We’re so thankful for your support - and yet there is still more to do. Please, come with us.

Yesterday here in Australia we saw a national media campaign, #RightToKnow, highlighting the importance of transparency, a free press and whistleblower protections. Gerd is one of many who have had the courage to speak the truth publicly and are now facing severe consequences. See more on the #RightToKnow campaign here. 

It’s been amazing to see how widely the petition has been shared, reaching people in more than 40 countries. Your signatures and comments send a clear message to Murdoch University, other universities and public sector agencies: with public funding comes the right for the public to know how that money is spent. Transparency is essential to accountability.

They also send an important message to future whistleblowers: Speak up. Don’t be silenced. We support you.
The Age and the Sydney Morning Herald point out the importance of whistleblowers and what happens when they are intimidated. 

National and international public support continues to grow:

• Murdoch Uni students are holding a peaceful gathering on campus this Thursday
• More than 50 of Australia’s most distinguished and senior academics have written an open letter to Murdoch University
• 23 academics from across the globe issued a statement to the Guardian
• The Hon Alison Xamon MLC, an ex-Murdoch Senate member herself, made an impassioned speech in WA Parliament
• The Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations have highlighted what the university's legal expenses could have been spent on
• The Australian Institute of Physics have issued a statement of support
• Senator Mehreen Faruqi and many, many others across Australia have shown solidarity. Search #IStandWithGerd on Twitter for more and check out the NTEU photo gallery.

Please, keep it going!

There’s a reason the role of whistleblowers and journalists was highlighted yesterday. They are under continued attack, in Australia, the US and elsewhere.

Gerd still faces an extremely stressful legal process with a potentially life-changing outcome. And Murdoch University has yet to even acknowledge the recent public attention.

Please, make sure you keep spreading this petition as far as you can, including through your personal networks, university students, people in your industry, academia or public sector. Think about people you know who can speak up or have influence. Make sure they know about Gerd’s case - even if they don't know Gerd - that they know this is not an isolated issue, and why this is so important.

If you haven’t already, add a comment – we want to hear your view! And be sure to read some of the fantastic comments.
Scroll down the petition webpage, and just before you hit the grey banner at the bottom, and look for the heading “reasons for signing”.
If you click the first item "I'm signing because..." you can type your comment.
Underneath the two comments that are visible, you should see a horizontal button "View all reasons for signing". Click this, and when it expands, scroll down and click it again to get to a full page of comments.

Many people have also made a financial contribution, which of course is incredibly generous, and has helped us get this petition in front of many more people who care about these issues.
Currently there is no direct fundraising effort for Gerd (options are being discussed), so please be aware that any requests for you to “chip in” come from Change.org and not us. More information here. 
If a crowdfunding initiative does begin, we will be in touch.

Thank you again!

Tara and Kathleen (petition coordinators)