Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi calls for deepening building of China-Vietnam community with a shared future

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

    Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president, holds talks with To Lam, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee, at the CPV Central Committee headquarters in Hanoi, Vietnam, April 14, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    HANOI, April 14 — Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese president, on Monday called for deepening the building of a China-Vietnam community with a shared future.

    Xi made the remarks when meeting with General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee To Lam during his state visit to Vietnam.

    Xi pointed out that he was very pleased to pay a state visit to Vietnam and realize the first round of mutual visits with General Secretary To Lam.

    This year marks the 95th anniversary of the founding of the CPV, the 80th anniversary of the founding of Vietnam and the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the South, he said, extending warm congratulations to Vietnam on behalf of the CPC and the Chinese government.

    China will, as always, support Vietnam in taking a socialist path that suits its national conditions, successfully holding the 14th National Congress of the CPV in 2026, and its steadfast pursuit of realizing the two goals set for the centenary of the party and the country.

    This year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Vietnam, as well as the China-Vietnam Year of People-to-People Exchanges, said Xi, stressing that over the past 75 years, regardless of changes in the international landscape, China and Vietnam have supported each other in the struggle for national independence and liberation, advanced side by side in the cause of socialist development, and forged ahead in their respective modernization endeavors, setting an example of solidarity and cooperation between socialist countries.

    Facing the changing and turbulent world, China and Vietnam have stayed committed to peaceful development and deepened their friendly cooperation, bringing much-needed stability and certainty to the world, Xi said.

    Standing at a new historical starting point, the two sides should build on past achievements, forge ahead together and carry forward the profound traditional friendship featuring “camaraderie plus brotherhood,” said Xi.

    Guided by the overall goals of achieving higher political mutual trust, more solid security cooperation, deeper practical cooperation, stronger public support, closer multilateral coordination and better management and resolution of differences, the two countries should work to advance their comprehensive strategic cooperation with high quality, ensure steady and sustained progress in building a China-Vietnam community with a shared future, and contribute even more to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, Xi said.

    Building the China-Vietnam community with a shared future carries great global significance, Xi said, noting that as the two countries jointly pursue peaceful development, their combined population of over 1.5 billion is jointly advancing toward modernization, which will contribute to regional and global peace and stability while promoting common development.

    Both countries are committed to opening up and have played a constructive role in maintaining the stability and smooth operation of regional industrial and supply chains, as well as contributing to the advancement of economic globalization, Xi said.

    A small boat with a lone sail cannot withstand rough seas, Xi said, noting that only by working together in the same boat can they ensure stability and long-term progress.

    He noted that both China and Vietnam are beneficiaries of economic globalization, and the two sides should strengthen strategic resolve, jointly oppose unilateralism and bullying practices, and work together to uphold the global free trade system and maintain the stability of industrial and supply chains.

    Xi proposed six measures to deepen the building of the China-Vietnam community with a shared future.

    First, enhance strategic mutual trust at a higher level.

    Leaders of the two parties and countries should communicate with each other as relatives, Xi said, noting the two sides should give full play to the role of channels including inter-party, legislative bodies and political consultative organizations, deepen the exchange of experience in governance, and improve the leadership of the two parties in promoting national modernization.

    Second, build a stronger security barrier.

    The two sides should set the “3+3” strategic dialogue on diplomacy, defense and public security between the two countries at the ministerial level to enhance strategic coordination.

    It is necessary to give full play to the role of defense and law enforcement security cooperation mechanisms, resolutely tackle online gambling, telecom fraud and other cross-border crimes, strengthen bilateral and multilateral law enforcement and judicial cooperation, especially within the framework of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation, so as to safeguard people’s lives and property and uphold regional peace and stability.

    Third, expand higher quality mutually beneficial cooperation.

    Seize the major opportunities of China’s new quality productive forces and Vietnam’s new productive forces to accelerate the formation of practical cooperation between the two countries. Realize the comprehensive connection of standard-gauge railways, highways, and smart ports at an early date. Promote high-tech cooperation such as artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things. China’s mega market is always open to Vietnam, and the country welcomes more high-quality Vietnamese products. China encourages its companies to invest in Vietnam and hopes that Vietnam will create a more fair and friendly business environment.

    Fourth, tighten the bonds of people-to-people ties.

    China and Vietnam should take the China-Vietnam Year of People-to-People Exchanges as an opportunity and organize more people-oriented exchange activities, and enhance cooperation in tourism, culture, media, public health and other fields.

    The two sides should continue to explore resources of revolutionary heritage and promote stories of friendship. In the next three years, China will invite Vietnamese youth to China for “Red Study Tours,” which will help the younger generation of both countries better understand the hard-won nature of the socialist countries and the great value of China-Vietnam good-neighborliness and friendly cooperation, and will cultivate greater vitality for the development of bilateral relations and the respective national development endeavors.

    Fifth, conduct closer multilateral coordination.

    China and Vietnam should jointly uphold the outcomes of World War II, firmly safeguard the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order based on international law, promote a more equal and orderly multi-polar world and an economic globalization that is more inclusive and beneficial for all, and enhance cooperation under the frameworks of the three major global initiatives.

    China will stay committed to the principles of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness, and to the policy of pursuing friendship and partnership with its neighbors. It will deepen friendly cooperation with neighboring countries so that the fruits of Chinese modernization can better benefit the region.

    Sixth, achieve more positive maritime interaction.

    The two countries should earnestly implement the consensus reached by leaders of the two countries, properly manage maritime issues, expand maritime cooperation, demonstrate resolve in launching joint development, and work toward the early conclusion of a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea.

    For his part, To Lam extended a warm welcome to Xi on his state visit to Vietnam, which took place on the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. He said that Xi is not only an outstanding leader of the Chinese people but also a great friend of the Vietnamese people.

    Xi’s choice to make Vietnam his first overseas destination this year fully reflects the importance he attaches to China-Vietnam relations and his support for Vietnam, the Vietnamese leader said. This visit will mark a new milestone in the history of friendly exchanges between the two parties and countries, further advancing the building of a China-Vietnam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance, he added.

    Under Xi’s strong leadership, To Lam noted, China has achieved historic accomplishments in advancing socialism with Chinese characteristics, made comprehensive progress in its path to modernization, and witnessed rapid development of new quality productive forces. With China’s international stature on the rise, Vietnam extends its congratulations and expresses gratitude for China’s long-standing support and assistance, he said.

    Emphasizing that both Vietnam and China are socialist countries under the leadership of a communist party, To Lam said that developing relations with China is an objective requirement, a strategic choice, and a top priority for Vietnam. Vietnam firmly adheres to the one-China policy, supports China’s efforts toward national reunification, and resolutely opposes any separatist actions aimed at “Taiwan independence,” he said.

    Advancing Vietnam-China relations, To Lam noted, is in the fundamental interest of both peoples and conforms with the trend of the times. Vietnam looks forward to strengthening high-level exchanges between the two parties and countries, enhancing exchanges on governance experience, deepening strategic security cooperation, and continually consolidating political mutual trust; further elevating bilateral cooperation by creating new highlights in areas such as trade, science and technology, infrastructure and environmental protection; and promoting people-to-people exchanges, encouraging local and youth interactions, and enhancing tourism cooperation to nurture closer bonds between the peoples, he said.

    Vietnam supports the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind and the three major global initiatives proposed by Xi, To Lam said. Vietnam lauds the vision set forth during the CPC’s central conference on work related to neighboring countries, which envisions building a peaceful, safe and secure, prosperous, beautiful and amicable home with neighboring countries and insists on fostering friendly, mutually beneficial and prosperous relationships, he said.

    Vietnam is ready to strengthen coordination and cooperation with China, uphold multilateralism and the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, safeguard international trade rules, abide by the agreements signed by both sides, and jointly make greater contributions to world peace and human progress, To Lam said, adding that Vietnam is also willing to properly address maritime differences with China to ensure maritime stability.

    Before the talks, To Lam invited Xi to a small-group chat over tea. The two general secretaries exchanged views on party building and national governance. Xi stressed that party building is crucial to the destiny of the party and the country, and that the party’s work style bears on whether it can win public support. The CPC Central Committee has decided to carry out an in-depth campaign throughout the party this year to learn and implement the spirit of the eight-point decision on improving work conduct. This is intended to secure new achievements in work style transformation to further support comprehensive reform and advance modernization. Both general secretaries agreed to strengthen exchanges and mutual learning, and pursue progress in socialist development.

    After the talks, the two leaders witnessed the display of 45 bilateral cooperation documents signed by China and Vietnam. These documents cover areas including connectivity, artificial intelligence, customs inspection and quarantine, agricultural trade, culture and sports, public welfare, human resource development, media, and more.

    Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president, holds talks with To Lam, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee, at the CPV Central Committee headquarters in Hanoi, Vietnam, April 14, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president, holds talks with To Lam, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee, at the CPV Central Committee headquarters in Hanoi, Vietnam, April 14, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    To Lam, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee, invites Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president, to a small chat over tea before their talks at the CPV Central Committee headquarters in Hanoi, Vietnam, April 14, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president, and To Lam, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee, witness the display of 45 bilateral cooperation documents signed by the two sides after their talks in Hanoi, Vietnam, April 14, 2025. Xi held talks with To Lam at the CPV Central Committee headquarters on Monday. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi urges China, Vietnam to jointly march toward modernization

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

    Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president, meets with Chairman of the National Assembly of Vietnam Tran Thanh Man at the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee headquarters in Hanoi, Vietnam, April 14, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    HANOI, April 14 — Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday called on China and Vietnam to march toward modernization hand in hand.

    In his meeting with Chairman of the National Assembly of Vietnam Tran Thanh Man, Xi also urged the two sides to inject more stability and positive energy into the world.

    Xi pointed out that his state visit to Vietnam once again allowed him to witness the new achievements in Vietnam’s cause of Doi Moi (reform) and personally experience the profound foundation of China-Vietnam friendship.

    At present, China is comprehensively advancing the building of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation through Chinese modernization, and Vietnam will usher in a new era of national rise, Xi said, adding that both sides are at a crucial stage of their respective development and rejuvenation.

    Facing an international landscape fraught with changes and turbulence, Xi said, China and Vietnam should strengthen confidence in their paths and systems, enhance solidarity and coordination, continue to build the China-Vietnam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance, join hands to march toward modernization, and inject more stability and positive energy into the world.

    Xi stressed that both China and Vietnam are socialist countries led by a communist party, and the political direction is crucial to the future of the parties and countries, as well as the success of their causes.

    Xi said the top leaders of the two parties and countries should exchange views on bilateral relations and major issues of common concern in a timely manner, continue to build consensus, enhance mutual trust and steer the course steadily, so as to ensure the steady progress of China-Vietnam relations.

    It is necessary to maintain exchanges and cooperation between the two parties, legislative bodies and political consultative organizations, and to keep sharing governance experiences, Xi added.

    The two sides should take the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations and the China-Vietnam Year of People-to-People Exchanges as an opportunity to carry forward the “red gene” and make good use of the revolutionary resources to enhance mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples, especially the young generation, and strengthen the friendly bond between the two countries, Xi added.

    Recognizing the frequent exchanges and fruitful cooperation between China’s National People’s Congress and Vietnam’s National Assembly, Xi said the two countries’ legislatures should do more to strengthen traditional friendship, ensure practical cooperation and strengthen multilateral coordination, carry out exchanges on the development of socialist democracy and rule of law, and continuously enrich the substance of the China-Vietnam community with a shared future.

    For his part, Tran Thanh Man said that Vietnam and China, connected by mountains and rivers, have forged a sincere friendship featuring “camaraderie plus brotherhood” under the careful nurturing of successive leaders of the two parties and countries, and the two sides have maintained long-standing friendly relations.

    He said the visit of Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, fully demonstrates the importance attached by the CPC, the country and the Chinese people to Vietnam-China ties.

    He said the two general secretaries have provided important strategic guidance on advancing the building of the Vietnam-China community with a shared future that carries strategic significance, which will open a new chapter in bilateral relations.

    The Vietnamese National Assembly congratulated China for successfully convening the “two sessions” and looked forward to conducting close communication and cooperation with China’s National People’s Congress, implementing the important consensus reached by the top leaders of the two parties and countries, and contributing to the common prosperity and development of the two countries and friendship between the peoples, Tran Thanh Man said.

    Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese president, meets with Chairman of the National Assembly of Vietnam Tran Thanh Man at the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee headquarters in Hanoi, Vietnam, April 14, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pressley Joins Markey, Massachusetts Delegation Demanding Answers on Staff Cuts to Home Energy Program for Vulnerable Households

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)

    Massachusetts has received more than 181,000 requests for heating assistance so far this fiscal year.

    Critically, Massachusetts is still waiting on HHS to release the remaining estimated 10 percent of FY2025 LIHEAP funds.

    Text of Letter (PDF)

    WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) joins Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) and the entire Massachusetts Congressional delegation – Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Representatives Richard Neal (MA-01), Jim McGovern (MA-02), Lori Trahan (MA-03), Jake Auchincloss (MA-04), Katherine Clark (MA-05), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Stephen Lynch (MA-08), and Bill Keating (MA-09)—in writing to Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr., on the sudden termination of the federal staff responsible for administering the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), and the impacts to Massachusetts families who depend on the program to stay safe, healthy, and housed.

    Massachusetts has received more than 181,000 requests for heating assistance so far this fiscal year, with more than 110,000 households already served through March 31. First-time applicants have also surged: more than 27,000 Massachusetts households applied for LIHEAP for the first time this fiscal year, 8 percent more than last year at this point. More than 58 percent of households served so far include at least one elderly member, more than 33 percent include individuals with disabilities, more than 6,500 include a veteran or active-duty military member, and more than 11,500 include young children under age five. Critically, Massachusetts is still waiting on HHS to release the remaining estimated 10 percent of FY2025 LIHEAP funds.

    In the letter, the lawmakers write, “Over the past decade, Massachusetts energy prices have risen two to three times more than the national average. This winter alone, rate increases in Massachusetts hit families hard, with some energy bills doubling over the heating season. In Boston, residents face some of the highest heating costs among cities nationwide. This means that many Massachusetts families are struggling to pay their utility bills.”

    The lawmakers continue, “Although LIHEAP is structured as a block grant administered primarily by states, federal staff provide essential technical assistance—from calculating the complicated allocation formula and distributing block grant funds, to guiding new state LIHEAP directors, reviewing and approving state plans, and monitoring state program implementation. This is not red tape, it is essential governance. Despite serving more than 5 million households nationwide, the entire federal LIHEAP team consisted of only 25 staff—an example of efficient, high-impact federal support.”

    The lawmakers request answers by May 1, 2025, to questions that include:

    • How does HHS plan to preserve the continuity of LIHEAP operations nationwide?
    • How does HHS plan to ensure that states such as Massachusetts can timely access the remaining FY2025 LIHEAP funds appropriated by Congress?
    • With the termination of the LIHEAP staff, who within HHS is now responsible for the program’s operation?
    • Does HHS intend to restore the terminated positions or provide an equivalent staffing structure before the 2025–2026 heating season begins?
    • What measures will HHS implement to ensure communications with state program administrators on vendor enrollment, rule changes, and reporting compliance?
    • Has HHS consulted — formally or informally — with state LIHEAP administrators or community action agencies about these staff terminations, either before or after they occurred?

    A copy of the letter is available here.

    Congresswoman Pressley has been a leading voice in Congress speaking out against Elon Musk and Donald Trump’s unprecedented assault on our democracy and federal agencies, and she has been a steadfast advocate for protecting the essential services that federal workers and agencies provide.

    • On April 9, 2025, Rep. Pressley joined the Massachusetts delegation in sending a letter to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. demanding answers after the abrupt shuttering of the entire HHS Regional Office in Boston.
    • On April 9, 2025, Rep. Pressley led lawmakers in sending a letter to Trump’s trade official demanding he resign from holding multiple positions with clear conflicts of interest that would further harm federal workers.
    • On March 28, 2025, Rep. Pressley issued a statement slamming Trump’s executive order to end collective bargaining rights for hundreds of thousands of federal employees.
    • On March 21, 2025, Rep. Pressley led Massachusetts lawmakers in a letter to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) sharply criticizing and demanding answers about the impact of the Musk-Trump Administration’s mass firings of federal workers in Massachusetts.
    • On March 11, 2025, Rep. Pressley spoke out against the U.S. Department of Education’s mass layoffs of over 1,300 workers, which effectively guts the agency.
    • On March 11, 2025, Rep. Pressley voted against Republicans’ shameful government budget bill, which would harm vulnerable families and provide a blank check for Elon Musk and Donald Trump to continue their unprecedented assault on our democracy. She later issued a statement condemning its final passage in the Senate.
    • On March 11, 2025, Rep. Pressley joined 13 of her colleagues on a letter to the Department of Homeland Security demanding answers and the immediate release of Columbia student Mahmoud Khalil, whose illegal abduction is an attack on his constitutional right to free speech and due process.
    • On March 4, 2025, Rep. Pressley walked out of the House chamber in protest during Donald Trump’s presidential joint address to Congress.
    • On March 4, 2025, Rep. Pressley welcomed Claire Bergstresser, an Everett constituent, dedicated public servant, AFGE union member, and former HUD worker who was unjustly terminated as part of Musk and Trump’s assault on federal agencies as her guest to the presidential joint address to Congress.
    • On February 28, 2025, Rep. Pressley led 85 lawmakers in a letter urging the Office of Special Counsel to immediate reinstate and expand protections for all unfairly fired federal workers.
    • On February 28, 2025, Rep. Pressley joined over 200 Democrats in filing an amicus brief defending the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau before a U.S. District Court.
    • On February 26, 2025, in a House Oversight Committee hearing, Rep. Pressley discussed what true government efficiency looks like and denounced Elon Musk and Donald Trump for utilizing DOGE to gut the essential services that keep people safe, fed, and housed.
    • On February 25, 2025, in a House Oversight Committee hearing, Rep. Pressley condemned Elon Musk’s abuse of government efficiency through the fraudulent Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
    • On February 25, 2025, Rep. Pressley delivered a floor speech in which she railed against Republicans’ cruel budget resolution that would slash Medicaid by nearly $1 trillion.
    • On February 20, 2025, Rep. Pressley and her Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs issued a statement condemning the Trump Administration’s decision to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti.
    • On February 13, 2025, in a House Financial Services Committee hearing, Rep. Pressley emphasized the critical role of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) in safeguarding consumers and sharply criticized Donald Trump and Elon Musk for halting the critical work of the agency.
    • On February 10, 2025, Rep. Pressley rallied with Senator Elizabeth Warren, Ranking Member Maxine Waters, and advocates to protest Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s unlawful takeover of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)
    • On February 11, 2025, in a House Financial Services Committee hearing, Rep. Pressley criticized the Trump-Musk administration for halting the critical work of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) with crypto scams on the rise.
    • On February 10, 2025, Rep. Pressley issued a statement slamming the Trump Administration’s harmful cuts to National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding to support hospitals, universities, and research institutions conducting lifesaving research.
    • On February 10, 2025, as Trump and Musk threaten to dismantle the essential work of the U.S. Department of Education, Rep.  Pressley delivered a powerful floor speech to affirm the role of public education in American democracy.
    • On February 6, 2025, in a House Oversight Committee hearing, Rep. Pressley delivered a powerful rebuke of Republicans’ efforts to gut diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and eliminate essential services for vulnerable communities.
    • On February 5, 2025, Rep. Pressley rallied outside the U.S. Department of Treasury to protest Elon Musk’s unlawful assault on federal agencies and our democracy.
    • On January 30, 2025, Rep. Pressley slammed Donald Trump for blaming the tragic plane crash at Reagan National Airport, which killed over 60 people, including some families from Massachusetts, on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
    • In January 2025, Rep. Pressley issued a statement slamming Trump’s illegal freeze on federal grants and loans and its harmful impact on vulnerable communities.
    • On January 23, 2025, Rep. Pressley delivered an impassioned floor speech condemning Republicans’ cruel anti-abortion bill that criminalizes providers and denies families care.
    • On January 23, 2025, Rep. Pressley joined her colleagues to reintroduce the Neighbors Not Enemies Act, a bill to repeal an outdated law that has been used to target innocent immigrants without due process rights.
    • On January 22, 2025, Rep. Pressley issued a statement condemning the Trump Administration’s harmful executive actions on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Police respond to IPCA report into fatal crash following Ōtaki pursuit

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Police accept the findings by the Independent Police Conduct Authority in relation to a fatal crash which occurred following a Police pursuit near Ōtaki.

    First and foremost, our thoughts and sympathies are with the people and families impacted by this crash.

    On 26 April 2024, police briefly pursued a stolen vehicle on State Highway 1, south of Levin, after it was involved in an aggravated robbery in Ōtaki. Police abandoned the pursuit due to high speeds of the driver. They later found the vehicle driving north in the southbound lane of the expressway and it eventually crashed head on into another vehicle.

    Tragically, the driver and one passenger of the stolen vehicle died, and another passenger suffered serious injuries. The four people in the other vehicle suffered serious to moderate injuries.

    Relieving Central District Commander Inspector Ross Grantham says the IPCA found that overall Police managed this complex and dangerous fleeing driver incident appropriately in the circumstances:

    “The outcome of this incident, which was the death of two young people and serious injuries to five members of the public is a tragedy and was completely avoidable.

    Police use every serious incident as an opportunity to learn and we note the minor breaches of our police policy raised by the IPCA and have taken these onboard,” says Inspector Grantham.

    The IPCA has recommended Police amend their Fleeing Driver Policy to specify that when a police vehicle is carrying crew members, those crew members are responsible for managing police communications during pursuits. Police are considering this recommendation.

    ENDS

    Issued by the Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Police seeking information about speeding motorcyclist, Queenstown

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Please attribute to Sergeant Sam Oram

    Queenstown Police are seeking information from the public after a speeding motorcyclist failed to stop for Police.

    At around 4:20am yesterday (Monday 14 April), a vehicle was seen by Police travelling at around two times the posted speed limit on Frankton Road, near Yewlett Crescent.

    The bike was signalled to stop, however it failed to do so. Due to the speed, Police did not pursue. The last sighting of the bike was at about 4:25am as it travelled past the Z petrol station on Frankton Road, heading towards the Queenstown CBD.

    This driving behaviour puts not only the bike riders at risk, but also other motorists. Police will continue to take a zero-tolerance approach to this kind of behaviour and in all cases where possible, Police will make follow-up enquiries to ensure these dangerous road users are held accountable.

    Police would like to hear from anyone who saw this bike travelling through Queenstown in the early hours of yesterday morning. The bike was a sports bike with two people on it.

    We would also like to hear from anyone with CCTV or dashcam footage of the bike.

    Please contact Police on 105, either over the phone or online, referencing file number 250414/1674.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: New bridge to get traffic flowing 

    Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

    There are brighter days ahead for Tairua with progress on a new 2-lane bridge on State Highway 25 (SH25), which will cull queues of holiday traffic at the single-lane Pepe Stream Bridge. 

    The replacement bridge project is now in the procurement phase ahead of construction starting late next year says NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). 

    “The business case developed by NZTA in 2022 along with engagement with iwi and stakeholders has determined that the preferred option is a 2-lane bridge with an attached shared walking and cycling path to replace the single-lane bridge and a separate pedestrian bridge,” says Regional Manager Infrastructure Delivery, Darryl Coalter. 

    Later this month a community information session will be held at Tairua to update the community and SH25 users on what’s ahead. 

    “With funding confirmed, there is a lot of work ahead to get the bridge designed and consented, but the countdown is on for construction to start by late 2026. All going well NZTA’s target is to have traffic on the new bridge by Christmas 2027. 

    “While NZTA engaged with the community as part of the Business Case development, we are keen to hear what’s important to people who live, work or holiday in the area,” Mr Coalter says. 

    The project team will be at the Tairua Community Hall on Wednesday 30 April, and people can call in any time between 3pm and 6pm. 

    NZTA will be seeking a design and build contract and expects to have a contractor in place later this year. Construction methodology is critical because SH25 needs to remain open during the build. 

    The current bridge crosses a tidal stream on SH25 south of the Tairua town centre.

    The narrow 3-span Pepe Stream bridge as it is today. It opened in 1943.

    The project is part of a wider bridge programme to improve safety, efficiency and resilience on the state highway around the peninsula. 

    Work will begin later this year at the Boundary Creek Bridge on the Thames Coast north of Te Mata.  Design of a new 2-lane bridge to replace the single lane bridge Ramarama Stream Bridge on SH25, just north of Whiritoa, is also underway.   

     

    MIL OSI New Zealand News

  • MIL-OSI Security: India native in the U.S. Navy returns aboard USS Ralph Johnson for exercise Tiger Triumph 2025

    Source: United States Navy Pacific Fleet 1

    VISAKHAPATNAM, Andra Pradesh, India (April 7, 2025) Operations Specialist 3rd Class Neet Patel, 26, assigned to the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Ralph Johnson (DDG 114), moved to the United States from Gujarat, on the west coast of India, with his parents and brother in 2014. He joined the Navy three years ago, seeing it as an opportunity for a career.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorneys for Southwestern Border Districts Charge More than 1,020 Illegal Aliens with Immigration-Related Crimes During the Second week in April as part of Operation Take Back America.

    Source: United States Attorneys General 13

    Since the inauguration of President Trump, the Department of Justice is playing a critical role in Operation Take back America, a nationwide initiative to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). 

    Last week, the U.S. Attorneys for Arizona, Central California, Southern California, New Mexico, Southern Texas, and Western Texas charged more than 1,020 defendants with criminal violations of U.S. immigration laws.  

    The Southern District of Texas filed 229 cases in border security-related matters. As part of those cases, 80 face allegations of illegally reentering the country with the majority having felony convictions such as narcotics, firearms or sexual offenses, or prior immigration crimes. A total of 126 people face charges of illegally entering the country, 18 cases involve various instances of human smuggling with others relating to firearms, false statements and other immigration matters. One such case alleges Victor D. Perozo-Zarraga committed fraud and misuse of a visa after authorities found him in possession of fraudulent legal permanent resident and Social Security documents. He indicated he had legal status to be in the United States, which he does not, according to the complaint. Other relevant matters this week include a Mexican visa holder who attempted to bring child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and drugs across the border. Christian Christopher Rodriguez-Lopez was ordered to serve 151 months after attempting to enter the United States from Mexico. Upon inspection, law enforcement located approximately five kilograms of cocaine in his vehicle. Further investigation following his arrest resulted in the additional discovery of CSAM on his cell phone. His visa has since been revoked.   

    The Western District of Texas filed 295 immigration and immigration-related criminal cases. Among the new cases, Mexican national Jorge Alberto Garcia-Drue was encountered at the Frio County Jail in Pearsall after he was arrested for allegedly refusing to provide accurate identification. Immigration and Customs Enforcement/Enforcement Removal Operations agents determined that Garcia-Drue was an alien illegally present within the United States and that he had been previously removed from the country. A review of his criminal history revealed that he had also been convicted on Dec. 10, 2014 of harboring illegal aliens and aiding and abetting. For that conviction, Garcia-Drue was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison. 

    The District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 261 defendants. Specifically, the United States filed 103 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 140 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States also filed 14 cases against 18 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). 

    The Southern District of California filed 116 border-related cases, including charges of transportation of illegal aliens, bringing in aliens for financial gain, receipt of bribes by public officials, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.  

    The Central District of California filed charges against 21 defendants who allegedly were found in the U.S. following removal. Many of the defendants charged were previously convicted of felony offenses prior to their removal from the United States, including alien smuggling, burglary, grand theft, and assault with a deadly weapon. 

    The District of New Mexico brought the following criminal charges: 63 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Reentry After Deportation (8 U.S.C. 1326), four individuals were charged this week with Alien Smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324), and 38 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325). Many of the defendants charged pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 1326 had prior criminal convictions, with some of those convictions being for drug trafficking, alien smuggling, and grand theft. 

    We are grateful for the hard work of our border prosecutors in bringing these cases and helping to make our border safe again.  

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: KC Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Firearms Trafficking

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, MO man pled guilty in federal court today to conspiring to traffic firearms to prohibited persons and to illegally trafficking firearms, to include a handgun that was converted into a machinegun.

    Antonio Manning, 23, pled guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to the aforementioned charges.

    By pleading guilty today, Antonio Manning admitted that he knowingly and willfully joined in an agreement to sell firearms to individuals who were prohibited from possessing them under federal law.  According to the plea agreement, the defendants trafficked at least 22 firearms to persons who were known felons or they sold firearms that were converted into unregistered machineguns in violation of federal law.  Pursuant to the plea agreement, Antonio Manning admitted that he was personally involved in illegally selling at least nine firearms and one of those firearms was an unregistered machinegun.

    On Jan. 22, 2025, co-defendant Sheron Manning, the brother of Antonio Manning, pled guilty to one count of conspiring to traffic firearms to prohibited persons and to one count of illegally trafficking a firearm that had been converted into an unregistered machinegun.

    On April 07, 2025, co-defendant Michael Dewayne Hardy pled guilty to one count of conspiring to traffic firearms to prohibited persons and to one count of illegally trafficking a firearm that had been converted into an unregistered machinegun.

    Under federal statutes, Antonio Manning is subject to a sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentence of the defendant will be determined by the court based upon the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.  A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

    Project Safe Neighborhoods

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: SECNAV Phelan Embarks Gerald R. Ford for First Carrier Visit

    Source: United States Navy

    Secretary of the Navy John Phelan embarked USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), the flagship of Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 12, to observe the strike group’s Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX), Apr. 10-11. The visit was the Secretary’s first visit to an operational carrier strike group since becoming the 79th Secretary of the Navy on March 25, 2025.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI USA: Jury Convicts Home Health Agency Executive of Fixing Wages and Fraudulently Concealing Criminal Investigation

    Source: US State of California

    A federal jury convicted a Nevada man today for participating in a three-year conspiracy to fix the wages for home healthcare nurses in Las Vegas and for fraudulently failing to disclose the criminal antitrust investigation during the sale of his home healthcare staffing company.  

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Eduardo “Eddie” Lopez of Las Vegas, Nevada conspired to artificially cap the wages of home healthcare nurses in the Las Vegas area between March 2016 and May 2019. The three-year conspiracy affected the wages of hundreds of Las Vegas registered nurses and licensed practical nurses who provide care to patients in their homes. During the pendency of the government’s investigation, Lopez then sold his home healthcare staffing company for over $10 million while fraudulently concealing the government’s criminal investigation from the buyer.   

    “Wage-fixing agreements are nakedly unlawful attempts at unjustly profiting off American workers,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigal A. Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Today’s verdict highlights what should be a clear message with antitrust crimes: the agreement is the crime. The Antitrust Division will zealously prosecute those who seek to unjustly profit off their employees. The nurses here deserved better and, under President Trump’s leadership, they will be protected.”

    Lopez was convicted of one count of participating in a wage-fixing conspiracy and five counts of wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 14. A violation of the Sherman Act carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $1 million criminal fine for individuals.  A violation of the wire fraud statute carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The Antitrust Division’s San Francisco Office and the FBI’s International Corruption Unit investigated the case, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada. Senior Litigation Counsel Jeffrey Cramer and Mikal Condon, Assistant Chief Andrew Mast, and Trial Attorneys Paradi Javandel and Conor Bradley, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Anthony Lopez are prosecuting the case.

    Anyone with information in connection with this investigation should contact the Antitrust Division’s Complaint Center at 888-647-3258, or visit http://www.justice.gov/atr/report-violations.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Security: Jury Convicts Home Health Agency Executive of Fixing Wages and Fraudulently Concealing Criminal Investigation

    Source: United States Attorneys General 13

    A federal jury convicted a Nevada man today for participating in a three-year conspiracy to fix the wages for home healthcare nurses in Las Vegas and for fraudulently failing to disclose the criminal antitrust investigation during the sale of his home healthcare staffing company.  

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Eduardo “Eddie” Lopez of Las Vegas, Nevada conspired to artificially cap the wages of home healthcare nurses in the Las Vegas area between March 2016 and May 2019. The three-year conspiracy affected the wages of hundreds of Las Vegas registered nurses and licensed practical nurses who provide care to patients in their homes. During the pendency of the government’s investigation, Lopez then sold his home healthcare staffing company for over $10 million while fraudulently concealing the government’s criminal investigation from the buyer.   

    “Wage-fixing agreements are nakedly unlawful attempts at unjustly profiting off American workers,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigal A. Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Today’s verdict highlights what should be a clear message with antitrust crimes: the agreement is the crime. The Antitrust Division will zealously prosecute those who seek to unjustly profit off their employees. The nurses here deserved better and, under President Trump’s leadership, they will be protected.”

    Lopez was convicted of one count of participating in a wage-fixing conspiracy and five counts of wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 14. A violation of the Sherman Act carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $1 million criminal fine for individuals.  A violation of the wire fraud statute carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The Antitrust Division’s San Francisco Office and the FBI’s International Corruption Unit investigated the case, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada. Senior Litigation Counsel Jeffrey Cramer and Mikal Condon, Assistant Chief Andrew Mast, and Trial Attorneys Paradi Javandel and Conor Bradley, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Anthony Lopez are prosecuting the case.

    Anyone with information in connection with this investigation should contact the Antitrust Division’s Complaint Center at 888-647-3258, or visit http://www.justice.gov/atr/report-violations.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-Evening Report: Winter electricity prices are rising – how do we know we’re getting value for money?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Meade, Adjunct Associate Professor, Griffith University, Centre for Applied Energy Economics and Policy Research, Griffith University

    Shutterstock

    Winter is coming to New Zealand and Australia, and with it come those inevitably higher power bills from heating our homes.

    But even without that seasonal spike, household power bills were already set to rise by NZ$10 to $25 a month in New Zealand and up to A$9 a month in parts of Australia.

    This is not, as some might assume, because electricity suppliers are acting uncompetitively. It’s because regulators are increasing charges for long-distance electricity transmission (pylons and substations) and short-distance distribution (poles and wires).

    Those charges together make up around 40% of power bills on average, so the price increases matter. In New Zealand, an average 15% of household budgets is spent on electricity. The proportion going towards those infrastructure costs is higher for low-income, regional and rural households.

    To put this another way, these fixed parts of our power bills can equal what a typical household spends on mobile phones, public transport or water services.

    Transmission and distribution services are regulated because they are provided by monopolies. Regulators such as the Commerce Commission in New Zealand and the Australian Energy Regulator in eastern Australia try to set reasonable prices while still allowing those firms enough money to provide reliable services.

    However, this old regulatory model is being challenged by changing consumer behaviour. Households are increasingly electrifying, switching to heat pumps for space and water heating, and electric vehicles (EVs) for personal transport.

    Regulators want to ensure the reliability of electricity supply doesn’t significantly decline. But households that rely on electricity want greater reliability – especially with growing demand for “smart” appliances that can be damaged by outages.

    Quality versus quantity

    Unfortunately, history is a poor guide to how regulation should ensure these future reliability needs are met. Furthermore, electricity is an unusual “product” – the quantity we consume is often an afterthought, while the affordability and quality of supply are more top of mind.

    Importantly, quality means much more to consumers than just reliability. It includes how well outages are planned and communicated, how easy it is to get help and updates when things go wrong, new connection times, and the voltage stability modern appliances require.

    What constitutes good service might also include customer charters or other guarantees of minimum acceptable expectations, as well as compensation schemes.

    Beyond these options, however, the very basis for regulation is being upturned as households invest in rooftop solar panels, home batteries and electric vehicles (EVs). The competition offered by these new technologies means distribution companies are no longer monopoly providers because households can get electricity in new ways.

    This also means households expect new services from those providers – such as being able to sell electricity to others (including to distribution companies themselves to help them maintain reliable supply).

    Smart appliances, solar power and EVs are all changing consumer expectations of the electricity market.
    Shutterstock

    What customers really want

    Historically, electricity regulation has responded to emerging challenges like these with “bolt-on” solutions. Each one tries to address a specific issue individually, but not in a coherent and joined-up way.

    Overall, how and why we regulate electricity transmission and distribution need rethinking from the ground up, not more rounds of regulatory whack-a-mole. Consumer preferences need to be more than a vague overriding objective. They need to be at the heart of regulation.

    New Zealand’s Commerce Commission already exempts many distribution firms from much regulation because they are owned and governed by customers. And regulators in other English-speaking countries, including Australia, increasingly rely on consumer forums and other channels to indirectly and only partially identify consumer preferences.

    But neither model obtains directly usable information about what consumers want – from those consumers themselves. Unsurprisingly, customer preferences are not widely or systematically reflected in regulation.

    Besides, asking customers about quality and reliability of service assumes they can clearly articulate what they care about and what value they attach to them in ways regulators can use.

    Value for money

    One solution is to use a direct measure of consumer satisfaction. We developed and applied a version of this in recent research involving a survey of Swedish electricity customers.

    We measured satisfaction by asking consumers to rate the “value for money” they perceived from their distribution firm, ranging from zero (lowest) to five (highest).

    Perceptions of quality can vary and are inherently subjective. But value for money can be interpreted as a ratio of quality to price: higher quality means higher value for money, higher price means lower value for money. From this, we obtained an objective measure of overall customer satisfaction levels.

    As might be expected, we found value for money tended to be higher for customers of distribution firms owned and controlled by those customers. But directly measuring customer satisfaction in this way could be a good basis for regulation reform in general.

    We still need to better understand how customer satisfaction is affected by regulatory decisions. This has always been the case, but it is especially true now that fundamental changes are happening in the sector.

    Electricity customers heading into winter might be happier with rising transmission and distribution prices if they were confident regulation genuinely improved their overall value for money.

    Business as usual, on the other hand, may offer them only cold comfort.

    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. Winter electricity prices are rising – how do we know we’re getting value for money? – https://theconversation.com/winter-electricity-prices-are-rising-how-do-we-know-were-getting-value-for-money-254198

    MIL OSI AnalysisEveningReport.nz

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy announces $8.1 million in Hurricanes Laura, Ida aid for south Louisiana

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)

    MADISONVILLE, La. – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced $8,091,480 in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grants for Louisiana disaster aid.

    “Storms like Laura and Ida ravaged key education and transportation infrastructure in Louisiana. This $8.1 million will help Calcasieu Parish cover the cost of repairing school facilities and aid the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport with Hurricane Ida repairs,” said Kennedy.

    The FEMA aid will fund the following:

    • $7,071,039 to the Calcasieu Parish School Board for repairs to Barbe High School facilities resulting from Hurricane Laura damage.
    • $1,020,441 to the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport to repair Hurricane Ida damage.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Coons, Welch, other lawyers on Judiciary Committee send letter commending law firms that have resisted Trump’s unconstitutional executive orders

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) today joined lawyers on the Senate Judiciary Committee, led by Subcommittee on the Constitution Ranking Member Peter Welch (D-Vt.), in sending a letter to the American Bar Association (ABA) commending lawyers and law firms that are resisting President Trump’s unconstitutional attacks on the legal profession. 

    “As fellow members of the legal community, we applaud lawyers who are resisting President Trump’s illegal and unconstitutional attacks on the legal profession,” the senators wrote. “These orders are unlawful—a tool of intimidation, and a weaponization of the federal government. The president’s actions existentially threaten essential rights guaranteed by our Constitution.”

    “The Sixth Amendment right to counsel is undermined when a president signals that choosing to represent his political opponents carries the risk of retribution,” the senators added. “The First Amendment protection against viewpoint discrimination is imperiled when a president seeks to punish lawyers who advocate against his policies. By levying punishments outside the ordinary legal process, these orders violate constitutional due process.”

    The senators concluded, “The American Bar Association has stalwartly supported lawyers that have resisted President Trump’s bullying. We join the ABA in commending these lawyers, who have taken financial and professional risks to fight for the rule of law and our constitutional rights. We urge others to join you.”

    Between March 6th and March 27th, President Trump issued executive orders targeting four law firms against which he has personal grievances, such as representing his political opponents and associating with lawyers who have been critical of the president. The executive orders limit the targeted law firms’ access to federal buildings, suspend security clearances, and prevent federal agencies from engaging with firm lawyers.

    Three law firms—Jenner & Block, WilmerHale, and Perkins Coie—have rightfully challenged the president’s executive orders in court, asserting that the orders are in violation of the Constitution and the principles that underlie it. In each of these cases, judges appointed by presidents from both political parties have properly issued temporary restraining orders against President Trump.

    In addition to Senators Coons and Welch, the letter was signed by the following lawyers on the Senate Judiciary Committee: Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.). Senator Coons is a graduate of Yale Law School.

    You can read the full letter here.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen, Wicker Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Address Physician Shortage in Rural Areas 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)
    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Roger Wicker (R-MS) introduced a bill to help increase the number of specialist doctors and other medical specialists in rural communities. The bipartisan Specialty Physicians Advancing Rural Care (SPARC) Act will tackle the shortage of physicians in rural communities by creating a student loan repayment program for specialist physicians and other specialist medical professionals practicing in rural areas. Every county in Nevada is experiencing a shortage of medical professionals, and in 2024, Nevada was ranked 45th in the nation with regard to the availability of physicians per 100,000 residents.
    “Nevada’s shortage of medical professionals is jeopardizing the ability of families to get the care they need — especially in our rural communities,” said Senator Rosen. “We need new solutions to bring more physicians to all parts of our state, which is why I’m proud to introduce bipartisan legislation to create a student loan repayment program for specialist physicians practicing in rural areas. I’ll keep working to address the medical provider shortage crisis Nevada is facing.” 
    “The entire nation is dealing with a physician shortage, and rural communities in Mississippi have been particularly affected. Congress can help provide a solution,” said Senator Wicker. “The SPARC Act would offer targeted incentives to medical professionals who choose to work in underserved towns and cities. I believe this bill will encourage providers to bring their services to areas that need them most.”
    “UNLV strongly supports the Specialty Physicians Advancing Care (SPARC) Act, which represents a meaningful investment in rural health care access,” said Chris Heavey, UNLV Officer in Charge, Executive Vice President and Provost. “By providing much-needed loan repayment incentives, this legislation will help recruit and retain specialty physicians and health care providers in underserved rural communities – ultimately improving health outcomes for thousands of Nevadans and Americans across the country. As a leading public research university committed to training the next generation of physicians and health professionals, we applaud Senator Rosen’s leadership in addressing workforce shortages in rural areas through sustainable and equitable solutions.”
    Senator Rosen is working to address Nevada’s health care professional shortage and improve medical care access in the state. Last month, Senator Rosen introduced the bipartisan Physicians for Underserved Areas Act, which would revise the graduate medical education process to increase the likelihood of areas with physician shortages getting more medical residency slots after hospital closures take place elsewhere in the country. She also introduced the bipartisan REDI Act to increase the number of doctors and dentists in underserved areas by allowing them to defer student loan payments without interest until the completion of their residency or internship programs. Last month, she introduced the bipartisan Train More Nurses Act to address the nursing shortage affecting communities across the nation. 

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Minister’s, provincial health officer’s statements on the toxic-drug public health emergency anniversary

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Josie Osborne, Minister of Health, and Dr. Bonnie Henry, provincial health officer, have issued the following statements marking the ninth anniversary of the toxic-drug crisis being declared a public health emergency:

    Josie Osborne, Minister of Health, said:

    “Today marks nine years since B.C. declared the toxic-drug crisis a public health emergency. Since that time, we have lost thousands of people to poisoned drugs, each one a valued member of their community. Each and every loss leaves lasting grief for the people who knew and loved them.

    “This crisis continues to have a devastating impact throughout our province, from families and communities to the front-line workers who provide care, support and compassion in the face of unimaginable loss.

    “Substance use is shaped by many complex factors, including trauma, mental- and physical-health challenges, poverty, stigma and barriers to stable housing and support. Ending this crisis requires an equally complex and compassionate response, one that prioritizes care over judgment.

    “We know there is still so much more to do. On this solemn anniversary, we renew our commitment to saving lives, supporting healing and working together to turn the tide on this crisis. By reducing stigma, improving access to care and meeting people where they’re at, we can help more people find their path to recovery and build a future filled with hope.”

    Dr. Bonnie Henry, provincial health officer, said:

    “This sombre anniversary reminds us of the ongoing tragic impact of the toxic-drug crisis that is being felt by families and communities across B.C. While we have seen some glimmers of hope in this past year with a decline in deaths, there remains much to do to ensure there are supports when needed at every point in a person’s journey.

    “Whether it is being able to have a conversation with a trusted loved one, peer or medical worker, access to life-saving naloxone, or a safe place to have drugs tested, we have seen how these harm-reduction measures make a difference and save lives.

    “But the increasing toxicity and unpredictability of the drugs on the street also remind us that we must continue to have the courage to be innovative and unwavering in our approach to this public health crisis. The very lives of our brothers, sisters, friends, neighbours and colleagues depend on it.”

    MIL OSI Canada News

  • MIL-OSI Canada: B.C. nominee program focused on meeting workforce priorities

    The Province is updating the BC Provincial Nominee Program to do what it can to best meet its workforce priorities, and provide as much fairness and clarity as possible, following the federal government’s decision to reduce the nomination allocation spots.

    B.C. had fully met its allocation for 2024 to nominate 8,000 workers and entrepreneurs who support provincial priorities, and the Province has requested an allocation of 11,000 for 2025. In January 2025, B.C.’s 2025 allocation was cut to 4,000 by the federal government, significantly affecting the Province’s ability to meet its workforce needs.

    As part of the updated approach, the Province will process the majority of its application inventory and accept approximately 1,100 new applications this year, mainly for positions that contribute directly to the delivery of health-care services, such as doctors, nurses and allied-health professionals.

    The nominee program is the only tool that allows B.C. to nominate new immigrants in high-demand jobs to stay in the province. The vast majority of applicants already live and work in B.C. It is intended to help address labour demands in priority sectors, such as health care, child care, construction and housing. The Province will continue to advocate for the federal government to restore the BC Provincial Nominee Program allocation to previous levels, to support B.C.’s efforts to attract and retain in demand professionals.

    Learn More:

    For the latest BC Provincial Nominee Program guide, visit: https://www.welcomebc.ca/immigrate-to-b-c/guides-forms-reports-documents

    For more information about the program, visit: https://www.welcomebc.ca/immigrate-to-b-c/about-the-bc-provincial-nominee-program

    For Canada’s 2025-2027 immigration levels plan, visit: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2024/10/20252027-immigration-levels-plan.html

    And: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/notices/supplementary-immigration-levels-2025-2027.html

    A backgrounder follows.

    The Province is making changes to the BC Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) in 2025 to process existing applications and accept new applications in the highest-priority jobs, making the best use of the reduced allocation.

    Management of existing applications

    • The program will process all applications received in 2024 for streams that require a job offer, so people who are working in B.C. and have submitted a nominee program application with the support of their employer can get a decision in 2025.
    • All international post-graduate (IPG) applications received before Sept. 1, 2024, will be processed in 2025.
    • IPG applications received between Sept. 1, 2024, and Jan. 7, 2025, when the stream closed, will be waitlisted and processed only when more nominee program nominations become available by the federal government.
      • In March 2024, the BC PNP announced that the IPG stream would close at the end of 2024.
      • By the time the IPG stream was closed, the BC PNP had received more than double the IPG applications than it did in 2023.
      • Most IPG applicants qualify for a three-year post-graduate work permit, which allows them to remain in Canada for an extended period following the completion of their studies.
      • The ministry is seeking support from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to extend the work permits of the individuals whose immigration status will expire soon.

    New applications

    • While the health-authority stream continues to accept new applications, it is now restricted to a limited number of health-care positions. The BC PNP program guide provides a detailed description of which health occupations are now eligible under the health-authority stream.
    • Due to the limited nomination space, no general or priority-occupation invitations to apply (ITA) are planned in 2025. ITAs will be issued to approximately 100 candidates with the highest economic-impact potential.

    Other program updates

    • The launch of previously announced student streams will remain on hold for the time being.
    • Going forward, the BC PNP will distinguish between early childhood educator and early childhood educator assistant.
    • Enhanced guidelines will be developed for social and community service workers, with greater emphasis on the qualifications for this role.

    Existing applicants and individuals interested in the program are encouraged to refer to the latest BC PNP program guide for eligibility requirements: https://www.welcomebc.ca/immigrate-to-b-c/guides-forms-reports-documents

    MIL OSI Canada News

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Minister’s statement on Medical Laboratory Week

    Josie Osborne, Minister of Health, has released the following statement in recognition of Medical Laboratory Week, April 13-19, 2025:

    “People throughout B.C. rely on the expertise of medical laboratory professionals. These dedicated specialists work behind the scenes in hospitals and community labs, and play a crucial role in diagnosing and preventing illnesses, so we can live our healthiest lives.

    “As vital members of B.C.’s allied health workforce, medical laboratory professionals bring specialized expertise that supports high-quality, team-based care. Their contributions help inform clinical decisions and are essential to delivering accurate and timely diagnoses, effective treatment and improved patient outcomes.

    “Medical Laboratory Week is an opportunity to recognize the invaluable contributions of these professionals. This year’s theme, Medical Laboratory Professionals Illuminate the Path to Diagnosis, highlights their critical role in enabling early detection, supporting life-saving treatments and raising awareness for complex medical conditions. From cancer screenings to infectious disease testing, their precision and dedication help shape the future of health care.

    “Our government continues to support and strengthen these health-care workers through recruitment, retention and training. By investing in our medical laboratory professionals, we ensure people in British Columbia receive the care they need when they need it.

    “On behalf of everyone in B.C., I extend my deepest gratitude to all medical laboratory professionals, including diagnostic cytology technologists, clinical genetics technologists, medical laboratory assistants, technologists, combined laboratory X-ray technologists, laboratory medicine physicians, pathologists and administrators. Their expertise and dedication are the foundation of high-quality, world-class care.”

    MIL OSI Canada News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Griffith Meets with Community Pharmacists in Dublin

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA)

    U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) met with members of Martin’s Pharmacy and other community pharmacists in Dublin, Virginia. Mr. William Hale, owner of Martin’s Pharmacy, invited Representative Griffith and led the discussions.

    “Community pharmacies face unique challenges when serving their local populations with critical medicines and drugs. I am grateful for the dedicated workers of Martin’s Pharmacy and all community pharmacies in the region who tend to the medical needs of their community. I thank Mr. Hale, his staff and all the pharmacists in attendance for bringing to my attention issues important to them,” said Representative Griffith.

    “We appreciate Representative Griffith taking the time to stop by the pharmacy and check in with us, Mr. Griffith has always been an avid supporter of independent community pharmacies.  Representative Griffith’s fight to hold the Pharmacy Benefit Managers accountable for their actions and bring transparency to their tactics is essential to keep community pharmacies open and serving their communities,” said Mr. Hale.

    BACKGROUND

    Representative Griffith sits on the House Energy and Commerce’s Health Subcommittee, which oversees health care policy and Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) reform.

    The Health Subcommittee held a hearing in February on PBM reform entitled “An Examination of How Reining in PBMs Will Drive Competition and Lower Costs for Patients.”

    Representative Griffith’s questions from that hearing can be found here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI: Carbon Streaming Announces Filing of Claim Against Former Executives and Consultants

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, April 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Carbon Streaming Corporation (Cboe CA: NETZ) (OTCQB: OFSTF) (FSE: M2Q) (“Carbon Streaming” or the “Company”) today announces that it has started a lawsuit in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice against several former executives, directors, consultants, and associated entities. As outlined in the lawsuit, Carbon Streaming is trying to hold the defendants to account for their breaches of fiduciary duty, fraudulent misrepresentation, and unjust enrichment that have caused financial harm to the Company.

    The defendants named in the claim include Justin Cochrane, Conor Kearns, Anthony Milewski, Michael Beck, Maurice Swan, Andrew Scott Tester, Jeanne Usonis, The Oregon Group LLC, Regent Advisors LLC, Black Vulcan Resources LLC, Carbon Advisors LLC, and Angstrom Capital Limited.

    Key Allegations:

    • Breach of Fiduciary Duty: The lawsuit alleges that the defendants who were serving as Carbon Streaming’s executives and directors did not act in the Company’s best interests, including approving and allowing payments for advisory and consulting fees to entities that provided little to no real services to the Company.
    • Fraudulent Misrepresentation: The lawsuit alleges that certain defendants made false representations and omissions that misled the Company, resulting in financial losses.
    • Unjust Enrichment: The lawsuit also seeks to recover funds that were improperly diverted to some of the defendants and their associated entities, who were unjustly enriched at the expense of Carbon Streaming.

    Financial Impact:

    Carbon Streaming seeks damages against the defendants, including:

    • A minimum of USD $30.1 Million against Justin Cochrane.
    • A minimum of USD $4.1 Million against Conor Kearns.
    • A minimum of USD $1.4 Million against Anthony Milewski and The Oregon Group LLC.
    • A minimum of USD $4.1 Million against Anthony Milewski and Black Vulcan Resources LLC.
    • A minimum of USD $850,000 against Michael Beck and Regent Advisors LLC.
    • A minimum of USD $400,000 against Michael Beck, Anthony Milewski, and Carbon Advisors LLC.
    • A minimum of USD $4.1 Million against each of Maurice Swan, Andrew Scott Tester and Jeanne Usonis.

    A copy of the issued Statement of Claim can be found here.

    About Carbon Streaming

    Carbon Streaming’s focus is on projects that generate high-quality carbon credits and have a positive impact on the environment, local communities, and biodiversity, in addition to their carbon reduction or removal potential.

    ON BEHALF OF THE COMPANY:
    Marin Katusa, Chief Executive Officer
    Tel: 365.607.6095
    info@carbonstreaming.com
    www.carbonstreaming.com

    Investor Relations
    investors@carbonstreaming.com

    Media
    media@carbonstreaming.com

    Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

    This news release contains certain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, “forward-looking information”) within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, that address activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future, are forward-looking information, including, without limitation, statements regarding the Company holding the defendants to account.

    When used in this news release, words such as “estimates”, “expects”, “plans”, “anticipates”, “will”, “believes”, “intends” “should”, “could”, “may” and other similar terminology are intended to identify such forward-looking information. This forward-looking information is based on the current expectations or beliefs of the Company based on information currently available to the Company. Forward-looking information is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking information, and even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, the Company. They should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be an accurate indication of whether or not such results will be achieved. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things: general economic, market and business conditions and global financial conditions, including fluctuations in interest rates, foreign exchange rates and stock market volatility; volatility in prices of carbon credits and demand for carbon credits; change in social or political views towards climate change, carbon credits and environmental, social and governance initiatives and subsequent changes in corporate or government policies or regulations and associated changes in demand for carbon credits; the Company’s expectations and plans with respect to current litigation, arbitration and regulatory proceedings; limited operating history for the Company’s current strategy; concentration risk; inaccurate estimates of project value, which may impact the ability of the Company to execute on its growth and diversification strategy; dependence upon key management; impact of corporate restructurings; the inability of the Company to optimize cash flows or sufficiently reduce operating expenses; reputational risk; risks arising from competition and future acquisition activities failure or timing delays for projects to be registered, validated and ultimately developed and for emission reductions or removals to be verified and carbon credits issued (and other risks associated with carbon credits standards and registries); foreign operations and political risks including actions by governmental authorities, including changes in or to government regulation, taxation and carbon pricing initiatives; uncertainties and ongoing market developments surrounding the validation and verification requirements of the voluntary and/or compliance markets; due diligence risks, including failure of third parties’ reviews, reports and projections to be accurate; dependence on project partners, operators and owners, including failure by such counterparties to make payments or perform their operational or other obligations to the Company in compliance with the terms of contractual arrangements between the Company and such counterparties; failure of projects to generate carbon credits, or natural disasters such as flood or fire which could have a material adverse effect on the ability of any project to generate carbon credits; volatility in the market price of the Company’s common shares or warrants; the effect that the issuance of additional securities by the Company could have on the market price of the Company’s common shares or warrants; global health crises, such as pandemics and epidemics; and the other risks disclosed under the heading “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in the Company’s Annual Information Form dated as of March 31, 2025 filed on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

    Any forward-looking information speaks only as of the date of this news release. Although the Company believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking information are reasonable, forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein. Except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth, Durbin Lead Illinois Democratic Delegation in Message to Secretary Kennedy: The Dismantling of HS Does Nothing to ‘Make America Healthy Again’

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
    April 11, 2025
    In a letter to the HHS Secretary, the lawmakers pushed back against the destruction of HHS and its impact on the state
    [SPRINGFIELD, IL] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today led the Illinois Democratic Delegation in sending a letter to U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. expressing frustration and concern that HHS has slashed critical federal funding for the state’s public health programs and infrastructure.
    “We write to express our real concern about the Department and Health and Human Services’ (HHS) actions to terminate federal funds for state and local health departments, fire critical public health staff, dismantle health agencies, and close regional offices, including the HHS Region 5 office in Chicago, Illinois.  Your decision puts the health and well-being of our people at risk, and will do nothing to ‘Make America Healthy Again,’” the lawmakers wrote.
    Last month, it was reported that HHS would terminate $11.4 billion in federal funding for state and local health departments, including more than $125 million in funding for the Illinois Department of Public Health.  Lawmakers were also told that Illinois would lose access to an additional $324 million in anticipated federal funding that was already allocated to protect Illinois residents from infectious diseases.  Further, Illinois could lose up to $28 million in Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grants for mental health and substance use disorder treatment.
    In an effort to combat the Trump Administration’s destructive funding rescissions, a 24-state coalition, which included Illinois, filed a lawsuit against HHS for the rollback of public health funding.  Earlier this month, a federal court barred HHS from terminating these funds for a 14-day period.
    “The state’s [Illinois’] efforts to prepare for future public health emergencies—which could include the worsening avian flu situation, measles outbreaks, and other respiratory illness challenges—will be severely hampered if HHS rescinds this essential federal funding.  Now that a federal court has blocked HHS from terminating these funds, we urge you to abandon these ill-conceived and dangerous plans,” the lawmakers continued their letter.
    In addition to ripping away billions in promised federal funding, Secretary Kennedy has overseen the destruction of HHS’ workforce and infrastructure, putting thousands of dedicated career civil servants out of a job while gutting critical federal agencies.  Since President Trump’s inauguration, 10,000 HHS employees have left the agency or been fired.  A couple weeks ago, HHS announced that an additional 10,000 public health workers will be fired, including 3,500 from the Food and Drug Administration, 2,400 workers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1,200 workers from the National Institutes of Health and 300 workers from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. 
    “A reduction in force of this magnitude threatens the ability of HHS to ensure the safety of our nation’s foods, drugs, and medical devices; to inspect and regulate nursing homes; to develop breakthrough cures and treatments for patients with cancer, ALS, and heart disease; and to respond quickly when a public health crisis emerges,” the lawmakers wrote.
    The lawmakers continued their letter, emphasizing that closing regional health offices and shutting out states from federal resources does nothing to support the health and safety of Americans.
    “Finally, it was reported that HHS would dismantle and consolidate several health agencies under an ‘Administration for a Healthier America,’ and close several regional offices, including the HHS Region 5 office in Chicago.  HHS Region 5 has been an essential partner in implementing and coordinating federal resources and initiatives.  It has worked with state, local, and tribal governments in Illinois to address a range of public health concerns, including infectious disease outbreaks, mental and behavioral health needs, food recalls, and more,” the lawmakers wrote.  “Eliminating this office or consolidating it into another regional office risks reducing access to agency personnel and HHS resources for Illinois.”
    The lawmakers concluded their letter by reminding Secretary Kennedy of his responsibility to improve public health, not destruct the institution that ensures Americans have the resources to stay healthy.
    “It is one thing to undertake efforts to address waste, fraud, and abuse in government.  It is quite another to cite these reasonable goals as an excuse to instead decimate our nation’s public health infrastructure.  HHS has provided no details on its plans or any explanation of how these steps will improve HHS’ ability to carry out its mission to enhance the health and well-being of all Americans.  The complete lack of transparency on these critical decisions supports the logical conclusion that these decisions were made for political purposes without considering their real-world impact,” the lawmakers wrote.
    “As HHS Secretary, you are tasked with the serious responsibility of protecting our nation’s health and you have the opportunity to make a positive difference in the lives of millions of Americans.   Do not neglect this responsibility, and do not waste this opportunity,” the lawmaker concluded their letter.
    A copy of the letter is available here and below:
    April 11, 2025
    Dear Secretary Kennedy,
                We write to express our real concern about the Department and Health and Human Services’ (HHS) actions to terminate federal funds for state and local health departments, fire critical public health staff, dismantle health agencies, and close regional offices, including the HHS Region 5 office in Chicago, Illinois.  Your decision puts the health and well-being of people at risk, and will do nothing to “Make America Healthy Again.”
    In March, it was reported that HHS would be terminating $11.4 billion in federal funding for state and local health departments, including more than $125 million for Illinois.  We also have been informed that Illinois will not be able to access an additional $324 million in anticipated federal funding for future work to prevent and address infectious disease.  The Illinois Department of Public Health has leveraged these federal funds to improve its technologies and laboratories, support the public health workforce, and strengthen local health departments.  However, the state’s efforts to prepare for future public health emergencies—which could include the worsening avian flu situation, measles outbreaks, and other respiratory illness challenges—will be severely hampered if HHS rescinds this essential federal funding.  Now that a federal court has blocked HHS from terminating these funds, we urge you to abandon these ill-conceived and dangerous plans. 
    It also was announced that an additional 10,000 public health workers will be fired from HHS, including 3,500 from the Food and Drug Administration, 2,400 workers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1,200 workers from the National Institutes of Health, and 300 workers from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.  This is on top of the reported 10,000 HHS employees who have already left the agency since January 20, including probationary employees who were fired earlier this year, many of whom were not rehired, despite two court rulings ordering their reinstatement.  A reduction in force of this magnitude threatens the ability of HHS to ensure the safety of our nation’s foods, drugs, and medical devices; to inspect and regulate nursing homes; to develop breakthrough cures and treatments for patients with cancer, ALS, and heart disease; and to respond quickly when a public health crisis emerges.
    Finally, it was reported that HHS would dismantle and consolidate several health agencies under an “Administration for a Healthier America,” and close several regional offices, including the HHS Region 5 office in Chicago.  HHS Region 5 has been an essential partner in implementing and coordinating federal resources and initiatives.  It has worked with state, local, and tribal governments in Illinois to address a range of public health concerns, including infectious disease outbreaks, mental and behavioral health needs, food recalls, and more.  Eliminating this office or consolidating it into another regional office risks reducing access to agency personnel and HHS resources for Illinois.
    It is one thing to undertake efforts to address waste, fraud, and abuse in government.  It is quite another to cite these reasonable goals as an excuse to instead decimate our nation’s public health infrastructure.  HHS has provided no details on its plans or any explanation of how these steps will improve HHS’ ability to carry out its mission to enhance the health and well-being of all Americans.  The complete lack of transparency on these critical decisions supports the logical conclusion that these decisions were made for political purposes without considering their real-world impact.  
    As HHS Secretary, you are tasked with the serious responsibility of protecting our nation’s health and you have the opportunity to make a positive difference in the lives of millions of Americans.   Do not neglect this responsibility, and do not waste this opportunity. 
    Thank you for your attention to this matter.  We look forward to your timely response.
    Sincerely,
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Kehoe Announces Four Appointments to State Board of Education

    Source: US State of Missouri

    APRIL 14, 2025

     — Today, Governor Mike Kehoe announced four appointments to the State Board of Education. As his first appointments to the Board, these individuals reflect Governor Kehoe’s vision and commitment to supporting education.

    Michael Matousek, of Kansas City, was appointed to the State Board of Education.

    Mr. Matousek currently serves as the director of the Government Freight Conference at the American Trucking Association. He has previous experience as the state legislative affairs director for the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association and legislative director in the Office of Congressman Sam Graves. Mr. Matousek earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Florida.

    Kenneth “Brooks” Miller Jr., of Sunrise Beach, was appointed to the State Board of Education.

    Mr. Miller previously served as the president and CEO of Jordan Valley Community Health Center. In addition to his professional career, he has served as the vice president of the Springfield Board of Public Utilities and was most recently on the Truman State University Board of Governors. Mr. Miller earned his master’s degree in education administration and bachelor’s degree in business administration from Northeast Missouri State University.

    Jon Otto, of Kansas City, was appointed to the State Board of Education.

    Mr. Otto serves as corporate counsel for Evergy, Inc. focusing on corporate governance, SEC compliance, corporate finance, and real estate transactions. Prior to joining Evergy, he was an attorney at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, LLP and Polsinelli, PC law firms. Mr. Otto has served as a board member for Académie Lafayette charter school, University Health KC, Missouri Charter Public School Association, Child Protection Center, Minddrive, and the UMKC Law Alumni Association. Mr. Otto earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Missouri–Kansas City School of Law and his Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Clark Atlanta University.

    Dr. Thomas Prater, of Springfield, was appointed to the State Board of Education.

    Dr. Prater is a physician and partner at Mattax-Neu-Prater Eye Center in Springfield. From 2016 to 2020, he served as the Zone 2 Councilman on the Springfield City Council. He was also a member of the Springfield R-12 Board of Education from 1998 to 2014. Dr. Prater is an active member of the Missouri State Medical Society and the American Academy of Ophthalmology. He earned his Doctor of Medicine from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Who Staged Auto Accidents and Committed Insurance Fraud Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Monday sentenced a man who defrauded insurance companies by staging vehicle accidents and injuries to 18 months in prison and ordered him to pay $107,951 in restitution.

    From September 2021 to January 2023, Adrian Peebles staged auto accidents, usually at night and in remote areas to minimize his chances of getting caught. Peebles nearly always claimed to have been injured and went to the emergency room complaining of “pain that required expensive tests that never identified any particular injury,” according to his plea agreement. Peebles insisted that the resulting payments from the vehicle insurance companies be made to him rather than the hospital and then did not pay his medical bills. His scheme cost two insurance companies $107,951.

    Peebles, now 32, pleaded guilty in January to one count of mail fraud.

    The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Ware prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Global: Canada is lagging in innovation, and that’s a problem for funding the programs we care about

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Andrew Maxwell, Bergeron Chair in Technology Entrepreneurship, Lassonde School of Engineering, York University, Canada

    As Canadians prepare to vote in another federal election, the country’s economy faces a sobering reality. As the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) notes, productivity is stagnating, our innovation performance lags global peers and high-potential startups often fail to scale.

    Despite these warning signs, innovation policy remains largely absent from political discourse. Canadians hear a great deal about how political parties are going to spend money, but little about where the money is going to come from.

    This is a critical oversight. Canada’s enduring productivity gap is more than an economic statistic — it’s why the country is struggling to sustain the social programs, such as health care and education, that Canadians value.

    If Canadians want to maintain their standard of living, Canada must close that gap through a more deliberate, strategic approach to innovation.

    Innovation is economic strategy

    In today’s knowledge-based economy, as business executive and innovator Jim Balsillie observes, power flows to countries that own digital data and their “value-added applications” (like apps or platforms) and intellectual property.

    Countries like the United States, China and South Korea have embedded innovation into national strategy, investing in sectors like artificial intelligence (AI), clean technology and biotech to drive growth and resilience. Canada, by contrast, has taken a fragmented, reactive approach.

    Canada’s over-reliance on research and development (R&D) spending and patent counts has failed to translate into commercial success. According to the OECD, Canada ranks among the highest in public R&D investment but among the lowest in innovation outcomes such as productivity growth and technology adoption.

    Canada also often conflates research with innovation. While both are vital, innovation is about turning knowledge into use through deployment, adoption, commercialization and scaling. Much of today’s transformative innovation, particularly in AI and software, depends on the transfer of tacit knowledge (related to things like user insights, execution experience and expertise in a particular domain) not just codified knowledge (for example, patents, technical drawings and licenses).

    Why innovation policy fails

    Governments struggle with innovation because it defies conventional policymaking:

    • It requires failure tolerance. Innovation is iterative. But political systems fear failure.

    • It demands long-term vision. Results may take years, beyond typical electoral cycles.

    • It’s technically complex. Few policymakers have deep expertise in emerging technologies or understand the research and development process.

    • It’s often misunderstood. Funding research is not the same as building innovation capacity or developing innovation processes.

    • It’s hard to quantify. Quantifying innovation outcomes is complex and challenging to measure, making it also difficult to measure return.

    As economist and innovation policy expert Mariana Mazzucato argued in The Entrepreneurial State: Debunking Public vs. Private Sector Myths, innovation success depends on bold missions, cross-sector collaboration and a willingness to learn from failure. Canada’s current model lacks these ingredients.

    Breaking the cycle of failure

    To break this cycle, Canada needs a non-partisan national innovation institution — an agency empowered to advise on strategy, evaluate outcomes and embed technical expertise into policy at the federal, provincial and municipal levels.

    Models like DARPA from the U.S., Vinnova from Sweden and the Israel Innovation Authority show how long-term, high-impact innovation can be achieved with the right institutional scaffolding and appropriate knowledge.

    Video about Vinnova, Sweden’s national innovation agency.

    Canadians have created a number of innovation organizations with national implications, such as the Council of Canadian Academies, the CD Howe Institute, Canada Foundation for Innovation and the Institute for Competitiveness and Prosperity (ICP), which closed in 2019.

    Yet none have been national organizations that addressed the broad proposed mandate to explicitly advise governments on technology and policy strategy, evaluate innovation outcomes and embed technical expertise into recommendations.

    A non-partisan national innovation institution must:

    1. Track outcomes more than inputs. Innovation success can be measured by a number of project- or industry-specific outcomes, such as productivity, firm growth and export revenue. The ICP proposed measuring the “prosperity gap,” comparing innovation performance to peer jurisdictions.

    2. Support long-term strategic objectives, focusing on Canada’s strengths in critical areas like AI, clean technology, energy health-care technology, and leveraging expertise and experience in these and other areas.

    3. Embed technology experts alongside health-care and education experts in the decision-making process. Recruit scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs to anticipate technology and market trends, guiding both implementation and policy development.

    4. Differentiate innovation from research. Support both, but recognize the differences and explicitly link innovation to adoption and new use cases.

    5. Promote value capture. Ensure Canadian firms and the country benefit from and retain control of key technologies that enable them to scale domestically.

    6. Recognize the inherent risks in innovation and the potential for failure. Evaluate and build on impact and learn from failure to enhance innovation processes and improve future outcomes.

    7. Align our educational institutions with innovation goals revising programs, creating more flexible learning options and enhancing entrepreneurship so that more research outcomes are commercialized.

    These steps aren’t hypothetical. They’re backed by evidence from countries that have succeeded in turning innovation into sustained economic performance.

    Why now?

    Canada’s economy is heavily dependent on resource exports and vulnerable to technological disruption. Meanwhile, the global AI and clean tech races are accelerating. Canada is at risk of falling further behind — not just economically, but geopolitically.

    But Canada also has strengths: world-class researchers, diverse entrepreneurial talent and global partnerships. What’s missing is a cohesive national strategy to harness this potential. Creating a non-partisan innovation institution would be a powerful first step.

    If Canadians want to provide revenue for governments decide how to fund education, health care and climate adaptation, they must grow their economy. And to do that, Canada needs smarter innovation policy.

    It’s time to stop celebrating activity and start rewarding outcomes. Let’s build the structures that allow Canadian ingenuity to thrive — not in theory, but in practice.

    Andrew Maxwell works for York University, but received no direct benefit from comments in this article. He receives funding from various research agencies for his work in the area, but none of which creates the potential for conflict. He is a member of the Academy of Management, the International Society for Professional Innovation Management and Professional Engineers Ontario..

    ref. Canada is lagging in innovation, and that’s a problem for funding the programs we care about – https://theconversation.com/canada-is-lagging-in-innovation-and-thats-a-problem-for-funding-the-programs-we-care-about-254423

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-Evening Report: Why is it so hard for everyone to have a house in Australia?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ehsan Noroozinejad, Senior Researcher, Urban Transformations Research Centre, Western Sydney University

    Bilalnol/Shutterstock

    Home ownership in Australia was once regarded as proof of success in life. However, it remains elusive for many people today.

    Prices have soared beyond wage growth, rents keep rising, and even some well-intentioned government initiatives, including those announced by Labor and the Coalition at their election campaign launches on the weekend, risk driving up demand.

    What’s gone wrong?

    The Grattan Institute says increasing housing supply is essential to maintain price stability over time, but notes we are not making enough progress.

    Australia will miss its goal to build 1.2 million new homes within five years if we stick to the current housing policies and construction practices.

    Why it’s not working

    There is a wide range of reasons why Australia is failing to provide enough housing:

    Fragmented policy approach: A national approach involving all levels of government aligning their policies, rules and regulations is needed.

    Planning bottlenecks: Some projects face years of delay due to local council regulations and zoning requirements. The Productivity Commission has reported Australia’s planning system has excessive barriers to new projects, including medium-density developments.

    Land release delays: State governments are slow to release new land for housing. This is often because of community opposition, political considerations and market dynamics. This results in limited availability, which leads to higher costs for land that can be developed.

    Skills shortages: Recent immigration restrictions have worsened the shortage of skilled tradespeople in the residential construction sector.

    Demand-side subsidies: Government programs, such as first home buyer grants, help some people buy homes. However, they also make housing less affordable because they can result in increased prices.

    What could work without raising prices

    There are various changes that could be made without necessarily raising prices.

    Duplication and logjams could be removed if a national housing strategy was introduced. This should integrate policies and regulations across federal, state and local jurisdictions.

    Federal grants and incentives should be tied to states meeting targets for land release, re-zoning permits and streamlined approvals.

    Using innovative construction technologies can cut construction time by as much as 50%. These include prefabricated and modular building parts, which are made in factories and later assembled at the construction site.

    A government update of land use and zoning permits would make it easier and faster to build medium-density housing near transport and job hubs. This is a quick way to add dwellings without sprawl.

    Governments could also offer tax or planning concessions for developments that lock in affordable rents. This would help create stable, long-term rental options.

    Learning from other countries

    Australia can get ideas for increasing housing supply without raising prices from the experience of other countries.

    Through substantial investments in social housing, Finland has significantly reduced homelessness and created stable housing options for families with limited income.

    Large-scale prefab public housing originated in Singapore decades ago as a method to accelerate construction timelines and reduce expenses. Prefabrication is only used in 8% of projects in Australia at the moment.

    Prefabrication is widely used in building sectors in other countries as a cheaper and faster way of responding to housing shortages.
    brizmaker/Shutterstock

    Sweden has adopted advanced modular construction techniques, which result in 80% of homes being built off-site.

    Germany employs municipal-led housing associations along with rent controls to maintain price stability and tenant protection.

    And in the UK, inclusionary zoning regulations mandate that new developments either contain affordable housing units or contribute to a fund that supports affordable housing in different locations. This helps create diverse housing options in most neighborhoods.

    Election promises versus real change

    Significant reforms are needed – not election sweeteners. To make genuine progress, we need to invest heavily in modern construction techniques, transform housing approval processes and ensure states promptly release essential land.

    The solution requires a coordinated response from federal, state and local governments. This would enable more Australians to obtain homeownership and secure rental options.

    Our politicians must avoid short-term promises during elections because these threaten to return us to the destructive pattern of escalating prices and dissatisfied homebuyers. Long-term policy reform is what we need.

    Dr. Ehsan Noroozinejad has received funding from both national and international organisations to support research addressing housing and climate crises. His most recent funding on integrated housing and climate policy comes from the James Martin Institute for Public Policy (soon to be the Australian Public Policy Institute).

    ref. Why is it so hard for everyone to have a house in Australia? – https://theconversation.com/why-is-it-so-hard-for-everyone-to-have-a-house-in-australia-254464

    MIL OSI AnalysisEveningReport.nz

  • MIL-Evening Report: Would looser lending rules help more people buy a house – or just put them at risk?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Grant, Associate Professor in Finance, University of Sydney

    doublelee/Shutterstock

    Big promises on housing were at the centre of both major parties’ announcements at the official federal election campaign launches on the weekend.

    Among the highlights, Labor pledged to build 100,000 new homes and extend a government-guaranteed 5% deposit scheme to all first home buyers. The Coalition promised to make interest payments on the first A$650,000 of a mortgage tax-deductible for up to five years, for eligible first home buyers purchasing new builds.

    Amid this flurry of policies, it’s important we don’t forget another Coalition promise from earlier this month – lowering the 3% mortgage serviceability “buffer”.

    Promising to help would-be homebuyers without access to the “bank of mum and dad”, the policy aims to make loans easier to get amid high interest rates and house prices. But it has also reignited debate over lending regulation.

    What exactly does this buffer do, and what might we lose by lowering it?

    Protecting banks and borrowers

    Mortgage buffers are a risk management tool, regulated by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA).

    When banks assess a home loan, they don’t just check if you can repay it at today’s rate. They test whether you could still afford it if interest rates were higher.

    Suppose a borrower in Sydney takes out a mortgage of $780,000 (around the average loan size). At a 6% interest rate, the monthly repayments over 30 years would be about $4,672.

    Under the current serviceability buffer – three percentage points – banks assess whether this prospective borrower could still afford repayments if interest rates rose to 9%, which would increase their monthly repayments to around $6,270.

    This buffer doesn’t increase the price the borrower actually pays. It simply ensures they have the capacity to service higher repayments if conditions worsen.

    The last time mortgage rates were above 9% for an extended period (1996), Peter Dutton was in the Queensland Police Service, the Swans had lost the AFL Grand Final, and Oasis were about to cancel their Australian tour. Could history repeat itself?




    Read more:
    Labor and Coalition support for new home buyers welcome but other Australians also struggling with housing affordability


    Why lower it?

    APRA increased the serviceability buffer from 2.5% to 3% in late 2021. But at the time, Australia’s cash rate was very low, at just 0.1%. It’s now 4.1%.

    Critics argue the buffer has become too restrictive now that rates are higher, locking out first home buyers and those without parental financial help.

    The buffer can also act as a barrier to refinancing. Those who qualified for a loan when interest rates were low may no longer meet serviceability requirements under higher rates. Research suggests that removing refinancing barriers can reduce loan defaults and support household spending.

    The risks

    There are good reasons for the measures we have to protect borrowers from future shocks.

    Reducing the buffer allows more borrowers to qualify for the same loan. But it also means there’s less built-in protection against future rate rises.

    Research shows the risk of a borrower defaulting on their mortgage increases sharply when their loan-to-value ratio – the amount borrowed divided by the property’s purchase price – is above 75%, or where a borrower is spending two-thirds of their income on the mortgage.

    But buffers also need to be set carefully, ensuring they don’t unnecessarily lock out creditworthy borrowers.

    The mortgage serviceability buffer is designed to protect borrowers from sudden financial shocks.
    doublelee/Shutterstock

    Help for first home buyers?

    When considered together with the Coalition’s additional policies – to allow first home buyers to withdraw up to $50,000 from their superannuation for a home deposit and deduct mortgage payments from their taxable income – the implications become clearer.

    Economic theory suggests that combined, such measures would move more borrowers closer to the margin of affordability.

    Many would likely take on the maximum debt they could qualify for, leaving them highly exposed if economic or interest rate conditions deteriorate.

    And the very borrowers likely to rely on superannuation withdrawals to fund their deposits are also those with limited savings and potentially high loan-to-value ratios. The borrowers most affected by the barrier are therefore among the most vulnerable to repayment stress.

    What about house prices?

    There’s the obvious question of what reducing the barriers to borrowing would do to house prices, without a corresponding increase in supply.

    Research has shown stricter borrower-level constraints are effective in slowing house price growth, especially during periods of rapid credit expansion.

    These policies are most effective when targeted toward high-risk borrower groups such as first home buyers or those with high loan-to-valuation ratios.

    Some economists argue buffers need not be static. Instead, they could be tightened during booms to prevent the housing market overheating, and eased during tougher times to avoid cutting off credit unnecessarily.

    So, should we lower the buffer?

    Serviceability buffers aren’t just bureaucratic hurdles. They are an unseen brake on unsustainable borrowing and a cushion against future shocks.

    Borrower constraints don’t only reduce default risk – research shows they also redistribute credit more efficiently, shifting it away from overheated urban markets and toward lower-risk borrowers.

    The first cut to the cash rate in nearly five years has eased Australian mortgage stress risk in the short term. With renewed borrowing appetite, the role of buffers becomes even more critical.

    Removing them may help more people into homes in the short run, but it comes at the risk of greater pain later.

    Andrew Grant has previously received funding from the Australian Institute of Credit Management and illion (Experian).

    ref. Would looser lending rules help more people buy a house – or just put them at risk? – https://theconversation.com/would-looser-lending-rules-help-more-people-buy-a-house-or-just-put-them-at-risk-253658

    MIL OSI AnalysisEveningReport.nz

  • MIL-Evening Report: Focusing on a child’s strengths can transform assessments – and help them thrive after an ADHD or autism diagnosis

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adam Guastella, Professor and Clinical Psychologist, Michael Crouch Chair in Child and Youth Mental Health, University of Sydney

    Jota Buyinch Photo/Shutterstock

    When parents are concerned about their child’s development, they often seek an assessment to address concerns and identify any conditions, such as autism, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or learning disorders.

    Common worries include difficulties making friends, focusing on tasks, or meeting educational goals.

    It might seem counter-intuitive but assessments are starting to focus on a child’s strengths during this process. This can create powerful opportunities to improve child and family outcomes, particularly when too much of the focus is on challenges in the family home, school and play settings.

    There is, however, a lack of evidence about how to do such assessments and how certain strengths can be used in assessment.

    In a new research paper, we have developed a strengths checklist for parents, carers and clinicians to more easily identify children’s skills, talents and positive qualities – and understand the type of support they need at home, school or socially.

    The aim was to provide an easy way for parents and clinicians to identify strengths in children, and to provide a method for studying the role of strengths in development. This assessment can be used alongside more established assessments of challenges.

    Why highlight a child’s strengths?

    Focusing on a child’s strengths can have a powerful impact on children and parents. It can boost a child’s motivation, self-esteem, cognitive skills, language development, problem-solving abilities and build stronger relationships.

    For parents and caregivers, it can increase their own feelings of self-worth and improve the quality of their relationship with their own children.

    When parents and caregivers believe in their child’s abilities and encourage their strengths, children and families thrive.

    However, there are many gaps in research about how to apply a strengths-based approach in the context of a neurodevelopmental assessment.

    Currently, while the basic principle of incorporating strengths is clear, clinicians need to rely on intuition and creativity to guide their practices.

    We have long needed better evidence-based methods to guide this.

    This is where our research comes in

    Our new study used the Sydney Child Neurodevelopment Research Registry, which aims to improve the neurodevelopmental assessment processes and the evidence for what works for families and clinicians. We asked caregivers to identify their child’s strengths on their first assessment visit.

    Nearly 700 caregivers reported an average of 2.8 strengths about their children. Using these themes, we developed a child strengths checklist to use for clinical assessments.

    We showed caregivers identified six categories of child strengths: cognitive and intellectual, social and interpersonal, hobbies and passions, character and personality, physical, and resilient behaviours.

    Some caregivers might report that while their child had difficulty with peer interactions, they were also kind, affectionate, honest and caring.

    Other caregivers described concerns about cognitive delays, but they also described how children persevered and persisted with tasks.

    We asked parents and caregivers about their child’s strengths and found they fell into six categories.
    HopeNFPhotography/Shutterstock

    Analysing the data qualitatively – where we read caregiver transcripts and extracted themes – we captured the richness and detail of unique strengths. In total, we identified 61 unique strengths.

    With community representatives and clinicians, we used this to develop a strengths-based checklist we’re calling the Child Autism and Neurodevelopment Strengths Checklist, or the CANS checklist.

    This type of research will provide the evidence needed to be able to implement national guidelines and to develop better evidence about how strengths can be used to improve outcomes. We want to develop best practices for combining concerns and strengths into feedback, support plans and intervention strategies.

    What can caregivers and clinicians do now?

    Support schemes including the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) often require families to highlight what children can’t do. Still, there are some practical ways caregivers and clinicians can ensure a child’s strengths are kept front and centre.

    For caregivers, along with discussing concerns, reflect on and talk with your clinicians about your child’s strengths. Make sure clinicians keep these in mind when devising supports.

    For both caregivers and clinicians, it can be helpful to think about characteristics often seen as challenges – such as a strong need for routine – as also potential strengths. It may lead to new ways of supporting children. With the right environment and support, these traits can be valuable assets in a child’s development.

    Parents we talked to highlighted their children’s hobbies and passions.
    Cloudy Design/Shutterstock

    For clinicians, consider how a child’s strengths can inform your assessment and intervention strategies. Make sure you don’t only focus on what children can’t do or need support with.

    Communicate clearly about the child’s strengths and consider how these strengths can:

    • support the child’s long-term development and goals. If the child thrives on routine and pays close attention to details, showing them how to embrace these strengths can teach them how to use them to reach their own goals and to be more independent

    • be the target of an intervention. Everyone needs to experience success. Designing activities around strengths can make intervention more enjoyable and engaging, and the effects are more likely to be long-lasting

    • be used to support the wellbeing of families. Helping families focus on each other’s strengths and improve the way family members talk about and support one another creates a positive environment where they can all feel valued, respected and cared for.

    By focusing on strengths, we want to create more effective and personalised support for children with neurodevelopmental conditions to reach their full potential.

    Building a strong, evidence-based approach will help ensure children’s strengths are consistently considered in assessments and intervention planning.




    Read more:
    Wondering about ADHD, autism and your child’s development? What to know about getting a neurodevelopmental assessment


    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. Focusing on a child’s strengths can transform assessments – and help them thrive after an ADHD or autism diagnosis – https://theconversation.com/focusing-on-a-childs-strengths-can-transform-assessments-and-help-them-thrive-after-an-adhd-or-autism-diagnosis-250640

    MIL OSI AnalysisEveningReport.nz

  • MIL-Evening Report: Cutting migrant numbers won’t help housing – the real immigration problems not being tackled this election

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter McDonald, Honorary Professor of Demography, Centre for Health Policy, The University of Melbourne

    Immigration is shaping as one of the most potent policy issues of the election campaign.

    Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has announced a Coalition government would cut the two major migration programs – permanent and net overseas. He has directly linked the number of people coming into the country to high house prices, which feeds into the election’s hot button issue of cost of living:

    the first and foremost interest in mind is to get young Australians into housing.

    But will cutting immigration help fix the housing crisis? Or is this a smokescreen for other problems with the migration system that are not being addressed by the major parties?

    Fewer permanent migrants

    The Coalition is campaigning on its plans to reduce the Permanent Migration Program, from 185,000 a year to 140,000.

    This is the wrong time to make such a large cut. Permanent migration, more than temporary, is critical for Australia’s economic growth. It also helps offset the ageing of the population.

    For its part, Labor failed to include the permanent migration number in last month’s budget, so we have no idea about its plans if it is re-elected.

    It is best for our economy when the annual migration intake is between 160,000 and 220,000. From the Gillard government until today, the Permanent Migration Program has been set by governments of both shades within that range.

    Th Coalition’s proposed cut is problematic because extreme pressure is building in two visa categories that have close to 100% grant rates: Partners and Children in the Family stream and Employer Sponsored workers in the Skill stream.

    If recent experience is anything to go by, the number of applications lodged by family members of Australian citizens or permanent residents will skyrocket to 110,000 by June 30. It is important to note this category is largely demand-driven. These family members have a right to permanent residence under Section 87 of The Migration Act.

    Demand is also exploding in the visa category that allows employers to address labour shortages, which has a grant rate of over 98%. Almost 100,000 applications are expected in 2024–25. However, only 44,000 places have been allocated. Employers are going to be very unhappy whichever side is elected.

    Given the pent-up demand, the Coalition is avoiding the tricky questions about which parts of the Permanent Program it would cut and by how much. Labor is shirking the issue altogether by not providing any target.

    Dutton’s planned reduction to permanent migration numbers would have only a small impact on housing. In a normal year, 60% of grantees are already living in Australia. They won’t be adding to housing demand, because they are already here.

    The numbers don’t add up

    The other major category, Net Overseas Migration, includes temporary arrivals – mainly skilled workers, working holiday makers and international students. Treasury estimates 260,000 migrants in this category in 2025–26

    Dutton says the Coalition would cut this number by 100,000 people and would do it “straight away, once we get into government”.

    But this number is not achievable, at least not “straight away”. Arrivals can be lowered. But the number of departures will be way too low to reach the target.

    The category has already fallen by 100,000 in each of the past two years. It will continue to decline gradually over the next couple of years, but not nearly as fast as the Coalition target requires.

    The number of departures has been low due to the surge in temporary migrants that followed the COVID border closures. The majority of these people have valid visas until at least 2027–28. Only then, is there likely to be a flow of migrants leaving Australia.

    Dutton should have said a Coalition government would reach this target in its third year, not its first. But this would not have suited the false argument that net overseas migration has a big impact on housing affordability. It’s spurious because net overseas migration largely consists of temporary residents who rarely buy houses. And both major parties have policies banning temporary residents from purchasing established properties.

    New temporary migrants do have an impact on rental demand, but it’s highly localised near universities and along public transport routes. Even this demand is somewhat muted. According to 2021 Census data, a large minority (30–40%) of students and working holiday makers live in specialist accommodation or in very large households.

    Problems beyond the election

    Australia is facing an estimated shortfall of 130,000 housing construction workers. Both sides of politics are taking worthwhile steps to expand the number of apprentices. But the apprenticeship route is slow and likely to fall short of requirements.

    We need more skilled tradies from overseas, but it’s not happening due to obstacles in the migration system. Neither side of politics seems to be looking for creative solutions. Certainly, cutting the Permanent Program is not the answer.

    Another major issue is the difficulty successive governments have had in getting people to leave Australia once all their options to remain have been exhausted.

    As of January 2025, there were 92,000 individuals who had been refused a final Protection Visa, but had not yet departed. This number accumulated under the previous Morrison government and has continued to expand under Labor.

    Policy not politics

    Undue panic over the level of net overseas migration in an election context has made a mess of Australian migration policy.

    This is evidenced by the policy shambles over international education. The major parties both have plans to limit the number of foreign students, but the cap in both cases is not much below pre-COVID enrolments.

    On a more positive note, both sides of politics should be commended for not allowing racism and the “otherness” of migrants to enter the debate.

    But it’s time to drop the fantasy that cutting migration will help young Australians enter the housing market. This a blatant distraction from the real and tangible problems with the migration system that must be dealt with by whoever wins on May 3.


    This is the seventh article in our special series, Australia’s Policy Challenges. You can read the other articles here

    Peter McDonald has received funding from the Australian Research Council and from the Department of Home Affairs (including its predecessors) for studies of migration issues, but not in the past decade.

    ref. Cutting migrant numbers won’t help housing – the real immigration problems not being tackled this election – https://theconversation.com/cutting-migrant-numbers-wont-help-housing-the-real-immigration-problems-not-being-tackled-this-election-250646

    MIL OSI AnalysisEveningReport.nz

  • MIL-OSI: Par Pacific Announces First Quarter 2025 Earnings Release and Conference Call Schedule

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HOUSTON, April 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Par Pacific Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: PARR) (“Par Pacific”) today announced that it will release its first quarter 2025 results after the New York Stock Exchange closes on Tuesday, May 6, 2025. This release will be followed by a conference call for investors on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. Central Time (10:00 a.m. Eastern). The full text of the release will be available on Par Pacific’s website at http://www.parpacific.com.

    Par Pacific First Quarter 2025 Earnings Conference Call
    Wednesday, May 7, 2025
    9:00 a.m. Central time (10:00 a.m. Eastern)
    Dial-in number: 1-833-974-2377 (toll-free) or 1-412-317-5782 (toll)

    Individuals who would like to participate should dial the applicable dial-in number at least 10 minutes before the scheduled conference call time.

    To access the live audio webcast and related presentation materials, please visit the Investors section of Par Pacific’s website at http://www.parpacific.com.

    A replay will be available shortly after the call and can be accessed by dialing 1-877-344-7529 (toll-free) or 1-412-317-0088 (toll). The passcode for the replay is 2659885. The replay will be available until May 21, 2025.

    About Par Pacific

    Par Pacific Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: PARR), headquartered in Houston, Texas, is a growing energy company providing both renewable and conventional fuels to the western United States. Par Pacific owns and operates 219,000 bpd of combined refining capacity across four locations in Hawaii, the Pacific Northwest and the Rockies, and an extensive energy infrastructure network, including 13 million barrels of storage, and marine, rail, rack, and pipeline assets. In addition, Par Pacific operates the Hele retail brand in Hawaii and the “nomnom” convenience store chain in the Pacific Northwest. Par Pacific also owns 46% of Laramie Energy, LLC, a natural gas production company with operations and assets concentrated in Western Colorado. More information is available at www.parpacific.com.

    Investor Contact:
    Ashimi Patel
    VP, Investor Relations & Sustainability
    (832) 916-3355
    apatel@parpacific.com

    The MIL Network