Work gets underway this week on improvements to the State Highway 2 Wharerata Road Lookout rest area and carpark, about 45 minutes south of Gisborne.
For the next 2 months, ahead of the summer holiday season, crews will rebuild the rest area and car park and lay new asphalt, alongside installing new street furniture so people pulling off the state highway have an improved area to check their phones, make a call or just take a break before continuing their journey.
Subject to weather conditions, crews will be active on site between 6am and 6pm, Monday to Saturday, and during this time the shoulder approaching the rest area and carpark will be closed with a reduced temporary speed limit in place of 30km/h. At times the passing lane approaching the rest area and carpark may also be temporarily closed for the safety of crews.
Throughout the works the rest area and carpark will be closed 24/7 to all vehicles.
Two lanes of traffic on the state highway will remain flowing and there should be little disruption to journeys.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi wants to thank those who will be inconvenienced by the temporary closure of the rest area and carpark for their understanding while these improvements happen.
This work is part of Connecting Tairāwhiti, which is a programme of projects providing more slow vehicle bays and more places to pull off the road safely to check messages or take a break on State Highways 2 and 35 across the Tairāwhiti and northern Hawke’s Bay regions. The programme also includes some resilience projects to strengthen and stabilise sites on State Highway 35 to help it remain open and functional during disruptions such as weather events.
UPDATE 9:40 pm: State Highway 6 is now open under stop/go traffic management and a 30’km/h temporary speed limit following a serious crash on the Whangamoa Hill earlier this evening. Drivers can expect delays when travelling through the crash site until the highway is fully reopened.
UPDATE 8:15 pm:
State Highway 6 remains closed this evening, with emergency services and contractors attend a serious crash on the Whangamoa Hill.State Highway 6 is closed to all traffic between Hira and the Rai Valley and is expected to remain closed until the Police Serious Crash Unit completes its investigation.
Drivers must avoid the area, delay their travel, or detour via State Highway 63 Wairau Valley and St Arnaud.
6:15pm:
State Highway 6 is closed between Nelson and Blenheim this evening as emergency services and contractors attend a serious crash on the Whangamoa Hill. The single-vehicle crash, which occurred near the Kokorua Road intersection, was reported around 5 pm.
The highway is closed in both directions and is expected to remain closed for several hours while the Police Serious Crash Unit investigates.
There are no available local road detours, and the only route between Nelson and Blenheim is via State Highway 63 – St Arnaud and the Wairau Valley.
This significantly longer route can add over 30 minutes or more to travel times. Drivers must factor this into their travel plans, particularly those with ferry connections in Picton.
Road users must avoid the area and should consider delaying their journeys.
Updates on the highway’s status can be found on the NZTA Waka Kotahi website:
A stretch of State Highway 1 south of the Manakau Rail overbridge between Ōtaki and Levin will be under stop/go traffic management on Monday night.
During the overnight work, crews will be providing a more permanent fix for potholes in the area.
Crews will be onsite near Whakahoro Road on the evening of Monday 23 September, between 7pm and 6am to complete the work.
While work is underway stop/go traffic management will be in place, with a 30km/h speed limit. We expect minimal delays due to this work.
This work will see a more permanent solution to the potholes that have developed over the winter months. We understand the importance of ensuring potholes are repaired and filled as quickly, and safely as possible, for the safety of all road users.
This work is weather dependent and could be postponed to a later date if necessary.
Police are investigating following an aggravated robbery in the northern suburbs late last night.
Just before midnight on Monday 23 September, patrols were called to Curtis Road at Munno Para after reports of a robbery.
Police will allege a group of youths approached a man who was leaving a fast-food restaurant. The group made conversation with the man as he got into the driver’s seat of his car. One youth prevented him from closing his door and assaulted him.
The victim exited the car, and a teen has threatened him with a paper cutter and grabbed his phone and car keys from his hands.
The group all got into the car, a dark blue Toyota Corolla Sedan with registration S874CHG, and were last seen heading east on Curtis Road.
The victim, a 27-year-old man from Marion, was taken to hospital where he was treated for minor injuries.
Police are investigating and ask anyone who spots the stolen dark blue coloured Toyota Corolla Sedan with registration S874CHG to contact the police assistance line on 131 444.
If anyone has information about the incident they are asked to contact Crime Stoppers. You can anonymously provide information to Crime Stoppers online at https://crimestopperssa.com.au or free call 1800 333 000.
Inflation rates remain a mixed bag and vary widely among different countries. Although inflation has moderated across some markets, it remains high for some countries, and accordingly the trend shifts towards rebalancing its impact. Companies have been vocal about their concerns related to inflation and discussing these extensively in filing documents, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.
An analysis of GlobalData’s Company Filing Analytics Database revealed that companies are increasingly concerned about inflation, which is affecting consumer behavior and leading to lower-than-anticipated net sales and profits on both a quarterly and annual basis.
Misa Singh, Business Fundamentals Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Inflation impacts business in multiple ways, from dampened customer sentiment, reduced demand, rising raw material costs to higher labor costs, ultimately squeezing profit margins. As consumer confidence wanes, companies are observing a shift toward lower-cost products and are prioritizing market development and portfolio diversification to navigate these challenges.”
Campbell Soup Co revealed in its earnings calls that it anticipates core inflation to remain in the low-single-digit range for fiscal ’25 and remains focused in areas of the portfolio where it has higher year-over-year input costs, including olive oil, cocoa, and packaging costs, and other areas of persistent inflation, such as labor costs and warehousing costs.
Haier Smart Home Co Ltd discussed persistent high inflation dampening consumer sentiment in Europe. The company also witnessed suppressed demand due to inflation in markets like the US and Europe. Because of high interest rates and inflation, consumers are increasingly seeking value-for-money products.
Darden Restaurants Inc mentioned that it is operating in a period of higher-than-usual inflation, led by food and beverage costs and labor inflation. This is principally due to increased costs incurred by vendors related to higher labor, transportation, packaging, and raw materials costs.
Aurobindo Pharma Ltd talked about soaring inflation in its reports particularly in controlling service inflation, which remains stubbornly high. The company believes that inflation surged initially due to supply-chain disruptions and geopolitical tensions. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co experienced rising input component costs, principally driven by inflation.
Some developing emerging markets continue to experience intense inflation as revealed by The Coca-Cola Co in its earning transcripts. The company further mentioned that performance was driven by strength in Mexico, Brazil, and Colombia while Argentina continued to experience highly inflationary conditions.
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The Coast Guard suspended its search at noon Sunday for two men off Virginia Beach. Coast Guard Sector Virginia watchstanders received a report at approximately 8:30 p.m., Saturday of three swimmers in distress near Virginia Beach. Nearly 10 minutes after the initial report one of the swimmers was recovered unconscious on the beach and immediately received medical attention prior to being transported to a local hospital for further care.
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A man who stole a car then used it to ram his way out of the victim’s garage has been arrested after he returned back to the scene of the crime.
At about 1.20am, a man allegedly entered a property in Grove Road, Papakura.
Counties Manukau South Area Prevention Manager, Inspector Matt Hoyes, says the alleged offender has gone into the garage and hoped inside a Toyota Funcargo which was parked inside, using it to ram his way out of the garage.
“About five minutes later the vehicle returned to the address while the owner was speaking to Police on the phone.
“The driver has quickly fled and the Police Eagle helicopter was able to gain observations, tracking the vehicle around the Papakura area.
“The vehicle then drove around multiple streets in Flat Bush before heading into Manukau.”
Inspector Hoyes says the vehicle was then spiked and came to a stop on Weymouth Road where the driver was taken into custody without incident.
“This was a fantastic response from all Police teams involved to bring a quick resolution.
“As we have said before, vigilant reporting is often be the key to Police being able to respond in a timely manner and hold people to account for their actions.
“This also serves as a reminder to those who choose to engage in this type of offending, know that we will not tolerate it.”
A 32-year-old man will appear in Papakura District Court today charged with unlawfully taking a vehicle and burglary.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Partnership unites six organisations including: Action with Communities in Rural England; Association of Drainage Authorities; Country Land and Business Association; Environment Agency; National Farmers Union; and Natural England
With rural communities increasingly on the frontline of extreme weather and the devastating impacts of flooding, a unique partnership has been launched today (23 September 2024) to support rural flood resilience and help farmers and communities adapt to a changing climate.
Climate change means that people, places and nature are facing more frequent and more severe storms and floods. Last winter saw one of England’s wettest periods since records began in 1836.
The Rural Flood Resilience Partnership has been established to improve collaboration, deepen understanding of vulnerabilities, and support rural communities and agricultural businesses in building their resilience to present and future flood risks and coastal erosion.
The Partnership unites organisations representing government agencies, trade associations, rural communities and businesses to tackle a joint challenge with joint solutions.
The six equal founding partners are: Action with Communities in Rural England; the Association of Drainage Authorities; Country Land and Business Association; the Environment Agency; the National Farmers Union; and Natural England.
Today, the Partnership publishes its work plan covering 2024 to 2026. Partners and a wide range of projects will work together to improve their evidence base and will draw on this to co-develop solutions.
The work plan sets out 21 actions supporting seven strategic outcomes focused on: developing the evidence base behind decision-making to increase resilience; ensuring communities, farmers and landowners have access to quality advice and support; and engaging rural communities in flood resilience.
James Blake, Chair of Trustees Action with Communities in Rural England, said:
It’s vital that everyone living and working in rural communities – not just those involved in land management and agriculture – have an opportunity to engage with and influence plans to manage the consequences of climate change.
As one of the founding members of this partnership, we look forward to drawing on the experience and reach of ACRE members to build the capacity of rural communities to come together and consider what can be done based on local circumstances in response to this most pressing global issue.
Robert Caudwell, Chair of the Association of Drainage Authorities, said:
Our climate is changing rapidly, and those living and working in rural parts of England are some of the most aware of, and most vulnerable to, those changes.
Listening to the voice of rural communities is essential if we are to build England’s resilience to flooding and drought in the future.
The best solutions can often be achieved when public authorities work together with local businesses and communities, combining their land and water management expertise with a deeper understanding of our local landscape and those impacted.
ADA is proud to play its part in this new Partnership in support of our members, England’s flood and water management authorities.
Country Land and Business Association (CLA) President Victoria Vyvyan said:
The damage to rural land and businesses from flooding is localised but acute, and the frequency of these events will increase with climate change.
It is crucial to improve the resilience of rural businesses and communities to flooding. The CLA hopes this partnership will provide the evidence, awareness of risks, and access to practical advice that will allow them to improve their resilience.
This partnership will look for short and medium-term solutions whilst raising awareness of the rural-specific costs and challenges from flooding which our members face.
Caroline Douglass, Executive Director for Flood and Coastal Risk Management, Environment Agency, said:
Flooding presents specific challenges to those living and working in rural communities, from ruined crops to having road access cut off by floodwaters.
Since 2015, flooding and coastal change projects have been completed to protect more than 400,000 hectares of agricultural land better. This includes 280,000 hectares between 2015-2021, helping to avoid more than £500 million worth of economic damage to agricultural land production.
While the Environment Agency continues to work to strengthen rural flood resilience, no single organisation can tackle these challenges in isolation. This partnership provides the opportunity to accomplish more than any one organisation can manage alone.
The new Rural Flood Resilience Partnership will help farmers, land managers and rural communities become more resilient to the impacts of climate change while retaining the vital role of managing land and producing sustainable food.
NFU Vice President Rachel Hallos said:
The NFU is pleased to be involved in this new Partnership and hope it will enable farmers and rural communities to strengthen the resilience of their homes and businesses by providing practical solutions based on tangible evidence to some of the challenges they face in the event of flooding.
It will also give rural communities the means to influence decision making, provide access to resources and support action on the ground, strengthening rural resilience to flooding in a changing climate.
Farmers are on the frontline of climate change – our biggest challenge. The extreme weather this brings is one of the main threats to UK food security and more severe storms, devastating floods, and increased periods of little or no rain are all impacting our ability to produce food.
The country has just experienced its wettest 18 months since records began in 1836 which left many thousands of acres of productive farmland under water. There are still many farm businesses in dire need of support, and we are awaiting details of how the Farming Recovery Fund can help those businesses recover from the impacts of the devastating flooding and saturated ground.
Natural England champions the power of nature and nature-based solutions to help tackle the joint climate and biodiversity emergencies.
NE welcomes the opportunity to join this partnership and add our science and evidence expertise and our local farm advice offer into the mix. Together we can support farmers and land managers to farm in more flood resilient ways – supporting communities to become more flood resilient and recovering nature at the same time.
From signing up to the Sustainable Farming Incentive to manage arable land for flood/drought resilience and water quality or by working with others to restore a river and floodplain in Landscape Recovery every farmer and land manager can make a difference.
The Partnership forms part of the wider work that all partners are undertaking on flood and coastal resilience.
All flood and coastal risk management schemes delivered by risk management authorities in England are carefully assessed to make sure they benefit the most people and property. Approximately 40% of all schemes and 45% of investment better protect properties in rural communities.
The United States (US) should urgently provide humanitarian aid to at least 8,000 displaced Syrians stranded in the besieged, isolated Rukban camp under US de facto control on Syria’s border with Jordan and Iraq without access to sufficient food, clean water or healthcare, Amnesty International said today.
The already dire humanitarian situation at the camp has deteriorated sharply in recent months after the Syrian government tightened the siege it has imposed on the territory around the camp since 2015, setting up checkpoints that have blocked informal smuggling routes that the camp’s residents relied on for essential supplies. The last UN humanitarian convoy allowed into the camp by the Syrian government was nearly five years ago in September 2019.
The US military operates a base near Rukban camp and has de facto effective control over the 55km territory on which the base and the camp are located. As such and in light of other governments’ human rights failures, the US government has an obligation under international human rights law to ensure that residents of the camp have access to essential supplies.
“It is unfathomable that thousands of people, including children, are stranded in an arid wasteland struggling to survive without access to life-saving necessities. The residents of Rukban are victims of a brutal Syrian government siege, they have been barred from safe refuge or faced unlawful deportations at the hands of the Jordanian authorities and been met with apparent nonchalance by the US,” said Aya Majzoub, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa.
An estimated 80,000 people lived in Rukban before Jordan sealed its border to the area in 2016. That number has dwindled to 8,000 today as most left due to the dire conditions. Despite the serious risks facing them in Syrian government controlled areas, including being labelled “terrorists” and being subjected to arbitrary detention, torture, enforced disappearance and other human rights violations for expressing opposition to the Syrian government, tens of thousands have had no option but to take this risk. Today, Jordan continues to unlawfully deport Syrians to Rukban despite the camp’s unliveable conditions, while the US makes little visible effort to improve the desperate conditions despite its ability to do so.
“The Syrian government must immediately lift its siege on the area and allow humanitarian aid deliveries to reach residents of the camp. In addition, given that the US has de facto effective control over the territory on which the camp is located, it should fulfil its human rights obligations and ensure that the camp’s residents have access to food, water and essential healthcare. Meanwhile, the international community must work towards sustainable solutions for the camp’s residents, such as the re-opening of the border with Jordan or safe passage to other areas in Syria where individuals would not face human rights violations,” said Aya Majzoub.
A 52-year-old man from Turners Marsh will face a 3-month disqualification from driving and has been issued with a $858.50 fine after being caught 43km/h over the limit at Dilston. Acting Inspector Aleena Crack said police reportedly detected the man travelling at 143km/h in the 100km/h zone on the East Tamar Highway on Sunday afternoon. “This the second instance in a few days where police have detected a motorist travelling at such high speeds on the East Tamar Highway,” she said. “On Thursday police charged an 18-year-old George Town man after he was detected travelling at 163km/h in the 100km/h zone on the East Tamar Highway at Dilston.” “Such speeds place other road uses at risk of serious injury or death as a result of a collision.” “Police will continue to target dangerous driving behaviours on our roads, and urge all motorists to take care and drive safely to ensure everyone gets where they are going safely.”
The 72 hectare ‘Starrs Creek HR – Stage 2’ aims to provide a fuel reduced zone within Coorabakh National Park, aiding in the suppression of bushfire in the area.
The burn will also stimulate reproduction of the critically endangered Banksia conferta within the prescribed burn area.
NPWS crews will be working on roads and trails throughout Coorabakh National Park to implement the burn. The public are advised that smoke may affect roads in the area and motorists are reminded to exercise caution when driving along roads in the area.
Hazard reduction burns are essential to reduce bushfire fuel loads to help protect parks, neighbours and communities from future bushfires. Fires such as this one are also specifically planned to have an ecological outcome.
All burns around the state are coordinated with the NSW Rural Fire Service.
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
Northern Territory Police are calling for information in relation to an aggravated robbery in Brinkin overnight.
Around 11:55pm, it is alleged an altercation occurred on Trower road, near the intersection with Bradshaw drive, between two dark coloured vehicles.
The offending vehicle is believed to be a sports utility vehicle carrying young adult male passengers.
The incident continued onto an address closer to casuarina beach, where police received reports that a man was threatened with a knife before the offenders stole his phone and fled the scene.
Northern Territory Police are urging anyone with information or who had witnessed the incidents to make contact on 131 444. Police quote reference NTP2400095169.
Source: Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
The ACCC has commenced separate proceedings in the Federal Court against Woolworths Group Limited (Woolworths) (ASX: WOW) and Coles Supermarkets Australia Pty Ltd (Coles) (a subsidiary of Coles Group Limited – ASX: COL) for allegedly breaching the Australian Consumer Law by misleading consumers through discount pricing claims on hundreds of common supermarket products.
The ACCC’s allegations relate to products sold by each of Woolworths and Coles at regular long-term prices which remained the same, excluding short-term specials, for at least six months and in many cases for at least a year.
The products were then subject to price rises of at least 15 per cent for brief periods, before being placed in Woolworths’ ‘Prices Dropped’ promotion and Coles’ ‘Down Down’ promotion, at prices lower than during the price spike but higher than, or the same as, the regular price that applied before the price spike.
“Following many years of marketing campaigns by Woolworths and Coles, Australian consumers have come to understand that the ‘Prices Dropped’ and ‘Down Down’ promotions relate to a sustained reduction in the regular prices of supermarket products. However, in the case of these products, we allege the new ‘Prices Dropped’ and ‘Down Down’ promotional prices were actually higher than, or the same as, the previous regular price,” ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb said.
“We allege that each of Woolworths and Coles breached the Australian Consumer Law by making misleading claims about discounts, when the discounts were, in fact, illusory.”
“We also allege that in many cases both Woolworths and Coles had already planned to later place the products on a ‘Prices Dropped’ or ‘Down Down’ promotion before the price spike, and implemented the temporary price spike for the purpose of establishing a higher ‘was’ price,” Ms Cass-Gottlieb said.
The ACCC alleges the conduct involved 266 products for Woolworths at different times across 20 months, and 245 products for Coles at different times across 15 months. The representations were made on pricing tickets displayed to consumers in-store on supermarket shelves and online, usually with a ‘was’ price displayed showing what the price was during the short-term price spike and the date of that price.
The ACCC identified this conduct through consumer contacts to the ACCC and social media monitoring, and then conducted an in-depth investigation using its compulsory powers.
“Many consumers rely on discounts to help their grocery budgets stretch further, particularly during this time of cost of living pressures. It is critical that Australian consumers are able to rely on the accuracy of pricing and discount claims,” Ms Cass-Gottlieb said.
“We allege these misleading claims about illusory discounts diminished the ability of consumers to make informed choices about what products to buy, and where.”
The ACCC estimates that Woolworths and Coles sold tens of millions of the affected products and derived significant revenue from those sales.
The ACCC is seeking declarations, penalties, costs and other orders. The ACCC is also seeking community service orders that Woolworths and Coles must each fund a registered charity to deliver meals to Australians in need, in addition to their pre-existing charitable meal delivery programs.
Alleged conduct
The ACCC alleges that the supermarkets offered certain products at a regular price for at least 180 days. They then increased the price of the product by at least 15 per cent for a relatively short period of time, and subsequently placed it onto their ‘Prices Dropped’ or ‘Down Down’ program.
The ACCC alleges the display of the Prices Dropped and Down Down tickets was misleading, as the price of the products was in fact higher than or the same as the regular price at which the supermarket had previously offered the products for sale.
Alleged conduct by Woolworths
The ACCC alleges that Woolworths made false or misleading representations to consumers about the prices of 266 products during the period between September 2021 and May 2023.
Products affected include Arnott’s Tim Tams biscuits, Dolmio sauces, Doritos salsa, Energizer batteries, Friskies cat food, Kellogg’s cereal, President butter, Listerine mouthwash, Moccona coffee capsules, Mother energy drinks, Mr Chen’s noodles, Nicorette patches, Ocean Blue smoked salmon, Oreo cookies, Palmolive dishwashing liquid, Raid insect spray, Sprite soft drink, Stayfree pads, Twisties, Uncle Tobys muesli bars, and Vicks VapoDrops.
Example – Oreo Family Pack Original 370g
From at least 1 January 2021 until 27 November 2022, Woolworths offered the Oreo Family Pack Original 370g product for sale at a regular price of $3.50 on a pre-existing ‘Prices Dropped’ promotion for at least 696 days.
On 28 November 2022, the price was increased to $5.00 for a period of 22 days. On 20 December 2022, the product was placed on a ‘Prices Dropped’ promotion with the tickets showing a ‘Prices Dropped’ price of $4.50 and a ‘was’ price of $5.00. The ‘Prices Dropped’ price of $4.50 was in fact 29 per cent higher than the product’s previous regular price of $3.50.
In this example, the ACCC alleges Woolworths had planned the temporary price spike to establish a new higher ‘was’ price for the subsequent ‘promotion’. Woolworths had decided (after a request from the supplier for a price increase) on or around 18 November 2022 to take the product off ‘Prices Dropped’, increase the price, and then put the product back on to ‘Prices Dropped’ three weeks later.
Alleged conduct by Coles
The ACCC alleges that Coles made false or misleading representations to consumers about the prices of 245 products during the period between February 2022 and May 2023.
Products include Arnott’s Shapes biscuits, Band-Aids, Bega cheese, Cadbury chocolates, Coca Cola soft drink, Colgate toothpaste, Danone yoghurt, Dettol multi-purpose wipes, Fab laundry liquid, Karicare formula, Kellogg’s snack bars, Kleenex tissues, Libra tampons, Lurpak butter, Maggi two-minute noodles, Nature’s Gift dog food, Nescafe instant coffee, Palmolive shampoo, Rexona deodorant, Sakata rice crackers, Sanitarium Weet-Bix cereal, Strepsils lozenges, Sunrice rice, Tena pads, Viva paper towels, Whiskas cat food, and Zafarelli pasta.
Example Strepsils Throat Lozenges Honey & Lemon 16 pack
From at least 1 January 2021 until 11 October 2022, Coles offered the Strepsils Throat Lozenges Honey & Lemon 16 pack product for sale at a regular price of $5.50 (on a pre-existing ‘Down Down’ promotion) for at least 649 days, including one seven-day short-term special.
On 12 October 2022, the price was then increased to $7.00 for a period of 28 days. On 9 November 2022, the product was placed on a ‘Down Down’ promotion with the tickets showing a ‘Down Down’ price of $6.00 and a ‘was’ price of $7.00. The ‘Down Down’ price of $6.00 was in fact 9 per cent higher than the product’s previous regular price of $5.50.
In this example, the ACCC alleges Coles had planned the temporary price spike to establish a new higher ‘was’ price for the subsequent ‘promotion’. Coles had decided (after a request from the supplier for a price increase) on or around 7 October 2022 to take the product off ‘Down Down’, increase the price, and then put the product back on to ‘Down Down’ four weeks later.
The ACCC’s investigation into the conduct which is the subject of these proceedings pre-dates this inquiry. The inquiry will not consider the issues in dispute in these proceedings.
Note to editors
The ACCC does not regulate supermarket prices.
The ACCC has taken proceedings in respect of alleged breaches of the Australian Consumer Law, which provides that businesses must not make false or misleading statements about prices.
Separate proceedings are brought against Woolworths and Coles, and the ACCC is not making any allegation of any collusion or anti-competitive conduct by Woolworths and Coles as part of these proceedings.
The ACCC is not alleging any contravention of the ACL by any of Woolworths’ and Coles’ suppliers in these proceedings.
The maximum penalty for each breach of the Australian Consumer Law increased on 10 November 2022, part way through the period of the alleged conduct. For contraventions from 10 November 2022, the maximum penalty is the greater of:
$50,000,000
if the Court can determine the value of the ‘reasonably attributable’ benefit obtained, three times that value, or
if the Court cannot determine the value of the ‘reasonably attributable’ benefit, 30 per cent of the corporation’s adjusted turnover during the breach turnover period for the contravention.
Any penalty that might apply to this conduct is a matter for the Court to determine and would depend on the Court’s findings. The ACCC will not comment on what penalties the Court may impose.
Background
Woolworths runs the largest supermarket chain in Australia, with about 1,140 Woolworths supermarket stores across the country.
The ‘Prices Dropped’ Program is promoted by Woolworths as a shelf price reduction program designed to offer Woolworths’ customers consistently low prices over a prolonged period. The objective of the Prices Dropped Program was to lower the standard shelf price of a product from its previous standard (or regular) shelf price.
Example of a Prices Dropped ticket
Coles is the second-largest supermarket chain in Australia, operating more than 840 stores nationally.
Coles introduced the ‘Down Down’ Program in June 2010 and marketed it as a promotional campaign designed to reduce the regular shelf price of commonly purchased products — thereby offering customers predictable and reliable value on the items they purchased the most and reducing the cost of their shopping basket.
Example of a Down Down ticket
Separate to these proceedings, in December 2023, following a complaint by CHOICE and an investigation by the ACCC, Coles announced refunds for thousands of customers after it raised the price on 20 products that it had promised would remain ‘locked’ for a certain period of time as part of Coles’ ‘Dropped and Locked’ promotion.
These documents contain the ACCC’s initiating court documents in relation to these matters. We will not be uploading further documents in the event these initial documents are subsequently amended.
Met launches London Race Action Plan, committing to the next steps in becoming an anti-racist police service
The plan has been co-created with Black officers, staff and communities – with more than 2,200 Londoners consulted.
Improvements to the service’s culture, training and leadership all form part of the Met’s commitment to strengthening trust among Black Londoners and its own workforce.
A new stop and search charter which has been co-authored with Black communities. This re-sets how stop and search should be carried out in London.
Improvements in how we record and monitor the ethnicity of drivers when making vehicle stops, with external scrutiny for greater transparency.
An overhaul of our policy on intimate searches of children – increasing the threshold and oversight, ensuring they only occur when necessary and proportionate.
To better represent the communities we serve we’re working hard to recruit and retain a more diverse workforce that brings all the talents, experiences and perspectives of London to policing.
We’re also now training all new recruits so they understand the lived experience of Black Londoners and other communities across the capital.
We’ve committed to rooting out disparities in the Met’s misconduct system and have introduced focused workshops to improve promotion rates. As a result, since 2021 promotion pass rates for Black officers has increased from 68% to 75%.
The London Race Action Plan outlines the next steps in the Met’s mission to become an anti-racist organisation and a service that is more inclusive, diverse and representative of London.
It sets out across four pillars how the Met will better represent, respect, involve and protect Black Londoners.
Over many years the Met has let Black communities down and although steps have been taken in the right direction, there remains a long way to go to be an inclusive and anti-racist organisation.
The four pillars of the plan will be delivered through tangible action across London, co-designed by the communities we serve. This will include:
We know there is more to do, but this plan sets the right course to continue building a Met that our officers and public deserve.
Progress will be made publicly available via biannual updates.
Sir Mark Rowley, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police said: “This plan publicly sets out our next steps towards becoming a truly anti-racist and inclusive organisation.
“Black Londoners have been let down by the Met over many years and while we continue to take steps in the right direction, there remains a long way to go and there is a lot more work to do.
“Action not words will rebuild trust in our service, so we must now remain focused on delivering real change that is seen and felt by our communities and our workforce.
“We are changing our systems, our processes, culture and our leadership. We are better understanding and acting on disproportionality wherever it exists. We are working more closely than ever with communities we’ve let down to build a service that delivers for all of London.
“To achieve this critical change once and for all will take time, but I am determined that we will continue to strengthen our relationship with Black Londoners – whether that be members of the public or our own colleagues – and renew the principle of policing by consent.”
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
This undated file combo photo shows a jade dragon unearthed from a stone tomb site in the city of Chifeng, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Chinese archaeologists have unearthed the largest jade dragon ever discovered from the Hongshan culture, an important part of the Neolithic Age, at a stone tomb site in the city of Chifeng, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, according to the regional institute of cultural relics and archaeology. Measuring 15.8 cm long, 9.5 cm wide, and 3 cm thick, the artifact was found at a site featuring a circular tomb in the north and a square altar in the south, which is the only one of its kind ever found in the region. [Photo/Xinhua]
HOHHOT, Sept. 22 — Chinese archaeologists have unearthed the largest jade dragon ever discovered from the Hongshan culture, an important part of the Neolithic Age, at a stone tomb site in the city of Chifeng, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, according to the regional institute of cultural relics and archaeology.
Measuring 15.8 cm long, 9.5 cm wide, and 3 cm thick, the artifact was found at a site featuring a circular tomb in the north and a square altar in the south, which is the only one of its kind ever found in the region.
Apart from the architectural remains, human skeletal remains, burials, fire pits, and cylindrical object pits have also been discovered at the site. The unearthed artifacts include jade and painted pottery basins and tripod pottery cups, among others.
The ongoing research at the site includes studies of the ancient environment, large-scale topographic mapping and carbon-14 dating, among others. The latest dating data indicates that the site belongs to the late Hongshan culture, dating back 5,100 to 5,000 years.
The finds were revealed during a themed seminar held Sunday in Chifeng, which provided updates on the archaeological progress at the stone tomb in Yuanbaoshan of Chifeng’s Aohan Banner.
This undated file photo shows the general view of a stone tomb site in the city of Chifeng, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua]This undated file photo shows archaeologists working at a stone tomb site in the city of Chifeng, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua]This undated file photo shows jade wares unearthed at a stone tomb site in the city of Chifeng, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua]This undated file photo shows a circular tomb at a stone tomb site in the city of Chifeng, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua]This undated file photo shows a stone tomb site before excavation in the city of Chifeng, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua]
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
7th Chinese farmers’ harvest festival celebrated across China
Updated: September 23, 2024 07:33Xinhua
A villager airs crops at Yangchan Village in Huangshan City, east China’s Anhui Province, Sept. 22, 2024. This Sunday marks the seventh Chinese farmers’ harvest festival. [Photo/Xinhua]A farmer loads harvested corns onto a truck at Bianqiao Township of Linyi City, east China’s Shandong Province, Sept. 17, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]A farmer holds harvested rice at Yuanyang County of Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China’s Yunnan Province, Sept. 22, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]Farmers harvest rice at Zhanglou Village of Xinyang City, central China’s Henan Province, Sept. 22, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]A farmer harvests grapes at an orchard of Xixiaoyi Village in Tangshan City, north China’s Hebei Province, Sept. 22, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]Farmers harvest rice at Wanchang Township in Yongji County, northeast China’s Jilin Province, Sept. 20, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]An aerial drone photo shows harvesters working in a paddy field in Fangzheng County of Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, Sept. 22, 2024. This Sunday marks the seventh Chinese farmers’ harvest festival. In recent years, China’s major grain production province Heilongjiang has enhanced its grain production capacity and advanced the quality of high-standard farmland development. [Photo/Xinhua]Harvesters work in a paddy field in Fangzheng County of Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, Sept. 22, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]An aerial drone photo shows a paddy field in Fangzheng County of Harbin, northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province, Sept. 22, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]Folk artists throw molten iron to create fireworks in Haiyang, east China’s Shandong Province, Sept. 21, 2024. The event aims to commemorate the seventh Chinese farmers’ harvest festival which falls on Sept. 22 this year. [Photo/Xinhua]Folk artists throw molten iron to create fireworks in Haiyang, east China’s Shandong Province, Sept. 21, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
Woman caught more than four times the legal limit in George Town
Monday, 23 September 2024 – 9:53 am.
A 48-year-old George Town woman was charged with high range drink driving, driving under the influence of intoxicating liquor and a number of traffic offences in George Town yesterday. Police reportedly observed the woman speeding in a silver Ford Ranger on Main Road, George Town about 7.05pm, before performing an illegal u-turn and crashing into a residential fence. The woman returned a breath alcohol reading of 0.225 percent, more than four times the legal limit. She was arrested, disqualified from driving for 24 months and bailed to appear in the Launceston Magistrates Court at a later date.
Women charged with stealing in Launceston and Devonport
Monday, 23 September 2024 – 9:46 am.
Two women have been charged after allegedly stealing over $6,000 worth of goods from stores in the Launceston and Devonport areas between May and September 2024. The 26-year-old and 39-year-old, both from Ravenswood, were arrested in the Rooke Street Mall, Devonport on Saturday after they were intercepted by police leaving a store with a significant amount of property. Police obtained a search warrant for their vehicle and recovered further stolen property. Both women appeared in court today and were remanded in custody to appear again at a later date. If you have any information regarding this matter, please contact Tasmania Police on 131 444, or anonymously through Crime Stoppers Tasmania via crimestopperstas.com.au on 1800 333 000.
Anura Kumara Dissanayake, candidate of National People’s Power, emerged as the winner in the presidential election in Sri Lanka held on Saturday, the Election Commission confirmed Sunday.
Given that no candidate secured more than 50 percent of the votes, the Election Commission counted the second and third preferences of the two leading candidates, the first time in history of Sri Lankan presidential election.
Dissanayake obtained 5,634,915 votes in the first count and 105,264 preferential votes during the second count.
His main opponent, candidate of opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya, Sajith Premadasa, obtained 4,363,035 votes in the first count and 167,867 preferential votes in the second count.
In a post on social media platform “X” (formerly Twitter) after the release of election results, Dissanayake said, “The millions of eyes filled with hope and expectation push us forward, and together, we stand ready to rewrite Sri Lankan history.”
“This dream can only be realized with a fresh start. The unity of Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims, and all Sri Lankans is the bedrock of this new beginning. The New Renaissance we seek will rise from this shared strength and vision,” he posted.
Incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe failed with a total of 2,299,767 votes.
According to the President’s Media Division, Wickremesinghe delivered a special address after the results came out.
He said that the people of the country have made their decision at this presidential election, and they must respect their decision and act according to that mandate to ensure the functioning of the country.
“I was eventually able to carry the dear child called Sri Lanka along a long distance safely on the dangerous rope bridge. Close to the very end of the rope bridge, people have decided to hand over the dear child called Sri Lanka to President Anura Dissanayake,” he said.
“I wish that you will be able to carry this child away from the bridge to the other bank, even safer than the way I carried the child,” said Wickremesinghe.
New York-based Sea Cadets and Naval Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps cadets attended the event, held at the U.S. Armed Forces Recruiting Station in Times Square.
“Having these young Sea Cadets and NJROTC cadets – the future of our nation – learn about our climate and energy technologies was a fantastic way for the Department of the Navy to kick off its participation in Climate Week NYC,” said Berger. “They understand firsthand how climate change is impacting our world today, and we were able to help make the connection for them of how climate readiness is mission readiness for our Sailors and Marines.”
DON researchers and engineers from various commands showcased technologies, such as hydrogen-powered fuel cells, small unit power systems, water-conserving firefighting nozzles, atmospheric water generation, and green concrete, to educate the students about the DON’s commitment to climate action and inspire them about DON careers in climate- and energy-focused roles.
Madeleine White, resilience innovation research portfolio manager at Naval Facilities Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center, explained green concrete, which uses sustainable materials to reduce traditional concrete’s environmental impact, such as lowering the carbon footprint of construction.
“Working on this [technology] as it is as an engineer has been great, but being able to show it to the individuals who are one day going to use it or be involved with it makes my job all worthwhile,” White said. “And doing [the event] out in a space like this and having these engineer technologies out in such a public space for people to see is such a fun environment to be in.”
Jeremiah Rodriguez, a junior and NJROTC cadet at Curtis High School in Staten Island, N.Y., said he would think about global warming and its impact.
“It would be in the back of my mind, such as how it would continuously get hotter,” he said. “One day, it’ll get to the point where you can cook an egg on the sidewalk. With this new technology, I really hope we can figure out a way to significantly reduce the impact of climate change. After this presentation, I really find it hopeful for our generation’s future.”
Climate Week NYC is the largest annual climate event of its kind, bringing together more than 600 events and activities across New York City in person, hybrid and online. Climate Group hosts the official program during the week that brings together the most senior international figures from business, government, civil society and the climate sector.
This year, Climate Week NYC is being held Sept. 22-29, 2024. The event takes place every year in partnership with the United Nations General Assembly and is run in coordination with the United Nations and the City of New York.
In May 2022, the Department of the Navy released Climate Action 2030 in which Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro recognized climate change as one of the most destabilizing forces of our time and charged the Department with building a climate-ready force.
Berger is responsible for providing oversight and policy for Navy and Marine Corps energy and climate resilience; infrastructure sustainment, restoration and modernization; military construction; acquisition, utilization and disposal of real property and facilities; environmental protection, planning, restoration and natural resources conservation; and safety and occupational health.
Its purpose is to put more people into prison for longer. In its Regulatory Impact Statement, the Ministry of Justice estimates 1,350 people will be added to the current prison population. The ministry is also clear that most of the changes are unnecessary and rest on inadequate consultation, particularly with Māori.
The main change the bill makes is to cap reductions in a prison sentence for mitigating factors at “40% of the sentence”, unless that would be “manifestly unjust”.
Mitigating factors
To understand why this is a problem, we need to start with how the Sentencing Act 2002 works. First, the seriousness of an offence provides a starting point. Since the maximum sentence is for the worst example of the offence, the facts can be put on a scale.
Secondly, the judge considers aggravating factors, such as repeat offending, malicious motivations or the victim’s vulnerability. The new bill specifies various additional aggravating factors, but the ministry notes these are already taken into account.
Finally, the judge looks at mitigating factors, such as youth, intellectual disability or mental illness, remorse and positive steps to remedy the cause of offending.
One important available reduction is for a guilty plea. The bill will cap this at 25% – the Supreme Court already decided this several years ago.
Sentence reductions based on these factors will regularly exceed the overall 40% cap proposed in the new bill. For example, impulsive offending by a young adult with ADHD who was in state care because of family abuse, and who pleads guilty early, would likely mean a considerable sentence reduction.
Similarly, offending by someone who both admits it, shows remorse and assists the police would qualify for considerable reductions.
The New Zealand judiciary is not soft by world standards. Its rate of incarceration – currently 181 per 100,000 people – places the country 90th out of 223 jurisdictions.
This is well above Australia, England, Wales and Scotland, and double the rates in Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and Canada. As Māori have long made up more than 50% of the prison population, their incarceration rate is at US levels. Do we really want to make this worse?
When former Finance Minister Bill English observed New Zealand’s high prison population represented a “moral and fiscal failure”, he asked the chief science advisor to collate the evidence.
Prisoners are seven times more likely than the general population to have a mental health or substance abuse problem. Ninety percent have a history of mental health or addiction, with 60% still affected. Up to 70% have significant literacy problems.
The sentencing reform proposals rest on the notion people should take more personal responsibility. But they overlook the reality of most of the people in the system having a reduced capacity to do that. This looks more like dogma than data.
And since prisons train people in criminal ways and provide gangs with recruits, but do not deal with underlying causes of criminal behaviour, it is dogma that risks creating more victims.
Increased prisoner numbers: Paremoremo Maximum Security Prison, Auckland. Getty Images
A stressed justice system
On top of this, the criminal justice system is creaking, without enough judges or courtrooms. Complainants, defendants and witnesses already wait too long for trials.
Reductions in sentences for guilty pleas and other mitigating features are essential to preventing this from getting worse. Some of these factors only come to light at the sentencing hearing when pre-sentence reports (often including medical reports) are provided.
Also, the final preparation for a trial often leads the prosecution to accept a plea to a less serious offence. And the time waiting for a trial often means a defendant will have served all or much of their sentence already.
If a judge feels obliged to impose a higher sentence because of the new amendments, lawyers will have to advise defendants accordingly. Inevitably, more will decide to take their chances in a trial rather than plead guilty.
That means more complainants will have to give evidence, some defendants will be acquitted, and the criminal justice system will creak more.
Judges and rules
Judges will have to confront some dissonance in the law. The Sentencing Act requires judges to impose the “least restrictive” sentence. But a sentence that is longer than appropriate doesn’t meet that requirement.
A longer-than-necessary prison sentence is arguably arbitrary detention. But the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act requires judges to interpret other statutes to avoid breaching rights if possible, including the right not to be detained arbitrarily.
In addition, a fair trial should aim to secure the right sentence for the individual defendant.
Judges do not sign up to breach people’s rights. Nor do they like it when the executive branch of government uses its parliamentary majority to overstep the separation of powers. Quite properly, they will do what they can to secure individualised justice.
They might, for example, set a sentence at the low end of the available range to achieve the same outcome while appearing to abide by the new 40% cap. Or they might just decide a rehabilitative sentence, invariably non-custodial, is the better outcome.
Judges spend all their time dealing with rules. You can expect them to be creative in finding ways around restrictions that should not be imposed on them.
Kris Gledhill is currently working on a project relating to sentencing that is funded by the Borrin Foundation. He is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Criminal Bar Association, which represents prosecution and defence lawyers. The views stated in this article are his own.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne
A national Newspoll, conducted September 16–20 from a sample of 1,249, had a 50–50 tie for the third consecutive time. Since the last Newspoll three weeks ago, primary votes were 38% Coalition (steady), 31% Labor (down one), 13% Greens (up one), 6% One Nation (down one) and 12% for all Others (up one).
Anthony Albanese’s net approval improved five points to -8, with 51% dissatisfied and 43% satisfied. Peter Dutton’s net approval was down two points to -15. Albanese led Dutton as better PM by 46–37 (45–37 previously).
The graph below shows Albanese’s net approval in Newspoll this term. It has plus signs for the Newspoll results and a smoothed line has been fitted. After dropping to -13 net three weeks ago, Albanese’s ratings have rebounded to where they’ve been for most of this year, poor but not dreadful.
Other recent federal polls have not been as good for Albanese and Labor as Newspoll. Albanese’s net approval was at -22 in YouGov and -15 in Freshwater, and Labor trailed by 52–48 in Freshwater, one of their worst results from any pollster this term. Freshwater leans a little to the Coalition relative to other polls.
Asked what aspect of cost of living worried them most, 40% selected housing, 25% groceries, 18% energy and 11% insurance.
Queensland Newspoll has thumping lead for LNP
The Queensland state election will be held on October 26. A Newspoll, conducted September 12–18 from a sample of 1,047, gave the Liberal National Party (LNP) a 55–45 lead, a one-point gain for the LNP since the last Queensland Newspoll in March. Primary votes were 42% LNP (steady), 30% Labor (steady), 12% Greens (down one), 8% One Nation (steady) and 8% for all Others (up one).
Labor Premier Steven Miles’ net approval was up one point to -10, with 51% dissatisfied and 41% satisfied. LNP leader David Crisafulli’s net approval dropped two points to +12. Crisafulli had a 46–39 lead as better premier (43–37 in March).
Asked whether Labor deserved to be re-elected, 57% said it was time to give someone else a go (down one since March), while 29% said they deserved to be re-elected (up three). By 53–47, voters were confident that the Crisafulli LNP is ready to govern.
Labor will be a little relieved that this poll was not worse. A YouGov poll in July and a Wolf + Smith poll in August had both given the LNP a 57–43 lead. Nearly ten years after they gained power in Queensland following the January 2015 election, Labor appears doomed.
Further federal polls: YouGov poll tied
A national YouGov poll, conducted September 13–19 from a sample of 1,619, had a 50–50 tie, unchanged from the previous YouGov poll in late August. Primary votes were 39% Coalition (up two), 30% Labor (down two), 14% Greens (up one), 7% One Nation (down one) and 10% for all Others (steady).
In the previous YouGov poll, Labor was unlucky not to lead given the primary votes. In this poll, Labor is lucky not to trail.
Albanese’s net approval slumped 11 points to -22, with 58% dissatisfied and 36% satisfied. Dutton’s net approval was down five points to -10. Albanese led as preferred PM by 42–39 (43–38 in August).
Freshwater has one of Coalition’s best results this term
A national Freshwater poll for The Financial Review, conducted September 13–14 from a sample of 1,057, gave the Coalition a 52–48 lead, a one-point gain for the Coalition since the August Freshwater poll. This is one of the best results for the Coalition from any pollster this term. Primary votes were 42% Coalition (up one), 30% Labor (down two), 13% Greens (up one) and 15% for all Others.
Albanese’s net approval was down five points to -15, with 49% unfavourable and 34% favourable. Dutton’s net approval was down one point to -4. Albanese led Dutton as preferred PM by an unchanged 45–41.
Asked to give their top three issues, 74% selected cost of living as a top issue, and the Coalition increased its lead over Labor on cost of living from seven points in August to 14. The Coalition also had a 16-point lead on economic management (13 in August).
Morgan poll: Labor has narrow lead
A national Morgan poll, conducted September 9–15 from a sample of 1,634, gave Labor a 50.5–49.5 lead, a 0.5-point gain for the Coalition since the September 2–8 Morgan poll.
Primary votes were 37.5% Coalition (up one), 30.5% Labor (up 0.5), 12.5% Greens (down two), 5.5% One Nation (down 0.5), 10% independents (up 0.5) and 4% others (up 0.5).
The headline figure uses respondent preferences. By 2022 election preferences, Labor led by an unchanged 52–48.
Redbridge and Accent Research MRP poll tied at 50–50
A national Redbridge and Accent Research multi-level regression with post-stratification (MRP) poll, conducted July 10 to August 27 from a sample of 5,976, had a 50–50 tie, a two-point gain for the Coalition since the last MRP poll between February and May. Primary votes were 38% Coalition (up two), 32% Labor (steady), 12% Greens (down one) and 19% for all Others (steady).
MRP polls use modelling to estimate the number of seats that would be won by each party. The August MRP poll had a point estimate of 69 Labor seats out of 150, 68 Coalition, three Greens and ten others. In the May poll, Labor had 77 seats out of 151, the Coalition 60, the Greens three and others 11.
The August poll had no chance either major party would win a majority (76 seats), but Labor had a 75% chance of winning the most seats. These probabilities reflect the poll’s data, and are not predictions for the election, due by May 2025.
Adrian Beaumont does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Residents and visitors will be able to experience areas of the city walls from a fresh perspective next spring, as this unique and historic space blooms into life.
Volunteers and businesses from across the city are coming together this week to help transform the City Walls embankments, for the first phase of the York Walls in Bloom project.
This unique green space will evolve into a beautiful biodiverse landscape, where residents and visitors will be able to enjoy seeing many different pollinators thrive.
Over its 2,000-year-old history, the city walls embankments (ramparts) have constantly evolved and changed from being cleared sheer slopes, areas of grazing until the mid-20th century and in recent years manicured lawns and bedding plants.
The first phase of the York in Bloom project will be in the city centre at Station Rise. The area around the Station Rise rampart has over the centuries seen some of the most dramatic changes in landscape visible anywhere on the city walls.
The season bedding displays here will be familiar to many residents and visitors, but this approach is not without its downsides. It’s resource intensive in terms of water and carbon used in the growing, transporting, planting, weeding and removing bedding plants. This makes the practice increasingly unsustainable for the city and the planet.
Cllr Jenny Kent, Executive Member for Environment and Climate Emergency, said “York is proud to have some of the UK’s best preserved medieval walls, and this partnership project to cover the site at Station Rise in meadow flowers for York Walls in Bloom will not only look beautiful, it will also help support York’s bees, moths and butterflies, and help preserve the ramparts underneath.
We are lucky to have expert advice from many partners and are also in the process of reviewing our maintenance of the walls overall. We will ensure that we adopt the very best heritage and ecology conservation practices to prevent soil erosion, which increases with extreme heat and increased rainfall, maximise the environmental benefit, and keep the Walls looking great for generations to come.”
Inspired by projects such as the Tower of London ‘Moat in Bloom’, the council believes that carefully managed wild flowering could offer the right mix of stunning visuals, increased sustainability and improved habitat.
York Walls in Bloom is being carefully introduced over the course of 2024. Earlier this year, the area was left to grow naturally for several months so that the ecological study could be undertaken. This was critical so that the council knew that any intervention wouldn’t endanger existing habitats.
While next year will see a spectacular floral display near Station Rise, the area will still be very carefully managed over several years to balance the ecology of the site. The second phase of the project will be extended to the Red Tower, Walmgate next year.
This will transform the flatter sections of rampart on the outside of the city walls by sowing wildflowers in Spring, to create a floral display in summer 2025, which over the following years will be carefully managed into a sustainable natural floral meadow.
Introducing a more sustainable, natural environment in the coming years, including changing how frequently the grass is cut in this area, will ensure a healthier soil and more wildflower growth.
The York in Walls project has gained the backing and sponsorship of local businesses.
Simon Mahon, General Manager of The Grand York, said: “We’re delighted to be working on the York Walls in Bloom project. We’re very proud sponsors and are looking forward seeing wildflowers being introduced along the walls, which naturally will make this historical part of York even more beautiful.
Here at The Grand, York, as part of our sustainability initiative we house approximately 50,000 bees on our roof – the honey they produce is used throughout The Grand in desserts, pastries and cocktails. So, we’re really happy to support this project.”
From Tuesday 24 September, works will be visible on the ground when the turf will be ‘wither stripped’ to allow for the sowing of the wildflowers.
With the help on York Cares, volunteers from across the city will come together to support the project and help sow the seeds.
Holly Hennell, Manager, York Cares: “The 16th annual York Cares Big Community Challenge is taking place between 16 September and 11 October in partnership with City of York Council, St Nicks and the University of York. The challenge aims to connect communities with nature, providing volunteering opportunities at over 30 sites across the city along routes leading into the city centre around the city walls.
“Employee-volunteers will get involved with a variety of practical activities to enhance biodiversity across the city including sowing seeds as part of the York Walls in Bloom project, a fantastic initiative which will really brighten up the city whilst also benefiting the environment. The York Cares team is excited to be able to get involved in one of the sessions alongside their members, demonstrating the difference we can make when we come together.”
The York in Bloom project is funded by the Green Corridors project , the National Lottery Community Fund and is sponsored by local businesses including The Grand York.
Warracknabeal Fire Brigade may be one of Victoria’s oldest fire brigades – but its members have always had a focus on innovation and progression.
Located in the state’s north-west, Warracknabeal brigade has a history dating back to CFA’s formative years. The brigade began in the 1890s when local volunteers secured a 26-person Merryweather hand-operated manual pump enabling them to officially join the newly created Country Fire Brigades Board (now CFA).
By 1919, the Country Fire Brigades Board (CFBB) had seen the potential of motorised firefighting vehicles which were considered a great advance on horse-drawn vehicles. Following the war, there were also huge developments in the design and use of motorised water pumps, which made firefighting more efficient and effective.
Warracknabeal’s then captain, local entrepreneur Tom Gardiner seized upon this opportunity, establishing Gardiner-Aussie Workshops in the early 1920s with the goal of building trucks and pumpers suitable for rural firefighting. His innovative design would prove successful and was quickly adopted by the CFBB. Tom’s workshop was commissioned to develop 55 pumpers prior to his death in 1935.
The new pumpers would not be the first motorised vehicle produced out of Warracknabeal. A belt drive bike with a small four stroke engine and pedal assist was built by the Mallee Cycle works in 1905.
Another of the brigade’s early leaders has strong ties to CFA’s history and was instrumental in improving CFA’s early communication with members. In 1947 Captain Norman Tosh recognised the need for a regular publication to share information with brigades across the state. With approval from CFA, he became the founder and first editor of ‘The Fireman’ (now Firewise), a newspaper for volunteer firefighters which is still in circulation today.
Warracknabeal Fire Brigade has grown significantly in the years since, and members are firmly focused on the future.
Current brigade captain Cameron Whelan says, like its early years, Warracknabeal brigade continues to have a progressive and innovative lens focused on improvement.
The brigade’s new, state-of-the-art station opened in mid-2023 replacing the 35-year-old station. The station features improved facilities such as drive through engine bays, a laundry, changerooms and other amenities. The brigade was able to provide a significant contribution to improve the size of the meeting room, rear shed, install bi-fold doors as well as make other improvements.
“We’ve always been a vibrant and progressive brigade, so the modern design of the new station represents us well,” Cameron said.
“We’ve built this station for the next 30 years so the vision is not only to support the needs of Warracknabeal today; we’re also looking beyond that to what will be required in the future.
“Our Fire Equipment Maintenance servicing is key to the brigade continuing to improve facilities and operational equipment.
“The brigade also has an active social Auxiliary membership primarily supporting the brigade through fundraising programs and assisting local community groups such as the Scouts and Guides.”
The brigade has about 70 members and attends about 40 incidents a year locally; members also provide support across the state during the fire season.
With one of the key industries in Warracknabeal and surrounds being broadacre cereal farming, harvesting-related fires are one of the main risks the brigade encounters over the fire danger period. Its members have been heavily involved in the development of the joint CFA and Victorian Farmers Federation Grain Harvesting Guidelines.
“The main incidents we turn out to are running grass and scrub fires through to harvesting machinery fires,” Cameron said.
“Like many other towns we also have a range of other risks from hospital/aged care, large chemical storage facilities through to household or structural fires.”
The brigade has a very stable membership and whilst they will always welcome new members, Cameron says they are lucky they don’t need to actively seek members.
“Like many rural brigades, we can see a drop off when members reach 18-19 years old because they leave for university or work,” Cameron said.
“A strong Juniors program aims to encourage skill development and succession from the junior to senior ranks.
“To encourage retention, we include fire ground practise as part of our Junior training to build their skills and eagerness.”
Cameron said volunteering with CFA is for anyone who is willing to help their community, better themselves and join a bigger family.
“The thing I’m most proud of in leading our brigade is the values our members display,” Cameron said.
“Values such as care, respect and integrity are common attributes amongst our cohort.”
This story is part of our profile series Brigades of CFA which highlights our brigades and the great work they do in their communities.
On September 18, the “10th Anniversary of the HWPL September 18 Peace Summit” was broadcasted in over 40 countries and attracted approximately 100,000 people at the HWPL Peace Training Institute in Gyeonggi-do, Korea, where the anniversary was held.
Hosted by Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL), under the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and the Department of Global Communications (DGC), the event was themed “Building a Global Community of Peace through Regional Cooperation.”
Led by HWPL Chairman Man Hee Lee, it was a celebration of the contributions of global leaders and citizens towards peace over the past decade and exploring strategies for future global unity. Notable attendees included Great Dharma Master Hyecheon of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism and José Honorio da Costa Ferreira Jerónimo, East Timor’s Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Culture.
Previously, the HWPL Peace Summit was first celebrated a decade earlier, in Seoul, 2014. The summit was attended by more than 1,000 political, religious, women’s, and youth leaders, as well as media representatives from over 140 countries. Discussions focused on conflict resolution, religious harmony, and the implementation of legal measures to ensure sustainable peace.
During his commemorative speech, HWPL Chairman Man Hee Lee expressed gratitude to all participants for attending the 10th anniversary of the peace movement. He encouraged everyone by saying, “Let us no longer draw lines of difference between you and me. With love and peace, let’s unite to save the global village. Let us cooperate to help each other and leave behind a valuable legacy of peace for future generations.”
Followed by 10 year’s worth of highlights, this led to many discussions of future plans of HWPL and their partners, with a particular emphasis on establishing a “regional network” for peace tailored to local characteristics. Through this regional network, HWPL aims to actively address threats to peace and consolidate collective capabilities.
In light of this, HWPL established partnerships for peace development with intergovernmental organizations such as the Group of Seven Plus (G7+) and the Latin American and Caribbean Parliament (PARLATINO). G7+ was established to promote harmony among conflict-ridden nations through peace, stability, and development, boasting 20 member states. PARLATINO, founded to promote development and integration based on democracy, currently has 23 member states.
Additionally, the nationwide “Accompany: Connecting Korea” campaign was launched with a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed during the ceremony. The “Accompany” campaign was initially trialled in major cities in Korea last July. Through this launch, HWPL aims to work with over 230 civic organizations to connect cultures across generations and carry out diverse peace activities.
The “Accompany” campaign is a continuation of the Saemaul (New Village) Movement, which was responsible for South Korea’s economic development and social transformation in the late 20th century. The Saemaul Movement focused on modernising rural areas and strengthening community consciousness. Similarly, the Accompany campaign aims to overcome social conflicts rooted in generational, regional, gender, and ideological differences through social solidarity and cooperation.
To achieve the goal of establishing a “regional network,” various sessions will be held worldwide, focusing on diverse groups. Additionally, under the slogan “Let everyone in the global village become a messenger of peace,” individuals will be encouraged to play active roles in promoting peace. Messages of peace and unity from citizens of all walks of life, both domestically and internationally, will be collected and shared.
Heavenly Culture World Peace Restoration of Light (HWPL) is a non-governmental international peace organization registered under the UN DGC and UN ECOSOC that is acknowledged for their endeavors and efforts towards achieving peace worldwide.
Source: United States Senator for Arkansas Tom Cotton
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact: Caroline Tabler or Patrick McCann (202) 224-2353September 20, 2024
Cotton, Boozman to Young and Su: All People Should Have the Opportunity for Dignified Work
Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) and Senator John Boozman (R-Arkansas) today wrote a letter to OMB Director Shalanda Young and Acting Secretary of labor Julie Su regarding troubling reports that the Department of Labor (DOL) is considering a new rule that would abolish the 14(c) program wherein individuals with cognitive or physical disabilities can find employment and resources in a supervised setting. The Senators stated that all people deserve to have the opportunity for dignified work, and reiterated to Director Young and Acting Secretary Su that any attempt to disrupt this program without Congressional authorization would be illegal.
In part, the senators wrote:
“All people, regardless of their abilities, should have the opportunity for dignified work. The 14(c) program does not limit the ability of disabled workers to engage in competitive employment. It merely provides those with difficulties in a traditional work environment the opportunity to engage in meaningful work. It provides many vulnerable Americans with a sense of accomplishment and provides their families and caretakers with time to complete activities necessary for the functioning of their households.”
Full text of the letter may be found here and below.
September 20, 2024
Shalanda Young
Director
Office of Management and Budget
725 17th St NW
Washington, DC 20503
Julie Su
Acting Secretary
Department of Labor
200 Constitution Ave NW
Washington, DC 20210
Dear Director Young and Acting Secretary Su,
I write regarding troubling reports that the Department of Labor (DOL) is considering a new rule that would abolish the 14(c) program. Any changes to the 14(c) certificate program rests with Congress and not DOL.
Since 1938, the DOL has provided intellectually and developmentally disabled Americans the opportunity to engage in meaningful work through Section 14(c) certificates. According to the Washington Post, despite these longstanding statutes, and no legislative reforms, the DOL is considering a new rule that would be the “regulatory equivalent of abolition of 14(c) programs.”
All people, regardless of their abilities, should have the opportunity for dignified work. The 14(c) program does not limit the ability of disabled workers to engage in competitive employment. It merely provides those with difficulties in a traditional work environment the opportunity to engage in meaningful work. It provides many vulnerable Americans with a sense of accomplishment and provides their families and caretakers with time to complete activities necessary for the functioning of their households.
Regardless of any policy objections the administration might have with the 14(c) program, it must be enforced according to the law. Former Secretary Marty Walsh, the last Senate-confirmed Secretary of Labor, agreed that changes to the program rest with Congress, rather than the DOL. Any efforts to make it functionally unworkable without Congressional authorization would be illegal.
Before deciding on the legality of these proposed changes to 14(c), please answer the following questions:
1. Where in the Fair Labor Standards Act and accompanying amendments does the DOL find the legal authority to make significant changes to this program, especially considering the Supreme Court’s recent decision to end agency deference in Loper Bright Enterprises .v Raimondo?
2.How many disabled Americans would lose their jobs at sheltered workshops if 14(c) certificates were phased out?
3.Has the DOL considered the secondary effects of these individuals losing their jobs, such as their families needing to provide caretaking services during working hours, rather than working themselves or performing necessary functions for their households? If so, provide the details of that analysis.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
This undated file combo photo shows a jade dragon unearthed from a stone tomb site in the city of Chifeng, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Chinese archaeologists have unearthed the largest jade dragon ever discovered from the Hongshan culture, an important part of the Neolithic Age, at a stone tomb site in the city of Chifeng, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, according to the regional institute of cultural relics and archaeology. [Photo/Xinhua]
Chinese archaeologists have unearthed the largest jade dragon ever discovered from the Hongshan culture, an important part of the Neolithic Age, at a stone tomb site in the city of Chifeng, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, according to the regional institute of cultural relics and archaeology.
Measuring 15.8 cm long, 9.5 cm wide, and 3 cm thick, the artifact was found at a site featuring a circular tomb in the north and a square altar in the south, which is the only one of its kind ever found in the region.
Apart from the architectural remains, human skeletal remains, burials, fire pits, and cylindrical object pits have also been discovered at the site. The unearthed artifacts include jade and painted pottery basins and tripod pottery cups, among others.
The ongoing research at the site includes studies of the ancient environment, large-scale topographic mapping and carbon-14 dating, among others. The latest dating data indicates that the site belongs to the late Hongshan culture, dating back 5,100 to 5,000 years.
The finds were revealed during a themed seminar held Sunday in Chifeng, which provided updates on the archaeological progress at the stone tomb in Yuanbaoshan of Chifeng’s Aohan Banner.
For almost a year, Israel and Hezbollah have engaged in increasingly provocative cross-border skirmishes as onlookers warn that this escalating war of attrition could land the region in all-out conflict. The past few days have made that devastating scenario closer to a reality.
First came Israel’s pager and walkie-talkie attack, an unprecedented assault on Hezbollah’s communications that injured thousands of the organization’s operatives. It was followed by the assassination of Ibrahim Aqil, a key Hezbollah leader, who died in an airstrike that also killed other senior commanders of the militant group, as well as some civilians. Hezbollah has responded by extending the geographical range of its rockets fired at Israel, targeting both military facilities and civilian neighborhoods just north and east of Haifa.
As a scholar of Lebanon and Israel, I have followed the dynamics of this war of attrition since Oct. 8, 2023, the day after Hamas executed an unprecedented and deadly attack on Israel, which responded by bombarding the Gaza Strip. Hezbollah then began firing rockets into northern Israel in solidarity with Hamas in Gaza.
Despite the high rhetoric and mutual threatsof destruction, until recent days neither Israel nor Hezbollah, nor the latter’s sponsor Iran, have shown an interest in a full-scale war. All parties surely know the likely destructive consequences of such an eventuality for themselves: Israel has the military power to devastate Beirut and other parts of Lebanon as it did in Gaza, while even a weakened Hezbollah could fire thousands of missiles at Israeli strategic sites, from the airport to central Tel Aviv, water supply lines and electricity hubs, and offshore gas rigs.
So instead, they have exchanged fire and blows along their shared boundary, with somewhat agreed-upon red lines concerning the geographical scope of attacks and efforts not to intentionally target civilians.
But Israel’s recent attacks in Lebanon may have turned the page of this war of attrition into a new and far more acute situation, putting the region on the brink of a full war. Such a war would wreak havoc in Lebanon and Israel, and might also drag Iran and the United States into direct confrontation. In doing so, it would also fulfill the apparent of the Hamas gunmen who murdered around 1,200 Israelis on Oct. 7 in the hope that a heavy-handed Israeli response would draw in more groups across the region.
A dangerous ‘new phase’
Hezbollah’s secretary general, Hassan Nasrallah, has insisted throughout the near-yearlong hostilities that his organization would hold its fire only if a cease-fire agreement is reached between Israel and Hamas. In recent weeks, however, Israel has taken the conflict in the opposite direction.
The country’s defense minister, Yoav Gallant, described the coordinated attacks on Hezbolah targets as a “new phase,” adding that the “center of gravity” in the war was moving north into Lebanon. The Israeli government has added the “return of the residents of the north securely to their homes” as an additional war goal.
The assault on Hezbollah’s communications system targeted the organization’s operatives but hit many civilian bystanders, leaving Lebanese in shock, trauma, anger and desperation.
It demonstrated Israel’s tactical military advantage over Hezbollah. The unprecedented penetration into the heart of the organization’s command and rank-and-file structures has never been seen before in any conflict or war globally. It struck Hezbollah in its most vulnerable places and even exposed its coordination with Iran – one of the injured persons from the pager explosions was the Iranian ambassador in Lebanon.
The killing of Akil two days later was another signal that the Israeli government had now decided to try to change the rules of this risky game of reprisals and counter-reprisals. It is clear that rather than the uneasy status quo that defined this war of attrition for nearly a year, Israel’s intent is now to pressure Hezbollah to concede.
Getting out of control
Nasrallah delivered a gloomy and defiant speech in the aftermath of the pager attack. While acknowledging that Hezbollah was severely undermined by this operation, he defined the Israeli attack as a continuation of “multiple other massacres perpetrated by the enemy over decades.”
By doing so, he framed it within a popular historical narrative among many Lebanese and Palestinians who regard Israel as a criminal entity that regularly carries out massacres against innocent civilians.
Nasrallah also insisted that his commitment to supporting Hamas in Gaza remains unwavering.
While stating that Israeli actions have “crossed all red lines” and could amount to a declaration of war, Nasrallah also reiterated a point he had made in previous peaks of this ongoing conflict: that retribution is coming, the only question being of timing and scale. By doing so, Nasrallah hinted that he may still not be interested in a full war.
Israel, on the other hand, appears less circumspect. After almost a full year of contained tension with Hezbollah, Israel’s leaders appear willing to risk an escalation that might get out of control.
It is hard to determine what the strategy behind Israel’s actions is: Since Oct. 7; as the Biden administration has noted, Israel has not displayed a coherent strategy with clear political goals.
Rather, critics of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggest that he is mainly motivated by his own political survival and the retention of power as the head of state, tying Israel’s interests to his own.
Uniting the ‘axis of resistance’
So where does this leave Nasrallah as he weighs Hezbollah’s response, surely in consultation with Iran? After such devastating blows to Nasrallah’s organization, it is hard to think that Hezbollah would be willing to scale down, stop its cross-border attacks and retreat away from the Israeli border, or give up its commitment to support Hamas in Gaza.
Palestinian refugees listen to a speech by Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah from a cafe at the entrance of the Sabra camp in Beirut. Joseph Eid/AFP via Getty Images
On the other hand, opting for a full-scale war, after spending a year avoiding it, is fraught with risk – both Nasrallah and his sponsors in Tehran know well the high costs of such a war for Hezbollah, Lebanon and potentially also for Iran.
If Hezbollah went to war now against Israel, it would embark on its most consequential move since its foundation in 1982. But it would do so with crippled communications systems and without much of its leadership – some of whom had worked for decades side by side with Nasrallah, building with him the military capacity of the organization.
In some respects, Israelis under Netanyahu’s leadership, and Lebanese in a country increasingly held hostage by Hezbollah’s interests, face similar predicaments: Their well-being is being sacrificed for other priorities.
Netanayhu’s recent statements about concern for Israeli citizens in the north sound hollow after 11 months of pursuing policies that put them more in danger, as well as opposing a Gaza cease-fire deal that would also end hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel.
In Lebanon, Hezbollah has dragged the country into this war against the will of most Lebanese – a decision that has led to significant devastation in parts of a country already suffering extreme political and economic duress.
Nasrallah’s speech described Hezbollah’s predicament as that of all Lebanon – while sending a veiled threat that dissent would not be tolerated. Many Lebanese are undoubtedly sympathetic to the Palestinian cause and resent Israel’s war in Gaza. But at the same time, they may balk at the idea that their own well-being has to be sacrificed in the process.
In the meantime, Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader and mastermind behind the Oct. 7 massacre, may well be looking on at the unfolding events between Israel and Hezbollah with satisfaction. His plan was designed to trigger the unification of all fronts of the so-called “axis of resistance,” which includes the Houthis in Yemen as well as Hezbollah and other Iran-backed groups with the hope for a regional war against Israel.
A year later, we are closer than ever to that scenario.
Asher Kaufman does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.