Hutori

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The nation's court-appointed caretaker government stepped aside earlier this morning following the late-night results of the election, after the Labour Party secured all seats in the Federal Parliament, ending centuries of right-wing, conservative governance in Hutori. Speaking on the steps of 24 Orange Avenue, outgoing Prime Minister Hector Valledo announced the end of the caretaker government, stating that the government's work in maintaining peace and order in Hutori had come to an end. Incoming Prime Minister and Leader of the Labour Party, Michael Granholm told party supporters and well-wishers gathered outside of the party's headquarters in Bekenial that the "Reconstruction" was upon Hutori, and that it would take the collective might of the people to place the nation back on track. Among the numerous core issues pressed by the public during the campaign, the state of the economy and domestic stability remained two of the foremost pressing issues. Although the previous caretaker government had attempted to stabilise the economy, not much progress had been made amidst poor planning and implementation. Many continue to attribute the nation's peculiar economic situation to the successive administrations following the collapse of the Monarchist Party and the relative incompetence that came with them. Following the long-standing political party's collapse, power within Hutori had been transferred from numerous fringe political movements including the Republican Party and most recently the ultra-conservative, religiously fanatic Salvation Party. Granholm stated that the aforementioned administrations had failed to place Hutori on a path towards growth, instead pushing the nation into internal strife and sending the nation's once-respected international image into disrepute. Prime Minister-elect Granholm stated that there was much work for the government to do within the first phases of its time in office. He spoke to issues such as stabilising the economy, reinstituting the monarchy, addressing local government reform, addressing societal issues and paving the path for Hutori's future. He announced that on the first day of office he intends on meeting the Governor of the Bank of Hutori to discuss the nation's current economic situation and how both the Bank of Hutori and the Government can stabilise the economy and point the nation in the direction of growth and sustainable development.

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Against the backdrop of mounting unemployment, rising inflation and a prolonged contraction in GDP growth, Governor of the Bank of Keymon Dr Malcolm Bagshaw announced that the national economy had entered a period of economic depression. Amidst a lack of action on the part of previous political administrations to stem the rise of unemployment and inflation, coupled with numerous failing in policy implementation to diversify the national economy, Dr Bagshaw notes that the nation's economic situation is dire, stressing that numerous macro & microeconomic decisions had to be made in the short-term to prevent the further calamitous collapse of the national economy. Bagshaw reinforced that both fiscal and monetary policy measures had to work in tandem in order for the nation's economic recovery to be robust. Casting aspersions on his predecessors he stated that for much of the interregnum, the Bank has been "asleep at the wheel", withdrawing from active involvement in the domestic financial markets and indirectly contributing to the nation's economic situation. Underneath previous Governors, the Bank of Hutori's ability to intervene in the market via monetary policy measures has been hamstrung by the slow and subsequent annexation of its responsibilities by the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Treasury. Dr Bagshaw complained that the Bank needs breathing room to manage its response to the situation to the deteriorating condition of the national economy, highlighting that in its current position, the Bank is more akin to a division of the Ministry than an institution independent of government involvement. Speaking to some of the statistics behind the nation's economic depression, Dr Bagshaw stated that unemployment stood at around 18%, with small and medium-sized businesses receiving the brunt of the economic situation. He explained that as unemployment within the private sector increases, the public sector (civil service) saw an increase in job applications, with in-take increasing by 90% compared to the previous decades. He stated that as the unemployed continue to search for work, they continue to view the Federal and Provincial Governments as sources of employment. He warned that should this practice continue, the public sector (both on the federal and provincial levels) could find themselves in a situation whereby they are overstaffed. Urging the incoming government to reinstate and guarantee the Bank's independence and to also spur economic growth, Dr Bagshaw stated that he intends on addressing most of these matters with the Prime Minister-elect during their upcoming meeting.

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Federal Minister of Finance and the Treasury, Anthony Bishop outlined the government's economic plan for the coming decades earlier this morning as he presented his first major budget statement since becoming a minister. The multi-billion-dollar plan calls for expansionary fiscal policies to lead the way in reversing the effects of the national economic depression and pointing the nation towards growth. Entitled, "Stabilisation for the Modern Era", the Finance Minister outlined clear from the jump, that major structural and fiscal policy objectives had to meet before the government can state that the nation is truly on a path towards growth. As proposed in the bill, the nation intends on conducting a census to allow for updated information on statistics from the National Statistical Institute, noting that a lack of up to date information as it pertains to statistics would mean that the economic decisions of the government would be made on a basis of either old data or pure whim. The budget marks a major shift in established economic conduct. Hutori's traditionally conservative governments have attempted to spur economic growth in times of recession via contractionary fiscal policies including tax cuts and expenditure cuts, stating that said cuts coupled with increased deregulate would allow for private corporations to have enough breathing room to innovate and grow and thus contribute to the growth of the economy. Minister Bishop argues that contractionary fiscal policy has traditionally resulted in long-term economic scarring, stating that although conservative budget hawks have historically stated that their economic model was a clear example of fiscal responsibility, the results of said policies tend to increase issues such as inequality and increase the burden of the nation's economic hardship on the poor and vulnerable. Seeking to distance himself from the policies of his predecessors, Minister Bishop stated that the government had an obligation to the citizenry to ensure sustainable growth. He explained: "Growth cannot be achieved in systems whereby the poorest and vulnerable continue to bear the burden of poor economic decisions. It is very clear that my predecessors did not have the foresight to initiate structural reforms to ensure that although the nation may experience the odd recession, the likelihood of its entering into a sustained depression would be near impossible.

Speaking to the structural reforms going forward in the coming decades, the Finance Minister stated that the government intends on introducing reforms to improve (1) the ease of doing business (2) enhance innovation (3) improve labour conditions and worker productivity (4) improve tax administration and (5) address issues pertaining to social development including pensions and welfare. He noted that it cannot be a situation of structural reforms taking place at the federal level whilst on the provincial level, the old economy persists. In that respect, the Finance Minister stated that he intends on convening a meeting of the Finance Ministers of the five (5) provinces in what he wants to be a permanent and annual meeting to discuss structural reforms and how the federal government can help the provinces achieve economic growth. Speaking to the reforms in greater detail, Minister Bishop stated that Hutori had fallen in the ease of doing business index, has been one of the top-scoring nations for decades. He explained that issues such as starting a business, obtaining credit, the enforcement of contracts have become increasingly difficult for companies, owing to the decisions of previous administrations to completely ignore said aspects of the economy. On innovation, he notes that enhancing innovation should be a priority for any government as it allows for numerous competitive advantages in international trade. "Innovation, as a key pillar in our economic transformation, must encompass a holistic approach and cannot be solely concentrated in a particular area. There is a need to diversify our innovation outside of traditional industries and aggressively enter new ones. Tax administration remains an extremely touching issue politically within the nation. An inefficient tax administration environment continues to contribute to the nation's economic woes. A lack of coordination and information sharing among the provincial governments coupled with inefficient collection practices, work against fiscal responsibility. Social Development remains an important part of economic development. As a society grows, there is an inherent responsibility on the part of the government to ensure that the well-being of the citizenry is taken care of. Pension reform remains a priority as Hutori's ageing population possess a risk to the long-term sustainability of the current pension system.

As mentioned prior, the government intends on breaking with tradition and advancing an expansionary fiscal policy agenda. Some of the projects mentioned during the budget include the upgrade and expansion of Hutori's federal highway network, the upgrade and expansion of existing railway infrastructure with a particular focus on implementing a rapid rail system, the construction of inland waterways, assisting the provincial governments in funding major housing projects and maintaining provincial roads. Noting that the government's proposed expenditure would exceed revenue, Minister Bishop that the government intends on utilising both loan financing arrangements and withdrawal from the Hutorian Sovereign Wealth Fund. With the fund's total assets sitting at 12 billion HLR, Minister Bishop stated that the wealth fund was on the table for restructuring, following an in-depth report on its operations by a committee to be appointed by the Prime Minister. Some conservative economic think tanks including the Centre for Economic Policy Studies and the Arborfield Foundation, have criticised the government's budget calling it "an affront to Hutori's history of fiscal prudence." In an article entitled "Fiscal Responsibility in the age of debt", President of the Centre for Economic Policy Studies Dr Jeremy Bailey, stated that Minister Bishop's decision to adopt an expansionary fiscal policy agenda to pull the nation out of economic stagnation would go against established fiscal responsibility demonstrated by previous administrations, highlighting that it will increase the national debt and do more harm than good. "This will undoubtedly increase the government's participation in the market, which history has shown has always backfired. The concept of "big government" is in direct contradiction with the principles of business development and competition." In a press release following the publishing of the article, Minister Bishop explained that the decision to utilise expansionary fiscal policy was made recognising basic Kodonomic theory. Seeking to shutdown Dr Bailey's argument, Minister Bishop said: "Our right-wing academics need to stop thinking that the budgeting process can be compared to that of a household or a company. The national economy is neither of those things. Our decision to break "tradition" and head in the direction of expansionary fiscal policy is based basic kodonomic theory. I am aware that as a free-market economist, Dr Bailey may not share my views, hence this recent article."

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Having stated that Hutori's economic recovery would be predicated on expansionary fiscal policy, the importance of infrastructure development comes increasingly important on the national economic recovery conversation. Although the recently passed, multi-billion lira budget outlines a significant amount of funding for federal and provincial road infrastructure, one of the key parts of the infrastructure portion of the budget is an investment into railway infrastructure. Academics and civil engineers from multiple universities and city/provincial administrations have bemoaned the lack of investment into railway infrastructure, stating that a lack of interest by previous governments in addressing the problems of Hutori's railway system would continue to hinder the nation's economic development. Some of those problems include ageing railroads and bridges, a lack of connectivity among certain cities and the slow pace of railway travel among others. According to the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Treasury, multiple railway companies continue to benefit from federal subsidies aimed at encouraging new lines and faster service. Against the backdrop of wanting to reduce subsidies for railway companies, a cabinet-appointed committee of infrastructure experts was formed to make recommendations on the general direction of the future of the national railway system. Yesterday, Federal Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Brandon Thomson reported to the general public on the recommendations of the committee. At a conference at the Cabinet Offices in Bekenial, Minister Thomson revealed that the government intends on making significant investments into a high-speed railways system for Hutori. Citing the report, the Minister stated that the committee found that the implementation of a high-speed railway system in Hutori would aid in the nation's economic development and address numerous issues including traffic congestion, interconnectivity and transport time. Committee member and Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport Atticus Timbrell stated a comprehensive investment and development programme for the implementation of a national high-speed railways system in Hutori had been under consideration by successive governments, however, the project had not gotten off the ground until now.

Earlier this morning, the Ministry unveiled the proposed plan which would provide intercity service to all the cities of Hutori and the smaller townships between them. As existing railroad infrastructure cannot be utilised for high-speed rail, the construction of railroads capable of handling numerous trains travelling at high speeds has already begun, with new railroads being laid down between Acton and Axminster. Minister Thomson stated that he intends on meeting with Provincial Infrastructure and Transport Ministers in the coming days to discuss funding arrangements. He noted that although the federal government is covering a significant amount of the costs associated with the projects, provincial governments had to pull their weight as well. With Federal funding set to pour into the provinces to aid in provincial railroad and metropolitan railway infrastructure, Minister Thomson stated that the federal government intends on assisting provincial governments in realising infrastructural development. One of the major undertakings for the project will be the proposed undersea line connecting Roccato and the Isle of Sutton. The Minister explained that a project of its scale and tenacity had never been done in Hutori before and thus the federal government was seeking technical assistance from international companies. If completed, the railroad could potentially see Sutton becoming more connected to the wider national economy, offering a faster alternative to the ferries which move between Sutton and the mainland. The entire project, according to the Minister, could cost around 300 billion Lira over a period of 50 years as Thomson stated that it was an investment for future generations. Once the project is complete, Hutori would become the only nation on the Keris/Macon continent and potentially the northern hemisphere to have a modern, high-speed railway system.

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Having regard to the federal government's drive towards revitalising the domestic economy through target investments, Falristan's newly elected Falristan Labour Party government has announced its intention to pour a significant amount of local government funding into revitalising the province's agricultural sector in hopes that it could potentially spur growth and opportunity in the economy. At a press conference at the Government Offices in Carter City, Premier Zachary Young and Minister of Finance, the Social Economy and Agriculture, Kyler Menton announced the provincial government's intention to introduce a series of reforms aimed at (i) improving accountability in the agricultural sector (ii) improving productivity (iii) improving access to financing arrangements and (iv) encouraging the use of technology. According to Minister Menton, agriculture accounts for around 18% of Falristan's GDP, with a significant portion of the agricultural sector in the province being controlled by five competing mega-farms: Bird's Nest Estate, le Jardin d'Amandiers, Wildflower Fields, Birds of Paradise Grange and Crossroad Farm. The Minister lamented that the aforementioned mega-farms were primarily owned by white-Hutorian families, highlighting the noticeable lack of Mashacaran persons operating in the sector. Minister Menton attributed this to the fact that Mashacaran businesses were mainly being driven out of the market by the aforementioned farms via hostile takeovers or by means of monopoly advantage. Apart from the monopoly established by the mega-farms, it has been reported that land tenure remains an extremely important factor hindering the upward movement of mashacaran persons and their respective businesses in the agricultural sector. Minister Menton notes that the land redistribution process saw mashacaran persons being given plots of land following the recognition of their tribes. This meant that although persons were given plots of land (which still remain in the care of their descends to this day), they were not given deeds that legally recognised their ownership. Attorney-General of Falristan, Nirliq Sarkeesian noted that prior to the normalisation process, numerous claims had been made by persons to seize pieces of land owned by mashacaran peoples who do not possess deeds for lands that had been in their families for generations and for some many are their only source of income.

Attorney-General Sarkeesian has stated that the process of formalising land tenure for thousands of small-time mashacaran farmers has already begun with technical assistance being sourced from the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the Office of the Attorney-General and Legal Affairs. Speaking to the question of increased accountability in the agricultural sector, Minister Menton notes that the local agricultural sector lacks significant oversight to prevent the formation of monopolies. He stated that a team from the Ministry of Finance, the Social Economy and Agriculture in conjunction with the Office of the Attorney-General of Falristan were currently in deep consultations which could potentially see the introduction of numerous laws to deal primarily with farm-size, food and agriculture standards and other matters related therein. According to the Attorney-General, the Falristan Bureau of Standards is to be established to formalise standards and quality assurance measurements. Focusing on improving productivity, Minister Menton stated that the provincial government was seeking to establish a relationship with a major agricultural power in the international community as it pertains to technical assistance. He notes that the current model of agricultural development in Hutorian yields smaller quantities in comparison to the other models utilised in other nations. According to Premier Young and Minister of Culture, Development Cooperation and the Diaspora, George Williams, the provincial government was seeking technical assistance from the Kalistani and Lodamunese governments respectively. He noted that the aforementioned states had demonstrated to possess robust agricultural models. He elaborated that in terms of the Kalistani model, there was great interest in the system among agricultural economists locally as it showed increased yield and little to no wastage. As it pertains to increasing access to financing arrangements, Minister Menton stated that it was in advanced stages towards the development of what will be known as the Agricultural Development Bank. According to the Minister, the ADB will be responsible for providing funding via loans schemes and equipment loans.

As it pertains to encouraging the use of technology, Minister Menton notes that the Agricultural Development Bank will be responsible for arrangements as it pertains to technology in agriculture. He notes that the ADB, in its capacity as the provincial agency responsible for funding programmes and introducing mechanisms which will provide for increased development in agriculture, will be responsible for seeking out technology firms wishing to enter into the agriculture sector and will pair said businesses with small/medium-sized farmers. He stated that the government was determined to allow for small and medium-sized farms to have access to numerous routes to entrench their position in the domestic market and ensure that their operations remain as competitive as larger, more established farms. It is being reported that discussions are ongoing towards the establishment of an agriculture university that could potentially train farmers in new and emerging technologies and methods for cultivation. Although the focus is primarily on cultivation, Minister Menton noted that there was significant attention being paid to other areas of agriculture. He noted that agro-processing was being seriously considered by the provincial government. Concurrently, the Ministry of Finance, the Social Economy and Agriculture is in deep consultations with the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Treasury in attaining federal funding in establishing an agro-processing park in Falristan to be rented out to small agro-processing businesses.

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Roccato's plans for the nation's largest renewable energy ecosystem are rapidly coming to fruition, with interest from numerous private sector developers on the rise amidst the attractiveness of the state government's offer. According to officials from the provincial government, the province's renewable energy ecosystem programme is expected to generate 26,500 MW of renewable energy, around 30% of the province's current electricity consumption. Amidst the federal mandate which ordered the decommissioning of numerous coal and natural-gas powerplants throughout the country, Roccato's government has seized the opportunity to market the state as the new national leader in renewable energy development. Provincial Minister of Energy and Climate Change, Patrick Newton stated that Roccato's ambitions were to provide the other states with sufficient renewable energy as they make their transitions away from coal and natural gas. Earlier this month, a request for proposals had been sent out by the state government in search of a private sector entity willing to construct and operate a major solar farm in the western end of the state, with another RFP sent in search for entities willing to construct and operate a major offshore wind-farm off the province's northern coast. Minister Newton stated that interest in the project has skyrocketed as he noted that although the state government had expected a handful of proposals from the private sector, numerous companies have expressed interest in the prospect of building renewable energy farms throughout the nation. Premier of Roccato, Mason Keen stated that the provincial government intends on choosing the most cost-effective proposal, noting that although interest in the projects is high, the pricetags many private sector entities are proposing are increasing. When asked as to why the state government is not seeking to involve public sector entities, Premier Keen stated that the state government maintains the idea that the role of the state government in the instance of providing renewable energy should remain in oversight and quality control. He explained that current laws allow for the state government to regulate the price at which renewable energy is sold and which subsidises already established on public utilities within the state, his government intends on continuing its role to ensure that the people of Roccato enjoy relatively low-energy costs in the coming decades/centuries. The solar and wind farm projects are expected to begin in the coming months as the government finalised the various agreements associated with the financing of the projects.

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Historically, the mining sector has played a major role not only in Lagard's economic development but that of the entire nation. On the backs of coal, bauxite and mineral ore miners in Trelodge, Hutori's economic growth remained steady for numerous decades allowing for the nation to skirt economic ruin. As the gear of the provincial and national economies begin to move once more, Lagard's Government has announced its intention to revive the province's once-booming mining sector and position it for competition both regionally and internationally. An audit conducted by the Office of the Auditor-General of Lagard, assets currently held by the Lagard Government following the nationalisation of the province's mining sector is rapidly depreciating with numerous pieces of infrastructure becoming increasingly difficult to maintain and refurbish. The report states that with mining operations not active within the province, the more said assets remain inactive the faster they depreciate and the more difficult it becomes for private/public entities to restart said operations. Federal Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Daniel March stated that following an assessment by the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, the cost expected to restart medium to large scale mining operations in the province could cost the provincial government around 4 billion dollars and that it could be 5-6 years before the first mineral ores are extracted and refined. Recently elected Premier of Lagard Haley Morrow stated that out-going Premier Sabrina Davies had laid much of the groundwork in preparation for the eventual reviving of the province's mining sector. According to Morrow, the Mining Revival Fund had been created with the very intention of funding the revitalisation of numerous mining assets held within the provincial government's control. The Mining Revival Fund was created in 5010 by then-Provincial Minister of Finance Cayden McCain alongside Premier Davies, utilising royalties on existing mineral resources. With regard to the unsustainable nature of the province's current taxation regime, incoming Provincial Minister of Finance Jason Boyd has stated that he intends on amending the province's taxation regime for mining operations. He noted that his department is within advanced discussions on acquiring technical support from numerous taxation experts within the country including the incumbent Associate Federal Minister of Finance and the Treasury Catherine Arbour, as prior to her ascent to politics was a territory tax leader for Leyman & Agnew.

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Amidst decades of outsourcing the nation's production to extra-regional nations such as Yingdala and Dorvik, Adelia's recently elected Labour government has announced ambitious plans to revive the province's manufacturing sector with the intention of transitioning the state to rival much larger economies in the coming decades. As the economic situation within the state worsened amidst decades of inaction at the hands of successive governments, Adelia's economy suffered a tremendous blow as many companies moved their operations either outside of the province or the country as a whole. The de-industrialisation experienced by the state has been one of the worse in Mordusian history, as manufacturing's contribution to state GDP dropped from 45% to 5% in the space of 100 years. Riding on the promise to revitalise the state economy, recently elected Premier of Adelia Timothy Chambers announced that the state would be making aggressive actions towards rebuilding the province's manufacturing sector. Speaking at a seminar on the future of the provincial economy, Premier Chambers stated that the province's future was firmly planted in manufacturing and innovation. He explained that as the federal government moves to revitalise the national economy, the opportunities coming out of planting the state's economy in the manufacturing sector are becoming increasingly enticing. He stated that the provincial government intends on attracting investment for the construction of numerous industrialisation projects including the creations of manufacturing and innovation parks throughout the province and leveraging the province's experience in heavy industry to complement the hopeful restart of the mining sector in Lagard. "We believe that the mining sector in Lagard can offer large benefit to Adelia's economic recovery. Metal ore mining, which is the most abundant/prominent type of mining in Lagard, can allow for the processing of mineral resources into manufactured products. The processing of these aluminium resources can lead to the manufacturing of numerous products such as steel, nickel, aluminium, etc; and these products can be further manufactured into products such as automobiles and much more." Provincial Minister of Finance and Public Administration, Madelyn Shields explained that the provincial government had to allow for ease of doing business in the province for any form of heavy industry and manufacturing investment to have a real return. She explained that the provincial government intends on introducing numerous tax incentives to encourage efficient manufacturing and it intends on courting investment both from the federal government and extra-regional territories for the construction of its proposed manufacturing parks.

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The Roccato Treasury Board in collaboration with the Falristan Treasury Board has launched the nation's first green bond with the hopes of funding respective climate change and agricultural projects in the two provinces. At a joint press conference in Carter City, Provincial Minister of Finance for Falistan Patrick Preston and Provincial Minister of Finance and Development for Roccato Jasmine Young noted that the collaboration had been months in the making following an informal meeting between the Premiers of the two provinces. With the two provinces' economic diversification models focused on different aspects of the larger green economy, their collaboration according to Minister Preston was inevitable. Roccato's economic diversification model hinges on the advantages of the green economy including renewable energy and the numerous forms of research and development coming out of the industry, whilst Falristan's model is centred on agriculture, as the state moves to initiate a "green agricultural revolution" in Hutori. The bond, which is to be managed by a joint committee comprising of officials from the Roccato Treasury Board and the Falristan Treasury Board, is expected to raise some 10 billion LOD during its 30-year lifetime, with the funds being divided evenly between the two Treasury Boards. The Treasury Boards are the state enterprises responsible for the management of assets and is responsible for managing the debt of the respective states. The issuing of the green bond is the first of its kind in the nation's history and is being heralded as the future of climate project financing. Chairman of the Joint Committee and Chief Financial Officer of the Roccato Treasury Board, Sloan Hall noted that much of the province's environmental projects have been primarily financed through loans both domestically and internationally. Hall stated that the two boards had conducted numerous discussions with private sector entities including the numerous multinational banks and investment firms operating within the nation. Value Bancorp, an investment bank based in Adelia had been chosen as the consultant responsible for assisting the two treasury boards in crafting the feasibility study following a request from the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Treasury. Feasibility studies are a statutory requirement for provincial governments to present to the federal government for issuance of bonds exceeding $5 billion HLR. Federal Minister of Finance and the Treasury Anthony Bishop in a press release following the issuance of the bond stated that the federal government would continue to monitor the success of the joint bond as it continues deep stakeholder discussions on the issuance of a multi-billion dollar federal infrastructure bond.

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Amidst decades, if not centuries of stagnation, mismanagement and neglect, the Hutorian Armed Forces are about to undergo a major reformation phase aimed at ensuring it is prepared for the future combat environment. In a press conference alongside the newly appointed Chief of the Defence Staff, General Otto Astor (HA), recently appointed Federal Minister of Defence Frank Macdonald announced that the government had approved the Federal Ministry of Defence’s largest budget since the reconstruction of the existing constitution. The $60 Billion dollar budget, places a strategic emphasis on a smaller, but extremely well-trained and technologically superior armed forces. The emphasis comes at the heels of a sweeping audit into both the Federal Ministry of Defence and the Hutorian Armed Forces which found that a considerable amount of its equipment had become useless due to neglect. A new regime has been introduced in the form of the Defence Procurement Agency, which will be responsible for procuring equipment for the Hutorian Armed Forces as existing equipment are set to be mothballed, decommissioned and sold for scrap en masse. Defence Minister Macdonald's reforms to the Armed Forces alongside General Astor's is primarily based on the defence white paper released to the general public days prior to his appointment to office. Coined “New Start”, the document outlines the future objectives of the Hutorian Armed Forces: (1) humanitarian support operations (2) peacekeeping operations (3) the defence of Hutori and (4) the defence of Hutori's foreign interests. The four aforementioned pillars, according to the white paper, are documented underneath the doctrine of "Ready Defence." The Ready Defence doctrine notes that Hutori's military should remain within its economic exclusion zone. In recognition of both its size and range, Ready Defence notes that the concept of a blue water navy or expeditionary ground forces should be avoided as Hutorian interests are best defendable at home.

Seeking to integrate newer pieces of equipment and revamping the training regime of the Hutorian Armed Forces, “New Start” aims to ensure that Hutori can achieve victory on the battlefield in the shortest space of time. As mentioned prior, both Defence Minister Macdonald and General Astor are envisioning a small and nimble Hutorian Armed Forces. It is their belief that a larger Hutorian Armed Forces would be more difficult to “maintain” in terms of equipment, personnel and training given the nation's current economic situation. General Astor argues that with a small to moderate-sized armed forces, there is a greater possibility of mobilising units at a faster pace should conflict come to Hutor's doors. “New Start” aims to hold true to this school of thought of a small, easily mobilisable armed forces albeit with technological advancements. Due to the fact that the Hutorian Armed Forces will not be as numerous as the armed forces of the other nations on the continent, there is a need to ensure that should the nation find itself in a situation of conflict that it could deliver a serious blow to invading forces and to prepare the armed forces for potential overseas missions. With conscription off of the table due to the socioeconomic debate developing among Hutori's younger population, “New Start” would see to ensure that although Hutori remains relatively small in terms of numbers, it will be a hard-hitter in terms of strategy, tactics and equipment. In guiding the implementation of the “New Start” plan, General Astor has formally appointed the “General Staff”. According to officials from the Federal Ministry of Defence, General Astor has appointed Lt. General Phillip Bradford as Chief of the Army, Lt. General Jonathan Robertson as Chief of the Air Force and Vice-Admiral Sebastian Zimmer as Chief of the Navy.

Some of the changes to come to the Hutorian Armed Forces immediately are the general organisation of the units. According to General Astor, as it pertained to the Hutorian Army, there would be a deviation from its traditional infantry division towards a blend of mechanised and light infantry units. It is being stated that the Hutorian Marine Corps is set to return with training from the Hutorian Army. Lt. General Bradford explained that in order for the Hutorian Armed Forces to be able to conduct expeditionary operations, there was a need for the nation to retool and retask its marine corps. He stated that the marine corps until this point had been mainly used in special mission sets but had really seen active combat. He stated that amidst the aforementioned reforms, the Royal Hutorian Marines Corps will become the virtual shock infantry on the Hutorian Armed Forces. The Hutorian Army’s uniform is expected to undergo a major transformation programme to reflect Hutori's environment and those of the nations which surround it. From new firearms to new armoured vehicles, the Hutorian Army is expected to receive the most from the “New Start” plan. As it pertains to the Hutorian Air Force, a doctrinal shift would have to be introduced. According to General Astor, the Royal Hutorian Air Force has been primarily relegated to playing a minor transport role, with there being a serious lack of combat aircraft in the HAF’s arsenal, the Defence Procurement Agency has noted that a request for proposals has been issued on finding Hutori's future combat aircraft. It is expected that Hutorian pilots will be trained on numerous disciplines including air superiority, air interdiction, close air support and others as a means of ensuring it remains extremely flexible and capable of meeting any task.

As it pertained to the Navy, General Astor noted that the Navy would remain a green-water navy for now, however, there are advanced plans for a transition towards a blue-water navy for Hutori once more as most of the nation's current naval equipment is beyond repair and are thus all set to be decommissioned and scrapped. It is expected that the special forces units of the various branches will be brought underneath a singular roof to be known as the Hutorian Special Operations Command (HSOC), this would include JTF-Alpha and JTF-Bravo. General Astor lamented that the reforms to come to the Hutorian Armed Forces are sweeping in their nature and scope, but noted that the transformation of the armed forces from its current structure to the structure envisioned in the white paper would transcend numerous months and years.