Latest news with #modernisation
BBC News
a day ago
- General
- BBC News
Halton Library in Leeds to close for major refurbishment
A library is to close for 20 weeks in the autumn to allow a major upgrade of City Council said the work at Halton Library on Selby Road followed calls from users to have the centre £870,000 scheme will include a new entrance and meeting spaces, improved internet speeds and better access for people with disabilities.A report to the council stated the work would be funded by the authority's capital programme and during the project a mobile library would be made available. The report said the library already provided stop-smoking services, police drop-ins, history talks and councillor surgeries."Halton Library continues to support the local community by offering a wide range of services," it said."However, feedback from the users of the service highlights several areas requiring improvement."According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the council said investment in the library had not kept pace with the changing needs of the community."The tired appearance of the library building can give the impression of neglect, potentially affecting community pride and reducing engagement," the report council said it hoped the work would create a more "inclusive and welcoming environment". Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
ABC News
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- ABC News
Governor-General Sam Mostyn reflects on year of selfies, service and funky suits
Sam Mostyn isn't your average governor-general. During her first year in office, she's modernising her role and prioritising a culture of care. She's a hugger, a selfie-taker, an Indigenous art appreciator, and a fan of funky suits. But don't let that fool you — the former lawyer and AFL commissioner certainly understands how to make an impact. "I have no political role, I have no politics, I have no policies of my own," she tells ABC TV's Compass. "But I can talk about those [I] visit back to those that have some say. From day one, Ms Mostyn put that power to use. At her inauguration, for instance, she donned a striking blue suit with wattle pinned to the lapel. It was crafted by The Social Outfit, a Sydney-based social enterprise that employs migrant women who can sew and offers a pathway to economic stability. "We had the young Chinese migrant woman who made my suit come to my swearing-in ceremony," she says. Initially a customer and now The Social Outfit's patron, Ms Mostyn says she's drawn to the organisation's ethos and the way it addresses gaps in essential services. "I'd been very aware of [Australia's] settlement services, particularly for women, particularly if they were partners of those that had come in on migrant visas," she says. "Often those women did not have their own agency or ability to earn or get their own education." And that's why The Social Outfit is so effective. "The money that is made is all ploughed back into education and TAFE programs for [employees] to have job security in the fashion industry," Ms Mostyn says. "I am very proud that I played that role as patron." While a carefully chosen suit beamed onto television screens around the country might be one way of being visible, Ms Mostyn's embrace of social media is another. She regularly films behind the scenes of her meetings and events, and provides explanations on what different awards and ceremonies mean. She sees it as an opportunity to champion Australia. "Increasingly, I'm using small films and vignettes when I meet someone to tell their story," she says. "To put that up on our social media to say, 'Look at this person. This is the best of Australia.' "And it might be in a country town, it might be in a city, it might be a remote community, it might be in Abu Dhabi, it might be in Gallipoli." This extends to celebrating acts of goodwill from the business sector. "Whether it's philanthropy or those that have been successful and support our sporting aspirations, who support those in the disability community, who support programs that wouldn't be funded otherwise, I think that part of my job is to go and find those stories," she says. From what she can tell, this approach is working. "Wherever I go, in almost every part of the world … there'll be someone who has a family member as part of a diaspora community in Australia, one of the most successful multicultural nations," she says. "People really admire the deep First Nations history that we celebrate here. "They admire the fact that we have such a successful, vibrant democracy, independent judiciary, [and] that we feel like a safe, stable place." Earlier this year, the governor-general spent time at the Wyanga Aboriginal Aged Care in Sydney's Redfern. The organisation provides home care services to elders, with the aim of keeping culture and community strong. For Ms Mostyn, the visit was about listening to the needs of staff members and elders alike. "One of the things I can do — I speak to ministers and I speak to the prime minister — I can share stories of success," she told the group. "For me, that starts with care, and the care that you show. You don't just show it to your own community, it extends to everyone you come into contact with." Indeed, care is a value that Ms Mostyn puts at the centre of her work. It's a message she leant into during her inauguration speech in July 2024. "Care has a deep and resonant place in our Australian identity," she said at the time. "Care is the gentle thought and the outstretched hand that Australians have always been ready to share when great challenges present themselves. Care is the quieter, better part of ourselves." Since that day, she's sworn in the 31st prime minister of Australia, represented the Australian people at the ANZAC commemoration ceremony at Gallipoli, and attended the funeral for Pope Francis. But when the prime minister asked her to accept the role, she hesitated before saying yes. "I did ask him about why he had approached me, why he thought I would be capable of doing the job and what it said about Australia," Ms Mostyn recalls. "He said ultimately it's time to have a modern, visible and optimistic governor-general who can effectively go out to the country and talk a lot about our constitutional underpinnings and the vibrancy of our democracy and our nation today." While the PM's endorsement no doubt helped sway her decision, Ms Mostyn actually credits her daughter with convincing her to say yes to the job. "She was watching [my husband] Simeon and I talking about what it would mean, the upheaval, the capacity … She quietly sat there and then just said, 'Will it make you happy?'" she recalls. "Thank goodness for our children, and the wisdom of younger people saying, 'You won't do the job well if it doesn't make you happy.' As only the second woman to serve as governor-general, Ms Mostyn's appointment was not without controversy. From her salary to her qualifications to her political views, she has weathered a storm of criticism since accepting the position. "A lot of people were very angry," she says. "They didn't think a woman could do this job. They didn't think someone who wasn't [an army] general could do this job. Ms Mostyn believes gender and background shouldn't be barriers to participating in high office if someone has the necessary skills, attributes and commitment. And, despite her detractors, she knew she was qualified. "I think when you're asked to serve that you have to actually believe you can serve," she says. "I had to reflect deeply with my husband and my daughter about whether I was capable of stepping into this role because of both the expectations, but also whether I have the legitimate right to be here and to represent Australians in this role. "I've come to the view that I do, but I come to it from a particular set of insights." As the eldest of four daughters in a military family, Ms Mostyn's upbringing instilled in her a value of service. "My dad's now in his 90s, but he served in the Australian Army for 40 years, and my sisters and I and my mum were all part of a defence family," she says. For the years ahead — she has a five-year term to serve, after all — Ms Mostyn hopes Australia continues to lead the way on issues of diplomacy and "the great Australian value … of respectfully disagreeing, and disagreeing well". She believes it's essential for our politicians and leaders to model this. "If we send a message out to the general public that it is OK to be violent, to be angry, to make it personal, I worry that we will lose something that is uniquely Australian," she says. "We see many conflicts around the world that come back into our diaspora communities, and I spend time in those communities. I know the leaders of those communities do not want to bring those debates and those issues here. Despite this note of caution, the governor-general remains one of Australia's biggest advocates. "It's been a year of immense privilege and honour," she says. "I have travelled almost every part of the country. I've learned more about myself and learned more about Australia and Australians. Watch The Governor-General One Year On with Geraldine Doogue on Compass tonight at 6:30pm on ABC TV and iview.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Hitachi Rail, SYMCA partner on Supertram modernisation initiative
Hitachi Rail has entered into a 15-year technology partner framework agreement with the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) to advance the South Yorkshire Supertram network in the UK. This agreement designates Hitachi Rail as the strategic technology partner for SYMCA, focusing on modernising the light rail infrastructure in the region. The initiative is part of SYMCA's strategy to enhance public transport services, improve connectivity among communities, and contribute to economic growth in South Yorkshire. SYMCA Transport Development and Capital Delivery director Tom Howard said: 'This strategic partnership with Hitachi will ensure we can work collaboratively to harness the latest technology from an internationally experienced supplier in the Light Rail sector, delivering real benefits for our passengers over the lifetime of the framework. 'We look forward to starting work together, which over the first couple of years will initially focus on systems to improve the reliability of timetable delivery alongside enhanced real-time information, making journeys smoother and more predictable for passengers.' The framework will enable Hitachi Rail to implement modern, digitally driven solutions that aim to improve both operational efficiency and the passenger experience on the Supertram system. This partnership is aligned with SYMCA's objective to develop a comprehensive public transport network that promotes sustainability. Hitachi Rail, which employs over 200 staff in Doncaster, is expected to generate additional local employment opportunities and foster skills development and supply chain involvement in the North of England, through the new agreement. Hitachi Rail UK GTS managing director and vice president Andy Bell said: 'This 15-year partnership represents more than a contract, it's a long-term commitment to South Yorkshire. 'We're bringing together our globally proven technologies, transformational delivery expertise, and local presence in the South Yorkshire region to help deliver a stronger, smarter Supertram network for the future.' In June, Hitachi Rail won a contract from Kolin Insaat Turizm Sanayi Ve Ticaret to design, supply, and oversee the installation of signalling systems at Kapıkule Station in Türkiye. The contract covers the conventional line sections from Edirne West to Kapıkule East and from Kapıkule East to Kapıkule West. "Hitachi Rail, SYMCA partner on Supertram modernisation initiative" was originally created and published by Railway Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Sign in to access your portfolio
RNZ News
6 days ago
- General
- RNZ News
Department of Conservation cutting 71 roles to modernise the government agency
File photo. Photo: RNZ/ Nick Monro The Department of Conservation is cutting 71 roles in an effort it says to modernise the government agency. The announcement was a result of a change process released in May which originally pitched axing 84 jobs. The agency would disestablish 143 administrative and assistant roles and create 72 new ones which would result in a net loss of 71 jobs. Of the new jobs 25 would be part time. DOC's deputy director-general of organisation support, Mike Tully said the decisions weren't made lightly but are needed to modernise and operate sustainably. "This review is about making DOC work better. DOC needs to change the way we work to make everyday tasks easier, balancing our needs with the various challenges we face." Tully said the changes were part of an organisation-wide shift towards self-service, taking advantage of new technology and improved systems and processes being introduced at DOC this year. "The new systems will be more efficient and easier to use, which means more time spent on conservation and less on admin." PSA National Secretary Fleur Fitzsimons said that the removal of staff that monitored radios posed health and safety risks. "The current support staff have sizeable health and safety responsibilities, such as monitoring staff radio systems and helping to manage emergencies like fires. "The loss of these team members will mean that these important duties will fall on others - and pose a significant health and safety risk." Fitzsimons said that making 25 roles part time would be a blow workers who cannot make ends meet on a part time salary, and who in small towns would struggle to find other work. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
22-07-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
'Times do need to change': RSA to modernise to support younger veterans
Photo: RNZ / Nathan McKinnon The Returned Services Association (RSA) say they are modernising their approach to supporting younger millitary veterans. Members of the RSA, Defence Force, members of Parliament and veterans from recent operational deployments attended an event at Parliament on Tuesday night unveiling new initiatives aimed at "relaunching" the organisation. Speaking at the event, board chairperson Lieutenant General (retired) Rhys Jones said the RSA had been the backbone of support to veterans for 109 years, but "times do need to change". "There is a new generation of veterans that are being produced every year that have different requirements to the World War I or World War II, or Korean veterans," he said "They are an environment of social media. They are an environment of wanting to do things actively that are not necessarily about just coming together and talking, but actually actively doing things." Jones announced four new initiatives; a renewed national support and advocacy network, improving the RSA's online capability, a new membership and communication system and a push to collect stories from contemporary veterans. The national support and advocacy network, Jones said, would "focus more on central funding and management" for a more "standardised" approach to resources. "That support still needs to be locally provided, but a far stronger emphasis on how do we support that nationally." That would include help with career transitions out of the Defence Force and assistance getting in contact with Veterans Affairs, ACC and psychological or medical support, he said. Today's world is a digital world, Jones said, and the RSA still had a "long way to go" to catch up on its online capability. The initiative would include "more things that are on your phone" instead of the "clunky, mechanical, hand driven system" in use, Jones said. "That will improve our reach and engagement with contemporary veterans [because] that's how they operate, that's how they interact, and that's what they expect an organisation to be able to provide." he said. The collection of more contemporary veteran stories was something Jones admitted sometimes "drop through the gaps". "There are lots of histories and official histories of World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam and so on. But modern deployments, and there may be individuals going to UN missions or larger collective groups, East Timor or Afghanistan... those kind of things often come through the gaps." "[There is] a dedicated need for us to capture those stories so the public can understand what the modern, contemporary veterans are about," Jones said.
