NewzIntel.com

Category: Politics

  • MIL-Evening Report: Peter Weir’s The Cars That Ate Paris – a driving force in Ozploitation filmmaking

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark David Ryan, Professor, Film, Screen, Animation, Queensland University of Technology

    IMDB

    It has been 50 years since the cinema release of Peter Weir’s iconic, offbeat, cult classic The Cars That Ate Paris. The film seared the image of a silver Volkswagen Beetle weaponised with deadly spikes into the national imagination. It also helped shape the tropes of Ozploitation filmmaking within the history of Australian cinema.

    Main character Arthur Waldo (Terry Camilleri) and his older brother drive through idyllic countryside, filmed like a tourism commercial. But when a sign diverts them off the highway towards the fictitious town of Paris, it soon becomes clear the place survives on a “crash economy”.

    Older men in the community orchestrate car crashes on the road into Paris and survivors are taken to a hospital where a psychopathic doctor experiments on them. The townsfolk trade luggage from the cars for food and clothing and wrecks are salvaged by youths who terrorise the community.

    The mayor of Paris (John Meillon) pities Arthur and adopts him into his family. Arthur is eventually forced to work as the town’s sole parking inspector, gripped by a phobia of driving, having caused more than one death from behind the wheel.

    A uniquely Australian genre

    Cars was Australia’s first “car crash” film. These were Ozploitation films, which privileged “low” culture and sensationalist sex, violence, nudity or gore to shock viewers after the R rating was introduced in 1971.

    The Mad Max franchise later popularised the car-crash trope to create what has been regarded as a uniquely Australian film genre in the 1970s and 1980s. Movies in this canon included Chain Reaction (1980), Dead End Drive-In (1986) and Road Games (1981).

    Both The Cars That Ate Paris and Weir’s next feature – Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975), which would catapult him onto the global stage – marked a critical turning point for Australian cinema. They generated increased interest from distributors and film buyers in international markets and established the Australian Gothic style.

    Cars is one of our most iconic Australian horror movies, but it is paradoxically a movie most Australians have never seen.

    ‘No one leaves Paris … no one.’

    The slow burn of success

    Cars was Weir’s second feature film and a far more polished effort than his first experimental horror. Homesdale (1971) is about the owners of a guesthouse performing hideous social experiments on characters already suffering trauma.

    Cars was the first Australian movie to screen at France’s prestigious Cannes Film Festival. It marked a significant achievement for a local movie during the rebirth of the local movie industry, after the production of fiction movies had collapsed during the 1950s.

    To market the film, Car’s producers drove the spiked Volkswagen around Cannes’ streets in an ingenious attempt to hype its screening during a packed festival schedule. The film was well received, but as critic David Stratton observed, it proved just too different from anything Australian filmmakers had made before, and indeed to anything being made anywhere.

    The film failed to secure a distributor or reach large audiences at home or abroad – though it was released several years later in North America as The Cars That Eat People.

    A cult following

    A key reason for the movie’s slow reception was also why it became a cult classic: it defies filmic categories. It was originally promoted as a horror movie before being marketed as an art film. This was partly because the movie’s tone shifts jarringly from parody and black comedy to social commentary, before settling on all-out horror.

    The film was later released with a different title.
    IMDB

    The story is mostly a dark comment on authority, normality and car culture, which descends into schlock violence in the final act. After the older patriarchy punishes youths for terrorising the streets, a gang of monstrous cars – including the iconic porcupine VW beetle – idle on a darkened hill to the sound of animal noises. The killer cars attack the town, leading to murder, mayhem and a violent battle.

    Authur, drawn into the fight, kills one of the youths by repeatedly reversing over him. But rather than express shock or regret, he delights at being cured of his phobia. Arthur drives out of town joyously as survivors of the carnage flee the burning town.

    Some things don’t change

    The movie’s longevity comes from how it tackles social issues at the heart of the national character. Onscreen we see a dark critique of our obsession with cars and the “hoon culture” that results in tragic speeding or drink-driving-related deaths every year.

    The movie also examines tensions between generations. The older, conservative generation arranges car crashes before hypocritically attending church services and preaching justice. The younger hoons bristle at being controlled in a town where they see no future.

    One of the movie’s lasting thematic contributions to Ozploitation film is Weir’s depiction of the economic fragility and inopportunity of rural economies that lead to absurdly immoral activities.

    More recently, the 2010 film The Clinic adapted this premise by portraying the small town of Montgomery as reliant on an illegal international adoption ring. Townsfolk steal babies and force their mothers to fight to the death in an abandoned abattoir while affluent foreign couples watch on monitors to determine which baby they will adopt.

    The Clinic is a bleak, absurd example. But it shows how The Cars That Ate Paris continues to influence Australian cinema in profound and surprising ways.

    Mark David Ryan has received funding from the Australian Film Institute Research Collection (AFIRC) fellowship and is a co-founding member of the Streaming Industries and Genres Network (SIGN).

    – ref. Peter Weir’s The Cars That Ate Paris – a driving force in Ozploitation filmmaking – https://theconversation.com/peter-weirs-the-cars-that-ate-paris-a-driving-force-in-ozploitation-filmmaking-237233

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi congratulates Saied on re-election as Tunisian president

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

    BEIJING, Oct. 10 — Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday sent a congratulatory message to Kais Saied on his re-election as president of the Republic of Tunisia.

    Xi pointed out that China and Tunisia enjoy profound traditional friendship. In recent years, under the joint guidance of both leaders, bilateral relations have developed in a sound and steady manner, with fruitful exchanges and cooperation in various fields and ever deepening traditional friendship, Xi said.

    Xi said he and Saied announced the establishment of China-Tunisia strategic partnership during Saied’s successful state visit to China in May, pushing bilateral relations to a new level.

    Xi said he highly values the development of China-Tunisia relations and is ready to work with Saied to take the 60th anniversary of the diplomatic ties this year as an opportunity to carry forward China-Tunisia friendship, deepen exchanges and cooperation in various fields and push for steady and long-term growth of China-Tunisia strategic partnership.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Universities – Super-sized risk of heart disease – UoA

    Source: University of Auckland (UoA)

    New Zealand adults are eating, on average, far more salt daily than international recommendations; but, takeaways frequently do not display salt content.

    New Zealand adults are eating, on average, far more salt daily than international recommendations; however, takeaways frequently do not display salt content.

    New Zealanders over 15 years consume around 3,000mg of sodium per day, compared with the World Health Organization’s upper limit of 2,000mg (or one tsp of salt) per day.

    Under the Food Standards Code, it is mandatory to provide nutrition information for packaged foods, but there are no such regulations for fast food, say public health researchers at the University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau in a new study.

    Dietary sodium comes chiefly from salt. The researchers are calling for a national sodium-reduction strategy but say a key first step would be mandatory labelling of the sodium content in takeaway meals.

    “A single serve of a burger or takeout sandwich with fries can easily provide more than the recommended daily upper limit for sodium [dietary salt] of 2,000mg,” says Associate Professor Helen Eyles from the School of Population Health in Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland.

    In 2020, the average NZ household spent a third (29 percent) of its weekly food budget on restaurant meals and takeaways.

    Of 28 major fast-food chains, with more than 20 outlets, reviewed in 2020, ten did not provide information on the sodium content of their products.
     
    Of 5246 products checked, only one-third provided sodium data for consumers, according to the research just published in the Journal of Nutritional Science.
     
    This is despite salt being a significant contributor to heart disease.
     
    Excess sodium [salt] consumption leads to raised blood pressure, which in turn can lead to stroke, heart attack, and other types of heart disease, the leading causes of preventable mortality in New Zealand and globally.

    New Zealand has committed to a 30 percent relative reduction in mean population sodium intake by 2025, as part of the WHO Global Action Plan for reducing non-communicable diseases, which it is unlikely to achieve.

    The countries that are doing the best in sodium reduction have a national sodium reduction strategy and a multipronged approach –  it is not just about fast food but packaged food too, Eyles says.

    In addition to setting benchmarks for processed foods a strategy would include a consumer awareness campaign, improved labelling of salt on foods, and monitoring of the food environment alongside population salt intake, says Shona Gomes whose masters research on target development informed the new paper.

    Currently, New Zealand has only two voluntary strategies to reduce sodium in processed foods in place – targets for some categories of packaged foods (led by the Heart Foundation of New Zealand) and the Government-led Health Star Rating nutrition label.

    Countries doing well have comprehensive benchmarks for packaged foods, and at least some sections of fast foods, such as for sodium on fries, and in burgers and pizzas.

    “First of all, in New Zealand, we need to make it visible how much salt is in our fast foods,” Eyles says.

    “We really need a national sodium reduction strategy implemented by the government, with one prong of that approach being to work with fast food manufacturers to reduce salt in their products.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Save the Children – Education disrupted for sixth year for 1.5 million children in Lebanon, with half of public schools used as shelters

    Source: Save the Children

    Half of Lebanon’s public schools have been turned into shelters for forcibly displaced people in the past two weeks, disrupting children’s education for the sixth consecutive year and increasing the threat to their long-term physical and mental wellbeing, Save the Children said.
    Lebanon’s Ministry of Education said that Israeli airstrikes have forced about 40% of Lebanon’s 1.5 million pupils from their homes and postponed the start of the school year for public schools from 14 October to 4 November.
    At least 500 public schools – about half of Lebanon’s public schools – are now being used as collective shelters -, following escalating violence on 23 September that led to the displacement of over 1.2 million people, or about one fifth of the population.
    This marks the sixth year of significant disruptions to education for children in Lebanon, with the World Bankestimating that it will take Lebanon generations to recover from these successive shocks to children’s education.
    Save the Children said children in Lebanon have been hit by multiple complex crises for decades, without being able to fully recover, including the COVID19 pandemic, political instability, the Beirut port explosion, economic downturns and the teachers’ strike in 2023.
    Since October 2023, escalating cross-border hostilities have resulted in over 2,000 people being killed, including about 127 children, and at least 10,000 injured in Lebanon.
    Salim-, 45, is a father of three boys aged 12, 16 and 17 from the south of Lebanon. In the past year, his family was forced to relocate eight times. The family is now staying at a school used as a collective shelter in Bekaa, eastern Lebanon, sharing a classroom with another family. He said:
    “Every time we thought this was it, and we could settle down, take a breath, we were forced to move again. None of my children have received a proper education since 2020. Now, all they care about is making sure we’re safe and together. I never wanted this for them. I wanted them to have the freedom to dream, to chase after those dreams when the time was right, and to live their lives to the fullest. But now, all I want is for them to survive. Dreams have been replaced by basic survival. Food, education, and medication, these things have become distant luxuries.”
    Sawsan-, 27, was displaced to the same school with her two children, aged four and five. She said:
    “It’s been a year like this, a year of my children waking up to the sounds of Israeli bombs exploding around us. A year of uncertainty. We left on 26 September after our village was attacked. We spent two days on the road, desperately searching for safety and shelter until we arrived at this school. At first, my children were confused and unsure. “We’re going to live in a school?” they asked. “Does that mean we’ll study here too?”
    Erin Wall, Education Technical Advisor at Save the Children Lebanon, said:
    “Education during conflict plays a crucial role in providing a sense of normalcy and routine for children, but schools are now closed once again, and most non-formal education activities halted in the last two weeks. This only adds to the children’s distress as they lose access to the comfort of their friends and teachers, the structure of safe learning spaces and the routine support services they can find in schools. If schools stay closed, we expect compounded learning losses, with children unable to read and write, leading to a higher risk of drop-out and lower learning achievement overall, not to mention social isolation and disconnection. This will significantly affect children’s wellbeing, development, and ability to learn, limiting their opportunities for the future.”
    Save the Children is committed to ensuring children can access their right to a quality education even in times of crisis. Since hostilities escalated in October 2023, Save the Children has reached more than 2,100 displaced children through delivery of emergency learning activities, provision of critical non-specialized psychosocial support and social emotional learning activities, and distribution of educational materials.
    Jennifer Moorehead, Country Director of Save the Children in Lebanon said:
    “Countless parents are telling us that one of their top priorities is for their children to get back to school, which does not surprise us. Education is one of the most essential factors necessary for the recovery and future of children – and the country. Schools also offer an important entry point for children to be referred to other essential services like healthcare, mental health support or child protection services. Every day away from the classroom, is a growing threat to children’s long-term physical and mental wellbeing. Schools should only be used as shelters as a last resort, and for the shortest possible period. We call for an immediate ceasefire to prevent further suffering and protect children’s right to education.”
    Save the Children has been working in Lebanon since 1953. Since October 2023, we’ve been scaling up our response in Lebanon, supporting displaced Lebanese, Syrian and Palestinian children and families, and now have escalated an emergency response throughout the country in 161 collective shelters. Since October 2023, we’ve supported more than 100,000 people, including 40,000 children, with cash, blankets, mattresses and pillows, food parcels, water bottles and kits containing essential hygiene items.
    Currently, Save the Children is scaling up its Education in Emergency response and related child protection support for displaced families inside and outside collective shelters, focusing on ensuring learning continuity and wellbeing support.
    Notes
    – “Collective shelters” are pre-existing buildings and structures where large group of displaced people find shelter for a short time while durable solutions are pursued. A variety of facilities may be used as collective centres – community centres, town halls, hotels, gymnasiums, warehouses, unfinished buildings, disused factories. Infrastructure and basic services are provided on a communal basis or access to them is made possible. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Government Cuts – Toll on public service coming clearer as redundancy costs and sick leave soar – PSA

    Source: PSA

    – Redundancy costs total nearly $50m so far – highest since 2010
    – Sick leave jumps to record levels
    Annual workforce data provides a sobering snapshot of the damage the Government’s cost cutting drive is inflicting on public services and workers.
    The directive by the incoming government last year to cut costs and jobs has seen thousands of public service workers sacked or take voluntary redundancy.
    “This is such a sad snapshot of the damage being done to public services,” said Kerry Davies National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
    “We know there is much worse to come as the full picture of the Government’s reckless and poorly thought through cuts becomes clearer.”
    The data shows taxpayers shelled out $48.8m in redundancy payments for 865 workers, driven by cuts at MBIE, Social Development, Statistics NZ and across the public service. This is the highest payout since 2010 when the last National-led government down-sized the public service.
    “Based on what we know to date in terms of cuts, it’s likely that the cost to taxpayers will grow to the hundreds of millions of dollars, and to what end? That’s money that could be invested in our health system which is struggling to meet the health needs of New Zealanders right now.
    “This is just more evidence the Government has got its priorities all wrong.
    “The bill will also grow from here as the Government has made clear its plan to continue its ideological obsession with cutting the size of the public service.
    “The cost to New Zealand will be even higher as the public service is stripped of resources and skilled workers to meet the health needs of Kiwis, to support small businesses, to secure our borders and to meet the challenges of climate change and infrastructure.”
    The data also shows the toll that restructuring is having on workers. Sick leave was at record levels in the June year with an average of 10.2 days taken off.
    “Change is hard on workers – it causes huge stress for them and their families and disrupts the delivery of public services. This toll is only going to rise sadly.
    “However, it is heartening to see the gender pay gap continuing to fall and that it remains well below that of the private sector. That partly reflects the past Government’s commitment to improve pay for those on lower and middle incomes, many of whom are women and the great leadership shown by the public sector.
    “We hope this government’s austerity drive and the forcing of departments to meet wage increases out of base lines doesn’t turn back this hard-won progress. It’s particularly important with 62% of public service workers being female.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Albanese’s cabinet reshuffle is a chance to reset the rhetoric on immigration and multiculturalism

    Source: Australian Human Rights Commission

    This opinion piece by Race Discrimination Commissioner Giridharan Sivaraman appeared in The Guardian Australia.

    Australia’s leaders tout the benefits of our prosperous, multicultural society. Yet when it comes to speaking about refugees, people seeking protection and migrants, the policy framing shifts.

    This week’s federal cabinet reshuffle and the appointment of Tony Burke, who is taking on the home affairs, immigration and multicultural affairs portfolios, provides a significant opportunity to change the perceptions and attitudes which influence how we talk about migrants, refugees and people seeking protection – to foster an anti-racist approach at a time of division and to redefine what it means to be an “immigrant” in Australia.

    The Coalition’s home affairs experiment was doomed to fail. Tony Burke has a huge job on his hands
    Read more
    We routinely hear refugees and migrants blamed for the rising cost of living, lack of housing or even increased traffic, while ignoring the evidence that shows skilled migrants make a significant net positive contribution to the Australian economy over their lifetime. We don’t often hear about the farming and agricultural skills brought by many refugees and people seeking asylum.

    Public discourse routinely dehumanises refugees and people seeking protection, labelling them as “illegal immigrants”, “queue jumpers”, or “economic migrants” – even though seeking asylum is a legal right.

    Last year’s NZYQ high court decision, which ruled it illegal to indefinitely detain stateless refugees after they had completed their prison sentences imposed by a court, was a prime example.

    Following that decision, the entire cohort of refugees was branded by both sides of politics as “hardcore criminals” and “threats” to security. But labelling entire groups as a risk to community safety serves to legitimise harsh immigration regimes and dehumanise those in need.

    Australia’s history is marred by the legacy of the White Australia policy, a period marked by systemic racism and exclusionary practices designed to preserve the illusion of a homogenous society. This era exemplifies how “Australianness” has historically positioned non-white individuals as inferior “others”.

    The impact of structural racism on communities and individuals – myself included – who have resettled or sought protection in Australia is to diminish them. It forces us to shed our language, culture, customs and dress until nothing separates us from white culture and society. And of course that means we may still be the victims of racism.

    It is also a false, narrow notion of what it is to be Australian.

    From the Africans on the first fleet to Chinese migrants in the 1800s to the Afghan cameleers, there is a rich history of non-white migration to this country that is intrinsic to our identity.

    And let’s also not forget that Australia is built on the foundation of First Nations people’s ways of being, knowing and doing stretching back tens of thousands of years. As highlighted last week in the federal government’s multicultural framework review, “this emphasis on acknowledging and celebrating the cultures and languages of First Nations peoples is seen as essential for genuine reconciliation and the need to achieve equality for all, without which multiculturalism is incomplete”.

    Embracing pluralism and inclusivity strengthens the very fabric of what it means to be Australian. It is time to take decisive action against racism and discrimination, starting at the top, with our government leading by example. Political leaders, media personalities and other public figures who make comments that incite racial violence and hatred, or perpetuate negative stereotypes, must be held accountable.

    The Australian Human Rights Commission’s national anti-racism framework will be delivered to the federal government before the end of the year. It will guide government, organisations, businesses and civil society on addressing racism and the role they can play in preventing it.

    To make that a reality, our elected officials will need to lead with anti-racist words and actions as soon as people arrive in Australia – no matter what their journey was to get here.

    For families who have fled wars, new arrivals looking to settle into society, to work and rebuild their lives after fleeing persecution, for lovers who are not accepted in their home countries; for those who may visibly look different, but seek the same dignity as you or I: we have to remember language in this discourse matters.

    Giridharan Sivaraman is Australia’s Race Discrimination Commissioner

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Federal electoral divisions in New South Wales formalised [10 October 2024]

    Source: Australian Electoral Commission

    AECMedia

    Updated: 10 October 2024

    The next federal election will be conducted on new electoral division boundaries in New South Wales after a notice was published today in the Commonwealth Government Notices Gazette.

    While final names and boundaries for House of Representative seats in New South Wales were announced on 12 September 2024, today’s gazettal is the step that formally sets them in place. Today’s gazettal also provides people with further details about the boundaries.

    • Maps and geospatial data for the new electoral divisions now available.

    More detailed division maps and the final redistribution report will be available after the Minister has tabled material in both houses of Parliament.

    Editor’s notes:

    • People on the electoral roll who are affected by the redistribution will now be moved into their new federal electoral division in readiness for the election. No action is necessary.
    • While the new electoral divisions will be in place from Thursday 10 October 2024, they will only apply from the next full federal election onwards. Any federal by-election conducted before that point must be conducted on existing divisions to avoid overlap in, or missing, representation.
    • Further information about the redistribution process

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Flood Simulation Exercise in Lautem Marks Key Milestone in Strengthening Local Disaster Preparedness and Response

    Source: International Organization for Migration (IOM)

    Lautem, Timor-Leste – The Civil Protection Authority (CPA), along with municipal and suco-level disaster management teams, successfully led a flood simulation exercise in Los Palos villa, with support from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United States Agency for International Development Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (USAID-BHA). Over a hundred participants joined the event, which was carried out in close collaboration with civil society, and community members. The exercise aimed to enhance disaster preparedness and response, with a focus on reducing the exposure and vulnerability of Lautem Municipality to climate-related hazards.

    The exercise would not have been possible without the cooperation of every sector of the community, including local leaders, civil society organizations, women, youth and community members themselves. Civil Protection Authority President Mr. Jesuino Dos Reis De Matos Carvalho, Municipal Director of the Civil Protection Authority Mr. Casemiro Pires Assunção, Municipal Administrator Mr. Mélio de Jesus, USAID-BHA Regional Advisor Mr. Joseph Miskov, USAID-BHA Program Officer for East Asia and the Pacific Ms. Jessica Doxtater, USAID Project Management Specialist Mr. Inacio Fernandes Quintao, and IOM Timor-Leste Chief of Mission Jewel Ali as well as members from the Civil Protection Authority, Municipal Health Post, National Police of Timor-Leste, and Red Cross of Timor-Leste were also in attendance. 

    Lautem Municipality has become increasingly vulnerable to flooding due to climate change and heavy seasonal rains. A recent report on flooding in Lautem highlights the severe impact of heavy rains in July 2023, destroying several bridges and roads, displacing multiple communities, and tragically claiming the lives of four children who were swept away by the rising waters. 

    The flood simulation exercise mobilized IOM-trained at-risk community members to carry out emergency action plans and safely evacuate before emergencies and aligns with the Civil Protection Authority’s goal of enhancing disaster preparedness in Timor-Leste.

    “Disaster simulations are essential for improving readiness and response of agencies and frontline responders. The U.S. government is committed to working with Timor-Leste to reduce disaster risks and protect lives for future generations,” USAID-BHA Regional Advisor Mr. Joseph Miskov expressed.

    The flood simulation is part of the Strengthening Disaster Resilience of at-risk communities in Timor-Leste (STREAM) project, by IOM in partnership with CPA, and funding support from BHA. Through continued support, the municipal and suco disaster management committees have strengthened local disaster risk management, developed community-based action plans, and upgraded critical infrastructure to better protect residents in times of crisis. IOM and BHA also officially handed over the refurbished evacuation center with improved WASH facilities to promote dignified and safer evacuation during emergencies.

    “IOM remains committed to supporting Lautem and other at-risk communities in Timor-Leste by helping establish local disaster management structures. We will continue to work closely with local authorities and community members to address the needs of displaced communities and reduce disaster risks,” shared IOM Timor-Leste Chief of Mission Jewel Ali.

    The simulation will highlight additional steps in building Lautem’s disaster resilience and empower local actors, ensuring they lead the way in safeguarding their communities for the future.

    ***

    For more information, please contact:

    • Jewel Ali, Chief of Mission, IOM Timor-Leste, at jali@iom.int
    • Andrea Empamano, Media and Communications Officer, IOM Timor-Leste, at aempamano@iom.int

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: International student caps are set to pass parliament, ushering in a new era of bureaucratic control

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Norton, Professor in the Practice of Higher Education Policy, Australian National University

    The federal government’s controversial plan to limit international student numbers is now almost certain to win parliamentary approval. But it looks like there will be some changes to the original bill introduced in May.

    A Senate committee, which has a Labor majority, has recommended the bill be passed with amendments. The government is expected to accept the committee’s suggestions.

    What did the committee find and what does this mean for caps on international student numbers?

    Clashing views in parliament

    In the inquiry report, Coalition senators criticised the government’s handling of international education. But they continued to support the idea of putting a limit on international students.

    The Greens’ dissenting report completely rejected the idea of caps. The Greens don’t have the Senate numbers to block them, but they may find common ground with the Coalition on some amendments to influence the final outcome.

    Changes to caps on courses

    The government’s original legislation would let the minister set international student caps by education provider, location and course.

    Caps by provider and location are meant to reduce pressure on accommodation and other services, especially in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. This is a key goal of the bill and other recent changes to international student policy.

    But course-level enrolment caps are not necessary to achieve this.

    As the inquiry report notes, most international students do not stay in Australia permanently. So they should be allowed to choose courses based on their own interests and job opportunities in their home countries.

    The report also notes significant administrative issues involved with setting and monitoring caps for the more than 25,000 courses on offer to international students.

    But the report does not take these points to the logical conclusion of recommending no caps on courses. Instead, it proposes no course caps for universities or TAFEs. Non-university higher education providers and non-TAFE vocational education providers could still be subject to course-level caps.

    After the report was released, Education Minister Jason Clare cited advice about some vocational providers offering courses that “don’t give [students] a real qualification”.

    Coalition senators may seek the full removal of course caps from the bill – in the Senate report, they criticise what they call the “appalling treatment of many private higher education and [vocational education and training] providers”. With support from the Greens, course caps could be stopped.

    A new power to exempt some categories of students

    The government has flagged it wants to exempt students from the Pacific or Timor-Leste and some students on government scholarships from the new cap regime.

    That would require amendments to the original bill, which the Senate inquiry also recommends. This change is unlikely to face any Senate obstacles.

    An earlier date for announcing caps

    The bill requires caps to be announced by September 1 in the year before the caps apply, except for this year when the deadline is December 31.

    This date was criticised because international students receive offers before September. Education providers need to know their caps before they start making offers.

    The Senate report recommends a July 1 announcement instead.

    Huge powers for the minister

    As drafted, the bill gives the minister extraordinary personal power to set international student caps. It sets no limit on the reasons for setting caps. It requires no consultation prior to setting caps, other than the minister for education consulting the minister for skills.

    The Senate report suggests improvements to this process. The education minister would also need to consult the immigration minister and the regulators for vocational education and higher education.

    The report also says education providers should be consulted on the initial setting of enrolment limits each year. With around 1,500 providers registered to offer courses to international students, this consultation may need to be with their representative groups.

    More scrutiny for the caps?

    The bill has a dual system for setting caps. One of these is via a “legislative instrument”, which the minister makes. This can be disallowed by either house of parliament and is the only limit on the minister’s power.

    But the bill also allows the minister to bypass the parliament with a “notice” to education providers. This has the same practical effect as the legislative instrument.

    The bill’s explanatory memorandum (the document to help readers understand legislation), offers a benign explanation for this. It says the minister will only exercise the power of using a notice in limited circumstances. Its examples include when the education provider has supplied additional student accommodation, or needs to expand to take students from other providers that have gone out of business.

    Nothing in the bill, however, limits the use of capping by notice.

    In a submission to the inquiry, I recommended requiring parliamentary scrutiny of the way caps are set. The legislative instrument would set out rules and formulas for calculating the cap. The notice to education providers would have to apply these rules and formulas to their specific circumstances.

    The Senate committee majority, however, recommended a much weaker form of scrutiny. It suggested replacing the notice with a “notifiable instrument”. This would ensure the provider’s cap was publicly available. The notices, by contrast, only go to to the affected education provider, the Department of Education, and the relevant regulator.

    A notifiable instrument would allow more public scrutiny of the minister’s decisions, for people who keep an eye on the government’s legislation website. But it falls well short of a system in which parliament is always directly notified of caps and given the power to intervene.

    A turning point

    The Senate inquiry partly answers some criticisms or weaknesses of the bill. It’s likely the bill will next be debated when parliament sits in November.

    But whatever views people hold on capping international students – and with the student visa holder population nearing 700,000 there is a case for moderation – we are witnessing a major turning point in higher education.

    This bill, in combination with planned controls on domestic student enrolments, signals the demise of student choice and university autonomy. A new era of bureaucratic control from Canberra is arriving.

    Andrew Norton is employed by the Australian National University, which has announced major job cuts that it partly blames on the capping of international student enrolments.

    – ref. International student caps are set to pass parliament, ushering in a new era of bureaucratic control – https://theconversation.com/international-student-caps-are-set-to-pass-parliament-ushering-in-a-new-era-of-bureaucratic-control-240988

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Departure from reality: ACT slams backdown on Wellington airport share sale

    Source: ACT Party

    ACT’s Finance spokesperson Todd Stephenson is slamming Wellington City Council after this afternoon’s vote to stop the sale of its 34% stake in Wellington Airport.

    “Today’s decision is a complete departure from reality. Wellington’s infrastructure is failing, rates are through the roof, and the Council’s debt ceiling is about to burst, yet the council is stuck playing sharemarket games,” says Mr Stephenson.

    “There is no good reason for a council to partially own an airport.

    “Councils must focus on delivering the basic public services they are responsible for: making sure roads are maintained, water systems work, and buses run on time. Instead, Wellington’s council is forcing higher rates onto its residents and exposing them to an unacceptable level of risk by having so much money locked up in one asset.

    “As the Council was making its decision today, brown wastewater was literally spewing into the harbour. If that isn’t sending a clear enough message to councillors about how misplaced their priorities are, then next year’s local body elections can’t come soon enough.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Speech by SITI at LSCM Logistics Summit 2024 (English only)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Speech by SITI at LSCM Logistics Summit 2024 (English only)
    Speech by SITI at LSCM Logistics Summit 2024 (English only)
    ***********************************************************

         Following is the speech by the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, at the LSCM Logistics Summit 2024 today (October 10):萬部長 (Deputy Director-General of the Youth Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Ms Wan Ning), 謝書記 (Deputy Secretary of the CPC Working Committee of Nansha Development Zone, Guangzhou Mr Xie Wei), Alan (Chairman of the Logistics and Supply Chain MultiTech R&D Centre (LSCM), Professor Alan Lam), Simon (Chief Executive Officer of the LSCM, Mr Simon Wong), distinguished speakers and guests, ladies and gentlemen,     Good morning. It is my great pleasure to join you today again at the LSCM Logistics Summit, the annual signature event that brings together industry experts, business leaders, and academics to exchange ideas on the latest developments in innovation and technology (I&T) and to promote technology adoption.     In recent years, we have witnessed remarkable advancements in I&T that have accelerated our efforts in building a smart city and bolstering the digital economy. This Summit, themed “The New Era of Digitalisation: From Smart City to Digital Economy”, represents a much-welcome opportunity to explore how the evolving technologies are shaping and digitalising Hong Kong and the entire Greater Bay Area (GBA).      Promoting digital economy and smart city development in Hong Kong is one of our major strategic directions as set out in the Hong Kong I&T Development Blueprint promulgated in late 2022. Smart Mobility and Smart Living are also key areas in smart city development. Paying heed to these strategies and priorities, the Government works closely with our key stakeholders such as the LSCM to collaborate on the I&T adventure.      The LSCM is an active partner in our endeavours on smart city development. It participates in a number of pilots and proofs-of-concept involving government bureaux and departments. A notable example is the development of the Cross-boundary Public Services self-service kiosks. The kiosks currently support around 70 public services from the Government, covering tax, company registration, property and vehicle, among others. Setting up in various GBA Mainland cities such as Zhuhai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, these kiosks facilitate access to Hong Kong’s public services for residents and enterprises in the GBA Mainland cities, doing away with the need for in-person visits and providing significant convenience.         The LSCM’s efforts have gained wide recognition both locally and internationally, as evident by the eight awards they received at the International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva in April this year, including the self-service kiosk I shared just now. Other award-winning solutions cover a broad range of technologies such as satellite signal monitoring and Internet of things.       All these demonstrate the strong capability and creativity of the LSCM, and represent a testimony to Hong Kong’s strengths and commitment to turning our vision of becoming an international I&T centre into reality.      I am excited to learn that the LSCM will expand its collaboration networks by signing three MOUs with three leading research institutes from Mainland China respectively covering different fields of information technology such as software and container logistics. I am confident that these collaborations will inject new impetus into the LSCM’s work to generate more breakthroughs in the areas of smart city-related solutions.      Ladies and gentlemen, the development of a smart city will remain a priority of the Government. Collaboration will be the key. We will continue to join hands with our partners in the public and private sectors to push forward the smart city development of Hong Kong.         Before I close, I wish you all a rewarding experience at the LSCM Summit 2024.  Thank you very much.

     
    Ends/Thursday, October 10, 2024Issued at HKT 11:45

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: President Lai delivers 2024 National Day Address

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan

    President Lai delivers 2024 National Day Address
    2024-10-10

    President Lai Ching-te on the morning of October 10 attended the ROC’s 113th Double Tenth National Day Celebration in the plaza fronting the Presidential Office Building, and delivered an address titled “ Taiwan Together for Our Shared Dream.”
    A translation of the president’s address follows:
    National Day Celebration Chairperson Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜), Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰), Prime Minister of Tuvalu Feleti Teo and Madame Tausaga Teo, heads of delegations from diplomatic allies and friendly nations, distinguished guests from home and abroad, and my fellow citizens here in person and watching on TV or online: Good morning.
    Today, we gather together to celebrate the birthday of the Republic of China, praise the beautiful Taiwan of today, and usher in the better Taiwan for tomorrow.
    One hundred and thirteen years ago, a group of people full of ideals and aspirations rose in revolt and overthrew the imperial regime. Their dream was to establish a democratic republic of the people, to be governed by the people and for the people. Their ideal was to create a nation of freedom, equality, and benevolence. However, the dream of democracy was engulfed in the raging flames of war. The ideal of freedom had for long eroded under authoritarian rule.
    But we will never forget the Battle of Guningtou 75 years ago, or the August 23 Artillery Battle 66 years ago. Though we arrived on this land at different times and belonged to different communities, we defended Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu. We defended the Republic of China.
    We will never forget the Kaohsiung Incident 45 years ago, or wave after wave of democracy movements. Again and again, people who carried the dream of democracy and the ideal of freedom, through valiant sacrifice and devotion, gave their lives to open the door to democracy. Over more than a century, the people’s desire to master their own destiny has finally been fulfilled.
    My fellow citizens, though the Republic of China was driven out of the international community, the people of Taiwan have never exiled themselves. On this land, the people of Taiwan toil and labor, but when our friends face natural disasters or an unprecedented pandemic, we do not hesitate to extend a helping hand. “Taiwan Can Help” is not just a slogan. It is a movement by the people of Taiwan to cherish peace and do good for others.
    In the past, our people, going out into the world equipped with only a briefcase, sparked Taiwan’s economic achievements. Now, Taiwan’s chip technology drives the whole world, and has become a global force for prosperity and development.
    The people of Taiwan are diverse, and they are fearless. Our own Nymphia Wind is a queen on the world stage. The people of Taiwan are truly courageous. Lin Yu-ting (林郁婷), a daughter of Taiwan, is a queen of the boxing world. At 17 years old, Taiwan’s own Tsai Yun-rong (蔡昀融) put steady hands to work and won first place for woodwork in a global skills competition. Chen Sz-yuan (陳思源), at 20, took first for refrigeration and air conditioning, using the skills passed down by his father. A new generation of “Made in Taiwan” youth is putting a new shine on an old label.
    I want to thank generation after generation of fellow citizens for coming together and staying together through thick and thin. The Republic of China has already put down roots in Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu. And the Republic of China and the People’s Republic of China are not subordinate to each other. On this land, democracy and freedom are growing and thriving. The People’s Republic of China has no right to represent Taiwan. The 23 million people of Taiwan, now more than ever, must reach out our branches to embrace the future. My fellow citizens, we have overcome challenge after challenge. All along, the Republic of China has shown steadfast resolve; and all along, the people of Taiwan have shown unwavering tenacity.
    We fully understand that our views are not all the same, but we have always been willing to accept one another. We fully understand that we have differences in opinion, but we have always been willing to keep moving forward hand in hand. This is how the Republic of China Taiwan became what it is today.
    As president, my mission is to ensure that our nation endures and progresses, and to unite the 23 million people of Taiwan. I will also uphold the commitment to resist annexation or encroachment upon our sovereignty.
    It is also my mission to safeguard the lives and property of the public, firmly carry out our Four Pillars of Peace action plan, strengthen national defense, stand side by side with democratic countries, jointly demonstrate the strength of deterrence, and ensure peace through strength, so that all generations can lead good lives.
    All the more, my mission is to care for the lives and livelihoods of the 23 million people of Taiwan, actively develop our economy, and expand investment in social care. I must also ensure that the fruits of our economic growth can be enjoyed by all our people.
    However, Taiwan faces relentless challenges, and the world’s challenges are just as much our own. The world must achieve sustainable development as we grapple with global climate change. Sudden outbreaks of infectious diseases impact human lives and health around the globe. And expanding authoritarianism is posing a host of challenges to the rules-based international order, threatening our hard-won free and democratic way of life.
    For these reasons, I have established three committees at the Presidential Office: the National Climate Change Committee, the Healthy Taiwan Promotion Committee, and the Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee. These committees are interrelated, and they are closely connected by the theme of national resilience. We intend to build up a more resilient Taiwan, proactively deal with challenges, and bring Taiwan into deeper cooperation with the international community.
    We must strengthen Taiwan’s ability to adapt to the risks associated with extreme weather, continue promoting our second energy transition, and ensure a stable power supply. We must steadily advance toward our goal of net-zero transition by 2050 through the development of more forms of green energy, deep energy saving, and advanced energy storage.
    In terms of health, we must effectively fight the spread of global infectious diseases, and raise the population’s average life expectancy while reducing time spent living with illness or disability. We must achieve health equality so that people are healthy, the nation is stronger, and so that the world embraces Taiwan.
    Finally, we must strengthen resilience throughout Taiwan in national defense, economic livelihoods, disaster prevention, and democracy. As the people of Taiwan become more united, our nation grows more stable. As our society becomes better prepared, our nation grows more secure, and there is also greater peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
    Taiwan is resolved in our commitment to upholding peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and achieving global security and prosperity. We are willing to work with China on addressing climate change, combatting infectious diseases, and maintaining regional security to pursue peace and mutual prosperity for the well-being of the people on the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.
    For a long time now, countries around the world have supported China, invested in China, and assisted China in joining the World Trade Organization, thereby promoting China’s economic development and enhancing its national strength. This was done out of the hope that China would join the rest of the world in making global contributions, that internally it would place importance on the livelihoods of the people, and that externally it would maintain peace.
    As we stand here today, international tensions are on the rise, and each day countless innocents are suffering injuries or losing their lives in conflict. We hope that China will live up to the expectations of the international community, that it will apply its influence and work with other countries toward ending Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and conflicts in the Middle East. And we hope that it will take up its international responsibilities and, along with Taiwan, contribute to the peace, security, and prosperity of the region and the globe.
    In an era when the international landscape is becoming increasingly chaotic, Taiwan will become more calm, more confident, and stronger; it will become a force for regional peace, stability, and prosperity. I believe that a stronger democratic Taiwan is not only the ideal of our 23 million people, but also the expectation of the international community.
    We will continue to make Taiwan stronger and promote cross-sector economic development.
    Taiwan’s economic strength is no “miracle”; it is the result of the joint efforts of all the people of Taiwan. We must strive for an innovative economy, a balanced Taiwan, and inclusive growth; we must stay on top of changes in global trends, and continue to remain a key player in supply chains for global democracies.
    Going forward, in addition to our 5+2 innovative industries plan and Six Core Strategic Industries policy, we will more vigorously develop Taiwan’s Five Trusted Industry Sectors, namely semiconductors, AI, military, security and surveillance, and next-generation communications, and help expand their global presence. We will also promote the transformation and development of medium, small, and micro enterprises and help them develop their international markets.
    My fellow citizens, we will continue working to achieve a Taiwan that is balanced across all its regions.
    In the central government’s proposed general budget plan for next year, general grants for local governments and general centrally funded tax revenues increased significantly, by NT$89.5 billion, reaching a total of NT$724.1 billion, a record high. And our budget for flood control will be raised by NT$15.9 billion from this year, bringing the total to NT$55.1 billion. This will help municipalities across the country in addressing the challenges of extreme weather. 
    We will also expedite improvements to the safety of our national road network and create a human-friendly transportation environment. Furthermore, we will improve our mass rapid transit network and connect the greater Taipei area comprising Taipei, New Taipei, Keelung, and Taoyuan. We will roll out the new Silicon Valley plan for Taoyuan, Hsinchu, and Miaoli to form a central technology cluster connecting the north with the south and launch the Smart Technology Southern Industrial Ecosystem Development Plan. We will accelerate promotion of safety in our eastern transportation network so that locals can go home on safer roads. We will also enhance basic infrastructure in the outlying island areas to raise the quality of life for locals and increase their capacity for tourism.
    My fellow citizens, we must all the more ensure the well-being of our people across the generations.
    To our young parents, we will continue to promote version 2.0 of our national childcare policy for ages 0–6. We are going even further by already increasing childcare subsidies, and we will also enhance the quality of preschool services. Children are the future of our country, and the government has the responsibility to help take care of them.
    To our young students, we will continue to provide free tuition for students of high schools and vocational high schools, and we will also continue to subsidize tuition for students of private junior colleges, colleges, and universities. And we are taking that a step further by establishing the Ten-Billion-Dollar Youth Overseas Dream Fund. Young people have dreams, and the government has the responsibility to help youth realize those dreams.
    To our young adults and those in the prime of life, next year, the minimum wage will once again be raised, and the number of rent-subsidized housing units will be increased. We will expand investment in society and provide more support across life, work, housing, and health, and support for the young and old. Raising a family is hard work, and the government has a responsibility to help lighten the load.
    To our senior citizens all around Taiwan, next year, Taiwan will become a “super-aged society.” In advance, we will launch our Long-term Care 3.0 Plan and gradually implement the 888 Program for the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases.
    We will also establish a NT$10 billion fund for new cancer drugs and advance the Healthy Taiwan Cultivation Plan. We will build a stronger social safety net and provide enhanced care for the disadvantaged. And we will bring mental health support to people of all ages, including the young and middle-aged, to truly achieve care for all people of all ages throughout the whole of our society.
    I am deeply aware that what everyone cares about the most is the pressure of high housing prices, and that what they most detest is rampant fraud. I give the people my promise that our administration will not shirk these issues; even if it offends certain groups, we will address them no matter the price.
    We will redouble our efforts to combat fraud and fight housing speculation. We will expand care for renters and strike a balance with the needs of people looking to change homes. We will walk together, continuing down the path toward achieving housing justice.
    We have with us today former President Chen Shui-bian, former President Tsai Ing-wen, and leaders from different political parties. I want to thank all of you for attending. Your presence represents the strength our nation has built up over generations, as well as the values and significance of Taiwan’s diverse democracy.
    Our nation must become more united, and our society must grow more stable. I also want to thank Legislative Yuan President Han and Premier Cho for recently initiating cooperation among the ruling and opposition parties to facilitate discussion among the ruling and opposition party caucuses.
    In democratic countries, political parties internally promote the nation’s progress through competition, and externally they unite to work toward achieving national interests. No matter our political party, no matter our political stances, national interests come before the interests of parties, and the interests of parties can never take precedence over the interests of the people.
    And this is precisely the spirit upheld by those who sacrificed, who gave everything they had, in order to establish the Republic of China. This is the lesson we take from our predecessors who, generation upon generation, overcame authoritarianism, and sacrificed and devoted themselves to the pursuit of democracy. That is precisely why, regardless of party affiliation or regardless of our differences, we are gathered here today.
    Regardless of what name we choose to call our nation – the Republic of China; Taiwan; or the Republic of China Taiwan – we must all share common convictions: Our determination to defend our national sovereignty remains unchanged. Our efforts to maintain the status quo of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait remain unchanged. Our commitment to hoping for parity and dignity, and healthy and orderly dialogue and exchanges between the two sides of the strait remains unchanged. Our determination, from one generation to the next, to protect our free and democratic way of life remains unchanged.
    I believe this is the dream that Taiwan’s 23 million people all share; it is also the shared ideal that Taiwanese society and the international community hold. The stronger the commitment of the Taiwanese people, the greater the tenacity of democracy around the world. The greater the tenacity of the Taiwanese people, the stronger the commitment of democracy around the world.
    Let’s keep going, Republic of China! Let’s keep going, Taiwan! Regardless of our differences, let’s keep going forward! Thank you.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Second Reading Speech – Better and Fairer Schools (Funding and Reform) Bill 2024

    Source: Australian Executive Government Ministers

    This is a Bill to increase funding for our public schools. 
    I am a product of public education and proud of it. 
    Education is the most powerful cause for good in this country.
    It doesn’t just change lives. 
    Its impact ricochets through generations. 
    It changes communities and it changes countries. 
    It’s changed ours. 
    And it’s public education that does most of that heavy lifting.  
    More than 6,700 public primary and high schools across the country.
    Full of children from every background, every religion and every culture. 
    And mums and dads up and down the income scale.  Doing every sort of job. 
    That’s part of what makes public education special. It is for everyone. 
    But it also does something else. 
    It plays an outsized role in educating the most disadvantaged children in this country. 
    The children who are most likely to start behind or fall behind. 
    The children who need our help the most. 
    And these are the schools that are the most underfunded. 
    One in 10 children today are below the minimum standards we set for literacy and numeracy. 
    But one in three children from poor families are below that standard. 
    Most of those children are in our public schools. 
    Many never catch up. 
    And many never finish school. 
    Over the last eight years the percentage of students finishing high school has gone down not up. 
    From 85 percent to 79 percent. 
    That drop isn’t happening everywhere. 
    In non-government schools the percentage of students finishing school is either pretty flat or going up. 
    Where the drop is happening is in our public schools. From 83 percent to 73 percent. 
    And it’s happening at a time when it’s more important to finish school than ever before. 
    Where more and more jobs require you to finish school and then get a qualification from TAFE or uni. 
    This is what we have got to turn around. 
    This is what we have got to fix. 
    And this is what this legislation is about. 
    ——
    In 2011 David Gonski delivered the report that recommended a new funding formula for schools. 
    What we now call the Schooling Resource Standard – or SRS. 
    The SRS sets the estimated level of total public funding  each school should receive to fund the cost of schooling each year. 
    At the moment, the base per student amount is $13,570 for a child in primary school and $17,053 for a child in high school. 
    As part of the model that David Gonski recommended, additional funding is also provided for:
    •    Students with disability
    •    Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
    •    Students experiencing socio-educational disadvantage
    •    Students with low-English proficiency; and
    •    School size and location.
    These are called loadings. 
    For most non-government schools, the base per student amount is reduced depending on the median income of the parents of the children who attend the school. 
    This means for example that at a non-government school where the median family income of the parents is very high the school only gets 20 percent of the SRS base amount.
    All of this is what’s often described as the Gonski model or needs-based funding. 
    At the moment all non-government schools are funded at the level David Gonski set all those years ago, or they are on track to get there, or they are above it and coming back down to it. 
    But most public schools aren’t. 
    The Commonwealth Government provides 80 percent of the SRS funding for non-government schools and the State and Territory Governments provide the other 20 percent. 
    For public schools it’s the reverse. 
    The Commonwealth provides 20 percent of the SRS funding and the States and Territories are supposed to provide another 75 percent. 
    Some do. Some don’t. 
    That means there is at least a five percent gap. 
    At the last election we promised “to work with all states and territories to get all public schools on a path to 100 per cent of the SRS.”
    What that means is both the Commonwealth Government chipping in more and the States and Territories chipping in more to fill that gap. 
    To do that we have to amend the Australian Education Act.
    At the moment, the Act says the Commonwealth Government will provide a maximum 20 percent of the Schooling Resource Standard to public schools.
    This Bill turns that maximum amount into a minimum. 
    It turns that ceiling into a floor. 
    It enables the Commonwealth government to ratchet up funding for public schools.
    And it makes it harder for future governments to rip that money out. 
    It means that when the Commonwealth government does a deal with a State or Territory to increase funding to public schools, that bigger Commonwealth share becomes the new floor for that State or Territory. 
    It is locked in and it can’t go backwards without changes to the Act. 
    We have done three of those deals so far this year. 
    With Western Australia, with the Northern Territory and Tasmania. 
    All of them involve the Commonwealth government chipping in more and the State and Territory governments chipping in more. 
    All of them mean more funding from 1 January next year. 
    In the case of Western Australia it means every public school there will be fully funded by 1 January 2026, just over 12 months away. 
    In the case of Tasmania it means every public school will be fully funded by no later than 2029. 
    And in the case of the Northern Territory it means something that promises to be truly transformational. 
    At the moment Northern Territory public schools receive approximately 80 percent of the funding they are supposed to get under the Gonski model. 
    Less than anywhere else in the country. 
    It means in effect that one in five children in the Northern Territory are not receiving any funding. 
    The agreement I signed this year fixes that. 
    It doubles the Commonwealth’s investment in public schools in the Northern Territory.
    It brings forward the day that all Northern Territory public schools are fully funded by more than 20 years. 
    And it means that some of the most disadvantaged public schools in this country will now be some of the best funded. 
    To make this happen though we need to pass this Bill. 
    ——
    There are some people who say that funding isn’t important. We just need practical reforms.
    And there are others who say the opposite. 
    The truth is both are required. Funding and reform. 
    As David Gonski said in his report: “resources alone will not be sufficient to fully address Australia’s schooling challenges and achieve a high quality, internationally respected schooling system. The new funding arrangements must be accompanied by continued and renewed efforts to strengthen and reform Australia’s schooling system.”
    I agree. 
    That’s why the agreements we have struck with Western Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory are not a blank cheque. 
    They are tied to real, practical reforms.  That includes:
    •    Phonics checks and numeracy checks in Year 1 or earlier, to identify children early who are behind and need additional support. 
    •    Evidence based teaching and catch up tutoring to help children catch up and keep up. 
    •    Funding extra mental health and well-being services in schools. Including counsellors, psychologists and full service schools. 
    •    Providing access to high-quality and evidence-based professional learning for teachers and school leaders and providing quality-assured curriculum resources that have been developed in partnership with the teaching profession, and
    •    Paying experienced teachers more to work in schools that need additional support. 
    All of this is part of the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement that the Commonwealth and the States and Territories have developed together. 
    It also includes targets and measures to make sure this money glows in the dark. 
    I want parents and teachers to know where this funding is going. 
    That’s why the bill and the Agreement strengthens the reporting and public transparency requirements around how taxpayer funding is invested, without placing additional burden on schools.
    The Agreement includes requirements for States and Territories to outline how the additional money is being invested in the key reform areas, and a new public reporting dashboard.
    And the Bill includes a new annual Ministerial statement to the Australian Parliament on the progress of school education reform agreements.
    _____
    This is important reform. But it is just one part of the reforms we need to make to make our education system better and fairer. 
    We need to reform higher education too. 
    That’s what the Australian Universities Accord is about.  It’s a blueprint print for reform to higher education over the next ten years and beyond. 
    What it says is we need to build a workforce by the middle of the century where 80 percent of working aged people have a TAFE qualification or a university degree. 
    And the only way to do that it says, is to help more people from poor families and more people from regional Australia get to university and help them succeed once they get there. 
    We also have to reform early education. 
    That’s what the Productivity Commission’s report that we released a few weeks ago is about. 
    What it says is that it’s these same children, children from poor families, from the regions, from disadvantaged backgrounds, who are the least likely to go to child care or pre-school, and the most likely to benefit from it. 
    And this, what we are doing here, is the critical piece in the middle. 
    Helping those same children who start behind or fall behind, to catch up, keep up and help more children finish school. 
    What the Prime Minister calls opening the door of opportunity. 
    A country where no one is held back and no one is left behind. 
    That at its core is what public education is about. 
    What it has always been about. 
    That’s what this Bill is about. 
    If you support lifting funding for our public schools you will support this Bill. 
    I commend it to the House.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: About 6.9 thousand residents of the Eastern Administrative District began resettling under the renovation program in the third quarter of this year

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    From July to September of this year, almost 6.9 thousand residents of the Eastern Administrative District began resettling under the renovation program. This was reported by the Minister of the Moscow Government, Head of the Department of City Property Maxim Gaman.

    “In the third quarter, 6.9 thousand Muscovites in the districts of Golyanovo, Novogireevo, Vostochny, Izmailovo, Bogorodskoye, Severnoye Izmailovo, Ivanovskoye and Perovo received letters with offers of equivalent apartments. City residents are moving from 40 old houses to nine new residential complexes, as well as to other new buildings previously transferred for settlement. Today, about 5.4 thousand city residents have already decided on their choice of housing, which is about 80 percent of the total number of residents who began moving in July – September. Of these, over 3.5 thousand have signed contracts with the city for new apartments,” said Maxim Gaman.

    Another 1.9 thousand people are currently completing the necessary paperwork, while the rest are inspecting apartments offered for relocation.

    “In the east of the capital, the largest number of houses affected by resettlement are in the Severnoye Izmailovo district – there are 38 of them. Another 34 buildings are in Izmailovo and 20 in Perovo. In total, 1,062 houses are to be resettled in the Eastern Administrative District. At the moment, residents of 180 old houses are continuing to resettle or have already moved into new apartments,” added the Minister of the Moscow Government, head of the capital’s Department of Urban Development Policy

    Vladislav Ovchinsky.

    Resettlement under the renovation program has already affected over 176 thousand MuscovitesThey have either received new apartments or are in the process of moving.

    The renovation program was approved in August 2017. It concerns about a million Muscovites and provides for the resettlement of 5,176 houses. Last year alone, 59 new buildings were handed over for settlement in the capital and the resettlement of over 47 thousand people was ensured. Sergei Sobyanin instructed to double the pace of implementation of the renovation program.

    Moscow is one of the leaders among regions in terms of construction rates and volumes. In recent years, within the framework of the federal project “Housing” of the national project “Housing and Urban Environment”The volume of construction and commissioning of residential buildings in the capital has doubled – from three to five to seven million square meters per year.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    https://vvv.mos.ru/nevs/item/145057073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Express business valuation and financial recommendations: a new online service has been launched for entrepreneurs

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    A useful online service has appeared for Moscow entrepreneurs, which will help them to quickly assess the main indicators of their company and find out how they affect its financial stability. It was developed and launched by the center for assistance with financing of the Moscow Guarantee Fund. The service is intended for representatives of small and medium businesses who are going to apply to a bank for a loan or factoring, receive a bank guarantee, open a letter of credit account or arrange leasing.

    The service conducts pre-scoring — a study of indicators that banks take into account when working with applications from legal entities and individual entrepreneurs. Based on the assessment results, businessmen will receive an electronic report with recommendations on how to eliminate the identified problems.

    It is very easy to use the service. An entrepreneur needs to go to the Moscow Guarantee Fund website in the “Business” section and select the option “Request scoring”. On the page that opens, you must specify what type of loan he needs, clarify the goals and amount of financing. Information about the company and its activities will be filled in automatically from analytical sources. If necessary, this information can be specified independently.

    The application will take a few minutes to process. An electronic report will appear on the screen. It will list the main factors that affect the company’s financial stability. Among them are such parameters as industry risks, timely payment of taxes and wages, compliance with the rules for participation in procurement, and many others. The report can be downloaded and saved on your computer.

    Based on the assessment results, the businessman will also be offered to learn about city support measures that his company may qualify for. The service will automatically compile a selection of grants and benefit programs for him. It will open in a new window.

    In addition, entrepreneurs will be offered to ask questions to service specialists or leave a request for a guarantee from the Moscow Guarantee Fund. All these services can be completed online on the website. They are provided free of charge.

    Financing Assistance Center Subordinate to the Moscow Guarantee Fund To the Department of Entrepreneurship and Innovative Development of the City of Moscow. It opened in the spring of 2022. The center introduces representatives of small and medium-sized businesses to preferential lending programs and other support measures provided by the capital. Entrepreneurs can receive professional advice on issues of obtaining loans, securing transactions with sureties, and selecting a suitable form of financing. Since the opening of the center, its specialists have processed over six thousand applications from entrepreneurs.

    Information on current preferential financing programs, limits of these programs in banks and products Moscow Guarantee Fund can be obtained on weekdays from 09:00 to 18:00 by phone: 7 495 926-26-95.

    Detailed information on the support measures that the city provides to entrepreneurs is available on the portal State Budgetary Institution “Small Business of Moscow”. There you can find useful online services for businessmen, choose a training seminar and read materials about current changes in legislation, financial literacy and ways to promote products.

    Support for small and medium-sized businesses is provided within the framework of the national project “Small and medium-sized businesses and support for individual entrepreneurial initiatives”. You can find out more about this and other national projects being implemented in Moscow on the website.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    https://vvv.mos.ru/nevs/item/145049073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Public encouraged to build mental health-friendly work environment in support of World Mental Health Day 2024

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Public encouraged to build mental health-friendly work environment in support of World Mental Health Day 2024
    Public encouraged to build mental health-friendly work environment in support of World Mental Health Day 2024
    ******************************************************************************************

         The Department of Health (DH) today (October 10) supports World Mental Health Day 2024 and encourages members of the public to collaboratively create a mental health-friendly work environment inclusive of and accepting persons in mental recovery.      The World Federation for Mental Health has designated October 10 annually as World Mental Health Day to raise global awareness and mobilise efforts in support of mental health. World Mental Health Day 2024, with the theme “It is time to Prioritise Mental Health in the Workplace”, encourages employers and employees to champion mental health in the workplace. Sixty per cent of the global population is in employment and employees spend 60 per cent of their time in the workplace. Mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety, are pervasive in workplaces globally, impacting productivity, attendance, and overall performance of employees.     Good mental health means not only the absence of mental disorders, but also the ability to cope with normal stressors in life, realise one’s potential, and contribute to society. A mental health-friendly work environment can benefit both employers and employees in many ways, including enhanced talent attraction and retention for employers, elevated work performance and productivity for employees, as well as increased public recognition and support for the company or organisation.      Employers and employees can collaboratively create a mental health-friendly workplace environment through different measures, including adjusting office hours and encouraging staff to seek early professional help if needed. Enterprises or organisations should firmly avoid discriminatory and labelling practices. After appropriate treatment, persons in mental recovery can also perform well in workplace, co-operate with colleagues and contribute to the team. The Government encourages private, public, educational and non-governmental organisations to sign the Mental Health Workplace Charter organised jointly by the Department of Health, the Labour Department and the Occupational Safety and Health Council to promote mental health in the workplace in order to improve the general mental health of employees in their workplace as well as the organisation’s productivity.     Employees experiencing mental distress from depression or anxiety should seek early assistance. They can call the Government-fully-funded, one-stop Mental Health Support Hotline 18111 to obtain immediate emotional and mental health support as well as appropriate referral depending on the individual’s need. Separately, the Government launched the Healthy Mind Pilot Project at three District Health Centre (DHC)/District Health Centre Expresses in August this year to offer free initial mental health assessments to members of the public on a trial basis at the community level. Members preliminarily assessed to have mild symptoms of depression or anxiety will be referred to non-governmental organisations for further assessment and follow-up, so that they can receive appropriate support at an early stage. For details, please refer to the website of DHC (www.dhc.gov.hk/en/mental_health).     The Advisory Committee on Mental Health and the DH have jointly implemented a mental health promotion and public education initiative “Shall We Talk”, with an aim to step up public awareness of mental well-being. The “Shall We Talk” initiative provides mental health-related information through an array of channels, such as a one-stop dedicated website, social media pages and campaigns, TV and radio programmes, as well as various offline events. Apart from providing the public with information on mental health and advice on dealing with mental distress, the one-stop website also compiles a series of mental health hotlines and support services to enable those in need to seek help. For more information on mental health, please visit http://www.shallwetalk.hk.

     
    Ends/Thursday, October 10, 2024Issued at HKT 13:00

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Space isn’t all about the ‘race’ – rival superpowers must work together for a better future

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Art Cotterell, Research Associate, School of Regulation and Global Governance, Australian National University

    Artist’s concept of the docked Apollo and Soyuz in 1975. David Meltzer/NASA

    In recent years, a new “space race” has intensified between the United States and China. At a campaign rally last weekend, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump invoked this rivalry when declaring the US will “lead the world in space”, echoing Democratic counterpart Vice President Kamala Harris.

    Meanwhile, the president of China, Xi Jinping, has said becoming “a space power is our eternal dream”.

    But what is this latest “race” about, and are there pathways to common ground? History suggests these do exist. As a space governance specialist, I argue our future depends on it.

    The ‘race’ to the Moon

    Lunar missions have become synonymous with a “space race”. During the Cold War, the US and Soviet Union’s competition to achieve that first “one small step” on the Moon was a symbolic and strategic quest for political, technological, military and ideological dominance on Earth.

    Geopolitical tensions are again moving off-Earth. The US and China are leading separate missions which aim to return humans to the Moon. One goal is to further scientific research. But space mining and economic expansionism are also driving these efforts.

    This new “race” may give rise to new conflicts, especially over prime landing sites and valuable and scarce resources speculated to be located on the lunar south pole.

    Mining water ice could produce oxygen, drinking water and rocket fuel – all vital for sustaining lunar exploration and beyond. The Moon may also contain rare earth metals used in everyday electronics, and a rare non-radioactive isotope, helium-3, for nuclear power.

    Space mining could lead to a concerning “lunar gold rush” or trade war with nations and private actors in space. Resources mined off-Earth are predicted to be worth trillions of dollars.

    The US has a longer history of demonstrated space-faring capabilities, investments and partnerships. Yet China is catching up. While the US made its first uncrewed landing on the lunar south pole this year, China has made several landings. In June this year, China’s Chang’e 6 mission returned with the first rock and soil samples from this sought-after region of the Moon.

    International Space Station’s Expedition 72 crew pose for a portrait on September 29 2024. For the past two decades, the ISS has been a great example of space collaboration.
    NASA Johnson

    How are nations working together on space?

    Both superpowers have invited other nations to join them in realising their lunar visions. This week the Dominican Republic became the 44th signatory to the US-led NASA Artemis Accords.

    Thirteen other nations are participating in the China-led International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) in collaboration with Russia. Senegal joined last month.

    With no membership overlap between the two initiatives, new “space blocs” are emerging, reflective of global power dynamics.

    The Artemis Accords and ILRS are currently not legally binding, but they will be influential in shaping space governance in the 21st century. This is because treaty-making in the United Nations’ Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS, established in 1959) hasn’t kept pace with the latest developments and actors in space.

    Nor has space governance adequately engaged with growing ethical questions, including on space colonisation and light pollution caused by satellites.

    We’re at a critical juncture. It’s important the emergence of these new “space blocs” doesn’t escalate into a contest over whose space governance approach prevails. Not only could this increase the risk of conflict on the lunar surface itself, but it could even fuel geopolitical instability and military competition on Earth.

    History shows we can work together

    Space has fostered cooperation even between superpower rivals during tense geopolitical times. During the Cold War, the US and Soviet Union cooperated on space governance, laws, science and technologies. This built mutual trust and eased tensions.

    Within COPUOS, nations worked together to agree on what became the first of multiple foundational space law treaties, the Outer Space Treaty in 1967. It prohibits placing nuclear weapons in space and national appropriation claims over celestial bodies like the Moon.

    A joint Moon landing never eventuated. But in 1975, the Apollo and Soyuz spacecrafts docked while in orbit. This marked the first international human spaceflight partnership, a historic feat made possible thanks to technical cooperation and diplomacy. COPUOS heralded this as inspiring ongoing cooperation.

    More recently, NASA’s International Space Station (ISS) has been an orbiting testament to coexistence. Astronauts from the US, Russia and other partners have conducted over 3,000 experiments in microgravity.

    At the recent UN Summit of the Future, video messages from the ISS and China’s Tiangong space station astronauts reaffirmed the importance of international cooperation and the peaceful uses of space.

    From rhetoric to practice

    Humanity has much to lose if global superpowers don’t cooperate on space governance. There is a real and growing risk of exporting and exacerbating our earthly conflicts in space. This will invariably increase tensions on Earth.

    The US and China need to explore opportunities to open dialogue between the Artemis Accords and ILRS. There are some similarities in their separate planned activities, governing principles and guidelines already.

    To make this happen, the US will need to revisit the 2011 Wolf Amendment, a law that restricts NASA from using its funding to cooperate with China, without congressional approval. But China has no equivalent and recently expressed its willingness to cooperate, including sharing its rock and soil samples.

    Sharing scientific information may help find initial common ground before further discussions on space governance. This could even move towards agreeing on landing sites or a lunar time zone. If a rescue mission is ever necessary on the Moon, having some compatible technology through interoperability would make it much easier.

    The US and China do actively engage in COPUOS, including in the working group on space resources. Yet treaty-making is often slow moving. This means greater opportunities for communication, consistency and certainty on space governance are imperative. This could even support multilateral efforts.

    Perhaps a joint lunar research mission between the US and China – in the spirit of the Apollo-Soyuz docking – can still happen in the future.

    In the meantime, the world needs to see space not only in terms of a “race”. It’s also an opportunity to improve international relations, benefiting our future humanity on Earth and, one day, beyond.

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

    – ref. Space isn’t all about the ‘race’ – rival superpowers must work together for a better future – https://theconversation.com/space-isnt-all-about-the-race-rival-superpowers-must-work-together-for-a-better-future-240543

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Election nomination details published

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The Government today published details of the nomination period for the upcoming Rural By-election in the Gazette.

    Fifty-eight Rural Representative vacancies will be open for nominations from October 22 to November 4.

    The by-election will return a Resident Representative for each of the 35 existing Villages, an Indigenous Inhabitant Representative for each of the 22 Indigenous Villages, and a Kaifong Representative for one Market Town on Cheung Chau.

    Nomination forms are available from the Home Affairs Department, New Territories District Offices and on the Rural Representative Election website.

    Completed nomination forms must be submitted in person to the Returning Officer of the relevant village by November 4.

    A gazette notice on valid nominations will be published within 14 days following the nomination period. Each validly nominated candidate will be informed separately.

    If there is more than one validly nominated candidate for the same village or market town, a poll will be held for that location on December 1.

    Call 2152 1521 for enquiries. 

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Georgia Exports and Value Chain Study

    Source: Asia Development Bank

    Based on stakeholder interviews, it considers the trends, value chains, and opportunities for each of the high potential sectors and explores how Georgia can leverage its location, favorable business environment, and free-trade agreements. Emphasizing the need for greater innovation and strong government support, it recommends taking a “Team Georgia” approach that centers on building an ecosystem to improve export promotion, increase target market access, and support exporters.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: ​​AI policy guidance and training: Rounding out a responsible approach for AI adoption​

    Source: Australia Digital Transformation Agency

    As adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) grows across the Australian Public Service (APS), it’s crucial to ensure staff are equipped with the necessary skills to safely engage with AI capabilities. To support this goal, the DTA has released guidance on staff training and an AI in government fundamentals training module. 

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Expo to highlight cultural inheritance

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    The eighth China Intangible Cultural Heritage Expo will open in Jinan, East China’s Shandong province during Oct 17-21.

    The expo, hosted by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and undertaken by the Shandong culture and tourism department and the Jinan government, will fully showcase the achievements of China’s intangible cultural heritage protection over the 20 years since it joined the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.

    The expo will also present the active utilization and innovation of intangible cultural heritage in modern life, intergenerational inheritance of certain cultural items, and works by the younger generation of inheritors.

    Additionally, learning space and live broadcasting, as well as digital and AI-enabled experiences will be prepared to give the audience an immersion contact with intangible cultural heritage.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Question Time Response – Keeping the NBN in public hands

    Source: Australian Executive Government Ministers

    Question – Federal Member for Lingiari, Marion Scrymgour

    My question is to the Minister for Communications. What has been the community’s response to the Government’s commitment to keep the National Broadband Network in public ownership? What is the Government doing to provide affordable accessible high-speed broadband for Australians and what are the alternative positions that have been proposed?

    Answer – Minister for Communications, Michelle Rowland: 

    Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank the Member for her question. I know she is pleased that more than 10,000 homes and businesses in Alice Springs can now order a full fibre upgrade on the NBN thanks to strong investment under the Albanese Government. 

    Mr Speaker, Labor founded the National Broadband Network for fast, reliable, affordable broadband to all Australians, irrespective of where they live. Only by keeping the NBN in public ownership can that vision continue to be delivered. Mr Speaker, it is not just the Government that supports this policy. The regions support it. Mayor Kim Anderson from Flinders Ranges Council said, ‘I support the Australian government in keeping the NBN in public ownership. I think it is more than fair to say that Privatisation of essential services does no favour to Australia”.  Carol Bennet said “Retaining public ownership of this critical asset will provide opportunity for improvement in the communications services Australians need in the future”. The workers support it. Shane Murphy, the CW National President, said ‘Workers breathe a sigh of relief knowing their jobs won’t be on the chopping block because of privatisation’. The industry supports it. Michael Venta from Optus, the CEO says, ‘Optus welcomes the legislation to keep the NBN in public hands. Keeping this critical asset under government ownership is likely the best approach for consumers and provide a welcome level of certainty to the sector’.

    Mr Speaker, the Albanese Government’s position on the NBN is crystal clear – it is not for sale. In 2021 we made a commitment to retain the NBN in public ownership, keep broadband affordable and keep building a world class network. In 2022, we formalised this in a new statement about the NBN. Yesterday, we introduced legislation to enshrine this position in law. The Opposition has had three years to give their position on the NBN and to answer a simple question – will you preserve the NBN in public ownership or will you flog it off? Yesterday they finally revealed their hand, when a Liberal MP confirmed that privatisation was always part of their plan. When asked if the NBN should be privatised the answer was, “it has always been in the contemplation that it would be privatised.” Australians have a clear choice Mr Speaker, to keep the NBN in public ownership or under those opposite, have it flogged off. 

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Brakes put on contractor and consultant spending

    Source: New Zealand Government

    The brakes have been put on contractor and consultant spending and growth in the public service workforce, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says.

    “Workforce data released today shows spending on contractors and consultants fell by $274 million, or 13 per cent, across the public sector in the year to June 30. 

    “Over the course of the year, the number of public servants grew slightly to 63,537 but the details reveal a year of two halves – ballooning growth under the last government offset by a 3.3 per cent reduction under this government.

    “The annual increase of 0.7 per cent, or 421 employees, compares to average increases of almost 5 per cent over the previous five years. 

    “This shows the steps the Government is taking to restore discipline to public expenditure and drive more value for money are working. The growth in public service numbers in the first half of 2023/24 was largely due to the decisions, work programmes and priorities of the previous government.

    “The latest data also reflects a shift of back-office resources to the frontline. 

    “There has been a 10.8 per cent decline in the number of clerical and administrative staff and an 8.3 per cent drop in policy advisors. 

    “This has been offset by increases in service delivery roles, including a 16.9 percent increase in contact centre workers who are often the first point of contact for members of the public. There has been a 5.7 per cent increase in the number of inspectors and regulatory officers and a 1.5 per cent increase in the number of social, health and education workers.”  

    Nicola Willis says she expects the downward trend to continue.

    “The 3.3 percent decrease in the overall size of the public service between December and June aligns with the Government’s commitment to a public service focused on performance and the delivery of essential services for New Zealanders.

    “We’ve had to make some tough decisions. I feel for anyone who has lost their job, but no government can live beyond its means indefinitely, and we have to restore discipline to public spending by spending taxpayers’ money as carefully as they do.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Accounts confirm need for spending restraint

    Source: New Zealand Government

    The Crown accounts for the 2023/24 year underscore the need for the Government’s ongoing efforts to restore discipline to public spending, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says.

    The Financial Statements of the Government for the year ended 30 June 2024 were released today.

    They show net core Crown net debt at the end of the financial year was $175 billion, or 42.5 per cent of GDP. That was less than the 43.1 per cent forecast in the Budget, but still represents an increase of $118 billion in only five years.

    Core Crown spending in 2023/24 was $139 billion, we are now spending $58 billion more than when the last National-led government left office.

    The operating balance before gains and losses (OBEGAL) was a deficit of $12.9 billion – the fifth deficit in a row. The OBEGAL deficit was $1.8 billion more than forecast in the Budget, due to worse-than-expected results from Crown entities and state-owned enterprises.

    “Government spending has skyrocketed over the last six years and so has government debt,” Nicola Willis says. 

    “The coalition Government is committed to driving more value from government spending, getting the books back in surplus and starting to bring down net debt as a proportion of gross domestic product.

    “The accounts also show the corrosive impact of low growth and low productivity on the government’s financial performance. 

    “The coalition Government is determined to drive economic growth which is why it is focusing on lifting education and skills development, boosting trade and investment, investing in science and innovation, improving regulation and competition, and building an enduring infrastructure pipeline.”  

    Nicola Willis says it is also important to note that, while the Government didn’t set the Budget for 2023/24, it made decisions in the mini-Budget and in Budget 2024 that improved OBEGAL by $1.1 billion in the just-completed year.

    “Future Budgets will continue to demonstrate our respect for taxpayers and good stewardship of public money.”

    The next major fiscal announcement is the Half Year Update and Budget Policy Statement which will be released on Tuesday 17 December. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Maritime crime and piracy incidents lowest since 1994, but threats to crews remain  

    Source: International Chamber of Commerce

    Headline: Maritime crime and piracy incidents lowest since 1994, but threats to crews remain  

    IMB reported 79 incidents for the period of January-September 2024, down from 99 incidents in the same period last year. This marks a significant overall reduction and the lowest reported numbers since 1994. 

    From January to September, 62 vessels were boarded, six were hijacked while nine faced attempted attacks and two were fired upon. In 86% of incidents, perpetrators successfully gained access to the vessel with most incidents occurring at night.  

    Violence towards crew members remains concerning, with 111 crew taken hostage, 11 kidnapped and three threatened. Perpetrators were armed with weapons, guns, and knives in 45 of the reported incidents.  

    IMB Director Michael Howlett said:  

    “With reported incidents at their lowest since 1994, the decline in reported piracy and armed robbery incidents is encouraging. This is an important time to reinforce our message not to be complacent, and for vessel owners and operators to adhere to IMB guidelines. We commend governments and law enforcement for their excellent work, which has made this improvement possible.” 

    Escalating violence in the Indonesian Archipelago 

    The Indonesian Archipelago remains an area of concern with a steady rise in the number of reported incidents. From January to September 2024, 17 incidents were reported compared to 12 in 2023 and nine in 2022. Weapons were reported in 11 incidents, 27 crew were taken hostage and one crew was threatened. Two hijackings were reported in February and September in nearly the same location South of Tanjung Malatayur, Central Kalimantan where oil cargoes were stolen from barges under tow. IMB calls upon local authorities to increase their on-water presence to act as a deterrent to these crimes.   

    Fewer incidents in Gulf of Guinea, Somalia and Singapore Straits  

    In the first nine months of 2024, 12 incidents were reported in the Gulf of Guinea region, the lowest number of reports since 1996. While the drop in the number of reported incidents is welcome, there remains concern over the safety of crew, with 11 crew kidnapped and 21 taken hostage. 

    Eight incidents have been reported in the waters off Somalia and the Gulf of Aden, with three hijacked vessels and two fired upon. IMB has not received reports of any maritime piracy incidents from vessels transiting these waters between July and September, possibly due to the prevalence of monsoons. 

    Incidents in the Singapore Straits have dropped to 23, compared to 33 over the same period last year. Perpetrators were successful in boarding the vessels in 96% of the cases. Considering the navigational challenges of these waters, IMB warns that even low-level opportunistic incidents on board such large vessels could potentially increase the risk to navigation.  

    IMB urges vessels to continue adhering to the latest Best Management Practices to ensure safety of crew, vessel and cargo.  

    IMB commends local authorities for investigating reported incidents and renews calls for accurate and timely reporting of maritime incidents. 

    The IMB Piracy Reporting Centre  

    Founded in 1991, the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre serves as a crucial, 24-hour point of contact to report crimes of piracy and lend support to ships under threat. Quick reactions and a focus on coordinating with response agencies, sending out warning broadcasts and email alerts to ships have all helped bolster security on the high seas. The data gathered by the Centre also provides key insights on the nature and state of modern piracy. 

    IMB encourages all shipmasters and owners to report all actual, attempted and suspected global piracy and armed robbery incidents to the Piracy Reporting Centre as a vital first step to ensuring adequate resources are allocated by authorities to tackle maritime piracy.    

    Download a copy of the January to September 2024 Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships report  here.  

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-Evening Report: China removes block on Australian lobster, in last big bilateral trade breakthrough

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

    China has removed the last significant trade barrier it imposed on Australia, with a timetable to resume full lobster imports by the end of the year.

    Anthony Albanese announced the breakthrough after a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Vientiane, where the prime minister is attending the ASEAN-Australia summit.

    Albanese said the end of the barrier would be in time for the Chinese New Year. This would be welcomed by those in the lobster trade in places including Geraldton, Western Australia, and in South Australia and Tasmania, he said.

    The lobster decision means the Chinese over the last two years have removed trade barriers of nearly $20 billion slapped on Australia during the time of the former government when relations between the two countries went into a deep freeze. This followed various Australian decisions, including the call for an inquiry into the origins of COVID.

    Remaining impediments are now worth less than $500 million, with two red meat establishments still affected.

    The lobster trade was worth more than $700 million in 2019.

    More than 3000 people are employed in the lobster industry, 2000 of them in WA.

    “The reinstatement in normalised trade for all commodities is front and centre of the Government’s engagement strategy with China,” Albanese said.

    “It is in the interests of both our countries to continue this path of stabilising our relationship. A resumption in trade for all Australian commodities is an important part of this process.”

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

    – ref. China removes block on Australian lobster, in last big bilateral trade breakthrough – https://theconversation.com/china-removes-block-on-australian-lobster-in-last-big-bilateral-trade-breakthrough-241012

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: A new boulevard will appear in the Obruchevsky district under the integrated territorial development program

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    During the redevelopment of an inefficiently used territory in the South-West Administrative District, a pedestrian boulevard will be built. This was announced by the Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Urban Development Policy and Construction Vladimir Efimov.

    “A new green zone will appear in the Obruchevsky district – a landscaped pedestrian space with an area of 0.82 hectares. It will be created as part of the reorganization of an inefficiently used territory with an area of 9.31 hectares under the program of integrated development of territories (IDT). The boulevard will run from Arkhitektora Vlasova Street along Proektiruemy Proezd No. 7515 to Akademika Chelomeya Street. Local residents, as well as employees of institutions located in this area of the city, will get a new place for walking and recreation,” said Vladimir Efimov.

    The KRT program site is located near the Vorontsovskaya station of the Big Circle Line of the metro. According to the project, public and business facilities will be built here.

    “By 2027, administrative and office buildings with a total area of 24.5 thousand square meters with shops, cafes, restaurants and banks will be erected on the site of the wasteland and obsolete buildings. In addition, an educational institution for a thousand school and 275 preschool places will be built, as well as a sports and fitness complex with an area of 9.35 thousand square meters, next to which a new boulevard will be located,” specified the Minister of the Moscow Government, Head of the Department of City Property

    Maxim Gaman.

    The design solutions approved by the Committee for Architecture and Urban Development of the City of Moscow (Moskomarkhitektura), including those under the KRT program, meet the needs of city residents for a comfortable and well-thought-out environment, noted Juliana Knyazhevskaya, chairman of the department. When developing projects, their impact on the appearance of the city, as well as the architectural and functional features of the territory where they are planned to be implemented, are taken into account.

    Earlier Sergei Sobyanin told, that within the framework of 236 integrated territorial development projects, about 1.25 thousand hectares of urban spaces will be improved. New parks, squares, walking areas, sports grounds, bike paths, entertainment and recreation areas will appear in the capital.

    According to the program of integrated development of territories, multifunctional city quarters are being created, where roads, comfortable housing and all necessary infrastructure are being designed on the site of former industrial zones and inefficiently used areas. Currently, 236 KRT projects with a total area of more than 3.1 thousand hectares are at various stages of implementation in the capital. Their development is underway on behalf of Mayor of Moscow.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    http://vvv.mos.ru/nevs/item/145053073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Any climate target change must be matched by accelerated climate action

    Source: Scottish Greens

    10 Oct 2024 Climate Climate Action

    Scotland must use every lever available to cut emissions.

    More in Climate

    Any change to Scotland’s climate targets must be met by robust plans for accelerated climate action, says Scottish Green co-leader Patrick Harvie.

    Mr Harvie’s comments come ahead of today’s Stage 1 Scottish Government debate on the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) Bill, which will amend its targets following confirmation from the UK Climate Change Committee that Scotland’s 2030 targets are now out of reach.

    Mr Harvie said:

    “If the Scottish Government is changing its climate targets then it must urgently upscale and accelerate the action it is taking to meet them. Business as usual isn’t good enough, we cannot continue as we are, not if we want to have any kind of liveable future.

    “The reality is that we are years behind where we need to be. The collective failure to hit our targets must be a source of shame for all parties, but it must also be a wake-up call.

    “From rejecting new fossil fuel exploration to meaningfully investing in public transport and active travel to reduce the number of cars on our roads, we need to see bold new thinking and robust plans to get there.

    “The challenge has been made far harder by 14 years of Tory governments who were actively working against our climate, but that does not excuse the failures of successive Scottish Governments.”

    Last month the Scottish Greens published The Climate Reset, a policy paper by the Scottish Green MSP group that called for the Scottish Government to decarbonise transport by removing peak rail fares and diverting funding from its climate wrecking plans to dual the whole A96 into public transport.

    The paper called for a real and urgent transition plan for the energy sector, urging the Scottish Government to maintain its presumption against new oil and gas exploration while rejecting the proposed expansion of the gas-fuelled power station at Peterhead.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Can climate action survive geopolitical upheaval?

    Source: World Economic Forum (video statements)

    Wars, trade tensions and elections around the world are testing humanity’s ability to tackle climate change.

    Two experts from the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on the Future of Geopolitics look at the diplomacy and real-world reality of climate change politics and economics, with a particular focus on the global South.

    This episode is published to coincide with the Annual Meeting of the Global Future Councils, find out more here: https://www.weforum.org/events/annual-meeting-of-the-global-future-councils-2024/
    Guests:

    Arun Sharma, senior advisor to the Chairman, Adani Group

    Varun Sivaram, Senior Fellow for Energy and Climate, Council on Foreign Relations
    Co-host:

    Jessica Margolis, Lead, Geopolitical Agenda, World Economic Forum
    Links:

    The World Economic Forum’s network of Global Future Councils: https://www.weforum.org/communities/global-future-councils/ Global Future Council on the Future of Geopolitics: https://www.weforum.org/communities/gfc-on-geopolitics/

    Shaping Cooperation in a Fragmenting World: https://www.weforum.org/publications/shaping-cooperation-in-a-fragmenting-world/
    Related podcasts:

    Why it’s time for the ‘middle powers’ to step up on geopolitics (https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/gfc-geopolitics-middle-powers/)

    How do we ensure the green transition doesn’t penalise the poorest? (https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos/episodes/equitable-transition-climate/)

    Check out all our podcasts on wef.ch/podcasts (http://wef.ch/podcasts) :

    YouTube: (https://www.youtube.com/@wef/podcasts) – https://www.youtube.com/@wef/podcasts

    Radio Davos (https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/radio-davos) – subscribe (https://pod.link/1504682164) : https://pod.link/1504682164

    Meet the Leader (https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader) – subscribe (https://pod.link/1534915560) : https://pod.link/1534915560

    Agenda Dialogues (https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/agenda-dialogues) – subscribe (https://pod.link/1574956552) : https://pod.link/1574956552

    Join the World Economic Forum Podcast Club (https://www.facebook.com/groups/wefpodcastclub) : https://www.facebook.com/groups/wefpodcastclub

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ou1rVNtxi4g

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Rosneft has determined the winners of the Best in Profession competition

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Rosneft – Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Rosneft summed up the results of the XIX Review-competition “Best in Profession”, which is held annually among representatives of the main blue-collar professions and engineering specialties of the Company. In the final stage, 600 workers competed for the title of the best, and taking into account the selection stages, more than 10 thousand workers and engineers took part in the competition.

    The “Best in Profession” competition is an important part of the motivation program, corporate training, as well as raising the level of professional skills of employees, the prestige of blue-collar jobs, production culture and industrial safety. The competition helps to strengthen team spirit and employee involvement.

    In order to expand the geography of the Competition and disseminate best practices among the Company’s enterprises, the final stage was held separately for each area in three cities of Russia.

    Contestants in the “Oil Refining and Petrochemistry” category competed in Ufa at the production sites of Bashneft. 140 employees from 21 subsidiaries took part in the competition in 9 nominations.

    Professionals in the Oil and Gas Production sector met in Samara at Samaraneftegaz facilities. 285 workers from 26 enterprises took part in competitions in 11 workers and two engineering and technical specialties.

    The best specialists in “Nefteproduktoobespecheniye” were determined in St. Petersburg at the production sites of “RN-North-West”. 175 employees from 35 sales enterprises took part in the competition in 7 nominations.

    An objective assessment of the knowledge, skills and abilities of the contestants was given by 147 jury members from the management of Rosneft’s specialized divisions and subsidiaries.

    The Company’s priority is to take care of its employees, preserve their lives and health, and create comfortable working conditions. That is why the competition program annually includes sections on industrial safety and labor protection. Following the results of the competition, specialists of all blue-collar professions who showed the best results in the “Safe Labor” direction were awarded.

    Congratulations to the winners of the Best in Profession Competition on their well-deserved awards!

    Department of Information and Advertising of PJSC NK Rosneft October 9, 2024

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    http://vvv.rosneft.ru/press/nevs/item/220784/

    MIL OSI Russia News –