Latest news with #ATIA
Edmonton Journal
3 days ago
- Politics
- Edmonton Journal
Information and privacy commissioner says Alberta rejected of her two recommendations
Alberta's information and privacy commissioner says she is prepared to investigate the province's response to access to information requests, should it continue to ignore two recommendations her office made earlier this year. Article content In May, Information and Privacy Commissioner Diane McLeod published a report that followed a 21-month investigation into how the province was handling requests made under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP). Article content Article content Article content She found that 27 government departments relied on policies that broke FOIP laws, and issued a report with multiple recommendations to make responses to requests compliant with the legislation. Article content Article content 'I am pleased that the government has accepted most of my recommendations and either has implemented or is in the process of implementing them,' said McLeod. 'However, I was disappointed to read that the government is not accepting two of the recommendations.' Article content Those two recommendations centre around the province's practice of limiting the number of topics in an access to information request, and splitting requests with multiple topics into several new requests at the cost of more fees. Article content Article content McLeod said she wants to know if the government is still pursuing those policies under new legislation, The Access to Information Act (ATIA), which came into force on June 11 and superseded the FOIP Act. Article content 'I will be monitoring requests for review coming into my office concerning Government of Alberta public bodies to determine whether this activity is still occurring under ATIA,' McLeod said. Article content 'If I find this to be the case, I will investigate under ATIA to determine whether the government public bodies are permitted to require applicants to split access requests and their rationale for the same.' Article content In a statement, the office of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction Minister Dale Nally said his department respects McLeod's role but that his job is 'to get Albertans the information they request, quickly, lawfully, and efficiently.'
Calgary Herald
3 days ago
- Politics
- Calgary Herald
Information and privacy commissioner says Alberta rejected of her two recommendations
Alberta's information and privacy commissioner says she is prepared to investigate the province's response to access to information requests, should it continue to ignore two recommendations her office made earlier this year. Article content In May, Information and Privacy Commissioner Diane McLeod published a report that followed a 21-month investigation into how the province was handling requests made under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP). Article content Article content Article content She found that 27 government departments relied on policies that broke FOIP laws, and issued a report with multiple recommendations to make responses to requests compliant with the legislation. Article content Article content 'I am pleased that the government has accepted most of my recommendations and either has implemented or is in the process of implementing them,' said McLeod. 'However, I was disappointed to read that the government is not accepting two of the recommendations.' Article content Those two recommendations centre around the province's practice of limiting the number of topics in an access to information request, and splitting requests with multiple topics into several new requests at the cost of more fees. Article content Article content McLeod said she wants to know if the government is still pursuing those policies under new legislation, The Access to Information Act (ATIA), which came into force on June 11 and superseded the FOIP Act. Article content 'I will be monitoring requests for review coming into my office concerning Government of Alberta public bodies to determine whether this activity is still occurring under ATIA,' McLeod said. Article content 'If I find this to be the case, I will investigate under ATIA to determine whether the government public bodies are permitted to require applicants to split access requests and their rationale for the same.' Article content In a statement, the office of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction Minister Dale Nally said his department respects McLeod's role but that his job is 'to get Albertans the information they request, quickly, lawfully, and efficiently.'
ABC News
04-08-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Oberon truffiere first in Australia certified free from banned chemical
As Australia's truffle industry continues to grow, a truffiere on the New South Wales Central Tablelands has become the first in the country to be certified free of a banned residual chemical. Japan rejected several shipments of truffles from Australia in 2023 due to detections of organochlorine (OC) over the country's maximum residue limits. OC is a chemical that has been banned in Australia since the 1990s and is typically found in various pesticides. Japan, Australia's second-largest export market for truffles, has a three-strikes rule whereby if there are three detections of OC, the entire Australian industry would be banned from exporting truffles to their country. In response to the first detection, the Australian Truffle Industry Association (ATIA) introduced the 2025 National Soils Testing Protocol, certifying truffieres were free from OC. The testing is part of a recently introduced broader program of best practice called TruffleCare. Redground Australia, an Oberon-based truffiere — otherwise simply known as a truffle grower — has been issued the first certificate of compliance under ATIA's National Soils Testing Protocol for Residues of Persistent Chemicals. "It means our customers, our clientele, can be assured that the product that they are receiving, whether it's in Australia or overseas, is clean and free of residues," said the owner and managing director of Redground Australia, Jill O'Grady. While Ms O'Grady said it was a lengthy process to secure the certificate — including getting accredited soil tests and looking at where their trees had come from — it was a vital step for industry. ATIA vice-president Noel Fitzpatrick said the certification gave exporters confidence in their truffles. "This is going to become more and more important over time as we build up export markets, but also the farms within Australia," he said. Truffles are a subterranean fruit of fungi growing on the roots of host trees and are often used as a flavour enhancer on top of savoury dishes. Despite only beginning to market truffles 25 years ago, Australia is the fourth-largest producer in the world, growing an estimated 20 tonnes of truffles per year. This has grown significantly over the past few decades, with production projected to double or triple within the next 10 years. Mr Fitzpatrick said creating the TruffleCare program was vital to ensuring each Australian truffle business produced a high-level product. "We're always looking at quality assurance in the industry so we can maintain our standing on the global market and make sure that we are leaving no stone unturned to produce the best quality that we can to maintain those markets," he said. The Australian truffle industry is estimated to have a gross value of $40 million per year and is made up of about 400 growers. Seventy per cent of growers are in the southern forests region of south-west Western Australia, according to Agrifutures. Truffles in general prefer warm summers and cold winters, with some incidence of frost and deep, well-draining and high pH soils. Because of this, most Australian truffieres generally need to modify soils. Decades ago, farmers would use insecticides such as Dieldrin and DDT to kill and deter pests in the soil from eating their crops. These were all part of the OC (organochlorine) family, which Australia banned in the 1990s. The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water said OCs generally resisted degradation by chemical, physical or biological means, meaning they were toxic to humans and other animals. OCs are said to have serious short and long-term impacts at low concentrations, as well as non-lethal effects such as damage to the immune and reproductive systems. Despite being banned for decades, the chemical has a residual effect, potentially taking hundreds of years to deplete from the soil.
New York Post
20-07-2025
- Business
- New York Post
Aussies are traveling to the US in droves, despite Trump's strict border stance: report
There's been a surprising spike in Aussies heading to the US after many were deterred by President Donald Trump's strict border stance and other controversial government policies. According to new data released by the Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA), travel from Australia to the US increased by 4.8 percent year-on-year and was up 8 percent in May 2025 compared to May 2024. Advertisement Figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) were also up in various categories including traveling on a holiday (up 12 percent compared with last year), visiting friends or relatives (up 15 percent) or for business (up 8 percent). It shows a solid improvement compared to April where there was a 6.2 per cent decline. US inbound travel to Australia, however, slipped by 3.7 percent in May and remained flat year-on-year with a modest 0.6 percent rise. 'The USA remains popular with outbound travelers, but the muted inbound response highlights challenges in achieving a balanced two-way tourism recovery,' ATIA director of compliance and membership, Nina Hedges said. Destinations Aussies are travelling to over the US Advertisement The US continues to take a back seat to destinations like Bali, Japan and Vietnam, which lead the way as Australia's favourite overseas locations. According to recent ATIA figures, for the year ending May 2025, outbound travel surged by 12.5 percent to 12.21 million trips, driven by a strong appetite for travel across Asia. Standout growth included Indonesia (Bali) up 16.3 percent, Japan, up 32.4 percent, Vietnam, up 25.8 percent and China, up 26.9 percent. 3 More Australians are heading to the United States despite being previously affected by President Donald Trump's strict border policies. AFP via Getty Images Advertisement 'Asia continues to shine as the preferred playground for Australian travellers, with Bali, Tokyo and Ho Chi Minh City topping itineraries for millions,' Ms. Hedges said. Japan specifically continues to see a growth in visitor numbers thanks to expanded flight options and the region's strength with the AUD, allowing it to stretch further for accommodation, dining and shopping. 'Australia's love affair with America could fade' Flight Centre chief executive and founder Graham Turner told that in the first three months of 2025, leisure bookings to the US from Australia dropped about 12 to 15 percent compared to last year, while business travel remained 'on par'. But he anticipated the decline to 'accelerate' for both leisure and business travel across April, May and June. Advertisement June figures are yet to be released. Meanwhile, Sarah Megginson, a personal finance expert at Finder, previously said perceptions of hostility and the current political climate 'could see Australia's love affair with America fade.' She warned Australians to check their travel insurance policies carefully before going to the US as many insurers would not provide cover if you are denied entry at the border. 3 Data released from the Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA) shows travel from Australia to the US increased by 8% in May of 2025, compared to the same time a year ago. WILL OLIVER/EPA/Shutterstock There's been reported cases of tourists being denied entry on arrival and at times, strip searched and thrown in prison. It comes as the US maintains strict immigration rules with significant emphasis on border security and entry eligibility. 'With tensions rising on American soil, Australians are rethinking holidays to the US at the moment,' Ms. Megginson told in June. 'There's growing sentiment among Australians that the potential issues that could arise when visiting the US are beginning to outweigh the appeal of visiting some of our favorite cities. Advertisement 'My husband recently got back from a week in Los Angeles, and he noticed a huge shift from previous visits: he was questioned in detail about all aspects of his trip and why he was travelling alone. 3 Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) also shows holiday travel to the U.S. went up by 12% compared to 2024. AFP via Getty Images 'It was a really hostile welcome, and if travellers feel they're being treated like suspects at the border, they'll simply take their travel dollars elsewhere.' Meanwhile, according to Finder survey results, it appears older Australians are less likely to be deterred by what is happening politically in the US, with this age group actually traveling to the States more on Intrepid trips this year than they did last year. Advertisement Leigh Barnes, who is the company's managing director of the Americas, told his team had increased their focus on domestic travel within the US, promoting the right products at the right time, and increasing their brand presence. Canadians visiting the US plummets Other visitors from other countries aren't so enthusiastic about the US with Canada – the country's biggest market for international visitors – having plummeted more than 14 percent, according to the US International Trade Administration, with almost a million fewer Canadians so far in 2025 compared to last year. Visitors from other countries, such as China, South Korea and Germany, have also declined. The drop in Canadian figures come as then-Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told Canadians not to spend holiday dollars in the US after Mr. Trump's talks about tariffs and referring to Canada as 'the 51st state' in February. Advertisement He repeated that call to action until he left office in April. Forbes reported that three-quarters of Canadians who had previously planned a trip to the US say the tariff announcements influenced their plans. Over half (56 percent) of those who had been planning to visit the US have since decided to travel elsewhere, according to a survey by Leger Marketing of over 1,500 Canadian adults fielded mid-May. Advertisement Tourism Economics, which forecasts foreign traveller arrivals in the states, said the US is looking at a significant nine per cent drop in international arrivals for 2025, and a drop of $US8.5 billion – $A13 billion (-4.7 percent) in international visitor spending compared to last year. The travel data company's May report cited factors contributing to the negative outlook include Mr Trump's administration posturing and policy announcements, such as 'Liberation Day' tariffs across longstanding trade partners.
News.com.au
19-07-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Surprise shift in Aussies visiting the US
There's been a surprising spike in Aussies heading to the US after many were deterred by President Donald Trump's strict border stance and other controversial government policies. According to new data released by the Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA), travel from Australia to the US increased by 4.8 per cent year-on-year and was up 8 per cent in May 2025 compared to May 2024. Figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) were also up in various categories including travelling on a holiday (up 12 per cent compared with last year), visiting friends or relatives (up 15 per cent) or for business (up 8 per cent). It shows a solid improvement compared to April where there was a 6.2 per cent decline. US inbound travel to Australia, however, slipped by 3.7 per cent in May and remained flat year-on-year with a modest 0.6 per cent rise. 'The USA remains popular with outbound travellers, but the muted inbound response highlights challenges in achieving a balanced two-way tourism recovery,' ATIA director of compliance and membership, Nina Hedges said. Destinations Aussies are travelling to over the US The US continues to take a back seat to destinations like Bali, Japan and Vietnam, which lead the way as Australia's favourite overseas locations. According to recent ATIA figures, for the year ending May 2025, outbound travel surged by 12.5 per cent to 12.21 million trips, driven by a strong appetite for travel across Asia. Standout growth included Indonesia (Bali) up 16.3 per cent, Japan, up 32.4 per cent, Vietnam, up 25.8 per cent and China, up 26.9 per cent. 'Asia continues to shine as the preferred playground for Australian travellers, with Bali, Tokyo and Ho Chi Minh City topping itineraries for millions,' Ms Hedges said. Japan specifically continues to see a growth in visitor numbers thanks to expanded flight options and the region's strength with the AUD, allowing it to stretch further for accommodation, dining and shopping. 'Australia's love affair with America could fade' Flight Centre chief executive and founder Graham Turner told that in the first three months of 2025, leisure bookings to the US from Australia dropped about 12 to 15 per cent compared to last year, while business travel remained 'on par'. But he anticipated the decline to 'accelerate' for both leisure and business travel across April, May and June. June figures are yet to be released. Meanwhile, Sarah Megginson, a personal finance expert at Finder, previously said perceptions of hostility and the current political climate 'could see Australia's love affair with America fade'. She warned Australians to check their travel insurance policies carefully before going to the US as many insurers would not provide cover if you are denied entry at the border. There's been reported cases of tourists being denied entry on arrival and at times, strip searched and thrown in prison. It comes as the US maintains strict immigration rules with significant emphasis on border security and entry eligibility. 'With tensions rising on American soil, Australians are rethinking holidays to the US at the moment,' Ms Megginson told in June. 'There's growing sentiment among Australians that the potential issues that could arise when visiting the US are beginning to outweigh the appeal of visiting some of our favourite cities. 'My husband recently got back from a week in Los Angeles, and he noticed a huge shift from previous visits: he was questioned in detail about all aspects of his trip and why he was travelling alone. 'It was a really hostile welcome, and if travellers feel they're being treated like suspects at the border, they'll simply take their travel dollars elsewhere.' Meanwhile, according to Finder survey results, it appears older Australians are less likely to be deterred by what is happening politically in the US, with this age group actually travelling to the States more on Intrepid trips this year than they did last year. Leigh Barnes, who is the company's managing director of the Americas, told his team had increased their focus on domestic travel within the US, promoting the right products at the right time, and increasing their brand presence. Canadians visiting the US plummets Other visitors from other countries aren't so enthusiastic about the US with Canada – the country's biggest market for international visitors – having plummeted more than 14 per cent, according to the US International Trade Administration, with almost a million fewer Canadians so far in 2025 compared to last year. Visitors from other countries, such as China, South Korea and Germany, have also declined. The drop in Canadian figures come as then-Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told Canadians not to spend holiday dollars in the US after Mr Trump's talks about tariffs and referring to Canada as 'the 51st state' in February. He repeated that call to action until he left office in April. Forbes reported that three-quarters of Canadians who had previously planned a trip to the US say the tariff announcements influenced their plans. Over half (56 per cent) of those who had been planning to visit the US have since decided to travel elsewhere, according to a survey by Leger Marketing of over 1,500 Canadian adults fielded mid-May. Tourism Economics, which forecasts foreign traveller arrivals in the states, said the US is looking at a significant nine per cent drop in international arrivals for 2025, and a drop of $US8.5 billion – $A13 billion (-4.7 per cent) in international visitor spending compared to last year. The travel data company's May report cited factors contributing to the negative outlook include Mr Trump's administration posturing and policy announcements, such as 'Liberation Day' tariffs across longstanding trade partners.
