NewzIntel.com

Category: Politics

  • MIL-OSI China: China publishes chronicle of CPC events from 1921 to 1949

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

    BEIJING, Sept. 29 — A chronicle detailing major events of the Communist Party of China (CPC) during the New-Democratic Revolution period (1921-1949) has been published and is now available nationwide.

    The 29-volume work was released ahead of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) on Oct. 1.

    The chronicle covers key activities across fields such as politics, military affairs, economy, culture, society, foreign relations, and party-building, documenting the CPC’s journey from its founding in 1921 to the establishment of the PRC in 1949.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rubio, Scott Support Florida’s Request for Major Disaster Declaration

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Florida Marco Rubio

    Rubio, Scott Support Florida’s Request for Major Disaster Declaration

    Sep 28, 2024 | Press Releases

    Hurricane Helene caused catastrophic damage along Florida’s Gulf Coast after making landfall as a Category 4 storm. It is crucial that the areas impacted have the necessary resources to begin recovery. 

    U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Rick Scott (R-FL) sent a letter to President Joe Biden, urging his immediate approval of the State of Florida’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration.

    • “Unfortunately, Helene’s effects will continue to impact the state for some time, and the full extent of damage will not be known for several days as response and recovery efforts get underway. However, approving this declaration request will allow Floridians to be better prepared for the recovery phase. As such, we urge you to approve the State of Florida’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration in its entirety.”

    The full text of the letter is below. 

    Dear Mr. President: 

    We write in support of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration due to Hurricane Helene, which caused catastrophic damage to much of Florida’s Gulf Coast as it made landfall along Florida’s Big Bend coastline as a Category 4 hurricane on Thursday evening. Hurricane Helene’s devastating wind speeds, extreme storm surge, and heavy rainfall severely impacted substantial portions of the state, with significant flooding, massive power outages, and widespread damage that will take a strong partnership to recover and rebuild. 

    Unfortunately, Helene’s effects will continue to impact the state for some time, and the full extent of damage will not be known for several days as response and recovery efforts get underway. However, approving this declaration request will allow Floridians to be better prepared for the recovery phase. As such, we urge you to approve the State of Florida’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration in its entirety. 

    Floridians are incredibly resilient, and with the cooperation from all levels of government, we will rebuild stronger than ever. Thank you for your prompt attention to this important matter. 

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Lasting peace in Ethiopia? More needs to be done to stop Tigray conflict from flaring up again

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Madhav Joshi, Research Professor & Associate Director, Peace Accords Matrix (PAM), Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies and Keough School of Global Affairs, University of Notre Dame

    It has been nearly two years since the African Union brokered a peace deal that put an end to the war between the Ethiopian state and the Tigray regional government. The signing of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement in November 2022 brought an end to a deadly two-year conflict.

    The agreement has achieved a number of outcomes. These include:

    • an end to the fighting between Tigrayan and Ethiopian armed forces

    • the creation of a transitional government in Tigray, run by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front

    • the demobilisation of 50,000 Tigrayan troops

    • the Tigray People’s Liberation Front regaining its legal status as a political party registered under special conditions

    • the approval in Addis Ababa of a transitional justice policy

    • the establishment of an AU-led monitoring and verification mission.

    But a great deal still remains to be done if the peace is going to last. We have studied 42 comprehensive and 236 partial peace agreements in the last three decades. Based on this experience, we argue that urgent issues remain to be addressed in the Ethiopian agreement. If left unattended, they raise the risk of a return to war.

    Empirical research suggests that a higher overall implementation rate of civil war peace agreements leads to sustainable peace. It is the only proven pathway for resolving remaining conflicts in a country. Doing what was agreed is necessary for post-war recovery.

    In Ethiopia, the disarmament and demobilisation of Tigrayan combatants needs urgent attention. So do the protection of civilians and returnees in disputed territories in western and northern Tigray, and the restoration of basic infrastructure in the region. The state also needs to ensure the smooth delivery of humanitarian aid, the withdrawal of foreign troops from Tigray and the representation of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front in the federal government.

    The gaps

    A substantial reason for the lack of progress in building sustainable peace is that the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement has holes in it.

    Firstly, only the immediate cessation of hostilities, and the demobilisation and disarmament of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front combatants, were set out clearly. Other principles – such as civilian protections, delivery of humanitarian aid and ensuring accountability for the conflict – were left to “good faith implementation”.

    The peace agreement and its implementation process in Tigray lack safeguard mechanisms. These are procedures involving the power-sharing government, dispute resolution and robust mechanisms to verify the implementation of the agreement. However, only the verification mechanism is in place among these three pillars, and it’s very weak. Safeguard mechanisms create ownership, inclusion and accountability. They amplify the urgency of implementing peace deals.

    Secondly, the underlying causes of conflict and grievances haven’t been dealt with as agreed. These include the withdrawal of foreign troops from Tigray, the reconstruction of conflict-affected communities and the Tigrayan government’s representation in the federal government. Addressing these grievances might create the mutual trust that is necessary to revive the stalled process of building peace.



    Read more:
    What is federalism? Why Ethiopia uses this system of government and why it’s not perfect

    Thirdly, while the overt conflict with Tigrayan forces has subsided, the political dialogue between the regional and national governments hasn’t happened. This dialogue is key to addressing ambiguities in the peace deal. The agreement’s success depends on actions at the federal level – such as the reparation of internally displaced persons. Yet, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front isn’t represented at this level.

    Fourth, conflict-displaced Tigrayans are slowly returning to their communities. But insecurity remains acute because it’s not clear if all Tigrayan combatants are demobilised and all troops from Eritrea withdrawn. The monitoring mechanism in place is weak and cannot independently verify what’s been achieved.

    Fifth, the Ethiopian government’s transitional justice policy is unclear. It doesn’t provide guidance on who to prosecute as there are still ongoing conflicts in Ethiopia. The policy also avoids international scrutiny. It lacks critical aspects to prevent the recurrence of atrocities by adhering to international standards.

    Political factors

    The lack of progress in building lasting peace can also be put down to a lack of political will on the part of both parties.

    The federal government lacks resources for reconstruction. For example, there has been little rebuilding of basic infrastructure. The cost of recovery from the war in Tigray is estimated to be over US$44 billion.

    For its part, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front is in the throes of a growing rift between its chairman, Debretsion Gebremichael, and the deputy chairman and head of the interim government in Tigray, Getachew Reda. This has diverted attention to managing intra-party rivalries rather than pressuring the federal government to take necessary actions.

    Debretsion is prioritising the Tigray People’s Liberation Front’s return to its past glory with control over the political structure in Tigray. Getachew is pushing for a reconciliatory approach with the government and showing a willingness to compromise the party’s position for peace and security.

    What remains to be done

    Ethiopia is facing a watershed moment. The peace agreement can be carried out faster if the Tigray People’s Liberation Front maintains its cohesiveness. When broken into factions, it cannot hold the Abiy Ahmed regime accountable.

    Research shows that rebel movements such as the Tigray People’s Liberation Front often form factions after signing peace deals because of disagreements on the compromises made to reach a deal. A slow implementation process can further divide a rebel movement as it cannot cater to its supporters, or justify the war and unaddressed humanitarian and human rights abuses.

    Factions weaken the party, create instabilities and hurt the peace building process.

    The Tigray People’s Liberation Front’s unity is crucial for the success of the deal and its aspiration to return to political power in Tigray.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Lasting peace in Ethiopia? More needs to be done to stop Tigray conflict from flaring up again – https://theconversation.com/lasting-peace-in-ethiopia-more-needs-to-be-done-to-stop-tigray-conflict-from-flaring-up-again-239847

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Lasting peace in Ethiopia? More needs to be done to stop Tigray conflict from flaring up again

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Madhav Joshi, Research Professor & Associate Director, Peace Accords Matrix (PAM), Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies and Keough School of Global Affairs, University of Notre Dame

    It has been nearly two years since the African Union brokered a peace deal that put an end to the war between the Ethiopian state and the Tigray regional government. The signing of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement in November 2022 brought an end to a deadly two-year conflict.

    The agreement has achieved a number of outcomes. These include:

    • an end to the fighting between Tigrayan and Ethiopian armed forces

    • the creation of a transitional government in Tigray, run by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front

    • the demobilisation of 50,000 Tigrayan troops

    • the Tigray People’s Liberation Front regaining its legal status as a political party registered under special conditions

    • the approval in Addis Ababa of a transitional justice policy

    • the establishment of an AU-led monitoring and verification mission.

    But a great deal still remains to be done if the peace is going to last. We have studied 42 comprehensive and 236 partial peace agreements in the last three decades. Based on this experience, we argue that urgent issues remain to be addressed in the Ethiopian agreement. If left unattended, they raise the risk of a return to war.

    Empirical research suggests that a higher overall implementation rate of civil war peace agreements leads to sustainable peace. It is the only proven pathway for resolving remaining conflicts in a country. Doing what was agreed is necessary for post-war recovery.

    In Ethiopia, the disarmament and demobilisation of Tigrayan combatants needs urgent attention. So do the protection of civilians and returnees in disputed territories in western and northern Tigray, and the restoration of basic infrastructure in the region. The state also needs to ensure the smooth delivery of humanitarian aid, the withdrawal of foreign troops from Tigray and the representation of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front in the federal government.

    The gaps

    A substantial reason for the lack of progress in building sustainable peace is that the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement has holes in it.

    Firstly, only the immediate cessation of hostilities, and the demobilisation and disarmament of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front combatants, were set out clearly. Other principles – such as civilian protections, delivery of humanitarian aid and ensuring accountability for the conflict – were left to “good faith implementation”.

    The peace agreement and its implementation process in Tigray lack safeguard mechanisms. These are procedures involving the power-sharing government, dispute resolution and robust mechanisms to verify the implementation of the agreement. However, only the verification mechanism is in place among these three pillars, and it’s very weak. Safeguard mechanisms create ownership, inclusion and accountability. They amplify the urgency of implementing peace deals.

    Secondly, the underlying causes of conflict and grievances haven’t been dealt with as agreed. These include the withdrawal of foreign troops from Tigray, the reconstruction of conflict-affected communities and the Tigrayan government’s representation in the federal government. Addressing these grievances might create the mutual trust that is necessary to revive the stalled process of building peace.

    Read more: What is federalism? Why Ethiopia uses this system of government and why it’s not perfect

    Thirdly, while the overt conflict with Tigrayan forces has subsided, the political dialogue between the regional and national governments hasn’t happened. This dialogue is key to addressing ambiguities in the peace deal. The agreement’s success depends on actions at the federal level – such as the reparation of internally displaced persons. Yet, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front isn’t represented at this level.

    Fourth, conflict-displaced Tigrayans are slowly returning to their communities. But insecurity remains acute because it’s not clear if all Tigrayan combatants are demobilised and all troops from Eritrea withdrawn. The monitoring mechanism in place is weak and cannot independently verify what’s been achieved.

    Fifth, the Ethiopian government’s transitional justice policy is unclear. It doesn’t provide guidance on who to prosecute as there are still ongoing conflicts in Ethiopia. The policy also avoids international scrutiny. It lacks critical aspects to prevent the recurrence of atrocities by adhering to international standards.

    Political factors

    The lack of progress in building lasting peace can also be put down to a lack of political will on the part of both parties.

    The federal government lacks resources for reconstruction. For example, there has been little rebuilding of basic infrastructure. The cost of recovery from the war in Tigray is estimated to be over US$44 billion.

    For its part, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front is in the throes of a growing rift between its chairman, Debretsion Gebremichael, and the deputy chairman and head of the interim government in Tigray, Getachew Reda. This has diverted attention to managing intra-party rivalries rather than pressuring the federal government to take necessary actions.

    Debretsion is prioritising the Tigray People’s Liberation Front’s return to its past glory with control over the political structure in Tigray. Getachew is pushing for a reconciliatory approach with the government and showing a willingness to compromise the party’s position for peace and security.

    What remains to be done

    Ethiopia is facing a watershed moment. The peace agreement can be carried out faster if the Tigray People’s Liberation Front maintains its cohesiveness. When broken into factions, it cannot hold the Abiy Ahmed regime accountable.

    Research shows that rebel movements such as the Tigray People’s Liberation Front often form factions after signing peace deals because of disagreements on the compromises made to reach a deal. A slow implementation process can further divide a rebel movement as it cannot cater to its supporters, or justify the war and unaddressed humanitarian and human rights abuses.

    Factions weaken the party, create instabilities and hurt the peace building process.

    The Tigray People’s Liberation Front’s unity is crucial for the success of the deal and its aspiration to return to political power in Tigray.

    – Lasting peace in Ethiopia? More needs to be done to stop Tigray conflict from flaring up again
    – https://theconversation.com/lasting-peace-in-ethiopia-more-needs-to-be-done-to-stop-tigray-conflict-from-flaring-up-again-239847

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Global: South Africa’s municipalities aren’t fixing roads, supplying clean water or keeping the lights on: new study explains why

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Ramos Emmanuel Mabugu, Professor, Sol Plaatje University

    South Africa has a massive infrastructure problem. Roads, electricity supply and water management are just three areas in which there is mounting evidence of collapse and decay. This is true for big cities like Johannesburg as well as small towns and rural areas.

    This is a problem because infrastructure like this has huge economic benefits. Having water and electricity enables firms to run smoothly. Local roads improve mobility and access to markets.

    A study by South Africa’s Financial and Fiscal Commission in 2018 showed that infrastructure spending had a statistically significant positive impact on local employment and economic growth.

    Responsibility for maintaining these essential services lies with South Africa’s 257 municipalities. Funding comes from two pots: central government allocation; and revenue raised locally through the delivery of services.

    The national government has increased its financial transfers to municipalities for infrastructure investment by more than 3.5 times in local currency over the past 14 years. In that period municipalities have received almost R600 billion (US$45,5 billion) from national government.

    Why do local governments have little to show for it?

    We have been researching South Africa’s public finances and intergovernmental fiscal relations issues for many years. In a recent paper we evaluated how municipalities have managed the delivery of infrastructure.

    We found that:

    • municipalities have failed to effectively use increased infrastructure allocations

    • municipalities have not chosen the right infrastructure projects

    • projects have not been implemented cost effectively

    • projects have not been completed on time and within budget

    • infrastructure was not being operated efficiently

    • existing infrastructure was not being maintained.

    The failures

    We identified the following failures.

    People resources: Most of South Africa’s 257 municipalities lack the required capacity for managing infrastructure. Only a few have fully resourced project management units. In addition, there are cumbersome and costly infrastructure planning processes and legislative requirements. For instance, municipalities must conduct a feasibility study and appoint a steering committee for each project. The resources required for this are overwhelming for many and the process simply shifts the limited resources away from the actual infrastructure work.

    These problems have persisted despite many years of reforms and increased technical and financial support.

    Poor allocation of funds: Most allocations by national government for infrastructure have been in the form of conditional grants. These stipulate conditions for what type of infrastructure the money can be spent on.

    However, this hasn’t stopped the grants being allocated to prolonged or abandoned projects. The result is that many municipalities have been using recurring budget allocations to rectify poor workmanship and abandoned projects.

    Political interference: Where infrastructure has been built it is not well maintained. This is partly because politicians tend to prefer new infrastructure which comes with opportunities for ribbon cutting ceremonies. But some of this infrastructure doesn’t match the needs of communities, and becomes a white elephant.

    Bureaucracy: Municipalities share responsibility with national and provincial governments for some local infrastructure investments. But joint planning and budgeting is lacking. So water and electricity reticulation networks are often installed without sufficient bulk supply from the relevant providers.

    Service delays then lead to community protest and infrastructure vandalism.

    The role of national government departments also creates problems. They are the custodians of conditional infrastructure grant funding. In this role they often interfere and dictate priorities for municipalities while attaching stringent conditions to funding.

    Lack of ownership: Frustrated by the ongoing inability to spend infrastructure funds, national government is increasingly carrying out projects on behalf of municipalities, often using indirect grants. The result is that municipalities have no sense of ownership of the infrastructure and are not keen to maintain it. Some of the landfill sites and sport facilities constructed by the national departments of environmental affairs and sports have been neglected.

    We also found that municipalities are battling to keep up with growing populations, rising input costs and the vandalisation of infrastructure.

    Our findings are confirmed by reports of the auditor-general which highlight weak municipal infrastructure delivery management.

    The 2021–2022 auditor-general’s report found that the average delay in completing infrastructure projects ranged from 17 to 26 months.

    It also found that all 257 municipalities had spent only R18 billion (US$1.2 billion) on infrastructure maintenance. This represents 4% of the total value (R450 billion or US$30.6 billion) of municipal assets. This low spend increases the risk of infrastructure breakdown and reduces service level standards.

    It also rapidly increases the pace and cost of infrastructure upgrading and replacement.

    The solutions

    The failure to deliver infrastructure has itself affected the financial stability of municipalities. This is because they can generate their own revenue from selling water and electricity to residents. A collapse of these services means this income is lost.

    But debates on municipal infrastructure in South Africa have largely focused on funding shortfalls. This ignores weaknesses or a lack of municipal capacity to manage infrastructure projects. Giving municipalities money for infrastructure does not guarantee quality and long-lasting infrastructure.

    Municipalities need to:

    • focus on the full life cycle management of infrastructure instead of just rolling out new projects

    • plan for relevant infrastructure that responds to local circumstances

    • maintain old and new infrastructure

    • refurbish infrastructure that is nearing the end of its useful life.

    None of this can be achieved without competent and prescient local government leadership.

    Eddie Rakabe is affiliated with Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflections.

    Ramos Emmanuel Mabugu 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. South Africa’s municipalities aren’t fixing roads, supplying clean water or keeping the lights on: new study explains why – https://theconversation.com/south-africas-municipalities-arent-fixing-roads-supplying-clean-water-or-keeping-the-lights-on-new-study-explains-why-233499

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Celebration events to mark 75th National Day

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Celebration events to mark 75th National Day
    Celebration events to mark 75th National Day
    ********************************************

         ​The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, and senior government officials will attend a flag-raising ceremony and a National Day reception on October 1 (Tuesday) to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.        The flag-raising ceremony will be held at Golden Bauhinia Square outside the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) in Wan Chai at 8am. Community leaders and members of uniformed groups will attend the ceremony. No public viewing area will be set up. The Police Band will perform at the ceremony and a choir from Belilios Public School and Queen’s College will sing the national anthem under the lead of two singers, Chen Yong and Phoebe Tam, followed by a fly-past and a sea parade by the disciplined services.        The National Day reception, led by the Chief Executive, will be held at the Grand Hall on Level 3 of the HKCEC after the flag-raising ceremony.      Motorists are reminded that the Police will implement special traffic arrangements at Golden Bauhinia Square and the nearby area during the celebration events.

     
    Ends/Sunday, September 29, 2024Issued at HKT 16:00

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: South Africa’s municipalities aren’t fixing roads, supplying clean water or keeping the lights on: new study explains why

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Ramos Emmanuel Mabugu, Professor, Sol Plaatje University

    South Africa has a massive infrastructure problem. Roads, electricity supply and water management are just three areas in which there is mounting evidence of collapse and decay. This is true for big cities like Johannesburg as well as small towns and rural areas.

    This is a problem because infrastructure like this has huge economic benefits. Having water and electricity enables firms to run smoothly. Local roads improve mobility and access to markets.

    A study by South Africa’s Financial and Fiscal Commission in 2018 showed that infrastructure spending had a statistically significant positive impact on local employment and economic growth.

    Responsibility for maintaining these essential services lies with South Africa’s 257 municipalities. Funding comes from two pots: central government allocation; and revenue raised locally through the delivery of services.

    The national government has increased its financial transfers to municipalities for infrastructure investment by more than 3.5 times in local currency over the past 14 years. In that period municipalities have received almost R600 billion (US$45,5 billion) from national government.

    Why do local governments have little to show for it?

    We have been researching South Africa’s public finances and intergovernmental fiscal relations issues for many years. In a recent paper we evaluated how municipalities have managed the delivery of infrastructure.

    We found that:

    • municipalities have failed to effectively use increased infrastructure allocations

    • municipalities have not chosen the right infrastructure projects

    • projects have not been implemented cost effectively

    • projects have not been completed on time and within budget

    • infrastructure was not being operated efficiently

    • existing infrastructure was not being maintained.

    The failures

    We identified the following failures.

    People resources: Most of South Africa’s 257 municipalities lack the required capacity for managing infrastructure. Only a few have fully resourced project management units. In addition, there are cumbersome and costly infrastructure planning processes and legislative requirements. For instance, municipalities must conduct a feasibility study and appoint a steering committee for each project. The resources required for this are overwhelming for many and the process simply shifts the limited resources away from the actual infrastructure work.

    These problems have persisted despite many years of reforms and increased technical and financial support.

    Poor allocation of funds: Most allocations by national government for infrastructure have been in the form of conditional grants. These stipulate conditions for what type of infrastructure the money can be spent on.

    However, this hasn’t stopped the grants being allocated to prolonged or abandoned projects. The result is that many municipalities have been using recurring budget allocations to rectify poor workmanship and abandoned projects.

    Political interference: Where infrastructure has been built it is not well maintained. This is partly because politicians tend to prefer new infrastructure which comes with opportunities for ribbon cutting ceremonies. But some of this infrastructure doesn’t match the needs of communities, and becomes a white elephant.

    Bureaucracy: Municipalities share responsibility with national and provincial governments for some local infrastructure investments. But joint planning and budgeting is lacking. So water and electricity reticulation networks are often installed without sufficient bulk supply from the relevant providers.

    Service delays then lead to community protest and infrastructure vandalism.

    The role of national government departments also creates problems. They are the custodians of conditional infrastructure grant funding. In this role they often interfere and dictate priorities for municipalities while attaching stringent conditions to funding.

    Lack of ownership: Frustrated by the ongoing inability to spend infrastructure funds, national government is increasingly carrying out projects on behalf of municipalities, often using indirect grants. The result is that municipalities have no sense of ownership of the infrastructure and are not keen to maintain it. Some of the landfill sites and sport facilities constructed by the national departments of environmental affairs and sports have been neglected.

    We also found that municipalities are battling to keep up with growing populations, rising input costs and the vandalisation of infrastructure.

    Our findings are confirmed by reports of the auditor-general which highlight weak municipal infrastructure delivery management.

    The 2021–2022 auditor-general’s report found that the average delay in completing infrastructure projects ranged from 17 to 26 months.

    It also found that all 257 municipalities had spent only R18 billion (US$1.2 billion) on infrastructure maintenance. This represents 4% of the total value (R450 billion or US$30.6 billion) of municipal assets. This low spend increases the risk of infrastructure breakdown and reduces service level standards.

    It also rapidly increases the pace and cost of infrastructure upgrading and replacement.

    The solutions

    The failure to deliver infrastructure has itself affected the financial stability of municipalities. This is because they can generate their own revenue from selling water and electricity to residents. A collapse of these services means this income is lost.

    But debates on municipal infrastructure in South Africa have largely focused on funding shortfalls. This ignores weaknesses or a lack of municipal capacity to manage infrastructure projects. Giving municipalities money for infrastructure does not guarantee quality and long-lasting infrastructure.

    Municipalities need to:

    • focus on the full life cycle management of infrastructure instead of just rolling out new projects

    • plan for relevant infrastructure that responds to local circumstances

    • maintain old and new infrastructure

    • refurbish infrastructure that is nearing the end of its useful life.

    None of this can be achieved without competent and prescient local government leadership.

    – South Africa’s municipalities aren’t fixing roads, supplying clean water or keeping the lights on: new study explains why
    – https://theconversation.com/south-africas-municipalities-arent-fixing-roads-supplying-clean-water-or-keeping-the-lights-on-new-study-explains-why-233499

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Fire and Rescue NSW firefighters agree to interim pay deal

    Source: New South Wales Premiere

    Published: 30 September 2024

    Released by: Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Industrial Relations

    The NSW Government and firefighters’ union have reached an agreement that will see an interim pay rise of 3 per cent, industrial action cease and the independent industrial umpire resolve the remaining issues in dispute.

    The pay increase for 6,800 Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) firefighters will be backdated to February and follows a 4.5 per cent pay rise (inclusive of super) delivered to firefighters last year, the highest in more than a decade.

    The deal comes ahead of formal arbitration on new awards in the Industrial Relations Commission and will help firefighters manage cost of living pressures while also stipulating a pause on industrial action to ensure public services are not disrupted.

    This agreement reaffirms the NSW Government’s commitment to a fair, modern and sustainable wages policy for firefighters and helps undo the damage caused by 12 years of pay neglect by the former Coalition government.

    The Minns Labor Government’s work to rebuild essential services and the industrial relations system is well underway.

    This includes introducing a new bargaining framework and re-establishing the independence of the Industrial Relations Commission to assess and determine union and departmental claims. It also includes scrapping the Liberals and Nationals unfair wages cap.

    The Minns Labor Government also committed $189.5 million in the 2024-25 NSW Budget to guarantee the jobs of 286 permanent firefighters that were left unfunded by the former government.

    Minister for Industrial Relations Sophie Cotsis said:

    “I welcome the agreement for NSW firefighters and I thank the firies for their advocacy, patience and support.”

    “This is a good step forward but we still have work to do.”

    “We appreciate their commitment and service to the people of NSW.”

    Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib said:

    “This agreement with the union shows a commitment to working together to achieve practical outcomes for frontline responders and the community.”

    “We continue to work towards an outcome that is fair and sustainable for Fire and Rescue NSW firefighters and the people of NSW.”

    “After more than a decade of stagnant wages under the Coalition Government, the Minns Labor Government is delivering for the essential workers of NSW, including these workers on the frontline of rescue and emergency response.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Red tape to be cut from cemeteries and crematorium

    Source: New South Wales Premiere

    Published: 30 September 2024

    Released by: Minister for Lands and Property, Minister for Planning and Public Spaces

    Planning reforms to fast-track minor works in cemeteries across the state, come into effect from today, scrapping more planning red tape.

    The amendment to the Transport and Infrastructure State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) removes the need for a Development Application (DA) on low impact minor works and maintenance activities in cemeteries.

    The streamlined pathway will mean cemetery operators and crematoria will not need to submit a Development Application (DA) for minor works like monuments, demolition activities, internal roads and maintenance sheds.

    A DA will still be required for development beyond the boundary of an existing cemetery, or development that cannot comply with the proposed controls. It also does not include changes to the number of burial plots or operational hours.

    These changes will reduce development assessment timeframes and will also help free up resources in councils, making sure our planners are doing the work they need to do to help speed up the planning system.

    The NSW Government has prioritised cutting unnecessary red tape in the state’s planning system after inheriting a system that was as confused as it was confusing.

    Many areas of the planning system still have thresholds and triggers that are based on outdated priorities and are not servicing communities in the most effective way. These reforms are just one of the many changes the Government is introducing to make sure the planning system is fit-for-purpose.

    The Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) has worked closely with Crown Lands and Cemeteries and Crematoria NSW to ensure the reforms align across all of government.

    Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:

    “Cemeteries play a crucial role in our community and are a place that each of us will interact with throughout our lives to honour our loved ones.

    The amendment to the Transport and Infrastructure State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) removes the need for a Development Application (DA) on low impact minor works and maintenance activities in cemeteries.

    The streamlined pathway will mean cemetery operators and crematoria will not need to submit a Development Application (DA) for minor works like monuments, demolition activities, internal roads and maintenance sheds.

    A DA will still be required for development beyond the boundary of an existing cemetery, or development that cannot comply with the proposed controls. It also does not include changes to the number of burial plots or operational hours.

    These changes will reduce development assessment timeframes and will also help free up resources in councils, making sure our planners are doing the work they need to do to help speed up the planning system.

    The NSW Government has prioritised cutting unnecessary red tape in the state’s planning system after inheriting a system that was as confused as it was confusing.

    Many areas of the planning system still have thresholds and triggers that are based on outdated priorities and are not servicing communities in the most effective way. These reforms are just one of the many changes the Government is introducing to make sure the planning system is fit-for-purpose.

    The Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) has worked closely with Crown Lands and Cemeteries and Crematoria NSW to ensure the reforms align across all of government.

    Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:

    “Cemeteries play a crucial role in our community and are a place that each of us will interact with throughout our lives to honour our loved ones.

    “It is imperative that cemeteries can continue to operate effectively now and into the future. Operators should not be spending their time on simple DAs in existing cemeteries.

    “These new tailored pathways recognise the unique role cemeteries play and provide simple operational and functional requirements for them to operate effectively.”

    Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper said:

    “The Minns Labor Government has been taking action to address the crisis in our cemeteries since day one.

    “Once again, we are taking the necessary action to ensure we can meet the future needs in our cemeteries sector through responsible planning, finding more space for burials, and ensuring they are maintained, accessible, and respectful spaces to serve our communities.

    “We want all people of all cultures and faiths to have access to sustainable and affordable burial and cremation services, and we will continue to clean up the mess the Coalition left behind.”

    “These new tailored pathways recognise the unique role cemeteries play and provide simple operational and functional requirements for them to operate effectively.”

    Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper said:

    “The Minns Labor Government has been taking action to address the crisis in our cemeteries since day one.

    “Once again, we are taking the necessary action to ensure we can meet the future needs in our cemeteries sector through responsible planning, finding more space for burials, and ensuring they are maintained, accessible, and respectful spaces to serve our communities.

    “We want all people of all cultures and faiths to have access to sustainable and affordable burial and cremation services, and we will continue to clean up the mess the Coalition left behind.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: NSW powering up for cleaner cruise ship visits

    Source: New South Wales Premiere

    Published: 30 September 2024

    Released by: Minister for Transport

    In an Australian-first, New South Wales is charging up for a cleaner cruise industry, with a $20 million contract awarded to begin the landmark Shore Power project at White Bay Cruise Terminal.

    Shore Power is wharf-side infrastructure that provides cruise ships with electricity by connecting to a landside charger, which results in fewer emissions as the engine does not have to stay running while docked.

    This marks a huge step towards reducing cruise ship pollution, ensuring the cruise industry can be more sustainable and continue to thrive in NSW.

    It comes as the summer cruise season officially kicks off in NSW, with the arrival of Diamond Princess into our harbour on Thursday morning and the Pacific Adventure at White Bay on Friday morning.

    The latest data shows the cruise industry contributed $2.75 billion to the NSW economy in 2022-23 and created approximately 9,000 jobs.

    This project means cleaner air and less noise for the residents of Balmain and Rozelle, with the precinct and population expected to grow in the coming decade as the Bays Metro West opens and much-needed housing is delivered.

    Shore Power is estimated to reduce emissions associated with the White Bay precinct by over 4,000 tonnes every year.

    The contract for the charger at White Bay berth 5 has been awarded to global leader in shore power technology, Powercon, with initial work to prepare the site set to begin by the end of 2024.

    The move puts Sydney on par with other global cities adopting this technology, such as in Europe, where shoreside electricity will be mandatory at all main ports from 2030.

    With critical equipment in high demand, the White Bay Cruise Terminal Shore Power project is targeted for completion by late 2026.

    Once operational in 2026, it will be mandatory for any ship that docks at White Bay Cruise Terminal that is shore power enabled to use available shore power.  The vast majority of ships that use White Bay are already shore power enabled.

    Port Authority will determine the best mechanism to implement the shore power mandate, likely to be through contract obligations with its cruise industry partners. 

    Both NSW and Federal Labor announced their support for shore power in 2019. The former NSW Liberal Government promised to deliver it in 2022 and said it would be ready by 2024 but failed to allocate funding to the project.

    The Minns Labor Government is leading the rollout of Shore Power at other ports across Australia by supporting the development of Australian Standards that will inform future projects.

    Federal Member for Sydney Tanya Plibersek said:

    “Five years ago, Labor promised we would deliver shore power for White Bay Cruise Terminal, and cleaner air for the community on the Balmain peninsula. Today that promise is being kept.

    “This will be the first project of its kind in Australia, and it will be run on renewables. Awarding the contract for the Shore Power equipment design, fabrication, supply and installation, marks a major milestone in this complex project.

    “The community in Balmain has had to wait far too long for shore power to become a reality. They will remember that the former NSW Liberal Government claimed to support this project, but would not commit a single dollar of government funding.”

    NSW Minister for Transport Jo Haylen said:

    “Today the contract to deliver shore power at White Bay Cruise Terminal has been signed, sealed, and delivered, ensuring less cruise ship pollution for generations to come.

    “This will be the first major shore power infrastructure in southern hemisphere and the carbon emissions reduction this project at White Bay will achieve is equivalent to taking 1,100 cars off Sydney’s roads or planting 20,000 trees each year.

    “The Minns Labor Government has done what the former government could never do. We’ve put pen to paper and begun the process to deliver cleaner air for the Balmain Peninsula and set White Bay Cruise Terminal up for a sustainable future.”

    Port Authority NSW CEO Philip Holliday said:

    “Port Authority is focused on progressing the Shore Power project to our revised delivery date and creating a world-class, integrated, sustainable port of the future that supports our economy, the community and the NSW Government’s vision for the area.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: FACT SHEET: UPDATE: Biden-⁠ Harris Administration’s Continued Response Efforts to Hurricane  Helene

    Source: The White House

    Under President Biden and Vice President Harris’s leadership, the Administration is continuing to provide robust and well-coordinated Federal support for the ongoing response and recovery efforts to Hurricane Helene’s impacts. The President and Vice President are closely monitoring these efforts and receive regular updates from their teams.
     
    At the President’s direction, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell visited Florida over the weekend to assess damage alongside local and state officials. She continued surveying damage today in parts of Georgia before she moves into North Carolina on Monday.

    Earlier this evening, Administrator Criswell and Homeland Security Advisor Liz Sherwood-Randall briefed President Biden on the ongoing impacts of Hurricane Helene in multiple states, including Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, and Virginia. Administrator Criswell also updated the President on Federal actions to support response and recovery.  

    The President directed Administrator Criswell to determine what more can be done to accelerate support to those who are having the most difficult time accessing assistance in isolated communities. He also advised the FEMA Administrator that as soon as it will not disrupt emergency response operations, he intends to travel this week to impacted communities.

    Additionally, the Federal government is closely monitoring an additional weather disturbance in the Caribbean Sea that has the potential to form into another storm in the coming week. Residents throughout the Gulf Coast should remain alert, listen to local officials, and make additional preparations as needed.
     
    Additional Federal response actions include:
     
    Approving Major Disaster Declarations
     
    Yesterday, President Biden approved Major Disaster declarations for the states of Florida and North Carolina, allowing survivors to immediately access funds and resources to jumpstart their recovery. People in 17 counties in Florida and 25 counties in North Carolina, including the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, can now apply for assistance with FEMA. People can apply in three ways: online by visiting disasterassistance.gov, calling 1-800-621-3362 or on the FEMA App.
     
    FEMA assistance in Florida and North Carolina may include upfront funds to help with essential items like food, water, baby formula, and other emergency supplies. Funds may also be available to repair storm-related damage to homes and personal property, as well as assistance to find a temporary place to stay.
     
    Emergency declarations were also approved for Florida, North Carolina Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, and Alabama. Under an emergency declaration, FEMA provides direct Federal support to states for life saving activities and other emergency protective measures, such as evacuation, sheltering, and search and rescue.
     
    Supporting On-The-Ground Response Efforts
     
    As of today, more than 3,300 personnel from across the Federal workforce are deployed and supporting Hurricane Helene response efforts across the impacted states. This includes the most experienced incident management teams to help identity Federal resources to address unmet needs, as well as Urban Search and Rescue personnel using high water rescue equipment for rescue missions across the region. 
     
    At least 50,000 personnel from 31 states and the District of Columbia and Canada are responding to power outages and working around the clock throughout parts of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina to restore power to those communities that can receive power. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is moving generators and additional power generation assets into the hardest hit areas of South and North Carolina as flood waters recede and debris removal allows. As of this afternoon, approximately 2.3 million customers are without power, down from the region-wide peak of 4.6 million on September 27.
     
    Additional Interagency Support Efforts
     
    Together with state and local partners, the Federal government is actively supporting Hurricane Helene response efforts and is coordinating requests for Federal assistance.

    • FEMA distribution centers are fully stocked and ready to provide commodities and equipment to any impacted state, as required.
    • FEMA is trucking dozens of trailers containing food and water in North Carolina to support the State as they start to set up care-sites for survivors.
    • FEMA is also working with the Federal Communications Commission and private sector telecommunications partners to deploy emergency mobile communications assets while they work to restore network services, particularly in remote areas.
    • The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declared a Public Health Emergency for Florida and Georgia, giving health care providers and suppliers greater flexibility in meeting emergency health needs of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. About 200 medical responders are in Florida, Alabama, and North Carolina, along with medical equipment and supplies, to help ensure the delivery of health care services following the landfall of Hurricane Helene.
    • Twenty-four federal Urban Search and Rescue Task Forces are deployed across the affected regions. Roughly 1,302 Urban Search and Rescue personnel are assisting in the impacted areas. Together with local and state responders, teams have rescued and supported over 1,400 of people across the impacted area.
    • The U.S. Coast Guard has thousands of personnel working on response efforts and are conducting post-storm assessments to support the rapid reopening of impacted ports.
    • The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers deployed teams for temporary emergency power, debris removal, and infrastructure assessment, including for dams throughout the region.
    • The Environmental Protection Agency has personnel on the ground who are offering technical assistance and guidance on water systems, debris management, and maintaining critical public health and environmental protections in place as storm impacts are assessed.
    • The U.S. Small Business Administration deployed more than 50 personnel to support survivors and small businesses as they recover from the hurricane.
    • The U.S. Department of Energy has responders deployed across the region and are closely monitoring power, fuel, and supply chain interruptions.
    • The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency has deployed personnel to the impacted region to extend much-needed emergency credit to farmers and agriculture producers who lost crops and livestock.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Filling critical teacher gaps

    Source: Australian Education Union

    30 September 2024

    State and territory efforts to encourage more people to take up teaching degrees received a boost from the federal government this year with new federal scholarships and financial support during practicums.

    Applications for the second round of Commonwealth Teaching Scholarships will open later this year, with another 1000 on the table.

    The government is also putting $2.4 million into a strategy to attract and retain more Aboriginal teachers and Torres Strait Islander teachers.

    Meanwhile, the new Commonwealth Practicum Payment will help support teaching students from 1 July 2025 while they are undertaking their placements.

    Scholarships offered by state and territory governments and not-for-profit organisations, such as the Public Education Foundation, are already helping to smooth the way for aspiring teachers, but more support is needed.

    The federal Department of Education predicts a shortage of 4100 teachers by 2025. Fewer people are choosing to enrol in teaching degrees and dropout rates are significant, with only about half the students completing their degree.

    About 20 per cent of graduates leave the profession within the first three years, according to federal government data, and many experienced teachers are leaving before retirement age.

    The AEU’s latest research has revealed teacher shortages at almost 83 per cent of 953 schools. While that’s less than last year’s record highs, it remains at almost triple historic rates.

    About 40 per cent of principals in the 2024 AEU State of our Schools survey reported an increase in pre-retirement resignations from teachers over the past year. Some are moving to a non-education role (26.8 per cent) or to a private school (18.5 per cent). Others are taking a break from employment (21.1 per cent).

    More than half of the principals (51 per cent) surveyed said it had become much harder to suitably fill staff vacancies across all areas of the curriculum, and another 30 per cent said it was harder.

    Some schools were forced to run classes without a teacher, split or merge classes, or reduce the range of specialist classes offered.

    Almost one third of 12,381 teachers surveyed (30 per cent) said they planned to leave teaching before retirement, and only 15 per cent were certain that they would not leave.

    Heavy workloads (68 per cent) and the burden of admin and compliance work (43 per cent) were the main reasons for wanting to leave, but teachers are also finding student management issues increasingly cumbersome.

    The National Teacher Action Workforce Action Plan, developed in 2022, called on state and territory governments to act on teacher shortages.

    The federal government is taking further steps to mitigate the crisis, building on initiatives such as the Workload Reduction Fund and HECS relief.

    Commonwealth scholarships

    The federal government is hoping to encourage more people to undertake initial teacher education (ITE), offering a total of 5000 scholarships to students commencing full-time studies in the years 2024 to 2028. The scholarship offers undergraduates $40,000 spread across four years. Postgraduates receive $20,000 spread across two years.

    The scholarships include a “commitment to teach” in public schools or early learning settings. The commitment will be the equivalent to the years of study undertaken, up to four years for undergraduates and up to two years for postgraduates.

    Scholarship recipients who complete their final practical experience placement in a remote location may be eligible for a top-up payment of $2000.

    Commonwealth Practicum Payments

    Helping to prevent “practicum poverty” is behind another new initiative aimed at addressing teacher shortages.

    AEU federal president Correna Haythorpe says students have carried the financial burdens of their practicums for too long.

    “They’ve often had to give up part-time work and experienced placement poverty for weeks on end while finishing their studies,” she says.

    Students who are women, mature-age, lower socio-economic, and/or from an Aboriginal or Torres Strait background often carry the heaviest burdens as they juggle study with paid work and caring responsibilities.

    From 1 July 2025, eligible students will be able to access $319.50 per week while they are undertaking an unpaid mandatory placement.

    The payment will be means-tested and will not replace any existing support currently available to students via state and territory governments.

    First Nations Teacher Strategy

    Attracting and retaining Aboriginal teachers and Torres Strait Islander teachers is another area being targeted by government. It has allocated $2.4 million to develop and implement the First Nations Teacher Strategy.

    The strategy will be developed in partnership with a First Nations organisation and aims to improve ITE completion rates; successfully transition and support Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islander people into teaching roles; and build cultural responsiveness across education settings.

    In 2020, an estimated 6577 Aboriginal teachers and Torres Strait Islander teachers were registered nationally. Just under half the registered teachers (48 per cent) were based in regional and remote areas.

    Dyonne Anderson, a Githabul woman who is chief executive of the Stronger Smarter Institute and president of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Principals’ Association (NATSIPA), says at least 77 per cent of schools have Aboriginal students and Torres Strait Islander students enrolled, 84 per cent of those are in government schools.

    “Yet we form 1.4 per cent of the professional teaching workforce and even less if you are a principal of a school,” she says. Anderson stresses the importance of increasing the number of Aboriginal teachers and Torres Strait Islander teachers given the growth in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student population. Numbers are up by 46 per cent since 2018 compared with a 12 per cent increase for all other students.

    “Non-Aboriginal teachers will, at some time in their career, be exposed to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and it very much concerns me that we are not setting up teachers to be culturally responsive,” says Anderson.

    “There are teachers with bias who don’t even know that their own upbringing and their white middle-class views can be harmful and they have misinformation around our students.”

    There is also a need to increase mentoring support to prevent graduate teachers from leaving within the first five years, says Anderson.

    “We have an increasing number of First Nations principals who are coming to the end of their careers so there’s going to be a gap in regard to the supports and mentoring that needs to occur to set First Nations teachers up for success.”

    A First Nations mentoring scheme was introduced by the NSW Department of Education in partnership with NATSIPA. The scheme linked experienced principals with Aboriginal teachers and Torres Strait Islander teachers who had up to six years’ experience.

    Anderson says the aspiring leaders need support from educators who know the system but also understand the additional challenges of Culture and cultural responsibilities and racism.

    Coaching and mentoring modules based on a Stronger Smarter Approach framework were designed and delivered, resulting in a significant shift, says Anderson.

    “Middle leaders moved into principalship roles while others were promoted to additional executive roles including director.”

    After visiting 92 schools, many in remote communities, in her role on the National School Reform Agreement expert panel, Anderson advocates recognising alternative pathways to boost teacher numbers.

    “Some of the First Nations support teachers were the most outstanding teachers I have seen. They were able to instruct in language and then in English, English being their third, fourth language and they had so much respect from the children within the classrooms. With alternative pathways and recognition of prior learning we would not be facing a teacher shortage.”

    Full funding is vital

    While the AEU has welcomed the latest federal government initiatives, it is urging the government to do more to support the teaching workforce by fulfilling its promise to fully fund every child across Australia.

    Haythorpe says the teacher shortages are directly connected to funding shortfalls. Australia’s 6712 public schools are underfunded by $6.5 billion this year and by at least $6.2 billion every year to 2028, a total of $31.7 billion over five years to 2028.

    “The failure to invest in our schools across the past decade has meant that we’ve got an attraction and retention problem, so it’s no accident that this is where we’re at,” she says.

    Haythorpe says more needs to be done including to address chronic workloads and to fully fund professional development and mentoring programs to support teachers as they begin their careers.

    Full funding would allow for smaller class sizes and increased support staff in classrooms, reducing the immense pressure felt by teachers and trainee teachers across the country.

    Scholarship fuels career change

    When Catherine Spencer made a career change from the corporate world to special education teaching, a scholarship helped smooth the way.

    She was feeling her way into a new career when she came across the Teacher Education Scholarships offered through the NSW Department of Education.

    The scholarship currently offers up to $7500 per year, a $6000 appointment allowance, and a permanent teaching position following the successful completion of studies.

    To be eligible you must be enrolled in an ITE degree, or studying to become a secondary teacher, or inclusive/special education teacher.

    Spencer saw special education teaching as a chance to give back. Her son had faced some challenges at school and the amazing support he received from his public school led her to consider a teaching career.

    The scholarship helped cement her decision: “It provided me with an opportunity to study and then work in the public school system with students who have complex support needs.”

    She was hooked from her first practicum: “It was a mainstream prac but as soon as I did it, I knew this is what I want to do.”

    Now an assistant principal and Year 7 and 9 teacher at William Rose School, a special education school in Sydney’s north-west, and on the verge of completing her Masters in Education with a focus on special education, she has no plans to leave the teaching profession any time soon.

    Mentoring is the added bonus

    Larissa Boyes tells anyone who will listen how much she loves the Teacher Intern Placement Program (TIPP) in Tasmania.

    “I highly recommend it to anyone I speak to,” she says.

    The program for pre-service teachers offers a $30,000 scholarship with recipients completing their final year of study in a Tasmanian public school.

    During that year they work alongside an experienced mentor teacher and there is the potential for paid employment in Terms 3 and 4 on a limited authority-to-teach. The mentor is given dedicated time to support the recipient’s development and the recipient is given time to study.

    Now teaching Year 3/4 three days a week at Burnie Primary School in Tasmania’s north-west, Boyes raves about the guidance provided by her mentor, Year 1 teacher Kendall Sandman. From policies and resources to practical pointers, the mentoring has proved invaluable.

    “So many little helpful tips and tricks – I’ve come into the classroom already having a good idea of how I want to handle things, how to set up group work, how to set up routines, and expectations and behaviours,” says Boyes.

    “We are constantly talking about my practice, about how lessons have gone, what would I want to do to further improve them.”

    As a teacher’s aide in a kindergarten class for four years, Boyes worked with a lot of teachers new to the profession: “So many of them have told me that they weren’t prepared, they didn’t know what to expect heading into the classroom.”

    Refugee support and mentoring

    Rasha Alzahri missed four years of her primary school education when her family left war-torn Iraq and moved to Australia via Jordan.

    It’s an experience that has given her empathy for other children in a similar position and fuelled her desire to become a teacher.

    “I just wanted to be around children and help them as well,” she says.

    Having recently successfully completed her first practicum with Year 3 students in Sydney’s western suburbs she’s determined to keep going with her full-time studies.

    A $12,000 scholarship via the Public Education Foundation, a national not-for-profit organisation, helps cover the cost of her studies, paying for a laptop, tutoring fees, and transport. She is grateful that the financial support allows her to focus solely on her studies.

    “It’s very hard to work and maintain a job while doing full-time university, and because it is in another language it’s really hard. I need extra time to study and to do my assignments,” she says.

    When she graduates, she’s keen to teach in Sydney’s western suburbs, where many children have a refugee or migrant background.

    “I want to be surrounded by children and help them grow and develop from what I can provide for them,” she says.

    Leadership goals

    Second year university student Yara Salman has appreciated having the help of a scholarship as she’s taken her first steps towards a career in teaching.

    “I’d like to have a class at the start and then the more experienced I get, I’d like to be in leadership roles in schools.”

    Like Alzahri, she missed four years of her primary school education when her family left Iraq and she’s now making up for lost time.

    “When I came to Australia and saw the education system and the teachers here I was inspired to become a teacher and be a role model for children,” she says.

    A $12,000 Public Education Foundation scholarship spread across three years has helped cover the cost of a laptop, printer, university tuition and fees, and travelling expenses.

    She encourages other students to apply for a scholarship. “Sometimes students are scared to apply, even me, what if it’s not accepted?”

    The scholarship also connects recipients with support of another kind: a mentor.

    “You can schedule monthly meetings. You can speak to them, seek advice, have a little chat,”
    Salman says.

    By Christine Long

    This article originally appeared in the Australian Educator, Spring 2024

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: The Auckland Future Fund launched

    Source: Auckland Council

    The Auckland Future Fund has formally launched as Auckland Council’s new council-controlled organisation and regional fund.

    The fund, which is in place to enhance the region’s physical and financial resilience, was formalised by its new Board of Directors on Friday, September 27, through the signing of the trust deed and other founding documents.

     “This is an exciting milestone for the Auckland Future Fund – we now have the fund entity in place and we can continue building the foundations that will contribute to it enhancing Auckland’s physical and financial resilience,” said board chair Christopher Swasbrook.

    “This is a long-term initiative and it is early days, but as a board we are looking forward to shaping and influencing the fund which will not only help protect the Auckland region, but also provide long-term capital growth and cash distributions to help fund council services.”

    Liaison councillor Christine Fletcher said the fund represents a new direction for Auckland Council that will stand the region in good stead, as an enduring asset for Auckland.

     “The Auckland Future Fund has been a work in progress but it is pleasing to now see it now in place and able to work for all Aucklanders,” says Mrs Fletcher. “I am personally very excited about what the fund represents and its potential to provide not only certainty but also returns for our region.”

    The future fund was confirmed in June through the council’s Long-term Plan 2024-2034. It is estimated to provide the council with around an additional $40 million of cash returns per year from 2025/26.

    The fund will initially be capitalised with the council’s remaining Auckland International Airport Limited shares.

    The Auckland Future Fund will operate under the high-level direction of the council, but through an independent structure.

    The Board of Directors – chair Chris Swasbrook, Craig Stobo and David Callanan – were recently appointed to lead the fund, following a robust appointment process that received unanimous support from the Performance and Appointments Committee and the council’s independent advisory board Houkura.

    Frequently asked questions

    What is the Auckland Future Fund?

    The Auckland Future Fund is an investment for current and future Aucklanders and is designed to enhance the Auckland region’s physical and financial resilience.

    By diversifying Auckland Council’s major investments, the Auckland Future Fund is part of a financial strategy to better protect and strengthen Auckland in times of need.

    How does the fund work?

    The fund sees the council moving from one key investment to many, adding diversity by investing across different entities, sectors and locations.

    The fund has also been established to deliver revenue to help fund services and reduce reliance on rates. It is estimated it will provide an additional $40 million per year to council, from 2025/2026.

    The Auckland Future Fund was introduced as part of Auckland Council’s Long-term Plan 2024-2034. It launched in September 2024. The intent is for the fund to create long-term benefits for the Auckland region and protect the value of intergenerational financial investments.

    How is the fund set-up?

    As a council-controlled organisation, the Auckland Future Fund operates under the high-level direction of Auckland Council but through an independent structure, where the trustee’s board makes all key decisions.

    The board are guided by a clear set of investment objectives and policies set by Auckland Council. Established as a trust, there are strict protections over the fund’s assets. In particular, the protections require the fund to maintain the real value of its capital over the long term. Further protection is also being sought via the introduction of a local bill.

    How will the investments work?

    The fund will initially be capitalised with the council’s remaining Auckland International Airport shares. The council is assuming average annual returns of 7.24% per annum from the fund over the long term, after management costs. Of the projected return, 5.24% will be returned to the council as an annual cash distribution, with the remainder retained to protect the real value of the fund over time.  The council may decide to transfer other investments into the fund at a later date.

    What’s the next step?

    Now the Auckland Future Fund is established formally as a trust, the board’s next priority will be looking at how best to diversify the investment in Auckland International Airport to spread the financial risk and to meet its purposes of providing positive returns, and maintaining or growing the fund over the long term.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Interview with Ross Solly, Canberra Drive, ABC Radio

    Source: Australian Treasurer

    ROSS SOLLY:

    Earlier this week, Andrew Leigh and I stood cheek‑by‑jowl expressing our Oreo outrage when we discussed that Oreos were leading the charge in terms of items that were being bumped up to ridiculous price levels by supermarkets as part of their campaign. Now, today, Andrew Leigh, the Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury, released an interim report from the ACCC into the supermarkets. And look, it basically confirmed everything that we might have already known. Andrew Leigh joins us on the program. Good to have you on the show, Andrew Leigh.

    ANDREW LEIGH:

    Thanks, Ross, great to be back with you. Now, I was in a supermarket this afternoon and I saw Oreos that were half price. I nearly picked you up a pack.

    SOLLY:

    Isn’t that amazing? Andrew Leigh, who says that the radio has no power anymore.

    LEIGH:

    Exactly. I think the Canberra supermarkets are listening.

    SOLLY:

    That would be judging by the report that you handed down today, a bit of an outrider, because it seems that the ACCC is finding that the big 2, especially the big 2 – Coles and Woolworths – are taking advantage of their market power.

    LEIGH:

    Yes, that’s right. They’ve got 67 per cent of the market and the ACCC has pointed to a range of different ways in which they might be throwing their weight around with their consumers and with their suppliers, which as economists say, exercising monopoly power down and monopsony power up. It talked about the issue of land banking – which might keep out potential competitors, about the way in which discounting practices are sometimes too opaque. Multiple product discounts that make it hard to compare across stores and then also this phenomenon of shrinkflation, where suddenly you discover that there’s not as many Tim Tams in the packet and yet the price has stayed the same.

    SOLLY:

    Yeah, which is a bit of a surprise. On the land banking, Andrew Leigh, what powers do you have? Does the government have or what powers might you need to bring in to force? I mean, one of them, I can’t remember whether it’s Coles or Woolies, owned about more than 100 blocks that weren’t developed on the other one, had dozens of blocks. What powers are there to make them actually either hand those blocks over or actually do something with them?

    LEIGH:

    Well, it’s a pure state and territory issue, Ross which is why we’ve got National Competition Policy going again. We want to work with states and territories on some of these issues that cross across the federation – because whether it’s your federal government, your state government or your territory government – they want to make sure consumers are getting a fair deal. We’ve got to ensure that companies are either building or else handing the land back.

    SOLLY:

    Sorry to jump in. As the Minister for Competition, do you know whether most states and territories have those powers, like, for example, here in the ACT? Are there examples here of land banking going on that you’re aware of?

    LEIGH:

    Yeah, I mean, it’s an ongoing concern, Ross. I’ve certainly had people contacting me saying this development hasn’t gone ahead, why is it sitting there looking like an eyesore? But the extra layer on this is that there’s a competition angle that doesn’t always apply with other forms of development. So, you might have a housing development that languishes for a while. That’s frustrating for the people in the local neighbourhood, but a supermarket site that’s locked up can have an impact on the prices that people are paying every day. So, what we’re doing with the states and territories is making sure they’ve got that competition lens when they’re looking at these planning and zoning approaches. And they’ve been really constructive – Daniel Mookhey, Andrew Barr, the other state and territory Treasurers in engaging on this competition issue.

    SOLLY:

    But have they been going hard enough? I mean, I’m just looking here, it’s Woolworths that has 110 vacant sites nationwide. The Treasurers and the Premiers and the Chief Ministers maybe aren’t going hard enough. They’re not bringing out the big stick yet. Andrew Leigh is it time they did?

    LEIGH

    So, well, we’ll be working through that with them, Ross. They’ve all got different rules about how long an operator can hold on to a particular site. What we need to do through a National Competition Policy is ensure that they’ve got that clear competition lens in what they’re doing. The National Competition Policy has a great lineage. When we got a guy in the 1990s, it produced a permanent lift in GDP of 2.5 per cent. That’s about $5,000 for every Australian household. The issues are different now, but the framework’s the same. We’ve got to get more competition, more dynamism in the economy, not just in supermarkets, but in everything from banking to baby food to beer.

    SOLLY:

    Yeah, I’m just worried, though Andrew Leigh, I mean, we can sit here and we’ve talked about this day‑in day‑out, unless the states and the territories are actually given the tools or bring the tools in to take some action, Coles and Woolies will see this and they’ll go, oh, here’s just another report. We’ll just go on business as usual. Maybe divesting is something that you need to start looking at seriously. I know every time we raise it, you push it to one side, but the Liberal Party is keen on it. The National Party is keen on it. There seems to be a growing momentum, Andrew Leigh, for this to be taken seriously.

    LEIGH:

    Well, Ross, it’s not just me that’s sceptical about this. Every major competition review going back a couple of decades, the Dawson Review, the Harper Review, the Hilmer Review, have all recommended against divestiture. Craig Emerson didn’t recommend it. His review of the food and grocery code, the National Farmers’ Federation don’t support it, the ACTU aren’t calling for it and where it exists in other countries, it’s very rarely used. And that’s why we’re focusing on these measures that we know will make a practical difference.

    SOLLY:

    Maybe it’s not used, though. Andrew Leigh because it’s there. It’s there and it’s available. And the supermarkets know that the government in that country has that power available to them if they want it. I mean, you may never use it. You might never use it, but imagine having that up your sleeve and then you get delivered a report saying 2 big supermarkets are taking the mickey, they’re buying up all this land, they’re not using it, they’re fleecing people at the till. Imagine then if you just roll up your sleeve and say, look what I’ve got here.

    LEIGH:

    Well, Ross, we’re listening to the experts on this and the experts are saying you need merger reform, National Competition Policy, a mandatory Food and Grocery Code of Conduct. They’re some of the things we’re getting on to do. We’ve got the CHOICE price monitoring, which came out yesterday showing slightly different results in the first time round. First time round here in the ACT, it was Woolies that got the silver medal, this time Coles that got the silver medal. Aldi’s come in gold both times. That’s important information for people knowing how much they can save by shopping around.

    SOLLY:

    Do you think Aldi needs to be given, and I know you can’t, governments can’t pick favourites, but I wonder whether Aldi needs to be given a bit of a leg‑up here because obviously, I mean, the surveys are showing they’re the cheapest option.

    LEIGH:

    Yeah, they’ve certainly grown their market share going up to about 9 per cent of the market, but they don’t offer a full range of groceries, which is why the average Aldi is located just 400 metres from a Coles or Woolies. So, they’re encouraging people to do some shopping there and some shopping at Coles and Woolies. I think that’s happening more frequently. The jurisdictions that need most assistance are Tasmania and the Northern Territory, which don’t have an Aldi, and therefore their shoppers are missing out on that 25 per cent cheaper groceries in those jurisdictions.

    SOLLY:

    I don’t. I hate gotcha journalism. I’m not going to do gotcha. But I just want to know, Andrew Leigh, are you saying that divestiture is off the table? It’s never, never. It’ll never happen.

    LEIGH:

    Look, it’s not our focus right now, Ross. You ask the experts on this. We asked Dawson, Harper, Hillmer, Emerson. They don’t point to it. They point to a range of other things and that’s what we’re doing. We’ve got a big, ambitious competition reform agenda focused on things that we know and that the experts say will make a difference.

    SOLLY:

    Alright. I think the shoppers would love that to happen. Quarter to 6, we’re chatting with Andrew Leigh, who’s the Assistant Minister for Competition Charities and Treasury. Just one other thing on this. I noticed Wayne Swan today, former Treasurer, saying that he, he thought that the way the supermarkets have been behaving had actually pushed up inflation. Is he right?

    LEIGH:

    Well, if the claims are found to be true, and obviously they’re before the courts right now, then that would mean that Australians had paid more for their groceries. These so called fake discounts, which were applied when Coles and Woolies allegedly increased the price of certain things like Oreos for a couple of weeks and then dropped them and advertised them with a price drop sticker. Now we’re talking about 500 products on which Australians would have spent millions of dollars. So, yes, that would have had an impact on inflation. I don’t think it’s going to be the major driver of inflation over this period, but it will be there in the statistics.

    SOLLY:

    Andrew Leigh, thanks for your time on a Friday afternoon. Who’s going to win the footy tomorrow, by the way?

    LEIGH:

    Let’s hope the Swanies get over the line.

    SOLLY:

    All right. I think there’s a lot of listeners who would agree with you. Thank you, Andrew Leigh.

    LEIGH:

    Thanks, Ross. Thank you.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: $150 million to make SEQ an innovation powerhouse

    Source: Australian Executive Government Ministers

    South East Queensland (SEQ) is set to become an innovation powerhouse thanks to more than $150 million of investment in infrastructure to boost the region’s innovation economy.

    The SEQ Innovation Economy Fund is part of the $1.8 billion SEQ City Deal, a partnership between the Australian Government, Queensland Government and Council of Mayors (SEQ), which aims to improve the accessibility, prosperity and liveability of the region – home to around four million residents.  

    Eligible local governments, industry, public and private entities can now apply for funding for capital projects that will deliver new and improved innovation infrastructure in SEQ and help grow high-value, knowledge-intensive jobs across the region.

    The Australian and Queensland Governments have committed $50 million each to create the fund, with at least $50 million in co-contributions required from industry.

    The fund aims to support capital projects which will:

    • develop infrastructure within existing SEQ innovation precincts to accelerate the delivery of high value, future-focussed employment opportunities
    • grow the SEQ innovation economy through the development and commercialisation of innovative products, services or processes using new and sustainable technologies
    • develop new and leverage existing partnerships that strengthen the SEQ innovation economy to drive greater economic, environmental and social outcomes for the region.

    Funding of up to $25 million is available for major capital projects that include new builds, extensions or refurbishments of innovation infrastructure, the purchase and installation of new equipment, or innovation-specific expansions to current capital projects.

    Funding of up to $5 million is available for minor capital projects including refurbishments and the purchase and installation of new equipment. 

    Applications for the SEQ Innovation Economy Fund close 22 November 2024. More information can be found at https://advance.qld.gov.au/grants-and-programs/innovation-economy-fund.

    Quotes attributable to Federal Minister for Cities Jenny McAllister:

    “We want to help grow South East Queensland’s innovation economy.

    “Investing in future technologies and industries will drive innovation, create more high value job opportunities and make South East Queensland an even more exciting place to work and live.”

    “The Albanese Government is working closely with our state and local government partners to deliver initiatives that benefit the community and support the local economy.”

     Quotes attributable to Queensland Minister for State Development and Infrastructure Grace Grace:

    “The SEQ City Deal is a partnership between three levels of government with the aim of supporting jobs, improving connectivity and preserving and enhancing the SEQ region’s liveability.

    “SEQ is an emerging economic powerhouse, with thriving industries and businesses offering new opportunities for employment and business growth for liveable and sustainable communities for the future.

    “The SEQ Innovation Economy Fund will help local governments, industry, public and private entities deliver new and improved innovation infrastructure in SEQ and help grow high-value jobs across the region.”

    Quotes attributable to Queensland Minister for Science and Innovation Leanne Linard:

    “The Queensland Government is committed to building a groundbreaking and thriving innovation economy in South East Queensland.

    “Brisbane, in particular, is one of the fastest growing tech hubs in the country, with more than 185,000 residents expected to be employed in tech hub industries by 2030.

    “This investment by the SEQ Innovation Economy Fund will drive further growth in our critical innovation industries and accelerate the creation of new and exciting knowledge-intensive jobs of the future.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Federation’s THRIVE program helping upskill regional healthcare workers

    Source: Federation University

    Federation University Australia researchers are upskilling regional and rural healthcare workers to manage and prevent chronic diseases with behavioural change techniques.

    Backed by funding from the Department of Education and Training, Federation’s “The Healthy Regions Intervention” (THRIVE) program is training doctors, nurses and health practitioners in a method called Motivational Interviewing (MI), to help people at risk of chronic illness, and those already diagnosed, to adopt healthier lifestyles.

    In the past 18 months, the THRIVE program has trained 127 Victorian practitioners and clinical researchers and plans to double this number in the next 18 months.

    Healthcare workers participating in the program are equipped with advanced behaviour change expertise to assist sufferers of chronic diseases including cardiovascular disorders, hypertension, metabolic disorders, respiratory disorders, mental health disorders and cancers, with the aim to change risk behaviours including poor diet, lack of exercise, illicit drug use, and smoking, which can greatly exacerbate the impact of these conditions.

    Participating agencies include Silverchain, Ballarat Community Health, East Grampians Health Service, Goulburn Valley Community Health, Rural City of Ararat, Western Alliance: Academic Health Science Centre, as well as independent practitioners. Federation physiotherapy students now also receive advanced MI training, preparing them to help their future patients and communities.

    The THRIVE MI training is based on the Happy Life Club initiative which also been delivered in partnership with regional and national governments in Beijing, Nanjing, and Shenzhen, China, where it has won a China National Health Innovation Award.

    THRIVE is led by Distinguished Professors Colette Browning and Shane Thomas and Professors Fadi Charchar and Britt Klein and was established in 2022 to support rural and regional Victorian communities. THRIVE not only provides training but also conducts important research and has contributed to global guidelines on managing hypertension and published over 70 scientific papers.

    Quote attributable to Federation University Australia Executive Dean, Institute of Health and Wellbeing, and Pro Vice-Chancellor, Research, Professor Remco Polman

    “Behaviour change is a key tool in reducing global rates and burden of chronic diseases and many healthcare workers lack advanced training. Well-implemented behaviour change programs delivered by skilled practitioners, such as THRIVE provides, offer substantial health benefits to the community. Motivational Interviewing has proven to be very effective and cost-efficient in significantly improving patient outcomes.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Labor delivers biggest ever back-to-back surpluses

    Source: Australian Treasurer

    The Final Budget Outcome for 2023–24 shows the Albanese Government’s responsible economic management has delivered a second consecutive budget surplus.

    The Albanese Government has delivered the first back‑to‑back surpluses in nearly two decades.

    Today’s underlying cash surplus of $15.8 billion (0.6 per cent of GDP) follows the $22.1 billion (0.9 per cent of GDP) surplus delivered in 2022–23.

    In dollar terms, these are the biggest back‑to‑back surpluses on record.

    This means Labor has delivered the largest nominal improvement in the budget position in a Parliamentary term.

    Our back‑to‑back surpluses are helping in the fight against inflation, and that’s been acknowledged by the RBA Governor.

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

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

    The stronger budget position means gross debt is $149.1 billion lower in 2023–24 than what was forecast at the election, which means we avoid around $80 billion in interest costs over the decade.

    The surplus is larger than what was forecast at the time of the 2024–25 Budget entirely due to lower payments, not higher taxes.

    In fact, compared to what was forecast at the budget, the tax take went down, not up.

    Payments are $10.2 billion lower than forecast, largely driven by lower demand for some programs and delays in some payments.

    Tax receipts are $5.3 billion lower than forecast, with a challenging outlook ahead as global economic uncertainty has weighed on the prices of our key commodities.

    We’ve been able to turn two big Liberal deficits into two big Labor surpluses because of our responsible approach which includes a combination of banking revenue upgrades and spending restraint.

    We have returned 87 per cent of upwards revisions to tax receipts in 2023–24 since coming to Government. Our predecessors only returned around 40 per cent.

    The level of real payments is now lower than what we inherited. After falling 4.9 per cent in 2022–23, real payments grew in 2023–24 by 2.9 per cent. Real spending growth under our predecessors averaged 4.1 per cent.

    Since coming to Government, we’ve found $77.4 billion in savings and re‑prioritisations, including $12.2 billion in 2023–24, compared to zero expenditure savings in the last budget of our predecessors.

    Payments as a share of GDP were 25.2 per cent of GDP in 2023–24, lower than the 27.1 per cent of GDP forecast at the time of the election.

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

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

    While we’ve been able to deliver these surpluses, we know that structural pressures on the budget are intensifying rather than easing.

    We’ve taken decisive action to address some of the biggest structural spending pressures on the budget through our reforms to the National Disability Insurance Scheme and aged care system and our responsible budget management which means we avoid tens of billions of dollars in interest payments on the Liberal debt we inherited.

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

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Interview with Steve Cannane, RN Breakfast, ABC Radio

    Source: Australian Treasurer

    STEVE CANNANE:

    With interest rates not budging and the Reserve Bank Governor remaining cautious about the sticky inflation figures, the federal government has been eager to find some good economic news, and today, no doubt, they’ll be talking up the Final Budget Outcome for last financial year, which confirms the government has delivered the first back‑to‑back budget surpluses in almost 2 decades, with a surplus of $15.8 billion, which is higher than expected.

    The latest update comes as the federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers has returned from Beijing where he co‑chaired the Australia‑China Strategic Economic Dialogue, and he joins us now. Treasurer, thanks for coming on.

    JIM CHALMERS:

    Thanks for the opportunity, Steve. How are you?

    CANNANE:

    I’m very well, thanks. We’ll come to the economy and your trip to China in a moment. But, first, we have seen an escalation over the weekend in the Middle East with attacks from Israel on targets in Lebanon and now Yemen. How concerned are you and the government about a broader regional conflict breaking out in the Middle East?

    CHALMERS:

    Very concerned. We don’t for one second mourn the death of a leader of a terrorist organisation, but we do mourn the deaths of innocent victims, and too many innocent lives have been lost already. That’s why we need a ceasefire so that the senseless killing of families stops.

    Our primary concern here is the human cost, but obviously a broader regional war, the escalation of this very troubling regional conflict, will have economic consequences as well.

    CANNANE:

    You are just back from China, and China has a series of economic challenges – the housing market is slumping, property developers have been going bust. It seems like the country may not meet its economic growth targets of 5 per cent. Did you see any evidence while you were there that they have got a sensible plan on how to deal with those problems?

    CHALMERS:

    Yes, I did. There couldn’t have been a more important time for us to restart our Strategic Economic Dialogue with China. It’s a really important part of stabilising the relationship, which is full of complexity and full of economic opportunity.

    While I was there the Chinese authorities announced some quite substantial steps when it comes to supporting growth in the Chinese economy. We’ve made it really clear that weakness in the Chinese economy has been a big concern for us. It’s a big part of the global economic uncertainty that we’re dealing with. The government’s efforts to support more economic activity in the Chinese economy, they are good for Australia and they’re very welcome.

    CANNANE:

    Steelmakers have been struggling in China. What impact will that continue to have on iron ore prices and the budget bottom line in Australia?

    CHALMERS:

    Already in the course of last week there were 2 key days – Tuesday and Thursday – and through the course of the week the iron ore price recovered a little bit, not a lot, but it recovered a little bit. That is a sign of the very positive response to the announcements made by the Chinese government, the Chinese authorities.

    They’ve got issues in the property sector which they are trying to address and trying to deal with. There are obviously issues with consumption, and so these efforts that they’re putting in to boost their economy, to support more activity in the economy, it’s a good thing for Australia.

    If you look at our Treasury forecasts in the Budget, we’re anticipating the weakest few years of Chinese growth really since that economy opened up in the late 1970s. That’s been a big concern for us. We’ve been upfront about that. Any efforts to try to turn that around in China is a good thing for us.

    CANNANE:

    We haven’t heard any announcements on the lifting of trade restrictions on Australian lobsters. Why is China being so stubborn around that export market?

    CHALMERS:

    A little bit more work to do, but we shouldn’t forget that of the $21 billion in trade restrictions, about $20 billion of those have been lifted because of the good work of the PM, Trade Minister Farrell and Foreign Minister Wong. Most of those trade restrictions have been lifted. That’s a good thing. We’ve got a bit more work to do on lobster, but I was able to convey directly to Chinese leaders that we want to see the speedy resolution of those issues.

    CANNANE:

    So why are they being stubborn on that particular market?

    CHALMERS:

    I wouldn’t necessarily describe it in that way. They’ve said –

    CANNANE:

    Except that you believe in free trade, so –

    CHALMERS:

    That’s why I welcome the fact that 20 of the $21 billion in restrictions have been lifted already. I want to see these trade restrictions lifted on lobster, no question about it. I conveyed that very directly to the Chinese leaders that I met with. There’s a little bit more work that our agencies are doing, our agriculture and trade authorities on both sides of the equation are working to try to get those last remaining restrictions lifted.

    CANNANE:

    Let’s move on to the Final Budget Outcome. In May you were predicting a budget surplus of $9.3 billion. The Final Budget Outcome for ’23–4 turned out to be a larger surplus of $15.8 billion. Why the difference?

    CHALMERS:

    The difference was explained entirely by less spending, not more revenue. We actually collected less revenue than we were anticipating at budget time, but spending was substantially down, and that’s what explains the bigger surplus that Katy Gallagher and I are releasing today.

    These 2 surpluses are an important demonstration of the responsible economic management which is a defining feature of our Albanese Labor government. These will be the first consecutive surpluses in almost 2 decades. In dollar terms we’re talking about the biggest budget improvement ever in a parliamentary term, and that’s because we’ve turned 2 very big Liberal deficits into 2 big Labor surpluses, and that’s a good thing.

    CANNANE:

    You said less spending. So what decisions have you made since May that have reduced spending?

    CHALMERS:

    There are a whole range of contributors to that lower spending figure. A large amount of it is demand‑driven programs. But what we’ve also shown over the course of our two‑and‑a‑bit years in government is we found almost $80 billion in savings.

    The key to these 2 surpluses is the fact that when we’ve got upward revisions to revenue because the labour market has been a bit stronger or our exports have been performing well, we’ve banked almost all of those upward revisions to revenue. If we hadn’t shown that spending restraint we wouldn’t be anywhere near these 2 consecutive surpluses for the first time in almost 2 decades.

    CANNANE:

    So, is it just underspending by certain government departments, or is it actual decisions that you’ve made since May to reduce spending?

    CHALMERS:

    The $80 billion in savings are decisions. The spending restraint is a decision. A substantial amount of the improvement since May is in demand‑driven programs. There is some underspending, and we detail that when we release all of the figures today.

    CANNANE:

    And to what degree is it as a result of higher than expected commodity prices? Because in that May Budget you did low ball the commodity prices estimates, didn’t you?

    CHALMERS:

    We always take a deliberately conservative approach to commodity prices, and that’s been warranted. In fact, in the last few months our commodity prices have been quite low. Sometimes they’ve actually been below the assumptions that we’ve put in the Budget.

    The improvement from our expectations of a surplus in May to the Final Budget Outcome that we’re reporting today is not about more revenue, it’s not about higher commodity prices, it’s not about more taxes. It’s about less spending. Our revenue has actually gone down from what we expected in May.

    CANNANE:

    So when you talk about these demand‑driven savings, are you talking about, for example, fewer welfare payments because employment is so strong? The unemployment rate is very low at the moment?

    CHALMERS:

    The unemployment rate has ticked up a bit since the middle of last year, but broadly, as we’ve expected, the economy is creating a lot of jobs.

    That’s a good prompt to remember that these 2 surpluses today are really important. They mean that there’s less debt and less interest to repay on that debt. But it’s part of a bigger story of progress that Australia has made in the last couple of years.

    We’ve created in this parliamentary term around a million jobs, inflation has halved, real wages are growing again, we’ve got tax cuts flowing to every taxpayer. These are all good developments, and we know that people are still doing it tough but the fact that we’re making progress, cleaning up the budget, providing cost‑of‑living relief, investing in housing and skills and energy and a Future Made in Australia, all of this together justifies the responsible approach that we are taking to the budget and to the economy.

    CANNANE:

    Okay. Let’s talk about the forecast for next year. There’s a forecast for a deficit of $28.3 billion. Is there any readjustment, and will you be trying to make that closer to a surplus to put more downward pressure on inflation and interest rates?

    CHALMERS:

    The numbers we’re releasing today are for the last year, not for the year that we’re in right now. We’ll update this year’s figure in the mid‑year budget update toward the end of the year in the usual way.

    But already this $28 billion deficit we’ve got currently for this year, that’s about $19 billion better than what it was expected to be when we came to office. It was a $47 billion deficit when we came to office. It’s now a $28 billion deficit, so even where –

    CANNANE:

    But those figures were based on coming out of a pandemic. So is that the kind of baseline you should be measuring yourself against?

    CHALMERS:

    Every government measures itself compared to what it inherited from its predecessors. We’ve made really quite extraordinary progress on the budget when it comes to cleaning up –

    CANNANE:

    But a pandemic is a once‑in‑a‑lifetime event. It’s not necessarily the fault of a previous government.

    CHALMERS:

    No, but for the year that we’re talking about, Steve, they’re talking about the forecasts for the post‑pandemic period. The year that we’re in now was not anticipated by our predecessors or by us to be impacted by the pandemic, which was at its worst a few years ago.

    We are talking here about a $172 billion improvement in just 2 years in the budget. That’s because we’ve shown spending restraint. We’ve banked upward revisions to revenue. We’ve found $80 billion in savings. We’ve taken the right economic decisions for the right economic reasons. Today’s Final Budget Outcome is a demonstration of that.

    CANNANE:

    Treasurer, can you just clear it up who asked for the Treasury advice on changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax and the policy implications of that?

    CHALMERS:

    As I made clear last week in Brisbane and then later in the week in Beijing, it’s not unusual for people in my job as treasurer to get advice on contentious issues. And I think –

    CANNANE:

    So you asked for it?

    CHALMERS:

    I get advice all the time on all the various issues in the economy, including negative gearing. That’s not especially unusual. I’ve said that already. I said that on Wednesday in Brisbane, said it on Friday in Beijing, saying it to you on Radio National Breakfast.

    CANNANE:

    But you’re not answering the question about whether you asked for that advice.

    CHALMERS:

    Sometimes the advice comes unprompted. Sometimes it’s sought by me.

    On this occasion, when there’s a contentious issue in the public domain and we’ve got a severe shortage of housing, of course treasurers get advice from their department on these sorts of issues. That’s what’s happened here. But as we’ve made very clear, Steve –

    CANNANE:

    So should we all assume that you did ask for it, then?

    CHALMERS:

    I get advised on it all the time. Sometimes it’s sought by me. Sometimes it’s provided in the course of things like the Tax Expenditure Statement that we release every year. But what I’m trying to convey to your listeners, Steve, is that this is not an unusual thing. This is a treasurer doing his job.

    We’ve made it really clear that we’ve got a housing policy already, and this isn’t part of it.

    CANNANE:

    So why is it a state secret about whether you asked for that advice or not?

    CHALMERS:

    It’s not. I’ve made it clear on a number of occasions now in the course of the best part of a week that I got this advice because it was a contentious issue, it was in the public domain and it was a big part of the parliamentary debate as well.

    CANNANE:

    Okay. Treasurer, we thank you for your time this morning.

    CHALMERS:

    Thanks for your time, Steve. All the best.

    CANNANE:

    Thanks a lot. Jim Chalmers, the Treasurer, talking to us there on Radio National Breakfast.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Sydney Airport announces shake-up of Domestic Travel Essentials

    Source: Sydney Airport

    Monday 30 September 2024

    Sydney Airport is thrilled to announce that Lagardère AWPL has been awarded the Domestic Travel Essentials retail contract following a successful tender.

    The new retail offering which spans 2,500sqm across 14 locations will redefine the traditional news, books and convenience model by including technology and pharmacy, LEGO stores, and a new concept for Relay.

    The new stores will provide passengers with the opportunity to pick up the essentials across a number of convenient locations before they board.

    As part of the new retail offering, Sydney Airport will now showcase one of the largest Travel Essentials stores in Australia with a mega store of over 650sqm in T2 Domestic.

    Mark Zaouk, Group Executive Commercial at Sydney Airport, commented, “We’re flipping the script on the traditional travel essentials model to deliver a new and fresh concept for travellers who desire more from their airport experience at Australia’s busiest airport terminal.

    “Our goal is to create a collaborative environment where anything is possible, ensuring that customer service goes beyond five stars to deliver a world-class experience, and Lagardère AWPL’s creative vision aligns perfectly with that goal – we’re excited to see their plans realised at our domestic terminals.”

    Costa Kouros, LagardereAWPL CEO, said: “We are delighted to be awarded the Travel Essentials portfolio at T2 and T3 Domestic terminals at Sydney Airport.

    “Our new Travel Essentials offering at Sydney Airport will see the experience transform with the addition of new categories and products.

    “The new offerings will also showcase our commitment to sustainability, from material selection to waste and energy reduction.”

    This significant decision marks a transformative moment for the airport, setting the stage for a groundbreaking retail experience that goes far beyond the traditional news and books offering for the 27 million passengers who travel through the Domestic terminals each year.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Maitland Hospital welcomes new staff

    Source: New South Wales Government 2

    Headline: Maitland Hospital welcomes new staff

    Published: 30 September 2024

    Released by: Minister for Health

    Maitland Hospital has welcomed an influx of new team members including nurses, midwives, doctors and allied health professionals, as part of a major boost to workforce capacity in the region.

    Between July 2023 and September 2024, the hospital increased its number of full-time equivalent (FTE) staff by 10 per cent, growing by 121 FTE and bringing the total to 1,095 FTE.

    The staffing increase reflects Maitland’s growing appeal as a place to live and work, supported by the region’s expanding healthcare sector and the $470 million Hospital on Metford Road, which opened in March 2022.

    Maitland Hospital has worked hard to improve staff retention, build a supportive work environment, and focus on growth and development opportunities – including through training and education, upskilling into specialty positions, pathway programs and leadership development.

    The Minns Labor Government has introduced a broad suite of initiatives to further strengthen the state’s regional health workforce, including:

    • Implementing the Safe Staffing Levels initiative in our emergency departments
    • Providing permanent funding for 1,112 FTE nurses and midwives on an ongoing basis
    • Abolishing the wages cap and delivering the highest pay increase in over a decade for nurses and other health workers
    • Doubling the Rural Health Workforce Incentives Scheme – from $10,000 to $20,000 to fill to attract, train and retain health workers in some of the hardest to fill critically vacant positions in rural and regional NSW.
    • Beginning to roll out 500 additional paramedics in regional, rural and remote communities.
    • An investment of an additional $200.1 million to deliver more health worker accommodation in regional, rural and remote communities.

    Quotes attributable to Minister for Regional Health, Ryan Park

    “I’d like to warmly welcome Maitland’s newest team members and thank them for choosing a fulfilling career with NSW Health.

    “Attracting and retaining healthcare workers in regional settings is a longstanding challenge faced by every state and territory in Australia. and the Minns Labor Government is committed to building a more supported regional health workforce.

    “Hunter New England Local Health District’s success in growing its staff is a positive indication that we’re addressing this issue directly and that our workforce initiatives are making a difference.”

    Quotes attributable to Member for Maitland, Jenny Aitchison

    “Maitland’s reputation as a great place to live, work, and raise a family is clear.

    “The significant increase in staffing at Maitland Hospital reflects the confidence that healthcare professionals have in Maitland’s future and the exceptional quality of life our region provides.

    “We know there have been significant improvements needed at Maitland Hospital for years, it’s great that the Minister and the entire Minns Labor government are listening and acting to improve this fantastic facility for patients, nurses, doctors, ancillary staff and the broader community.”

    Quotes attributable to Acting General Manager Maitland Hospital, Jenny Martin

    “The Maitland region is a fantastic place to live and work, and we look forward to welcoming more colleagues and their families into our vibrant community.

    “The growth in staff numbers, including a nine per cent increase in nurses and midwives, 17 per cent in doctors, and five per cent in allied health professionals, reflects our commitment to both excellent patient care and supporting our colleagues in their professional careers.”

    Quotes attributable to Maitland Hospital Senior Resident Medical Officer Oncology, Sharmila K C

    “I moved to Maitland from Bendigo, Victoria, in February and was drawn to Hunter New England Local Health District’s strong reputation for mentorship, training, and commitment to education.

    “Maitland Hospital offers an incredibly supportive environment for both patients and staff, with a close-knit collaborative team culture that focuses on empathy and communication.

    “It’s an exciting time to be part of this community and contribute to the growth of health services in the Maitland region.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Australian Government welcomes new ALGA President

    Source: Australian Ministers 1

    The Australian Government welcomes Cr Matt Burnett as the newly-elected president of the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA).

    Cr Burnett brings extensive experience in the local government sector, having served for 24 years, including as ALGA’s Vice President since 2020, as the Mayor of Queensland’s Gladstone Regional Council since 2016 and before that as Deputy Mayor for five years. 

    He also represents Central Queensland on the Local Government Association of Queensland Policy Executive and is a Director on the Board.

    As National President of ALGA, Cr Burnett will represent the Australian local government sector on the national stage, such as the Australian Council of Local Governments (ACLG), the Local Government Ministers’ Forum, as well as meetings of the National Cabinet and other Australian Government forums.

    The Government also recognises the leadership of outgoing President Linda Scott and thanks her for her service to local government, which began in 2012. 

    This includes eight years at ALGA, four being in the role of National President advocating for and representing the sector, as well as service as former President of Local Government NSW and Deputy Lord Mayor and councillor for the City of Sydney.

    The Government will continue to partner with local government to ensure our towns, cities and regions remain great places to live, work and do business.

    Quotes attributable to Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister, Catherine King:

    “I congratulate Cr Burnett for his election to the National President role and look forward to continuing our Government’s strong productive working relationship with ALGA and the local government sector more broadly.

    “I also want to thank outgoing President Linda Scott for her tireless advocacy for local government and I wish her all the best for the future.

    “Local governments are a trusted partner of the Australian Government, and we will continue to work with them to drive a brighter future for Australians, no matter where they live.”

    Quotes attributable to Regional Development and Local Government Minister, Kristy McBain:

    “This is a fantastic appointment by ALGA, because Matt Burnett is someone that has long championed the local government sector, and someone who is passionate about our shared priorities for the future.

    “Having recently spent time with Mayor Burnett at Gladstone, it’s clear to see how much he’s delivered for his local community, and I’m excited about what we’ll achieve together in his new national role.

    “I’d like to thank Linda Scott, who’s been central to rebuilding the partnership between local councils and the Commonwealth, which has underpinned our funding increases for the local government sector, and the successful delivery of two Australian Council of Local Government forums.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Supporting age-friendly communities and improving health access for rainbow people key areas of EIT lecturer’s research | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

    Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

    2 hours ago

    Jeffery Adams is a Postgraduate Health Science Lecturer at EIT Auckland.

    Supporting age-friendly communities and improving health access for rainbow people are key parts of an EIT Auckland lecturer’s research.

    Jeffery Adams, Postgraduate Health Science Lecturer at EIT Auckland, says that he has undertaken research and programme evaluation across a number of health areas and settings – including physical activity, alcohol, gambling, mental health and wellbeing, workforce issues, volunteering, and community development/community action.

    A recent research project has been an evaluation of the Office for Seniors age-friendly fund. Jeffery is working with Stephen Neville from Te Pūkenga, who is the lead researcher.

    “We are looking at this funding scheme that the Office for Seniors offers and trying to work out how effective it has been in helping councils and communities either develop an age friendly plan or to implement age friendly projects.”

    “It’s a New Zealand-wide sample with more than sixty different projects that have been funded. We are trying to make a determination about the fund as a whole as to whether it’s achieving outcomes and contributing to communities to be more age friendly.”

    Another project that Stephen and Jeffery are involved in is the validation of an age-friendly survey tool. This is a partnership between the researchers, the Office for Seniors, and the Napier City Council and in association with The Hague University of Applied Sciences. The tool has been successfully trialled by Napier City Council with the aim of rolling it out for use in other communities in New Zealand.

    There are eight domains for determining an age-friendly city – community and health care, transportation, housing, social participation, outdoor spaces and buildings, respect and social inclusion, civic participation and employment, and communication and information. For the Napier study,  validation process involved receiving feedback from a consumer panel in Napier.

    Jeffery says that while New Zealand has areas of age-friendliness, there’s a growing interest among some councils and communities to create more age-friendly environments.

    He says that one difficulty for cities is striking a balance between meeting the needs of everybody, while also ensuring older people’s specific needs are met.

    “An example is that many places have short time limits on their parking, but this can make it more difficult for older people to go out and shop and attend appointments.”

    Another focus area for Jeffery is the health and wellbeing of rainbow people (an umbrella term used to describe people of diverse sexualities, genders, and variations of sex characteristics). This research has included studies focused on mental health, alcohol consumption, HIV and sexual health promotion, and Asian gay men. It has been funded by a number of agencies including the NZ AIDS Foundation, Ministry of Health and the Health Promotion Agency and is characterised by engagement with community organisations and employment of community members as research team members.   

    Jeffery’s most recent project is examining data from the New Zealand Health Survey to ascertain the healthcare experiences and health behaviours of lesbian, gay and bisexual people. This work was funded by Massey University and is set to be published soon in New Zealand and Australian publications.

    Last year Jeffery and Stephen Neville wrote an article entitled Rainbow health in Aotearoa New Zealand – finally getting the attention it deserves?  which was published in the Journal of Primary Health Care.

    The authors wrote that the health of rainbow people had until now largely been ignored in government health policy.

    “However this has changed with the release by Te Whatu Ora and Te Aka Whai Ora of Te Pae Tata: Interim New Zealand Health Plan, which details priority areas to improve health outcomes and equity for all New Zealanders.”

    “Te Pae Tata promises a ‘new health system’ and improved health outcomes for rainbow people. Although this plan provides welcome recognition of inequity, it offers a limited, generalised view on how to improve health for rainbow people. More specific and detailed action plans on how equity might be achieved are required.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI China: 4 killed, 49 wounded in Israeli airstrikes on Yemen’s Hodeidah

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    At least four people were killed and 49 others wounded on Sunday in Israeli airstrikes on Yemen’s Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, the Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported, citing health sources.

    The al-Masirah TV described the attacks as “Israeli aggression,” detailing that the port in the Ras Issa area and power stations in the districts of Al-Hali and Al-Katheeb were attacked.

    “Four people were killed, including a port worker and three engineers at Al-Hali electricity power station,” the television said, adding that 49 others were injured and rescue operations are still ongoing.

    Earlier in the day, Israel’s military said it had conducted airstrikes on Houthi targets in Hodeidah, striking power plants and a seaport which it alleged the Houthis used for transferring weapons, military supplies, and oil.

    The air raid involved dozens of aircraft, including fighter jets, mid-air refueling planes, and intelligence aircraft, with the targets located approximately 1,800 km from Israel.

    A pro-government Yemeni official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Xinhua that more than ten airstrikes targeted key infrastructure, including oil tanks, airport, and other port facilities along the Red Sea coast.

    Meanwhile, residents said they heard jets roaring overhead, and ambulances were seen rushing through the streets. They added that Houthi fighters have cordoned off the targeted areas.

    Meanwhile, the Houthi group issued a statement, informing residents in areas under its control that “it has already taken the necessary measures for any emergency and that the fuel supply is stable.”

    The Israeli military said that “the strikes were carried out in response to recent attacks by the Houthis against Israel,” referring to two missiles launched toward central Israel from Yemen — one fired at a military target in the Jaffa area of Tel Aviv on Friday and the other targeting the Ben Gurion Airport, near Tel Aviv, on Saturday. Both missiles, intercepted by Israel’s aerial defenses, caused no injuries.

    The Israeli airstrikes on Houthi targets expanded its confrontation with Iran’s allies in the region after killing Hezbollah’s top leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, on Friday in an escalating conflict in Lebanon.

    Yemen’s Houthis have launched sporadic attacks on Israel and disrupted “Israeli-linked” shipping in the Red Sea since November last year, allegedly to support Palestinians in their conflict with Israelis.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Taiwan gathering expresses opposition to ‘Taiwan independence’ narrative

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    Around 1,600 people from various sectors in Taiwan gathered at an event Saturday, calling for a distancing from “Taiwan independence” and expressing their desire and determination for peace, dialogue and reunification.
    Most attendees wore coordinated jackets with the following message printed on the back: “Supporting the 1992 Consensus, caring for people’s well-being, rejecting ‘Taiwan independence,’ and advocating cross-Strait peace and shared prosperity.”
    The event in New Taipei City involved a number of political parties and civil organizations.
    The 1992 Consensus serves as the political foundation for mutual trust between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, with its core meaning being that both sides belong to one China, said Hung Hsiu-chu, former chairperson of the Chinese Kuomintang party and chair of the Taiwan-based Chinese Cyan Geese Peace Education Foundation, at the event.
    Hung criticized the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities for ignoring and distorting history, suppressing dissent on the island, clinging to the United States, and provoking confrontation with the mainland.
    Calling on the two sides of the Strait to work together toward national reunification, she urged the people of Taiwan, especially the youth, to understand and identify with Chinese history and cultural traditions, and to be aware of the historical mission they shoulder.
    “I am Chinese and I am proud. As Chinese people, we should not be afraid to say it openly,” said Wu Cheng-tien, chairman of the New Party, at the event.
    For both sides of the Strait, there is no better path than peaceful reunification and people in Taiwan bear the great responsibility to strive together for the cause, Wu added.
    Wu Jung-yuan, chairman of the Labor Party in Taiwan, urged the people of Taiwan to be highly vigilant given the current situation where Taiwan, through the collusion of “Taiwan independence” separatists and external forces, has been tied to a war machine — which is dragging the island toward the brink of conflict.
    The event, at which people stood up to voice opposition to war and “Taiwan independence” and show support for peaceful reunification, aimed to demonstrate that the “Taiwan independence” path is not supported by most people in Taiwan, said Gao An-go, a retired military officer and one of the event’s organizers.
    “We all earnestly hope for a peaceful and stable environment, but right now, this beautiful island is rapidly slipping into a dangerous situation, and the people of Taiwan feel a deep sense of fear and helplessness about the future,” said Xiong Zi-jie, president of the Hunan Chamber of Commerce in Taiwan.
    “This is why we must completely sweep ‘Taiwan independence’ separatists into the dustbin of history and restore a peaceful and prosperous Taiwan for its people. Once the scourge of ‘Taiwan independence’ is removed, peaceful reunification will be within reach,” he said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s top political advisor urges renewed efforts in building community for Chinese nation

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    Wang Huning, China’s top political advisor, on Sunday called for greater efforts in building the community for the Chinese nation.
    Wang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, made these remarks while meeting with a visiting group of role models for ethnic unity and progress honored by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council this year.
    Hailing the role models for their remarkable contributions, Wang expressed hope that they would continue to set good examples of supporting the Party, being patriotic and loving the people.
    He also urged them to take the lead in forging a sense of community for the Chinese nation, promoting comprehensive and in-depth reform, and realizing common prosperity for people of all ethnic groups.
    A grand meeting honoring role models for ethnic unity and progress was held in Beijing this Friday, where 352 groups and 368 individuals were honored. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Deputy Vice Chancellors appointed at Australia’s newest major university

    Source: University of South Australia

    30 September 2024

    (Left to right): Ms Paula Ward, Mr Tom Steer, Mr Paul Beard, Mr Bruce Lines, Professor Steve Larkin, Professor Joanne Cys, Professor Jessica Gallagher, Professor Peter Høj AC, Professor David Lloyd FTSE, Professor John Williams AM, and Professor Anton Middelberg FTSE.

    Adelaide University has today announced the appointment of its first Deputy Vice Chancellors (DVCs).

    The selection of these important roles marks a significant milestone in the creation of a globally recognised institution committed to educational excellence and societal impact.

    Adelaide University co-Vice Chancellors, Professor Peter Høj and Professor David Lloyd, said the selection of the DVCs will provide strong foundational leadership through this time of transition and transformation.

    The Adelaide University DVCs are:

    • Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic: Professor John Williams AM
    • Deputy Vice Chancellor Corporate: Mr Paul Beard
    • Deputy Vice Chancellor Indigenous: Professor Steve Larkin
    • Deputy Vice Chancellor International & External Engagement: Professor Jessica Gallagher
    • Deputy Vice Chancellor People & Culture: Ms Paula Ward
    • Deputy Vice Chancellor Research & Innovation: Professor Anton Middelberg FTSE
    • Deputy Vice Chancellor Student Experience & Success: Mr Tom Steer
    • Provost & Deputy Vice Chancellor: Professor Joanne Cys

    “We congratulate our newly appointed colleagues who we know will provide the vision, expertise and guidance in realising our collective ambitions for a new university for the future,” Professors Lloyd and Høj said.

    “This leadership group have a tremendous depth of talent and we very much look forward to continuing our important work in creating a world-class contemporary and comprehensive institution and member of Australia’s prestigious and research-intensive Group of Eight [Go8].”

    The extensive recruitment process was conducted independently by nation-leading firm, Boyden Australia.

    The appointed DVCs will commence their roles on 1 October 2024 and Adelaide University will commence its operations on 1 January 2026.  

    International student applications are now open and research degrees will be open for application in early 2025.

    Local student applications and acceptances for coursework programs will open in August 2025 ahead of the 2026 academic year.

    Ends

    Media contacts

    Crispin Savage M: +61 481 912 462 E: Crispin.Savage@adelaide.edu.au; Candy Gibson M: +61 434 605 142 E: Candy.Gibson@unisa.edu.au  

    Other articles you may be interested in

    MIL OSI News –

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

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

    Shutterstock

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

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

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

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

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

    What do our laws say?

    Australia ratified the Genocide Convention in 1949.

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

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

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

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

    Thorpe’s bill seeks to overturn these two measures.

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

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

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

    Why is it a problem?

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

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

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

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

    Has the rule been used?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    What would changing the laws mean?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

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

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

    MMD Creative/Shutterstock

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

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

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

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

    Negativity thrives online

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

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

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

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

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

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

    ‘Havoc’ in online multiplayer games

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Enter AI Ally

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    We can all play a role

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

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

    Source: Green Party

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

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

    Source: Government of Western Australia

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Community drop-in sessions

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

    MIL OSI News –