In June this year, the ANU decided on the increase in accommodation fees for on-campus residences for 2024 as follows: Bruce: $500 → $528 Burton & Garran: $260 → $287 Fenner: $330 → $357 Toad Hall: $265 → $282 Wamburun: $330 → $342 Wright: $470 → $497 Yukeembruk: $369 → $382 This comes in the face of years of massive hikes to accommodation fees at residences. In 2020 Fenner Hall was $295 and will be $357 in 2024. This isn’t to mention the large number of fees residents are slapped with during their time at college. Res com fees, room changeover fees, cleaning fees, bonds, and more. Residents are also faced with horrible conditions at colleges. Rat infestations, wasp nests, not enough cooking and storage space, consistently broken washing machines, just to name a few. Meanwhile, the positive experiences that residents have while in a res hall are conjured almost entirely by extremely underpaid student representatives. In 2016, the ANU sold off on-campus accommodation to an investment company, AMP Capital for 30 years and now AMP Capital are in charge and decides how much money to charge students while they are living and studying on campus. This has led to tariff increases (yes, residents pay ‘tariffs’ not rent) that are consistently above inflation. To top it all off, residents are forced to sign an ‘occupancy agreement’ when they move into their residence. This agreement restricts the rights residents have (such as being unable to terminate their contract fairly) and prescribes extremely punitive punishments for even the smallest of actions. Residents are extremely exploited and it's shameful the lack of duty of care the ANU has shown to students. It’s important for students to mobilise and fight back against the ANU in this regard. With consultation with the Housing Action Collective, presidents of residential committees at halls, and ordinary students, a petition has been created to mobilise students with the following demands: An immediate freeze on accommodation tariffs for 2024. A commitment from the ANU to stop privatising on-campus accommodation in perpetuity. Establishing a new occupancy agreement in consultation with students that affords students basic rights. Increase consultation with students regarding the functions of residential colleges and increase transparency about how the university manages residential colleges. These demands came out of the experiences of students unable to afford to live, who felt insecure about whether or not they could remain on campus, and who have received no information or transparency about how the colleges are run.

As union members, we believe that having a voice in issues that affect us is a fundamental requirement for strong communities and a respectful country. We support the Uluru Statement from the Heart and, by extension, the Unions for Yes campaign for First Nations Constitutional recognition and a Voice to Parliament. We believe that all Australians will benefit from hearing the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and sharing in First Nations contributions to our national identity.

Without minimum living standards that is protected by legislation, students are able to be easily exploited by universities and private accommodation providers. There is also no protections of the student's bond being returned in an adequate amount of time. Housing is a human right, and everyone deserves to feel safe and empowered at home.

These changes to WorkCover are designed to make it more difficult for injured workers to claim compensation, and that is unacceptable. The Government must listen to injured workers - not accountants - to make WorkCover work for everyone.

These changes to WorkCover are designed to make it more difficult for injured workers to claim compensation, and that is unacceptable. The Government must listen to injured workers - not accountants - to make WorkCover work for everyone.

Wages are going backwards and have been for 10 years. Workers’ wages are now worth less than they were 10 years ago. Add to this the cost of living and the housing crisis and many people are really struggling. Too many jobs have been contracted out or made insecure. Big companies like Qantas have used loopholes in workplace laws to drive down wages, contract out work, and take away working conditions. It's time to update Australia's workplace laws to protect workers and keep wages moving.

There is broad-based community alarm and dissent that Port Kembla is being considered as the East Coast base for nuclear submarines as part of the AUKUS agreement. There has been no consultation undertaken or consent given by our community. Port Kembla, as part of Greater Wollongong, was declared a nuclear-free city more than 30 years ago, and its status as a nuclear-free zone was reaffirmed only last year. If a nuclear submarine facility was based in Port Kembla Harbour it would require the acquisition and alienation of a massive part of the harbour and the land around it. Land which is a valuable and vital asset for our existing manufacturing, steel, land transport and maritime industries whose epicentre is Port Kembla. Delaying a decision would prolong and amplify uncertainty over exclusion zones, access to land and waterways for our emerging industries and threaten billions of dollars of investment in renewables making it a job killer. The presence of nuclear attack class submarines in our Ports would make us a nuclear target and pose an unacceptable risk to the health and safety of hundreds of thousands of people given potential exposure to hundreds of kilograms of highly enriched uranium. If its not safe for the people of New York City to have Nuclear submarines in their midst, it's not safe for the people of any city.

The Australian Universities Accord Final Report (2024) recommended “that to reduce the long-term financial costs of studying for students, the Australian Government make student contributions fairer and better reflective of the lifetime benefits that students will gain from studying, and reduce the burden of HELP loans, by introducing fairer and simpler indexation and repayment arrangements”. The Federal Labor Government must freeze Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS) indexation to ease the burden of student debt and have the courage to take on the intergenerational wealth crisis in Australia, while these changes are occurring. “We are already looking at becoming the most indebted generation in Australia's history and now the Federal Government is profiting from young Australians during a cost of living crisis,” NUS National President Ngaire Bogemann said. The total value of HECS-HELP loans increased by $4.5 billion on 1st June with the average debt projected to increase by $1,700. Indexation at an estimated 7% means that individual HECS debts will increase even if a student or graduate doesn’t earn enough to pay it down. The NUS argues that this indexation is unfair, with the government expected to profit $2.5 billion from students and graduates this year. “In the middle of a cost of living crisis, increasing student debts are pushing Australian students deeper into poverty," NUS Education Officer Grace Franco said. “Students are even having to withdraw from their studies to be able to work to afford basic living necessities.” We urge the Government to listen to the voices of students and graduates and take action to end the unfair practice of student loan indexation.

On 1 June 2023, thousands of young workers’ HECS, HELP and VET student debts will increase by up to $4,000 as we face the biggest hike in decades. This is unfair. Young workers have the highest rates of student debt and the lowest incomes. We need as much money as possible to counter the cost-of-living crisis, buy a home or start a family. We don't have a deep pool of wealth or investment properties to draw on and we’re already losing a huge chunk of our income in student loan repayments. With the budget around the corner, now is the time to put pressure on Treasurer Jim Chalmers to make things fairer for young workers. Long-term, if we want young workers to be able to pay off student debts fairly, we need to index them to wage growth, not inflation. This is a conversation we should be having. But right now, Treasurer Jim Chalmers can stop the squeeze by freezing student debt repayments until the cost of living crisis is over.

The waterways in and around Sydney, as well as the water we drink, are kept safe, clean and affordable by Sydney Water, which operates for the public. Making our harbour, coastline and drinking water a source of profit puts this at risk. If Dominic Perrottet and the Liberals privatise Sydney Water: • Water rates will go up by $264 a year; • Thousands of jobs will be lost; • Our pristine beaches and waterways are at risk. Don’t risk our water. Add your name to send a clear message to the NSW Premier – hands off Sydney Water!

Your collective employment agreement (EBA) has expired meaning you're in an effective pay freeze until a new agreement is negotiated. We want improvments to pay and conditions for all VU members and staff and need you to sign this petition and let VU management know it's time to make a fair deal.

We the undersigned call on the Australian Government to address the failure to maintain the Age Pension at a level that aligns to acceptable community living standards. Age pensioners are now living at or below the poverty line, because of obsolete statutory methods of calculating the six-monthly increases. This is significantly contributing to the rise in homelessness, malnutrition, isolation, and physical/mental health issues.