Podcasts about fpas

Chad Oakley,  CEO of  Charles Aris, a second-generation executive search firm, discusses their 55-year history and their focus on four areas. Charles Aris specializes in strategy and go-to-market practice, which places individuals into corporations, private equity firms, and portfolio companies. Chad explains their areas of expertise and mentions that the firm has a team of over 100 and has completed over 1,450 positions in this area in the last 21 years. They also have a finance and corporate development practice, which handles CFOs, FPAs, and candidates for merger and acquisition roles. Additionally, they have an engineering and operations practice that handles supply chain, CFO, and plant managers. The Changing Market for Consultants Chad, a former consultant, discusses the changing market for consulting in the age of uncertainty, and what the market is looking for. He traces back to April 2024, when consulting in the United States was down, particularly for top firms like Bain, BCG, McKinsey Strategy, and L.E.K EY Parthenon. The downturn was driven by higher interest rates and inflation. Chad talks about the factors leading to high interest rates and how it impacted consulting firms, private equity firms and M&A activity. He touches on how consulting firms reacted to this downturn and how it affected consultants. Chad shares a 2025 Compensation study conducted by Charles Aris showing a range of data that covers undergrads and MBAs, major consulting firms and competitors. He then shares three primary factors that caused a rise in the market in January 2025.  The market is now looking for new opportunities and challenges.  Key Factors Leading to Market Change for Consultants Chad explains the factors that led to the changes in the market over the past year. The newly elected President, Trump, was bullish on business, promising to rally markets better than Biden and eliminate red tape and regulations. This positive outlook led to a more optimistic outlook for the market. Business is recovering, creating solid momentum in the economy. In Q1 2024, companies started investing and private equity firms resumed deals, resulting in stronger demand for consulting services. However, the implementation of tariffs by the President has arrested this momentum, creating uncertainty for business leaders. The current tariffs have no playbook for them, and the possibility of changes in the future makes it difficult for current CEOs or business leadership teams to commit to action.  Chad shares a conversation he had with the CEO of a publicly traded manufacturing company CEO, who has manufacturing facilities in the US, China, and South America. He cannot justify the massive investment in onshore manufacturing due to the potential decrease in tariffs. This has halted deal momentum, particularly in consulting services. Despite this, consulting firms are still working on projects they sold in the first few months of the year. They are now trying to be strategic about their consulting services, focusing on key areas to win and play in the market. The Number One Area of Focus for Consulting Firms.  Chad explains that consulting firms are trying to be strategic in their direction, which has led to a focus on supply chain consulting. Companies are trying to navigate the impact of tariffs on their supply chains, and consulting firms are helping them do so by reshuffling their manufacturing base from high tariff countries to low tariff countries. They are also helping clients re-negotiate procurement contracts with global suppliers and consider acquiring competitors with a more favorable supply chain structure. Consulting firms are gearing up for a bulk of demand for supply chain services, and focusing on blue and white collar services. They are also doubling down on consulting playbooks for their services, including blue and white collar services, which is also a major area of focus for private equity firms. Consulting firms are also looking at government advocacy, such as lobbying and creating influence with lawmakers. The Impact of AI on Consulting Firms Chad discusses the significant impact of AI on consulting services. He mentions that many successful big brand companies are utilizing AI in their operations. A private equity firm's head of AI stated that the impact of AI is expected to be minimal in the next 18 months, as companies are still trying to find ways to add value with the technology. Chad acknowledges that AI is an incredible tool, and that it will be interesting to see how much it will truly change the way businesses operate in the next 12-18 months. A Growing Trend of Interim Consulting Roles Chad talks about the growth in what they call interim executive hiring in the marketplace, specifically around private equity and mostly for a limited period of time. The primary areas hiring for these roles are finance and strategy. He explains that specificity is highly sought after, and he encourages generalists to narrow their scope. The conversation turns to the structure of executive search firms for P.E. firms. Chad states that there are two primary groups within PE firms: the Deal team, and the Portfolio Operations team. He explains how they function and how they find and recruit talent. He offers advice on how to reach out to the hiring team, and talks about reaching out to consulting firms for a position and which areas of service have seen a decline and which ones are in demand. He specifically mentions pricing as an area of demand due to the tariffs.  Key Questions Answered in the Q&A Session  Chad answers questions from the panel, including his recommendations on the path to a private equity operating partner, areas of experience that are highly valued; the impact of DOGE on consulting, how independent consultants can position themselves for a full-time position; the value of demonstrable startup experience, AI displacing junior roles; recruiting for board roles, PE's interests in blue collar and white collar companies; and a positive outlook for mature consultants. Timestamps: 02:50 Overview of Charles Aris and Chad Oakley's Background  08:11: Market Overview and Impact of AI  11:28: Current Market Conditions and Consulting Services  16:08: Trends in Full-Time Roles and Interim Executive Hiring  22:49: Consulting Firm Hiring and AI Impact  28:00: The areas of decline and demand for consulting services  42:13: Path to Private Equity Operating Partner Roles  49:54: Impact of Government Consulting Contracts on the Market  52:24: Tips for Independent Consultants Seeking Full-Time Roles  Links: Website: https://charlesaris.com/ Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com.

A radio show and podcast from Unions Manawatū looking at union activities and issues around the region, produced by Manawatū People's Radio with the support of New Zealand On Air.

Axing fair pay agreements will shave up to $10,000 a year off a bus drivers salary according to the Council of Trade Unions. The government plans to get rid of the policy by Christmas, putting an end to half a dozen agreements part way through the process. Among them are the hospitality industry, security officers and commerical cleaners. FPAs allowed unions to negotiate sector wide agreements for some industries. Council of Trade Unions national president Richard Wagstaff, who's been involved with negotiating the bus drivers' agreement, speaks to Lisa Owen. (V [embed] https://players.brightcove.net/6093072280001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6342822827112

The government says it'll repeal Fair Pay Agreements by Christmas. It's also restated its intention to extend 90 day trials to every business in the country, not just those with fewer than 19 workers. The move has put the government on a collision course with unions, who rallied outside David Seymour's office in Auckland today. A leaked Cabinet paper has revealed the Workplace Relations minister, Brooke Van Velden, ignored advice from Treasury and claims there was no consultation. Emma Stanford was there.

100 day plan: Minister on repealing FPAs and extending 90 day trials [embed] https://players.brightcove.net/6093072280001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6342758103112

THE BEST BITS IN A SILLIER PACKAGE (from Tuesday's Mike Hosking Breakfast) They Must Be Getting Right Somewhere/Bloody Covid/It Never Happened. Let it Go/NFL Almost Watchable/EV Myths BustedSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Let's talk about the public service leaks against the new Government. There's been a couple of leaks of Cabinet papers in just the first two weeks of the Government. Obviously, they're designed to hurt the new Government- and they're probably coming from within the public service. Bless- that's got to be your first thought about this. Because obviously, whoever's doing the leaking is going out of their way to snaffle these Cabinet documents and get them leaked to the media cause they think they're on to dynamite here. They're obviously not, these Cabinet papers are a snorefest. The first one from Monday last week shows that the people most negatively impacted by the rollback of the fair pay agreements are women, Māori, Pasifika and young people. Which maybe I would care about if those people were helped by the fair pay agreement. But they haven't, because there are no fair pay agreements actually in place. And the second is that the Government has suspended the regulatory impact statements on all of the polices in the 100-day plan. Which again, I don't really care about because many of the things in the 100-play are repeals. You don't need any paperwork to tell you the pros and cons of going back to the way it was only a few months and years ago, do you? It's not really dynamite, either of these things. I'm going to tell you who comes out of this badly- it's backfiring on the public service. Not the Government, the public service.  Because these are the people who will go to great lengths to tell you that they are politically neutral and they can work for any Government. The boss of the public servants once took me to task in a column, arguing they could be very politically neutral all the time- they're that amazing at working in the service of the country. And yet here we are, leaking against the new Government that hasn't even had a chance yet because they've only been in for a couple of weeks. If you don't want to take my word for it, take the word of Catherine Delore, Head of Communications at Health NZ. She wrote on her LinkedIn page that she was 'deeply disappointed and frustrated' to read about leaks of Cabinet papers- and the suggestion that this is happening within the public service. She also claimed leaking by public servants is a gross betrayal of trust, because they're here to serve the Government of the day and people who cannot do that should 'opt out or be cut out'. She's bang on. Of course, public servants have got a problem with this Government because this Government wants to cut a bunch of them out. And of course, people in the public service are going to have their own opinions, we all do. They're entitled to hold them. And of course, importantly, there is a place for whistle-blowers. But the stuff whistle-blowers leak is momentous. The things that they expose are serious. The impact of rolling back FPAs and not doing RIS? Bless.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister says scrapping Fair Pay Agreements and bringing in 90 day trials means more workers can be hired. FPAs - which triggers collective bargaining if it's called for by 10 percent of a workforce - will be scrapped by Christmas. Meanwhile, a new bill will mean every business will be allowed to dismiss a worker in their first 90 days. ZB political editor Jason Walls says this update isn't particularly surprising. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister says scrapping Fair Pay Agreements and bringing in 90 day trials means more workers can be hired. FPAs - which triggers collective bargaining if it's called for by 10 percent of a workforce - will be scrapped by Christmas. Meanwhile, a new bill will mean every business will be allowed to dismiss a worker in their first 90 days. ZB political editor Jason Walls says this update isn't particularly surprising. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A radio show and podcast from Unions Manawatū looking at union activities and issues around the region, produced by Manawatū People's Radio with the support of New Zealand On Air. This episode, Jon Pawson and Gina Williams (E Tū) discuss equal pay, FPAs, and the election.

The time has come to announce the winners of the 4th Annual Film Poser Awards! Join Gabriela Burgos, Ana Sofía Cintrón, Juan Mojica, and Josie Meléndez as they share their nominees and the winners for this year's FPAs. Please rate, review, and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts! Make sure to follow us on Twitter and Instagram @FilmPosers and subscribe to our YouTube channel for interviews, reviews, and more. Cover art designed by Josie Meléndez (@thejosiemarie). --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/filmposers/support

Supermarket workers begin the initiation process for Fair Pay Agreements today, via their union. They are bargaining for wage increases as inflation continues to soar, along with wage progression and improved health and safety standards. While FPAs have garnered significant opposition from business associations and the Parliamentary right, the mood among supermarket workers is one of excitement, solidarity, and hope for future generations.  Hanna spoke to Nerissa Harding, a supermarket worker and organiser with the Council of Trade Unions, about what prospects the negotiations hold for her, her co-workers, and the industry. 

New Zealand Herald Wellington Business Editor Jenée Tibshraeny joins Nick Mills to discuss BusinessNZ now helping its members negotiate Fair Pay Agreements, the OCR hike expected today and good news on the horizon for airlines.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

1/200 covers the Luxon x Maccas sideshow, the passing of FPAs into law and touch briefly on the narrative around inflation. In international news we also look briefly at the current situation in Iran and the NZ government response. With Kyle, Justine, Mark and Branko.start - maccas14.06 - FPAs24.55 - Inflation45.30 - Iranhttps://www.patreon.com/1of200

The NZ First leader sings the praises of his loyal deputy, the Prince of the Provinces Shane Jones, but denies his party is a one-man dictatorship. He also comments on Jacinda Ardern, David Seymour, FPAs, subsidised Teslas for rich people and why virtue-signalling will be the demise of us.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Minister of Agriculture comments on his response to He Waka Eke Noa and Groundswell, the introduction of FPAs (is it back to the future of ‘70s and ‘80s unionism?) but we run out of time to ask him why he's helping rich people into Teslas.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The ILO have dismissed Business NZ on FPAs. The He Waka Eke Noa plan has been released and is far too weak. The National Party are polling better & better under Luxon.https://www.patreon.com/1of200

Kyle, Paul and Philip discuss Business NZ's approach to FPAs, Tauranga by-election candidates and the Emissions Reduction Plan.

Veckans podd är en favorit i repris gällande frågan om varför vi jobbar för mycket. Men den här gången har vi en spännande och kreativ lösning på frågan som involverar FPA: Vi städar upp i FPAs interna ologiska och orättvisa system och FPA hjälper oss med att sätta arbetstider (något de är väldigt bra på). En win win helt enkelt. Sonja har läst en ointressant artikel om att kyssas, men den kanske känns ointressant eftersom Sonja “inte har något emot” att kyssas. Joanna fortsätter använda bakningsprogram som självhjälp. Mer än så kan vi inte berätta om podden eftersom vi inte minns vad vi har sagt pga utmattningssymtom. Enjoy!

Political commentators Shane Te Pou and Liam Hehir join Lynn to discuss Fair Pay Agreements and the impact on business, business sentiment and confidence, the Prime Minister's first overseas trip and the candour of Louisa Wall upon her exit. Shane Te Pou is a former candidate, campaign manager and executive member of the Labour Party, and a former union official. He is no longer a member of any political party. Liam Hehir is a Palmerston North lawyer, political commentator and a National Party member.

Political commentators Shane Te Pou and Liam Hehir join Lynn to discuss Fair Pay Agreements and the impact on business, business sentiment and confidence, the Prime Minister's first overseas trip and the candour of Louisa Wall upon her exit. Shane Te Pou is a former candidate, campaign manager and executive member of the Labour Party, and a former union official. He is no longer a member of any political party. Liam Hehir is a Palmerston North lawyer, political commentator and a National Party member.

Kyle is joined by First Union's Ed Miller to discuss Fair Pay Agreements and some of the recent campaigns to support workers in NZ. Keep up to date with what's happening in the union space on the First Union TikTok!

The Government has taken another step towards fulfilling its pre-election promise to lift incomes and improve working conditions of everyday Kiwis. The Fair Pay Agreements Bill was introduced to Parliament yesterday and is expected to pass into law later this year. Under the bill, employees will be able to force their employers to negotiate working conditions and pay if at least 10% of their workforce or 1000 staff agree to it. Objectors believe the legislation will only drive up costs for businesses and it's the type of legislation we would've expected to see in the 70s and 80s. In favour of Fair Pay Agreements is the early childhood sector - they believe FPAs will help retain more teachers. The Council of Trade Unions' say Fair Pay Agreements would put New Zealand on par with the rest of the world. CTU President Richard Wagstaff says Australia's modern awards system has been in operation for years - and its wages outstrip New Zealand's. Richard Wagstaff and Business New Zealand Chief Executive Kirk Hope joined Kerre McIvor. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Government has taken another step towards fulfilling its pre-election promise to lift incomes and improve working conditions of everyday Kiwis. The Fair Pay Agreements Bill was introduced to Parliament yesterday and is expected to pass into law later this year. Under the bill, employees will be able to force their employers to negotiate working conditions and pay if at least 10% of their workforce or 1000 staff agree to it. Objectors believe the legislation will only drive up costs for businesses and it's the type of legislation we would've expected to see in the 70s and 80s. In favour of Fair Pay Agreements is the early childhood sector - they believe FPAs will help retain more teachers. The Council of Trade Unions' say Fair Pay Agreements would put New Zealand on par with the rest of the world. CTU President Richard Wagstaff says Australia's modern awards system has been in operation for years - and its wages outstrip New Zealand's. Richard Wagstaff and Business New Zealand Chief Executive Kirk Hope joined Kerre McIvor. LISTEN ABOVE 

In his long-awaited 89th episode (and the end of the quintet of episodes around large, often-ignored issues), Alabama Liberal looks at the enormous difference between how CoVid is treated and how toxic industrial chemicals polluting humanity are treated. Many questions are asked like: Why don’t people care more about “Forever Chemicals” in their bloodstream? Do… Read More »

New Zealand is a nation of small and medium businesses. 97 percent of all firms are classified as SMEs. They account for 28 percent of employment and contribute more than 1/4 of New Zealand gross domestic product. It has never ever been easy to be a small to medium business owner. These days I don't know how you're all surviving, what with lockdowns vaccine issues for both staff and customers, the extra holidays that have been introduced, the extra leave allowances.  Now we have the fair pay agreements. In principle, the aim of sector wide agreements is to strengthen bargaining power for workers, and regulate things like base wages, working hours, overtime penalty rates - this comes from human resources directors. We've been looking at them across different countries, so that's what they're intended to do. Just like the old unions used to do.   Under the system, a union would be able to begin the process with the agreement of 10% of the workforce or 1000 employees, and that would begin a period of bargaining between the union and the peak body representing employers within that industry. If both sides agree on the terms of the fair pay agreement, it will go to a vote among employers and employees. A simple majority from both groups as needed before the agreements ratified. If it fails, bargaining begins again, but if it fails twice, the Employment Relations Authority will be called in to make the final decision.  Now the Government says FPAs are needed to create a stronger ground floor for wages and prevent businesses from undercutting their competitors by paying staff less contributing to a low wage, low value economy, which many believe has happened as a result of great deal of immigration within these country, and unscrupulous employers underpaying migrants who desperately need the job. So, people who are paying their employees fairly can't win the contracts because they're being undercut time and time again.  However, is the FPA too much of a blunt tool? To rectify that situation, business groups believe FPAs will strangle employers, hampering their ability to hire new staff and grow, if they can't afford the industrywide pay rates.  Business New Zealand has confirmed it's refusing to be the Government's nominated partner in implementing the national pay agreements. Business NZ CEO Kirk Hope told Mike Hosking on the Mike Hosking Breakfast this morning that the FPA, the Fair Pay Agreement, should not be called an agreement at all.  I'd be interested to find out what you think on this, to the SMEs I think Kurt was talking about an employer in Te Awamutu who might have to pay the same rate as somebody in Auckland, and there's no kind of flexibility around conditions and around pay.  So that I would have thought that might be difficult for employers, but it also might be difficult for employees who want a little bit of flexibility in perhaps the hours they work, how they work, do they do some from home, some from the office, and in that case, you negotiate a different pay rate.  Do we need that kind of blunt tool? I know there have been cases because people have told me so of people being able to undercut those employers who pay their employees good wages. Unfortunately, there are always going to be customers and consumers who just go for the cheapest deal. They won't ask the questions that really need to be asked. Are your employees getting the living wage?  And hospo and construction, in just about all of the trades, you will find unscrupulous employers who are not doing the right thing by their employees. They're the minority, but it happens. And the good employers miss out. Because, of course, the unscrupulous ones are cheaper. Is the FPA going to fix that though? Or is it going to create more problem than it solves?   The unintended consequences of what the Government legislates for and brings in as a way of fixing a problem, seems to cause of many more than it solves in this tight labour market.  If yo...

David Seymour has edged ahead of Judith Collins in the preferred Prime Minister ranking.A UMR poll shows the Act leader sitting at 12 per cent, overtaking Collins on 10.It's the first time Seymour topped the National leader in this poll.Jacinda Ardern's still dominating, at 55 per cent.Her Labour Party's up two percentage points, to 48.That's well ahead of National, which is down 3 points to just 24 - Act are on 11 and Greens, 8.Meanwhile, the Workplace Minister's defending pushing ahead on fair pay agreements - saying it's a clear commitment.It's been revealed officials recommended canning FPAs altogether - and instead strengthening existing systems.In a briefing to Minister Michael Wood from November - they noted a number of 'significant risks' in the proposed mechanism.Wood says it's perfectly normal to not agree with advice from departments.He says they listen to advice - but ultimately this is a democracy and the Government makes decisions about policies.Listen above as Hayden Munro and Neil Miller discuss the day's news - and why David Seymour is the 'Sheldon Cooper of New Zealand politics' - on The Huddle with Heather du Plessis-Allan

Last September, gynecologist Isabel Stabile stood outside the Maltese Parliament with a group of activists on International Safe Abortion Day, holding signs that said: “Abortions are safe and necessary” and “My body is not a political playground.” As they livestreamed the protest on Facebook, some activists took out a box of fake abortion pills and swallowed them.“Malta is the only country in the whole of Europe where abortion is still illegal, under all circumstances."Isabel Stabile, abortion rights activist, Doctors for Choice, Malta“Malta is the only country in the whole of Europe where abortion is still illegal, under all circumstances,” said Stabile, as the camera zoomed in on her. “We are here to show you how easy and simple this process can be.”The protest was small — and later met by a bigger crowd from anti-abortion protestors — but it signals a growing abortion rights movement in the small, predominantly Catholic island of Malta in the Mediterranean, where more than 90% of the population are against abortion, on religious grounds. Related: Catalonia's temporary tele-abortion services are a game-changerUnlike Poland, where abortion is difficult to access, but still legal in cases of rape and incest, the abortion law in Malta doesn't make any exceptions — even when the mother's health is at risk.As a result, an estimated 300 pregnant people travel abroad every year to seek abortion services in places like the United Kingdom and Italy, but when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March of 2020, travel restrictions made such trips nearly impossible.Stabile, who is part of the advocacy group Doctors for Choice, said that's when calls to the organization shot up significantly.“What happened at that point is that women became desperate,” Stabile said. “And it pushed us as pro-choice doctors to set up a service.”The Family Planning Advisory Service (FPAS) was launched last August, and is run by trained volunteers providing medically-based information about reproductive health care — fertility, contraception or abortion. Under Malta's abortion law, doctors can face up to three years in prison for providing abortion services, so FPAS volunteers figured out a work-around: They inform callers of the travel restrictions for countries where abortion is legal and tell them about reliable nongovernmental organizations that ship abortion pills — although it is illegal to consume them on Maltese soil.Related: In Italy, religious organizations' 'fetus graves' reignite abortion debates“We have effectively created a telemedicine service. ... People are now no longer needing to travel as often.”Isabel Stabile, abortion rights activist, Doctors for Choice, Malta“We have effectively created a telemedicine service,” Stabile said. “People are now no longer needing to travel as often.”Stabile said that within the first six months of launching, FPAS received more than 200 calls — in a country with a population of less than 500,000 people. What's more, the number of abortion pills ordered online from organizations like Women on Web and Women Help Women doubled from 2019 to 2020.But taking the abortion pills Mifepristone and Misoprostol is only considered safe up until the 12th week of pregnancy. For people needing an abortion past 12 weeks, including those who have found out about a fetus abnormality, taking a pill is no longer a possibility.For people who are more than 12 weeks pregnant, taking a pill is no longer a possibility, which often applies to pregnancies with fetal abnormalities, as well. Mara Clarke, from the Abortion Support Network, said those are the people who continue to travel for abortions — despite the pandemic. Clarke's organization helps fund pregnant people's trips to the UK from countries where abortion is illegal or severely restricted.“At the beginning of the pandemic, we really didn't know what was going on,” Clarke said. “They were closing airports, we would book flights and they would get canceled, people were scared about traveling.”There were nonstop hurdles: border closures, shut hotels, no child care. It was especially hard for Maltese people, who live on an island and are geographically isolated. Related: Abortion increasingly hard to access in Turkey Nowadays, Clarke said, traveling is somewhat easier, but mandatory PCR tests make it more expensive and constantly changing measures make it more difficult. “Prior to COVID, the Draconian abortion laws were an inconvenience for women and pregnant people with money, and they were only a catastrophe for people without money or resources or support networks."Mara Clarke, Abortion Support Network“Prior to COVID, the Draconian abortion laws were an inconvenience for women and pregnant people with money, and they were only a catastrophe for people without money or resources or support networks,” Clarke said.“But suddenly, you have a global pandemic, and literally everybody understands what it means to live in a country with really a bad abortion law.”According to the UK's National Health Service, the number of Maltese people who traveled there for abortions decreased by two-thirds from 2019, when 58 abortions were registered, to 2020, when 20 abortions were registered.As part of an ongoing collaboration, Clarke is now funding a helpline at Malta's Family Planning Advisory Service.Dr. Christopher Barbara, another member of Doctors for Choice, said the goal of FPAS is to fill the void left by the lack of a government-established family planning programs.“We feel that people have a right to that information because, if nothing else, it's a harm-reduction exercise."Dr. Christopher Barbara, Doctors for Choice, Malta“We feel that people have a right to that information because, if nothing else, it's a harm-reduction exercise,” said Barbara. “If a woman can't get the abortion pill safely, she'll just end up getting them from unverified sources.”To this day, no major political party in Malta has come out in favor of abortion rights — but some individual politicians are starting to speak up.This May, one parliament member introduced a bill to decriminalize abortion, though it didn't pass. President George Vella later responded to this move, saying he'd rather resign than sign a law that “involves the authorization of murder.”Abortion is still very much taboo in Malta — and abortion rights activists who speak publicly about it often face online harassment from anti-abortion groups. But Barbara said public discourse is starting to shift — websites like Break the Taboo, which tell the stories of people in Malta who had an abortion, are hoping to destigmatize the topic.And Barbara said it's working. In 2016, the morning-after pill was legalized, and in 2018, the first abortion rights group in Malta was founded. Since then, similar organizations have emerged and local media are increasingly covering the abortion debate.“People are starting to realize that you can personally be against abortion, but at the same time, an abortion ban is not the right way to go,” Barbara said. This story was produced in partnership with the International Women's Media Foundation.

Last September, gynecologist Isabel Stabile stood outside the Maltese Parliament with a group of activists on International Safe Abortion Day, holding signs that said: “Abortions are safe and necessary” and “My body is not a political playground.” As they livestreamed the protest on Facebook, some activists took out a box of fake abortion pills and swallowed them.“Malta is the only country in the whole of Europe where abortion is still illegal, under all circumstances."Isabel Stabile, abortion rights activist, Doctors for Choice, Malta“Malta is the only country in the whole of Europe where abortion is still illegal, under all circumstances,” said Stabile, as the camera zoomed in on her. “We are here to show you how easy and simple this process can be.”The protest was small — and later met by a bigger crowd from anti-abortion protestors — but it signals a growing abortion rights movement in the small, predominantly Catholic island of Malta in the Mediterranean, where more than 90% of the population are against abortion, on religious grounds. Related: Catalonia's temporary tele-abortion services are a game-changerUnlike Poland, where abortion is difficult to access, but still legal in cases of rape and incest, the abortion law in Malta doesn't make any exceptions — even when the mother's health is at risk.As a result, an estimated 300 pregnant people travel abroad every year to seek abortion services in places like the United Kingdom and Italy, but when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March of 2020, travel restrictions made such trips nearly impossible.Stabile, who is part of the advocacy group Doctors for Choice, said that's when calls to the organization shot up significantly.“What happened at that point is that women became desperate,” Stabile said. “And it pushed us as pro-choice doctors to set up a service.”The Family Planning Advisory Service (FPAS) was launched last August, and is run by trained volunteers providing medically-based information about reproductive health care — fertility, contraception or abortion. Under Malta's abortion law, doctors can face up to three years in prison for providing abortion services, so FPAS volunteers figured out a work-around: They inform callers of the travel restrictions for countries where abortion is legal and tell them about reliable nongovernmental organizations that ship abortion pills — although it is illegal to consume them on Maltese soil.Related: In Italy, religious organizations' 'fetus graves' reignite abortion debates“We have effectively created a telemedicine service. ... People are now no longer needing to travel as often.”Isabel Stabile, abortion rights activist, Doctors for Choice, Malta“We have effectively created a telemedicine service,” Stabile said. “People are now no longer needing to travel as often.”Stabile said that within the first six months of launching, FPAS received more than 200 calls — in a country with a population of less than 500,000 people. What's more, the number of abortion pills ordered online from organizations like Women on Web and Women Help Women doubled from 2019 to 2020.But taking the abortion pills Mifepristone and Misoprostol is only considered safe up until the 12th week of pregnancy. For people needing an abortion past 12 weeks, including those who have found out about a fetus abnormality, taking a pill is no longer a possibility.For people who are more than 12 weeks pregnant, taking a pill is no longer a possibility, which often applies to pregnancies with fetal abnormalities, as well. Mara Clarke, from the Abortion Support Network, said those are the people who continue to travel for abortions — despite the pandemic. Clarke's organization helps fund pregnant people's trips to the UK from countries where abortion is illegal or severely restricted.“At the beginning of the pandemic, we really didn't know what was going on,” Clarke said. “They were closing airports, we would book flights and they would get canceled, people were scared about traveling.”There were nonstop hurdles: border closures, shut hotels, no child care. It was especially hard for Maltese people, who live on an island and are geographically isolated. Related: Abortion increasingly hard to access in Turkey Nowadays, Clarke said, traveling is somewhat easier, but mandatory PCR tests make it more expensive and constantly changing measures make it more difficult. “Prior to COVID, the Draconian abortion laws were an inconvenience for women and pregnant people with money, and they were only a catastrophe for people without money or resources or support networks."Mara Clarke, Abortion Support Network“Prior to COVID, the Draconian abortion laws were an inconvenience for women and pregnant people with money, and they were only a catastrophe for people without money or resources or support networks,” Clarke said.“But suddenly, you have a global pandemic, and literally everybody understands what it means to live in a country with really a bad abortion law.”According to the UK's National Health Service, the number of Maltese people who traveled there for abortions decreased by two-thirds from 2019, when 58 abortions were registered, to 2020, when 20 abortions were registered.As part of an ongoing collaboration, Clarke is now funding a helpline at Malta's Family Planning Advisory Service.Dr. Christopher Barbara, another member of Doctors for Choice, said the goal of FPAS is to fill the void left by the lack of a government-established family planning programs.“We feel that people have a right to that information because, if nothing else, it's a harm-reduction exercise."Dr. Christopher Barbara, Doctors for Choice, Malta“We feel that people have a right to that information because, if nothing else, it's a harm-reduction exercise,” said Barbara. “If a woman can't get the abortion pill safely, she'll just end up getting them from unverified sources.”To this day, no major political party in Malta has come out in favor of abortion rights — but some individual politicians are starting to speak up.This May, one parliament member introduced a bill to decriminalize abortion, though it didn't pass. President George Vella later responded to this move, saying he'd rather resign than sign a law that “involves the authorization of murder.”Abortion is still very much taboo in Malta — and abortion rights activists who speak publicly about it often face online harassment from anti-abortion groups. But Barbara said public discourse is starting to shift — websites like Break the Taboo, which tell the stories of people in Malta who had an abortion, are hoping to destigmatize the topic.And Barbara said it's working. In 2016, the morning-after pill was legalized, and in 2018, the first abortion rights group in Malta was founded. Since then, similar organizations have emerged and local media are increasingly covering the abortion debate.“People are starting to realize that you can personally be against abortion, but at the same time, an abortion ban is not the right way to go,” Barbara said. This story was produced in partnership with the International Women's Media Foundation.

Samantha Wong joins the show as the first guest from Singapore. We chat about the many innovations that make Singapore the smartest city in the world, how financial planning is evolving in Singapore and the work that FPAS is doing to raise professionalism and increase consumer awareness. You'll Learn What makes Singapore the Smartest City in the World. How financial planning technology and business models are evolving. That building the profession should be focused on quality of professionals, not quantity. How FPAS is emphasizing that financial planning isn't just for the wealth. About Singapore's interesting pension and savings scheme, the Central Provident Fund (CPF). Additional note on CPF: Apart from the difference in salary contribution, for different age groups the contribution also differs. For example, below 55 years old, the contribution at this time is 37%, comprised of 20% from the employee and 17% from the employer.  Guest Bio Samantha Wong, CEO of the Financial Planning Association of Singapore (FPAS), has over 15 years of experience in financial services. She has a BSc in Computing from Staffordshire University in the UK and a Master in Finance from University College Dublin in Ireland. Resources and Terminology Samantha's LinkedIn Financial Planning Association of Singapore (FPAS) website MAS: Monetary Authority of Singapore CPF: Central Provident Fund