Newstart is $243 per week below the poverty line. Thanks to our government's refusal to raise the rate, unemployed Australians are being forced to needlessly endure crushing poverty every single day of their lives. Because there are far more job seekers than jobs available, the average time spent on Newstart is now five-and-a-half years. According to the ABS, there are currently 16 job seekers competing for every job available. In a wealthy country like Australia, which has "enjoyed" almost three decades of continuous economic growth, nobody should have to starve on lowly social security entitlements. We must fight for the right of unemployed workers to a liveable income. We must demand our leaders immediately raise Newstart to the poverty line.

UQ management's current negotiations with the Ramsay Foundation - a conservative organisation that proposes to fund programs and majors in “Western Civilisation” threaten academic freedom at UQ, UQ's national and international reputation and the university's commitment to equity and diversity. The published statements of Ramsay Centre board members make clear that it is an explicitly political-ideological enterprise dedicated to promoting a particular, uncontested view of “Western Civilisation” expressly counterposed to current practices and approaches at UQ. Why is this important? NTEU members, staff and students at UQ are determined that the proposed centre will not go ahead. The project would allow Ramsay representatives to have decision making power on the hiring for staff teaching into the program. This is an attempt to pay cash for a University curriculum that serves conservative political ends. UQ must reject Ramsay and demonstrate that we are NOT FOR SALE. Call on the Vice Chancellor, Chancellor and the Senate to reject the proposed Ramsay Centre! Sign the petition below:

Campus counselling services usually cap the number of sessions offered to individual students each year. As mental health support off-campus isn’t accessible to many students, this locks them out of mental healthcare either entirely or for extended periods. Counselling sessions at universities must be uncapped. Campus counselling services rarely hire enough staff to meet student demand, forcing students to wait weeks or even months to book sessions with no mental healthcare while they wait. Universities must adequately staff counselling services to keep wait times for sessions below two weeks. Some campus counselling services prevent students from booking sessions at all through walk-in only policies. In other services bookings can be made but only in person, not online or over the phone. But for many students with mental ill health or various disabilities, such policies prevent them from accessing sessions at all. Students must be able to book sessions in advance and through accessible methods. At some campus counselling services students have no choice of counsellor, they're stopped from changing counsellors as needed or forced to change counsellors against their wishes, neither of which is conducive to effective mental healthcare. Students must be allowed to choose counsellors according to their needs. Many campus counselling services don’t provide specialist services relevant to students’ needs, such as counsellors trained to support students with experiences of sexual assault, trauma, and psychological conditions other than depression and anxiety. Universities must provide counsellors with training relevant to the mental health issues students are affected by. Universities largely fail to promote campus counselling services to all students. Many promote services inconsistently during peak times like orientation and exams but not all year, and promotion often targets first years but not other students. Universities must do more to promote services and regularly integrate promotion into communications with students.

Whilst the ANU has made great strides to tackle the complicated issue of providing accommodation for a growing student population, there are still many pressing and urgent issues for postgraduate students that must be addressed. There are still postgraduate students being exploited by predatory landlords, skipping meals to pay for the bare necessities, and sleeping rough in the library and their offices to ensure that they have a safe place to sleep at night. In recognising that the ANU is providing additional accommodation for students in the upcoming years, it is not merely enough to have this accommodation available, it also needs to be accessible, affordable and adequate. Additionally, to meet the first-year guarantee, second- and third-year students will need to seek accommodation off-campus in a city that was just named the most expensive rent market in Australia.

The Fair Work Ombudsman must investigate Dinner By Heston and take strong action against venues like these that use salary-based arrangements to underpay their workers. The law is clear: Employers must keep an accurate daily record of start and finish times, of the hours worked, and breaks taken, and have them signed weekly by employees. Employers must also do a reconciliation to see if staff have been underpaid. And if there is a shortfall, the employer must pay the difference. We are calling on the watchdog to enforce the law at Dinner By Heston. They must ensure these workers are paid for every hour they work and are paid back all their stolen wages.

Thousands of workers at Merivale have been trapped on a “zombie” workplace agreement that is almost ten years old. The deal means thousands of workers are left without penalty rates for evening and weekend work. That’s right: we’re paid the same rate whether we am working at 1pm on Monday afternoon or 2am on Sunday morning. Young workers like us have lost thousands of dollars compared to what we could have earned under the award. Even worse, Merivale did not even live up to its own agreement and workers have been underpaid thousands of dollars. It’s not right, it’s not fair, and we’re not taking it! We’ve hit the media and, together, we’re taking action to demand fair pay! Sign our petition! Join the union!

I support Victorians’ Voluntary Assisted Dying legislation. That’s why I’m asking all candidates to commit to this legislation, so that Victorians with a terminal illness receive the compassion and dignity they deserve at the end of their lives. It is time to end the division on this important issue. Victoria is the first state to pass voluntary assisted dying legislation. Conservatives now want to deny Victorians compassion and dignity at the end of their lives. For more information, visit: https://www.nomoredebate.org.au/

Scott Morrison has the power to immediately end the suffering of refugee children, their families and others seeking asylum who are stuck in limbo on Nauru. They are being further traumatised every day that he refuses to not act in their interests. As a nation we cannot stand by and allow innocent children on Nauru continue to live in misery which prevents them from accessing a future all children deserve. The Prime Minister must stop putting his own political interests ahead of the welfare of those asylum seekers who rely on us to give them hope and safety. As educators we owe it to these children to put our full support behind them and tell the federal Liberal government to act with humanity and compassion, not hatred and division. By signing the letter to the Prime Minister you can stand with educators around Australia demanding that Scott Morrison acts.

Melbourne’s famous Degraves Street is a den of thieves. We are demanding the Fair Work Ombudsman conduct raids up and down the street. Lawyers for Hospo Voice, the hospitality union, analysed payslips and rosters of workers at five venues with underpayments totalling $50k and award breaches that include below-award wages, non-payment of shift and public holiday penalty rates, superannuation and leave entitlements. Wage theft at these Degraves Street venues has been uncovered: Degraves Espresso, RMB Café, Xpressomondo, Little Cupcakes and The Quarter. Employers are getting rich by gaming the system. They know the chances of getting caught are remote and the worst they have to fear is being forced to pay back stolen wages. That’s why hospo workers fought for and won a commitment from Premier Daniel Andrews to criminalise wage theft if he is re-elected.

Every worker deserves a secure job they can count on. But even when a collective agreement provides for casual conversion, companies like Bulla ignore and break the rules. Frankie had been a loyal employee at Bulla’s Derrimut cold store , employed as a casual and working full time hours every day for 12 months. He had been told by Bulla that after 6 months work, he would be made permanent in line with the EBA conditions. Having a young family to support, this was very important to Frankie. After 6 months of casual work had passed Frankie asked for conversion. He was ignored. After waiting for 12 months he spoke to the delegate, and management finally handed him a contract. The offer was for a seasonal short term role, not the full time job he was entitled to. Frankie was given just 48 hours to sign the contract. The following day he politely raised the issue. Bulla’s response? 'We are no longer offering you a contract, and your employment is terminated effective immediately.' He was escorted off site past his shocked workmates for asking a fair question. Stand united in support with Frankie and against companies that have too much power - all workers deserve a job they can count on!

This is important because the three bus companies that operate Transperth Bus services in Perth do not get paid the same rate. Bus drivers need community support for a fair and equal system. Same job, same rate of pay.

Despite previous assurances from UTAS, three United Voice members and long-term employees of Spotless working at UTAS have lost their jobs due to a contract change to Wilson. They are to be replaced with new guards who do not know the site, the clients or the students. Combined, these Security Officers have worked at UTAS for over 20 years. They have dedicated a huge part of their working lives to UTAS, they have worked above and beyond to deliver a secure university for UTAS students and staff. As of yesterday, they were informed that they would not be employed by incoming contractor Wilson. When they asked why they were not successful they were not given a reason. 3 guards are now without jobs they can count on 3 guards have been unfairly dismissed without any legal recourse. 3 families will struggle to pay bills, rent and mortgages 3 families face an uncertain future. UTAS need to take responsibility for the decisions they made 20 years ago to outsource security which has ultimately led to the dismissal of 4 dedicated, competent workers. UTAS has a responsibility to ensure all workers at UTAS are given a job they can count on.