Australian Unions call on the Australian Government and Minister Kelly O'Dwyer to actively support the development of, and ratify once adopted, the new ILO Convention aimed at preventing violence and harassment in the world at work, including sexual harassment. We need to send a message that we won’t tolerate workplace gender violence: Not here, not anywhere. Sign the petition

The Australian Human Rights Commission’s 'Change the Course' report found that in 2015/16 51% of students surveyed reported that they had been sexually harassed at University and 9% of students surveyed reported that they had been sexually assaulted at University. The report also found that Women Students, Queer Students, Trans Students, Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander Students, Students of Colour and Students with Disabilities are more likely to be sexually harassed or assaulted than any other student. But perhaps the most alarming figures to emerge from this report is that 68% of students who had experienced sexual harassment at university and 40% of students who had been sexually assaulted on campus DID NOT report the incident to the university because they didn't think it would be considered serious enough. "I didn't think they would believe me. I thought they would think I made it all up" - (Student, 21) Universities have no reason for inaction. Students will not be silent - It’s time to end sexual violence

Early childhood educators are paid just half the national average wage. Our work is undervalued for one reason: 97% of educators are women. Our job is seen as “women’s work”. We’re told we should do it for the love of it, but love doesn’t pay the bills. Educating children is one of the most important jobs imaginable, we are setting children up for their future. We deserve respect and fair pay. It’s time to value every child by valuing every educator. We are DONE with asking nicely. Malcolm Turnbull has until Thursday 1 February to support equal pay, or we will escalate our campaign with nation-wide walk offs.

It’s 2018 and Tasmanians deserve access to safe and legal reproductive health services without needing to shoulder the burden of traveling interstate to do so. The Tasmanian Liberal Government was warned that the last healthcare service in Tasmania offering affordable surgical abortion procedures would be closing. Three services offering the procedure closed during his term. He chose to do nothing. His inaction is an action in itself. He must put aside his personal anti-choice views to do his job and provide public access to the safe and legal healthcare services that Tasmanians need.

One third of all women and people with reproductive abilities in Australia will have an abortion in their lifetime, and over 80 per cent of Australians believe that women should have the right to choose. Access to abortion is vital to our communities, and remains one of the single greatest ways to reduce the economic and social inequality Labor aims to address. If members of parliament truly wish to serve their communities, they should support legal, safe, affordable, accessible abortion services. To get in touch with Labor for Choice e-mail [email protected].

The powers that be at 9 Network have decided to include a misogynist looking for a doormat/wife in the next series of Married At First Sight. Declaring such views as wanting to be in charge, he's the man, she has to listen, and referring to traditional roles that still exist in "other countries", he fits the perfect profile of a controlling, dominating abuser. Now, undoubtedly the program will cast him as the bad guy (which he is) and manufacture conflict around his controversial character. In doing so, 9 Network are giving a platform to views and ideals that will appeal to a certain demographic, and are capitalising off the abuse of women. This in the age of #metoo. This following the growing movement naming and exposing abusers, molesters and rapists. This when on average one woman a week is killed in Australia as a result of domestic violence. The oppression and abuse of women should never be used as a marketing tool. We're talking about lives here, and lives are far more important than ratings or network profits. 9 Network, hang your heads in shame.

The powers that be at 9 Network have decided to include a misogynist looking for a doormat/wife in the next series of Married At First Sight. Declaring such views as wanting to be in charge, he's the man, she has to listen, and referring to traditional roles that still exist in "other countries", he fits the perfect profile of a controlling, dominating abuser. Now, undoubtedly the program will cast him as the bad guy (which he is) and manufacture conflict around his controversial character. In doing so, 9 Network are giving a platform to views and ideals that will appeal to a certain demographic, and are capitalising off the abuse of women. This in the age of #metoo. This following the growing movement naming and exposing abusers, molesters and rapists. This when on average one woman a week is killed in Australia as a result of domestic violence. The oppression and abuse of women should never be used as a marketing tool. We're talking about lives here, and lives are far more important than ratings or network profits. 9 Network, hang your heads in shame.

These allegations follow those launched against Harvey Weinstein in the US by numerous women in the entertainment industry, and the #metoo campaign on social media, which highlights the pervasiveness of sexual harassment and assault. For young women in particular, sexualisation, harassment and objectification are all too common. Sexual harassment in the workplace isn't just harmless flirting - it is an issue of fair working conditions. The Wom*n’s Collective stands with women who have experienced harassment and assault, whether at work, at university, on the street, or in the home.

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/scc

According 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.

Workplaces have a key role to play in supporting a woman facing family and domestic violence. Paid family and domestic violence leave can give a woman – and it nearly always is a woman – the time, support and job security she needs to escape and recover from an abusive relationship. One in three employers now offer this leave. All State and Territory Governments do as well. But two out of three employees are still missing out. A woman's safety shouldn't depend on her employer. We must give all workers access to paid family and domestic violence leave. It takes paid leave to leave. And we won't wait, because women can't wait.

Despite signing onto the Universities' Australia Respect Now always campaign only last year, and making a commitment to the ongoing Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) project aimed at stamping out sexual assault on campus, the University of Tasmania (UTas) is actively welcoming a convicted sex offender on campus. Nicholaas Bester, who is currently a Phd student at the University of Tasmania (UTas) Sandy Bay campus, was convicted and jailed in 2011 for sexually abusing a 15 year old student at St. Michaels Collegiate girls college, where he was head of science. At the time of his parole, Bester was admitted to UTas as a student and received a phd scholarship. In 2015 Bester stated on social media his first crime was 'awesome' in a conversation so offensive it was reported to Tasmania Police and resulted in him being charged with producing child exploitation material. He served a prison sentence for this in 2016, during which time he remained a student at UTas. Despite multiple complaints being made about Besters presense on campus, the University of Tasmania has put students at risk by: - Accepting Bester as a resident in the John Fisher student accommodation complex, where he lived in close proximity with many students. - Making no attempt to terminate Bester’s student status after he was reported to the police for predatory behaviour at the University gymnasium. At the time, an agreement was made with Bester that he would no longer attend the gym, but UTas continued to accommodate him on campus. When questioned, the university deputy vice-chancellor for research, Bridgid Heywood said that "there is nothing in the universities' rules which precludes Bester from continuing his research." However, this appears to ignore the university behaviour policy which states that all staff and students have a right to work and / or study in an environment that is free from inappropriate behaviour, including the sexually harassing and abusive behaviours which Bester has engaged in. The universities decision to support Bester's phd status despite his continued criminal and inappropriate behaviour poses a clear threat to other university students, and in particular the underage students whom attend campus for pre-university units. This is ironic given the university sectors national commitment to creating safer campus environments after the release of the national union of students women's survey last year which showed that over 72% of women experience some form of sexual harassment or violence while studying . Sign the petition to demand that the University respect their commitment to improve student safety, by immediately terminating Nicholaas Bester's Phd scholarship, and banning him from attending all University of Tasmania campuses. *Under Federal and state legislation, universities' are autonomous self-accrediting institutions. The university has the authority to terminate a phd student position according to its own policies.