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Category: United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Black Isle and Easter Ross Area Committee rubber stamps funding for Portmahomack play area improvements

    Source: Scotland – Highland Council

    Members of the Black Isle and Easter Ross Area Committee today homologated the decision taken by Tain and Easter Ross members to provide £3,605.07 of funding for the upgrade of Chapel Street Play Park in Portmahomack.

    To allow the earliest completion of these works, and in consultation with Ward 7 Tain and Easter Ross Members, a decision was taken to support the purchase of play equipment and landscaping materials. This has included sensory panels, imaginative play units, safety surfacing, and some minor earthworks.

    Members agreed at Communities and Place Committee in November 2021 to allocate the funds received from the Scottish Government’s play park renewal fund be apportioned to Area Committees based on a blend of play park conditions and the criteria used by Government which is based on the 0–14-year-old population and rurality

    The 2024/25 allocation from the Scottish Government play parks renewal programme for the Tain and Easter Ross Ward is £69,313 and the amount for the Black Isle ward is £25,020. For 2025/26 the figures increase to £118,448 for Easter Ross and £42,756 for the Black Isle.

    Committee Chair, Councillor Lyndsey Johnston said: “The Committee today has formally ratified this investment from the Easter Ross play parks renewal allocation to improve play facilities at Portmahomack.

    Play is fundamental to the well-being and development of children; the committee welcomes the planned improvement to the playpark in Portmahomack and appreciates the views of children and young people when planning and renewing our play parks.”

    The Council can support more local communities by signposting them to funding opportunities and advising them on suitable equipment choices, site layout and inclusive provisions. The Council will also monitor equipment installations where required.

    A map of Highland Council play areas and further information is available on the Council’s website 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Black Isle and Easter Ross Committee backs measures to tackle fuel poverty

    Source: Scotland – Highland Council

    At their meeting held earlier today (Monday 4 November) members of the Black Isle and Easter Ross Committee took the opportunity to discuss measures to improve energy efficiency in social housing and the funding support available through the Great British Insulation Scheme.

    Approval has been given at the Council’s  Net Zero Programme Board to progress a Highland-wide cavity wall insulation project for Council properties which will be funded by the Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS).

    Black Isle and Easter Ross has been identified as an area of priority for this project and has been one of the first areas reviewed and targeted. Letters were sent to Council tenants requesting them to contact the Council’s appointed contractor to arrange a property survey.

    Data collected has identified a potential 108 Council properties across the Black Isle and Easter Ross which could be eligible for wall cavity insulation and a further 551 properties which includes privately owned and privately rented properties which could also benefit.

    Following discussions today, Councillors agreed to support the development of externally funded projects and the opportunity to scale up. Officers will continue to work alongside the contractor to identify properties suitable for cavity wall insulation.

    Chair, Councillor Lyndsey Johnston said: “As a committee we are very keen to do all we can to tackle fuel poverty in our communities and as we approach winter, I know many households will have concerns about their heating bills. The report we discussed today highlights the potential there is to make a difference by installing insulation to make properties more energy efficient and help to bring down heating bills. I look forward to progress being made.”

    She added: “I would encourage Highland residents who are facing difficulty in meeting the cost of their fuel bills to reach out and take full advantage of the support available. “

    The Council’s Welfare Support Team provides free, impartial and confidential support on fuel insecurity concerns, in addition to offering assistance to check eligibility and submit a claim for all benefits and entitlements.  They can be contacted by phone on 0800 090 1004 or by e-mail 

    4 Nov 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Dingwall & Seaforth place planning community event 

    Source: Scotland – Highland Council

    A public drop-in session is being held on Thursday 7 November from 12 noon until 7pm in The Royal British Legion, Dingwall with displays of options for the future masterplanning for the Dingwall & Seaforth area.  Council officers and other partners will be on hand to explain the proposals and answer any questions.  

    An integral part of the day includes the Mid-Ross Community Partnership hosting its Community Networking Event from 2pm – 4pm.  Local groups and organisations will be available to showcase their activities and projects, with the opportunity to network, connect and explore potential partnership working. 

    Communities & Place Committee Chair, Cllr Graham MacKenzie said: “The collaborative community event this Thursday is an excellent opportunity for the public to come along and find out more about the future masterplanning for the area and ask questions and suggest ideas. It also opens the opportunity to connect and discuss further partnership working within our communities.”

    Plans on display and for discussion are:

    Highland Investment Plan – A Masterplan for Dingwall – In May 2024 Highland Council approved the £2.1 billion twenty-year Highland Investment Plan.

    This is a highly significant, long term infrastructure investment programme for the Highland area and is a radical solution to the significant challenges the Council faces in reducing, maintaining, and renewing our asset base, and is closely linked to plans to modernise Council service delivery.  A key element of this approach will be to establish Community Points of Delivery which will be places where a wide range of Council services, including education, can be delivered alongside other partner and community services as part of a future integrated operating model for partnership working.

    Dingwall has been selected as one of the priority locations to develop a local place-based masterplan and this event will provide an opportunity to view the work that has been carried out to date and to gather feedback from members of the community.

    There will be short presentations on the Highland Investment Plan (HIP) at 12.30pm and 4.30pm.  As well as the drop-in event on 7 November, two virtual online public events have also been arranged for 12 and 13 November at 7pm on MS Teams. A presentation will be shown online and there will be an opportunity to ask questions. Anyone wishing to join can request a link to the meetings from CLestates@highland.gov.uk 

    For those unable to attend the session on Thursday or the on-line events, there will be information available at https://engagehighland.co.uk/hub-page/dingwall-and-seaforth where you can answer questions or leave ideas

    Highland Local Development Plan (HLDP) – The Highland Council is gathering evidence including the views of the public and local organisations to help formulate a new, statutory land use plan for Highland. This Plan will shape future planning application and other building investment decisions. This event will display and present the information we think is relevant to the future planning of Dingwall, Conon Bridge, Maryburgh, Muir of Ord, Tore and the wider area but we want your views on what else we should consider. Planning staff will be available to discuss the Plan and explain how to find out more and make comment. There will be short presentations on the HLDP at 1pm and 5pm.  For those that can’t make the event then more details of the Plan are available via www.highland.gov.uk/hldp

    Dingwall & Seaforth Area Place Plan (APP) – Final drafts of the Dingwall & Seaforth Area Place Plan will be available.  This plan captures the priorities for the area set out in other plans and those identified through the past 5 months community engagement sessions.  The APP provides the basis for place-centred service delivery and will act as a tool for funders, guiding investment into the area.  There will be timed presentations on the APP at 2.30pm and 6pm.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Dr Katrina Wruck awarded 2025 Young Australian of the Year

    Source: Australian Ministers for Education

    Congratulations to Dr Katrina Wruck from Queensland for being awarded the national 2025 Young Australian of the Year.

    Katrina has been recognised for research is giving back to remote communities. 

    Based on her research, Katrina has set up a profit-for-purpose business, Nguki Kula Green Labs, which is poised to transform the consumer goods sector by harnessing the power of green chemistry, while inspiring others to step into STEM.

    Katrina’s method of converting mining by-products to zeolite LTA – which can remove contaminants from water that cause hardness – will be commercialised. Her postdoctoral research examines how to break down dangerous ‘forever chemicals’ into benign ones. Altogether, Katrina’s work is a possible foundation for reducing global contamination.

    A proud Mabuigilaig and Goemulgal woman who has long advocated for First Nations knowledge, Katrina also participates in community engagement programs. She is frequently told by the students she speaks to that she’s the first Indigenous scientist they’ve met. Her work has been recognised with several awards and she is already well known in her field.

    What Katrina has accomplished in just a short time is remarkable.

    Her commitment, dedication and care for others demonstrates the best of what young Australians contribute to our communities.

    Katrina was chosen as this year’s Young Australian from an impressive field of state and territory recipients who are all paving the way to a brighter future:

    • Daniel Bartholomaeus, an artist and advocate for the neurodivergent community, from the Australian Capital Territory is a mentor with The With Friends Initiative, a social group for neurodivergent young people. Daniel uses art not only for self-expression but to bridge the gap between neurotypical and neurodiverse people.
    • Maddison O’Gradey-Lee from New South Wales co-founded the Orygen Global Youth Mental Health Fellowship in 2020. Maddison has created a global community that’s combating taboos around mental health and was the first person from Oceania to win the Dalai Lama Peace Fellowship.
    • Victoria’s Aishwarya Kansakar is a globally renowned AI and automation entrepreneur, who was raised amidst Nepal’s civil war and went on to teach herself computing. Today Aishwarya heads Syncrowin, building a world-first AI-powered automation system and is also Women 4 STEM’s chief operating officer, where she leads 300 volunteers, impacting 70 schools and 66,000 women’s STEM careers.
    • Amber Brock-Fabel from South Australia founded the South Australian Youth Forum in 2021 at just 17 years old, ensuring youth voices are heard by lawmakers and relevant organisations. Under Amber’s leadership, the Forum was recently represented at the United Nations Summit of the Future, the National Inquiry into Civics Education and the Australian Conference on Youth Health.
    • From the Northern Territory, Nilesh (Nil) Dilushan’s commitment to community service has led him to co-found two successful community initiatives: The Kindness Shake; and Rotaract Young Professionals Northern Territory. These organisations focus on upskilling young people, addressing literacy gaps and creating employment pathways, making a positive impact on their local communities.
    • Ariarne Titmus OAM from Tasmania has already achieved more in her sporting career than most could ever dream of. Ariarne has demonstrated extraordinary dedication and grit to improve her performance in the pool and is a role model for young swimmers who want to improve and test the boundaries of what is possible. Ariarne holds several world records and has won gold medals in both the 2020 Tokyo and 2024 Paris Olympics.
    • Through Elucidate Education, Western Australia’s Jack Anderson passionately pursues greater equity and educational access in Australia and beyond. Jack has led the publication of many textbooks for senior study and coordinates regular trips to remote areas of Western Australia, donating educational materials to the most socio-economically disadvantaged, rural and Indigenous students, empowering them for success. 

    Congratulations to Katrina, and to all the national nominees. You are a source of inspiration for all Australians.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Growing Gaelic in the Highlands

    Source: Scottish Government

    Funding for cultural centre project.

    A new centre to promote Gaelic language and culture in Inverness is to receive a significant funding boost from the Scottish Government.

    Cultarlann Inbhir Nis will receive £370,000 to develop a space for Gaelic gatherings, ceilidhs and exhibitions in the centre of the city.

    The Cultarlann is based in what was the East Church building. The new funding is a crucial step in developing the property, which will also feature meeting rooms for language courses, a café and shop. 

    The investment forms part of a £4 million package to promote Gaelic initiatives across Scotland.

    The centre will be the first dedicated Gaelic cultural centre in the Highlands and is also intended to be a tourist attraction where visitors can meet Gaelic-speaking staff and learn more about the language and its history.

    Cultarlann Inbhir Nis’s expansion will meet a growing demand for a dedicated space for Gaelic speakers in Inverness. Census figures published earlier this year show a 12% increase in the number of people with some Gaelic skills in Inverness compared to 2011.

    Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic Kate Forbes said:

    “To strengthen Gaelic, we are supporting projects like Cultarlann which will enable more people to use the language in their day-to-day life.

    “Gaelic is a unique selling point for Scotland, which is why promoting the language goes hand-in-hand with attracting visitors and growing the economy.

    “The Scottish Government is also supporting the language’s continued growth in the Highlands by working collaboratively to progress the Scottish Languages Bill. The Bill will create a system to enable all parents to apply for Gaelic early learning and childcare services and introduce measures to strengthen Gaelic education in secondary school.”

    Margaret Mulholland, Chair of Cultarlann, Inbhir Nis, said:

    “We are hugely grateful for this fantastic funding offer.  It will enable our plans for a Gaelic Cultural Centre to take a major step forward.  This is a wonderful, iconic building and this funding will enable us to ensure it is properly watertight and to deal with all external essential repairs.

    “We are delighted to welcome Deputy First Minister, Kate Forbes, to the Cultarlann. Kate is a great enthusiast for Gaelic and she can see the exciting future the Cultarlann will have in promoting and building Gaelic culture in Inverness and the wider Highlands.”

    Background

    Census statistics show that 3,411 people in Inverness had some Gaelic skills 2022, an increase of 369 people from 2011.

    A’ Toirt Piseach air Cor na Gàidhlig air a’ Ghàidhealtachd

    Maoineachadh airson ionad cultarach.

    Tha Riaghaltas na h-Alba air taic-airgid nach beag a thoirt seachad airson ionad ùr ann an Inbhir Nis gus Gàidhlig agus cultar na Gàidhlig a chur air adhart.

    Gheibh Cultarlann Inbhir Nis £370,000 gus goireas a chruthachadh ann am meadhan a’ bhaile airson chruinneachaidhean, cèilidhean agus taisbeanaidhean Gàidhlig.

    Tha an Cultarlann stèidhichte anns togalach far an robh an Eaglais an Ear. Leis a’ mhaoineachadh ùr seo, ’s urrainnear ceum cudromach a ghabhail ann a bhith a’ toirt leasachadh air an togalach, far am bi seòmraichean-coinneachaidh airson chùrsaichean cànain, cafaidh agus bùth.

    Tha an t-airgead mar phàirt de mhaoineachadh luach £4m airson iomairtean Gàidhlig a chur air adhart air feadh na h-Alba.

    Leis an ionad ùr seo, bithear a’ stèidheachadh a’ chiad ionaid chultaraich Ghàidhlig air a’ Ghàidhealtachd agus thathar an dùil cuideachd gum bi e a’ tarraing luchd-turais a gheibh cothrom coinneachadh ri luchd-obrach le Gàidhlig agus ionnsachadh mun chànan agus eachdraidh nan Gàidheal.

    Leis an leasachadh seo airson Cultarlann Inbhir Nis, bithear a’ frithealadh air an iarrtas a th’ ann airson àite cruinneachaidh sònraichte do luchd-labhairt na Gàidhlig sa bhaile. Sheall àireamhan bhon chunntas-shluaigh a chaidh fhoillseachadh am-bliadhna gun deach an àireamh de dhaoine le sgilean Gàidhlig ann an Inbhir Nis an àird 12% an coimeas ri àireamhan 2011.

    Thuirt an Leas-Phrìomh Mhinistear is Rùnaire a’ Chaibineit airson na h-Eaconamaidh is Gàidhlig, Ceit Fhoirbeis:

    “Airson cor na Gàidhlig a neartachadh, tha sinn a’ cur taic ri pròiseactan leithid Cultarlann Inbhir Nis far am faigh barrachd dhaoine cothrom gus an cànan a chleachdadh nam beatha làitheil.

    “Tha a’ Ghàidhlig mar phàirt prìseil is sònraichte de chultar na h-Alba, agus sin carson tha adhartachadh a’ chànain cuideachd a’ cuideachadh le bhith a’ tàladh luchd-turais agus a’ cur ris an eaconamaidh.

    “Tha Riaghaltas na h-Alba cuideachd a’ cur taic ri adhartas leantainneach dhan chànan air a’ Ghàidhealtachd le bhith ag obair còmhla ri càch gus Bile nan Cànan Albannach a thoirt air adhart. Bidh am Bile a’ stèidheachadh siostam tron urrainn do gach pàrant cur a-staigh airson tràth-ionnsachadh Gàidhlig agus seirbheisean cùraim-chloinne dhan chloinn aca agus tha cumhachan sa Bhile cuideachd gus foghlam Gàidhlig ann an àrd-sgoiltean a neartachadh.”

    Thuirt Mairead Mulholland, Cathraiche Cultarlann Inbhir Nis:

    “Tha sinn air leth taingeil airson a’ mhaoineachaidh fhialaidh seo. Tha e a’ ciallachadh gun urrainn dhuinn adhartas mòr a dhèanamh leis na planaichean againn airson Ionad Cultarach Gàidhlig. ’S e togalach iongantach is ainmeil a tha seo agus leis a’ mhaoineachadh seo ’s urrainn dhuinn dèanamh cinnteach gum bi e gu tur dìonach agus ’s urrainn dhuinn an obair chàraidh a tha a dhìth air an taobh a-muigh dheth a dhèanamh.

    “Tha e a’ toirt toileachas mòr dhuinn fàilte a chur air an Leas-Phrìomh Mhinistear, Ceit Fhoirbeis, chun a’ Chultarlainn. Tha Ceit air leth taiceil dhan Ghàidhlig agus tha i a’ tuigsinn mar as urrainn dhan Chultarlann feum mòr a dhèanamh ann a bhith a’ cur cultar na Gàidhlig air adhart, agus ann a bhith a’ neartachadh a’ chultair, ann an Inbhir Nis agus air a’ Ghàidhealtachd air fad.”

    Bun-fhiosrachadh

    Tha àireamhan a’ Chunntais-shluaigh a’ sealltainn gun robh sgilean Gàidhlig aig 3,411 daoine ann an Inbhir Nis ann an 2022, sin àrdachadh de 369 bho 2011.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Scottish Greens call for automatic voter registration in schools 

    Source: Scottish Greens

    02 Nov 2024 Education

    Automatically enrolling young people to vote will get them invested in the future of Scotland, says Ross Greer MSP. 

    More in Education

    As the Scottish Greens spokesperson for Education, Mr Greer has lodged an amendment to the upcoming Elections Bill ahead of its Stage 2 proceedings next week, encouraging the Scottish Government to fund projects which would automatically register high school, college and university students to vote.

    Having led on the Scottish Youth Parliament’s work on lowering the voting age to 16 ahead of the 2014 independence referendum, the Green MSP believes that automatic registration of students would boost engagement with the democratic process and empower young people to help shape Scotland’s future.

    Ross says: “The debates and mock referendums we held in high schools are some of my favourite memories of the independence referendum. 

    “Giving sixteen and seventeen year olds the right to vote in 2014 didn’t automatically mean they were going to use it, so schools across the country stepped up to help students make their voices heard. Teachers and council staff organised registration events, debates and mock votes.

    “As a result, turnout amongst young people was incredibly high and the experience of lowering the voting age was judged so successful that it was made permanent for Scottish Parliament and council elections.

    “Some schools have repeated those efforts in the decade since, as have colleges and universities. That hasn’t been a consistent experience though, and young people’s participation in politics has slipped back from that referendum-era high water mark.”

    “My amendment to the Elections bill would give the Scottish Government and local councils a strong steer towards making similar efforts to those trialled with so much success a decade ago. 

    “Automatic voter registration, for example at the point a young person receives their SQA candidate number, would be far better value for money than just encouraging them to register themselves in their own time.

    “There is also plenty of international evidence that automatic registration boosts participation in elections. Education institutions are an obvious location for these kinds of efforts to take place, so I hope MSPs on the committee next week will see the value of this amendment.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New tartan created for INTERPOL

    Source: Interpol (news and events)

    GLASGOW, United Kingdom – A new tartan has been created for INTERPOL by one of the world’s leading tartan designers.

    The traditional patterned cloth was commissioned by the United Kingdom, in advance of INTERPOL’s 92nd General Assembly which will be held in Glasgow from 4 to 7 November.

    The General Assembly is INTERPOL’s supreme governing body, made up of representatives from each of its 196 member countries. It is the largest global gathering of senior law enforcement officials.

    The INTERPOL tartan

    The design was loosely based on the tartan of Scotland’s Black Watch Regiment, formed in 1739 to “Watch upon the braes”, meaning “to guard the hills”.  The infantry battalion was tasked with keeping the peace in the Scottish Highlands and was described by designer Brian Wilton MBE, also known as Scotland’s “Tartan Ambassador, as “a very worthy forerunner of today’s international police body”.

    Colin Brown, Managing Director of Ingles Buchan which produced the INTERPOL tartan said:

    “Tartan is woven into fabric of our nation. It is part of Scotland’s history.

    “It is lovely to see tartan being used for an organization like INTERPOL, and this will be very unique for the delegates to have and to take back to their country as something with meaning to them.”

    The bespoke tartan features the blue of INTERPOL interwoven with the colours of the UK flag. A wide navy-blue band comprised of 92 threads represents the 92 INTERPOL General Assemblies.

    On either side of the navy band, are the threads of 7, 9, 19 and 23 signifying 7 September 1923, the precise date of the 1923 Congress which marked the foundation of INTERPOL.

    The unique INTERPOL tartan has now been added to the official Scottish Register of Tartans in Edinburgh.

    What is tartan?

    Tartan is a design of coloured stripes woven to form a repeated textile pattern, usually consisting of two or more solid stripes running both horizontally and vertically in differing proportions, repeating in a defined sequence.

    The roots of this famous chequered pattern, which has become synonymous with Scotland around the world, date back to the 3rd or 4th century.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New Conservative Leader Kemi Badenoch represents worst instincts of the Tory Party

    Source: Scottish Greens

    02 Nov 2024

    Nasty culture war agendas, disregard for global climate crisis and more of the same to come from the Tory Party’s new leader.

    The election of Kemi Badenoch as leader of the Conservatives is an alarm bell for Scotland, says Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie MSP.

    After a nasty and divisive leadership contest with many unanswered questions, Badenoch is now at the helm of the Tory Party.

    Patrick Harvie says: “I’d congratulate Kemi Badenoch on her new position, but I’d be one of the few doing so. This contest has proved beyond doubt that the few remaining voices of moderate, centre-right Conservatism are now utterly marginalised in the modern Conservative Party. They seem determined to emulate the gutter politics of Farage’s far–right Reform.

    “While neither of the final leadership hopefuls gave much for their party to put their faith in, it is truly depressing to see the Tory Party now led by someone as unashamedly divisive as Kemi Badenoch.

    “She has based her campaign on a nasty culture war agenda, fuelling division and pitting communities against one another. LGBTQ+ people in particular will be deeply worried that a major party is now in the hands of someone so hostile to our human rights.

    “Her scaremongering on net zero targets, at a time when extreme weather events and climate impact on the world’s food system are wreaking havoc,  underlines why the Tories cannot be trusted with our climate.

    “She takes credit for Rishi Sunak’s decision to push back banning petrol and diesel cars to 2035. Most voters know that we don’t have time to spare, and they want Governments to show leadership and make the transition to Net Zero fair and fast.

    “She’s been elected by appealing to the worst instincts of the Conservative Party. We know that the politics she represents is no basis for building a fairer society – we have just endured 14 years of them. I’m confident that Scotland will continue to reject the politics of the Tories, no matter who’s in charge.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Parks Canada commemorates National Historic Person Teyoninhokarawen (John Norton)

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Parks Canada Commemorates Teyoninhokarawen (John Norton).

    November 2, 2024                   Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON                   Parks Canada

    Today, Parks Canada commemorated the national historic significance of Teyoninhokarawen (John Norton) at a special plaque unveiling ceremony at Queenston Heights Park in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. The commemoration ceremony was held by Parks Canada in collaboration with Niagara Parks Commission during the annual Valour and Victory: Honouring Indigenous Veterans event at Queenston Heights Park.

    Born on December 16, 1770, to a Scottish mother and an Ani-Yunwiya (Cherokee) father, Teyoninhokarawen (John Norton) was a great political and military leader, interpreter, and author before, during, and after the War of 1812. As an interpreter for the Indian Department at Niagara, Upper Canada, in the 1790s, Norton met and impressed the renowned Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk) chief Thayendanegea (Joseph Brant). Thayendanegea’s mentorship led Norton to join the Grand River Kanien’kehá:ka, where he was adopted as his nephew and successor. As an emissary, Norton journeyed to London, England, to convince the Privy Council to support Haudenosaunee land rights, in opposition to the Indian Department.

    During the War of 1812, Norton’s leadership and military acumen was crucial, convincing many First Nations communities and their warriors to ally with the British in key battles, contributing to victories at the Battles of Queenston Heights, Stoney Creek, Chippawa and Lundy’s Lane. His success as a leader of Indigenous forces helped to counter American advances and solidify British positions.

    Norton also left a rich literary legacy, including a translation of the Gospels of St. John and St. Matthew into Kanien’kéha (the Mohawk language) and journals which provide a rare record of the times and a Haudenosaunee perspective on the war. His work served as a bridge between cultures. As a leader, he played a crucial role in the military and diplomatic arenas in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

    The Government of Canada, through Parks Canada and the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, recognizes significant people, places, and events that shaped this country as one way of helping Canadians connect with their past. By sharing these stories with Canadians, we hope to foster understanding and reflection on the diverse histories, cultures, legacies, and realities of Canada’s past and present.

    The designation process under Parks Canada’s National Program of Historical Commemoration is largely driven by public nominations. To nominate a person, place or historic event in your community, please visit the Parks Canada website for more information: https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/culture/clmhc-hsmbc/ncp-pcn/application.

                                                                                                              -30-

    Hermine Landry
    Press Secretary
    Office of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change
    873-455-3714
    hermine.landry@ec.gc.ca

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New deal for biodiversity from using nature’s genetic information

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Breakthrough deal struck on sharing the benefits from Digital Sequence Information (DSI) at CBD COP16 in Colombia

    Negotiations on Digital Sequence Information (DSI) have concluded today (2 November) at CBD COP16 in Cali, Colombia.

    DSI is genetic information that has been sequenced from the natural world, with the DNA code then made available online for use in research. This is the type of data used by companies across the world for the creation of new medicines, vaccines and other products. By continuing to ensure it is freely available digitally, it will enable scientists to share information and develop the products that we rely on, whilst supporting the conservation of nature. 

    This research can be applied to medicine, agriculture, conservation and public health, with benefits such as the development of vaccines or adapting plants to be more resilient to climate change.

    The deal reached means businesses have the option of voluntarily contributing to a new fund – known as the Cali Fund – if they use this genetic information from nature. 

    This Fund will then support further use of DSI and the conservation and sustainable use of nature, with a significant proportion flowing to Indigenous People and local communities.

    Nature Minister Mary Creagh said:

    We have seen the many benefits of DSI, including identifying infectious diseases, predicting which plants will survive in a warming climate, or helping protect threatened species.

    More than half of the global economy is estimated to be dependent in some way on the ecosystem services that nature provides, so this latest deal is critical in supporting future growth and development.

    I would like to thank the UK negotiating team and all those involved who helped conclude these important negotiations.

    Eva Zabey, Chief Executive at Business for Nature, said:

    Nature underpins every aspect of our economy. The benefits of natural resources – including through digital sequencing – must be valued and shared fairly, which is why this deal is so important.

    Ms Bupe Mwambingu, Biodiversity Partnerships Manager at Basecamp Research, a UK-based company which is working to build the first fully traceable DSI database, said:

    We are thrilled to welcome the COP16 decision on Digital Sequence Information (DSI). We believe that by working together to address the challenges around DSI, we have a unique opportunity to accelerate the development of life-saving medicines, sustainable food supplies, and carbon-negative industries, while also driving the protection of our planet’s precious biodiversity.

    Over 196 governments – plus businesses, researchers, Indigenous Peoples and local communities – have been involved in reaching this deal

    The UK government will now work with industry on developing a voluntary mechanism.

    Updates to this page

    Published 2 November 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Growth at the heart of Foreign Secretary’s visit to Nigeria and South Africa

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Foreign Secretary David Lammy visits Nigeria and South Africa.

    • Economic growth to underpin work in both Nigeria and South Africa, as Foreign Secretary agrees to develop a new UK-South Africa Growth Plan and a new Strategic Partnership with Nigeria.
    • Climate continues to top the agenda of Foreign Secretary’s engagement as he visits Earthshot+ event in Cape Town.
    • Foreign Secretary sets out “Growth is the core mission of this government and will underpin our relationships in Nigeria, South Africa and beyond.”

    David Lammy will begin a visit to Nigeria and South Africa today (3rd November), his first trip to the African continent as Foreign Secretary and the first to visit South Africa since 2013.

    Committing to a fresh approach to Africa that works productively from Morocco to Madagascar, the Foreign Secretary will announce the start of a five-month consultation process, to ensure African voices inform and sit at the very heart of the UK’s new approach to the continent. Accommodating the diverse needs and ambitions of 54 countries, the consultation will guarantee the UK’s relationships across Africa are based on mutual respect and partnership.

    Foreign Secretary David Lammy said:

    Africa has huge growth potential, with the continent on track to make up 25% of the world’s population by 2050.  

    Our new approach will deliver respectful partnerships that listen rather than tell, deliver long term growth rather than short term solutions and build a freer, safer, more prosperous continent. I want to hear what our African partners need and foster relationships so that the UK and our friends and partners in Africa can grow together. 

    Growth is the core mission of this government and will underpin our relationships in Nigeria, South Africa and beyond.

    This will mean more jobs, more prosperity and more opportunities for Brits and Africans alike.

    In Nigeria, the Foreign Secretary will sign a modern and progressive Strategic Partnership – the first of its kind between the UK and Nigeria. This new dialogue will cover the breadth of the UK-Nigeria areas of shared cooperation from growth and jobs to national security, tackling the climate and nature crisis to strengthening our people-to-people ties. 

    Nigeria will be the world’s fifth largest economy by 2075 – the Foreign Secretary will advocate for further collaboration on mutual growth via the UK-Nigeria Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership, signed earlier this year. This partnership is the key vehicle for driving trade and market access between the UK and Nigeria and plays a vital role in the UK’s growth mission.

    The Foreign Secretary will advocate for further trade and climate collaboration between Nigeria and the UK in high level meetings with President Tinubu, Foreign Minister Tuggar and Lagos Governor Sanwo-Olu. 

    Building on President Tinubu’s macro-economic reforms, the Foreign Secretary will announce a diverse Technical Assistance package to the Nigerian Ministry of Finance, offering British expertise from the Bank of England, HMRC and others to help continue to modernise and diversify the Nigerian economy. Catalysing reform across Nigeria will create further opportunities within the flourishing Nigerian economy for British businesses – generating growth, jobs and incomes for Brits and Nigerians.  

    Travelling on to South Africa, David Lammy will agree to develop a new UK-South Africa Growth Plan. South Africa is our largest trading partner on the continent and this plan will allow trade to flourish even more through collaboration on market access, a new UK Trade Partnership programme to boost South Africa exports, and a new programme to increase the number of agricultural jobs in rural South Africa. This will simultaneously boost trade for Brits whilst bolstering opportunities within South Africa.

    At the biennial UK-South Africa bilateral forum the Foreign Secretary and Foreign Minister Lamola will refresh the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership to 2030 – raising joint ambition on climate, nature, trade and security and committing to UK-SA cooperation for the next two years on trade and investment, energy transition, and security. 

    South African exports to the UK supported over 137,000 jobs in 2020 – the Foreign Secretary will boost this with the renewal of a risk-sharing partnership between British International Investment and Standard Chartered to provide trade finance for SMEs and corporates operating across Africa and Asia.

    No growth can be truly inclusive nor effective unless it is green. In both Nigeria and South Africa, the Foreign Secretary will build on the momentum from his Kew Lecture to encourage green growth and climate cooperation. In South Africa the Foreign Secretary will celebrate climate innovation at the Earthshot+ thought leadership conference. Founded by Prince William, The Earthshot Prize is a global environmental prize and platform designed to discover, accelerate and scale ground-breaking solutions to repair and regenerate the planet. The Foreign Secretary will speak with these innovators to understand how the UK can support and help channel finance to where biodiversity, climate risk and energy needs are greatest. He will announce a further Biodiversity Challenge Fund to help tackle the illegal wildlife trade and technical assistance to support South Africa’s energy transition.

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    Contact the FCDO Communication Team via email (monitored 24 hours a day) in the first instance, and we will respond as soon as possible.

    Updates to this page

    Published 3 November 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Government goes further and faster on planning reform in bid for growth

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Chancellor continues bold reform of the planning system to deliver on the Plan for Change for working people.

    • Chancellor reveals new plans for more houses near commuter train stations to kick start economic growth, as government continues its bold reform of the planning system to deliver on the Plan for Change for working people.
    • Sweeping reforms under the Planning and Infrastructure Bill will take an axe to red tape that slows down approval of infrastructure projects and the government will work with Parliamentarians to ensure a smooth and speedy delivery.
    • Chancellor highlights in its first six months the government has already taken 13 planning decisions and approved 9 nationally significant infrastructure projects spanning airports, data centres, energy farms, and major housing developments.

    Untapped land near commuter transport hubs will be unlocked to build new housing for working people, as part of bold new steps to reform the planning system and unlock growth to deliver win-win outcomes for the country and the economy. The bold reforms will create secure, high-paying jobs and deliver major infrastructure faster to bolster public services and lower bills.

    Ahead of the Chancellor’s speech next week on economic growth, the government has today announced how it will go further and faster to deliver our Plan for Change milestones of 1.5 million new homes over five years and 150 decisions on major infrastructure projects by the end of the Parliament. It follows the ambitious reforms unveiled by the Chancellor in July and delivered by the Deputy Prime Minister at the end of last year through publication of the overhauled National Planning Policy Framework.

    The government’s next steps on planning reform include streamlining a set of national policies for decision making to guide planning decisions taken by local authorities and promote housebuilding in key areas.

    In a major new growth push, the government will ensure that when developers submit an application for acceptable types of schemes in key areas – such as in high potential locations near commuter transport hubs – that the default answer to development is ‘yes’. This will unlock more housing at a greater density in areas central to local communities, boosting the government’s number one mission to grow the economy. These measures will transform communities, with more shops and homes nearer to the transport hubs that working people rely on day in day out.

    As part of these measures, the government will streamline decisions on critical infrastructure projects by slashing red tape in the planning system which is holding up projects. That means looking again at the input from expert bodies who developers are required to consult – and replacing the current systems of environmental assessment to deliver a more effective and streamlined system that reduces costs and delays for developers, whilst still protecting the environment.

    The Chancellor also revealed today that she is championing a regeneration project around Old Trafford in Manchester that will see new housing, commercial and public space as a shining example of the bold pro-development model that will drive growth across the region, with authorities exploring setting up a mayoral development corporation body to redevelop the area. 

    The government is also working with Greater Manchester to release growth-generating land around transport hubs through local development orders, such as around Castleton Station, with the potential for this innovative use of existing powers to kickstart building in these sites to be a blueprint for the rest of the country so that every corner of the UK benefits from growth.

    The new proposals tackle the dire inheritance head on. Last year homebuilding fell below 200k and permissions reached their lowest for over a decade, which is why the government is taking radical action necessary to reverse this trend and deliver the homes necessary to reach 1.5 million homes over this Parliament.

    This government is turning the page on the decline and decay of the past and choosing growth with a significant number of planning decisions already made by Ministers since July. This includes 13 planning decisions taken by Ministers over 90% of which within the target timeframe, and 9 nationally significant infrastructure projects approved, collectively spanning airports, data centres, solar farms and major housing developments such as the Expansion of London City Airport, a data centre in Buckinghamshire and a new M&S store in Oxford Street, London.  

    The government has committed to making 150 decisions on these major economic infrastructure applications over this Parliament, more than doubling the decisions made in the previous Parliament and more than 130 made since 2011.

    This will unlock the growth necessary to deliver win-win outcomes for the country and the economy – creating stable and high-paying jobs, building more affordable homes, and delivering critical infrastructure faster to bolster public services and lower bills – while improving the environment where it matters most.

    Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves said:

    I am fighting every single day in our mission to kick start the economy, deliver on our Plan for Change, and make working people better off. That includes avenues that others have shied away from.  

    Too often the answer to new development has been “no”. But that is the attitude that has stunted economic growth and left working people worse off. We need to do things differently and that journey began as soon as I started at the Treasury in July. These are our next steps and I can say for certain, there is more to come.

    Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing, Angela Rayner said:

    From day one I have been clear that bold action is needed to remove the blockers who put a chokehold on growth. That’s why we are putting growth at the heart of our planning system.

    Growth means higher wages, better living standards, families raising their children in safer homes, and the next generation taking their first steps onto the housing ladder.

    This year we will go even further to make the dream of homeownership a reality for millions and fix the housing crisis we inherited for good – getting more shovels in the ground to build the homes and vital infrastructure that our communities so desperately need.

    Growth is the number one mission of this Government’s Plan for Change, so we can put more money in people’s pocket. Today the Chancellor is setting out further action on the government’s growth mission by announcing the following: 

    Planning 

    The Planning and Infrastructure Bill will provide the powers to accelerate the infrastructure and homes needed to deliver on the government’s ambitions – and fast track critical infrastructure such as windfarms, power plants, and major road and rail projects. Today the government is confirming for the first time that the Bill will be introduced in Spring and we will work with Parliamentarians to ensure a smooth and speedy delivery.

    Further detail on the Bill is being published today in a working paper on streamlining decisions on nationally significant infrastructure projects, including reducing the burden on developers by making consultation requirements more proportionate, strengthening statutory guidance to ensure they are clear over what is and is not required when submitting planning applications, and ensuring that National Policy Statements are updated at least every five years to give more certainty to developers, speeding up decisions. Previous working papers have already set out reforms to the operation of planning committees, and an overhaul of the way developers can discharge their environmental obligations so that they can crack on with building.

    The Chancellor is today also announcing reform to the statutory consultee system, which requires developers to consult local communities and expert bodies when making planning decisions. This often means too many organisations consulted on too wide a range of issues, clogging up much-needed development. Today the government has declared a moratorium on any new statutory consultees and the Chancellor and the Deputy Prime Minister will review in the coming weeks the existing arrangements to make sure they meet this Government’s ambitions for growth.

    This follows changes announced last week to the rules around challenging major infrastructure projects through the courts – stopping blockers getting in the way of the Government’s Plan for Change and getting nuclear plants, trainlines and windfarms built quicker. Current excessive rules mean unarguable cases can be bought back to the courts three times. This will be overhauled, with just one attempt at legal challenge for hopeless cases that would previously have caused much more delay.

    Environment

    The government is also reforming environmental impact assessments, which have strayed from their original purpose of supporting decision making and have become voluminous and costly documents that too often support legal challenges rather than the environment.

    They will be replaced by Environmental Outcome Reports which will be simpler and much clearer, which will support growth by saving developers time and money, whilst still protecting the environment. The government will publish a roadmap for the delivery of these new Environment Outcomes Reports in the coming months.  

    This follows a working paper on development and nature published by the government before Christmas setting out a new approach that will turbocharge the delivery of housing and infrastructure while securing positive environmental outcomes. Developers will be able to pay into the Nature Restoration Fund which will allow them to discharge relevant environmental obligations for protected sites and species and focus on building, safe in the knowledge that appropriate action will be taken to support nature’s recovery.

    Major infrastructure

    A working paper is being published setting out the government’s plan for its 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy, which will be focussed on infrastructure’s role in enabling resilient growth, delivering clean energy by 2030 and net zero by 2050 while securing the growth benefits of the transition, and improving public services.

    The working paper seeks industry views as part of the government’s continued consultation on the development of the strategy which will be published in late Spring.

    Jennie Daly, CEO of Taylor Wimpey said:

    We continue to be impressed by the speed with which the government has gripped the need for planning reform to deliver much needed new housing supply. New high-quality housing and the infrastructure it brings are essential drivers of economic growth. 

    We welcome the commitment from the government to introduce the Planning and Infrastructure Bill as a priority in the spring, and we look forward to supporting the promised consultation work on reforming the planning system to expedite decisions and overcome local barriers to growth.

    Mark Reynolds, Mace Group Executive Chairman and Co-Chair of the Construction Leadership Council said:

    When the government and the Construction sector work in partnership we can unlock growth of up to 2% of GDP. The simplification and streamlining of the planning system is a significant contributor to this so the announcements today are a welcome development which could deliver £2 billion per year in savings once fully implemented.

     In addition the upcoming publication of the 10 year National Infrastructure Strategy is an opportunity to set out plans for ambitious growth and chart a direction for the industry, instilling confidence in businesses to invest in skills, innovation and deliver profitable growth, we look forward to contributing to its success.

    Neil Jefferson, CEO of Home Builders Federations said:

    Identifying more land for development and removing the treacle from the planning process that delays applications is essential if we are to increase housing supply. The swift moves to address these blocks in the planning system are very welcome and will pay dividends if the other constraints on housing supply can be tackled. Housing delivery is dependent upon a range of factors, of which planning is a major one, and these changes underline the government’s commitment to increasing supply.

    Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham said:

    With our devolved powers we’re mobilising the whole Greater Manchester system to lock in growth for the next decade and reap the rewards for our city-region and UK plc.

    The project around Old Trafford represents the biggest opportunity for urban regeneration this country has seen since London 2012 and is a key part of our 10-year plan to turbocharge growth across Greater Manchester. We look forward working with the Government on moving freight away from the site around Old Trafford to new locations to open up capacity our rail network, and unlock massive regeneration potential – delivering benefits across the whole of the North.

    As part of its relentless focus to get Britain building and achieve the ambition to build 1.5 million new homes over five years, the government has already:  

    • Overhauled the National Planning Policy Framework, including new and higher mandatory housebuilding targets for councils, a comprehensive modernisation of the Green Belt, and far greater support for growth-supporting development such as labs and datacentres.  

    • Launched a New Homes Accelerator group to unlock thousands of new homes currently in the planning system.  

    • Published a series of working papers on further reforms to the planning system:  
      • ‘brownfield passports’, designed to ensure that where planning proposals meet design and quality standards, the default answer to planning permission is ‘yes’,
      • development and nature recovery, detailing a new approach for developers to discharge environmental obligations through payment into a Nature Restoration Fund which then allows them to crack on with building,
      •  planning committees, proposing a national scheme of delegation to speed up the approval process and provide greater certainty to developers.

    • Set up an independent New Towns Taskforce, as part of a long-term vision to create largescale communities of at least 10,000 new homes each.  

    • Awarded £68 million to 54 local councils to unlock housing on brownfield sites.   

    • Awarded £47 million to seven councils to unlock homes stalled by nutrient neutrality rules. 

    • Extended the existing Home Building Fund for this year providing up to £700 million of vital support to SME housebuilders, supporting the delivery of around 12,000 additional homes.

    • Confirmed that government investment in housing will increase to £5 billion for this year, including an extra £500 million in new funding for the Affordable Homes Programme to deliver tens of thousands of new affordable and social homes across the country.

    Updates to this page

    Published 26 January 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK increases support for Anguilla’s health, security and infrastructure as Minister for Overseas Territories visits islands

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The UK Minister for the Overseas Territories, Stephen Doughty, will announce new support for Anguilla’s health and security infrastructure as he makes his first visit to the Overseas Territories this week (2-4 November).

    • UK Overseas Territories Minister will open Anguilla’s new emergency 911 control room and announce funding for new ambulances to be provided by February 2025
    • Further funding will finance an additional search and rescue vessel for Anguilla’s maritime search and rescue service
    • Visit to UK-funded high school and airport to take place as minister assesses impact and progress

    The UK Minister for the Overseas Territories, Stephen Doughty, will announce new support for Anguilla’s health and security infrastructure as he makes his first visit to the Overseas Territories this week (2-4 November).

    The minister will be opening Anguilla’s new emergency 911 control room, partly funded by the UK government, and a facility that will be vital asset in helping to improve public safety. He will also formally announce the UK government’s provision of two new ambulances to Anguilla, and a new boat for assisting with coastal search and rescue operations.

    UK Overseas Territories Minister, Stephen Doughty said:

    “UK funding for Anguilla is helping islanders live healthier, safer, and more prosperous lives.

    “The new support I will announce is just the latest chapter in the UK’s close relationship with Anguilla, with sustainable investment and close partnership at its heart.”

    The minister will make a stop at the Royal Anguilla Police and National Emergency Operating Centre, where he will commend the force for their efforts in reducing gang violence in recent months. The UK has funded seven UK officers to help the Royal Anguilla Police Force tackle gang violence and conduct investigations on the island.

    The Minister will also visit the Princess Alexandra Hospital, where he will hear about the challenges faced by those working in Anguilla’s healthcare sector. UK funding has already provided a dialysis unit, reconstruction lab, isolation ward, and a new morgue, which will significantly improve coronial and post-mortem processes.

    Updates to this page

    Published 3 November 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Ministers of Veterans Affairs and National Defence mark 80th anniversary of the Liberation of Belgium

    Source: Government of Canada News

    The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, and the Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence, issued a statement to mark the 80th anniversary of the Liberation of Belgium.

    Ottawa, ON – Today, the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, and the Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence, issued the following statement to mark the 80th anniversary of the Liberation of Belgium:

    “The fall of 1944 was a defining period for the First Canadian Army. After clearing coastal areas in northern France following the successful D-Day landings and the Battle of Normandy, tens of thousands of Canadian troops played a leading role in opening the Scheldt Estuary toward the Belgian port of Antwerp.

    “Not only did maintaining such a vital supply line allow the Allied armies to continue their push toward Germany, it also helped to ultimately free Western Europe from more than four years of Nazi occupation.

    “Eighty years ago today, the people of Belgium were finally liberated. For weeks, Canadian soldiers fought their way across flat, muddy and flooded terrain that offered them little cover as they advanced. Undeterred by the challenges they faced, they succeeded in clearing the Breskens Pocket and liberate the last portions of Belgian territory held by enemy troops, on 3 November 1944.

    “The victory was costly, with the Canadian army accruing thousands of casualties including more than 800 Canadian soldiers making the ultimate sacrifice in battle in Belgium. To this day, we remain grateful that our friends and allies in Belgium continue to honour the memory of the hundreds of Canadian service members who were laid to rest at in cemeteries like Adegem Canadian War Cemetery and Schoonselhof Cemetery.

    “The lasting bond between our countries was forged by thousands of Canadians and Belgians who bravely fought for freedom during the Second World War. Canadians like Edna Beattie who enlisted in 1940, and served as a nurse in England, France and later Belgium where she treated Allied wounded, and Joseph Ross who served with the Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada helping liberate the Breskens Pocket.

    “Today, we remember them and their families, and all they endured to liberate Belgium and Europe.”

    Associated Links:

    Liberation of Belgium – Veterans Affairs Canada

    Media Relations
    Department of National Defence
    Phone: 613-904-3333
    mlo-blm@forces.gc.ca

    Simon Lafortune
    Press Secretary and Communications Advisor
    Office of the Minister of National Defence
    simon.lafortune2@forces.gc.ca

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Passengers vote with their feet and return to public transport

    Source: New South Wales Ministerial News

    Published: 2 November 2024

    Released by: Minister for Transport

    Public transport use is on the rise, growing by almost 20 per cent in the 2023/24 period compared to the same time in 2022/23.

    These latest patronage figures showing passengers are voting with their feet thanks to increased reliability, new travel options and better integration.

    After consecutive periods of growth, latest figures show public transport patronage nearly reached its pre-COVID high with more than 629 million ticketed trips made across all modes in the last financial year.

    That figure is edging closer to the network-high 735 million ticketed trips taken on public transport in the 2018/19 window.

    With the success of Sydney Metro City services and employers getting workers back to the office, public transport could set new post-Covid patronage highs through 2025.

    The new Metro line is seeing around 215,000 passenger trips daily, with people incorporating new ways of travel into their overall journey. There have been more than 12 million trips on the new Metro in its first 10 weeks.

    Transport for NSW is anticipating greater demand as it has listened to passengers, looked at the modelling and adapted services to fit in with how the community wants to use public transport, most notably in the shoulders of the peaks and for recreation.

    Weekend travel has been the big winner with families or visitors to the city overwhelmingly travelling by bus, train, tram, ferry, and metro to major events and to explore the city and attractions.

    Patronage on weekends is up 17 per cent on last year, and for ferries and light rail, has eclipsed pre-Covid travel rates – growing faster than weekday travel.

    Sydney Metro has three times the weekend travellers that it did when only operating as a Northwest route.

    Minister for Transport Jo Haylen said:

    “People are voting with their feet and are coming back to public transport, with ridership on light rail and ferries now surpassing pre-covid levels on weekends.

    “Our investment in rail maintenance and our new timetable means our network is more reliable and can recover more quickly when things go wrong.

    “Patronage figures for the new City Metro show that Metromania isn’t slowing down. The daily average of 200,000 trips during its opening week, has increased to an average of 215,000 trips per day.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Business Bureau delivers for business in its first year

    Source: New South Wales Ministerial News

    Published: 2 November 2024

    Released by: Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government, Minister for Small Business

    The Minns Labor Government’s Service NSW Business Bureau has helped small businesses get the support they need, responding to more than 265,000 requests for assistance in its first year.

    In addition, business owners across the State have received a total of around 45,000 hours of free, tailored business advice on business-critical topics such as planning, marketing and cash flow.

    The Business Bureau’s web pages have seen more than 2.2 million website visits since it launched in October 2023, with NSW businesses benefiting from access to personalised guidance, tailored advice and free digital tools.

    The Business Bureau’s team of dedicated Business Concierges has made it easier for businesses to access government support, understand government requirements, apply for licences and permits, receive disaster and emergency assistance, as well as referrals to mental health support for them and their employees.

    The Business Bureau’s rapid response team has provided on the ground support for businesses facing acute crisis. They assisted more than 140 business in the aftermath of the tragic Bondi incident, they were on the ground to assist businesses impacted by the M6 sinkholes and provided assistance to businesses in Northern NSW who had supply chains disrupted due to the fire ants infestation.

    The Business Bureau’s digital tools, the Service NSW Business Bureau App and Service NSW Business Profile, make it even easier to access government support, manage transactions, and save and track industry licences in just a few taps. Since the launch of the Business Bureau, more than 165,000 businesses have used these digital solutions.

    This includes a new seamless way for businesses to renew a business vehicle registration by logging into their Service NSW Business Profile or the Business Bureau Mobile App and simply selecting ‘Renew your vehicle registration’. Already, more than 21,500 customers have accessed the registration renewal feature from the Business Profile.

    For more information on Service NSW Business Bureau, call 13 77 88 or visit: https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/business

    Minister for Small Business Steve Kamper said:

    “I am passionate about small business, having lived it my whole career, and these customer numbers tell an amazing story of the significant support delivered by the Service NSW Business Bureau in its first year.

    “The Business Bureau is supporting small business owners no matter where they are on their business journey with free, tailored advice and digital tools which are helping to make being in business easier.

    “Driven by the priorities of the recently launched NSW Charter for Small Business, we are focused on working with small businesses across the State to tackle unproductive red tape, break down barriers and build a stronger future.

    “We know small businesses having been doing it tough, but now the Business Bureau is there for small businesses every step of the way.”

    Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government Jihad Dib said:

    “Small business owners across the State wear many hats which is why we remain committed to making support and services more accessible and more flexible than ever.

    “We have seen more than 165,000 businesses access the Service NSW Business Bureau app and their Service NSW Business Profile which shows the Business Bureau’s digital tools are making it easier for small business owners to access the advice, information and support they need on the go and at a time which suits them.”

    Founder of Learnopolis Jennifer Kozanic said:

    “As a new business, we needed advice about what sort of public liability, professional indemnity and level of cover we needed. We also needed support with considering who we should target with supplying our product and service.

    “The Business Bureau has provided great advice on writing grant applications, business development and pricing. Winning a NSW Government contract was huge for us as a two-person start-up.

    “Sam, my business concierge, genuinely wants to support us and to have someone cheering you on from the sidelines, who understands business, is something I would recommend for every owner.”

    Founder of Parkview Realty Ben Burfitt said:

    “The Business Bureau has been hugely supportive in making sure my application for both my class 1 real estate agent licence and business corporation licence were progressed.

    “To have someone who is able to liaise with other areas of the NSW Government was extremely beneficial in getting licence approval in a timely manner.

    “My business is new and so brand awareness is important to us. I look forward to working with the Business Bureau on how to develop this and market the company in a way that represents our story and what we offer.”

    Business NSW CEO Daniel Hunter said:

    “The NSW Government has done much to improve the digital interface with business. Our state has led the nation for the past decade. 

    With rapid improvements in technology and a constantly evolving operational environment, this is an area we can never take for granted. The work must be continuous or we risk falling behind.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: More energy, fewer turbines – modification boosts wind farm capacity

    Source: New South Wales Ministerial News

    Published: 3 November 2024

    Released by: Minister for Planning and Public Spaces

    The NSW Government has approved a modification to a large-scale wind farm in the state’s Central West which will deliver enough energy to the grid to power 730,000 homes.

    The Liverpool Range Wind Farm was approved in 2018 with a modification sought in 2022 to utilise more efficient technology to increase its energy generation with fewer turbines.

    The $2 billion renewable energy project, northeast of Mudgee, will create 550 construction jobs and 47 operational jobs for the Central West economy.

    The local community will also benefit with $35 million to be delivered to local councils through Voluntary Planning Agreements.

    Following consultation with the community the applicant reduced the number of turbines from 267 to 185 to reduce the visual impacts.

    The modification will see an increase in the project’s maximum energy generation capacity by 370 megawatts to 1.3 gigawatts, with capacity to power an additional 200,000 homes across the state.

    Achieving this additional power was made possible through the use of more efficient turbines and increasing the maximum wind turbine height from 165 to 215 metres.

    The project will help prevent 2.8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere across NSW during its first full year of operation.

    This State Significant Development is located within the Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone (REZ), which the NSW Government considers a strategic area with strong renewable energy resource potential.

    Projects like this are critical to Labor’s Energy Plan to deliver cleaner, more affordable energy to the grid while creating thousands of jobs and boosting regional economies.

    In its assessment, the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) worked closely with the community, councils and government agencies to address visual, biodiversity, traffic and transport impacts.

    The department has set a suite of conditions to make sure any potential impacts are effectively minimised, managed and offset.

    For more information see: https://www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/major-projects/projects/mod-1-turbine-and-infrastructure-changes

    Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:

    “NSW is leading a once-in-a-generation upgrade of the electricity network by building the infrastructure we need to power our state into the future.

    “The Liverpool Range Wind Farm will generate jobs during its construction and operational phases, while also providing long-lasting benefits to the local area through community contributions over the life of project.

    “This is a good example of the applicant working with the local community and the final result being material changes to the proposal that address visual impacts.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: $21 million for alcohol and drug services in Northern NSW, as Drug Summit begins in Lismore

    Source: New South Wales Ministerial News

    Published: 4 November 2024

    Released by: Minister for Regional Health

    The NSW Government is committing $21 million over four years to enhance alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatment and support for people in Northern NSW, as the second day of the regional Drug Summit begins in Lismore.

    This includes $6.8 million for three new programs to be provided by not-for-profit AOD services and mental health organisation The Buttery, including:

    • $2.6 million for a new day rehabilitation program and counselling for people with dependent children;
    • $2 million over four years for community-based withdrawal management and counselling for priority population groups; and
    • $2.2 million over four years for a new post-custodial support service.

    Community Rehabilitation

    The Community Rehabilitation for Parents program will provide day rehabilitation with individual care-coordination, counselling, and psychosocial support for up to six months for people aged over 18 with a substance use disorder and dependent children.

    The program is expected to support up to 48 people each year.

    Withdrawal management and counselling

    People will be offered withdrawal management in partnership with local GPs, assertive case-management and AOD psychosocial counselling for up to six months.

    Face to face and virtual care will be available. Up to 360 people will be able to receive treatment each year across Northern NSW and the Mid-North Coast.

    Post-custodial support

    Case management and support will be offered to people in Northern NSW and the Mid North Coast up to three months prior to release from custody and up to 12 months post-release.

    Northern NSW Local Health District services

    As part of this announcement, Northern NSW Local Health District will receive funding to support the following services:

    • $1.5 million to establish Substance Use in Pregnancy and Parenting Services across multiple locations including Tweed Byron Ballina, Richmond and Grafton. A virtual care component will support mothers and parents in rural locations to enable increased engagement with AOD services.
    • $700,000 to expand alcohol and other drug hospital consultation services in Lismore, Tweed, Clarence and Byron/Ballina to better support acute services, provide extended hours of coverage, and virtual care.
    • $1.6 million for expansion and integration of AOD services for young people, including enhance partnerships with other agencies including Department of Communities and Justice, Headspace, Youth Justice and HARP. The service will be available in 3 locations and includes virtual care.

    Drug Summit in Lismore

    The 2024 Drug Summit is underway in NSW with the second regional forum taking place in Lismore today, following the first day of the Summit in Griffith last Friday.

    The Summit will also be held in Sydney on 4 and 5 December, bringing together health experts, police, people with lived and living experiences, drug user organisations, families and other stakeholders to provide a range of perspectives.

    Quotes attributable to Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park:

    “I am so proud to be able to announce this important investment into life changing services for the people of Northern NSW, on the second day of the regional Drug Summit in Lismore.

    “It’s vital that we continue to support community organisations like The Buttery to help people achieve recovery and rebuild their lives.

    “This funding will focus on increasing access to evidence-based treatment, prevention, and early intervention services especially in regional and rural areas.

    “These new programs are tailored to meet the unique needs of people living in regional areas, and priority population groups including Aboriginal people, pregnant women, people with mental health conditions, young people, and people involved in the criminal justice system.”

    Quotes attributable to Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin:

    “The Northern NSW community will benefit from this major funding boost, which will significantly improve health and social outcomes for people at risk of alcohol and other drug related harm, and their families.

    “I look forward to listening and reflecting on the experience and expertise of everyone contributing to the second day of the regional Drug Summit in Lismore, so we can better understand how to support our community.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: The winner is Sydney! Our marathon is the next ‘World Major’

    Source: New South Wales Ministerial News

    Published: 4 November 2024

    Released by: The Premier, Minister for Jobs, Minister for Tourism

    Sydney is taking its place among the iconic marathon cities of the world, becoming just the seventh Abbott World Marathon Major alongside New York, London, Tokyo, Boston, Chicago and Berlin.

    With the support of the NSW Government over a three-year candidacy and review period, the Sydney Marathon now joins the elite club of Abbott World Marathon Majors after international organisers announced their decision at the New York Marathon overnight.

    Sydney’s new status is expected to drive a wave of international and interstate runners, along with familes, friends and event support crew to visit NSW.

    The Sydney Marathon will become an instant bucket list event for thousands of runners across the globe who have already achieved the “six star medal” for completing all six major marathons – and thousands more who have been aiming for the same goal but will now want to add Sydney to their to-do list.

    Major status positions Sydney as the major events capital of the Asia Pacific and brings global spotlight, with other marathons being watched by an average global broadcast audience of 20 million viewers.

    Currently, all six Abbott World Marathon Majors are oversubscribed. For example, more than 840,000 people have applied to run in the London Marathon next year, with only about 55,000 places on offer.

    Destination NSW estimates an extra $73 million in visitor expenditure will be added to the NSW economy over the next three years as a result of Sydney Marathon’s elevation. Over a decade, an extra $300 million will be added to the economy, with many visitors to Sydney taking the opportunity to visit regional NSW while in Australia.

    The elevation of the Sydney Marathon to major status has been made possible through a funding and strategic partnership with the NSW Government through Destination NSW. Government support was a requirement of the Abbott World Marathon Majors criteria and involves cross agency collaboration with Transport for NSW, Destination NSW, NSW Police and NSW Ambulance.

    The TCS Sydney Marathon cleared its final hurdle in September after three years of being judged against the assessment criteria of Abbott World Marathon Majors.

    There were 25,000 registered runners for the marathon that winds its way through the harbour city and finishes at the Sydney Opera House.

    Participation in the Sydney Marathon has increased by 400% since 2022, from 5,000 entries to 25,000 in 2024. It is expected that 33,300 will greet the starter’s gun in August 2025, rising to 37,800 in 2027.

    Ongoing support for the Sydney Marathon is part of the broader Minns Government plan to grow the NSW Visitor Economy to $91 billion in expenditure by 2035.

    New South Wales Premier Chris Minns said:

    “We’re thrilled Australia’s only global city, Sydney is now a member of the world majors club, following the great marathon cities of Boston, Chicago, New York, Berlin, Tokyo and London.

    “Achieving major marathon status is a huge honour and we are proud to be a funding and strategic partner of the Sydney Marathon.

    “These runners, their supporters and fans who come to watch will bring a huge boost to the local economy.

    “We have ambitious plans to boost the number of visitors in NSW and this event is another feather in our cap.

    “NSW is an unbeatable hotspot for tourists across the globe and we look forward to welcoming them next year, providing a multi million dollar boost to the economy and an unforgettable experience for the runners on one of the most scenic marathon courses in the world.”

    Minister for Jobs and Tourism John Graham said:

    “They are the bucket list events that runners from across the world want to tick off. Now Sydney Marathon joins them at the starting line.

    “Sydneysiders get behind a sporting event like no other city and we know more and more people will embrace the marathon whether that is aspiring to complete it or getting out to support those who do.

    “Sydney Marathon 2025 will draw more visitors, but the NSW Government is just as excited by the economic boost this will provide over the long run as the status of the event grows.

    “I congratulate Sydney Marathon organisers and those who worked on its candidacy, backed by Destination NSW. This is a remarkable achievement.”

    Wayne Larden, race director of the TCS Sydney Marathon said:

    “Becoming the 7th Abbott World Marathon Major is just incredible for the event, as well as for Sydney and NSW.

    “This amazing milestone is going to have a profound impact on running in Australia, inspiring the community to become a marathoner and do something special for themselves, their families and friends. Community health will benefit alongside a huge increase in fundraising.

    “We are so excited to deliver the 2025 event as the 7th Abbott World Marathon Major and join the greatest marathon series and events on the planet!”

    “We could not have achieved such incredible growth in competitors and uplift in delivery to make it into the World Majors if it wasn’t for the support of the NSW Government through Destination NSW, and our partners TCS and ASICS. Our Pont3 team are first rate and have put in so much work to make this happen.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Prime Minister unveils game changing investment to tackle national security threat from people smuggling gangs

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    The Prime Minister is set to announce an additional £75 million to boost border security, bringing the investment in the Border Security Command over the next two years to £150 million.

    • PM to outline major investments to smash criminal smuggling gangs at INTERPOL General Assembly in Glasgow
    • New capabilities for Border Security Command from £150 million funding pot to drive down Organised Immigration Crime both at home and overseas 
    • New additional funding will cover state-of-the-art tech and information centres, boosts to enforcement and intelligence resourcing and expanding CPS capacity

    The Prime Minister is set to announce an additional £75 million to boost border security, bringing the investment in the Border Security Command over the next two years to £150 million. 

    Marking the first time the INTERPOL General Assembly has been hosted in the UK in over 50 years, Keir Starmer will today (4 November) open the Assembly in Glasgow by setting out his personal mission to smash the people smuggling gangs by resetting the UK’s whole approach to this challenge and intensifying international collaboration to meet the global scale of the threat.

    The General Assembly is INTERPOL’s supreme governing body and comprises senior ministerial and policing leads from the organisation’s 196 member states. 

    In his speech, the Prime Minister will set out his plans to draw on his experience of bringing together agencies to tackle international terrorist and drug smuggling gangs during his time as Director of Public Prosecutions to dismantle the people smuggling gangs who drive illegal migration, profit from human misery and represent a serious threat to global security. 

    He will also set out how the £150 million will provide additional specialist investigators and state of the art surveillance equipment to ensure those behind this criminal activity are stopped and brought to justice. 

    This major funding boost for the government’s new Border Security Command will initially be directed towards a range of enforcement and intelligence activity, including:

    • Investing heavily in NCA technology and capabilities, delivering advanced data exploitation and improvements to technologies to boost collaboration with European partners to investigate and break people smuggling networks.
    • 300 staff for the new Border Security Command, who will strengthen global partnerships, deliver new legislation and lead the system through investment and strategy.
    • 100 specialist investigators and intelligence officers for the NCA, dedicated to tackling criminals who facilitate people smuggling. 

    • Creating a new specialist OIC Intelligence Source Unit which will cohere intelligence flows from key police forces. 

    • Boosting the Crown Prosecution Service’s ability to deliver charging decisions more quickly on international organised crime cases. 

    The Border Security Command, led by Martin Hewitt CBE QPM, will be provided with enhanced powers – through a new Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill – to tackle organised immigration crime whilst providing for strong and effective border security. 

    New measures will make it easier to detect, disrupt and deter those seeking to engage in and benefit from organised immigration crime. The Command will also coordinate the work of intelligence agencies and law enforcement, who lead joint investigations with European counterparts to ensure we can bring those responsible to justice.

    Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is expected to say:

    “The world needs to wake up to the severity of this challenge.  I was elected to deliver security for the British people. And strong borders are a part of that. But security doesn’t stop at our borders.  

    “There’s nothing progressive about turning a blind eye as men, women and children die in the Channel.

    “This is a vile trade that must be stamped out – wherever it thrives. So we’re taking our approach to counter-terrorism – which we know works, and applying it to the gangs, with our new Border Security Command. 

    “We’re ending the fragmentation between policing, Border Force and our intelligence agencies.”

    Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: 

    “Criminal smuggler gangs profit from undermining our border security and putting lives at risk and they have been getting away with it for far too long.

    “Our new Border Security Command, with the investment set out today, will mean a huge step change in the way we target these criminal gangs. People smugglers and traffickers operate in networks across borders, that’s why we have launched a major boost to our cooperation with international partners including other European countries, the G7 and Europol, and why we are so pleased to be hosting the INTERPOL conference on tackling international crime in Glasgow today.”

    The Prime Minister will also announce that the UK Government has increased its in-year support for INTERPOL’s global operations through a £6 million investment which harnesses the organisation’s unique capabilities to tackle serious organised crime affecting the UK. 

    Addressing the General Assembly, the Prime Minister will say that closer cooperation with international partners is key as he details how the gangs’ operations span from the money markets in Kabul through to the Kurdish region of Iraq and right across Europe and into the UK. 

    He will stress the government’s ongoing commitment to strengthening security agreements to facilitate greater sharing of intelligence and more joint operational work, in particular through Europol. 

    The Home Office will also invest £24m in the new financial year to tackle international serious organised crime affecting the UK including drugs and firearms, fraud, trafficking and exploitation. Funds will in part be used to bolster work done by special prosecutors and operational partners in the Western Balkans.

    There were more than 5,000 drug related deaths in 2023, with most of the illegal drugs causing these coming from overseas or facilitated by transnational gangs. ISOC funding will also be used to tackle drug smuggling upstream and at the UK border, building on recent successes, such as the effective collaboration with the US and Ecuador, which has resulted in the seizure of 19 tonnes of cocaine.

    National Crime Agency Director General Graeme Biggar said:

    “Serious and organised crime causes more harm, to more people, more often than any other national security threat. And almost all of serious and organised crime now has an international nexus. Distance, borders and languages are meaningless to criminals. This is why collaborations with INTERPOL have never been as important as they are today.

    “Tackling organised crime, and especially immigration crime, remains a top priority for the NCA. We are currently leading around 70 investigations into the gangs or individuals involved in the highest echelons of this type of criminality, and we are devoting more resources to it than ever before.

    “We have built up our intelligence sharing effort with law enforcement partners across Europe and beyond, including having more NCA officers based overseas, sharing intelligence and working side by side on joint investigations. This approach is bringing operational results with arrests and prosecutions, but we are also we are seeking to disrupt the people smugglers’ business model, through targeting their social media offering, their supply routes for equipment, and their financial flows.

    “We are determined to do all we can to disrupt and dismantle these networks, wherever they operate.”

    The announcement comes just a month after Britain joined up to a new G7 anti migrant smuggling action plan which included pledges to bolster border security, combat transnational organised crime, and protect vulnerable individuals from exploitation by smugglers. 

    The plan includes new, intelligence-led joint investigative actions to target criminal smuggling routes, working with social media platforms and internet providers to remove harmful content promoting illegal migration services or advertising fake job opportunities, and strengthening capabilities to monitor and anticipate irregular migration flows at both global and regional levels.

    Updates to this page

    Published 4 November 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Press release: Prime Minister unveils game changing investment to tackle national security threat from people smuggling gangs

    Source: United Kingdom – Prime Minister’s Office 10 Downing Street

    The Prime Minister is set to announce an additional £75 million to boost border security, bringing the investment in the Border Security Command over the next two years to £150 million.

    • PM to outline major investments to smash criminal smuggling gangs at INTERPOL General Assembly in Glasgow
    • New capabilities for Border Security Command from £150 million funding pot to drive down Organised Immigration Crime both at home and overseas 
    • New additional funding will cover state-of-the-art tech and information centres, boosts to enforcement and intelligence resourcing and expanding CPS capacity

    The Prime Minister is set to announce an additional £75 million to boost border security, bringing the investment in the Border Security Command over the next two years to £150 million. 

    Marking the first time the INTERPOL General Assembly has been hosted in the UK in over 50 years, Keir Starmer will today (4 November) open the Assembly in Glasgow by setting out his personal mission to smash the people smuggling gangs by resetting the UK’s whole approach to this challenge and intensifying international collaboration to meet the global scale of the threat.

    The General Assembly is INTERPOL’s supreme governing body and comprises senior ministerial and policing leads from the organisation’s 196 member states. 

    In his speech, the Prime Minister will set out his plans to draw on his experience of bringing together agencies to tackle international terrorist and drug smuggling gangs during his time as Director of Public Prosecutions to dismantle the people smuggling gangs who drive illegal migration, profit from human misery and represent a serious threat to global security. 

    He will also set out how the £150 million will provide additional specialist investigators and state of the art surveillance equipment to ensure those behind this criminal activity are stopped and brought to justice. 

    This major funding boost for the government’s new Border Security Command will initially be directed towards a range of enforcement and intelligence activity, including:

    • Investing heavily in NCA technology and capabilities, delivering advanced data exploitation and improvements to technologies to boost collaboration with European partners to investigate and break people smuggling networks.
    • 300 staff for the new Border Security Command, who will strengthen global partnerships, deliver new legislation and lead the system through investment and strategy.
    • 100 specialist investigators and intelligence officers for the NCA, dedicated to tackling criminals who facilitate people smuggling. 

    • Creating a new specialist OIC Intelligence Source Unit which will cohere intelligence flows from key police forces. 

    • Boosting the Crown Prosecution Service’s ability to deliver charging decisions more quickly on international organised crime cases. 

    The Border Security Command, led by Martin Hewitt CBE QPM, will be provided with enhanced powers – through a new Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill – to tackle organised immigration crime whilst providing for strong and effective border security. 

    New measures will make it easier to detect, disrupt and deter those seeking to engage in and benefit from organised immigration crime. The Command will also coordinate the work of intelligence agencies and law enforcement, who lead joint investigations with European counterparts to ensure we can bring those responsible to justice.

    Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is expected to say:

    “The world needs to wake up to the severity of this challenge.  I was elected to deliver security for the British people. And strong borders are a part of that. But security doesn’t stop at our borders.  

    “There’s nothing progressive about turning a blind eye as men, women and children die in the Channel.

    “This is a vile trade that must be stamped out – wherever it thrives. So we’re taking our approach to counter-terrorism – which we know works, and applying it to the gangs, with our new Border Security Command. 

    “We’re ending the fragmentation between policing, Border Force and our intelligence agencies.”

    Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: 

    “Criminal smuggler gangs profit from undermining our border security and putting lives at risk and they have been getting away with it for far too long.

    “Our new Border Security Command, with the investment set out today, will mean a huge step change in the way we target these criminal gangs. People smugglers and traffickers operate in networks across borders, that’s why we have launched a major boost to our cooperation with international partners including other European countries, the G7 and Europol, and why we are so pleased to be hosting the INTERPOL conference on tackling international crime in Glasgow today.”

    The Prime Minister will also announce that the UK Government has increased its in-year support for INTERPOL’s global operations through a £6 million investment which harnesses the organisation’s unique capabilities to tackle serious organised crime affecting the UK. 

    Addressing the General Assembly, the Prime Minister will say that closer cooperation with international partners is key as he details how the gangs’ operations span from the money markets in Kabul through to the Kurdish region of Iraq and right across Europe and into the UK. 

    He will stress the government’s ongoing commitment to strengthening security agreements to facilitate greater sharing of intelligence and more joint operational work, in particular through Europol. 

    The Home Office will also invest £24m in the new financial year to tackle international serious organised crime affecting the UK including drugs and firearms, fraud, trafficking and exploitation. Funds will in part be used to bolster work done by special prosecutors and operational partners in the Western Balkans.

    There were more than 5,000 drug related deaths in 2023, with most of the illegal drugs causing these coming from overseas or facilitated by transnational gangs. ISOC funding will also be used to tackle drug smuggling upstream and at the UK border, building on recent successes, such as the effective collaboration with the US and Ecuador, which has resulted in the seizure of 19 tonnes of cocaine.

    National Crime Agency Director General Graeme Biggar said:

    “Serious and organised crime causes more harm, to more people, more often than any other national security threat. And almost all of serious and organised crime now has an international nexus. Distance, borders and languages are meaningless to criminals. This is why collaborations with INTERPOL have never been as important as they are today.

    “Tackling organised crime, and especially immigration crime, remains a top priority for the NCA. We are currently leading around 70 investigations into the gangs or individuals involved in the highest echelons of this type of criminality, and we are devoting more resources to it than ever before.

    “We have built up our intelligence sharing effort with law enforcement partners across Europe and beyond, including having more NCA officers based overseas, sharing intelligence and working side by side on joint investigations. This approach is bringing operational results with arrests and prosecutions, but we are also we are seeking to disrupt the people smugglers’ business model, through targeting their social media offering, their supply routes for equipment, and their financial flows.

    “We are determined to do all we can to disrupt and dismantle these networks, wherever they operate.”

    The announcement comes just a month after Britain joined up to a new G7 anti migrant smuggling action plan which included pledges to bolster border security, combat transnational organised crime, and protect vulnerable individuals from exploitation by smugglers. 

    The plan includes new, intelligence-led joint investigative actions to target criminal smuggling routes, working with social media platforms and internet providers to remove harmful content promoting illegal migration services or advertising fake job opportunities, and strengthening capabilities to monitor and anticipate irregular migration flows at both global and regional levels.

    Updates to this page

    Published 4 November 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Investment in electric vehicle charging network

    Source: Scottish Government

    Expansion announced ahead of Ayr Travelling Cabinet.

    Ahead of his first Travelling Cabinet since becoming First Minister, John Swinney will today (Monday) announce plans to expand the electric vehicle (EV) charging network across Ayrshire and the Glasgow City Region. A £6.3 million investment from the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund will lead to the introduction of approximately 3,550 new public EV charge points across the region.

    The First Minister has also welcomed confirmation from charge point data provider ZapMap that Scotland has already reached its target of installing more than 6,000 public EV charge points, two years ahead of the 2026 target.

    Cabinet Secretaries will visit businesses and projects across South Ayrshire to highlight their four priorities: eradicating child poverty, building prosperity, protecting the planet and improving public services. The First Minister and Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop will visit an electric vehicle charging hub where they will meet representatives from EV infrastructure company IONITY.

    The Cabinet will then go on to meet at Ayr Town Hall, followed by a public discussion.

    The First Minister said:

    “Today’s announcement is clear evidence of our commitment to making sustainable travel accessible for everyone in Scotland.

    “We need to maintain this rapid progress, working in greater partnership with the private sector to accelerate the pace and scale of delivery right across the country.

    “By fast-tracking EV infrastructure, we’re paving the way for a net-zero Scotland while advancing our goal to phase out new petrol and diesel cars by 2030.

    “This is a key example of how the Scottish Government is focused on delivering on our key priorities and I am looking forward to hearing from people in Ayr about how we can continue to deliver for them.

    “Connecting with communities across the country enables us to make informed decisions as we strive to create a wealthier, fairer and greener Scotland.”

    Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop said:

    “In 2023, we published our Vision for public EV charging infrastructure, highlighting the key role the private sector will play in delivering Scotland’s future EV charging requirements for public charging.

    “Through our £30 million EV Infrastructure Fund we are continuing to support public EV charging; providing Local Authorities with funding to enable them to work in partnership with the private sector to continue to expand public EV charging across Scotland.

    “This approach is paying dividends – ensuring faster delivery and greater reliability of public charge points across the country. I’m pleased to welcome the matched investment from businesses such as IONITY which is helping to scale up the provision of public EV charging across Scotland.”

    Susan Aitken, Glasgow City Region Cabinet Chair and Leader of Glasgow City Council said:

    “Electric vehicles are to key to reducing carbon emissions and the expanded charging network this funding will deliver can persuade more citizens across the City Region to switch to electric.

    “And in creating the biggest network of charge points across Scotland’s most populous communities we can make a real impact on our national climate targets.”

    IONITY Country (UK & Ireland) Manager Andreas Atkins said:

    “For Scotland to have reached its ambitious target of delivering 6,000 public chargers well ahead of its 2026 target is a huge achievement, especially in such a difficult economic environment at present in the UK.

    “A continued collaborative approach between the public sector and private industry is required to tackle and deliver the roadmap for net zero transport, and IONITY will continue to play a key role in this.

    “We have already injected £20 million investment in Scotland by the end of 2025, with a further £20 million committed into Scotland by 2028 – delivering 100% green electricity through our chargers from Scotland’s main cities to the West Coast and the Highlands.

    “Not only will we enable electric transit right across Scotland, but our charging hub site partners, such as food and beverage retailers, retail parks and hospitality venues will directly benefit. The IONITY hubs are introducing those businesses – and wider local economies – to new revenue streams and additional footfall, bringing entire communities with us into the era of electric vehicles.”

    Zapmap COO and Co-founder Melanie Shufflebotham said: 

    “Reaching the milestone of 6,000 public chargers across Scotland is a significant achievement, with the Scottish government showing great commitment to the EV sector with the forward-looking investment in the ChargePlace Scotland network over the last decade. This has then been supplemented with other private networks and investment across the country.

    “Since the target of 6,000 public EV charge points by 2026 was announced by the Scottish Government in June 2023, charge point infrastructure has grown at an impressive rate – up over 49% from 4,023 in June 2023.

    “This number covers many different charging use cases across diverse locations, from low powered on-street chargers to destination chargers at scenic spots to 150kW+ charging hubs.

    “It’s exciting to see charging hubs being established across the country, from Inverness and Aberdeen in the north to around the urban centres of Glasgow and Edinburgh. This infrastructure not only supports Scottish EV drivers in their daily travels but also enables visitors to explore the stunning Scottish landscape with confidence on longer journeys.”

    Background

    Since 2011 the Scottish Government has invested over £65 million in public EV charging. Charge point data provider ZapMap has confirmed Scotland had 6,007 public charge points as of 31 October, delivered through a combination of public and increasing private sector investment.

    As a direct result, per head of population, Scotland has more public EV charge points than any other part of the UK, except London. We also benefit from more rapid public EV charge points than any other UK region,

    The Scottish public EV charging Vision was published in June 2023 and sets out our ambition to see a comprehensive, convenient and efficient network. The Scottish Government has announced a commitment to enabling approximately 24,000 additional public charge points by 2030, and we expect the majority of these to be delivered by the private sector.

    Public charge points are only one part of the overall charging mix. The Scottish Government has also provided £5.7 million to support the installation of 18,861 domestic charge points and £10.8 million to support 1,432 higher powered workplace charge points – all complementing the public network.

    Map of electric charging points for electric cars UK: Zapmap (zap-map.com)

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Carer Support Payment now Scotland-wide

    Source: Scottish Government

    Tens of thousands of carers can now apply for support as benefit roll-out complete. 

    Tens of thousands more unpaid carers in Scotland can apply for a new benefit from today (4 November). 

    Carer Support Payment, which is a payment of £81.90 per week paid by Social Security Scotland, has been introduced in phases since November 2023. 

    It has been extended to people living in 19 more local authority areas including Glasgow, Edinburgh, Orkney and the Scottish Borders. 

    It is now available in every local authority in the country, marking the completion of the roll-out of Scotland’s 14th benefit. 

    It is for unpaid carers who provide 35 or more hours of care a week to someone who gets disability benefits.  Carer Support Payment, is the replacement in Scotland for Carer’s Allowance which is delivered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). 

    Unlike Carer’s Allowance, Carer Support Payment is available to some carers in education. This includes full-time students aged 20 or over and students under 20 who are in advanced or higher education. 

    In June, eligibility was extended to carers aged 16-19 in non-advanced education. This includes those studying for National Certificates, Highers and Advanced Highers, who meet certain criteria, for example, not having any parental support. 
     
    As part of the roll out, new backdating rules were introduced meaning that some carers – mostly full-time students – living in the new areas can apply to have their payments backdated to when Carer Support Payment was introduced. 

    Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Shirley-Anne Somerville said: 

    “The importance of the role of unpaid carers should not be underestimated. Their work is vital to the people they look after and to society as a whole.  

    “I am delighted that Carer Support Payment is now available in every local authority in Scotland. Many students will now be able to get this financial support for the first time, thanks to changes made by the Scottish Government. 

    “I urge anyone who thinks they might be eligible to find out more.” 

    According to Carers Trust Scotland, it is estimated that there are around 35,000 unpaid carers attending college or university in Scotland. Paul Traynor, Head of External Affairs at Carers Trust Scotland, welcomes the national roll out. He said:  

    “The immense contribution of unpaid carers to society cannot be understated, providing vital caring roles to their family and friends, and helping to hold society together.    

    “Over 100,000 unpaid carers in Scotland are living in poverty and we hear all too often of the financial pressures of juggling studying and caring, where supplementing their income through employment is extremely challenging or not possible. Research highlights that student carers can be up to four times more likely to drop out of college or university and financial struggles are often one of the key reasons for this.    

    “The national roll out of Carer Support Payment will help make a significant difference to many carers’ lives and support more student carers to remain and succeed in education.” 

    Background 

    • Carer Support Payment opened for new applications in further areas on 4 November. Unpaid carers in Argyll & Bute, Clackmannanshire, Dumfries & Galloway, East Dunbartonshire, East Lothian, East Renfrewshire, Edinburgh, Falkirk, Glasgow, Highland, Inverclyde, Midlothian, Orkney Islands, Renfrewshire, Scottish Borders, Shetland Islands, Stirling, West Dunbartonshire and West Lothian can now apply. Carers can find out more, and apply at https://www.mygov.scot/carer-support-payment 
    • Changes to allow more young carers in education to access Carer Support Payment have been in force since June. Carers aged 16 to 19 in full-time ‘non advanced’ education can be eligible if they have certain exceptional circumstances – including if they have no support from parents or are responsible for a child or young person. Non-advanced education includes school and college courses such as National Certificates, Highers and Advanced Highers. 
    • Special backdating rules for the Carer Support Payment roll out mean that carers who are not eligible for Carer’s Allowance but are eligible for Carer Support Payment, and are living in areas outside of the initial pilot areas, can apply to have their payments backdated to the date Carer Support Payment first became available. The rules are designed to stop carers missing out on money they are entitled to because they live in an area included in the later phases of the rollout. 
    • To get fully backdated payments under these special rules, carers should apply within 13 weeks of the benefit becoming available in their area. The deadline for carers living in the new areas (Argyll & Bute, Clackmannanshire, Dumfries & Galloway, East Dunbartonshire, East Lothian, East Renfrewshire, Edinburgh, Falkirk, Glasgow, Highland, Inverclyde, Midlothian, Orkney Islands, Renfrewshire, Scottish Borders, Shetland Islands, Stirling, West Dunbartonshire and West Lothian) is 2 February 2025. Carers may still be able to get fully backdated support after this if they have a good reason for missing the deadline. The deadline for carers living in the areas where the benefit opened in August – Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Fife, Moray and North, East and South Ayrshire – is 17 November 2024. Carers may still be able to get fully backdated support after this if they have a good reason for missing the deadline. 
    • Carers in Scotland who already get Carer’s Allowance will have their benefits automatically transferred to Carer Support Payment. Social Security Scotland will write to people in advance to let them know that their award will be moving. 
    • The transfer of awards began in February this year. It is due to complete in Spring 2025. 

    Carers Trust Scotland works to transform the lives of unpaid carers. They partner with their network of local carer organisations to provide funding and support, deliver innovative and evidence-based programmes, raise awareness and influence policy. Supporting Carers in Scotland | Carers Trust Scotland 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: $12.5 million funding to continue building stronger animal welfare enforcement across NSW

    Source: New South Wales Government 2

    Headline: $12.5 million funding to continue building stronger animal welfare enforcement across NSW

    Published: 4 November 2024

    Released by: Minister for Agriculture

    The Minns Labor Government today announced two of the state’s key animal welfare organisations, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals NSW (RSPCA) and the Animal Welfare League NSW (AWL), will receive $12.5 million towards their enforcement and compliance activities that provide protection for NSW cats, dogs, livestock and other animals.

    The funding is part of the NSW Government’s election commitments to establish a modern, fit for purpose animal welfare framework.

    As part of the enforcement grants announced today, the RSPCA NSW will receive $11.3 million, and the AWL NSW will receive $1.17 million.

    The funding is substantially higher than any other state or territory has allocated to charitable animal welfare organisations to undertake their compliance and enforcement work.

    The funding will be used to:

    • Fund animal welfare inspectors who play a crucial role in enforcing NSW animal welfare laws
    • Investigate animal cruelty complaints, protecting vulnerable animals from harm or distress
    • Carry out enforcement action on those people doing animals’ harm
    • Provide a one-off upgrade to AWL operating systems for streamlined compliance data and reporting.
    • Cover vehicle operating and legal expenses.

    The announcement follows recent Government animal welfare initiatives including introducing new ‘fit and proper’ laws preventing people who have been convicted of repeat animal cruelty offences from keeping or breeding animals and introducing into Parliament last month a Bill to ban the appalling practice of puppy farming.

    The grant applications and subsequent funding was assessed in accordance the requirements under the NSW Grants Administration Guide and was overseen by an independent panel.

    The purpose of these enforcement grants is to support approved charitable organisations and carry out Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979 enforcement and compliance activities for the current 2024/25 financial year.

    Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty said:

    “The NSW Government is committed to improving animal welfare standards across our state.

    “We will continue to work with stakeholder, advocates, and the community to improve animal welfare and to build a better and stronger framework of animal protection.

    “We recognise the compliance work the Animal Welfare League and RSPCA do and value the long-standing relationships we have with them to achieve better outcomes for the animals of NSW.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Members to address global issues and examine parliamentary democracy at 67th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference

    Source: New Zealand Parliament

    Media Release
     1 November 2024

    Members of Parliament will be discussing the course for resilient democracy at the 67th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) hosted by the Parliament of New South Wales and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) New South Wales Branch this week.

    Led by Hon Carmel Sepuloni (CPA Executive Committee member), Hon Willie Jackson, Dana Kirkpatrick, Dr Lawrence Xu-Nan, and Clerk of the House Dr David Wilson will be attending from 3 – 8 November.

    The Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference is an opportunity for Commonwealth Parliaments from around the world to come together to address the critical issues facing today’s Parliaments. The flagship event will bring together over 700 Parliamentarians, parliamentary staff and decision makers for this unique conference.

    The main theme for the conference is ‘Engage, Empower, Sustain: Charting the Course for Resilient Democracy’. The conference will explore a wide range of workshop topics from the use of artificial intelligence and technology; the security of MPs; ending human trafficking; combatting discrimination legislation; supporting LGBT+ and people with disabilities to participate in Parliaments; to engaging with indigenous peoples.

    During the 67th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference, there will also be a number of additional conferences and meetings including: 40th CPA Small Branches Conference; 8th Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) Conference; meetings of the Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disabilities (CPwD) network; the CPA General Assembly and meetings of the CPA Executive Committee; and the 58th Society of Clerks at the Table (SOCATT) meetings.

    ENDS

    The 67th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC), is taking place from 3 – 8 November in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

    The Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference is the annual conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA). Information about the 67th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) can be found at the CPA website www.cpahq.org/67-cpc.

    The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) exists to develop, promote and support Parliamentarians and their staff to identify benchmarks of good governance and to implement the enduring values of the Commonwealth. The CPA is an international community of almost 180 Commonwealth Parliaments and Legislatures working together to deepen the Commonwealth’s commitment to the highest standards of democratic governance. For more information visit www.cpahq.org.

    Please contact communications.team@parliament.govt.nz for any media queries.

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Biggest cruise ship to dock in Eden

    Source: New South Wales Government 2

    Headline: Biggest cruise ship to dock in Eden

    Published: 4 November 2024

    Released by: Minister for the Illawarra and the South Coast, Minister for Regional Transport and Roads

    The largest cruise ship to ever dock at Eden Cruise Wharf, carrying 3560 passengers, will make a grand maiden entrance on Monday November 11 – the first following the NSW Government’s planning approval to allow bigger cruise ships and more frequent visits to Eden.

    At 330 metres long, 36 metres wide and weighing 142,000 tonnes, Royal Princess is an impressive international cruise ship, stopping at the Sapphire Coast for the first time between calls in Sydney and then Port Arthur.

    The Royal Princess is due to visit Eden again on 15 March 2025.

    The arrival of ships up to 370 metres long (up from 325 metres) was made possible following recent planning modifications to cruise operations at the wharf. The modification also removed the 60 ships per year cap and now allows for overnight stays.

    The Royal Princess’ will be one of 25 cruise ships to visit Eden this season, bringing 44,000 passengers and 20,000 crew. 12 ships will be making their maiden calls at Eden.

    The season begins on Tuesday November 5 with the arrival of Disney Wonder.

    Eden’s summer cruise season for 2023/24 was the busiest on record for the region, and injected an estimated $8.77 million into the local economy, as highlighted in the CLIA The Value of Cruise Tourism Report 2023/24.

    To learn more about the schedule for visiting cruise ships, visit Port Authority’s Cruise Schedule.

    Minister for Transport Jo Haylen said:

    “The first of the many larger ships to come, Royal Princess brings with her thousands of passengers and crew ready to disembark and explore the Bega Valley.

    “We know cruise passengers bring welcome dollars to the local economy, whether that’s here in Eden as they soak up the wonderful hospitality, or by joining shore excursions to immerse in the very best the Sapphire Coast has on offer.

    “The arrival of the Royal Princess signals an exciting new era for regional cruise which will see a gradual increase in bigger ships not only this season but also for many future seasons ahead bringing enormous benefits to the region.”

    Minister for the Illawarra and the South Coast Ryan Park said:

    “With 25 cruise ships visiting Eden this season, including 12 maiden calls, the benefits for the local community are enormous.

    “Allowing bigger cruise ships and more frequent visits to the Eden Cruise Wharf sets the stage for record-breaking tourism, showcasing the natural beauty and hospitality of this unique part of our state.”

    Member for Bega Dr Michael Holland said:

    “A record-breaking $4.41 billion was injected into the state’s economy during the last cruise season.

    It is great to see the Royal Princess will arrive in Eden on Monday 11 November, ensuring our region has access to the economic boost brought by these bigger cruise ships.

    This time last year, the Royal Princess would have been 5 metres too long to dock here in Eden, but thanks to the new modifications to the

    Port’s operations, Eden will see bigger ships and more frequent visits.”

    “Every cruise season, visiting international cruise passengers can spend up to $283 a day, according to CLIA, injecting millions into local economies like ours.”

    Port Authority CEO Captain Philip Holliday said:

    “Since the first cruise ship arrived into Eden in 2005 there have been approximately 150 cruise ship visits, and more than 235,000 passengers visiting Eden.

    “We are working closely with cruise lines to ensure the continuous growth of the NSW cruise market so even more cruise passengers can experience the best of NSW while injecting millions into local economies.”

    “Recent Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) data shows that more than 6 in 10 people who have taken a cruise say that they have returned to a destination that they first visited via a cruise ship.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Dams have taken half the water from Australia’s second biggest river – and climate change will make it even worse

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jan Kreibich, PhD Candidate, Centre for Ecosystem Science & Water Research Laboratory, UNSW Sydney

    Annette Ruzicka

    The largest wetland on Australia’s second longest river, the Murrumbidgee in the southern Murray-Darling Basin, is drying up. This is bad news for the plants, animals and people who rely on the vast Lowbidgee Floodplain. So it’s important to understand what is going on, and whether we can do anything about it.

    Our new research used computer modelling to study past and future river flows. We examined natural flows in the lower Murrumbidgee River between 1890 and 1927, before humans started changing the river. We compared these flows to what happened after big dams went in and more water was taken out for irrigation. Then, we modelled how climate change is likely to influence flows in future.

    We found river regulation such as dams and reservoirs cut flows in half over the past three decades. It means periods between life-giving floods on the wetlands are now more than twice as long. With climate change, drying of these vital freshwater ecosystems is likely to accelerate.

    Altogether, we predict the annual duration of flood events sustaining these wetlands will drop by as much as 85% by 2075 compared to natural levels, if nothing is done. But there are plenty of things we can do to turn this around, because our research shows the main reason for the decline is river regulation and overextraction.

    A colony of Australian pelicans gathered on the Lowbidgee Floodplain.
    Annette Ruzicka

    Floods are essential for wetlands

    The Lowbidgee Floodplain, in southwestern New South Wales, supports expansive river red gum and black box forests as well as one of the state’s largest lignum shrublands. Lignum’s thick mass of stems forms bushes that make great nesting platforms for waterbirds, attracting thousands of glossy ibis, straw-necked ibis and royal spoonbills. The area is also a breeding ground for Australian pelicans.

    The endangered Southern bell frog and threatened native fish such as Murray cod also live here.

    Floods bring wetlands to life. But human activities have disrupted the natural cycle of flood and drought. In the Murrumbidgee, 26 big dams and reservoirs now store and divert water, mainly for irrigation. These interventions have more than doubled the time between floods, causing large sections of the wetlands to dry up.

    The lack of floods has devastated the floodplain, causing black box and river red gum forests to die. Waterbird numbers also plummeted.

    A clip from the aerial waterbird survey of Pollen Creek on the Lowbidgee (Centre for Ecosystem Science)

    The Lowbidgee’s cultural significance

    The Nari Nari people have lived on the Lowbidgee Floodplain for tens of thousands of years. The land and water has deep cultural and spiritual value.

    Evidence of Nari Nari connection to this place is seen in the scar trees cut for canoes and other wooden items, middens of discarded shell and bone, earth mounds and burial sites scattered across the landscape.

    After 180 years of dispossession, 880 square kilometres of the floodplain was returned to the Nari Nari Tribal Council in 2019. This allows the original peoples of this land to repair it, reinstating cultural burning for example. But there’s a limit to how much they can do without more water.

    Nari Nari Elders Kerrie Parker (left) and Mabel Fitzpatrick (right) in the Gayini Wetlands of the Lowbidgee Floodplain.
    Annette Ruzicka

    River regulation and climate change

    Few studies have effectively reconstructed such a long history of a river to see where we have come from, and just as importantly, assessed what lies ahead.

    We modelled natural flows in the Murrumbidgee River, using data for rainfall and runoff upstream. The rainfall data covers more than a century, from 1890 to 2018, which allowed us to model natural flows back to 1890.

    First we established a baseline for natural flows. Then we were able to work out how dams, reservoirs and and water diversions have disrupted these flows over time.

    We also considered how climate change might influence river flows in the future under different greenhouse gas emission scenarios.

    We found most of the decline (55%) in the Murrumbidgee River’s flows was due to river regulation. But climate change will probably make matters worse, shaving another 7–10% off river flows by 2075, based on average projections.

    The average annual duration of floods reaching the floodplain wetlands has dropped from 11.3 days under natural flows to just 4.5 days currently. This could decline further to around 1.7 days as the climate becomes warmer and drier.

    An aerial view of the Gayini Wetlands.
    Annette Ruzicka

    Now is the time to act

    Australia’s rivers are at risk, but it’s not too late to act. By reducing over-allocation and returning water to the environment we can protect threatened and endangered species, reduce the impacts of climate change, and honour the cultural heritage of First Nations Peoples.

    Managing water releases to mimic natural seasonal flows can also help reinstate the natural cues for native plants, animals and other organisms.

    Our research underscores the urgent need to understand our past in order to explore future water management options. It’s clear much of the damage has been done by damming the river and taking out so much water. Now it’s important to restore the balance in favour of the environment, to prepare for future climate change.

    The Murrumbidgee River and its major floodplain wetlands are also a warning – a canary in the coal mine so to speak – of what could happen to other river systems worldwide as water demand rises along with projected income and population growth. This is especially concerning for many arid and semi-arid regions, where climate change is increasing temperatures while reducing rainfall.

    We wish to acknowledge the contribution of Nari Nari Tribal man and General Manager of Gayini wetlands, Jamie Woods, to this article and the research paper it was based on.

    Jan Kreibich’s work was supported by the University of New South Wales and the Australian Research Council.

    Richard Kingsford receives funding from a range of government and non-government organisations, including the Australian Research Council, the New South Wales, Victorian, South Australian and Queensland Governments and the Australian Government. He is councillor of the Biodiversity Council and a member of the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists.

    – ref. Dams have taken half the water from Australia’s second biggest river – and climate change will make it even worse – https://theconversation.com/dams-have-taken-half-the-water-from-australias-second-biggest-river-and-climate-change-will-make-it-even-worse-242192

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Grapevine guide keeps winegrowers up-to-date

    Source: New South Wales Department of Primary Industries

    4 Nov 2024

    NSW winegrowers will have the latest research and development at their fingertips following the release of the NSW Government’s latest Grapevine management guide.

    The guide is one of the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development’s flagship publications that provides NSW Wine Industry members with important information to ensure they are across current and emerging research and industry news.

    Penny Flannery, a Development Officer in Viticulture for the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, said the yearly publication was a crucial means of providing up-to-date information to wine industry professionals across the state.

    “Essentially, this free guide is an important link between the latest developments in viticulture and the wine industry,” Ms Flannery said.

    “The annual guide has been in existence for more than 30 years, and this latest edition covers off some critical topics and important developments for winegrowers.”

    The 2024-25 Grapevine management guide includes articles on:

    • Rootlings’ Network program and the conference
    • The under-vine ground cover project
    • The resting vineyard trial
    • Scale and mealybug incidence and management in the vineyard
    • Powdery mildew and downy mildew-resistant grapevine selections
    • Red Blotch virus
    • Tocal’s vineyard emergency response training
    • Crown gall in NSW

    To find out more and download your free copy, visit the website.

    Images are available here

    Media contact
    For more information, please contact: pi.media@dpird.nsw.gov.au.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: King Creek Bridge opening rounds out $20 million replacement program

    Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development

    The Australian and New South Wales governments continue to partner with local governments across the state to get high-priority road and community infrastructure off the ground.

    As part of this, the King Creek Bridge in the Port Macquarie Hastings has been replaced to boost road safety and connectivity.

    The project puts the finishing touches on close to $20 million worth of bridge infrastructure upgrades across the region that were jointly funded by the Australian and NSW governments and Port Macquarie Hastings Council (PMHC).

    These upgrades have seen 13 ageing timber bridges replaced with brand-new modern concrete structures over the past two years.

    The bridges were funded thanks to the NSW Government’s Fixing Country Bridges Program, PMHC and the Australian Government’s Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure Program.

    This involved over $18.7 million from the NSW Government, $385,000 from the Australian Government and $500,000 from PMHC.

    The Australian Government’s contribution funded the Old School Road Bridge replacement at Herons Creek ($160,000) and Donkins Flat Bridge replacement on Wingham Road at Comboyne ($225,000).

    PMHC engaged both EIRE Constructions and Saunders Civilbuild to replace the bridges, which now meet modern Australian Standards.

    The new concrete structures, including nine bridges and four culverts, are available to view here.

    From July 1 2024, the former Bridges Renewal Program merged into the Australian Government’s new Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure Program – with increased funding available to support state, territory, and local governments to address current and emerging priorities in road infrastructure needs.

    Quotes attributable to Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories, the Hon Kristy McBain MP:

    “The Australian Government understands the critical importance of regional bridges to keeping communities safely and reliably connected, including during flood events.

    “That’s why we’ve invested $385,000 towards two bridge upgrades around Port Macquarie, as part of our commitment to partner with the NSW and local governments to kickstart priority projects that will have a lasting impact in communities.”

    Quotes attributable to NSW Minister for Regional Roads and Transport, the Hon Jenny Aitchison MP:

    “These new bridges are enhancing connectivity and support the growing needs of our regional communities.

    “The Minns Labor Government is delighted to have provided the lion’s share of funding to Port Macquarie Hastings Council to deliver these new bridges.

    “The $18.7 million investment by the NSW Government will improve safety on local roads in Port Macquarie and allow for more reliable and efficient transport links for country communities.”

    Quotes attributable to Port Macquarie Mayor, Cr Adam Roberts:

    “The completion of King Creek Bridge marks a significant milestone in the ongoing investment and delivery of improved road and transport infrastructure for our community.

    “Keeping our community connected and providing safe, reliable and secure infrastructure was one of the key cornerstones of the Fixing Country Bridges Program.

    “Not only that, but these new bridges will also provide greater resistance to flood damage and flooding inundation.

    “I want to thank both the NSW and Australian governments for their support of this program, our contracted construction companies for their timely delivery and impacted communities for the patience shown during the program delivery.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Tahlequah Resident Sentenced to 25 Years for Murder

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

    MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Timothy Randall England, age 36, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 300 months in prison for the 2023 murder of a Stilwell resident.

    The charge arose from investigations by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, the Adair County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

    On April 30, 2024, England pleaded guilty to one count of Murder in Indian Country—Second Degree.   According to investigators, on February 7, 2023, England traveled to a Stilwell residence, waited outside for the resident to arrive, then fired upon the victim eight times with a 7.62×39 rifle before fleeing the scene.  Three of the shots struck the victim, who died at the scene.  England was later apprehended by the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service in Tahlequah and arrested without incident.  The crime occurred in Adair County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

    The Honorable Raúl M. Arias-Marxuach, Chief Judge in the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing in Muskogee.  England will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Gross represented the United States at sentencing.

    MIL Security OSI –