Latest news with #Bristow
The Advertiser
6 days ago
- Business
- The Advertiser
UK touted as important partner as US uncertainty grows
The United Kingdom has fast become one of Australia's most important defence allies amid turmoil under the Trump administration, a security analyst says. Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Defence Minister Richard Marles will host their UK counterparts David Lammy and John Healey in Sydney for joint talks on Friday. Australian Strategic Policy Institute senior analyst Alex Bristow said ministerial meetings moving to more of a six-monthly cycle rather than their traditional annual timeline highlighted strengthened ties between the two nations. "The tempo of it increasing, I think, is a signal that Britain is moving into an elite category," he told AAP. The UK was probably third behind Japan and the US in terms of how strategically significant the defence relationship was to Australia, Dr Bristow said. The UK's Carrier Strike Group, led by Royal Navy flagship HMS Prince of Wales, arrived in Darwin on Wednesday as Australia's largest military exercise Talisman Sabre is underway. It's the first UK carrier strike group to visit Australia since 1997. It is an international task group which includes five core ships, 24 jets, and 17 helicopters, centred around the flagship aircraft carrier. UK High Commissioner to Australia Sarah MacIntosh said the arrival of the strike group was a demonstration of commitment to the region and the strong relationship with Canberra. "This is an anchor relationship in a contested world," she said. Dr Bristow said Australia should be welcoming carrier strike groups from European countries. He said NATO had identified China as a threat to its interests as Beijing continues to collaborate with Russia and North Korea. "It's entirely in the interests of European allies in NATO to be working with Indo-Pacific allies," Dr Bristow said. The US has promised to sell Australia nuclear-powered submarines under the AUKUS agreement, which has since been put under review by the Trump administration. The three-nation pact, which includes the UK, will likely be discussed during the high level talks in Sydney. Defence analysts believe a likely outcome of the review will be a request for more money from Australia towards the US submarine industrial base, rather than the deal being scrapped. The Australian government has said it remains confident in the nuclear-submarine deal being delivered. The United Kingdom has fast become one of Australia's most important defence allies amid turmoil under the Trump administration, a security analyst says. Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Defence Minister Richard Marles will host their UK counterparts David Lammy and John Healey in Sydney for joint talks on Friday. Australian Strategic Policy Institute senior analyst Alex Bristow said ministerial meetings moving to more of a six-monthly cycle rather than their traditional annual timeline highlighted strengthened ties between the two nations. "The tempo of it increasing, I think, is a signal that Britain is moving into an elite category," he told AAP. The UK was probably third behind Japan and the US in terms of how strategically significant the defence relationship was to Australia, Dr Bristow said. The UK's Carrier Strike Group, led by Royal Navy flagship HMS Prince of Wales, arrived in Darwin on Wednesday as Australia's largest military exercise Talisman Sabre is underway. It's the first UK carrier strike group to visit Australia since 1997. It is an international task group which includes five core ships, 24 jets, and 17 helicopters, centred around the flagship aircraft carrier. UK High Commissioner to Australia Sarah MacIntosh said the arrival of the strike group was a demonstration of commitment to the region and the strong relationship with Canberra. "This is an anchor relationship in a contested world," she said. Dr Bristow said Australia should be welcoming carrier strike groups from European countries. He said NATO had identified China as a threat to its interests as Beijing continues to collaborate with Russia and North Korea. "It's entirely in the interests of European allies in NATO to be working with Indo-Pacific allies," Dr Bristow said. The US has promised to sell Australia nuclear-powered submarines under the AUKUS agreement, which has since been put under review by the Trump administration. The three-nation pact, which includes the UK, will likely be discussed during the high level talks in Sydney. Defence analysts believe a likely outcome of the review will be a request for more money from Australia towards the US submarine industrial base, rather than the deal being scrapped. The Australian government has said it remains confident in the nuclear-submarine deal being delivered. The United Kingdom has fast become one of Australia's most important defence allies amid turmoil under the Trump administration, a security analyst says. Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Defence Minister Richard Marles will host their UK counterparts David Lammy and John Healey in Sydney for joint talks on Friday. Australian Strategic Policy Institute senior analyst Alex Bristow said ministerial meetings moving to more of a six-monthly cycle rather than their traditional annual timeline highlighted strengthened ties between the two nations. "The tempo of it increasing, I think, is a signal that Britain is moving into an elite category," he told AAP. The UK was probably third behind Japan and the US in terms of how strategically significant the defence relationship was to Australia, Dr Bristow said. The UK's Carrier Strike Group, led by Royal Navy flagship HMS Prince of Wales, arrived in Darwin on Wednesday as Australia's largest military exercise Talisman Sabre is underway. It's the first UK carrier strike group to visit Australia since 1997. It is an international task group which includes five core ships, 24 jets, and 17 helicopters, centred around the flagship aircraft carrier. UK High Commissioner to Australia Sarah MacIntosh said the arrival of the strike group was a demonstration of commitment to the region and the strong relationship with Canberra. "This is an anchor relationship in a contested world," she said. Dr Bristow said Australia should be welcoming carrier strike groups from European countries. He said NATO had identified China as a threat to its interests as Beijing continues to collaborate with Russia and North Korea. "It's entirely in the interests of European allies in NATO to be working with Indo-Pacific allies," Dr Bristow said. The US has promised to sell Australia nuclear-powered submarines under the AUKUS agreement, which has since been put under review by the Trump administration. The three-nation pact, which includes the UK, will likely be discussed during the high level talks in Sydney. Defence analysts believe a likely outcome of the review will be a request for more money from Australia towards the US submarine industrial base, rather than the deal being scrapped. The Australian government has said it remains confident in the nuclear-submarine deal being delivered. The United Kingdom has fast become one of Australia's most important defence allies amid turmoil under the Trump administration, a security analyst says. Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Defence Minister Richard Marles will host their UK counterparts David Lammy and John Healey in Sydney for joint talks on Friday. Australian Strategic Policy Institute senior analyst Alex Bristow said ministerial meetings moving to more of a six-monthly cycle rather than their traditional annual timeline highlighted strengthened ties between the two nations. "The tempo of it increasing, I think, is a signal that Britain is moving into an elite category," he told AAP. The UK was probably third behind Japan and the US in terms of how strategically significant the defence relationship was to Australia, Dr Bristow said. The UK's Carrier Strike Group, led by Royal Navy flagship HMS Prince of Wales, arrived in Darwin on Wednesday as Australia's largest military exercise Talisman Sabre is underway. It's the first UK carrier strike group to visit Australia since 1997. It is an international task group which includes five core ships, 24 jets, and 17 helicopters, centred around the flagship aircraft carrier. UK High Commissioner to Australia Sarah MacIntosh said the arrival of the strike group was a demonstration of commitment to the region and the strong relationship with Canberra. "This is an anchor relationship in a contested world," she said. Dr Bristow said Australia should be welcoming carrier strike groups from European countries. He said NATO had identified China as a threat to its interests as Beijing continues to collaborate with Russia and North Korea. "It's entirely in the interests of European allies in NATO to be working with Indo-Pacific allies," Dr Bristow said. The US has promised to sell Australia nuclear-powered submarines under the AUKUS agreement, which has since been put under review by the Trump administration. The three-nation pact, which includes the UK, will likely be discussed during the high level talks in Sydney. Defence analysts believe a likely outcome of the review will be a request for more money from Australia towards the US submarine industrial base, rather than the deal being scrapped. The Australian government has said it remains confident in the nuclear-submarine deal being delivered.
Perth Now
6 days ago
- Business
- Perth Now
UK touted as important partner as US uncertainty grows
The United Kingdom has fast become one of Australia's most important defence allies amid turmoil under the Trump administration, a security analyst says. Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Defence Minister Richard Marles will host their UK counterparts David Lammy and John Healey in Sydney for joint talks on Friday. Australian Strategic Policy Institute senior analyst Alex Bristow said ministerial meetings moving to more of a six-monthly cycle rather than their traditional annual timeline highlighted strengthened ties between the two nations. "The tempo of it increasing, I think, is a signal that Britain is moving into an elite category," he told AAP. The UK was probably third behind Japan and the US in terms of how strategically significant the defence relationship was to Australia, Dr Bristow said. The UK's Carrier Strike Group, led by Royal Navy flagship HMS Prince of Wales, arrived in Darwin on Wednesday as Australia's largest military exercise Talisman Sabre is underway. It's the first UK carrier strike group to visit Australia since 1997. It is an international task group which includes five core ships, 24 jets, and 17 helicopters, centred around the flagship aircraft carrier. UK High Commissioner to Australia Sarah MacIntosh said the arrival of the strike group was a demonstration of commitment to the region and the strong relationship with Canberra. "This is an anchor relationship in a contested world," she said. Dr Bristow said Australia should be welcoming carrier strike groups from European countries. He said NATO had identified China as a threat to its interests as Beijing continues to collaborate with Russia and North Korea. "It's entirely in the interests of European allies in NATO to be working with Indo-Pacific allies," Dr Bristow said. The US has promised to sell Australia nuclear-powered submarines under the AUKUS agreement, which has since been put under review by the Trump administration. The three-nation pact, which includes the UK, will likely be discussed during the high level talks in Sydney. Defence analysts believe a likely outcome of the review will be a request for more money from Australia towards the US submarine industrial base, rather than the deal being scrapped. The Australian government has said it remains confident in the nuclear-submarine deal being delivered.
Irish Times
23-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Search-and-rescue hangar approved for Weston Airport
Weston Airport, part-owned by Stripe co-founder Patrick Collison , has been granted permission to build a new search-and-rescue (SAR) hangar. Following an appeal, including objections from locals, An Bord Pleanála ratified the local council's decision to grant permission for the new infrastructure despite a recommendation from their inspector to reject the planning. The proposed hangar will serve to house the Bristow-operated Dublin search and rescue team, which has been relocated to Weston Airport from Dublin Airport. Hugh Dooley has the details. A €9.4 billion tax and spending package will form the foundation of the upcoming budget , the Government said on Tuesday in the Summer Economic Statement (SES). READ MORE Still, the Coalition warned it may have to 'recalibrate' its strategy, reducing the size of the overall package, if there is a 'deterioration in the tariff landscape' over the coming months. Budget 2026 will include additional spending of €7.9 billion – an increase of 7.3 per cent annually, and well above the Government's 5 per cent spending rule – and tax cuts amounting to €1.5 billion, writes Ian Curran. David McWilliams on how 'big incentives' to build could save Dublin city Listen | 36:51 The big questions arising from the Summer Economic Statement will, however, be about spending, writes Cliff Taylor in his analysis. Restoring control on day-to-day spending will be a big challenge. And if the budget numbers tighten, then the State will face the choice of borrowing to finance its increased investment plans. In the middle of all this is the commitment to billions into two funds each year, to help pay future bills. Reliance, the Cork-headquartered engineering and robotics component distributor where former táinaste Simon Coveney was appointed as a non-executive director earlier this year, reported revenues of close €20 million last year as domestic sales jumped 14 per cent. Accounts filed recently for the Reliance Bearing and Gear Company, which celebrates a century in business this year, reveal turnover climbed by more than 11 per cent to just under €19.6 million in 2024, Ian Curran reports. Some first-time buyers are getting their mortgage wrong, and it's costing them. Stiff competition for homes means being laser focused on getting a loan offer, and fast. However, getting the wrong mortgage could leave you in the wrong house, in the wrong location and on the hook for more debt than necessary. Your mortgage is going to shape your finances for decades to come, so here are the top 10 things you need to get right, writes Joanne Hunt. The correct, writes John McManus in his weekly column, but pretty much politically impossible thing to do about the housing crisis is to level with the electorate and say that fixing the problem is going to take far longer than anyone is prepared to admit. And that it will probably never be fixed if the definition of fixed is that we achieve European levels of housing provision. AIB has moved to require staff eligible for hybrid working to return to its branches and offices three days a week on a phased basis, introducing the tightest rules among Irish retail banks. The new regime will take full effect from the start of 2026, a spokesman said. AIB had more than 10,400 employees at the end of last year. Joe Brennan reports. If you'd like to read more about the issues that affect your finances try signing up to On the Money , the weekly newsletter from our personal finance team, which will be issued every Friday to Irish Times subscribers.
Irish Times
23-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Stripe co-founder's Weston Airport granted permission for new search and rescue hangar
Weston Airport, part-owned by Stripe co-founder Patrick Collison, has been granted permission to build a new search and rescue (SAR) hangar. The proposed build will house the Bristow-operated Dublin search and rescue team, which has been relocated to Weston Airport from Dublin Airport . Following an appeal, including objections from locals, An Coimisiún Pleanála ratified the local council's decision to grant permission for the hangar despite a recommendation from its inspector to reject the planning. In early July, Rescue 116, the Dublin-based rescue helicopter, began to operate at Weston Airport, ending a 27-year term in Dublin Airport. The new private operators of the SAR helicopters for the Irish Coast Guard service, Bristow Ireland, are set to be based at the airport. READ MORE As part of the move to Weston Airport, they sought permission to build a SAR hangar and facility capable of housing two rescue helicopters. The two-storey development will also include a maintenance store; workshop and facilities; operations rooms and offices; staff kitchen, and accommodation for on-shift personnel, alongside 15 parking spaces. A secondary single storey building with an ESB substation, switch room, and a security office will also be built. Local residents have decried the additional air traffic volume that locating the SAR base at Weston Airport would have, with one submission saying the community was 'already plagued by aircraft noise and pollution, helicopters and jets in particular'. 'The prospect of night flying,' the submission said, 'even if it were on only a few occasions does nothing for our peace of mind'. [ John Collison and other Weston Airport owners invest €18.9m in expansion Opens in new window ] The local council was urged to do 'the most humane thing and [reject] this application and let us residents [live] in peace'. One submission claimed that Weston has 'historically shown contempt' for the local communities and the council was told that one local was reportedly told 'p**s off, it's an airport' in response to a complaint to the airport. The airport strenuously rejected this claim. Despite the objections, South Dublin County Council granted conditional permission for the project in August 2024. An appeal of the decision was lodged three weeks later. The planning board upheld the decision by the local council, despite a recommendation from the senior planning inspector, Terence McLellan, that the location of the development within the airbase 'would result in the disorderly and piecemeal development of Weston Airport that would facilitate an overall intensification of the airport'. 'The proposal would, therefore, be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area,' Mr McLellan said, recommending the board refuse planning permission. An Bord Pleanála did not accept the recommendation, noting it preferred the 'assessment and conclusions of the planning authority' in relation to the location of the development within the airport. In a statement to The Irish Times, Weston Airport said the development was 'both necessary and responsible' and would serve the 'national interest in saving lives'. 'The project includes extensive environmental safeguards and noise mitigation measures to ensure minimal impact on the surrounding community,' Weston Airport said. It added that it was looking forward to delivering the development, which it said will 'operate in harmony' with the local community and environment.
Indian Express
17-07-2025
- General
- Indian Express
A boat, a legacy: A scrap dealer's tribute to Robert Bristow, the architect of modern Cochin port
The warm scent of teak wood and Fevicol greets visitors at a boatyard on the banks of the Vembanad Lake. Beneath a teal tarpaulin, two men work diligently on a weathered wooden boat, predominantly brown with patches of flaking polish. Surrounded by scaffolding and wooden supports, the vessel wears a modest sign at its bow: ML Vasco. But this is no ordinary restoration, and ML Vasco is no ordinary boat. More than 105 years old, it is the boat that once ferried British harbour engineer Sir Robert Bristow — widely acknowledged as the architect of the modern port in Kochi — after he landed in Kochi in 1920. Seethi Sajar, a scrap dealer based in Thoppumpady, secured it in an auction held by the Cochin Port Trust in 2010 for Rs 2 lakh, only to realise its historical significance later. 'It was only after a Port Trust official told me that this was the boat used by Robert Bristow that I knew of the value of my possession. It was then that I decided I would not dismantle the boat but keep it for future generations to witness and understand his contributions.' Bristow arrived in Kochi in April 1920 at the age of 39, under the direction of the then Governor of Madras, Lord Willingdon. Waiting for him at the waterfront was ML Vasco, which would become his constant companion during his mission to modernise the Cochin Port. Though the port had been a major trading hub even before Bristow's arrival, its expansion was hampered by the lack of a safe inner harbour for ships. 'The Cochin Port was a natural port, attracting Portuguese, Arabs, Jews, Dutch, and British at different periods. Over the centuries, shipping technology underwent significant changes. Sailing ships gave way to steamships. However, huge ships could not come close to the Cochin Port due to a natural sandbar, and cargo loading and unloading were being done using small boats,' says Bony Thomas, nodal officer of Cochin Heritage Zone Conservation Society. In 1926, Bristow brought a dredger, named 'Lord Willingdon', from Scotland to remove the sand and silt that prevented the entry of large ships at the port. Two years later, on May 26, 1928, a steamship, SS Padma, entered the inner harbour of the modernised Cochin Port, officially opening it to the world. This event is commemorated annually as the Cochin Port Day. But Bristow didn't stop here. He used the mud and materials dredged from the sea during the modernisation of the port to create Willingdon Island, the largest artificial island in India. He filled the area around Veduruthy Island, a pre-existing small natural island, to carve out Willingdon Island in a sprawling area of 775 acres. He owned the first building on the new island. 'He later connected this human-made island to the mainland of Ernakulam through the Venduruthy bridge. He also connected the island and the mainland area of Thoppumpady through the Old Harbour Bridge, which was called the London Bridge of Kochi. It was an architectural marvel as its middle portion could be lifted to allow ships to pass through,' says Thomas. In his book Cochin Saga, Bristow wrote how he marvelled at the scope of the Cochin Port when he touched down in 1920 and took the first trip on Vasco. 'It seemed all the blue lagoons of the southern seas had come to rest in the wide bosom of Mother India at Cochin, for each side there stretched an interminable vista fading only into the sky itself.' Over the next two decades, he transformed Kochi's landscape as the 'interminable vista' evolved into a bustling port city, complete with wharfs, cranes, roads, and bridges. He oversaw the extension of the rail line from the old railway station in Ernakulam to Willingdon Island and the establishment of Harbour Terminus railway station on the island in 1932, mainly for freight movement. Talking to the BBC in 1935, a proud Bristow said: 'I live on a large island made from the bottom of the sea. It is called Willingdon Island, after the present Viceroy of India. From the upper floor of my house, I look down on the finest harbour in the East.' Bristow also played a key role in building a civilian airstrip on Willingdon Island in 1936, which later proved to be a crucial aircraft repair yard for the British during World War II. In 1953, the facility was commissioned as INS Garuda, the oldest operating air station of the Indian Navy. Apart from his engineering laurels, Bristow, along with his wife, Gertrude, is credited with founding the inter-racial Lotus Club in Kochi. 'The Cochin Club in Fort Kochi allowed only fully British people. Gertrude had Belgian Jewish ancestry, making her ineligible. The couple opened Lotus Club to people from all races and backgrounds, almost like a statement to the British Raj,' says Stephen Robert, a Kochi-based heritage activist. Bristow returned to England in 1941 and passed away in 1966 at the age of 85. ML Vasco is unlike any modern vessel. Twenty-six feet long, six feet wide, and seven feet tall, with a two-cylinder diesel engine, it can accommodate 10 to 12 people. Built entirely from wood and copper, and without the use of iron, it has not rusted even after all these years. For its restoration, Sajar sought craftsmen skilled in repairing wooden boats. His search eventually led him to Jaison and Janappan from Mulvakukad in Kochi. The two men are as enthusiastic as Sajar about the restoration efforts. 'We had heard about Bristow sayippu (a loosely used colloquial term in Malayalam for people of Caucasian descent) and it is a great privilege for us to now work on his boat,' says Jaison, adding that the instruction from Sajar has been to stay true to the original design. The boat has two cabins separated by a central deck. A wooden ladder connects the central deck to the front cabin, which features two large oval windows on each side. The two men plan to install glass panes in these windows. The rear cabin has rectangular wooden panels and serves as the main seating area. The windows in the back cabin are rectangular and much smaller compared to those in the front cabin. They have reattached the loose steering wheel and plan to replace the engine cover. What lies ahead for them is the not-so-easy task of lifting the boat and replacing the missing wooden planks on the bottom. Sajar estimates the cost for the restoration work, which began over four months ago, to be around Rs 10 lakh. For now, ML Vasco remains at a rented yard in Karuvelippady. But Sajar has bigger plans: once restored, the boat will be mounted on trolleys and transported to a three-acre plot nearby, which he bought recently. He intends to display Vasco in a fibre enclosure and unveil it during Onam.
