This has been part of a broader trend of universities outsourcing the provision of services to external companies at a lower cost, usually involving an attack on workers’ wages and conditions. With the potential collapse of the Co-op imminent, it’s possible that its ANU clinic will be taken over by another external company. This is no solution for staff or patients. Despite being a registered charity, the Co-op has had to compete with private billing clinics. It’s inability to do so is what has thrown the future of its staff and the patients who rely on its services up in the air. Unless the ANU steps in to run the service directly there’s nothing to stop this from happening again. Seeing a doctor is already more expensive in Canberra than almost anywhere else in Australia. Canberra has the lowest bulk-billing rate of any electorate in the country, with only 32% of patients having their GP appointments bulk-billed - well below the national average of 86.2%. Canberrans also pay higher out-of-pocket costs at mixed-billing clinics. Free, accessible healthcare should be a right, not a privilege. Let’s end the outsourcing of vital university services.

This is extremely important to all Australians as not only could Neale pass away at any moment but also because of the countless hours he puts into raising money, helping with research, hosting, organising and attending events as well as helping others despite raising over $50 million dollars for Motor Neurone Disease (MND) and suffering with it himself which is currently in the last and worse stage of the heart breaking condition not to mention the other stuff he has done outside of his campaigning and the football career he has had, therefore this man deserves no less than to be awarded the Companion of the order of Australia immediately.

Medical experts have already warned these changes will increase out of pocket costs – this means patients could be left paying hundreds of dollars for some common procedures and up to $10,000 for rarer conditions. The Liberal Government has already cut billions in funding for Medicare and other health programs since 2014. What’s worse is that they froze the Medicare indexation rate, which undermines bulk-billing. And they’ve already bungled the vaccine roll-out, the most important public health program in a generation. Now we need to stop the Liberal Government from wrecking Medicare.

Victorian renters are overrepresented in casual work and will lose more than a week’s income that is urgently needed to pay rent. Victorian renters including older renters are already facing eviction, including self-evicting due to significant rental stress and Notices To Vacate since the COVID19 protections were lifted. Renters in significant hardship are facing rental increases in some cases by 25% in regional areas, as well as compounded COVID19 rental debt in addition to standard rental payments since the moratorium legislation was lifted on March 29th. Insecure, casual and low income workers are in significant insecurity and displacement since income support measures and the Rental Moratorium were scrapped from March 29th. Temporary Visa holders have been hit with extreme debt and forced into repayment of up to $20,000 in JobKeeper payments, as well as student and rental debts.

Independent assessments are intended to reduce spending on NDIS participants. They are part of government efforts to contain costs in the NDIS. These cuts will only increase the number of disabled people unable to access proper support and funding, and will force many disabled people into precarious positions. The cuts to the NDIS will also drive down pay and conditions for disability and mental health workers. The government says it will not introduce IAs until the second IA trial and further consultations have happened. But whatever they end up proposing, the government's plans are clear: to cut spending and exclude people from the NDIS. But we can stop them. Disabled people, disability and mental health workers, and our supporters can band together to show the widespread opposition to IAs and demand a fairer NDIS for all.

As the world continues to battle the COVID-19 pandemic, a lack of access to COVID-19 vaccines is set to further entrench global inequality and threaten millions more lives. As it currently stands more than 85 developing countries will not have widespread access to COVID-19 vaccines before 2023. Residents of wealthy and middle-income countries have received about 90 percent of the nearly 400 million vaccines delivered so far. No one is safe unless everyone is safe. India is currently recording over 300,000 COVID-19 cases per day. South Africa and India are proposing the World Trade Organisation waive certain provisions that give the owners of the intellectual property exclusive rights over the manufacture and sale of COVID vaccines. The waiver would only apply to COVID-19 medical products and only for the duration of the pandemic. This would allow these countries and others to make COVID-19 vaccines and make vaccines more available to poorer countries more quickly and at less cost. Their proposal is supported by 118 of 164 countries on WTO. Australia is currently siding with the big pharmaceutical companies in protecting their exclusive patents and huge profits even in the midst of this global emergency. Big Pharma used public funding and technology to develop these vaccines but are refusing to temporarily share the patents to speed up access for all. Just three of these companies distributed $26 billion in profits to shareholders in the last year. This scandal must end. Enough is enough support the waiver!

In the last year 290,500 Australians sought help from specialist homelessness services. These critical services support people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, including vulnerable groups such as women and children escaping domestic and family violence. If the Federal Government goes ahead with this $50m cut, critical services will be closed and jobs lost across Australia. Homelessness services were not meeting demand pre COVID-19 and are now under extreme pressure due to the impact of COVID-19 and economic recession. To rebuild out of this crisis and be able to support our most vulnerable Australians we cannot afford to lose hundreds of critical frontline homelessness workers. We call on the Morrison Government to ensure it continues and indexes its existing level of funding for these critical community services so workers are paid properly and able to continue to focus on supporting some of the most vulnerable people in our community. Don’t close the door on homelessness services!

Council-run home 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 our highly trained Council workers

Ambulance Victoria has received numerous complaints by paramedics about bullying and sexual harassment. They have asked the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (VEOHRC) to undertake a review into Sexual Harassment and Discrimination. The review could take years! In the meantime, when paramedics and AV staff raise current issues about bullying, they are told that they can raise them in an internal process or send them to VEOHRC. VEOHRC's coverage of bullying is not clear cut. They cannot conciliate a bullying complaint unless it relates to discrimination or sexual harassment. This will leave many complaints out in the cold, with no-one available to review them. Additionally, less than 10% of surveyed staff at Ambulance Victoria believe that the current internal investigation process is effective and fair. This can’t wait - Ambulance Victoria must act now!

When faced with the COVID-19 pandemic, workers offered to roll over their current Enterprise Agreement so that everyone could focus on supporting South Australians through the public health crisis. The Marshall Liberal Government rejected this, and now after months of negotiations, they are still shamefully in favour of attacking workers’ conditions, including their job security, leaving workers and the community concerned that the Government has an intention to privatise further services. We call on the Treasurer and the Marshall Liberal Government to support these workers by agreeing to stop the attacks on their conditions and commit to secure jobs for essential workers. Sign the petition now! Send the Marshall Liberal Government a clear message that the community supports these essential workers

Reproductive Health and Wellbeing Leave recognises men, women and gender diverse people have special health needs connected to their fertility and sexuality. Reproductive and sexual health care has traditionally been a taboo topic in the workplace, with members preferring to take time off without pay and struggle on without workplace support than directly address their health needs with an employer. From menstrual pain and discomfit to the need for surgical interventions like vasectomy or hysterectomy to assisted reproduction and gender transitioning therapies, Reproductive Health and Wellbeing Leave takes away the embarrassment for employees and employers making it clear that there is workplace support for the most personal health issues. Reproductive and Sexual Health Leave includes: - Flexible working arrangements- the right to work from home - The right to a comfortable working environment to alleviate symptoms or facilitate treatment - The right to access up to 5 days leave per year in addition to any personal leave days. Appropriate evidence (eg. Doctor's Certificate) may be required.

The Petition of citizens and residents in the City of Kingston draws to the attention of the Kingston City Council that: 1. The Parkdale community between Como Pde East and Nepean Hwy do not have a local playground and our young families must travel via car to go to the nearest playground. 2. That the land adjoining Parkdale Library would be suitable, due to its proximity to local families, the library, train station and local shopping strips. 3. We acknowledge that the City of Kingston already owns the land next to the Library and currently has no plans for this space to benefit our local community.