Close Schools/Colleges/Universities down for an appropriate amount of time amidst COVID19.We would like the government to at least consider closing schools/colleges/universities down in the coming weeks or as soon as possible, in addition to taking necessary actions to prevent further spread.More detailsWe would like the Government or Parliament to enforce this action due to the growing fear among parents and students that attend school. The ability to focus or concentrate is affected in addition to the growing fears of the Corona-virus. In our view, the government and health officials around the world are more "reactive" rather than "proactive". This will result in more spread as time is given for the virus to do so. We hope to come to an agreement as soon as possible in a timely manner.

I’m a Catholic Priest and 8 years ago a man called Wayne Ruks was bashed to death in my Maryborough churchyard (300kms north of Brisbane). Unbelievably, his killer's convictions were downgraded to manslaughter, and in the trial the circumstances surrounding the bashing referred to  issues that can be described as “gay panic.”  It’s disgusting - this law, under the common law interpretation of the partial defence of Provocation, is still valid in both QLD and South Australia. In these two Australian states, if someone who you think is gay makes a pass at you, the sheer panic you could feel is partial justification for murder. I’ve made it my mission to see this revolting law abolished - it belongs in the dark ages. I have no words to describe how offensive, harmful and dangerous it is that two of our governments uphold that a person can be panicked enough by gay people to justify murder. The common law can really be only over-ridden in this respect by explicit legal ammendments to the Code of Criminal law covering murder and the partial defence of Provocation. Gay panic will continue to be a part of the law of these states until expressly excluded.  I am also concerned that even when cases are not formally and specifically pleading the 'gay panic' defense, the mere bringing in of suggestions that the victim made a non-violent homosexual advance, (whether true or not), poisons the waters and taps into deep-seated homophobia and bigotry and ought not be brought up at all in any way in the hearing of a jury. The victim is not on trial here.    That’s why I am calling on the Queensland and South Australia to eliminate this "gay panic" law as a partial defence for murder. Please sign and share my petition.

The South Road upgrade threatens the destruction of Adelaide's historic prime mid sized venue Thebarton Theatre. This venue is the holy grail of music venues to Adelaide live music lovers. Many live music venues have been demolished over the years and we are saying "Hands Off Thebbie Theatre" . The destruction of this iconic landmark threatens the live music industry in this state. An upgrade to South Road is necessary, but other options exist which can save this great place. These include a proposed tunnel for South Road which would also save a 100 year old church which is also threatened.  The question needs to be asked - Steven Marshall Premier where will a band that wants to play to 2000 play now? Not all bands are suited to an outdoor venue. Local bands often support interstate and overseas acts when they tour. Thebarton Theatre also maintains a reasonable admission price for their concerts.  WE DO NOT SUPPORT THIS SHORT SIGHTED DECISION IN THE SO CALLED NAME OF PROGRESS! Photo sourced from https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Thebarton_Theatre.JPG#mw-jump-to-license Photo has not been altered in any way. Used in accordance with Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike 3.0 Unported licence https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en      

People who end up homeless do so for lots of different reasons, domestic violence, financial instability, mental health issues and many more reasons. Everyone needs a safe place to stay, regardless if they are escaping domestic violence or already living on the street. We demand that the Federal, State and territories and local councils immediately  use emergency powers to provide shelter from the emerging outbreak of coronavirus COVID-19 for those who are experiencing homelessness and are rough sleepers.Rough sleepers often have health issues which generally places an increased demand on hospital resources.As rough sleepers are exposed to the elements and community more than others who have a home they are at a higher risk of contracting the virus.Furthermore rough sleepers often transit to services for meals and amenities which can lead to an increased risk of spreading the virus through public transport etc.We demand that everyone who is a rough sleeper be given the option for a place to stay for at least the duration of the epidemic. It's essential that people remain close to where they usually stay as people can still be able to access their support services. Elderly and disabled rough sleepers can be given a hotel with room service and people who are able can be placed in a self managed dwelling.Motels, hotels and other dwellings can be utilised though emergency powers. The coronavirus is said to be more infectious in colder temperatures and as the weather starts heading to winter, we need to ensure people have a safe place to stay to minimise risks to health and keep the health system functional. It should also be noted that not all homeless people receive a welfare payment and those who do are often faced with a choice between overpriced accommodation or being able to purchase food and other essential items.As such we believe the government has the power to provide tax breaks and saving on costs through bulk purchasing and can provide accommodation for free or heavily subsidised rates so those who do get payments can continue to stimulate the retail economy with the little money they have. Visible homeless in the city areas is only a small fraction of the overall homeless population, people live in parks in urban and rural areas, there are people living in cars, the response must not be about moving people out of the city so it's someone else's problem, everyone everywhere needs to be considered as part of our community response to this medical crisis. Please act on this petition before the system becomes overwhelmed.

Many dog owners would like to catch public transport with their pets. However, in almost all cities and regional areas within Australia, they are unable to do so. Changing laws to allow dog owners to travel with their pets would be of benefit to all dog owners, but of particular assistance to those who cannot drive, for example, people with disabilities and the elderly. Pooches are allowed on public transport in cities across the world, including Paris, Washington and New York. A "certification program" would allow dogs to travel on public transport provided they are given a "good boy" tick of approval for behaviour and socialisation standards. I am calling on all governments in Australia to change their laws so that dog owners can travel on public transport with their dogs. The "face" of this campaign is "Peter", a well-behaved, beautiful border-collie who would love to travel on trains and buses with his owner Patricia, the founder of this campaign. Some references: https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/ease-restrictions-on-pets-riding-on-sydney-public-transport-to-reduce-car-use-20171031-gzc38p.html https://junkee.com/dogs-sydney-public-transport/133468 https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2018/apr/12/sydney-car-crisis-dogs-trains-public-transport https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-12-11/why-we-should-be-able-to-bring-dogs-on-public-transport/9246020 https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/politics/queensland/hundreds-call-for-pets-to-be-let-on-brisbane-buses-trains-and-ferries-20190219-p50yqb.html https://www.change.org/p/transport-nsw-allow-pets-on-sydney-public-transport-in-off-peak https://sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/news/2017/11/02/is-australia-barking-mad-to-restrict-dogs-from-riding-on-public-.html https://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/daily-transport/pets-on-public-transport/

We cannot stand for women - or anyone - to be left for dead in our streets and in our homes. We are a better country than that. It’s devastating that the only options Australia has for people at risk is that they be incarcerated, institutionalised - where they could encounter further abuse - or left to become homeless.  They might be employed, in relationships or abandoned. Couch surfing, living in a car or caravan, rooming, in a shelter, squatting, boarding or rough sleeping - it’s all being homeless. Many women are just paychecks away from being forced to sleep outside a home, loving or otherwise. If they are disabled, living with a mental or physical illness, living in a remote location, have dependent children, are Indigenous or culturally and/or linguistically diverse, the negative odds skyrocket.  Our welfare agencies do the best they can. But they are underfunded and understaffed. We are a wealthy country full of kind and generous people. There is no need for this to continue. We can make change. We cannot stand for women - or anyone - to be left for dead in our streets and in our homes.  We are a better country than that.

Daniel is my brother. He has had three negative COVID-19 tests as well as his first dose of Pfizer vaccination. Yet, he is not allowed quarantine exemption to come see our mum who is terminally ill and currently being cared for by the good doctors and nurses at the Royal Adelaide Hospital. Daniel is Mums first born, and is currently stuck in hotel quarantine in Brisbane. Daniel has applied to the current Liberal South Australian Government and Health Department for a transfer to Adelaide so that he be allowed to complete his quarantine in Adelaide and visit mum via a sterile corridor for one hour per day.  The current Liberal South Australian Government and SA Health have denied Daniel this right, not once, but three times.  The Queensland government has approved Daniel leaving quarantine, and even Angel Flights have offered to bring Daniel to Adelaide as a sole passenger on a chartered flight. Apparently even this does not constitute effective risk mitigation.  The Liberal SA Government and SA health know that my mum is terminal. That alone is reason enough to allow Daniels freedom of passage to see his mother.  What they fail to recognise is that Mum is suffering from the most aggressive kind of brain tumour one can have. The risk of fatal complication at any time is scary enough, but the longer that Daniel is denied access to his mother, the more deficit to cognition his mum experiences. Our step sister used the EXACT same documentation in her exemption application and was approved to travel from a hot spot in NSW to Adelaide just today.  This is no arbitrary matter. Our elected officials are to protect and represent the people; not hide behind or transfer power to bureaucrats at their discretion. It is the inalienable Human Right of everyone that: - No one be subjected to arbitrary interference with his family; - The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State.  - No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile - has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state My brother is desperate to spend time with mum as he knows her, and she him.  He is desperate to spend time with his mum while he still can.  Please Steven Marshal and Nicola Spurrier, allow Daniel to back to his home state to see his mother BEFORE ITS TOO LATE. 

We are owners of a unit in the strata apartment Mascot Towers, Sydney which we mortgaged in 2009. After hearing previously on the news about Opal Towers we thought it would not happen to us, yet here we are! Believe me the building industry problems coming to the surface are just the tip of the iceberg as evident in news of the apartments in Zetland, Erskineville, Alexandria and so on. Confidence needs to be restored in the home building industry so that all can have long-term security and benefits.  Therefore, it has become clear that State and Federal governments need  to drastically review and overhaul the way buildings we call our homes are designed, approved, built, certified for occupation, insured, financed, and managed in Australia. It is criminal that Corporations Law allows limited liability companies to be used by unscrupulous players at all levels of the building industry to profit from the misfortune of others, that is the home owner. Conflicts of interest are rife in the industry at all levels including the support structures that are supposed to help the end user, us the home buyer and owner. It affects everyday Australians whether you are an individual home owner that has had a house built off-the-plan or a strata unit owner who either bought off-the-plan or bought into an existing strata building. Pouring your life savings into your home is considered a fulfilment of the 'Australian Dream' and yet the business structures and processes around one of our single most expensive purchases and assets is riddled with a cancer that needs to be excised sooner rather than later. Please sign the petition and distribute it widely so that we can pressure our Governments to take action and save the future for our children and not just for those greedy banks, developers, builders, sub-contractors, insurance companies, and strata and building management companies where self-interest permeates at every level.  

Two years ago, I fought a long, unnecessary legal battle to keep my then five year old, mildly autistic son in Australia. He was denied temporary residence because people with disabilities are considered a burden on Australian society. I’m calling on the government to change migration laws so people with disabilities are treated fairly. A temporary resident can’t even access services under Medicare, yet my son was denied his visa on grounds that he’ll be a burden on the health system. This is pure discrimination against people with disabilities. Nobody should be forced to leave the country or denied entry because of their health situation or disability. I work as a nurse in Adelaide. Throughout the pandemic, I served as a frontline worker in an aged care centre. I consider Australia as my home and want to do everything I can to serve the society. But I’m heartbroken by the way Australia has treated my son. I am forced to live separately from my wife and child because of the cruel laws that discriminate against people like my son. He’s completely independent in his daily activities and has good verbal communication but this shouldn’t determine whether or not he’s good enough to live in Australia. It’s been hard on us as a family to live apart from each other. I hope to apply for a permanent residency for all of us again soon. I want the discriminatory law to change before that because nobody deserves to be treated this way. Please sign and share the petition calling on the government to reform Australia’s migration health laws.

Dear Decision-Makers and Leaders of Australia, I am personally writing this from the perspective of a concerned Citizen, Medical Practitioner, Pharmacist, small business owner and Father of three young children, including one who is school aged. As a topic of widespread interest, from discussions and information with my fellow medical and pharmacy colleagues, the impact of Covid-19 is accelerating at an exponential pace. The news of our hard-hit colleagues in Italy and Europe has given us a chance to act immediately on the very precious extra time that we have to prevent following a similar trend and to learn from their experience. This will allow our health systems to better cope with the expected rise in cases, and save many lives in the process. We would urge an acceleration immediately to Stage 2 and 3 of your relative Pandemic plans, for example - Targeted and Peak Action to contain the spread. There will be significant economic implications and we do recognise the difficulty of balancing the timing of such a decision. The problem now is that we are very quickly running out of time. To save lives we strongly recommend the following actions immediately to Flatten the Curve: 1. Highlight and Strongly Encourage Social Distancing 2. Accelerate to Phase 2/3 of Plans 3. Close and/or minimise Attendance at Public Gathering Places - i.e. Schools and Universities, Workplaces