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Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Monetary Policy: Forward Looking and Data Dependent in the Face of Uncertainty

    Source: Reserve Bank of Australia

    I would first like to pay respect to the traditional and original owners of this land, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, to pay respect to those who have passed before us and to acknowledge today’s custodians of this land. I also extend that respect to any First Nations people joining us here today.

    Introduction

    Three weeks ago, the Reserve Bank Board cut interest rates for the first time since 2020. Naturally there is a lot of interest in what lies behind the Board’s decision-making process. Today I want to shine a light on three key inputs to the process, how they interact with one another and how they fit together to support the Board in its decision making.

    The first is our view of how changes in the cash rate affect the economy. The impact of policy changes takes time to flow through the economy; looking at the response of banking credit flows to interest rate changes, which many here today know intimately, clearly highlights this. So policy decisions today shape inflation and employment outcomes in the future.

    This necessitates a forward-looking approach to meeting our mandate. Policy decisions require both a view of the outlook for the economy and an understanding of how policy is likely to affect that outlook. That helps the Board set the cash rate to give the best chance of achieving the RBA’s objectives over time.

    The second is how we form our view of the outlook – our baseline forecast – and how it responds to incoming data. When we talk about being ‘data dependent’, we are referring to the way we update our view of where the economy is and the outlook. The implication of continuously updating our view on the outlook means we also continuously update our policy advice to the Board; the future pathway for the cash rate is not predefined.

    Finally, I will say a bit about the Board’s approach to setting policy under uncertainty. In practice we are uncertain about both the outlook for the economy, and the effect of monetary policy, and this complicates policy decisions. Under uncertainty, policy depends on more than just the central forecast – judgements about the risks and uncertainties matter too. That’s why, as we have discussed on a number of occasions recently, it’s important to consider alternative possible pathways for the economy and how policy would have to respond.

    Monetary policy is forward looking …

    Central bankers and macroeconomists often say that monetary policy impacts the economy with a lag.

    So, if inflation moves away from our target, or employment falls below full employment, monetary policy cannot immediately offset those moves. Instead, central banks have to look ahead. Ideally we would know when and by how much the economy is going to move away from our targets in the future. Knowing this, we would calibrate policy today to prevent this from happening, and the economy would stay at full employment and inflation at target.

    In practice of course, this isn’t what happens. We can’t foresee shocks, and even in times of relative calm outcomes are rarely (if ever) exactly as we expect. The economy and our understanding of it is always evolving and our models, analysis and judgements aren’t perfect; we don’t have a crystal ball and even if we did it would be very cloudy.

    Despite this, given the lags in monetary policy transmission, we always have to forecast how we think the economy will evolve, and set policy now so that we expect to achieve our mandate once any policy change has had time to have its effect. In practice, as I will explain later, policy decisions also take account of uncertainties about the outlook. We put significant effort into identifying and understanding the risks around the baseline forecast, and the Board explicitly considers such risks in its decision-making.

    … because there are lags in transmission

    It is important, then, to understand how policy changes affect the economy. In a speech in 2023 my colleague Christopher Kent set out the RBA’s view of how monetary policy works, and how the sequence of increases in the cash rate up to that point had affected the Australian economy. I plan to use the same framework to explore the lags in transmission, so let me briefly summarise it here.

    Figure 1: How Changes in the Cash Rate Flow through the Economy

    When the cash rate changes, the first step in transmission is that other short and longer term market interest rates and other asset prices (including the exchange rate) adjust, more or less straightaway. Then these changes affect economic activity and ultimately inflation through a number of ‘channels’:

    • Cash flow: lower interest rates flow into households’ disposable income; borrowers pay less to service their debt, and savers earn less on their deposits.
    • Savings and investment: a decrease in saving and borrowing rates typically encourages people and businesses to borrow, invest and consume more, and save less.
    • Asset prices: A cut in interest rates typically encourages investment in assets, resulting in higher house, equity and other asset prices. Higher household wealth tends to increase household consumption.
    • Credit: Lower interest rates can increase the flow of loans to households and the availability of external funding to businesses.
    • Exchange rate: a decrease in interest rates can contribute to a depreciation of the exchange rate, making imports less competitive and exports more competitive, leading to stronger growth. Higher import prices also directly increase inflation.

    Macroeconomists often talk about expectations, and whether or not an interest rate change is partially or fully anticipated by financial markets, households and businesses is an important determinant of the size of each transmission channel. If the change is fully anticipated by financial markets then we may see little if any change in asset prices and the exchange rate, which limits the size of the exchange rate and asset price channels after the decision. Households and businesses may also start to adapt their spending and investment decisions ahead of a change in the cash rate, but they typically respond less than financial markets prior to the policy decision.

    Overall, then, the size and timing of the impact of policy changes through these channels varies.

    Take the cash flow channel as an example. Some variable loan and savings rates change quickly, as we saw following the Board’s latest decision. Households in aggregate have more interest-sensitive loans than deposits, so lower interest rates increase household disposable income. That prompts higher spending by borrowers, though households typically adjust their spending by less than the changes in their incomes in the short run. For those with fixed-rate mortgages, cash flows remain unchanged until loans roll over, though they might start adjusting their spending in anticipation (Graph 1).

    Or consider the exchange rate channel. All else equal, an interest rate cut in Australia lowers the relative rate of return on Australian assets compared with overseas. This typically leads to a depreciation of the dollar, making exports cheaper and imports more expensive. However, while the exchange rate adjusts immediately, the volume of traded goods responds more gradually. Domestic businesses will have existing contracts to purchase goods from overseas, while foreign buyers are similarly committed to purchasing Australian products at previously agreed prices. If there is a trade deficit this price effect may exacerbate it. But as these contracts come up for renewal, and as firms and consumers adjust their purchasing behaviour, there will be a gradual increase in the volume of exports and a decline in imports, leading to an increase in net trade over time.

    So far I’ve been discussing the direct channels through which cash rate changes impact the economy; these start working immediately, though they take time to fully play out. But there are also indirect spillovers, such as the impact of spending decisions by businesses, households, and importers on employment and income. For example, a business might hire new workers for an investment project that is made viable by a rate cut, boosting household income and spending. This ripple effect can amplify the direct impact of policy and may occur quickly or over time. Recent research suggests these indirect effects could be a major part of the transmission mechanism.

    While identifying these channels helps us think through how monetary policy operates, in practice they operate at the same time and there is no precise way to isolate or quantify the contribution of each one. Nevertheless, one simple way to build intuition about their relative roles is to look at how the components of GDP evolve after a change in monetary policy.

    To do this we can use a model of the economy – here I will use MARTIN, the RBA’s main macroeconomic model, to illustrate the transmission of a reduction in interest rates.

    There are a number of helpful insights from the decomposition shown in Graph 2:

    1. The immediate GDP response to lower interest rates is relatively limited – it takes time for everyone to adjust
    2. In MARTIN it takes 9–12 months for a loosening in monetary policy to have its peak effect on economic output.
    3. The effect from total investment is an important channel over the first year, with dwelling investment in particular responding relatively quickly compared with business investment, whose response builds fairly gradually. Intuitively this makes sense – businesses might immediately be encouraged to invest more by higher valuations and cheaper credit, but it takes time to get projects off the ground, and some businesses will wait to respond once they see an increase in the demand for their goods and services from consumers.
    4. Changes in imports and exports also play an important role in driving the initial response of GDP, at least according to this particular model. This highlights that the exchange rate channel is important and operates relatively quickly compared with other channels; if overseas holidays become expensive, households tend to quickly switch to vacationing at home and vice versa.
    5. The response of household consumption to lower interest rates is initially small but grows over time. This suggests the ‘cash flow channel’ – which should start working quickly – plays a minor role in the overall transmission mechanism, as the boost from lower debt payments is offset by reduced interest income on deposits. The slow response likely reflects the indirect effects of transmission channels and households’ tendency to smooth their spending changes.

    While it takes about nine months for the cash rate to have its biggest impact on GDP, the peak effect on inflation is estimated to take nearly twice as long (Graph 3). This could be because it takes time for an increase in demand to affect the hiring decisions of firms and the job search decisions of households, which then ultimately feed into price setting. Or it may simply reflect some ‘stickiness’ in prices.

    This tells us that – according to MARTIN at least – the decisions we make today will have their largest effect on economic output at the end of 2025, and on inflation in mid-2026.

    Monetary policy is always data dependent …

    So to set policy we need an estimate of how changes in the cash rate affect the economy and a view of the outlook for the economy – a forecast.

    As forecasters, we essentially try to do two things. First, we try to understand the state of the economy now. Second, we use models based on economic theory and capturing historical patterns in the data combined with our judgement, to extrapolate from the current state of the economy into the future.

    In both cases this comes down to our understanding of the data – both quantitative information such as official ABS data, surveys and financial market data, and qualitative information such as liaison. Extracting reliable signals from noisy data and forming a coherent economic picture is challenging. New or revised data can alter our view of the starting point or how the economy might evolve. As things constantly change, we continuously update our views with new information.

    In recent years many central banks have described their policy setting as ‘data dependent’. Rather than meaning that policy responds mechanically to particular pieces of data, we are data dependent in the sense that incoming data affects our view of where the economy is today and the outlook, and this in turn influences the path for policy. At times of heightened uncertainty about how the economy is responding to shocks – for example, during the pandemic and the immediate aftermath –central banks may put a higher weight on real time data relative to baseline forecasts and models. But these weights change over time, as conditions evolve and we learn more about how the economy is responding; policymakers must always take a forward-looking view on the outlook. So, how does this work in practice?

    … because data informs our view of the outlook

    To give a sense of how we draw this information together into a forecast, I am going to use the example of our household consumption forecasts.

    In our most recent Statement on Monetary Policy (SMP), one of our key judgments was that household consumption growth had started to recover in line with the pick-up in real household incomes. This judgement was informed by analysis of a range of timely indicators – such as the ABS Household Spending Indicator, and credit and debit card spending indices – which suggested that consumption growth had picked up in the December quarter.

    But was this just a temporary pick-up as financially squeezed households concentrated their spending around Black Friday and other sales? Digging further into the data suggested there was more to it than that (Graph 4). Not surprisingly, spending on the types of goods that tend to have significant sales, such as household goods and clothing, did grow strongly in the quarter. However, we had also seen a modest lift in household disposable income from the middle of 2024, and discretionary spending not impacted by sales (e.g. eating out) also showed signs of picking up, which suggested a genuine improvement in underlying momentum. Information from our liaison contacts also supported this assessment.

    Our read of the data is a crucial input to our forecasts. In fact, one way to think about the forecast is that it captures and projects forward what we think is signal from the latest data, while disregarding what we think is mostly noise.

    The outlook for consumption is only one part of the forecast, and we spend considerable time thinking about how different assumptions impact different sectors, and how these interactions might magnify or offset one another. But underneath it all, the links between data, forecast and policy sits at the heart of us saying that policy is ‘data-dependent’.

    Policy under uncertainty

    As I set out earlier, the link between our forecast and the Board’s policy decision is not mechanical. It is not as simple as constructing our central forecasts, then working out what the Board needs to do with the cash rate to meet its objectives.

    The main reason for this is that there are always risks and uncertainties around the central forecast; the baseline pathway is just one of a vast number of possible outcomes. Board decisions are always made in an uncertain environment, which means thinking about the distribution of risks around the central forecast. One of the things we are focused on right now is US policy settings, the impact of these on the global economy and how this flows through to activity and inflation here in Australia; we have been using scenarios, analysis and judgement to assess the policy implications.

    As the Governor and Deputy Governor have both indicated recently, the February decision reflected a judgement by the Board that it was the right time to take some restrictiveness away, but the Board were more cautious than the market about prospects for further easing.

    In all of this, the RBA uses a range of timely indicators to form its economic forecasts. These data help to distinguish between temporary fluctuations and more sustained trends, informing policy decisions. The RBA’s policy decisions are made in the context of various risks and uncertainties. The Board considers a wide range of possible outcomes and uses scenarios, analysis and judgment to assess the implications of different policy paths, ensuring a balanced and forward-looking approach. This is why being forward looking is not in tension with being data dependent.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Release: Still no certainty for disability communities

    Source: New Zealand Labour Party

    One year on from the Government’s abrupt and callous changes to disability funding, the community still has no idea what the future holds.

    “Disabled people, their families and carers have gone through so much heartbreak over the past year because of this heartless Government,” acting disability issues spokesperson, Carmel Sepuloni said.

    “We’ve seen disability communities lose out on things like equipment, respite and activities; people frozen out of disability care homes; disabled people being paid less than the minimum wage; a freeze on the Enabling Good Lives rollout and of course, the gutting of Whaikaha.

    “We held public meetings throughout the country last year, listening to disabled people and understanding their new challenges following the government’s changes. Their stories were dire.

    “The Government is taking disabled people and their communities backwards. Louise Upston cannot keep pretending that nothing’s wrong and that there aren’t people suffering because of her Government’s choices.

    “With community consultations for feedback on policies affecting disabled people closing next Monday – I urge communities to share their stories.

    “This is a matter the Minister must take seriously and make amends for. It is simply unacceptable that disability communities are still struggling for certainty a year on,” Carmel Sepuloni said.

    Stay in the loop by signing up to our mailing list and following us on Facebook, Instagram, and X.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: ACT looks to stand candidates in local council elections

    Source: ACT Party

    For the first time ever, ACT is looking to stand candidates in local council elections.

    Today ACT Leader David Seymour announced the Party is seeking expressions of interest from New Zealanders to stand for their local council under the ACT banner.

    “ACT has been focused on tackling the cost of living, wasteful spending, and co-governance in central government. But when I travel the country, I’m constantly told that local councils have failed to address these same concerns at the local level.

    “Kiwis voted for real change in 2023, but our councils seem to have missed the memo. It’s time for a clean-out.

    “Ratepayers are fed up with councillors who make big promises to get elected, then whack up rates, neglect roads and pipes, and waste money on pet projects. They’ve waged war on cars with cycleways and speed bumps while pushing divisive race-based policies like co-governance and Māori wards. Meanwhile, the basics – rubbish collection, fixing potholes, keeping rates affordable – get ignored.

    “In Government, ACT is fighting for real change, slashing wasteful spending and reining in the cost of living. ACT councillors would do the same: lower rates, scrap the nice-to-haves, end the anti-car ideology, and take race out of local politics.

    “We’re seeking practical, community-minded New Zealanders to step up. We don’t want career politicians. We want people who are sick of the nonsense and ready to focus on what matters – keeping rates down and services up. If that’s you, we want to hear from you.”

    ACT is inviting potential candidates to visit actlocal.nz to learn more and register their interest.

    “Councils won’t change unless good people act. This is your chance to deliver real change for your community with ACT,” says Seymour.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoeven Honors Red Trail Elementary School for Designation as 2024 National Blue Ribbon School

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Dakota John Hoeven
    03.17.25

    MANDAN, N.D. – Senator John Hoeven today presented a flag flown over the U.S. Capitol to the students, educators and families of Red Trail Elementary School in honor of their designation as a 2024 National Blue Ribbon School. As a special symbol representing the school’s exemplary teaching and learning, the National Blue Ribbon School flag will be displayed along with the U.S. flag presented by Senator Hoeven. 
    “Today, we celebrate Red Trail Elementary School’s recognition as a National Blue Ribbon School, a testament to their dedication to academic excellence,” said Hoeven. “This outstanding achievement is the result of the hard work and commitment from the students, families, teachers, and staff at Red Trail Elementary. Congratulations on this well-earned honor.”

    Since 1982, the Blue Ribbon School award has honored public and private schools across the country that display overall academic excellence or progress in closing achievement gaps.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: In Seattle, Cantwell Draws Contrast Between PNW’s Innovation Strategy and Trump’s Trade War

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell
    03.17.25
    In Seattle, Cantwell Draws Contrast Between PNW’s Innovation Strategy and Trump’s Trade War
    Cantwell joins Washington Council on International Trade for Q&A with former USTR head on how the current admin’s tariffs harm the Pacific Northwest In WA state, 2 out of every 5 jobs are tied to trade-related industries; Trump’s actions are “a threat to our ethos,” Cantwell says
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, joined the Washington Council of International Trade (WCIT) for a Q&A session on the whiplash caused by the administration’s chaotic tariff policies – and how they particularly harm the Pacific Northwest, which is among the most trade-dependent regions in the country.
    The Q&A was moderated by WCIT President Lori Otto Punke and joined by former U.S. Trade Representative and current National Foreign Trade Council President Demetrios Marantis. Sen. Cantwell said that the current administration’s approach to trade – with a focus on punitive tariffs, even with America’s largest trading partners and closest allies, as opposed to innovation and alliance-building– is fundamentally at odds with how the Pacific Northwest has historically built its trade economy.
    “The consequences to us in the Pacific Northwest is really a threat to our ethos. We are one of the most trade-dependent states in the country, and we just see the world differently. We believe that innovation matters more than the tariffs in a fight [on] who’s going to win in aerospace or agriculture or software or any of these issues. It is like we are in this horse race, but the President wants to put 25 pounds on our horse and make it harder.
    “And what do we want to do in the Northwest? We like opening markets. We like building alliances. We like innovating our way to success.
    “So make no mistake about it — one of the states that could see the biggest economic impacts from this is ours. And we have to be very loud about how foregoing an alliance approach of building more opportunities is really what we should be doing, if we want to win in an economy that changes in the blink of an eye,” Sen. Cantwell said.
    WCIT is the Northwest’s premier organization advocating for trade and investment policies that increase the competitiveness of Northwest workers, farmers, and businesses. In addition to Sen. Cantwell, speakers at the Summit included U.S. Representatives Suzan DelBene (D,WA-01), Rick Larsen (D, WA-02), Dan Newhouse (R, WA-04), Kim Schrier (D, WA-08), Adam Smith (D, WA-09), and Emily Randall (D, WA-06).
    In Washington state, two out of every five jobs are tied to trade and trade-related industries. More information on how President Trump’s tariffs on goods from Mexico, Canada, and China will affect consumers and businesses in the State of Washington can be found HERE. Nationwide:
    A 25% tariff on Canada and Mexico would add an estimated $144 billion a year to the cost of manufacturing in the United States.
    Tariffs on Canada and Mexico could increase U.S. car prices by as much as $12,000.
    According to the Yale Budget Lab, Trump’s proposed tariffs would result in the highest U.S. effective tariff rate in more than 80 years, and depending on the level of retaliation by other trading partners, will result in increased costs of between $1,600 and $2,000 per household. According to their analysis, food, clothing, cars, and electronics will all see above-average price increases.
    Sen. Cantwell has remained a steadfast supporter of increased trade to grow the economy and keep prices in check in the State of Washington and nationwide. Sen. Cantwell was the leading voice in negotiations to end India’s 20% retaliatory tariff on American apples, which was imposed in response to tariffs on steel and aluminum and devastated Washington state’s apple exports. India had once been the second-largest export market for American apples, but after President Trump imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum in his first term, India imposed retaliatory tariffs in response and U.S. apple exports plummeted. The impact on Washington apple growers was severe: Apple exports from the state dropped from $120 million in 2017 to less than $1 million by 2023.  In September 2023, following several years of Sen. Cantwell’s advocacy, India ended its retaliatory tariffs on apples and pulse crops which was welcome news to the state’s more than 1,400 apple growers and the 68,000-plus workers they support.
    For the past six weeks, President Trump has been sowing economic chaos across the country with unpredictable and ever-changing tariff announcements. His back-and-forth announcements and actions, which have whipsawed American businesses and consumers, as well as close neighbors and allies, include:
    On January 31 — citing punishment for failing to crack down on fentanyl trafficking — the Trump administration announced plans to impose a 25% tax on many goods imported into the U.S. from Canada and Mexico and a 10% tax on goods imported from China, then abruptly postponed those tariffs.
    Last month, he doubled down, announcing an additional 25% tax on all steel and aluminum imports.
    At 12:01 a.m. ET on March 4, President Trump’s long-promised 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada and 10% tariff increase on goods from China took effect, causing stock prices in the United States to plummet.
    Then, on March 5, he announced that automobiles from Canada and Mexico would be exempt from his tariffs for one month.
    The morning of March 6, he announced that he would suspend the tariffs for some products from Mexico. Then, later that same afternoon, he announced he was suspending most new tariffs on products from both Mexico and Canada until April 2.
    On March 11, Trump threatened to double tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum – increasing them to 50% – before reversing himself later the same day.
    On March 13, he threatened 200% tariffs on alcoholic products from the European Union, including all wine and Champagne.
    Video of Sen. Cantwell’s Q&A today is HERE; audio is HERE; photos are HERE; and a transcript is HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy, Blumenthal, Lamont Announce Start Of Hartford Dutch Point Viaduct Rehabilitation Project On I-91

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

    March 17, 2025

    HARTFORD—U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) on Monday joined Governor Ned Lamont and Connecticut Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto in announcing that the Connecticut Department of Transportation has begun construction on the Dutch Point Viaduct rehabilitation project on Interstate 91 southbound in Hartford.
    The Dutch Point Viaduct is the 61-year-old, 1,800-foot elevated bridge structure on I-91 southbound between the area of the Connecticut Convention Center and the Colt Armory. It includes ramps to and from the Whitehead Highway, connecting I-91 to downtown Hartford.
    The purpose of the project is to upgrade the structural elements of the bridge to current safety standards. Improvements include the replacement of the viaduct’s bridge deck, drainage system, and installation of new barrier walls and highways lights, among other structural enhancements. Upon completion in fall 2026, the reconstruction project will improve safety for motorists, increase the viaduct’s load-carrying capacity, and extend the viaduct’s service life until it is replaced as part of the Greater Hartford Mobility Program.
    The $91.85 million project is funded by a mix of 90% federal funds and 10% state funds. The funds are sourced from various federal programs, including those dedicated to highway and bridge maintenance and improvement.
    “This $82 million investment will make a big difference for thousands of people across Connecticut who rely on this stretch of I-91 every day,” said Murphy. “The Dutch Point Viaduct is long overdue for repairs, and this plan to fix its aging infrastructure will help ease traffic flow and make driving safer for commuters without causing unnecessary disruption for drivers and local businesses.”
    “This blockbuster $82 million federal grant will positively impact safety and quality of life for all Connecticut,” said Blumenthal. “This project is in our capital city but is key to transportation interests statewide. I’m proud to continue to fight for federal investments that improve aging infrastructure and make our roadways safer.”
    “The Dutch Point Viaduct is a vital artery for thousands of commuters and visitors traveling through the Hartford region every day,” said Lamont. “Modernizing this aging bridge is a crucial investment to ensure the safety and reliability of this key stretch of highway. I appreciate the hardworking Connecticut Department of Transportation crews and contractors for their dedication to completing these upgrades.”
    “Like many of Connecticut’s aging bridges, the I-91 viaduct was built for a different time and requires significant upgrades to the bridge deck to extend its service life,” said Eucalitto. “We urge motorists to slow down and move over when they see our crews working on the highway or in the roadway shoulder on this important project. Thanks to Governor Lamont and our federal, state, and local partners, we are upgrading this critical infrastructure while ensuring minimal disruption to commuters and businesses downtown.”
    One lane of I-91 southbound in the area will be closed for approximately 18 months while work on the project is underway. Temporary nighttime lane closures between 7:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. and daytime shoulder closures between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. will occur throughout the duration of the construction period. Additionally, the State Street on-ramp to I-91 southbound will be closed during all three stages of the project.
    Motorists should anticipate potential delays during these times but can rely on traffic control measures and signage to guide them through the work zone.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Boozman, Hassan Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Simplify Medical Appointment Scheduling for Veterans

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Arkansas – John Boozman
    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH), members of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, introduced bipartisan legislation to improve and simplify the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) health care scheduling process.
    The Improving Veteran Access to Care Act would create a streamlined scheduling system with the ability to schedule multiple visits and appointments at once through a single phone call or online visit. Currently, veterans do not have access to a centralized scheduling platform and are required to individually contact clinics to coordinate appointments and specialty care.
    “I’m proud to work in a bipartisan way to help ensure the VA is providing the resources and care our former servicemembers deserve,” said Boozman. “Creating a one-stop tool for veterans’ medical appointment scheduling will remove inefficiencies and ensure their care is available, accessible and convenient.”
    “Our veterans deserve a health care system that respects their time and meets their needs, but the current appointment scheduling process is unnecessarily complex, particularly for rural veterans traveling great distances for care,” said Hassan. “This commonsense, bipartisan legislation will create a one-stop scheduling solution that will make it easier for veterans in New Hampshire and across the country to access the quality care that they’ve earned and deserve.”
    Specifically, the Improving Veteran Access to Care Act would require the VA to improve appointment scheduling by:
    Establishing an integrated project team to coordinate with existing VA improvement projects;
    Enabling VA personnel and patients to view available appointments for all VA-based care; 
    Creating a self-service online scheduling platform that allows VA patients to find and schedule VA health care appointments; and 
    Creating a telephone process through which VA patients can make a single call to find and schedule VA health care appointments. 
    The legislation is supported by multiple Veterans Service Organizations, including the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Military Officers Association of America, and Disabled American Veterans 
    “By establishing an integrated project team, the ‘Improving Veteran Access to Care Act’ aims to revolutionize the scheduling process for health care appointments within the Department of Veterans Affairs. This initiative focuses on timely delivery of care, enhanced access, improved customer experience, and greater efficiency, ultimately providing our veterans with the quality care they deserve. DAV would like to thank Senator Maggie Hassan and Senator John Boozman for introducing the ‘Improving Veteran Access to Care Act,’ which creates a team to improve the scheduling process for health care appointments and ensure our veterans receive timely access to care they have earned and urgently need,” said Deputy National Legislative Director for Health for Disabled American Veterans Jon Retzer.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Texas High School Aerospace Scholars: A Launchpad for Future Innovators 

    Source: NASA

    NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement at Johnson Space Center offers Texas high school students a unique gateway to the world of space exploration through the High School Aerospace Scholars (HAS) program. This initiative gives juniors hands-on experience, working on projects that range from designing spacecraft to planning Mars missions. 
    Nearly 30 participants who have been hired by NASA in the past five years are HAS alumni. Their stories highlight the program’s impact on students—inspiring innovation, fostering collaboration, unlocking their potential as they move forward into STEM careers. 
    Discover how the HAS experience has shaped these former students’ space exploration journey.  
    Jaylon Collins: Designing the Future of Spaceflight 
    Jaylon Collins always knew he wanted to study the universe but HAS shifted his perspective on what a STEM career could be. 
    “HAS brought a newfound perspective on what my STEM career could look like, and that shift led me to where I am today,” Collins said. “The coursework, NASA-led seminars, and space exploration research showed me that I could do direct design work to aid humanity’s exploration of the cosmos. I didn’t want to only learn about our universe—I wanted to help explore it.” 

    “HAS showed me that a career in STEM doesn’t require a label, only your passion,” Collins said. “I saw that STEM could lead to endless career paths, and the guide was whatever I was most passionate about.” 
    He saw firsthand how engineers tackle the challenges of spaceflight, from designing spacecraft to solving complex mission scenarios. His strong performance in the program earned him an invitation to Moonshot, a five-day virtual challenge where NASA scientists and engineers mentor students through an Artemis-themed mission. His team developed a Mars sample return mission, an experience that taught him valuable lessons in teamwork. 
    “We combined our knowledge to design solutions that fit our mission profile, and I learned how problem-solving goes beyond the obvious tools like math and science,” he said. “Instead, it entails finding unique methods that trade off certain elements to bolster others and finding the optimal solution for our problem. HAS taught me to listen more than talk and take constructive feedback to create a solid plan.”
    Now studying aerospace engineering at the University of Texas at Austin, Collins credits HAS with building his professional network and opening doors to NASA internship opportunities. 
    “I learned so much from seminars, my peers, and my Moonshot mentors about not only my academic future but also my prospective career,” he said. “My HAS experience has granted me a web of internship opportunities at NASA through the Gateway Program, and I hope that I can leverage it soon in L’Space Academy’s Lucy Internship.” 

    Collins hopes to contribute to NASA’s mission by developing solutions for deep space travel. Beyond that, he wants to inspire the next generation. 
    “I believe that the goal of universal knowledge is to reverberate the passions I have onto other curious dreamers,” he said. “Having mentors who teach the curious is the way we progress and innovate as a society, and I am dedicated to being one of those mentors one day.” 
    Erin Shimoda: Guiding Astronauts to Safety 
    Erin Shimoda’s path to becoming an aerospace engineer did not start with a clear vision of her future. Growing up in a family full of engineers and scientists, she was already on the STEM path, but she did not know where to focus. HAS changed that. 
    “HAS exposed me to so many different things that an aerospace engineer does,” she said. “I learned about the history of humans in space, NASA’s missions, how to design 3D models, how to apply equations from math class to real-life scenarios.” 
    During the program’s summer experience, she and her team designed a mission to send humans to Mars. She credits the program with inspiring her to earn an aerospace engineering degree. 

    The HAS program also reshaped her understanding of what a STEM career could look like. “My mentors were incredible. They talked about their projects with such energy and passion. It made me want to feel that way about my own work,” she said. “I didn’t realize before how exciting and innovative working in STEM could be.” 
    Shimoda said every person she met through HAS was inspiring. “Just knowing that those people existed and worked at NASA helped push me to persevere and succeed in my undergraduate career. I had plenty of bumps in the road, but I had a goal in mind that others had achieved before me, so I knew I could, too.” 
    One of the biggest lessons she took from the program was the power of collaboration. In high school, she often felt like she was carrying the load on group projects, which left her with a negative view of working on a team. HAS changed that perspective. 
    “During HAS, everyone was very passionate about accomplishing our goal, so I was consistently supported by my peers,” she said. “That’s so true at NASA, too. Not one single person can build an entire mission to the Moon. We’re all so passionate about accomplishing the mission, so we always support each other and strive for excellence.”
    Shimoda also saw firsthand how diverse perspectives lead to better results. “There are many ways to come to a solution, and not every solution is right,” she said. “Collaboration leads to innovation and better problem-solving.” 

    Now, Shimoda plays a key role in NASA’s Orion Program, ensuring astronaut safety through comprehensive ascent abort planning and procedures, and supporting Artemis recovery operations. She works on guidance, navigation, and control, predicting where the crew module and recovery hardware will land so teams—including the U.S. Navy—are in the right place at the right time. 
    “It’s exciting because we get to go ‘in the field’ on a U.S. Navy ship during training. Last year, I spent a week on a Navy ship, and seeing everything come together was incredible,” she said. 
    Her advice for students exploring STEM? “Try every opportunity possible! I joined almost every club imaginable. When I saw the HAS poster in front of my high school’s library, I thought to myself, ‘Well, I’m not in anything space-related yet!’ and the rest is history.” 
    Looking ahead, she is eager for what is to come. “I’m especially excited for Artemis III, where I’ll be directly involved in recovery operations,” Shimoda said. “I hope that all this work propels us to a future with a sustained human presence on the Moon.” 
    Hallel Chery: Aspiring Astronaut and Emerging Leader 
    Hallel Chery is a high school senior who will pursue a degree in mechanical engineering and materials science at Harvard College, with her sights set on becoming both an engineer and an astronaut.  
    She completed all three stages of HAS: the online course, the virtual Moonshot challenge, and the five-day on-site experience at Johnson. Balancing the program with academics and leading a school-wide tutoring club pushed her limits—but also broadened her confidence. 
    “I learned that I could take on a tremendous amount of work at one time,” she said. “This realization has helped me become more ambitious in my future plans.” 

    Moonshot was her proving ground. Tasked with redesigning a module for NASA’s future Gateway lunar space station, she led a team of eight HAS scholars—none of whom she had met before—through an intense, weeklong mission. Their work was presented to NASA scientists and engineers and her group landed among the top teams in the challenge. 
    “The experience strengthened my confidence in my abilities as a leader,” said Chery. “I learned that I thrive under pressure and am well prepared to tackle any challenge, technical or interpersonal, no matter how difficult it is.” 
    “Moonshot exposed me for the first time to true, deep teamwork,” she said. “Interacting almost non-stop with the same people over one week in a high stakes situation truly taught me about the dynamics of how teams work, the value of teamwork, and being an effective leader. This, coupled with the program’s emphasis on the importance of teamwork have firmly ingrained in me the essentiality of this core NASA value.”  
    While at Johnson, Chery toured the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility, watched astronauts suit up at the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory, and visited the Mission Control Center. “Spending only a few days at Johnson, I can truly say that as an aspiring astronaut, being there felt just like home,” Chery said.  

    “Because of HAS, I directly visualize myself working in a team to solve the problems I wanted to tackle instead of primarily focusing on the individual accomplishments that will solve them,” she said. “The program taught me how essential teamwork is to effective problem solving and innovation.” 
     The advice she has for the next generation is to keep exploring and to answer the question: What do you want to contribute for the good of the world? 
    HAS also introduced her to professional networking early in her academic career. Engaging with NASA professionals provided insight into the agency’s work culture and internship opportunities. 
    Now, as she prepares for her future in mechanical engineering and materials science, Chery is determined to apply what she has learned. 
    She is particularly grateful for the mentorship of NASA consultant Gotthard Janson, who provided encouragement and guidance throughout the HAS journey.  
    “The opportunity to connect with great professionals like him has provided additional wisdom and support as I grow through my academic and professional career,” she said.  
    Looking ahead, Chery aims to design space habitats, create innovative exercise solutions, and develop advanced materials for use in space.  
    “I want to help propel humanity forward—on Earth, to the Moon, Mars, and beyond—while inspiring others in the Artemis Generation,” she said. “Building and launching my rocket at Johnson felt like launching my future—one dedicated to contributing to NASA and humanity.” 
    Johnson Space Center will showcase its achievements at the Texas Capitol for Space Day Texas on Tuesday, March 25. The High School Aerospace Scholars program will have a booth, and NASA will have interactive exhibits highlighting the programs and technologies that will help humanity push forward to the Moon and Mars.
    Learn more about NASA’s involvement here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Space Day to Share Progress, Opportunities at Texas Capitol

    Source: NASA

    March 17, 2025
    NASA is heading back to the state capitol in March for Space Day Texas, a recognition of achievements throughout Texas and a look ahead to the impact future human space exploration has on the Lone Star state.
    The two-day schedule of events and exhibits focusing on exploration, astronauts, and science, technology, engineering, and math education will include astronaut visits, interactive exhibits, and legislative proclamations.
    NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston will share its accomplishments on the Capitol grounds from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. CDT Tuesday, March 25, joining academic and commercial partners from across the state to share Texas’ blueprint for expanding humanity’s frontier in space.
    On Monday, March 24, exhibits will feature the Texas High School Aerospace Scholars program at the University of Texas Elementary Charter school, along with NASA Johnson’s Office of STEM Engagement, Orion program, and Lockheed Martin. Interactive events will feature NASA STEM engagement programs and hands-on exhibits.
    At 10 a.m. Tuesday, March 25, proclamations celebrating NASA’s 25th anniversary of continuous human presence on the International Space Station, the High School Aerospace Scholars program, and the continued progression of the Artemis campaign through NASA’s commercialization of cargo, crew, landers, spacesuits, and rovers will be read in the Texas House and Senate chambers, respectively. Following the proclamations, an Artemis II crew astronaut will participate in a live question and answer session on the front steps of the Capitol.
    NASA’s impact in Texas is strong. NASA Johnson has served as the iconic site for some of the greatest moments in American history, from landing humans on the Moon to assembling the International Space Station.
    For more than 60 years, NASA has led the world in human space exploration. Today, it is testing technologies on the Space Station that will help humanity push forward to the Moon and Mars. NASA’s workforce in Texas includes more than 10,000 aerospace employees and more than $2 billion in contracts and federal salaries in 2024.
    Learn more about NASA Johnson and its impact in Texas at:
    https://www.nasa.gov/johnson
    -end-
    Kelly Humphries
    Johnson Space Center, Houston
    281-483-5111
    kelly.o.humphries@nasa.gov

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Dusty Inferno Hits Oklahoma

    Source: NASA

    An area of low pressure over the U.S. Southwest began to collide with humid air flowing north on March 14, 2025. The combination powered a destructive weather front that unleashed a chaotic weekend of winds, thunderstorms, hail, dust, and wildfires as the front pushed east through several U.S. states.
    Dust streamed northeast across Texas and Oklahoma behind a line of thunderstorms when the VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) on the NOAA-21 satellite captured this image on March 14, 2025. Amidst the blanket of dust, smoke plumes are visible streaming from wildland fires burning near several towns in Oklahoma, including Camargo, Iconium, Langston, Leedey, Maramec, Merrick, Orlando, Pawhuska, and Stillwater.
    In Oklahoma, hurricane-force winds gusted up to 85 miles (137 kilometers) per hour, triggering a massive dust storm and fanning fast-moving grass fires that caused the state’s governor to declare a state of emergency in 12 counties. The high winds and fires damaged more than 400 homes and structures, including at least 70 homes in Stillwater that were destroyed. The extreme weather also caused tens of thousands of power outages and triggered deadly traffic accidents.
    More than 170,000 acres of land burned, according to The Oklahoman. Many fires raged in parched grasslands that had been abnormally dry and drought-prone in recent weeks, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
    “Wildfires are really many hazards at once,” said Doug Morton, a remote sensing scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, citing dangers including the direct threat to life and property, health hazards posed by the smoke, and issues of visibility that make road and air travel dangerous. “In Oklahoma, the mixture of dust and smoke compounded the problem and led to treacherous conditions,” Morton said.
    The same storm system generated dozens of tornadoes, some of which touched down in Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia, taking dozens of lives and flattening homes in several communities.
    NASA Earth Observatory image by Lauren Dauphin, using VIIRS data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE, GIBS/Worldview, and the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS). Story by Adam Voiland.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: AGs warn against potential new passport application rules targeting trans individuals

    Source: Washington State News

    OLYMPIA — Washington Attorney General Nick Brown today joined a coalition of 12 attorneys general in submitting a comment letter to the U.S. Department of State opposing proposed changes to the passport application process that would prevent transgender individuals from obtaining a passport that matches their gender identity. 

    “These discriminatory rules would add confusion and costs for taxpayers merely to satisfy the president’s fixation on dehumanizing an entire class of people,” Brown said. 

    On Jan. 20, the Trump administration issued an executive order declaring that the United States will only recognize two sexes, male and female, and instructing the secretaries of State and Homeland Security, among others, to “implement changes that require that government-issued identification documents, including passports, visas, and Global Entry cards, accurately reflect the holder’s sex,” as defined by the executive order. Subsequently, the State Department proposed changes to several passport information collection forms. The executive order and proposed form changes break with decades of federal policy on gender identity, including the ability for individuals to change gender markers in identifying records and documents. 

    In its comment letter, the coalition explains the proposed changes would significantly harm non-binary and transgender people. Forcing a transgender or non-binary person to use identity documents that do not align with their gender identity impedes their ability to live and travel. For example, when a person’s passport does not comport with their physical appearance, it could cause confusion, delays, or harassment when they travel within the United States and internationally. These harms compound the psychological harm that could result from the new policy. 

    Further, the coalition warns that the policy would cause considerable confusion between state-issued identification cards and federal identification documents. At least 16 states, including Washington, allow transgender and non-binary people to correct their state-issued birth certificate to accurately reflect their gender identity. If identifying information on state-issued documents does not match information on federal documents, individuals would likely experience delays when trying to access resources, and states would likely be forced to expend needless resources to review mismatched documents.  

    Joining AG Brown in submitting the comment letter, which was led by Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell and New York Attorney General Letitia James, were the attorneys general from California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, and Vermont. 

    -30-

    Washington’s Attorney General serves the people and the State of Washington. As the state’s largest law firm, the Attorney General’s Office provides legal representation to every state agency, board, and commission in Washington. Additionally, the Office serves the people directly by enforcing consumer protection, civil rights, and environmental protection laws. The Office also prosecutes elder abuse, Medicaid fraud, and handles sexually violent predator cases in 38 of Washington’s 39 counties. Visit www.atg.wa.gov to learn more.

    Media Contact:

    Email: press@atg.wa.gov

    Phone: (360) 753-2727

    General contacts: Click here

    Media Resource Guide & Attorney General’s Office FAQ

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: $HAREHOLDER ALERT: The M&A Class Action Firm Continues To Investigate The Merger – NHHS, KVAC, AMPS, AVTE

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, March 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

    Monteverde & Associates PC (the “M&A Class Action Firm”), has recovered millions of dollars for shareholders and is recognized as a Top 50 Firm by ISS Securities Class Action Services Report. We are headquartered at the Empire State Building in New York City and are investigating:

    • NorthStar Healthcare Income, Inc. (OTC: NHHS), relating to the proposed merger with Welltower Inc. Under the terms of the agreement, NorthStar Healthcare’s stockholders will receive $3.03 per share in cash.

    Click here for more https://monteverdelaw.com/case/northstar-healthcare-income-inc-nhhs/. It is free and there is no cost or obligation to you.

    • Keen Vision Acquisition Corp. (NASDAQ: KVAC), relating to its proposed merger with Madera Inc. Under the terms of the agreement, Keen Vision common stock will be canceled and converted into the right to receive a number of Madera common stock.

    Click here for more information: https://monteverdelaw.com/case/keen-vision-acquisition-corp/.   It is free and there is no cost or obligation to you.

    • Altus Power, Inc. (NYSE: AMPS), relating to the proposed merger with TPG. Under the terms of the agreement, Altus Power will be acquired by TPG for $5.00 per share of its Class A common stock in an all-cash transaction.

    ACT NOW. The Shareholder Vote is scheduled for April 9, 2025.

    Click here for more https://monteverdelaw.com/case/altus-power-inc-amps/. It is free and there is no cost or obligation to you.

    • Aerovate Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVTE), relating to a proposed merger with Jade Biosciences. Under the terms of the agreement, pre-merger Aerovate stockholders are expected to own approximately 1.6% of the combined company, while pre-merger Jade stockholders are expected to own approximately 98.4% of the combined entity.

    ACT NOW. The Shareholder Vote is scheduled for April 16, 2025.

    Click here for more information https://monteverdelaw.com/case/aerovate-therapeutics-inc-avte/. It is free and there is no cost or obligation to you.

    NOT ALL LAW FIRMS ARE THE SAME. Before you hire a law firm, you should talk to a lawyer and ask:

    1. Do you file class actions and go to Court?
    2. When was the last time you recovered money for shareholders?
    3. What cases did you recover money in and how much?

    About Monteverde & Associates PC

    Our firm litigates and has recovered money for shareholders…and we do it from our offices in the Empire State Building. We are a national class action securities firm with a successful track record in trial and appellate courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court. 

    No company, director or officer is above the law. If you own common stock in any of the above listed companies and have concerns or wish to obtain additional information free of charge, please visit our website or contact Juan Monteverde, Esq. either via e-mail at jmonteverde@monteverdelaw.com or by telephone at (212) 971-1341.

    Contact:
    Juan Monteverde, Esq.
    MONTEVERDE & ASSOCIATES PC
    The Empire State Building
    350 Fifth Ave. Suite 4740
    New York, NY 10118
    United States of America
    jmonteverde@monteverdelaw.com
    Tel: (212) 971-1341

    Attorney Advertising. (C) 2025 Monteverde & Associates PC. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Monteverde & Associates PC (www.monteverdelaw.com).  Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome with respect to any future matter.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: New Zealand and Gaza: Confronting and not confronting the unspeakable

    ANALYSIS: By Robert Patman

    New Zealand’s National-led coalition government’s policy on Gaza seems caught between a desire for a two-state diplomatic solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and closer alignment with the US, which supports a Netanyahu government strongly opposed to a Palestinian state

    In the last 17 months, Gaza has been the scene of what Thomas Merton once called the unspeakable — human wrongdoing on a scale and a depth that seems to go beyond the capacity of words to adequately describe.

    The latest Gaza conflict began with a horrific Hamas terrorist attack on Israel on 7 October 2023 that prompted a relentless Israel ground and air offensive in Gaza with full financial, logistical and diplomatic backing from the Biden administration.

    During this period, around 50,000 people – 48,903 Palestinians and 1706 Israelis – have been reported killed in the Gaza conflict, according to the official figures of the Gaza Health Ministry, as well as 166 journalists and media workers, 120 academics,and more than 224 humanitarian aid workers.

    Moreover, a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, signed in mid-January, seems to be hanging by a thread.

    Israel has resumed its blockade of humanitarian aid to Gaza and cut off electricity after Hamas rejected an Israeli proposal to extend phase 1 of the ceasefire deal (to release more Israeli hostages) without any commitment to implement phase 2 (that envisaged ending the conflict in Gaza and Israel withdrawing its troops from the territory).

    Hamas insists on negotiating phase 2 as signed by both parties in the January ceasefire agreement

    Over the weekend, Israel reportedly launched air-strikes in Gaza and the Trump administration unleashed a wave of attacks on Houthi rebel positions in Yemen after the Houthis warned Israel not to restart the war in Gaza.

    New Zealand and the Gaza conflict
     Although distant in geographic terms, the Gaza crisis represents a major moral and legal challenge to New Zealand’s self-image and its worldview based on the strengthening of an international rules-based order.

    New Zealand’s founding document, the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi, emphasised partnership and cooperation between indigenous Māori and European settlers in nation-building.

    While the aspirations of the Treaty have yet to be fully realised, the credibility of its vision of reconciliation at home depends on New Zealand’s willingness to uphold respect for human rights and the rule of law in the international arena, particularly in states like Israel where tensions persist between the settler population and Palestinians in occupied territories like the West Bank.

    New Zealand’s declaratory stance towards Gaza
    In 2023 and 2024, New Zealand consistently backed calls in the UN General Assembly for humanitarian truces or ceasefires in Gaza. It also joined Australia and Canada in February and July last year to demand an end to hostilities.

    The New Zealand Foreign Minister, Winston Peters, told the General Assembly in April 2024 that the Security Council had failed in its responsibility “to maintain international peace and security”.

    He was right. The Biden administration used its UN Security Council veto four times to perpetuate this brutal onslaught in Gaza for nearly 15 months.

    In addition, Peters has repeatedly said there can be no military resolution of a political problem in Gaza that can only be resolved through affirming the Palestinian right to self-determination within the framework of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian dispute.

    The limitations of New Zealand’s Gaza approach
     Despite considerable disagreement with Netanyahu’s policy of “mighty vengeance” in Gaza, the National-led coalition government had few qualms about sending a small Defence Force deployment to the Red Sea in January 2024 as part of a US-led coalition effort to counter Houthi rebel attacks on commercial shipping there.

    While such attacks are clearly illegal, they are basically part of the fallout from a prolonged international failure to stop the US-enabled carnage in Gaza.

    In particular, the NZDF’s Red Sea deployment did not sit comfortably with New Zealand’s acceptance in September 2024 of the ICJ’s ruling that Israel’s continued presence in the occupied Palestinian territory (East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza) was “unlawful”.

    At the same time, the National-led coalition government’s silence on US President Donald Trump’s controversial proposal to “own” Gaza, displace two million Palestinian residents and make the territory the “Riviera” of the Middle East was deafening.

    Furthermore, while Wellington announced travel bans on violent Israeli settlers in the West Bank in February 2024, it has had little to say publicly about the Netanyahu government’s plans to annex the West Bank in 2025. Such a development would gravely undermine the two-state solution, violate international law, and further fuel regional tensions.

    New Zealand’s low-key policy
     On balance, the National-led coalition government’s policy towards Gaza appears to be ambivalent and lacking moral and legal clarity in a context in which war crimes have been regularly committed since October 7.

    Peters was absolutely correct to condemn the UNSC for failing to deliver the ceasefire that New Zealand and the overwhelming majority of states in the UN General Assembly had wanted from the first month of this crisis.

    But the New Zealand government has had no words of criticism for the US, which used its power of veto in the UNSC for more than a year to thwart the prospect of a ceasefire and provided blanket support for an Israeli military campaign that killed huge numbers of Palestinian civilians in Gaza.

    By cooperating with the Biden administration against Houthi rebels and adopting a quietly-quietly approach to Trump’s provocative comments on Gaza and his apparent willingness to do whatever it takes to help Israel “to get the job done’, New Zealand has revealed a selective approach to upholding international law and human rights in the desperate conditions facing Gaza

    Professor Robert G. Patman is an Inaugural Sesquicentennial Distinguished Chair and his research interests concern international relations, global security, US foreign policy, great powers, and the Horn of Africa. This article was first published by The Spinoff and is republished here with the author’s permission.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: MotherSafe celebrates its 25th anniversary

    Source: New South Wales Ministerial News

    Published: 18 March 2025

    Released by: Minister for Health

    The outstanding and compassionate care provided by MotherSafe to hundreds of thousands of NSW families is being celebrated, as the service marks its 25th anniversary.

    Minister for Health Ryan Park extended his gratitude to MotherSafe staff for their important role in providing evidence-based information and counselling about exposures during pregnancy and breastfeeding, including prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, street drugs, infections, radiation and occupational exposures.

    Funded by the NSW Government, the free, comprehensive telephone and face-to-face counselling service has received more than 400,000 calls over the last 25 years, from women and healthcare providers seeking health advice through pre-conception, pregnancy and breastfeeding.

    The service was expanded in 2022 to provide specialist support to pregnant women experiencing severe effects of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy and hyperemesis gravidarum, which are the main causes of hospitalisation in the first half of pregnancy.

    Hyperemesis gravidarum is a condition that causes severe nausea and vomiting during pregnancy for around 1 in 100 women during pregnancy.

    Women living with hyperemesis gravidarum during pregnancy are often so sick they can’t go to work, care for themselves or someone else.

    Through MotherSafe, women with hyperemesis gravidarum are assessed for the severity of their symptoms and given evidence-based information regarding available treatments to help manage their symptoms.

    The expanded service has been particularly important for women living outside of metropolitan Sydney or who may be too unwell to travel, to access tailored advice from a MotherSafe consultant.

    Women, families and healthcare professionals can contact a MotherSafe consultant by calling 1800 647 848, or visit the MotherSafe website to access a range of factsheets.

    Quotes attributable to Minister for Health, Ryan Park:

    “Preconception, pregnancy and breastfeeding are crucial times for the health of women and babies. Having access to clear, evidence-based advice on medications and other exposures is critically important for expectant and new mums.

    “I want to thank the many dedicated MotherSafe staff who have helped hundreds of thousands of NSW women give their babies the very best start to life.

    “Hyperemesis gravidarum is the number one cause for hospitalisation in the first half of pregnancy. MotherSafe has helped many women manage the significant physical symptoms and emotional distress that comes with this condition.”

    Quotes attributable to Dr Debra Kennedy, Director MotherSafe:

    “We are proud to have supported the physical and emotional wellbeing of women and families across NSW over the past 25 years.

    “MotherSafe provides advice to women who are concerned about medications, infections or exposure to occupational hazards before and during pregnancy, and while breastfeeding.”

    Quotes attributable to Ella Rich:

    “I experienced severe nausea and vomiting throughout each of my four pregnancies. Managing my symptoms was really challenging and I was highly anxious.

    “It was confirmed I had hyperemesis gravidarum at around 13 weeks during my fourth pregnancy following a medical emergency. The hospital recommended I contact MotherSafe and, as soon as I spoke with them, I felt reassured.

    “MotherSafe became my lifeline during the remainder of my pregnancy. Knowing I could call a consultant who knew about the medications I was exposed to and hyperemesis gravidarum gave me confidence in the health of my baby and alleviated my stress and anxiety.

    “MotherSafe got me the right medication to treat my HG and I was never sick again. They answered my calls with empathy and compassion every time and even arranged for me to speak with one of their leading doctors.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Housing Delivery Authority delivers 15 more State Significant Developments

    Source: New South Wales Ministerial News

    Published: 18 March 2025

    Released by: Minister for Planning and Public Spaces

    The Minister for Planning and Public Spaces has declared a further 15 housing proposals as State Significant Development (SSD) following recommendations from the Housing Delivery Authority (HDA).

    These new housing proposals, if approved, could deliver more than 7,000 new homes.

    After three briefings in two months a total of 44 housing development proposals have been declared state significant under the HDA, with the potential to deliver more than 22,000 new homes, once proposals are assessed.

    Since the first meeting, nine projects have also had Secretary’s Environmental Assessment Requirements issued, the first step in the assessment process which signals a good flow of projects progressing quickly along the SSD pathway.

    To date, the Authority has received over 250 expressions of interest. At its latest meeting, 32 proposals were examined.

    The authority is prioritising high-quality housing projects with detailed plans that can be submitted within nine months and can begin construction within 12 months of approval. To be declared state significant, proposals submitted to the HDA that are already being assessed via another planning pathway need to be withdrawn from that pathway.

    All proposals declared as SSD will have their development applications assessed by the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, without needing to be approved by councils. This can cut approval times and speed up the delivery of new homes.

    This is all part of the Minns Government’s plan to build a better NSW with more homes and services, so young people, families and key local workers have somewhere to live and in the communities they choose.

    The HDA builds on the Minns Government’s recent reforms to the planning system to speed up the delivery of more homes, including:

    • The development of the NSW Pattern Book and accelerated planning pathway for those who use the pre-approved patterns.
    • The largest rezoning in NSW history around transport hubs and shopping centres to address the “missing middle.”
    • The largest ever investment in the delivery of social and affordable housing in NSW.
    • $200 million in financial incentives for councils that meet the new expectations for development applications, planning proposals and strategic planning.
    • $450 million to build new apartments for essential workers including nurses, paramedics, teachers, allied health care workers, police officers and firefighters.

    Recommendations from the HDA are published as required under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 before the SSD declaration. For more information visit Housing Delivery Authority | Planning.

    Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:

    “These latest projects that I have declared as State Significant Developments have the potential to deliver more than 7,000 new homes including affordable housing.

    “The Housing Delivery Authority is not a silver bullet to our housing supply challenges, but it’s certainly a step in the right direction.

    “In three briefings, I have declared projects that could deliver more than 22,000 dwellings into a state-assessed planning pathway, proponents now have nine months to prepares their planning documents, and must commence construction if they are approved within 12 months, because the need for housing is too urgent.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: New police wanding powers tackling knife crime across the state

    Source: New South Wales Ministerial News

    Published: 18 March 2025

    Released by: The Premier, Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism

    The Minns Labor Government’s crackdown on knife crime has seen more than 90 dangerous weapons seized from our streets since the NSW Police Force began wanding operations in December.

    The force has conducted 34 wanding operations across metro and regional NSW, scanning 4,147 individuals, seizing 91 unlawful weapons and charging 67 people with 71 weapons offences.

    Weapons seized include knives, tasers, sling shots, knuckle dusters, machetes and folding kitchen knives.

    Under Operation Ares, officers are conducting high-visibility policing operations and using handheld scanners or electronic metal detecting ‘wands’ to scan individuals within a designated area for dangerous weapons.

    Locations of the operations include Sydney CBD, Liverpool, Campbelltown, Blacktown, Mt Druitt, Parramatta, Newcastle, Coffs Harbour, Dubbo, Wollongong, Wagga Wagga, Nowra, Bomaderry, Albury and Lavington.

    The Minns Labor Government has taken decisive action to give police further resources to create a safer NSW and send the clear message that knife crime will not be tolerated.

    Under the powers, modelled on Queensland’s Jack’s Law, police can stop and scan individuals without a warrant at designated areas.

    When switched on by NSW Police, the powers can be used in public spaces including public transport stations, shopping precincts, and certain sporting venues.

    These police powers complement other measures introduced by this Government to address knife crime, including:

    • Doubling the penalty for selling a knife to a child under 16 to $11,000 and introducing a custodial sentence of up to 12 months for the offence; and
    • Creating a new offence for selling knives to children aged 16 or 17 without a reasonable excuse.

    The NSW Government remains committed to reducing knife crime and building a safer NSW through continued legislative and operational policing efforts.

    Premier of NSW, Chris Minns said:

    “The number of weapons that have been seized already is shocking.

    “To have taken almost 100 knives and other weapons off our streets is as horrifying as it is important.

    “Our tough knife laws are working and getting weapons out of our community.

    “The NSW Government and NSW Police are confronting knife crime and sending a strong message that it is not tolerated.”

    Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism, Yasmin Catley said:

    “Everybody deserves to feel and be safe in public and it’s clear that these new laws are making NSW a safer place.

    “I want to thank the NSW Police who are working around the clock to seize dangerous weapons and keep our community safe from the devastating effects of knife crime.

    “There are very few excuses to carry a knife in public – anyone thinking about leaving home with a dangerous weapon should think again. The NSW Police are cracking down hard and you will be caught.”

    NSW Police Force Public Transport and Public Safety Command Assistant Commissioner Stephen Hegarty said:

    “During the 34 operations we have not only seized dangerous knives and weapons, but we have arrested 67 people with offences and put them before the courts.

    “There are only very few purposes for anyone to have a knife in their possession in public. In most circumstances, it is illegal and will only lead to tragedy and the death of innocent people.

    “We want people to feel and be safe while they go about their daily lives at shopping centres or on public transport.

    “Our high-visibility operations are designed to send a message to people and deter them from carrying knives and weapons.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Central West and southern NSW farmers big winners with $6.1 million to improve rural connectivity

    Source: New South Wales Ministerial News

    Overall, the NSW Government and Australian Governments have provided up to $6.1 million to improve rural connectivity to around 1,500 premises across Weddin Shire, Burcher, Burra, Eumungerie, Glen Davis, Talbingo in the central west and Burra, Urila and Talbingo in southern NSW.

    Improvements will be delivered through new services provided by YLess4U and Connected Farms, enabling farmers to access reliable communications and data directly from their paddocks, maximising productivity and saving time and money.

    Primary producers and agricultural businesses are increasingly relying on the internet, with modern farming technology such as livestock monitoring, smart irrigation systems and wireless drone inspections for land surveying now being used alongside AgTech in tractors, headers and centre-pivot watering systems.

    This new funding will allow growers in the Weddin Shire and surrounding areas to fully harness modern farming technology through improved coverage.

    Currently, machinery programmed to sow seeds in a designated area across Weddin Shire farmland can only be configured using farm-office based computers with wired internet connections, as there are no reliable wireless options out on the farm.

    In the Weddin Agriculture Precinct, Connected Farms will deliver a network providing mobile services and high speed fixed wireless broadband to more than 200 premises in Caragabal, Bribbaree, Piney Range and Pullabooka.

    Dual SIM phones will allow locals to make calls and access mobile data via the Connected Farms network, while still accessing other mobile voice and data networks.

    In addition to unlocking modern Agtech methods, locals and visitors alike will have improved access to emergency services during disasters and unexpected events.

    In Burcher, Burra, Eumungerie, Glen Davis, Talbingo and Urila, telecommunications provider, YLess4U will deliver high speed fixed wireless broadband to premises providing locals farmers and their families with fast and reliable internet.

    For more information on the latest Regional Connectivity Program, visit: www.infrastructure.gov.au/media-communications-arts/internet/regional-connectivity-program

    For information on co-funded regional NSW projects, visit www.nsw.gov.au/connectregionalNSW

    Quotes from Federal Minister for Communications Michelle Rowland

    “Every Australian deserves access to fast, reliable and affordable connectivity regardless of whether they live.

    “Since coming to office, the Albanese Government has been working to bridge the digital divide with a focus on regional New South Wales.

    “These upgrades will make a meaningful difference to residents, local businesses and visitors to the Central West.

    “Labor’s vision is for Australia to be the most connected continent, and we are working with the NSW Government and industry to deliver this.”

    Quotes from NSW Minister for Regional NSW Tara Moriarty

    “Residents in rural and regional areas deserve dependable telecommunications services to support their everyday needs and that is what this program is providing.

    “Improved digital services is important for both the productivity of the farm business and for the daily logistical challenges of living in a rural area.

    “Farmers and their families shouldn’t have to stand in the back yard waving their phones around to make a call. 

    “These upgrades will mean school children can easily contact their parents when the school bus drops them off at the farm gate.

    Quotes from co-founder and Growth Lead at Connected Farms Melissa Andrews

    “These connectivity services will provide farmers with a platform to utilise the latest in real time digital and precision agricultural technologies across their farms to increase their operational efficiency,” Ms Andrews said.

    ”For many years, connectivity in many parts of Weddin Shire has been very limited and these services will also enable better communications and farm safety capability.”

    Quotes from YLess4U director Jason Green

    “We’re proud to partner with the NSW Government as part of the Australian Government’s Regional Connectivity Program to deliver fixed wireless broadband services to over 900 homes and businesses across six communities in regional New South Wales,” Mr Green said.

    “Once complete, residents and businesses will have access to faster, more reliable internet and a wide range of plans and pricing options, importantly at prices equivalent to those found in metropolitan areas.

    Case study – Stuart McKellar

    In the Weddin Shire, sheep and cropping farmer Stuart McKellar runs a large family operation alongside his wife, Cath, brother, Brett, and son, Scott.

    Since the land was handed down from Stuart’s parents, the family have managed the farm together and as residents of rural Weddin Shire, they are all too familiar with the challenges brought on by the digital divide.

    In 2023, when Stuart’s truck broke down 40 kilometres outside of Grenfell, he deliberately stopped the vehicle on a hill, knowing it was his only chance to get enough mobile reception to call for help.

    When the mechanic arrived on-site, they realised that he would need to make five separate trips back into town to access the phone and internet coverage needed to diagnose the mechanical fault and get Stuart’s truck back on the road.

    Unfortunately, these incidents aren’t the only way the digital divide affects Stuart and his family; it also impacts their daily sheep and cropping operations.

    The business is forced to rely on paper-based vendor declarations and contracts because they lack the internet access required to download even low-megabyte digital resources.

    Poor connectivity makes it hard for farmers to use modern tools like Variable Rate (VR) fertiliser tech, which usually lets them upload field data, like soil tests, straight from their tractor.

    Without internet in the field, Stuart is forced to return to the home office to upload the required data and make adjustments before getting back to spreading fertiliser where it’s needed most.

    This slows things down and means they can’t always make the best use of expensive inputs like lime and gypsum, or maximise crop growth efficiently.

    Once the Connected Farms service becomes available in the area, challenges like Stuart’s will soon become a thing of the past and residents will finally have access to reliable mobile phone reception and metropolitan-grade internet, whether during car breakdowns or for everyday farming needs.

    Weddin Shire farmer Stuart McKellar said:

    “Connectivity has always been very poor around here and our dependence on data is getting greater and greater,” Mr McKellar said.

    “Accidents often happen where there is no service, and that improved connectivity would not only make residents’ day-to-day lives easier but would increase farm safety across the shire.

    “I recently broke down 40 kilometres from Grenfell and the mechanic had to make five trips out from town to fix the issue as we couldn’t get data out at the worksite. It’s an awful lot of travelling and time wasted and if we had decent internet connection, it would have been a simple fix.

    “Currently, your phone will only work near a certain tree or on a hill, we have to use a paper-based vendor declaration because electronic ones won’t load, and we rely on internet in the home office to do simple things like searching the weather forecast.

    “Any AgTech field adjustments that need to be done on farm machinery must be done on the house computer too – our farm is spread out across 30 kilometres so when you go out to the field and realise what you’ve preplanned is wrong, you have to take it back to the home office, where the internet is, to make the necessary adjustments.

    “Once we have reliable coverage, it’ll be a big time saving and big benefit if we can make those adjustments on the spot.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Workers comp reform to address psychological safety

    Source: New South Wales Ministerial News

    Published: 18 March 2025

    Released by: Treasurer

    Treasurer Daniel Mookhey will today warn parliament that the State’s workers compensation system is unsustainable without reform to how it deals with workplace psychological injury.

    Mr Mookhey will set out plans to make greater use of workplace health and safety laws to prevent psychological injuries, instead of relying solely on the state’s workers compensation system as the main response. 

    In a Ministerial Statement, the Treasurer will also advise Parliament that:

    • If claims continue growing at recent rates, the State insurer icare expects an additional 80,000 people will make psychological injury claims over the next five years,
    • For every $1 needed to care for injured workers, the State’s main workers compensation scheme currently holds only 85 cents in assets, and
    • Without reform, premiums for businesses facing no claims against them are forecast to rise by 36 per cent over the three years to 2027-28.

    Mr Mookhey will outline a program of consultation with Business NSW and Unions NSW, as well as other interested parties, to create the reform. The model he will outline will see NSW:

    1. Give the NSW Industrial Relation Commission a bullying & harassment jurisdiction ahead of requiring those claims to be heard there first before a claim can be pursued for compensation. This will allow the Commission to address psychological hazards, fostering a culture of prevention.
    2. Define psychological injury, as well as ‘reasonable management action’, to provide workers and businesses with certainty – rather than let the definitions remain the subject of litigation. 
    3. Align whole-person-impairment thresholds to standards established in South Australia and Queensland.
    4. Adopt some of the anti-fraud measures recently enacted by the Commonwealth to protect the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
    5. Respond further to the recommendations retired Supreme Court justice Robert McDougall made in his independent review of Safe Work NSW.

    The Treasurer has been working closely with Minister for Industrial Relations Sophie Cotsis and Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib on the reform.

    Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said:

    “Our workers compensation system was designed at a time when most people did physical labour – on farms and building sites, in mines or in factories.

    “A system that approaches all psychological workplace hazards the same way as physical dangers, needs to change.

    “Allowing the system to stay on autopilot will only trap more employees, employers, and the state of NSW to a fate we can avoid.

    “We must build a system that is fit for purpose – one that reflects modern workplaces and modern ways of working.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China, UK pledge to jointly address climate change

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

    BEIJING, March 17 — Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang met with Ed Miliband, UK Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, in Beijing on Monday. The two sides agreed to enhance cooperation in jointly addressing climate change.

    Ding, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said developing stable and mutually beneficial relations between China and the UK serves the common interests of the two peoples, facilitates global economic growth, and promotes joint efforts to address global challenges.

    China is ready to work with the UK to earnestly implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of both countries, consolidate the momentum for improvement and development of bilateral ties, deepen cooperation in areas such as financial services, trade and investment, and low-carbon development, and jointly address climate change to better benefit the people of both countries and the world, Ding added.

    Miliband said the UK government sincerely hopes to enhance engagement with China, is committed to developing a long-term and constructive bilateral relationship, and stands ready to strengthen cooperation with China on energy security and addressing climate change.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Information sought after shots fired at tavern

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Attributable to Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Moorhouse:

    Police investigating a shooting at a tavern north of Wairoa are seeking information from the public.

    Officers were called to the Frasertown Tavern about 11.10pm on Saturday 15 March to reports shots had been fired towards the building.

    At least two, possibly three, shots were fired, hitting the tavern and a vehicle in the carpark.

    The tavern was open with several patrons inside at the time, and it is very fortunate no one was injured. Police are working to establish if it involves any gang connections. 

    A full Police investigation, dubbed Operation Everest, is under way, and Police are interested in information from anyone who was in the vicinity of the tavern around the time of the incident on Saturday night. 

    We are particularly interested in sightings of a white hatchback vehicle seen in Frasertown at that time.

    Anyone with information please contact Police online at 105.police.govt.nz, clicking “Update Report”, or by calling 105.

    Please use the reference number 250316/3361.

    Alternatively, you can get in touch with Crimestoppers anonymously at https://crimestoppers-nz.org/ or by calling 0800 555 111.

    ENDS

    Issued by the Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Three arrested following Rānui aggravated robbery

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Police have taken four youths into custody following an aggravated robbery in Rānui yesterday.

    At about 7.52am, Police received a report of four people entering a commercial premises on Swanson Road armed with weapons (not firearms).

    Detective Senior Sergeant Megan Goldie, Waitematā CIB, says the store owner was alone in the shop and attempted to run out before allegedly being assaulted.

    “The alleged offender have then made off with a number of items and an amount of cash before fleeing in a stolen vehicle.

    “Officers have located the stolen vehicle at a nearby address where four people were quickly taken into custody.”

    Detective Senior Sergeant Goldie says a search of the address and vehicle located the stolen property and some of the cash.

    Three youths, aged 14-16, will appear in Waitākere Youth Court today charged with aggravated robbery.

    The same people are also charged with attempted burglary in relation to an earlier incident at a commercial premises also on Swanson Road.

    A 12-year-old has been referred to Youth Aid Services.

    ENDS.

    Holly McKay/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: RAISINA DIALOGUE 2025: KĀLACHAKRA – PEOPLE, PEACE AND PLANET

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Namaskar, Sat Sri Akal, kia ora and good afternoon everyone.
    What an honour it is to stand on this stage – to inaugurate this august Dialogue – with none other than the Honourable Narendra Modi.
    My good friend, thank you for so generously welcoming me to India and for our warm discussions this morning.
    I am a great admirer of your extraordinary achievements as Prime Minister.
    In the almost 11 years that you’ve occupied the Prime Minister’s office, you have weathered the COVID crisis and still managed to expand India’s economy by 50%.
    You have lifted 250 million of your countrymen out of poverty and eliminated extreme poverty.
    Today, India is at the leading edge of technology with massive innovative potential.
    You were the first country to land on the moon’s South Pole.  In the process drawing the world’s attention to India’s extraordinary technological prowess.
    And Prime Minister, during your tenure, the Men in Blue have been the most dominant side in cricket’s white ball competitions, most recently winning the Champions Trophy last week against my Men in Black and breaking many New Zealanders hearts – including mine – in the process!
    Congratulations!
    Among this catalogue of achievements is the reason we gather today: the Raisina Dialogue.  A forum that provides a moment every year for thought-leaders from across the world to focus their collective minds on the contemporary strategic challenges being navigated right here in the Indian Ocean.
    I applaud Dr Jaishankar and Samir Saran for the intellectual leadership they have shown driving this Dialogue over the past 10 years. 
    It has grown into a hugely influential forum.  Look no further than the luminaries you attract: 6 former Heads of Government and Ministers from over thirty countries.
    I hope my remarks today, add to the debate in some small way.
    Ladies and gentlemen, it’s more than 200 years since Indians and New Zealanders first began living side-by-side.
    At the beginning of the 19th century – well before we became a nation – Indian sailors jumped ship in New Zealand, with some meeting locals and marrying into our indigenous Māori tribes.  A few years later, Māori traders began travelling to Kolkata to sell tree trunks used in sailing ships.
    An exchange that echoes down the ages.
    Just as they were 200 years ago, Kiwi-Indians today are fully integrated into our multicultural society.  New Zealanders of Indian heritage comprise 11% of the people living in Auckland, our biggest city.
    I’ve brought with me to New Delhi a selection of Kiwi-Indian community leaders. Members of Parliament, captains of industry, professional cricketers and even an online influencer who has revolutionised investment for women the world over.  In short, a selection of Kiwi-Indians who get up every single morning to make New Zealand a better place to live.
    And our trade has diversified considerably from wood thanks to the increased sophistication of your economy.  India today is a critical source of pharmaceuticals and machinery for us. While we are a great tourism and education destination for you.
    India has become an ever more significant feature of our society.
    And yet, while there has been much that has developed and changed, there has been something missing at the core of our relationship.
    With a country as consequential as India, we need rich political interaction, engaged militaries, strong economic architecture, and connections that support a diaspora that bridges between our two great nations.
    Prime Minister Modi and I sat down today and charted out the future of our two countries’ relationship.
    A future that builds from where we have been.  One that is wholly more ambitious about what we will do together in the future. 

    We agreed to our Defence Forces building greater strategic trust with one another, while deploying together and training together more.
    We want our scientists collaborating on global challenges like climate change and on commercial opportunities like space.
    We are supporting our businesses to improve air links and build primary sector cooperation.
    We will facilitate students, young professionals and tourists to move between our countries.
    And we’ve instructed our trade negotiators to get on and negotiate a free trade agreement between our two great nations.

    A comprehensive agenda to underpin a comprehensive relationship. As we look to the future, the opportunity for both our governments is to sustain that momentum.
    Not only to follow through on the commitments we have made to one another. But to proactively build on that platform, by exploring new opportunities and creating new architecture.
    To ensure that we are creating strategic trust and commercial connection between two countries at the bookends of our wide Indo-Pacific region.
    Ladies and gentlemen, it is to the Indo-Pacific that I now turn.  There are many reasons to be excited about our region.  I want to single out the two biggest opportunities.
    First, India and New Zealand are fortunate enough to live in the world’s most economically dynamic region.
    The Indo-Pacific will represent two-thirds of global economic growth over the coming years.  By 2030, it will be home to two-thirds of the world’s middle-class consumers.
    And India itself lies at the heart of this exciting economic future.  It’s easy to focus on the troubles the world faces, but its worth reflecting for a moment on what economic development at this scale means at a human level.
    Here in India, you’ve gone from only the very few in rural areas having a water or power connection to almost everyone. It means people with better health and education outcomes.  And that creates hope and optimism about the future for individuals and their families.
    Replicated across literally hundreds of millions of people, that process of development generates dynamic economies.  Growth that offers massive opportunities for every country in the Indo-Pacific, and families and individuals within them.
    The second big opportunity is technological change.  We are on the cusp of a transformation of our economies and societies in a way that we can barely now imagine.
    I’m talking about artificial intelligence, which is within reach of achieving the cognitive powers of a human being.  But I’m also thinking of a range of other technologies – quantum, biotech, advanced manufacturing – that are going to have profound impacts on our economies.
    It has felt like this technological transformation has been long-heralded, but never quite arrived. Well, it seems to me that a series of innovations – the always online world, big data, powerful computing, machine learning – are cumulating in ways that are going to tip over into a dislocation that is new and altogether different. 
    The game is about to change.  We are on the cusp of an explosion in the application of AI, a technology that will have an impact across the whole economy, not just in one or two sectors. A technology that will transform the way we work, study and entertain ourselves.  A technology that will force governments to think in entirely different ways about how they deliver public services and secure their nations.
    Certainly, this presents risks that will need to be managed.  For example, militaries are already using AI, which means the international community is going to need to develop new norms about how this is done in a way that ensures compliance with the rules of war and ensures human responsibility in conflict.
    But my message is that, while we need manage change, we cannot allow ourselves to be paralysed by the risks.  For those who believe they can outcompete through this period of technological dislocation, the opportunities are there.  The citizens, the companies, and the countries that embrace the coming change will be the ones that reap the dividends. 
    Yet, there’s also no doubt that there are fundamental trend lines in the Indo-Pacific that present geo-strategic risks to growth and prosperity.
    These have long-term drivers that are not going away, and have been amplified by recent events.
    Past assumptions – that underpinned the previous generation’s geopolitical calculations – are being upended.
    A fortnight ago, the Singaporean Foreign Minister, Vivian Balakrishnan, put this change eloquently when he said: “the world is now shifting from unipolarity to multipolarity, from free trade to protectionism, from multilateralism to unilateralism, from globalisation to hyper-nationalism, from openness to xenophobia, from optimism to anxiety”.
    This is a global change, not isolated to one region. Certainly, though, we live today in an Indo-Pacific navigating contest and rivalry, with a period of strategic uncertainty.  I would highlight three big shifts that make for challenging times ahead.
    Fist, we are seeing rules giving way to power. 
    Previously, we could count on countries respecting the UN Charter, the Law of the Sea and world trade rules.  That sadly cannot be assumed in an age of sharper competition.
    Instead, we risk dangerous miscalculation at flashpoints. These range from the militarisation of disputed reefs to dangerous air movements.  From land border incursions to breakout nuclear capabilities.
    Of course, it is not just flashpoints, but a slow shift in Indo-Pacific realities that change calculations.  Recent demonstrations of naval force near New Zealand’s maritime surrounds, for example, sent a signal that alarmed many of my fellow citizens.
    Second, we are witnessing a shift from economics to security. 
    After the Cold War, the dominant paradigm in relations between Indo-Pacific countries was a sustained effort to raise material living standards by tending to our economies.
    Make no mistake, “bread and butter” issues still loom very large, and are a priority for governments all around the region.  Indeed, economic growth is my Government’s highest priority.
    But across the Indo-Pacific, we also see Governments dedicating increased attention and resource to military modernisation. Military build-ups reflect a need to prepare against uncertainty and insecurity.  Some military build-ups, however, are underway without the reassurance that transparency brings.
    National security demands are expanding.  Governments need to protect their people and assets against foreign interference, cyberattacks, and terrorism.
    In the last few months, a new threat has emerged, with damage to critical infrastructure, like sub-sea cables. You can’t have prosperity without security, not least when the tools of commerce themselves require protection.
    The third geo-economic shift is from efficiency to resilience. 
    Where previously, Indo-Pacific economies saw ever deeper interdependence as a dynamo for growth, that can no longer be assumed in an age of decoupling.
    Onshoring, protectionism and trade wars are displacing best price, open markets, and integrated supply chains.
    And so we find ourselves in a world that is growing more difficult and more complex, especially for smaller states.
    However, we must engage with the world as it is, not as we wish it to be. So, like most countries across the region, New Zealand’s strategic policy is being shaped by our assessment of these trends.
    We have agency to shape the Indo-Pacific that we want, but we must do so with energy and with urgency.
    Ladies and gentlemen, as New Zealand looks to protect and advance our interests in the Indo-Pacific, we can only do so alongside partners.  Partners like India that have a significant role to play in the Indo-Pacific.
    In an increasingly multipolar world, India’s size and geo-strategic heft gives you autonomy.  At the same time, your democratic partners in the Indo-Pacific offer you a force multiplier for our convergent interests. 
    For at a time when democracy is in decline with less than half the world’s adults electing their leaders, it is an inspiration that 650 million Indians turned out to vote last year in the largest election in history.
    Your national election is a triumph of logistics and a triumph of legitimacy.  An election that means your leaders serve their people, rather than your people serving their leaders.
    Now, I don’t advocate arbitrary divisions between democracies and autocracies. And just because we are democracies, we won’t always see eye-to-eye. 
    Nonetheless, there’s truth in the fact that our democratic governance means we share a belief in the freedom to choose, giving everyone a voice and respect for the rules.  Our interests increasingly converge around seeing these three ideas as an aligned set of organising principles for our Indo-Pacific region.
    First, we want to live in an Indo-Pacific where countries are free to choose their own path free from interference.
    A region where no one country comes to dominate.
    It is a sign of the times that I stand here defending respect for sovereignty. Yet, New Zealand’s approach is increasingly shaped around that objective.
    Just on Saturday, I joined a call led by Prime Minister Starmer focused on what more those contributing to Ukraine’s defence can do to support a just and lasting peace.  To help a country whose sovereignty and territorial integrity has been so flagrantly attacked.
    In my home region, our fellow Pacific neighbours are navigating geo-strategic dynamics that are their sharpest in nearly 80 years.
    In a deeply contested world, Pacific partners are being asked to make choices that may undermine their national sovereignty.  They risk falling into over-indebtedness, they must make choices about dual-use infrastructure, and they face pressure to enter new security arrangements.
    New Zealand invests in working alongside Pacific countries to boost their capacity to make independent choices free from interference. 
    Yet, size alone cannot inoculate a country from these dynamics.  Building strong and diversified relationships is the key to mitigating the risks of dependence on a few.
    That is why my Government is investing in our key relationships, from traditional partners to thickening and deepening our relationships across Southeast Asia, and in a serious way with India, too. 
    And we have a responsibility to invest in our own security as a downpayment on our future ability to choose our own path.  That is why New Zealand will be scaling up and doing more to support our own defence.
    We plan to better resource and equip our Defence Force to ensure we can continue to defend our interests.  Whether in our near region, in our alliance with Australia, or in support of collective security efforts with partners like India.
    Alongside this investment in capability, we are making tangible contributions across the Indo-Pacific.  When I was in Japan last year, I saw firsthand the work our aviators do to detect and deter North Korea’s sanctions-busting activities.
    The New Zealand Navy is leading Combined Task Force 150 responsible for multinational activities to protect trade routes and counter smuggling, piracy and terrorism in the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden. We are fortunate indeed that India has agreed to take up the Deputy Command.  Underlining these naval connections, one of our frigates, HMNZS Te Kaha, is in Mumbai later this week.
    As we seek an Indo-Pacific in which countries are free to choose their own path, I’m determined New Zealand plays its role.  Whether through our work with Pacific Islands partners, our relationships in the Indo-Pacific, or through our defence efforts.
    A second principle both India and New Zealand subscribe to is the criticality of Indo-Pacific regional institutions, even as these evolve.
    Regional architecture scaffolds our region’s security and its prosperity.
    ASEAN continues to promote regional peace and economic development. Through its convening power and its centrality, it also provides a place for the region’s players to come together to discuss strategic issues.
    ASEAN sits at the centre of the East Asia Summit, which for twenty years now has enabled political dialogue across the region, a forum that builds understanding, reduces the risk of miscalculation and contributes to strategic trust.
    Yet, the Indo-Pacific architecture is not static as it adapts to new realities.  Mini-lateral groupings are important new pieces of the puzzle.
    The Quad has emerged as an important vehicle promoting an open, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.  India’s contribution to that evolution has of course been vital.  While New Zealand has no pretensions to Quad membership, we stand ready to work with you to advance Quad initiatives.
    We ourselves are strengthening our work with Japan and the Republic of Korea, as well as Australia.  Last year, I convened the Indo-Pacific Four to discuss Ukraine and North Korea. 
    And with serious headwinds buffeting the global trade system, New Zealand is seriously invested in Indo-Pacific trade and economic integration groupings.
    From CPTPP, the gold standard of FTAs internationally, to RCEP, perhaps the world’s most inclusive.
    And we welcome India’s engagement in the regional economic architecture, with our work together in the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), important in an era in which we seek to build one another’s resilience.
    The third Indo-Pacific principle we align around is a region in which respect for the rules is foundational.
    Globally, rules are being undermined: whether those around territorial integrity, freedom of navigation, or laws of war.  Yet, these are the very rules that preserve an Indo-Pacific order that is not “might is right” alone. 
    And, as I have said before, there is no prosperity without security. The rules that underpin our security also allow our businesses to operate with certainty. Those rules deliver daily in meaningful ways for our people.
    For example, one in four jobs in New Zealand rely on exports and our exporting businesses being able to depend on the predictability that those rules deliver. And in a miracle, that’s only possible thanks to globally-accepted aviation standards, 120,000 flights carry 12 million passengers and operate safely between their destinations every day.
    These rules shape the character of our region.  We remain committed to this rules-based system, even while acknowledging its shortcomings.  It is a truism that the world of 2025 is vastly different from 1945, and yet global institutions sadly have been slow to adapt.
    We are not talking about “starting over” by remaking the global order. Instead, I tend to agree with Dr Jaishankar when he says we want an order in which change is evolutionary – at a pace that is comfortable and steady.
    That’s why New Zealand supports reforming global governance frameworks to better reflect today’s realities.  Rather than casting them aside, they should give greater voice to the developing world and under-represented regions.
    Countries like India – that play such a central role in the global community – should have a seat at the table. We’ve therefore long supported India having a permanent seat on a reformed UN Security Council.
    Distinguished guests, ladies, and gentlemen.
    It has been a privilege to speak to you today, at this important forum for global dialogue.
    The geostrategic picture I’ve painted is stark.  Rules are giving way to power; economics to security; and efficiency to resilience.
    The tectonic shifts unfolding highlight that we – working alongside partners and friends – must navigate disruption, uncertainty, and sharpening pressure on our national interests.
    Yet, we will not be overwhelmed by complexity and challenge. We must go forward with confidence.
    We live at the heart of the world’s most exciting and dynamic region – the Indo-Pacific.
    We live in an era of technological transformation that offers outsized opportunities.
    We are countries with solid underlying democratic institutions, which will underpin our societies’ future success.
    India and New Zealand have extraordinarily talented people. 
    Both our countries have a clear plan that reflects and reinforces the connections between our security and prosperity. 
    We cannot afford to be thrown by the rapid pace of change – we must grapple with shifting realities and capitalise on these for all our peoples’ benefit.
    We will create and seize opportunities. Invest in our capabilities.
    This is our region. Its future will be shaped by the choices we make—together.
    Thank you, ngā mihi nui, and dhanyavaad .
     

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Sneezeweed: a tiny hero of Kawau Island

    Source: Auckland Council

    If you’ve ever wandered through the tracks and paths of Kawau Island, you may have come across a small, unassuming herb with delicate daisy-like flowers; it’s called sneezeweed (Centipeda minima subsp. minima), a native herb that thrives in the most unexpected of places.

    But don’t let its resilience fool you; sneezeweed is a nationally threatened species that’s an expert at making a home in disturbed wet or damp environments where competition from other plants is minimal and the stronghold it made for itself on Kawau Island is particularly significant.

    Sneezeweed growing on Kawau Island.

    This project is an important part of the Auckland region’s biodiversity because we value diverse ecosystems of plants and want to ensure the long term survival of threatened plants.

    Auckland Council has established permanent monitoring plots within the Department of Conservation reserve on the island, to track the plant’s progress ahead of a plan to remove “browsing animals” (on Kawau Island these are possums and wallabies) from the island.

    Auckland Council’s Principal Specialist – Natural Environment Operations Lisa Tolich says the removal of wallabies is a huge win for native biodiversity.

    “We need to ensure species like sneezeweed continue to have the conditions they need to survive on the island,” Ms Tolich says.

    “By closely monitoring these populations, we can respond with management strategies to support them if necessary.”

    Auckland Council botanists recently revisited the monitoring plots, first established in November 2024. They will continue to collect data from the plots every January to assess the health and spread of sneezeweed in the absence of browsing animals.

    By tracking its progress year after year, botanists will be able to determine if any specialised interventions are needed to support the plant’s survival as the Kawau ecosystem evolves.

    Auckland Council’s Senior Regional Advisor (Flora) Emma Simpkins explains sneezeweed has a unique ecology; it likes to get its feet wet and thrives in disturbed damp environments like tracks and paths.

    “In other locations, mowing or periodic track maintenance helps sustain its habitat.

    “With the potential removal of browsing pests, we’ll need to manage this carefully to ensure sneezeweed doesn’t decline due to lack of disturbance.”

    So, if you happen to be strolling around Kawau Island and spot a small pink tag on a metal stake, take a moment to appreciate the hidden work behind it. These markers indicate one of the permanent monitoring plots, where botanists are collecting essential information to protect this rare native herb.

    Sneezeweed may be small, but it’s a vital piece of the puzzle when it comes to understanding the delicate balance of New Zealand’s ecosystems. As we continue to monitor and support its survival, it’s a reminder of how even the tiniest plants play a role in the environment.

    The plant is also found in smaller populations in Tawharanui, Te Hauturu-o-Toi / Little Barrier and Aotea / Great Barrier.

    To find out more about this project click here.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Vehicle access to Muriwai Beach closed due to fire risk

    Source: Auckland Council

    In response to a total fire ban for Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, vehicle access to Muriwai Beach will close tomorrow on Wednesday, 19 March, until further notice.

    Fire and Emergency New Zealand declared a prohibited fire season across Auckland on Friday 14 March – the highest fire season setting, which is likely to remain in place until significant rainfall arrives to reduce the severe risk of fires spreading.

    Parks Committee chair Councillor Ken Turner states that rural and forest areas are extremely dry, despite high humidity and occasional light rain. This condition has created a significant risk of fire outbreaks, which won’t improve until we receive substantial soaking rain.

    “We have entered a period of heightened caution, and forecasts suggest it may be some time before this situation changes. We must do everything possible to prevent fires, especially in remote areas and exotic forest regions,” says Cr Turner.

    Even though some showers are forecast this week in Auckland, NIWA and MetService are predicting little rain for the rest of March.

    Regional Parks Manager Scott De Silva says the need to stay vigilant to prevent fire outbreaks now has never been more important in remote regional park areas like Muriwai.

    “This environment is particularly vulnerable as the ground around dunes and the nearby forest is sand-based – and exceptionally dry. ” Scott says. 

    “We will be monitoring the situation carefully and taking advice from Fire and Emergency New Zealand. We’ll continue to keep Aucklanders informed of further updates,” he adds. “The vehicle closure at Muriwai Beach is temporary.”

    Coast Road and Wilson Road will continue to provide beach access for pedestrians and horses. Signage will inform drivers there is currently no vehicle access and gates will be in place from 8am on Wednesday 19 March.

    Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland’s recent fire ban brings an extreme fire watch right across the top of the North Island, including the regions of Northland and the Coromandel/Waikato.

    The ban follows several uncontrolled fires in the Auckland region this summer that wreaked devastation to an area of bush near Te Henga Bethells Beach, at Long Bay and Anawhata Beach.

    “We are urging people to take no risks anywhere in our regional parks network, until the current conditions change,” says Scott.   

    Firewise tips

    • Avoid any outdoor activity that could cause a spark, including mowing, welding or driving a car through long grass.
    • Only use established barbecues at parks and beach areas to cook food.
    • If you see smoke that could be a threat, dial 111.

    Visit checkitsalright.nz for updates to the fire season (currently prohibited, a total fire ban).

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Green Party backs volunteer firefighters in their call for ACC recognition

    Source: Green Party

    The Green Party stands in support of volunteer firefighters petitioning the Government to step up and change legislation to provide volunteers the same ACC coverage and benefits as their paid counterparts.

    “Firefighters put their lives at risk to protect us, so it is crucial that we do everything we can to look after them,” says Green Party ACC spokesperson Benjamin Doyle.

    “No one who risks their life for their community should suffer without support. A fair system would value every firefighter, paid or unpaid. By amending ACC legislation, we can take a step towards a system that stands by those who stand up for us.

    “Volunteers respond to emergencies alongside career firefighters. They deserve coverage for long-term illnesses resulting from prolonged exposure to hazardous environments–including cancer, asthma, cardiovascular diseases, and musculoskeletal issues.

    “Sometimes people forget the extent of the things firefighters witness in the course of their duties. Volunteer firefighters may not be eligible for compensation related to work-induced mental health conditions. Impacts from long-term or repeated traumatic experiences, which are so common in firefighting roles, aren’t recognised. 

    “This is just one piece of the work we need to do to transform ACC into a human-centred organisation, which helps people in times of unexpected need and provides comprehensive support for people when they’re at their most vulnerable. No one should be falling through the cracks–let alone those who put their health and wellbeing on the line to keep us safe.

    “Today, the Green Party is calling on the Government to urgently consider the petition to amend ACC legislation and ensure that all those who risk their lives to keep us safe–paid or otherwise–have the support they deserve. 

    “Injury and illness should not serve as punishment for the risks volunteer firefighters take for our communities and whanau. It’s well past time we show them the care and respect they have earned,” says Benjamin Doyle.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ODHS expands safety action plan with consultant’s early report on oversight of long-term care

    Source: US State of Oregon

    oday, the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) released details of its safety action plan for oversight of providers who serve older adults and people with disabilities who live in facilities and adult foster homes.

    The plan follows the preliminary report from a third-party consultant hired to conduct an external assessment of state oversight of licensed long-term care providers.

    “Safety is essential to the well-being of the people we serve and is our program’s number one priority,” said Nakeshia Knight-Coyle, Ph.D., director of the ODHS Office of Aging and People with Disabilities (APD). “A&M’s independent perspective is valuable as we work to better meet people’s needs and prepare to keep pace with demand in coming decades.”

    Consultant Alvarez and Marsal (A&M) issued a preliminary report on its findings and recommendations as part of a contract with ODHS to conduct an external assessment of state oversight of licensed long-term care providers. The external consultant began its work at Governor Tina Kotek’s direction following a report released in April 2024 by the Oregon Long-Term Care Ombudsman’s office.

    This is all part of the agency’s proactive work to reform the licensing and oversight unit to better align resources with state and federal requirements and strengthen operations.

    In 2024, ODHS developed a short- and long-term safety action plan. ODHS added to that plan with additional 30-, 60- and 90-day goals that build upon this work and align with specific A&M recommendations. Some of these improvements are:

    Improve protocol for responding to serious safety violations

    • Action plan: In 30 days update the protocol for an Immediate Jeopardy finding in facilities and adult foster homes with serious safety breaches.
    • Already underway: Twice-a-week huddles added in 2024 to give staff additional guidance in responding to serious safety incidents.

    Clarify Letters of Agreement policy

    • Action plan: Update the policy in 30 days for agreements that address provider performance issues that could result in regulatory action. In 60 days, provide training and update the Compliance Framework Guide. In 90 days, convene a Rules Advisory Committee to update Oregon Administrative Rules.
    • Already underway: In 2024, APD developed more detailed manager guidance on when a Letter of Agreement would be allowed.

    Add workshops on statutory requirements

    • Action plan: Compile in 30 days a list of statutes by license type to serve as a training tool. In 60 days, managers will complete a refresher review. In 90 days, staff will renew training.
    • Already underway: APD leadership identified areas of statute in 2024 to provide additional guidance for managers.

    Improve morale and add support for managers

    • Action plan: Identify resources within 30 days to develop an employee engagement program. In 60 days, finalize the plan.
    • Already underway: Managers in February 2025 began developing staff support strategies in response to an employee survey and feedback.

    Address resource shortages in the unit

    • Action plan: In 60 days, use results of a second A&M analysis underway to evaluate distribution of resources.
    • Already underway: APD’s budget request included in the Governor’s Recommended Budget​ calls for 19​ ​new positions. In 2024, APD issued a Request for Application for contractors to provide temporary staffing.

    When complete by June 2025, A&M’s full assessment will include an evaluation of resources needed to meet current and future demand. ODHS hired A&M through a competitive Request for Proposal process.

    Updates on APD’s safety initiatives are provided on the ODHS website.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley, Cornyn, Blumenthal, Durbin Introduce Bill to Spur Drug Pricing Competition

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
    WASHINGTON – Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) introduced the Drug Competition Enhancement Act to spur generic and biosimilar marketplace competition. By prohibiting branded drug manufacturers from engaging in ‘product hopping,’ the bipartisan legislation will help lower drug prices for patients. 
     “One of my top priorities in the Senate is reducing the cost of prescription drugs. Our bill will bring much needed transparency to drug pricing by cracking down on product hopping and giving Iowans more access to lower-cost generic drugs,” Grassley said. 
     “Companies who attempt to profit at the expense of Texans’ health must face consequences. By rooting out this wrongdoing and holding bad actors in the pharmaceutical industry accountable, this legislation would spur competition in the marketplace and make drugs more affordable for patients who depend on them,” Cornyn said. 
     “Bad actors in Big Pharma have manipulated the rules and prioritized profits over patients—including by encouraging consumers to switch medications for pharmaceutical companies’ gain and leaving Americans stuck paying sky-high costs,” Blumenthal said. “The Drug Competition Enhancement Act reigns in these monopolistic practices and facilitates competition and market entry. This legislation lowers costs for consumers and puts patient care at the forefront.” 
     “Americans shouldn’t be forced to choose between their wallets and their health. But because Big Pharma games the patent system, too many patients face sky-high prescription drug costs,” Durbin said. “The bipartisan Drug Competition Enhancement Act would prevent pharmaceutical companies from using anti-competitive tactics to keep affordable medications out of reach for patients.” 
     Background: 
    Some pharmaceutical manufacturers deliberately prevent potential competitors from entering the marketplace using product hopping. This occurs when a bad actor’s exclusive right to a drug is about to expire, but they do not want to compete with generic alternatives. Instead, companies manipulate the market to move patients from the old drug onto a new one.  
    Pharmaceutical manufacturers “hop” patients from branded product to branded product by engaging in a variety of practices to disadvantage their old drug, including destroying the inventory of their old drug, pulling it from the market, aggressively raising the price, badmouthing it or even diminishing its safety. Under this practice, it is difficult to switch patients to the cheaper generic when the market protections for the earlier drug expire. This abuse of the patent system forces patients to continue paying high costs for a drug that is substantially similar to their old one for many years to come. 
     The bipartisan Drug Competition Enhancement Act would put an end to this practice by prohibiting branded drug manufacturers from engaging in anticompetitive product hopping, making it an antitrust violation. Companies engaging in this behavior would risk enforcement action from the Federal Trade Commission. The bill would also facilitate market entry for generics and biosimilars, which drives down drug costs for patients and consumers. 
    Bill text can be found HERE. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley Oversight Sweeps Nearly Every Corner of Taxpayer-Funded Government Agencies

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
    BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA – Amid Sunshine Week, U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), is highlighting the historic scale of his recent oversight work, which secured victories for national security, government transparency, health care and more.
    Grassley in the 118th Congress sent over 600 oversight letters to federal, state and private sector entities, as well as all 74 Offices of the Inspector General and the Office of Special Counsel – sending more oversight letters over the past two years than in any Congress prior. Grassley’s oversight – a hallmark of his time in public service – inspired bipartisan laws and prompted action from numerous federal agencies to address government waste, fraud and abuse. 
    “The Framers of our Constitution tasked Congress with conducting oversight as part of our system of checks and balances. I take this constitutional responsibility very seriously, and always have,” Grassley said. “My oversight and investigations help ensure the government is a service to the people of Iowa and the American taxpayer. I’m proud of the work I’ve done to safeguard our national security, improve health care outcomes, protect patriotic whistleblowers and hold agencies’ feet to the fire. I’m keeping my nose to the grindstone this Congress as I continue fighting for a more transparent and accountable government.”   
    Grassley gave an overview of his oversight achievements in a speech on the Senate floor. He noted: “We’re [now] in the 119th Congress. As this Congress gets underway, I have become Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. My oversight is already full-speed-ahead, and I look forward to what the next couple of years produce.”
    Highlights of Grassley Oversight in the 118th Congress
    Digging into agency mismanagement | Grassley: 
    Unveiled the “most detailed picture” of the Secret Service’s communication failures leading up to the first assassination attempt against President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania. 
    The Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General opened a formal review into the Secret Service just hours after receiving a request from Grassley to do so. Grassley’s request ultimately resulted in five ongoing reviews into the Secret Service’s protection processes.

    Shone light on inappropriate expenditures billed to the Environmental Protection Agency under the guise of “environmental justice.” 
    Revealed the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) misclassified employees as law enforcement, an illegal practice that cost taxpayers billions.
    Demanded the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) come clean on its failure to investigate child sex crimes and crack down on sexual misconduct among its workforce, including questionable disciplinary patterns allowing wrongdoers to evade accountability.
    Spearheaded efforts to root out partisan bias at the FBI, stop the weaponization of government against law-abiding Americans for their religious faith and expose bureaucratic sabotage of congressional oversight.
    Built on his yearslong oversight of the Pentagon by crafting a bipartisan measure to ensure the U.S. Armed Forces identify items the Defense Department (DOD) could produce itself through reverse engineering. Grassley’s bill, introduced with Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), was signed into law as part of the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act. 
    Exposed U.S. Attorney David Weiss for lacking the authorities then-Attorney General Merrick Garland publicly asserted Weiss had to fully prosecute the Hunter Biden case. Grassley further exposed, through legally protected whistleblower disclosures, that the FBI had dozens of sources who provided potentially criminal information relating to the Biden family.
    Protecting whistleblowers | Grassley:
    Forced the ATF, Executive Office of Immigration Review and Internal Revenue Service to update its nondisclosure agreements with language informing whistleblowers of their rights.
    Demanded all Offices of Inspectors General review their parent agency’s whistleblower protection measures to ensure federal agencies maintain lawful anti-gag provisions. 
    Unanimously passed a resolution and delivered remarks celebrating National Whistleblower Appreciation Day. 
    Supporting crime victims | Grassley:
    Shone a light on Credit Suisse’s failure to disclose Nazi-linked accounts the bank historically serviced. Credit Suisse reinitiated an internal investigation of the accounts thanks to Grassley’s probing. 
    The Simon Wiesenthal Center, a global Jewish human rights organization, recognized Grassley for his work to right historic wrongs.
    At Grassley’s request, Argentinian President Javier Milei has agreed to cooperate with the investigation to provide Argentine-based records related to Credit Suisse’s use of Nazi “ratlines.” 

    Secured a Government Accountability Office study of the Justice Department (DOJ)’s Crime Victims Fund to ensure DOJ doesn’t squander money intended to support victims of crime. The DOJ Office of Inspector General opened its own audit following Grassley’s oversight.
    Cracking down on Biden border chaos | Grassley:  
    Spurred a federal investigation into potential trafficking of unaccompanied migrant children. Homeland Security Investigations followed up on 102 investigative targets Grassley identified. 
    Brought Health and Human Services (HHS) whistleblowers before a congressional panel to expose the abuse they witnessed in HHS’ Unaccompanied Children program. 
    Earned recognition as “the only person in a position of power” who exhibited consistent dedication to addressing government-funded migrant child trafficking.
    Called on dozens of federal contractors and grantees to account for what actions they’ve taken to safeguard unaccompanied migrant children in their care.
    Brought Customs and Border Protection whistleblowers before a congressional panel to discuss the government’s unlawful refusal to collect DNA from all individuals encountered at the border. 
    Advancing life-saving health care reforms | Grassley:  
    Championed a bipartisan law to reform the U.S. organ transplant system for the first time in four decades. The Securing the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Act ensures the best-qualified contractors manage and operate nationwide organ donations and placements, providing patients with the highest-quality care and ensuring generous donations are used to save lives.
    The nonpartisan Carl Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy recognized Grassley and his bipartisan colleagues for their work to “[achieve] the best outcome for the American people.” 

    Spearheaded a bipartisan investigation with then-Senate Budget Committee Chairman Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) into private equity ownership of hospital systems that operate across the country, including in Iowa. Grassley and Whitehouse pulled back the curtain on access and quality changes that had occurred at hospital systems purchased by private equity.
    Cutting off resources to Mexican drug cartels | Grassley:  
    Published a detailed report revealing federal agencies’ decades-long failure to conduct oversight of U.S. resources sent to Mexico, allowing taxpayer dollars to fall into the hands of cartels and fuel drug trafficking operations. 
    Informed by his report, Grassley authored bipartisan, bicameral legislation to improve intercountry drug destruction efforts. The bill passed the House of Representatives last Congress.

    Exposed how Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) loopholes enable drug cartels to transport illicit drugs on U.S. registered planes. Grassley’s bipartisan bill to close FAA’s loopholes was signed into law as part of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024.  
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Joins Schiff, Senate Democrats In Demanding USDA Reverse $1 Billion In Canceled Local Food Purchases For Schools, Farmers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    March 17, 2025
    SPRINGFIELD – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA), members of the Senate Agriculture Committee, along with 29 Senators, sent a letter demanding a reversal of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) cancellation of food purchase programs across the United States, warning of the harmful impacts this move will have on both families and American farmers. Slashing funding for locally sourced, nutritious food in schools showcases the hypocrisy of the Trump Administration’s claims about wanting to improve healthy food for children.
    “We ask that you reverse the cancellation,” the Senators wrote. “We have grave concerns that the cancellation… poses extreme harm to producers and communities in every state across the country. At a time of uncertainty in farm country, farmers need every opportunity to be able to expand market access for their products.” 
    In Illinois, cancellation of purchases through the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA) and the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program (LFS) puts more than $26 million in food purchases for 4,017 schools and 1,250 child care centers at risk in Fiscal Year 2025. 
    The letter was also signed by Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NM), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY),  Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Angus King (I-ME), Edward Markey (D-MA), Jeffrey Merkley (D-OR),  Patty Murray (D-WA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR). 
    The full letter sent to USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins can be found here and below: 
    Dear Secretary Rollins:  
    We write to express serious concerns regarding the cancellation of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs supporting local and regional food purchases providing assistance to those in need. These successful programs, the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA) and the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program (LFS), allow states, territories, and Tribes to purchase local foods from nearby farmers and ranchers to be used for emergency food providers, schools, and child care centers.  
    At a time when food insecurity remains high, providing affordable, fresh food to food banks and families while supporting American farmers is critical. Notably, LFPA and LFS have benefitted producers and consumers by providing funding for purchases through all 50 states, four territories, and 84 tribal governments. Through LFPA and LFS, USDA has prioritized the procurement and distribution of healthy, nutritious, domestic food. It has also taken an important step towards igniting rural prosperity by expanding and strengthening markets among farmers and rural economies. As of December 2024, the programs had supported over 8,000 producers, providing increased marketing opportunities.  
    Most importantly, we ask that you reverse the cancellation of LFPA and LFS. We also ask that you provide a thorough and complete update on USDA’s implementation of LFPA and LFS, including answers to the following questions:  
    1.        What is the status of reimbursements for entities that have agreements with USDA through LFPA and LFS? What is the last date for which states, territories, and Tribes received reimbursements for food purchases under LFPA and LFS?  
    2.        Has the Administration conducted any assessments of how these program cancellations will impact producers and recipient organizations (e.g., food banks, schools, child care centers)? If so, please provide a copy of any such assessments.  
    We have grave concerns that the cancellation of LFPA and LFS poses extreme harm to producers and communities in every state across the country. At a time of uncertainty in farm country, farmers need every opportunity to be able to expand market access for their products.  
    Please provide responses to the information requested in our questions no later than Friday, April 4. Thank you for your attention to this urgent and important matter.  
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Defends Rule to Stop the Flood of Robocalls

    Source: US State of California

    Continues fight against annoying and illegal robocalls and robotexts  

    OAKLAND — California Attorney General Bonta today joined 28 attorneys general in submitting an amicus brief in Insurance Marketing Coalition v. FCC, in support of a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rule which would limit unwanted robocalls and robotexts. The rule in question would close a loophole that allows lead generators to trick a consumer into “consenting” to calls from potentially thousands of companies. Lead generators engage in generating consumer interest on public facing websites with the goal of turning that interest into a sale — in this case, sale of consumer consent to other robocallers or robotexters. The brief defends the regulation, which was recently vacated by the Eleventh Circuit, and argues that it is within FCC’s statutory authority under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act.  

    “Everyone hates robocalls. Robocalls continue to top the list of most frequent consumer complaints across the country, and their annihilation continues to be a nationwide, bipartisan effort,” said Attorney General Bonta. “By closing the lead-generator loophole and putting an end to consent abuse, the Federal Communications Commission’s rule would substantially reduce unwanted telemarketing robocalls that bombard individuals and prohibit telemarketers from selling consumer consent to other callers — this is an essential tool in the effort to protect consumers from unwanted and often illegal robocalls.”

    In 2023, the FTC proposed a rule, supported by Attorney General Bonta and 28 attorneys general, which required that telemarketers and lead generators get specific one-to-one consent from consumers before subjecting them to robocalls or selling their contact information. Specifically, this meant that a consumer could not consent to a telemarketing or advertising robocall unless the consumer consented to calls from one entity at a time; this consent would also only cover subject matter associated with the original call. This rule aimed to both ensure that consent was in response to clear disclosure and to prevent lead generators, texters, and callers from using a single consumer written consent to inundate consumers with unwanted telemarketing robocalls and robotexts from dozens of sellers.

    Robocalls are often a vehicle for scams. For Californians, the impact of illegal and unwanted robocalls can range from a momentary nuisance to serious fraud involving identity theft or life-changing financial losses. Phone calls and text messages are by far the most common contact method for fraud, and in 2023 alone, fraudulent phone calls and texts led to more than $1.2 billion in reported financial losses nationwide, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Robocalls are typically the number one consumer complaint to the FTC each year. 

    Attorney General Bonta is committed to working to put a stop to illegal robocalls. Attorney General Bonta is part of the Anti-Robocall Multistate Litigation Task Force, a task force of 51 bipartisan attorneys general who investigate and take legal action against those responsible for routing significant volumes of illegal robocall traffic into and across the United States. 

    In 2024, Attorney General Bonta: 

    • Sent warning letters to four telecom companies for transmitting suspected illegal robocall traffic on their networks — including robocalls that impersonated government officials or involved scams.
    • Submitted a comment letter to the FCC in support of its proposed rules to protect consumers by increasing the effectiveness of the FCC’s Robocall Mitigation Database.
    • Sent a warning letter to a telecom company responsible for transmitting suspected illegal robocall traffic, including robocalls that impersonated government officials. 
    • Sent a warning letter to a company that allegedly sent New Hampshire residents scam election robocalls during the New Hampshire primary election. 
    • Filed a comment letter to the FCC related to the potential impact of emerging artificial intelligence (AI) technology on efforts to protect consumers from illegal robocalls or robotexts. 

    In May 2023, Attorney General Bonta, as part of a bipartisan coalition of 49 attorneys general, announced a lawsuit against Avid Telecom for allegedly initiating and facilitating billions of unlawful robocalls that included Social Security Administration scams, Medicare scams, and employment scams. 

    In submitting today’s brief, Attorney General Bonta joins the attorneys general of the District of Columbia, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

    A copy of the brief can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –