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ABC News
2 hours ago
- Health
- ABC News
Bullsbrook residents' row with Defence Department continues over PFAS 'forever' chemicals
The Department of Defence is refusing to replace residential pipes and water systems in a Perth town it contaminated with "forever chemicals". Bullsbrook, north of Perth, is home to one of several sites across the country which were contaminated with chemicals from firefighting foam used at military bases. PFAS — or per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances — is an umbrella term for a group of chemicals that do not break down, and can accumulate in soil, water, and human bodies. The federal government settled a class action in 2023 over PFAS contamination at seven sites, including Bullsbrook, and paid $132.7 million to about 30,000 claimants. Defence has been working to connect more than 200 properties in Bullsbrook to scheme water by March 2026, including installing devices to prevent water from properties flowing back into the mains system. The project is part of the "management and remediation" of PFAS contamination around the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Pearce air base. However, progress has reached a standstill for some residents who believe the internal pipework and hot water systems in their properties also need to be replaced, which the ABC understands the department has refused to do. In letters sent to residents in 2022, seen by the ABC, the Department of Defence outlined the funding arrangement for scheme water connections in West Bullsbrook. "Defence will fund any infrastructure required to connect the property to the mains pipeline, as well as any necessary plumbing works on your property and dwelling," the letter said. Bullsbrook resident Reannan Haswell said the "necessary plumbing works" should include pipes and water systems inside homes. "I still can't believe we're having this conversation ... you've got a contaminated source, it sent water through pipes, it's contaminated your whole household," Ms Haswell said. The department has agreed to fund the scheme water connection and the installation of back-flow prevention devices. Ms Haswell was the lead applicant in the class action lawsuit against the Commonwealth. Last month, she raised concerns with Defence that residents would ultimately still be using potentially contaminated water if internal piping was not replaced. In an email response to Ms Haswell, the department said it had no record of any commitment to replace pipework or hot water systems in homes. "At the time of water connection, Defence will provide instructions for the flushing of internal pipes in the residences where PFAS-impacted groundwater was previously used," the email read. "Defence will offer to collect water samples from your taps for analysis to ensure the water meets the Australian standards for safe drinking with respect to PFAS concentrations." Ms Haswell said she wasn't convinced they could flush the pipes clean of PFAS. "You can't flush it ... hence why the original plan of a portable filtration device on everyone's premise back in 2016 was not an option," she said. The Department of Defence had not responded to the ABC's enquiries by the time of publication. Ms Haswell said she felt compelled to speak out for impacted residents and taxpayers. "I thought a class action would have had that nailed on the head ... it's still not fixed, it's still not resolved," she said. "They're just woefully wasting money to give people scheme water that's not safe."
Irish Times
14 hours ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Money to pay Reserve Defence Forces members ran out due to recruitment ‘surge'
The Government ran out of money to pay members of the Reserve Defence Forces (RDF) last year due to greater-than-expected recruitment. While the strength of the Permanent Defence Forces continues to stagnate, recruitment to the Reserves has increased sharply in the last two years. This level of recruitment is expected to increase further as a result of planned advertising campaigns. Internal Department of Defence documents show officials realised in November 2024 that they did not have enough money to pay reservists for the remainder of the year. By then, the €3.01 million budget for 'reserve training and support days' had already been exhausted, despite supplementary funds being assigned earlier in the year. READ MORE In the absence of extra money, RDF activity would have to be suspended for the remainder of the year or reservists would have to go without pay over the Christmas period, officials said. [ Parlous state of Defence Forces once again laid bare Opens in new window ] In the end, members of the RDF, which comprises the Army Reserve and the much smaller Naval Service Reserve, had to wait until the new year for payment. According to internal emails, the reason for the budget shortfall was a 'surge' in recruitment during 2024. This was due to the removal of recruitment barriers, such as delays in conducting medicals for new recruits . The increase in numbers is expected to continue into 2025 as part of Government efforts to revitalise the Reserve and increase its size, officials remarked. Information provided by the Defence Forces shows this prediction was correct. In mid-2023, there were just over 1,400 members of the RDF; about one third of its notional full strength. There are now just under 2,000 members of the organisation, bringing it up to half of its notional strength. In 2024, 268 new recruits were brought in, a 300 per cent increase on recruitment numbers for 2023. So far this year, 76 new troops have been inducted, with another 227 in training. 'Induction numbers are expected to increase with the commencement of a nationwide advertisement campaign in the coming months,' a Defence Forces spokesman said. The budget for the reserve has also increased to €3.4 billion. However, it is not clear whether this will be enough to cover the growth in numbers. Writing in late 2024, officials said increased recruitment and plans for the revitalisation of the RDF mean there will be continued uncertainty over its budget requirements in the coming years. [ Reserve of ex-Defence Forces personnel down to just three officers Opens in new window ] Earlier this year, the Reserve Defence Force Representative Association told Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Simon Harris the 2025 budget covers only seven days of military service per reservist. According to sources, it told Mr Harris many reservists carry out up to 80 days of military service per year. Under a revitalisation plan published last year, the Government aims to incentive reserve membership and to double the size of the Naval Service Reserve from 200 to 400. It will also create a 200-strong Air Corps Reserve. Other measures include legislation allowing reservists to serve overseas and a commitment to examine job-protection measures for RDF members called away on duty. Barriers to recruitment remain, according to military sources. They include a lack of qualified doctors to carry out medicals for prospective members. Some members are also unhappy they are being used as a 'shadow workforce' by the Permanent Defence Forces, without being offered the same employment rights, such as PRSI payments. Reservists frequently work on a full-time basis with the Permanent Defence Forces to fill workforce gaps. Later this year, the Workplace Relations Commission is to hear a case by a reservist challenging his designation as a 'volunteer' instead of an employee. In response to queries, a Department of Defence spokesman said the Tánaiste is committed to the regeneration of the RDF. He said the Office of Reserve Affairs is 'fully resourced and equipped to take all steps to increase the number of members of the RDF'.
The Guardian
03-08-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Australian defence force fails to meet recruitment targets but numbers improving
The Australian defence force has failed to meet its latest recruitment targets despite recording the highest recruitment and retention levels in more than a decade. The ADF enlisted 7,059 full-time personnel in the 2024-25 financial year, the highest annual intake in 15 years, but still fell more than 1,000 short of its target for that year. According to the Department of Defence's incoming government brief, released under freedom of information laws, the recruitment target for the last financial year was 8,105. The figures also show fewer than 10% of applicants to the ADF in the last financial year were hired, with some dropping out due to the drawn-out recruitment process and many not meeting its strict standards. Sign up: AU Breaking News email More than 75,000 people applied to join, while just 7,059 permanent roles were filled. The government has acknowledged some applicants had dropped out or found other work, and that its commercial contract with the recruitment company Adecco has had 'teething issues'. 'As we've been trying to streamline that recruitment process, there were some teething problems with our new recruitment partner,' said the minister for defence personnel, Matt Keogh. 'I have lent in very hard … to get them back on track with applicant care as well as making sure that in doing the assessment of medical and psych appointments that they are able to be accessed more promptly. 'This has now seen great improvement, we're a long way there, we've still got a little bit more to go.' As of 1 July, the full-time ADF workforce was at 61,189 people. The latest data, provided by the defence department, shows retention has also improved, with separation rates dropping to 7.9%, after sitting between 9% and 11% since 2012. The defence force has a target of 69,000 personnel by the early 2030s, to respond to rising geopolitical tensions. At Senate estimates in June 2024, the chief of defence told the hearing that on 1 May that year the ADF workforce was 4,400 personnel short, with the total workforce at 58,284 people. Despite the shortfall in reaching the recruitment goal for the last financial year, the government said recruitment was now on track to meet the 69,000 target. The government said some of that improvement had come from targeted social media campaigns for Australians aged between 17 and 24 in what Keogh called 'smarter' advertising. 'Doing that advertising in games, in computer games, utilising TikTok, making sure that we're focusing on having that advertising presented where our target age groups are so they are seeing those messages,' Keogh said. 'Advertising [is also] targeted at those key influencers of our potential enlistees, our young people – so people like parents and teachers.' Sign up to Breaking News Australia Get the most important news as it breaks after newsletter promotion The ADF is also recruiting from overseas, though its program to recruit from Five Eyes partners has started slowly. So far just three New Zealanders have joined the ADF, with a further 70 in the pre-enlistment stage, meaning they could be undergoing fitness tests or waiting for security clearances. Applications opened up to the other Five Eyes nations – the US, the UK and Canada – on 1 January, and more than 500 people across the four countries have applied. The ADF recruited 185 personnel from overseas militaries through its lateral recruitment program in the last financial year. That program is for members of a foreign military who can address critical ADF skill shortages. Keogh also said the government's work to deliver the recommendations of the royal commission into defence and veterans' suicides was a factor in trying to attract people to the ADF. 'Delivering on the recommendations of the royal commission … is really important for improving people's perceptions of, and therefore also their willingness to join the Australian defence force,' he said. 'We're … conscious that we have more work to do in this area as well.' The royal commission handed down its report to the government in September, with 122 recommendations, including the establishment of a body to help defence personnel transition to civilian life and access support. The government agreed in principle to 104 recommendations and has established a taskforce to implement them.
RNZ News
21-07-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
CNMI's delegate seeks clarification from US Treasury on use of federal tax revenues
According to Section 703(b) of the CNMI's Covenant with the US, federal income taxes and other federal revenues derived from sources in the CNMI needs to be returned to the local government. Photo: Supplied The delegate for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) to the United States Congress, Kimberlyn King-Hinds, has formally asked the US Treasury to clarify how fedeal taxes generated in the territory are being utilised. Delegate Kimberlyn King-Hinds sent a formal request to US Treasury secretary Scott Bessent seeking clarification. According to Section 703(b) of the CNMI's Covenant with the US, federal income taxes and other federal revenues derived from sources in the CNMI needs to be returned to the local government. In her letter, King-Hinds raised concerns that significant tax revenues linked to federal activity in the CNMI are not being returned to the local government as the Covenant provides. She pointed specifically to recent Department of Defence construction projects on Tinian totaling more than $153 million. Despite the scale of federal spending, the CNMI government received only $87,000 in reported tax revenue. "This provision was included in the Covenant to ensure that when activity happens in the CNMI, the returns from that activity are shared with the CNMI," she said. " "The people of the Northern Marianas and our government should see the benefit of economic activity occurring in their islands, especially when it is federally funded." Section 703(b) outlines a range of federal taxes that are to be paid into the CNMI Treasury, including income taxes derived from the CNMI and taxes on goods produced or consumed in the Commonwealth. King-Hinds noted that the provision applies regardless of where a contractor is headquartered, so long as the income is derived from work in the CNMI. "Nearly five decades after this language was adopted, we still do not have clear implementation of this section," she said. "As more federal funding and contract work flows into the CNMI, the question of how those revenues are treated under the Covenant is increasingly urgent." King-Hinds is requesting that the Department of Treasury clarify its interpretation of Section 703(b) and determine whether income taxes collected on work performed in the CNMI, particularly by off-island contractors, are appropriately credited to the CNMI government. She also indicated that if legislative steps are needed to reinforce the Covenant's requirements, she is prepared to work with Congress to advance those changes. "This is a practical issue with real consequences for the CNMI's ability to operate and plan for the future," King-Hinds said. "The Covenant will only endure if we remain committed to upholding its terms and ensuring its provisions are followed, including making certain the CNMI receives the revenues it is owed. I appreciate Secretary Bessent's attention to this request and look forward to a constructive dialogue on how we can ensure the Covenant is implemented as intended." During a recent CNMI House of Representatives hearing, Rep. Marissa Flores said the CNMI only collected a mere $87,000 in fees and taxes from $153-million worth of military activities in the Northern Marianas. Flores shared that data, which she said was shared at a recent meeting with the military, at the end of the House Standing Committee on Ways and Means budget hearing from the Department of Finance (DOF) last 9 July. "Why are we not collecting? What is the problem?" Flores asked DOF and the Division of Revenue and Taxation. "All this military build-up is happening…Are you collecting tax on developer's tax at all with the military?" she added. Division of Revenue & Taxation director Daniel Alvarez responded, "I do not believe the military projects fall under developer tax. I would probably have to confirm that with legal." Flores said the CNMI also needs to monitor how many military developers are being brought in because the island does not have the workforce. "We're losing money in that area. So many projects came and left, and we're only charging on the construction tax. Again, which is another problem, because now we know that they're bringing in their construction material," she explained. The lawmaker recommended that DOF have an increased presence on Tinian. Finance Secretary Tracy Norita later clarified that it has been a long-standing issue. "This is a conversation that has been going on between the municipality of Tinian and my office and [Department of Public Works] on who's going to assess the tax. "We've received information from DPW, I believe they've asked for [the Attorney-General's] opinion on whether they can assess the tax. To this day, I don't believe they're assessing it because there is no legal authority to assess the developer's tax on the military projects. "And so at this point, I believe it's legislation that's required to specify what exactly is exempted from the developer tax, whether it's a military project with an independent contractor or only military projects that are conducted by the military themselves," Norita added. "So again, it goes back to the legislation and the authority for DPW to assess the developer's tax." DPW Secretary Ray Yumul said they submitted an internal Legal Services Request form to the CNMI AG a few months ago but have not received a response.
BBC News
14-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Musk's Grok signs $200m deal with Pentagon just days after antisemitism row
The Pentagon has signed a multi-million dollar deal to begin using Elon Musk's artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok, as part of a wider rollout of AI tools for government use, the Department of Defence on Monday by Musk's company xAI, the $200m (£149m) contract is part of its "Grok for Government" programme, and aligns with the Trump administration's push for more aggressive adoption of artificial comes just days after Grok sparked backlash for spouting antisemitic posts, including praise for Adolf Hitler on X, the social media platform owned by Musk. Musk said the bot was "too compliant" and "too eager to please". He said the issue was being addressed. Musk's xAI says the new deal will give US government departments access to Grok 4, the latest version of the chatbot, and offer custom tools for national security use. The company also plans to provide technical support for classified Pentagon also announced awarding similar contracts to Anthropic, Google and OpenAI - each with a $200m ceiling."The adoption of AI is transforming the Department's ability to support our warfighters and maintain strategic advantage over our adversaries," said the administration's Chief Digital and AI Officer Doug Matty. Musk says Grok chatbot was 'manipulated' into praising HitlerWhat is AI and how does it work? Musk's expanding government partnerships come amid a deteriorating relationship with President Donald Tesla and SpaceX boss had spent a quarter of a billion dollars on Trump's re-election effort in 2024, and actively campaigned for him. He was later appointed to run the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) - a federal cost-cutting initiative tasked with reducing the size of the US government. But in recent months, Musk began openly criticising what Trump had dubbed the "Big Beautiful Bill", a sprawling spending and tax cuts legislation that the Tesla boss said was too costly for Americans. Musk resigned from his post at Doge in May, though the department has not been officially disbanded. Since then, Trump had suggested Doge could be deployed to harm Musk's also suggested he might deport Musk, who is an American citizen and was born in South Africa. He also holds Canadian citizenship. While at the helm of Doge, the White House was criticised for allowing Musk to have unfettered access to troves of government data on American the fall-out, Musk's xAI has continued to expand its government work. Its newly-announced contract may also create an avenue for that data collection to was introduced in late 2023 as a more unfiltered alternative to other AI chatbots like ChatGPT. It is already integrated into Musk's social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
