NewzIntel.com

Category: KB

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ricketts, Fischer, Risch Announce Plans to Introduce Bill to End U.S. Funding for United Nations

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Pete Ricketts (Nebraska)
    October 23, 2024
    OMAHA, NE – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC), joined Senators Deb Fischer (R-NE) and Jim Risch (R-ID), Ranking Member of SFRC, to announce their intent to introduce the Stand with Israel Act when the Senate reconvenes in November. This legislation would cut off U.S. funding to the United Nations (UN) and stop support to agencies that expel, downgrade, suspend, and restrict the participation of the State of Israel.
    “The United States will not stand by and allow the rampant antisemitism at the United Nations to go unchallenged,” said Senator Ricketts. “Downgrading Israel’s membership at the UN should be seen as an attack on an American ally. Should the UN embrace this diplomatic terrorism, the United States will respond accordingly and must end its support for the UN system.”
    “Diminishing Israel’s status within the UN would be a slap in the face to democracies across the globe. It is shameful for an organization supposedly promoting international peace and security to punish a democracy fighting for survival,” said Senator Fischer. “The U.S. should not support any organization that attempts to restrict the participation of the State of Israel.”
    “Any attempt to alter Israel’s status at the UN is clearly anti-Semitic,” said Senator Risch. “That said, if the UN member states allow the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization to downgrade Israel’s status at the UN, the U.S. must stop supporting the UN system, as it would clearly be beyond repair. I am disgusted that this outrageous idea has even been discussed and will do all we can to ensure any changes to Israel’s status will come with consequences.”
    Text of the legislation can be found here.
    BACKGROUND
    Recent reports indicate that the Palestinian Authority (PA) will attempt to downgrade Israel’s status at the UN. The PA can do this after the UN General Assembly passed a resolution which enhanced the PA’s status at the United Nations on May 10, 2024. The Stand with Israel Act would cut off U.S. funding to UN agencies that expel, downgrade, suspend, and restrict the participation of the State of Israel.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: Truman Strike Group Destroyers Conduct Barents Sea Operations

    Source: United States Navy

    The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109) and USS Stout (DDG 55), assigned to the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group (HSTCSG), conducted routine maritime operations in the Barents Sea in international waters, Oct. 21.

    The Barents Sea is a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean, located off the northern coasts of Norway and Russia and bordered by the Kola Peninsula to the south, where extreme weather conditions create a difficult operational environment.

    “Our ability to conduct sustained operations in the challenging Arctic region is critical to maintaining an enhanced global presence,” said Rear Adm. Sean Bailey, commander of the HSTCSG. “Stout and Jason Dunham entered the Barents Sea to build the U.S. Navy’s situational awareness in the austere Arctic environment and underscore our commitment to preserving a free and open Arctic.”

    U.S. Navy operations in this region are in accordance with international law and are conducted to enhance domain awareness, deter adversaries, and practice campaigning in the Arctic. Climate change is altering the Arctic, where melting ice and warmer temperatures lead to increased human and military activity, including by our competitors.

    “The Barents Sea is an exceptionally unique and dynamic environment, and presents a great opportunity for Jason Dunham to reinforce our warfighting readiness in the Arctic,” said Cmdr. Aaron Jefferson III, commanding officer of the USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109). “Our capacity to operate confidently in any conditions across the maritime domain is crucial to our mission and demonstrates the Navy’s resolve to our Allies. The crew of Jason Dunham remains motivated, postured, and ready to respond to threats wherever they should arise.”

    In recent years, a surface action group comprised of three Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers and the Royal Navy ship HMS Kent conducted operations in the Barents Sea in 2020.

    In July 2024, the Department of Defense released the 2024 DoD Arctic Strategy, the fourth iteration for the Department, which outlines the United States’ commitment to preserving the Arctic as a secure and stable region with Allies and partners. Stout’s and Jason Dunham’s

    operations are a testament to this commitment, advancing the strategy’s lines of effort to enhance domain awareness and the ability to campaign in the Arctic. The strategy builds upon the 2022 National Security Strategy, the 2022 National Defense Strategy, and the 2022 National Strategy for the Arctic Region.

    The HSTCSG continues to support U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa’s maritime operations and theater security cooperation missions, working alongside Allies and partners to maintain maritime safety, security, and stability.

    The carrier strike group consists of the flagship USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75); Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 1 with nine embarked aviation squadrons; staffs from CSG-8, CVW-1, and Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 28; the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg (CG 64); and two Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers, USS Stout (DDG 55) and USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109).

    HSTCSG’s mission is to conduct prompt and sustained combat operations at sea and remain the cornerstone of the Navy’s forward presence through sea control and power projection capabilities. You can find them on DVIDS at https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/CVN75.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: SECNAV Del Toro Names Future Nuclear-Powered Attack Submarine USS Atlanta (SSN 813)

    Source: United States Navy

    ATLANTA (Oct 23, 2024) – Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro announced that the future Virginia-class Nuclear-Powered Attack Submarine SSN 813 will be named USS Atlanta. Del Toro made the announcement during a ship naming ceremony at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum, in Atlanta, on Oct. 23.

    The future USS Atlanta honors the city of Atlanta, and the crews of the five previous Navy vessels named Atlanta.

    The naming selection of the future USS Atlanta (SSN 813) continues the trend of naming Virginia-class submarines after cities. Secretary Del Toro previously named USS Long Island (SSN 809), USS San Francisco (SSN 810), USS Miami (SSN 811), and USS Baltimore (SSN 812).

    “The city of Atlanta shares a storied and historic relationship with our Navy. Since the founding of our great nation, Atlantans from all walks of life have answered the call to service, including President Jimmy Carter, who helped advance our nuclear submarine program alongside Admiral Rickover, “the Father of the Nuclear Navy,” said Del Toro. “It has been 25 years since the Navy has had a ship named after the proud legacy of the city of Atlanta. Today, it is my honor and privilege to name the next Virginia-class submarine, SSN 813, USS Atlanta.”

    Congresswoman Nikema Williams, from Georgia’s 5th Congressional District joined Secretary Del Toro for the ceremony honoring Atlanta.

    “The naming of this ship is a testament to Atlanta’s history as the cradle of the civil rights movement,” said Williams. “As this vessel sails across the globe, it will carry with it the legacy of civil and human rights leaders like Congressman John Lewis and President Jimmy Carter, embodying Atlanta’s unbreakable spirit and the fight for justice that continues today.”

    Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens also served as a guest in the official party and highlighted the honor and meaning behind the naming of the Navy’s newest submarine.  

     “Thank you, Secretary Del Toro for allowing Atlanta to take its place among the great American cities with namesake vessels,” said Dickens. “We envision the future USS Atlanta sailing and submerging as a testament to some of the same values that this city holds…protecting this nation with courage and strength.

    Secretary Del Toro also named the ship sponsor at the ceremony, former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.

     “The ship’s sponsor fills a vital role throughout the life of a warship, serving as the bond between the ship, her crew, and the nation they serve,” said Del Toro. “I am honored that Mayor Bottoms accepted the invitation to serve as ship sponsor. As a leader and champion for the people of Atlanta, she represents the best of our nation, and I thank her for her lifelong commitment to our Navy, to our service men and women, and to the United States of America.”

    The city of Atlanta has strong ties to American history. Founded in 1836, the city (originally named Terminus) was incorporated as Atlanta in 1847. Following its destruction in the Civil War, Atlanta rapidly rebuilt, became the state capital in 1868, and is now an important center of industry, finance, and transportation. The greater Atlanta region was home to Naval Air Station Atlanta (1943-2009) and hosted squadrons from Reserve Carrier Air Wing 20, and Marine Aircraft Group 42.

    The first Atlanta, a screw gunboat (1858-1859) was renamed Sumpter after commissioning. The second, a protected cruiser (1886-1912) primarily served in the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico and as a barracks ship. The third Atlanta (CL-51), a light cruiser (1941-1942), screened Task Force 16 carriers Enterprise and Hornet during the Battle of Midway, supported the Guadalcanal campaign in July and August, and defended Enterprise at the Battle of the Eastern Solomons on 24 August 1942. From 12-13 November 1942, Atlanta took part in the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, during which she helped sink the Japanese destroy Akatsuki, and later received the Presidential Unit Citation and the embarked Flag Officer, Rear Admiral Norman Scott, was awarded a posthumous Medal of Honor. Suffering extensive torpedo damage, she was scuttled. The fourth Atlanta (CL-104), a light cruiser (1944-1970) served off Japan with the Fast Carrier Task Force where she conducted shore bombardment missions. The fifth Atlanta (SSN-712), a nuclear fast attack submarine (1982-1999), homeported in Norfolk, VA, completed multiple deployments and fleet readiness exercises during the Cold War before being decommissioned.

    Attack submarines are designed to seek and destroy enemy submarines and surface ships; project power ashore with Tomahawk cruise missiles and Special Operation Forces (SOF); carry out Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions; support battle group operations; and engage in mine warfare.

    More information on attack submarines can be found here. 

    Read Secretary Del Toro’s full remarks here.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: HMCS Regina conducts Joint Littoral Targeting Exercise 

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    Today, His Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Regina successfully completed Joint Littoral Targeting Exercise 2024 (JoLTEX 24) at the United States Navy’s Point Mugu Sea Range off the coast of Southern California…

    October 23, 2024 – Ottawa – Department of National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces

    Today, His Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Regina successfully completed Joint Littoral Targeting Exercise 2024 (JoLTEX 24) at the United States Navy’s Point Mugu Sea Range off the coast of Southern California.

    JoLTEX developed and tested targeting processes, including firing a surface-to-surface missile against a simulated surface-to-surface combatant, using a Harpoon Block II missile. The exercise supported the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) ships’ ability to employ sea-based weapons against targets on or near land.

    Conducting realistic training like JoLTEX 24 enhances the RCN’s ability to contribute to future operations and exercises with partners and allies. Exercises of this kind allow RCN ships and sailors to develop and refine their skills under realistic conditions, increasing their overall mission effectiveness, and affirming that the RCN remains a vital partner in maintaining peace and security.

    “The successful launch of a Harpoon Block II missile at a littoral (or near-shore) target reinforces a critical capability for Canada’s Pacific Fleet and the Royal Canadian Navy. Joint Littoral Targeting Exercise 2024 provided our sailors with a valuable training opportunity to exercise the targeting process through to the firing of a live missile in support of land forces. The capacity to do this in a complex environment is an essential aspect of joint and multinational operations. This demonstrates our Navy’s commitment to maintaining a flexible and combat-capable maritime force.”

    Commodore Dave Mazur, Commander Canadian Fleet Pacific

    “His Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Regina’s precise delivery of surface-to-surface kinetic effects during Joint Littoral Targeting Exercise 2024 demonstrates the crew’s commitment to combat readiness and their professional excellence. As evolving maritime threats shift between open ocean and littoral environments, realistic training scenarios are essential to prepare our sailors for future high-intensity naval and joint operations. I couldn’t be prouder to be part of Regina’s outstanding team and what they’ve accomplished during this exercise.”

    Commander Jeremy Samson, Commanding Officer HMCS Regina

    Media Relations
    Department of National Defence
    Phone: 613-904-3333
    Email: mlo-blm@forces.gc.ca

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Alternating lane closures on Timiskaming Quebec dam bridge

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Public Services and Procurement Canada wishes to advise motorists that there will be alternating lane closures on the Timiskaming Quebec dam bridge, as well as short-term full bridge closures.

    Témiscaming, Quebec, October 23, 2024 – Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) wishes to advise motorists that there will be alternating lane closures on the Timiskaming Quebec dam bridge, as well as short-term full bridge closures, for inspection work during the following period:

    • Monday, October 28, to Friday, November 1, from 7 am to 7 pm

    During this period, only 1 lane will be open to traffic in alternating directions. Short-term full bridge closures (up to 15 minutes at a time) will also be required. Road signage will be in place, and flag persons will direct traffic. Motorists can expect delays, but the sidewalk will remain open.

    The schedule may change depending on weather conditions.

    PSPC encourages users to exercise caution when travelling on the bridge and thanks them for their patience.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Cuellar Celebrates Ribbon Cutting for the Rio Grande City Public Safety Building

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28)

    RIO GRANDE CITY, TX – Today, Congressman Henry Cuellar, Ph.D. (TX-28) celebrated the ribbon cutting for the Rio Grande City Public Safety Building. 

    “I was pleased to secure $2.5 million in federal funding to support the new RGC Public Safety Building. This building will provide critical help to our local law enforcement officials and boost public safety for the community,” said Dr. Cuellar, a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee. “Moving forward, I will continue to support our local law enforcement. I want to thank the city commissioners, Rio Grande City Mayor Gilberto Falcon, City Manager Gilberto Milan, RGC Fire Chief Manuel Muniz, and RGC Police Chief Noe Castillo for their leadership and work on this project.” 

    Congressman Cuellar celebrated the ribbon cutting for the RGC Public Safety Building, which he supported through $2,509,264 in federal funding for the building’s equipment and operations. He discussed the project, including its new features, and its significance for public safety in Rio Grande City.  

    The new public safety building will enhance the capabilities of both the Police and Fire department by updating their equipment, including sprinkler systems, video surveillance systems, lockers and benches, an elevator, doors, furniture, a 550kW diesel generator, new radio systems, for the fire department, fire extinguishers, electric heaters, an armory kit, a storage rack, and 13 new vehicles. 

    Rep. Cuellar secured funds for this project through community project funding in 2023, with a cost share of $551,448 provided by the city. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Coast Guard, Korea Coast Guard strengthen partnership through shared training and cultural exchange in Guam

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    SANTA RITA, Guam  –  

    U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Team Guam and Korea Coast Guard (KCG) crews completed a successful week-long visit to Guam from Oct. 7 to 11, 2024, marked by shared exercises, subject matter expert (SME) exchanges, and a cultural “sports day” aimed at enhancing collaboration and fostering camaraderie between the two forces.

    The visit, which involved the training ship KCG 3011 Badaro (바다로호) and its crew making their second-ever visit to Guam, focused on strengthening the long-standing partnership between the USCG and KCG in maritime safety and security across the Pacific region. It builds on the trilateral letter of intent signed by representatives from the U.S. Coast Guard, Japan Coast Guard, and Korea Coast Guard in May 2024 to bolster maritime cooperation.

    “The collaboration this week reflects our shared dedication to maritime safety and security,” said Capt. Jessica Worst, commander of U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam. “We’ve sharpened our operational skills through bilateral training and built lasting relationships that will strengthen our cooperation in the future.”

    One of the visit’s highlights was a Search and Rescue Exercise (SAREX), where the crews simulated a man overboard scenario. The exercise demonstrated seamless coordination between the two forces, deploying small boat crews and executing proper search patterns while adjusting to real-time environmental factors. Officials from both sides, including Superintendent General Han Sang Chul, Korea Coast Guard Academy president, and Battalion Chief Roderick Meno from the Guam Fire Department (GFD), observed the exercise from a dedicated platform and discussed near-shore search and rescue dynamics. GFD’s involvement highlighted the importance of local partnerships in responding to emergencies in Guam’s waters.

    The week also featured a series of SME exchanges, with a particularly well-received session on search and rescue (SAR). The SAR exchange included a 30-minute question-and-answer session in which KCG personnel compared their systems and capabilities with those of the USCG. The session was a testament to the mutual learning that takes place in such exchanges, aligning closely with the KCG’s mission and providing valuable takeaways for future collaboration.

    Complementing the formal exchanges, the two forces participated in a ‘sports day,’ referred to by the KCG as a ‘friendly affair.’ The event was not just about competition, but also about building friendships and fostering goodwill. The event featured spirited competitions in basketball, racquetball, and tug of war, leading to new friendships and exchanges of contacts and social media handles.

    Senior Superintendent Ha Tae Young, Director of the Academy Affairs Division, expressed his gratitude at the closing ceremony, stating, “We are now emotionally connected, and we look forward to continuing this relationship.”

    As the Badaro departed Guam, the USCG and KCG reflected on the week’s successes, leaving with enhanced operational capabilities and deeper bonds of friendship.

    “Our relationship between the U.S. Coast Guard and the Korea Coast Guard is multifaceted, involving cooperative agreements, operational exercises, and collaborative efforts to enforce international sanctions,” said Worst. “This partnership enhances maritime security and strengthens diplomatic ties among the nations involved, contributing to stability in the Pacific region. We look forward to future engagements with our Korean partners.”

    -USCG-

    The Korea Coast Guard
    The KCG transformed significantly since its establishment in 1953. It became an independent agency under the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries in 2017 after being restructured in 2014. The KCG is responsible for various maritime law enforcement duties, including search and rescue operations and maintaining maritime safety off South Korea’s coast. The 295-foot (120 meter) training ship KCG 3011 Badaro (바다로호) has a crew complement of 150 and homeports in Busan, South Korea, where the Korea Coast Guard Academy is also located.

    About U.S. Coast Guard Team Guam
    U.S. Coast Guard Team Guam, comprising over 350 members across Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, focused on maritime safety, security, and stewardship in Oceania. The team includes U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam, U.S. Coast Guard Base Guam, and their sub-units, staffed by dedicated active-duty, reserve, and civilian personnel. With a significant presence in Guam, Saipan, and the Micronesia sub-region, this integrated team focuses on operations and logistics to support maritime safety, security, and stewardship in Oceania and maintains close ties with local communities.

    For more information about U.S. Coast Guard actions, please get in touch with CWO Sara Muir, public affairs officer, at sara.g.muir@uscg.mil or uscgforcesmicronesia@gmail.com.
    You can also see more in this special video from the KCG Team! https://youtu.be/ojrH3s9DDqg?si=c2VgAUN51kVjq3If

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Harris and Trump differ widely on gun rights, death penalty and other civil liberties questions

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Donovan A. Watts, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Auburn University

    The Bill of Rights secures key liberties for U.S. citizens against the government’s power. U.S. Congress via Wikimedia Commons

    As the election nears, voters are considering the two leading presidential candidates’ records on a wide range of issues, including civil liberties – a broad term used to describe the constitutionally protected freedoms that protect citizens from excessive government power. These key freedoms are contained in the Bill of Rights, the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution. For example, the protection for free speech under the First Amendment and the right to bear arms under the Second Amendment define people’s abilities to criticize the government and own weapons for private use.

    In turn, as a scholar of American politics, I have seen that Kamala Harris and Donald Trump have very different records on these crucial American rights.

    First Amendment freedoms of speech and press

    As California’s attorney general, Harris indirectly found herself in a battle with the First Amendment. For many years, state law required nonprofit organizations registered in California to report names and addresses of donors of amounts over US$5,000 in a single year. In 2010, the year before Harris became attorney general, her predecessor began actually enforcing that law, which Harris continued when she took office in 2011. In 2014, several conservative groups sued Harris, saying her office’s enforcement of the law was violating their First Amendment right to give money anonymously.

    Part of Harris’ job was to oversee the defense of the law in court, arguing that soliciting donor names did not bar donor disclosure requirements like California’s. The case lasted beyond her term as California’s top law enforcement officer: The U.S. Supreme Court declared parts of the law unconstitutional in 2021, after Harris had become vice president.

    While he was president, Trump’s First Amendment record was more about the media than free speech. He repeatedly declared the press “the enemy of the people.” He has suggested that media outlets who provide coverage he dislikes lose their broadcasting licenses and has pressed to change laws about libel in ways that would make it easier for public figures to file suit against unfavorable coverage.

    As California’s attorney general, Kamala Harris worked to reduce gun violence in the state.
    Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

    Second Amendment right to bear arms

    Dating back to her tenure as a district attorney in San Francisco and as California’s attorney general, Harris has been an advocate for stricter gun control laws. However, she is not seeking to take away Americans’ guns – and recently revealed that she herself is a gun owner.

    When serving as district attorney in San Francisco, Harris worked with the city’s mayor at the time, Gavin Newsom, to develop some of the strictest local gun regulations in the country. In December 2004, Proposition H was placed on the ballot and passed by majority vote in November 2005. Proposition H banned possessing a handgun within San Francisco, with a few exceptions, and banned purchasing, possession, distribution and manufacturing of all firearms in the city. However, the proposition was overruled by the San Francisco Superior Court, which said gun ownership should be regulated at the state level.

    And in 2008, as the U.S. Supreme Court was preparing to hear a key gun control case, Harris led 18 elected prosecutors who urged the justices that a broad right to gun ownership could endanger local and state firearm laws. In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court held that the Second Amendment guarantees an individual the right to possess firearms.

    However, the Supreme Court’s ruling did not stop Harris in her continued fight for gun regulation. She pushed for additional funding to confiscate guns from thousands of people whom California law said were banned from having them. Later as a U.S. senator from 2017 to 2021, Harris continued to advocate for gun regulation by sponsoring bills that would have enacted universal background checks and ban assault rifles.

    During Harris’ term as vice president, she oversaw the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, which seeks to focus government attention on a wide range of policies to reduce gun violence, including restrictions on firearms, increased mental health services and new powers for prosecutors to use against people who use firearms when committing a crime.

    In 2019, while he was president, Donald Trump spoke to a National Rifle Association meeting and expressed support for the organization.
    AP Photo/Michael Conroy

    Trump’s record on firearms, meanwhile, has been mixed. As president, he signed legislation in 2017 that softened background check requirements for gun buyers with particular mental illness diagnoses. And during the COVID-19 pandemic, he objected to the fact that many local orders to close businesses to protect public health included shutting gun shops.

    Yet in 2018, he also moved to ban bump stocks – a device attached to a semiautomatic firearm that enables it to fire more rapidly. His ban was overturned by the Supreme Court in June 2024.

    Trump also supported and signed the Fix NICS Act, a bipartisan law that strengthened reporting to the federal gun background checks system by requiring federal agencies to submit semiannual certification reports to the attorney general on their compliance with recordkeeping and transmission requirements.

    Eighth Amendment protections against ‘cruel and unusual punishments’

    The Eighth Amendment’s protection against “cruel and unusual punishments” has often been used by the Supreme Court to evaluate uses of the death penalty.

    Harris has consistently pledged to refuse to seek the death penalty in criminal cases, noting a multitude of systemic flaws that result in its disproportional application based on defendants’ race and income. She also noted the cost to taxpayers of keeping prisoners on death row. Harris’ position was tested just months into her service as district attorney when a police officer was shot and killed in the line of duty in 2004. Harris declined to seek the death penalty for the shooter, who was convicted of murder and is serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole.

    While attorney general of California, however, she defended in court the state’s power to impose the death penalty. But when, in March 2024, the state’s governor – Newsom – declared a halt to executions, sparing all 737 people on California’s death row, Harris praised the action.

    Trump’s record on capital punishment dates back long before his political career. In 1989, he took out full-page newspaper ads calling for the return of the death penalty in New York. He specifically wanted it to be applied to the Central Park Five, five young Black and Hispanic men who were wrongly accused of raping and beating a woman. They pleaded not guilty but served years in prison before being exonerated by DNA evidence and the actual criminal’s confession.

    During his term as president, Trump resumed federal executions after a 17-year hiatus, executing 13 people in the last six months of his presidency, the last of which was just four days before his term ended.

    All in all, as voters decide who to vote for in the upcoming election, analyzing both candidates’ record on civil liberties is a good step in making an informed decision.

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

    – ref. Harris and Trump differ widely on gun rights, death penalty and other civil liberties questions – https://theconversation.com/harris-and-trump-differ-widely-on-gun-rights-death-penalty-and-other-civil-liberties-questions-240762

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Manitoba Government Begins Searching Prairie Green Landfill

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    October 23, 2024

    Manitoba Government Begins Searching Prairie Green Landfill

    The Manitoba government has begun the third stage of the Prairie Green Landfill search for the remains of Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran, Premier Wab Kinew announced today.

    “Our government is making significant progress in our compassionate search of the Prairie Green Landfill,” said Kinew. “This is about doing the right thing and sending a message to all Manitobans that you matter and deserve dignity. When someone goes missing, we go looking.”

    The search facility pad is nearing completion and excavators have begun moving materials above the targeted zone at the landfill, while the engineering assessment of the targeted zone has also been completed. Meanwhile, recruitment for workers has been ongoing, with the job postings for technicians closing earlier in October.

    The pilot test program was completed in June 2024, which aimed to refine the search methodology, characterize deposited waste material and further understand potential challenges.

    The province has implemented a five-stage approach to conducting the search. Stage four will involve the excavation and search of the targeted zone where the remains of the two women are believed to be located. Stage four is on track to begin in late fall 2024, noted the premier.

    – 30 –

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Manitoba Government Helping More Vulnerable Manitobans Stay Housed

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    October 16, 2024

    Manitoba Government Helping More Vulnerable Manitobans Stay Housed

    – – –
    New Community-Based Support Services Will Improve Housing Stability for Manitobans with Complex Mental Health Needs: Smith

    The Manitoba government will be helping more Manitobans through a new initiative to ensure individuals with serious, long-term mental health disorders can access comprehensive wraparound supports that help keep them housed, Housing, Addictions and Homelessness Minister Bernadette Smith, minister responsible for mental health, announced today.  

    “Meeting the needs of people living with severe, complex mental health disorders requires a range of programs and services,” said Smith. “This investment will build effective and sustainable services along that continuum of care by providing supports right in the community. We will help vulnerable Manitobans stay out of hospitals and emergency rooms by providing safety and stability in their homes.” 

    The new $4.3-million initiative will establish a co-ordination hub and expand community-based care, adding 22 new mental health workers to Manitoba’s mental health service system, the minister noted.  The investment will enable Shared Health to establish two new interdisciplinary teams that use the Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) model to treat and support up to 300 individuals with severe mental illnesses in community settings.   

    “These new teams fill a major gap in the suite of community-based services in Winnipeg, supporting Manitobans who often have several co-occurring and complex mental health and addiction needs,” said Arlene MacLennan, director of health services for adult outpatient mental health and addictions, Shared Health. “There is strong evidence from other jurisdictions that this flexible, co-ordinated and streamlined approach reduces costly visits to hospitals and emergency departments, and helps individuals manage their mental health and substance use problems so they can increase stability and make improvements in their lives.”  

    ACT is an evidence-based service delivery model that provides comprehensive, community-based mental health and addiction services, crisis intervention, medication management, community integration, peer support and housing support services. Flexible Assertive Community Treatment (FACT) teams also use the ACT approach but can adapt the support provided, based on the individual’s needs and without some of the constraints of individual services, such as the length of time a service may be offered.   

    Shared Health will also pilot a new FACT/ACT Hub to support comprehensive assessments of individuals in the community and in hospital. The investment is a significant first step in building housing with support services while improving access to mental health-care wraparound supports, the minister noted.  

    The hub will also work to standardize ACT services across the province and provide provincial oversight, added Smith. 

    – 30 –

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Disaster Recovery Center Now Open in Chatham County

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Disaster Recovery Center Now Open in Chatham County

    Disaster Recovery Center Now Open in Chatham County

    ATLANTA — FEMA opened an additional Disaster Recovery Center in Chatham County to provide one-on-one help for Georgians affected by Hurricane Helene. The center is open Monday to Saturday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sundays from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Chatham CountySavannah Technical CollegeStudent Enrichment Center Building5717 White Bluff RoadSavannah, GA 31405Additional centers are open in Appling, Coffee, Liberty, Lowndes, McDuffie, Richmond, Toombs and Washington counties: Appling CountyAppling County Agricultural Center2761 Blackshear Highway, Baxley, GA 31513Coffee CountyThe Atrium 114 N. Peterson Avenue, Douglas, GA 31533Liberty CountyMiller Park/HQ Fire Station 6944 E. Oglethorpe Highway, Midway, GA 31320Lowndes CountyCity of Valdosta4434 North Forrest Street Extension, Valdosta, GA 31605McDuffie CountyThompson Depot111 Railroad Street, Thomson, GA 30824Richmond CountyHub for Community Innovation631 Chafee Avenue Augusta, GA 30904Toombs CountyGeorgia Department of Human Services 162 Oxley Drive, Lyons, GA 30436 Washington CountySandersville School Building Authority514 North Harris Street, Sandersville, GA 31082To find center locations in Georgia, visit FEMA’s Hurricane Helene Georgia Page, FEMA’s DRC Locator or text “DRC” and your Zip Code to 43362. All centers are accessible to people with disabilities or access and functional needs and are equipped with assistive technology. Homeowners and renters in Appling, Atkinson, Bacon, Ben Hill, Berrien, Brantley, Brooks, Bryan, Bulloch, Burke, Butts, Camden, Candler, Charlton, Chatham, Clinch, Coffee, Colquitt, Columbia, Cook, Dodge, Echols, Effingham, Elbert, Emanuel, Evans, Fulton, Glascock, Glynn, Hancock, Irwin, Jeff Davis, Jefferson, Jenkins, Johnson, Lanier, Laurens, Liberty, Lincoln, Long, Lowndes, McDuffie, McIntosh, Montgomery, Newton, Pierce, Rabun, Richmond, Screven, Taliaferro, Tattnall, Telfair, Thomas, Tift, Toombs, Treutlen, Ware, Warren, Washington, Wayne and Wheeler counties can visit any open center to meet with representatives of FEMA, the State of Georgia and the U.S. Small Business Administration. No appointment is needed.If you are in an affected county, you are encouraged to apply for FEMA disaster assistance. The quickest way to apply is online at DisasterAssistance.gov. You can also apply using the FEMA App for mobile devices or calling toll-free 800-621-3362. The telephone line is open every day and help is available in most languages.Disaster Assistance Teams are also on the ground in affected counties going door-to-door to help survivors register for assistance.For the latest information about Georgia’s recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4830. Follow FEMA on X at x.com/femaregion4 or on Facebook at facebook.com/fema.
    larissa.hale
    Wed, 10/23/2024 – 18:49

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Artemis II Astronauts Put Orion’s Side Hatch to the Test

    Source: NASA

    Artemis II NASA astronauts Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Reid Wiseman, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen along with back-up crew members Andre Douglas and Jenni Gibbons, recently traveled to Lockheed Martin Space in Littleton, Colorado, where they practiced opening and closing an Orion crew module side hatch model to help demonstrate its reliability and durability during their 10-day mission around the Moon.
    During normal mission operations, the crew will not operate the hatches – the ground systems team at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida will assist the crew into Orion at the launch pad, then close the hatch behind them prior to liftoff. After splashdown in the Pacific Ocean, recovery teams will open the side hatch and help crew to exit.
    Training on the hatch helps ensure the crew can safely enter and exit the spacecraft in the event of an emergency. The side hatch is normally opened using a manual gearbox system, but in an emergency, the hatch has release mechanisms containing small  pyrotechnic devices that release the latch pins on the hatch instantaneously, allowing it to open quickly.
    Under NASA’s Artemis campaign, the agency will establish the foundation for long-term scientific exploration at the Moon, land the first woman, first person of color, and its first international partner astronaut on the lunar surface, and prepare for human expeditions to Mars for the benefit of all.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gov. Justice congratulates North Central West Virginia Airport for near completion of $54 million terminal expansion

    Source: US State of West Virginia

    This major enhancement project at North Central West Virginia Airport would not have been possible without the Governor’s support.

    In August 2019, Gov. Justice visited the airport to announce that he had requested $10 million from the West Virginia Infrastructure Jobs Development Council and an additional $10 million in the form of a loan from the West Virginia Economic Development Administration to jump-start the project. Both loans were approved. 

    In addition to the funding secured by the Governor, additional funds for the project were provided by Harrison County, Marion County, the City of Bridgeport, and the Benedum Airport Authority.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Cooper Proposes $3.9 Billion in State Funding to Spur Hurricane Helene Relief and Recovery

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Governor Cooper Proposes $3.9 Billion in State Funding to Spur Hurricane Helene Relief and Recovery

    Governor Cooper Proposes $3.9 Billion in State Funding to Spur Hurricane Helene Relief and Recovery
    mseets

    Less than a month after Hurricane Helene hit Western North Carolina, Governor Roy Cooper today shared a state budget recommendation to help rebuild stronger to withstand future storms. Governor Cooper recommends an initial $3.9 billion package to begin rebuilding critical infrastructure, homes, businesses, schools, and farms damaged during the storm.

    “Helene is the deadliest and most damaging storm ever to hit North Carolina,“ said Governor Cooper. “This storm left a trail of destruction in our beautiful mountains that we will not soon forget, but I know the people of Western North Carolina are determined to build back better than ever. These initial funds are a good start, but the staggering amount of damage shows we are very much on the front end of this recovery effort.”

    Initial damage estimates are $53 billion, roughly three times Hurricane Florence estimates in 2018 and the largest in state history. A strong recovery will require significant investments by private insurers as well as the federal, state and local governments. Large scale disasters fueled by climate change in recent years have shown the challenges and enormous costs of recovery as well as the need to ensure structures are hardened are they are rebuilt to withstand future storms. Successful recoveries require significant early investments to ensure communities have the tools to fully rebuild.

    Economy

    The economic devastation from Hurricane Helene is unparalleled. Thousands of businesses in the region suffered damages leaving business owners and workers suffering. The Governor’s funding package includes $650 million to address economic losses and physical damage for non-agricultural businesses and non-profit organizations. This would include a revival of the pandemic-era Business Recovery Grant Program, which helped North Carolina’s economy recover faster than the national average. Governor Cooper has already increased unemployment insurance benefits through an executive order with a bipartisan and unanimous vote of the Council of State.

    Housing

    The Governor’s budget recommendation includes $650 million to address physical damage to residential structures and cost of housing assistance. These investments would jumpstart permanent housing construction in advance of potential federal funds, which can take months or years to be approved.

    Utilities and Natural Resources

    Critical and high-risk infrastructure was damaged across the region, including water and sewer systems in multiple communities and power generation facilities. Much of this infrastructure is in geographically isolated locations and challenging to reach, slowing restoration of services to communities. The Governor’s funding package includes $578 million to address the physical damage and cleanup of energy, water, waste clean-up, telecommunications, dams and other infrastructure.

    Transportation

    Hurricane Helene severely impacted approximately 5,000 miles of state-maintained roads across the affected area in Western North Carolina, including several major national interstates and critical transportation corridors. The proposed funding package includes $55 million to address physical damage and state revenue implications of the transportation infrastructure damage.

    Agriculture

    The funding package includes $422 million to address physical damage and business disruption for agricultural enterprises. This storm caused significant damage to hundreds of thousands of acres of agricultural land and hundreds of structures.

    Recovering From Additional Recent Disasters

    As North Carolina is still recovering from other recent natural disasters, Governor Cooper’s proposed budget includes $420 million for needs related to PTC-8, Tropical Storm Debby, and funds to complete homeowner assistance for Hurricanes Florence and Matthew.

    The full Budget Recommendation can be found here.

    ###

    Oct 23, 2024

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Ron DeSantis Announces Investment in Marine Infrastructure to Support Recovery Through the Florida Disaster Fund

    Source: US State of Florida

    Governor DeSantis also announced discounts on fishing licenses and progress on Florida’s efforts to take over management of Red Snapper in the Atlantic.

    STEINHATCHEE, Fla.—Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the award of $1,000,000 in funding from the Florida Disaster Fund to the Fish and Wildlife Foundation of Florida to support the rebuilding of fishing and aquaculture infrastructure damaged by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The funding will go toward the rebuilding of boat slips and docks, the repair of fish houses, impacted aquaculture businesses, and other important infrastructure repairs for Florida’s fishing economy across the Big Bend region.

    “The Big Bend’s fishing industry took a direct hit from hurricanes Debby and Helene, and so did the hardworking Floridians who make their living on the water,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “Today’s investments will help to rebuild critical waterside infrastructure and help get Floridians in the fishing and aquaculture industries back to full operations.”

    To unlock additional resources from the federal government, Governor DeSantis’ administration also initiated the process of submitting a federal fisheries disaster declaration to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce. This declaration request would provide access to federal funding, subject to appropriation, for offshore, nearshore, and inshore fisheries to rebuild. Governor DeSantis requested a similar federal fisheries disaster declaration following Hurricane Ian and Hurricane Idalia.

    Governor DeSantis has also directed the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to expedite any permits or approvals for businesses impacted on uplands or on the water to ensure the rebuilding of damaged structures is not delayed by bureaucracy.

    “Governor DeSantis has a proven track record of helping communities recover quickly and rebuild fully after storms,” said Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Executive Director Roger Young. “We are grateful for his leadership and support in assisting the fishing industry as it recovers from hurricanes Debby, Helene, and Milton.”

    Additionally, the Governor announced several discounts on fishing and hunting licenses, including lifetime licenses, to get anglers back on the water and provide a boon to the industry that serves them. This includes:

    • Half-off short-term licenses for Floridians from October 25, 2024, to January 3, 2025, for the annual and five-year multisport licenses for fishing and hunting; and
    • A 50% discount on lifetime sportsman licenses for children up to 17 years of age.
      • Age 4 or younger – $200 (normally $400)
      • Ages 5 to 12 – $350 (normally $700)
      • Ages 13 to 17 – $500 (normally $1,000)

    Additionally, FWC is offering annual salt water and freshwater combo licenses for just $5.

    Fishing and Florida are inseparable. Florida leads the nation in the number of saltwater fishing anglers, generating a $9.2 billion impact on the State of Florida’s economy. Additionally, the annual dockside value of commercial fisheries was estimated at $244 million. Today’s announcement will help Florida residents regenerate lost income and rebuild their businesses and infrastructure.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Majority of Eligible New Yorkers Registered as Organ Donors

    Source: US State of New York

    Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that for the first time, more than 50 percent of the eligible New York population has registered to become organ and tissue donors through New York’s Organ Donor Registry.

    “This is a very important milestone for New York and the thousands of New Yorkers who are waiting for a life-saving organ transplant,” Governor Hochul said. “It is the result of dogged efforts by advocates and my colleagues at the Departments of Motor Vehicles and Health to raise awareness about the never-ending need for organ and tissue donors. Making that decision to provide the gift of life to someone else is a great example of the giving spirit of New Yorkers.”

    This milestone is particularly significant for New York, which has historically had one of the lowest organ donor registry enrollment rates in the country, leaving thousands of New Yorkers waiting for a life-changing transplant, with about 400 New Yorkers losing their lives each year due to a shortage of donors. While much more work remains to ensure a life-changing transplant for every New Yorker in need, reaching the 50 percent mark is a major achievement considering the State was at just 22 percent a decade ago.

    Today, New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Commissioner Mark J.F. Schroeder and leadership from the New York State Department of Health (DOH) joined Donate Life New York State, impacted families and elected officials in the Bronx, to celebrate this milestone and to continue to raise awareness in the community, which has one of the lowest rates of enrollments on the Registry.

    DMV Commissioner Mark J.F. Schroeder said, “I have been working and waiting for this moment since I started this job in early 2019. More than 80 percent of New Yorkers who enroll in the Organ Donor Registry sign up through the DMV, so we have made a concerted effort to educate our staff and our customers about the importance of organ donation. New York has lagged behind so many other states for too long, and through this partnership with DOH and Donate Life, we have been successful in turning that around and giving people waiting for organ transplants a fighting chance at a healthy future.”

    State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said, “What could be more beautiful and loving than saving a life? I am so proud that more than 50 percent of our New York population has registered to become organ and tissue donors through New York’s Organ Donor Registry. Just one donor can save the lives of up to eight people while tissue donors can make a meaningful difference in the lives of up to 75 people. I thank everyone who has enrolled. These acts of selflessness make me even more proud to be a New Yorker.”

    Executive Director of Donate Life New York State Aisha Tator said, “When I joined Donate Life New York State more than a decade ago, achieving the mark of a majority of New Yorkers registered as organ and tissue donors was an ambitious goal, but thanks to our efforts alongside our partners — including years of work with DMV and DOH — today we are proud to celebrate this major milestone. The growth of the Donate Life Registry helped save the lives of about 3,000 New Yorkers last year. These are parents, children and community members who now lead happier and healthier lives. With 8,000 New Yorkers still waiting for a life-changing organ, our work is far from finished, and Donate Life New York State will continue building a culture of donation to improve the lives of the thousands of New Yorkers in need.”

    This progress, which has nearly tripled the number of lives saved annually through organ transplantation, would not have been possible without the relentless joint effort of DMV, DOH, elected officials across the political spectrum and Donate Life NYS — the nonprofit tasked by the State to lead donor registration enrollment campaigns and education efforts.

    Nearly 8,000 New Yorkers are currently on the waitlist for a life-changing organ. Today, this diverse group of State leaders, elected officials, advocates and impacted families encouraged their fellow New Yorkers to join the Registry and help further Donate Life’s mission of ensuring a life-changing transplant for every New Yorker in need. A single donor can save up to eight lives and heal 75 more through organ and tissue donation.

    New Yorkers can register to become organ donors on the Donate Life New York State website.

    Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said, “I want to commend the hard work of Donate Life New York State, the DMV and the Department of Health to celebrate this remarkable milestone in organ donor registration. For the first time, more than half of eligible New Yorkers have stepped forward to register as organ donors, a significant achievement that will save countless lives. There is still much more to be done, but today we celebrate the power of education, partnership and the generosity of New Yorkers. Together, we can continue this progress and ensure that every person in need of a transplant has the opportunity for a second chance at life.”

    State Senator Gustavo Rivera said, “Achieving over 50 percent enrollment in the Organ Donor Registry is a moment to celebrate the tireless efforts of Donate Life New York State, the Department of Health (DOH), the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), advocates, health care professionals and families who understand the importance of organ donation. As Chair of the Senate Health Committee, I have proudly passed legislation aimed at increasing outreach and enrollment so more New Yorkers can become organ donors. Since New York has one of the lowest organ donor rates in the nation and many people waiting for transplants, we must continue to implement measures to address organ donation and ensure that those in need receive the life-saving transplants they deserve.”

    State Senator Luis R. Sepúlveda said, “As someone deeply committed to improving health outcomes for the Bronx and beyond, I am proud to join Donate Life New York State, the DMV and the Department of Health in celebrating this milestone. Organ donation has the power to save lives, and crossing the 50 percent mark in statewide donor registry enrollment is a major step forward for New York. This is especially important for communities like the Bronx, where the need for transplants is disproportionately high. I look forward to continuing our work to raise awareness, dispel myths and encourage even more New Yorkers to become organ donors. Together, we can ensure that every New Yorker in need has access to the life-saving gift of a transplant.”

    Assemblymember Amy Paulin said, “Reaching the milestone of 50 percent organ donor registration in New York State represents hope for thousands of New Yorkers awaiting life-saving transplants. While we celebrate this progress, we must redouble our efforts to further increase enrollment and ensure that every New Yorker in need has the opportunity for a second chance at life. Every new registration has the potential to transform lives, and I thank Donate Life New York State, the DMV and the DOH for their tireless efforts in growing the donor registry.”

    Assemblymember Yudelka Tapia said, “As a mother who spent 16 years watching my eldest son endure the challenges of kidney failure, I know firsthand the incredible, life-changing power of organ donation. I will never forget the joy and gratitude we felt when we received the call that a donor match had been found, giving my son a new chance at life. Today, I am proud to join Donate Life NYS, the DMV and the Department of Health in celebrating this important milestone. Reaching a 50 percent registration rate is a tremendous achievement, but there’s still more we can do. Too many families, especially in communities like the Bronx, are still waiting for that same life-saving call. I encourage every New Yorker to register as an organ donor and be part of this movement of hope and generosity.”

    About New York State Department of Motor Vehicles

    The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is, for many people, their first interaction with state government. It is a multi-faceted agency, serving more than 15 million New Yorkers through driver licensing and non-driver identification, vehicle titling and registration, driver safety and education, regulating businesses that sell, repair and inspect vehicles and administering New York state motor vehicle laws.

    DMV and its more than 3,000 employees statewide have prioritized the safety of New Yorkers through traffic safety initiatives, combating and preventing identity fraud and protecting consumers. The agency is hard at work every day to “Shatter Perceptions” of what people think DMV is by continually adapting and adopting innovative strategies to better provide services to its customers where they are and in ways that are more efficient and convenient for them.

    About New York State Department of Health

    The New York State Department of Health has been overseeing the health, safety and well-being of New Yorkers since 1901 – from vaccinations to utilizing new developments in science as critical tools in the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases. In the face of today’s new public health challenges and evolving health care system, health equity is foundational to everything the State Department of Health does to help all people achieve optimal physical, mental and social well-being.

    About Donate Life New York State

    Donate Life New York State is the statewide non-profit organization dedicated to increasing organ, eye and tissue donation in New York State. Our goal is to ensure a life changing transplant for every New Yorker in need. Since 2002, we’ve served as the voice for New York’s organ, eye and tissue donation community, bringing together recovery organizations, health professionals, community organizations and people whose lives have been touched by our mission. Donate Life NYS operates the New York State Donate Life Registry under contract with the State of New York, and advances organ, eye and tissue donation through public and professional education, Registry enrollment campaigns, legislative advocacy, social and behavioral research, strategic partnerships and collaborative forums with the greater donation and transplantation community.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: RM of Tache — St. Pierre-Jolys RCMP respond to fatal collision

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    On October 23, 2024, at approximately 12:30 am, St. Pierre-Jolys received a report of a collision on Highway 1 and Provincial Road 206. When officers arrived on scene, one vehicle was in the south ditch and two vehicles were on the highway.

    Investigation determined a car and a SUV were travelling eastbound on Highway 1 and were side-by-side when the passenger tire of the car, with the control arm and other mechanical parts, came off and struck the SUV, which was travelling in the south lane. This caused the car to come to rest on the roadway and immediately catch fire. The 25-year-old male driver from Calgary was able to exit the vehicle. He was transported to local hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

    After the SUV was struck by the tire and parts from the car, the SUV entered the ditch and rolled. The 59-year-old male driver, from Steinbach, was pronounced deceased on scene. The 45-year-old male passenger, from the RM of Hanover, was transported to local hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

    A third vehicle was travelling close behind the collision and struck the tire component of the car, which was left on the highway after the collision, making the vehicle inoperable. The 28-year-old female driver, from Kenora, Ontario, was transported to hospital with minor physical injuries.

    A RCMP Forensic Collision Reconstructionist is assisting with the ongoing investigation.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Postal Employee Arrested For COVID Relief Fraud

    Source: United States Department of Justice (National Center for Disaster Fraud)

     Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the arrest of Marina Tusca Brooks Stewart (61, Groveland) on an indictment charging her with one count of wire fraud related to COVID relief. If convicted, Brooks Stewart faces up to 20 years in federal prison. In addition, she faces a forfeiture order of $10,000, which represents the alleged proceeds she obtained through this offense. 

    According to court documents, during the COVID pandemic, the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) offered Targeted Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Advances that did not need to be repaid. The advances were for small businesses that were in low-income communities and received a reduction in revenue of more than 30% during an eight-week period. Between June 28 and 30, 2020, Brooks Stewart devised a scheme to defraud the SBA by electronically applying for an EIDL advance and providing false representations in her application. Afterwards, she fraudulently received a $10,000 EIDL advance.

    An indictment is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a federal criminal offense. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. 

    This case is being investigated by the United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: Secretary Del Toro As-Written Remarks at Future Nuclear-Powered Attack Submarine USS Atlanta (SSN 813) Naming Ceremony

    Source: United States Navy

    Introduction/Thank You

    Good morning, everyone!

    It is an honor to be with you this morning in Atlanta.

    Dr. Evans, thank you for that kind introduction and for the important work you are doing here at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum.

    Mayor Dickens, thank you for welcoming us to Atlanta and for your service to the people of this great city.

    Congresswoman Williams, thank you for your presence today, and for your partnership and support of our men and women in uniform.

    Mr. Carter, thank you for sharing your family’s stories and carrying on their legacy of service.

    Mr. McLaurin, thank you for the work you do, preserving and sharing the rich history of the White House.

    I also want to extend a warm welcome to our state and local leadership, including Senator Orrock, Representative Jones, Representative Evans, Representative Miller, Council President Shipman, and Council Member Amos. Thank you for being here with us today.

    Superintendent Stuckey, thank you for your work at the Jimmy Carter National Historical Park.

    President Cabrera, thank you for your leadership of the students of Georgia Tech and your partnership with the Department of the Navy in moving our Navy and Marine Corps’ technological innovations forward.

    Captain Hollenbach, I thank you for all you’ve done as the Virginia-class program manager, ensuring our Navy’s warfighting excellence for years to come.

    To all of our service members, distinguished guests and visitors here with us today—welcome and thank you for joining us.

    World Today

    The world is undeniably complex, and while military power helps advance our national security interests abroad, President Jimmy Carter recognized that diplomacy should always play a leading role in achieving lasting peace.

    Our world today looks to the United States as a beacon of hope and freedom around the world.

    We face challenges in every corner of the world—from the Indo-Pacific, to Europe, and in the Red Sea.

    In Europe, we are approaching the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale and illegal invasion of Ukraine.

    For the first time since World War II, we face a comprehensive maritime power in the Indo-Pacific.

    The People’s Republic of China continues to exert its excessive maritime claims through their navy, coast guard, and maritime militia.

    In the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, we have been working tirelessly alongside our NATO allies and Middle Eastern partners to protect innocent civilian mariners and commercial shipping form Iranian-aligned Houthi attacks.

    Following the October 7th attacks in Israel one year ago this month, our Navy and Marine Corps were swiftly deployed to the region, forming an integrated force capable of responding to any threat.

    And earlier this month, two of our highly capable destroyers, the USS Cole (DDG 67)—a warship which carries a legacy of standing tall to acts of terrorism—and the USS Bulkeley (DDG 84)—which will always have a special place in my naval carer as her first Commanding Officer—aided our Israeli allies in shooting down Iranian ballistic missiles. 

    I am incredibly proud of the professionalism, dedication, and resilience shown by our Cole and Bulkeley Sailors.

    These brave young men and women illustrate the consistent excellence and effectiveness expected of our United States Navy.

    And we mourn the loss of two trailblazing, combat-decorated naval aviators from the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group who passed away during a training event last week: Lieutenant Commander Lyndsay “Miley” Evans and Lieutenant Serena “Dug” Wileman.

    Our thoughts are with their families and friends as they cope with the loss of their loved ones—a loss which serves as a poignant reminder that what we ask of our Sailors and Marines is anything but routine, and in many cases dangerous.

    We honor their service and sacrifice by reaffirming our commitment to the ideals that inspire us to serve.

    City of Atlanta

    The city of Atlanta shares a storied and historic relationship with the United States Navy.

    Since the very founding of our Nation, Atlantans from all walks of life have answered the call to service.

    The Marine Corps’ first aviator, Lieutenant Colonel Alfred Cunningham, was born in Atlanta in 1882 and pioneered early aviation at a time when there were great risks and little appreciation for the danger involved in flying.

    Launched in 1943, Naval Air Station Atlanta trained Navy and Marine Corps squadrons from Reserve Carrier Air Wing 20 and Marine Aircraft Group 42.

    While Naval Air Station Atlanta no longer serves the Navy, the airfield continues to serve as the General Lucius D. Clay National Guard Center.

    Atlanta is, of course, home to the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum and the Carter Center, named after the former Naval Officer, Senator, Governor, and President, Jimmy Carter.

    As a Naval Officer, Lieutenant Carter helped advance our nuclear submarine program alongside Admiral Hymen Rickover, the “Father of the Nuclear Navy.”

    While in office, President Carter advocated for a more robust Navy—growing our submarine, aviation, and surface forces.

    He also fiercely advocated for the recruitment of Hispanic Americans into the Navy and nominated the first Hispanic American to serve as Secretary of the Navy—Edward Hidalgo.

    As Secretary of the Navy, I had the opportunity to rename a building at the Naval Academy after President Carter last year.

    Carter Hall will be a place of learning for Midshipmen at the Naval Academy for generations to come.

    And the city of Atlanta has had five previous Navy ships named after her legacy.

    The first USS Atlanta served the Union Navy throughout the Civil War after being captured from the Confederate Navy.

    The second USS Atlanta served in the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico as a barracks ship.

    The third USS Atlanta (CL 51) served as the lead ship of the Atlanta-class of light cruisers and was laid down at the start of the Second World War.

    Weeks after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and brought the United States into war, USS Atlanta commissioned at New York Navy Yard and later served as part of Admiral Halsey’s Fleet.

    Light cruiser USS Atlanta (CL 104) served in World War II with Fast Carrier Task Force where she conducted shore bombardment missions.

    The fifth USS Atlanta (SSN 712) commissioned in 1982, completing multiple deployments and fleet readiness exercises during the Cold War before being decommissioned in 1999.

    Ship Naming and Sponsor Announcement

    For 25 years, the Navy has been without a ship named after the proud legacy of the city of Atlanta.

    And so, it is my honor and privilege to name the next Virginia-class submarine, SSN 813, USS Atlanta.

    Our Navy’s submarine force is a lethal combination of one of the most powerful platforms available today manned by our Nation’s best and brightest—people like President Carter.

    The Virginia-class Fast Attack Submarines bring tremendous firepower to our Fleet and provide our commanders a valuable asset which strengthens our national security.

    And wherever she sails, she will represent not only the legacy of the proud ships who bore the name USS Atlanta before her, but also the thousands of Atlantans who have honorably and faithfully served the United States in uniform, as civil servants, and as activists to better our great Nation.

    And I am also proud to announce that the ship sponsor of the future USS Atlanta is former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.

    The ship’s sponsor fills a vital role throughout the life of a warship, serving as the bond between the ship, her crew, and the nation they serve.

    I am honored that Mayor Bottoms accepted the invitation to serve as ship sponsor. As a leader and champion for the people of Atlanta, she represents the best of our Nation, and I thank her for her lifelong commitment to our Navy, to our service men and women, and to the United States of America.

    Closing

    Our maritime services are indeed the most powerful and capable force this world has ever seen.

    Before I close my remarks today, I wanted to draw your attention to the portrait on the stage.

    It is Mr. Evan Karanovich’s grandfather’s portrait of USS Atlanta (CL 51), the lead ship of the Atlanta-class of eight light cruisers.

    On November 13th, 1942, the third USS Atlanta sank while escorting ships during the war.

    The portrait hung in his grandfather’s office for years until Mr. Karanovich received it as a commissioning gift.

    And he always wondered why, of all the pictures, he received this one.

    His grandfather said that despite the ship being lost in battle—like Atlanta, our Navy, and our Nation—we are resilient.

    Atlanta’s motto is “Resurgens,” which means “to rise again.”

    What better mantra for us to embrace as we move forward?

    Mr. Karanovich, thank you for sharing this beautiful portrait and story with all of us to enjoy.

    I thank all of you here for your support of our maritime services—you ensure that America remains the greatest nation in the world.

    And now, it is my great pleasure to introduce a leader who was born in this great state.

    She currently serves Georgia’s 5th Congressional District and is a member of several caucuses including the Congressional Black Caucus, Democratic Women’s Caucus, Congressional Progressive Caucus, Voting Rights Caucus, LBGTQ+ Equality Caucus, and the HBCU Caucus.

    Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome Congresswoman Nikema Williams.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Womack Hosts NIH Director Bertagnolli in Arkansas’ Third District

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3)

    Rogers, AR—October 23, 2024…Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3) hosted National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Monica Bertagnolli, M.D., in the River Valley on Monday and in Northwest Arkansas on Tuesday. Congressman Womack, Director Bertagnolli, and Senator John Boozman (R-AR) visited medical organizations, gained a comprehensive understanding of the region’s medical needs, and saw the partnership between the NIH and local healthcare in action.

    Congressman Womack said, “It’s important to bring Washington to Arkansas to ensure Third District Arkansans’ needs are met and their voices are heard. I want leaders in our nation, such as Director Bertagnolli, to see the exciting medical research and advancements happening in the Third District while fully understanding the area’s healthcare needs. I’m grateful Director Bertagnolli took the opportunity to see firsthand the remarkable work of our local health providers, researchers, and partners. Senator Boozman and I look forward to a continued partnership with Director Bertagnolli to improve health outcomes for Arkansans.”

    Director Bertagnolli said, “The entire community – academic institutions, public health departments, health care providers, businesses, and state and federal government – all play a critical role in making health better for everyone. It is so inspiring to see how Arkansas is working to address the needs of their communities on all fronts, and partnering to eliminate the extra health challenges this region is experiencing. I am so grateful to Congressman Womack and Senator Boozman for hosting me. I have learned so much and am eager to bring more health research to Arkansas. The talent and dedication I have witnessed here makes me sure that we will make tremendous progress.”

    Senator Boozman said, “The collaboration in Northwest Arkansas and the River Valley as growing hubs for local and regional medical care as well as nationally recognized innovative research is a tremendous asset. NIH plays a critical role in funding this vital work through the grants and partnerships it supports that generate advanced treatments, cures and overall better outcomes in our communities. Congressman Womack and I were pleased to show Director Bertagnolli the impact of these investments and provide our medical professionals an opportunity to share their feedback directly with the leader of America’s premier health research organization.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Panetta Announces New Federal Investment to Further Modernize Monterey Regional Airport

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif)

    Monterey, CA – United States Representative Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) announced a new federal investment to support Monterey Regional Airport’s initial phase of terminal construction.  Rep. Panetta secured $14.2 million through the Airport Terminal Program (ATP) to fund the construction and replacement of a 70-year-old terminal, including the relocation of a LEED Platinum-certified terminal, improved internal airport access, and enhanced landside road access.  This includes a multimodal bus connection for the Monterey-Salinas Transit Company.  This funding was made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

    “Residents and visitors alike deserve a Monterey Regional Airport that is safe, reliable, and comfortable,” said Rep. Panetta. “I’m proud to ensure that the federal government is investing in local airports like ours to meet the demands of modern travelers with updated amenities and enhanced safety features.  With this federal support, we will continue to improve the mobility, economy, and quality of life in California’s 19th Congressional District.”

    “This new grant will be the first federal funding dedicated directly to the construction of the replacement terminal building,” said Monterey Regional Airport Executive Director Michael La Pier.  “With the design completed, we will be ready to move forward with the start of the construction in the spring with a completion some time in late 2026.  We’d like to thank Representative Panetta for his help and guidance in this process. It means a great deal to the airport to have such strong support in the District and in Washington.”

    Rep. Panetta continues working alongside local partners to ensure the federal government plays its role in modernizing the Monterey Regional Airport.  Previously, Rep. Panetta secured more than $64 million in federal funding to support new terminal design, tarmac improvements, and other modernization and safety initiatives.

    The Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act provided $15 billion in airport infrastructure funding.  For more information on projects nationwide, visit: here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Graves: “Morganza Reach A Protects Terrebonne, Benefits the Nation”

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Garret Graves (6th District of Louisiana)

    Congressman Garret Graves (South Louisiana) today announced the historic groundbreaking of “Reach A” in Dularge, Louisiana, of the Morganza-to-the-Gulf (MTG) hurricane protection project alongside project partners Terrebonne Levee and Conservation District (TLCD), the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA), and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).

    “Construction of Reach A plugs a vulnerability gap that otherwise exposes Dularge, Houma, and surrounding communities,” Graves said. “Getting Morganza started and funded has been a top priority. Despite decades of federal inaction, in our short time in Congress we’ve pushed urgently to establish momentum to get the project funded and built as quickly as possible. This project will protect the lives and communities of the Bayou Region who feed and fuel our nation, and we could not leave the field without ensuring Morganza’s path to completion.”

    Reach A of the system was identified by the TLCD as a key vulnerability gap that left Houma and surrounding communities exposed to flood risk and storm surge. Reach A construction will occur over several phases, beginning with levee features to protect the Dularge community.

    “I want to remind you: local folks didn’t wait for the federal government and we didn’t either,” Graves added. “Dating back to 2008 (while serving as the Chair of CPRA) we worked with our parishes and levee districts to pull together hundreds of millions in state funding in addition to the half a billion we set aside from the Deepwater Horizon settlement. Our early and persistent protection measures have saved the American taxpayer billions in disaster recovery costs, while at the same time providing a major service to our nation’s energy security.”

    Morganza background

    Although the project became authorized for federal participation in the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2007 (with amendments made to the project in WRDA 2014), at a cost of $15 billion, the 98-mile levee was widely seen as too expensive for the federal government to start investing in.

    That changed in November of 2018, when Graves requested the Army Corps revise the original federal role of the project by taking into account investments already made by state and local partners. Within the year, the Corps presented Graves with an Adaptive Criteria Assessment Report (ACAR) which brought the project’s cost down by more than two-thirds of the original estimate. Graves’s intention in officially blessing the work already done by the local levee boards was to increase the project’s benefit-cost ratio (BCR) and make it impossible for the federal government to not invest in the project.

    With a positive BCR secured, Graves correctly identified another hurdle: the annual bill which funds the federal government’s flood control investments not only sets limits on how many “new start” projects could be funded annually, but traditionally included language which limited these new starts to projects authorized within the Corps’ Construction account, while Morganza was part of the Mississippi Rivers and Tributaries (MR&T) account. Graves ensured that the House of Representatives’ funding bill included language which made MR&T eligible to receive a new start designation, and heavily lobbied the Senate to allow the change. The Senate relented and, after years of discussions with the White House Office of Management and Budget, Graves announced that the federal government would begin investing in the project in January of 2021.

    That year coincided with the return of congressional earmarks, and Graves has successfully secured $78.3 million in dedicated funding for the project to date through that process, $376 million in emergency supplemental funding, and another $93 million awaiting approval in the current funding cycle.

    According to the USACE, the MTG project would reduce the risk of flooding due to storm surge to more than 52,000 structures and over 200,000 people in an area.  Deterioration of coastal marshes due to saltwater intrusion, land subsidence and the lack of interchanges from the Mississippi River and Tributaries system have steadily increased storm surge inundation over time.  Flooding of homes occurred in Lafourche Parish with Hurricane Ida, near the proposed alignment that may be alleviated with the Project.

     

    ###

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Media advisory: Onehunga bus attack

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Police will hold a stand up this morning in relation to the bus attack in Onehunga yesterday afternoon.

    Auckland City Relieving District Crime Manager, Acting Detective Inspector Alisse Robertson will speak to media at College Hill Police Station at 10.30am.

    Media is asked to gather outside the station by 10.15am.

    Please RSVP to media@police.govt.nz by 10am to confirm your attendance.

    ENDS.

    Holly McKay/NZ Police 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI: Real Estate Split Corp. Announces Overnight Offering

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Not for distribution to U.S. Newswire Services or for dissemination in the United States.

    TORONTO, Oct. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Real Estate Split Corp. (TSX: RS and RS.PR.A) (the “Company”), is pleased to announce that the Company is undertaking an overnight treasury offering of class A and preferred shares (the “Class A Shares” and “Preferred Shares”, respectively).

    The sales period for this overnight offering will end at 9:00 a.m. (ET) on Thursday, October 24, 2024. The offering is expected to close on or about October 31, 2024 and is subject to certain closing conditions including approval by the Toronto Stock Exchange (“TSX”).

    The Class A Shares will be offered at a price of $12.90 per Class A Share to yield 12.1% and the Preferred Shares will be offered at a price of $10.10 per Preferred Share to yield 4.4% to maturity. The closing price on the TSX for each of the Class A Shares and Preferred Shares on October 22, 2024 was $13.21 and $10.16, respectively. The Class A Share and Preferred Share offering prices were determined so as to be non-dilutive to the most recently calculated net asset value per unit of the Company (calculated as at October 22, 2024), as adjusted for dividends and certain expenses to be accrued prior to or upon settlement of the offering.

    The Company has been designed to provide investors with a diversified, actively managed, high conviction portfolio comprised of securities of leading North American real estate companies.

    The Company’s investment objectives for the:

    Class A Shares are to provide holders with:

    (i) non-cumulative monthly cash distributions; and
    (ii) the opportunity for capital appreciation through exposure to the portfolio

    Preferred Shares are to:

    (i) provide holders with fixed cumulative preferential quarterly cash distributions; and
    (ii) return the original issue price of $10.00 to holders upon maturity.

    Middlefield Capital Corporation provides investment management advice to the Company.

    The syndicate of agents for the offering is being co-led by CIBC Capital Markets, RBC Capital Markets, and Scotiabank.

    For further information, please visit our website at www.middlefield.com or contact Nancy Tham in our Sales and Marketing Department at 1.888.890.1868.

    A short form base shelf prospectus containing important detailed information about the securities being offered has been filed with securities commissions or similar authorities in each of the provinces and territories of Canada. Copies of the short form base shelf prospectus may be obtained from a member of the syndicate. The Company intends to file a supplement to the short form base shelf prospectus, and investors should read the short form base shelf prospectus and the prospectus supplement before making an investment decision. There will not be any sale or any acceptance of an offer to buy the securities being offered until the prospectus supplement has been filed with the securities commissions or similar authorities in each of the provinces and territories of Canada.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Netflix’s Territory is a Succession-like drama packed with family rivalry and betrayal, set in Australia’s outback

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexa Scarlata, Research Fellow, Media & Communication, RMIT University

    Netflix

    The Australian commissioning team at Netflix has had a pretty good run over the past 12 months. In January, the adaptation of Trent Dalton’s novel Boy Swallows Universe proved to be the most successful Australian-made show to that point, scoring 7.6 million views globally in its first two weeks.

    A few months later, the second season of the streamer’s Heartbreak High reboot debuted at number one in Australia, and stayed on the Global Top 10 English TV Series list for three consecutive weeks.

    Will Netflix’s latest Australian series – one without any ties to a familiar book or TV show – be as well received? Luckily for the streamer, its new six-part outback western, Territory, has already been described as “epic”, “unforgettable” and “rollicking TV”.

    Robert Taylor plays patriarch Colin Lawson.
    Netflix

    Premium bush family drama

    The series takes place in the Northern Territory, on the “world’s largest cattle station”. The fictional Marianne Station is about the size of Belgium.

    The once-great dynasty of its owners, the Lawson family, is thrown into doubt when their heir apparent dies in the first episode. The Top End’s most powerful players – billionaire miners, rival cattle barons, desert gangsters and Indigenous elders – immediately start circling.

    While this is an original concept by creators Timothy Lee and Ben Davies, you’d be forgiven for feeling a sense of déjà vu, as Territory has been described as equal parts Succession and Yellowstone. I can imagine Netflix executives running the numbers on the returns from those two hits and saying, “let’s throw some money into this”. And boy, did they.

    The show could double as a sophisticated Tourism Australia ad.
    Netflix

    No expenses spared on hats and helicopters

    Territory was directed by Wolf Creek heavyweight Greg McLean. According to him, it’s the

    biggest South Australian TV production ever. Possibly one of the biggest TV productions in Australia just in terms of the amount of crew (and) the incredible support that we had to put in place to go to the locations we went to.

    As Netflix put it, Bondi Beach this is not. While the interiors were filmed in South Australia, half of the series was filmed in stunning remote locations across the NT.

    As a result, the show looks like the most ambitious and sophisticated Tourism Australia ad you’ve ever seen. The wildlife! The panoramic drone shots! The hat budget! The rest of the world could go from thinking we ride kangaroos to work, to assuming we’ve all got our own helicopters.

    Overseas viewers watching would be forgiven for thinking the lot of us have our own helicopters.
    Netflix

    The show looks as expensive as it sounds, but is still kind of soapy. The irony in this story is that everyone’s dirty, but no one ever sweats.

    Territory was originally announced as “Desert King”. Changing the name was wise. The landscape is, for the most part, pretty lush – and not in a “look at this oasis we’ve stumbled upon” kind of way. I counted one fly.

    Desert queens

    What’s more, while the male characters are brilliant sources of humour and violence, it’s the ladies in Territory that bring the heart.

    Anna Torv leads the series as Emily Lawson. Emily is the wife to the next-in-line but perpetually drunk Graham (Michael Dorman). She’s also the girl from the property next door, belonging to the rival Hodge family – a slightly shifty bunch who’ve been known to steal the Lawson’s cattle.

    Anna Torv plays Emily Lawson with a keen sense of cunning.
    Netflix

    Torv was the perfect choice to embody Emily as the long-suffering wife, disdained daughter-in-law, loving sister and exasperated mother. Her poker face kept me guessing. She may not be a Lawson by blood, but her cunning makes her a great fit in this powerful family.

    Kylah Day plays Sharnie Kennedy, a young kid kicking (and fooling) around with a couple of Top End bandits. It was fun – if a little frustrating – to watch her figure out her loyalties and her limits.

    Finally, Sara Wiseman plays Sandra Kirby, a disgustingly wealthy and ruthless land developer who doubles as the quintessential villain. Sandra plays everyone – even her own son. Her merciless manipulation of aspiring Indigenous cattle baron Nolan Brannock (Clarence Ryan) stings, even as it feels quite heavy-handed.

    Clarence Ryan is impressive in his role as Indigenous station owner Nolan Brannock (left), who gets caught up in the drama.
    Netflix

    Whose land and whose legacy?

    Territory does a great job of establishing a simmering tension between the traditional owners of the land and the families and businesses that have taken possession of it.

    But for a show that’s so centred on the battle for power in the Top End, the plotlines that deal with the issue of dispossession move at a frustratingly slow pace.

    Perhaps this is to cater to a global audience, which will likely lack the context that local viewers have. And maybe, for Australian viewers, the enduring subordination and struggle of the original landowners is the intended takeaway.

    Ultimately, Territory is an ambitious and attractive series. It was wonderful to see so many resources poured into a new concept, filmed and set in a part of Australia that rarely sees the kind of spotlight it deserves.

    Sam Delich and Kylah Day play petty thieves Rich Petrakis and Sharnie Kennedy.
    Netflix

    Territory is streaming on Netflix from today.

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

    – ref. Netflix’s Territory is a Succession-like drama packed with family rivalry and betrayal, set in Australia’s outback – https://theconversation.com/netflixs-territory-is-a-succession-like-drama-packed-with-family-rivalry-and-betrayal-set-in-australias-outback-241896

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Unemployment’s up, house prices are stagnating. But is the Victorian economy doing as badly as it seems?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Hayward, Emeritus Professor of Public Policy, RMIT University

    The early 1990s in Victoria were tough. The economy was contracting severely, the population was shrinking, employment was collapsing and the unemployment rate skyrocketed to the highest in the land.

    A long-term Labor government got the blame for allowing state debt to spiral out of control. Victoria, reckoned a popular joke at the time, was “Australia’s Mexico without the sunshine”.

    Is it happening all over again?

    Some reporting in national media would suggest it is.

    The Australian Financial Review has recently run a series on the state, including a piece last week quoting business leaders saying the Victorian economy was in trouble.

    Reference was made to the latest unemployment figures as supporting evidence. Victoria’s unemployment rate has risen over the last year, and at 4.4% is now the highest in the country. Rising numbers of company failures and stagnant house prices were also cited.

    Earlier in the month, data showing a falling rate of Victorian business start-ups was highlighted, while another Financial Review article examined the decline in the number of conferences. All this was referred to as evidence of a state struggling under the weight of

    $8.6 billion in levies [imposed] in [Labor’s] 2023 budget to curb a mountain of state debt that is forecast to reach $188 billion by 2028.

    The Australian also ran a feature on Victoria echoing the same themes.

    Readers were asked, “What the hell has gone wrong with Victoria?”. Public debt and taxation figured as prominent causes of an economic catastrophe in the making. The Australian deemed the state to be

    at best, trapped in stagnation, forcing it to cover falling private investment and expenditure with ever greater public largesse. And at worst […] as the spending and debt build-up sets off the alarms, a vicious spiral is triggered […] until the whole Ponzi scheme collapses.

    But are things that bad? What does the economic data actually show?

    Some positive signs

    It is true that unemployment in Victoria is rising, and is also high compared to the rest of the country. But it has been stable for the last four months, reflecting the impact of interest rate increases over the previous couple of years.

    Also, looking back over the last 40 years, the increase has been from a very low base, and remains at an historically low level – and a long way off the highs of the 1990s.

    The number of people in the labour force is continuing to grow at a healthy clip. The participation rate is now the highest on record.

    Last month, the labour force increased in seasonally adjusted terms by 20,000, and almost all of these additional people ended up in employment.

    The growth in employment since the end of the pandemic is notable.

    Since January 2023, employment has increased by 268,000, or 8% in seasonally adjusted terms. That’s 37% of the jobs added in the whole of Australia during that time.

    Yes, the share of job growth is falling, but it is still higher than the state’s population share, and it is from an unbelievably high base (55% of all jobs created nationally in July were in Victoria).

    The Australian Financial Review acknowledged that the latest jobs data were indeed “unexpectedly strong”.

    What about business insolvencies?

    Victorian insolvencies are on the rise (up 61% in September compared to the same month last year). But so too are they across Australia, with the national number rising at a higher clip (up 70%).

    What about the number of conferences in Victoria? We simply cannot be sure whether they are up or down, because there is no consistent data base to settle the matter.

    And while Victoria may have fallen behind other states in the number of new startups per 1,000 businesses, the actual number of businesses has increased by more than 31,000, or 3%, since the beginning of the year.

    How are house prices and rents holding up?

    Yes, house prices are tumbling. In real terms, they are around 20% below their pandemic peak, at least partly caused by a bundle of new property taxes introduced in the 2023/24 state budget to help pay for pandemic-related debt.

    But with housing affordability at an all-time low courtesy of high interest rates, that is no bad thing, especially for those keen to buy their first home.

    That fall in house prices stands in contrast to a boom in rents over the same time period.

    Over the last 12 months, median rents in Victoria have increased by 13.3%, and by 4.3% over the last quarter. In the March quarter, the rental stock fell for the first time on record, perhaps supporting those who see an economy in trouble.

    But that fall amounted to barely 10,000 dwellings, or only 2.7% of the stock. Those properties had to be sold to someone, and it is likely many were sold to first time buyers who, in changing tenure, had no net effect on the rental market. A redistribution of wealth like that may be no bad thing.

    Debt is high – but so is infrastructure spending

    There is no doubt the Victorian economy has been slowing, as has the rest of the country. That is exactly the outcome sought by the Reserve Bank when it pushed up interest rates last year.

    But there is little evidence to show Victoria is following the disastrous path of the early 1990s.

    Back then, state debt grew alarmingly because of a savage recession. This time round, state debt has grown strongly, but largely to fund a construction pipeline on a scale the state has not seen before.

    Infrastructure spending is now running close to $25 billion a year, almost five times what it was a decade ago. There’s a lot of jobs in those numbers, and shortly a lot of that infrastructure will come on line, boosting the state’s economic potential.

    There is one other factor driving Victoria’s surprisingly resilient economy. Net international migration increased by 152,000 in the year to March 2024 – almost 30% of the Australian total – driven partly by the return of international students.

    Very fast, migration-driven population growth is not being matched by increased output, and the state’s household income per person is continuing its long-term decline, leading some to argue it has become a “poor state”.

    Treasurer Tim Pallas will hope that the increase stock of debt-funded infrastructure provides the productivity boost sorely needed to turn that around.

    While on several indicators Victoria’s economy is slowing, this largely reflects a national trend. Drilling down into the data shows there are signs of growth, which suggest alarm at this stage is not justified.

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

    – ref. Unemployment’s up, house prices are stagnating. But is the Victorian economy doing as badly as it seems? – https://theconversation.com/unemployments-up-house-prices-are-stagnating-but-is-the-victorian-economy-doing-as-badly-as-it-seems-241762

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: If a Year 12 student gets an early offer for uni, does it mean they stop trying?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew J. Martin, Scientia Professor and Professor of Educational Psychology, UNSW Sydney

    Ground Picture/Shutterstock

    Early entry schemes for university – where students get an offer before their final exams – are increasingly popular.

    For example, more than 27,000 students applied to the Universities Admissions Centre (which mostly deals with New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory unis) for an early offer in 2024. This was a record number and an almost 19% increase on 2023.

    On the one hand, early offers are seen as a way to reduce pressure on Year 12 students. But they are also increasingly criticised, with concerns students may stop trying once they receive an offer.

    Our new research shows applying for an early offer does not make a significant difference to how hard a student tries leading up to their final exams or their final results.

    What are early offers?

    The main round of university offers is in December-January, after students have done their final exams in the previous October and November and have their final results or ATAR.

    With early entry offer schemes, universities assess students using criteria other than (or on top of) final results.

    Amid concerns about students reducing their efforts, in February this year, federal and state education ministers agreed there would be no university offers until September. Federal Education Minister Jason Clare is pushing for a new, national approach to early entry by 2027.

    Year 12 students around Australia sit their final exams in October and November.
    Monkey Business Images/ Shutterstock



    Read more:
    ‘I don’t believe I would have gotten into university’: how early entry schemes help Year 12 students experiencing disadvantage

    Our research

    Our new study investigated the role of early entry offers on Year 12 students’ academic and personal wellbeing.

    We looked at three types of students: students applying for and receiving an early offer, students applying for but not receiving an early offer, and students who did not apply for an early offer.

    We then looked at multiple forms of academic and personal wellbeing, including:

    • the ATAR

    • motivation at school (their interest, energy, and drive to learn) and enjoyment of school

    • how students dealt with academic challenges (also called “academic buoyancy”)

    • study burnout

    • overall life satisfaction, mental health and self-esteem.

    Who did we study?

    The study involved Year 12 students in 2022 from schools in New South Wales.

    The average age for participants was 17, most (68%) were female, the majority (69%) lived in an urban area, just under a quarter (23%) were from a non-English speaking background, and just over half were from government schools (52%).

    We tracked the ATARs of 1,512 students for whom we had early offer data.

    We also surveyed a subset of 525 students from this group. We surveyed them in term 2 of Year 12 and then followed up with a second survey in term 4, about 2 weeks before their final exams.

    The surveys included questions about their academic and personal wellbeing. Both surveys were done online.

    What we found

    In terms of early entry status, 16% did not apply for an early offer, 21% applied but were unsuccessful, and 63% received an early offer.

    Using statistical modelling to control for prior differences in achievement and motivation between the groups, as well as age, gender, school type and learning difficulties, we found an early offer did not appear to have an impact on a student’s ATAR.

    We also found no impact on their motivation, effort, burnout or mental health.

    In fact, the best predictors of students’ final results were their previous results and their efforts earlier in Year 12.

    As our research showed, the findings for these predictors were statistically significant, meaning we can have confidence the results were not due to chance.

    This mirrors other research that suggests you can predict a student’s ATAR from their Year 11 results.

    Students in our study did not stop trying if they had an early offer to uni.
    Jacob Lund/ Shutterstock

    One important difference

    We did find one statistically significant effect. Those receiving an early offer scored about 10% higher in academic buoyancy than the other two groups.

    This means these students reported they were better able to overcome academic challenges, such as difficult assessment tasks and competing deadlines, as they approached their final exams.

    We found this difference even after controlling for any prior group differences in academic buoyancy.

    But we note it was only a relatively small effect.

    Why was there so little difference?

    Some possible explanations about why early offers did not appear to make much difference include:

    • Year 12 is a busy year full of activities (from formals and other events, to plans for life after school). It could be early entry status is quickly absorbed in all the demands of the final year and becomes normalised

    • the joy or relief of an early offer is short-lived and students return to their emotional equilibrium or their typical “set point” in terms of outlook on life

    • the ATAR looms large in students’ lives, so they may still want to do as well as they can – regardless of whether they get an early offer or not.

    What does this mean?

    Our study suggests receiving an early offer for university does not make much of a difference to final outcomes.

    So this suggests students can apply for an early entry offer if they want to.

    But once the application is submitted, they need to return their focus to factors that are influential in final outcomes — such as their learning, motivation, and engagement through Year 12.

    Helen Tam, Kim Paino, Anthony Manny, Mitch Smith and Nicole Swanson from the Universities Admissions Centre helped with the research on which this article is based.

    Andrew J. Martin has received funding from the Australian Research Council, International Boys’ Schools Coalition, NSW Department of Education, and Commonwealth Department of Education.

    – ref. If a Year 12 student gets an early offer for uni, does it mean they stop trying? – https://theconversation.com/if-a-year-12-student-gets-an-early-offer-for-uni-does-it-mean-they-stop-trying-241787

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Cultural burning isn’t just important to Indigenous culture – it’s essential to Australia’s disaster management

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bhiamie Williamson, Research Fellow, Monash University

    Toa55/Shutterstock

    Last month, Australia’s newly appointed minister for emergency management, Senator Jenny McAllister, and Senator Tony Sheldon, special envoy for disaster recovery, took part in a cultural burn outside Lismore in New South Wales, as part of the National Gathering on Indigenous Disaster Resilience.

    It was significant to see members of the federal government listening to and taking direction from a cultural burn expert, Oliver Costello of Jagun Alliance, before undertaking a burn.

    Cultural burning is increasingly being used in disaster management. Pictured: Oliver Costello, Senator Jenny McAllister, Bhiamie Williamson and Senator Tony Sheldon at a cultural burn held during the National Gathering.
    Gabrielle Connole, CC BY-NC-ND

    It represented a hopeful sign that cultural burning might be increasingly used as a tool for disaster mitigation. After all, McAllister isn’t the minister for Indigenous affairs or the environment – her role is emergency management. At last month’s meeting, Indigenous peoples spoke of their desire and inherent right to be involved in disaster management.

    Cultural burning is, of course, vitally important to culture. But these gentle, regular burns were one of the main ways Indigenous groups managed land. They created mosaics of burned and unburned land, reducing the chance of megafires by burning fuel loads and creating safe havens in dangerous times.

    Networks of Indigenous groups have begun using fire to once again care for Country all around Australia. These are positive signs. But there is more to do to dismantle remaining barriers to mainstreaming cultural burning – and making it possible to use these ancient techniques to reduce, or avoid, disasters.

    An ancient practice rekindled

    The evidence of Indigenous land management using fire is significant and growing.

    This evidence has emerged through formal truth-telling processes such as Yoorrook, whose commissioners heard about the deliberate suppression of Indigenous land management in Victoria. It has come from ongoing academic research stitching settler accounts of the land and observations of how Indigenous groups used fire. In 1802, for instance, the settler John Murray recorded his amazement at how Boon Wurrung people set and controlled fire in Victoria’s Western Port Bay. The fire, which “must have covered an acre of ground”, was “dous’d […] at once”.

    In Mary Gilmore’s account of 19th-century colonial life in the New South Wales Riverina, she writes:

    As to fire, it was [Indigenous people] who taught our first settlers to get bushes and beat out a conflagration […] Indeed, it was a constant wonder, when I was little, how easily [Indigenous people] would check a fire before it grew too big for close handling or start a return fire when and where it was safest.

    These historical observations are complementary to the work of passing on knowledge of fire to the next generation. Taken together, they reveal a fundamental truth about Australia – it is a land of fire, and Indigenous people are the masters.

    The return of parcels of land to Indigenous groups in recent decades means we can restart these ancient fire regimes, through Indigenous rangers and other organisations.

    The return of ancient practices

    The management of land over deep time by Indigenous groups has meant people and the land effectively co-evolved.

    Since 1788, colonisation and Indigenous dispossession have radically altered many parts of Australia. Land was cleared for farms, cities, roads and infrastructure. Rivers were dammed for irrigation.

    Grasslands and yam fields were converted to livestock farms or cropping. Forested areas in some areas were cleared and in other areas thickly regrew, replacing the park-like mix of grassland and stands of trees produced by Indigenous land management. Thirsty crops such as cotton were planted, siphoning off huge volumes of water from lakes and rivers.

    John Glover’s 1838 painting shows open savannahs and grasslands in the Surrey Hills district of north-west Tasmania. In our time, this area has become temperate rainforest.
    Art Gallery of NSW

    Even the creation of national parks transformed landscapes, as Western practices of more passive management replaced active Indigenous management.

    The suppression of cultural burning brought yet more difficult change to Australia’s plants and animals. Australia now has one of the highest extinction rates of animals in the world. But cultural burning is being applied as a method to help protect vulnerable species, such as the Corroboree Frog.

    Over years, Indigenous groups have worked diligently and strategically to rekindle this ancient practice. But they have also reimagined it. It’s time to ask the question: what would it mean to bring back cultural burning at scale?

    No longer do Indigenous groups apply fire as a normal and everyday rhythm of life, stopping to light small fires as they walk. It’s now much more deliberate, requiring careful planning, creation of fire breaks and management of fire using trucks and heavy machinery.

    Even ignition is done differently. For a ceremony, firesticks will be used, with further lighting done using drip torches. In remote areas, fires are lit from helicopters, making it possible to cover vast areas.

    Combining these ancient and contemporary practices creates something fundamentally new. We require innovative discourses to better describe these developments.

    Indigenous Yika rangers burn using drip torches.
    Rohan Carboon/Indigenous Desert Alliance, CC BY

    New fire season, new hazards

    This fire season is likely to be a dangerous one. The seasonal bushfire outlook released by the Australasian Fire and Emergency Council projects the risk of early fires and a higher-than-usual bushfire risk over vast areas of Australia.

    Large parts of Australia are forecast to have a higher fire risk this spring.
    Australasian Fire and Emergency Council, CC BY-SA

    Recent rainy La Nina years triggered rapid vegetation growth in many areas, increasing the fuel load. Fire authorities are worried about what a forecast hot, dry, windy summer will mean.

    In recent years, Indigenous ranger groups have been undertaking cool burns as much as possible. In arid areas, there are fears of fast-moving grass fires due to the spread of introduced and highly flammable buffel grass.

    As danger from climate change intensifies, making volatile and combustible landscapes safer poses challenges both complex – and urgent.

    Indigenous groups around Australia have begun the work of rekindling cultural burns, but barriers still remain. Responsibility for fire management in state forests, national parks and on private land has long been split between government authorities and landholders. It’s time this disaster management work by Indigenous groups was recognised and magnified by governments.

    To mainstream cultural burning will mean finding ways of sharing the knowledge of when and how to burn, and resourcing Indigenous groups to undertake training and burns. Doing this will not only benefit the land and Indigenous groups, but all Australians.



    Read more:
    Before the colonists came, we burned small and burned often to avoid big fires. It’s time to relearn cultural burning

    Bhiamie Williamson leads the National Indigenous Disaster Resilience Program at Monash University. He is also a Director of the environmental charity Country Needs People.

    – ref. Cultural burning isn’t just important to Indigenous culture – it’s essential to Australia’s disaster management – https://theconversation.com/cultural-burning-isnt-just-important-to-indigenous-culture-its-essential-to-australias-disaster-management-241269

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Being mentally flexible might influence our attitudes to vaccination, a new study shows

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephanie Gomes-Ng, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, Auckland University of Technology

    Getty Images

    Making decisions about our health is a complex and sometimes difficult process.

    On top of our own attitudes, experiences and perspectives, we are inundated with information from other people (friends, family, health professionals) and from external sources (news or social media) about what it means to be healthy.

    Sometimes, this information is consistent with what we think about our own health. At other times, it may contradict our own beliefs. And to make things even more complicated, sometimes this information is deliberate misinformation.

    How do we make sense of all this when making decisions about our health? What determines whether we hold fast to our attitudes, or change our minds?

    Most of us can probably relate to this. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we had to change many of our behaviours to slow the spread of the virus. This meant working from home, wearing a mask, staying in our “bubbles”, and eventually getting the vaccine.

    While the decision to get vaccinated was an obvious one for many people, it was not as straightforward for others. Research from the period immediately before the COVID vaccine became available in New Zealand showed a sizeable minority was unsure about or unlikely to be vaccinated.

    These people were more likely to be young, female and less educated, and were primarily concerned about unknown future side effects. Our new research suggests cognitive (mental) flexibility may also have something to do with attitudes towards vaccination.

    A flexible mind

    Past research suggests mental flexibility plays an important role in our decision-making. Imagine changing the way you do something at work, having a discussion with someone with a different opinion, or being told you should make healthier choices (such as exercising more).

    Some people navigate these situations with ease. Others find it more difficult to adapt. Mental flexibility describes this ability to adapt our attitudes, thoughts or behaviours when faced with new or changing information.

    Studies show mental flexibility influences how extreme our opinions are, how likely we are to believe misinformation or “fake news”, whether we make pro-environmental choices or engage in health-promoting behaviours (sun protection or physical exercise, for example).

    To increase vaccination coverage, governments often use education campaigns that emphasise the safety, effectiveness and importance of vaccination. However, these campaigns don’t always succeed in reducing feelings of uncertainty about vaccination.



    Read more:
    Vaccine hesitancy is one of the greatest threats to global health – and the pandemic has made it worse

    We wanted to know why, and we thought mental flexibility might play a role. To test this, we surveyed 601 New Zealanders on their opinions and experiences of vaccination.

    Some questions asked about external factors, such as how easy they thought it was to access or afford vaccines. Other questions asked about internal factors, such as personal beliefs about vaccination, perceptions of their own heath, and how important or safe they thought vaccines were.

    Overall, our participants reported few external barriers to vaccination, with 97% saying they found vaccines accessible or affordable. These percentages are promising, and may reflect the government’s continued efforts to make it easier to get a vaccine.

    In comparison, internal factors played a larger role in vaccine uncertainty or hesitancy. In particular, nearly a quarter (22%) of participants reported concerns about the health risks of vaccines. And 12% said they didn’t trust the processes or people who developed vaccines.

    Health information campaigns don’t always succeed in reducing anxiety or uncertainty.
    Getty Images

    Testing adaptive behaviour

    We also asked our participants to play a game designed to measure mental flexibility.

    This involved matching cards based on a rule – for example, match the cards with the same number of objects. The rule would randomly change during the game, meaning participants had to adapt their behaviour as the game went on.

    Interestingly, people who found it harder to adapt to the rule changes (meaning they had lower levels of mental flexibility) also reported more internal barriers to vaccination.

    For example, when we split participants into two groups based on their mental flexibility, the low-flexibility group was 18% more likely to say vaccination was inconsistent with their beliefs. They were also 14% more likely to say they didn’t trust vaccines, and 11% more likely to report concerns about the negative side effects of vaccines.

    This wasn’t the case for external factors. Mental flexibility didn’t predict whether people thought vaccines were accessible or affordable.

    Information is sometimes not enough

    These results suggest making decisions about our health – including whether or not to get vaccinated – depends on more than receiving the “right” information.

    Simply being told about the importance of vaccination may not be enough to change attitudes or behaviours. It also depends on each person’s unique cognitive style – the way they perceive and process information.

    Declining vaccination rates have been a concern worldwide, including in New Zealand, since well before the pandemic. Our findings suggest health education campaigns may be more effective if they take into account the role of cognitive flexibility.

    One technique is to change the way information is framed. For example, instead of just presenting facts about the safety or importance of vaccination, education campaigns could encourage us to question our own perspectives, or to imagine alternative realities by asking “what if?” questions.

    Research shows this type of framing can engage our deliberative thought processes (the ones that help us to think deeply and critically), increase mental flexibility, and ultimately make us more receptive to change.

    Stephanie Gomes-Ng received funding from the Ember Korowai Takitini Trust for this research. The funders had no influence over the study’s conceptualisation, design, methodology, data collection or interpretation, nor the decision to publish.

    – ref. Being mentally flexible might influence our attitudes to vaccination, a new study shows – https://theconversation.com/being-mentally-flexible-might-influence-our-attitudes-to-vaccination-a-new-study-shows-241559

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Abortion is back in the headlines in Australia. The debates in the United States tell us why

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Prudence Flowers, Senior Lecturer in US History, College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, Flinders University

    The 2022 news that the US Supreme Court had overturned Roe v Wade and ended the constitutional right to abortion sent shockwaves around the world.

    For Australian opponents of abortion who had long looked to the US for leadership and inspiration, it prompted rejoicing.

    As a leader of Cherish Life Queensland put it, “if the USA can do it, with God’s help, so can we”.

    In late 2024, the abortion issue has suddenly erupted in Queensland and South Australia. A subset of local conservatives, energised by the fall of Roe v Wade and the example of Donald Trump, are embracing the divisive “culture war” tactics that dominate US politics.

    Abortion and Australian politics in 2024

    In the 2020 Queensland election, the Liberal National Party (LNP) has promised a “review” of the legislation that had decriminalised abortion two years prior. However, the party has spent most of the 2024 campaign studiously avoiding the issue.

    That is, until Robbie Katter MP, of Katter’s Australia Party, threw a spanner in the works.

    On October 8, Katter announced that if the LNP won, as was widely predicted, he would immediately introduce a private member’s bill to repeal the state abortion law.

    LNP leader David Crisafulli, who voted against decriminalisation, insists that changing the law is “not part of our plan”.

    However, last week Crisafulli was asked 132 times about abortion and the issue of conscience votes and refused to provide a clear answer.

    In the final leaders’ debate on Tuesday night, Crisafulli finally said there would be no change to abortion law and he was “pro-choice”.

    However, that is unlikely to be the end of the issue – opposition to abortion runs deep in the LNP.

    Party policy in 2018 was that abortion should remain a criminal offence. Despite being a conscience vote, the three LNP members who voted for decriminalisation were threatened with “punishment” afterwards.

    In 2024, several new anti–abortion candidates are running for the LNP. Former Liberal senator Amanda Stoker is a particularly high-profile one, having repeatedly addressed the Brisbane March for Life rally.

    The furore over the future of reproductive rights in Queensland occurred in parallel with controversy over anti-abortion legislation introduced by state Liberal MP Ben Hood in South Australia.

    His bill required anyone needing to end a pregnancy after 28 weeks to have labour induced and for the baby to be delivered alive, regardless of the health outcomes for the pregnant person or infant.

    Peak medical and legal bodies condemned the bill, which critics described as a “forced birth” measure. It was narrowly defeated in the upper house on October 16.

    Federally, Senator Jacinta Price has also called for abortion to be back on the “national agenda” and condemned abortion after the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Her stance is out of step with abortion law in all Australian jurisdictions.



    Read more:
    Abortion is now legal across Australia – but it’s still hard to access. Doctors are both the problem and the solution

    Public and party opinion

    This sudden uptick in anti-abortion politics does not reflect Australian attitudes.

    A 2024 poll found 75% of Queenslanders agreed that decriminalising abortion had been the right action.

    This view was shared across partisan and geographical lines, held by 73% of LNP voters and 78% of regional Queenslanders.

    Historian Cassandra Byrnes demonstrates that these pro-choice attitudes have deep roots. A majority of the public opposed the police raids on abortion clinics that occurred under Nationals premier Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen.

    A 2020 poll of South Australians found 80% supported decriminalisation. And 63% considered that later abortion should be available “when the woman and her healthcare team decide it is necessary”.

    The LNP’s hostility towards decriminalisation was also markedly different from the approach in other states.

    Notably, in both New South Wales and South Australia, prominent Liberals, including premiers, voted to decriminalise abortion.

    In South Australia, two senior Liberals, Minister for Human Services Michelle Lensink and Attorney-General Vickie Chapman, led the cross-party group that achieved law reform.

    Importing the culture wars

    When Australian states and territories debated decriminalisation, anti-abortion opponents relied heavily on tactics, pseudoscientific evidence and outright misinformation that first emerged in the United States.



    Read more:
    How the US right-to-life movement is influencing the abortion debate in Australia

    For example, in 2008, one Victorian group controversially distributed graphic photographs of aborted fetuses, and American diagrams and descriptions of later abortion procedures.

    Now, as Australian conservatives seek to reopen the debate over abortion, American influence underpins the rhetoric and framing.

    For decades, opponents of abortion in the United States focused on chipping away abortion rights and eroding access. They never accepted that abortion was health care.

    Since 1995, their central focus was also on the statistically rare abortions performed after 20 weeks gestation. This focus has been imported wholesale into Australia.

    The anti-abortion activism surrounding Hood’s bill reflects these approaches. Opponents of abortions waged a broad and stigmatising campaign against abortion after 22 weeks and six days, the legal point in South Australia after which two medical practitioners must approve an abortion.

    Hood’s bill is best interpreted as an anti-abortion “messaging” exercise rather than a genuine attempt to amend the law.

    For decades, this was the default tactic motivating Republicans when they introduced extreme, unenforceable bills. The purpose was not legislative change but to amplify their rhetoric and arguments and energise conservative voters.

    Opposition to abortion is also part of a broader rightward shift taking place among some state Liberal branches.

    In South Australia, conservatives launched a power grab after abortion was decriminalised in 2021. This included a significant recruitment drive among Pentecostals.

    A similar recruiting focus on conservative religious faith groups has also occurred in Victoria, triggered by LGBTQI+ victories.

    In South Australia, the party takeover is openly led by Senator Alex Antic. He made a name for himself through his hostility to COVID-19 vaccines and his opposition to trans and abortion rights.

    Antic praises Trump and seeks out connections with conservatives who are or have been close to him, including Steven Bannon and Donald Trump junior.

    Meanwhile, in Queensland, Crisafulli’s desperate efforts not to be pinned down on abortion offer a local version of themes in the 2024 presidential election.

    Because Republicans have experienced significant voter backlash over abortion, Trump has charted an uneasy course.

    Trump claims sole responsibility for the end of Roe v Wade while simultaneously denying any connection to the abortion bans now in place in many states.

    Like Crisafulli, Trump has been unclear about what his victory would mean for reproductive rights.

    Political commentator Mark Kenny concludes that an “ideological battle” is unfolding among Australian Liberals.

    As in the United States, unwavering hostility to abortion is proving central to these politicians as a way to signify their priorities to voters and define themselves against others in their party.

    Prudence Flowers has received funding from the South Australian Department of Human Services. She is a member of the South Australian Abortion Action Coalition.

    – ref. Abortion is back in the headlines in Australia. The debates in the United States tell us why – https://theconversation.com/abortion-is-back-in-the-headlines-in-australia-the-debates-in-the-united-states-tell-us-why-241778

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –