The speed limit drops from 100km to 50km over a rise, right before a primary school. In school drop off and pickup times it's dropped to 40km. It's extremely dangerous, even if you do know the road - it's a highway, lots of traffic, trucks, tourists and people rushing generally. It's a quick slowdown from 100 to 50. We want it safer before something happens not after. Prevention is better than a cure!

The Coomera Connector or 2nd M1 freeway is a nonsensical nightmare for the Gold Coast and much of S.E. Queensland. It offers no genuine benefits and will destroy several environmentally important and sensitive areas. In actual fact, this crazy construction idea will make traffic congestion worse. This approach to the problem of expanding populations and the use of cars is like the proverbial fly buzzing in a bottle. I belong to the “No Second M1” group, one of the organisations who oppose this monstrous freeway project, which is being rushed through by the QLD government without due process and proper information being provided to the community. An on/off ramp for this motorway is to be located directly opposite Helensvale High School, which I believe is the second largest school in the state. The construction of this six lane 100 kph motorway, with its on/off ramp would seriously impact the health of everybody there and once complete, its operation would impact both their health and safety along with all the residents living along its route. There is much more opposition to this road than the TMR claim. They decided on what they wanted and then began to consult. They cherry-picked the people who they consulted (initially they only accepted comments from people who used the M1 twice a week or more) and ignored the others. There was one survey of theirs that showed a majority of people against the freeway but they just shelved this. The Palaszczuk government and TMR have totally failed to consider the health and safety of all of the people living next to its path and to nearby school children. The TMR’s whole process resembles something out of the ABC’s satirical program, Utopia. My next-door neighbour is a senior executive at Transurban and he says that the entire project is nonsensical from an engineering and commercial viewpoint in addition to its other drastic flaws. The planned 45 km freeway will kill many koalas, kangaroos, brush turkeys and much other protected wildlife. There are many koalas in this corridor. The TMR are risking a legal class action on the part of the many thousands of people living right next to this corridor for the massive loss in value of their homes. The negative health aspects for these residents are overwhelming due to an intolerable noise and pollution level. In future years, more legal suits are likely due to premature death and chronic ill health on the part of these residents. The transport needs of the Gold Coast could be completely met by upgrading the on/off ramps of the M1 and widening it in several places. Studies, including a well-researched one from Strong Towns in the U.S., have shown that the ill-considered construction of motorways, far from solving traffic congestion, only makes it worse. To top it off this motorway is projected to cost over $2.4 billion of borrowed money. https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2017/10/12/how-to-tame-your-dragon-freeway-edition?rq=motorways Better use of existing infrastructure, including highways, cheaper and better public transport is a long-term solution. The link for our “No 2nd M1” group is https://www.facebook.com/NoSecondM1/ There seems to be a conspiracy of silence on the part of the QLD government, the Opposition and the TMR. Yours Sincerely, John Spencer

The footpath outside Stanmore station which is currently a shared path between pedestrians and cyclists is not an appropriate width to safely accomodate pedestrians needing to cross the path of oncoming cyclists (sometimes at speed), on their way to Stanmore station, one of the 4 local schools (or commuting to another school by train) and the local shops. The width of the path is constrained by the old railway buidling which blocks access and forces pedestrians into the path of oncoming cyclists as they cross or wait for the traffic lights. Our concern is that with the implementation of the planned Lewisham to Petersham pop up cycle lane and therefore an increase in cycling activity, that pedestrian safety will be further compromised along the route. The local area is comprised of school children, young families with prams and toddlers, the elderly and the less mobile. We are also concerned about the removal of healthy trees and the narrowing of Railway Road due to the new bicycle lane. Cars already swerve in front of each other in an attempt to avoid the speed bumps and this practice will only get more dangerous with less room to manouevre.

Illawarra children deserve to walk or ride to school safely. Walking to school improves kids' fitness and independence. However, they are often driven over short distances to school by parents. Parents perceive that their child's journey to school is unsafe on part of or on their whole journey. As a result, our streets are subject to tens of thousands more car trips every year, making them even less safe and clogging up roads with unnecessary traffic during morning drop off and afternoon pick up. Streets without footpaths and crossings with speed limits higher than 30km/h are not considered safe by Australia's safe system approach. The Case for crossings: Research shows that children cannot judge gaps in traffic consistently when cars go faster than 30km/h to safely cross a street On streets where there are no footpaths and crossings, reducing the car speed to 30km/h would prevent most accidents: the stopping distance for a car traveling 30km/h is 13m. Stopping distance for a car traveling 50km/h is 37m. The risk of death or serious injury if hit at 30km/h is less than 10%; compared to 90% if hit at 50km/h. It is an unreasonable risk to place our children in harms way on their journey to school.

Western Australia’s native sandalwood (Santalum spicatum; ‘willarak’ in the Noongar language; 'dutjahn' in Martu/Wongi)) is a beautiful small tree that used to grow all across southern WA. Over-exploitation in the 175 years since colonisation has stripped sandalwood from much of its original range. Sandalwood was the Swan River Colony's first export! The WA government trading enterprise, Forest Products Commission (FPC), makes a profit from ‘pulling’ sandalwood in outback WA, uprooting whole live trees which are often hundreds of years old. Current exploitation (2,500 tonnes per annum) is far above the government's own optimistic estimate of long term sustainable yield ("600 tpa" in 2012). To make matters even worse, FPC's 'regeneration' in the wild is a disastrous failure due to grazing by introduced animals, loss of native seed-burying mammals, frequent fires and climate change. FPC acts as a state monopoly in taking native sandalwood from the wild (for free!) and then selling it to its chosen processors to make oils and incense. It is doing all it can to hinder the transition to the large, established native sandalwood plantations in WA's wheatbelt, while also trying to restrict the growth of Aboriginal-owned sandalwood businesses (such as Dutjahn Oils) which operate on a much lower volume of mostly dead sandalwood. The burgeoning native sandalwood plantation sector needs to align itself and work with Aboriginal Traditional Owners in partnership for ethical, moral and sustainable sourcing of Western Australian sandalwood products. Oils, nuts, etc, from Indigenous-owned businesses are the only WA sandalwood products consumers should choose.

A Clean Recovery will make energy cleaner and cheaper, and create more jobs than dangerous fossil fuels like methane gas. Australia can be a clean energy superpower, proudly exporting energy from our wind, waves and sun. We can power our businesses and homes with solar, make our houses more affordable and energy efficient, and restore the natural landscapes we love. To make it a reality, we need widespread support from key politicians and community members across the country. Sign the petition for clean, affordable energy and climate-friendly jobs for people across the country.

The adverse effects of alcohol are very significant, especially to Aboriginal communities. Woolies intend to open a very big liquor store within walking distance of a number of dry communities. This is appalling to put corporate profit ahead of public health, especially of vulnerable communities.

In October 2020 Annaliesse Ugle, an 11 year old child, took her own life when she found out her sexual abuser of 6 years, had been released on bail. Anna's Mum Sam did not want Anna to be forgotten, to become another statistic. So we have formed #annasvoice. Anna will be the driving force for change. It is a fact across the whole Australian community that children continue to be sexually molested and commit suicide or suffer in silence. At present they have no effective tools in which they can use, allowing them to determine what is inappropriate, if a person is a sexual predatorial or what grooming is. Deadly Guardians provides them with the tools, the means to reach out without fear and will detect if a child is at risk of self harm. It will also empower school age children to be protectors of their younger siblings. We need government to step up and fund Poche Centre for Indigenous Health so they can undertake the pilot and prove the program will:- Allow a child the means in which to reach out without fear of retribution or shame Give the child the tools in which to identify a sexual predator without demonising men or women. Provide the child with the understanding of what grooming looks like. Provide a framework that will allow strong Elders and leaders the ability to create change through the children in this challenging community issue. That it is easily adaptable to suit mainstream primary schools. That it will enable Kids Helpline the ability to determine if a child is at risk of self harm every morning. By providing a child with an online mentor, a famous athlete or singer who, as an avatar, they will be able to continually support the child emotionally, in academic achievement and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Provide a means by which a child can address emotional challenges as a child rather than as a traumatised teenager. Poche Centre for Indigenous Health is keen to work with me to complete the program development and then undertake the pilot. It has been 10 years since this program was originally developed. Until we all stand up and demand that something be done to protect our children then many will continue to either take their own lives or suffer in silence. Please sign the petition and also go to https://www.facebook.com/groups/416994042637214/ This is Deadly Guardians current landing page. https://www.deadlyguardians1.com/

This is vital because at present our state government is giving developers what should cost them many millions per annum. Meanwhile the need for affordable housing is far from being met. In the ACT, development continues apace while developers are taxed a large percentage (*need to check actual %) of the increased land value which comes with rezoning eg from low to medium density, and projects must begin within 12 or 18 months (*again, need to check exact requirement).

Ordinary Australians need more power in our system, and the Charter makes fundamental, specific and actionable requests to improve things, whilst also offering an example of how the grassroots can better organise for power, and for change. The Charter is a living document, and so can change as needed. We campaign to see the requests made in the charter are implemented, and when they are another issue is drafted to be campaigned on. This shifts some power and importance from politicians and the media back into the domain of the people as a whole. In signing this petition, you'll be taking some power back.

We are facing a Climate change that is alredy impacting this and future generations. We need to make Unley water-resilient and keep the city warming temperature down. By this declaration the Council will join a number of enlightened Councils who have already done so and so encourage the State Government to declare a Climate emergncy for the whole state

We live in a coastal city which is very busy in the tourist season. We never travel more than 100k a week and would benefit from trading in our sedan for an EV saving us petrol costs and costly maintenance and allow us to do our bit towards lowering carbon emissions. Seniors on the age pension are doing it tougher by the year and are generally fully aware of, and willing to engage in ways to lower waste and pollution.