There is a tendency to use the word victim as though it is a person's choice. People who find themselves on income support are generally in this unwilling position through various circumstances beyond their control, and in the main would rather be independent as opposed to a burden on society. If you ask yourself what story is really behind the person begging for change at your supermarket, what might come to mind? Do you consider Domestic Violence? Mental Health challenges? Childhood sexual assault? Are they a descendant of Australia's stolen generations? Marginalised due to ethnicity? A refugee? With all that we now understand regarding mental health and trauma, it's time to implement it where it can make the greatest impact. As an educated and privileged nation, we need to take responsibility for those most vulnerable and create genuine compassionate revisions to the services that are here to assist. As an example, NSW Health has available information on their website about Trauma Informed services detailing considerations and responsible processes for dealing with clients who have suffered trauma, along with the principles of Mental Health Human Rights. https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/mentalhealth/psychosocial/principles/Pages/trauma-informed.aspx Services Australia and Centrelink need to take a health based approach in their delivery of human services, to honour and properly reflect the Department of Social Services own Access & Equity policy. We need to remind ourselves we do not exist on a level playing field as far as our life experiences. The rhetoric of equal opportunity doesn't apply to those handicapped by misfortune of their circumstances.

In 2016 the Stafford Bowls Club located on 352 Stafford Road sadly closed their doors. It was a big loss in the heart of Stafford. In 2018 a development application was lodged and approved for Crushers Leagues Club to extend the existing building, transferring their licence from the previous venue. For years now, the Stafford community has waited for the Stafford Bowls Club to be developed into a family friendly hub, connecting the existing sporting facilities and sports communities through to Stafford City Shopping Centre and to thriving small businesses in the Wolverhampton industrial precinct. The Stafford Bowls Club has remained derelict since the closure. Unbeknownst to the community, Brisbane City Council representatives recently debated the handover of this approved lease agreement between Crushers Leagues Club and council to be handed over to a commercial interest - The Brisbane Racing Club. Without debate, and without community support, transparency or input. Three Councillors needed to abstain from voting to support this approval since they had declared receiving gift/s of $500 or more or multiple gifts from Brisbane Racing Club. With a majority LNP council, the decision to hand over a highly valued lease to a commercial racing business was approved. The community was not privy to the decision, nor consulted on what they would like or need for their community. We invite you to join our call to cancel this lease, and take back the decision of how this precinct should be developed for our community. It's time to revision our Stafford hub into something that benefits all community members, rather than line the pockets of commercial interest. Tell Council: No to Racing Club, Yes to Community Hub. What would you like to see in the Stafford precinct? A family-friendly venue operated by a local business (also free of 80+ pokies). A precinct much like the Grange Library and Grange Thistle Football and Bowls Club? A water play space with outdoor performances? Want to volunteer to help? https://forms.gle/3KR8UZdX2zQ9Y1L98 More reading on the decision can be found here: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-27/stafford-bowls-club-new-lease-passed-by-brisbane-city-council/101578534

Most people who live in or visit the Shoalhaven would be familiar with Pigeon House Mountain - or to give it the name known by the Yuin Nation people, Didthul. The mountain was called Pigeon House by Captain Cook in 1770, because it was so noticeable even from offshore. It has long been one of the iconic attractions in the Shoalhaven. It routinely attracted hundreds of visitors per day in peak season - so much so that the car park overflowed and the approach roads were jam packed. It has been called the single most popular tourist attraction in the region, and for good reason - it is a perfect day walk and the views from the top are spectacular. After the 2019 bushfires, the mountain was closed for rehabilitation work by National Parks. This has been completed, but is not getting as much use as it might because Pigeon House is not so easy to reach any more. While the roads all over the Shoalhaven are a mess, most are still possible to drive. But the route to Pigeon House is often completely unusable without a 4WD vehicle AND a spell of clement weather of at least a few days. Even then, it may not be possible. Many visitors have ended up stranded, to be rescued by the locals. The main tourist route to Pigeon House is via Clyde Ridge Road, but the maintenance of this road is a mish-mash of responsibility. Only the first kilometre is maintained by Shoalhaven Council. The rest is maintained by State Forestry, and since the 2019 bushfires and subsequent floods has barely been maintained at all. Why not? Because Forestry is currently unable to log in the area, and will only maintain the roads for other purposes if they are paid to do so. National Parks has an interest, because it is a key access route to several National Parks, and so does the Rural Fire Service - this road was one of those critical for access during the 2019 bushfires. Under normal circumstances they all contribute to the maintenance of the road, and Forestry has asked them to do so again - but apparently to no avail, and the road has now degraded to the point where it is often impassable even with a 4WD. The locals know how to avoid the worst spots, but visitors do not and many have gotten stuck and in some cases have had their vehicles damaged by collisions with other vehicles trying to negotiate the roads. This is not good for the image of the Shoalhaven as a tourist destination. Representations to all the stakeholders - State Forestry, the Rural Fire Service, Shoalhaven Council, and the State and Federal Governments for assistance have been unsuccessful. "No money" is one common response. "Not our responsibility" is another. As is "Perhaps in a few years". Fortunately, there are people who live in the area. And it is these people who make it possible that visitors can still get to Pigeon House at all. The locals now maintain these roads and bridges, using their own equipment, in their own time, and with their own money. Their council rates apparently go to fixing other local roads in the Shoalhaven, but not their own. It should not be the responsibility of the locals to maintain these roads. Shoalhaven Council should take primary responsibility of maintaining Clyde Ridge Road and other critical roads in the area, for the sake of assisting the recovery of tourism in the Shoalhaven, and for the safety of visitors to the area.

Bonogin and Mudgeeraba residents that do not drive find it difficult to socialise without relying on others to provide transport options. An extension of the existing bus service to the area will provide a means for residents to commute to Robina and other areas using the established bus/ train network. Socialising with peers improves mental health, reducing stress and anxiety and provides options for families without transport a greater quality of life, which are now further exacerbated by cost of living pressures. A bus service to Bonogin/ Mudgeeraba will also provide improved access to sporting, shopping and recreation amenities; and assist in providing access for teenagers to gain part time/ casual employment opportunities without sole reliance on others to meet transport needs. In February 2022 we received 456 signatures on our first petition. Our petition was submitted to the Minister for Main Roads and Transport on the 4.3.22. Mark Bailey did not consider this issue worthy of his time and delegated this to the General Manager of Transport Integration. A response was received on the 22.3.22, that failed to understand the basis of our request. It was suggested in the response that Bonogin is inadequate to support a stand alone service. The response failed to take into account the bus service requested was for an 'extension' to the existing bus services and is also to include for the residents of Mudgeeraba. A stand alone service was not requested nor implied in our first petition. Bonogin and Mudgeeraba are growing suburbs with an ever changing demography of young people and the elderly sharing who often are living in granny flats due to cost of living pressures. An unsatisfactory response by the Minister has lead me to reinitiate another petition in the hope that we gather a greater level of support from the community for this initiative and have our petition taken seriously.

Petition to the Australian Fair Work Commission & Employment and Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke to immediately consider a rise in the minimum wage that is higher than the current inflation rate as of May 2022. Australian Real Progressives supports the Australian Council of Trade Unions' case for an increase in the minimum wage by 5.5% or better, given the current rate of inflation is 5.1% as an immediate need. (RBA May Chart Pack 05-2022). While Australian Real Progressives understands that the current inflation is driven in part, by worldwide supply chain disruptions, we recognise that disrupted worldwide supply chains have prompted increases in the cost of shipping that are passed on to consumers. Weather conditions across Australia have also impacted food supply - with prices 4.3 per cent higher than a year ago (ABS CPI March Quarter Data 04-22). Prices of fruit & vegetables have increased to be 6¾ per cent higher over the year-to-date (ABS 04-2022). Australian Real Progressives would like to see an increase in the Federal Minimum wage of 5.5% for each successive year until FMW reaches $25.19 (casual rate $31.49) restoring wage growth in line with productivity growth since at least the late 90s. Australian Real Progressives believes that an increase in the minimum wage will drive demand for goods that will deliver economic security for Australians, and especially those who have and are supporting the health of our economy during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. It will also restore the quality of life that has been eroded and provide independence, security and dignity for all of our people. If you too, believe the minimum wage must be increased as soon as possible, please sign to support our petition.

Gas is a dangerous, polluting fossil fuel. It releases greenhouse gasses that contribute to the horrific bushfires and raging floods we’ve seen devastate communities across the country in recent years. And it isn’t just a disaster for our climate. It’s also bad for our health. Public health experts are concerned about the health risks of cooking with gas in our homes, which can have a similar impact on childhood asthma as living with cigarette smoke. And here in Victoria, we burn more gas per person than any other state. But the good news is that some local councils around the country are bowing to community pressure and taking matters into their own hands - promising to end new gas connections, and help people with the cost of switching to electricity and renewables. And with enough pressure from the community, our local council could join this movement today!

Gas is a dangerous, polluting fossil fuel. It releases greenhouse gasses that contribute to the horrific bushfires and raging floods we’ve seen devastate communities across the country in recent years. And it isn’t just a disaster for our climate. It’s also bad for our health. Public health experts are concerned about the health risks of cooking with gas in our homes, which can have a similar impact on childhood asthma as living with cigarette smoke. And here in Victoria, we burn more gas per person than any other state. But the good news is that some local councils around the country are bowing to community pressure and taking matters into their own hands - promising to end new gas connections, and help people with the cost of switching to electricity and renewables. And with enough pressure from the community, our local council could join this movement today!

"Natural" Gas is a dangerous and polluting fuel that contributes to the climate crisis. LNG or "Natural" Gas is largely methane, which as we know, can be even worse for the climate than coal because it leaks into the atmosphere. This leaked gas traps more warmth, increasing our risks of severe heat, drought, bushfires and sea-level rise. And it isn’t just a disaster for our climate. It’s also bad for our health. Public health experts are concerned about the health risks of cooking with gas in our homes, which can have a similar impact on childhood asthma as living with cigarette smoke. The City of Greater Geelong has stated in its Climate Change Response Plan that it will be discouraging new gas connections to households from this year onwards, but new planning legislation is required to make this possible. This is an obvious move, it's safer for the climate, safer for our community's health and an all-electric house is cheaper and easier to run. The good news is that some local councils around the country are bowing to community pressure and taking matters into their own hands - promising to end new gas connections, and help people with the cost of switching to electricity and renewables. And with enough pressure from the community, our local council could join this movement today! Geelong is also the location for a new proposed gas import terminal by Viva Energy. This new terminal will import gas from the Scarborough offshore gas field, which will produce some of the dirtiest gas in the world in terms of its emissions and be equal to over a quarter of Australia’s entire national emissions! So let's convince our local Councils to get off gas, so that we don't need dangerous and polluting projects like this in our city.

Gas is a dangerous, polluting fossil fuel. It releases greenhouse gasses that contribute to the horrific bushfires and raging floods we’ve seen devastate communities across the country in recent years. And it isn’t just a disaster for our climate. It’s also bad for our health. Public health experts are concerned about the health risks of cooking with gas in our homes, which can have a similar impact on childhood asthma as living with cigarette smoke. And here in Victoria, we burn more gas per person than any other state. But the good news is that some local councils around the country are bowing to community pressure and taking matters into their own hands - promising to end new gas connections, and help people with the cost of switching to electricity and renewables. And with enough pressure from the community, our local council could join this movement today!

The severely immunocompromised are vulnerable to severe disease when infected with COVID19. Right now, COVID testing programs are insufficient to protect the immunosuppresed. Effective testing is difficult to access and costly to individuals. Supported COVID testing is needed. Severely immunocompromised people need to test those close to them regularly. They need to know when to shield themselves from others. Many severely immunocompromised people are unwell and not mobile and rely on support workers. Many live, study or work closely with others, and risk exposure to COVID, despite their best efforts to shield. Some, like the parents of children, are carers and find themselves in the impossible position of needing those in their charge tested, but can't because they simply can't risk sharing a car with a person with symptoms. It is simply not safe for the severely immunocompromised to line up for a PCR test. Time is of the essence for a severely immunocompromised person with COVID. This is because there are treatments available that can prevent severe disease, but these must be started early. They need ready and safe access to testing. Every day counts.

Forty years ago, the Australian Association for Environmental Education (AAEE) was formed to champion education reforms (Education for Sustainability is the latest term to describe that) focused on positively connecting students with nature, developing critical thinking and analytical skills and empowering them to help develop solutions to our human induced environmental problems. Now, we need an education revolution to save the planet. In Our campaign supports other international campaigns to develop grassroots support and on the ground efforts by students, educators, and civil society to demand national level commitments from Ministries of Education and Environment. Through this campaign, we will ensure that students in Australia and across the world benefit from high-quality education to develop into informed and engaged environmental stewards. AAEE believes that every school in the world must have compulsory, assessed climate and environmental education with a strong civic engagement component focused on achieving a sustainable society.

Since 2013 the Hindmarsh Shire Council has agreed with the constituents of Hindmarsh Shire and surrounding areas that the approx 100yr old iconic railway bridge can be used for people to walk on to cross the Heritage Wimmera River in Jeparit as the main feature of the now named Wimmera River Discovery Trail. Hindmarsh Shire Council announced they had been allocated funding for refurbishment of the iconic railway bridge as the main investment, as well as funding to commence the trail from 4 Mile Beach at Lake Hindmarsh (the largest inland fresh water lake in Victoria) and along the Wimmera River banks to Dimboola. However, Hindmarsh Shire Council in 2020-2021 voted to erect a new bridge at various locations along the Wimmera River because the railway bridge could not be used for people to walk over, with no consultation with constituents. But the engineer report for the railway bridge found that although the bridge could no longer support a train, it can support foot traffic and can be refurbished for that specific purpose (a community member has the engineer report due to her applying for the report under freedom of information). The Victorian Government voted for this railway bridge to be built in approx 1905. It is in great condition compared to other old bridges in the area. By refurbishing the railway bridge we are ensuring that our historic iconic bridge is preserved and valued as a part of our unique history for the area as well as a great tourism asset. This historic bridge is an asset that Hindmarsh Shire Council should continue to invest in because refurbishing this bridge will have not just a healthy economic return but will also have health benefits for the community as a whole. When our historic places are undervalued and disrespected, Hindmarsh Shire Council are perceived as undervaluing and disrespecting their constituents, especially us in Jeparit. We do not want or need a bling new bridge. We want and need to have our iconic railway bridge refurbished as planned and decided from conception between Hindmarsh Shire Council and its constituents.