Your generous support this month has helped fight injustices across Australia. You’ve helped keep Change.org’s people powered platform free for those who need it most – everyday Australians who are voiceless, vulnerable and very determined.

These are some of the remarkable stories that your contribution each month has created. 

Life-saving victory!

This month, you saved Galy’s life. Not just that, but 25 other lives will be saved thanks to a dangerously long waiting list being cut for a life-saving cancer operation, following Galy’s petition.

Galy had a totally curable cancer, yet she was on death row. She would’ve died on the waiting list unless it was cut urgently. She was told to wait six months, by which time her surgeon said she’d be inoperable and terminally ill. Perhaps even dead. Galy didn’t stand for that.

Your contributions allowed us to work with Galy to have her story and petition covered in big media outlets: the Daily Telegraph. A Current Affair. Channel 7 News. The Sydney Morning Herald. Galy was growing more tired and in more pain by the day. We helped her tell her story in whatever way she could, to the people that mattered.

Mike Baird, NSW Premier, was her local member and she’d voted for him. Once she asked her 100,000 signers to help get the attention of the Premier and his Health Minister, Galy received a personal phone call from Mr Baird. She’ll be operated on before Christmas – as will 25 other patients who were facing death.

Read this piece Galy wrote for the Daily Telegraph to celebrate.

Other victories this month:

Police officers who take their own life whilst serving in the forces will now be recognised on the National Police Memorial in Canberra following Jeff’s campaign on Change.org.

Cal, an adopted toddler from Queensland facing deportation back to Nauru, has been given a lifeline with a visa extension thanks to Katie’s petition.

And greedy property developers in Victoria will be forced to re-build a treasured, heritage-listed pub, bulldozed without permission. That’s as a result of Duncan’s petition rallying together the community’s signatures.

Exclusive behind the scenes at Change.org

Sam (right), campaigner at Change.org, describes how she’s helping petition starter Sonya (left) change the law and help protect kids.

“I’m sitting on the steps of Parliament with Sonya. Both of us are fighting back tears. We’ve just come from meetings with Bill Shorten, Nick Xenophon and others where they’ve backed her 95,000 strong petition in memory of her murdered daughter. This is a special moment and I feel honoured to be here with this remarkable woman. It’s thanks to your support that I can be here.

This mum is on the cusp of changing federal laws to protect kids from online predators. It’s a change that means the world to her.

Sonya shared with me how surreal it felt to be in the corridors of power and have the national media’s bright glare on her. I went with her from powerful politician to journalist to TV camera, giving her little tips on how to get her voice heard and protect all children. By the end of the day, Sonya’s nerves had eased. Her resolve had strengthened. Senators debated the Bill as me and Sonya watched from the gallery. Carly’s Law is closer than ever to passing.”

Breaking news and actions you can take

Father Paul Kelly, a Catholic Priest, is campaigning to abolish the ‘gay panic’ defence as a justification for murder. The gay panic defence states that a man can have a murder conviction downgraded to manslaughter by arguing he was ‘provoked’ by a man who is gay coming on to him. The law exists in QLD and SA.

The defence was brought up in court to downgrade a possible murder conviction to manslaughter in the case of the two killers of a QLD man, Wayne Ruks. Ruks was found dead in Father Kelly’s church courtyard and he has campaigned for its abolition ever since.

Father Kelly is now trying to hold the QLD Government to their promise of abolishing this law by the end of the year.

Sign Father Kelly’s petition here
Write to the QLD Premier here

An incredible statistic you’re helping write: A petition now wins a victory – where the ‘decision maker’ agrees to the ask of the petitioner – every 48 hours in Australia!

Some pics that sum up the month at Change.org Australia: