We may have won marriage equality, but the fight is not over. The government has led brutal attacks on trans and non-binary people with the cuts to Safe Schools; queer people seeking refuge in Australia after fleeing from countries where they face persecution for being queer, are locked in offshore torture camps indefinitely by the Australian government, in countries where it is also illegal to be queer and where queer-bashing is common; the Liberals have set up a ridiculous inquiry into ‘religious freedom’ to discriminate against queer people; queer people can still be fired for being queer; meanwhile queer people still experience high rates of depression, homelessness, danger from incarceration, and suicide. We need to make it clear that none of this is acceptable, and we will not allow the Liberal party to promote themselves in our parade in the lead up to the election while this continues. We also in particular stand in solidarity with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, trans people, and others who continue to frequently be assaulted by police, and this cannot be allowed. Across the world Pride parades are removing the police in recognition of the cruel role they continue to play in society - Aboriginal people in Australia are one of the most incarcerated populations on the planet and many have died in police custody. This is no coincidence. We cannot ignore this. We also do not think it is ethical for us to be connected to corporations which undermine vulnerable parts of our community, such as asylum seekers. Many seek to come to Australia as they flee homophobic execution, and they are either imprisoned in offshore detention where homosexuality is illegal or sent back to the places that abuse them. In the UK their Pride march called upon the airlines to cease deportation, and managed to win a commitment to ending forced deportations. We can too!

Security officers at the University of Tasmania (UTAS) are facing potential job losses because of a contract change from Spotless to Wilson. There is no guarantee that current security staff will keep their jobs; they have to reapply for their positions. Some security officers have worked at UTAS for over 13 years and are now faced with having no job, and if they are hired by Wilson there is no guarantee that they will have permanent employment or the same amount of hours. Other security officers are long-term casuals, with some working at UTAS for over 9 years without job security. These guards now face the prospect of no job, no entitlements and no redundancy. Wilson has already advertised the positions at UTAS without meeting with the current security officers first. Security officers had some simple questions to ask WIlson, but Wilson has chosen to ignore them so now they are calling on the Vice-Chancellor of UTAS to direct Wilson to answer them and to give them a job they can count on.

Family Violence is a crime that seriously reduces the health and wellbeing of individuals, families and communities. The Premier has stated that eliminating family violence is a top priority of the Tasmanian Government. Tasmania Police data shows a 15 per cent increase in reported family violence arguments and incidents over a three-year period from 2014-15 (4,486) to 2016-17 (5,154). The FVCSS is struggling to deal with the increase in referrals due to lack of resources. The Family Violence Counselling and Support Service provides victims with: ◾Information, counselling & support ◾Trauma Counselling for children and young people ◾Information and support to family and friends ◾Arranging assistance from police ◾Assisting in organising a safe place to stay ◾Referrals to Legal Aid and/or Court Support ◾Act as an advocate in accessing assistance e.g. Housing, Centrelink ◾Liaise with Government and non-government sector on behalf of clients ◾Group work programs for affected adults, children and young people.

The voices of sexual assault survivors deserve to be heard. Jane Doe wishes to speak out under her real name to challenge the stigma and break down silences surrounding sexual assault. In the #MeToo era we have seen how powerful it is when victim-survivors chose to waive their right to anonymity in order to shift the shame, and shift the blame. Today, public sexual assault survivors from around the country including Tara Moss, Bri Lee, Saxon Mullins, Jenny Aitchison, Steve Fisher, Jane Caro, Nina Funnell, Jannika Jacky, Joanna Williams, Codie Bell and Freya Willis have joined together to demand that sexual assault survivors in Tasmania and the Northern Territory are afforded the same right to speak out that survivors in other states and territories have. The laws in Tasmania and the Northern Territory must be amended to say that no person or media outlet is entitled to reveal the identity of a sexual assault survivor, UNLESS that survivor consents to waive their right to anonymity. “The most empowering thing I ever did following my own assault was to speak out publicly about it. It was an important part of my recovery” said Nina Funnell who has designed the campaign in partnership with End Rape On Campus Australia and Marque Lawyers. “There is tremendous power in survivors owning their own stories without fear or stigma. It is incredibly disempowering for survivors who want to reclaim ownership of their narrative, to be told that they have no right to speak out about their own abuse”. "This law protects perpetrators, not victims". “By silencing Jane Doe- and other survivors- the courts are keeping the stigma and silence around sexual assault in tact”. Under existing law, survivors have to appeal for a special exemption by the Supreme Court in Tasmania so they can speak. This can cost in excess of $10,000 and there is no guarantee it will be granted. Survivors should not be financially penalised just so they can earn the right to speak. Please join with us in pushing for urgent law reform. Jane Doe’s voice matters. She deserves to be heard. Change the law and #LetHerSpeak *Not her real name

• Logan is “...one of the state’s fastest growing communities…the state [has] used the city as the backdrop for announcing its $45 billion four-year infrastructure plans.”* • Those at the pointy end of delivering the City’s successes continue to go unrecognised. Logan City Council staff have not had a pay rise since July 2016! • In that time, all Executive Managers, Councillors and even the suspended Mayor have received annual pay increases. • Council’s current staff pay offer fails to address this two-year pay freeze, and would see wages for the lowest-paid admin staff (who are mostly female) go backwards. • Council staff are community members just like you. We are your librarians and your water & sewage workers. We fix your roads, maintain your parks and plan your new community facilities. • If you agree that it’s not fair that those working hard to deliver major outcomes for our City have to suffer a wage freeze, sign our petition to support the hard-working Council staff who support your community! *Judith Kerr, ‘Logan A City On The Rise’, Courier-Mail, 16 August 2018

Malcolm Turnbull’s government won’t listen. He’s refused to meet with us, and he refuses to fund equal pay for educators. That’s why we’re telling politicians everywhere: we're making equal pay an election issue. Bill Shorten is potentially our next Prime Minister. We have a clear message for him: support early educators, and educators will support you. Please sign now to tell Bill Shorten to meet with me and other educators - together we're strong!

Shortly, the Qld Government is considering passing laws which would force urine testing on rail workers. Swab testing has worked fine for years. The Rail Tram and Bus union opposes these changes because: 1. Urine Testing isn't about impairment - it goes way beyond that. 2. It's embarrassing for women especially, who are asked to provide samples on track and at the side of the road. 3. It's being introduced to save some of the worst employers in Australia a few dollars, according to the Regulator. Drug and alcohol testing should be about safety first - not saving money. Failing a drug and alcohol test can mean steep fines and loss of employment to top it off. Urine testing means they can go weeks or even months back into your life in some cases. It's grossly unfair and the Qld Government must oppose it.

Community members of Coburg and surrounds, value the amazing oasis for our community that has been built up within Peppertree place. The organisation is largely volunteer run and the programs have become an important part of people's lives. With many volunteers building both a support network and new skills that have lead to them finding new employment opportunities after extended periods on un employment. Some of the program at risk if Peppertree place is closed include. o A volunteer run nursery and café, which have a built a significant community of people around them. o The gardens which are used by the neighboring schools, childcare centers, health practitioners and local playgroups, o The surrounding gardens have provided a wonderful peaceful sanctuary for local residents especially those in high-density housing neighboring the Peppertree place. o The Annual fiesta has been a triumph of volunteers and brought together many local organisations and built a community around the program run on site. So please sign our petition to save Peppertree Place!

Transgender Tasmanians can be forced to divorce, and/or undergo surgery, before being able to have their gender identity recognised on official documents. Intersex Tasmanians can be made to endure surgery before they are able to consent. Non-binary Tasmanians can be forced to mis-gender themselves because official forms only recognise gender as male or female. These outdated laws and practices perpetuate stigma and discrimination against transgender, gender diverse and intersex Tasmanians. They worsen the already-high rates of self-harm and suicide among transgender, gender diverse and intersex Tasmanians. They also constitute unnecessary government interference in the lives and freedoms of Tasmanians.

CONTENT WARNING A woman surviving non-fatal strangulation is eight times more likely to be later murdered by her domestic violence perpetrator. Like Victorian woman, Joy Rowley who was choked unconscious eight months before her murder. Her assailant “wasn't charged for six months amid police concern there was insufficient evidence". https://goo.gl/xHSG8k Those risks include disability or later death, with no external signs of injury, incorrectly attributed to other causes. See: https://goo.gl/XEQFe9 It’s a weapon to instil fear and increase control over a victim. Professionals may miss subtle signs. Training can improve practice and policy. Victims' participation in life is affected, as are families and communities. Child witnesses suffer disrupted education and their physical and mental health may be affected. Laws which don't recognise the impact of non-fatal strangulation, or have limited applications, have been shown to let perpetrators get away with their crimes and leave victims living with violence under threat of death.

CONTENT WARNING A woman surviving non-fatal strangulation is eight times more likely to be later murdered by her domestic violence perpetrator. Like Victorian woman, Joy Rowley who was choked unconscious eight months before her murder. Her assailant “wasn't charged for six months amid police concern there was insufficient evidence". https://goo.gl/xHSG8k Survivors of strangulation are also at risk of disability or later death, with no external signs of injury, and which may be incorrectly attributed to other causes because of the delay between the assault and the appearance of symptoms. See: https://goo.gl/XEQFe9 It’s a weapon to instil fear and increase control over a victim. Professionals may miss subtle signs. Training can improve practice and policy. Victims' participation in life is affected, as are families' and communities. Child witnesses suffer disrupted education and their health may be affected. Laws which don't recognise the impact of non-fatal strangulation, or have limited applications, have been shown to let perpetrators get away with their crimes and leave victims living with violence under threat of death.

CONTENT WARNING A woman surviving non-fatal strangulation is eight times more likely to be later murdered by her domestic violence perpetrator. Research by the Western Australian Council for Domestic and Family Violence Services "showed 230 new refuge clients between January and May, including six children, reported having their neck compressed. Of those, 117 said they had no visible injuries." https://goo.gl/rZxR6Y A survey in San Diego of 300 misdemeanor strangulation cases found that there were no visible injuries in 50% of cases. "Another 35% had visible injuries so minor, that they would not show up in photographs. That means that the victims in only 15% of all strangulation cases studied had [external] injuries significant enough to (1) be seen, and (2) be photographed." https://goo.gl/AL2i9B Strangulation can cause disability or later death, even with no external signs of injury. They may be incorrectly attributed to other causes. See: https://goo.gl/XEQFe9 It’s a weapon to instil fear and increase control over a victim. Professionals may miss subtle signs. Training can improve practice and policy. Victims' participation in life is affected, as are families' and communities. Child witnesses suffer disrupted education and their health may be affected. Laws not recognising the impact of non-fatal strangulation have been shown to let perpetrators get away with their crimes and leave victims living with violence under threat of death.