NewzIntel.com

Category: Politics

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Business – The Sustainable Business Council celebrates 25 years of ambition and progress

    Source: Sustainable Business Council

    25 years ago, a group of business leaders with bold ambitions got together and put a stake in the ground on sustainability.
    The Sustainable Business Council (SBC) was first conceived in 1999 as a coalition of leading businesses with a mandate that reflected the era and a shared commitment to sustainable development.
    Current SBC Chair, Claire Walker, commented on the value of keeping an eye on the long game.
    “Reaching 25 years is something to celebrate. Over that time SBC has provided a place for business to learn, to forge powerful partnerships and to be challenged and stretch – the role it has played has adapted to different environments,” said Walker.
    Then known as the New Zealand Business Council for Sustainable Development (NZBCSD), the organisation was (and remains) the only NZ-based Global Network Partner of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, headquartered in Geneva.
    The next significant era involved BusinessNZ, the peak body for New Zealand business, which in 2009 established a Sustainability Forum.
    SBC Executive Director Mike Burrell noted, “The idea was to provide a platform for companies wanting to define and lead sustainable business matters rather than simply respond to government-led initiatives.”
    Two years later, NZBCSD merged with the Sustainability Forum and became SBC.
    “Many current SBC members have been part of the membership since very early days – and the fact that we have stood the test of time is a credit to them,” said Burrell. “This includes Deloitte, Fonterra, Meridian, The Warehouse Group, Toyota NZ, and more.
    “Our focus now is on leadership, action on climate, nature, and thriving people. We support the fundamentals, advocate for change, and help broker large scale projects led by SBC member businesses who include some of the biggest organisations in New Zealand.”
    Significant milestones include the establishment of the Climate Leaders Coalition (CLC) – a CEO-led community of around 80 organisations leading the response to climate change. The combined emissions reduction achieved by current CLC signatories between signing up to the Coalition and November 2023 is 3.6 million tCO2e, a cumulative reduction of 29%.
    Another key achievement is the establishment of AgriZeroNZ, which began as an SBC-led collaboration and has gone on to become a world-first public-private partnership helping farmers reduce emissions, while maintaining profitability and productivity.
    “SBC member businesses have made big strides over the years, in terms of how they operate,” said Burrell.
    “The conversation has shifted a lot – from whether climate change is real, to the need to measure and report on an organisation’s operations, to levers for supporting sustainable decision making more broadly.”
    Sir Stephen Tindall, founder of The Warehouse Group and founding member of SBC also noted the shift since its formation.
    “When we set up the Sustainable Business Council we had no idea how much climate change would have advanced,” said Tindall.
    “Business needs to play its part along with bipartisan government to attempt to slow down global warming. We can only do this by working collaboratively with everybody to create a real ‘nationwide ambition’.”
    SBC will formally mark the milestone of 25 years with an Anniversary event at Parliament hosted by Minister of Climate Change, Simon Watts, on 22 October 2024.
    “Not only can businesses lead – it’s in our interests, and will mean New Zealand continues to achieve its potential over the next 25 years and beyond,” said Burrell.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Government News – Chief Ombudsman issues another stinging criticism of Oranga Tamariki over failure to investigate child assault and violence claims

    Source: Office of the Ombudsman

    The Chief Ombudsman has again issued a stinging criticism of Oranga Tamariki this time over failing to properly investigate reports of assaults and violence against pre-school and primary-aged children.
    “It is deeply concerning to me that I find myself yet again in the position of highlighting some very serious concerns about Oranga Tamariki’s processes and procedures. In this case, the Ministry received multiple reports of abuse against pre-school and primary aged children but didn’t treat them with the seriousness they deserved.”
    Peter Boshier began an investigation after receiving a complaint from a family member of the children about the way Oranga Tamariki responded to reports of concern.
    Mr Boshier found that between January 2022 and July 2023, Oranga Tamariki received nine reports of concern from seven different parties regarding alleged violent and abusive actions towards the children by the mother’s partner. The reports of concern came from both family members and professionals.
    “A thorough investigation of these reports was clearly required for the safety of the children but Oranga Tamariki repeatedly failed to do this. When it did investigate, it didn’t investigate properly,” Mr Boshier says.
    “The Ministry had photographic evidence and corroborative reports from other parties but still took no action.
    “I found a series of failures by Oranga Tamariki from beginning to end. For instance, it closed complaints without assessing them properly in the initial stages, it incorrectly advised the Family Court that there had been no family harm incidents in a period of more than a year, and it did not adhere to its own policy on making and monitoring safety plans. One safety plan included inappropriate requirements for the children to take action to ensure their own safety.
    “Oranga Tamariki failed to ask the children for their views about their safety and made short term assessments which did not take into account broader violence risk factors. The situation left the children at serious risk and culminated in an alleged attempted kidnapping of one child and the alleged kidnapping of another child who was a relative.”
    During his investigation Mr Boshier advised Oranga Tamariki of his provisional opinion and asked for an urgent interim update on the safety of the children. The Ministry told the Ombudsman it had developed a more robust safety plan.
    Mr Boshier made two follow up inquiries. In response to the first inquiry, Oranga Tamariki advised the safety plan was working well. But within a fortnight, after the second inquiry, the Ministry advised that the safety plan was being reconsidered after a breach had occurred. Three days later, there was another breach. The children are now in the care of their father.
    Mr Boshier’s final opinion is that Oranga Tamariki acted unreasonably and contrary to law in the way it responded to repeated reports of concern. He made a number of significant recommendations which Oranga Tamariki accepted. This included Oranga Tamariki undertaking an immediate and thorough assessment of the children’s safety, an apology and financial remedy to the complainant for costs they incurred in seeking to ensure the children’s safety through the Family Court, an audit of similar cases, training for staff, and changes to Oranga Tamariki policy and process.
    “Oranga Tamariki has advised me that the children are now safe and well in their father’s care,” Mr Boshier says.
    “Since I became Chief Ombudsman, Oranga Tamariki has come to my attention for all the wrong reasons.
    “I published a report earlier this year that outlined some of the cases I’ve dealt with, where system and process failures were common. I said then that I could not provide an assurance that Oranga Tamariki is consistently operating in accordance with good administrative practice. I’m afraid I still can’t provide that reassurance.
    “Oranga Tamariki still has a long way to go. I continue to strongly urge the leadership at Oranga Tamariki to prioritise essential improvements and address the fundamental underlying problems. Our children and young people deserve so much better.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: King Charles arrives in Samoa for ‘resilient environment’ CHOGM

    By Susana Suisuiki, RNZ Pacific journalist in Apia

    King Charles III and his wife Queen Camilla have landed in Apia, Samoa.

    The monarch has been greeted by a guard of honour at the airport before being escorted to his accommodation in Siumu.

    Local villagers have lined the roadsides with lanterns to welcome His Royal Highness.

    King Charles will deliver an address to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) on Friday.

    The royal office said as well as attending CHOGM, the King’s programme in Samoa would be supportive of one of the meeting’s key themes, “a resilient environment”, and the meeting’s focus on oceans.

    The King and Queen were to be formally welcomed by an ‘Ava Fa’atupu ceremony before meeting people at an engagement to highlight aspects of Samoan traditions and culture.

    Charles will also attend the CHOGM Business Forum to hear about progress on sustainable urbanisation and investment in solutions to tackle climate change.

    He will visit a mangrove forest, a National Park, and Samoa’s Botanical Garden, where he will plant a tree marking the opening of a new area within the site, which will be called ‘The King’s Garden’.

    Queen Camilla’s engagements include visiting an aoga faifeau to see first-hand how pupils are taught to read and write, and will visiting the Samoa Victim Support Group, an organisation which assists survivors of domestic violence and sexual abuse.

    Since 1969, King Charles III has visited 44 of 53 Commonwealth countries, many of them on several occasions.

    His visits to the Pacific — before he was King — included representing his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, at Fiji’s independence celebrations in 1970; and visiting Papua New Guinea, Australia and New Zealand as part of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2012.

    Queen Elizabeth II visited the Pacific multiple times during her reign.

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Myanmar/Bangladesh: Rohingya community facing gravest threats since 2017 – Amnesty International

    Source: Amnesty International

    • Rohingya say Arakan Army drove them from their homes and killed civilians
    • Urgent need for international support and humanitarian aid as thousands of new arrivals seek protection in Bangladesh
    • Bangladesh must refrain from sending Rohingya back to Myanmar, where indiscriminate military air strikes also killing civilians.

    Newly arrived Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh need urgent access to food, shelter and medical attention after enduring the worst violence against their communities since the Myanmar military-led campaign in 2017, Amnesty International said today.

    Testimony shows how Rohingya families forced to leave their homes in Myanmar have been caught in the middle of increasingly fierce clashes between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army, one of many armed groups opposing the junta. Hundreds of thousands have been internally displaced and upwards of tens of thousands of Rohingya have crossed the border or are waiting to cross the border to seek refuge in Bangladesh.

    “Once again, the Rohingya people are being driven from their homes and dying in scenes tragically reminiscent of the 2017 exodus. We met people who told us they lost parents, siblings, spouses, children and grandchildren as they fled fighting in Myanmar. But this time, they are facing persecution on two fronts, from the rebel Arakan Army and the Myanmar military, which is forcibly conscripting Rohingya men,” Amnesty International’s Secretary General, Agnès Callamard, said.

    “Those lucky enough to make it to Bangladesh do not have enough to eat, a proper place to sleep, or even their own clothes.”

    The 2021 military coup in Myanmar has had a catastrophic impact on human rights. Myanmar’s military has killed more than 5,000 civilians and arrested more than 25,000 people. Since the coup, Amnesty has documented indiscriminate air strikes by the Myanmar military, torture and other ill-treatment in prison, collective punishment and arbitrary arrests.

    The recent escalation in Myanmar’s Rakhine State started in November 2023 with the launch of a rebel counter-offensive by the Arakan Army and two other armed groups that has posed the biggest threat to military control since the 2021 coup. Myanmar’s military has responded by stepping up indiscriminate air strikes that have killed, injured and displaced civilians.

    The impact on Rakhine State, where many of the more than 600,000 Rohingya in Myanmar still live, has been severe, with towns transformed into battlegrounds.

    In Bangladesh, authorities have been pushing Rohingya fleeing the conflict back into Myanmar, while those who reached the Bangladesh camps told of a desperate shortage of essential supplies and services there.

    In September 2024, Amnesty interviewed 22 people in individual and group settings who recently sought refuge in Bangladesh, joining more than one million Rohingya refugees, the majority having arrived in 2017 or earlier.

    The new arrivals said the Arakan Army unlawfully killed Rohingya civilians, drove them from their homes and left them vulnerable to attacks, allegations the group denies. These attacks faced by the Rohingya come on top of indiscriminate air strikes by the Myanmar military that have killed both Rohingya and ethnic Rakhine civilians.

    Many Rohingya, including children, who were fleeing the violence to Bangladesh drowned while crossing by boat.

    Bangladesh pushbacks deepen woes of Rohingya

    The people Amnesty International interviewed in Bangladesh had recently fled Maungdaw Township in northern Rakhine State, which the Arakan Army tried to capture from the Myanmar military after it seized Buthidaung Township in May.

    Many were survivors of a drone and mortar attack that took place on 5 August on the shores of the Naf River that divides Myanmar and Bangladesh.

    All those interviewed stressed that their urgent priority now was access to basic services in the camp, including aid, shelter, money, security, food and healthcare.

    They were also terrified of being sent back to Myanmar. But Amnesty International found that Bangladeshi border authorities have forcibly returned Rohingya people fleeing the violence, in violation of the international law principle of non-refoulment, which prohibits returning or transferring anyone to a country where they are at risk of serious human rights violations.

    A 39-year-old Rohingya man told Amnesty International he fled Maungdaw with his family on 5 August 2024. In the early morning of 6 August, their boat was near the Bangladesh shore and started taking on water before tipping over. Residents told him later that Bangladeshi border guards prevented them from helping.

    “The border guards were nearby, but they did not help us,” he said.

    He said he passed out and woke up on the beach to see dead bodies washed ashore. He later discovered that all his six children, aged between two and 15, had drowned. He said his sister also lost six of her children.

    Bangladesh border guards detained him. The next night he and the others with him were sent back to Myanmar, where they found another boat and returned. According to one credible estimate, there have been more than 5,000 cases of refoulement this year, with a spike following the 5 August attacks.

    “Sending people back to a country where they are at real risk of being killed is not only a violation of international law; it will also force people to take greater risks while making the journey to avoid detection, such as traveling by night or on longer routes,” Agnès Callamard said.

    The Rohingya who made it to the refugee camps are living off the generosity of relatives there. New arrivals in particular expressed concern that they were unable to register with the UN refugee agency for essential support. As a result, many are going without meals, and are afraid to venture out for fear of deportation, even when in need of medical care.

    Interviewees also mentioned the deteriorating security situation in the camps, due mainly to the presence of two Rohingya armed groups: the Rohingya Solidarity Organization and the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army. Myanmar’s shifting conflict dynamics in Rakhine State have meant that some Rohingya militants have aligned with the junta in Myanmar. As a result, Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh fear that they or their family members could be snatched and forcibly taken back and conscripted to fight there.

    The vast majority hoped for resettlement in a third country.

    “We are constantly afraid of moving from one place to another because we don’t have any documents. We are newcomers here, and we have also heard about people being abducted,” a 40-year-old woman said.

    “The interim Bangladesh government and humanitarian relief organizations must work together so that people can have access to essential services such as food, adequate shelter and medical care,” Agnès Callamard said.

    “Bangladesh must also ensure that it does not forcibly return people to escalating conflict. Meanwhile, the international community needs to step up with funds and assistance for those living in the refugee camps.”

    In a meeting with Amnesty International, Bangladesh officials rejected the allegations of refoulement but said border guards “intercept” people trying to cross the border. They also stressed that the country cannot accommodate any more Rohingya refugees.

    Arakan Army and Myanmar military abuses

    The Myanmar military has persecuted Rohingya for decades and expelled them en masse in 2017. It is now forcing them to join the army as part of a nationwide military service law. The Myanmar military has also reportedly reached an informal “peace” pact with the Rohingya Solidarity Organization, an older Rohingya armed group that has reemerged as a force in recent months. These complex developments have further inflamed tensions between the Rohingya and the ethnic Rakhine, whom the Arakan Army purports to represent.

    The rise in fighting nationwide has also resulted in mounting allegations of abuses by armed groups fighting against the military. Many Rohingya described the fatal consequences of being trapped between the two sides.

    “Every time there is a conflict, we get killed,” one Rohingya interviewee told Amnesty.

    A 42-year-old shopkeeper said that on 1 August, a munition of unknown origin landed outside his house in Maungdaw, killing his 4-year-old son. On 6 August, the Arakan Army – whose fighters he identified by their badges – entered his village in Maungdaw and relocated all the Hindu and Buddhist families to another area they said was safe, while the Rohingya families were left in place.

    “They began causing unrest [using it as a base to launch attacks] in the village, which forced us, the Muslim families, to leave on 7 August. We were the only ethnic group left in the village. It seemed like they did this intentionally,” he said.

    When he later took shelter in downtown Maungdaw on 15 August, he said he saw Arakan Army “snipers” shoot two Rohingya civilians. “I witnessed the Arakan Army kill a woman right on the spot with gunfire while she went to a pond to collect water … there was another man who was sitting and smoking in front of his house and he too was shot right in his head and killed.”

    In response to questions by Amnesty International, the Arakan Army said on 13 October that these allegations were unsubstantiated or not credible. It said it issued warnings for civilians to leave Maungdaw ahead of its operations and helped evacuate people, that it instructs its soldiers to distinguish between civilians and combatants, and that in case of breaches, it takes disciplinary action.

    Since late last year, Amnesty International has separately documented Myanmar military air strikes that have killed civilians and destroyed civilian infrastructure in Rakhine State. This year, the impact of the Myanmar military conscripting Rohingya has added to the historical, systemic discrimination and apartheid already experienced by Rohingya.

    “I felt really bad that they were involving us in their fight, even though we had nothing to do with it. It felt like they were laying the foundation to get us killed,” a 63-year-old cattle trader said.

    Families wiped out

    On 5 August 2024, the intensity of bombardments and gunfights between the Myanmar military and Arakan Army forced scores of people from Maungdaw to seek shelter in sturdier homes near the Naf river border with Bangladesh.

    Recalling that day, the Rohingya cattle trader said the Arakan Army was “getting closer to our village, capturing the surrounding villages … they flew drones in the sky, holding them there for about an hour, and could drop bombs from the drones whenever and wherever they wanted with remote control. They killed so many people.”

    That afternoon, many recounted seeing a drone and hearing multiple blasts. The cattle trader said he heard eight to 10 blasts, and that bombs were exploding “before even touching the ground”. He saw a small unmanned aerial device flying near the crowd that looked like a “rounded-shaped drone” with something attached underneath.

    He said his wife, daughter, son-in-law, and two of his grandchildren were killed, while the youngest grandchild, aged one, was seriously injured and later had her lower left leg amputated at the knee in Bangladesh.

    One 18-year-old woman from Maungdaw said she lost both parents and two of her sisters, aged seven and five, during the blast. At the time of the attack, her father was carrying one of her sisters while her mother carried the other. When they reached the Maungdaw shore in the afternoon in search of boats to cross to Bangladesh, an explosion occurred.

    “We quickly hid in the mud, sitting down in the muddy water, and then another bomb exploded, killing my parents, sisters and many others,” she said. “I saw it all with my own eyes – my parents and sisters were killed when the bomb shrapnel hit them.”

    While she didn’t see a drone, she said the “big bomb” that killed her family members “came flying”. The sound has haunted her ever since. She said she saw about 200 bodies on the shore, a figure cited independently by another interviewee.

    Almost everyone Amnesty spoke to said they lost at least one relative while trying to flee Myanmar. Medical records shared with Amnesty International from the days after the attack show treatment for bomb blast injuries after arriving in Bangladesh. Since August there has been a dramatic increase in treatment of war wounds from those fleeing Myanmar.

    In its response to Amnesty International, the Arakan Army said that the Myanmar military or aligned armed groups were likely those most responsible and that eyewitnesses or survivors may be affiliated with militant groups.

    “The Arakan Army must allow an independent, impartial and effective investigation into possible violations carried out during their operations. Both the Arakan Army and the Myanmar military must abide by international humanitarian law,” Agnès Callamard said.

    “We continue to call on the UN Security Council to refer the entire situation in Myanmar to the International Criminal Court.”

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: Secretary Del Toro As-Written Remarks at the Georgia Tech Research Institute

    Source: United States Navy

    Introduction/Thank You

    Good afternoon, everyone!

    It is wonderful to be with you at Georgia Tech Research Institute, the future of engineering, science, and technology.

    President Cabrera, thank you for your leadership of the students here at Georgia Tech, the future scientists, engineers, innovators, and problem-solvers of our country.

    Dr. Hudgens, thank you for your leadership and vision for the Georgia Tech Research Institute, and all that you are doing to advance our national security interests.

    I thank the future Navy and Marine Corps Officers from the NROTC consortium here with us today.

    Thank you for answering the call to service—for choosing a path both challenging and difficult. I look forward to you joining our Fleet and Force.

    To all of our Georgia Tech faculty and students, distinguished visitors, and guests—welcome, and thank you for your time today.

    World Today

    As you have read in the news, we face challenges in every corner of the world—from the Indo-Pacific, to Europe, to the Red Sea.

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

    Ukraine is fighting not only for their own liberty and freedom—they are fighting to protect democracy in Europe and indeed around the world.

    We proudly stand beside them in support for their just and noble cause.

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

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

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

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

    Carrier Air Wing Three, our “Battle Axe,” played a pivotal role in protecting civilian mariners, deploying over sixty air-to-air missiles and over 420 air-to-surface weapons.

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

    Their sacrifice reminds us that what we ask of our Sailors and Marines is anything but routine.

    And our hearts go out to the families and friends of these brave and selfless warfighters.

    The Bataan Amphibious Ready Group, with the embarked 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, made significant contributions in the region by deterring hostile Houthi attacks and preventing the conflict from escalating throughout the region.

    Our warships—including the Carney, Mason, Gravely, Laboon, Eisenhower, and Thomas Hudner—have demonstrated exceptional performance under fire, successfully deterring and defeating missile and drone attacks targeting innocent maritime shipping.

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

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

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

    Our Navy-Marine Corps Team remains at the center of global and national security—maintaining freedom of the seas, international security, and global stability.

    DON Innovation Initiatives

    To win the fight of the future, we must embrace and implement emerging technologies.

    We stand on the shoulders of giants in innovation.

    And delivering technology which changes the very nature of warfighting is in our DNA.

    A little over a year ago, I stood in the courtyard of the Pentagon to celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the Naval Research Lab—the place that invented radar, GPS, and the first satellite tracking system—and a place I worked at as a young lieutenant commander.

    At that time, I challenged the research, engineering, and technology developers of today to take their place in the company of those innovation giants.

    I challenged my team to innovate at the speed of relevance to deliver concepts of operations and capabilities which bolster deterrence and expand our warfighting advantage.

    I challenged my Chief of Naval Research to align the Office of Naval Research’s investment in science and technology research—including the research conducted here at Georgia Tech—with each effort aimed at addressing issues we face as a maritime nation.

    Within three months of my challenge to the Chief of Naval Research, he delivered.

    Our new Naval Science and Technology Strategy now drives our Navy and Marine Corps’ innovation investments in science and technology research during this decisive period.

    This strategy is a global call to service for scientists, engineers, inventors, and innovators from academia, industry, and government to work with us in solving naval problems to ensure our freedom and way of life.

    And the Georgia Tech Research Institute has answered this call.

    During this past fiscal year, ONR completed 22 grants here at GTRI worth $23.6 million, and Georgia Tech currently has 72 active contracts and grants with the Navy worth $216 million.

    These ONR grants support research and development of technology in cyber, AI and autonomy, materials and electronics, as well as ocean, atmosphere, and space—focus areas in our Naval S&T Strategy.

    Service to our national security is indeed the engine of GTRI.

    Another critical investment we have made as a result of our strategic change is the establishment of the Naval Innovation Center at the Naval Postgraduate School.

    The NIC will enhance and accelerate the innovation process at NPS by driving “ideas to impact,” bringing research concepts out of the lab and into the field faster by empowering students and partners across the entire Naval Research and Development Establishment to work with the Naval innovation ecosystem and industry—in a whole-of-Navy approach—to speed the delivery of warfighting advantages to our Naval forces.

    Furthermore, we are supporting the construction of a purposefully-designed facility to house the NIC at the Naval Postgraduate School, providing a space for collaboration, defense-focused experimentation, and demonstration of operational use cases to ensure the right technology is evolving.

    S&T Board One Year Update

    Last fall, I also announced the establishment of the Department of the Navy’s Science and Technology Board, with the intent that the board provide independent advice and counsel to the Department on matters and policies relating to scientific, technical, manufacturing, acquisition, logistics, medicine, and business management functions.

    Our Science and Technology Board just completed its inaugural year.

    Under the expert leadership of former Secretary of the Navy Richard Danzig, this impressive group of thought leaders with expertise in government, industry, and academia has completed an ambitious research agenda to identify new technologies for rapid adoption.

    Since I signed out the Board’s initial tasking in February, they have achieved the impressive feat of undertaking and concluding six studies, delivering near term, practical recommendations, that the Department of the Navy can quickly implement.

    I have accepted recommendation reports from the Board and issued implementation guidance related to the path forward on unmanned systems, improving sailor physical and mental health, mission assurance of digital infrastructure, and capitalizing on opportunities for additive manufacturing.

    In fact, Georgia Tech’s own Chief Manufacturing Officer and Manufacturing Institute Executive Director Dr. Tom Kurfess, lent his breadth and depth of expertise in leading a study on additive manufacturing which I accepted last month.

    It is a testament to the Board’s energy and dedication, that it is already embarking on additional projects to keep our Navy at the leading edge of technology and innovation.

    Innovation Closer to the Fight

    Similar to the focus of our S&T Board of Advisors, who are looking at today’s problems and ways that technology can provide new ways to tackle our operational challenges, I chartered a Disruptive Capabilities Office last January to look at already-available or emerging technology to address the Fleet’s capability gaps. 

    And they have delivered.

    DCO identified meaty organizational, doctrinal, and technological advancements that the Navy has implemented, within six months, to close an emergent warfighting gap in Counter-UAS base defense for the CENTCOM area of responsibility.

    DCO is also leading an effort to combine innovative commercial space-enabled capabilities in coordination with the National Reconnaissance Office, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, U.S. Coast Guard, and other governmental agencies to enhance Maritime Domain Awareness for the Department of the Navy along with our allies and partners.

    Replicator and Capability-Based Delivery

    My call to innovation has also put more “ready players on the field” as we look to grow force structure in the near term.

    In the last twelve months, I have fielded varying sizes of unmanned surface vessels into the hands of our operators for use in experimentation, CONOP development, and for operation.

    We are expanding our systems to include not only homogeneous but also heterogeneous collaborative autonomy.

    I am extremely proud of my team’s leadership in this domain, to include our leadership in identifying and quickly procuring the capabilities that support Deputy Secretary of Defense Hicks’s “Replicator” initiative.

    It is no accident that four of the five selected “Replicator” systems came out of the Department of the Navy’s innovation ecosystem.

    And over the last year, our Department has expended more missiles than we have since the Second World War.

    My Program Executive Office for Integrated Warfare Systems has been at the forefront of this fight.

    Last year, I challenged that office to operate and field its systems as a “portfolio of capabilities”—and they have delivered.

    The IWS RCO has been working hand-in-hand with our operators in the fight in the Red Sea to deliver innovations, in near-real time, as we continue to innovate—at speed.

    Call to Action/Closing

    I am extremely proud of everything our department has accomplished over the last three years, and I am excited for our Navy-Marine Corps team as we chart a course for the future—a future that will require us to respond and adapt to whatever geopolitical challenges our Nation may face.

    To those Georgia Tech, Spellman, and Morehouse College students who are not affiliated with the NROTC program—if anything that I said today interests you, I encourage you to speak with me or a member of my staff to learn more about how you can join our team in the Navy or Marine Corps.

    Service in the Navy and Marine Corps is more than just a job—it represents a chance to serve and become something much bigger than yourself.

    And the Department of the Navy also provides numerous opportunities for public service beyond serving in uniform—we need engineers, scientists, and analysts in our Department.

    As our Department continues to re-imagine and refocus our innovation efforts, I encourage all of you—our nation’s scientists, engineers, researchers, and inventors—to join us.

    No matter how you serve, you’ll be part of a team working together toward a shared goal.

    We are indeed in an innovation race—and it is one we must win.

    Innovation must permeate every aspect of our Department’s approach to deliver technologies and capabilities at a speed and scale necessary for our Navy and Marine Corps to confront the challenges of today and the future.

    Thank you all for your commitment to the Department of the Navy, the maritime services, and indeed our Nation.

    May God continue to bless our Sailors, Marines, Civilians, and their families stationed around the globe with fair winds and following seas.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Call for community members to participate in coal ash advisory committee

    Source: New South Wales Premiere

    Published: 24 October 2024

    Released by: Minister for the Central Coast

    Lake Macquarie and Lake Munmorah communities are encouraged to take part in a new advisory committee set up to help inform the NSW Government’s remediation of sites containing coal ash repositories.

    The government is establishing the committee to support its response to the ‘NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into costs for remediation of sites containing coal ash repositories’ available here.

    In response to the Inquiry’s recommendations, NSW Health has commissioned a review of environmental data to determine whether people living close to power stations and coal ash dams are exposed to potentially harmful chemicals through air, water, soil or local fish and seafood.

    The committee will allow open discussions between NSW Health and representatives of the local community, stakeholder groups and local councils on the potential health impacts of coal ash.

    NSW Health is seeking applications from community members and those from local civic, professional, and environmental groups to apply to join the committee.

    Committee members will contribute to committee discussions, attend around four meetings a year, and help communicate information about the coal ash study to the broader community

    Those interested can obtain a nomination form by contacting independent Chair of the Community Advisory Committee: David Ross, at David.Ross@phoenixstrategic.com.au. Nominations close on 6 December 2024.

    Minister for the Central Coast David Harris said:

    “This new committee will allow us to gain a deeper understanding of the impacts of coal ash deposits on communities in Lake Macquarie and Lake Munmorah.

    “I encourage interested residents in those areas to take this opportunity to donate their time and expertise to find a way forward to clean up these sites for the lasting benefit of their communities.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Australia outperforms on global budget league tables

    Source: Australian Treasurer

    The Albanese Government’s responsible budget strategy has seen Australia become one of the top ranked economies in the world for fiscal management in 2024, according to figures released by the International Monetary Fund.

    Australia is expected to have the third strongest budget balance as a share of GDP among G20 countries in 2024, and up from 14th in 2021 under the Coalition according to the IMF Fiscal Monitor.

    This is a big vote of confidence in Labor’s management of the nation’s finances.

    From 14th to a podium finish in less than one term is a powerful demonstration of our responsible economic management.

    Our budget has become one of the best in the world under the Albanese Government and that’s what this data shows.

    We’re getting the budget in better nick and paying down billions of dollars of Liberal debt.

    Our responsible economic management has helped in the fight against inflation and has helped make room in the budget for things that matter like healthcare, aged care, and defence. 

    Under the Albanese Government, Australia is ranked ahead of all G7 economies on budget management in 2024, including the US, UK, Canada, France and Germany.

    Since the election, Australia has seen one of the biggest budget improvements of the G20.

    Australia also has the fifth lowest gross debt to GDP ratio in the G20 in 2024, a position which improved in 2023, and has been maintained since then.

    The 2024 budget balance ranking for Australia has also improved since the April projections.

    This endorsement of Labor’s responsible economic management comes after the Final Budget Outcome for 2023‑24 which confirmed the Albanese Government delivered the first back‑to‑back surpluses in nearly two decades.

    The underlying cash surplus of $15.8 billion (0.6 per cent of GDP) for 2023‑24 followed the $22.1 billion (0.9 per cent of GDP) surplus delivered in 2022‑23.

    In dollar terms, these were the biggest back-to-back surpluses on record, meaning the Albanese Government has delivered the largest nominal improvement in the budget position in a Parliamentary term.

    If we took the same approach as our predecessors, we wouldn’t have come close to delivering back-to-back surpluses.

    The budget position has improved by $172.3 billion across the past two years compared to what we inherited from our predecessors.

    The government’s budget strategy strikes the right balance between fighting inflation, rolling out responsible cost-of-living relief, supporting growth in our economy and strengthening public finances.

    We’ve delivered two surpluses at the same time as we’ve rolled out responsible cost-of-living relief including tax cuts for every taxpayer, energy bill relief for every household, cheaper medicines, cheaper child care and the first consecutive real increases to the maximum rates of Commonwealth Rent Assistance in three decades.

    Our economic plan is all about easing the cost of living and fighting inflation at the same time as we lay the foundations for a stronger economy for the future, and back-to-back budget surpluses help on each of these fronts.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Albanese Government to provide scam victims clear pathway for redress

    Source: Australian Treasurer

    The Albanese Government is making Australia the hardest target for scammers – sending a clear message that this harmful practice won’t be tolerated here, and making sure victims know we have their backs.

    Today, the government is announcing further steps by providing $14.7 million over two years to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) to establish a clear single pathway for scam victims to seek compensation.

    The Government has already announced its intention to nominate AFCA to operate the external dispute resolution scheme for the first three designated sectors under the Scams Prevention Framework – banks, telecommunication service providers and digital platforms providing social media, paid search advertising and direct messaging.

    Scams victims will be able to seek compensation through a single door if they have been unable to reach a satisfactory outcome through internal dispute resolution, even if the complaint is against multiple regulated industries.

    This means if a person is the target of a scam on social media and loses money from their bank account, both the bank and the social media platform could be liable if they failed to put adequate protections in place.

    Currently social media companies have no internal or external dispute resolution mechanism and redress is close to impossible.

    This is a major uplift in consumer protections for scam activity.

    Today’s announcement will support the significant expansion of AFCA’s remit involved with, adding scams complaints against telcos and certain digital platforms.

    AFCA receives more than 100,000 complaints about financial firms each year. In 2023–24, approximately 11,000 of these were scam‑related complaints.

    AFCA will continue to operate its existing EDR jurisdiction for non‑scam complaints in relation to financial services, as will the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman in relation to non‑scam complaints about telecommunications service providers.

    This funding announcement builds on the government’s landmark Scams Prevention Framework legislation. The Framework creates core obligations designed to prevent, detect, disrupt, and respond to manipulation tactics used by scammers to target Australians.

    Initially banks, telcos, and some digital platforms will be subject to mandatory sector‑specific codes and face significant penalties for non‑compliance.

    Consultation on the exposure draft of the Framework legislation concluded on 4 October 2024. The Government is considering the feedback provided during consultation to inform development of a final bill for introduction to Parliament this year.

    Quotes attributable to Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services, Stephen Jones

    “Our scams crackdown will cut off the avenues scammers use to target Australians by setting a high bar for what businesses must do to prevent them.

    “Scam victims will have a clear pathway for redress.

    “We want victims of scams to know the Government has their backs, and we want businesses to understand that they have a responsibility to protect Australians from these often devastating scammers.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Interview with Matt Shirvington, Sunrise, Channel 7

    Source: Australian Treasurer

    MATT SHIRVINGTON:

    Welcome back. Well, the Department of Finance has announced over $14 million worth of funding in an effort to make Australia the hardest target for scammers. The new proposals come as the government aims to crack down on fraud, ensuring victims are able to seek compensation through a new, streamlined service. For more Financial Services Minister Stephen Jones joins us now. Great to have you with us. So, how will this new funding benefit victims straight off?

    STEPHEN JONES:

    The situation at the moment is the law is really grey on what the obligations on banks, on telecommunications companies and social media platforms are to keep their customers safe. I’m introducing new laws into parliament in the next few weeks which will raise the bar significant new protections for consumers, but also ensuring they have a single front door to go through when something goes wrong and they’re unable to resolve their complaint. That front door will be the Australian Financial Complaints Authority. Significant uplift in funding, $14.7 million so they can deal with a caseload of complaints that they’re going to have to deal with. So, if I could put it simply, new obligations, new – new avenues for redress, Australian consumers better off.

    SHIRVINGTON:

    The main thing, I think, for most people when they get targeted and scammed is the speed of some sort of resolution. Is it going to speed that up?

    JONES:

    Absolutely. There’ll be stronger obligations on banks, dispute resolution processes and an independent tribunal if things can’t be resolved. And I’ll ensure that there’s a fast track process in there as well, to ensure that people can raise their complaints. A lot of it will be, I want my money back, but a lot of it will also be, can you pull down that fake webpage?

    SHIRVINGTON:

    Yes.

    JONES:

    That is impersonating me. That is impersonating a bank or a telecommunications company. Pull down that material because people are being lured into losing money through that. So, there’s a range of complaints, new avenues to be able to deal with that.

    SHIRVINGTON:

    That’s fantastic. Thank you so much for joining us. The other thing that piques my interest too is the SMS sender ID registry that you’re implementing, which will mean it won’t pop up on those SMS threads from the banks as well. Appreciate your time this morning.

    JONES:

    Good to be with you.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Ahead of the Threat Podcast: Episode One

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) (video statements)

    In December 2021, UKG Kronos was hit with a ransomware attack that impacted thousands of business customers.

    On this episode of Ahead of the Threat, co-hosts Bryan Vorndran, assistant director of the FBI’s Cyber Division, and Jamil Farshchi, a strategic engagement advisor for the FBI, speak to Aaron Ain, former CEO and current Executive Chair at UKG, who gives a firsthand account of what it’s like to lead a multinational technology company during major cyber incident. Learn how Aaron handled the extreme pressure of the situation, prioritized transparency to rebuild customer trust, and made enduring structural reforms to supply-chain security and cybersecurity at the board level.

    At the start of the episode, Bryan and Jamil discuss trending topics like Iran’s brazen effort to interfere in the 2024 U.S. presidential election, the Salt Typhoon hack of U.S. telecoms, and recent supply chain compromises.
    —————————————————
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    Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4H2d3cg…
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    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOsOCAaH2Ms

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sullivan, House Republicans Urge Biden-Harris Admin to Improve Plastic Management Treaty at U.N.

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alaska Dan Sullivan
    10.23.24
    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken urging the Biden-Harris administration to press for improvements to a global plastics treaty being negotiated by United Nations participating countries. Sen. Sullivan expressed concerns that the treaty could be plagued with vague requirements and expensive efforts that do not provide adequate solutions to the pressing issue of plastic waste. The letter was first reported on in an article by Politico’s Jordan Wolman on October 16.
    “Since this treaty has no enforcement provisions and relies on the good faith and self-reporting of signatory countries, the treaty needs to be common-sense and future-looking, building on reducing demand for single use plastic, on technical innovation, and on implementing measures that enhance the circularity of plastic,” Sen. Sullivan wrote. “I urge the Biden-Harris administration to focus on securing an agreement that the U.S. can join and one that will result in a lasting solution to end plastic pollution.”
    Representative Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas) led a similar letter in the House joined by 26 of his Republican colleagues.
    Click here to read the full letter.
    Senator Sullivan has led on the issue of plastic pollution, specifically in regard to oceans and marine ecosystems, with his Save our Seas (SOS) 2.0 Act, introduced with Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and signed into law in December 2020. This legislation has fostered multiple efforts to eliminate plastic pollution and mitigate the impacts on the environment, including:
    The Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Grant Program (SWIFR), authorized by SOS 2.0 and implemented by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has provided $375 million in infrastructure and recycling programs for local communities.
    The Save Our Seas Initiative, launched by USAID in 2022, has implemented programs in 25 cities across 10 countries to reduce the flow of ocean plastic pollution. The initiative’s recently-launched CIRCLE Initiative (Catalyzing Inclusive, Resilient and Circular Local Economies) is a public-private partnership that furthers this aim.
    The Department of State leads inter-agency efforts to negotiate a 175+ country global treaty on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment. The Department also launched the End Plastic Pollution International Collaborative; EPPIC is a public-private partnership built to catalyze governments, NGOs, and businesses to support innovative solutions to the plastic pollution crisis.
    The Marine Debris Foundation, a charitable and nonprofit foundation established by SOS 2.0, announced Juneau, Alaska as its headquarters, following strong support by Sen. Sullivan to locate the headquarters in Alaska.
    The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) published a landmark report on the U.S. contribution to global ocean plastic waste; other members of the Interagency Marine Debris Coordinating Committee have published additional reports that further our understanding and galvanize action to combat plastic pollution.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: US Navy: Projecting Strength and Building the Fleet of Tomorrow

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Lindsey Graham

    US Navy: Projecting Strength and Building the Fleet of Tomorrow

    By Senator Lindsey Graham and Morgan Ortagus

    Fox News

    October 23, 2024

    https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/us-navy-projecting-strength-and-building-fleet-tomorrow

    It’s time for all Americans to grasp a hard truth: in a world that may be on the brink of World War III, our military budgets are inconsistent with the threats we face. This is especially the case with the budget of the Department of the Navy.  

    The bad news: the current Navy budget will not make a stronger military or a larger U.S. fleet a reality. The good news: through American innovation and more agile products, we can build a bigger and more efficient Navy.  

    However, President Biden’s proposed FY2025 budget of $257.6 billion for the Department of the Navy is well below inflation and does not provide for a more lethal Navy. 

    As both President Biden and President Trump certified, the most direct challenge facing the U.S. Navy today is from the People’s Republic of China. Therefore, strong investments must be made now to ensure the Navy, and most importantly the United States, can meet this threat head-on.

    It comes as no shock to the reader that America and its allies and partners are facing an unprecedented deluge of maritime threats by the People’s Republic of China. The Chinese Navy alone has provoked a U.S. destroyer in the Taiwan Strait with dangerous maneuvers, harassed Taiwan with aggressive military exercises, entered America’s Exclusive Economic Zone in the Bering Sea, developed a jam-resistant submarine torpedo, and injured several Filipino sailors at and around Second Thomas Shoal.  

    These developments incrementally set the conditions for a direct conflict on the open seas. Meanwhile, Washington has been lulled into complacency by decades of maritime supremacy. Most concerning, the United States lacks the political resolve to shed the Navy’s Soviet-era mentality and adapt to the new era of great power competition. 

    To meet the moment’s maritime threats, America must choose between tough and tougher: make significant investments in our fleet or face the costs of inaction.

    Section One: Expanding U.S. Shipbuilding Capacity and Cooperation with Allies

    Our shipbuilding industrial base is grappling with significant delays and challenges, affecting major programs like the Columbia-class submarines, Constellation-class frigates, and Ford-class carriers. These delays are not only impacting the procurement of new ships, they are also impacting the ability to maintain the current fleet. 

    A great first step to combating the maritime threats our nation faces is to expand the physical footprint of the U.S. shipbuilding industry.  

    The U.S. shipbuilding industry is first in its class and the men and women that come to work every day in our nation’s shipyards build the world’s most lethal and capable warships. In states like South Carolina, there are a wealth of maritime industry suppliers and shipbuilders diligently producing the necessary components to construct our nation’s ships.  

    But that alone is not enough. China’s Bohai Shipyard boasts an annual capacity exceeding the total number of ships our Navy has launched since 2014.  

    In addition, China is rapidly expanding its existing shipyards and according to experts “has been investing so much in shipbuilding over the past 18 years that it can now build more ships in a month than the United States can in a year.” 

    By comparison, America only has four public shipyards and these yards focus on maintenance of submarines and aircraft carriers and not the construction of new vessels.

    The Department of the Navy should look at states like South Carolina to build new shipyards to maximize the U.S. shipbuilding capacity and our maritime industry. 

    In addition, the Navy must expand maintenance capacity here in the states as well as in the Pacific. The U.S. Navy has already decided to augment its capacity by placing a submarine maintenance facility in Guam. This should be replicated for other vessels elsewhere. 

    It is clear that the need for more shipbuilding capacity is great and immediate. Investing here at home will certainly help address the need. At the same time, our nation should also not discount opportunities to work with others when the opportunity presents itself.  

    The U.S. Navy cannot afford to leave any stone unturned when thinking of innovative ways to grow the fleet as quickly as possible.

    Section Two: Fleet Requirements and Capabilities

    A fundamental step toward a 21st-century U.S. Navy is improving both the size and modernity of our existing fleet. The fleet currently consists of carriers, surface combatants, submarines, amphibious warships, combat logistics ships, fleet support vessels and mine warfare assets.  

    Yet this fleet is hardly agile or scalable enough to meet a Chinese maritime threat that includes drones, hypersonic missiles and other high-tech tools of warcraft.

    Persistent gaps also remain in amphibious warfare and in contested logistics. Amphibious combat vehicles, landing vessels, and light warships are all needed in higher quantities for rapid and effective landings. 

    Unmanned and underwater systems are especially relevant to modern naval operations. Often at a fraction of the cost of manned vessels, these vessels – both large and small – perform intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance missions, logistics and strike operations.  

    They also relieve pressure on our high-demand, low-density assets while augmenting the fleet. The proof is in their success in Ukraine, where naval drones have successfully countered Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, forcing them into safe harbors and destroying dozens of Russian vessels.

    In addition to their combat roles, unmanned systems are revolutionizing naval logistics. Unmanned logistics platforms can autonomously deliver supplies, ammunition, and fuel to forward-deployed forces, significantly extending the operational reach of our fleet.  

    These systems reduce the need for manned resupply missions, which are often vulnerable to enemy attacks, thereby enhancing the safety and efficiency of our operations. By integrating unmanned logistics into our naval strategy, we can maintain sustained operations in contested environments, ensuring our forces remain equipped and ready for extended engagements.

    A possible way to advance the construction of these unmanned vessels is through an international partnership. Such a partnership could be modeled after the trilateral security partnership between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia (AUKUS) for submarine production in Australia. An AUKUS-like agreement for unmanned systems could create a new pathway for faster construction of these unmanned platforms and increase the integration between partners.

    China’s naval power is growing at an alarming rate, with close to 400 ships currently in service and projections of 435 by 2030. The impact of this expansion is worsened by our diminishing technology gap, as China advances its naval technology while the U.S. Navy struggles to build ships.  

    Meanwhile, the U.S. Navy’s latest shipbuilding assessment calls for 381 battle force ships (carriers, destroyers, amphibious ships, submarines, etc.) and 134 unmanned vehicles, totaling 515 vessels.  

    While it is great to have a roadmap, the U.S. Navy’s own shipbuilding plan projects that we would not reach 381 battle force ships until 2043 under the best scenario. This delay poses an unacceptable risk to our national security and could force our sailors into a fight they are underequipped to win.

    To avoid that scenario and reduce the exposure of manned ships to enemy attacks, we must expedite shipbuilding with a focus on unmanned surface and subsurface systems that are affordable and quick to produce. America does not have to win a shipbuilding foot race, but we must strategically invest in both the capabilities and capacities to counter China’s growing maritime capabilities and protect our interests.

    Section Three: Funding the Department of the Navy

    The U.S. military budget is woefully underfunded for the threats our nation faces today. The U.S. is on target to spend only 3.1% of total GDP on defense in Fiscal Year 2025 and that percentage is projected to fall to a paltry 2.4% in 2034 under the Biden-Harris budget plan.  

    Budgetary “business as usual” will only widen the gap between U.S. and Chinese naval capabilities. With China’s defense budget growing in both size and sophistication, it is imperative the United States make greater, and smarter, investments of our own. 

    Increasing funding for the Navy’s ship procurement, known as the Shipbuilding and Conversion account, alone will not be enough.  In order to address the shipbuilding problem, Congress should consider a comprehensive approach that includes strong and consistent funding across procurement, operations and maintenance, research and development, personnel and military construction accounts.  

    In order to do this, Congress will need to think outside the box as the current budgetary restraints limit the needed investments. Congress should form a “Fleet Investment Fund” – codifying the Navy’s entire budget growth at least 5% above inflation and more than the department’s topline request – covering all aspects of naval development and readiness. 

    Most importantly, this account should not be subject to any caps or restrictions within the president’s budget request to Congress each fiscal year. The formation of this account must be seen as a national imperative.

    Conclusion

    There is no doubt that the costs of these investments are great and will require tradeoffs and significant political capital, but the costs of inaction will be far greater. History demonstrates that adversaries are emboldened by America’s hesitation and deterred by its resolve. History proves that the U.S. Navy can adapt to evolving defense needs. 

    Since 1945, America has served as the global guarantor of open seas and freedom of navigation in contested waterways and critical trade routes. President Theodore Roosevelt stated before Congress in 1902 that “a good Navy is not a provocation to war. It is the surest guaranty of peace.”

    Morgan Ortagus is the founder of Polaris National Security and formerly served as the spokesperson for the U.S. State Department under President Trump. 

    Republican Lindsey Graham represents South Carolina in the United States Senate. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Statement on Deputy Chair of ACMA

    Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development

    The Albanese Government will commence a selection process for the next Deputy Chair of the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) in the coming weeks, with current Deputy Chair Ms Creina Chapman advising she is retiring and will not seek reappointment at the completion of her term.
     
    The Government acknowledges Ms Chapman for her outstanding leadership and contribution to the ACMA since her initial appointment in June 2018.
     
    As Deputy Chair, Ms Chapman has provided admirable leadership to the Authority and staff, and valuable advice to the Government on significant changes across the communications and media landscape. This has included overseeing the implementation of major Government reforms to improve consumer safety, protection and connectivity for all Australians.
     
    The selection process for the next ACMA Deputy Chair will be conducted by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts and is expected to commence next month.
     
    Ms Chapman’s term concludes on 10 December 2024. An interim Deputy Chair will be appointed while the selection process is finalised and will be announced in due course.
     
    Quotes attributable to Minister for Communications, the Hon Michelle Rowland MP:

    “On behalf of the Australian Government, I would like to thank Ms Chapman for her exemplary leadership as Deputy Chair of the Australian Communications and Media Authority over the past 6 years.
     
     “She has navigated the Authority through a time of significant change for the communications and media industries and contributed to reforms that make a real difference for Australians when it comes to consumer safety and connectivity. 
     
    “In this way, Ms Chapman has made a positive and enduring contribution to the Australian communications and media landscape. We wish her well for the remainder of her term and her future endeavours.” 

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Playing a key role in managing cruise ship activity

    Source: Environment Canterbury Regional Council

    Date:

    Our Harbourmaster’s Office plays a key role in managing cruise ship activity across Waitaha/Canterbury.  

    There are four places in Canterbury that get visits from cruise ship ships during the summer months – they are Kaikōura, Lyttelton, Akaroa and Timaru. 

    Our team in the Harbourmaster’s Office are responsible for several functions including:  

    • granting permissions to enter the Kaikōura and Akaroa anchorage sites
    • enforcing speed and wake requirements
    • maintaining communications with the ship as necessary.  

    We also work closely alongside other agencies to ensure cruise ship operations are completed in a safe and coordinated manner.  

    “This season, we have reduced the number of designated anchorages down to three in Akaroa harbour due to concerns about the environment and seabed,” said Guy Harris, Harbourmaster.  

    “We have also further limited the maximum size of a cruise ships that may enter Akaroa without requiring a resource consent.”  

    Working together to reduce cruise ship impact  

    In partnership with the Department of Conservation, Christchurch City Council, and ChristchurchNZ, we continue to closely monitor cruise ship activity in Akaroa. 

    Cruise ship visits in Akaroa have been a matter of community interest and discussion in recent years, with concerns raised over the number of ships visiting, potential damage to the seabed and safety.  

    The reduction in cruise ship visits to Akaroa is consistent with the intent of the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment 2021 report, which focuses on reducing the environmental footprint of the tourism industry.   

    Limiting ship length and thruster use 

    Information from a risk assessment in 2019 led us to limit thruster use by ships at anchor, to reduce the potential for seabed disturbance. A survey of the Akaroa Harbour in 2021 led us to close some anchorages and limit the size of ships coming into the Harbour from 260 lengths between perpendiculars (LBP) to 200m LBP. For a larger ship to enter it would need to get resource consent first. 

    “A repeat survey of the open and closed anchorages in Akaroa was undertaken by Southern Hydrographic in 2023 with an additional survey planned for 2025.  

    “This will help us determine the rate of physical recovery of the closed anchorages and inform future operational decisions,” said Guy. 
    A total of 17 cruise ships are scheduled to visit Akaroa this season.  

    Construction of a new Akaroa Wharf 

    Christchurch City Council will soon begin work to rebuild the Akaroa Wharf. Construction is expected to get underway in late 2025 and be completed in 2027.  

    Drummonds Jetty is currently being extended in preparation as a temporary replacement while the main wharf is constructed. The Harbourmaster’s Office team will be installing some channel marker buoys for vessels approaching Drummonds Jetty and have been working with Christchurch City Council on shifting some swing moorings to ensure there is a clear channel.  

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Suspension of new SNAs passes its third reading

    Source: New Zealand Government

    The three-year suspension of identification of new significant natural areas (SNAs) has passed its third reading.

    “We’ve made this change via the Resource Management (Freshwater and Other Matters) Amendment Act because we’ve heard concerns from some stakeholders that the approach to identifying new SNAs was too broad, capturing areas with less significant native biodiversity and overly restricting land use,” Associate Minister for the Environment Andrew Hoggard says.

    Councils had to identify new SNAs and include them in district plans as part of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity.

    “The suspension of this requirement allows time for a review of SNAs that will consider how they should be identified, assessed and managed.”

    Some SNA implementation timeframes have also been extended to 31 December 2030 under the new legislation.

    As part of the review of SNAs, Ministry for the Environment officials met with selected groups and individuals with technical knowledge including ecologists, local government officials, Māori, landowners and others.  

    Policy options have been prepared and will be sent to Ministers in due course.

    Consultation on proposed changes to the NPSIB following the review will take place early next year.

    “We want to work collaboratively with landowners to make sure that the most unique and special environments are sensibly protected, without putting undue restrictions on land use change.”

    Notes to editors: 
    Under the NPSIB, an area qualifies as an SNA if it meets any one of the attributes of the following four criteria: (a) representativeness; (b) diversity and pattern; (c) rarity and distinctiveness and (d) ecological context and once the council has followed processes for consultation and engagement with landowners.

    National direction supports local decision-making under the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA). It includes national policy statements, national environmental standards, national planning standards and section 360 regulations.

    In May, the Government introduced a Resource Management (Freshwater and Other Matters) Amendment Bill which proposed, amongst other matters, to suspend for three years NPSIB requirements for councils to identify new SNAs and include them in district plans. This Bill today passed its third reading.

    The obligation to protect indigenous biodiversity under the Resource Management Act is unaffected by the suspension. Other NPSIB provisions including the management of existing SNAs continue to apply.
     

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: FEMA Administrator Checks on Recovery Efforts in Georgia, Meets with State and Local Officials as Hurricane Helene Recovery Continues Throughout the Southeast

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency 2

    em>More than 141,000 Georgia households have been approved for $156 million in FEMA housing and other types of assistance
    FEMA Administrator to travel to South Carolina on Thursday, October 24 to check on long-term recovery
    WASHINGTON – Today, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell is in Augusta, Georgia to meet with state and local officials, survivors and FEMA staff supporting recovery efforts. She will also meet with Georgia Emergency Management Agency to discuss long-term recovery. Tomorrow, she will travel to South Carolina to meet with Gov. McMaster, check on federal recovery efforts and visit local Disaster Recovery Centers. 
    To date, the Biden-Harris Administration has approved over $2 billion in federal assistance for individuals and communities affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. FEMA has over 5,000 personnel deployed throughout the Southeast, contributing to a total of over 6,000 federal responders who are working together to support state and local governments in their recovery efforts. FEMA personnel remain on the ground in communities across the Southeast and are actively coordinating with local officials, conducting damage assessments and helping individuals apply for disaster assistance programs. 
    Federal assistance for those affected by the hurricanes includes $940 million to support survivors with housing repairs, personal property replacement and other essential recovery efforts. Additionally, over $1.1 billion has been approved for debris removal and emergency protective measures, which are necessary to save lives, protect public health and prevent further damage to public and private property.
    Applying for assistance is a critical first step towards recovery. Disaster survivors in certain areas of Georgia, Florida (Helene), Florida (Milton), North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia can begin their recovery process by applying for federal assistance through FEMA. Individuals affected by the hurricanes are encouraged to apply as soon as they are able to by visiting DisasterAssistance.gov, which is the fastest way to get an application started. Individuals can also apply using the FEMA App, calling 1-800-621-3362 or in person at a local Disaster Recovery Center. Disaster Recovery Centers in the affected communities can provide survivors with in-person help on their applications and answer questions. Center locations can be found at FEMA.gov/DRC. FEMA also has Disaster Survivor Assistance team members in the field supporting survivors and helping them with the application process. 
    Federal assistance for individuals may include upfront funds to help with essential items like food, water, baby formula, breastfeeding supplies and other emergency supplies. Funds may also be available to repair storm-related damage to homes and personal property, as well as assistance to find a temporary place to stay. Homeowners and renters with damage to their home or personal property from previous disasters, whether they received FEMA funds or not, are still eligible to apply for and receive assistance for other federally declared disasters.   
    Recovery Update
    For those affected by Hurricane Helene, FEMA has approved over $1.3 billion in assistance. This includes $797 million in assistance for individuals and families, along with more than $524 million for debris removal and efforts to protect public health and safety. In response to Hurricane Milton, FEMA has approved more than $749 million in assistance, with $142 million allocated for individuals and families and over $606 million for debris removal and safety measures.
    FEMA now has 57 Disaster Recovery Centers open throughout the affected communities to provide survivors with in-person assistance with more opening each day. These centers offer help with applications for FEMA assistance, information on available resources and guidance through the recovery process. Over 1,300 Disaster Survivor Assistance team members remain on the ground in neighborhoods in all affected states helping survivors apply for assistance and connecting them with additional state, local, federal and voluntary agency resources. 
    Support for Georgia
    FEMA has approved over $156 million in housing and other types of assistance for more than 141,000 households.
    There are 214 Disaster Survivor Assistance members in communities providing support. There are also nine Disaster Recovery Centers now open in Augusta, Baxley, Douglas, Lyons, Midway, Sandersville, Savannah, Thompson and Valdosta where survivors can speak to state and federal personnel to help with their recovery. Survivors may find their closest center by visiting FEMA.gov/DRC.
    Residents can find resources like shelters and feeding sites at gema.georgia.gov/hurricane-helene. 
    Support for South Carolina
    FEMA has approved over $166 million in housing and other types of assistance for more than 176,000 households. 
    More than 1,800 survivors who cannot return home are currently staying in safe and clean lodging through FEMA’s Transitional Sheltering Assistance program.
    There are 124 Disaster Survivor Assistance members in communities providing support. There are also eight Disaster Recovery Centers now open in Allendale, Anderson, Gaffney, Graniteville, Greenville, Greenwood, Newberry and Union where survivors can speak to state and federal personnel to help with their recovery. Survivors may find their closest center by visiting FEMA.gov/DRC.
    Residents with questions on Helene can call the state’s toll-free hotline, open 24 hours a day, at 1-866-246-0133. Residents who are dependent on medical equipment at home and who are without power due to Helene may be eligible for a medical needs shelter. Call the state’s Department of Public Health Care Line at 1-855-472-3432 for more information. 
    Support for North Carolina
    FEMA has approved over $134 million for over 94,000 households and other types of assistance. Additionally, FEMA has approved more than $189 million for debris removal and reimbursement of emergency protective measures for the state.
    More than 2,600 survivors who cannot return home are currently staying in safe and clean lodging through FEMA’s Transitional Sheltering Assistance program. Mass shelter numbers remain steady, with 11 shelters housing just over 440 occupants. 
    FEMA delivered over 7.8 million meals and 10.3 million liters of water to North Carolina. Commodity distribution, mass feeding and hydration operations remain in areas of western North Carolina. Voluntary organizations are supporting feeding operations with bulk food and water deliveries coming via truck and aircraft. Residents can visit ncdps.gov/Helene to get information and additional assistance.  
    There are over 420 Disaster Survivor Assistance members in communities providing support. There are also 15 Disaster Recovery Centers now open in Asheville, Bakersville, Boone, Brevard, Charlotte, Hendersonville, Jefferson, Lenoir, Marion, Morgantown, Newland, Old Fort, Sparta, Sylva and Waynesville where survivors can speak directly with FEMA and state personnel for assistance with their recovery. To find the nearest center, visit FEMA.gov/DRC.
    Support for Florida
    In response to Helene, FEMA has approved over $319 million in housing and other types of assistance for more than 99,000 households. Additionally, FEMA has approved more than $335 million in Public Assistance for debris removal and emergency work. In response to Milton, FEMA has approved over $142 million in housing and other types of assistance for over 121,000 households. Additionally, FEMA has approved more than $606 million in Public Assistance for debris removal and emergency work.
    In response to Helene and Milton, FEMA delivered over 4.6 million meals and 4.4 million liters of water to Florida.
    More than 5,500 survivors who cannot return home are currently staying in safe and clean lodging through FEMA’s Transitional Sheltering Assistance program. Mass shelter numbers continue to decline, with 14 shelters housing just over 650 occupants. 
    There are 495 Disaster Survivor Assistance members in communities to provide support. There are also 16 Disaster Recovery Centers now open in Alligator Point (Mobile), Branford, Brooksville, Fort Pierce, Homosassa, Lake City, Largo, Live Oak, Madison, Old Town, Palmetto (Mobile), Perry, Punta Gorda (Mobile), Sarasota, Stuart, and Vero Beach supporting survivors from Debby, Helene and Milton where survivors can speak to state and federal personnel to help with their recovery. Survivors may find their closest center by visiting FEMA.gov/DRC.
    Residents in need of information or resources should call the State Assistance Information Line (SAIL) at 1-800-342-3557. English, Spanish and Creole speakers are available to answer questions.  
    Support for Virginia
    To date, FEMA has approved over $6.6 million in housing and other types of assistance for more than 2,200 households.
    There are about 76 Disaster Survivor Assistance members in communities providing support. There are also six Disaster Recovery Centers open in Christiansburg, Damascus, Dublin, Independence, Marion and Tazewell where survivors can speak to state and federal personnel to help with their recovery. Survivors may find their closest center by visiting FEMA.gov/DRC.
    Residents can find resources like shelters and feeding sites at: Recover – Hurricane Helene | VDEM (vaemergency.gov).
    Support for Tennessee
    FEMA has approved more than $14.3 million in housing and other types of assistance for more than 3,900 households.
    There are more than 56 Disaster Survivor Assistance members in communities providing support. There are now three Disaster Recovery Center open in Erwin, Greenville and Morristown where survivors can speak to state and federal personnel to help with their recovery. Survivors may find their closest center by visiting FEMA.gov/DRC.
    Counties continue to establish donation centers. For the evolving list, visit TEMA’s website.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: 1,452 children into better homes from emergency housing

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Ki te kahore he whakakitenga, ka ngaro te Iwi – without a vision, the people will perish.

    Almost 1,500 tamariki that were growing up in emergency housing motels have been supported into better homes under the government’s Priority One mahi, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says.

    “The total number of households living in emergency housing motels has reduced by 62 per cent under our Government – from 3,141 in December last year to 1,179 at the end of September. The amount granted for Emergency Housing has fallen from about $31 million for the month of December 2023 to $11 million in September 2024.

    “Under the last Government’s watch, emergency housing became a moral, social and financial catastrophe. At its peak in November 2021, there were 4,983 households in emergency housing, which included thousands of tamariki.

    “In April, we brought in our Priority One policy, a key election promise from National, which prioritises whānau with tamariki who have been in emergency housing for 12 weeks or more to move into social homes. So far, thanks to Priority One, we’ve seen 726 households with children move from emergency housing into social housing. That includes 1,452 children who no longer have to grow up in motels.

    “There was a mother who said her seven tamariki were thriving after moving from an emergency motel into Kāinga Ora social housing after a long period.

    “The mum said: ‘The children have been able to stay in the same schools and are doing well and the oldest are already starting to think about future careers. With our new home and a quiet place to do their homework they can focus on their schooling and make the most of every opportunity that comes their way’.”

    Mr Potaka says the Government was making good progress to achieve the target of 75 per cent fewer people in emergency housing by 2030. 

    “We’ve set clear expectations to ensure emergency housing is available for those who need it most – as long as people continue to have a genuine need and meet their responsibilities, they will likely continue to be eligible for support where it is available. 

    “In Budget 24, the Government invested $83.477 million to help people with emergency housing support services. These services such as case managers, housing brokers, and ready to rent courses, are having a positive impact by giving people in emergency housing the tools to move into better homes.

    “We are regularly improving our data and now know that about 80 per cent of those leaving emergency housing go into some form of social, transitional or private housing because of support they receive. We don’t have data on the remaining people because they are no longer accessing government housing supports administered by the Ministry of Social Development – however support remains available should they need it again.

    “It’s important that we balance the requirement to monitor the effectiveness of our mahi with the need to respect people’s right to privacy. People don’t have to tell us where they are going, and those in emergency housing shouldn’t be judged as incapable of navigating their own lives.

    “While we have not seen any substantive reports that this mahi is having an unintended impact on homelessness, officials are monitoring the situation through regular engagement with housing and social service providers. Emergency housing remains available as a temporary last resort for people in greatest need.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Speech to Institute of Public Administration New Zealand

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Good morning, kia ora koutou. 

    Thank you, Liz, for your introduction, and to you all for the opportunity to speak to you today. 

    It’s a pleasure to be here. And it’s a particular pleasure to continue a tradition that was started by one of my predecessors Sir Bill English. I’m told the finance minister has presented this address every year since 2009. 

    I would like to acknowledge the role the institute plays in promoting excellence in the public sector. 

    I also want to take the opportunity to voice my appreciation for the work public servants do to keep New Zealanders safe and ensure people receive the public services on which they depend. 

    I respect your enduring commitment to public service and the integrity with which you approach your work, remaining focused on the New Zealanders we each serve, evolving and adapting as the political tides come and go.

    As a – still – proud Wellingtonian, I have had the pleasure of knowing and working with a broad spectrum of public servants throughout my career. I admire the thoughtfulness, tenacity, and earnestness I have seen in so many of you.

    I am grateful that while our Government is facing into a particularly challenging set of economic circumstances, we do so with wise and experienced public servants at our back and by our side.  

    This is not as easy time for our country.  A sustained cost of living crisis has left New Zealand with highly constrained government finances, recessionary conditions, rising unemployment and a range of new pressures for everyday Kiwis, both in their family and working lives.  

    That’s not a political observation, so much as a statement of reality.  

    Nor is it a reflection on the professionalism, skill or commitment of New Zealand’s public service. 

    The nation’s position today is a consequence of a global pandemic and of choices made by the previous Government.   

    This is not the forum for politics, and it is not my intention to make a political speech. The facts speak for themselves. In the past six years, there has been an 82 per cent increase in government spending and an additional $118 billion of debt added to the government books. As a country we have been living beyond our means. And now, we must correct course. 

    The good news is that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Inflation has returned to the Reserve Bank’s target range of 1 to 3 per cent for the first time in more than three years, interest rates are coming down and business and public confidence is increasing. 

    There is no escaping the reality, however, that many families and businesses are doing it tough. Inflation has increased household costs and squeezed business margins. 

    Partly for that reason, and also because it is good practice, our Government’s focus on fiscal discipline is going to continue. It is not a one-off, one-Budget affair. It is an ongoing state of mind. 

    As a government we are committed to getting the books back in order and bringing debt down, but our aspirations go far beyond changing the colour of the ink in the government’s accounts. We want to do more than simply deliver better value for money. And we are interested in far more than simply ticking off actions or delivering to targets.  

    We are intent on improving lives. 

    You and your colleagues in the public service have a critical role to play in this because, frankly, what we’ve been doing in recent years hasn’t worked for too many New Zealanders. Some of those who most need help haven’t been getting it. 

    That comes at an economic cost to the country, but more importantly it comes at a human cost. People are our greatest asset and delivering for people is our greatest purpose. In recent times, New Zealand has failed too many of its people: both economically and socially. Falling levels of educational achievement, poor housing, rising welfare dependency and an economy that is not growing quickly enough have denied opportunity to those who most need it. 

    I’ve said this a couple of times before to particular groups of public servants. Now, I’ll say it to a broader group. 

    Now is the time for your best and boldest ideas. As a government we are not interested in treading the same path that has denied opportunity to some of our most vulnerable. We want to make a difference to lives. 

    That’s the reason the Government has brought back public service targets: to focus the public sector on driving better results in health, education, law and order, work, housing and the environment. We understand targets aren’t a perfect mechanism, but past experience has shown they do help to focus attention on the things that make a difference.

    It’s also why this Government is determined to scale up the efforts that have gone into social investment so far.  

    The philosophy underlying social investment makes sense to everybody. 

    Given the choice, what New Zealander would choose to pay for an ambulance at the bottom of the cliff when we could instead build a fence to prevent the fall? They key is working out where the fences are needed and for who, ascertaining who is best placed to build those fences, and then rigorously testing whether they’re actually preventing the fall.

    This is a moral imperative, and it’s also a fiscal one.

    The difference to the taxpayer between a life in and out of the prison system and a life spent in productive activity is in excess of a million dollars. More importantly, for the individuals concerned, and their families, it can be the difference between a life of fulfilment and a life of misery. 

    Thanks to the work started by Bill English we now have a very good idea of where to direct our efforts.  

    For example, Stats NZ’s Integrated Data Infrastructure research database enables us to identify common factors in the lives of those who interact most frequently with state agencies. The factors themselves won’t come as a surprise to anyone. They include poor education, benefit dependency, multiple admissions to hospital emergency departments, being victims of violence and being perpetrators of violence. 

    But put the data together and you get a compelling case for targeted intervention. The IDI tells us that a 22-year-old with eight to 10 of these factors is, by the age of 27, 116 times more likely to have a child placed in care, 69 times more likely to have served a prison sentence, 22 times more likely to have been the victim of family violence and five-and-a-half times more likely to have been hospitalised for attempted suicide.       

    The data is not determinative. Many outstanding New Zealanders have emerged from extremely challenging circumstances and some of those who end up falling foul of our justice system and dependent on welfare come from privileged backgrounds. 

    But the data does give us a good sense of where to direct the scarce resources of the government. No country can afford to fund every good thing. Every dollar spent comes at the opportunity cost of a dollar spent elsewhere. We must always be working to focus funds where they can have the most profound and enduring impact. The prize for that effort is the most important prize of all: it is a child fulfilling the full human potential with which they entered this world. 

    There is no shortage of data in government. The challenge we must now address is how we use this this data to practically make a difference to lives.

    Social investment approach

    In July this year, the Government established the Social Investment Agency to lead, build, and demonstrate a social investment approach. 

    As a mark of the importance we attach to this work, the agency was established as a central agency. That is because the Government wants to see system change across the public service.

    To this end we are asking the public service to think about service delivery in a different way. We are asking for more purposeful thought about how we invest for the New Zealanders in most need. Going beyond the easy platitudes of good intentions and instead moving towards a world of far greater accountability for what results are delivered. 

    This demands us to think much more purposefully not just about what we want to change but how best to make it happen. We want to see more devolution of power, more clarity about what works for who, and much more space for innovation. In accountant-speak, our focus is shifting from outputs to outcomes. That means asking ourselves the right questions.

    First: what are the outcomes we want to achieve? That is a different question from the question that is often asked by governments – ‘what can we give people’. And it is a question that leads to different outcomes. 

    Second: who needs help? Not ‘how shall we distribute these services that we already have?’ That means putting the needs of the people who need help ahead of the needs of organisations providing services.

    Third: what services should be prioritised? Not ‘what shall we add to the service mix?’ That means identifying what is working and, just as importantly, what is not working. 

    This is one of the most challenging issues governments face because stopping programmes that are not performing well affects the people involved and can be interpreted as an admission of failure. 

    But, if we are serious about making a difference to the lives of our most vulnerable, we have to be rigorous about directing resources away from initiatives that are not making a difference towards initiatives that are. 

    Fourth: how do we enable providers to achieve the outcomes we want? Not, ‘how do we manage providers so they do what we want’ but how do we empower them to achieve the outcomes we all want to see?

    And fifth and finally: ‘How will we know if what we are doing is working?’ This is a question that is not asked often enough and the failure to do so is at the root of too much inefficiency in our social system.  

    Drawing on evidence and being clear about the answers to these questions, gives us the best chance of changing lives. It also ensures we get value for the money we spend.  

    Social outcomes contracts

    Another important aspect of social investment is recognising that not all the answers to the challenges we face can be found in Wellington office blocks, or the Beehive, for that matter. 

    Communities often know what the best solutions for their people are. We need and want to foster genuine partnership between the public service and proven community-based providers. 

    I’ve heard time and time again from those working with communities that the way the government contracts and commissions programmes is broken.

    I know that you too will have received feedback from service users, non-government organisations, iwi, and communities that current contracting arrangements fail to focus on the thing that really matters – whether the service makes a difference for people.

    When I talk to and visit providers, they tell me about the multiple overlapping contracts that they have with different agencies who do not seem to be talking to each other.

    They tell me about how government ties their hands by requiring specific outputs that prevent them from innovating to provide services more effectively. 

    They tell me about the time they waste producing reports that don’t seem to inform future conversations and contracting decisions, and the teams of people they have to employ to produce reports that aren’t read.

    They tell me about being forced to ‘contract farm’ to secure piecemeal funding across multiple contracts in order to ensure they can stay afloat and serve their communities.

    All of this is a drain on their resources which means they have less time to deliver outcomes for vulnerable New Zealanders. They have less time to think creatively and less ability to adapt and flex how they deliver. 

    Social investment suggests that one of the solutions to these problems is contracting with providers to deliver outcomes rather than outputs. 

    That means that once contracts have been negotiated, providers can choose how best to achieve the outcomes everyone wants. Outcomes-based contracts allow providers to flex their services around the needs of the people they are working with and to develop new solutions. To move away from a focus on serving the needs of a government department and instead take radical accountability for the results they deliver for the people they serve. 

    Outcomes-contracting also creates data-rich feedback loops to inform ongoing improvements to service delivery and future contracts. 

    It requires a conversation and agreement between funders and providers about data. What outcomes will be measured? How will those outcomes be measured? How will providers demonstrate that they are learning what works and doing more of it? How will funders use this data to inform decisions about future investments? 

    It’s not about elaborate evaluations and literature reviews – it’s about real-time insights into what’s working, what’s not working and what to do next to get the result that matter for the people we serve.  

    Changing the way that social services are commissioned will be a critical component of the social investment approach.

    Therefore, I have asked the Social Investment Agency to lead work with other agencies to develop prototype outcomes contracts to replace the current set of criss-crossing and overlapping outputs-focused contracts. This will provide a blueprint for other commissioners and providers of services to follow. 

    Contracting in this way has the potential to raise the bar for investment decisions across the public service. Not only does it require agencies to understand the needs of different groups, it requires them to assess the impact of the services they have delivered by measuring and comparing results.

    The Government is also progressing work to establish a Social Investment Fund that will directly commission outcomes for vulnerable New Zealanders and work with community, non-government organisations and iwi providers. 

    The fund will be managed by the Social Investment Agency and will serve as a testing ground for innovation which – when successful – can be applied more broadly to the social sector.

    Initially the fund will be small and targeted, but I anticipate it will grow over time and become an increasingly important vehicle for empowering innovation and testing new approaches. My ambition is that the fund will eventually be an effective vehicle not just for Government investment in changing people’s lives, but also as a home for funding from philanthropists, investors and anyone who wants to deploy their money in service of social good.  

    Not every initiative it funds will be successful, but that is the point of a testing ground, to identify what works and, just as importantly, what does not. Better to fail fast in a test environment and learn from the results than to keep doing the same thing that history has shown does not deliver results. 

    Conclusion

    In conclusion, this is a government that is intent on making a difference. We are not going to keep doing things simply because that is the way they have always been done. We want to make New Zealand a better place for everyone, particularly our most vulnerable citizens.

    We know change can be unsettling and we know we are asking a lot of you and your colleagues in the public service. 

    At the same time that we’re making savings across the public sector, we’re not just asking you to deliver business as usual, we’re challenging you to think and operate differently. For me, wrestling with that reality conjures up a phrase attributed to that great New Zealand pioneer, Ernest Rutherford: We haven’t got the money, so we’ll have to think.

    I am confident in your ability to rise to the challenge. 

    What I am hearing from many public servants is that you welcome the opportunity to think differently about how we tackle some of our biggest and most entrenched challenges. 

    That does not surprise me. I know the reason most, if not all of you, joined the public service is to serve your fellow New Zealanders and contribute to making New Zealand a better place. 

    I encourage you to be bold and put forward your best advice. I also encourage you to work as closely and openly as you can with those you are seeking to serve – local decision makers, iwi and Māori providers, as well as the private sector. Central government does not have a monopoly on good ideas. 

    Together, we have an opportunity to reduce welfare dependency, improve health, raise educational achievement, lower rates of offending and address increasing rates of inequality. Without adding to the spaghetti of bureaucracy.

    Let’s seize that opportunity with both hands. Thank you.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Government Cuts – Lives of workers at risk from latest WorkSafe restructure plan

    Source: PSA

    – Workplace Inspectors to lose vital support
    – Net 40 roles proposed to go
    – Cuts follow 113 jobs axed last November
    The critical job of WorkSafe to save lives and reduce injuries will be undermined by its latest proposed restructure, the PSA warns.
    WorkSafe, the workplace health and safety regulator, is consulting staff on the second major restructure in a year which proposes to axe 180 roles. While some new roles will be created this would still result in a net loss of 40 roles and follows 113 roles being axed last November.
    A range of roles are being cut – health specialists, advisors, researchers, evaluators and legal kaimahi who support WorkSafe inspectors and whose role is to educate businesses, provide assessment support to workplaces and protect workers from poor health and safety practices.
    “This is a flawed plan which strips WorkSafe of critical roles. This will undermine the ability of frontline WorkSafe inspectors to do their vital work, so workers return home safe and healthy,” said Duane Leo Secretary for Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
    “Once again, we see the fiction of the Government’s promise of no impacts on the frontline. It’s another broken promise.
    “We already have a poor health and safety record in this country with a fatality rate double that of Australia. The Government should be investing more not less in this critical agency.
    “It’s a huge concern that the health team is being downsized with the loss of specialist skills. This team is relatively new and was playing a key role in dealing with a range of issues in the workplace like mental health.
    “We know stress in the workplace is growing. 12% of suicides are work related, and there are some 5000 hospitalisations each year due to work-related ill-health. Managing health risks should be a priority, not downsizing a team playing a vital role at a time when work-related health risks are higher than safety risks.
    “WorkSafe is also proposing to increase the numbers of inspectors but by not nearly enough to meet the high turnover already and well below that of Australia, hampering our ability to make serious inroads into our appalling safety record.
    “The changes proposed will only pile more work on the shoulders of inspectors.
    “For example, under this proposal, cuts to the legal team will force inspectors to spend more time gathering documents to support prosecutions. This risks undermining the ability of WorkSafe to properly hold offenders to account.
    “This is a return to the failed approach of the past; inspectors will be bogged down by paperwork once again when they need to be supported by a solid team of specialists.
    “It makes no sense that this is all happening when the Government has yet to complete its review of the health and safety system – why not wait and get it right once and for all?
    “Yet again, we are seeing the Government putting the bottom line first, favouring tax breaks for landlords and big tobacco over investing in a frontline agency that saves lives,” said Duane Leo.
    Previous PSA WorkSafe releases
    –
    The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Election Officer Appointed for the District of South Dakota for the November 2024 General Election

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann M. Hoffman to Oversee Election Day Program

    SIOUX FALLS – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Ann M. Hoffman will lead the efforts of her Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election. AUSA Hoffman has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the District of South Dakota, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.

    “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election,” said U.S. Attorney Ramsdell. “Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice is committed to protecting the integrity of the election process and bringing to justice those who seek to corrupt it.”

    The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.

    Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).

    To respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Hoffman will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. She can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: (605) 838-9446. In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at (605) 334-6881.

    Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, D.C., by filing a complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at (800) 253-3931.

    U.S. Attorney Ramsdell further stated, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”

    Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Announces Four Cases Brought by Election Threats Task Force

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    WASHINGTON — The Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force (ETTF) announced developments this week in four cases involving interstate transmissions of threats to election personnel and other victims.

    Teak Brockbank, 45, of Cortez, Colorado, pleaded guilty today to threatening a Colorado election official, and admitted to making other threats to an Arizona election official, a Colorado state judge, and federal law enforcement agents between September 2021 and July 2024.

    Brian Jerry Ogstad, 60, of Cullman, Alabama, was sentenced on Monday to 30 months in prison for sending messages threatening violence to election workers with Maricopa County Elections in Phoenix on Aug. 2-4, 2022, during and immediately following the Arizona primary elections.

    Richard Glenn Kantwill, 61, of Tampa, Florida, was charged on Monday for allegedly sending a threat on Feb. 9 to an election official in addition to already pending charges for threats made to three other victims based on their political commentary in 2019 and 2020.

    John Pollard, 62, of Philadelphia, was charged on Monday for allegedly threatening on Sept. 6 to kill a representative of a Pennsylvania state political party who was recruiting official poll watchers.

    “As we approach Election Day, the Justice Department’s warning remains clear: anyone who illegally threatens an election worker, official, or volunteer will face the consequences,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Over the past three and a half years, the Justice Department has been aggressively investigating and prosecuting those who threaten the public servants who administer our elections, and we will continue to do so in the weeks ahead. For our democracy to function, Americans who serve the public must be able to do their jobs without fearing for their lives.”

    “Threats to election workers are threats to our democratic process,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “No one should face violence or threats of violence simply for doing their job. The actions announced today make clear that we will not tolerate those who use or threaten violence in an effort to undermine our democratic institutions. To carry out their essential work, election officials must be free from improper influence, physical threats, and others forms of intimidation.”

    “Our elections are made by possible by the hard work and patriotism of election workers in communities across the country who are also our neighbors, relatives and friends, and they deserve to do this important work without being subjected to threats,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The fact that election workers need to be worried about their security is incomprehensible and unacceptable. While these four cases are examples of the kinds of threats election workers are unfortunately facing, these cases also represent the FBI’s dedication in holding accountable those who undermine our democracy with this conduct. The FBI and our partners on the ETTF will work tirelessly to charge and arrest those callous enough to make these threats and make sure they are held accountable. Free, fair, and safe elections are critical to our country and our democratic ideals.”

    “These defendants made serious threats of violence against members of the election community. Threats like these strike at the very heart of our democracy,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The cases announced today underscore the Criminal Division’s commitment to defending our democracy, safeguarding our elections, and protecting all election workers. Through the ETTF, the Department will vigorously investigate and prosecute all criminal threats against members of the election community.”

    The four cases were all brought by the ETTF. Created by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and launched by Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco in June 2021, the task force has led the Department’s efforts to address threats of violence against election workers, and to ensure that all election workers — whether elected, appointed, or volunteer — are able to do their jobs free from threats and intimidation. The task force engages with the election community and state and local law enforcement to assess allegations and reports of threats against election workers, and has investigated and prosecuted these matters where appropriate, in partnership with FBI Field Offices and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. Three years after its formation, the task force is continuing this work and supporting U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and FBI Field Offices nationwide as they join the task force in its critical work.

    Under the leadership of the Attorney General and the Deputy Attorney General, the task force is led by the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section (PIN) and includes several other entities within the Justice Department, including the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, Civil Rights Division, National Security Division, and FBI, as well as key interagency partners, such as the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Postal Inspection Service. For more information regarding the Justice Department’s efforts to combat threats against election workers, read the Deputy Attorney General’s memo.

    United States v. Brockbank (District of Colorado)

    According to court documents, Brockbank admitted to using three social media accounts to post messages threatening Colorado and Arizona election officials between September 2021 and July 2024.

    On Sept. 22, 2021, Brockbank posted the following message on social media:

    “[Election Official-1] . . . needs to- No has to Hang she has to Hang by the neck till she is Dead Dead Dead. There will be accountability for these peoples actions in Communist Colorado and it won’t be judges and it won’t be weakmided cops that bring it!!! It will be Me it will be You it Will be every day people that understand that there life does not matter anymore with the future our country has laid out before it.”

    As part of his plea, Brockbank also admitted to posting a message on Aug. 4, 2022 referring to election officials in Arizona and Colorado, stating: “Once those people start getting put to death then the rest will melt like snowflakes and turn on each other. . . . This is the only way. So those of us that have the stomach for what has to be done should prepare our minds for what we all [a]re going to do!!!!!! It is time.”

    In addition, Brockbank admitted to posting a message threatening a Colorado state judge on Oct. 2, 2021: “I could pick up my rifle and I could go put a bullet in this Mans head and send him to explain himself to our Creator right now. I would be Justified!!! Not only justified but obligated by those in my family who fought and died for the freedom in this country. . . . What can I do other than kill this man my self?”

    Brockbank further admitted to threatening federal law enforcement on July 13, 2024, posting: ““I believe every single FBI agent deserves to go explain themselves to our creator right away!!!! I am more than willing to send any/All of you there.”

    Finally, Brockbank admitted to illegally possessing multiple firearms and ammunition.

    “The security and sanctity of the American election system is core to the foundation of our Democracy,” said Acting United States Attorney Matt Kirsch for the District of Colorado. “We will prosecute people who threaten elections, election officials, or election workers to the fullest extent of the law.”

    Brockbank pleaded guilty today to interstate transmission of a threat. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 3, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The FBI Denver Field Office is investigating the case.

    Acting Deputy Director Jonathan E. Jacobson of PIN’s Election Crimes Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyrus Y. Chung for the District of Colorado are prosecuting the case.

    United States v. Ogstad (District of Arizona)

    According to court documents, on or about Aug. 2, 2022, Arizona held primary elections for federal and state officeholders, including a gubernatorial primary election that received nationwide media coverage. From the day of the election through on or about Aug. 4, 2022, Ogstad sent multiple threatening direct messages to a social media account maintained by Maricopa County Elections. For instance, on or about Aug. 3, 2022, Ogstad stated: (1) “You did it! Now you are f*****.. Dead. You will all be executed for your crimes”; (2) F*** you! You are caught! They have it all. You f****** are dead”; (3) “You are lying, cheating m****** f******* . . . you better not come in my church, my business or send your kids to my school. You are f****** stupid if you think your lives are safe”; and (4) “You f******  are so dead.” On or about Aug. 4, 2022, Ogstad also stated, “[Y]ou people are so ducking stupid. Everyone knows you are lots, cheats, frauds and in doing so in relation to elections have committed treason. You will all be executed. Bang f******!” ” In the course of his messages to the recipient, Ogstad transmitted an image of the character “Woody,” from the Toy Story film franchise, lying face down with an unidentified projectile in its back.

    “In this election season we honor and respect those public servants who enable Americans to exercise their constitutional right to vote,” said U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino for the District of Arizona. “And we seek to protect all election workers from intimidation and harassment. Threats of violence, whether conveyed by words or deeds or pictures, will be met in this District with robust prosecution.”

    Ogstad was sentenced on Monday to 30 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release and a $1,000 fine, after pleading guilty on July 25 to one count of interstate transmission of a threat.

    The FBI Phoenix Field Office investigated the case, with substantial assistance from the FBI Birmingham Field Office.

    Trial Attorney Tanya Senanayake of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Sue Feldmeier for the District of Arizona prosecuted the case.

    United States v. Kantwill (Middle District of Florida)

    According to court documents, from September 2019 to July 2020, Kantwill, a dentist, sent over 100 threats to various public figures via Facebook and Instagram messages, email, and text. As charged in the superseding information filed on Monday, those threats included a threat sent via email to an author, a threat sent via text to a religious leader, and a threat sent via Instagram to a television personality. From April 2022 to April 2024, Kantwill also sent at least seven additional threats to four public figures via Facebook, including a threat to an election official in another state on Feb. 9, when Kantwill wrote: “You are a degenerate c***. and you are now the target of our own investigation. Take note because liberal t***s like you get raped in alleys, by really big black guys that serve our cause. So, you t*** are going to get raped by at least 5 n*****s, and do nothing. You are the number 1 target, you degenerate t***.”

    “If you threaten someone with violence, we will take you at your word,” said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “Law enforcement officers and members of my office will work together to hold accountable and federally prosecute individuals who threaten to injure or kill others.”

    Kantwill is charged with four counts of interstate transmission of a threat. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The FBI is investigating the case.

    Trial Attorney Aaron L. Jennen of PIN and Assistant U.S. Attorney Abigail K. King for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyrus Y. Chung for the District of Colorado.

    An information is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    United States v. Pollard (Western District of Pennsylvania)

    According to the indictment, on Sept. 6, Pollard sent threatening text messages to Victim 1, a resident of the Western District of Pennsylvania. Victim 1 had previously posted online, in Victim 1’s capacity as an employee of a state political party, that Victim 1 was recruiting volunteers to “help[] observe at the polls on Election Day” and included Victim 1’s phone number. Pollard allegedly texted Victim 1 that he was “interested in being a poll watcher” and included Victim 1’s first name. Pollard then allegedly texted three threats to Victim 1: (1) “I will KILL YOU IF YOU DON’T ANSWER ME!”; (2) “Your days are numbered, B****!”; and (3) “GONNA F***ING FIND YOU AND SKIN YOU ALIVE AND USE YOUR SKIN FOR F***ING TOILET PAPER, YOU F***ING KKK**T!”

    “Threats of violence have no place in our society,” said U.S. Attorney Eric G. Olshan for the Western District of Pennsylvania. “This is no less true when those threats of violence are directed at individuals associated with our electoral process — in this case, someone seeking to organize poll watchers. This conduct will not be tolerated in our district, and we will continue to work with our partners at the FBI to prosecute these offenses with the full weight of the law.”

    Pollard was arrested on Monday and appeared in federal court in Philadelphia. He is charged with one count of interstate transmission of a threat. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The FBI Pittsburgh Field Office is investigating the case.

    Trial Attorney Jacob R. Steiner of PIN and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole A. Stockey for the Western District of Pennsylvania are prosecuting the case, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

    An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    *****

    To report suspected threats or violent acts, contact your local FBI office and request to speak with the Election Crimes Coordinator. Contact information for every FBI field office may be found here: www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/. You may also contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or file an online complaint at www.tips.fbi.gov. Complaints submitted will be reviewed by the task force and referred for investigation or response accordingly. If someone is in imminent danger or risk of harm, contact 911 or your local police immediately.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Bank fraud scheme sends Georgia man to federal prison for four years

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MISSOULA — A federal judge today sentenced a Georgia man to four years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for a scheme that involved recruiting homeless individuals to cash fraudulent checks at Montana financial institutions, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

    The defendant, Akia Demetrius Hills, 30, of Atlanta, Georgia, pleaded guilty in June to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.

    U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided. The court also ordered $226,500.69 in restitution.

    In court documents, the government alleged that Hills and others stole mail and checks, and then fraudulently used the identities of various individuals to cash fraudulent checks throughout Montana financial institutions. On May 10, 2019, Hills and others instructed a man to enter numerous banks to attempt to cash a fraudulent check. Eventually, one bank accepted the fraudulent check, which totaled $6,734. Hills traveled across the country to defraud banks and attempted to use homeless individuals to cash fraudulent checks at banks.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI conducted the investigation.

    XXX

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Indictment Returned in June 2023 Armed Carjacking

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – Vincent Jones, 29, of Washington, D.C., was indicted today on charges of armed carjacking, armed robbery, and two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, for robbing the victim at gunpoint outside of a McDonald’s Restaurant, at 3901 Minnesota Ave. in Northeast D.C., in June of 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

               According to the government’s evidence, on June 16, 2023, the defendant and two accomplices approached the victim near the parking lot, pointed firearms at him, demanded that he “give it up,” and forcibly took his keys, bag, and cash.  The defendant and one accomplice then fled in the victim’s vehicle while the third accomplice fled in a separate car.

               This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).  It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony Cocuzza and Jacob Green of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

               An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: California Man Charged with Weapon of Mass Destruction Offense in Connection with Bomb Attack in Lobby of County Courthouse

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    A three-count federal grand jury indictment was returned today charging Nathaniel James McGuire, 20, of Santa Maria, California, with committing a bomb attack at a courthouse in Santa Maria in which several people were injured. McGuire’s arraignment is scheduled for Oct. 25 in the Central District of California.

    According to the indictment and criminal complaint, on Sept. 25, McGuire entered a courthouse of Santa Barbara County Superior Court and threw a bag into the lobby. The bag exploded and McGuire left the courthouse on foot. The explosion injured at least five people who were near the bomb when it exploded.

    Shortly thereafter, McGuire was apprehended and detained by law enforcement officials as he was trying to access a red Ford Mustang car parked outside the building. McGuire allegedly yelled that the government had taken his guns and that everyone needed to fight, rise up, and rebel.

    Inside the car, a deputy saw ammunition, a flare gun, and a box of fireworks. A search of the car revealed a shotgun, a rifle, more ammunition, a suspected bomb, and 10 Molotov cocktails. Law enforcement later rendered the bomb safe. McGuire told law enforcement he intended to re-enter the courthouse with the firearms in order to kill a judge.

    A search of McGuire’s residence revealed an empty can with nails glued to the outside, a duffel bag containing matches, black powder, used and unused fireworks, and papers that appeared to be recipes for explosive material.

    McGuire was charged with one count of using a weapon of mass destruction, one count of maliciously damaging a building by means of explosive, and one count of possessing unregistered destructive devices. McGuire has been in custody since his arrest in September, shortly after the attack.

    If convicted of all charges, McGuire faces a mandatory minimum penalty of seven years in prison and a statutory maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada for the Central District of California, and Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells of the FBI’s National Security Branch announced the case.

    The FBI is investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Takla and Kathrynne N. Seiden for the Central District of California are prosecuting this case with substantial assistance from Trial Attorney Patrick Cashman of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.

    An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Northfield Bancorp, Inc. Announces Third Quarter 2024 Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NOTABLE ITEMS FOR THE QUARTER INCLUDE:

    • DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE WERE $0.16 FOR THE CURRENT QUARTER COMPARED TO $0.14 FOR THE TRAILING QUARTER, AND $0.19 FOR THE THIRD QUARTER OF 2023.
    • NET INTEREST MARGIN REMAINED RELATIVELY STABLE AT 2.08% FOR THE CURRENT QUARTER AS COMPARED TO 2.09% FOR THE TRAILING QUARTER.
    • AVERAGE YIELD ON INTEREST-EARNING ASSETS DECREASED ONE BASIS POINT TO 4.38%, WHILE THE AVERAGE COST OF INTEREST-BEARING LIABILITIES REMAINED STABLE AT 2.95% FOR THE CURRENT QUARTER AS COMPARED TO THE TRAILING QUARTER.
    • DEPOSITS (EXCLUDING BROKERED) DECREASED MODESTLY BY $5.1 MILLION, OR LESS THAN 1% ANNUALIZED, COMPARED TO JUNE 30, 2024, AND INCREASED $15.0 MILLION, OR 0.5% ANNUALIZED, FROM DECEMBER 31, 2023. COST OF DEPOSITS AT SEPTEMBER 30, 2024 WAS 2.07% AS COMPARED TO 2.10% AT JUNE 30, 2024.
    • LOAN BALANCES DECLINED BY $27.2 MILLION, OR 2.7% ANNUALIZED, FROM JUNE 30, 2024, WITH DECREASES IN COMMERCIAL, MULTIFAMILY AND RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE LOANS OFFSET BY INCREASES IN HOME EQUITY, CONSTRUCTION AND LAND, AND COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL LOANS.
    • ASSET QUALITY REMAINS STRONG DESPITE AN INCREASE IN NON-PERFORMING LOANS IN THE CURRENT QUARTER. NON-PERFORMING LOANS TO TOTAL LOANS WAS 0.75% AT SEPTEMBER 30, 2024 AND 0.42% AT JUNE 30, 2024.
    • THE COMPANY MAINTAINED STRONG LIQUIDITY WITH APPROXIMATELY $597 MILLION IN UNPLEDGED AVAILABLE-FOR-SALE SECURITIES AND LOANS READILY AVAILABLE-FOR-PLEDGE OF APPROXIMATELY $699 MILLION.
    • THE COMPANY REPURCHASED 560,683 SHARES FOR A COST OF $6.3 MILLION. THERE IS NO REMAINING CAPACITY UNDER THE CURRENT REPURCHASE PROGRAM.
    • CASH DIVIDEND DECLARED OF $0.13 PER SHARE OF COMMON STOCK, PAYABLE ON NOVEMBER 20, 2024, TO STOCKHOLDERS OF RECORD AS OF NOVEMBER 6, 2024.

    WOODBRIDGE, N.J., Oct. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NORTHFIELD BANCORP, INC. (Nasdaq:NFBK) (the “Company”), the holding company for Northfield Bank, reported net income of $6.5 million, or $0.16 per diluted share for the three months ended September 30, 2024, compared to $6.0 million, or $0.14 per diluted share, for the three months ended June 30, 2024, and $8.2 million, or $0.19 per diluted share, for the three months ended September 30, 2023. For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, net income totaled $18.7 million, or $0.45 per diluted share, compared to $29.4 million, or $0.67 per diluted share, for the nine months ended September 30, 2023. For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, net income reflected $795,000, or $0.02 per share, of additional tax expense related to options that expired in June 2024, and $683,000, or $0.01 per share, of severance expense related to staffing realignments. For the nine months ended September 30, 2023, net income reflected $440,000, or $0.01 per share of severance expense. The decrease in net income for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, compared to the comparable prior year period was primarily the result of a decrease in net interest income, which was negatively impacted by higher funding costs, partially offset by improved interest and non-interest income.

    Commenting on the quarter, Steven M. Klein, the Company’s Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer stated, “In the third quarter, the Northfield team continued to focus on financial performance, serving the businesses and consumers in our marketplace, and improving upon our operating efficiencies.” Mr. Klein continued, “We delivered solid financial performance for the quarter, increasing our net income, and earnings per share, as we manage our strong capital levels, core deposit and loan relationships, asset quality, and operating expenses. While significant risks remain, the decrease in short-term market interest rates late in the third quarter should provide increased economic activity in our marketplace and opportunities for our Company.”

    Mr. Klein further noted, “I am pleased to announce that the Board of Directors has declared a cash dividend of $0.13 per common share, payable on November 20, 2024 to stockholders of record on November 6, 2024.”

    Results of Operations

    Comparison of Operating Results for the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2024 and 2023

    Net income was $18.7 million and $29.4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024 and September 30, 2023, respectively. Significant variances from the comparable prior year period are as follows: a $10.9 million decrease in net interest income, a $1.3 million increase in the provision for credit losses on loans, a $1.5 million increase in non-interest income, a $3.2 million increase in non-interest expense, and a $3.1 million decrease in income tax expense.

    Net interest income for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, decreased $10.9 million, or 11.4%, to $84.8 million, from $95.7 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 due to a $34.8 million increase in interest expense, which was partially offset by a $23.9 million increase in interest income. The increase in interest expense was largely driven by the cost of interest-bearing liabilities, which increased by 96 basis points to 2.93% for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, from 1.97% for the nine months ended September 30, 2023, driven primarily by a 114 basis point increase in the cost of interest-bearing deposits from 1.42% to 2.56% for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, and a 31 basis point increase in the cost of borrowings from 3.58% to 3.89% due to rising market interest rates and a shift in the composition of the deposit portfolio towards higher-costing certificates of deposit and a greater reliance on borrowings. The increase in interest expense was also due to a $277.1 million, or 7.0%, increase in the average balance of interest-bearing liabilities, including an increase of $149.8 million in the average balance of borrowed funds and a $127.1 million increase in average interest-bearing deposits. The increase in interest income was primarily due to a $156.1 million, or 2.9%, increase in the average balance of interest-earning assets coupled with a 47 basis point increase in the yield on interest-earning assets, which increased to 4.35% for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, from 3.88% for the nine months ended September 30, 2023, due to the rising rate environment. The increase in the average balance of interest-earning assets was primarily due to increases in the average balance of interest-earning deposits in financial institutions of $111.7 million, the average balance of other securities of $91.6 million, and the average balance of mortgage-backed securities of $88.5 million, partially offset by a decrease in the average balance of loans of $133.4 million.

    Net interest margin decreased by 34 basis points to 2.07% for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, from 2.41% for the nine months ended September 30, 2023. The decrease in net interest margin was primarily due to interest-bearing liabilities repricing at a faster rate than interest-earning assets. The net interest margin was negatively affected by approximately 12 basis points due to a $300 million low risk leverage strategy implemented in the first quarter of 2024. In January 2024, the Company borrowed $300.0 million from the Federal Reserve Bank through the Bank Term Funding Program at favorable terms and conditions and invested the proceeds in interest-bearing deposits in other financial institutions and investment securities. The Company accreted interest income related to purchased credit-deteriorated (“PCD”) loans of $1.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, as compared to $1.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023. Net interest income for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, included loan prepayment income of $648,000 as compared to $1.3 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023.

    The provision for credit losses on loans increased by $1.3 million to $2.3 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, compared to $1.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023, primarily due to an increase in the specific reserve component of the allowance for credit losses, which was partially offset by a decrease in the general reserve component of the allowance for credit losses. The increase in the specific reserve was related to a single commercial and industrial relationship totaling $12.5 million that experienced credit deterioration and was placed on non-accrual during the current quarter, which has a specific reserve of $1.3 million and incurred a charge-off of $878,000. The decline in the general reserve component of the allowance for credit losses resulted from a decline in loan balances and an improvement in the macroeconomic forecast for the current period within our Current Expected Credit Loss (“CECL”) model, partially offset by an increase in reserves related to changes in model assumptions, including the slowing of prepayment speeds, and an increase in reserves in the commercial and industrial and home equity and lines of credit portfolios related to an increase in non-performing loans in these portfolios and higher loan balances. Net charge-offs were $4.7 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, primarily due to $3.9 million in net charge-offs on small business unsecured commercial and industrial loans, as compared to net charge-offs of $5.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023. Management continues to closely monitor the small business unsecured commercial and industrial loan portfolio, which totaled $31.0 million at September 30, 2024.

    Non-interest income increased by $1.5 million, or 18.7%, to $9.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, compared to $8.3 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023. The increase was primarily due to increases of $790,000 in fees and service charges for customer services, related to an increase in overdraft fees and service charges on deposit accounts, $260,000 in income on bank owned life insurance, and $874,000 in gains on trading securities, net. Partially offsetting the increases was a $303,000 decrease in other income, primarily due to lower swap fee income. Gains on trading securities in the nine months ended September 30, 2024, were $1.6 million, as compared to $723,000 in the nine months ended September 30, 2023. The trading portfolio is utilized to fund the Company’s deferred compensation obligation to certain employees and directors of the plan. The participants of this plan, at their election, defer a portion of their compensation. Gains and losses on trading securities have no effect on net income since participants benefit from, and bear the full risk of changes in the trading securities market values. Therefore, the Company records an equal and offsetting amount in compensation expense, reflecting the change in the Company’s obligations under the plan.

    Non-interest expense increased $3.2 million, or 5.2%, to $65.7 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, compared to $62.5 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023. The increase was primarily due to a $3.3 million increase in employee compensation and benefits, primarily attributable to higher salary expense, related to annual merit increases and higher medical expense, and an increase of $874,000 in deferred compensation expense, which is described above, and had no effect on net income. Employee compensation and benefits expense also includes severance expense of $683,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, as compared to $440,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2023. During the second quarter of 2024, due to current economic conditions, the Company implemented a workforce reduction plan which included modest layoffs and staffing realignments. The annual estimated cost savings of this plan is $2.0 million, pre-tax. Partially offsetting the increase was a $461,000 decrease in stock compensation expense related to performance stock awards not expected to vest. Additionally, non-interest expense included a $727,000 increase in credit loss expense/(benefit) for off-balance sheet exposure due to a provision of $337,000 recorded during the nine months ended September 30, 2024, as compared to a benefit of $390,000 for the comparative prior year period. The benefit in the prior year period was attributable to a decrease in the pipeline of loans committed and awaiting closing. Partially offsetting the increases was a $552,000 decrease in advertising expense due to a change in marketing strategy and the timing of specific deposit and lending campaigns.

    The Company recorded income tax expense of $7.9 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, compared to $11.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023, with the decrease due to lower taxable income partially offset by a higher effective tax rate. The effective tax rate for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, was 29.7% compared to 27.2% for the nine months ended September 30, 2023. In June 2024, options granted in 2014 expired and resulted in additional tax expense of $795,000, contributing to the higher effective tax rate for the nine months ended September 30, 2024.

    Comparison of Operating Results for the Three Months Ended September 30, 2024 and 2023

    Net income was $6.5 million and $8.2 million for the quarters ended September 30, 2024 and September 30, 2023, respectively. Significant variances from the comparable prior year quarter are as follows: a $1.5 million decrease in net interest income, a $2.4 increase in the provision for credit losses on loans, a $1.5 million increase in non-interest income, a $189,000 decrease in non-interest expense, and a $513,000 decrease in income tax expense.

    Net interest income for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, decreased $1.5 million, or 4.9%, to $28.2 million, from $29.7 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2023, due to an $8.0 million increase in interest expense, partially offset by an $6.6 million increase in interest income. The increase in interest expense was largely driven by the impact of rising market interest rates and a $227.0 million, or 5.7%, increase in the average balance of interest-bearing liabilities, including increases of $158.4 million and $68.4 million in the average balance of interest-bearing deposits and borrowed funds, respectively. The increase in interest income was primarily due to a $155.1 million, or 3.0%, increase in the average balance of interest-earning assets coupled with a 38 basis point increase in yields on interest-earning assets due to the rising rate environment. The increase in the average balance of interest-earning assets was due to increases in the average balance of mortgage-backed securities of $240.3 million, the average balance of other securities of $64.0 million, and the average balance of interest-earning deposits in financial institutions of $26.8 million, partially offset by decreases in the average balance of loans outstanding of $172.8 million and the average balance of Federal Home Loan Bank of New York stock of $3.2 million.

    Net interest margin decreased by 17 basis points to 2.08% for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, from 2.25% for the quarter ended September 30, 2023, primarily due to the cost of interest-bearing liabilities increasing faster than the repricing of interest-earning assets. The cost of interest-bearing liabilities increased by 64 basis points to 2.95% for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, from 2.31% for the quarter ended September 30, 2023, driven primarily by a 77 basis point increase in the cost of interest-bearing deposits from 1.82% to 2.59%, and a 30 basis point increase in the cost of borrowings from 3.63% to 3.93%. The increase in the cost of interest-bearing liabilities was partially offset by an increase in the yield on interest-earning assets, which increased by 38 basis points to 4.38% for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, from 4.00% for the quarter ended September 30, 2023. Net interest income for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, included loan prepayment income of $87,000, as compared to $183,000 for the quarter ended September 30, 2023. The Company accreted interest income related to PCD loans of $327,000 for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, as compared to $325,000 for the quarter ended September 30, 2023.

    The provision for credit losses on loans increased by $2.4 million to $2.5 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, from a provision of $188,000 for the quarter ended September 30, 2023, primarily due to an increase in the specific reserve component of the allowance for credit losses, which was partially offset by a decrease in the general reserve component of the allowance for credit losses. The increase in the specific reserve was related to a single commercial and industrial relationship that experienced credit deterioration and was placed on non-accrual during the current quarter, which has a specific reserve of $1.3 million and incurred a charge-off of $878,000. The decline in the general reserve component of the allowance for credit losses resulted from a decline in loan balances and an improvement in the macroeconomic forecast for the current period within our CECL model, partially offset by an increase in reserves related to changes in model assumptions, including the slowing of prepayment speeds, and an increase in reserves in the commercial and industrial portfolio related to an increase in non-performing loans and higher loan balances. Net charge-offs were $2.1 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, and included $1.4 million in net charge-offs on small business unsecured loans, as compared to net charge-offs of $2.9 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2023.

    Non-interest income increased by $1.5 million, or 68.7%, to $3.6 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, from $2.1 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2023, primarily due to a $294,000 increase in fees and service charges, primarily related to higher overdraft fees, a $1.0 million increase in gains on trading securities, net, and a $185,000 increase in other income, primarily due to higher swap fee income. For the quarter ended September 30, 2024, gains on trading securities, net, were $710,000, compared to losses of $295,000 in the quarter ended September 30, 2023. Gains and losses on trading securities have no effect on net income since participants benefit from, and bear the full risk of, changes in the trading securities market values. Therefore, the Company records an equal and offsetting amount in compensation expense, reflecting the change in the Company’s obligations under the Plan.

    Non-interest expense decreased by $189,000, or 0.9%, to $20.4 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, from $20.6 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2023. The decrease was primarily due to decreases of $386,000 in occupancy expense, attributable to lower real estate taxes, common area maintenance and electricity costs, $214,000 in data processing costs, attributable to a decrease in ongoing core processing costs related to a prior technology-related contract renewed at favorable terms, and $132,000 in advertising expense. Partially offsetting the decreases was a $504,000 increase in compensation and employee benefits, which included a $1.0 million increase in expense related to the Company’s deferred compensation plan which is described above, and had no effect on net income, that was offset by lower medical expense.

    The Company recorded income tax expense of $2.4 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, compared to $2.9 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2023, with the decrease due to lower taxable income. The effective tax rate for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 was 26.6%, compared to 26.0% for the quarter ended September 30, 2023.

    Comparison of Operating Results for the Three Months Ended September 30, 2024 and June 30, 2024

    Net income was $6.5 million and $6.0 million for the quarters ended September 30, 2024, and June 30, 2024, respectively. Significant variances from the prior quarter are as follows: an $458,000 decrease in net interest income, a $3.2 million increase in the provision for credit losses on loans, a $719,000 increase in non-interest income, a $2.6 million decrease in non-interest expense, and an $850,000 decrease in income tax expense.

    Net interest income for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, decreased by $458,000, or 1.6%, primarily due to a $902,000 decrease in interest income, partially offset by a $444,000 decrease in interest expense on deposits and borrowings. The decrease in interest income was primarily due to a $124.4 million decrease in the average balance of interest-earning assets. The decrease in the average balance of interest-earning assets was primarily due to decreases in the average balance of interest-earning deposits in financial institutions of $91.6 million, the average balance of other securities of $60.5 million, and the average balance of loans outstanding of $48.1 million, partially offset by an increase in the average balance of mortgage-backed securities of $76.5 million. The decrease in interest expense on deposits and borrowings was primarily due to a $105.8 million, or 2.5%, decrease in the average balance of interest-bearing liabilities attributable to a $73.2 million decrease in the average balance of interest-bearing deposits and a $32.7 million decrease in the average balance of borrowed funds.

    Net interest margin decreased by one basis point to 2.08% from 2.09% for the quarter ended June 30, 2024, primarily due to a one basis point decrease in yields on interest-earning assets whereas the cost of interest-bearing liabilities remained level. Net interest income for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, included loan prepayment income of $87,000 as compared to $210,000 for the quarter ended June 30, 2024. The Company accreted interest income related to PCD loans of $327,000 for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, as compared to $321,000 for the quarter ended June 30, 2024.

    The provision for credit losses on loans increased by $3.2 million to $2.5 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, from a benefit of $618,000 for the quarter ended June 30, 2024. The increase in the provision for the current quarter was primarily due to an increase in the specific reserve component of the allowance for credit losses, attributable to a single commercial and industrial relationship that experienced credit deterioration and was placed on non-accrual during the current quarter, higher reserves related to changes in model assumptions during the current quarter, including the slowing of prepayment speeds and higher net-charge-offs. Net charge-offs were $2.1 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, as compared to net charge-offs of $1.6 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2024.

    Non-interest income increased by $719,000, or 25.1%, to $3.6 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, from $2.9 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2024. The increase was primarily due to a $522,000 increase in gains on sales of trading securities, net, and a $192,000 increase in other income, primarily due to higher swap fee income. For the quarter ended September 30, 2024, gains on trading securities, net, were $710,000, compared to gains of $188,000 for the quarter ended June 30, 2024.

    Non-interest expense decreased by $2.6 million, or 11.4%, to $20.4 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, from $23.0 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2024. The decrease was primarily due to a $2.0 million decrease in compensation and employee benefits, primarily attributable to a decrease in salaries and medical expense due to lower employee headcount, partially offset by a $522,000 increase in expense related to the Company’s deferred compensation plan which had no effect on net income. Also contributing to the decrease were decreases of $192,000 in occupancy expense, $397,000 in data processing costs, attributable to a decrease in ongoing core processing costs resulting from a prior technology-related contract renewed at favorable terms, $200,000 in advertising expense, and $122,000 in other non-interest expense. Partially offsetting the decreases was a $262,000 increase in professional fees, primarily due to an increase in outsourced audit services.

    The Company recorded income tax expense of $2.4 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, compared to $3.2 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2024. The effective tax rate for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 was 26.6%, compared to 35.0% for the quarter ended June 30, 2024. During the quarter ended June 30, 2024, options granted in 2014 expired and resulted in additional tax expense of $795,000, contributing to the higher effective tax rate for the quarter ended June 30, 2024.

    Financial Condition

    Total assets increased by $132.5 million, or 2.4%, to $5.73 billion at September 30, 2024, from $5.60 billion at December 31, 2023. The increase was primarily due to increases in available-for-sale debt securities of $268.0 million, or 33.7%, and cash and cash equivalents of $3.4 million, or 1.5%, partially offset by a decrease in loans receivable of $139.7 million, or 3.3%.

    Cash and cash equivalents increased by $3.4 million, or 1.5%, to $232.9 million at September 30, 2024, from $229.5 million at December 31, 2023. Balances fluctuate based on the timing of receipt of security and loan repayments and the redeployment of cash into higher-yielding assets such as loans and securities, or the funding of deposit outflows or borrowing maturities.

    Loans held-for-investment, net, decreased by $139.7 million, or 3.3%, to $4.06 billion at September 30, 2024 from $4.20 billion at December 31, 2023, primarily due to decreases in multifamily, commercial and one-to-four family residential real estate loans, partially offset by increases in home equity and lines of credit, construction and land, and commercial and industrial loans. The decrease in loan balances reflects the Company remaining strategically focused on both managing the concentration of its commercial and multifamily real estate loan portfolios and disciplined loan pricing, as well as lower customer demand in the recent elevated interest rate environment. Multifamily loans decreased $110.1 million, or 4.0%, to $2.64 billion at September 30, 2024 from $2.75 billion at December 31, 2023, commercial real estate loans decreased $51.4 million, or 5.5%, to $878.2 million at September 30, 2024 from $929.6 million at December 31, 2023, one-to-four family residential loans decreased $11.1 million, or 6.9%, to $149.7 million at September 30, 2024 from $160.8 million at December 31, 2023, and other loans decreased $925,000, or 35.8%, to $1.7 million at September 30, 2024 from $2.6 million at December 31, 2023. Partially offsetting these decreases were increases in commercial and industrial loans of $19.1 million, or 12.3%, to $174.4 million at September 30, 2024 from $155.3 million at December 31, 2023, home equity and lines of credit of $8.4 million, or 5.2%, to $171.9 million at September 30, 2024 from $163.5 million at December 31, 2023, and construction and land loans of $2.1 million, or 6.6%, to $33.0 million at September 30, 2024 from $31.0 million at December 31, 2023.

    As of September 30, 2024, non-owner occupied commercial real estate loans (as defined by regulatory guidance) to total risk-based capital was estimated at approximately 447%. Management believes that Northfield Bank (the “Bank”) maintains appropriate risk management practices including risk assessments, board-approved underwriting policies and related procedures, which include monitoring Bank portfolio performance, performing market analysis (economic and real estate), and stressing of the Bank’s commercial real estate portfolio under severe, adverse economic conditions. Although management believes the Bank has implemented appropriate policies and procedures to manage its commercial real estate concentration risk, the Bank’s regulators could require it to implement additional policies and procedures or could require it to maintain higher levels of regulatory capital, which might adversely affect its loan originations, the Company’s ability to pay dividends, and overall profitability.

    Our real estate portfolio includes credit risk exposure to loans collateralized by office buildings and multifamily properties in New York State subject to some form of rent regulation limiting rent increases for rent stabilized multifamily properties. At September 30, 2024, office-related loans represented $183.6 million, or 4.5% of our total loan portfolio, with an average balance of $1.7 million (although we have originated these type of loans in amounts substantially greater than this average) and a weighted average loan-to-value ratio of 59%. Approximately 41% were owner-occupied. The geographic locations of the properties collateralizing our office-related loans are: 50.7% in New York, 47.8% in New Jersey and 1.5% in Pennsylvania. At September 30, 2024, our largest office-related loan had a principal balance of $90.0 million (with a net active principal balance for the Bank of $29.9 million as we have a 33.3% participation interest), was secured by an office facility located in Staten Island, New York, and was performing in accordance with its original contractual terms. At September 30, 2024, multifamily loans that have some form of rent stabilization or rent control totaled approximately $447.5 million, or approximately 11% of our total loan portfolio, with an average balance of $1.7 million (although we have originated these type of loans in amounts substantially greater than this average) and a weighted average loan-to-value ratio of 51%. At September 30, 2024, our largest rent-regulated loan had a principal balance of $16.9 million, was secured by an apartment building located in Staten Island, New York, and was performing in accordance with its original contractual terms. Management continues to closely monitor its office and rent-regulated portfolios. For further details on our rent-regulated multifamily portfolio see “Asset Quality”.

    PCD loans totaled $9.3 million and $9.9 million at September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively. The majority of the remaining PCD loan balance consists of loans acquired as part of a Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-assisted transaction. The Company accreted interest income of $327,000 and $1.1 million attributable to PCD loans for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024, respectively, as compared to $325,000 and $1.0 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023, respectively. PCD loans had an allowance for credit losses of approximately $2.9 million at September 30, 2024.

    Loan balances are summarized as follows (dollars in thousands):

      September 30, 2024   June 30, 2024   December 31, 2023
    Real estate loans:          
    Multifamily $         2,640,944     $         2,665,202     $         2,750,996  
    Commercial mortgage           878,173               896,157               929,595  
    One-to-four family residential mortgage           149,682               151,948               160,824  
    Home equity and lines of credit           171,946               167,852               163,520  
    Construction and land           33,024               32,607               30,967  
    Total real estate loans           3,873,769               3,913,766               4,035,902  
    Commercial and industrial loans           174,253               165,586               154,984  
    PPP loans           160               202               284  
    Other loans           1,660               2,322               2,585  
    Total commercial and industrial, PPP, and other loans           176,073               168,110               157,853  
    Loans held-for-investment, net (excluding PCD)           4,049,842               4,081,876               4,193,755  
    PCD loans           9,264               9,344               9,899  
    Total loans held-for-investment, net $         4,059,106     $         4,091,220     $         4,203,654  

    The Company’s available-for-sale debt securities portfolio increased by $268.0 million, or 33.7%, to $1.06 billion at September 30, 2024, from $795.5 million at December 31, 2023. The increase was primarily attributable to purchases of securities, partially offset by paydowns, maturities and calls. At September 30, 2024, $869.4 million of the portfolio consisted of residential mortgage-backed securities issued or guaranteed by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, or Ginnie Mae. In addition, the Company held $74.9 million in U.S. Government agency securities, $118.5 million in corporate bonds, substantially all of which were investment grade, and $684,000 in municipal bonds at September 30, 2024. Unrealized losses, net of tax, on available-for-sale debt securities and held-to-maturity securities approximated $19.6 million and $219,000, respectively, at September 30, 2024, and $32.5 million and $279,000, respectively, at December 31, 2023.

    Equity securities were $10.7 million at September 30, 2024 and $10.6 million at December 31, 2023. Equity securities are primarily comprised of an investment in a Small Business Administration Loan Fund. This investment is utilized by the Bank as part of its Community Reinvestment Act program.

    Total liabilities increased $132.3 million, or 2.7%, to $5.03 billion at September 30, 2024, from $4.90 billion at December 31, 2023. The increase was primarily attributable to an increase in borrowings of $131.6 million, partially offset by a decrease in total deposits of $2.9 million. The Company routinely utilizes brokered deposits and borrowed funds to manage interest rate risk, the cost of interest-bearing liabilities, and funding needs related to loan originations and deposit activity.

    Deposits decreased $2.9 million, or 0.1%, to $3.88 billion at September 30, 2024 as compared to December 31, 2023. Brokered deposits decreased by $17.9 million, or 17.9%, due to maturities that were replaced by borrowings. Deposits, excluding brokered deposits, increased $15.0 million, or 0.4%. The increase in deposits, excluding brokered deposits, was primarily attributable to increases of $80.9 million in time deposits, partially offset by decreases of $14.9 million in transaction accounts, $14.7 million in savings accounts, and $36.3 million in money market accounts. Growth in time deposits was attributable to the current interest rate environment and offering competitive interest rates to attract deposits. Estimated gross uninsured deposits at September 30, 2024 were $1.71 billion. This total includes fully collateralized uninsured governmental deposits and intercompany deposits of $859.3 million, leaving estimated uninsured deposits of approximately $852.2 million, or 22.0%, of total deposits. At December 31, 2023, estimated uninsured deposits totaled $869.9 million, or 22.4% of total deposits.

    Deposit account balances are summarized as follows (dollars in thousands):

      September 30, 2024   June 30, 2024   December 31, 2023
    Transaction:          
    Non-interest bearing checking $         681,741     $         685,574     $         694,903  
    Negotiable orders of withdrawal and interest-bearing checking           1,230,176               1,251,342               1,231,943  
    Total transaction           1,911,917               1,936,916               1,926,846  
    Savings and money market:          
    Savings           911,067               916,598               925,744  
    Money market           265,800               255,550               302,122  
    Brokered money market           —               —               50,000  
    Total savings           1,176,867               1,172,148               1,277,866  
    Certificates of deposit:          
    $250,000 and under           585,606               568,809               525,454  
    Over $250,000           119,033               120,601               98,269  
    Brokered           82,146               —               50,000  
    Total certificates of deposit           786,785               689,410               673,723  
    Total deposits $         3,875,569     $         3,798,474     $         3,878,435  

    Included in the table above are business and municipal deposit account balances as follows (dollars in thousands):

      September 30, 2024   June 30, 2024   December 31, 2023
               
    Business customers $         869,990     $         866,403     $         893,296  
    Municipal (governmental) customers $         799,249     $         815,086     $         768,556  

    Borrowed funds increased to $1.05 billion at September 30, 2024, from $920.5 million at December 31, 2023. The increase in borrowings for the period was primarily due to a $205.5 million increase in borrowings under the Federal Reserve Bank Term Funding Program, which included favorable terms and conditions as compared to FHLB advances. Management utilizes borrowings to mitigate interest rate risk, for short-term liquidity, and to a lesser extent from time to time, as part of leverage strategies.

    The following table sets forth borrowing maturities (excluding overnight borrowings and subordinated debt) and the weighted average rate by year at September 30, 2024 (dollars in thousands):

    Year   Amount (1)   Weighted Average Rate
    2024   $25,000   4.71%
    2025   483,184   4.00%
    2026   148,000   4.36%
    2027   173,000   3.19%
    2028   154,288   3.96%
        $983,472   3.92%
             
    __________________________________________________
    (1) Borrowings maturing in 2025 include $300.0 million of FRB borrowings that can be repaid without any penalty.

    Total stockholders’ equity increased by $119,000 to $699.6 million at September 30, 2024, from $699.4 million at December 31, 2023. The increase was attributable to net income of $18.7 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, a $14.1 million increase in accumulated other comprehensive income, associated with an increase in the estimated fair value of our debt securities available-for-sale portfolio due to the increase in market interest rates, and a $1.9 million increase in equity award activity, partially offset by $18.1 million in stock repurchases and $16.5 million in dividend payments. On April 24, 2024, the Board of Directors of the Company approved a $5.0 million stock repurchase program, which was completed in May 2024, and on June 14, 2024, the Board of Directors of the Company approved a $10.0 million stock repurchase program. During the nine months ended September 30, 2024, the Company repurchased 1.8 million of its common stock outstanding at an average price of $10.03 for a total of $18.1 million pursuant to the approved stock repurchase programs. As of September 30, 2024, the Company had no remaining capacity under its current repurchase program.

    The Company’s most liquid assets are cash and cash equivalents, corporate bonds, and unpledged mortgage-related securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, Fannie Mae, or Freddie Mac, that we can either borrow against or sell. We also have the ability to surrender bank-owned life insurance contracts. The surrender of these contracts would subject the Company to income taxes and penalties for increases in the cash surrender values over the original premium payments. We also have the ability to obtain additional funding from the FHLB and Federal Reserve Bank of New York utilizing unencumbered and unpledged securities and multifamily loans. The Company expects to have sufficient funds available to meet current commitments in the normal course of business. The Company’s on-hand liquidity ratio as of September 30, 2024 was 16.4%.

    The Company had the following primary sources of liquidity at September 30, 2024 (dollars in thousands): 

    Cash and cash equivalents(1) $ 218,733
    Corporate bonds(2) $ 104,633
    Multifamily loans(2) $ 699,343
    Mortgage-backed securities (issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, Fannie Mae, or Freddie Mac)(2) $ 491,985
       
    __________________________________________________
    (1) Excludes $14.2 million of cash at Northfield Bank.
    (2) Represents estimated remaining borrowing potential.

    The Company and the Bank utilize the Community Bank Leverage Ratio (“CBLR”) framework. The CBLR replaces the risk-based and leverage capital requirements in the generally applicable capital rules. At September 30, 2024, the Company and the Bank’s estimated CBLR ratios were 12.03% and 12.26%, respectively, which exceeded the minimum requirement to be considered well-capitalized of 9%.

    Asset Quality

    The following table details total non-accrual loans (excluding PCD), non-performing assets, loans over 90 days delinquent on which interest is accruing, and accruing loans 30 to 89 days delinquent at September 30, 2024, June 30, 2024, and December 31, 2023 (dollars in thousands):

      September 30, 2024   June 30, 2024   December 31, 2023
    Non-accrual loans:          
    Held-for-investment          
    Real estate loans:          
    Multifamily $         2,651       $         2,691       $         2,709    
    Commercial           8,823                 10,244                 6,491    
    One-to-four family residential           66                 69                 104    
    Home equity and lines of credit           1,123                 1,124                 499    
    Commercial and industrial           15,117                 2,570                 305    
    Other           6                 6                 7    
    Total non-accrual loans           27,786                 16,704                 10,115    
    Loans delinquent 90 days or more and still accruing:          
    Held-for-investment          
    Real estate loans:          
    Multifamily           —                 —                 201    
    Commercial           1,161                 —                 —    
    One-to-four family residential           304                 136                 406    
    Home equity and lines of credit           343                 467                 711    
    Commercial and industrial           835                 —                 —    
    Total loans held-for-investment delinquent 90 days or more and still accruing           2,643                 603                 1,318    
    Total non-performing loans/assets $         30,429       $         17,307       $         11,433    
    Non-performing loans to total loans           0.75   %             0.42   %             0.27   %
    Non-performing assets to total assets           0.53   %             0.30   %             0.20   %
    Accruing loans 30 to 89 days delinquent $         16,057       $         6,265       $         8,683    

    The Company’s non-performing loans at September 30, 2024 totaled $30.4 million, or 0.75%, of total loans as compared to $11.4 million, or 0.27%, at December 31, 2023. The $19.0 million increase in non-performing loans was primarily attributable to an increase in non-performing commercial and industrial loans of $15.6 million and an increase of $3.5 million in non-performing commercial real estate loans. One commercial and industrial relationship with an outstanding balance of $12.5 million at September 30, 2024, experienced credit deterioration and was placed on non-accrual status during the third quarter of 2024. The loan is currently in the process of being restructured and we expect to receive a partial payment of $10.0 million on or before October 31, 2024, with the remaining $2.5 million to be repaid over three years. The loan was individually evaluated for impairment, we charged off $878,000 and provided a specific reserve of $1.3 million. Additionally, management evaluated the collateral from the Company and assets subject to personal guarantees and, based on current estimates, believes there is adequate collateral and assets to support the current value of the loan absent the expected repayment of $10.0 million. Another commercial and industrial relationship with an outstanding balance of $750,000 is in the process of maturity extension. Additionally, there was an increase in non-performing unsecured small business loans. Unsecured small business loans totaled $31.0 million and $37.4 million at September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively. Management continues to closely monitor the small business unsecured commercial and industrial loan portfolio.

    The increase in non-performing commercial real estate loans was primarily attributable to one loan with a balance of $4.4 million, which was put on non-accrual status during the first quarter of 2024. Based on the results of the impairment analysis for this loan, no impairment reserve was necessary as the loan is adequately covered by collateral (a private residence and retail property, both located in New Jersey), with aggregate appraised values totaling $8.7 million.

    Accruing Loans 30 to 89 Days Delinquent

    Loans 30 to 89 days delinquent and on accrual status totaled $16.1 million, $6.3 million and $8.7 million at September 30, 2024, June 30, 2024, and December 31, 2023, respectively. The following table sets forth delinquencies for accruing loans by type and by amount at September 30, 2024, June 30, 2024, and December 31, 2023 (dollars in thousands):
      

      September 30, 2024   June 30, 2024   December 31, 2023
    Held-for-investment          
    Real estate loans:          
    Multifamily $         2,259     $         168     $         740  
    Commercial           5,689               1,557               1,010  
    One-to-four family residential           2,286               1,769               3,339  
    Home equity and lines of credit           1,369               786               817  
    Commercial and industrial loans           4,450               1,977               2,767  
    Other loans           4               8               10  
    Total delinquent accruing loans held-for-investment $         16,057     $         6,265     $         8,683  

    The increase in multifamily delinquent loans was primarily due to two relationships totaling $1.5 million that became current subsequent to September 30, 2024. The increase in commercial real estate delinquent loans was primarily due to two participation loans totaling $5.6 million that matured, and the lead bank is in the process of extending their maturity and should become current in the fourth quarter of 2024. The increase in commercial and industrial delinquent loans from December 31, 2023, was primarily due to two loans to one borrower totaling $1.5 million which we expect to become current in the fourth quarter of 2024, and, to a lesser extent, an increase in delinquencies in unsecured small business loans.

    Subsequent to the quarter end, $1.1 million of home equity and lines of credit loans, $1.5 million of one-to-four family residential loans, and $1.5 million of commercial and industrial loans became current.

    PCD Loans (Held-for-Investment)

    The Company accounts for PCD loans at estimated fair value using discounted expected future cash flows deemed to be collectible on the date acquired. Based on its detailed review of PCD loans and experience in loan workouts, management believes it has a reasonable expectation about the amount and timing of future cash flows and accordingly has classified PCD loans ($9.3 million at September 30, 2024 and $9.9 million at December 31, 2023, respectively) as accruing, even though they may be contractually past due. At September 30, 2024, 2.1% of PCD loans were past due 30 to 89 days, and 24.6% were past due 90 days or more, as compared to 2.9% and 27.1%, respectively, at December 31, 2023.

    Our multifamily loan portfolio at September 30, 2024 totaled $2.64 billion, or 65% of our total loan portfolio, of which $447.5 million, or 11%, included loans collateralized by properties in New York with units subject to some percentage of rent regulation. The table below sets forth details about our multifamily loan portfolio in New York (dollars in thousands).

    % Rent Regulated   Balance   % Portfolio Total NY Multifamily Portfolio   Average Balance   Largest Loan   LTV*   Debt Service Coverage Ratio (DSCR)*   30-89 Days Delinquent   Non-Accrual   Special Mention   Substandard
    0   $         286,728             39.1   %   $         1,166     $         16,603     51.0%   1.57x   $         1,709     $         534     $         782     $         874  
    >0-10             4,745             0.7                 1,582               2,128     51.4   1.46             —               —               —               —  
    >10-20             18,681             2.5                 1,437               2,865     49.2   1.59             —               —               —               —  
    >20-30             19,585             2.7                 2,176               5,512     54.1   1.64             —               —               —               —  
    >30-40             15,183             2.1                 1,265               3,088     48.3   1.63             —               —               —               —  
    >40-50             22,208             3.0                 1,306               2,740     48.2   1.84             —               —               —               —  
    >50-60             9,452             1.3                 1,575               2,341     39.9   2.03             —               —               —               —  
    >60-70             19,201             2.6                 3,200               11,339     53.0   1.46             —               —               —               —  
    >70-80             22,405             3.1                 2,489               4,914     48.0   1.53             —               —               —               —  
    >80-90             20,820             2.8                 1,157               3,148     46.6   1.71             —               —               —               —  
    >90-100             295,256             40.1                 1,779               16,909     52.6   1.65             —               2,117               1,204               4,482  
    Total   $         734,264     100.0   %   $         1,454     $         16,909     51.2%   1.62x   $         1,709     $         2,651     $         1,986     $         5,356  

    The table below sets forth our New York rent-regulated loans by county (dollars in thousands).

    County   Balance   LTV*   DSCR*
    Bronx   $         118,400     51.7%   1.64x
    Kings             191,745     51.5%   1.66
    Nassau             2,176     36.2%   1.88
    New York             49,871     47.3%   1.64
    Queens             38,864     44.3%   1.81
    Richmond             28,790     60.6%   1.64
    Westchester             17,689     61.8%   1.37
    Total   $         447,535     51.4%   1.65x
                 
    * Weighted Average

    None of the loans that are rent-regulated in New York are interest only. During the remainder of 2024, one loan with an aggregate principal balance of $1.8 million will re-price.

    About Northfield Bank

    Northfield Bank, founded in 1887, operates 38 full-service banking offices in Staten Island and Brooklyn, New York, and Hunterdon, Middlesex, Mercer, and Union counties, New Jersey. For more information about Northfield Bank, please visit www.eNorthfield.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements: This release may contain certain “forward looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and may be identified by the use of such words as “may,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “should,” “plan,” “estimate,” “predict,” “continue,” and “potential” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, estimates with respect to the financial condition, results of operations and business of Northfield Bancorp, Inc. Any or all of the forward-looking statements in this release and in any other public statements made by Northfield Bancorp, Inc. may turn out to be wrong. They can be affected by inaccurate assumptions Northfield Bancorp, Inc. might make or by known or unknown risks and uncertainties as described in our SEC filings, including, but not limited to, those related to general economic conditions, particularly in the market areas in which the Company operates, changes in liquidity, the size and composition of our deposit portfolio and the percentage of uninsured deposits in the portfolio, competition among depository and other financial institutions, including with respect to fees and interest rates, changes in laws or government regulations or policies affecting financial institutions, including changes in the monetary policies of the U.S. Treasury and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, changes in asset quality, prepayment speeds, charge-offs and/or credit loss provisions, our ability to access cost-effective funding, changes in the value of our goodwill or other intangible assets, changes in regulatory fees, assessments and capital requirements, inflation and changes in the interest rate environment that reduce our margins, reduce the fair value of financial instruments or reduce our ability to originate loans, cyber security and fraud risks against our information technology and those of our third-party providers and vendors, the effects of war, conflict, and acts of terrorism, our ability to successfully integrate acquired entities, adverse changes in the securities markets, and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Consequently, no forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Northfield Bancorp, Inc. does not intend to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this release, or conform these statements to actual events.

     
    (Tables follow)
     
    NORTHFIELD BANCORP, INC.
    SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL AND OTHER DATA
    (Dollars in thousands, except per share amounts) (unaudited)
                   
                  At or For the
      At or For the Three Months Ended   Nine Months Ended
      September 30,   June 30   September 30,
      2024   2023   2024   2024   2023
    Selected Financial Ratios:                  
    Performance Ratios (1)                  
    Return on assets (ratio of net income to average total assets)         0.46   %           0.59   %           0.41   %           0.43   %           0.71   %
    Return on equity (ratio of net income to average equity)         3.74               4.74               3.45               3.59               5.69    
    Average equity to average total assets         12.24               12.49               12.00               12.09               12.44    
    Interest rate spread         1.42               1.69               1.44               1.42               1.91    
    Net interest margin         2.08               2.25               2.09               2.07               2.41    
    Efficiency ratio (2)         64.07               64.65               72.89               69.44               60.06    
    Non-interest expense to average total assets         1.43               1.49               1.60               1.53               1.50    
    Non-interest expense to average total interest-earning assets         1.50               1.56               1.68               1.60               1.57    
    Average interest-earning assets to average interest-bearing liabilities         128.75               132.21               128.47               128.63               133.66    
    Asset Quality Ratios:                  
    Non-performing assets to total assets         0.53               0.19               0.30               0.53               0.19    
    Non-performing loans (3) to total loans (4)         0.75               0.24               0.42               0.75               0.24    
    Allowance for credit losses to non-performing loans         115.67               378.67               200.96               115.67               378.67    
    Allowance for credit losses to total loans held-for-investment, net (5)         0.87               0.91               0.85               0.87               0.91    
    (1) Annualized where appropriate.
    (2) The efficiency ratio represents non-interest expense divided by the sum of net interest income and non-interest income.
    (3) Non-performing loans consist of non-accruing loans and loans 90 days or more past due and still accruing (excluding PCD loans), and are included in total loans held-for-investment, net.
    (4) Includes originated loans held-for-investment, PCD loans, acquired loans and loans held-for-sale.
    (5) Includes originated loans held-for-investment, PCD loans, and acquired loans.
     
    NORTHFIELD BANCORP, INC.
    CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
    (Dollars in thousands, except share and per share amounts) (unaudited)
     
      September 30, 2024   June 30, 2024   December 31, 2023
    ASSETS:          
    Cash and due from banks $         14,193     $         14,575     $         13,889  
    Interest-bearing deposits in other financial institutions           218,733               138,914               215,617  
    Total cash and cash equivalents           232,926               153,489               229,506  
    Trading securities           13,759               12,939               12,549  
    Debt securities available-for-sale, at estimated fair value           1,063,486               1,119,439               795,464  
    Debt securities held-to-maturity, at amortized cost           9,681               9,749               9,866  
    Equity securities           10,699               13,964               10,629  
    Loans held-for-sale           4,897               —               —  
    Loans held-for-investment, net           4,059,106               4,091,220               4,203,654  
    Allowance for credit losses           (35,197 )             (34,780 )             (37,535 )
    Net loans held-for-investment           4,023,909               4,056,440               4,166,119  
    Accrued interest receivable           19,299               19,343               18,491  
    Bank-owned life insurance           174,482               173,483               171,543  
    Federal Home Loan Bank of New York stock, at cost           37,269               41,785               39,667  
    Operating lease right-of-use assets           28,943               29,305               30,202  
    Premises and equipment, net           22,973               23,628               24,771  
    Goodwill           41,012               41,012               41,012  
    Other assets           47,516               51,785               48,577  
    Total assets $         5,730,851     $         5,746,361     $         5,598,396  
               
    LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY:          
    LIABILITIES:          
    Deposits $         3,875,569     $         3,798,474     $         3,878,435  
    Securities sold under agreements to repurchase           —               —               25,000  
    Federal Home Loan Bank advances and other borrowings           990,871               1,089,727               834,272  
    Subordinated debentures, net of issuance costs           61,386               61,331               61,219  
    Lease liabilities           33,529               34,035               35,205  
    Advance payments by borrowers for taxes and insurance           22,492               26,113               25,102  
    Accrued expenses and other liabilities           47,440               43,657               39,718  
    Total liabilities           5,031,287               5,053,337               4,898,951  
               
    STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY:          
    Total stockholders’ equity           699,564               693,024               699,445  
    Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity $         5,730,851     $         5,746,361     $         5,598,396  
               
    Total shares outstanding           42,904,342               43,466,961               44,524,929  
    Tangible book value per share (1) $         15.35     $         15.00     $         14.78  
    (1) Tangible book value per share is calculated based on total stockholders’ equity, excluding intangible assets (goodwill and core deposit intangibles), divided by total shares outstanding as of the balance sheet date. Core deposit intangibles were $90, $111, and $154 at September 30, 2024, June 30, 2024, and December 31, 2023, respectively, and are included in other assets.
     
    NORTHFIELD BANCORP, INC.
    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
    (Dollars in thousands, except share and per share amounts) (unaudited)
     
      For the Three Months Ended   For the Nine Months Ended
      September 30,   June 30,   September 30,
        2024       2023       2024       2024       2023  
    Interest income:                  
    Loans $         46,016     $         46,213     $         45,967     $         138,030     $         135,220  
    Mortgage-backed securities           8,493               3,664               7,355               20,246               11,170  
    Other securities           2,684               1,095               3,506               10,031               3,593  
    Federal Home Loan Bank of New York dividends           914               933               935               2,819               2,125  
    Deposits in other financial institutions           1,211               831               2,457               7,060               2,225  
    Total interest income           59,318               52,736               60,220               178,186               154,333  
    Interest expense:                  
    Deposits           20,304               13,614               20,664               60,241               31,918  
    Borrowings           9,949               8,593               10,041               30,653               24,182  
    Subordinated debt           836               837               828               2,492               2,484  
    Total interest expense           31,089               23,044               31,533               93,386               58,584  
    Net interest income           28,229               29,692               28,687               84,800               95,749  
    Provision/(benefit) for credit losses           2,542               188               (618 )             2,339               1,082  
    Net interest income after (benefit)/provision for credit losses           25,687               29,504               29,305               82,461               94,667  
    Non-interest income:                  
    Fees and service charges for customer services           1,611               1,317               1,570               4,796               4,006  
    Income on bank-owned life insurance           999               920               976               2,939               2,679  
    (Losses)/gains on available-for-sale debt securities, net           (7 )             —               1               (6 )             (17 )
    Gains/(losses) on trading securities, net           710               (295 )             188               1,597               723  
    Gain on sale of loans           —               99               51               51               134  
    Other           265               80               73               441               744  
    Total non-interest income           3,578               2,121               2,859               9,818               8,269  
    Non-interest expense:                  
    Compensation and employee benefits           11,424               10,920               13,388               37,577               34,310  
    Occupancy           3,030               3,416               3,222               9,805               10,032  
    Furniture and equipment           450               479               477               1,411               1,393  
    Data processing           1,780               1,994               2,177               6,104               6,308  
    Professional fees           943               883               681               2,433               2,622  
    Advertising           282               414               482               1,282               1,834  
    Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation insurance           626               591               649               1,863               1,763  
    Credit loss expense/(benefit) for off-balance sheet exposures           151               160               103               337               (390 )
    Other           1,692               1,710               1,814               4,891               4,598  
    Total non-interest expense           20,378               20,567               22,993               65,703               62,470  
    Income before income tax expense           8,887               11,058               9,171               26,576               40,466  
    Income tax expense           2,364               2,877               3,214               7,882               11,019  
    Net income $         6,523     $         8,181     $         5,957     $         18,694     $         29,447  
    Net income per common share:                  
    Basic $         0.16     $         0.19     $         0.14     $         0.45     $         0.67  
    Diluted $         0.16     $         0.19     $         0.14     $         0.45     $         0.67  
    Basic average shares outstanding           41,028,213               42,866,246               41,999,541               41,794,149               43,848,873  
    Diluted average shares outstanding           41,088,637               42,918,174               42,002,650               41,829,230               43,927,350  
     
    NORTHFIELD BANCORP, INC.
    ANALYSIS OF NET INTEREST INCOME
    (Dollars in thousands) (unaudited)
     
      For the Three Months Ended
      September 30, 2024   June 30, 2024   September 30, 2023
      Average Outstanding Balance   Interest   Average Yield/ Rate (1)   Average Outstanding Balance   Interest   Average Yield/ Rate (1)   Average Outstanding Balance   Interest   Average Yield/ Rate (1)
    Interest-earning assets:                                  
    Loans (2) $         4,079,974     $         46,016             4.49   %   $         4,128,105     $         45,967             4.48   %   $         4,252,752     $         46,213             4.31   %
    Mortgage-backed securities (3)           901,042               8,493             3.75                 824,498               7,355             3.59                 660,753               3,664             2.20    
    Other securities (3)           273,312               2,684             3.91                 333,855               3,506             4.22                 209,341               1,095             2.08    
    Federal Home Loan Bank of New York stock           38,044               914             9.56                 38,707               935             9.72                 41,278               933             8.97    
    Interest-earning deposits in financial institutions           99,837               1,211             4.83                 191,470               2,457             5.16                 73,005               831             4.52    
    Total interest-earning assets           5,392,209               59,318             4.38                 5,516,635               60,220             4.39                 5,237,129               52,736             4.00    
    Non-interest-earning assets           275,342                       265,702                       248,315          
    Total assets $         5,667,551             $         5,782,337             $         5,485,444          
                                       
    Interest-bearing liabilities:                                  
    Savings, NOW, and money market accounts $         2,417,725     $         12,717             2.09   %   $         2,490,372     $         13,183             2.13   %   $         2,408,218     $         8,865             1.46   %
    Certificates of deposit           700,763               7,587             4.31                 701,272               7,481             4.29                 551,904               4,749             3.41    
    Total interest-bearing deposits           3,118,488               20,304             2.59                 3,191,644               20,664             2.60                 2,960,122               13,614             1.82    
    Borrowed funds           1,008,338               9,949             3.93                 1,041,035               10,041             3.88                 939,922               8,593             3.63    
    Subordinated debt           61,350               836             5.42                 61,294               828             5.43                 61,127               837             5.43    
    Total interest-bearing liabilities           4,188,176               31,089             2.95                 4,293,973               31,533             2.95                 3,961,171               23,044             2.31    
    Non-interest bearing deposits           683,283                       691,384                       739,266          
    Accrued expenses and other liabilities           102,233                       103,082                       100,103          
    Total liabilities           4,973,692                       5,088,439                       4,800,540          
    Stockholders’ equity           693,859                       693,898                       684,904          
    Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity $         5,667,551             $         5,782,337             $         5,485,444          
                                       
    Net interest income     $         28,229             $         28,687             $         29,692      
    Net interest rate spread (4)                 1.42   %                   1.44   %                   1.69   %
    Net interest-earning assets (5) $         1,204,033             $         1,222,662             $         1,275,958          
    Net interest margin (6)                 2.08   %                   2.09   %                   2.25   %
    Average interest-earning assets to interest-bearing liabilities                 128.75   %                   128.47   %                   132.21   %
    (1) Average yields and rates are annualized.
    (2) Includes non-accruing loans.
    (3) Securities available-for-sale and other securities are reported at amortized cost.
    (4) Net interest rate spread represents the difference between the weighted average yield on interest-earning assets and the weighted average cost of interest-bearing liabilities.
    (5) Net interest-earning assets represent total interest-earning assets less total interest-bearing liabilities.
    (6) Net interest margin represents net interest income divided by average total interest-earning assets.
       
      For the Nine Months Ended
      September 30, 2024   September 30, 2023
      Average Outstanding Balance   Interest   Average Yield/ Rate (1)   Average Outstanding Balance   Interest   Average Yield/ Rate (1)
    Interest-earning assets:                      
    Loans (2) $         4,127,409     $         138,030             4.47   %   $         4,260,827     $         135,220             4.24   %
    Mortgage-backed securities (3)           791,850               20,246             3.42                 703,320               11,170             2.12    
    Other securities (3)           332,831               10,031             4.03                 241,280               3,593             1.99    
    Federal Home Loan Bank of New York stock           38,781               2,819             9.71                 41,093               2,125             6.91    
    Interest-earning deposits in financial institutions           184,420               7,060             5.11                 72,683               2,225             4.09    
    Total interest-earning assets           5,475,291               178,186             4.35                 5,319,203               154,333             3.88    
    Non-interest-earning assets           269,180                       244,319          
    Total assets $         5,744,471             $         5,563,522          
                           
    Interest-bearing liabilities:                      
    Savings, NOW, and money market accounts $         2,457,320     $         38,231             2.08   %   $         2,443,400     $         19,194             1.05   %
    Certificates of deposit           685,510               22,010             4.29                 572,283               12,724             2.97    
    Total interest-bearing deposits           3,142,830               60,241             2.56                 3,015,683               31,918             1.42    
    Borrowed funds           1,052,589               30,653             3.89                 902,802               24,182             3.58    
    Subordinated debt           61,294               2,492             5.43                 61,164               2,484             5.43    
    Total interest-bearing liabilities $         4,256,713               93,386             2.93       $         3,979,649               58,584             1.97    
    Non-interest bearing deposits           691,406                       788,991          
    Accrued expenses and other liabilities           101,639                       102,765          
    Total liabilities           5,049,758                       4,871,405          
    Stockholders’ equity           694,713                       692,117          
    Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity $         5,744,471             $         5,563,522          
                           
    Net interest income     $         84,800             $         95,749      
    Net interest rate spread (4)                 1.42   %                   1.91   %
    Net interest-earning assets (5) $         1,218,578             $         1,339,554          
    Net interest margin (6)                 2.07   %                   2.41   %
    Average interest-earning assets to interest-bearing liabilities                 128.63   %                   133.66   %
    (1) Average yields and rates are annualized. 
    (2) Includes non-accruing loans. 
    (3) Securities available-for-sale and other securities are reported at amortized cost.
    (4) Net interest rate spread represents the difference between the weighted average yield on interest-earning assets and the weighted average cost of interest-bearing liabilities.
    (5) Net interest-earning assets represent total interest-earning assets less total interest-bearing liabilities.
    (6) Net interest margin represents net interest income divided by average total interest-earning assets.

    Company Contact:
    William R. Jacobs
    Chief Financial Officer
    Tel: (732) 499-7200 ext. 2519

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Indonesia to offer ‘amnesty’ for West Papuans contesting Jakarta’s rule

    The National, PNG

    Indonesia will offer amnesty to West Papuans who have contested Jakarta’s sovereignty over the Melanesian region resulting in conflicts and clashes with law enforcement agencies, says Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister James Marape.

    He arrived in Port Moresby on Monday night from Indonesia where he attended the inauguration of President Prabowo Subianto last Sunday.

    During his bilateral discussions with the Indonesian President, Marape said Prabowo was “quite frank and open” about the West Papua independence issue.

    “This is the first time for me to see openness on West Papua and while it is an Indonesian sovereignty matter, my advice was to give respect to land and their [West Papuans] cultural heritage.

    “I commend the offer on amnesty and Papua New Guinea will continue to respect Indonesia’s sovereignty,” Marape said.

    “The President also offered a pledge for higher autonomy and a commitment to keep on working on the need for more economic activities and development that the former president [Joko Widodo] has started for West Papua.”

    While emphasising that Papua New Guinea had no right to debate Indonesia’s internal sovereignty issues, Marape welcomed that country’s recognition of the West Papuan people, their culture and heritage.

    Expanding trade, investment
    Marape also reaffirmed his intention to work with Prabowo in expanding trade and investment, especially in business-to-business and people-to-people relations with Indonesia.

    The exponential growth of Indonesia’s economy currently sits at nearly US$1.5 trillion (about K5 trillion), with the country aggressively pushing toward First World nation status by 2045.

    Papua New Guinea was among nations allocated time for a bilateral meeting with President Subianto after the inauguration.

    Republished from The National with permission.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy urges Blinken to secure Indo-Pacific naval base from Chinese threat after U.K. reaches Chagos Archipelago sovereignty deal

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)
    View Kennedy’s remarks here. 
    MADISONVILLE, La. – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today released this statement and sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken raising national security concerns over China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region, and specifically the threat to the Chagos Archipelago, where a key U.S. Navy support facility currently operates on the island of Diego Garcia. 
    Earlier this month, the United Kingdom reached a deal to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius while allowing the U.S. Navy’s Diego Garcia facility to operate for the next 99 years. 
    “As you know, the Chagos Archipelago, specifically Diego Garcia, is of particular strategic significance to U.S. national security and our ability to maintain stability and project power in the region. The decision to give up the islands is dangerous and irresponsible, especially in the face of China’s increasing aggression,” Kennedy wrote. 
    “The presence of the U.S. military on Diego Garcia is a vital component of our defense posture in the Indo-Pacific. With the transfer of control to Mauritius, I am concerned about our ability to maintain the integrity of our operations in the region. Chinese ambitions, particularly their strategic interest in expanding influence over critical maritime chokepoints and naval installations, present a clear and present threat to regional stability. We are all but guaranteed to see an increase in nefarious Chinese behavior around Diego Garcia following what has become a familiar playbook—Chinese fishing boats conducting surveillance, and debt trap diplomacy to ensure Chinese control of critical infrastructure,” he continued.
    “Given the evolving geopolitical landscape, America must act proactively to secure this region from external influences that could jeopardize a free and open Indo-Pacific,” Kennedy concluded.
    Kennedy’s full statement is available here. 
    The full letter is available here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New data laws unveiled to improve public services and boost UK economy by £10 billion

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    New Bill to unlock the secure and effective use of data for the public interest has been introduced into Parliament.

    • New government Bill will unlock the power of data to grow the economy and improve people’s lives
    • Measures will free up 1.5 million hours of police time and 140,000 NHS staff hours every year, potentially saving lives
    • The legislation will also support the creation of a national map of the UK’s underground infrastructure, reducing excavation accidents causing traffic jams and safety hazards on our streets

    A new Bill which will harness the enormous power of data to boost the UK economy by £10 billion, and free up millions of police and NHS staff hours has been introduced to Parliament today (Wednesday 23rd October).

    The Data Use and Access Bill will unlock the secure and effective use of data for the public interest, without adding pressures to the country’s finances. The measures will be central to delivering three of the five Missions to rebuild Britain, set out by the Prime Minister:

    • kickstarting economic growth
    • taking back our streets
    • and building an NHS fit for the future

    Some of its key measures include cutting down on bureaucracy for our police officers, so that they can focus on tackling crime rather than being bogged down by admin, freeing up 1.5 million hours of their time a year. It will also make patients’ data easily transferable across the NHS so that frontline staff can make better informed decisions for patients more quickly, freeing up 140,000 hours of NHS staff time every year, speeding up care and improving patients’ health outcomes.

    The better use of data under measures in the Bill will also simplify important tasks such as renting a flat and starting work with trusted ways to verify your identity online, or enabling electronic registration of births and deaths, so that people and businesses can get on with their lives without unnecessary admin.

    Vital safeguards will remain in place to track and monitor how personal data is used, giving peace of mind to patients and victims of crime. IT systems in the NHS operate to the highest standards of security and all organisations have governance arrangements in place to ensure the safe, legal storage and use of data. 

    Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said:

    Data is the DNA of modern life and quietly drives every aspect of our society and economy without us even noticing – from our NHS treatments and social interactions to our business and banking transactions.  

    It has the enormous potential to make our lives better, boosting our National Health Service, cutting costs when we shop, and saving us valuable time.

    With laws that help us to use data securely and effectively, this Bill will help us boost the UK’s economy, free up vital time for our front-line workers, and relieve people from unnecessary admin so that they can get on with their lives.

    The Bill, delivered by the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology, has three core objectives: growing the economy, improving UK public services, and making people’s lives easier. The measures will be underpinned by a revamped Information Commissioner’s Office, the UK’s independent authority responsible for regulating data protection and privacy laws, with a new structure and powers of enforcement – ensuring people’s personal data will be protected to high standards.

    Improving public services

    The Bill will unlock the power of data to relieve front-line workers in the NHS and police forces across the country from bureaucracy and enable them to better serve the public.  

    Police officers across the country will benefit from measures that will remove unnecessary manual logging requirements whenever accessing personal data to work on a case, for example every time an officer needs to look up a suspect or person of interest on the police database, freeing up to 1.5 million hours of valuable police time for our officers, so that they can be on the streets fighting crime rather than being bogged down by admin. This will help save around £42.8 million in taxpayers’ money every year.

    The legislation will also ensure that healthcare information – like a patient’s pre-existing conditions, appointments and tests – can easily be accessed in real time across all NHS trusts, GP surgeries and ambulance services, no matter what IT system they are using. It will require IT suppliers for the health and care sector to ensure their systems meet common standards to enable data sharing across platforms. The measure will free up 140,000 hours in NHS staff time every year, providing quicker care for patients and potentially saving lives.

    Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:

    The NHS is broken, but imagine its enormous potential if each part of the system communicated properly with each other.

    That starts with sharing vital medical records between healthcare providers, because it shouldn’t be the patient’s responsibility to join the dots for their doctor.

    How can a GP diagnose a problem without knowing about someone’s recent hospital surgery?

    This Bill and our Ten Year Health Plan will ensure important data flows safely and securely through the NHS, freeing up staff time and speeding up patient care.

    I know people worry about Big Brother, which is why data will only be shared to the most relevant staff and anybody using data must comply with strict security protocols.

    Minister for Crime, Policing and Fire, Dame Diana Johnson said:

    It is vital police officers are able to dedicate their time to protecting the public on the beat, not in the office.

    Freeing up this valuable resource will see more officers out on our streets, making a real difference in fighting and solving crime.

    As part of our mission to make streets safer, this government will bring back neighbourhood policing, ensuring thousands of additional police and community officers are out patrolling our towns and communities.

    Vin Diwakar, National Director of Transformation at NHS England, said:

    This Bill is a significant step in creating a more responsive and efficient healthcare system. As an NHS doctor myself, I know it is vital that NHS staff have quicker access to more accurate and comprehensive data, giving them more face-to-face time with patients who need it most.

    These changes will lay the foundations for patient information to flow safely, securely and seamlessly, which will improve clinical outcomes, make decision-making more informed and speed up the delivery of care. By simply using data more efficiently, we can save time and money, and create a modern, digital NHS that continues to improve care for patients.

    Growing the economy

    The Bill is expected to generate approximately £10 billion towards the UK economy across ten years by legislating on data sharing to generate a host of benefits for both consumers and businesses.   

    Delivering on a key government manifesto commitment, the Bill will create the right conditions to support the future of open banking and the growth of new smart data schemes, models which allow consumers and businesses who want to safely share information about them with regulated and authorised third parties, to generate personalised market comparisons and financial advice to cut costs.

    This will pave the way for the model to expand in sectors such as energy, which could give customers the ability to compare utility prices, find better deals, and reduce their energy use, as well as foster tech innovation and boost competition, which will ultimately grow the UK economy. This potential has already been demonstrated in open banking, where 82 firms alone have raised over £2 billion of private funding and created over 4,800 skilled jobs in the financial year 2022-2023.

    The Bill will also help reduce the risk of accidents on underground water and energy pipes and broadband cables, which currently amount to 60,000 every year and cause prolonged disruption of roadworks and access to key amenities like energy and broadband to homes.

    The National Underground Asset Register (NUAR) will be put on a statutory footing, mandating that owners of underground infrastructure, such as water companies or telecoms operators, register their assets on the NUAR, which is a complete map of underground pipes and cables.

    The use of the Register will mean that companies will know exactly where any underground asset is placed, reducing the risk of accidents on pipes and cables, making construction safer for workers and reducing the disruption – and hazards – caused by holes being dug up in the streets. This will generate approximately £400 million a year, boost construction and tackle accidental damage currently costing the economy £2.4 billion a year.

    Davey Stobbart, Water Networks Regional Manager, Northumbrian Water:

    Our field crews have found the way information is presented in NUAR to be more useful than anything they have seen or used before.  It has reduced the time taken for crews to understand what lies below the ground where they are about to dig.  

    In the field, we frequently find the precise point of excavation needs to be made not-quite where our office-based planners predicted and previously in this case the job would have been delayed whilst a new plan pack was prepared.  Now with NUAR, our crews are simply able to pan and zoom to that point instantly, seeing everything they would have seen on all those individual plans without the back-office cottage industry and without these delays.  In fact, they will be seeing more because we’re now able to easily access information from local authorities through NUAR too, such as street lighting, highways gulleys and tree preservation orders all in one place. 

    We have found NUAR to be a great additional tool in the toolbox to help us reduce the likelihood of high potential utility strikes.

    Making people’s lives easier

    The rules proposed in the Bill will make Britons’ day-to-day lives easier, by simplifying important tasks such as renting a flat, starting work, or registering births and deaths, so that people and businesses can get on with their lives rather than being bogged down by admin.

    The Bill will legislate on digital verification services, meaning companies who provide tools for verifying identities will be able to get certified against the government’s stringent trust framework of standards, and receive a ‘trust mark’ to use as a result. As well as increasing trust in the market, these efficiency gains will boost the UK economy by £4.3 billion over the next decade. 

    The trust mark will be a new logo to show digital verification services are approved by the new Office for Digital Identities and Attributes (OfDIA) within Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).

    The Bill will help make sure digital verification services are inclusive, secure and privacy-preserving, and will make it easier for people to know which services they can trust.

    The Data Bill will pave the way towards modernising the registration of deaths in England and Wales from a paper-based system to an electronic birth and death register – in turn supporting people at one of the most challenging times in life. The new law will enable registrations, which are required by local authorities, to be carried out over the phone, removing the need for face-to-face registration while retaining that choice.

    Access to data for research into online safety

    The Bill will also boost the UK’s approach to tackling online harms through a power to create a researcher data access regime.

    This will support researchers in accessing data held by online platforms so they can conduct robust and independent research into online safety trends. The move will boost transparency and evidence on the scale of online harms and the measures which are effective in tackling them. 

    Further details on the specific measures can be found below:

    DSIT media enquiries

    Email press@dsit.gov.uk

    Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 6pm 020 7215 300

    Updates to this page

    Published 24 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Historic visit by UK Prime Minister paves way for closer economic ties for the Commonwealth

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The Commonwealth has a once in a generation chance to be a driving force for opportunity and growth in an increasingly contested world, the Prime Minister is set to say on a landmark visit to the Pacific this week.

    • Prime Minister to make the case that the Commonwealth has a once in a generation chance to be a driving force for opportunity and growth during visit to Samoa 

    • New UK Trade Centre of Expertise set to bolster economic ties across the grouping and unlock markets for UK businesses  

    • Keir Starmer makes history as first ever sitting UK Prime Minister to visit a Pacific Island country

    The Commonwealth has a once in a generation chance to be a driving force for opportunity and growth in an increasingly contested world, the Prime Minister is set to say on a landmark visit to the Pacific this week.  

    It comes as the government uses its foreign policy agenda to deliver for people at home, working with partners across the globe on issues such as climate change, growth and energy security. 

    Keir Starmer will arrive in Samoa for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting today [Thursday 24 October], joining 55 other Commonwealth delegations to discuss the shared challenges and opportunities faced by its members.  

    In doing so, he will make history as the first UK Prime Minister to ever visit a Pacific Island country.   

    The Prime Minister will use the trip to make the case that Commonwealth countries, no matter where they are in the world, need resilient and thriving economies to face the global challenges of the day.  

    And he will tell delegates that he believes the Commonwealth offers a unique opportunity to be able to build those economies, combining major traditional markets with rapidly growing economies and resilient, innovative communities.  

    By 2027, the Commonwealth is expected be home to six of the world’s ten fastest-growing economies – Guyana, Rwanda, Bangladesh, Uganda, India and Mozambique – and have a combined GDP exceeding $19.5 trillion, while more than 60% of the grouping’s 2.5 billion population will be under 30. 

    The Commonwealth, which includes some of the UK’s biggest trading partners such as India, Canada, Australia, Singapore and South Africa, already accounts for 9% of total UK trade, worth £164 billion in 2023. And its members benefit from a 21% average reduction in bilateral trade costs, as well as higher investment flows between Commonwealth members.  

    As part of the visit, the Prime Minister will announce a new UK Trade Centre of Expertise, operating out of the Foreign Office, to drive export-led growth across the grouping. Trade specialists will provide technical and practical assistance to developing countries to help them access and compete in global markets.  

    In turn, the partnership is expected to help UK businesses tap into some of the fastest growing economies in the world, such as Uganda and Bangladesh through strengthened economic ties. Over the long term, the project will also aim to lift economies out of poverty, reducing pressure on UK Aid and British taxpayers. 

    The Prime Minister is also expected to meet business leaders during CHOGM, as part of his personal campaign to drive investment into every corner of the United Kingdom. 

    The meeting, which will include business leaders such as Brian Moynihan, chairman and CEO of Bank of America, and John Neal, CEO of Lloyd’s of London, comes just 10 days after the UK hosted the International Investment Summit, which drove £63 billion of private investment and 38,000 jobs into the UK. 

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: 

    We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to fix the foundations and change our country’s story to turn around the lives of everyday people in the UK, but we can’t do that with a protectionist approach.

    Under this government’s pragmatic and sensible approach, we must harness the opportunities to work with genuine partners – like our Commonwealth family – across the world to build resilient economies that offer real opportunity for our people, whether that is accessing untapped markets, or collaborating on grassroots innovations.

    The combined GDP of the Commonwealth is expected to exceed $19.5 trillion in the next three years, we cannot let that economic heft go to waste.

    Alongside the Commonwealth Secretary General, the Foreign Secretary is expected to convene Commonwealth foreign ministers to launch a new Commonwealth Investment Plan of Action to mobilise investment across the membership. 

    The plan will focus on small and vulnerable economies, easing barriers to trade and investment. The Foreign Secretary will also launch two new trade hubs to help female entrepreneurs in India and Sri Lanka access global markets.   

    Foreign Secretary David Lammy said: 

    The Commonwealth is a unique forum encompassing 56 countries and a third of the world’s population brought together through shared history and friendship.

    Representing some of the world’s fastest growing economies, forging stronger ties with these markets is crucial for delivering jobs and economic growth.

    This government is reconnecting Britain in the world and building partnerships that will unlock greater prosperity for all.

    During the three-day CHOGM summit, leaders will discuss some of the pressing issues facing Commonwealth nations, including climate change, education and democracy.  

    On Friday, the Prime Minister is expected to attend a lunch, hosted by the King for new heads of government, before attending two Commonwealth executive sessions, and the heads of government dinner.

    Updates to this page

    Published 24 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Only purchase safe and legal e-bikes: new Government safety campaign urges public

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A new safety campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of buying faulty and unsafe e-bikes, e-scooters and components such as batteries has been launched

    Campaign image for DBT’s Buy Safe, Be Safe campaign

    • New campaign urges public to buy safe e-bikes and e-scooters and avoid rogue online sellers
    • E-bike and e-scooter causing fires every two days according to London Fire Brigade
    • New Product Regulation Bill beginning work to tackle dangerous goods sold online

    A new safety campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of buying faulty and unsafe e-bikes, e-scooters and components such as batteries has been launched today (Thursday 24 October).

    The Department for Business & Trade’s new “Buy Safe, Be Safe” campaign has been designed to urge the public to buy safe e-bikes and e-scooters and avoid rogue online sellers.

    E-bikes can be a cheap, healthy and modern method of travel throughout our towns and cities. However, unsafe e-bikes have resulted in hundreds of deadly fires and injured dozens of people across the UK. In 2023, the London Fire Brigade a fire every two days as a result of e-bike and e-scooter-related fires.

    Many of these fires are caused by parts incompatible with e-bikes and scooters, as well as the purchase of defective or poorly manufactured parts sold by rogue online sellers.

    The campaign focuses on three key areas encouraging consumers to only buy safe products from reputable sellers, only replace items with products recommended by the manufacturer and finally to seek professional help when converting or repairing e-bikes and e-scooters.

    The Department is partnering with retailers, manufacturers as well as online marketplaces, trade associations, consumer groups and businesses to promote the campaign. Find out more about the campaign here.

    Product Safety Minister Justin Madders said:

    E-bikes can be a great way to travel around the city, but we’ve all seen the tragic stories of unsafe e-bikes and e-scooters causing dangerous fires and taking lives.

    That’s why we’re urging everyone to check what you’re buying, check where you’re buying it from and ensure it’s safe to use.

    Local Transport Minister Simon Lightwood said:

    E-bikes have transformed our urban areas by giving people an accessible and healthy way to travel, but this is being ruined by a handful of untrustworthy online retailers.

    These rogue sellers not only risk bringing defective and dangerous batteries into people’s homes, but undermine confidence in active travel as a whole.

    That’s why I’m delighted that we are launching this campaign to make sure that people have peace of mind buying e-bikes and e-scooters from reliable sources.

    Under current laws, e-scooters are banned on public land from use except in Government rental trial areas, while e-bikes are legal to use across the country but must not exceed an output of 250 watts or travel faster than 15.5 mph.

    The public can expect to see an ongoing social media campaign including how-to video guides, as well as information materials being made available for retailers to use in stores and online to support consumers.  

    The campaign comes off the back of wider efforts to tackle dangerous goods being sold in online marketplaces. In September, the Government unveiled the new Product Regulation and Metrology Bill aimed at allowing the UK to take charge of its product regulations, boosting consumer safety and helping to further grow the economy.

    The Bill will also address the sharp rise in safety concerns around e-bikes and lithium-ion batteries and how they are sold via online marketplaces. The Bill will enable Government to better protect consumers who have for too long been at the mercy of unscrupulous suppliers, holding sellers and the online marketplaces to account if they fail to meet their responsibilities.

    And it will ensure products sold online or placed on the UK market are safe, while enabling market enforcement officials to clamp down on the sale of the product or the sellers where they are not.

    London Fire Brigade’s Assistant Commissioner for Prevention and Protection, Craig Carter, said:

    E-bikes and e-scooters are a green and sustainable way to travel around our city. However, e-bikes and e-scooters can pose a significant fire risk and particularly the batteries used to power them have become one of London’s fastest-growing fire risks. They have destroyed homes and families have sadly lost loved ones in these fires.

    From our investigations, we know many of the fires we’ve attended have involved second-hand vehicles or the bike has been modified using parts bought online.

    At this time, there is not the same level of regulation of products for e-bikes and e-scooters sold via online marketplaces or auction sites when compared to high street shops, so we cannot be confident that products meet the correct safety standard. We understand that people are trying to save money, but if you spot a deal that looks too be good to be true, it probably is.

    Halfords Head of Quality, Chris Hall, said:

    E-bikes offer numerous benefits for a healthier, greener commute. When e-bikes are purchased from reputable retailers, they’re properly certified and safe to use. Our priority is to ensure that everyone can enjoy the benefits of e-bikes without compromising on safety. The fire safety issues we’ve seen are linked to poorly manufactured, uncertified products typically bought online, as well as the use of incompatible components.

    Lesley Rudd, chief executive of consumer safety charity, Electrical Safety First said:

    E-bikes, e-scooters and their batteries are generally safe when purchased from reputable manufacturers and used correctly. However, poor-quality products – often sold via online marketplaces – improper charging, or misuse can cause ferocious fires and pose a serious risk to the buyer. Safety starts with where you shop. Sticking to reputable sellers will provide confidence that your e-bike is safe and manufactured to a high standard.

    It’s equally as important to ensure you use a charger that is designed to be compatible with your battery to avoid the risk of overcharging which may destabilise the battery and lead to a fire. We also urge consumers considering converting their push bike into e-bike to source a high-quality kit and that it is installed by a competent professional.”  

    Inga Becker-Hansen, Product Safety Advisor at the BRC, said:

    The popularity of e-bikes and e-scooters has greatly increased the number on our streets and in our homes. These products provide a convenient method of transport for many of us. However, consumers should ensure they purchase from reputable and responsible retailers, who will ensure that appropriate batteries are used and all necessary safety standards are met. We urge the public to follow government guidance and take appropriate storage and maintenance measures to ensure the safety and longevity of their purchases.

    Find full details about the ‘Buy Safe, Be Safe’ campaign here

    For our information on buying safely, how to store your product safely and best practice for charging, you can also find more information from the London Fire Brigade’s #ChargeSafe campaign.

    Updates to this page

    Published 24 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –