Right now, women who are suffering miscarriages, pregnancy terminations, hysterectomies, sexual violence and more are being co-located in the same ward as families celebrating the birth of their newborns, and are surrounded by the sound of newborns crying. It’s a traumatising situation for these vulnerable women and the staff caring for them, and has led to serious adverse psychological and emotional effects on families and staff alike. Despite fierce opposition from RBWH midwives, nurses and patients, Metro North HHS management continues to ignore the needs of women. Management initially claimed that this co-location was an emergency “temporary measure” due to COVID-19. Then management suddenly announced the co-location as permanent. Despite the arrangements being entirely inconsistent with obstetric and gynaecological best practice guidelines, no effort has been made to find a suitable location for these patients and staff, despite there being alternatives available. Such callous disregard for the wellbeing of women is unacceptable anywhere, and certainly has no place in Queensland’s preeminent Women’s Hospital. We call on HHS management to find a safe and appropriate location for gynaecology patients that enables health staff to provide women-centred care, and which adheres to The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Standards for Gynaecological Care.

Imagine a situation where you wake up and realise, you’re living in a body that does not feel like your own, that the way you look and the way the world perceives you, does not align with who you are. Put simply, this is gender dysphoria. It is an everyday distress that affects most, though not all people who are transgender. Easy and unhindered access to assistance for people experiencing gender dysphoria is extremely important. Gender dysphoria can be alleviated in a multitude of ways including (but not limited to) counselling, hormone therapy, surgery and updating legal paperwork. We believe people who have to go on this journey should have access to an additional paid leave to assist with their affirmation simply and easily. As union members, whether this is a situation that affects us directly, indirectly, or something we have no experience of, we stand for equality. We ask you to stand with us.

2021 marks 100 years since the partition of Ireland. The imposed division of Ireland triggered decades of injustice and conflict, resulting in the loss of thousands of lives. The signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998 ended decades of political conflict, and also provided a path for the achievement of Irish national self-determination through peaceful and democratic means. It was endorsed through referendum by an overwhelming majority of the people of Ireland, north and south, and is an internationally binding Treaty that places legal obligations on both the Irish and British Governments to ensure full implementation of all its provisions. The Good Friday Agreement provides for concurrent referenda north and south, to determine any change in the Constitutional status of the north of Ireland. Specifically, the Agreement provides for a poll to be triggered by the British Government. Recent historic political developments in Ireland, including the detrimental impact on Ireland of Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union, and the failure to provide an all-Ireland response to the global Covid19 Pandemic, have resulted in an unprecedented and building momentum for Constitutional change. The most recent polls have shown that a majority of citizens in the north of Ireland now favour a Referendum being held within the next five years. Recognising that Australia and Ireland have long and deep historic links – with an estimated one-third of today’s Australian population having Irish ancestry – we share many common bonds and democratic values. In this spirit, as part of the Diaspora of generations of Irish people in Australia, we call on the British government to honour the requirement set out in the Good Friday Agreement and to hold a Referendum on Irish Unity. We say – ‘It’s Time’ to let the People decide. I believe its time for the people of Ireland to decide their future

While the community will have the right to be notified and object, we will lose our right to present our objections to the councillors’ monthly planning meeting (the Planning and Related Matters meeting) One problem is that “design excellence” can be subjective. If the community disagrees with the planners’ decision, our only avenue is to raise thousands of dollars to appeal to VCAT. There’s also no guarantee that any positive features agreed to by developers and council staff will be enforceable if developers ask VCAT to remove them. Large controversial developments should be decided by our elected representatives, and not by unelected officials behind closed doors. No other council has such an undemocratic arrangement. COUNCILLORS – Don’t vote away your right to vote on planning issues, and your community’s rights to be represented. Ditch the Scorecard!

We want people to join us in calling for Metropolitan Region Scheme Amendment 1365/57 to be overturned to prevent the senseless loss of this open area and the loss, and potential loss, of trees and habitat. You can visit the City of Canning's proposal here: https://www.yoursaycanning.com.au/scheme-amendment-no-5-and-structure-plan My husband and I have lived in the City of Canning for 40 and 20 years respectively. The Canning River is peaceful, and quiet. City of Canning families and residents, and visitors to the area, enjoy the waterway and bush areas every day on foot, kayak, paddle boards or on bicycles. The existing space currently provides a much needed buffer between the river, and the river's wildlife, and existing urban areas. Long neck turtles breed in the area and many forms of birdlife graze beneath and shelter in the amazing old trees on the land. It also provides a buffer for the Castledare Aged Care facility creating a quiet environment for those people to enjoy. The area is open so that people can stroll through it along or sit by the river and enjoy the peace and quiet. That is, of course except for once a month when families (and the young at heart!) come down and enjoy the miniature railway and the cheerful toot of the trains' horns. Creating an 'Urban Development' here will clash with the environment, the tranquility, the current use of the Castledare Railway, and will no doubt result in the area being closed off to protect younger residents from the risk that the waterway may present.

Paramedics have made immense sacrifices throughout the pandemic. At times, many have felt scared to go home to their families, worried they will bring home COVID-19. The amendment provided the small comfort of knowing that if the worst did happen and we did become infected with COVID-19, at least we would not have to face the stress of proving our infection occurred at work. We cannot stand by and watch while our Government turns its back on the workers that carried this state through the pandemic. We're sending a clear message that NSW will not accept the cruel and short-sighted repeal of this amendment.

With COVID-19, there has never been a more important time for local workers to have a job they can rely on. But time and time again we see the LNP Lord Mayor, Adrian Schrinner, contract Council work out to labour-hire companies instead of creating permanent in-house jobs Casual jobs are insecure jobs. Casual workers have less rights and entitlements than permanent ones. This leads to exploitation. We also see the LNP Council give multi-million dollar contracts to overseas companies, instead of awarding them to local manufacturers. Just recently LNP Mayor Adrian Schrinner ordered electric buses from China and Switzerland. He even orders playground equipment from overseas instead of sourcing locally-made. The LNP sacked 55 in-house IT staff and replaced them with a contractor who exploited its workers. Both the casualisation of Council’s workforce and the snubbing of local manufacturers needs to STOP to ensure we have more local jobs and that Brisbane workers have rights, entitlements, and job security. Sign the petition if you agree.

We are aware of at least three expired agreements within Mantle Group. Young workers have been speaking out and request Mantle Group agree to: 1. Terminate any expired workplace agreements within the Group; and 2. Recognise and promote the Union in the workplace.

It is crucial we fight against these course cuts to maintain crucial academics and prevent further cuts to our education. We’ve seen that cuts can be stopped to Italian and other courses if we fight back. These cuts not only affect flinders staff and students but the broader community. Sign this petition and share it far and wide

Within the last 18 months, teachers in NSW have had to monumentally shift how they approach their practice, with COVID leading to a change in how their work is done. This is why the consideration of the Education Legislation Amendment (Parental Rights) Bill is most deprofessionalising for school staff across NSW. Fundamentally, this Bill is an attack on the professionalism and deep knowledge and skills possessed by NSW teachers and support staff, and is a distraction from the key work of teaching and learning undertaken in NSW.

Refugee communities who arrived by boat up to 10 years ago are still generally ineligible for permanent protection. This group must instead rely on temporary protection visas (TPV) or Safe Haven Enterprise Visas (SHEV) and constantly re-apply after every 3 or 5 years respectively. The differential treatment of refugees by the way we came to Australia to seek safety is not only out of step with the Refugee Convention, but also has life-changing consequences for people for whom Australia is now our only home. It means constant uncertainty about the future, lack of access to essential services and support, and indefinite separation from family not in Australia. These consequences unnecessarily create a cycle of disadvantage and also contribute to higher levels of stress, anxiety and depression. It’s past time to recognise all refugees as respected members of the community and enable us to fully participate in Australian society.

Workers have carried Australia through this pandemic. Many essential workers are still at constant risk of community or workplace exposure to COVID. Over two million casual workers do not have access to any paid annual or sick leave. Every worker, regardless of the employment they are in needs an industrial right to isolate on full pay. And all businesses deserve to receive compensation for this leave. Paid Isolation Leave is critical to make sure workers or someone they care for can safely test, isolate or quarantine – and keep their families, communities and workmates safe.