PARSA provides students with information, advice and support to those relocating to Canberra, and offers emergency accommodation grants to students who require temporary accommodation due to unforeseen circumstances. However, the association’s funds are limited, and should only be relied upon as a last resort for our members. The results of the PARSA Accommodation Survey demonstrate the need for the ANU to acknowledge and respond to the concerns raised with prompt and meaningful action.

At only $269 per week, Newstart is $177 per week below the poverty line. It is less than 41 percent of the minimum wage, less than 18 percent of the average wage, and has not been raised in real terms for 23 years. Even the Business Council of Australia has advocated to the government that the low rate of Newstart presents a barrier to employment and risks entrenching poverty. Increasing Newstart would benefit local economies, by increasing the spending power of those on low incomes, whose extra funds would circulate through local businesses. Given that the average time spent on Newstart is more than four years, Newstart has become a one-way ticket to poverty for many unemployed people. Its time to raise it.

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

The LNP Government - with the support of One Nation - has introduced a new Building Code that aims to destroy unions and workers' rights on construction sites by banning all union slogans and materials like stickers, flags and symbols on clothing. The new code bans "images generally attributed to, or associated with an organisation, such as the iconic symbol of the five white stars on the Eureka Stockade Flag." It also bans "mottos" and union names, symbols, "signs, markings or indications. " It is an important part of Australia's history. Banning union motto’s, stickers and images, including the Eureka flag, is unAustralian..

Workers at Ridley Agri want to negotiate their wages and conditions collectively because they don't want anyone left behind. They want fair wages for their work. They also want their precious time away from work – time spent with their families and community – to be respected. Ian Fairbairn, please step in to get these simple rights in place.

Axing the Victorian Renewable Energy Target would kill off jobs in construction, manufacturing, maintenance, logistics, warehousing, for electricians and trainers --such as the 200-strong team making wind turbine towers at Keppel Prince in Portland. It would set our efforts to tackle climate change backwards. We, the undersigned, call on Matthew Guy and the Liberal National Party to drop its ideologically-driven pledge to axe the Victorian Renewable Energy Target and get on board with wind and solar jobs. Bipartisan support for the Victorian Renewable Energy Target will give this emerging sector the certainty needed to create good, secure jobs for Victorian workers into the future.

Under the government's Welfare Reform Bill, all unemployed workers aged 30 and over will have their Work for the Dole requirements increased by at least 50%. Unemployed Australians aged between 30 and 49 (approximately 300,000 people) will have their Work for the Dole requirements increased from 30 hours per fortnight to 50. Unemployed aged 50-59 will have to attend 30 hours of activities per fortnight (up from 15), while unemployed aged 60 and over will for the first time have to attend 10 hours at an activity per fortnight (previously zero). Focusing just on the 30-49 age bracket, this Bill will force unemployed Australians to attend 6 million more hours at a Work for the Dole activity each year. A government-commissioned report admitted that 64% of sites do not meet basic safety standards, while another report stated that Work for the Dole helps only 2% of participants into work. We have already lost one life due to Work for the Dole. Last year, Josh Park-Fing was forced to ride on a flat bed trailer being pulled by a tractor at his Work for the Dole site. He fell off and tragically died. The Queensland State Government is taking legal action against the Work for the Dole site, supervisor and job agency. Why is the government refusing to learn the lessons from Josh's death? The government cannot guarantee the safety of unemployed Australians at Work for the Dole, yet is expanding the program. This is a national disgrace. Senator Hinch has the power to stop the Welfare Reform Bill. Send him a messaging telling him why.

We need a fair deal. In the coming year, you will see us fighting for a fairer gas deal for Australians. If the government cannot stand up to big oil and gas companies and impose an effective solution, the Australian economy and families will suffer. We need urgent, decisive action. Australia’s gas should be for Australians - we should pay less for our own gas than our export customers. WE NEED YOUR HELP - TAKE ACTION We urge you to support our fight for a fair go for Australians. Sign the petition and call on the Government to fix our gas export crisis immediately. SIGN THE PETITION.

1. Fully-Funded National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). The NDIS since its rollout has faced many issues such as over-the-phone planning through NDIS staff with limited training and expertise in the area leading to poor quality plans; no or reduced funding support under the NDIS for transport support, housing and employment assistance, advocacy services, guide dog assistance, and speech therapy among other things; the price setting of disability services at prices that are too low to cover the cost of the services - meaning disability service providers are either having to cover the cost, cancel the service, or make their clients pay up front - as well as struggle under limited resources for staff training and expansion (leading to concerns about privatisation); and there not being enough NDIS staff per NDIS participant which is leading to delays in approved plans. The Government needs to fix NDIS now and give people and students with disabilities the care they need. 2. Fully-Resourced Campus Counselling and Disability Services The NUS Wellbeing Report found that two thirds of young people rated their mental health as only fair or poor, while 35% reported that suicidality impacted on their ability to study. Despite this, campus counselling services are frequently under-funded and under-resourced, with long wait times, poor experiences with campus counselling services and the general stigma of seeking help impacting services. Some universities still do not have access plans for physical or mental health, or they are under-marketed or promoted on campus. Universities need to treat counselling and disability services as important aspects of their duty of care to students and fund them adequately. 3. Accessible campus facilities and academic curriculum Campuses need to become more accessible for students - this includes but is not limited to wheelchair accessibility, as well as sensory sensitive classrooms and spaces, and events. Further, some universities still do not offer special consideration for mental illness, adequate exemptions for missing study, accessible material for those who have to miss physical classes, or academic material that is sensory-sensitive, made for people who are deaf or hard of hearing, or who are blind or visually impaired. Universities need to be fully-funded so they can be accessible for everyone. 4. Funding Mental Healthcare and removing the Medicare cap Mental Healthcare is chronically underfunded in Australia, and the Federal Government only offers 10 sessions per year under its Medicare Mental Healthcare plan. This is not sufficient for people and locks them out of the mental healthcare system if they need more than 10 sessions per year. Nobody should have to choose between their financial wellbeing or their mental health. The Government needs to take mental healthcare more seriously, by adequately funding it and removing the 10 session per-year cap through expanding Medicare assistance.

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.

Working in a 60 degree kitchen is dangerous. I drink 3-4 litres of water a day but I can't keep up. By the end of my shift I feel woozy and light headed, I've seen colleagues faint at their benches. We work in a hazardous environment but when we're unable to concentrate properly these hazards are multiplied. I'm calling on Work Safe Victoria to introduce a maximum working temperature for kitchen staff much like those implemented in other industries.

At the age of 24, my wonderful son David was killed in a workplace accident in Tasmania. An accident that should never have happened. I feel distressed just thinking about the early morning phone call from one of David's friends advising us that the boat he was working on had not come in at the expected time. We waited for news, hoping for a good outcome. The next phone call destroyed our world. When the boat that David was working on sunk, he swam for over five hours before dying of hypothermia. I can't put into words how horrendous something like this is. We will never recover from the sudden and unbearable shock of losing a much loved family member. David was young, healthy and a hard worker. He had his whole life in front of him. He should not have been killed at work. Workplace deaths break the hearts of those left behind. This tragedy opened my eyes to the unjust, discriminatory and dangerous 1988 Workers Compensation Act. Some workers have been deliberately excluded! They are disrespected when they are killed at work. They are denied any funeral / death compensation. Basically, they are disposable workers. This is unacceptable. ALL workers MUST be included in the Workers Compensation Act. Employers should be accountable if they have contributed to the death of a worker by failing in their duty of care. Workers continue to lose their lives in Tasmania. Families continue to be shattered, and forever heartbroken. The Tasmanian Government have ignored these issues for far too long. They MUST take action, and implement the legislative changes needed to protect workers.