08-07-2025, 10:30 PM
HBC News in Brief - 5653
Backdated
Former Prime Minister tapped as Principal Secretary to Queen Arianna
![[Image: Queen_Arianna_Oath_of_Office_with_Rosalyn_Woodbury.jpeg]](https://static.wikitide.net/classicrpwiki/6/68/Queen_Arianna_Oath_of_Office_with_Rosalyn_Woodbury.jpeg)
Rosalyn Woodbury taking the Oath of Office from Her Majesty Queen Arianna and His Highness Prince James, Duke of Port Prosperity
In a surprise move, Prime Minister Jason LeClerc has announced that he has recommended former Prime Minister Rosalyn Woodbury to serve as Principal Secretary to the Sovereign, to Her Majesty Queen Arianna, a move that has been accepted by both the Queen and by former Prime Minister Woodbury. The Principal Secretary to the Sovereign, one of the least known, but most important position within Hutori, is the principal advisor and aide to the reigning Monarch. In addition to their duties as head of the Royal Household, they also serve as a Deputy Minister of the Sovereign's Privy Council, and as the senior civil servant within the Hutorian government.
The position, while recommended by the Prime Minister, is one of few positions where they are maintained at the discretion of the reigning Monarch, with some Principal Secretaries ultimately serving near lifetime appointments. Rosalyn Woodbury's appointment has been lauded by those across the political spectrum for her absolute comittment to duty, with within those in the public service happy to see the former PM leading, even after a career of streamlining the civil service.
Rosalyn Woodbury herself is extremely close to the Royal Family, having grown up with Princess Charlotte, and King Alexander III, and serving as the Maid of Honour in Princess Charlotte's wedding.
Hutorian Government Places Open Tender for New Executive Jets Following the Downing of the Royal Jet
The Hutorian Government has put out a rare public tender to replace the fleet of Slipstream IV jets currently used by the Royal Hutorian Air Force as the executive jets utilized by the Royal Family, the Prime Minister and the Lieutenant Governors of the various provinces, and some federal cabinet Ministers. The Royal Hutorian Air Force maintains a fleet of 12 such aircraft though they have beeng grounded since the tragic downing of the royal jet that carried King Alexander III and Queen Madeline in November of 5651. The Hutorian Air Security Transportation Agency, the federal department responsible for federal air standards, ultimately deemed the downing of the Royal Jet, an accident, and an internal audit by the Royal Hutorian Air Force the same. The Royal Jet was caught in a surprise blizzard in the mountains which led to severe mechanical failure. While the RHAF have stated that the Slipstream IVs are safe to fly, the crash did jumpstart an ongoing conversation about replacing them with new modern aircraft.
While local aircraft manufactuers Horizon Technology and Jetstream Aerospace are in the running (Jetstream designed and built the Slipstream series of executive jets) the government of Prime Minister Jason LeClerc wanted to expand the contract internationally to "see everything that it out there." There are reportedly companies in Kalistan and Egelion both interested in offering potential aircraft, and the RHAF also looking potentially at Luthori, Lodamun and Dolgava. Minister of Transportation Rhea Sandhu, has stressed that it is truly an open tender and "any company can win as long as they can provide what we require."
The list of requirements have been standardized, but the need to transport up to 100 people was at the forefront, with an eye on the transportation of VIPs and a total of ten aircraft to be purchased. The first four aircraft of the tender will be designed for the Monarch and the Prime Minister and two spares. The next eight will be shared between various Cabinet level officials for official international visits, and vice regal level staff, like the Lieutenant Governors of the Provinces, who technically report directly to the Crown.
Rumors at DND of Force Reductions
Rumblings have emerged from the Department of National Defence that Minister of National Defence Rachel Grey (Commander RHN Ret.) is reviewing current Hutorian Defence policies with an eye of "significantly downsizing the capacity of the Hutorian Armed Forces." Insiders at the DND have refused comment but sources close to Admiral Thomas Steuart-Carmichael, Chief of the Defence Staff, have reported significant arguments between Senator Grey and his office, though none would confirm.
According to rumor, the LeClerc government is looking at scaling back the size of all four branches of the Hutorian Armed Forces, so they can divert some of DND's not inconsiderble budget to other more domestic matters. While nothing has been confirmed at a minimum, the Greens will be looking at abolishing the Select Service Act, to drastically downsize the size of the Army Reserve, transferring more responsibility for the Reserve and the Militia to the Province, reducing the number of active duty Brigade, scaling back the size of Hutori's Fighter Aircraft Fleet, and axing at least one of the Victoria class Supercarriers. The Hutorian Defence budget is the single biggest line item on the federal budget, and the Defence department has been a target by the Green Party for years.
Opposition has been divided on the rumors, with the Conservatives, Republicans and Crown Party all swearing to tie up any attempts to downsize the Hutorian Armed Forces in Committee and would vote against any budget downsize the Defence budget without "significant consultations". The National Labour Party has offered its full support, but the minority situation in Parliament would force the Greens to get at least one more partner to vote with them, with only the Liberals remaining and Liberal Leader Katelyn Ashcroft reportedly not offering any guarantees until she reads the budget and a bill.
Many defence analysts believe this would not be something that could be done until after the next election, though Senator Grey has stated "We don't need the massive military that won us the Second Kundrati War. We have no enemies, we don't need that level of spending."
Backdated
Former Prime Minister tapped as Principal Secretary to Queen Arianna
Rosalyn Woodbury taking the Oath of Office from Her Majesty Queen Arianna and His Highness Prince James, Duke of Port Prosperity
In a surprise move, Prime Minister Jason LeClerc has announced that he has recommended former Prime Minister Rosalyn Woodbury to serve as Principal Secretary to the Sovereign, to Her Majesty Queen Arianna, a move that has been accepted by both the Queen and by former Prime Minister Woodbury. The Principal Secretary to the Sovereign, one of the least known, but most important position within Hutori, is the principal advisor and aide to the reigning Monarch. In addition to their duties as head of the Royal Household, they also serve as a Deputy Minister of the Sovereign's Privy Council, and as the senior civil servant within the Hutorian government.
The position, while recommended by the Prime Minister, is one of few positions where they are maintained at the discretion of the reigning Monarch, with some Principal Secretaries ultimately serving near lifetime appointments. Rosalyn Woodbury's appointment has been lauded by those across the political spectrum for her absolute comittment to duty, with within those in the public service happy to see the former PM leading, even after a career of streamlining the civil service.
Rosalyn Woodbury herself is extremely close to the Royal Family, having grown up with Princess Charlotte, and King Alexander III, and serving as the Maid of Honour in Princess Charlotte's wedding.
Hutorian Government Places Open Tender for New Executive Jets Following the Downing of the Royal Jet
The Hutorian Government has put out a rare public tender to replace the fleet of Slipstream IV jets currently used by the Royal Hutorian Air Force as the executive jets utilized by the Royal Family, the Prime Minister and the Lieutenant Governors of the various provinces, and some federal cabinet Ministers. The Royal Hutorian Air Force maintains a fleet of 12 such aircraft though they have beeng grounded since the tragic downing of the royal jet that carried King Alexander III and Queen Madeline in November of 5651. The Hutorian Air Security Transportation Agency, the federal department responsible for federal air standards, ultimately deemed the downing of the Royal Jet, an accident, and an internal audit by the Royal Hutorian Air Force the same. The Royal Jet was caught in a surprise blizzard in the mountains which led to severe mechanical failure. While the RHAF have stated that the Slipstream IVs are safe to fly, the crash did jumpstart an ongoing conversation about replacing them with new modern aircraft.
While local aircraft manufactuers Horizon Technology and Jetstream Aerospace are in the running (Jetstream designed and built the Slipstream series of executive jets) the government of Prime Minister Jason LeClerc wanted to expand the contract internationally to "see everything that it out there." There are reportedly companies in Kalistan and Egelion both interested in offering potential aircraft, and the RHAF also looking potentially at Luthori, Lodamun and Dolgava. Minister of Transportation Rhea Sandhu, has stressed that it is truly an open tender and "any company can win as long as they can provide what we require."
The list of requirements have been standardized, but the need to transport up to 100 people was at the forefront, with an eye on the transportation of VIPs and a total of ten aircraft to be purchased. The first four aircraft of the tender will be designed for the Monarch and the Prime Minister and two spares. The next eight will be shared between various Cabinet level officials for official international visits, and vice regal level staff, like the Lieutenant Governors of the Provinces, who technically report directly to the Crown.
Rumors at DND of Force Reductions
Rumblings have emerged from the Department of National Defence that Minister of National Defence Rachel Grey (Commander RHN Ret.) is reviewing current Hutorian Defence policies with an eye of "significantly downsizing the capacity of the Hutorian Armed Forces." Insiders at the DND have refused comment but sources close to Admiral Thomas Steuart-Carmichael, Chief of the Defence Staff, have reported significant arguments between Senator Grey and his office, though none would confirm.
According to rumor, the LeClerc government is looking at scaling back the size of all four branches of the Hutorian Armed Forces, so they can divert some of DND's not inconsiderble budget to other more domestic matters. While nothing has been confirmed at a minimum, the Greens will be looking at abolishing the Select Service Act, to drastically downsize the size of the Army Reserve, transferring more responsibility for the Reserve and the Militia to the Province, reducing the number of active duty Brigade, scaling back the size of Hutori's Fighter Aircraft Fleet, and axing at least one of the Victoria class Supercarriers. The Hutorian Defence budget is the single biggest line item on the federal budget, and the Defence department has been a target by the Green Party for years.
Opposition has been divided on the rumors, with the Conservatives, Republicans and Crown Party all swearing to tie up any attempts to downsize the Hutorian Armed Forces in Committee and would vote against any budget downsize the Defence budget without "significant consultations". The National Labour Party has offered its full support, but the minority situation in Parliament would force the Greens to get at least one more partner to vote with them, with only the Liberals remaining and Liberal Leader Katelyn Ashcroft reportedly not offering any guarantees until she reads the budget and a bill.
Many defence analysts believe this would not be something that could be done until after the next election, though Senator Grey has stated "We don't need the massive military that won us the Second Kundrati War. We have no enemies, we don't need that level of spending."