Source: The Conversation – USA – By Jeannette Wicks-Lim, Research Professor, Political Economy Research Institute, UMass Amherst
A Massachusetts ballot initiative would get rid of the state’s tipped minimum wage.AP Photo/Marta Lavandier
The federal minimum wage for tipped workers has stood at US$2.13 an hour since 1991. Back then, it amounted to half the $4.25 regular minimum wage. But Congress has failed to increase the tipped minimum while periodically raising the regular wage floor. Today, the tipped rate is less than one-third of the $7.25 federal full minimum wage.
As of October 2024, 30 states and Washington, D.C., had instituted their own, higher, regular minimum wages. The number of states taking this step keeps rising in part because Congress hasn’t raised the federal minimum wage since 2009. Over the years, many states have also adopted higher wages for tipped workers. Seven states have no tipped minimum wage at all, which means that employers must pay at least the state-mandated minimum wage to all workers, including those who earn tips.
If Massachusetts voters approve a ballot initiative on Nov. 5, 2024, their state will gradually raise the state’s tipped minimum wage until it matches the state minimum wage. That is, it will rise from $6.75 to $15 per hour by 2029.
Massachusetts would be joining eight states that require – or are on their way to requiring – the full minimum wage for tipped workers: Alaska, California, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington and Michigan. Two major cities, Chicago and Washington, D.C., have similar measures on their books, too.
To inform the debate about tipped wages, we – a labor economist and a sociologist – analyzed the potential impacts of implementing a full minimum wage for workers, businesses and consumers in Massachusetts. We found more evidence of potential upsides than downsides.
Tipped minimum earners’ demographics
For our study, we analyzed labor market data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. We found that tipped workers are largely waiters, bartenders, hosts and bussers employed in bars and restaurants. They tend to earn low wages. Most are women, and they are disproportionately people of color.
In Massachusetts, tipped workers typically earn low pay: On average, they take home $20.30 per hour, including what they get in gratuities. That’s about two-thirds of the state average hourly pay of $31.50.
About 66% of tipped workers are women, compared with 49% in the state’s workforce as a whole. Some 43% are people of color, compared with 29% of all people employed in Massachusetts.
Teens also make up a disproportionate share of Massachusetts’ tipped workers: 15%, versus 4% for the broader workforce. But the vast majority of tipped workers are at least 20 years old.
Opponents argue that scrapping the lower minimum wage could backfire for tipped workers if their customers give smaller tips once they know employers have to pay tipped workers more – or some jobs are eliminated. They also worry that business costs would spike, raising prices. Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, a Democrat, opposes the measure.
In Arizona, voters will cast their ballots on another ballot initiative that calls for a different type of tipped minimum wage reform. It calls for pegging the state’s tipped minimum wage to 25% below the full minimum wage. If approved, Arizona would effectively lower its tipped minimum wage, which currently stands at $11.35 an hour, to $10.76. Today, Arizona’s tipped minimum wage is $3.00 below the state’s full minimum wage of $14.35.
Prone to wage theft
When tipped workers’ base wages plus their tips do not add up to at least the state’s minimum wage, employers are supposed to make up the shortfall. This makes these workers particularly vulnerable to being underpaid, a form of wage theft.
The consequences of this vulnerability are plain to see in restaurants and hotels. The hospitality industry, which employs the highest share of tipped workers, accounts for less than 6% of employed workers in Massachusetts.
However, it accounts for nearly 14% of all complaints workers lodged with the Massachusetts attorney general’s office in 2023, including disproportionately high levels of complaints about minimum wage violations, the nonpayment of wages and tip violations.
The hospitality industry also accounts for over 36% of all enforcement actions – investigations that produced evidence of labor violations – found by the Massachusetts attorney general’s office.
The Massachusetts ballot initiative has stirred controversy in the state.
Effects on earnings
Two peer-reviewed economicstudies that examined three decades of data found that tipped workers earn measurably more money as subminimum wage rates increase.
Consider, for example, the $18.79 average hourly wage of tipped workers in states that treat tipped employees like other workers. This is 21.2% higher than the average $15.50 among tipped workers in states where the federal $2.13 subminimum wage remains in effect.
Only part of this difference can be explained by the 15.7% difference in average wages for all workers in those different clusters of states.
What could happen with business costs
To be sure, more than doubling the $6.75 tipped rate in Massachusetts to $15.00 may sound like it could cause business costs to soar. A couple of factors, however, would soften the blow.
First, we have calculated that the average tipped worker in Massachusetts restaurants earns about $11.75 an hour, before tips. Raising this rate to $15.00 is equal to a 28% increase – a much smaller lift than increasing the wage from $6.75 to $15.00. In addition, raising a worker’s wage from $11.75 to $15.00 by 2029 is equivalent to raising it to $13.00 in today’s dollars, or a 10% boost, after adjusting for projected inflation.
Second, as we explained in our study, since tipped workers make up about 30% of Massachusetts restaurant workers, and the payrolls of these businesses typically amount to about 30% of their revenue, these numbers imply that eliminating the tipped minimum wage by 2029 would increase the average Massachusetts restaurant’s costs by 1%.
If the average Massachusetts restaurant were to pass its entire labor cost increase onto the consumer through higher prices, this would mean that restaurant prices would rise about 2%.
This is equal to a $50 restaurant meal instead costing $51 – arguably a small price increase.
The two studies mentioned above, which reviewed decades of data to see whether tipped workers earned more, also looked at whether businesses in states that increased their tipped minimum wage cut more jobs compared with businesses in states that didn’t.
Although both research teams looked at basically the same data, one study found evidence of more job losses and the other did not, due to the different statistical choices they made. These studies, that is, produced inconclusive results about what raising the tipped minimum wage does to employment.
There’s far more research on whether increasing the regular minimum wage has caused significant job losses. Studies have found that when it has gone up, employers have faced cost increases that are similar to what we’ve estimated for Massachusetts employers, if the state were to eliminate its tipped minimum wage. And that evidence points to no significant job losses.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Wyoming Congresswoman Harriet Hageman
Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Harriet Hageman cosponsored a HouseResolutioncondemning President Biden’s remarks referring to President Trump’s supporters as ‘‘garbage’’.
Representative Hageman stated, “Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are no longer hiding their disdain for more than half the country. Sadly, these are not “just words” – they reflect their contempt for the citizens of this country, while confirming that their willingness to pursue incredibly harmful policies over the last 4 years is due to their dislike for millions of Americans. Examples of their harmful policies are legion, but include weaponizing the government to silence those with differing views from sharing their voice on social media, attending church services, or speaking out during school board meetings; erasing America’s borders to import well over 12,000,000 illegals, and providing them with money, housing, food and other services that our very own citizens cannot afford; and unleashing a crime wave in our cities. When name calling doesn’t suffice, Biden and Harris are forcing Americans to the unemployment line by overregulating industries such as mining, oil & gas production, and ranching out of business.”
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Contact: Chris Berardi, Sr. Advisor/Communications Director
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman John Garamendi – Representing California’s 3rd Congressional District
Biden-Harris Administration invests in Richmond’s climate resilience and energy efficiency renovations.
Congressman John Garamendi presenting the check with Richmond Mayor Eduardo Martinez, Community Housing Development Corporation Executive Director Donald Gilmore, the longest-tenured Pullman Point resident Ms. Linda Daniels, and HUD’s Honorable Adrianne Todman.
Richmond, CA—Today, Congressman John Garamendi (D-CA-08) presented $15,920,000 in federal funding for climate resilience and energy-efficient renovations of affordable multifamily housing units in Richmond, CA.
Specifically, Garamendi presented a $15,920,000 check alongside the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to the Community Housing Development Corporation (CHDC) and its 199-unit Pullman Point low-income housing development in Richmond under HUD’sGreen and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRP). The funding will increase energy and water efficiency, generate renewable energy, reduce housing operating costs, promote the use of green building materials, and improve the quality of life for residents by making these homes more resilient to climate hazards.
This funding is part of President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, which established HUD’s GRRP in 2022 to fund energy efficiency and climate resiliency improvements for multifamily properties participating in HUD’s project-based rental assistance programs.
“I am thrilled to support the Community Housing Development Corporation’s work to ensure our community’s access to resilient and affordable housing in the face of the ongoing climate crisis. Today’s funding was made possible thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act, the largest investment in climate history,” Garamendi said. “I am committed to supporting the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to uplift our disadvantaged communities that have been overlooked by federal investment and are now disproportionately facing the effects of climate change.”
“HUD has awarded over $1.1 billion through the Green and Resilient Retrofit Program to modernize housing for families across the country as the climate crisis continues to affect our most vulnerable communities,” said the Honorable Adrianne Todman, HUD’s senior official. “These awards advance the Biden-Harris Administration’s housing and clean energy goals to ensure families we serve live in resilient, energy efficient, and comfortable homes where they can thrive.”
“The GRRP award partnership with HUD is an investment that will help us succeed in solidifying the goal at the core of our mission – to address the struggles to find safe, affordable housing options – while building resilience against climate impacts to the direct benefit of residents and the broader community,” said Community Housing Development Corporation Executive Director Donald Gilmore. “Our goal at Pullman Point is to use this award to enhance the building’s environmental resilience and reduce its carbon footprint. We want to implement energy and water efficiency upgrades, incorporate renewable energy systems, improve indoor air quality, integrate sustainable materials, and install zero-emission technologies. The Pullman Point GRRP award project represents our commitment and continued effort to improve the lives of individuals and families and create thriving and vibrant communities. We’re proud of that.”
As part of President Biden’sJustice40 Initiative, this funding also advances the goal that 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are underinvested and overburdened by pollution. Over $1.12 billion from President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act has now been awarded to 225 properties and nearly 26,000 rental homes to make them greener, healthier, and safer for low-income households, seniors, and persons with disabilities.
News In Brief – Source: US Computer Emergency Readiness Team
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released the following statement:
“The IC assesses that Russian influence actors manufactured a recent video that falsely depicted individuals claiming to be from Haiti and voting illegally in multiple counties in Georgia. This judgment is based on information available to the IC and prior activities of other Russian influence actors, including videos and other disinformation activities. The Georgia Secretary of State has already refuted the video’s claims as false.
Russian influence actors also manufactured a video falsely accusing an individual associated with the Democratic presidential ticket of taking a bribe from a U.S. entertainer.
This Russian activity is part of Moscow’s broader effort to raise unfounded questions about the integrity of the US election and stoke divisions among Americans, as detailed in prior ODNI election updates. In the lead up to election day and in the weeks and months after, the IC expects Russia to create and release additional media content that seeks to undermine trust in the integrity of the election and divide Americans.”
What you need to know: Governor Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta have reached a settlement with La Habra Heights to bring the city into compliance with state housing law.
SACRAMENTO — Governor Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced the state has entered into a stipulated judgment with the City of La Habra Heights, putting the city on an expedited timeline to submit a compliant housing element to the Department of Housing and Community Development. The new housing plan must create 244 housing units, including at least 164 that are affordable to low or very-low-income households.
“No more excuses — every community has a responsibility to create housing and to help reduce homelessness. I am pleased that La Habra Heights has come to the table and agreed to meet their housing goals for a community that desperately needs more affordable homes.”
Governor Gavin Newsom
“The City of La Habra Heights has done the right thing. Instead of continuing to skirt California’s housing laws, it will finally be complying with its legal obligation to plan for 244 housing units,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “My office will not let up: no matter the size of the city or county, we will not rest until every local government in California plans for the future and does its part to tackle our housing crisis.”
The City of La Habra Heights is designated as a high opportunity jurisdiction by the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee and California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) Opportunity Area 2024 map, indicating access to good schools, less pollution, and jobs—all factors that impact long-term success for families with children. However, the city currently has only single-family homes, with no multifamily housing and zero affordable units.
The deadline for the City of La Habra Heights to adopt a compliant housing element was October 2021.
After repeated attempts to assist the city to come into compliance, HCD’s Housing Accountability Unit — launched by Governor Newsom in 2021 — issued a Notice of Violation on March 19, 2024. HCD then worked with the Attorney General’s Office to reach today’s agreement with La Habra Heights.
Despite the agreement, until La Habra Heights fulfills its obligations under the agreement, the city remains subject to the “Builder’s Remedy” and cannot refuse to permit certain affordable housing projects. The city also remains ineligible to receive key state housing and homelessness funds.
HCD, through the Attorney General’s Office, has now entered into five agreements over housing element compliance. The previous four were San Bernardino, Coronado, Malibu, and Fullerton.
“This latest agreement is a key example of why it is so important that every city, big and small, is held accountable for doing its fair share to address the statewide housing need,” said HCD Director Gustavo Velasquez. “When La Habra Heights adopts a compliant housing element, it will — for the first time ever — make land available for multifamily and affordable housing, creating a path to opportunity for more families in this high-resource community.”
All state and local public agencies must take deliberate action to Affirmatively Further Fair Housing — combating disparities resulting from past patterns of segregation. Increasing supply of multifamily housing expands access to fair housing for lower-income and historically disadvantaged groups, in turn fostering more inclusive communities.
More housing. More accountability.
Since taking office, Governor Newsom has invested $40 billion in housing production. The state has also invested over $27 billion to help communities address homelessness.
Governor Newsom championed the creation of the Housing Accountability Unit at HCD to ensure cities and counties fulfill their legal responsibilities to plan and permit their fair share of housing. This focus on accountability has, in part, led to a 15-year high in housing starts in California. Since its establishment, the Housing Accountability Unit has supported the development of 7,513 housing units, including 2,765 affordable units, through enforcement actions and by working with local jurisdictions to ensure compliance with housing law.
Addressing the homelessness crisis
Today’s action also follows the Governor’s recent executive order urging local governments to quickly address encampments and provide individuals experiencing homelessness with the care, compassion, and support they need. Earlier this month, the Governor announced $130.7 million in new funding for local communities to help people experiencing homelessness in dangerous encampments, paired with robust accountability measures.
California recently announced 37 new grant awards totaling more than $827 million to help more than 100 local communities and organizations create long-term solutions to address homelessness, with strong accountability and transparency measures and clear expectations to ensure that local strategies to address homelessness are measurable and effective.
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WTO ambassadors, Swiss authorities, heads of intergovernmental organizations, representatives of non-governmental organizations, business and academia participated in the event, which was opened by Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
In his introduction, Mr Michel told a large audience that today the world “is on a knife edge”, with war and conflict piercing the heart of the multilateral system and global confidence. Current conflicts are creating a devastating cocktail of humanitarian catastrophes, destabilisation and insecurity, driving the world away from the rule of law toward the law of force, he noted.
Every week, the world sees the devastating effects of climate change across regions, he said. It also has to live through the “mind-blowing revolution” of artificial intelligence (AI), with its vast potential but also with its risks for human rights, democracy and the global trading system. Against this backdrop, he stressed that “no country alone can face all these challenges,” making cooperation and multilateralism more necessary than ever.
Mr Michel said that the success of the European Union is an example of how cooperation and integration help to build bridges, allowing member states to cooperate and reach compromise on difficult issues. That translates into reducing overdependence and building mutually beneficial partnerships. “We want to build bridges, not barriers. And that requires more trust. More dialogue between nations. And less polarisation that drives nations apart,” he said.
Highlighting the need to build mutually beneficial partnerships, the President of the European Council called for a multipolar world where each country, or group of countries, can set its own path, with respect for the common rules. “It shouldn’t be about choosing one side over another. We need to listen, cooperate, and forge common decisions based on smart compromise. And we have to develop our collective intelligence for solving collective problems,” he noted.
In order to make multilateralism work, he said: “We need to build more trust. People must believe in each other when they make agreements and work together. And building trust requires respect for international law, crucial when nations cooperate together. We also need trade because it generates prosperity and helps us achieve our common goals. And we must transform global multilateral institutions, so they are strong and fit for the 21st century.”
Mr Michel commended the “tireless efforts and relentless determination” of DG Okonjo-Iweala to bring trust back to the heart of the WTO. He underlined that for the European Union, strengthening the WTO is a strategic priority. “A strong, well-functioning WTO is essential to fair and predictable global trade, based on common rules. We must pursue the necessary reforms to make the WTO a powerful force,” he said.
This includes overhauling the WTO’s dispute settlement mechanism to include a reliable appeal process, he said, as agreed by members at the 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) in June 2022, while preserving the core principles established in 1995. Looking forward, he also cited the need to address issues such as subsidies and state support and stated that WTO reform must ensure inclusivity, enabling both developed and developing nations to participate equitably.
DG Okonjo-Iweala expressed her appreciation for the very timely insights of President Michel in the current challenging context. “He understands, as we do, that trade is not a means in itself, or even solely an engine of greater productivity and growth, but that trade is a force for social inclusion, economic development, environmental sustainability – and yes – peace.”
DG Okonjo-Iweala said that President Michel is not just a committed multilateralist but someone who is committed to ensuring that multilateralism delivers results for people by using trade as a tool to integrate people and places left out of the gains of recent decades. “Our collective efforts to reform and update the WTO are part of making trade work for everyone,” she added.
Following the lecture, Mr Michel took part in a conversation with DG Okonjo-Iweala on the future of international trade at a time of economic, political and environmental uncertainty, moderated by Professor Muhammadou Kah, Ambassador of the Gambia to the WTO.
The WTO’s Presidential Lecture Series provides a platform for distinguished speakers from around the world to deliver lectures on various aspects of multilateral cooperation and global governance. Several events are held each year.
More information on the lecture series is available here.
Uncertainty about the election getting to you? Is anxiety the dominant feature of your emotional landscape, maybe with a small sprinkling of impending doom?
It’s difficult not to be worked up about politics in today’s polarized climate. Regardless of which side of the political aisle you sit on, you may find yourself glued to your browser or TV, gobbling up every tiny tidbit of news and feeling your stress levels skyrocket.
I’m a psychologist who develops and tests strategies for combating anxiety. As I constantly tell my stressed-out clients, when it comes to election news, there’s a fine line between being well informed and being oversaturated with information.
If you’re ready to short-circuit your stress spiral, here are three science-backed strategies for coping with anxiety in times of uncertainty.
Approach your emotions with mindfulness
Being mindful refers to the quality of awareness you bring to your experiences – specifically, nonjudgmental attention focused on what’s happening right now.
Mindfulness practices originated in Eastern spiritual traditions, including Buddhism. Over the past several decades, mindfulness has gained popularity as a powerful tool for managing anxiety. For instance, meditation apps such as Headspace and Calm incorporate it. Even if meditation isn’t your thing, though, you can still apply nonjudgmental awareness, focused on the present, to election-related anxiety.
Be present. Anxiety can draw you into an uncomfortable spiral of “what-ifs” about the future. When you make a point to be present, you remind yourself what is actually happening right now, rather than letting hypothetical fears take over.
Although you may have serious concerns about the fate of the nation, those outcomes have not yet come to bear. As I tell my patients, “We’ll cross that bridge if we come to it. For now, focus on the step right in front of you.”
If you notice yourself getting carried away by thoughts of the future, you can pull yourself back to the present by bringing awareness to simple sensations – the feel of your feet on the floor, the rhythm of your breath, or the sounds around you – and remind yourself that you are safe in the current moment.
Pay nonjudgmental attention. Many people are hard on themselves for feeling strong emotions. This critical mindset might look like telling yourself that you’re overreacting, or that it’s weak to let others see that you’re upset. You might even view that uncomfortable feeling in the pit of your stomach as evidence that negative outcomes are right around the corner.
Making judgments about your emotions only serves to make you feel worse. In fact, researchers find that pushing away emotions or beating yourself up for having them leads to more frequent and stronger anxiety.
Instead, try giving yourself a break. Tell yourself, “This election is high stakes, so it makes sense I’m anxious.” Then, notice if your anxiety is driven by a fear about the future, and bring yourself back to the present.
Cognitive flexibility is the ability to shift away from rigid, all-or-nothing thinking about the future.
When people are anxious, they tend to focus on the worst-case scenario. For example, you might be telling yourself, “With this candidate in office, things will be terrible and I won’t be able to cope.”
In this scenario, I encourage my patients to move past that initial thought of how awful it will be and instead consider exactly how they will respond to the inauguration, the next day, week, month and so on.
Cognitive flexibility allows you to explore how you will cope, even in the face of a negative outcome, helping you feel a bit less out of control. If you’re experiencing a lot of anxiety about the election, try thinking through what you’d do if the undesirable candidate takes office – thoughts like “I’ll donate to causes that are important to me” and “I’ll attend protests.”
Choose your actions with intention
Another tool for managing your anxiety is to consider whether your behaviors are affecting how you feel.
Remember, for instance, the goal of 24-hour news networks is to increase ratings. It’s in their interest to keep you riveted to your screens by making it seem like important announcements are imminent. As a result, it may feel difficult to disconnect and take part in your usual self-care behavior.
Try telling yourself, “If something happens, someone will text me,” and go for a walk or, better yet, to bed. Keeping up with healthy habits can help reduce your vulnerability to uncontrolled anxiety.
It’s not on your shoulders to solve every single problem in the world. AP Photo/John Hanna
Post-Election Day, you may continue to feel drawn to the news and motivated to show up – whether that means donating, volunteering or protesting – for a variety of causes you think will be affected by the election results. Many people describe feeling guilty if they say no or disengage, leading them to overcommit and wind up overwhelmed.
If this sounds like you, try reminding yourself that taking a break from politics to cook, engage with your family or friends, get some work done or go to the gym does not mean you don’t care. In fact, keeping up with the activities that fuel you will give you the energy to contribute to important causes more meaningfully.
Shannon Sauer-Zavala receives funding from the National Institute of Mental Health.
DENVER – Today, Governor Polis released the administration’s Fiscal Year 2025-26 budget proposal. This strategic budget proposal makes prudent investments that protect Colorado’s funding for education, continue investing in public safety, and prioritize fiscal responsibility to maintain financial reserves and ensure the state is prepared for future rainy days.
“We’ve made real progress on what matters most to Coloradans over the last five years, and this budget is about protecting those investments while ensuring that we are putting fiscal responsibility front and center, driving greater government efficiency, and continuing delivering for Coloradans. This budget reflects tighter budget conditions due to rapidly declining inflation, and I’m proud of the values and priorities represented here,” said Governor Jared Polis.
Since taking office in 2019, the Polis-Primavera administration has delivered on the priorities most important to Coloradans. This includes everything from delivering free, full-day kindergarten and universal preschool; cutting health care costs through Reinsurance, the Colorado Option, Prescription Drug Affordability Board, capping the cost of insulin and more; saving Coloradans money by cutting income, and property taxes; moving closer to the goal of 100% renewable energy while saving Coloradans money on their energy bills, and more. This work all continues.
This budget builds on those investments with continued support to help make Colorado one of the ten safest states. This includes:
$15.0 million to support and sustain Colorado’s emergency and operational communications dispatching system, which is used by 90 percent of the state’s first responders. This will help first responders do their jobs effectively.
$3.4 million to the Crime Prevention Through Safer Streets program. This grant program supports local governments and law enforcement entities in making physical infrastructure and security improvements like improved lighting, which can reduce crime and make neighborhoods safer.
$1.7 million to increase the bed cap for youth detention to reflect increasing demands across the state and provide more services for at-risk youth.
$1.8 million in repurposed funding for Colorado Youth Detention Continuum (CYDC) programs to provide community-based placements for at-risk youth.
$2.0 million to the Youth Delinquency Prevention and Intervention program, which supports the collaborative work of community-based organizations and local governments to reduce crime among youth.
$0.9 million for legislation to address the penalty for firearm theft, the connection between motor vehicle theft and firearm possession, and establish an entity to research and make recommendations on criminal justice policy.
$7.6 million to expand capacity at the Colorado Mental Health Hospital in Fort Logan for competency restoration, which will accommodate more individuals in the criminal justice system to gain competency and proceed to trial more quickly.
$6.1 million for Community Corrections to expand the capacity at facilities often called “halfway houses,” which are an effective and less expensive alternative to traditional incarceration facilities.
$0.6 million to support crime victims by investing in the Address Confidentiality Program resources. This increase in state investment will backfill declining federal funds so that DPA can continue this program to protect survivors of stalking, sexual assault, and domestic violence.
This budget also prioritizes education funding to ensure the success of students and educators, including:
$115 million from the General Fund to bolster Total Program funding for education in an effort to preserve a significant balance in the State Education Fund to ensure the state never has to go back to a Budget Stabilization Factor.
Proposed changes that move Colorado to the best-practice of a current-year enrollment funding method. Adopting a method based on current-year enrollment more accurately represents the current population of students to better target resources to where kids are. Only nine other states employ a method that averages enrollment over multiple years.
$13.5 million in categorical funding to specific groups of students and student needs, including special education, transportation, English language proficiency, and career and technical education.
$3.4 million in repurposed funding to provide greater support to young students with reading deficiencies (K-3) using evidence-based interventions.
$2.0 million to provide support and new learning opportunities to students attending turnaround and priority improvement schools.
$7.8 million placeholder for Universal Preschool reflecting anticipated Proposition EE and General Fund revenue.
$3.6 million funding increase to support Early Intervention, which provides developmental supports such as speech therapy to children from birth through age two with developmental delays.
Fiscal responsibility is also front and center in this budget with a proposal to maintain a 15 percent reserve level in FY 2025-26. This was made possible by difficult decisions and balancing actions made to balance the budget and protect funding for critical investments in education, public safety and health care.
This budget also requests a number of transfers, efficiencies, and other policy changes to slow the growth in spending and limit spending to create space for critical budget needs.
In addition to these priorities, the budget also makes critical investments in economic growth, housing, child care, higher education, health care and Medicaid funding, support for counties and benefits administration to help connect Coloradans to services faster, support for homelessness, expanding behavioral health care, in Colorado’s state employees, and investments to help Colorado celebrate its 150th birthday and America’s 250th birthday.
In total, this budget requests total expenditures of $46.1 billion, including $17.8 billion General Fund. Read the full budget letter here and view the slide deck here.
Source: United States Senator for Maryland Ben Cardin
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), sent a letter to President Joe Biden urging continued advocacy on behalf of American families navigating the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) recent decision to discontinue intercountry adoptions for those without Chinese familial ties. U.S. Representatives Erin Houchin (IN-09) and Val Hoyle (OR-04) co-led this bipartisan letter, which secured 103 bicameral signatories.
On August 28th, 2024, the PRC ended its foreign adoption program, four years after the country suspended the program during the COVID-19 pandemic. The lawmakers expressed concern for the adoptive children that remain in the PRC, many with health conditions, who were already paired with families in the United States, as well as for the American families who have been devasted by the announcement.
“We express our concern for the vulnerable children in the PRC who have been matched with a permanent and loving home but remain separated from their prospective adoptive families,” wrote the lawmakers. “We request that you act in the best interest of these children and families by urging the PRC to fulfill and uphold the commitment the country has made.”
“The American families that have been matched with their adoptive children are prepared to meet their long-term medical and emotional needs, and to give them the love and nurturing they need,” continued the lawmakers. “Many of these children know that they have a home, which in many cases have been prepared for their arrival since the families were notified that they were matched and moving forward with the adoption process.”
Full text of the letter is available HERE and provided below.
Dear President Biden,
We write to you on behalf of hundreds of American families who have been left in a state of uncertainty about the completion of their adoption from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) following its announcement that as of August 28, 2024, foreign adoptions from the country will no longer proceed. Likewise, we express our concern for the vulnerable children in the PRC who have been matched with a permanent and loving home but remain separated from their prospective adoptive families. We request that you act in the best interest of these children and families by urging the PRC to fulfill and uphold the commitment the country has made.
The Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Convention) concluded in 1993, with several objects to ensure that the best interests and rights of the child are recognized and safeguarded in international law. 1 The United States and the PRC are parties to the Convention and up until the COVID-19 pandemic, have collaborated successfully to work towards permanency for over 82,000 children in the PRC.2 Roughly three-hundred children in the PRC, many of whom have medical and emotional needs, have been matched with an adoptive family in the U.S. in accordance with the Convention. Yet, the PRC appears to be going back on its commitment to these families.
The American families that have been matched with their adoptive children are prepared to meet their long-term medical and emotional needs, and to give them the love and nurturing they need. While these families have waited for years for their adoptions to be completed, they have become deeply bonded with their adoptive children. Many of these children know that they have a home, which in many cases have been prepared for their arrival since the families were notified that they were matched and moving forward with the adoption process.
We appreciate the efforts of the U.S. Department of State to seek written clarity on the PRC’s end to international adoptions and unite these families. That said, our understanding is that the policy decision was made at top levels within the PRC, necessitating your direct intervention. We believe that the adoptions of children who have already been matched with an adoptive family in accordance with the convention should be allowed to be completed. According to a notice sent on October 25, 2024, by the Department of State to adoption service providers, we understand that the PRC may be continuing to process intercountry adoptions for families from other countries. Our hope is that American families will be provided the same opportunity and that the PRC’s participation in the Convention is not going to end with heartbreak for families who won’t ever be united with their adoptive child, and with vulnerable children left without the loving home that they knew they had. Your leadership could be life altering for these families.
Thank you for your attention to our correspondence. We hope that our plea for the families and children that have been matched is well received and that you will act to ensure the United States is dedicated to seeing that the commitment made to these families is fulfilled.
First Minister thanks people for patience as recovery operation continues.
A further meeting of the Scottish Government’s Resilience Room (SGoRR) has been chaired by First Minister John Swinney to coordinate the recovery response to Storm Éowyn.
Due to the severity and impact of the storm, there is significant disruption to parts of the country. This includes around 35,000 properties without power and continued transport disruption with road closures and rail, bus, flight and ferry cancellations. It is expected to take some time to get all services fully restored.
Utility companies, national agencies and local authorities are working at pace to restore power and assess the impact, including responding to significant damage, removing fallen trees and debris, to ensure services can fully resume in the coming days.
The First Minister joined a Ministerial COBR meeting chaired by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden earlier this evening. The First Minister also spoke with the Prime Minister today to discuss the ongoing response to Storm Éowyn and the impact on Scotland.
First Minister John Swinney said:
“I want to thank everyone who followed Police Scotland advice not to travel and express my sincere gratitude to the emergency services and to those working in the public, private and third sector who are continuing to support people and communities across the country.
“With yellow warnings in place for wind, snow and ice over the weekend, it is clear the severity of Storm Éowyn will continue into next week and this will have an impact on the speed at which utilities and local services can fully resume.
“Given the damage and disruption facing the network across the United Kingdom, utility companies are under significant pressure and are working in challenging conditions. I have stressed the importance of getting power restored as quickly as is practically possible and have been assured that assessments are being made at pace to ensure power is restored to affected properties in Scotland as soon as possible. Alongside our partners, Ministers are being updated regularly and ensuring all steps are being taken.
“I am pleased at the progress made to restore power to many communities over the course of today however a significant number of properties remain without power. Utility companies are continuing to provide support to customers, including ensuring provisions are in place for the most vulnerable.
“I want to thank people for their continued patience and encourage them to take extra care and look out for each other, particularly those who are supporting vulnerable neighbours and family members.
“As we look ahead to Monday, partners are working at pace to ensure services can resume next week. Local authorities – who are responsible for school closures – will be working to ensure all buildings meet the required safety standards to reopen safely to pupils. We would expect decisions on schools to be clearly communicated by local authorities to parents, pupils and staff, with as much advance warning as possible, and would encourage all parents to follow that advice.
“People should prepare for continued disruption, especially in areas that have been impacted by a loss of power, and I encourage everyone to follow advice being issued by local authorities, as well as continuing to follow updates from national agencies.”
Background
SGoRR was attended by the Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes, Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop, Justice and Home Affairs Secretary Angela Contance, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care Neil Gray, Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth, Rural Affairs and Islands Secretary Mairi Gougeon, Acting Net Zero and Energy Secretary Gillian Martin and Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture Angus Robertson. They were joined by representatives from the Met Office, Police Scotland, Transport Scotland, SEPA, transport and utilities companies and resilience partners.
The latest Met Office weather warnings are available on the Met Office website.
Flood alerts are issued by the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency and can be viewed on their website.
Follow Traffic Scotland for the most up-to-date information on the trunk roads throughout the warning periods, via their website, social media channels and radio broadcasts. Updates on ScotRail services and road conditions are available online.
To report a power cut or damage to electricity power lines or substations call the SP Networks national Freephone number 105. More information on what to do during a storm can also be found on SP Energy Website.
During a power cut firefighters can be called to fires started by candles or portable heaters. For advice on how to stay safe during a power cut visit Scottish Fire and Rescue Website.
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) voted against confirming South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem as the next Secretary of Homeland Security. Senator Rosen met with Governor Noem earlier this month and strongly opposed the Trump Administration’s plans to carry out mass deportations. She also emphasized the importance of protecting Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients.
“Nevada is the proud home of countless law-abiding immigrants looking for a better future and making contributions to our state and our economy. We also have thousands of DACA and TPS recipients who deserve a permanent solution that provides them peace of mind and a pathway to citizenship,” said Senator Rosen. “The Trump Administration has already taken shameful actions to try to eliminate automatic citizenship of children born here to immigrant parents, target sensitive locations like schools and churches, and start to carry out mass deportations. I voted against Kristi Noem for Secretary of Homeland Security because I believe she will take actions that will hurt families in my state. I’ll keep fighting back against the Trump Administration’s actions that negatively impact Nevadans.”
Senator Rosen has been outspoken in her opposition to mass deportation, and her strong support for DACA and TPS recipients and their families. Earlier this year, she applauded the extension of TPS status for immigrants from El Salvador and Venezuela, after calling on the Biden Administration to continue to protect displaced Salvadorans. She has also raised concerns over the significant application delays impacting DACA recipients, and gave a floor speech urging her Senate colleagues to take immediate action to permanently protect Dreamers, while simultaneously continuing to work to pass comprehensive immigration reform that provides a pathway to citizenship.
Mark Gunning’s more than four decades of service to CFA, Fire Rescue Victoria and the broader fire and emergency services is testament to his commitment to the protection and wellbeing of all Victorians.
Mark has been recognised for his dedication and contribution with an Australian Fire Service Medal (AFSM) in today’s Australia Day Honours.
With more than 44 years of firefighting and emergency management service under his belt, Mark Gunning AFSM has been a driving force in the protection of communities throughout Victoria and beyond.His remarkable contributions span frontline response, incident management, fire operations, flood response and crisis leadership – all of which have had a lasting impact on the safety, wellbeing and recovery of communities across Victoria.
Although he stems from a family of CFA volunteers, Mark said he was inspired to join Mortlake Fire Brigade in 1980 as a teenager after working on different farms in the area and getting a taste for firefighting.
“Back in those days you would work on people’s farms during the day and proactively burn with local landowners to reduce fire risk during the evening,” Mark said. “That experience, together with that family connection, very much shaped me and encouraged my long-term involvement in CFA and broader emergency services.”
Mark attended when the largest Victorian Ash Wednesday fires erupted at Ballangeich-Cudgee on 16 February 1983 and a move to North Geelong Brigade (now Corio) in 1985 saw him on the frontline during the Little River fire. He credits this experience for further teaching him important skills and knowledge about firefighting and fire behaviour.
“Ash Wednesday had a huge impact on me as a volunteer, especially being local to the area and knowing so many of the people who had been affected,” Mark said.
In 1988, Mark joined CFA as a career firefighter, working in various locations across the state including Hamilton, Dandenong, Bairnsdale, Casterton and Horsham as well as CFA’s Fiskville training ground and CFA headquarters. During this time, he has contributed significantly as an operational leader, working his way through the ranks to his current role as Assistant Chief Fire Officer (ACFO) Regional Commander based in West Region, seconded to CFA from Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV).
A respected figure in the emergency management community, Mark’s innovative and inspirational leadership has been pivotal during major emergencies such as the 2009 bushfires, St Patrick’s Day peat fires, Black Summer bushfires 2019-20, the 2011 and 2022 Victorian Floods, and the Victorian COVID-19 response.
Mark is well known for his commitment to ensuring communities are not only protected during emergencies and supported in their recovery but are better prepared for future fires and other emergencies. Most recently he was an Incident Controller at Horsham Incident Control Centre, managing response to the Grampians complex fires which started in December 2024 and burned for three weeks. Mark’s leadership has also extended beyond Victoria’s borders, and he has provided invaluable support during operations in New South Wales, South Australia and Queensland.
“Out of all the fires and events I’ve experienced, the Linton fire, Black Saturday and the St Patrick’s Day peat fires of 2018 have all stayed with me for different reasons,” he said.
“The fire at Linton on 2 December 1998 was my worst day at CFA. You never want to be in the position where you have to look someone in the eye and tell them their child is not coming home.
“Black Saturday and the peat fires, in particular, highlighted how important those connections with our communities are in times of emergency.
“You spend weeks building relationships with members of communities; you get to know them and their lives, and they start to see you as one of their own. I took what I learned at those fires about working with communities into the approach to the recent Grampians fires.”
In addition to the Australian Fire Service Medal announced today, Mark has received the National Medal (two clasps) and a National Emergency Medal and clasps for his roles on Black Saturday and for the 2019-20 Bushfires. He is also a Life Member of CFA.
“I am humbled to receive an AFSM in today’s honours,” Mark said. “It’s just nice to know that someone thought that much of me to nominate me.
“Working in the emergency services is a privilege in many ways. We are there helping people on their worst day. But the challenges you face, you can’t do on your own, and that’s when fellow agencies whether local, interstate or international are there to support you. The value of teamwork in our sector is the best thing you can take away.”
CFA firefighter Lisa Hicks was recognised in today’s Australia Day Honours, receiving an Australian Fire Service Medal for her 49 years of dedicated service to CFA and her community.
CFA firefighter Lisa Hicks was recognised in today’s Australia Day Honours, receiving an Australian Fire Service Medal for her 49 years of dedicated service to CFA and her community.
Lisa Hicks has been a dedicated member of CFA for almost 50 years. During this time, she has served in a range of roles in Narre Warren North and Pakenham Upper brigades and supporting roles in Cardinia Group.
She is currently the secretary and community safety coordinator of Pakenham Upper brigade and group community safety coordinator and is employed full-time as a brigade administrative support officer (BASO). She has supported incident control centres (ICC) and incident management teams for 30 years as a public information officer and is an endorsed crew leader and is still operational.
“When I’m in an ICC, I know what the firefighters are facing and that helps me to understand what they need to make informed decisions. And as a crew leader, I see it through the eyes of a firefighter on the ground and know what I need from an ICC,” Lisa said.
Lisa also delivered the Fire Safe Kids Program to local schools and kindergartens for the past 20 years and is involved in a working group to update the program.
“Fire Safe Kids has been an amazing journey,” Lisa said. “Although each class is different, the children are like sponges absorbing the information. When you deliver the information in a fun way, they learn better. I recently worked with all the schools in Cardinia and asked the kids to do a home fire safety plan and make sure they have working smoke detectors.”
She was instrumental in establishing and maintaining the Cardinia Group compressed air breathing apparatus refilling station. She supervised the build and testing of the facility, development of documentation and the training of all refilling operators.
In her role as a BASO she has supported brigades across the Cardinia Group to recruit new members over many years. She has a strong understanding of the operational and non-operational requirements of brigades.
As a dedicated firefighter for almost 50 years, Lisa has made a significant contribution on the frontline of many major fires, including the 1983 Ash Wednesday fire at Upper Beaconsfield. When the fire started in Belgrave South, she responded on Narre Warren North brigade’s tanker and was on one of the first trucks on scene. Despite having only just married Steve Hicks, captain of Narre Warren North, she spent the next fortnight working long hours on opposite shifts to her husband. She fought through all stages of this major fire, including the response, containment, blacking out, patrolling, and supporting the local community, brigade, family, and friends.
“As we headed to Belgrave South, the column of smoke just kept growing – it looked bad. None of us had experienced anything like it before. It seemed to change direction at will,” Lisa said.
“It was a hot, windy day and nothing was going to stop the fire. We couldn’t hold it, so we were sent further along to try to get ahead of it. Unfortunately, that was impossible so we just did what we could, wherever we could. We never stopped fighting until late that night when we changed crews.
“Through the heartache of the loss of fellow firefighters, we took comfort that this was a turning point for CFA to make sure it was never repeated. We now have crew protection, diesel pumps, better radio communication, strike teams and incident control centres.”
Another catastrophic fire, the Bunyip Ridge fire, ripped through the Cardinia Group area in February 2009 following a lightning strike three days earlier. In the lead-up to the fire, Lisa supported key district pre-planning meetings and activities to prepare for the extreme weather. She ensured the Pakenham ICC was fully operational and Cardinia Group brigades were fully stocked and prepared. Over the next few weeks, Lisa worked continuously, undertaking fire brigade activities wearing her two hats – that of a CFA employee and CFA volunteer. Perhaps the most important support she gave was offering a friendly face and focusing on the wellbeing of our brigade leaders and volunteers.
On 1 March 2019, multiple lightning strikes started fires across the Bunyip State Park and Gembrook areas. Over the next five days, four fires combined to form one large blaze with the Bunyip fires burning until the end of the month. Through March, Lisa was in high demand by her brigades and the Cardinia Group. She was constantly picking up and dropping off replacement turnout gear, maps, incident action plans, water, foam, and countless other items to brigades and the divisional command point.
Lisa’s husband Steve received an AFSM last year.
“It’s amazing that both Steve and I have now received this award. To be nominated for an AFSM was an honour, and I’m even more honoured to receive one,” Lisa said.
CFA volunteer Fiona Burns was recognised in today’s Australia Day Honours, receiving an Australian Fire Service Medal for her more than 21 years of dedicated service to CFA and her community.
Fiona Burns has been an inspirational member of CFA for more than 21 years, serving as a member of two brigades (Launching Place and Hillcrest) and is the current group officer of Yarra Valley Group.
She has served with distinction as an officer of her brigade and group for 19 of her 21 years of CFA service.
Fiona has distinguished herself through her outstanding ability and reputation as an extremely capable member of incident management teams. As a result, she was chosen to take on Level 3 planning officer role in incident control centres (ICC) at large and prolonged, multi-agency campaign fires in 2013, 2019-20 and again in 2024 in Gippsland and the Grampians.
In addition, she has represented CFA internationally as a planning officer undertaking two five-week stints to support fire suppression in Canada in 2014 and 2015. She has been a Level 3 accredited planning officer for 10 years.
“I love the planning officer role because I can take my fireground skills and use them in ICCs to support our firefighters on the front line,” Fiona said. “It’s a demanding role but I really enjoy the challenges.”
Fiona is also an experienced fireground commander where she identifies emerging operational leaders with whom she willingly shares her significant experience.
Her extensive fire management experience and analytical ability were influential during the successful transition of the former Launching Place and Woori Yallock brigades into one new brigade – Hillcrest Fire Brigade – in 2007.
As brigade captain, Fiona was responsible for driving the creation of an emergency services hub with Ambulance Victoria, co-locating an ambulance at Hillcrest Fire Station to allow better medical response for the Yarra Valley and surrounds.
Fiona was a foundation mentor in CFA’s statewide Women In Leadership mentoring program, and she is still involved in this important initiative. She is also part of the District 13 Captains’ Leadership Mentoring Program, providing guidance to new captains about leadership and administration. These programs align with Fiona’s leadership philosophy.
“Throughout my journey, I’ve been fortunate to have incredible mentors and supporters who share their knowledge and experiences with me, and I believe that it’s my responsibility to do the same for emerging leaders.
”By sharing my experiences and insights, I hope to inspire others to realise their potential and contribute meaningfully to CFA and beyond.
“I gain as much from the people I mentor as they get from me. It’s not a one-way street.
As a mentor, Fiona encourages diversity and opportunity to the women of CFA and is helping to future-proof CFA by developing a pool of future leaders to replace those currently holding leadership roles.
She has been a CFA trainer and assessor since 2013 and continues to combine her practical skills and knowledge to deliver training in District 13 on General Firefighter, Low Structure and Introduction to AIIMS courses, as well as leading skills maintenance and specialised bushfire training for brigades in the group and other local brigades.
Fiona has made significant contributions to community safety and education. She is a founding committee member of the Teenage Road Information Program (TRIP) and has been the chair of TRIP for the past six years. TRIP is presented by people who have lived the experience of a road crash. It includes all the emergency services agencies who attend a crash and have to deal with the resulting devastation. It’s a hard-hitting program that’s delivered in a funeral home.
“TRIP is my passion. It is primarily aimed at 16 to 25-year-olds because statistics show they have more crashes,” Fiona said.
“The program is designed to be thought-provoking and initiate conversations between mates and families about making good decisions while driving. There are consequences to decisions that drivers make. For every road fatality about 800 people are impacted.”
Along with TRIP, Fiona is an ongoing advocate of creating links to local Yarra Valley community groups that has ensured the development of more integrated emergency preparedness and response planning processes between Victoria Police, Ambulance Victoria, Victoria State Emergency Service, local government, community groups and the local schools.
Post Black Saturday, Fiona recognised that some lives were lost by people who tried to stay to rescue their pets. The Grab and Go Pet Bag concept was developed as a result of a local school art competition. The bags, which are made from reusable calico, include a checklist for pet owners who need to evacuate.
“It was an absolute delight for me to present a framed Grab and Go Pet Bag to the winning student at their school assembly.
“I want to take moment to acknowledge those who have played a significant role in shaping my CFA journey. Brian Willians, my first captain, set a strong foundation for me. Graeme Bourne offered unwavering support during my early captaincy days. Lex de Man for his support to establish and develop Hillcrest brigade, whilst Geoff Conway and Graeme Armstrong provided me exceptional leadership and guidance. Locally, Don Bigham and Roly Rak challenged and supported me, pushing me to grow in ways I hadn’t imagined and seek opportunity to enhance our local brigades’ capacity and capability.
“Lastly and most importantly, I want to thank my mum. None of us can volunteer without the unwavering support of our loved ones, and her encouragement and support has been a cornerstone of my journey.”
Days from the US presidential election, the polls are showing the outcome of the race between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump remains a nail biter.
With the United States our closest ally, the result could have potential implications for Australia in areas such as climate change policy, defence and the economy. If there is a Trump victory, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will also have the challenge of building a relationship with an unpredictable character.
To discuss the state of the contest and what comes next, we’re joined by Bruce Wolpe, senior fellow at the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney. Wolpe worked with the Democrats in Congress, and on the staff of Julia Gillard. Last year, he authored the book, Trump’s Australia.
Wolpe regards the election as too close to call.
They’re just deadlocked in two fundamental respects. National head-to-head across the country – the popular vote – they’re 49-48, 47-47, no one cracking 50, and there’s no clear favourite. And then that same pattern exists in all of the seven swing states that will decide the election per the Electoral College.
In terms of key issues:
Just as it is here in Australia, hip pocket is the strongest determinant of how you will vote, and so inflation and the state of the economy, in the lived experience, is the number one issue. Americans and Australians share the same experience over the past post-COVID years where there’s been an outbreak of inflation and high interest rates. And that means that the basket of goods that you buy day in, day out, week in, week out, from the supermarket to your petrol to your insurance prices are up between 10 and 40%.
The second big issue is immigration. As I’m sure you know from looking at the news over the past three years, just following things, the southern border with Mexico has been effectively out of control. It’s back under control but in that time, perhaps millions of people have flowed into the United States.
The third big issue is abortion rights, reproductive health rights and its future. The Supreme Court two years ago repealed Roe v Wade, which established a right found in the Constitution for women to take care of their reproductive health services. That’s the first time that a universal human constitutional right has been repealed since Dred Scott in the Civil War [denying slaves’ rights]. Three generations of women have grown up with the protections for them.
This has become a very powerful issue. And 52% of all voters are women.
On what either a Harris or a Trump administration might look like for Australia:
I think with Harris, we would just see very strong continuity with Biden. I mean, on foreign policy issues, they really have worked together.
The relationship with Australia is fine. Her relationship with the Prime Minister is absolutely fine. They know each other, can work together, a very comfortable working relationship.
[As to] Trump and Australia: first, I really have to say in the first [Trump] term, I think Australia had the most untroubled relationship with Trump than any other country in the world, and that includes Israel, that includes Europe, that includes Canada.
There is a structural trade surplus that the United States has with Australia. So Australia is not number one on the hit list of nations that are, quote, taking advantage of the United States in their trade agreements. […] It will start off in Trump’s head with all the countries that he wants to go after – I don’t think Australia is high on the list.
However, on a personal level, Wolpe says there might be some issues between Trump and Albanese:
I think personally it will be rocky at the start for several reasons. First, Trump will be briefed on everything that the Prime Minister has said on him and his presidency. And he attacked Trump for the January 6th insurrection. He’s for abortion rights and attacked the ruling of the Supreme Court. He’s for gun control, and Australia has a completely different posture on gun control, and Trump is strong on the Second Amendment. If Trump looks at the agenda of the Albanese government, it is a mirror image of Joe Biden’s domestic policy agenda adjusted for realities in both countries. But it’s the same deal.
Michelle Grattan 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.
Source: Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht – In English
The Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) warns consumers about the website ifsinvesting.com. According to information available to BaFin, the operator is providing financial and investment services on this website without the required authorisation.
The operators of the website refer to themselves only as IFSinvesting without stating the company’s legal form. A business address in London, United Kingdom, is provided.
BaFin has recently become aware of a number of websites with almost identical content and has also warned consumers about them. On all of the websites, the following sentence is displayed at the top of the homepage: “Step Into the Trading Arena with Confidence & [name of website]“.
Anyone providing financial or investment services in Germany may do so only with authorisation from BaFin. However, some companies offer these services without the necessary authorisation. Information on whether a particular company has been granted authorisation by BaFin can be found in BaFin’s database of companies.
Theinformation provided by BaFin is based on section 37 (4) of the German BankingAct (Kreditwesengesetz – KWG).
Please be aware:
BaFin, the German Federal Criminal Police Office (Bundeskriminalamt – BKA) and the German state criminal police offices (Landeskriminalämter) recommend that consumers seeking to invest money online should exercise the utmost caution and do the necessary research beforehand in order to identify fraud attempts at an early stage.
DAVID PENBERTHY, HOST: Well, it’s a very opportune breaking at eight this morning, because on the same day that major reforms and savings are being announced to the NDIS, we have the Minister for the NDIS, not just here in Adelaide, but here in our studio in Adelaide. Bill Shorten is with us here at FiveAA HQ this morning. Minister, good morning and thanks so much for coming in.
BILL SHORTEN, MINISTER FOR THE NDIS AND GOVERNMENT SERVICES: Good morning gentlemen. Thanks for having me here.
PENBERTHY: Now look, we’ve had, we’ve done a lot of work lately. Mr. Shorten, on the NDIS. And we’ve had a few local cases that have been in the headlines. There was another one too, that I spoke to your office about myself earlier this week, which very, very kindly has been resolved. But in a in a broader sense, we’ll start with the big sort of headline figures. This thing has grown like mad and was on target to become, I think, the biggest budgetary item, bigger than the age pension. What are the reforms that you’ve put in place? How much are you going to save, and is it possible to do that without reducing the level of service that people have come to rely on?
SHORTEN: Yes, it is possible to improve the scheme without undermining its fundamental values. When I became Minister nearly three years ago, the reality is there was over half a million people on the scheme, changing a lot of lives for the better, hundreds of thousands of lives for the better, a lot of very good service providers. But there has been insufficient attention to the administration of the scheme and that has changed. So, one issue was that the scheme was almost becoming the only lifeboat in the ocean. So as soon as you have a disability, everyone says, oh, that’s an NDIS matter. Well, the fact of the matter is, the NDIS is only designed for personal budgets for the most profoundly disabled, not for everyone.
But the states have been good. Peter Malinauskas, Mally, he’s a rock star. He’s been helping lead the States and working with Nat Cook here to make sure we start developing with Amanda Rishworth, working services up outside the scheme. So that’s one reform, not everyone needs to flock to the NDIS. And within the scheme itself, there was no back-office payments checking. Like, I don’t want to make people, you know, just sort of drive off the road as they’re listening here. But it was possible for people to draw down 20 and $30,000 out of their packages with no invoices.
We see some service providers, you know, you have a shower chair and then you have an NDIS shower chair. And guess what? They’re identical. But when it’s called an NDIS shower chair, it’s four times as much. We’ve now made that illegal. 92% of service providers are currently unregistered. Like, imagine having a system where you can drive on Adelaide roads. You can have the driver’s license system or the not the driver’s license system. So, we’re overhauling how we register. We’re overhauling how we assess people, making it consistent. We also, we’ve put a sort of in and out list what you can spend your resources on. And whilst that’s led to tears at bedtime by some of the dodgy providers with crystal therapy and other therapies which are just not evidence based, the truth of the matter is it’s now providing clarity.
All of this means that we can get the growth of the scheme to about 8% when, the year before I became the Minister, it was 23%, but next year we’re on track to have growth at only 12%, so we’re still investing.
PENBERTHY: So, about a billion bucks, you’re looking at saving?
SHORTEN: Well, we’ve saved a billion. We’ve spent $1 billion less than we thought we would in May. So, for the financial year 2023/24, we thought it would be 42.5 billion. And it’s actually come in under $42 billion, which means that we’re just running the scheme better. That doesn’t mean that we’re not providing services. There’ll be more people on the scheme next year than this year. There’ll be more money invested in people next year than this year. But what we are saying is, if you’re getting a service, is it a quality service? Is it, are you not being price gouged? You know, yesterday in the Downing Street court in Sydney, we, through long investigations, three dodgy gentlemen or two dodgy gentlemen and a lady, are going to jail for ripping off $5.8 million. We’ve set up a criminal task force. We’ve got 21 Commonwealth agencies. You know, to channel my inner Clint Eastwood, I say to dodgy providers, do you feel lucky? Because we will catch you.
PENBERTHY: Have there been any successful prosecutions under those laws?
SHORTEN: Yes. We’ve got 56 people are in court or on the desk of the relevant public prosecutor, Director of Public Prosecutions, 500 investigations. We’ve released some information this morning. Under my predecessors, yes, the Liberals, they had a safeguards commission which is meant to handle complaints. But that’s where complaints used to go to die. It was not transparent. This year we’ve just after – we’ve tripled the number of people working in the complaints Commission from 367 to 1052. We’ve given them money. When I put in an acting administrator into the Complaints Commission to liven it up. He was a former policeman. I said, tell me what you found, Mike. And Mike said, oh, you’ve got state of the art investigation systems for 1988. So, we’ve upgraded the ICT. Now the complaints have gone up 78%, my usual, you know, Ratbag critics say, oh, that proves that everyone’s unhappy because you’re the Minister. No, it just means for the first time, we’re following up the complaints. They’ve always been there.
PENBERTHY: Minister we’ve got some callers with questions for you. Geraldine’s on the line Geraldine good morning to you.
CALLER: Hi Bill. I’m getting a ramp put in and there’s a quote on it, it’s $17,000.
SHORTEN: Oh, that’s rubbish.
CALLER: Yeah. Now I believe that they’re ripping the system off. And this this man, he’s. That’s all he does. Him and his two sons. And they employed, more or less employed by my provider. And I just hope the government can do something to get a cheaper ramp for me, because I haven’t been outside my home for 11 months. If there was a fire here, I’d burn to death because I can’t go up and down the steps and I’ve got to wait another till June or July next year to save up enough money to pay for the ramp.
SHORTEN: Well, I don’t know if you’re on the NDIS or another government payment scheme?
CALLER: My Aged Care.
SHORTEN: Okay, well, what we’ll do is if we can get your details offline, I don’t know if a ramp should cost $17,000, but my gut says that must be a beautiful ramp.
PENBERTHY: Yeah. The on ramp to the New South Road extension cost that much.
SHORTEN: Yeah, it sounds like a piece of art. Um, so what we have seen, and Geraldine, thanks for calling, is just because it’s the government money and a government package doesn’t give some contractors the God given right to rip taxpayers and people off. So, we’ve now in the NDIS, I’ve now got through the Competition Commission laws which say you cannot be charged more for an identical service or product than if you weren’t on the scheme. So, what we can do is you can, what it means is if they were selling you an NDIS ramp, we’re now allowed to look at the books of the company and see what they charge other people for ramps, and if it’s if it’s less that they charge another punter than someone on the NDIS, that’s against the law now.
PENBERTHY: So, it should be. Minister, there’s another local story we’ve been following closely. Listener by the name of Alex Castoroides, who has called in. I just note who explained to us his situation. A severely disabled daughter who requires two on one care all day, had been in school and receiving terrific care, and they’d had a good experience on the NDIS. That ended, and he’s had some trouble continuing it, so much so they’ve had to sell their business. He’s told us his family home has been at risk. He’s on the line now. Alex, good morning to you. You’re speaking with the NDIS Minister, Bill Shorten.
CALLER: Good morning. Good morning.
SHORTEN: Good morning, Alex.
CALLER: Minister. Yeah. Just quickly touch on my daughter’s case. Um, she finished school last year, and we spent the whole year preparing her to come out into the public and be part of the, you know, the wide world out there. And we put in a change of circumstance with NDIS and – because obviously we had to fill that gap between 9 and 3 where she needed care, where she used to be at school. Instead of giving us the extra care, we actually got our, our funds slashed. And the person that made the decision said that Georgia only needed one on one care. She has got a two on one restraining order set up through [inaudible]. She has all the reports from her psychologist and OT that she does need two on one care at all times. And when this decision was made, it just destroyed our lives. Where, like Will said, I had to sell my business to look after my, I had to close my business, actually, to look after my daughter to help her. And, you know, we did the review. The gentleman used old information, that worked for NDIS, and quoted things when George was at school not being in public. And we did a review of the review. The lady totally bunged that up. She asked for the new information. We provided it to her again. She didn’t use the new information. She thought we didn’t give it to her. We gave her the reference number of the call we did with NDIS to say this is where we’ve uploaded all the information and here’s the email. And, you know, her response was, oh, I saw the email from my colleague, but I thought it was an American date, so I didn’t open it.
So that was her reasoning. And she used the old information for my daughter’s schooling days, to say her, she sticks with her judgment. It’s only one on one care and we were not going to give you any extra funding. So, we followed the process, and we applied for the tribunal. With the help of Senator Nat Cook, the federal health Minister, they’ve all helped me and sent emails to your office. We haven’t had much response, and much help. And I’ve been in the Advertiser. I’ve been on 5AA trying to get this hurried up because my daughter’s health was spiralling out of control and mental health, that is. To the point where four weeks ago, um, she was out of control. We had to call the ambulance. The poor girl that was looking after her on her own just couldn’t control her anymore. The ambulance took her to the QEH, and she was put in an induced coma due to her state, for three weeks. And she’s just come out of the induced coma. They did all the testing on her. Her health is perfectly fine, and they’ve put it down to her situation of losing her carers and all of that situation that the NDIS put us through with the bunged-up decisions that they made.
You know, we’re on the we’ve got no savings no more. No one’s, no one’s helping us in a hurry. And now that the, the next excuse is, oh, you’ve signed up with the tribunal so we can’t help you. And that’s from your office. So, you know, what do you want us to do? That’s what I want to know. Like the NDIS is there for specifically for my daughter. And I praise you for what you’re doing now. It’s amazing. And I can’t believe it wasn’t done earlier, what you’re what you’re doing now. But my daughter is sitting here on the couch having to learn how to walk again, how to talk again. And we’re in a mess.
And this system, from April to now, we’re still fighting and sitting by my daughter’s bedside watching her, the tube down her throat, not knowing if she’s going to live anymore. You know, I still have to take calls, and I still have to try and fight the NDIS and the tribunal system to try and get, you know, put back what my daughter needs. And I’m one of many. And, you know, you just said before, the system is there for people like my daughter. But I’m sorry, but it’s failed dismally. The workers that, the worker that did that last review of the review, you know, I know nothing’s going to happen to her. But if she could come now to my house and see my daughter the way she is because of her silly decision, of not bothering to read any of the new reports we gave, not bothering to read any of the incident reports that we gave…
PENBERTHY: Minister, can anything be done in Alex’s case to at least get this process moving along a little bit more quickly so he can get some clarity?
SHORTEN: Yeah. First of all, Alex, it can’t be easy having to share that story. And you’re a good dad, and I know you’re doing your absolute level best. And I’m sorry that you’ve had a bad experience with the Agency, so no ifs or buts. I’m sorry. What I understand about your case is that the package was north of $300K, for a year? I understand that on October the 30th, the matter, that plan has been kept at the same level for the next six months while you go through the appeals process?
CALLER: Yeah.
SHORTEN: The fact of the matter is, there is a legal system. And if something’s before the courts, I can’t just simply step in and act as judge. You know, there’s a separation of powers between the politician and the legal process. But I do understand that the plan you had last year has now been approved on the 30th of October for the next six months. At the same level I get. There’s also issues about – the school system at least had your daughter, but now post school and you leave school, it’s a bit of a black hole. And then, there’s no I don’t think there’s been enough work – this is not you, but this is the system – that when people finish school and they’ve got a profound disability, they’re sort of left to their own devices. So, we’ve set up some projects to try and work out how we can do better stuff for school leavers so that it’s not the, ‘left to your own devices’ that you’ve been in.
Just on the, the general point. So, on your matter, your plan has been rolled over for the next six months. Status quo payment. That was decided, I think, on the 30th of October. But just to other people who are listening, this is a problem. But God only knows what would happen if we didn’t have an NDIS at all. And no other country in the world has it, so that doesn’t help you. But going to the general issue, I don’t know what this country would do without the NDIS. And the problem we got is that in your matter, you feel that the evidence hasn’t been looked at properly, the people making the decisions haven’t taken into account matters. When I became the Minister, there were 4000 staff at the agency. Now, my predecessors capped the number of people at the agency at 4000. In 2017, there were 4000 people working on matters like yours, your daughter’s, everyone else, and there were 170,000 people on the scheme.
When I became the Minister, there’s over half a million people on the scheme and still 4000 people. So, we’ve now started to invest in planner capability because I want you to have a more consistent experience. But anyway, I know your matters in the courts, but I do know that rather than get nothing until the court matters resolved, your plan has been rolled over for the next six months so that there are funds there.
PENBERTHY: All right. Thank you. Thanks for sharing that story, Alex. It’s full on and thanks to you as the Minister too, Mr. Shorten to, you know, take what Alex is saying as seriously as you have because –
SHORTEN: Oh, yeah.
PENBERTHY: – it’s been a big story locally.
SHORTEN: Yeah, no, I get it. That’s tough.
PENBERTHY: Why can’t that cap change?
SHORTEN: Oh, we have changed it.
PENBERTHY: How on earth can 4000 people look after? Because – and the case I mentioned the other day that I won’t go into now, but it feels like half the battle is actually just getting responses from within the organisation, in the same way it is with My Aged Care?
SHORTEN: Yeah, to be fair to the Agency, they were underfunded, as was the complaints commission, but now we’ve put on an extra 2000 people, so it takes a while to get people up to speed. Of the leadership of the Agency, we have changed that. The new Chair of the Agency is Kurt Fearnley, who’s just an amazing Australian, charismatic, smart, capable, passionate, doesn’t take a backward step. The leadership of the Agency, of the top 11 people who were running it, there’s one left. We’ve sort of changed the guard there, and now we’re bringing in people and training them up.
We had a call centre which was contracted out, which meant that if you rang the call centre and they were getting nearly 2 million calls a year –
PENBERTHY: 2 million?
SHORTEN: Because of their contract, yeah, they couldn’t get, they couldn’t access the information. So, we’re now bringing some of that in-house, but we’re investing in the capability of the agency, more people and training them more so we hope we can get more consistent decision making.
PENBERTHY: It was a long chat in the end, but a good chat. We thank you. Thank you for coming in. Mr. Shorten, we’ll catch up with you again soon.
Now in its fourth year, November’s Urban Agriculture Month continues to blossom with a growing number of participants, venues and food-growing showcases across Australia.
This year, Yarra City Council is proud to feature a calendar of events where residents can learn about and celebrate local food production and the many ways it benefits both people and our local ecosystems.
Throughout November, you’ll find a variety of activities across Yarra, from thought-provoking panel discussions to hands-on workshops, all aimed at enhancing our understanding and appreciation of urban agriculture. Check out the details below and take part in these exciting events!
Featured events
Public Housing Community Gardens Tour – Rollickin’ Richmond Tuesday 12 November, 11am to 12.30pm Lennox Street Community Garden, Cnr Lennox St and Butler St, North Richmond Want to know more about what is growing in our community gardens in North Richmond? Join us for a tour of the Lennox and Highett community gardens! Whether you’re keen to learn about the story behind the plants being grown, or the traditional gardening techniques that are used, this tour is for you.
Garden Party and Food Recycling Depot Opening Monday 18 November, 10.30am to 3pm Finbar Neighbourhood House, 143 Kent Street, Richmond Join the celebration of Finbar Neighbourhood House’s newly refurbished Food Recycling Depot! Discover how to recycle your food scraps and learn about composting techniques to enhance your garden. Kath Jones will also host a workshop, “Why Grow Organic?” exploring the benefits and tackling some of the myths surrounding organic gardening.
What is the Future of Urban Agriculture in Naarm? Thursday 21 November, 6.30pm to 8pm Bargoonga Nganjin, North Fitzroy Library, 182 St Georges Road, North Fitzroy Join Yarra’s My Smart Garden program and Yarra Libraries for a lively panel discussion led by journalist Sally Warhaft. Hear from local growers at Cultivating Community and the green infrastructure team from the City of Melbourne as they explore the future of urban agriculture in our city.
Fitzroy Urban Agriculture Walk Wednesday 27 November, 2.15pm to 3.30pm Fitzroy Learning Network, 198 Napier St, Fitzroy Discover Fitzroy’s vibrant urban agriculture initiatives with Yarra’s My Smart Garden program. Join us for an engaging walk through community gardens, composting sites, and urban farms while meeting the dedicated growers and educators who make it all possible.
Organic Pest and Disease Management Workshop Saturday 23 November, 1pm to 2pm Rushall Garden, Rushall Cres, Fitzroy North Explore organic methods for minimising garden pests and disease with Cultivating Community. Learn why chemical fertilizers and insecticides often cause more harm than good and discover simple, eco-friendly solutions you can apply at home.
For a complete list of events and activities in and around Yarra, visit the Urban Agriculture Month website. You can even still register to host your own event, whether it’s a garden tour, skill share, crop swap, or communal feast!
Now in its fourth year, November’s Urban Agriculture Month continues to blossom with a growing number of participants, venues and food-growing showcases across Australia.
This year, Yarra City Council is proud to feature a calendar of events where residents can learn about and celebrate local food production and the many ways it benefits both people and our local ecosystems.
Throughout November, you’ll find a variety of activities across Yarra, from thought-provoking panel discussions to hands-on workshops, all aimed at enhancing our understanding and appreciation of urban agriculture. Check out the details below and take part in these exciting events!
Featured events
Public Housing Community Gardens Tour – Rollickin’ Richmond Tuesday 12 November, 11am to 12.30pm Lennox Street Community Garden, Cnr Lennox St and Butler St, North Richmond Want to know more about what is growing in our community gardens in North Richmond? Join us for a tour of the Lennox and Highett community gardens! Whether you’re keen to learn about the story behind the plants being grown, or the traditional gardening techniques that are used, this tour is for you.
Garden Party and Food Recycling Depot Opening Monday 18 November, 10.30am to 3pm Finbar Neighbourhood House, 143 Kent Street, Richmond Join the celebration of Finbar Neighbourhood House’s newly refurbished Food Recycling Depot! Discover how to recycle your food scraps and learn about composting techniques to enhance your garden. Kath Jones will also host a workshop, “Why Grow Organic?” exploring the benefits and tackling some of the myths surrounding organic gardening.
What is the Future of Urban Agriculture in Naarm? Thursday 21 November, 6.30pm to 8pm Bargoonga Nganjin, North Fitzroy Library, 182 St Georges Road, North Fitzroy Join Yarra’s My Smart Garden program and Yarra Libraries for a lively panel discussion led by journalist Sally Warhaft. Hear from local growers at Cultivating Community and the green infrastructure team from the City of Melbourne as they explore the future of urban agriculture in our city.
Fitzroy Urban Agriculture Walk Wednesday 27 November, 2.15pm to 3.30pm Fitzroy Learning Network, 198 Napier St, Fitzroy Discover Fitzroy’s vibrant urban agriculture initiatives with Yarra’s My Smart Garden program. Join us for an engaging walk through community gardens, composting sites, and urban farms while meeting the dedicated growers and educators who make it all possible.
Organic Pest and Disease Management Workshop Saturday 23 November, 1pm to 2pm Rushall Garden, Rushall Cres, Fitzroy North Explore organic methods for minimising garden pests and disease with Cultivating Community. Learn why chemical fertilizers and insecticides often cause more harm than good and discover simple, eco-friendly solutions you can apply at home.
For a complete list of events and activities in and around Yarra, visit the Urban Agriculture Month website. You can even still register to host your own event, whether it’s a garden tour, skill share, crop swap, or communal feast!
Source: Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht – In English
The website operator is simply referred to as “NorthUnion”, and there is no information regarding its legal form. They give business addresses in Zurich, Switzerland, London, United Kingdom, Graz, Austria, and Madrid, Spain.
BaFin has recently become aware of a number of websites with almost identical content and has also warned consumers about them. In each case, the website’s homepage displays the phrase: “Step Up Your Trading with [name of operator]“.
Anyone providing financial or investment services in Germany may do so only with authorisation from BaFin. However, some companies offer these services without the necessary authorisation. Information on whether a particular company has been granted authorisation by BaFin can be found in BaFin’s database of companies database of companies.
Theinformation provided by BaFin is based on section 37 (4) of the German BankingAct (Kreditwesengesetz – KWG).
Please be aware:
BaFin, the German Federal Criminal Police Office (Bundeskriminalamt – BKA) and the German state criminal police offices (Landeskriminalämter) recommend that consumers seeking to invest money online should exercise the utmost caution and do the necessary research beforehand in order to identify fraud attempts at an early stage.
The UK’s prototype fusion energy powerplant programme will be led by UK Industrial Fusion Solutions Ltd.
Professor Sir Ian Chapman and Paul Methven – Image credit: UK Industrial Fusion Solutions Ltd.
In a milestone moment on the journey to deliver the UK’s first prototype fusion energy plant, leadership of the STEP (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production) programme today transitions to UK Industrial Fusion Solutions Ltd (UKIFS).
UKIFS is a wholly owned subsidiary of UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) Group and has been established to lead a public-private partnership that will design, build and operate the STEP prototype plant at the West Burton site in Nottinghamshire.
UKAEA will continue to be STEP’s fusion partner, working alongside two industry partners – one in engineering and one in construction – to spearhead the development of a UK-led fusion industry.
A major procurement exercise is currently underway to select STEP’s strategic, long-term industry partners, with the shortlist expected to be announced by the end of the year.
Paul Methven, CEO of UK Industrial Fusion Solutions and Senior Responsible Owner for STEP, said: “The launch of UK Industrial Fusion Solutions demonstrates significant progress and commitment to developing fusion as a viable clean energy source, and also to creating a UK-led fusion industry.
“STEP is a national endeavour with global impact, and we will continue to work closely with public and private sector partners to ensure the UK remains at the forefront of a revolutionary sustainable new energy source that will drive economic growth.”
STEP aims to pave the way for the commercial viability of fusion by demonstrating net energy, fuel self-sufficiency and a viable route to plant maintenance. The programme’s holistic approach was recently published in a special edition of Royal Society Journal, Philosophical Transactions A.
Professor Sir Ian Chapman, CEO of UKAEA Group, said: “UKIFS brings together an experienced team dedicated to translating decades of fusion research into a functioning prototype plant that will be capable of supplying low-carbon, safe, and sustainable energy to the grid.
“UKIFS will integrate partners in a national endeavour to build STEP as well as focussing on delivering enormous social and economic benefits to the UK, especially for the East Midlands region where the plant will be built.”
The West Burton site in Nottinghamshire was chosen as the home for STEP due to its infrastructure, proximity to skilled workforces, and community support for innovative energy solutions.
For the latest updates about UK Industrial Fusion Solutions and the STEP programme, visit the newly launched website step.ukaea.uk or follow social channels @STEPtoFusion.
Those are the findings of the recent week long focused inspection of Children’s Social Care Services by Ofsted. Inspectors Gareth Dakin and Sophie Wales looked at the city’s arrangements for children in need or subject to a child protection plan, with a primary focus on services provided to children in need.
And they concluded that the needs of children and families ‘are understood’ and that areas of improvement identified at the previous inspection in 2022 have been advanced, with practice ‘strengthened as a result’.
Councillor Jacqui Coogan, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education, said: “I am very proud of the fantastic work that our practitioners do, day in, day out, for vulnerable children, young people and families, and this brilliant report recognises this.
“It is great that we had the opportunity to showcase our good practice through the focused inspection, and that Ofsted has confirmed that we are continuing to make excellent progress as we transform children’s social care services here in Wolverhampton.”
Alison Hinds, Director of Children’s Services, added: “This is such a positive, reassuring report regarding our strong child focussed practice in the midst of what is a massive change programme in children’s social care, and I would like to thank everyone who was involved in the inspection in any way.”
In their report published today (Friday 1 November, 2024), the inspectors found children receive an ‘effective and timely response’ when they are referred to the Children’s Assessment Team, with ‘comprehensive family help discussions and plans’ providing a clear and focused analysis of their needs.
Thresholds are ‘well understood and consistently applied’, with most children receiving ‘a consistent and effective service’ from ‘skilled and committed practitioners who show patience, kindness and understanding’.
Rigorous and detailed management oversight is described as a strength by inspectors, who say it ‘provides clear rationale, direction and decision making’ which ‘ensures that children do not need to wait for interventions to commence’.
A new Family Help Service has been introduced and is ensuring that most children and their families are ‘provided with the right level and type of support at the right time’. There is ‘a strong recognition and consideration’ around the needs of children and families and, where risks and other needs are identified, these are responded to in a timely way.
Children who present as homeless receive a ‘timely and proportionate response’, safe and appropriate accommodation, and care and support in line with their needs. When children go missing, skilled practitioners respond in a ‘proportionate and considered way’ to safeguard children and mitigate risk.
Managers are supported by clear systems and processes, and collaborate with practitioners to ensure that ‘informed and timely decisions’ are made for children and families, with interventions appropriately escalated and de-escalated in a timely way.
Inspectors also reported ‘strong relationships across the council and with safeguarding partners’ and a collaborative and coordinated approach to working with children and families’ which ensure that most children access ‘the right services at the right time’.
Meanwhile, practitioners told inspectors that they ‘feel positive and proud to work for Wolverhampton’ and are having an impact on the lives of children and families. Senior leaders, managers and practitioners are ‘strengthening the practice culture in Wolverhampton so that it is shared and understood by all’ which is ‘reflected in the strength of work with children and families in Wolverhampton.’
Ofsted will consider the findings from the focused inspection when it is planning future inspections or visits.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) released the latest figures on retail sales today (November 1). The value of total retail sales in September 2024, provisionally estimated at $29.6 billion, decreased by 6.9% compared with the same month in 2023. The revised estimate of the value of total retail sales in August 2024 decreased by 10.0% compared with a year earlier. For the first 9 months of 2024 taken together, it was provisionally estimated that the value of total retail sales decreased by 7.6% compared with the same period in 2023. Of the total retail sales value in September 2024, online sales accounted for 10.4%. The value of online retail sales in that month, provisionally estimated at $3.1 billion, decreased by 11.8% compared with the same month in 2023. The revised estimate of online retail sales in August 2024 decreased by 0.7% compared with a year earlier. For the first 9 months of 2024 taken together, it was provisionally estimated that the value of online retail sales decreased by 2.0% compared with the same period in 2023. After netting out the effect of price changes over the same period, the provisional estimate of the volume of total retail sales in September 2024 decreased by 8.7% compared with a year earlier. The revised estimate of the volume of total retail sales in August 2024 decreased by 11.7% compared with a year earlier. For the first 9 months of 2024 taken together, the provisional estimate of the total retail sales decreased by 9.2% in volume compared with the same period in 2023. Analysed by broad type of retail outlet in descending order of the provisional estimate of the value of sales and comparing September 2024 with September 2023, the value of sales of commodities in supermarkets decreased by 1.1%. This was followed by sales of electrical goods and other consumer durable goods not elsewhere classified (-7.6% in value); jewellery, watches and clocks, and valuable gifts (-17.9%); food, alcoholic drinks and tobacco (-3.2%); wearing apparel (-8.7%); medicines and cosmetics (-2.5%); commodities in department stores (-11.4%); motor vehicles and parts (-26.7%); fuels (-8.6%); furniture and fixtures (-14.4%); footwear, allied products and other clothing accessories (-3.8%); Chinese drugs and herbs (-17.7%); and optical shops (-10.6%). On the other hand, the value of sales of other consumer goods not elsewhere classified increased by 2.9% in September 2024 over a year earlier. This was followed by sales of books, newspapers, stationery and gifts (+20.3% in value). Based on the seasonally adjusted series, the provisional estimate of the value of total retail sales decreased by 1.0% in the third quarter of 2024 compared with the preceding quarter, while the provisional estimate of the volume of total retail sales decreased by 2.0%.Commentary A government spokesman said that the value of total retail sales continued to decline in September from a year earlier, but the rate of decline narrowed. On a seasonally adjusted month-to-month comparison, the value of total retail sales recorded an increase. Looking ahead, the spokesman said that the near-term performance of the retail sector would continue to be affected by the change in consumption patterns of residents and visitors. Nevertheless, an improved outlook for the Mainland economy following the recent introduction of a wide range of stimulus measures, and a possible easing of the Hong Kong dollar alongside the US dollar with the commencement of the US interest rate cut, would be conducive to boosting sentiment and supporting spending. In addition, the Central Government’s various measures benefitting Hong Kong, the SAR Government’s various initiatives to boost market sentiment and increasing employment earnings would also benefit the retail sector. The spokesman added that the Policy Address this year includes various measures that would benefit the retail sector, such as developing new tourist hotspots, relaxing visa application criteria for some ASEAN countries, and boosting “silver consumption”. The Policy Address has also launched a series of measures to assist small and medium enterprises (SMEs), including those in the retail sector, in addressing the challenges encountered in the process of economic restructuring. These include relaunching the principal moratorium under the SME Financing Guarantee Scheme to ease the repayment pressure of enterprises, expanding the geographical coverage of E-commerce Easy to the 10 ASEAN countries, and relaunching the Hong Kong Shopping Festival in the next two years to help SMEs develop e-commerce business to expand their markets. These measures would help the retail sector in transitioning through the economic restructuring period and improve its prospects.Further information Table 1 presents the revised figures on value index and value of retail sales for all retail outlets and by broad type of retail outlet for August 2024 as well as the provisional figures for September 2024. The provisional figures on the value of retail sales for all retail outlets and by broad type of retail outlet as well as the corresponding year-on-year changes for the first 9 months of 2024 taken together are also shown. Table 2 presents the revised figures on value of online retail sales for August 2024 as well as the provisional figures for September 2024. The provisional figures on year-on-year changes for the first 9 months of 2024 taken together are also shown. Table 3 presents the revised figures on volume index of retail sales for all retail outlets and by broad type of retail outlet for August 2024 as well as the provisional figures for September 2024. The provisional figures on year-on-year changes for the first 9 months of 2024 taken together are also shown. Table 4 shows the movements of the value and volume of total retail sales in terms of the year-on-year rate of change for a month compared with the same month in the preceding year based on the original series, and in terms of the rate of change for a three-month period compared with the preceding three-month period based on the seasonally adjusted series. The classification of retail establishments follows the Hong Kong Standard Industrial Classification (HSIC) Version 2.0, which is used in various economic surveys for classifying economic units into different industry classes. These retail sales statistics measure the sales receipts in respect of goods sold by local retail establishments and are primarily intended for gauging the short-term business performance of the local retail sector. Data on retail sales are collected from local retail establishments through the Monthly Survey of Retail Sales (MRS). Local retail establishments with and without physical shops are covered in MRS and their sales, both through conventional shops and online channels, are included in the retail sales statistics. The retail sales statistics cover consumer spending on goods but not on services (such as those on housing, catering, medical care and health services, transport and communication, financial services, education and entertainment) which account for over 50% of the overall consumer spending. Moreover, they include spending on goods in Hong Kong by visitors but exclude spending outside Hong Kong by Hong Kong residents. Hence they should not be regarded as indicators for measuring overall consumer spending. Users interested in the trend of overall consumer spending should refer to the data series of private consumption expenditure (PCE), which is a major component of the Gross Domestic Product published at quarterly intervals. Compiled from a wide range of data sources, PCE covers consumer spending on both goods (including goods purchased from all channels) and services by Hong Kong residents whether locally or abroad. Please refer to the C&SD publication “Gross Domestic Product by Expenditure Component” for more details. More detailed statistics are given in the “Report on Monthly Survey of Retail Sales”. Users can browse and download this publication at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1080003&scode=530). Users who have enquiries about the survey results may contact the Distribution Services Statistics Section of C&SD (Tel. : 3903 7400; E-mail : mrs@censtatd.gov.hk).
The current level of the KOF Employment Indicator is virtually unchanged compared with last quarter. There are hardly any changes in the individual sectors either. The indicator value suggests that employment in Switzerland will continue to perform well over the coming months.
The KOF Employment Indicator currently stands at 3.9 points after having been 3.8 points in the third quarter of 2024 (revised from 5.2 points). Having peaked at 16.6 points in the second quarter of 2022, the indicator has fallen continuously ever since. However, the KOF Employment Indicator has stabilised since the first quarter of this year and has now recorded values of around 4.0 points for three consecutive quarters. The indicator is marginally above its long-term average overall. As it is slightly ahead of the actual employment trend in Switzerland, the latest figures point to moderate employment levels over the coming months.
The analysis conducted for the fourth quarter of 2024 is based on the responses of around 4,500 firms that were surveyed in October about their employment plans and expectations. On balance, the majority of participating businesses still consider their current staffing levels to be too low. The proportion of firms planning to increase their workforces in the next three months slightly exceeds the proportion of those planning to cut jobs.
Minor changes in the individual sectors
The picture varies from sector to sector. The employment outlook in manufacturing, construction, hospitality and banking has changed little compared with last quarter. The employment indicators for these industries remain close to zero. The KOF indicator for wholesale fell yet again from an already low level and is now firmly in negative territory (minus 12 points). Although the outlook for the insurance sector has also deteriorated, the employment indicator for this industry remains positive. By contrast, other service providers are planning to increase staffing levels considerably. This category includes key sectors in terms of employment, such as information and communication, real estate and housing, scientific and technical services, and health and social services.
MISSOULA — A Washington man who conspired to hunt and kill bald and golden eagles and hawks on the Flathead Indian Reservation to sell on the black market was sentenced today to three years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $777,250 restitution, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
The defendant, Travis John Branson, 49, of Cusick, Washington, and formerly of the Flathead Reservation, pleaded guilty in March to conspiracy, two counts of unlawful trafficking of bald and golden eagles and violation of the Lacey Act, which prohibits interstate trade in wildlife that has been taken, possessed, transported or sold in violation of federal or state law. The Lacey Act also prohibits any person from making or submitting any false record, account, label for or identification of wildlife that has been or was intended to be transported in interstate or foreign commerce.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided. The court ordered Branson to self-report to the Bureau of Prisons.
“The bald eagle, adopted as America’s national symbol in 1782, represents our country’s core ideals of freedom, strength, and justice. Once on the brink of extinction, eagles recovered only because of conservation efforts by the American people and federal laws protecting them. None of that mattered to Travis Branson. Instead, Branson went on self-described ‘killing sprees’ for thousands of eagles and hawks, butchered them, and sold the parts and feathers for profit on the black market. He knew he was committing felonies and even joked his cost to kill them was the price of a bullet. But his conduct was no laughing matter. With today’s sentence, the cost to Branson was more than a bunch of bullets – he forfeited the very freedom the bald eagle symbolizes,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.
“The unlawful killing of these majestic birds violates federal law and is a profound offense against our nation’s cherished natural heritage,” said Edward Grace, Assistant Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement. “Travis Branson’s blatant disregard for the law and the sanctity of these protected species highlights the urgent need for stringent enforcement and greater public awareness regarding wildlife trafficking. His actions are particularly egregious, considering the significant number of bald and golden eagles he killed for personal profit, and such behavior will not be tolerated. We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to protect America’s wildlife and hold accountable all who are engaged in these illicit activities.”
“We are going to feel the impacts of the Flathead Reservation’s raptor loss for years to come,” said Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Chairman Mike Dolson. “We hope this helps put a stop to illegal poaching on our homelands and gives these birds a chance to recover. Eagles are not only a treasured and important part of the Reservation’s ecosystem, but they also have a profound place in CSKT cultural and spiritual practices.”
In court documents, the government alleged that from about January 2015 until about March 2021, Branson and others hunted and killed eagles on the Flathead Reservation. Branson then sold the eagles on the black market across the United States and elsewhere. Brandon traveled from Washington to the Flathead Reservation, where he met co-defendant, Simon Paul. Branson and Paul would then shoot, transport and ship bald and golden eagles for future black-market sales. Co-defendant Paul remains a fugitive.
The government sought restitution values of $5,000 per eagle and $1,750 per hawk.
The government estimated that from 2009 until 2021, Branson made between $180,000 and $360,000 by selling eagles feathers and parts for profit on the black market.
The government’s investigation showed that Branson and others killed approximately 3,600 birds during the conspiracy. At least 118 eagles and 107 hawks killed were directly traceable to Branson and documented through his own text messages. Branson had taken up to nine eagles at a time. The photograph below shows nine sets of feathers, with one set stacked on top of the other in the upper left corner.
Law enforcement also recovered text messages from Branson stating he was specifically looking to shoot a baby eagle.
Not only did Branson kill eagles, but he also butchered them into pieces to sell. On March 13, 2021, Branson shot and killed a golden eagle near Polson. Law enforcement stopped Branson and recovered from Branson’s vehicle the feet and feathers of the golden eagle and later recovered the remainder of the carcass in a field. The claws are identified here:
Branson knew killing and selling eagles was illegal and that he did not have a permit for any of the activities. When negotiating a purchase price for eagle feathers with a potential buyer, Branson said:
“I don’t get em for free though ..out hear committing felonies”
Branson told another potential buyer he would obtain other eagle tails by “[g]oing on a killing spree.”
Further, Branson acknowledged that international shipping was illegal:
“International is still illegal ..I just get em for 99 cents ..price of a bullet..lol”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes’ Fish and Game Department conducted the investigation.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Local communities will benefit from real estate and environmental & technical advice in developing surplus Defence sites for residential use.
Local communities will benefit from real estate and environmental & technical advice in developing surplus Defence sites for residential use.
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has appointed three Strategic Property Advisors (SPA) and three Strategic Environmental & Technical Advisors (SETA) to support the single biggest estates change programme within Defence: the Defence Estate Optimisation (DEO) Portfolio.
The six contracts are divided into three packages partnering real estate advisors Savills UK, Avison Young (UK) Ltd and WSP GL Hearn Ltd (working closely with Jones Lang LaSalle) with technical consultants Tetra Tech Ltd, Jacobs UK and Drees and Sommer UK Ltd (working closely with WSP in the UK) respectively.
Together they will provide comprehensive advice on how former military sites can be redeveloped for alternative residential and commercial use to support local community needs.
Catherine Davies, Head of Estates for the Defence Infrastructure Organisation, said:
“Working with industry experts helps us to ensure we are finding the right future use for sites which are surplus to military requirements, considering local needs and generating value for the taxpayer. These appointments offer a great opportunity to embrace Social Value, to create diverse teams working on MOD sites and to positively impact local communities.”
DEO is investing £5.1Bn in more modern and sustainable infrastructure with projects ranging from new homes for military personnel and their families through to bespoke technical, combat and medical facilities as well as cyber warfare and fast jet training infrastructure.
As these new military assets come into use the SPA & SETA contracts will provide strategic planning and land sales expertise to dispose of those sites that become surplus to military requirements.
Islamophobia Awareness Month (IAM) returns this November to rally communities across the UK toward meaningful change. This year’s theme, Seeds of Change, invites people from all backgrounds to take small, impactful steps toward combating Islamophobia and promoting unity.
IAM 2024 raises awareness about Islamophobia, highlights the contributions of Muslims to society, and encourages allyship among communities. Seeds of Change emphasizes how small actions, like starting conversations or challenging stereotypes, can lead to significant transformation. By coming together and understanding each other, we can help reduce violence and hate against Muslims.
Recent statistics illustrate the challenges facing Muslims in the UK:
38% of all recorded religious hate crimes targeted Muslims in 2024 alone.
70% of young Muslims who face mental health challenges also report being victims of Islamophobia.
42% of Mosques in the UK have experienced religiously motivated attacks in the past three years, with many attacked on a near-annual basis.
59% of media in articles about Muslims associates them with negative behaviour
Councillor Sarah Chambers, Cabinet Member for Cost of Living, Equalities and Communities, said:
Islamophobia Awareness Month is a powerful opportunity for all of us to come together in compassion and solidarity. This month is about understanding, learning, and embracing the rich diversity that our Muslim community brings that makes up the UK.
The statistics are disappointing and saddening. By taking the time to listen, learn, and stand against stereotypes, each of us can play a role in building a society rooted in respect and unity. I encourage everyone to get involved, spark conversations, and plant those seeds of change that will help create a more inclusive and compassionate future for everyone in Derby.”
Samantha Dennis, corporate sponsor of the BAESN staff network and Director of Communities at Derby City Council, said:
Here in Derby, we believe that everyone belongs, and this November, as we observe Islamophobia Awareness Month, we’re reaffirming our commitment to creating a safe and inclusive community for all. Islamophobia has no place here, and together we stand against intolerance and prejudice in all its forms. We acknowledge the challenges felt within our communities and the resilience shown across the city; we are committed to embracing diversity and fostering mutual respect, we’re building a Derby where everyone can feel valued, supported, and proud to call this fabulous city home.”
You can learn more about IAM by visiting their website. You can learn more about what a hate crime is and how to report it on our webpage. If you have been the victim of hate crime or know someone that has, report it to Derbyshire Constabulary by calling 101 or 999 (in an emergency) or report it online.
Transaction volume of new homes in China went up 0.9 percent year on year in October, reversing a decline since June last year, as the government introduced a series of measures to prop up the market, the latest figures showed on Friday.
Second-hand home transactions rose for the seventh month by 8.9 percent year on year in October, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development said.
On a monthly basis, transaction volume of new homes increased 6.7 percent and that of second-hand homes moved up 4.5 percent in October.
Dubbed “Golden September and Silver October” by the property market, the two months are considered a peak sales season in the second half of the year. Typically, September is the stronger of the two months as property developers push to hit third-quarter targets.
The ministry said that it was the first time since 2007 that October transactions exceeded those in September.
China’s property market has seen a stabilization in the price decline with the continued implementation of existing policies and the introduction of incremental policies, said the ministry.
The growth trend in property transactions is more evident in first-tier cities and is expanding to more cities, the ministry added.
New home transactions in first-tier cities rose 14.1 percent year on year in October, while those of second-hand homes jumped by 47.3 percent year on year.
China has rolled out a slew of measures to bolster the property market, including cutting mortgage rates for existing loans, lowering down payment ratios and relaxing purchase restrictions.
The property market is expected to sustain the recovery momentum as policies continue to take effect, said the ministry.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has welcomed confirmation in the Budget of the government’s commitment to support the creative industries – as part of the Industrial Strategy – recognising the key role it can play in economic growth.
Budget funding to help thousands of creative businesses grow across the UK
£3m scheme to improve awareness of creative career paths for school children
£25m devolved local growth funding, which the North East plans to use for new Crown Works film studio to be built in Sunderland
Grants to continue for start-up video game studios, grassroots music venues and for regional clusters of creative firms outside of London
New VFX tax credit confirmed, UK’s world-leading film,TV, theatre, orchestra and museums tax reliefs continue
The creative industries are worth £125 billion to the UK economy and were named as one of the government’s eight growth-driving sectors in its Industrial Strategy.
At the Budget yesterday the Chancellor confirmed that the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s spending programmes to grow the creative industries will continue, with additional funding to improve access to creative careers for young people across the country.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said:
This was a Budget to fix the foundations, stabilise our economy and put us on the path to prosperity for years to come.
The Creative Industries will play a critical role in helping us turn the corner and deliver on the national missions of this Government – driving economic growth into our towns and cities; drawing on the wealth of talent that exists everywhere; and flying the flag for British culture and values on the world stage.
The Chancellor’s Budget underscored just how important these sectors are going to be with funding extended for vital programmes and tax reliefs, an expansion of the Creative Careers Programme and a £25 million investment in the CrownWorks Studio in Sunderland that will make the city one of the centres of our TV and film industry for years to come.
This Government recognises that for millions of people, geography has become destiny. That while talent is everywhere, opportunity is not. This Budget has put the Creative Industries front and centre of how we write those people back into our national story and drive opportunity, jobs and prosperity into every community, in every region.
The government will continue to broaden and diversify the talent pipeline in the creative industries by expanding the Creative Careers Programme, providing 11-18 year olds with the opportunity to learn more about the full range of jobs in the creative industries and directly engage with the workplace.
The programme has helped 25,000 students meet industry professionals in 2023, trained over 200 careers professionals on roles in the sector and registered over 500 employers to take part in the annual Discover! Creative Careers Week.
Funding for the Creative Careers Programme will be increased to £3 million, meaning it can boost its awareness-raising efforts and provide even more schoolchildren with information, advice and guidance on creative career routes.
The £25 million funding for the North East Mayoral Combined Authority (NEMCA) has been confirmed. NEMCA plans to use the funding to remediate the Crown Works Studio site.
The North East is already a backdrop for major blockbusters – with Indiana Jones, Harry Potter and Transformers all filmed in the region. Crown Works is set to be one of the largest film studios in Europe and is expected to lead to around 8,000 new jobs in the region.
The DCMS will also continue to fund the following creative industries programmes:
The Create Growth Programme, which supports thousands of businesses, enabling them to convert their creative potential into creative growth, boosting their access to private finance and helping turn today’s creative entrepreneurs into tomorrow’s CEOs.
The BFI’s Global Screen Fund helps innovative independent filmmakers showcase the best of Britain’s screen sectors on the global stage by boosting international development and distribution opportunities.
The Dundee-based UK Games Fund, which develops talent and awards grants to high-potential, early-stage video game studios, helping them turn their drawing board ideas into working prototype games and unlock private investment.
The Supporting Grassroots Music Fund, which enables grassroots music venues, recording studios, promoters and festivals to apply for grants of up to £40,000 to develop new revenue streams, make repairs and improvements, and enhance the live music experience for millions of gig-goers across the UK.
More details will be set out in due course by DCMS on the specific funding for its programmes going forward.
Elsewhere the Creative Industries Clusters programme, supported with at least £50 million and delivered by the Arts and Humanities Research Council on behalf of UKRI, will continue to fund creative clusters in new sub-sectors and regions over the next six years. The first round of the scheme supports nine regional hubs of business specialising in creative subsectors, such as film and high end TV in Cardiff’s Clwstwr and fashion in the Future Fashion Factory in Leeds, helping entrepreneurs and businesses in these areas innovate with new technologies, secure investment, and access global markets, with further clusters to be announced.
DCMS will also continue to contribute funding towards the hosting of the London Film Festival and London Fashion Week, as well as providing continued funding for the British Film Commission, National Film and Television School and the BFI’s Certification Unit.
The Budget has confirmed that the government remains committed to the UK’s regime of highly-competitive tax reliefs for film, high-end TV and video games, including the recently-announced Independent Film Tax Credit, as well as reliefs for animation and children’s TV production.
Yesterday the government also confirmed that a new VFX relief will go ahead in April 2025, with costs incurred by VFX firms from 1 January 2025 eligible. It will incentivise more film projects to draw on the UK’s post-production expertise – potentially generating hundreds of millions of pounds in additional revenues and creating thousands of jobs.
The UK’s visual effects industry has grown substantially in recent years and it is now home to six of the world’s biggest visual effects studios. British firms have created CGI and visual effects for global box office hits such as Barbie and Wonka.
In addition, the Chancellor has increased support for the national museums and galleries by raising their Grant-in-Aid to help support their long-term sustainability. A package of cultural infrastructure funding will also support cultural organisations across the country.
The Chancellor also announced yesterday that the government will continue to provide generous tax reliefs to museums, galleries, theatres and orchestras, which will support cultural sectors and help to ensure they can share their world-class productions and collections with more audiences up and down the country.
From 1 April 2025, theatres, orchestras and museums and galleries will benefit from higher tax relief rates of 40 percent for non-touring productions, and 45 percent for orchestral and touring productions.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
Creative Careers Programme
The Creative Careers Programme (CCP), launched in 2018, tackles information and coordination barriers to providing specialist information, advice and guidance about creative careers to young people, targeting 11-18 year olds, as well as their parents, carers, teachers and careers advisors.
The programme delivers Discover! Creative Careers Week annually in November, alongside a website with lesson plans and resources, monthly online insight Q&A panels, and training for careers advisors.
The programme operates UK-wide, with current priority focus given to areas in England where young people face particular challenges in accessing information about the Creative Industries
It is delivered by ScreenSkills, with co-delivery partners Creative UK and Speakers for Schools. Further partners include: National Careers Service, Careers and Enterprise Company, Design Council, Into Film, the Royal Institute of British Architects, the Advertising Association, the Publishers Association, UK Fashion and Textiles Association, YouTube, UK Music and UK Theatre/Society of London Theatre.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Ofsted has today begun accepting applications for a new category of childcare provider, as part of a series of changes the Department for Education has introduced to give the early years sector more flexibility.
Childcare providers now have the option to register as childminders without domestic premises, meaning they can work solely from somewhere other than a home, such as a village hall.
Previously, childminders had to register on domestic premises and spend at least 50% of their time working from a home address. The government has now removed this limit, but those registered to provide care at someone’s home will still have to spend some of their time on domestic premises. It will be up to individual providers to decide how best to split this between settings.
The total number of people who can work together under a childminder’s registration has also increased from 3 to 4, allowing providers more flexibility to work with others, such as co-childminders and childminding assistants.
New guidance, published today, explains how these changes will impact on childcare providers and how to register under the new provider type.
Providers already registered as childcare on domestic premises can continue to operate with a minimum of 4 people working together, but from 1 November 2024 new applications for this type of provision will need a minimum of 5 people.
If you are already a registered childcare provider and don’t want to change the way you operate, you don’t need to do anything.
Cristian Costache left household rubbish, domestic building waste, car parts and white goods in the car park at the rear of Ghales Café, Finchfield Road West.
He was seen fly tipping from a white van at around 6.30pm by a witness who reported it to police. Officers then contacted the council’s environmental crime team.
Costache was interviewed by the team and during the course of the investigations, it became clear that he had also been involved in a similar incident in South Staffordshire.
The council’s environmental crime team used its powers to seize the vehicle Costache used to fly tip and take it off the road. It was held for more than 7 months while investigations were completed, and a subsequent prosecution carried out.
Costache, of Carter Road, Wolverhampton, pleaded guilty to fly tipping at Dudley Magistrates Court on 2 October, 2024. He was fined £933, ordered to a pay a victim surcharge of £373 and costs of £2,412.44.
The offence in Wolverhampton took place on 27 February, 2024, the day after Costache had been seen dumping rubble at Wergs Fishery in Codsall.
South Staffordshire District Council officers investigated that incident and during a separate hearing, the court imposed a fine, costs and victim surcharge totalling £2,482.
The costs awarded to City of Wolverhampton Council will be reinvested back into its environmental crime service, helping to bring people to justice who fail to dispose of their waste correctly.
The recent prosecution supports ongoing work under the council’s Shop a Tipper campaign where anyone suspected of dumping rubbish will have their images shared to appeal for information to help identify them.
If the information provided leads to successful identification and Fixed Penalty Notices are issued and paid or a prosecution takes place, residents receive a £100 Enjoy Wolverhampton Gift Card.
Councillor Bhupinder Gakhal, cabinet member for resident services at City of Wolverhampton Council, said: “We will not stand by and see thoughtless criminals turn our city into a rubbish tip.
“Fly tipping is a deeply unpleasant crime and we will not hesitate to investigate and prosecute anyone who dumps their waste in our streets.
“It’s action like this, alongside our dedicated Shop a Tipper work, that shows we are sending a strong message to fly tippers. We would encourage residents to contact us with any information so we can continue to clamp down on offenders.”
Residents are reminded that waste can be disposed of free of charge at our Household Waste and Recycling Centres (tips) which are open seven days a week from 8am to 4pm. Centres are at Anchor Lane, Lanesfield, Bilston and Shaw Road, Wolverhampton.
A bulky item collection service to dispose of big unwanted items is also available, find out more at Bulky item collection.
