TasTAFE is where thousands of Tasmanians build the skills they need for work and for life. But right now, it’s being cut back—just when people need it most.  With tens of millions in savings demanded and more job and course cuts on the way, students are losing the support they rely on to succeed. These cuts mean fewer teachers, fewer courses, and fewer services—especially for those who already face the biggest barriers.  Students in regional areas, migrants learning English, creatives, and those retraining for new careers are all being hit hardest.  Support services like counselling and libraries are already stretched, and this will only make things worse. This doesn’t just affect students — it affects all of us. TasTAFE trains the workers our state relies on. By signing this petition, you’re standing up for students, staff, and Tasmania’s future.

Residential group homes are an essential public service for individuals living with disabilities. Homes provide a safe environment, supported by public sector workers who have dedicated their careers to caring for individuals with high support needs.    Privatising these services will force families to make agonising choices, separate clients from carers and leave 400+ public sector workers without jobs. 

Parking and transport at Curtin are a serious barrier to students accessing their education. Students are spending up to an hour circling campus looking for parking, paying for more expensive bays, arriving late to class, and struggling to absorb rising costs during a cost of living crisis. Students should not be priced out of attending university because they cannot afford fuel, parking or the time it takes to fight for a car bay every morning. These are practical and achievable solutions. Other universities have already implemented measures like free carpool parking. Instead, Curtin students are being told to wait while simple proposals are bogged down in bureaucracy. The only thing stopping these solutions is the willingness of senior leaders to take this issue seriously. Students are doing everything they can to keep showing up during a cost of living crisis. Curtin must do more to support them.

Housing costs are one of the biggest pressures facing working people. They affect where we can live, how far we have to commute, and whether we can get ahead. Union members are raising their voices to demand change because housing affordability won’t improve on its own. By coming together, workers can push for real reforms and make housing fairer. Sign the petition today if you agree the Federal Government must: 1. Create a fairer tax system for housing – reform negative gearing and capital gains tax concessions so home ownership is supported over investment for profit. 2. Invest in more public and affordable housing – commit to long-term, large-scale investment so more people can access secure homes.

We believe all survivors of sexual assault should be able to safely access counselling without fear of their offender ever eavesdropping in on the conversation. Yet our legal system currently undermines confidence in vital counselling services by enabling offenders and other third parties access to these files.  That is why we are calling on the Federal and all State Attorney Generals, starting with Michael Daley (NSW) and Michelle Rowland (Federal) to amend legislation so that sexual assault survivors can access counselling, safe in the knowledge that their notes and related files are completely protected, much the same as if they had spoken to their own lawyer. Sign and then share our petition. ‘Don’t Subponea Our Support: Keep Counselling Confidential’, is a campaign led by news.com.au journalist and survivor advocate, Nina Funnell, in partnership with Unions NSW, Rape and Sexual Assault Research and Advocacy, Marque Lawyers, along with survivors, advocates and experts. By signing the petition, you may hear from our campaign partners about this campaign. Rebuild community confidence in confidentiality. Sign the petition. If you or someone you know has been impacted by sexual violence support is available at:  Full Stop Australia: 1800 385 578 (24/7 sexual domestic and family violence counselling service) 13YARNfor Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: 13 92 76  Rainbow sexual, domestic and family violence: 1800 497 212

Young people in the Hume and Riverina regions currently have no access to local, age-appropriate acute inpatient mental health care. When adolescents experience severe mental health crises, they are too often admitted to adult wards, left for extended periods in emergency departments, or transported hours away from their community by family or patient transport, even when there is an immediate danger to themselves. These arrangements are clinically inappropriate, distressing, and inconsistent with trauma-informed standards of care. They disrupt schooling, separate families, and increase the risk of further harm - emotionally, socially and physically. Albury–Wodonga is centrally positioned to reduce unsafe travel distances across both Victoria and New South Wales, while easing pressure on already stretched metropolitan services. This is about safety, equity, and ensuring crisis care is available close to home when it is needed most.

Wages in the community services sector have not kept up with the value or complexity of our work. Then, if it wasn't bad enough, in 2025, the Fair Work Commission (FWC) proposed to change the classification structure in the SCHADS Award. The FWC proposed a 9-level classification structure modelled on the Aged Care Award. These changes could have caused 73% of workers to face weekly pay cuts ranging from $179 to $930 across various sector roles. There are up to 130,000 workers employed under the SCHADS Award. 46% of those workers faced losing over $200 per week. According to ASU surveys, 40-50% of workers would be forced to leave the sector due to financial stress if the FWC proposal was adopted. So, we fought back. We held members meetings, site visits, stunts and rallies! We gained media attention right across the country and grew significantly as a union with thousands of workers getting engaged in the campaign right across the nation. The FWC will likely make its final decision in around March. Any FWC decision will not be implemented immediately. So, in the meantime, we are running our campaign for pay increases for the community services sector.  We know that when we fight, we win. We’ve done it before. We won pay increases of 23% to 45% to the minimum wages in 2012. Let’s stand together in 2026 and show everyone why we must be valued!

The South Coast Labour Council condemns the horrific massacre committed on Sunday 14th December and calls it out as an antisemitic hate crime committed against the Jewish community and an attack on Australian society as a whole. Our deepest condolences and sympathies are with all the victims, friends and families. Our gratitude to the emergency services and those who assisted on the day and continue to support the community in the aftermath. The South Coast Labour Council stands with the Jewish community and all communities that make our multicultural Australia the great country that it is. Our community stands united and we won’t be divided by race, religion or the colour of our skin. An attack on one community is an attack on all communities. The slaughter of innocent men, women and children is an act of barbarism and has no place in Australia or indeed anywhere in the world. Accordingly, it is resolved to: 1. Reach out to our Jewish community through our movement and offer our support and solidarity. 2. Support the Prime Minister and National Cabinet’s call for urgent reforms to gun laws and gun control. 3. Renew our emphasis on education to combat antisemitism and all forms of racism. Adopt a zero tolerance of racism and demand it be an enforced standard across our community, media, education, public and private institutions including for our politicians. Too often we hear ugly racist sentiments dressed up as public policy. 4. Seek advice and learn from the efforts of those in our movement from our region who have confronted similar tragedies such as the Christchurch massacre in 2019 when an Australian gunman killed 51 members of the Islamic community praying in a Mosque. 5. Nominate Ahmed el Ahmed, one of the heroes of Bondi, for Australian of the year. He was shot while disarming a terrorist and in so doing illustrated for all the world to see an extraordinary example of what makes an Australian. Ahmed el Ahmed, a Syrian born Australian Muslim saving lives because, in his own words that is what a “human being does” and he would do it all over again. We thank you Ahmed el Ahmed for your courage and humanity.

This isn’t just policy—it’s people. At least 15 members, some with over 40 years of service, now face demotion or job loss. These are workers who have kept Brisbane running through thick and thin, many honoured with the Lord Mayor’s Award of Excellence. Council wants to turn desirable qualifications into mandatory requirements overnight. That’s not fair. It’s time to stand together and demand a fair transition that respects experience and safeguards wellbeing. By signing this petition, you demand a fair transition, genuine support, recognition of experience, and safeguards against punitive outcomes. Together, we can ensure Council values people—not just paperwork. Add your voice, sign now!

• Every student’s learning and wellbeing is at risk when schools don’t have the resources to meet the diverse needs of all learners, including more 1:1 support from teachers and education support staff. • Teacher shortages will only worsen, and support staff and school leaders will remain undervalued, unless the state government invests in the profession. • It’s about fairness and the futures of children and young people, who deserve properly funded public schools, not a government that shirks its responsibility while calling Victoria the ‘education state’. We call on Premier Allan and Treasurer Symes to keep their full funding promise and reverse the decision to delay $2.4 billion worth of resources for our schools. Sign our petition and send a clear message to the Premier and the Treasurer: we won’t accept Victorian public schools being the lowest funded in the country. Children and young people – and their families, teachers, education support staff, and school leaders – deserve better than that.

This is about protecting the people who care for our communities — the workers who support those experiencing homelessness, family violence, mental health challenges, disability, and social isolation. These roles are often invisible, yet absolutely essential. If their pay and conditions are cut, it sends a clear message that this work - and the people they support - don’t matter. These workers hold our communities together, often under immense pressure and with little recognition. When they’re undervalued or forced out of the sector, it’s the public who suffers — through reduced services, higher burnout, and weakened care systems. This isn’t just a workers’ issue — it’s a community issue.

Following the 2021 coup, the military junta plans to stage sham elections on December 28, 2025. This is not democracy; it is an attempt to rebrand a violent dictatorship and entrench its power. By escalating sanctions and recognising Myanmar’s democratic forces, Australia can help cut the junta’s financial lifelines and stand with the people of Myanmar in their struggle for democracy.