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ABC News
09-05-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
CFA volunteers and farmers protest Victoria's proposed Emergency Services Levy
Farmers and volunteer firefighters angry about a new emergency services tax have blocked traffic on Melbourne's West Gate Bridge to draw attention to what they describe as an unjust burden. "It's not viable for farmers to be able to pay that tax," farmer Rob Armstrong said. A convoy of more than a dozen fire trucks and farm vehicles set a creeping pace during peak hour this morning before lining Spring Street outside Parliament House. The state government is moving to introduce a new Emergency Services Levy, which would replace the existing Fire Services Levy already attached to land rates in Victoria. Under the planned tax changes, some farmers say the amount they pay will increase by tens of thousands of dollars. "It stops farmers employing people because they've got to pay a bill to the government for $80,000 — well, there's someone's wage," Mr Armstrong said. He said he was baffled by the government's intentions of introducing even higher taxes during drought periods. "I actually find it really hard to believe that a government would think this was a good idea, he said. Under both the existing Fire Services Levy, and the planned Emergency Services Levy, primary production land is taxed at a higher rate. Money raised will go towards fire services, the SES, state control centre and triple zero. "It's something our the State Emergency Services have been calling for, they're also volunteers," Premier Jacinta Allan said. "We've introduced this change because we want to increase support for our emergency services. To bring funding to the state emergency services for the first time in a similar way to the fire services." But farmers protesting today claim it will increase their tax burden, without contributing materially more to local CFA brigades, which many farmers also volunteer for. "Not only is it a horrendous tax, we are firefighters. We're either the member of a CFA truck or we're a private unit," Mr Armstrong said. "We risk our lives … I spent all Christmas Day on a fire truck in the Grampians, missed out on all the fun, trying to look after people's farms. The upper house is expected to vote on the controversial new tax as soon as Tuesday, when parliament returns. Opposition Leader Brad Battin was at the rally and called on the government to drop the tax. "There are farmers here that are struggling each and every day because of the drought that many people will not even talk about, and then the government wants to throw a tax on them," Mr Battin said. "[The government must] ensure that this tax is stopped in the first sitting of parliament and never gets put back on the table." CFA volunteers say they're furious about getting slugged with an extra tax when they already contribute time — and in many cases — money to their local brigades as well. The government has flagged exemptions for CFA volunteers on the levy charged on their place of residence. But those who do the job say that doesn't go far enough, because it doesn't take into account they way farms are structured. Ms Allan said as someone who lives in a very high fire risk area in rural Victoria, she deeply understood and appreciated the work that fire and emergency services did to keep the community safe. "We need to ensure we're investing in our fire and emergency services and every dollar through the fire and emergency services volunteer fund will be invested in our emergency services." Tom Drife is a farmer from Glendaruel, on the rural fringe of Ballarat. He told the ABC's Victorian Country Hour that 15 to 20 fire trucks from central and northern Victorian communities were driven to the premier's office at lunchtime today. "A whole heap of proud CFA volunteers have come to Bendigo, to Jacinta Allan's office and basically handed the keys (of the trucks) back," Mr Drife said. "We're getting pushed beyond our limits and we decided to do something she'll take notice of. "The tax as it's proposed is unfairly skewed towards farmers. Our tax will go up 189 per cent which is very significant for all operations." He said his bill would increase from $3,000 to about $14,000. "It's along the lines of $2 billion ripped out of regional Victoria. That $2 billion would have been spent in regional Victoria," Mr Drife said. "It's going to go straight back to Melbourne and our communities are just going to be left high and dry. "Most of Victoria's had a very tough season this year, we are going to struggle to pay that if it comes in, but even on a good season, the community can't afford to pay that." There was no-one at the premier's office today and the keys to the fire trucks have been left at the front door.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Artax Biopharma Presents New Preclinical Data on Nck Modulators at 2025 AAD Annual Meeting
Nck modulator reduced evidence of inflammation in an animal model of dermal irritation Compelling preclinical data support continued development of Nck modulators in atopic dermatitis CAMBRIDGE, Mass., March 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Artax Biopharma, Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on transforming the treatment of autoimmune diseases, today announced the presentation of new preclinical data in atopic dermatitis models with Nck modulators, in an ePoster with oral presentation at the 2025 American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting, taking place March 7-11, in Orlando, Florida. 'These preclinical results highlight the potential breadth and depth of Nck modulation, a completely novel mechanism which we believe has the potential to achieve true immunomodulation for a broad range of autoimmune conditions,' said Dr. Rob Armstrong, Chief Executive Officer of Artax Biopharma. 'On the heels of our recently announced positive Phase 2a data in patients living with psoriasis, we look forward to continuing to evaluate the potential of Nck modulation to impact TCR signaling activation in response to self-antigens and offer an alternative to broad immunosuppression for patients with serious autoimmune diseases.' ePoster presentation 'TCR-Nck Modulators: Pioneering Oral Modulation of T Cell Receptor Activation Holding the Promise of Treating Dermatologic Diseases,' Christopher L. VanDeusen, PhD; Shannon Dwyer; D. Scott Batty Jr, MD; Aldo Borroto, PhD; Andrés P Gagete, PhD; Robert W. Armstrong, PhD; Balbino Alarcón, PhD Dysregulated TCR signaling leads to T-cell-mediated autoimmune diseases. Nck modulators specifically block Nck recruitment upon TCR activation, correcting erroneous activation. Nck plays a fundamental role in increased TCR signaling triggered by self-antigens, which is a key upstream event in autoimmune diseases. Nck modulators act by modulating T cell activation, rather than broadly suppressing it. Key findings include: Dose-dependent decrease in dust mite induced cytokine production from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolated from an atopic dermatitis patient. Treatment of healthy PBMCs with AX-158 resulted in a dose-dependent reduction in cytokine release across all T helper cell subtypes including IL-17, IL-4 and IL-13. Oral Nck modulator AX-194 significantly reduced the appearance of inflammation in an imiquimod model of dermal irritation, as demonstrated by reduction in the total number of hematopoietic cells and inflammatory macrophages in the skin. Based on this preclinical evidence, the Artax team is planning further studies in additional autoimmune diseases to explore the potential of Nck modulators to correct erroneous T cell activation in dermal autoimmune disorders. About Artax BiopharmaArtax Biopharma is a clinical-stage biotechnology company transforming the treatment of T Cell-driven autoimmune diseases. Artax's first-in-class oral small molecules aim to deliver immune system modulation without immunosuppression, potentially unlocking new treatment options as both monotherapy and in combination with other treatments. Artax Biopharma is based in the Boston area and raised funding from investors including Advent Life Sciences, Sound Bioventures, The Termeer Family Office, the Fuhrer Family Office and Columbus Venture Partners. For more info, see or follow us on LinkedIn. About Nck modulation We believe there is significant potential for Nck modulation to revolutionize treatment of T Cell-driven diseases. Immunomodulation maintains healthy control of the immune system, while addressing the underlying source of T Cell-driven diseases. Central to a well-functioning immune system is the T Cell Receptor (TCR). When TCR signaling becomes dysregulated, it causes T Cell-driven conditions, including autoimmune diseases. We believe the immunomodulation mechanism offered by our investigational agents holds broad potential to revolutionize how these T Cell-driven autoimmune diseases are addressed, while not impairing the ability of a patient's immune system to function properly. AX-158, our lead Nck modulator, has shown strong, broad cytokine modulation as well as modulation of mixed lymphocyte reactions. Good data on therapeutic efficacy with AX-158 were observed in murine models of self-antigen activation (EAE), with a prolonged pharmacodynamic effect in EAE, suggesting durable immune modulation. AX-158 showed no immunosuppression in models of strong antigen stimulation. Studies with AX-158 showed substantial preclinical evidence of activity in the Th2, Th17, Th1/Th0 pathways, suggesting that applications could be quite broad across the autoimmune space. For future clinical study inquiries: contact@ Contacts: Maria Nichol, DPhil, EPA, CPA Chief Business Officer mnichol@ Media: Madelin HawtinLifeSci Communicationsmhawtin@ in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Kryterion and Caveon Announce Partnership Solution for Optimal Exam Delivery
A Unified Approach to Global Test Delivery and Security for Any Assessment Need. PHOENIX, ARIZONA / / February 27, 2025 / Kryterion, a global leader in online assessment and a subsidiary of the Drake International Group, today announced a new partnership with Caveon, the leading exam security provider in high-stakes testing, to launch a comprehensive solution for developing and delivering online exams. The full-package solution combines security and scalability so that institutions can guarantee exam integrity without overloading their existing IT infrastructures. Through this partnership, Kryterion and Caveon are empowering organizations to maintain real-time control via Kryterion's cloud-hosted SaaS platform and Caveon's Scorpion Test Driver, enabling security fraud prevention with data-powered insights. Testing programs will now be able to stop integrity concerns before they start. Additionally, Caveon customers will have access to Kryterion's online proctoring solution and a global network of over 1,000 testing centers to expand their reach. This partnership provides unparalleled flexibility when choosing which test delivery platform works best for an organization without having to switch providers. Whether it is a low-stakes or high-stakes exam, online or in testing centers, this solution will cover all needs. "This partnership is part of Kryterion's ongoing mission to provide our customers with agile solutions, putting the choice and power in their hands," said Rob Armstrong, president of Kryterion. "I'm excited to partner with Caveon and to see the value it will bring to test sponsors." "This partnership brings Caveon and Kryterion's relationship full circle", said Caveon Founder and CEO David Foster. "As the once CEO of Kryterion, it's wonderful to re-establish this partnership and I'm thrilled to be able to offer customer-centric solutions that focus on flexibility, program choice, security, and candidate experience." For more information on this partnership, please contact sales@ or visit About KryterionKryterion, a subsidiary of the Drake International Group, has been a leader in online global assessment and proctoring since 2001, continually advancing the credentialing industry with cutting-edge innovations. Its SaaS platform, Webassessor, empowers clients with flexible, secure, and self-managed testing solutions. The company, located in the US, the UK, the Philippines, South Africa, and Japan, provides high-quality test development and delivery and psychometric services paired with outstanding customer support. About CaveonFor more than 20 years, Caveon Test Security has driven the discussion and practice of exam security in the testing industry. Today, as the recognized leader in the field, Caveon has expanded its offerings to encompass innovative solutions and technologies that provide comprehensive protection: Solutions designed to detect, deter, and even prevent test fraud. Contact Information Verushka BuonaffinaPR Managerverushka@ 8747387 SOURCE: Kryterion View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire Sign in to access your portfolio
