Petition Tag - welfare

Do you know what federal politicians and cabinet members actually earn every year?

Here is a breakdown:

• Congress members (Representatives and Senators): $174,000;

• Senate and House Majority/Minority Leaders: $193,400;

• Cabinet members: $199,700;

• Speaker of the House: $223,500;

• Vice President: $230,700;

• President: $400,000.

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PROTECT THE ACCESS TO RECREATIONAL K-9 SPACES

On May 30th, 1997, we purchased a kennel with acquired rights to offer boarding and grooming services to domestic animals. Back then, we had no neighbours.

At the time, the City of Vaudreuil-Dorion had provided in their by-law a protection barrier of 528 feet (160 metres) between kennels and neighbouring houses. In 2003, a building permit was issued for a house which is now within that barrier at 428 feet (129 metres).

On August 29th, 2012, the City of Vaudreuil-Dorion has registered a request before the Superior Court to ask a judge to order us to dismantle all of our outdoor dog enclosures because by using them as part of our daily activities to let the dogs out, we are contravening to the article 1.6.5.1 of their by-law 1275 which stipulates: "all animals must be kept inside a building that was meant to house them"

By asking us to keep the dogs inside 24 hours a day, the City is forcing us to commit an animal cruelty infraction punishable under the P-42 Act witch was put in place in June 2012 by the M.A.P.A.Q, a higher government entity.

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Ontario works is supposed to help women get back on their feet. It isn't! women are going on this welfare system and never getting off. They see it as free money. They keep having more kids and acting like they don't know who the daddy is. They are taking up spots in the day care system and still not working.

We should have something in the system to stop this. There should be a limited time frame for the people to be on it. Not a forever program. I believe one year is more than enough time. If you have more kids while you are on welfare you get cut off. We can not keep paying for people to sit at home and take advantage of this system. Most have males living with them.

Ontario works doesn't do home visits anymore to insure that the people are not lying. Large groups are using their money for drugs and alcohol not spending it on the children and housing. if a person on the welfare system can afford monthly car payments and insurance something is wrong. As a tax payer I am getting upset that we allow this to continue.

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Mothers are the primary carers everywhere in the world. Caring for children, sick, disabled and elderly people is work vital to society.

Carers are impoverished. Income Support is being abolished. Child Benefit, society’s commitment to children, is no longer universal. Carer’s Allowance is insultingly low and most carers don’t even qualify. 200,000 care workers are denied the minimum wage.

When mothers are impoverished, children suffer: hunger, ill-health, and more often taken into care.

Mothers are told they are ‘workless’ and that earning is more important than caring. They are pushed into jobs regardless of hours, pay or childcare provision. The right to have children is being challenged.

Mothers are forced into unpaid work to ‘earn’ their benefits (‘workfare’). ‘Workfare’ bypasses the minimum wage, driving down all wages, especially women’s, and undermining pay equity.

Having to fit caring around jobs results in overwork, exhaustion and ill-health. Grandparents must often leave retirement to help.

Employed mothers (or fathers) who take time off to care for children or relatives, lose pay, promotion and future pension.

When caring work is devalued, people, relationships and life itself are devalued. The result is inequity and social neglect, but also environmental destruction and war.

Demanding time and resources for caring aims to redirect economic and social policies towards people and the planet, and away from the uncaring market.

For Petition background: http://globalwomenstrike.net/content/background-petition-invest-a-caring-society-a-living-wage-mothers-and-other-carers

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My mother Connie Cox who has had a heart attack, and triple bypass surgery, high blood pressure, and a heart disease has been denied social security disability three times. But people who can get out here and work daily and doesn't really need it get it.

My mother can not work, and there is alot of people who knows how bad her condition is and how it effects her. Why is this that the ones who need it has to fight so hard and the ones who don't get it first try? I know people and hear of people everyday who get benefits and work under the table while receiving benefits. Just doesn't seem fair. I know my mothers condition keeps her from being able to work. It even limits her daily life activities. She has been turned down again just this month the reason was not enough medical history. She can not go to the doctor she needs to and have the tests she needs because she has no health insurance or a job because of her condition.

If they would give her social security disability she can have medical coverage and go to the specialist and heart doctors like she needs to. She goes to the clinic to get her medicines she has to have. She has had to go to the er and has all of that history on there, but specialist won't take you without insurance and that is not enough. So how is she supposed to get the medical history she requires to get social security disability? I just don't understand what they want her to do. And battling this has put alot of emotional strain on her as well as the health issues she deals with daily. If you know my mom you know she is not in the health to work. This happens to often to people who deserve to receive benefits they can not get.

Please take the time to read this and hear our concerns.

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"GOVERNMENTS BEDROOM TAX, AND BENEFIT CUTS."

Many thousands of you will be looking at lower benefits from April, Some people are having to contemplate the prospect of feeding their Family, or keeping them warm, this is no exaggeration, but a small glimpse of true life hardship, something unknown by the rich boys who run our country, those who would inflict such pain and hardship on the Financially lower classes, even the hard working will not escape these cuts, they are also in line to join in the suffering, from all kinds of benefit cuts, and whats next, as this is only the beginning of this terror campaign.

Is anybody safe from these bullying, oppressive, Home destroying Conservatives? Who now thinks that David Cameron and his henchmen are striving for the all talked about, One Nation, Hard Working, Strong Families, and Serving Others / Society.

THIS IS IT:

1 The one Nation -- Has never been so fragmented,
2 Hard working -- Hard work to find :Employment,
3 Strong Families -- He is trying to separate them all,
4 Serving others -- maybe he should lead by example.

STAND AS ONE, GET THINGS DONE.

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Rabbit Runaway Orphanage (RRO) is a non-profit organisation and operates as an incorporated association. It is a public charity, run by a committee under Australian Law, with membership and a small dedicated group of volunteers. It is Victoria's first and only dedicated No Kill Pet Rabbit Sanctuary.

RRO receives no government funding and is reliant soley on donations and fundraising. It is an entity that belongs to all people that care about the welfare of pet rabbits. They are unique as Bunny orphans come to RRO as ‘overflows’ from other animal shelters.

RRO aims to provide care for sick, unwanted, stray, or mistreated rabbits and facilitate appropriate short-term care, medical treatment, rehabilitation treatment, long-term re-homing solutions, educate the public on rabbit ownership and care, prevent unnecessary euthanasia of rabbits and discourage the cruelty inflicted upon rabbits.

We (the volunteers and supporters) want to get Judi and Bryce Inglis on the Ellen show when she comes to Australia in March. We want them to have the opportunity to be exposed to a wider audience, tell their story and help educate on pet rabbits.

http://www.rabbitrunaway.org.au
http://www.rabbitrun.com.au/

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A MINISTER'S answer that she could live on the dole has been marked as "inaudible" in the official transcript from her office, despite the crystal-clear video.

From today parents will move from the parenting payment to Newstart in what federal Families Minister Jenny Macklin says is aimed at getting people back to work. About 84,000 single parents will be affected.

Rebekah Devlin of The Punch wrote on 18 OCT 2012:

"A few weeks ago I spent a week living on the dole for a feature story. I had just $150 to spend on groceries, public transport, electricity bills, mobile phone, medications, photocopying of my resume and an outfit to wear to job interviews. I had no car, no internet, no computer, no food from my pantry, no private health insurance, and no Foxtel. I had always thought the dole payment was rather generous. After all, how do all those surfies survive on it? But the current level of Newstart allowance is so grossly inadequate I was shocked.

Newstart is $246.30 per week, plus a rent assistance of $60.50 per week is available, but you have to pay at least $134.36 in rent to be eligible. I couldn’t find accommodation for less than $150. The poverty line in Australia is $474.20 a week, almost $170 more than the dole. We’ve all said “Get a job”, but it ain’t that easy.

For the long-term unemployed, you may as well be asking them to fly to the moon. How do you get experience if every employer wants you to have it BEFORE they give you a job? I went shop to shop handing out my resume. Do you have any idea how humiliating it is asking a 17-year-old at a counter if they have any work? Then her telling you they only want juniors? I’m too old at 35, what a joke. The Centrelink offices are truly depressing - you feel the hopelessness as soon as you walk in the door. People are down-rodden, beaten. Some people dress up to show they don’t really belong, others gave up that charade years ago.

What hopes did they once have for their lives? Will they ever be able to break free from the cycle of poverty? Some were made redundant and haven’t been able to find work. Others had to leave their jobs for many reasons - illness, abusive bosses, inflexible work hours. Some were sacked for no apparent reason.

The Newstart allowance is not enough to lead any kind of a quality life. You are merely existing, rather than living. Life was grey, there was no colour, no joy. I couldn’t even buy a block of chocolate or hire a DVD as a treat.

Welfare groups have called for an increase of $50 a week. It is a meal at a nice restaurant for most of us, but to someone on the dole, it is extra medications, the ability to pay their electricity bill, a visit to a specialist.

A single pensioner got a rise of $17.10 per fortnight on September 20 because it is indexed differently to Newstart, which is done against CPI. Which means dole payments rose by a pathetic $2.90 a fortnight last month - $14.20 less than what pensioners received. Pensioners get $356 a week plus a supplement of $30.30, which means they get $396.30, almost $100 more than those on Newstart with the full rent assistance. How is that even remotely fair?
Are groceries cheaper just because you’re on the dole rather than the pension? In just a week on the dole I was lonely, bored and so dreadfully isolated. I cannot imagine living like that long-term.

We all know of people who happily exist on the dole with no desire to find work. But these people are the minority and policy decisions must not be based on the few who abuse the system.

There are good people out there who would love a job, and maybe if they weren’t so focused on merely surviving they might just have more time and inclination to look for a job and undertake training. After all, it’s hard to look for work when you can’t see beyond your next meal."

http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Think-the-dole-is-generous-I-did-until-I-tried-living-on-it/

Cabinet Minister, Ms Macklin earns $6,321 a week, and claims she could live on the dole.

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We need an urgent repeal of the Welfare Reform Act 2012 that is causing the death (suicide) of many hundreds of your subjects.

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We are shocked and concerned at the recommendations of the Tower Hamlets Third Sector Grants Programme Board to reduce the level of annual funding to the borough’s main advice service providers by 50 to 75%, at a time when this borough’s poorest and most disadvantaged residents are facing a welfare reform programme that will affect thousands of families and individuals.

The following agencies are all members of the Tower Hamlets Community Advice Network and all have a strong track record of delivering accessible, quality assured social welfare advice to the diverse communities across the borough:
Island Advice Centre, Chinese Association of Tower Hamlets, Legal Advice Centre, St Hilda’s East Community Centre, St Peter’s Community and Advice Centre, Tower Hamlets Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB), Praxis, OSCA Somali Advice Consortium, Limehouse Project, Bangladeshi Youth Movement Wapping Bangladeshi Association, Account 3, Bromley by Bow Centre, South Bromley Forum, Toynbee Hall and Tower Hamlets Law Centre.

The effect of these cuts will be drastic reductions in services borough-wide at a time of rising need, while some of the busiest and longest-standing advice agencies in the borough face closure.

The agencies listed above all currently receive funding from council mainstream grants to deliver co-ordinated social welfare advice provision across the borough that ensures residents have access to independent advice services 5 days a week.

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Tower Hamlets Planning Committee was initiated by Tower Hamlets trade unionists, local Hands Off Our Public Services (HOOPS) group and local activists to help build the TUC demonstration in London on 20 October.

We seek to involve as many local people as possible in the fight against a Government that wants ordinary people to pay for the crisis.

We have organised a Rally on Thursday 11th October from 6.30pm at the London Muslim Centre, Whitechapel Road E1 1JQ with speakers from Child Poverty Action Group, Disabled People Against Cuts and Tower Hamlets Mayor.

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On the 27th May 2012 a member of the public found two 5mth old male wolfhound x puppies tied with electrical cable off Glenlyon Road in Gladstone.

The dogs were severely emaciated, had sustained significant trauma to the head by a sharp object which had cut to the bone, one dog sustained stab wounds to the stomach - they were left here to die.

The body of a third dog was found in the area the next day. A 51yr old local man pleaded guilty to the crime due to public pressure and will face court in June.

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SCALLEY’S STORY

Hi I’m Excalibur and this is my mummy doing this for me. A few years ago my mum couldn’t look after me properly due to her health. So rather than watch me get unhealthy etc my mum made a hard decision to let me go to a foster mum to look after me.

My mum and the lady made a contract where when the lady didn’t want me I was to come back to my mum and also my mum is still to be my legal owner and keep paperwork except passport which was given to lady as passport has to be with the horse by law. The contract was like a loan out.

The lady was supposed to keep in contact and send regular updates which she did then the lady stopped contacting mum about year ago and mum didn’t know where I was. As mum couldn’t get in contact with lady and got no reply off her or any of her family, mum sent lots adverts on facebook, lost and missing or stolen sites and any other sites searching for me .Everyone was trying to find me. Then mum got a message on her facebook from an old friend of the foster lady saying i was in a sanctuary in Norfolk. Mum was so happy she got a lead and she rung round all the sanctuaries and finally found me in HILLSIDE ANIMAL SANCTUARY. Mum was overjoyed.

She arranged a visit to make sure it was me and has been to see me several times. What mum didn’t know and when she found out she was very shocked was that I’d been in the sanctuary for over 2 years. The foster lady had lied to mum when she said I was fine and at hers still. What upset and DISTGUSTED mum alot more is that I have a microchip with mums name on it. The sanctuary didn’t even scan me and they took me in WITHOUT a passport which if any of us public did we’d get arrested and fined for it. The worst thing is I’m stuck in the sanctuary because even though my mum is my legal owner, the founder and owner of HILLSIDE ANIMAL SANCTUARY, WENDY VALENTINE has refused twice now to give me back to my mum and hasn’t given a reason why.

Mum thinks this is hypocritical as if a member of public did this they would have to give the animal back to its real owner and even if they paid out for any vets, food, etc they won’t get compensated or receive very little. My mum is fighting for me all the way as it breaks her heart being so close and yet so far.

Mum’s other concern is if they haven’t scanned me and checked my details, how many other stolen or missing animals have they got and all it takes is to scan or check details and check any missing animals databases to make sure the animal they have received isn’t stolen etc and make a phone call to reunite all those other poor people and their missing babies. So please sign the petition to help gain a change in laws and also feel free to contact Hillside Animal Sanctuary on 01603 736200 and ask them, especially Wendy, why my mum can’t have me home where I belong and also to check if any of your missing pets are actually with the sanctuary or any other sanctuary for that matter as it seems I’m not the only one with this sort of problem and it is a problem up and down the country hence the petition.

(PLEASE DO NOT WITHDRAW ANY DONATIONS OR SUPPORT FROM SANCTAUIRES ETC AS IT IS NOT THE ANIMAL’S FAULT)

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The cost of textbooks required to pass tertiary courses has become increasingly unaffordable for the majority of students, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Two Thirds of students surveyed say there was an inadequate supply of textbooks available in their university library, which made it effectively compulsory for students to purchase them in order to pass their courses. -(NUS 2010 Education Quality Survey).
Providing equal opportunity to access core course materials for all students, regardless of their economic background, is essential for any university seeking to increase results and retention rates, which are goals held by La Trobe University.

The importance of access to these resources is of even more importance at universities like La Trobe, which actively target lower socio-economic areas as part of their strategy to increase enrolments.

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I am making this petition as it came to my attention that at the Grand Nationals 2012, two horses were sadly killed. Both horses were put down for having broken bones, and i do not think that this is acceptable.

I would also like to add that during the Grand Nationals 2011 five horses lost their lives.

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Did you know that before and after the European tourist season, governments clean the streets from cats and dogs in, for example: Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain and Turkey?

Many animals are poisoned and die a very painful death, others are beaten to death, or hanged and strangled. Many are hit by cars and left to die.

Some end up in horrible captivity where life is frightening and tormenting, and many die of disease or starvation. Enclosures in these countries are hot in summer and cold in winter. The animals die from heat stroke or freeze to death. The country and the business sector does not want that these animals disturb the good impression of their country and affect tourism negatively.

None of these countries have made efforts to curb the stray animal population by neutering campaigns, or information about neutering to the public. Instead, these countries chose to poison or otherwise get rid of their abandoned, unwanted companion animals. Never or rarely do they punish someone for abuse or murder of animals. These countries are making a strict difference between an animal with an owner and an abandoned animal. In these countries, an abandoned animal can be treated as badly as you like and in many eyes they are seen as unwanted debris that disrupts the community.

Some of these countries still enjoy the torture of bulls during bullfights and have a variety of traditions in which animals are involved and tormented. In all these countries, dogs are used for hunting. These dogs are treated very badly and starvation to death is common between the hunting seasons. They are often killed or abandoned after a bad game.

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Historical Overview to raise funds to re-open the Youth Life Skills Training Centre

A collaborative outreach programme between Magistrate Hennie Strydom of the Germiston Child Court, Social Welfare and the Germiston business district of Gauteng occurred, begun in 1985, with the following aims:

• to remove the underprivileged and / or abused youth from the streets
• orientate such youth to a more normal, home-like environment
• give youth instruction in life-skills and –orientation
• rehabilitate youth, utilising natural elements and extra murals
• give youth practical work skills and training for potential future employment
• instil a sense of self-worth and moral principles in the youth to enable them to become valued and productive members of their communities

Using positive re-enforcement methods, the training centre evolved into a full time commitment and an independent, semi- private institution with experienced staff and care givers to meet the challenges ahead.

Learners benefited from sponsor donations and service agreements. Skilled learners leaving the training centre were in demand by various industries due to their practical experience and training received, whilst still being monitored for an additional year by both business management and the training centre’s social welfare officers.

In 2010, with its associated social ills partly due to the FIFA World Cup event, the industry of crime and drugs became problematic for us. The penetrations of drugs into the training centre lead to some false allegations being made to divert attention from a problem amongst some of our learners. This was brought to the attention of the police and SANCA by ourselves. Their immediate intervention and assistance legally was sought by us.

SANCA (South African National Council for Alcohol & Drug dependence) complied with their legal requirement and in line with our requests.

However things went wrong because of several factors.

Due to the issue being emotive, and minimal to no investigation on the part of the South African Police Services being made, the false allegations of 3 learners, likely based on incitement, self-preservation and misinformation lead to the centre’s demise, with sponsor / donor funding coming to a complete standstill (as did the entire facility and training centre).

Now two years later, an acquittal on all charges has been received judicially.

Wrongs affecting the Centre, then current and prospective future learners, the Centre Principal and staff member/s need to be corrected, restitution sought and the training facility (Youth Life Skills Training Centre) re-opened.

Web Site Contact: ylstc.weebly.com

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illegal_immigration_to_the_United_States

http://www.westernjournalism.com/obama-gives-illegal-aliens-phones-for-votes/

http://www.usillegalaliens.com/impacts_of_illegal_immigration_economic_costs.html

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The Sumatran orangutan society, have been very successful in campaigning to get palm oil labeled in all products who use it. They have recently won their clear labels, not forests campaign and it is now compulsory for all food products containing palm oil to be labeled in Europe and the UK. However this does not cover all products...cosmetics are not included in this campaign but i believe they should be.

The palm oil industry is responsible for destroying thousands of acres of deforestation in other countries. Currently 300 football fields are destroyed in south east Asia every hour for palm oil. And it's not just the vegetation that is being affected! The animals that rely on the forest (such as orangutans) are affected, many orangutans have no place to go when the forest is destroyed. 20 years ago their were more than 300,000 Bornean orangutans in the wild, now their are less than 45,000 in the wild. Orangutans only give birth once in 6 - 10 years therefore it is hard for them to breed as much as they are dying out due to deforestation.

Please go to http://www.wspa.org.uk/wspaswork/orangutans/ for more information on orangutans.

But worst of all the industry does not even label palm oil! Most palm oil is labeled as vegetable oil, therefore many people are unaware that it is in their shopping products. This is taking away our freedom to know what exactly goes into our cosmetics, it takes away are choice of whether or not to use palm oil! This is wrong, they should label palm oil and deliberately point out if it is palm oil free!

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Today palm oil is used in lots of shopping products, some of which includes pears soap, pringles, most peanut butters, clover, ginsters, haribo, Good fellas pizza, warburtons and much more. Unfortunately I wouldn't be mentioning this if it didn't have such an affect on the environment.

The palm oil industry is responsible for destroying thousands of acres of deforestation in other countries. Currently 300 football fields are destroyed in south east Asia every hour for palm oil. And it's not just the vegetation that is being affected! The animals that rely on the forest (such as orangutans) are affected, many orangutans have no place to go when the forest is destroyed. 20 years ago their were more than 300,000 Bornean orangutans in the wild, now their are less than 45,000 in the wild. Orangutans only give birth once in 6 - 10 years therefore it is hard for them to breed as much as they are dying out due to deforestation.

Please go to http://www.wspa.org.uk/wspaswork/orangutans/ for more information on orangutans.

But worst of all the industry does not even label palm oil! Most palm oil is labeled as vegetable oil, therefore many people are unaware that it is in their food. This is taking away our freedom to know what exactly goes into our food, it takes away are choice of whether or not to eat palm oil! This is wrong, they should label palm oil and deliberately point out if it is palm oil free!

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Most Americans are aware that animals are abused and neglected daily. It is a saddening fact. There are many groups and organizations who aim to stop this cruelty to animals, such as the ASPCA. However, domestic animal abuse is not the only problem. There is another terribly depressing issue, which completely violates animal rights. Worse yet, our American government is doing very close to nothing to stop it. This is exactly why we, as citizens of the United States of America, must speak up and act out, in order to call on our government to fix these problems.

Overpopulation is a huge problem. Dogs and cats are overpopulated as is, yet greedy breeders and puppy mill owners get more and more each and every day, for the sole purpose of money. Although some puppy mills and breeders might actually care, many are careless when it comes to the wellbeing of the animals; they only want their money. As a result of this greed, numbers of euthanized animals are skyrocketing each year.

There are statistics now that in recent years, seven to eight million dogs and cats wound up in animal shelters. Of that ridiculously high number, three to four million were euthanized by the shelter due to overpopulation or disease. This is an absolutely outrageous HALF of the dogs and cats who go to a "shelter" annually and end up dead. All because said breeders and puppy mill owners continue to make more.

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The first increase in 15 years to people on income assistance in British Columbia was in 2007 in the amount of $50.00 per month, while the MLA's voted themselves a, reported, 28.78% increase that same year.

MLA's salaries are $101,859.00 per year with additional compensation of 50% of base salary if they hold a portfolio. The premier's salary is an additional $91,673.00 per year plus 50% of base for holding a portfolio, Total salary approximately $250,000.00 per year. increases have been received annually according to consumer price index with exception of 2010 and 2011, (source Provincial Comptroller).

With the electorate basically being their employer, when was the last time you could give yourself a raise?

With the recent world financial crisis people, dependent on legislated assistance are increasingly financially stressed to keep roofs over their heads or food on the table.

Current assistance for accommodation for housing for a single person is $375 per month; living allowance $235 per month. This is unreasonable and long overdue for review to reflect actual costs.

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The UK Disabled Community needs to send a clear and unequivocal message in one unified voice to call on the Coalition Government to see us all as equal members of society and not treat us as a tool to steal our disability benefits and services to bail out the Country in this time of Financial Crisis.

Can we set a precedence to get 1 million signatures so that the Coalition Government will have no option but to take note of us and not just ignore or deflect our arguments & comments and to stop building this climate of hate against disabled people.

Please leave a question for your Local MP to pose to the Coalition Government, which we will add to the Petition when we deliver it to No.10.

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A significant number of Lifeline Harbour to Hawkesbury’s face-to-face counselling and support services are at risk of closure due to Lifeline’s own crisis struggle for financial viability and sustainability. Wendy Carver, Lifeline Harbour to Hawkesbury’s CEO, said “It would be an absolute tragedy if any of Lifeline’s services ceased to operate and stopped being able to provide support to people in need in our own local community.”

Lifeline has therefore reached out to Hornsby Council for assistance. Lifeline’s hope is that Hornsby Council will be able to provide them with a Council owned retail property at a subsidised rent which will assure financial survival of their multiple counselling and community services from revenue raised through the selling of high quality second hand clothing, books, brick a brac and furniture. This will ensure residents of Hornsby and Ku-ring-gai are able to continue to receive the support they deserve and need.

For over 40 years Lifeline Harbour to Hawkesbury, based at Gordon, has been providing a wide range of counselling and community service to residents of the North side of Sydney with some services having between 40-50% of clients residing in the Hornsby and Ku-ring-gai Municipalities.

For more information on our services visit our website http://www.lifeline-h2h.org.au/

Please support Lifeline Harbour to Hawkesbury by signing this petition.

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There are still many cosmetics companies and pharmaceutical companies testing products on helpless, defenceless animals this is totally inhumane especially when there are many others ways this can be done.

Please back our campaign to BAN this for good.

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At present, there is compulsory quarantine for all pets entering Australia, from 1 month to 6 months depending on where the animal is coming from. There are also some countries from which animals must complete 6 months quarantine in another country before being allowed to do some quarantine in Australia.

Apart from the fact that quarantine is exorbitantly expensive it is also considered inhumane in many countries, particularly when pets are coming from countries that do not have rabies or vaccination rules that are equally stringent to Australia.

Europe introduced the PETS program which allows pets from most countries in Europe and a large number or non European countries (including Australia) to move freely around Continental Europe and the UK without any quarantine.

Animals face an extremely long and stressful flight from other countries to Australia and are then expected to stay in a concrete floored barred cell for at least one month rather than experiencing the comfort of being with their families. It is true that families are allowed to visit their pets, but quarantine places are usually in distant locations with their permitted visiting hours usually only during working hours, when presumably pet owners will be at work.

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Beginning in July, a new Pharmacy Services Agreement will come into effect and loyalty programs will be allowed but only on the portion of the prescription paid for by the patient. Details as follows:

On July 7, 2010, the Province of BC concluded an agreement (the Pharmacy Services Agreement) with the BC Pharmacy Association and the Canadian Association of Chain Drug Stores. This agreement sets out significant changes to the Pharmacy Participation Agreement that defines the Province’s relationship with pharmacies that submit claims to the PharmaCare program.

In recognition of these changes, the Province developed the PharmaCare Enrolment Agreement to replace existing Pharmacy Participation Agreements.

The Agreement disallows pharmacies from offering inducements to secure prescription orders, or in relation to the provision of a drug, medical supply, or service on the portion of the cost of that drug, supply or service paid for or reimbursed by the Province through PharmaCare.

The Agreement defines “inducement” as: “consideration including, but not limited to, cash, points, loyalty points, coupons, discounts, goods, rewards and similar schemes which can be redeemed for a gift or other benefit.”

Inducements to secure prescription orders were previously prohibited under the former Pharmacy Participation Agreement that defined the Province’s relationship with pharmacies that submit claims to the PharmaCare program. The Pharmacy Participation Agreement stated: “No goods or considerations beyond those approved in negotiations between the Government of British Columbia and the British Columbia Pharmacy Association shall be offered by any party to any other party as an inducement to secure prescription orders.” Notwithstanding this prohibition, pharmacies introduced various forms of inducement programs.

In response to correspondence and complaints from pharmacies and the public, the Minister of Health directed the Pharmaceutical Services Division to take action to ensure pharmacies abide by the terms set out in the Pharmacy Participation Agreement.

Under the terms of the Agreement, effective July 4, 2011, loyalty programs will be restricted to the portion of the prescription cost that is borne by the patient.

The Province’s interest is in the inequity that government funded benefits are being provided to patients and not being made available to other taxpayers, and more specifically the perception that this is occurring (i.e., government paying for a large proportion of a patient’s drug costs and the patient accumulating loyalty points as a result and receiving a free gift).

Facebook Group - We are all British Columbians - if the BC Government cannot help us let us help each other - please join to share your story http://www.facebook.com/groups/224146337610345?ap=1

The folks at Occupy Vancouver are working together creating a fair system of sharing the wealth. Please join us at The Vancouver Art Gallery.

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Scottish Power has revealed that it intends to implement a 19% increase in the price of gas and a 10% rise in the price of electricity, this is on the back of an increases in November 2010.

These increases are likely to be mirrored by the other big 6 energy suppliers in the UK. The most disturbing factor about these rises is that it comes on the back of record profits post by the likes of British gas who raked in £742million in 2010 which translates to a whopping 24 per cent rise helped by a price hike of 7% at the start of the coldest winter for decades, to make matters worse this rise occurred just weeks after a half yearly report showed that profits had double for like for like sales.

British gas is not the only company within the energy sector announce record profits with Npower also posting a 9% increase in profits after issuing an average 5% rises in both gas and electricity prices with Scottish power posting a massive £1.2 billion.

These prices are way above the rate of inflation and while Scottish power is the only energy supplier to have yet to announce its intention to increase prices which will take effect in august 2011, I think it’s a fair assessment that the others will follow suit as they seem to be one big cartel, while they may not share profits with each other, they do aid each other in the creation of profits by posting price hikes across the board. For example now that Scottish power has announced its intention to increase its price for 2011 it opens the door for further increases in prices albeit at varying levels. The ability to shop around does not guarantee a fair price; it only offers you the ability to choose how far over the odds you are willing to pay.

It is my opinion that the energy sector is in every way as important as the health and defence sectors of this country and without which none of us could survive and neither would we stand by and see them privatised. The Nationalisation of the energy sector would help to safe guard the future of the United Kingdom.

It is not beyond the realms of realism to believe that a nationalised energy sector could work effectively and with the knowledge that any profits posted will be returned back into the system to help improve the standard of living within the UK.

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The Unemployment Benefits in Australia do not do what they are designed to do. There are many*, many** examples of "Dole Bludgers" exploiting the system to get themselves more money to spend on irresponsible, unhealthy personal ventures.

And then there are the numerous individuals who genuinely need the assistance, but increasing prices of living are starting to make this impossible.

There is also the problem of youth choosing to not get a job simply because the dole is a better option financially.***

The solutions may be one and the same: A healthy dole program. If there was a way for the unemployed to have access to the healthy eating proportions that the government tries to encourage, then we would be less likely to have an unemployed population that is obese and wasteful. It would also serve to deter those who wish to live 'the good life' on the dole, as they will be getting what they are recommended and nothing more.

Of course, the program would also need to account for other costs of living like transport and housing, but with a free public transport (including taxis) account and a direct debit for rent/mortgage to the government, this could combat every problem we have with the current system.

* http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/money/money-matters/dole-bludgers-exploiting-weak-welfare-system-job-agency-campbell-page-says/story-fn300aev-1225896852646

** http://www.7perth.com.au/view/today-tonight-articles/dole-bludgers/

*** http://7pmproject.com.au/dole-wages-apprentice.htm

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Vicious Mutilation of Family Cat



Our family pet cat was recently found dead and mutilated with many of his body parts missing.

The post-mortem that followed could not determine a cause of death since vital body and organ identifiers had been removed. However, the examination did prove that the mutilation was deliberate and that further, several parts were removed post mortem.

On notifying the authorities of this atrocity; we have been informed that the police cannot pursue any sort of investigation as a criminal offence has apparently not taken place under the jurisdiction Greater Manchester Police force. The explanation given for the lack of police intervention is that interference with our cat’s body occurred after his death.

The purpose of this petition therefore, is to close the gap in the law that relates to the act of purposeful mutilation and theft of body parts from the carcass of family pets regardless as to the original cause of death.

We understand that in certain areas such an act is found to be criminal and is thus covered by the Criminal Damage Act, 1971. Justification of this stance is given to the fact that; within the law a domestic animal is and should be viewed, as the absolute property of its owner.

Why can there not be a consistent course of action for animal cruelty offences, before and after death, pursued throughout every police force in England?

To be considered further is the proven link between the mutilation of animals by individuals and their tendency to progress onto further, more violent crimes. We believe that there has to be a deterrent within the law against this type of behaviour and to protect our communities.

Clearly, at this time, the law is not in our favour and as such, we would petition for action to be taken to enforce criminal damage suits against proven offenders and that moreover, the police are permitted to investigate such barbarous acts of crime against family pets and indeed all animals with a serious intent to prosecute offenders.

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