MIL Email Publisher – Foreign Submissions

Source: Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA)

The labour market remains resilient to higher interest rates and the Middle East conflict, according to the latest CommBank Wage and Labour Insights report.

11 May 2026 – Key points:

Wages rose 0.8% in the three months to April, with annual wage growth steady at 3.1%

WA and SA recorded the strongest annual wage growth at 3.7%; while TAS recorded the slowest at 2.8%

Around 23,000 jobs were added in April, with the Australian labour market not yet impacted by higher interest rates and the inflationary pulse from the Middle East conflict

The latest CommBank Wage Insights series shows wages growth has continued to remain stable in 2026, reflecting an Australian labour market that’s holding steady in the face of ongoing geopolitical uncertainty.

The series, which draws on de-identified salary data from around 400,000 CBA accounts, shows wages grew by 0.8 per cent in the three months to April 2026, with annual growth steady at 3.1 per cent.

CommBank Economist Harry Ottley said the stability of the data wasn’t surprising, with the effects of rising interest rates or the Middle East conflict yet to flow through to CBA’s wages growth data.

“CBA Wage Insights showed wages growth remained stable in April, consistent with the broader labour market: the trend unemployment rate has held at 4.3% since July 2025,” Ottley said.

“As wages growth typically lags labour market and economic conditions, it is not surprising that higher interest rates and the Middle East conflict have not yet flowed through our data.

“While economic growth is expected to slow this year, current wages growth forecasts could still be surpassed. Workers could seek higher wages in response to inflation pressure.

“At the same time, remuneration agreed through enterprise bargaining agreements remains elevated and the Fair Work Commission is likely to deliver a bigger increase to minimum and award wages this year than it did in 2025.

“Any upward pressure should be evident in CBA Wage Insights before the official ABS data.”

South Australia leads the pack in wages growth

By state, at 3.7 per cent South Australia recoded the fastest pace of wage growth, joining Western Australia in the top position for the first time since 2019. Wages growth in South Australia is responding to outperformance in the broader economy, with the unemployment rate the lowest in the country and economic growth the strongest.

Western Australia maintained its highest or equal highest wages growth ranking in April, a position the state has held since late 2024. The state recorded wages growth of 3.7 per cent, a slight drop from March.

Wages in the Northern Territory have risen strongly in recent months, with growth the third highest in the country at 3.5 per cent. In New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland, wages growth has been broadly stable in 2026, sitting at 3.2 per cent, 3.0 per cent and 3.3 per cent respectively. Tasmania recorded the slowest wages growth at just 2.8 per cent.  

Broader measures of wage growth remain stable

CBA Wage Insights has also now examined a broader measure of wage growth to assess whether other indicators point to trends not captured in headline Wage Insights series, which is designed to emulate the ABS Wage Price Index.

One such measure, Compensation of Employees (COE), reflects total wages paid across the economy. It does not adjust for changes in hours worked, bonuses or shifts in the composition of jobs.

The COE measure has also remained relatively steady, but has edged higher since mid-2025.

Ottley said the data supports the view that Australia’s labour market remains stable and has not yet shown a clear wage response to inflation.

“This reinforces our assessment that the labour market is broadly stable, and still slightly tighter than what is considered full employment,” Ottley said.

“We will continue to monitor the data closely over the coming months and quarters for any signs that wages begin to respond to inflation, particularly from an economy running above its speed limit and from the Middle East conflict.”

Employment growth holds steady in April

The CommBank Labour Insights series shows employment growth remains steady, with an estimated 23,000 jobs added in April, the same as March.  

Ottley said that while the data points to stable conditions, employment growth is a lagging indicator, with employment growth expected to soften through the second half of 2026.

“The labour market remains resilient to higher interest rates and the Middle East conflict at this early stage,” Ottley said.

“The unemployment rate sits at 4.3% and at this rate we still judge the labour market is on the tight side.

“Employment growth is likely to slow this year as the broader economy weakness.  

“Indeed, the RBA is relying on the labour market loosening to bring the economy into balance. There are no signs of this to date.”  

Source: Marks on Sparks

Modern art disruptor, street and adventure artist Anthony Lister, will make a long-awaited return from tomorrow 12 May at 12noon for a new exhibition entitled 'Circus of Life' which will run from 12 May until Sunday 17 May 2026 at 165 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst, with an exclusive VIP event to follow the next night at 6pm Wednesday 13 May.

One of Australia's most heralded inner city street artists, Lister has made a mark globally, exhibiting in the artistic Mecca's of the world: New York, Japan, London.

Says Lister, “This isn't just an art exhibition – it's a return from exile. After watching the physical world get swallowed by screens, exhibiting again feels like reclaiming territory.”

“It's about putting something real, tactile, and undeniable back into a culture that's become increasingly intangible. This show is less a comeback and more a correction.”

The theme of the exhibition is media, vanity, and collapse.

“I've placed myself on the covers of magazines – not as a celebration, but as a disruption. It's me inserting myself into a system that manufactures identity and calling out its absurdity from within,” he said.  

“Where I am now as an artist is somewhere between reflection and resistance. I'm not chasing relevance – I'm interrogating it. This work sits in that tension: between ego and critique, visibility and distortion, beauty, and something far less comfortable.”

For Lister, each piece that will feature in 'Circus of Life' had to hold tension.

“If it was too comfortable, it didn't make the cut. If it didn't challenge the viewer – or me – it wasn't strong enough,” he said.

“Together, the works operate like a magazine that's slightly unhinged – familiar on the surface, but fractured underneath.”

The exhibition will offer collectors a rare opportunity to acquire a limited selection of some of Lister's works.

'Circus of Life' will run from 12-17 May from 10am to 8pm with an exclusive VIP event to occur at 6pm on 13 May 2026 by invitation only.

www.anthonylister.com
www.listerdangerzone.com

Source: deVere Group

Mounting pressure on UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer threatens to rattle financial markets, hit the pound, and reignite investor fears over Britain's political and fiscal stability, warns the CEO of deVere Group, one of the world's largest independent financial advisory and asset management organisations.

The warning from Nigel Green comes after Labour MP Catherine West dramatically declared she would attempt to trigger a leadership contest against Starmer if no cabinet minister steps forward by Monday to challenge him, following devastating local election results for the governing party.

Her intervention has detonated speculation inside Westminster over Starmer's grip on power and raised the prospect of a destabilising internal struggle at the heart of government just months after Labour returned to office.

Nigel Green says markets are unlikely to dismiss the developments as mere political noise if the rebellion gathers momentum.

“Financial markets can tolerate unpopular governments. They can tolerate weak poll numbers. What they struggle with is uncertainty over leadership, economic direction and fiscal discipline.

“Sterling and UK government bonds, or gilts, become vulnerable the moment investors sense control is slipping.”

West has reportedly secured the backing of around 10 Labour MPs prepared to support a leadership challenge, still far short of the 81 required to formally trigger a contest.

However, investors are acutely aware political crises can escalate rapidly once public dissent emerges inside governing parties.

The concern for markets is not Catherine West herself, but what her intervention potentially signals: fractures opening inside a government that has worked hard to present itself as stable, disciplined and economically credible.

Under Starmer and Chancellor Rachel Reeves, Labour has carefully cultivated market confidence by projecting fiscal restraint, avoiding radical spending promises, and maintaining a comparatively business-friendly stance.

Any threat to that framework risks provoking immediate market reactions.

“The current leadership has spent considerable political capital convincing investors Britain has moved away from the instability and fiscal recklessness associated with previous crises,” explains the deVere chief executive.

“If investors begin to fear a leadership vacuum, ideological infighting or a shift toward looser spending policies, markets could react fast and aggressively.”

Currency traders would likely move first.

“Sterling is highly sensitive to political credibility because the UK runs persistent deficits and depends heavily on international capital flows. Political instability can rapidly undermine confidence in British assets.”

Analysts say the pound could come under pressure against the dollar, Swiss franc and Japanese yen if leadership uncertainty intensifies during the coming days.

UK government bonds are also exposed.

Previous bouts of speculation surrounding Starmer and Reeves triggered weakness in gilts as investors worried about the possibility of alternative leadership teams pursuing more interventionist or less disciplined economic policies.

Markets remain deeply scarred by the fallout from the September 2022 Liz Truss mini-budget crisis, when a collapse in investor confidence sent borrowing costs soaring and forced emergency intervention from the Bank of England.

“Britain remains unusually vulnerable to political credibility shocks because investors remember exactly how quickly confidence evaporated during the Truss budget crisis,” says Nigel Green.

“Bond traders are now almost conditioned to react swiftly to any sign fiscal discipline could weaken.”

Attention is already turning toward possible successors.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham are all being discussed as potential contenders should pressure on Starmer intensify further.

Some investors may view candidates perceived as more left-leaning with caution, “particularly if markets begin to anticipate higher borrowing, heavier taxation or increased state intervention in the economy.”

At the same time, a failed rebellion that collapses quickly could ultimately strengthen Starmer by demonstrating he still commands overwhelming support inside Labour.

Cabinet Office Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds has already publicly warned colleagues against destabilising the government through leadership speculation.

For now, investors are watching Westminster with growing unease.

“The political risk premium attached to UK assets has fallen significantly since Labour entered government,” notes Nigel Green.

But, he concludes, political stability is fragile.

“Once doubts emerge over leadership and economic continuity, markets do not wait politely for Westminster to resolve itself.”

deVere Group is one of the world's largest independent advisors of specialist global financial solutions to international, local mass affluent, and high-net-worth clients.  It has a network of offices around the world, more than 80,000 clients, and $14bn under advisement.

Source: KOF Economic Institute

The Coincident Barometer rises again in May, returning to the upward path that began last November and was interrupted in March and April of this year. The Leading Barometer moved in the opposite direction in May, remaining close to the neutral level of 100 points. Both movements are mainly driven by the Asia, Pacific & Africa region.

In May, the Global Coincident Economic Barometer rises by 1.9 points to 103.5 points, its highest level since March 2022 (107.3 points). The Global Leading Economic Barometer, in turn, moves in the opposite direction and falls by 1.4 points to 100.3 points. Across the different regions, indicators from Asia, Pacific & Africa provide the strongest contribution to the results, while the Western Hemisphere and Europe contribute more modestly.

'Although the current state of the global economy is the best it has been in years, the outlook is clearly less positive, suggesting a potential turning point. At the heart of this lies the significant divergence between Asia and the Western hemisphere. While the latter is faring well and anticipating a boom, the former is preparing for a downturn. The most logical explanation for this appears to be the situation in the Strait of Hormuz', comments Jan-Egbert Sturm, Director of KOF Swiss Economic Institute.

Coincident Barometer – regions and sectors

The 1.9-point increase in the Coincident Barometer in May results from a positive contribution of 1.4 points from the Asia, Pacific & Africa region and 0.5 point from the Western Hemisphere. Indicators for these regions reach their highest level since 2022. Meanwhile, Europe's indicator remains stable during the month, ending a sequence of two consecutive declines.

Among the coincident sector indicators, Industry rises and records the highest level among sectors, while Construction registers its third consecutive decline and reaches the lowest level for the first time since November 2022. Services decreases and maintains a certain degree of volatility in 2026. Economy (representing overall business and consumer evaluations) and Wholesale and Retail Trade remain stable during the month.

Leading Barometer – regions and sectors

The Global Leading Barometer falls by 1.4 points in May, mainly driven by a strong negative contribution of 2.5 points from the Asia, Pacific & Africa region, while the Western Hemisphere and Europe contribute more modestly but positive to the aggregated indicator, with 0.9 and 0.2 point increases, respectively. With this result, the Western Hemisphere indicator stands apart from the other regions, surpassing the 110-point mark and reaching its highest level since August 2021 (116.7 points). The Leading Global Barometer leads the world economic growth rate cycle by three to six months on average.

Among the leading sector indicators, Wholesale and Retail Trade, Construction and Industry rise during the month, while Services and Economy move in the opposite direction.

Source: Commonwealth Bank of Australia

Commonwealth Bank has partnered with acclaimed Australian fashion designer Gabriella Pereira, founder and creative director of Beare Park, to design the next evolution of its corporate wardrobe for frontline staff.

9 May 2026 – The partnership will see Beare Park create a modern, functional and enduring uniform collection to be unveiled later this year, marking a new chapter in CommBank’s 40 year history of partnering with Australian designers on its corporate wardrobe.

A former banker herself, Gabriella Pereira founded Beare Park after identifying a gap in workwear for clothing that is contemporary, professional and beautifully made. Since launching the brand five years ago, she has become one of Australia’s most recognised emerging designers, earning the 2024 Australian Fashion Laureate for Emerging Designer of the Year and building a strong presence at Australian Fashion Week.

CommBank Chief Marketing Officer, Jo Boundy, said the partnership reflects the Bank’s investment in its people, commitment to its customers and support of Australian businesses.

“Our corporate wardrobe is one of the most visible expressions of our brand and plays an important role in how our people feel at work and how we show up for our customers. As we approach 40 years of partnering with Australian designers for our corporate wardrobe, we saw an opportunity to reimagine it for today – creating something our people feel proud to wear.

“Gabriella brings a unique perspective, combining her experience in corporate Australia with her exceptional design credentials. As a CommBank small business customer, her story is also a powerful example of how we support Australian businesses,” said Boundy.

CommBank CMO Jo Boundy and Beare Park Founder and Creative Director Bella Pereira.

Pereira said she is honoured to partner with CommBank on such an iconic project.

“Having started my career in the corporate world, I understand how important it is to feel confident and comfortable in what you wear at work. This partnership is incredibly special to me – not only as a designer, but as a CommBank customer who has experienced the Bank’s support in growing my business.

“Our vision is to create a wardrobe that feels modern, functional and elevated, while reflecting the individuality and professionalism of CommBank’s people,” said Pereira.

The new corporate wardrobe will be designed with a focus on longevity, functionality and sustainability, including the continued use of more sustainable fabrics and garment recycling initiatives.

The partnership builds on CommBank’s long-standing history of collaborating with leading Australian designers, including Carla Zampatti, Perri Cutten and Lisa Ho, and continues its support of the local fashion industry.

This announcement coincides with BEARE PARK’s show at Australian Fashion Week on Monday, 11 May, at the Sydney Opera House, marking a full-circle moment for the brand, which debuted at the event in 2021.

CommBank’s new corporate wardrobe will be revealed later this year.

Source: deVere Group

 

May 7 2026 – UK bonds, or gilts, are trading stable – for now – but the market is one ugly set of results for Labour in Thursday's local elections across England, Wales and Scotland away from another potentially brutal sell-off, warns the CEO of a global financial advisory giant.

 

Nigel Green of deVere Group's warning comes as Britain's bond market remains dangerously close to levels associated with the Liz Truss mini-Budget meltdown, with investors increasingly alarmed by Labour infighting, weak growth, soaring borrowing requirements and fears that Keir Starmer's government could buckle under mounting political pressure.

 

The benchmark 10-year gilt yield pushed above 5% this week before easing modestly on Thursday, while 30-year borrowing costs remain near the highest levels seen since the pension-fund crisis triggered by the Truss government in 2022. Sterling has also come under renewed pressure as traders assess Britain's fiscal trajectory against deepening political uncertainty.

 

Reports that Labour MPs are preparing moves against Starmer after what could be devastating local election losses have intensified concerns across financial markets that Britain is heading into another period of instability at precisely the wrong moment.

 

“The gilt markets have been smelling political weakness lately,” says Nigel Green.

 

“Investors are looking at Labour and seeing a government apparently beginning to lose control of the narrative, lose control internally, and, therefore, potentially lose control of fiscal discipline.

 

“This is exactly the type of atmosphere that causes bond traders to turn aggressive.”

 

Labour is expected to suffer major losses across councils in England, while Reform UK and The Greens continue gaining momentum and dissatisfaction with the government grows over taxes, living costs and economic stagnation.

 

Nigel Green says markets are now questioning whether Chancellor Rachel Reeves will be able to maintain credibility if pressure inside Labour intensifies after the results.

 

“The danger for Britain isn't simply political embarrassment for Starmer. The danger is what comes next.

 

“If Labour MPs panic after heavy losses, the pressure for higher spending, softer fiscal rules and more intervention ramps up immediately.

 

“Bond investors are already gaming out those scenarios.”

 

The UK enters the elections with public debt close to 100% of GDP, weak productivity, anaemic growth and borrowing costs that have climbed sharply over the past year.

 

Britain is also expected to issue more than £250 billion in gilts this fiscal year alone, forcing markets to absorb a huge wave of debt supply at a time confidence is already fragile.

 

The deVere Group CEO says the comparison with the Truss disaster is unavoidable.

 

“The mini-Budget crisis fundamentally changed how investors view UK risk.

 

“Markets learned Britain's not immune from a full-blown confidence shock if fiscal credibility disappears.

 

“People in Westminster still underestimate how brutally fast bond markets move once trust starts evaporating.”

 

The Truss government's unfunded tax-cutting plans detonated UK assets in 2022, sending 30-year gilt yields above 5%, hammering pension funds and forcing the Bank of England into emergency intervention to stop a wider financial crisis.

 

The chief executive says investors remain highly sensitive to any suggestion Britain could drift back toward reckless policymaking.

 

“The long end of the gilt curve remains the pressure point because that's where investors express fear over long-term borrowing and political competence.

 

“If confidence weakens again, those yields can move violently.”

 

“Britain can't afford another credibility event.”

 

Sterling is also tightly tied to the political backdrop, with currency traders increasingly focused on whether Labour can maintain authority over spending and borrowing as economic conditions worsen.

 

“A weaker pound feeds inflation pressure directly back into the system,” explains Nigel Green.

 

“That pushes gilt yields even higher because investors demand greater compensation for risk.

 

“It becomes a vicious cycle very quickly.”

 

He warns that markets no longer automatically grant Britain the benefit of the doubt.

 

“For years the UK traded on an assumption of stability and competence but that premium has eroded.

 

“International investors now look at Britain far more critically because the Truss episode exposed how quickly things can unravel.

 

“Gilts are stable today as people go to the polls, but nobody should confuse stability with confidence.”

 

Nigel Green says the next 48 hours could prove critical for market sentiment if election losses trigger open fractures inside Labour or further questions over Starmer's leadership.

 

“The bond market wants discipline, authority and credibility. Right now investors are seeing cracks.”

 

He concludes: “Should Labour come out from these elections wounded and divided, traders will immediately start pricing greater fiscal risk into UK assets.

 

“Britain is sitting in an extremely exposed position financially. One serious political shock could send gilt markets sharply higher again.”

 

deVere Group is one of the world's largest independent advisors of specialist global financial solutions to international, local mass affluent, and high-net-worth clients.  It has a network of offices around the world, more than 80,000 clients, and $14bn under advisement.

Source: Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders (MSF)

MSF: Deliberate restriction of food and aid led to alarming malnutrition levels in Gaza

Jerusalem / Barcelona May 7, 2026 – Israel’s manufactured malnutrition crisis in Gaza had a devastating impact on pregnant and breastfeeding women, newborns, and infants under 6 months old during periods of intense hostilities and siege such as mid-2025, according to an analysis of medical data released today by Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders (MSF).        

At four MSF run and supported health facilities between late 2024 and early 2026, MSF teams recorded higher levels of prematurity and mortality among infants born to mothers affected by malnutrition during their pregnancy, high levels of miscarriage, and observed sharp increases in treatment defaulting among malnourished children.

MSF links these outcomes to Israel’s blockade of essential goods and attacks on civilian infrastructure, including medical facilities. Insecurity, displacement, restrictions on aid, and limited access to food and medical care have had devastating consequences for maternal and newborn health. MSF warns that the situation remains extremely fragile despite the so-called ceasefire and urges Israeli authorities to immediately allow the unhindered entry of vital assistance and supplies.

Devastating impacts of malnutrition during pregnancy

“The malnutrition crisis is entirely manufactured,” says Mercè Rocaspana, MSF medical referent for emergencies. “Before the war malnutrition in Gaza was almost non-existent. For 2.5 years, the systematic blockade to humanitarian aid and commercial goods on top of insecurity have severely restricted access to food and clean water. Health care facilities have been forced out of service and living conditions have profoundly deteriorated. As a result, vulnerable groups of people are placed at heightened risk of malnutrition.”

MSF analyzed data collected from 201 mothers of newborns receiving treatment in the neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) at Al Nasser and Al Helou hospitals, in Khan Younis and Gaza City, between June 2025 and January 2026. More than half of the women were affected by malnutrition* at some point during their pregnancy, and 25 percent were still malnourished during delivery.

Ninety percent of the babies born to mothers affected by malnutrition were born prematurely and 84 percent had low birth weight — a much higher incidence than in babies born to mothers with no malnutrition when giving birth. Neonatal mortality was twice as high among infants born to mothers affected by malnutrition compared with those born to mothers without malnutrition.

Displacement and insecurity prevent treatment

Between October 2024 and December 2025 MSF teams admitted 513 infants under six months into outpatient therapeutic feeding programs at Al Mawasi and Al Attar primary health care facilities in Khan Younis. Of those admitted, 91 percent were at risk of poor growth and development. By December, 200 infants were no longer in the program —  only 48 percent of those were cured, 7 percent died, 7 percent were referred to a program for older children, and a staggering 32 percent defaulted, primarily related to insecurity and displacement.

“Reduced admissions in late July and early August 2025 coincided with a period of intensified insecurity and disruptions to food distributions,” says Marina Pomares, medical coordinator for Palestine. “Most mothers requested nutrition support even when children were not yet identified with malnutrition, reflecting widespread food insecurity from Israel’s imposed blockade, which effectively prevented food from entering Gaza for months. Families adopted coping mechanisms, often prioritizing men and children over mothers when distributing limited food.” 

A manufactured malnutrition crisis

Prior to the war, there were no dedicated therapeutic feeding units. MSF teams identified the first cases of child malnutrition in January 2024. Between then and February 2026, MSF admitted 4,176 children under 15 years old —  97 percent under 5 — for acute malnutrition in ambulatory and inpatient programs. During the same period 3,336 pregnant and breastfeeding women were enrolled in ambulatory programs.

“My youngest son died at five months due to severe malnutrition,” says Mona, a 23-year-old woman treated by MSF. “I suffered malnutrition myself during pregnancy and dealt with diarrhea and weakness. I live in a partially destroyed house. My husband used to be a fisherman with a small boat, which the Israeli shelling destroyed. We have no steady income.”

The January 2025 ceasefire ended in mid-March 2025. By late May 2025, food distribution points reduced from around 400 to just four under the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). On top of this, the blockade on commercial food trucks drastically limited access to food. “The [food distribution] points were militarized and deadly, barely functioning, or open at the same time, further restricting access to much needed food assistance,” says José Mas, head of the MSF emergency unit.

In the months following, MSF-supported facilities experienced a sharp increase in patients seeking care due to violence perpetrated at food distribution points and malnutrition linked to the deprivation of food. Many women also reported experiencing extreme stress and anxiety related to the significant risks faced by male family members attempting to secure food at GHF sites and intense aerial bombardments and resulting displacement. MSF teams observed a high number of miscarriages during this period, with high stress identified as a contributing factor.

Unprecedented levels of malnutrition declared  

Between 16 October and 30 November 2025, around three quarters of the population in Gaza were estimated to be facing high levels of acute food insecurity, according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), who had declared a famine in August — the first ever in the Middle East region.

“Israel’s tactical restrictions on the entry of food, the militarization of aid corridors and distribution sites, and the targeted attacks on Gaza’s essential infrastructure have created an environment in which hunger is deliberately used as a means of control over the population,” says José Mas, MSF head of emergencies. “While the current so-called ceasefire has seen some stability in the situation, it is still extremely fragile. Our teams continue to admit new patients for malnutrition as the people of Gaza are forced to endure deliberate undignified living conditions, and lack access to assistance, income, and basic resources. MSF calls on Israeli authorities, as an occupying power, – and allied states including the US – to facilitate adequate and sustained entry of vital assistance for people living in Gaza to restore respectable levels of health, nutrition, and dignity.”

*Notes: Malnutrition in pregnant and breastfeeding people and infants under 6 months old is generally classified as undernutrition, rather than moderate or severe acute malnutrition. Patients have a ‘poor nutritional status’ or are ‘nutritionally at risk’.

MSF is an international, medical, humanitarian organisation that delivers medical care to people in need, regardless of their origin, religion, or political affiliation.  MSF Australia was established in 1995 and is one of 24 international MSF sections committed to delivering medical humanitarian assistance to people in crisis. Every year more than 120 Australians and New Zealanders go on assignment with Médecins Sans Frontières  working as: doctors, midwives, psychologists, laboratory technicians, human resource/finance coordinators, pharmacists, mental health specialists and logisticians. MSF delivers medical care based on need alone and operates independently of government, religion or economic influence and irrespective of race, religion or gender. For more information visit msf.org.au

Source: Building Products Industry Council (BPIC)

Escalating state and territory variations to the National Construction Code (NCC) are eroding national consistency, increasing costs, and placing unnecessary pressure on builders, manufacturers, and product suppliers, according to the Building Products Industry Council (BPIC).

“Although the NCC is intended to operate as a nationally harmonised regulatory framework, states and territories have continued to go their separate ways,” BPIC executive officer Rodger Hills said.

Victoria and Tasmania (by default) are the only jurisdictions to meet the original projected NCC start date of 1 May, with three states adopting it on May 1, 2027 and the remainder adopting it on May 1, 2026 but providing a transition period of 12 months.

“They have also introduced large numbers of jurisdiction-specific amendments, even as they publicly express concern about the complexity of the NCC.”

One of the most vocal critics of the NCC, Tasmania, has introduced 125 new variations to NCC 2025, on top of the 25 variations already present in NCC 2022. This amounts to more than 150 jurisdiction-specific changes, adding over 53 pages of additional requirements that Tasmanian practitioners must interpret and apply.

This is despite Tasmanian representatives being active participants in the NCC development process over the past four years, contributing to the very regulations now being criticised.

The situation is even more pronounced in New South Wales, where state variations have increased from 16 in NCC 2022 to more than 210 in NCC 2025. This is an expansion of approximately 70 pages of additional regulation. Similar trends are evident across other jurisdictions, many of which have quietly introduced substantial new variations while continuing to assert that the NCC is overly complex, burdensome red tape.

Some government proponents argue that state variations do not add regulation but merely “change” it. In practice, however, practitioners must navigate the NCC back and forth to determine what applies, what has been replaced, and under what conditions. “Whether a variation substitutes a clause, a sentence, or just a single word, the effect is the same: greater time spent interpreting the NCC and a higher risk of misinterpretation, uncertainty, and non‑compliance,” Hills said.

From a national perspective, state and territory variations dilute the benefits of a harmonised NCC. They:

Increase compliance costs for manufacturers, builders, and designers.
Reduce productivity by requiring jurisdiction-specific design and construction solutions.
Create barriers to national supply chains and economies of scale.
Introduce uncertainty for industry participants operating across multiple jurisdictions.

Of particular concern is the lack of national oversight or transparency applied to state variations. Hills notes that, “Many variations are developed after the NCC public comment draft period, meaning industry has no opportunity to review or provide feedback before they are introduced. In effect, they circumvent the normal code development process.”

Unlike national provisions, state and territory variations are not required to meet policy-neutrality tests, demonstrate no increase in regulatory stringency, or undergo any form of regulation impact statement process to assess economic or productivity implications. Additionally, since state variations are not subject to national rigour, they risk contradicting or weakening other parts of the NCC.

BPIC welcomes the Federal Treasury’s NCC Modernisation Project as an important step toward improving regulatory clarity and efficiency. However, a critical question remains: how will the modernisation process address the escalating volume of state and territory variations that continue to undermine national consistency?

Australia’s manufacturers, builders, and product suppliers rely on a stable, predictable, and harmonised regulatory environment. “Without effective reform to jurisdictional variation practices, the benefits of a modernised NCC risk being overshadowed by continued regulatory fragmentation,” Hills said.

The National Construction Code (NCC) is Australia’s primary set of technical, performance-based requirements for the design, construction, and plumbing of buildings. Produced by the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB), it ensures minimum standards for safety, health, amenity, accessibility and sustainability

About BPIC: The Building Products Industry Council (BPIC) is the national peak body representing Australia’s leading building products industries and related services. Its members and associated companies directly employ more than 243,000 Australians, with more than 796,000 employed indirectly. Its collective industries are worth more than $67.3B in annual production to the Australian economy.

For more information about BPIC visit: www.bpic.asn.au

Source: Law Council of Australia

The Law Council of Australia has issued an urgent warning that the legal safeguard designed to protect the most vulnerable members of our community – children at risk of family violence – has reached breaking point.

“Independent Children’s Lawyers (ICLs) are appointed by the Court during family law disputes when there are allegations of family violence, abuse or neglect or where serious mental health issues may exist,” Law Council of Australia President Tania Wolff said.

“In many cases, the ICL is the one person in the room whose only job is to speak on behalf of the child.

“To do this work, ICLs meet with the child – often multiple times and for many hours – review case files, brief experts, attend multiple court hearings, manage drug testing, prepare submissions and wade through volumes of subpoena material.

“Just to meet with a child may require travelling to regional and remote communities, coordinating with schools, health practitioners, family violence services and court consultants.
“And the children they meet with have likely experienced trauma, have difficulty communicating or expressing their views, or feel highly vulnerable due to the uncertainty their family is experiencing.

“This means that a key part of the role is to build trust with a child in crisis. This cannot be rushed.

“ICLs do all this to understand the child’s own views about decisions that will shape their future, and to fully represent the child’s best interests during family law proceedings.

“Two years ago this week, amendments were made to the Family Law Act to bring more children into personal contact with their ICL. We supported the intent of these reforms — giving children a genuine voice in decisions about their own lives and safety.

“But the increased demand this has created, without any additional government funding to match it, has pushed the ICL workforce to the brink.

“And the private practitioners who are vital to the provision of ICL services across Australia were already doing this work for little payment.

“The current legal aid grants for ICL work are well below private practice rates. Based on the complexity of the work and the time required, some ICLs receive an effective hourly rate below the minimum wage — and that is before tax, rent, travel, staffing, superannuation and the many other costs of running a small practice.

“In Western Australia, there are now only 15 private practitioners available to deliver ICL services across the entire state. In NSW, demand for ICLs in the six months following the introduction of these changes increased by an estimated 50 per cent. Nationally, the pool of lawyers able to take on this work is shrinking — because the economics make it impossible to sustain.

“This creates delays in matters being heard and long wait times for children and families who cannot afford to wait.

“An independent review, commissioned by the Commonwealth, of our national legal assistance funding system found that recent changes ‘have created a circumstance where demand for ICLs is in excess of supply’ and concluded that ‘it is in the interests of children, their parents and efficiency of the courts that this situation is urgently addressed.’

“The review’s author, Dr Warren Mundy, identified a shortfall in annual funding of more than $80 million.

“The Government has the evidence. The Budget is next week. There is no excuse left for inaction.”

Source: GridBeyond

New Global HQ strengthens real-time trading and optimisation capabilities across 9 Electricity Market jurisdictions on 4 Continents.

GridBeyond, the global leader in AI-driven energy optimisation and market participation, today announced the opening of its new global headquarters in Dublin, marking a key milestone in the company’s continued international expansion.

The new facility will serve as the central hub for GridBeyond’s global operations, supporting activity across nine electricity market jurisdictions on 4 continents and enabling the optimisation of energy assets across industrial demand response, renewable, and storage portfolios.

A core feature of the new headquarters is its enhanced Trading Desk & Network Operations Centre (NOC), which provides real-time visibility and control across multiple energy markets and distributed energy assets. Operating 24/7, the centre plays a critical role in managing GridBeyond’s rapidly growing platform, which has contracted over 5GW to date, and supports over 550 clients across more than 1,400 sites and 55+ industries.

GridBeyond has seen significant growth in recent years, with a 100% increase in megawatts contracted in 2025 alone, reflecting increasing demand for flexible energy solutions as markets become more dynamic and complex.

The new headquarters has been designed to support both operational scale and future growth, while also creating an environment focused on collaboration, innovation, and employee wellbeing as the company continues to attract talent in Ireland and internationally.

Welcoming the announcement, Peter Burke, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, said: “GridBeyond is an excellent example of the ambition and capability of Irish companies operating at the forefront of the global energy transition. The opening of their new headquarters in Dublin reinforces Ireland’s position as a hub for innovation in energy and technology, and demonstrates how Irish SMEs are developing solutions with real global impact. Supporting companies like GridBeyond to start, scale and succeed internationally remains a key priority for Government.”

Michael Phelan, CEO and Co-Founder of GridBeyond, said: “This new headquarters reflects the scale GridBeyond has reached as a global energy optimisation platform. Managing over 5GW of assets across multiple markets requires real-time intelligence, automation, and deep market expertise. Though we have local NOC within our Geos, this strengthening of our operations from Dublin allows us to support our clients more effectively while continuing to scale internationally.”

Jenny Melia, CEO, Enterprise Ireland, added: “GridBeyond is a high-performing company that has built a strong reputation by consistently delivering value for its clients across international markets. Its continued growth is a testament to the strength of its technology, its commercial focus and the quality of its team. As energy systems become increasingly complex and data-driven, the ability to optimise assets in real time is becoming critical, and GridBeyond is well positioned in this space. Enterprise Ireland is delighted to support the company as it continues to scale globally.”

The opening event will include a tour of the facility, including the Network Operations Centre, offering insight into how GridBeyond monitors and optimises energy assets in real time across global markets.