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Category: MIL-Submissions

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Asia Pacific – Andersen Global Strengthens Ties in Asia with Member Firm Additions

    Source: Andersen Global

    SAN FRANCISCO – Andersen Global adds member firms in Asia Pacific as the VDB Loi offices in Cambodia and Vietnam adopt the Andersen brand.

    Led by Managing Partner Jean Loi and Senior Partner Edwin Vanderbruggen, Andersen in Cambodia and Andersen in Vietnam have been operating in the region for more than 10 years and deliver a comprehensive suite of tax and legal services, including banking and finance, mergers and acquisitions, corporate, tax advisory, transfer pricing, and disputes and litigation.

    “As the economic landscape evolves and becomes more complex, so do the expectations and needs of our clients,” Edwin said. “In becoming a member firm of Andersen Global, we bolster our ability to deliver integrated, best-in-class service throughout Cambodia and Vietnam. Our adoption of the brand also accelerates our growth, positioning us to navigate the intricacies of the market with unparalleled expertise.”

    “This group’s unwavering dedication to excellence and stewardship not only secures their position in the market but also strategically positions our organization for continued expansion throughout Southeast Asia,” said Global Chairman and CEO of Andersen Mark L. Vorsatz.

    Andersen Global is an international association of legally separate, independent member firms comprised of tax, legal, and valuation professionals around the world. Established in 2013 by U.S. member firm Andersen Tax LLC, Andersen Global now has more than 17,000 professionals worldwide and a presence in over 475 locations through its member firms and collaborating firms.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: India: Authorities must end repression of dissent in Jammu and Kashmir – Amnesty International

    Source: Amnesty International

    The Indian authorities must stop using restrictive travel bans and arbitrary detentions under the country’s stringent anti-terror laws to intimidate critical dissenting voices from speaking out on Jammu and Kashmir, Amnesty International said today ahead of the first state elections in the last ten years.

    The authorities’ escalating repression of human rights after India revoked the special autonomous status of the region has resulted in arbitrary detentions, passports being revoked, the creation of opaque ‘no flying lists’, the denial of entry into India and arbitrary cancellations of Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) status and affected those with Indian and non-Indian citizenship speaking out against the repression.

    “The Indian authorities are using arbitrary restrictions and punitive actions to create a climate of fear in Jammu and Kashmir. Anyone daring to speak out – whether to criticize the government or to stand up for human rights – faces a clampdown on their rights to freedom of expression and association and are unable to move freely within and outside the country,” said Aakar Patel, chair of board at Amnesty International India.

    “The Indian authorities must end their campaign of harassment and intimidation against dissenting voices. The people of Jammu and Kashmir must be able to exercise their right to fully participate in the decision-making about their future in the run up to, during and after elections.”

    Since the abrogation of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution in 2019, which scrapped Jammu and Kashmir’s special semi-autonomous status, and since Amnesty International issued its last briefing on the human rights situation in the region, we have verified the cases of at least five individuals, including journalists,  political leaders and activists, who have been prevented from travelling abroad or travelling into India, despite having the requisite travel documents, in violation of their right to freedom of movement. The Indian authorities have imposed the bans without any written explanation, court order or proper notification within the legal time frame which indicate a form of retaliation against their legitimate human rights work around Jammu and Kashmir.  

    The government also continues to misuse the draconian Public Safety Act (PSA), which allows authorities to arbitrarily detain people for up to two years without charge or trial, and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) to carry out arbitrary  detentions. This has led to self-censorship of independent voices, and the Indian authorities’ near total control over information from Jammu and Kashmir.

    Passports confiscations, revocations and delays in issuance

    While there is no official data on the cancellation, denial, impounding or revocation of passports in Jammu & Kashmir, media reports suggest that about “98-200” passports may have been revoked since the abrogation of Article 370. Amnesty International documented in detail two cases of critics facing arbitrary passport revocation and one case of inordinate delays in issuance of passports.

    Masrat Zahra, a Kashmiri photojournalist who has won several international awards, has found herself in a state of limbo after her Indian passport was revoked without warning while she was pursuing higher education in the United States. Her family in Kashmir received a notice on 24 September 2023, dated back to 3 July 2023, demanding a response by 20 July—a deadline that had already passed by the time she became aware of it.

    “They had already made their decision to revoke my passport, so responding seemed futile,” Zahra said. “I am essentially trapped. I cannot leave the United States, nor can I return to India. I’ve had to self-censor my thoughts, avoiding anything that might raise attention on social media. But the hardest part is being separated from my family and unable to continue my work in Kashmir. I feel a deep responsibility to be the voice of my people, who are currently voiceless. There are no stories coming out of Kashmir anymore.”

    Before leaving India in March 2021, Zahra had been targeted under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) in April 2020 for allegedly posting ‘anti-national’ content, though she was never formally detained. “Once I left, my name was added to a no-fly list. If I return to India, I know I will not be able to leave again. The police have harassed and surveilled my family, assaulted my father and mother. They questioned neighbors about my whereabouts and subjected my family to endless phone calls,” Zahra explained.

    In addition to these challenges, Zahra continues to face death threats, and the charges under which she was persecuted remain active. “Even though I was never given a copy of the FIR, the authorities retain the power to arrest me at any time if I return,” she added.

    Waheed Para, an activist and political leader associated with the opposition Jammu & Kashmir People’s Democratic Party (PDP), was accused by the National Investigation Agency, India’s primary anti-terror investigation body of being a “threat to the security of the state”, and had his passport impounded and revoked in May 2023 by the Regional Passport Office in Srinagar before he could travel to the US to start a fellowship at Yale University.

    “They [Regional Passport Office] did not give me any concrete reasons for revoking my passport. They just arbitrarily invoked national security as a ground without any explanation… I lost a great academic opportunity…[I] could not even travel within India to secure a proper treatment for my father who was suffering from cancer and recently passed away. It has been extremely traumatic,” Para told Amnesty International.

    Iltija Mufti, who is the daughter and media advisor to Mehbooba Mufti, ex-chief minister and political leader associated with PDP, has routinely spoken against the repression in the region since the abrogation of Article 370. She waited months to have her passport issued.

    “Finally, I had to approach the court and was able to get my passport after more than a year. The authorities had similarly troubled my mother and grandmother with their passports. My freedom of movement is a right enshrined in the Indian Constitution, but I had to really struggle to exercise this right,” Mufti told Amnesty International.

    Till date, she has not been made aware of the reasons why the issuance of the passport was delayed. “They invoked the Official Secrets Act which is used in the cases of espionage to maintain secrecy. I haven’t even as much as had a traffic violation in my life. Their response was extreme. I was punished for daring to speak up,” she added.

    Documents conferring special rights cancelled

    Issued by the Indian government, an OCI status allow foreign nationals with links to India through ancestry, marriage or prior citizenship, to enter India without a visa and stay, work and hold property among other benefits.  

    In 2022, Amrit Wilson, an 82-year-old India-born British journalist and activist, received a formal document from the High Commission of India, accusing her of involvement in ‘multiple anti-India activities’ and ‘detrimental propaganda’ against the Indian government. As a result, her OCI was cancelled.

    “I was quite shocked to know that my OCI was cancelled. It is also extremely unfair because I have done nothing against India… It is absurd to say I’m anti-Indian. I grew up there. My parents lived their whole lives there,” Wilson told Amnesty International.

    While no concrete reason was offered to Wilson for the cancellation, an affidavit filed by the Indian authorities in an Indian court pointed towards several tweets she posted that were critical of the abrogation of Article 370 as grounds for cancellation.

    Nitasha Kaul is a British-Indian professor of politics of Kashmiri origin, who has testified about the human rights situation in Kashmir before the United State House Committee on Foreign Affairs. She holds a UK passport and an OCI, but on 23 February 2024, she was denied entry to India and as a result, hasn’t been able to see her ailing mother, who still lives there.  She was not given any reason by the immigration authorities for such a denial except to tell her that they had received orders to not allow her entry by “authorities in Delhi”.

    Kaul also told Amnesty International that a few weeks after she was denied entry to India, she received a notice from the Indian government on cancelling her OCI. Without any evidence, the letter accused her of “regularly targeting India and its leadership, particularly on Kashmir issue through [her] inimical writings, speeches, and journalistic activities at various international forums and social media platforms.”

     Kaul told Amnesty International, “Not being able to meet my only family has been deeply distressing. It is egregious and entirely unwarranted to punish scholars this way. My health has been significantly affected. My mother cannot travel to me, and I cannot be there for her. This is repression across borders and vindictive targeting of a scholar who does not toe the government line.”

    Arbitrary detention of critics

    In June 2024, the Indian authorities arrested the former president of the Jammu & Kashmir Court Bar Association, Mian Abdul Qayoom who had been critical about human rights violations by Indian authorities and the abrogation of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution. In July 2024, they arrested three more lawyers under the PSA. All four lawyers are being detained in jails outside of Kashmir, often in Jammu and Uttar Pradesh state.

    Their detention come amidst a crackdown on the Bar Association, which has been accused by the Indian authorities of “providing free legal aid to anti-nationals” and holding “anti-national and pro-secessionist” ideology.

    Journalists Majid Hyderi and Sajad Gul are also being detained under PSA and held outside Kashmir in Kot Balwal jail in Jammu district. “Out-of-state detention acts as an additional punishment for the detainees who are mostly government critics. The distance away from their home state further suppresses their freedom of expression and makes their families suffer, as well as making it difficult for them to meet regularly. The detainees are also unable to meet with their lawyers regularly,” said Shafqat Shah*, a lawyer at J&K high court.

    As part of its research, Amnesty International reviewed the Habeas Corpus Petitions (HCPs) filed to challenge the detentions under PSA before the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court in the periods of 2014-2019 and 2019-2024. It found that there was a seven-fold increase in the number of cases filed under the PSA after 2019, with Muslim-dominated Srinagar recording consistently more PSA cases than Hindu-dominated Jammu.

    Amnesty International also found that the average time taken to dispose of these petitions in Srinagar High Court has inordinately been increased since 2019, further enabling arbitrary and prolonged detention.  From 269.9 days in the period of 2014 – 2019 to conclude a HCP which essentially allow the detainees to challenge the lawfulness and conditions of their detention in an independent and impartial court of law, the average time taken has gone up to 329.2 days in the period of 4 August 2019 – 31 July 2024.

    Even though the Election Commission of India has reportedly instructed the government officials in Jammu & Kashmir to not undertake “unnecessary preventive detention” ahead of the state elections, any kind of meaningful reprieve will only come from releasing those held under PSA for merely exercising their human rights and holding the authorities accountable.

    Data published by the National Crime Record Bureau in 2022 shows that nearly 37 per cent of the UAPA cases all over India were registered in Jammu & Kashmir, with a conviction rate of 3%. This illustrates the likelihood that the law is being misused to clamp down on human rights defenders by ensuring that the criminal proceedings characterized by stringent bail provisions, prolonged detention, and lengthy investigation under the UAPA as punishment. Khurram Parvez, a civil society activist and coordinator of Jammu & Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society, and journalist Irfan Mehraj continue to be detained under UAPA since 2021 and 2023 respectively.

    “The modus operandi of the Indian authorities is to avoid carrying out large scale arrests or extrajudicial killings of critics and intensify their intimidation and harassment. This leads to powerlessness of the journalists and civil society by trapping them in a revolving door of answering queries and fighting criminal cases,” said Akhtar Bano*, an editor from Kashmir.  

    Enhanced control of the union government

    In a further threat to human rights, the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir – appointed by the central government –  was on 12 July 2024  given absolute control over the jurisdiction of state governance including the local administrative officials, prisons, prosecutions and law offices. The increase of the powers of the LG enhances the control of the union government over the region, concentrating power in the hands of the LG and significantly limiting the autonomy traditionally exercised by the local government. This shift not only reduces the role of the Chief Minister and the elected legislature but also marginalizes their influence over critical administrative and legal decisions, thereby diminishing the power of local governance.

     Since 5 August 2019, the Indian authorities have also cracked down on government officials in Jammu & Kashmir for allegedly holding views “prejudicial to the interests of the security of the state” or being related in whichever capacity to people who were once militants. According to media reports, at least 40 government officials have been terminated  from their services without giving a reasonable opportunity to the officials to appeal or challenge such termination.

    All cases of passport revocation, travel bans, and cancellation of OCI status documented by Amnesty International were characterised by over-broad reasons and a shroud of secrecy, closed executive appeal process and restricted access to courts, making them convenient tools of repression for the Indian authorities.  The making of decisions by the executive without any consultation of the public and the crackdown on government officials is further symbolic of violation of rights of the people of Jammu & Kashmir to take part in the political process and to express their opinions without any fear.

    “The first step to ending the repression in Jammu and Kashmir is to immediately release all those detained under the Public Safety Act and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for merely exercising their right to freedom of expression,” said Aakar Patel.

    “The Indian authorities must go further and ensure all human rights are upheld and protected for everyone in Jammu and Kashmir. That is the ‘naya’ (new) Kashmir that the authorities must aspire to as they lay grounds for the return of the statehood of the region.”

    *Names changed to protect identities.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Australia – BAM Mutual Launches Bond Insurance for Australia’s Energy Transition and Social Infrastructure Projects

    Source: BAM Mutual

    AA-Rated Financial Guarantee Reduces Costs and Improves Certainty of Delivery for Essential Infrastructure – MELBOURNE, Australia – BAM Mutual, the only mutual bond insurer focused on reducing the cost of debt sold for essential infrastructure, is opening a Melbourne office and will begin insuring bonds and loans sold to finance projects in Australia and New Zealand. BAM’s focus will include electricity transmission and distribution networks that support the energy transition, social infrastructure, and transportation facilities.

    “BAM Mutual’s mission is to make infrastructure more affordable, and we are looking forward to doing that for project sponsors and the users of projects across Australia and New Zealand,” said CEO Seán W. McCarthy.

    “BAM’s guaranty improves the economics for infrastructure investment by lowering the cost of borrowing, expanding the investor base and creating greater market liquidity, and giving buyers more certainty that they will be repaid on a timely basis, without exception.”

    The initiative is BAM’s first expansion outside the United States and is backed by the most experienced team in the industry, with a track record of analyzing the credit and legal structures of transactions specifically in Australia and New Zealand.

    “Australia and New Zealand are markets where BAM insurance can have a meaningful impact for borrowers while we maintain the same credit appetite we’ve applied in building our U.S. portfolio,” said Chief Credit Officer Suzanne Finnegan.

    The insurer’s new Melbourne office will be led by Andrew Bevan, an Australian native and 25-year capital-markets veteran who has helped finance more than $10 billion of essential infrastructure in 25 transactions across Australia and New Zealand, including the Melbourne Convention Centre and Brisbane Airport.

    Mr. Bevan will identify opportunities for BAM to insure new and existing debt sold to finance projects including electric power facilities, airports, toll roads, and social infrastructure PPPs.

    “The region’s infrastructure needs more than $200 billion of investment over the next five years to support sustainable development and a strong economy,” Mr. Bevan said.

    “BAM Mutual’s guaranty has a strong track record of helping attract investors to finance essential projects, improving market access and lowering costs. I’m proud to be bringing these tools to Australia and New Zealand.”

    About BAM Mutual
    BAM is a mutual bond insurance company operated for the benefit of its members – the sponsors of essential infrastructure projects like roads, airports, and schools, as well as water, wastewater, and power utilities. Through June 30, 2024, BAM has insured more than USD$150 billion of long-term securities for more than 6,000 bond issuers. BAM is rated AA with a Stable outlook by S&P Global Ratings.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Retail activity falls by 1.2 percent – Stats NZ media and information release: Retail trade survey: June 2024 quarter

    Source: Statistics New Zealand

    Retail activity falls by 1.2 percent

    23 August 2024 – The total volume of retail sales in New Zealand fell 1.2 percent in the June 2024 quarter, after adjusting for price inflation and seasonal effects, according to figures released by Stats NZ today.

    This movement continues the downward trend observed in the last eight quarters.

    Eleven of the 15 retail industries had lower sales volumes in the June 2024 quarter, compared with the March 2024 quarter.

    The largest contributors to the fall in retail activity were:

    • electrical and electronic goods retailing – down 6.0 percent
    • motor vehicle and parts retailing – down 2.7 percent
    • food and beverage services – down 1.9 percent.
    • clothing, footwear, and personal accessories – down 4.1 percent.

    Visit Statistics NZ’s website to read this news story and information release and to download CSV files:

     

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Universities – Early dingoes are related to dogs from New Guinea and East Asia – University of Sydney

    Source: University of Sydney

    Australian dingo has evolved over 3,000 years to become larger and leaner – New archaeological research by the University of Sydney has discovered for the first time clear links between fossils of the iconic Australian dingo, and dogs from East Asia and New Guinea.

    The remarkable findings suggest that the dingo came from East Asia via Melanesia, and challenges previous claims that it derived from pariah dogs of India or Thailand. 

    Previous studies used traditional morphometric analysis – which looks at the size and shape of the animal using callipers – to trace the dingo’s ancestry to South Asia.  

    However, the new study, published in Nature Scientific Reports, uses sophisticated 3D scanning and geometric morphometrics on ancient dingo specimens to show clearly that they are most similar to Japanese dogs, as well as the ‘singing dogs’ of New Guinea and the highland wild dog of Irian Jaya.
     
    Dr Loukas Koungoulos, a research associate in the Discipline of Archaeology at the University of Sydney, said: “The origins of this controversial Australian native animal have been heavily debated for more than a century. Our research has found the elusive first links between fossil material that suggest dingoes have evolved locally from an East Asian dog-like ancestor.”

    Dr Koungoulos added: “The archaeological sites at Lake Mungo and Lake Milkengay hold some of the oldest evidence of dingoes in the whole of Australia. It is incredible to see how these remarkable animals have evolved over thousands of years and gives us a greater understanding of this uniquely Australian species.”  

    The study team – which included Associate Professor Melanie Fillios from the University of New England and Dr Ardern Hulme-Beaman from the University of Liverpool – looked at the remains of ancient dingoes found at Lake Mungo and Lake Milkengay in western NSW.

    Associate Professor Melanie Fillios said: “Our research underscores the antiquity of dingoes, pointing to a common ancestor between dingoes and the more recent canines in Southeast Asia.”

    In collaboration with the Willandra Lakes Region World Heritage Area Traditional Owners, the team used radiocarbon dating to discover that some remains were over 3,000 years old.

    The team also found that modern-day dingoes have evolved to become larger and leaner, standing at an average of 54cm tall compared to between 40-47cm for their ancient ancestors – a size much closer to their contemporary relatives in Southeast Asia and Melanesia.  

    RESEARCH

    Koungoulos, Loukas G. et al ‘Phenotypic diversity in early Australian dingoes revealed by traditional and 3D geometric morphometric analysis’. (Natural Scientific Reports)  

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-65729-3

    DECLARATION

    Research funding was received from the Australian Government Research Training Partnership, the Carlyle-Greenwell Postgraduate Scholarship and the Ben Sandford Cullen Award.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Universities – Unravelling an ancient European extinction mystery: disappearance of dwarf megafauna on palaeolithic Cyprus – Flinders

    Source: Flinders University

    Scientists have unravelled a mystery about the disappearance of dwarf hippos and elephants that once roamed the picturesque landscape on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus before palaeolithic humans arrived.

    Cyprus only had two species of megafauna present during the Late Pleistocene — the 500-kg dwarf elephant (Palaeoloxodon cypriotes), and the 130-kg dwarf hippo (Phanourios minor), but both species disappeared soon after humans arrived around 14,000 years ago.

    In examining the reasons behind the extinction of these prehistoric animals, research funded by the European Regional Development Fund and the Republic of Cyprus through the Research and Innovation Foundation for project MIGRATE found that palaeolithic hunter-gatherers on Cyprus could have first driven dwarf hippos, and then dwarf elephants to extinction in less than 1000 years.

    The research was led by Flinders University’s Professor Corey Bradshaw. These findings refute previous arguments that suggested the introduction of a small human population on the island could not have caused these extinctions so quickly.

    The researchers built mathematical models combining data from various disciplines, including palaeontology and archaeology, to show that palaeolithic hunter-gatherers on Cyprus are most likely the main cause of the extinction of these species due to their hunting practices.

    Professor Bradshaw, with Drs Theodora Moutsiou, Christian Reepmeyer, Frédérik Saltré, and Stefani Crabtree, used data-driven approaches to reveal the impact of rapid human settlement on driving the extinction of species soon after their arrival.

    Using detailed reconstructions of human energy demand, diet composition, prey selection, and hunting efficiency, the model demonstrates that 3,000–7,000 hunter-gatherers predicted to have occurred on the island were likely responsible for driving both dwarf species to extinction.

    “Our results therefore provide strong evidence that palaeolithic peoples in Cyprus were at least partially responsible for megafauna extinctions during the Late Pleistocene and early Holocene. The main determinant of extinction risk for both species was the proportion of edible meat they provided to the first people on the island,” says lead author, Professor Corey Bradshaw of Flinders University.

    “Our research lays the foundation for an improved understanding on the impact small human populations can have in terms of disrupting native ecosystems and causing major extinctions even during a period of low technological capacity.”

    Predictions in the model matched the chronological sequence of megafauna extinctions in palaeontological records.

    Dr Moutsiou says that “Cyprus is the perfect location to test our models because the island offers an ideal set of conditions to examine whether the arrival of populations of humans ultimately led to the extinction of its megafauna species. This is because Cyprus is an insular environment and can provide a window back in time through our data.”

    Previous findings by Professor Bradshaw, Dr Moutsiou, and collaborators have shown that large groups of hundreds to thousands of people could have arrived on Cyprus in two to three main migration events in less than 1000 years.

    The research – “Small populations of palaeolithic humans in Cyprus hunted endemic megafauna to extinction” by Corey Bradshaw, Frédérik Saltré, Stefani Crabtree, Christian Reepmeyer and Theodora Moutsiou – has been published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B 291: 20240967. doi:10.1098/rspb.2024.0967

    The project Modelling Demography and Adaptation in the Initial Peopling of the Eastern Mediterranean Islandscape (MIGRATE, EXCELLENCE/0421/0050) is hosted at the Archaeological Research Unit, University of Cyprus and coordinated by Dr Theodora Moutsiou.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Stats NZ information release: Linked employer-employee data: June 2023 quarter

    Source: Statistics New Zealand

    Linked employer-employee data: June 2023 quarter – information release

    26 August 2024 – Quarterly linked employer-employee data (LEED) provides statistics on filled jobs, job flows, worker flows, mean and median earnings for continuing jobs and new hires, and total earnings.

    Key facts
    Filled jobs
    ‘Filled jobs’ in Linked employer-employee data (LEED) is defined as the number of jobs on the 15th day of the middle month of the reference quarter. There is no distinction between full-time or part-time jobs.

    This release contains actual data and compares data for the June 2023 quarter with the March 2023 quarter.

    Changes in the filled jobs were:

    • all industries – up 2.6 percent (59,140 jobs)
    • primary industries – down 4.0 percent (4,270 jobs)
    • goods-producing industries – up 0.9 percent (4,280 jobs)
    • service industries – up 3.4 percent (59,170 jobs).


    Visit Statistics NZ’s website to read this information release:

     

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Work options and wellbeing support important for Māori businesses – Stats NZ media and information release: Tatauranga umanga Māori – Statistics on Māori businesses: 2023 (English)

    Source: Statistics New Zealand

    Work options and wellbeing support important for Māori businesses – 29 August 2024

    More Māori businesses offered wellbeing, support, and flexible work options on average compared with all New Zealand businesses across firm size and industry, according to figures released by Stats NZ today.

    Figures from 2023 showed that 82 percent of Māori authorities and 77 percent of other Māori enterprises offered options for mental health and wellbeing support, like access to counselling. Comparatively, 53 percent of all New Zealand businesses offered similar support.

    A higher percentage of Māori businesses, around two-thirds, offered support options for physical health and wellbeing, like vision tests, compared with all New Zealand businesses. These support options were offered by 63 percent of Māori authorities and 69 percent of other Māori enterprises, compared with 48 percent of all New Zealand businesses.

    “These statistics likely reflect the importance Māori businesses place on their staff’s personal wellbeing and hauora,” Tatauranga umanga Māori manager Geraldine Duoba said.

    Visit Statistics NZ’s website to read the news stories and information releases in both English and te reo Māori, and to access the technical report in English only. You can also download CSV files.

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Filled jobs fall across all age groups – Stats NZ media and information release: Employment indicators: July 2024

    Source: Statistics New Zealand

    Filled jobs fall across all age groups – 28 August 2024 – New Zealand’s seasonally adjusted filled jobs were down 0.1 percent in the month of July 2024 with decreases measured across all age groups, according to data released by Stats NZ today.

    Filled jobs over a three-month period to July 2024 were:

    • 15 to 24-year-olds, down 10,840 jobs (3.1 percent)
    • 25 to 34-year-olds, down 10,056 jobs (1.8 percent)
    • 35-year-olds and over, down 7,375 jobs (0.5 percent).

    Filled jobs for 15 to 24-year-olds have been decreasing on an annual basis since August 2023, and the 25 to 34-year-olds began showing annual decreases from May 2024.

    Visit Statistics NZ’s website to read this news story and information release and to download CSV files:

     

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Stats NZ release notification

    Dear subscriber

    Below you can find Stats NZ’s information releases for the next week. For more information about these releases go to Insights and make your selections in the drop-down options.

    6 September 2024
    Value of building work put in place: June 2024 quarter
    View recent value of building work put in place releases

    10 September 2024
    Business employment data: June 2024 quarter
    View recent business employment data releases

    Business financial data: June 2024 quarter
    View recent business financial data releases

    Local authority statistics: June 2024 quarter
    View recent local authority statistics releases

    11 September 2024
    International migration: July 2024
    View recent international migration releases

    International travel: July 2024
    View recent international travel releases

    Our release calendar has a full list of release dates for official statistics.

    The release calendar is updated six months ahead, but dates may change.

    Information releases include the latest statistics for the subject, with a summary (in the Key facts section), statistical Tables, and links to metadata and related information.

    You can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook to keep up to date on releases and further information:
     

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    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Stats NZ information release: International trade: June 2024 quarter

    Source: Statistics New Zealand

    International trade: June 2024 quarter – information release – 3 September 2024 – International trade statistics provide information on imports and exports of goods and services between New Zealand and our trading partners.

    International trade: June 2024 quarter is our annual revisions release and includes changes to the calculation of travel credits among other series.

    International trade: June 2024 quarter – data sources and methods has more information.

    Key facts

    Quarterly goods and services by country

    • Total exports of goods and services for the June 2024 quarter were $26.2 billion, up from $25.8 billion in the June 2023 quarter.
    • Total imports of goods and services for the June 2024 quarter were $27.0 billion, up from $26.9 billion in the June 2023 quarter.
    • The total two-way trade for the June 2024 quarter was $53.2 billion.


    Visit Statistics NZ’s website to read this information release and to download CSV files:

     

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Annual number of homes consented down 22 percent – Stats NZ media and information release: Building consents issued: July 2024

    Source: Statistics New Zealand

    Annual number of homes consented down 22 percent 

    30 August 2024 – There were 33,921 new homes consented in New Zealand in the year ended July 2024, down 22 percent compared with the year ended July 2023, according to figures released by Stats NZ today.

    “The number of homes consented was down 22 percent on an annual basis, despite an increase in the July 2024 month,” construction and property statistics manager Michael Heslop said.

    In the year ended July 2024, there were 18,503 multi-unit homes consented, down 28 percent compared with the year ended July 2023. There were 15,418 stand-alone houses consented, down 14 percent over the same period.

    Multi-unit homes include townhouses, apartments, retirement village units, and flats.

    Visit Statistics NZ’s website to read this news story and information release and to download CSV files:

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Employment in Māori tourism businesses increases by 25 percent in 2023 – Stats NZ media and information release: Tatauranga umanga Māori – Statistics on Māori businesses: 2023 (English)

    Source: Statistics New Zealand

    Employment in Māori tourism businesses increases by 25 percent in 2023 – 29 August 2024

    Māori tourism employee counts increased by 25 percent from 2022, to 3,450 in 2023, according to figures released by Stats NZ today.

    The biggest increases in employment counts were in the arts and recreational services, and accommodation and food services industries. Compared with 2022, employee counts in arts and recreational services businesses in 2023 increased by 46 percent to 1,050. In accommodation and food services businesses, the increase was 19 percent to 1,850.

    “We are seeing employee numbers for most Māori tourism industries return to pre-COVID levels,” Tatauranga umanga Māori manager Geraldine Duoba said.

    Employees in Māori tourism businesses numbered 3,500 in 2020.

    Visit Statistics NZ’s website to read the news stories and information releases in both English and te reo Māori, and to access the technical report in English only. You can also download CSV files.

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Electrical industry sales up in the June 2024 quarter – Stats NZ media and information release: Business financial data: June 2024 quarter

    Source: Statistics New Zealand

    Electrical industry sales up in the June 2024 quarter – 10 September 2024

    Seasonally adjusted sales for the electricity, gas, waste, and water services industry in New Zealand rose to $7.9 billion in the June 2024 quarter, up 22 percent on March 2024 quarter, according to data released by Stats NZ today.

    In actual terms, industry sales increased by $2.1 billion (36 percent) in the June 2024 quarter compared with June 2023 quarter. This is the largest value increase since the beginning of the series in June 2016. Purchases for this industry also rose significantly, up $2.2 billion over the same period.

    “The rise in electricity industry sales and purchases can likely be attributed to a combination of factors such as gas shortages and low hydro generation. The impacts have mainly been expressed in the higher wholesale price of electricity.

    “It wasn’t just difficulty in electricity generation contributing to the shift we are seeing, the national demand for electricity was much higher this quarter, with NIWA noting the month of May as being the coldest May in 15 years,” business financial statistics manager Ricky Ho said.

    Visit Statistics NZ’s website to read this news story and information release and to download CSV files:

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  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Building activity down slightly in June 2024 quarter – Stats NZ media and information release: Value of building work put in place: June 2024 quarter

    Source: Statistics New Zealand

    Building activity down slightly in June 2024 quarter – 6 September 2024

    The seasonally adjusted volume of building work in New Zealand was $8.2 billion in the June 2024 quarter, down 0.2 percent compared with the March 2024 quarter, according to figures released by Stats NZ today.

    “This is the lowest volume of building activity seen in a June quarter since the COVID-impacted June 2020 quarter,” construction and property statistics manager Michael Heslop said.

    The seasonally adjusted volume of residential building work fell 0.7 percent to $5.2 billion and non-residential building work fell 0.1 percent to $3.0 billion over the same period.

    Seasonally adjusted volume estimates remove the effects of price changes and typical seasonal patterns.

    Visit Statistics NZ’s website to read this news story and information release and to download CSV files:

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  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Quarterly current account deficit $7.2 billion – Stats NZ media and information release: Balance of payments and international investment position: June 2024 quarter

    Source: Statistics New Zealand

    Quarterly current account deficit $7.2 billion – 18 September 2024 – New Zealand’s seasonally adjusted current account deficit widened by $269 million to $7.2 billion in the June 2024 quarter, according to figures released by Stats NZ today.

    Primary income deficit widens

    In the June 2024 quarter, the primary income deficit widened by $291 million to $3.8 billion.

    The overseas earnings of New Zealand investors increased by $36 million, while the earnings of overseas investors in New Zealand increased by $263 million.

    “In the June 2024 quarter, New Zealand continued to issue bonds to overseas investors, which further added to the amount of interest paid on all issued bonds,” senior manager Stuart Jones said.

    The overseas earnings of New Zealand investors were largely profits from overseas-owned companies.

    Visit Statistics NZ’s website to read this news story and information release and to download CSV files:

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  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Stats NZ information release: Business employment data: June 2024 quarter

    Source: Statistics New Zealand

    Business employment data: June 2024 quarter ‐ 10 September 2024 – Business employment data includes filled jobs and gross earnings, with breakdowns by industry, sex, age, region, and territorial authority area, using a combination of data from two different Inland Revenue sources: the employer monthly schedule (EMS) and payday filing. Both are associated with PAYE (pay as you earn) tax data.

    Key facts
    Total actual filled jobs in the June 2024 quarter were 2.3 million.

    In the June 2024 quarter (compared with the March 2024 quarter):

    • total seasonally adjusted filled jobs − down 0.4 percent (8,789 jobs).

    For the year ended June 2024 compared with the year ended June 2023:

    • total gross earnings ‐ up 7.6 percent ($12.5 billion).

    Visit Statistics NZ’s website to read this information release and to download CSV files:

     

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  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Nigeria: fears of disease outbreaks grow in Maiduguri following severe flooding

    Source: Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF)

    Maiduguri, Borno state, 23 September 2024 – Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) is highly concerned about the significant risk of malaria and waterborne diseases, including cholera, following the recent flooding that has inundated vast parts of Maiduguri. in north-eastern Nigeria. MSF fears that this crisis could increase the levels of malnutrition in the area and calls for urgent additional support, especially in terms of water, sanitation, and medical care, to protect people already heavily impacted by long-term insecurity and unprecedented levels of malnutrition.

    On 10 September, heavy rain caused the Alau Dam in Borno State to overflow, leading to major floods in and around the city of Maiduguri. The deluge heavily impacted houses, markets, fields, livestock, and several health facilities. According to Borno State authorities, close to 400,000 people have been registered in 30 makeshift displacement sites.[1] Most of the sites are schools with too few latrines, and a lack of safe drinking water.

    “We are very concerned about the precarious living conditions and the potential outbreaks of cholera and malaria”, says Dr Issaley Abdel Kader MSF Head of mission in Nigeria. “The number of children affected by malaria and acute watery diarrhoea had already started to increase before the flooding, and we have seen some with clinical signs of cholera since the floods. We are afraid that the number of cases will rise without an increase in medical and humanitarian support, particularly support for water, sanitation and hygiene services.”

    Last week, MSF teams visited several displacement sites (Galtimari, Yerwa, Ali Sheriff, Vocational Enterprise Institute, Teachers Village) to assess people’s needs and start the provision of essential services such as access to water through water-trucking and water tanks, the installation and repair of latrines, and the distribution of mosquito nets. Teams are also running outpatient consultations in the sites, including mental health support, and referring critical patients to the facilities we support. Given the risks posed by malaria and cholera, MSF is also planning to expand the paediatric facility it supports by 100 beds and have begun setting up a cholera treatment centre that can be increased to a 100-bed capacity, if needed.  

    The Borno State government has announced the closure and merging of most displacement sites in the coming days. They plan to keep three main sites to accommodate people who still have no place to stay for one more week, and a mass cholera vaccination is upcoming.

    “All parties involved in the humanitarian response must continue providing assistance to the people affected by the floods as long as it will be necessary and ensure immediate and easy access to medical care for those who need it. The closure of most sites means that many will find themselves in a very vulnerable situation. For those remaining in the sites, prompt action must be taken to swiftly improve hygiene conditions, including access to latrines, safe water and mosquito nets”, says Dr. Issaley.

    Support for communities won’t just be needed at the new displacement sites. Well before the flooding, the entire population of Maiduguri was already facing huge challenges, including one of the worst malnutrition crises recorded in northeast Nigeria. In the past months, hundreds of severely malnourished children have been admitted every week into MSF’s nutritional care hospital.

    “Admissions to the nutritional facilities had just started to reduce when the flooding occurred”, says Dr. Ashok Shrirang Sankpal, deputy medical coordinator MSF Nigeria. “With markets and businesses heavily impacted, the harvest damaged and livestock washed away, there is huge concern that admissions will start to rise again.”

    This is the second time in just a few weeks’ that MSF has had to launch emergency responses linked to flooding in northern Nigeria. In August in Gummi, Zamfara state, homes and farms were destroyed and thousands left newly displaced by severe flooding. Like Maiduguri, people in this area already face significant challenges, including malnutrition, persistent insecurity and lack of access to healthcare. MSF teams have been supporting communities in Gummi over the last few weeks by delivering clean drinking water, repairing boreholes and delivering kits which include plastic sheets for temporary shelter and mosquito nets.

    [1] Nigeria: Floods – Maiduguri (MMC) and Jere Floods Flash Update 3 (18 September 2024) – Nigeria | ReliefWeb

    MSF Australia was established in 1995 and is one of 24 international MSF sections committed to delivering medical humanitarian assistance to people in crisis. In 2022, more than 120 project staff from Australia and New Zealand worked with MSF on assignment overseas. MSF delivers medical care based on need alone and operates independently of government, religion or economic influence and irrespective of race, religion or gender. For more information visit msf.org.au  

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Kiwifruit exports having golden season – Stats NZ media and information release: Overseas merchandise trade: August 2024

    Source: Statistics New Zealand

    Kiwifruit exports having golden season – 23 September 2024 – Kiwifruit exports were valued at $3.1 billion in the year ended August 2024, according to figures released by Stats NZ today.

    This is an increase of $524 million (20 percent) when compared with the year ended August 2023.

    “Kiwifruit export values for the season so far are the highest they have ever been,” international trade manager Viki Ward said.

    “The kiwifruit export season is typically from March to November.”

    Gold kiwifruit exports were $2.4 billion, up $457 million (24 percent) from year ended August 2023. This increase was driven by an increase in quantity (up 23 percent).

    Visit Statistics NZ’s website to read this news story and information release:

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  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Taiwan: Constitutional Court recognizes fundamental flaws in death penalty but fails to abolish it – Amnesty International

    Source: Amnesty International

    In response to a ruling by the Constitutional Court of Taiwan that found the death penalty constitutional for offences such as murder, E-Ling Chiu, Director of Amnesty International Taiwan, said:

    “Today’s decision is a small step for human rights in Taiwan. The Constitutional Court has recognized the fundamental flaws of the death penalty and strengthened human rights protections for those on death row. Yet the death penalty remains on the books for several offences. This marks a start in Taiwan’s journey towards abolition, and we must ensure it does not stop here.

    “We have long been concerned about the unfair proceedings that have resulted in the imposition of the death penalty in many cases in Taiwan. Today’s verdict acknowledges that the current procedures are not rigorous – the Taiwanese authorities must now amend the relevant provisions within the two-year timeframe given to ensure fundamental safeguards are put in place. But this does not go far enough.

    “It is also positive that the Constitutional Court determined that current provisions fail to protect from the death penalty people with mental disabilities who are not competent to stand trial or execution. However, it is regrettable that the judgment did not fully reflect safeguards under international law and standards and did not exclude those with mental and intellectual disabilities from the use of the death penalty completely.

    “Despite the progress made today, we are extremely worried that this decision effectively puts close to 40 people at risk of execution. We urge the government of Taiwan to immediately establish an official moratorium on executions as a first critical step. The death penalty is inherently cruel and does not make us safer.

    “As the global trend continues towards abolition, today’s decision stacks Taiwan against the majority of the world’s countries that have already fully consigned this punishment to the history books. The authorities of Taiwan must act to swiftly commute all death sentences, bring about reforms to the criminal justice system that prioritize the protection of human rights and abolish the death penalty once and for all.”

    Background

    On 20 September 2024, the Constitutional Court of Taiwan issued its decision on a challenge on the constitutionality of the death penalty, finding the death penalty constitutional for serious offences such as murder. The constitutional challenge arose from a case filed by Wang Xinfu (Petition No. 2022), the oldest person on Taiwan’s death row, consolidated with petitions by 37 others.

    The Constitutional Court also held that the death penalty may not be carried out on any person with a mental disability.

    It gave the authorities two years to amend the law in order to comply with the judgment, and prohibited the use of the death penalty against anyone with a mental disability in the meantime.

    Amnesty International Taiwan and the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty are among several non-governmental organizations who intervened in the case, in support of the full abolition of the death penalty.

    In a joint briefing filed on 8 April, Amnesty International Taiwan and the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty argued that the use of the death penalty in Taiwan constitutes a violation of human rights as guaranteed under the Constitution of Taiwan (Articles 8 on personal freedom and procedural guarantees in case of arrest and conviction; and 15 on the right to existence).

    The organizations hold that the death penalty violates the human right to life and the right not to be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, as reflected in the development of international human rights law and standards. Amnesty International Taiwan, the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty and its members have long raised concern at the use of the death penalty in Taiwan, including in relation to proceedings in several cases that violated constitutional and international standards for a fair trial and resulted in the imposition of the death penalty.

    The last execution in Taiwan was carried out in 2020. As of 31 December 2023, 37 out of the 45 people held on death row had their death sentences finalized and were at risk of execution. As of today, 112 countries have abolished the death penalty for all crimes and 144 are abolitionist in law or practice. According to figures by Amnesty International, 16 countries were known to have carried out executions in 2023 – the lowest number of executing countries on record, since Amnesty International began its monitoring.

    Amnesty International opposes the death penalty in all cases without exception regardless of the nature or circumstances of the crime; guilt, innocence or other characteristics of the individual; or the method used by the state to carry out the execution.

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  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Africa – Huawei Advocates for Strong Collaboration Between Governments

    Nairobi, September 27, 2024

    Huawei Advocates for Strong Collaboration Between Governments, Private Sector and Academia to Drive Innovation Leveraging Konza and Local Universities.

    Huawei has called for deeper collaboration between governments, the private sector and academia as a key strategy to drive innovation, foster economic growth, and create sustainable development solutions.

    Speaking at a Round Table on Partnerships for Development Through Science Parks and Areas of Innovation, on the sideline of the 41st IASP World Conference between September 24-27 2024 in Nairobi, Adam Lane, Director of Government Affairs and Policy at Huawei Kenya emphasized the importance of partnerships in leveraging cutting-edge technologies to address pressing local, regional and global challenges.

    “In the last 5 years we have worked closely with Konza in providing infrastructure and training for Jitume Labs as well as funding research into how to enhance their effectiveness; we also plan to support events to bring more partners on board to Jitume. We are collaborating with Machakos University to set-up an IoT Lab and contributing content for the Bachelors in IoT and Cloud Computing as well as supporting innovation competitions and hackathons with universities and TVETs across the country. Through these partnerships we can unlock the full potential of digital transformation” Mr. Lane said.

    Collective expertise

    Mr. Lane said leveraging the collective expertise of governments, businesses, and academic and research institutions will create innovative ecosystems that support digital transformation and foster environments where innovation thrives.

    He noted that through collaboration, governments, academic institutions and businesses can jointly solve complex challenges and harness new opportunities in areas like smart cities, connectivity, and digital inclusion.

    “Huawei has partnered with Konza Technopolis and Machakos University amongst others because we believe that the collective expertise of governments, businesses, and academic institutions can create a powerful engine for sustainable innovation,” Lane said.  

    He said that while Huawei embraces partnerships that bring greater impacts, the Company also recommends focusing on one’s strengths and niche areas; highlighting an ongoing program using AI for special needs as one example.

    “At Huawei, we believe that technology can be a force for good. We are committed to collaborating with governments, academia and industry leaders to develop innovative solutions that address the unique needs of communities around us as we strive to create a brighter future for all,” Mr. Lane noted.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Employment indicators: August 2024 release is delayed

    Employment indicators: August 2024 release is delayed

    Employment indicators: August 2024has a new release date of Friday, 4 October 2024. This delay is due to a significant issue processing the data.

    The same data will be used in the employment stocks and flows series on our experimental website – this will also be available on Friday, 4 October 2024.

    We apologise for any inconvenience caused. If you have any questions, please get in touch with Sue Chapman, Sue.Chapman@stats.govt.nz.

    Ends

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