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Stop outsourcing at CentrelinkCentrelink services have already been run into the ground as the Turnbull Government has slashed more than 5,000 permanent jobs from the Department of Human Services. The number of unanswered call has climbed rapidly as the Government has continued cutting, with more than 42 million calls going unanswered just last financial year alone. This deal hatched by the Turnbull Government is an absolute disaster for Centrelink and the thousands of vulnerable Australians who rely on the agency. Serco is a tax-avoiding multinational parasite, plain and simple, that profits from downgrading public services and underpaying the people who provide them. Everything they touch sees services suffer. Centrelink clients need real help, such as that they are given by our members who have permanent jobs in the department and therefore the proper training and experience to actually resolve peoples’ problems. A private call centre that’s designed merely to make the department’s call waiting times look better isn’t going to genuinely help anyone. Serco’s arrival is also yet another attack by the Turnbull Government on hard-working DHS staff. They’ve been under an unrelenting attack through a four-year wage freeze and wholesale cuts, so this is adding insult to injury. It’s telling that the Defence Department is currently taking the reverse approach, bringing work back in-house because it offers higher quality work at a lower cost.3,743 of 4,000 SignaturesCreated by Community & Public Sector Union
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Our ambulance service is in crisis - put it back in public hands!Every single day, Territorians are experiencing delays due to inadequate resources and an understaffing crisis, which leaves injured and sick people waiting. A high-quality ambulance service needs high-quality paramedics, but with St John, there is not a positive work culture and many don't see a career pathway in the N.T. service. Training for paramedics, which allows them to do their jobs properly, as well as keep their skills in line with the rest of the country) is inadequate, so many of us leave to go elsewhere. In states where there is a public ambulance service, there is a huge difference in service delivery, patient care, and work culture. It's time to fix response times, instead of focusing on brand reputation. That's why paramedics are saying it's time for the service to be made public.284 of 300 SignaturesCreated by United Voice NT
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Council must retain home care servicesCouncil-run home care enables those in need to live independently at home for as long possible. Being able to retain a sense of independence is so important for mental and emotional health. Our ageing relatives, friends and neighbours deserve to retain the quality care they get from our highly trained Council workers.240 of 300 SignaturesCreated by ASU Vic Tas
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Stop The Cashless Welfare Debit Card coming to Hinkler Hervey Bay-BundabergThe people of the Hinkler region ( Hervey Bay-Bundaberg) are feeling threatened , scared and worried for their financial futures and inclusion in our communities. Our population of people on legal eligible centrelink payments across the board, from youth allowance, newstart, dsp, carers etc should not be feeling like they are being excluded from our society and fear losing their sense of self. The insults that we cannot manage our funds, that we are all drunks, druggies and pedos are unjust and not true. People cannot be held responsible for gov't failures to create sufficient jobs and training for people who are isolated and are limited in their prospects. People with addictions need the funding put back into the services that have been removed and treated under the health system, not pushed onto a fantasy card that is being touted as the cure all for all of social ills, at the same time the mantra being pushed that only people on centrelink suffer those ills! Common sense is to provide help to those who need it, and not allow the privatisation of our Social Security sector to a private corp, ready to make big $$ off of the backs of our battlers. The added costs to the tax payer per person per year could be better spent in inclusive public service funding, not a punitive, segregating punishing, dehumanising boot being put down on people who have committed no crime. Australian citizens deserve to feel safe from their own gov't The current gov't is attempting to split our citizens into segments who are judged by their circumstance as to what level their citizenship counts for them. People on Centrelink payments are not "lessor" people just because they receive their rightful payments. Workers who cannot access enough hours are not lessor citizens, and current workers should not be placed in situations where they accept lessor protections at work, in order to stay employed in fear of , if they lose their jobs they will be on the card ! This card threatens our small business, markets and public events . Tourism cannot support these regions alone and the "cash flow" that circulates through our regions economies keeps people going, it keeps our centrelink recipients from becoming destitute, as they have access to secondhand items, cars, and are able to pay their cash rents. We have a large amount of older workers doing their mutual obligations, free labour hours to receive their payments, our younger out of work workers are also doing their work for the dole, part time work and studies, The cashless welfare debit card will completely destroy people on so many levels and we don't have the mental health services to cope with the loss of self and autonomy. This is not how any gov't should be treating any of it's citizens. The card does not care what colour your skin is, your religion, or your circumstance, it is about profits for private business. Indue Terms and Conditions show no mention of any persons health, mental health or general well being, it only has terms and conditions that remove peoples' right to privacy, contract and consent laws, it is about control. If the gov't was serious about helping people overall, they would lift the amounts of centrelink payments to make sure people can keep up with the modern costs of living and provide the health services that all of our community should have access too. The moral of the people is important to how a country works, removing the worth of so many and then the media and the gov't backing of the media "welfare bashing" is causing a great deal of distress across the country as whole. We in the Hinkler region want JOBS not CARD ! Training and PAID work for able bodied people, for older out of work workers and DSP need to be treated with respect too, Dignity NOT Poverty. The card will segregate people and cause more than just financial difficulties for recipients . Stop the Card!461 of 500 SignaturesCreated by Kathryn Wilkes
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Care for the public sector doctors that care for our communityDoctors have a duty to make patients their first concern. Providing the best patient care relies on having access to specialist trained doctors. Sadly, patient care continues to be compromised by the State Government’s position on doctors’ workloads, staffing and professional development. Amidst a backdrop of constant change, driven by politics rather than patient care, the Government now wants to cut pay and are refusing the security of a new work agreement for doctors. In the end, it’s the patients who suffer.107 of 200 SignaturesCreated by South Australian Salaried Medical Officers Association
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Tougher Penalties for Workplace DeathsSA Unions represents more than 160,000 working South Australians and their families and they deserve to safely come home from work every day. South Australia's work health and safety laws need to be toughened to match criminal penalties. Under existing law, a person who has a duty of care that exposes someone to a risk of death or serious injury of illness faces five years jail and a $300,000 fine. This should be matched with existing criminal law to insert a new offence - Causing Death Through Recklessness or Negligence - with a 15-year maximum.53 of 100 SignaturesCreated by Joe Szakacs
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Fair Pay for ANMF Nurses and Care Staff!We ask you to stand alongside our communities hardest workers by signing this petition demanding that Southern Cross Care Tasmania (SCCT) provide fair pay and conditions for their nursing and care staff! Aged care workers are faced with a number of tough working conditions on a daily basis; demanding overtime, inadequate staffing levels, and highly challenging emotional and physical conditions. Nurses and care staff look after some of the most vulnerable people in our community and are not being recognised for it! The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) Tasmanian Branch are working alongside SCCT members in the hope of achieving a satisfactory agreement that values the work that staff do. On Wednesday 9 August ANMF members working at SCCT sites across Tasmania commenced industrial action against their employer. This action was not undertaken lightly, however, it was the only option left for them to pursue a fair and reasonable offer from their employer. “The current offer by SCCT is simply not good enough! It is completely unfair that Aged Care Staff with Certificate III qualifications are being paid seven cents an hour less than equivalent workers employed as hairdressers under the Hair and Beauty Industry Award 2010. Meanwhile SCCT’s Annual Report for 2015-2016 reveals that the organisation is in a strong financial position and their cash position has improved considerably from the prior year, by $24 million,” said ANMF Branch Secretary Neroli Ellis. We need your help to make Southern Cross Care stand up and listen. Listen to their staff, their residents, and the community. Aged Care staff deserve better! ANMF will continue to fight for fair pay and conditions. Learn more about the campaign here: anmftas.org.au/scc919 of 1,000 SignaturesCreated by ANMF Tas Branch
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It's Time for Action: Demand Action on Sexual Assault at UTasAccording to the Australian Human Rights Commission report released on the 1st of August, over half of all students at UTas were sexually harassed in 2016, and 6.5% were sexually assaulted Of these students the vast majority did not seek help from the university, and 0% made a formal report about the incident. While the Vice-Chancellor Peter Rathjen has since come out to say sexual violence is “never OK,” we are yet to see the university take action on any specific incident, or commit implementing a system that offers any real support to students. What students need is not more slogans, or hollow campaigns, but fast and immediate action from the university that tells that they believe us, that it’s not our fault, and that we will have justice. Sign the petition and join the UTas Women’s Collective, and Tasmanian Young Labor members, as we call on the State Government and the University of Tasmania to to commit to implementing: A standard sexual assault reporting model which recognises the rule of law Clear penalties for perpetrators of sexual assault and violence And A full-time trauma informed counsellor that specialises in harassment and sexual violence.249 of 300 SignaturesCreated by Heidi La Paglia
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Stop the Smear Campaign, Your Drivers Deserve SafetyLast night while another driver was being assaulted, instead of trying to improve their safety, our Lord Mayor was heading a smear campaign against them, stooping so low he's even using school children as a political tool. Physical assaults against Brisbane Transport Bus Drivers are reported once a week, and there's a verbal assault reported every day. Countless more go unreported. Three weeks ago a driver was stabbed, and last October, one was brutally murdered. Our drivers have learned the hard way that Graham Quirk doesn't seem to care. It’s time for the Lord Mayor to stop insulting his drivers, to recognise their hard work, to stop belittling them for their very real fears for their safety at work. It's time for Mayor Quirk to work with Bus Drivers for everyone's safety. All they are want is safety and fair working conditions, things all Australians should have.1,116 of 2,000 SignaturesCreated by RTBU QLD Branch
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Stop the Victorian Government from selling our Land Titles OfficeMore than 400 people work at the titles office and they take their jobs seriously. Their dedication and attention to detail gives Victorians peace of mind when it comes to their homes. The titles office created $300 million in revenue last year. That's $300 million that was returned to the public to fund schools, hospitals, roads, and other highly valued public services. What's worse, we know privatisation doesn't work. Victoria has a history of privatising public assets only to see costs increase and service quality decline. Just look at the cost of electricity now, our muddled public transport system, not to mention traffic cameras, and prisons run for profit. If the titles office is sold to a private company it will affect everyone from first-home-owners to property developers. Fees are predicted to quadruple as seen recently in Canada, and costly title insurance will be a likely requirement for all homeowners, any revenue made from the titles office will go straight into the pockets of private company shareholders. Buying property in Victoria is hard enough. Why does the Government want to make it harder? We must stop the selling of this valuable public asset. Because once it's gone, it's gone for good.3,116 of 4,000 SignaturesCreated by CPSU Victoria
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Public Transport in public hands, make your voice heard now.Despite failures of maintenance, reliability and staffing, the government is soon to renew their lucrative contracts for Melbourne’s train and tram operations. Many issues have been brought to the surface over the past months including network failures, derailments, un-maintained tracks, and under-staffing as well as typical canceled, delayed, or altered services. This is while Metro Trains Melbourne continues to make millions of dollars from taxpayers and commuters. These contracts are secret and have left us with a rail network in crisis. Let Minister Allan know that taxpayers and commuters are sick of being shortchanged by a company that values shareholders more than ticket holders! For more information, check out the article in the paper today: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/opinion/luba-grigorovitch-oh-the-places-you-wont-go-on-public-transport/news-story/0e8fdd5bc0117e88cf2a40fa58fb23311,080 of 2,000 SignaturesCreated by RTBU Victoria
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Stop Trimesters At GriffithThe current structure of the trimester system unfairly affects staff and students. Through institutionalizing the drive to hasten the completion of degrees and rake in profit, the University has thus forgone creating an atmosphere that disrespects the concept of obtaining a comprehensive education in an attempt to establish the university as a degree factory. The trimester model completely ignores the necessity of study breaks for students to catch up on content as well utterly disregarding the students who rely on the end of year break to save essential funds that ultimately sustains them for the following academic year. Already carrying the weight of being at university, this financial and social deficit will place a greater burden on the mental and academic health of Griffith University Students. The implications of this model call in to question the practicality of deadlines and workloads placed on academic staff by creating a third teaching period. This new policy strips the ability of staff to have time to part take in scholastic pursuits, including conferences and undertaking research. This policy will lead to an increase of fatigue and burnt out staff which will ultimately affect Griffith's high standings within research and the quality of the education. At all ends, the trimester model is solely for the university and against the students and staff.1,340 of 2,000 SignaturesCreated by Australian Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU)