For the health of your customers, and I guess it must be important to Bunnings Warehouse, the ban of glyphosate based weedlkillers has to be a wise move. Some have criticized this consensus report from the WHO but truly must not know the meaning of "slow poisoning" or "precaution". So far I can mention that it has been banned from all french gardening centers, Switzerland centers Coop and Migros, German giant retailer Rewe, also the countries of Columbia, Netherlands, Sri Lanka, Costa Rica and more. There also are about 30 000 health professionals in Argentina (one of biggest user of Roundup) calling for the same ban. moreover a team of international scientists based in New Zealand reported that widely available commercial formulations of RoundUp, 2,4-D and dicamba can lead to the development of antibiotic resistance in common disease-causing bacteria. I suppose that this does not come as a surprise and hope that Bunnings Warehouse will also use the precautionary principle and remove all products containing glyphosate from its shelves. You hopefully also know that the use of these weedkillers depletes the soil and washes down in our rivers, causing more environmental damage and also comes back into our drinkable water (an American study also found that 93% of women tested positive to glyphosate in their breast-milk). I include here a list of links to broaden anyone's knowledge on the matter: http://templatelab.com/iarc-monographs-112-02/ http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2015/aug/07/supermarkets-garden-centres-weedkiller-ban-cancer-glyphosate-monsanto http://theantimedia.org/more-european-countries-banning-glyphosate-monsantos-roundup/http://www.truthwiki.org/glyphosate/ http://www.thelibertybeacon.com/2015/05/30/the-end-of-monsanto/ http://www.naturalnews.com/042553_roundup_glyphosate_breast_cancer.html http://sustainablepulse.com http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/883578 http://www.i-sis.org.uk/glyphosateCausesBirthDefects.php http://www.collective-evolution.com/2015/05/30/why-the-netherlands-just-banned-monsantos-glyphosate-based-herbicides/ http://www.gmoevidence.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/IPTG-1-104.pdf http://www.surgicalneurologyint.com/article.asp?issn=2152-7806;year=2015;volume=6;issue=1;spage=45;epage=45;aulast=Samsel http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanonc/article/PIIS1470-2045%2815%2970134-8/abstract http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25067936 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3955666/#!po=65.0000 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3958316/#!po=61.1111 http://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/11/4/4449 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24434723 http://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/15/4/1416 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23756170 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0891584913003262 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23000283 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22120950 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22200534 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20012598 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19539684 http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/tx800218n http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17486286 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15929894 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15451553 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12765238 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12148884 http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/tx1001749 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1638308

How can a group of people, including high profile people have a say in what cultural background you are when they don't know you? We have been fighting to be apart of a Native Title process and was told that we have no connection because of our other cultural background. Our families have connections with the land and sea for decades, since the mid 1800's. My cousin had to travel to Melbourne to get a DNA testing to prove to the authorities and groups of people that they were wrong about us. We have the proof now that we belong to the country we live on in Bowen, therefore the Native Title Tribunal and land councils processes are failing in many ways . Don't allow anyone tell you, who you are, when you know, who you are.

Function 1: Provision of environmental services Like any ecosystem, verge gardens provide the environmental services commonly associated with plants: Filtration of air, Reduction in the urban heat island effect that raises neighbourhood air temperature in summer, Slowing of rainfall runoff and assisting it infiltrate as soil water rather than be lost to the stormwater drain, thus obtaining a use from it before it returns to the water cycle, Provision of habitat for insects, birds and small reptiles, Carbon sequestration in organically-rich soils. Function 2: Making productive use of urban land Kerbside gardening makes productive use of land in urban areas. It puts to practical use small patches of land that are otherwise neglected or planted to simplified plant communities—such as lawn verges—that are unproductive or that may consume excessive water and fossil fuels in their maintenance. Verge gardens offer Council a solution to reducing their carbon footprint in line with Environmental Policy. Function 3: Boosting biodiversity As mixed edible plantings, verge gardens attract insects and other small animal species that interact through food webs. This is the basis of their biodiversity value. Flowering species attract bees, providing habitat for pollinators in residential areas. Function 4: New ways to engage with public space Taking responsibility for a kerbside garden provides a new means for people to engage with public space. In this sense, shared gardens enhance community engagement with public lands and encourages members of our community to take a more proactive role in public space management.

The Committee to Expose the Public Trustee is a group of family, carers and friends of people who are clients (some prefer the word victims) of the Public Trustee. We were all struggling in our personal circumstances against the Public Trustee who as substituted decision maker has consistently and systematically ignored the needs and will of our loved ones. The Public Trustee has committed them to poverty and isolation and charged very high fees to do it, including charging their clients (victims) for legal fees used by the Public Trustee to oppose the needs and will of their clients. We have all been round and round the roundabout of complaints, requests for reviews and appeals but are powerless in their system and our loved ones have even less power.  In Queensland, people with a disability, or people who someone has alleged has a disability, can be subject to orders from The Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal to remove their legal capacity to make all personal decisions. The tribunal has no rules of evidence or standards for the burden of proof and accepts the opinion of Public Guardian and Public Trustee officers as fact in their determinations, even when those opinions are disputed by other parties. The Qld Guardianship and Administration Act gives no clear indication of who should have their human rights removed, why they should be removed and to what extent they should be removed – but the tribunal routinely removes the rights of disabled people.

The small mammal fauna of Australia is being eaten by feral cats and foxes. More than 20 native marsupial species face extinction. The devil was found on the mainland until 600 years ago and Australia's top ecologists believe its return could help protect our native animals.They have called for an experimental re-introduction of zoo bred, disease-free, devils onto the mainland. . Meanwhile the devil is threatened with extinction in Tasmania by a deadly facial tumour disease. We have lost over 80% of the wild Tasmanian Devil population to this disease in just ten years. To lose the devil in Tasmania and more mammal species on the mainland would be morally wrong and a profound loss to all Australians. With one action we could help secure a disease free future for the devil and restore ecological balance to parts of the mainland. Tasmania Environment Minister Groom does not want this trial release even discussed. We believe, however, that we have a moral obligation to ensure that local politics do not stand in the way of fighting species extinction. We must act before it is too late. Please register your support and sign up now.

We have a vision to save a national treasure, rejuvenate an historic hall, and create a thriving and inclusive community hub in a significant local open-space - but Council is not listening. The former Brighton Town Hall is the place the first female politician was elected in Australia. It is one of the oldest remaining town halls in SA and has State-Heritage Status. The hall and adjoining land have been a community space for well over 100 years. Over many years local residents have consistently fought to keep this site in community hands. The combination of open green space, historic hall, and adjacent public transport makes it the ideal location for a modern community hub. Despite a limited Council consultation process, the result showed overwhelming opposition to the Community Land Status being revoked and the site being sold. Council proceeded with both. We want the whole site - hall and land - kept in community ownership as per a recently substantial formal offer made to Council by The Original Town Hall community group. If Council insists on selling this site, they should offer it first to the community Co-operative who have demonstrated interest and ability to, together with a community-committed local developer will buy it and turn it into a sustainable community hub integrating affordable housing, open space, a restored hall, community garden, a sustainable cafe/business, and so much more.

We, the people of Australia entrust the lawmakers to do all within their power to ensure that public safety is prioritised above ALL other considerations. This can only be achieved by tight regulation of gun ownership. Responsible firearm usage is to be ensured for ALL the people of Australia. The Adler shotgun has a 7 shot tube magazine. A magazine is an ammunition storage and feeding device within or attached to a firearm. This means it can shoot 7 or more cartridges in just 7 or more seconds – similar to a pump action shotgun. It is the kind of weapon that was highly restricted after the Port Arthur massacre; yet by anomaly, it can be purchased easily as it is a Category A weapon. It must be a Category C (and thus tightly restricted). We, the people of Australia, remember the victims of massacres at places Hoddle St, Monash University, Port Arthur and Martin Place. NEVER AGAIN. We urge people to stop the Adler shotgun and to support legislation in each state to achieve this. Right now, the NSW parliament has a Bill from Greens MP David Shoebridge called the Firearms Amendment (Lever Action Shotguns—Community Safety) Bill. We want you to support it, and to support any bill like it in other states of Australia. We urge everyone to support legislation to Carol Loughton BM Mother of Sarah Kate (deceased) murdered at Port Arthur 1996

The Spit is a vitally important community, tourism and environmental asset. It is a space for people to recreate and a break from the built urban density that is Surfers Paradise and Main Beach, leading to an environmentally significant recreational area defined by Marine Stadium, Doug Jennings Park and Federation Walk. It is vitally important to OPPOSE high rise development on The Spit for 10 main reasons: 1. one approval means the floodgates are open - goodbye low rise Mariners Cove, goodbye low rise Sheraton and watch EVERY other development go upwards - think of the money in this upwards land grab for developers and the losses it poses to the amenity of the Spit and Broadwater surrounds; 2. the GC Local Area Plan Map 26.3 (LAP), which is a product of community consultation and GCCC urban design planning, shows 3 storey height limits for the southern Spit area; 3. developer proposals to flout the LAP plan reflect greed alone; enabling high rise development dramatically increases their return upon investment, regardless of the community, local infrastructure and environmental impacts; 4. all developers who purchased southern Spit lands KNEW when they did so that height limits apply; 5. the community has consistently opposed increasing height levels for decades based upon a range of important issues and this is reflected in the outcomes of the Vision 2020 process; 6. height limits reflect the desire to frame the Broadwater appropriately: it is a precious community and environmental resource and surrounding it with high rises (once Southport became a high rise prime development area (PDA)) disregards its significance as well as increases pressures such as density, traffic, environmental and infrastructure footprint and the like; 7. height limits reflect the fact that traffic density in the area is already significant and increasing population in the area is just not practical; in particular, the traffic within Main Beach and to The Spit every weekend illustrates this fact; 8. importantly, the southern Spit accommodation represents a differentiated tourism product for the Gold Coast which MUST be protected. That is, it is high end, exclusive and expensive accommodation zone which caters for those who do not want a high rise experience. Yes, Justin Beiber stayed in Surfers - but U2 and Bruce Springsteen did not - they stayed at Versace and the Sheraton respectively. Why? Because a low rise, on the beach/ Broadwater experience is something to savour even for billionaires - and our tourism entities should be protecting that, not allowing it to be destroyed; 9. developers are free to construct high rises throughout the western side of the Broadwater in the Southport PD area; at present the hospital site remains open for development- Sunland are free to tender to construct their plans there which will of course yield all of the employment benefits they claim for their project; and 10. finally, we all know that one high rise means every developer will push for high rises from one end to the other of The Spit. GCCC propose draft amendments to the Town Plan (2015) which will facilitate high rise development on The Spit - see zone map 27 Southport (http://cityplan.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/pages/plan/viewerpdf.aspx?vid=10117) . We must protect this precious tourism, community and environmental asset from private exploitation - no matter what our political representatives say or do.

As a student at UWA the proposed cuts to Arts Majors is a great cause of concern. I believe that my university should pride itself on creating graduates who have an understanding of global issues and have received a broad education, rather than being an institution that just focusses on what will earn them the most money in the short term. Decisions like this not only affect students currently enrolled in the Gender Studies, European Studies, and Medieval & Early Modern Studies Majors, but all students at UWA as I believe this decision greatly harms the integrity of the university. No figures have been provided as to why these majors aren't financially viable, and it's unclear why it is them who have been continually under attack, rather than the university carrying out a proper Faculty-wide review. Having done units from these majors in the past I can testify to their high quality and the passion of the lecturers and tutors. The fact that the majors haven't been well promoted in the past, especially as they have been continually under attack, is the root cause of any under-enrolment. If the university truly valued these areas of study the best solution would be to promote them more widely to incoming students, rather than cut them all together. UWA has the only Medieval and Early Modern Studies and European Studies Majors in the state and Gender Studies is extremely important as a study of the current and past oppressions of women. These majors all have an important place at UWA, especially as a university that claims to produce 'global citizens'. In the interests of preserving UWA's reputation as an institution that values a broad range of areas and puts the education of its students as its number one priority I urge the Faculty of Arts to reverse its decision.

"You wouldn't treat a dog like that" - Mark Fitzpatrick, CEO St Vincent de Paul Society On any given night in Australia, 1 in 200 people are homeless. Shelters are chronically underfunded and overcrowded, and cannot give the support they were designed to provide. Unbelievably, the people responsible for this deliberate water drenching system work for a government department. What kind of example are they setting for society? They have a duty to care for those on the margins of society. Instead, they're driving them further away from refuge and care. Those sleeping rough aren't making a lifestyle choice; they have no other options. They're at risk of physical assault, sexual abuse, deprivation, and a range of hardships that those who have never slept on the streets can barely imagine. Driving these people away from a comparatively safe, sheltered place with an aggressive water system is inhumane. The people who were targeted are someone's child, father, sister or friend - they deserve our compassion. Mr Ord, please end this appalling assault on those who have nowhere else to go.

 Maryborough Historical Original Town Site is under threat of destruction as the FCRC wish to turn it into a new development site  Small businesses losing trade and closing their doors because of the relocation of the Maryborough Outdoor Markets  The foreshore of Hervey Bay has had its native vegetation removed causing erosion.  Disabled Parking Laws have been overruled by the Mayor instructing his Parking Officers to turn a blind eye to illegal disability parking.  New Road Works on Main street were not carried out in accordance with the provision of Disability parking Bays in accordance with Australian Standards AS2890.6  Road way into the Airport now classified as a council car park which affects the availability of Blue Disability Parking Permit holders rights.  The Mayor wants to close off the Esplanade to motor vehicles forcing tourists and visitors to park in the back streets then walk to the beach.  150 year old Fig Trees that form a canopy over the Esplanade are under threat.  Other vegetation along the Esplanade has been removed and destroyed in order to please the Business owners of apartments, hotels and other eateries to enhance their customer’s views of the bay  No current Shoreline Erosion Management Plan  No Foreshore Master Plan  FCRC has granted $10 Million to a sporting complex until 2017 yet sporting clubs are being bullied /forced to move from current location.  FCRC has neglected the rate payers maintenance needs in local parks and lake areas in order to spend the money on areas frequented by tourists.  FCRC wasting money on already existing parks that don’t need anything done to them whilst other communities require them urgently.  FCRC wasting money by repairing a rock wall three times and still is not constructed properly.  FCRC has closed meetings on the Monday before the Public Meeting on the Wednesday and most decisions have already been made  FCRC will not listen to the residents / rate payers - our protests and objections fall on deaf ears.  FCRC intends to relocate the Pialba Memorial Hall and Pialba Railway station which are a great part of Hervey Bays Heritage. Both Buildings are listed on the Local Heritage and Asbestos Registar  FCRC approves upgrades to roads that have been attended to within twelve month period.  This Council appears to look after the Business sector of town and has plans of turning Hervey Bay into another Gold or Sunshine Coast.  FCRC granted approval to their Business Buddies to make improvement to their eateries built on public owned Council land on the foreshores without any proper consultation with the rate payers, one business owner has now applied to extend his eatery from the beach out through parkland to the Esplanade and convert his business now into three separate identities, begs to ask the question as to what the mayor and his boys club are getting in order to pass this building application.....a free cup of coffee....I think Not...!!  People have moved from Interstate and big cities to escape to a sea change they don’t want what the FCRC are pushing for.  People are selling and moving because of the high Council & Water Rates ,the increasing crime rate and the increasing ongoing high unemployment rates.

On any given day, there are at least 1,550 Australians waiting for a transplant, many of whom are children. Of the 150,000 Australians who die each year, less than 400 will donate solid organs, leaving at least 1,100 people still waiting for an organ transplant. It is estimated that just under 1% of people that die in hospitals can potentially be an organ donor – that's approximately 75,000 potential organ and tissue donors per year. Spain, the country with the world's highest rate of organ donation, has an opt-out system in place. An opt-out system would not mean that all hospital deaths were automatically considered an organ or tissue donor. What it does mean is that everyone is considered a possible donor unless they, or their immediate family, remove them from the register. An opt-out system is just one step towards saving lives, but it's an important one. Let's make this change now – for the 1,550 people waiting for a lifesaving organ donation, there's no time to waste.