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Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Abortion Services in Aotearoa New Zealand: The voices of wāhine on improving access

    Source: New Zealand Ministry of Health

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    This research report was commissioned by the Ministry to help inform the Review of Certain Matters under the Contraception, Sterilisation, and Abortion Act 1977. It was one of three reports commissioned for three different consumer groups.

    The research report focuses on the experiences of Māori and Pacific peoples and provides insights into how abortion health care services are perceived and accessed by this group since changes to the law in 2020.

    This publication was prepared under contract to the Ministry of Health. The copyright in this article is owned by the Crown and administered by the Ministry. The views of the authors do not necessarily represent the views or policy of the Ministry of Health. The Ministry makes no warranty, express or implied, nor assumes any liability or responsibility for use of or reliance on the contents of this publication.

    Individual themes from the report on voices of wāhine

    The over-arching theme from this study was that abortion services had become safer and more accessible since the legislation changed, but ongoing improvements are required to move clinical care for abortions beyond the procedure itself in order to provide culturally safe and ongoing care for women. 

    Common themes from the three reports

    Three reports were commissioned of three different consumer groups, and a brief summary of the reports below outlines some common themes about abortion health care services since law change.

    Changes to the Contraception, Sterilisation, and Abortion Act 1977 have improved access to and quality of care in abortion services

    Where comparisons are made to abortion services prior to law change, these changes have improved the experience of the people involved in these reports. The ability to use telehealth, self-refer, and improvements in timeliness are particularly noted across the reports. The use of telehealth appears to be a useful option for some, while others had issues with the technology.

    The experience of abortion services is intersectionally dependant

    Intersecting layers of societal discrimination and inequity were described as key drivers of experience for rainbow and disabled people.

    Abortion is associated with social stigma

    Abortion remains a sensitive topic, particularly for rainbow and disabled people. However, providers of abortion services were overwhelmingly perceived to be accepting and non-judgmental, suggesting that the concerns expressed by some people interviewed reflected biases outside of the abortion services.

    The availability of information regarding abortion is variable

    All groups reported some difficulties in accessing information regarding abortion despite information being available through multiple mechanisms. However, once individuals were engaged with abortion services the quality and availability of information was reported as being adequate.

    The needs of individuals regarding contraception advice and abortion counselling is varied and complex

    The reports identified a potential issue regarding the availability and timing of abortion counselling. Regarding contraception, ongoing contraception appears to be discussed routinely as standard practice, although some individuals felt they were provided with limited options or not provided with a full explanation of the risks and benefits of the range of options offered.

    The other two reports, for rainbow people and disabled people are available here:

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Review of Certain Matters under the Contraception, Sterilisation, and Abortion Act 1977

    Source: New Zealand Ministry of Health

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    This is the first periodic Review of Certain Matters under the Contraception, Sterilisation, and Abortion Act 1977.  

    The review identifies that some good progress has occurred. There is increased access to abortion services, with more providers, and an increase of locations of provision. In addition, we have Increased access to early abortion services through the telehealth services DECIDE as well as in primary health care and community settings through funded EMA medicines and clarification of funding available through the Primary Maternity Services Notice. The introduction of clinical guidelines to support clinical practice in abortion care and the Standard for Abortion Counselling in New Zealand have also been beneficial.

    However, there is work to do to improve access, especially for women seeking abortion health care who live in rural communities and who require surgical or follow-up health care. Cost, service consistency and access to counselling services also vary greatly across regions. 

    Scope of the review

    The scope of the review is set in the legislation and is focused on how the current law is working. This means that:

    • the review examines whether there is timely and equitable access to contraception services, sterilisation services and abortion services, including information and advisory and counselling services in relation to abortion services
    • the review includes consideration of the relative costs throughout New Zealand for people accessing those services
    • the review will not consider the rules regarding eligibility for access to these services, or their status as publicly funded health services.

    Under the legislation, the review must also include consideration of whether there is any evidence of abortions being sought solely because of a preference for the fetus to be of a particular sex.

    Related publications

    These reports were commissioned to help inform the review.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Greenpeace Statement: Greenpeace corrects Federated Farmers’ impotent attack

    Source: Greenpeace

    In response to the “desperate bid” by Federated Farmers to curtail Greenpeace, the environmental heavyweight has issued a correction to the agri-industry lobby group’s “scurrilous complaint” made to the Charities Commission yesterday.
    Greenpeace Aotearoa spokesperson Niamh O’Flynn says, “It’s just another attempt to shut down dissent by Federated Farmers. The Feds are a lobby group for New Zealand’s biggest polluters, and this crack at peaceful protest is part of a global trend that we must not stand for.
    Greenpeace has faced polluters trying to shut us down for decades. Just like the French bombed the Rainbow Warrior 40 years ago to try to stop our opposition to nuclear testing in the Pacific, and the oil industry is currently trying to eliminate Greenpeace in the US, this is another, albeit impotent, attempt to curtail legitimate peaceful protest.”
    Greenpeace says that the Federated Farmers list of Greenpeace protests is far from comprehensive and omits dozens of examples of direct action that have played a key role in bringing about positive change in Aotearoa and beyond.
    O’Flynn says, “Greenpeace has a long history of taking direct action to highlight environmental injustices and stop polluting industries like Fonterra from harming the environment. Federated Farmers have curated a list of some of our most impactful actions – but they’ve left quite a few out and we want to set the record straight.”
    “Since the 1970s, Greenpeace has campaigned in Aotearoa and the Pacific to ensure that the environment is protected from harm by industries like nuclear weapons, fossil fuels, intensive dairy and commercial fishing that cause significant harm to our collective home. That means that sometimes we will put our bodies on the line to stop corporations from harming the planet.”
    “Importantly, many of our actions to highlight environmental injustice have led to changes that we pride ourselves on as a nation. The nuclear free campaigns of the 1970s and 80s led to New Zealand declaring itself nuclear free, and to the end of nuclear testing in the Pacific. The GE-free campaign led to New Zealand imposing a moratorium on GE crops. The campaign to end oil and gas exploration led to a ban on new offshore oil and gas exploration in Aotearoa. The campaign to stop the Ruataniwha Dam protected the rivers of the Hawke’s Bay from pollution from intensive dairy expansion, and prevented conservation land from being flooded to build a dam.
    “New Zealanders care deeply about nature and history shows that Greenpeace protests have protected that.. Our actions sit alongside long-fought legal battles, petitions, and mass protests and marches in the streets of New Zealand’s biggest cities.
    “We wanted to take this opportunity to reflect on our long history of actions that have succeeded in protecting nature from industries that seek to destroy it.”
    An expanded (but not comprehensive), list of key Greenpeace Aotearoa actions dating back to the 1970s is below.
    1970s:
    • In 1972, the Nuclear Campaign started with the first protest flotilla mobilisation to oppose and disrupt the French Government’s atmospheric nuclear weapons testing programme at Moruroa Atoll in Te Ao Maohi/French Polynesia. This was led by the boat (SV) Greenpeace III, previously named the Vega.
    • In 1973, a second, larger flotilla sailed to the Moruroa Atoll including the Vega. Sailing into the nuclear testing zone prevented the French from being able to detonate bombs.
    1980s:
    • In July 1985, the Greenpeace boat Rainbow Warrior was bombed in the Auckland Harbour following direct actions in the Pacific to oppose nuclear testing – including the evacuation of the people of Rongelap.
    • In September 1985, Greenpeace sent MV Greenpeace to protest against the French Government’s nuclear testing programme at Moruroa Atoll alongside a flotilla of New Zealand protest boats including SV Vega, SV Alliance, SV Varangian, and SV Breeze.
    1990s:
    • In 1995 Greenpeace once again sailed the Rainbow Warrior II into nuclear testing zones in Moruroa and Tahiti to protest the resumption of French nuclear testing.
    • In 1995, Greenpeace protested against CHOGM in Auckland over the impending execution of Ogoni environmental activist Ken Saro-Wiwa by the military regime that ruled Nigeria.
    • In 1997, Greenpeace activists blocked the Stratford gas-fired power station’s generators being unloaded in the Port of Taranaki
    • In 1998, during the SV Rainbow Warrior II tour, Greenpeace ‘unplugged’ Fletcher Challenge Energy’s seismic testing cabling in Taranaki.
    • During the 1990s, Greenpeace championed the creation of a 50 million square kilometre Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary around the Antarctic continent and launched a series of anti-whaling expeditions into the Southern Ocean to expose and confront the Japanese Government’s bogus ‘scientific’ whaling fleet operating there.
    2000s:
    • In December 2000, Greenpeace activists stopped the production of genetically engineered feed at a Tegel plant in Takanini.
    • In 2002, activists in Auckland scaled a waste incineration facility chimney, capped it, and locked on to highlight dioxin pollution.
    • In August 2003, Greenpeace activists boarded a coal ship in Tauranga in opposition to coal mining.
    • In 2004, the SV Rainbow Warrior II‘s crew used inflatable boats to disrupt the NZ bottom trawler, Ocean Reward, to stop it destroying deep-sea life while fishing in international waters in the Tasman Sea. They delayed the fishing vessel from deploying its trawl net by attaching an inflatable life-raft to it, running the gauntlet of being shot at with compressed air guns and sprayed with high pressure fire hoses by the Ocean Reward’s crew.
    • In May 2004, Greenpeace activists locked on to the Auckland McDonalds distribution centre gates over McDonalds’ use of GE feed.
    • In February 2005, Greenpeace activists occupied the roof of the Marsden B power station.
    • In July 2006, Greenpeace activists locked on to a Chinese bottom trawling ship in the Port of Nelson to prevent the destruction caused by the bottom trawling industry to the seafloor.
    • In October 2008, Greenpeace activists in Tokoroa locked on to logging equipment to stop conversion to pasture for intensive agriculture.
    • In October 2009, Greenpeace activists locked on to a palm kernel shipment in Taranaki to protest links to rainforest destruction and climate change.
    • In November 2009, Greenpeace activists shut down a pit of a New Vale lignite coal mine, used by Fonterra to help fuel operations at its nearby Edendale dairy factory.
    2010s
    • In May 2010, Greenpeace activists locked on to a Fonterra coal power plant in Clandeboye
    • In February 2011, Greenpeace activists locked on to a ship carrying palm kernel in New Plymouth to protest the links to rainforest destruction and climate change.
    • Also in 2011, a flotilla of boats from around the North Island, including the Te Whanau a Apanui fishing vessel San Pietro, began a landmark at-sea protest against offshore oil surveying by oil giant Petrobras that lasted 42 days.
    • In 2012, Greenpeace activists occupied the oil drilling ship The Noble Discoverer in Port Taranaki and camped on its tower for 77 hours, to protest the environmental destruction caused by oil drilling.
    • In 2013, as part of the Oil Free Seas Flotilla, Greenpeace activists broke the newly introduced Anadarko Amendment by sailing into the exclusion zone to confront oil giant Anadarko at sea.
    • In September 2016, Greenpeace ‘returned to sender’ the site office at the Ruataniwha Dam construction site. The activists removed the site office from its location near the Makaroro River, and returned it to the regional council who were promoting the dam’s construction. After a long campaign to prevent this dam from being built, the Council pulled its funding for the dam and the land exchange required to construct it was declared unlawful by the Supreme Court.
    • In 2016, Greenpeace and people from around the country blockaded Sky City which was hosting the annual oil industry conference.
    • In 2016 Greenpeace activists locked on board the NIWA taxpayer-funded climate and ocean research boat which had been chartered by petroleum giant Chevron to survey for oil in New Zealand waters
    • In August 2017, Greenpeace protestors spent 12 hours locked inside irrigation pipes in a bid to slow the construction of the Central Plains Water Scheme
    • In September 2017, Greenpeace activists staged a ‘lightning’ occupation of a dam construction site in Canterbury after facing legal threats from a big irrigation company.
    • The Amazon Warrior Sea Protest in 2017, where Greenpeace’s Executive Director Russel Norman and two others jumped into the ocean in front of the Amazon Warrior to prevent seismic drilling.
    • In July 2018, Greenpeace protestors occupied the site of a proposed dairy expansion in Mackenzie Country and refused to leave.
    • The occupation of oil drilling support vessel the Skandi Atlantic at the port of Timaru in 2019, to prevent it from supporting oil giant OMV to search for oil off the coast of Taranaki
    • In 2019, Greenpeace activists alongside youth climate movement School Strike 4 Climate occupied the headquarters of OMV in Taranaki for several days over the role of the fossil fuel industry in fuelling the climate crisis.
    2020s:
    • In 2020, Greenpeace activists climbed the Fertiliser Association building and unfurled a giant banner calling for an end to the use of synthetic nitrogen fertiliser. Subsequently, the government introduced a cap on the amount of synthetic nitrogen fertiliser used on farms.
    • In 2021, Greenpeace activists took action against fishing company Talleys in Nelson, painting a message on the side of the ship to protest bottom trawling.
    • In 2022, Greenpeace activists deployed a 1500 square metre banner at the Kapuni Fertiliser factory, labelling synthetic nitrogen fertiliser ‘cancer fertiliser’.
    • In 2023, Greenpeace activists dropped banners inside the Parliament gallery to protest inaction on climate change.
    • In 2024, Greenpeace activists scaled Fonterra’s Te Rapa dairy factory in Hamilton and dropped a giant banner reading ‘Fonterra’s methane cooks the climate’, to protest the superheating methane gas produced by Fonterra’s oversized dairy herd.
    • Also in 2024, Greenpeace shut down the offices of Straterra – a mining lobbying firm who are working to advance seabed mining off the coast of Taranaki despite widespread community opposition. Two Greenpeace activists scaled the building while three others locked themselves inside the offices.
    • In November 2024, Greenpeace activists interrupted the AGM of Manuka Resources – the parent company of seabed mining company Trans-Tasman Resources who are attempting to mine the seabed off the coast of Taranaki.
    • In April 2025, Greenpeace activists shut down operations at a palm kernel storage facility in Port Taranaki for several hours, preventing a ship from offloading thirty thousand tonnes of palm kernel connected to the destruction of Indonesian rainforests.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Myanmar earthquake: Risk of waterborne disease outbreak amidst devastation compounded by weekend heavy rains – Oxfam

    Source: Oxfam Aotearoa

    Heavy rains that struck Mandalay and Sagaing – the epicenter of the recent earthquake in Myanmar – over the weekend have further complicated the humanitarian situation. The existing lack of sanitation and clean water is now increasing the risk of waterborne diseases, said Oxfam today.
    Rajan Khosla, Oxfam in Myanmar Country Director, said:
    “The recent heavy rains have added to the challenges faced by the survivors of this earthquake, further affecting those who are already struggling. Hundreds of thousands of people are seeking shelter in temporary accommodations or in open areas, with limited access to clean water and proper sanitation.”
    The destruction of roads and bridges, together with the disruption in telecommunications have already slowed rescue and relief operations over the past week. Millions of people in hardest-hit areas remain with limited access to electricity, clean water and sanitation, and essential services.
    The 7.7-magnitude quake – the worst to hit Myanmar in decades – has left a trail of devastation, particularly in the regions of Mandalay, Sagaing, parts of Shan, and Nay Pyi Taw.
    The UN has estimated that the earthquake has affected more than 17 million people across 57 of the country’s 330 townships. Over 3,400 people have been announced dead and thousands more injured, and the number is still rising.
    Oxfam’s team was among the first to reach the hardest-hit areas, providing lifesaving supplies to prevent the outbreak of disease, particularly acute watery diarrhea. Together with our partners, Oxfam is providing people in shelters with lifesaving water, sanitation and hygiene kits, blankets, mosquito nets and other essential supplies.
    Oxfam’s Water, Sanitation and Hygiene expert in Mandalay, said:
    “Heavy rains flooded drains, polluting the environment and increasing public health risks including diarrhoea due to flies and insects. Many camps lack proper latrines, forcing people to dispose of human waste without adequate sanitation.” He added, “there are significant hygiene challenges for the camp population, as food is cooked outdoors, making it difficult to prepare meals after rain. This increases the risk of contamination and the spread of diseases.”
    Myanmar was already reeling from a severe humanitarian crisis, with almost 20 million people – a third of the population -needing humanitarian assistance. The situation is now catastrophic. But despite the scale of need, the country remains one of the world’s most underfunded humanitarian crises. Less than 40 percent of the UN Humanitarian appeal for Myanmar was met last year.
    Rajan said: “This tragedy underscores the need for a coordinated international response and significant support to help Myanmar recover and rebuild. The road to recovery is long, and every contribution can make a significant difference in the lives of those impacted by this devastating earthquake,”
    Oxfam is scaling up its response to reach the most vulnerable groups in hardest hit areas, particularly women, children, and people with disabilities.
    Notes:
    • Oxfam in Myanmar has been working to support communities in Myanmar since 2008, following the devastating Cyclone Nargis in the Delta region. Since then, we have expanded our programmes with the aim of reducing poverty and suffering in Myanmar, working closely with communities and local partners.
    • Immediately after the earthquake, Oxfam has mobilised to deliver urgent relief to the hardest hit areas. Together with our partners, our teams have reached thousands of people, particularly in Mandalay and Sagaing, with hygiene and dignity kits, as well as, cooked food, water, mosquito nets and blankets.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: ACT Budget: What’s in it for Woden, Weston Creek and Molonglo

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Toilets will be installed at Ruth Park Playground in Coombs.

    2024–25 ACT Budget snapshot – Woden, Weston Creek and Molonglo

    • A new community services hub in Woden
    • The duplication of Athllon Drive
    • More housing for the region
    • Upgraded community facilities
    • More funding for mowing and horticulture

    With the ACT’s population set to reach 500,000 people by the end of 2027, the 2024–25 ACT Budget is funding the services and infrastructure this growing city needs.

    Through this year’s Budget, the ACT Government is delivering more public health services, providing cost of living relief for those who need it most, and improving housing choice, access and affordability.

    Some of the projects funded in Woden, Weston Creek and Molonglo include:

    A new community services hub for Woden

    The Budget includes funding a new Woden Community Services Hub.

    The Hub will replace the existing four buildings currently operated by Woden Community Service, bringing together community and government services within one facility.

    Integrating a walk-in health clinic, child and family services and other vital community services, the Hub will provide residents the support they need – efficiently and in one place.

    It will also offer more spaces for people to mix and meet as the region grows.

    More housing for the region

    The ACT Government’s Indicative Land Release Program for 2024–25 to 2028–29 will help cater to the ACT’s growing population.

    As part of the program, 11,028 new homes are planned for Woden Valley, Weston Creek and Molonglo Valley.

    Athllon Drive duplication

    Work to duplicate part of Athllon Drive is set to start in the coming months.

    The ACT Government will invest in the project through the 2024–25 ACT Budget, as part of a 50:50 funding agreement with the Australian Government.

    The project will see the duplication of 2.4 kilometres of Athllon Drive between Sulwood Drive and Drakeford Drive.

    This Budget will also provide support for:

    • planning for the extension of light rail to Woden
    • the construction of a new Woden Bus Depot and a new public transport interchange in Woden, which will incorporate facilities for light rail and connections with nearby active travel networks
    • the completion of John Gorton Drive, which includes a new bridge across the Molonglo River and a seven-kilometre dedicated off-road shared path for walking and cycling.

    New and upgraded community infrastructure

    The 2024-25 ACT Budget will support new and upgraded community facilities and infrastructure across the city.

    Projects include:

    • the construction of a new Emergency Services Station in the Molonglo Valley to house ACT Ambulance Service and ACT Fire & Rescue staff
    • upgrades to Phillip District Enclosed Oval
    • commencing construction of Stage 1 of the Stromlo District Playing Fields in Molonglo, which will include two rectangular playing fields, a modified AFL oval, LED lighting, a pavilion and site landscaping
    • new toilets at Ruth Park Playground in Coombs
    • an upgraded toilet at Mawson Shops.

    The Government will also respond to community feedback regarding resources at ACT libraries. There will be new portable phone chargers and more power boards and charging stations, in addition to improving building security.

    More funding for mowing and horticulture

    The combination of unpredictable weather and a growing city have increased demands on those taking care of Canberra’s grass, trees, weeds and gardens.

    The Budget will include funding for 10 full-time positions and eight additional mowers to deliver an expanded baseline capacity in our mowing teams.

    In the low season, mowing crews will assist with horticultural work across the city, including weeding, road edging and maintenance.

    More health services

    The 2024–25 ACT Budget is investing in health programs and infrastructure for the region.

    This includes investing in the continuing redevelopment Canberra Hospital and a new pathology and clinical support building on the campus.

    This Budget will also support the establishment of:

    • a community-based service in Molonglo for children at risk of delayed development and chronic health conditions
    • a Residential Treatment Centre for eating disorders in Coombs.

    Support for education

    The region will benefit from a new suite of system-wide literacy and numeracy initiatives, called Strong Foundations, being rolled out across ACT public schools. The program will ensure all students have access to consistent, high-quality literacy and numeracy education.

    This Budget will also support:

    • the expansion and modernisation of Garran Primary School
    • the delivery of Whitlam Primary School and Early Childhood Education Centre
    • planning for a new college for the Molonglo Valley
    • finalising construction of the new CIT Woden Campus.

    There will also be a range of school upgrades across Canberra as part of the ACT Government’s annual Asset Renewal Program.

    Find out what else has been funded as part of the 2024-25 ACT Budget by clicking here.

    11,028 new homes are planned for Woden Valley, Weston Creek and Molonglo Valley.

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    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Release: David Parker made a difference – Hipkins

    Source: New Zealand Labour Party

    The Labour Leader today acknowledged and celebrated David Parker’s 23-year contribution to the Labour Party and to Parliament.

    “David Parker is a principled and talented Parliamentarian and the Labour team will miss him,” Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said.

    “He is optimistic and hard-working and has served in a variety of roles in Government and Opposition – from energy, environment and transport to infrastructure, finance and foreign affairs. He was also deputy Leader of the Labour Party. 

    “David has achieved an awful lot in his time here. No one’s work in politics is ever finished and I’m sure he steps away with that same sense.

    “What I know to be true is he made a difference, and contributed to a higher quality of life for New Zealanders.

    “I want to thank David for his service to Parliament and to the Labour Party. I am certain his contribution to New Zealand is not over,” Chris Hipkins said.  

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    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Expanding prescriber rights will increase access to medicines

    Source: New Zealand Government

    The Government is making changes to prescriber regulations, giving New Zealanders better access to medicines, Health Minister Simeon Brown and Associate Health Minister David Seymour say.“We are committed to ensuring Kiwis have access to timely, quality healthcare in their communities,” Mr Brown says.“Making our health system more efficient and enabling our health workforce to better care for their patients is a key part of this.“Changes to the Medicines Act introduced to Parliament last week will give nurse practitioners, who are highly skilled health professionals, increased prescribing rights within their scope of practice.“Nurse practitioners work in a range of environments, including in rural areas and in aged residential care, and provide a key role caring for patients.“These changes will mean Nurse Practitioners will be able to prescribe more medicines, providing more and better continuity of care for their patients. “They will also mean that when there are supply shortages of approved medicines, other professions, such as dentists, pharmacist prescribers, midwives, and registered nurse prescribers, will be able to prescribe replacement medicines that are funded by Pharmac.”Together, these changes are about increasing access to medicines for patients and supporting the Government’s objective of ensuring all New Zealanders have access to timely and quality healthcare.”The changes are included in the Medicines Amendment Bill, which amends the Medicines Act 1981.“The Medicines Amendment Bill also enables medicines to be approved in less than 30 days if the product has approval from two recognised overseas jurisdictions. This provides a quicker and easier option for pharmaceutical companies to get products approved in New Zealand,” Mr Seymour says.“We know expanding access to medicines significantly improves New Zealanders’ health and life outcomes.“We’ve already taken a range of actions to give Kiwis better access to medicines. In addition to regulatory changes, we have made a record investment in Pharmac and provided additional funding for cancer and other medicines. “The Medicines Amendment Bill also updates the settings for the Medicines Classification Committee, which has an important role in providing access to medicines. The Bill modernises the membership requirements for the Committee and removes outdated provisions from the Act.”The Government is also progressing work on a new Medical Products Bill, to replace the Medicines Act 1981. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Artist commissioned to honour Canberra’s ‘Soup Kitchen Lady’

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Louise Skačej will collaborate with a strong team to create Stasia Dabrowski’s sculpture.

    In brief:

    • A sculpture will be installed in Garema Place to honour Stasia Dabrowski OAM.
    • Artist Louise Skačej has been commissioned to create the work.
    • Stasia was known as Canberra’s ‘Soup Kitchen Lady’. She fed the hungry from a mobile soup kitchen.

    Artist Louise Skačej will create the public artwork honouring Stasia Dabrowski OAM, Canberra’s ‘Soup Kitchen Lady’.

    This commission is part of an ongoing ACT Government initiative to celebrate significant Canberra women through public art.

    Stasia (1926–2020) ran a mobile soup kitchen from a corner of Garema Place for almost 40 years.

    She fed thousands of vulnerable Canberrans and is being recognised for decades of selfless service.

    Her sculpture will be installed in Garema Place in early 2026.

    It will be located close to where Stasia’s original soup kitchen once stood.

    The artwork will create a permanent tribute to her extraordinary life and work.

    A team effort

    Louise will collaborate with a strong team to create Stasia’s sculpture. This includes:

    • her partner, studio manager and technician Dean Colls
    • her mentor Peter Corlett OAM, who has several works across Canberra
    • studio assistants, Isabeau Colls and Mads Hillam.

    With her immigrant background, Louise’s art often explores themes of culture, heritage, and memory.

    Canberrans may recognise Louise’s work. She collaborated with Dean to create her thought-provoking artwork the Battle of Kapyong Diorama. This is displayed at the Australian War Memorial.

    “I’m honoured and grateful for the opportunity to create a sculpture of Stasia Dabrowski,” Louise said.

    “Her simple but profound act of sharing love and compassion, shows us that love isn’t just a word – it’s something we do.”

    “I hope this sculpture will inspire others to take action and bring light to those in need, just like Stasia did for so many.”

    Stasia’s legacy

    Those in need of a good meal – or even just a hug – knew they could rely on Stasia.

    Every Friday night between 1982 and 2018, she served homemade soup, bread and drinks to the hungry.

    As well as paying for and serving the food, Stasia put in the hours preparing it.

    She would babysit and clean houses to earn enough to buy the ingredients. On Thursdays, she would peel and cook 180 kilograms of vegetables to get ready for the next day.

    By 2000, Stasia was providing several hundred loaves of bread and at least 100 litres of homemade vegetable soup. She would feed over 300 people each Friday night.

    Stasia won numerous awards and accolades for her charity work. These included:

    • 1996 Canberra Citizen of the Year
    • 1999 ACT Senior Australian of the Year
    • 2017 ACT Local Hero of the Year
    • carrying the Olympic torch.

    Stasia, however, remained humble about the work she was doing.

    “I never keep photos because I am not proud… the soup kitchen is a simple thing, people cooking veggies, nothing special,” she said at the time.

    Stasia continued her work until the age of 92 and passed away two years later in 2020.

    More information

    More information on the public art commissioning process is available from artsACT.

    Stasia Dabrowski at the National Portrait Gallery, 2008. Courtesy of the National Portrait Gallery.

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    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: The dog owner’s guide to Central Canberra

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Yarralumla boasts a dog park, two dog beaches and a number of on and off-leash areas to play.

    Central Canberra is one of the oldest and most scenic parts of Canberra. With its parks, beaches and mountains, there’s plenty of spaces for you and your dog to explore together.

    Yarralumla Dog Park

    On the edge of Weston Park, you’ll find this large, grassy dog park.

    It has separate areas for large and small dogs. Both have plenty of space for dogs to play, zoom, and socialise.

    It is fully fenced, with benches to sit while you supervise your dog.

    It’s only a short, on-leash walk to nearby Lake Burley Griffin, including a number of dog beaches.

    Off-leash areas

    There are 20 areas where dogs can be off-leash across the central Canberra region.

    Here are some of our favourites:

    Orana Bay, Yarralumla

    It doesn’t get more scenic than this beautiful dog-friendly swimming spot.

    The small beach on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin overlooks the iconic (soon to be redeveloped) Telstra Tower.

    Orana Bay is conveniently located a short walk away from the fenced dog park in Weston Park, Yarralumla, and connects to on-leash walking tracks spanning across Lake Burley Griffin. It’s the perfect spot for your dog to cool after a burning their energy at the dog park or around the lake.

    Yarralumla

    Yarralumla has a few off-leash areas for dogs to play.

    Kurrajong Point Beach in Weston Park is a dog beach surrounded by shade and grass.

    The space between Denman Street and Dudley Street up to (but not including) the Canberra Brickworks is a dog off-leash area.

    It contains a mix of open grassy areas, as well as shaded walking rails.

    Yarralumla Bay Oval and the adjacent grassy area up to Hopetoun Circuit is also a dog off-leash area.

    Yarralumla Bay Oval is an excellent spot for socialising and play when it’s not in use. If it’s booked for formal sport (including training sessions), however, you’ll need to return another time.

    Haig Park, Braddon and Turner

    Inner north Canberrans and their furry family members flock to Haig Park to play. The entire park (except for the three major paths running between Greenway Street and Masson Street) are dog off-leash areas.

    You can take your dog for a run on the agility course or explore the nature play area. Pine trees provide plenty of shade, and there is lots of space to run around. There are also public toilets.

    If you’d like to stop for lunch, there are plenty of benches and picnic tables. Otherwise, why not visit on a Sunday between 8am and 2pm for the dog-friendly Haig Village Markets?

    On-leash areas

    Mount Ainslie

    If your dog is active, a hike up Mount Ainslie is a great way to get some exercise.

    The Kokoda Track is a 4.5 kilometre return walk. At the top, you’ll be rewarded with panoramic views of Canberra.

    Make sure you stick to the track or trail and don’t venture into the surrounding bushland.

    Lake Burley Griffin

    Canine Canberrans love this walk as much as their human family members.

    There are a few areas around the lake that are dog prohibited areas, including:

    • Jerrabomberra Wetlands
    • Yarralumla Beach
    • Black Mountain Peninsula.

    However, the vast majority of the shores of Lake Burley Griffin (including the five-kilometre bridge-to-bridge walk) are perfect for dogs on lead. Not only will you see some of Canberra’s best scenery, but you’re bound to meet some fellow dog owners and their pooches along the way.

    Both the inner south and inner north of Canberra feature tree-lined streets, footpaths and cycle paths. These, as well as all verges, are dog on-leash areas. If you venture off the street or path, remember that your dog needs to stay on lead within 10 metres either of either side.

    Regardless of where your adventure takes you, you need to clean up after your dog. Failure to pick up your dog droppings is an offence that can land you with a $150 fine. Failure to carry the correct equipment is also an offence and carries a $75 fine.

    Get ACT news and events delivered straight to your inbox, sign up to our email newsletter:


    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: City set sights on streetscape service improvements

    Source: South Australia Police

    The City will increase its maintenance of streetscapes, pedestrian access ways and town centres, following a streetscape and verge management review.

    Endorsed by Council in 2024, the review aimed to achieve consistent and improved streetscape management services across the City, with a focus on safety and sustainability. 

    Wanneroo Mayor Linda Aitken said as well as identifying efficient and cost-effective ways to increase the maintenance of all City streets, a key focus of the review was to prepare the City for reductions to groundwater allocations that will come into effect within the next five years. 

    “Water is a precious resource in Australia, and by introducing priority zones that align with the City’s Urban Forest Strategy, we can make sure we are prepared for these impending reductions.”

    As part of the review, the City has also implemented a consistent approach to residential verge management, where residents are responsible for the maintenance of the verge adjacent to their property.

    “Taking the time to care for your verge is a great way to improve the appearance of your street, contribute to a more sustainable City and get to know your neighbours,” Mayor Aitken said.

    For more information about the streetscape review, visit wanneroo.wa.gov.au/streetscapes.
     

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Hassan, Shaheen Speak Out Against Trump Administration’s Reckless Actions that Weaken Services for Veterans

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Maggie Hassan
    MANCHESTER – U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan and Jeanne Shaheen spoke out this morning against the Trump Administration’s reckless actions to weaken services for America’s veterans. The Senators were joined by local veterans who get their care at the Manchester VA Medical Center, as well as representatives of employees at both the Manchester and White River Junction VA Medical Centers – the two VA facilities at which most New Hampshire veterans receive their care. 
    “Instead of supporting our veterans, the Trump Administration has issued orders that will hobble the VA’s ability to support those who have served by dismantling the Department’s workforce,” said Senator Hassan, a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. “It is deeply concerning that the Trump Administration would even consider trying to weaken the VA and drastically reduce the number of staff to serve veterans, let alone actually issue this chaotic and destructive order. America’s best deserve nothing less than our full commitment to their care.” 
    “America has a sacred bargain with our veterans: they served our nation, and we agreed to honor and care for them after their service,” said Senator Shaheen. “I was pleased to join folks today who are willing to speak out about the harm that will come if the Trump administration follows through with their plan to fire thousands of Veterans Affairs employees. Crippling the Department isn’t going to make services better, it’s going to make it harder for veterans to access the care they deserve.” 
    The Trump Administration plans to cut 80,000 staff from the VA – nearly one in five employees – who help veterans get care and benefits. The support staff that could be impacted include those who perform indispensable work such as answering phone lines to set appointments for veterans, ordering supplies that doctors and nurses use to provide care, and processing claims.  
    Senator Hassan helped develop and pass into law the PACT Act, which fundamentally reforms and improves the ways in which veterans exposed to toxic substances receive health care and benefits from the VA. To date, more than two million PACT Act-related claims have been filed and over 200,000 veterans have enrolled for VA health care under the PACT Act. In order to meet this intended increase in demand, the VA hired thousands of additional VA staff – staff that the Trump Administration now plans to fire. These planned cuts would undermine PACT Act-veterans’ ability to receive the timely care and benefits that they have earned and deserve. 
    Senator Shaheen has spearheaded efforts in the Senate to support veterans and military families. In the committee-passed (FY) 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Shaheen secured Granite State priorities, including expanding access to child care for military families, expanded efforts to research the health impacts of harmful forever chemicals and a 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted (E1-E4) and a 4.5% pay raise for all other service members and civilians to ensure military families receive the pay and benefits they deserve. Each year, Shaheen leads a bipartisan Senate resolution to recognize an annual National Warrior Call Day, which encourages Americans to reach out and build meaningful relationships with both those currently serving and veterans. In 2023 and 2024, Shaheen pressed the VA and Federal Trade Commission to crack down on “claim sharks” who are unaccredited entities charging veterans exorbitant fees for filing disability claims. Shaheen has also worked to get the VA to address problems in the compensation and examination (C&P) process that are not serving our veterans. In 2022, Shaheen worked to include provisions and helped pass the historic PACT Act, which expanded health care for veterans who were exposed to burn pits and other toxic substances. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for April 8, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on April 8, 2025.

    The latest update on NZ’s state of the environment is sobering – but there are glimmers of progress
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christina McCabe, PhD Candidate in Interdisciplinary Ecology, University of Canterbury Shutterstock/synthetick If left unaddressed, many environmental changes in Aotearoa New Zealand could threaten livelihoods, health, quality of life and infrastructure for generations to come, according to the latest update on the state of the environment. The Ministry for the Environment and StatsNZ produce an environmental assessment every three years, collating data and trends on air quality, freshwater and marine environments, the land and climate. The latest report shows that long-term drivers of change – including international influences, economic demands and climate change

    ‘Never our intention to mock Jesus’ – Naked Samoans respond to backlash over controversial poster
    By Susana Suisuiki, RNZ Pacific journalist Pasifika comedy troupe Naked Samoans is facing a backlash from some members of the Pacific community over its promotional poster. In the image, which has now been taken down, the Naked Samoans depicted themselves as the 12 disciples surrounding Jesus, a parody of The Last Supper. Several Pasifika influencers condemned the image online, with one person labelling it “disrespectful”. However, Naked Samoan group member Oscar Kightley told RNZ Pacific Waves he did not anticipate the uproar. Oscar Kightley talking to RNZ Pacific Waves. The award-winning writer has addressed the backlash as they gear up

    Here’s who topped the rankings in this year’s scorecard for sustainable chocolate – and which confectionery giant refused to participate
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephanie Perkiss, Associate professor in accounting, University of Wollongong Jiri Hera/Shutterstock With the Easter weekend now around the corner, the sixth edition of the Global Chocolate Scorecard has just been released. This is an annual initiative produced by Be Slavery Free, in collaboration with two Australian universities and a wide range of consultants and sustainability interest groups. It ranks companies across the entire chocolate sector – from major multinational producers through to retailers – on a wide range of sustainability policies and practices. This year, there have been some improvements across the

    This Easter, check out which chocolate brands are most ethical
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephanie Perkiss, Associate professor in accounting, University of Wollongong Jiri Hera/Shutterstock With the Easter weekend now around the corner, the sixth edition of the Global Chocolate Scorecard has just been released. This is an annual initiative produced by Be Slavery Free, in collaboration with two Australian universities and a wide range of consultants and sustainability interest groups. It ranks companies across the entire chocolate sector – from major multinational producers through to retailers – on a wide range of sustainability policies and practices. This year, there have been some improvements across the

    Open letter to NZME board – don’t allow alt-right Canadian billionaire to take over NZ’s Fourth Estate
    NZME directors ‘have concerns’ about businessman Jim Grenon taking editorial control NZME’s directors have fired their own shots in the war for control of the media company, saying they have concerns about a takeover bid including the risk of businessman Jim Grenon taking editorial control. In a statement to the NZX, the board said it was delaying its annual shareholders meeting until June and opening up nominations of other directors. NZME . . . RNZ report on NZME’s directors “firing their own shots in the war for control of the media company”. Grenon, a New Zealand resident since 2012, bought

    Why are some cats more allergenic than others? It’s not their coat length
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jazmine Skinner, Lecturer in Animal Science, University of Southern Queensland evrymmnt/Shutterstock Allergies can be debilitating for those who have them – even more so when the cause of the allergic reaction is a beloved pet. Second only to dust mites, the humble domestic house cat is one of the major causes of indoor allergens for people. But what is the actual source of the allergic response? And are certain breeds less allergenic than others? There are many myths and misconceptions related to cat allergens, so let’s debunk a few. Cats produce several

    Australia’s innovative new policies are designed to cut smoking rates – here are 6 ideas NZ could borrow
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Janet Hoek, Professor in Public Health, University of Otago Shutterstock/chayanuphol At the start of this month, when denicotinisation would have been due to come into effect in Aotearoa New Zealand (had the government not repealed smokefree laws), Australia introduced innovative smokefree policies to change the look, ingredients and packaging of tobacco products. New Zealand’s current goal is to reduce smoking prevalence to no more than 5% (and as close to zero as possible) among all population groups. However, realising this goal now seems very unlikely. Latest figures show 6.9% of the general

    Trump has Australia’s generic medicines in his sights. And no-one’s talking about it
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Deborah Gleeson, Associate Professor in Public Health, La Trobe University PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock While Australia was busy defending the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme against threats from the United States in recent weeks, another issue related to the supply and trade of medicines was flying under the radar. Buried on page 19 of the Trump’s administration’s allegations of barriers to trade was a single paragraph related to Australia’s access to generic medicines. These are cheaper alternatives to branded medicines that are no longer under patent. The US is concerned about how much notice

    New research shows digital technology is linked to reduced wellbeing in young kids. So what can parents do?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jacquelyn Harverson, PhD Candidate, School of Psychology, Deakin University Alex Segre/ Shutterstock Once upon a time, children fought for control of the remote to the sole family television. Now the choice of screen-based content available to kids seems endless. There are computers, tablets, phones and gaming consoles offering streaming services, online content and apps. Children also use devices at school, with digital literacy part of the Australian curriculum from the start of school. The speed and scale of this change has left parents, researchers and policymakers scrambling to catch up. And it

    3.5 million Australians experienced fraud last year. This could be avoided through 6 simple steps
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gary Mortimer, Professor of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour, Queensland University of Technology Zigres/Shutterstock About 14% of Australians experienced personal fraud last year. Of these, 2.1 million experienced credit card fraud, 675,300 were caught in a scam, 255,000 had their identities stolen and 433,000 were impersonated online. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics latest Personal Fraud Survey, between July 2023 and June 2024, Australians lost A$2.1 billion through credit card fraud. This was up almost 9% from the previous year. Even after reimbursements, the loss was still $477 million. These figures do

    What do medieval puzzles and the New York Times Connections have in common?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Knowles, Lecturer, Western Civilisation Program, Australian Catholic University Getty The New York Times Connections game asks players to categorise 16 words into four groups of four. For example, in one collection of 16, a category included “blow”, “cat”, “gold” and “sword”: these are all words that might come before “fish”. As described by puzzle editor Wyna Liu, completing the puzzle should feel “challenging and satisfying”. Players are encouraged to “think flexibly”. Liu says her job as puzzle designer is “to trick you”. Challenging word-based games are not a modern invention. In

    Selling your old laptop or phone? You might be handing over your data too
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ritesh Chugh, Associate Professor, Information and Communications Technology, CQUniversity Australia berdiyandriy/Shutterstock You’re about to recycle your laptop or your phone, so you delete all your photos and personal files. Maybe you even reset the device to factory settings. You probably think your sensitive data is now safe. But there is more to be done: hackers may still be able to retrieve passwords, documents or bank details, even after a reset. In fact, 90% of second-hand laptops, hard drives and memory cards still contain recoverable data. This indicates that many consumers fail to

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Name release, fatal train crash Penrose

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Police are now in a position to release the name of the man who was killed following a collision between a train and vehicle in Penrose on Friday.

    He was Sarveen Singh, 40, of Auckland.

    Our thoughts and sympathies are with his family at this difficult time.

    The crash remains under investigation.

    ENDS.

    Holly McKay/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI China: At least 21 killed amid major flooding, tornadoes battering US Midwest, South

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Photo taken on April 7, 2025 shows a waterlogged area in Frankfort, Kentucky, the United States. [Photo/Xinhua]

    At least 21 people have been killed amid fierce storms battering parts of the U.S. Midwest and South with major flooding and powerful tornadoes since Wednesday, according to local media reports on Monday.

    Overall, the death toll stood at 10 in Tennessee, three in Missouri, two each in Kentucky, Georgia and Indiana, and one each in Arkansas and Mississippi, said an NBC News report.

    The victims included a 9-year-old boy swept away by floodwaters on his way to school in Kentucky, two people killed when a tree fell on them at a golf course in Georgia, a 5-year-old child found in a home in Little Rock, Arkansas, and a 16-year-old volunteer firefighter who died in a car crash when responding to a reported water rescue in Missouri.

    AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter said on Monday that it is estimated the economic loss from the severe weather and flooding in recent days is between 80 billion and 90 billion U.S. dollars.

    “Unless property owners have specific flood insurance, losses and repairs will most likely not be covered by standard policies,” he said.

    As of Monday morning, 18 river gauge sites were at major flood stage, and 256 locations across the central United States were at or above flood stage, spanning multiple rivers and tributaries, according to an AccuWeather report.

    Rains have ended over the Tennessee, Ohio and Mississippi river basins, but runoff from 8 to 16 inches of rain over just a few days will continue to surge into larger rivers and lead to moderate to major flooding that could persist for weeks, AccuWeather meteorologists advised.

    The amount of rain that fell over a four-day stretch was rare, only occurring once every 100 to 1,000 years over a broad area, based on the historical average, they noted.

    Forecasters attributed the recent violent weather to warm temperatures, an unstable atmosphere, strong wind shear and abundant moisture streaming from the Gulf, said a report from the weather.com. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Iran seeks to negotiate only if US proves it wants to

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Iran seeks to negotiate only if the United States stops being “dishonorable” and proves that it also wants to negotiate, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said recently.

    Commenting on the possibility of indirect negotiations between Iran and the United States on the nuclear issue, Pezeshkian said Sunday night that Iran believes in negotiations, but not with one that is as “dishonorable” as the United States, which has placed Iran “under all-out pressure” and is threatening Iran every day, according to a statement published by Pezeshkian’s office on Monday.

    “We will negotiate with the entire world and do not want to fight with anybody. However, we will not acquiesce to being dishonored and will not negotiate at any price,” he said. “They (the United States) should also prove they want to negotiate.”

    Iran does not want to make “unpeaceful” uses of its nuclear capabilities, he noted.

    Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said here Monday that Iran is ready for any event to unfold and is militarily capable enough to stand against any “aggression or attack.”

    Answering a question about Iran’s scenarios facing a potential U.S. attack, Baghaei said Iran will definitely give a “decisive, immediate, and all-out response” if threats against Iran were carried out.

    He also called on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to fulfill its responsibilities regarding the constant threats uttered by the United States and Israel against Iran’s “peaceful” nuclear facilities.

    The issue will be discussed during an upcoming visit by IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi to Tehran, he added.

    U.S. President Donald Trump said in early March that he had sent a letter to Iranian leaders via the United Arab Emirates, proposing direct negotiations on Tehran’s nuclear activities.

    Pezeshkian later confirmed that in response to the letter, Tehran rejected the proposed face-to-face talks but was open to possible indirect talks.

    Trump, in an interview with NBC News late last month, threatened to launch “unprecedented military strikes” on Iran if it refused to negotiate over its nuclear program.

    Iran signed a nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, with six major countries — Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia, and the United States — in July 2015, accepting restrictions on its nuclear program in return for sanctions relief.

    However, the United States withdrew from the deal in May 2018 and reinstated sanctions, prompting Iran to scale back some of its nuclear commitments. Efforts to revive the nuclear deal have not achieved substantial progress. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: How US influencer IShowSpeed’s live-stream episodes cast light on real China

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    “This is what China looks like! This is China right here!” popular U.S. influencer IShowSpeed marveled as he live-streamed at Shanghai’s Bund area, with a skyline featuring the landmark Oriental Pearl Tower and modern skyscrapers right in front of him.

    An aerial drone photo shows a night view of the downtown area of Chongqing, southwest China, Feb. 28, 2025. (Xinhua/Wang Quanchao)

    From there, the 20-year-old content creator, whose real name is Darren Jason Watkins Jr. and whose zesty and contagious shows have won over 38 million subscribers on the social media platform YouTube, embarked on his first tour in China since the end of last month.

    Despite a language barrier and fast-paced schedule, IShowSpeed treated his fans worldwide with a feast of uninterrupted live-streaming sessions while traveling along China’s streets and alleys, experiencing China’s history and culture, savoring China’s cuisine and snacks, and interacting with China’s enthusiastic fans and local people from various walks of life.

    Unlike the bleak and even grim pictures often painted by some Western media, IShowSpeed’s unedited and unscripted shows reveal a China that is perky, diverse, hospitable and prosperous.

    In east China’s metropolitan city of Shanghai, he joined in the colorful park activities of local residents, watched traditional lion-dancing and kung fu, and witnessed first-hand China’s burgeoning electric car scene.

    In China’s capital city of Beijing, he visited the Great Wall and the Palace Museum and performed his signature back-flip stunt, which drew cheers from a welcoming crowd at the two iconic spots of China.

    In particular, he experienced the country’s high-speed bullet train. During the ride, he hailed the ubiquitous 5G signal and internet access, as he live-streamed smoothly despite being in a tunnel section of the railway line.

    Millions of fans flocked to his channel and watched his shows from China. “I admire China’s technology and internet, and Chinese fans were very respectful,” said a YouTube comment — which garnered more than 900 likes.

    In central China’s Henan Province, he traveled to the Shaolin Temple to pursue his kung fu dream. There, a kung fu mentor Master Liang warmly received him, taught him martial arts, and also shared with him a life philosophy inspired by years of painstaking training — “It’s pain, but it’s life. It’s pain, but it’s Shaolin. It’s pain, but it’s Kung Fu. It’s pain, but it’s you.” — which struck a chord with many viewers.

    In Chengdu, the capital city of southwest China’s Sichuan Province, IShowSpeed immersed himself in a variety of unique cultural elements that this city has to offer, including the likes of Sichuan Opera, Sichuan-style hotpot, traditional acupuncture and tea-house performances.

    “China has a beautiful culture! I would very much like to visit!” said a netizen from the United States in the comment section.

    During his live-stream show in Chongqing, also located in southwest China, IShowSpeed presented a panoramic view of the megacity known for its futuristic vibes. He watched the magic sight of light rail trains passing through a building in Chongqing’s iconic station, viewed the jaw-dropping architecture of this mountainous city, and captured its spectacular nightlife.

    Against the backdrop of Chongqing’s cyberpunk canvas featuring beautifully lit skyscrapers and bridges at night, IShowSpeed said: “I’ve never been to a country where they have stuff like this. Chongqing is beautiful.”

    “China is an underrated tour spot. I don’t know why people overlooked China,” he stated, with this remark echoed by many members of his audience who have lived in the bubble of Western anti-China propaganda.

    “Is China so advanced now? This breaks my 30-year-old understanding of China. I have been deceived by the so-called mainstream media for so many years, and I want to go to China to see,” read a comment.

    “After watching this video, I realized how foolish my previous views on China were. I’ve decided to plan my trip this year to China. I feel that if I don’t go to China, I’ll regret it for the rest of my life,” said another.

    So far, IShowSpeed’s five live-stream episodes in China’s Shanghai, Beijing, Henan, Chengdu and Chongqing have generated a total of 35.16 million views on YouTube, with many video clips going viral among both Chinese and global netizens.

    Just a few months after the ground-breaking exchanges between Western “TikTok refugees” and Chinese netizens on the social media platform Red Note, this live-streaming tour by IShowSpeed serves as another inspiring example of people-to-people amity between China and the world.

    One YouTube comment, which was liked over 2,700 times, thus wrote — “The U.S. has spent billions on anti-China propaganda, only to be undone by Red Note and IShowSpeed stream.”

    IShowSpeed’s tour is also a prominent example of China’s inbound travel boom following the country’s visa-free policies, which led to an influx of foreign tourists and businesspeople into China, making “China Travel” trendy on social media platforms.

    Earlier this week, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) also responded to such exchanges. “The one-shot live-streaming by foreign influencers presents China as it is in a panoramic view — one that has not been edited or put in any filter.”

    “This again spurs growing enthusiasm for China. This shows that cultural and people-to-people exchanges between China and other countries enjoy profound support from the people, and such bonds cannot and will not be severed,” said a MFA spokesperson.  

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: General strike staged across West Bank against Israeli assaults on Gaza

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    A Palestinian man walks past closed stores during a general strike in the West Bank city of Nablus, on April 7, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    A general strike took place across the West Bank on Monday against ongoing Israeli assaults on the Gaza Strip.

    Shops, markets, schools, universities, banks, and public offices have been closed, and transportation lines have been stopped due to the strike called by Palestinian factions.

    In the central West Bank city of Ramallah, hundreds of Palestinians took to the streets to condemn the Israeli “crimes” in Gaza, waving the Palestinian flag and chanting slogans demanding an end to the Israeli assaults as they marched through the streets of the city center.

    The strike aims to condemn the Israeli assaults on the Palestinian enclave, which have “killed and destroyed Gaza, with American complicity and support,” and to urge the international community to fulfill its obligations, Issam Bakr, coordinator of the Palestinian National and Islamic Forces in Ramallah, told Xinhua.

    Protests against Israel have also been staged outside the West Bank by those in solidarity with the Palestinians, Bakr said. According to the Palestinian official news agency WAFA, such protests were organized in Tunisia, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon.

    According to Gaza-based health authorities, 56 people were killed and 137 others injured in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of fatalities and injuries to 1,391 and 3,434, respectively, since Israel ended the January ceasefire and resumed strikes across Gaza on March 18.

    The overall death toll in Gaza has reached 50,752, with 115,475 others injured since the very beginning of the Israeli military operations in the enclave on Oct. 7, 2023, the health authorities reported.

    In addition, the Israeli strikes further strained Gaza’s health system. According to a statement by Gaza health authorities on Monday, 37 percent of medicines and 59 percent of medical supplies are out of stock in the strip.

    It said vital departments in hospitals are running on generators, which are threatened with shutdown due to fuel and spare parts shortages, adding that over half of cancer and blood disease medications are at zero stock, putting patients’ lives at risk.

    Meanwhile, Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner-general of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, warned on social media, “Two million people (in Gaza) are scarred for life with trauma and shock, battling with the invisible wounds of mental health.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Southeast Asia Poised to Become a Global Hub for Sustainable Aviation Fuel

    Source: ASEAN

    JAKARTA, 8 April 2025 — Southeast Asia’s abundant agricultural feedstocks offer potential for the region to become a global hub for SAF, according to a joint Canadian-ASEAN research project.

    The “Promoting the Production of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) from Agricultural Waste in the ASEAN Region” project marks a significant step towards a more sustainable aviation future in Southeast Asia. It was carried out by the ASEAN Secretariat, GHD, Boeing, Canadian Trade and Investment Facility for Development (CTIF), funded by Global Affairs Canada (GAC), and implemented by Cowater International, the Institute of Public Administrators of Canada (IPAC).

    SAF is a renewable or waste-derived aviation fuel that meets sustainability criteria, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and is compatible with existing aircraft and infrastructure, as a “drop-in” fuel.  Aviation engines can currently run on a mix of 50% SAF and 50% conventional aviation fuel, but the industry is working towards a 100% SAF mix. SAF lowers carbon emissions over the fuel’s life cycle by up to 80%, depending on the feedstock, with the potential to reduce even more in the future. SAF can be made from a wide variety of sources: cover crops and other nonedible plants, agricultural and forestry waste, non-recyclable municipal waste, industrial plant off-gassing and other feedstocks.

    As part of the project, a techno-economic assessment was conducted in Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam, focusing on feedstock availability, technology pathways, carbon intensity, logistics, environmental and social aspects, institutional frameworks, and financial assessment.

    With improvements in economic feasibility, SAF production in ASEAN could surpass regional demand, enabling exports both within and beyond ASEAN.

    The expansion of SAF feedstock supply is expected to stem from enhanced farming practices and large-scale biomass utilisation rather than land expansion. The report emphasised that mechanisation, improved irrigation, and R&D in crop optimisation could boost feedstock availability without increasing deforestation or land conversion.

    Beyond environmental benefits, the project highlighted SAF’s role in fostering gender equality and economic development. The SAF sector offers opportunities for job creation, upskilling, and workforce diversification, with a strong emphasis on inclusive participation of women and marginalised communities.

    Deputy Secretary-General for the ASEAN Economic Community, Satvinder Singh, commended the initiative, stating: “This initiative marks a significant step in advancing ASEAN’s commitment to sustainable aviation. By leveraging regional resources and innovation, we are not only addressing environmental challenges but also driving economic growth and enhancing energy security. The successful completion of this project underscores ASEAN’s capacity for effective collaboration in tackling climate challenges while creating new opportunities for our communities.”

    CTIF Project Manager Hendry Predy also commented on the initiative stating “CTIF technical assistance supported Southeast Asia countries with a project to improve the ability of the energy sector to assess the reliability of the upstream feedstock supply and the potential for sustained use and production within the region. The recommendations from the proposed project informed on the future development and operation of the pilot areas in selected member countries (Cambodia, Lao PDR, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam) to convert agricultural waste and residues to SAF. The project and recommendations supported the ASEAN Secretariat in ascertaining the reliability of feedstock supply for renewable fuels.”

    Sharmine Tan, Boeing’s regional sustainability lead for Southeast Asia said “SAF is the biggest opportunity to cut aviation emissions over the next 30 years. This research highlights Southeast Asia’s rich SAF feedstock potential, positioning the region as a key player in meeting global SAF demand. To unlock this potential, governments and industry must act decisively, harmonise sustainability policies, invest in infrastructure, and scale local production to build a robust regional SAF ecosystem. Southeast Asia has a unique opportunity to lead sustainable aviation while driving economic growth and environmental stewardship.”

    Sachin Narang, GHD’s Executive Advisor – Energy and Infrastructure, said, “The successful completion of this project represents a major milestone in ASEAN’s journey toward sustainable aviation. The insights gained will serve as a foundation for future SAF initiatives, investments, and policy development across the region.”

    The ASEAN Secretariat, together with its partners, invites continued collaboration with governments, industry leaders, research institutions, and investors to support the regional transition to SAF. Building on the findings of this project, the next phase will focus on areas such as enabling policy development, strengthening technical capacity, and mobilising investment to support SAF deployment, among other collaborative efforts. Together, ASEAN governments, businesses and communities can help shape a sustainable aviation future that contributes meaningfully to regional and global sustainability goals.

    The full Techno-Economic Assessment Report for the project can be referred to here: https://asean.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/12634962-RPT-6-Techno-Economic-Assessment-Final-Report_April-2025.pdf

    Media contacts:

    ASEAN Secretariat

    Mustika L. Hapsoro Media Officer, mustika.hapsoro@asean.org

    Image Credit: ASEAN Secretariat
    The post Southeast Asia Poised to Become a Global Hub for Sustainable Aviation Fuel appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ‘Never our intention to mock Jesus’ – Naked Samoans respond to backlash over controversial poster

    By Susana Suisuiki, RNZ Pacific journalist

    Pasifika comedy troupe Naked Samoans is facing a backlash from some members of the Pacific community over its promotional poster.

    In the image, which has now been taken down, the Naked Samoans depicted themselves as the 12 disciples surrounding Jesus, a parody of The Last Supper.

    Several Pasifika influencers condemned the image online, with one person labelling it “disrespectful”.

    However, Naked Samoan group member Oscar Kightley told RNZ Pacific Waves he did not anticipate the uproar.

    Oscar Kightley talking to RNZ Pacific Waves.

    The award-winning writer has addressed the backlash as they gear up to perform at the New Zealand International Comedy Festival in Auckland next month.

    The Samoan-New Zealand actor said it was never their intention to hurt people.

    “This month, 27 years ago, was our first-ever show, and we’ve been offending and upsetting people ever since, really. But we didn’t expect [the backlash].

    Checks, balances ‘let us down’
    “We saw the reaction [to the poster], and we saw how it was being taken, it was never our intention to mock Jesus or God or the Last Supper. But when we saw that that’s how it was being taken by some in our community, we made the decision to take it down.”

    “We took it down as soon as we knew that it was causing upset.”

    Responding to the online criticism that “they should have known better”, Kightley said “we should have known that some people would take it that way”.

    “Our robust system of checks and balances badly let us down in this sense,” he said.

    “We could understand how some people would have looked at this and went, ‘you guys have gone too far’, and even though we didn’t mean it, we all went to Sunday school, understand the reverence that that image and that scripture has.

    “But we weren’t trying to comment on the scripture.”

    He said even though they took the image down, due to the nature of the internet it would remain online “forever now”.

    “I think as long as people spread it, people will be raged and raised by it.

    “But my message [to those who are offended by it] is, forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.

    “And maybe think about Jesus’s teaching in John 8:7.”

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

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: The latest update on NZ’s state of the environment is sobering – but there are glimmers of progress

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christina McCabe, PhD Candidate in Interdisciplinary Ecology, University of Canterbury

    Shutterstock/synthetick

    If left unaddressed, many environmental changes in Aotearoa New Zealand could threaten livelihoods, health, quality of life and infrastructure for generations to come, according to the latest update on the state of the environment.

    The Ministry for the Environment and StatsNZ produce an environmental assessment every three years, collating data and trends on air quality, freshwater and marine environments, the land and climate.

    The latest report shows that long-term drivers of change – including international influences, economic demands and climate change – mean many natural systems have become less resilient and are at risk of collapse. But it also highlights improvements in urban air quality and reduced waste flows to landfill.

    Real risks to people, communities and places

    Many environmental trends in New Zealand are sobering.

    Soil erosion is increasing and continues to degrade downstream freshwater and marine ecosystems. Soils misplaced from land, including through landslides or gradual loss of topsoil, can threaten homes and infrastructure and reduce the potential for growing food or storing carbon.

    Climate change is projected to increase erosion rates by up to 233%, depending on future emissions scenarios.

    Native forests are most effective at reducing soil erosion, but exotic forests can also help. The report shows the area planted in exotic forest has increased by 12% (220,922 hectares) between 1996 and 2018, with most of this new area coming from exotic grassland.

    Landfill contaminants, including leachates and microplastics, threaten soil health. New Zealand remains the highest producer of waste to landfill per capita among developed countries, but waste flows to landfill have dropped by 11% in 2023, compared with a 2018 peak.

    The report offers another glimmer of progress. While air pollution still affects health, long-term air quality is gradually improving thanks to a shift away from cars with combustion engines.

    Population growth and urban development are displacing green spaces.
    Getty Images

    Water quality and green spaces

    What happens on land commonly flows into water, often affecting human health and recreation. The report shows that between 2019 and 2024, nearly half of all groundwater monitoring sites failed to meet drinking water standards for E. coli at least once. Nitrate concentrations also rose at around half of all sites.

    Freshwater ecosystems are critically affected by the space we give them. Urban development can displace natural features such as wetlands and floodplains, which store water and provide a buffer against extreme weather events.

    Four in five New Zealanders live in urban areas and the report shows green spaces have not kept up with population growth. Continued development near rivers and on floodplains, without maintaining natural buffers, increases risks to homes and infrastructure as flood extremes worsen with climate change.

    Coastal areas face their own challenges. Rising seas and storm surges threaten not only homes and roads, but also culturally significant places. As many as 420 archaeological sites on public conservation land are at risk of coastal inundation and 191 marae are within one kilometre of the coast.

    Livelihoods and biodiversity at risk

    New Zealand is a globally significant biodiversity hotspot and natural landscapes are central to cultural identity. The land and waters, and species we share them with, are inseparable from Māori identity. The economy, from agriculture to tourism, also depends on thriving ecosystems.

    But many pressures on biodiversity are worsening, according to the report. About 94% of native reptiles and 78% of native birds are threatened or at risk of extinction.

    Extreme weather events (expected to increase with climate change) threaten food and fibre crops. The report estimates the recovery of these sectors from Cyclone Gabrielle will cost up to NZ$1.1 billion.

    Pest species continue to damage ecosystems at a cost of $9.2 billion in 2019–20, including primary-sector losses of $4.3 billion.

    Wilding conifers are a particular concern, having invaded an estimated two million hectares of land, primarily on the conservation estate. Without careful management, the report projects they could cover up to 25% of New Zealand’s land within 30 years.

    The restoration of Te Auaunga, Auckland’s longest urban river, is helping to reduce flooding and improve recreational spaces.
    Shutterstock/aiyoshi597

    Stories behind the numbers

    For the first time, the ministry has released a companion report to share stories of hope.

    It highlights the links between environmental challenges and how nature-based approaches can benefit both people and the environment.

    In Tairāwhiti, for instance, a native forest restoration project is protecting Gisborne’s drinking water supply. A large block of commercial pine is being replaced with native forests to stabilise erodible land, filter water runoff before it reaches dams, and provide habitat for native flora and fauna.

    In Auckland, the Making Space for Water program is restoring Te Auaunga (Oakley Creek), the city’s longest urban river. The work includes widening the river channel, removing restrictive structures and planting native vegetation to regenerate historical wetland habitats. Along with reducing flooding in the area, these changes provide improved recreational spaces for people.

    The report notes the complexity of interactions between people and the natural environment, which means that many impacts cannot be seen straight away. For instance, nitrates move through groundwater very slowly and we may continue to see the effects of past decisions for some time yet. Furthermore, climate change can amplify many environmental stressors.

    The state of our environment mirrors our collective decisions. This update offers an opportunity to guide those decisions towards a more resilient future.

    Christina McCabe is affiliated with Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha / The University of Canterbury, and Te Pūnaha Matatini, a Centre of Research Excellence.

    – ref. The latest update on NZ’s state of the environment is sobering – but there are glimmers of progress – https://theconversation.com/the-latest-update-on-nzs-state-of-the-environment-is-sobering-but-there-are-glimmers-of-progress-254051

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Greenhouse gas emissions fall 2.0 percent in the December 2024 quarter – Stats NZ media and information release: Greenhouse gas emissions (industry and household): December 2024 quarter

    Greenhouse gas emissions fall 2.0 percent in the December 2024 quarter – 8 April 2025 – Seasonally adjusted industry and household greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Aotearoa New Zealand decreased 2.0 percent in the December 2024 quarter, according to figures released by Stats NZ today.

    The decrease was primarily the result of a 45 percent reduction in emissions from electricity, gas, water, and waste services in the December 2024 quarter.

    “There were substantial falls in the amount of fossil fuels used for electricity generation in the December 2024 quarter, which drove an overall decrease in carbon dioxide emissions from industry,” environment statistics spokesperson Tehseen Islam said.

    Partly offsetting the decrease was an increase in emissions from manufacturing (up 5.0 percent), and transport, postal, and warehousing (up 3.1 percent). Both industries saw increases in GDP during this quarter.

    Files:

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: North Island Firefighters compete in high profile firefighter-sports event

    Source: United Fire Brigades’ Association

    Aotearoa New Zealand is protected by around 14,000 paid and volunteer firefighters from urban, rural, industrial, and defence force fire brigades.
    Firefighters have expert, life-saving skills that they regularly train for and perfect so that when the siren calls, they can confidently respond.
    Recently, we have seen the incredible and gruelling work of our community heroes in the summer fires, and this weekend, members of the public can see a simulation of some of the physical endurance they go through.
    On Friday 11 and Saturday 12 April, over 100 firefighters from around the North Island will compete as individuals and in teams against each other in the annual United Fire Brigades’ Association (UFBA) North Island Firefighter Challenge, working their way towards the UFBA National Firefighter Challenge in May.
    Competitors have trained all year; some are highly experienced and we have some fresh faces ready to take on the personal challenge of conquering the track and their own physical and mental strength.
    With a well-earned reputation, the UFBA Firefighter Challenge is adapted for New Zealand from a similar event held in the United States.
    Competitors race against each other and the clock wearing full PPE and BA. They start by climbing a six-story tower carrying a 19kg flaked hose, then hoist a 20kg hose coil up 6 stories, before using a 4kg shot hammer to drive a beam 1.5 meters. Competitors then burst through saloon doors to hit a target with a charged hose, before finally dragging an 81kg mannequin 30.5m to the finish line.
    The simulation is an exciting test of skill and fitness that demonstrates the physical demands of real-life firefighting to the public.
    Location: The Square, Palmerston North
    Date/Time: Friday 11 April 1200hrs-1700hrs and Saturday 12 April from 0930hrs-1700hrs (approx. finish times)

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Legal actions await Qinghai national park trespassers

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    A view of the Yangtze River’s primary source, the Jangchu Diruk Glacier, in the Amdo section of the Three-River-Source National Park. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]
    The Three-River-Source National Park in Qinghai province has warned against illegal crossings, saying they harm the environment and pose serious safety risks to trespassers.
    The park, which spans more than 190,000 square kilometers in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, is home to unique wildlife and plays a crucial role in the region’s ecological balance.
    Recent reports of unauthorized crossing activities in the park have raised alarms, prompting officials to take action. The park administration has outlined a series of strict measures to prevent further damage to the park’s natural resources and to ensure the safety of visitors.
    Under the new regulations, anyone attempting to enter the park for crossing activities without prior approval from the management authority will face legal consequences. Offenders causing damage to the environment will be subjected to administrative penalties, and they will be required to restore the damaged areas at their own expense. In the event of significant destruction, offenders would face criminal charges.
    The regulations also prohibit the publication of information or images related to the park without approval, targeting the spread of false information or the promotion of unauthorized travel routes that could harm the park’s reputation.
    Additionally, individuals or organizations responsible for accidents resulting from illegal crossings will be held fully accountable, and the offenders will have to bear any cost incurred by the authorities for any rescue operation.
    To further enforce these measures, violators will be placed on a blacklist, and their names will be publicly listed on the park’s official website. Authorities have vowed to increase patrols and take swift action against any illegal activities detected in the park.
    On March 26, patrol officers intercepted an illegal crossing involving 25 people and 11 vehicles in the Hoh Xil area, a core area of the Three-River-Source National Park, according to Tenzin Tseten, head of the patrol team. The group, from Zhejiang province, had been attempting an adventure through the uninhabited region.
    After traveling about 400 to 500 kilometers from Golmud over two days, the group reached an altitude of more than 4,900 meters. By that point, two-thirds of the members were suffering from altitude sickness.
    For their safety, authorities escorted them on an 11-hour overnight journey to a lower elevation below 4,000 meters before handing them over to the management bureau in Hoh Xil.
    “Many in the group regretted their decision after experiencing altitude sickness and severe weather conditions,” Tenzin Tseten said.
    Temperatures in Hoh Xil can drop below — 30 C at night during this season. Tenzin Tseten warned that inexperienced tourists who venture into the area without proper preparation face extreme risks, and rescue operations are difficult.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Tip-off service launched to combat medical insurance fraud

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    A nurse prepares medicine for patients at the inpatient department of a hospital in Changde, central China’s Hunan Province, May 12, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    China’s National Healthcare Security Administration announced on Monday the launch of a tip-off service via its official WeChat account, enabling social organizations and the public to report leads on medical insurance fraud.
    Eligible informants will be rewarded with a one-time payment ranging from 200 yuan (about 27.8 U.S. dollars) to 200,000 yuan, according to the administration.
    Noting that the misuse of medical insurance funds undermines public interests, it urged the whole society to make efforts in combating fraud.
    In 2024, China’s medical insurance watchdogs recovered 27.5 billion yuan of misused medical insurance funds, with a total of 10,741 suspects arrested.
    The Chinese government has vowed to continue strengthening oversight of medical insurance funds to ensure every penny is maximized for the benefit of public health.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Greenhouse gas emissions fall 2.0 percent in the December 2024 quarter – Stats NZ media and information release: Greenhouse gas emissions (industry and household): December 2024 quarter

    Greenhouse gas emissions fall 2.0 percent in the December 2024 quarter – 8 April 2025 – Seasonally adjusted industry and household greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Aotearoa New Zealand decreased 2.0 percent in the December 2024 quarter, according to figures released by Stats NZ today.

    The decrease was primarily the result of a 45 percent reduction in emissions from electricity, gas, water, and waste services in the December 2024 quarter.

    “There were substantial falls in the amount of fossil fuels used for electricity generation in the December 2024 quarter, which drove an overall decrease in carbon dioxide emissions from industry,” environment statistics spokesperson Tehseen Islam said.

    Partly offsetting the decrease was an increase in emissions from manufacturing (up 5.0 percent), and transport, postal, and warehousing (up 3.1 percent). Both industries saw increases in GDP during this quarter.

    Files:

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Health – ProCare and Heidi Health partner to ease GP workload and boost patient care

    Source: ProCare

    In a step toward making healthcare more sustainable and whānau centric, ProCare has partnered with Heidi Health to reduce the administrative burden on GPs, helping them spend more time where it counts – with their patients.

    Heidi Health is an AI medical scribe that automates clinical documentation, enabling GPs to generate accurate notes in real-time during patient consultations. It also facilitates the seamless creation of essential documents, such as referral letters and patient summaries, directly from consultation notes.

    Bindi Norwell, CEO of ProCare, says: “We want to help equip doctors and nurses with the best tools to support them in their job. AI can transform the way our healthcare staff support their patients by reducing the administrative burden so they can focus on giving their patients the care and support they need.

    “At the heart of this partnership is a shared commitment to making healthcare more sustainable and accessible, with a clear focus on relieving the pressures on the primary care workforce, leaving more time for our clinicians to focus on shifting the dial for better health outcomes,” concludes Norwell.

    With Heidi’s ambient medical scribe taking detailed notes during the appointment, healthcare staff in the ProCare Network will experience a reduction in administrative tasks, giving them back valuable time to focus on what truly matters – caring for their patients and their communities.

    Dr Karl Cole, GP at Papatoetoe Family Doctors, has been using Heidi Health in his practice for more than 12 months, saying: “As a GP, time is one of my most precious resources. The Heidi AI scribe has helped me reclaim that time, making my job more sustainable and efficient.

    “I’m spending less time on my screen and more time actually engaging with my patients — it’s been a real game-changer,” says Cole.

    Dr. Thomas Kelly, CEO of Heidi Health, adds: “This partnership with ProCare is a pivotal step toward making our technology widely accessible to GPs across Aotearoa, ensuring they are supported in their work while enhancing the quality of care they provide. We are proud to be part of a partnership that values clinician wellbeing and aims to create better, more equitable health outcomes for everyone.”

    This partnership arrives at a time when Aotearoa’s healthcare system is facing significant challenges. Clinicians are stretched thin, and burnout is a growing concern. By streamlining the documentation process with AI-powered technology, ProCare in collaboration with Heidi Health aim to help alleviate these pressures, allowing clinicians to engage more meaningfully with patients and improve their overall work-life balance. In doing so, creating a more sustainable and supportive environment for primary care across New Zealand.

    About ProCare

    ProCare is a leading healthcare provider that aims to deliver the most progressive, pro-active and equitable health and wellbeing services in Aotearoa. We do this through our clinical support services, mental health and wellness services, virtual/tele health, mobile health, smoking cessation and by taking a population health and equity approach to our mahi. As New Zealand’s largest Primary Health Organisation, we represent a network of general practice teams and healthcare professionals who provide care to nearly 700,000 patients across Auckland. These practices serve the largest Pacific and South Asian populations enrolled in general practice and the largest Māori population in Tāmaki Makaurau. For more information go to www.procare.co.nz

    About Heidi Health

    Heidi Health’s AI-powered medical scribe streamlines time-intensive administrative tasks to reduce the cognitive load on clinicians. Supporting over one million patient consults per week and empowering clinicians to reclaim their time and deliver world-class patient care across 50 countries, Heidi Health’s technology transcribes and processes conversations between clinicians and patients to produce clinical notes and follow-up materials – from referral letters to assessments.

    Heidi Health adheres to international standards, including the NHS, HIPAA, GDPR, and Australian Privacy Principles, and has obtained enterprise-grade security certifications such as SOC2 and ISO27001. Founded in 2019 by a team of active and former medical professionals, Heidi is the most loved AI scribe by clinicians of all disciplines and specialties, from Emergency Departments to Neurology to Primary Care to Allied Health. Learn more at: https://www.heidihealth.com/en-nz

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Implementation of Phase Two of Mental Health Response Changes to start

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Police and Health NZ have completed Phase One of the Mental Health Response Change Programme and are preparing to begin Phase Two.

    Phase One of the joint agency approach commenced on 4 November 2024, and Phase Two was initially set to start on 31 March 2025.

    With Phase One complete, Phase Two will now start from 14 April with both agencies agreeing to a staged implementation across districts.

    Each district has been assessed for their readiness to implement the next phase, and as a result, districts will have varying starting points for the rollout.

    Moving the start of this phase by two weeks was recommended by the Mental Health Response Change Programme Governance Group (including Police, Ministry of Health, Health NZ, and Ambulance agencies), to allow districts to be ready.

    Police Assistant Commissioner Mike Johnson says one of the challenges agencies faced was discrepancies in the way section 109 of the Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 1992 was interpreted with regard to handovers of detained person in emergency departments.

    “We now have Crown Law advice which provides the much-needed clarity on section 109 for Phase Two to commence.”

    The Police districts that will commence with Phase Two on 14 April are: Waitematā, Counties Manukau, Waikato, and Tasman (excluding Kaikoura). This corresponds to Health NZ’s Waitematā, Counties Manukau, Waikato (excluding Tokoroa and Taumarunui), Nelson-Marlborough, and West Coast districts.

    Police and Health NZ will be working closely with these teams and districts to support their preparation for the changes, and will continue work with other districts to get them ready to start Phase Two.

    “The safety of police and healthcare staff, and those in our community impacted by these changes, is a priority for us as we move forward,” Assistant Commissioner Johnson says.

    “Police will always respond when there is an offence or an immediate risk to life or safety and this will not change.”

    Health NZ Director of Specialist Mental Health and Addiction Karla Bergquist says Police and Health NZ, along with the Ministry of Health, Hato Hone St John, and Wellington Free Ambulance, have been working closely together on how agencies respond to mental health.

    “At the heart of these changes is ensuring people receive the right mental health care at the right time, and their safety and that of kaimahi delivering that care is paramount,” Ms Bergquist says.

    “This is why agencies have committed to safely phasing in these changes and working together to make adjustments to implementation timeframes when necessary.”

    The Phase Two changes remain the same and include:

    • 60-minute handover detained persons in EDs – Police who have detained a person under the MH Act and transported them for an assessment will remain in the ED for a maximum one hour before departing, unless they consider there is an immediate risk to life or safety.
    • Changes to mental health assessments in custody – If someone is placed under the MH Act while in a Police custody suite, they will need to be taken to a health facility within 30 minutes. Custody rules will ensure people in distress are assessed appropriately, preferably in a health setting.

    “We are committed to working together towards a system that supports everyone’s mental wellbeing, so people are supported to stay well, and have access to help that works for them.”

    Note: NZ Police and Health NZ districts are not the same (Police has 12, Health has 20), so there are some parts of a Police district which are not included in the comparable Health NZ district or vice versa.

    ENDS 

    Police media contact: media@police.govt.nz
    Health NZ media contact: hnzmedia@health.govt.nz

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Global: Recorded executions highest since 2015 – Amnesty International

    Source: Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand

    Global: Recorded executions hit their highest figure since 2015
    – Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia responsible for 91% of executions
    – States weaponizing death penalty against protesters and ethnic groups
    – Rise in drug-related executions in violation of human rights
    Global executions hit their highest figure since 2015, as over 1,500 people were executed across 15 countries in 2024, said Amnesty International today as it released its annual report on the global use of the death penalty.
    According to the report, Death Sentences and Executions 2024 , 1,518 executions were recorded in 2024 – the highest number since 2015 (at least 1,634) – with the majority in the Middle East. However, for the second year in a row, countries carrying out executions remained at the lowest point on record.
    The known totals do not include the thousands of people believed to have been executed in China, which remains the world’s lead executioner, as well as North Korea and Viet Nam which are also believed to resort to the death penalty extensively. Ongoing crises in Palestine (State of) and Syria meant that Amnesty International could not confirm a figure.
    Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia were responsible for the overall rise in known executions. In total, the trio accounted for a staggering 1,380 recorded executions. Iraq almost quadrupled its executions (from at least 16 to at least 63) and Saudi Arabia doubled its yearly total (from 172 to at least 345), while Iran executed 119 more individuals than last year (from at least 853 to at least 972) – accounting for 64% of all known executions.
    “The death penalty is an abhorrent practice with no place in today’s world. While secrecy continued to shroud scrutiny in some countries that we believe are responsible for thousands of executions, it’s evident that states that retain the death penalty are an isolated minority. With just 15 countries carrying out executions in 2024, the lowest number on record for the second consecutive year, this signals a move away from this cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment,” said Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General.
    “Iran, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia were responsible for the sharp spike in deaths last year, carrying out over 91% of known executions, violating human rights and callously taking people’s lives for drug-related and terrorism charges.”
    The five countries with the highest number of recorded executions in 2024 were China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Yemen.
    Authorities weaponizing death penalty
    Throughout 2024, Amnesty International witnessed leaders weaponizing the death penalty under the false pretence that it would improve public safety or to instil fear among the population. In the USA, which has experienced a steady upward trend in executions since the end of the Covid-19 pandemic, 25 people were executed (against 24 in 2023). Newly elected President Trump repeatedly invoked the death penalty as a tool to protect people “ from violent rapists, murderers, and monsters“. His dehumanizing remarks promoted a false narrative that the death penalty has a unique deterrent effect on crime.
    In some countries in the Middle East region, death sentences were used to silence human rights defenders, dissidents, protesters, political opponents, and ethnic minorities.
    “Those who dare challenge authorities have faced the most cruel of punishments, particularly in Iran and Saudi Arabia, with the death penalty used to silence those brave enough to speak out,” said Agnès Callamard.
    “In 2024, Iran persisted in their use of the death penalty to punish individuals who had challenged the Islamic Republic establishment during the Woman Life Freedom uprising. Last year saw two of those people – including a youth with a mental disability – executed in connection with the uprising following unfair trials and torture-tainted ‘confessions’, proving how far the authorities are willing to go to tighten their grip on power.”
    Saudi authorities continued to weaponize the death penalty to silence political dissent and punish nationals from the country’s Shi’a minority who supported “anti-government” protests between 2011 and 2013. In August, the authorities executed Abdulmajeed al-Nimr for terrorism-related offences related to joining Al-Qaeda, despite initial court documents referring to his participation in protests.
    The Democratic Republic of Congo announced its intention to resume executions while Burkina Faso’s military authorities announced plans to reintroduce the death penalty for ordinary crimes.
    Rise in executions for drug-related offences
    Over 40% of 2024’s executions were carried out unlawfully for drug-related offences. Under international human rights law and standards, the use of the death penalty must be restricted for the ‘most serious crimes’ – sentencing people to death for drug-related offences does not meet this threshold.
    “Drug-related executions were prevalent in China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and, while no confirmation was possible, likely Viet Nam . In many contexts, sentencing people to death for drug-related offences has been found to disproportionately impact those from disadvantaged backgrounds, while it has no proven effect in reducing drug trafficking,” said Agnès Callamard.
    “Leaders who promote the death penalty for drug-related offences are proposing ineffective and unlawful solutions. States considering introducing capital punishment for drug-related offences, such as the Maldives, Nigeria and Tonga, must be called out and encouraged to put human rights at the centre of their drug policies.”
    The power of campaigning
    Despite a rise in executions, just 15 countries were known to have carried them out – the lowest number on record for the second consecutive year. As of today, 113 countries are fully abolitionist and 145 in total have abolished the death penalty in law or practice.
    In 2024, Zimbabwe signed into law a bill that abolished the death penalty for ordinary crimes. For the first time, more than two thirds of all UN member states voted in favour of the tenth General Assembly resolution on a moratorium on the use of the death penalty. Death penalty reforms in Malaysia also led to a reduction by more than 1,000 in the number of people at risk of execution.
    Furthermore, the world witnessed the power of campaigning. Hakamada Iwao – who spent nearly five decades on death row in Japan – was acquitted in September 2024. This has continued into 2025. In March, Rocky Myers – a Black man sentenced to death in Alabama despite serious flaws in the proceedings – was granted clemency following calls from his family and legal team, a former juror, local activists and the international community.
    “When people prioritize campaigning for an end to the death penalty, it really does work,” said Agnès Callamard. “Despite the minority of leaders determined to weaponize the death penalty, the tide is turning. It’s only a matter of time until the world is free from the shadows of the gallows.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: ACT Budget: What’s in it for Tuggeranong

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The ACT’s horticulture and mowing teams will receive a funding boost.

    2024-25 ACT Budget snapshot – Tuggeranong

    • The duplication of Athllon Drive
    • More housing for Tuggeranong
    • Upgraded community facilities
    • More funding for mowing and horticulture

    With the ACT’s population set to reach 500,000 people by the end of 2027, the 2024-25 ACT Budget is funding the services and infrastructure this growing city needs.

    Through this year’s Budget, the ACT Government is delivering more public health services, providing cost of living relief for those who need it most, and improving housing choice, access and affordability.

    Some of the projects funded in Tuggeranong include:

    The duplication of Athllon Drive

    Work to duplicate part of Athllon Drive in Tuggeranong is set to start in the coming months.

    The ACT Government will invest in the project through the 2024–25 ACT Budget, as part of a 50:50 funding agreement with the Australian Government.

    The project will see the duplication of 2.4 kilometres of Athllon Drive between Sulwood Drive and Drakeford Drive in Tuggeranong.

    This Budget will also fund improvements to Sulwood Drive, including a new four-kilometre long and three-metre-wide off-road asphalt shared path.

    More housing for Tuggeranong

    The ACT Government’s Indicative Land Release Program for 2024–25 to 2028–29 will help cater to the ACT’s growing population.

    As part of the program, 150 new homes are planned for Tuggeranong.

    New and upgraded community facilities

    The 2024-25 ACT Budget will support new and upgraded community facilities and infrastructure across the city.

    This includes funding for:

    • the provision of sportsground lighting at Gordon District Playing Fields
    • the construction of the new southside hydrotherapy pool next to the Tuggeranong Lakeside Leisure Centre
    • improving safety and infrastructure at the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve and the adjacent Woods Reserve/Gibraltar Falls precinct
    • Tuggeranong foreshore improvements
    • improving local shops at Calwell Group Centre, Lanyon Marketplace and the Monash commercial area
    • the development of a new ice sports facility
    • upgrades to Tuggeranong Arts Centre Theatre and Lanyon Homestead.

    The Government will also respond to community feedback regarding resources at ACT libraries. There will be new portable phone chargers and more power boards and charging stations, in addition to improving building security.

    More funding for mowing and horticulture

    The combination of unpredictable weather and a growing city have increased demands on those taking care of Canberra’s grass, trees, weeds and gardens.

    Funding for 10 full-time positions and eight additional mowers to deliver an expanded baseline capacity in our mowing teams.

    In the low season, mowing crews will assist with horticultural work across the city, including weeding, road edging and maintenance.

    More health services

    The 2024–25 ACT Budget is investing in health programs and infrastructure for Tuggeranong.

    This includes investing in the Canberra Hospital and a new pathology and clinical support building on the campus.

    Support for education

    The region will benefit from a new suite of system-wide literacy and numeracy initiatives, called Strong Foundations, being rolled out across ACT public schools. The program will ensure all students have access to consistent, high-quality literacy and numeracy education.

    There will also be a range of school upgrades across Canberra as part of the ACT Government’s annual Asset Renewal Program.

    This Budget also includes funding for:

    • roof upgrades at Calwell Primary School
    • improvements at the Calwell, Fadden, Gordon, Monash and Theodore Primary Schools
    • the enhancement of collaborative teaching spaces at Lake Tuggeranong College.

    Find out what else has been funded as part of the 2024-25 ACT Budget by clicking here.

    Work to duplicate part of Athllon Drive in Tuggeranong is set to start in the coming months.

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  • MIL-OSI Australia: ACT Budget: What’s in it for Gungahlin

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Paths will be improved across the Gungahlin region.

    2024–25 ACT Budget snapshot – Gungahlin

    • A new North Gungahlin Health Centre
    • More community facilities for the region
    • Road upgrades across Gungahlin
    • Path improvements
    • More housing for Gungahlin

    With the ACT’s population set to reach 500,000 people by the end of 2027, the 2024–25 ACT Budget is funding the services and infrastructure this growing city needs.

    Through this year’s Budget, the ACT Government is delivering more public health services, providing cost of living relief for those who need it most, and improving housing choice, access and affordability.

    Some of the projects funded in Gungahlin include:

    The new North Gungahlin Health Centre

    The 2024–25 ACT Budget will include funding for the design and construction of a new health centre in North Gungahlin.

    The North Gungahlin Health Centre will be built on Kingsland Parade in Casey, conveniently close to the shopping centre and other facilities.

    The centre will provide more free health services closer to where people need them, with easier access to preventative health services and treatment for chronic disease.

    More community facilities

    The ACT Government is currently working through additional community uses for the remaining blocks on the 2.4-hectare site in Casey.

    This includes:

    • an indoor sports facility to provide local residents, sporting groups and organisations with access to better amenities
    • a new ACTAS Ambulance and Fire Station, which will enhance response times to emergency incidents as the Gungahlin community grows.

    The Government has already committed to a study on traffic and transport improvements surrounding the Casey Group Centre.

    The 2024–25 ACT Budget will also support:

    • design and construction of a Gungahlin Community Centre
    • Yerrabi District Park upgrades
    • upgrades to the Joint Emergency Services Centre
    • planning and design for a new combined emergency services site in Casey
    • a new community tennis facility in Gungahlin in partnership with Tennis Australia and Tennis ACT.

    Road upgrades across Gungahlin

    The Government will undertake planning for priority road works in the Gungahlin District identified from the Gungahlin Transport Plan.

    This includes possible road widening and intersection upgrades to deliver more efficient and sustainable transport modes to manage traffic growth and to improve safety and travel times.

    This initiative will be jointly funded through the National Partnership Agreement on Land Transport Infrastructure with the Commonwealth Government.

    Path improvements throughout the region

    Funding received through the 2024–25 ACT Budget will see improvements made to paths across the Gungahlin.

    Walkers, cyclists and those riding scooters can expect to see better line marking, completed missing links and more lighting as they exercise or head to and from work.

    More housing for Gungahlin

    The ACT Government’s Indicative Land Release Program for 2024–25 to 2028–29 will help cater to the ACT’s growing population.

    As part of the program, 3,045 new homes are planned for the Gungahlin region.

    More funding for mowing and horticulture

    The combination of unpredictable weather and a growing city have increased demands on those taking care of Canberra’s grass, trees, weeds and gardens.

    The Budget includes funding for 10 full-time positions and eight additional mowers to deliver an expanded baseline capacity in our mowing teams.

    In the low season, mowing crews will assist with horticultural work across the city, including weeding, road edging and maintenance.

    Support for education

    The region will benefit from a new suite of system-wide literacy and numeracy initiatives, called Strong Foundations, being rolled out across ACT public schools. The program will ensure all students have access to consistent, high-quality literacy and numeracy education.

    The Budget will also include funding to:

    • deliver a second college for Gungahlin
    • expand Margaret Hendry Primary School
    • the development of Agnes Shea High School in Taylor, which will cater to up to 800 students.

    There will also be a range of school upgrades across Canberra as part of the ACT Government’s annual Asset Renewal Program.

    Find out what else has been funded as part of the 2024-25 ACT Budget by clicking here.

    3,045 new homes are planned for the Gungahlin region.

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