Drones to light up Vietnamese skies

Some of the world’s most technically advanced drones will be competing against each other in Drone Light Battle 2024: Ever Glamour Nha Trang in the Vietnamese coastal city of Nha Trang later this month.

Billed as the world’s first international drone competition, teams from China, South Korea, France, and the United Arab Emirates, all boasting cutting-edge drone technologies, will compete under two themes, Glamour Nha Trang and Night of the Wonders.

Each night will showcase two teams, with 20-minute performances featuring a display of at least 1,000 drones each, lightening up Nha Trang's sky.

The festival will push the boundaries of drone technology, showcasing innovations such as super-light drones, ultra-lightweight drones, and pyro-drones.

The festival is expected to be on par with the largest light festivals in the world, such as Vivid Sydney (Australia), Fête des Lumières (France), Diwali (India), and Bright Christmas Festival (Brazil).

Vice Chair of Khanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee, Dinh Van Thieu said the event would move beyond traditional light festival to bring unprecedented experiences “a feast of technology, light, music, and cultural activities by the sea”.

“This is a chance for Khanh Hoa Province and Nha Trang City to elevate the potential of cultural and art festivals and turn the city into one of the next top-of-mind international event hotspots,” Mr Thieu said

“We hope Drone Light Battle 2024 will elevate Nha Trang to become a not-to-be-missed arena for world-class drone performances."

Drone Light Battle 2024: Ever Glamour Nha Trang will take place from July 13 to 20.

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Space data to promote a greener Earth

The South Australian State Government has announced a partnership with the SmartSat Cooperative Research Centre aimed at using space data and artificial intelligence to enhance environmental monitoring on Earth.

The $500,000 funding will use data captured by South Australian-built satellite, Kanyini to investigate ways to support Government Agencies and research institutions in the areas of thermal sensing and biodiversity mapping.

With climate change leading to more and severe heatwaves, one of the projects will use Kanyini’s onboard thermal imagery and AI-based analytics capability to monitor a more current picture of surface temperatures across South Australia.

Working with the Department for Environment and Water, the project aims to update heat maps to enable better planning and responses to the impacts of heatwaves, aiding infrastructure planning, mitigation strategies and community resilience.

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Merger boost for AI in Australia

Australian cyber-security business, CSO Group has announced a merger with automation systems and artificial intelligence (AI) integrator, xAmplify.

The merger will create the largest Australian-owned and operated integrator of AI, cyber-security, technology and business automation services.

Chief Executive and founder of CSO Group, Michael Simkovic said the merged business would deliver some of the most innovative and digitally-advanced AI, automation and cyber solutions to more than 110 private and Government organisations across Australia.

“It will span industries such as defence, as well as Federal and State Governments, energy, financial services, health, logistics, retail, construction and mining sectors,” Mr Simkovic said.   

Chief Executive and co-founder of xAmplify, Wayne Gowland said the merger would create a fully-integrated national business that would work across every State and Territory, enabling clients to leverage AI, automation and cyber-security to deliver greater innovation, efficiency, assurance, and business value.

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WSN emphasises Asia-Pacific growth

WSN Consulting has established a presence in Australia in an attempt to build its growth in the Asia-Pacific region.

Paul Sakr, who will head the office in Sydney, returns to Australia following a seven-year stint at WSN’s New York headquarters.

Chief Executive of WSN, Alex Ciccotelli said the appointment was a natural evolution for Mr Sakr within WSN given his experience and familiarity within the region, combined with his knowledge of the company’s operations globally.

Mr Sakr said Australia had seen a steady increase in major institutions looking to build their presence in the Asia-Pacific, and WSN was hoping this was something it could capitalise on.

“I think Australia’s stability in the region, along with having a highly-skilled and educated workforce, makes WSN Consulting an attractive option for organisations,” Mr Sakr said.

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Report reveals AI boost for productivity

Freshworks Inc. has released its new Global AI Workplace Report, revealing how various workplaces are interacting with artificial intelligence since generative AI exploded onto the market 18 months ago.

The global survey of more than 7,000 full-time employees finds that AI has become a tool commonly used among knowledge workers. More than half (55 per cent) said they were currently using software applications enhanced with AI.

Moreover, nearly three in four of all workers surveyed (72 per cent) trusted AI to bring value to their work processes — and 81 per cent of employees trusted AI because they believed its quality of work was good, or it made their team more productive.

Chief Product Officer at Freshworks, Prakash Ramamurthy said the report showed that AI was delivering productivity gains.

“Knowledge workers are seeing strong productivity gains at work, which in turn is sparking strong employee interest in mastering AI skills,” Mr Ramamurthy said.

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SEE3D produces new, tougher alloy

Additive manufacturing company, SPEE3D has released a new material for its patented Cold Spray Additive Manufacturing technology.

The company has developed a commercially available nickel aluminium bronze expeditionary material, designed to be field-deployed and enabling production of parts in hours, rather than days.

The material is a high-strength, corrosion-resistant alloy primarily known for its lubricity, resistance to cavitation damage, and stress corrosion cracking.

It is predominantly composed of copper, but with significant amounts of aluminium, nickel, and iron. Its strength and impressive corrosion resistance in seawater and similar aggressive environments make it an ideal choice for maritime applications.

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Accountants offered cloud-based cyber-security

United States cloud service provider, Rightworks has acquired Australian company, Practice Protect, which specialises in providing cyber-security solutions to the accounting profession.

The acquisition will enable firms to manage risk, secure client data, and achieve regulatory compliance while using cloud and desktop applications in Rightworks’ OneSpace.

Chief Executive of Rightworks, Joel Hughes said his company would integrate Practice Protect into its OneSpace intelligent cloud, strengthening the security, efficiency and seamless access accounting professionals needed to build thriving firms.

“As the accounting profession continues to evolve, firms are increasingly adopting cloud software to efficiently collaborate with clients and run their businesses. However, ever-present cyber-attacks are a lingering pain-point which we hope to address through this acquisition,” Mr Hughes said.

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Valeura puts hold on Wassana production

Valeura Energy Inc. says it has suspended production at its Wassana field, offshore in the Gulf of Thailand, after a crack was discovered in one of the rig’s jack-up legs. 

The company believes the problem may potentially pose a risk to the structural integrity of the rig.

In a statement, Valeura said that “out of an abundance of caution, and in keeping with our strict standards for safety”, it had suspended production operations at the Wassana field while further inspection and analysis was conducted. 

“Valeura stresses that there has been no incident in relation to this development, and hence no adverse impact to people or the environment,” the statement said.

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VCI buys into Asian big data company

VCI Global Limited will invest up to $US30 million ($A35.45 million) in TalkingData Group Holding Limited, one of Asia’s largest providers of big data analytics and AI-powered solutions.

The investment means VCI Global is a substantial shareholder in TalkingData with the exclusive rights for TalkingData’s data AI products and services in South-East Asia.

In return, TalkingData intends to leverage VCI Global’s expertise in both capital markets and technology to strengthen its presence and capabilities in South-East Asia.

Group Executive Chair and Chief Executive of VCI Global, Victor Hoo said the investment marked a significant milestone and catalyst for his company’s growth.

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Toyota comfortable with Pangea’s leather

Leather manufacturer, Pangea has received the Certificate of Achievement in Quality Performance for 2023 from the Toyota Motor Corporation.

The award recognises Pangea's outstanding quality performance in supplying leather for several Toyota and Lexus models produced in Japan, including the Lexus RX, Lexus ES, Ace, Camry, and Rav4.

Director, Global Customer Quality at Pangea, Ron Main said the award highlighted Pangea's significant upgrades in quality, displaying a remarkable 50 per cent improvement from 2022.

“This accomplishment underscores the company's unwavering commitment to excellence and its dedication to meeting the highest standards for its customers and organisations,” Mr Main said.

An occasional round-up of international business stories

Dismissed NZ officers head for Australia

WELLINGTON (June 22): With more than 6,000 New Zealand public sector jobs already gone or likely to go, dismissed officers are suffering a double blow — out of work in a stagnant economy that is likely to provide them with few openings.

As the Government's cost-cutting takes effect, some of those affected have said they have given up getting another job in the country.

A Ministry for Social Development officer, who asked to be known simply as Red, decided to take voluntary redundancy, but said she did not really feel it was voluntary.

"The conditions that we work in are a push out the door, really. You might make it through this first round [of cuts], but we know that there will need to be more cuts, and we don't know what those will look like," Red said.

She decided to cross the Tasman to Australia, where she has already landed a job in Melbourne.

She is not alone, another worker from the same Ministry, who also did not want to be identified, decided to move to Melbourne after he learned his contract would not be renewed.

"As soon as I landed here it took me two weeks to find a job. They appreciate my skills and experience,” the officer said.

An executive with the Robert Walters recruitment firm, Shay Peters has been working in Wellington since 2009, watching the ebb and flow of Public Servants under different Governments.

"This situation just seems more invasive. Yes, we knew the public sector had grown significantly also over that period of time, but so had the population," Mr Peters said.

He said that under a Labour Government there were typically more permanent jobs, and less contract roles, and that tended to move the other way when the conservative Nationals were in power.

However, he sees this Government as the toughest yet, because both permanent and contract jobs are being cut.

"That's why I think a lot of people that are coming out of Government roles are looking further afield, whether it's further afield in New Zealand, or further afield internationally," Mr Peters said.

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UK Ministers ‘statistical dunces’

LONDON (June 22): The United Kingdom’s Royal Statistical Society (RSS) has taken statistic-illiterate Ministers to task, saying they should undergo training before they open their mouths.

It has written to all leaders of the main political parties, urging them ensure that, if they win the election, their Ministers will be provided with training in interpreting data.

The RSS pointed to evidence given at the recent COVID-19 Inquiry which has highlighted that during the pandemic then Prime Minister, Boris Johnson and other Ministers were unable to interpret key statistical evidence.

Diary notes from pandemic-era Government Chief Scientific Adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, released to the inquiry, include one where he said: "Watching PM get his head around stats is awful. He finds relative and absolute risk almost impossible to understand.”

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Top talent struggles for Civil Service jobs

BEIJING (July 22): The story of a PhD graduate from one of the top universities in the world taking a low-paid Local Government job has lit up China’s social media.

Su Zhen reportedly studied physics at an elite Chinese university before pursuing a doctorate at Stanford University in the United States — his situation highlighting the intense competition for Civil Service jobs that has developed in the wake of the country’s economic slowdown.

He has taken up a position in Suzhou, a city of roughly five million people in Anhui Province where he will work on various grassroots public service projects, such as a rural revitalisation drive. He is required to work in the city for at least five years.

One local official said no one with a degree from a prestigious overseas university had ever applied for a role with the City Council, but added that Mr Su had been born and raised in Suzhou.

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Nigerian bureaucracy ‘best in the world’

ABUJA (June 24): Never one to back away from controversy, the head of Nigeria’s Federal Civil Service, Folasade Yemi-Esan has made her biggest call yet with the claim the country’s bureaucracy is the best in the world.

Speaking at a sporting event to mark 2024 Civil Service Week, Ms Yemi-Esan said the country’s Civil Servants were intelligent and capable of looking after their health for greater productivity.

“You know I am always proud of Civil Servants because Nigeria has the best Civil Service in the world and I can say that confidently anywhere,” Ms Yemi-Esan said.

Praising the turnout for the multi-sport event, she urged officers not to take exercise for granted “because if we are not healthy, we can’t give the country the best that we have”.

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Patriots wanted in Ukraine shake-up

KYIV (June 25): Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he has given his new Chief of the State Security Service (SBU), Oleksiy Morozov carte blanche to ensure his Department is "staffed exclusively by patriotic professional people who connect their fate exclusively with Ukraine”.

Mr Zelenskyy said the Department “must be cleansed of all those who choose not Ukraine for themselves or discredit the State Security Office”.

The SBU said last month that it had caught two colonels accused of cooperating with Russia in a plot to assassinate Mr Zelenskyy and other officials, including Chief of Military Intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov.

Mr Morozov's predecessor, Serhiy Rud was dismissed in May, two days after the SBU's detention of Agency employees who, it said, worked for Russia's Federal Security Service and leaked classified information.

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Milei to press ahead with privatisation plan

BUENOS AIRES (June 24): Argentina’s right-wing Government still intends to eventually privatise Argentina’s State-run airline, Aerolíneas Argentinas despite it being removed from a list of other public companies destined to be sold off after negotiations with MPs

Speaking after the amended legislation was approved by the Senate, Presidential Spokesperson, Manuel Adorni said President Javier Milei would now push ahead with the privatisation of a dozen State firms.

The airline, the Correo Argentino Post Office and the State media outlets of Radio y Televisión Argentina were also taken off the table, but Mr Adorni said they would eventually be privatised “beyond the framework of Congress”.

“All State-run companies may be privatised. Whether it will be at this legislative juncture or further on will be up to the Chamber of Deputies,” Mr Adorni said.

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Mexico staying on militarisation path

MEXICO CITY (June 25): The next President of Mexico has confirmed that the previously civilian-based National Guard will become part of the country’s military.

The announcement by President-elect, Claudia Sheinbaum appeared to indicate that the growing militarisation of Mexico’s society, inaugurated by current President, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, will continue under her administration.

At an event with the President to inaugurate new National Guard facilities in Oaxaca, Ms Sheinbaum said it was up to her Government to “continue strengthening and consolidating the National Guard as part of the Defence Ministry with the constitutional reform that is before the Congress”.

The National Guard, which effectively replaced the now-defunct Federal Police, has been criticised for lacking the capacity to investigate crimes, while the conduct of some of its members has been the subject of criminal investigations.

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Singapore officers get mid-year top-up

SINGAPORE (June 22): The Singapore Public Service Division (PSD) says Civil Servants will receive a mid-year bonus equal to 0.45 of a month’s salary.

It said junior grade officers will get an additional payment of up to $S250 ($A280).

“This mid-year payment takes into consideration both the better economic outlook and downside risks that remain in the global economy,” the PSD said in a statement.

"The Government will continue to monitor the economic situation closely. It will take into consideration the guidelines by the National Wages Council which will be released later in the year.”

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Purr-fect outcome to Max’s varsity ‘studies’

MONTPELIER (June 22): Vermont State University in the United States has awarded campus cat, Max with a Doctorate of Litter-ature.

Max wandered onto the Castleton campus four years ago and can often be found hanging out with students and academics.

Dean of Admissions and Enrolment Services, Maurice Ouimet said Max had become a fixture in the school’s community.

“We thought he had been at the institution long enough to receive his Doctorate, but he will stay on, continuing his task in welcoming people to the campus,” Mr Ouimet said.

 

A regular update of Public Service news and events from around the world

Backpacking reporter takes a trip from the past

The story of a young journalist backpacking around Scotland in order to get closer to her readers is an indication of just how much the task of news-gathering has changed in just a few decades since the introduction of the internet, social media, and now artificial intelligence.

The reason she feels she has to do this points to why traditional media is facing so many difficulties in the third decade of the 21st Century.

The Scotsman’s Rural Affairs Correspondent, Katharine Hay says she grew tired of reporting on stories from a desk in Edinburgh.

“I wanted to change my approach to gathering news and storytelling. I wanted to try doing journalism in a different way,” Ms Hay (pictured) said.

“Setting out on foot to gather stories isn’t anything new, but in the world of artificial intelligence-generated content and with home-working taking more of a hold, it just felt right to do the opposite.”

Ms Hay has realised what reporters of a different generation knew instinctively – that the best stories can be found by going out into the communities where they are generated.

In less hectic times journalists could afford the time to pick up scraps of information from fellow patrons in a pub, or from a chance meeting in the street that could lead to front-page stories.

They became so well known in their communities that even walking out to get a coffee could result in them running into a potential lead.

Savage cut-backs in staff have all too often left today’s journalists anchored to the office, ploughing through press releases, or trawling social media in the hope that a tweet or a Facebook posting can be developed into something newsworthy.

While this is a legitimate form of newsgathering in the technological age, it often means the journalist is only reacting to information controlled by the source.

It has also led to deteriorating relationships with councils, courts and the police as the media people now longer have the resources to develop relationships that come with the daily and often informal contacts that were the practice in earlier times.

Ms Hay has the full backing of The Scotsman’s editor, Neil McIntosh who says her initiative is already bringing previously-unheard stories to life.

“She is opening up communities which will be new to so many of our readers around Scotland, and the world,” Mr McIntosh said.

Full credit to The Scotsman for allowing Ms Hay six months to revive the once universal practice of beat reporting, but in these difficult times it is hard to see this as anything more than an anomaly that few others will have the ability, or the inclination, to follow.  

 

An occasional commentary on the state of modern journalism

 

Regional unease over crypto criminality

A new report from United States blockchain analyst, Chainalysis has revealed how public sector employees around the world feel about crypto-currency — both the technology itself and their own ability to understand and investigate it.

The State of Crypto Investigations Report found that the majority of those respondents from the Asia-Pacific region, including Australia, believed in the potential of crypto-currency to enhance the global financial system.

However, they also acknowledged the growing abuse of crypto by criminals as adoption increases. The region also stood out in having a lower level of understanding of crypto-currency generally.

Some 67.7 per cent of Asia-Pacific respondents strongly or slightly agreed that crypto-currency is mainly used by criminals and malicious actors.

The survey stated that this pessimism seemed to be tied to having a lower level of understanding compared to respondents from other regions — 42 per cent of respondents from the Asia-Pacific said they were not very knowledgeable on the subject.

The three types of crime respondents said they had experience of involving crypto-currency included financial fraud, scams, and cyber-crime.

A disproportionate share of respondents from the region named cyber-crime and threat to finance as forms of crime they had encountered that had crypto involvement.

This might be due to the region’s digital growth and the corresponding rise in cyber threats and financial crimes, as Asia Pacific respondents said they were seeing crypto-currency in more than a quarter of their investigations.

On the credit side, roughly half said they believed crypto-currency would become widely adopted by the general population. Roughly half also believed crypto-currency would advance the financial system in a positive way.

Principal Solutions Architect at Chainalysis, Hayato Shigekawa said crypto-currency was becoming increasingly intertwined with global economies.

“The public sector’s recognition of crypto as an asset class continues to grow, and as we’ve seen in this survey, many believe in its potential to transform finance,” Mr Shigekawa said.

“However, as crypto-currency joins the mainstream, it is also becoming a channel for all sorts of crime, not just crypto-crime.”

He said it was worth noting that the Asia-Pacific region had the highest dissatisfaction scores regarding adequate resources, training and educational opportunities, and a lower level of understanding of crypto-currency itself, compared to other regions.

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Broadcom systems pass ransomware test

Broadcom Inc. says its Symantec cyber-security solutions have been assessed to combat ransomware and emerging threats for Australian Government entities.

Vice President and General Manager of the Enterprise Security Group at Broadcom, Rob Greer said the Government’s Information Security Registered Assessors Program (IRAP) had assessed that the Symantec security solutions met the stringent security standards required.

“Stealthy, persistent attacks targeting Australian Government Agencies and other critical infrastructure are both costly and extremely disruptive,” Mr Greer said.

“With the successful IRAP assessments, security practitioners and other key stakeholders can be assured that the most rigorous protection standards have been met to secure their most important data and assets.”

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Robex gold production targets West Africa

Quebec-based Robex Resources Inc. has announced a strategic plan designed to realise its goal of becoming a leading gold producer in West Africa.

This plan includes securing equity financing of $C55 million ($A61 million) and an extension of the company’s $US35 million ($A53 million) bridging loan with Taurus Mining Finance Fund.

Robex has also refreshed its board with the appointment of James Askew as Chair and Matthew Wilcox as Managing Director and Chief Executive.

It is also selling its entire assets in Mali, including the Nampala mine, and will seek to explore a listing on the Australian Stock Exchange.

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MyBudget switches e-signing providers

Australian specialist in budgeting, debt solutions and money management, MyBudget has announced its successful transition to the Australian e-signing company, Annature.

This partnership involves MyBudget using Annature for all formal internal and external client-facing documents across its businesses, at a significantly lower cost than its previous e-signing provider, DocuSign.

Chief Marketing and People Officer at MyBudget, Danielle Puntureri said switching to Annature would reduce MyBudget’s e-signing costs by more than 280 per cent a year.

“Our newfound partnership with Annature now sees our costs reduced enormously to $A13,000 per year. For us, this is a far more cost-effective and commercially sensible arrangement,” Ms Puntureri said.

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Shoals launches new systems for solar

Shoals Technologies Group, which specialises in electrical balance-of-system (EBOS) solutions for the energy transition market, has launched a range of system-solutions focused on international developers and engineering, procurement and construction contractors.

The new product launch, at the Intersolar Europe conference in Munich, included solutions that enabled unobstructed rows, agri-solar, as well as North-South configurations in addition to existing East-West configuration solutions.

Vice-President of International Sales, Josep Tienda said the new suite of solutions brought exciting innovations in the utility scale solar industry.

“These new plug-and-play solutions were developed leveraging Shoals DNA and maintain the high standard we have set over the past two decades,” Mr Tienda said.

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Mutual benefits in VCI-TGL link

VCI Global Limited says it has entered into a strategic collaboration with Treasure Global Inc. (TGL) aimed at enhancing TGL’s e-commerce platform, ZCITY App.

In return, VCI Global will benefit from TGL’s extensive base of approximately three million users, gaining immediate market access to expand its comprehensive suite of financial services.

Group Executive Chair and Chief Executive of VCI Global, Victor Hoo said the partnership marked a significant advance towards enhancing financial inclusion across South-East Asia by leveraging cutting-edge technology to deliver seamless financial services.

“This strategic decision grants VCI Global swift access to a diverse and dynamic user base, accelerating the company’s full range of financial services and reinforcing its strategic position in the South-East Asia fintech and e-commerce landscape,” Mr Hoo said.

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Shire award for Mountain Assets

Mountain Assets has been awarded for Most Outstanding Professional Services at the Sutherland Shire Local Business Awards held at Sylvania Waters, in southern Sydney.

Receiving the award, Chief Executive, James Gardner said the event was a celebration of exceptional businesses in the Sutherland Shire who had made significant contributions through their services, innovation, and commitment to excellence.

“This recognition motivates us to continue striving for excellence and to serve our clients with the highest standards of professionalism and integrity,” Mr Gardner said. 

An occasional round-up of international business stories

 

 

 

 

US fall in Government trust ‘alarming’

WASHINGTON (June 13): A new poll has found that nearly two-thirds of Americans do not trust the Federal Government, marking a near record-low confidence in the country’s political institutions.

The Partnership for Public Service poll of 800 US adults shows just 23 per cent trust the Government, compared to 35 per cent in 2022.

Chief Executive of the Partnership for Public Service, Max Stier (pictured) said the decline in the public’s trust in the Federal Government — “our most important democratic institution” — was alarming.

Experts worry deepening mistrust could impact voting and engagement, ultimately acting as a disincentive for citizens to engage with and provide feedback to their Government altogether.

This also comes at a time when Federal Agencies are trying to use modern technology to improve their relationship with constituents through more user-friendly websites, digital filing systems and in-person recruiting.

That seems to have made an impact given about half of respondents said they were satisfied with their personal interactions with the Government.

Even so, concerted efforts made by Agencies to hire young workers may be stunted by levels of mistrust, particularly among those ages 18-to-34, where data shows trust has fallen from 30 per cent to 15 per cent since 2022.

The survey also supports findings that Republicans are even less likely to have confidence in their Government.

Members of Congress and expert organisations that watch the Government have noted that attacks on the Civil Service have gained steam in conservative circles.

The survey found that almost two-thirds of respondents said there were “many” Civil Servants that refused to cooperate with policies they disagreed with, with almost 79 per cent of Republicans affirming that statement compared to 55 per cent of Democrats. Fewer than a quarter said Civil Servants were non-partisan.

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Top UK bureaucrat gets nuclear job

LONDON (June 13): Former Permanent Secretary at the United Kingdom Cabinet Office, Sir Alex Chisholm has been appointed UK Chair of EDF Energy after having previously run the Department that contracted it to build a nuclear power station in Britain.

Mr Chisholm was head of the UK Department of Business which worked on the Government deal for EDF to proceed with the Hinkley Point C nuclear plant in Somerset, struck in 2016.

The projects costs have since soared from an estimated £18 billion ($A34.7 billion) to at least £31 billion ($A59.7 billion) and is due to be completed in 2031.

The French State-owned company is a specialist in nuclear power, and one of the ‘big six’ energy providers that have been criticised for huge profits during the energy crisis sparked by the war in Ukraine.

Mr Chisholm’s departure is one of a number of high-profile exits from the Civil Service before the General Election and a likely change of governing party.

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Japan’s private sector winning jobs battle

TOKYO (June 15): The shortage of Civil Servants in rural areas of Japan is raising serious concerns.

As the country’s population dwindles and ages, private-sector businesses are becoming increasingly aggressive in recruiting young talent, promising job applicants their assignments even before extending formal job offers — a previously unheard-of practice in Japan.

Researcher at the Recruit Works Institute, Kenji Hashimoto said fewer students were considering a Civil Service career than in recent years.

“With career advancement still largely based on seniority, Local Government personnel often have to wait until they are around 50 years old before being promoted to management levels,” Mr Hashimoto said.

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Cuts bring fears for NZ digital safety

WELLINGTON (June 19): New Zealand’s largest Public Service union, the Public Service Association (PSA) has described job cuts at the Department of Internal Affairs as “reckless and disturbing”, especially after the Department’s digital safety teams had advised of a concerning rise in objectionable content online.

Minister in charge of the Department, Brooke van Velden said Department bureaucrats had assured her they would be able to meet “the same service delivery” as currently expected after the job cuts.

A total of 76 roles have been cut from the Department’s Regulation and Policy Branch, with a further 22 jobs to go across digital safety and anti-money-laundering groups.

Assistant Secretary of the PSA, Fleur Fitzsimons said as a result of the cuts more New Zealanders would be scammed, exposed to violent extremism and sexual exploitation at a time of rising harm online.

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Maltese PM’s criticisms of officers rejected

VALETTA (June 13): Malta’s Opposition Nationalist Party says it stands by Civil Servants after Prime Minister, Robert Abel blamed them for his Labour Government’s poor performance in European Parliamentary elections. 

Mr Abela had said that those bureaucrats “who thought they had a cushy job and were not prepared to serve the people in their legitimate demands should move on before the decision was taken for them”.

In a statement, the Nationalists said the Prime Minister was in a panic and fearful of a party revolt, so was trying to blame others for Labour's poor result.

The statement urged Civil Servants to “follow the truth”, saying only they could stop abuses by Mr Abela and his colleagues.

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Joint backing for Fiji pay rise

The Fiji Public Service Association and the Fiji Council of Social Services are calling for an across-the-board pay rise for Civil Servants and the implementation of a new national minimum wage rate.

In a joint statement, the two bodies said the salary increase was long overdue and must be a top priority for the Coalition Government due to the high cost of living, and an inflation rate of more than seven per cent.

They said the last salary increase for Civil Servants was in 2017 while the national minimum wage of $F4 ($A2.74) an hour was in need of an urgent increase.

“The implementation of these measures is crucial to enhance accountability, transparency, and public trust in the Parliamentary system,” the joint statement said.

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Chinese military secrets ‘sold’ for a dollar

BEIJING (June 14): A Chinese military history enthusiast who picked up four discarded books for less than a dollar at a neighbourhood recycling station found they contained confidential military documents.

This follows a Ministry of State Security announcement in a social media post, praising the retired man for calling a hotline to report the incident. It identified him only by his family name, Zhang, and did not say what the documents were about.

“Mr Zhang thought to himself that he had ‘bought’ the country’s military secrets and brought them home, but if someone with ulterior motives were to buy them, the consequences would be unimaginable,” the Ministry said.

The post is the latest in a series from the Ministry that appears to be trying to draw in new audiences with dramatic stories designed to raise awareness of the importance of national security at a time when confrontation with the United States is rising.

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Belgian officer accused of green fraud

BRUSSELS (June 15): An official in the Belgian Wallonia Region’s Public Service has been accused of embezzling funds from the sale of green certificates.

The official worked in the Office for Sustainable Energy Promotion, responsible for the management of green certificates, which are issued for the sustainable generation of energy.

The suspect allegedly manipulated the encoded data, resold the certificates, then lodged the proceeds in different bank accounts to avoid detection by the computer system or colleagues, netting an estimate haul of around €150,000 ($A246,000).

The official is now under suspension and the Namur Public Prosecutor’s Office has been informed. Legal proceedings are under way.

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Spicy noodles too hot for Danish regulators

COPENHAGEN (June 13): The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration has recalled several spicy ramen noodle products produced by South Korean company, Samyang, claiming the capsaicin levels in them could poison consumers.

The Agency urged consumers to abandon the product, even as Samyang produced a statement saying there was no problem with the quality of the food.

"We understand that the Danish food authority recalled the products, not because of a problem in their quality but because they were too spicy," Samyang said.

"The products are being exported globally and this is the first time they have been recalled for the above reason."

It's unknown if any specific incidents in Denmark had prompted the Agency to take action.

 

A regular update of Public Service news and events from around the world