All the thousands of refugees and asylum seekers who had their lives torn apart under the Liberals’ policies of torture deserve a secure future. Since the election there has not even been a timeline announced for the plan to convert 19,000 Temporary Protection and Safehaven Enterprise Visas to permanent visas. Medevac refugees brought for healthcare from PNG and Nauru also need the right to stay permanently in Australia. 9000 asylum seekers denied protection under the Liberals’ unfair Fast Track processing system, which the new Labor government plans to abolish, need security and the right to resettle permanently in Australia. Every day without a permanent visa causes more anguish, denying people the right to study, family reunion, travel, access to NDIS and other crucial health services, creating barriers to work and in many cases denying families any welfare and childcare access.

Workers at Pampas have been languishing on labour-hire contracts, working full time, for 10, 15 and up to 20 years whilst being overlooked for permanent positions. Migrant workers like those at Pampas are the backbone of our food manufacturing industry. Workers across Australia are doing it tough, they need fair wages and secure jobs to survive. Pampas needs to come to the table and offer these workers a fair deal now.

Executives at iCare, the NSW Government agency responsible for supporting injured workers, will each be awarded an average $30,000 pay rise with the CEO receiving a $246,508 pay rise to put his salary at over $1 million. This is the reward executives at one of the worst performing government agencies in history get after underpaying 53,000 injured workers a total of $38 million and leaking the private details of almost 200,000 workers. Meanwhile, the Perrottet Government is capping the wages of essential workers below the cost of living after supporting our state through the COVID pandemic. Under the NSW Government, executives and politicians continue to enjoy massive pay rises over and above exhausted essential workers. Essential Workers Deserve Better. Add your name to tell the Perrottet Government to scrap the obscene wage increase and pay essential workers what they’re worth.

Council-run in-home aged 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 highly trained council workers. In-home aged care delivered by local government is a hugely valued service. These workers are highly trained, on permanent jobs and liveable wages, who provide care second to none. Their employment conditions mean clients get the kind of continuity of care they asked for during the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality & Safety. Council’s direct delivery of this vital community service protects our vulnerable and older residents in their homes. Victorian local government has a proud history of leading the country in delivering quality services into homes in this area and it must be maintained. Any moves to cease direct delivery of this service would have the following consequences: -Reduced provision, lower quality and consistency of care to clients; -Loss of secure jobs; -No minimum qualification requirements, where vulnerable clients will be forced to allow potentially untrained providers into their homes, leaving them significantly vulnerable to abuse; -Loss of a holistic assessment client needs and coordinated or escalated service delivery or referral to match the changing needs of clients; -Loss of integrated services due to lack of participation of private providers in local partnerships, networks and alliances.

The public services we all rely on - schools, hospitals, health care services, courts, child protection, fire and rescue, community services and more - have now faced staffing shortages and under-resourcing for many years, leaving Tasmanians missing out. Record vacancies, and an inability to attract and retain workers threatens to deepen the crisis in our public sector. The workers that carried us through COVID and support us when we need it most are also suffering from the skyrocketing cost of living that is hurting all workers. At the same time, many of Tasmania's public sector workers including firefighters and child safety staff are some of the lowest paid in the country. But they're being insulted by a Premier who fails to recognise that with a fair pay rise. Stand with us to demand a fair go for Tasmania.

Our ambulance response times are the slowest they have ever been. Patients are waiting hours in bed block outside overburdened hospitals. And Paramedics are routinely working through their meal breaks, through fatigue, and into forced overtime. Frontline workers know what’s needed to address this crisis. We need our Government to listen, to make healthcare a priority, and to invest in real solutions to deliver better outcomes. With an election just around the corner, now is the time to put healthcare firmly at the top of the political agenda and make sure your local candidates are committed to real change. Every signature shows our politicians that NSW voters won’t stand for inaction. We deserve better than a system which leaves patients waiting and relies on Paramedics sacrificing their wellbeing. We’re demanding healthcare which delivers on response times, treats each patient with dignity, and doesn’t stand for compromise on Paramedic safety. For more info on our asks: apansw.com.au/we-deserve-better

Flying the rainbow is an important way to support lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer and asexual (LGBTIQA+) people who live, study, work and recreate in Strathbogie Shire. This year, 86% of councils across the state of Victoria flew the rainbow flag for IDAHOBIT and next year we're aiming to make that 100%! We want to show Strathbogie Shire Council that residents and supporters expect them to support our LGBTIQA+ community. We need you to support the LGBTIQA+ community and sign the petition for Strathbogie Shire Council to fly the rainbow flag.

Flying the rainbow flag is an important way to support lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer and asexual (LGBTIQA+) people who live, study, work and recreate in Alpine Shire. This year, 86% of councils across the state of Victoria flew the rainbow flag for IDAHOBIT and next year we're aiming to make that 100%! We want to show Alpine Shire Council that residents and supporters expect them to support our LGBTIQA+ community. We need you to support the LGBTIQA+ community and sign the petition for Alpine Shire Council to fly the rainbow flag.

Every employer has a duty to eliminate occupational health and safety risks as far as is practically possible. Karen’s Diner have done the exact opposite, they have created an unsafe workplace and actively encouraged hazards as part of their business model. That’s why we’re calling on WorkSafe Victoria to investigate Karen’s Diner.

There are thousands of people nationwide whose lives are stuck in limbo while they await a visa decision from the Department of Home Affairs. Many have been waiting for years with no response from government. Key points on the 887 visa: · The 887 visa is a pathway to permanent residency for temporary visa holders who have lived and worked in areas of regional Australia. · These temporary visas leave migrants vulnerable to employment, housing, family and financial instability. · 887 visa applicants are forced to live in limbo while they experience endless visa processing delays and backlogs. · The average wait time for the 887 visa is now over two years

After the passing of the Justice Legislation Amendment (Sexual Offences and other Matters) 2022 Bill on 31/08/2022, affirmative consent is now law in Victoria. This amendment means that everyone has the responsibility to get active consent before engaging in sexual activity. This may include (but is not limited to) saying “yes,” as well as physical gestures like nodding and/or reciprocating removing someone’s clothes. To put it simply, there must be a “clear and enthusiastic go-ahead." The new legislation also firmly guards people from other forms of violence such as stealthing (non-consensual removal of barrier protection such as a condom) and image-based abuse (which can include, but is not limited to: deepfakes, taking, sharing or threatening to share sexual images or videos without consent). This change in law marks a crucial step in creating survivor-centered legislation, which shifts the responsibility away from survivor to perpetrator. The University of Melbourne’s Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Response Policy and their definition of consent lags behind state law. Additionally, the policy does not acknowledge stealthing as a form of violence and does not comprehensively cover the emerging issue of online image-based abuse. There is no room for victim-blaming at the University of Melbourne. Therefore, UMSU calls on the University to immediately change its policy in line with new state legislation. By doing this, it will shift the focus and burden of responsibility from the victim-survivors actions to those of the perpetrator. This change is vital to ensure we are committing to a victim-centred approach that puts justice and safety first. Support Resources: If this letter brings up any concerns for you, please reach out to the following supports: Sexual Assault Crisis Support Line (24/7): 1800 806 292 1800 Respect (24/7): 1800 737 732 UMSU Sexual Harm and Response Coordinators The UMSU Sexual Harm and Response Coordinators provide support with making complaints to the University, reporting to the police, and appropriate referrals to therapeutic services. Contact them via their webpage: https://umsu.unimelb.edu.au/support/survivors/ University of Melbourne, Safer Community Program Provides advice and support to University of Melbourne students who have been affected by sexual violence and harassment: https://safercommunity.unimelb.edu.au/

Workers who have been targeted by Qantas only want their right to collective bargain and negotiate their pay and conditions. Australian Services Union members at Qantas are standing shoulder to shoulder to fight this every step of the way. We all work for one airline and have been part of one workplace agreement and one set of workplace conditions for over 20 years. We need a decent pay rise that keeps up with the cost of living not one that sends us backwards. That’s our wages policy. Qantas, workers want a fair deal for ALL staff now.