37 minute read
NEWS
NEWSFLASHES
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JAWS 3
“Just when you thought it was safe to get back in the water.”
For the first time in 59 years, Sydney witnessed a fatal shark attack. A 4.5 metre great white shark looming in the depths at Little Bay mauled 35-year-old Simon Nellist, a diving instructor, to death on the afternoon of the 16th of February. By about 4:30pm on the same afternoon, only the semblance of human remains could be recovered. “I heard a scream and the thing landed and the shark was just chomping on his body…”
Eyewitnesses were left shocked after the confronting incident. Within minutes, videos of the man crying for help and struggling in the water ‘stained with his blood’ were shared across social media platforms. Soon, the grisly content made international headlines, with more viewers searching for raw, unedited footage. This has sparked debate about the morality of viewing and sharing such content.
Perhaps there should be more conversation surrounding the influx of sharks in Sydney waters. According to local fisherman Mr McGlashan, following the incident, Sydney has seen a “ridiculous” shark boom. Specifically, he names, increases in bronze whalers, hammerhead sharks, as well as bull sharks.
Yet, despite the incident raising public concerns on shark attacks, Nellist had previously commented against shark nets and drumlines on Facebook due to their destructive impacts on marine life. Accordingly, every year, thousands of marine life including turtles, dugongs, dolphins, whales, rays and critically endangered grey nurse sharks end up entangled in shark nets and drumlines, with many dying if not rescued. In the long term, this would negatively shift marine ecosystems, which imply far more destructive effects compared to an average of 20 shark attacks a year in Australia.
This leads us to ask, should better measures be implemented to protect swimmers and divers?
By Olivia Chan
nsw nurse strike
Thousands of nurses in NSW spent their morning walking out on Tuesday 15th of February outside the State Parliament. However, this was not for their health and fitness. Nurses protested for better pay and against stretched staffing levels, with the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association (Union) demanding mandated nurse-to-patient ratios and a pay rise higher than 2.5%. It comes after constant reports of highly understaffed yet filled hospitals with nurses working overtime and junior nurses taking on senior roles, all in PPE. To top it off, the NSW Government implemented changes in nurse close contact rules earlier in the year to fill in the gaps at hospitals. Nurses were, in short, pushed to their limits.
“We’re running into double times, overtime, we’re doing a morning into a late, a late into a night, doing stupid hours, because we want our patients to be OK, but that’s not OK anymore,” stated Grace Langlands, a member of the Union. This depicts the constant pressure nurses constantly faced, especially in the past two years under the pandemic. On Monday, an order was issued by the Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) to call off the strike, which aligned with the NSW Government’s concerns on state health service disruptions. Yet, the Union proceeded to lead the
strike, with workers from over 150 public hospitals in NSW participating. This occurred in a staggered fashion to lessen the disruptions on patients. In this structure, ‘skeleton’ staff including life preserving staff and some staff on shifts remained at hospitals.
“...nurses in the ICU and emergency department...can’t even stop to go to the toilet.”
Such comments depict a rather degraded state of NSW’s healthcare system. Accordingly, an emergency department nurse from a Wollongong hospital commented that the supposedly world-class healthcare system “feels pretty piss-poor”. With a similar sentiment amongst NSW nurses, the State Government has become pressured to focus on the healthcare system and improve nurses’ working conditions.
By Olivia Chan
NSW Train Strike
Leaves Tens of Thousands Stranded
On Monday, the 21st of February, NSW Trains were thrown into disarray due to a disagreement surrounding safe operating standards between NSW Trains and Trainlink and the NSW Government. This led to mass inconvenience for anyone in NSW relying on the train network to get to work, school, or just to travel, as there were no trains in any direction for the entire delay. Consequently, roads banked up, and in some parts of the city, up to 22km’s long lines of traffic were recorded, making it nearly impossible for anyone to get anywhere in and around Sydney for the day.
This coincided with a return to University for many Universities in and around Sydney, along with a back to work order from the NSW Government due to an easing of Covid limitations. It was also the first day that international tourist arrivals were entering the country. Effectively, this set the entire city into disarray and the disagreement between the Rail Union and the NSW Government only continued throughout the day as each gave different stories to the media about who was at fault in the train strike and left commuters and citizens wondering which story was the truth of the matter.
Both State and Federal Coalition Ministers told the media varying stories, suggesting that Unions were “hijacking the city” and “colluding to cause chaos”, whereas Prime Minister Scott Morrison told the media that Unions were at fault, and pinned the issues with Unions on the Federal Labor Party, rather than highlighting that faults occurred during negotiations between the Union and the State government.
On the other hand, the Rail, Tram, and Bus Union (RTBU) told the media that they had negotiated with the government for some days on fair work and safety standards. They reported that the NSW Government backed down at the last minute, resulting in their decision to stop rail services for the day, despite rail workers showing up for their shifts.
Luckily the RTBU and NSW Government were able to come to an agreement on Monday night, allowing rail services to resume on Tuesday 22nd of February as if nothing had happened. However, NSW citizens and commuters will not be forgetting this behaviour quickly, especially so close to an election.
By Jaime Hendrie
MYSOGYNY
UNDER THE GUISE OF SATIRE
The importance of a campus culture that promotes the wellbeing of its students, no matter how they identify, is no revolutionary idea. Every student and staff member has an innate right to feel safe on campus and should be afforded the support and agency to facilitate that. The misogynistic satire that was propagated by Macquarie’s Liberal Society during O-Week (Exhibit A: “Wheel of Punishment”) is simply one example of a broader, and far more serious issue. What I find most striking, and frequently incredibly unsettling and disheartening, is how well this type of content is received on campus, both by the students and the University staff members. These forms of satirical sexism are rampant within most social spaces but are particularly prevalent within university settings. The issue is that it enables dangerously misogynist individuals to excuse their behaviours under the guise of humour. Because these men aren’t misogynistic…they’re hilarious! And us hysterical women need to relax and take a joke… yeah right. Let’s not ignore the fact that satire is being used as a scapegoat to absolve these (often white and male identifying) people of any social responsibility, and therefore, allows them to promote these forms of misogyny with little to no consequence. Don’t get me wrong, the usefulness of satirical content to expose flaws in policy (and politicians in general) can be an extraordinarily useful tool. The problem is embedded in the fact that these men use it to disguise their own hatred for women.
A key focus of the Women’s Collective is to promote a transition away from the campus culture Macquarie University currently embodies and create safe spaces on campus for both women identifying and non-binary individuals. We seek to achieve this by; providing opportunities for the discussion of political and social issues within and outside of campus, enabling and supporting members and students in acts of activism, providing education and educational resources, and actively protecting and furthering the equal rights of all, regardless of gender, sexuality, race, age, or ability. If you or someone you know is in need of any assistance, please reach out to one of the support services provided, alternatively you can contact us directly via email: mq.woco@gmail. com.
By Racquel Soares, Macquarie University Women’s Collective Co-President 2022
Your Personal Guide TO MACQUARIE’S STUDENT SOCIETIES
MUSS
Hello! We’re a small student quarie University Sustainruns workshops and events in making small day-to-day environmental impact on
group called MUSS (Macability Society). Our team focused on assisting people changes that reduce our the earth. In the past we’ve planted trees around cam- pus, participated in CleanUp Australia Day, hosted clothing swaps and collaborated with other societies to produce information sessions on things like indigenous land management methods, food waste and fast fashion. If you’re interested in joining and hanging out with some like-minded, eco-friendly inclined people, follow us on our socials and come down to one of our events.
MUSO
Hi! We are the MacquaOrchestra (MUSO), or happen to play instruments. on campus, we meet every gether which also provides
rie University Symphony a group of fun people who To maintain classical culture week to rehearse pieces toa great bonding opportunity for our members. In addi- tion to our weekly rehearsals, we host social events and study sessions to foster friendships between our musicians. In the broader scheme of things, we hold concerts each semester as our driving objective. If you play an orchestral instrument and are open to playing in a group of like-minded musicians, please don’t hesitate to sign up and follow our socials. Hope to see you there!
MQUKPOP
It is a place where people lyrics they barely know, fan of high-quality paper, and romantic shows. That would Society. This club holds
scream along to over small pieces gush over cheesy, be the MQU Kpop a special place at the university where one can unleash all their craze for Kpop, Kdramas and associated things. Most well known for their KBBQ gatherings and chaotic weekly hangouts, MQUKPOP’s members never miss out on occasion to cheer for their favourite idol’s comeback. Their latest event, the Fantasia Ball, was a grand success and a small glimpse at the fun to come in 2022. To put it simply, the MQU Kpop Society is a mix of fans and friends constantly bonding over Korean pop culture!
MDA
At MDA (Macquarie Dance bit of everything for everysociety which is an umbrelhip hop, breaking, popping, classes for complete be-
Academy), we have a little one. We’re a street dance la term for styles such as krump. We offer dance ginners as well as opportunities to represent the society in choreography performances and freestyle dance battles. Our society is part of a wider Sydney street dance scene. We collaborate with other dance societies and organisations to run events and also enter their events. We also just hangout and chill on campus and outside of uni. Dance and community is our passion, and we love to share and pass those values on.
WEB
Women Entering Business student society with the professional confidence of dents. Our events provide ty to network with recruiters
(WEB) is a women-run mission to help improve the Macquarie University stustudents with the opportunifrom large international and Australian companies, de- velop professional skills like resume writing and learn what it’s like to work in their dream industry. Benefits of our membership include a bi-weekly newsletter, notifications of intern and graduate opportunities from our sponsors, priority access to our on-campus events and access to our Careers and Graduate Guide, all for $5.
MAC MARAUDERS
If you haven’t tried quidditch, you’re missing out! Quidditch is a sport that strives for equal opportunities, which means the game is Co-ed, LGBTQIA + friendly, and open to people of all levels of fitness. There is something for everyone in the sport, as it mixes components from many other sports, we throw dodgeballs, or bludgers, at other players, use a volleyball, or quaffle, to score points and seekers must snatch the snitch off of a member of the refereeing team. Quidditch can be a rough and tumble sport, depending on how you play, as the rules allow tackling and other forms of contact.
The Quidditch community is one that spans the world, we have several teams in NSW and many more across Australia, as well as a national team who plays against other countries. We play against other teams in friendly and competitive tournaments once a month against teams from other universities and also community teams. Mac Marauders is the Macquarie Universities Quidditch team, if you’re looking for a new sport to try, come on down to the Macquarie uni sports fields on Mondays or Wednesdays at 5pm to check us out! We have training twice a week, and then gather afterward for dinner and games. The Quidditch community is a welcoming one and we are always happy to teach new players! If you’ve got questions before you come along to a training session to check us out, you can always message us on our Facebook page, Mac Marauders.
Credit for group photo goes to: Taylort Angelo Quidditch shots. Credit for action shot goes to: Phot.oakraphy
What do we want? CLIMATE ACTION!
When do we want it? Yesterday, actually. But NOW is also good!
Am I the only one who feels like the weight of the world is on my shoulders and no one else cares enough about climate change? I get it- Climate change is scary AF. If even half of what climate scientists predict will occur in the next 20 years, eventuates- the catastrophic nature of events that we won’t be able to stop or even mitigate, the extinctions and biodiversity losses- it’s too unbearable to think about, let alone know how to help. I’ve just spent the last decade doing science degrees and racking up HECS debts to get jobs that won’t even exist because, damn- fires will have killed all the best habitats, all the fish and coral will die from overheating and actual acid poisoning, like some demented James Bond movie. It’s a fucking bleak future and I wish I didn’t know any of it. But I know too much to do nothing. And if I don’t do something, I’ll go and cry in the corner in a foetal position forever and that won’t help a single damn stick insect, will it? It kind of feels like you’re trying to build a haystack, but you can only throw in one straw at a time. I turn my lights off when I leave the room, I recycle nearly everything (I’m a glass jar hoarder now, what the hell), I don’t eat meat. But what difference does it make? Like most students, I can’t afford an electric car, or get solar panels on the roof of my rental property. I’m sure as shit not running for government. How do we make a real difference?
I saw our Distinguished Professor Lesley Hughes (of the Australian Climate Council fame) do a seminar last year, interpreting the latest IPCC report findings. It was a bit of a shock (the report is brutal; you might need a psych on hand if you want to read it), and the other attendants of the seminar (hardened and resigned biologists) were all kind of listening to Lesley in this stunned heartbroken silence before someone bravely asked “Lesley, what can WE do?”. With the empathetic face of someone who probably gets asked this question a lot, she replied “There are three things we can all do to assist in climate action,”
So, because we didn’t already have a society on campus, I founded MQ Climate Action Society in late 2021. Turns out I’m not the only one who feels the weight of the world: We have students, academics, and staff on board, from many different schools and departments, because we all feel this sense of needing to DO something, to turn our frustrations into actions. We are (for the most part) the next cohort of caretakers for this planet, and it is our responsibility to ensure that our current leaders hear and meet our needs. MQCAS is determined to make change and act as conduit of information between the students and the administration levels of the University.
MQU has already achieved 100% renewable energy usage via a contract with Red Energy, and this is a great start, but we can go further than this. We can become a sustainable, net-zero lighthouse to lead the way for other Universities to follow. We helped create Wi-Fi, my dudes, so we can do anything! We’re planning a student Town Hall in May. Please come and show your support for a net-zero future! MQCAS is pretty new, and we’re hoping to register as an official society with the Univeristy in Semester 2. If you also feel like us, get involved: We have a Discord channel, a Facebook page, and a website currently being built (www.mqclimateaction.wordpress.com). We aim to have information on how to vote for climate change, what banks and superannuation are the most sustainable to invest with, and a bunch of accessible tips and actions for all, including our international students, so we can all make the most informed choices. Join us. Collectively, our individual actions will make a bigger impact. Peace and Solidarity.
By Georgina Binns, Biology PhD Candidate
The Changing Reality MENTAL HEALTH of
Jackson Robb discusses the impacts of lockdown and the pandemic on mental health, and how we can move forward and adjust to the new normal.
Mental health is a topic that has been discussed and dissected in a variety of ways over the past three years. Its relation to the pandemic and its aftereffects has seen more people come to terms with the health of their mind in order to cope with new realities such as working-from-home (WFH) and mask mandates. However, for many, this process is a challenging task that requires reflection of what has caused these emotions to arise. As the world begins to understand how life can operate in a post pandemic society, it has never been more important to check in with yourself and the methods you use to combat uncertain scenarios. This article analyses common themes that contribute towards an unhealthy mind by going back to basics and assessing the cognitive inner workings of the brain, whilst also providing some strategies on how to move past difficult situations into a healthier, more focused future.
Contextual influences often play a key role on the mental health of citizens, with the environments that people are exposed to impacting how they process information and maintain composure. The Australian Institute of Health and Wellbeing (AIHW) provides evidence revealing that psychological distress in Australians was heightened throughout the pandemic. This becomes further supported by assessing the multitude of changes to daily life that many had to adopt; most significantly being the WFH method of study to avoid unnecessary exposure. This choice was needed to help minimize the spread, but it also limited social connections and discouraged many from adopting healthy habits such as exercise and extra curriculars.
In times of stress and high-pressure situations, many are often quick to find the easiest resolve and return to a feeling of normality at any expense. In times of distress, finding the quickest escape, through binging a series or throwing yourself into your work, can actually be detrimental to your mental health and thought process. Data found from the Mental Health Commission of New South Wales found that 1 in 4 Australians aged 16-24 are living with a mental illness, with the top 3 areas of concern being study problems, coping with stress, and body image. With the addition of a pandemic, the bushfire crisis of 2019-2020 and the transition from one stage of life to another, it becomes clear why mental health needs to be addressed further and with diligence. Vices such as social media only add to these issues as many choose to advertise the thriving aspects of their life but not the hardships that helped them reach these points.
This period became especially difficult for students, who were not only transitioning to new study habits and routines but facing the added difficulty of adjusting to university life. Navigating these changes without the support of their peers, who also face similar issues, can be a confronting and testing experience. A report from Andrew Mathews discusses this further, analyzing the cognitive functions involved with anxiety and how anxiety involves a characteristic pattern of cognitive processing, having the effect of maintaining high levels of vigilance for possible danger. For people experiencing uncertain changes in their environment, anxiety is a normal reaction to their situation. This can be linked to feelings of helplessness, making some more difficult to deal with and move past, resulting in detrimental effects on mental health in the long term if not addressed and worked through. Every person that comes to terms with their mental health will have a different journey and it’s important to recognize that not every technique or piece of advice will resonate with your situation. The process of understanding and growing with your mental health is constantly changing, and often the discourse on this subject is overwhelming enough on its own. This creates a paradox, whereby you must be willing to receive information that can help you reach a better state of mind and illuminate what works and doesn’t work for your situation. This realization can take time and it’s important to recognize that it won’t happen overnight. A report from Meichun Mohler-Kuo provides clarification: “...young people are more vulnerable to their immediate environment and have fewer resources and past experiences to cope with stressful situations”.
Aligning this view with results of the pandemic restricting social interaction and the making of new experiences, it becomes important to access material and try different things to identify what assists with your unique experience. Known strategies have been found in exercise, with Headspace suggesting the release of endorphins keeps your mind healthy and agile. The OneCentralHealth website recommends sleep as a critical tool that encourages time for your mind to process and store information from the day and allow you a chance to switch off. Asking your friends what has worked for them is also an option, keeping in mind their contextual influences as you do. The best course of action is to give yourself a time period. After a month, if exercise doesn’t work, try reading more books or visiting a friend. If you find yourself stuck along the way, there is no shame in asking for help. Macquarie has some dedicated councilors available for students on campus that can provide resources on how better to work through the uncertain times. The narrative on mental health is likely to change countless times in the future and this is ok. There will always be times when fear can prevent people from moving forward, so it becomes important to assess your environment and make an educated decision about what the next step needs to be. The pandemic has resulted in many students and young adults losing their direction and suffering the consequences of mental neglect, so by finding techniques that work for you and growing with these positive habits will help develop a positive headspace for you to exist in. Understanding these core principles will allow you to better cope with changing situations and allow you to move forward without fear of getting stuck in the in-between. For more information on how to access resources at Macquarie University, visit: www.students.mq.edu.au/support/personal/counselling
By Jackson Robb
THE HOUSE ALWAYS WINS
A LOOK INTO THE OBSESSION AND ADDICTION OF GAMBLING IN AUSTRALIA
It’s another Saturday night out at your local RSL. You walk past the hordes of pensioners thumbing the bottom of their seemingly endless purses for another dollar to slide into the blaring carnival machine of spinning lights and racially insensitive stereotypes. Heading towards the bar, you dodge slightly to avoid the blue screen rays of the max volume KENO machine to grab your beer and face the blokes watching the regular array of rugby matches, UFC fights and greyhound races. Invariably, you ask your friends who they have money on, before they show you any combination of sports betting apps downloaded. After a long night on the town, you come home and recline in front of the television, watching a telescreen feeding betting ads with any variety of celebrity endorsement, your brain begins to fold inwards.
Does Australia have a gambling problem?
The statistics seemingly make the case themselves, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare estimates that Australians have lost $25 billion on legal forms of gambling just in the years 2018-2019, and that in NSW only one percent of problem gamblers actually reach out for support. The Institute of Family Studies discovered that 16% of Australian teenagers aged 16-17 years reported spending money on some form of gambling activity, with some illegally gambling due to being underage. A child under the age of 13 has never experienced an Australian sporting event without some form of gambling advertisement.
Gambling industries appear to be expanding their reach further and further into every aspect of Australian life. When gambling starts to become a feature of going out to the footy, enjoying time out with your friends and time spent online, its presence only increases the odds of your eventual participation. Meanwhile, the Australian government seems to have established a keen friendship with the gambling industry, promoting events like The Melbourne Cup as an essential aspect of the Australian experience of “having a punt”.
During his tenure as Social Services Minister, current Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced an inquiry into offshore gambling websites. 60% of the online gaming industry’s $1.6 billion belongs to these offshore accounts with more than 2000 sites out of the reach of Australian regulators. To address this, a revised 2019 version of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 banned gambling operators from promoting online services to gamblers while allowing players to continue without restriction. Additionally, under the current Coalition government, in 2018, the government collected $6.2 billion in revenue from gambling industries.
Opponents of gambling legislation often state the common viewpoint of “Freedom of Choice”, surely if one is willing to spend their own money on gambling, they assume the risks. To a certain degree, this policy makes sense, no one is holding a gun to your head forcing you to gamble. However, to understand how we can help afflicted peoples, we need to understand how gambling itself causes harm. Numerous scientific reports have demonstrated the debilitating effect gambling can have on the average person with symptoms akin to drug and alcohol addiction.
Assistant Wesleyan University Professor of Psychology Mike Robinson details the exact chemical effects that gambling induces in the brain. Robinson notes “Dopamine, the neurotransmitter the brain releases during enjoyable activities such as eating, sex and drugs is also released during situations where the reward is uncertain… dopamine release parallels an individual’s levels of gambling ‘high’ and also plays a role in reinforcing risk taking behaviour”.
Repeated exposure to gambling functionally changes how you respond to losing. Losing money can carry the same trigger release of dopamine almost to the same extent that winning does. This leads to the phenomenon known as “chasing losses”.
Additionally, the lights, sounds, and jingles of poker and slot machines have a subconscious effect on the brain that encourages people to play, as subtle lengthening of jingles increase excitement and lead gamblers to overestimate how often they are winning. Whilst this is occurring, policies in casinos like the distinct lack of clocks and windows create the perfect conditioning environment for an unsuspecting person to become wrapped up in hours of gambling. This inevitably leads to the penultimate question:
What can we do about it?
Currently, the most effective policy ideas are framed around the idea of curbing gambling instead of outright banning it, through a practice of harm minimisation. University of Adelaide Associate Professor Michael O’Neil suggests minimising the amount of time spent playing poker machines, capping the maximum bet amount at $1 and reducing the number of hours gambling venues can remain open. Melbourne’s Darebin Council has experimented with removing the influence of gambling sponsorship from poker machine operators by removing sponsored club’s ability to access council grounds, facilities, and grants. Former Mayor of Darebin Council Dr Susan Rennie stated, “We have a situation now where children quote the odds instead of focusing on the game… our community has lost just over $80 million a year on poker machines alone, and you can’t take $80 million out of the community and not have some people experience pretty severe poverty as a result.”
The federal government has also taken steps towards rectifying this issue through the establishment of a National Consumer Protection Framework for Online Wagering and the introduction of a National Self Exclusion Registry that would allow people to voluntarily exclude themselves from gaming venues.
As advocates and opponents of Australia’s gambling culture war over thin patches of ground, as individuals, it is fascinating to consider the transition from ANZAC soldiers throwing two coins into the air to the digitised gambling sphere of the 21st Century. In times of strife, we often returned to games of chance as a comforting escape from our struggle. However, in the modern age of ease and comfort, we can only stand by and watch as colossal casinos force themselves alongside the ordered iconic skyline of the city.
If anything in this article has affected you in any way, do not hesitate to call Gambling Help Online at 1800 422 599 or visit their website at www.gamblinghelponline.org. au
By Bodie Greatbatch Murphy
A FIGHT
for Democracy, Independence, and Ukraine
On the 24th of February, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a full-fledged “special military operation”, in effect declaring war on Ukraine, invading Ukrainian territory and inflicting violence and brute force upon the Ukrainian population. Putin warned other countries which make any attempt to interfere with the Russian invasion would experience “consequences they have never seen ”, according to a Reuters translation of his speech. Russian troops were in combat-ready position the day before, having amassed along the Ukrainian border for several weeks. According to Sky News, Russia assembled “up to 190,000 forces personnel, including ground, sea and air, around Ukraine, armed with fast jets, artillery, warships and tanks.”
As American President Joe Biden said, “The people of Ukraine…suffer an unprovoked and unjustified attack by Russian military forces. President Putin has chosen a premeditated war that will bring a catastrophic loss of life and human suffering.”
Photo by Anadolu Agency
Protest for Ukraine in Sydney, Australia / Source: Free Thought / Вільна Думка
The political friction that has ignited this most recent invasion has been ongoing for eight years and the historic tension between Ukraine and Russia has spanned over three centuries. Many do not know that Russia already invaded Ukraine in 2014, annexing Crimea, and occupying the Donbas region in the largest land grab in Europe since WWII. Like today, the 2014 invasion of Ukraine involved Russian troops, Russian soldiers, and Russian weapons. Brave Ukrainian men and women have been fighting this war for eight years. Some 1,584,000 people from Crimea and Donbas are now internally displaced persons after being forced to leave their home (as per UNHCR Ukraine). Under Russian military occupation, Ukrainians in Crimea live in fear: they are forced to assume Russian passports or lose their property, jobs, and healthcare. Those who express opposition to Russian occupation have faced imprisonment and in some instances, torture.
Since the 12th of January 2022, Ukrainian citizens have experienced a wave of terrifying false reports alleging that explosives had been planted in more than 600 places around the country. More than 70 Ukrainian government sites were cyber attacked, causing disruptions in Ukraine’s operations. Russia’s hybrid tools of aggression against Ukraine include cyber attacks, terror, and intimidation of Ukrainian citizens, trade, and economic pressure, the spread of propaganda based on falsifications, negatively portraying Ukraine as a “failed state”, and continued military aggression with no official declaration of war or acknowledgment of the presence of Russian troops in Ukraine, despite irrefutable evidence.
As of today, Russia continues to illegally occupy 7.2% of the territory of Ukraine, as stated by the “Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ukraine” in 2019. In 1994, Ukraine relinquished its nuclear weapons in exchange for a guarantee of sovereignty and territorial integrity from Russia, Britain, and the United States through the “Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances”. Resorting to military aggression against Ukraine, Russia has and continues to violate fundamental norms and principles of international law, enshrined not only in the Budapest Memorandum but also in the UN Charter (1945), Declaration on the Inadmissibility of Intervention and Interference in the Internal Affairs of States (1981) and many others. Russia has also violated a number of bilateral and multilateral agreements, such as: Agreement on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership between Ukraine and the Russian Federation (1997) and Agreement between Ukraine and the Russian Federation on the status and conditions of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Ukraine (1999).
Putin does not consider Ukraine to be an independent nation with its own unique culture, language, and identity. To try and justify his imperial ambitions, Putin uses disinformation, along with erasure of ethinic identity, cultural appropriation, and the falsification of history to systematically spread propaganda. We see an example of this in his recent televised speech in which Putin states that “...Modern Ukraine was entirely created by Russia or, to be more precise, by Bolshevik, Communist Russia.” This is entirely false. In fact, the ancient Ukrainian kingdom of Kievan-Rus from which modern Ukraine originates, predates Russia. History proves that this is not the first time Ukraine has been subjected to such propaganda. The Holodomor, a human-made famine orchestrated by the Stalinist regime killed 7-10 million innocent Ukrainians through starvation – the Putin regime still denies that the Holodomor was an act of genocide against Ukrainians. In recent times, the Kremlin has been working hard to disrupt Ukraine’s efforts towards European integration, including joining the EU and NATO. Putin sees Ukraine’s democracy and its orientation towards Europe as a threat to his power and is willing to destroy and occupy Ukraine. Through the wars with Georgia and Ukraine, Putin’s strategy is starting to unfold – to recapture key areas that were once held by the Soviet Union and gain back the prestige and global influence that the Russian Empire once held.
Over these last weeks, I have heard many individuals say “Why should I care? I live far from there, it’s not my problem.” One should understand that this war will not only affect Ukraine but the whole world.
SO WHY SHOULD YOU CARE ABOUT THIS WAR?
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3. Putin aims to maximise his power by destabilising the rest of the world. In addition to imperialistic annexation and occupation, Russia’s government engages in more innovative hybrid warfare, not only in Ukraine. In a study conducted by the University of Washington, Cunningham found that Russian-attributed cyber actions have occurred in 85 countries spanning a total of 6 continents.
Ukraine has a huge agricultural industry which can meet the food needs of millions. Should this war continue, imported foods will be delayed, petrol prices will rise and there will be a shortage of various grains which will increase the price of food commodities. Already share markets around the world have been negatively impacted.
History does not need to repeat itself. The USSR failed many years ago and the world has not forgotten the brutality of this regime, as millions are still affected by generational trauma. Our world does not need another Soviet Union.
Putin is a threat to democracy. He is trying to topple a democratically elected government in Ukraine. If he succeeds, this will set a dangerous international precedent.
Putin is a threat to world peace. Every person has the right to live safely in their own country and associated countries should not be subjected to an ultimatum like Putin’s threat of “consequences greater than any you have faced in history”.
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Putin predicted a swift and strong takeover but Russian forces have been met with the greatest defensive resistance of our generation. Ukrainians soldiers and civilians continue to fight for democracy, independence, and Ukraine. The world will change from this event. It is historic and it is up to us to determine how it ends.
By Polina Bilinsky Mycak
Is There Hope For Reconciliation With China?
Amongst the heat of the Ukraine invasion, Scott Morrison has denounced China’s approval of Russian wheat imports as “unacceptable”. This comes after Russia was heavily sanctioned worldwide, including international trade and commerce, and shows no indication of improvements in Sino-Australian political relations. Just earlier in February, a Chinese navy ship was accused of shining a laser beam at an Australian Boeing P-8A Poseidon, a marine patrol aircraft with weapons systems and sensors for detecting submarines. The Australian Department of Defence commented that the actions “could have endangered the safety and lives of the Australian Defence Force personnel.” China responded by stating that the Australian warplanes flew too close to their ships instead, thus provoking them to defensive measures. This stages a microcosm of the unravelling of Sino-Australian relations that has occurred for the past few years. In 2017, Australia banned foreign political donations due to warnings of reports of Chinese attempts to influence Canberra’s political process. This was followed by Australia becoming the first country to ban Chinese tech giant, Huawei, from the 5G network in 2018. In the same year, Australia also blocked ten Chinese investment deals across infrastructure, agriculture, and animal husbandry. With the onset of COVID-19, 2020 became a huge year in the disintegrating relations, especially with Australia’s calls for an enquiry into the virus’ origins. As if to fan the flames, Beijing also responded negatively to Australian criticism on the escalating political situation in Hong Kong, China’s plans on taking Taiwan, the human rights violations upon the Uyghur people in Xinjiang, and China’s continual aggression over the South China Sea. Consequently, Australia and China held a trade war. The blows on Australia involved curbing Australian beef imports and levied tariffs totalling 80.5% on Australian barley in May, and in November, China imposed tariffs worth 200% on Australian wine. This was significant considering that China accounts for 35% of Australia’s total trade; Australia accounts for less than 4% of China’s commerce. The trade war reached the World Trade Organisation in 2021, as Australia lodged a complaint over the Chinese tariffs on Australian wine. Yet, only a few days later, China lodged their own complaint. Such tension continued to brew throughout 2021, as Australia joined the boycott of Beijing’s Winter Olympics, viewing it as an opportunity for China to clean up their global image instead. Furthermore, later in the year, as a power move viewed as an attempt to counter Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific, Australia also acquired a nuclear-powered submarine agreement with the UK and US, which was named AUKUS. Appropriately, Australia’s icy defences against such Chinese influences was further manifested through the cancellation of Victoria’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) agreement with Beijing. This was a global project formulated by Beijing to build a large network of trade routes to encourage Chinese infrastructure firms to bid for major projects in the state, viewed as an act of diplomacy. Along with the laser beam incident and Morrison’s condemnation was also news of Chinese spies bearing on NSW politics so far in 2022. This occurred as an unnamed businessman, with many Chinese connections, was caught to have paid large sums of money to election candidates for electorate influence by the ASIO (Australian Security Intelligence Organisation). What comes ahead in the year is unclear, although with China’s employment of a new ambassador, Xiao Qian, to Australia, his softer approach gives hope for reparations: “China is willing to work with Australia to meet each other halfway…”
By Olivia Chan
RUSSIAN SKATER on THIN ICE
After Testing Positive for Banned Drugs
During the middle of the already controversial 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games, it was revealed that Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) athlete, 15 yearold Kamila Valieva, tested positive for the banned drug Trimetazidine during a mandatory drug test in December 2021. Trimetazidine is a banned heart medication, known to be taken by athletes during competition to improve their endurance.
Russian athletes in previous years have been thrust into the spotlight, especially following the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games due to their widespread, state-sponsored use of banned drugs to improve their performance. This resulted in Russian athletes being unable to compete under Team Russia. Instead, they were given the team name ‘Russia Olympic Committee’ (ROC), stripping Russia of the glory of any medal wins effective from December 17th 2020, until December 17th 2022, upon which, it will be decided whether athletes may compete again for Russia, or continue as ROC.
Valieva’s positive test for the banned drug calls into question a plethora of issues, particularly those related to how responsible a 15 year-old can be for testing positive to a banned drug, and how much at fault the adults around her, such as her parents, coaches, and teammates, are in this difficult situation. According to the World Anti-Doping Agency, minors are not subject to the same public reporting system as adults due to the need to protect minors who may test positive. This was so in Valieva’s case, where the results were not announced until two months after the initial test. This was because she was doing well in the Olympics, being standout in the women’s single program, and helping Team ROC to win the team challenges.
Despite the positive test, Valieva was still allowed to compete, which called into question the International Olympic Committee’s neutral position regarding positive tests for banned drugs. This decision was controversial especially as Sha’Carri Richardson, who qualified to represent Team USA in the Tokyo 20202021 Summer Olympic Games, was banned after testing positive for cannabis and is notably of black heritage. Richardson herself called out the IOC upon the decision on Valieva despite testing positive, and called into question whether an inherent racial bias or the fact that Valieva is a minor contributed to the approach taken. The IOC refused to comment on the matter, and were more focused on dealing with the Valieva case at hand.
In the competition ensuing the positive result, Valieva’s previously tight quad jumpers were no match for the immense stress she was placed under by her coaches, teammates, and more importantly, herself, in a bid to prove her abilities in the wake of such an allegation. After Valieva’s fated program, her coaches were seen on the sidelines scolding her for her performance and for giving up throughout it, to which Valieva responded tearfully. Further concerns were raised about the cold demeanour her coaches and teammates showed to her, leading to more stress on Valieva. Luckily for the International Olympic Committee, Valieva’s placing meant they would not have to strip medals from her or from the ROC team later on. From a current political standpoint, such an event may even have the potential to worsen political tensions between Russia and the world…
If this situation proves anything, it is that Russia is placing themselves in a very precarious situation right now in the world, whether that be in light of one of their Olympics scandals, or their geo-political tensions. Russia is surely making themselves known to everyone for some very serious offences…
By Jaime Hendrie
