ANNUAL report - Queensland Nurses Union

SocialStrategic objective:»»Facilitate positive and sustainable social change through directed activities,education and policy development.The QNU recognises that positive social change comesabout through education, policy development andinvolvement in social issues. During the past year theQNU continued to support the social causes identifiedby our Council and Annual Conference. We havealso sought to achieve the enhanced social objectivescontained in our strategic plan.Training for activistsA QNU political and community campaign coursefor activists was developed and run in the first half of2010. Nursing and midwifery views need to be heardin relation to a range of work and community issues.This training course aims to develop capacity througheducation to ensure members are better able to act asagents for positive social change.Inquiry into alcohol related violenceQNU members are committed to improving healthoutcomes for the broader community, and as suchthe QNU welcomes any opportunity to participate indiscussion and debate around social change which canassist the achievement of this objective.In the first quarter of 2010 the QNU appeared beforethe Queensland Parliament’s Law, Justice and SafetyCommittee’s inquiry into alcohol related violence.We provided numerous recommendations on thematter, based on research and member feedback. TheCommittee reported on 18 March 2010 – its final reportmentions submissions made by the QNU (verbal andwritten) and includes one of the recommendationsmade by the QNU, namely: That the Queenslandgovernment mandate a phasing out of regular glassin all venues trading after midnight other than lowrisk venues, as determined by the Office of Liquor andGaming Regulation (OLGR). (The QNU did however,recommend the phasing out of alcohol after 10pm ratherthan midnight).The QNU goes greenAs part of our Union’s commitment to conduct ouroperations in an environmentally sustainable manner,the QNU late last year joined the CitySwitch GreenOffice program.CitySwitch is a national tenant energy efficiencyprogram which aims improve office energy efficiency,thereby reducing the CO 2 emissions attributed to globalwarming.Signatories to CitySwitch commit to achieve andmaintain an accredited 4 stars or higher energytenancy or whole building rating in regularassessments. In our first six month assessment weQueensland Nurses’ Union of Employees | Annual Report 2009-2010 | 17