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Petition Tag - australia
1. Julia Gillard, Legalise same sex marriage 
Can you believe that in 2013 we don’t allow same-sex couples to get married? It happens in countries all around the world. Not just where’d you expect like Holland and Sweden. But places like Spain and South Africa. It makes Australia look a little behind.
As president Obama said when referring to the American people "Its time that our brothers and sisters of this nation are all treated equally"
It's time to show Australian parliament that the majority of Australians want to legalise same-sex marriage.
2. Safe the lives of unprotected children
I am hoping to find support to help my children, and myself being able to start a new life in Australia. We have been here 8 months having moved from the UK where we were subjected to arson attacks and stalking/ harassment, and the police would not protect us, despite witnesses etc.
In the end we were accused of 'doing this ourselves' and the police tried to get the children taken out of a loving family and put into care? All they need is to feel safe, and since being in Australia, they have, and don't want to go back, as they are scared of the 'child catchers' (social services) as they heard the lies being told! We don't want to live off the state, we want a new life, and to achieve our goals. My baby, born a month ago, here in Canberra, has the only chance of a life without violence, and we need help please?
3. Support 10c deposits across Australia for plastic bottles and cans
Millions of plastic bottles and cans get wasted every year. What is plastic?
A plastic material is any of a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic solids that are moldable. Plastics are typically organic polymers of high molecular mass, but they often contain other substances. They are usually synthetic, most commonly derived from petrochemicals, but many are partially natural.
Remember, plastic doesn't fade over the years. It's forever stuck on Earth unless it's recycled.
Australia offers only one 10c deposit location in Australia and that's in South Australia. I am creating this petition to change this, to change the world and most importantly CHANGE AUSTRALIA.
We need to create more deposit centres to save our world.
Publicity in the Batemans Bay Post and on ABC radio has helped raise some community awareness but we need now to raise the level of our voices if we are going to have any chance of turning off this catchment logging madness.
At this stage logging is planned to commence in Wandera compartments 575 and 576 in about two weeks.
This is despite there having been; no formal advice to residents neighbouring 575 & 576 or the other planned compartments 568, 569 and 570, no meaningful consultation over plans with residents (one might have thought that communication would be one of FCNSW strong points!), no approved Harvest Plans or maps, no adequate advice in the form required by the Integrated Forests Operation Approval (IFOA) which details the operating requirements for logging, no advice of the final haulage route for the timber..... (for the initial work FCNSW has said they will not use Araluen Road), no acceptance of arguments pointing out;the danger to the catchment, or the lack of any environmental, economic, social or community benefits of the logging, no acceptance of the view that if the demand for hardwood is low, the need to intensively log the catchment needs to be reviewed.
5. WWE Universe Australia want free-to-air Raw and Smackdown
We, The Australian WWE Universe, have been forced to pay for subscription TV for too long to watch WWE Raw and WWE Smackdown. We want our beloved shows on FREE to Air TV as not only will it benefit us but it will give the WWE a lot more exposure down under and increase the overall Australian Fanbase.
We currently have "WWE The Experience" which is nothing but a highlight show on the Free To Air" Channel ONE. However maybe they will consider picking up Raw and Smackdown.
6. Pet theft in Australia - Tougher penalties to deter
To introduce a Pet Theft Law.
We want stronger and tougher pet theft legislation to increase the punishment to those involved in the theft of a dog, cat, rabbit, reptile, ferret, bird or horse.
We want pets and horses to be legally regarded as living members of the family and not as objects or property.
We want to see pet theft punishment set somewhere between kidnapping and the theft of property or an object. The personal value of a pet is much higher than its saleable value and the law needs to reflect this.
We want a mandatory prison sentence punishment for anyone who steals pets with the purpose of extracting a ransom, or seeking reward for the safe return of those animals, or with the intention of harming it or with the intention of not returning it to its rightful owner.
We want police and courts to have tougher and stronger powers and to prioritise the theft of pets over the theft of objects.
Shock Australia (who distribute Razor & Tie, HIM's new label) have confirmed that Razor & Tie have NO intention of distributing HIM in Australia, so all music purchases will have to be online.
They have also added that they do NOT intend on supporting an Australian tour of HIM. iTunes Australia have said that they will not have Tears On Tape available for digital download.
8. Bring PonyCON AU to Adelaide!
If Sydney get a change then why can't us Adelaideans?
PonyCON AU will feature all kinds of cool My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic merchandise, chats with fellow Bronies or Pegasisters and even numerous amounts of concerts!
Read below for the full description of the PonyCON AU.
"Saddle up for PonyCon AU, Australia's first convention for the popular franchise My Little Pony! Ponycon AU will run over the weekend, and will give bronies and families alike the opportunity to get cool merchandise, talk to notable fans who have involved themselves with the show, and dance to fan-made music during our evening concert."
~Ticketek
9. Enact Freedom of Speech in Australia
Australia does not have explicit freedom of speech in any constitutional or statutory declaration of rights, with the exception of political speech which is protected from criminal prosecution at common law.
The Australian people want and need Free Speech. The Prime Minister needs to call a referendum to have this changed.
10. Basic Human Right to Work to be ratified by Parliament immediately for Community Detainees
Refugees arriving by boat in Australia who are released into Community Detention are forced to live for several years upon charity. According to international conventions, every person has the right to work: The Right to Work is Protected by:
Articles 23 and 24 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Articles 6,7,8, and10 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights
Articles 8 and 22 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
Article 5 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
Article 11 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
The basic right to work is stripped from asylum seekers in detention centres and in Community Detention, along with their dignity and self esteem.
The cost to the Australian public via Charitable and Governmental organisations is not justifiable when many of these detainees arrive with skills and a strong desire to finance their own and their families' existence here. The effect of forced unemployment on their mental health increases the health bill for their care while torturously awaiting the governments decision to grant a visa or exile them into probable danger.
Australians should be aware of this breach of human rights by our Government, and assist change by voicing their concerns.
11. Vans Warped Tour Perth 2013!
This year it was announced that Vans Warped Tour would be returning to Australia and will not be coming to Perth. As we get Soundwave and completely sell out tickets for Perth Soundwave I see no reason for us to miss out on another popular festival with similar music.
"Soundwave boss AJ Maddah will team up with Warped founder Kevin Lyman to bring the festival back to Australia and has confirmed that the tour will travel to Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and a couple of regional centers on the east coast. Perth will not be on the schedule."( - http://www.fasterlouder.com.au ) This is ridiculous. As the manager of Soundwave he should see Perth as a potential market and we need to show him we want the festival as much as the festival wants us.
The festival came to Australia for the first time in 1998 and never came to Perth either. Its time for a change! Grab your keyboards and lets show the Perth music scene isn't as weak as they perceive.
Human lives are terminated before birth every day.
Babies have a right to be born.
What if YOU were aborted?
This petition is about saving lives.
13. Increasing political representation in Australia
Australian people, in some comparisons with other developed, democratic nations, are underrepresented in the House of Representatives.
For a population exceeding 23 million, there are only 150 seats in that chamber of Parliament. On average there is a representative for every 153,000 people. New Zealand has a single chamber in its Parliament of 120 members; for a population one-fifth that of ours, it has only 20% fewer seats and 20% fewer representatives of its people, but this works out as one representative per 37,500.
Canada has a population greater than our own (45% greater) and its lower house, its House of Commons, has a representative total of 308 seats, more than double our own lower house (one representative per 117,000). The United Kingdom has a population of 63 million, almost three times our own, but its House of Commons has over four times the number of ours (650). This equates to one representative per 97,000 people. The Netherlands has a population around 20% smaller than ours, but the same number of representatives in its lower house (111,000 represented by one person).
The number of members in Australia’s House of Representatives has been adjusted over time to account for population increase, but the last time this was done was almost 15 years ago, the population was almost 19 million. Since then, there are only two additional representatives, but 4 million additional people to represent. Rather than increase the number gradually every decade, the number should be increased to 225 to allow for future population changes.
14. Amend Immigration Skilled Occupation List
Recently the Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship has altered its list of acceptable Skilled Occupations (SOL) to not include any Occupations falling under the category of "Musician". This change makes potential migrants applying for any General Skilled Migration Visa not possible.
One such potential migrant is Brian Wroten who came to Tasmania from the USA two years ago to study at the University of Tasmania where he earned a Master's Degree in 2012 and has been proven to be a consistently valuable member of Tasmania's music community.
We would not like to see Brian deported because of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship's lack of acknowledgement of people with his special level of qualification and value to the community of Hobart.
15. Support recreational cannabis use!
Cannabis has been outlawed for too long, for the wrong reasons.
Other countries around us have grown out of this prohibition, the failed drug war shows us this.
Please help us legalize this for recreational use.
Legendary band Tool have announced their first AUS/NZ headlining tour since 2002. But they have skipped the City of Perth to the dismay of many Tool fans living there.
Perth would easily be able to accomodate a Tool gig in the newly opened Perth Arena, and more than likely be able to sell all the tickets.
17. Bring TOOL to Perth on their Australian tour 2013!
Perth is sick of missing out on the talent that comes to australia.
18. Support the Year of Mental Health Awareness 2015
The Year of Mental Health Awareness will be a National initiative to raise awareness of mental health in our community, raise funds for mental health organisations in Australia and eradicate the negative stigma surrounding mental health and mental illness.
Mental health affects everyone! It is important mental health and mental illness is no longer a topic surrounded by a negative stigma and a taboo to speak about.
The year of mental health awareness will be the year to bring mental health out of the shadows and a topic of general discussion. We will raise awareness and funds for support services and research into various mental health facets, from learning difficulties, depression to dementia.
A proud initiative of United Youth Global - Hike for Happiness.
19. Citizen Initiated Referenda
Senator John Madigan, DLP Ballarat, will submit a motion to the Senate in early February to amend Section 128 of our Constitution to give all voters the right to INITIATE referendums.
20. Politicians should prove they can live on Centrelink Allowances
Politicians to Prove it is Possible to Live on Centrelink Payments.
We challenge all politicians, particularly Wayne Swann, Jenny Macklin and Julia Gillard to prove that it is possible to live on Newstart, Sole Parents, Disability or Old Age Pensions by living for an extended period of at least 3 months on these benefits.
Jenny Macklin has already stated she could do it, we now want her and her and the Australian Government to back their claims and prove it.
21. SAVE RAINBOW SERPENT FESTIVAL 2013
“THIS IS THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE”
We understand the decision not to grant the POPE permit was due solely to concerns for the safety of all who gather for the festival. We as a community understand the concerns and the need for the Shire Council and Emergency Services to have strict guidelines, as we live in an extremely precarious and volatile area with potential Environmental hazards, particularly during the hottest and driest time of the year.
But we also believe that there are a number of factors that need to be carefully considered when making such a major decision with only 9 days remaining prior to the commencement of this annual event.
Rainbow Serpent Festival is the home thousands of people each year return to without fail, celebrating the past year and celebrating the coming year with old and new friends alike. The gathering has grown over its 15 years of existence, developing a framework where a cross cultural exchange between a wide spectrum of social demographics can occur.
Rainbow Serpent Festival generates a very significant amount of revenue for the surrounding local communities, as well as for the community that comes together to make Rainbow Serpent Festival one of the most highly regarded Music and Lifestyle Festivals in World.
Amongst the estimated 15,000 people who will come together for Rainbow Serpent Festival 2013 there is a large proportion of performers, musicians, artists, caterers, audio visual experts amongst a plethora of others who are reliant upon this gathering occurring each year for their financial livelihood.
It will be a complete travesty if an amicable resolution cannot be reached. Such an impasse will most likely signify the end of an important economic and cultural event.
WE THE PEOPLE LOVE AND ADORE OUR RAINBOW SERPENT FESTIVAL!
22. Post Study Work Visa (PSWV) Petition
The Post Study Work Visa will be unavailable to students who have applied for their first student visa before 5 November 2011.
On the other hand, the occupations list for the Graduate Work Stream will be much shorter from 1 January 2013.
As a result, many students will be unable to apply for either the PSWV or the Graduate Work Stream, simply because they have commenced studies prior to the cut off date.
Why should students who commenced studies earlier be punished, particularly if they have completed the course they have come to Australia to study?
23. Australia should celebrate 'National Fire Fighters Day'
National Fire Fighters Day required to celebrate, remember, acknowledge and appreciate our local heroes - Fire fighters, Emergency workers, Rescue Operation crews.
24. Support the lowering of restrictions on firearms in Australia while increasing background checks
Currently, there is a global focus on gun culture and its impact/relevance within our society.
This is especially true in America where politicians are trying to remove guns entirely from civilian possession (much like here in Australia) causing many civil rights movements to declare this as an attack on their 2nd Amendment Rights.
For the less informed, The Second Amendment protects an individual's right to possess a firearm, unconnected to service in a militia and to use that arm for traditionally lawful purposes such as self-defense within the home.
While Australia has no Bill of Rights or anything closely resembling the Second Amendment, that should not discount Australians as having no rights to personal protection.
An article in the Brisbane Times, dated October 24 2012, indicated that "The overall crime rate in Queensland increased by 6 per cent in the last financial year - the first significant rise in at least a decade." and that "The rate of armed robberies across the state jumped 12 per cent".
While crime had initially decreased it is evident that crime is indeed increasing again and that the expansion to law enforcement numbers is not working. In addition to this, response times for police assistance on urgent matters on average can total almost an hour on some occasions.
This cannot be deemed acceptable and we need to recognize that police cannot always make immediate response calls and therefore the public need to be able to safely equip themselves with suitable defense.
It is often argued that more guns are not the answer and to that I answer that neither is taking them away.
One way or another, ill-minded people manage to obtain weapons (whether it be guns, knifes, bottles, etc) and harm others. If you disarm a nation you leave the citizens totally unprepared and at the mercy of police response times.
What's worse, is that with weapons being nationally banned, any weapons obtained underground are harder to track back to an owner. Lengthening the investigation process by law enforcement. Why make police jobs harder than they already are?
History has also shown that government corruption can and has occurred before threatening the lives of many civilians. We cannot ignore history and we need to accept, despite how good things might be now, that the future can take a turn for the worse.
What I propose is that we loosen our ban on weapons and focus on performing background checks on those applying for licences in addition to giving psychological treatment to those ill-minded people.
We, as a nation, need to recognize that we are all entitled to safety and protection and we should not be judged as guilty before proven innocent.
25. Legalise fireworks in Australia
Fireworks are legal in both the USA and the UK, but are illegal here in Australia. The main reasons for the illegalisation of fireworks are because of injuries and frightened animals (and owners that care about nothing but their pets).
Animals (mainly dogs) that are affected by the fireworks shouldn't prevent the use of fireworks, as they generally lessen one's sleep much more than fireworks. Why should annoyed pets and owners ruin a tradition? Something that makes days like New Year's Eve special? Injuries caused by fireworks are not because of malfunctions or pure explosive force, but because of short fuses or bad design and lack of knowledge.
Because of the banning of fireworks, there are no laws regarding the design of the products. This greatly affects the safety of the fireworks as they're not designed for the average user, instead only for a pyrotechnician. Another thing worth noting is the lack of knowledge that some users may possess. Because nothing about fireworks is taught to the public, some people may not know how to use them properly, and the safety measures that they must take. This all leads to more injuries and deaths, and less freedom and fun.
Please legalise fireworks for a 'win-win' result.
26. Petition for the Australian government to start a space Program like NASA or the ESA
Australia is the only western developed country without a space program, If Australia had one the benefits would be overwhelming.
> Over 9000 jobs would be created.
> Our economy would grow stronger.
> Kids who always dreamt of wanting to be astronauts can be instead of becoming American citizens and joining Nasa which would cost thousands.
> We are in the perfect position here in Australia for one. Even NASA would back an Australian Space Program.
There is some Disadvantages to this but not many, as you can see a space program would add to our already booming economy and create tons of jobs.
27. ANIMAL CRUELTY MUST STOP NOW!
We demand HARSHER PENALTIES for ANIMAL CRUELTY worldwide!
When we protect our animals, we then are also protecting our society against violence. People who have been known to hurt animals move on to hurt human beings. Widening our circle of compassion to include the animals is not just for sentimental reasons. It makes perfect sense. Animals are connected to people. What happens to them happens to us.
28. Disband Australian Firearm Registries
Firearm registries have accomplished nothing but wasting Law abiding firearm owners' time and money.
Canada has disbanded their Registry as it didn't work!
Since Australia followed in Canada's footsteps to set up a registry we should shut ours down for the same reasons.
29. Release 'The Possession' and 'Silent Hill Revelation' to Australian Cinemas
The horror movie 'The Possession' made $69,899,892 worldwide yet that statistic alone isn't enough to convince the distributors to release to Australian cinemas. Apparently it is going straight to DVD.
Australia cinemas, particularly this year, have not given the Horror genre a fair go. There is an audience in Australia and going by comments on various forums and social media sites, people are none too pleased about movies like The Possession and possibly Silent Hill Revelation not being released to the cinemas in Australia.
Give horror movies a fair go in Australia.
30. Compass: offer alternatives
On Friday 21 September, a month ago, our canteen at the Utas Tasmania School of Art was closed without warning by Compass, the company that manages all commercial services for Utas.
They didn't offer any alternate sources for food and drink, relying instead on students paying for overpriced pies and seafood at fish punts for a month.
The staff at the Tasmania School of Art have made their voice heard that it's not acceptable, now it's time for students to do the same.