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 These outdated laws and practices perpetuate stigma and discrimination against transgender, gender diverse and intersex Tasmanians.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.

In 2019, the AFL is proposing a reduction in the number of rounds of AFLW despite an increase in the number of women's teams playing. We're demanding better. Don't let AFLW become a "gimmicky tournament". It's time for the AFL to show it has a genuine commitment to women's footy.

CONTENT WARNING A woman surviving non-fatal strangulation is eight times more likely to be later murdered by her domestic violence perpetrator. Like 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 The State Coroner noted "the introduction of a stand-alone offence of strangulation, suffocation or choking in Victoria may significantly help to ensure strangulation is treated commensurate with the risk it poses to victims, and remove the need for police to prove particular bodily harm or intent to cause injury." https://goo.gl/CbDoHL 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 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.

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 .

CONTENT WARNING A woman surviving non-fatal strangulation is eight times more likely to be later murdered by her domestic violence perpetrator. Like 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 Strangulation can cause disability or later death, 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 physical and mental 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.

Asbestos has been banned in Australia since 2003 however every week illegal asbestos imports are stopped at our border. Some new asbestos products are also still making their way into our communities and workplaces in the form of building materials, car parts, children’s crayons and even home decorations. Once they inside Australia, it’s hard to detect them and then hard to get them removed without strong government regulation and enforcement. As long as countries in our region such as China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, India and Cambodia continue to manufacture asbestos products, we will continue to get illegal imports. Asbestos isn’t safe at any level of exposure. That’s why we’re supporting campaigns to ban asbestos throughout our region. In November 2017 the Senate Inquiry into Non-Conforming Building Products delivered an interim report into illegal asbestos imports. The recommendations included: • The Australian Government supporting asbestos bans internationally • Increased prosecutions and penalties for illegal imports • A whole of Government approach to ending illegal asbestos imports • Funding for the Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency • More education and training on illegal asbestos imports • Funding to adequately screen imports • Compulsory recalls for consumer products containing asbestos The Liberal and Nationals members of the Inquiry called the recommendations ‘overreach’. Though a response has been due since May, the Government is yet to respond. We’re calling on the Government to support the recommendations of the inquiry, will you join us?

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.

Malcolm Turnbull has just shown us what he really thinks of aged care workers and the care we give. We provide quality care to older Australians and help ensure they have dignified lives. It’s hard to imagine what a “better job” could be, but our rate of pay doesn’t reflect that. Honestly, Malcolm Turnbull’s attitude towards aged care is nothing new. He has already cut funding for aged care by more than a billion dollars, leaving aged care service providers struggling to provide the care our older Australians deserve. Turnbull has done a massive disservice to aged care workers like myself and the people we care for. The people we care for have done so much for our community and now I feel we’re failing when it’s our turn to care for them. He claims he values aged care but his words and actions don’t line up. Turnbull needs not only to apologise for his comments, but put his money where his mouth is and increase funding to aged care. Let’s make it very clear: Turnbull needs to value aged care workers and the people we care for!