Survivors of rape and sexual assault participate in the criminal justice system of their own free will. The system would collapse in regards to sexual crimes, without their voluntary involvement. Many do so at great personal cost.  When they take the stand, they do it to keep us, the community safe. Now it’s our turn to take a stand for them and demand a criminal justice system that does not further injure those who enter it.

We’re urgently calling on our Arts and Entertainment industry to make shows safe and accessible for everyone.  Getting infected with Covid can have dire and incurable consequences for anyone, but especially for the most vulnerable in our communities.  As an industry whose work predominantly occurs indoors and in crowded spaces, accessing Arts and Entertainment is currently a high risk activity.  This has seen many people decrease the amount of shows they attend or stop attending shows altogether. Alongside this, the constant circulation of Covid and other respiratory viruses has seen a rise in audiences buying tickets last minute because they’re not sure if they’ll be well enough to attend on the day.  It doesn’t have to be this way.  Having a good night out at a show shouldn’t have to happen at the risk of our health and, for many, our lives.  Keeping the industry open shouldn’t have to happen at the risk of the industry’s sustainability and security.  We have the tools to provide communities with safe and accessible Arts and Entertainment.  These tools include, but are not limited to: • Effective air filtration at venues • Mask mandatory performances • Ticket exchange flexibility where appropriate • Better communication regarding keeping each other safe and; • Continuing commitment to online programming We ask that producers and venues meet with us to discuss how we can use these tools and others to ensure the industry is accessible and safe for everyone so that it can flourish in a secure and sustainable way.

Since 1961, the UQ Union Complex has served as the heart of UQ's campus community at St Lucia. Over the decades, its activities have profoundly influenced Queensland's culture and politics and hold significant historical importance. Therefore, it has always been in the community's interest to preserve and maintain the space with interior refurbishments rather than a complete transformation, which has been repeatedly proposed. Regrettably, when such repair and maintenance requests have been submitted by the UQ Union, UQ has been slow to respond or ignore the request, resulting in the exacerbation of building damage. When they do take place, they take an unacceptably long time to fix the problem (for example, the Schonell theatre). So, it is no surprise that since 2018, UQ's agenda has focused more on its interest in redeveloping the Union Complex primarily to enhance its aesthetics. Their initial attempt, likened to building a 'shopping mall' on campus, was widely criticised in 2022, leading to an announcement that they would return to 'first principles'. However, their new proposal has not undergone a comprehensive consultation process with the community. There has been a complete lack of transparency regarding the final design and the redevelopment process. Meanwhile, UQ seeks to finalise agreements through the UQ Union, insisting on maintaining confidentiality without engaging in broader consultation with the UQ and Brisbane community. What we know: UQ has been dictating space allocation within the Union Complex, which will reduce the amount of space given to our community-owned outlets. This will have a detrimental effect on the vibrant campus culture these establishments help maintain. The finalized redevelopment plans could potentially disrupt or even lead to the discontinuation of beloved establishments such as Reddo Bar, the Food Co-op shop, On a Roll bakery, and the Main Course. Furthermore, there is no provision for a full commercial kitchen to allow Kampus Kitchen to continue at its current capacity. Again, these decisions have been made without consulting the broader community, further underscoring the need for transparency and inclusive consultation. It is evident that UQ has a new vision for the future of the student commons and Union complex that appears to exclude any input from the community. Their vision risks erasing the culture and legacy of the original complex and disregarding aspects that symbolise the freedom of student expression. Moreover, it threatens to dismantle what remains of the Union Complex's role as a central hub for cultural and arts activities, including previously housing a radio station that once made it the heart of the University of Queensland.

Statutory Child Protection is in crisis. More children are at risk of harm for longer, more children are being put on orders and in out of home care. Most reports and complaints are not looked at and early intervention opportunities are missed until it is too late requiring more damaging interventions. Foster and Out of Home Care options are minimal with many jurisdictions relying on expensive private providers to house children in motels and offices with limited access to wrap around services, placing the development of children at risk. Our state child protection services are buckling due to not enough staffing and the inability to fill case workers and other positions with adequately trained social workers and psychologists. This problem lies across all jurisdictions and requires sustained national action.

Student Services and Amenities Fees (SSAF) at the University of Tasmania sees 81% of its funding placed into University ran departments. The current allocation of SSAF funding into University departments does not reflect the notions of Student Services and Amenities fees, being controlled by those who pay for them. We therefore call on the University to ensure at least 51% of SSAF Funding is allocated to the student association as the association that represents all students at the University of Tasmania.

Council-run in-home aged care and NDIS services enables those in need to live independently at home. Being able to retain a sense of independence is so important for mental and emotional health. Our vulnerable 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 and allow a private provider/s to deliver the service would have the following consequences: ▪ Reduced provision, lower quality and consistency of care to clients; ▪ Displacement of workers in secure, well paid, well supervised work within your local community; ▪ 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.

“I have a neurodiverse child with multiple diagnoses. He’s been on a waiting list since before Kindy. We’ve only just been able to start seeing a specialist – but not in Tasmania. We’re seeing a private specialist interstate, via Zoom. We desperately need more Allied Health Professionals to support kids who are doing it tough.” – Thirza, Parent, Secretary (CPSU Tasmania) Allied Health professionals in schools are essential to give kids with learning and developmental disabilities the best start in life. Getting access to quality care early in life gives kids the best chance to adjust, succeed and flourish. An estimated 1 in 20 Australian children struggles with an anxiety disorder¹; 15-20% of Australians has a language-based learning disability². Early years are our first and best chance to give kids dignity and support to succeed. Tasmania also has the third highest rate of children and young people in Out-of-Home Care. Only a fraction of those we miss will ever seek help later in life. They go on struggling, in silence. Getting access to a Social Worker, Speechie or Psychologist early on can make all the difference in the world. “1 in 8 Australian primary school students has a communication disorder of some kind. We have 31 speech pathologists to service every public primary school and support school in the state. That makes our ratio 116 to 1, at best. We’re not talking about a little bit of understaffing - we’re talking about chronic, long-term vacancies.” - Sarah, Advanced Skills Speech & Language Pathologist, Tasmania Please sign our petition to call on Premier Rockliff to ensure Allied Health Professionals in schools, child safety and youth justice aren’t left behind. ¹ https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/children-youth/australias-children/contents/health/children-with-mental-illness ² https://dyslexiaassociation.org.au/frequently-asked-questions-2/

Online options were ‘too hard’ before 2020, and then they came within a week, and then they were taken away as quickly as they were given. Many members of our community depend on these options being available such as those who are immuno-compromised and cannot risk exposure to disease, especially when universities do not have open windows, air purifiers or a mask or vaccine mandate in the classroom. Universal Design (‘UD’) — specifically, Universal Design for Learning (‘UDL’) — is a research-backed pedagogy and curriculum framework which enables equitable access to education for all students, including students with disabilities and other students from diverse, minoritised backgrounds. For disabled students, implementing UDL would ostensibly ensure that they can ‘engage with the curriculum without having to seek adjustments’ (see ‘Recommendations for equitable student support during disruptions to the higher education sector: Lessons from COVID-19,’ Mercer-Mapstone et al 2022,). Hybrid, flexible education — also known as ‘hyflex’ education, as noted in Recommendation 2.1 of the ALSA-AMSA-NUS research report — entails offering educational delivery options for both in-person attendance and Work From Home (‘WFH’). Moreover, hyflex education can facilitate educational participation for not only disabled people but also women escaping domestic family violence (‘DFV’) or sexual assault, First Nations students in regional & rural Australia, international students, and other demographics for whom in-person attendance may not be the most safe & accessible. People from diverse backgrounds have value. Contrary to what many believe, disabled people can (and do) contribute to society and to building a better world. Imagine all the setbacks if Dr Steven Hawking couldn’t come to class because he couldn’t get his wheelchair in the door! Additionally, the tertiary education regulator, Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (‘TEQSA’), has announced that they will now enforce the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 (Cth) (‘ESOS’). Under ESOS in s 8.19, TEQSA is mandating that no more than a third of the education delivered to overseas students can be online or by distance. This decision from TEQSA means that if international students want to access regional, globally ranked education, they must return to Australia whilst there are COVID-19 outbreaks overseas, a rental shortage of affordable, student housing and a cost-of-living crisis. This forces numerous international students into a tricky conflict between their future and their present happiness. TEQSA doesn’t take individual complaints so the regulator cannot protect international students. That is why the government must step up. Likewise, online learning can be better for university staff. University staff with disabilities also face many of the struggles that disabled students do. Likewise, staff with caring roles for children or other dependents benefit from increased access to them by providing education online. Some universities do not have child-care options after 5pm, meaning that staff cannot afford to work a 9-5 with children because they have to rush to collect them. The higher education system relies on these staff and their incredible work to upskill the next generation.

Unions of nurses, teachers, paramedics, cleaners, transport workers, child protection workers and many more are saying their jobs and conditions are under immense stress. The NSW Government is ignoring their pleas for help. Workers have been left with little choice but to strike to force the government to listen. So the NSW Government has proposed fines of up to $110,000 for striking. It's unfair and undemocratic - workers will suffer in silence and their unions fined if they take action. But it can be stopped. The Liberals and National Government does not hold a majority in Parliament. If Labor, independents and just 3 minor parties team up they will have a majority to overturn the new fines. The vote is expected in early August - which means we have just a few weeks to act. Add your name to send a clear message to members of the NSW Parliament - you must use your vote to protect essential worker's rights.

Cost of living keeps going up while wages and conditions are continually eroded away, people receiving government support are trying to get by with just $42 a day and living in poverty. The gap between wages for men and women is still around 22.8%. The dream of owning your own home has become out of reach for too many people with rentals also becoming more unaffordable, meaning the demand for public housing is increasing.

Currently in Australia, a Royal Commission is looking into the shocking cases of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation of people with a disability and Inclusive Education has been recommended during the hearings, utilising the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Article 9 and 24 (see reference below). These UN Articles can’t be properly implemented in our public schools unless we provide access to people who use wheelchairs. 15-20% of people in Australia have a disability. It makes sense to include disabled people in our community - we are not going away! If you have an understanding of inclusion and don't believe in segregation in our public schools, please sign this petition and share it so we can make this change for our future generations to learn to accept diversity from the time they start school. Thank you for sticking up for those who might be a little different you! Remember - it could be you next who might need to use a mobility device and need to be included... https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/convention-on-the-rights-of-persons-with-disabilities/convention-on-the-rights-of-persons-with-disabilities-2.html https://disability.royalcommission.gov.au/

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.