Now is the time for Aussies to contact our politicians and tell them that we are very concerned about the fact that since 1 January, China has refused to take our recyclable waste - this accounts for 30% of Australia’s recyclables. The Aussie government has not put in the recycling infrastructure to support waste processing on-shore but now we are at a crisis. Recyclable waste is being stockpiled in warehouses. Little media and press is covering this story. Australian's love recycling, and are deeply concerned about the impact this waste will have on our environment and communities. We want to make the most of it, and create new jobs and ways of recycling, here in Australia. For a united voice to be heard, we need every Australian to sign and share this petition, and contact your local politicians.

The UN announced we have a planetary crisis due to plastics. Single use plastics including bottles, are wasteful, polluting and lethal to marine life. Oil and energy are used in the manufacture of plastic drink bottles. Recycling them takes more energy. Now that China has stopped taking our waste in 2018, waste management contractors have reported that the bottles are piling up by the millions per day and are a fire hazard. There have already been serious fires in Victoria of large piles of plastic bottles and legal action by people in surrounding areas resulting in financial loss and health risks. Neither do we have the space in landfill to bury them and that's also not a sustainable solution. We MUST stop the problem at its source. People can bring reusable drink bottles to fill at refilling stations. To keep up to date with some in the world who are banning plastic bottled water see https://www.banthebottle.net/map-of-campaigns/

It's a false economy to not decently support chronically ill people, since the sickness benefit is so low it actually perpetuates a cycle of poverty, stress and excessive loss of basic human needs, exacerbating a persons ability to heal and recover, which then compounds their illness and leads, to a permanent disability long term.

V8 car racing outside residential homes is unsafe and unacceptable. The Supercar "Noise Management Plan" recommends residents living on the racetrack "Keep doors and windows closed; seal cracks, doors and window frames using commercial or make shift products. Basic protection measures may include: adhesive sealing strips for door frames and windows , temporary vent seals, under door strip seals/draught stoppers, fill cracks using commercial foam fillers or silicon; remain in back rooms; use hearing protection; leave property during some or all of the race period". Many residents living on the racetrack have no air-conditioning, and cannot afford to go away for the race period. They are faced with living in the above conditions for 3 x 10 hour days. Please note there are at least 3 ladies in the area that are pregnant, one of whom is expecting her baby to born the event weekend. The Heritage Conservation Areas of Newcastle and Newcastle East is wholly unsuitable for V8 Super Car street racing. The race preparations have seriously degraded residential amenity, homes are being damaged and convict hewn sandstone blocks are being sawn up for the benefit of the layout of the Supercars race track. Businesses are suffering some have closed and one successful business has already lost $70000 in takings. To add insult to injury hospitality is being outsourced to Brisbane or Sydney Supercars suppliers. The race will impact negatively on historic houses, buildings, public parks and the inhabitants on, and within, the racetrack. It will impede access to three aged care complexes located within the proposed racing area. There are over 4000 people residing in this predominantly residential area. NCC are unable to guarantee that sound levels are safe for all residents and that there will be no delay in response times to emergency and medical service. Preparations have resulted in reduced public safety and access to major tourist sites including Newcastle Foreshore Park, Horseshoe Beach, The Convict Lumber Yard, The Cowrie Hole, The Soldiers Baths, Nobbys Breakwall, Bathers Way, Newcastle Baths, Fort Scratchley, the Canoe Pool, and Nobbys and Newcastle Beaches. This will also be the case during the event. This race affects every user of the iconic East End in the lead up to and at the beginning of the peak holiday season. Our beautiful peninsula will be scaffolded and barricaded for three months each year and visitors will be discouraged from coming. The vast majority of people would detest having a 3 day car racing event on their street, or in their suburb. Please consider what residents and the wider community have been living through in preparation for, and during, 3 x 10 hour days of this car racing event. Residents are being asked to provide their private details, to a consortium, in order to be "accredited" to enter their own homes. Many residents will also be forced to walk through a concrete and wire structure, less than 1 metre from V8's racing, for over 200 metres just to get to a pedestrian bridge to get out of their home and away from this event. For residents with disabilities or mobility difficulties there is only one entry and exit, with only one lift to help over a thousand people. Supercars refuse to reveal the Sound Report and to add more insult to injury Destination NSW have given no conditions for which Supercars should comply to. We are trapped by this appallling legislation and we will be soon be trapped by an enclosure, and racing cars, circling our homes and suburb. ANALYSIS OF THE MOTOR RACING (SYDNEY AND NEWCASTLE) ACT 2008 (NSW) This is an Act that: 1. suspends the operation of other Acts protecting safety and the environment before, during and after the proposed event; 2. permits the event to be conducted on public land eventhough it would not be otherwise permitted under those other Acts; 3. permits the event to be operated by a private entity without charge and with the aim of making a profit for the private entity; 4. requires oversight of the event by a government agency, but with no right for any other person to legally challenge the competency or quality of that oversight; 5. severely restricts the actions of any other person in and around the public land where the event is being conducted; 6. prevents any other person suffering financial loss as a result of the event from claiming compensation from the private entity or the government agencies permitting the event; and 7. removes oversight of reinstatement of the public space after the event from the local Council and hands it to Destinations NSW, a government department that only has accountability for tourism. If you're interested in knowing more about the comparison of this track location in relation to other s'cars tracks in Australia head to this website https://rightracewrongplace.org/2017/07/07/compare-the-newcastle-circuit/ This video shows some of the destruction caused in preparation for this intrusive and dangerous event. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPc_JXgiQB8&feature=youtu.be

Koala populations are already struggling in certain parts of Queensland such as Dalby. Habitat is critical to the survival of the koala and up to 80% of koalas who lose their habitat are likely to be wiped out. The proposed destruction of koala habitat is for new coal seam gas wells on Queensland's Western Downs. Coal seam gas mining is a threat to farmlands and water resources not to mention the public health risks which have not yet been properly assessed. Potential harm could include an increased risk of cancer. What else can we do? Write to minister Hon Jackie Trad [email protected] Write to the Premier of Queensland Hon Anna Palaszczuk https://www.thepremier.qld.gov.au/tools/contact.aspx Join the Animal Justice Party Queensland https://animaljusticeparty.org/join/ Donate to the Australian Koala Foundation https://www.savethekoala.com/

The Kulin Nation peoples have been the traditional owners of the lands on which the City of Boroondara is now established for tens of thousands of years and they still have a continuing strong cultural and spiritual connection to their country. Until early 2017, recognition of this traditional ownership had been normal at all Council meetings and events. In 2017, the City of Boroondara announced that recognition of traditional Aboriginal ownership would no longer be mandatory as it was regarded by some councillors as a 'token' reference rather than a ‘sincere’ – and therefore ‘meaningful’ - one. Following the Council’s decision, it will henceforth only occur at the discretion of individual Councillors. As the City of Boroondara has not renewed its Reconciliation Action Plan since 2013, we fear that this decision will result in fewer instances of the Acknowledgement of Country occurring; indeed, making it optional may lead to its total elimination. The City of Boroondara has in the past shown considerable innovation in their efforts towards Indigenous recognition and reconciliation; as the movements towards Constitutional Recognition and Treaty grow nationally, this action by the City of Boroondara can only been seen as a step backwards for the council and its previous leadership in reconciliation work.

Will you join my call to make this a huge issue ahead of the Manly by-election? If enough of us come together now, we can win commitments from candidates that they’ll save the bushland. Sign now!

It will make use of a disused public asset that was originally established to support economic development across the Monaro. It will boost tourism to the region and will put tourists directly into each of the small villages of Michelago, Bredbo and Nimmitabel along the route and to the town of Cooma and particularly to Bombala at the southern end of the corridor. Existing business will benefit and new business opportunities with jobs will be created. The tourism linked to the trail will help diversify the region’s tourism and help offset potential downturns in winter sports tourism due to climate change. Much of the rail infrastructure such as buildings and bridges remain in place but neglect is obvious and plans for demolition of one bridge have already been announced. These examples of rail history are important to Monaro residents and must be preserved. To use the assets as part of the recreational trail will ensure they are not lost. This project has great implications for regional and local community health. Cyclists, walkers and runners as individuals and families are potential users and in need of outlets for healthy exercise. This rail trail will deliver that outlet and in a very safe off road environment. The project is of regional significance. It involves the Queanbeyan Palerang and Snowy Monaro local councils and the ACT government and will be used by international, interstate and local residents.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and all Australians can't currently celebrate Australia Day on January 26. It's a date for white settlement and 'Invasion' from 1788. It has been a day of mourning formally since 1938. We must change the date! #changethedate to March 3rd

The NT is a beautiful place, full of thriving cultures and communities. But right now, the NT government has plans to build a massive gas pipeline, cutting through sacred country, to pump fracked gas from unapproved wells across the Territory. Traditional Owners, Aboriginal Station Owners and community members have voiced their opposition to this project over and over again, and voted for NT Labor on their promise to slow down fracking. How can you approve a giant pipeline for fracking projects that haven't been approved, and when you supposedly have a moratorium on fracking?!

*Most of our open spaces, our public parks, sporting ovals, our beaches (like Bondi), our headlands, our waterways and our bush, are Crown land. In truth, it is simply “public land”. The right of the general public to use and enjoy our public land is an essential part of our egalitarian society and the Courts have always upheld - under the general law - the public’s rights of access. But that is all about to change. Telling us that new legislation was needed to overcome various management issues resulting from out-of-date legislation, the NSW Coalition has just passed new legislation that will in fact facilitate the greatest privatisation of our public land in NSW history. Please read on if you are interested. The Crown Land Management Bill - rushed through Parliament by the NSW Government on 9 November - was the Government’s response to years of allegations of systemic mismanagement and cronyism in its Crown Land Department (“Crown Lands”) and by local councils. Those allegations (by various community groups) were effectively accepted as accurate and substantiated, first, by Mark Paterson as head of Crown Lands on 22 June 2015 and, second, by the NSW Auditor General on presenting her scathing report to Parliament on 8 September 2016. In his admission last year, Mr Paterson admitted the “systemic issues” identified by his lawyers were so bad as to require staff training “in fraud and corruption prevention”. Paterson's media release is here: https://www.opengov.nsw.gov.au/viewer/81b25fee74db45ee92b75d130638203b.pdf The Auditor General found - as alleged by the community - that countless crown reserves were being used for unlawful purposes, including by businesses well connected to the relevant decision makers. Some 90% of these dodgy deals were done behind closed doors, for peppercorn rents. The Auditor General recommended Crown Lands identify all cases of unlawful uses of Crown reserves by March 2017. The Auditor General's report is here: http://www.audit.nsw.gov.au/publications/latest-reports/sale-and-lease-of-crown-land. Then on 13 October 2016, an Upper House Inquiry - brought on by sustained pressure from Crown land community groups - delivered yet another report on Crown land mismanagement. This Upper House report made a series of recommendations as to what any new legislation should include. The Upper House report is here: https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/committees/inquiries/Pages/inquiry-details.aspx?pk=2404#tab-reports But it was too late: Minister Niall Blair had already completed his new 208 page Bill. It was introduced into the Upper House on 19 October without even so much as an Exposure Draft. It was debated for the first time - and passed by both Houses - on 9 November. Crown Lands drafted this Bill. It will now become law. The new Act allows: the Minister to declare lawful all these previous unlawful activities (Clause 5.26); private businesses to control Crown reserves and to charge entry fees to public land (clause 2.17); and private business to agree on uses that go outside the uses permitted by statute (clause 5.2). And the Bill automatically provides the Minister’s approval to these businesses lodging a new DA to use - or build on - our public land not only for any statutory use but any other use that is allowed by the terms of their own private agreement (clause 2.23(2)(c)(ii) and 2.23(2)(g)(i)). To have allowed Crown Lands to draft this Bill to allow them to cover up their past mistakes, make lawful what was previously unlawful and to not require the Government’s mates to disgorge their ill-gotten gains, is like allowing the greyhound industry to draft a bill to cover up its own past mistakes. It is basic governance that you never give the job of fixing up a problem to those who were in any way involved in the making of the problem. It is unconscionable and a high form of corruption. It is time for the Government of NSW to start governing for the people, not for its mates. Please check the Updates below for links to more information on the internet. And email me if you have any specific queries or know of any further abuses of Crown land. JBOwens, Crown Land Alliance

The Cashless Welfare Debit Card takes away a person's right to choose where they shop, how they pay their bills and does affect where they live. Indue control how payments are made instead of you, your banking and bill paying abilities are affected when you are forced to change to either Centrepay or Indue to make your regular payments. You have to ask permission and provide proof of your bills to Indue Some payments are not accepted on the Indue Card or Centrepay ( Some Car Loans, parents have been forced to hand cars back after defaulting due to Indue unable to allow funds for payments) and you are expected to manage those accounts on your 20% allowance to be paid into your nominated bank. Rents are a problem, especially 3rd party rents, periodic leases, and private rentals, as we have seen many people being left behind in rent, late fees, new charges to change to other methods of paying and some made homeless due to Indue not allowing enough cash to pay their rent. Breach notices and debts, snowballing as other bills fall behind trying to catch up. 80% is restricted to the Indue Visa debit/credit card. Leaving people having to "beg" for approvals to normal things they used to be able to do. Online shopping is restricted, no Ebay. Gumtree, Paypal, Woolworths Online or access to enough cash to be able to purchase secondhand items from Facebook sites, friends, markets etc.Family debt is also a problem to be able to repay loans from families. Most people on some sort of payment for example, a student rely on being able to buy secondhand text books, pay cash room rentals etc, bus trips, with the indue Welfare Debit card there is not enough accessible cash allowed to do such things. Most people on newstart, share accommodations, rent rooms, share houses and utilities and pay cash for those expenses, they also rely on cash for transport on regional buses, secondhand clothing etc. Many people on the card are also working , parents working or partnered with working partners too, we have seen many workers put on this card because they don't have 38 hrs a week full time We have seen across all sites, but most recently the Hinkler site is seeing people struggling as we saw with the first 3 sites, mental health decline, anxiety, stress, depression, sense of worthlessness as people are stigmatised when using the card, public comments when people are seen using the card like " oh that's one of those cards for druggies and alcoholics etc, oh that's that druggy card" etc. When the majority of people forced onto this card have no such problems. How does someone pay their mortgage on Indue??? Mixed info , we know of a farming family who had to change mortgages only to find setting up their mortgage with a new bank they still couldn't pay their mortgage, have now had to work a work around to keep their home,trusted to pay their employees, yet put on the card because they receive part family payments! Some people access cheaper items on Ebay or other online services, like home shopping, many DSP are not able to get out all the time to buy things on a card, at an approved place, We all know there are people in our communities , working and non working that have issues with drugs, alcohol, gambling. This card targets not only those on social security with such addictions, but blankets the majority that do not have any issues, addiction nor financially other than struggling on below poverty line payments and does not address the problems over all in society with the same issues for working people, who can continue to drink, drug and gamble their income away, thus affecting their families too. We would like to see the card scaled back to people on a voluntary basis, with proper supports put in place to help people, Costings should the gov't expand to taking over the Basics Card recipients across the NT and other regions will add up to $233 Million up to 2021 if the Morrison Gov't continue to roll this now program out/ That kind of money could provide good services for those that need it in the community, Housing, Rehabs Councelling *Emergency housing rental crisis funds have been cut as of 1st of Jan 2019 in the Hinkler region, leaving people struggling when Indue does not pay their rents with no where to go for help from losing their rentals! Australians are all supposed to be covered under law equally, The Cashless Debit card see aussies forced onto the card stripped of rights and protections under the social security acts that have been suspended to allow Indue to take over their payments, Privacy, Dignity, Autonomy, Self Determination and Human rights breaches leave card recipients as lesser citizens no longer protected under the law, and stigmatised to be made out to be somewhat lesser for receiving social security payments, combined with the punitive Robodebts, Work For the Dole, Path Traineeships, Parents Next and Job Agencies now more interested in punishments and compliance than helping people get jobs, or receive supports with dignity, The lie if it works just like a normal debit card needs to be called out, along with the media and certain ministers pushing that the card is aimed at Drug, Alcohol and Gambling and Intergenerational Welfare, when none of it is true, It's about control of people and profits for Indue, nothing more,