A COVID-19 outbreak at Melbourne’s historic Mitre Tavern involving nine staff occurred after an infected customer had visited the pub. Workers allege that management failed to inform them they may have been exposed to the virus until after staff members began testing positive to COVID-19. At a Melbourne cafe with close to 100 staff, workers say the venue’s Christmas party on Monday 20 December may have acted as a super-spreader event. On Tuesday 21 December workers told the union their colleagues began testing positive and informed venue management. Workers then said the venue waited until Thursday 23 December to inform all staff that they may have been exposed, and advised them to get rapid tests and isolate if positive. The venue continued operating until Christmas Eve before closing for two weeks. Staff estimate at least 50 workers became infected across the days leading up to Christmas. Meanwhile in Sydney’s Northern Beaches, a hospitality worker at a bar/restaurant has reported being called in to work while isolating and awaiting the results of a PCR test. Management also failed to tell staff at the venue when their coworkers had become infected. Workers estimate that approximately 40% of venue staff ultimately became infected with COVID-19.

Scott Morrison has left people who are sick, or working in essential jobs, unable to access the Rapid Antigen Tests they need to keep them safe and keep things running. RATs should be free and accessible for all through Medicare. Because Scott Morrison failed yet again, they are not. He failed to deliver a national quarantine system, stuffed up the vaccine rollout, has left our aged care system in crisis, our hospitals struggling to keep up – and now we don’t have access to the tests we need to keep our workplaces and our families safe.

Amidst the ongoing COVID pandemic and the greatest supply chain crunch Australia has ever seen, Patrick Terminals is willing to throw a spanner in the works of Australian port operations by cancelling their entire workforce’s Employment Agreement and forcing an unprecedented return to the basic Award. This would have a catastrophic impact on shifts, productivity and put an end to 24 hour operations at Patrick’s terminals in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth and make it harder for Australian businesses and consumers to access vital household goods.

National Cabinet has asked for the States to develop a “national framework to enable students to return to school on day one of term one, and for schools to stay open with consistent requirements across all jurisdictions to be in place prior to the first day of the first term of school.” A Federal Government source has told Nine newspapers that “we’re willing to go hardline on this. We want schools to stay open, to make sure classes don’t shut down if there’s one case there.” Meanwhile, the views of school children and parents are being ignored. Many parents are eager to get their kids back to school, and we all understand the need to provide a stable learning environment for students after two years of interruptions. But other parents remain deeply concerned about putting their children’s health at risk - before they can be vaccinated and while the virus is spreading at an alarming rate. This is particularly concerning for children with chronic health conditions, and for parents who have underlying health issues and have spent two years avoiding high-risk environments. Earlier this year the Prime Minister said individuals should take “personal responsibility” for avoiding COVID-19, but by taking a “hardline” stance on schools the Prime Minister is denying families the opportunity to make sensible and informed decisions about their own safety. The ‘back to school’ framework must give parents the flexibility to keep their kids at home until children are vaccinated or until the omicron surge has passed. That could involve either a delay to the start of school, or access to flexible/home learning options.

Unions and business urged Scott Morrison to make rapid antigen tests free back in October. He could have chosen to act but he did nothing. The UK and US Governments have already acted to make rapid covid tests free and accessible to their citizens, once again Scott Morrison is leaving Australia behind. Right now, a single test can cost up to $20, if you’re lucky enough to find a chemist that still has them. That’s $100 for a family of five. That might be small change to the Prime Minister, but it’s out of reach for many families. When asked whether he would make rapid antigen tests free for Australians who need them, Mr Morrison suggested it wasn’t the Government’s job to fix the problem anyway. When a journalist specifically put to Mr Morrison that “not everyone can afford Rapid Antigen Tests”, the PM glibly replied, “some people can, some people can’t”. We've seen time and time again that when the going gets tough, Scott Morrison goes missing. We can't afford this inaction right now. It's time for the Federal Government to step up and make rapid antigen tests free and accessible.

The Lord Mayor has announced the project would now not include a BMX Track, Dog Park, Fitness Path and Playground in its first stage, after a budget blowout. These simple assets of local community benefit were promised to the residents as an LNP election commitment in 2020 and were already tendered out. The decision, with the full support of Cr Adam Allan, to negotiate these out of the current construction contract show poor community priorities while other items in the contract including irrigated sports fields, a leased clubhouse and a 200 space car park are unchanged.

Essential workers have continued to turn up to work throughout the pandemic. Already there have been over 700 public servants and disability workers infected with COVID-19 at work with disability workers also infected. Already we have seen PSA members in Disability group homes, Juvenile Justice, NSW Prisons, Private Prisons, transport, and now we are experiencing 100s of school closures and exposures. From the start of the pandemic there has been presumptive legislation to support essential workers when they get COVID with workers compensation, without the impossible task of having to prove you got it at work. This protects the following workers: -public health employees, -disability facilities, -educational institutions, including pre-schools, schools and tertiary institutions -police and emergency services -transport services, -libraries, -courts and tribunals, -correctional centres and detention centres, -places of public entertainment or instruction (including, museums, galleries, cultural institutions and casinos), The government has introduced a Bill to repeal these laws, which will mean that if you get COVID at work, you have to prove that you got it at work. The NSW Government has said that this change may take over $600 million out of the hands of injured workers and cut 75% of these claims. These cuts passed the lower house in November with all the Government members. The Bill has been referred to the Upper House Committee where it is likely to be voted on in February.

CSR's offer is downright offensive. It does not meet CPI and is well below industry standard in comparison to major competitors Boral and Etex who recently awarded workers a 4% and 3.5% increase respectively. CSR is now the biggest player in the industry with the lowest paid workforce. CSR could end all of this by paying its workers what they deserve. Thanks to the efforts of workers, profits have skyrocketed by 30% in just half a year. That’s $86.6 million lining the pockets of CSR’s wealthy shareholders and executives. And yet, no one has seen a cent of it except the big wigs. CSR boss Julie Coats has pocketed over $1 million in bonuses! Management has also threatened to cancel workers’ approved leave over Christmas, forcing them to work over the holidays. Taking away workers’ pay is one thing, but taking away their family time away is another. Shame, CSR! Stand with CSR workers and help end this bitter and pointless pay dispute before Christmas. Workers are depending on their income to put food on the table and presents under the tree.

Poor oral hygiene can lead to dental cavities and gum disease, and has also been linked to heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Healthcare is a right, not a privilege. Access to dental care should not depend on your bank account. Sign this petition for equitable access to dental care.

Our Mallee and Mildura retail, hospitality, accommodation and events industries are the main employers in our rural economies and desperately need an inflow of people as both consumers and workers. This dire economic situation completely alters the previous exclusive mantra that freight and products must be prioritised to the exclusion of a direct and affordable public transport of people. People have suddenly become the most pressing commodity for the survival of many businesses. People also need the affordable family connectivity that in turn would attract tree-changers.

When companies terminate workplace agreements, they cut all the conditions and wage increases that workers have fairly bargained for over decades. If the modest pay and conditions of Tuftmaster Carpets workers can be cut like this then it could happen to any worker on a workplace agreement in any industry. We must stand in solidarity with Tuftmaster Carpets workers to stop this from happening here but also to send a signal that we will not tolerate cuts to pay and conditions to any worker. Don’t let Tuftmaster sweep workers' rights under the rug.

1. MAJOR STUDENT WELLBEING CUTS AT MACQUARIE Macquarie University management are moving to further cut Student Wellbeing services at Macquarie University (with numerous positions being axed and/or downgraded - roles such as Psychologists, Disability Liaison Officers, Accessibility Officers, Student Wellbeing Advisors, Student Advocates, Inappropriate / Unwanted Behaviour Officer, and administrative staff). These latest cuts are on top of extensive job losses to Student Wellbeing services which management implemented in late 2020, with nine positions cut, and numerous essential vacant positions unfilled by the University. 2. THREAT TO COMPLIANCE Student Wellbeing services at Macquarie University are woefully understaffed, and the lack of resources threatens compliance with the Disability Standards for Education and Higher Education Threshold Standards. Proposed resourcing is well below established standards according to the Counselling Standards published by ANZSSA. 3. TWO PERMANENT PSYCHOLOGISTS FOR 45,000 STUDENTS Management is seeking to resource only two (2) permanent Psychologists for a University that has approximately 45,000 domestic and international students, this is severely inadequate. 4. CUTS TO SEXUAL ASSAULT SUPPORT Resources are being cut for the vital ‘Respect. Now. Always.’ service which is designed to prevent and respond to sexual assault matters, discrimination, harassment and bullying. 5. STUDENT NEEDS ARE INCREASING The number of students self-reporting a health condition has increased year on year since 2019, and staff are already struggling to keep up with student demand for wellbeing supports. 6. LOWEST IN SECTOR While other Universities are investing in student wellbeing, Macquarie University’s cuts will see students receiving some of the lowest levels of support in the sector. 7. STAFF AND STUDENTS OPPOSE THESE CHANGES These cuts highlight a critical need to strengthen the Enterprise Agreement provisions for professional staff at Macquarie University. The University is proceeding with harmful restructuring despite widespread and extensive feedback from staff and students opposing the attack on Student Wellbeing. For More Information: * Dec 2021 - Staffing cuts are out of touch with the “Australian Disability Strategy 2021-2031” committed to by the Prime-Minister and Premier of NSW on 3 December 2021, including Policy Priority 3 “Improve pathways and accessibility to further education and training for people with disability” - https://www.disabilitygateway.gov.au/document/3106 * 15 Nov 2021 - "NTEU Response to PST Change Proposals: Student Services and Faculty Professional Services" provides a detailed overview of the proposed cuts to staffing at Macquarie University (including for Student Wellbeing). https://www.nteu.org.au/library/download/id/11356 * Nov 2021 – University of Melbourne paper: "Alleviating the human cost of COVID-19 in Australian universities" highlights the need “to increasingly focus on wellbeing, support, inclusion and trust for both staff and students; this will be a key ingredient to a vibrant and healthy higher education system.” https://melbourne-cshe.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/3962831/human-cost-of-covid-in-aus-unis.pdf