togatus issue 2 : march
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NBN | THE C WORD | UNI CUTS | DERWENT UNCOVERED | DAMIEN PECK PHOTOGRAPHY
Mar 2014
THISIS FREE
tog atus
Published by the State Council on behalf of the Tasmania University Union Inc. (“the publishers”).
The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of Togatus staff or the publishers. The copyright in each piece of work remains with the contributor; however, the publishers reserve the right to reproduce material.
The copyright in this magazine remains with the publishers.
Editor:Tabitha [email protected]
Deputy Print Editor:Olivia Congdon
Design:Jess Curtis, Mahalee Smart
Contributors: Mark Acheson, Daniel Bernal, Alice Camm,Essie Charlotte, Ali Davis, Emma Fluke, Isaac Foster, Alexandra Humphries, Hamish Johns, Zoe Kean, John Keane, Sue Kole, Maddie Kramer, Holly Monery, Gene Stewart-Murray, Damien Peck, ChloeR Photography, Brigitte Trobianni, Laura Wilkinson, Milly Yencken.
Advertising: Please contact [email protected] Box 5055Sandy Bay, Tas 7006
Follow us: Twitter: @TogatusMagazineFacebook: facebook.com/TogatusMagazinewww.togatus.com.au
Togatus welcomes all your contributions. Please email your work or ideas to [email protected]
It is understood that any contributions sent to Togatus may be used for publication in either the magazine or the website, and that the final decision on whether to publish resides with the editor and the publishers.The editor reserves the right to make changes to submitted material as required.
Togatus is published monthly.
March edition deadline (contributors): 28 March Laurel Crown Illustration by Laura Wilkinson: Instgram 7_willa
Front cover art by Damien Peck: Damien Peck is currently enrolled in a Bachelor of Arts, having completed a major in Photography in 2012, and completing a major in Journalism, Media and Communications this year.
Damien has strong interests in key themes from past photographic series including night, space, abandonment and isolation. This has led him to capture the darker spots of Hobart over the past few years. The ideas including emotional ties and physical tension are often captured in place of the scene.
He has also been involved with a lot of live music photography, having recently been shooting at Falls Festival, MONA FOMA, 10 Days on the Island, and various local shows. Last year Damien won the Honda Foundation People’s Choice Award at the Menzies Institute of Research exhibition (with the photograph, Waterwings) amongst some of Tasmania and Australia’s most respected artists. www.dpeckphotography.com
CONTENTSHands Off Our Education / 6 Kill All the Sharks / 8 The Derwent Uncovered / 10 Judo / 13
The “C-Word” / 14 Untangling the NBN / 16
Snapchat / 18
Grace Thanks Sweden for the Music / 20
Biologue / 21 Damien Peck Photography / 22 Luca Brasi / 24 Violent Soho / 26 Party in the Paddock / 27
SRC Profiles / 28
EDITORIAL
LETTERSThe recently closed 2014 UTAS SSAF Survey was designed to gauge student opinion on the allocation of the $3.7 million SSAF fund. Failures in the implementation of the survey compromised the reliability of results, and in doing so limited the opportunity for students to have their say on how their money is spent.
Due to a lack of identity verification anyone was able to complete the survey by visiting the publicly available URL. This made it possible for non-students to submit responses. By clearing browser data or using multiple devices anyone with basic computer skills was able to evade the mechanism preventing duplicate submissions. These failings provided an opportunity for interested parties to hijack the survey with multiple submissions supporting their own agendas. There is a possibility that the voice of the average student was lost in the noise, and this possibility taints the integrity of the whole consultation process.
The SSAF Consultation Group should not accept the online survey as a valid measure of student opinion, nor rely on it for the purposes of allocating the SSAF. It is the responsibility of our Union to lobby the Consultation Group to this effect, and ensure that future surveys are not blighted by similar flaws.
Stephen Mazza, 2nd Year Law
Let the court of public opinion note that Mr Mazza and Mr Foster were engaged in some recent social media debate on this issue. We encourage all students to make their gripes (or compliments, comments etc) on the record via the great archival record that is Togatus’ print edition. All have right of reply. Letters are generally limited to 150 words. Printing and editing is at the discretion of the editorial team.
Dear readers,
Edition two is on the loose already! What a whirlwind it’s been. Having started from scratch, and making the bold (maybe crazy) decision to publish monthly, we welcome your feedback on how you’d like to see the magazine evolve. For those who’ve already done this, we thank you. It is a privilege to edit this magazine, and we continue to strive for improvement. Togatus has spent a lot of its long, lively life as a monthly publication, with some pretty risqué covers and contributions. We’re talking nudity, sex, drugs, rock n roll, political rants, open scrutiny of University and University Union, love letters, and cheeky cartoons, with one edition actually lynched by the law. Regular dialogue took place with our political leaders. People openly discussed the pros and cons of marijuana prohibition. There were actual student media teams. There are hundreds of
past editions up in our office, and they’re so much fun to look through. The door is almost always open to have a read, share a coffee, and to get involved.
Your student media really is free media. Editorial oversight rests with the editor. Legal liability rests with our publishers, the state council, and for any particularly sticky articles, we will seek the advice of an independent journo. We don’t encourage you to poke the nest for the sake of it (well maybe a little), but Togatus welcomes all contributions. Please, sirs, can we have some more?
Speaking of news, our new web editor is coming very soon! The website will get a total overhaul, and we hope that will somewhat make up for its being MIA so far. So sorry ‘bout that.
This edition, our contributors investigate the ongoing debacle that is Tasmania’s NBN , share an insider’s perspective making yourself an attractive candidate for a ‘real job’, reflect on the WA government’s shark culling policy, cast a critical eye over that addictive little time-waster Snapchat, and submitted some beautiful artistic and creative works, among other things. Enjoy.
Tabitha Fletcher x
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CORRECTION:Apologies Campbell Nicol for not crediting his photograph of Societies Day 2013 on page 5 of last issue.
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By the time you read this, Will Hodgman is likely the new Premier of Tasmania. What will this mean for you as a student?
For a start, that is going to depend on how much Hodgman intends to toe the Liberal’s policy line for Higher Education in Canberra. What’s more, it is going to depend on what Canberra’s policy line for Higher Education is, and although throats are dry and palms sweaty in University Councils across Australia, what bills we can definitely say will come to Parliament in the near future is not yet clear. I can’t tell you, the NTEU can’t tell you, the National Union of Students doesn’t know, and neither does the Australian Vice-Chancellor’s committee Universities Australia.
In February this year, Federal Minister for Higher Education Christopher Pyne stated in the Sydney Morning Herald that “teacher quality” would be his priority. No one seems to know where the money for investing in teachers will be coming from though, with the Liberal party set to cut $23.8 million from UTAS’ Government funding over the next four years; our university is in a tougher position than ever, and we can expect to see jobs lost,not job growth or better skills training for teachers.
SCHRÖDINGER’S CAKEPyne wants to cut education and keep it too.
Funnily enough, as the first ciders were being cracked open on Monday of O-week, Christopher Pyne was telling Universities Australia, “we must escape the self-restricting psychology of looking always to government for what can or cannot be done, while claiming to want freedom. Do not look to Canberra to be told what to do.”
If this was an honest statement, then there would be a logical explanation for why the same Government promised in September to cut $103 million from Australian Research Council (ARC) Grants in the Humanities, which it dismissed as, “ridiculous.”
You can’t cut your cake and keep it too. In short, it has been impossible to get an honest answer from Pyne about what he actually believes in. For that, we need to ask the men with the keys to the till.
Joe Hockey believes that Australia is at the end of an, “age of entitlement: … the expectation of majority public opinion that each generation will receive the same or increased support from the state than their forebears.”
We are told that this is simply the nature of the beast, that “it is our market-based economies which have forced this change,” but also that, “we should not take this as cause for despair.” In other words, what we are being
told is not to look forward to increased teacher training and jobs growth in higher education; but rather, that we should lower our expectations.
And what are our expectations as students in Tasmania? What is so entitled about them? We are entitled to the support necessary to study and live a healthy life; not to have two-thirds of Australian university students living in poverty, and over half kept out of class by the need to work long hours to afford basic living costs. We are entitled to have access to our lecturers and tutors, and not to have class sizes almost double what they were in 1990 without a corresponding increase in teaching staff. We’re entitled to strive for learning and, not to have the value of our research dictated by the whim of radical conservatives in the Cabinet.
On March 26th students and teachers will meet outside Lazenby’s in Hobart, and Kerslake Hall on the Newnham campus, to protest the Government’s policy of pragmatism for education in Tasmania.
Isaac Foster x
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HANDS OFF OUR
E D U C AT I O N
Gene Stewart-Murray x
The Federal Government is planning to cut $2.3 billion from higher education - $23.8 million from the University of Tasmania. The cuts would hurt small and regional campuses like UTAS disproportionately.
Distance student Gene Stewart-Murray, and Cradle Coast student Sue Kole, tell how this will affect us and, particularly students at the smallest campus at UTAS.
The biggest hits will be: Fewer tutors and larger class sizes Specialty classes no longer being offered Cuts to support services and amenities Clubs and societies will be unable to continue or commence Students from low-socio economic backgrounds will have far less income support.
A National Day of Action (NDA) planned for 26th March, and University Unions nationwide are also organising NDAs throughout the year. As students, we need to stand up to the Government until our voices are heard LOUD AND CLEAR.
If these funding cuts are passed through parliament, it will have an immediate and detrimental effect to students studying at UTAS Cradle Coast Campus. CCC has many disadvantages in being a regional campus, and the removal of funding for vital services for these students will not only make study un-attainable, but also un-attractive.
CCC currently has no clubs or societies available to students and the proposed cuts would affect the commencement of such clubs and societies. Without these, students lack a vital resource that allows them not only an outlet to build stronger relationships,
but also disadvantages them in general health and wellbeing.
Converting Centrelink startup scholarships into loans would also hurt the tens of thousands of students across the country who are below the poverty line, resulting in some students not being able to attend University at all. Startup scholarships are extremely necessary to support students who struggle to purchase vital supplies like textbooks and stationery. It means we’d go from having varied access to Commonwealth scholarships, to wide distribution, to nothing. Students who attend CCC come from a very diverse background, with a large number of our students returning to study whilst juggling the responsibilities of family life. Single parent students and students from low socio-economic backgrounds could be forced to discontinue their studies due to less availability of subjects, and less assistance available during their studies, such as counselling, advocacy and financial assistance.
It seems our government would rather see students revert to collecting unemployment benefits, than attempting to improve their knowledge and skills to gain entry into the wider workforce. Thus leaving a region already suffering from major job loss, with little opportunity to re-skill for the employment sector. The North West community in Tasmania do not need to be disadvantaged any further.
We need to take a stand against the Federal Government’s attacks on our right to an education. UTAS students are encouraged to join in the national protest. There will be demonstrations in every major city on Wednesday March 26th as part of a National Day of Action organised by the National Union of Students.
Both Gene and Sue are also student representatives and can be contacted through the NUS and SRC Facebook pages. Follow NUS on Facebook for updates.
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Sue Kole x
GSM7
I spent the first three years of my life in Western Australia. I learnt to swim on WA beaches and Freo water runs through my veins still. Now a Tasmanian, I love our ocean, I am a surfer, swimmer and have just learnt to dive. Like many ocean goers, when I heard of the Western Australian Government's shark cull I was angered and dismayed.
SOME CONTEXT ON THE CULL
The cull is in response to a perceived increase in deadly shark attacks in the state, with seven deaths in three years. The policy is aimed at Tiger, Bull and Great White Sharks over three metres in length. Baited drum lines have been set around popular beaches in what are referred to as 'kill zones'.
After sharks are hooked on these lines they are shot, dragged out to sea and dumped. Scientists have questioned the effectiveness of the cull, with 100 shark scientists co-signing an open letter to the WA Premier, Colin Barnett, opposing the measure.
The WA Government however asserts that the cull is necessary to protect swimmers and boost tourism. They also deny that their catch and kill policy amounts to a cull.
"This does not represent a culling of sharks. It is not a fear-driven hunt, it is a targeted, localised shark mitigation strategy” Treasurer, Troy Buswell said.
PUBLIC OUTCRY - FOR SHARKS' SAKE
My dismay over this policy drove me to a rally, last sunny Saturday, at Kingston Beach. There I joined my voice with the thousands of people all over Australia and the world
KILL ALL THE
SHARKS
KILL THEM
Illustration by Laura Wilkinson
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to shout out against the cull. The outcry for sharks has been huge and surprising. On the same Saturday, 16 000 people rallied on Perth's Scarborough Beach, while other rallies attracted hundreds and sometimes thousands of protestors all over Australia. There were even rallies held in South Africa and New Zealand.
But at the rally, surrounded by kids with little foam fins on their backs and adults in shark print shirts, I started to wonder what, in the name of Jaws, we were all doing there. If shark conservation is our aim, surely, there are bigger fish to fry.
Over 11,000 sharks are killed every hour (yes – hour!) globally, to become ingredients in shark fin soup. Not only is the scale of this operation shocking, the manner in which they are killed is painfully brutal. Many sharks are divested of their fins, alive, with a knife, and then thrown overboard where they eventually drown.
Australia too has cooked up its own special horrors for these apex predators. WA is not the only state to employ fatal measures to reduce shark numbers. On the East Coast shark nets span beaches and bays. These nets are not designed to keep sharks out, rather to entangle them until they drown. Nets, being indiscriminate, have a high level of by-catch, with one last year claiming a baby Humpback Whale.
These stories show WA's actions to be just a drop in the ocean. So why, with sharks facing far greater perils around the world, has the Barnett government made our blood boil so much?
WARRING AGAINST NATURE
What troubles me most about this policy is not that sharks die (although, their deaths
are horrible and sad), but the entire attitude towards nature, and predators that it conveys.
As a kid who thought sharks were bloody cool, my first environmental heroes where Ron and Valerie Taylor, ex world spear-fishing champions turned conservationists and champions for the shark.
In their 1970s films the pair described attitudes towards sharks held at the time. In the popular imagination sharks were man-eaters. They needed to be hunted and destroyed. The killing of sharks was seen as a heroic act. Man V Nature. Ron and Val's ground-breaking footage of Great Whites in the ocean helped dispel a lot of this hate. This included a magical scene, in which Val hand feeds a Great White fish from her boat.
Watching these documentaries in the early noughties I perceived the attitude of hate as old fashioned. Thank you Ron and Val, I thought, now sharks aren’t targeted out of fear. So, when a decade after my introduction into shark conservation, the Barnett Government announced its plan, I was shocked. How old fashioned!
This is why I stood and rallied against the cull. Not because I think this one policy will destroy the oceans shark population – finning will take care of that, but because the spirit of the policy scares me far more than the policy itself. In the recent debate, an ugly attitude has come circling. That is, that nature, and in this case sharks, are the 'other'. As commentator and columnist Jason Morrison said on Sunrise “humans come first and the protection of humans come first.”
He, and the WA government, seem to understand people as elevated from the
rest of life. Thus entitled to go anywhere we please without danger. This is our right. When the reality of a shared planet confronts them they respond with violence.
This combative understanding of nature is what I was reacting against, and I think what most of the protestors were reacting against as well. Many beach protestors pointed out when we enter the water we are entering their home, not ours. Most people who spoke out in support of sharks were also ocean goers, swimmers, divers and surfers. People who have a respect for the ocean, but do not feel they have a right to it.
The cull is an issue people can rally around, but the protest symbolises more than a love for sharks. It is representative of a ground swell of folk who want see our leaders stop warring with the environment. My hope is that the recent activism sparks something in people to extend their care for sharks, beyond the cull and into other conservation areas.
When Ron and Valery started talking big fish conservation in the 70s the cull would not have raised an eyebrow. Even as a baby, when I first dipped my toes into WA waters, the policy would have caused little outrage. But now, thousands of people are willing to stand. The very existence of these rallies proves how far we’ve come in respecting nature. However the policy itself, proves how far we still have to go.
Zoe Kean x
“In the popular imagination sharks were man-eaters.”
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Based predominantly in Hobart, the Tas Uni Dive Club (TUDC) regularly visits local sites revealing a treasure-trove of unique species. From seahorses and seadragons, to cowfish, sharks, crayfish, giant stingrays, shy sand-dwelling creatures and more, the Derwent Estuary has it all…
Kingston Beach may be a favourite with swimmers, but the rocky headland at the sailing club is also home to all kinds of weird and wonderful critters. Diving this site at night reveals beautiful dumpling squid that gleam like buried gemstones, the curious burrowing octopus, and the grotesque stargazer. This is also a perfect beginner’s dive as the water depth doesn’t drop below 5m - it’s truly amazing what treasures you can find hidden away in the shallows.
Tinderbox Marine Reserve is the most popular dive site in the south of the state, and almost everyone who experiences training in Hobart will have learned to dive there. Here, the magnificent giant kelp forms dense forests, towering from below 15m all the way to the sea surface. Dappled sunbeams that penetrate through the canopy reflect off the silvery schools of fish that dart
between the seaweed. As fishing is prohibited in the reserve, large crayfish in excess of 3kg are abundant and can often be seen marching boldly across the sand in search of food, …or perhaps just a sea change.
A popular but challenging dive site is the Lake Illawarra shipwreck which lies underneath the Tasman Bridge. The Lake Illawarra hit the bridge on the 5th January 1975, bringing down two concrete spans and sinking the 135m ship, which now sits upright in 35m of water. The dive is dark and strangely ominous, with visibility typically less than 3m and high currents causing the decomposing canvas sheeting on deck to flutter eerily. Surprisingly, the wreck is covered in a vast amount of marine life, with jewel anemones covering much of the hull and juvenile crayfish taking up residence in many of the wreck’s dark interstices.
The TUDC regularly liaises with local scientists and environmental organisations to assist with conservation and monitoring projects in the Derwent Estuary. Increasing urbanisation poses a serious threat to endemic species like the endangered Spotted Handfish – a curious fish that has evolved to use its front fins like ‘hands’ and crawl across
the seafloor. Each year, TUDC conducts surveys assessing the population health of the handfish. Despite the Derwent having an abundance of marine life, many areas such as marinas and wharves are littered with debris. The TUDC maintains an ongoing marine debris clean-up program where volunteer divers remove rubbish such as shopping trolleys, car batteries, bottles and tyres from the water. To date, the club has pulled several tonnes of debris out of Tasmania’s waterfront and foreshore areas.
If you’d like more information about the TUDC, or to become a member, visit our website: www.tudc.org.au or email the club at [email protected]
THEDERWENT UNCOVEREDDiving in the Derwent may seem odd to the uninitiated, but once underwater
it rivals some of Tasmania’s internationally renowned dive sites.
John Keane x
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“Dappled sunbeams that penetrate through the canopy reflect off the silvery schools of fish that dart through the seaweed”
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Photos by Emma Fluke12
JUDOThe last month has been a busy one for the UTAS Judo Club, as with many UTAS clubs and societies. Not only have we had stalls at both Societies and Expo Day, we’ve had a new logo and new name for the club, to be more identifiable as the official Judo Club of UTAS and the TUU.
Judo is a ‘grappling’ martial art that focusses on using your opponent’s momentum to their own disadvantage. It is also a competitive sport and if you’ve never seen it before, take a moment to have a look at some competition judo on YouTube!
There’s never been a better time to try judo at the UTAS Judo Club. We already have 8 beginners trying out on Wednesday nights, so you can be assured you will be among others who are similarly cautious about trying a new sport. To help you get started, the TUU kindly subsidise the costs of starting judo at the UTAS Judo Club. For $55, UTAS students can get their first four beginner lessons, club membership, an Adidas Judo Suit, an Adidas Judo Bag, a drink bottle and a club T-Shirt (over $150 in value).
Our club trains on Mondays and Wednesdays from 7 to 8:30pm and Fridays from 6 to 8pm. We recommend the Wednesday night class for beginners. Our classes are all focussed on maintaining a safe but social environment for learning judo – we don’t take ourselves too seriously. Following the Friday class, we often venture out for a drink and social gathering.
We hope to see you at the club soon!For further info, contact Sensei Dan by email: [email protected]
Daniel Bernal x
13
As we take on another year of study at UTAS, most of us are basking in that peaceful period before the influx of readings and assignments hits us. Graduating and finding a job is probably not high on the to-do list at this stage in the year, but getting organised early can reduce the stress of finding employment later on.
March is ‘Career Fair Season’ and is the opportune time for students in their final year, or even first or second year at UTAS, to start thinking about the direction they’ll take after Uni and to start applying for positions. Ben Reeves from the Australian Association of Graduate Employers (AAGE) has plenty of tips and helpful advice about applying for your dream job.
The Time Is Now
March is the month when students should be thinking about future employment. The Careers Fair was held on the 11th March at UTAS and gave students an opportunity to speak to employers and find out what exactly they look for when they hire university graduates.
Ben Reeves is the executive director of the AAGE, a not-for-profit body, which represents organisations that recruit and develop Australian graduates. He advises students to get in early and start searching for a job. “It’s a crucial time of the year for students to be thinking about future careers and [a careers fair] is the best opportunity to be getting real life information from employers and making applications” Reeves says.
THE “C-Word”
“A lot of application closing dates are at the end of March or the beginning of April so it’s important to start looking and applying now instead of waiting until the end of the year.”
AN INSIDER'S GUIDE TO LAUNCHING YOUR CAREER.
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Reeves says that one of the main reasons students don’t apply for jobs while they are still studying is because they are unaware that they can apply early in the year and secure a job for when they graduate. He explains that a large number of employers are understanding of students who wish to travel before they begin working full time and allow them to do so.
Another reason students put off the application process until later is because they are still unsure of what they want to do when they graduate. Reeves advises students to try their hand at a range of different jobs in order to work out exactly what they want to do.
“My general advice to students is to give things a go…it may take you a while to work out what it is you really want to do. It's a bit like relationships…you might have a series of relationships before you find the right person,” he says.
Searching For a Job
Reeves recommends ‘Graduate Opportunities’, which is a free, printed publication, with profiles of employers that have job vacancies. It is available from the Career Services office and online at www.graduateopportunities.com.The 3
main job boards that Ben recommends are UniGrad.com.au, gradconnection.com and graduateopportunities.com.au. These sites specifically target university students and advertise graduate and summer vacation jobs. They allow you to create a profile and search for jobs in the field you wish to work in.
What do employers look for?
AAGE surveys Australian employers in order to find out what they look for when employing university graduates.
Reeves says that most employers aren’t looking for a student with a HD average; “the reality is that employers are looking for a range of other things.” They look for people with such things as leadership skills, ambition and a passion for what they do, he said. Although you may think your casual job at McDonalds or your position on the soccer team aren’t relevant to the position you’re applying for, it is in fact these sorts of extra curricular activities and skills that will make you stand out to an employer. You need the evidence to show that you have the skills your employer is wanting. “If you’re sitting there saying you don’t have the skills the employer wants, actually develop them, go and join an organisation, volunteer, get a part time job; do something to develop them” Reeves says.
“Most employers aren’t looking for a student with an HD average; “the reality is that employers are looking for a range
of other things.”
Writing an Application
So once you’ve found a job you’re interested in, the next step is to apply for that position. The team at Career Services are there to help you with interviews, resumes and general job searching questions.
Reeves has four golden rules for writing an application.
1. Don’t cut and paste paragraphs from one application to another. It doesn’t look good when you accidentally get the name of the company you’re applying to wrong in the application.
2. Get rid of that high school email address you’ve had since you were 13. Employers may be hesitant to respond to [email protected].
3. Keep the txt msg language 4 ur m8s.
4. Spell check your application (twice!)
Maddie Kramer x
15
When Tasmanians voted in the Federal eletion, Tony Abbott had assured us his government would honour all existing contracts for our NBN rollout. A high-speed, modernised, fibre to the premises’ internet aka ‘FTTP’ ‘was apparently assured. The technology of the future.But wait, a wild contractual loophole appeared! The rollout will actually be a hodgepodge of technology. The feds say contractors are to blame…
NBN Co Executive Chairman Ziggy Switkowski recently announced that the rather than honouring the Coalition’s promise to complete an FTTP rollout, contracts do not specify a technology type, and Tasmania’s NBN rollout will start using Telstra’s copper network from next year. State party leaders, Lara Giddings, Will Hodgman and Nick McKim all support a FTTP broadband network. Their federal counterparts are not so supportive. A FTTP network will connect all premises in Australia to superfast broadband, while the ‘fibre to the node’ (FTTN) network will lay fibre across most of Australia but rely on Telstra’s copper network to transport the technology the “last mile” to premises. The Coalition argues FTTN will be cheaper and rolled out faster than Labor’s FTTP. But the NBN Co review raises serious questions about quality and access.
The report states that a whole mix of technologies will be used, and will provide some Tasmanians significantly faster access than others. Clarence Mayor Doug Chipman told ABC recently this means that businesses could have a structural competitive advantage over other businesses in the same town.
Last year then Shadow Communications minister Malcolm Turnbull promised Tasmanians that already signed contracts would be honoured, because “the alternative would be to breach them and that is a course we would not countenance”. Tasmania’s full fibre rollout seemed guaranteed. One might say there was a ‘mandate’.
Current Labor Premier Lara Giddings offered the Coalition free use of Aurora power poles to complete Tasmania’s FTTP rollout, a move expected to cut the price from $400 to $65 per metre. We are begging. Turnbull agreed to a trial in February after sustained pressure and visits with Will Hodgman.
Ms Giddings said the Tasmanian Liberals had significantly hindered this process and that “Labor has done the hard yards to put forward a constructive proposal that would see the NBN rolled out to Tasmanian homes faster and more cheaply.”
Perhaps this is the answer to Visionstream’s woes. The major contractor involved in Tasmania’s rollout was at a standstill last year due to operational delays. Their contracts are paid by the metre. Workers were laid off. Local businesses who bought machinery for the rollout protested in Hobart recently, as they are seeking compensation for their investment in machinery for what they understood to be FTTP contracts.
Interestingly, the Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union (CEPU) alleges that work has already been carried out above ground using aerial poles, and the Coalition’s agreement to a trial is merely “window dressing” for the Tasmanian election.
UNTANGLINGTHE NATIONAL BROADBAND NETWORK
"The report states that a whole mix of technologies will be used, and will provide some Tasmanians significantly faster access than others."
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In February Greens leader Nick McKim announced an alternative policy of forming a state-based company to complete the FTTP rollout. Mr McKim said the Greens’ “vision is for Tasmania to be fully connected, and if we were the only state in Australia that had a comprehensive fibre to the premises network it would be a competitive a dvantage for Tasmania”.
“This is a once in a generation opportunity for us to get fibre to the premises and it’s staring us in the face right now” he said.
Successful public-private partnerships are delivering FTTP networks worldwide, including the Kansas government’s Google Fiber experiment in the USA, and the locality of Olds in Canada where the ambitious local government won funding and built their own ‘O’ network.
Spokesperson for Will Hodgman, Brad Stansfield said the Liberals would not support the Green’s initiative, calling it “absolute nonsense, and completely unaffordable”.
Mr Stansfield said the Tasmanian Liberals have “always supported the NBN rollout in Tasmania and fibre to the premises”, but failed to comment on whether the Tasmanian Liberals have an alternative plan.
Malcolm Turnbull attributed the decision to use the copper network to contracted company Visionstream, saying “The NBN Co was prepared to honour the contract, the problem was that Visionstream said they could not make money at the rates which they had agreed to and demanded more money…”.
On current estimates the Coalition’s plan will be cheaper than Labor’s, although the Liberal’s initial costings were vastly inaccurate. Before the election they announced that Labor’s plan would cost $91 billion, staggeringly more than its official
estimates. At a forum in February this year Federal MP Paul Fletcher admitted the Coalition had made up the figure.
In reality— according to a leaked analysis prepared for the Coalition by NBN Co—Labor’s NBN plan had increased in price to $55.9 billion, while the Coalition’s plan is estimated to cost $41 billion, much higher than their initial figure of $29.5 billion. What a $14 billion saving can cost
The Coalition’s cheaper alternative relies on Telstra’s copper network to transfer the speed from the node — a large unsightly box similar to a telephone exchange— to premises. The network is over 100 years old in places, and was designed to deal with phone traffic, not high-speed Internet connections.
Telstra CEO David Thodey has said “You can run pretty quickly on copper…we’ve seen in the labs that are actually working for many European countries speeds of 60[Mbps] down to 25[MBps]”. However, Telstra’s copper network is widely reported to be in a state of disrepair. It could use a lab test.
The ‘Blue Book’ provided to Malcolm Turnbull by NBN Co after the election found that providing all Australians access to 25 MBps via FTTN by 2016 was “unachievable”. The report found that the Coalition’s model was “inadequate for many businesses, poorly planned, and unlikely to be completed on time”.
The CEPU has described the ageing network as “an absolute disgrace” and “beyond repair”. Telstra denies this, but previous statements call that into question.
In 2003 The Age reported that Telstra would look to replace its copper network within 15 years after two Telstra executives claimed the network was at “five minutes to midnight”. One of those executives, Tony Warren, told a Senate Inquiry Committee “… ADSL is an interim technology. It is probably the last sweating…of the old copper network assets”.Even Telstra was predicting that its network would not last until 2018.
Turnbull’s preferred example of successful FTTN is The UK’s network, owned by major telecommunications company BT. Peter Cochrane, former Chief Technology Officer of BT, called FTTN “one of the biggest mistakes humanity has made” at the UK government’s inquiry into superfast Internet. Cochrane cited numerous problems, including that FTTN offers up to 80 MBps download speeds, while fibre has the capability to offer up to 1GBps.
The question is not whether we need high-speed Internet in Australia. The question is whether we should scrimp on time and money in the short term, or invest adequately in a technology network which will, among a plethora of other reasons, make us actually competitive in the global market.
"Mr Stanfield said the Tasmanisn Liberals have always supported the NBN rollout in Tasmania and fibre to the premises but failed to comment on whether the Liberals have an alternative plan."”
"Even Telstra was predicting that its network would not last until 2018."
Alexandra Humphries x
17
SNAPCHATWHY THE FASCINATION?
“Snapchat seems to master this nearly-supernatural control of our ordinary attention spans, pleading us to pay utmost attention for ten seconds…”
Illustration by Milly Yencken
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Every day gradually becomes more digital by the passing of each pixelated minute, constantly turning us into subjects of technological exposure (both for the sake of our own pleasure and horror). As Facebook continues to feed our subconscious narcissist personalities with the utilities of ‘like’, ‘share’ and ‘comment’, 2014 has become the year of a new (and even more self-absorbed) social network. I am talking, about the ten-second photo phenomenon known as Snapchat.
In the following paragraphs I will discuss the fascination, the purpose and overall confusion that is surrounding this app. Predominantly, I want to find out whether this craze is really worth “snapping” into or out of. Being a part-time Snapchatter myself, I wanted to develop a range of comprehensive answers. To be honest though, I find the whole purpose of the app quite baffling.
I decided to come up with a few ‘pros’ and ‘cons’ concerning Snapchat, and it is ultimately up to you which one you are willing to click or delete. In all honesty, Snapchat has become a prominent example of our young generation’s struggle to focus on the real world. Is there anything else that screams “Don’t even DREAM of going through one day without even looking at my face,” more than an app that requires the attention span of less than ten seconds? Snapchat seems to master this nearly-supernatural control of our ordinary attention spans, pleading us to pay utmost attention for ten seconds because we might find ourselves in the dreadful situation of missing out on seeing our conversation partner’s snap (or in the pervert’s case, ‘nudie’). Now – if I was to call that a positive thing, I might as well pretend it is Lent and give up on technology all together.
Snapchat has a simple format, with tools and technicalities that even a chipmunk can adapt to, thus it is very accessible. In fact, it can sometimes be so accessible it becomes downright scary (queue: Jaws Theme). You will know when your snaps are being looked
at, and you will be alerted when someone takes a screenshot of your picture. So, before I say anything else, here’s a vital tip that you must remember: if you happen to befriend that cute girl or guy in class and want a way to keep in sweet contact with them, be VERY careful when you are using this app. You want to get a degree at university, not a restraining order. Onto the positive side of things, in terms of privacy, Snapchat is a lot less invasive and more secure than anything Zuckerberg has to offer. For once it gives two people the chance to engage in a conversation free of the gawking eyes of 20 (more likely 2000) people. I feel safe for the reasons that Snapchat allows me to be techno-savvy, yet responsible. Hence, what I will snap and send to someone will not make a John Farnham style comeback; it will somehow sink into the depths of nowhere, free from digital scrutiny (and a possible mental breakdown).
One of the most appreciative advantages of Snapchat is how it has managed to promote an idea – a popular, simple, basic idea that seemed to surface out of nowhere and in no time and attracted millions worldwide. With an estimated number of 500 million photo shares daily, Snapchat is just running along the same paths that Facebook, and the once-existing Myspace, did; that is – the path to immense universal popularity.
Considerably, Snapchat has also become the foundation of a better way of communicating with generations forward and back who, in particular, might be hard to reach or are not reasonably available. Big figures in the advertising industries should have the guts to consider certain ways of using these outlets as the basis of a long-running, successful and economical demographic engagement.
In all honestly, I think we appreciate Snapchat mainly for the fact that it refuses to leave a digital mark for the rest of the world to see. It is a communication device free of certain strangers, possible predators, and occasional spank-bankers. Our messages are not to be the subject of group conversation or to be scrutinised for any kind of logical meaning. Without any denying whatsoever, Snapchat is definitely kind of a stupid, overrated thing, but in a digital world that can be so wired up and difficult to understand at times, this is quite a fresh and exciting thing.
“In all honestly, I think we appreciate Snapchat mainly for the fact that it refuses to leave a digital mark for the rest of the world to see.”
Essie Charlotte x
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“Snapchat seems to master this nearly-supernatural control of our ordinary attention spans, pleading us to pay utmost attention for ten seconds…”
birthday, she loves Rhonda Burchmore,’” to which they responded by allowing her top place on the waiting list.
“So they did that and we got the tickets and I went along and I wrote her a poem, and I handed it to the concierge and he handed it to her in the break,” Grace said. The concierge asked if Rhonda could bring her on stage after intermission for a chat. “And then she did all that and sang happy birthday to me – I was so overwhelmed with emotion. Afterwards, I had never cried out of happiness before – it was the first time, I got in the car and tears just poured down my face, I was so happy.’’
While she is beyond thrilled for the opportunity, Grace will have to manage the international trip and regular choir rehearsals over Skype as she completes her final semester of university. She seems well aware of the challenges ahead, but the opportunities the competition has opened for her will be worth it in the end. Congratulations Grace, I’m sure you’ll do us proud.
Follow Grace’s adventures @graceemily27.
“She said the whirlwind of interviews, phone calls, messages and accolades had not let her have a chance for reality to sink in.”
GRACE THANKS SWEDEN FOR THE MUSIC
Holly Monery x
Photo by CholoeR Photography
“I was jumping and running around and screaming, I think my parents thought I had gone insane,’’ Grace said, smiling widely while tucking into her salmon sandwich.
She said the whirlwind of media interviews, phone calls, messages and accolades had not quite let her have a chance for the reality to set in. Grace has loved ABBA from a young age, in fact, her first musical memory was listening to ABBA in the car. At age 8 she entered the school talent quest and sang Mamma Mia, and after a few singing lessons her first Eisteddfod performance was ‘Thankyou for the Music.’
“For my 10th birthday my parents got me tickets to Mamma Mia and I thought that was the most exciting moment of my life,” she recalled in her trademark animated manner. “Until my 11th birthday when I found out that one of the stars of Mamma Mia, Rhonda Burchmore, was coming to Burnie. [She was] performing on the night of my 11th birthday and I was like ‘this is so meant to be.’”
Grace explained how her parents called to book tickets, to find that they were sold out. “My mum was like ‘No! My daughter is so set on going to this concert, it’s her 11th
A few weeks ago Grace McCallum was just my mate from journalism class, a girl with a passion for the ABC who also had an amazing voice. She is a great sounding board for projects and regularly messaged me videos of on-air bloopers from other journalists. When we caught up for coffee recently I found myself sitting with someone famous, from the Project to Weekend Sunrise, Grace has been seen and heard by millions around the country recently. Her smiling face has been in pride of place on the front page of the Mercury and her radio interviews are numerous. To be fair, she has a pretty swell story to tell. Grace has been selected as the only international member of the ABBA Museum Choir. She will be flown to Stockholm, Sweden in April to be a part of the choir celebrating 40 years of ABBA.
“I was really excited, I just like completely lost the plot actually and I got the email and it said it big capital letters:‘YOU ARE THE WINNER’” Grace said. “Before that the other contestant who had added me on Facebook said ‘well it’s not me, is it you?’” This prompted her to check her own email, where she discovered the exciting news.
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THE WARMING OF MY NEEDLE
SUGGESTS AND EARTHLY WHIM
IT MOVES WITHIN LIKE TREACLE
HOW KINDLY IT WOULD STEM
BONES WILL GROW
AND EARTH WILL MOVE
AND I CAN ONLY LINGER
I AM BUT A PLANT
WHO SEEKS TO SET SAIL
BY MY FINGER
THE CANDOUR OF MY DREAMS
SUGGESTS I AM THE GUN
DISMAY, A TRIGGER DULY CODED
BY THE PASSING OF THE SUN
Plane Jane
BIOLOGUE“She said the whirlwind of interviews, phone calls, messages and accolades had not let her have a chance for reality to sink in.”
Photo by CholoeR Photography
DAMIEN PECK PHOTOGRAPHY
The drive from Hobart to Launceston and vice versa is something that a lot of people seem to dread. I did too. That was until I grew to enjoy the drive. Like the majority of the population in Hobart, I perceived a constant drain of driving to the Northern Tasmania as a chore. However, the simplicity of two and a half hours of your own time each way more than a few times a year changed that.
There are some key landmarks that people remember on their travels between the cities to break up the time between, and this series is a way that I felt could represent that.
The series has been put together over the course of 18 months of consistent driving up the state, with other stops further ahead and also on the east coast. The dry natural bush, the long roads home, the outdoors and signage are reminders of the land we live and the leftovers that people leave behind in their trace or are ignored along the way.
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23
Luca Brasi gave a staunch and sweaty punk performance at the recent O-Week concert. Hailing from the east coast of Tasmania, Tyler from the band tells a little about why punk’s not dead, and it’s really about sharing the love.
If Luca Brasi had a dating profile, what would it say?
If you are interested in dudes who sweat profusely, value booze over conversation and aren’t going to be home a real lot then give us a call!
Ok! Yeah it was an awesome set at the O-Week concert, you guys were drenched.
Haha sweet thanks! Yeah it was really hot.
Luca Brasi have been touring and working hard for a long time. What is it that keeps you going?
The promise that tomorrow’s show is going to be just as much fun as today’s. That we’ll get to do what we believe in for another 45 minutes on stage and then have a damn good time after as well! The biggest thing for me is that the amount of awesome mates we have through the band is ever increasing and I’m still so stoked every time we play with a different band or in a different place.
So punk’s not dead?
Totally, it actually really is a community, you see it at the shows. There’s rarely a separation between audience and band, be it at the show, before the show, after the show, everyone’s together and it’s just going off. Being able to go on tour (seeing this), it’s just the most rewarding experience for any of us.
What brought you to punk music?
A mutual love for music to begin with, which kind of lead to searching further for what was out there musically. I’ve always been drawn to wanting to be a part of something different but the main reason was that punk rock was always so honest and real.
All the guys from the original lineup [of which two remain] we all went to school together on the east coast. And actually the lineup now, is still 100% east coast. So we all grew up being best mates basically. Tell us about your new album, Like A Thread.
The new record is the direction that we were looking to head in after we realised that we could choose what we wanted to do. Our earlier stuff is kind of what you see is what you get but this time around we really wanted to introduce some light and shade.
LUCA BRASILuca Brasi is Tyler Richardson (lead vox/bass), Tom Busby (lead guitar),
Patrick Marshall (guitar/vox) and Danny Flood on drums.
24
Some of my favourite albums are ones that I didn’t necessarily “get” straight up and am still finding new parts of. [Stream singles at Bandcamp.com]
Who are your punk idols and touring staples?
I guess as a whole I’d have to say we are Hot Water Music fans, they’ll always be the main records we always come back to. A touring staple would definitely be Osker’s “Idle Will Kill”. Crazy frog gets a fair bit of air time in the van too. What about current favourite music?
Right now I can’t stop listening to Melbourne band Ceres. I say right now but for a fair while I’ve just keep putting it on. I’ve also been giving Jawbreakers “Dear You” another solid flogging.
And who are your favourite Tassie bands?
The Scandal’s “Never Hold To Shore” [has] incredibly well-crafted songs that just keep on going in directions you don’t think they’re going to. They sorta never really got the recognition at the time they deserved. Nic White, the base player has co-produced all our stuff… He’s still a big part of the music scene in Tassie and plays in a bad now called
Ride the Tiger, with Linc Le Fevre. They were always a big influence on us coming up too. Linc is another favourite who’s now getting the respect he’s [deserved] for a hell of a long time. I’d always look at around at his show and think ‘how is this place not sold out? Where are all the people who should be here?’ Now the people are there and it’s awesome. Currently Hobart lads Speech Patterns are absolutely killing it too! So fast, so technical. A few of those guys are at UTAS too. They just blow everyone away.
Your new album, comes out very soon, where will it be for sale?
There’s an LP and CD that’ll be at JB HiFi and select indie retailers, and iTunes. We also do a limited US release through No Idea Records.
Luca Brasi, thanks for talking to us. It’s been pleasure
Thanks for having us!
Tyler is currently studying education. A boilermaker-welder by trade, he hopes to one day teach MDT. Tom is first year Bachelor of Arts with a view to doing law.
http://www.facebook.com/lucabrasipunkrock
Tabitha Fletcher x
Photo by Ali Davis
25
VIOL
ENT
SOHO
One of Australia’s most rock n roll outfits
open up a little about how they define
themselves, before their killer, raw
performance at the Unibar. This is an
excerpt from the extended interview,
to be published on togatus.com.au.
The Violent Soho boys wait backstage; a
congested room of sweaty bodies ready to
greet them for UTAS’ Hobart O-Week concert.
Previous interviews with the band revealed they
aren’t into the politics and flamboyant analytics
of music. These are dudes: A skateboarding, pot
smoking and zero fucks given band.
Now firmly entrenched in triple j’s hit list
rotation, their single ‘Covered in Chrome’
(taken from the acclaimed third LP ‘Hungry
Ghost’) landed at number 14 on the station’s
2013 Hottest 100. Frontman Luke Boerdam
and guitarist James Tidswell and said they
never expected to crack the list alongside
“these massive pop stars”.
“Once it got to 15 it becomes statistically
impossible for a band like us, and not that
many people know of us,’’ said Tidswell.
“It’s a big testament to people who have
supported us for so long.”
Tidswell’s expression “a band like us” had the
Violent Soho members talking passionately
about the ambiguity of Australian music genres.
Boerdam sat near him and sniggered from time
to time, as if brushing down each question
thrown his way.
“I guess we are not played on multi radio
networks,” said Tidswell.
“I mean what bands have guitar in them these
days, especially distorted. ’’ added Boerdam.
A point of difference both members agreed
upon. “We call our band shit-core, and what
shit-core means is you don’t practice, you
definitely don’t have samples or backing
tracks, it is what it is,” said Tidswell.
“You may see a shit show, you may see
a good one but the facts are at least you
know that we are playing the music.”
Suggesting Violent Soho are leading a “grunge
revival” is definitely a broad assumption.
What was it about a previous interview with
those words that upset Tidswell?
“We don’t necessarily hate grunge or the word
grunge, but I think putting a revival, an entire
movement of upheaving a dead genre; it’s just
that word that puts a lot of pressure.”
Boerdam agreed.
“When you only have 70 dollars to spend
on an effects pedal I don’t think that’s about
reviving a genre,’’ said Tidswell.
“There’s nothing more to it.”
So if not for a grunge revival, it’s a big ‘Hell
Fuck Yeah’ for the band carrying more
belligerent sounds to the top of a commercial
chart. “It’s always been there; just someone has
decided to put it on radio,” said Tidswell.
Boerdam sprung to life. “I guess from our point
of view it’s a weird question because we’ve been
doing it for ages… We’ve always hung out with
bands like Luca Brasi,’’ he said.
“When we released Tinderbox people were like
`oh it’s a comeback,” added Tidswell.
“For us it’s like ‘we’ve been doing this the
whole fucking time,” said Boerdam.
“We released an album called ‘We Don’t Belong
Here’ because we didn’t belong inside the punk
rock genre, or whatever it grew on to become.
What about today Tidswell? “I think now we
feel like, not only accepted, but part of all the
music that is happening which is awesome.”
New album Hungry Ghost out now.
Available, among other merch, from the
band’s Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/violentsoho
4122
Mark Acheson x
photo courtesy
of
Viol
ent So
ho
Taking place on the last weekend before uni goes back, the Party In The Paddock festival is tailored for students, by students. In short, it’s the music festival for us, by us. It’s the last party before everything gets serious (or at least, we all should be beginning to get serious).
This year’s Party In The Paddock festival was greeted with beautiful weather, an impeccable set list, good food and gorgeous surroundings. With headlining acts from across the country (Sticky Fingers, Kingswood, Stonefield), food so good you went back for seconds (and thirds, if you were me…) and a festival atmosphere that would make other organisers green with envy, the 2014 installment of Party In The Paddock was exactly that; a huge party in a paddock.
Everyone was in a good mood, good form, covered in glitter (or dust), dagwood-dog in hand and catching up with old friends, making new ones (just as quickly) and dancing to local heroes ‘Trolley Dog’ and their twerking ‘Wilfred’ team.
The festival works because the staff, contributors and volunteers have nailed their demographic (because it includes
them, too) and they have nailed catering to their interests and their needs as festival goers. They understand that you always need lots of Reggae, that tacos and pizza need to be on hand; at all times, and that you should pay homage to your Gameboy-fuelled childhood, complete with LSDJ performer and Contemporary Arts student, Gentlehurst (Paul Eggins).
With a central focus on university-aged punters, the festival is “laidback and accessible” says Co-director, Emily-Rose Wills, another Contemporary Arts student and pioneer in the Northern arts and music scene. The majority of the crowd at Party In The Paddock were University of Tasmania students, mainly from the North, with many making the trip up from the Hobart campus. The festival relies on present and past students, with the main organisers coming from nursing, AMC, arts and architecture degrees and a substantial amount of volunteers being University of Tasmania students, too. They all apply their knowledge and those early morning lectures to making the festival a great place and better each year. Emily-Rose continues that the influence of the variations in interests and studies
(at university) became quite apparent when the festival’s Operations Manager literally ran the festival like a well-oiled ship. Being a former AMC student, this shouldn’t come as a surprise, either. Another key-player in the festival’s birth and growth, Isaac (an Architecture student), applied his eye for design to all of the merchandising and logo work for the festival bringing beautifully tye-dyed singlets, snapbacks, beanies and five panels to the crowd and our shop fronts prior to the festival. Emily-Rose concludes that Party in The Paddock is a learning and training experience in itself, “valuing leadership, planning and business, negotiation and compromise”.
So if you’re looking to party, or alternatively to learn and contribute, get in touch with PIPT and hang in there for the announcements for next years festival. You don’t want to be the guy left out of first day back reminiscing or trying to remember why you have glitter everywhere or, just as I’m trying to figure out, why I ended up with Trolley Dog’s toy dog complete with studded collar. And it just sucks if you’re not there, what else could you be doing that could be better than an aptly titled festival, Party In The Paddock.
Brigitte Trobianni x
Photo by Hamish Johns
Gus McKay | College of the Arts Rep
I ’m the College of the Arts SRC Rep and I’m doing it to develop opportunities for my fellow students to get better use of galleries and facilities at our campuses. Through events and gallery/communal space
development I hope to elevate the Tasmanian College of the Arts to a higher standard of notoriety. I have been involved with are the sculpture, painting and printmaking societies. These groups put together
stellar exhibitions each year and are great at supporting artists to get their work exposed. If I had the chance to speak to Tony Abbott, I’d want to ask him to stop making such idiots of our country, but I’d
probably have to leave that aside to discuss why government agencies should recognise art as legitimate work.
Saraswathy Varatharajullu | Campus President (South)
Hey there! I’m Saras and as Campus President, my job is to serve you, and to ensure that you’re well represented in a
variety of matters. Together with the rest of the SRC I will work to ensure that you get a well-rounded experience here at
UTAS. This year, you can expect more social events, networking opportunities, events that tackle social justice issues and
education concerns that you may have. I look forward to working for you in the coming year! If I had the opportunity
to speak with Tony Abbott I would ask: “Would you not agree that a basic requisite of a Prime Minister is to be able to
handle a tough interview and not walk away?”
Daniel Westbury | Secretary (South)
Hola! My name is Daniel, and I’m this year’s regional secretary for the Hobart SRC. What is a secretary? Well, my job
entails calling meetings of the council, collecting and collating reports, taking and distributing minutes and generally
assisting the Campus President and council (all of whom are coincidentally fantastic). It’s also part of my job to keep
you guys in the loop, and us accountable, by clearly telling you when meetings are on and providing minutes that are
easily accessible. I work behind the scenes to make sure that our processes are transparent as possible. Hit me up if you
see me around campus and need to know anything or have any concerns with what the SRC is or do. How I’d start a
conversation with Tony Abbott? “Hi Tony, remember how you once described yourself as the ‘political love-child of John
Howard and Bronwyn Bishop’? I’d like an apology for you putting that image in my head.
Heidi LaPaglia | Women's Officer
As a young female student at UTAS I felt pretty isolated. I was pretty much left to my own devices; and it wasn’t
until I took the steps to get involved with outside community groups that I really started to make networks in the
university. I think there is a real need for more groups at UTAS that bring together like-minded people to socialise
and support each other. This is why I applied to be Women’s Officer. I hope to activate the women’s collective and
support like-minded female students to thrive in their social community as well as in their academic work at UTAS.
Given the chance to speak with Abbott, I would ask him to justify to me his position as Women’s Minister and how
he plans to address the inequalities of young, ethnic and low-socio-economic women when he sees the world from
the perspective of a conservative, white, wealthy, middle-aged man.
The SRC can be a vague concept for the uninitiated. Essentially, they’re a bunch of students who’ve put their hand up to spend a sizeable amount of their free time to advocate for student needs, organise events, and even
cook for you. You will usually find them consuming some kind of caffeinated beverage in the TUU building. We’ll feature each campus’ SRC in a different issue. We asked TUU SRC South to fill us in a bit about themselves, as
well as the all-important question: “Given the chance, what would you like to say to Tony Abbott?”
INTRODUCING Your Student Representative Council (South)
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Alphonse Mulumba | Welfare Officer
Hi, Alphonse here. As the Welfare Officer, my role includes helping students with equity issues such as those
involved in differently-abled and culturally and linguistically diverse students. I believe students should be given the
opportunity to study in a supportive environment where their needs are accommodated, for them to maximise their
potential and become the best they can be in life. Based on this, I ran for this position and feel very privileged to
be serving in this capacity. I want to listen to students and help provide effective referral to wider support. It is clear
that I am not an expert in student services, but I can stand as a bridge between those in need and helpful mental,
physical and financial wellbeing services that exist within the University of Tasmania (South). If I had a chance
to start a conversation with Tony Abbott, I would say: “were you or parents also immigrants to this country?”
This is not a disrespectful question as it may sound, but it is to help him reflect on his harsh and unforgiving
way of treating asylum seekers in a very inhumane way. Not to sound political, it is a way of making a
strong call to him to encourage cultural diversity for a far more successful multicultural Australia.
Michael Su | Societies Officer
I am the Societies Officer, or more exactly Societies Rep; that means I see myself as the representative of the bridge
between students and societies. I never imagined I’d be running for an election of the TUU. However, when I was taking
the role of the VP of Chinese Students and Scholars Association, I found a group of passionate young people running
the positions of TUU. Consequently, I told myself that I want to be one member of TUU helping students enjoy their
university lives.I have in stayed Australia for almost two years. As an international student, I have to say these are two
years I will never forget. As an international student, the quality of Australian education is my biggest concern. I am
wondering if the Prime Minister has some new policies to maintain and promote the higher education of Australia.
As the societies officer, I would ask what policies the Prime Minister may issue to support the budgets of societies in
Australian universities (considering their rather anti-SSAF stance).
Marilyn Ho | International Student's Officer
Hi all! I am Marilyn Ho (my friends call me MarHo). As to why I’m doing this? Well, as an International Student myself,
I understand how it feels to be in a foreign land (being away from home is no easy feat!). As such, I hope that I can help
ease the homesickness, and perhaps loneliness, through committing myself to creating a fun, supportive and inclusive
University environment for all International Students! … “Dear Tony, are we international students at the bottom of
your priorities because we don’t contribute to your votes?! *Just kidding* But I truly hope that we can be apportioned
more funds (in terms of scholarships especially), as I seriously think financial support is rather lacking in Australia.
Btw, your girls are HAWT!
Nic D'Elia | Medical Science Precinct Rep
Hi my name is Nic. I represent all the health science students situated across both the Menzies and Nursing
schools. I hope to introduce health science students to the rest of the university population more, as often it
can feel like we’re quite isolated. I am currently completing an honours year in my MBBS course (Bachelor of
Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery), focusing on cardiovascular disease. I like to think I’m a pretty chilled out guy
that is easy to approach. I love playing soccer and having a muck around on the guitar. I’d ask Tony Abbott to
continue to conserve Tasmania’s forests and national parks.
I was drawn to the role after a successful year in 2013 as the president of UTAS’ Queer Society.
Now with a little more scope and support 2014 will be a bigger and better year for queer
students. If I could ask Tony Abbott one thing: “What the fuck is your problem!?”
Jackson Tegg | Queer [email protected]
29
Sophia Mallick | Environmental Rep
My position involves working to make UTAS a more environmentally responsible institution, and engaging students on
environmental issues, both on campus and in the Tasmanian community. I have been involved in student environmental
groups since my first year at UTAS and this year I want to give more support to current and upcoming environmental
campaigns on campus – such as the campaign to save the Tarkine and the “Repower” project, which aims to see
UTAS become a 100% renewable powered university. As students, we need to ensure that our university is being held
accountable and that its actions and values are leading us towards a future that is sustainable, ethical and not based
on environmental destruction. I’d ask to have Tony Abbott when he’s going to produce clear, detailed evidence to
demonstrate that his ‘Direct Action’ climate change plan is better than all current measures.
Stephen McCallum | Publications and Communications Officer
I’ve dedicated a quarter of my life to student representation and activism. In my current position, I will be utilising my
experience to improve the internal communication structures within the TUU to streamline the organisation and further
improve student services on campus. I will also be working with the editors of TUU publications (like Togatus) to make
sure they have the resources they need and to promote TUU events on and off campus over the year. I was the President
of the University of South Australia Student Association and NUS National Environment Officer. I’ve been in Hobart for
12 months. I like tea, chocolate and chess. I’d ask Abbott; “Before the election, you were talking about freedom of speech;
why are you now effectively censoring the ABC for not being your propaganda machine?”
Topher Webster | Activities Officer
As the name suggests, my role involves running the SRC’s on-campus activities, with emphasis in particular on O-Week
and, in second semester, The ScavHunt. I got involved with the SRC because I enjoyed the hell out of the ScavHunt each
time I did it, and it didn’t look like anybody else was interested in running it this year. I, for one, will not stand by and let
students go without an excuse to bring themselves a little shame/fame. Keep an eye out in Semester 2, kids – ScavHunt
is coming...Should I have the enormous honour of encountering our beloved leader, I would leap at the chance to pick
his brain for the secrets which qualified him to become Minister for Women. If he’s capable of representing women better
than a woman could, that man must know something big. Also, I’d congratulate him on paving the road to the destruction
of the Great Barrier Reef; if QLD loses its biggest natural tourism attraction, Tassie can soak up the excess tourism money,
taking us one step closer to world domination.
Tabitha Fletcher | Education Officer
My role is to represent the student perspective in a number of faculty settings. Essentially I keep up to date with any changes or reviews which the University undertake and give a student voice. I’m also here, of course, to discuss student concerns and relay them back to the University. You may notice that
I’m also the Editor of this magazine – very convenient as far as reaching you with news of University goings on. I put my hand up to do this as I feel the student perspective is not consulted on enough,
and that the quality of our education and Uni culture shouldn’t be sacrificed for the bottom dollar. An encounter our ‘dear leader’ would compel me to ask, “Do you honestly feel that you are ‘leading for all
Australians’, as promised, when there is a pervasive stench of conservative ideology to virtually every announcement your government makes?”
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We’re looking for people to join the team to contribute on things like… Student issues, politics, science, international affairs (student or otherwise), music, law, social issues, creative arts, environment, performing arts, creative writing, poetry, culture, film and TV… You get the point.
We’re also offering the chance for people to take on responsibilities in advertising, marketing, social media, online content creation, blogging, web design, photography, assisting with sub editing.
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Back cover art is produced and owned by Alice Camm. Alice is a Fine Art student at the Hunter Street Campus. She is completing her Honours in Visual Communication this year. She is a skilled illustrator and has recently begun using a Risograph to produce works of art. More of her work can be found here: www.alicekazam.com
