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  • MIL-OSI Australia: Thursday, 03 October 2024

    Source: Victoria Country Fire Authority

    Fire Danger Ratings tell you how dangerous a fire could be if one started.

    They are important because they help you decide what actions to take to protect yourself and others from bushfires and grassfires.

    A new Fire Danger Rating system was introduced in 2022 across Australia so whether you’re at home or travelling, you will see the same rating system. 

    The new Fire Danger Ratings

    There are four levels of fire danger in the new system:

    • Moderate – Plan and prepare
    • High – Be ready to act
    • Extreme – Take action now to protect your life and property
    • Catastrophic – For your survival, leave bushfire risk areas

    Fire Danger Ratings will be issued on days when there is a fire risk.

    Each fire danger rating will have a clear set of messages including the actions the community can take to reduce their risk.

    Ratings are forecast using Bureau of Meteorology data for up to four days in advance, based on weather and other environmental conditions such as vegetation.

    The rating is your trigger to take action to stay safe.

    What do the ratings mean and what should you do?

    CATASTROPHIC

    What does it mean?

    If a fire starts and takes hold, lives are likely to be lost.

    • These are the most dangerous conditions for a fire.

    What should I do?

    For your survival, leave bushfire risk areas.

    • Your life may depend on the decisions you make, even before there is a fire.
    • For your survival, do not be in bushfire risk areas.
    • Stay safe by going to a safer location early in the morning or the night before.
    • Homes cannot withstand fires in these conditions. You may not be able to leave and help may not be available.

    EXTREME

    What does it mean?

    Fires will spread quickly and be extremely dangerous.

    • These are dangerous fire conditions.
    • Expect hot, dry and windy conditions.

    What should I do?

    Take action now to protect your life and property

    • Check your bushfire plan and that your property is fire ready
    • If a fire starts, take immediate action. If you and your property are not prepared to the highest level, go to a safer location well before the fire impacts.
    • Reconsider travel through bushfire risk areas.
    • Leaving bushfire risk areas early in the day is your safest option.

    HIGH

    What does it mean?

    Fires can be dangerous.

    What should I do?

    Be ready to act.

    • There’s a heightened risk. Be alert for fires in your area.
    • Decide what you will do if a fire starts.
    • If a fire starts, your life and property may be at risk. The safest option is to avoid bushfire risk areas.

    MODERATE

    What does it mean?

    Most fires can be controlled.

    What should I do?

    Plan and prepare.

    • Stay up to date and be ready to act if there is a fire.

    NO RATING

    The system also introduces an ‘off’ level for days where no proactive action is required by the community. This does not mean that fires cannot happen, but that they are not likely to move or act in a way that threatens the safety of the community. This rating is the thin white wedge on the colour wheel sitting under ‘Moderate’.

    Find out more

    To see the current Fire Danger Rating forecast across the state see Total Fire Bans & Fire Danger Ratings. To see the Fire Danger Rating forecast for where you are, see CFA Local.

    For more detailed information, check out the Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities (AFAC) website and FAQs, or Prepare and Get Ready – VicEmergency

     

    Page last updated:  Wednesday, 6 March 2024 9:16:53 AM

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Scientists recently studied the body of one of the world’s strongest men. This is what they found

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Justin Keogh, Associate Dean of Research, Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Bond University

    The development of “superhuman” strength and power has long been admired in many cultures across the world.

    This may reflect the importance of these physical fitness characteristics in many facets of our lives from pre-history to today: hunting and gathering, the construction of large buildings and monuments, war, and more recently, sport.

    Potentially, the current peak of human strength and power is demonstrated in the sport of strongman.

    What is strongman?

    Strongman is becoming more common, with competitions now available at regional, national and international levels for men and women of different ages and sizes.



    Read more:
    Strongman used to be seen as a super-human novelty sport. Now more women and novices are turning to it

    Strongman training and competitions typically involve a host of traditional barbell-based exercises including squats, deadlifts and presses but also specific strongman events.

    The specific strongman events – such as the vehicle pull, farmer’s walk, sandbag/keg toss or stones lift – often require competitors to move a range of awkward, heavy implements either higher, faster or with more repetitions in a given time period than their competitors.

    Researching one of the greats

    Strongman has enjoyed substantial growth and development since the introduction of the World’s Strongest Man competition in the late 1970s.

    However, from a scientific perspective, there are few published studies focusing on athletes at the elite level.

    In particular, very little is currently known about the overall amount of muscle mass these athletes possess, how their mass is distributed across individual muscles and to what extent their tendon characteristics differ to people who are not training.

    However a recent study sought to shed some light on these extreme athletes. It examined the muscle and tendon morphology (structure) of one of the world’s strongest ever men – England’s Eddie Hall.

    Measuring an exceptionally strong person such as Hall – who produced a 500kg world record deadlift and won the “World’s Strongest Man” competition in 2017 – provided the opportunity to understand what specific muscle and tendon characteristics may have contributed to his incredible strength.

    Eddie Hall is one of world strongman’s finest competitors.

    What can we learn from a single case study?

    A limited number of athletes reach the truly elite level of strongman and even fewer set world records or win premier events.

    Because it’s so difficult to recruit even a small group of such rare athletes, conducting a case study with one elite strongman provided a unique opportunity to understand more about his muscle and tendon characteristics.

    Case studies have many limitations, including an inability to determine cause and effect or generalise findings to other individuals from the same group.

    However, the study of Hall was insightful, as his muscle and tendon results could be compared directly with various groups from the authors’ earlier published research.

    These groups included untrained people, people who have regularly resistance trained for several years, and competitive track sprinters.

    The inclusion of these comparative populations allowed meaningful interpretation of what makes Hall’s muscle and tendon characteristics so special.

    What they found

    Hall’s lower body muscle size was almost twice that of an untrained group of healthy active young men.

    And the manner in which his muscle mass was distributed across his lower body exhibited a very specific pattern.

    Three long thin muscles, referred to as “guy ropes”, were particularly large (some 2.5 to three times bigger) compared to untrained people.

    The guy rope muscles connect to the shin bone via a shared tendon and provide stability to the thigh and hips by fanning out and attaching to the pelvis at diverse locations.

    Highly developed guy rope muscles would be expected to offer enhanced stability with heavy lifting, carrying and pulling.

    Hall’s thigh (quadriceps) muscle structure was more than twice that of untrained people, yet the tendon at the knee that is connected to this muscle group was only 30% larger than an untrained population.

    This finding indicates muscle and tendon growth, within this case of extreme quadriceps muscle development, do not occur to the same extent.

    What do the results mean?

    The obvious implication is, the larger the relevant muscles, the greater the potential for strength and power.

    However, sports like strongman and even everyday activities like climbing stairs, carrying groceries and lifting objects off the ground require the coordinated activity of many stabilising muscles as well as major propulsive muscles such as the quadriceps.

    While Hall’s quadriceps were substantially bigger than untrained people, the largest relative differences occurred in the calves and the long thin “guy rope” muscles that help stabilise the hip and knee.

    These results pose a question about whether additional or more specific training for these smaller muscles may further enhance strength and power.

    This could benefit strongman athletes as well as everyday people.

    Also, the relatively small differences in tendon size between Hall and untrained populations suggests tendons do not grow to the same extent as muscles do.

    As muscular forces are transmitted through tendons to the bones, the substantially greater growth of muscle than tendon may mean athletes such as Hall have a greater relative risk of tendon than muscle injury.

    This view is somewhat consistent with the high proportion of tendinitis and strains reported in strength sport athletes, including strongman and weightlifters.

    Justin Keogh is the Associate Dean of Research, Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Bond University, an exercise scientist and a former strongman competitor.

    Tom Balshaw is a Lecturer in Kinesiology, Strength and Conditioning employed by Loughborough University

    – ref. Scientists recently studied the body of one of the world’s strongest men. This is what they found – https://theconversation.com/scientists-recently-studied-the-body-of-one-of-the-worlds-strongest-men-this-is-what-they-found-238873

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Can Australia prosecute foreigners for genocide overseas? Here’s how our atrocity laws work

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alister McKeich, Lecturer and Researcher in Law, Criminology and Indigenous Studies, Victoria University, Victoria University

    Shutterstock

    The onslaught in the Middle East has brought to the world’s attention once again the “crime of crimes”, genocide.

    Both the the International Court of Justice and International Criminal Court (ICC) have brought allegations of genocide against Israel as a state and Israeli and Hamas leaders as individuals.

    The Australian government’s response to the Gaza crisis has included temporarily freezing of A$6 million of funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine. Though funding has been flowing again since March, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been referred to the ICC by a law firm for being “an accessory to genocide”.

    Against this backdrop, Australia’s own genocide legislation is under parliamentary scrutiny. A bill tabled by independent Senator Lidia Thorpe (for whom I work as a casual legal researcher) seeks to change the way Australia deals with genocide.

    So what do our current laws say and what’s the case for changing them?

    What do our laws say?

    Australia ratified the Genocide Convention in 1949.

    Yet it was not until 2002, once the ICC was established, that the Commonwealth Criminal Code was amended to create a new division of atrocity crimes.

    Through this legislation, Australia may prosecute any person accused of a Rome Statute crime (such as genocide) under Australian law.

    At the moment, written consent from the attorney-general is required before legal proceedings about genocide and other atrocity crimes can commence. This is called the “attorney-general’s fiat”.

    Further, the attorney-general’s decision is final. It “must not be challenged, appealed against, reviewed, quashed or called into question”.

    Thorpe’s bill seeks to overturn these two measures.

    The explanatory memorandum in the 2002 amendment did not say why the attorney-general’s consent was necessary.

    Consent from an attorney-general (or similar position) is not an international requirement.

    Australia is only one of a handful of other countries (including the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Canada) where the fiat also exists.

    Why is it a problem?

    The Australian government has justified the rule on the basis that prosecutions for atrocity crimes against individuals could affect Australia’s international relations and national security.

    However, submissions from legal experts and community groups to a senate inquiry looking at the issue point out flaws.

    They say this rule prevents access to justice for victims and survivors of atrocity crimes. It can also create the potential for government bias.

    Submissions also say the lack of explanation or appeal process ignores fundamental principles of jurisprudence.

    Has the rule been used?

    The attorney-general’s fiat has been used in a limited number of cases.

    In 2009, Palestinian rights groups Australians for Palestine issued a request for consent for the prosecution of former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert, who was visiting at the time.

    The Australian Centre for International Justice states in its submission how then-attorney-general Robert McClellend denied the request. He cited matters of international state sovereignty and the difficulties of pursuing such a case in an overseas jurisdiction.

    Then, in 2011, Arunchalam Jegastheeswaran, an Australian citizen of Tamil
    background, sought the attorney-general’s consent for the prosecution of then Sri Lankan President, Mahinda Rajapaksa, who was due to visit Australia.

    McClellend again denied the request, saying Rajapaska was protected under “head of state immunity”. This concept is controversial in international law, given it’s often heads of state who commit atrocity crimes.

    Head of state protection was also offered to former Myanmar (Burma) leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who was in government when the 2017 genocide against the Rohingya was committed.

    With Suu Kyi due to be in Australia for an ASEAN conference in 2018, the Australian Rohingya community sought a prosecution. It was denied by then attorney-general Christian Porter.

    And in 2019, retired Sri Lankan General Jagath Jayasuriya visited Australia. Despite concerted efforts to raise evidence to prosecute Jayasuriya of war crimes, delays with the Australian Federal Police meant the case never reached the point of attorney-general consent.

    First Nations plaintiffs such as Paul Coe and Robert Thorpe have also sought to bring cases of genocide before the domestic courts, with no success.

    What would changing the laws mean?

    As it’s unlikely an attorney-general would consent to prosecutions against its own government, submissions to the inquiry argue the rule creates a direct conflict of interest.

    For First Nations people seeking justice for crimes of “ongoing genocide” perpetuated by the Commonwealth, any government is hardly going to rule in their favour.

    Some Indigenous community groups argue the high rates of First Nations children in protection, deaths in custody, hyper-incarceration and cultural, land and environmental damage amount to genocide crimes.

    Submissions to the inquiry recommend instead of requiring the consent of the attorney-general, claims of genocide should be directed to the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions. This would ensure greater independence from government.

    The director has a mandate for this sort of work. It already investigates similar crimes such as people smuggling, human trafficking, slavery and child exploitation.

    Internationally, the implications of this bill, if passed, will be consequential. The Australian Centre for International Justice estimates up to 1,000 Australian citizens have returned to Israel to fight as part of the Israel Defense Forces. Israel has been accused of serious atrocity crimes in Gaza.

    Should any of those citizens return, there could be attempts to mount a case. The government would then have to consider Australia’s political and economic ties with Israel.

    Whether the bill is passed will depend on parliament. But the situation highlights a paradox: the state itself will be deciding whether to remove its own inbuilt protections against charges of genocide.

    Alister McKeich is a casual legal researcher with the office of Senator Lidia Thorpe.

    – ref. Can Australia prosecute foreigners for genocide overseas? Here’s how our atrocity laws work – https://theconversation.com/can-australia-prosecute-foreigners-for-genocide-overseas-heres-how-our-atrocity-laws-work-236394

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Police call for information on Te Kamo aggravated robbery

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Police are appealing for community members who have information about those responsible for a Te Kamo aggravated robbery to come forward.

    Whangārei CIB has been investigating since the events of Saturday evening at a residential address on Te Puia Street.

    Detective Senior Sergeant John Clayton says the victim suffered facial injuries as a result of the offenders’ actions.

    “At this point in our enquiries, we know three offenders entered the property at about 8.30pm,” he says.

    “The victim was the sole occupant at the time and was assaulted by these offenders, suffering facial injuries as well as having several teeth knocked out.

    “Ambulance staff treated the man at the scene, but he is extremely shaken by the events of Saturday night.” 

    Cash and jewellery were stolen from the property.

    “There is no place for such unnecessary violence in our community,” Detective Senior Sergeant Clayton says.

    “People in the community associated with these offenders will know exactly what they have done, and now is the time for them to do the right thing.”

    Detective Senior Sergeant Clayton says the community can report information anonymously and in confidence.

    People can contact Crime Stoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

    Alternatively, if you have information, please update us online now or call 105.

    Please use the reference number 240929/0748.

    ENDS.

    Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Murder charge laid in homicide investigation

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Police have laid a charge over a man’s suspicious death at Mt Eden Corrections Facility on Friday.

    Today, Police can name the man who died as Andrew Chan Chui, aged 39, of Ōtāhuhu.

    Detective Inspector Glenn Baldwin, of Auckland City CIB, says a post-mortem examination and formal identification were carried out over the weekend.

    Today, investigation staff have charged another inmate, a 23-year-old man, with Mr Chan Chui’s murder.

    “He is expected to appear in the Auckland District Court on Thursday, appearing via Audio Visual Link,” Detective Inspector Baldwin says.

    “We are in ongoing contact with Mr Chan Chui’s family, and as part of this we are ensuring that they have support in place.”

    Mr Chan Chui’s family have asked for privacy as they continue to grieve.

    ENDS.

    Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Changing of the guard at the NDIS Commission

    Source: Australian Ministers for Social Services

    Minister for the NDIS the Hon. Bill Shorten MP has thanked outgoing Acting NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commissioner Michael Phelan APM for his outstanding contribution to the NDIS Commission over the last six months, as new Commissioner Louise Glanville and Associate Commissioner Natalie Wade prepare to take the helm from tomorrow.

    Minister Shorten said Acting Commissioner Phelan’s strong focus on weeding out unscrupulous providers while strengthening the NDIS Commission’s processes and keeping a focus on safeguarding the rights of people with disability, had resulted in significant improvements.

    “Mike Phelan was absolutely the right person for the tough gig of leading the NDIS Commission into its next phase as a trusted and effective regulator of the NDIS,” Minister Shorten said.

    “While the initial Acting Commissioner role was only for three months, Mike agreed to stay on for an additional three months while we found the right replacement, because he understood the importance of the Commission’s role.

    “The improvements that have been made in that short time have been extraordinary and are due in large part to Mike’s extensive experience in the policing and financial crime worlds but are also a testament to the inherent empathy and humanity of the man himself.

    “Mike has been an exceptional leader who has guided the NDIS Commission to a new stage of maturity, to become a regulator with teeth.”

    To enable this evolution, the Australian Government last year invested in an effective doubling of the NDIS Commission workforce, and over the next four years the organisation will be strengthening its systems and capabilities through the $160 million Data and Regulatory Transformation (DART) Program.

    Minister Shorten said during Acting Commissioner Phelan’s tenure the NDIS Commission:

    • Initiated the design of a fit-for-purpose risk-based Prioritisation Model to ensure the NDIS Commission’s resources are directed to the matters of the highest priority
    • Implemented a state-of-the-art communication system in the Contact Centre, that has resulted in twice as many calls handled
    • Advocated for the proposed reforms to registration to be prioritised, which will commence with compulsory registration for platform providers, support coordinators and SIL providers
    • Strengthened compliance and enforcement processes and prioritised intelligence functions to maximise the return on the Australian Government’s investment in DART
    • Commissioned an external Human Resources review to bolster the NDIS Commission’s HR function as it matures
    • Appointed the firm led by former Australian Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick to lead a comprehensive review into the workplace culture of the NDIS Commission.

    “Mike has made an invaluable contribution in his short time at the NDIS Commission, and I wholeheartedly thank him for his commitment, his leadership and his dedication to realising the potential of the organisation,” Minister Shorten said.

    “From tomorrow, the NDIS Commission welcomes new Commissioner Louise Glanville, who is highly experienced in both the legal and disability sectors, and who will be tasked with picking up what Mike has started and delivering on this incredibly important program of work.

    “Natalie Wade, who is an experienced disability rights lawyer and advocate, will also be joining the NDIS Commission as Associate Commissioner, with responsibility for registration and reform.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: End of free RAT tests means more exposure to virus

    Source: Green Party

    The end of free Rapid Antigen Tests today is another sign the Government is giving up on the challenge of protecting the community from Covid-19.

    “We cannot afford to become complacent with Covid, testing is a tool that should remain accessible to all,” says the Green Party’s Health spokesperson, Hūhana Lyndon.

    “Testing is critical to protection, alerting people when they have Covid and when they should avoid interacting with others. It’s one of the most effective things we can do to help protect our immunocompromised and elderly communities. 

    “By withdrawing funding for tests, many will miss out, which could lead to the virus spreading and proliferating under the radar. The Government is effectively waving a white flag for this deadly virus to spread more through our communities when the need for protection remains high. 

    “The Health Ministry still advises people who are symptomatic to test and take precautions against spreading the virus, so it also should provide access to testing.

    “At up to $11.00 per test it is a cost that many families cannot afford – especially under the current government’s regime, which is leaving so many behind. 

    “While members of this coalition Government may like to think the pandemic never happened, it is clear that the legacy of the virus lives on. 

    “Many people became ill with different strains of Covid this past Winter season, and remain sick. As people socialise more towards the end of year, the risk of Covid spreading doesn’t simply abate.

    “We must ensure RAT tests are not just accessible for those who can afford it,” says Hūhana Lyndon.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Invaluable growth on NZDF’s Lead Capability Programme

    Source: Leadership Development Centre

    Nick Ritchie, Strategic Advisor – Chief Executive Succession Planning at Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission relished the opportunity to have free and frank conversations with other leaders as part of New Zealand Defence Force’s (NZDF) Lead Capability programme.

    Based in Upper Hutt over 8 days, Nick connected with a diverse group of leaders across the Public Service and New Zealand Defence Force. Alongside classroom activities as a group, leaders were split into smaller syndicates to review their Hogan 360 assessments and discuss learnings from the main class. Nick found these syndicate discussions particularly valuable.

    “The free and frank conversations gave you a real chance to discuss aspects of leadership and how to adjust your style depending on your Hogan’s scores and the context of your role.

    “Understanding challenges or potential derailers as a leader and then looking at methods to mitigate these challenges were invaluable to my growth as a person and a leader.”

    Nick’s syndicate of leaders on Lead Capability. 

    Nick initially applied for the programme as he sought a leadership development opportunity with a strong operational element to support his work at the Commission.

    “I think it really helped me implement strategies to cut through ambiguity and focus on delivering the key outcomes of my role.  It also helped to shape the way I interact with my 1 up or 2 up managers.  For example, how to effectively present challenges and solutions to senior leaders in the most efficient manner as well as understanding the key pieces of context they would need from you to make effective operational decisions.”

    Another aspect of the course Nick enjoyed was the diversity of leaders.

    “One of the Air Force members of my syndicate was one of the first trained pilots on the P8 while the Army Officers has completed two tours of Afghanistan. NZDF leaders were equally interested in the work we do at the Commission.”

    Nick is still in touch with members of his syndicate and enjoys getting updates on how everyone is doing particularly the ones who have been deployed overseas.

    Nick’s cohort of New Zealand Defence Force’s Lead Capability.

    Applications for Public Service leaders to join New Zealand Defence Force leadership development programmes are now open with spaces available on Lead Capability. Learn more on the NZDF programme page.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Online spaces are rife with toxicity. Well-designed AI tools can help clean them up

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lucy Sparrow, Lecturer in Human-Computer Interaction, The University of Melbourne

    MMD Creative/Shutterstock

    Imagine scrolling through social media or playing an online game, only to be interrupted by insulting and harassing comments. What if an artificial intelligence (AI) tool stepped in to remove the abuse before you even saw it?

    This isn’t science fiction. Commercial AI tools like ToxMod and Bodyguard.ai are already used to monitor interactions in real time across social media and gaming platforms. They can detect and respond to toxic behaviour.

    The idea of an all-seeing AI monitoring our every move might sound Orwellian, but these tools could be key to making the internet a safer place.

    However, for AI moderation to succeed, it needs to prioritise values like privacy, transparency, explainability and fairness. So can we ensure AI can be trusted to make our online spaces better? Our two recent research projects into AI-driven moderation show this can be done – with more work ahead of us.

    Negativity thrives online

    Online toxicity is a growing problem. Nearly half of young Australians have experienced some form of negative online interaction, with almost one in five experiencing cyberbullying.

    Whether it’s a single offensive comment or a sustained slew of harassment, such harmful interactions are part of daily life for many internet users.

    The severity of online toxicity is one reason the Australian government has proposed banning social media for children under 14.

    But this approach fails to fully address a core underlying problem: the design of online platforms and moderation tools. We need to rethink how online platforms are designed to minimise harmful interactions for all users, not just children.

    Unfortunately, many tech giants with power over our online activities have been slow to take on more responsibility, leaving significant gaps in moderation and safety measures.

    This is where proactive AI moderation offers the chance to create safer, more respectful online spaces. But can AI truly deliver on this promise? Here’s what we found.

    ‘Havoc’ in online multiplayer games

    In our Games and Artificial Intelligence Moderation (GAIM) Project, we set out to understand the ethical opportunities and pitfalls of AI-driven moderation in online multiplayer games. We conducted 26 in-depth interviews with players and industry professionals to find out how they use and think about AI in these spaces.

    Interviewees saw AI as a necessary tool to make games safer and combat the “havoc” caused by toxicity. With millions of players, human moderators can’t catch everything. But an untiring and proactive AI can pick up what humans miss, helping reduce the stress and burnout associated with moderating toxic messages.

    But many players also expressed confusion about the use of AI moderation. They didn’t understand why they received account suspensions, bans and other punishments, and were often left frustrated that their own reports of toxic behaviour seemed to be lost to the void, unanswered.

    Participants were especially worried about privacy in situations where AI is used to moderate voice chat in games. One player exclaimed: “my god, is that even legal?” It is – and it’s already happening in popular online games such as Call of Duty.

    Our study revealed there’s tremendous positive potential for AI moderation. However, games and social media companies will need to do a lot more work to make these systems transparent, empowering and trustworthy.

    Right now, AI moderation is seen to operate much like a police officer in an opaque justice system. What if AI instead took the form of a teacher, guardian, or upstander – educating, empowering or supporting users?

    Enter AI Ally

    This is where our second project AI Ally comes in, an initiative funded by the eSafety Commissioner. In response to high rates of tech-based gendered violence in Australia, we are co-designing an AI tool to support girls, women and gender-diverse individuals in navigating safer online spaces.

    We surveyed 230 people from these groups, and found that 44% of our respondents “often” or “always” experienced gendered harassment on at least one social media platform. It happened most frequently in response to everyday online activities like posting photos of themselves, particularly in the form of sexist comments.

    Interestingly, our respondents reported that documenting instances of online abuse was especially useful when they wanted to support other targets of harassment, such as by gathering screenshots of abusive comments. But only a few of those surveyed did this in practice. Understandably, many also feared for their own safety should they intervene by defending someone or even speaking up in a public comment thread.

    These are worrying findings. In response, we are designing our AI tool as an optional dashboard that detects and documents toxic comments. To help guide us in the design process, we have created a set of “personas” that capture some of our target users, inspired by our survey respondents.

    Some of the user ‘personas’ guiding the development of the AI Ally tool.
    Ren Galwey/Research Rendered

    We allow users to make their own decisions about whether to filter, flag, block or report harassment in efficient ways that align with their own preferences and personal safety.

    In this way, we hope to use AI to offer young people easy-to-access support in managing online safety while offering autonomy and a sense of empowerment.

    We can all play a role

    AI Ally shows we can use AI to help make online spaces safer without having to sacrifice values like transparency and user control. But there is much more to be done.

    Other, similar initiatives include Harassment Manager, which was designed to identify and document abuse on Twitter (now X), and HeartMob, a community where targets of online harassment can seek support.

    Until ethical AI practices are more widely adopted, users must stay informed. Before joining a platform, check if they are transparent about their policies and offer user control over moderation settings.

    The internet connects us to resources, work, play and community. Everyone has the right to access these benefits without harassment and abuse. It’s up to all of us to be proactive and advocate for smarter, more ethical technology that protects our values and our digital spaces.

    The AI Ally team consists of Dr Mahli-Ann Butt, Dr Lucy Sparrow, Dr Eduardo Oliveira, Ren Galwey, Dahlia Jovic, Sable Wang-Wills, Yige Song and Maddy Weeks.

    Dr Lucy Sparrow receives funding from the eSafety Commissioner’s Preventing Tech-Based Abuse Against Women grant program for the “AI Ally” project.

    Dr Eduardo Oliveira receives funding from the eSafety Commissioner’s Preventing Tech-Based Abuse Against Women grant program for the “AI Ally” project.

    Dr Mahli-Ann Butt receives funding from the eSafety Commissioner’s Preventing Tech-Based Abuse Against Women grant program for the “AI Ally” project.

    – ref. Online spaces are rife with toxicity. Well-designed AI tools can help clean them up – https://theconversation.com/online-spaces-are-rife-with-toxicity-well-designed-ai-tools-can-help-clean-them-up-239590

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: City strategy outlines vision for future land use planning and development

    Source: Government of Western Australia

    Community consultation for the City of Wanneroo’s Draft Local Planning Strategy opens this week and residents and local business owners are encouraged to share their views.

    The Strategy is intended to guide future land use planning and development in the City and focusses on facilitating urban growth while providing housing diversity, supporting economic growth, delivering quality public spaces and protecting our environmental and community assets.

    All community members are invited to complete our online survey or attend our drop-in sessions to provide feedback and help shape the future of the City.

    Mayor Linda Aitken said the document was the City’s first Local Planning Strategy and encouraged residents to have their say.

    “As one of the State’s fastest growing local government areas, the City continues to play an important role in accommodating population growth, supporting economic opportunities, delivering connected infrastructure, all while balancing our impact on the environment,” she said.

    “Our community wants diverse housing choices, a range of transport services and infrastructure to support walking, cycling, public transport and car use.

    “The Strategy aims to protect our unique local character and sense of place while we plan for future growth and development.”

    Once finalised, the Strategy will inform a new Planning Scheme, as well as land use plans and policies.

    Have your say at here or access a hard copy at the Civic Centre.

    Community drop-in sessions

    • Thursday 10 October, 5pm to 7pm, Pearsall Hocking Community Centre, Pearsall
    • Tuesday 15 October, 5pm to 7pm, Phil Renkin Function Room, Two Rocks
    • Thursday 17 October, 5pm to 7pm, Community Centre Activity room, Koondoola

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Kamala Harris the slight favourite to win US election as she narrowly leads in key states

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

    The US presidential election will be held on November 5. In analyst Nate Silver’s aggregate of national polls, Democrat Kamala Harris leads Republican Donald Trump by 49.3–46.0 – a slight widening of the competition since last Monday, when Harris led Trump by 49.2–46.2.

    President Joe Biden’s final position before his withdrawal as Democratic candidate on July 21 was a national poll deficit against Trump of 45.2–41.2.

    There will be a debate on Tuesday evening US time between the vice-presidential candidates, Democrat Tim Walz and Republican JD Vance. Vice-presidential debates in previous elections have not had a significant influence on the contest.

    The US president isn’t elected by the national popular vote, but by the Electoral College, in which each state receives electoral votes equal to its federal House seats (population based) and senators (always two). Almost all states award their electoral votes as winner-takes-all, and it takes 270 electoral votes to win (out of 538 total).

    The Electoral College is biased to Trump relative to the national popular vote, with Harris needing at least a two-point popular vote win in Silver’s model to be the Electoral College favourite.

    In Silver’s polling averages, Harris leads Trump by one to two points in Pennsylvania (19 electoral votes), Michigan (15), Wisconsin (ten) and Nevada (six). If Harris wins all these states, she is likely to win the Electoral College by at least a 276–262 margin. Trump is ahead by less than a point in North Carolina (16 electoral votes) and Georgia (16), and if Harris wins both, she wins by 308–230.

    In Silver’s model, Harris has a 56% chance to win the Electoral College, up from 54% last Monday but down from her peak of 58% two days ago. Earlier this month, there were large differences in win probability between Silver’s model and the FiveThirtyEight model, which was more favourable to Harris. But these models have nearly converged, with FiveThirtyEight now giving Harris a 59% win probability.

    There are still more than five weeks until election day, so polls could change in either Trump’s or Harris’ favour by then. Harris’ one to two point leads in the key states are tenuous, and this explains why Trump is still rated a good chance to win.

    Silver wrote on September 1 that polls in 2020 and 2016 were biased against Trump, but polls in 2012 were biased against Barack Obama. In the last two midterm elections (2022 and 2018), polls have been good. It’s plausible there will be a polling error this year, but which candidate such an error would favour can’t be predicted.

    On Sunday, Silver said if there was a systematic error of three or four points in the polls in either Trump’s or Harris’ favour, that candidate would sweep all the swing states and easily win the Electoral College. There are other scenarios in which one candidate underperforms the polls with some demographics but overperforms with other demographics.

    I wrote about the US election for The Poll Bludger last Thursday, and also covered bleak polls and byelection results in Canada for the governing centre-left Liberals ahead of an election due by October 2025, a dreadful poll for UK Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the new French prime minister, a German state election and a socialist win in Sri Lanka’s presidential election.

    Upwardly revised economic data

    Last Thursday, a revised estimate of June quarter US GDP was released. There was a large upward revision in real disposable personal income compared to the previously reported figures. This has resulted in the personal savings rate being revised up to 4.9% in July from the previously reported 2.9%, and it was 4.8% in August.

    With these upward revisions, Silver’s economic index that averages six indicators is now at +0.25, up from +0.09. As the incumbent party’s candidate, a better economy than was previously believed should help Harris.

    Coalition gains narrow lead in Essential

    In Australia, a national Essential poll, conducted on September 18–22 from a sample of 1,117 people, gave the Coalition a 48–47 lead (including undecided voters) after a 48–48 tie in early September. It’s the Coalition’s first lead in the Essential poll since mid-July.

    Primary votes were 35% Coalition (steady), 29% Labor (down one), 12% Greens (down one), 8% One Nation (steady), 2% UAP (up one), 9% for all Others (up one) and 5% undecided (steady).

    Anthony Albanese’s net approval was up five points since August to –5, with 47% disapproving and 42% approving. Peter Dutton’s net approval was down one to net zero.

    On social media regulations, 48% thought them too weak, 43% about right and 8% too tough. By 67–17, voters supported imposing an age limit for children to access social media (68–15 in July). By 71–12, voters supported making doxing (the public release of personally identifiable data) a criminal offence (62–19 in February).

    By 49–18, voters supported Labor’s Help to Buy scheme, and by 57–13 they supported the build-to-rent scheme. The questions give detail that few voters would know.

    Voters were told the Liberals and Greens had combined to delay Labor’s housing policies in the senate. By 48–22, voters thought the Liberals and Greens should pass the policies and argue for their own policies at the next election, rather than block Labor’s policies. Greens voters supported passing by 55–21.

    Labor keeps narrow lead in Morgan

    A national Morgan poll, conducted September 16–22 from a sample of 1,662 people, gave Labor a 50.5–49.5 lead, unchanged from the September 9–15 Morgan poll.

    Primary votes were 37.5% Coalition (steady), 32% Labor (up 1.5), 12.5% Greens (steady), 5% One Nation (down 0.5), 9.5% independents (down 0.5) and 3.5% others (down 0.5).

    The headline figure is based on respondent preferences. By 2022 election preference flows, Labor led by an unchanged 52–48.

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

    – ref. Kamala Harris the slight favourite to win US election as she narrowly leads in key states – https://theconversation.com/kamala-harris-the-slight-favourite-to-win-us-election-as-she-narrowly-leads-in-key-states-239735

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Four new laws to tackle crime passed in Q3

    Source: New Zealand Government

    New Zealanders will be safer as a result of the Government’s crackdown on crime which includes tougher laws for offenders and gangs delivered as part of the Quarter Three (Q3) Action Plan, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says.

    “I’m proud to say we have delivered on 39 of the 40 actions in our Q3 Action Plan, which had a particularly strong focus on restoring law and order,” Mr Luxon says.

    “Every New Zealander deserves to feel safe in their homes, businesses and communities, but in recent years that feeling has turned to fear for too many.

    “That is why our Government promised to restore law and order, and our Q3 plan has driven significant progress toward that with the passing of four new laws that crack down on criminal activity and support offenders to turn their lives around.”

    The four new law and order bills passed as part of the Q3 Action Plan are:

    • Gangs Legislation Amendment Bill – to give Police tough powers to go after gangs by restricting their ability to associate and banning gang patches in public.  
    • Firearms Prohibition Orders Legislation Amendment Bill – to give Police more power to get guns out of the hands of criminals. 
    • Corrections Amendment Bill – to increase access to effective rehabilitation for prisoners on remand. 
    • Courts (Remote Participation) Amendment Bill – to improve efficiency in the courts and increase access to justice. 

    “We have also introduced major sentencing reforms that will ensure criminals receive tougher sentences that reflect the harm they cause to their fellow Kiwis,” Mr Luxon says.

    “Alongside actions to restore law and order, the Q3 plan also saw progress toward rebuilding the economy and delivering better public services.”

    Actions the Government has taken this quarter include:

    • Passed the Local Water Done Well Bill to replace Three Waters.
    • Signed the new speed limit rule to reverse blanket speed limit reductions.
    • Introduced legislation to eliminate barriers to overseas building products being used in New Zealand.
    • Opened the $1.2 billion Regional Infrastructure Fund for applications to help reduce New Zealand’s infrastructure deficit.
    • Released a plan for achieving the Government’s five health targets, including faster cancer treatment and improved immunisation for children.
    • Released a draft of the new primary schools’ English and Maths curriculum for sector and public consultation.
    • Introduced the Stepped Attendance Response (STAR) system to get kids back into the classroom.

    The one action that has only been partially completed is the publication of an updated health workforce plan. The mental health workforce plan has been published, however the Government appointed a Commissioner to replace the board of Health NZ in July and the national health workforce plan will now be considered by Cabinet in quarter four, prior to publication.

    “Our Government is getting New Zealand back on track, with clear plans to deliver on the core priorities that Kiwis elected us on – rebuilding the economy, restoring law and order, and delivering better public services.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Final 2024 Action Plan focused on infrastructure

    Source: New Zealand Government

    The Government’s Quarter Four (Q4) Action Plan will be focused on making it easier and faster to build infrastructure in New Zealand as part of its wider plan to rebuild the economy, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says.

    “My Government has been working at pace to get the country back on track since we came to office almost a year ago, and there will be no slowing down as we approach the end of this year,” Mr Luxon says.

    “Our final action plan for 2024 will build on the previous action plans and continue to deliver on the Government’s core priorities of rebuilding the economy, restoring law and order, and delivering better public services. 

    “The plan features a particularly strong focus on the delivery of modern, reliable infrastructure as part of a major effort to make it easier to get things built in this country.

    “That includes clearing away the barriers to growth and development through comprehensive resource management reform – but also confirming a fresh approach to the funding and financing of infrastructure. 

    “With inflation and interest rates falling, we’re now shifting focus to creating the foundations for growth. Our latest plan is critical to achieving that.”

    The Q4 Action Plan has 43 actions that include:

    • Passing the Fast-track Approvals Bill to speed up delivery of regional and national projects of significance.
    • Passing the first Resource Management Amendment Bill to reduce the regulatory burden on farmers and the primary sector.
    • Introducing the second amendment bill for the Resource Management Act to cut through red and green tape holding back growth in the infrastructure, energy, housing and farming sectors.
    • Taking Cabinet decisions on funding and financing tools to get more housing built.
    • Introducing legislation to make it easier to build offshore wind farms.
    • Taking Cabinet decisions to get local councils back to basics.

    “We will also take further action on restoring law and order, and delivering better public services,” Mr Luxon says.

    “By the end of this year, we plan to introduce legislation to enable stronger consequences for serious youth offending, begin the phased rollout of free breast cancer screening for women to age 74, and release the final curriculum for English and Maths for use in primary schools in 2025.

    “Kiwis can head into the summer break confident that they have a Government focused on action and delivery to make their and their family’s lives better.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Protecting and preserving EIT Hawke’s Bay’s outdoor learning sanctuary | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

    Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

    3 hours ago

    A recent Ōtātara Outdoor Learning Centre (ŌOLC) staff meeting on the EIT Hawke’s Bay Campus.

    Protecting and preserving an EIT Hawke’s Bay campus outdoor learning sanctuary is important environmentally and culturally for the future, says EIT new kaitiaki (guardian) of the Ōtātara Outdoor Learning Centre (ŌOLC).

    Gerard Henry, a tutor in EIT’s School of Primary Industries, takes up the role while maintaining his teaching duties in EIT’s environmental management and horticulture programmes.  Gerard will be supported by the wider Primary Industries team.   

    The ŌOLC has been inspirational for students and staff across numerous EIT Schools as well as local schools and organisations, and Gerard believes it can play an even greater role in connecting the campus with nature.  “There are many opportunities for programmes to utilise this special space as part of their delivery, enriching the learning experience for ākonga”.

    Initially the ŌOLC was established as the base for the Learning in Nature (LIN) education initiative, an innovative collaboration between EIT, Ngāti Pārau (the mana whenua hapū for Ōtātara), Te Papa Atawhai (the Department of Conservation), Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, and local environmental groups.  Financial support from the Air New Zealand Environment Trust helped get the OOLC underway. In 2021, EIT won the Benefiting Society Category of the prestigious Australasian Green Gown Awards for its ‘Ko au te taiao, ko te taiao ko au: I am nature, nature is me’ project.

    Gerard Henry is the new kaitiaki (guardian) of the Ōtātara Outdoor Learning Centre (ŌOLC) on the EIT Hawke’s Bay Campus.

    The ŌOLC has a steady stream of local school children and community groups utilising the facility.  The team recently hosted ākonga from seven Ōtatāra Kāhui kura where children participated in various outdoor activities and enjoyed helping to organise some planting “Part of my role is to liaise with different community groups so that they can enjoy what ŌOLC has to offer” says Gerard.

    Students and staff from a wide range of EIT programmes are invested in the space and work collaboratively on various projects to improve and celebrate the spaces and the amazing resource we have.

    Gerard says “it was at the first planting project at ŌOLC in 2018 with a Sustainability cohort that he understood the meaning the place will have for ākonga, kaimahi and visitors”.  EIT are privileged to be connected with “Ōtātara, one of the most outstanding Pa sites in New Zealand”.  Kaitiakitanga and Mātauranga Māori will be guiding principles in leading the development of ŌOLC into the future.

    Paul Keats, the Assistant Head of School for Primary Industries, said the ŌOLC is a perfect fit with our School and as well as benefiting our teaching, it’s an asset for the community.

    It is important for people to know that the ŌOLC is now fully functional after the cyclone for EIT and community use. For inquiries, contact the team at OtataraOutdoorLearningCentre@eit.ac.nz

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI China: German carmakers eye increased, deeper NEV cooperation with China

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    German carmakers have expressed optimism about cooperation with China in the new energy vehicle (NEV) industry when speaking at the 2024 World New Energy Vehicle Congress which concluded Sunday in Haikou, capital of south China’s Hainan Province, with China’s NEV market continuing to boom.

    Jochen Goller, a member of the board of management of BMW AG, credited the success of China’s NEV market to supportive government policies, suitable regulations and technological innovations.

    Goller emphasized BMW’s commitment to keeping the market open and expressed hopes of having more Chinese battery manufacturers in Europe.

    Oliver Blume, chairman of the board of management of Volkswagen AG, noted that this year marks a significant milestone as Volkswagen celebrates 40 years in the Chinese market.

    “Over the past four decades, we have taken great pride from having become an integral part of Chinese life and in shaping the development of the Chinese automotive industry,” Blume said, while highlighting that the foundation of Volkswagen’s success lies in its strong partnerships — particularly with Chinese EV companies like SAIC and FAW.

    Blume added that China has emerged as “the epicenter of the automotive industry’s future,” while Volkswagen is committed to being an even more integral part of the local industry ecosystem.

    “We have significantly enhanced our local research and development capacities and concluded partnerships with local original equipment manufacturers and technology leaders in the fields of software, autonomous driving and batteries,” he explained.

    In April, Volkswagen announced an investment of 2.5 billion euros (about 2.79 billion U.S. dollars) in expanding its production and innovation hub in the city of Hefei in east China — to increase its pace of innovation in the country.

    The company also committed to accelerating the production of two Volkswagen-brand smart electric vehicles, which are currently under joint development with Chinese manufacturer Xpeng.

    China’s production and sales of NEVs continued to maintain fast growth, with the NEV market share steadily increasing in the domestic market.

    Data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers revealed that in the first eight months of 2024, NEV production had reached about 7.01 million units, rising 29 percent year on year, while sales during this period stood at around 7.04 million units — growing by 30.9 percent from a year earlier.

    Wan Gang, chairman of the China Association for Science and Technology, said that expanding bilateral trade cooperation and investment, along with increasingly close industrial and supply chain collaboration between the Chinese and German automotive industries, have become vital for the high-quality development of the global automotive sector.

    “In the future, we hope that the automotive industries of China and Germany will embrace development and reform, jointly promoting the further advancement of the NEV industry to contribute to global low-carbon transformation and sustainable development,” Wan added.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Guangzhou lifts restrictions on home buying

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    This aerial photo taken on June 12, 2023 shows the urban view along the Zhujiang River in Guangzhou, south China’s Guangdong Province. [Photo/Xinhua]

    The city of Guangzhou in south China’s Guangdong Province has lifted restrictions on buying home properties, a significant step for the first-tier city to optimize the property market further.

    Starting on Monday, the qualification for purchasing homes will no longer be reviewed and there will be no restrictions on the number of homes purchased for families and single individuals with or without local household registration in the city, according to a circular issued by the general office of the municipal government issued on Sunday night. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: 1st helicopter route from Sanya to Zhanjiang makes inaugural flight successfully

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    1st helicopter route from Sanya to Zhanjiang makes inaugural flight successfully

    Updated: September 30, 2024 10:40 Xinhua
    A helicopter is prepared ahead of the inaugural flight of the first helicopter route from Sanya of south China’s Hainan Province to Zhanjiang of south China’s Guangdong Province, in Sanya, Sept. 29, 2024. The first helicopter route from Sanya to Zhanjiang successfully made its inaugural flight on Sunday. Operated by China Southern Airlines, the route is expected to have a flight duration of 60 minutes. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Staff members prepare for the inaugural flight of the first helicopter route from Sanya of south China’s Hainan Province to Zhanjiang of south China’s Guangdong Province, in Sanya, Sept. 29, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A staff member prepares for the inaugural flight of the first helicopter route from Sanya of south China’s Hainan Province to Zhanjiang of south China’s Guangdong Province, in Sanya, Sept. 29, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A staff member refuels a helicopter ahead of the inaugural flight of the first helicopter route from Sanya of south China’s Hainan Province to Zhanjiang of south China’s Guangdong Province, in Sanya, Sept. 29, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A helicopter takes off for the inaugural flight of the first helicopter route from Sanya of south China’s Hainan Province to Zhanjiang of south China’s Guangdong Province, in Sanya, Sept. 29, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Passengers board a helicopter for the inaugural flight of the first helicopter route from Sanya of south China’s Hainan Province to Zhanjiang of south China’s Guangdong Province, in Sanya, Sept. 29, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A helicopter prepares to take off for the inaugural flight of the first helicopter route from Sanya of south China’s Hainan Province to Zhanjiang of south China’s Guangdong Province, in Sanya, Sept. 29, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A helicopter takes off for the inaugural flight of the first helicopter route from Sanya of south China’s Hainan Province to Zhanjiang of south China’s Guangdong Province, in Sanya, Sept. 29, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese FM expounds on contribution of Chinese modernization to world in UN speech

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Chinese FM expounds on contribution of Chinese modernization to world in UN speech

    UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 28 — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi expounded on the contribution of Chinese modernization to the world during his speech Saturday at the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 79).

    During the General Debate of UNGA 79, Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, explained in detail the implication of Chinese modernization for the world, touching on such four aspects as world peace and stability, common development, global governance and human civilization.

    Chinese modernization will contribute robustly to world peace and stability, Wang said.

    Noting that the Chinese culture values peace and the Chinese nation has no tradition of external expansion, Wang said “China is the only major country that has written peaceful development into its constitution, and the only country among the five nuclear-weapon states to pledge no-first-use of nuclear weapons.”

    “We are actively exploring and putting into practice the Chinese way of addressing hotspot issues, boosting the prospects for resolving the security dilemma and improving security governance, and paving the ground for conflict settlement and peacebuilding,” Wang said, adding that “every step in China’s development is an increase in the force for peace.”

    Chinese modernization will contribute robustly to the common development for all, Wang said.

    “China does not only care about its own development. We are ready to develop hand in hand with all countries.” Wang said, mentioning such Chinese efforts as further expanding high-standard opening up, granting visa-free entry to citizens of a growing number of countries, promoting high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, making concrete steps to support the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, as well as speeding up the support of Global South cooperation and Africa’s peace and development.

    Chinese modernization will contribute robustly to improving global governance, Wang said.

    Stressing the fact that China has been an abiding supporter of the UN’s continued reform and development, Wang pledged that China will continue to fulfill its international obligations, provide financial support and send our best minds to the United Nations. The UN system needs to respond to the legitimate calls of developing countries and increase the representation and voice of those in the Global South, he added.

    Chinese modernization will contribute robustly to the advancement of human civilization, Wang said.

    Chinese modernization has created a new form of human advancement, and provided a new choice to other countries in exploring modernization paths, Wang said, adding that China believes different civilizations should respect and learn from one another, and jointly contribute to the progress of human civilization.

    “China has proposed the setting up of an International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations. We call for more people-to-people exchanges and cooperation across the world, to strengthen mutual understanding and amity among people of all countries,” Wang said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: 2nd China supply chain expo to boost support for African participants

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    The second China International Supply Chain Expo (CISCE), scheduled from Nov. 26 to 30 this year, will offer increased support for participants from African countries, the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) said on Sunday.

    The enhanced support aims to “voluntarily and unilaterally open the Chinese market wider to Africa,” following a decision made during the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation earlier this month, CCPIT spokesperson Wang Linjie told a press conference.

    Specifically, the expo will tailor country-specific strategies to better match supply and demand, helping African businesses find suitable partners and purchasers in China, Wang said.

    It will also feature forums and sideline events bringing together delegates from African governments, business associations, think tanks and international organizations, aiming to bolster Africa’s presence in global industrial and supply chain cooperation, the spokesperson added.

    “We will leverage the CISCE’s role in promoting trade, investment, innovation and exchange to help Chinese and African companies deepen industrial and supply chain cooperation, while fostering mutual business growth, shared interests and common advancements,” Wang added.

    Multiple African countries, including Ethiopia, Cote d’Ivoire, Rwanda and Morocco, along with the African Union, have confirmed their participation in the second CISCE, focusing on sectors such as agriculture and mining.

    A recent official report showed that China has remained Africa’s largest trading partner for the 15th consecutive year, with bilateral trade reaching 282.1 billion U.S. dollars in 2023.

    China has announced that it will give all the least developed countries having diplomatic relations with China, including 33 countries in Africa, zero-tariff treatment for 100 percent tariff lines.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: 170 dead in Nepal’s floods, landslides

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Rescuers evacuate residents trapped by flood in a neighborhood in Lalitpur, Nepal, Sept. 28, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Nepal’s hydropower plants and irrigation facilities were badly damaged in floods and landslides triggered by incessant rainfalls in recent days, with an estimated initial loss of 4.35 billion Nepali rupees (32.6 million U.S. dollars).

    Addressing a press meeting on Sunday, officials at Nepal’s Ministry for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation said that disasters spelt by continuous rains on Friday and Saturday had caused an estimated loss of 3 billion rupees (22.5 million dollars) to hydropower and transmission projects, while river control and irrigation projects suffered an estimated loss of 1.35 billion rupees (10.1 million dollars).

    According to the officials, floods had damaged 11 operating hydropower plants with a combined generation capacity of 625.96MW and forced other operating plants to shut down. As a result, 1,100MW in generation capacity was halted, nearly one-third of the total capacity of the country’s operating power plants.

    Fifteen hydropower plants under construction were damaged as well, it was noted.

    As power plants and transmission lines were damaged, power supply in different parts of the country has been disrupted.

    “Managing enough power for the country in the upcoming winter could be challenging as it takes time to maintain and repair the damaged power plants,” said Kul Man Ghising, managing director of Nepal Electricity Authority.

    Nepal produces surplus hydropower during the monsoon season, but in the dry season it generates around one-third of the power.

    Meanwhile, the death toll from floods and landslides hit 170 by Sunday evening, the Home Ministry said in a statement. Furthermore, 111 were injured and 42 others missing, the ministry said, noting that about 4,000 victims had been rescued.

    The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport said in a statement that 47 of 80 national highways in Nepal had remained obstructed.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Sanitary, living conditions across Gaza ‘inhumane’: UN agency

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    A temporary shelter is pictured in the northern Gaza Strip city of Jabalia, on Sept. 22, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    The health and living conditions in the Gaza Strip are “inhumane,” the UN agency for Palestine refugees said Sunday.

    “Sanitary and living conditions across Gaza are inhumane,” The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) said on social media platform X.

    “Mountains of garbage are piling up in Gaza’s middle areas as sewage leaks onto the streets,” it said.

    “Families have no choice but to live beside the accumulated waste, exposed to the reek and the threat of a looming health disaster,” it said, calling for an immediate ceasefire.

    Israel has launched a large-scale offensive against Hamas in Gaza to retaliate against a Hamas rampage through the southern Israeli border on Oct. 7, 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 others taken hostage.

    The Palestinian death toll from the ongoing Israeli attacks on Gaza has risen to 41,595, with 96,251 others injured, local health authorities said Sunday in a statement.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Cutting-edge technologies, products of NEV showcased in Hainan

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Cutting-edge technologies, products of NEV showcased in Hainan

    Updated: September 30, 2024 10:14 Xinhua
    This photo taken on Sept. 28, 2024 shows an exhibition featuring cutting-edge technologies and products of new energy vehicle (NEV) in Haikou, south China’s Hainan Province. More than 30 NEV firms showcased their new energy vehicles, batteries and intelligent-connected technology at the exhibition. [Photo/Xinhua]
    This photo taken on Sept. 28, 2024 shows a Global Intelligent Electric Architecture (GEA) at the booth of Geely during an exhibition featuring cutting-edge technologies and products of new energy vehicle (NEV) in Haikou, south China’s Hainan Province, Sept. 28, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    This photo taken on Sept. 28, 2024 shows a MIGHTY Fuel Cell vehicle at the booth of Hyundai during an exhibition featuring cutting-edge technologies and products of new energy vehicle (NEV) in Haikou, south China’s Hainan Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    This photo taken on Sept. 28, 2024 shows a chassis with AI technology at the booth of Geely during an exhibition featuring cutting-edge technologies and products of new energy vehicle (NEV) in Haikou, south China’s Hainan Province, Sept. 28, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    This photo taken on Sept. 28, 2024 shows a hydrogen fuel cell system at the booth of Hyundai during an exhibition featuring cutting-edge technologies and products of new energy vehicle (NEV) in Haikou, south China’s Hainan Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    This photo taken on Sept. 28, 2024 shows Shendun short-blade battery at the booth of Geely during an exhibition featuring cutting-edge technologies and products of new energy vehicle (NEV) in Haikou, south China’s Hainan Province. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Mergers, acquisitions in Chinese capital market gain steam

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    This panoramic aerial photo taken on Jan. 10, 2023 shows a view of Lujiazui area in the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone in east China’s Shanghai. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) among Chinese listed firms have gathered pace in recent months thanks to favorable policies to consolidate companies’ competitiveness, contributing to the high-quality development of the country’s capital market.

    The number of such M&A cases saw a marked increase from the same period last year, with 46 major asset reorganization deals disclosed between May and mid-September, according to information made public by companies listed on the A-share market.

    “So far this year, M&A has been particularly active among technology firms, state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and securities companies, with market forces playing a bigger role in the deals,” said Tian Lihui, head of the Institute of Finance and Development at Nankai University.

    A telling example is the acquisition of APT Medical, a manufacturer and supplier listed on Science and Technology Innovation Board (STAR) market, by Mindray, an industry leader in medical equipment development and manufacturing.

    The transaction was announced in January and completed in April. By combining APT Medical’s advantages in the field of electrophysiology and vascular intervention medical devices and Mindray’s R&D capability and overseas marketing experience, the deal improved the competitiveness of both companies.

    Semi-annual financial reports show that the net profits of Mindray and APT Medical increased by 17.37 percent and 33.09 percent, respectively, in the first six months of this year.

    In June, the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) publicized a slew of measures to further reform the STAR market and pledged greater efforts to support M&A activities among companies listed in the market.

    The CSRC said it will support industrial chain integration among the companies, and make M&A institutions more inclusive by supporting companies to acquire high-quality tech firms that are yet to make profits.

    Driven by such measures, the transaction values of M&A deals of the companies on the STAR market exceeded 3 billion yuan (about 427.34 million U.S. dollars) in the first half of the year, doubling that of the same period in the previous year, data from the Shanghai Stock Exchange showed.

    Technology companies can accelerate innovation and industrial upgrading through M&A activities, said Tian.

    In addition, SOEs at both central and local levels are also leveraging M&A to drive industrial specialization and integration, enhancing industrial synergy with business partners.

    In September, two listed subsidiaries of China State Shipbuilding Corporation announced a plan to merge, which is expected to be one of the largest M&A transactions in the A-share market by market value in recent years.

    The merger is projected to propel the new entity to a leading global position in shipbuilding, characterized by comprehensive research and innovation capabilities, along with a rich product structure and production lines, according to a research note from Huatai Securities.

    Securities firms also saw major M&A deals this year, with Guotai Junan Securities and Haitong Securities planning to merge through a share swap.

    In recent years, the CSRC has continuously promoted market-oriented reform in the M&A of listed companies. This has been achieved through a slew of measures, including streamlining approval procedures and optimizing regulatory requirements.

    The effort was intensified this year. In the context of global industrial transformation and China’s accelerated economic structural upgrade, it is “urgent” for companies to harness M&A’s pivotal role in promoting industrial integration as well as enhancing industry quality and efficiency, CSRC Chairman Wu Qing said at a press conference on Tuesday.

    On the same day, the CSRC rolled out new measures to support Chinese listed companies in pursuing M&A activities, vowing to help channel more resources toward new quality productive forces, encourage the companies to enhance industrial consolidation and elevate their investment value through improving market value management.

    Tian anticipated that the regulator’s latest policies will further invigorate China’s M&A market and drive the transformation and upgrading of listed companies.

    “The M&A trend is expected to continue and play an important role in sharpening companies’ competitiveness, especially in areas related to SOE reform, sci-tech innovation and financial service integration,” he said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China provides vibrant digital trade cooperation platform with int’l expo

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Sales staff promote African products via livestreaming during the third Global Digital Trade Expo in Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang Province, Sept. 25, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    The third Global Digital Trade Expo (GDTE), concluding on Sunday, has been a vibrant platform for fostering global partnerships in digital commerce and thus sustainable growth.

    Held in Hangzhou, a city known for blending ancient charm and modern innovation, the expo featured more than 1,500 enterprises, including over 300 international companies.

    Attendees experienced cutting-edge innovations like AI-driven robots and hydrogen-powered drones and were presented with over 400 new products and technologies.

    Valuable experience

    Kazakh Minister of Digital Development, Innovation, and Aerospace Industry Zhaslan Madiyev highlighted China’s role as a global leader in e-commerce and digital technologies, noting that China is accelerating the digital transformation of markets worldwide.

    In a written interview with Xinhua, Madiyev said China’s experience offers valuable insights for countries in the early stages of developing their digital markets, aiding global growth and helping reduce digital inequality. He cited Kazakhstan’s efforts to improve telecommunications and cybersecurity by learning from China.

    In addition to cutting-edge technologies, China’s experience in e-commerce also set an example for countries seeking to capitalize on the rapid growth of digital trade.

    Kilimall, an e-commerce platform founded by Chinese entrepreneurs in Africa in 2014, has become one of the most popular shopping websites among Africans. It has generated about 10,000 local jobs in logistics, courier services, customer support and regional sales.

    The cooperation between China and Africa in digital economy “represents a new model of economic cooperation that creates tangible value for businesses and people on both sides” said Ugandan Ambassador to China Oliver Wonekha.

    Digitalization is a technological leap and a key driver of future development for countries and businesses, said Jean Louis Robinson, ambassador of Madagascar to China. “We are eager to work closely with Chinese companies to learn from China’s advanced experience in digital economy and promote sustainable development in Madagascar,” he added.

    Robots perform dance at a booth during the third Global Digital Trade Expo in Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang Province, Sept. 25, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Vast opportunities

    China’s advanced digital economy and vast market scale are creating immense opportunities for the world, said experts and attendees at the expo.

    “For us, China is not just a sales market,” said Lyu Feng, division head of public relations at Yokogawa China, a Japanese electric firm. He highlighted China’s vast emerging industries, strong market demand, and numerous high-tech companies.

    Lyu added that the company emphasizes collaborating with Chinese enterprises to explore new opportunities, particularly in digital transformation and carbon emissions management in the manufacturing sector.

    Zhu Lili, vice president of AstraZeneca China, expressed that the pharmaceutical giant is “highly confident” in the Chinese market and its innovation ecosystem. She emphasized the company’s goal to partner with more local firms to explore the application of digital technologies in healthcare, driving sustainable and high-quality growth for both the healthcare industry and the broader economy.

    In the first half of 2024, China’s cross-border e-commerce imports and exports reached 1.22 trillion yuan (about 170 billion U.S. dollars), an increase of 10.5 percent year over year, according to customs data.

    Kazakhstan has opened national pavilions on Chinese e-commerce platforms like Alibaba and JD.com to promote products such as powdered milk, safflower oil, and honey, boosting bilateral e-commerce ties, Serik Korzhumbayev, editor-in-chief of Delovoy Kazakhstan, told Xinhua.

    Yao Hongchun, vice president of the Thai Chinese New Generation Business Association, emphasized its potential for collaboration with China, mainly through advanced e-commerce technologies tailored to Thai consumers.

    A foreign merchant consults about a small intelligent translation device at the third Global Digital Trade Expo in Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang Province, Sept. 25, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Cooperation platform

    “E-commerce can be successful and further developed in the long run if everyone can find their way in it, if it is based on close international cooperation, if it is diversified and if as many countries as possible are involved on both the manufacturer and the buyer side,” Hungarian National Assembly’s Deputy Speaker Lajos Olah said at the opening ceremony of the expo.

    By July 2024, China has signed e-commerce cooperation memorandums of understanding with 33 countries spanning five continents.

    Additionally, China has been involved in digital economy collaborations through multilateral frameworks like the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, BRICS, the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting, and the G20, according to an e-commerce development report released by China’s Ministry of Commerce during the expo.

    Beyond exhibitions, this year’s GDTE also featured multiple forums, meetings, and seminars, providing officials and industry leaders with platforms to exchange views and discuss prospects for international collaboration.

    Through participating in the expo, Thailand is ready to work with partners in trade, investment, research, and development to expand its digital products and services, aiming to integrate into key global supply chains, Thailand’s Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce, Ekachat Seetavorarat told Xinhua on the sidelines of the expo.

    Madiyev also highlighted the GDTE as a unique opportunity to exchange experiences with leading global players in the digital economy and expand economic ties with other countries, particularly China.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s manufacturing PMI at 49.8 in September

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    An aerial drone photo taken on Aug. 28, 2024 shows an interior view of the digital factory at a manufacturing enterprise in Yinchuan, northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua]

    The purchasing managers’ index (PMI) for China’s manufacturing sector came in at 49.8 in September, up from 49.1 in August, official data showed Monday.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese PLA Navy to host open-ship events celebrating 75th anniversary of PRC

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    The naval forces of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Northern Theater Command will open five vessels to the public to celebrate the 75th founding anniversary of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
    The event, to be held from Oct. 1 to 3, will take place at two harbors in Qingdao, east China’s Shandong Province. It is expected to attract more than 120,000 visitors.
    The five vessels, including two missile frigates, two missile destroyers and one comprehensive supply ship, were all independently designed and built by China.
    In addition to the event, the PLA Navy will host similar open-ship events in Guangdong Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China eyes long-term funds to promote stable, sustainable capital market

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    China is intensifying moves to channel long-term funds into its capital market as part of the efforts to boost investor confidence and enhance market stability.

    Central authorities recently issued guidelines to streamline the entry of medium- and long-term capital from social security funds, insurance funds and wealth management funds into the market.

    The main measures contained in the guidelines include fostering a favorable long-term investment ecosystem, promoting the development of public and private equity funds, and improving related policies for medium- and long-term stock investment, according to the office of the Central Financial Work Commission and the China Securities Regulatory Commission.

    Financial analysts have expressed widespread recognition of the value of these policies. Du Xingye, an associate professor at the University of International Business and Economics, emphasized the necessity of attracting long-term funds. Ming Ming, chief economist at CITIC Securities, believes the move will help build long-term confidence.

    The entry of long-term capital can help reduce market fluctuations and enhance overall market stability as such funds typically possess well-structured research teams capable of discovering a company’s value and executing long-term investment strategies, said Liu Xinyu, co-general manager of the public investment department of Rivers Fund, a public equity fund.

    In recent years, calls for increasing long-term fund participation have intensified in China, and related measures have been introduced. However, while some progress has been made, an institutional environment friendly to long-term investment has not yet been fully established.

    At the end of August 2024, institutional investors, including public equity, insurance and various pension funds, collectively held 14.5 trillion yuan (about 2 trillion U.S. dollars) of circulating A-shares. Their proportion of the total market value increased from 17 percent at the beginning of 2019 to 22.2 percent by August.

    There is significant room for growth for long-term funds in the capital market, experts said, noting that the increasing participation of such funds, which feature higher professional standards and stability, will optimize the investor structure.

    The latest guidelines achieved substantial policy breakthroughs in areas such as long-cycle assessment for funds, policy synergy and the building of a supportive market ecosystem.

    A three-year long-cycle assessment mechanism for insurance funds and various pension funds will be established, and investment policies will also be improved for the national social security fund and basic pension insurance fund, according to the guidelines.

    Problems in the current short-sighted assessment approach for funds are prominent, as the undue emphasis on short-term profit targets has overshadowed the importance of long-term metrics.

    Wang Peng, an associate researcher at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, said the guidelines specifically address assessment challenges, thereby helping to reduce obstacles preventing long-term funds from flowing into the stock market.

    Additionally, Pan Hongsheng, chief economist of the China Institute of Finance and Capital Markets, said the guidelines support institutional investors’ participation in corporate governance, which will solidify the market foundation for long-term fund entry. It is crucial to create an ecosystem where long-term funds can “enter, stay and thrive,” Pan added.

    China’s central bank, top securities regulator and financial regulator Tuesday announced a raft of monetary stimulus, property market support and capital market strengthening measures to boost the country’s high-quality economic development.

    The Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee held a meeting on Thursday to analyze and study the current economic situation and make further arrangements for economic work.

    The meeting called for efforts to boost the capital market, vigorously guide medium- and long-term funds to enter the capital market, and clear obstacles for social security, insurance and wealth management funds to invest in the capital market.

    Thanks to the new measures, the investor confidence has improved significantly, with the stock market on an upward streak in recent days.

    The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index closed at 3,087.53 points on Friday — a 12.81 percent weekly gain. The Shenzhen Component Index soared 17.83 percent in the week to close at 9,514.86 points.

    On Friday alone, the combined turnover of the two indices neared 1.45 trillion yuan, surpassing the 1-trillion-yuan mark for a third consecutive day.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Experts report big boom in summer travel

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    China’s tourism market rebounded strongly this summer, with travel experts reporting significant growth in passenger numbers, spending, and both inbound and outbound trips as the country continues to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Domestically, travel surged during the summer holiday, which typically runs from early July to late August. The Civil Aviation Administration reported that domestic airlines transported 117 million passengers from July 1 to Aug 20.

    Meanwhile, China Railway Group said it handled 887 million passengers from July 1 to Aug 31, a 6.7 percent increase year-on-year.

    “Summer is always peak season for domestic tourism, but this year, tourists showed more interest in lesser-known destinations and traveled with more reasonable budgets,” said a spokesperson for Tuniu, a travel portal.

    The domestic tourism market performed more evenly throughout the summer, with demand peaking in mid-July and lasting through the end of August.

    Long-distance tours and family trips were the most popular choices — in fact, over half Tuniu’s summer bookings were for far-flung destinations. Besides traditional tourist hot spots like Beijing and Shanghai, smaller destinations such as Yanbian Korean autonomous prefecture in Jilin province, Datong in Shanxi province and Chengde in Hebei province gained popularity for their cultural offerings and cooler climates.

    “I took my 6-year-old daughter to Yanji in late July,” said Ye Xiao, a 31-year-old teacher from Beijing, speaking of the county-level city that serves as the seat of Yanbian. “The weather was pleasant, and we enjoyed exploring the Korean ethnic culture. It was a memorable trip with fewer tourists and great food at reasonable prices.”

    China’s inbound tourism also experienced robust growth, buoyed by relaxed visa policies, including the 144-hour transit policy for citizens of 54 countries and the “ChinaTravel” topics that trended on international social media platforms.

    And the 2024 Paris Olympics provided an additional boost to outbound travel, with LY.com reporting a 300 percent increase in hotel bookings in Paris and neighboring areas and an 80 percent surge in flight bookings from China’s major cities to the French capital.

    Qunar, another travel portal, noted that bookings for domestic flights by travelers using non-Chinese passports were 1.8 times higher compared to last year. Trip.com Group reported a 70 percent year-on-year increase in mainland tourism bookings, with South Korea, Thailand, Singapore, and the United States contributing the most visitors. Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou were the top destinations for international tourists.

    Southeast Asia remained the top choice for Chinese traveling overseas due to cheaper flights, affordable hotels and favorable visa policies.

    Dai Bin, president of the China Tourism Academy, told China Central Television that this summer marked the highest level of travel enthusiasm in recent years, with increases in the number of travelers, tourism spending and cross-border trips.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Better evidence for better policymaking

    Source: Australian Treasurer

    Today, I will travel to the United Kingdom to discuss rigorous policy evaluation with experts and policymakers.

    Rigorous policy evaluation is an important tool for creating opportunity and addressing inequality. The meetings will be a valuable chance to exchange ideas with a jurisdiction that has been a leader in the field of evidence‑based policymaking.

    On Wednesday, I will deliver a public lecture at the University of Oxford. On Thursday, I will speak at an event hosted by the UK Evaluation Task Force in London, and will also engage in an in‑conversation event hosted by the Behavioural Insights Team.

    These events will be a chance to make the case for randomised trials and international evidence sharing.

    I will also meet with leaders from the UK’s network of What Works Centres to discuss how we can further develop evidence‑based policy making in Australia.

    This dialogue and engagement will directly support the development of the Australian Centre for Evaluation in Treasury and help improve the quality of evaluation across the Australian Government.

    More broadly, the trip is a chance to discuss common difficulties and opportunities in my portfolio areas, including in competition, multinational tax and statistics. Meetings with UK government counterparts will cover how our economies can address common challenges in these areas.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Unwritten rules, nostalgia and subtle rebellion: how school photos capture childhood and the changing times

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cherine Fahd, Associate Head of School, School of Design, University of Technology Sydney

    A 1935 school photograph taken in Kandos, NSW. Author provided, courtesy of the Kandos Museum.

    In the town of Kandos, New South Wales, there’s the local Kandos Museum run by volunteers. The museum holds relics from the cement works that once defined the town, but there are other treasures, too.

    As part of the Cementa24 festival, I became fixated on the museum’s collection of school photos. Neatly organised into ring-bound folders by the volunteers, the group portraits span decades of students from Kandos Public School and Kandos High School, from 1924 through to the 1990s.

    A photo album made by volunteers at the Kandos Museum.
    Author provided

    I enlarged and cropped some of these photos to turn them into street posters to scatter around town. I asked permission before sticking a few outside the local pub, the radio station, the post office and the op shop. I spot the locals smiling as they pass them, stopping to look for someone they know. I watch them point at the pictures and hear them naming names.

    Working on this project, I can’t stop thinking about the weight of these photographic rituals. School photos aren’t just memories; they hold social histories. Through them, you can trace changes in hairstyles, fashion, attitudes and even migration – yet there’s something homogeneous and unchangeable about how they’re made.

    School photo rules

    There’s always a physical hierarchy in these photos. The photographer organises the group to ensure compositional acuity. The students are lined up in rows, with tall people in the back and shorter people in front – evenly spaced, arranged by height and symmetry.

    When was the rule made that says this is how a group should look? Balanced, orderly and with everyone fitting neatly into place, whether they socially do or not. Somehow I always ended up on the edge of the middle row. The social dynamics of the playground found their way into the organisation of our bodies, forever captured in a split second.

    A photo of Kandos’ 5th Form, 1967.
    Author provided, courtesy of the Kandos Museum

    Looking at the Kandos photos from the 1940s through to the 1970s, then at my children’s photos from 2013 to 2024, and my own school photos in the 1980s and ‘90s, I can see the difference in public, private and catholic school uniforms. I can see the difference in racial diversity (or lack thereof) between a small regional town, inner-city Sydney and suburban southwest Sydney. I can also see how much photographic technology has changed.

    Despite this, the organisational structure of the school photo remains the same. The kids still stand stiffly in their rows, with identical tunics and ties. Standing too close, someone’s elbow digs into someone else’s side.

    As a photographer now, I often think about these school photos and the rituals that have remained largely unchanged in Australia. Every year, kids are shuffled onto tiered steps. Those in the front put their knees together, hands in laps, while the girls must “try to look like ladies”. Then there are the “nobodies” in the middle row (or is that just me reading into it?)

    The perils of posing

    Posing for school photos can be complicated. One year my daughter came home from school and declared the photographer was sexist because he made all the girls sit in the front row while the boys got to stand. I asked her why sitting was sexist. She couldn’t explain – she was eight years old – but she certainly felt the power difference between sitting with your knees pressed together and standing tall.

    And what about the solo portrait? I still think about my kindergarten class from 1979. The group photo was fine. I was happy, standing next to my new best friend. But my solo portrait was a disaster. I looked possessed, my eyes half-closed, lashes blurred, caught mid-blink.

    My mother didn’t buy the solo photo, but she kept the group one. After that I promised myself it would never happen again. I told myself every year: “don’t blink, don’t blink”. Back then, photography was on film. There were no re-dos, no instant feedback, no photoshop and no AI. Once the camera clicked, that was it.

    ‘Don’t blink, don’t blink,’ I’d think, while trying to keep my eyes open.
    Author provided

    At the end of primary school, I’d visit my best friend’s house and envy the neat, chronological line of her school photos framed on her kitchen wall. Year by year, there she was, changing just slightly – a slow, steady record of growing up. I didn’t know why, but seeing framed evidence of time passing made me emotional. Maybe it was the certainty of the way her life was so neatly documented.

    My own school photos never made it to the wall in such a tidy fashion. But they did make it into my father’s wallet, my mother’s purse, in frames above the piano, on the fridge, in photo albums and in many a drawer.

    Small acts of rebellion

    The 1950s photos are formal and solemn. Back then you stood straight, faced the camera and no one smiled too much. By the 1970s and ’80s, the kids started to smirk – with hair loosened, mullets, and bodies shifting like they were trying to resist the pose. In one photo, the basketball team boys have their shoes off, feet raised above the blistering asphalt in the summer heat. The rules were still there, but you can see them pushing back.

    Bare feet raised in a photo of the Kandos High School Open basketball team, 1975.
    Author provided, courtesy of the Kandos Museum.

    What if we invited the rituals to change? What if students could self-organise, be silly, pull faces, wear their own clothes, and resist gender binaries and institutional uniformity?

    Some of the photos in the Kandos albums hint at this potential for small acts of rebellion. There’s the girl pulling a face, one laughing in profile. In one photo there’s a kid wearing a non-regulation jumper, and another in which they were clearly allowed to be silly because the teacher is laughing too.

    Photographic rebellion in the class of 1996.
    Author provided, courtesy of the Kandos Museum.

    In the pre-digital era, these small mishaps and moments of failure were captured unpolished and unfiltered. Those are the images I find myself drawn to; these are often the best ones. They reveal how uncomfortable it can be being photographed and how forced a pose can feel. Shirking a smile and a stiff stance is maybe the only power we have in that brief moment.

    Cherine Fahd 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. Unwritten rules, nostalgia and subtle rebellion: how school photos capture childhood and the changing times – https://theconversation.com/unwritten-rules-nostalgia-and-subtle-rebellion-how-school-photos-capture-childhood-and-the-changing-times-239190

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –