-free buses will replace trains between Lidcombe and Bankstown. These will be known as the 8T3 All Stops and 8AT3 Express (direct between Bankstown and Lidcombe).

    The rest of the T3 line will still be open between Liverpool and the City via Regents Park and Lidcombe.

    When the conversion is complete, passengers will have access to a 21st century high-tech metro line with a train every 4 minutes during the peak, along with fully accessible stations and services. Currently there are stations on the T3 that only receive four trains an hour in the peak.
     
    This final section of the metro line will eventually be known as the M1 Northwest & Bankstown Line, completing the transformative 30km alignment between Bankstown and Tallawong.

    Minister for Transport Jo Haylen said:

    “Make no mistake – this will be a tough time, and I want to thank the tens of thousands of impacted commuters in Canterbury Bankstown and the Inner West for their understanding.

    “We recognise there is a lot of complicated information to digest, so I’d encourage people to head to transportnsw.info, or chat to the Transport staff in pink shirts at their local station.

    “It’s only fair that we don’t charge you a fare for this disruptive duration, so remember you don’t have to tap your Opal card or device when you get on.

    “I want to continue to be very upfront with people – transforming this 130-year-old line for modern metro trains is a complex and difficult task, meaning it could take longer than 12 months.

    “It will be worth the wait, as the 6.3 million passengers who’ve used City Metro since it opened can attest. I’m pleased we’re able to move ahead with giving these communities the same benefits.”

    Transport for NSW Coordinator-General Howard Collins said: 

    “The final T3 conversion will be difficult but worth it.

    “While we continue to transform the transport network, there are big changes coming from Monday so we ask commuters to please plan your trip and check your transport apps for updates.

    “Transport for NSW has handed out over 22,000 information cards since 18 September, and we have teams on the ground across the T3 corridor to ensure everyone has the information they need to plan their trips, including dates to remember for the upcoming changes.

    “We have worked hard to minimise the impacts on passengers, but we do need the community to work with us, and our street teams are on hand to help.

    “I’m pleased all bus driver positions have been filled to support the dozens of Southwest Link buses that will run from early in the morning to late at night seven days a week. The timetable aims for a service every 2-4 minutes in the peak.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Construction on track for Fairy Meadow’s new ambulance station

    Source: New South Wales Premiere

    Published: 25 September 2024

    Released by: Minister for Health

    Construction of Fairy Meadow’s new ambulance station is on track for completion, with local paramedics soon to be handed the keys to the new purpose-built ambulance station.

    Fairy Meadow’s first ambulance station will be co-located at the University of Wollongong’s Innovation Campus.

    The state-of-the-art ambulance station will feature internal parking bays including an internal wash bay, administration and office areas, staff rest facilities, gym, logistics and storage areas and on-site parking.

    With construction almost complete, landscaping and other finishing touches will be underway in the coming months. Finalising the IT infrastructure and cabling systems will be a priority during this time to ensure seamless connectivity and functionality for the new ambulance to operate effectively.

    The new ambulance station is being delivered as part of the NSW Government’s $232 million Rural Ambulance Infrastructure Reconfiguration (RAIR) program. 

    The RAIR program is delivering 54 new or upgraded ambulance stations and is the single largest infrastructure investment in regional NSW Ambulance’s almost 130-year history.

    The NSW Government is recruiting 2,500 additional staff including paramedics, nurses, doctors and support staff to optimise ambulance response times and meet current and future demand.

    Additional stations are also planned to bolster the network of stations across the Illawarra at Warilla and Unanderra as part of the NSW Government’s $615.5 million NSW Ambulance Infrastructure Program.

    Expressions of Interest for suitable sites to build a new ambulance station at Unanderra are open until 3pm Thursday 10 October 2024.

    To find out more, or to lodge an Expression of Interest, visit the Health Infrastructure website

    Quotes attributable to Minister for Health Ryan Park:

    “Fairy Meadow’s new ambulance station will provide paramedics with a high-quality base with the latest facilities and equipment to meet the current and future emergency care needs of the local community.

    “The new ambulance station on Innovation Way will significantly enhance access to mobile emergency health care for the growing community across the Illawarra.

    “The Minns Labor Government is committed to investing in rural and regional health infrastructure to support better health outcomes for local communities.”

    Quotes attributable to Member for Wollongong Paul Scully:

    “I’m pleased Fairy Meadow’s first ambulance station is nearly complete and look forward to the day when paramedics can move in to this state-of-the-art facility and add to the local ambulance network.

    “As Wollongong grows, it is important that we invest in health infrastructure to meet the needs of the community.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Biggest infrastructure project in Western NSW taking shape

    Source: New South Wales Premiere

    Published: 25 September 2024

    Released by: Minister for Regional Transport and Roads

    Work on the once-in-a-generation New Dubbo Bridge continues to progress with one third of the concrete deck, which will eventually support traffic crossing, now in place.

    The Australian and NSW governments are investing $263.2 million to deliver this region-shaping piece of infrastructure on the Newell Highway in Dubbo.

    The Australian Government has committed $210.6 million towards the project, with the NSW Government committing the remaining $52.6 million.

    The decking along the 660-metre bridge structure is being built in sections, with each section involving the pouring of about 105 cubic metres of concrete to provide a deck slab of up to 25 centimetres in depth.

    The deck pours will be carried out progressively while the rest of the bridge takes shape, with the final deck pour expected in mid-2025.

    Once the concrete deck is completed, the final step in building the bridge surface will be to add an eight-centimetre thick layer of asphalt.

    Pile driving was recently completed along the entire length of the new structure which crosses the Macquarie River and a section of the floodplain east of the river.

    Construction is also underway for the network of roads that will link the bridge to the Dubbo road network, including road widening work at the intersections of Whylandra and Thompson streets and River and Bourke streets.

    The New Dubbo Bridge project is due to be completed in late 2026, weather permitting.

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

    “It is exciting to see the new bridge rapidly taking shape and I’m proud to see the Australian and NSW governments’ investments delivering for regional communities.

    “New infrastructure like this is critical for the growth of regional communities and it will set Dubbo and western NSW up for the future.”

    Quotes attributable to NSW Regional Transport and Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison:

    “This bridge will provide vital flood resilience and unlock more housing in Dubbo – providing essential infrastructure for an estimated 5,500 homes.

    “The Minns Labor Government is proud to be partnering with the Albanese Labor Government to deliver this project, supporting nearly 1,500 direct and indirect jobs in western NSW.

    “On my recent visit to see the bridge I saw how transformative this bridge will be to Dubbo and I thank the workers who have given so much to this project and I thank the people of Dubbo for their patience.”

    Quotes attributable to Senator for NSW Deborah O’Neill:

    “Once completed, the New Dubbo Bridge will transform the way western NSW residents, tourists and freight operators travel through Dubbo.

    “The Bridge will reduce travel times in the city centre and improve access across the Macquarie River, particularly during flood events.”

    Quotes attributable to NSW Labor’s spokesperson for Dubbo Stephen Lawrence MLC:

    “The Minns and Albanese governments are delivering transformative regional road infrastructure for Dubbo. It’s been wonderful to see the progress of the new Dubbo Bridge construction.

    “I’m pleased to see more than half of all people working on this project are from my local area, including many local apprentices and aspiring tradies through innovative employment programs. Many Dubbo businesses are benefiting from the economic activity being generated.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Training programs to plug jobs gap in the visitor economy

    Source: New South Wales Premiere

    Published: 25 September 2024

    Released by: Minister for Jobs, Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education, Minister for Tourism

    The Minns Labor Government is boosting NSW’s visitor economy workforce, delivering subsidised training programs for a sector that is expected to need up to 150,000 more workers over the next decade.

    TAFE NSW is partnering with Destination NSW to develop and deliver training programs jointly funded by the Federal Government’s NSW Choose Tourism Program.

    The subsidised courses are designed to address industry workforce shortages by encouraging Australians to pursue a career in the visitor economy, helping operators to attract, retain and upskill staff. 

    A key recommendation of the Visitor Economy Strategy 2030 Review, to be released in coming weeks, is to encourage school leavers and other jobseekers into the tourism workforce, with the aim of growing the sector in NSW to 450,000 workers. 

    The Review finds that currently school leavers are spurning visitor economy careers, with leakage of workers into mining, agriculture and trades due to “perceived better career paths, industry confidence and better pay”. 

    Having reached a record $52.9 billion of annual visitor expenditure in the year to June, the NSW visitor economy is Australia’s biggest. 

    The growth in the NSW visitor economy over the coming decade will coincide with the opening of the Western Sydney Airport in 2026 and a new emphasis on visitor experiences that show off the best of our food and wine, coastal and aquatic environments, nature-based, cultural, heritage, arts, First Nations, adventure and wellness experiences. 

    The new training programs include:

    • An ‘Introduction to the Visitor Economy’ microskill: a short self-directed online course, designed to provide foundational knowledge and explore careers in the visitor economy industry. The microskill will be offered free to the public for the first six weeks of release, with fully subsidised access available for NSW high school students.
    • Five one-hour video masterclasses: fully subsidised pre-recorded masterclasses will be available on the TAFE NSW website, featuring industry experts such as Scenic World, Cupitt’s Estate, Merlin Entertainments, Sydney Opera House, and W Hotels.  
    • Modernised Certificate III in Tourism: set for delivery in 2025, this updated qualification will include new visitor economy skills. Updates will also incorporate contemporary case studies and assessments based on industry feedback to ensure the qualification meets the current needs of the sector. 

    The ‘Introduction to Visitor Economy’ microskill is launching today and masterclasses will be available from late October 2024. To find out more, visit tafensw.edu.au/visitoreconomy

    Minister for Jobs and Tourism, John Graham said:

    “Through the NSW Visitor Economy Strategy 2030 review, we discovered that we need more school leavers to pursue careers in the visitor economy.

    “A career in the visitor economy offers not just an incredible professional pathway but also the opportunity for some of the best life experiences available anywhere in the world.  

    “These new training programs will be invaluable to attracting more people to the visitor economy workforce and will alleviate pressure from the countless small businesses who are feeling the pinch as they look for skilled workers to fill jobs.”

    Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education, Steve Whan said:

    “TAFE NSW is working closely with industry to deliver relevant, modern training to build a pipeline of workers needed to support a thriving visitor economy.

    “High schools across NSW, as well as the public, will have access to fee-free places in the Introduction to Visitor Economy microskill, opening doors for people to discover opportunities in this dynamic sector.

    “These exciting new training opportunities will be available online, so people across the state can access the skills and expertise needed to excel in the visitor economy, helping regional businesses attract and retain talent.”

    Federal Minister for Trade and Tourism Don Farrell said:

    “A strong, sustainable, skilled workforce is critically important to Australia’s tourism industry.

    “It is a great industry to work in with a diverse range of exciting career opportunities.

    “That is why the Albanese Government is supporting New South Wales, and all states and territories, to build their tourism workforce through our Choose Tourism grants program.

    “My first job was in tourism, and I know firsthand what an amazing opportunity this industry provides, I commend NSW on these initiatives.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: What are ‘rent tech’ platforms? Action on reining in these exploitative tools is long overdue

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Linda Przhedetsky, PhD Candidate, Faculty of Law, University of Technology Sydney

    Bernard Hermant/Unsplash

    This week the New South Wales government announced it would introduce legislation that ensures renters are offered convenient, fee-free options to pay their rent.

    The announcement is just one of many state and territory reforms that aim to address issues arising from the use of rental technology platforms.

    In recent years these platforms and the landlords who use them have come under fire for intruding on renters’ privacy and charging additional fees. While practices such as “rent bidding” have already been outlawed around Australia, governments are now starting to turn their attention to other harmful practices facilitated by new technologies.

    Action on these issues is long overdue, and there’s much more that needs to be done to ensure rental technology platforms actually benefit consumers.

    An expanding industry

    A wide range of digital technology platforms are used to facilitate the use, trading, operation and management of real estate assets. A well-known example is AirBnb, a technology platform that facilitates short-term rentals by connecting hosts with guests.

    The property technology industry in Australia is rapidly expanding. In 2023, there were more than 478 products, start-ups and established companies ranging from marketing tools to data analytics platforms. This was up from 188 in 2019.

    A portion of these companies make services typically designed to be used by renters, real estate agents or landlords.

    A major selling point of rental technology platforms is that they promise to streamline a range of processes. To renters, these technologies are billed as quick, easy and effective ways to submit property applications, request maintenance or pay rent.

    If designed well, these platforms can certainly offer convenience. But many have expressed dissatisfaction with rental technology businesses that pressure renters to pay for costly background checks, collect too much personal data, or use opaque algorithms to “score” applicants.

    People who struggle to access or use technologies may also find these platforms difficult to use. This makes it harder for them to access an essential service.

    Some 41% of renters report feeling pressured to use a third-party rental technology platform to apply for a property. And 29% say they have opted not to apply for particular rentals because they do not trust rental technology platforms. This suggests that the use of these technologies may sometimes deter, rather than attract, applicants.

    Additional fees

    Over 30% of Australians rent their homes, a figure that continues to grow as people find themselves priced out of home ownership. Rising rents and the overall increase in the cost of living have put many renters under substantial financial pressure.

    With this in mind, it’s concerning that some renters have found themselves with little choice but to use rental technology platforms that charge fees to process rental payments.

    For example, renters using a popular platform called Alio are typically charged between 0.25% to 1.50% to make automated rental payments, depending on the method of payment they use. A rough estimate shows that a household paying the median weekly rent (A$627 per week) on a fortnightly basis might see themselves paying between $81.51 and $489.06 in additional fees each year.

    As required by law, Alio does offer a fee-free option to pay rent. But this option is highly inconvenient: it requires renters to enter their bank details anew every month.

    The fee-free options offered by some other rental technology platforms are equally inconvenient. They include paying rent in cash at the local post office.

    For renters who have been asked to use a rental payment platform, this may mean spending additional time and effort every time they pay their rent to avoid paying additional fees.

    The NSW government already requires lessors to offer fee-free ways to pay rent (similar protections are legislated in other states and territories). However, the key element of this week’s announcement is a commitment to making sure these fee-free methods are actually convenient. This should hopefully close the legislative loophole that is enabling these rental technologies to unfairly profit at renters’ expense.

    While the draft legislation is yet to be seen, these reforms might see renters reverting to tried and tested payment methods such as bank transfers and bypassing rental technology payment platforms altogether.

    Effective enforcement

    Introducing laws that ensure renters have access to convenient, fee-free ways to make rental payments is a no-brainer. The next step is ensuring these laws are enforced effectively.

    To achieve this, the regulator must be well resourced to carry out compliance and enforcement activities that ensure lessors and rental technology businesses comply with these protections.

    Beyond these reforms, there is more work to be done to ensure renters are effectively protected from a range of harms that are created or exacerbated by rental technology platforms.

    Issues such as discrimination and unfair treatment through rental technology platforms warrant further attention.

    The key challenge for governments and regulators is to keep up with technological developments so they can identify and address issues as they arise.

    Linda Przhedetsky is a Board Member at the NSW Tenants’ Union, and is a member of the NSW Fair Trading’s Industry Reference Group on Protecting Renter Information. She receives funding from the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute.

    – ref. What are ‘rent tech’ platforms? Action on reining in these exploitative tools is long overdue – https://theconversation.com/what-are-rent-tech-platforms-action-on-reining-in-these-exploitative-tools-is-long-overdue-239602

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Appointment to the National Archives of Australia Advisory Council

    Source: Australian Ministers 1

    The Albanese Labor Government has today announced the appointment of Ms Amanda Heyworth as a member of the National Archives of Australia Advisory Council for a three-year term.

    The National Archives is Australia’s federal government record collecting agency, preserving and managing documents and other evidence that record important events in Australian history, and making them available to the public. 

    Minister for the Arts, Tony Burke, said Ms Heyworth would be a valuable addition to the Council. 

    “The National Archives holds some of our most important records dating back to Federation in 1901, helping to tell the story of our nation. 

    “Amanda’s experience in digital transformation and service design will benefit the National Archives as it works to make collections more digitally available and improve information management.”

    Ms Amanda Heyworth is a professional company director, with expertise in governance, strategy and innovation. Ms Heyworth currently holds Chair positions at UniSA Ventures Pty Ltd and the Centennial Park Cemetery Authority, and is a non‑executive Director at People First Bank and Commissioner of the Essential Services Commission of South Australia. 

    Ms Heyworth has previously held senior executive positions in the venture capital, technology and finance sectors. Early in her career, she served as an economist with the Federal Treasury and as Adjunct Faculty in the Australian Graduate School of Management at the University of New South Wales.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Swing and a miss? Why golf in Australia is struggling to attract women and girls

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle O’Shea, Senior Lecturer, School of Business, Western Sydney University

    kasakphoto/Shutterstock

    Prestigious Victorian golf club 13th Beach Golf Links, famed for award-winning courses and hosting the Victorian Open, has found itself in the middle of a controversy.

    In a bid to bolster membership, diversity and revenue, the club has introduced additional membership categories for women. These memberships form part of a dedicated campaign to get more women on the greens, following a member and board supported strategic plan to grow women’s membership from 18% to 30% by 2027.

    Despite the club’s commitment to gender representation, its status as a signatory to The Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (R&A)’s Women in Golf Charter and recognition as a 2023 Visionary of the Year by Golf Australia for its “whole-club approach to gender equity”, support among some members remains wanting.

    A stunt that made waves

    Controversy erupted at 13th Beach after its new women’s memberships were launched.

    One male member, wearing a blonde wig and skirt, was captured approaching club staff to inquire about the new women’s membership options, remarking:

    I’m identifying as a female now and I’m just about to inquire about the new membership deal.

    The male member, and two others who filmed and shared the footage, were temporarily suspended from the club.

    A key element to the controversy is the discounted membership compared to male golfers.

    After the stunt, some men and women claimed:

    [The club] openly discriminates against males […] it is both fair and just for female members to pay the same subs as their male counterparts, as equality is a fundamental principle that we should uphold.

    However, this statement conveniently denies the sport’s current and past issues with gender, race and class.

    Historical and current barriers

    Globally year-on-year, the growth of male golf participation outnumbers women, with women making up 23% of adult registered golfers worldwide.

    In Australia, golf participation rates continue to rise. Among women and girls, Golf Australia reported a near 13% increase from 2022–23.

    Despite this rise, access issues and barriers to full participation for women and girls run deep.

    A lack of visibility of female golfers can reinforce stereotypes of golf as a men’s game, while women can struggle with amenities and equipment designed for men.

    Golf is steeped in gendered, raced and classed exclusion, and was traditionally a sport for men of similar social standing.

    Women were confined to secret games or putting activities, away from the “real” golf played by men.

    Women were banned from golf’s spiritual home, St Andrews in Scotland, for 260 years – until a 2014 vote when female membership was finally permitted.

    Two years earlier, premier United States course Augusta National welcomed its first women members.

    Golf Australia is trying to attract more women and girls to the sport.

    An uneven playing field

    Despite recent improvements, women’s golf participation and membership access frequently remain conditional.

    Traditionally in Australia, women and girls have been restricted to “associate” or “lady” memberships – which often have lower status and fewer benefits.

    Course access can also be problematic, with Saturdays often reserved for male players.

    At many Australian clubs, Tuesdays are often referred to as “ladies day” which assumes women don’t have work or other commitments.

    A poster on the Reddit forum, r/WomenGolf, has queried the different options for men and women’s golfers.
    Reddit

    Women members are often allotted less popular tee times while overall, some club cultures can render golf courses chilly climates for women.

    Being scrutinised and surveilled on the greens by male golfers is reported by women as a barrier – feelings of hyper-visibility, being mocked for their play and their bodies frequently undermines women’s enjoyment.

    At the professional level, while the women’s game is increasing in prize money, media coverage and sponsorship, there is still significant room for change.

    For female professional golfers, research also highlights a male-dominated and “sexist environment”.

    Inclusivity is good for everyone

    In a bid to increase participation among more diverse groups, Golf Australia is inspiring people to “go play and enjoy golf in their own way”.

    As part of its “own way campaign,” programs have been designed for seniors, women and disabled players.

    Recognising how differences such as race and culture shape golf participation, more community-facing programs are targeting improved diversity.

    Off the greens, golf leadership and administration is also under the spotlight.

    Including women’s voices in decision making is key to realising meaningful change – research clearly finds boards with diversity of thought and representation perform better.

    Beyond the important inclusivity debates, there are clear commercial reasons to enable women’s participation.

    Very recent industry research states there are an estimated 36.9 million latent women golfers around the world, and this group may be worth up to US$35 billion (A$51 billion) to the golf industry should they take up the sport more permanently.

    Golf has a lucrative opportunity.

    Valuing and enabling diversity in all areas should fill the coffers and genuinely position golf as a sport for all.

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

    – ref. Swing and a miss? Why golf in Australia is struggling to attract women and girls – https://theconversation.com/swing-and-a-miss-why-golf-in-australia-is-struggling-to-attract-women-and-girls-239202

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: NSW Government grants ACEREZ transmission operator’s licence for Central-West Orana REZ

    Source: New South Wales Environment and Heritage

    ACEREZ, a consortium of Acciona Concesiones, Cobra and Endeavour Energy, was selected by the Energy Corporation of NSW (EnergyCo) as the preferred network operator to deliver the Central-West Orana REZ transmission system, following a rigorous competitive tender.

    The NSW Minister for Energy Penny Sharpe granted the licence, which will enable ACEREZ to design, construct, own and operate the Central-West Orana REZ transmission system, which will connect renewable energy projects within the REZ to the existing Newcastle, Sydney and Wollongong load centres.

    When operational, the Central-West Orana REZ transmission system will unlock 4.5 gigawatts of network capacity, allowing generation and storage projects to connect at scale. This is expected to deliver $3 billion in net benefits for NSW energy consumers, drive $20 billion in regional investment and support 5000 jobs during peak construction.

    The Central-West Orana REZ is a vital component in the government’s roadmap to powering the state with affordable, clean and reliable energy.

    The decision follows the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal’s (IPART) recommendation to the NSW Minister for Energy on ACEREZ’s application for the licence, published in its final report.

    In granting the licence, the Minister included several licence conditions, some unique to ACEREZ, which were recommended by IPART and developed in response to public consultation, including consultation with the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, EnergyCo and ACEREZ. These are intended to support safe and reliable operation of the Central-West Orana REZ transmission system. An important condition to support social licence is a requirement for ACEREZ to become a member of an external dispute resolution scheme.

    A copy of the ACEREZ transmission operator’s licence, along with IPARTs final recommendation report, are available on the IPART website.

    Background:

    Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap

    The Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap is NSW’s pathway to powering the state with affordable, clean and reliable energy for everyone. It sets out how we are transitioning the electricity network to one that will keep the lights on and put downward pressure on energy prices for years to come. The Roadmap will support the delivery of at least 12 gigawatts of new renewable energy generation and 2 gigawatts of long-duration storage by 2030.

    Energy Corporation of NSW

    EnergyCo leads the design, delivery and coordination of Renewable Energy Zones (REZs) and priority transmission in a way that benefits consumers, investors and regional communities. This includes the new transmission lines infrastructure required to connect generation projects within each Renewable Energy Zone with the electricity grid.

    Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal

    IPART is an appointed regulator under the Roadmap to help NSW electricity consumers get safe and reliable services at a fair price. Alongside its regular duties, IPART is responsible for undertaking performance audits of the entities delivering the Roadmap and prepares an annual report on the exercise of Roadmap functions by the Consumer Trustee, the Financial Trustee, the Infrastructure Planner and the Regulator.

    Going forward, IPART is also responsible for monitoring for compliance by ACEREZ with the transmission licence in the Central-West Orana REZ.

    ACEREZ

    ACEREZ, a consortium comprising Acciona Concesiones, Cobra and Endeavour Energy, was selected by EnergyCo as the preferred network operator to deliver the Central-West Orana REZ transmission system. following a competitive tender process. EnergyCo entered into a commitment deed with ACEREZ in December 2023.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Revealed: the two faces of a Scottish Labour MP

    Source: Scottish National Party

    The hypocrisy of Scottish Labour has been put on full display in the party’s latest humiliation.

    Numerous Labour MPs from Scotland – including the Secretary of State for Scotland, Ian Murray – have been exposed as bitterly opposing Tory policies towards pensioners in winter, before axing the winter fuel payment with their first move in the new parliament.

    The guilty MPs also include Labour Party darling Michael Shanks, who has purveyed misleading information and was feted for saying he would vote for a ceasefire in Gaza and the abolition of the two child cap – before backtracking on both once he was elected.

    Here’s a start on the growing list of Scottish Labour MPs whose volte face is showing exactly why they can’t be trusted.

    Scottish Secretary Ian Murray (Edinburgh South)

    The Secretary of State for Scotland is known for capitalising on a media opportunity and has regularly taken to the airwaves to rail against Conservative policies – at times trying to draw bizarre parallels with the SNP’s record in Scotland, which couldn’t be further from the plans of the Conservative Party.

    In a particularly feisty intervention, the Scottish Secretary claimed pensioners were daily “freezing to death” under the Conservatives.

    Which makes it even more puzzling that among his first moves as a senior government minister – entitled to a salary of over £160,000 plus expenses – was a vote to axe winter fuel payments for pensioners across the UK. Presumably his Labour government will take their share of responsibility for any pensioners “freezing to death” as a result of their policy.

    Ex-Better Together chief Blair McDougall (East Renfrewshire)

    McDougall was head strategist for the Better Together campaign, and has unsuccessfully sought elected office before.

    Since his entry into politics as a student, he backed the failed leadership campaigns of both David Miliband and Jess Phillips while retaining senior status among the ranks of Scottish Labour.

    He has vehemently defended Labour’s time in government and listed the winter fuel payment as among its top achievements. Unfortunately, his senior status in Scottish Labour didn’t warrant any consideration from Sir Keir – and when the call came, he trooped through the voting lobbies to strip pensioners of that same winter fuel payment along with all the other Scottish Labour MPs.

    Imogen Walker (Hamilton and Clyde Valley)

    A former longtime London councillor, Walker is the wife of Starmer’s chief spin doctor Morgan McSweeney and the couple are high flyers among Labour’s Westminster leadership. She was parachuted into the Hamilton and Clyde Valley constituency in the hope that it would be a winnable seat for Labour – a stark sign that the party was taking local voters for granted before a single ballot had even been cast.

    Her new constituents will be unsurprised to learn that she too was vocal about the energy crisis and a ‘long hard winter’. She even promised a Labour government would lower bills.

    Since Labour took office, Ofgem has announced it is once again lifting the price cap and bills are set to rise 10%.

    Johanna Baxter (Paisley and Renfrewshire South)

    Another career politician, Baxter has unsuccessfully contested elections before and was previously a senior trade unionist and Labour NEC member.

    She urged her followers online to support a petition to create a national strategy for reducing excess winter deaths.

    The Labour Party’s own research has suggested its policy of cutting the Winter Fuel Payment could cause in excess of 4,000 deaths.

    Baxter, like other Scottish Labour MPs, voted to scrap the Winter Fuel Payment.

    Kirsty McNeill (Midlothian)

    Having unsuccessfully stood for election in London, McNeill turned her sights to what she thought might be a winnable seat in Scotland. Parachuted into the constituency and immediately appointed to the Scotland Office, McNeill has been silent about the devastating impact Starmer’s winter fuel cut on her new constituents.

    She wasn’t so silent in 2022, when she slammed the Conservative government’s decisions and said many families “are set to have a brutal winter.”

    We can only assume a cushy Scotland Office job is keeping her too busy to be just as vocal this time.

    Michael Shanks (Rutherglen)

    Shanks has unsuccessfully sought election three times before.

    Once elected to serve as MP for Rutherglen in last year, he quickly backtracked on promises he had made to constituents such as supporting a ceasefire in Gaza and campaigning for the abolition of the two child cap.

    Initially, he masqueraded as an MP who would be fighting for those struggling with punishing energy bills.

    But before long, Shanks was marching into the voting lobbies to support the winter fuel cut – it seems his position might have changed?

    Patricia Ferguson

    Ferguson was first elected to the Scottish Parliament in 1999, serving twice as a minister and even as Deputy Presiding Officer. Once she left office in 2016, she fought to be a local councillor before her run for the Westminster parliament.

    As part of the Labour group, she championed the Winter Fuel Allowance.

    After decades of public service, we’d have thought Ms Ferguson might have learnt the value of being true to her word – and the duty to be honest with the people who elected her.

    Instead, she managed to sideline her longtime support for the allowance, backing Starmer over Scotland.

    Scottish Labour’s most senior MPs have sold out

    They’ve sold out on their principles, their policies and most importantly – they’ve sold out Scottish communities who trusted Labour’s promise of change. And their support for Starmer’s fiscal plans is forcing our own government here in Scotland into some impossible decisions.

    This is just the beginning. For the next five years, Scottish Labour MPs will continue without fail to put Starmer before Scotland. It’s clear they’ve already forgotten who their real boss is – the Scottish people.

    That’s if they ever cared in the first place.

    The SNP can promise one thing – whoever you are and wherever you are in Scotland, we’ll stand up for you and your family.

    While Labour will spend the next five years taking Scotland for granted, we’ll be busy fighting for the change Scotland really needs.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Council and National Trust for Scotland in discussions over Dunkeld housing

    Source: Scotland – City of Perth

    The National Trust for Scotland, the conservation charity which cares for and shares Scotland’s heritage, has been responsible for the management of the residential homes, an office and two commercial units in Dunkeld since the 1950s. The charity stepped in to save the 17th and 18th century buildings, which were at risk of demolition, taking ownership, restoring the buildings and then letting them to tenants, preserving the unique historic character of Dunkeld town centre which is widely regarded as one of the most attractive in Scotland.     

    The charity and Perth and Kinross Council have confirmed that they are now in talks about the properties transferring into the ownership of the Council’s Housing Revenue Account.

    Around 25 tenants will be affected by the change, which will see them become tenants of the Council with a range of associated benefits. The charity and Council are committed to making as smooth as possible for residents.

    Stuart Maxwell, Regional Director for Edinburgh & East said: “We have been reviewing our management approach to these properties and are now proposing to work in closer partnership with Perth and Kinross Council. We feel this in the interests of the continued long-term conservation of the buildings and their use as accommodation for local people, which we know is an important issue in this area.

    “Following consultation with our Board of Trustees, Perth and Kinross Council, and the Scottish Government, we have reached an agreement in principle for the local authority to take on ownership of these properties and most of our other buildings in Dunkeld, which, we feel will ensure the conservation of both the individual properties, the historic township and bring benefits for residents too.

    “Our priority for the next few weeks is to talk to our tenants and ensure that any transition would happen as smoothly as possible.”

    Housing and Social Wellbeing Convener, Councillor Tom McEwan said: “Perth and Kinross Council’s Housing Service is recognised as one of the best in Scotland, and this transfer will bring many benefits for the tenants who live in these properties.

    “We anticipate being able to offer tenants significantly lower levels of rent, as well as a secure tenancy that they can enjoy for as long as they want to, access to our excellent Repairs Service and regular investment to improve their homes to the highest standard possible.

    “The tenants in Dunkeld will have the support of our dedicated and highly-qualified Housing staff to help them in their tenancy, as well as access to a wide range of other quality services that our current tenants enjoy.”

    Council Leader, Councillor Grant Laing, said: “The Council will work closely with sitting tenants to answer any questions they might have as the transfer progresses and provide them with any support they need.  Measures will be implemented to ensure that when any vacancies arise in the properties in the future, they will be allocated to people with a local connection to the Dunkeld area. This is a positive for the community where local housing availability is a concern. I am delighted for the Community of Dunkeld.” 

    Local elected member for the Strathtay ward, Bailie Claire McLaren said: “This transfer will ensure that these homes are secured as valued affordable social housing in Dunkeld into the future. One of the key aims of the Housing Service is to provide high-quality additional homes for affordable rent for people right across Perth and Kinross.”

    Mr Maxwell continued: “The National Trust for Scotland has been proud to play a part in protecting Dunkeld for many decades. If this plan proceeds, we will still own land on the bank south of the River Tay, at Stanley Hill, so we will certainly still have an active role in ensuring that Dunkeld retains the nature, beauty and heritage that makes it so special.”

    Negotiations will continue between the National Trust for Scotland and Perth and Kinross Council with a joint meeting being held locally with all tenants on Wednesday 25 September. Housing staff from the Council will be in attendance along with representatives from the Trust to answer any questions.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Scottish Greens call for republic: Monarchy is increasingly ridiculous and unjustified

    Source: Scottish Greens

    24 Sep 2024 Scottish Independence For A Scottish Republic

    We will always stand for an independent Scottish republic.

    More in Scottish Independence

    The UK Monarchy is an increasingly ridiculous, costly and unjustified institution, says Scottish Green co-leader Patrick Harvie, who has long called for an independent Scotland to be a republic.

    Mr Harvie’s comments follow a report by Republic, an anti-monarchy campaign group, which puts the “true cost” of the Monarchy at over £500m a year.

    Mr Harvie said: “The Monarchy is an increasingly ridiculous and unjustified institution. It represents a different and long gone era, and it is impossible to justify the eye watering sums that we spend on it.

    “Lavishing any family with huge privilege, power and wealth as a birthright is a fundamentally undemocratic idea, and it is particularly distasteful during a cost of living crisis which is seeing scandalous levels of child poverty, and pensioners across our country forced to choose between feeding themselves and heating their home.

    “We should always be able to elect or remove our rulers and heads of state at the ballot box. That is a key part of any democracy. If any of the Windsors want to represent the country then they should stand for election.

    “The Scotland I want to see is an independent republic where power rests with the people rather than being treated like a family heirloom.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Aberdeen to host Great British Energy HQ in UK-wide clean energy drive

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Great British Energy will be headquartered in Aberdeen, with 2 smaller sites in Edinburgh and Glasgow.

    • Prime Minister confirms Great British Energy will be headquartered in Aberdeen, a world-leader in engineering and infrastructure
    • Edinburgh and Glasgow will host 2 smaller sites, maximising skills and expertise across Scotland
    • the move will kickstart plans for the new publicly-owned company to drive investment in clean home-grown energy, creating jobs and supporting growth across the UK

    Aberdeen has today (24 September) been named the new home of Great British Energy, drawing on the city’s world-leading engineering expertise to kickstart a UK-wide clean energy revolution.

    As the location of the new headquarters, Aberdeen will be at the heart of the company’s plans to scale up clean homegrown power to boost energy independence, create skilled jobs across the UK and to support economic growth.

    Two additional sites will open in Edinburgh and Glasgow, once Great British Energy is up and running, to benefit from local skills and expertise. The company will be initially located in government buildings across the cities, while permanent bases are established.

    This marks the next step to kickstart Great British Energy, as part of its mission to become a clean energy superpower. An interim Chief Executive will soon to be appointed to take the lead on launching the new company and building its Aberdeen base – along with the start-up Chair Juergen Maier, former CEO of Siemens UK.

    Within the first weeks of the new government, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband took immediate action to introduce the Great British Energy Bill to Parliament and – along with the Prime Minister – confirm a new partnership with The Crown Estate, to help accelerate new offshore wind farms. The company – owned by the British people, for the British people – will attract private investment in the UK’s clean homegrown power, backed by £8.3 billion in government funding over this Parliament.

    The move forms part of the government’s plans to support clean energy in the North Sea, ensuring Aberdeen continues to thrive as Scotland’s clean energy capital. The government recently announced the biggest ever investment in offshore wind and continues to progress technologies like carbon capture and storage and hydrogen – as well as ensuring that oil and gas is used for decades to come as part of a fair and balanced transition away from fossil fuels.

    Notes to editors

    On 25 July, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero published the founding statement for Great British Energy.

    Updates to this page

    Published 24 September 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: GB Energy giving more questions than answers for Aberdeen

    Source: Scottish Greens

    24 Sep 2024 Climate

    GB Energy must work in the public interest, not simply as a way to line private pockets

    More in Climate

    The UK government’s plans for GB Energy are leaving more questions than answers says Scottish Green MSP Maggie Chapman, this follows confirmation from Sir Keir Starmer that it will be based in Aberdeen.

    Aberdeen has a unique role to play in driving our transition to a greener future, added Ms Chapman, who represents North East Scotland, including Aberdeen.

    Ms Chapman has called for greater collaboration between the Labour Government and the MSPs who represent the region, to ensure GB Energy lives up to the challenge of our climate crisis.

    Ms Chapman said: “If done properly, GB Energy could present an important opportunity for Aberdeen – with new jobs, investment, a focus away from the legacy of oil and gas. 

    “We want to be optimistic, but a lot of us are concerned that this will become an investor’s playpen, rather than a genuine driver of new renewables projects.

    “So far the UK government’s statement raises many more questions than answers.

    “It is time for Labour to be clear about its ambitions for this project, and what it will look like. GB Energy should be an organisation that resources the energy sector’s move towards genuine renewable energy, not an excuse for more warm words on oil, gas and nuclear.
     
    “An energy transition without justice for workers and affected communities is the last thing we need. Aberdeen has a unique role to play in driving forward our just transition. It can be the engine that drives the climate action and green economy that are so vital.

    “The UK Government must ensure that GB Energy works for public interests in the region and the sector, and is not simply a way to line private pockets. 

    “I would welcome greater collaboration between the Labour Government and the MSPs who represent the region, to ensure GB Energy lives up to the challenge of our climate crisis.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Chancellor urged to deliver Budget of ‘investment and opportunity’

    Source: Scottish Government

    Pledge to work with UK Government to create ‘the change people need’.

    The UK Autumn Budget should focus on “investment and opportunity”, with more funding for public services, infrastructure and measures to eradicate child poverty, Finance Secretary Shona Robison has said.

    The Finance Secretary pledged to work with the UK Government and devolved administrations to ensure the Autumn Budget on October 30 “works for all four nations and delivers the change that people need”.

    She called for the Chancellor to:

    • change the rules around borrowing to allow for greater investment in public infrastructure and services
    • reverse the forecast cut to capital funding, enabling the Scottish Government to invest more in hospitals, schools and transport
    • abolish the two child limit
    • deliver an Essentials Guarantee providing basic necessities for those who need them most
    • take greater steps towards delivering net zero, including by reforming motoring taxation
    • ensure any changes to tax take account of Scotland’s distinct and devolved tax system

    Ms Robison said:

    “When I met with the Chancellor last month, we were in full agreement that we must put people first in all that we do. This principle must be at the heart of the decisions at the Autumn Budget.

    “I want to work with the Chancellor, and the governments in Wales and Northern Ireland, to ensure that we have a Budget that works for all four nations and delivers the change that people need.

    “It does not need to be another Budget of challenge and constraint. Instead it can be a Budget about investment and opportunity.

    “We’re calling for measures to tackle child poverty and grow our economy. We’d like to see new rules around borrowing that support investment in public services. We want the UK Government to work hand in hand with the devolved administrations to provide the funding to deliver on our priorities.

    “These are the choices I encourage the Chancellor to make.”

    Background

    UK Autumn Budget: Letter to UK Government – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

    The Finance Secretary also confirmed that the Scottish Budget, outlining the Scottish Government’s proposed tax and spending plans for 2025-26, will be delivered on 4 December.

    The two child limit restricts universal credit and child tax credits to the first two children in most households, if born after April 2017.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Work starts on Stoke sports facility

    Source: City of Plymouth

    (l-r) Councillor Sue Dann, Cabinet Member for Sport; Anita Frier, Principal of Stoke Damerel Community College; Warren Phillips, Technical Project Manager at the Football Foundation, join students Moyosore, Kassim and Eonan on site at Stoke Damerel Community College as work gets underway

    Work to improve a community sports facility has officially kicked-off.

    As part of the city’s ongoing investment in sports facilities, Stoke Damerel Community College is set to become home to three multi-surfaced pitches, providing space for several different sports.

    Work will focus on a brand new, 2G sand pitch, which whilst primarily suitable for hockey, is a multi-sports surface and can be used for a number of other activities.

    Also in the plans is a smaller 3G pitch, specifically targeted at football and rugby use, which has been supported by a £250,000 grant from the Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation.

    A renovation and upgrade of and existing grass pitch is also set to get underway.

    The new additions will be for both school and community use with modern flood lighting to ensure that they can be used all year round

    The plans complement the work already underway to transform the former Brickfields Sports Centre into a new community health and wellbeing hub that will be operated by the Argyle Community Trust.

    Councillor Sue Dann, Cabinet Member for Customer Services, Sport, Leisure and HR, joined representatives from Stoke Damerel Community College and the Football Foundation to see work begin.

    Sue said: “It’s always exciting to see projects that have been long in the planning get to the construction stage.

    “I know that these facilities will be so well-received, not just by Stoke Damerel Community College students, but also by the city’s large sporting community.

    “I look forward to seeing work complete and pitches in use by students and residents alike.”

    Dan Cole, Senior Assistant Headteacher of Stoke Damerel Community College, said: “Our new sports facilities will elevate our sports programmes, offering our students and community first-rate resources to train, compete, and stay active.

    “This is a significant step in advancing our commitment to fostering well-rounded students by encouraging both academic achievement and physical development”

    Robert Sullivan, Chief Executive of the Football Foundation, said: “The Football Foundation is working closely with our partners – the Premier League, The FA and Government – to transform the quality of grassroots facilities in England by delivering projects like this across the country.

    “Good quality playing facilities have a transformative impact on physical and mental health and play an important role in bringing people together and strengthening local communities.

    “We’re delighted that works are now underway to deliver the new 3G and grass pitches at Stoke Damerel Community College and we’re excited to see the new facilities in action.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Great British Energy to be based in Aberdeen

    Source: Scotland – City of Aberdeen

    In response to the Prime Minister’s announcement that Great Briti Energy will be based in Aberdeen
     
    Joint statement from Aberdeen City Council Co-Leaders, Councillors Ian Yuill and Christian Allard: “We are delighted that GB Energy is going to be based in Aberdeen. As the energy capital of Europe, Aberdeen is best placed in Scotland to be home to the UK Government’s GB Energy headquarters. Aberdeen has been a magnet for energy investments for decades and the city has already established itself as a renewables hub with businesses investing in offshore wind and green hydrogen. This will help secure future investments in the sector and will help confirm Aberdeen as the Net Zero Capital of Europe. Aberdeen’s entrepreneurial and innovative energy businesses have the people, the experience, the skills, and the business know-how in leading the energy transition worldwide .” 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: CT State Middlesex Honor Society Award Entries Featured in National Journals

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    Sept. 23, 2024 (Middletown, Conn.) — The Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society chapter at CT State Middlesex, Beta Gamma Xi, recently published articles in two distinguished academic journals, Civic Scholar: Journal of Undergraduate Community College Research and Change Makers: Phi Theta Kappa Journal of Student Leadership.

    “Congratulations to the entire Beta Gamma Xi chapter. We’re proud of your achievement. Your work inspires us and highlights the extraordinary work done by PTK members,” said Susan Edwards, Ed.D., Senior Director of Honors Programs at Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, who notified Beta Gamma Xi c0-advisor, Lin Lin, Ph.D., about the Civic Scholar selection.

    The chapter’s Honors in Action team’s project Civic Scholar entry, “Nostalgia-Inspired Art: Integrating Nostalgia into Recreational Therapy,” was selected for publication as one of the 20 featured articles among 422 entries.

    In the article, the chapter explores the potential needs and well-being of the adult senior population due to advancements in technology that increased their lifespans and population. The PTK students examined how nostalgia, through recreational and music therapy, fosters social connections and improves moods. They partnered with the Middlesex Institute for Lifelong Education (MILE) to conduct a session where participants shared happy memories triggered by nostalgic music. Surveys showed that most felt the activity “made the day better.”

    The full Civic Scholar article is available online.

    The chapter’s College Project team’s Change Makers entry, “Understanding the Needs and Interests of Students at Meriden Campus,” was chosen as one of just 17 articles from over 450 submissions featured in the fourth edition of Change Makers.

    “We are incredibly proud of your students’ exceptional servant leadership in collaboration with your college administration for this College Project,” said Jennifer Stanford, Senior Director of Student Leadership at Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.

    The goal of the Change Makers article provides insights from student experiences at the Meriden campus to help enhance service quality in line with the CT State Middlesex student-centered mission. This involved an online survey and in-person focus groups, targeting current Meriden students and students in the GEAR UP high school program. The survey addressed academic interests, desired activities and services, and barriers to their class-taking experiences.

    Read the full Change Makers article online.

    “Congratulations to our students and special thanks to Dr. Lin Lin for all she does for our PTK team,” said Kimberly Hogan, CEO, CT State Middlesex.

    Earlier this year, CT State Middlesex’s Beta Gamma Xi Chapter was honored as the Most Distinguished Chapter in the New England Region and recognized among the Top Distinguished Chapters nationally. These projects are part of the chapter’s efforts to achieve and maintain their Five Star Level Chapter status.

    More information about these projects:
    https://www.ptk.org/phi-theta-kappa-publishes-change-makers-student-leadership-journal/
    https://www.ptk.org/phi-theta-kappa-publishes-civic-scholar-undergraduate-community-college-research-journal/

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: TUV – the only party to call out Sinn Fein hypocrisy on lecturing people on democracy when Gerry Kelly sits on their benches or note the irony of calling for votes for 16 when you want to deny ANYONE in NI the right to vote on 300 areas of law

    Source: Traditional Unionist Voice – Northern Ireland

    In today’s Assembly debate on votes for 16 year olds Timothy Gaston MLA said:

    “I oppose the motion for three simple reasons. First, in setting the voting age at 18, the UK is very much in line with international practice. If you look at the situation across the democratic world, you see that the average voting age is 18·03 years. While there are 16-year-olds in the workplace, the vast majority are still in education or vocational training until the age of 18. It is important to remember that, when it comes to issues such as signing a legally binding contract, one cannot do so until one is 18. Let us remember that you need to be 18 to buy alcohol, 18 to buy cigarettes and 18 to buy a knife, but those who tabled the motion want a 16-year-old to be able to vote.

    “Secondly, it would be remiss of me not to note the irony of the motion’s origin. Sinn Féin is in no position to lecture anyone on democracy. On its Benches, albeit from time to time, sits the Old Bailey bomber, Gerry Kelly. Let us not forget today that that bombing resulted in Frederick Milton dying from a heart attack and 150-plus being injured. Let us ask ourselves why that attack was carried out: because, on the same day, a border poll was held in Northern Ireland, and Mr Kelly knew that he would not like the outcome of that poll. On that same day, a young soldier, 21-year-old John Green, was shot by the IRA while guarding St Joseph’s Primary School on the lower Falls. Why was he guarding the school? Because it was being used as a polling station. Yet, Sinn Féin, in the motion, wants to lecture us on democracy.

    “Those are not the only points about the motion that I find ironic, which brings me to my final reason. Those who will trip through the Lobbies in support of the motion in a few moments’ time are also the most passionate advocates of the protocol, an arrangement that means that, when it comes to 300 areas of law — note that I said “300 areas of law” and not “300 laws” — no one in Northern Ireland, regardless of their age, has any vote on them. That is a democratic obscenity, yet those who champion votes for 16-year-olds loudest are silent when it comes to being ruled by people whom no one in Northern Ireland voted for.

    “We are just over a month away from the largest disenfranchisement operation of modern times and the facilitating of the first majoritarian vote in Stormont in over 50 years. It will also be the most controversial majoritarian vote in Northern Ireland’s 103-year history, a vote to disenfranchise 1·9 million people in 300 areas of law. A vote resigning us to the idea that the laws made in those areas will be made for us by the Republic of Ireland and 26 other states and not the UK or Northern Ireland’s MLAs who sit in the House; a vote that unbundles the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland’s single market for goods in favour of an all-Ireland single market for goods; and a vote that violates the cross-community consent and democratic provisions of the Belfast Agreement as international law, treating the people of Northern Ireland with complete contempt. Do not argue that the protocol is just and then lecture us on votes for 16-year-olds. It just does not wash. The real democratic deficit in this part of the UK is the failure to honour the biggest democratic mandate in British history: the mandate to leave the EU.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ERO Boston arrests Guatemalan national charged with sex crime against Massachusetts resident

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    NANTUCKET, Mass — Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston apprehended an unlawfully present 41-year-old Guatemalan noncitizen charged with a sex crime against a Nantucket resident. Officers with ERO Boston arrested Felix Alberto Perez-Gomez Sept. 11 in Nantucket.

    “Felix Alberto Perez-Gomez was previously removed from the United States following convictions for reckless driving and reckless endangerment,” said ERO Boston Field Office Director Todd M. Lyons. “He then unlawfully reentered the country and made his way to our Nantucket community to apparently commit a sex crime against a resident here. Perez represents a threat to our New England residents that we cannot tolerate. ERO Boston will continue our mission to prioritize public safety by apprehending and removing egregious noncitizen offenders.”

    Perez unlawfully entered the United States on an unknown date, at an unknown location and without being inspected, admitted, or paroled by a U.S. immigration official.

    ERO arrested Perez June 8, 2011, following his arrest for reckless driving and recklessly endangering another person in Pennsylvania. ERO served Perez with a notice to appear before a Department of Justice immigration judge.

    The Upper Makefield District Court convicted Perez July 11, 2011, of reckless driving and recklessly endangering another person and sentenced him to one year of probation.

    On July 29, 2011, a Department of Justice immigration judge ordered Perez removed from the United States to Guatemala.

    ERO removed Perez from the United States to Guatemala Aug. 11, 2011.

    Perez unlawfully reentered the United States at an unknown location on an unknown date and without being admitted, inspected or paroled by a U.S. immigration official.

    The Nantucket District Court arraigned Perez Aug. 19, 2024, for indecent assault and battery on a person 14 years or older.

    Officers with ERO Boston arrested Perez Sept. 11 in Nantucket. He remains in ERO custody.

    Detainers are critical public safety tools because they focus enforcement resources on removable noncitizens who have been arrested for criminal activity. Detainers increase the safety of all parties involved — ERO personnel, law enforcement officials, removable noncitizens and the public — by allowing an arrest to be made in a secure and controlled custodial setting as opposed to at-large within the community. Because detainers result in the direct transfer of a noncitizen from state or local custody to ERO custody, they also minimize the potential that an individual will reoffend. Additionally, detainers conserve scarce government resources by allowing ERO to take criminal noncitizens into custody directly rather than expending resources locating these individuals at-large.

    ERO conducts removals of individuals without a lawful basis to remain in the United States, including at the order of immigration judges with Department of Justice’s Executive Office for Immigration Review. The Executive Office for Immigration Review is a separate entity from the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Immigration judges in these courts make decisions based on the merits of each individual case, determining if a noncitizen is subject to a final order of removal or eligible for certain forms of relief from removal.

    Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

    Learn more about ICE’s mission to increase public safety in our New England communities on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @EROBoston.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Drones provide vital support at Victorious Festival

    Source: United Kingdom National Police Chiefs Council

    Trials continuing in drone as first responder initiative

    August saw the latest trial in drone as first responder (DFR) technology with a team from Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary and Thames Valley Police Joint Operations Unit demonstrating its capabilities against challenging weather conditions at the Victorious Music Festival in Portsmouth.

    Operating under visual line of sight (VLOS) and coordinating with a second safety pilot, the team ensured high safety standards to mitigate air and ground risk while navigating through Class G airspace alongside other air assets including the coastguard helicopter and aeroplane and the event security drone team.

    NPCC BVLOS lead for Hampshire & IOW Constabulary and Thames Valley Police, Chris Stagg, said:

    “Following on from our initial testing at the Isle of Wight Festival in June, our efforts in Portsmouth at the Victorious Music Festival have brought us one step closer to realising our shared vision of using DFR in support of policing operations. The festival provided a dynamic setting to assess a temporary DFR site setups for large scale events as well as operations within an urban environment.

    “The exposed seafront location also gave us the benefit of understanding how strong winds affected the drone when landing autonomously. Whilst the drone remained safe and dry in the box during some extremely strong winds and heavy rain, it did highlight the potential need for a bespoke purpose made drone that has both the capability and redundancy to stand up to harsh environments. Policing needs to be able to operate safely in adverse weather conditions across the country.

    “As we move forward, our focus remains on safety and adaptability in adverse weather especially as we move towards the winter months, ensuring that our emergency response capabilities are not just effective but also safe and reliable when it matters most.”

    DFR promises to transform the response to 999 calls. By getting to the scene of any incident in an urban or rural fringe environment within minutes and providing a bird’s eye view directly into a force’s incident room, the emergency response can be much better tailored. Not only will this support in delivering a faster and more efficient emergency response but the real-time view it provides will enhance both public and officer safety.

    The Victorious Festival trial is one of four DFR trials taking place this year as part of the National Police Chief’s Council’s Drone Programme. This programme investigates how to get the most out of beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) and autonomous drone flight for policing purposes, leveraging resources to best effect and helping to protect the public across England and Wales.  

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Council invests £500,000 to protect Edinburgh’s coastline

    Source: Scotland – City of Edinburgh

    Local swimmers with Transport and Environment Convener on Portobello beach.

    Work to restore the iconic timber groynes on Portobello beach has been completed by the City of Edinburgh Council.

    The five timber groynes constructed in the 1970s help to hold sand in place to prevent further erosion of the Capital’s important coastline.  

    In November 2021, one of them was damaged during Storm Arwen and partially collapsed. Following a survey of all of the groynes, work was commissioned to repair and restore them.

    Cllr Stephen Jenkinson, Transport and Environment Convener, said:

    “By investing half a million pounds in the repair of the groynes we are helping to protect the sand and coastal environment at Portobello so locals and visitors can continue to enjoy this popular beach in Edinburgh for many years to come. This announcement is very timely as we are promoting all the work the Council is doing to address climate change as part of ‘Climate Week’.

    “Unfortunately, due to the climate emergency, storms are becoming all too common and I’m really pleased their restoration means we have good protection in place. It’s also great to hear the excess timber wasn’t wasted and was donated to locals including a community garden and artists.

    “The iconic groyne structures are well known to locals and visitors and have become part of the landscape in the area so it’s great to see them restored to their former glory.”

    Read our Climate Ready Edinburgh Plan 2024-2030

    Published: September 24th 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New measures set out to reduce net migration

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    The government’s plan to reduce net migration has been bolstered by new measures announced today.

    New measures to cut historically high levels of net migration have been announced today, bolstering the Home Secretary’s approach to tackle the root causes behind the UK’s long-term reliance on international recruitment.

    Sectors most reliant on overseas workers will be targeted to ensure they are addressing their failure to invest in skills here in the UK.

    The government will task the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) with monitoring and proactively highlighting key sectors where skills shortages have led to surges in overseas recruitment and provide a yearly assessment to ministers to inform policy decision making.

    Rules around visa sponsorship of migrant workers will also be strengthened so that strong action can be taken against employers who flout employment laws, restricting their ability to hire workers from abroad. This is in addition to work already underway to clamp down on existing sponsor licence holders and to stop visa abuse, such as the ramping up of investigation visits by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), and suspending and revoking licenses where employers abuse the immigration system and exploit migrant workers.

    This follows plans already set out by the Home Secretary to link migration policy with skills and wider labour market policy, so that international recruitment is no longer the default choice for employers filling skills shortages, as well as the government’s confirmation that changes made by the previous administration to the immigration system will remain in place.

    The new joined-up approach across government, set out by the Home Secretary in July, establishes a framework in which the newly formed Skills England, the Industrial Strategy Council, together with input from the Department for Work and Pensions, will work closely with the MAC so that migration is not used as an alternative to tackling training or skills shortages in the UK.

    The MAC’s annual assessment will help industries respond swiftly to skills gaps and take necessary steps to reduce their dependency on migrant workers and invest in training, workforce plans, and higher quality jobs for workers here at home.

    The expanded role for the MAC will be bolstered by additional capacity and includes work to assess the root causes of why certain sectors are so reliant on overseas workers. It has already been commissioned by the Home Secretary to look at IT and engineering – key sectors which have consistently relied on the international workforce, rather than sourcing the workers and skills they need here in the UK.

    Updates to this page

    Published 24 September 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Educational Activities in Space

    Source: NASA

    As students of all ages returned to school this month, crew members on the International Space Station continue to conduct a variety of educational programs and activities that support learning on the ground. These efforts are part of a wider commitment at NASA to engage, inspire, and attract future generations of explorers and to build a diverse future workforce equipped with skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

    One current activity is Robo-Pro Challenge 5, an educational program hosted by JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) in cooperation with NASA. For the challenge, students create software programs to control NASA’s Astrobee and JAXA’s Internal Ball Camera, using image processing to move the free-flying robots through a series of coordinates to a target point. The challenge helps support computing and coding curricula, and the hands-on experience inspires the study of STEM subjects.

    Genes in Space is a national contest for students in grades 7 through 12 to design DNA analysis experiments for the space station. It is sponsored by the ISS National Lab and New England Biolabs in collaboration with Boeing and miniPCR bio. There have been more than a dozen contests to date, many producing significant results.
    Genes in Space-5 provided proof of concept of simultaneously amplifying multiple DNA sequences in space, expanding the possibilities for in-flight research and health monitoring.
    Genes in Space-6 used CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing for the first time in space, using the technique to generate breaks in the DNA of a common yeast, direct a method to repair the breaks, and sequence the patched-up DNA to determine whether its original order was restored.

    Genes in Space-9 validated technology used to synthesize proteins without needing living cells. This technique could produce proteins for research, vaccines, and development of diagnostic tests for environmental contaminants and infectious agents. Ultimately, such synthesis also could enable portable, low-cost devices for health monitoring, detection of environmental hazards on Earth and in space, and other applications.

    In addition to the Robo-Pro challenge, several other programs involve student coding. AstroPi, a program from ESA (European Space Agency), uses special computers, one equipped with an infrared camera and the other with a standard visible spectrum camera. European students write programs for the computers that address specific challenges such as measurement and calibration and image processing. One project successfully identified and computed the horizontal wavelengths of atmospheric gravity waves in clouds.

    Zero Robotics also is a competition where students write software to control one of the Astrobees, co-led by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Innovation Learning Center, and other collaborators. Finalists have their code downloaded to the Astrobee platform and can observe its performance in space.

    High school students United with NASA to Create Hardware, or HUNCH, is a learning program where high school students design and fabricate real-world products for NASA. More than 2,500 students have participated to date, flying some 3,000 products to space, including a tape dispenser that can be operated with one hand, footpads, sleeping pad liners, and orange blackberry croissants and other food products.

    Through ISS Ham Radio, a collaboration with Amateur Radio on the International Space Station, students use ham radio to ask astronauts questions about life in space, career opportunities, and other space-related topics. Participating teachers report that the program has a significant and positive impact on students, increasing interest in all STEM areas. The experiences also help students make real-world connections among disciplines, learn problem-solving, and hone communication skills. To date, more than 100 crew members have communicated with over 1 million students from 49 U.S. states, 63 countries, and every continent.

    Developed through NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement, STEMonstrations are short educational videos demonstrating science, technology, engineering, and mathematics topics in microgravity for grades K through 12. The videos are available online and every STEMonstration includes materials teachers can use to explore the topics in their classrooms. Six videos released in the past 12 months have been viewed 98,705 times to date across various social media platforms. The program provides students with a connection to NASA and scientific work conducted on the space station, inspiring the next generation of explorers and contributing to a diverse future workforce.

    Melissa GaskillInternational Space Station Research Communications TeamNASA’s Johnson Space Center

    Search this database of scientific experiments to learn more about those mentioned in this article.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The rise of the ‘megapub’: is bigger really better?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Rachael. E. Rees-Jones, Lecturer in Strategy, University of South Wales

    shutterstock niksdope/Shutterstock

    Wetherspoons has unveiled its latest venture at London’s Waterloo Station – a vast new pub called The Lion & The Unicorn. This so-called “Superspoons” is part of a growing trend in the UK’s hospitality industry, where ever-larger venues are reshaping traditional experiences.

    With its prime location and expansive layout of 5,000 sq ft and almost 600 seats, the venue’s opening marks what some business commentators are describing as the dawn of the “megapub” era, where bigger seems to mean better for chains like Wetherspoons.

    Megapubs are designed to offer more than just a quick pint. These vast, multi-purpose venues aim to cater to a variety of needs throughout the day, from morning coffee and business lunches to evening meals and live entertainment. The inclusion of extensive seating, diverse menus and designated zones for different activities – such as socialising or working on a laptop – aim to attract a broad range of customers.

    By offering an all-in-one experience, they are deliberately designed to stand apart from the traditional pub model. And they are positioning themselves as destinations rather than typical pubs.

    True to Wetherspoons’ business model, the new megapub promises competitive prices on food and drink, which may make it an attractive option for budget-conscious customers. By offering a variety of experiences under one roof, megapubs are attempting to tempt customers inside with convenience, variety and affordability all in one package, while also feeling part of a community.

    What could it mean for the hospitality sector?

    One major concern over the onset of the megapub is the potential impact on smaller, independent pubs and restaurants. Over the last ten years, pubs have been closing at an alarming rate, as publicans struggle with rising supply costs and overheads. A growing number of young people are also choosing to abstain from alcohol. Such factors have reduced the demand for traditional pubs.

    Megapubs, with their size and pricing power, could exacerbate these challenges by drawing customers away from independent venues that struggle to compete on price or scale. This may be especially true of those relying on niche markets or unique experiences.

    While it is still early days, and the effects of the megapub are yet to unfold, experts are already questioning whether this could change the way we socialise. By combining affordability with a range of amenities, megapubs like the new “Superspoons” may set new expectations for what a pub experience should be. Instead of visiting multiple locations for different activities, people may prefer to spend their leisure time in a single, multi-functional venue where they can socialise, dine and work.

    Wetherspoons is not the only company experimenting with this new model. Across the hospitality and retail sectors, businesses are increasingly seeking to create more versatile spaces to attract a broader customer base.



    Read more:
    Youth drinking is declining – myths about the trend, busted

    So, could we see more companies following Wetherspoons’ lead? Given the current economic conditions, where many consumers are tightening their belts, it seems probable. This could be the beginning of a long-term shift towards larger, multi-functional venues. Of course, it may just be a temporary response to the challenges of the present market.

    Economically, this concept appears to be well-suited to the financial challenges and uncertainty of our current times, as increasingly isolated people look for cost-effective ways to dine and socialise. Offering both affordability and a wide range of options, these venues could thrive during economic downturns by drawing in budget-conscious consumers.

    Whether you’re a fan of the traditional pub or intrigued by new concepts like the “Superspoons”, it’s clear that the way we socialise is evolving. As hospitality businesses continue to push boundaries, we may see a significant change in how we spend our leisure time and money.

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

    – ref. The rise of the ‘megapub’: is bigger really better? – https://theconversation.com/the-rise-of-the-megapub-is-bigger-really-better-238629

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Scottish Government must use powers to full extent

    Source: Scottish Greens

    24 Sep 2024 Finance

    The Scottish Government has the responsibility to use the powers it has to the maximum, and it’s not yet doing so

    More in Finance

    The Scottish Government must use the powers of devolution to the full extent to build a fairer, greener Scotland and offset some of the damage being done from Westminster, says Scottish Green co-leader, Patrick Harvie MSP.
     
    In a debate today on The UK Budget – Scotland’s Priorities, the Scottish Greens called for the new Labour government to reject the broken economic policies of the Tories and for the SNP to go further in its use of existing powers now and as part of the upcoming Scottish budget.
     
    Speaking in the chamber today, Mr Harvie called for the Scottish Government to prioritise projects that will cut climate emissions.
     
    Mr Harvie said: “This government and this parliament still have the responsibility to use the powers we have to the maximum, and we’re not yet doing so.
     
    “The Scottish Greens have made the case for policies like the Scottish Child Payment and others. We’ve also successfully brought to the chamber the solutions that show how we can pay for them.
     
    “It’s because of the work of the Scottish Greens that we have progressive taxation in this country and an extra £1.5 billion in the Scottish budget every year. It’s because of the work of the Scottish Greens that we have already made progress on more local powers, whether that’s powers to double council tax on second and empty homes, the introduction of the Transient Visitor Levy or the workplace parking levy as options for councils. There is more to come with the carbon land tax and others.
     
    “We need to go further on this and, finally, we need to cut unsustainable investment in those high cost, high carbon pieces of infrastructure and invest instead in what will cut costs and cut emissions, like energy efficient homes and buildings that use renewables and not fossil fuels.
     
    “The Scottish Government will have to go further with the powers it does have.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: UConn and Eversource Host Third Annual Sustainable Clean Energy Summit

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    Electric grid decarbonization and emerging technologies in clean energy were the focus at this year’s Sustainable Clean Energy Summit at the University of Connecticut in Storrs. The annual summit, hosted by UConn and Eversource, was a featured event of Connecticut’s first ever Sustainability & Resiliency Week. A keynote address by Gene Rodrigues, Assistant Secretary for Electricity, U.S. Department of Energy kicked off the event. Academic and state leaders as well as energy industry experts led panel discussions on various clean energy topics following opening remarks by UConn President Radenka Maric and Eversource Executive Vice President, Customer Experience and Energy Strategy Penni Conner.

    From left, Tilak Subrahmanian, vice president of energy efficiency and electric mobility for Eversource Energy, Interim Associate Vice President of Facilities Operations Stan Nolan, UConn President Radenka Maric, and Penni McLean-Conner, executive vice president of customer experience and energy strategy for Eversource Energy, sign a memorandum of understanding between UConn and Eversource during the Sustainable Clean Energy Summit in the Student Union Theater on Sept. 23, 2024. (Sydney Herdle/UConn Photo)

    In addition to the panel discussions, Eversource and UConn celebrated recent federal funding from the Department of Energy for the “Power Up New England” multi-state proposal, allowing Eversource to commit $4 million to establish the Connecticut Institute for Sustainable Energy at UConn Avery Point. The Institute will help to expand the sustainable energy workforce in the state and region through scholarships, real-world engagement on offshore wind projects, and certificate programs relating to offshore wind, with a particular focus on engagement with individuals from underrepresented and disadvantaged backgrounds.

    During the summit, Eversource and UConn signed a three-year memorandum of understanding designed to advance the university’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2030, moving the UConn campus from a focus on LED lighting energy-saving projects to measures that involve studies, building controls, HVAC equipment and other decarbonization or carbon mitigation measures across all UConn campuses and UConn Health.

    “I want to give great recognition to our students,” said Maric. “Without our students saying, ‘Here are our priorities, here are our needs,’ we would probably not have the scholarships from Eversource and all the critical initiatives that we started. Besides being an educational institution, we are an innovation institution. Innovation happens here. Our goal is to create a dedicated sustainability academic unit in the coming years. Creating this unit will be a team effort.”

    “Eversource and UConn have a proven track record of working together towards our shared decarbonization goals while advancing a more sustainable future for the state, and we look forward to building on those efforts to maximize the benefits of a clean energy future for all residents and businesses,” said Conner. “Our partnership is building the workforce of the future and preparing students to tackle the critical clean energy and sustainability challenges facing Connecticut and the Northeast – setting a strong example for the progress that can be made through collaboration.”

    The winners of the Clean Energy and Sustainability Innovation Program (CESIP) Student Challenge Award stand onstage with Bill Quinlan, left, president of transmission & offshore wind projects for Eversource Energy, during the Sustainable Clean Energy Summit in the Student Union Theater on Sept. 23, 2024. (Sydney Herdle/UConn Photo)

    Four student-led finalist teams from the Eversource-sponsored Clean Energy and Sustainability Innovation Program (CESIP) presented their innovative research ideas to reduce carbon footprints and prepare for climate extremes at the local, state and regional levels with one finalist team receiving funding and mentorship to bring their idea to life over the next year.

    This year, that finalist team included Zhiqing “Lucy” Li, Steven Matile, and Meshach Ojo. Their project was titled “Potential Micro-Hydropower Retrofits at Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plants.” The student team was supported by UConn mentor Diego Cerrai, assistant professor in Civil and Environmental Engineering and Associate Director and Program Manager, Eversource Energy Center; and Eversource mentor Nick Pellon, Senior Engineer, Transmission Interconnections.

    Eversource will continue their sponsorship of the CESIP to provide more UConn students with the opportunity to develop new ideas to advance a clean energy future.

    The day’s first panel explored innovations for grid decarbonization, climate adaptation, and modernization to manage extreme weather and intermittent renewable energy challenges through a policy lens. The second panel showcased the opportunities and challenges faced by diverse energy sources such as offshore wind, geothermal, nuclear and hydrogen and their integration to the modern electric grid.

    Closing remarks by President Maric and Emmanouil Anagnostou, Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor and Director, Eversource Energy Center, were followed by the Clean Energy Engagement Fair, a career fair-style event for students to meet with Eversource and other employers and learn about UConn curriculum opportunities.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: UK oil and gas workers risk becoming the ‘coal miners of our generation’

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Freddie Daley, Research Associate, Centre for Global Political Economy, University of Sussex

    Grangemouth oil refinery is set to close in 2025 with the loss of 400 jobs. orxy / shutterstock

    At the end of September, the UK’s last remaining coal power plant, Ratcliffe-on-Soar in Nottinghamshire, will be retired. The closure of the plant should – and will – be celebrated by environmentalists, as the move away from coal has made Britain’s electricity much cleaner over the past decade. It is on this basis that the UK claims climate leadership.

    In the 1950s, coal provided the overwhelming majority of British energy, and as recently as 2012 it still generated 40%. By 2022, it was less than 2%. In a month’s time, it will be zero.

    Phasing out coal was a brutal and profound process. Organised labour was decimated, entire regions were forced into decline, and communities were left with sustained economic, social and health problems. The towering ghosts of power stations like Ratcliffe-on-Soar will haunt Britain’s ongoing effort to phase out North Sea oil and gas and replace it with clean energy.

    Towering ghosts: Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station.
    The Exposure / shutterstock

    And we are witnessing this haunting in real-time. After the Labour government announced its plans to end new licenses for oil and gas in British waters – necessary to meet the Paris Agreement – workers and trade unions feared history would repeat itself in terms of job losses and blighted communities.

    The general secretary of Unite, Sharon Graham, noted that without a more thorough plan, the policy risked creating “the coal miners of our generation”. A recent motion at the Trades Union Congress (TUC) gathering in Brighton called for no ban on oil and gas licensing before a fully funded jobs guarantee is agreed. The motion narrowly passed.

    Workers and unions are demanding a “just transition” from polluting industries into the clean industries of the future. But to achieve this, the UK government must learn from what happened with coal.

    Many places still rely on oil and gas jobs

    Although oil and gas are not as embedded throughout British life as coal once was, there are many settlements and larger areas still dependent on energy jobs. Grangemouth in central Scotland is a good example. In November 2023, the owner, Petroineos, announced plans to close the town’s oil refinery in 2025, bringing a century of production to an end at the cost of 400 jobs.

    Even if the UK government did issue new oil and gas licences, the North Sea faces structural decline. Production peaked around the turn of the century. Since 2014, as many as 200,000 jobs have been lost either offshore or along the supply chain onshore.

    From gas to wind?

    Planning for the end of fossil fuels is therefore an urgent endeavour. The dominant strategy for protecting skilled jobs is to transition workers into the industries set to replace North Sea production: wind energy and other low-carbon technologies.

    However, though Britain has developed a large wind power sector, it remains a major importer of turbines. Domestic manufacturing makes only a small contribution, and developers are not required to use British-made turbines or other parts, despite the jobs this would create.

    This has left Grangemouth workers discontented. When one of us (Ewan Gibbs) and Riyoko Shibe interviewed young refinery workers at Grangemouth earlier this year, many commented that there were relatively few jobs in renewables. When jobs were visible on LinkedIn and comparable job sites, one told us that “you’ll see there’s a big difference in terms and conditions”.

    Wind farms are relatively easy to run once installed, so most jobs are in building them.
    Kevin Shipp / shutterstock

    In its current form, the UK wind industry will find it hard to provide the types of secure ongoing employment that oil and gas historically has. Most jobs are in the construction and maintenance of wind farms, with the latter threatened by automation. Without public investment and a targeted industrial policy, Britain will remain a net importer of wind technology, and the phasing out of North Sea oil and gas will prove costly in job terms.



    Read more:
    Grangemouth job losses are a stark reminder of the cost of a greener industrial future

    More investment needed

    Britain’s lack of state intervention is not the norm. After all, more than half of British wind farms are state-owned, though less than 1% are owned by the UK government. Swedish, Norwegian, French, Irish and German state-owned entities are major players, but the biggest is Denmark’s Ørsted, a former oil company turned renewables giant which is mostly state-owned. In the UK’s most recent offshore wind auction, 70% of the projects were awarded to Ørsted.

    The newly launched Great British Energy could give the state a foothold in the North Sea once more. This publicly owned company plans to focus on domestic manufacturing and will invest in ports and other infrastructures to “unlock strategic bottlenecks”.

    But if such projects are to be meaningfully incorporated into a just transition, they will need to offer continuity and security to oil and gas workers. As one Grangemouth worker put it, referring to his colleagues facing the choice of either remaining unemployed locally or relocating to use their skills:

    They’re moving to the Middle East, they’re moving to the north-east of Scotland. They’re moving offshore, they’re moving to the Shetlands, and therefore it’s not a just transition, in my view, if we’re moving to these jobs.

    Another worker highlighted the risks that Grangemouth could join the coalfields in becoming “stranded” communities:

    We’ve got a community that’s been built round the site, we’ve got skills and we’ve got people that work there, we’ve got the infrastructure there – why should we not have these jobs when the time comes to move to these industries? Why can we not have it at Grangemouth?

    Britain’s push to phase out oil and gas is urgent and necessary, but it cannot follow the same trajectory as Britain’s exit from coal – lessons must be learned. The opportunities presented by the transition away from fossil fuels will only be fully realised if workers are at its centre.

    Freddie Daley receives funding from UKRI for the SUS-POL project at the University of Sussex, which explores fossil fuel phase-outs around the world. Freddie also campaigns on demand reduction with Badvertising.

    Ewan Gibbs received funding from a British Academy Wolfson Fellowship that supported this research (grant number: WF21210099).

    – ref. UK oil and gas workers risk becoming the ‘coal miners of our generation’ – https://theconversation.com/uk-oil-and-gas-workers-risk-becoming-the-coal-miners-of-our-generation-239262

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Extra support for women through the criminal justice system announced

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The Government plans to reduce the number of women in custody by using early intervention and tackling the root causes of offending, the Lord Chancellor announced today.

    A Women’s Justice Board will be established to bring together senior leaders in the criminal justice system, charities and government departments and publish a new strategy in the spring, Shabana Mahmood has confirmed.

    Female offenders are often vulnerable, with over 60 per cent of women in prison reporting having experienced domestic violence and more than half having experienced abuse as a child.

    The creation of the Women’s Justice Board recognises these distinct needs and advocates for a tailored approach to divert women away from custodial sentences. It will meet regularly to discuss and implement ways to intervene earlier before women’s offending becomes serious and better tackle the root causes of their offending.

    The strategy will also focus on enhancing alternatives to prison, such as community sentences and residential women’s centres. Only around one third of female offenders sentenced to custody have committed a violent offence and prisons are not working to rehabilitate this group, with women serving short custodial sentences significantly more likely to reoffend than those serving community sentences.  

    The Board will be chaired by Lord Timpson, Minister of State for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending.

    It will be held to account by experts from the voluntary and community sector, recruited by open competition to the new Women in Justice Partnership Delivery Group. This Group will regularly review and publish reports on the on the Board’s progress towards its goal of reducing the number of women in custody.

    The Lord Chancellor also announced that free independent legal advocates will be in place from next year to support adult victims of rape across England and Wales.

    Almost two-thirds of rape victims drop out of their case before it reaches trial so this service will help victims understand their rights and ensure access to mobile phones and medical data is proportionate to the investigation. When trialled in Northumberland, two-thirds of challenges to a request for victims’ data were successful and, in turn, reduced the volume of indiscriminate police requests in the first place.

    More information on the scheme will be published in the coming months.

    Updates to this page

    Published 24 September 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Government should move urgently to repeal misguided legislation and instead press for mutual enforcement

    Source: Traditional Unionist Voice – Northern Ireland

    The following article was published in today’s News Letter.

    In my last article in this series on the first majoritarian vote on a matter of great controversy to take place at Stormont in over 50 years that is now required (unless the law is changed) before the end of this year, I highlighted further problems with the assertion that the vote gives expression to democracy.

    I explained why, rather than doing so, the effect of the proposed vote is to ask MLAs to effectively renounce the rights of their constituents to be represented in the legislature making the laws to which we are subject in 300 areas of law (Removing Stormont’s cross-community vote for the Northern Ireland Protocol violates the Belfast Agreement, September 17).

    There is something disturbing, unnerving and alarming about the sight of those in authority seeking to legitimise the renunciation of democracy by hiding its true implication in a process presented as a manifestation of democracy and called euphemistically the ‘democratic consent vote.’

    Engaging in these antics cannot but risk placing the wider ‘integrity’ (in every sense of the word) of UK democracy in jeopardy. This is a dangerous game.

    In order to really appreciate the full extent of the difficulty, though, we need to consider the proposed vote in context.

    The first essay in this series looked at how the forced majority Stormont vote ahead places the future governance of Northern Ireland in jeopardy.

    We live at a time of growing concerns about voter apathy across the UK, underlined by the second lowest UK turnout figures and the lowest ever Northern Ireland turnout figures at the General Election in July. This is really concerning. Democracy only works if people vote.

    If there is a shift away from voting, the validity of both democracy and the government it sustains are called into question and people begin to consider the less enlightened alternatives. The difficulty is compounded at the current time on two bases.

    First, the sad truth is that it makes complete sense that voter turnout should have been the lowest ever in Northern Ireland on July 4 because this was the first General Election after the debasing of the vote in Northern Ireland from January 1, 2021 with the introduction of the protocol/Windsor Framework.

    At the 2019 General Election the people of Northern Ireland went to the polls on the same basis as people across the rest of the UK, able to vote for MPs, who together with their other legislators, were able to make all the laws to which the people of Northern Ireland were subject, as in the rest of the UK. On July 4, 2024, however, while the people of England, Wales and Scotland went to the polls on this basis, we in Northern Ireland were only afforded the right to elect people to make some of the laws to which we are subject.

    In 300 areas our laws are now made for us by a foreign Parliament in whose elections we cannot stand and to which we can elect no representatives.

    The new arrangement has two troubling consequences. In the first instance, it tells the people of Northern Ireland that we no longer have the right to ‘pursue democratically national and political aspirations’ (see the Good Friday Agreement) with respect to all the laws to which we are subject which inevitably makes some people look to other means of securing change.
    In the second instance, this inevitably sends the message to the rest of the UK that democracy is not all that important. You cannot tell some UK citizens that it is OK to not have the right to stand for election to make all the laws to which they are subject and simultaneously tell other UK citizens that having this right is vital.

    Moreover, we greatly compound the problem by using a process masquerading as democracy to secure its negation, suggesting that it is OK for representatives within part of the UK to go into their legislature (Stormont) in December and vote to renounce the rights of their citizens to be represented in the making of the laws to which they are subject not just in relation to one law or 300 laws but three hundred areas of law for six to eight years.

    Second, the above takes effect at the worst possible time for the UK because the integrity of UK democracy is now under greater pressure than at any time since the introduction of universal suffrage.

    The July UK General Election results mean that we now have a UK government with the smallest ever proportion of the vote for modern times, just 33.8%, meaning that of the 59.9% of people who voted, over 65% did not vote for the government.

    In the second instance – placing this precarious arrangement under the greatest possible strain – we have a government with the largest majority of seats since 1832, suggesting it has the greatest mandate of modern times, when what we actually have is a government whose mandate is uniquely constrained.

    It is not the purpose of this article to suggest that this outcome is the result of any abuse of the system. It isn’t. But it is to acknowledge that in the past, the ‘first past the post’ election system has never placed itself under as much pressure as it has through the July 4, 2024 General Election results.

    It will not be easy for the UK body politic to navigate the twin challenge to the integrity of democracy resulting from the creation of a government with a huge majority that nearly 70% of those who voted (let alone those that didn’t vote) did not support, at the same time as it is asking a UK legislature (Stormont) to engage in the obscene charade of using democracy to negate democracy.

    Rather than seeing democratic strength in the size of its majority, the new government should see in the yawning mismatch between its limited share of the vote and huge Commons majority an unusually strained and in some ways vulnerable expression of democracy.

    In this context it should go out of its way to pursue a path of moderation, especially where democracy is concerned.

    To this end, it should move urgently to repeal the misguided legislation of the previous government that is currently poised to deploy democracy before the year is out, both for the purpose of its negation and for recklessly forcing the first majoritarian Stormont vote on a matter of deepest controversy in over 50 years. It should instead press for mutual enforcement which disenfranchises no one.
    ​
    This is the fourth of five essays by Dr Dan Boucher, who is a former Director of Policy and Research for the DUP, and now aide to the leader of the TUV Jim Allister MP

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –