Hochi Mama is a Vietnamese restaurant at the top of Melbourne’s Chinatown. It’s also Melbourne’s number one Asian restaurant on the venue rating site, TripAdvisor. I worked there as a bartender. And I was on a flat rate of $20 per hour, no penalty rates. In just four months I had over $3000 (including super) stolen from me. Often, we felt we were treated like dirt. Hochi Mama had a staff WhatsApp group where we got our rosters, we swapped shifts and management would give us instructions about our jobs. This was also how workers found out they’d been fired, by seeing we’d been deleted from the staff WhatsApp group. It happened to me. It happened to lots of other staff. In front of everyone. Most bosses have the decency to actually TELL you that you'd been fired. Not these guys. And it left everyone feeling afraid and wondering: who’s next? Migrant kitchen staff were treated even worse. They worked double shifts of 13-14 hours for a flat rate of $70 or $100, in cash. I even saw them sleeping on milk crates out the back of the restaurant between shifts. It’s not okay for any worker to be treated like this, particularly in a wealthy country like ours. All over this industry, we see migrant workers treated like an underclass. It’s just wrong. We need to stand together and demand fairness and respect for ALL hospo workers. That’s the only way anything is ever going to change.

While the majority of the Christchurch terror attack victims are still yet to be burried, Officeworks has ALLOWED the printing of swastikas for the second time since the massacre.  On three occasions, local Werribbee neo nazi Len Reynolds ('Lensta Reynolds' on Facebook) has printed these hate symbols on Officeworks equipment. If this isn't abhorrent enough, Len threatened to bash a now ex-worker of Officeworks. Officeworks did nothing when Len came back instore, except tell this ex-worker to stay in the tearoom whilst Len Reynolds printed his nazi propaganda. Officeworks response to instant outrage has been to relegate themselves to the 'tearoom' in hiding. Deleting comments on their page, refusing to acknowledge and address their absolute complicity in the printing of nazi hate symbols and the perpetuation of facists ideology.  Please sign and leave comments.  This petition will be taken to the local authorities and to Officeworks head office. Hate, facism and nazism must be stopped in it's tracks. To do nothing is to be complicit.  SHAME ON YOU OFFICEWORKS!!! We see you!

This work should be done by public servants who are highly trained and experienced, not private companies who just want to make a profit. Time and time again the Liberals put profits before people and the good of our nation. You can’t trust the Liberals with our public services. Tell the Liberals that you don’t want to see Australia’s immigration system become more expensive and more difficult for migrant families like mine – sign the petition now.

Following the Commonwealth Games held at the Gold Coast in April this year roughly 250 athletes fled, seeking protection and safety in Australia. In May, then Home Affairs minister Peter Dutton told 2GB Radio that he needed to "round them up as quickly as possible". A number of these athletes are LGBTI. If they are forced to return to their home countries where homosexuality is illegal, they face the prospect of vicious punishment including "corrective" rape. Others face persecution for having political opinions that oppose their home governments. One of the athletes recently told the Canberra Times, “I just want to live a normal life where I can be free and nobody judges me.” All of these athletes should have the right to live safely in a country which will protect them. More information: https://www.canberratimes.com.au/national/i-don-t-think-i-will-survive-if-i-go-home-20180727-p4ztz6.html

Vietnamese asylum seeker Huyen is facing deportation and indefinite separation from her 4 month old baby Isabella and husband Paul. Catholics are a persecuted minority in Vietnam, and Huyen fled this persecution in 2011. She arrived in Australia by boat, and was detained in Darwin, Christmas Island, Villawood, and then in community detention. In November 2017, Huyen was living in St Albans in Melbourne with her husband Paul, and was 4 months pregnant when she was taken into MITA detention centre in Broadmeadows. In January this year Border Force loaded her onto a chartered flight to Vietnam, but she was 8 months pregnant and so was taken off the plane just before it departed. Huyen is now in MITA detention centre with her 4 month old daughter, and there are no legal barriers to her deportation. Her husband Paul, Isabella’s father, must submit to drug tests, metal detectors, and notoriously elaborate application forms to visit them after work each day. Isabella has inherited her father’s 457 visa status (he is Mauritius Chinese), and if she is deported Huyen would be indefinitely separated from her daughter and husband. Catholic asylum seekers who were returned to Vietnam from Indonesia last year were harassed, arrested, and threatened with imprisonment. Government led and government sanctioned land confiscations, church burnings, violence and threats of torture continue against Catholics and other religious minorities in Vietnam. The UNHCR has just condemned Australia for separating a Sri Lankan refugee family, where the father was deported leaving the mother and 11 month old baby in Sydney. UNHCR is urging the Government of Australia to uphold the fundamental principle of family unity, and allow family members to be together. XIN ĐỪNG TRỤC XUẤT HUYỀN – ĐỪNG CHIA RẼ GIA ĐÌNH HUYỀN Kính gởi Ông Peter Dutton , Bộ trưởng bộ di trú Cô Huyền là một người tầm trú vượt biển tìm tự do đang có nguy cơ bị trục xuất về Việt nam đau xót lìa xa con thơ Isabella 4 tháng và chồng là Paul Đàn áp Công giáo tại Nghệ an Việt nam đã đẩy Huyền trốn chạy khỏi Việt nam bằng ghe vượt biển ,đến đảo Chrismas Island , rồi trại cấm Darwin , trại cấm Villawood , nhà quản thúc . Tháng 11/2017 , đang sống ở St Albans với chồng thì Huyền bị bắt đưa vào trại biệt giam MITA lúc đang mang thai được 4 tháng . Tháng 1/2018 Huyền bị đưa ra sân bay để trục xuất về Việt nam , nhưng lúc đó thai nhi đã được 8 tháng , vì sự an toàn cho thai nhi nên nhân viên bộ di trú đã đưa Huyền xuống khỏi máy bay trở lại trại MITA Bây giờ Huyền đang ở trại MITA với con gái 4 tháng mà không được tí ân huệ nào ngăn chận nguy cơ trục xuất về Việt nam . Anh Paul mỗi ngày sau khi đi làm về phải trải qua nhiều khám xét về ma túy , vũ khí và độc dược để điền đơn vào thăm vợ con . Bé Isabella thừa nhận visa 457 của cha ( Paul là người Trung Hoa) visa làm việc tạm thời , do đó nếu bị trục xuất cô sẽ đau đớn xa con thơ và chồng Năm ngoái bộ di trú đã trục xuất những người tầm trú vì bị đàn áp tôn giáo về Việt nam từ Indonesia , những người này đã bị quấy nhiễu , bị bắt bỏ tù , bị tra tấn và đe dọa đến khủng hoảng Nhà nước Việt nam đã ra sắc lệnh tịch thu đất đai , đốt cháy nhà thờ , đập phá các nơi thờ cúng của đạo Công giáo và các đạo khác Cao ủy tỵ nạn Liên Hiệp Quốc cũng lên án bộ di trú Úc đã tàn nhẫn trục xuất người chồng người tỵ nạn Sri Lanka về nước bỏ lại vợ và con 11 tháng ở Sydney . Cao ủy tỵ nạn Liên Hiệp Quốc cũng yêu cầu chính phủ Úc phải quan tâm và xét lại đạo luật nhân đạo để giữ cho gia đình được ở chung với nhau Chúng tôi xin Ông Bộ trưởng Dutton hãy cho Huyền một ân huệ cuối cùng để được ra khỏi trại biệt giam MITA và ân xá cho Huyền được theo visa của chồng và con .

I’m calling on the Fair Work Ombudsman to conduct a comprehensive audit of the Ichi Group and ensure they are paying correct wages and that ALL former and current employees receive their correct back pay. It’s not fair that the most vulnerable workers, who were paid even less than me, should miss out on being repaid their stolen wages. Hospo Voice members don’t want to see this kind of exploitation of migrant workers in our industry. That’s why we are demanding ALL current and former staff are paid back everything that they are owed.

Australia continues to forcibly deport asylum seekers back to places such as Sri Lanka, Iraq, and Afghanistan where they face imprisonment, torture and death. Article 33 of the UN Refugee Convention, to which Australia is a signatory, states “No Contracting State shall expel or return ('refouler’) a refugee in any manner whatsoever to the frontiers of territories where his [sic] life or freedom would be threatened on account of his [sic] race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion.” Thousands of asylum seekers in Australia are at risk of deportation particularly because the Coalition government changed asylum assessment processes and abolished the Refugee Review Tribunal. An investigation by the Edmund Rice Centre in 2011 found that of 179 refugees who were forcibly returned to Afghanistan 20 had been confirmed killed and dozens more had disappeared. An update of the report in July 2017 concludes “it would be impossible for Australian, European and other governments to guarantee the safety of Afghan returnees in this period of instability”. Deportation itself is a brutal process often involving physical or chemical restraint. It breaches Australia’s obligations under international law. People deported by Australia have been bound and gagged. Deportations sometimes occur in the middle of the night with little to no warning for the person being deported. In 2010 Jimmy Mubenga, was suffocated to death while being restrained on a British Airways flight during deportation by the UK government. Deportation invariably puts passenger safety at risk because asylum seekers will often rightfully resist the process. Abdlmoneim Khogali, a Sudanese asylum seeker handcuffed to a passenger seat ripped the seat from its floor mountings in an attempt to avoid deportation from Australia. He was then beaten by guards in front of passengers. Several attempts were made to inject him with tranquilliser, the needle missed and bent into the seat. He was eventually injected with that same bent and contaminated needle, and bears scars from it. Deportation is self-evidently harmful for asylum seekers and can also be traumatic for airline staff and passengers. Airlines are not legally required to carry out forced deportations. In Germany pilots refused to carry out deportations 222 times between January and September 2017. Lufthansa spokesman Michael Lamberty told the Westdeutsche Allegeimeine Zeitung newspaper that pilots were able to make such decisions if they thought that flight safety could be affected. Deportations are happening here in Australia quite frequently. Just weeks ago a Tamil family from Biloela in Queensland were ripped from their beds in the middle of the night. Priya, Nades and their two young girls now face imminent deportation from MITA detention centre in Melbourne. We know that Tamils face torture and even death upon their return to Sri Lanka. This petition has been endorsed by: - Dr Gillian Triggs - Julian Burnside - People Just Like Us - The Edmund Rice Centre

Dylan Voller suffered horrible torture in NT youth prisons from 11 years of age. Incredibly, he has come out of prison and played an inspiring role advocating for justice and positive alternatives for Aboriginal youth caught in the system. His family, particularly his mother Joanne, and sister Kirra, campaigned prominently for Dylan’s release and have played a continuing, prominent role in the campaign to close youth prisons that has taken place through the NT Royal Commission process. Through all of this, the family has been persecuted by the NT police. They are attacking what the Voller’s represent - resilience and power in the face of extreme state violence and a growing movement for change. On Friday September 29, NT police targeted both Joanne and Dylan for arrest at a peaceful demonstration calling to shut youth prisons and for justice for victims of Aboriginal deaths in custody. This was a provocation that led to further arrests, including of black youth simply participating in the rally. The protesters broke no laws and police were unable to lay criminal charges, instead they issued fines for “disorderly conduct”. This arrest of Dylan is being used by NT Corrections to argue that he has breached his suspended sentence conditions, just three days out from him finishing supervision. He must not be allowed to return to prison as a result of participation in a protest, a basic democratic right. Meanwhile, on three separate occasions over a two week period, large numbers of police have come to Joanne’s house, each time in response to a small fire being used to cook kangaroo tails in the backyard. Joanne has broken no law - this is blatant harassment and intimidation. We the undersigned stand with the Voller family. We call for an end to the persecution of the family by the NT Police and other authorities. We call for all fines resulting from the recent protest to be dropped and for NT Corrections to stop any further action against Dylan. We are extremely concerned that there has been no action taken by the NT government to bring the perpetrators of torture on Aboriginal youth in NT prisons to justice, or make any fundamental changes in the way the system is operating. We will stand with all families suffering as a result of this system and fight for Aboriginal self determination in youth justice issues - build communities not prisons! Supporters can contact the office of NT Justice Minister Natasha Kate Fyles on (08) 8999 6743.

Locked out of government support during the pandemic, such as the JobKeeper, we were told to go home if we did not have any more funds, while most of us lost our jobs. Later on, after worker shortages was realised, we were the first in line to fill the gap. Thankful for the opportunity to work unrestricted hours in the last year, we have shown that we can sustain the required “satisfactory course attendance” and “satisfactory course progress” while working more than 20 hours a week. Despite all that, we choose to stay in Australia because we believe that we make a positive contribution to the Australian society and economy. We believe in the promise of the Australian education, the very same democratic foundation that taught us the idea of a fair-go in life. We are not asking for a hand-out, but we believe that we deserve the freedom of choice on our work hours. Thus, we loudly say, SCRAP the CAP! The Support Network for International Students (SNIS) is a coalition of organisations and individuals—including current international students and allies—who work collectively to advance the rights and welfare of all international students through various methods and initiatives. Current SNIS members and supporters: Migrante Melbourne, Philippine Studies Network in Australia (PINAS), UFIS (United Filipino International Students), Migrant Workers Centre, Gabriela Australia, PISO (Pinoy International Students Organisation), Multicultural Centre for Women’s Health (MCWH), Advanced League of People’s Artists (ALPA Melbourne), Filipino Community Council of Victoria Incorporated (FCCVI), Renters and Housing Union (RAHU), Anakbayan Melbourne, Malaya Melbourne, Filipino-Australian Association of Ballarat Inc, Westjustice/Western Community Legal Centre, Living Incomes for Everyone (LIFE), Centre for Migrant Workers’ Concerns (CMWC), United Workers Union (UWU), Colour Code, Australian Workers’ Union (AWU), Sydney Alliance, South Asians For Inclusiveness (SAFI), ACRATH (Australian Catholic Religious Against Trafficking in Humans), Philippine Australia Solidarity Association (PASA), Social Justice and Community Ministries of Dandenong Trinity Uniting Church, Independent and Peaceful Australia Network (IPAN), Tamil Refugee Council, FEGTA (Filipino Elderly Get Together Association), Five Fifty Myth Band, Spirit of Eureka, Victorian Multicultural Commission, International League of Peoples’ Struggles Australia (ILPS), Philippine Caucus for Peace, Global Vision Migration,The Entrée.Pinay, Migrante NSW, Sydney Community Forum, SBS Filipino, Democracy in Colour, Migrante WA, Arlan Fajardo of Pinoy Ako Pinoy Tayo, Walter Villagonzalo, MP BronwynHalfpenny, Sanmati Verma, Christina Borromeo, Stef Ocampo, Carol Que, Cal Field, Steff Vasil, Wing Kuang, Orlan Tina, Cathy Weiss

Other people should join and help because young indigenous kids are being treated poorly and abused in the Don Dale youth detention centre. we need your help to free young indigenous kids from being tortured by the police help them be free, help them talk and see their families, help us close down that unfit detention centre.

Your focus is a barrier to fair education and evidence based information. You promote the dumbing down of any broad opinion and evidenced information with your cheap headlines and nonsense content articles. The Clayton's ‘ I love Victoria ‘ opinions space is just deliberately dumb hate speech opportunities. It’s cheap and an ignorant deliberate poor focus. Is it anarchy you want? Do you want to trump Trump at being irresponsible mob inciters.

Cleaners have never been more important to society. We are on the front line of the battle against COVID 19. However cleaners are not being treated with respect during the pandemic. Large numbers of cleaners have lost their jobs under lockdown restrictions. Even worse, many cleaners who have lost work cannot access Jobkeeper or Jobseeker. The cleaning industry has largely been built on the backs of migrant workers, but Jobkeeper and Jobseeker are only available to Australian citizens. Cleaners should not be going hungry at a time like this. Let's take care of cleaners so that cleaners can take care of society.