Currently, Bahruz Samadov is wrongly imprisoned in solitary confinement following a farce trial, suffering not just the inhumane conditions of the Azerbaijan prison, but the complete violation of his rights under both Azerbaijan state law and international declarations of the United Nations. This is one of many punishments, not acts of justice, done onto academic dissenters who criticised the actions of the Azerbaijan state. If this injustice is left unchallenged, not only will more attacks on academic freedom spread as a norm globally, but only more instability will follow in the critical region surrounding as Azerbaijan continues to prosecute not just those within its territories but those further abroad. Through silencing peace advocates like Samadov, there is no limit on how these types of attacks on academic freedom will grow and materialise inside of Azerbaijan and abroad. Australia should stand as a bastion for such freedoms of academics and human-rights defenders, as a country built on democratic values and cultures of acceptance.  We have a responsibility to stand in the way of the wrongful prosecution of individuals who stand for our shared values of human rights, freedom and education. 

Anstead, Moggill and Bellbowrie are welcoming more young families than ever. However, the infrastructure and facilities available aren't always suitable or convenient to cater to, not just young children, but the community around them. Anstead Reserve Park already has lovely BBQ areas and open spaces but is rarely utilised. Bringing in a beautiful, shaded, nature-based playground would create an inclusive community gathering point for all to enjoy.

For many families, the local pool isn't a luxury. It's one of the few affordable places children can exercise, play, learn vital water-safety skills and be part of their community. But under the current pricing: One parent + one child: $112.50/fortnight Adult membership + child 15-visit pass, swimming five days a week. Two parents + three children: $106/fortnight Unlimited access, seven days a week, for all five people. Two people, one of them a child, pay more than five and receive less access. That's not equitable family pricing. For solo and single parents, this matters. We don't pay half the rent, electricity, groceries or costs of raising children because there's only one adult. Those costs are often being met from one income instead of two. When organised sport and extracurricular activities are increasingly unaffordable, Council facilities should be part of the solution, not another place our children are priced out of. Parents shouldn't have to find a friend or relative to share a five-person membership just to afford regular swimming with their child. There's a broader equity issue too.  Significantly cheaper access is available through Fitness Passport, but primarily to people working for participating employers. Local small and medium businesses are excluded from this scheme, and often can't offer the benefits and incentives of large organisations; their employees working in small local business shouldn't miss out because of where they work. These are community facilities.  Affordable access shouldn't depend on your family structure, whether you're raising children on one income or two, or the size of your employer.

Melbourne is Victoria’s capital city. Its council elections should be fair, transparent and democratic. But right now, City of Melbourne elections are run under special rules that give some interests more voting power than ordinary residents.  Businesses and non-residential property owners can have voting power that ordinary residents do not, with up to two votes per entity. Residents can, and have been, outnumbered on the electoral roll. Campaign donations may not be revealed until after people have already voted. That is not good enough for the heart of Victoria. This is not about left or right. It is about a basic democratic principle: one vote should mean one vote. The City of Melbourne itself has called for a review of the electoral system. Now the community is backing that call. We call on the Victorian Government to act on its commitment, and for all parties contesting the next state election to also commit to an independent public review of the City of Melbourne Act and electoral system, with genuine community consultation and reforms in place before the next council election in 2028. The review should consider reforms that: ·          make voting power fair – no more double votes for non-residents;  ·          require campaign donations to be disclosed before people vote – a real time donations register;  ·         protect council decisions from conflicts of interest – ban donations from property developers and gambling interests. Melbourne should lead on democracy, not lag behind. One vote should mean one vote. Sign to fix Melbourne’s election rules

Sign this petition to help push this to our local council so we can gain traffic lights.  We wouldn’t have to spend 10 minutes waiting at an unregulated round about . 

Women’s and girls’ sport needs categories that are fair and meaningful at every level, not just at the elite level. Golf Australia has recognised that the physical advantages associated with male puberty can affect fairness in elite women’s competition, and its elite eligibility rules reflect that. Yet at club and grassroots level, different rules apply. That doesn’t make sense. A girl competing in a junior club competition may never become an elite golfer, but her competition still matters to her. She still trains, practises, competes and deserves the chance to succeed within a fair women’s or girls’ category. As a father of three daughters, this matters to me personally, but this petition is not about my family. It is about every woman and girl who participates in competitive golf. It is also not about excluding anyone from the sport. Golf should remain welcoming and inclusive, with opportunities for everyone to participate through social, mixed, open and other forms of competition. But inclusion and fairness do not have to be mutually exclusive. If Golf Australia believes certain eligibility standards are necessary to protect fairness in elite women’s golf, then women and girls competing at their local clubs deserve the same consideration. Fairness should not only matter once you reach the top.

Sport is important. But the safety and protection of women is infinitely more important.

Australia urgently requires an equivalent independent federal regulator to protect its citizens, secure national biosecurity, and restore trust in our food system. Help us push for legislation to establish a dedicated, independent National Food Fraud Regulator with the federal authority and funding to:  • Conduct mandatory, proactive random testing on imported and domestic food supplies. • Investigate and criminally prosecute companies, syndicated and individuals involved in food adulteration and labeling deception, including the sale of such items. • Coordinate a centralised national intelligence network to trace and eliminate food fraud across all states and territories.

Asquith is already experiencing significant residential growth on the west side of Asquith with the mass building of unit blocks up and down the highway, with still many more to be built. The east side is also experiencing growth with the recent changes to subdivisions and dual occupancy controls however does not have the same capacity or infrastructure as the west side to cope with such large scale developments. It is more suited to townhouses and dual occupancy growth. Council have refused the developer's DA on the basis of 21 separate objections. There were also 150 resident objections. The developer has appealed and the matter is now in the conciliation process. If a resolution is not reached it will go before the Land & Environment Court for hearing. The Sherbrook Road/Baldwin Avenue intersection is a very busy thoroughfare and with the continued growth of the area it will only get worse.  There are multiple development applications already approved for townhouses in the immediate vicinity that are yet to be constructed and there is a fear that if one high rise unit block is approved, new DAs will be lodged for more high rise unit blocks. If we don't stop this one, there could potentially be 5 to 6 highrises at this intersection. It is important that we stand together as a community to say no to overdevelopment and highrise on the east side and to protect the safety of our families, our neighbours and our friends from the impacts of such large scale developments.

Tax avoidance by wealthy corporations forces ordinary citizens and small businesses to shoulder a heavier burden. It undermines the integrity of our tax system and starves our public services of funding for healthcare, education, and infrastructure.

We the Grassroots communities people of Cape York want to look at the same opportunities that was given and supported to the 13 Tribes of East Arnham Land .. We want to set it up so that our people are elected from our own respective PBC’s unlike the Cape York Land Council they got elected from the 17 Communities residents.. I believe we’ve got more then 13 Tribal groups that is interested in the Cape York .. And this Petition is to demonstrate the integrity and interest of Traditional Owners to take charge and be our own voices to the State , Federal and all stakeholders that want to come into our homelands

 Given that Melbourne is home to one of Australia’s largest Bangladeshi communities, establishing a permanent diplomatic mission in the city would provide more accessible, efficient and timely consular services.