Why is this important? 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.

The Government's plan to forcibly amalgamate councils and centralise services is causing chaos in Tasmanian Councils. I have a big stake in the Future of Local Government Review. I have not been adequately consulted on changes that could impact on the way I live and work and the services I rely on. Just nine face-to-face sessions gathering feedback on the impact of amalgamation scenarios are being offered and only to Mayors, Councillors and Employees. There are no confirmed details from the Government’s Board about consultation with communities, other than an indication that there may be a Public Hearing in each of the 9 catchments before the final report is due to the Minister in October. Mega Councils are being proposed in each catchment that would see Tasmanian Councils reduced to just 9. To add to the complexity, dozens of other amalgamation and shared servicing proposals have been tabled. Towns and council areas are being cut and chopped, even split in half. The support for workers to attend the scheduled sessions has been varied. All workers should be able to attend relevant catchment meeting(s) in paid time given the risks this poses to job security, employment conditions, starting locations and more. The Minister must intervene and ensure consultation occurs in every Tasmanian Council area, with workers and with communities.

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.

Visy Executive Chair, Anthony Pratt, is one of the wealthiest people in Australia, estimated to be worth $14 billion. But he’d prefer to replace their workforce than see them take home a living wage. This dispute is an indictment on the current industrial laws that permit such power to bosses; and the dire consequences of corporate greed, 'trickle-down' economics, and the disrespect faced by workers in these industries. Visy's Shepparton workers call upon all Visy workers across the country to stand up and fight back against the Pratt family's oppression!

Council-run in-home aged care and NDIS services provide a lifeline for our vulnerable elderly relatives, friends, and neighbors, enabling them to live independently in the comfort of their own homes. The importance of retaining a sense of independence cannot be overstated, as it plays a crucial role in maintaining one's mental and emotional wellbeing. The highly trained council workers who deliver this vital community service are second to none, and their permanent jobs and livable wages ensure that clients receive the continuity of care they deserve. Victoria's local government has a proud history of leading the country in delivering quality in-home services, and this must be maintained. Privatising this service would have disastrous consequences, including reduced provision, lower quality, and consistency of care for clients, as well as displacement of workers from secure and well-paid jobs within our local community. In addition, vulnerable clients may be forced to allow potentially untrained providers into their homes, leaving them significantly vulnerable to abuse. There would be a loss of holistic assessment of client needs and coordinated or escalated service delivery, which may result in inadequate care for those in need. Furthermore, integrated services would suffer due to a lack of participation of private providers in local partnerships, networks, and alliances. We cannot allow our elderly community members to suffer due to a lack of funding or support. We must demand that Council maintains its existing home care services, which are critical to ensuring the wellbeing of our most vulnerable community members.

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.

Financial stress means many aspiring teachers struggle to manage their living expenses while undertaking unpaid teaching placements. Some ask family and friends for financial assistance, and others take on personal loans. The impact of unpaid placements is particularly severe for those with families or caring responsibilities, regional and rural students, and students from marginalised communities. Too many pre-service teachers are unable to complete their studies, making Victoria's teacher shortage even worse. Without enough teachers in our schools and kindergartens, students are denied access to the full range of learning and support programs they need.

Each year, thousands of Tasmanian workers are seriously injured at work. Sadly, over the last decade, there have been 87 work-related fatalities in Tasmania. We believe this number would be even higher if all work-related deaths, including suicide, were included in the official statistics. Earlier this year, all WHS Ministers from across Australia voted to include an industrial manslaughter offence in our national model WHS laws. To make that a reality for Tasmania, however, requires the Tasmanian Government to legislate for them here. Unions Tasmania is calling on Minister Madeleine Ogilvie, and the Rockliff Government, to commit to industrial manslaughter laws in our state.

Council-run in-home aged care and NDIS services enables those in need to live independently at home. Being able to retain a sense of independence is so important for mental and emotional health. Our vulnerable relatives, friends and neighbours deserve to retain the quality care they get from highly trained council workers. In-home aged care delivered by local government is a hugely valued service. These workers are highly trained, on permanent jobs and liveable wages, who provide care second to none. Their employment conditions mean clients get the kind of continuity of care they asked for during the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality & Safety. Council’s direct delivery of this vital community service protects our vulnerable and older residents in their homes. Victorian local government has a proud history of leading the country in delivering quality services into homes in this area and it must be maintained. Any moves to cease direct delivery of this service and allow a private provider/s to deliver the service would have the following consequences: ▪ Reduced provision, lower quality and consistency of care to clients; ▪ Displacement of workers in secure, well paid, well supervised work within your local community; ▪ No minimum qualification requirements, where vulnerable clients will be forced to allow potentially untrained providers into their homes, leaving them significantly vulnerable to abuse; ▪ Loss of a holistic assessment client needs and coordinated or escalated service delivery or referral to match the changing needs of clients; ▪ Loss of integrated services due to lack of participation of private providers in local partnerships, networks and alliances.

If these services are outsourced, the Sutherland Shire community will lose out. These quality early education places will be lost, and families will suffer dramatic increases to fees and their cost of living. The hard-working early childhood educators will also lose their secure Council jobs and conditions. These Council-run services also set the standard against greedy for-profit childcare centres, what will happen without them? The General Manager and Councillors have refused to come clean and let Shire residents know what they are doing. What is Council secretly planning? The USU says these council services must not be lost to the community. As signatories we say: DON'T SELL OFF OUR PUBLIC CHILDCARE CENTRES!