My name is Subeta and I'm a university student in Sydney. I am constantly confronted with how many people are living below the poverty line and struggling to cope with basic costs. For the 10 million Australians who will menstruate in their lifetime, getting your period isn't just inconvenient and annoying - it's expensive! Half the population menstruates and they shouldn't be financially penalised for it. If you still aren't convinced, let's consider some statistics: on average women, who make up the majority of people who use sanitary products, earn $262.50 per week less than their male counterparts, and they are also statistically at greater risk of living below the poverty line. Furthermore, this tax disproportionately targets those who may already be disadvantaged, that is the homeless and unemployed. So why force this underpaid, at risk and disadvantaged portion of society to pay more for basic essentials? Right now, the Australian government is reviewing the entire Australian tax system, saying that it's looking to make taxes lower, simpler and fairer. This review is a once in a generation opportunity to put the tampon tax on the government agenda for serious consideration, and get this unfair tax removed once and for all. Sign the petition and tell Mr Hockey loud and clear that a period is not a luxury or societal burden, it is an aspect of reproductive health. After all, the government should support and facilitate the availability of sanitary products, not actively restrict it.

Women’s choice of birth attendant has been diminished. Due to the sudden removal of insurance options, midwives can no longer provide midwifery care if they do not practice under the jurisdiction of a doctor, as an eligible midwife. Women therefore are no longer able to employ a non-eligible privately practicing midwife of their choice to provide care throughout their childbearing experience, narrowing their birth attendant options. Women choose a private practicing midwife because they want personalised service and continuity of carer – the internationally recognised gold standard for the safest form of maternity care for childbearing women and their babies. Some women have a deep desire to birth at home in familiar surroundings and others simply want reassurance that they will be cared for by a familiar and trusted midwife of their choice throughout their pregnancy, birth and postpartum period. Now this choice is being severely limited. Birthing policies must be based on women's desires, needs and safety. Women want to be able to choose their birth place and their midwife for their pregnancy care. Midwives should have the legal freedom to work to their full scope of practice. We need a system like that of New Zealand where the government provides indemnity insurance to all midwives and provides remuneration for the midwifery care of their choice to every birthing woman. Sign this petition now to let our Federal Health Minister, Hon. Sussan Ley MP, know we demand change to ensure birthing options safely meet the desires and needs of all women in Australia.

Please sign this petition if you believe parents have a right to choose what's best for their children and don't have to pay penalties for a well-informed decision. After all by trying to take away family and childcare payments from low income families who conscientiously choose to selectively vaccinate or not vaccinate, the Australian government is putting parents in the impossible position of having to choose between feeding and housing their families and vaccinating their children against their will, THIS IS NOT LEGAL CONSENT, IT IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL AND IT IS BLACKMAIL!

We have probably all heard the statistic: one Australian woman dies at the hands of a partner or ex-partner every week. But so far in 2015, women are being murdered at double that rate, and in Queensland alone in 2013-14 there were more than 66,000 reported incidents of domestic and family violence. It's time to act. Urgent steps must be taken by our leaders and policy makers now, to ensure this shameful epidemic no longer ruins the lives of generations of families. Rest assured, someone you know has been affected by family violence. Australian of the Year Rosie Batty, whose own son, Luke, was murdered last year by his father, has campaigned fiercely for short-term and long-term change. In the long term, let's change the entrenched attitudes and gender inequalities that help create the environment for domestic and family violence in the first place (such as through respectful relationships education in schools); but in the short term, let's improve the support services and responses from organisations such as the police and courts, so victims know they are not alone. Rosie is supporting our campaign, and we are supporting her. Get on board and help be a force for change.

When my husband and I first moved into the area almost two years ago, as a mum and dad of two small children aged two and four, it was lovely to know that we would live very close to a little park called Regent Street Park. When we moved we did not know our neighbours, or have any support network in the nearby area. However soon after moving we met our first neighbours who came to say hello and welcome us to the area. They had spotted us running about playing ball in the park with our kids. Since then we have been welcomed by a wonderful little community - and at the heart of this community is our local park. Our local park has become the place we play outdoors with our kids, have a picnic lunch outside or go looking for bugs and birds. Others use the park for exercise, a dad throwing a ball in the park each week with his teenage boy, a social game of footy, a place to practice your golf swing, others meet here with their dogs. Each year the park hosts our Christmas Party. Santa arrives with a sack of presents for the neighbourhood kids. The park has also seen its fair share of birthday cake. Some of the neighbourhood kids now are getting a little older and they are allowed to go to the park themselves (mums and dads can sneakily peer over the fence) - a big adventure that would not be afforded to these kids had they only the larger park some distance away and across a main road. The older generation across the street watch them and muse to us parents about the changing generations they have watched come and go from the park over the years, and its makes me sad to think this part of the community could be lost for future generations however small and insignificant to others it may seem. Now most Friday neighbors meet in the park to talk about our week - an opportunity to leave our houses and small backyards. Two weeks ago thirtyish of us sat in the park and ordered pizza – one of the neighbourhood Mums with four kids had had a busy week whilst her husband was away working, for her the evening was an opportunity for the sanctity of friendship and a listening ear. Three of the bunch have recently emigrated from England and China. For them this time, this space, really does matter. I know our little park is just that - a little local park. It does represent the centre of our community, something which is increasingly important in urban environments, something I want my children and other children to experience. This small green space, this park, is important to our community. There are five other areas of land in the Newcastle locality, which in most cases are being used as parks by local residents, which are up for reclassification and potential future sale and development. Please encourage Newcastle city councillors to recognise the importance of these small parks, and sign the petition to save them.

The Australian government are aware that Abdi, Fatuma and Saacid have been waiting more than four years, but this was their response: “…we must finalise applications based on the date order in which they were queued. We do not have capacity to priority process applications ahead of the queue date, regardless of the applicant’s situation” Abdi and Fatuma have been ‘queuing’ patiently, but with Abdi recently finding out that he is also at risk of sudden death they can't just wait in line for bureaucracy to run its course. Time is running out. This cannot be about bureaucracy or waiting in line, this is about Abdi and Saacid - it's a real human story of a dying father asking for the chance to see his son for the first and last time in 23 years. Abdi wants nothing more than to see the adult that his 9 year old son grew into, and to know him during his last remaining days. Minister Morrison, you have the power to expedite Saacid's visa --- Abdi, Fatuma, Saacid and all of us who know and love this family ask for you to grant this. We are the two former Red Cross workers who ran the search for Abdi and Fatuma's son and have known the family ever since. Over the years we've spent a lot of time together, so much so that now Fatuma refers to us as her daughters. We know all Abdi and Fatuma's children and grand kids, and they are a lovely family. All of them have become Australian citizens and often talk about how Australia saved them and how much they have loved it here. Despite having lived an incredibly hard life, Fatuma and Abdi have never lost their ability to care about others and are some of the most inspirational and caring people we know. Before coming to Australia, Abdi and Fatuma spent 15 years in a refugee camp in Kenya, during which time Fatuma worked for UN agencies and other non-government organisations promoting rights of women, community development and anti-violence programs. Her advocacy work meant the family were often threatened and the UN eventually resettled them in Australia. Upon arrival in Darwin, Abdi and Fatuma established a successful family day care business out of their own home and Fatuma also acted as the Northern Territory representative for the Somali community for many years. The family are highly respected and loved by the Darwin community. Mr Morrison please allow Abdi and Saacid the chance to know one another and to say goodbye. Please expedite his visa before it's too late, time is running out. Watch Abdi and Fatuma on last week's episode of Channel 10's The Project: http://tenplay.com.au/channel-ten/the-project/extra/season-5/abdi-s-wish Here are some news articles already published about Abdi and Fatuma's story: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-10-09/reunited-somali-family-begs-for-visa-clemency/5802048 http://www.ntnews.com.au/news/opinion/humble-heroes-doing-us-proud/story-fnk0b216-1227087401559

This will ensure alternative treatments to landfill for higher hazard waste are appropriately researched, monitored and implemented. This will also ensure that there are no (detrimental) health impacts to the residents in the surrounding area of Lyndhurst.

The expansion to accommodate a projected 3000 ships per year will involve massive dredging, dumping of dredge spoil, land reclamation, risk of oil spills, air pollution, beach and cliff erosion associated with channel deepening, and loss of habitat. This has the potential to destroy the Western Port we know, love, and depend upon. Our beaches, fishing, wildlife, tourism economy, clean air, clean water. Western Port is a wetland of international significance, and Australia has obligations to look after it under the Ramsar treaty. Please take some time to learn about the proposed port expansion and its likely impacts. To stay up to date visit http://preservewesternport.org.au and http://www.wppcinc.org Thanks!

We want to be proud of the Wonthaggi Public Cemetery's historic grounds and the very special areas in which to honour and celebrate life. We need the grounds to be kept in pristine condition all year round for safe access to and from grave sites for all population groups including senior citizens and members of the public with a disability - even people with an injury or temporary disability.

With over 30,000 Australians killed or seriously injured each year, road safety is a health issue! Yet basic actions can be taken to protect people's lives! As part of Australia's Road Rules we need a national law that acts to protect those who find themselves vulnerable on our roads and highways. By making sure that passing drivers and riders "slow down and move over" when approaching an incident, crash or breakdown we can ensure road users "Drive So Others Survive!" (See Centre for Road Safety Video www.youtube.com/watch?v=H75mP0X41Gw ) There is no longer a Commonwealth Minister for Road Safety so we are asking the Deputy Prime Minister (who is also Minister for Transport and Infrastructure) to become the champion for National Road Safety. Given his portfolio responsibilities, we believe the Deputy Prime Minister needs to become the National Road Safety Champion by publicly stating his commitment to road safety. We then ask the Deputy Prime Minister to demonstrate this commitment to the protection of vulnerable road users and those who protect and assist (emergency services, tow truck drivers, roadside assistance personnel) by leading the push for a "Slow By at least 30" (SB30) Australian Road Rule.

(Background) The Casino to M'bah line was opened in 1894 and operated until the NSW government closed the service in 2004 despite widespread community opposition. The last service on the line was an XPT that only ran twice a day. REOPENING THE CASINO-MURWILLUMBAH RAIL LINE FOR COMMUTER SERVICES TO CREATE AN INTEGRATED PUBLIC TRANSPORT SYSTEM IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE: •Significantly increasing population (Northern Rivers has the highest predicted population growth in NSW) •We have a high reliance on private cars. Rising petrol prices, climate change. Rail would be better for the environment by reducing our co2 emissions. •To reduce Traffic congestion at Byron Bay, Lismore, main highways, local markets and festivals. Rail would provide infrastructure to deal with Peak Tourism periods •Reduce Road maintenance (buses create more road damage than cars). •To reduce the Northern Rivers Road Toll, which is the highest in NSW. The Pacific Highway is the most dangerous road in NSW. and there is an accident on Bangalow-Lismore Rd on average once a week. We are losing far too many local lives on our roads, including accidents involving vehicles, hitch-hikers, cyclists or trucks. •Reduce the high rate of drink driving in the Byron Shire. •Many towns are currently not connected by public bus services. The Railway connects most towns to the regional centre Lismore, and to tourism hotspot Byron Bay. Connects residents to essential services. •Trains cater for elderly, disabled, wheelchairs, bicycles and surfboards •Support locals accessing Education, Housing and Employment, Community Health, Youth ,and Mental Health Services, eg. ‘Headspace' in Lismore •Will create jobs, reduce social isolation, addresses local social issues and disadvantage •Promote Northern Rivers Regional Tourism: Heritage Rail, access to recreational activities including local markets, beach, galleries, local produce, festivals, beautiful scenery, country towns, National Parks •A Rail Trail Study has been announced, but rail trails work much better when integrated with a train service, especially through our terrain and dispersed towns. •Freight HQ at Casino provides freight opportunities as the rail is adjacent to many mayor supermarkets and industrial areas, and the local area produces crops such as sugar, soybeans, nuts and coffee. Putting road freight onto rail will make local roads safer •If the High Speed Rail is built in the future between Sydney and Brisbane via Casino, rail travel times from the Northern Rivers to Brisbane will be reduced to 2hrs or less, and will be more efficient than road travel

Child Sexual Abuse in childhood results in sustained psychological trauma that lasts a life time, hindering the quality of life for not just the survivor but families as well. This includes periods of various severities of PTSD, depression and anxiety as well as other mental health issues. This means that survivors may not be able to maintain consistent personal relationships as well as "normal" career and work goals. Recovery from childhood abuse requires specialist health services for mental, emotional and physical care. Child Sexual Abuse causes profound psychological damage to the development of an individual and as such, can take a lifetime to be healed.