Issue 1| Volume 6 | March 2014
Macquarie University Student Publication
STUDENT LIFE | CAMPUS NEWS | ARTS & CULTURE | STYLE & SUSTAINABILITY | REVIEWS | AND MORE
THINK - TODAY IS
MY TOMORROW
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EDITOR’S LETTER
D
espite what people say about “kids these days” who want to spend as little time on campus as possible, there is, and will continue to be, thriving university culture here at Macquarie University. This magazine itself is a testament to that. Tucked inside these covers are hours upon hours of work: researching, writing, and designing by students who want more than just a piece of paper with their degree plastered on it at the end of their time here. Instead, they want to challenge themselves, broaden their minds and contribute to public debate. Student media was started as an alternative to mainstream media, reporting on both campus issues, and giving a voice to students on national issues. Student media has been at the forefront of student radicalism in times past. Even now, in its watered down version, it still manages to keep students aware of key issues, and offer them a space to correct, condemn, or call to action. Recently, former editor of University of Sydney’s Honi Soit, Dominic Knight, spoke to the Sydney Morning Herald about his time in student media. “There are groups on campus to cater for just about any interest,” he said, “as well as, lots of things you might previously have thought that nobody could possibly be interested in… After all, if you can’t be radical at uni, when can you?”
And by and large, radical it has stayed. Just last year, the University of NSW released its abortion stance with an illustration of a crucifix jammed into a uterus. In the same year, Honi Soit released its feminist position with 18 vulvas on the cover (VaginaSoit), and later that year, took on a critical stance of their university administration’s alleged support of police presence on campus. Australian National University’s student publication Woroni too, wrote extensive criticism on their university’s decision to cut tutorials. In staying true to all of the things student media is here to support, we too will be looking for how students feel about the big issues. Check out some of the Features from p.23 and we’ll be continuing to tell you about our campus community (see the new ‘Your Campus’ section on p. 14). We encourage transparency and accountability, never to criticise only for the sake of criticism, but because this is how we learn and grow. We want to encourage healthy public debate around any issue that’s important to you. So, for all of you picking up Grapeshot this year, we challenge you to broaden your horizons. We challenge you to think critically. We want to hear your voice. This is a new year for some, a brand new experience, and for all, a clean slate to work off.
In loving memory of
Abishay Djumapili Born into this world 28th September 1991 Born to eternal life 12th January 2014 Abishay Djumapili, 23, passed away on Sunday, January 12, 2014 while on holidays in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He was born in the town of Bukavu in the Democratic Republic of Congo on September 28, 1991, to Isaac and Josephine Djumapili. Abishay graduated from Merrylands High School NSW and was a student at Macquarie University. He was also a trainee pilot with a private license in aviation. Abishay was a beloved member of the community and could frequently be found leading various multicultural programs in Sydney.
Funeral arrangements will be held in the DR Congo. In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial donations to assist with the costs of getting some members o f his family to Congo to assist with funeral arrangements and to pay their last respects to Abishay.
Dona%ons may be sent as follows: WIRE TRANSFER Acc name: Bacirongo Isaac Djumapili BSB: 062265 Acc number: 10732246 Bank: Commonwealth Bank
CHEQUES Made out to: Isaac or Josephine Djumapili 73b Beckenham St, Canleyvale,NSW 2166
Mia
Macquarie University Student Publication EDITORIAL & CREATIVE PRODUCTION Editor in Chief Deputy Editor Features Editor News Editor Regulars Editor Copy Editor Creative Designer Graphic Designer
Mia Kwok Kristina Cavanna Amanda Mahony Emma Vlatko Sarah Basford Claire Catacouzinos James Rotanson Cindy Huang
MARKETING TEAM Advertising Manager Varun Fernando Marketing Manager Josephine Clark-Wroe Marketing Officer Manisha Josephraja SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORS Bianca Abbott, Blake Antrobus, Sally Cruse, Brendon D’Souza, Lily Davis, Nicola Donovan, Sarah Garnham, Alessandro Guarrera, Raelee Lancaster, Janson Lim, Ben McCarthy, Khoa Nguyen Dac, Ben Nour, Patrick Pearson, Avery Phillips, Suzanne Strong, Cassandra Teo, David Varker, Cassandra Webb, Rabeah Zafrullah, Rhys Zorro EDITORIAL REVIEW BOARD Angela Voerman, Melroy Rodrigues, Natalie Morman, Gemma Quinn PUBLISHER U@MQ The publication team acknowledges the Darug Aboriginal people as the traditional custodians of the land on which Macquarie University is situated.
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SIMPLE, FAIR, AFFORDABLE? We’ve all been there. The deadly flu rendering us bed ridden days before an assessment is due or waking up after a big night and realising you wouldn’t be making it to class that morning. Whatever the symptoms or reasons for visiting them, local GP’s have always been there to help a student in crisis. But the future of free-for-all Medicare may be about to change, with a recommendation from the Commission of Audit suggesting that patients could be charged $6 to visit a GP. Medicare was first introduced by the Hawke government in 1984, and although a relatively recent addition, it quickly became a firmly accepted part of Australian society. Dr Neal Blewett, the Health Minister responsible for implementing Medicare, described it as, “a health insurance system that is simple, fair and affordable.” However, Terry Barnes, author of the research paper, and former health adviser to Tony Abbott, says, “the Medicare system itself needs to be sustainable... we need to be able to provide the resources necessary to make our health care services work, and particularly our general practices services work. “ Barnes’ concerns are not unwarranted, and nor is it the first time they have been raised. In 1991, the Hawke government introduced a co-payment of $2.50 for GP visits. The change proved so universally unpopular that it was abolished by Paul Keating after only three months.
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Currently, most taxpayers pay a Medicare levy of 1.5 per cent of their taxable income each year, barely raising half the cost of a service, which is set to grow by 24 per cent over the next four years. The new proposal could potentially save $750 million, alleviating at least some of the burden on our strained health care system. However, the negative impact this move
let us remember... GORDON BARCLAY 1923-2013 On 6 September 2013, one of Macquarie University’s founding professors, Oliver “Barclay” Gordon, passed away surrounded by friends and family. Born in Newcastle in 1923, Barclay’s prestigious academic career took him all over the world, eventually becoming one of Macquarie’s founding professors in 1965 when he took up the role of head of chemistry. In 1973, Barclay was selected as the university’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor.
could have on the nation’s sickest and poorest citizens is a growing concern. Australian Medical Association (AMA) has criticised the proposal, arguing that such a move would discourage people from visiting a doctor if they are in legitimate need. Steve Hambleton, President of the AMA, further stated that the change would lead to an increase in people using emergency services when their health problems became more serious. These concerns are shared by Professor John Glover, director of the public health information development unit at the University of Adelaide, who says there is strong evidence to show that the poor are already under-utilising healthcare. This is supported by his modelling of a 2010 Bureau of Statistics survey, which found that families living in the poorest suburbs, were three times more likely to delay medical consultations than those living in the wealthiest areas. At this stage, it is unclear whether the Abbott government will go ahead with the proposal, and whether or not students and pensioners will be exempt from the fee. WORDS | Avery Phillips
MARXINE’S CAFE refurbishment
Coffee lovers might have already noticed that Marxine’s Cafe, located in the Campus Hub Food Court, has a new look. The cafe was temporarily closed over the summer break in order to refurbish and re-decorate. The cafe is promising a new and improved coffee and food selection for 2014!
Joining many current Macquarie staff, including Macquarie’s current Chancellor, Barclay was made a member of the Order of Australia on 26 January this year. WORDS | Khoa Nguyen Dac
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SYDNEY’S ALCOHOL PROBLEM Alcohol-fuelled violence has always been a problem in New South Wales. In the past 13 years alone, over 90 people have died from ‘one punch assaults’. Now, with growing media and community interest, this issue has evolved into a full-blown State crisis that policy makers are scrambling to fix. New anti-violence laws were passed in the NSW Parliament on 31 January this year, as a response to the rising number of fatalities garnered from drug and alcohol fuelled attacks. The new laws include changes to the service of alcohol and stricter conditions on licenced venues. The government has promised for these laws to be in full effect by April. However, NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell announced on 5 February that the ‘lock-out laws’, which include lock outs from 1:30am and last drinks at 3:00am for the newly zoned ‘Sydney CBD Entertainment Precinct’, will be enforced from 24 February this year. The laws will also include: increased penalties for serious assaults, such as fines of up to $1,100 for disorderly behaviour, and a mandatory minimum sentence of eight years in jail for anyone who
“There is a drinking culture in this society, not just in NSW but across this country, that is frankly unacceptable,” Premier O’Farrell stated in a press conference late last year. throws a fatal punch. This new minimum sentence is double the time Kieran Loveridge will spend in jail for his attack on 18-yearold Thomas Kelly in July 2011 – something that his parents have labelled “an absolute joke”. However, while these laws have worked in other cities across Australia, the main problem for New South Wales is the current underlying Australian culture of over-drinking. Recent studies into alcohol consumption have found that excessive drinking can not only affect a student’s grades, but also their critical thinking skills. Yet many have argued that whilst these new laws may cause perpetrators to be more careful, they are unlikely to drastically alter the Australian way of thinking. Greens MP John Kaye has called these new measures “knee jerk reactions” that ignore the real issues. He echoes the concerns of Independent MP Greg Piper, who has labelled the mandatory sentencing laws as “very dangerous”. Piper is currently lobbying the Premier to hold a summit to discuss possible alternative solutions. The Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione has repeated Piper’s concern, publically stating that “there is no single problem, just as there is no single solution”. The Premier has shaken off criticism, describing the new laws as pioneering. The government has also indicated that they will be revisited for fine-tuning for the sake of more effective results, if needed. WORDS | Rabeah Zafrullah
PARTING WORDS has contributed greatly to the improvement of institutionalised education throughout Australia. In her time at Macquarie, Sachs has been responsible for the implementation of a new academic structure and the development of a new undergraduate and postgraduate curriculum. However, to students, perhaps the most obvious change overseen by Sachs was the introduction of the three Ps (People, Planet and PACE). In her farewell speech, this achievement was described as “a strong foundation that differentiates” Macquarie from other universities. Macquarie University is on the look out for a new Deputy Vice Chancellor (DVC) Provost, as Professor Judyth Sachs announced she would not be returning to the position at the end of her sabbatical. In a statement on the university website, Sachs thanked her colleagues, both professional and academic. “We are now more agile, contemporary and competitive in our teaching and learning,” she said, “I have been fortunate to be a part of the Macquarie family, and its journey towards high international recognition and standing.” Before taking up the position of Provost in December 2006, Sachs held various positions at universities around the world. She’s also been the author of numerous books, articles and speeches, all on the subject of education and teaching. Overall, Sachs’ work grapeshotmq.com.au
In a statement released just hours after the announcement, Macquarie Vice Chancellor Professor Bruce Dowton, thanked Sachs for her “many contributions” to the university. “I wish her well, and look forward to her success in future endeavours, which I anticipate will be equally as impressive.” Judyth Sachs is confident her successor will inherit an “academic culture of excellence”. Dowton admits they’re not ready to move on just yet. “I will undertake a short period of reflection on the substantial and wide-ranging portfolio of the Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Provost),” he stated, “before the search for a successor begins.” WORDS | Emma Vlatko
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TEACHER OF THE YEAR WORDS | Claire Catacouzinos Late last year, while Macquarie University students were busy with exams, Professor John Croucher was being crowned Australian University Teacher of 2013.
WORTH YOUR WEIGHT IN GOLD WORDS | Kristina Cavanna It’s not often that a member of the Macquarie University staff is nationally honoured. This year, however, Macquarie has had three staff members honoured. On Australia Day, 26 of January, Chancellor Michael Egan, Distinguished Professor, David Throsby, and Emeritus Professor, Anthony Blackshield, were all appointed Officers of the Order of Australia. When asked how he felt about being awarded this honour, Michael Egan, Macquarie University’s Chancellor since 2008, said that it is a reminder for us to “never underestimate the importance of the work you do.”
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“People who work here are not only worth their weight in gold, but are also very privileged… they are in a unique position to transform and improve lives... most people at Macquarie deserve an honour because they do a great job!” But Egan admits that this award was not solely the result of hard work. “I think anyone who is in a position to be given an Australian honour will admit that they’ve had a lot more good luck in their life, than they have bad luck... I certainly feel very grateful for the honour... but it also reminded me of how lucky I’ve been throughout my life.”
“It’s like Miss Australia... I have this title forever but in 12 months time there will be a new King (or Queen), and I will have to hand the reins over.” The award, valued at $50,000, recognises the Professor’s superior teaching and communication skills, and a long history of research. “I love teaching, and I love the students. It’s nice to be recognised and to see that it’s appreciated.” But Croucher admits, being a good teacher is about more than just knowing the course material. “You can’t just go and read the text book and say, “We’re on page four, we’re going to talk about multiple integrals. If no one sees the use for the thing you’re teaching them, then it won’t be interesting.” Leaving school at the age of 16, John Croucher came from a working-class background, taking on a clerical job for three years to save money for university. After overcoming a hereditary stammer and a fear of public speaking, he went on to pursue a life of academia. His career took him all over the world and even, for a brief period of time, onto our television screens as Channel Ten’s “Mr FootyTAB.” Eventually, however, he ended right back where he started, at Macquarie University. Education is Croucher’s passion. He believes that institutions should be encouraging the best teachers, which means rewarding good teachers for their hard work. Unfortunately, people often confuse a good teacher with a popular teacher. “Popular being ‘no homework, easy exam.’ But somebody that gives you lots of hard homework and keeps you on your toes is probably who you’re going to learn most from.” John Croucher is confident Macquarie University students know the difference.
As a past Chancellor of Macquarie, Michael Egan presided over all student graduation ceremonies. “I thought it would be quite a chore... It’s the most enjoyable aspect of my job.” “Having the opportunity of seeing the pride and joy of students’ families has made me realise what a difference studying at Macquarie University has made to their lives.” Egan describes graduation as “an achievement you should celebrate”, strongly advising all students to attend their own. He goes further, providing wise words to students in the hope that they may embrace all the opportunities university has to offer. “Enjoy yourself, but work hard. If you need help, ask for it. Get involved in university life. Meet new people, and embrace new cultures... They are the four pieces of advice I’d give to any student.” Congratulations to Macquarie’s Chancellor and Professors. Grapeshot would like to thank you for your years of hard work at the University.
IMAGE | John Croucher (left)
Image credit to Sayaka Kajita
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Get Connected WORDS | Emma Vlatko Integration is the buzzword around the Macquarie University campus this semester, as students and staff welcome the re-opening of the ‘old library’, or ‘Muse’. Included in this transformation is the new Student Connect space, replacing what students formerly knew as ‘Student Enquiries Services’. “We were trying to indicate, with the shift in the name, a move away from just an ‘ask and point’ system,” says Jonathan Wylie, Macquarie’s Deputy Registrar . “You’ll see we’ve flipped that completely on it’s head. All the levels of help are done in a collaborative way. Students and helpers are now side by side for the whole process... It’s a complete shift in the mind set.” Physically, that shift in mind set is obvious. The new Student Connect area has lush open (and colour coded) spaces, allowing students to access the help they need in an informal setting. You’re also unlikely to find many desks in this space, a radical move away from a system that Wylie suggested students thought often “stood in the way with complex processes and lots of paper work... That idea of connectedness was the main thing that came out of the consultations with students.” With this new space also comes a greater capacity to serve students. Over the summer, staff members were busy training new recruits, so that new and returning students can expect fast and efficient help come O Week. The larger space also allows for Macquarie’s student services to integrate with campus cards, and graduation services. “One of the real opportunities of the way the space has been designed is flexibility. We are beginning to integrate services so they are more effective.” And although, the MUSE and Student Connect location is only temporary, Wylie insists that the whole process will be used to make Macquarie student services more efficient. “It’s really just the beginning of a journey towards greater integration... we would always intend to have student connect located centrally, and we will never not have a face-to-face service.” Student Connect (level 3, C7A) is open to students weekdays from 8:30am - 5:30pm. The cashier’s office remains in its original location, on the ground floor of the Lincoln building, and will be open weekdays, 9:00am - 5:00pm.
YOUR CAMPUS
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Lily Davis
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RHYS ZORRO
DID THE ANCIENT WORLD EVER HAVE CLEAN SLATES? Ha, there was never such a thing! If you thrust your sword at the wrong guy, and miss, you’re dead, or if you acted wrongly in public, you would be penalised, depending on your insolent act to your city-state. Now you might ask, how could there not be clean slates, or even ‘second-chances’? The reason, my friends, is this, everything came down to power and authority. Let’s say, you were on the battlefield, ready to fight against Spartacus, or even Caesar, or Ramses II, then all of a sudden, you are stricken with fear, the coward within you is unleashed, and you run away like a crazy scaly wag, dropping your shield to the ground, screaming like a frightened child. What do you think the generals would do to you? You would be stripped of your title, banished from your property, exiled
Check out Claire’s blog:
from your state – an embarrassment to your community; this would definitely be
www.clairecatacouzinos.wordpress.com
fitting for a Spartan warrior. No second chances; no clean slate. But in our times, in the contemporary world, all you would get for handing an assignment in late would be a ‘simple’ email, or perhaps even, a friendly reminder as to why you have not submitted your assignment yet. Back in the ‘school days’, teachers would threaten to call home, then you would be in big trouble. So it all comes down to power and the fear of authority; of the consequences of your actions. Now I could go on about the panopticon state, that Foucault talks about, (which you first years will soon learn about); but always remember, in the 21st Century, we can screw up anywhere in life, but we can always redeem ourselves. That is why the first semester of university is all about fresh starts.
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CLAIRE’S CORNER
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DAVID VARKER How does one claim that such a policy will not cost students, especially after claims of increased interest charges by feegouging banks?
As Australia’s public finances rapidly deteriorate, the sustainable funding of university students may inevitably require the privatisation of HECS. Such a statement invariably leads to groans of ‘yuppie scum’ by the Socialist Alternative. However, this policy can preserve the current standards of funding while improving the government’s bottom line.
HECS debt stands at approximately $26.3 billion, with only 80 per cent having any hope of being collected.
HECS debt stands at approximately $26.3 billion, with only 80 per cent having any hope of being collected. As a consequence, HECS results in an approximate $5.26 billion dollar burden to the government, a cost likely to increase in the future as more students enrol at university. The question is: how does one claim that such a policy will not cost students, especially after claims of increased interest charges by fee-gouging banks? In essence, investors are purchasing a right to receive HECS repayments from students on identical contractual terms, as negotiated between students and the government. The agreement confers no right for re-negotiating the rate of interest applied to the debt. But why would anybody agree to this? The proposal is that the rights will be sold at a discount to their true value, thereby giving investors their desired margin.
ADVOCACY
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Lily Davis
The architect of HECS, Professor Bruce Chapman, proposes an approximate figure of $15 billion as the likely proceeds from sale. What government subsequently decides to do with the proceeds of sale will ultimately ensure the transformation of HECS into a net gain for the budget. An option would be to invest the earnings into a wealth fund, the privatisation of Telstra establishing this precedent with the Future Fund. By looking at the returns of the Future Fund (9.7 per cent over three years), a seed investment of $15 billion could lead to a fund worth $37.9 billion in 10 years. It is with this cash reserve that the government could then pursue the big-ticket policies, which the people of this nation deserve without debt.
RHYS ZORRO
Socially, it risks higher repayments, and pushes students into a private debt they never signed.
The privatisation of HECS undermines the original aim of the scheme: to provide a smart, universal education system, aimed at opportunity, and underscored by economic pragmatism. Introduced by the Hawke-Keating Labor Government in 1989, HECS recognised the burden that universal free education was to the budget, and remastered it to be a literal investment in the further education of Australians. This was to be paid back once the dividends of higher education and skilled employment were realised, namely when a student’s income reached $51,309 a year.
This scheme has sparked student riots in London, and its economic ignorance has provided little-to-no returns for investors.
The privatisation of HECS debt proposes to sell the ownership of this debt to a private firm; however, due to the nature of these investments, business will find little-to-no return. These debts have no defined interest rate (the CPI index) and no real timetable of payments. They are riddled with something the business sector hate most: uncertainty! This is unappealing to firms who can already find safer investments with higher guaranteed returns in the marketplace. Socially, it risks higher repayments, and pushes students into a private debt they never signed. It corrodes the ideal of an inclusive education system, which supports all aspirations, and respects budgetary common sense. The true motives of this reform lie not in the aim or impact of the scheme, but in the sour vengeance of the former professional student politicians, Christopher Pyne and Tony Abbott. Their idealistic disposition to universal education motivates their relentless push against a Labor legacy, which harkens back to their years as student campaigners against Gough Whitlam’s free universal system. They will undermine this scheme, regardless of the evidence showing that a HECS policy makes us a richer, more prosperous country. Privatisation of HECS debt is economically baseless and disturbs a system that has enabled all of us to pursue a better life, and a more intellectual society. MacroBusiness exclaims “F*cking Stupidity”.
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ADVOCACY
The privatisation of HECS is a sucker’s bet by ‘Treasury drop-outs’ still wallowing from their student union days. It is both economically and socially useless. Not long after entering government, the Coalition has adapted one of the more dumbfounded schemes of its cousin – David Cameron’s Conservative Government in the UK. This scheme has sparked student riots in London, and its economic ignorance has provided little-to-no returns for investors.
I THINK I’M IN LOVE WITH MY CAT? Q: My kitty is such a sweetie and recently I’ve become really
close to him. He always smells really good, he has the prettiest eyes, and I really like his ears. He’s so sweet to me! He always thanks me when I feed him, he sits on my lap, and whenever my mum yells at me, he stands up for me!
A: The relationships we have with our pets are some of the stron-
gest bonds we’ll ever experience in our life. First off, I have to say that I’m not a cat person, but judging by how much emotive power cats seem to evoke on the internet, there has to be something relatively not so terrifying about them. There has been rigorous research conducted on the area of human attachment with pets, and it has been consistently shown that owning a pet, does in fact, alleviate negative moods and lead to intense feelings of affection, sometimes stronger than that we feel for other humans. Naturally, as human beings, our favourite topic to talk about is ourselves. How could you not love something that always listens intently to every gripe, rant or complaint you have, and never offers condescending opinions on how you whinge too much (how is that even possible?). Pets will never ditch you for a last minute date, or remind you of the terribly embarrassing things you did last Friday night. It’s always nice to be appreciated and feel needed, which is essentially what owning a pet is all about. You provide them with a little food and TLC, and in return, you receive all the affection they can master. Essentially, how you feel is pretty normal, and you are definitely not alone in feeling this way. This being said, try and make sure you are not consistently cancelling plans with your non-feline friends and family. That’s not particularly healthy. What if those horrible stories about cats eating their owner’s faces while they’re asleep are true? Who would come and find you? Your cat doesn’t have opposable thumbs or the ability to speak, so they wouldn’t even be able to call an ambulance if they felt really remorseful about what they did. Hey, it might not happen, but I’m just trying to look out for you.
Lily Davis
Environment Minister Greg Hunt, on 11 December 2013, stated that he was “drawing a line in the sand,” when it came to dredging actions inside the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. But the line he’s drawn isn’t all too clear. In the same press release, Minister Hunt announced his personal approval of the Abbot Point Coal terminal expansion project. This expansion, which is not the first approved by an Australian government and one of four Minister Hunt has approved within the area, will make the Abbot Point Port one of the largest in the world. To make this worse, on Friday 31 January 2014, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) approved the three million cubic metres of dredge materials, requested in the expansion proposal, to be dumped within the World Heritage-listed marine park. This decision ignores concerns expressed by over 230 scientists, who wrote to the Authority urging them to reject the proposal. However, the approval is not without limitations. Minister Hunt and the GBRMPA have together placed 142 environmental conditions on the development, including a 150 per cent net benefit, water quality requirement; but a senior principal research officer at James Cook University, Jon Brodie, says this promise is extremely unlikely to occur. Dredging “will produce both acute turbidity and sedimentation effects on communities, such as seagrass and inshore coral reefs in the marine park”. Brodie joins a chorus of scientists who have labeled the practise of dredging as “outdated” and “destructive”. Environmental groups have also expressed their criticism of the outcomes. Greenpeace have called the decision an “international embarrassment,” questioning why the GBRMPA would allow more potential damage at a time when the reef is already faced with pressure from climate change and land-based pollution. Similarly, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee has warned the government that if it does not make substantial progress the Great Barrier Reef could be listed as “World Heritage in Danger”. grapeshotmq.com.au
FEMINISM WORDS | Josephine Clark-Wroe
The close of 2013 saw many lists, GIFs and videos filled with
WORDS | Nicola Donovan Standing underneath fireworks on New Year’s Eve, you set yourself a goal to achieve over the next 365 days. Whether you plan to spend more time with friends, get better grades, or start saving your hard earned cash, sticking to a New Year’s resolution is really easy – at least for the first few days. A couple of days into the new year, however, you may slip up. Before your resolution has celebrated its one-week anniversary, you’re back into the old habits you tried to kick. If the above sounds all too familiar, don’t feel too bad. According to Forbes, only eight per cent of people achieve their New Year’s resolutions. Whether your goal for the year was influenced by alcohol, or a change you’ve wanted to make for a while, there are steps that you can take to reach your 2014 aim:
either: how far feminism has come, or how far it still has to go. While it was comforting reflecting on the successes, it can also be daunting looking towards the future. Anyone who has listened to Beyonce’s new self-titled, visual album (which is everyone) will be aware that the word ‘feminist’ is resurfacing with all sorts of positive (and still sometimes negative) connotations. Beyonce’s song “***Flawless” features an excerpt from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s TEDx talk from 2013, entitled “We Should All Be Feminists”. Excuse the horrid cliché, but this was literally music to my modern day, feminist ears. Being the outspoken feminist and Beyonce-worshipping media student that I am, I went on to watch the entire TEDx talk and fell head over heels in love with the ideas discussed - not to mention that I now have a topic that will help me survive the five or so essays this semester. It is such an informative video that discusses
If you eat a donut on your New Year diet, enjoy that delicious baked good, and start your healthy eating resolution again when you’re finished. Just because you took a step back, it doesn’t mean that you need to quit altogether.
how feminism benefits both women AND men through a deconstruction of stereotypical gender roles. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is eloquently spoken, humorous and, more importantly, does not point fingers or direct blame. That’s a breath of fresh air on the subject! She discusses how the attributes that are important towards an individual’s survival or success are no longer physical strength, but instead, intelligence, creativity, and innovation. She states:
There’s no point in setting yourself up for failure by setting an unrealistic resolution. Sure, I’d love to have Miranda Kerr’s body – but I’m not banking on it.
“We have evolved, but it seems to me that our ideas of gender have not evolved”. So with feminism comes ideas of gender, and neither of these are easy conversations to have, but it is crucial that we begin to create change towards our preconceived ideas of
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gender roles in order to be the “***Flawless” individuals that I
If you’ve made more than one resolution, good for you; but whatever you do, don’t try to quit smoking, eat more healthily, abandon alcohol, lose weight, and quit sugar all at once – take on each challenge individually because anyone who has attempted the above resolutions will know that challenges are exactly what they are – and who knows what type of monster you will turn into if you try to achieve them all at once! grapeshotmq.com.au
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LIFESTYLE
know you all are.
T
he global ‘War on Drugs’ campaign is failing, has failed, and will always fail. Drug use can be traced back to roughly 5000BCE, and for the past 7,000 years humans have been using different types of drugs. Billions of dollars are poured into reaching
an unattainable goal every year. Finally, and slowly, leaders, countries, and the general population are starting to realise that these billions of dollars should go into regulation, education and health care. In spite of all the laws against narcotics, people will always find ways around them and laws will need to change to mirror societal attitudes and actions. Currently, there are 15 billion dollars being spent in an attempt to stop organised crime in Australia per annum. Failed attempts to halt drug trafficking accounts for a huge segment of this bill and now, with the increased prevalence of synthetic drugs and new laws, this tax bill is only going to increase. In fact, making drugs illegal doesn’t actually deter people. Research shows that for every dollar put into drug prohibition, four more dollars are added to the black market. As with commercial products, the price of drugs will increase with the cost of existence in the market. With an increase in money spent on prohibition, the market becomes harder to access. This in turn increases prices and consequently the value of the black market skyrockets. Since the beginning of the ‘War on Drugs’, the number of users has increased proportionally with the sum of taxpayers’ money spent. With a reduction of money tendered incarcerating people and ‘fighting’ this war, a major source of income for gangs and drug syndicates will also reduce. In 2001, amid scores of criticism and disbelief, Portugal became the first country to remove all criminal penalties for personal possession of drugs, including heroin, methamphetamines, cocaine and marijuana. In Portugal today, if someone is found in possession of drugs they are sent to a team, comprising of a psychologist, a legal adviser and a social worker, who then determines an appropriate treatment. This treatment can be refused without penalty.
WORDS | SALLY CRUSE
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Discussions surrounding the legalisation and decriminalisation of drugs in Portugal were numerous. Some suggest that, with a reduction in price, accessibility will increase and likewise, the use of drugs. Increased use leads to increased addiction, family problems, health problems, and financial issues. Although, this idea is valid, the proof is in the pudding. When Glenn Greenwald released a paper for the Cato Institute, a public policy research organisation in 2009, the impact of Portugal’s new legislation became clear. In the five years after the legislation was introduced, teen drug use declined, new HIV infections from drug-users dropped, and the number for people seeking help for drug abuse doubled in size. Greenwald found people over 15 years of age in the European Union had the lowest rate of lifetime marijuana use, equating to 10 per cent. In contrast, the rate of lifetime marijuana use in America for those over 12 years of age, is 39.8 per cent. On 10 December 2013, Uruguay became the first country to legally regulate marijuana. A market is being created, whereby the government will regulate production through to sale. Finally, a country has been brave enough to break the prohibitionist mould, after years of fighting the inevitable. The world is slowly beginning to recognise that the ‘War on Drugs’ is failing. The poorer we become, the richer gangs become. Governments need to find alternate ways of reducing drug use, and instead of looking at Portugal with scepticism and raised eyebrows, they should follow in its footsteps. Treatment and harm reduction are plausible and
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but the facts show that decriminalisation works to decrease drug use and harm. As research has stated, the drug market is like a stubborn child – the more you fight, the less likely they are to do what you want.
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INTERVIEW
viable steps forward. There are numerous arguments against decriminalisation,
Disclaimer: The author of this article does not endorse or encourage the use of drugs - synthetic, illegal or otherwise.
T
his article all began with a quick Google search. It seems to be the first stop we go to when sourcing information and research these days. So why would it be
any different when finding out about a person? Well it’s not. More and more employers hit the net to find out information about individuals. The scary fact is that there’s stuff to find. Simply type your basic information into Google, enter your name and birthday, and bob’s your uncle, there’s probably a hit on, at least, your Facebook profile. Unbeknown to us all, our online activities are sneakily contributing to a new kind of permanent record. The kind that is far more easily accessible by a greater number of people. This has become known as your ‘digital footprint’, and thanks to social media, almost everybody has left a trace. Few of us, though, understand the extent of it: we all leave some form of trail behind that can have serious professional, and social repercussions.
Nine million Australians check Facebook every day. These millions of people are constantly scouring the web for any activity from their friends, and acquaintances. A recent social media report reveals the average Australian has 258 friends or followers. That means, each place we check in, and every page we like, is being shared with hundreds of people. We are broadcasting details on an unprecedented scale, and sometimes doing so, unknowingly. There’s no doubt this technology has changed things. It’s now the norm to broadcast intimate personal details on various social media platforms. How many pictures have you seen of what somebody ate for lunch, or what they got up to last Saturday night? It’s as if our activities are validated by how many likes we get on Facebook. Our culture seems to be encouraging people to share more and more of their lives online.
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Sometimes, participating in the online media sphere can provide us with a sense of (presumed) anonymity. Regular Joes turn into keyboard warriors; behaving in ways they
FEATURE
may not ordinarily from behind the safety of their screen. However, anonymity really isn’t the case. Our actions can
Lily Davis
often be traced back, and contribute directly to our digital footprint.
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PROFESSIONAL REPERCUSSIONS Many people are under the false impression that social media remains purely ‘social’. In fact, it can be utilised for an array of different purposes. It’s common for employers to draw on online information to monitor their workers, or even consider potential candidates. If you don’t think it happens, then think again. Ms Fiona Anson, Co-Founder and Director of Workible, a mobile and social recruitment platform, offered expert insight into the issue for me to think over. “With so many people having an online presence these days, like it or not, it is getting more common for companies to check online pages, such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn – and even conduct a simple Google search. With people being the most important asset a business has, HR managers are looking to get insight into candidates. With more information than ever before being at our fingertips, how people conduct themselves online can have a massive impact – and unfortunately, not enough people understand this.”
27
FEATURE
Let’s pause and consider some of the real implications of conducting ourselves online.
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Katie Camilleri, a media student at Macquarie University, was subject to this issue too. She spoke of the time she posted on a fellow worker’s Facebook page; “a few hours later my boss messaged me and said he had heard from staff that I was demeaning other staff members online”. Scary, right? Anson explained how it doesn’t have to be scary; “there are both positive and negative aspects to this. From a negative perspective, using your social media accounts to publicise stupid, drunken, vindictive, illegal or just plain silly behaviour can be hugely detrimental to your work opportunities, however, you can use social media to positively enhance career opportunities as well”. In fact you can utilise your digital footprint to increase your professional potential. To do so Anson suggested building your online profile, keeping Facebook private and making a point of sharing your expertise online.
If we think about how much of our information is on offer to strangers, then what about to our actual friends and followers? Therefore our behaviour online has the potential to cause us serious harm socially. People can often be fickle and tend not to forget. Sites such as Facebook and Twitter inadvertently take many of the social problems that already persist, such as bullying and negative gossip, and bring them to a far broader stage. If you have a nasty online break-up, then your 258 ‘friends’ are going to know about it. Our personal life has never been so public. This can be highly problematic when what is broadcast turns sour. The online sphere is a wide and unique platform. It’s created a culture of people accustomed to knowing all and sharing all. Social media has become such an ingrained part of the lives of so many young people that it’s rare to stop and think about any repercussions. We also don’t necessarily have adequate control over what is shared about us. Do you necessarily ask a friend for permission every time you post their photo online? Or is it more likely that you’re seized by a pang of horror as you’re tagged in a new photo the morning after a night out? With our social life being so well documented online it can sometimes be our social life that is worst affected. So, basically, these days our mistakes can be Googled. They stick around as well, maybe even for future generations to see. It’s time for us to start considering the professional and social consequences of our actions that so often go unconsidered. Let’s start examining those dirty, digital footprints left behind and try to clean the slate for the future.
28 For more information regarding Workible
FEATURE
visit www.workible.com.au
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AN INTERVIEW WITH
GARY FOLEY WORDS | Sarah Garnham & Bianca Abbott
discovered it wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. “They handed
rang Gary Foley to ask his opinion on Nelson Mandela.
us these shovels and picks, took us to the school plot and they
Gary asked the journalist “What did I say back then?”
said, ‘Dig this up’. It was bloody hard work. “Halfway through the
The journalist had interviewed Gary years ago, as a representative
first day, I organised a deputation of some of my mates, and we
of the Aboriginal resistance, and was checking to see if his
went off to see the headmaster. We said, ‘We don’t want to do
views on Mandela had changed. Gary chuckled as the journalist
agriculture, so is there any other option?’ The headmaster looked
responded on the other end of the line. His answer was short and
us up and down and said, ‘Well, if you can get twelve students
sharp: “Yep, I still feel exactly the same way. Mandela was a sell
interested, I can start a class of technical drawing.’ It was then,
out.” This answer was one of the many reasons why Gary remained
when I was just 13, that I realised you could make change if you
an icon of the left. He had no time for Uncle Toms, refused to
went about it in a certain way, if you went out and ‘organised the
identify with the likes of Noel Pearson, or anyone else who sided
masses’ so to speak. I organised the students and I took that tech
with the oppressor, regardless of the colour of their skin.
class for the rest of the time I was at Tenterfield High School”.
RAISING A RADICAL
RADICALISING IN REDFERN
Aboriginal activist and historian Gary Foley was a rebel from
1967 was a time when the Aboriginal population was dramatically
a young age. Gary and some of his mates had signed up for an
increasing. Between 1966 and 1969, Redfern’s population went
agriculture class because they thought it sounded easy. He soon
from about 1,500 to 30,000. The place became a political hotbed
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29 INTERVIEW
W
e were sitting in a café in Melbourne, when a journalist
“Thirty years later, I read my ASIO file, and I just kept thinking, ‘Jesus, we were doing so much’. We were moving around. We were linking up. It was a really exciting time.”
said, ‘Read this before you come next week’. It was these two events – getting bashed by the NSW coppers, and reading the biography of Malcolm X; that transformed my thinking.” The discussion group that Paul, Gary and others set up, gave birth to the first Aboriginal legal service, and to the Sydney chapter of the Black Power movement. This core of people became the major force behind the Aboriginal Tent Embassy, and most of the key Aboriginal protests of the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. THE 1960s The politicisation of the Aboriginal community in Redfern was not happening in isolation. The late 1960s was a time of immense social ferment, both in Australia and internationally. There was the civil rights movement in America, the anti-Vietnam war movement, the anti-apartheid movement, the burgeoning gay rights movement, and particularly, in Australia, a rising militancy in the trade union movement. Gary became involved in many of the other struggles. “Thirty years later, I read my ASIO file, and I just kept thinking, ‘Jesus, we were doing so much’. We were moving around. We were linking up. It was a really exciting time because, in addition to the winds of
and the heart of the Aboriginal resistance. Gary left rural
change running through colonised countries and de-
New South Wales at age 16, and moved to Redfern.
colonisation beginning to happen, it also coincided with what some people call ‘the world youth rebellion’
“I had a pretty good first lesson in what was happening
or ‘revolution’. It was an era of protest. There had been
to lots of other Aboriginal people my age, in and around
huge demonstrations against the Vietnam War, big anti-
Redfern at the time. You know – the constant police
American demonstrations. It was a really exciting time
bashing, police intimidation, police picking up people,
to be 18 years old. And ‘68 was a good year, for us in
and throwing them in jail on trumped-up charges, all this
Redfern anyway, in terms of the connections we made,
sort of stuff.” Gary was bashed up by the cops one night
and the networks we built.”
at the old Regent Street police station. “That kicking that the New South Wales coppers gave me, really got under my skin. It really upset me. Not because they gave me a kicking, but because I hadn’t done what they were kicking me for. Had I had done what they were giving me the kicking for, then maybe I would never have become so indignant and political. But I hadn’t, and I was very
30
angry about it.”
INTERVIEW
“One week later, a bloke who I’d just met called Paul Coe, came up to me and said, ‘We’re thinking of setting up a little group of us to talk about what we might be able to do about these coppers harassing us’. Coe didn’t need to ask me twice. I said, ‘Sure, I’m with you, I’m with you’. He then handed me the autobiography of Malcolm X. He
LINKS WITH THE TRADE UNION MOVEMENT The Black Power movement in Redfern developed a strong relationship with the radical NSW Builders Labourers Federation (BLF), the forerunner of today’s Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU). The BLF, under the leadership of Communist Party members, had begun to use its industrial muscle to wage political battles in support of Aboriginal rights, gay rights, women’s rights, and to save buildings and parkland from being destroyed by greedy developers. “We were particularly impressed with Bob Pringle, and Jack Mundey, and Joe Owens, the leaders of the BLF in Sydney. When we were trying to set up the Aboriginal Embassy
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in ‘72 we were trying to figure out a way to get resources out of some of the trade unions, so we had a meeting with Mundey and Pringle. They said that we should go address a meeting of the Trades and Labour Council. But in order to do that, we needed to be members. So they made me and Billy Craigie honorary members, which enabled us to get out in front of the Trades Hall and make an appeal for support and funds. I’m a member of the BLF to this day.” ONGOING POLITICAL ACTIVISM Gary remained active, well after the radical period of the early ‘70s. He still appears regularly at demonstrations,
“If you want to change the world, it’s important to get together with others and be organised, because you can’t do it by yourself. That’s the only advice I could give.”
politicises the classes he teaches at university, and he regularly speaks to large audiences of young people about racism, and the need for radical resistance. When I ask him about the high point of his political career, he said there were too many to go through. The one he chose to detail on this occasion was a campaign in the 1990s to save Northland Secondary College in the northern suburbs of Melbourne. “That was a particularly interesting fight because that was the only time when I’ve led a grassroots community campaign, where the majority of people marching behind me were not Aboriginal. It was the Aboriginal students who led the fight – but this was not an Aboriginal school; Aboriginal
alongside the oppressed in all of their fights.
kids were less than ten per cent of the school population.
He is radical, an agitator, and an example for anyone who
You couldn’t think of a more powerless group of people
wants to stand up against the system.
than the Northland community at the time, just a poor white working class, migrants, battlers and rabble.
I concluded our interview by asking Gary what advice he would give young activists today. He responded by
“The night Premier Kennett announced the closure there
returning to a point he had made during the interview:
was a spontaneous community meeting. I think I was
“If you want to change the world, it’s important to get
the only person in the room who had any sort of street
together with others and be organised, because you
organising and rabble-rousing experience. It was fairly
can’t do it by yourself. That’s the only advice I could give.”
easy for me to make a rabble-rousing speech, which fired up the crowd. And before I knew what was going on, they carried me out on their shoulders, and told me I was their leader. We fought for three years. The state Gary Foley
us nothing because we had nothing, except our wits. We
Marxism
conference this
won. Jeff Kennett closed down 300 schools in Victoria,
April)
Melbourne University. For
and only one of those schools is still alive today. That’s
the conference: www.marxismconference.org
at
will be speaking at
Easter
Socialist Alternatives long weekend
(17-20
more information on
Northland Secondary College.” Gary is an inspiration for all of us fighting injustice today. Not only has he fought hard against the ongoing discrimination and cultural genocide towards Aboriginal people, he has also stood unequivocally
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A version of this article was previously published in Red Flag magazine
31 INTERVIEW
government spent five million trying to beat us. It cost
EVOLUTION OF RESOLUTION WORDS | RABEAH ZAFRULLAH
F
or people of all ages, races and places
Snap back to the current day, where we
around the world, making resolutions at
would all be dying of starvation without the
the start of each year is almost second
benevolence of Janus because our resolution to
nature. The same goes with giving up on them
eat less cheesecake this year, lasted less than a
after an incredibly short period of time, ranging
week. While everyone still makes resolutions for
from a couple of hours, to more than a month
their own benefit, the lack of immediate reward,
for those with an iron will. Everyone knows that
or punishment for breaking them, might be a
resolutions are as difficult to keep as they are
factor in explaining why most of them are left
easy to make, but what most people don’t know
incomplete. Pair that with the fact that most
is that the worldwide tradition has a wealth of
people make either too many resolutions in one
mythological backstory.
go, or that they think of them the wrong way, it’s no surprise that over 88 per cent of resolutions
The ritual of making resolutions started almost
end in failure, and it’s likely that yours will too.
4,000 years ago with the Babylonians. The people
Unless, of course, you happen to change the way
made them to please the gods they worshipped,
you make your resolutions entirely. Research has
and believed that breaking their resolutions
shown that most resolutions tend to be goal
would put them out of favour with the gods.
orientated, such as ‘lose 15 pounds’, ‘spend less
The Babylonians actually made their resolutions
time on the internet’, or ‘read more books’. While
in spring, which was around March, because
these do describe the results that you are aiming
they believed the year renewed along with the
for, they are unlikely to be achieved. A looming
plants. They associated their resolutions with
difficult-sounding goal isn’t going to inspire
this renewal and with turning over a new leaf in
anyone to change the habits they have formed
their lives, which is actually one of the motivating
over their lives, but snipping up those hard to
psychological effects that the New Year’s ritual
swallow goals, into bite sized activities, might.
has.
It’s easier to follow a list of things to do, rather than things to achieve, which is why planning to
It was the ancient Romans who changed the
eat some fruit instead of that cheesecake each
timings of resolution-making to the beginning of
day is more likely to succeed than planning to
January, a month they named after the double-
go on a diet.
faced deity, Janus. They believed January marked
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the start of a New Year because Janus was not only the god of beginnings and endings, but also because one of his faces looked into the past
FEATURE
year, and the other into the approaching one. As a result, the Romans directed their resolutions towards him, and although they probably didn’t pledge to get gym memberships and study harder for exams, they did promise to let go of bad habits and practise better behaviour with an intention similar to that of the Babylonians – ringing goodwill from Janus. grapeshotmq.com.au
Another way of ensuring your victory is to focus on one objective at a time. Spacing out resolutions over the year have been proven psychologically, and biologically, to work better, and puts less strain on your brain. Will-power is much like a muscle in that if it is feeble, and over-worked, it will most likely give out under the pressure. Planning to quit smoking, as well as going on a run for two hours every day, while simultaneously learning how to play the ukulele, is the definition of over-working your will-power. The part of the brain that manages will-power, the prefrontal cortex, also happens to be the portion that keeps us focused.
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Concentrating on too many objectives at once means that your brain will lack the energy needed to have enough will-power to see them through. It is much more beneficial to assign each objective you’ve made to different sections of the year, so that not only will you have the will-power to see each one through, but the first objective will already be achieved and become habitual by the time the next is put into motion. Exercising your will-power and focus is crucial for success, as is establishing a balance between the two. Improving your will-power has also been shown to have positive effects on other aspects of your life, and also makes it easier to get rid of bad habits and start good ones, which is the goal of most resolutions. Bad habits are impossibly hard to break. Most of them have instant reward factors that are hard to replicate with better habits. But it can be done. All habits, good or bad, have three parts, cue, routine and reward. The trick to replacing a bad habit with a good one is to keep the same cue and reward and change the routine. Identifying the cue and reward can often be difficult, but once achieved, turning the reward into a craving is essential. Studies have shown that craving the reward is what drives the action into becoming a habit. Whether or not your resolutions have survived until now is not the question (because the answer is most likely a resounding ‘no’). The question is whether you are going to wait until next year to revive them again for a week, or if you are going to ‘pull a Mulan’ and get down to business right now. While it may take some time and effort to work up to those life-long ambitions, you can definitely get started on the short-term goals that you’ve set for yourself, which you never really thought you’d be able to accomplish. And then after all that effort, you can reward yourself with some welldeserved cheesecake!
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HOW TO BREAK A REALITY WORDS | JANSON LIM
From a young age, we slowly learn to discern what we see as right or wrong. Upon self-reflection, it is our belief systems that are founded by culture, surroundings and figures of authority that shape our identity. I find these ideas are built and reinforced over the entirety of our lives. The cheerless reality is that, for many of us living in this society, underlying restrictive beliefs can plague our mind. Poisonous thoughts of self-doubt and helplessness may seed and grow over time. Like a compass, we all have some sort of balancing to do in life. It may be our need for social validation, or aspirations in career. Once you recognise that some of the deeply held ‘truths’ are shockingly false, then you’ve taken the first step towards clearing the debris in your mind and rebuilding from a clean slate. Questioning why you believe what you believe, and then standing aside as you watch your peers dismantle it, has been one of the most cathartic experiences in recent memory. Then comes the challenge: breaking apart years of self-conditioning and separating yourself from the identity you’ve always claimed. I am writing this article three days after one of the most memorable weeks of my life. Coming out of the cold through the 2014 Rotary Youth Leadership Awards has challenged (with frightening severity) areas of discontentment and lethargy that I had always neglected. From a lack of awareness in issues of equity, to self-doubt, grapeshotmq.com.au
and extreme shyness, to cultural perspectives on race and leadership, I was forced to put my beliefs into question. For the past week, 80 other young people, including myself, were gathered together to be recognised for some contribution to community service. Junior police officers, radio broadcasters, public servants, and youth workers, slept and ate together in cabins. We were put through a series of gruelling tasks which tested our creativity and our ability to handle pressure from crisis to crisis. Without breaking the non-disclosure agreement, we learned that many of the speakers had started out with so much less than what I’ve taken for granted, and achieved far, far greater. Limiting beliefs were put in the spotlight, and my convictions were objectively revealed to be weak. Speaker after speaker, case after case, with barely a wink’s rest, the information overload felt too much opposition to our realities; but you simply must accept it. As a final point of reference, I find objectivity to be the snowball that starts growth. See your relationship with your friends and family from an unbiased point of view; the amazing times you’ve shared, camping under a roof, or fighting over games. See your parents as who they are and the worth that they truly hold for you. See yourself in your constructed reality with a hammer ready in your palm. Find peers who are not afraid to challenge and attack your beliefs, nor put them on a pedestal. Welcome the bricks that you will inevitably find that you can wuse to rebuild with a clean slate.
35 FEATURE
I
t isn’t everyday you can say with conviction that you’ve welcomed with joy a series of bricks being thrown at your constructed beliefs, and see your creations reduced to rubble.
REVIEW OF
2013 WORDS | Blake Antrobus
It’s that time of year when we need to downsize the closet in our room, and rejuvenate our eStudent records. Don’t forget to brace your wallet for the textbooks and readers that you may use once, and then discard like McDonalds Happy Meal toys. Yes, Ladies and Gentlemen, 2014 has finally arrived, and somehow, our blurred and drunken memories of New Year’s seem sadly anticlimactic.
REVIEW OF 2013
36
Not all of it, though, has been doom and gloom in the international picture. After all, we’ve seen the election of the new Pope Francis, making sweeping changes to the organisation of the Church. We’ve also seen the major help operations in the Philippines after natural disasters devastated the region.
Whether or not our beer goggles have finally worn off, the memories of those past nights can be easily remembered by looking around the room. It’s only a matter of time now, and they’ll piece together, revealing your drunken mate Andrew rocking out to the tune of ‘Afternoon Delight’, in his Barney the Dinosaur costume. Next, you’ll see him waking up on the floor, blinking like a dazed cat, and suddenly realising that it isn’t water covering his suit…
Then there’s our local scale, where we’ve seen mixtures of tragedy, and comedy in our escapades. Thomas Kelly will forever be in our hearts, after his death at the hands of a coward-hit sparked major crackdown on alcohol. We saw flames and floods in Victoria and Queensland respectively, and all jumped in to help face the danger. Then, as the cherry on top for a great year, we saw Tony Abbott rise to the throne as the new Dark Overlord of the New World Order (okay, we know this isn’t true, but considering that we loved and hated Rudd, it was bound to happen).
I wish I could say that this was everyone’s case: partying to the point of no return in the morning. Some of us, however, choose to reflect on the year that has just past, sober, and take the opportunity to prepare for the new one. After all, T.S. Eliot said so himself, “for last year’s words belong to last year’s language, and next year’s words await another voice”. We may have already covered New Year resolutions in here (p.32-34), but looking back on what’s been said and done in 2013, is something we here, at Grapeshot, encourage, and even endorse.
But what about living in the present moment, now? Digging up ancient history is nice and all, yet we should be focusing on our future achievements and successes! Maybe some of us would like to see Kim Jong-un duke it out with Bush in the middle of the desert, or find out that the Dalai Lama was a Jedi knight the whole time. The Onion may well be ‘America’s finest news source’ for a good reason (taking the piss). Naturally, we may never see some of these things happen, but it’s always fun to make joke hypotheses at the expense of personal integrity.
Indeed, what a year we have been through together – Miley did her ‘thing’ at the MTV awards night, Godzilla, hypothetically, levelled Boston, North Korea had its Cuban Missile Crisis, Snowden successfully trolled the NSA in a major security leak operation, and, to add insult to injury, the U.S. government had major turbulence with its health care reform and shutdowns, making it a bad year for Obama.
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credit to steven kowalski
Photography Short stories Poetry Art
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SHORT STORY
CREATIVE
MUD Cassandra Webb
T
SHORT STORY
38
he mud sucked at our gumboots, making every step an effort. Soon effort became pain, but on we trudged. It had rained for three weeks straight, and the first ray of sunshine made us rush to escape the house. “Walk backwards, it’s easier,” my brother said. I turned to try it. “I bet you it’s not,” I said. My foot caught in the clay-like mud and I found myself looking up at the clouds. Clouds shaped like magical mountains and castles towering over wild cloud kingdoms. Storm clouds. More rain was on its way. My brother burst with laughter. “Shut up, Josh, and give me a hand,” I growled. His home-diy haircut draped down almost to his nose. Haircuts, garbage removal, dog food; everything became diy in the middle of a six month long flood. His eyes dazzled with joy underneath the sandy blond hair. He looked at my filthy hand, shook his head and laughed harder. “Thanks so much,” I said. “Any time,” he said. But I could barely make out what he was saying through his bubbling laughter. The first sputter of rain made him stop. Home was out of view, our exploration down a dirt road, which had become a shallow river, had taken us into the neighbor’s property and no one actually knew where we were. A rescue was out of the question. If we crossed wild dogs, we were in trouble.
“Hey look, what’s that?” My brother pointed into the trees. We were in the middle of unknown acres; it could have been thousands, it could have been tens of thousands. There was bound to be trees and livestock, but not much else. So I kept scraping mud from my butt and ignored his excited pointing. What had he seen? A trap door to a secret tunnel system? The sound of him trying to run in gumboots too big for his twelve year old feet made me look up. Like an emu with turned out knees, he left the dirt-river road and began dodging rabbit holes and salt bushes, making a beeline for something. The rain began to fall harder. Getting wetter wasn’t my worry, but it was icy cold, and I was in shorts, and a flanny; muddy shorts. “Wait for me!” I called. There, just hidden by the distant tree line, was something made of wood. A wall? A building? Somewhere warm and dry? The remains of a long forgotten town? I took off running; ignoring the burning in my own legs. “You can’t catch me!” I shouted over my shoulder. Heavy drops of rain made the world seem smaller. Just us, a few feet of native brown grass and saltbush. Then nothing. The world was putty for our imaginations as we entered the cluster of trees. Our imaginations were grazing with crop land, where trees were left to grow in clusters. “It’s a house,” Josh declared. “A shack,” I said. I gave the dilapidated building a wide birth, running around it in search of a door.
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Not a treasure box, not a mysterious stack of books, or even an old bed to sit on. Our mud-caked gumboots left brown cloud-shaped marks on the dusty floorboards. We walked about the room. We ran our fingers over the weathered timber; maybe something was carved into it. Josh tested the floorboards, jumping and bouncing around; maybe underneath a loose floorboard we’d find our treasure. The noise began as a distant ‘whooshing’. By the time I noticed it, it had become more of a rumbling. My heart pounded. Had we been caught? We were on our neighbour’s property, far from where we said we were going, far from where we could easily be found if mum or dad were looking for us. We were exactly where a serial killer would love to find us. Shaking with adrenaline, I ran out into the drizzling rain. I didn’t even notice its icy drops. Josh ran in my shadow. We stopped and searched our surroundings. Trees, trees, saltbush. Somewhere off behind us was the road-river, and right in front of us was a mound of blue metal, topped by the train track. The train rushed passed us. Horn blaring for two mud-caked kids in the middle of a flood. In our only escape, our imaginations. Cassandra Webb is a chocaholic writer from the small coastal village of Narooma, Australia. Writer of children’s and young adult fiction, fantasy and picture books. Cassandra also writes creative non-fiction. Living on the coast with her two children, she enjoys the beaches in summer, and the nearby snowy mountains in winter. Visit Cassandra’s website at: www.cassandrawebb.com
39 SHORT STORY
“I’d live in it,” Josh said. “That makes it a pigsty.” The building was nothing special. Its timber walls were covered in flaking white paint. It sat on wooden blocks, and my hair stood on end as I looked down at the gaping holes between the blocks. Not that I was worried about something living underneath the house; I was worried that the rotting house itself might crash to the ground. I didn’t want to be near it if it did. Such things only ever happened when someone was available to see it. The tree in the woods, the abandoned house in the paddock – same thing. And what if someone was inside the building? The door could fly open at any moment, and a great big guy with an axe could come out swinging! For every house on our forty-five kilometer road there was a collection of buildings exactly like this. Shearer’s quarters, cook’s quarters, farmhand’s quarters. This little building was out in the middle of nowhere. I scanned our surroundings. At least I thought we were in the middle of nowhere, truth was, I couldn’t see that much, so I couldn’t be sure. As far as I knew, our nearest neighbour was somewhere beyond the wheat silo in the next town. What was this place? A secret hideout for bushrangers? Why was it here? Josh gave the door a good shove, and disappeared inside. I rushed across the waterlogged grasses to follow him. As I bounded inside, the rain seemed to triple in intensity. The noise of gentler drops sounded harsher under the corrugated iron roof. The house was empty.
I REMEMBER Suzanne Strong I remember sunlit, green grass summers, I remember your cackle, I remember that wicked reflection in your eye, I remember your cheeky, witty stories, I remember your dry humour, I remember exploring bushland with cicadas humming a wall of sound,
SCIENCE CLASSROOM Patrick Pearson
On the ceiling above, fluttering, hanging by its cotton thread and waving bravely, tiny stars and stripes. Slivers of a Union Jack shiver in the classroom breeze, clinging like tattered shreds of relationships to a masticated strip which once was – tissue. Hovering closely by are flags of lesser nations flung with devious intent by grinning schoolboys, bent like genial generals on territorial control. In the corner of the room lit by the white flares overhead of standard-issue fluorescent tubes, the skeleton awaits its turn, yellowed arms at its sides and watching through the orbless sockets of its eyes. Only the ceiling’s beams like castle crenellations hide the field of flags from the teacher Stalin who arms akimbo stands before his board and periodic table. Each time he turns and writes in chalk like screeching looping dynamite skirmishes splatter out behind the berm in the blink-of-the-eye blitzkriegs for ever more remote terrain. Cold drops of tissued water splash like rain as each rash captain grabs and holds his ground or sits, transfixed, should dislodged Denmark or Angola spiral dangerously, carelessly down.
POETRY
I remember dry warmth, I remember surfing with you in cold Sydney currents, I remember the deep, dark chasmed cliffs of Bilgola, I remember falling asleep next to you in Sunday sun, I remember telling you I love you every time I saw you, I remember you saying I love you, I remember being there when you passed to the other side, I remember lying on your chest, I remember indescribable loss, I remember you saying, “don’t miss me, I’m going to a better place.” I remember feeling your faith was stronger than mine, I remember celebrating your mischievous character, your spirit, I remember feeling your presence, I remember us reciting poetry about you on the jetty in the dark, I remember you.
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GET INVOLVED
43
ACROSS THE BAR
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In a world where friendship measured by ‘likes’ per status, ‘friending’, hoards of Instagram followers and the ever puzzling FB ‘poke’ (like actually, please explain the point of this to me); meeting and connecting to real people can be a challenge. SO YOU’RE AT MAC UNI. BRAVA! WELL DONE! If it’s your first year, kudos on sitting exams, waiting stressfully for an acceptance and then conquering the public transport/parking system to get here. No small task. If you’re a past student returning to the academic jungle; welcome back friend, may the odds be ever in your favour. Whether you’re old or new, Macquarie University is a hive of activity, opportunity and information at the beginning of every new academic year. Amongst the flurry of O Week events, flyers promising student discounts and Library tours (there’s a Level 4?!) are the stalls of the not-so-secret communities of Mac Uni: Student Groups. ALLOW ME TO EXPAND . . . If you’ve ever had a passion or the occasional dalliance with a not-so-standard hobby: there is probably a student group about it. Created and run by students, Student Groups are designed to connect people who share similar ideas and interests. If you’re concerned that signing up to a group means that you now totes must do things you actually really don’t want to do? Fear not. Student Groups have no intention of locking you into events that you’d really . . . but, like, really . . . rather not be at. . . Nope, instead it’s all about you finding a group that suits you, meeting people, doing only the activities that suit you and being a part of the entire experience that Macquarie University has to offer you. Other than the social/cultural/spirituality that unite student groups; faculty student groups assist students in connecting to their discipline and networking them within their academic community. Student Groups are a rare opportunity to meet people, develop personal skills such as communication, team work and they tend to look pretty swish on a résumé.
IT’S LEGIT; THEY’VE BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE NOW . . . Student Groups aren’t exactly a new concept to Macquarie, but the variety is. At the end of 2007, 40 groups of collected individuals could claim ‘Student Group’ status. Yet the last six years has seen a radical revaluation of the value of Student Groups. Celebrated with the annual Student Groups Awards Night, Student Groups are now recognised as a crucial contribution to student life by the University. So much so that there are now over 160 groups available to students. You just never know . . . It sounds kitsch, but Student Groups are a phenomenal networking opportunity. Think along the lines of becoming besties with the future J.K. Rowling’s and Bill Gates’. When asked about Student Group networking, 2013 President of W.A.N.G Lauren Bunnell noted, Past W.A.N.G members are now major players in Sydney business. Top men in KPG are hanging out with current students; the auditor of Tiffany and Co is a past member! Being a part of this group has allowed for significant networking opportunities that were born, really, from a shared appreciation for free food. But hey, don’t let me sell you on the whole thing. Lists and descriptions of the student groups on offer are available online for your leisurely perusal at campuslife.mq.edu.au/getinvolved. Or pop into Campus Engagement Office, located on Level One, The Hub and pick up a Student Groups brochure. Get Involved in 2014, you never know just who you’ll meet or the person you could become.
WORDS | Alexandra Wrathall
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GET INVOLVED
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THE OOPSATOREUM POWERHOUSE MUSEUM
SYDNEY
EXPLORE
In this charming and highly amusing exhibition, the Powerhouse Museum showcases a range of failed inventions designed by fictional Australian inventor, Henry Mintox. Created in collaboration with author and illustrator Shaun Tan, the inventions shown are actually historical items from the Museum’s collection, with the accompanying stories made up by Tan and members of the Sydney Children’s Choir. From the automatic teapot to the love trumpet, the inventions are quirky and amusing, and guaranteed to make both adults and children laugh. Ben Nour
THE STEW TWILIGHT AT TARONGA
LOWENBRAU AND
If you're someone that loves good music, a good view, and good company, then perhaps you should make your way down to Twilight at Taronga this year. From 1 February to 29 March, Twilight in Taronga will incorporate the exciting surroundings of the zoo with some excellent home-grown and international music acts. Whether or not you like being up and close to the action, or sitting back and relaxing with a picnic, Twilight At Taronga is sure to accommodate for all ages. Make sure Calling all budding hipsters and indie to get down and see The Whitlams, music lovers! The third annual edition of Jimmy Barnes, Fat Freddy's Drop and Courtyard Sessions is now on! Being a popular many more. outdoor gig series, Courtyard Sessions showcases Ben McCarthy some of Sydney's most promising young artists under a picturesque setting Sydney sun. Combine great music with a pop-up bar, gourmet BBQ and even vintage games! It's no secret that Sydney is alive with the sound of music from tomorrow's superstars. So get down to the Seymour Courtyard and bathe in the beauty of this wonderful city. Acts will be playing from 6pm-9pm from 17 January until 28 March. Oh, did I mention it was free? Ben McCarthy
COURTYARD SESSIONS
THE STEW
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LÖWENBRÄU KELLER
LOWENBRAU AND KELLER
On the corner of Playfair and Argyle St, the Löwenbräu Keller is home to some of the best beers in Sydney, and the biggest meals you’ll struggle to finish. They play a mix of popular tunes through their CD player, or live band, that becomes drowned under a sea of revelry. The dance floor is small and the seating intimate enough for dinner with friends. It has a German flavour that fills the place with a sense of magic. Alessandro Guarrera
THE ARGYLE
At The Rocks is The Argyle. You can have sushi and dumplings, and they even serve soup! If you have a sweet tooth, yes, there’s a dessert menu! The place is eclectic, with old fashioned glass doors that swing open to view the DJ in a glass stage upstairs, and a traditional bar sits opposite a unisex bathroom that was designed by an alien; it has the biggest hand basin in Sydney, and an ATM metres away from the nearest cubicle. Part colonial, part space-age, grab a cocktail and tear up the dance floor! Alessandro Guarrera
#DISCOVERSYDNEY
D KELLER
Got a fun place, activity or experience in Sydney to share? Tweet us your discoveries or Instagram photos, both @grapeshotmq to us with #DiscoverSydney and #grapeshot for a chance to win special prizes!
THE CUBCAN PLACE
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45
THE STEW
“Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut.” Hemmingway’s quote hangs over the bar, downstairs at ‘The Cuban Place’. It’s seen many mojito fuelled dance-offs, with booths and tables located upstairs for you to enjoy their Latin menu. Yellow walls are covered with scribbles and signatures of past patrons. It’s open six days a week, with live music on Fridays and Saturdays. It can be found on York Street, behind the QVB. Alessandro Guarrera
While a game about paperwork hardly sounds like fun, Papers, Please proves that even the most tedious of subjects can make for an intensive play-through with just a touch of empathy applied. As a lowly immigration officer at the border checkpoint in communist Arstotzka, your job is simple: to examine documents and ensure that only those with valid paperwork are allowed to enter. Armed with simple red and green stamps, you must work quickly and efficiently to decide the fate of each would-be immigrant who appears before you, and make enough money each day to keep your family warm and fed. While the game starts off simple enough, each new day brings new developments, which will force you into a moral quagmire. In a corrupt system, where no good deed goes unpunished, will you save a man’s life, even if doing so means you cannot afford medication for your son, or will you let a murderer walk free because you cannot afford the fine of denying him? Although the game has little replay value, Papers, Please offers an intense insight into the concept of freewill within a dystopian society. If you are only going to play one Indie game from 2013, then make it this one. Avery Phillips
REVIEWS
46
Stanley is a man working in a bland office until his computer screen goes blank and he discovers that the building is now empty. Luckily, the Narrator is there to tell him exactly what to do, but… you don’t have to do everything he says, right? I don’t know what makes The Stanley Parable such a brilliant game, but the answer surely lies somewhere between the passive-aggressive narrator, its commentary on choice and consequences, and the existence of an achievement that is only obtainable by not playing for five years. So play it. Or not. The choice is yours. Avery Phillips
Ever since the Arctic Monkey’s first album in 2006 Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, the lovable band from Sheffield have gained adoring fans from all across the world. They certainly didn’t do themselves any harm with their newest album AM, marking their return after two years. Led by pre-released singles “R U Mine?”, “Do I Wanna Know?” and “Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High?”, AM draws a lot of inspiration from past albums, maintaining the addictive English pub rock vibe that catapulted them to fame. AM undoubtedly draws in converts from many other genres, with band member, Alex Turner, citing Outkast and Aaliyah as influences for the album. This masterful collection of music would not be out of place in pubs and clubs around Australia too, with an unforgettable summery feel that is sure to pack dance floors with hipsters and punk-rockers alike. Ben McCarthy
A song named after Australia’s most famous spread gives little indication of what to expect. Will it sound like “True Blue” or “Waltzing Matilda”? Not quite. Instead, we are given a splice of psychedelic, lo-fi with a uniquely Australian tinge. Buzz words aside, King Gizzard are back with a vege-mighty hit. Their new album Oddments will be released on February 14. Sarah Basford
In 2013, Sydney and the rest of Australia was introduced to indie dance group RÜFÜS. Mirroring quintessential Australian dance sound, similar to that of a “To nite Only” type track, “Desert Night” captures the imaginations of listeners with melancholy lyrics and an addictive, yet low tempo beat. Their music can be found at: www.rufussounds.com. Ben McCarthy
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SENNA (2010) Asif Kapadia
On 1 May 1994, the world lost arguably its most charismatic sportsman, Brazilian three-time Formula One World Champion, Aryton Senna. He who died after a horrific on-track accident while racing in Italy. The unforgettable Brazilian was known not only for his ruthless driving style, but contrarily, his warm and philanthropic nature. He was adored throughout the streets of Brazil, and remains a household name to this day. Senna was a docu-movie released in 2010, and draws upon real-life footage showing both sides of the man, as well as those who knew him. Ben McCarthy
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“I wanted to tell the book thief many things, about beauty and brutality. But what could I tell her about those things that she didn’t already know?” The Book Thief is the fifth novel to come from Australian author, Markus Zusak. The narrator is Death, which gives a foreboding atmosphere the second you start reading the novel. Death has had a fascination with the protagonist, Liesel Meminger, since her brother died on a train journey to Munich in 1939. It is this event that initiates the Book Thief’s journey, when she steals her first book: The Gravedigger’s Handbook. Liesel’s love affair with books is the essence of the The Book Thief and is highlighted when she steals books from the Mayor’s personal library to read to those who gather in the Fiedlers’ basement during air raids as a distraction. Although foreboding in the beginning, The Book Thief is a novel that will capture your heart, reaffirm your love of literature, and remind you of the most important lesson of all: don’t judge a book by its cover. Raelee Lancaster
THE RAILW AY MAN Eric Lomax
Recently adapted into a film, The Railway Man is a powerful and confronting autobiography by former British prisoner of war, Eric Lomax. In Singapore, Eric is taken prisoner following the surrender of the city-state to Japan. Decades after his release, Eric nurtures a deep-seated hatred of his torturers, and by a series of strange coincidences, he discovers that one of his torturers is still alive. It’s this confrontation that is perhaps the most moving and powerful moment of Eric’s journey. Well written and engaging, this novel is a moving account of Eric Lomax’s life, and a man’s ability to overcome tragedy. Ben Nour
47 REVIEWS
Director Spike Jonze, is perhaps best known for his debut film, the strange and imaginative, Being John Malkovich, and with Her Jonze once again delivers to audiences a quirky and highly original film. Featuring a talented cast of actors including Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams and Scarlett Johansson, Her is set in a futuristic Los Angeles and tells the heartfelt, and often funny tale, of Theodore Thumbly (Joquin Phoneix), a lonely man who writes personalized love letters for clients. Still distraught over the breakup of his marriage, Theodore lives a solitary life, only leaving home for work or at the insistence of his friends, until one day he purchases a newly released talking operating system. The artificially intelligent OS names herself Samantha (Scarlett Johansson) and over time she and Theodore, fascinated by one another, grow closer as their friendship develops into a complex, but loving relationship. Despite its occasional moments of humour, Her is much more than a comedy-drama about a man in love with his talking OS – it is a film that artfully explores the human need for companionship, the hurdles along the way, and the ultimate absurdity of love itself. Ben Nour
Continuing with the pasta trend, I put together this number the other day for brunch. Due to a slight lack of protein in the Smiling Chef household, I decided to make use of our golden eggs, which our lovely hens lay fresh for us each day. When you pierce into yoke with a fork, the runny egg trickles through the pasta, creating its own sauce. When cooking eggs, it’s always important to consider their source, as eggs are the perfect breeding grounds for salmonella or other harmful bacteria.
INGREDIENTS • 400g orecchiette pasta • 1 tbsp butter • 1 clove garlic, crushed • 200g button mushrooms, scrubbed and quartered • 200g English spinach, washed and roughly chopped • 4 eggs • salt and pepper to taste METHOD Cook the pasta according to the directions on the packet. Heat the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat and add the garlic and mushrooms. Cook till the mushrooms are golden, then stir through the spinach. When the pasta is cooked, drain it and return to the cooking pot. Add the mushroom mixture and toss it to combine. Cover and keep warm while you cook the eggs. To fry the eggs, heat 1tbsp olive oil in a frying pan. Add the eggs, and cook over a medium heat until cooked to your liking. Three to five minutes is great for a runny egg, but if you prefer it cooked right through, cook on low for seven to eight minutes. Season the pasta to taste. Plate it up, and top with a fried egg.
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The return of the sun in time for Summer has put me in quite a lazy mood, so much that, and I can’t believe that I’m about to say this, I couldn’t be bothered spending ages in the kitchen! Pasta has always come to the rescue when I feel a bit lazy. It’s simple to prepare, tastes great, and if made carefully, can be quite a balanced meal. Not only that, but any leftovers make great lunchbox fillers for work or uni the next day. So on this lazy evening I popped some vegetables into the oven and waited in the backyard, feet up, and nose buried in a book.
INGREDIENTS • 300g Roma tomatoes, chopped into 2cm pieces • 300g eggplant, chopped into 2cm pieces • 100g mixed olives, in oil • 2 thyme sprigs, leaves removed • Olive oil • 400g thick spirali (spiral) pasta • Feta cheese and balsamic vinegar, to serve METHOD Pre-heat oven to 160ºC. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Place the vegetables in a medium bowl with the thyme leaves, 2tbsp of olive oil and salt, and pepper to taste. Toss and lay out on the prepared baking tray. Roast for 20-25 minutes until the vegetables are soft and crisp around the edges. Cook the pasta according to the directions on the packet. Drain and return to the cooking pan with the roasted vegetables. Stir to combine. Serve with Feta cheese and balsamic vinegar to drizzle over the pasta.
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