Since 2018, international students from the Philippines and other countries have faced horrific treatment from Lawson College in Dandenong. Students are promised that their course will lead to permanent residency. But they arrive in Australia only to be met with appalling quality of teaching, abuse, mistreatment and bullying. Students have reported inadequate facilities, taking classes where up to 50 students are crammed in a room for 20, unstable internet connection forcing hundreds of students to use up their own mobile data and poor quality teaching with multiple assessors within a single subject providing extremely inconsistent and delayed assessment feedback – sometimes as late as 3 months. When tuition fees cost $10,000 a year, it is understandable that students want to transfer to better quality education providers. However, Lawson does not let this happen. Instead, institutional harassment and gaslighting ensues. Lawson has threatened students with visa cancellation and deportation, falsified attendance issues and failed students who made requests for release and transfer. They’ve rejected compelling reasons for release such as mental health issues and continued to charge tuition fees and issue debt collection notices even if students have appealed for release on several occasions. Those who are eventually able to transfer to another provider are not issued with their completion certificates even if they have finished a course and paid in full. Students are repeatedly rejected on their applications for release until they give up, due to exhaustion from the entire appeals process, which can take as long as 6 months. Furthermore, there is also workplace exploitation and wage theft, with international students not being paid fair rates when employed by Lawson. These existing injustices have since been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, with international students facing systemic discrimination and neglect with many unable to afford food and experiencing homelessness. Students have submitted a petition to Lawson college demanding: – A 30% discount in all scheduled tuition fee payments for June, September and December 2020 – Waiving the Late Fee Penalty ($200 AUD a Fortnight) for the year 2020. But Lawson College has ignored their request. This cannot go on anymore. We must stand in solidarity with students calling for fair treatment, so that Lawson College can not ignore them any longer. International students are not cash-cows who can be abandoned during the pandemic. We must take a stand against the racist complex of education trafficking, which serves to funnel international students into debt bondage, enabling further exploitation in Australia. Sign this petition in solidarity with the students at Lawson, to ensure their demands are being heard and fought for.

A Federal ICAC will either dispel or confirm reports of widespread dishonesty in the distribution of Federal Government Funds, for example, and not limited to: $150 million for the “regional” swimming pools, including $10 million for the region of the North Sydney pool $272 million Regional Growth Fund most of which was dished out in a hurry just before the last Federal election. $841.6 million for the Building Better Regions Fund. $200 million in government advertising in the lead up to the election – an unprecedented level of self-promotion with your money $2 billion for the ironically-named Climate Solutions Fund. $4 billion Urban Congestion Fund incorporating the $500 million Commuter Car Park Fund that mainly benefited coalition marginal seats $300 million Drought Communities Program – where the government ignores its own criteria and hands out money without regard for eligibility $220 million Regional Jobs and Investment Package – ministers rejecting 28 per cent of the recommended applications and approving 17 per cent without recommendation $22.65 million for the Stronger Communities Program, and $22.65 million for the Communities Environment Program. (Thanks to Michael Pascoe, The New Daily) The people of Australia deserve to know that the elected representatives in our employ are acting in a legal and moral manner in regard to ALL matters before them. And ensure that OUR money is spent to provide the electorate with the best outcomes. COVID 19 has bought a change of circumstances. Lessened parliamentary sittings have seen the usual checks and balances severely restricted. A Federal ICAC would go some way to remedy this, and demonstrate that our Federal Parliament is, and has been acting in the best interests of the electorate.

We are greatly concerned for the health of our community and the environment. The HiQuality facility sits within 400 mtrs of a fast growing community. This facility sits as close as 29 mtrs from Emu Creek, home of the growling grass frog and native fish species. We have been advised to expect 865 trucks per day carrying untested levels PFAS toxic waste that will only be tested once on site. These trucks will be driving through communities that are incapable of coping with such a large influx of heavy traffic, travelling across heritage listed Bulla bridge. We believe the EPA report did not consider the impact to the community receiving this highly toxic soil. Hi Quality has a history of EPA breaches resulting in fines, we want to protect our green community and waterways, ensure the health and safety of our community. Also please take the time to sign our government petition https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/council/petitions/electronic-petitions/view-e-petitions/details/12/206?fbclid=IwAR0cYvrMU4BKKAKFhQVoCPoEV9XM_Jlh44e8nl9CdB3CQuilL8idK4sPtQE

Our COVID Wish List for Kids: Simple and practical solutions are needed. 1. Mandate Masks. As we learn to live with COVID governments could try to firstly mandate masks across the whole population e.g. when outside and when you can’t socially distance, like other countries in our region, and see the impact that has before cancelling anything to do with kids and school. Other countries are doing that and it’s working. Kids in other countries are living life in a fairly usual way, going to events, hosting sports, visiting family etc. Simple. #wearamask 2. Border closures. For ALL the families who have children attending schools (day and boarding school) who have to cross a border (eg. live in NSW go to school in VIC) each day, weekly or at the end of term (boarders) for their school holidays Government must find workable solves so they can see their families and not be locked up for the duration. This also includes Australians who live overseas for work (expatriates) and whose children are educated in Australia. These families seek an urgent solution. They cannot manage (afford) quarantine, nor up to a month of quarantine every time they wish to see their kids. Many are coming back from countries where the virus/community transmission is more under control than Australia. Like other nations there could be a safe list of nations for whom either Stay at Home quarantine notices are issued for 7 days (see the Singapore example for Australians), or where COVID tests are given and cleared for countries with very limited/zero cases. Also, putting an unaccompanied minor into a hotel to quarantine is unreasonable. The wellbeing of the child is not being considered and families should NOT be separated. If they must should quarantine at home. Parents need to see their children and children need to be able to attend their schools. Green lane travel bubbles for such families, across domestic and international borders, as are currently happening in other nations in our region and in Europe must be considered and implemented as matter of urgency with holidays just weeks away. #loveourfuture 3. Class of 2020. PLEASE support all our Year 12's (the “COVID Class of 2020”). This year is to their "rite of passage". Governments have made unreasonable decisions - no graduation with parents, no formals, cancelled sports, cancelled assemblies, the list goes on and on and this is on top of students struggling from isolation, pressures of whether exams will go ahead etc., disappointments and increase in the numbers of suicides, depression and anxiety. So many are devastated by these decisions. Governments have taken steps to ensure adults can attend restaurants, pubs, sporting matches etc and the same opportunities should be afforded to our kids. It’s up to governments to find solutions that allow Australian kids to have rights too. #COVIDclassof2020 4. General School Events for all kids: If governments won’t be satisfied with #wearamask for school events then for example before any event at the school each parent could have a COVID test 2 days prior the event. If negative they can attend wearing a mask and social distance. If positive they watch it from their lounge room. For parents and kids wishing to attend such events please introduce a solution e.g. every parent has to have a COVID test prior to the event. School Formals - the same applies as above. Each student is tested and if negative attends wearing a mask! These children should be able to have a school formal. These are just some ideas to get the debate started. Right now, like most other nations globally, we need to learn to live with COVID and give our kids the best future possible –they are the future of Australia. We cannot leave them behind… #covidgeneration #loveourfuture

A multitude of issues related to the global pandemic have made it difficult and complex for Australians and permanent residents and their families to return to Australia. These difficulties have been further complicated by recent restrictions placed on incoming flights and the State Governments' push to charge Australians for a mandated quarantine period. Each returning Australian's case is different, but many are facing financial, emotional, and mental hardship which is further exacerbated by the Federal and State Governments' restrictions. Furthermore, the rhetoric currently being used by both Government and the media is leading to a growing resentment towards returning Australians within the community. We are Australians who love this country but are disturbed by the recent vilification we have received. Many of us are not merely 'travelers' returning from a vacation at the beach, we are Australians who have been stuck overseas for many reasons, such as work and family commitments. Many not living near internatioinal airports have been unable to access flights home until the recent easing of restrictions in other countries. With those restrictions now lifting it is heartbreaking to have the door of our own country slammed in our faces.

The installation of these cameras without the consent of the Australian public is a breach of Governmental power and a serious violation of our human rights to privacy. Being tracked, analysed and our personal data being stored in a cloud for the access of authorities to use as they will, is not only an attack on our human rights to privacy and freedom, but it is also a direct attack on the human psyche and human mental health. The citizens of Australia have never authorised the use of our taxpayer dollars to fund “facial recognition technology” to be used against us and our children as a biometric data collection for physical and behavioural identification. We do not call for a prison system society where everyone is examined and where our privacy is invaded while we go about our day. Australia SAYS 'NO'- We DO NOT CONSENT to 'Face Recognition Surveillance Cameras' in our schools and our society'.

The installation of these cameras without the consent of the Australian public, is a breach of Governmental power and a serious violation of our human rights to privacy. Being tracked, analysed and our personal data being stored in a cloud for the access of authorities to use as they will, is not only an attack on our human rights to privacy and freedom, but it is also a direct attack on the human psyche and human mental health. The citizens of Australia have never authorised the use of our tax payer dollars to fund “facial recognition technology” to be used against us and our children as a bio metric data collection for physical and behavioural identification. We do not call for a prison system society where every one is examined and where our privacy is invaded while we go about our day. Australia SAYS 'NO'- We DO NOT CONSENT to 'Face Recognition Surveillance Cameras' in our society'.

With the global Black Lives Matter movement in the media at the moment this has also put the spotlight on other forms of institutional racism in Australia. For me this has led to my own personal reflection about racism and the effect it has had on my own family and community. For several years I have complained to the Maitland Council about a racist statue in Maitland called “jocko: the little black boy”. Pic below. Apparently it has been around since the 1800’s and was once used as a hitching post for horses back in the day. This statue represents a racist caricature of an African boy in a subservient role. Not to mention it’s links to slavery. Blackface is not acceptable so why should a minstrel style statue be acceptable in a public place in 2020? It is symbolic of a time and culture that demeaned and dehumanized people of colour. I have written to council many times to ask them to permanently remove both statues but they have either not responded or responded by saying that it’s been around since the 1800’s and they have no intention of removing them. I would like to seek you support with this petition and present it to Maitland Council with a clear message that this racist symbol has no place in our community. I would like to ask if you also find the statue offensive and agree it should be removed immediately could you please join us in signing the petition and circulate it as widely as possible.

Neighbours need a break from construction noise and concrete dust. They deserve to be able to participate in on-line church services and to be able to hear these. They deserve to be able to sleep past 7am or 8 am and to be able to go outside in the garden or hang washing out without noise and dust. Those with respiratory problems need a break from the dust. We cannot go out to escape the noise and dust except for brief periods. The impact on physical and mental health of residents and construction workers and their families need to be taken into account especially at this time.

'On Friday, she took to Twitter in support of Queensland detective Mark Thompson, who was taken off the case after saying investigators had an open mind on whether Queensland man Rowan Baxter may have been “driven too far” before he doused his family in petrol and set them alight.' She has also previously remarked 'that a scoutmaster who sexually abused boys was “a good bloke” and said “such minor abuse rarely has lasting consequences”.' (quoted from the New Daily https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2020/02/24/bettina-arndt-david-hurley/amp/ ) There is an epidemic amongst males that they have to protect their masculinity by UNDERMINING others, AGGRESSIVE behaviour or DOMINATING situations and others when they feel they masculinity threatened. It is childish but more importantly it is a mental illness and is what leads to violence, and pack mentality. Violence against women and KIDS especially has NO EXCUSES and such a person doesn't deserve the Order of Australia because we cannot allow this to represent the views or values of the nation.

Government are attacking everything that made Australia Fair You made me irrelevant in proceeding breaching my Human Rights, yet you are the ones who really are irrelevant. Your attacks on Welfare, Pensions and the hard minimum wage earners whom make you successful is a disgrace Unions who do you represent, I asked for your help, the correct National Wage was not a choice, Absolute Theory can not be wrong. I represent you where no other would please sign my Petition, I’m here to keep them accountable they are destroying us This is not just a dispute it’s the Solution Thank You Robert Paturzo-Elliott

Since Australia voted in 1962 to occupy West New Guinea with United Nations forces, in violation of our Commonwealth & international legal obligations hundreds of thousands of our Papuan neighbours have purportedly been wrongfully killed by the UN appointed administrators while untold $billions have been looted from their homelands. I believe the looting since 1962 of the United Nations occupied territory has created and is contributing to a reckless shift of wealth and authority from the Pacific to South East Asia which has introduced numerous biological problems and social handicaps to the Pacific which should be mitigated without further delay.