I never thought I would be one to start an online petition, but here we are. As reported on Channel 7 News on 3/7/19, the NBN Co is wanting to implement a "Netflix Tax" whereby the ISPs (Telstra, Optus, etc) would start charging customers extra for video streaming data. This is WRONG for many reasons. Firstly, I believe in a free and open internet, this would stop that. Not only would customers lose out by having to pay more money for the content that they already consume, it would be a real spit in the face to all of the people who currently have unlimited data plans. This would also effect the smaller ISPs more as companies like Telstra and Optus could say that they won't charge extra for the services they own/have partnerships with, which would limit competition, limit customer choice and prevent any new start ups from being able to gain traction. Why should Telstra charge you extra for watching YouTube or Netflix as opposed to their own service? It is all 1s and 0s between the servers and your computer, so why does it matter? And they will tell you it's because of the amount of data not the type of data that is the reason, but in reality, you could use far more data in less time doing other activities such as downloading or gaming. Which brings me to my second point: it won't only be the video data that will get taxed. After video, it will probably be online gaming, then it will be downloading games/video/music, then it will be music streaming and then it will be social media, it won't stop, at the end of the day, it is all about money to them. It's not about improving customer experience, it's solely about how much more money they can get out of the customer.

I have now taken over this petition as a last request from my sister before she died, I hope I can do her proud by her petition bringing about this change.  This is her campaign per the story that she has written here:  I was in hospital in pain and would’ve done anything to distract me from that pain and loneliness - but Telstra charge patients $13.50 a day for patients to access free to air channels. Not only is this a rip off, it’s robbing vulnerable patients of much needed money which they need to spend on their health. Telstra is only interested in lining their own pockets. They don't care about sick kids whose parents can’t afford this exploitative charge. I’m on a disability pension. Many elderly people around me were similar to me - we can’t afford to be ripped off by Telstra. Hospital was hell for me. I had stomach and bowel problems. In my ward of four, one patient pressed the buzzer every two seconds. She just wanted attention, something to take her mind off her pain and fear - but not at a cost that’d make her choose between a few free to air TV channels and essentials like food. An anorexic patient in my ward had a nurse watching her 24/7. She looked so stressed. She weighed 29k and couldn’t move. I spent my last few dollars on an expensive Telstra TV voucher for her. It made her so much happier. But I could only afford one day. The government should never have allowed this dodgy deal that allows Telstra screws patients. The least they could do now is scrap the unethical profit making. Imagine how many sick and vulnerable people Telstra could help if they ended this disgusting greed, preying on the poor and sick to make the fat cats fatter.

The ongoing climate crisis threatens the world we all rely upon. Its catastrophic impacts are already being felt. With COP26 coming up in a matter of weeks it is imperative that we let our politicians know that they must change their ways. That's why we're calling for a minimum 50% reduction in emissions by 2030. You might have heard a lot about Australia reaching "net zero by 2050". What we already know is that target won't be enough. For us to prevent climate catastrophe, we also need a strong 2030 target. The overwhelming majority of us are concerned about climate change. Conservative or progressive, urban or rural, Australians of all ages want to see real action on climate change.  If we continue living as we are today, by 2100 the global temperature could rise an average of 3 to 4.4 degrees Celsius or higher. Upwards of one million species of flora and fauna could be driven to extinction, with much of Humanity dying right alongside them. By mid-century, three to five billion people across the globe could be subjected to regular water shortages brought on by ecological disasters. By 2080, several hundred million could be displaced.  All of these horrors and many more are highly avoidable. We have all the technology we need to prevent global temperatures from rising above 2 degrees Celsius. The solutions that are available to us are as numerous as the problems themselves and all of them should be utilized. We just need to make those in power listen to the people they supposedly serve. Tell Scott Morrison and his government that Australia is not happy, tell him that this change is coming with or without him. 79% of the country's top Economists back clean energy, a stark contrast to the divided opinion they put forward in 2019. It is a sign that the times are changing and it would be best for everyone if Australia isn't left behind. Tell the Federal Government, the banks, and other big businesses to commit to a target of at least halving Australia's emissions by 2030, through the innumerable economically and ecologically beneficial options that are readily available to us. Tell them they need to step up and come forward with a proper plan to reduce emissions by 2030, not empty words and worthless Fossil-Fuel driven initiatives. Please, sign and share this petition and demand #50by2030Au

I’m sitting in the hospital with my fiancé. We just got out of the ambulance. He tipped a hay truck on the farm. He laid there for who knows how long. He couldn’t reach for the radio to let anyone know where he was. But he had his phone in his back pocket. Do you think that helped him? No. There was no phone service. Not even to make an EMERGENCY phone call. We are only about 20 minutes from the nearest town. While the cities are getting 5G, we don’t even have enough service to make an emergency call. So he laid there. He laid there in horrific pain and thankfully his boss found him. So what if his boss was at one of the other properties? What if he was away? Why is it there’s more priority speeding up download speeds in the city when my fiancé cannot even make a phone call to get help? Accidents HAPPEN. They are bound to happen. Especially on farms. Every farmer you meet can tell you the dangers. So politicians, Telstra, anyone, I ask you to give us phone towers in rural areas. It’s not a luxury. It’s a necessity. Because I hate to say it, but there will be a horrific accident, and because someone cannot make 1 single, simple phone call there will be blood on your hands. If it wasn’t for Jon being found in time today, it could be a lot different. Time is of the essence in these situations. I ask everyone to care. Because ultimately we all know someone who lives on the land, works on the land or it could even be you passing through and experience not having any phone service. But you should also care because everyone has the right to have their loved one go to work, and to know that if something was to happen they can call for help. Everyone should be able to go to work and feel assured that if something was to happen, they can call for help. Nobody should ever have to face losing a loved one ever. But especially close the Christmas. We are organising our engagement party for next week. Imagine losing someone so close to the important events because they couldn’t get help? It nearly happened. It’s scary how easily it could have happened. I hate to be the person badgering the politicians. But hell, someone has got to. I love my fiancé, friends and family too much to do nothing. I’m not having someone die because they couldn’t do something everyone should be able to do in 2019- make a phone call.

5G networks are something we do not want in our country. The information on them  has been very scarce and people need to be well informed.  "Research shows that 5G millimeter wave radiation will make people sick, especially unborn children, young children, pregnant women, and individuals with chronic illness. The predicted adverse health effects include cancer, infertility, cataracts, headaches, neurological malfunction, cardiac irregularities, and insomnia, in much higher numbers and potency than that being experienced as a result of 4G by electro-hyper-sensitive people today. With as much as 10 percent of the population now showing signs of EHS to WiFi/wireless radiation, and cancer now affecting 1 out of every 2 people, we cannot afford to allow the telecom industry and our government to push 5G on us without our permission, and in spite of documented health hazards to humans, animals, birds and wildlife. The World Health Organizations International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified radiofrequency electromagnetic fields as a Group 2B carcinogen based on an increased risk for glioma, a malignant type of brain cancer associated with wireless phone use. Dr. Olle Johansson, neuroscientist at the Karolinska Institute (which awards the Nobel Prize for Physiology and Medicine), has stated that the proof of harm from radiofrequency electromagnetic fields is overwhelming and that children should never be allowed to be victims of a WHO-classified possible carcinogen. Dr. Ronald Powell, a Harvard-trained physicist, is also concerned about the potential for widespread harm from EMF radiation, particularly 5G. Brain and central nervous system tumors are the second most common cancers in children, making up about 26 percent of childhood cancers. Do we want to increase the risk of cancer in children by forcing them to be exposed to one of its known causes? In Idaho, we still have a chance to put a halt to 5G by spreading the word, contacting our legislators, and letting them be aware of statewide opposition." Health Freedom This type of technology kills ALL BIOLOGICALS. That means animals, trees and US!

This month NBN Co will ask telcos if they think their customers would pay more on their internet bills for streaming services.  The media is calling this ‘The Netflix Tax’. Tell your telco NO!!  Make sure we are not paying any more than we have to for an internet service that was never designed to cope with the increasing needs of internet users Australia wide!

NBN is looking at allowing internet providers to increase the price charged for streaming Netflix, Stan and etc... To pump up their own revenue and take more of our money.  Help us stop this injustice! This should not be a decision at all and left to companies that look at increasing their own revenue every year. This is a disgusting abuse of power. At a time that people are already paying more for fuel, electricity and all other services than we ever have before. Data used on the internet is data. We use it for reading, studying, streaming, several other reasons and this should make no difference. https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.smh.com.au/business/companies/nbn-floats-surcharge-for-netflix-style-video-streaming-20190702-p523ej.html    

Telstra why is it your policy to exterminate bees that seek refuge in your pits when there are so many beekeepers available to save bees?Telstra please change your policy. “Hello Bee lovers . I have just had my neighbour report a bee nest in a Telstra pit out the front of his place . I spoke to the Telstra man and he said a bee person was coming out. So who pulls up but pest control and sprays them with toxic spray. That also has blown over to my densely bee loving plants . I am #furious that they did not try and at least relocate them . Is there anything I can do I am heart broken.” Regards Jenni   Please sign so Telstra change their policy and cease exterminating bees.  

I object to all 5G upgrades in the Byron Shire and call for a moratorium on the roll-out of 5G across the entire Northern Rivers region, for the following reasons:  1. The 5G roll out is a breach of the mandatory obligation to apply the precautionary principle when deploying mobile phone radiocommunications infrastructure (Clause 4 Mobile Phone Base Station Deployment Code). 2. There are thousands of peer-reviewed scientific studies evidencing harm from radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (RF EMR) well below the standards set by ARPANSA. 3. The ARPANSA Standard has been strongly criticised by independent scientists worldwide as unscientific and inadequate for the protection of human safety. Authorities in other countries have adopted standards ten to 100 times more rigorous than the ARPANSA Standard. 4. More than 250 scientists have signed the International EMF Scientist Appeal, which calls for stronger exposure limits.  These scientists have published more than 2000 peer-reviewed papers on EMF in professional journals and arguably constitute the majority of experts on the effects of non-ionizing radiation. 5. No long-term prospective studies have been completed proving the safety of RF EMR levels under the ARPANSA Standard for children.  6. In 2011, the International Agency on Research on Cancer (IARC) listed non-ionising radiofrequency radiation from cell phones and other wireless devices in Group 2B: Possibly carcinogenic to humans. 7. A number of leading scientists have since argued that the evidence that wireless is carcinogenic has increased and IARC should upgrade the listing to Group 2A: probably carcinogenic to humans or Group 1: carcinogenic to humans classification. 8. The views of ICNIRP (on whose guidelines the ARPANSA Standard is based) and ARPANSA are not in line with the opinions of the larger, independent scientific community that has published peer-reviewed research on the biological effects of RF EMR.  ICNIRP is not independent of industry and has had numerous conflicts of interest identified over the years. 9. 5G would massively increase our exposure to RF EMR with a new array of densely populated “small” cell transmitters making this hazardous exposure inescapable 24/7.  10. There are no independent long-term studies demonstrating the safety of prolonged exposure to the millimetre frequencies (from 26 GHz up to 86+ GHz) intended to be used for 5G in the future.  11. Scientific literature on the health risks of 5G frequencies identifies detrimental skin and ocular effects and profound effects on all biological systems including cells, bacteria, yeast, animals and humans, including heart rate variability, teratogenicity, bacterial growth alterations with antibiotic resistance. 12. Internationally, hundreds of scientists and medical doctors have called for a moratorium on the roll-out of 5G until potential hazards for human health and the environment have been fully evaluated (e.g. International EMF Scientist Appeal and the 5G Appeal).  Such moratoria have been implemented overseas (e.g. in Brussels, Geneva and Glastonbury). 13. ARPANSA has acknowledged that further research on the frequencies to be used with 5G is needed: Both the RSC (2014) and SCENIHR (2015) reviews identified that the dosimetry in the 6 GHz to 300 GHz range is still developing and further research is required to examine the effects of exposure to new and emerging technologies. The SCENIHR review in particular mentioned that “considering the expected increase in use of THz technologies, more research focusing on the effects on skin (long-term, low-level exposure) and cornea (high intensity, short-term exposure) is recommended. 14. 5G millimetre waves involve vastly more pulsation than the 3G and 4G microwaves.  There is substantial scientific evidence that pulsed EMFs are usually much more biologically active than non-pulsed (or continuous wave) EMFs.  15. Upgrading the base station to 5G would add a layer of radiation exposure, on top of the already existing 3G and 4G infrastructure.  EME levels would continue to rise cumulatively as further carriers upgrade to 5G by installing more antennas.  They would rise even further in the second phase of 5G with the use of mmWaves requiring the dense deployment of small cells. 16. Multiple peer-reviewed studies have shown an increase in ill health effects in populations living near mobile phone base stations, ranging from neurological damage to breast and brain cancers. 17. A recent analysis by Vertiv found that the move to 5G would likely increase total network energy consumption by 150 to 170 per cent by 2026. 18. Professor Martin Pall (Emeritus of Biochemistry and Basic Medical Sciences, Washington State University) has warned that EMF exposures make plants much more flammable, and may therefore cause and contribute to bushfires.  With Australia facing record bush fire threat levels, there is an urgent need for more research into the bushfire risk 5G poses to rural (and even urban) Australia. 19. Many scientists have warned that flora and fauna – trees, birds, wildlife and insects are all under threat of harm (or worse) from microwave radiation from 5G.  Widespread harm to flora and fauna (especially bees) would have dire repercussions for us all.  20. There are growing privacy and security concerns about the Internet of Things, with increasing invasions of smart home devices by hackers.  21. Mobile phone base stations, in general, cause a significant loss of scenic amenity to residents. 22. Based upon historical trends, mobile phone base stations adversely affect the value and saleability of nearby properties. 23. Wired communications are more resilient to storm, flood, fire and more energy efficient than wireless networks. 24. Cumulative, simultaneous exposure of people to RF EMR from all sources (ie towers, small cells, WiFi, Smart City infrastructure, smart street lighting and IoT devices) is not regulated.

Telstra Bedside is a service which exploits patients by forcing them to pay (approximately $13.75 a day) to watch free to air television whilst in their hospital bed. My partner’s mother is currently suffering from AML (Acute Myeloid Leukemia) and was previously diagnosed with stage 4 lymphoma. She has been in and out of hospitals constantly and has been unwillingly made to pay this fee in order to be slightly distracted from her pain and current recovery. Often patients in the public health system who are on a pension can’t afford their medical bills, let alone be forced to pay to watch television whilst they recover. We have witnessed countless other patients suffering various terminal illnesses or recovering from surgery who have nothing to do but lie in bed and look at the ceiling. We find it absolutely disgusting that Australia’s largest telecommunications provider is forcing some of the most vulnerable people who are recovering or facing terminal illnesses to pay for a service which is free for every household in Australia, free to air television. In a place where distraction from a patients current situation is so imperative, Telstra is making a comparatively minuscule amount of revenue by giving patients no option but to pay to watch television. The service has been installed in the following hospitals throughout South Australia: Flinders Medical CentreLyell McEwin HospitalModbury HospitalMount Gambier District Health ServiceNoarlunga Health ServicePort Augusta HospitalPort Pirie HospitalRepatriation General HospitalRoyal Adelaide HospitalThe Queen Elizabeth HospitalWhyalla Hospital and Health ServiceWomen's and Children's Hospital We’re calling on SA Health and Telstra to come together, stop pointing the finger at one another and show some human compassion towards people who need it most. Give the option for patients in South Australia to watch free to air channels free of charge, just like everyone else.